Krauthammer is again trying to get through the thick skulls of policy makers and citizens. His point is accurate. Again – what is involved in the Iran-Israel dynamic is ultimately a spiritual matter. Working solely from a secular POV is dangerous and wrong. His recent article shows half the spiritual component of the situation between these two countries. The other half of the formula is from the perspective of God and His prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled.
in the corner
Cutting through the US-Israeli debate over where to put “red lines” for Iran, Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Monday night, Sept. 3 that Iran would hit US bases in the Middle East in response to any Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities, even if the Americans were not involved in the attack…Netanyahu called a special cabinet meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 4 with the participation of the heads of Israel’s clandestine services, Military Intelligence, the Mossad, the Shin Bet and the Foreign Office Research Division, to hear their annual report.
It is likely to go on all day with updates on the situation in Syria, Egypt and Jordan – all weighty topics. But the agenda will certainly be topped with a detailed rundown on the current state of Iran’s nuclear program.
After that rundown, the prime minister and defense minister will enter the final decision-making stage on war against Iran.
Nasrallah carried a triple message from Tehran to Washington and Jerusalem:
1. Iran believes an Israeli attack will take place before the US presidential election on Nov. 6;
2. Tehran is drawing on a powerful deterrent: Lest anyone expected a low-key Iranian response to an attack on its nuclear facilities, the Hizballah leader put them right when he said, “the response will be very great” and “America bears responsibility.”
3. By putting Nasrallah out front as a leading Iranian spokesman, Khamenei signaled that Hizballah would take an active role in the coming conflict.
DEBKAfile: The chatter about “red lines” in the last few days has therefore had the effect of stirring the Iranians into preempting them by a single sharp stroke.
2 cents:
Israel, specifically Netanyahu and the government has made the same mistake many other leaders in Israel’s history have made. A nation brought into existence by God’s calling out of Abram – they have looked solely at a fellow man as a protector for their people. Over the period of time since their recognition as a nation by world governments and the UN, they have again grown entangled in the devices of other governments and took their eyes off God. It ALWAYS has devastating repercussions. In the early days of the modern era of Israel, God delivered them repeatedly from their enemies. But as they have grown, become successful and more secularized they have sought leagues with other nations and allowed themselves to become pawns for other kings. In the current scenario that is unfolding, Netanyahu has placed too much trust and power into the CES’ hands. Now after many days have went passed which have allowed not only continual progress of nuclear technology to be realized in Iran, it has also allowed for strategy and resources to be determined and allocated for a swift and much heavier handed response to a military action in Iran. All because of Netanyahu placing his faith and country’s well-being in the last two administrations of the USA government. Israel is now backed into a corner and the corner man is the CES and he is not known for his ability to lead or make the right decision.
The spiritual dynamic to the Middle East conflicts are being overlooked because society on a whole is secularized. How ignorant of the human race!
Israel needs to prepare for unilateral action
An article in today’s NYT “To Calm Israel, US Offers Way to Restrain Iran”.
2 cents:
The reality is that Israel has learned unless it holds the president of the USA over a fire, nothing will be done in reference to Iran. The previous administration did very little about the Iran dynamic which Israel did little if anything to push the USA government and the world to the Iran nuclear reality. NOW Israel has determined the formula to make Iran’s nuclear ambitions a global matter. And of course, they are right – it is a global matter.
As the writer points out, the CES has allowed Iran to dictate the course of the matter. And as Israel had pointed out, Iran has used the supposed channels of diplomacy to actually stall military action against them while allowing them to burrow far into the earth and continue to make nuclear material. What has happened over the past three years is that Iran has multiplied their centrifuges and increased potency of the nuclear production. They have managed to move if not all at least most of their production facilities far below the earth – out of harm’s way from most conventional weapons. They are at the stage where Israel and the USA agrees that a military option simply delays production a couple years; meaning their nuclear manufacturing infrastructure is here to stay.
So considering this what is the plan? It is my opinion that the CES deliberately delayed military action while holding if not threatening Israel not to act so that eventually (which is where we are now) an Israeli military unilateral action would not have the devastating impact desired. For a real devastating strike it would then require USA military and cooperation which puts the decision making in the CES’ hands. The decision Israel now has to scrapple with is – is unilateral action the only action that will in reality occur in time? After all delay of two years is another 730 days of existence which is far better. In the Israeli decision, the election of the president of USA is a serious variable. With the USA MSM reporting the election is a dead heat, it makes the decision process murkier and more difficult. Much press has been made floating an October strike date. Which an October strike date requires readiness which is what needs to be the SOP right now for those involved.
Look for the CES to make the decision hard for Israel. If I was Israel I would use a three branch strategy.
1. Military readiness begins now – assume you will have to act unilaterally. Don’t talk about it, just plan for it.
2. Prepare the citizens of Israel for your action. Safety initiatives. Attack drills. Work with local councils, commerce and other organizations toward the goal of saving lives and livelihood.
3. Reach out quietly to allies and those you wish to be allies. Not big photo ops. Quiet diplomacy making the case that action is required.
This would remove the decision making from CES’ hands and put it back with Israel. Israel’s sovereignty and existence needs to be owned and managed by Israel.
