Friday, August 21, 2009

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- August 21, 2009


Under the Influence: The Weakness of War -- Andrew Bast, Wolrd Politics Review

In one of the most quoted aphorisms in international relations, the Prussian political philosopher Carl von Clausewitz said that "war is merely a continuation of politics." In other words, for every war that has been waged, we can point to political aims underpinning its waging. Take some recent examples. In large part, the 1991 Persian Gulf war was about exerting power: It sought to prevent an invasion of Saudi Arabia and oust Iraqi forces from Kuwait. However, in Vietnam, the end goal was political influence: The war was fought to keep the south from falling to the communists. The examples are just two among many, but interestingly, they are illustrative of when war works, and when it doesn't.

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COMMENTARIES, OPINIONS, AND EDITORIALS

A Second Lockerbie Outrage -- Wall Street Journal editorial

In Afghanistan, the Choice Is Ours -- Richard Haass, New York Times

The West Gives Karzai One Last Chance -- Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph

Are the Taliban Afraid the U.S. Might Win? -- Lawrence Korb, Daily Star

Afghanistan's Democratic Debacle -- Patrick Basham, Cato Institute

Our boys sacrifice their lives to prop up an evil regime -- Leo McKinstry, Daily Express

Don't Cry For Tom Ridge -- Marc Ambinder, the Atlantic

NYTimes Puts American Lives at Risk, Again -- Weekly Standard

The Politics of the Politics of Fear -- Caleb Howe, American Spectator

Tehran's Self-Fulfilling Paranoia -- Haleh Esfandiari, Washington Post opinion

Israel Still Strangles the Palestinian Economy -- Sam Bahour, Wall Street Journal opinion

Speak Truth to China's Power -- Greg Sheridan, Real Clear World

The Folly of South Korea's Sunshine Policy -- Gordon Chang, Forbes

Obama Needs to Focus on Foreign Policy -- Dimitri Simes, National Interest

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