Iran Bent on Israel's Destruction Arnaud de Borchgrave Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Whether Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wants to wipe Israel off the map is still contested, even by anti-mullah Iranian Americans. But that he wants to wipe out the Jewish state, there can be no doubt. As he completes his visits to every Iranian town, the collection of his pronunciamentos is edifying reading.
Culled from a wide variety of sources, ranging from the London Daily Telegraph, to the Suddeutsche Zeitung Online, to France's Le Monde and Liberation, Ahmadinejad spells out the target and the strategy:
This regime (Israel) will one day disappear.
The Zionist regime is a rotten tree that will be blown away by one storm.
The countdown for the destruction of Israel has begun.
Zionists are the personification of Satan.
In the case of any unwise move by the fake regime of Israel, Iran's response will be so destructive and quick that the regime will regret its move forever.
The West invented the myth of the massacre of the Jews (in World War II) and placed it above Allah, religions and prophets.
Ahmadinejad's strategic recipe:
We don't shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world.
The wave of the Islamist revolution will soon reach the entire world.
Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance pf the 12th imam, the Mahdi (a 5-year-old boy who vanished 1,100 years ago and who will lead the world into an era of peace and prosperity, but not before the planet is convulsed by death and destruction).
Soon Islam will become the dominating force in the world, occupying first place in the number of followers among all other religions.
Is there a craft more beautiful, more sublime, more divine, than the craft of giving yourself to martyrdom and becoming holy? Do not doubt Allah will prevail, and Islam will conquer mountaintops of the entire world.
Iran can recruit hundreds of suicide bombers a day. Suicide is an invincible weapon. Suicide bombers in this land showed us the way, and they enlighten our future.
The will to commit suicide is one of the best ways of life.
By the grace of Allah we will be a nuclear power and Iran does not give a damn about (IAEA) demands (to freeze enrichment of nuclear fuel).
Iran does not give a damn about resolutions.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has the capacity to quickly become a world superpower.
Iran's enemies know your courage, faith and commitment to Islam and . . . Iran has created a powerful army that can powerfully defend the political borders and the integrity of the Iranian nation and cut off the hand of any aggressor and place the sign of disgrace on their forehead.
In parallel to the official political war there is a hidden war going on and the Islamic states should benefit from their economic potential to cut off the hands of the enemies. Addressing a conference devoted to "The World Without Zionism," Ahmadinejad said, "To those who doubt, to those who ask is it possible, or those who do not believe, I say accomplishment of a world without America and Israel is both possible and feasible."
Hyperbole, gigantism, overkill, huckstering, hocus-pocus, all of the above. But intelligence mounts daily of Iranian efforts to undermine U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan and U.N. efforts to stem the violence in Lebanon (six U.N. peacekeepers were killed by a roadside IED).
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report said, "It is widely believed in Lebanon, including by the government, that the strengthening of Palestinian outposts could not have taken place without the tacit knowledge and support of the Syrian government."
Ban also noted Israel's claim that "the transfer of sophisticated weapons by Syria and Iran across the Lebanese-Syrian border, including long-range rockets (with a range of 250 miles) ... (and) anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, occurs on a weekly basis."
Israel also says Hezbollah "armed elements are constructing new facilities in the Bekaa valley, including command and control centers, rocket launching capabilities and conducting military training exercises."
There is little doubt Israel and Hezbollah are suiting up for a resumption of last summer's 34-day war in which the Israel Defense Force came off second best due to poor political and military leadership. Hezbollah is also shorthand for Syria and Iran. Tehran supplies the equipment and the funding. Syria acts as the transmission belt and is generously compensated.
Damascus has evidently concluded that an Israeli offensive across the Golan Heights is in the offing. For the first time in 40 years, Syria dismantled military checkpoints on the road to Kuneitra on its side of the Golan. Foreign journalists were barred from covering Israeli maneuvers on the Heights. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said the IDF was conducting military maneuvers — and nothing more.
One of the more plausible scenarios has Israel preparing for a drive into Syria across the Golan Heights, and then fighting a "decisive" battle with the Syrian army on the road to Damascus, followed by a left "hook" into Lebanon to execute an outflanking attack on Hezbollah.
That could also be a strategically propitious moment for U.S. action against Iran. It remains to be seen whether the key players in President George W. Bush's National Security Council would agree an opportunity is at hand to dust off an Air Force and Navy contingency plan to take out Iran's 23 nuclear facilities.
The United States has a "shock and awe" plan designed to annihilate Iran's military, in the event of an attack.
According to the Sunday Times of London, the plan calls for massive airstrikes against 1,200 targets in Iran, over three days.
Alexis Debat, director of terrorism and national security at the Nixon Center, told the Times that U.S. military planners were not preparing for “pinprick strikes” against Iran’s nuclear facilities. “They’re about taking out the entire Iranian military. ... Whether you go for pinprick strikes or all-out military action, the reaction from the Iranians will be the same.”
President Bush has accused Iran of putting the Middle East “under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust" because of its nuclear program. He has warned that the U.S. and its allies would confront Iran “before it is too late." One Washington source told the Time that the “temperature was rising” inside the administration.
Bush is committed for now to the diplomatic route but thinks Iran is moving towards acquiring a nuclear weapon. According to one well placed source, Washington believes it would be prudent to use rapid, overwhelming force, should military action become necessary.
Israel, which has warned it will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, has made its own preparations for airstrikes and is said to be ready to attack if the Americans back down.
I think that this is World War 3 and I think it is the Muslims against the rest of the world now.
I agree, and what do we do? Back down? Walk away? I just don't see how we can. How can we let all the lives lost from all the wars fought for OUR freedoms be for naught? We can't have another Iraq either...lives are lost there everyday and how much have we really gained? The terrorists aren't gone, they are just waiting until we leave. We can't let a country like Iran use nuclear weapons. My husband and I were just married and he was in the Marine Corps while the Iran hostage crisis was in full swing. They are radical and dangerous and will use the weapons on us if given the opportunity. Do we have the fortitude to not allow it? I don't think so.
I agree. These terrorists are hell bent on destroying anyone who isn't of the Muslim faith. They are lead by their God. That is their life. That is their passion. That is their goal in life.
We, as a nation, seem to have lost our passion. We've lost it for our flag and our God and our freedoms and for everything people before us have died for. There are American's that still think it' okay to burn our flag. And the Muslims at least pray 5 X/day to their God, when in this country, we can't even get people to get up on Sunday morning to worship their God for 1 hour. Sad isn't it how when 911 did happen there were flags everywhere and the churches were full. Now it is back to life as usual! No more flags and empty churches. Sad!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
This is what happens when the far left wing nuts like Tim Robbins and his like get all kinds of press and tv coverage and poison the minds of Americans with their lies. Unfortunately it's going to take another 911 to snap this country back into reality and make them realize what we are up against. The Muslims want 2 things, Israel destroyed, and all the western non believers eliminated as well.
Zogby: Majority Favor Strikes on Iran Monday, October 29, 2007
A majority of likely voters - 52 percent - would support a U.S. military strike to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, and 53 percent believe it is likely that the U.S. will be involved in a military strike against Iran before the next presidential election, a new Zogby America telephone poll shows.
The survey results come at a time of increasing U.S. scrutiny of Iran. According to reports from the Associated Press, earlier this month Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Iran of "lying" about the aim of its nuclear program and Vice President Dick Cheney has raised the prospect of "serious consequences" if the U.S. were to discover Iran was attempting to devolop a nuclear weapon. Last week, the Bush administration also announced new sanctions against Iran.
Democrats (63 percent) are most likely to believe a U.S. military strike against Iran could take place in the relatively near future, but independents (51 percent) and Republicans (44 percent) are less likely to agree. Republicans, however, are much more likely to be supportive of a strike (71 percent), than Democrats (41 percent) or independents (44 percent). Younger likely voters are more likely than those who are older to say a strike is likely to happen before the election and women (58 percent) are more likely than men (48 percent) to say the same – but there is little difference in support for a U.S. strike against Iran among these groups.
When asked which presidential candidate would be best equipped to deal with Iran – regardless of whether or not they expected the U.S. to attack Iran – 21 percent would most like to see New York U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the country, while 15 percent would prefer former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and 14 percent would want Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain in charge. Another 10 percent said Illinois Sen. Barack Obama would be best equipped to deal with Iran, while Republican Fred Thompson (5 percent), Democrat John Edwards (4 percent) and Republican Mitt Romney (3 percent) were less likely to be viewed as the best leaders to help the U.S. deal with Iran. The telephone poll of 1,028 likely voters nationwide was conducted Oct. 24-27, 2007 and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.
Clinton leads strongly among Democrats on the issue, with 35 percent saying she is best equipped to deal with Iran, while 17 percent would prefer Obama and 7 percent view John Edwards as the best choice. Giuliani is the top choice of Republicans (28 percent), followed by McCain (21 percent) and Fred Thompson (9 percent). One in five independents chose Clinton (21 percent) over McCain (16 percent) and Giuliani (11 percent). Clinton was the top choice among women (24 percent), while 14 percent would be more confident with Giuliani in the White House and 11 percent would prefer McCain. Men slightly prefer McCain (18 percent) to Clinton (17 percent) on this issue, while 15 percent said Giuliani is best equipped to deal with Iran. The survey also shows there is a significant amount of uncertainty if any of the long list of declared candidates would be best equipped to deal the Iran – 19 percent overall said they weren’t sure which candidate to choose.
There is considerable division about when a strike on Iran should take place – if at all. Twenty-eight percent believe the U.S. should wait to strike until after the next president is in office while 23 percent would favor a strike before the end of President Bush’s term. Another 29 percent said the U.S. should not attack Iran, and 20 percent were unsure. The view that Iran should not be attacked by the U.S. is strongest among Democrats (37 percent) and independents, but fewer than half as many Republicans (15 percent) feel the same. But Republicans are also more likely to be uncertain on the issue (28 percent).
