OFF THE WIRE :

• N.Korea Test-Fires 2 Short-Range Missiles
[AP, 02 Jul 09]
• OAS Issues Ultimatum to Honduras to Restore Deposed President
[VOA, 01 Jul 09]
• Iran 'frees more British staff'
[BBC News, 01 Jul 09]
• Iran militia wants probe of opposition leader
[AP, 01 Jul 09]
• Generals meet govt leaders as tensions plague Turkey
[AFP, 01 Jul 09]
• Iran support for Iraqi militants falling: US general
[AFP, 01 Jul 09]
• India withdraws troops from troubled Kashmir town
[Reuters, 01 Jul 09]
• Croatia: Prime Minister Resigns Unexpectedly
[Reuters, 01 Jul 09]
• Obama could send 1,500 National Guard troops to Mexican border
[Christian Science Monitor, 01 Jul 09]
• New NATO flotilla takes over anti-piracy patrols
[AP, 30 Jun 09]
• Central Asian states to secure potential 'dirty bomb' waste
[AFP, 30 Jun 09]
• Berlusconi says G8 sanctions likely against Iran
[Reuters, 29 Jun 09]
• US military chief hopeful on Poland deal
[AFP, 29 Jun 09]
• Arab states study cooperation to combat piracy
[AFP, 29 Jun 09]
• 'Tamil unit' for Sri Lanka's army
[BBC News, 29 Jun 09]
• UN report: Afghan security incidents rise 43%
[Xinhua, 29 Jun 09]
• Russia holds largest war games since war with Georgia - threat to Georgia, signal to US
[AP, 29 Jun 09]
• Pirates Release Crew of Belgian Ship
[AP, 28 Jun 09]
• Chavez threatens military action over Honduras coup
[Reuters, 28 Jun 09]
• Groups in Northern Ireland Say They’ve Disarmed
[Reuters, 27 Jun 09]
• Chavez to US general: You're the threat, not us
[AP, 28 Jun 09]

IRAQ :

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Ernesto Londoño and Ann Scott Tyson
Iraq's 'Milestone' Day Marred by Fatal Blast
'Car Bombing Kills at Least 34 in Kirkuk As U.S. Combat Troops Pull Out of Cities'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Campbell Robertson
Insurgents Hail Pullout of Troops From Cities
'Groups that have advocated violence against Americans urged Iraqis to continue the fight, but not among themselves.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 09, by Alissa J. Rubin
Iraq Marks Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Cities
'The excitement, however, has rung hollow for many Iraqis, who fear that their country’s security forces are not ready to stand alone and who see the government’s claims of independence as overblown.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by Dan Murphy
Iraqi cities: Could violence bring US forces back?
'Key challenges remain, including the discontent of former Sunni insurgents recruited by the US and credited with improving security.'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 09, by Ernesto Londoño
1st Pullout Deadline Stirs Anxiety, Pride in Iraq
'... across Iraq, the first major deadline in the American military's phased withdrawal from the country is being viewed with a mix of apprehension, pride and incredulity.'

New York Times, 29 Jun 09, by Marc Santora
U.S. Leaves Iraqi District Where Anger Lingers
'... as American soldiers prepared to withdraw from such outposts as part of a security agreement with the Iraqi government, the last stand was drawing to a close.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 09, by Jane Arraf
US troops to exit Iraq's cities but new role still evolving
'Iraqi and US officials agree that Tuesday's withdrawal of American combat forces from Iraqi cities is a historic event. What is less apparent to even military commanders here is how exactly the new arrangements will work.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Ernesto Londoño, K.I. Ibrahim and Steven Mufson
Anxious Oil Giants Pass on Iraq
'... The impasse was also a setback for the United States, which has encouraged Iraq to make use of foreign investment and expertise to help bring stability to the most important sector of the country's economy.'

