The 10 Best Articles on International Security Concerns this week

Each week we provide a collection of 10 must reads from around the web on issues pertaining to international security. Simply click the article title to open a new tab.

This week’s top 10 (in alphabetical order) are:

 

The Curious Case of  NATO-Russia Relations: Keeping Open the Political Dialogue by Raluca Csernatoni

ISIS Europe

One of the most topical questions in the Crimean Crisis debate is the US and European decision to increase the economic sanctions against Russia.

 

Libya on the Brink by Jason Pack

Foreign Affairs

Tripoli is burning: western Libya’s two biggest militias, Islamist-leaning fighters from Misrata and anti-Islamists from Zintan, are facing off for the first time. Meanwhile, the Libyan army is nowhere to be seen.

 

Gaza and the Nuclear Negotiations by Dalia Dassa Kaye

Foreign Affairs

One of the reasons why a deal with Iran is getting less likely is related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

 

The Islamic State Is the Newest Petrostate by Keith Johnson

Foreign Policy

The Islamic State, the world’s richest terrorist group, is reaping millions of dollars a day from selling stolen oil to shady businessmen across the Middle East. Nonetheless, its finances are less sound than initially suspected.

 

Modi Government’s Challenge in Nepal by C. Raja Mohan

Eurasia Review

China’s presence in Nepal is viewed as a “zero-sum-game” in New Delhi. But although the Indian security establishment sees Nepal as its exclusive sphere of influence, Beijing has affirmed the right for a substantive engagement south of the Himalayas.

 

Putin’s Next Move by Alec Luhn

Foreign Policy

The Russian president is not checkmated yet, but the downing of MH17 could have left him with few valid options.

 

South Sudan Crisis: Is There Hope for a Durable Solution? by Sebastian Gatimu

ISS

While Africa’s newest nation slowly disintegrates, the question is whether the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) intervention in the crisis will save South Sudan from total collapse as an independent nation state.

 

Why Belarus is Different by Manuel Tornago

ISIS Europe

Belarus’ internal politics and its international position should concern Europe, as they could have repercussions beyond the Eastern European Neighbourhood.

 

Why Sisi Cannot let Egypt’s Gaza Deal Fail by Lina Khatib

Al Arabiya

Following a campaign that promised to resurrect Egypt’s role in the Middle East, the new Egyptian president needs to demonstrate to his own people that he is a leader with regional clout. He also wishes to assert himself in the international arena.

 

Will the U.S. Really Defend Japan? by Paul Sracic

 The Diplomat

Should the dispute in the East China Sea between Japan and China over the Senkaku  islands escalate  into a military conflict, the US would face no obvious decisions.

 

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