Posted By Rick Moran On March 13, 2012
The majority Islamist Egyptian parliament moved on several fronts in the past two days to flex its muscles and challenge the authority of the military-appointed government. The Muslim Brothers, represented by the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), and their Salfis allies, who make up 70% of the members in parliament, have decided to engineer a “no confidence” vote in the government of Prime Minister Kamal Al Ganzouri, force the withdrawal of the Israeli ambassador from Cairo, and will vote to refuse $1 billion in aid from the US government.
These actions, which took place on the eve of the first day of candidate registration for the presidential elections, threaten to instigate a political crisis in the country — as well as with the United States and Israel.
The Islamists are making a move to challenge the military because of two recent incidents that have angered the Egyptian people and made the government even more unpopular than it was previously.
The first incident occurred on February 1 when a huge riot broke out following a soccer game in Port Said. Authorities said that 79 people died and hundreds were injured when fans of the home team swarmed the field after a rare win, attacking opposing fans and players, and overwhelming the small number of riot police who were deployed for the game. The next day, riots broke out in Cairo and elsewhere that killed two and injured more than 900. The people blame the military for the pitifully inadequate security at the stadium. Most of the dead died of asphyxiation when people trying to exit the melee were blocked by a locked gate.
There were also questions about how fans had been able to bring knives and other weapons into the stadium.
The second incident that has angered parliament and the Egyptian people was the lifting of the travel ban on the 16 Americans who are on trial for illegal funding of the NGOs they worked for. Parliament believes that the government caved in to American pressure and threats from Congress to deny Egypt the $1.3 billion in aid the US gives to Egypt every year. It was this incident that precipitated the confrontation in parliament with the military government and presages political turmoil.
The Brotherhood seems to be in tune with the people on these issues, and has apparently decided to press its advantage. The lifting of the travel ban especially seems to have outraged the citizens of Egypt due to interference in the judicial process by the military, as the original judge in the case has alleged. This initiated an intense questioning of ministers in parliament, as lawmaker after lawmaker called for a vote of no confidence. “I wish members of the U.S. Congress could listen to you now to realize that this is the parliament of the revolution, which does not allow a breach of the nation’s sovereignty or interference in its affairs,” said the parliament’s speaker, FJP member Saad el-Katatni.
The military says only it has the authority to dismiss the government. To make that point, ministers who were scheduled to answer questions from lawmakers on the NGO issue failed to show up for the afternoon session of parliament. “It seems that the government is pushing for a crisis with parliament,” el-Katatni said.
The no confidence vote is a process that should take about two weeks, as each minister in turn needs to be questioned by lawmakers. But it is unclear that, even if the parliament is successful, there will be any changes to the government. The military has sole authority to name the prime minister and his cabinet, which means that even if they are voted out, the military could appoint the same people.
One observer of Egyptian politics, Mazen Hassan, a political science professor at Cairo University, said, “It has the perfect bits and pieces by which [parliament] can gain popularity.” Indeed, the parliament voted two other measures that promised to be very popular among the nationalist-minded Egyptian populace.
Both measures are largely symbolic, but represent an ominous sign of things to come. First, the parliament, by a show of hands, accepted a report by the Arab Committee that called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, the recall of the Egyptian ambassador from Israel, and a halt to the sales of natural gas to the Jewish state. The Islamists also introduced a measure that would cut the $1.3 billion in aid from the US to Egypt.
Both issues are a challenge to the military government, which has reserved the power to make such decisions. But the popular sentiment expressed in both resolutions will strengthen the hand of the Brotherhood going into the presidential elections. It may also get the military to compromise on the make-up of the government, putting some Islamist ministers in power if the no confidence vote is successful.
The report from the Arab Committee is an interesting document for those who still believe that the Muslim Brotherhood can be trusted. One of those trusting souls is Jimmy Carter who responded to a question from a talk show host asking if he saw Egypt “moving away” from the peace treaty with Israel.
Said Carter:They assured me personally and they have made public statements accordingly that they will honor the peace treaty that I helped negotiate in 1979. They know its very important to Egypt to maintain peace with Israel and I don’t have any doubt that they will carry out their promise to me.
On Monday, Egypt’s parliament asked the military to “review all relations and agreements” with Israel, which it described as Egypt and the Arab world’s “number one enemy.”
“Revolutionary Egypt will never be a friend, partner or ally of the Zionist entity (Israel), which we consider to be the number one enemy of Egypt and the Arab nation,” said the report.
That seems clear enough for anyone — even someone as oblivious as the former president. The report also endorsed the Palestinian resistance “in all its kinds and forms” against Israel’s “aggressive policies.”
Presumably, this means supporting the blowing up of civilians in terrorist attacks and launching rocket barrages into towns and cities.While the acceptance of the committee report will not immediately affect relations with the Jewish state, Israel has to be alarmed at the rank hatred expressed in such a document and the determination of the Islamists to sever ties — even though it would risk war.
As with the vote on Israel, the measure introduced to refuse US aid is not really in the purview of parliament to consider — at this point in time. Once a president is elected, parliament will write a new constitution where it is expected that the power of the president (and the military council that backs him) will be reduced and the power of the legislature increased. The Brotherhood may very well take such decisions about Israel and the US out of the hands of the president and write them into parliament’s powers.
Obviously, regional stability will ride on the outcome of that tug-of-war. But the military is not expected to cede power easily, and there may be other issues the Islamists feel would be worth fighting for that might take precedence over a foreign policy portfolio for parliament. But when it comes to the Brotherhood’s hatred of Israel, any outcome is possible.
These moves by the Islamists in parliament are the opening gambit in what promises to be a tense jockeying for power and influence in the Egyptian government over the next several months. Even the presidential elections won’t settle the power sharing arrangement between civilians and the military. Much will depend on how the military sees the future of Egypt and whether it would be amendable to giving up some of its influence in order to achieve a peaceful, stable society.
No one is betting on that outcome. Nor is anyone wagering that the Muslim Brotherhood will moderate its views toward Israel or the US.
Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.Article printed from FrontPage Magazine: http://frontpagemag.comURL to article: http://frontpagemag.com/2012/03/13/brotherhood-mobilizes-against-military-government-in-egypt/
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Monday, 12 March 2012
DISTURBING NEWS FROM THE SIMON WIESTHENTHAL CENTRE
From the Simon Wiesthenthal centre
Today, Jews around the world celebrate Purim where Jews in Persia were saved from annihilation more than 2,400 years ago. Sadly, one of the greatest threats to the Jewish people and the State of Israel today comes from modern-day Persia: Iran, where Supreme Religious Leader Ayatollah Al Khamenei called Israel a “cancerous tumor” that must be removed.
Just this week, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said of Iran, “No greater threat exists to the security of Israel and to the entire region… ,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated, “Israel cannot rely on others to defend its people … I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.”
In recent months, international leaders have finally woken up to the danger posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yet no government or non-governmental organization has tried to take Tehran to the International Criminal Court at the Hague for its state-sponsored, pre-genocidal hate campaign against Israel and the Jewish people.
Just recently the Center helped to expose a detailed blueprint on a website run by the head of the Iranian Parliament’s research center showing:
•a step-by-step plan to wipe out Israel’s infrastructure and annihilate her citizens
• a theological basis for mass murdering Jews
• maps of Israeli population centers
• distances to strategic targets within Israel and the range of Iranian missiles
• specific stages of attacks
• a chilling final stage targeting “urban settlements until final annihilation of Israeli people”
To combat Iran’s growing culture of anti-Jewish hatred, SWC officials have:
• asked the United States to consider charging the Iranian regime with incitement to genocide which is a “crime against humanity“
• met with diplomats and other government officials from the White House to world leaders across Europe urging them to condemn Iran’s ongoing anti-Semitic, anti-Israel rhetoric and Holocaust denial
• published several Op-Eds and a hard-hitting report exposing the insidious anti-Israel hate by officials in the region
• succeeded in getting YouTube to remove a series of vicious anti-Semitic and Holocaust Denial animated videocartoons from its link on an Iranian website.
Last year, during Purim in Iran, some Iranian extremists observed it as a day of mourning for the ancient Persians who, according to the Iranian version of the story being broadcast by the state news agency Fars, were massacred by the Jews under the command of the Jewish Queen Esther.
This is why the Center’s ongoing work is critical - so that we can combat these and other lies spread by the Iranian regime.
Your help today will enable us to continue our advocacy in the halls of diplomacy and with media outlets worldwide.
As an NGO at the United Nations and many other international agencies, the Center has the experience, the clout and the expertise to effect change on behalf of Jews everywhere.
Today, Jews around the world celebrate Purim where Jews in Persia were saved from annihilation more than 2,400 years ago. Sadly, one of the greatest threats to the Jewish people and the State of Israel today comes from modern-day Persia: Iran, where Supreme Religious Leader Ayatollah Al Khamenei called Israel a “cancerous tumor” that must be removed.
Just this week, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said of Iran, “No greater threat exists to the security of Israel and to the entire region… ,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated, “Israel cannot rely on others to defend its people … I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.”
In recent months, international leaders have finally woken up to the danger posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yet no government or non-governmental organization has tried to take Tehran to the International Criminal Court at the Hague for its state-sponsored, pre-genocidal hate campaign against Israel and the Jewish people.
Just recently the Center helped to expose a detailed blueprint on a website run by the head of the Iranian Parliament’s research center showing:
•a step-by-step plan to wipe out Israel’s infrastructure and annihilate her citizens
• a theological basis for mass murdering Jews
• maps of Israeli population centers
• distances to strategic targets within Israel and the range of Iranian missiles
• specific stages of attacks
• a chilling final stage targeting “urban settlements until final annihilation of Israeli people”
To combat Iran’s growing culture of anti-Jewish hatred, SWC officials have:
• asked the United States to consider charging the Iranian regime with incitement to genocide which is a “crime against humanity“
• met with diplomats and other government officials from the White House to world leaders across Europe urging them to condemn Iran’s ongoing anti-Semitic, anti-Israel rhetoric and Holocaust denial
• published several Op-Eds and a hard-hitting report exposing the insidious anti-Israel hate by officials in the region
• succeeded in getting YouTube to remove a series of vicious anti-Semitic and Holocaust Denial animated videocartoons from its link on an Iranian website.
Last year, during Purim in Iran, some Iranian extremists observed it as a day of mourning for the ancient Persians who, according to the Iranian version of the story being broadcast by the state news agency Fars, were massacred by the Jews under the command of the Jewish Queen Esther.
This is why the Center’s ongoing work is critical - so that we can combat these and other lies spread by the Iranian regime.
Your help today will enable us to continue our advocacy in the halls of diplomacy and with media outlets worldwide.
As an NGO at the United Nations and many other international agencies, the Center has the experience, the clout and the expertise to effect change on behalf of Jews everywhere.
MORE THAN 100 ROCKETS FIRED AT ISRAEL SINCE FRIDAY
“Palestinians from northern Gaza fired rockets at Beersheba, Ashdod and Gan Yavne early Saturday morning as the Color Red alert was sounded across Israel’s southern cities,” reports Ynet News.
“The IDF estimates that over 90 rockets have been fired at Israel since Friday, some 65 exploded in the south. Meanwhile, a new Israeli air strike in Gaza killed two Palestinians riding on a motorcyle, Hamas officials and medics said on Saturday. The attack followed the firing of rockets at Israel at the weekend, raises the death toll in escalating violence since Friday to 14.”
Some good news: “The Iron Dome has successfully intercepted 25 out of 27 rockets fired at Beersheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon. The other two rockets exploded in open fields. These are the highest success rates for the defense system to date.
Gantz praised the IDF officials in charge of operating the system during the situation assessment. A Home Front Command official said: ‘The Command’s instructions have proven to save lives and they should be followed. When an alarm is sounded or if there is an explosion – enter a safety area.’ Israelis are also instructed to avoid large gatherings of more than 500.”
“The IDF estimates that over 90 rockets have been fired at Israel since Friday, some 65 exploded in the south. Meanwhile, a new Israeli air strike in Gaza killed two Palestinians riding on a motorcyle, Hamas officials and medics said on Saturday. The attack followed the firing of rockets at Israel at the weekend, raises the death toll in escalating violence since Friday to 14.”
Some good news: “The Iron Dome has successfully intercepted 25 out of 27 rockets fired at Beersheba, Ashdod and Ashkelon. The other two rockets exploded in open fields. These are the highest success rates for the defense system to date.
Gantz praised the IDF officials in charge of operating the system during the situation assessment. A Home Front Command official said: ‘The Command’s instructions have proven to save lives and they should be followed. When an alarm is sounded or if there is an explosion – enter a safety area.’ Israelis are also instructed to avoid large gatherings of more than 500.”
Saturday, 10 March 2012
PM to AIPAC: Israel can't wait much longer on Iran
By HERB KEINON AND HILARY LEILA KRIEGER06/03/2012Netanyahu vows he will never "let my people live in the shadow of annihilation," says Israel has waited years for sanctions to work. WASHINGTON - Intoning the mantra “never again,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday night in an impassioned speech to AIPAC that “as prime minister of Israel, I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.”
Just hours after meeting US President Barack Obama for some three hours, much of the time spent discussing Iran, Netanyahu adopted a tough tone toward the Islamic Republic, drawing on the tragic history of the Holocaust to argue that the world, and the Jewish people, cannot “accept a world in which the Ayatollahs have atomic bombs.”
While expressing appreciation for Obama’s efforts to impose tougher sanctions, he said that Tehran’s “nuclear march goes on.”
“We've waited for diplomacy to work,” he said. “We've waited for sanctions to work. None of us can afford to wait much longer.”
“We are determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu declared. “We leave all options on the table. And containment is definitely not an option. The Jewish state will not allow those seeking our destruction to possess the means to achieve that goal.”
While forcefully asserting Israel’s right to defend itself, and spelling out the dangers Iran poses the world, Netanyahu stopped well short of providing any indication of how or when Israel might act.
“Every day, I open the papers and read about these red lines and these time lines,” Netanyahu said in reference to weeks of speculation on differences between the US and Israel about how to deal with Iran. “I read about what Israel has decided to do or what Israel might do. Well, I’m not going to talk to you about what Israel will do or will not do. I never talk about that.”
Instead, the speech focused on Israel’s historical imperative and justification to act if it felt the need to do so.
Netanyahu said he has warned against a nuclear Iran for 15 years, the international community has tried diplomacy to stop it for the last decade, and the world has imposed sanctions over the last six years. But none of it has worked, he stated.
Netanyahu chastised unnamed “commentators” for saying that stopping Iran from getting a bomb is more dangerous then letting it have one. “They say that a military confrontation with Iran would undermine the efforts already underway, that it would be ineffective, and that it would provoke even more vindictive action by Iran,” he said, adding that he has heard, and even read those arguments before.
Then, dramatically, he displayed copies of an exchange of letters between the World Jewish Congress and the US War Department at the height of the Holocaust in 1944 that implored the US government to bomb Auschwitz.
Netanyahu read from the letters: “Such an operation could be executed only by diverting considerable air support essential to the success of our forces elsewhere," he read, “and in any case would be of such doubtful efficacy that it would not warrant the use of our resources. And here’s the most remarkable sentence of all,” Netanyahu said. “And I quote, ‘Such an effort might provoke even more vindictive action by the Germans.'”
“Think about that, ‘even more vindictive action, than the Holocaust,” Netanyahu declared. “My Friends, this is not 1944. The American government today is different. You heard it in President Obama's speech yesterday. But here's my point. The Jewish people are also different. Today we have a state of our own. The purpose of the Jewish state is to secure the Jewish future. That is why Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat...”
Netanyahu reiterated what he said earlier in public statements before meeting Obama: “We must always remain the masters of our fate.”
Netanyahu made mention of the upcoming Purim holiday, saying that in every generation there are those who wish to destroy the Jewish people. But, he added, “In this generation we are blessed to live in a time when there is a Jewish state capable of defending the Jewish people.” Those words were met by a thunderous ovation.
Just hours after meeting US President Barack Obama for some three hours, much of the time spent discussing Iran, Netanyahu adopted a tough tone toward the Islamic Republic, drawing on the tragic history of the Holocaust to argue that the world, and the Jewish people, cannot “accept a world in which the Ayatollahs have atomic bombs.”
While expressing appreciation for Obama’s efforts to impose tougher sanctions, he said that Tehran’s “nuclear march goes on.”
“We've waited for diplomacy to work,” he said. “We've waited for sanctions to work. None of us can afford to wait much longer.”
“We are determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu declared. “We leave all options on the table. And containment is definitely not an option. The Jewish state will not allow those seeking our destruction to possess the means to achieve that goal.”
While forcefully asserting Israel’s right to defend itself, and spelling out the dangers Iran poses the world, Netanyahu stopped well short of providing any indication of how or when Israel might act.
“Every day, I open the papers and read about these red lines and these time lines,” Netanyahu said in reference to weeks of speculation on differences between the US and Israel about how to deal with Iran. “I read about what Israel has decided to do or what Israel might do. Well, I’m not going to talk to you about what Israel will do or will not do. I never talk about that.”
Instead, the speech focused on Israel’s historical imperative and justification to act if it felt the need to do so.
Netanyahu said he has warned against a nuclear Iran for 15 years, the international community has tried diplomacy to stop it for the last decade, and the world has imposed sanctions over the last six years. But none of it has worked, he stated.
Netanyahu chastised unnamed “commentators” for saying that stopping Iran from getting a bomb is more dangerous then letting it have one. “They say that a military confrontation with Iran would undermine the efforts already underway, that it would be ineffective, and that it would provoke even more vindictive action by Iran,” he said, adding that he has heard, and even read those arguments before.
Then, dramatically, he displayed copies of an exchange of letters between the World Jewish Congress and the US War Department at the height of the Holocaust in 1944 that implored the US government to bomb Auschwitz.
Netanyahu read from the letters: “Such an operation could be executed only by diverting considerable air support essential to the success of our forces elsewhere," he read, “and in any case would be of such doubtful efficacy that it would not warrant the use of our resources. And here’s the most remarkable sentence of all,” Netanyahu said. “And I quote, ‘Such an effort might provoke even more vindictive action by the Germans.'”
“Think about that, ‘even more vindictive action, than the Holocaust,” Netanyahu declared. “My Friends, this is not 1944. The American government today is different. You heard it in President Obama's speech yesterday. But here's my point. The Jewish people are also different. Today we have a state of our own. The purpose of the Jewish state is to secure the Jewish future. That is why Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat...”
Netanyahu reiterated what he said earlier in public statements before meeting Obama: “We must always remain the masters of our fate.”
Netanyahu made mention of the upcoming Purim holiday, saying that in every generation there are those who wish to destroy the Jewish people. But, he added, “In this generation we are blessed to live in a time when there is a Jewish state capable of defending the Jewish people.” Those words were met by a thunderous ovation.
North Korea tested Iranian warhead or “dirty bomb” in 2010 for $55m
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
German and Japanese intelligence sources Monday, March 5, confirmed – and qualified - to debkafile reports in the German Der Spiegel and Welt am Sonntag that Western intelligence had known for 11 months that at least one of North Korea’s covert nuclear tests in 2010 was carried out on an Iranian radioactive bomb or nuclear warhead.
Those sources report five facts are known for sure:
1. North Korea carried out two covert underground nuclear explosions in mid-April and around May 11 of 2010 equivalent to 50- 200 tonnes of TNT.
2. Two highly lethal heavy hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, typical of a
nuclear fission explosion and producing long-term contamination of the atmosphere, were detected and analyzed by Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBOTO) monitoring stations in South Korea, Japan and Russia.
3. The presence of tritium in one of the tests led several intelligence agencies watching North Korea’s nuclear program and its longstanding links with Iran and Syria to examine the possibility that Pyongyang had tested the internal mechanism of a nuclear warhead on Iran’s behalf. This strongly indicated to German and Japanese intelligence that Iran had already developed the nuclear warhead’s outer shell and attained its weaponization.
4. Another possibility examined was that North Korea had tested an Iranian “dirty bomb” – i.e. a
conventionally detonated device containing nuclear substances. Tritium would boost its range, force and lethality. This was one of the conclusions of atmospheric scientist Larsk-Erik De Geer
of the Swedish Defense Research Agency in Stockholm, who spent a year studying the data collected by various CTBOTO stations tracking the North Korean explosions.
On February 3, De Greer published some of his findings and conclusions in Nature Magazine. His paper will appear in the April/May issue of the Science and Global Security Journal.
5. The Japanese and German sources found confirmation of their suspicions that North Korea had abetted Iran’s nuclear aspirations in three events:
a) Shortly after the April explosion, a large group of Iranian nuclear scientists and technicians arrived in Pyongyang. They apparently came to take part in setting up the second test in May.
b) In late April, Tehran shipped to Pyongyang a large quantity of uranium enriched to 20+ percent – apparently for use in the May test.
c) Straight after the May test, the Central Bank of Iran transferred $55 million to the account of the North Korean Atomic Energy Commission. The size of the sum suggests that it covered the fee to North Korea not just of one but the two tests – the first a pilot and the second, a
full-stage test. It is not by chance that this incriminating disclosure about Iran’s nuclear
achievements sees the light Monday, just hours before US Barack Obama received Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the White house for an argument over an expeditious military action to stop Iran going all the way to a nuclear weapon.
The disclosure invalidates the main point the US President made in his speech Sunday to the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC convention in Washington that there was still time for diplomatic pressure and sanctions to bring Iran’s leaders to a decision to halt their nuclear momentum before military action was called for, whether by the US or Israel.
It now appears that Western intelligence has known about the North Korean tests for Iran for eleven months. Therefore, it is too late for him to try and persuade the Israeli prime minister that there is still time to spare for cutting short a nuclear Iran.
It was announced in Washington Monday that no joint American-Israeli communiqué would be issued at the end of their talks, meaning they will have agreed to disagree: Obama, to stand by his opposition to military action against Iran; Netanyahu, to decide what Israel must do in the interests of its security.
There is no doubt he would have preferred an American initiative for - or partnership in - an operation for curtailing the Iranian nuclear threat. But that is not part of Obama’s policy.
German and Japanese intelligence sources Monday, March 5, confirmed – and qualified - to debkafile reports in the German Der Spiegel and Welt am Sonntag that Western intelligence had known for 11 months that at least one of North Korea’s covert nuclear tests in 2010 was carried out on an Iranian radioactive bomb or nuclear warhead.
Those sources report five facts are known for sure:
1. North Korea carried out two covert underground nuclear explosions in mid-April and around May 11 of 2010 equivalent to 50- 200 tonnes of TNT.
2. Two highly lethal heavy hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, typical of a
nuclear fission explosion and producing long-term contamination of the atmosphere, were detected and analyzed by Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBOTO) monitoring stations in South Korea, Japan and Russia.
3. The presence of tritium in one of the tests led several intelligence agencies watching North Korea’s nuclear program and its longstanding links with Iran and Syria to examine the possibility that Pyongyang had tested the internal mechanism of a nuclear warhead on Iran’s behalf. This strongly indicated to German and Japanese intelligence that Iran had already developed the nuclear warhead’s outer shell and attained its weaponization.
4. Another possibility examined was that North Korea had tested an Iranian “dirty bomb” – i.e. a
conventionally detonated device containing nuclear substances. Tritium would boost its range, force and lethality. This was one of the conclusions of atmospheric scientist Larsk-Erik De Geer
of the Swedish Defense Research Agency in Stockholm, who spent a year studying the data collected by various CTBOTO stations tracking the North Korean explosions.
On February 3, De Greer published some of his findings and conclusions in Nature Magazine. His paper will appear in the April/May issue of the Science and Global Security Journal.
5. The Japanese and German sources found confirmation of their suspicions that North Korea had abetted Iran’s nuclear aspirations in three events:
a) Shortly after the April explosion, a large group of Iranian nuclear scientists and technicians arrived in Pyongyang. They apparently came to take part in setting up the second test in May.
b) In late April, Tehran shipped to Pyongyang a large quantity of uranium enriched to 20+ percent – apparently for use in the May test.
c) Straight after the May test, the Central Bank of Iran transferred $55 million to the account of the North Korean Atomic Energy Commission. The size of the sum suggests that it covered the fee to North Korea not just of one but the two tests – the first a pilot and the second, a
full-stage test. It is not by chance that this incriminating disclosure about Iran’s nuclear
achievements sees the light Monday, just hours before US Barack Obama received Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the White house for an argument over an expeditious military action to stop Iran going all the way to a nuclear weapon.
The disclosure invalidates the main point the US President made in his speech Sunday to the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC convention in Washington that there was still time for diplomatic pressure and sanctions to bring Iran’s leaders to a decision to halt their nuclear momentum before military action was called for, whether by the US or Israel.
It now appears that Western intelligence has known about the North Korean tests for Iran for eleven months. Therefore, it is too late for him to try and persuade the Israeli prime minister that there is still time to spare for cutting short a nuclear Iran.
It was announced in Washington Monday that no joint American-Israeli communiqué would be issued at the end of their talks, meaning they will have agreed to disagree: Obama, to stand by his opposition to military action against Iran; Netanyahu, to decide what Israel must do in the interests of its security.
There is no doubt he would have preferred an American initiative for - or partnership in - an operation for curtailing the Iranian nuclear threat. But that is not part of Obama’s policy.
No Sign of Narrowing Gap on Iran
President Barack Obama appealed to Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to give sanctions time to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, but the Israeli prime minister offered no sign of backing away from possible military action, saying his country must be the "master of its fate."
The two men, who have had a strained relationship, sought to present a united front in the Iranian nuclear standoff as they held White House talks. But their public statements revealed differences over how to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Behind closed doors, however, Netanyahu confirmed to Obama what the president has already stated publicly - that Israel has yet to decide whether to hit Iran's nuclear sites but retains the right to resort to military action, a source close to the talks said.
Kicking off one of the most consequential meetings of U.S. and Israeli
leaders in years, Obama and Netanyahu made no mention of lingering disagreements over what Washington fears could be an Israeli rush to attack Iran's nuclear program in the coming months.
Obama, facing election-year pressure from Israel's U.S. supporters and
Republican presidential contenders, sought to assure Netanyahu the United States was keeping its own military option open as a last resort and "has Israel's back."
But he also urged Israeli patience to allow sanctions and diplomacy to
work.
Netanyahu, who has made clear that Israel is operating on a shorter timeline than the United States, said in public that Israel was entitled to "defend itself, by itself."
Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence, though Tehran insists it has only peaceful purposes.
"We do believe there is still a window that allows for a diplomatic
resolution to this issue," Obama said, even as he sought to convince Netanyahu of U.S. resolve against Iran.
Given his chance to speak, Netanyahu said his "supreme responsibility as
prime minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its
fate."
Even though Obama has ratcheted up his tone against Iran in recent days, he and Netanyahu went into the talks divided over how quickly the clock is ticking toward possible military action. The meeting appeared unlikely to change that.
In private, the leaders made no concrete decisions but looked at both the
price of taking action against Iran - which could spike oil prices and sow
global economic upheaval - and the consequences of inaction, which could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
They remain far apart on any explicit nuclear "red lines" that Iran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame for when military forces might be needed.
There was no sign from Monday's talks that Obama's sharpened rhetoric against Tehran and his calls for restraint by Israel would be enough to delay any Israeli military plans against Iran, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state.
BODY LANGUAGE
Despite that, the body language between the two leaders was a stark contrast to their last Oval Office meeting in May 2011 when Netanyahu lectured Obama on Jewish history and criticized his approach to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
This time, Obama and Netanyahu appeared businesslike but cordial as they sat side-by-side, chatting amiably as reporters entered the room and sometimes nodding when the other spoke.
Obama's encounter with Netanyahu was considered crucial to preserving the trust of America's closest Middle East ally, which fears that time is running out for an effective Israeli strike on Iran, and to counter election-year criticism from Republican rivals who question his support for the Jewish state.
He is also trying to tamp down increasingly strident talk of another war in the region, which could have damaging repercussions for the fragile U.S. economic recovery - a consequence that could threaten his re-election chances.
Speculation is mounting that Israel could opt to act militarily on its own
unless it receives credible guarantees that the United States will be ready to use force against Iran if international sanctions and diplomacy fail.
