Hassan Hassan, National
If Iran has the power to destabilise the region, only the Gulf states have the power to stabilise it. The concern should remain about what to do about Iran to prevent it from playing an arsonist’s role in surrounding countries. The last thing the Middle East needs is the disruption of the current order in favour of testing out new alliances and turning friendly allies into disruptive forces.
Janosch Delcker, Politico EU
When Sahra Wagenknecht graduated from an East German high school in 1988, she could recite Goethe’s play Faust by heart, and it was Thomas Mann’s novel based on the same legend that later convinced her to go into politics. The parliamentary leader of Die Linke (The Left) — the far-left party that, by electoral accident, leads the opposition to Angela Merkel in the Bundestag — seems to have struck a Faustian bargain of her own, riding a populist wave of discontent... Читать дальше...
Andrew Coyne, National Post
In Trudeau’s case it emerges in that tiresome refrain, to the effect that the Harper government had foolishly put all of our “eggs in one basket,” betting the economy on oil and gas and thus leaving us exposed when the price of oil collapsed. Again, there is not a shred of truth to this. In fact, the entire energy sector — oil, gas, hydro, nuclear, the works — today adds up to just over 9 per cent of GDP. It was 10 per cent when Harper took office.
Anna Nemstova, The Daily Beast
Even in Putin’s favorite resort, which used to be a safe haven for homosexuals, the most famous gay bar is shutting down.
Simon Jenkins, Guardian
Killing one’s enemies abroad is odious, be they in London or Syria. But economic action would only strengthen Putin and hurt the Russian people.
Doug Saunders, Globe & Mail
Riyadh’s preference for stable tyrants over unstable democracies now has a certain following in Western circles. And the largest single consumer of Saudi petroleum is now China, leading some to fear that a breakup with the kingdom could lead to an alarming Saudi-Chinese power bloc in the Mideast.
Bjorn Lomborg, Project Syndicate
The almost four billion extra tons of CO emitted over the next 25 years would cause about 0 billion in damage from global warming, using the US official (though, likely somewhat exaggerated) social cost figure. The increase in coal use would lead to more air pollution, costing about billion during this period. At the same time, Africa would become almost trillion richer. Indoor air pollution would essentially be eliminated for about 150 million more people, with social benefits worth nearly 0 billion. Читать дальше...
Jim Wyss, MH
Since Colombia gained independence in 1819, it seems English-speakers have inadvertently been trying to rechristen it Columbia with a “u.” And increasingly, this nation of 48 million is letting the world know that it wants its “o” back.
Borzou Daragahi, BuzzFeed News
Moscow claims its airstrikes target ISIS in Syria, but the reality on the ground is that hundreds of children, rebels, aid workers, and civilians have been killed.
Anne Applebaum, Washington Post
Any ruling clique that fears popular revolt will always, at the end of the day, tailor its foreign policy to the goal of keeping itself in power. Right now, Rouhani and his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, think that lifting sanctions will help improve Iran’s economy and create popular support. But if it doesn’t, then they or their successors will immediately direct public anger and emotion at the Great Satan once again.
Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker
Imagine a country that is embroiled in a long and bloody conflict with its neighbor, and each time its democratically elected Prime Minister tries to reach out and make peace, his own army launches an attack to make sure the peace doesn’t take hold. You might think you were trapped inside a dystopian movie. Unless, of course, you’ve been to Pakistan, where this happens all the time.
Denise Natali, Al-Monitor
The anti-IS campaign in Iraq has deepened sectarian divisions between Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish regions, but despite communal and political fractures, many communities remain loyal to the Iraqi state.
Sundaram, Longreads
The memorials also served the purpose of transmission. And that the transmission was meant to cause distress. It was as in Rwandan schools, where teachers complained that during the memorial season the videos on national television made the children uncontrollable. But despite the teachers’ complaints, the gruesome films continued. I was doubly horrified: I had expected something else from the memorials: some compassion for society, but I felt only violence. The government of Rwanda had created these events... Читать дальше...
Rozita Riazati, BBC News
For 45 years, Iran's most famous modern monument, the Azadi (Freedom) Tower in Tehran, has been the backdrop to every major news story coming out of the country. A plaza for celebrations, anniversaries, military parades and a gathering point for mass demonstrations, the 50m (165ft) tall tower has overlooked some of Iran's most important political events. The edifice was built in 1971, to represent a symbol of modernity and project the way forward for Iran.
