Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2015

Matt Schiavenza, The Atlantic: The Earthquake Nepal Saw Coming

Political gridlock and substandard infrastructure left the country particularly vulnerable to devastation.

Hours after a major earthquake wreaked havoc across his country, Nepali Information Minister Minendra Rijal appeared at a news conference on Saturday to announce that schools would be closed for the next five days. "We never imagined we'd face such devastation," he said.

But for geologists, Saturday's disaster—which has claimed over 2,400 lives—was sadly predictable.

"Physically and geologically what happened is exactly what we thought would happen," James Jackson, head of the earth-sciences department at the University of Cambridge, told the Associated Press.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 27, 2015

Aid groups knew a Nepal earthquake would be a disaster. But they couldn’t raise enough money to help. -- Mark Leon Goldberg, Washington Post

Was Nepal prepared for a major earthquake? -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera

Nepal Earthquake Deaths: Blame Weak, Corrupt Politicians -- John Elliott, Newsweek

Saudi Arabia Is Killing Its Chances For Success in Yemen -- Sahr Muhammedally,, Defense One

Did US Drone Strikes Lose Yemen? -- Amrit Singh, Project Syndicate

Is Assad On His Way Out? -- Walter Russell Mead, American Interest

Dangerous, isolated and primed for war? North Korean clichés debunked -- Hazel Smith, The Guardian

How far is Japan willing to go to back the United States? -- Peter Van Buren, Reuters

In US-Japan talks, China is the elephant in the room -- Jim Kuhnhenn and Matthew Lee, AP

Forgetting Vietnam -- Christian Appy, Real Clear World

Exploring the Congo Where Civil Wars Have Raged and Crocodiles Still Roam -- Paul Pickering, Newsweek

South Africa's Troubles Are Homegrown -- Bloomberg editorial

Greek Financial Crisis Forces EU to Play for Time on Ukraine, Migrants -- Richard Gowan, World Politics Review

What happens if Greece can’t pay its debts? -- Phillip Inman, The Guardian

How Iran Is Winning -- Shlomo Ben-Ami, Project Syndicate

The President Daydreams on Iran -- Mortimer Zuckerman, WSJ