Matthew 24:6 War, and rumor of war.

[Shammu]

Israel Complains Hezbollah Used Russian-Made Missiles

Friday , August 18, 2006

JERUSALEM  — Israel has complained to Russia that Russian-made anti-tank missiles have reached Hezbollah guerrillas who used them against Israeli troops in south Lebanon, government officials said Friday.

An Israeli delegation traveled to Moscow earlier this week to deliver the complaint, said Asaf Shariv, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The anti-tank missiles proved to be one of Hezbollah's most effective weapons in combat with Israeli soldiers in Lebanon. Such missiles killed at least 50 of the 118 soldiers who died in the 34-day war that ended this week.

Another government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media, said the delegation was "senior," but refused to say who they would be meeting with in Russia.

Israel does not accuse Russia of directly arming Hezbollah, but complains that Russia sold the weapons to Iran and Syria, known supporters of Hezbollah, who then passed them on to the guerrilla group.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said Russia maintains strict controls over its weapons sales, and that tight supervision "makes any inaccuracy in weapons destinations impossible."

Anatoly Tsyganok, head of Russia's Military Forecasting Center, ruled out the possibility that modern anti-tank weapons had reached Hezbollah through Russia or Syria.

"Any accusations alleging Russian or Syrian deliveries of anti-tank weapons to any forces in Lebanon are unfounded. The Israeli side has not presented any evidence of this, and it is unlikely that it will," Tsyganok was recently quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

"Most probably, such weapons, should Hezbollah militants really have any, might have been brought to Lebanon through third countries," he added.

Israel Complains Hezbollah Used Russian-Made Missiles

[Shammu]

Israel protests Russian missile sales to Iran
, THE JERUSALEM POST    Aug. 18, 2006

A senior Israeli delegation headed to Moscow earlier this week to complain that Russian-made anti-tank missiles had reached Hizbullah guerrillas in Lebanon and were used in the 34-day conflict, government officials said Friday.

Asaf Shariv, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, confirmed the delegation had headed to Russia earlier this week, but refused to elaborate.

The anti-tank missiles proved to be one of Hizbullah's most effective weapons in face-to-face combat with the IDF, killing many of the 118 soldiers that died in the fighting.

Another government official said the delegation was "senior," but refused to say who they would be meeting with in Russia.

Israel does not accuse Russia of directly arming Hizbullah, but rather that Russia sold the weapons to Iran and Syria, known supporters of Hizbullah, who passed them on to the guerrilla group.

Israel protests Russian missile sales to Iran

[Shammu]

    The Mufti of Egypt: The True Face of the Blood-Sucking Hebrew Entity has Been Exposed

In an article in the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram, Egyptian Mufti Sheikh Dr. 'Ali Gum'a expressed his support of the resistance in Lebanon and stated that the lies of the "Hebrew entity" expose "the true and hideous face of the blood-suckers... who prepare [Passover] matzos from human blood." [1]

The following are excerpts from the article:

"Greetings to the Lebanese people, to the Lebanese government, and to the Lebanese resistance - to the small and beautiful country that has proved to the world that the ideals of determination, bravery and self-dignity still exist in this era that has been taken over by the blood-sucking murderers.

"Anyone who follows the news will discover that the Hebrew entity has turned into a [source] of [empty] talk, while the Arab discourse, which was characterized in the sixties [as empty talk], has developed significantly. [The Arabs] have learned a lesson and have moved from talk to action, and from the fostering of illusions to honesty, transparency, realistic goal-setting and ability to change. The Israeli discourse, [on the other hand], has turned to false declarations based on illusions, with wishful thinking taking precedence over facts.

"These lies have exposed the true and hideous face of the blood-suckers who were described by Filmange in his book The Treasure Hidden in the Talmudic Laws [sic], which tells how [the Jews] planned [to prepare] a matzo [unleavened Passover bread] using human blood. [2] If we follow events, the most important thing [that we discover], in my opinion, is that the war going on [today] plants hatred in the next generations, as though one of its goals is to perpetuate the conflict for many years to come.