[ recent stories from Iraq ]

AFGHANISTAN & PAKISTAN :

New York Times, 02 Jul 09, by Richard A. Oppel Jr.
U.S. Marines Try to Retake Afghan Valley From Taliban
'Almost 4,000 United States Marines, backed by helicopter gunships, pushed into the volatile Helmand River valley in southwestern Afghanistan Thursday morning to try to take back the region from Taliban fighters whose control of poppy harvests and opium smuggling in Helmand provides major financing for the Afghan insurgency.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Bob Woodward
Key in Afghanistan: Economy, Not Military
'National security adviser James L. Jones told U.S. military commanders here last week that the Obama administration wants to hold troop levels here flat for now, and focus instead on carrying out the previously approved strategy of increased economic development, improved governance and participation by the Afghan military and civilians in the conflict.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
In Refugee Aid, Pakistan’s War Has New Front
'Hard-line Islamist charities are using a refugee crisis to sour public opinion about the United States.'

Human Events, 01 Jul 09, by Rowan Scarborough
Pakistan Nukes At Risk
'Taliban terrorists know where some of Pakistan's nuclear weapons are stored based on information from allies inside the country's national security forces. A military source tells Human Events the Taliban and al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan's western frontier have ties to elements of the Pakistan army and Inter-Services Intelligence.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 09, by Salman Masood
An Accord in Pakistan Is Scrapped by Militants
'A powerful Taliban faction in a northwestern tribal region has said it is withdrawing from a peace deal with the government to protest continuing strikes by American drones, confronting the Pakistani military with a possible two-front campaign against militants ...'

Washington Post, 30 Jun 09, by Joshua Partlow
Deadly Ambush Could Indicate Threat to Pakistan's Army
'The Taliban assault on an army convoy passing through the village of Inzar Kas was one of the deadliest incidents for the military during its two-month-old offensive against the insurgents. But to some analysts, it also served as a warning of a bigger threat -- the possibility that disparate Taliban factions might be closing ranks to battle the army in Pakistan.'

New York Times, 27 Jun 09, by Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah
Taliban Losses Are No Sure Gain for Pakistanis
'... the Taliban mostly melted away without a major fight, possibly to return when the military withdraws or to fight elsewhere, military analysts say. ... the Taliban’s decision to scatter leaves the future of Swat, and Pakistan’s overall stability, under continued threat, military analysts and some politicians say.'

[ recent stories from Afghanistan and Pakistan ]

IRAN :

Washington Post, 02 Jul 09, by Tara Bahrampour
Iran Unrest Shifts Power Dynamics
'Protests have caused hard-liners to tighten grip, left reformists questioning role in government.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Thomas Erdbrink and William Branigin
Iran's Leadership Cautions Against Protest After Certification of Vote Results
'Iran's religious and political leadership warned domestic opponents and Western powers Tuesday that no further protests against a disputed election would be tolerated following official certification of a landslide victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Michael Slackman and Alan Cowell
Europe’s Vote Protests May Hinder Talks, Iran Says
'In a first sign that the dispute over the Iranian election could further jeopardize the stalled nuclear negotiations with Tehran, a high-ranking Iranian military official was quoted Wednesday as saying European nations were not qualified to discuss the nuclear issue because of alleged interference in post-election unrest and must apologize.'

[ recent stories from Iran ]

THE MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY & NORTH AFRICA :

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Glenn Kessler
Barak, U.S. Envoy Discuss Settlements
'Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak huddled for four hours yesterday with former senator George J. Mitchell, the Obama administration's special envoy for Middle East peace, seeking to resolve an impasse between their two governments over the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.'

Washington Post, 26 Jun 09, by Sudarsan Raghavan
Arab Activists Watch Iran And Wonder: 'Why Not Us?'
'Across the Arab world, Iran's massive opposition protests have triggered a wave of soul-searching and conflicting emotions. Many question why their own reform movements are unable to rally people to rise up against unpopular authoritarian regimes. In Egypt, the cradle of what was once the Arab world's most ambitious push for democracy, Iran's protests have served as a reminder of how much the notion has unraveled under President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 09, by Erin Cunningham
UN probe into Gaza conflict
'Israelis and Palestinians question the credibility and effectiveness of "unprecedented" public hearings about last January's attacks.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by Mel Frykberg
How Israel's naval blockade denies Gazans food, aid
'The naval blockade – part of a wider Israeli effort to seal off the tiny coastal strip controlled by the Islamist militant group Hamas – not only prevents such shipments, it is also devastating a key Gazan industry and source of food: fishing.'

