BULLETIN No.158

Syria Comment
Can Bush Bring Down Syrian Regime?
Between Syria and Israel, a strategic breakthrough for peace is possible By John K. Cooley
Conflict aftermath
Lebanon's new political battle lines following the war with Israel
U.S. fears Syria, Iran purposely violating Lebanon arms embargo
Analysis: German UNIFIL mission under fire
New Statesman No peace in our time Israel is facing crises on several fronts: fallout from the Lebanon war, the looming threat from Iran, and internal corruption. The mood has rarely been more gloomy. John Kampfner reports from Jerusalem
Jerusalem Post The Region: Neither apologist nor absolute critic [ BARRY RUBIN
New Statesman No peace in our time Israel is facing crises on several fronts: fallout from the Lebanon war, the looming threat from Iran, and internal corruption. The mood has rarely been more gloomy. John Kampfner reports from Jerusalem
United States Rededicating Itself to Middle East Peace Process
Daily Star An international force in Gaza is long overdue By Cesar Chelala
Olmert Says Israel May Widen Military Role in Gaza
U.S. arming and training PA guard against Hamas
Yedioth Ahronoth An avoidable war/ Eitan Haber
Daily Star Just how weak is Hamas after months of pressure? By Jarrett Blanc
BBC Far-right joins Israel coalition The Israeli parliament approves the addition of an ultra-nationalist party to the governing coalition.
Der Spiegel ISRAEL VERSUS GERMANY Confrontation off Lebanon Leads to Questions

CSIS U.S. PolIcy Optıons ın Iraq: A PrIMer A number of options for U.S. policy in Iraq have been articulated publicly by prominent politicians or analysts. To help inform the debate surrounding those options, CSIS has compiled brief descriptions of several of the most prominent ones. READ MORE
Los Angeles Times Resistance to deadlines for Iraq is weakening More U.S. military officers are questioning the idea that a firm date for troop reductions would undermine efforts to create a stable state.
UPI Outside View: Iraq partition -- how bad? John M. Owen
What would Dems do about Iraq? Even if Democrats take both Houses of Congress, big change is unlikely.
Sunday Times One divided by three is the only Iraq solution by Peter Galbraith
Iraq: The Long-Term View - Ian Bremmer, RealClearPolitics
Sunday Telegraph The only solution left for Iraq: a five-way split A carefully considered federal system is the last and only chance of holding Iraq together in the absence of a dictator of Saddam's dimensions, says Gareth Stansfield. Three regions won't be enough.
Newsweek Rethinking Iraq: The Way Forward The drawdown option: It is past time to confront reality. To avoid total defeat, we must reduce and redeploy our troops and nudge the Iraqis toward a deal. Here's how. By Fareed Zakaria
Washington Post Partition Is Not the Solution . . . By Rend al-Rahim
. . . But a U.S. Policy Czar Might Help By Jim Hoagland
This is Baghdad. What could be worse? By Anthony Shadid
A Month of Second Thoughts on Iraq
Timetables? Depends on Who's Talking
The Observer Leader We have an obligation to stay in Iraq - for now The current climate of pessimism, bordering on panic, takes the short-term view that Iraqi democracy cannot be salvaged. It still can.
The new Iraq? By Jon Sawyer There is a disturbing sense of déjà vu in Washington's actions and rhetoric on Iran.
WSJ Diversity's Oppressions Why Iraq has proven to be so hard to pacify. By THOMAS SOWELL
Saudi warns of mass ethnic cleansing if Iraq splits
“Out of Iraq: A Practical Plan for Withdrawal Now” by George McGovern and William R. Polk
Leader We have an obligation to stay in Iraq - for now The current climate of pessimism, bordering on panic, takes the short-term view that Iraqi democracy cannot be salvaged. It still can.

Daily Star Don't antagonize a potentially nuclear Iran By Reza Zia-Ebrahimi

BULLETIN No.157

Asia Times HOW HEZBOLLAH DEFEATED ISRAEL PART 3: The political war The aftermath of the Israel-Hezbollah war will be felt for years, not months, and has redrawn the political map throughout the Middle East, not just in Israel and Lebanon. And the upshot of it all is that if and when the US attacks Iran, it will lose. - Alastair Crooke and Mark Perry How Hezbollah Defeated Israel, Part 1: Intelligence - PART 2: The ground war
OpenDemocracy Lebanon: the war after the war The idea that Hizbollah's success in its war with Israel is a mirage owes much to military-commercial spin, says Paul Rogers
BBC Talabani backs 'Iran-Syria plan' Violence in Iraq would end "within months" if Iran and Syria were directly involved, says Iraq's president.
Bush confidant prepares way for radical shift on Iraq Iraq: Talks with Iran and Syria seen as way to end chaos · Report leaked before crucial November polls
Israel rejects Syrian offer on the Golan Heights
Jerusalem Post Syria nixes Assad visit to Jerusalem
Syria's Assad preparing troops for war with Israel?
Olmert Scoffs at Prospect of Talks With Assad
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: Syrian overtures on Golan Heights spark Israeli debate
Al Awsat Syria, Saudi and the U.S. Embassy : Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed
Egyptian sources: Syrian pressure torpedoed deal to free Shalit
Hizballah Will Rebuild Unless Borders Enforced - Tom Lantos (Forward)
Between Syria and North Korea
Jerusalem Post Editor's Notes: Assad's push for a Golan realignment

For Rice, it's time for Palestine
Washington Institute Ending the Palestinian Political Stalemate: Abbas’s Electoral Option An early presidential election could allow Mahmoud Abbas to trump Hamas with a clear mandate for acceptance of Israel, past agreements, and nonviolence. Mohammed Yaghi and Ben Fishman write.
Debka Tehran Arms Hamas for a Double-Barreled War Option and Gaza as Second Lebanon Print
BBC Israeli rocket 'hits Hamas house' Four Hamas members and two others die in an Israeli air strike on a Gaza house, Palestinian officials say.
Hamas hopesPalestinian Authority seeks to divide EU and US on sanctions MI official: Hamas smuggling anti-aircraft missiles into Gaza
Time New Calls by Hamas Militants to Target the U.S. Washington's efforts to isolate and topple the Islamist government is amplifying calls from its more extreme element to abandon its reluctance to directly attack U.S. interests
Yedioth Ahronoth 'End Palestinian humiliation' US secretary of state says Palestinians deserve better life and to be freed of Israeli occupation
Hamas: Fatah is aiding Western sanctions by foiling unity gov't
Will Olmert make peace?/ Pundak
Hamas tries to heal rift with Cairo
Report: Hamas ready to accept prior agreements with Israel
Clint, what about Iran? Will Israel continue to wait for US to act before Iranian horror movie materializes? Ynetnews

Washington Post A Plan for Iraq By Dennis Ross
Analysis: Iraq Goes Deeper Into Division
Stratfor - Geopolitical Diary: Federalism and Factions in Iraq
CFR Iraq’s Impact on the Future of US Foreign and Defense Policy, Session 1: The United States and the Middle East ]
Iraq’s Impact on the Future of US Foreign and Defense Policy: Session Two: The United States, Europe, and Asia ]
Iraq's Impact on the Future of US Foreign and Defense Policy: Session 3: "The Direction of US Foreign and Defense Policy after the Intervention in Iraq"]
One state or three?Should Iraq be divided into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions?
Iraq’s Impact on the Future of US Foreign and Defense Policy: Session Four: Coping with Rogue States, Failing States, and Proliferators]
Reidar Visser 27 September 2006: The Draft Law for the Formation of Regions – A Recipe for Permanent Instability in Iraq?
Financial Times Pentagon to maintain troop levels in Iraq The US army chief of staff said the Pentagon was planning for the possibility that it might have to keep current troop levels in Iraq until 2010.
Reason Breaking Up Ain't Hard to Do James Baker prepares the exits in Iraq by Michael Young
Experts, officials debate Iraq carve-up
CFR Pollack: Iraq Headed in Wrong Direction
Is There a “Civil War” in Iraq? (PDF; 95 KB) Source: Center for Strategic & International Studies
Christian Science Monitor
Bush created a mess in Iraq. Here's how to clean it up. It's time to pull our troops out of Iraq – and to hold our leaders accountable.By Helena Cobban
UPI Eye on Iraq: Iraq's army has a long way to go
Los Angeles Times 'Stay the Course' in Iraq? No Way, U.S. Panel Says Among alternatives being weighed: phased withdrawal of American troops, and bringing Iran and Syria into an effort to stop the fighting
Time Would Defeat in Iraq Be So Bad? Viewpoint: The dominoes didn't fall after Vietnam, argues Leslie Gelb
Iraq approves controversial federalism law Iraqi lawmakers approved by a slim majority a law that lays out a mechanism for forming autonomous federal regions.
CSIS Options for Iraq: The Almost Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -Anthony H. Cordesman
Washington Post Beyond the Coup Rumors, Options for Iraq By David Ignatius Talk of a coup to install a "government of national salvation" in Iraq may be unrealistic -- but it illustrates the rising desperation among Iraqis
New York Times In Victory for Shiite Leader, Iraqi Parliament Approves Creating Autonomous Regions
Washington Times The president's Iraq challenge — and ours What the country needs right now is an honest and forthright debate over the next step in Iraq.
Top U.S. Officer in Iraq Sees Spike in Violence
Federalism or bust: Five reasons why federalism would work in Iraq KurdishMedia.com - By Dr Rebwar Fatah

