Finally, despite the growing threat that Israel faces, the budget President Obama submitted to Congress this week actually cuts funding for missile defense programs for the Jewish state. America has long supported Israel’s defense at a high level, but tensions between the U.S. and Israel have continued to increase. Several members of Congress have already vowed to undo the cuts, insuring that Israel will have sufficient money to continue to upgrade what is perhaps their most important defensive infrastructure.

Related Sources:

• ·         Despite targeting of Israelis overseas, Feds say no threat to Jews at home – Fox News
• ·         In The Aftermath of Attacks on Israeli Targets – The Jewish Press
• ·         New Wave of Attacks Against Jewish Targets Worldwide – Rabbi Jonathan Bernis News Letter

Israel and Iran traded accusations Wednesday over a string of bombings in other countries, with Israel pointing fingers at Tehran and the Iranian regime calling such claims a “prelude” to an Israeli attack.

The fight came as authorities arrested three Iranians in connection with a string of blasts in Bangkok, and a Thai official drew a tentative link to attacks this week aimed at Israeli officials in India and Georgia.

The materials used in the explosive devices were similar, a senior Thai security official said, according to Thailand’s state-run news agency, MCOT.

Two men allegedly involved in the Bangkok blasts were arrested in Thailand and charged, authorities said.

“They were not charged with terrorism but criminal charges have been filed against them for possessing explosive materials, harming others and attempting to kill others,” Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said, according to MCOT.

A third suspect was arrested by authorities in Malaysia.

Thai officials also have an arrest warrant for a woman who is believed to have left Thailand.

“Iran is a threat to the stability of the world. They are targeting innocent diplomats,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The international community has to denounce the Iranian actions and to indicate red lines concerning the Iranian aggression.”

Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, “condemned the blasts and said that Israeli agents are often the perpetrators of such terrorist acts,” Iran’s state-run Press TV said in an article on its website.

And state-run Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an analyst as saying the Israeli allegations against Iran involving the bombings in India and Thailand are “a prelude to terrorist attacks against the Islamic Republic.”

But Netanyahu, speaking in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, called Iran the leading terror in the world. “Right now in the past days the Iranian terror has been witnessed by all,” he said.

The attacks and accusations come amid high tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel had made clear it is considering attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. Israel, the United States and other countries are concerned Iran is building nuclear weaponry, despite Tehran’s insistence that its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes.

Iranian officials openly antagonize Israel, and Israeli officials have described the regime in Tehran as an existential threat.

The first bomb Tuesday went off in a rental house in Bangkok believed to be leased to foreigners, according to Thai authorities. After the blast, two of the men left the scene while a third detonated two more bombs — one when a taxi driver refused to give him a ride, and another when he tried to throw a bomb at police officers as they closed in on him.

The last bomb exploded near the man, blowing off one of his legs, authorities said. He was taken to Chulalongkorn General Hospital for treatment and Iranian documents were found on him. Thai authorities identified him as Saeid Moradi, 28.

Another man arrested at the airport holds an Iranian passport and is one of the two men who left after the bombing at the house, the Thai government said, adding that he was identified as Mohammad Hazaei, 42. He was about to leave for Malaysia, the government said.

Authorities charged those two men with several offenses, including illegal possession of explosives and intent to kill a police officer, said Gen. Pansiri Prapawat, deputy police commander.

Authorities in Malaysia arrested Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 31, Wednesday afternoon as he was about to board a plane to Iran, Thai authorities said.

Thai authorities were looking for Rohani Laila, the woman believed to have rented the house in Bangkok.

Israeli Foreign Ministry personnel based overseas have been on alert in recent weeks to the heightened possibility of attacks at Israeli facilities by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Muslim militant group and political party backed by Iran.

Sunday marked the fourth anniversary of the death of Hezbollah leader Imad Mugniyah in a car bombing in Damascus, Syria. Hezbollah holds Israel responsible and has vowed revenge.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the level of alert in the country had been raised following a security assessment after the overseas incidents in New Delhi and Tbilisi, the capitals of India and Georgia.

The alert means patrols will be heightened in and around various public areas inside Israel, and around Israeli embassies and offices worldwide.

In the Monday incidents, a device attached to an Israeli Embassy van in New Delhi exploded and injured four people. Another device was found on an embassy car in Tbilisi but it was safety detonated.

Iran has also denied involvement in those events, which are still being investigated.

The materials used in the Bangkok bombs had many similar characteristics to those used in India, said Wichean Potephosree, secretary-general of the Thai National Security Council.

The Israeli government issued a travel advisory this year for citizens traveling to Thailand after Thai security officials arrested a man in January connected with a planned attack in the country.

Police charged the man, Atris Hussein, after finding “initial chemical materials that could produce bombs” in an area just outside Bangkok. Police said Hussein, who also holds a Swedish passport, led them to the location.

Authorities accuse Hussein of trying to attack spots in Bangkok that are popular with Western tourists and say he is believed to belong to Hezbollah, the Shiite Muslim group active in Lebanon that the United States views as a terrorist organization.

Potephosree said Wednesday that Thai authorities do not believe there is any link between Hussein and the blasts in Bangkok on Tuesday.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday, Feb 14, he does not think Israel has made a decision to launch a military strike on Iran to thwart its nuclear ambitions, The Associated Press reports.

And he said he does not have a view on whether it is likely that Israel would attack this spring. A Washington Post columnist wrote recently that Panetta sees a high likelihood that Israel will attack in April, May or June.

During a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., pressed Panetta on his personal assessment.

“And so you do not have a position as to whether it is likely that Israel will make such an attack this spring?” Wicker asked.

Panetta replied, “I do not.”

Panetta emphasized that the Obama administration is deeply worried by Iran’s behavior and its nuclear ambitions.

“We have common cause with Israel,” he said. “We have common cause with the international community with regards to the concerns about Iran. We’ve made very clear that they are not to develop a nuclear weapon. We’ve made very clear that they are not to close the Straits of Hormuz. We’ve also made very clear that they are not to export terrorism and try to undermine other governments.”

He said the U.S. and other nations have taken strong steps with sanctions and stressed the importance of keeping the international community together.

Israel has blamed Iran for recent attacks on Israeli diplomats overseas. Tehran has denied responsibility.

Image via Wikipedia

Reporting from Haaretz, Sunday, February 12, 2012, the director of the state budget division of the Ministry of Finance Israel, Gal Hershkovitz, said the government would have budgeted 800 million shekels (Rp1, 9 trillion) per year for the welfare of workers. Obtained after negotiating an agreement with the Histadrut labor union.

“With the new approval, is expected to be much improved conditions for workers,” Finance Ministry statement said Israel.

The rally, which lasted for five days is crippling the state economy, public services, and transportation. In its action, thousands of contract workers demanding improved conditions and a review of their wages.

Histadrut estimates, the salary received by contract workers 30 percent lower than non-contract employees. Based on data from the Israel Ministry of Finance, estimated that approximately 250 thousand contract workers scattered throughout Israel.

“This agreement represents the necessary balance between the need increases contractual rights of the workers and the government’s responsibility to protect Israel’s economy,” the statement Israel Ministry of Finance.

We have been hearing threatening noises from the West of an impending attack on Iran, before it makes its nuclear arsenal operational. Nothing of the sort has  happened and precious time is slipping by. Iran is getting ready and its navy is carrying out plans to block the strait of Hormuz as a retaliation for an attack.

Delay in attacking Iran has worked to the advantage of Iran. the Irani leadership has said that they will use their nuclear bomb against Israel and that is a a dangerous game, as an unstable leadership may very well do this. Iran also considers the USa the great Satan and thus the battle are clearly drawn. in case there has to be a war and the West and the USA have to strike along with Israel the principles of war as laid down by clause wits must be followed. A speedy and decisive attack is called  for . failure may well be the beginning of the end of Israel and a most unstable world order where Iran

Image via Wikipedia

  has  promised to dominate the world. This is nota good thing at all and has all the ingradiants of a world at war.

The Israeli diplomats car carrying the wife of a diplomat, a 42 year lady was attacked by a magnetic bomb, that exploded when thrown by a motorcycle borne terrorist. The lady who had just returned after dropping her children in school is in a critical condition in the Ganga Ram Hospital.

 The terror attack appears to be the handiwork of the terror group Hezbollah. It appears as claimed by Israel, that Iran may also have a hand in this. In case this is proved trues the dangers for the Indian state will mount, as such attacks will now occur more frequently. This is so as India is perceived a soft state.

Israel has vowed revenge and Iran has as usual accused Israel of telling lies. But the fact is that Iran is following a dangerous path that is fraught with grave consequences. The US carrier task force is in the Persian gulf and  Israel is flexing its muscles. the stars don’t look to bright for Iran.

Hezbolah by attacking a defenceless lady has shown that its is a terrorist organization cast in the Gestapo mold and sooner the Indian state grapples with it the better.

Source: BBC Arabic

Image via Wikipedia

Hospital officials said a Palestinian civilian was killed in an Israeli air strike on Sunday, the Israeli military has described this process as a response to rocket fire across the border.

Hospital officials said the dead man in his fifties or sixties, a keeper of animals on a farmeast of Gaza City. The mobile missile hit his house and wounded his two sons Albalgan.

The Israeli army issued a statement saying that the aircraft struck four goals, including the “tunnel of terror and weapons manufacturing facility” in the north near the city of Gaza.

The statement added that the air strikes came in response to Aslaq short-range missilefrom Gaza on Saturday, wounding an Israeli. There was no Palestinian militant groupclaimed responsibility for the attack.

And try the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which control Gaza to stop attacks on Israel as it seeks a political accommodation with the Fatah movement. But the violencehas continued sporadically and often do not declare any claim of responsibility.

The Israeli military spokeswoman said he had no immediate information about the victims of air attacks that took place on Sunday.

Source: Reuters

blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah

they want to make em pee in a cup
i just want my taxes cut
i have to remind them nothing’s free
drug testing will steal more from me

terry stops to stop immigration
do you think they’ll stop there?
foot in the door for Real ID
but they got you cheering for it
because it’s not targeting you…
YET!

have you read the MIAC report?
the USAPATRIOT Act is already targeting you
The Drug War, the war on terror
Are all just policy laundery
Washington’s taking you to the cleaners
Has you supporting the roots of tyranny

you say we should support Israel
you forgot to put the gun down
government is force not eloquence
everything’s funded through violence

if you want to support em
do what Glenn Beck says
write em a check your damn self
being world police costs too much
and blows back in our face

please tell me again how welfare is evil
and taxing me for war is a-ok

when the fucking wars make us less safe
and reduce our standing in the international community
and debt debt debt

Israel: Yet, another missed opportunity

By Abdulrazaq Magaji, magaji777@yahoo.com,

Abuja, Nigeria.

What goes round comes round. Some few months back and, within the hallowed chambers of the UNSC, or United Nations Security Council, Washington, against commonsense, declared its opposition to the  declaration of Palestinian independence on the hare brained thesis that the United Nations was not the ‘right’ place for such an important step to be taken by the Palestinians. Few months on, the same UNSC chamber has suddenly become the ‘right’ place for Washington to effect regime change in a sovereign country. This time, Russia and China voted down an Arab League sponsored and US backed resolution to get embattled Syrian president, Bashir al Assad out of the way. And Washington is angry! Reason? Washington failed to railroad Moscow and Beijing into their machinations in Syria.  Come and see American wonder!

Let’s get this right: Assad has lost out and everything possible should be done to throw him out. After all the atrocities perpetrated by his father, Hafiz, the son, Bashir should not be allowed to get away with his crimes. The killing in Syria is simply unacceptable and Assad has the choice, if he is lucky, of negotiating his way out, as did Ali Abdallah Saleh of Yemen. Or, vote with his feet as did Bin Ali of Tunisia. He might even opt for the Mubarak option, claim he is a hero who is destined to die at home and end in a cage. Or, if unlucky, go the way of Muammar Gadaffi. Clearly, he should not get the luxury of ending up, like his father, as president for life.

Beyond Assad, two recent events in the Middle East opened a window of opportunity for Israel. But, as with similar opportunities in the past, the hawkish extreme right coalition in Tel Aviv fluffed the chance. Rather, Tel Aviv is bracing itself for another confrontation, a real fight that could probably redraw the map of the region. If snippets from Washington are to be believed, Israel has finalised arrangements to launch a unilateral strike against Iran, the idea being to force Tehran to end her nuclear programme. It is interesting that having gone nuclear itself, Tel Aviv now balks at the idea of another nuclear power in the Middle East. Interesting!

First is the seeming unity of purpose, a great window of opportunity, created by the urgent need to squeeze Assad out of power. For a seemingly isolated country, Israel has suddenly found itself, even if for different reasons, on the same page with Arab countries on what to do with Assad. On the face of it, Arab countries appear sworn on getting Assad out of power because of the needless carnage in Syria, a carnage that has led to the death of more than 7,000 Syrians. Assad may delude himself into believing that the 7,000 dead Syrians were insurgents and terrorists but truth is he is simply behaving like the proverbial drowning man.

In his macabre dance, Assad appears to have provided ammunition to Arab countries who are wary of the growing influence of Shi’ism in the region. In Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Yemen among others, Sunni Islam is under attack from Shi’ism. And since getting Assad out also means stopping the growing influence of Iran and Shi’ism in the region, it is hardly surprising that Arab governments now have an unusual ally in Israel.

The seeming thaw in the relationship between the Palestinian groups, Fatah and Hamas, provided Israel a second window of opportunity. Israel and her principal, the United States of America are clear in their opposition to Hamas, a radical Palestinian liberation movement which main aim, like Iran, is to bring Israel to her knees and possibly wipe her off the map of the world. This, for now, may appear a shot in the dark, especially now that Hamas has decided to cooperate with the moderate Fatah. Ordinarily, Washington and Tel Aviv would have been expected to encourage the alliance and hope Fatah would succeed to rein in Hamas. But that appears to be the least on the shopping list of Israel and the United States. And the reason is simple enough: with Assad out of the way, it will have to be Israel and America against Iran and Hizbullah as there will be no threat from Syria. It is unlikely Hamas would sit on the fence in the event of a confrontation between Israel and Iran.

As things stand, Israel may strike a mortal foe and succeed in getting Washington, like the partial umpire it has always been, to get Arab countries to applaud on the sideline. But that is not the way to go; Americans have a lot on their hands and given the debacle in Iraq and Afghanistan, the least it can afford now is to get itself involved in another drawn out war anywhere in the world. Ordinarily, a military confrontation between Iran and the United States would clearly be a mismatch, especially in the short and medium term: one can almost imagine the tough talking Mullahs in Tehran scampering into bunkers if Washington opts for war. But that will be momentarily: the real danger is that another operation shock and awe might go disastrously wrong in the long run. And this explains why Washington prefers to use proxies, as was with the Iran/Iraq war of 1980-1988, to whip Tehran into line rather than a direct involvement. And this also explains the reluctance on the part of the hawkish politicians in Tel Aviv to hold fire. So far, Israel, inspite of its rumoured military might have failed to wipe out Hizbullah and Hamas. This is a clear indication that, when the chips are down, war between Israel and Iran may not be a walk over.