[ recent stories from the Middle East ]

ASIA & THE PACIFIC :

Washington Post, 27 Jun 09, by Blaine Harden
China Trade Helps Shield N. Korea
'By funneling hard currency to the military, Chinese enterprises seem to be insulating the confrontational core of Kim's government from the international consequences of its behavior.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 09, by David E. Sanger
Second Thoughts on North Korea’s Inscrutable Ship
'Pentagon officials are clearly not eager to confront the Kang Nam 1. The intelligence about what is on board is typically murky. Some say they suspect small arms, which are banned by the United Nations resolution but hardly a major threat.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by Mian Ridge
Leader of Kashmir: new hope for a troubled state?
'Omar Abdullah has fresh ideas for Kashmir's revival. But while violence has dropped, protests still roil the Muslim-majority state, where most want to be free of Indian rule.'

[ recent stories from Asia and the Pacific ]

WAR & THE MEDIA :

Washington Post, 27 Jun 09, by Ariana Eunjung Cha
Authoritarian Regimes Censor News From Iran
'Out of fear that history might repeat itself, the authoritarian governments of China, Cuba and Burma have been selectively censoring the news this month of Iranian crowds braving government militias on the streets of Tehran to demand democratic reforms.'

[ recent stories on war and the media ]

COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS :

NewsHour, 30 Jun 09, with Jim Lehrer
Upon U.S. Troop Pullback, Jones Assesses Iraq's Future
'U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraqi cities prompted a national holiday, but continued violence leaves the country's stability in question. National Security Adviser retired Gen. Jim Jones discusses the path ahead in Iraq.'

Washington Post, 02 Jul 09, by John R. Bolton
Time for an Israeli Strike?
'With Iran's hard-line mullahs and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unmistakably back in control, Israel's decision of whether to use military force against Tehran's nuclear weapons program is more urgent than ever.'

Washington Post, 02 Jul 09, by
Russia's Grand Inquisitor
'U.S. analysts talk about a new strategic partnership, but Russian officials are mistrustful of large American designs.'

Stratfor, 29 Jun 09, by George Friedman
The Real Struggle in Iran and Implications for U.S. Dialogue
'... the real struggle in Iran has not yet been settled, nor was it ever about the liberalization of the regime. Rather, it has been about the role of the clergy — particularly the old-guard clergy — in Iranian life, and the future of particular personalities among this clergy.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Álvaro Vargas Llosa
The Winner in Honduras: Chávez
'In pushing the limits of democracy by trying to force a constitutional change that would permit his re-election, [President Manuel Zelaya] set a trap for the military. The military fell for it, turning an unpopular president who was nearing the end of his term into an international cause célèbre.'

Stratfor, 30 Jun 09, by George Friedman
Russia, Poland and U.S. Strategy
[video] 'George Friedman analyzes the upcoming summit July 6-8 between Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama from a geopolitical perspective. Likely topics on the agenda include Iran, Afghanistan, U.S. ballistic missile defense installations in Poland and Russia's sphere of influence.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 09, by editorial board
Iraq's next milestone: the Kurdish question
'The survival of the country depends on bridging the Kurd-Arab divide.'

Townhall.com, 29 Jun 09, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Violence in Iran: What the West Needs to Know
'Saturday, I discussed Iran with Middle East expert Dr. Walid Phares – director of the Future of Terrorism Project for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies – for the initial Q&A in what will be an ongoing series of interviews, "Three Questions for Dr. Walid Phares," providing timely perspective on Middle East issues and international terrorism as events unfold.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 09, by Lydia Khalil
Iran today: 1979 revolution redux?
'Reformers hope to fulfill the work they began 30 years ago.'