CFR US Policy Toward Iran R. Nicholas Burns
The role of public opinion Israel, and not the neo-appeasing 'world,' will have to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear threat, the greatest danger that has faced the Jewish state since its establishment.
BBC Last resort?
Yedioth Ahronoth US General: Strikes on Iran Possible by 2007
Daily Star Sensible ideas on why to engage Tehran By Rami G. Khouri
How Not to Handle Iran's Nuke Aspirations by Ehsan AhrariWhy some Israeli leaders would consider attacking Iran
Daily Telegraph Give Iran the bomb: it might make the regime more pliableIran will develop a nuclear bomb whether we like it or not, writes Boris Johnson. Instead of making bogus threats, is there any reason why we shouldn't just let them do so?

BULLETIN No.156

Daily Star Time for Ehud Olmert to talk to the skeptical Syrians By Moshe Maoz
Salhani Analysis: Dealing with Syria
Say yes to Syria If Israel does not agree to seriously negotiate with Syria, Assad might conclude that Israel only understands force, and the Golan Heights could turn into the next war zone.
Debka DEBKAfile’s sources: Tehran and Damascus are gearing up for a pre-emptive Syrian attack on Israel to ward off a US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites More...
Assad on Israel: It Takes Two to Tango
BBC Syria: US lacks Mid-East vision Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the US lacks the will or vision to pursue peace in the Middle East.
Waiting gameSyria's president feels time is on his side, says John Simpson
Assad: Syrian military preparing for war with Israel
IDF prepares response to possible attack by Syria
Al Awsat What On Earth Are the Syrians Talking About?
UPI Analysis: Would Hezbollah attack the United States?
Lebanon's ambient clusters of death By Cesar Chelala
Analysis: Watch the Syrians, very carefully
The Second Lebanon War Begin-Sadat Center
Hezbollah's Big Miscalculations Militia Leaders Caught Off Guard By Scope of Israel's Response in War
Exporting Death as Democracy: an essay on US foreign policy in Lebanon.
Daily Star Berri says Saudi clout is key to facing Lebanon's challenges
Berri and Siniora survived one crisis, but can they prevent more of them?
Assad calls on Egypt, Saudi Arabia to hold summits with Syria
Forward Jerusalem’s Damascus Conundrum Raises Wartime Memories of Yom Kippur Past

Analysis: A nightmare scenario of living under a nuclear threat
Debka Will Israel Wake up One Morning to a Nuclear-Armed Iran? In full
Editorial In light of the Korean bomb The North Korean nuclear test is not only a failure of diplomacy and a threat for northeast Asia - it may have an immediate and dangerous effect on Israel as well.
Israel worried N. Korea to pass Iran nuke know-how
New Republic The grim persistence of Ehud Olmert by Yossi Klein HaleviDaily Star Israel is creating Mogadishu next to its Silicon Valley By Zahi Khouri
Olmert and Abbas: a tragic relation of political weakness By Aluf Benn
‘We Will Not Recognize Israel,’ Palestinian Premier Affirms
Fears over Palestine civil war
Hamas' fall is nearer The situation that will emerge from Hamas' fall could be even worse.
The head of the Mossad and the Saudi connection
Jerusalem Post Still a strategic asset for the US By EFRAIM INBAR

