Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 14, 2015

S-300 anti-aircraft missile system [file]. (photo credit:REUTERS)

Yossi Melman, Jerusalem Post: Analysis: Russia's decision to sell S-300 to Iran makes military option less viable

Israel's diplomatic efforts to keep Russia from selling the air defense system to Iran have failed to keep Moscow from worrying about its own interests.

Both Israel and the United States were again surprised by Russia's decision announced Monday to unfreeze its sale of the advanced S-300 air defense system to Iran. Amid American pressure and Israeli persuasion, and mainly because of its own interests, Russia had decided several years ago to suspend its decision to sell the weapons system to Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin's government has now announced that, on the backdrop of the emerging Iran nuclear deal, he has decided to cancel the freeze and go through with the transaction. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized that the S-300 is a defensive system.

The decision raises at least four central conclusions:

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 14, 2015

Tom Cotton: Obama's Iran Deal May Lead to Nuclear War -- Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic

The Ultimate Nightmare: A Nuclear Arms Race in the Middle East -- John Carlson, National Interest

Is Iran outmaneuvering Saudi Arabia in Yemen? -- Mohammad Ali Shabani, Al-Monitor

The Complex Politics Behind the Chaos in Yemen -- Janine di Giovanni, Newsweek

Pakistan and India: A new crisis is brewing between two nuclear-armed neighbors -- Tom Rogan, Reuters

China-US: Avoiding the ‘Improbable War’ -- Jared McKinney, The Diplomat

Why Nigerians who fled from Boko Haram aren't ready to return home -- Ngala Chimtom, CSM

AP Interview: Libya army chief bets on military solution -- Karin Laub, AP

Ukraine hits 'dead end' as lasting peace deal eludes leaders -- Fred Weir, CSM

Why Ukraine Still Can’t Break Ties With Russian ‘Aggressor State’ -- Simon Shuster, Time

Time for a 'Lousy' Peace in Ukraine -- Brian Milakovsky, National Interest

Standoff in Ukraine -- Andrew Langley, Bloomberg

Putin’s Mideast Gains Trump $27 Billion Loss From Iran Agreement -- Henry Meyer and Stephen Bierman, Bloomberg

'Timebomb' UK economy will explode after election, says Albert Edwards -- Katie Allen, The Guardian

Probing the Heart of French Malaise -- Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry, NYT

Putin Boosts Congress's Case for Role in Iran Deal -- Eli Lake & Josh Rogin, Bloomberg