Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Adam Lambert - Star of the Year in Israeli Teen Magazine Maariv La'noaar
Israeli Defense Forces on Alert in the Wake of Lebanese Government Collapse
Hezbollah's latest strategic brinkmanship puts
the country on the cusp of another civil war
the country on the cusp of another civil war
Iranian-backed Hezbollah has withdrawn from a Lebanese coalition government in an attempt to elude the United Nations investigation into the 2005 assassination of four-term former PM Rafik Hariri... the current PM's father. His murder was widely thought to have been orchestrated by Hezbollah terrorists, backed by Syria and Iran... and the walls of justice were closing-in fast:
The resignation of 11 Hizbullah-allied ministers from the Lebanese Cabinet on Wednesday has sparked fears among Arab nations that another civil war is on the country's horizon.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa called on Lebanese lawmakers to put the nation's “supreme interest” ahead of their differences.
...Moussa urged the country's politicians to return to the negotiating table to restore its unity government, saying, “Only national agreement can save Lebanon from the peril of civil war.”
Israeli officials are monitoring the situation carefully, said a source in the foreign ministry.Hizbullah pulled out after it was unable to force an urgent Cabinet meeting over an impending announcement of indictments by United Nations Special Tribunal in Lebanon (STL). The Tribunal is expected to indict a number of Hizbullah senior terrorists in connection with the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri...
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa called on Lebanese lawmakers to put the nation's “supreme interest” ahead of their differences.
...Moussa urged the country's politicians to return to the negotiating table to restore its unity government, saying, “Only national agreement can save Lebanon from the peril of civil war.”
Israeli officials are monitoring the situation carefully, said a source in the foreign ministry.Hizbullah pulled out after it was unable to force an urgent Cabinet meeting over an impending announcement of indictments by United Nations Special Tribunal in Lebanon (STL). The Tribunal is expected to indict a number of Hizbullah senior terrorists in connection with the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri...
With Iranian proxy Hezbollah -armed to the teeth with over 30,000 rockets- instigating a Lebanese government collapse, Israel is well-advised to prepare for the worst. It is altogether likely that Tehran and Damascus are once again probing for weakness... which they're sure to find coming in torrents from today's clueless White House.
But with Bibi Netanyahu in charge, it's a different story in Jerusalem: the IDF already has plans drawn-up that would enable it to completely destroy the Lebanese Army in just four hours if they offered resistance... then go after Hezbollah itself.
It's a similar situation to North Korea in that Hezbollah could do a lot of damage in northern Israel, but despite ceaseless bluster is guaranteed to lose any full scale conflict with the IDF... and they know it. Unlike the tepid approach of Israel's liberal Labor Party leaders in 2006, if attacked the Israelis would likely go all-out and fight to win this time with infantry and armor from day one... while fully prepared for Hamas and Syria's reactions.
Israel's impressive fleet of advanced Heron HP drones would surely prove useful in the vital task of vaporizing Hezbollah AA and Katyusha sites in southern Lebanon ASAP, as well...
And watch out Syria, keep pushing it and not only will your allies be defeated... you're next: Iran is leading you down a path to ruin- of that you can be sure
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Netanyahu Fights Back!
“Jerusalem is not a settlement...
Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel.”
Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel.”
Things getting testy again between the Hamas-funding-and-Iran-fearing Obama Administration and our only true ME ally, Israel.
Alas, no surprise there... Obama's been picking an ill-conceived fight with Israeli PM/MIT grad/decorated Sayeret Maktal Commando Benjamin Netanyahu for some time now... while working behind the scenes to encourage regime change in Jerusalem.
However -with Obama's political power and international prestige evaporating- why should Bibi cede anything and endanger his people just to get on the good side of an unskilled diplomatic klutz who's only tried to walk over him, anyway?
NYT (highlights RR):
President Obama’s criticism of new Israeli housing plans for East Jerusalem, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s even sharper retort, have thrown the Middle East peace talks into jeopardy, with the dispute over Jewish settlements looming as a seemingly insuperable hurdle.....
The Obama administration is struggling to restart direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, which stalled last month after the expiration of a partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to meet Mr. Netanyahu in New York on Thursday, while Egypt sent two top officials to Washington to discuss ways to salvage the process.
But the brusque exchange between Mr. Obama and Mr. Netanyahu reflected again the gulf between Israel and the United States over settlements — an issue Mr. Obama initially made the centerpiece of his Middle East diplomacy.
Some cultures just have an overly cynical world-view that always seems to have them mistaking good-faith gestures for weakness... and blowing their chance every time:
Palestinian officials said Israel’s latest announcement threatened the talks and could prompt a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.
When asked in about Israel’s plans for 1,000 housing units for a contested part of East Jerusalem, Mr. Obama said, “This kind of activity is never helpful when it comes to peace negotiations.”
“I’m concerned that we’re not seeing each side make the extra effort involved to get a breakthrough,” the president added during his visit to Indonesia. “Each of these incremental steps can end up breaking trust.”
A few hours later, Mr. Netanyahu’s office responded with a statement, saying that “Jerusalem is not a settlement; Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel.”
But the PLO and Hamas aren't the only ones smelling weakness:
Analysts said Mr. Netanyahu’s unyielding tone — a palpable contrast to his chagrined reaction after a similar housing dispute during a visit to Israel by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. — testified to the altered political environment in the United States.
The stinging Democratic defeat in the midterm elections, the analysts said, had emboldened Mr. Netanyahu to push back harder against the administration.
“He is dealing with a president who is politically weakened,” said Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former American ambassador to Israel. “A lot of his friends in Washington are Republicans. He feels more comfortable with them, so he just feels that he’s got a freer hand here.”
The official Israeli government statement re. the 1000 apartment units approved for East Jerusalem exposes the fight Obama's now picking as nonsensical...
“Israel does not see any connection between the peace process and the policy of planning and construction in Jerusalem, which has not changed in 40 years,” the statement continued.
“For the last 40 years every Israeli government built in every part of the city. During that period, peace agreements were signed with Egypt and Jordan, and for 17 years direct negotiations were held with the Palestinians.
These are historical facts. Construction in Jerusalem has never interfered with the peace process.”
The State of Israel obviously faces existential threats right-under their noses and on all sides, including medieval savages in Tehran sworn to "wipe Israel from the map" as soon as they can jerry-rig a crude nuke and find a way to drop it on Tel Aviv.
He simply can't afford a fairy-tale world view like Barack Obama sees to think is so modern and cool. Obama no longer has the political momentum and moral authority to move the mountains required for an effective two-state solution anway- and everybody seems to know it but him.
So sorry about him, Israel... rest-assured most normal Americans still support you.
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Israeli Air Force Capable and Prepared to Destroy the Lebanese Army in Just 4 Hours
Lebanon to be held accountable for border-sniping
incidents... and likely as well for Hezbollah rockets
fired on Northern Israeli civilian centers
incidents... and likely as well for Hezbollah rockets
fired on Northern Israeli civilian centers
The Jerusalem Post :
The new Israeli Heron TP drones ought to come in handy for this little excursion -here-
-h/t Drudge-
What is Putin Thinking?
"How can I handle this situation in a way that most benefits Vladimir Putin?"- that's what he's thinking.
Telling us that there's no need to "frighten" Iran -Putin made clear yesterday that he's nowhere near ready for the kind of sanctions Barack Obama was hoping for. This comes at a point where another 6-12 mos of circular arguments and disingenuous foot-dragging is really all that's needed by the apocolyptic loons in Tehran.
So it now appears to many that the Kremlin is prepared to live with -or even welcomes- a nuclear-armed Iran. James Lewis at the American Thinker thinks that Putin has accepted it, and sees an incredible recklessness in the Kremlin's midwifing of an Iranian Bomb-
...What he is really hoping is that (a) Russia will get more influence and control in the Middle East by driving the Americans back, using Tehran as a proxy; (b) the inevitable nuclear arms race between Sunni Arabs and a new Persian Nuclear Caliphate will allow Russia to coordinate oil prices with OPEC, so as to raise add more gold to its coffers.