As the possibility the U.S. my strike Iran captures headlines around the world, many have given thought to the possibility of an attack at home. Two in three (68 percent) believe it is likely that the U.S. will suffer another significant terrorist attack on U.S. soil comparable to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 – of those, 27 percent believe such an attack is very likely. Nearly one in three (31 percent) believe the next significant attack will occur between one and three years from now, 22 percent said they believe the next attack is between three and five years away, and 15 percent said they don’t think the U.S. will be attacked on U.S. soil for at least five years or longer. Just 9 percent believe a significant terrorist attack will take place in the U.S. before the next presidential election.
WORLD BRIEFS The Associated Press Iran gets nuclear fuel for reactor from Russia TEHRAN, Iran — Iran received its first nuclear fuel from Russia on Monday, paving the way for the startup of its reactor in 2008. Both the U.S. and Russia said that with the shipment, the Iranians would no longer have any reason to produce enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon. But Iran said it would continue its enrichment activities at a separate facility, in the central city of Natanz, to provide fuel for another nuclear reactor. Not only that, it indicated that construction had begun on just such a reactor, in Darkhovin in southwestern Iran. “We are currently constructing a 360-megawatt nuclear power plant in Darkhovin,” Vice President Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said on state television. Previously Iran had always described the Darkhovin plant as being in the planning stages. Aghazadeh said it will take several more years for Iran to install 50,000 centrifuges in Natanz, an industrialscale enrichment plant, to produce the fuel needed for Darkhovin. Tehran says the enrichment program is part of an effort to generate electricity, but the United States fears it will lead to weapons development.
President calls Iran chief sponsor of terror Mideast allies urged to open up to democracy BY JAMES GERSTENZANG Los Angeles Times
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — President Bush on Sunday called Iran “the world’s leading state sponsor of terror” and sought to shore up opposition to the government in Tehran throughout the Middle East. But even as he criticized Iranian leaders, saying they were seeking to repress their own citizens and cow neighboring countries, Bush appealed to U.S. allies in the region to open up their own political and economic systems to greater democracy. Spotlighting a swath of the globe where U.S. diplomacy is built around seeking help for the administration’s anti-terrorism effort, the president criticized only Iran by name. He avoided mentioning Egypt, his final stop on a six-nation Middle East trip, despite its long record of human rights abuses, limited political rights and economic disparity. Nor did he cite other nations across the region with similarly troubled histories. Speaking just 150 miles across the Persian Gulf from Iran, Bush said Iran “sends hundreds of millions of dollars to extremists around the world, while its own people face repression and economic hardship at home.” He said Iran was seeking “to intimidate its neighbors with ballistic missiles and bellicose rhetoric.” In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini dismissed Bush’s approach to Iran as ineffective. “During the past seven years, the Bush administration has followed a policy to isolate Iran and promote Iranophobia in the region,” Hosseini said, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency. “All regional states adopted a vigilant approach regarding that policy and opposed it.” Bush’s criticism of Tehran occurred as the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, reported that Iranian representatives had promised to answer key questions within a month about their nation’s past covert nuclear activities. Tehran also provided information about its effort to develop an advanced centrifuge that would enrich uranium much more quickly and efficiently than a model it now uses, the U.N. agency said. Bush made only brief reference to alleged Iranian efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, which an administration intelligence report recently said had been halted in 2003, and did not speak of the announcement in Vienna. Gordon D. Johndroe, spokesman for the National Security Council, said in Abu Dhabi of Iranian offi - cials: “Answering questions about their past nuclear activities is a step, but they still need to suspend their enrichment and reprocessing activity. Another declaration is no substitute for complying with the U.N. sanctions.” Bush spoke here to an audience of government officials, business executives, academics and students assembled by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, a think tank. Delivering an otherwise gingerly worded address intended to revive a quiescent campaign for broader democracy across the Middle East, he called for reforms that would transform life from Morocco to Pakistan. Using the language of a middleschool civics lesson, Bush proclaimed a “new era,” which he said was “founded on the equality of all people before God.” It is built, he said, “with the understanding that power is a trust that must be exercised with the consent of the governed — and deliver equal justice under the law.” ”For decades, the people of this region saw their desire for liberty and justice denied at home and dismissed abroad in the name of stability,” the president said. “Today your aspirations are threatened by violent extremists who murder the innocent in pursuit of power.“ The president spoke in an opulent auditorium of the $3 billion Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, one of the two major metropolitan areas in the United Arab Emirates. He planned to visit the other, Dubai, today on his way to Saudi Arabia. There was no applause during the speech; at the end, the audience applauded with restraint, and stood as he left the stage. Bush has had two principal themes on the eight-day trip: encouraging support around the region for fledgling Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and pressing leaders at each stop to stand with the United States in its efforts to change Iranian behavior. Senior administration officials had promoted the speech as a return to what the president calls his ”freedom agenda.“ His plea for Middle Eastern democracy was given voice in his second inaugural address but has drawn little public presidential focus in the intervening years as Bush sought to right foundering efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS President Bush holds a falcon as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan watches Sunday near the town of Sowaihan in United Arab Emirates.
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