21 July 2008

Asian oil costs rise near $130 on Iran sanctions
SINGAPORE – Oil prices rose Monday in Asia to near $130 a barrel on concerns that the threat of new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program may escalate tensions in the oil-rich Gulf region.
www.gmanews.tv/story/108239/Asian
-oil-costs-rise-near-130-on-Iran-sanctions

Rice warns Iran of ‘punitive measures’
AFP –
SHANNON, Ireland (AFP) — Iran has two weeks to respond seriously to an
international offer to halt its sensitive nuclear work or face further
“punitive …
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmQPUYqJlM3Ssn4VyCkMkYYGIcxw

Turkey vows to continue its efforts as tension rises over Iran row
Hürriyet – Turkey
Turkey said Monday it would continue its contacts to ease the tension over
Iran’s nuclear row as the US threatened Tehran to impose more sanctions
after …
www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/9481830.asp?gid=244&sz=58091

Nearly Fifty Percent of Americans Think US Should Help Israel …
By admin
If we are to believe the results of a Rasmussen poll released on July 20, an astounding number of Americans have no problem helping Israel attack Iran. “Forty-two percent (42%) of Americans say that if Israel launches an attack against …
www.infowars.com/?p=3484

Rice says Iran must meet deadline or face more sanctions
MarketWatch – USA
By V. Phani Kumar HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice Monday said Iran faced more sanctions if it flouts a
deadline to reduce …
www.marketwatch.com/news/story/rice-says-iran-must-meet/
story.aspx?guid=%7B7DA002CA-04A6-42B7-B1C5-E306A5799F
57%7D&dist=msr_7

Kerry, Biden welcome contact with Iran
Tehran Times – Iran
Two top US senators have welcomed Washington’s decision to attend for the
first time in international talks on Iran’s nuclear program. …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=173432

West Not Able to Set Syria and Iran at Loggerheads
Trend News Agency – Baku,Azerbaijan
U.Sadikhova, D.Khatinoglu/ Syria’s desire to improve its relations with
West will not lead to a rapid deterioration of Syria-Iran relationships.
…
news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1251682&lang=EN

War On Iran ?
By jobsanger(jobsanger)
The British Sunday Times of July 13, 2008 reported: “Despite the opposition of his own generals and widespread skepticism that America is ready to risk the military, political and economic consequences of an airborne strike on Iran, …
jobsanger.blogspot.com/2008/07/war-on-iran.html

Nothing from guyville
By sputnik99
Iran’s Press TV had little to say about the meeting, other than a bland statement that Iran expects to reach a mutual agreement in its new round of talks with world powers over its disputed uranium enrichment work. …
sputnik99.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/nothing-from-guyville/

Now Bush Is Appeasing Iran
Wall Street Journal – USA
“The Iranian government’s choices are clear,” she said. “The negative
choice is for the regime to maintain its current course. . . . If the
regime does so, …
online.wsj.com/article/SB121659929379969123.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Heat Rises Under Iran
Wall Street Journal – USA
By JAY SOLOMON The US is fine-tuning new financial penalties against Iran
that would target everything from gasoline imports to the insurance sector,
…
online.wsj.com/article/SB121658515873068645.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

UPDATE 1-Rice: Iran must give “serious answer” or face sanctions
Reuters UK – UK
By Sue Pleming SHANNON, Ireland, July 21 (Reuters) – US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice accused Iran on Monday of making “small talk” at a nuclear
…
uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL2130629220080721

Putting the Bell on Iran’s Coming Nuclear-Clawed Cat
Wall Street Journal – USA
John Bolton’s analysis of “Israel, Iran and the Bomb” (op-ed, July 15) is
brilliant, incisive and correct. There is another factor which is implicit
in his …
online.wsj.com/article/SB121660869818869511.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Opening soon in Tehran
Boston Globe – United States
NEARLY THREE decades have passed since the US embassy in Tehran was closed,
after American diplomats were taken hostage in the early days of Iran’s
Islamic …
www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/
editorials/articles/2008/07/21/opening_soon_in_tehran

Mideast’s Balance of Power Shifts Away From US
Wall Street Journal – USA
The various diplomatic efforts come as the Bush administration moderates
its policy of isolating the governments of Iran, Syria and their regional
allies. …
online.wsj.com/article/SB121660033016269181.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Rice says Iran not serious at weekend nuke talks
The Associated Press –
SHANNON, Ireland (AP) — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Iran
on Monday of not being serious at weekend talks about its disputed nuclear
program …
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVp6OcsznLJpeFv8SenE_EhxIpmgD92207MO0

An Opening to Iran?
Antiwar.com – Redwood City,CA,USA
The first, of course, is that the Bush administration is in the beginning
stages of a relatively dramatic turnaround in its approach to Iran. …
www.antiwar.com/bock/?articleid=13167

Syria Preparing Phony Anti-Nuke Campaign
By Confidential Reporter(Confidential Reporter)
The campaign is purely propagandistic: Syria, which is bristling with ballistic missiles and chemical warheads, and allowed North Korea to establish a nuclear site for Iran on Syrian territory that was recently obliterated by the …
chinaconfidential.blogspot.com/2008/07/syria-preparing-phony-anti-nuke.html
China Confidential
chinaconfidential.blogspot.com/

ISRAEL IS CALLING ALL THE SHOTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST!!!
In this article, he stated, “The dissolution of Syria and Iraq into ethnically or religiously unique areas such as in Lebanon is “ISRAEL’S” PRIMARY TARGET on the Eastern front. Iraq, rich in oil on the one hand and internally torn on …
journals.aol.com/foxxgiavani/REALNEWSPOLITICS/entries/2008/
07/20/israel-is-calling-all-the-shots-in-the-middle-east/5924

Obama expected to meet with commanders of Iraq war
Kansas City Star – MO,USA
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s visit to Iraq for talks
with commanders of a war he long opposed follows the prime minister’s
apparent …
www.kansascity.com/445/story/712869.html

More On Maliki
Atlantic Online – USA
by hilzoy McCain’s entire rationale, as a candidate, turns on Iraq and
related issues, like terrorism and (to a lesser extent) Iran. …
andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/07/more-on-maliki.html

Iran upbeat on talks but fresh sanctions loom
Financial Times – London,England,UK
By Stephen Fidler in London and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in,Tehran Iran yesterday
put a positive gloss on the Geneva nuclear talks though its negotiators had
shown …
www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e50d8be0-56bb-11dd-8686-000077b07658.html

Israel’s Growing Consensus: Bomb Iran
By M Peretz
No one is especially eager for a military assault on Iran’s maturing nuclear capacity. But almost no one doubts that Iran wants that capacity to be military, and so everyone rational is forced into thinking about how to curb—better yet …
blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_spine/archive/2008/07/
20/israel-s-growing-consensus-bomb-iran.aspx

Last Year’s Prediction for Iran Is Now Near
By ReasonableCitizen
The US and Iran have been moving towards a head-on collision for the last seven years. The expected collision will most probably take place in the final months of the Bush administration. The course has been set by two irreconcilable …
kindlingman.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/
last-years-prediction-for-iran-is-now-near/

Syria, Tehran Agree on Mechanism for Iran Nuclear Programme …
istockAnalyst.com – Salem,OR,USA
This agreement came during Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki’s
visit to Syria two days ago and his meeting with President Bashar al-Asad
and his …
www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+artic
leid_2413908~title_Syria,-Tehran-Agree-on.html

Oil up over $1 on Iran talks, Mexico Gulf storm
guardian.co.uk – UK
“The outcome of the Geneva meeting with Iran was quite a disappointment and
was the main factor in the lift in oil prices this morning,” said David
Moore, …
www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7665683

Could “Shock and Awe” Defeat Iran’s Will for Nukes?
Defense Update – Tel Aviv,Israel
Hezbollah has also gained substantial political power in Lebanon itself. In
spite of the congratulations that followed the election of Lebanese
President …
www.defense-update.com/analysis/analysis_200708_shockawe.htm

20 July 2008

Ancient Mesopotamia, Near East and Greater Iran : Greater Iran?
The common idea of “Greater Iran” is a generalization of peoples based on linguistics – the Indo-Iranian language tree. But this idea is flawed because ALL Iranic peoples have never been united, either politically, …
www.allempires.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=23750&PID=468187#468187

The US and Israel on Iran
By Jerome Grossman(Jerome Grossman)
Policy Iran may be one of those rare exceptions. Responsible Israeli officials have made their positions clear: Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons and Iranian protestations that their development of nuclear power is …
relentlessliberal.blogspot.com/2008/07/us-and-israel-on-iran.html

Top US admiral says strike on Iran means turmoil
Reuters UK – UK
WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) – White House military adviser Adm. Mike
Mullen said on Sunday he was concerned that any US or Israeli strike on
Iran carried …
uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN2033285720080720

Telling the Story of Life and Humanity in Iran
By naturalworldmuseum
Iran is a country with a pretty negative image in the US press these days, so I was very intrigued when an Iranian-American artist friend recently sent me a link to an environmental art festival currently taking place there. …
naturalworldmuseum.wordpress.com/2008/07/20
/telling-the-story-of-life-and-humanity-in-iran/

