Turmoil in Iran Creates Uncertainty and Opportunity

 Nuclear Drive a Casualty of Iran’s Turmoil – Los Angeles Times [link]

• Iran's political crisis could prevent the nation from making any swift move to ratchet up its nuclear program, said analysts and officials, giving President Obama and Western allies more time to grapple with the issue.
• For now, most Iran watchers agree that Tehran will not only be unable to respond positively to the Obama administration's offer of talks, but also is in too much political disarray to make the major decisions necessary to build a nuclear weapon. Such steps would include further enriching its uranium supply to weapons grade, or constructing controversial new facilities for speeding up the process.

France and Germany Warn of New Iran Sanctions – New York Times [link]

• On the eve of the release of a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France have threatened tough new sanctions if Iran does not demonstrate a willingness to negotiate on its nuclear program.
• Note: The much-anticipated IAEA report on Iran is expected to be released around 11 A.M.

Pakistani Nuclear Scientist to Go Free – Reuters [link]

• A Pakistani judge ruled on Friday that nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan should be allowed freedom of movement more than five years after being put under house arrest for his role in a nuclear proliferation scandal.

Pentagon Vetting Could Delay Warhead Modernization Plan – Global Security Newswire [link]

• U.S. Defense Department leaders plan to submit to outside technical review their forthcoming recommendation on how to proceed with nuclear warhead modernization, a process that might delay a decision on the contentious plan until next year, according to a senior official.

A View from the Dark Side
Obama Jilts Poland and the Czech Republic – The Washington Times [link]

• The United States is poised to dump a critical missile-defense agreement with two of its most dependable NATO allies.
• Canceling the deployment will betray the trust of our allies in Warsaw and Prague, leave Europe defenseless against Iranian missiles, enhance the Kremlin's stature and diminish U.S. credibility.
• Fact check: Regarding the utility of these sites, please read this report from the EastWest Institute.