Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 12, 2017

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin walks with his counterparts Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Hassan Rouhani of Iran after a joint news conference in Sochi, Russia, on November 22, 2017. Photo: Sputnik / Mikhail Klimentyev / Kremlin via Reuters

M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times: How Jerusalem issue plays into Iranian, Turkish (and Russian) hands

Iran has, predictably enough, taken a hard line on the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. There were public demonstrations in several Iranian cities following Friday prayers and statements by President Hassan Rouhani and other senior politicians. Notably, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, warned: “Al-Quds (Jerusalem) will be the place where the Zionist regime will be buried.”

It was Turkey’s reaction that set the mind thinking that the ground beneath our feet is shifting, however. President Recep Erdogan used exceptional language in his response, calling Israel a “terrorist” state. His stance is important for a variety of reasons. Turkey is currently chairing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and has called for an emergency summit in Istanbul on Wednesday. This puts Erdogan in the driving seat.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 12, 2017

Did the Saudis Shoot Down a Houthi Missile on Nov. 4? It Doesn’t Much Matter -- Defense One

Kim Jong Un's Mount Paektu visit may signal big decision -- Jennie Oh, UPI

North Korea's Nuclear Threat Reaches New Heights, But US Policy Remains Unchanged -- The Diplomat

The two Koreas have tried to make peace before – and they could do so again -- Dong Jin Kim, The Conversation

It’s time to educate the Chinese public about the nuclear threat next door -- Wang Xiangwei, SCMP

Why China Won't Cut Off North Korean Oil Lifeline: QuickTake Q&A -- David Tweed, Bloomberg

Moon Jae-in faces tightrope act in China over North Korea -- Fabian Kretschmer, DW

Diplomat’s warning of Taiwan invasion is no threat, says Global Times -- Asia Times

Why China Plans to Invade Taiwan -- Ian Easton, National Interest

China and India sail into choppy waters in New Great Game -- Pepe Escobar, Asia Times

How Trump can get tough on Ukraine corruption -- Josh Cohen, Reuters

Macron’s World: How the New President Is Remaking France -- Ronald Tiersky, Foreign Affairs

Vladimir Putin 4.0 — Russia's wartime president -- Roman Goncharenko, DW

Brexit leads to conflicting demands from Ireland, Scotland, Wales -- Kelly McParland, National Post

Fears grow across the Atlantic over Brexit fallout -- Kamal Ahmed, BBC

What Is Bitcoin? -- George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures