Posts

Henry Kissinger: “In 10 Years, There Will Be No More Israel”; Egypt’s President Prays for Jews’ Destruction (+video)

/61 Comments/in , /by

By Alexander Maistrovoy. Henry Kissinger’s recent statement, that in 10 years Israel will cease to exist, borders on senile. Although one of his staff members denied it, Cindy Adams from New York Post insisted: “Reported to me, Henry Kissinger has stated — and I quote the statement word for word: ‘In 10 years, there will be no more Israel.’”

Kissinger is a controversial figure. He can hardly be suspected of excessive sympathy for Israel. He perhaps, inclines to the “syndrome of self-hatred” so fashionable nowadays in the Jewish elite. At the same time, Kissinger is not an exalted pop-diva, cheap populist or rebellious professor. He is an experienced, prudent politician who takes responsibility for his utterance.

What drove him to such a dramatic conclusion? Is there a real and grave threat to Israel?

Let’s try to analyze the situation. The first impression is rather unfavorable. Israel has been in the midst of historic upheaval. The political structure of the Middle East that existed since Camp David agreement has collapsed, forming a giant cloud of dust and chaos, from which the new threatening reality can crystallize.

America under Obama is deserting the Middle East. The future of Europe becomes more vague as it loses its perspective. Iran becomes a regional power with nuclear weapons while Turkey — recently a strategic ally of Israel — craves Ottoman greatness. Read more from this story HERE.

Perhaps related to Kissinger’s prediction, here’s a video of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi praying for the destruction of Israel:

Iraqi Vice-President: Iran Supplying Syria Via Ground Convoys Through Iraq

/0 Comments/in , , /by

For several months, the U.S. government has been urging the Iraqi government to stop Iran from supplying arms to the Syrian regime through commercial flights over Iraqi airspace, but a larger amount of supplies is now crossing Iraq via convoys on the ground, Iraq’s exiled Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi told The Cable.

Hashimi has been living in Turkey following his indictment and subsequent conviction in absentia by Iraqi government courts that he says are working with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The Central Criminal Court of Iraq sentenced him to death last month for allegedly participating in acts of terrorism against his own political opponents,, charges widely seen as political in nature.

But Hashimi is still technically the vice president and he is fighting for what he calls a “fair trial.” He argues that Maliki has hijacked the Iraqi political system and become beholden to Iranian interests, which include supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Hashimi said he has evidence and reports from politicians, from officers in the Interior Ministry, and from Iraqi intelligence officials, all pointing to a growing and active ground transport route from Iran to Syria. The route crosses through the Zarbatia checkpoint on the Iran-Iraq border, west of the Iranian town of Mehran, flows through the city of Karbala, and crosses over to Syria via the al-Qaim border crossing, he said.

“The transit is not only aerial using Iraqi airspace, but the ground transit is becoming a phenomenon. Munitions, heavy arms, and even militias are passing checkpoints without any sort of obstruction,” Hashimi said in a telephone interview. “I am very afraid the U.S. and the international community is only focused on the aerial transit and leaving behind the ground transit. Everything should be checked now.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Iran’s News Agencies Say Obama Acknowledged its Nuclear Rights, Didn’t Want to Impose Sanctions & Warns of Romney Vote Fraud

/3 Comments/in , , /by

In a curious article in Iran’s semi-official news agency FARS today, Iran is claiming that Obama not only acknowledged Iran’s right to pursue nuclear technology, but also did not want to impose sanctions on Iran explaining he had to because of congressional action:

Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Livia Leu Agosti attended a meeting with senior Iranian foreign ministry officials a few days ago to submit a letter from the US president to Tehran leaders.

Vice-Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Hossein Ebrahimi told FNA that during the meeting, Agosti had told the Iranian officials that President Barack Obama recognizes Iran’s right of access and use of the nuclear technology.

“There are a couple of points with regard to this (US) message (to Iran),” Ebrahimi said and added, “Firstly, during the session to submit the message, the Swiss ambassador to Tehran quoted the US president as saying that ‘we (the US) recognize your nuclear rights’.”

As regards the second issue, the lawmaker said that the Swiss diplomat had also quoted Obama as saying that “I didn’t want to impose sanctions on your central bank but I had no options but to approve it since a Congress majority had approved the decision.”

Although FARS is by no means a reliable news source, the above statements become a bit more interesting in view of Iran’s statement this weekend in defense of Obama, suggesting that Romney is getting ready to steal the election from him:

Iran’s government mouthpiece Press TV is panicking over the prospect of a defeat for President Barack Obama and warns that Mitt Romney will steal the election through “black-box” voting machines that “manufacture election outcomes.”

It also charged that the polls – virtually all of which now show Romney in the lead or at least in a dead heat – are fraudulent.

