On the web: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/newsroom/index.html
Summary: U.S. On Sunday, Sam Husseini of IPA Media questioned Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte about his office's approval of the Fleitz report on Iran's nuclear program, since discredited by the IAEA. Negroponte said his office's review only meant that the report was cleared for publication from the point of view of protecting classified information, not that the claims in the report were accurate.
Prior to his speech at the UN, President Bush again called on Iran to suspend enrichment of uranium and threatened Iran with sanctions if they do not comply. In his speech, he said that the U.S. wants peace, but he did not pledge not to attack Iran militarily, even if it complies with U.S. demands over its nuclear program.
President Bush has called for clarity in the rules for what he calls "alternative interrogation techniques" used by the CIA. What Bush really wants, the New York Times reports, is latitude so interrogators can use methods the military is barred from using under a recently issued Army field manual.
A Canadian government commission exonerated an engineer of ties to terrorism and faulted Canada and the US for his deportation to Syria, where he was tortured.
Iran President Chirac of France suggested Monday that Iran would not have to freeze major nuclear activities until talks began on its nuclear program. Chirac's remarks were the first time a Western leader has suggested that suspension is not a precondition for talks. Chirac made clear his opposition to sanctions.
Iraq Political leaders in Baghdad struggled to reach a deal that would end the fight over splitting Iraq into autonomous states.
Two truckers who worked in Iraq told Senate Democrats their employer, a Halliburton subsidiary, knowingly sent a lightly armed convoy of fuel tankers into a combat zone, leading to the deaths of seven truckers and at least two soldiers.
U.S. troop levels in Iraq will likely remain at the current number - more than 140,000 - through next spring, Gen. John Abizaid said.
U.S. forces are taking to collective punishment of civilians in several cities across the al-Anbar province west of Baghdad, Inter Press Service reports.
Lebanon Israel's military chief told lawmakers Tuesday that it plans to withdraw all its remaining troops from Lebanon by this weekend.
Palestine As President Abbas tries to assemble a national unity government that might enable Israeli and Western funds to flow back to the Palestinian Authority, the battling between gunmen affiliated with his Fatah faction and those of Hamas continues apace, the New York Times reports. The "Israeli" funds referred to are actually Palestinian funds, Palestinian tax revenues currently withheld by Israel.
Pope's Comments on Islam Many Muslims insisted Monday the Pope did not go far enough in his apology Sunday. Debate Monday seemed to turn on whether the pope had actually apologized. Many Muslims - and some Catholics - noted he had said only that he was sorry for the reaction across the Muslim world. He did not say he had been wrong.
IMF-World Bank The IMF's decision to give China and South Korea more clout may not be enough to reverse a loss of influence in Asia, Bloomberg reports. Asian nations are forging ahead with plans to develop the Chiang Mai Initiative, a web of agreements to bail out neighbors in case of a financial crisis.
Hungary Prime Minister Gyurcsany vowed to stay in office after protests truggered by a recording on which Gyurcsany admitted lying ''morning, evening and night'' about the economy during the election campaign.
Thailand Thai military forces seized control of Bangkok Tuesday night, suspended the constitution and declared martial law.
In this issue: U.S. 1) John Negroponte Questioned on Fleitz Report 2) Bush to Engage Skeptical U.N. on Mideast 3) Experts Say Bush's Goal in Terrorism Bill Is Latitude for Interrogators' Methods 4) Canadians Fault U.S. for Its Role in Torture Case
Iran 5) Iran's Freeze on Enrichment Could Wait, France Suggests
Iraq 6) Attacks in Iraq Leave 23 Dead as Talks Lag on Autonomy 7) Truckers Testify That Halliburton Put Lives at Risk 8) Iraq Troop Levels to Remain Constant, Abizaid Says 9) US Resorting to 'Collective Punishment' in Iraq
Lebanon 10) Israel to Withdraw All Lebanon Troops in Days
Palestine 11) In Gaza, the Rule by the Gun Draws Many Competitors
Pope's Comments on Islam 12) Pope's Regrets Over Statement Fail to Quiet a Storm of Protests
IMF-World Bank 13) IMF Role Under Threat as Asia Boosts Own Bailout Plan
Hungary 14) Hungarian Leader Refuses to Resign After Riots
Thailand 15) Thai Military Faction Declares Martial Law
Contents: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/newsroom/index.html#t1
-------- Robert Naiman Just Foreign Policy www.justforeignpolicy.org
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