Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 5, 2018

Former Ambassador Robert Ford, The Hill: What Trump gets right about the quicksand conflict in Syria

The confusion about American policy in Syria perhaps is clearing a little as reporters ferret out decisions reached at this week's White House meeting about next steps in the war-ravaged country. President Trump signed off on keeping American forces stationed in Syria temporarily. He evinces no enthusiasm for reconstructing eastern Syria or trying to secure movement on a broader Syrian peace process or ensuring the return of refugees to their homes.

Trump appears to have understood that there is indeed mission-creep underway in Syria and he is uncomfortable. In February, U.S. air units bombed Syrian government forces advancing toward a gasfield in southeastern Syria held by Syrian rebel fighters who have been fighting ISIS with the Americans. These airstrikes were not against ISIS; they were not even against ISIS allies. Instead, they aimed at helping one faction in the Syrian civil war hold an economic asset contested in the broader Syrian civil war.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 5, 2018

Trump’s rationale for withdrawing from Syria is deceptive and strategically illiterate -- Tom rogan, Washington Examiner

Can Russia, Iran and Turkey agree on a roadmap for Syria? -- Leonid Issaev, Al Jazeera

The Cold Calculation Behind the Israeli Army’s Sniper Fire on the Gaza Border -- Amos Harel, Haaretz

China Gets Trumped -- Christian Whiton, National Interest

China and US jockey for tariff concessions in tit-for-tat trade standoff -- Lily Kuo, The Guardian

Trump plays down US-China trade war concerns: ‘When you’re $500bn down you can’t lose’ -- David Smith, The Guardian

Sanctions, China-US Trade War Driving Moscow, Beijing Closer Together – Analyst -- Sputnik

How China is trying to export its soft power -- William Yang, DW

Responding to the Complexity of China's Challenge -- Rep. Jim Banks, RealClearWorld

Separating Kim Jong Un from his Elites -- The Cipher Brief

Getting Realistic on Russia -- Mike Gallagher, RCD

NATO's Bad Apples -- Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Europe

Trump's Twitter tirades just fuel the left's rise in Mexico -- Desmond Lachman and Ryan Nabil, The Hill

Ideology Is Dead -- Jacob Shapiro, Geopolitical Futures