text:
Israel's Options After America's Foreign Policy Debacle (from Gatestone)
At the Gatestone Institute, a group of journalists with diverse backgrounds and outlooks reviews world events with a view to American security, with special emphasis on the Middle East. Our focus this week: What does Israel do in the context of a debacle in U.S. foreign policy under the Obama administration? Our conclusion is that Israel's reasons to strike Iran have multiplied with the emergence of a Muslim Brotherhood threat on its southern border and the possibility of an Egyptian-Iranian rapprochement.
Here is the summary of events we began with. Our roundtable discussion can be found at The Gate blog at the Gatestone website.
Israeli President Shimon Peres, supported by a substantial section of Israeli opinion, insists that Israel cannot strike Iran's nuclear program without the support of the United States. President Obama, as Ha'aretz defense analyst Amos Harel observes, has done everything to dissuade Israel from attacking Iran short of appearing in person before the Knesset. Senior American officials, most recently Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, have been trotted out to assert that Israel can't stop Iran's nuclear program single-handed.
The problem is that American foreign policy faces catastrophic failure, or rather a comprehensive set of failures, bearing directly on Israeli security. Not only have sanctions failed to deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons program, but the Islamic Republic has broken out of diplomatic isolation. Turkey, supposedly America's partner in regional diplomacy, has reached out to Russia and China. And Egypt has reached out to Iran while threatening Israel in the Sinai. China is hosting a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement at which Iran will assume the organization's three-year rotating chairmanship. Egyptian President Morsi will visit Tehran on Aug. 25 on his way back from the summit.
In our April 12 summary, we concluded that
…the fluid and chaotic situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the rapidly dwindling pre-Islamist-takeover interregnum in Egypt both argued in favor of the likelihood of an Israeli strike on Iran. The current lack of real equilibrium is favorable for — and even invites — radical game-changing actions. Whatever equilibrium is established in the future (whenever that is) is likely to be much less favorable for Israel and more favorable for Iran, insofar as both Israel and the US will be in weaker positions and their Sunni rivals will be both weaker and poorer.
The shift towards a new equilibrium "much less favorable for Israel and more favorable for Iran" was already in progress as we wrote, with the purge of the Egyptian military's old guard and its replacement by officers allied to the Muslim Brotherhood. If Israel does nothing, it is likely to confront
1) A major Egyptian military presence in the Sinai in contravention of the Camp David treaty. An Egyptian build-up is already in progress.
2) An open alliance between Cairo and the Hamas government in Gaza, allowing Hamas to acquire new offensive capacities. As Amos Harel observed in yesterday's roundtable of Gatestone analysts, Israel already faces rocket attacks in parts of the country previously considered immune.
3) An alliance between Sunni Muslim Brotherhood elements in Syria and Iranian-sponsored Shi'ite irregulars, and Hizbollah in Lebanon.
Threats to Israel from the Sinai, Gaza, Lebanon and Syrian borders are likely to worsen as the Egyptian rapprochement with Iran proceeds. Iran's capacity to retaliate against any prospective Israeli strike will be enhanced and may include threats from Egypt.
The dilemma facing Jerusalem is that Israel can't live without the United States, but it also can't live with it. That may compel Israel to maneuver independently of Washington. As Rotem Sella reported on The Gate Aug. 17, there is speculation that Israel may concede the European natural gas market to Russia in return for Russia's forbearance in delivering anti-aircraft systems to Iran.
104 Comments, 42 Threads
1. impeach 0bama
I expected war by now – in fact last year. With the feckless and distracted 0bumbler admin with their sharia loving state dept in 'charge', I expect that Israel has no choice than attack Persia before Nov American elections. After Nov, 0bumbler win or lose will actually attack Israel on behalf of his Nazi allies
[The Arab/Muslim Nazi Connection
http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/medigest/may00/arabnazi.html.August 20, 2012 - 8:28 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
To add to the mix, please read – http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/07/12/a-global-conflagration-is-upon-usdespite-the-persistent-dreamers-in-our-midst-addendum-to-the-mother-of-all-wars-is-upon-us-commentary-by-adina-kutnicki/,
In this regard, it is infinitely clear – pre-emptive striking IS the only option left!!
August 21, 2012 - 3:42 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
Raymond in DC
The region's "rain season" begins mid- to late- October and lasts until Spring, which would affect both aerial operations and missile defense systems. Something Israel's military planners are no doubt taking into account.
August 21, 2012 - 9:53 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Raymond, you are correct….moon patterns too…but see this 'http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/08/21/the-mother-of-all-strikes-a-very-real-possibility-to-be-unleashed-against-iran-adina-kutnicki/.
We will wake up, one morning in the near future, hardly knowing what havoc was wrecked the night before…only to hear sirens blaring throughout the country…and, to those of us who have offspring in the army (2 Reservists of my own)…calls that they are off to protect our homeland.
It is what it is.
Prayers more than welcome!
August 21, 2012 - 12:47 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
Finn McCoole
USA won't attack Iran because USA doesn't know how to win a war anymore; the record speaks for itself. Israel is, as usual, abusing its position of influence in the run-up to the presidential election.
August 22, 2012 - 4:54 am Link to this Comment | Reply
2. impeach 0bama
A general question -
What has happened to our top military brass, that they are abandoning their oath to
protect our country from enemies foreign and domestic and becoming sharia loving proislamists?August 20, 2012 - 8:33 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
Oh that's an easy one. The same thing that has happened to the U.S. Congress. They have all abdicated their constitutional obligations in favor of whatever Obama and his cronies favor, which to date has been a disaster. A disaster for the informed, but not for the sizable portion of our voting citizens who believe that the twin amateurs Obama and Clinton are two of the brightest and best that have ever been in the WH or at State.
I suspect that the leaders of Congress and the Military are huddled in some room whining and wringing their hands and chanting "What a world, What a world".
August 21, 2012 - 8:53 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
Perfumed Princes.
The US Military command structure has never been very good. While the USA has produced some notable military leaders, those exceptions just make the run of the mill flag officer seem worse then they really are. The US government fears a military coup more then a military defeat. That is why for the first century of America's existence we had more of a constabulary then an army. The early Army spent most of it's time chasing outlaws, Indians and criminals. War was for the militia.
That changed during and after the War of Secession. The south had the Military leaders. The north had Grant, the factories and millions of farm boys. Time and again the south defeated the north. Time and again the north made good it's loses, re-equipped it's fresh draftees and attacked some more. That set the US Army on the path to attrition warfare.
When you are a continent that thinks it is a country, with a treasure trove of natural resources, a gifted, hard-working, innovative population, attrition warfare WORKS. Even better, it requires no leadership.
So after 200+ years, the USA has stupid, lazy generals. They advance by their bureaucratic skills. Military competence is frowned upon. They are dogs, trained to heel.
Fortunately, our weapons wizards produce the finest weapons there are. The people using them are intelligent, skilled and motivated. Good enough to win even with dumb and dumber leading them and Alfred E, Newman in overall high command.An IAF airstrike is a high risk venture. The best it can do is put a temporary halt to the Iranian nuclear weapons program. It will take about half the IAF and their losses could be as high as 10%.
The USAF can shut down ALL of Iran and the US Navy can keep it shut as long as Congress wants it shut. Without losing more then 2 aircraft ( if that, I'm figuring 2 because some pilot will do something brave and stoopid and at least one Haji will get lucky).
Bush should have done it in 2004.Celer, Silens, Mortalis.
August 21, 2012 - 5:18 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
"Perfumed Princes" – not a bad indictment, although given the political parameters w/in which they operate it is ultimately hard to tell.
"The south had the Military leaders. The north had Grant, the factories and millions of farm boys …" and Meade, and Sheridan and, of course, the indispensible Sherman.
"Time and again the south defeated the north. Time and again the north made good it's loses, re-equipped it's fresh draftees and attacked some more" … Yes, hard to say how many more cases where the "south defeated the north" in 'brilliant' invasions such as Antietam and Gettysburg, the CSA could have taken.
"That set the US Army on the path to attrition warfare"… a lot of truth there, but of course when he was writing his book on the great 19th century American practitioner of maneuver warfare Liddell Hart choose as his subject neither Lee, nor Jackson nor Stuart, but W.T. Sherman.
August 21, 2012 - 5:35 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
3. Marcel
'As Amos Harel observed in yesterday's roundtable of Gatestone analysts, Israel already faces rocket attacks in parts of the country previously considered immune'
This and all the other 'situations' that Israel now faces are the 'peace dividends' now bearing their fruit.
Israel's religious devotion to the U.S. led Road Map is now being rewarded,full bloom.
What I don't hear any ex-spurts and talking heads mentioning is how U.S. policy is directly responsible for weakening and restraining Israel and emboldening her neighbors far and wide.
It was President Bush who twisted P.M. Sharon's arm to ethnically cleanse every living and dead Jew from Gaza as well as coming to the rescue of Hezbollah and Hamas to embolden Iran.
What a discouraged Iran we would have today if Israel had not been bullied into retreating by the President who loved to hold hands with his Saudi counterpart.The U.S. policy where Israel has been forced to appeases and reward bad behavior,goodwill gestures and the like will have severe blow back on the U.S.,the originator of this nefarious.phony peace scheme hatched in hell.
You can bank on divine payback for our dirty deed that Israel must dig out of now all by themselves.
After this war Israel will have learned a painful lesson; America is not Israel's God.August 20, 2012 - 9:06 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Without defending the policies of various US administrations to restrain Israel, one must concede that every time the Israeli jets cross international boundaries the potential for a general conflagration of the Middle East arises. That would interrupt the world's supply of crude oil, not just for days or weeks but perhaps for years. Such an interruption would not be a mere inconvenience; western economies would be strangled, millions of jobs lost, perhaps there would be civil unrest, even open conflict in some other areas as nations scrambled to secure the remaining supplies. So far, it hasn't happened, but it could. Hence the almost pathetic efforts to constrain Israel, and others as well, from military actions in the Middle East.