Both of those calculations are wild gambles, putting vast numbers of human lives on the line. Putin is letting the nuclear genie out of the bottle...
Putin's cover for the Tehran nuke program may be the biggest strategic mistake in history, bar none. In the next two years it will trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that wiser heads have been desperately trying to prevent.Now while Hillary purports that Russia "wasn't asked" to help with Iran, Prairie Pundit tells us that in-reality Russian FM Sergey Lavrov provided an icy reception to the idea of sanctions. Judged against the official Kremlin positition as opposed to an Iranian Bomb, "the Russian position is not supportable by common-sense or facts."
Putin is surely loving this position of ME influence- all he had to do to get here was sell nuclear technology to the Iranians at great profit, then obstruct the world's efforts to avoid the apocalypse that he made possible.
But the perception of Vladimir Putin as shrewd, clever, and calculating doesn't seem to dovetail with Russian aquiescense to an Iranian nuclear weapon.
One is left searching for the logic applied at this decisive moment- has he truly decided that an Iranian bomb is somehow in his and Russia's interest ... and that Israel can't -or won't- handle the problem?
In a potentially key development, we learn that Russian allegiance might have it's limits after-all. DEBKA (via Israpundit) claims that Putin is suspending the sale of much-needed S-300 AA missile batteries to Tehran- leaving them exposed to Israeli attack, while selling their rivals in Saudi Arabia the yet-more advanced S-400 system.
And this being the same Saudis who have reportedly already greenlighted an IAF attack on Iran.This abrupt and surprising U-turn does not fit-in with the Russia's otherwise supportive posture re. Iran- and is likely representative of cynical Kremlin opportunism, as was the plan all-along.
Putin is unprincipled, aggressive, ruthless, and very calculating- but not crazy. In their eyes, the serial Machiavellians in the Kremlin have already written the entire script... and it goes like this: the Russians will milk all sides for whatever they can get -especially the strategically and diplomatically clueless Obama.
In the end, they know Israel will not let the threat get too far along. Regardless of their ceaseless bluster, the Iranians know this too; morale in their armed forces as war approaches is reported to be in precipitous decline. Israel now plans to attack after the first of the year- and is actively preparing for a larger ME war with Iran's allies/terrorist proxies to ensue, as predicted here last December.
In the meantime, the Kremlin will be pulling-the-strings as pressure and worry builds on all sides... a situation they will continue to exploit to maximum Russian advantage. In the end... the Iranians will need to back-down or face-the-consequences... as the Kremlin pulls-out the rug at the last minute.
And if they then refuse, Tehran will be left to handle the Israeli Air Force without advanced Russian AA technology, as we now know- and in the ensuing confilct, the IDF will wipe-the-floor with Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and the rump Hamas. Unlike limited engagements like southern Lebanon in 2006, the Israelis will fight to win, and win big- with infantry and armor from day one.
Putin has now showed his hand in withdrawing the sale of S-300 AA batteries- so the Iranians -who haven't left themselves much of an out- will need to decide their fate by the end of this year, or Israel will seal it. Such a humiliating defeat will surely renew anti-government sentiment, hopefully completing the democratization process began earlier this year in Tehran... as Barack Obama turns the United States into an irrelevant, impotent bystander.
And this being the same Saudis who have reportedly already greenlighted an IAF attack on Iran.This abrupt and surprising U-turn does not fit-in with the Russia's otherwise supportive posture re. Iran- and is likely representative of cynical Kremlin opportunism, as was the plan all-along.
Putin is unprincipled, aggressive, ruthless, and very calculating- but not crazy. In their eyes, the serial Machiavellians in the Kremlin have already written the entire script... and it goes like this: the Russians will milk all sides for whatever they can get -especially the strategically and diplomatically clueless Obama.
In the end, they know Israel will not let the threat get too far along. Regardless of their ceaseless bluster, the Iranians know this too; morale in their armed forces as war approaches is reported to be in precipitous decline. Israel now plans to attack after the first of the year- and is actively preparing for a larger ME war with Iran's allies/terrorist proxies to ensue, as predicted here last December.
