Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 16, 2016

Vladimir Putin attends a meeting on Russia’s Armed Forces actions in Syria. Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru

Enea Gjoza, National Interest: Let Russia Own Syria

The choice isn't pleasant, but it best safeguards U.S. interests.

The Syrian agreement recently concluded by Secretary of State John Kerry has spurred guarded optimism for a solution to the five-year-old conflict. In exchange for a ceasefire between the Assad regime and U.S.-backed rebels, the United States and Russia have agreed to coordinate airstrikes against ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, the local Al Qaeda affiliate.

While the likelihood is slim that the ceasefire will hold, the fundamental problem isn’t the deal’s implementation. Rather, the reality that in a shattered Syria, neither airstrikes nor rebels will achieve America’s chief goal of dislodging ISIS.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 16, 2016

In long and bloody Syria war, this truce may be different -- AP

Ceasefire terms pose major risks for Syrian rebels -- Sharif Nashashibi, Al Jazeera

Iraq: The Islamic State Group's Forgotten War -- David Patrikarakos, RFE

Is a Third Way Possible in the Middle East? -- Kevin Sullivan, RCW

Between reckless ally and old rival, China in a bind over North Korea -- Benjamin Kang Lim and Michelle Nichols, Reuters

Uprising in Kashmir: 'If We Protest, the Soldiers Will Shoot at Us' -- Fahad Shah, Spiegel Online

Central Asia Is Crucial—But Nobody Seems to Care -- Nikolay Pakhomov, National Interest

The Man at the Center of Libya's Armed Conflict -- Stratfor

Analysis: Reading Between The Lines Of Russia’s Duma Elections -- Robert Coalson, RFE

Russia goes to the polls. How much change can elections bring? -- Fred Weir, CSM

How Maria Baronova Became the Face of Russia’s Opposition -- Alec Luhn, Time

After Nearly 2 Decades in Power, What Next for Putin, Russia? -- R Oliphant, Telegraph

Europe Stops at Nothing to Hunt Down Terrorists in Refugee Camps -- Barbie Latza Nadeau, Daily Beast

Why Canada’s economy can’t pick up speed -- Jason Kirby, Macleans

Turns Out That Oil Prices Don't Matter -- Megan McArdle, Bloomberg