Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 22, 2018

DW: What foreign powers want from the Syrian war

The Syrian opposition and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are not the only groups fighting in the conflict. Other countries have also intervened to pursue their own interests.

Iran

What it's done: Tehran has been one of Assad's strongest advocates, supporting loyalist forces with money, weapons and intelligence. Iran has also sent military advisors from its Revolutionary Guard to Syria and directed fighters from Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group backed by Iran, which is also involved in the conflict.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 22, 2018

Foreign Powers Compete for a Slice of Syria -- Christoph Reuter, Spiegel Online

The danger from ISIS and al Qaeda is still present -- Thomas Joscelyn, Weekly Standard

What Iraq’s Reconstruction Conference Revealed About Its New Friends and Partners -- Ellen Laipson, WPR

South Korea's Olympic gambit traps both Kim and Trump -- Peter Apps, Reuters

At Olympics, U.S. and Korean leaders revive familiar roles -- James Dobbins, Reuters

China Is Tightening the Screws on Taiwan. Will Trump Act? -- The Cipher Brief

Duterte to China: ‘if you want, just make us a province’ -- Richard Javad Heydarian, Asia Times

‘Enforcer’ Wang could be let loose on US to quell trade dispute -- Gordon Watts, Asia Times

China scare spreads to New Zealand -- Alan Boyd, Asia Times

'Global Britain' on the Line in the South China Sea -- S. Joshi & E. Graham, The Interpreter

Ethiopia’s Unrest Invites Global Competition -- Allison Fedirka, Geopolitical Futures

Is Russia Europe’s Biggest Threat? -- Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Europe

Italy's Election Could Change Everything -- Scott B. MacDonald, National Interest

Italian election’s biggest winner is Europe -- Jacopo Barigazz, Politico.eu

A Latvian Test for the European Central Bank -- Bloomberg Editorial

'Low-Yield' Nukes Are a Very High Threat -- James Stavridis, Bloomberg