Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 17, 2015

The Economist: Islamic State’s finances - Degraded, not yet destroyed

The self-styled caliphate’s income is taking a pounding

WHEN Islamic State burst out of Syria in June 2014, seizing Mosul, Iraq’s second city, and nearly reaching Baghdad, it became the richest terror organisation in history. It plundered the banks in Mosul, including the Central Bank, whose vaults contained an estimated $425m. It snaffled a pipeline network filled with 3m barrels of oil. Its self-declared caliphate included some of the best agricultural land in the Fertile Crescent, and the heavy industry that Saddam Hussein had concentrated in loyal Sunni Arab areas. A report compiled for Reuters in October 2014 lists 13 Iraqi oilfields, three refineries, five cement plants, some big wheat silos and a salt mine.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 17, 2015

The Billion Dollar Caliphate -- Colum Lynch & David Francis, Foreign Policy

On The Trail of An ISIS Suicide Bomber -- Thomas Seibert, Daily Beast

The women warriors giving ISIS nightmares (Podcast) -- Jason Fields, Reuters

Iran's military bulks up with new Russian tanks -- Abbas Qaidaari, Al-Monitor

I started Arab Spring. Now death is everywhere and extremism is blooming -- The Telegraph

Obama’s blindness to Christian persecution -- Washington Times editorial

Afghanistan: After Kunduz -- Patricia Gossman, The Diplomat

How the Fed's rate hikes may impact Asia -- Gabriel Domínguez & Srinivas Mazumdaru, DW

On Taiwan Arms Sales, China's Bark May Be Worse Than Its Bite -- Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat

How to deal with the great Asian mystery: North Korea's durability -- Robert A. Manning, Nikkei Asian Review

Spain readies for historic, four-way election on December 20 -- Kevin Lees, Suffragio

Putin, Up Close and Personal -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

In Cuba, Change at a Caribbean Pace -- Alex Brooks & David Prodger, The Compass

How Venezuela’s Military Saved Democracy (For Its Own Reasons) -- Itxu Díaz, Daily Beast

Kick OPEC While It's Down -- Bloomberg editorial