Epstein Secrets

om Russia and Iran, triggering the risk of a broader conflict. That is highly unlikely. Iran lacks the military muscle to make an impression in the Mediterranean, although it might attempt to persuade Lebanese Hezbollah to launch reprisal terrorist operations. Though an opportunist power, Russia pursues a p

cared. He appointed Holbrooke as his point man only to ensure that he "never received the authority to do diplomacy." Obama's message to President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan was: "Ignore my special representative." The White House campaign against Holbrooke was "a theater of the absurd," Nasr writes. "Ho

he White House campaign against Holbrooke was "a theater of the absurd," Nasr writes. "Holbrooke was not included in Obama's videoconferences with Karzai and was cut out of the presidential retinue when Obama went to Afghanistan." The White House seemed "more interested in bringing Holbrooke down tha

t for the Syria-Iran axis. Russia is rebuilding its Soviet-era naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, which allows Moscow to reassert a plausible Mediterranean threat to NATO. Syria also provides Iran with a front line against Israel via Hezbollah in Lebanon, and that too can be a most effective anti-Weste

m all directions for an accelerated U.S. and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. Fears of a negotiated strategic agreement between Washington and the Karzai government allowing a residual presence of foreign forces would disappear. Opportunities for Iran to expand its already extensive political and eco

tting the 2010 flotilla go ahead and putting Turkish lives in harm's way. If Kilicdaroglu were brave enough, said Erdogan, he would "criticize the Mediterranean pirates instead of being a sycophant." (Kilicdaroglu has replied in kind, criticizing Erdogan for accepting a prize from a U.S.-based Jewish group.

ecretary Leon Panetta will remain low-key during this round. He doesn't want to alienate his new Pentagon home or undercut Obama. As for President Karzai of Afghanistan, his course is certain: Scream against large- scale withdrawals. One final piece of the July formula that remains to be developed is

Hotels firm which ended up in the Nasdaq Dubai stock market. However, one place where his views have been accepted and would sit comfortably is the Mediterranean country of Lebanon. EFTA_R1_00031229 EFTA01741306 Even before the assassination of Rafic Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Al Waleed

le East Peace Envoy Tony Blair, Bashar Al Assad of Syria, President Tabu& Vazquez of Uruguay, President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, President Hamid Karazai of Afghanistan, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed, Kazakh President,