IDF: Villages to be Considered Military Bases

Three Israeli officials believe air power will determine the winners of their next war. GOC Northern Command Gadi Eisenkot presented his "Dahiyah Doctrine," under which the IDF would expand its destructive power beyond what it demonstrated two years ago against the Beirut suburb of Dahiyah, considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

"We will wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction. From our perspective, these are military bases," he said. "This isn't a suggestion. This is a plan that has already been authorized."

Major General (Res.) Giora Eiland recommends preemptive action: that Israel pass a clear message to the Lebanese government, as soon as possible, stating that in the next war, the Lebanese army will be destroyed, as will the civilian infrastructure.

"People won't be going to the beach in Beirut while Haifa residents are in shelters," he writes.

While two leaders' recommendations deal primarily with striking Shi'ite strongholds, Eiland sees Lebanon's infrastructure as a primary target, in a plan highly reminiscent of the one proposed by then-IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz, which was eventually shot down by U.S. opposition.

So much for Bush's fiction that democracies don't war....

Check: Iran Won't Stop Nuclear Enrichment

Israel ponders its next move on the Middle East chess board. Not only did Iran say it would continue enrichment, it plans to supply other nations. Now them's fighting words!

America's best friend Israel already said it would not allow a nuclear armed Iran. The French Foreign Minister just reiterated that point:

"First, because you will hit them before. And this is the danger. Israel has always said it will not wait for the bomb to be ready. I think that (the Iranians) know. Everyone knows."

The question is when? Given John McCain's free fall in the polls, Republicans need a diversion. Weeks ago I pondered, would it be wars or whores? The odds of the former just went up. Checkmate awaits.

Palin's Terror Pallin'

Somehow the floundering Palin lamprey survived hours of squirming on the boat deck. Once dehydrated and disoriented, it found a host in Gwen Ifill and Joe Biden. Hours of sucking revived the parasite. The leech is back. Knock it off before it gets a good hold!

Kim Jong Il's Nuclear ProLiferation

Israel's representative to the IAEA said the axis of evil had grown, stating at least six Arab nations had ignored arms control agreements. Haaretz noted:

Middle Eastern countries which had obtained the means produce doomsday weapons and ballistic missiles covertly from North Korea while ignoring commitments as members of the NPT and other arms-control regimes.

"At a time when the international community concentrates on North Korea's nuclear activities and its non-compliance with safeguards agreements, the Middle East is at the receiving end of North Korea's reckless practices,"

Israeli envoy David Danieli told the global meeting in Vienna. "North Korea has long become a source of proliferation of dangerous weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles in the Middle East," he said.

"At least half a dozen countries in the region who do not even pay lip service to control regimes and are acting in bad faith regarding their stated policy and their undertakings regarding non-proliferation conventions have become eager recipients of North Korea mostly through black market and covert network channels," Danieli said, but did not name the six nations.

And this accusation came from a country with over 200 nuclear weapons and a nonsignatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Name them and provide the evidence. It's time for a clean accounting from all parties.

Mirror for America's Dark Night

What happened to my country? Is Declare Yourself saying voting is heroic? Gazans voted and got a mask.

Unfortunately, vote casting won't wipe out American executed torture. Welcome to the dark night of our soul.

This Candidate Sponsored by

Several organizations pushed the line in supporting Presidential candidates. Lines blurred when church pulpits boldly came out for their candidate, despite clear IRS rules prohibiting nonprofits from doing such a thing.

They smudged further when the National Rifle Association showed up at Consol Energy coal mines. The NRA film crew hoped to get miners to speak out against Barack Obama, the candidate endorsed by United Mine Workers Union. In protest, miners stayed home for the day.

"This was a surprise visit," explained VP Local 1702, Safety Chairman Eric Greathouse, "and a lot of the miners felt this was a direct slap in the face of the union because they were trying to coerce our people into saying things against Barck Obama."

"Consol doesn't let anybody on their property - never," said Safety Committee Member Mark Dorsey, "And for them to let the NRA come on the property and solicit our membership was totally uncalled for. We made our endorsement to our political process and we didn't bother them and they shouldn't be harassing our membership over this."

The game to take back the CorporaWhorehouse on Pennsylvania Avenue is hot and dirty. Expect more line crossing in the next four weeks...

Israel Gets Advanced U.S. Defense Capabilities

International news sources reported on the Pentagon's approval of an Israeli purchase of twenty five F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets and the deployment of an advanced defensive radar system in the Negev Desert. The Jerusalem Post reported:

A Pentagon official said Wednesday that the sale of the stealth jets to Israel was essential to American national interests and was meant to ensure that Israel maintained its qualitative edge over armies of neighboring countries.

The BBC had this to say about the radar system:

The US has deployed long-range radar in Israel to give early warning of any missile strike by Iran, officials say.

The radar has been set up at an air base in the Negev desert and will be operated by 120 US military personnel.

Other developments on containing the Iranian threat include:

1. A six-year probe has not ruled out the possibility that Iran may be running clandestine nuclear programs, the chief UN nuclear inspector said Monday, urging Iran to reassure the world by ending its secretive ways.

Arab members - backed by Iran - this year have again asked conference organizers to include an item on Israel - a move being protested by Israel.

A draft of the document made available to The Associated Press "expresses concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities" and urges Israel to throw its atomic activities open to full IAEA view.

2. In a last-minute bid to pass Iran sanctions legislation before the end of the congressional session, the US House of Representatives approved a bill late Friday tightening trade restrictions and asset freezes on the Islamic Republic.

3. On September 25, 2008, the United States Department of Commerce issued guidance to the U.S. exporting community designed to encourage exporters’ vigilance on Iran’s efforts to procure items for use in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

4. Iranian support for Shiite militia groups poses the biggest threat to long-term stability in Iraq, where recent improvements in security are ``fragile,'' the U.S. Defense Department said. Iran continues to ``fund, train, arm and direct'' groups intent on destabilizing its neighbor and its influence in Iraq is ``malign,'' the Pentagon said in its quarterly report to Congress.

5. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Iran will stand beside the Hamas government in Gaza and that Israel is weakening and on the path to eventual destruction, state television reported.

6. House leaders shelved a bill endorsing a blockade of Iran, but shortly afterwards V.P. Dick Cheney was seen slinking around the Capital.

Stay tuned, folks! Weapons have one use and Senator John McCain said, "There will more wars, my friend!"