In the meantime, the Kremlin will be pulling-the-strings as pressure and worry builds on all sides... a situation they will continue to exploit to maximum Russian advantage. In the end... the Iranians will need to back-down or face-the-consequences... as the Kremlin pulls-out the rug at the last minute.
And if they then refuse, Tehran will be left to handle the Israeli Air Force without advanced Russian AA technology, as we now know- and in the ensuing confilct, the IDF will wipe-the-floor with Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and the rump Hamas. Unlike limited engagements like southern Lebanon in 2006, the Israelis will fight to win, and win big- with infantry and armor from day one.
Putin has now showed his hand in withdrawing the sale of S-300 AA batteries- so the Iranians -who haven't left themselves much of an out- will need to decide their fate by the end of this year, or Israel will seal it. Such a humiliating defeat will surely renew anti-government sentiment, hopefully completing the democratization process began earlier this year in Tehran... as Barack Obama turns the United States into an irrelevant, impotent bystander.
◆ DEBKA
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Saudis Green-Light IAF Attack on Iran
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has OK'd use of it's airspace to launch go-it-alone air strikes on Iranian nuclear installations by the Israeli Air Force, according to London's Daily Express.
The issue has reportedly been discussed in a closed-door meeting in London, where British Intelligence Chief Sir John Scarlett his Israeli counterpart, Mossad chief Meir Dagan, have been negotiating with unnamed Saudi officials.
According to the report Scarlett has been told that Saudi airspace would be at Israel's disposal should Tel Aviv decide to move forward with his military plans against Iran.
The British daily added the likelihood of an Israeli attack against Iran has increased significantly after the country announced plans to launch its second enrichment facility in the central city of Qom.
What is obvious is that the Israelis are the target of an Iranian extermination plan, and cannot afford the luxury of a Pollyana, cafe-debate world view like the Barack seems to think is so stylish. Israel can go-it-alone if she has to, anyway... the IDF probably has the military capacity already to not only bomb Iran, but also then win the wider Middle East war that is likely to result.
And unlike vs. Hezbollah in 2006, the Israelis would fight this one to win, and win big... vs. Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, and the rump Hamas... going all-out with infantry and armor from day one.
So Team Obama would be well-advised to keep an eye on the horizon anytime they're visiting their recalcitrant new pals in Tehran... for a wing of IAF fighter-bombers coming-in at Mach 2. The Israelis did us all a huge favor in 1983, taking out Saddam's reactor in the face of world condemnation... and they'll just take care of business again.
Israel is of-course used to such lack of strategic and moral clarity coming-from it's critics... so why wait until Tehran's already-purchased Russian air-defense systems are delivered? The Iranians have already had every chance in the world to come-clean... instead, they've lied, taunted, and threatened Israel with nuclear apocalypse as they race towards jerry-rigging a nuke or two.
As for the Boy Wonder, polls show the Israeli populace has comprehensively turned against him, as he abandons yet another traditional US ally to it's fate. Israelis don't really care what this smiley plastic mannequin has to say anymore.- they'll just wait-out his (only) term while he turns the US into an irrelevant, impotent bystander... and stick to the business of aggressively protecting their country, lives, and families.
Sorry about him, Israel- most normal Americans still support you.
Read more in the Express -here-
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UPDATE: So it Goes in Shreveport posted an excellent column by the J-Post's Caroline Glick... re. Obama's serial treachery of US allies and compulsive appeasement of enemies...
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According to the report, Frederick Hoff, assistant to US Middle East Peace Envoy George Mitchell, told Lebanese Army chief of staff Jean Kahwaji that Israel was ready to implement a plan to destroy within four hours all Lebanese military infrastructure, including army bases and offices, should a similar confrontation occur in the future.
The IDF had informed the UNIFIL peacekeeping force along the border ahead of time of the intended tree-clearing operation.
UNIFIL later confirmed that the IDF troops were on the Israeli side of the border when the incident occurred, contradicting LAF claims that Lebanese sniper fire directed at the Israeli troops had been justified by an incursion upon Lebanese territory.