Opuscula Asad wants Golan, PLO/PFLP deal, But offers nothing

SYRIAN DICTATOR BASHAR AL-ASSAD SAID THE ONLY WAY HIS COUNTRY WOULD MAKE PEACE with Israel is if Israel gives him the strategic Golan Heights.

PLUS, Israel must cave to its enemies.

Some people never learn.

 

A far better man than Bashar Al-Assad made a peace deal with Israel following which the man — Anwar El Sadat — got back the Sinai (but “stuck” Israel with Gaza). El Sadat and his partner for peace, Menachem Begin, were two old terrorists who had suffered personal losses in the wars between the two countries.

Al-Asad is no El Sadat and there is no one in power in Israel with Begin’s good sense.

January 8th, 1980, after first El Al flight to Egypt
Dan Hadani Archive, National Library of Israel @ https://tinyurl.com/yy87wm2x)

Iranian proxy

Al-Asad is in bed with the Iranians (Persians).

The Iranians continually promise to wipe Israel off the map.

Given the close relation with Iran, it is difficult to see how Israel would give up a militarily strategic position. It cost too many Israeli lives, both civilian — due to Syrian shelling Israeli civilian settlements — and military to claim the heights following Syria’s attacks on Israel.

Unlike a growing number of Muslim-dominated countries, Al-Asad fails to realize there are more economic and other benefits to “normalization of relations” with Israel.

Continuing to demand that Israel cave to the PLO/PFLP and Hamas/Islamic Jihad is a pipe dream. Perhaps if the Democrats recapture the White House in Washington, the U.S. will once again cater to the Palestinians, but if the Republicans prevail, Ramallah can expect less support from the U.S., Europe, and even other Muslim-dominated countries.

Impossible dream

Al-Asad’s problem festers in Ramallah.

It is impossible for Israel to make peace with an enemy that refuses to negotiate.

In the past, leftist (Labor) governments caved to every demand the PLO/PFLP even BEFORE negotiations commenced.

Actually, had the PLO et al agreed to the 1947 partition plan, it would HAVE a state much larger than Israel of 1948.

The PLO/PFLP never kept any agreements with Israel.

Egypt has.

Jordan has.

Both Egypt and Jordan have benefited from the agreements, as has Israel.

The normalization with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) already is showing signs of benefit to all concerned.

But Al-Asad?

Al-Asad has nothing to offer Israel in return for the Heights.

Israel could have, and still can, take Damascus militarily. That would be foolish and a waste of men, but it could be done. Syria cannot take Jerusalem, even with Fifth Column support.

(The same can be said for Beirut.)

If Al-Asad is serious about reclaiming the Heights, the first things (plural) he should do — but probably cannot and will not even if he could —

Get rid of Hezbollah
Settle the civil war in Syria
Disassociate Syria from Iran
Encourage the PLO/PFLP and Hamas/Islamist Jihad to (a) stop attacking Israel and (b) seriously negotiate with Israel before it looses everything.

Al-Asad and Ali Khamenei (Yousef Alhelou @ https://tinyurl.com/y2t7a2sq)

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Comment on Al-Asad

Opuscula Israel government: Caught between Hammer & anvil

Hamas & Friends have put Israel between the hammer and the anvil, or if you prefer, a rock and a hard place.

UNLESS ISRAEL “PUTS DOWN” Hamas & Friends — other Islamist crazies — the northern Islamist crazies in Lebanon will think that Israel is weak; that it cannot defeat both Iran proxies.

Militarily it CAN defeat Hamas et al in Gaza and Hezbollah in the north.

The problem for Israel is “collateral damage.”

The UN will rage about nasty Israel which never should defend itself from the kind Muslims who want to destroy it. Gandhi lives on at the UN.

Leftists the world over also will tear their hair, beat their chests, and chastise Israel for responding to enemy attacks in a “non-proportional” manner.

Here’s a thought. If Israel’s population is, say, 9 million¹ and worldwide population of Muslim-controlled nations is in excess of 1 BILLION² that would mean for every Israeli — Christian, Jew, Muslim, and “other” — killed, maybe 70,000 Muslims should die to keep things within the UN’s “proportional” stupidity. (I lost my slide rule so my 1-for-70,000 may be conservative.)

