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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

11/20/08
Pakistan: Learning the Right Lessons from Iraq  —Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
11/13/08
The View from Gaza  —Taghreed El-Khodary, New York Times journalist in Gaza and Harvard University Nieman Fellow (2005-2006). Interviewed by Middle East Bulletin.
11/04/08
Getting on the Right Track  —Dalia Rabin, chairperson, Rabin Center, and daughter of the late Yitzhak Rabin. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Keeping Focus on Long-Term Objectives

“[W]hile we do need to have a cooperative approach that involves many of our friends and allies in meeting with the Pakistanis, … as we work out with them a rough division of labor, the U.S., I believe, ought to be taking the lead in addressing the issues in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. And given the difficulty of doing so, I suspect that we will not have a great deal of difficulty in convincing them to allow us to take the lead there. But as we all know, there is a real tension between our short-term tactical aims in trying to capture or kill terrorists across the border and militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and our longer- term counterinsurgency pacification goals. We very much need to be focusing on the end state. What is it that we want this area to look like? ... In that context we need to have a common agenda with the Pakistani government and very much to include the military on counterinsurgency in that area. There needs to be, therefore, a focus on combining military efforts with economic, development and political development in those areas.”
—Robert L. Grenier, managing director and chairman for Global Security Consulting, Kroll, event, “Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region,” Center for American Progress, November 17, 2008

Middle East Analysis

Decoding the Centrifuge: A Guide to Iran’s Nuclear Activities

September 10, 2007

Centrifuge: The most cost effective way of enriching uranium isotopes, a key step in the production of nuclear fuel. The Iranian Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz is designed to produce low-enriched uranium for energy production, but could be modified to produce highly enriched uranium necessary for a nuclear weapon. Such a modification, however, would be apparent to IAEA inspectors.

Just under 2,000: Number of centrifuges operating at the Natanz facility as of August 19th, 2007.

54,000: Total number of centrifuges that the Natanz facility could hold.

37.3 kg: Amount of highly enriched uranium 2,000 P1 centrifuges could produce in one year (based on Carnegie Endowment formula).

28 kg: Amount of highly enriched uranium needed for a nuclear weapon.

5-10 years: IAEA estimated time required for Iran to develop enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon.

Current Iran-IAEA cooperation: On June 22, 2007, Iran and the IAEA began developing a working plan to address outstanding issues regarding the Iranian nuclear program. Talks were held in Tehran on July 12th, and led to an IAEA visit to the Iranian heavy water reactor in Arak on July 30th. The working plan was released August 27th, 2007, and included Iran’s agreement to allow one year-multiple entry visas to IAEA inspectors and staff. The working paper also set the next discussion of the Natanz inspection mechanisms (known as the “safeguards approach”) for September. Iran remains under UN sanctions for refusing to halt its enrichment program.