Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 25, 2018

Gonul Tol, National Interest: How to Wage War in Syria and Win an Election in Turkey

Turkey’s recent military incursion into Afrin will be a test case in many ways.

Amid much fanfare, Turkey launched a military incursion into the northwestern Kurdish enclave of Afrin over the weekend. Mosques across the country held special “conquest” prayers for the victory of the country’s military. The Ottoman military band, Mehter, performed in the border provinces as a show of support for soldiers taking part in the operation. After the country’s top cleric’s call, thousands across the country gathered in mosques to pray for the servicemen.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 25, 2018

Erdogan Scored Big With Afrin Operation -- Semih Idiz, Al Monitor

Will Operation Olive Branch end the US-Turkey Alliance? -- Giorgio Cafiero, Al-Arabiya

Is America's Alliance with Turkey Worth It? -- Ted Galen Carpenter, National Interest

Will Lebanon Force a Million Syrian Refugees to Return to a War Zone? -- Eric Reidy, The Nation

Kissinger: If North Korea keeps nukes, other nations will seek them -- Joe Gould, Defense News

As global power shifts, Japan mulls new alliances and weapons -- Doug Tsuruoka, Asia Times

Don’t Let China Start Calling the Shots in Pakistan -- Tim Willasey-Wilsey, The Cipher Brief

A US trade war with China – tougher than the Japanese edition -- Grant Newsham, Asia Times

Taiwan's Nightmare: China Seeks to Alter the Cross-Strait Status Quo -- Dennis P. Halpin, National Interest

Spurned by West, Myanmar’s Kachin look to China -- Bertil Lintner, Asia Times

Trump's Best Friend in Europe -- Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic

Trump Takes a Gamble on Davos -- Nikolas K. Gvosdev, National Interest

The Rich and Powerful Won't Let Trump Ruin Their Davos Party -- Douglas Rediker, The Hill

Q&A: Why Mnuchin’s remarks about US dollar sparked concerns -- Martin Crutsinger, AP