Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 26, 2015

Frontline: Inside the Assad Regime’s Surreal “Summer in Syria” Campaign

By any measure, the past several months in Syria have been especially devastating.

The world has watched as thousands of Syrians fled the fighting between President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and rebel forces. Meanwhile, despite U.S. airstrikes, ISIS seized even more territory across the country, even razing the ancient city of Palmyra.

But as FRONTLINE’s Martin Smith found when he journeyed inside government-controlled areas of Syria late this past summer, the regime and its allies were working hard to put on a good face.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 26, 2015

The Great War in the Middle East -- Peter Van Buren, Tom Dispatch

Is Russia's call for elections in Syria realistic? -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera

How Putin Put Obama in a Bind on Syria -- Patrick Smith, Fiscal Times

Syria poses challenges for Putin -- Bridget Kendall, BBC

Vladimir Putin the peacemaker? Russia's President hints at pivot in Syria -- Jill Dougherty, CNN

Is ISIS Failing? 8 Questions to Consider -- Ronald Tiersky, The Compass

Iraq war was a terrible mistake -- Fareed Zakaria, CNN

Russia’s 'Asian Pivot' Seen in Kuril Military Expansion -- Brian Padden, VOA

Russia Isn’t a Superpower, It Just Plays One on TV -- Mark Adomanis, Read Russia

Russia and China: Beware the Budding Eurasian Colossus? -- Lyle J. Goldstein, National Interest

Guns and Lack of Butter in Ukraine -- Samuel Bendett, The Compass

Portugal has a Syriza moment -- Ilias Roubanis, New Europe

5 takeaways from Poland’s election -- Jan Cienski, Politico

The World Should Support Venezuela's Heroic Opposition -- Fabio Rafael Fiallo, The Compass

What Does Canada’s New PM Mean for the US? -- Laura Dawson, American Interest