SELECTED NEWS BRIEFS

Ahmadinejad crushes CFR hopes for a "grand bargain."

The New York Times reported that Ahmadinejad met with two dozen members of the Council on Foreign Relations, then ending the evening by asking whether they were simply shills for the Bush administration.

Kenneth R. Timmerman, FrontPageMagazine.com reported that while the CFR has consistently promoted a "grand bargain" with the regime in Tehran and ex-CFR staffer Susan Maloney at the State Department has vetoed funding of the Iranian opposition radio and TV broadcasts, and training for opposition groups inside Iran, on the grounds that it might offend the Tehran regime.

Clinton: The US should talk to Iran without conditions.

News 8 reported that former President Clinton said the U.S. should try talking to Iran about its nuclear weapons ambitions without imposing a lot of conditions.

Ahmadinejad: Iran willing to talk under the right conditions.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran is willing to discuss the suspension of nuclear enrichment under the right conditions.

Ahmadinejad tries to improve his image, but...

New Press reported that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to be enjoying the spotlight at this year's U.N. General Assembly, easing his way into the international arena and trying to improve his image amid the controversy over his nuclear program and remarks about Israel and the Holocaust.

The New York Sun reported that Columbia University invited the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to give a speech today, but at the last moment the invitation was withdrawn.

CNN News reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he is surprised American politicians "are so sensitive and biased with regards to Israel." Asked if he believes Israel has no right to exist -- he responded, "I say that it is an occupying regime."

Major powers give Iran another deadline: October.

Swiss Info reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad signaled a willingness to negotiate as major powers said Tehran had until early October to agree to suspend its nuclear program.

Iran seeks Cuba and Venezuela as bases for subversive activities against the US?

Alan Note: If you have been feeling secure because Iran and the Al Qaeda are "too far away" to worry you, think again. If Cuba or Venezuela overcomes fears of an Iranian missile trail being traced back to them, they put the USA within easy range of the Iranin Shahab 3 missile and add nother 1,000 miles of range to the Shahab 5 that is almost operational.

DEBKAfile reported that on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Havana, intelligence experts from Iran, Cuba and Venezuela met to discuss on ways of translating their leaders' hostile rhetoric and slogans into effective war action against the United States.

Why the US is unlikely to use military action, but Iran is.
David Frum's Diary published 4 reasons why the US is unlikely to attack Iran arguing he US and Iran are heading toward a deal.

Avigdor Haselkorn, The American Thinker argued why after Israel's war with Hezb’allah an Iranian attack on Israel is now more likely than before.

BBC international poll: Washington's view that is prevailing.

BBC News reported that the BBC World Service opinion poll on Iran's nuclear intentions found that a significant majority, people in the 25 countries in which this opinion poll was carried out do not accept Iran's protestations that its nuclear activities are purely for civil purposes.

NPR reported that in Iran, journalists, reformers, and student activists feared the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might lead to repressive policies and restrictions. After a year of comparative calm, however, observers say that it now appears that their fears were justified.

Rooz Online reported that, despite an exponential increase in the size of the government budget and expenditure, the Islamic Republic could be in crisis unless they receive new funding.

Aaron, One Jerusalem published a roundup of the reports on the protest of Ahmadinejad at the UN. Videos.

Cox & Forkum published a cartoon: El Diablo.


Ahmadinejad tells big lies but is largely unchallenged by the media.

MSNBC and NBC News published an interview with Ahmadinejad in which he claimed that while the US “... speak of war so easily, as if it’s on their daily agenda. We never speak of war.”

Los Angeles Times reported that Iran's president told the United Nations that the organization had become a tool used by the world's powerful to oppress the weak, and call.

Chavez calls Bush "the devil."

Drudge Report published the full text of Venezuelan President Chavez remarks at the UN General Assembly. He said of President Bush: "the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself] "And it smells of sulfur still today."

US makes more concessions to Iran.

The Financial Times reported that Iran’s chief nuclear security official, Ali Larijani, is expected to resume talks with the European Union’s Javier Solana next week following a concession by the US to give the process more time before pursuing a UN sanctions resolution.

Iranians losing confidence in the regime's future?

Rooz Online reported that one year after Mr. Ahmadinejad’s hard-line government took the reigns of power no government bonds have been bought by the public.

Rooz Online reported that two months into the recent decree of the ‘supreme leader’ regarding privatizing of government business entities through relinquishing company stocks, official statistics indicate the plan is 94% behind schedule.

Australia considers sanctions on Iran.

The Age reported that Australia may consider financial sanctions against Iran even if the move does not have the backing of the United Nations.

The Washington Post reported that U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said that Iran was abusing the global financial system and putting its security at risk.

The House International Relations Committee passed Iran legislation.

US Congressman Steve King announced that the House International Relations Committee passed King’s legislation, H.Res. 942, which aims to inspire Iranians to return to their constitutional democracy. It now goes to the full House for consideration.


