The fact that the country is being run through people’s vote is a major step for the Afghans to run their country. The two main presidential hopefuls, that is, Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, both have chosen establishment of democracy as their motto. A popular election would lead to the rule of the people’s will and the resultant government would find itself with enough legal power to advance the country.

Frequent visits to Russia by Israeli and Western diplomats have raised questions about Russia’s relations with Iran and the role it is going to play in Iran’s much-disputed nuclear program.

Parliamentarians have the right to compare ministers with their predecessors and if they are weaker than the previous ministers, MPs are entitled to ask why a powerful minister should be deposed and replaced with a weaker one? The main factors to be taken into account by the Majlis are commitment and track records of the nominees.

The new strategy announced by the American and European officials has chosen “war on terror and establishment of security” and “political effort combined with economic progress” as its axial mottos. It seems that parts of the West’s new strategy in Afghanistan conform to Iran’s policies in that country and will be welcomed by Tehran.

Israel’s policies have prevented civil movements to prosper and only foster totalitarian tendencies throughout the region. Since Israel considers its security to be synonymous with physical annihilation of neighboring countries, it has made a correlation between security of neighboring countries and insecurity on its soil. If Israel has met its neighbors with missiles and air attacks, Iran has given shelter to homeless people in wars throughout its history.

New developments in Fatah were triggered in its sixth annual conference, which was held after a 20-year interregnum, in Bethlehem, West Bank, on August 4, 2008. Reelection of Abu Mazen as chairman of Fatah, formulation of a political document which has introduced Beit-ol-Moqaddas as an indispensable component of Palestine, efforts made to resolve internal conflicts, negotiations with Hamas, emphasis on resistance against the Zionist regime and admitting to Fatah’s mistake in complying with the peace process were major topics discussed in the annual conference.

Relations between Iran and Arab countries have been cold in recent months and this has left its mark on all aspects of bilateral relations. Those Arab countries which attract more Iranian pilgrims and tourists have been handling Iranians in an insulting manner.

The recent proposition in the Group of Eight (G8) for its expansion and inclusion of five new emerging powers in the Group could be interpreted as a new approach by the G8 to international politics. This might have some implications for future relations of the G8 with other rising powers like Iran, especially given its nuclear program that has been a point of contention for some time.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has so far identified six of the ministers he intends to nominate for his new cabinet. He has been criticized by pro-government Principlists for not seeking Parliament consultation in selecting his ministers. He was also criticized by some during his first term in office for frequently reshuffling the cabinet and for utilizing ministers who lacked experience. He sacked 10 ministers and two central bank directors during his first tenure.

Mr. Ahmadinejad will soon have to make another selection of forming a cabinet and submitting his suggestions for parliamentary approval. He was criticized during his first tenure for frequently reshuffling the cabinet, sacking 10 ministers and two central bank chiefs and retaining inexperienced ministers.