Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 15, 2016

Robin Wright, The New Yorker: The battle For Aleppo, Syria's Stalingrad, Ends

Aleppo has been part of human history for some five thousand years. Abraham is said to have grazed his sheep on its slopes and donated their milk to the local poor. Alexander the Great founded a Hellenic settlement there. The city is cited in the Book of Samuel and Psalm 60, and for centuries its residents reflected the three great Abrahamic faiths. It was at one end of the ancient Silk Road, and a major metropolis in the many empires that conquered and ruled the region. Its medieval Citadel, pivotal during the Crusades, is one of the world’s oldest and largest castles. More recently, Shakespeare referred to Aleppo in both “Macbeth” and “Othello.”

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 15, 2016

After Aleppo, what happens to Syria's besieged towns? -- Lizzie Porter, Al Jazeera

What Can the US Salvage from the Syrian Debacle? -- Joseph V. Micallef, Military.com

Turkey's relationship with the EU is worse than eve -- Tim Hume, VICE

How Iraq’s Army Could Defeat ISIS in Mosul—But Lose Control of the Country -- Mark Perry, Politico

Is the Battle for Mosul Doomed? -- Daniel L. Davis, National Interest

As Battle For Mosul Rages In Iraq, Observers Warn Of Risk Of 'ISIS 2.0' -- Dominic Dudley, Forbes

What's happening in Yemen? -- BBC

Netanyahu and Sisi Building Strong Security Ties -- Perry Cammack, The Cipher Brief

Next Top US Diplomat Faces Geopolitical Battles in Asia -- Nike Ching, VOA

Too big to fail: China maps out its Trump strategy -- Ben Blanchard and Christian Shepherd, Reuters

The Year That May Decide Europe's Fate -- Adriano Bosoni, Stratfor

Minsk tacks between NATO and Russia -- Galina Petrowskaja and Markian Ostapchuk, DW

Navalny is useful for Putin -- Juri Rescheto, DW

Italy enters a tricky phase of political instability. -- Julian Rappold, Berlin Policy Journal

The Kurils: A difficult life on the disputed islands -- Nikolay Korzhov, Al Jazeera

Could Cuba be the next Vietnam? -- Casey Given, Washington Examiner