Time to Impeach President Trump and Other Tall Tales

 

Apparently, the Democrat leadership has decided that the time has come to start impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. This intent was announced on Tuesday by Nancy Pelosi with the below announcement at a press conference.

“Today, I’m announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry. I’m directing our six committees to proceed with their investigations under that umbrella.”
“For the past several months we have been investigating in our committees and litigating in the courts so the House can gather all the relevant facts and consider whether to exercise its full Article 1 power, including a constitutional power of the utmost gravity, approval of articles of impeachment.”
“Our republic endures because of the wisdom of our constitution enshrined in three coequal branches that act as checks and balances. The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

 

We noted that the wording of Ms. Pelosi’s announcement had a glaring omission, namely what the actual charges are for which an impeachment is necessary and the exact charges which will be passed on to the Senate for trial. Instead, we have the urging of their efforts to continue with investigating President Trump stating, “I’m directing our six committees to proceed with their investigations under that umbrella.” Her pronouncement continues stating, “For the past several months we have been investigating in our committees and litigating in the courts so the House can gather all the relevant facts and consider whether to exercise its full Article 1 power…” Then came the big finally to close her statement with an unarguable fact that, “The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law.” Well, actually nobody is above the law, including the President, that is most definitely true. In her full statement, the video above, she states that the offense was the President instructing one of his appointees to keep a whistleblower’s complaint. This is the latest smoking gun, what a whistleblower claims without having even heard the claims, as they must mean that he colluded with a foreign power to act in a manner which would “make the President look better.”

 

This sounds so ominous except that any time a foreign leader meets with a United States President, any actions resulting from such a meeting which follow what the President desires are actions which will make them look good. Problematically, President Trump is overly concerned with appearing to act strongly and thus looking good in the eyes of his supporters and beyond if possible. Should the American people be concerned that the President used a phrase that doing what was in the service of the United States and its goals would “make him look good” is applying pressure on the foreign leader to attain a goal. This is, of course, presuming that one would desire having the President look good or if you would prefer for him to fail and fail so miserably that he would lose any and all support and especially the 2020 elections. We will allow our readers to decide which is preferable, a President seeking to appear powerful and competent or a President preferring to meekness and appeasing others even when such would not be to the advantage of the United States and the American people.

 

President Trump and Speaker Pelosi and Impeachment

 

But the impeachment announcement was not the worst twisting of available facts as that award has to go to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. He used the known fact that Israel treats a host of people without asking their specifics and only judges their wounds and the best means for treatment. Israel has provided care and hospital stays, numerous ones also requiring surgical procedures, and after they are recovered, they are returned to Syria and no weapons are provided. From these Israeli actions he concludes that Israel is aiding the Islamic State through intentional actions. President Hassan Rouhani uses another claim that the Islamic State fighters/terrorists use some Israeli weapons. From the pictures and reports we have read; they use numerous countries weapons as they are able to gain these weapons. Probably their most frequently arming is with an AK-47. I guess this means that President Hassan Rouhani should also claim that Russia, China, Czechoslovakia or any of the plethora of other nations producing this widely utilized weapon are also actively arming Islamic State. Then there are the stores of equipment left in Iraq by the United States which fell into Islamic State forces means that the Americans are arming them. No, we all know that this finely crafted series of exaggerations were intended to harm Israel and, as this was during an interview with Fox News, to place doubts and suspicions within the American public about Israel and, by extension, Jews. His statements were just another of the long list of Iranian political attacks on Israel.

 

The problem is that Israel performs and provides aid to countries across the globe on a basis of need and receiving the permission of the receiving nation. Israel does such without any regard to politics. This becomes evident when one researches such activities and then looks at the United Nations General Assembly votes by these nations and the majority condemn Israel at every turn. The fact that Israel was one of the first to arrive and likely the last to leave after some natural or other disaster does not influence their voting at the world body. Did Israel assisting the Philippines after a major typhoon mean that they are assisting the rebel forces on Mindanao or possibly the Philippine forces engaging these rebels or are we allowed to choose whichever would be most damning to the audience which would mostly hear such claims? Israel came and treated the wounded in the Philippines after one of the most violent typhoons to hit land and they did not ask about the patient’s politics or other possible affiliations which might put Israel in a poor light. When people are injured by war, weather or other catastrophic accident and Israel can assist to save lives, then Israel will act to save lives, all lives. Israel has, as we have pointed out before, treated a Hamas leaders’ mother-in-law and daughter, yet Israel most definitely does not support Hamas. They were ill, Israel could treat them and was requested to do so and thus provided them with treatment as required. President Rouhani’s claim is tantamount to claiming an American hospital supports criminals because they treated a person injured while under arrest; in other worlds, simply ludicrous.

 

Of course, Israel has gotten too used to such claims and seldom gives them any more consideration than they are worth. Unfortunately, these claims from over the years have become so frequent and damning that some have begun to fall for this kind of propaganda. What is more worrying is with the rising anti-Semitism worldwide, more and more people will fall for this form of reason and some happily will spread such claims without any explanation. They would take the statements by President Rouhani and spread simply that Israel assists and arms the Islamic State. This is a blatant misuse of Israeli activities of treating those, largely civilians, injured from the ongoing civil war in Syria. Israel does not check identities before treating these victims and only is concerned with making them whole again or as close as is medically possible. But President Rouhani also claimed that Israel has conducted terrorist attacks on Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. If one defines striking weapons supply routes intended to provide Hezballah and IRGC forces which regularly target Israel as terrorism, then Israel would be guilty. But international law regards intercepting such arms shipments as a form of proactive defense and regards them as completely legal. But one should wonder how Iran is so familiar with these strikes and what they took out. That is an easy one to answer. These shipments originate in Iran and are Iranian weapons intended for their proxies to attack Israel. But in this topsy-turvy world in which we live, Israel intercepting heavy-weapons on their way to terrorist operatives such as Hezbollah is called Israeli aggression or terrorism by her Arab and Islamic detractors for a simple reason, they desire her destruction and will stop at nothing to accomplish same.

 

We wish we could say that things appear as if they will improve with time, but we fear that Israel may face the impossible within the next decade and a half. The reality is that with Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister of Britain and potentially an anti-Israel President unhindered by Congress, and possibly supported by Congress, in the White House, Israel could be facing a United Nations Security Council without any veto protecting her from the worst intentions which may result. Perhaps Israel could work with Russia or China to find a new means for her protection, but just what Netanyahu would need is a Russian collusion investigation of his own. Fortunately, in the long run Israel will be vindicated and shall become a light unto the nations and the world will realize at long last that Israel is an asset for mankind, not an adversary.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Elizabeth Warren Sounding Warning for the Future of Israel

 

From amongst the leading contenders for the Democrat candidacy to run for President in 2020 is Elizabeth Warren. Recently she was approached by one of the sad plethora of anti-Israel young American Jews about her stand and whether she plans to force the Israeli government to surrender the “occupied Palestinian (Arab) lands” should she win and enter the White House. The conversation went as below:

Becca Lubow, a student and a member of the IfNotNow Jewish anti-occupation movement approached Ms. Warren with their exchange,
“Hi, we are American Jews and we really love the way that you are fighting corruption and we would really love it if you also push the Israeli government to end the occupation,” Lubow said.
“Yes, yes,” Warren said.
“Excellent,” Lubow said.
“So, I’m there,” Warren said.

The encounter was captured in a video that IfNotNow soon posted on social media and can be viewed at the link given above. Bernie Sanders, another of the leading contenders for the Democrat candidacy and a Jew, by birth only, has also stated his support for the Palestinian Arab cause and stated his opposition to the Netanyahu government, something which appears as it will continue for the next three to four years after the September election. Other than Joe Biden, the rest of the Democrat candidates mostly take an anti-Israel position and many would do everything they were able to end all United States aid to Israel. This is something we have stated before as the main thing which we see as frightening. Allow us to explain.

 

We have absolutely no doubt that losing the aid provided by the United States once would have sounded a death knell for Israel. That is no longer the reality as we will show using the graphs below. The top graph shows Israeli GDP while the bottom graph shows United States aid to Israel. The United States aid began in the early 1970’s and by the 1980’s reached approximately three billion dollars and leveled out at this level from there forward. When this aid originally reached this three-billion-dollar rate it was between ten to twenty percent of Israeli GDP and as such was a significant percentage making it vital to Israel. Israeli GDP has increase steadily since the late 1980’s and in its own way never looked back. Currently that three-billion-dollars of United States aid makes up in the one-percent range against current Israeli GDP. Israel should present President Trump with a three-billion-dollar present and simply decrease the amount of United States aid to the maintenance promised for the new F-35 JSF being incorporated into the Israeli Air Force and a sliding scale as Israel takes over production of her own military needs. This United States aid was initiated when the United States basically bribed Israel with F-15’s and F-16’s in exchange Israel would not pursue production of the Lavi fighter jet which would have been a direct competitor on the international market for the F-16. This was a deal by which the United States gained sales of her own fighters without Israeli competition. With the United States preparing to provide Egypt and Saudi Arabia with F-35 JSF the promise of air superiority has now been broken and thus Israel should plan on producing from scratch her own sixth generation fighter. Once the new Israel fighter is produced, which would likely take a decade, Israel would no longer be dependent upon the United States for her air defense fighters. This three-billion-dollars of United States aid could be utilized by the United States and no longer be a drain on the over-bloated United States budget. But there are more reasons why this is becoming a necessity for Israel.

 

Israeli GDP Billions $

 

 

United States Israel Aid (Military)

 

Israel should also begin to produce every weapon used by the IDF. This includes the weapons, bullets, artillery, aircraft, and these could join the Merkava Tanks as proudly produced Israeli defensive weapons, which unfortunately have a habit of appearing to be identical to offensive weaponry. These weapons are only exactly what they are utilized in the military and this decides whether or not they are offensive or defensive. Israel has yet to instigate a war and all her wars have been in response to attacks by her neighbors or by terrorist organizations. This is why Israeli weapons are of a defensive nature. When reading about the wonder weapons which Israel has developed, the mainstay have been interceptor missiles such as Arrow 1, 2, and 3; Iron Dome and David’s Sling, all interceptors of rockets, missiles, ballistic missiles, mortars and other weapons used to try and destroy Israel. The main Israeli activity has been the new barrier being installed around Gaza which is being driven meters underground to prevent tunneling as well as above ground having a strong and reinforced fence which will be resistant to the attempts to destroy the current border barriers which are proving inadequate. In northern Israel a similar border barrier is being considered in order to prevent further tunnel activity by Hezballah in Lebanon. The IDF has also developed a means of detecting these tunnels to a significant depth which has already found dozens of tunnels out of Gaza and Lebanon. There are more advance interceptors being designed and tested which are kept as secretive as proves possible. There have been rumors of laser interceptor to augment the Iron Dome and could possibly be adapted for use against ballistic missiles. But we are not here to guess what the future will bring as we would just as soon be pleasantly surprised and amazed when these systems come on-line and the world marvels with us.

 

The reason for Israel to become self-dependent for her military needs is something which could provide more than not being overly dependent upon foreign providers. Looking at the majority of what appears as the future of the Democrat Party and one sees a growing number of candidates, Representatives and Senators who are sporting anti-Israel positions. Their antagonism against Israel almost comes seething from their lips. The vast percentage of the current Democrat Presidential candidates are pro-Palestinian Arab and only mouth support for Israel before specific audiences. It should act as a warning to Israel when all of the Democrat Presidential hopefuls refused to address AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel Jewish organization. They also refused to appear at the CUNI convention which is the leading Christian pro-Israel organization. Add to this the seeming constant flow of quotes and Tweets coming from a select group of freshman Congress-critters, namely Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. We would like to believe that these young representatives were not an indication of the future, but that would be attempting to blind ourselves to reality. Supporting Israel, one of the longest running nonpartisan politics but is becoming a partisan political issue with the Republicans supporting Israel and the Democrats attempting to force Israel into committing acts which would challenge her continued existence.

 

We realize that President Trump is a controversial President if the media is any indication. In Israel he divides people as well but the main area where this divide exists is from the Americans who have recently made Aliyah and who still identify with their United States party affiliations. The vast majority of Israelis are favorable in their views of President Trump as he has been good for Israel. We are also very aware that President Trump may only have a mere year and a half in office if he is defeated in 2020 or five and half years should he win in 2020. Either way, Israel must prepare for the United States post President Trump. It is even difficult to predict who or where the Republicans will find their candidate for 2024. There is but a slight chance that the Republican will win the 2024 Presidential race and even should they win, the odds of their continuing post 2028 are remote if electoral history is any indicator. The United States rarely keeps the same party in the White House for over twelve years in a row in recent times. This means that Israel will be facing potentially an anti-Israel President within the next decade. This is an eventuality which Israel had best be prepared to survive. The Israeli government and particularly its leadership must face facts that counting on the United States to be a close ally and provider of military hardware is approaching its use-by-date after which things could become very dicey.

 

The problem is that this partnership where Israeli technical aid working with the United States on weapons development and then dependent upon the United States for production of these self-same weapons systems is about to come to an abrupt halt. This will not be a slow estrangement where events will unfold slowly over a decade or more. This will be much closer to having the United States as a close ally on January 19th and then the next day a new President is sworn in and on January 20th Israel will find they no longer have a close ally in the United States. When this happens, all aid from the United States will either completely dry up within a year or will start to come with demands that Israel withdraw from lands presenting them to the Palestinian Arabs to govern themselves. We have already witnessed what this entails. We have one example in Gaza where they would just as soon burn Israel completely to the ground because they love the land so very much. Then with the Palestinian Authority we have Mahmoud Abbas explaining that if he had only one shekel, he would use it to pay one of the terrorists who has murdered Jews. He just as often says Jews as he does Israelis as to him, they are the same. Abbas is so invested in his investing in terrorism and the murder of Israelis, preferably Jews, which comes before paying the workers because the number one occupation is terrorism as far as the ruling elites care. What kind of threat the Palestinian Arabs can pose if they were to become provided for by the United States is something frightening and for which Israel had best have a plan in the works.

 

Finally, there is another side to this which Israel also need consider. Designing and producing a fighter jet and other support aircraft and air-frames along with all the other requirements for the IDF including weapons and bullets and every other weapons system would provide thousands of higher than average paying jobs. Further, these kinds of production could be placed in the Negev and used to build entire cities around these production facilities providing more jobs and new metropolitan regions for the future growth of Israel. We would like to envision Israel building a spaceport from which Israel and other nations who wish to launch satellites can use which could provide Israel with new friends and benefit her older friends as well. This spaceport could be the central hub for these industries plus Israel could develop systems which are capable of placing satellites in orbit and even emulate another Israeli, Elon Musk, and also develop boosters and even second stages which land back on earth for repeated use. The time has come for Israel to become completely, or as much as she is capable of performing, dependent upon only her own talents and production facilities. Israel could build an entire new passenger airline frame along with her military air-frames and develop the most efficient engines and avionics breaking into this multi-trillion-dollar international market. Once Israel incorporates her economy with an outward look as to how her resources and brain-trusts can best be invested and utilized in order to make Israel a vital nation to the world as a whole, the faster many of the groups fighting her will fail and Israel will have some peace. This is what a spaceport, passenger aircraft production, her own lines of military hardware and a multitude of other vital production businesses such that Israel becomes an asset to all instead of a target for hatred and spite. And, as we stated, the Negev just begs for a spaceport to be built in its center and to use as a hub for a futuristic region.

