Latest Iran, Middle East News & Beyond *******************************
The Christian Science Monitor
U.S. operation aims to smooth road for Afghanistan elections - -
Afghanistan hopes to gain control of more of its territory before August elections. The Taliban could disrupt voter turnout in areas it holds
By Ben Arnoldy
The New York Times
After the crackdown - -
The challenge now for the West is to engage Iran in a way that will give hope to the opposition and reinforce the doubts of Iran’s political elites — without provoking a backlash
By Editorial
The Los Angeles Times
Iran leader's foes to continue disputing election - -
With President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad set to be sworn in for another term, his reformist opponents appear to have shifted tactics, seeking to tarnish the government's reputation and credibility
By Borzou Daragahi & Ramin Mostaghim
The Washington Post
Pakistan's kiln workers bricked in by debt - -
Families on Ancient Assembly Lines 'Can Never Earn Enough to Leave'
By Pamela Constable
The National Review
Missing our moment in Iran - -
When thousands risked their lives for a better Iran, a better Middle East, and a better world, we, the land of the free, simply were not with them
By Victor Davis Hanson
The Washington Post
Iran unrest shifts power dynamics - -
Reformists Must Rethink Strategy
By Tara Bahrampour
The New York Times
U.S. marines try to retake Afghan valley from Taliban - -
Almost 4,000 U.S. Marines moved to clear insurgents from the hotly contested Helmand River valley before the nation’s Aug. 20 presidential election
By Richard A. Oppel Jr.
The Washington Times
Obama stands with tyrants - -
Honduras and Iran are part of a pattern
By Editorials
The Washington Post
Time for an Israeli strike ? - -
Israel's decision of whether to use military force against Tehran's nuclear weapons program is more urgent than ever
By John R. Bolton
The Washington Post
U.S. Marines launch major operation in Afghanistan - -
"Our focus is not the Taliban," Nicholson told his officers. "Our focus must be on getting this government back up on its feet."
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
The Los Angeles Times
Iranian opposition newspaper shut temporarily - -
The Interior Ministry orders that all election-related activity be stopped. The paper attacked the government's handling of vote protests
By Borzpou Daragahi & Ramin Mostaghim
The Wall Street Journal
Mousavi: Iran election is illegitimate - -
Iran's embattled opposition leader has branded last month's presidential election illegitimate and has demanded the regime release all political prisoners
By
The National Review
Can Iran's theocracy survive ? - -
Even if the ayatollahs can crush the opposition, they will have a very reduced capacity to inspire Islamic extremism
By Conard Black
The New York Times
Iraq marks withdrawal of U.S. troops from cities - -
Iraq’s prime minister offered assurances that security could be ensured, but a suicide bombing that killed at least 33 marred the public holiday
By Alissa J. Rubin
The National Review
Human rights on the backburner - -
The Obama Iran plan is this: Speak loudly and don’t carry any stick
By Anne Bayefsky
The Jerusalem Post
6 Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged - -
"Ayatollah Hadi Gafouri said that the Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] never wanted [current supreme Leader] Ali Khamenei to succeed him. He even went to say that the Islamic republic died the day the Imam did,"
By Sabina Amidi
The Washington Post
Preventing another Iraq - U.S.'s Afghan focus: Economy - -
"The piece of the strategy that has to work in the next year is economic development. If that is not done right, there are not enough troops in the world to succeed." Jones
By Bob Woodward
The Washington Post
In Morocco, an alternative to Iran - -
Just because much of the Arab world lacks the political will to change doesn't mean that change is always and forever impossible
By Anne Applebaum
The Times Online
The fight for Iran's future is far from over - -
The Islamic Republic is dead. But will it be replaced by a Taleban-style emirate or democracy?
