Smart Reads December 13, 2013

♦ Cronyism is being blamed for the slow pace of reform in Ireland.
♦ An AP investigation reveals that a US citizen who went missing on a private business trip to Iran actually had ties to the CIA and was on an unapproved mission.
♦ Bill Keller at the New York Times mulls over negotiations with Iran: “For the moment, our hard-liners pose a greater problem than Iran’s.”
♦ Egyptians are outraged that General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was not Time’s person of the year.