Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
August 8, 2015
What's The Capital Of The United States Again?
We were having dinner last night with another couple.
They asked my daughter, "Do they still teach geography in school? They don't teach that anymore do they?"
My daughter said, "Yeah, we learned a lot of geography" and gave some good examples both modern and ancient.
So the guy says, "Well I don't think a lot of other schools are teaching geography anymore, like they used to with us."
Then he tells us a story how someone they know was asked what the capital of China was.
And he goes to me, "You know, you know [he emphasizes again], what the guy said?"
I looked at him a little puzzled by this question, like what could someone possibly answer to such a simple question, so I said, "Well I hope they said Beijing."
He nods his head back and forth no, eyes closed, lips pursed, like we won't believe what he was about to say.
Then, he says, "The guy said that the capital of China is...JAPAN!"
I looked at him my eyes squinting in disbelief, like that can't be a for real answer, right?
"No," he says, "That was what this guy thought, can you believe it?"
I said sort of laughing out loud, "Well maybe if World War II had ended differently that would be correct."
It sort of reminds me of the famous goof when Clinton gave the Russians the now famous "Reset Button."
It was supposed to indicate a thawing and renewal of peaceful relations, only the word printed on the button was "Peregruzka" meaning a more hostile "Overcharge."
Oops!
Maybe the overcharge referred to was prophetic of the West's losing the strategic Crimea to the Russian blitzkrieg in 2014. How much did that mistake cost us?
I guess it's not only STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) suffering in our educational system.
How's that standards based education reform "No Child Left Behind" (2001) working out?
It definitely seems like some folks are most definitely being left behind if not completely lost in the system.
At this rate, I fear the capital of the United States is now Iran. ;-)
August 6, 2015
Looking At Ourselves In The NUKE Mirror
Yet the deal with Iran--a member of the "Axis of Evil" and the #1 state sponsor of terrorism worldwide and of the worst abusers of human righs is trustless, especially when verification mechanisms are weak and Iran is non-complaint?
So where's the trust headed now (has anything changed, what are the signs so far)?
T - Turning away - Iran continues to turn away and refuse access to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) who are tasked with the verification of Iran's non-proliferation of nukes.
R - Restraining people - Iran continues to disrespect us and holds 4 Americans hostage with no sign or promise of release.
U - Undermining - Iran continues to undermine any relationship with the West by affirming that hostile policies toward "arrogant" America will not change.
S - Swindling - Iran continues to swindle and deceive the West going so far as to publish a 416-page manifesto by the Ayatollah on destroying Israel, "the ally of the American Great Satan."
T - Threatening - Iran continues to threaten the West most recently warning of a "Third World War" sparked by terorrism, and continuing chants of "Death to America!"
So what's the future of this deal in protecting the world from nukes and terrorism--let's be honest and look in the mirror and ask what's the deal here? ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
August 4, 2015
July 26, 2015
What's So Funny About Non-Proliferation?
Here's what they are saying online in some satire on the Iranian Nuke WMD Deal.
The Spanish comedian is talking about something else (I don't know what), but the subtitles were dubbed to make the points about the issues with this deal.
No disrespect intended to anyone, but the points illustrated are well made.
Is this how we want the world to view us?
We are hoping and praying for a real and verifiable peace.
July 25, 2015
July 19, 2015
Come Back In A Month!
In a nutshell:
"Can I check your suspected site for dangerous nuclear WMD?"
"No!"
"Ok, I'll come back in 24 days."
"Great, thank you--have a nice day."
(Source Photo: here with attribution to Chaim Haberfeld, Facebook)
July 18, 2015
The "Real" Reason Behind The Iran Deal
Why would the United States make a bad deal with Iran?
- Where Iran gets to keep their nuke infrastructure.
- Where they get restrictions for a mere 10-15 years and then presumably get the coveted BOMB.
- Where "managed access" for inspections has a ridiculous 24 days waiting time.
- Where the arms and ballistic missile embargo is lifted.
- Where Iran gets a windfall of $150 billion released to them for which they acknowledge they will tap for use to support terror worldwide.
- Where Iran's leadership continues to chant "Death To America," burn our flag and President in effigy, hold Americans hostage, threaten us, and insist that their hatred and fight against us will go on.
Are we going crazy?
No, there is actually a rational reason for all this.
So what's the reason--let me explain from my simple-minded thinking about all this (follow carefully)?
Iran is a Shiite nation.
Shiite's make up only a small percentage of the Islamic world around 15% (or 200 million).
However, the Sunnis make up the other 1 billion Muslims.
The Sunnis are moving through terrorist movements such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hamas and more to create a Sunni Caliphate throughout the Middle East and North Africa (and maybe beyond).
The Western world fears the terror and destruction that can come about from a Sunni Caliphate.
Also, on 9/11, The U.S. was attacked by Al Qaeda (Sunnis) and where 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia (a Sunni Country).
The answer is the enemy of my enemy is my friend...Iran.
Iran is the largest Shiite Country with it's own ambitions for a Shiite Caliphate.
Arming and funding Iran is a bulwark against the predominant Sunnis and their ambitions for power and hegemony.
Notably, guess what? Iraq is another country with a large Shiite population, like Iran.
Hence, this is why the U.S. went into Iraq to dethrone Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, who was holding power over the Shiite population--now the Shiites there are in power.
Voila, Shiites in Iran and neighboring Iraq empowered to fight Sunnis.
They mostly terrorize and murder each other instead of seriously battling the West.
Since 9/11, there has not been a major terrorist attack on the U.S.
And if Iran is on the road to the Bomb, and this sparks a nuclear arms race in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia etc., perhaps the thinking...maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.
Unfortunately, Israel who is threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran who explicitly wants to "annihilate" them is caught in the middle of all this.
But the West is more concerned with the Sunnis and Shiites battling it out, then with the fate of Israel, who we figure can be placated with some "compensation" armaments to protect themselves.
But is that enough for a country where one nuclear missile hit can mean a second Holocaust?
I am not a conspiracy theorist and never have been.
But this seems too easy. ;-)
(All Opinions My Own)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 15, 2015
The World's Most Dangerous Game Of Chicken
Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal does a nice job explaining in simple terms why Iran can't be allowed to get the bomb--not now and not in 10-15 years.
Iran is not playing by the same rules as the West!
And like when playing chicken, the one who is the chicken and tries to simply avoid confrontation through appeasement and concessions--they end up driving off the road and are the losers.
And one who is the hawk--willing to not only keep on pursuing their goals, but also to actually either use it or to stop it's use by any and all means--chances to be the winner.
However, the problem with nukes is that when someone is crazy enough to actually use them, then millions of decent, peaceful-loving people are the real losers.
And like with Hitler (may his name be cursed) who made known in "Mein Kampf" his crazed ambitions for world domination and blatantly murdered millions...
Iran, the world's leading state-sponsor of terrorism and human rights offender today, continues to boldly chant "Death to America" and threatens to "annihilate" the State of Israel, while pursuing nukes, ballistic missiles, and a Shiite Caliphate.
This is perhaps the world's most dangerous "game" of chicken, and the cost of being wrong, never higher.
July 11, 2015
Dancing With The Devil
- No more answering questions about their past nuclear WMD activities.
- No more gradual sanctions relief.
- No more giving up all their spinning centrifuges.
- No more anywhere, anytime inspections of suspicious military sites.
Actually, this is all quite amazing!
And at the same time as Iran doesn't give a real inch toward what the West wants, their negotiators are now throwing in yet more of what they want and that includes doubling their oil sales immediately and the removal of the arms and ballistic missile embargo.
Hey, if you are the Iranians in the negotiations--ask and ye shall receive.
But what about what we should be asking for, but are not:
1) Iran needs to give up and dismantle their infrastructure for producing nuclear weapons--ALL of it, period. Isn't it obvious that Iran having nukes is inevitable if they are allowed to continue to be permitted to have some nuke capability in plain sight and the rest conducted in hiding out of our limited inspections purview?
2) Iran must cease being the leading state sponsor of terrorism world-wide or for that matter any sponsor of terrorism--that is not how civilized nations behave! How can Iran be trusted on any nuke agreement as long as they continue to murder and terrorize innocents just as part of what they do. Just as an example, does anyone remember the 242 U.S. Marines killed in the Beirut barracks bombing. What happened to "We don't negotiate with terrorists"?
3) Iran cannot continue their overt hatred of the West, while pretending to negotiate an end to sanctions. Chanting "Death to America" (and Israel), burning our flag and our President in effigy, calling us their worst enemy, and threatening to attack and annihilate them is not in spirit of negotiating an agreement, is it? Again, where is foundation for trust here to even make an agreement?
4) Iran can't deny the truth of the Holocaust and the murder of six million innocent Jewish people in the most cruel ways just 70 years ago and simultaneously sit at the table today with world leaders in suits and ties and smiles, pretending to make a verifiable agreement that means anything.
While we all want true world peace, this leopard has not at all changed its stripes.
The words "Never Again" are not just an empty saying, but rather they are a commitment that all good and decent people must take upon themselves to ensure that hatred, terror, and evil are no longer permitted in the league of civilized nations.
The devil always presents himself in an appealing way, but as history has shown over and over again, he never fails to hurt those who try to appease him.
May G-d guide the leaders of this great nation with wisdom and to see those with whom they negotiate for who they really are--and may a true peace reign in our times.
(All opinions my own.)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 7, 2015
A Deal Of Dread
I would imagine that very soon there will be ATA-boys, pats on the back and high-fives, photo ops, more gushing smiles, and of course the coveted Noble Peace Prize.
But as we move ever closer to a deal with Iran on Nuclear Weapons Of Mass Destruction all I feel is complete dread.
I wish I could be happy--really I do--because we had a strong and verifiable deal that protected us all, but instead...
I am afraid for the State of Israel--holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims around the world--as a nuclear capable Iran and their terrorist proxies renew vows to annihilate Israel--only 70 years after the Holocaust that erased 6 million Jewish lives, their souls rising in the billowing smoke of the furnaces of the Nazi crematoria.
Further, I am afraid for the dimming prospects of true world peace based on the tacit acceptance of an eventual nuclear-armed Iranian regime, still the leading state sponsor of world-wide terrorism.
Every day, we are bombarded by a cacophony of what seems an unending litany of concessions to Iran:
2) Yesterday, it was that Iran wants an immediate doubling of oil exports.
3) Last week, it was that rather than gradual sanctions relief for compliance, instead now Iran would get a $150 billion signing bonus - that is 25 times the annual budget of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard and could be used to finance and carry out yet more global terrorism.
4) And that for vital inspections for nuke compliance, "anytime, anywhere, unimpeded" of suspicious military sites would now only be a highly watered down "managed access" of inspections.
5) Three weeks ago, the U.S. said that Iran no longer needs to account for the past nuclear weapons research that world representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), had been trying to pry out of them for than a decade.
6) In March, as part of the framework deal, we learned that Iran's freeze on sensitive nuclear activities would only be 10 years, and even that Iran was calling "unaceptable."
7) Moreover in March, we learned that despite any agreement, Iran was continuing to pursue banned items for nukes and the missiles to deliver them.
In April, we were reminded of the dangers of failed nuclear agreements when China warned about North Korea's ever expanding nuke arsenal, which critics have pointed out mimics that of the deal with Iran.
Aside from the dangerous weaknesses in the emerging deal, Iran's hatred for the United States is unmitigated as a general in Iran said just last week that the U.S. remains "our worst, most vicious enemy."
Moreover, as Iran's Parlimant bans access to its military sites, they continue unabated their generational old chant of "death to America."
In these fateful times, when our decisions now will affect the lives of untold millions in the future, let us pray for G-d's mercy.
May the L-rd above bestow the strength of good character, wisdom of our ancestors, and the fortitude of our great heros to ensure a good deal--or no deal at all--with our avowed and undetered enemy--and may he bring a true peace to us all.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 1, 2015
Time Runs Out - What Are We To Believe?
1) Iran - Time runs out on deadline for a nuke deal even after "the framework" was supposedly set three months ago. And as Iran's Supreme Leader and the Iranian Parliament chant death to America, can we really believe that Iran will ever truly give up their pusuit of nuclear weapons of mass destruction (and terrorism) to use on you know who?
2) Greece - Time runs out on an extension of more Greek bailout funds, and they default on payment to the International Monetary Fund potentially leading to their exit from the Euro and the EU. With a Greek debt of $271 billion, can we really believe they will ever be able to repay this?
3) Social Security and Medicare - Time is running out on the solvency of our own social entitlement system in the U.S. For example, the Social Security Disability Trust Fund runs dry already next year in 2016, Medicare is exhausted by 2030 and Social Security by 2033. With just 16 and 19 years of funding left for these major programs that tens of millions depend on, can we really believe that magically we will dig our way out of this mega mess of a financial hole?
4) Global Warming - Time is running out on cutting carbon emissions leading to global warming and catastrophic climate change. With global warming denial still in vogue and reluctance by the industrial nations to significantly cut back on emissions in time, can we really believe that catastrophic enviornment damage will be averted?
5) War - Time is runing out as potential for eventual war looms on the horizon with China, says respected DoD Futurist, Peter Singer. With disputes in the South China Sea and with Taiwan, China bulking up on advanced weapons, and the U.S. pivoting to Asia, the fears of a serious confrontation are there. Similarly, with Russia and it's annexation of Crimea and ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine, threats to it's Balkan neighbors, confrontations on the European borders, and an increasingly nuclear and militant Russia, the Cold War is heating up. The last world war ended 70 years ago, can we really believe that the peace will continue to prevail with powerful adversaries in turbulent and uncertain times?
Yes, hopes and dreams are important, but real concrete action is too or time will simply run out and then what? ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 6, 2015
A Political Teddy Bear
Taken on the Washington, D.C. Mall...
You can see the Capitol of the United States in the background.
The gate is surrounding the construction being done.
On the fence is a Teddy Bear--representing so many of our national challenges--sort of just hanging there helpless.
This political bear looks like he's clutching for dear life, but unfortunately he is left hung out to dry as we just keep chugging away...but where is the real progress?
- ISIS and radical Islam is still growing stronger.
- Iran continues building toward a nuclear WMD.
- China and Russia are "becoming [ever more] aggressive as they perceive U.S. pulling back."
- North Korea achieves capability for a "nuclear ICMB."
- Cyber insecurity is a "real and growing threat."
- There is a growing danger of a catastrophic EMP attack with a "staggering human cost."
- Immigration crisis remains in "limbo."
- Economic growth is "grinding to a halt."
- National deficit is "projected to skyrocket over next decade."
- American economic competitiveness is in ongoing "slow decay."
- U.S. education "still lagging" significantly in science and mathematics.
- Life expectancy in U.S. ranks 26th, "right behind Slovenia."
This doesn't mean that good things aren't continuing to happen especially with innovation despite all the gridlock...there is the Apple Watch (ok, the jury is still out on that one too).
Why don't we let the bear down gently please. ;-)
(Source Photo: Minna Blumenthal)
March 24, 2015
Hmm...A Nuke Deal With Iran--Just Ask Why?
HATRED OF AMERICA--THEIR ENEMY #1:
1) Iran, of the Axis Of Evil, considers "The Great Satan" (as they call America) their "number one enemy", they chant "Death to America," and even hang our President in effigy.
MURDERING AND THREATENING TO RAIN DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ON AMERICANS:
2) Iran threatened brutal attacks on America as well as on the President's family, and Iranian military documents endorse a devastating EMP attack on the United States.
3) Iran says it will destroy the U.S. Navy, and destroyed a mock U.S. aircraft carrier in February!
4) Iran held our diplomats hostage for 444 days.
5) Iran through it's proxy Hezbolah killed 241 U.S. Marines in the Lebanon suicide attack.
DENYING THE HOLOCAUST AND THREATENING ANNIHILATION OF ISRAEL:
6) Iran threatens to annihilate Israel.
7) Iran is a leading denier of the Holocaust, where 6 million Jews were murdered just 70 years ago.
THE WORLD'S LEADING SPONSOR OF TERRORISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES:
8) Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism worldwide.
9) Iran is the worst human rights offender in the world today.
ONGOING DEFIANCE OF THE WORLD ON NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION ACTIVITIES:
10) Iran continues to hide their dangerous nuclear activites from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), even as they profess cooperation, seek a lifting of sanctions and legitimacy for their nuke program.
(All opinions my own)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to MEMRI via Fox News)
March 5, 2015
What's Behind The Iran Deal?
But with this deal, Iran does go nuclear!
The question then is who is this non-deal of a deal for?