PBS NewsHour, 29 Jun 09
Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy Faces New Scrutiny
'President Barack Obama met with gay rights activists on Monday, giving the strongest signal yet he may move to lift the ban on gays openly serving in the military. Watch extended interviews from Monday's NewsHour report on the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" debate here.'

San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Jun 09, by J. Peter Phan
The Invisible Hook : The Hidden Economics of Pirates
[book review] '... Peter Leeson, an economics professor at George Mason University, offers a fascinating perspective into the world of Blackbeard, "Black Bart" Roberts and "Calico Jack" Rackham in his highly readable book ...'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Barry Wingard
No Justice Today at Guantanamo
'The Obama administration is reportedly considering an executive order that would "reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely," and the situation at the prison itself is worsening.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Luis Moreno-Ocampo
Impunity No More
'In 1998, more than 100 states adopted the Rome Statute to end impunity for those crimes that we had thought, over and over, would never happen again, only to see them occur, again and again: genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.'

Wall Street Journal, 29 Jun 09, by Joshua Muravchik
The Abandonment of Democracy
'The most surprising thing about the first half-year of Barack Obama's presidency, at least in the realm of foreign policy, has been its indifference to the issues of human rights and democracy.'

[ recent commentary and analysis ]

AFRICA :

Washington Post, 27 Jun 09, by Mary Beth Sheridan
U.S. Has Sent 40 Tons of Munitions to Aid Somali Government
'The U.S. government has provided about 40 tons of weapons and ammunition to shore up the besieged government of Somalia in the past six weeks and has sent funding to train Somali soldiers, a senior State Department official said yesterday, in the most complete accounting to date of the new American efforts in the strife-torn country.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 09, by Celia W. Dugger and Michael Wines
Zimbabwe Says China Is Giving It Loans
'The West has been leery of giving the government a large infusion of money until Mr. Mugabe stops the human rights abuses that have been a fixture of his 29 years in power. China, however, has maintained its close relationship with Zimbabwe as it has extended its financial ties to other nations in Africa.'

[ recent stories from Africa ]

THE AMERICAS :

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Dan Balz
Have We Forgotten Iraq?
'The celebrations in Iraq marking the pullback of U.S. combat forces from Baghdad and other cities stand in stark contrast to the reaction in the United States.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by Glenn Kessler
U.S. Targets Firms Tied To N. Korea Arms Trade
'The Obama administration yesterday began a campaign to curtail North Korea's ability to finance its trade in missiles and nuclear materials, with the Treasury and State Departments announcing actions against two North Korean companies, including one allegedly connected to the building of a nuclear reactor in Syria.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Marc Lacey and Ginger Thompson
Compromise Is Sought to Honduras Standoff
'As the public standoff between Honduras and the rest of the world hardened, quiet negotiations got under way on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for a possible return of the nation’s ousted president, Manuel Zelaya.'

Washington Post, 01 Jul 09, by William Booth
Two Hondurans Headed for Clash
'The two presidents of Honduras were headed on a collision course Tuesday, as the president ousted by a coup vowed to return and his replacement threatened to arrest him the minute he lands.'

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Marc Lacey
Leader’s Ouster Not a Coup, Says the Honduran Military
'... the chief lawyer of the Honduran armed forces insisted that what soldiers carried out over the weekend when they detained President Manuel Zelaya was no coup d’état.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by Howard LaFranchi
International pressure builds to reinstate Honduran president
'The UN General Assembly condemned the coup Tuesday, but analysts say any peaceful resolution to the crisis would need to give a hearing to all sides.'

New York Times, 30 Jun 09, by Simon Romero
Obama’s Stance Deflects Chávez’s Finger-Pointing
'While Mr. Chávez continued to portray Washington as the coup’s possible orchestrator, others in Latin America failed to see it that way.'

