Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 13, 2016



Michael Crowley, Politico: Obama's vision of the world clashes with TV reality

The president's State of the Union address depicted a world very different from what most Americans are seeing and hearing on TV and from GOP candidates.

President Obama portrayed his foreign policy as a level-headed, visionary success on Tuesday night. But that’s an argument he’s made before — and so far, Americans aren't buying it.

Recent polls show that about half of Americans disapprove of Obama's handling of world affairs, largely thanks to fear over worldwide terrorist attacks by the Islamic State and al Qaeda. But although Obama spoke at length about the terrorist threat to the U.S., he mostly downplayed it, warning against "over-the-top claims that this is World War III." In private, Obama has complained that the news media exaggerates the threat of terrorism, stoking anxiety and talk of ill-advised military action.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 13, 2016

Iran Holds Obama’s Foreign-Policy Legacy Hostage -- Josh Rogin & Eli Lake, Bloomberg

US sailors freed: With nuclear deal close, Iran skirts boat-loads of trouble -- Scott Peterson, CSM

U.S. Sailors Released but Iran Won’t Stop Taking Hostages -- David Axe, Daily Beast

Thousands of photos offer evidence of murder by the Syrian government—but we’ve ignored them -- Annalisa Merelli & Loubna Marie, Quartz

Here’s What the U.S. Can Do to Save Syria From Starvation -- Daniel Serwer, Fortune

Why Iran-Saudi fallout will be costly for Moscow -- Paul J. Saunders, Al-Monitor

After Istanbul’s Suicide Bombing, Will Turkey Escalate Its Campaign against ISIS? -- Tom Rogan, NRO

China Enables North Korean Mischief -- Joseph Bosco, Real Clear World

North Korea Turns More Erratic as Kim's Inner Circle Shrinks -- Sam Kim, Bloomberg

Elections in Taiwan: A Turning Point? -- Alexandra Viers, Cipher

Corsican Nationalists could achieve breakthrough status in 2016 -- Kevin Lees, Suffragio

How Ukraine Weaned Itself Off Russian Gas -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

America may be doomed to cooperate with Putin -- David Ignatius, Washiongton Post

Why Putin Loves Trump -- Ivan Krastev, NYT

Obama Calls For Bipartisanship While Sabotaging It -- Francis Barry, Bloomberg

Ken Allard on the State of America's National Security -- Col. Kenneth Allard USA (Ret.), Real Clear Defense

2 comments:

Don Bacon said...

Sure, sending 70,000 more troops to Afghanistan was a winner (not), and how about that Libya exercise which brought turmoil to North Africa, and continuing to support Saudi Arabia and Turkey in tearing up the Levant?

Unknown said...

5 key points

whine, piss, moan, ...