Irony

Jeffrey Goldberg:

"Jews are floating around in the Persian Gulf with nuclear weapons in German subs that are aimed at the new Hitler. If you step away from your personal feelings about it, it’s just fascinating."

More Syrian/Iranian Intrigue

First, from the Jerusalem Post, Oops: 'Dozens died in Syrian-Iranian chemical weapons experiment'

Proof of cooperation between Iran and Syria in the proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction was brought to light Monday in a Jane's Defence Weekly report that dozens of Iranian engineers and 15 Syrian officers were killed in a July 23 accident in Syria.

According to the report, cited by Channel 10, the joint Syrian-Iranian team was attempting to mount a chemical warhead on a Scud missile when the explosion occurred, spreading lethal chemical agents, including sarin nerve gas.

H/T Powerline

More from Gateway Pundit.

Regarding the Israeli strike on Syria, Bret Stephens adds to the commentary:

What's beyond question is that something big went down on Sept. 6. Israeli sources had been telling me for months that their air force was intensively war-gaming attack scenarios against Syria; I assumed this was in anticipation of a second round of fighting with Hezbollah. On the morning of the raid, Israeli combat brigades in the northern Golan Heights went on high alert, reinforced by elite Maglan commando units. Most telling has been Israel's blanket censorship of the story--unprecedented in the experience of even the most veteran Israeli reporters--which has also been extended to its ordinarily hypertalkative politicians. In a country of open secrets, this is, for once, a closed one.

And North Korea...

As for the North Korean theory, evidence for it starts with Pyongyang. The raid, said one North Korean foreign ministry official quoted by China's Xinhua news agency, was "little short of wantonly violating the sovereignty of Syria and seriously harassing the regional peace and security." But who asked him, anyway? In August, the North Korean trade minister signed an agreement with Syria on "cooperation in trade and science and technology." Last week, Andrew Semmel, the acting counterproliferation chief at the State Department, confirmed that North Korean technicians of some kind were known to be in Syria, and that Syria was "on the U.S. nuclear watch list." And then there is yesterday's curious news that North Korea has abruptly suspended its participation in the six-party talks, for reasons undeclared.

This is all confusing and speculative... but intriguing nonetheless.

Nazis and Muslims Teamed Up To Fight Jews

Little known history, courtesy Bryan of Hot Air - Video: The Grand Mufti, the Nazis and modern Islamism

"It all sounds like a grand conspiracy theory, but it’s not: The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem before and during the WWII years, Haj Amin El Husseini, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood (founded 1928) aligned with the German Nazis in 1937 and recruited Muslim SS units in Bosnia during the war.

"...There are a few takeaway points from all this. First, the jihad didn’t start in 2001 or 1993 or 1983 or even 1979. It goes back quite a bit farther, and isn’t a response to US policies. Second, the jihadis work with secular allies when it suits them. The grand mufti worked hand in glove with Hitler; they would work with anyone else who could provide whatever they believe they need to achieve their goals. Third, the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t dormant or dead — it boast about 20% of Egypt’s parliament, for one thing — and it and its various offshoots are still working toward the goal of global Muslim domination."

Watch the video here.

Iran, Syria and North Korea Worse For The Wear

Former Spook laughs at Iran's promise of retaliation should Israel strike it or friend Syria:

For the record, Iran actually has two missiles capable of reaching Israel, the Shahab-3 (with a maximum range of 800 miles, and the recently-delivered BM-25, a North Korean derivative of the Soviet-designed, SS-N-6 submarine launched ballistic missile (maximum range: 1500 miles). The operational status of the BM-25 is uncertain; a German diplomat reported last March that Iran had acquired 18 disassembled missiles from North Korea, presumably with a smaller number of launchers. Iran has never conducted a test launch of the BM-25, so it's unclear if the missile would be available for operations against Israel and U.S. targets in the Middle East.

As for the Shahab-3, that system attained its initial operating capability less than three years ago, after a long and troubled development. Most estimates place the number of Shahab-3 airframes in Iran at no more than 40, with a launcher inventory of less than half that total. Obviously, the number of available launchers is critical, since it limits the number of missiles that can be fired at any given time. So much for that 600 missile salvo.

Pat Dollard follows up: Iran Doesn’t Have 600 Missiles

Syria and North Korea's nuclear link is now confirmed.

Speaking of Iran, how is its proxy war in Iraq going?

