Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 23, 2015

A picture of North Korea’s founder Kim Il-sung decorates a building in the capital Pyongyang in this October 5, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files

Andray Abrahamian, Reuters: North Korea’s very bad year and China’s role in it

Of all the pressures North Korea faces, none is perhaps as threatening as the prospect of a full-blown recession in China, which would have a crippling effect across the border.

After several years of moderate growth, North Korea’s economy looks to be having a bad year. That’s partly because of Pyongyang’s Ebola quarantine, partly because of the weather, and more recently, because of the panic of millions of investors in China.

First, The Democratic Republic of Korea’s Ebola quarantine policy dragged on well into the 2015, only ending in March after five crippling months. This policy required anyone entering the country to undergo a 21-day quarantine and ended up amounting to a travel ban. Very few foreigners could devote that amount of time to living in a North Korean hotel room. Certainly, anyone without an investment already on the ground was strongly dissuaded from visiting.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- July 23, 2015

Iran deal leaves N. Korea alone in rogue states club -- Mark Fitzpatrick, NKNews

In Yemen’s grinding war, if the bombs don’t get you, the water shortages will -- Ali al-Mujahed and Hugh Naylor, Washington post

Japan and China square off over disputed East China Sea territory -- Robert Marquand, CSM

China in the South China Sea: Has Beijing overstepped the mark? -- Peter Ford, CSM

US Not ‘Neutral’ in South China Sea Disputes: Top US Diplomat -- Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat

China may change its one-child birth quota. Why now? -- Kelsey Warner, CSM

Pakistan's Taliban dilemma -- Moeed Yusuf, Al Jazeera

Nigerian President Slams U.S. Law: Buhari says legislation that curbs US military aid is abetting Boko Haram insurgency -- Ashish Kumar Sen, Atlantic Council

Egypt Is Struggling to Cope With Its ISIS Insurgency -- Jared Malsin, Time

Why the Greek Deal Will Work -- Anatole Kaletsky, Project Syndicate

Did Putin Sell Out Greece? -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

If Obama Can't Close Guantanamo -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg

NSA Appoints Obama Bundler As New Top Lawyer -- Shane Harris, Daily Beast

Iranian Oil Could Hurt Russia and the U.S. -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Oil Warning: The Crash Could Be the Worst in More Than 45 Years -- Tom Randall, Bloomberg

Disarming the Profession of Arms: Why Disarm Servicemembers on Bases? -- Lt. Col. Paul Darling, Cicero