Is That An Olive Branch Or A Gun

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Is That An Olive Branch Or A Gun.”

Our adversaries have become adept at terrorizing with one hand and painting themselves as victims with the other….The subterfuge of calling for peace, but seeking to murder has been going on for decades. The PLO charter that calls for the “liberation of Palestine” and the destruction of Israel was supposedly changed in the Oslo Accords, but it was never ratified. And the terrorist tactic of gaining ground (Gaza, West Bank, etc.) to further their strategic aim to attack and destroy Israel is well understood. Arafat became a master of this chicanery already decades ago when he came to the United Nations in 1974 with a “freedom fighters gun” on his hip and an “olive branch” in his offering. Today, the run of the mill terrorist continues this duplicity having become proficient at holding human shields (women and children) in one hand, and a gun or bomb to attack in the other. Similarly, organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah have cunningly split their missions of terrorism and murder of Israelis on one hand with social welfare and political cause for Palestinians on the other. They raise sympathy and seek to gain immunity at the same time as they continue to delegitimize Israel and conduct economic warfare and rampaging killing sprees.

In this regard, I wanted to share two sayings about not letting down our guard when it comes to the safety and security of Israel and our people. One, from the Romans, “If you wish for peace, prepare for war” also known as “peace through strength.” The second saying from former President Ronald Reagan, “Trust but verify” also know as “respect them but suspect them.”

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Great Apartheid Ruse

What a shame the hatred and anti-Semitism on college campuses and in political theater now under the guise of Israeli Apartheid Week and the Boycott, Divestiture, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Israel is no more apartheid that any country or society in the world that has guards and erected walls to secure their inhabitants–from armed bandits, illegal immigrants, marauding armies, and dangerous terrorists.

From the castles across the European landscape to the wall around Vatican City, the U.S. border fence, and even the Great Wall of China–every country seeks border and homeland security!

Keeping out bad people who seek to inflict harm on others is not segregation, but appropriate and common sense self-defense, especially in Israel’s case where Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other avowed terrorist organizations and their sponsors seek not peaceful coexistence, but the annihilation of the Jewish people and Israel.

From the Iranian building of nuclear ballistic missiles to Hezbollah and Hamas raining missiles on Israeli population centers, from the building of terror tunnels to abduct and attack Israelis, from homicide bombings in discotheques and on buses to shootings, knifings, and vehicular rammings, the crazed hatred and genocidal ambitions of the anti-Semites does not end.

Nothing would make every Jew in the world happier than a genuine and secure peace with their neighbors, but when every peace deal that shares between the peoples is rejected by those that seek not compromise and living side-by-side in peace, but rather to throw every last Jew into the Sea then the Free Palestine movement under all it’s guises is nothing more than a very deadly wolf in sheep’s clothing.

– Listen to their chants of “From the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea, Palestine Will be Free.“

– Read their signs that say, “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.”

– Watch their actions: teaching little children to utterly hate and arbitrarily kill Jews.

That NOT an anti-apartheid movement and a desire for peaceful coexistence, but rather maniacal ambitions to maim, murder, and take everything bar none.

Those who march, chant, and support Free Palestine, Israel Apartheid Week and the BDS Movement have shown themselves the true haters and supporters of terrorism, and usurping a mantel of legitimacy from those who have really struggled for freedom and peace is the lie and ruse of the century, but very reminiscent of murderous Jew-haters from Amalek, Haman, and Adolf Hitler from the days of old to our times. 😉

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Care2)

Iran: Engagement or Containment

As the deadline for the now 2nd round of current negotiations with the dangerous Iranian mullahs fast approaches on November 24, we need to remember who we are dealing with over there.

Despite nearly endless negotiations that have gone on since 2002 (or for almost 13 years), including yet another round of new talks that began 14 months ago and which were already extended once again…

Just this week, no less than Iran’s Foreign Minister and lead negotiator made clear their position on nukes and it is not favorable to coming to any real agreement:

Here in his own words:

• Iran insists that the U.S. must bow to Iran’s “Inalienable Nuclear Rights.”

