MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD. WELL PLAYED MR HASSAN!!! 

From the beging of the so called Arab Spring, a term I still don't totally buy into, I and many like me have doubted the so called, " new and improved MB".

I've written about this on several occasions and yes it's old news that I distrust the whole group.

But, this time around, I simply had to post what I consider an outstand editorial that paints a picture of the MB like none other I have seen.

Greedy people thirsting  for power and have had many names and or causes over the history of civilized man.

The picture this author frames is an absolute classic example of how the MB once again fits the mold of a elitist group out to accomplish one goal... power....

What continues to perplex me, and perhaps I shouldn't be given the over confidence most of us have in the so called "experts", is the West desire to see the MB as some form of an acceptable answer to the issues of the Middle East.

Does the MB have it doubters?

Just ask the GCC leaders and see what their answer is.

Ok, back to a simply brilliant OpEd by Ammar Ali Hassan.

What really struck me about this viewpoint, was the brilliant link between the MB's desire for pure Capitalistic wealth and leverage, yet, much like the Communist, they portray this outward distain for  " Elitist Wealth".

Like every good socialist  / Communist / the MB seems to hold true to the age old argument, " They believe in the redistribution of Wealth... Just not their wealth"!!!

 To the MB leaders, it's ok to be a Capitalist just as long as it furthers the hollow cause of the MB.

No wonder the MB purist and the more radical Islamic movements have ill feelings towards them.

For all the negatives many of these so called radicals have, the one thing that often holds true is their lack of desire real economic wealth.

Hassan's  masterful depiction of the inner tension of the MB, based on the desire for capital status and personal gain, must not be overlooked by those who may be tasked to counter this false movement.

I will be willing to bet you, the Royals of the GCC have read this article and if they have not, they better do so quickly.

So, Mr Hassan....... " Well played Ammar... Well played"!!!

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1120/op2.htm

US ELECTIONS AND THE IRANIAN ISSUE.. ISRAEL'S VIEW

If you read what DEBKA and those sights like them are saying,  one would have to believe betrayal is just around the corner.

Does a second term President see things differently than in his fist term?

History says it depends on the issue and it depends on how hard the decision is that might have to be made.

Now, the perception in the region, at least from the viewpoint of the GCC Royals, is based upon what they would consider,  " betrayal".

Does that equate into Israel falling into the same perception mindset?

Some would argue  the Israeli leadership already had this opinion prior to the US election.

The "perception" of the relationship between the two leaders being less than positive is well known, but then again, that could be "perception"!

So, has anything really changed?

Yes!

Two things have changed... one is time.. and that is a clock no one can predict right now...the other is the attitude of the Iranian leadership.

A few feeble efforts have been made by Iran to have some level of appearance they are not racing towards a weapons program and some would argue this is based upon their observation of our elections.

Here is another way to look at this issue.

Does the Iranian leadership believe a reelected US President is more or less likely to support Israel?

My opinion is Iranian leadership probably believes this issue has been pushed back at least for the time being.

Does the Iranian leadership worry an Israel that believes they are now on their own, is far more dangerous than before the US election?

Yes!

Iran knows that Israel will not let the future of their existence rest on the outcome of the US election.

Ok, it's clear to see the US election has only made the issue of Iran and Israel even more complicated and by doing so made the prediction of what might happen much more difficult to envision.

The cool months have started in the region..

Jets need cool air for maximum lift...

Time is not on the side of Iran.. .Israel or the rest of the world...

If anyone wants to make perhaps the last attempt to avoid a catastrophic regional war, they need to do it soon..

http://www.debka.com/article/22501/Barack-Obama-wins-reelection-Mid-East-faces-nuclear-Iran-Brotherhood-grip

THE DAY AFTER.. A SNAP SHOT OF WHAT IS AHEAD IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

A day after the US elections, let me give you my perspective of what the issues are in the Middle East and what, if anything, has changed.

Perception:

The perception of the region, by the people who live in the region didn't change.

The perception the US may change it's plan for dealing with the region didn't change as well.

Challenges:

Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait... yes Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and last but not least Saudi.

If that list is not enough for you to chew on, then you are a gluten for punishment.

Ok, now lets look at the many in the world believe the cause for list of challenges.

Sunni vs Shia ///// Suppressive governments, lack of jobs; jobs at the level the educated youth of the region are qualified to do.

Now, the Sunni vs Shia issue is one many still have a hard time discussing and most often don't; especially the local "talking heads" from the region who seem to blame Israel and the West for everything and anything.

Ok, time for the next category of "Challenges"!

Here ya go:

Ottomans, Arabs, Christians, Persians, Christians and Drews.

Add on top of this, the Ottomans, Persians and Arabs are all three old Empires that long to be Empires once again.

Ah yes; for all of you who like to say it's only the issue of the old Colonial Christians that have set the region up for failure; lest you not forget the Ottomans, Persians and the Moors!!

History.... it's a two way street:)

Ok, no topic of challenges in the Middle East would be complete without the never ending topic of Oil!!!!

Who has it... who wants it.. and most importantly... who gets rich from it?

At this point in the conversation, we need to add yet another key player... the Tsar!!!!

Yep, it's impossible to talk about the region and fuel without folding the Tsar of Russia into the mix.

So, the day after the US elections; has anything really changed??????

I think you know the answer...

Next time; I will talk about what the elections in the US means to the people of Israel.

Hint... the answer is doesn't flow with the conversation above!!

THE ABSOLUTE JOKE OF THE DAY... 

Iran's attempt to draw attention to the issue of the Israeli nuclear weapons  is simply a waste of time.

So, could it be Iran is once again, subconsciously trying to say, "what's good for Israel is good for Iran"?

Drawing attention to the Israeli weapons issue is going to achieve what for Iran?

If Iran is not trying to develop nuclear weapons, insert laughter here, then why are they concerned over Israel having something they have had for decades?

 When was the last speech given by a Israeli leader talking about how the country of Iran must be destroyed... and don't be a fool and state they say it all the time.. you know exactly what I am getting at.

 Some left of left, liberal dreamers from Europe who sit down with Iran is not going to change a thing.

If a few pacifist from Europe make statements about supporting Iran, that will not stop the IDF from defending Israel!! Wake up!!

Europe has seen these "dreamers" before... Remember the guy named Chamberlain from England... "Peace in our time"????

If Iran really thinks attending this love fest is going to change a single thing, that just goes to show you how out of touch with reality their leadership truly is.

Iran is playing to the media of Europe.

The problem is, the IDF doesn't work for the media of Europe and it surly doesn't listen to the UN.

A country that is only miles wide surrounded by enemies who talk everyday of destroying their very existence will develop any weapon needed to survive and they will not  place the lives of their citizens in the hands of liberal dreamers from Europe.

http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=290736

THE TSAR REACHES OUT TO TURKEY...WELL.. .. NOT REALLY!!!! 

Nothing has changed for the Tsar and the Russian Kingdom.

The desire is to keep Assad in power, at least as long as it take to find an alternative that will still " work" with the Russians.

I did find it somewhat amuzing last week when the rebels and the Russians had the same opinion of the US's new requirements for rebel leadership.

These are the same Russians the rebels despise for backing Assad, yet they both lash out at the US for the latest "idea" from the West / US.

Now, it's clear one of the overarching issues for the Russians is to not so damage relationships with Turkey that the price of saving it's relationship with Syria ruins the one with Turkey.

Oh by the way, the two of them have something far more important incommon than Syria and Assad..... .fuel!!!

As for this "Three-member group" concept; well it's nice to see the Russians can get stuck on a deadened theory just as bad as the West.

 I'm not sure Erdogan really believes there is any value in this " three-group" idea, but it does give him a little wiggle room with the Tsar.

So, is this concept going anywhere?

No!!!

Does the Tsar and Erdogan know that?

Yep!!

Does that make it a waste of time?

Well, in the world of international diplomacy, one often doesn't really have to make progress; one simply has to look as if they are trying to do so!

http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=98113

SO.. .WHY SYRIAN TANKS ON THE ISRAELI BORDER?

I lot has been made of the three tanks that showed up yesterday in the demilitarized buffer zone with Israel.

Nobody and I mean nobody thinks this is an act to provoke Israel; at least no sane person believes this.

Three tanks hardly constitutes a forward press to contact with Israel.

So, what is going on?

If the Rebels / Resistance fighters.. you pick... learned anything from the events along the Turkish border, it's how to hide close to sensitive areas.

I can assure you the IDF is spending as much if not more time figuring out who those tanks are looking for as they are watching the tanks.

The odds of there being a smuggling route in that area is nil to none.

The odds are some group is traversing that area are hiding nearby is better than aveage.

What a great concept... hide near the IDF positions but no so close the IDF gets too worried; knowing all the time the Syrian military will be hard pressed to take any action that would risk IDF retaliation.

Should the IDF be worried about who these groups are?

You bet!!!

If anyone thinks all of these groups are simply common Syrian fighters, they are fooling themselves.

The IDF can't risk letting these groups pretend they are simple freedom fighters and then find out after the fact they are IQ or some other radical Islamic force looking to slip into Israel.

That is not going to happen.

So you see, this is a delicate game with very dangerous overtones not just three tanks showing up in a restricted area.

Mistakes can be made and mistakes can lead to greater mistakes..... Just ask the Turks.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=290414

THE SINAI.. WHO'S FUTURE BATTLEFIELD IS IT?

No one should doubt the issue of how important the Sinai is to both the current government of Egypt and to Israel.

al-Qaida affiliated groups and the Muslim Brotherhood have very different goals for the area, and Israel doesn't trust ether of them.

For Israel, the issue of the Sinai brings on the problem of deploying additional assets and resources to support those assets. 

That puts them in a position of moving units from one area to another or calling up reserve units that would not be typically placed on extended duty.

Israel will continue to treat threats from this region much as it does threats from Gaza.

It may not be Muslim Brotherhood sponsored organizations threading to attack Israel, although all Sunni radical groups have their origin with the MB, but that will not stop Israel from blaming Egypt for any action that comes from the Sinai and the MB knows this.

An uneasy alliance between the two countries militaries, one that has worked for decades, is now in  question given the new government in Egypt.

The Sinai is as dangerous to Egypt as it is to Israel.

The MB knows if it fails to show the world it can control events in the Sinai, it has no chance of showing the world they can broker a true peace deal on the Palestinian statehood issue.

You can hear the critics now, " if Egypt cannot control events in the Sinai, their own land, then how can they expect to predict the peace of a Palestinian statehood"?

The issue is this.

Solve your own internal conflicts first before you think you have the authority or the creditability to solve the problems of "others".

Yes... the Sinai is a dangerous issue for Egypt.

Sometimes words and speaches simply don't win the day.

Egypt has a problem with the Sinai and it better find a way to deal with it soon!

A major strike into Israel from the Sinai and Israel will solve the Sinai issue as it did in the past.... Occupation.

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=290187