 

Israel Space Port Launch Facility

 

Instead, many Israelis are of the notion that the United States will always be there as our friend and staunch ally. We would like to remind them that early in the nation’s history the United States was neutral at best and a hindrance too often and has not been our ally and military partner for the first thirty-five years of our history. Israel used to fly French Mirage interceptors which. though designed as a bomber interceptor to be used should the USSR invade Europe, Israel made do using it as their first line fighter aircraft. This was part of the reason why Israel was developing the Lavi fighter. For those stuck on the United States as providing Israel with aircraft out of any purely altruistic means need to remember that Israel had to forgo producing fighters while this arrangement lasts and this denied Israelis with thousands of jobs and the country with an even healthier GDP. Israelis need to come to grips with the unfortunate fact that the United States is going to become estranged in the not too distant future and guaranteed earlier than Israel will be prepared if certain steps are not taken and taken immediately. Some truths are difficult for people to get their arms around as they have this comfort level of which any new idea which pulls the rug out from under their understanding is met with disbelief. Such disbelief always leads to facing a crisis which should have been foreseen and planned for. One such belief is that the United States will always be there, a belief which will inevitably become false and lead to great panic if not prepared for now rather than waiting to be blindsided. There really is nothing else to add beyond the old set of the six “P’s” which means, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Panicky Performance.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Iran Edging Towards War with the World

 

The ramping is about to begin for earnest. In recent reports we find that, “Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued an ultimatum Wednesday to the remaining signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, vowing to end all limitations on uranium enrichment if its demands are not met.” In related reports we find that the, “Islamic Republic had quadrupled its enrichment rate of low-enrichment uranium,” as well as that according to an unnamed source said who was quoted by Fars, “As the commission meeting in Vienna could not satisfy Iran’s just demands … Iran is determined to cut it commitments to the deal and the 300 kg enriched uranium limit will be soon breached.” We have our own opinions about the Iranian nuclear program, you know, the program which under the JCPOA they would monitor themselves, report to the United Nations and then the two could work together with assistance from the European Union to allow Iran to do as they please, manufacture nuclear weapons both in warheads and payloads for their several forms of delivery all while not breaking a stretched and warped JCPOA which will end up being even more porous than the original, the one President Trump withdrew from as it had insufficient restrictions and allowed Iran complete ability to become a nuclear armed nation within the decade. So, what to expect without getting lost in the minutia as that is what will be discussed, covered by the media and used as a distraction while Iran continues to arm herself.

 

Iran already had rudimentary nuclear devices which would serve as guidelines from where they could develop more powerful weapons and miniaturize them such that they would be deliverable atop their numerous ballistic missiles and especially atop their ICBM which has been in development for at least a decade. There are numerous different ballistic missiles which Iran manufactures (Pictured below). The ranges given are assuming a near maximum payload and can be increased by reducing the payload. That is why the miniaturization becomes so important, you get greater deliverable yields per pound or kilo and thus instead of their Simorgh missile being restricted to a range of 4000 to 6000 km, by decreasing the payload by 33% and the range increases to approximately 5500 to 8000 km which begins to bring some coastal areas of the United States within range from Tehran. Even fully loaded, that missile can readily strike every European capital city with ease. Add in the other means that Iran has proven to be capable of deploying, such as firing ballistic missiles from cargo-container ships which brings all but remote parts of Siberia within range as even the Shahab-3 has been fired from a cargo ship stationed in the Caspian Sea test firing over the western mountains of Iran striking a firing range in the southern end of the range in the high desert. These tests were fortunately caught and the trajectory tracked by surveillance satellites. Needless to comment, but a nuclear armed Iran places every capital city and most major metropolitan areas in the Western world and beyond within range of either their ground-based missiles or their cargo-container ship fired missiles making almost nobody safe from an Iranian threat carried out. This knowledge should be part of any calculations made concerning Iran.

 

Iranian Rocket Types and Varieties of Ranges 

 

 

Iranian Missile Trajectory of test firing from freighter cargo ship sailing out in the Caspian Sea aimed to strike in the southern end of the high desert covering a range of close to two-thousand-five-hundred kilometers. This test has been practiced with every solid rocket missiles from Iranian armories. 

 

 

This leads to the most vital question; would Iran initiate the use of nuclear weapons. One comment may provide an inside look at the Iranian outlook if war should break out. A senior Iranian parliamentarian threatened on Monday that Israel will be destroyed in half an hour if the United States attacks Iran, the semi-official Iranian Mehr news agency reported, according to this source. So, Iran is willing to provoke a war with the United States and should the United States respond, they would attack Israel, a nation which is not a party to the conflict to that point. And there is more hidden in this threat to provoke widening any conflict by attacking the Jewish State. Iran would certainly attempt to utilize any response from Israel as a reason for the Islamic world to come to their aid in this jihad now about to be waged on Israel as well as the United States. But even this is not the end of what is intimated in this threat, and that will answer our question about Iran using nuclear weapons when initiating a conflict. The same source also reports that Mojtaba Zonnour, Chairman of Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, made the remarks in an interview with the Al-Alam TV network stating, “If the US attacks us, only half an hour will remain of Israel’s lifespan.” We also should remember that other Iranian officials have referred to Israel as a one or two bomb country inferring that with as few as two bombs, Israel could be, for all intents and purposes, destroyed as a nation leaving little of her population and infrastructure. Now, we know Israel is a rather small nation, about the size and shape of New Jersey, but it would take numerous salvos of conventional explosives in order to destroy Israel. On the other hand, with a nuclear weapon were to be dropped at the southern end of the Tel Aviv metropolitan region and another between Tel Aviv and Haifa, then a goodly part of Israel would face ruination. The next question would be whether or not Iran would bomb Jerusalem, the second largest and populous city, as this too would be necessary if Israel were to actually be destroyed. Still, to destroy Israel in such a manner, the only means would be to use nuclear weapons. These leads us to believe that Iranian leadership has little compunction about using nuclear weapons, and this should trouble everybody.

 

Thus far open warfare has been avoided, not that it has not come very close. There were the oil tankers which were attacked with mines and other means in the area around the Straits of Hormuz which did not bring any response from the United States. They could rightfully claim that they did not have conclusive evidence that the Iranians were involved. Then came the downing of the United States reconnaissance drone which was purportedly in international air space which was tied directly to Iran. President Trump initiated a response only to call off the strike and order the aircraft back to their stations on the aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea. There have been numerous discussions as to whether this made President Trump appear prudent or was a sign of weakness. Whichever appeals to you, it makes little difference until somebody acts upon such suppositions. Should Iran interpret their not being hit and the strike being called back and believe the United States is fearful of any war with Iran, then there is going to be a problem. From what we have read and feel, Iran will continue pushing until there does come a response from the United States and then they will run to the European Union and the United Nations screaming ‘Foul!’ At this point, the world will begin to take sides in this coming disaster. The initial breakdown will be evidenced by the General Assembly vote as to whether they back the Iranian complaint or side with the United States and their claims of Iranian provocations. Then things will develop as the United States, or at least President Trump, will insist on backing from the rest of NATO. We can pretty much guarantee that Turkey will claim that they are too involved in containing the Syrian violence to spare any forces. Of course, that is simply their excuse, the reality is that Turkey is no longer a supportive member of NATO and has decided to go along with the Islamic world and their eternal struggle against the nonbelievers.

 

The most frightening thing has also been commentary from Iranian leaders over the years who have stated things such as, “If the US attacks us, only half an hour will remain of Israel’s lifespan,” plus referring to the recall by President Trump of the strike force, “If they (the Americans) had predicted their attack would be successful, they would not have cancelled it and it would definitely have happened,” and lastly, the Supreme Leader has stated in the past that he would sacrifice Iran if it was required in order to destroy Israel. Once again, we have the immediate result of an Iranian first strike on Israel would destroy the nation. This kind of statement is being made with the knowledge that well over half of any initial set of missiles would be intercepted by the series of anti-missile platforms developed by Israel which include David’s Sling and the gamut of Arrow interceptors which are tied into the THAAD interceptor and over-the-horizon detection systems which President Trump ordered set up in Israel to assist with her defense against such attacks. But when Iran threatens to destroy Israel with two bombs, what they intend is they will launch some countable number of missiles, potentially nuclear tipped, and hope to get at least two through the Israeli defenses while Hezballah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad will attempt to launch as many of their over one-hundred-fifty-thousand missiles and rockets in their combined inventory and be counting on such a barrage to destroy Israel. This, too, has been made questionable due to the Israeli Iron Dome interceptors but even they would be pushed beyond breaking point with such a number of targets to down. Perhaps, once such an exchange had taken place between Hezballah in southern Lebanon and southwestern Syria aided by the Iranian IRGC forces in southern Syria probably all coordinated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad largely in Gaza with some potential for problems out of the Shomron areas of the Palestinian Authority, then Iran might launch a second series of missiles hoping that the majority of the Israeli interceptors were destroyed.

 

The real problem is that we are talking about how Iran would go about destroying Israel, but why would they take on an adversary which might well be willing to utterly destroy at least Tehran and Qom. Why Qom, I hear some ask. Qom is the holy city from whence the Twelfth Imam is said to arise from through some miraculous events as he has been in hiding, presumably in this well in Qom, and he will signal the beginning of Shiite Islam rising and not only becoming the strong horse and the main sect of Islam (it currently represents about 10% of Islam with the Sunni being almost all the remainder) and soon after to ruling the world. The one thing which would be assumed should an attack of missiles be launched against Israel by Iran, namely that it would be a WMD attack of either nuclear topped missiles or warheads carrying chemical agents. Any Israeli response to a WMD attack is well known, Israel will return in kind meaning Israel will use WMDs which means nuclear missiles. The reality is that any actual Iranian missile launch from their areas in Iran, Syria or Iraq would likely be initiated with the launching of likely hundreds of missiles towards Israel. Israel cannot be expected to wait and see how many were intercepted and what were the nature of the ones which detonated within Israel before responding. Israel has about eight to ten minutes to decide whether or not to respond and exactly how Israel will respond if they decide to do so. That does not leave any time for consultations and is the kind of decision which would be laid primarily in the lap of the Prime Minister. With such a time limit before the missiles strike, one need figure that of those eight to ten minutes after detection, five would be required to order, program and launch any response. That leaves time for what would be the toughest four-minute decision in Bibi Netanyahu or any Israeli Prime Minister’s time in office. Fortunately, that decision would never be placed in our hands for the foreseeable future. Israel almost naturally must assume that any Iranian missile launch would be largely made up of WMDs, probably both nuclear and chemical agent warheads would be employed.

 

Further, Israel is not likely to be their only target launched upon as we can expect many of the Gulf States, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and potentially even Egypt. Iran has plans for their taking of the Saudi Arabian oil fields along with the Gulf States and Kuwait as well as taking control of Mecca and Medina. They believe that by doing so they will have destroyed the Saudi Royal family and much of the Sunni world’s leadership leaving the Islamic world for the taking. Despite the news coverage stressing everything Israel launched and does militarily while playing down the responses from the Saudis and their allies; President Trump will be blamed for not attacking Iran, attacking Iran too forcefully, attacking Iran too anemically, for using weapons systems which were too expensive when less measures were available, using WMDs, not using WMDs or just about anything else one can imagine. We cannot leave out the howling, wringing of hands, crocodile tears and other news anchor antics should a single United States soldier be injured or, heavens forbid, killed. We are not sure where the concept came that wars can be fought without casualties, but that is a very dangerous concept. The best bet, as the WOPR computer system from the movie “War Games” stated after doing some deep thinking, “Strange Game. The only winning move is not to play.” Well, we pray that nobody decides to initiate this strange game where the only winning move is not starting something which others are assured of completing.

 

War Games WOPR Computer 

 

Beyond the Cusp