August 21, 2012 - 8:34 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
All the more reason to drill and use our own limitless oil in Alaska and the Dakotas. Secure our energy I dependence and back Israel's play. I'll fight for them.
August 21, 2012 - 2:16 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
4. ShaulieH
Considering the looming bankruptcy of Egypt, I have been amazed at the news the last few weeks. I am not a fan of conspiracy theories generally, but I have to wonder if we are not watching a grand conspiracy unfold.
The military knows the nation is bankrupt and that there is no way the country can avoid a massive economic catastrophe. They don't have a way out and don't want to be blamed. So they hand off to the Brotherhood. But the Brotherhood DID NOT HAVE to take the handoff. They could easily have let the military retain control, get blamed for the disaster, and then assert control after the fact. Instead, they deliberately insert themselves into the political power structure. Since it is difficult to believe they don't know about the looming cash crunch, they are clearly thinking they can survive the coming storm.
So what is the plan and where is this headed? Most importantly, who is going to eat when the food runs out?
I don't see how this is resolved in any reasonable scenario. I think we are looking at a massive humanitarian disaster, followed by several (hopefully brief) wars.
I think the scapegoats are going to take all of the blame, once they are identified. Israel and the Coptic Christian community are obvious targets, but they will likely not be the only ones. There is going to be a lot of pain and suffering going around and human nature says someone is going to have to pay for that.August 20, 2012 - 9:28 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Re:"who is going to eat when the food runs out?"
Answer: most of the important ones. Food will never run out, it will always be supplied by the hated US. Just look at NorK for an example on how it works.August 20, 2012 - 12:52 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
There will be no cash crunch in Egypt. A billion or two from Qatar and support from Iran and other unnamed sources will keep the Egyptian people fed and clothed. The US will beg the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood to take money and arms from them. Why will this be the inevitable course of events? Because a famine in Egypt will, as it should, cause massive migration to Europe, the US and other areas including South America. No one wishes to be directly responsible for such threat to local hegemonies. Better to pay up front.
Support for the Muslim Brotherhood also reduces Israel's ability to live in peace, a goal of most everyone nowadays. That Egyptians will be slaughtered in the Sinai is just fine with those in the West. As long as the Israelis are prevented from dominating world commerce, media, and industry, then almost any price is worth it. A million dead Egyptians is not too high a price to pay. Such is the world view of the European and Muslim Antisemites.
Of course, the proper response to chaos in Egypt by the US and Europe should be the strengthening of ties between Israel and Egypt. The logic of supporting local industry with Israeli industrial partners is too positive a role to play since Israel will be strengthened, when the goal is to weaken it.
In my personal thinking, until now I have never ascribed to the prophetic view that quotes the strange promise of God to Abraham in Genesis: Those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel shall be cursed. How strange to see this ancient view played out in most venues of conflict that includes the Jews. I cannot see these crises as anything but the absolute triumph of irrationality among diverse groups of humans.
August 21, 2012 - 12:37 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
How do you figure the numbers? $3 bn monthly trade deficit, minus $4 or $5 billion from the Suez Canal, maybe $5 to %7 in tourism, and something in remittances — I guesstimate an annual financing requirement in the $22 to $25 bn range. That's about Qatar's total foreign exchange reserves.
August 21, 2012 - 4:35 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Tourism? I'm thinking that is a pretty bad idea at least in the near term. If someone wants to walk into an ongoing conflict that includes individuals who think blowing up the pyramids would be a good thing THEN have a nice time and don't ask me for hostage money directly or through taxes. It's like feeling sorry for someone wandering around the inner city of Detroit at midnight on any given night of the year and assuming nothing could go wrong. No thanks.
August 21, 2012 - 9:06 am Link to this Comment | Reply
5. Jack in Silver Spring
We have an Administration that has a massive recto-cranial inversion. Thus it leads from (its) behind.
August 20, 2012 - 9:44 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
6. Professor Guvinoff
Israel will make the decisions that need to be made by herself, for herself, which might well be to "grab the bull by the horns", as the French like to say. There is no way the pentagon does not undestand that, and did not propose, and get approved, suitable contingency plans for a "surprise" Israeli initiative.
Leading from behind is a rather exotic specialty, but some equally exotic operators have demonstrated fluency in this exquisite art form. If the president is cornered into having to support Israel (against his superior judgment, of course), he will, because that will be his only "option"! He may in fact welcome someone else taking the blame for setting things in motion.
Fluidity, What a concept!
August 20, 2012 - 11:43 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Did you mean Quixotic Specialty? Just wondering, seems more the norm these days.
August 21, 2012 - 8:58 am Link to this Comment | Reply
7. MarcH
#2: "What has happened to our top military brass …"?
I'd say the blame falls on the voters. This is true not only in presidential elections, but right now, w/respect to every member of Congress. Every congressman is potentially open to influence from constituents to take a stand against Iran. For example, Congress could pass a limited use of force resolution giving the president authority to act against the Iranian nuclear program and associated targets with military force should he see it as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons production capability. This would be a dramatic sign to both the administration and to Iran that there is credible and broad based support in the U.S. to act w/military force.
W/respect to U.S. Orthodox Jews, a group w/which I identify, this failure is especially painful. One wonders what might have been accomplished if, in addition to 90,000 plus Orthodox Jews attending the recent Siyum HaShas (completion of the 7.5 year daily Talmud study cycle) festivities at Met Life Stadium in NJ, the attendees had spent the day in DC walking the halls of Congress and creating media opportunities. How is this not a case of pikuach nefesh (the commandment to cease all other activities and act as best one can to prevent a significant risk to life)?
#2: "What has happened to our top military brass …"? … w/respect to the common American soldier, many gave and continue to give their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan for wars that were supposed to be about not allowing "the world's worst leaders to blackmail, threaten, hold freedom-loving nations hostage with the world's worst weapons. (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/weapons.html#8lsWIMvl2VK5fGaD.99)".
August 20, 2012 - 11:51 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
There is an unavoidable response to the great wickedness,violence,corruption and Sodomite values which the US has been at the forefront in leading by example.
Not even Torah study can erase the stain of the perverse gay parades here and in Jerusalem.
Judgment day is here upon the nations and nothing and no one can stop it,not even Mitten's Romney.
http://www.injesus.com/messages/content/414964August 20, 2012 - 12:16 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Whoa, steady Marcel … IMHO, it's not quite the Day of Judgment. It's a serious political problem with a serious political solution still possible.
Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes…
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave!
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!
Mayor: All right, all right! I get the point!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ZOKDmorj0)August 20, 2012 - 12:41 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Jack, Spindok and ShaulieH – Thanks for responses.
Spindok – I didn't write that they shouldn't have gone to the SHS, just that it is sad that a similar effort was not made to lobby Congress. I am certainly not qualified to engage in homiletics, but I'd say that I'm only advocating that we humbly follow in the example of our father Jacob/Israel, with a strategy combing prayer with the political techniques of building friendships and being prepared to struggle (engage in politics, in the US context). I'm not suggesting that we "trust in princes", but that we do what we can to urge them to adopt a wise (for the U.S., Israel and the whole world) course of action. I have been especially inspired by the analysis of Yoram Hazony of Mordechai's political activism fortified by an ultimate faith in Gd's goodness and justice (http://yoramhazony.org/books/the-dawn). I could also cite Shemot/Exodus 14:15. Finally, I'd say we are not permitted to rely in miracles.
ShaulieH – I'd say there are many ways to have an effect beyond raw numbers and piles of cash (although those are good). In my experience members of Congress are interested in meeting with open-minded groups of constituents, are often concerned or willing to learn about important issues, and respond to small gestures (ex. a small local Jewish PAC taking out an ad in a Jewish paper to endorse a particular candidate because of certain policies). By way of personal example, several months ago I was part of a small group that met with a U.S. representative concerning Iran. At our urging he co-sponsored HR4137, the Iran Energy Sector and Proliferation Act (subsequently passed and signed). It's not blowing up the Deathstar with one shot, but as you know, real life activism is the process of small steps.
Jack – There is an Orthodox Jew of my acquaintance (BTW, he's a Shayner Yid) with a "Keep the Golan in Israel!" bumper sticker on one side of his car and Obama 2008 and 2012 (!) stickers on the other side. Go figure.
Chazak V'ematz—be strong and of good courage
August 20, 2012 - 3:31 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
interesting times
http://www.trunews.com/Audio/8_20_12_monday_trunews2.mp3August 20, 2012 - 3:54 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
Jack in Silver Spring
MarcH – Excellent points. Also, I don't understand why any Jew, let alone an Orthodox Jew would vote for Obama, but I know plenty of the latter who will, much to my deep disappointment.
August 20, 2012 - 12:52 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Larry, Israel
I believe the answer is fairly simple and will disappoint you even more – assimilation in the US is so deep and broad that the 'national' part of Jewish identity has disappeared for most. This includes at least half of the Orthodox, probably more.
August 21, 2012 - 7:16 am Link to this Comment | Reply
I have a nephew who was at the Siyum. Maybe better what they did than engage in politics.
Psalm 118
ט טוֹב, לַחֲסוֹת בַּיהוָה– מִבְּטֹחַ, בִּנְדִיבִים. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.Do we mean that? Or is it just poetry? I do not know but these days a little faith is a good thing if you can find it.
