What We're Reading Now
Aug 26, 2011

IRAN
The martyr state myth
Matthew Duss, Foreign Policy -- August 24, 2011
The "martyr state" myth is based upon two flawed assumptions. First, that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been uniquely willing to endure the deaths of its own citizens in order to achieve its policy goals. Second, that the Iranian Shiite regime's End Times theology actually induces it to trigger a conflagration.

Tehran's Nuclear Endgame
Michael Rubin, The National Review -- August 25, 2011
When considering Iran’s nuclear weapons, however, the character of the regime is less important than the ideology of those who would have custody, command, and control of the nuclear arsenal.

Iran sees fresh hope in nuclear inspections
Kaveh Afrasiabi, Asia Times -- August 26, 2011
he United Nations' nuclear watchdog has had a fresh look at Iran's facilities and this, together with Tehran's embrace of a Russian proposal to gradually resolve the nuclear standoff, may set the stage for a new round of multilateral nuclear talks in the next few weeks.