The Rundown -- September 23

# U.S. Foreign Policy Manipulation via Media Is Systemic, Warns Expert, Huffington Post

# Ghani is declared the winner in Afghanistan, WP

# A Shaky Step Forward in Afghanistan, NYT

# Afghanistan's President-Elect Ghani Promises to Preserve National Unity, WSJ

# After Rancor, Afghans Agree to Share Power, NYT

# The Guardian view on Afghanistan’s new government: better late than never

# Afghanistan's disputed election: Divide and rule, Economist.com

# The Afghan girls raised as boys, Guardian

# Pakistan Army Chief Names New Head of ISI, WSJ

# Concern grows over NGO crackdown in Azerbaijan, FT

# A year after historic phone call, U.S. and Iran have made little progress on key issues, WP

# Iranian talks with Saudi Arabia may signal thaw in relations, Guardian

# A sucker’s deal on Iran’s nukes - Jennifer Rubin, WP

# UK urges Iran to release ‘female volleyball prisoner’, Telegraph

# Islamic State: David Cameron to meet Iran’s President to discuss Isis threat, Independent

# How Iraq vets view U.S. airstrikes against ISIS - Lydia DePillis, WP

# Weeks of U.S. Strikes Fail to Dislodge ISIS in Iraq, NYT

# Oil-rich Kirkuk in Iraq's north fears attack by Islamic State, LAT

# The Limits to Fighting the Islamic State, Project Sybdicate

# The Arab War on Terror, Foreign Policy

# Syria is sticking point between Russia and U.S. on defeating Islamic State, WP

# Journalists investigating deaths of Russian soldiers are threatened and attacked, CPJ

# Russia plans state controls in case of internet crisis, BBC

# Eying Russia's Political Horizon, Khodorkovsky Gears Up for the Long Game, MT

# High Hopes for Russia Are Fading on Wall St. NYT

# The Seething Anger of Putin's Russia, The Atlantic

# Russia's Nuclear Energy Ambitions Run Into Trouble Over Ukraine, WSJ

# One Day in the Life of Russia, NI

# Russian Lender VTB Warns of Hit From Ukraine Crisis, WSJ

# Soldiers’ Graves Bear Witness to Russia’s Role in Ukraine, NYT

# Ukraine pulls back artillery and troops from front line, Telegraph

# Ukraine’s Neglected and Battered Army Inspires Citizens to Pitch In, NYT

# Ukraine and ISIS are not justifications of a ‘clash of civilizations’ - Mark Lawrence Schrad, WP