By Amir Taheri
The Los Angeles Times
Iran council certifies election result - -
The Guardian Council, after a recount of 10% of the vote, deems President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's reelection valid. Contender Mir-Hossein Mousavi's supporters vow to continue struggle
By Borzou Daragahi & Ramin Mostaghim
The Los Angeles Times
Good signs jostle with doubts in Iraq - -
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is capable of frank public discourse but some worry about his ambitions. As U.S. troops pull back, the views from Baqubah and Sadr City may offer clues to the future
By Ned Parker & Raheem Salman
The Washington Post
End the spat with Israel - -
The best course nevertheless lies in striking a quick deal with the left-leaning Barak this week under cover of the tumult in Tehran
By Jackson Diehl
The Washington Post
No velvet revolution for Iran - -
Iran's regime's has been fatally wounded, but for now it can use its guns and money to consolidate power
By Fareed Zakaria
The Wall Street Journal
What if Obama did want to help Iran's democrates ? - -
The CIA is no longer in the business of influencing politics abroad
By Gabriel Schoenfeld
The New York Post
Negotiate with who ? Iran's divided establishment - -
PRESIDENT Obama remains adamant about his policy of "engagement" with Iran. Yet he may soon find it hard to find a credible interlocutor in Tehran. One can see the split down the...
By Amir Taheri
The New York Times
Israel said to be open to settlement freeze - -
While such an offer falls short of the American demand that all settlement building be halted, it shows that pressure from Washington may be having an effect
By Ethan Bronner
The Los Angeles Times
Thousands of Iranians ignore threats, march in rally - -
march in rally
As supporters of Mir-Hossein Mousavi shout out their support in Tehran, European leaders voice anger at the Saturday arrests of eight British Embassy staffers
By Borzou Daragahi
The Wall Street Journal
A letter to Ali Khaneini - -
Your daughter and I are both Neda's age, Neda, just like Boshra, has a father and a family who deeply loved and cared for her. Like Boshra, Neda cherished a thousand dreams in her heart
By Parvaneh Vahidmanesh
The National Review
Mullahs make mistakes - -
The arrest of eight people on the staff of the British Embassy in Tehran is a clear portent of what is to come
By David Pryce - Jones
The Washington Post
For radical Islam, the end begins - -
Regardless of the underlying causes, a defeated or merely discredited Islamic Republic of Iran could mark the beginning of the end of radical Islam
By Joshua Muravchik
The Guardian
Egypt's political apathy - -
Egyptians have a remarkable immunity to 'Tehran syndrome'. Why aren't we protesting against our corrupt government?
By Khaled Diab
The Financial Times
U.S. confirms U - Turn in Afghan counter - narcotics policy - -
The US counter-narcotics strategy in Afghanistan is to undergo a U-turn with money previously spent on controversial opium poppy eradication shifting to agricultural development
By Guy Dinmore
The Los Angeles Times
In Iran, the protests have quieted, but the protesters are simmering - -
Iranians who demonstrated against the election results are not moving on. They are biding their time, weighing their options -- and seeing their government in a dramatically different light
By Borzou Daragahi
The Wall Street Journal
Iran turmoil may let U.S. gain sway - -
The U.S. and its Mideast allies are looking to capitalize on Iran's political crisis to reverse strategic gains Tehran has made across the region
By Jay Solomon & Peter Spiegel
The Washington Post
Role of women in Iran protest kindles hope - -
Female Muslims Abroad Say They Draw Inspiration For Own Struggle at Home
By Sudarsan Raghavan
The Wall Street Journal
Lebanon has new prime minister - -
Lebanon's president appointed parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri Saturday to become prime minister after his pro-Western coalition defeated a Hezbollah-led alliance in this month's election
By
The Washington Post
Want to stop Israeli settlements ? follow the dollars - -
President Obama, He should send the same message to the Americans who are funding and fueling them
By Ronit Avni
The Washington Post
Islam, Iranian style - -
The so-called Islamic Republic of Iran is a disgrace to the religion it claims to enforce
By Melody Moezzi
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