Admiral Mike Mullen: Pressure Iran to prevent war
By Bennauro(Bennauro)
Iran affirms that its nuclear program is directed at electricity generation and that all its activities are in line with its rights under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The US and Israel, however, accuse Tehran of pursuing …
bennauro.blogspot.com/2008/07/admiral-mike-mullen-pressure-iran-to.html

Brown will evoke memory of Holocaust to warn Iran against threats …
Daily Mail – UK
By Benedict Brogan Gordon Brown will evoke the memory of the Holocaust to
warn Iran it must drop its “totally abhorrent” threat to wipe Israel off
the map. …
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1036715/Brown-
evoke-memory-Holocaust-warn-Iran-threats-Israel.html

Report: Iran’s nuclear negotiator to meet Turkey’s foreign minister
International Herald Tribune – France
AP ANKARA, Turkey: A Turkish news agency says Iran’s chief nuclear
negotiator has arrived in Istanbul to meet with Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan. …
www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/20/europe/EU-Turkey-Iran-Nuclear.php

US admiral urges global pressure on Iran
AFP –
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The international community must put economic and
political pressure on Iran in order to help reach a breakthrough in the
crisis over …
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g9G9_l5e3934JoCz5ImUCYl8wlzQ

Why Israel Can’t Attack Iran
Challenge – Israel
by Roni Ben Efrat ccompanying its verbal escalations over the Iranian
nuclear project, Israel ventured on an extraordinary air force exercise in
early June. …
challenge-mag.com/en/article__221

What Iran’s refusal on Nuclear Enrichment Can Mean for New Middle …
Politicker – New York,NY,USA
This election will prove critical in electing to Congress experienced
members capable of addressing international crisis such as that occurring
with Iran. …
www.politickernh.com/brianlawson/2542/what-irans-refusal-
nuclear-enrichment-can-mean-new-middle-east-hostilities

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator due in Turkey
Hürriyet – Turkey
Saeed Jalili, the secretary general of Iran’s Supreme National Security
Council and the Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, will travel from Geneva,
…
www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/9478397.asp?gid=244&sz=85624

Prospects of Iranian nuclear issue’s resolution remain dim after …
Xinhua – China
GENEVA, July 19 (Xinhua) — A solution to Iran’s nuclear issue remains
elusive after the high-level talks in Geneva on Saturday between six major
powers and …
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/20/content_8706149.htm

Channeling Strangelove: Benny Morris on Iran
By Gershom Gorenberg
Benny Morris’s riff on nuking Iran, featured on Friday’s New York Times op-ed page, conjures up Maj. Kong’s bronco-riding whoop at the end of Dr. Strangelove, and not just because that film revealed the glee with which the …
southjerusalem.com/2008/07/channeling-strangelove-benny-morris-on-iran/

Roger Cohen: Sobriety, Herr Obama
International Herald Tribune – France
A US diplomat is attending (inconclusive) discussions with Iran; there’s
White House talk of a “general time horizon” for withdrawing US troops from
Iraq; …
www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/20/opinion/edcohen.php

Talks on Iran’s nuclear plans end in deadlock
International Herald Tribune – France
By Elaine Sciolino GENEVA: International talks on Iran’s nuclear ambitions
ended in deadlock over the weekend, despite the Bush administration’s
decision to …
www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/20/mideast/iran.php

Why deny nuclear weapons to Iran?
Rocky Mountain News – Denver,CO,USA
So Iran has test fired more missiles, as was reported Thursday, July 10,
and the United States has vowed to defend its allies, namely Israel, …
www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/why-deny-nuclear-weapons-iran/

War on Iran: Keep watch on the hawks
By dandelionsalad
President Bush’s decision to send William Burns, his third-ranking diplomat, to observe nuclear negotiations in Geneva with Iran, represents a long-overdue shift in American policy – underlined by plans revealed in yesterday’s Guardian …
dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/war-on-iran-keep-watch-on-the-hawks/

Iran avoids talks on nuclear policy
In response, the six gave Iran two weeks to respond to their demand, setting the stage for a new round of United Nations sanctions.Iran’s refusal to consider suspending enrichment was an indirect slap at the United States, …
timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=705084&LinkFrom=RSS

Iran praises latest nuclear talks
The Associated Press –
Ahmadineajd’s remarks are the first after the meeting Saturday in Geneva
between Iran’s top nuclear negotiator and envoys from Washington and five
other …
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRqjZV1Meppj40hTs8IBOv4DdsQwD921HGPO0

Iran has two-week deadline for nuclear answer
AFP –
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran was on Sunday facing a two-week deadline to give a
final answer to world powers seeking a breakthrough in the nuclear crisis,
…
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gsh8ayhpc3RDFGJMHSRd2MobGrgg

