Pre-emptive Strike against Iran: Prelude to an Avoidable Disaster?
Source: Middle East Policy Council (Read full story)
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For an attack, a nuclear weapon has to be detonated at the intended target site. Since nuclear weapons are usually available in very limited numbers, this requires a reliable and accurate means of delivery. Transporting a nuclear weapon to the intended target by car, truck or ship is always possible. However, this is only a viable option for a first strike, comparable to a massive terror attack. Under this option, there is no credible second strike capability. Iran would not be able to fight a nuclear war. Furthermore, a governmentally sanctioned massive terrorist attack is also possible and much more easily managed than an operation using a nuclear weapon.2 Therefore, it seems highly unlikely that a state would develop a nuclear weapon only for terror attacks by means of cars, trucks, and ships.
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GCC summit unlikely to include talk of union
Source: Gulf News (Read full story)
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Bahrainis had hoped that the GCC advisory council in May in the Saudi capital would make an announcement about the launch of the union with a possibility of a fast track for Manama and Riyadh. However, hopes were dampened when the council said that more time was needed.
With news that the Manama summit would be held on December 24 and 25, popular speculation mounted again in Bahrain about a possible declaration of the start of the union.
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GCC set to grow 5.6% in 2012
Source: Emirates 24/7 (Read full story)
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The ICAEW report Economic Insight: Middle East is produced by Cebr (The Centre for Economics and Business Research), ICAEW’s partner and forecaster. Commissioned by ICAEW, the report provides its 138,000 members with a current snapshot of the region’s economic performance.
The report shows that countries in the GCC are set to record robust growth of 5.6 per cent in 2012. Although this is down from 7.4 per cent last year, it is still significantly higher than some emerging Asian economies.
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Protestors on the street for third consecutive night – Amir reappoints PM as street protests rage
Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)
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The new government must be formed before Dec 16, when the new National Assembly is scheduled to convene for the first time. The new Cabinet must include at least one elected MP and unelected ministers automatically become member of the Assembly. The formation of the new government comes amid heightened tension as youth activists have been staging street protests in various parts of the country and which were marred by violence. The scattered protests were staged almost at the same time in several areas apparently in a bid to split the police force which used teargas and stun grenades in a bid to disperse the protesters.
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