The raid on Iran was necessary to prevent a nuclear version of 9-11

Bob Kiffney, a former intel specialist, makes an important case for why the USA/Israel needed to attack Iran and stop its nuclear building:

On Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 Americans were murdered in the deadliest terrorist attack in our nation’s history. The World Trade Center towers collapsed in Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon was breached, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, became a graveyard for heroes who prevented even greater loss. The economic toll exceeded $100 billion. The psychological wound reshaped American life for a generation.

Now imagine those same three targets struck not by hijacked airliners but by nuclear devices.

Many hundreds of thousands—potentially upward of 800,000 in Manhattan alone—would die instantly in fireballs and blast waves. Hundreds of thousands more would suffer horrific burns and radiation poisoning. Firestorms would rage across dense urban cores. The financial heart of the free world would be paralyzed, the seat of American government devastated, and fallout would render swaths of our most populous regions uninhabitable for years. Trillions in economic damage, mass evacuations, overwhelmed hospitals, and a body count dwarfing 9/11 by orders of magnitude would follow.

That is not science fiction. That was the imminent risk a nuclear-armed Iran posed until the United States and Israel launched decisive military action on Feb. 28.

The ongoing war against the Islamic Republic is not the beginning of a conflict. It is the necessary end to one that has raged for 47 years.

He's absolutely correct. Have any of the RINOs opposing war against Iran's autocracy ever considered that? Let's be clear. If ground invasions are needed to put an end to any further horrors in the making, that's what must be done, and it's to be hoped the USA public understands that at this point, and will back the Trump administration on any decision they make in that context.

All these horrors could've been prevented long ago if anybody who actually cared had shown the courage to do so. Yet all these years, in one of the worst examples of history showing we don't learn lessons from the past, the cancer was allowed to metastisize, and regardless of the current situation and outcome, a horrific mess was left that will take ages to clean up. It's very fortunate the USA and Israeli militaries took up what missions they have so far, because sooner or later, wars to stop evil entities are entirely inevitable.

Update: Clifford May has an important related op-ed here.

USAF conducts strikes on 3 nuclear sites in Iran

It looks like Donald Trump followed through on serious action in the USA when it comes to Iran's nuclear sites, joining the Israeli military and taking out key targets in Iran:

US President Donald Trump confirmed overnight Sunday that the US Air Force carried out extensive strikes on three key nuclear facilities in Iran, marking a dramatic escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict and the first time since the 1979 Iranian Revolution that the US has attacked major military targets inside Iranian territory. The sites targeted were Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

"We have completed a very successful strike," Trump wrote on his social media platform, TruthSocial. "All aircraft returned safely. Now is the time for peace!"

According to reports, the US Air Force used GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds (13,600 kg), capable of penetrating the mountain over the Fordow facility. The decision came after weeks of internal deliberations in Washington, during which Trump weighed giving diplomacy another chance. But with no sign of progress from Tehran, he opted for military action.

Senior Israeli officials believe the US has been preparing to join the wider campaign and had begun logistical preparations well in advance.

Just hours before the airstrikes, Steve Bannon, Trump's former adviser and a leading voice among isolationist conservatives who oppose foreign interventions, hinted at the looming operation on his podcast, saying: "The party's starting."

One must wonder: does this mean Bannon, who was taking up a negative position through isolationism, was coming around and accepting Trump's stance after all? Well, that's why it's good Trump approved of this mission, because these isolationists can't be allowed to impede upon efforts to defeat evil entities abroad.

On the other hand, Democrat Charles Schumer has voiced his opposition to Trump's mission:

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who once claimed to be Israel’s “guardian” in Congress, put out a statement late Saturday night opposing President Donald Trump’s airstrike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

After a delay of several hours, and long after his colleagues — Republican and Democratic — had reacted, Schumer issued a statement criticizing the attacks and backing legislation to limit Trump’s war powers.

The criticism from Schumer and other Democrats echoes their criticism of his successful airstrike on Iranian terror general Qasem Soleimani, when they again cited constitutional limitations on the commander-in-chief.

In reality, Trump’s actions are constitutional, provided that he complies with deadlines established by the existing War Powers Resolution of 1973, which allows the president to conduct war, provided that he report to Congress within 60 days. Few Democrats objected when President Barack Obama used his war powers — even in excess of those allowed by the War Powers Resolution, as Breitbart News has noted in the past:

So once again, Schumer's proven himself a most repellent person, who'd rather rag upon Republicans no matter the deed than prove he recognizes serious issues when he sees them. Nobody should associate with such a reprehensible man. Donald Trump is the winner today, and Schumer's the disgrace.

4 hostages rescued in Gaza

Some very fortunate news has just come up, as at least 4 hostages were rescued from the Gaza area:

On Saturday morning, in a joint IDF, ISA and Israel Police (Yamam) complex, special, daytime operation in Nuseirat, four Israeli hostages were rescued.

Noa Argamani (25), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40), were kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization from the 'Nova' music festival on October 7th.

The hostages were rescued by the IDF, ISA and Yamam counterterrorism forces from two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat.

They are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the Sheba Tel-Hashomer Medical Center for further medical examinations.

"The security forces will continue to make every effort to bring the hostages home," the statement stressed.

Thank goodness and the Lord for bringing about this rescue. Now, let's hope others will turn up alive and be saved from captivity as well.

Update: more information to consider:

Argamani, has been one of the most widely recognized hostages since she was abducted from a music festival in southern Israel. The video of her abduction was among the first to surface, images of her horrified face widely shared — Argamani detained between two men on a motorcycle, one arm outstretched and the other held down as she screams “Don’t kill me!”

Her mother, Liora, has stage four brain cancer and in April released a video pleading to see her daughter before she dies.

Let's hope that now, she can see her daughter and have a good reunion.

Israel may have to consider not relying on the USA anymore

Fraud-in-chief Joe Biden continues to do what he and the Democrats can to damage Israel's ability to rescue hostages:

President Joe Biden, in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanded that Israel enact an “immediate ceasefire” in its war against Hamas and threatened that the U.S. would change its support for Israel if it does not meet the administration’s demands.

Biden attacked Israel for the humanitarian situation inside Gaza, calling it “unacceptable,” even though Israel has worked to allow aid to flow into the area, but has had to do so in a manner that prevents weapons from entering.

“[Biden] made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a readout of the call. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

“He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the Prime Minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home,” the statement continued.

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby confirmed at the White House press briefing shortly after the readout was published that Biden did threaten Israel if it did not meet his demands.

He also seems to blame Israel for the hostages' continued situation. And that's reprehensible. Joel Pollak says Israel may have to consider whether becoming a pariah is for the best:

Biden, like Barack Obama before him, is trying to appease the Iranian regime that funds and arms most of the terror groups in the Middle East. He also believes a Palestinian state is the key to peace, despite evidence to the contrary.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes these policies, as do most Israelis, from right to left. So Biden is trying to do everything he can — overtly and covertly — to push Netanyahu aside and hope for a more pliant leader.

The result is that Israel finds itself alone. Biden is emphasizing Israel’s isolation by using tragedies like the World Central Kitchen deaths to accuse Israel, falsely, of being responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Biden, like Hamas, is demanding an “immediate ceasefire,” and may let the UN declare a Palestinian state.

If Israel wants to defeat Hamas by destroying the last Hamas battalions in the city of Rafah in Gaza, it may have to do so without U.S. support.

Likewise, if Israel takes on Iran — directly, or in Syria and Lebanon — it will be on its own. The White House is hinting that Israel can claw back support by dumping Netanyahu, but Israel would do so at the cost of its independence.

That's simply unacceptable terms. So, Pollak has a point.

APARTMENT OF FIRST BULLDOZER TERRORIST DEMOLISHED

Some justice has finally been done by obliterating the house of the tractor terrorist who murdered 3 people and injured many others last year:

(IsraelNN.com) The rumble of a bulldozer and other heavy construction equipment disrupted the quiet of Jerusalem on Tuesday morning, as police began demolition of the apartment of last summer’s first bulldozer terrorist.

