Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- January 22, 2014

Free Syrian Army fighters take positions behind a damaged car as they fire their weapons during an offensive against forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo’s Salaheddine neighbourhood, October 9, 2013. REUTERS/Malek Alshemal

Hope In Montreux? A Starting Point For Peace In Syria -- Christoph Reuter, Spiegel Online

Violence in Syria has been appalling in the run up to this week's peace talks in Switzerland, where rebel and government representatives are to sit down together. Secret meetings in recent months give cause for hope.

A bag filled with pieces of bread is dangling from a pole jutting from a house in the Damascus neighborhood of Yarmouk. Rebels control the neighborhood, but the Syrian army has had it sealed off from the outside world for months. The rebels suspect that the bag of bread is bait, part of trap designed to lure starving Yarmouk residents out into the open -- and into the range of fire of army snipers.

Dozens have already died of starvation in Yarmouk. The last remaining cats, birds and dogs were eaten long ago. Cactus leaves and grass are still growing. Bread would be a luxury.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Dooming the Syria talks before they begin -- David Rohde, Reuters

Far from Syria peace talks, rebels focus on gaining ground -- Nicholas Blanford, Christian Science Monitor

Leaders: Can we stand by after horror in Syria? -- Scotsman editorial

Syrian genocide needs justice -- Ammar Abdulhamid and Ken Ballen

Why Geneva 2 Won’t Stop Syria’s War -- Jamie Dettmer, Daily Beast

Special Report: Amid Syria's violence, Kurds carve out autonomy -- Erika Solomon, Reuters

Iran Sanctions Relief Could Fund Terrorism Against U.S. -- Adam Kredo, Washington Free Beacon

Few Israelis, Palestinians see two-state solution as feasible. What’s the alternative? -- Christa Case Bryant, Christian Science Monitor

How does political uncertainty affect Afghanistan's security? -- PBS Newshour

A Defense of Obama's Afghan-War Ambivalence -- Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

China Is Dependent On Our Fiscal Health -- Steve Forbes, Forbes

Pakistan and India: A mismatch of nuclear doctrines -- Raja Menon, The Hindu

Dangers Ahead for Ukraine -- Colin Freeman, Daily Telegraph

The West must break Ukraine free from Mr. Putin’s grasp -- Washington Post editorial

Millions of Cubans May Lose Their Life Savings This Year -- Justin Rohrlich, Vice

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