Another ‘fighting season’ in Afghanistan

No, the war in Afghanistan isn't a hopeless stalemate [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 10 May 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Yesterday, Taliban and Islamic State insurgents killed 15 people in Afghanistan, including eight police officers. A series of major attacks earlier in the spring reportedly killed more than 150. Retired Army Col. Robert Cassidy, who served four tours in Afghanistan before becoming a teaching fellow at Wesleyan University, writes that nearly 17 years of “violence, loss, sacrifice and significant investment, without victory, is alarming” – but he also argues there’s reason to hope that [the stalemate in Afghanistan may soon be over.]( On the homefront, Amazon is introducing a new smart-home device aimed at children. Marie-Helen Maras, who studies digital security, discusses the ways many internet-connected toys have already [put kids’ safety and privacy at risk](. Who wouldn’t like a little more self-control? Psychologist Sabine Doebel revisited the famous “marshmallow test” that tempts children with a sweet treat. She found the [social influence of others who value and demonstrate self-control]( shored up young kids’ own ability to hold out – potentially a key insight to enhancing adult willpower as well. Emily Costello Deputy Editor/Politics + Society Editor Top stories Afghan Northern Alliance fighters in 2001. Almost two decades later, the war continues. AP Photo/David Guttenfelder [No, the war in Afghanistan isn't a hopeless stalemate]( Robert M. Cassidy, Wesleyan University A strategy to shut down Taliban safe havens in Pakistan could bring the war to an end. Are toys sharing too much information on the internet? mhong84/Shutterstock.com [4 ways 'internet of things' toys endanger children]( Marie-Helen Maras, City University of New York As Amazon introduces a new smart-home device aimed at children, it's important to know many internet-connected toys are not secure, putting kids' security and privacy at risk. If everyone else sticks with salad, maybe you will too. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com [Identifying with others who control themselves could strengthen your own self-control]( Sabine Doebel, University of Colorado Everybody wants more self-control, but it's proven difficult to beef up through training. New research suggests that what your social group does might be key to enhancing your own self-control skills. Ethics + Religion - [Why the betrayal of Bill Cosby, Eric Schneiderman and other influential men is deeper than you think]( Hilary Jerome Scarsella, Vanderbilt University It's not shallow to be upset by the latest scandals. Learning about the bad behavior of people we admire can harm our very sense of self. Environment + Energy - [Trump's deregulatory record doesn't include much actual deregulation]( Stuart Shapiro, Rutgers University A review of Trump's stated war on regulations doesn't find many successful repeals. But it is hurting regulatory enforcement in quieter ways. Politics + Society - [Supreme Court to rule on your First Amendment right to silence]( Robert A. Sedler, Wayne State University Most people know that the First Amendment protects free speech. But two upcoming Supreme Court cases reveal how it also gives people in the US the right not to speak. - [Paraguay's new president recalls an old dictatorship]( Ignacio González Bozzolasco, Universidad Católica de Asunción Paraguay's conservative president-elect Mario Abdo narrowly won the April 22 election. His father was the private secretary for dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who brutally ruled Paraguay for 35 years. [Leer en español.]( Health + Medicine - [Chemotherapy timing could influence how well the treatment works]( Yanyan Yang, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill; Aziz Sancar, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Circadian clocks regulate the timing of hundreds of processes in the cell, suggesting that matching medications with your biological clock could improve the outcome Trending on site - [A hangover pill? Tests on drunk mice show promise]( Yunfeng Lu, University of California, Los Angeles A new pill may lower blood alcohol levels, helping a hangover and preventing alcohol overdose deaths. - [The thinking error at the root of science denial]( Jeremy P. Shapiro, Case Western Reserve University Why do some people reject scientifically accepted ideas? A psychotherapist points to black-and-white thinking as part of the explanation. - [The EPA says burning wood to generate power is 'carbon-neutral.' Is that true?]( William Moomaw, Tufts University Deriving fuel from trees costs more than wind and solar power and it emits more carbon than coal. There are many heated debates about this kind of energy, known as forest or woody biomass. Today’s quote [The actual extent of deregulation [has been] limited. At the same time, other moves to dismantle the "administrative state" have quietly been more effective.]( [Trump's deregulatory record doesn't include much actual deregulation]( Stuart Shapiro Rutgers University [Stuart Shapiro] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111