 

CEASE FIRE

When Hamas et al has used nearly all of it’s Iranian-funded missiles, it will cry to Egypt to arrange a cease fire with Israel.

Just as it did before this latest spate of missiles fell on Israel.

And just as it did before.

Israel’s politicians and generals accept the cease fire and, once again, put the population in danger.

This is NOT the Likud of Began and (David) Levy. Indeed, it is about as forceful as the former Labor governments — and Israel’s enemies know it.

Israel CAN, and HAS, made lasting peace agreements with Egypt (first) and Jordan. Began was Prime Minister when Anwar El Sadat came to Jerusalem to sign the treaty with Began and Israel. (For his effort, Islamists in Egypt assassinated Sadat.)

 

Above: Began and Sadat in Jerusalem

 

Interestingly, Began tried to give Gaza back to Egypt. Sadat was a better bargainer than Began and refused Gaza. Sinai, yes; Gaza, no. Brilliant man, Sadat.

Unless Israel wants to continue harassment from the Hamas & Friends and Hezbollah, and possibly Syria’s Bashar al-Assad who butchers his own countrymen, it MUST put down Hamas forcefully, so forcefully that it no longer is a threat, even with Iranian aid.

Unfortunately, with several Islamists groups vying for power in Gaza, the civilian “collateral damage” count will likely be far higher than Israel would like. (Despite UN and leftists “news” reports, Israel DOES try to avoid true civilian causalities. It has been proven again and again to the embarrassment of the provocateurs.)

Israel does not want to control Gaza; it would prefer Egypt to rule the strip, at least until a government that wants good for the governed — peace, a decent economy, plans to restore infrastructure, and to restore dignity to its people.

The U.S. did it in Japan after World War 2; Egypt, with Israeli cooperation, might be able to succeed in 2020.

But first, Israel must — there no longer is an option — destroy Hamas and its jihadist cohorts.

If “the world” wants to help the civilians of Gaza, it should figure out a way to keep Iranian money and influence out of the strip.

Failing that, Israel can expect its northern communities to once again come under missile fire.

Again.

Sources

1. http://tinyurl.com/yynwb8jj

2. http://tinyurl.com/kgwmcoo

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Opuscula Removing Hamas Leaves a vacuum

THE QUESTION BEING ASKED BY MANY in Israel and in the United States – and perhaps elsewhere – is:

If the IDF can eliminate Hamas, why doesn’t it do it?

Good question.

Simple answer: Who has an organization that can rush in and fill the role of government?

Image above shows map of Gaza Strip and surrounding areas

UNLIKE IRAN and some other nations with despotic rulers, Gaza lacks a shadow government, a government of people prepared to assume the duties of an overthrown government.

There may be a movement in Gaza able to take over the deposed Hamas role, but apparently it is a deep secret.

Egypt could step in on an interim basis, but so far it has declined to consider the possibility.

Menachem Begin tried to give Gaza to Egypt, but Anwar Sadat was too smart and refused Begin’s “gift.”

Israel ruled Gaza for a number of years. Israeli farmers set up greenhouses and an infrastructure to make the strip self-supporting. When Ariel Sharon forced the Jews out, the indigenous Muslim population quickly destroyed the greenhouses and infrastructure.

Israel, understandably, does not want anything to do with a Gaza government, even on a temporary basis.

When the nazis were defeated (and many escaped to Latin America and the U.S. or were “invited” to the then Soviet Union), the Allies set up governments in their sections.

After the bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japanese sued for peace, the Americans established an interim government.

Both Germany and Japan today have viable, stable, independent governments.

When the U.S. and its allies overthrew Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government, neither the U.S. nor its allies had the foresight – or perhaps hindsight – to establish an interim government to rule until the Iraqis could develop a cadre of politicians who would be sufficiently popular to run the country after the U.S. and its allies went home.

Iran was a different model.

When the shah was overthrown, a shadow government headed by the Ayatollah Khomeini filled the vacuum. Khomeini returned from exile in England and took control of the government.

