We’ve been waiting for a long time for Obama to speak out as strongly against Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as he did against Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak.

And today, finally – fi-nally, his administration condemned the violent reaction in Syria against protesters who dare criticize Assad’s regime.

Wow, this is going to cause a political earthquake, I’m sure.

The United States is not working to undermine the Syrian government but President Bashar al-Assad “needs to address the legitimate aspirations of his people,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Monday.

I don’t know what to say. This is im-pres-sive. I’m truly speechless.| MORE ›

This article on China and Russia by Professor Barry Rubin, is the most interesting analysis of international politics I’ve read this week:

China is very much motivated toward development rather than ideology or geopolitical ambition. It wants to get along with everyone as much as possible and make lots of money.| MORE ›

What? Wasn’t its nuclear project peaceful? Who would’ve thought!

Two years ago, American intelligence agencies published a detailed report [i.e. the 2007 NIE] concluding that Tehran halted its efforts to design a nuclear weapon in 2003. But in recent months, Britain has joined France, Germany and Israel in disputing that conclusion, saying the work has been resumed.| MORE ›

If this report is correct, calling it an interesting development would be the understatement of the century:

INTELLIGENCE chief Sir John Scarlett has been told that Saudi Arabia is ready to allow Israel to bomb Iran’s new nuclear site.| MORE ›

It’s unbelievable but former President Jimmy Carter has outdone himself this time:

Another moment of lunacy from this nation’s biggest Oval Office mistake of the 20th century — which may be akin to saying “water is still wet,” but we should be keeping a tally.| MORE ›

The Jerusalem Post reports that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iran will not retreat “one iota on [its] nuclear rights.” He added that he was extremely happy that the West, and especially the U.S., seems to grow to agree with him.| MORE ›

You’ve got to be kidding me:

Western powers all appeared to be on the same page.

Behind their show of unity about Iran’s clandestine efforts to manufacture nuclear fuel, however, is a continuing debate among American, European and Israeli spies about a separate component of Iran’s nuclear program: its clandestine efforts to design a nuclear warhead.| MORE ›

Although they only broke the news this week, Western intelligence agencies did in fact know about Iran’s second nuclear facility for years. The LA Times, Fox News and Newsweek all say they discovered the reactor located near Qom in 2006.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not quite understand the outrage he caused.| MORE ›

You wouldn’t know it if you only watched CNN, ABC, MSNBC or any other member of the mainstream media, but the Green Revolution continues unabated in Iran. Michael Ledeen writes for Pajamas Media:

When a tyrannical regime dies, you can see the symptoms in the little things.| MORE ›