More from the Epicenter

It's hard to believe that in just a few hours we have another cluster of articles giving more information from the "Rumors of War" category. Now Iran weighs in:

Salehi: Iran 'always ready for war' will respond fiercely

Iran is "always ready for war," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told Turkish daily Hurriyet on Thursday, adding that if any country tried to insult Iran, it would respond fiercely.

The comments were made a day after Israel successfully test-launched a missile and announced the completion of a joint exercise between the Israel Air Force, Italy and NATO in Sardinia, both of which occurred amidst intense media speculation about possible plans to strike Iran.

Salehi went on to tell Hurriyet, “Iran has always been threatened by Israel. This is not new for us. We have been hearing threats from Israel for eight years....

In addition to the military exercises, a report in The Guardian on Wednesday speculated that the UK is speeding up plans for targeted missile strikes against Iranian nuclear targets, should the US lead such a strike.

Iran: Israel, US face heavy damage if they attack

Iran would cause serious damage to the United States and Israel should the latter launch an attack on the Islamic Republic, Iran's top military official said on Wednesday.

The "Zionist regime's military attack against Iran," Chairman of Iran's Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Hassan Fayrouz Abadi said, would lead to "heavy damages to the US as well as [to the] Zionist regime," Iranian news agency ISNA reported.

Israel has for years warned of Iran's intentions to build a nuclear weapons program. Often repeating the mantra, all options are on the table, Israeli media in recent days has suggested that a military strike may be near.

The following commentary adds yet another twist to this story and a new perspective entirely:

Buzz of Israel Attacking Iran Just a Smoke Screen

The media buzz claiming Israel is preparing an attack on Iran's suspected nuclear installations has reached a fevered pitch. My information, however, indicates the Jewish state is prepping for a different war, an international effort that could potentially escalate into a direct confrontation with Iran.

If Israel were indeed on the brink of launching air raids on the mullahs, it would not first hold such a public discussion on the matter or leak to the news media the debate about the subject from within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet.

I have to admit, this is similar to my thoughts on the topic. Its all been just a little too public to make sense. Now, give this some thought:

The visible Israeli military preparations, including this week's missile tests, most likely are related to the strong possibility of a U.S.-NATO-led campaign against Israel's Syrian neighbor to the north.

The regime of Syria's Bashar al-Assad – a key partner to Iran – has been accused of major human rights violations, including "crimes against humanity," in clamping down on a violent insurgency targeting Assad's rule. That uprising is in large part led by Muslim Brotherhood-oriented militants, some reportedly armed by Turkey.

The same "Responsibility to Protect" global doctrine used to justify the U.S.-NATO airstrikes in Libya could be applied to Assad.

(Has he been reading this blog?)

Take a look at the next paragraphs and you can almost see h ow the prophecies will unfold:

Responsibility to Protect, or Responsibility to Act, as cited by President Obama, is a set of principles, now backed by the United Nations, based on the idea that sovereignty is not a privilege but a responsibility that can be revoked if a country is accused of "war crimes," "genocide," "crimes against humanity" or "ethnic cleansing."

Mass demonstrations were held last week in Syrian insurgent strongholds calling for the international coalition in Libya to deploy in Syria.

Damascus officials claimed to me that NATO troops are currently training in Turkey for a Turkish-led NATO invasion of Syria. Separately, informed Middle East security officials said Iran has been inspecting Syrian forces and has been advising Syria about possible Syrian military responses should NATO attack Assad's regime.

A Turkish-U.S.-NATO strike would have immediate implications for Israel. The Syrian president has publicly warned foreign intervention in Syria would cause an "earthquake" across the region and create another Afghanistan, while directly threatening the Jewish state.

Assad reportedly made similar comments in a meeting in early October with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmad Davutoglu. He was quoted stating, "If a crazy measure is taken against Damascus, I will need not more than six hours to transfer hundreds of rockets and missiles to the Golan Heights to fire them at Tel Aviv."

Assad also reportedly warned that "all these events will happen in three hours, but in the second three hours, Iran will attack the U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf and the U.S. and European interests will be targeted simultaneously."

The Syrian president's threats are not empty. His military possesses tens of thousands of rockets and missiles capable of striking every zone within the Jewish state. The Syrian and Iranian-backed Hezbollah is similarly armed and can rain rockets and other projectiles in a combined onslaught with Iran's proxies in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

Iran could become directly involved in any war. Its Shiite fundamentalist influence in the region is now challenged by the Sunni-led Turkey, which is on the march, attempting to become the Islamic superpower in the Middle East and Persian Gulf. Turkey is being aided in its pursuit by the Obama administration.

Iran rightly views the possibility of a Turkish-NATO effort in Syria as a thinly veiled attempt to check its own power by changing the Iranian-backed leadership in Damascus to a Muslim Brotherhood-oriented Turkish partner.

If Tehran feels Syria is losing the war effort, Iran could escalate the conflict by attacking U.S. or Israeli interests. In turn, Israel or the U.S. could retaliate by striking Iran.

A "Responsibility to Protect" war in Syria likely would translate into a larger regional war, a clash of Shiite and Sunni superpowers, backed by larger international players, all seeking to remake the Middle East in their interests. Israel is wise to prepare for the possible coming storm.

Articles like this leave me speechless.

Also see:

Million Man Worldwide 'Caravan' Set to 'Liberate Jerusalem'

Israeli security officials are keeping a wary eye out on several groups that are planning mass marches on Jerusalem. One march is scheduled for November 25, and is being organized by the group that tried to conduct a mass march to Jerusalem last September.

This time, however, organizers – and Israeli security officials – believe that the group may attract larger numbers. The group is set out from three locations – Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon – on November 25, with the objective of reaching Jerusalem on November 29, the anniversary of the adoption of the UN partition plan for Mandatory Palestine.

But even more worrisome is another march is scheduled for March 2012, Israeli officials said. That march is being organized by Indian activist Feroze Mithiborwala, who said in a recent press conference in Pakistan that the march will unite people from all over the world, and of all faiths - including Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Jews - "to participate in the march towards the Jerusalem and liberate it from the Zionists.”

Jerusalem: The Burdensome Stone. Indeed.