Steely Dan

If they really want anything to happen they should invite Israelis to attend.

Possible for the other pilot to have suffered a heart attack or anything else that left him incapacitated.

To paraphrase Obama, there are consequences.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/03/the-simple-phrase-bowe-bergdahls-father-said-in-pashtu-at-a-press-conference-with-obama-that-has-sparked-a-heated-debate/

If there were to be a trial for treason perhaps the attorneys can work on a two for the price of one deal.

Two state delusion. Here is an article which absolutely nails the liberal left myopia about the peace process. In effect they studiously filter out all the ample evidence that the Palestinian leadership have no interest in any settlement so it is immaterial whether Netanyahu or Herzog were elected.

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/5721/the_two_state_delusion

It is possible Nethanyahu exaggerates the threats arrayed against him; all leaders in history have done this particularly to avoid circumspection at home. I concede this may be true. But this fact, if true, does not lessen the validity of the charge he asserts- IS and Iran seek the destruction of Israel and are projecting and consolidating resources to achieve just this in their lifetimes. This point seems more unassailable than the notion that Hamas wants reconciliation with Israel and few have heard about it.

EDIT: I long ago had someone say to me "if that which you are worried about was even 10% true, would that be enough to cause your fear or concern?" And so if Netanyahu takes a threat which is even 5% true and exaggerates it to 80% strength, but the topic involves threats of nuclear destruction, and your people have and are being persecuted throughout the world- still, would not the 5-10% truthfulness render the exaggerations defensible, or meaningless, or at least provide context?

If two people who hung out up the street, thugs, drinkers, clowns, cornered my wife and told her the next time I was out of town they would visit and she would be raped for hours, and my wife told me this story later in tears. Would I mitigate the threat with reasoning of the likelihood of such a thing? Would I surmise my wife exaggerates for attention, increasing reducing the threat matrix from an initial 100% to now maybe 40%. If there was even a 5% possibility that it was entirely true and a 1% likelihood it would happen, I would arrive in the dark and commit in advance an act that cannot be posted here. What man would not? What man, when using his own formula would not devise some response, or action, or aversion? What leader would not? He did not create the threat arrayed against him so to charge him with exaggerating the threat is meaningless as the threat is existential- the utter oblivion of his entire people! 1% is enough!

Iran is not a doomsday cult, thats a myth that abuses the fact that Iranians are shiites to make it remotely plausible and sellable to the ignorant masses.The guys in the funny hats and robes wants to hold on to the power and keep on dictating the life of Irans citizens. A nuclear attack on Israel would be the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

ISIS held territory will be become a paranthesis in the history books in a not too distant future

Anyway, Israel will always be able to find some threat with small likelihood of becoming a reality or imaginary theoretical internal/outside threats as an excuse too postpone a solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.

Nice try.

First, Iran is a country, not a cult, and no, there is no myth that the country of Iran, formally Persia is itself a doomsday cult. Irrespective of whether Iran is predominantly shia or not the cult of the Twelvers is quite real, and quite literally informs many of the actions Iran takes. Yes, the eschatology of both Twelvers, Shia, and Sunni do see your marginalized note "doomsday" as the mechanism that facilitates the return of the Mahdi, or the rise of the Caliph, depending on who we are discussing. To suggest their is no apocalyptic vision to the diplomatic apparatus of State is not just wrong but dangerous.

The myth you mention, if existed, would make everyone who believed such a thing an idiot because it makes no sense at all, as posted above. The shia/sunni problem has existed since Kaybar and continues; this is a different phenomena from both the apocalyptic visions both sunni and shia have and that of the Twelvers in believing they are required to facilitate this mechanism. Islam differs from other religions in that wrath and judgement are not reserved for the next life but "the best of all people" are empowered to action the judgement here in this life, thus the highly evolved jurisprudence of Shar'ia. When you attempt to simplify something please dont suggest its my commentary that is being addressed. I would never avow such a topical commentary on the threats posed in the middle east.

These threats arrayed against Israel can, for the purposes of intellectual objectivity, be considered separately from the emotionally charged Palestinian/Israeli conundrum. In this intellectual vacuum what is noted? What exists in this narrowed consideration are valid threats against Israel, against Jews, that are founded on 1,400 years of bias, prejudice, slavery, and dhimmitude. Indeed, the entire fabric of Islamic Sharia is predicated upon Jews and "people of the book" being subjugated and punished; were Jews and "people of the book" redacted out of Shar'ia the entire jurisprudence collapses. This single fact is itself enough to cause consternation to the Israeli State. Couple that with a mounting transnational terrorist army of jihadis who' secondary target are Jews and the threat mounts. Add to this the public and avowed determination of a State player to destroy not only the state but every Jew and the threats mount further. Add to this hostile formula the possibility of the terrorists getting NBC and the State getting nukes and every single step is fraught with uncertainty and vagueness. Lastly, to finish the recipe, remove from Israel's side the single entity that sustained in during its formulative growth and you have a near potential existential disaster. Only one thing further could make this worse: when the previous entity, the United States, which withdraws support, actually then begins working against Israeli interests then the Jews are actually in dire danger. It would not surprise me at all if Obama's actions result in total war. Obama has empowered every single entity that poses an existential threat to Israel, and then abandoned her.

