Morning Joe: Setting the Tone for the Moscow Summit

Stories we're following today:

Russia's Medvedev Urges Obama to Put Aside Differences - Washington Post [link]

• Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday Washington and Moscow must set aside the power politics of the past and use a forthcoming summit to unite in tackling global economic and political problems.

Russian-American Relations: Their History & Outlook - Video Blog from Russian President Medvedev [link]

• "Russia and America need new, common, mutually beneficial projects in business, science and culture. We need to move forward on the basis of a resolutely practical agenda. I hope that this sincere desire to open a new chapter in Russian-American cooperation will be brought into fruition to the benefit of our countries and the entire world."

Is North Korea Prepping Fourth of July Fireworks? - Danger Room [link]

• So can we count on a repeat performance this Fourth of July? According to Bloomberg’s Tony Capaccio, don’t count on it. Capaccio spoke with unnamed government officials who are tracking North Korea’s launch preparations, and they say that “there are no signs of the work necessary to launch a long-range missile during the U.S. July 4 Independence Day celebration.”

FBI says Saddam's weapons bluff aimed at Iran - Glen Kessler of the Washington Post [link]

• Saddam Hussein believed Iran was a significant threat to Iraq and left open the possibility that he had weapons of mass destruction rather than appear vulnerable, according to declassified FBI documents on interrogations of the former Iraqi leader.
• Further Reading: Think Progress has a fresh, link-packed post on this story. [link]

A View from the Dark Side

Time for an Israeli Strike? - John Bolton in the Washington Post [link]

• Accordingly, with no other timely option, the already compelling logic for an Israeli strike is nearly inexorable. Israel is undoubtedly ratcheting forward its decision-making process. President Obama is almost certainly not.
• Those who oppose Iran acquiring nuclear weapons are left in the near term with only the option of targeted military force against its weapons facilities.