A Nuclear showdown...inevitable?
By Felicia (Fee) Benamon (02/06/06)
I am concerned about the buildup of nuclear tensions, and the ability for certain regimes to acquire nuclear weapons. The "jihad" rhetoric has been stepped up in recent weeks, and a move towards confronting our democratic ally Israel is in the works. The threats specifically come from Iran and now Hamas. Hamas, the known terrorist organization among Palestinians, has won the majority of seats in the Palestinian elections, giving them the edge over Fatah, who has long been in power.
Hamas has participated in elections (a democratic process), but it does not legitimize what they do as an organization, nor excuse their belief that Israel should be no more. Their ultimate goal surely is not to sit down peacefully for a solution with Israel. They are in the works to build a Palestinian army and incorporate their own militant wing.
The US should have Israel's back ...fully! President Bush stated that "A political party that articulates the destruction of Israel as part of its platform is a party with which we will not deal." I say, it's about time that Washington finally gets it!
Hamas has been at work behind the scenes among the Palestinian people for some time...providing even medical services and making political inroads at the same time. But their mantra is always anti-Israel. And now, statements like the one mentioned above from President Bush indicate that the White House is acting in a more protective fashion on behalf of Israel. President Bush's administration is not so adamant about Israel making concessions to placate the Palestinians as they were in the past...giving land to a people whose majority wants Israel to vanish. Even some Democrats see no point in giving aid to the Palestinian people if Hamas will not stop its ambitions to attack Israel.
Hamas is a problem in itself, without the worry of the nuclear rhetoric going around.
Add the Hamas victory to the meeting that Hamas recently had with Iran's radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (wants Israel wiped off the map; wants to acquire and produce nuclear weapons) and we have a recipe for disaster.
Iranian President Ahmadinejad brings back to memory all of the games Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein tried on UN weapons inspectors, who were looking for WMD in Iraq, to throw them off. I remember the many times in which Saddam Hussein would kick out the weapons inspectors and proceed to throw anti-American tirades. He wanted to try to deflect criticism to America for only confronting his dangerous regime who could potentially have a nuclear weapon in the near future. Now, Mr. Ahmadinejad is doing the same thing.
Mr. Ahmadinejad has stepped up his threatening rhetoric against the U.S. and her allies, calling them "bully countries", and labeling the U.S. a "hollow superpower" that is "tainted with the blood of nations." His words come in response to the efforts of the U.S. and European allies to question Iran's ambitions for seeking to pursue nuclear weapons. And now, it is revealed that Iran is making plans to activate one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world. An Iranian informant says "if the United Nations’ atomic watchdog organization refers the matter to the Security Council, it will be 'crossing a line in the sand.' "
The comments of "crossing a line in the sand" indicate President Ahmadinejad has sinister plans in motion for the U.S. and her allies if we cross him. And just like Saddam Hussein, he defies the U.N. and continues in his nuclear research.
It still remains to be seen if the U.S. will act militarily in confronting Iran. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) said "we are capable, if necessary, of continuing to pursue our aims militarily in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere and, if necessary, conduct a military attack on Iran." He also mentioned that if we were to attack Iran's nuclear sites that it would be primarily by air, no ground forces would be used.
Surprisingly, French President Jacques Chirac has raised concerns about an attack on French soil. He states that if France were to suffer a terrorist attack, he would respond with nuclear force.
This comes from France, a country who has been "dovish" in regards to dealing with terrorists and radical Islamic factions in the past. This is a signal that things are about to change worldwide, that countries are not about to put up with any more loss of life of their citizens. Very surprising that France is considering the nuclear approach in retaliation to any attacks.
U.S. citizens: Be aware
As a country, we must be aware of these unfolding events and where it may lead. We now live in a world where a nuclear attack is possible, and we must keep an eye on this increasingly volatile situation. Stay focused on world events regarding nuclear ambitions of rogue nations and a possible showdown.
With this in mind, I wonder if Democrats are still in opposition to President Bush's wiretaps or his policies to confront out of control terrorists and radical Islamic leaders. It's amazing to me how in one breath, Democrats can bash the President for supposed illegal wiretaps and then, in another, say he isn't prepared for a terrorist attack. That's certainly untrue...the President is most certainly doing what is needed to prepare our nation.
I was surprised to find out that in my area, there is a program which has been adopted by FEMA that is designed to help citizens respond to emergencies. This program called CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is designed to help citizens become prepared in case of a terrorist event, or emergency situation. Ordinary citizens assist local fire and emergency personnel during a catastrophe, and it doesn't hurt to have the extra safety knowledge to know what to do in case of an emergency and to protect one's family.
This program is quickly spreading across the U.S. and will likely come to an area near you.
Many people do not think that FEMA has put forth the effort to make American citizens safe, but they are definitely making inroads to making sure the public is ready for a terrorist attack. And the CERT program is just one example of that.
The world is getting more dangerous as time moves on, but a prepared citizenry is better than a "shocked and surprised" one when the unfortunate and inevitable happens. So be prepared, and stay watchful and alert America.
Related Reading:
Hamas Plans Its Own Army:
http://newsmax.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?s=pf&page=http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/1/29/122531.shtml?s=lh
Iran Plans to Activate Nuclear Plant:
http://newsmax.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?s=pf&page=http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/1/30/150037.shtml
Jacques Chirac: I'll Nuke Terrorist Attackers:
http://newsmax.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?s=pf&page=http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/1/21/123808.shtml?s=ic
Sen. Reid: Bush Neglecting U.S. Cities:
http://newsmax.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?s=pf&page=http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/1/27/114004.shtml?s=ic
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team):
http://www.citizencorps.gov/programs/cert.shtm
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