Spinning Out Of Control

Things are heating up in the world and at such a rapid pace it is nearly impossible to keep up. Here is a sampling of world headlines from only one day from around the globe.

Poles, Czechs: US missile defense shift a betrayal

Pelosi Chokes Up Warning Against Political “Violence”

Boy, 12, turns into girl

AHMADINEJAD VOWS ISRAEL ‘WILL NOT LAST LONG’

Clashes Reported as Iranians Hold Demonstrations

Nuke agency says Iran can make bomb

US Mideast envoy fails to strike settlement deal

The satellite link that keeps watch on your children

Deadly second wave of swine flu ‘on its way’, scientists warn

Russia’s Putin says U.S. shield decision positive

Dismay in Europe as Obama ditches missile defence

Will Israel Be Left To Go It Alone?

While 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

Iran Deploys Missiles To Strait Of Hurmuz

Over 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

Is America Changing Its Policies Toward Israel?

One 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

In 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.

Israel Warns China Its Oil Imports From Iran May Be In Danger

Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, met today with China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Peres told Jiechi that China should play a significant role in trying to convince Iran to halt its ambitions to achieve nuclear weapons.

During the visit, Jiechi encouraged Israel to begin negotiating with the Palestinians and that China supported the peace plan of giving up more land to the Palestinians. In addition to negotiating with the Palestinians, Jiechi encouraged Israel to open up talks with Syria and Lebanon.

It appears that Shimon Peres is trying to convince China that there may be more at stake in this nuclear arms debate concerning Iran than China might be willing to admit. According to today’s Jerusalem Post, Israel is prepared to tell China that if Iran doesn’t back off from developing nuclear weapons and a military conflict erupts between Israel and Iran, China’s growing demand of oil, much of what it buys from Iran, may be in jeopardy.

The Jerusalem Post has learned that Israeli officials were planning to tell him that China’s oil and natural gas imports from Iran could be jeopardized in the future if pressure does not increase on the Islamic republic to cease its nuclear program and a military confrontation ensues.

During his stay, Israeli diplomats will argue that a more proactive stance on China’s part to pressure Iran will serve Beijing’s interests, by helping to avert a military conflict, thus safeguarding an important energy source for the growing and energy-hungry Chinese economy.

Jiechi will be urged by officials in Jerusalem to up the ante in the campaign to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear development work.

As China grows and develops it has made no bones about the fact they need oil and will do most anything to continue their supply lines to get it. We have often speculated what role China would play in the unrest in the Middle East. A few years ago it might have been a stretch to believe that China would have such an enormous demand for oil and natural gas. Welcome to the high stakes of using oil for leverage.

It is safe to say that China is now well vested in Middle East affairs.

Tom Remington

Obama Making Enemies With Israel

It appears that President Barack Obama’s campaign pledge for hope and change now involves making friends with past enemies and enemies of past friends. Coming from a man who regularly told the American people that our foreign policy needed to change because we were angering the world with the way we did business, has shown us his willingness to bow down to Arab leaders and turn a cold shoulder to our longtime friends in Israel causing anger among our friends.

Obama is tossing his weight around and putting demands on Israel never before seen. While Israel remains deeply troubled by Iran’s bent on nuclear weapons, Obama has decided to use this as leverage against the Israelis, telling them that if they want help with Iran, they need to start giving up land and handing it over to the Palestinians.

Coming up is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, a time when, under past administrations, the head of Israel would be invited to pay a visit to the White House and meet with the president. Not Obama. He chose to inform Israel he would not be “in town” and that the past open door policy would no longer be in effect for Israeli prime ministers.

In return, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his trip to Washington and made an announcement that an upcoming purchase of 75 US-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets would be put on hold while Israel takes a closer look at the deal pending.

According to “TheAge.com”, the Israelis are talking about their relationship with President Obama and the end of warm relations.

According to prominent Israeli political commentator Maya Bengal, who writes for the country’s second-largest selling newspaper Maariv, the holiday is over.

“As Passover comes to an end, so comes to an end, it seems, the days of grace granted to the Netanyahu Government by the American Administration,” says the commentator.

