2009 May : The Third Lens

Will Israel Be Left To Go It Alone?

May 19, 2009 by tremington  
Filed under Featured Articles, Israel Watch

obama and netanyahuWhile U.S. President Barack Obama seemingly drags his feet in crafting a Middle East policy that directly involves Israel, Iran and the Palestinians, signs are pointing to the real possibility that newly elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli people will be mostly toughing things out on their own.

Yesterday, Netanyahu met for the first time face to face with Barack Obama. The prime minister made it clear that he was willing to begin negotiations for peace with the Palestinians as soon as they were willing to acknowledge and honor Israel’s right to exist. He also would not commit to a two state solution, one he does not want and one that Obama has indicated he wants to see.

On the other side, Obama has a problem both at home and in Israel. More than likely Obama does not have the support at home to promote his agenda with Iran, Israel, Hamas, Palestine and basically the entire Middle East. Just as disturbing is the fact that it now appears Israelis overwhelmingly see Barack Obama as anti-Israel. According to the results of a recent poll printed in the Jerusalem Post, only 31% of Israelis view Obama as pro-Israel.

Besides the 31% who labeled Obama pro-Israel, 14% considered him pro-Palestinian and 40% felt he was neutral. The other 15% declined to provide an opinion for the poll

If you are wondering how that compares to former President Bush’s approval of the Israelis, his rating was 88%. It may be that the longer Obama stalls in taking a definitive position, the lower that number may fall.

Even though Barack Obama says he hasn’t taken any options off the table, he appears weak in any attempts he has made to negotiate with Iran and the Arab world in general. Now with Israel not viewing Obama as a friend and the president still clinging to hope that he can negotiate with terrorists, does Obama have any leverage at all?

Pat Buchanan says Netanyahu and Israel really only have three options and none of them look very encouraging.

One option is to annex the West Bank, which Buchanan says would ultimately end up with Israel absorbing a population of Palestinians that in time would outnumber Jews. A second option is basically ethnic cleansing, which I would have to agree with Buchanan, this is something the U.S. could not support.

The third plan is one that seems to be Netanyahu’s option – no Palestinian state and to retain control over the West Bank to make sure that what happened with Hamas in Gaza doesn’t happen there. This plan of course has it’s problems, the biggest being that this would essentially isolate the Palestinians.

Netanyahu understands that Israel is always a target and that as many times as they have tried to negotiate peace and give up territory and yield to the demands of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinians and pressures from the West, they continue to be shot at, grenades launched into settlements, car bombed and rockets fired at them.

When you have never spent everyday of your existence wondering who will be killed by a terrorist today, it is easy to suggest concessions for peace. I suggest that Netanyahu and the Israeli people have a much better understanding of reality than Barack Obama who believes in negotiating with those who want to kill Jews and Americans.

So we are still left with the big question. Where will the United States come down on the issue of protecting Israel from those bent on her destruction? It is believed that Barack Obama will announce to the world those plans in a speech scheduled for June 4, 2009 in Cairo, Egypt. Mark that day on your calendar. It could be one of the biggest days in world history.

Tom Remington

Millions Of Americans Could Die!!

hitlerDo you like the title? I’m taking a page out of the liberal’s playbook on how to play on people’s emotions while side stepping any form of actual factual information to back up a claim. The following is taking facts and spinning emotion into it.

Yes, millions of people could die under the rule of Barack Obama! This morning I read a headline in a lefty newspaper that read, “As many as 1,000 wolves could be killed!” This all because it was decided to remove federal protection of the wolf.

This morning, I’m claiming that millions of people, worldwide, could die while Barack Obama is in office. My reasoning is that he is a fascist dictator and like Hitler, millions of people died.

And speaking of Hitler. I have been reading Jonah Goldberg’s book, Liberal Fascism. I highly recommend it but unfortunately too few will read it because they will automatically reach conclusions just by the title. While the title grabs your attention, the book isn’t quite what you might think it is. It is very historical. In it you will discover America’s birth of fascism, the journey of the metamorphosis of fascism through the years and what role it plays in our lives today.

Toward the end of the book I was reading about how Hitler transformed Germany into what it became. Here’s what Goldberg said.

“Under the progressives, the Christian God had been transformed into the God of lower food prices. Under the Nazis, the Christian God would be transformed into an Aryan SS officer with Hitler his right hand. The so-called German Christian pastors preached that “just as Jesus liberated mankind from sin and hell, so Hitler saves the German Volk from decay.” In April 1933 the Nazi Congress of German Christians pronounced that all churches should catechize that “God has created me a German; Germanism is a gift of God. God wills that I fight for Germany. War service in no way injures the Christian conscience, but is obedience to God.”

