Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- June 28, 2010

LOADING UP - U.S. Army soldiers and Afghan National Security Forces load onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for an air assault mission on Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, Wardak province, Afghanistan, June 15, 2010. The soldiers are assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Jon Rosa

Beyond The McChrystal, Petraeus Drama: A Counterinsurgency Reality Check -- Brian Burton, Christian Science Monitor

Given all the hurdles to a successful counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, it is not too early for Petraeus and Washington to begin thinking about Plan B.

The drama surrounding the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal is understandably centered on the juicy clash of personalities: The elite, handpicked commander undone by careless comments to a freelance journalist working for Rolling Stone; the president forced to reassert his authority as commander in chief while prosecuting a difficult war amid flagging public support and a host of domestic crises; the newly installed general, renowned for his past exploits, sent into the fire once again to turn around a troubled campaign.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Team Effort. Afghanistan After McChrystal -- George Packer, The New Yorker

On the Media: What McChrystal failed to understand -- James Rainey, L.A. times

SPIEGEL Interview With Former Obama Advisor Bruce Riedel: 'McChrystal Has Made A Fool Of Himself' -- Spiegel Online (Interview)

Afghanistan: The Surge And After -- Harsh V Pant, Times of India

Frightened by a dragon (China), India shies away from Taiwan -- MD Nalapat, the National

Congo: Death by Gadget -- Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times

The danger of an Islamized Gaza -- Bill Van Esveld, L.A. Times

5 myths about getting rid of the bomb -- Barry Blechman and Alex Bollfrass, Washington Post

In the Beginning, There Was Somalia: Two decades later, the U.S. still has no plan. -- James Traub, Foreign Policy

Why The U.S. And Japan Need okinawa -- David Axe, the Diplomat

Follow the Renminbi -- Behzad Yaghmaian, New York Times