Libya
The Libyan government arrested four people Thursday in connection with the deadly attack on the American consulate Tuesday night as Libyan and U.S. officials mounted a manhunt for others believed to be involved. – Wall Street Journal
The mayhem here that killed four United States diplomatic personnel, including the ambassador, was actually two attacks — the first one spontaneous and the second highly organized and possibly aided by anti-American infiltrators of Libya’s young government, a top Libyan security official said Thursday. – New York Times
Despite the formation of a new government and successful elections this summer, many of Libya’s streets are still run by former rebel fighters who have not fallen under the command of a central authority. – Washington Post
While Washington vacationed in August, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service issued a now prescient-sounding report warning that Libya’s security concerns were an “immediate priority” that might require far more attention and resources than the United States had given it. – The E-Ring
CIA Director David Petraeus traveled to Capitol Hill to brief lawmakers on Thursday in the aftermath of the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Libya and embassies in Egypt and Yemen. - DEFCON Hill
Mary Habeck writes: The death of Ambassador Stevens is a wake-up call to the U.S. The Arab Spring is in the process of being hijacked by al Qaeda and we ignore the spread of violence and of al Qaeda’s pernicious vision in the Middle East at our own peril. – Shadow Government
Egypt
Anti-American protests inspired by a video denigrating the Prophet Muhammad entered a fourth straight day in the Egyptian capital as authorities in much of the Muslim world braced for possible demonstrations after Friday noon prayers — an occasion often associated with public displays of dissent. – New York Times
Following a blunt phone call from President Obama, Egyptian leaders scrambled Thursday to try to repair the country’s alliance with Washington, tacitly acknowledging that they erred in their response to the attack on the United States Embassy by seeking to first appease anti-American domestic opinion without offering a robust condemnation of the violence. – New York Times
As violence spread in the Arab world over a video on YouTube ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad, Google, the owner of YouTube, blocked access to it in two of the countries in turmoil, Egypt and Libya, but did not remove the video from its Web site. – New York Times
The White House flatly rejected calls from House conservatives to halt U.S. aid to Egypt after a slow response from Cairo in rebuking violent attacks on the U.S. Embassy there Tuesday night. – Washington Times
Josh Rogin reports: President Barack Obama didn’t intend to signal any change in the U.S.-Egypt relationship last night when he said Egypt is not an “ally,” the White House told The Cable – The Cable
FPI Director Robert Kagan writes: This is not the time for a “who lost Egypt?” debate. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen are far from lost. The only smart course is to redouble our efforts and use the considerable influence the United States still has to try to shape a region that remains of vital concern to Americans and the health and stability of the international order that the United States upholds. – Washington Post
Hussain Haqqani writes: Once the Muslim world embraces freedom of expression, it will be able to recognize the value of that freedom even for those who offend Muslim sensibilities. More important: Only in a free democratic environment will the world’s Muslims be able to debate the causes of their powerlessness, which stirs in them greater anger than any specific action on the part of Islam’s Western detractors. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Yemen
Security forces in Yemen blocked streets surrounding the U.S. embassy in Sanaa on Friday, bracing for violent protests against a film deemed blasphemous to Islam, a day after demonstrators stormed the heavily fortified compound and clashed with police. – Reuters
North Africa
President Barack Obama has supported the democratically elected governments that have emerged in the Mideast over the past 18 months, despite concerns about the influence of Islamists that historically opposed the U.S. Tuesday’s attacks put that policy at a crossroads. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Security breaches at American diplomatic compounds in the Middle East this week highlight the two competing challenges that United States diplomats confront: keeping safe in a world full of anti-American extremism and interacting with foreign populations outside the towering walls of government installations overseas. – New York Times
The spotlight in the search for the creators of an incendiary video mocking Islam that set off a wave of anti-American violence in the Middle East shifted Thursday to a shadowy gas station owner with a record of criminal arrests and bankruptcy, who associates said expressed anti-Muslim sentiments as he pushed for the making of the film. – New York Times
U.S. officials say they believe an Arabic talk show last Saturday showing parts of an anti-Muslim video made in the United States was the spark that set off violent attacks on U.S. missions in Libya and Egypt, but acknowledge the broadcast did not prompt a major upgrade in security precautions. – Reuters
Josh Rogin reports: On a day when protesters briefly stormed the U.E. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an international plea for a de-escalation of the ongoing demonstrations in the Middle East this morning and heavily criticized the obscure anti-Islam movie that sparked the outrage on 9/11. – The Cable
Analysis: The cascade of anti-American protests in the Middle East this week is a jolting reminder to the White House of a dangerous dimension of the “Arab Spring” revolutions: Freedom for long-suppressed Islamist groups that weak elected governments can’t manage and that America can’t control. – Los Angeles Times
Iran
At least several European banks that vowed to stop doing business with Iran have kept handling billions of euros in transactions for Iranian entities and foreign companies with operations there, a review of regulatory filings and other documents by The Wall Street Journal shows. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
