Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 31, 2020

This photograph released by the Turkish Defense Ministry on August 12, 2020, shows Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis heading west of Antalya on the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: AFP / Handout / Turkish Defense Ministry

Henri J Barkey, Asia Times: What’s next in Eastern Mediterranean?

As Turkey, Greece and others wrangle over gas reserves, the outcome may depend on the result of the US election

Tensions are visibly mounting in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Greek and Turkish navies have conducted rival exercises. The Turkish seismic research vessel Oruç Reis, accompanied by naval vessels, has proceeded with exploration activities in areas deemed to be within Greece’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Commensurately, the level of hostile rhetoric accompanying these tensions has also escalated. European countries are alarmed by these developments: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has done her utmost to calm things down; France, by contrast, has taken a dim view of what it perceives to be aggressive Turkish behavior and has openly sided with Greece by deploying its own naval vessels to the region.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 31, 2020

Battle for Idlib draws near as sides take position -- Sultan al-Kanj, Al-Monitor

What they said: 'historic' Israel to UAE flight -- AFP

Why Russia’s Great Power Game in Iraq Matters -- Anna Borshchevskaya, National Interest

Picking up the pieces: The psychological aftermath of the Beirut blast -- Karim Yahiaoui and Abdallah Malkawi, France 24

Our Allies Will Help With China—On Their Own Terms -- Mark Perry, American Conservative

What Happens If China Gets the Covid-19 Vaccine First? -- Elizabeth Ralph, Politico

US elections: who does China really want to win? and will it make a difference? -- Shi Jiangtao, SCMP

What Abe leaves behind for Japan and the world -- Brad Glosserman, Japan Times

Shinzo Abe’s Decision to Step Down -- CSIS

Eastern Corridor: India’s road to superpower status -- Ravi Kant, Asia Times

Pessimism mounts in Brussels over Brexit talks ‘disaster’ -- Barbara Moens, Politico

The Strange Story of Why Russian Navy Warships Sailed Through an Alaskan Fishing Fleet -- Peter Suciu, National Interest

WTO 'unable to resolve its problems' (Video) -- DW

Who's in the running for WTO leadership? -- AFP

What fewer people on the planet would mean for the environment -- Ajit Niranjan, DW