Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 2, 2020

Leela Jacinto, France 24: Between Ankara and Athens, the eastern Mediterranean is simmering with tensions

Turkey’s parliament on Thursday approved troop deployments in Libya with an eye to Ankara’s power projection in the eastern Mediterranean. It came on the day Ankara’s arch rival Athens signed a gas pipeline deal that bypasses Turkey. Tensions are brewing in the hydrocarbon-rich water lapping the shores of Europe, Africa and the Middle East – and they could be difficult to douse.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 2, 2020

Iran is losing its grip on Iraq -- Ray Takeyh, The Hill

Donald Trump loses ground in fight to contain Iran as militias attack US embassy in Iraq -- Kathryn Diss, DW

Attack on US Embassy exposes widening US-Iraq divide on Iran -- Robert Burns, AP

Why Is Russia in Syria? -- Jakub Grygiel, American Interest

Australia braces for a wider conflagration -- Alan Boyd, Asia Times

Flexibility needed on North Korean sanctions in bid to end deadlock -- SCMP editorial

75% of young want to escape South Korean ‘Hell’ -- Andrew Salmon, Asia Times

Africa's young leaders face a testing 2020 -- Jason Burke, The Guardian

Latin America in 2020: Stories to watch -- Charlotte Mitchell, Al Jazeera

Can Merkel and Macron get Franco-German relations back on track? -- Jon Henley, The Guardian

Carlos Ghosn: How did the Nissan ex-boss flee from Japan? -- BBC

Russia Is Beefing Up Its Nuclear Arsenal. Here’s What the U.S. Needs to Do. -- Eric Edelman and Franklin C. Miller, Politico

U.S. And Russia Have Just Over A Year To Deal With An Expiring Nuclear Treaty -- Franco Ordoñez, NPR

Why we must talk to Russia -- Samuel Charap and Jeremy Shapiro, Ukraine Council

What will the end of oil dependence mean for geopolitics? -- James Landale, BBC