International Politics of the Middle East

What has not been explained, however, is what happened in the cases of the other 58 men who were accused by the notorious liar, or why Mohammed's father -- whose circumstances seem to have been no different -- was not cleared for release as well.

Maliki has realized that the violence could bring down his government by exposing his inability to provide security without the U.S. Blaming a convenient target like Syria doesn't threaten any of his important domestic constituencies, deflects attention from any of his own failings, and conveniently sidesteps the need for any domestic political reforms.

a potentially very serious development, with possible spillover effects on a wide range of issues beyond the bilateral relationship. It could cast a serious cloud over the push for the resumption of Arab-Israeli peace negotiations -- or it could push Syria to get off the fence and play ball more aggressively with the U.S. and Israel. It could heighten Iraq's Arab isolation, confirming the widespread antipathy among Arab leaders towards Maliki's government and freezing whatever momentum might have existed towards rebuilding Arab ties with Iraq -- or, if resolved through stronger cooperation against insurgents crossing into Iraq, the crisis could create the basis for a stronger and sustainable Iraqi integration into the Arab region. And it could lead to heightened suspicion of the Iranian role -- or, if Iran's call for a meeting of Iraq's neighbors were taken up, become the vehicle for overcoming the regional cold war which Obama's efforts have so fitfully begun to thaw. It's worth American attention.

Obama had given Iran until the end of September to negotiate its nuclear enrichment activities, or face harsher sanctions.

"Iran wants to say that we have various capacities to work with the world and with the global community, it's not just the nuclear issue."

Paul Brannan, a senior analyst at the Institute for Science and International Security, told Al Jazeera: "The very fact that they have come back with what they call an updated proposal is a very positive development ... it gives the impression that there is new language agreeable to the so-called five plus one.

the simple fact that Iran is ready to come back into negotiations as a very positive note."

Brannan added that his organisation's analysis had said that Tehran probably had the capacity to build a nuclear weapon but, "certainly Iran has not taken the decision yet to make a nuclear weapon."

the dynamic was for Christians as well as Muslims in Egypt

this time Mr. Qimni did not go into hiding. He appeared on the television show, sitting beside Sheik Badri as he defended himself.

“It is an unprecedented move to recognize that one can be Egyptian and not adhere to one of these three religions,”

“there has been a certain arrogance to our ‘strat comm’ efforts.” He wrote that “good communications runs both ways.”“It’s not about telling our story,” he stated. “We must also be better listeners.”

Coinciding with the publication of his essay, Admiral Mullen released a YouTube video inviting questions from members of the armed services and the public on a range of national security and military personnel issues for an online discussion. “The chairman intends to use social media to expand the two-way conversation with service members and the public,” said a statement announcing the interactive video question-and-answer session.