'Any word that runs counter to the group can lead to a violent penalty'

'How to talk to Colombia's largest criminal group'

Elizabeth Dickinson at The New York Times

The Gaitanistas in Colombia have "become one of the most powerful organized criminal groups in South America," says Elizabeth Dickinson. Many Colombians "have come to prefer having the Gaitanistas around because they offer protection," and "this perception is part of the group's strategy." Colombia's government "should gauge the Gaitanistas' true interest in peace and what it expects in return. But they "must be ready to walk away if the group takes advantage of dialogue to expand or consolidate."

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'America wants a debate, not a spectacle — it's up to the moderators to set the stage'

Jeffrey M. McCall at The Hill

The "moderators from ABC News, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will also be under the microscope" during the presidential debate, says Jeffrey M. McCall. They "must come through for America's voters, making sure the presidential face-off is conducted with decorum, fairness and genuine substance." ABC "has already made one mistake by assigning two moderators to the debate when one would do just fine," but they "have a great opportunity to help raise the level of discourse."

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'On 9/11, America faced foreign attackers. Today, the danger comes from within.'

The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board

The 9/11 anniversary "brings promises to 'never forget,'" but it is "also worth remembering what else has been lost along the way," says The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board. Increasing domestic terror attacks "underscore the assessment by Homeland Security that white supremacists here pose the same terror threat as ISIS to the United States," and "instead of winning the war against violent extremists, a domestic enemy is knocking on the door of the Oval Office."

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'Medieval theology gives old take on new problem — AI responsibility'

David Danks and Mike Kirby at the Miami Herald

It "seems that no one, or no one thing, is morally responsible for the AI's actions," say David Danks and Mike Kirby. Present "theories of moral responsibility simply do not seem appropriate for understanding situations involving autonomous or semi-autonomous AI systems." Medieval philosophers "held that someone's decisions result from their will, operating on the products of their intellect." These "older ideas might help us today think through how an AI system and its designers might share moral responsibility."

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