Any involvement by Iran in a potential Syrian peace plan is a "non-starter" for Congress, despite calls for Tehran's input into the process, according to Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).

The United States and Israel developed together the Flame computer virus that was designed to collect intelligence on Iran’s computer networks, The Washington Post reported.

Flame, the virus that became public last month, was one part of an effort by the National Security Agency, the CIA and the Israeli military to try to slow Iran’s nuclear program, according to the Post.

The cyber operations included the Stuxnet attack that caused Iranian centrifuges to malfunction, which became publicly connected to the United States and Israel in a New York Times report last month that first confirmed the United States has used offensive cyber weapons against Iran.

Iran, Syria, Russia and China are planning a joint war games exercise involving 90,000 troops from the four countries, according to Iranian media reports, but Russian and Syrian officials are denying that the report is accurate.

Iran’s semi-official FARS News Agency reported that the joint amphibious exercises along the Syrian coast were scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

The administration says it is not yet planning for sequestration, instead urging Congress to find a solution to avoid cuts.

The United States should establish “red lines” linking military agreements with Persian Gulf allies to respect for human rights, the Senate's top lawmaker on foreign affairs argues in a new report.

The recommendation by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) comes as the United States seeks to balance the democratic aspirations unleashed by the Arab Spring with the need to retain “consistency” in its security partnerships in a strategically vital part of the world. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee report covers America's relationship with the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

U.S. weapons sales to Bahrain in particular have come under considerable criticism following last year's crackdown on Shiite protesters. The Obama administration announced last month that it would resume arms sales to Bahrain's defense force, coast guard and national guard despite ongoing human-rights concerns.

“The United States should not be quick to rescind security assurances or assistance in response to human rights abuses, but should evaluate each case on its own merits,” reads the report. Still, “[t]he United States should make clear that states must not use arms procured from the United States against their own people engaged in peaceful assembly or exploit the U.S. security umbrella as protection for belligerent action against their neighbors.”

The Afghan government will need between $11 billion to $12 billion a year in financial support from the United States and its allies over the next decade, once American and coalition forces pull out of the country in 2014.

The figures top previous estimates of the financial contribution needed to support the Afghan government after the withdrawal of western military forces.

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said he would introduce legislation this week that would block what he said are the Obama administration's unilateral plans to involve itself militarily with Syria.

"This week I'm introducing legislation to prohibit the administration, absent a declaration of war by Congress, from supporting directly or indirectly any military or paramilitary operations in Syria," Paul said on the House floor. "I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort."

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) is out with a new video in his latest attempt to criticize Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) over the automatic cuts to defense due to sequestration.

In the video, set to a sad, melodic piano riff, McKeon says that House Republicans have offered plans to stop sequestration, “but the president maintains a veto threat over them and Harry Reid continues to block them in the Senate.”

The Topline: President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for nearly two hours ahead of the Group of 20 Summit in Mexico on Monday, and the White House was ready with a 1,600-word joint statement signaling all the two leaders agree on. In brief remarks both leaders gave after the meeting, Putting said the leaders had many “commonalities” on Syria, and Obama said they agreed there had to be a “cessation” of the violence.”

“We pledged to work with other international actors including the United Nations, Kofi Annan, and all the interested parties in trying to find a resolution to this problem,” Obama said.

In their public statements, however, the two leaders ignored many areas where they clash, not the least of which is the situation in Syria, from the dust-up over Russian-made attack helicopters in Syria last week to Russian marines headed to Syria to the U.N. Security Council vetoes.

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