The intricate work continued throughout the afternoon, despite an attempted car terrorist attack, and subsequent riots when the terrorist was neutralized by police.

Three people were murdered in the July 2, 2008 attack and more than 40 others were wounded before an off-duty soldier managed to neutralize the 30-year-old attacker, Husam Dwayat. A father of two, the Tzur Baher resident was a construction worker for the Jerusalem municipality.

A large police force was deployed on the scene and throughout the neighborhood to secure the demolition.

When someone as repulsive as that commits an even more repulsive crime, they should be made to expect the loss of a "home" they don't deserve. I recommend building a park/garden in place of that stupid structure.

As they were working on the demolition, another bigot, mentioned above, tried to ram 3 officers with a car:

(IsraelNN.com) An Arab terrorist attempted on Tuesday afternoon to attack Israeli forces securing the demolition of the home of Jerusalem’s first bulldozer terrorist.

While police were destroying the building that housed the 30-year-old Tzur Baher (Har Homa) resident who last year murdered three civilians and wounded 45 others, the inhabitant of the nearby Jabel Mukabar neighborhood attempted a similar move with his own vehicle.

The Arab driver, 20-year-old Iyyad Azmi Awisat appeared to be leaving the neighborhood, but then tried to run over a group of Border Police officers who were stationed by a square at a security post, where they were inspecting cars and people entering the area.

The officers, realizing they were being targeted, tried to flee. Three officers suffered light leg wounds and were evacuated to Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in the capital.

The commander of the Border Police unit fired at the vehicle, while additional security forces fired from an adjacent wall, mortally wounding the terrorist driver. He died a short while later.

Additional police forces have been called to the scene. Demolition of the previous terrorist’s home proceeded without interruption.

That hit-and-run attemptee can go to hell. If he hadn't died, he could have his citizenship revoked and a declaration made that he's no longer a citizen of Jerusalem.

ORLANDO SCHOOLS BECKEL

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

OBAMA'S TALIBAN FRIENDS

Hat Tip: Bare Naked Islam

Another demonstration of B. Hussein Obama's "moderate" Taliban buddies, carrying out the legal code of the "Religion of Peace" !!!

MEAN, DIRTY & NASTY

Excerpts from Politico's interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney.

"When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,” Cheney said.

Protecting the country’s security is “a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business,” he said. “These are evil people. And we’re not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek.”

“The United States needs to be not so much loved as it needs to be respected. Sometimes, that requires us to take actions that generate controversy. I’m not at all sure that that’s what the Obama administration believes.”

Cheney said “the ultimate threat to the country” is “a 9/11-type event where the terrorists are armed with something much more dangerous than an airline ticket and a box cutter – a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind” that is deployed in the middle of an American city.

“That’s the one that would involve the deaths of perhaps hundreds of thousands of people, and the one you have to spend a hell of a lot of time guarding against,” he said.

“I think there’s a high probability of such an attempt. Whether or not they can pull it off depends whether or not we keep in place policies that have allowed us to defeat all further attempts, since 9/11, to launch mass-casualty attacks against the United States.” (Read entire article here)

OBAMA AWOL AGAINST AMERICA'S ENEMIES

Dick Morris demonstrates below how Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., has been derelict & non-compliant in his prime responsibility as President of the United States:

President Barack Obama’s record in battling terrorism has proven so weak that one wonders if he really takes the issue seriously.

Since he has taken office, the president has:

• Announced closure of Guantanamo.

• Declined to prosecute the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing.

• Closed all overseas CIA interrogation centers.

• Appointed an Attorney General and Justice Department officials on record as opposed to the use of “enhanced” interrogation techniques in terror investigations.

• Granted Al Arabia television his first news organization interview and called Fatah Party leader and PA President Mahmoud Abbass in his first phone contact with any foreign leader.