Video: Iran’s Number One Target is NOT Israel – It’s the United States

/4 Comments/in , /by

This exceptional video is narrated by Banafsheh Zand Bonazzi, the daughter of a leading Iranian journalist and intellectual who was imprisoned multiple times by the religious regime and who recently committed suicide while incarcerated.

The Iranian expatriate makes a bold statement: “Iran has a plan to destroy the West and its number one target is America.” She talks about Iran’s technological advancement toward a nuclear weapon, including its efforts to develop a neutron or EMP bomb.

Ms. Bonazzi also asserts that the potential of a nuclear Iran is the single-most important economic issue facing America and the world today.

Finally, she discusses Iran’s hatred for Israel and the messianic vision of its fanatical leadership. Iran seeks to usher in a world under the control of extreme Shariah law.

The Iranian regime recognizes that there would be a significant cost to its own population in pursuing its objectives, but any such sacrifice in removing the world’s “Great Satan” would be worth it.

Ms. Bonazzi concludes, “An Iranian nuclear bomb changes everything . . . [it is] the most crucial issue in human history.”

Although Restoring Liberty does not agree with the internationalist undercurrent to her presentation, Ms. Bonazzi gets the threat right and recommends the following video:

Obama Denies Agreement With Iran For Direct Talks After Election, Israel Says it Knows Nothing (+video)

/1 Comment/in , /by

By Paige Winfield Cunningham and Dave Boyer. The White House denied a report that it set up direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program, but that didn’t halt a flurry of speculation Sunday.

Democrats said the talks, if they are happening, prove that sanctions supported by President Obama have worked; Republicans accused the Iranians of using the U.S. election to buy time for their nuclear weapons development.

Iran has agreed to directly negotiate with the U.S., but with the caveat that talks not take place until after the Nov. 6 presidential election, according to a weekend report by The New York Times. While Iranian officials cited uncertainty about the election as a reason for delaying talks, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that’s just a “ploy” allowing them to use the election cycle “in a pretty clever way.”

“I think the Iranians are trying to take advantage of our election cycle to continue to talk,” the South Carolina Republican told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.” “I think the time for talking is over, we should be demanding transparency and access to their nuclear program.”

With the presidential election just 15 days away, there’s little the White House does that isn’t being viewed through a political lens — and that’s especially true when it comes to foreign policy, with GOP candidate Mitt Romney and other Republicans criticizing how Mr. Obama has handled touchy situations in countries like Iran, Libya and Afghanistan. Read more from this story HERE.

Today, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu commented on the report of the Obama Administration’s direct talks with Iran. He stated that he believes Iran is continuing to use bad faith negotiations as a tool to delay while it develops its nuclear capability:

Obama Strikes Deal With Iran for Direct Nuclear Talks … After the Election

/10 Comments/in , /by

The United States and Iran have agreed in principle for the first time to one-on-one negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, according to Obama administration officials, setting the stage for what could be a last-ditch diplomatic effort to avert a military strike on Iran.

Iranian officials have insisted that the talks wait until after the presidential election, a senior administration official said, telling their US counterparts that they want to know which American president they would be negotiating with.

News of the agreement — a result of intense, secret exchanges between US and Iranian officials that date almost to the beginning of President Obama’s term — comes at a critical moment in the presidential contest, just two weeks before Election Day and a day before the final debate, which is to focus on national security and foreign policy.

It has the potential to help Obama make a case that he is nearing a diplomatic breakthrough in the decade-long effort by the world’s major powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but it could also pose a risk if Iran is seen as using the prospect of the direct talks to buy more time.

It is also far from clear that Obama’s opponent, Mitt Romney, would go through with the negotiation should he win election. Romney has repeatedly criticized the president as showing weakness toward Iran and failing to stand firmly with Israel against the Iranian nuclear threat.

Read more from this story HERE.

Iran May be Preparing for EMP Strike, Would Have Devastating Consequences to US, Europe, Israel

/2 Comments/in , /by

Just what might happen if the Iranians got their hands on a nuclear weapon? Would they fire it at an Israeli city, causing tens or hundreds of thousands of casualties? Or would they use it as a geopolitical weapon, seeking to dominate the Middle East and forcing the hand of Western powers, either subtly or by overtly threatening death and destruction to those who fail to heed their dictates?

While political scientists and world leaders have debated the likelihood of those two possibilities, there is a third plausible scenario: The use of a nuclear weapon by Iran to carry out an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack against Israel, the US, or Europe. Such an attack could cause severe damage to the electrical grid in the targeted nations, to the extent that the routines of daily life — centered around the use of electrical power — could be halted, for a short or even long period of time.