Usually one makes a deal that is good for you, your team, your allies, your friends, your community--that's why you're making the deal...otherwise why bother?
In this case, no one has more to lose with a (very) bad deal than Iran's neighbors in the Middle East, so they are actually very good judges as to whether this is a good deal or not, right?
If it's a good deal that safeguards them, the region, and us--wouldn't they all be jumping up and down doing the Horah?
But they're not--and far from it!
PM Netanyahu was extremely clear and got 23 standing ovations in just a 40 minute speech explaining how kicking the thermonuclear can down the road ten years does not a non-proliferation agreement make with a homicidal terrorist regime like Iran.
Similar, today again it is reported that "America's other key allies across the Middle East--such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates--are just as distraught."
And the same reason that they don't like this deal is why we shouldn't like this deal--because it doesn't accomplish the goal of safety and security for this region of the world or for us from dangerous Iran.
In this case, where a no-nuke Iran was what was committed to, instead we are getting, at best, a temporary deal with Iran that leaves them their nuke infrastructure and capabilities, as well as the legitimacy to ultimately have their nukes and make us eat it too!
So perhaps it is understandable why Netanyahu came here to speak to the U.S. Congress about what this dangerous deal is turning into and means to the very country that has been threatened by Iran with extermination.
And why a prominent Emirati political commentator said, "A lot of the Gulf countries [our traditional U.S. allies] feel they are being thrown under the bus."
Hmm, perhaps rather than playing right side/left side of the aisle politics, we should be asking some common sense questions:
1) Why would anyone and why would we in particular want a deal that doesn't accomplish the goal of stopping the terrorist Iranian regime from getting nuclear weapons of mass destruction?
2) Why would we desperately seek a deal that doesn't safeguard us, and our allies, and where the common refrain is that no deal is better than this deal?
3) Why would we be pushing to lift sanctions on Iran that has threatened us and our allies with everything from raping the President's daughter to sinking the U.S. Navy to annihilating Israel instead of clamping down on these terrorists?
You know the famous saying that when something smells fishy, it usually is.
This deal makes no sense--and our allies in the Middle East know it, Congress knows it, and if you don't let partisan politics get in the way, we all know it.
That means that as Iran is now aggressively spreading it's influence and forces across a contingent land sphere including Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, there is some ulterior motive at play here--should I draw you a map? ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
March 4, 2015
Sifting Through The Beef Stew
A smidgon of their very shakey arguments:
1) THIS IS POLITICAL, PERSONAL, MACHO, DISRESPECTFUL, CONDESCENDING, AND MADE ME CRY
FALSE. Actually, with great alarm and dismay, we have been watching for many months, the name-calling and discrediting coming right here from bipartisan Washington...this, rather than supporting the only true democracy, friend, and ally in the middle east. For the Jewish people, this is a mater of survival from genocide, plain and simple--and only 70 years after the Holocaust.
2) THIS IS TO CHANGE THE ELECTION
FALSE. This was at the invitation of Congress to come speak, and at its timetable. The timing does not necessarily help or hurt the PM's election chances; these are matters for individual voters at the polls to decide.
3) THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVES
FALSE. The alternative is plain, simple, and common sense--keep the sanctions in place and the pressure on Iran, and NOT settle for a deal that proflierates dangerous nukes to a threatening Iranian regime. Those advocating otherwise will find themselves on the wrong side of the historical nuclear aftermath...won't that leave them a wonderful legacy!
4) WE CAN SURVEIL AND VERIFY ALL NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES
FALSE. The IAEA has repeatedly declared that they have NOT been able to verify Iran's nuclear activies or the facilities used to build and house them. Moreover, repeated agreements with North Korea turned out to be unverifiable and ended up in their attaining dangerous nuclear weapons that we are still contending with.
5) NO DEAL WILL BE ACCEPTABLE
FALSE. A (very) bad deal is not acceptable. A deal that KEEPS nukes--weapons of mass destruction--out of the hands of the world's premier sponsor of terrorism and human rights abuses--Iran--for an phased-in easing of sanctions is a good deal.
6) YOU CAN'T STOP USE OF NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE
FALSE. You can deny Iran the infrastructure and legitimacy to use that knowledge, period. Maybe you can't put it back in the can, but you can take away the can, shaped like an ICBM, itself.
7) WRONG ON IRAQ AND WRONG AGAIN
FALSE. When the world was passive in the face of nuclear proliferation in Iraq, Israel was spot on when it destroyed their nearly completed nuclear reactor in 1981. Unfortunately, we were wrong about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capability as reported by the Presidential Commission that investigated this post our 2003 invasion of Iraq.
8) NOTHING NEW HERE
FALSE. PM Netanyahu made clear that this is NOT partisan, that he has the highest respect for the President(cy), that he is most grateful to America, that our bounds are unbreakable, that the enemy (IRAN) of our enemy (ISIS) is not our friend (both seeking radical dominion over the middle east and globally), and that proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass destruction is not acceptable--now or in ten years. And maybe most inspiringly and underpinning many of our common bonds and values is that there is a picture of Moses over the door of Capital! ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
March 3, 2015
Purim All Over Again
Last night my wife received an email from a very holy woman from our synagogue telling us to pray for G-d to save the Jewish people.
This at a time when Iran is on the verge of nuclear breakout capability and has for more than a decade threatened Israel with genocide.
As Prime Minister Netanyahu said yesterday, the threat from a nuclear-armed Iran is a security issue to the U.S. (which has been threatened by Iran, including unbelievably threats to President Obama's family), but is a survival issue to Israel.
The holy lady from the shule reminded us that this is the week we celebrate Purim.
This holiday commerates when the Jewish people were miraculously saved almost 2,500 years ago from an evil plot to destroy all the Jews in ancient Persia (and yes, what is now related to modern day Iran).
The threat: "To destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day."
But for a miracle from G-d through Mordechai and Queen Esther were the Jewish people saved from annihilation.
It is not lost of any of us that now Iran wants to exterminate the Jews once again, in a single day, in a single nuclear strike on the holy land.
The Jerusalem Post astutely points out today that Prime Minister Netanyahu is like Mordechai who recognized the threat of the evil Haman who sought the Jews' destruction, as well as Queen Esther who spoke truth to this to King Ahasuerus.
Both my mother and my wife are named after the beautiful Queen Esther and so this holiday has enormous personal meaning for me, especially since my family are also survivors of the Holocaust.
Today, we are all praying for another miracle when Netanyahu addresses the U.S. Congress that the Jews should once again be saved from historical enemies old and new. ;-)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to pixgood)
March 1, 2015
Please Don't Shoot Our Ally
Get this...
When Israel was ready this past year to take out the Iran Nukes, who stopped them?
No, not the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
No, not any of the other Arab states or terror groups.
No, not Russia.
But rather, our President is reported to have threatened to literally "shoot down Israeli fighter jets" (those of our "Major Strategic Ally") if they attempted to take out Iran's nuclear facilities.
This at the same time that he is desperately seeking an agreement with Axis of Evil, Iran, who continues to threaten Israel and what Iran calls, "The Great Satan," America.
While these "negotiations" are going into the home stretch (with one extension after another)...
- Iran destroyed a mock Nimitz class U.S. aircraft carrier in a missile attack, just last week.
- A senior Iranian cleric threatened our executive branch and vowed to "raise the flag of Islam over the White House."
- In Iran,"Obama is being hung in effigy and the U.S. flag being burnt in Tehran."
Are these the actions of a nation that the U.S. can trust to make an agreement with on nuclear weapons of mass destruction OR is this a deal with the devil?
As one Arab official stated: "We prefer a collapse of the diplomatic process to a bad deal."
Why is this administration turning on Israel and our Arab allies and desperately pursuing a deal, "making ever more concessions" to the ever dangerous Iranian regime.
As Putin is alleged to have had Russian opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov killed last week, one has to wonder what is going on in our own backyard here in America, with worse yet, purported threats to shoot at our ally Israel.
G-d should give our leaders the wisdom to discern our allies from our foes, to treat them accordingly, and to secure a genuine peace with security.
(Source Photo: here with attribution to Mike Licht)
February 26, 2015
Discuss and Work Together, Respectfully
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This after Netanyahu accepted an invitation from the United States Congress to speak about Iranian nukes threatening the State of Israel, the region, and the Western world.
1) Iran, Israel and Arab Allies:
Truly, can anyone blame Israel and our Arab allies of being distressed that we are disavowing our 2011 commitment to them, as President Obama stated:
"You also see our commitment to our shared security in our...there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon...My policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons."
