The U.S. Moral Decline – Rachel Ehrenfeld – What would Eleanor Roosevelt say about the election of Saudi Arabia’s Geneva ambassador Faisal Trad, as Chair of the United Nation Human Rights Council’s monitoring panel? She would wonder how…continue…

A Tale of Two Viennas – Norman A. Bailey – The great powers of Europe; Russia, Prussia, Great Britain and Austria, meet in Vienna with the representative of a France defeated, disarmed and occupied by foreign troops…continue…

Xi’s Bluffing Hand – Sol W. Sanders – Next week’s state visit of China’s No. 1 Xi Jinping looks to be all pomp and circumstance. There is little expectation that the long list of critical issues between Washington and Beijing will be addressed in any substantive way…continue…

News & Analysis

Nuclear:

‘New activity’ detected at N. Korean nuclear test site – Deutsche Welle

China is launching a ‘trump card’ nuclear submarine that could target the US – Business Insider

Russia offers nuclear expertise to Malaysia – The Star Online

Cyber:

China and US agree not to conduct commercial cyber attacks… – South China Morning Post

New Report Of Malicious Chinese Cyber Attack On A U.S. Government Agency – Forbes

OPM says 5.6 million fingerprints stolen in cyberattack, five times as many as previously thought – Washington Post

Middle East:

American negotiator: US ready to discuss Syria with Iran – U.S. News & World Report 

How Iran Plans to Destroy Israel – Ehud Yaari

(U.S.) Politicization of intelligence on Islamic State fight – Michael Hayden

You Can’t Understand ISIS If You Don’t Know the History of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia – Alastair Crooke

ISIS has executed more than 10,000 men, women and children in Iraq and Syria since last year… and that doesn’t include thousands more killed in battles, suicide bombings and cut down as they fled – Daily Mail

Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents – Independent UK

Turkey a la Carte – Michael J. Koplow

Europe:

35 MILLION migrants heading to Europe, says Hungary as it builds second fence – Express UK

The Middle East Visits Europe: The Ramifications of the Refugee Crisis – Shimon Stein, INSS

Bosnian Leaders Quarrel at Peace Deal Conference – Balkan Insight

The Age of Cult Politics – Nick Cohen

Russia:

Vladimir Putin: Spoiler or Statesman? – David Goldman

Will Putin’s Empire Outlast The Soviets? – Laszlo Solymar, Richard Syms

Ukraine’s Security Challenges and the Crisis of Global Order – Oleksandr Turchynov

40 Percent of Russia’s Muslims Now ‘Infected with Radicalism’ – Paul Goble

For First Time, Moscow Says Some Lies are ‘More Valuable than Any Truth,’ Mitrofanov Warns – Paul Goble

Capitol Hill

Senate:

General David H. Petraeus, USA (Ret.), Testimony on United States Middle East Policy – Armed Services Committee – September 22

GAO Reports

Foreign Aid: U.S. Assistance for the West Bank and Gaza for Fiscal Years 2012-2014, GAO-15-823 – September 22