Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 5, 2015

Emile Simpson, Politico: Is Kunduz the beginning of the end for Afghanistan?

America’s deadly hospital strike points up how hard it’s going to be to keep control from the air.

A week ago, Kunduz, a provincial capital of 300,000 in northern Afghanistan, was not considered of particular strategic importance in the war against the Taliban. The Afghan government’s focus has been primarily on the fight in river valleys of southern Afghanistan to protect Kandahar, and in the mountain passes of eastern Afghanistan to protect Jalalabad.

But the fall of Kunduz to the Taliban for two days last week — and the struggle that may still be underway continuing for control of the city — marks a new phase in the war and a critical test for the effort by the United States and NATO to leave the bulk of the fighting to Afghan security forces.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 5, 2015

Wake up world, Afghanistan could be the next ISIS hotbed -- Camelia Entekhabi-Fard, Al Arabiya

The Kunduz Hospital: An Afghan and American Tragedy -- Micahel O'Hanlon, Brooks

Putin's Bombs Add to Reasons Why Syria's War Is Here to Stay -- Donna Abu-Nasr, Bloomberg

Vladimir Putin’s secret weapon for a Syrian end game? Diplomacy. -- Nicolay Kozhanov, Reuters

In the new cold war, the stakes for Turkey are heating up -- Joseph Dana, The National

Looking the Other Way in Yemen -- Adam Chandler, The Atlantic

Europe's Powerlessness in the Middle East -- Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Europe

How much corrupt officials pay for promotions and elections in China -- Want China Times

Ukraine Is Being Told to Live With Putin -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Vladimir S. Patton -- Carl M. Cannon, Real Clear Politics

Is Putin Winning? -- Ross Douthat, NYT

Greece's Euro-Area Ties Risk More Strain Amid Refugee Crisis -- Ian Wishart & Nikos Chrysoloras, Bloomberg

5 takeways from Portugal’s election -- Nuno Garoupa, Politico

Sweden’s liberal image is a mirage that hides a very ugly problem -- Olivia Goldhill, Quartz

The New World Disorder -- Philip Gourevitch, New Yorker