Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 12, 2017

Ryan Pickrell, National Interest: Trump Puts Bombing North Korea On The ‘Back Burner'

Pre-emptive strikes on North Korea are not a priority or an objective for the new administration, according to a senior U.S. official.

The Trump administration hopes to address the North Korean threat through economic and political pressure in cooperation with Beijing. Military action is “on the back burner,” an official told the Wall Street Journal.

The Trump administration’s actions in recent weeks have given observers the distinct impression that the U.S. might launch a pre-emptive assault on North Korea. Rumors of an imminent attack were even circulating in South Korea.

U.S. and South Korean troops have been training for a new crisis on the Korean peninsula, and a U.S. Navy carrier strike group is currently sailing towards Korea. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s commented in South Korea that “all options are on the table,” including military action, and President Donald Trump remarked that the U.S. will use America’s “full range of military capabilities” to defend itself and its allies. to an eight-year term, Khamenei himself called the probability that they would have to select his replacement “not low.”

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 12, 2017

U.S. 'Fully Prepared' to Shoot Down N. Korea's Test Missiles -- John Power, Diplomat

U.S. must walk dangerous line to manage twin Syria, North Korea crises -- Peter Apps, Reuters

Doubling Down on America's Misadventure in Yemen -- Perry Cammack and R Sokolsky, War on the Rocks

America Can't Afford to Keep Losing the War in Afghanistan -- Sabera Azizi, National Interest

Afghan Official: Russian Advisers Help Taliban in Contested Province -- Noor Zahid, VOA

Putin and Erdogan: Addicted to Power -- Reva Goujon, Stratfor

Iran’s Next Supreme Leader -- Sanam Vakil and Hossein Rassam, Foreign Affairs

How US strikes could bring Tehran, Moscow closer -- Saeid Jafari, Al-Monitor

The Price of Reclaiming Mosul: Analysis -- Stratfor

ISIL is depleted, but still a threat -- National editorial

Horn of Africa needs a joint plan for future -- National editorial

So You Want to Partition Libya … -- Geoff D. Porer, Politico

Germans wanting to aid refugees now at risk of bankruptcy -- Carla Bleiker, DW

As goes France, so goes the EU -- Paul Taylor. Politico

Negotiating With Growers, Bolivia Forges Its Own Approach to Coca Production -- Linda Farthing, WPR