"A number of questions have been echoing in my mind. I tried to put them out of my mind several times, but they would not let go: Why do these foreigners come from all over the world, [speaking] many different languages, [and settle] in this small and narrow region of Palestine, in order to create so much mayhem and spill innocent blood in such a stupid manner? Why do they so unjustly insist on harming and rejecting the peace process, attacking their neighbors and occupying their lands, [while] constantly hollering that it is they who are threatened and oppressed? [Why do they insist on] destroying property, killing people, keeping the [entire] world busy [with the conflict], and violating all the principles accepted by the human [race]?

"Why are they here? Why do they receive all this support, which costs the U.S. [so much] money? What emotional or practical benefit does [the U.S.] gain [from this support]? Is it [trying to appropriate] the region's natural resources? After all, [it obtains these resources] anyway with the [full] consent [of the countries in the region], based on accepted agreements with which it is satisfied. Is this a clash of civilizations, or [is America acting] out of fear that some force will return to the region? [Is it acting out of] crazy fundamentalist tendencies, in anticipation of the [second] coming of the Messiah? Why is there need for such a large number of Israeli nuclear weapons, which threaten the existence of the entire region?...

"[I convey my] greetings to Lebanon, to the resistance, and to the [Lebanese] people, so unified and dignified, and say to them: You are writing the pages of the nation's history, [pages of] jihad that will not be in vain. The blood of those you have lost will be a curse on your enemies. You are not only a model for people living [today], you are also lighting the path for the future generations and finding the way to repulse aggression and set priorities, teaching [us] how to fight honorably and fairly, and how to endure the crimes and sins that have taken hold of people's minds...

"All the Lebanese victims of the [Israeli] crimes were civilians, while those killed on the enemy's [side] were all soldiers. This is reality that speaks for itself, and not [empty] talk [that comes to] justify [actions], and will later be exposed as lies..."

The Mufti of Egypt: The True Face of the Blood-Sucking Hebrew Entity has Been Exposed

[Shammu]

Letter threatens to blow up Taj Mahal

By BISWAJEET BANERJEE, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 13 minutes ago

LUCKNOW, India - Soldiers were on 24-hour guard at the Taj Mahal after officials received a letter threatening to blow up the monument, officials said Friday.
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Authorities were investigating a handwritten letter received Thursday — purportedly sent by an al-Qaida supporter — that said the terrorist group planned blasts at the 17th century monument, which drew nearly 2.5 million tourists last year.

"Police are verifying the source of the letter," said Ashok Kumar, a senior government official in Uttar Pradesh state where the Taj Mahal is located. "The letter could be false but we cannot afford to be complacent. We are not taking any chances and have enhanced security at the Taj."

At least 100 additional paramilitary soldiers with automatic weapons have been posted around the Taj Mahal complex, authorities said.

The state government has asked the federal civil aviation authorities and India's air force to declare a no-fly zone within a 2.5-mile radius of the Taj Mahal, said N. C. Bajpei, Uttar Pradesh's highest official.

Tourists have been warned not to carry any liquids, including bottles of mineral water, to the fabled white marble structure located in the city of Agra, 130 miles from the Indian capital, New Delhi. Sandbag bunkers also have been set up outside the towering entrance gates, Kumar said.

The majestic domed monument was built by the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It houses their graves and a mosque, as well as several graves of lesser Mogul royalty.

India deployed tens of thousands of police to patrol major cities and posted sharpshooters on rooftops Tuesday as the country marked 59 years of independence under a terror alert. The celebrations came a month after the train bombings in Bombay killed 207 people.

Letter threatens to blow up Taj Mahal

[Shammu]

Israel and the US Should Fear the Day Our Missiles Land in the Heart of Tel Aviv

Following are excerpts from a speech by Ahmad Khatami, member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, which aired on the Iranian News Channel (IRINN) on August 15, 2006.

Ahmad Khatami: This victory was promised in the Koran: "The party of Allah must triumph." On this occasion, I want to tell Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert that they should learn a lesson from this shameful defeat. They should not bare their fangs, expose their stings, or make threats against Islamic Iran. They should learn a lesson from the fact that a single party [Hizbullah] has turned their days into dark nights. If they decided to display the slightest aggression against Islamic Iran, they should bear in mind that the missiles of the Lebanese Hizbullah, with a range of 70 kilometers, have turned Israel into a ghost-country. They should fear the day that our missiles, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, land in the heart of Tel Aviv. Therefore, we hope that Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert have learned the necessary lesson. They should know that playing with Islam is like playing with a lion's tail.

Israel and the US Should Fear the Day Our Missiles Land in the Heart of Tel Aviv
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Iran tries this, they will learn of God, the hard way.

[Shammu]

09:41     Border Police to deploy squadrons in police stations to help war against crime (Itim)
09:15    Tel Aviv police raid two illegal casinos, confiscate equipment (Itim)
08:43    Knesset Finance Cmte. mulls State Budget NIS 2 billion cut to fund war (Israel Radio)
08:18    Israeli woman lightly wounded by rocks hurled at her car near Qalqilyah (Itim)
08:03    3 armed Palestinian shot and wounded by IDF troops near Gaza security fence (Itim)
07:42    Truck carrying hazardous materials overturns in Jezre`el Valley (Israel Radio)
07:33    Knesset lobby for reservist soldiers to meet on complaints over war (Army Radio)
07:28    Avigdor Lieberman: I rejected offer to join coalition, become deputy PM (Israel Radio)
07:08    Families in 1999 Jewish center shooting hit Washington state with $15M claim (AP)
07:05    IDF arrests nine wanted militants across West Bank (Israel Radio)
06:49    Minister Eitan: Prepare bomb-shelters for possible confrontation with Iran (Israel Radio)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

[Shammu]

Enemy Donned IDF Uniforms In Lebanon

BY ELI LAKE - Staff Reporter of the Sun
August 18, 2006

TEL AVIV, Israel — In the least friendly fire imaginable, Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon encountered Hezbollah wearing Israel Defense Force uniforms, the Jewish state's leading investigative news program reported.

During a battle on the evening of August 6 and early hours of August 7, in the town of Hule, an IDF unit found two Hezbollah dressed in Israeli fatigues and helmets in a civilian home. The battlefield commander was forced to order his men to remove the white hats they wear on their helmets to distinguish his men from the enemy.

An embedded reporter, Itai Engel, from the weekly television news series "Uvda" — widely regarded as Israel's equivalent to "60 Minutes" — filmed the battle with a night vision camera.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Engel said,"There were two of them in one of the houses. The soldiers realized they were wearing army uniforms. They had the helmet cover as well. They were wearing everything the IDF soldiers wear."

The report of Hezbollah in IDF uniforms fighting Israelis shows that Israel's foe has studied the Israel Defense Force closely. The tactic presents a challenge for soldiers trying to fight them; according to Mr. Engel, the house to house fighting was brutal, and the surprise of fighting the enemy in friendly uniforms only added to the fog of war.

The story also serves as another example of the Iranian proxy's predilection for fighting outside the laws of war. Earlier, the Israelis claimed Hezbollah fired rockets into its northern towns and cities from civilian positions, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon warned in the first week of fighting that the terrorists were using the U.N. positions as cover.

An IDF spokeswoman said she could not confirm the incident. But a Likud member of the Knesset's defense and foreign affairs committee, Yuval Steinitz, said yesterday that he was aware of these incidents. He cautioned that they were not significant, however.

"You can buy IDF uniforms in shops all over the world. But it is not something serious. What we have to learn is first on the level of tactics," he said.

Mr. Steinitz's committee was briefed Wednesday by IDF generals on tactical lessons learned in Lebanon. On July 31, the IDF reported that it had uncovered a store of IDF uniforms after fighting in Al Adaisa.

A former military intelligence officer also said Hezbollah's appropriation of Israeli military uniforms is not a new tactic among his country's terrorist enemies. The IDF has arrested Palestinian Arab terrorists dressed as Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza, the officer, who requested anonymity, said.

Israel's military has strict rules about uniforms. IDF soldiers may not hitchhike while in uniform out of concern that they may be picked up by Palestinian Arabs looking to confiscate their uniforms. And soldiers are fined if they are not able to account for their uniform.

