Tuesday, January 5, 2016

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

Supporters of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr protest against the execution of Shi'ite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia, during a demonstration in Najaf, Iraq January 4, 2016. REUTERS/ALAA AL-MARJANI

Angus McDowall, Reuters: New Saudi-Iran crisis threatens wider escalation

The last time Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran, after its embassy in Tehran was stormed by protesters in 1988, it took a swing in the regional power balance in the form of Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait to heal the rift.

It is hard to see how any lesser development could resolve the region's most bitter rivalry, which has underpinned wars and political tussles across the Middle East as Riyadh and Tehran backed opposing sides.

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

The Saudi-Iranian Eruption -- Michael Totten, World Affairs

Did the Saudis Start This Mideast Crisis on Purpose? -- Shane Harris, Daily Beast

Sunni Arab Solidarity: Bahrain and the U.A.E. join Saudi Arabia in ignoring a U.S. they don’t trust. -- WSJ Editorial

Obama’s Middle East Balancing Act Tilts Toward Iran -- Josh Rogin & Eli Lake, Bloomberg

Why ISIS is the winner in Saudi Arabia-Iran row -- Holly Ellyatt, CNBC

U.S. Can Afford to Side With Iran Over Saudis -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg

Iran-Saudi tensions show why it's so hard for US to disentangle from Mideast -- Howard Lafranchi, CSM

Turkey’s unwinnable war against the Kurds -- Asli Aydintasbas, Politico

China’s stockmarket crashes—again -- The Economist

Was the death of Kim Jong Un's number two really an accident? -- Bruce Klingner, Newsweek

Pathankot terror attack is exactly why India should talk to Pakistan -- Shivam Vij, Quartz

Are the Terrorists Winning a Year After Charlie Hebdo? -- Christopher Dickey, Daily Beast

Sexual assaults blamed on ‘Arab’ men in Germany may inflame refugee debate -- Niraj Chokshi, Washington Post
Sexual Assaults in Germany and the Debate Over Refugees -- Krishnadev Calamur, Atlantic

Turkey, NATO, and risk of nuclear escalation with Russia -- Christina Lin, Asia Times

Candidates for president flesh out their anti-IS war plans -- Julian Pecquet, Al-Monitor

2 comments:

Jay Farquharson said...

WNU Editor,

Two more for you:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/opinion/saudi-arabias-dangerous-sectarian-game.html?hpw&rref=opinion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&referer=http://angryarab.blogspot.ca/2016/01/roots-of-sectarian-war-in-middle-east.html?m=1


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/why-stoking-sectarian-fires-in-the-middle-east-could-be-saudi-arabias-biggest-mistake-a6796646.html

And of course:

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2016/01/contrary-to-media-claims-us-always-supports-its-saudi-clients.html#comments


War News Updates Editor said...

Jay. Thank you for the links.

I have a post later this evening where I am saying the same thing that Moon of Alabama is saying. The perception is that the U.S> may be siding with Iran .... but the reality is different.