August 20, 2012 - 2:03 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
RE Orthodox Jews, with whom I also identify, I am sorry, but they are too small a constituency to really have much of an effect yet. 90K people filling a stadium to celebrate a religious milestone is news – 250K people marching in DC is just another Sunday. Frankly, the media find it easy to ignore and undercount rallies of over 1mm people in Washington DC while playing up much smaller rallies by groups like Occupy Wall Street. The Orthodox community does not yet have the numbers to make a dent on things like this. Worse yet, it is concentrated mostly in a single state (NY) that is not really even a player when it comes to Presidential politics. (Too solid blue to matter.)
August 20, 2012 - 2:08 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
8. Mike Walsh
Q: What possibility is there that Egypt will attempt to annex Libya, and if so what would we do?
Q: If Israel responds to continued provocation by attacking Iran, what is the likelihood that CBW –somebody must have Saddam's leftovers, plus other homemade stuff– will be used against Israel, and if so, could she even survive such an attack? If such weapons are used, does that draw us in more actively? Jeepers, there is no telling where this situation is headed, is there?August 20, 2012 - 1:27 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
NO chance of Egypt invading Libya. They don't have the fuel for one thing. The Abrams is a bad-a$$ MBT, but it gets lousy mileage. That doesn't matter to the US army, which has the world best logistics support and lots of money for fuel. It really sucks for 3rd world mudholes that can't afford a pot to piss in.
The EU would NOT allow Egypt to control their OIL supply. It would be Egypt's several dozen F-16′s against Hundreds of Typhoons, Rafales, and a few Eurofighters. Once the F-16′s were shot down, the Tornado GR4s would turn those pretty MBT'S INTO SCRAP METAL."Israel responds to continued provocation by attacking Iran, what is the likelihood that CBW"
Zero. If terrorists had access to WMD, they would have already used it. The best thing about Nukes is they have long shelf lives. 10- to 20 years, depending on design factors and how good your chemists are. Mustard gas stores the longest of the chemical weapons. The shelf life of things like Sarin and VX is measured in months. The Sarin transferred from Iraq in '03 has long been inert. By the time any Syrian chemical weapons make it to the black market and change hands, it will not be potent.
Liberals use WMD like your nanny used the boogie man. Something to keep you from crawling under the bed when they were coming to spank you.
You are supposed to tremble in fear and believe the fookin liberals when they start wetting their panties about WMD. Instead, you should laugh and offer to suck it up with a straw.You have nothing to fear but fear itself.
August 21, 2012 - 6:03 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
I still do not think Israel has the capability of attacking Iran in a way that would do real damage to Iran's military capabilities for any substantial length of time. Only USAF/USN has that kind of fire power.
If the US would join Israel to make an attack, I think it has sufficient causes belli. But, there is no way that President Hussein would launch an attack on a Muslim nation. That being the case. Israel must adopt another course, and the US must help.
The US must build an airbase in the Negev, with a couple of armored brigades as guards, and a large contingent of missile defense and advanced radars, and it must also use Haifa as a home port for a squadron of Aegis ships. The base in the Negev would provide tangible evidence of the commitment of the United States to Israel's security, and Israel's position under the US' nuclear umbrella, just as bases in Western Europe did during the Cold War. The armored brigades on the base would deter the Egyptians from adventurism, although it is clear that the Brotherhood ruled country will have enormous problems just feeding itself, and will not have the resources to do anything.
2. Israel should instal advanced anti-missile radars on Mt. Hermon. Make it clear that an Iranian nuclear weapon is the absolute end of any idea of returning the Golan to Syria. There is a price to pay, and Syria will have to pay it on behalf of its protector.
3. Israel must embark on a major civil defense program, to equip every residence and commercial building in Israel with underground shelters with 2 weeks of food and water. A nuclear attack is a devastating thing to absorb, but most of the people who will die in one, will die from radiation and fires that are the secondary effects of the blast. Most of those deaths can be prevented. Further, the Iranians are not so capable that they can be sure of hitting the center of their targets. An Iranian missile aimed at Tel Aviv has a decent chance of blowing up in the sea, but the clouds of radioactive steam that it would create could be deadly, but not to a protected population.
The Swiss created such a system during the Cold War: "La Place de la Concorde Suisse" by John McPhee:
– http://www.amazon.com/Place-Concorde-Suisse-John-McPhee/dp/0374519323/
Israel's military is based on the Swiss example. Israel's civil defense, should be based on the Swiss example also.
It would have the additional effect of blunting missile attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah.
4. Israel must make it clear to Iran and the Palestinians, that the Palestinians are hostages for Iran's good behavior. An attack on Israel will lead to the expulsion of all Palestinians from the land between the Jordan River and The Mediterranean Sea. And that Mosque, it has been mortgaged.
5. The Keystone Pipeline must be approved immediately, ans all restrictions on oil drilling in coastal waters of the US must be permanently removed. The foreign policy of the US cannot be dictated by shell collectors.
August 20, 2012 - 2:22 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Maine's Michael
Israel must defend itself, by itself.
No American troops in Israel.
That we be the death of israeli independance.
Not going to happen.
The opposite is needed. Israel must move out from vassal status to an unreliable patron.
A successful independant Israeli action would signal the shift into israel's status as more than just a regional power.
August 20, 2012 - 6:07 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
There is a volume of thought that went into your post, as there is as well in Goldman's insightful article.Can you actuallly see Obama basing an air force wing in Negeev? It would take months to establish a base. Although I can certainly see the strategic signifigance of establishing a base as a trip wire shield, the long term consequences could be disasterous for the US. It is far easier to add a carrier to the gulf fleet, and far less diplomatically toxic to do it.
One thing is certain, Goldman has his finger on the dynamics that are driving the calculations in Israel. The alliance between Morsi and the Iranians is proof that US policy under the "piano legged wench" has been a complete disaster. Assad only needed a hard shove to go into the ash bin and Obumbles had a chance to attrit the Iranian mullahs badly in 2009 and couldn't stomach the thought. He is the opposite of intelligent.
Instead, his "spring" has assembled an additional threat to Israel and created a new Axis alliance of evil.
Israel is going to have to act. It is going to be interesting to see how they play their cards.
It just goes to show how clueless Odumdum and his Sec of State actually are.
August 21, 2012 - 3:15 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Larry, Israel
Weak argument. Apply the same logic to American defense and you'd be a liberal. Don't stand for your allies = don't stand for yourself.
August 21, 2012 - 9:20 am Link to this Comment | Reply
Eric R.
I have heard that solution proposed before. It would make Israel somewhat analagous to South Korea – American trooops are there basically as a political tripwire against the nuclear wackos of North Korea.
The only problem is that the Iranians are far more crazy and filled with hate. They have no problems with their people dying by the tens of millions if it means exterminating the Jews, and some GIs with it.
The mullahs making those plans have deep bunkers underground, and while they will happily make martyrs of 70+ million Iranians, they will not be among them.
August 21, 2012 - 3:41 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
10. litvac120
None of the comments above mentioned Israel's Nuclear Weapons.
Israel must make it clear that it's not hamstrung any longer
by US and will use them if the need arises.It must increase
production and find innovative ways of hiding and protecting.
The submarines should only be one of the ways.
Any assault from Gaza or Lebanon must be met with a devastating reply,
even if that means huge civilian population casualties.
The Arab world must be made to understand that Armageddon may
well be their future.
litvac120August 20, 2012 - 9:02 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
11. prole30
I think it depends on the intelligence, just like in the bombing of the Iraq and Syrian nuclear facilities. If the intelligence comes back and says they are this close, and no one else is doing anything, then I think Israel will act. It may just slow them down, but that buys time. The question has been if hitting Iraq drives them into another war with Lebanon since Hezbollah might want to respond. The difference between this Lebanon war and the former is that last time they tried to limit attacks to Hezbollah; this time all of Lebanon will hit, their entire infrastructure will be destroyed. You got to do what you got to do.
August 21, 2012 - 1:20 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
12. BioBob
Israel needs to immediately respond to any Egyptian provocation by reoccupying the Sinai. Any further provocation by Morsi should result in the closing of the Suez canal.
The humiliation of the islamist and international pressure to reopen the canal should take care of the rest. However, Israel should not withdraw from the Sinai until a new. less irrational Egyptian government is in place, stable, and reparations are paid for the inevitable loss of life precipitated by their moronic actions. Of course one should expect such behavior from the medieval mindset that only responds to the boot on the neck. Sad really.
August 21, 2012 - 1:45 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Maine's Michael
Please. The next time Sinai is taken, it must be forever. Actions have consequences.
Why must the game board always be reset when the cheaters and haters lose?
August 21, 2012 - 6:47 am Link to this Comment | Reply
13. Menachem Ben Yakov
We have a saying here, " Those that talk don't know and those that know don't talk. "
We will do what we have to do when we have to do it.
MBY Yerushalayim
August 21, 2012 - 1:50 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Just don't wait too long as you may not get a second chance.
August 21, 2012 - 2:35 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Menachem Ben Yakov
I trust our leadership to make the right choice and more importantly I trust The Almighty.
August 21, 2012 - 5:42 am Link to this Comment | Reply
'We will do what we have to do when we have to do it.'
After the poodle Netanyahu and the lap dog Barak get their green light from their pimp in Washington ?
Secular rule in Israel has failed miserably as the god of Netanyahu and Barak,America, has turned into a millstone around Israel's neck.Old Shimon 'shimmy' Peres that foreign agent is paying Obama the destroyer for that freedom medal he got last month.
