Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 29, 2015

Inside Story/Al Jazeera: Is peace with the Taliban possible?

Little progress has been achieved as Pakistan and Afghanistan seek peace with the religious group.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says he is still hopeful that talks with the Pakistani Taliban will be successful, despite the militant group ending its call for a ceasefire. Sharif says the group has to lay down its arms and respect the Constitution.

Meanwhile. the Pakistani Taliban has made it clear it does not accept the Pakistani Constitution and says it is committed to enforcing its brand of Sharia law across the country. Since the group began its campaign of violence in 2007, thousands of people have been killed in bomb and gun attacks.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 29, 2015

What's next for Taliban after Mullah Omar's reported death? -- Tim Lister, CNN

Dead or alive? The story of the Taliban's missing leader Mohammed Omar -- Jason Burke, The Guardian

A Leaderless Taliban Benefits Islamic State -- Eli Lake & Josh Rogin, Bloomberg

Japan’s Strategy for Central Asia -- Samuel Ramani, The Diplomat

Tikrit In Ruins After Saddam Hometown Liberated From ISIS -- Hélène Sallon, World Crunch

Erdogan's Wars -- Bloomberg editorial

Exposed: China's Economy Won't Collapse -- Milton Ezrati, National Interest

Gazprom Putting The Squeeze On Turkmenistan -- Martin Vladimirov, Oil Price

Russia Can't Help Being a Gold Bug -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg

Greece’s Relentless Exodus -- James Angelos, NYT

How the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel digs its tunnels. -- Monte Reel, New Yorker

US-Turkey military deal: A turning point in Obama's handling of Syria crisis? -- Howard LaFranchi, CSM

Iran deal: Why don't Americans like it? -- Aaron David Miller, CNN

It’s Simple: Under This Deal, Iran Will Have Nuclear Weapons in Little Over a Decade -- Jeff Robbins, Observer

Why Is the U.S. Releasing Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard? -- Michael Weiss, Daily Beast