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

Why Is ISIS Taunting The West? -- Jethro Mullen, CNN

(CNN) -- For a while, it seemed that the threat from ISIS was limited to sparsely populated desert regions in the Middle East.

Through brutal tactics and persecution of minorities, the Sunni extremist group brought slaughter and chaos to large areas of Syria and Iraq.

But its merciless efforts to establish its version of an Islamic caliphate unsettled the wider region, prompting U.S. airstrikes aimed at stemming its advance.

The Islamic militant group has responded by beheading three of its Western hostages in recent weeks, ratcheting up the crisis. It has also amped up the rhetoric, threatening attacks on the United States and its allies. On Monday, several countries quickly rejected the threats, which were made in an audio recording from an ISIS leader who urged attacks on civilians in the United States and other Western nations.

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

America’s Never-Ending War -- Brahma Chellaney, Project Syndicate

Obama's words return to haunt him as he rallies U.S. on Iraq -- Mike Dorning, Bloomberg News,

Spurred by ISIS Violence, Nations Mull How to Press for Justice in Conflicts -- Marlise Simons, NYT

The Unlikeliest of Coalitions: Can Adversaries Become Allies to Fight ISIS? -- New York Times editorial

IS offensive poses problems for Turkey -- Desmond Butler, The Australian

Is ISIS Mainstreaming Hezbollah? -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

The White House wants the Kurds to help save Iraq from ISIS. The Kurds may be more interested in breaking away. -- Dexter Filkins, New Yorker

Iran remains America’s biggest challenge -- Eric Edelman, Dennis Ross and Ray Takeyh, Washington post

The Afghan Election: Without Votes, Results—and an End -- Scott Smith, Weekly Standard

The Rise and Rise of Xi Jinping - The Economist

Eastern Europe expert: Ukraine faces a frozen conflict -- Deutsche Welle

Venezuela’s Crackdown on Opposition -- New York Times editorial

Will White House become fortress after Omar Gonzalez intrusion? -- Peter Grier, CSM