Its exceptionally difficult to sensationalize or exaggerate such forces arrayed against you, though emotive arguments here and internationally seek to do so.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/intro/islam-ithna-ashari.htm

https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/analysis-is-rouhani-a-twelver-irans-president-elect-just-thanked-the-mahdi-for-his-victory/

http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/islam-in-iran-vii-the-concept-of-mahdi-in-twelver-shiism

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/07/why-irans-top-leaders-believe-that-end-days-has-come/

There are others who reject my view and make sound arguments; I will not post contrary links to support these views here. A previous effort of mine to do just this resulted in confusing people. My effort then being to make my argument, post for and against links, and hope my view prevailed; this was not received well by anyone. Yes, there are multiple things to consider on many of these issues, but really only three possible perspectives: Brilliant statecraft, an apocalyptic vision, or a combination of both. However, after numerous years studying these topics and planing (though not completed) my doctorate on related matter it is my opinion that Iran is not simply manipulating brilliant statecraft (though it is doing this as well). Iran poses an immediate threat to both Israel and the region!

Dim Son.

Yes. Israel is a democracy but as Prayut so frequently points out, there is no "one size fits all for democracy."

All democratic societies are not created equal. That is not to say democracy in Israel couldn't be improved.

Of course, but that could be said of every democracy on the planet and is said. Trying to single Israel out as not being democratic is nothing but a LIE used by people who want to destroy it.

One thing that is certain, a future Palestinian state would be Judenrein and the few remaining Christians would be driven out, as demonstrated by their decline in. Bethlehem and Nazareth. In other words it would be an apartheid state and hardly a democracy either, if the Palestinian election record is any guide.

The most bizarre thing about the O.P is it seems to confuse the Arabs living in Israel with those living in the West Bank and Gaza, who are obviously not Israel's responsibility, and just because they can't get their <deleted> together does not have any bearing on Israel being a democracy or not.

If Israel goes ahead and actually annexes the West Bank it will have a duty to make 2.5 million Palestinians equal citizens also.

So the supposed Israeli spying doesn't get its own thread. Just as well as the WSJ article risks backfiring, when you consider the Obama administration promised to keep Israel informed of all developments in the P5+1 talks with Iran, yet according to the OP it was France that actually chose to inform Israel, no doubt both parties being horrified by the concessions the U.S made to Iran in their bilateral talks.

Regarding 'dim' prospects of a two state solution, the prospects were equally dim before and after the election. Israel is only one party to such an agreement, but look at the other side.

The Palestinian authority applied to the ICC and U.N recognition, both in violation of the Oslo accords. Hamas are again being supplied by Iran and recently 500 Hamas operatives in the West Bank were arrested to prevent a plot to overthrow the Palestinian authority, some unity government! Finally the residents of Southern Israel again report the sound of tunneling from the border region with Gaza. What a joke it is to conclude Netanyahu's election campaign rhetoric would make one iota of difference with all that going on.

No one feels the need for Jewish political parties in America or there would be some. They are not forbidden. The United States has never had an important religious party of any type.

Quite a funny question really, seeing as some of our esteemed members seem to think the Jews run the U.S.

You dont need to hold political office to have a big influence on US politics. Money is one of the keys in US politics.

This is all about Chicago politics. Jeremy Bird, Obama's former field director of elections, went to Israel to help get Netanyahu defeated. Busing opposing minority voters to polling stations is SOP for both the Democrat and labor unions in the US, and apparently the opposition party in Israel.

It didn't work. Live with it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Israel Election Update: Obama Operatives Busing Arabs To Polls

UlstermanBooks.com

It’s a page taken directly from the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012 – the rounding up of voters ( often rewarding them with food, cigarettes, assorted gifts, etc.) and busing them to the polls in order to secure victory. Here in the United States this led to potentially tens of thousands of illegal votes across the country, some of which likely did tip the scales in favor of Barack Obama in states where his margin of victory proved slim but which in turn led to a more comfortable electoral win.

This same effort is now underway by Obama operatives (allegedly working with Iranian-backed Arab groups no less) in Israel as liberals work to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

http://ulstermanbooks.com/israel-election-update-obama-operatives-busing-arabs-to-polls/

The source is a conservative blogger. Sort of the anti-thesis to Mother Jones., The Young Turks, etc.

Regarding the O.P its a bit late for warnings, ISIS has already infiltrated Europe.

This is a horrible thing to say, but perhaps the intelligence agencies should try to infiltrate these groups and introduce drugs. During the Vietnam war, it worked with the protesters to get them stoned out of their minds. All those illegal drugs could help to cure this disease.

Between religion and drugs, most young people chose drugs.

Then once the religion has been defeated with drugs, NGO's can set up drug rehabilitation centers.

I bet the sentence took the stuffing out of him.

Apparently some Swedes much prefer sacrificing other nations soldiers for the dirty work, rather than placing their own forces in imminent danger.

Not surprising, really.

Sweden doesnt have any natural enemies. So the country is neutral and doesnt join NATO. Sweden has its own military industry.

What reason is it to mention Swedish soldiers as an example when I know the country is neutral and wont take part in any action wearing Swedish military clothes?

No point.

Im not saying I would rather see other countries soldiers to do the dirty work.

Point is, I tried to explain that saying that ISIS being a direct threat to Israel is an excuse. Its a falsehood.

ISIS wont be allowed to make it to the point where they pose a real direct threat to Israel (with or without a 2-state solution having already become a reality).