Is Washington's Iranian Trigger Finger Getting Itchy Again?

Is the U.S. ramping-up to hit Iran? Follow the timeline and come to your own conclusion!

February '08

• The U.S. started purchasing oil for its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The reserve of crude oil which is stored in underground salt domes stood at 96.2% capacity. But the government is topping it right up.
• Imad Mughniyah, a leader of Hezbollah, was assassinated by a car bomb in Syria.

March '08

• Washington dispatched the USS Cole to Lebanese coastal waters. Shortly after that, it was replaced with two escorts from the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). They are still there.
• The Israeli's announced that they would be carrying out a military exercise in April ... Code Name - Turning Point 2.
• After the announcement the Syrian's deployed 3 divisions (two armored, one mechanized) to the Lebanese-Syrian border in the Bakaa Valley, the western part of which is Hezbollah's stronghold.
• Dick Cheney visits Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey, all whose co-operation the U.S. will need if they were to attack Iran.
• German news service DPA is reporting, that according to reliable sources, after Dick Cheney's visit to Oman the Saudi Shira Council is preparing "national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards that may affect the kingdom."
• Jerusalem was notified at the last minute by the White House that they were to prepare themselves for lengthy and exhaustive discussions on Iran with Cheney and his aides.
• Israel's defense cabinet was convened to decide which of Israel's military plans of action were to be presented to Cheney.
• Admiral William Fallon who was quoted as saying that "there will be no attack on Iran on my watch" resigned (was removed) as U.S. Chief of Central Command
• U.S. nuclear submarines along with another aircraft carrier attack group have been dispatched to the Persian Gulf.
• The U.S. is deploying anti-missle defenses to protect U.S. bases and Saudi oil fields.
• According to Novosti, the Russian News & Information Agency, Russian Colonel General Leonid Tivashov said "the latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran." "The Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future."
• General David Patraeus declares that Iran is responsible for a major attack on Baghdad's Green Zone and the main driver of violence in Iraq.
• U.S Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) set in motion a process that could make any bank or financial institution in the world that does business with Iran subject to complete exclusion from the U.S. financial system.

April '08

• Israel commences Turning Point 2 which is the largest exercise in Israeli history and includes the calling-up of reserves. The official explanation is that the exercise is designed to test civil defenses and the ability of the national command to continue functioning in the event of an attack with "unconventional weapons."
• Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak canceled a scheduled visit to Germany at the last minute.
• Damascus has deployed the 10th Armed Corps. at the Massaneh crossing of Mount Herman. Syrian troops are now strung along a continuous crescent shaped line from the central Lebanese mountains up to southeastern Lebanon.
• The Lebanese government has started to evacuate some civilians from the south.
• Hezbollah has apparently gone on alert and mobilized its forces and is buying-up weapons and rockets.
• The U.S. Navy claims that it turned away Iranian speed boats in the Persian Gulf. Iran denies reports of the confrontation.
• General Patraeus tells Congress that Iran is the cause of the Iraqi insurgency. Blames Iran for the outbreak of fighting in Basra and Baghdad and charges that they were providing funds, training, arms, ammunition to so-called "special groups."

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck ... chances are it's a duck.

If it looks like war, feels like war, sounds like war ......... chances are .................................

Robert Otto's Bizarro World!

Just a little of this and a little of that as we say good-bye to 2007.

Hamas has a childrens website which encourages kids to follow the example of terrorist suicide bombers.

An online forum tied to the website posted a photo of a little girl in a combat vest and the headband of the terrorist Al-Qassam Brigades. The caption reads, "have you seen the new child martyr who will soon shake Israel to the core?"

Al-Aqsa TV, which is run by these same entertainment loving dudes in the Hamas Party, have a weekly children's program called "Tomorrows Pioneers."
The main character in the show is a Mickey Mouse look-alike named Farfur.
So in one of the shows the mangy mouse is beaten to death while the teen hostess explains that "Farfur was martyred while defending his land." "He died at the hands of the killers of children."
Farfur the mouse has now been replaced by Nahoul the Bee, who's main message is that "we all can be sacrificed for the sake of the homeland."
..... BEE-GONE you BONEHEADS!

Singer Cheryl Crow has an idea on one way to fight climate change. Writing on her website she says "I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting."
No s--t Cheryl?

Paul McCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills has her own thoughts on preserving the environment by cutting down on cow's milk. "There are many other kinds of milk available" says old Heather. "Why don't we try drinking rat's milk and dog's milk."
Question: how do you go about milking a rat?
Maybe we should ask the wives of some of our esteemed politicians.

When asked why she thought that some Americans could not locate the U.S. on a world map, Caitlin Upton, Miss South Carolina Teen USA had this insightful reply .......

