Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 3, 2017

The parade was held at the Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Reuters: China Daily)

Bill Birtles, ABC News (Australia): Xi Jinping pushes China back towards strongman era, but is it good for the country?

He is arguably the most powerful man on Earth.

Presiding over the second-biggest economy, the second-best-funded military and the world's largest population.

Unlike his American counterpart, Xi Jinping does not have to fend off opposition political parties, a free media and internet, or a community of critical civil society groups.

And factional rivals? If they're not in jail yet, they're worried.

For personal power, Xi Jinping is like Vladimir Putin on steroids.

His decision to oversee a military parade this week reinforced his authority over the world's largest army.

It was unprecedented for a Chinese leader to have a second parade in his first five-year term, but Mr Xi got it.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 3, 2017

America Should Not Cheer on an India-China Fight -- Lyle J. Goldstein, National Interest

From revolutionary guerrillas to the world's largest army: 90 years of China’s People’s Liberation Army -- SCMP

The war America can't win: how the Taliban is regaining control in Afghanistan -- Sune Engel Rasmussen, The Guardian

US military options against North Korea come at a price -- Zachary Cohen, CNN

Can We Survive A Nuclear North Korea? -- John McLaughlin, OZY

The Israeli Approach to Nuclear Weapons -- Rastislav Bílik. RCD/The Bridge

Gulf crisis: Is there a risk of a military escalation? -- Al Jazeera

Analysts: Tightening Military Aid to Pakistan Isn’t Enough -- Nazrana Ghaffar, VOA

Chinese Deliver Presence in Sri Lanka -- US Naval institute

The U.S. Missed Its Chance to Make China Play Fair -- Noah Smith, Bloomberg

The General’s Trap in Libya -- Emily Estelle, Critical Threats

Dueling NGOs on the Seas: 'What Ships Are For' -- Claude Berube & Chris Rawley, War on the Rocks

Departing AP reporter looks back at Venezuela’s slid -- Hannah Drier, AP

Remember all those left-wing pundits who drooled over Venezuela? -- James Kirchick, L.A. Times

Chaos and order in a changing world -- Henry Kissinger, CapX