Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 17, 2017

Peter Bergen, CNN: Trump's new strategy: Russia is an actual threat

On Monday President Donald Trump rolled out his national security strategy, a key planning document that every president since Ronald Reagan has published to warn about threats to American national security and how best to respond to them.

Trump's plan is, unsurprisingly, an unabashedly "America First" strategy that, at just under 70 dense pages, is full of insights into how Trump's national security advisers see the world.

While usual suspects such as Iran and North Korea are described as threats, and campaign promises about the need for a border wall with Mexico are acknowledged, what is most newsworthy about the document is the extent to which it portrays Russia and China, America's traditional major state antagonists, as threatening. The document asserts that Russia and China "want to shape a world antithetical to U.S. values and interests," which seems quite at odds with the President's own enthusiastic embrace of Russia.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 17, 2017

Strategic patience is dead — long live America first -- Sebastian Gorka, The Hill

Without human rights, Trump's security strategy won't measure up -- Raymond Tanter, The Hill

Trump’s security strategy draws India closer, targets Pakistan and China -- Saikat Datta, Asia Times

Religious extremism poses threat to ASEAN's growth -- Gwen Robinson and Simon Roughneen, Nikkei Asian Review

Still Missing in Action: U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan -- Benjamin Schreer, The Strategist

Could Aung San Suu Kyi face Rohingya genocide charges? -- Justin Rowlatt, BBC

Does China have a ‘Grand Strategy’? -- Angela Stanzel, Nadège Rolland, Jabin Jacob, and Melanie Hart, European Council on Foreign Relations

The South China Sea Shell Game -- Bart Marcois, Opslens

Trump's Jerusalem decision roils Pence's Middle East trip -- Aaron David Miller, CNN

Mohammed bin Salman Doesn't Want to Talk About Jerusalem -- Robert Satloff, Washington Institute

Iran’s “Kitten” Cyber Hackers Poised to Strike If Trump Shreds Nuke Deal -- The Cipher Brief

In from the cold: CIA gesture indicates thawing US-Russia ties -- M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times

If the INF Treaty Dies, America and Russia Could See an Arms Race -- Leonid Nersisyan, National Interest

Britain's Uncertain Military Future -- Lawrence Freedman, Financial Times

Atlanta Airport Blackout Sends Message to Terrorists: America Is Unprepared -- Clive Irving, Daily Beast

Populism Looms Over Latin America's Election Year -- Shannon O'Neil, Bloomberg

Why We Should Be Worried about a War in Space -- Thomas G. Roberts, The Atlantic

The media are killing themselves with botched anti-Trump reporting -- David Harsanyi, New York Post

The FBI's Ship of Fools -- Roger Simon, PJ Media