Israel’s Iran War Talk Aims at Deal for Tougher U.S. Policy

Two recent interviews apparently given by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak provide evidence that the new wave of reports in the Israeli press about a possible Israeli attack on Iran is a means by which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak hope to leverage a U.S. shift toward Israel’s red lines on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Widespread Muslim Scepticism of U.S. as Democracy Advocate

Despite continuous assurances that the United States favours democratic rule during the 18-month-old "Arab Spring", majorities or pluralities in six predominantly Muslim countries see Washington as an obstacle to their democratic aspirations, according to a new survey released here Tuesday.