New York Times, 28 Jun 09, by Simon Romero
Rare Hemisphere Unity in Assailing Honduran Coup
'With their condemnation on Sunday of the coup ousting President Manuel Zelaya in Honduras, governments in the Western Hemisphere from across the ideological spectrum found a rare issue around which they could swiftly arrive at unity.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 09, by David Cook
Biden gets new role in Iraq policy
'Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed Tuesday that President Obama had asked Biden to begin “working with General [Raymond] Odierno and Ambassador [Christopher] Hill in working with the Iraqis toward overcoming their political differences and achieving the type of reconciliation that we all understand has yet to fully take place.”'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 09, by Juan Forero
Colombia's Uribe Faces a More Wary U.S.
'... the United States is concerned about the wiretapping and surveillance of Uribe's critics by an intelligence agency controlled by the presidency and reports that as many as 1,700 civilians have been killed by Colombian army units ...'

Los Angeles Times/AP, 29 Jun 09, by Edith M. Lederer, AP
US ready to beef up UN peacekeeping operations with military observers, officers and police
'U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said President Barack Obama's administration will explore ways to assist peacekeeping operations including by training peacekeepers and providing equipment and transportation.'

[ recent stories from the Americas ]

BRITAIN, EUROPE, RUSSIA and CENTRAL ASIA :

New York Times, 01 Jul 09, by Alan Cowell and Stephen Castle
Europe Weighs Pulling Envoys From Tehran
'Iran risked diplomatic isolation from the European Union, as European officials discussed whether to withdraw the ambassadors of all 27 member nations in a dispute over the detention of the British Embassy’s Iranian personnel.'

New York Times, 27 Jun 09, by John Markoff and Andrew E. Kramer
U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace
'Russia favors an international treaty along the lines of those negotiated for chemical weapons and has pushed for that approach at a series of meetings this year and in public statements by a high-ranking official. The United States argues that a treaty is unnecessary.'

New York Times, 27 Jun 09, by Clifford J. Levy
Russia and NATO Work to Repair Frayed Ties
'NATO and Russia on Saturday took another step toward rebuilding ties that were damaged by the war in Georgia last year, holding a high-level meeting of foreign ministers and pledging to resume full military cooperation.'

[ recent stories from Britain, Europe,
Russia and Central Asia ]

US MILITARY, THE PENTAGON, &
INTELLIGENCE :

Washington Post, 02 Jul 09, by Ann Scott Tyson
No Limit in Place for Pending Request on Troops in Afghanistan
'The nation's top military officer said yesterday that no limits have been placed on the number or types of troops the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan can request as he seeks to carry out a counterinsurgency strategy there.'

New York Times, 29 Jun 09, by Thom Shanker
For a Post in Europe, a Renaissance Admiral
'As the new American and NATO commander in Europe, Admiral Stavridis, 54, becomes the first naval officer appointed to a position previously held by famed ground-warfare generals.'

Human Events, 01 Jul 09, by W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Military Milestones from Pickett's Charge to Roosevelt's Rough Riders
'In what has been described as the "first decisive victory of American forces over the British Navy"� during the American Revolution, the garrison at Fort Sullivan, S.C. (today Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island in Charleston harbor) under the command of militia Col. William Moultrie repulse Royal Navy forces under the command of Admiral Sir Peter Parker.'

Agence France-Presse, 01 Jul 09, by Ben Sheppard
Fight club toughens up US Marines in Afghan desert
'Part of the preparation for war is the Marine Corps Martial Arts Programme (MCMAP), a form of combat that combines disciplines including karate, kick-boxing and taekwondo.'

The Chicago Tribune, 01 Jul 09
Oshkosh awarded Army contract for all-terrain vehicles
'The military has said it needs a hybrid armored vehicle to provide the same type of protection as vehicles that have been used in Iraq. But it must be more agile, lighter and provide increased maneuverability.'

[ recent stories about the US military,
the Pentagon and intelligence ]