by Bay Fang

There was much talk surrounding the State Department's third-ranking diplomat, Bill Burns, attending nuclear talks with Iran Saturday in Geneva. But what, in the end, did all the speculation lead to? Not much, it seems.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described the interaction thusly: "When his turn to speak arose, Ambassador Burns delivered a clear simple message: the United States is serious in its support for the package Mr. Solana conveyed in Tehran last month, the United States is serious in its support of P5+1 unity, and the United States with its P5+1 partners are serious that Iran must suspend uranium enrichment to have negotiations involving the United States... Ambassador Burns did not meet or speak with separately any member of the Iranian delegation."

In other words, despite the presence of the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, nothing new was really said on either side. The six hour talks yesterday ended in stalemate, when Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said Iran would still not discuss freezing its uranium enrichment activities, which western countries fear are aimed at producing a nuclear bomb but Iran insists are for energy needs.

by Frank James, with correction

There was a lot of surprise in Washington and beyond when the news broke that U.S. State Department official William Burns will be meeting in Geneva, Switzerland with Iranian officials over the weekend as part of an international group attempting to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear-weapons development efforts.

What raised so many eyebrows was what appeared to be seeming reversal in the Bush Administration's position that it wouldn't engage in direct talks unless the Iranians ceased and desisted in their nuclear enrichment efforts.

It's no reversal, said the White House which insisted that just because a senior State Department official will be in a room with Iranian officials where a lot of talking will be taking place, that's not the same as negotiations.

Here's a lengthy exchange White House Press Secretary Dana Perino had with reporters this afternoon:

Q But you're saying this isn't negotiated? Is this negotiating with the Iranians?

Q Well, how can you say nothing has changed if you're sending over Bill Burns to even sit there? I mean, that certainly gives the Iranians --

by Katie Fretland

In 2006, Reuters said one of its freelance photographers altered an image of smoke rising from buildings in Beirut following an Israeli air strike in order to show more smoke than there was.

In 2004, President Bush's campaign admitted doctoring a photograph of Bush speaking to troops, by moving the president in the photograph and copying a group of soldiers to fill in the space.

In 1994, a photograph of O.J. Simpson in Time magazine was altered to make his face appear with deep shadows.

Now an expert says Iran doctored photos of a missile launch to show four missiles instead of three.

"There's no doubt the photo was doctored," Mark Fitzpatrick, director of the Non-Proliferation Program for the London-based International Institute For Strategic Studies, AP reports.

He said he believes Iran was exaggerating its capabilities by including a picture of one rocket that had failed.

Read more about famous doctored photographs in today's Chicago Tribune.

A gallery of altered photos can also be found at chicagtribune.com.

by Bay Fang

Iran's reported test-firing of missiles two days in a row, just as it is showing more interest in dialogue about its nuclear enrichment program, highlighted the mixed messages that pose a dilemma for the U.S. as it weighs how to approach a country moving ever closer to becoming a nuclear power.

In a show of strength and readiness, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards reportedly launched nine mid- to long-range ballistic missiles in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday, and two more Thursday, including one that could reach Israel and U.S. forces stationed in the region.

But it comes as Tehran has seemed to react favorably to a new package of incentives presented by the U.S. and its European allies to halt its nuclear program, and as its top nuclear negotiator is planning to meet with European Union representative Javier Solana in the coming weeks.

Regional analysts surmise that the two approaches could indicate a real division in Tehran over how to deal with the West, but could also be an effective negotiating tactic.

From Newsday...

by Janie Lorber

WASHINGTON - A flotilla of peace protesters in canoes and rafts attempted to blockade the houseboat of Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Jamaica Estates) early Wednesday morning in reaction to legislation he submitted that would impose sanctions on Iran.

The Queens Democrat emerged from his home on the Potomac River smiling and clapping after the demonstrators, known as Code Pink, had been chanting for nearly 30 minutes. They want Ackerman to withdraw the legislation because they believe it symbolizes the first step on a path to war. Instead of force, Code Pink is calling for direct talks with the Iranian government.

(Members of the anti-war Code Pink protested Rep. Gary Ackerman's house boat with a canoe blockade Wednesday morning. Photo by Michael Temchine.)

"This is not an embargo," Ackerman told the protesters. "We're not calling for a blockade. It is basically what the UN is doing. The UN has imposed sanctions on Iran."