Tel Aviv barman Meir Avraham, 30, says he can feel on the street the tensions being played out between the US and Israel.

“This is one of the the main things that the people are talking about at the moment,” says Mr Avraham, who recently returned to Israel after several months in Townsville.

Where does this leave Israel? Netanyahu has made it clear that they cannot tolerate Iran obtaining nuclear weapons – Iran being a country that promised to use them on the “Little Satan” and the “Great Satan”. If the new policies of the U.S are toward strengthening relations with the Arab countries at the expense of Israel, then Israel will be left all alone.

Tom Remington

Israel Ready to Bomb Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

We all knew it was just a matter of ‘when’, and not ‘if’. Just this week the Israeli military announced it is now prepared to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities. This comes as Israel’s new Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, forms his government. Just last week Israel’s President, Peres, hinted at a possible strike as well. Although we have always heard rhetoric from Israel, the time seems ripe due to many new develops. Of course, the United States has a new president who seems to be more supportive toward Muslims, and is now willing to sit down and negotiate without preconditions with Iran. But most of all Obama seems to be working against Netanyahu.

What’s more important is Iran’s capabilities now. Iran is boasting 7,000 enrichment centrifuges. If you aren’t familiar with the process of enriching uranium then I can assure you they are in the final stages…

Referring to the inauguration of a nuclear fuel production plant by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier on Thursday, he said in a televised speech: “Today we praise … the accomplishment of the last stage of the nuclear fuel cycle.”

Ahmadinejad admits they are in the last stages.

For those who are looking at this situation prophetically, we have to ask ourselves a couple of questions. First, would Israel’s attack on Iran prolong the coming of the last days or would it escalate them? Why? Could this agitate Russia and possibly China to begin aligning to retaliate against Israel leading to the Gog/Magog war prophesied in Ezekiel?

Obama Seems Willing To Cave In To Iran

Once the United States had a firm stance on dealing with rogue and terrorist supporting countries. That stance was that countries, like Iran, had to meet tough preconditions before any thought of negotiations of any kind could take place. With the Obama administration, things have certainly changed.

Not long after Obama took office, he crafted a video plea to the Iranian leadership to be a good boy and come play with the rest of the world fair. The message in return was clear – mind your own business. But this hasn’t seemingly deterred President Obama. He now seems willing to cave in to his own preconditions, displaying his weakness at the expense of national and international security by allowing Iran to continue to enrich uranium all in hopes that he can sit down with Iran and resolve differences.

According to the New York Times, Obama has convinced other European leaders that the rest of the world needs to look at things differently and appease Iran.

A review of Iran policy that Mr. Obama ordered after taking office is still under way, and aides say it is not clear how long he would be willing to allow Iran to continue its fuel production, and at what pace. But European officials said there was general agreement that Iran would not accept the kind of immediate shutdown of its facilities that the Bush administration had demanded.

“We have all agreed that is simply not going to work — experience tells us the Iranians are not going to buy it,” said a senior European official involved in the strategy sessions with the Obama administration. “So we are going to start with some interim steps, to build a little trust.”

Earlier this week, Israeli President Shimon Peres told the world that Iran is only interested in complete control over the Middle East and not just the state of Israel.

Where will this leave Israel and the United States as Obama continues to show real weakness in dealing with known terrorists such as Iran? Obama has already waffled in his support for Israel leaving them wondering if push came to shove, who he would support.

Israel President Peres Says Iran Out To Control Middle East

Coming as not much of a surprise to most honest people of the planet, Israel President Shimon Peres today said that “Iran has aspirations to control the Middle East”. This response came from Peres in reference to the fact that Egypt and Iran seem plotted against each other because of Egypt finding out that Hizbullah, a known arm of Iran, was plotting targets to destroy in Egypt, including tourist sites.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Speaking after meeting with the country’s top rabbis in honor of the Pessah holiday, Peres told Army Radio, “They fight even without us being involved, and that’s good.”

What Perez was indicating was that Iran is not just focused on the destruction of Israel but will fight anyone who stands in their way to control all the Middle East.

Tom Remington

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