When the nazis were chased out of France, the arrogant Gen. Charles de Gaulle managed to assume political power.

There are no De Gaulles in Gaza.

There are no leaders in Egypt or Israel willing to help Gazans set up an independent government.

The PA in Ramallah can’t govern its own areas, and although Abu Mazen would like to claim he is the president of Gaza as well as the PA, Hamas and the local population chased the PA government’s personnel out of Gaza. Mazen and the Ramallah government would not be welcome in Gaza.

Bottom line: Israel is “stuck” trying – and failing – to protect Israelis near the Gaza border.

If it eliminates Hamas, which it surely could do, what would replace it? The Islamic Brotherhood is the prime candidate, and it is no better – possibly worse for Israel and the Gaza population – than Hamas.

It is suggested that not all Gazans are happy with Hamas, but apparently few Gazans are prepared to make peace with Israel.

For Israel, the bottom line is to suffer Hamas until the Gazans develop a shadow government – even if that government is formed and waiting in exile – Egypt or Jordan, perhaps – ready to return and assume control of the strip with a little help from foreign sponsors – again, Egypt, Jordan, and possibly Israel.

The “fly in the ointment” is Iran, Hamas’ sponsor. Iran will not willingly give up its puppet on Israel’s southern border anymore than it will allow Lebanese to rule their country without its proxy, Hezbollah.

Unlike Gaza, the Lebanese could have a Hezbollah-free government in place in short order; the Lebanese have a great deal of experience in self-rule.

For all the aggravation and danger Hamas presents to Israel, there is nothing to replace it except anarchy.

Until Gazans decide they want a better government, if the choice is Hamas or anarchy, Hamas seems to be the lesser of two evils.

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

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Comments on Keeping Hamas

Where is the Arab League?

Hiding behind their keffiyeh?

The Daily Tip http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.ewJXKcOUJlIaG/b.7711637/k.BEA8/Home.htm has two Syria-related items today (13 June 2013) that make me wonder: Where are the diplomats and brave fighters of the Arab Legion when they are needed to restore quiet to Syria?

The two “threatening” items:

The Lebanese army is threatening to retaliate against future Syrian attacks on Lebanese territory, after Damascus launched a helicopter gunship attack on the Lebanese border town of Arsal and injured two. Lebanese President Michel Sleiman called the attack “a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty,” and the U.S. State Department issued a condemnation. Arsal, a majority Sunni town near the Lebanese-Syrian border, has been targeted multiple times in recent months by the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and by the regime’s allies. The renewed crisis comes as Hezbollah is under increasing criticism, perhaps most pointedly in the Arab world, for dragging Lebanon into the violence in Syria. The Iran-backed terror group has vowed to fight in Syria until the regime succeeds in putting down the country’s more than two year rebellion. Hezbollah’s material and logistical support for the Assad regime, which has now repeatedly attacked Lebanon, sits uneasily alongside claims made in corners of the foreign policy community to the effect that Hezbollah is an indigenous Lebanese organization protecting Lebanese sovereignty and pursuing Lebanese interests.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warned Wednesday that spillover from Syria’s civil war is threatening the increasingly fragile four-decade ceasefire between Syria and Israel. Observers are raising alarms about the potential collapse of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) – the U.N. peacekeeping mission which has monitored the Golan Heights region between the two countries since 1974 – in the aftermath of an Austrian decision to withdraw its troops from the force. Vienna’s contribution of around 300 troops constituted nearly one-third of the entire mission. Following Austria’s announcement, Ban Ki-moon said he was seeking hundreds of new troops from member countries, but he did not say if any volunteers had stepped forward. Both sides in the Syrian conflict have directly threatened to attack Israel from across the border that the Jewish state shares with Syria. The Bashar al-Assad regime has given Palestinian terror groups a green light to launch attacks, and the regime’s Hezbollah allies have threatened to open a “new front” on the Golan. Jihadists battling the regime have also vowed to attack Israel. Israeli officials have indicated that they will not tolerate attacks on civilian and military targets originating from Syrian territory.

Just what 21 states make up the Arab League?