At 89, Peres sees himself as the "irresponsible adult who brought so much suffering to Israel with his cursed and failed Oslo debacle" and he feels he should continue to bring more pain and suffering to Israel before he checks out ,you have to remember that he's got to pay for that medal that he got from the destroyer Obama in Washington,and we all know whose interests he serves, Gelber surmised.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/did-shimon-we-cant-go-it-alone-on-iran-peres-shatter-the-precedents-of-presidents/August 21, 2012 - 4:19 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Menachem Ben Yakov
Most politicians stink. No one takes Peres seriously any more. Barak is the classic case of great soldier/lousy politician. Netanyahu has done an outstanding job both at home and abroad.
Israel is an island of stability and freedom in a neighborhood filled with dictatorships and religious oppression.
And, not to be overlooked,we may be the only country in the area where Dempsey can land his plane safely.
August 21, 2012 - 5:37 am Link to this Comment | Reply
"Severe economic distress benefits the Muslim Brotherhood. I wrote in the Asia Times April 11 under the headline "Muslim Brotherhood Chooses Chaos," that the Brotherhood would use shortages of food and fuel to consolidate its power in the street:"
It occurred to me that the current administration under Obama is also hoping to "consolidate power" by "severe economic distress"; after all, the MB in the WH and the MB in Egypt are one and the same. Obama has bad advisers; MB advisers who's influence seems obvious to me. I'm not holding my breath regarding Obama, but I know that Yahweh is merciful and kind and that he will give Obama every opportunity to wholeheartedly embrace His Israel. Obama's "waterloo" is closer than he thinks; I hope and pray that he "blesses" Israel so that he himself (and the U.S.A.) will receive blessing.
August 21, 2012 - 3:03 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
My great fear is that Israel has already waited too long for a strike against Iran's nuclear-development facilities alone.
The ayatollahs don't have a perfect grip on Iran, but an assault from outside would more likely strengthen than weaken them…unless it were to remove them as well. Iran has 75 million subjects to Israel's 8 million, and political, military, and economic allies all around it; a protracted war would not be in Israel's favor. However, a regime-decapitation expedition would be far more complex than a counterforce strike. It might require more "boots on the ground" than Israel could safely commit to the enterprise.
I hope Israel's planners and analysts have the best available information, and that their decisions are both accurate and timely. A big mistake, even in fully justified self-defense, could be the end of their nation.
August 21, 2012 - 4:07 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
16. Arnold On The Island
The Iranian underground nuclear facilities are probably more vulnerable than anybody will admit.
They all have entrances: Bomb and collapse the mountains over the entrances and go back and do it again when they get close to digging out. No boots on ground required.Destroy their ability to generate electricity and plunge the entire country into darkness. They can't do anything without electricity-no nation can.Once again, no boots on ground required.
So they're getting around the sanctions?- destroy their oil export terminals.
In short order what's left of their economy goes south really fast. Again no boots.Worried about collateral damages to so called "innocent civilians". Well none of them are innocent. They all hate with equal fervor and as far as I'm concerned they're all equally guilty, just not wearing uniforms is all.
This is a "street fight" writ large. If you get into one and manage to knock your opponent down by whatever means-if you want to live you never let him get up off the ground, period!
August 21, 2012 - 5:09 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
If Israel can attack Iranian nuclear facilities with air raids one day, she might also attack other Iranian assets the next days, you're right. Such repeated raids could become costly in terms of downed fighter aircrafts, but the Israeli leadership may order them nonetheless if they believe the stakes to be high enough. The issue for such follow-on raids, as well for the very first ones in fact, is that Iran too may strike economic assets in Israel so as to collapse her economy.
From the moral point of view Iranian leaders would probably be ready. Your sentences that "none of (enemy civilians) are innocent" and that "they're all equally guilty, just not wearing uniforms is all" they would probably approve.
More important, they seem to have the ability to attack enough critical economic assets to collapse e.g. Israeli power generation. Israel has only 4 major electricity stations. Iranian leadership would use their significant arsenal of precise indigenously-produced medium range ballistic missiles, armed with HE warheads or with submunitions, striking from Iranian territory in too large numbers for the "Arrow" Israeli antimissile system to cope.
More details in my post #46 here (third point) http://pjmedia.com/spengler/2012/02/17/logistics-of-an-israeli-strike-on-iran-an-informed-view-from-germany/
and in post #5 and follow-ups here
http://pjmedia.com/spengler/2012/08/13/middle-east-chaos-makes-israeli-iran-strike-more-likely/#commentsAugust 21, 2012 - 8:46 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
Tactically and logistically I think boots will need to be on the ground.
IDF special forces will likely provide real time intelligence near targeted facilities. They will likely laser designate the targets for precise accuracy. Israel has a limited number of GBU deep penetration bombs, accuracy will count. They will probably attempt to disrupt anti aircraft capability, as well. I would expect that they will also be present for rescue efforts if pilots are shot down.
In the event the IDF attempts to decapitate their opponent they will need special forces for that direct action mission.
My bet is there will have to be boots on the ground. It will enhance the likelyhood of success.
August 21, 2012 - 8:55 am Link to this Comment | Reply
17. Viator
1) Israel carries through an attack on Iran's nuclear resources.
2) Iran responds through proxies but also closes Strait of Hormuz.
3) US Navy and Iran commence military operations in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman
4) Enough US casualties and loses occur to draw a larger US response with political cover similar to Gulf of Tonkin.
5) Obama becomes a war president quite possibly with full red, white and blue MSM support.
6) It would be betting the pot, timing would be critical. The effect might resemble the 2007 financial collapse and the ongoing 2007 elections, but there was no incumbent at that time.My observation is that politicians are risk adverse. They seldom make big bets when they can exert leverage in small increments.
August 21, 2012 - 5:40 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Menachem Ben Yakov
You assume we are willing to limit targets and restrict the use of our own available weaponry.
One doesn't bring a knife to a gunfight nor does one have to resort to conventional weapons when threatened with nuclear attacks. The Iranians have made the biggest mistake of all- their threats are completely unambiguous.
No one can doubt they will use a nuclear device on Israel if they get one. Therefore Israel has every legal and moral right to attack Iran with nuclear weapons.
If I were Prime Minister I would order an attack an Iranian nuke site and then demand an immediate surrender. If not forthcoming I would use a nuclear weapon on Teheran. There would be every moral and legal right to do so.
August 21, 2012 - 5:53 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
A war is fought without restrictions unless you are the United States that values it's soldiers less than favourable optics. My sympathy goes out to Israel in having an ally as fickle, uncommitted and unreliable as the United States. An ally that freely sacrifices it's own to please a world that laughs in it's face. Shame on a once great Country.
Israel, melt your enemies into the sand while you have the chance, next week the world will be more concerned about the next iphone.
August 21, 2012 - 7:39 am Link to this Comment | Reply
Nope. President Jarrett (D-Iran) diddles. Maybe the Brits act.
August 21, 2012 - 10:17 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
Viator…Your words sound rooted in wisdom, Sir
August 21, 2012 - 3:45 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
18. Mike of Mass
It comes down to the Saudis. How scared are they of the Shia Iranians? Will they give the Israelis overflight permission to enable the success of ta strike against Iran? Will they keep the operational secrecy (from Obama)?
August 21, 2012 - 6:29 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
19. David P. Goldman
I doubt the Saudis are the decisive factor. As Hans Ruehl observed here:
taking out protected facilities requires placing a second or third bunker-buster directly into the crater left by the first or second ones. Smart bombs have that capacity in theory, but the operational challenges to this kind of precision are daunting.August 21, 2012 - 6:38 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Ultimately, we must assume one of two things:
1 – the Israeli's do not believe they really have the capacity to inflict substantial damage on the Iranian nuclear program.
2 – the Israeli's believe they have such capacity.If 1 is true, than everything we here out of Israel is merely a feint attempting to influence the world to increase sanctions or act in other ways. If 2 is true, than they logically would be ready to attack once the risk / reward profile became most positive.
At this point, it is hard to believe in option 1. That would mean the Israeli's are bluffing. There is too much going on and the government is in too much turmoil for this to be merely an elaborate show. Israeli government is not disciplined enough to keep such a policy secret either. It seems clear that they believe they have at least some capability here. If so, the only question regarding Israeli intentions regards how they view the risk / reward calculations of a strike. This has even gone far enough for the government to seek support within the influential Sephardic Rabbinate. That implies a political contest to rally support for an imminent action. Believing that they will fail in their attempt does not enter into that equation. Of the potential negatives of a strike, pretty much all of them are realized as soon as a strike is attempted, regardless of its success or failure, so it would seem that we should be preparing for those negatives, or doing our best to change the risk / reward calculus of the Israeli government so that they do not attempt one. Debating how successful a strike might be seems to be beside the point.
What is left to discuss about this is the after effects. Assuming they don't really have the abilities that they think they have, what would be the medium and long term effect of an Israeli strike that does NOT succeed? Those are questions worth discussing. Hopefully the answers prove not to be necessary, but we should be planning for them just in case. Just don't expect our doubts to have any effect on the Israeli's willingness to proceed.
August 21, 2012 - 7:56 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
I think the picture from publicly available information is too foggy to get a reasonably trustful idea of the feasability of successful Israeli-only attacks against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
On the one hand, the picture by Hand Rühl which David Goldman pointed at is guardedly optimistic.
On the other hand, Russian electronic intelligence assets in Syria and Iranian Russian-produced "Tor M1″ air defense systems could create enough further problems to tip the balance in favour of Iranian defense. See the two first points in comment 46 here: http://pjmedia.com/spengler/2012/02/17/logistics-of-an-israeli-strike-on-iran-an-informed-view-from-germany/
Then of course, Israelis might have prepared tactical surprises to negate Tor M1 or Russian assets.
As Menachem Ben Yakov wrote, those that talk don't know and those that know don't talk…
August 21, 2012 - 8:28 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
I agree that the picture is unclear and that we can't really know what they will be able to accomplish. My point was that what we do or don't know does not matter at this point. What matters is what Israel is or is not going to do, which is dependent on how they see things, not on how we can or can't see them.