The Revolutionary Guards, or at least the al Quds force (which specialize in supporting pro-Iranian terrorists in foreign countries) is having a hard time in Iraq. With the collapse of al Qaeda in Iraq (because the Sunni Arabs turned on them), U.S. troops are now concentrating on Iranian supported groups. Coalition commando forces are specifically looking to capture as many al Quds operatives as they can. As a result of this, Iran has been pulling its al Quds people out of Iraq. Those that have been captured so far have given up embarrassing and damaging information.

All this should add up to a wake-up call for Iran and Syria. They should be very shaken right now. And why?

the operation caught Damascus by surprise (there was apparently little reaction from Syria's air defense system); the Israelis inflicted serious damage on the target, and both the F-15I crews and the commandos escaped unscathed. Syria has threatened retaliation, but its options are limited.

and

Then, there's the matter of that commando team. If the Times is correct, those personnel arrived in the target area a day ahead of the fighters, inserted (we'll assume) by Israeli Sea Stallion helicopters. As we've noted before, the successful infiltration of a commando team by helicopter, deep into Syrian territory, is an impressive operational feat, indeed. But getting the commandos (and their choppers) all the way across Syria (and back again), undetected, represents a monumental challenge, even for a state-of-the-art military like the IDF.

It has also been learned that the strike was "coordinated" with the U.S.

Poor Iran. Even the French have deserted it. And now there are ever more rumors of war, as reports cite 2,000 targets in Iran. Three U.S. aircraft carriers are also now in the Persian Gulf.

Iran's woes deepen.

The Syria/Iran/North Korea Nexus

It was reported last week that the U.S. confirmed Israeli air strike on Syria:

A US official has confirmed that Israeli warplanes carried out an air strike "deep inside" Syria, escalating tensions between the two countries.

The target of the strike last Thursday remained unclear but Israeli media reported that a shipment of Iranian arms crossing Syria for use by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon was attacked.

Some have theorized that Israel was testing Syria's Russian-made missile defense system. Captain's Quarters disagrees:

Israel would not risk war with Syria just to test out an air defense system that Iran might get. They would risk war to stop Hezbollah from rearming to the point where they would launch another attack on Israel and provoke another war in the sub-Litani region, and they would have every right to do so.

So far, Israel has not spoken publicly of the flight/attack, only heightening speculation. The Economist reports however, that "Israeli air force officers are said to be jubilant about the mission's success." See maps here from Gateway Pundit.

Jules Crittenden thinks that "that what we’re seeing is the beginnings of a serious effort to put two of the world’s leading supporters of terrorism in a box." (H/T Instapundit)

And now, there are rumors of North Korean involvement in Syria. And Ace makes a good point:

That the Syrians are closed lipped and not flooding the zone with "oh poor innocent us" footage and pics of stuffed animals from the site speaks volumes about what got hit.

It also speaks volumes that Germany is fed up with Iran.

But were Syria and North Korea colluding to develop or distribute nuclear weapons? Captain Ed thinks so:

This operation had been planned since the spring, when the facility first came to the attention of the Israelis. The Syrians had apparently bought North Korean technology and materiel at about the time that Kim Jong-Il had started to cooperate with the West on nuclear disarmament. Analysts believe that Kim either hoped to hide his work by sharing it with the Syrians or just get as much hard currency as he could grab through proliferation. No one doubts that the Syrians would love to have nukes, nor does anyone doubt where those weapons would go -- and Israel, as they did with Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor at Osirak, decided to eliminate the threat before it reached fruition.

And as Gateway Pundit noted, North Korea denounced the attack. While Syria issued a murky "Israel will pay." Hmmm. Perhaps North Korea was not simply shipping "cement," after all. Hot Air has a very good round up of the North Korean angle.

Rumors of Turkish assistance to the Israelis are also swirling.

And in related news, Russia is now ready to ship enriched uranium to Iran. This should come as no surprise. But this should: Iran accuses Canada of torture and racism

Canada? Yes, Canada.

Canada's envoy John Von Kaufmann said that Iran's "deteriorating human rights situation" contravened its international and domestic obligations, citing "treatment of women as second-class citizens" and suppression of peaceful demonstrations for women's rights. The complaints were echoed by those of the European Union. But Iran's envoy, A. Eshragh Jahromi, said that Canada should have its own record scrutinized.

Amnesty International responded:

"Such comparisons are nonsensical," says Pat Maguire, Persian Gulf co-ordinator for Amnesty International in Canada. "The human rights conditions in Iran are appalling, and bear no resemblance to Canada's."

Update: Tigerhawk does a great job keeping up with the story:

"...this is the really loud message -- the Arab world, taken as a whole, has responded with... silence. No other Arab government complained about the raid, forcing Syria to take its protest to the United Nations alone. No mobs poured into the famous "Arab street," no flags were burned, no cars torched, and no "rage boys" screamed into television cameras. The message to Syria and Iran could not have been more clear: The Arabs are far more worried about Iran and its satellites than they are about Israel."

Tigerhawk also notes that more information is emerging:

By its actions, Israel showed it is not interested in waiting for diplomacy to work where nuclear weapons are at stake.

As a bonus, the Israelis proved they could penetrate the Syrian air defence system, which is stronger than the one protecting Iranian nuclear sites.

This "historic" event is being compared to the 1981 Israeli attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor in Osirak.

Who's your Daddy, now, Ahmadinejad?

Israeli Flyover of Syria Theory

The plot thickens.

Via Hot Air:

Debka floats a not-unlikely theory about that strange Israeli flyover of Syria a few days ago. Apparently, the IAF was able to jam the Russian-made Syrian anti-aircraft system; it so happens that Iran has the same system. You do the math.

Was it a dry run, so the Israelis could practice a pending attack on Iran, or just a veiled threat - a shot across Iran's bow to coax Ahmadinejad to rethink his nuclear ambitions?

The problem with an Israeli strike is that although they may be able to jam Syria and Iran's anti-missile systems, how will they defend a possible retaliatory rocket attack by Iran?

Israeli Nazi... Porn?

Strange, but true, I guess... The New York Times Jerusalem Journal by Isabel Kershner:

Israel’s Unexpected Spinoff From a Holocaust Trial

JERUSALEM, Sept. 5 — It was one of Israel’s dirty little secrets. In the early 1960s, as Israelis were being exposed for the first time to the shocking testimonies of Holocaust survivors at the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a series of pornographic pocket books called Stalags, based on Nazi themes, became best sellers throughout the land.

Perverse Tales

The books told perverse tales of captured American or British pilots being abused by sadistic female SS officers outfitted with whips and boots. The plot usually ended with the male protagonists taking revenge, by raping and killing their tormentors.

This strangely dovetails with how Arab states are viewing Israeli pornography websites today:

The most popular movie on the site is "Code Name: Deep Investigation," an X-rated parody of the arrest of dissident Israeli nuclear scientist Mordechai Vanunu, who spilled the beans on Israel's secret nuclear weapons program in the 1980s. He was eventually caught by Mossad agents, who sent a beautiful female agent to trap him.

Life imitaties art, imitates life... through a world of vengeful, sadistic porn. Very weird, but can you blame the Israelis after what they went through? However, these publications should be of no surprise to anyone familiar with men's Pulp adventure magazines from the 1950's and '60s here in America. It's A Man's World, published in 2003, documents the post-war fad, with commentary and a number of color photographs. A review on Amazon:

Alternately called "adventure magazines" and "armpit slicks," publications like True West, American Manhood and Challenge for Men enjoyed their heyday from the early 1950s through the early '70s. With their campy cover paintings of men at war, hunks on horseback and buxom women, these magazines gave blue collar workers "warnings, how-to's, and comforting memories of wartime." For Parfrey, they're worth looking at today because "they tell us so much about American working-class fears, desires and wet dreams." Parfrey intersperses this collection of full-color reproductions with essays by contributors on subjects ranging from exotica and "the sadistic burlesque" to the Cold War. The essays will be helpful to readers trying to make sense out of such images as UFOs closing their clamp-like hands around fretting females with their shirts unbuttoned (from Peril: The All Man's Magazine), and a burly, shirtless man straddling a flagpole flying a torn American flag (from Climax: Exciting Stories for Men).

File This Under

...what the FU%#???

Radio Free Europe: Iran Starts Constructing Cultural Center For Jews

September 2, 2007 - Iran's official news agency IRNA says the country has started construction of a new cultural and sports center in Tehran for its Jewish minority.

By the way:

Iran's president, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, has called the Holocaust massacre of millions of Jews during World War II is a "myth" and said that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?

More Iran news roundup from the corner.

And Victor Davis Hanson says for now, "Don't Bomb, Bomb Iran":

So we should continue with the present path — and not bomb or have surrogates bomb Iran. That option is still down the road. For as long as it is possible, the best-case scenario is not a smoking Iran, but a humiliated theocracy that slowly implodes before the world, displaying in their disgrace what the mullahs did to themselves — and perhaps a small reminder of those helpful shoves from us.

Calming Syria

Jerusalem Post: IDF moves large-scale training forces from Golan Heights to South

The IDF has decided that war with Syria is unlikely and is moving training forces out of the Golan Heights after months of cross-border tension, security officials said Wednesday.

The decision followed months of growing tensions along the frontier and concerns that the escalation could result in war. Over the summer, media reports of an impending war alternated with announcements by Syrian and Israeli leaders that they had no interest in hostilities.

Hopefully a sign of progress, and not a sign of weakness to the Syrians

An Israeli Soldier

...saved by Palestinian police in the West Bank.

What's this world coming to?

Something good, maybe.

Casuistry By Definition

The Minaret of Freedom Weblog has posted a counterpoint to my post regarding the "Intifada T-Shirt" controversy, and the New York City school principal who was fired because of it.

I enjoy debate, and it's good to see we can engage in lively discourse.

The Minaret of Freedom Blog tries to counter my argument by pointing out that the word "Intifada," does, in fact also mean "a shaking off." This point is meant to prove to the reader that the principal was not wrong, that her use of the word was legitimate, and that perhaps New Yorkers are too touchy when it comes to Islam.

However, I'll give another example that parallels this argument, and by which one can perhaps see how the definition of a word can stand in stark contrast to its meaning. First:

Dictionary definition of intifada:

Merriam-Webster

Etymology: Arabic intifAda, literally, the act of shaking off: UPRISING,REBELLION; specifically : an armed uprising of Palestinians against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Wikipedia examples of previous instances of intifada:

First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule in 1987 to 1993
Second, or al-Aqsa Intifada, the violent Palestinian-Israeli conflict that began in September of 2000
1990s Intifada, an uprising in Bahrain demanding a return to democratic rule
1991 uprisings in Iraq against Saddam Hussein
Cedar Revolution or Intifada of Independence, the events in Lebanon after Rafiq Hariri's assassination
French Intifada, an ongoing conflict between French civil servants and Muslim youths
Independence Intifada, sporadic demonstrations and riots in Morocco/Western Sahara beginning in May 2005
Zemla Intifada against Spanish rule in Spanish Sahara

Wiktionary definition of intifada:

Etymology
Arabic shaking, uprising, insurrection

Noun
intifada

1. an uprising, especially the Palestinian resistance to the 1987 Israeli occupation of the West Bank of the Jordan and Gaza

One can clearly see that a literal definition of the word intifada can mean to shake off, as the Principal's defenders have claimed. However, there is a similar example in Western European history of a word whose definition means one thing, but whose meaning takes on an entirely new character altogether.

Inquisition:

Noun
inquisition
an investigation or inquiry into the truth of some matter
an inquest
a questioning

Contrast the definition of the word Inquistion, with The Inquisition:

Denunciations were followed by detentions, which in some cases lasted up to two years before the trial. A defense counsel was assigned to the defendant, a member of the tribunal itself, whose role was simply to advise the defendant and to encourage him or her to speak the truth. A Notary of the Secreto meticulously wrote down the words of the accused. The archives of the Inquisition, in comparison to those of other judicial systems of the era, are striking in the completeness of their documentation. The percentage of cases where torture was used, which was as a means of getting confessions, varied. Sentences varied from fines to execution and those condemned had to participate in the ceremony of auto de fe.

Can we now objectionably see how the use of a word can be much more negative than its definition?

Because of the negative images associated with the Inquisition, the term has taken on a pejorative usage, and is often used to express disapproval.

The Spanish Inquisition, for example, included:

Censorship, Repression and Expulsion of Jews

Aside from the semantics of arguing over the definition of a word and its meaning, The Minaret of Freedom Blog is also quick to point out that:

An intifada is not necessarily violent nor is it “Islamic” per se. In fact the term is quite secular and there are Palestinian Christians, for instance who support the intifada as well as Lebanese Christians who were involved in their own (peaceful) intifada. In fact, along with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, one of the most prominent hardline and violent opponents to Arafat’s agreement to the 1993 Oslo accords was George Habash, a Greek Orthodox Christian, the founder and leader of the militant PFLP.