Ackerman said he would be willing to meet with any Iranian government official without preconditions, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but would not retreat from his legislation.

Ackerman said he expected the bill, which already has 220 co-sponsors, to pass the House easily, though no date has been set for a vote.

By Aamer Madhani

The words Wednesday from Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were notable for their blunt pragmatism: an Israeli airstrike on Iran would be high risk and could further destabilize the region, leading to political and economic chaos.

On Iran's western border, the U.S. military is more than five years into a war in Iraq that has taken 4,113 American lives and cost U.S. taxpayers more than $600 billion. And on Iran's eastern border, American commanders are now openly questioning whether they have lost their way in the fight against a resurgent Taliban.

Israel, the United States' closest ally in the Middle East, has refused to rule out a strike against Iranian nuclear sites, and this week's New Yorker magazine reported that the U.S. has stepped up its covert operations inside Iran.

While President George W. Bush repeated Wednesday that a military strike remains an option, Mullen's words of caution underscored the Pentagon's belief that a move against Iran--by the U.S. or one of its allies--would have an undeniable effect on the ongoing U.S. missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us," Mullen acknowledged during a Pentagon news conference. He added moments later, "This is a very unstable part of the world, and I don't need it to be more unstable."

The White House, Israel and Western powers say Iran continues to work toward producing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is intended only for generating electricity. This week, Iran's foreign minister struck a conciliatory tone when speaking to reporters about the possibility of Tehran agreeing to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Mullen's comments come in the wake of the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in the 7-year-old war, with 27 American service members killed in June. About 32,000 U.S. troops are serving in Afghanistan, compared with 144,000 in Iraq.

by David Nitkin

President Bush said today he wants to continue toward a diplomatic resolution to Iran's nuclear ambitions, and would not directly address reports that Israel plans a military strike to destroy Iranian uranium enrichment capabilities before the end of the year.

"I have made it very clear to all parties that the first option ought to be to solve this problem diplomatically," Bush said. "And the best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United States to work with other nations to send a focused message. And that is that, You will be isolated and you will have economic hardship if you continue trying to enrich."

Bush addressed his goals for an upcoming trip to Japan for a G8 summit during a statement in the Rose Garden, and took five questions from reporters at the conclusion of his prepared remarks. Two of the questions concerned Israel's intentions in Iran, a topic of escalating debate. But the president did not specifically mention the prospect of Israeli military attacks in his responses.

Bush said he supported a proposal from Russian leader Vladimir Putin to provide enriched uranium for an Iranian civilian nuclear power program and collect the spent fuel, "thereby negating the need for the Iranian regime to enrich at all."

Questions about Israeli intentions in Iran have swelled since last month, when more than 100 Israeli F-16s and F-15s flew more than 900 miles over the Mediterranean in an exercise that included refueling tankers and helicopters that could rescue downed pilots, the New York Times reported. The distance covered during the exercise showed that Israel jets could reach Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.

by Mark Silva

President Bush and European leaders not only agreed today to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iran for its pursuit of nuclear enrichment, but also affirmed that they are "ready to supplement these sanctions with additional measures'' if Iran does not verifiably suspend its enrichment.

"We spent a lot of time on Iran,'' Bush said, asserting that the E.U.'s foreign minister is "going to Iran to deliver a clear message: There is a better way for you to move forward than a way that so far has led to isolation. Iran with a nuclear weapon would be incredibly dangerous for world peace.

This summit marked the opening of a weeklong tour that will carry Bush to Germany (tonight) and on to Paris, Rome, London and Belfast.

"One of these days I'm going to come back as a tourist,'' said Bush in a joint press availability with his Slovenian host, Prime Minister Jansa, at Brdo Castlein Kranj. Bush amending an earlier assessment that Slovenia is "a little slice of heaven'' called it "a big slice of heaven... As you know, I'm close to retirement,'' the visiting president said. "And I'm looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful country and meeting more of your really gracious and hospitable people.''

"Our discussions at this summit were very good and open,'' Jansa said. " We confirmed that the transatlantic partnership is solid and dynamic. This message carries special weight in the historic context of this summit.

" Sixty years ago, the U.S. offered the ravaged and divided Europe hope through the Marshall Plan and through courage, solidarity and vision,'' he said. "The first U.S. President, George Washington, once said that there will be a United States of Europe. This has not happened yet, but the European Union has been created, an area of freedom and progress uniting 500 million Europeans.''

