The Inevitable War with Iran – Op-Eds – Israel National News.

The incoming elections in the US and the flashy rhetoric by Republican presidential candidates have brought the question of a nuclear Iran onto the front page. The Muslim Gulf states and Israel have added to the rumbling; they have sustained their pressure on the US administration, urging it to act, to stop Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons.

The Obama Administration has warned Iran: “pursuit of nuclear weapons is unacceptable; the US would use all means in its disposal, including force if necessary, to neutralize Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.” But to no avail.

Iran keeps its macho talk loud and condescending.  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has just issued a warning—Iran will not cave in to pressure; progress toward a nuclear bomb (he did not say “nuclear bomb”, but he definitely implied it) will not be brought to an end, no matter what sanctions the Americans or the EU impose on the Islamic Republic.

The Ayatollah is serious. Although macho talk in the Islamic Middle East is a standard adopted by all militant Islamic leaders, the Iranian government is flexing its muscles, flaunting its sharp teeth. It believes that economic sanctions will hurt, but not as much as caving in to American demands. In a culture where false honor precedes anything that moves under the sun, where life without “honor” is far worse than death, where honor killing is a religious diktat, caving in to economic sanctions is equivalent to an unconditional surrender.

And surrendering to the “Great Satan” merely because life is a little tough is inexcusable, dishonorable behavior; it is treason that merits the death sentence.

The loud rhetoric from all sides has been underlined by considerable measures on the ground. The US has been and is about to keep on amassing a war machine in the Persian Gulf and on several islands within reach of Iran. American, British and French warships and aircraft have been acting around the Persian Gulf and around Saudi air bases, respectively, while the Saudis have reinforced their anti-missile defense gear and their delivery facilities around Saudi oil fields and along the Persian Gulf,respectively.

Israel has been readying itself for war on all fronts. It has recently conducted large-scale military exercises, both defensive and offensive in nature, including the drafting of reservists under projected heavy missile bombardment of every town, road and base, as well as a large scale parachuting by over a thousand paratroopers, signaling a willingness to engage ground-troops on foreign soil in addition to relying on its air force and its rockets.

Iran has not been sitting idle either. They have announced the start of a three-week exercise in southern Iran and the Strait of Hormuz under war settings. They seem to be bracing for a fitting retaliation, with the objective of blocking the flow of oil out of the Gulf.

In addition, they have been concocting terror attacks on soft Jewish – and possibly other – civilian targets throughout the world.

The American Administration is working hard at softening its seeming aim by masking its military buildup with wishful talking points. US Defense Secretary Panetta’s recent implications concerning Israel’s imminent attack plans are part of a grand-scale deception strategy. They have been designed to refocus the Iranians on the most suspicious front,rather than the one that would deliver the ultimate blow—the US military.

It is obvious that if Israel embarks on a preemptive strike on the Iranian nuclear project, Iran will try to retaliate. Retaliation will not be limited to hitting Israel. The Revolutionary Guards will attempt to attack American interests throughout the Middle East, providing a pretext for an American involvement in a large scale “defensive” war against Iran—a war that would be supported by the American public due to its defensive nature, a war that would boost Obama’s standing in the eyes of the American people, shortly ahead of the elections.

The scenario above may not necessitate an Israeli opening (of hostilities), since the Iranian regime is stuck in a macho syndrome, which blinds their rational reasoning. They will miscalculate. They may initiate hostilities against US interests in the Persian Gulf in order to lay bare the risk associated with any American attempt to force them into submission by aggressive economic means.  They do not believe that the US would retaliate by initiating an all-out-war in response. They view the US and President Obama as paper tigers.

The Ayatollah will then be repeating the same mistake that Hizbullah committed in 2006 when they kidnapped dead Israeli soldiers and Israel responded with an all-out-war they had not anticipated and had not wished.

There is little doubt that a war with Iran can be avoided. There is high likelihood that the US will lead the effort even if Israel initiates the campaign.

There is little doubt that the US is hard at work preparing for war in the Persian Gulf.

There is high likelihood that Iran will provide the American people with a sizzling justification by provoking the US, inviting a massive retaliation.

There is no doubt. 2012 will see a new Gulf war. This time, the Ayatollah will be the one to pay the price.

___________________

Dr. Avi Perry

Dr. Avi Perry (Fried), a talk show host at Paltalk News Network (PNN), is the author of “Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering in Wireless Networks,” and more recently, “72 Virgins,” a thriller about the covert war on Islamic terror. He was a VP at NMS Communications, a Bell Laboratories – distinguished staff member and manager, as well as a delegate of the US and Lucent Technologies to the ITU—the UN International Standards body in Geneva, a professor at Northwestern Universit and Intelligence expert for the Israeli Government. He may be reached through his web site http://www.aviperry.org

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David Ignatius: Can Israel attack Iran without miring U.S. in another war?.

Iran: Military intervention in Syria will ignite region – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Iranian foreign minister says China, Russia vetoed anti-Assad resolution to avert Western plot to fragmentize Middle East

Roi Kais

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi suggested Sunday that Tehran will stand by Syria in case of a military intervention. In an interview with Al-Manar TV, he said: “I’m confident that any military action against Syria will blow up the entire region.”