• Despite our wanting to believe that a deal is possible, he states, “Some [Western] countries have fallen prey to miscalculations [about Iran’s position] due to wrong analysis.”

• He goes on to say, “U.S. sanctions against Iran “have left no impact” on their position. 

While our goal may be for a peaceful Iran without nuclear WMD, “a goal without a [genuine] plan is just a wish!”

Hmm…is this a real partner for peace?

It is recognized that:

1) Iran has one of the world’s worst records of human right abuses of their own people! 

2) “Iran is the single largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.”

3) Iran threatens “annihilation” and Genocide to their neighbors in the West. 

We cannot fool ourselves anymore that Iran will ever voluntarily give up their desire or pursuit of The Bomb!

Enough rewarding Iran with billions of dollars in incentives just for coming to the table with no meaningful results. 

Yes ideally, we would all love to celebrate this Thanksgiving with a REAL deal for peace.

However, we don’t need a bogus agreement or another meaningless extension that gets the Iranians that much closer to nuclear breakout capability and the world to the next major regional or even global war. 

Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Perhaps it’s time to change the playbook then…

Engagement is an excellent opportunity with a partner that is willing to seriously negotiate, but containment and ultimately military intervention is necessary when talks are simply a long-running ruse or sham to dangerous nuclear WMD and world terror. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

With The Courage Of The Maccabees

This is a phenomenal speech by Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to the United Nations on October 1 2013.

Some highlights from the speech:

– Iran is building underground uranium and plutonium enrichment facilities, using advanced centrifuges, conducting enrichments to near dangerous levels, and developing the ICBMs to deliver the nuclear weapons.

– Iran threatens to wipe Israel off the map and chants death to Israel and America.

– Iran is smiling and negotiating, while positioning themselves for a dash over the nuclear finish line.

– Iran is seeking to provide meaningless concessions and empty promises in return for sanctions relief.

– Nuclear weapons in the hands of the rogue regime of Iran makes nuclear terrorism a clear and present danger.

– Israel will never acquiesce to nuclear weapons in the hands of a rogue regime that threatens to wipe them off the map.

– If Israel is forced to act alone, it will and in so doing be safeguarding many other nations as well.

– A bludgeoned Jewish people left for dead [after the Holocaust] will defend themselves with the courage of the Maccabees and not compromise on security.

If you get a chance, it is worth watching the whole thing.

Decloaking The Adversary

Yes, we lost a drone in Iran and they won’t give it back–that stinks!

Initially, the word coming out was it was a mishap, an accident, but the Iranians claimed otherwise–that they brought it down.

Who believed that they could actually do that?

Then there was word that the craft being displayed by the Iranians was a fake, a mock-up, only to reversed with a confirmation, as reported in Christian Science Monitor, that the drone “is almostly certainly the one lost by U.S. forces.”

Well now, InformationWeek is reporting (16 December 2011) that Iran really did bring down the stealth drone as well as how they claim to have done it.

First they jammed the communications of the RQ-170 Sentinel, so that with its command, control, and communications (C3) no longer intact, it was forced to go into autopilot and rely on GPS signals to find its way.

Then, the Iranians spoofed the GPS signal making the Sentinel think it was landing at a U.S. base rather than right into hostile territory.

If this is true, then not only is all the captured sensitive technology aboard the craft (such as radar, fuselage, coating, and electronics) in jeopardy of being comprised by reverse engineering, but also as the article states, the Iranians may have demonstrated the means to be able to literally “divert any GPS-guided missiles launched at targets inside its borders.”

Quite a scary thought when according to Reuters reports, Iran is less than a year from going nuclear!

So what is the truth and what is misinformation (PsyOps) to confuse or outwit the enemy and how much does any of that really matter if the Iranians have possession of our advanced technology along with the time and the nefarious partners to study it and use it against us?

Or perhaps, this is a great ruse by us and we intended for the Iranians to get the drone–tick, tick, tick… 😉

We live in a new sophisticated world of electronic and cyber warfare and that combined with nukes makes for some truly dangerous scenarios.

Finally, we should never underestimate the capabilities or intent of our adversaries–surprise may be the the most potent enemy of them all.

(Source Photo: here)