Just two days after Ahmadinejad, Iran’s hardliner President, announced the completion of nuclear cycle in Natanz while making mockery of the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement, an Iranian state-run daily Sharq on April 13, stressed on the connection between Iran’s nuclear projects and it’s meddling in Iraq. The daily wrote, “Iran’s infiltration of Iraq will once again empower the Iran, Syria and Lebanon triangle, and will realize our country’s great interests.” The daily added, “The nuclear dossier and the developments in Iraq move in paralleled on both sides of our current international objectives.”

Current bloodsheds and rising tensions in Iraq which are intended to give chances of survival to the mullah’s regime in Iran have now been extended through Lebanon. Western observers point directly to Iran as the main instigator and mastermind of this war and relate the war to the developments in the nuclear dossier of this country.

In fact the current war in Lebanon could be viewed as another bargaining chip in Tehran’s hands and it clearly puts mullahs’ regime ahead of the West in their confrontation as the 5+1 is yet to sanction Iran for it’s nuclear activities while the mullahs have already ignited the war they have been promising all along through their messages and threats to the West that will happen if they are taken to the Security Council.

The concurrence of the war breaking out in Lebanon and the mullahs’ deadlock in killing more time as the 5+1 will restarts the nuclear dossier in the Security Council, underscores the fact that the mullahs’ regime while cornered in this face-off, beats on drums of war while the Security Council has yet to choose between ‘disgrace and war’ or a taking a ‘firm policy’ towards Iran.

The 5+1 foreign ministers on July 12, after two months, announced that there is no other way but to return to the Security Council and continue the process that had started. Should we not ask why this process was ever stopped? What was really the result of this two months freeze?

The fact was that the 5+1 group decided to give one more chance to the mullahs’ as part of the infamous “appeasement policy.” They put together a “package of incentives” to somehow bring the mullahs to the negotiating table; how naïve. The Western politicians have still a logway to go before they can understand a mullah.

Clearly the incentive package only provided more time to the Iranian regime to continue its evil intentions and clearly the mullahs’ used it to gain more time well spent to develop the bomb.

The solution to the crisis, that we are witnessing only the beginning of it, lays in no war or any incentive package to a tyrannical regime but it is in the hands of the Iranian people and is found in the streets of Tehran. The people of Iran are the only solution for the Middle East crisis. Any other approach will lead to war and even more wars.

Two years ago in a speech at the European Parliament, the exiled Iranian Leader and the President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, predicted clearly that, “A democratic change by the people and resistance of Iran is the only possible way to prevent an imminent war,” and stressed that, “Giving incentives to the mullahs will not persuade them to change their inauspicious objectives.”

“Let us remember that Winston Churchill tolled the British Parliament upon Neville Chamberlain's return from signing the Munich Pact with Hitler in 1938, ‘You were given the choice between dishonor and war. You chose dishonor. And you will have war.’” Rajavi said, in her European Parliament address in 2004.

Nima Sharif is a political writer and the publisher of http://www.stopfundamentalism.com.

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The Re-engagement War, as the Israelis are so fond of calling it, has more serious reverberations for the West than just saving another bunch of kibbutzes. By that I do not mean to imply that going about saving kibbutzes is unimportant - it is, especially if one so happens to live in the one that is being saved. But in the general order of things, saving Israeli kibbutzes would be no sufficient reason for the West to start worrying so much about the Israel - Lebanon - Hizbollah confrontation of these past few days, especially in July - a time of the year we decadent Westerners typically dedicate for such mundane tasks as ... vacationing.

Likewise, although thousands of dislodged Lebanese civilians are a very good reason to be worried as Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has pointed out on the Larry King Live Show, there is a big question mark as to whether Westerners should now start talking so much about Armageddon, the beginning of World War III and the end of the world. Especially since nobody remembers having seen - much less heard - the Secretary-General crying out loud with equal impetus for the destiny of thousands and thousands of Sudanese victims caused by the ‘ethnic cleansing' at the hands of the Janjaweed, the armed Muslim Arab militia. Not to mention the fate of counteless Somalis at the hands of the Supreme Islamic Courts Council of Mogadishu, on the excesses of which the Secretary-General has not pronounced himself - neither on the Larry King Live Show nor on any other show - Westerner or Easterner.

Some bad mouth out there (not me) might even argue that the Secretary-General seems to be intent at showing us his tonsils only when Israel is involved - but I digress.

But then, going back to the eternal Arab-Israeli confrontation, what's the big fuss about it from the viewpoint of the West? In one word: Zelzal-2.

Zelzal-2 is a very large Iranian-made rocket that that can loft a 1,300-lb (650-kg) warhead as much as 125 miles (200 km), bringing even cities in central Israel within range of rocket attacks from Lebanon. Additionally, Zelzal-2 is said to come in three versions - the economy model, the deluxe model and the super-dooper-ultra-gosh-my-gosh-deluxe model, so to speak. The economy model is basically a rocket, that is it has no form of guidance system. Once fired, no one knows where it is going to land. In this respect this is the reason why it is called a ‘dumb' weapon. The Zelzal-2 deluxe model instead is not a rocket but a missile, with the difference consisting in the fact that it sports a guidance system connected to a ‘solid propulsion motor'. With this model one can actually aim at a target and guide the missile to its final destination. Fortunately enough, Iranian guidance mechanisms are not the best in the world, but this does not make the Zelzal-2 deluxe any less dangerous.

The Zelzal-2 super-dooper-ultra-gosh-my-gosh-deluxe model is not finalized yet, apparently. This missile, complete with guidance system and all the umpah-pah is said to have a range of - get ahold of this - 400 miles (550 Km), which would then locate it well into the group of missiles categorized as ‘tactical weapons'.

In light of the foregoing, one can see all the interest that this latest conflict has suddenly generated. In essence, by handing a quasi-tactical weapon to a terrorist organization the likes of Hizbollah, Iran is positioning itself as a major local player in the Middle East, well ahead of traditional Arab states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Iran has the military might of Egypt combined with the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, and unlike Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Iran has a leader - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - who is a confirmed believer in the coming Apocalypse.

Like Judaism and Christianity, Shiite Islam has its own version of the messianic return - the reappearance of the Twelfth Imam. And as in some versions of fundamentalist Christianity, the second coming will be accompanied by the usual trials and tribulations, death and destruction. The Iranian press, in fact, has quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in official meetings that the Imam will reappear in two years. Exactly two years. The Iranian President has made this declaration six months ago - and the clock is ticking.

Couple this with his intention to press ahead with Iran's nuclear program, the staunch anti-Israel rhetoric, and his repeated calls for Israel "to be wiped off the map", and it becomes clear why Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the real reason for the West to be all up the wall, and for Israel to be all up in arms.

Think the Israelis will send in ground troops to neutralize Hizbollah and their missiles? You bet. And we better hope the Israelis win, lest it will be our turn to go in - in which case we can really kiss goodbye to our vacations.

Can someone please fire Kofi Annan?

By: Luigi Frascati
Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://www.realestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles on Real Estate Economics and Finance.

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For decades terrorists have been attacking Israel. The violence has pretty much been relentless and barely garners much beyond half hearted condemnation by the vaunted international community. And on the off chance that there is even recognition of the violence the Israeli’s deal with such recognition usually also contains condemnation of Israel and demands “restraint” in defending themselves.

But golly gee wilikers! When Israel has had enough and goes on an all out butt whooping rampage against the terrorists and those that support them, the United Nations under the ever decisive leadership of Kofi Annan leaps into action like Superman! Well, at least we know what it takes to get the vaunted “international community” off their butts. Who cares when Israel is under attack right? But if terrorist thugs are threatened with annihilation they cannot wait to jump in and save those poor soles.

Reuters reports, “Annan, after talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said he would push ahead with the plan [of an international security/monitoring presence] as a matter of urgency.” (source)

Does he mean a force like the impotent one the United Nations sent to Bosnia? Yeah, that worked out great didn’t it?

I wonder who would make up such a force – U.S. soldiers for the most part I’ll bet. Of that I have no doubt since we always bear the burden of keeping the United Nations afloat in money and man power.

And the press is all to eager to help out running stories about some of the good things these terrorists do for the people of these countries meanwhile forgetting to emphasize that they are terrorizing these very same people!

We do not need a “security” presence in countries like Lebanon. What we need is to let Israel defend itself against not only terrorists but also weak governments unable to control their own territory. We need to let Israel wipe the floor with these dregs of the world who have shown time and again that the only time they stop fighting is when they are on the ropes and need to reload and regroup. It doesn’t matter how many cease-fires we sign and how much we negotiate. The result has always been renewed violence initiated by the terrorists.

What we need to see is countries by themselves stand up and stand side by side with Israel independent of the United Nothings. Countries like the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and others need to stand shoulder to should with the Israelis and show their ability to act independently of the global socialist governance of the biggest paper tiger there is.

Some people however will not act. These are the people that have lost their moral compass and would be reluctant to lift a finger even when presented pictures of Jews being thrown into gas chambers and ovens. I dare say there are far too many whom would actually cackle with joy over such a sight like their fascist and dictatorial left wing brethren (i.e. Hitler and Stalin) have in the past.

We have tried the path of appeasement. Time and again Israel has been asked to concede land and restrict it’s own responses to make everything all right. And time and again such ideas are proven as nothing short of complete idiocy as their enemies simply move their mortar and rocket positions that much closer to the heart of Israel.

This will not end until those that have sworn to destroy Israel are defeated. And when I say “defeated” I do not mean simply beaten. I they must be soundly demolished, their must be armies decimated, their soldiers killed, and their supporters driven from their own lands and left to fend for themselves in some remote corner of the Middle East's deserts and mountains for the rest of their miserable lives.

They want war. And it is high time that they get a taste of what war really is.

It is time for the united nations of the world to stop acting as a protector of terrorists. Not some day soon, but today.

By: J.J. Jackson
J.J. Jackson is the owner and Lead Editor of American Conservative Politics - The Land Of The Free and American Conservative Daily.

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Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to flee southern Lebanon "immediately," preparing for a likely ground offensive to set up a buffer zone.

According to Guy Raz of NPR.org

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is demanding that the international community impose a cease-fire to end the eight days of fighting that have left 300 Lebanese and about 30 Israelis dead.

According to Lee Keath of The Associated Press

Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, shrugged off concerns of a stepped-up Israeli onslaught, vowing never to release two Israeli soldiers captured by his guerrillas even "if the whole universe comes" against us. He said they would be freed only as part of a prisoner exchange brokered through indirect negotiations.

According to the Chinese news source Xinhua,

With concerns mounting over the humanitarian crisis, the international community, represented by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, has called for an immediate halt to the violence between Israel and Lebanon.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says

It is also critical that Israel, while exercising the right to defend itself, be mindful of the strategic and humanitarian consequences of its actions. We call upon Israel to exercise utmost restraint, seeking to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure and to refrain from acts that would destabilize the Lebanese government.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz told reporters after a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac

We cannot let Israel pursue its actions. We cannot tolerate that Israel plays with the lives of citizens, civilians, women, old people and children.

My questions are these: How do Israel's critics expect Israel to negotiate a cease fire when Hezbollah will not cooperate? Everybody seems to be worrying about the poor Lebanese people, what about the Israelis that are being targeted by Hezbollah's rockets?

Lebanon has had years to do something about the Hezbollah problem, yet not only have they done nothing, they have in many ways supported Hezbollah.

Israel has not occupied any part of Lebanon for approximetly six (6) years yet Hezbollah has harassed and attacked Israel constantly during that time and Lebanon has turned a blind eye saying that they have no control over Hezbollah. Now that Hezbollah has pushed Israel too far, Lebanon and it's protectors are screaming for international help. Why should Israel trust Hezbollah, Lebanon or the international community? Everytime in the past, when a cease has been agreed to, Israel has honored it but Israel's enemies have not. Let's hope that this time Israel is allowed to finish the job properly.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr.
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Loony liberals and raging right-wingers are both equally irritating by themselves and to each other. This situation is older than sliced bread...actually, it is even older, but not as useful. The extremists and the narrow-minded simpletons on both sides of the spectrum create animosity and distortion. And nothing more. The problem with radical polarizing views are that they fail to acknowledge the world they inhabit, if only physically since their minds wander wildly and dangerously. Those possessing such views do not see the complex reality and misconstrue it for their own convenience.

This is not exclusive to politics, but extends to all society. Ideologues, fundamentalists, partisans and bigots all suffer this self-imposed ignorance. They all fail to accept their ever-changing surroundings filled with nuances. Some rely on theories, others on allegiances, while others rely on prejudices to support their "reality." They never question their beliefs, for that is not what they are to them-they are truths. Because of their indoctrination, they see the rest of us in contempt, claiming we are tools, that we are in the wrong. In reality, however, they are tools to their own constricted point of view. Their mentality works with absolutes, and because of that it is obsolete. The true reality, the one we all accept, if only begrudgingly and if only partially, is anything but absolute.

The most depressing of these sorts are the supposed "learned" individuals, flaunting their credentials as a sign of rightness. From these, primarily hurting our existence are the vacuum theorists who postulate based on their textbooks and not on actuality. They claim that their brand of economic and political development is the only correct form, even if the masses are left in ruins. Claiming that an unrestricted free market is the true path to prosperity is a clear example of such detached mentality. If something they recommend fails, it is because of the practice, not their theory. Ironically, the vacuum theorists are overwhelmingly dictating the direction and decimation of the world. The world will soon become a vacuum because the only evident truth if we continue to follow these "learned" individuals, will be the absence of everything.

Only by becoming a judicious citizenry can we weed out these detrimental supposed radicals. Their poisonous rhetoric, postulations, and actions claim reason and tolerance as victim, thereby repealing the progress we have made. Let the fundamentalists, ideologues, partisans and bigots stay in their reality, as long as they do not interfere in ours.

By: Jaime Zepeda

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