Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Twists And Turns In The Middle East


The Middle East has more twists and turns than we could ever expect and today's news represents no exception to that rule. Who knows what is really happening behind the scenes, but here it is - open to interpretation and discussion:




The United States may supply Israel with advanced Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs that can penetrate through up to 60 feet (almost 20 meters) of reinforced concrete, reports MaarivTuesday.
This is part of a deal being worked out between the countries, which also includes the supply of refueling jets.

This equipment will make the job of demolishing Iran's nuclear weapon production array more feasible for Israel, should it decide to do so.


In exchange for the weapons, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will agree to hold off on an independent attack until after the U.S. elections.

President Barack Obama fears that a war could negatively affect his chances of being reelected. Israel, on the other hand, fears that Obama's re-election could create diplomatic and military conditions that allow Iran to acquire the weapon it needs for killing millions of Israelis.

Obama may soon publicly describe the "red lines" which, if crossed by Iran, would trigger a U.S. military response. Maariv speculates this could happen when he gives a speech at the UN on Yom Kippur eve, or even in his speech at the Democratic National Convention.

These steps may mollify Netanyahu, and could be the reason for his apparently less forceful statements on Iran in the past two days.

The Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) GBU-57A/B is a U.S. Air Force precision-guided, 13,000-kg (30,000-pound) bomb, and the most destructive bunker-buster yet. According to a Wired.com piece last week, the USAF has announced it has finally completed building that bomb: "It’s an absolutely ginormous bomb designed to convince rogue regimes that there is no redoubt for the manufacture of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons buried deep enough to escape the U.S. Air Force."



Greater international resolve to stop Iran’s nuclear program and clear expression of a “red line” that Iran cannot cross without incurring a military response will reduce the likelihood of Israel being forced to act militarily, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Monday.

His comments prompted speculation that the US and Israel are working behind the scenes on an understanding, whereby President Barack Obama would issue some kind of public deadline to Iran, in exchange for an Israeli commitment not to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities before November’s presidential elections.

Speaking to an American delegation from the Heroes to Heroes Foundation, Netanyahu said that the biggest threat Israel faces is “Iran’s plans to develop nuclear weapons capability,” but Tehran “doesn’t see a clear red line from the international community” to cease its drive to the bomb.

On Monday, however, the New York Times reported that the White House was considering outlining clearer red lines, beyond which it would authorize military action against Iran, in order to calm Israeli fears.

“Maybe that’s the deal” being arranged between Washington and Jerusalem, said Udi Segal, a diplomatic correspondent for Israel’s Channel 2 news — referring to a possible public deadline issued by Obama to Iran, in return for a guarantee from Netanyahu not to attack.

The US talk of a military option to date “is meaningless,” Channel 2 News military correspondent Roni Daniel added, because Iran did not take the threat seriously. Any “red line” set by the US would have to truly represent a “determination” to strike — and would have to be understood as such by Tehran — for it to be effective, he said.




The Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot published a startling report Monday detailing a message it says was conveyed by the Obama administration – via two European countries – to Iranian officials. The request: if Israel decides to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, the U.S. will not support it and the Islamic Republic should refrain from retaliating on U.S. military installations in the Persian Gulf.

The message that the U.S. conveyed to Iran via the most sensitive secret channels is unequivocal: if Israel attacks, we won’t stand behind her and we won’t be drawn into war.

In recent days, senior American administration officials turned to their Iranian counterparts via two countries in Europe which act as a back-channel during times of crisis. They made clear to the Iranians that the U.S. does not intend to be sucked into a campaign if Israel decides to strike unilaterally and without advance coordination [with the U.S.], and they said that they expect from Iran that it will not attack strategic American targets in the Persian Gulf. That means, among other things, Army bases, Navy ships and aircraft carriers sailing in the region.

If true, the report begs the question: If he truly wants to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability, why is President Obama investing in secret contacts with Iran about an Israeli strike aimed at destroying – or at least setting back – the nuclear program? Wouldn’t his efforts be better focused on warning Ahmadinejad of the dire consequences of his apparently accelerated efforts at one day possessing a military nuclear capability?




The White House on Monday denied an Israeli newspaper report that accused Washington of secretly negotiating with Tehran to keep the United States out of a future Israel-Iran war.

The Jewish state also played down the front-page report in its biggest-selling daily,Yedioth Ahronoth, which followed unusually public disagreement between the allies about how to tackle Iran’s controversial nuclear program.


The Obama administration says it is strongly committed to Israel’s security and to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and has vowed far-ranging reprisals if attacked.

Obama administration has repeatedly made clear in public that it thinks diplomacy and tough new sanctions have not yet run their course, even as Israeli officials say the window for effective military action is rapidly closing.



The United States has no intention of joining in a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran and expects the Islamic Republic to refrain from attacking US targets in the case of such an attack, senior Washington officials told their Iranian counterparts, according to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth on Monday.

In recent days, senior administration officials reportedly sent messages to Iran, through diplomats from two European states, addressing the possibility that Israel would launch a unilateral strike and establishing that the US expects Iran to not draw it into a conflict by firing on American army bases and aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf.

Monday’s report came amid widespread debate over the level of coordination between Israel and the US on halting Iran’s nuclear program, which — despite assurances by US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro on Sunday that the relationship is as good as ever — appeared to be strained.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported on Monday that the Obama Administration is installing new curbs against Iran as a way to calm Israel and keep Jerusalem from launching an attack. It asserted that the president was considering a declaration of American “red lines.”



“We’ve known many heavy threats and we’ve always won,” Peres said during the Israel Defense Prize ceremony which was held at the presidential residence.

“I suggest that our enemies not underestimate our capabilities, both the visible ones as well as the hidden ones,” he added. “Israel can repel any threat, near or far.”

“I say to our enemies: Abandon the path of war and terrorism,” continued Peres. “The Middle East can only be freed from the poverty and hardships with peaceful means. We do not threaten anyone and we are not afraid of threats being made against us.”







To keep the truce with the Islamist terrorist networks in Sinai in place, while avoiding a large-scale military operation to suppress them, Egypt is now releasing dozens of jailed Salafist gunmen in batches every few days, so feeding the Islamists a steady supply of reinforcements. Cairo is also in negotiation with Bedouin tribal elders to grant a body of 6,000 Al-Qaeda-linked Salafi gunmen the status of an approved, independent militia.

Armed with up-to-date Egyptian weapons, this militia is to be charged with responsibility for maintaining security in the peninsula.

This may be a neat way out for Egypt and let the Morsi government off the hook of grappling with the violent Islamist networks infesting Sinai. But it leaves Israel squarely face to face with a whole new terrorist outfit which has the freedom to choose between operating in the service of Al Qaeda or Cairo – or playing both sides

Egypt no doubt intended this buffer strip to serve additionally for keeping terrorists at a distance from its border with Israel. But IDF observers in that area see very little Egyptian military activity for keeping it sterile and closed to hostile movements.
Once the Salafis are organized in a militia and formally recognized as such by Cairo, it will be that much harder to keep them from breaching the buffer strip abutting the Israeli border.



Also see:




Summer vacation is over and things are about to get very interesting in Europe. Most Americans don't realize this, but much of Europe shuts down for the entire month of August.

And as I wrote about last week, if there is going to be a financial panic, it typically happens in the fall.

But most Americans aren't too concerned about what is happening in Europe.

In fact, most Americans don't believe that a European financial collapse would be much of a problem for us.

If Europe experiences a financial collapse, the entire globe will feel the pain.

And considering how weak the U.S. economy already is, it would not take much to push us over the edge.

What is going on in Europe right now is a very, very big deal and people need to pay attention.

The following are 18 indications that Europe has become an economic black hole which is going to suck the life out of the global economy....

The truth is that Europe is teetering on the edge.

One wrong move and it is going to be 1929 all over again.

As I have maintained all along, the next wave of the economic collapse is rapidly approaching, and this time the epicenter for the crisis is going to be in Europe.

The last wave of the economic collapse hurt us.

This next wave is going to absolutely devastate us.

Watch what is happening in Europe very carefully. What Greece, Spain, Italy and France are experiencing right now is going to hit us soon enough.




Drilling is underway at the site of a huge underground volcano near the Italian city of Naples, a few kilometres from Vesuvius.

Scientists are looking for a chamber of molten rock believed to be located 3.5 km underground in the Campi Flegrei region.

This type of volcanic land is known to be the origin of the strongest type of eruptions, capable of causing a level of destruction similar to that of a meteor striking earth.






Mr Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with George Soros, believes that America's central bank is secretly printing money to avoid "getting egg on their face again" after previous attempts to kickstart the faltering economy with $2 trillion of QE failed.

"I do not know if they [the Fed] will announce it," he told India'sEconomic Times. "I know they are going to print more money. They already are. If you look at their balance sheets, you will see that something is happening, assets are building on their balance sheets and they are not coming from the tooth fairy.

"They are a little bit embarrassed because they announced QE1 and QE2, and it did not work. So they may try to discuss it. They may just continue to do it without getting egg on their face again, but they are going to print money, they are all going to print money. It is the wrong thing to do, but that is all they know how to do."

He told the Daily Telegraph: "They probably have learned how to do things off balance sheet. I have nothing to confirm this but everyone else has learned how, so they probably have too.



“It just keeps getting worse,” said Alistair Thornton and Xianfang Ren from IHS Global Insight. “The government has underestimated the pace of the slowdown and is behind the curve.

Evidence of a hard landing over the summer is becoming clearer. Rail volumes fell 8.2pc in July from a year before. The Japanese group Komatsu said its exports of hydraulic excavators to China – a proxy gauge for Chinese construction – fell 48pc in August from a year before.

The twin effect of China’s downturn and Europe’s double-dip recession has turned into a full-blown shock for much of Asia. Hong Kong and Singapore both contracted in the second quarter and are probably in technical recession.


Stephen Jen from SLJ Macro Patrners said we are starting to see Phase III of the global crisis as “the eye of the storm moves East”, with China and emerging markets succumbing at last to the effects of debt leverage.




28 comments:

Greg said...

Scott,

Nicely done.

I read a few of your blog posts and they are spot on.

Blessings,
Greg - Unsealed.org

ChristineInCleveland said...

Can't imagine Netanyahu falling for a sucker deal with Ovomit after all the times he's been betrayed already... No way will Ovomit honor his promises after he's been re-elected! But from how its sounding now, Bibi is actually going to take the bait....?? Or could he just be pretending to, to throw Iran off as to when Israel will strike?

Alice said...

The US is behaving like a psychotic step mother... So hard to watch...

WVBORN56 said...

Christine the article confusd me as well. Is it designed to confuse Iran or could the pressure from the Obama administration be working? Maybe Israel does not have the ability or technology without the US cooperation as we read yesterday from Caver. As much as we want Bibi to do what he needs to do, pressure from an Ally and the worlds lone super power has to be incredibibly tuff position for Bibi and Israel. In a sense it is easy for us to say what he should do but the reality is he is between a rock and a hard place.

My selfish perspective is always disappointment when I read any article that "seems" to slow down prophetic events. The truth however is nothing is slowing anything down. God is sovereign and everything is proceeding according to his good and perfect plan. We don't need to worry.

Anonymous said...

I haven't noticed any other articles besides the israelnationalnews.com article that mentions the bunker busters. I'm not discrediting the article, but it'll be interesting to see follow-up articles on the same subject.

Dylan said...

Hey Scott, this article is saying that the USA admin is denying the bunkerbuster deal. Here's the link: http://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-denies-promising-bunker-busters/

Douglas said...

I still feel Israel will attack in October. Obama thinks he can get off the hook by not supporting Israel, but Iran will still hold him responsible. Their prophecy for the twelfth Imam says the big Satan (U.S.) must be destroyed along with the little Satan (Israel).

Dutch Treat said...

I just saw a story on the internet that Obama is close to a 1 billion debt relief deal with Egypt to protect their so-called democracy. It's a good thing I saw it before lunch. Talk about aiding our enemies while throwing our allies under the bus.

ChristineInCleveland said...

So which do you think Obama really is... A Muslim Brotherhood sympathiser, or secret member?

WVBORN56 said...

What is the history of Israel launching attacks in September during their High Holy Days? Did they start the Yom Kippur war?

JD Siegel said...

WVBORN, Egypt attacked Israel while the Israeli's were in Synagog praying and fasting. Israel defended themselves, they did not start the war. Egypt tried to take Israel by surprize when they would be weakened from fasting.

I too believe that Bibi and Barak will attack in October.

Mrs.C said...

Hi Sister Christine, :)
Ovomit is a sympathizer he exudes evil and is drawn to evil. As he is an ac wana-be, he has no religion other than worshiping himself…

Caver said...

Geepers, somebody is doing a rumor generation of a very sloppy order.

The Massive Ordnance Penetration (MOB).....while one heck of a bang-bang, and a deep one at that, has a wee bit of a problem in the logistics. Yea, there's just one itty-bitty little problem.

How do they deliver it? They can't......this thing weighs more than their biggest airplane. Hire a bunch of Turkish border jumpers to pick this thing up on skateboards and roll it across the deserts and super highways to get it there.....and then dig a huge well to drop it down on top of the nuclear facility. Shucks, forget if its the B1 or B2 that can carry this thing but they had to be special modified and then can carry only one. That's as in 1 of these things.

There's some pretty huge, and bad, rumors flying out there.

WVBORN56 said...

Thanks JD for some detail about the attack.

Mrs.C said...

Hi Brother WV, :)
Hope you are doing well with your recovery Brother!  Israel has a history of making preeminent attacks. The Six Day War in June 1967, they knew through their Intelligence, that their enemies (Egypt, Syria, Jordan) were gathering against them, and they launched a preeminent attack. Again in June, 1981 they warned the world of Iraq, and preeminently took out Iraq’s nuke plant. Only after 24 hours, when Israel announced the attack, did Iraq say anything about it. Fast forward to 2007. Israel this time, went into Syria UNDETECTED TWICE! The first time to gather evidence of Syria’s nuke plant, soil samples, then the second time to destroy Syria’s nuke plant. Both missions went undetected by Syria, we are talking that Israel had their Commandos on the ground guiding the strikes!
Whew! Again, as with Iraq, Syria was silent, and this time so was Israel. We didn’t find out about it until weeks later. The attack against Syria was September 6 2007, exactly one week before the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.

God Bless You Brother!

Mrs.C said...

Hi Little Brother Dylan, :)
Good to see you :) Big news in Canada today?

God Bless!

Anonymous said...

I am not sure what will happen next but I know this...

the DOW is still above 13 000...

and THAT is bullish.

period.

expect the END to be delayed....

on and on and on....

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WVBORN56 said...

Thanks for the mini history lesson and well wishes Mrs C. I am doing fine. I'm at least 95% on the road to full recovery! God is good! So it looks like historically speaking September is not at all out of the question based on prior actions.

We used to think Iran's proxy's might start a war with Israel to divert Israel's attention away from attacking Iran. Any further speculation on that occuring any time soon? We see there is now another terrorist group in the Sinai from Egypt that could be part of that threat?

The pressure on Bibi must be immense. We can see God's plan of making Himself the one and only one in whom Israel can turn to for help coming into full view! That is the good news for us and really also for Israel even though it will be painful.

Mrs.C said...

Israel has been prepared to go it alone for years now. They already have long range capability in flight with the F16-I's that they had modified to reach long range targets and that most certainly includes reaching Iran. They would prefer the refueling aircraft to complement a long range mission, but the F16I is sufficient for the job. Amazingly, they named the F16I the “Sufa” which means “Storm”.
The MOP mentioned in the article, they would have no way to deliver such a beast just as Mr.C said. However, President Bush ( the last real President ) made sure before leaving office that Israel was well stock piles with munitions, and that includes lots of “bunker busting” bombs. He covered Israel on that, Im sure especially after seeing who was to follow him! Israel has said time and time again for years now, while it would be good to have U.S. support, they can handle an attack against Israel by themselves. Most important is what Gods Word says, and that is that Israel has NO support from anyone for the Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38 wars….

Mrs.C said...