A former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dore Gold, said yesterday that Hezbollah had been studying Israeli tactics. "They have been on our border. They know our patrols, where our soldiers go. They have studied our tactics, everything," he said.

"They listen to our radio, they read our books, they read Ariel Sharon's biography," a former brigadier general for IDF military intelligence, Shimon Shapira, said. "They know a lot about Israel. And as you know, the Israeli correspondents are very noisy. They can learn a lot from them."

Enemy Donned IDF Uniforms In Lebanon

[Shammu]

North Korea Threatens Retaliation for U.S.-South Korean Exercises

Monday , August 21, 2006

SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean army said Tuesday that continuing U.S.-South Korean military exercises were tantamount to war and threatened to take action, saying the drills rendered "null and void" the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

The statement from the North's Korean People's Army outpost at the truce village of Panmunjom comes amid renewed concerns that the communist nation is possibly planning to test a nuclear weapon, following its provocative missile launches last month.

The U.S. and South Korea on Monday launched annual military exercises, which the North had previously said would be considered a declaration of war.

The North Korean army "reserves the right to undertake a pre-emptive action for self-defense against the enemy at a crucial time it deems necessary to defend itself," the military said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the North has previously made such a direct declaration calling the Korean War armistice "null and void." However, it commonly issues heated statements warning that the peninsula stands on the brink of renewed war.

North Korea Threatens Retaliation for U.S.-South Korean Exercises

[Shammu]

Italian Troops Won't Go to Lebanon If Shooting Continues
13:15 Aug 22, '06 / 28 Av 5766

(IsraelNN.com) The Italian foreign minister stated that his country expects Israel to honor the cease-fire and not continue any firing. Minister D’Alema added that Hizbullah has to be disarmed. “We can’t send our forces if Israeli soldiers continue to put their fingers on the triggers.

Italian Troops Won't Go to Lebanon If Shooting Continues

[Shammu]

Israel may 'go it alone' against Iran
Herb Keinon, THE JERUSALEM POST    Aug. 24, 2006

Israel is carefully watching the world's reaction to Iran's continued refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, with some high-level officials arguing it is now clear that when it comes to stopping Iran, Israel "may have to go it alone," The Jerusalem Post has learned.

One senior source said on Tuesday that Iran "flipped the world the bird" by not responding positively to the Western incentive plan to stop uranium enrichment. He expressed frustration that the Russians and Chinese were already saying that Iran's offer of a "new formula" and willingness to enter "serious negotiations" was an opening to keep on talking.

"The Iranians know the world will do nothing," he said. "This is similar to the world's attempts to appease Hitler in the 1930s - they are trying to feed the beast."

He said there was a need to understand that "when push comes to shove," Israel would have to be prepared to "slow down" the Iranian nuclear threat by itself.

Having said this, he did not rule out the possibility of US military action, but said that if this were to take place, it would probably not occur until the spring or summer of 2008, a few months before President George W. Bush leaves the international stage. The US presidential elections, which Bush cannot contest because of term limits, are in November 2008.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, in a meeting in Paris with French Foreign Minister Phillippe Douste-Blazy Wednesday, said Iran "poses a global threat" and needed to be dealt with by the whole international community.

"The first thing they need to do is stop the enrichment of uranium," Livni said. "Everyday that passes brings the Iranians closer to building a nuclear bomb. The world can't afford a nuclear Iran." She said the Iranian reply to the Western incentives was just an attempt to "gain time."

Government officials said Israel's role at this time is to warn the world of the dangers of an Iranian nuclear potential. Some government officials are sending the message to their counterparts abroad that the firm implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on Lebanon will send a strong message to Iran - which is testing the world's resolve - that it is serious about implementing Security Council resolutions.

Meanwhile, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reported Wednesday that the Iranian news service Al-Borz, which it said is known to have access to sources in the Iranian government, predicted that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would announce what the news service called Iran's "nuclear birth" on the first anniversary of his government later this month.

In addition, an article Tuesday on the Teheran Times Web site, considered to be affiliated with the Foreign Ministry, implied that Iran's nuclear technology had already reached the point of no return. "If the West is seeking to impede Iran's nuclear industry, it should realize that Iran has passed this stage," the report read.