Israel, believed to be the only nuclear weapons power in the Middle East,
fears Iranian nuclear facilities may soon be buried so deep that they would be invulnerable to its bunker-busting bombs, which are less powerful than those in the U.S. arsenal.
Israel insists that military action against Iran would be warranted to
prevent it from reaching nuclear weapons capability, as opposed to when it actually builds a device. Washington has not embraced that idea.
U.S. officials say that while Iran may be maneuvering to keep its options
open, there is no clear intelligence that the country has made a final decision to pursue a nuclear weapon.
Obama said both he and Netanyahu "prefer to resolve this diplomatically" and also understand the cost of military action.
Netanyahu did not echo that sentiment, saying instead: "If there's one thing that stands out clearly in the Middle East today, it's that Israel and America stand together."
After talks with Obama and his aides and lunch with the president, Netanyahu told reporters, "They understood Israel's position that it has a right to defend himself."
POLITICAL LIABILITY
What is clear is the potential political liability for Obama's re-election
bid if hostilities break out in the Middle East before the November 6 U.S.
presidential election.
Netanyahu's visit came one day before the pivotal "Super Tuesday" round of Republican primaries, with Obama's Republican rivals seizing on the chance to accuse him of being weak in backing a staunch ally and in confronting a bitter foe.
Relations with Netanyahu have thawed over the past year as Obama has taken a tougher line on Iran while refraining from any new Middle East peace drives.
(Additional reporting by
Alister Bull and Missy Ryan; Editing by Will Dunham)
The two men, who have had a strained relationship, sought to present a united front in the Iranian nuclear standoff as they held White House talks. But their public statements revealed differences over how to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Behind closed doors, however, Netanyahu confirmed to Obama what the president has already stated publicly - that Israel has yet to decide whether to hit Iran's nuclear sites but retains the right to resort to military action, a source close to the talks said.
Kicking off one of the most consequential meetings of U.S. and Israeli
leaders in years, Obama and Netanyahu made no mention of lingering disagreements over what Washington fears could be an Israeli rush to attack Iran's nuclear program in the coming months.
Obama, facing election-year pressure from Israel's U.S. supporters and
Republican presidential contenders, sought to assure Netanyahu the United States was keeping its own military option open as a last resort and "has Israel's back."
But he also urged Israeli patience to allow sanctions and diplomacy to
work.
Netanyahu, who has made clear that Israel is operating on a shorter timeline than the United States, said in public that Israel was entitled to "defend itself, by itself."
Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence, though Tehran insists it has only peaceful purposes.
"We do believe there is still a window that allows for a diplomatic
resolution to this issue," Obama said, even as he sought to convince Netanyahu of U.S. resolve against Iran.
Given his chance to speak, Netanyahu said his "supreme responsibility as
prime minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its
fate."
Even though Obama has ratcheted up his tone against Iran in recent days, he and Netanyahu went into the talks divided over how quickly the clock is ticking toward possible military action. The meeting appeared unlikely to change that.
In private, the leaders made no concrete decisions but looked at both the
price of taking action against Iran - which could spike oil prices and sow
global economic upheaval - and the consequences of inaction, which could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
They remain far apart on any explicit nuclear "red lines" that Iran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame for when military forces might be needed.
There was no sign from Monday's talks that Obama's sharpened rhetoric against Tehran and his calls for restraint by Israel would be enough to delay any Israeli military plans against Iran, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state.
BODY LANGUAGE
Despite that, the body language between the two leaders was a stark contrast to their last Oval Office meeting in May 2011 when Netanyahu lectured Obama on Jewish history and criticized his approach to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
This time, Obama and Netanyahu appeared businesslike but cordial as they sat side-by-side, chatting amiably as reporters entered the room and sometimes nodding when the other spoke.
Obama's encounter with Netanyahu was considered crucial to preserving the trust of America's closest Middle East ally, which fears that time is running out for an effective Israeli strike on Iran, and to counter election-year criticism from Republican rivals who question his support for the Jewish state.
He is also trying to tamp down increasingly strident talk of another war in the region, which could have damaging repercussions for the fragile U.S. economic recovery - a consequence that could threaten his re-election chances.
Speculation is mounting that Israel could opt to act militarily on its own
unless it receives credible guarantees that the United States will be ready to use force against Iran if international sanctions and diplomacy fail.
Israel, believed to be the only nuclear weapons power in the Middle East,
fears Iranian nuclear facilities may soon be buried so deep that they would be invulnerable to its bunker-busting bombs, which are less powerful than those in the U.S. arsenal.
Israel insists that military action against Iran would be warranted to
prevent it from reaching nuclear weapons capability, as opposed to when it actually builds a device. Washington has not embraced that idea.
U.S. officials say that while Iran may be maneuvering to keep its options
open, there is no clear intelligence that the country has made a final decision to pursue a nuclear weapon.
