Headlines for 02-14-08

Iran postpones Iraq talks with US


Rice heatedly defends her integrity on Iraq claims At a congressional hearing, Rep. Robert Wexler, a Florida Democrat, questioned Rice about a report from the non-partisan Center for Public Integrity that accuses Bush administration officials of making 935 false statements about Iraq, which the United States invaded in March 2003.




Russia may target US missile hosts: Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin has again warned his country could target its neighbours if they host the United States' missile shield.


US intel links Iran with nuke bomb bid One of the diplomats said Washington also gave the IAEA permission to confront Iran with at least some of the information in an attempt to pry details out of the Islamic republic as part of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's attempts to investigate Iran's suspicious nuclear past. Making the case for war. 'Diplomats'.


Iran feeding uranium gas into centrifuges: diplomat a Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.


VA chief addresses veteran suicides


All Iranian nuclear questions must be answered: France


Russia to double Bushehr personnel: official Russia's nuclear constructor Atomstroiexport will nearly double its staff on the construction site of the Bushehr nuclear station Russia is building for Iran, the company's president said late Thursday.


Venezuela-Iran oil deal raises concern Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, raised questions about whether the deal violates the Iran Sanctions Act Ros-Lehtinen has replaced Lantos as Israel's top agent on Capitol Hill.


Former CIA official: Mossad behind Mugniyah killing While Israel has formally refuted allegations it was involved in the assassination of Hizbullah 'operations officer' Imad Mugniyah in Damascus on Tuesday, former CIA official Bruce Riedel says all signs seem to indicate the Mossad was behind the killing. Israelis are expert at these things. The world knows it, which is why some question similar car bombings in the region.


Hizbullah leader vows to wage 'open war' on Israel This assassination was likely committed to achieve such a retaliation on the part of Hezbollah which Israel would then seize upon as a possible pretext for war - which might then widen to include Syria and Iran.


Israel on high alert after Hezbollah threat "If the Zionists want war, then they shall have it," Mr Nasrallah said.
"If you want an open war, then let it be an open war."
I think Israel is trying to provoke the war she has been waiting for, by involving Syria in this too. Beware. And these guys have responded just the way Israel had hoped to boot.


Army engineers examining Gaza tunnels The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with the Egyptians to stop smuggling through tunnels spanning the Egypt-Gaza Strip border.



Al-Qaida leader in Iraq threatens Israel, vows to 'liberate' Palestine in new audiotape The purported leader of al-Qaida's umbrella in Iraq called in a new posting on a militant Web site on Thursday for attacks on Israel and the liberation of Palestine, proposing that Iraq's territory be a «launching pad» to seize Jerusalem.



Bush expands Syria sanctions The order derives from the Syrian Accountability Act, passed in 2003 after heavy lobbying by pro-Israel groups.


Israel cheers, goes on alert after Hezbollah leader killed The consensus among Israeli commentators was that the Mossad likely was behind the assassination, though some suggested the United States might have been involved as part of a goodwill gesture by Olmert toward President Bush.


Beirut divided in mourning for fallen leaders It was a perfect opportunity for split-screen coverage: a sea of national Cedar flags on one side; acres of Hizbullah's yellow banner, with its logo of a defiantly raised Kalashnikov rifle, on the other. Someone seeks to divide and conquer them. Note the timing of this incident as well (anniversary of Hariri's death). Was it meant to see to it that the Hezbollites clash with the pro-Hariri's?...


Sarkozy attacks Iran for its stance on Israel "I won't shake hands with people who refuse to recognise Israel," Sarkozy declared.


Denmark stirs Mideast anger over Mohammed cartoon Interesting timing on that one too.


U.S. learns from Israel-Hezbollah war


Syria threatens war lawsuit against US Syria plans to sue the U.S. for supplying arms to Israel that later killed Syrians in its 2006 war with Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, the Syrian foreign minister said Thursday, a day after Washington announced new sanctions against Damascus.


Damascus in shock over killing "This means that the war on Iran has become a reality more than ever before. It is a dangerous security penetration in Syria,"