Michael Rubin, Washington Examiner: Could the Kurds beat Turkey in Syria?
After a multi-day artillery barrage, the Turkish Army has begun its push into Afrin, a district of Syria which has been governed by Syrian Kurds ever since they defeated al Qaeda and Islamic State terrorists. Turkish officials say they plan to set up a buffer zone extending almost 20 miles into Syria from the Turkish border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a blistering speech threatening Turkey’s Kurds if they speak up on behalf of their Syrian counterparts and promising victory within “a very short period of time.”
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 22, 2018
Reasons, risks and consequences of Turkey's Syria operation -- AFP
Turkey attacking the most effective anti-IS force in Syria -- Kersten Knipp, DW
The Tragedy of Mahmoud Abbas -- Grant Rumley, The Atlantic
What did the Vancouver summit on North Korea accomplish? Not much -- Thomas Walkom, Toronto Star
Mattis Visits Vietnam Seeking to Expand Security Relationship -- Robert Burns, AP
Pakistan’s stance on militants alienated the US. Is China next? -- James M. Dorsey, SCMP
China's Territorial Disputes -- David Tweed, Bloomberg
Why China sees Myanmar's Rohingya crisis as an opportunity -- Tom Harper, The Conversation
How might S.Africa's President Zuma leave office? -- AFP
South Africa's Ramaphosa’s land grab will repeat Zimbabwe’s destructive mistakes -- Marian L. Tupy, CapX
Russia faces 6 more years of stagnation under Putin -- Alanna Petroff, CNN
Why young people were Russia's people of the year in 2017 -- Meduza
Inside Germany's Rocky Coalition Talks -- Spiegel Online
Trust Is Collapsing in America -- Uri Friedman, The Atlantic
Defense Sec. Mattis and America's New Realist Strategy -- Tom Rogan, DC Examiner
