Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 1, 2017

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Gordon G. Chang, National Interest: Is Donald Trump Getting Ready to Attack North Korea?

“I want your listeners to know that by the end of this week there’s gonna be some strong signals to China and North Korea that the military option is very viable,” Senator Lindsey Graham told Tony Perkins on his radio show Wednesday.

The South Carolina Republican, who in recent months has conveyed President Trump’s most chilling threats to the Kim regime, did not specify what he had in mind, but he did lay down a marker. As Graham told Perkins, “Now, nobody wants a war with North Korea, thousands, maybe millions, could get hurt or get killed but the president has to pick between our homeland security and regional stability and he has told me, he has told the Chinese, that he’s not going to live under the threat of a nuclear attack from North Korea and if he has to use military force he will and if there’s going to be a war it’s going to be in China’s backyard.”

Senator Graham did not specify what those “strong signals” would be. So what did he mean?

Perhaps he was thinking of oil.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 1, 2017

Trump’s missing North Korea strategy -- Christopher R. Hill, The Strategist

Which countries have diplomatic relations with North Korea? -- Alexander Pearson, DW

Trump appears to be talking himself into war with North Korea -- Robert Manning, The Hill

Rising China Signals Historic Power Transition -- Christopher Layne, American Conservative

Singapore on edge as Islamic State circles -- Nile Bowie, Asia Times

Gold dealer’s testimony puts Erdogan on shaky ground -- M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times

Russia’s Expanding Footprint: From Sochi to the Sahel -- Stephen Blank, RCD

The US Has Hit Rock Bottom With Russia. This Isn’t Going to End Well -- Matthew Rojansky, Newsweek

Kremlin: US trying to turn oligarchs against Putin -- Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner

Russia Isn't Going Away in Ukraine -- Lyle J. Goldstein, National Interest

Why the U.S. shouldn’t send arms to Ukraine -- Daniel DePetris, Reuters

NATO Doesn't Need a European Rival -- Bloomberg editorial

US Strategy Must Change Coz ‘We Can’t Afford It:’ Rep. Smith -- Colin Clark, Breaking Defense

Venezuela Welcomes All Tourists Crazy Enough to Go There -- Mac Margolis, Bloomberg

OPEC’s Impossible Task -- Nick Cunningham, OilPrice.com

Almost all plastic in the ocean comes from just 10 rivers -- Harald Franzen, DW