Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 30, 2014

How Much Control Does Iran Have Over Iraq? An Expert Explains -- Isaac Chotiner, New Republic

With sectarian violence continuing in Iraq, I decided to call up Vali Nasr, who is an expert on the region, and who has written extensively about Shias in the Middle East. Nasr, the Dean of the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins, is also the author of The Shia Revival and, more recently, The Dispensable Nation.

During our conversation we discussed Nouri al-Maliki's political standing, Iran's role in choosing the next Iraqi government, and whether nuclear negotiations will destroy any chance of an American-Iranian alliance.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 30, 2014

The Kurds May Seize the Moment to Break Free of Iraq -- National geographic

Voices: Why Awakening II won't save Iraq this time -- Jim Michaels, USA Today

America won't mind if Iraq splits -- Deutsche Welle

Iraq’s Christians See Putin As Savior -- Peter Schwartzstein, Daily Beast

How to keep ISIS terror from U.S. shores -- Aaron David Miller, CNN

Fighting Terrorism: A Third Way -- Max Boot, Commentary

The Shady Syrian Oligarchs Keeping Assad Afloat -- Benjamin Barthe, World Crunch

Israel is spurning Europe and sending its natural gas bonanza to Egypt -- Steve LeVine, Quartz

Japan PM to overturn pacifist defence policy -- Justin McCurry, The Guardian

Leaning on Thailand’s Junta -- Pavin Chachavalpongpun, NYT

Why Russians Go To Fight In Ukraine -- Ilya Barabanov, World Crunch

No Pressure, Belgian National Team—Just Keep the Country From Splintering Apart -- Joshua Keating, Slate

Brazil as World Cup host: What happened to predictions of doom and gloom? -- Eva Hershaw, CSM

World War next -- Michael Vatikiotis, Asia Times

Here’s What It Will Take to Contain the Worst Ebola Outbreak in History -- Alice Park, Time