Xinhua reported an Iranian Boeing 707 aircraft carrying high ranking officials was forced to land in Turkish largest city of Istanbul.

Rooz Online reported that tens of thousands of workers at the Alborz carpet workshops in the northern town of Babolsar held a demonstration which led to clashes with law enforcement personnel. These workers have not been paid their monthly wages for some nine months.

Rooz Online reported that the Islamic Republic is grading student activists in an effort to ban them from Iranian universities.

Rooz Online reported that conservative newspapers in Iran this week published the new accusation of the Minister of Intelligence that America is targeting journalists for its goals.

The Times Online reported that Iran will put the exploration of 24 oil blocks out to international tender to make them more attractive to cautious foreign investors.

Michael Rubin, The Wall Street Journal examined the Islamic Republic's history of official contempt for diplomatic convention.

Amir Taheri, Gulf News reported that Al Qaeda is now seeking help from other terrorist organizations.

BBC News reported on Iran's growing regional influence.

The New York Sun reported that in what was billed as a clash at the United Nations between President Bush and President Ahmadinejad over Iran's nuclear ambitions is being at least partially upstaged by new calls for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.

Paul Nowak, Townhall published a cartoon: Mahmoud Adolfinejad, Statesman.



Ahmadinejad attempts to rally the world against the US.

Vital Perspective published the full translated text of Ahmadinejad's UN speech. A few excerpts...

On the nuclear issue: "All our nuclear activities are transparent, peaceful and under the watchful eyes of IAEA inspectors."On the US and Britain: "They consider themselves the masters and rulers of the entire world."On human rights: "Should respect for the rights of human beings become the predominant objective, then injustice, ill temperament, aggression and war will fade away."He ended with: "Oh, Almighty God... upon humanity that thirsts for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by you, and make us among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause."


Bush speaks at the UN to the Iranian people.

The Times Online reported that President Bush used a UN address yesterday to appeal directly to the Iranian people over the head of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying: “You deserve an opportunity to determine your own future... The greatest obstacle to this future is that your rulers have chosen to deny you liberty."

David Frum, The National Review Online argued that the president's speech to the UN today was one of the most important of his presidency. It marks the final fizzling out of his Iran policy of the past three years.

On the sidelines of the UN...

The Times Online reported that Ahmadinejad stunned Kofi Annan during his trip to Tehran when he railed against Britain and the US. “Things have changed and they have to know it. They can scold us, they can shout at us, but they cannot damage us.”

CNN News reported that Iran's chief nuclear negotiator has not come to New York this week as expected, raising doubts about talks on Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Bolton said: "The discussions with Iran appear to have come to a stop."

Yahoo News reported that French President Jacques Chirac said he does not want to set a new deadline for Iran to suspend nuclear activities and appeared to soften an earlier proposal to drop talk of sanctions against Iran.

Bernard Lewis: The West is in a fight for its life.

Bernard Lewis, Real Clear Politics provided an historical perspective on the potential for freedom and liberty in the Middle East and concludes we either bring them freedom, or they will destroy us.

Ledeen on Republican appeasers.

Michael Ledeen, The Corner provided a short list of Republican appeasers of the terrorists and the Mullahs of Iran.

Sen. Voinovich on Ahmadinejad.

Reuters reported that Sen. George Voinovich said "Ahmadinejad -- I call him Ahmad-in-a-head -- I think he's a Hitler type of person," adding that "I don't believe that as long as he's there that we're ever going to solve Iraq."

Both the right and left frustrated by the Bush's and the media's handling of Ahmadinejad.

The New York Sun, in an editorial, argued why Ahmadinejad should be arrested while in the US.

The Village Voice reviewed the plight of women in Iran and asked will the media ask the Ahmadinejad about the stoning of women in his country.

Why we shouldn't worry about Iran's oil weapon.

Max Schulz, The National Review Online argued that as the Iranian nuclear crisis worsens, the mullahs in Tehran are trying to forestall American or Israeli military action by threatening to use the “oil weapon.” Don’t believe it.

Iran Focus reported that hundreds of Iranian women gathered outside the offices of the judiciary in Tehran in protest to the impending execution of a female prisoner and dozens of protesting women were arrested.

Radio Free Europe reported that Iran's largest reformist student group is expressing concern over yesterday's inspection of the main office of its alumni association where security agents took away all documents and computers.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Muslim religious leaders in the Gaza Strip warned Pope Benedict XVI that he must "accept" Islam if he wanted to live in peace.

Iran Focus reported that Iran’s consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra came under a mortar attack Tuesday morning.

Mr. Kaylan, The Wall Street Journal examined Wahhabi Colonialism, which he argued is the root of much of the evil in the Islamic World.

Michael Rubin, The Corner reported that while attending a speech in Cairo he observed the audience's applause to the demand that Egypt pursue nuclear power.

Cox & Forkum published a cartoon of Ahmadinejad: Security Breach