Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 26, 2021

‘The Biden administration has seemingly initiated a highly unproductive blame game that has further damaged the atmospherics for diplomacy.’ Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trita Parsi, The Guardian: Biden said 'Diplomacy is back!' Then he started dropping bombs

Biden may inadvertently achieve what Trump couldn’t: destroying the Iran deal, Obama’s main foreign policy achievement

“Diplomacy is back!” President Joe Biden declared at the Munich Security Conference last week. But so is bombing Syria, apparently.

Biden has only been president a bit more than a month, but he has already ordered his first bombing campaign. (It took Trump four months to do the same.)

The target was facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran-backed militia in retaliation for rocket attacks against US troops in Iraq earlier this month.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 26, 2021

EXPLAINER: How US airstrike in Syria sends message to Iran -- Zeina Karam and Bassem Mroue, AP

At pivotal moment in Afghanistan war, Biden weighs a dilemma -- Robert Burns, AP

Why the US won’t be leaving Afghanistan -- Salman Rafi Sheikh, National Interest

Debate: How Should Biden Deal with Russia? -- Jacob Heilbrunn, National Interest

Getting Serious About Russia -- Dimitri K. Simes, National Interest

Ukraine, EU Locked in Clash of Cultures and Values -- Oleg Varfolomeyev, Jamestown

China’s Waning Rare Earths Advantage -- Phillip Orchard, Geopolitical Futures

El Salvador election could remake political landscape -- Marcus Aleman, AP

Niger: A daunting presidency awaits Mohamed Bazoum -- Chrispin Mwakideu, DW

Egypt, 10 years on: From revolution to counter-revolution -- France 24