Headlines for 12-21-07

US envoy urges Iran to own up to nuclear weapons programme


Rice: U.S. open to Iran, Syria talks if they change policy


US hits at Chinese oil deal with Iran


No More Slam Dunks by Philip Giraldi ** An alarmed Israel, where the report?s conclusions have been rejected by both politicians and media, is considering taking unilateral action against the principle Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz. If Israel were to attack Iran, it would need Washington?s help, and U.S. forces would almost certainly be involved in any Iranian retaliation......Both the Iraq NIE and the 2005 NIE on Iran suffered from White House staffers, mostly neoconservatives from Vice President Cheney?s office, participating in the review process. To deal with the problem of such political pressure, Director of Central Intelligence Michael Hayden and DNI Mike McConnell isolated analysts from policymakers and also took steps to deal with the groupthink problem. The efforts of these guys who refused to be cowed by the neoconservatives can not be overstated. God bless 'em.


Zogby: Ron Paul Will Surprise You


Outgoing senior FM official calls for military pact with Washington ** Signing a defense pact with the U.S. would mean that Washington would treat any attack on Israel as an attack on the U.S. and would act to protect Israel or retaliate against the assailant. However, such a pact could also limit Israel because it would require the Americans' approval for any military act Israel would consider.
Oh bullsh#t. The sovereignty of this nation, the national security of this nation has been utterly compromised by foreign elements. Israel seeks to make ITS problems OUR problems to the detriment of THIS nation.


U.S. needs to engage Tehran, not order it around


Antiwar.com's Man of the Year: Thomas Fingar Antiwar.com chooses Thomas Fingar, the principal author of the recently-issued National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. As the Guardian put it: "Almost single-handedly he has stopped ? or, at the very least, postponed ? any U.S. military action against Iran."......Fingar has apparently been fighting the War Party ? notably, John Bolton ? in the corridors of power, and his recent victory in the NIE matter marks a turning point in the fight to re-take American foreign policy from the neoconservatives who hijacked it so effectively after 9/11.


Hariri court to be based in former Dutch intelligence HQ: official


Bush proposal threatens Lebanon stability: Hezbollah Hezbollah said on Friday a proposal by U.S. President George W. Bush for Lebanon's Western-backed governing coalition to elect a new president unilaterally was a threat to the country's stability.


Bolton back on JINSA board JINSA, which promotes security ties between Israel and the United States and other U.S. allies, shares Bolton's outspoken criticism of Bush administration overtures to North Korea and what he says is the slow pace of U.S. efforts to confront Iran.



Rabbis join clerical call for Iran talks A number of rabbis have joined Christian and Muslim clerics in signing a plea for direct U.S.-Iran talks.


Congress must stand up to Israel If we get a new president next year we can hope that person has the courage to assert our sovereignty and require the State of Israel to honor the U.N. Security Council resolutions and return the West Bank and Gaza to the Palestinian people. It is in the interest of all of us. Amen.


Project to lure Jews out of Iran proves unsuccessful "If there is an attack by either the United States or Israel on Iran, it seems clear to me that even the Iranian Jews know it would be too late at that point for them to get out or not be persecuted," Eckstein said. "In my opinion, they are playing a very dangerous game of not committing to come out to Israel.".......For the past 25 years, the IFCJ has given millions of dollars solicited from evangelical Christians in the United States to help Jews immigrate to Israel from the former Soviet Union, India, Argentina and the United States. Some evangelicals believe that the return of Jews to Israel will hasten Christ's second coming.


What Will Israel Do? ** "I came back from a trip to Israel in November convinced that Israel would attack Iran," Bruce Riedel, a former career CIA official and senior adviser to three U.S. presidents--including Bush--on Middle East and South Asian issues, told me Thursday, citing conversations he had with Mossad and defense officials. "And that was before the NIE. This makes it even more likely. Israel is not going to allow its nuclear monopoly to be threatened." .........One reason for Bush's abruptly announced nine-day visit to the region in mid-January is to deal with the fallout from the NIE, which includes not only the possibility that Israel will act unilaterally but also that Bush's prized Annapolis peace process will stall.