We can form an opinion of what the Israeli's think, based on their current actions, independent of our ability or lack thereof to determine their potential success or failure. It looks increasingly likely that Israel is going to attack Iran. It is time to stop debating about the likelihood of them doing so based on their ability to be successful, since that does not seem to be something they are worrying about with regard to their decision.
To the extent that we suspect they may fail, we can make preparations based on our beliefs about their capabilities, but we can't at this point, believe they will hold off simply because our assessment is that they will not succeed.
August 21, 2012 - 8:55 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
You're right of course. The Israeli leadership will make this call, and they alone. Like I said before, I'm convinced they are merely bluffing, but then I might be wrong. So preparing for the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran is a good idea anyway.
On a practical matter, what should those preparations be? Depends on where one is living:
- If in Israel, then you want to prepare for an economic disaster, such as would result from destruction of power stations, or less extreme strikes like on harbours and airports. Depending on personal wealth and patriotism, you might choose to emigrate during a few years until prosperity is restored or to tough it out and remain part of the team. If the latter, organize yourself in anticipation of severe hardships during months / years
- If in Iran, do much of the same, except wealth and already existing restrictions make for a much bleaker picture. Consider temporary emigration if you have a chance at it
- If elsewhere, then you need to prepare in anticipation of energy crisis if the war spills over to the Gulf (not a certainty, but definitly a risk). Organize in anticipation of large increases in fuel price, at worst issues in fuel availability, combined with recession the world overNote that none of these preparations should be new
Google "peak oil" if you don't understand why…
August 21, 2012 - 10:28 am Link to this Comment
Roy Lofquist
Mr. Goldman,
The issue seems to be the danger to the region, and Israel in particular, of Iran possessing a small number of nuclear devices. This presumably frees Iran to pursue its frequently stated promise to annihilate Israel without threat of retaliation. Were I an Israeli politician/soldier I might fleetingly consider the implications of detonating a modest nuclear device on a reasonably isolated facility in Iran.
Your thoughts, sir.
RoyAugust 21, 2012 - 7:01 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
20. shipley130
I think there is only one option that will work. The Iranians have been working for years to build their facilities to be attack resistant. That option is a four letter word, figuratively and realistically.
August 21, 2012 - 6:41 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
21. Samizdat
Mr. Goldman,
Firstly, compliments on "How Civilizations Die" which I purchased and read last month. It explains so much about the present and what is to come.Second, compliments for your work and analysis as Spengler. It is pieces like this one that educate us about our probable future.
It looks like Israel is just about out of options regarding the existential threat from Iran. The Iranians have little to lose, given that their society is in the process of atrophy and their leaders have suicidal tendencies, at least that is what they apparently believe. They are exceedingly dangerous, as you point out in "How Civilizations Die". Sanctions have proven to be what sanctions usually are, worthless.
It is going to be an interesting fall. Our President and his hapless Sec of State have done much to set the table for the events that are about to unfold. They have strengthened Israel's foes with their misguided notions about democracy and its application to the Muslims who inhabit the middle east. I trust the Israeli's are better informed and more grounded in reality.
Nominee Romney would do well to point out what the past four years have produced in terms of an enhanced threat in the Arab world. It isn't just the economy that counts.
August 21, 2012 - 7:22 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
22. El zopilote
The Obama administration in its divine wisdom will probably assist
Israel if it attacks Iran and at the same time keep giving Egypt
the couple of billion a year, the object being to stay friends
with everyone. The compliant media will rave over this foreign
policy masterpiece. Hillary will take the customary bows.August 21, 2012 - 7:39 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
23. jgets
A unilateral Israeli air strike, without American (or covertly Russian) approval, on Iranian targets that have not been clearly identified/verified as nuclear "weapons" production facilities, will have the most dire of consequences for region, and beyond. The first thing the Iranians will do is leave the NPT. That guarantees that Iran will eventually be armed with nuclear weapons, five, ten years down the line. This is not the case today. Secondly Iran will retaliate, if not immediately, when circumstances permit it. Third, it will solidify support for theocracy and add yet another episode to the regime's narrative of external meddling in Iranian affairs. I won't even begin to touch upon what the Russian reaction would be.
Israel's policy should be to look towards securing and improving the situation on her immediate borders and working for favorable political outcomes in her neighboring States.
Decisive strategic strikes (if it comes to that) on hypothetical nuclear weapons facilities is (properly) the domain of superpowers. They and only they can deal with the consequences of such a decision. If Iran violates the NPT, my assessment is that both the USA and Russia, possibly China as well will come down on them.
President Peres and General Dempsey are correct in their assessments. They should be listened to.
August 21, 2012 - 8:29 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
The Israeli government could choose to neglect probable consequences internal to Iran (such as support for current regime) and to prepare for future continuation strikes years later if Iran is making progress towards nuclear weaponry.
On the other hand, what is difficult to neglect is the possibility of very destructive Iranian retaliation, aiming at critical economic assets so as to inflict catastrophic damage on Israeli economy. Such as e.g. taking out power plants which take years to rebuild.
It all comes down to whether the Israeli leadership really believes that the Iranian leadership would be ready to suffer losing maybe half its population (Israeli nuclear arsenal numbers in the hundreds and may include fusion devices), resulting obviously in replacement of Iranian regime, if for that price they can strike Israeli cities with several fission devices.
- If Israeli leaders believe that, when push comes to shove they will choose to attack, even if the price is an economic catastrophe at home costing hundreds of billions in lost revenue and thousands of lives (economic catastrophes result in drops of living standards with attendant health issues, look up Greece now or Argentina ten years ago to get an idea). That kind of price is a bargain to avoid destruction of the centers of several cities with attendant hundreds of thousands if not million of fatalities
- If Israeli leaders do not believe that, but are merely pretending, they won't attack. Choosing an economic catastrophe if you got an alternative would be bonkers
August 21, 2012 - 9:06 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
I think you are making assumptions about Israeli military capabilities that underestimate their ability to seriously damage Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel has the neccessary air assets for a strike and can probably handle a multiple sortie mission, if neccessary. Israel is a world leader in drone capability and innovation. You can bet drones will be part of a strike. Additionally, Israel has some of the very best special forces on the planet. They have had years to game this out and prepare.Israel also possesses a very robust nuclear capability and I would not be at all surprised if they don't also have a tactical component to it. In an existential threat situation I would not be surprised if it were deployed to ensure the destruction of known facilities.
You can also be quite certain that Israel has vastly superior intelligence to what is speculated upon in public.
I would expect a 1967 premptive style effort that would seek to neutralize multiple threats posed by Iran and its proxie forces in Syria, Lebanon, the West bank, and now, Egypt. Israel is not going to enter into an operation related to its continued existence without full preparation to minimize the blows that will come from the proxies. The proxies can't land effective punches if their land is swept from underneath them and they are running for cover.
If this operation goes forward Beirut and south, the West Bank and the Sinai may be ground which Israeli forces occupy as a preventative measure and to draw out opponents so they can be destroyed in detail. It will be quite an operation and it may be temporarily destabilizing.
Pity Obumbler and his dopey Secretary of State couldn't read the tea leaves a bit more cogently in 2009 when the Mullahs stole the election. Couple their inaction that with the inevitabilities associated with the Arab "Spring" and you get the accumulating threat Israel is faced with now. The fact that the MSM thinks these two clowns are worthy foreign policy players is a tribute to their collective ideological blindness, lack of curiosity and feeble understanding of strategic doctrine.
Israels existence is threatened. Their reaction to that threat is foretold if one has the ability to put aside biases and analyze the macro picture. At some point, Israel is going to react and take the initiative. When they do rest assured it will be swift, robust, and very violent.
August 21, 2012 - 9:38 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
The NPT is no longer relevent. Iran has been openly dismissing any kind of significant control or inspection for decades. You are living a fantasy if you think that matters anymore.
http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/2012/prn201216.htmlOh sure Israel should secure its "existing borders" as if nothing has happened. Part of the probem now is ongoing resource devoted to every border with Sinai now hot and Egypt…Syria, now spilling over to Jordon, Saudis, Gulf States, Lebanon…can we add more? Sure we can; Turkey, Cyprus, Russia, and the gas fields in the Med. Do not forget the Palestinians.
So where is the "existing border" of Israel to be drawn by Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood, et al? Then we can all sit down and have a nice coffee.
August 21, 2012 - 9:43 am Link to this Comment | Reply
24. Sherab Zangpo
If Israel decides to defend itself, there must be no lack of determination in the strike. This is the real war and no "half-war" (like the last in Lebanon) will do.
In the proper order, the mullahs must find themselves without airports, missiles, surface to air defenses, air force, navy, oil fields, gas, pipe lines, communications, internet, refinery(ies), water, electricity. Then the destruction of the nuclear sites will proceed. Any significant base of the revolutionary guard must disappear too. The same must be true for any front: the plan must include destructive force for Gaza, Lebanon, the Sinai, the Syrian border and any terrorist attack.
And of course there must be a reserve force at all times.
And the mad mullahs must disappear from history.If the whole strategic equilibrium of the whole Middle-East will not be subverted by the strike, it is better not to strike now.
August 21, 2012 - 9:22 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Sherab Zangpo,
You said:
"In the proper order, the mullahs must find themselves without airports, missiles, surface to air defenses, air force, navy, oil fields, gas, pipe lines, communications, internet, refinery(ies), water, electricity. Then the destruction of the nuclear sites will proceed. Any significant base of the revolutionary guard must disappear too. The same must be true for any front: the plan must include destructive force for Gaza, Lebanon, the Sinai, the Syrian border and any terrorist attack.
And of course there must be a reserve force at all times."The logical consequence of this assertion is that Israel "must" have a military about as large as the United States.
August 21, 2012 - 10:09 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
Sherab Zangpo
Of course I accept your objection.
But the key was in the clause "in the proper order".It is the same in any fighting: if I have to face a 300 pounds enemy, but I cut his tendons… the fight has more chances to end good for me…
August 21, 2012 - 10:22 am Link to this Comment | Reply
25. Libertyship46
I still think bombing Iran would be counterproductive. There is no guarantee that Israel will destroy all of the Iranian targets, especially with only one wave of bombings, and an Israeli attack on Iran really will set the Middle East, and possibly the world, on fire. The attack would also send oil prices skyrocketing and inflation could go through the roof. So if what you want to do is eliminate the Iranian nuclear program, just trying to bomb them may not work. At least not totally.
Our best bet would be to continue massiver covert operations against the Iranians. Do Stuxnet on steroids. Try and destabilize the Iranian government as much as possible, which means giving opposition groups in Iran the money, weapons, training, and supplies they would need to overthrow the mullahs. Do a full-court press with everything we and the Israelis have in terms of covert operations and black ops to destabilize the regime in Iran and, if we get lucky, we could stir up an uprising like the one Obama refused to support in 2009. We could probably overthrow the mullahs without having to bomb anybody AND you would have the added benefit of the Iranian people doing the heavy lifting of overthrowing the government.
Bombing has enormous risks attached to it. It should only be used if literally every other option has failed. As far as I can see, we have NOT exhuasted all of our covert operations options. Outright war could be a disaster for the world. But if Iran can enable Hezbollah to take over Lebanon, why can't we encourage angry Iranians to overthrow their own government?
August 21, 2012 - 9:24 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
You seem to assume that Israeli (and US) efforts to hinder Iranian progress through cover means have been half-hearted. You propose the same "on steroids". But what makes you think that these efforts are not already to the max?
Answering your last question: "But if Iran can enable Hezbollah to take over Lebanon, why can't we encourage angry Iranians to overthrow their own government?"
Well that's because Lebanon was struck during 15 years by a sectarian civil war killing up to 5% of population, meaning Lebanese Shias had much less loyalty towards the Lebanese State than towards Shias at large, of whom the largest and most powerful component is Iran. Hezbollah arose and gained its power from these circumstances.
By contrast, Iran has not undergone any significant civil war recently. What separatist and other sectarian organizations exist there are feeble and weakly motivated. And it's not in Israel's nor in US power to create a powerful and highly motivated separatist organization where there is none.August 21, 2012 - 10:04 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
I can tell that we are not using our fullest resources in terms of black ops because, if we had, there would be much more evidence of both sabotage and civil unrest than we're seeing today. We would be seeing many more attacks on Iranian oil pipelines or oil terminals, more assasinations of Iranian scientists and possibly Revolutionary Guards leaders, and many more public demostrations in the streets.
You also said, "What separatist and other sectarian organizations exist there are feeble and weakly motivated." That certainly was not the case in 2009, when Iran was nearly overthrown by riots in the streets. Had we had a president with some backbone and vision, he would have thrown his full support into these demonstrations and overthrown the Iranian government. Remember, many people were imprisoned and executed after these riots, and Iranians (like all Middle Easterners) have very long memories and hold grudges for generations. You have a well-motivated base of people who hate the current government and, with the Iranian economy near collapse, not much incentive here for people to support the current regime. All they need is help from the right clandestine services who know how to stir up civil unrest to topple a government. The CIA used to be experts at this before Congress decided to take the "moral high ground" when it came to regime change and stopped them from doing what they do best, which was overthrow countries hostile to the United States. Time to enable the Iranian people to support a government they want rather than the one the mullahs want for them. It's at least worth a try.
August 21, 2012 - 10:37 am Link to this Comment | Reply
Obumbler was presented with that exact "toppling" scenario in the spring of 2009 and twiddled his thumbs. Add that and the Arab "spring" together and you get the current state of affairs.
If black ops would accomplish the goal it is obvious they would be tried in advance of a military strike. Stuxnet was used and slowed things down, but didn't end the threat. Now some very dim members of the executive branch think that sanctions are going to work.
No, when you "Neville Chamberlain" your foriegn policy and don't take out the threat in 1938, or 2009 as is our present case, you get the inevitable. Obama ignored the fact the the Iranians have been killing Americans for years. He thought he could reason with them. It's sad how stupid this guy really is.
My bet is that Israel is going to have to act with decisive military force. Had we been a more effective actor when we were presented with the chance, we all might not be engaging in this conversation right now.
Just wait America, wait until you experience the consequences of not drilling in your own lands and using your own resources to be independent. Wait until you learn the consequences of a romantic application of foreign policy based upon fancy.
Elections have consequences.
August 21, 2012 - 10:07 am Link to this Comment | Reply
26. Denver Bob
Seems we all live in a dream world.
Firstly, if you are right too soon you are wrong. The time is simply not right to do what is necessary. There certainly is not the will nor the immediacy to act in an appropriate degree.
Secondly, the center of gravity is the mullahs corrupt and vicious all. The key is to get them out of the way. The nucs are just a side show.
Thirdly the talk of a general conflagation
August 21, 2012 - 9:42 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
27. IB Bill
There are no good options left. I think the window of opportunity has already closed.
August 21, 2012 - 11:08 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
28. Andre in L.A.
A bankrupt America cannot afford another war, explaining our logical foreign policy. Israel is armed with 100′s of nukes (much of it from nuclear materials stolen from the U.S. – read up on NUMEC), and no one is going to attack it except in retaliation. I might point out that Nuremberg declared that aggressive war is a crime against humanity. Perhaps Sheldon Adelson would be willing to pay the tab for U.S. military operations against Iran, and then stand in the docket at Nuremberg? Some say an attack would be to force the Rothschild banking system on Iran. We need to be concerned with freeing ourselves from the banking criminals who are looting America. Perhaps Sharia no-interest banking is the ticket. Fractional reserve usury banking based on debt is a Ponzi scheme, which is about to take down the world economy. Obama is just another globalist puppet, like Bush II (who was relegated to reading "My Pet Goat" while Cheney and his neo-con gangsters pulled off 9-11). See any Wall Street bankers prosecuted? Madoff was allowed to plead guilty and locked up, without serious investigation, to silence him and avoid exposing the money trail. Corzine walks after stealing customer funds (which will probably fund Obama's campaign). When the U.S. can no longer provision it's overseas military, Israel will be alone and surrounded by those it has taught to hate it. Delusions of grandeur, of an Eretz Israel that never existed, will lead to destruction. The young men of the IDF are already poisoned with the DU weapons they have used on their neighbors. An attack on Iran might galvanize Islam to unity, as opposed to 1500 years of sectarian Shia-Sunni slaughter. The globalist stooges running Saudi Arabia, with a substantial Shia population, might find themselves exiled to Tel Aviv.
I just read several histories of the U.S. and Japanese navies in WWII. Hubris was a disease that afflicted both, resulting in disasters for each such as in the naval battles off Guadalcanal. If I lived in a nation only twice the size of L.A. County, I would treat the subject of a war of aggression a little more seriously. If America collapses from a war too many, Israel will evaporate with the morning dew.
A parting thought: the national treasures spent on war could have long ago bought peace in the Mideast. But then, financing war is the most profitable of business, as Rothschild learned financing the Hessians who fought Washington at Trenton (he stole the money for their winter uniforms, giving Washington a victory). And no, I am not a pacifist. I was once attacked in a parking lot, and one of the two aggressors made the obits. But I was taught by my father, a warrior who could kill with his arms, that avoiding conflict is always the best recourse. You never know when your victim is your master, and your hubris will be your destruction.
August 21, 2012 - 11:30 am Link to this Comment | Reply-
"I just read several histories of the U.S. and Japanese navies in WWII"
I suggest that you try reading the history of European diplomacy in the 1930s … but first, lay off those Ron Paul/Alex Jones comic books.
August 21, 2012 - 4:46 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
29. Menachem Ben Yakov
August 21, 2012 - 11:58 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
30. Sam
Israel will not attack because it can't attack. Its hilarious to see all this war mongering and fear mongering from the right wing when in reality everyone knows that the little satan won't do a thing without the big satan's orders.
Its time for Israel to stand alone. all the years of weapons, money, support, UN vetoes and international backing…its time for Israel to leave the nest.
If you want to attack? go ahead and see what happens…I get the feeling alot of jews will be moving back to the States from Tel Aviv.
August 21, 2012 - 2:13 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Eric R.
If Israel goes, I can assure you that she is taking most of the world down with her. And she will have every right to.
August 21, 2012 - 3:31 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
31. Eric R.
My biggest concern is that Assad's chemical weapons are in Hezbollah's hands and are launched against Israel. With gas chambers being created on Israeli soil by those rockets, Israel then is forced to use nuclear weapons, and likely the entire world economy collapses. The retaliation would almost certainly be against the entire Arab/Persian world and its oil fields.
Now, if it comes to that, I believe it is Israel's duty to obliterate these Islamofascists, but make no mistake, the world will fall into a depression worse than the 1930s.
August 21, 2012 - 3:29 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
32. Tim
Just curious about a report (likely very "rumorous" and speculative) I saw this morning and wondered if anyone had any more knowledge. Is Israel actually considering an immenent non-conventonal strike on Iran in the form of an EMP blast? I know the Israelis are justifiably feeling very threatened, but does anybody see any wisdom in such an attack?
