The details are fuzzy, but news agencies are reporting that the Iranian Navy has just detained 15 British troops in Iraqi waters. After some negotiation and diplomatic sizzle, these troops will no doubt be released. But this is more evidence that America and Iran are poking each other through proxies.
My New America Foundation colleague Daniel Levy scores a great article in Ha’aretz suggesting that Condoleezza Rice is now a believer in and delivering on construction of “a horizon” for Palestinian-Israeli negotiated peace. George Soros’s piece, if you have not yet read it, on “Israel, America and AIPAC,” deserves another read by this blogger.
Joint Chiefs Commander Peter Pace — in the photo above may be reminding Japanese troops that homosexuality is immoral over in Tokyo too (just joking) — stopped in Japan to reaffirm the bilateral relationship.
I think Warren Olney’s show, “To the Point,” airs in the Washington, DC area again tonight at 10 p.m. It aired earlier today at 2 p.m. Eastern and 11 a.m. Pacific. Bill Richardson is on for the last 10 minutes — and Richardson is just superb.
Sarah Stephens, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, has reported that Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) will support legislation allowing family-related travel to Cuba, “The Cuban-American Family Rights Restoration Act,” sponsored by Congressman Bill Delahunt (D-MA). According to a press release, Congressman Burton made the commitment to Sarah Stephens and Sgt.
I’m happy to see Tom Lantos is holding a hearing this morning called “Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Oil Dependence.
Fired U.S. Attorney for New Mexico David Iglesias lays out a compelling case in a New York Times oped this morning, “Why I Was Fired,” that the administration removed him for political rather than competency reasons.
A number of TWN readers have been emailing with pleas to tell them more about my Cuba travels, which were more educational and eye-opening than I had imagined they could be. I will be doing so. The problem is that I don’t want to share some quick hit items right now.
No one knows the subject — but it must be the Gonzales affair — unless perhaps they have captured bin Laden or al-Zawahiri? The White House offer for Rove and Miers to testify in the GonzoGate matter may be for commentary NOT under oath, which is not such a great deal.
White House Counsel Fred Fielding has just released a letter (pdf here) to Senators Leahy and Specter, and Congresspersons Conyers, Smith and Sanchez.
