Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- June 25, 2014

The brutality of ISIS has become notorious. This image, taken from the Twitter account of a jihadist group called Welayat Salahadden, purports to show ISIS fighters with captured Iraqi soldiers in civilian garb. Other images that have been posted on the web allegedly show ISIS fighters executing dozens of Iraqi soldiers. DPA

The New Face Of Terror: ISIS' Rise Pushes Iraq To Brink -- Spiegel Online

The jihadist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is relatively new on the scene, but its secretive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has quickly transformed it into one of the most feared terrorist groups around. It threatens to completely transform the Middle East.

Brigadier General Saad Maan trudges through the midday heat to the Iraqi army's Baghdad "operation room" as his aides shove updates into his hand and whisper into his ear. His mobile phone rings constantly. The command center of the Iraqi military is located in the Adnan Palace, a pompous structure built by Saddam Hussein between the crossed-swords monument and the new US Embassy.

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- June 25, 2014

A terrorist with gang-leader charisma -- David Ignatius, Washington Post

The Iraqi Army Isn't up to the Job, and the Entire Country Is Suffering -- Gordon Lubold, Foreign Policy

ISIS May Open a Third Front in Lebanon -- Jamie Dettmer, Daily Beast

As Iraq burns, tolerance and tensions in Kurdish Kirkuk -- Dominique Soguel, CSM

Islamic Extremists Pose New Risks for Religious Minorities in Iraq -- Cale Salih, NYT

No Way Out of Iraq -- Erin Evers, Politico Magazine

Decline of U.S. influence means Iran and Saudi Arabia may just have to get along — eventually -- Mark Leonard, Reuters

As Conflict Grows in the Middle East, U.S.-Saudi Gulf Widens -- Fahad Nazer, Yale Global

Time to Actively Deter North Korea -- Patrick M. Cronin, The Diplomat

The Fall of the Green Berets’ Lawrence of Afghanistan -- Mark Thompson, Time

Whoops, He Did It Again: Obama’s ISIS Lesson for Afghanistan -- Ryan Evans, War On The Rocks

The Pitfalls to China’s Mideast Policy -- Jeffrey Payne, The Diplomat

South Africa's longest strike ends. Now what? -- Gillian Parker, CSM

Scotland's Nationalist Folly -- Tom Gallagher, National Interest

Britain and Europe Are Heading for a Divorce -- Clive Crook, Bloomberg

Putin Waves a White Flag on Ukraine -- Anna Nemtsova, Daily Beast