Russian president halts attacks, says Georgia 'punished'

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday ordered a halt to the military offensive against Georgia saying it had been punished but could be hit again.

U.S. tells Russia to halt Georgia conflict

By Matt Robinson
29 minutes ago

TBILISI (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush told Russia on Monday to end its armed conflict with Georgia after Moscow's forces advanced deeper into its pro-Western neighbor's territory, ignoring Western pleas to halt.

Bush warns Russia to pull back in Georgia

By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer
6 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday demanded that Russia end a "dramatic and brutal escalation" of violence in Georgia, agree to an immediate cease-fire and accept international mediation to end the crisis in the former Soviet republic.

Russo-Georgian conflict is not all Russia's fault

By Charles King
Mon Aug 11, 4:00 AM ET

Washington - Following a series of provocative attacks in its secessionist region of South Ossetia late last week, Georgia launched an all-out attempt to reestablish control in the tiny enclave. Russia then intervened by dropping bombs on Georgia to protect the South Ossetians, halt the growing tide of refugees flooding into southern Russia, and aid its own peacekeepers there.

Russians march into Georgia as full-scale war looms

Russia's punitive campaign in the Caucasus threatened to intensify into all-out war against Georgia last night, with Russian troops seizing control of strategic towns a couple of hours from the capital, and aircraft pounding Georgian infrastructure.

Georgia claims Russians have cut country in half

By DAVID NOWAK, Associated Press Writer
7 minutes ago

GORI, Georgia - Russian forces seized several towns and a military base deep in western Georgia on Monday, opening a second front in the fighting. Georgia's president said his country had been effectively cut in half with the capture of the main east-west highway near Gori.

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror''

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War and the Roots of Terror''

Israel's Debate Over an Iran Strike

By TIM MCGIRK AND AARON J. KLEIN / JERUSALEM
Fri Jul 25, 2:05 AM ET

Despite President Bush's insistence that the military option remains "on the table" for dealing with Iran's nuclear program, Israeli officials have recognized that a U.S. air strike on Iranian nuclear sites is increasingly unlikely in the waning days of the Bush Administration. The Israelis, along with everyone else, are now counting on European-led diplomatic efforts to persuade the Iranians to halt their uranium-enrichment program. But they know diplomacy may fail, which is why a debate now rages in the highest circles of Israel's government and military: If the Europeans fail and the Americans remain reluctant to launch another war in the Middle East, should Israel strike alone against Iran?

Economic, political pressure on Iran is best: Pentagon

by Jim Mannion
56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Washington believes economic and political pressure are the best ways to dissuade Iran from seeking atomic weapons, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday, following an appeal by Israel's defense minister to keep "all options" on the table.

Iran's Ahmadinejad backs 'just' nuclear talks

by Farhad Pouladi
23 minutes ago

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Tehran would continue talks with world powers aimed at resolving the crisis over its atomic drive provided these are "on equal footing."

Iranian president: 'Big powers' going down

By GEORGE JAHN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 29, 8:38 AM ET

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's president on Tuesday blamed the U.S. and other "big powers" for global ills such as nuclear proliferation and AIDS, and accused them of exploiting the U.N. for their own gain and the developing world's loss.

Iran says nuclear talks 'positive and progressive'

by Farhad Pouladi
1 hour, 34 minutes ago

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Tuesday that talks with world powers aimed at resolving the crisis over its atomic drive were "positive and progressive," local media reported.

U.S. to establish presence in Tehran: report

1 hour, 47 minutes ago

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States will announce in the next month that it plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years, a British newspaper said on Thursday.

Would an attack on Iran be legal?

By Paul Reynolds
World Affairs Correspondent, BBC News website

As diplomatic attempts continue in the UN Security Council to get Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities, the question has been raised about an American attack on Iran and whether it would be legal under international law.

Bush's big Iran problem

By Hooman Majd

It is foolish for the Bush administration not to negotiate seriously with Iran at this point, thanks to circumstances largely of its own making.

Foreign Affairs; World War III

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: September 13, 2001

As I restlessly lay awake early yesterday, with CNN on my TV and dawn breaking over the holy places of Jerusalem, my ear somehow latched onto a statement made by the U.S. transportation secretary, Norman Mineta, about the new precautions that would be put in place at U.S. airports in the wake of Tuesday's unspeakable terrorist attacks: There will be no more curbside check-in, he said. I suddenly imagined a group of terrorists somewhere here in the Middle East, sipping coffee, also watching CNN and laughing hysterically: ''Hey boss, did you hear that? We just blew up Wall Street and the Pentagon and their response is no more curbside check-in?''

I don't mean to criticize Mr. Mineta. He is doing what he can. And I have absolutely no doubt that the Bush team, when it identifies the perpetrators, will make them pay dearly. Yet there was something so absurdly futile and American about the curbside ban that I couldn't help but wonder: Does my country really understand that this is World War III?

Rice says US will defend Gulf; Iran tests missiles

WASHINGTON July 10, 2008, 02:44 pm ET ·

Condoleezza Rice flexed America's muscles in the Middle East Thursday, forcefully warning Iran the U.S. won't ignore threats and will take any action necessary to defend friends and interests in the Persian Gulf.

How might Israel attack Iran's nuclear sites?

Tue Jul 8, 2008 8:45am EDT

(Reuters) - Iran would retaliate against any attack on its nuclear facilities by "burning" Tel Aviv and U.S. assets in the Gulf, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

G8 says concerned about Iran proliferation risk

Tue Jul 8, 2008 10:40am EDT

TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - Leaders of the Group of Eight rich countries expressed serious concern on Tuesday at the proliferation risks posed by Iran's nuclear program.

Iran says will hit Tel Aviv and U.S. ships if attacked

Tue Jul 8, 2008 1:43pm EDT
By Parisa Hafezi and Zahra Hosseinian

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will hit Tel Aviv, U.S. shipping in the Gulf and American interests around the world if it is attacked over its disputed nuclear activities, an aide to Iran's Supreme Leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday.