Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- August 28, 2014

Ukraine: Vladimir Putin's Military Action Reveals A Wider Plan -- Keir Giles, BBC

Alarm is growing in Kiev and the West over Russia's role in eastern Ukraine. But what is Russian President Vladimir Putin trying to achieve?

The indications are clear that Russia is being more confident and less discreet about the presence of its troops and equipment in eastern Ukraine.

As well as sightings of Russian tanks, and reports of Russian paratroopers not only captured by Ukraine but also killed "while carrying out their duties", statements by separatist leaders have changed too.

After months of calling for assistance from Russia, separatist leaders now say that they can "do without outside help".

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- August 28, 2014

Russian ‘realism’ is winning now, but will fail in the end -- John Lloyd, Reuters

Russia’s new tactics of war shouldn’t fool anyone -- Washington Post editorial

Putin's Cherished Deniability Is Shattered -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

U.S. Should Bomb ISIS ... and Assad -- Michael Weiss, NOW

The Islamic State's Home-Field Advantage: 5 reasons why an expanded mission to strike James Foley's killers in Syria won't work. And why it's going to happen anyway. -- Aaron David Miller, Foreign Policy

Obama's Awkward, Defensible Syria Policy -- Bloomberg editorial

How the U.S. Might Take Out the Islamic State -- Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report

The best weapon to fight the Islamic State is already in Iraq -- Robert Caruso, Reuters

Will Obama let Iraq become his ‘nam? -- Rich Lowry, New York Post

Hamas Claims ‘Victory’ Amid the Rubble of Gaza -- Jesse Rosenfeld, Daily Beast

South Sudan Rebels Explain Refusal to Sign Cease-fire Agreement -- James Butty, VOA

Analysis: Boko Haram focuses on seizing territory -- Laura Grossman & Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal

When Americans leave for jihad -- Peter Bergen and David Sterman, CNN

The euro zone: That sinking feeling (again) -- The Economist

The U.S. Needs a New Foreign Policy Agenda for 2016 (A Four-Part Series) -- William Inboden and Kim Holmes, Foreign Policy