August 21, 2012 - 3:38 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
Not sure about an EMP blast. But rumor has it that right before Israel struck the Syrian nuclear sites, cell phones went dead in Syria and Lebanon.
August 21, 2012 - 9:54 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
33. MarcH
IMHO, the assumption that an Israeli airstrike must produce immediately obvious decisive results is incorrect. As the insightful Israeli strategist, IAF Lt. Col (res.) Ron Tira, points out, an Israeli airstrike can cause a dramatic re-assessment of all sides of the credibility of use of force threats and thereby shift the correlation of forces to one which will prevent the current Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons capability (http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=1903
August 21, 2012 - 4:42 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
34. herb
ROger Cohen is Irans representative to the New York Times. Even during the Green Revolution, he was a fervent supporter of Iran. His goal is for Israel to get nuked by Iran so he can hold the moral high ground at the expense of other Jews.
August 21, 2012 - 5:24 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
35. Paul -Indiana
Israel, strike at the head of the snake. A suitable bomb at mullah-central could take out the leaders. I am betting on a first strike during Friday prayers. Go with God.
August 21, 2012 - 6:11 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
36. Paul -Indiana
Don't forget that it isn't necessary to destroy the underground installations in Iran. Simply destroy their entrances/exits.
August 21, 2012 - 6:13 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
37. richard sherman
Israel has no choice but to attack now…Obama cares as much about the Jews( ie Israel) as his friends and mentors: Rashid Khalidi, Rev Wright and Frank Marshall Davis(…by the way let's not forget how Frank Marshall Davis card carrying Communist friend Paul Robeson remained silent while Stalin was executing hundreds of his Jewish "friends")….Oh yes…Israel has to attack now …or sooner!
August 21, 2012 - 7:38 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
38. David P. Goldman
First use of nuclear weapons by Israel would be a frightful thing. The argument in favor is that if Israel's enemies have nuclear weapons they will use them against Israel without caring about world opinion or diplomatic consequences (only fear of massive retaliation would dissuade them, and perhaps not even that). In that sense Israel has less to lose than might appear. The arguments against are
1) Israel would suffer horrendous diplomatic isolation and be declared a rogue state by most of the world, and
2) the apocalyptic despair of its enemies would be heightened, leading them to more desperate risk-taking.
I am not Israeli and I will not tell them what to do; I can only analyze the publicly available data. But it seems obvious that the use of nuclear weapons is a measure that should be avoided in all but the most extreme of circumstances.August 21, 2012 - 8:35 pm Link to this Comment | Reply-
"… the use of nuclear weapons is a measure that should be avoided in all but the most extreme of circumstances."
The United States is still criticized for using nuclear bombs in WW2, even though it was estimated that a ground invasion of Japan would've cost about a half-million American lives.
So many Purple Hearts were minted in anticipation of invading Japan, that they are still in use today.
August 21, 2012 - 9:48 pm Link to this Comment | Reply -
Menachem Ben Yakov
I would guess that that opinion is shared by Israeli leadership and that is why every available option is being explored and an attack postponed until the last second. However, under the circumstances Israel will have no choice. A conventional attack followed by the offering of " unconditional surrender " to Iran is the way to go. If that opportunity is rebuffed than their would be no other choice.
Rather than throw the region into " risk taking " I think it would calm the waters. Our Arab enemies have known we have nuclear capabilities and have become comfortable with the fact that we are responsible enough to handle them. In fact it is Iran with a nuke they worry about , not Israeli nukes.Removing the Iranian threat would obviate the need for nuclear development in a dozen counties.August 22, 2012 - 3:34 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
"First use of nuclear weapons by Israel would be a frightful thing" … Agreed, and, IMHO, probably unnecessary.
Given that the US is apparently unwilling to act given the current correlation of forces, I'd say it is up to Israel "shuffle the cards" through a package of actions, including military force.
As IAF Lt. Col Tira urges, "Challenge the Iran equilibrium (http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=1903)"!
P.S. I don't mean to keep quoting Tira but he seems to me to be the best analyst of contemporary military activity at the strategic-operational level.
August 22, 2012 - 7:52 am Link to this Comment | Reply
Awkward mistake by DLG: "China is hosting a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement at which Iran will assume the organization's three-year rotating chairmanship. Egyptian President Morsi will visit Tehran on Aug. 25 on his way back from the summit."
Actually, the summit is in Tehran itself, hosted by Iran and attended by 30 heads of state and the UN Secretary. Nobody seems to have point out what a depraved display this will be, with all these countries effectively endorsing through their participation Iran's incitement to genocide (and stolen elections, its global terrorism and assorted other evil deeds).August 23, 2012 - 3:20 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
41. Patrick_UK
I believe you are wrong about Iran and helping to bring about real catastrophy.
The islamic republic is awful of course. Everybody knows it; so do lots of Iranians themselves. But it is probably better than the regime of many other (sunni)muslim countries.
This regime is also divided and even if they had nuclear weapons (which they won't have for many years to come)they would not use them against Israel.
Iran is certainly not the worst and most dangerous enemy of Israel. Iranians hate the arabs a lot more than they do Jews.
Real question is why the system wants to brainwash us into believing the opposite.August 23, 2012 - 9:43 am Link to this Comment | Reply -
42. Mike
"Iranians hate the arabs a lot more than they do Jews."
Wrong BBC breath. Of course, you wouldn't know how wrong you are because your own media is so ridiculously biased in favor of Arabs.
August 23, 2012 - 5:50 pm Link to this Comment | Reply
Comments are closed.


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Two Texas cops are taking Facebook by storm after posting a video of themselves lip-synching Katy Perry's 'Dark Horse' while driving around in their police cruiser. Jen Markham has the story.
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Organ donation soars over past five years, says NHS Blood and Transplant
The number of people donating organs after death has risen 50% since 2008.
More than 1,200 people in the UK donated their organs in the last year, leading to about 3,100 transplants.
The increase has been largely credited to the network of specialist nurses who approach and support bereaved relatives in hospitals.
But with the numbers on the organ donation register remaining unchanged, the NHS Blood and Transplant service is still asking people to sign up.
Sally Johnson, from NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "The NHS has worked hard to ensure every potential donor is identified, that the organ donation register is checked, and that families are approached.
The Role of a Specialist Nurse
Andrea Bradley, at Morriston Hospital Swansea, decided to become an organ donation nurse after her father received a corneal transplant. She is the first person to suggest approaching a bereaved family about organ donation.
"You are asking a family to make a decision at the most difficult time of their lives. I give them all the information and hold nothing back.
"Most are in shock- it is an art form to gauge if the family understands what you are saying. No one has ever been angry with me when I suggest the possibility of organ donation.
"If donation goes ahead I stay with the patient throughout, putting their information on the system to find a match, going to theatre with them and then the chapel of rest. I ring the family, if they would like to know I tell them what was retrieved. Later I meet with them and can tell them how the people who received the organs are doing."
"But the NHS can't do it on its own. We need a transformation in donor and family consent because the UK's family refusal rate remains one of the highest in Europe."
Last year, 125 families overruled an individual's intention to donate.
Ms Johnson said: "It is important families know their relative is signed up to the register. On the worst day of their lives, don't let families guess"
In 2008, the UK's health ministers accepted the recommendations of the Organ Donation Taskforce.
These included better identification of potential donors, improved referral of potential donors and improved care of donors to increase the number of organs available - around three organs were retrieved last year for every donor.
Each donor has the potential to help nine people through donation of a heart, lungs, two kidneys, pancreas, liver and small bowel and two corneas.
Since the Taskforce report recommendations five years ago, Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen the largest increases in deceased donors- 74% and 82% respectively.
And the actual number of transplants in the UK is up by 30% - the difference between the increase in donors and transplants is partly down to organs from some who wish to donate being unsuitable because of factors such as age and obesity.
Opt-out systemBut with three people in the UK dying a day because of a lack of donor organs, many experts believe more need to be done.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson from the British Medical Association says the donation system needs an overhaul. Referring to recent research she said: "[We] concluded the best way forward for the UK was to introduce an opt-out system with safeguards."
The plan would mean people were deemed to consent to organ donation, unless they object during their lifetime. This system is being considered for introduction in Wales in two years time
Ministers in Northern Ireland recently announced the intention to consult on public attitudes towards organ donation, including the introduction of an opt-out system.


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Iron Cross Front Bumper with Push Bar
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Posted: Feb 14, 2014 10:43 PM by Trey Schmaltz
Source: WBRZ
BATON ROUGE- The city is auctioning off surplus property and other merchandise, including a ring taken after an employee was arrested and accused of selling drugs from the evidence locker two years ago.
The 2.50 ct ring is worth more than $25,000 court records show. As of Friday night, bidders were willing to pay $3,600 for it.
The ring and other jewelery along with vehicles and office supplies are being sold online. The deadline to submit a bid is the end of the month.
Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltz


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Tech Tools
Tech Tools
- Community Edition of ownCloud Released
- Phusion Releases Passenger Enterprise 4
- VMware Announces Micro Cloud Foundry Changes
Community Edition of ownCloud Released
ownCloud Inc. has released a new free community edition of its open source file sync and share project, adding new features such as video streaming, mounting of thirdparty storage, and new content sharing.
According to the press release, the latest version of ownCloud features significantly faster uploading, downloading, and syncing of files. It offers greater and more granular administrative control and adds features such as sub-admins for groups, thereby providing the ability to assign a sub-administrator to a group to handle account management.
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Old Vulnerabilities Are Kept Alive Through Bad Configuration
HP's annual Cyber Risk report offers a bleak look at the state of IT.
Linus Torvalds Announces Linux 4.0
But what do the big numbers really mean?
Microsoft Frees CoreCLR
.NET Core execution engine is the basis for cross-platform .NET implementations.
