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

Robert Fisk, The Independent: When Mosul falls, Isis will flee to the safety of Syria. But what then?

The entire Isis caliphate army could be directed against the Assad government and its allies – a scenario which might cause some satisfaction in Washington

Syria’s army and Hezbollah and Iranian allies are preparing for a massive invasion by thousands of Isis fighters who will be driven out of Iraq when Mosul falls. The real purpose behind the much-trumpeted US-planned "liberation" of the Iraqi city, the Syrian military suspect, is to swamp Syria with the hordes of Isis fighters who will flee their Iraqi capital in favour of their "mini-capital" of Raqqa inside Syria itself.

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

What happens after ISIS loses Mosul? -- Peter Bergen, CNN

Victory over Isis will not solve Iraq’s problems -- Ranj Alaaldin, The Guardian

Erdogan not backing down on Turkish role in Mosul -- Al-Monitor

The Day After: Mosul -- General Keane, Cipher brief

What are the humanitarian needs in wake of Mosul offensive? -- Lin Taylor, Reuters

The Perplexing Problems of Solving Syria -- Steven Cook, War on the Rocks

‘Band-Aid on a bullet wound’: What America’s new war looks like in Afghanistan’s most violent province -- Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Washington Post

China's Bad Credit -- Christopher Balding, Bloomberg

How did Nigeria secure the 21 Chibok girls' release from Boko Haram? -- Martin Patience, BBC

Russia’s War With The US Isn’t A Possibility, It’s Already Here -- Russ Read, Daily Caller

Russia Is Building Fallout Shelters to Prepare for a Potential Nuclear Strike -- Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast

Biden Threatens to Threaten Russia -- Jacob Shapiro, Geopolitical Futures

Europe Is under Threat -- George Weigel, NRO

How relevant is BRICS today? -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera