Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 9, 2015

Samuel Oakford, VICE News: A Year After Its Bloody Offensive, Iraqis and Syrians Take Stock of Islamic State

One year after the so-called Islamic State's lightning advance across northwestern Iraq, the extremist group maintains wide control over many Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria. As a fuller picture of the group's detailed and meticulously planned military network has emerged in recent months — alongside documentation of its atrocities and likely genocide crimes — experts are predicting a protracted and bloody fight to dismantle the so-called caliphate it rules over in both countries.

On June 10 of 2014, Iraqi security forces hastily retreated from Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province, and Iraq's second largest city. Images of the troops fleeing, having left behind an arsenal of US armaments, foretold for the events of the coming months, when the group would cement their control over the northwest, murder and kidnap thousands, and displace hundreds of thousands, while leaving Iraq's Shia-led government sputtering to respond.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- June 9, 2015

One year ago, Islamic State stepped into the global spotlight. Here’s what has happened since. -- Swati Sharma, Washington Post

Iraqi City of Mosul Transformed a Year After Islamic State Capture -- Nour Malas, WSJ

To save Iraq, the U.S. military must work with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard -- Amir Handjani, Reuters

Fight Against ISIS Militants Lags Because They’re Nimble … and the U.S. Isn’t -- Mark Thompson, Time

Islamic extremism, explained -- Zack Beauchamp, VOX

Does Fear of Terror-Finance Cases Drive Big Banks From Risky Regions? -- Paul Barrett, Bloomberg

Countries Don’t Report Iran Sanctions Violations, UN Report Says -- Sangwon Yoon, Bloomberg

After setback to Erdoğan, will Turkey's foreign policy change? -- Scott Peterson, CSM

Five takeaways from the Turkish election -- Nigar Göksel and Hugh Pope, Politico

Everything you need to know about the South China Sea conflict – in under five minutes -- William Johnson, Reuters

Malaysia Responds to China’s South China Sea Intrusion -- Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat

Can Burundi hold election on July 15, amid violence? -- Gerard Nzohabona, CSM/Associated Press

The Greek Trap -- Roger Cohen, NYT

Putin’s Calculated Revival of the Russian Orthodox Church -- Rob Garver, Fiscal Times

How Obama Went From Being a Peace Candidate to a War President -- Sherle R. Schwenninger, The Nation