Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 16, 2014

White House. Wikipedia

The Limits of American Military Might -- Michael R. Matheny, National Interest

"Our optimism has often led us to overestimate the utility of American power to shape and influence local institutions and political outcomes."

As the most powerful nation on earth after more than a decade of lashing about the world with our military force, one might well ask: What good is it? What have we achieved? Why haven’t we achieved more? From Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, to the Ukraine, regional or global stability seems in short supply and fraught with human tragedy and strategic peril. Are we in the grip of some sweeping historical trend as the Middle East sorts out its religious and political destiny? Are we fighting for a fading status quo, which will inevitably result in the retreat of American power and influence or just recognition of its limitations?

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 16, 2014

Order vs. Disorder, Part 2 -- Thomas Friedman, NYT

How did this happen? Iraq, Syria, Gaza and Libya all in flames -- Holly Yan, CNN

Revisiting Kurdistan: 'If there is a success story in Iraq, it's here' -- Luke Harding, the Guardian

Iraqis don't want their country broken up -- Amal Mudallali, Special to CNN

Assad an ally in the fight against Islamists? -- Deutsche Welle

Israel Escalation Likely -- Nicholas Casey And Joshua Mitnick, WSJ

Is Obama’s Strategy on Iran Sound? -- Walter Russell Mead, American Interest

Trying terrorists -- Mark Pomerleau, The Hill

Politics, Afghanistan-style -- Farah Stockman, Boston Globe

Thailand's Inevitable Revolution -- Robert Amsterdam, Real Clear World

Boko Haram creeps further into Nigerian life and politics -- Heather Murdock, CSM

Analysts: Putin Wants 'Frozen Conflict' in Eastern Ukraine -- Daniel Schearf, VOA

Five Ways the Soviet Union Could Have Won the Cold War -- Tom Nichols, National Interest

The Buzz in Berlin: Is Merkel Thinking of Stepping Down? -- Nikolaus Blome, Spiegel Online

Is Macedonia on the Brink of Another Ethnic Conflict? -- Jack Davies, Vice

Is Mount Fuji about to ERUPT? Volcano said to be in ‘critical’ condition after devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake -- Jonathan O'Callaghan, Daily Mail