HEADLINE INDEX FOR JULY 1, 2009 EDITION SPECIAL OFFER FOR GEOSTRATEGY-DIRECT SUBSCRIBERS BACKGROUNDER Taliban's Mehsud has commoditized suicide bombers in Pakistan General criticizes administration's plan to cut back F-22 program Nicaragua seeks funds from Venezuela, Iran after U.S. suspends aid DOSSIER: Nouri Al Maliki Iraq readies five-year counter-insurgency strategy as U.S. withdraws FOCUS ON IRAN Iran leans on its neighbors to stifle protests among Shi'ite populations Iran aborts long-range air force exercise as demonstrations continue U.S.-ISRAEL SECURITY TIES Air Force talks are first between Israeli, U.S. militaries under Obama Israel, U.S. planning major missile defense exercise in late 2009s Ultimatum on settlements pits U.S. ties against Netanyahu coalition FOCUS ON AL QAIDA EU fears growing network could make Yemen another Afghanistan Interpol starts data base as Somali pirates expand scale of attacks 'Sophisticated' Al Qaida attack kills Algerians escorting for Chinese NORTHEAST ASIA REPORT U.S. deploys THAAD interceptors, heightens readiness in Korea N. Korean ship believed carrying missile shipments destined for Iran Gates on odds of North Korea military strike after sanctions MIDDLE EAST REPORT Egypt said to end pro-Chechen policy after strategic deal with Russia Saudi interior minister nipping pro-democratic dissent in the bud Hamas recruiting Palestinians for operational cells in Egypt MILITARY TECHNOLOGY Boeing looks to international partners to help fund stealth F-15E Northern Iraq in market for security systems for Iran, Turkey borders Germany deploys NBS C-RAM system to counter rockets and mortars SUBSCRIPTION INFO CONTACT INFO FRONT PAGE BREAKING NEWS EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM