Iran Wants to Start War, Israel Wants to Maintain Peace
We’ve spent far too much time speculating as to whether or not Israel might attack Iran. Who cares? It’s becoming more and more clear as days have become months that Iran will attack Israel, first.
There is no doubt that tensions are high in the Middle East as they continue to escalate on a daily basis. What we have to ask ourselves, though, is this: Who is swelling the tension in the region? Is it Iran or is it Israel?
In 2005, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be “wiped off the face of the map.” His stance on Israel has remained rather consistent for the last seven years.
On the flip side, Israel has openly condemned Iran and some of its actions, but peacefully, without the use of provocative “fighting words.”
Ahmadinejad has called himself a “friend of the people,” but what people? Ahmadinejad has completely ignored the United Nations, the Western World, and the global powers for at least the last year. In fact, he’s proven himself to be an enemy of the whole world … well, almost the whole world. He still has Syrian President Bashar Assad’s support. But that relationship certainly won’t be winning Ahmadinejad anymore “friends” in the coming days.
On the other hand, Israel has worked proactively with the United Nations, the West, and the global powers as Israel has kept her own nerves under control. The U.S. and Great Britain have urged Israel not to attack Iran. Israel has responded positively and as rationally as the situations have allowed her to.
Less than two weeks ago, on the 33rd anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, Ahmadinejad announced that he would unveil unspecified, significant “nuclear achievements.” Within the last week, state television has broadcast Iranian scientists installing what are believed to be the first domestically produced nuclear fuel rods. How quickly can Iran make nuclear warheads now? The answer? Very quickly.
And are we sure that Iran doesn’t already have nuclear weapons that we don’t know about?
Within the last 24 hours, Iran has begun to mobilize its troops. Two Iranian warships were reported to have docked in Tartus, Syria, after sailing across the Suez Canal. This deliberate, military action by Iranian officials marked only the second time in modern history, since 1979, that any Iranian naval ship has entered the Mediterranean Sea.
In addition, Iran’s most powerful military unit, the Revolutionary Guard, has begun a two-day land military exercise in central Iran within the last week. Iranian state television has reported that the military exercises are for the purposes of advanced training in defending the Iranian mainland from external attackers.
These decisions on Iran’s part are bold. Iran is clearly instigating Israel. They’re trying to hint at something. We know that Ahmadinejad wouldn’t order these strategic military moves to happen this week if he didn’t think Iran stood a chance against Israel. Ahmadinejad is clearly trying to flaunt his new military strength to the entire world, but what military advancement have they made. Is it a nuke?
The media’s focus has been on Israel’s “indecisiveness,” and by doing so, the media has blindsided the public. It is not Israel who we should be watching under a magnifying glass. After moving two of their naval ships into the Mediterranean Sea and initiating advanced training exercises for their most elite military units, Iran has undoubtedly proved that they are on the offensive. The question should no longer be: Is Israel going to preemptively strike Iran. Rather it should be: When is Iran going to attack Israel?
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
