Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 9, 2017

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives to deliver a speech in a meeting with military commanders in Tehran, Iran on February 7, 2017. Reuters

Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic: How America Could Stumble Into War With Iran

A major conflagration, whether intentional or not, is perhaps likelier now than ever.

In Donald Trump’s first term there is a serious possibility of a military conflict, whether intentional or inadvertent, between the United States or Israel and Iran. What follows is how it could unfold, and how it might be avoided.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 9, 2017

The last days in Aleppo -- Karam Al-Masri, Rana Moussaoui, AFP

Turkish, Syrian moves could transform fight against Islamic State -- Carlo Muñoz, The Washington Times

Syria's plight must not be allowed to slip from the world's conscience -- Stephen O'Brien, The Guardian

Is a new Middle East war on Israel's horizon? -- Jonathan Marcus, BBC

The Yemen Raid and the Ghost of Anwar al-Awlaki -- Haroro J. Ingram and Craig Whiteside, The Atlantic

The new ISIS threat: its soldiers are going home -- Taylor Luck, CSM

Ukraine, Russia and Recent Fighting -- Antonia Colibasanu, Geopolitical Futures

China Needs a New Grand Strategy -- Minxin Pei, Project Syndicate

Pakistan's Tactical Nuclear Weapons: A Great Danger -- Sajid Farid Shapoo, Diplomat

U.S., Japan Practice Defending Ryukyu Islands -- Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat

Cracks in the U.S.-Australia Relationship -- James Curran, Council on Foreign Relations

Spy Agencies Should Kick the Contractor Habit -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Machines Can Replace Millions of Bureaucrats -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Could Trump actually be good for European defense? -- Peter Apps, Reuters

For Trump, a solitary start to life in the White House -- Julie Pace and Jonathan Lemire, AP