06/27/12

* Turkey won't strike back at Syria, for now In the case of its downed fighter jet, Turkey's bark has proved mightier than its bite.

* Iraq PM calls for early elections Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has called for early elections.

* We may have confused Turkish jet for an Israeli one, Syrian minister claims Syrian soldiers who shot down a Turkish military jet on Friday may have confused it for an Israeli plane.

* Turkey deploys tanks on Syrian border; Assad says country in a 'real state of war' Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Tuesday his country was in a real state of war and gave no sign of a softer approach towards a pro-democracy revolt.

* The Bear at the Door Russian strategic nuclear bombers threatened U.S. airspace near Alaska earlier this month and F-15 jets responded by intercepting the aircraft taking part in large-scale arctic war games.

* Israelis divided on US role in peace process Israelis are divided over whether US involvement in the Middle East peace process has had a positive or negative impact.

* Iran's media 'optimistic' about relations with Egypt Even as Egyptian president-elect Mohammed Morsy moved to deny that he had told an Iranian news outlet he planned to rethink a peace treaty with Israel and rekindle ties with Tehran.

* Gunmen 'kill seven' at Syrian pro-Assad Ikhbariya TV Gunmen have attacked a Syrian pro-government TV channel, killing seven people.

* Liberman on Iran VP: Hitler also said crazy things Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman on Wednesday condemned Iranian first Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi for a speech he gave at a UN conference in Tehran.

* Russian media reports: S-300 sale to Syria cancelled Russia has suspended the sale of the advanced S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria.