Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 17, 2016

Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets after arriving from Syria, at an airbase in Krasnodar region, southern Russia. (Reuters)

Robert Coalson, The Atlantic: Syria Withdrawal: The View From Russia

“Mission accomplished,” “unplanned improvisation,” or preparation for sandstorm season? Russian analysts parse Putin’s move.

As Russian warplanes continued their partial withdrawal from Syria two days after President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly announced that Moscow’s objectives in the country had been “generally accomplished,” observers debated how the move changes the situation in the volatile region.

Russian analysts I spoke to are divided on what those goals really were and whether Putin has achieved them.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 17, 2016

Putin's Syria Gamble Has Already Paid Off -- Tobin Harshaw, Bloomberg

Kerry declares ISIS's actions 'genocide': Will the label have an impact? -- Howard La Franchi, CSM

For Syria's Kurds, Gaining Ground Is Only Half the Battle -- Stratfor

5 reasons Iran will be able to wait out low oil prices -- David Ramin Jalilvand, Al-Monitor

Why executions in Iran have hit a 27-year high -- Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, Al Arabiya

South China Sea: Coming Chinese Land Reclamation at Scarborough Shoal? -- Ankit Panda, The Diplomat

Revisiting the Geopolitics of China -- Rodger Baker, Stratfor

Tunisia continues to fight against ISIL infiltration -- Rashmee Roshan Lall, The National

Can Angela Merkel prevent Europe being eaten away at its core? -- Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian

Putin’s long game has been revealed, and the omens are bad for Europe -- Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian

Russian foreign policy: A hollow superpower -- The Economist

Why Vladimir Putin's Building a Bridge from Russia to Crimea -- Reuters

EU, Turkey seal deal to return migrants, but is it legal? Or doable? -- Humeyra Pamuk and Gabriela Baczynska, Reuters

Rousseff's Gamble on Lula Isn't Likely to Pay Off -- Mac Margolis, Bloomberg

Around world, doubts whether Trump could 'make America great again' -- Sara Miller Llana, CSM

What people across the globe think of Donald Trump -- Jessica King and Wes Little, CNN