Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 21, 2019

Anthony Halpin, Bloomberg: Did Trump Just Blink or Bluff in Standoff With Iran?

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Was it all a bluff? After news leaked that President Donald Trump approved and then called off U.S. airstrikes on Iran last night, it emerged he’d warned Tehran about an imminent attack while insisting he was against a war.

Today, as airlines began re-routing flights away from the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called in the Swiss ambassador, who also represents U.S. interests, for talks.

Was the outreach why Trump abandoned the strikes? Or was this the latest example of the whipsaw approach from a president who’s twice attacked Syria but also backed away from using force after lashing out at Iran and North Korea?

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 21, 2019

How close are Iran and the US to war? -- Al Jazeera

How a drone's flight took the US and Iran to the brink of war -- Julian Borger, The Guardian

Was Iran’s Downing of a U.S. Drone Really a ‘Mistake’? -- Michael Rubin, NRO

Donald Trump is trying to buy time as tensions with Iran near tipping point -- Zoe Daniel and Emily Olson, ABC News Online

Trump Might Not Want War, but the Military Is Steering His Iran Policy -- Kathy Gilsinan, The Atlantic

'The conflict in the Middle East is Iran vs. everyone else' -- Sabine Peschel, DW

Tanker attacks in the Gulf — evidence or warmongering? -- Sandra Petersmann, DW

How can Jamal Khashoggi's murderers be held accountable? -- Mia Swart, Al Jazeera

Turkey’s Hour of Nationalism: The Deeper Sources of Political Realignment -- Svante E. Cornell, the American Interest

Who would win a US-Iran war? A strong and peaceful China -- John W. Garver, SCMP

Xi muscles in on Trump-Kim 'love' affair -- AFP

Has an internet blackout killed Sudan's revolution? -- BBC

Mohamed Morsi: A Postscript -- Jonathan Guyer, American Prospect

What are the top EU jobs and who decides on them? -- Jane Mcintosh, DW

Here Comes Boris Johnson! -- Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker