Letters from NYC

Arab, Syrian & Iranian Reactions

Summary: Perhaps Samir Geagea, Chairman of the executive branch of the Lebanese Forces, said it best in Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon's leading newspaper): "What is currently happening in Lebanon goes far beyond the issue of the [Lebanese] prisoners [held in Israel] and other marginal issues... [It is] part of the large conflict in the region between the Western-American axis on the one side and the Syrian-Iranian axis on the other."

The expanded entry will have details as to whom, said what, when, and where, so that you can be factually informed as to where they believe this new war is headed. I'm sure some of the statements will be eye opening to some of you. You will definitely not see any of these statements in the MSM.

Lebanon:
In an interview with Al-Arabiya TV on July 15th, Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said: "What is happening now in Lebanon is part of the struggle between Syria and Iran on the one side and Israel on the other." Regarding the reports about Iranians currently fighting in Lebanon, he said: "Iran is saying to the U.S.: '[If] you want to fight in the Gulf or hit our nuclear facilities, we will hurt you in your home, in Israel, and the battlefield is naturally Lebanon...

Syria:
An editorial in the Syrian government daily Teshreen read on July 15th: "With the blessing of the Americans, and [with] shameful, reprehensible silence on the part of the Arabs, Israel wants to redraw the map of the region, starting with Lebanon... The [Arab] silence has become an overt conspiracy which aims to stab the resistance in the back, instead of [letting] the Arabs [defend] their lives and honor. The crime continues and the region is in flames. When will we express our solidarity, if not now?!"

As reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency, Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said on July 16, 2006, that "any Israeli aggression towards Syria will trigger a strong and direct reaction, with no constraints on the duration [of the reaction] or on the means [employed]."

Iran:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted in the Government's Iranian newspaper on July 16th as saying: "If [Israel's supporters] do not revise their support for the regime or fail to topple it, they should know that this wrath [will] turn into a huge outburst, which [will] not be restricted to the region alone." He said that "the Israeli invasion of Lebanon is an encroachment against [all] the nations in the region."

Iranian Defense Minister Mustafa Najar said (INRA, July 16) that "the Islamic world sees America as responsible for Israel's crimes... America has turned the region into a flashpoint of war and conflict in order to secure Israel's security and to completely take over the oil resources.

He warned: "The continued bombing of Lebanon and the potential attack against Syria will not bring anything to the Zionist regime apart from damage and regret... Victory belongs to people who, in order to defend their religion and their homeland, stand, as oppressed men and with nothing but their bare hands, willl face the regime that is equipped with nuclear weapons... In the event that the Islamic world undertakes a serious action, Israel will regret its crimes." (Source)

Vice-Secretary of the Iranian National Security Council, Gholam-Reza Rahmani-Fazli, was quoted in IRNA as saying at a meeting of senior officers, that "the Iranian nuclear issue is the primary challenge facing Iran and the West." He claimed that the "American theoreticians" think that "World War II [sic] has begun" and added that "Iran will play a decisive role in this kind of war."

An editorial in the Tehran Times on July 15th (which is affiliated with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei), entitled "Israel is Pushing the Region into Utter Chaos," warned the superpowers that continued support for Israel "will harm the whole world, from exacerbation of the global security situation to undermining the world economy."

Tehran Times also noted that "the attack on Lebanon has already sent oil prices skyrocketing to an unprecedented high of $78 per barrel," and called on the participants in the G8 summit to "send Israel a strong message to halt its mad rush towards Armageddon." The daily added that Israel could not afford a lengthy war with the resistance [i.e. Hizbullah]. Even the U.S., it said, was forced to withdraw from Beirut in the early 1980s following Hizbullah's suicide attack against the Marines.

An Iranian military source close to the Revolutionary Guards leadership revealed to the London Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat on July 16th, the details concerning Iran's role in training and arming Hizbullah:

"Firstly, in 1985, the Revolutionary Guards established the Hizbullah missile unit which was trained in Lebanon, at the Sheikh 'Ubeidallah Military Base in the Beqa'. About 2000 men from the Revolutionary Guards were in this base, which served as their headquarters. [In 1989,] when the Lebanese civil war ended, and the Taif Agreement was signed and most of the Revolutionary Guards left Lebanon, between 150 and 250 Hizbullah [fighters] were trained by the best Revolutionary Guards trainers, who stayed in Lebanon...

"Secondly, special training courses [for Hizbullah fighters]were organized in Iran, and so far, over 3,000 Hizbullah [fighters] have taken them. The [courses] included training in guerilla warfare, missile aiming and launching, [use of] artillery, handling of unmanned aircraft, use of 'kites' [i.e. hang gliders], naval warfare techniques, handling of speedboats and conventional warfare.

"Thirdly, in the last three years, 50 pilots have been trained.

"Fourthly, The Revolutionary Guards established 20 permanent missile bases within the strip [running along] the Israeli border. They also equipped Hizbullah with mobile bases, [i.e.] medium-sized trucks that can carry and launch missiles. Between 1992 and 2005, Hizbullah recieved approximately 11,500 missiles and rockets, 400 short- and medium-range pieces of artillery, [and] Aresh, Nuri and Hadid rockets. Last year, Hizbullah first received a shipment of large 'Uqab missiles with 333-millimeter warheads, and an enormous supply of SAM7 shoulder-[fired] anti-aircraft missiles as well as C802 missiles, copied from Chinese missiles, two of which were used in the attack on the Israeli ship the day before yesterday.

"Hizbullah [also] has four types of advanced surface-to-surface missiles:
"1. Fajr missiles with an effective range of 100 km.
"2. Iran130 missiles with an effective range of 90-110 km.
"3. Shahin missiles with an effective range of 150 km.
"4. 335-millimeter rockets with an effective range of 150 km."

The source also stated that "in Lebanon, there are 70 trainers, experts and technicians, as well as 60 Faylaq Quds intelligence agents, who assist the Hizbullah missile unit and its local leadership. In addition, there is a secret Revolutionary Guards unit, consisting of 20 officers, who use advanced means to track the movement of the Israeli forces in the field, and select targets in Israel for the operation commanders."

The Iranian source concluded: "Hizbullah has not yet revealed its full [arsenal]. In the next few days, if the Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue, Hizbullah will stun everyone with weapons that will shock the center of Israel."

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As you have read, this does not seem like a conflict that will end tomorrow. In fact, I believe it was a carefully planned strike meant to provoke Israel into a regional conflict, as has been done in the past by Hezbollah. In Muslim eyes, it also justifies Iran's nuclear proliferation program as they can claim they are now threatened by Israel, who is considered to be 6th largest nuclear power on earth. In this way Iran can assure that the UN will not impose sanctions against them but instead turn it's negative eyes on Israel.

On the other side of the coin, through the ever-increasing prices of crude oil, Iran will not only affect our economy, they will simultaneously show their power and control over us, by impacting the supply and distribution of oil to the west (and our allies). Since Arab nations control close to 90% of the worlds oil supply and distribution. it will not be difficult for them to hurt us economically and politically. That is their ultimate goal after all.

So, if you wish to help our country free itself from the impending subjugation and manipulation that will occur, I suggest you begin to find ways to conserve and consume less oil and gas now. This is the time to do research and plan conservation strategies for your personal needs, because after a shocking summer, it's going to be one long, cold and expensive winter - Iran and Syria have guaranteed it!

Posted by Michele at July 17, 2006 10:56 PM | TrackBack