Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- November 2, 2015

Vladimir Putin (C) shakes hands with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, November 24, 2014. Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Reuters

Jonathan Adelman, CNN: What Putin is doing in the Middle East

(CNN)Russia's bold but limited military move into Syria has upended the strategy of the United States and its allies, who have reacted with plans to put U.S. boots on the ground.

The White House announced Friday it would be sending "less than 50" Special Operations forces to northern Syria to offer logistical support to local Kurdish and Arab forces fighting the terrorist group ISIS.

The move follows Russia's decision a month ago to join the conflict in Syria. That announcement was widely derided in the West, echoing the repeated dismissal of Vladimir Putin's "machismo." But the reality is that such criticism fails to account for the successes of the Putin-Sergey Lavrov team -- a success that is underscored by Moscow's forcing President Barack Obama's hand over troops in Syria.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- November 2, 2015

The Perils of Obama's Latest Undeclared War -- Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

How Syria Is Not Obama’s Vietnam -- Aaron David Miller, WSJ

How 50 US troops in Syria could actually make a difference -- Anna Mulrine, CSM

'A new wave of repression is imminent in Iran' -- Akbar Ganji, The Guardian

Yemen’s transition to political stability was doomed to fail. Here’s why. -- Mareike Transfeld, Washington Post

Is the Yemen war coming to an end? -- The National editorial

Erdogan’s Violent Victory -- Roger Cohen, NYT

Turkey's election means turning from democracy towards autocracy -- Yavuz Baydar, The Guardian

ISIL won't get very far in Afghanistan - for now -- Barnett Rubin, Al Jazeera

The evolution of Asia's contested waters -- CSIS

About Time the U.S. Made a Stand in South China Sea -- Joseph Bosco, Real Clear World

Germans Race to Capture the Iranian Market -- Alexander Smoltczyk, Spiegel Online

U.S. drawing a line against Putin in Europe -- Michael Crowley, Politico

Putin’s Forever Wars -- Masha Gessen, NYT

Why Cuban Cab Drivers Make More Than Doctors (Video) -- VOX