Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 19, 2018

Image: Syrian and Russian soldiers are seen at a checkpoint near Wafideen camp in Damascus, Syria March 2, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki/File Photo

Paul R. Pillar, National Interest: An Unending U.S. War in Syria?

Ignoring uncomfortable truths about the Syria conflict keeps getting in the way of sober policymaking.

Amid a week of attention-grabbing drama about the dysfunction of Donald Trump’s presidency, it almost escaped notice that his administration is putting U.S. troops in harm’s way in a foreign war for a new purpose—a purpose that does not entail countering a threat to the United States. Newly appointed special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey stated that under a “new policy” on Syria, the United States is “no longer pulling out by the end of the year.” This policy goes against what Trump had been saying not only in the presidential campaign about wanting less U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern wars but also, more recently and more specifically, about wanting to withdraw the twenty-two thousand U.S. soldiers now in Syria.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 19, 2018

A Deal Between Turkey and Russia Won't Stop the Crisis in Idlib -- Stratfor

What Putin-Erdogan deal means for Idlib -- Maxim A. Suchkov, Al-Monitor

Trump’s New Syria Envoy Jim Jeffrey Was a NeverTrumper -- Curt Mills, National Interest

Yemen losing generation of youth to war -- Andrew Simmons, Al Jazeera

Pyongyang agrees to start denuclearization process -- Andrew Salmon, Asia Times

Progress in North Korea—but We've Seen This Before -- John Grover, National Interest

Despite its achievements, China is losing the public relations war -- Sholto Byrnes, The National

Trump tariffs only a weak blow to China -- David A. Andelman, Reuters

Great Recession helped spark the US-China trade war -- Gordon Watts, Asia Times

Let's just call it by its name — a winnable trade war -- Timothy Rooks, DW

Sharif's release spells trouble for Pakistani PM Khan -- Shamil Shams, DW

Does Hungary's relationship with Russia send a message to the EU? -- Creede Newton, Al Jazeera

Europe's Leading Companies Are Bowing to U.S. Sanctions -- David Adesnik & Saeed Ghasseminejad, RCW

Why the EU should cut Brexit Britain a break -- Paul Wallace, Reuters

Brazil’s explosive election: democracy at stake in a pillar of the West -- Adam Mitchell, Spectator