Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 16, 2019

Matthew Petti, National Interest: Is Trump Really Pulling Out of Syria

The United States has thrown open the door for Turkey to fight the Kurds, but the counter-Russia and counter-Iran mission continues.

Congress and presidential candidates are debating over President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, allowing Turkey to battle the Syrian Kurds. But it’s not clear the United States is really leaving Syria after all, even though its has outsourced control over former ISIS territories to Turkey.

Lawmakers voted 354–60 to condemn the withdrawal less than twenty-four hours after Democratic candidates clashed over the blame for the bloodshed in Syria during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. Trump touted his decision to pull U.S. forces out of the Middle Eastern country last week and during a press conference today bragged about how the decision was “strategically brilliant.”

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 16, 2019

The beginning of the end of a US role in the Middle East? -- Robert A. Manning, The Hill

US nukes in Turkey hang in balance as ties fray -- Jim Pollard and Alison Tahmizian Meuse, Asia Times

Turkish Hostility and American Betrayal in Syria Creates New Crisis for Kurds -- Amy Austin Holmes and Khogir Wirya, National Interest

Saudi Arabia and Iran may finally be ready for rapprochement -- Imad K Harb, Al Jazeera

Is al-Shabab looking to Ethiopia? -- Martina Schwikowski, DW

Can the Last Surviving Democracy of the Arab Spring Hang On? What Tunisia’s shocking election result means for the country, and its region. -- Robert Zaretsky, Slate

Why China fears sending the tanks into Hong Kong -- Howard W French, The Guardian

A losing strategy? Hong Kong protests grow more violent -- France 24

Is Boris Johnson Actually Winning? -- Tom McTague, The Atlantic

5 takeaways from the Polish election -- Jan Cienski and Zosia Wanat, Politico

The Trudeau Liberals' Record: Four Faddish Years of Nothing -- Conrad Black, National Post

In likely tight Canadian vote, deciding who governs could take weeks -- David Ljunggren, Reuters

China’s targeting of the NBA shows why it may fail at building soft power – and the Chinese dream -- Mark Clifford, SCMP

LeBron James Bends the Knee to China, Fails His First Big Test as the NBA’s Conscience -- Corbin Smith, Daily Beast

The 'Woke' NBA Became a Joke When It Caved to China -- Charlie Kirk, Newsweek