New Trojan Attacks Linux Servers
The Xnote trojan hides itself on the target system and will launch a variety of attacks on command.
Cisco Releases Annual Security Report
Spammers go low-volume, and 90% of IE browsers are unpatched.
Zero Day Exploits Target Flash
Adobe scrambles to release patches for vulnerable Flash Player.
Intel Unveils Compute Stick
Four-inch-long computer on a stick lets you boot a full Linux system from any HDMI display device.
Obama Proposes Personal Data Notification Law
New statute would require companies to report break-ins to consumers.
TGXf Project Warns of File Transfer through Screen Pixels
Weird data transfer technique avoids all standard security measures.
Industry Giants Announce a Fix for the Password Mess
FIDO alliance declares the beginning of the end for old-style login authentication.


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Understanding The Biomechanics Of The Transmetatarsal Amputation
In a thorough review of the literature on the transmetatarsal amputation in patients with diabetes, these authors discuss keys to proper patient selection, essential biomechanical aspects of the procedure, when adjunctive procedures can have an impact and tips on post-op shoe gear.
Non-traumatic lower extremity amputation (LEA) in the United States is attributed to diabetes more than any other disease with an overall incidence of 195 per 100,000 person-years. This number will likely continue to climb as the number of patients afflicted with diabetes increases and life expectancy continues to rise.1,2 Consequently, the podiatric surgeon will encounter increasing numbers of pedal complications associated with the disease that require surgical intervention to prevent major limb loss and the associated cardiovascular compensatory ramifications.
Limb preservation in the diabetic population remains challenging and is most effective utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.3 This multidisciplinary team includes the podiatric surgeon, vascular surgeon, infectious disease specialist, internal medicine physician, interventional radiologist, plastic surgeon and rehabilitation specialists among others. Primary objectives include maximizing function; minimizing the risk of tissue breakdown and the need for a more proximal amputation; and avoiding the morbidity and mortality associated with major limb amputation and the need for intensive rehabilitation.
When surgeons perform the transmetatarsal amputation (TMA) correctly and in combination with adjunctive procedures when necessary, the TMA is a valuable surgery in the limb salvage effort, and preferred over a below- or above-knee amputation when functionally and physiologically reasonable with authors reporting success rates of over 90 percent.4 The TMA enables patients to better sustain a quality of life as most patients will not require the help of others to perform activities of daily living, and the likelihood of patients ambulating independently is greater than those who have had transtibial and transfemoral amputations. Researchers have shown that oxygen consumption increases up to 280 percent of normal during ambulation in patients with major limb amputations.5
Furthermore, 30-day mortality rates for below- and above-knee amputations are much higher than those for TMAs with authors reporting rates as high as 6.3 percent and 13.3 percent while survival probabilities decrease to 28 percent and 20 percent for below- and above-knee amputations, respectively, at 7.5 years postoperatively.6 Other researchers have reported significantly better 30-day mortality rates for TMA with rates being less than 2 percent.7,8
Keys To The Clinical Exam And Pertinent Perioperative Considerations
During routine clinical examination of the patient with diabetes, it is critical to identify the risk factors that predispose patients to the sequelae associated with abnormal physiology proceeding from longstanding and/or poorly controlled hyperglycemia. These risk factors may be neurological, vascular or biomechanical in nature.
It is well known that peripheral sensory neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) are independent risk factors for lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetes. Peripheral vascular disease is associated with a threefold increased risk of lower extremity amputation and peripheral sensory neuropathy is a risk factor for minor amputation.9 Furthermore, a meta-analysis comprised of 14 studies and 94,640 participants determined the risk of lower extremity amputation to increase by 26 percent with one percentage point increase in HbA1c.10


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The Industrial Finance, Logistics & Development Group integrates MC's strengths in terms of extensive knowledge of and expertise in industrial fields, plus a vast global network of contacts in all industries, to develop various industrial finance businesses.
Our main businesses are in leasing, buyout investment*, asset management and real estate finance. We have built on traditional financing models to develop new types of financial intermediation that only a major trading company such as MC could deliver. The group is also involved in the development of logistics facilities, other commercial real estate and residential housing, and in the provision of solutions in the logistics and insurance fields.
Midterm Corporate Strategy 2012 Targets and Progress
Under MC's Midterm Corporate Strategy 2012, the group is focusing on building blue-chip asset portfolios and reinforcing MC's asset management skills. We are also seeking to take advantage of the growth in emerging economies such as China.
Strategically, we have defined five business domains where we are targeting growth: real estate finance and property development in China and other overseas markets; aircraft, automobile and general leasing; infrastructure-related finance to develop financing models for the infrastructure sector; buyout investment for corporate clients in Japan and overseas; and logistics-related finance for shipping and other logistics assets. Overall, our aim is to develop a globally integrated industrial finance business where we offer financial intermediary services linked to real assets or underlying operations.
In October 2010, we created the Real Estate Investment & Management Unit to help develop a more dynamic role for the group in real estate finance. Reporting directly to the Group CEO, this unit will oversee the development of MC's medium- to long-term real estate portfolio and facilitate the development of related financial products.
In the year ended March 2011, we feel that our operations gradually gained momentum due to certain proven business frameworks that were established when the group was formed. Financial markets in the year ended March 2011 generally marked healthy growth as the world recovered from the global financial crisis. Given these factors, we posted net income of ¥11.6 billion. This represented a ¥19.2 billion turnaround from the ¥7.6 billion net loss we posted in the year ended March 2010.
Business Environment and Outlook for Year Ending March 2012
Although we will need to continue monitoring business conditions in the coming year due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we believe that the temporary effects of the downturn associated with the global financial crisis have now receded.
For the year ending March 2012, we are projecting a ¥1.4 billion year-on-year increase in net income to ¥13.0 billion. This forecast is based on projected strong earnings from the leasing business and other assumptions.
* Buyout investment: an investment technique for earning a return by investing in an existing company and providing management support to increase the invested company's corporate value.


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(1) Issuance of an arrest warrant;
(2) an arrest;
(3) release of a person after arrest without the filing of a charge;
(4) dismissal or quashing of an indictment or criminal information;
(5) an acquittal, conviction or other disposition at or following trial, including a finding of probation before judgment;
(6) imposition of a sentence;
(7) commitment to a correctional facility, whether state or locally operated;
(8) release from detention or confinement;
(9) an escape from confinement;
(10) a pardon, reprieve, commutation of sentence or other change in a sentence, including a change ordered by a court;
(11) judgment of an appellate court that modifies or reverses the lower court decision;
(12) order of a court in a collateral proceeding that affects a person's conviction, sentence or confinement, including any expungement or annulment of arrests or convictions pursuant to state statute; and
(13) any other event arising out of or occurring during the course of criminal justice proceedings declared to be reportable by rule or regulation of the director.
(b) There is hereby established a criminal justice information system central repository for the collection, storage, and dissemination of criminal history record information. The central repository shall be operated by the Kansas bureau of investigation under the administrative control of the director.
(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, every criminal justice agency shall report criminal history record information, whether collected manually or by means of an automated system, to the central repository, in accordance with rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this act. A criminal justice agency shall report to the central repository those reportable events involving a violation of a county resolution or city ordinance only when required by rules and regulations adopted by the director.
(d) Reporting methods may include:
(1) Submittal of criminal history record information by a criminal justice agency directly to the central repository;
(2) if the information can readily be collected and reported through the court system, submittal to the central repository by the administrative office of the courts; or
(3) if the information can readily be collected and reported through criminal justice agencies that are part of a geographically based information system, submittal to the central repository by the agencies.
(e) Nothing in this section shall prevent a criminal justice agency from maintaining more detailed information than is required to be reported to the central repository. However, the dissemination of that criminal history record information is governed by the provisions of this act.
(f) The director may determine, by rule and regulation, the reportable events to be reported by each criminal justice agency, in order to avoid duplication in reporting.
History: L. 1978, ch. 118, § 5; L. 1982, ch. 151, § 1; July 1.


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Brownie mix, chocolate chips and whipping cream create a chocolate lover's dreamy indulgence.
©2015 General Mills, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information will only be used to send an email to your friend(s) and l not be saved. Please read our Privacy Policy
Fresh strawberries or chocolate-covered coffee beans instead of the raspberries are other tasty garnishes.
© 2015 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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Big Jim Rocks provides one-stop shopping for a variety of landscaping services including consultation, design, stone work and maintenance. All rock and bark products come directly from the manufacturer, eliminating the middleman. Savings are passed on to the customer. Excellent customer service is our hallmark. We bring samples of rock and bark to your home for review before delivery. Isn't THAT a novel idea? YOUR SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED!
BigJimRocks.net will donate 10% of profits to help support:


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When it comes to your social media marketing for 2013, there is one resolution you need to make sure you keep all year long - adding Google+ to your social media marketing strategy.
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Meet the Librarians of the Oviatt is back! Meet Felicia Vertrees, Oviatt's Online Instructional Design & Education Librarian. Felicia designs and develops Read more.
MLIS Program
The University of North Texas offers its Master's in Library and Information Sciences in the Los Angeles area. You can earn your Master's degree by participating in a four-day and a two-day Institute. and complete your degree online! Read more.


text: Western Sky Financial Lending Group Says Western Sky Tars Tribally Owned Lenders By Todd Epp September 24, 2013 (NPN) – Regulators, attorneys general and borrowers aren't the only ones upset with Western Sky Financial, a Native American owned online "payday" loan company that was based on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in northern South Dakota. Read More|Comment Category: Local News, South Dakota News, US/World Tags: Barry Brandon, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Financial, Martin Webb, Native American Tribes, Western Sky Financial Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!