Category: Iran

Reflecting Further

For me, the line in the sand of the Arabian deserts is drawn with two sticks. One stick is the expansion… of Iran’s nuclear capability…The second stick is… in the hands of a young American soldier in the desert with a wife and child back home in the States.

Recently I posted a blog about a Bully… In it I wrote:

 If there are any U.S. veterans or current military personnel out there not completely livid with the actions of this Congress to limit our military’s right to defend itself and our Commander in Chief’s right to exercise that military to protect others and America’s interests,  I have got to hear from you… I look across the Middle East and I have to ask myself, who has allowed this 3rd world upstart of a country to gain such bully status? Although it is the second largest country in the Middle East, it is barely larger in square miles than our single state of Alaska!…

Iran has permitted the likes of the Taliban, ISIS, and al Qaeda while building a nuclear capability allied with North Korea, Russia and China.  

Here is where we find ourselves on 10 January 2020… Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that ballistic missile attacks targeting U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq Wednesday morning were “a slap in the face” to the United States.

IRAN – the BULLY in the neighborhood… Why? Because we are allowing it. The ruling Ayatollah and those loyal to him are killing their own people, jailing those who object and it is morally wrong for those in Congress to hamper the legitimate efforts of our military and its Commander in Chief to do everything it can to protect the lives of American soldiers who are in harm’s way, American citizens and private individuals in Iraq and those in Iran who choose to stand against the ruling regime. The Ayatollah has vowed to pursue nuclear weapons with the only goal of striking against America and Israel. At what point will our Congress wake up rather than be ‘woke’?

And I put in this plea:  Remember the name of each and every Representative and Senator who has voted to keep our military from being able to defend themselves when you go next to the ballot box.

I’ve been giving a great bit of thought to things even as the circus of impeachment continues and members of Congress are so far out of touch with America and its people, it is scary. There is another side of the Iran issue I think needs to be considered. Here are my ruminations on that subject.

So far I have considered the American side of the coin. We, (the royal we including most Western nations), own a good piece of the blame for allowing Iran to be the bully, to have the military, to threaten with nuclear weaponry… Certainly, other western countries can point their finger at America and say it is our fault, and they are partially correct. We have had the most capability to put a stop to it during past administrations and we haven’t. Still, there is enough blame to go around.

HOWEVER, a very large part of the blame (for lack of a better term) lies with the Iranian people. How long are they going to put up with these bullies in black robes? There is a point that lies vaguely out in the cosmos somewhere. It is the place where people either fix what is wrong or they refuse to right the wrongs of the government over them choosing to ignore the abuses of that government. Their non-action, or ineffective action, becomes collusion. No longer can they maintain innocent bystander status, if there even is such a thing in today’s world.

The Christian who is also a patriot to his country walks a fine line. His first allegiance is to Christ, everything else is second. Some Christians take the words of Jesus, “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s” to mark the dichotomy between the two and it is an appropriate line. Others turn to Paul’s remarks in Romans, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same…” They then declare that any action taken against even an evil or oppressive government is wrong and we are to bide our time and let God deal with it.

How do we follow that thinking when faced with demonic rulers such as Adolph Hitler and the bullies we see currently in Iran? To be very open, I don’t know. Remember, when Paul wrote, Romans were killing Christians for sport. The Roman lions were the unbeatable opponent. Allow me to take a line from the United States’ Declaration of Independence.

“…all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.”

The point is made here that people are more likely to continue to permit suffering rather than get rid of the familiar as long as the suffering is tolerable, (more likely that it is on someone else’s front porch and not my own). How much stronger is the desire to not go against the authorities when the authorities claim divine position and to go against them is to assure oneself of hell? This is particularly true when the religion being so used has been inculcated into their very DNA since they were born.

I must choose how to correctly interpret what Paul’s words meant to the people of his day and how that applies to people today. After much soul-searching and prayerful consideration, I determined that if I must err, if it is an error, I choose to stand on the side of protecting those who are unable to protect themselves. When any person, organization, political body, government or military does evil against any person, particularly those most vulnerable, the weak, infirm, the widows and orphans, the children, then I must stand between them and that evil. I believe the weight of the biblical evidence supports such action. I pray and thank God that He continues to have mercy upon me when such decisions must be rendered. I encourage anyone who might read this to determine for yourself where you stand. There will be no time to contemplate it when the time comes. The following poem by Martin Niemoller says it best. It’s titled, First They Came for the Jews.

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Martin Niemöller

The Nazis imposed identification of the Jews

Will there be a time when the people of Iran have heard enough lies and seen enough abuse, felt the crush of unbridled power to that undefinable point and take a stand to demand there be revolution? In a bold move recently, rather than face a possible showdown with the IRGC, (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), Ayatollah Khamenei played a slick card trick. He has moved to declare those who were killed by Iranian forces in the street riots over the past few weeks as martyrs. What does that mean? It means the families of those killed are set financially for life. They have an honored status now in Iran. What better way to quell a rebellion than buying off those responsible for it.

Israel apparently has decided to allow the U.S. to take the lead in actions against Iran. Strategists suggest that as long as the U.S. is pushing back against Iran, Israel will be able to allow the U.S. to take the lead and perhaps ease the threat against itself for a short time. Still others believe it is only a matter of time until Tehran acts against Israel again.

Courtesy STRATFOR

SUMMARY

“So, now what?” In the movie, Big Jake, (you knew it was coming, right?), John Wayne is an absentee father now reconnected with two of his sons to retrieve a kidnapped grandson. Events make the sons believe their father stole the $1M meant as ransom and when they challenge him, he towers over them, hands on his hips and defiantly says, “So, now what?” The sons had a choice to make. Do they challenge or cower?

Does the United States wait for Israel to act? Do we wait and encourage the Iranian people to act? To think that U.S. resources are not currently in place creating incentives for insurrection is to be going about with one’s head in the sand. Will government changes at the top in Moscow make a difference?

Iran has threatened just this week that if the Western countries open the Iranian nuclear file before the U.N. Security Council, they will leave the non-proliferation agreement… Whoopi! As if anyone believed they were following it anyway!

For me, the line in the sand of the Arabian deserts is drawn with two sticks. One stick is the expansion and development of Iran’s nuclear capability. If they approach weaponization, all deals are off and the Iranian people need to know they are in a time crunch for acting in their own best interests. When that line is crossed, there is no doubt there will be collateral damage. Notice, I did not say of innocent bystanders because, at some point, inaction becomes collusion. If nothing else, they should remove themselves from harm’s way for their children’s sake if not their own. The children, sadly, will be at risk because of their parents’ choices.

The second stick is best visualized in the hands of a young American soldier in the desert with a wife and child back home in the States. When he and his brothers are fired upon, the green flag is down, the gate is up and America responds for as many furlongs as it takes.

In every smallest detail, we pray. We pray for peace in the region. We pray for the safety of our troops. We pray for the salvation of every individual in Iran and beyond and we pray for divine guidance for our leaders, particularly for wisdom for our Commander in Chief.

I thank God that He has allowed me to be a citizen of this great nation which I have sworn to defend. I thank Him all the more that He sought me out to be a citizen of His heavenly kingdom and may I never do, say or write anything to tarnish His Name.

“I solemnly swear… I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States… against all enemies foreign and domestic…that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…so help me God.“

Bully on the Block

We still have the finest military in the world and America is great even with some real pieces of work sitting in positions of authority in Congress!

The BULLY in the HOOD who NANCY loves!

Apparently, it is not just Nancy!

Nancy new math and a new Non-Bully for Ali Zone

If you’re in Congress and consider yourself a “progressive – D” or just a “good ‘ol – D” then you are responsible for the bully in the neighborhood who loves to not just beat up but has sworn to kill as many Americans as possible and has threatened to kill the President of the United States! This same bully has openly declared war on the United States, it appears his military shot down an unarmed Ukrainian passenger plane killing everyone on board and now appears to have hidden or destroyed the black box from the wreckage. You, if you are a progressive liberal ‘D’ know this bully, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and you apparently also see him like Nancy Pelosi sees him… Yes, you see him as a super-hero! I can hear Nancy droning on…

 “Oh, of course all of those things they do are baaaad,” she might say. “But the bully gives us leverage to use against a president we hate and that makes this bully goooood!”

AND then came the TV version of Bachelor Bully…

GAMESHOW HOST: “Okay, Robin, it’s time to meet our next bully bachelor (or a married guy whose religion says he can have as many wives as he wants – even if they are still in elementary school…) Let’s bring him out, now, straight from the carnage of a civilian airline crash caused by his military, here he is, that tough guy of Tehran… Ali – ‘Come on inee!”

According to RedWire News and USA Today

The camera scans the audience to show Nancy Pelosi in rapt attention as Ali, who she wants to be her ‘Ali-baabaa’ strolls majestically to the podium by our host. (A black box of some size can be seen hidden in his robe… go to commercial to fix the robe!)

Back in the 8th District of California, Nancy’s handlers are rapidly struggling to find a way to smooth out the erasure marks on the red line drawn across “No Bullies in Our Communities” posters and hiding the posters with the photo op of Nancy: “Vacation in Iran – Air fare is at its cheapest and lodging for Americans is paid for by the government!” The poster also promises a chance for a trip from Tehran to Bagdad to view the American Embassy at your leisure!

Okay, a little tongue-in-cheek sarcasm designed to abate my anger for a few minutes while I try to pen something not frothing across the page.

If there are any U.S. veterans or current military personnel out there not completely livid with the actions of this Congress, I have got to hear from you. Right now, as I sit in my warm home, in a comfortable chair, the streets outside safe and quiet thanks to all of the cops whose efforts we mark annually as we did recently with a Day of Appreciation. I have no fear tonight of an air to ground missile or a long-range ICBM landing in my horse barn because our American military is on the job. They are standing their watch and all is secure.

But about a dozen or so time zones away, young American soldiers, volunteers every single one of them, is waiting for the next shell burst and loud whistling noise of incoming missiles and they have no idea what might wait just past the concertina wire. I snuggle in next to my wife tonight. They hunker down with their M-16 while people like Nancy Pelosi and the self-aggrandizing, liberal pantywaists are arguing about whether these young soldiers’ Commander in Chief can give them the green light to protect themselves! How dare they!

Yes, our Constitution requires the civilian oversight of the military and for good reason. That civilian is our Commander in Chief. There are millions of Americans, civilians – mostly veterans, who would jump on a plane tonight, if they could, to stand shoulder to shoulder with their brothers and sisters in arms. We want nothing to do with the Progressive Pablum suckers who have kowtowed to Khamenei and his like, groveling like Obama did before the Saudi royalty. It’s enough to make me retch.

Bullies worldwide need to know that America will not kowtow to them or to the leftest, socialists who think they control the school-yard and the White House.

I look across the Middle East and I have to ask myself, who has allowed this 3rd world upstart of a country to gain such bully status? Although it is the second largest country in the Middle East, it is barely larger in square miles than our single state of Alaska! Its population is roughly similar to that of Germany whose unemployment rate is 3.3% while Iran’s is over 12%. Iran’s GDP is $458.5 Billion and Germany’s is $3.86 Trillion.

Iran has permitted the likes of the Taliban, ISIS, and al Qaeda while building a nuclear capability allied with North Korea, Russia and China. I personally don’t believe any of those allies would truly push for a hot war with the U.S. The leaders of those nations may be nuts but they’re not crazy.

Inside sources indicate over 1,500 Iranians have been killed and more than 7,000 incarcerated for protesting or other signs of dissent from Soleimani or the Tehran government.

Here is where we find ourselves on 12 January 2020…

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that ballistic missile attacks targeting U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq Wednesday morning were “a slap in the face” to the United States.

Khamenei said the U.S. should leave the region, adding, “Military action like this is not sufficient. What is important is ending the corrupting presence of America in the region,” Reuters reported.

15 Missiles fired into Iraq at US/Iraqi Military Bases January 10, 2020

Video also appears to indicate that Iranian forces shot down the Ukrainian 737 airline, a passenger flight on 8 January immediately after its takeoff killing all 176 on board.

Intelligence sources indicate that Iran air defense radar locked onto the aircraft minutes after takeoff and fired two SA-15 surface to air missiles. Iran first refused to give up the black box from the airliner and later said to reporters that it had been lost. A short clip of that video is available at: https://youtu.be/7npI8InUVDQ

Iranian Government Faces Internal Pressure

The BBC reports that unrest in Iran is mounting following the admission of the horrific downing of the Ukrainian airliner, a ‘mistake’ by the Iran military, according to officials.  

One large departure from the U.S. news media and Congress has to do with Soleimani. Among Congressional Democrats, there seems as much cooing over Ali as there was for Soleimani but it seems, now weeks later, the people of Iran aren’t quite in step with the US news outlets and Congress who want to throw laurels on Soleimani’s grave, it’s more like invectives (if not incendiaries)!

In Tehran, large demonstrations have continued to occur. The one pictured below, the demonstrators are chanting that Soleimani is a murderer! Reports indicate he was quick to imprison or kill any who disagreed with his policies. Unlike the Democrats who seem to vindicate their actions against President Trump’s war powers by claiming he abused power by ordering the killing of Soleimani, U.S. Representative, Tom Cotton, (R) Arkansas and a veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan said on the 12th, Soleimani was plotting “something large… something very dangerous” and he was “a sadistic terrorist mastermind and there is no country in the Middle East whose citizens have not suffered from his depredations.” He wrote of having received 1000’s of emails complaining of being forced to attend pro-government demonstrations over Soleimani.

Protestors chanting Soleimani was a murderer ignites in Tehran

According to The Guardian, Dominic Raah claims that Iran has “pariah status” after the arrest of the UK Foreign Minister on charges of inciting protestors and CNN reports Iran’s sole female Olympic medalist Kimia Alizadeh announced that she has permanently left her country for Europe.

Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, of Iran, celebrates after winning a bronze medal in women’s 57-kg taekwondo competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

IRAN – the BULLY in the neighborhood… Why?

Because we are allowing it. The ruling Ayatollah and those loyal to him are killing their own people, jailing those who object and it is morally wrong for those in Congress to hamper the legitimate efforts of our military and its Commander in Chief to do everything it can to protect the lives of American soldiers who are in harm’s way, American citizens and private individuals in Iraq and those in Iran who choose to stand against the ruling regime. The Ayatollah has vowed to pursue nuclear weapons with the only goal of striking against America and Israel. At what point will our Congress wake up rather than be ‘woke’? Remember the name of each and every Representative and Senator who has voted to keep our military from being able to defend themselves when you go next to the ballot box.

How amazing it is that Ali Khamenei and the deceased General Soleimani have more support, apparently, in the U.S. Congress than among his own people!

“I solemnly swear… I will support and defend the constitution of the united states… against all enemies foreign and domestic…that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…so help me God.”

MBA Millennial Beautifully Astute

Just this week my lovely wife sent me a copy of a post tweeted as #Pleaseshare and it is worth the sharing. Alyssa Ahlgren, writing on an assignment, puts together some great explanation about how mistaken the Millennial view of socialism and capitalism is. Her words are great. I want to share with her though, don’t get discouraged. I have attended military graduations and the parade fields are full. The military recruits are so fortunate to be where they are and we, as Americans are so blessed to have them. The military turns away less qualified of the new recruits. Many are still excellent citizens with skills but not exactly what our military needs right now and we are in a position, we can be choosy. Our positions open in the military are often high-tech and the competition for those positions is very stiff. We still have the finest military in the world and America is great even with some real pieces of work sitting in positions of authority in Congress!

May God bless you and may God bless our fighting forces, their families and our Commander in Chief. May America bless God and may God bless America!

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