A senior executive of a major Chinese technology firm acknowledged Thursday that his company is in discussions with U.S. authorities in connection with accusations that it sold surveillance and computer equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. export control laws. – Washington Post
A U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could have unintended consequences that would lead to all-out war, according to a new report endorsed by more than 30 national-security experts. – DEFCON Hill
The 35-nation board of the U.N. nuclear watchdog censured Iran on Thursday for defying international demands to curb uranium enrichment and failing to address mounting disquiet about its suspected research into atomic bombs. – Reuters
A U.S. envoy accused Iran on Thursday of “systematically demolishing” a facility at the Parchin military site that United Nations nuclear inspectors want to visit as part of their investigation into suspected weapons research. – Reuters
The United States and more than two dozen allies are gearing up for the largest naval exercise ever in the Middle East focused on countering the threat of anti-ship mines. A wary Iran says it will be watching closely. – Associated Press
Syria
Even if the Pentagon knew the targets, knew that they contained biological or chemical weapons, knew which specific agents were hidden at each site, had the right vehicles and ordinance to penetrate air defenses and fortifications, determined the agents were sufficiently away from populations and in calm wind conditions, determined their use or insecurity was imminent and that there was a high-probability that all of those factors were correct — well, it’s not that simple. – The E-Ring
The latest in a flurry of messages from al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri shows his growing interest in exploiting violence in Syria. – CNN’s Security Clearance
International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Syria’s capital on Thursday as state forces pounded its eastern outskirts to flush out rebels trying to retain a foothold in Damascus. – Reuters
Iraq
Iraq’s central government and the country’s autonomous Kurdistan agreed to end an oil payment dispute after Kurdistan pledged to continue exports and Baghdad said it would pay foreign companies working there, a senior Iraqi official said on Thursday. – Reuters
Lebanon
U.S. Treasury officials imposed sanctions on the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, and two other members of the organization for their alleged role in aiding the Syrian government in its crackdown on opposition forces. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Pope Benedict XVI started a visit to Lebanon on Friday, arriving in a region transformed by popular uprisings and war since his last trip to the Middle East in 2009. The visit coincided with a moment of fresh religious turmoil, marked by spreading protests against an incendiary anti-Muslim video. – New York Times
Israel
President Obama on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to spell out a specific “red line” that Iran could not cross in its nuclear program, a senior administration official said, deepening the divide between the allies over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. – New York Times
Israel‘s leader suggested in an interview Thursday that he’ll keep publicly pressing the United States to get tougher on Iran, despite the strains his remarks have caused with the Obama administration. – Associated Press
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday denied accusations he was interfering in U.S. politics after coming under fire for fiercely criticizing Washington’s handling of Iran. – Reuters
Benjamin Netanyahu’s deputy for intelligence and atomic affairs on Thursday broke with the Israeli prime minister’s call for Iran to be confronted with a “red line” beyond which its disputed nuclear program would face military attack. – Reuters
Danny Danon writes: Once again, an Israeli prime minister is faced with a difficult choice. Once again, the international community is urging Israel to take a wait-and-see approach. In the end, this is a judgment that can be made only by Israel’s democratically elected government. Whatever decision is ultimately taken, I know Netanyahu is a keen student of history who realizes that when it comes to protecting Israel’s security, our very survival, there is no time like the present. – Los Angeles Times
At the same time that it does nothing, the administration warns Israel sternly, repeatedly, publicly, even threateningly not to strike the Iranian nuclear program. With zero prospect of his policy succeeding, Obama insists on Israeli inaction, even as Iran races to close the window of opportunity for any successful attack. Not since its birth six decades ago has Israel been so cast adrift by its closest ally. – Washington Post
Afghanistan
Racing to head off potentially violent demonstrations over an anti-Islamic video, the Afghan government on Thursday pushed Internet providers to shut down access to Web sites hosting the clip, and asked political and religious leaders to urge calm, senior Afghan officials said. – New York Times
Britain could withdraw its troops from Afghanistan faster than expected next year, as military commanders reassess how many troops they need to help local forces fight the Taliban, Britain’s defense secretary said in an interview. – Reuters
Pakistan
Pakistani police have registered a murder case against the owners and managers of a garment factory in the southern city of Karachi after a fire swept through the building and killed 258 people, many of whom were unable to escape because the exit doors were locked, a senior police officer said on Thursday. – Financial Times
Pakistani police arrested the son of a former prime minister on Friday in connection with a drugs case, although he was later granted bail, the latest twist in a power struggle between the increasingly assertive Supreme Court and the ruling party. – Reuters
Pakistan’s effort to cut off the flow of fertilizer to militants using it to make bombs in this key tribal sanctuary along the Afghan border has outraged local farmers, who complain the policy has cut their crop yields in half. – Associated Press
China
With still no sign of China’s designated new leader, Xi Jinping, who has not been seen in public since Sept. 1, many insiders and well-connected analysts say the Chinese political ship is adrift, with factions jockeying to shape an impending Communist Party conclave. – New York Times
