July 17, 2012 | 12:54 am

July 17, 2012

Posted by Shmuel Rosner

A demonstration in Jerusalem calling for Jonathan Pollard's release. (Photo: Reuters)

in-depth:

It’s Foreign Affairs, Stupid

As the world roils, the upcoming US election should be about more than simply the economy, writes Zalmay Khalilzad in the National Interest.

[K]ey regions are experiencing destabilizing transitions, particularly in the greater Middle East. The transnational terrorist threat from the Afghanistan-Pakistan region endures. Iran’s nuclear program threatens a cascade of proliferation. Prospects are real for a sectarian war between Sunni and Shia forces in Iraq, Syria and the Gulf, fueled by regional powers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The most significant great powers outside the region—America, Europe, Russia, China and India—can’t agree on how to address these challenges.

Nuclear Mirage? Assessing Civilian Nuclear Programs Across the Middle East

Writing for the Institute for National Security Studies, Yoel Guzansky and Gallia Lindenstrauss find that civilian nuclear aspirations of most countries do not pose a threat to global security.

The danger of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East is not connected, at least in the short term, with development of civilian nuclear programs, and certainly according to the model adopted by the UAE. However, there are several states that pose a greater risk. As Iran’s nuclear program progresses, it is also not inconceivable that various actors will look for shortcuts and seek not only to promote a civilian program, but also to acquire the components of off-the-shelf weapons. This is perhaps the more worrying scenario than what is currently happening with regard to civilian nuclear programs in the Middle East..

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