Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 17, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Curt Mills, National Interest: Trump’s Inartful But Necessary Summit With Vladimir Putin

The opprobrium hurled at the White House Monday should remind the president of a potential core constituency: foreign policy restrainers.

With his deferential tone toward Russian president Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump “did not do himself any favors,” a veteran political observer told me Monday night. “But the fervor of the rebukes against him is telling: for a host of powerful figures in media and the government today, the worst thing Donald Trump has done to date is to try to work with Russia.” For a number of foreign policy restrainers, Monday’s reaction—not the summit itself—“was disturbing.”

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 17, 2018

A walk on the wild side as Trump meets Putin at Finland station -- Pepe Escobar, Asia Times

Russia’s Trump takeaway: Putin basks in post-summit glow -- Angela Charlton and Dimitry Kozlov, AP

Putin and Trump Couldn’t Make the Relationship Work -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Was the Helsinki Summit Worth It? -- Thomas Graham Jr., National Interest

Both Parties Stuck in the Cold War -- Kristofer Harrison, RCD

NATO’s global peace is unraveling and we can’t see it -- Robert Kagan, Brookings

Yes, Syria Is Still a Mess -- Robert Moore, RCD

The Taliban Has Used Islam as a Weapon of War. This Is How Afghanistan Can Use It for Peace -- Tariq Ali Bakhiet, Time

Afghanistan's Drought Sharpens Water Dispute with Iran -- Rupam Jain, The Wire

Japan-EU trade deal not gold standard, but still worth billions -- William Pesek, Asia Times

Why a Chinese Spy Ship Is Hanging Out Next to Hawaii -- Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics

China's Influence in Pakistan's Election -- Muhammad Akbar Notezai, The Diplomat

How far will southern Spain's resources for refugees go? -- Santiago Saez, DW

Nicaragua unrest: What you should know -- Al Jazeera

The True Power of Trump's Tweets -- Chris Davis, National Interest