Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- September 8, 2014

What To Look For In Obama's Islamic State Speech -- Paul D. Shinkman, US News and World Report

Questions remain about ground forces in Syria, Congress and international support.

President Barack Obama will clarify for the American people, Congress and a yet-undefined international coalition how the U.S. plans to “start going on some offense” against the Islamic State in an address scheduled for Wednesday.

Gaping holes exist in how the U.S. can conceivably drive back this force that has captured massive swathes of Syria and Iraq, and how it can restore peace. Most pressing among these questions is who will volunteer to fight them on the ground, and whether they are capable of doing so. Next, what countries will step up to provide actual support in the form of supplies or supplementary ground troops. And if they’re able to defeat the Islamic State, can the Iraqi government and other regional influencers produce the lasting security.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- September 8, 2014

This ceasefire is Ukraine’s best hope -- Mary Dejevsky, The Guardian

Ukraine ceasefire a fragile victory for Vladimir Putin: Analysts -- AFP

Ukraine's Cease-Fire Is Putin's Victory -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Russia Hardens Military Thinking as NATO Fizzes Over Ukraine -- Matthew Bodner, Moscow Times

Russia exposes Obama's empty security promises to Estonia -- Thomas Lifson, American Interest

Obama on Meet the Press -- Thomas Lifson, American Thinker

Predicting the President’s Big Speech -- Richard Fernandez, PJ Media

Obama’s ISIS Strategy: What We Know So Far -- David Dwyer, ABC News

Searching for a Strategy to Defeat ISIS -- Cmdr. Daniel Dolan, USN (Retired), USNI

Degrading, Defeating, and Destroying the Islamic State -- Thomas Donnelly, Weekly Standard

Defeating Islamic State could take years -- David Wroe, Sydney Morning Herald

The 2014 Israel-Hamas War: A Preliminary Net Assessment -- Shai Feldman, National Interest

Ayatollah Khamenei urges Iran to prepare for 'new world order' -- Arash Karami, Al-Monitor

African Union forces accused of sexual abuse. Will anyone be held accountable? -- Whitney Eulich, CSM

Siege of Islamabad: what next? -- Pervez Hoodbhoy, DAWN

A Thaw In China-Japan Relations In November? Unlikely. A Japanese Debt Crisis? Getting Closer. -- Stephen Harner, Forbes

Scottish independence campaign gaining ground, polls suggest -- Susannah Cullinane, CNN