Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 5, 2017

Krishnadev Calamur, The Atlantic: What Just Happened With Qatar?

Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, severed relations with Doha over its alleged support of terrorism.

Six Arab countries—Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Libya, and Yemen—severed their relations with Qatar on Monday over its alleged support of terrorism.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency said the move was being taken to protect “national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism,” and accused Qatar of supporting ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Shia rebels in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The other Arab nations announced similar measures, as did Maldives, the tiny country in the Indian Ocean. Under the move, Saudi Arabia closes its borders with Qatar and ended land, sea, and air contact with its neighbor. The Arab nations also suspended Qatar from the military coalition that’s fighting in Yemen’s civil war against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 5, 2017

Why Saudi Arabia is mad at Qatar and why we care -- John Bacon, CNBC/USA Today

Qatar row: What's caused the fall-out between Gulf neighbours? -- Dr David Roberts, BBC

Qatar and its neighbors may lose billions from diplomatic split -- Andrew Torchia and Tom Arnold, Reuters

Saudi Arabia And Arab Neighbors Punish Qatar Over Terrorism. Will U.S. Follow? -- Ellen Wald, Forbes

Saudi-UAE Campaign Against Qatar, Iran Puts China in Bind -- James Dorsey, South China Morning Post

How the world reacted to Gulf diplomatic rift -- Al Jazeera

Syria: Still a No-Win Situation -- Paul Pillar, National Interest

The Scramble for Eastern Syria: With ISIS Weakening, the Game Is On -- Andrew J. Tabler, Foreign Affairs

The Hardest Fight Comes After Mosul Falls -- Fritz Lodge, Cipher Brief

Worsening Afghan Security, Political Tensions Worry World Community -- Ayaz Gul, VOA

Why are we still in Afghanistan? -- Will Rahn, CSB

Rohingya and the ‘Paper Tiger’ Insurgency -- Laignee Barron, The Diplomat

Latin America's Constitution Problem -- Mac Margolis, Bloomberg

Trump Needs to Get Serious About Staffing Up -- Jonathan Bernstein, Bloomberg

Mexico’s War is Hell. It’s Next Door. It’s Getting Worse. Why? -- Jeremy Kryt, Daily Beast