CSIS - Can Iraqi Forces Do the Job? READ MORE
Heritage Foundation The Dangerous Consequences of Cutting and Running in Iraq by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., and James Phillips
Asia Times The two faces of Iraq Muqtada al-Sadr is vilified by the US as a rebel and a troublemaker, yet without his support Maliki and Iraq would be in a lot more trouble than they already are. - Sami Moubayed
Sunday Times America ponders cutting Iraq in three Juan Cole thinks it is a very bad idea His reasons here.
New York Sun Eli Lake Erstwhile Allies Break With Bush On Iraq Policy
Guardian Timely leaks over Iraq Dilip Hiro Steps are being taken to neutralise the Iraq war as a debilitating element for the Republicans.
BBC Bush's Iraq options limited By Paul Reynolds
Chicago Tribune Editorial One Iraq or three?
Democracy Arsenal Iraq in Three Parts by Suzanne Nossel
G.O.P.’s Baker Hints Iraq Plan Needs Change
Newsweek Fareed Zakaria: Iraq's Dark Day of Reckoning If you were a Shiite, having suffered through a brutal insurgency and an incompetent government, would you give up your weapons?
AP - Kurds Show Signs of Seceding From Iraq
Asia Times Bloody fight over Kirkuk's futureJust weeks after the establishment of a committee to "normalize" matters, oil-rich Kirkuk in northern Iraq is experiencing exceptionally high levels of violence among its Kurdish, Arab and Turkoman populations. Tensions are exacerbated by divisions over whether or not to join the autonomous Kurdish region.
Washington Post - PostGlobal: Michael Young Don't Leave Iraq
Iraq: A Federal Union? The Conservative Voice
4,000 Iraqi Police Killed In 2 Years, U.S. Official Says
Coup in Iraq? by Robert Dreyfuss
Los Angeles Times One Day in the Life and Death of Wartorn Iraq The country's fighting is not a single conflict, but an overlapping set of conflicts, and American troops are caught among the competing forces
LEADING ARTICLE: Time for change in Iraq
The Realities Of Trying to Rebuild Iraq By Dan Senor
Breathing Room by Joseph R. Biden, Jr. U.S. policy in Iraq—and elsewhere around the world—ought to be based on reality. Iraq is already a partitioned country. Recognizing that allows us to craft a strategy to salvage success.
Rice Tells Kurds That Unity Is Key for Security

Iran’s Ahmadi-Jejad faces electoral test Registration has opened elections to Iran’s Assembly of Experts - arguably the country’s most important body.
Weekly Standard Why Is Ahmadinejad Smiling?by Waller R. Newell
New York Times U.S. Says It Has Deal With Other U.N. Members to Penalize Iran for Nuclear Drive
Nuclear bomb test 'just a day away'
Powers Agree to Take Next Step on Iran Chief negotiator will remain available for talks if country chooses to suspend its uranium enrichment program.
Mother Jones Has Washington found its Iranian Chalabi? Introducing the talented Mr. Fakhravar Laura Rozen
Zakaria: Iran Is Riding High, But Its Fortunes Will Wane
Jerusalem Post Rogues' game By SAUL SINGERThere is a simple way for the US to defuse demands hampering the formation of an anti-Iran coalition.
New York Times U.S. Says It Has Deal With Other U.N. Members to Penalize Iran for Nuclear Drive
Analysis: Iran's Ahmad Chalabi?
NRO SAUL SINGER: Why did Condoleezza Rice visit the Middle East this week? “Coalition Building Better”

Lobe Appeals Grow For Comprehensive Mideast Settlement
Al-Jazeera may transmit Islamist rhetoric, but that's the Middle East's reality By khalid Hroub

BULLETIN No.155

Ha’aretz What Assad needs to do There is reason for concern that even in a situation of peace with Israel, Syria would not reduce its ties with Iran and Hezbollah, and when push came to shove, would join them in a campaign against Israel, in the hope of realizing its longtime pan-Arab vision.
In Syria, Converting For Sake of Politics Admiration of Hezbollah fosters respect and a small but escalating number of politically sensitive conversions for the Shiite faith.
Lunch in Damascus by Uri Avnery
The Times UN force faces battle to secure peace They are better armed than before but some doubt the ability of Unifil soldiers to contain Hezbollah
Israeli Bomblets Plague Lebanon Officials say it will take more than a year to clear southern Lebanon of unexploded cluster bombs dropped by Israel.
Washington Times Lebanon's combustible mix

International Crisis Group The Arab-Israeli Conflict: To Reach a Lasting Peace Full report
Schiff Lessons of the Palestinian fighting
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: Hamas accused of assassinating Fatah rivals
The Palestinian Authority King Mahmoud
UPI Analysis: Palestinian president's dilemma

RFE/RL Iraq Internally Displaced Flee Sectarian Violence
Washington Post Rice Pushes Iraqis To Defuse Violence Visiting Baghdad, Secretary Cites Urgency Of Improving Security, Reconciling Rivals By Robin Wright
New York Times Senator Says U.S. Should Rethink Iraq Strategy
Christian Science Monitor How Al Qaeda views a long Iraq war A letter found in Iraq shows the group sees the war as a boon for its cause.
Roadside, car bomb attacks in Iraq reach 'all-time high'
Attacks thwart US efforts to stem sectarian violence.