Now, with no strings attached, the president has allocated $20.3 million in “post-conflict humanitarian aid” to “Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza. The additional funds bring to $60 million U.S. aid commitments in Gaza. (Read entire article here)

TWO NEW COLUMNS BY BARRY RUBIN

Two op-eds recommended for reading. In the first one, Rubin talks about the problems of debating international issues these days. And in the second one, he talks about the current war in Gaza and what led up to it.

RUBIN: IS GAZA WAR STILL THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

Barry Rubin at the GLORIA Center writes about why Israel is taking on the Hamas in Gaza now, and making clear that it doesn't and shouldn't have anything to do with the upcoming election.

UPDATE: YUP, ANOTHER SCOOP: WE POSTED A LINK TO THIS A HALF-DAY BEFORE INSTAPUNDIT.

REGULAR READERS KNOW THAT WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME. SPREAD THE WORD. BOOKMARK US. BLOGROLL US.

UBL's driver: Clinton administration 'emboldened' Bin Laden

McClatchy's Carol Rosenberg notes testimony from an Al Qaeda operative that highlights the Clinton administration's lackadaisacal approach to fighting terrorism as a direct contributor to 9/11.

...Osama bin Laden's driver told a pair of FBI agents that it was America's fault that the al Qaida leader was alive...

The United States could have killed bin Laden in Khartoum, Sudan, before he moved to Afghanistan in 1996, Hamdan told his interrogators. They could have killed him after al Qaida's 1998 twin bombings at the U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Or after the October 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole, at the port of Aden in Yemen, which left 17 U.S. sailors dead.

Instead, ''Bin Laden was emboldened.'' So he struck with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, leaving nearly 3,000 dead.

Richard Miniter already demonstrated -- beyond a shadow of a doubt -- that the Clinton administration's inaction led directly to 9/11.

This testimony is simply further damning evidence that Miniter was spot on in his conclusions.

We can thank Bill Clinton and Sandy Berger (he of the immense cover-up that the nuts known as 9/11 "Truthers" curiously choose to ignore) for 9/11.

Word to the wise when voting in 2008: we tried the Democratic approach to fighting terrorism prior to 9/11. The results were thousands of innocents dead on American soil.

In an age in which Iran will likely equip its terrorist proxies with nuclear devices, another Democratic administration could very well be catastrophic.

IDF AIR STRIKE KILLS ONE OF GILAD SHALIT'S KIDNAPPERS

Now that's good to know:

(IsraelNN.com) Israel’s Air Force launched an air strike Thursday morning killing a Hamas terrorist involved in the kidnapping of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

The air strike, which was based on information from the Shabak (General Security Service) was carried out in Rafiah, along Gaza’s southern border with Sinai, as the terrorist, Nafez Mantzour, was driving with two other Hamas terrorists.

The first missile missed the vehicle, according to Hamas reports, and one of Matzour’s accomplices escaped before the second struck. Mantzour was killed and one of his accomplices was wounded.

Now, the filthy terrorist can go to hell and face the highest court.

VERY FORTUNATE

The IDF thwarted an attempt by the Hamas to use a car bomb and breach the borderline:

The IDF foiled a well-planned car bomb attack on the Kerem Shalom crossing, but the cost was high. Thirteen IDF soldiers were lightly or moderately wounded Saturday morning as Palestinians detonated car bombs, fired mortar shells and opened fire on the troops, in what the IDF considers an attempted abduction attempt

In the first attack of its kind from Gaza, Hamas sent two explosives-packed jeeps and two armored vehicles. The jeeps, which were detonated by suicide drivers, broke through to the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom goods crossing early Saturday, April 19. Terrorists jumped out of the first armored vehicle under cover of the explosions as well as mortar fire and heavy mist, and attacked the Israeli position guarding the terminal. This vehicle, painted in IDF colors, was captured and the assailants driven back.

It's lucky that they were on the alert.

Great Moments in Carter History #73: Meeting Dr. Mengele

Auschwitz Commandant Richard Baer (left) and Dr. Josef Mengele (second from left) meet with Jimmy Carter to pursue a peaceful final solution to the Jewish question in Europe.

