Roundup
Thursday, 24. August 2006, 11:57:45
- In a major surprise, Iran turns down nuclear offer and the US doesn't like it. Neither does Israel, and Iran hints its program has reached the point of no return:
Israel is carefully watching the world's reaction to Iran's continued refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, with some high-level officials arguing it is now clear that when it comes to stopping Iran, Israel "may have to go it alone," The Jerusalem Post has learned.
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"The Iranians know the world will do nothing," he said. "This is similar to the world's attempts to appease Hitler in the 1930s - they are trying to feed the beast."
He said there was a need to understand that "when push comes to shove," Israel would have to be prepared to "slow down" the Iranian nuclear threat by itself.
Having said this, he did not rule out the possibility of US military action, but said that if this were to take place, it would probably not occur until the spring or summer of 2008, a few months before President George W. Bush leaves the international stage. The US presidential elections, which Bush cannot contest because of term limits, are in November 2008.
Iran says bow and surrender to Iran. The arrogance is amazing.
What is Iran's surprise? 'A senior official in Teheran said Wednesday that in the next few days, a "surprise" was expected regarding Iran's nuclear program, Al-Jazeera reported.'
We already know Israel's, and it is a good one. Germany is paying 1/3 of the cost:
WITH Iran confidently defying pressure to curb its nuclear programme, Israel has signed a contract with Germany to buy two more submarines capable of firing nuclear missiles, it emerged yesterday.
Israeli security sources said the submarines are needed to counter long-range threats from countries such as Iran, whose president has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map".
Israel has been expanding its military in the light of Iran's nuclear ambitions. It already has three Dolphin-class submarines which can fire nuclear missiles, but the newer models can remain submerged far longer.
Israel needs to prepare for an Iranian missile strike:
Israel should prepare for the possibility of a missile attack from Iran, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday.
"We are liable to face an Iranian missile attack. The Iranians have said very clearly that if they come under attack, their primary target would be Israel," Rafi Eitan, a member of the decision-making inner cabinet, told Israel Radio.
A report I don't find too credible:
In autumn 1991 Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president of Khazakhstan, sold three nuclear warheads to the Iranians. The Iranians wanted to use them as a prototype for their own bomb manufacturing. The price was said to have been 7.5 billion USD. Whether this amount is true or just the fantasies of a less paid government official, I cannot verify. The amount was to cover all bribes and kick-offs and military protection during transport. Every country involved had demanded their fair share of the deal.
Meanwhile, our friends, the Russians, are finishing up a reactor for Iran.
Iran attacks a Romanian oil rig? I guess you have to pick an enemy you can beat. Romania considers sending out the "butchers."
Syria's importance as an advance base for Iran — the two countries concluded a formal alliance on June 16 — cannot be exaggerated. It is the go-between for most of the munitions flowing to Hezbollah. It is the sanctuary of Hamas honcho Khaled Meshaal. It is also, according to Israeli intelligence sources, the home of a new Iranian-Syrian intelligence center that tracks Israeli military movements and relays that information to terrorist proxies.
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History suggests that only force, or the threat of force, can win substantial concessions from Syria. In 1998, Turkey threatened military action unless Syria stopped supporting Kurdish terrorists. Damascus promptly complied. Israel may have no choice but to follow the Turkish example.
Indeed, Shlomo Avineri, a former director-general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, argues that his country fought the wrong war: Instead of targeting Lebanon, it should have gone after Syria. The Syrian armed forces are less motivated than Hezbollah, and they offer many more targets for Israeli airpower.
Ceasefire Update:
UN peacekeepers given some offensive capabilities, which scare the French.
Proposed rules of engagement for an expanded UN force in southern Lebanon would allow troops to open fire in self-defense, protect civilians and back up the Lebanese army in preventing foreign forces or arms from crossing the border, according to a UN document obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
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The rules of engagement for the expanded force - which is authorized to grow to 15,000 - have held back some potential troop contributors - notably France - because of concerns that their soldiers would be required to disarm Hizbullah, which has controlled southern Lebanon.
Some countries have also been concerned that the rules would be overly restrictive, all but preventing commanders from making quick decisions - including using force if needed.
While remaining "predominantly defensive in nature," the draft rules allow for the use of "deadly force" and offensive action, if necessary, to ensure implementation of the August 11 UN resolution that led to the fragile cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hizbullah.
Hezbullah just push UN troops out of the way.
UNIFIL sure showed Hezbollah who was boss. In a fantastic world of diplomat-speak, the Hashmonean asks the pertinent question: where is Resolution 1701? "Kofi Annan keeps slamming Israel (business as usual), saying it is in breach of resolution 1701 - as if there is a resoluton 1701." The resolution was supposed to provide an internationally supervised buffer zone and staunch the flow of arms to Hezbollah. Those are the words. But in reality the French have decamped, Hezbollah continues to arm, unmolested by the UN and Israel is sternly warned not to interfere -- on pain of being cited for violating the ceasefire. Kofi Annan does well to cite the words, because words are all that remain of 1701.
Kofi tells Israel not to bother Hezbullah, file a complaint if they are rearming.
Our covert enemies are harder to identify, for they live in large numbers within our midst. And in terms of intentions, they are not enemies in the sense that they consciously wish to destroy our society. On the contrary, they enjoy our freedoms and often call for their expansion. But they have also been working, over many years, to undermine faith in our society and confidence in its goodness. These covert enemies are those among our elites who have promoted the ideas labeled as multiculturalism, moral relativism and (the term is Professor Samuel Huntington's) transnationalism.
At the center of their thinking is a notion of moral relativism. No idea is morally superior to another. Hitler had his way, we have ours -- who's to say who is right? No ideas should be "privileged," especially those that have been the guiding forces in the development and improvement of Western civilization. Rich white men have imposed their ideas because of their wealth and through the use of force. Rich white nations imposed their rule on benighted people of color around the world. For this sin of imperialism they must forever be regarded as morally stained and presumptively wrong. Our covert enemies go quickly from the notion that all societies are morally equal to the notion that all societies are morally equal except ours, which is worse.
Ann Coulter is mean to Democrats, asking what part of the War on Terror do they support?
Jeez...I think I linked Allah 4 times.
WIDGETIZE
maxmuller # 24. August 2006, 12:46
Both articles are great!
Ann Coulter is actually sensible and just gave me more bullets for my gun.
Good news roundup! I don't bother google news, just come here.
edwardpiercy # 24. August 2006, 20:35
The Junk Yard Blog report is totally fictitious, you know that.
"playing the pipe organ"
"van Helsing"
"bats"
"manical laugh"
All that old, ethnic vampire/Transyvanian crap.
The unfortunate thing is that the Romanians probably do only have diplomatic means at their disposal.
cbjohnso # 25. August 2006, 06:54
I should have made it more clear that it wasn't serious. I usually put the parodies/satire at the end of the post, not mixed in with actual news.