The Political Bridge

Israeli Naval Commandos Seized a Ship Carrying Iranian-Supplied Arms

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli naval commandos seized a ship carrying hundreds of tons of Iranian-supplied arms, including rockets that can hit Israeli cities, to Lebanon's Hezbollah group, Israeli officials said on Wednesday.

The shipment, he said, was enough to keep Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which fired some 4,000 rockets into Israel during a 34-day war in 2006, supplied for a month of fighting.

Breaking News from the Jerusalem Post: 'Israel will Attack Iran after December'

Jerusalem, October 15, 2009

Israel is planning to carry out military attacks in Iran after December, a French magazine reported Thursday

According to a report in Le canard enchainé quoted by Israel Radio, Jerusalem has already ordered from a French food manufacturer high-quality combat rations for soldiers serving in elite units and also asked reservists of these units staying abroad to return to Israel.

The magazine reports further that in a recent visit to France, IDF Chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told his French counterpart Jean-Louis Georgelin that Israel may send elite troops to conduct activities on the ground there.

(Information first reported at http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news)

Gulf Arabs Are Planning to End Dollar Dealings for Oil

(This is an important story that has global finanicial and security implications...Iran has dumped the dollar in favor of euros)

The Independent

In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.

A Reuters Analysis: The Iran-6 Talks and Agreements Failed To Address a Few Core Issues

Iran gave no ground on the core issues of nuclear restraint and transparency in its protracted standoff with world powers, concerns they will pursue in another round of talks this month.

Tehran insisted on its right to a sovereign nuclear energy programme despite U.N. resolutions ordering it to suspend enrichment in exchange for trade benefits. It has even rejected a temporary freeze on expansion of enrichment capacity.

No progress was reported on IAEA demands that Iran allow unfettered access for its UN inspectors to check intelligence reports suggesting  suggesting Tehran has researched ways to arm missiles with nuclear payloads.

Read More: Reuters Analysis

 

Is Iran Ready to Engage in Real Talks?

From the Influential regemonitor.com. (You may not be able to access this link without a password, DrTed)

 

Agreements from first talks between Iran and the "Iran Six" over the country's nuclear program in a year have reduced fears of a military confrontation. Tensions had risen, and fears of an oil price spike,  as the U.S. and several European leaders sought to increase sanctions following reports that  Iran has roughly enough low-enriched uranium to make a single atom bomb and that it had a previously undisclosed nuclear facility. However, the details and implementation of these agreements remain uncertain. Further sanctions could follow any non-compliance