Tag: iran

Iran Hawks in Congress in Some Disarray

Hopes by Iran hawks here to get the U.S. Congress to wield the threat of a U.S. military attack on the Islamic Republic on the eve of next week’s critical negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program appear to have fallen unexpectedly short. While the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Thursday to reject "any U.S. policy that … Continue reading “Iran Hawks in Congress in Some Disarray”

Dangerous Legislation

I strongly oppose H Res 568, a resolution "expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability." Once again we see on the "suspension" calendar, which is customarily reserved for non-controversial legislation, a resolution designed to move the US toward a … Continue reading “Dangerous Legislation”

Hillary’s Terrorists

On May 21, 1975, Col. Paul Shaffer, a military attaché to the US mission in Iran, kissed his wife and two children goodbye, and entered a waiting car with his colleague, Lt. Col. Jack Turner, whose wife was getting their three children ready for school. It was the last time the families of these two … Continue reading “Hillary’s Terrorists”

IAEA Parchin Demand Puts Iran Cooperation Pact at Risk

In meetings with Iranian officials in Vienna this week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) apparently intends to hold up agreement on a plan for Iran’s full cooperation in clarifying allegations of covert nuclear weapons work by insisting that it must first let the nuclear agency visit Parchin military base. That demand, coupled with the … Continue reading “IAEA Parchin Demand Puts Iran Cooperation Pact at Risk”

The Parchin Deception

The latest wrinkle in the War Party’s propaganda campaign aimed at Iran is a drawing – yes, you read that correctly – of an alleged nuclear weapons development project at the Parchin military facility. An Associated Press “exclusive” describes this new “evidence” of Iran’s alleged nuclear ambitions: “A drawing based on information from inside an … Continue reading “The Parchin Deception”

US Treasury Claim of Iran-al-Qaeda ‘Secret Deal’ Is Discredited

The U.S. Treasury Department’s claim of a "secret deal" between Iran and al-Qaeda, which had become a key argument by right-wing activists who support war against Iran, has been discredited by former intelligence officials in the wake of publication of documents from Osama bin Laden’s files revealing a high level of antagonism between al-Qaeda and … Continue reading “US Treasury Claim of Iran-al-Qaeda ‘Secret Deal’ Is Discredited”

Israeli Dissent May Create More Space for Iran Nuclear Deal

The threat of a military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities this year appears to have substantially subsided over the past several weeks as a result of several developments, including the biting criticisms voiced recently by former top national security figures of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak. That a war … Continue reading “Israeli Dissent May Create More Space for Iran Nuclear Deal”

Understanding Iran’s Diplomatic Strategy

In January 2009, just before Gary Samore left his position as Vice-President for Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, he summed up his rather cynical view of how Iran would conduct negotiations. "The logical position the Iranians are bound to take," he wrote in a post on the Council’s website, "is: ‘We’re happy to … Continue reading “Understanding Iran’s Diplomatic Strategy”

The Disappearing Terrorists

Night is here but the barbarians have not come. And now what shall become of us without any barbarians? Those people were some kind of solution.– Constantine Cavafy It hardly makes sense to have a global war on terror if there are not that many terrorists  threatening to blow themselves up in Peoria. Terrorism can … Continue reading “The Disappearing Terrorists”