BULLETIN No.111

Washington Times Assad under siege RossReal, fake democrats in Syria
Mideast Monitor Syria and Iran: An Enduring Axis Abbas Willian Samii The relationship between Damascus and Tehran, one of the most enduring regional alignments in the Middle East, is stronger than ever
Dossier: The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood Gary C. GambillAs Syrian President Bashar Assad grows more isolated, his regime's arch-nemesis is gearing for a comeback.
Events in Syria serve as a reminder of the need for an independent judiciary
Christian Science Monitor Syrian oil draws help from the Far East Sanctions spook Western investors, but firms from China, Russia, and India are eager to fill the void.
Yedioth Ahronoth US fears Syria obtained nuclear technology
NYT U.N. Council Urges Syria to Set Ties With Lebanon
UN presses Syria to settle Lebanon border dispute The UN Security Council adopted a resolution raising the pressure on Syria to establish diplomatic relations and settle its border with Lebanon. Russia and China abstained

JINSA Report #559, Israel as a Security Asset for the United States
Washington Post Israel's Half-Plan By Gershom Gorenberg - Ehud Olmert recently gave Palestinians six months to meet Israel's conditions for negotiating peace. Yet even that brief opening was just lip service.
Despite Israel's social needs, security still predominates By Adel Zagha
FPIF The Israel Lobby: How Powerful is it Really? Stephen Zunes
Ha’aretz – China urges Hamas to recognize Israel, invites al-Zahar to summit
Hamas-Led Government Deploys Security Force, Defying Abbas
Hamas puts private army on streets of Gaza Hamas deploys private army of 3,000 on streets of Gaza Strip in challenge to authority of Palestinian president.
Debka Olmert Seeks Bush Nod as Heir to Sharon Legacy
Jerusalem Post The elephant in the room The PA's economy was in dire straits long before Hamas's ascension to power
Forward On Eve of Olmert Visit, White House Holds Off Embracing Pullout Plan

Washington Post A Nuclear Test for Diplomacy By Henry A. Kissinger, The world is faced with the nightmarish prospect that nuclear weapons will become a standard part of national armament
CFR Should the US Negotiate Directly with Iran? Karim Sadjadpour, Patrick Clawson
How to Stop Iran (Without Firing a Shot) - Current diplomacy isn't working. Here's Plan B. Four steps Bush can take to stop Iran. They include taking the diplomatic offensive, targeting the regime's financial interests, supporting an independent labor movement, and threatening the country�s gas supply.Bret Stephens
Senate FRC Hearing Iran’s Political/Nuclear Ambitions and U.S. Policy Options
The Iranian Nuclear Program: Motivations and Priorities Kenneth M. Pollack
Engage Iran Directly Alon Ben-Meir
Daily Star We can trust India with the bomb, but not Iran By Richard N. Haass
UPI Outside View: Solving the Iran crisis By GENNADY YEVSTAFYEV There are still two real possible scenarios for settling the Iranian nuclear problem.
CSIS Understanding the Letter from Iran Jon Alterman READ MORE
Djerejian Let's Talk to Iran--A Growing Chorus!
'Consider militaty action'Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Conservative foreign secretary, has said that western countries should be ready to consider military action against Iran if diplomacy and sanctions fail to curb Teheran's uranium enrichment programme.
Ehsan Ahrari Iran’s Nuclear Policy Muddle

Asia Times Iraq's oil: A neo-con dream gone bust The neo-conservatives had great expectations of the bonanza that would come from invading Iraq and overthrowing Saddam Hussein: lower oil prices, undermining Iran and Saudi Arabia, and busting OPEC. Today oil prices are at record highs, OPEC still stands, and Iran and Saudi Arabia have more leverage than ever. - Peter Kiernan
The US must win in Iraq Robert Zelnick Defeat could have the domino effect many expected after Vietnam. But Washington is doing a poor job articulating the stakes.
Unfit to fight in Iraq? Report: troops diagnosed with mental illness sent to front lines. Also, FBI looks at soldiers with gang ties.
A home tackles Iraq's Sunni-Shiite divide A married couple offers a window into the schisms, big and small, that rend the fabric of Iraq's socie ty.
Le Monde diplomatique May 2006 ‘Withdraw, move on and rampage’ Iraq’s resistance evolves
LA Times Iraq's Prime Minister Set to Present Cabinet Picks

RawStory JUDITH MILLER TO ASSERT SHE GOT TIP OFF OF 9/11 ATTACK...
America's alliances are more flexible than ever before By Donald H. Rumsfeld
Foreign Policy The List: The Six Most Important US Military Bases
Needed: Holistic Support of Middle Eastern Democracy By Danielle Pletka