Gareth Porter and Jim Lobe

Gareth Porter and Jim Lobe write for Inter Press Service.

After Dempsey Warning, Israel May Curb War Threat

President Barack Obama’s explicit warning that he will not accept a unilateral Israeli attack against Iran may force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step back from his ostensible threat of war. Netanyahu had hoped that the Obama administration could be put under domestic political pressure during the election campaign to shift its policy on … Continue reading “After Dempsey Warning, Israel May Curb War Threat”

In Signal to Israel and Iran, Obama Delays War Exercise

The postponement of a massive joint U.S.-Israeli military exercise appears to be the culmination of a series of events that has impelled the Barack Obama administration to put more distance between the United States and aggressive Israeli policies toward Iran. The exercise, called “Austere Challenge ’12” and originally scheduled for April, was to have been … Continue reading “In Signal to Israel and Iran, Obama Delays War Exercise”

Cables Belie Gulf States’ Backing for Strikes on Iran

The dominant theme that emerged in U.S. media coverage of the first round of WikiLeaks diplomatic cables last week was that Arab regimes in the Gulf – led by Saudi Arabia – shared Israel’s view that Iran’s nuclear program had to be stopped by military force, if necessary. The New York Times generated that narrative … Continue reading “Cables Belie Gulf States’ Backing for Strikes on Iran”