Obama said both he and Netanyahu "prefer to resolve this diplomatically" and also understand the cost of military action.
Netanyahu did not echo that sentiment, saying instead: "If there's one thing that stands out clearly in the Middle East today, it's that Israel and America stand together."
After talks with Obama and his aides and lunch with the president, Netanyahu told reporters, "They understood Israel's position that it has a right to defend himself."
POLITICAL LIABILITY
What is clear is the potential political liability for Obama's re-election
bid if hostilities break out in the Middle East before the November 6 U.S.
presidential election.
Netanyahu's visit came one day before the pivotal "Super Tuesday" round of Republican primaries, with Obama's Republican rivals seizing on the chance to accuse him of being weak in backing a staunch ally and in confronting a bitter foe.
Relations with Netanyahu have thawed over the past year as Obama has taken a tougher line on Iran while refraining from any new Middle East peace drives.
(Additional reporting by
Alister Bull and Missy Ryan; Editing by Will Dunham)
Monday, 5 March 2012
A CZAR IS BORN: PUTIN RETAKES POWER IN RUSSIA
Posted: March 5, 2012
Vladimir Putin is now the supreme Czar of Russia. Humanly speaking, no one can stop his lust for power. The only serious contenders to defeat him in Sunday’s elections were actually far worse than he, though I realize that hardly seems possible.
But make no mistake: a red storm is rising once again. Washington doesn’t seem to know how to handle the situation. Nor do most world leaders.
But as followers of Jesus Christ, we must show great love and compassion for the Russian people at this critical time. Let us pray for the Gospel to be spread through all of Russia.
Let us pray that Russians turn to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Let us pray for the harassed and oppressed and persecuted believers throughout Russia to be strengthened and emboldened to serve Christ faithfully and to make disciples and plant churches without fear.
Russia has just taken a turn to the dark side. They may be moving steadily towards the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 and the judgment of Mother Russia, though it is too soon to say for certain.
Either way, Christ commands us to love them whether they are our neighbors, or our enemies. Let us be faithful to the task.“Russia’s opposition has vowed to continue protests alleging widespread irregularities after a tearful Vladimir Putin claimed victory in an election that will see him return for a third term as president,” reports the Financial Times.
“Preliminary results on Monday, with nearly all precincts reporting, gave the former spy who has dominated Russian politics for the past dozen years 63.7 per cent of the vote. That represents a comfortable victory with no need to go into a second round….Mr Putin won 71 per cent of the vote when last elected president in 2004.”
“These are not going to be honest elections, but we must not relent,” said Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, as he voted in Moscow. “Honest elections should be our constant motto for years to come.”
Putin’s “victory” is even more troubling when you consider who the top alternatives were. In second place was Gennady Zyuganov, the head of the Communist Party, who received 17% of the vote. In third place was Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the anti-Semitic, fascist, ultranationalist, who received 7% of the vote.
This is modern Russia — embracing a KGB thug, a Communist and a fascist.
The people have “voted.” Now the drama begins.
Vladimir Putin is now the supreme Czar of Russia. Humanly speaking, no one can stop his lust for power. The only serious contenders to defeat him in Sunday’s elections were actually far worse than he, though I realize that hardly seems possible.
But make no mistake: a red storm is rising once again. Washington doesn’t seem to know how to handle the situation. Nor do most world leaders.
But as followers of Jesus Christ, we must show great love and compassion for the Russian people at this critical time. Let us pray for the Gospel to be spread through all of Russia.
Let us pray that Russians turn to Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Let us pray for the harassed and oppressed and persecuted believers throughout Russia to be strengthened and emboldened to serve Christ faithfully and to make disciples and plant churches without fear.
Russia has just taken a turn to the dark side. They may be moving steadily towards the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 and the judgment of Mother Russia, though it is too soon to say for certain.
Either way, Christ commands us to love them whether they are our neighbors, or our enemies. Let us be faithful to the task.“Russia’s opposition has vowed to continue protests alleging widespread irregularities after a tearful Vladimir Putin claimed victory in an election that will see him return for a third term as president,” reports the Financial Times.
“Preliminary results on Monday, with nearly all precincts reporting, gave the former spy who has dominated Russian politics for the past dozen years 63.7 per cent of the vote. That represents a comfortable victory with no need to go into a second round….Mr Putin won 71 per cent of the vote when last elected president in 2004.”
“These are not going to be honest elections, but we must not relent,” said Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, as he voted in Moscow. “Honest elections should be our constant motto for years to come.”
Putin’s “victory” is even more troubling when you consider who the top alternatives were. In second place was Gennady Zyuganov, the head of the Communist Party, who received 17% of the vote. In third place was Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the anti-Semitic, fascist, ultranationalist, who received 7% of the vote.
This is modern Russia — embracing a KGB thug, a Communist and a fascist.
The people have “voted.” Now the drama begins.
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