Diplomats from Europe, the US, Russia and China were poring over details of Iran's counterproposal to the Western nuclear incentives package Wednesday. Initial comments from Russia and China made clear Washington is likely to face difficulty getting at least those nations to agree to any tough sanctions against Iran.

In Paris, however, Douste-Blazy made clear that his government was sticking by the UN demand for Iran to halt enrichment by the end of this month as a precondition to further talks. Israeli officials said France has consistently advocated a firm position with Iran regarding the nuclear issue.

"I want to point out again that France is available to negotiate, and to recall that, as we have always said... a return to the negotiating table is linked to the suspension of uranium enrichment," Douste-Blazy said.

However, Russia's Foreign Ministry said it would continue to seek a political, negotiated solution to the dispute with Iran. China appealed for dialogue, urging "constructive measures" by Iran but also urging other parties to "remain calm and patient, show flexibility, stick to the orientation of peaceful resolution and create favorable conditions for resuming talks as soon as possible."

In London, a British Foreign Office spokesman predicted "some hard discussions" when the Security Council takes up the Iran issue in the coming weeks.

Iran said Tuesday it was ready for "serious negotiations" on its nuclear program and cast the counterproposal as a new formula to resolve the crisis with the West. But a semiofficial news agency said the government was unwilling to abandon uranium enrichment.

The world powers, the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, have given Iran until August 31 to accept the incentives package.

Israel may 'go it alone' against Iran

[Shammu]

Iran test-fires sub-to-surface missile

Sun Aug 27, 7:33 AM ET

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran on Sunday test-fired a sub-to-surface missile in the Persian Gulf during large-scale military exercises, state-run television reported.

"The army successfully test-fired a top speed long-range sub-to-surface missile off the Persian Gulf," the Army's Navy commander, Gen. Sajjad Kouchaki, said on state television.

A brief video clip showed the missile, fired from a submarine, hitting a target on the surface of the water within less than a mile.

The test came as part of large-scale military exercises under way throughout the country. Iran has routinely held war games over the past two decades to improve its combat readiness and to test equipment including missiles, tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Iran test-fires sub-to-surface missile

[Shammu]

 'Hezbollah is arming Gaza for a new war on Israel', says Israel's spy chief
By Michael Hirst and Clancy Chassay
(Filed: 03/09/2006)

Israel's spy chief has given a warning that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip are garnering increasing numbers of weapons and tactical expertise from Hezbollah fighters since the war in southern Lebanon erupted earlier this summer.

Yuval Diskin, the director of Shin Bet, Israel's equivalent of MI5, said Egypt's Sinai Peninsula was being used as a terrorist base and fast becoming a haven for arms smugglers preparing to shift their wares into the Gaza Strip.

He added that within Gaza terrorists were building rocket hideouts, a bunker network and an anti-tank missile arsenal as they prepared for an escalated confrontation with Israel.

'Hezbollah is arming Gaza for a new war on Israel', says Israel's spy chief

[Shammu]

Israel said eyeing Iran, Syria war
Israel’s air force chief has reportedly been put in charge of planning for possible war with Iran and Syria.

Britain’s Sunday Times reported that Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy was recently named officer in charge of the “Iranian front,” a reference to expectations of a flare-up with Iran and its ally Syria in the wake of the recent Lebanon conflict.

According to the newspaper, Jerusalem believes that Tehran and Damascus have been buoyed by the perceived success of their Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, against Israeli forces, and might therefore consider entering open conflict themselves.

Raising the stakes further is Iran’s refusal to abandon uranium enrichment despite the threat of U.N. Security Council sanctions. Israel has not ruled out military action as a last resort for denying its arch-foe the means to make nuclear weapons. Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the report.

Israel said eyeing Iran, Syria war

[Shammu]

Israel plans for war with Iran and Syria
Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv, and Sarah Baxter, New York
THREATENED by a potentially nuclear-armed Tehran, Israel is preparing for a possible war with both Iran and Syria, according to Israeli political and military sources.

