A fascinating story is beginning to percolate among the international media of a high-level military defection from Iran to the United States.

I will be in Havana, Cuba at the time — with uncertain internet access — but Senator Chuck Hagel has just announced that he will hold a news conference Monday, 12 March 2007, at 10 a.m. CST (11 a.m. EST) on his “future plans.

(Cambridge Energy Research Associates Chairman Daniel Yergin, former First USA Bank CEO Richard Vague, and Senator Chuck Hagel — New America Foundation/American Strategy Program dinner salon, 20 February 2007) Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) recently spoke at a policy salon I hosted with businessman Richard Vague in Washington, DC.

Russian prosecutors believe journalist Ivan Safronov threw himself from a fifth story window to his death. Apparently we’re to believe that Safronov, who was about to publish a story detailing his investigation into Russian arms deals with Iran and Syria, suddenly decided to give up on life.

I’m enjoying Seattle — now finagling my way into Microsoft’s Annual TechFest event for which I just signed a non-disclosure agreement to get in to see the cool stuff.

Former Chief of Staff to the Vice President Lewis “Scooter” Libby has been found guilty on four of the five counts he was charged with in the Valerie Plame Wilson/CIA leak case. He was not found guilty on the 3rd charge of making a false statement.

I’m honored that Steve has asked me to begin making regular contributions here at The Washington Note. Having worked with Steve on and off for about two years, I have developed a great deal of respect for him as a thinker, writer, convener, and all-purpose operative.

I’m not kidding. It’s very sad the fear-mongering that some in our society are addicted to. In Seattle today. More later.

I once worked with a person — who will remain unnamed — who said that in the work my institution was focused on and that was primarily supported by two sides of an industry group at war with each other that we should pick the side that gives us the most financial support (i.e., dough)….

Stephen Krasner, Director of Policy Planning at the Department of State and one of Condi Rice’s mentors, will be departing his position within a month and returning to his tenured faculty position at Stanford University.