Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 18, 2014

‘Scotland Will Never, Ever Be The Same’ -- Corinne Purtill, Global Post

Scotland finally has its chance to seize independence. Will it take it? Nobody here feckin knows.

LOCHGELLY, UK — A gray drizzle slicked the pavement outside as Gavin Loudon dropped into a chair at the public library in this Fife, Scotland town.

He wore a crossing-guard-style blue vest emblazoned with the Yes logo of Scotland’s pro-independence campaign. He also had a Yes messenger bag, Yes bracelets ringing both wrists and a stack of Yes pamphlets under one arm.

The former boxer looked tired but dogged, having knocked on 1,000 doors that day with fellow volunteers. In the last two years, Loudon estimated, the local Yes branch has distributed some 400,000 leaflets extolling the virtues of a sovereign Scotland.

He’s dedicated to this movement nearly four years of his life, some $3,000 of his own money and a $1,600 bet on Yes with the local bookie.

And on Thursday, it will all be over.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 18, 2014

Need a last-minute primer on Scotland's vote? Here's what you should know. -- Anne Steele, CSM

Alone, Scotland Will Become a Failed State -- Niall Ferguson, Telegraph

European Integration Emboldens Europe's Separatists -- Stephen Fidler, WSJ

Europe’s Secession Panic -- Barbie Latza Nadeau, Daily Beast

A Caledonian utopia or a nation divided? -- Alistair Crighton, Al Jazeera

How Islamic State Uses Syria's Oil to Fuel its Advances -- NDTV/Reuters

Why ISIL keeps growing -- Martin Reardon, Al Jazeera

A NATO ally stays on sidelines of fight against Islamic State -- Andrew Finkel, Reuters

Confronting ISIL: Why bombing is doomed to fail -- Rachel Shabi, Al Jazeera

From D.C. to Syria, a Mess: The ISIS Campaign Is Off to a Shaky Start -- Nicholas Kristof, NYT

Airstrike Uncertainties: Obama's Dangerously Vague New War -- Markus Feldenkirchen, Christoph Reuter and Holger Stark, Spiegel Online

As Iran talks resume, it’s time to play ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ -- Daryl Kimball, Kelsey Davenport and Ali Vaez, Reuters

Is Egypt Doomed to Autocracy? -- Alaa Al Aswany, NYT

Afghanistan’s stability depends on two presidential contenders reaching a deal -- Washington Post editorial

Why Ukraine's plight has yet to set off alarms at the White House -- Howard LaFranchi, CSM

You’re not really famous until you’ve quit Twitter – at least once -- Jack Shafer, Reuters