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It was just a matter of time before the disruptions in the Middle East began to have an impact on Israel. Unfortunately, the border violence there over the weekend had more to do with preventing change than promoting it. Sunday marked the annual Palestinian political ritual of Nakba (“the catastrophe”), which marks Israel’s founding in 1948. This year, thousands of people turned out to demonstrate. In Golan, hundreds of protesters burst through the border where they came under fire from Israeli troops. Soldiers clashed with demonstrators on the Lebanese, Gaza and Palestinian Authority borders as well. It was the largest...

By Ron Popeski 2 hours, 25 minutes ago MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia rejected talk for now of sanctions against Iran and France warned on Friday against conflict with Tehran, raising doubts whether it will face swift penalties if nuclear work is not halted by an August 31 deadline. Responding to an offer of economic incentives to stop enriching uranium, Iran hinted to six world powers on Tuesday it could rein in its program as a result of talks to implement the package -- but not as a precondition as they demand. The reply seemed tailored to crack the brittle united...

How the Soviets Gave the Mullahs the BombBy Jamie GlazovFrontPageMagazine.com | August 23, 2006 Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Regnar Rasmussen, a former military interpreter and interrogation specialist trained at the Danish Armed Forces' Specialist School. For more than ten years, he worked as a translator in the Danish Central Police Department (immigration department) as well as in several criminal investigations departments. He affirms that, through his experience, he learned of the many ways in which the Soviet system trained the Islamist enemy we now face in the terror war. More frightening yet, he claims that his sources informed him back in...

Russia's cash-strapped defense, biotechnology, chemical, aerospace, and nuclear industries continued to be eager to raise funds via exports and transfers. Some Russian universities and scientific institutes also showed a willingness to earn much-needed funds by providing WMD or missile-related teaching and training for foreign students. Given the large potential proliferation impact of such exports, transfers, and training, monitoring the activities of specific entities as well as the overall effectiveness of the Russian Government's nonproliferation regime remained an important element of the US bilateral dialogue with Russia on nonproliferation. Russia continued to play a key role in constructing the Bushehr Nuclear...

1938 Alert: "Ahmadinejad sees nuclear Iran as 'unrivalled' power," from Iran Focus, with thanks to Mackie: Tehran, Iran, May 07 – Iran’s radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that the Islamic Republic could fast become an “unrivalled world power” by obtaining nuclear capabilities. “The Iranian nation has the potential to quickly become an unrivalled world power by obtaining modern technology”, Ahmadinejad told commanders of Iran’s paramilitary Bassij force in Tehran. His comments were reported by the official news agency. “With only a short time having passed since the announcement that Iran had obtained nuclear technology, regional and global order...

China, Russia welcome Iran into the fold M K Bhadrakumar April 18, 2006 The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which maintained it had no plans for expansion, is now changing course. Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan, which previously had observer status, will become full members. SCO's decision to welcome Iran into its fold constitutes a political statement. Conceivably, SCO would now proceed to adopt a common position on the Iran nuclear issue at its summit meeting June 15. Speaking in Beijing as recently as January 16, the organization's secretary general Zhang Deguang had been quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying:...