If you're trying to get up to speed on the Iran nuclear talks, which entered their third round today in Vienna, I've tried to hit all the main points in this new piece at Lobe Log. I think the final section is the most important: Why are the talks important? A negotiated settlement that allows … Continue reading A Primer on the Iranian nuclear talks, by yours truly

For religious folks of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic persuasion, lying is generally treated as a sin. The most succinct and famous religious law in the Abrahamic tradition is the Ten Commandments, and one of them reads (NASB): "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." If the Ten Commandments version isn't your bag (the phrasing leaves … Continue reading Bearing false witness

Married male congressman gets caught on security camera kissing a lady staffer of his, who is not his wife. Congressman says "I’ve asked them [his wife and kids] for forgiveness, and I’m asking forgiveness from my constituents who elected me to serve them.” This is fine, whatever, your marital problems don't have anything to do … Continue reading No double standard here

I'm home with a feverish kid, but I notice things are reaching kind of a fevered pitch in eastern Ukraine today: The seizure of government buildings in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists is being orchestrated by Moscow to create an excuse for a military invasion like in Crimea, Ukraine's prime minister said Monday. "Russia's scenario … Continue reading This can’t be good

Wall Street Journal Washington bureau chief Gerald F. Seib, twittering about an important piece on one of their blogs today: Iran nuclear talks aren't going well, and two former Obama advisers say it's time for tougher talk: http://t.co/mOELeDnoAM — Gerald F Seib (@GeraldFSeib) April 4, 2014 Wow. Not going well? That sounds ominous. I've seen … Continue reading Making the news up as we go along

I have a new entry at Lobe Log on Sunday's municipal elections in Turkey, which handed Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) a fairly substantial victory. AKP obviously remains popular among at least a plurality of the Turkish electorate, in spite of the ongoing corruption investigation swirling around Erdoğan, and the … Continue reading Erdoğan’s Authoritarianism and the Deep State

Jonathan Pollard is a spy. He used his position as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Navy in the 1980s to funnel classified US intel to Israel in exchange for money and jewelry. His insistence that his actions were not about money, but about passing information to Israel that America was withholding in violation of … Continue reading Barack Obama may be about to get rolled in Middle East negotiations, but not by Iran