Here is your R&D for February 17th:

U.S. Spies: Iran Split on Nuclear Program from the Wall Street Journal
According to American intelligence assessments, Iran’s leaders are divided when it comes to their country’s nuclear program and that some of this division may be because of sanctions that have been imposed by the international community.

Is Scott Brown beatable? from the Washington Post
Although Democrats are defending more Senate seats in 2012, they believe they may be able to win back the Massachusetts Senate seat that Scott Brown is currently holding.  Brown, who scored an upset two years ago to serve out the rest of Ted Kennedy’s term, will be up for re-election in the next cycle, but can the Democrats find a candidate to beat him?

US clueless about Egypt? from YNet News.com
In an article that has more value in originating AGD ideas, the U.S. Senate’s hearing about Egyptian policy showed that intelligence agencies are largely ignorant about the situation happening there.

The politics of education upended from Politico
In the midst of state budget crisis, teachers unions are under siege from Republican governors and the Department of Education.  Teachers used to count on public support for organized labor, but that support has dipped to its lowest levels since 1985.

Clashes rock Bahraini capital from Al Jazeera
Riot police attached an encampment of pro-reform protesters in the capital of Manama today, killing three and injuring dozens of others.  The move shows that Bahrain is not willing to give into protests as easily as the Egyptian government.