And with the prospect of diplomatic "progress" with Iran on Iraq in the air, the US certainly doesn't want to rock the boat by pursuing the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons program.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Iran 2, Israel 0

But the talks in L'Aquila at least suggest some prospect for progress during the complicated bargaining and trade-offs ahead of the Copenhagen meeting, which is likely to be at least as contentious, and complex, as the Kyoto gathering in 1997.

ECONOMIST: The G8 and climate change