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

Reuters

Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest: The North Korea Crisis Is Back

While it might have arrived at the very end of a bellicose speech to his conservative base, President Trump at CPAC today revealed the obvious: Enjoy the Olympic truce while you have it. The North Korea crisis is back—and we could very well be on the brink of war in less than two months’ time.

In calling for new and sweeping sanctions, Trump made the right call. A country that imprisons and tortures many of its citizens in a vast Gulag system and threatens to inflict a nuclear inferno on America cannot be ignored or wished away. It must be confronted. And confrontation is exactly the course Trump is adopting. Despite the North’s mendacious propaganda campaign to remake its image through countless photo ops, cheerleader squads and failed attempts at Olympic glory that the western media feasted upon, the Trump administration is showing that it will not be fooled or back down to Pyongyang and its quest for a nuclear weapon that can hit the American homeland.

Read more ....

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

North Korea’s Nukes -- Sam Kim and Kanga Kong, Bloomberg

Syria's return to bombing-as-usual is down to Russia -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian

Eastern Ghouta: the guilty parties have a terrible account to settle -- Hussein Ibish, The National

Al-Qaeda could stand to gain from changing Syrian situation -- Anton Mardasov, Al-Monitor

Iran Wants to Join the World Order It Undermines -- Eli Lake, Bloomberg

Rakhine bombings spread Myanmar’s ethnic conflict -- David Scott Mathieson, Asia times

The Real China Challenge: Imperial Overstretch -- Gordon G. Chang, National Interest

Behind the glitz and glamor of President Xi’s ‘dream city’ -- Gordon Watts, Asia Times

Driven by India into China’s arms, is Nepal the new Sri Lanka? -- Debasish Roy Chowdhury, SCMP

India's Rivalry With China -- Brendan Thomas-Noone, RCD/The Interpreter

India’s dilemma in the Maldives: is it time to deal with Chinese influence? -- Mohan Guruswamy, SCMP

Merkel’s list of failures is only getting longer -- Marian L. Tupy, CAPX

Trans-Europe Express – One year on, more of the same in Romania -- Bogdan Neagu, EURACTIV

In a blow to Trump, Europe seeks gas supplies from Iran -- Emanuele Scimia, Asia Times

The Blockchain Won't Save Venezuela -- Matt Levine, Bloomberg