Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 31, 2017

The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2017

Eli Lake, Bloomberg: Trump Is Right. Nuclear Talks With North Korea Are Pointless.

But that doesn't mean war is the only option.

Here's a shocker. On Wednesday morning Donald Trump tweeted something that was mostly true: "The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!"

Technically the U.S. government stopped providing North Korea food aid and oil shipments in 2009. But other than that, Trump got this one right. The notion that the current standoff between North Korea and the U.S. and its allies should end in another round of six-party talks recalls the old joke about the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 31, 2017

The downside of banning Americans from North Korea -- Andray Abrahamian, Reuters

Firebrand Trump Strategizes ‘All Options’ North Korea Approach -- Austin Bay, Observer

Donald Trump, North Korea and nuclear weapons: Should presidents alone decide? -- Tom Nichols, USA Today

The North Korea crisis: 10 questions, 10 answers -- DW

North Korea Tests Donald Trump -- Robert A. Manning, Atlantic Council

South Korea's Greatest Fear (and It Isn't a North Korean Invasion) -- Sandy Pho, National Interest

AP Explains: How the insurgency behind Myanmar attacks grew -- Todd Pitman, AP

Afghanistan and the War Against the West -- Clifford D. May, The Washington Times

Who killed Benazir Bhutto? The theories behind the murder -- AFP

Victory for Assad looks increasingly likely as world loses interest in Syria -- Martin Chulov, The Guardian

Where does IS stand after Iraq, Syria losses? -- AFP

Russia’s dual response to the west creates policy confusion -- Lilia Shevtsova, Financial Times

Can Europe Stop a Venezuelan Civil War? -- MEP Dina Chararanzova, RealClearWorld

Putin Saved Assad, Will He Save Maduro? -- Bill Bray/Miyako Yerick/James Gregg, National Interest

Scandal Upstages Guatemala's Leader -- Mac Margolis, Bloomberg