Algeria

Bahrain

Djibouti

Egypt

Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Mauritania

Morocco

Oman

Palestine

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Somali

Sudan

Syria

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Several of these states came to aid in the invasion of Israel in 1948, either by sending in armies or by volunteers ready to drive the Jews to the sea, yet they cannot come together to cause a cessation of fighting in their member countries. (Nor can they come together to suppress Iran’s nuclear effort, even knowing Iran might very well use nuclear weapons against Arab League members - as well as Israel).

Two non-states are missing from the list and these two are adding fuel to the fires in Syria and Lebanon: Hamas and Hezbollah.

I guess all these brave Arab League nations are waiting for non-Muslims to do what the cowards are afraid to do - step in and risk a Muslim life to end the Muslim-killing-Muslim conflicts.

This lack of concern by the Arab League doe nothing for Islam's proclaimed "peaceful intent"; on the contrary, it shows Islam's true colors.

Not enough causalities?

 

Obama to Hagel: Send 1st Armor to Jordan

 

According to Global Security Newswire, the U.S.(is) to Deploy More Forces Near Syria ( http://www.nti.rsvp1.com/gsn/article/us-deploy-more-forces-near-syria/?mgh=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nti.org&mgf=1)

The GSN article reported that “The 1st Armored Division outpost could make ready for a broader U.S. military deployment that might exceed 20,000 personnel if President Obama deems forcible involvement in Syria to be necessary, Hagel told the Senate Armed Services Committee. He added, though, that ‘military intervention ... should be an option of last resort’.”

The 1st Armored Division troops would be used, we are told, “for a possible intervention aimed at locking down chemical warfare stocks in war-torn Syria.” (Emphasis mine.)

Aside from my old whine “Anyone remember the Monroe Doctrine?” I wonder why Obungler deems it necessary to

* Endanger U.S. troops in another nation’s civil war

* Why the Arab League doesn’t send Muslim soldiers to do something on either side; Syria is a member of the League

To the best of my knowledge, the troops we sent to Iraq still are being attacked by Iraqis who welcomed the defeat of their despot by gifting U.S. troops with IEDs.

To the best of my knowledge, the troops we sent to Afghanistan are still being murdered by Afghans both for our interference in their politics and our insistence that girls be educated (imagine that).

While Obungler did NOT get us involved in either Iraq or Afghanistan – we can thank the Bushes for that, the current POTUS seems determined to make a name for himself as the fool who interferes in yet another Muslim war, a war that the U.S. is bound to lose – another Vietnam.

Let’s be cynical.

What’s in it for the U.S.? What does Syria have that the U.S. wants?

Natural resources are, at best, minimal.

As it stands now, if – when – the insurgents/rebels, call them what you wish, take over the country, Israel will once again have an active northern border; probably more so than its border with Aza and the Sinai. Unlike the Aza/Sinai borders, there won’t be a powerful neighbor to help keep a lid on the terrorists. For all its anti-Israel rhetoric, Egypt HAS attempted to keep Hamas in check and HAS stepped up activities to reduce missile attacks from the Sinai. Is there an “Egypt” bordering Syria? Look at the map.

Iran certainly is not going to play a restraining role; it’s maniacal ayatollahs have their puppet, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, constantly calling for Israel’s demise.

Lebanon is controlled by Hezbollah that, like Iran, want to drive the Jews – and may some non-Jews, too – into the sea.

Jordon is afraid to interfere with Syria’s threat to Israel; it’s monarchy is in danger of falling even now as the “Palestinians” among its citizens agitate against the government; this, of course is nothing new.

Turkey, apologies and air kisses not withstanding, is on the far side of Syria and of no help for Israel, unless Syria’s rulers decide to attack it for providing sanctuary to escaping civilians.

The U.N. is a farce. If anyone says “Boo!,” the blue berets run, tails between their legs. U.N. “peacekeepers” are not worth a prutah.

Which means that Obungler will follow the disastrous actions of his predecessors and send in U.S. troops who will be despised by the locals and victims of snipers and IEDs, just like in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet another Vietnam.

(Join me in a chorus of Pete Seeger's “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”)