The First Test

On January 21^st U.S. navy vessels intercepted the ship “Iran Hedayt” due to a tip from Israeli intelligence. The report stated there was a shipment of small arms and light rockets headed for Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Further the report specified most of the weapons were hidden in a false bottom of the ship.

The ship was not seized but rather was able to continue to the Suez Canal escorted by Egyptian Navy then exited Egyptian water traveling to the Syrian Port of Latakia under the eyes of Israeli, Russian and U.S. naval vessels.

The combined naval armada did not seize the weapons because they said that international law did not authorize such actions.

What can we learn from this most recent chapter in Middle East history? Very simple Vice President Joseph Biden’s pre-election prophecy was right; our nation has been tested the very first day of the new administration. Not with a terror attack on our soil but definitely Iran has tested not just American policy but international law as well. If this pattern continues, nations such as Iran can promote terror around the world and freedom loving nations are all at risk.

A Safe Holiday Pilgrimage

The city of Bethlehem has become the recipient of nine hundred support troops in order to guarantee peace and safety for the holiday pilgrims; a comforting gesture coming from the Architect of the Munich Massacre of Israeli Athletes during the 1972 Olympic Games.

The Abbas gesture on one hand would make many feel good about the move but please don’t forget Abbas and Cabinet were expelled from Gaza by Hamas terrorists after a brutal civil war.

Is Abbas protecting the pilgrims as they come to the city where the Prince of Peace was born or is he bolstering his own area protecting it from Hamas attack?

Were Hamas to attack during the Holy season the death and carnage would be a severe blow against the credibility of the Abbas administration thus destabilizing the region further.

We must state, however, that the nine hundred troops of Abbas are actually nothing more than a well armed, richly funded and well trained band of terrorists not military personnel. The Abbas gesture is tantamount to having a contingency of al Qaeda operatives guarding holy sites here in America.

Sadly as the peace process continues to play out between Israel and the Palestinians it is nothing more than a bloody chess match between radical terror groups with Israel caught in the middle, holiday or not.