“When some Protestant bishops visited the Fuhrer to register complaints, Hitler’s rage go the better of him. “Christianity will disappear from Germany just as it has done in Russia…The German race has existed without Christianity for thousands of years…and will continue after Christianity has disappeared…We must get used to the teachings of blood and race.” When the bishops objected that they supported Nazism’s secular aims, just not its religious innovations, Hitler exploded: “You are traitors to the Volk. Enemies of the Vaterland and destroyers of Germany.”

“In 1935 mandatory prayer in school was abolished, and in 1938 carols and Nativity plays were banned entirely. By 1941 religious instruction for children fourteen years and up had been abolished altogether, and Jacobinism reigned supreme. A Hitler Youth song rang out from the campfires”

What I opted to do with the Hitler Youth song was to replace two names that appear in it. You’ll catch on.

We are the happy Obama Youth;
We have no need for Christian virtue;
For Barack Obama is our intercessor
And our redeemer.
No priest, no evil one
Can keep us
From feeling like Obama’s children.
No Christ do we follow, but Rahm Emanuel!
Away with the incense and holy water pots.

The orphans in Germany were given a song to sing at Christmas time, a song once familiar here in America but with each passing year, as our society continues it’s bent on ridding this country of any reference to God, this carol too will be banned. Hitler changed the lyrics to the song as I will change them again to fit the moment.

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright,
Only Obama steadfast in fight,
Watches o’er America by day and night,
Always caring for us.

Before you call me a wing nut, or one of Napolitano’s feared right wing extremists, review your history and then be honest with yourself and compare this all to the direction this country is headed. Some of us don’t like it and fear for our future. On the other hand, you might just like it. Many Germans did.

Tom Remington

Iran Deploys Missiles To Strait Of Hurmuz

May 12, 2009 by tremington  
Filed under Featured Articles, World News

strait of hurmuzOver half of the world’s supply of crude oil and about 40% of the natural gas supply travels through the Strait of Hurmuz on it’s way to worldwide destinations. Reports are saying that Iran has deployed mobile missile launchers into the Strait to be better prepared should an attack on that country occur from the West, namely Israel and the United States.

Threats made of an attack against Iran to stop its nuclear weapons ambitions are nothing new. Much of this has been going on since 2002 but so far it has been all talk and no action. Iran still claims its nuclear development is only for peaceful purposes and for the creation of nuclear powered electricity. This action by Iran only brings the notion closer to reality that an attack may be eminent.

Iran has supposedly notified many of its Arab neighbors that they have deployed the missiles but they are not targeted at them, however, Iran has many times threatened that if their state is attacked, they will shut down the Strait of Hurmuz, crippling the world’s supply of crude oil and natural gas. This would draw the ire of much of the world against such a move.

It is interesting and leaves many people wondering if this bold move by Iran is being done because it perceives the Obama administration weak in its resolve to protect Israel and stand firm against any aggression aimed at Israel and the Middle East. We know that President Obama has tried to upon up communications with Iran and Syria and some see this move without preconditions as weak and foolhardy.

Israel and the United States have repeatedly said they cannot allow Iran to obtain or build nuclear weapons. The question still remains, what are they prepared to do to stop them. Iran must consider the threat enough to now deploy its mobile missiles into the Strait of Hurmuz.

Tom Remington

Further Signs Of Deterioration Of U.S. – Israel Relations

May 6, 2009 by tremington  
Filed under Featured Articles, Israel Watch

obamaOver the past few days I have been bringing you stories that have at a minimum made us all wonder just how strongly U.S. President Barack Obama supports Israel. With President Obama insistent that he can negotiate with Iran, many are left wondering what Obama is willing to give up in order to appease Iran.

Yesterday we learned that Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, told the world that Israel needed to begin serious negotiations directed at a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Only a day later, V.P. Joe Biden told a pro-Israel lobby at AIPAC meetings, that Israel had to work toward a two-state solution.

The idea of Israel and Palestine living side by side in two separate states isn’t a new idea. As a matter of fact, President George Bush conceded that that might be the solution to the years of war and needless killings. The problem often in these negotiations is how to divide the land.

So far Obama’s warmth toward Israel hasn’t come shining through in any fashion and today, we read in the Washington Times that some, as well as perhaps even the new Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, are wondering if Obama is going to place demands on Israel to give up its nuclear weapons along with Iran.

President Obama’s efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons threaten to expose and derail a 40-year-old secret U.S. agreement to shield Israel’s nuclear weapons from international scrutiny, former and current U.S. and Israeli officials and nuclear specialists say.

The issue will likely come to a head when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Mr. Obama on May 18 in Washington. Mr. Netanyahu is expected to seek assurances from Mr. Obama that he will uphold the U.S. commitment and will not trade Israeli nuclear concessions for Iranian ones.

Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller said at a meeting of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the UN that Israel should join the treaty. The treaty states that only 5 nations will be allowed to have nuclear weapons – U.S., France, Britain, China and Russia.

