I've learned quite a bit from the comments here, also got to see perspectives I wasn't focusing on. I've since then added a bit to the article about how one could be in favour of the deal. To be more transparent about changes, version history is coming to coffee.link.

The question I'm having is: Where exactly do inter.link and Google peer? Like either they are both at a public IXP (which would mean Google is not actually discontinuing peering, or you'd have to really define the "direct" in that quoted sentence), or one has a fiber cable to one of the others DC? How does that work? Any insights?