Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- August 13, 2013

U.S. soldiers conduct a safety briefing during a small arms range training exercise on Forward Operating Base Farah, Afghanistan, July 31, 2013. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Chad A. Dulac

Why Russia Is Worried About The “Zero Option” In Afghanistan -- Andrew S. Bowen, The Diplomat

With America’s decade-long entanglement in Afghanistan coming to a close, the debate over the size and scale of any remaining American involvement in the country has come to the forefront of Washington’s policymaking circuit. From the Department of Defense and the State Department, to USAID and the White House, discussions are being held over not only how many U.S. troops should remain in the country after the withdrawal deadline of the end of 2014, but also on the potential abilities and effects that a force would have—especially regarding the potential of the U.S. retaining no troops in the country, the so called “Zero Option.” Afghanistan, Pakistan, the U.S., and to a lesser degree India and China, are all involved or carefully watching the debates, as vital national interests would be altered, depending on the U.S. commitment after 2014.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Jihadis claims responsibility for failed Israel attack, but did they really do it? -- Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor

One-State Dream, One-State Nightmare -- Roger Cohen, New York Times

Owning the Mideast Peace Process -- Barry Rubin, Jerusalem Post

The Failed State of Egypt? -- Barak Barfi, Project Syndicate

What’s the matter with Egypt’s liberals? -- By Max Fisher, Washington Post

Mali’s New President-Elect Faces a Long, Hard Road Ahead -- Aryn Baker, Time

Dangerous Congressional Meddling in the South China Sea -- Ted Galen Carpenter, Real Clear World

Afghanistan’s Rare Earth Element Bonanza -- Alan W. Dowd, The American

So You Think The Euro Crisis Is Over? Time To Think Again -- Jeremy Warner, Telegraph

Northern Ireland’s growing burden of bankruptcies -- Francess McDonnell, Irish Times

The (Russian) Arctic is open for business -- Michael Byers, The Globe and Mail

Raul Castro’s empty talk on civility in Cuba -- Washington Post editorial

Terror Retooled: Al-Qaida Thinks Globally But Acts Locally -- Christoph Reuter, Spiegel Online

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