IRAN
Obama Seeks to Cool War Fever While Keeping Up Pressure on Iran
Tony Karon, TIME Magazine (Blog) – February 7, 2012
Nobody likely envies the challenge President Barack Obama faces getting his “messaging” right on Iran. He must meet the demands of election-year politics and continue to press Tehran’s back to the wall over its nuclear program, all the while avoiding the eruption of a major new Middle East war.
Israeli radio in Farsi transmits peace to Iran
Aaron Heller, Associated Press – February 7, 2012
While Israeli leaders are increasingly sounding belligerent warnings of a potential military strike against Iran’s nuclear installations, a group of Iranian-Israelis are transmitting a different message.
Iran says can hit U.S. interests worldwide if attacked
Vladimir Soldatkin, Reuters – February 8, 2012
Iran is capable of carrying out military strikes on U.S. interests all around the world if the Islamic Republic is attacked by the United States, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said on Wednesday.
KOREAN PENINSULA
U.S. spy chief due here to discuss N. Korea
Yonhap News Agency – February 8, 2012
The head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) David Petraeus plans to visit South Korea this weekend to discuss the situation on North Korea after the death of Kim Jong-il, a Seoul government source said Wednesday.
SOUTH ASIA
India upgrades its military with China in mind
Nirmala George, Associated Press – February 8, 2012
In recent weeks, India has decided to buy 126 fighter jets from France, taken delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine from Russia and prepared for its first aircraft carrier — modernizing its military to face a rising China.
UNITED STATES
Edward Markey to introduce bill to trim nuclear capability
Bryan Bender, Boston Globe – February 8, 2012
Taking aim at an area of federal spending left unchecked for generations, two dozen lawmakers today plan to propose legislation mandating deep cuts in the US nuclear arsenal – including submarines, missiles, aircraft, and weapons design laboratories.
OTHER
Kazakhstan Sees Nuclear Fuel Bank in 2013
Jay Solomon, Wall Street Journal – February 7, 2012
Kazakhstan believes the international community’s first nuclear fuel bank can be up and running on Kazakh soil by late next year, potentially supporting the Obama administration’s broader efforts to combat the spread of nuclear weapons.
Gadhafi regime missiles missing
Jim Michaels, USA Today – February 7, 2012
Inspectors searching for shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles amassed by Moammar Gadhafi and prized by terrorists can’t account for potentially thousands of them. “The frank answer is we don’t know and probably never will,” said Andrew Shapiro, an assistant secretary of State.