Now we have as reported gone from preventing Iran on obtaining nuclear weapons to instead a possible agreement that still leaves thousands of Iran's nuclear centerfuges spinning and "sunsets" as early as 2025!
This is a lopsided turning of the tables on Israel and of our Arab allies for reapproachment with Axis of Evil, Iran.
2) Russia and Ukraine:
But not alone are our Middle East allies in feeling abandoned by us, as we made security guarantees also to Ukraine in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 that specifically committed the U.S., U.K. and Russia to:
"Respect the independence and sovereignty and existing border of Ukraine [and to] refrain from the threat or use of force."
Well so much for that as Crimea has now been annexed by Russia and battling rages across eastern Ukraine by Russian-supported separatists, despite a blantant violation of a truce recently brokered by France and Germany.
3) Poland and Czech Republic
Yet once again, with Poland and the Czech republic (members of NATA), we commited ourselves to building a missle shield only then to back away and seemingly abandon them:
"In one of the biggest national security reversals of his young presidency, Mr. Obama cancelled...plans to station a radar facility [and]...ground-based interceptors."
Questions:
Why are we continually turning on longtime friends and allies and embracing enemies sworn to our destruction?
What do our commitments mean to anyone anymore and why shouldn't our shunted allies speak out, especially when it is their countries that are being placed in jeopardy?
Disrespect and Freedom of Speech:
What is also amazing is how low we have gone in our interactions such that we no longer discuss and disagree respectfully, but instead resort now to withholding security information, disgraceful name-calling (e.g. "Chickenshit"), discrediting, and even seeking to silence opposing views!
What has happened to our dearly held and constitutional rights and values for democracy, free speech, including openly debating issues and respecting differences of opinion?
Institutional Anti-Semitism:
Interesting also is how big and tough we are being on little Israel (population 8 million and about the size of the 5th smallest U.S. state of New Jersey)...
While simultaneously many seem to be proverbially (excuse the language) peeing their pants in front of the newly aggressive "Big Bear," Russia.
What is more important when it comes to the dangers of a Iran with nuclear WMD--a longtime friend and ally Israel that is facing a potentially existential threat just 70 years after the Holocaust or getting an historical "award" for making an agreement (and a potentially bad one at that) with Iran?
Conclusion:
Behavior unbecoming, includes serially breaking commitments, silencing the opposition (uh, against our Constituion), name-calling and bullying, and endangering longtime allies and friends--this is not leadership and does not leave anyone a desired legacy.
Let's openly and freely discuss and work together respectfully in true friendship and partnership, and get a good deal that safeguards the democracies of the United States and Israel. ;-)
(All Opinions my own.)
(Source Photo: here with attribution to blueforce4116)
February 19, 2015
Ever Feel This Way?
I took this photo of an advertisement for the "I'm With Stupid" Minions movie released on February 2.
Sadly, I think this sums up how I am feeling about current world affairs rapidly devolving into chaos, with little to nothing happening to bring it back from the brink:
- China builds four new fortress artificial islands in the South China Sea projecting it's military might in disputed waters.
- Iran threatens gas embargo on U.S., suicide missions on U.S. Navy, missile attack on Israel, and nuclear enrichment expansion while negotiating for a lifting of sanctions.
- Syrian fighting leaves over 250,000 dead and includes their "systematically" using chemical weapons.
- ISIS burns another 45 people alive in Iraq, beheads 21 Coptic Christians abducted from Egypt, and commits mass "brutal and abnormal sex" on female captives.
- Boko Haram attack leaves another 2,000 dead in Nigeria (the world's 4th largest democracy) with "bodies scattered everywhere."
- Radical Islamists conduct terrors attacks in Europe in both France (Charlie Hebdo Magazine and a Jewish grocery store) and Copenhagen (a free speech event and a Synagogue).
- Dangerous terrorists apprehended and put away in the Guantanamo detention facility are then released with about 28% (or more) returning to their chosen terror professions.
Daniel Henninger in the Wall Street Journal points to this sorry state of affairs and our retrenchment in world affairs, as a serious misalignment between the age-old guns and butter debate.
Maybe time for some smart people to get in on things. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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