World Powers to Meet On Iran Sanctions Months of intense negotiations about nation's nuclear program have failed, U.S. and European officials say prior to talks on punitive actions
Gulf News The open secret of Rafsanjani's missives By Amir Taheri
PINR "China and Iran Strengthen their Bilateral Relationship" Full text of report
World Powers to Meet On Iran Sanctions Months of intense negotiations about nation's nuclear program have failed, U.S. and European officials say prior to talks on punitive actions

Boston Globe Charting a path in the Mideast (By Samuel Lewis and Edward S. Walker) There are five steps the United States should take that would have a significant, positive impact in the Middle East and on U.S. foreign policy
Arab nations should stop mocking and start helping Rice's efforts have shown up the reluctance of Arab governments to tackle problems on their own doorstep

BULLETIN No.154

Washington Institute Lebanon, Before and After the Israel-Hizballah War
Washington Institute Lessons and Implications of the Israel-Hizballah War: A Preliminary Assessment By David Makovsky and Jeffrey White
PINR - "Intelligence Brief: Internal Political Tensions in Post-Conflict Lebanon" Full text of report
Hezbollah: Fact and Fiction by Nir Rosen
Scott Sullivan, Conservative Voice Syria vs. Iran — the Real War. Could it be?
Syria peace a pipedream/ Avital
The Golan in the role of Sharm What is the Syrian president supposed to think when he hears Olmert declare that the Golan "will remain in Israeli hands forever?" Perhaps he will be tempted to follow Sadat's lead and initiate a limited military campaign that will cost us dearly.
Israel does not want peace with Syria By Gideon Levy
Assad: Peace Talks With Israel Would Take 6 Months
Syria has released 3 Kurdish activists from jail.
Jerusalem Post UNIFIL permitted to use force to prevent s. Lebanon clashes
Hezbollah listened in on IDF beepers and cell phones
Internal divisions threaten Lebanon just as much as external attack
After war in Lebanon, Israeli settlements growing again West Bank expansion may complicate US Secretary of State Rice's aim for Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Syria, Iran intelligence services aided Hezbollah during war Ha’aretz - Print Edition
More Israeli Analysts Now Consider Hezbollah 'Weakened,' War 'Successful'
Israel Sets Conditions for Syria Talks
Report: Hezbollah Received Intel From Russian-Syrian Listening Post During War
Concerns Mount over Hezbollah's Rearmament

An Arab-Israeli settlement: a global call to action openDemocracy
Rejected but necessary Moshe Arens on the Israeli National Security Council.
Not an internal Palestinian matter
Yedioth Ahronoth Israel, it's time for an apology
BBC Rice to meet Palestinian leader
Analysis: Bad for PA doesn't mean good for Israel
FT Editorial Not a nice neighbour Russia was one of many countries recently to accuse Israel of disproportionate retaliation for the capture of two of its soldiers but has now wildly over-reacted...
A struggle among losers The strength of the Palestinian groups currently at odds is about equal. The two movements, Fatah and Hamas, with their private militias in the Gaza Strip, are unable to overcome one another. It is clear to almost everyone in the territories that neither side will be able to emerge victorious from this fighting; a deal is necessary.
DEBKAfile Exclusive: Rice’s multiple ME mission: Stopping Iran, Hizballah and Hamas in their tracks and drawing Syria into the moderate Arab camp
Egypt, Jordan Want Hamas Government Toppled - Roee Nahmias (Ynet News)
Palestinian Rivals 'on Brink of Civil War'
Washington Post Rice Cites Concern for Palestinians, But Low Expectations Mark Visit By Robin Wright
Abbas Says Talks With Hamas on Unity Government Falter
Blockade of Gaza could be eased by Rice plans

