P5+1 Coalition Fraying on Eve of Second Almaty Talks with Iran

by Jim Lobe via IPS News On the eve of its second round of talks with Iran on curbing its nuclear programme in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the so-called P5+1 (U.S., Britain, France, China, and Russia plus Germany) is showing signs of… Continue Reading →

Iran-Turkey Relations Heading into a Tough Year

Since the advent of the Syrian Revolution and tightening transatlantic sanctions against Iran in 2011, Tehran and Ankara have had a particularly tough time maintaining a facade of mutual amity and cooperation. Last December, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hastily cancelled a… Continue Reading →

Broadwell Defended Petraeus’ Village Destruction Policy

via IPS News Paula Broadwell, whose affair with Gen. David Petraeus brought his career to a sudden end last week, had sought to help defend his decision in 2010 to allow village destruction in Afghanistan that not only violated his… Continue Reading →

NATO’s Arms to Syria Conundrum

Amidst UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi’s attempts to achieve a temporary Syrian ceasefire, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week announced a boost in American non-lethal assistance to the Syrian rebels.  Meanwhile, Russian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Nikolai Makarov declared… Continue Reading →

Walter Pincus’ Iran Questions for the Foreign Policy Debate

Washington Post columnist Walter Pincus continues to provides incisive analysis to the debate over Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Following are a few of his suggested questions for the presidential candidates’ foreign policy debate on Monday. What are the candidates willing to… Continue Reading →