The U.S. ambassador to China urged Beijing to stop “unfair” currency and other trade policies, while citing progress in deepening ties between the world’s two largest economies. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Equipment made by China’s two leading telecom companies and used in many global communication networks has unusual and unexplained features which could expose them to cyberattack, including by Chinese intelligence agencies, congressional leaders said Thursday. – Washington Times
No longer limiting to himself to dry discussions of monetary policy, Mr. Li has started to make surprisingly strong criticisms of China’s political system. – WSJ’s China Real Time Report
China’s leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping could make a public appearance as early as Saturday as he recovers from a bad back, sources said, dispelling rumors about his health after he dropped out of sight at the start of this month. – Reuters
Foreign journalists in Beijing have been targeted by two very similar malware attacks in just over two weeks in the lead-up to China’s once-in-a-decade leadership transition. – Reuters
The former police chief at the heart of China’s biggest political scandal in decades faces trial next week on charges of defection, taking bribes and illegal surveillance. – Reuters
East Asia
Six Chinese maritime patrol vessels entered Japanese-controlled waters around a group of disputed islands on Friday, the Japanese Coast Guard said, in the first such move by China since the Japanese government announced that it had bought the islands this week. – New York Times
When Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta travels across Asia next week, on an arc from Japan and China to New Zealand, he will face two almost contradictory challenges. – New York Times
When the U.S. led a 25,000-troop, 22-nation maritime exercise in Hawaii this summer, a Japanese naval commander served as second in command. It was the highest rank ever given a Japanese officer in the four decades since the drill was launched, and a symbol of how Tokyo is steadily expanding its military clout as the U.S. leans more on its leading regional ally to counter China’s rise. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Only two days after his appointment, Japan’s new ambassador to China was rushed to the hospital with a sudden illness in Tokyo. – WSJ’s Japan Real Time
Candidates vying to lead Japan’s biggest opposition party and possibly become the next premier vowed on Friday to get more assertive towards China, a sign ties between the Asian giants, now rocked by a territorial row, could face rougher times. – Reuters
Sue Mi Terry writes: This new underground railroad, she writes, is “a rare good-news story that foretells a happier future for that sad country.” By bringing such good news to light, “Escape From North Korea” makes a valuable addition to the growing body of literature that exposes the evils of the North Korean state and also chronicles the heroism of those have struggled to make a better life elsewhere. – Wall Street Journal
Southeast Asia
Australia has a stake in ensuring tensions over territory in the South China Sea don’t boil over, and will look to balance the rise of China without threatening the role of the U.S. in the region, foreign minister Bob Carr said Friday. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Vietnam’s leaders are stepping up their campaign against critical blogs, ordering government investigators to arrest the operators of three websites at a time when global Internet companies are growing more worried about doing business in the tightly policed country. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
The US administration is pushing to ease a blanket ban on imports of Myanmar products ahead of the overlapping visits by President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to the US in the coming days. – Financial Times
Australia
Australia’s Treasurer Wayne Swan is expected Friday to offer highlights of a 12-year plan by which the resource-rich country will be able to benefit more from Asia’s fast-growing economies. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
John Lee writes; In a matter of weeks, the Australian government will release a White Paper entitled “Australia in the Asian Century.” According to my sources, the report will look at how Australia can best exploit future economic opportunities in the region focusing on China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and India. Conspicuously absent from the primary analysis will be America. This should raise alarm bells in Washington and the region. It signals that America’s staunchest ally in Asia may be losing faith in the revival of the U.S. economy. If so, steadfast support for the alliance will not be far behind. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Russia
Last week, Vladimir Putin took to the air in an ultralight aircraft to help save endangered Siberian cranes. This week, the Russian president intervened personally to try to save the job of a prominent journalist – which she’d lost after refusing to send a reporter to cover his flight with the cranes. – WSJ’s Emerging Europe
Russian parliament expelled an opponent of President Vladimir Putin on Friday in a vote which he said intensified a Kremlin crackdown on dissent and likened to a Stalinist show trial. – Reuters
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich on Friday dismissed the case of his jailed opponent Yulia Tymoshenko as a hindrance to relations with the West and predicted that the path would soon be clear to completing key deals with the European Union. – Reuters
Kenya
Observers say the events underscore growing fundamentalism in Mombasa, dividing people in a city established centuries ago by Muslim traders from the Arabian Peninsula. Kenya’s second-largest city is now home to many people of Arab descent and Somalis. – Associated Press
Kenyan police seized a cache of explosive-laden vests, grenades and automatic rifles in an overnight raid on a Nairobi apartment on Friday, thwarting an imminent attack by Somali Islamist militants, a senior police official said. – Reuters
Southern Africa
As unrest sweeps across South Africa’s platinum industry, analysts fear the impact of industrial unrest on the continent’s largest economy, already hit hard by the euro-zone crisis. – Washington Post
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s plan to get married this weekend faced a second legal challenge on Thursday from another woman who said she was romantically involved with him, fuelling a scandal that has already hurt his reputation. – Reuters