However, they once again miss the point. As with The Inquisition, there are undoubtedly instances of a non-violent inquisition by the police or, say, Sherlock Holmes, for example. The fact that there have been prior innocuous instances of an inquisition do not detract from the negative connotation of the world or phrase.

When one says "The Inquisition," images of Christians, Jews and Muslims being tortured, beaten and oppressed come to mind. The word's meaning and its historical context are inseparable.

Similary, when one (a New York City school principal, say) uses or approves the word "Intifada," anyone with even a modest inkling of recent history will recall waves of suicide attacks, and armed conflict.

That the Minaret of Freedom Blog has raised historical examples of non-violent intifada, the argument is moot. The word today, as it is used, has been popularized by the violent Palestinian uprisings in the middle east. To argue otherwise smacks of dishonesty.

If one cannot make the distinction between the literal definition of a word, and its historical context, then there can be only two explanations:

The person must be morally and/or socially tone deaf, in which case I pity their ignorance, or

The person has willingly applied his or her own reasoning, fraught with casuistry, to assert an agenda.

Minaret of Freed Blog called its post a "glance at the word intifida." That's all it is, a glance.

Muslim Blog Supports Intifada T-Shirt

The meaning of the word has been "distorted." That is the opinion of Minaret of Freedom "Institute":

Principle of Arabic-school forced to resign after groups pressure and distort the meaning of the word “Intifada” written on a t-shirt:

Under Fire, Arabic-Themed School Principal Resigns (New York Times)

The post also contains a typo, using "Principle," instead of Principal.

The New York City Principal in question, offered this pitiful defense:

"I understand it is developing a negative connotation due to the uprising in the Palestinian-Israeli areas. I don't believe the intention is to have any of that kind of [violence] in New York City.

"I think it's pretty much an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society . . . and shaking off oppression."

The quick search results for 'Intifada' in Wikipedia offer these choices:

First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule in 1987 to 1993
Second, or al-Aqsa Intifada, the violent Palestinian-Israeli conflict that began in September of 2000
1990s Intifada, an uprising in Bahrain demanding a return to democratic rule
1991 uprisings in Iraq against Saddam Hussein
Cedar Revolution or Intifada of Independence, the events in Lebanon after Rafiq Hariri's assassination
French Intifada, an ongoing conflict between French civil servants and Muslim youths
Independence Intifada, sporadic demonstrations and riots in Morocco/Western Sahara beginning in May 2005
Zemla Intifada against Spanish rule in Spanish Sahara

For someone who says "I don't believe the intention is to have any of that kind of [violence] in New York City," it is difficult to view 'intifada' in any context that does not involve violence or armed uprising.

This Blog also heavily moderates its comments section, refusing to publish a comment I posted critical of Juan Cole:

You recently posted a comment to the Minaret of Freedom Institute blog challenging Juan Cole's op-ed of the bin Ladin tape. If you would like us to publish your comment, please resubmit it avoiding the word "lies" which weconsider a flame.

It seems the former New York City Principal is not the only person allergic to truth the "Minaret of Freedom Institute" is trying to protect.

Update: Another Muslim Blog sympathizes with the troubled Principal. Progressive Muslima News

Having read the account in the New Times (below) and the inflammatory NY Post articles Intifada Principal Resigns and Intif-adios, it really seems to me that this woman was unfairly hounded from her job.

Update - Here is another one:

Syrian blogger Yaman asks: Who is afraid of the Arabic language, following an outrage in the US over a T-shirt which has the Arabic inscription Intifada written on it.

Yes, clearly it's the Arabic nature of the writing on the shirt. Nothing to do with the violent radical Islamic nationalism behind the meaning of the word.

Update: Gates of Vienna has some great commentary and coverage of others who are excusing the pathetic terrorist marketing scheme and calling for a boycott of the New York Post (CAIR).

Violent Radical Islamic Fashion

New Yorkers are understandably touchy when it comes to Islamic fundamentalist rhetoric.

This includes putting Jihadi phrases on T-Shirts:

NYC Principal at Center of 'Intifada' T-Shirt Controversy Resigns

"I became convinced yesterday that this week's headlines were endangering the viability of Khalil Gibran International Academy, even though I apologized," Almontaser said in an e-mail to FOX News.

