Capturing the MidEast in short soundbites: poignant reflections by people who understand the complexities of the Middle East. My philosophy is: "less is more." You won't agree with everything that's here, but I'm confident you will find it interesting! Excepting the titles, my own comments are minimal. Instead I rely on news sources to string together what I hope is an interesting, politically challenging, non-partisan, non-ideological narrative.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Iran flaunts their muscle
Iranian Warships to Transit Suez Canal -Ethan Bronner
Israel warned that two Iranian warships were poised to pass through the Suez Canal en route to Syria.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, "Israel is closely monitoring the movement of the Iranian ships and has updated friendly states on the issue."
(New York Times)
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Iranian Warships Having an Outsize Impact -J. E. Dyer
The Iranian ships themselves are hardly impressive. But the big shift here is in political perceptions of power.
Revolutionary, terror-sponsoring Iran - under U.S., EU, and UN sanctions - feels free to conduct this deployment, and Syria feels free to cooperate in it. Saudi Arabia considered it prudent to host the Iranian warships last week - in spite of the Saudis' own conviction that Iran has been aiding rebel groups that threaten Saudi territory.
(Commentary)
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Report: Egypt Blocked Iran Ships from Canal -Avi Issacharoff
Al-Arabiya reported that Egyptian authorities had blocked plans by two Iranian naval ships to cross the Suez Canal, an official said on Thursday.
(Ha'aretz)
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U.S.Intelligence: 'Warships? I Heard Something about That'
If the Obama Administration played the Ahmadinejad team in the international affairs Superbowl, I'd put my money on Iran by two touchdowns.
[The Rubin Report]
[Hat Tip: Joe S]
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UPDATES:
Egypt to Let Iranian Warships through Suez Canal
Egypt agreed to allow two Iranian warships to cross through the Suez Canal, state media reported.
(CNN)
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Iranian Vessels Enter Suez Canal -Gil Ronin
Two Iranian warships have entered the Suez Canal on their way to the Mediterranean Sea, Canal officials said.
There has been concern in Israel and elsewhere that the permission for the Iranian ships passage signals a rapprochement between Iran and Egypt, following the revolution against Hosni Mubarak.
(IsraelNational News.com)
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