Soob

American Interests: Otto puts up something of a confounding post on Iran's nuclear threat. While I agree a nuclear armed Iran is a nightmare scenario, my reasoning is based much less on the direct threat it poses to American (or Israeli) security. Rather, the regional instability that either an armed Iran or an Israeli (more likely) pre-emptive strike will produce and the economic fallout that follows.
Why is the common ideal that Iran's first step, should they achieve a deliverable nuke, will be to assure self annihilation in the form of launching said nuke at either Israel or the US?

TDAXP: Bold new look, same great taste. Blogspirit woes have chased Dan to a new blogging platform, WordPress. New blog looks great.

Geographic Travels with Catholicgauze: Anyone under the misconception that geography is limited to maps and political boundaries would do well to read CG's blog. This fall will see him in Iraq, for reasons yet to be discerned. We wish him safe travels.

Wizards of Oz: Congratulations to Shane as he'll be joining Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam, has started a new business initiative (emergency management consultation) and is expecting to realize a third chapter of the Deichmans book of going forth and multiplying this fall.

Middle Eastern Perspectives: Rick Francona wonders whether WoT ally Yemen is not, in fact, a willing facilitator of Al Qaeda. The recent event in which Lackawana Six fugitive Yemeni-American, Jabr al-Banah, strode into and then out of a Yemeni court leads the good Colonel to consider whether Yemen's apparent benevolence is mere lip service and reflects upon the division between ideological and strategic allegiance.

Good stuff.