Hi Brother WV, :)
Thank you for the wonderful Praise report! So grateful to Him your doing so well Brother! The truth is Brother, that no while Israel has High Holy days, they are still on alert always guarding their people and land. No matter the occasion, as Bibi has said for decades now, should they feel a dire threat, they will act with out question regardless of Holidays.
What will be the trigger? That could be any number of things. It could be Hezbollah launching against Israel, it could be Hamas, the Sinai terrorits, it could be all. It could be as simple as some lone guy named Habib hiding in the bushes that gets a hold of a WMD weapon and launches against Israel. It could be Israel attacking Iran, bringing in the coordinated attacks from Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel knows this, and has been prepared for a multiple fronted war for some time now. Something will indeed happen to Iran between now, and the Ezekiel 38 war.
We know from Gods Word, that the devastating strike against Damascus is done by His People, Israel. Then everything escalates like falling dominos, and Jordan, the West Bank fall. Israel takes the remnant Syrians captive, and that completes Gods fulfillment, His answer to the Psalm 83 Prayer.
After that, Israel then experiences a devastating blow. So awful that God describes His Peoples condition as “desolation”. It is going to be horrific for Israel :(
Yes indeed Brother, God Plan is unfolding before our eyes! It will be Him, and Him alone that will save them from being completed wiped out. We need to Pray for Bibi, and Gods People greatly! Look up Brother, look up! Our Redemption draweth nye!

God Bless!
"SHA-ALU SHALOM YIRUSHALAYIM".
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” — Psalm 122:6

Chris said...

Are we really supposed to believe that the worlds most military tech savvy country (Israel) needs foreign tech to deal with Iran !

God has built up Israel and its well equipped people for these events we are seeing unfold.

We can all be sure that Bibi could sanction a preemptive attack tonight if he needed. However, Our wonderful God is holding things up for his time !

We need to be aware of this and as we are all aware on here time is short, we need to be preaching the gospel and bringing in the flocks.

Are we all doing this to the best of our abilities ?

I have to say, sorry lord I have not, please forgive me for losing sight of what is important in these times, give me the strength and knowledge to mention your name at every possible chance and talk about your never ending love, forgiveness and sacrifice you made for us !

Jesus we pray for a fresh anointing of the spirit and unfailing devotion to spread the Gospel..

Anonymous said...

I see their is a comment that God is holding things up for his time...

how true...

IN fact, SO TRUE that it could be
months if NOT years before the end
is here.....sad to say >>>>>>>>

And that WILL BE THE CASE since
EWI indicates that, with the dow
STILL OVER 13 000.....and bullish
potential still exists to 14,000
or higher.....

sorry, BUT that is what i see tonite.

bears continue to FAIL in making
any progress whatsoever.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>

hartdawg said...

I'm late in the conversation but my first thought was exactly the same as christinein Cleveland. obama is NOT to be trusted. i can totally see Netanyahu keep his promise to delay the attack then that monster in the white house after elections renege on his word

Dylan said...

I don't think there was anything big. Unless you're talking about the Quebec elections. The media is giving more attention than is necessary to those. I have no idea how those went. If anything, tuitions will be raised on the lowest tuition costs in the country, but even that is unlikely. Other than that I'm not sure.

Scott said...

Hart - I completely agree

Jec said...

Hart & Chritine, I so agree! I think Bibi is on to him. The man can not be trusted. I would be very surprised if Obama has deceived all of us by going in with whatever air craft can carry those bunker busters, and blow the camel snot to kingdom come out of those nuclear facilities! Then back Israel with any and all maneuvers, NOT! Lol! I'm sorry for being harsh. But it upsets me watching all this sometimes.

Dylan said...

But the whole separatist scare is largely unfounded and very few Canadians now adays would even care if Quebec became its own country.

Mrs.C said...

Hi Brother Dylan, :)
Forgive me, but the PQ separatist party is a big deal. There have been several attempts to separate from the Fed's. Ah...the French.
Should their agenda ever go through, that is part of a country breaking away. It would be for example if the State of Texas, suddenly voted to separate from the U.S. Pretty big thing to happen. Obviously lots of tension, especially bringing someone to the point of shooting at the victory celebrations yesterday evening.
While most Canadians know that Quebec would most likely fail, it is still disturbing. At least to the family and friends I know of, across the country from Nova Scotia to BC. Very sad indeed should the PQ reach their goal of separation.

God Bless!