Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 12, 2019

Reuters

Rick Berger & Mackenzie Eaglen, National Interest: Donald Trump's Defense Budget Masks a Problem

A $743 billion annual military budget is a lot of money. Characterizing it as lacking in any way understandably raises eyebrows. But bipartisan agreement about what the Pentagon minimally needs for the year ahead should signal that President Donald Trump’s latest budget merely keeps the military treading water.

Even as Trump touts his support of the armed forces, his defense budget does little more than continue readiness repairs. For the third year in a row, the White House request does not rebuild the military or robustly provide the resources to execute the defense strategy.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 12, 2019

Trump’s slush-fund defense budget -- Richard A. Bitzinger, Asia Times

Tackling Hypersonic Threats: Offense Or Missile Defense? -- Colin Clark, Breaking Defense

Why North Korea resumed missile site activity -- Robert E. McCoy, Asia Times

Can the Taliban Movement Become a Meaningful Diplomatic Actor? -- Farkhondeh Akbari, RCD

China's Economy: Not So Big After All -- Salvatore Babones, National Interest

How the Chinese government restricts the use of the internet -- Al Jazeera

Meng Wanzhou’s case, Beijing’s response and two legal scandals highlight the ‘rule of law’, as preached – and practised – in Canada and China -- Jerome A. Cohen, SCMP

Arctic ambitions of China, Russia – and now the US – need not spark a cold war -- Nong Hong, SCMP

The Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty at 40 -- Yoav J. Tenembaum, Jerusalem Post

The Russian Missile that Could End the U.S.-Turkish Alliance -- Aaron Stein, War On The Rocks

Algeria’s president won’t run for a fifth term. It’s a huge win for protesters. -- Alez Ward, VOX

Is Algeria on the cusp of freedom, or does Bouteflika have one last play? -- Jason Burke, The Guardian

Are ratings agencies hurting Africa's economies? -- Daniel Pelz, DW

‘Chaos Serves Putin’s Interest’: A Veteran Diplomat Takes Stock -- James Fallows, Defense One The Atlantic

After 20 years in NATO, Poland still eager to please -- Monika Sieradzka, DW


Russian Identity: The Risks of a New Russian Nationalism -- Stanley J. Wiechnik, RCD/The Bridge

The World Wide Web turns 30 -- France 24