..."I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don't have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and, oh, Iraq everywhere like, such as, and I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for our children."
..What can I say...the girl would make a great presidential speech writer!

There is nothing more bizarre than war. Colman McCarthy said, "Warmaking doesn't stop warmaking. If it did our problems would have stopped millenia ago." As we say goodbye to 2007 - say hello to 2008 and a World which is at War.

Here's who's fighting as I write this blog:

Algeria Afghanistan Angola Burma China Columbia Congo (Zaire) Georgia
India Indonesia Iraq Israel Ivory Coast Korea Laos Moldova Nambia
Nepal Nigeria Pakistan Palestine Peru Philippines Russia Somalia Spain
Sri Lanka Sudan Thailand Turkey Uganda United States Uzbekistan Yemen

Was A'jad's UN Speech a da'awah?

A da'awah means "summons" or an invitation to non-Muslims to submit to Islam. The da'awah is a Muslim obligation that should be fulfilled before war can be "justly" waged.

In reporting on Ahmadinejad's UN speech, the world press, as is par for the course in my opinion, couldn't see the forset for the trees. Their preoccupation with A'jads not so subtle "Bush Bahing", his vilification of Israel and of America, and A'jad's statement that as far as he was concerned the dispute over his country's nuclear program was "closed" caused the ink-stained wretches to miss what I believe was the most important statement in the whole speech.

It is my opinion, while standing centre stage, in that completely disfunctional and almost irelevant entity known as the UN, Ahmadinejad delivered his da'awah to the world.

Do yourselves a favor. Google his full text speech and take the time to carefully consider his words. I've listed some excerpts which I believe support my position.

Normal official communications by Muslims begin with, "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

Well A'jad did start his UN address in this manner, but now look at the next line is in his speech;

"Oh God, hasten the arrival of Imam Al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory and make us his followers and those who attend to his rightfullness."

Please read my previous blog as to the importance of Imam Al-Mahdi to the Muslim faith and what the trigger must be in order for him to reappear on planet Earth!

Here are additional statements made by A'jad which I believe further support my position;

• "Striving in this way to surrender rule to the righteous and Perfect Human (Imam Mahdi), the Promised One, is indeed the final cure for the wounds of humanity, the solution of all problems, and the establishment of love, beauty, justice and a dignified life all over the world."
• "Without a doubt, the Promised One who is the ultimate Savior, together with Jesus Christ and other holy Saviors, will come. In the company of all believers, justice-seekers and benefactors he will establish a bright future and fill the world with justice and beauty."
• "This is the promise of God; therefore it will be fulfilled."
• "Let's play a part in the fulfillment of all this glory and beauty."

I don't know about you .... but this sounds an awful lot like a da'awah to me!

The Only Thing That Ahmadinejad Wants is to Change Your World!

He's a zealot ... he wants a truly fundamentalist Shia Islamic regime in Iran ... he believes that Israel is a "disgraceful stain" that must be "wiped off the map" ... and he believes that America is the great Satan whose time has come to either bow to Islam or die!

He claims that when he addresses world leaders that he is bathed in a divine aura that prevents those watching him from turning away, or even blinking. This is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the scariest man on the planet and without a doubt one of the most dangerous ... and all that he really wants to do is to rock your world to the core!

Ahmadinejad wants a war with Israel and America and the more apocalyptic the better. Sound farfetched? Let me make the case.

The Iranian president is a follower of an ultra-orthodox messianic branch of Shia Islam. According to this tradition, the Prophet Mohammed had 12 descendants through his cousin, Ali ibn Talib. The final descendant, Mohammed al-Mahdi, known as the Imam Mahdi, or the hidden Imam, or the Lord of All Ages, was concealed by God and disappeared. He will reappear at a time of apocalyptic chaos and war so as to ascend to his rightful place of leadership, at which time, every individual regardless of their religious belief would bow to Islam or die.

Muslims believe that Jesus Christ will then return to a mosque in Damascus. He will slaughter all pigs, destroy all crosses and embrace Islam as the one true religion.

According to Muslim belief, Jesus and the Imam Mahdi will join forces to fight and destroy the Muslim "Antichrist" or Daijal. Interestingly enough there are those among Islam's adherents who belive that George Bush is the Daijal and Osama bin Laden the Mahdi (Islamic messiah).

Following their victorious battle, Jesus and the Mahdi will cause the world to be under shariah or Islam rule of law and Jesus will tell all Christians that Islam is the one true religion.

After the defeat of the Daijal, the sound of a trumpet will be heard around the world, a series of natural catastrophies will occur and the earth's inhabitants will be slain, only to be resurrected to stand before Allah to be judged.

