Portside

An interesting article on the Iran Agreement written by a former CIA Analyst. "Everything that has been gained under this agreement in the way of restrictions on, and monitoring of, the Iranian nuclear program is a net, as well as a gross, gain over the situation that prevailed before the negotiations began and over the situation that would prevail if the agreement is killed."

Many Israeili security insiders say the deal signed in Vienna isn't as bad as Netanyahu claims. Some call it good for Israel. They include former chief of military intelligence, Amos Yadlin; former chief of arms technology, Yitzhak Ben-Yisrael, who now chairs The Israel Space Agency; former chief of military operations, Israel Ziv; the architect of Israeli military intelligence, Dov Tamari; former director of Shin Bet domestic security service, Ami Ayalon; and others.

40 U.S. organizations have sent a message to U.S. Congress and are organizing to support the nuclear agreement being negotiated with Iran. MODERATOR NOTE: Check-out groups to get involved and be heard and seen in support of peace.

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The Iranian revolution was not "Islamic" and "Islamist" forces who took over needed pseudo crises to implement their agenda. The "hostage crisis" was the first and "nuclear policy" is the latest of such crises that portray "Iran vs. the world." The other side, the US and some regional powers, too, welcome such a "bogeyman" role by Iran. This scheme, due to its economic and political costs could not continue further.

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As Saudi Arabia continues its air assault on Yemen’s Houthi insurgents, supporters and opponents of the Riyadh monarchy are reconfiguring the political landscape in a way that’s unlikely to vanish once the fighting is over. The Saudis have constructed what at first glance seems a formidable coalition consisting of the Arab League, the monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Turkey, and the United States. Except that the “coalition” isn’t as solid as it looks.

While the Syrian opposition is understandably bitter that the YPG and YPJ withdrew most of their energy from the war with Assad, leftists worldwide should be watching the remarkable efforts being made by Syrian Kurds and their allies to build a liberated area where they can develop their ideas about socialism, democracy, women, and ecology in practice.

Claims Iran is supplying the Houthis with weapons ignore the fact the group was already flush with American arms from ex-president Saleh.