As so many writers know, the experience of creating an imaginary world is closer to dreaming than it is to normal, grit-your-teeth work. It's preconscious rather than conscious. Ideas fall into your head, and the book writes you, rather than the other way around. David Ignatius bookcloseconscious share on social
When historians look at the Obama presidency, they're likely to credit him especially for doing the politically unpopular things that were needed in 2009 to salvage the financial wreckage. David Ignatius creditfinancialhistorian Change image and share on social
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, arguably President Obama's best Cabinet appointment, has been leading a quiet revolution in clean-energy technology. Innovation is transforming this industry, costs are plummeting and entrepreneurs are devising radical new systems that create American jobs - in addition to protecting the planet. David Ignatius americanappointmentarguably share on social
Foreign policy is about the execution of ideas as much as their formulation. David Ignatius executionforeignformulation Change image and share on social
World War II provides a string of celebrated cases of deception and manipulation. David Ignatius casecelebratedeception Change image and share on social
The value of catastrophic events is that they can help people face up to problems that are otherwise impossible to address. David Ignatius addresscatastrophicevent Change image and share on social
President Obama was right to ban torture, but the public must understand that this decision carries a potential cost in lost information. That's what makes it a moral choice. David Ignatius bancarrychoice Change image and share on social
CIA officers aren't idiots. They knew they were heading into deep water - legally and morally - when they signed up for the interrogation program. That's part of the agency's ethos - doing the hard jobs that other departments prudently avoid. David Ignatius agencyavoidcia share on social
Images sometimes capture particular periods in history. The unreachable green light, beckoning from across the bay in 'The Great Gatsby,' has become a symbol of the yearning of America in the 1920s. David Ignatius 1920samericabay Change image and share on social
Bob Gates has unusual standing in the debate about the Obama administration's foreign policy: He was defense secretary for both a hawkish President George W. Bush and a wary President Obama. He understood Bush's desire to project power and Obama's skepticism. David Ignatius administrationbobbush share on social