Joshua Keating, Slate: Destroying Towns to Save Them From ISIS
In 1968, following the heavy U.S. bombing of the Viet Cong–held city of Ben Tre, the Associated Press’ Peter Arnett quoted an anonymous U.S. major saying, “it became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” Though some have disputed the veracity of the quote, it became one of the iconic utterances of the Vietnam War, symbolizing the U.S. military’s indifference to civilian casualties.
The line comes to mind after reading the New York Times’ description Thursday of Ramadi, which was mostly retaken by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces last month but now features a “panorama of wreckage so vast that it was unclear where the original buildings had stood.”
Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 8, 2016
There’s Far More to the Saudi-Iran Feud Than Sunnis-Vs.-Shia -- Uri Friedman, Defense One/The Atlantic
Saudi Arabia v Iran: Riyadh defiant and angry after turbulent week -- Ian Black, The Guardian
Saudi Arabia Has Bigger Problems Than Iran -- Tobin Harshaw, Bloomberg
China's Stake in the Saudi Arabia-Iran Clash -- Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat
Be Scared of China's Debt, Not Its Stocks -- Noah Smith, Bloomberg
When China Stumbles -- Paul Krugman, NYT
Stiffer Sanctions on North Korea Won't Work -- Andrei Lankov, Bloomberg
China’s Likely Response to North Korea’s Nuclear Test -- Mike Chinoy, The Cipher Brief
Let’s not shy away from asking hard questions about the Cologne attacks -- Gaby Hinsliff, The Gaurdian
Can Germany Face the Hard Truth About the Refugee Crisis? -- Malte Lehming, National Interest
How apprehended refugees could reshape Germany's asylyum debate -- Olivia Lowenberg, CSM
'Mein Kampf' is back in print. Informative or inflammatory? -- Sara Miller Llana & Colette Davidson, CSM
Why 2015 Was a Good Year for Obama’s Foreign Policy Legacy -- Michael A. Cohen, WPR
The death of the Alberta dream: Large-scale layoffs, empty office towers, falling house prices: Alberta has been gutted by the glut. -- Jason Markusoff, Macleans
What can the $800 million Powerball jackpot buy? -- Jonathan Berr, CBS/Moneywatch