The principal had come under fire for comments she made to The New York Post about an "Intifada NYC" T-shirt that is sold by an activist group which shares an office with the Yemeni-American association that Almontaser represents.

Duh.

H/T Hot Air

Arafat: Positive for AIDS

Little Green Footballs has news of...

"Ahmad Jibril, Secretary-General of the PFLP General Command, on Hizballah’s Al-Manar TV, publicly admitting the truth about Yasser Arafat’s death for the first time."

The proof:

“To be honest, the French gave us the medical report, that stated that the cause of Abu Ammar’s death was AIDS.”

How can I shake my enemy's hand?

Little Green Footballs posted this last week, and I just can't stop reading it. Makes me laugh out of the sheer ridiculousness:

Video: 'Would You Shake Hands With a Jew?'

Interviewer: Would you, as a human being, be willing to shake hands with a Jew?

Interviewee 1: Of course I wouldn’t be willing to shake hands with a Jew, for religious reasons and because of what is happening now in Palestine, and for many reasons that don’t allow me to shake a Jew’s hand.

Interviewee 2: No. Because the Jews are eternal enemies. The murderous Jews violate all agreements. I can’t shake hands with someone who I know is full of hatred towards me.

Interviewee 3: No, the Jew is an enemy. How can I shake my enemy’s hand?

Interviewer: Would you refuse to shake hands with a Jew?

Interviewee 4: Of course, so I wouldn’t have to consider amputating my hand afterwards.

Interviewer: If a child asks you who “who are the Jews,” what would you answer?

Interviewee 5: The enemies of Allah and His Prophet.

Interviewee 6: The Jew is the occupier of our lands.

Interviewee 1: The murderers of prophets. Our eternal enemies, of course.

Interviewee 2: The murderers of prophets, that’s it.

Interviewer: If a child asks you who “who are the Jews,” what would you answer?

Interviewee 8: Allah’s wrath is upon them, as the Koran says. Allah’s wrath is upon them and they all stray from the path of righteousness. They are the filthiest people on the face of this earth because they care only about themselves: Not the Christians, not the Muslims, nor any other religion.

The solution is clear, not only to me but to everyone. If only [the Muslims] declared Jihad, we would see who stays home. We have a few countries... there is one country with a population of over 60-70 million people. If we let them only march, with no weapons even, they would completely trample the Jews, they would turn them into rotten carcasses under their feet.

There is another country that donated money, saying, “I am behind you, I’ll support you with weapons, just wage [Jihad].”

But the cowardice inside us, deep within our hearts was instilled by the Arab leaders, may Allah forgive them. They breast-fed us with it from the day we were born to this very day it has grown with us.

Unleashing A Middle East Powder Keg

In From The Cold wonders How Israel Might Fight:

In the opening stages of the Israeli scenario, we believe the IDF would move quickly to seal off the West Bank and Gaza, without a major incursion into either region. With the limited strike options available to Hamas and the PA, Israel could wait to deal with those threats, while addressing more pressing concerns on its northern border, the Golan and in Iran.

As ground forces close off Gaza and the West Bank, the Israeli Air Force could launch its long-predicted strike against Iran, aimed at disabling that country's nuclear and long-range missile programs. Surprise is of the essence, and an early attack against Tehran would reduce that potential threat--before enemy air defenses go on heightened alert, and before the IDF become pre-occupied with operations over Lebanon and Syria.

Given the distance and routing considerations associated with the raid, the strike on Iran would (most likely) be a one-time shot. The Israelis understand that Tehran's retaliatory options are limited to attacks by proxies, and long-range strikes, using its relatively small arsenal of Shahab-3 missiles (the longer-range BM-25 is not believed operational at this time). Israel would employ the Arrow II ballistic missile defense system to counter MRBM attacks, and its own Jericho II missiles--capable of carrying nuclear warheads--for retaliatory strikes, as required.

With the Iranian threat reduced, the Israelis would quickly shift their focus to the Golan Heights and Lebanon. Syria's air force and air defenses could be neutralized rather quickly, giving the Israelis complete control of the skies, and support for a ground assault past the Golan. The IDF has no intention of occupying Damascus, just creating more strategic depth and eliminating forward bases for Syria's FROG-7 rocket force.

