Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 24, 2017

Defense Secretary James Mattis (right) and Army Gen. John Nicholson (left), commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, hold a news conference at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan on April 24. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

David Petraeus and Michael O’Hanlon, WSJ: Getting an Edge in the Long Afghan Struggle

Trump’s early approach holds promise if backed with a sustained, and sustainable, commitment.

Can the U.S. succeed in Afghanistan? Not without a sustained, and sustainable, commitment. President Trump’s decision to give Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to add several thousand more U.S. troops to the 8,400 currently deployed is encouraging—but only if it is a first step in a comprehensive approach.

Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, should also receive greater leeway in the use of U.S. and NATO air power. And officials should remain open to the possibility of reconciliation with some insurgents, probably just those that break off from the central Taliban.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 24, 2017

The Danger of Mission Creep in Syria -- Emma M. Ashford, National Interest

Trumplomacy: Is there a Mideast strategy beyond arms sales? -- Barbara Plett Usher, BBC

All Signs from Trump Point to a Coming Conflict with Iran -- John Feffer, Foreign Policy in Focus

A new Ottoman Empire? -- Nadav Shragai, Israel Hayom

Saudi power shift risks skidding on oil slick -- M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times

Sea of sarin: North Korea’s chemical deterrent -- Reid Kirby, Atomic Bulletin of Scientists

Will America Wage War with a Nuclear-Armed North Korea? -- Robert E. Kelly, National Interest

Are China and the United States Headed for War? -- Ian Buruma, New Yorker

India Challenges China’s Intentions on One Belt, One Road Initiative -- Harsh V Pant, Yale Global Online

Who Will Abandon Taiwan Next? -- Fabrizio Bozzato, Lowy Institute

A year after Brexit, in figures -- Ginger Hervey, Politico

Ukraine's Naftogaz Hopes For Final Win Over Gazprom -- Oleg Varfolomeyev, RCW/Eurasia Daily Monitor

To Deal with the Russians, America Must Think Like the Russians -- Bruce Allyn, National Interest

Venezuela's Maduro confronts perils of his reliance on the military -- Howard LaFranchi, CSM

Mexico: Is the state spying on journalists? -- Viola Träder, DW

Why the stock market keeps going up, up, up -- Charles Gasparino, New York Post