Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- October 22, 2013



'This Is Not How a Protection Racket Is Supposed to Work' -- Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy

Why the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are increasingly at odds.

When Saudi Arabia rejected its U.N. Security Council seat on Friday, the move caught nearly everyone off-guard. In retrospect, it shouldn't have.

In recent months, the United States has increasingly pursued a foreign policy at odds with its Persian Gulf ally, scaling back assistance to the Saudi-backed Egyptian military, abruptly dropping its plans to attack Syria despite Saudi support, and entering into a new round of nuclear talks with the kingdom's regional rival, Iran. According to U.N. diplomats and officials, the Security Council move merely reflected the Saudis' deeper anxiety over the course of American diplomacy in the Middle East, exposing a deepening rift in one of America's most important and longstanding alliances in the region. In short, Saudi Arabia's U.N. snub was a sign of the monarchy's mounting panic over the possible demise of its special relationship with Washington.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Saudi Arabia and the UN: Why the snub? -- The Economist

Nuclear talks secrecy allows Iran's hardliners to argue US has upper hand -- Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor

Understanding Iran's Nuclear Breakout Options -- Thomas Saether, National Interest

Pakistan’s Sharif sees ending drone strikes as key to fighting extremism -- Tom Hussain, McClatchy News

Let Pakistan’s Taliban talks fail without us -- Daniel Markey, Reuters

US Fumbling Puts China at Risk -- Marc Hujer and Daniel Sander, Spiegel Online

China's lopsided, slowing economy -- Rob Smitz, L.A. Times

China’s Global War Against Press Freedom -- Zachary Keck, The Diplomat

India and China to ink a border deal: Will it ease strained ties? -- Shivam Vij, Christian Science Monitor

Why have young people in Japan stopped having sex? -- Abigail Haworth, The Guardian

Obama has tough task of soothing ties with Pakistan -- Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY,

Why Russia Is Growing More Xenophobic -- Ilan Berman, Pundicity/The Atlantic

Can Scottish lion match Asian tiger of Singapore? -- Rowdy Gow, Scotsman

Did Pope Francis dress down Germany's 'Bishop of Bling'? -- Nick Squires, Christian Science Monitor

NSA revelations give 'Monsieur Kerry' a rockier road in France -- Sara Miller Llana, Christian Science Monitor

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