Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 6, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the opening of the annual full session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 5. JASON LEE/REUTERS

Cary Huang, South China Morning Post: China’s Grand Military Display Signals Xi Is Here To Stay

The president is using the methods of some of Beijing’s greatest rulers, including a show of military force, to fortify his position as absolute ruler ahead of a crucial Communist Party conclave.

Foreign observers might infer that the ceremonies to mark the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Liberation Army are Beijing’s way of showing it is determined to protect its national sovereignty and interests.

The huge show of force in a parade in Inner Mongolia on Sunday and a grand cerebration gathering at Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People on Tuesday came amid rising territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait and over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. The Asian giant is also mired in an ongoing standoff with India over territory on China’s border with Bhutan.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 6, 2017

After Mosul, Rebuilding Iraq Will Be Just as Painful This Time Around -- Daniel L. Davis & Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest

Abbas' last stand -- Shlomi Eldar, Al-Monitor

Pakistan’s soft coup -- Mohammed Ayoob, The Strategist

Contractors in Afghanistan: What Erik Prince Gets Right -- Mark Cancian, Breaking Defense

How the Trump Administration Is Losing Afghanistan -- Anthony Cordesman, RCD/Center for Strategic & International Studies

Understanding the Russia-Taliban Connection -- Samuel Ramani, The Diplomat

Why THAAD is needed in Korea -- Bruce Bennett, Korea Herald

Djibouti military base highlights China’s African ambitions -- Theo Neethling, Asia Times

Have Jacob Zuma’s political foes found the means to topple him? -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian

Why the U.S. Must Stand by Somalia -- Muhammad Fraser-Rahim, et al., Newsweek

How Greece could escape debtors’ prison – if Europe opens the door -- C. Randall Henning, The Conversation

It's time to stop hounding Tony Blair through the UK courts - it is time to move on from the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- Con Coughlin, The National

Could political tension in Venezuela ignite a civil war? -- Julian Borger, The Guardian

The Sandinista Shell Game -- Andrés Velasco, Project Syndicate

'Made in Germany' Label Badly Damaged By Car Scandal -- Spiegel Online

America's Endless Search for a Strategy -- Harvey M. Sapolsky, National Interest