Aug. 17: Retired Gen. David Petraeus *85 *87 on Afghanistan Falling

Those feeling “blunted emotions, spikes in anxiety and depression, and a desire to drastically change something” as the country slides back into pandemic mode may have “pandemic flux syndrome,” said social psychologist Amy Cuddy *05. Behavioral scientist Katy Milkman ’04 said it’s preventing us from getting the “clear fresh start” we need to recover. — The Washington Post
 
Reflecting on the birth of her third child, Johns Hopkins associate research professor Leah Wright Rigueur ’09 wrote about rejecting the American characterization of Black mothers as “symbols of crisis, trauma, and grief” and countering with joy. — The Atlantic

Stanford economist John B. Taylor ’68 said the Federal Reserve is keeping interest rates lower than its own policies prescribe and should raise them sooner than later for a smoother transition. — Project Syndicate
 
Brookings Institute senior fellow Michael O’Hanlon ’82 *91 called Afghanistan a “major defeat” for the U.S.,  but said “the United States and allies remain very unified and powerful on most key strategic issues.” — TASS Russian News Agency
 
Former China correspondent Lucy Hornby ’95 is among the colleagues and friends pleading with Beijing to release Australian TV journalist Cheng Lei, who’s been detained at a time of strained relations between the two countries. — The Sydney Morning Herald
 
Internist Lucy McBride ’95 said parents panicking about the Delta variant should assess the real-world risk to their children to make balanced decisions about their health and mental health. — The Atlantic

“I think you have to understand that you could never win in Afghanistan. In fact, I told Congress we would not be able to do in Afghanistan what we did in Iraq. The situations were totally different.”

— Retired Gen. David Petraeus *85 *87, explaining that extremists are headquartered in Pakistan, beyond the U.S.’s reach, and “you just had to accept that.” — NPR

Columbia bioethics scholar Robert Klitzman ’80 said until there’s better data on the benefits and potential harms of COVID booster shots, people who don’t have weakened immune systems should proceed with caution. — CNN
 
Data scientist David Byler ’14 broke down the reasons why Latino voters surprised Democrats by voting for President Donald Trump in 2020. — The Washington Post
 
Mollie Marcoux Samaan ’91 discussed her transition from Princeton athletic director to commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. — Golfweek
 
Rower Claire Collins ’19 discussed her “awesome” experience in Tokyo, noting that because the Olympics were delayed, she experienced the “especially intense” pre-Olympics training year twice. — Tysons Reporter

Filmmaker Ethan Coen ’79 may be finished with directing movies, according to the composer who scored every film by the Coen brothers. — Los Angeles Magazine