Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 14, 2017

President Xi Jinping of China at the opening ceremony on Sunday for the Belt and Road forum in Beijing. He pledged more than $100 billion for development banks in China that he said would spearhead vast spending on infrastructure across Asia, Europe and Africa. Credit Pool photo by Mark Schiefelbein

Jane Perlez and Keith Bradsher, New York Times: Xi Jinping Positions China at Center of New Economic Order

BEIJING — President Xi Jinping of China delivered a sweeping vision of a new economic global order on Sunday, positioning his country as an alternative to an inward-looking United States under President Trump.

Mr. Xi, surrounded by autocratic leaders from Russia and Central Asia at a forum in Beijing, pledged more than $100 billion for development banks in China that he said would spearhead vast spending on infrastructure across Asia, Europe and Africa. Noticeably absent from the gathering were leaders of major Western democracies.

Sparing no modesty for the plan, Mr. Xi called the initiative, known as “One Belt, One Road,” “this project of the century.” The program, based on Chinese-led investment in bridges, rails, ports and energy in over 60 countries, form the backbone of China’s economic and geopolitical agenda.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 14, 2017

Why India is cool towards China's Belt and Road -- Ashok K. Kantha, South China Morning Post

Trump goes to Riyadh -- Bruce Riedel, Bruce Riedel, Al-Monitor

The U.S. and Turkey Are on a Collision Course in Syria -- Colin Kahl, Foreign Policy

Why Arming the Kurds Is Worth Angering the Turks -- Michael J. Totten, The Tower

Is Iran's Presidential Election Free And Fair? (Video) -- RFE

Memo to Trump: Arabs Still a Long Way From Accepting Israel -- P. David Hornik, PJ Media

Fooling many of the people much of the time: Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar are all very good at it -- Clifford May, Washington Times

Are Hezbollah, Israel heading for a third war? -- Nour Samaha, Al-Monitor

Is China Winning in the South China Sea? -- Sukmawani Bela Pertiwi, The Diplomat

A change in the weather brings a chill to Russia’s ambitions -- L. Todd Wood, Washington Times

How Gorbachev Destroyed the USSR's Military Space Program, & What It Cost Russia -- Sputnik

Brazil: President Temer's first year after impeachment -- Daniel Gallas, BBC

How do you solve half a century of bloodshed in Colombia? (Podcast) -- The Guardian

Peace in Colombia spells boom time for cocaine users in the US -- Nick Miroff, The Independent

Is Mexico really the second-deadliest country in the world? --David Agren, The Guardian

Congress, the President, and the Dwindling Oversight of War -- Jared Wharton, Defense One