Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 17, 2017

ABC News Online: Kirkuk: Why the battle over the Iraqi city matters

They may be allies in the war against the Islamic State (IS) group, but yesterday Iraqi government forces and Kurdish fighters turned their weapons towards one another.

The clash began when Iraqi forces entered Kirkuk, a city in the north of Iraq that sits about halfway between Mosul and the country's capital Baghdad.

Kurdish forces held a controversial referendum on independence three weeks ago and tried to claim the city as their own, but the Iraqi Government has other plans.

Here's why both sides want Kirkuk, what happened during the clash, and what it could all mean for the fight against IS.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 17, 2017

Kirkuk redux was a bloodless offensive. Here’s why -- Pepe Escobar, Asia Times

Iraq's reconquest of Kirkuk checks Kurdish secession -- Tallha Abdulrazaqby, Al Jazeera

A Kurdish State Is Inevitable -- Mohammad Amjad Hossain, Jerusalem Post

Syrian endgame is nigh as rival factions look to cut deals -- Sami Moubayed, Asia Times

Fighting Islamic State -- Lisa Beyer, Bloomberg

Islamic State is not beaten and will return -- Shiraz Maher, New Statesman

Can Anyone End the Palestinian Civil War? -- Grant Rumley and Neri Zilber, Foreign Policy

Trump Will Have A Hard Time Getting Congress To Rewrite The Iran Deal For Him -- Michael Wilner, Five Thirty Eight

China Isn't Fixing Its Flaws -- Leland Miller and Derek Scissors, Bloomberg

Afghanistan talks without Taliban: What can they achieve? -- Shamil Shams & Masood Saifullah, DW

North Korea Is Playing a Longer Game Than the U.S. -- Tyler Cowen, Bloomberg

Japan ruling bloc headed for election win despite distaste for Abe -- Linda Seig, Asia Times

Saakashvili on why he's challenging Poroshenko's leadership of Ukraine -- DW

How money will divide Europe after Brexit -- Paul Wallace, Reuters

The Method to Trump’s ‘Madness’ -- Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness