Morning Brief, Wednesday, August 9

Crisis in the Middle East

Lebanese PM Fouad Siniora takes to the WaPo's op-ed pages to denounce Israel and mentions Hezbollah only once – in passing. In Israel, the security cabinet shakes up the military leadership and greenlights a new ground offensive that ministers believe will last at least 30 days. Israel is becoming a nation of hawks, but then, Arab reformers are increasingly isolated as well. The U.S. and France bicker over Lebanese involvement in a cease-fire and the nature of a multinational force along the border.

Simon Tisdall travels to Tehran to get a glimpse of the war's propoganda effect. Could this historic meeting between Saudi Arabia and Turkey be aimed at undercutting Iran's growing influence in the region? And in Haaretz, Gideon Samet argues that the war is already over, and its end exposes a dangerous new threat and an opportunity to move forward.

Iraq

It was a violent Tuesday around Baghdad despite increased Iraqi and American troop levels in the capital. Security responsibility for a large swath of the northern part of the country was handed over to the Iraqis yesterday, though the transfer will have no immediate effect on American troop levels. More testimony at the Mahmudiya rape and murder hearing. And four Iraqi men are arrested in connection with Jill Carroll's kidnapping.

Elsewhere

Chavez threatens to sever Venezuela's relations with Israel over the conflict in Lebanon. Protesters rally in central Somalia against the Islamist militia in control of Mogadishu. Incumbent Joseph Kabila takes an early lead in Congo's elections. Violence continues in Darfur. A new war crimes video is broadcast in Serbia. Is Zawahiri lying about al Qaeda's allies? And in an effort to raise money for "conservation," China allows foreign tourists to bid on the right to hunt endangered species like the wild yak ($40,000).