Iraq closes borders with Iran and Syria

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Friday's Daily Briefing on Iran.

Fight Iran With a War of Ideas.
Azar Nafisi, The Los Angeles Times argued that empowering the country's dissidents, not military action, is the best way to weaken the Islamic regime.

Iran counting on Beijing and Trade Ties to Dispel U.S. Challenge.
John J. Metzler, World Tribune.com reported a pending Feb. 21st UN deadline for Iran to brief the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with a transparent account of its nuclear activities, is already facing all sorts of technical tricks from Tehran.


Why Now?
Michael Ledeen, Faster Please considered the popular question: why did the government decide—AT THIS TIME—to go public with the information about the Iranian activities in Iraq?

Here are four news items you may have missed.
Fred Haliday, OpenDemocracy argued that while the major concern of strategists and analysts remains the polarisation between the US and its foes in Iraq and, increasingly, in Iran. But there is another important, ominous, conflict accompanying these that has little to do with the machinations of Washington or Israel, and is less likely to be contained by political compromise: the spread, in a way radically new for the middle east, of direct conflict between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims.

Mario Loyola, The National Review Online argued that in Great Britain, a coalition of humanitarian organizations, think tanks, and peace groups are the latest to warn of the disastrous consequences of a military confrontation with Iran.

Human Rights Watch said the Iranian Judiciary should immediately halt all executions of people who have been sentenced to death in secret following unfair trials that do not meet minimal international standards of justice.

Thank you, Doctor Zin and Team, for your continued effort in making what is meant to keep silenced--known. Have a great day.

ORIGINALLY POSTED @ Causes of Interest.

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's News and Ideas.