Patrick Cockburn, The Independent: If Assad takes eastern Aleppo he thinks he will have won the war
The insurgents are losing because Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are not coming to help them
The Syrian armed forces are close to capturing the remaining rebel-held districts in the enclave of east Aleppo, bringing them their biggest victory in five years of war. The insurgent armed forces, that were originally estimated to number between 8,000 and 10,000 fighters, have been retreating or giving up more readily than had been expected. It is still possible that a hard core will hold out in the ruins, but President Bashar al-Assad will be eager to crush any remaining resistance so he can present the fall of east Aleppo as a decisive turning point in the conflict.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 12, 2016
After Aleppo, Syria's Assad still far from regaining his state -- Angus McDowall, Reuters
The lessons of Aleppo's long, pointless siege -- Peter Apps, Reuters
Iran’s catch 22: Syria and the Aleppo offensive -- Abdulrahman al-Rashed, Al Arabiya
ISIS Prepares for the Final Battle in
Mosul -- Florian Neuhof, Daily Beast
We still don't know who bombed Istanbul – and that's a sign of the trouble Turkey is now in -- Patrick Cockburn, The Independent
Inside China’s Global Spending Spree -- Scott Cendrowski, Fortune
Albania: Under The Yoke Of Rising Oligarchs -- Eurasia Review editorial
Europeans Debate Nuclear Self-Defense after Trump Win -- Spiegel Online
Exxon CEO Has the Skills for a Better Russia Policy -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg
Trump's cabinet takes shape, and it looks a lot like him -- Mark Sappenfield, CSM
Is Hillary Clinton Trying To Question The Legitimacy Of Donald Trump Winning? -- Jessica Taylor, NPR
Trump won. What do liberals do now? -- Mark Gerzon, CSM
The Kremlin Gloats Over Trump’s CIA Tantrum -- Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast
How U.S. Could Retaliate for Russian Intervention -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg
The real winners of the OPEC output deal: US shale drillers -- Patti Domm, CNBC
Oil Prices -- Brian Wingfield, Bloomberg Quick Take
We still don't know who bombed Istanbul – and that's a sign of the trouble Turkey is now in -- Patrick Cockburn, The Independent
Inside China’s Global Spending Spree -- Scott Cendrowski, Fortune
Albania: Under The Yoke Of Rising Oligarchs -- Eurasia Review editorial
Europeans Debate Nuclear Self-Defense after Trump Win -- Spiegel Online
Exxon CEO Has the Skills for a Better Russia Policy -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg
Trump's cabinet takes shape, and it looks a lot like him -- Mark Sappenfield, CSM
Is Hillary Clinton Trying To Question The Legitimacy Of Donald Trump Winning? -- Jessica Taylor, NPR
Trump won. What do liberals do now? -- Mark Gerzon, CSM
The Kremlin Gloats Over Trump’s CIA Tantrum -- Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast
How U.S. Could Retaliate for Russian Intervention -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg
The real winners of the OPEC output deal: US shale drillers -- Patti Domm, CNBC
Oil Prices -- Brian Wingfield, Bloomberg Quick Take
