Turkish Leadership in the Middle East

Elliot Hen-Tov & Bernard Haykel
NYT 06.18.2010

Iran paradoxically stands to lose much influence as Turkey assumes a surprising new role as the modern, democratic and internationally respected nation willing to take on Israel and oppose America... Turkey’s Islamist government has distilled every last bit of political benefit from the flotilla crisis, domestically and internationally. And if the Gaza blockade is abandoned or loosened, it will be easily portrayed as a victory for Turkish engagement on behalf of the Palestinians... For Americans, it may be hard to see the blessings in a rift with a longtime ally. But even if Turkey’s interests no longer fully align with ours, there is much to be gained from a Westernized, prosperous and democratic nation becoming the standard-bearer of the Islamic world.

Pirates of the Aden Gulf

See also.

BBC 5.5.2010:

A Russian warship is rushing to assist an oil tanker which has been hijacked by Somali pirates off East Africa. The Marshal Shaposhnikov was heading to assist the Moscow University, which was attacked 500 miles (800km) off the Somali coast... Shots were fired at the 96,000-tonne tanker from two speedboats... The 23 Russian crew on board are reported to have locked themselves in the ship's radar room.

Iran's Plan for Regional Power

Mohsen Milani
Tehran's Take: Understanding Iran's US Policy (Foreign Affairs 88/4):

Tehran's foreign policy has its own strategic logic. Formulated not by mad mullahs but by calculating ayatollahs, it is based on Iran's ambitions and Tehran's perception of what threatens them. Tehran's top priority is the survival of the Islamic Republic as it exists now. Tehran views the United States as an existential threat and to counter it has devised a strategy that rests on both deterrence and competition in the Middle East.

Hillary Clinton v. Iran

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (BBC 5.4.2010):

Iran will do whatever it can to divert attention away from its own record in an attempt to evade accountability... Iran is the only country represented in this hall that has been found by the [International Atomic Energy Agency] board of governors to be currently in non-compliance with its nuclear safeguard obligations... It has defied the UN Security Council and the IAEA and placed the future of the non-proliferation regime in jeopardy, and that is why it is facing increasing isolation and pressure from the international community.

Non-proliferation: Competing Aims

Paul Reynolds
BBC 5.3.2010:

Among the competing aims are these:

• The United States and its allies want much tougher inspections of all states signed up to the NPT and penalties for those (like North Korea in 2003) which leave it.
  
• Non-aligned members are calling for a plan of action to implement the vision of worldwide nuclear disarmament laid out in the treaty, which was opened for signature in 1968.
  
• Some Middle East countries are calling for action to set up a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East.
  
• Iran's determination to continue enriching uranium against the orders of the UN Security Council is likely to dominate the opening session of the conference, with an appearance by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.