This is exactly why Ahmadinejad wants nuclear capability. He believes that an apocalyptic nuclear war will bring their Messiah, the Mahdi, "out of hiding" who will then subject all survivors to Allah.

Mahmoud wants to be "the man," the "go-to- guy" who ushers in the Hidden Imam, for he believes this to be his divine mission according to the will of Allah.

By the way, according to some intelligence sources, Ahmadinejad goes off every week or two to commune with the Hidden Imam to get his instructions. Oh my!

Attack on Iran could be Imminent!

The French weekly Le Canard Enchaine has reported details of an alleged Israeli-U.S. plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

According to the report, Russian President Putin has told Tehran that "they're going to bomb you!"

Apparently the attack against Iran's nuclear facilities is planned for October 15, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a joint U.S. - Israeli operation, Israel would strike the first targets while the U.S. would hit with a second wave of strikes.

This report does appear to tie-in with my blogs; "Why have Russian Nuclear Engineers and Experts suddenly left Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant?" and "There's Kind of a Hush all over the Middle East" where I put forth the London Telegraph's suggestion that the Israeli strike into Syria in September was in part to test the new Russian-made air defense system because Washington was extremely interested in seeing a live-fire demonstration.

Saudi foreign minister, Prince Said al-Faisal has also told reporters in New York that an attack on Iran might be imminent.

It must be noted that the French newspaper article was based on unnamed sources.

Why have Russian Nuclear Engineers and Experts suddenly left Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant?

On October 1, the Khorramshar News Agency reported that the entire staff of Russian nuclear engineers and experts employed in building the nuclear reactor at Bushehr suddenly, and without warning, left the facility on September 28 to fly back to Russia.

Could it be that Moscow or Tehran have been tipped-off about an imminent attack by Israel or the US on the plant and so the Russians were taken out of harms way?

Or could it be that Moscow has learned about an imminent Iranian pre-emptive strike against Israel and/or US targets in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region?

At this point these two scenarios are only speculation on my part. But the fact that the entire Russian crew was whisked away so quickly, and without an apparent explanation, from the nuclear facility would strongly suggest that Moscow has assessed a potential danger to its people.

This one bears close watching!

These Rabbi's are Three Fries Short of a Happy Meal!

In 2005, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map."

Then in August of 2007 he declared that the Jewish State is "the standard bearer of Satan," and would soon fall apart.

Also in in August 2007 the Iranian President said that "there is no way for the salvation of mankind but the rule of Islam over mankind."

Ever since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iranian ayottollahs have referred to the United States as "the Great Satan" and Israel as "the Lesser Satan."

Last week, while staying in the Intercontinental Hotel in New York, Ahmadinejad spent an hour with a group of rabbis, all of whom in my opinion are three fries short of a happy meal! They belong to an organization named Jews United Against Zionism.

The rabbis presented the Iranian President with a silver fruit bowl engraved with the message ... "We present this as a token of our appreciation for your sweetness and love of the Jewish people and all mankind."

Rabbi Yisrael David Weiss stated to award-winning journalist Michael D. Evans that Ahmadinejad likes the Jewish people; but that Zionism is an evil concept. He said that Ahmadinejad was not anti-Semetic and that he only wanted to get rid of Zionism and the State of Israel.

Duuuh? With all due respect Rabbi Weiss, it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.

There's Kind of a Hush all over the Middle East

On September 6, 2007 five Israeli fighters struck Syria.

Moderate Arab states were unusually quiet in the aftermath as were international players who are usually quick to condemn any act of Israel which they view as aggressive.

Israeli officials are neither confirming nor denying the target or the purpose for the strike and apparently there's a state imposed "silence" on the matter.

International observers see several key messages:

• Israel was able to strike at Syria without suffering any military or diplomatic consequences.
• Israel will take steps to prevent other countries in the Middle East from obtaining nuclear capability.
• If a Syrian nuclear installation can be targeted by Israel without any international outcry what does that say for Iran?
• The London Telegraph is suggesting that the strike was carried out with Washington's blessing, in part as a test of the new Russian-made Pantsyr air defense missle systems recently purchased from Moscow by Damascus. Since Iran is also equipping itself with the Pantsyr air defense system, the Telegraph speculated that the U.S. was extremely interested in seeing a live-fire demonstration.
• The New York Times speculated that the real reason for the raid was to get intelligence on a number of suspected nuclear facilities Israel believes have been sponsored by North Korea.
• The Kuwaiti daily, al-Jareeda is reporting that Israel's target were unnamed Syrian missle batteries that were brought to Syria from Iran.
• Haaretz reported that U.S. government and military sources said they were "happy to have Israel convey to both Syria and Iran the message that they can get in and out and strike when necessary."

It's time to start connecting the Middle East dots because the current hush in the Middle East is about to become a roar.