Daily News Brief — July 27, 2010

EU adopts tougher Iran sanctions, Russia slams them
The European Union passed new sanctions that target Iran’s energy sector with new restrictions the backbone of Iran’s economy: foreign trade, financial services and the oil and gas sectors. Officials said the sanctions were “by some way the most far-reaching sanctions adopted by the EU against any country.”

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the move:

“…not only undermines our joint strength in the search for a political-diplomatic resolution of the situation…but demonstrates scorn for the carefully developed and agreed-upon position of the UN Security Council resolution.”

British PM says ‘Gaza cannot remain a prison camp’
British PM David Cameron, in an address to Turkish businessmen in Turkey, said that “Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp,” and that Israel’s May 31 raid of the aid flotilla was “completely unacceptable.”

• The Pentagon can’t account for $8.7 billion in Iraqi funds.
• Israel demolishes a village that is home to 300 Bedouins.
• The trial of two Egyptian police officers accused of beating a 28-year-old man is adjourned.
• Palestinian President Abbas will ask for an extension to proximity talks.
• Lufthansa cargo plane crashes in the Saudi capital’s airport.
• Israeli police release the rabbi arrested for inciting to kill non-Jews.

Daily Snapshot

Muslim Shiite pilgrims gather outside the Imam Abbas shrine in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, 110 kms (70 miles) south of Baghdad, ahead of ceremonies commemorating the birthday of the Mahdi, the 12th and last imam that Shiites believe will return to earth on the Day of Judgment. This comes amidst continuing violence and the ongoing stalemate over government formation (Mohammed Sawaf/AFP/Getty Images).

Arguments & Analysis

‘Too big to fail’ (Issandr El Amrani, al-Masry al-Youm)
With Hosni Mubarak’s health quickly deteriorating, speculation has turned on what a future Egyptian political system might look like. But through years of authoritarian rule and Egypt’s still vital place in regional affairs, the political system is in many ways too big to fail–those thinking that an immediate, seismic shift is on the verge after Mubarak’s departure from the scene are likely to be mistaken.

‘The forgotten American’ (Roger Cohen, New York Times)
Weeks after the aid Flotilla to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli commandos, there remains virtually no American media coverage over the American citizen who was among the nine dead. If he had been a Christian, it is unlikely the the reaction to his death would have been so muted.

‘Iraq and the American Pullout: Separate we must’ (Rachel Schneller, Chatham House)
The end of August is the Obama administration’s set date for the dramatic reduction of American troops from Iraq. Despite the ongoing mess in Iraq’s political system over government formation, the ongoing violence, and the great likelihood of extensive sectarian conflict following an American draw down, withdrawal remains the only sensible, and necessary, option.

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