Many criticized Carter's decision to meet with Dr. Josef Mengele in 1943. Carter, however, defended his actions. "I think it is absolutely crucial that in the final and dreamed-about and prayed-for peace agreement for Europe that the Gestapo be involved and that the SS will be involved," Carter told a Zyklon-B conference outside Auschwitz.

Carter aims to get Mengele to agree to a "peaceful resolution of differences, both with the Jews and also with Catholics, Gypsies and Gays."

YESHIVA ATTACKER'S HOUSE TO BE DEMOLISHED

The order has been given to police to hand it the wrecking ball.

They'll be doing the right thing by leveling the house of the scummy Hamas-supporting family that raised that monster.

WHY THERE'S A WAR WITH THE HAMAS

Barry Rubin talks about why there's a war with Hamas, and why it's important to understand it in light of the murder at Mercaz Harav by a terrorist yesterday.

ADAM GADAHN IS DEAD?

If the terrorist-treasonist from Oregon is really dead as a doornail, as Rusty is reporting (via Snapped Shot), that'll be good news indeed. Let him take the next prison flight to hell.

AMIR PERETZ BLAMES PREDECESSORS FOR WAR'S FAILURE

Because he was cited as being part of the problem in the Winograd report, Amir Peretz has now given a press conference in which he says that his predecessors in the defense ministry are responsible for the failure of the 2nd Lebanon war:

Peretz stated that his predecessors should have been held accountable for much of the failings revealed in the war, pointing the finger particularly at former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and former Defense Minister and current Labor Chairman Ehud Barak.

"There are tough questions regarding the six years prior to the war. This needs to be investigated further. Mofaz remained silent and did not alert about the failings (during his term in office). I have paid a heavy political price for years of failed policy.

"These questions should be presented to those who stated that the IDF needs to be a small and clever army, and thus jumpstarted the dynamics that led us to this catastrophe; and to those who decided that Israel could withdraw from Lebanon without an agreement, while abandoning our Christian allies and creating a vacuum that drew Hizbullah in."

Well, I'm glad he's pointing out that his two predecessors also have blame to shoulder. Because even Mofaz and Barak cannot be allowed to escape blame for their own negligence.

IN ISRAEL, EVEN POLITICIANS HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Shortly before the Winograd report was published, Michael Oren in the Wall Street Journal has something to say in relation:

The war began on July 12, 2006, when Hezbollah gunmen ambushed an Israeli border patrol, killing eight and kidnapping two. Mr. Olmert's response, a large-scale campaign intended to crush Hezbollah and secure the soldiers' release, was supported by most Israelis until serious mismanagement of the war surfaced. While receiving inadequate or faulty equipment -- my rifle literally fell apart in my hands -- Israeli forces were denied permission to invade Southern Lebanon and neutralize the katyusha rockets that were pummeling Israeli cities. Instead, Israeli jets bombed the Lebanese routes through which Syria resupplied Hezbollah and destroyed the organization's Beirut headquarters.

These attacks obliterated much of Hezbollah's infrastructure and killed a fourth of its fighters, but they also laid waste to a large part of Lebanon, killing civilians and squandering Israel's initial international backing. Hundreds of rockets, meanwhile, continued to smash into northern Israel, displacing a half-million civilians. Only on Aug. 13, after a month of fighting and with a U.N. ceasefire already approved, did the government authorize a ground offensive into Lebanon. The operation achieved nothing, either militarily or diplomatically, and cost the lives of 33 Israeli troops.

In another country, perhaps, such blunders might result in the resignation of senior officers but not necessarily elected officials. In Israel, though, no one is above blame. Accountability for decision making is a tenet of the Zionist ethos on which the Jewish state is based and, unlike most nations, Israel has a citizens' army in which the great majority -- politicians included -- serve. Most uniquely, Israel confronts daily security dangers and long-term threats to its existence. Israelis can neither condone nor afford a prime minister who passes the buck to their army or shirks the onus of defense. The person who sends us into battle cannot escape responsibility for our fate.

And that person is mainly Ehud Olmert.