As NATO summits go, this weekend's meeting of the alliance's members in Chicago may be memorable if only for being the least memorable one in recent history. Of course, quiet summits are not necessarily bad summits. 

After the European Union’s latest crisis summit last week, international financial markets reacted cautiously. And well they should, since this umpteenth effort to save several Eurozone countries from fiscal collapse, and the common currency itself, produced mediocre results

As Congress looks for ways to balance the budget and reduce the national debt, large cuts to their own compensation should be given serious consideration.

The United States and its allies and partners must not only understand Iran’s regional strategy and influence but also develop a coherent strategy of their own with which to confront them. Considering the relative economic, political, and diplomatic power of the two sides, it is unacceptable for the United States and its allies to allow Iran even such progress as it has made in these realms.

The Obama and Hatoyama administrations must decide if they view an alliance as a key element in their security strategies or as an outdated relic of a bygone era.

The U.S.-Japan alliance is undergoing one of its tensest moments in recent years. If the alliance is to maintain its role as the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, Washington and Tokyo will have to prove they can work together.

How will a sea change in Japan's politics affect U.S.-Japanese relations? A bumpier road for sure, but opportunities as well.