Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 4, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a forum dedicated to the civil society in Moscow, January 15, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

Leon Aron, CNN: Facing up to Putin's endgame

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- February 4, 2015

Islamic State: Can its savagery be explained? -- BBC

ISIS is Losing in Iraq. But What Happens Next? -- Kenneth M. Pollack, NYT

War with Isis: If the Saudis aren't fuelling the militant inferno, who is? -- The Independent

Islamic State Goes Official in South Asia -- Arif Rafiq, The Diplomat

Concerns Deepen that U.S. Allowing Iranian Takeover of Iraq -- The Tower

Kurds dream of independence as they defend perilous border -- Samia Nakhoul and Isabel Coles, Reuters

Reshuffling the House of Saud -- David Ignatius, Washington Post

Turkey's in an Uproar. Here's What's Happening. -- Constantine Courcoulas and Isobel Finkel, Bloomberg

Islamic State Tightens Its Grip on Shaky Libya -- Josh Rogin, Bloomberg

The role of economic interests in Chad’s fight against Boko Haram -- Deutsche Welle

Crowded Waters: The South China Sea's Next Big Flashpoint? -- Sean Mirski, National Interest

China and India Want a Breakthrough on Their Border Dispute -- Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat

North Korea’s ABC (Anybody but China) diplomatic initiatives will face a harsh reality -- Brian Benedictus, Nottingham University

Why Washington might be shifting toward sending arms to Ukraine -- Anna Mulrine, CSM

Will the Next Recession Destroy Europe? -- Clive Crook, Bloomberg

Guantanamo's Place in U.S. Caribbean Strategy -- Sim Tack, Stratfor