He added, “A military intervention does not solve any problem, especially because the Syrian situation differs from that of Libya, seeing the country’s sole role is fighting Israel. Syria is now paying the price of its resistance.”

Salehi also voiced puzzlement over the Arab League’s actions on Syria in the UN Security Council, at a time when the observer mission was still performing its job in Syria.

Bodies piling up in Homs (Photo: Reuters)

Addressing Russia and China’s decision to veto the Arab League plan to end violence in Syria at the Security Council, he said: “The Russians are aware now that the Western states are interfering in the Middle East to draw a new map for the region.”

Meanwhile, some Arab newspapers chose to point a finger at the Arab League rather than Moscow and Beijing for Saturday’s events. “The solution is not in New York but in Syria and Cairo,” an op-ed published in the London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat said.

Chinese delegate at UN vetoes Syria resolution (Photo: AP)

Columnist Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed explained that the Arab League is the one that gives legitimacy, not the Security Council, citing examples from the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the unrest in Libya.

Meanwhile, sources close to Hezbollah told a Kuwaiti newspaper that Lebanon must do everything to support Syrian President Bashar Assad.

They stressed that Hezbollah will not let Assad’s regime to fall, even at the expense of a conflict with Israel.

Sarkozy seeks to create ‘friends of Syria’ group to stop ‘tragedy’.

Sunday, 05 February 2012

France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy has expressed his disappointment at China and Russia’s veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution on the Syria crisis. (Reuters)

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned China and Russia’s veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution on the Syria crisis Saturday and said Paris was consulting with Arab and European countries to create a “friends of Syria” contact group to find a solution to the crisis.

“The Syrian tragedy must stop,” said Sarkozy in a statement issued through his office.

Russia and China’s veto Saturday of a U.N. resolution on the bloodshed in Syria was also condemned by the Amnesty International a “shockingly callous betrayal” of the Syrian people.

Moscow and Beijing have acted in a “completely irresponsible” way, the London-based human rights group added.

The group’s secretary-general Salil Shetty added: “This is a completely irresponsible use of the veto.

“It is staggering that they have blocked the passage of what was already a very weak draft resolution.

“After a night in which the whole world watched the people of Homs suffering, the actions of these members are particularly shocking.”

Thirteen countries voted for the resolution proposed by European and Arab nations to give strong backing to an Arab League plan to end the clampdown.

Amnesty said it would continue to press Security Council members to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court; impose a comprehensive arms embargo; and implement an assets freeze on President Bashar al-Assad and other top Syrian officials.

Russia and China made a repeat of their rare double veto carried out on October 5 on an earlier condemnation of Assad.

Russia’s U.N. envoy Vitaly Churkin called the draft resolution “unbalanced.”

China’s official news agency quoted Li Baodong, Beijing’s representative to the U.N., as saying more consultation had been needed.

Tunisian prime minister urges all countries to cut ties with Damascus over violence.

Sunday, 05 February 2012

Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has called for the expulsion of Syrian ambassadors from Arab countries during a panel discussion on the Middle East at a security conference in the southern German city of Munich. (AFP)

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Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali called Sunday on all countries to cut off diplomatic relations with Syria over the violence there.

“We have to expel Syrian ambassadors from Arab and other countries,” Jebali said during a panel discussion on the Middle East at a security conference in the southern German city of Munich.

“The Syrian people do not expect from us today long statements … they are expecting deeds, they are expecting concrete measures … the very least we can do is to cut all relations to the Syria regime,” added Jebali.

He said the veto of Russia and China on Saturday against a U.N. resolution aimed at stopping the violence showed that the Security Council system was broken.

The veto was “a right that was misused and undoubtedly the international community has to reconsider this mechanism of decision taking,” said Jebali.

Tunisia, whose revolution a year ago sparked the chain of other popular uprisings across the Arab world including Syria, announced Saturday it would expel the Syrian ambassador and stop recognizing the Damascus regime.

The call came after one of the bloodiest weekends since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime erupted almost 11 months ago, with more than 200 civilians killed during a massive assault by regime forces in the central flashpoint of Homs.

Speaking at the same event, Yemeni Nobel peace laureate Tawakkul Karman also called on the international community to expel Syrian ambassadors from their countries and recall diplomats in the wake of the violence there.

“I urge you in the name of the peaceful rebels to expel Syrian ambassadors from your countries and I urge you to call back your ambassadors in Damascus,” Karman said. “That is the minimum you can do to punish this regime, and I also urge you to take the necessary measures to protect the Syrian people,” She added

Karman had harsh word for Russia and China for vetoing the resolution.
“Those two countries bear the moral and human responsibility for these massacres,” she said.

China and Russia, which vetoed a U.N. resolution aimed at ending the bloodshed in Syria, “bear the moral and human responsibility for these massacres,” she said.

Syria releases London bombings ‘mastermind’ in a retaliatory move against the West.