It seemed that the host at this event wanted to talk about a lot of other things, but Bush was particularly focused on Iran.

" We've got to continue to work together to make it clear, abundantly clear to them, that it's their choice to make: They can either face isolation or they can have better relations with all of us if they verifiably suspend their enrichment program,'' Bush said.

Iran insists that its enrichment of uranium is intended for a civilian power-generating program, but the U.S. contends that any nuclear enrichment poses the possibility of a higher, weapons-grade enrichment - though the Bush administration's own National Intelligence Estimate has concluded that Iran shelved its nuclear weapon-building program several years ago.

" We've always made it clear to the Iranians there's a better way forward; that if they want to have a relationship with the EU3 and the United States and other countries, they -- all they've got to do is verifiably suspend their enrichment program,'' Bush said. " And the reason why that's important is that they learn to enrich, it means they've learned to -- a key part of developing a nuclear weapon. And if they end up with a nuclear weapon, the free world is going to say, why didn't we do something about it at the time, before they developed it? And so now is the time for there to be strong diplomacy.

"The fundamental question is -- it's not ours to make; it's theirs to make -- and that is, are they going to continue on their path of obstruction? Or will they continue to isolate their people? Or are they going to continue to deny the people of Iran a bright future by basically saying, we don't care what the world says.

"And that's the position they're in,'' Bush said. "I leave behind a multilateral framework to work this issue... A group of countries can send a clear message to the Iranians, and that is, we're going to continue to isolate you; we'll continue to work on sanctions -- we'll find new sanctions if need be -- if you continue to deny the just demands of a free world, which is to give up your enrichment program.''

By Bay Fang

Despite diligently ignoring each other at a United Nations-led conference on Iraq in Stockholm, Sweden, Condoleezza Rice and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki could not avoid getting into a bit of a public spat.

At the meeting, which brought together sponsors of a five-year plan to reform Iraq's economy and political system, known as the "International Compact with Iraq," Mottaki blamed Iraq's current security problems on the US, and added, "The United States of America needs a serious review of its foreign policy toward the Middle East," he said. "These policies in ... Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and generally speaking the Middle East are mistaken policies."

He said Iran was committed to helping to rebuild its war-torn neighbor. The U.S administration, however, has accused Iran of arming and training Shiite militants in Iraq.

In a press conference at her next stop in Reykjavik, Iceland, when asked how she would respond to Mottaki's accusations about the Bush administration's policies in the region, Rice said pointedly that Mottaki did not have to send messages to her through the press. "He is receiving very soon a message from the six foreign ministers of the P-5+1 - that would be the United States, Russia, China , Germany, France and Great Britain - that Iran should, in accordance with the Security Council resolutions that have been passed, suspend its enrichment and reprocessing, come to the negotiating table, and that there is a very good package of incentives for Iran to do so."

by Frank James

In his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning, Gen. David Petraeus called for a controversial 45-day pause in U.S. troop drawdowns after the reduction of American surge forces is completed in July.

That pause would allow U.S. officials to reassess security conditions in Iraq which would dictate the pace of future reductions of U.S. troops, the top American commander in Iraq told the senators.

To do otherwise would risk the fragile improvements in security achieved by U.S. and American forces since the surge began early last year, said Petraeus, who outlined the successes and challenges ahead for U.S. and Iraq officials and warned that the gains reached so far were "reversible."

Also, Petraeus was sure to draw the ire of anti-war members of Congress for warning that if the U.S. did not stick with his program, that would be giving the al Qaeda terrorist group a greenlight to get busy expanding its role in Iraq. Many critics have accused the Bush Administration of hyping the al Qaeda threat in Iraq in order to continue high troop levels there.

Petreaus's position wasn't a surprise since the idea of a pause has been discussed by Bush Administration and U.S. military officials. But his official testimony now gives the debate over how to proceed in Iraq another jolt of momentum.

Petraeus said:

"After weighing these factors I recommended to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown in the surge combat forces and that upon the withdrawal of the last surge brigade combat team in July, we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation and evaluation.

At the end of that period we'll commence a process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground and to determine when we can make recommedations for further reductions. This process will be continuous with recommendations for further reductions made as conditions permit.