For that to happen, it would mean that the U.S. would no longer avoid acknowledging that Israel has nuclear arms. If the U.S. were able to force Israel into giving up nukes, this would leave a tiny island of maybe 5 million people surrounded by hundreds of millions who vow to wipe her off the face of the earth.

History has shown us that Israel, should they agree to any treaty, will honor that treaty. Other nations have an abysmal record of upholding treaties with Israel.

Is President Obama radically changing the relationship the United States has had with Israel for many years? Ed Morrissey of Hot Air says that he believes the reason Obama hired on Rose Gottemoeller as Assistant Secretary of State was because of her stance on Israel and that Obama fully understood her comments made about Israel signing on to the NPT. This being their policy on Israel.

The Obama administration appointed Gottemoeller, fully cognizant of her thinking on this issue. One has to assume that her appointment to the senior position at State constitutes an endorsement of those positions. It wouldn’t be the most radical thinking about Israel from this administration; Samantha Powers, who works between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Ambassador Susan Rice, once called for a Western occupation of Israel and forced disarmament of their entire army.

From this perspective it becomes disturbingly frightening that Obama seems to have a position on Israel that is more like that of just another country. I can understand why Israelis are wondering if this new administration will support Israel in real time of need.

We have to once again ask the question, are we leaving Israel to fend for itself?

Tom Remington

Is America Changing Its Policies Toward Israel?

May 5, 2009 by tremington  
Filed under Featured Articles, World News

israel flagOne can only speculate what is running through the mind of U.S. President Barack Obama in how he intends to treat the United States’ long time friends in Israel. Through ups and downs of both nations seldom has there been times when we could question the support the U.S. has for Israel.

Recently, Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s Chief of Staff, said that if Israel expects the United States to do anything about Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Israel first must work toward creating a two-state solution to end troubles in that region.

And then again today, Vice President Joe Biden told a pro-Israel lobby at AIPAC in Washington, that Israel had to work toward a two-state solution.

“You’re not going to like my saying this, but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement.”

Even though Biden reiterated the U.S.’s continued support for Israel, many bring into question Obama’s current policies of trying to negotiate with Iran without any pre-conditions.

If the Obama administration pushes for Israel to divide up its land and give up strategic areas used for national security, as well as pander to the Iranians and other Arab nations who have public announced their intentions to destroy Israel, where does this leave them? If push comes to shove, will the U.S. unconditionally support Israel?

Tom Remington

It’s 1938 and Iran is Germany

May 5, 2009 by Steve Remington  
Filed under Israel Watch

iranflagIn a recent article titled The Gathering Storm, written by Tom Mountain, he pens the words of current day Benjamin Netanyahu, “It’s 1938 and Iran is Germany.” This historical analogy implicates how imminent Iran’s nuclear threat is to the region, and to the world.

Following history back to 1938, that was the year to stop Hitler and Nazi Germany before it was too late. Unfortunately the threat was not taken seriously enough, and by the time 1939 rolled around it was too late.

After 1938 it was too late. By the spring of 1940 Hitler had defeated France and prepared to destroy Britain.

Today we are facing the same struggle but instead of it being Germany, It is the Iranian regime.

If today is eerily reminiscent of 1938, and Iran is the successor to Nazi Germany, then Barack Obama is Neville Chamberlain and the West Bank is the Sudetenland.

Barack Obama may not be completely anti-Israel, meaning he is looking for the destruction of it, but he is not “inclined to adamantly” support the Jewish state against the enemy. I see Obama as someone who is so caught up in appearances, he seems to forget what the role of the President of the United States is. He resembles more of a TV star than a leader who will protect the country from enemies foreign and domestic. Just like Bill Clinton, Obama is so caught up in bringing peace at any cost, even if it meant selling out Israel and even the United States. Right now Obama is believing in the lies put forth by Iran, in that their nuclear ambitions are peaceful. In fact, it is no secret the plans Iran has for wanting to destroy and eliminate the Jewish state.

There seems to be only one person who takes the threat seriously. There are some who may believe Iran is all talk and not much action. But we have to remember that Israel is betting on their very own survival. There is a lot more at stake if you are wrong. It means the complete and utter destruction of Israel. Netanyahu is fully aware of the threat by Iran and he will rise up alone, without the United States, if it is needed.

The Changing Global Demographics

May 4, 2009 by tremington  
Filed under Featured Articles, World News

According to the video provided, a culture needs to have a birth rate of over 2 children per family. With many world nations and cultures reporting birth rates well under 2 and a Muslim rate over 8 children per family, combine that with the ongoing immigration into Europe and North America and the world as we know it today will soon be departed.

Note: I can’t confirm the accuracy of this video, nor do I know it’s real origins. The reason I chose to post this is more to incite thought than to promote something I cannot authenticate. However accurate or inaccurate this video is, we know that there is major migration of Muslim people throughout the world and that influence is greatly affecting the balance of the world’s population.

Tom Remington