PostGlobal Given the mess in Iraq, should the U.S. move toward "federalism plus" -- a plan that devolves power into Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish regions? What would be the consequences of such a de-facto partition for the rest of the Middle East?
Daily Star The troubling Green Zones of the US mind By Rami G. Khouri
Washington Post Reach Out To the Red Zone By David Ignatius My worry is that Condoleezza Rice is becoming a traveling version of Baghdad's 'Green Zone,' talking about hopeful strategies that are disconnected from events on the ground.
Editorial How to Lose a War The Bush administration's mismanagement of Iraq has been chronicled in shocking detail.
Asia Times Twenty-one reasons Iraq is not working - Tom Engelhardt
Accelerating the collapse of IraqOnline Journal
Daily Star What's next for the US in Iraq, and in a region with an eye for the weakness of strangers? By Fouad Ajami
Militia 'madness' stirs Iraq Abandoning an earlier policy of disarming all Iraqi groups for the sake of peace and reconciliation, the US is backing new Sunni militias, sparking widespread fears that the move will put more weapons into the hands of insurgents and fragment the population even further by fueling internecine tribal conflicts. - Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail
NRO RICH LOWRY: It is Don Rumsfeld who is perhaps closest to the Democrats’ preferred Iraq strategy. “Woodward's Real Revelation”
Kissinger's 'Salted Peanuts' and the Iraq War by John Prados
Daily Star What's next for the US in Iraq, and in a region with an eye for the weakness of strangers? By Fouad Ajami
Ehsan Ahrari The American Way of Thinking About the Iraq War

Iran, Its Neighbours and the Regional Crises Chatham House
To End Iran Standoff, Plan for War - Michael Rubin, New York Daily News
The Times Chirac must lead resistance to Iran's latest nuclear offer World Briefing by Bronwen MaddoxThe latest Iranian brinkmanship on its nuclear hopes is ingenious. But it should be a non-starter.
Ehsan Ahrari Exploiting the Legendary Arab-Iran Divide
MIDDLE EAST: UK andUS revive threat of sanctions on Iran
Washington Times US wins a united front on Iran
Financial Times Total mistrust set to scupper chance of US and Iran talks The US and Iran appear to be on the brink of missing what analysts see as an historic opportunity to engage in comprehensive, high-level talks because of a complete lack of trust on both sides
Martin Indyk Responding to Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: Next Steps View Full Testimony (PDF—38kb).
Asia Times Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's performance for the past year has disenchanted some Iranians

Foreign Policy The Sons of the Fathers Saudi Arabia isn’t the only Arab country where economic and political success hinges on succession. These Middle Eastern scions have been groomed to continue their family’s rule. But are they as committed to reform as they seem?
If Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is to stem the Islamist extremism that continues to inspire violence, he must quickly push reforms that will outlast his inevitably short reign
UPI Walker's World: Saudi Arabia and the Sunni-Shiite divide


The Forgotten Christians in the Middle East - Amnon Rubinstein
Financial Times MIDDLE EAST: Baghdad tries to bring security forces into line
Guardian Palaces and prisons Brian Whitaker Rice wants to meet with Middle Eastern moderates - but she's looking in all the wrong places.
UPI Arab Press Roundup: Rice's Middle East tour
Jerusalem Post Rice's swing Is it possible to walk a tightrope between clashing agendas, or are idealistic and practical considerations hopelessly in conflict?
Washington Post Reach Out To the Red Zone By David Ignatius My worry is that Condoleezza Rice is becoming a traveling version of Baghdad's 'Green Zone,' talking about hopeful strategies that are disconnected from events on the ground.
Christian Science Monitor Can Rice rally Middle East against Iran? On a trip this week, the secretary of State seeks a support network of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iraqi moderates.

BULLETIN No.153

Weekly Standard Hezbollah's New Mission The "resistance" takes aim at the Lebanese government.by David Schenker
Stratfor Syria, Israel: Al Assad Comments On Peace Talks
Al Hayat King Abdullah II of Jordan to Al-Hayat: "Let's leave Iraq to the Iraqis and Lebanon to the Lebanese. I cannot the least claim that the Jordanian-Syrian relationship is perfect. A potential military confrontation with Iran will be catastrophic. Regional parties are fomenting the confessional sedition." (By Ghassan Charbel)
Syria, Iran intelligence services aided Hezbollah during war

