BULLETIN No.99

Jerusalem Post The Region: Sunni-Shi'ite split deepens By Barry Rubin
A globalized Levantine revisits a land of uncertainty By George E. Irani - After a year of absence I recently returned to Lebanon, the land of my origins and roots. The first time I left the country was in 1968, to complete my undergraduate studies in Milan. I returned to Beirut in 1975 and worked as a stringer for the Italian radio and television station, RAI. For two years I lived out of the RAI offices and witnessed the beginning of the civil war.

Gulf News Hamas warned government can be dissolved
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a sharp reminder to Hamas on Monday he had the power to dissolve the new government.
Will Hamas moderate? (Joel Himelfarb)
Daily Star Abbas sends sharp reminder of power to dissolve government Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a sharp reminder to Hamas on Monday that he had the power to dissolve the new government, but said he did not want to do so and would give the group more time to embrace peacemaking. Reacting to Abbas' remarks, Hamas threatened to scrap a truce with Israel if the moderate leader removes its month-old government.
Dar Al-Hayat Aftershocks of Meshaal's Statements Abdel Wahab Badrakhan - Hamas' ignorance of the political mechanisms has undoubtedly made its task even harder, setting hurdles hampering the effort to establish rules regulating the 'coexistence' imposed by the electoral situation. the international community was drawn to support Israel's plan to wreck the Hamas government, disregarding the disastrous consequences on the PA and on the solution-finding mechanisms.
Ha’aretz – Iranian president says Israel cannot continue to exist
Washington Times 'Doomsday' falsehoods Israel's growing Jewish population

Reuters UN investigator heads to Syria over Hariri killing - The top UN investigator probing last year's killing of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri travelled to Syria on Tuesday to meet
Study: domestic abuse widespread in Syria
The first study of its kind in the country shows 25 percent of women may be victims of violence.

Djerejian We Have (Too Many) Opinions: When Will Iran Have the Bomb?
Cato U.S Must Offer Iran Diplomatic Deal, by Ted Galen Carpenter and Justin Logan
Heritage Foundation Forging a U.S.-British Coalition to End Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program by Nile Gardiner
Defiant Iran in threat to quit nuclear treaty
Iran President Says No Need for Talks With US on Iraq
Iran Deepening Ties With Azerbaijan
Sunday Herald Iran split by James Cusick
Hardliners: Iran Pres. delivering true Islamic gov.
İvo Daalder Is War with Iran Inevitable?
Justified Final Solution for Iran
The Spectator - Alan Dershowitz - “We Can’t Attack Iran”.

CFR – Steven Simon: Iraqi Political Shuffle Shows US Still ‘Influential’ in Iraq
Iraq: New Hope, Same Violence
Financial Times Editorial Iraq's new premier
Reports From the Future of Iraq Project
CSIS Iraqi Economic Reconstruction and Development -Onur Ozlu
UPI Outside View: Lessons from Iraq By WILLIAM S. LIND
Iraq Three Years after “Liberation” By Stephen Zunes
IRAQ'S (RELUCTANT) NEW LEADER New York Post - Amir Taheri
Christian Science Monitor Editorial Declawing Iraq's militias
Time Meet Iraq's New Boss – Same as the Old Boss
New Republic The problem with Iraq's new prime ministerby Spencer Ackerman
National Review The Editors: Jawad al-Maliki is welcome
Iraqi PM-Designate: US Could Start Pullout in 18 Months
Enmity and pragmatism converge in Iraq By Sanam Vakil In the course of seven years, Iran signed two Algiers agreements with profound implications for its long-term domestic and foreign policies. The first one, agreed in 1975, settled a border dispute between Iran and Iraq. The second endorsed a "mutually acceptable resolution" to the 444-day hostage crisis between Iran and the United States.