Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- September 30, 2009

A banquet is held to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing September 30, 2009. China will celebrate on October 1 the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. REUTERS/Li Feng/Pool

What In The World Is China? -- Nina Hachigian, L.A. Times

What better way to celebrate a birthday than to take to the world stage? Last week, Hu Jintao became the first Chinese president to address the U.N. General Assembly, a privilege seemingly reserved for the president of the United States and colorful despots such as Moammar Kadafi. The People's Republic, which turns 60 on Thursday, has evolved from tin-pot polity to powerhouse. And among the spectacular transformations China has undergone, its dramatic turnabout in how it relates to the world stands out.

Read more ....

COMMENTARIES, OPINIONS, AND EDITORIALS

Still unclear on Hu's successor -- Frank Ching, The China Post

The Autocrats' Learning Curve (China) -- Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Foreign Policy

We've Been Talking to Iran for 30 Years -- Michael Ledeen, WSJ

Buying Time for Iran -- Amir Taheri, New York Post

Forget The Nukes (Iran) -- Washington Post

Could Iran Trigger a Cuban Missile Crisis? -- J. Choksy, Radio Free Europe

How Badly Would Sanctions on Gas Imports Hurt Iran? -- Vivienne Walt, Time

Three pressure points to make Iran crumble -- Rosemary Righter, Times Online

Lifting Iran’s Nuclear Veil -- Gary Milhollin & Valerie Lincy, New York Times

Obama's Iran Talks Will Fail -- Washington Times editorial

Obama: Don't give up on Afghanistan -- John Hughes, Christian Science Monitor

Should We 'Surge' in Afghanistan? -- Michael Gerson, Washington Post

Let's Not Abandon Afghan Women -- Tina Brown, The Daily Beast

Gorbachev Was Right (On Afghanistan) -- Steve Coll, New Yorker

Is Afghanistan NATO's Graveyard? -- John Feffer, Mother Jones

Sudan's Simmering North-South War -- Austin Bay, RealClearWorld

Is Al Qaeda on the Decline? -- C.M. Sennott, Global Post

Repeating history, Mad men of 1939, 2009 -- Richard Rahn, Washington Times