What if We Named it "Operation Moses Can Kick Your Ass"?

Iran Test-Fires Missile Capable of Delivering Nuke to Israel [Israel National News]

The Islamic Republic fired a dozen missiles on Wednesday, its state-run media reported, as part of a large-scale military exercise. Several short-range missiles were fired, in addition to the long-range Shihab-3 model.

...The Shihab-3 has a range of some 1,250 miles (2,000 km), placing Israel - and American positions in the region - within range. The missile can easily be outfitted with a nuclear warhead. The Shihab-2 was also tested, with a cluster-bomb warhead. It is capable of breaking into 1,400 bomblets upon impact. Other missiles tested include the Zelzal missiles Hizbullah attempted to fire at Tel Aviv, as well as Scud-B, Zolfaghar-73 and Z-3 missiles.

The tests mark the beginning of ten days of maneuvers being run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The maneuvers have been named “Great Prophet,” and are taking place throughout the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and various regions inside Iran.

"You don't think the United States would immediately go to war with Iran if they shot a nuclear weapon at Israel?" a coworker just asked me.

"It wouldn't matter. Israel would already be destroyed. That's the goal. Besides, what would the United States be fighting for at that point? An atomic glass factory?"

"But we'd have to. We'd have to go to war."

"For what? The minute Americans see that Iran not only has nuclear weapons, but is using them freely, they'll shout for placation before they ever decide to go to war over it."

This comment, I must admit, could be delved into further. Do I believe there are a lot of good Americans out there who would want to kill Iran? Yes. Do I believe America as a nation is morally strong enough to rise up against a nuclear threat? No. Do I believe the powers that be in the government and the media would push for appeasement before they pushed for all out war? Depends on who's in power after the election. If it's the democrats, it'll be appeasement all the way. If it's the Republicans, they'll push for war, send troops over, instruct them to fight like politicians instead of men, it'll be a massacre, and the Democrats will use it to get one of their own in the White House in '08.

In any case, what does this mean for Israel? Last week, the excellent Caroline Glick estimated that Israel had 6 months TOPS to attack Iran before Iran had enough nuclear capabilities to launch an attack. This six month figure was confirmed in a recent post on Israpundit, quoting a UK newspaper article that states:

The suggestion is that the Israeli government has served notice on the White House that it must take pre-emptive action against Iran’s sites of nuclear weapons development - or Israel will go it alone and do the job itself. Israel has apparently given Bush a deadline of six months. ...One reason why the rumour is being taken seriously is that it coincides with another strong rumour - that the Iranian regime of Mahmud Ahmadinejad has ordered Iran’s nuclear programme to be accelerated.

The UK paper cites sources that claim Iran could have its own "deployable nuclear warheads" within four years. Four years is a long time, long enough to make me wonder why the six month deadline is being reiterated by Israeli sources, aka the sources closest to the problem nation itself.

Coinciding with today's reports on Iran's war games is a report from the Jerusalem Post informing us that Bush 'would understand' attack on Iran. While independent sources cannot confirm the conversation, the Israeli paper Ma'ariv is reporting that Chirac has engaged the President in sideline conversations regarding Israel, Iran, and the bomb. When asked if Israel would attack Iran, Bush reportedly replied, "We cannot rule this out. And if it were to happen, I would understand it." Sounds like the Bush Administration is more likely to believe six months over four years, sanctions or not.

What's more, in Gaza, 7,000-10,000 guerillas fighting for Hamas are now officially armed to the gills and ready for all-out war with Israel. In fact, Hamas, Hizbollah, and Fatah have joined together to prepare for war against the "Zionist Entity." According to the Mabat TV news program on Israel government TV, "Arab terrorists living in the Palestinian Authority (PA) have trained in Syria and Iran and have returned to the Gaza area to prepare for war against Israel." My guess is, they're only waiting for the marching orders from their Iranian buddies before they really go at it with full force.

In the meantime, the United States is arming and training PLO troops to supposedly "fight against" Hamas, despite the fact that the two groups have the same goal in mind: The destruction of Israel. The American public shouldn't be fooled by the Bush Administration's lukewarm splashes of support for Israel action against Iran. If the United States really cared about Israel, and if the Administration (read: the State Department) truly cared about American interests (namely, troops) in the region, they'd be doing a lot more than peddling the idea of sanctions to a bunch of tire-kickers in the U.N.

Which brings me back to my original point, the one I've been repeating for ages: If Israel wants to survive, Israel has GOT to do it ALONE, nation-wise. No country on the face of this earth is going to help us.

At the same time, we'd be nothing more than ignorant, cocky mamzers if we thought we could do it alone. The distance to Iran alone is an impediment to repeating the victory we had in Iraq in '81. But, it is one of many impediments that don't have to impede us if we would just humble ourselves enough to actually admit that we need G-d to be on our side in this. Are we smart enough to crack open our Bibles and learn something from our history, and respect the fact that the commitment our ancestors made at Mt. Sinai is just as binding for us as it was for them? Can we humble ourselves before the right One, just this once, instead of kissing the tuchuses of those that hate us and thinking we'll get somewhere because of it?

Grow up, Israel. Get with it. G-d is our only defense in this battle. Unless we humble ourselves as a nation and realize this and beg for His mercy for the sake of His own reputation, just as Moses did in the desert when HaShem was ready to destroy the lot of us, we will lose. We will be defeated. You don't like that? You don't like being one of the "chosen people"? You don't like the burden of bearing the truth of G-d on your shoulders? Tough. Without the covenant, without Torah, you would be as Jewish as the goy chewing the ham sandwich next to you on the bus, so quit screwing it up for the rest of us. Judaism is about choice, right? Well, if you choose Judaism and you choose Israel, you're choosing to honor G-d, too. So, get on your knees with the rest of us, swallow your pride, and pray-- unless, of course, you'd rather be smote.

Israel, stop fooling yourself. It was a bad joke to begin with, but now it's wearing really thin. Unless you feel like weeping by the rivers of Babylon, you'd better shape up and start looking to the Only One with the answers, the G-d with victory in the palm of His hand, Adonai Tzvaot. Beg while there is yet time. If I had a yoke I would strap myself to it and parade down the streets of Yerushalayim-- that is how important this is. This is where we are at. What will you do, wait until the Red Dawn is sounded and you have three minutes to go underground? How many more soldiers will be kidnapped and murdered before you face facts?

And what of the Jews in the galut, do you think you're escaping any of this? Do you think your yeshivas in Williamsburg can shelter you, your Hillels on campus will save you? If only you could see past your dyed-blonde hair and your Coach bags, you'd know that singing "G-d Bless America" at your Passover seder isn't going to be enough to save you. What happens in Israel happens to every single Jew around the world-- no one will escape it. Geography means nothing to animals out for blood.

Fools. Seek your G-d while there is yet time, while He may yet be found, with a clean and honest heart, that He may pardon the sins of Israel and remember His covenant with us that lasts forever.

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