Commentary Magazine Israel's New Reality by Hillel Halkin The aftermath of Lebanon presents a need, and an opportunity, to rethink Israel’s situation in the world.
Ha’aretz - Print Edition
BBC Palestinian clashesTension on the streets runs high as Gazans bury their dead
Practical visionRice aims to court moderate Arabs during Middle East trip
Boston Globe Unwritten history (By Rashid Khalidi,
The challenges of writing Palestinian history reflect the larger challenges facing the Palestinians' quest for statehood

Iraqi Leader Unveils New Security Plan Amid Rising Violence
Jack Kelly It's Time to Set a Timetable for Iraq
UPI Outside View: Three myths about Iraq
PINR "Intelligence Brief: Al-Sadr's Rise to the Top" Full text of report

Stratfor Fourth Quarter 2006: Time for Iran's Close-Up - Part 1 - Part 2
Heritage Foundation Time for the Senate to Act on Iran Sanctions by James PhillipsSeptember 29, 2006 The Iran Freedom Support Act would extend the authority to impose sanctions on Iran.
Washington Times If and when Bush 'Iraqs' Iran By Arnaud de Borchgrave
U.S. wins a united front on Iran

Financial Times Rice under pressure to strike Mideast peace deal
Rice on new Mid-East tour The US secretary of state begins a regional tour to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace moves.

BULLETIN No.152

Washington Institute Deterrence in the Middle East: Consequences of the Lebanon War
Debka Israel Quits Lebanon Leaving Hizballah Back in the Saddle under UN Auspices Print
Syria has little room to maneuver in Tehran's shadow By Iason Athanasiadis
Syria's Assad: No one can stop Hezbollah weapons smuggling
Al Hayat Brammertz's Surprise for the International Community Raghida Dergham
Pro-Kurdish Activists Released in Syria
Understanding the Iran-Hezbollah Connection United States Institute of Peace
Ruined Towns Look to Beirut, Mostly in Vain Nearly $900 million in international pledges remains untapped by the Lebanese government.
Looking back warily, Israel exits Lebanon The Israeli army left all but one divided border town in Lebanon Sunday, fulfilling a key condition of the truce

Carnegie Endowment What Can Abu Mazin Do? By Nathan Brown Full Text (PDF)
Ha’aretz - Print Edition
Gideon Levy: Israel doesn't want peace with Syria - period
Analysis: Unilateral withdrawals
Daily Star Palestinian infighting is helping Israel do as it pleases
Guardian Eight Palestinians die as Fatah and Hamas fight in Gaza Demonstration by unpaid officials turns to shooting as fears grow of slide to civil war between rivals

Inter Press Service Kirkuk Fearful of Future
Iraq Kurds in Turmoil Over Saddam Spy Allegations

Christian Science Monitor To contain Iran, keep military options open
The Iranian regime has more nerve than the US, and nerve translates into power. By Robert D. Kaplan
The Big Question On Iraq By Jackson Diehl
New York Times The State of Iraq: An Update By NINA KAMP, MICHAEL O'HANLON and AMY UNIKEWICZ The data suggest that while Iraq is not lost, the United States and its allies there are hardly winning either.
Blinded by Hindsight By RICHARD A. CLARKE If we are going to defeat the enemy, we must learn again to discuss our differences about Iraq and terrorism in civil and analytical terms and not let the past obscure the future.
CSIS Judging the Iranian Threat: 20 Questions We Need to Answer THE REPORT
OpenDemocracy Iran: the next crisis An embattled White House could engineer pre-election tension with Tehran, says Paul Rogers
Washington Institute Dealing with Iran's Nuclear Ambitions, Post-Lebanon By Shahram Chubin and Gary Samore
TED KOPPEL An Offer Tehran Can’t Refuse
What can the U.S. do to prevent Iran from developing nuclear technology? Little or nothing. Washington should instead bow to the inevitable.
Christian Science Monitor To contain Iran, keep military options open The Iranian regime has more nerve than the US, and nerve translates into power. By Robert D. Kaplan
The Last Marja Sistani and the End of Traditional Religious Authority in Shiism

Heritage Foundation Is the European Union in the Interests of the United States? by Multiple Authors
Heritage Foundation China and the Middle East: A New Patron of Regional Instability by Ji Hye Shin and John J. Tkacik, Jr
CEPS What should the European Union do next in the Middle East? (PDF) for FREE
Is a "New Middle East" Possible?Lowy Institute