An EMP is an above-atmosphere level detonation of a nuclear device that produces enough radiation to wreak havoc with electrical systems. The blast produces a very brief but intense electromagnetic field that can quickly induce very high currents in electrical devices, shorting them out. The stronger the electromagnetic field — the “pulse” — the stronger the current, and the more likely electrical devices are to “blow out.” It’s akin to a power surge that shorts out your refrigerator or TV when too much voltage surges through the electrical outlet… on a whole other scale.

While there is much speculation as to what exactly an EMP would do to electrical appliances and digital devices — scientists have differences of opinion over how badly they would be affected (the world hasn’t really experienced a direct EMP blast yet, so much of the speculation is based on educated guesses) — the far-greater concern is what an attack would do to the electrical infrastructure in a targeted area. If an EMP strike is large enough, or there are enough such strikes, the blasts could knock out power plants, electrical substations, and other sensitive equipment, causing a massive power failure that may take weeks or months to overcome. Data centers housing servers would likely be badly damaged as well, as would be communications systems.

The EMP issue is hardly being discussed in Israel, said Dr. Emily Landau, director of the Arms Control and Regional Security Program at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies and a lecturer at Tel Aviv University. “There isn’t much discussion of it right now, but when the discussion does begin, there is no doubt that it will focus on the balance between how much it will cost to deal with, versus how likely such an attack may be,” she said.

Read more from this story HERE.

Did Iranian Drone, Shot Down by Israel, Include Technology From US Drone Captured Last Year?

/6 Comments/in , /by

The Israeli Defense Forces initially played down the intrusion of an Iranian-made drone in Israeli airspace last week. Now it turns out, not only did the drone transmit intelligence back to Iran, it also evaded several efforts by an IDF F-16 to shoot it down.

The New York Post revealed these details earlier today:

A drone plane transmitted live pictures of secret Israeli military bases back to Iran’s military, marking a rare breach of Israeli airspace and a new kind of arms race in the Middle East.

The drone, launched by Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon on Oct. 6, is also believed to have transmitted pictures of preparations for a joint Israel-US military exercise, ballistic missile sites, and possibly Israel’s top-secret nuclear reactor near Dimona.

The three-hour drone flight was initially downplayed by Israeli officials red-faced over the shocking breach of their airspace.

Even the drone’s ultimate interception by an F-16 jet was botched — it took two tries for the pilot to down the unmanned plane.

An Israeli defense source blamed the drone’s infiltration on its “unfamiliar stealth elements.”

After finding out that an Iranian drone, with presumably homemade technology, avoided one of the world’s most advanced military’s radar, antiaircraft, and fighter jet capabilities for hours, some are wondering if the drone capitalized on some of the technology harvested from the U.S. drone captured by Iran last year.

Bipartisan Study Group: A Nuclear Iran Would be Devastating to US Economy

/0 Comments/in /by

Oil prices “could double,” increasing the U.S. price of gasoline by up to $2.75, if Iran is permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon, according to a new economic analysis by a bipartisan team of current and former government officials.

While much attention has been given to the costs of preventive military action against Iran, a new report by the Bipartisan Policy Center shows that, over time, “gasoline prices could increase by more than 70 percent,” sending America “into a severe recession” and costing the country “more than five million” jobs.

“If any of the conflicts or energy disruptions that become more likely from a nuclear Iran actually occur, the energy impact and economic consequences would be more severe,” the report states. “Inflation could skyrocket to almost 5 percent,” leading to widespread job loss.

Authored by a team of former military leaders, economists, and lawmakers, the report examines a handful of scenarios that could result if Iran is permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. In each outcome, oil and gasoline prices increase exponentially.

“Inaction also poses economic risks,” former Democratic Sen. Charles Robb (Va.) told a group of reporters Wednesday during a discussion about the report. “Heightened expectation … and instability triggered by the consequences of a nuclear Iran would cause the price of oil to go much higher and remain high … significantly impacting the US economy.”

Read more from this story HERE.

NYC Police Chief: Iran May Target our City

/0 Comments/in /by

New York City’s large Jewish population can make it a potential target for an Iranian-sponsored attack, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

New York City’s police chief, Ray Kelly, warned that a possible conflict between Iran and Israel is a particular area of concern, given New York City’s large Jewish population, the New York Post newspaper quoted him as saying during an anti-terror conference called NYPD SHIELD.

While New York is a melting pot city, its metropolitan area is home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel.

“We’ve been concerned about Iran for a while, and I think the history of those events throughout the world since January give us cause for concern,” Kelly added.

Another NYPD official, Lt. Kevin Yorke of the Intelligence Division, warned of a potential retaliation attack on the city by Iran and its staunch group ally, Hezbollah.

Read more from this story HERE.