New war looms in Mideast
Edmonton Sun – Alberta, Canada
The recent display by Iran, testing ballistic missiles that would place
southern Europe, Israel and the US presence in the Middle East within
striking …
www.edmontonsun.com/Comment/2008/07/19/6203486-sun.html

Iran describes nuke talks as ‘constructive’
By webgard
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator called talks Saturday with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana “constructive” but didn’t say whether Iran would accept a short-term proposal to jump-start negotiations on the nuclear issue. …
picna.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/iran-describes-nuke-talks-as-constructive/
Picture News Agency
picna.wordpress.com

Iran avoids talks on nuclear policy
In response, the six gave Iran two weeks to respond to their demand, setting the stage for a new round of United Nations sanctions.Iran’s refusal to consider suspending enrichment was an indirect slap at the United States, …
timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=705042&LinkFrom=RSS

Hawks need to back off of Bush over Iran talks
American Thinker – Bellevue,WA,USA
By Ray Robison Word in recent days of planned talks between the Iranian
government and high level State Department officials has provoked calls of
…
www.americanthinker.com/2008/07/hawks_need_to_back_off_of_bush.html

Kerry, Biden welcome contact with Iran
Tehran Times – Iran
Two top US senators have welcomed Washington’s decision to attend for the
first time international talks on Iran’s nuclear program. …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=173431

Iran nuclear talks register “insufficient” progress, more …
Xinhua – China
GENEVA, July 19 (Xinhua) — The high-level talks between six countries and
Iran over its controversial nuclear programs have yielded “insufficient”
progress …
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/20/content_8577029.htm

Iran: Learning from History
By Scott Erb
Looking at Iran today, it’s easy to wonder how we got to where we are. Iran was a major ally of the US until 1979 when the Shah of Iran was deposed by a group of revolutionaries including everything from Muslim extremists to communists …
scotterb.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/iran-learning-from-history/
World in Motion
scotterb.wordpress.com

Jeff Biggers: Iran: Reading Tehran With Lolita (Time to Publish …
By Jeff Biggers
Bush administration’s surprising act this week of initiating people-to-people diplomacy with Iran is sincere, it presents a critical opportunity for cultural and human rights organizations in the United States to take the lead in making …
www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/iran-reading-tehran-with_b_113744.html

Rice heads to Asia amid bittersweet nuclear diplomacy
AFP –
WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice saw her
revamped nuclear diplomacy stall on Iran but stay the pace on North Korea
as she prepared …
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gnmrVhACBBCJQadnyIW0BA7phpcg

On Political Progress In Iraq And The Destruction Of Yet Another Meme
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
Remaining arguments against the proposition that the surge and the counterinsurgency strategy implemented in Iraq have been successful revolve around the contention that there has been no political reconciliation in the country. …
www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/jul/19
/on-political-progress-in-iraq-and-the-destruc/

McCain’s Trouble with Iraq (and Afghanistan and Iran)
By Nick
Just 3 days ago I posted about Barack Obama’s Trouble with Iraq. Things looked bad for Obama. The decrease in violence in Iraq was quickly and effectively being framed by the McCain campaign as the direct result of the surge; …
anidealiveson.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/m
ccains-trouble-with-iraq-and-afghanistan-and-iran/

US Is Present, but Iran Nuclear Talks End in Stalemate
New York Times – United States
By ELAINE SCIOLINO GENEVA — International talks on Iran’s nuclear
ambitions ended in deadlock on Saturday, despite the Bush
administration’s decision to …
www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/world/middleeast/20nuke.html?
em&ex=1216612800&en=cf015498f5fca94a&ei=5087%0A

Bush’s Move to More Centrist Policies May Aid McCain
Washington Post – United States
By Dan Eggen WACO, Tex., July 19 — With his moves last week involving
Iraq, Iran and North Korea, President Bush accelerated a shift toward
centrist …
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2008/07/19/AR2008071901597.html

Iran and the US / Conflicting signs
Ha'aretz – Tel Aviv,Israel
By Yossi Melman Events during the past month suggest that relations between
the United States and Iran may be undergoing a significant change. …
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1003473.html

Israel to warn Obama against Iraqi withdrawal
Ynetnews – Israel
British PM already in Israel for short visit, agenda to center mostly on
Iran Jerusalem is faced with pursuing several crucial strategic objectives
…
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3570288,00.html

The road to Palestine leads through Damascus
Ha'aretz – Tel Aviv,Israel
Iran is a friendly state, a strategic ally, but we do not always see eye to
eye on all issues. The Palestinian and Israeli issues may be two of these.
…
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1003489.html