Implications
Iran: (emphasis added)
Obama stood up to the blasts from a number of influential American editorial writers and strategic analysts who urged him to offer Israel a solemn commitment for a pre-emptive American offensive against Iran from the Knesset podium, as a means of holding the Netanyahu government back from military action in the fall of 2012. Another suggestion was for the president to formally notify the US congress of his plans for military action if Iran persisted in speeding the development of ifs nuclear weapon capacity.
Obama rejected both suggestions – and Iran continued to accelerate its advance towards a nuclear weapon undisturbed.
Thursday, diplomats close to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, disclosed that Iran had installed another 1,000 uranium enrichment machines in its fortified underground facility at Fordo, and was expanding its production of 20-percent refined uranium.
Experts not bound by the IAEA’s diplomatic constraints report that enrichment climbed to 30 percent some months ago and was now on the way to 60 percent. At least 3,000 centrifuges were now spinning at Fordo.
Israel recently passed information to Washington that Iran had already developed a radioactive (dirty) bomb.
Yet US official spokesmen keep on intoning that there is still room for diplomacy – even after all the parties admitted that the Six Power talks with Tehran broke down irretrievably weeks ago. And Friday, Aug. 24, seven hours of argument between the IAEA and Iranian representatives failed to dent Iran’s implacable opposition to any reduction in its nuclear drive or the slightest transparency.
Egypt: (emphasis added)
Al Qaeda targets Riyadh, Jeddah and Sderot. Saudi cell had chemicals
Al Qaeda Salafists target kibbutz and IDF post on second day of strikes
A Muslim Brotherhood delegation was in Sinai last week, followed by emissaries of President Mohamed Morsi, among whom were members of the violent Al Gama’a al-Islamiya (which was responsible for assassinating President Anwar al Sadat in 1981).
2 cents: The actions as well as inaction of the CES has enabled both of these boiling pots. What does this reveal about his beliefs?
Taking total control
From Thursday’s Jerusalem Post:
While the world persists in looking for signs of pragmatism in the Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsy is quietly taking over all the power bases in the country.
Having gotten rid of the army old guard, he replaced them with his own men – officers belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood or known sympathizers. Then he turned his attention to the media, replacing 50 editors working for the government’s extensive and influential press empire – including Al- Ahram, Al-Akhbar, Al-Gomhuria.He is now busy appointing new governors to the 27 regions of the country.
Hosni Mubarak used to choose retired generals he could depend on for these sensitive posts; Morsy is hand picking party faithful. At the same time upper echelons in government ministries and economic and cultural organizations are methodically being replaced. The Muslim Brotherhood is fast assuming total control. For many observers, the deployment of army units in Sinai is more about proclaiming Egyptian sovereignty in the face of Israel than actually fighting Islamic terrorism.
It is worth stressing that the Brotherhood is still operating under conditions of utmost secrecy, as it had been doing during the decades of persecution. How it is getting its funds, who are its members and how they are recruited is not known, nor is its decision-taking process. The movement has no legal existence since Gamal Abdel Nasser officially disbanded it in 1954.
However, for now he is devoting all his energy to his fight with the judiciary, long known for its independent stands. The Supreme Constitutional Court is being asked to rule the Brotherhood Movement illegal, and therefore to proclaim that the Liberty and Justice party it created – and which won 50% of the seats in the parliament – is illegal as well, and therefore to invalidate the election of Morsy, candidate of a movement and a party that are both illegal. Morsy sent his new justice minister to browbeat the court, but the judges refused to back down. The president is now working to limit the prerogatives of the court in the new constitution and will start “retiring” senior justices appointed by Mubarak.
Article written by the former ambassador to Egypt
NYT editorial from Friday: Morsi and his critics
Remember the CES wanted MB in control in Egypt
Diagnosis and prescription
Krauthammer’s article this week is about the growing Iran nuclear issue and the current SOP followed by the CES and the other nations wearily looking on.
I agree with the fourth (added) option which is the president of the USA securing authorization to use the military against Iran if a well defined list of objectives are not met by the Iranian government. However the unfortunate truth of the matter is that our government has ceased to be a working government whose purpose is the well-being of the citizens of the country to that of partisan politicking full-time in hopes of life-long careers in so-called public/civil service. I will refocus the quote and focus of the Joker to repeat that “our national government is in dire need of an enema”.
Because of the current state of our government, it is in my opinion that any attempt to work with Congress now will produce posing and grand-standing to puff up our current president and that simply can not be allowed to happen. To make him artificially appear a better man than he is – will not do! To last minute create a public persona of strength and values is hogwash and an insult to all the people who are actually ethically moral principle based people. That man needs to flushed out of our nation’s policy making, removed from the captain’s wheel and ejected from the cockpit (violently if need be). Once that objective is secured THEN approaching Congress in meaningful, real talks to make the legitimate, legal and permanent line in the sand which to hold Iran’s leadership to can be identified and made. Only then will Israel believe that their nation and people’s existence is protected.
So – let’s get things moving and get the CES out of office so we can begin the necessary CHANGE that our country desperately needs.
CES = chief empty suit = current president of the USA
Hope, Levity and Wonder 