The conflict with Hezbollah has led to a strategic rethink in Israel. A key conclusion is that too much attention has been paid to Palestinian militants in Gaza and the West Bank instead of the two biggest state sponsors of terrorism in the region, who pose a far greater danger to Israel’s existence, defence insiders say.

“The challenge from Iran and Syria is now top of the Israeli defence agenda, higher than the Palestinian one,” said an Israeli defence source. Shortly before the war in Lebanon Major-General Eliezer Shkedi, the commander of the air force, was placed in charge of the “Iranian front”, a new position in the Israeli Defence Forces. His job will be to command any future strikes on Iran and Syria.

The Israeli defence establishment believes that Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear programme means war is likely to become unavoidable.

“In the past we prepared for a possible military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities,” said one insider, “but Iran’s growing confidence after the war in Lebanon means we have to prepare for a full-scale war, in which Syria will be an important player.”

A new infantry brigade has been formed named Kfir (lion cub), which will be the largest in the Israeli army. “It is a partial solution for the challenge of the Syrian commando brigades, which are considered better than Hezbollah’s,” a military source said.

There has been grave concern in Israel over a military pact signed in Tehran on June 15 between Iran and Syria, which the Iranian defence minister described as a “mutual front against Israeli threats”. Israel has not had to fight against more than one army since 1973.

During the war in Lebanon, Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour, the Iranian founder of Hezbollah, warned: “If the Americans attack Iran, Iran will attack Tel Aviv with missiles.”

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, both Iran and Syria have ballistic missiles that can cover most of Israel, including Tel Aviv. An emergency budget has now been assigned to building modern shelters.

“The ineptness of the Israeli Defence Forces against Hezbollah has raised the Iranians’ confidence,” said a leading defence analyst.

In Washington, the military hawks believe that an airstrike against Iranian nuclear bunkers remains a more straightforward, if risky, operation than chasing Hezbollah fighters and their mobile rocket launchers in Lebanon.

“Fixed targets are hopelessly vulnerable to precision bombing, and with stealth bombers even a robust air defence system doesn’t make much difference,” said Richard Perle, a leading neoconservative.

The option of an eventual attack remains on the table after President George Bush warned on Friday that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

While the American State Department favours engaging with President Bashar Assad of Syria in the hope of detaching him from the Iranian alliance, hawks believe Israel missed a golden opportunity to strike at Syria during the Hezbollah conflict.

“If they had acted against Syria during this last kerfuffle, the war might have ended more quickly and better,” Perle added. “Syrian military installations are sitting ducks and the Syrian air force could have been destroyed on the ground in a couple of days.” Assad set off alarm bells in Israel when he said during the war in Lebanon: “If we do not obtain the occupied Golan Heights by peaceful means, the resistance option is there.”

Israel plans for war with Iran and Syria

[Shammu]

For the last 2 news pieces.......... My guess would be we'd be on Israel's side when push comes to shove. Iran has long been considered a supporter of terrorism. Bush has pressed on with the "War on Terror" despite loud objections from various groups. I can't imagine him backing down against this. I'm sure he'll hold off diplomatically as long as possible.

I am sure Bush is aware of the prophecies of Iran and Russia through the bible and it is just smart for the U.S. to have a presence in the middle east right now. Say what you want against the Iraq war that could be Bushs way of creating a large presence in that region for possible future scenarios. The problem is the media fallout that occurs when we do not make progress and it can create a national outcry against war and therefore any future president would have a difficult time rallying the U.S. for another premptive strike against a country like Iran, therefore it would have to be a situation that was forced by "retaliation" for an attack or a threat so big that we had to take action, like the achievment of nuclear capabilities or some sort of strike against Israel.

The wild cards here are "weapons" and interests within the countries like Iran by bigger suppliers by Russia and the other big wild card is Oil and Natural Gas in which Russia owns the largest percentage through Gazprom with Iran and the middle eastern countries owning the largest percentage of oil.

Those wild cards could play a huge factor. If Iran cut off its flow of oil and caused gas prices to soar into the 5.00-7.00 range it would cripple the U.S. economy and it would prompt a war based on protecting our way of life. When those kinds of things start happening and they could happen then the stability of the world is going to get very dicey.