Setting the Trap on Iran
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on April 22nd, 2010 4:31 am by HL
Setting the Trap on Iran
David Ignatius, Washington Post
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's goal as it devises sanctions for Iran is to build a sticky trap — so that the harder the Iranians try to wriggle out of the sanctions, the more tightly they will be caught in the snare.It's a clever idea. But even if it works with mousetrap precision, it's unlikely to stop the Iranian nuclear program. That's why Defense Secretary Bob Gates and other officials are pressing to explore the “what-ifs” about Iran — and to accelerate planning for contingencies that could arise as the confrontation deepens. Â
Will British Politics Be Changed Forever?
Jonathan Freedland, Guardian
The Lib Dem boom has left seasoned strategists baffled. This alien new world is full of deep craters for all partiesSuddenly British politics has gone Hollywood. That's not a reference to pin-up boy Clegg but rather to the old William Goldman maxim about the film industry: “No one knows anything.” Talk to those whose opinions ordinarily come armour-plated and they'll admit they're flailing.Fifteen days out from a general election, such folk usually have a very clear sense of what will happen. Not this time.
What’s Missing From Dodd Bill
Wallison, Johnson, Cowen, & Thoma, NYT
President Obama will be in New York on Thursday to lobby for the Democrats' effort to overhaul financial regulations, as Senator Christopher Dodd, the chairman of the banking committee and sponsor of the legislation, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner try to gain the support of centrist Congressional Republicans for the measure.So far Republican support is hard to come by, and, on the other side, some Democrats say the bill is not strong enough. What is wrong with the bill, from both perspectives? Are there ways to improve it?
