Hysteria over bloodshed in Mexico clouds the real challenge. The rising violence is a product of democratization, and the only real solution is to continue strengthening Mexican democracy.

To defeat piracy in centuries past, governments pursued a more active defense at sea and a political solution on land. The current piracy epidemic off the coast of East Africa requires many of the same tactics.

Many economies in Africa have remained largely sheltered from the global financial crisis. To keep economic development there on track, the West must avoid protectionist impulses.