This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable. However it does provide the flexibility those of us on the ground need to preserve the still fragile secutiry gains our troopers have fought so hard and sacrificed so hard to achieve. With this approach the security achievements of 2007and early 2008 can form the foundation for the gradual establishment of sustainable security in Iraq.

This is not only important to the 27 million citizens of Iraq it is also vitally important to those in the Gulf region, to the citizens of the U.S. and the international community. It's clearly in our national interest to help Iraq prvent the resurgence of the al Qaeda in the heart of the Arab world, to help Iraq resist encroachment on its sovereignty, to avoid renewed ethno-sectarian violence that could spill over Iraq's borders and make the existing refugee crisis even worse and to enable Iraq to expand it's role in the regional and global economies.

by Mark Silva

New York's got nothing on Tehran.

The day after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's announced resignation for involvement in a prostitution ring, comes word that the police chief in Tehran -- yes, Iran -- has resigned following his arrest, naked, in the company of six nude prostitutes in a brothel, overseas wires are reporting.

"Reza Zarei stepped down from his post following the raid, reportedly ordered by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, chief of the judicial authorities, Ynetnews reported today.

"Zarei has been in charge of enforcing the Islamic dress code on Iranian women to help with "moralizing of the city," the Israeli news agency reported. During the past six months, hundreds of young people were arrested for not honoring the Islamic code of behavior.''

"Rumors of the brothel incident had been rampant in Iran for two weeks. Last week Zarei was replaced as Tehran's police chief after four years.

"The arrest wasn't reported by any of Iran's official news agencies, Ynetnews reported. Farda News, associated with Tehran's mayor who is also a former police chief, broke the story.

United Press International contributed to this report

President Bush and U.S. Central Command commander, Navy Admiral William J. Fallon May 1, 2007 (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

by Aamer Madhani

Admiral William Fallon, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East who recently publicly criticized the Bush Administration’s Iran policy, has resigned his command.

In an abruptly called new conference, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that he has accepted Fallon’s resignation. In a profile in the Esquire magazine now on the newsstands, Fallon is portrayed as the one man standing in the way of Bush going to war with Iran.

He was described as a lone wolf calling on the administration to tamp down the drumbeat of war and engage Iran.

"Recent press reports suggesting a disconnect between my views and the president's policy objectives have become a distraction at a critical time and hamper efforts in the Centcom region," Fallon said in a statement. "And although I don't believe there have ever been any differences about the objectives of our policy in the Central Command area of responsibility, the simple perception that there is makes it difficult for me to effectively serve America's interests there."

by Aamer Madhani

Israel’s ambassador to the United States said today that Iran was becoming a “very, very dangerous ticking bomb” and urged the world to take a more active role in forcing Iran to give up its uranium-enrichment program.

A National Intelligence Estimate issued by U.S. agencies in December concluded that Iran suspended its nuclear arms program in 2003, but the Bush administration has stressed that the report confirms that Iran had a program and continued desire to build nuclear weapons.

Sallai Meridor, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., echoed the Bush administration call that Iran remains a serious threat, but he also upped the ante in making a comparison to the international community’s slowness to head off Adolph Hitler in the 1930s.

“The writing is on the wall like in the ‘30s,” Meridor told defense reporters in Washington. “It’s not hidden, it’s stated. Everybody who doesn’t close his eyes can see it. Everybody that is not deaf can hear it. The world should act and act now and not repeat the terrible mistakes that it made in the past.”

It’s important to note that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called Israel a rotten state, has declared that the nation needs to be obliterated, and has expressed doubt about the Holocaust.

by Matthew Hay Brown, updated

Congressional Democrats are calling on President Bush to revise his policy of seeking to isolate Iran, in light of the National Intelligence Estimate finding that the Islamic republic suspended its quest for a nuclear weapon four years ago.

“We no longer have to have a policy that’s … based on hype and fear, but now can be clear-eyed and hard-headed,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel told reporters this morning.

“We do not have to operate from fear or weakness,” the Illinois congressman said. “We have strength here.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urged Bush to announce “a top-to-bottom review of his Iran policy” and launch a “diplomatic surge” on the country.

“He should announce that his Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense are prepared to meet anytime, anywhere with their Iranian counterparts to conduct vigorous diplomacy to advance U.S. interests and address the challenges of Iran,” the Nevada Democrat said.

Not so fast, Bush says.