The Iranian Question: Nuclear Power or Nuclear Warheads?

By Leigh Nusbaum Watching what’s happening from the Middle East to the Midwest over the past few weeks, it seems that everyone has an opinion about Iran today, including the Iranian government. Iran has held a fascination over people from ancient history—including empires such as that of Cyrus the Great—to the modern era, with the rise of the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Today, that focus is on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran insists that the program is for peaceful purposes, but the regime’s opponents, including the Israeli government, argue that the program has a more sinister objective—nuclear weapons. What’s so fascinating about this debate is that despite how long Iran’s nuclear program has been around, the debate on ending it makes it seem as though it is a recent phenomenon.  Iran’s nuclear program was actually started by the...

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This Week's Links

By Michelle Albert A new children's book tells the story of how Max Yasgur, a Jewish dairy farmer in Bethel, NY, allowed half a million people to camp out in his backyard for Woodstock, which would become a defining moment in rock and roll history. Jewish summer camps upload thousands of pictures to their websites each day for anxious parents to appreciate. Is this digital link smothering the camp experience? Comedian Richard Herring defends his show "Hitler Mustache" in the Guardian. Tablet takes an in-depth look at the lives of Israel's mafia. Though Iran has been working on creating enriched uranium since 2007, the US State Department registered their doubt that scientists in Tehran could create "weapon-grade material" before 2013. Kristen Davis, of "Sex and the City" fame, was dropped from her position as spokesperson for...

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