Southwest Asia News Digest
Only a New Combination in Washington
Can Stop Iraq Fiasco
Despite claims that there is rethinking in Iraq by the Bush Administration, it is not true. See this week's InDepth for analysis by Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, who writes:
"True, several top military brass made statements urging a shift in policy, the most dramatic being that of Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of Staff of the British Army, who said his forces should prepare to withdraw from Iraq (see EIR, Oct. 27). There followed a spate of remarks, including those made at a joint press conference in Baghdad on Oct. 24, by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. George Casey, to the effect that the U.S.A. (and Great Britain) were serving the battered Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki notice, that he must prepare for coalition forces' withdrawal, within the next 12-18 months.
"Such interventions were merely statements of fact: that the situation in Iraq is hopelessly lost, militarily. But as far as a change in policy or military strategy is concerned, there was none to be seen, and for a simple reason: the madmen currently occupying the White House and Pentagon have no policy, other than trying to hang on to power...."
Cheney Pushing Israel Towards Fascism
Right-wing Avigdor Lieberman to enter Olmert government. Does this signal an imminent attack on Iran? For an analysis by Dean Andromidas (excerpt below), see this week's InDepth.
"Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has sealed an agreement to bring into his government Israel's answer to Benito Mussolini. This new partner, Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the right-wing Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Is Our Home) Party, has called for "transferring" Arab Israelis out of Israel, and bombing both Cairo and Tehran. An emigré from Russian Moldava in 1978, Lieberman also reputedly has ties to the Russian Mafia.
"Slated to become Israel's 'Minister in charge of strategic questions,' Lieberman will be responsible for 'coordinating' Israel's policy towards Iran. His entry into the government is widely seen as a signal that Israel would attack Iran, as Israel devolves into a full-fledged fascist state...."
Russia Wants To Delay UN Vote on Iran
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's top deputy, Sergei Kislyak, indicated the Russians hope to stall any UN Security Council action on Iran until after the Nov. 7 U.S. elections, reported Agence France Presse on Oct. 26.
Kislyak said that Russia was "carefully studying" the draft resolution. However, a "long negotiating process is required" to find a mutually acceptable decision (emphasis added). Regarding the draft's exclusion of Bushehr from sanctions, Kislyak told the Russian news service Interfax: "There are much bigger problems there than the construction of the Bushehr station."
Lavrov stated, in comments quoted by RIA Novosti, that Russia was ready to discuss ways of preventing deliveries of "sensitive technologies connected to uranium enrichment and processing of spent fuel."
The Russians' principled rejection of this latest sophistical draft should be seen in light of statements made by Lavrov Oct. 21, where he stated that Russia would insist that Iran respect international demands on its nuclear program, but added: "We cannot support, and will actively oppose, any attempt to use the Security Council to punish Iran or to use Iran's nuclear program in order to promote the idea of regime change."
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