Additionally, IAF jets would also pound Syrian airfields that can accommodate cargo aircraft, to prevent aerial resupply from Iran, and trans-shipment to Hizballah. Syrian forces would provide determined resistance on the ground, but they are no match for the IDF. Damascus would also attempt to saturate Israel with missile and rocket attacks, but an IDF advance into Syrian territory would negate that threat, as would air dominance by the IAF. Syrian FROGS and SS-21 missiles are capable of carrying chemical warheads, but Damascus understands that a WMD strike on Israel would invite their own nuclear annihilation. Israel also has another advantage in the expected "missile war" with Syria--the availability of Patriot missile batteries, capable of handling the FROGs and SS-21s, leaving the Arrow II to battle Iran's MRBMs.

As the situation in Syria stabilizes, the IDF would shift its attention to Hizballah and Lebanon. As with Hamas in the south, Hizballah's attack options are limited. However, the success of their rocket attacks against Israel last summer makes it imperative for the IDF to deal with this threat, through a combination of airpower and a ground incursion. As with the Golan operation, the Israelis have no plan for a deep push into Lebanon; instead, they would focus on pushing Hizballah gunners out of range, and disrupting their supply lines into Syria.

After securing the northern front, the Israelis could then deal with the situations in Gaza and the West Bank. To avoid fighting on multiple fronts in the south and east, they might cut a deal with Fatah, allowing them to re-establish control in Gaza after Hamas is crushed. It's an agreement that Mahmoud Abbas would probably support, allowing the IDF to eliminate his enemies (at virtually no cost to Fatah) and pave his return to Gaza City.

Palestinian Piety

In case we get overly worried that Hamas or Fatah will fall in completely with al Qaeda, we should recall two things:

Their sexual proclivities,

and

Their choice words in response to comments of support by al Qaeda.

Carter In Bed With Zarqawi

Gateway Pundit draws the parallel: Al Qaeda #2 Al-Zawahri Joins With Jimmy Carter on Hamas

On June 19, 2007 in Dublin, Ireland Jimmy Carter pledged his support to Hamas and against the US and Israel

And

On June 25, 2007, Al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda's second in command, joined Carter today in pledging his support for Hamas extremists.

I can just imagine Zawahiri now, imitating Hannibal from A-Team, while rubbing his leather-gloved hands together menacingly: "I love it when a plan comes together."

Zawahiri's "A"-l Qaeda Team. Once again, Allah laughs at us.

Who Fears Israel?

The adroit Michael Totten:

The fact that Arab governments threaten to build nuclear arsenals to counter Iran’s, but not Israel’s, all by itself tells you who and what they’re really afraid of. Blowback isn’t just for Americans anymore.

It's the simple truth.

Edwards Blog: Don't Attack Iran

We Should Not Attack Iran

The rationale? It would be too hard:

Iran has spent more than a decade upgrading its military defensive capability by purchasing sophisticated weapons from Russia, China, North Korea, and others and it has developed an advanced indigenous manufacturing capability that can keep them supplied with arms and armament for a long time. Don't be fooled into believing that this is farm implement based technology and that it is no match for our high tech systems. Technology such as a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system that was sold by the Loral Corporation to the Peoples Republic of China and approved for export under the Clinton administration greatly enhances existing missile targeting and acquisition systems that may someday be used against our military. The gap in technology has not necessarily narrowed but the inevitable proliferation of older technology has made a difference for precision weapons and command and control systems.

And about those nuclear ambitions?

A separate large infrastructure would be required to produce even small amounts of special nuclear materials clandestinely because material balance sheets must be meticulously maintained for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty compliance making it virtually impossible to divert high enrichment materials from the end of the cascade process. Special nuclear materials are highly enriched amounts of fissionable materials like uranium in this case and plutonium that are used in weapons. Even at ninety nine percent enrichment, one percent contains radioisotope contaminants with detectable concentrations that can be calculated and referenced to material balance sheets giving the material a distinctive signature.

Besides, it would only be a "dirty weapon" they could make:

Anything the Iranians could possibly put together in the next ten years would be lower enrichment and would be considered a dirty weapon.

The writer is undoubtedly an admirer of the Father of the Iranian Revolution.

The truth is the entire nightmare can be traced back to the liberal democratic policies of the leftist Jimmy Carter, who created a firestorm that destabilized our greatest ally in the Muslim world, the shah of Iran, in favor of a religious fanatic, the ayatollah Khomeini.

Not to mention that Iran is presently fomenting a Palestinian Rift, in which Carter also defends Hamas' actions.

In the case of this Edwards blog... the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.