Sunday, 05 February 2012

Abu Musab al-Suri, the alleged terrorist mastermind behind the 7/7 London bombings, is reported to have been freed from a Syrian jail in what is believed to be a warning to the West. (File photo)

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International condemnation of Russia-China veto on Syrian crisis.

Sunday, 05 February 2012

Russia’s U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin has justified his country’s veto of a U.N. resolution on Syria by saying it “sent an unbalanced signal to the Syrian parties.” (Reuters)

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Western and Arab powers Saturday reacted angrily to Russia and China’s veto of a Security Council resolution on the Syria crisis, but Moscow and Beijing insisted the text needed more work.

Russia, a long-time Syrian ally, and China had earlier vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian government’s deadly crackdown despite reports by Syrian activists that troops overnight had killed 230 civilians in the city of Homs.

Russia’s U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin justified the veto by saying the proposed resolution “sent an unbalanced signal to the Syrian parties.”

Russia had complained that the draft resolution was an improper and biased attempt at “regime change” in Syria, which is Moscow’s sole major Middle East ally, an important buyer of Russian arms exports and host to a Russian naval base.

Churkin’s Chinese counterpart Li Baodong said pushing through such “a vote when parties are still seriously divided … will not help maintain the unity and authority of the Security Council, or help resolve the issue.”

But the international community reacted with anger at the double veto, the second by the two countries since the start of the Syrian crisis a year ago.

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon expressed deep regret, saying that it undermined the role of the United Nations, according to a statement.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice dispensed with the usual diplomatic courtesies and declared she was “disgusted” by the Russian-Chinese veto, adding that “any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands”.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the veto would encourage further crackdowns by the Syrian regime.

“The Syrian tragedy must stop,” said Sarkozy in a statement issued through his office.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Russia and China had let the Syrian people down.

They had, he said, “sided with the Syrian regime and its brutal suppression of the Syrian people in support of their own national interests.”

Mohammed Loulichki, the U.N. ambassador of Morocco, the sole Arab member of the 15-nation council, voiced his “great regret and disappointment” at the veto and said the Arabs had no intention of abandoning their plan.

Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi termed the double veto “very bad news” while U.S. ambassador Susan Rice described it as “shameful”.

European Union chief diplomat Catherine Ashton also expressed regret at the vetoes.

“The time has come to speak with one voice and demand an end to the bloodshed and speak out for a democratic future for Syria,” she said in a statement.

“We condemn the ongoing bloodshed and stand by the Syrian people against the repressive regime.

“We call on President Assad to end immediately the killing of civilians, withdraw the Syrian army from besieged towns and cities and step aside in order to make room for a peaceful transition for the sake of his country.”

The European parliament expressed dismay and its president, Martin Schulz, urged Moscow and Beijing to “take their international responsibilities seriously”.

London-based rights group Amnesty International called the veto a “shockingly callous betrayal” of the Syrian people.

Moscow and Beijing have acted in a “completely irresponsible” way, the London-based human rights group added.

Thirteen countries voted for the resolution with only Russia and China voting against. Both countries, as permanent members of the Security Council, have a veto power.

The draft resolution, put forward by Morocco, had called for an immediate end to all violence. It did not impose any sanctions, nor did it authorize military action.

Syrian U.N. envoy Bashar Ja’afari criticized the resolution and its sponsors, which included Saudi Arabia and seven other Arab states, saying nations “that prevent women from attending a soccer match” had no right to preach democracy to Syria.

Iran: ‘Sanctions Made Us Stronger’ – Defense/Security – News – Israel National News.

Map of Strait of Hormuz

Israel news photo: Wikimedia Commons / public domain

A top Iranian official says U.S. and European sanctions have made his country stronger, not weaker.

The Islamic Republic has been pushed to rely on its own resources as a result of the sanctions, explained Iranian Air Force Commander General Hassan Shahsafi.

“The Iranian Air Force is in full combat readiness to defend the country’s airspace as well as its territorial integrity,” he said at a government ceremony marking the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Because of the need to develop its own resources, the country has benefited from a host of new technologies, Shahsafi said.

Iran introduced a new missile on Saturday, and is continuing its drive towards uranium enrichment and nuclear development, which much of the world believes is aimed at creating an atomic weapon of mass destruction.

In addition, because Iran has said plainly that it believes Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom were behind the deaths of several of its nuclear scientists, alerts have been issuedto protect Jewish institutions in North America, South America and Europe.

Iran is also conducting additional military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at preparing for a battle against a “hypothetical enemy,” said Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi on Saturday.

The waterway is the sole shipping lane for some 40 percent of the Western world’s crude, and thus is considered an important strategic asset. Under the watchful eyes of the Western intelligence and military powers, Iran has said it will continue its exercises for the next month.

Israeli warnings on Iran war are more than empty threats – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

The shortcomings in Netanyahu and the cabinet’s functioning put the ministers’ collective and personal responsibility into focus. They can’t just abandon such a fateful decision to Netanyahu and Barak alone.

By Amir Oren

Articles: Hezb’allah’s Missiles.

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