U.S. blocks arms, technology to Israel
TEL AVIV [MENL]
[THIS IS AN UPDATED ARTICLE]
The sources said the halt in U.S. weapons exports to Israel was designed to assuage Saudi Arabia. They said Riyad has increasingly linked regional cooperation with Washington to pressure on Israel to halt attacks on Palestinian insurgency strongholds in the Gaza Strip. “The White House believes that Saudi help is vital for the United States in Iraq,” a diplomatic source said. “There’s nothing like stopping the weapons flow to Israel to show the Saudis that the United States means business.”
Israeli and U.S. sources said the State Department has blocked the transfer of weapons and technology to the Jewish state over the last three months. The sources said the halt reflected deteriorating relations between the two countries since the end of the war in Lebanon in August 2006. “Nobody will say openly that there is a problem,” a government source said. “But there is a serious problem that reflects the marginalization of Irael in U.S. strategy.”
The unofficial suspension of U.S. arms deliveries began in late September, the sources said. They said the suspension halted the airlift of air-to-ground and other munitions conducted during and immediately after the Israeli war with Hizbullah. “Several weeks after the war, the U.S. supplies stopped,” the source aid. “There was no real explanation.”
The sources said the administration has held up a list of weapons requested by Israel in wake of the Lebanon war. They said the weapons and equipment — including the Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM — were ment to replenish munitions and other stocks in preparation for a larger war that would include Syria in mid-2007. “The administration has not rejected any Israeli request,” a U.S. official said. “Instead, the State Department and Defense Department have said that all requests must be examined.”
The administration refusal to approve the Israeli requests has also hampered military cooperation between the two countries. In November, the Israel Air Force canceled plans to send delegations to the United States to examine air systems and munitions. A U.S. official said the White House was deeply disappointed by the Israeli failure to defeat Hizbullah. The official said the war undermined U.S. confidence in Israel’s military and government. “The word in the White House was that Israel lost the war,” the official said. “That alone led to a plummet in Israel’s stock in the administration, particularly the Pentagon.”
The U.S. refusals have also hampered Israeli defense programs. The sources said the State Department has prevented the transfer of data and technology, even from projects that included Israeli participation. In one case, State prevented Northrop Grumman from providing details of its Skyguard laser weapon, which the company has sought to sell to Israel. The ban led to the suspension of Israeli negotiations to procure Skyguard, designed to intercept short-range rockets and missiles.
The sources said the halt in U.S. weapons exports to Israel was designed to assuage Saudi Arabia. They said Riyad has increasingly linked regional cooperation with Washington to pressure on Israel to halt attacks on Palestinian insurgency strongholds in the Gaza Strip. “The White House believes that Saudi help is vital for the United States in Iraq,” a diplomatic source said. “There’s nothing like stopping the weapons flow to Israel to show the Saudis that the United States means business.”
If true, this would explain at least part of Olmert’s suing for peace on all fronts over the last few months.
Comment by Charles Martel
— December 23, 2006 @ 10:17 pm
This is not a “marginalization” as though Israel has merely been sidelined. That would not explain the reduction in armament. Rather, this is an attempt to limit Israel’s ability to conduct an extended campaign that would lead to a depletion of weapons stocks. Such a circumstance would lead to the increased leverage that would come with the need to resupply Israel if things should become dicey. It may also be a ploy to reduce the likelihood of Israel going it alone on Iran. However, things like this can backfire. Politically, Israel is still highly supported in Congress and questions will be asked if this arms policy is transmitted to the interested parties. Indeed, Mr. Bush can be questioned in public directly or through the press. Also, Israel may decide to produce its own weapons, should they not be available from the US, as many other countries have done under such pressure.
Things can spiral out of control should this policy be carried too far. If Israel (even Olmert) feels too pressured, the resort to WMD which would be life-saving for Israel is not out of the question.
Other possibilities are that the reduction in arms and technology to Israel may represent a promise to some third party in the recent past or a gesture to a third party for future considerations. It behooves us to determine who, if anyone, was promised what.
Comment by jerry
— December 23, 2006 @ 11:10 pm
In this matter, it may be wise for Israel to attempt to acquire weapons systems from Russia. If Russia is only interested in sales, they may sell to Israel, in which case counter measures can be back engineered using the actual systems deployed against them. If Russia is interested in weakening Israel to curry favor with their Arab clients, that becomes an existential issue and places Israel and Russian on diametrically opposite sides of the issue of the survival of the Jews. That would be important to know, if it is not already known in Israel.
Comment by jerry
— December 23, 2006 @ 11:17 pm
Blocking arms sales to Israel is stupid on so many levels that it is hard to measure. A nuclear armed Iran is a survival threat to Israel. Very soon Israel will be forced to act defend itself regardless what the US or anyone else says, does, thinks. If Israel does not have these wepaons stocks, they may need to resort to WMD. By witholding these weapons stocks from Israel this makes a mafor conflagration in the Middle East much more likely than if the US gave Israel everything they asked for. Also, a weakened Israel is not in the best interest of either the US or the West. We need the buffer that Israel provides.
Israel should work to develop more of its own weapons and weapons systems. This would provide them with some leverage, as they negotiate with the US or anyone else.
Jerry
You raise some interesting points. I think Russia is trying to curry favor with its Arab clients. Right now Russia is the only country on earth who is capable of defeating either Israel or the US on the battle field mevertheless it is important that we know for sure what Russia’s intentions are.
If they simply want the sales, for the money, then we should be able negotiate an agreement with them. If they are trying to curry favor with their Arab clients, this would be different.
Btw, if Israel lost the war with Lebanon it was only becuase they were not given enough time to complete the job. Had the US vetoed the UN resolution calling for the cease fire and allowed Israel about three more months Hexbollah would have been defeated and this would have been a huge victory in the war on terror. I hope and pray that their is someone in Congress or the White House who will intervene to stop the madness that is being carried out by the state department in blocking weapons transfers to Israel.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 24, 2006 @ 1:01 am
B. Poster,
You have got to be kidding about the strength of the Russian Army.
Comment by M. Simon
— December 24, 2006 @ 2:28 am
M Simon
That is hardly the point. The point is the US relationship with Israel.
But anyway…Is it not a fact that Russia and China are 2 countries with the nuclear arms and that undoubtedly after the US has moved NATO right in next door to the Russian borders that there are x amount of nuclear rockets NOW pointed directly at all main American cities. By x amount I mean enough to blow every American city to smidereens.
We saw how the US under Kennedy reacted when Kruschev moved his rockets into Cuba. So what is different if you are a Russian? I repeat, very powerful rockets pointed directly at American cities. Everything in nature has got a reaction, we live in a world governmed by cause and effect.
In this situation Israel is very small beer. When Putin visited the Middle East he breezed into Tel Aviv and out again, on to the oil, in a matter of hours.
As regards Israel and the US who on earth can be surprised at this. Visit again the articles written by Joseph on the Eisenhower Dulles years and you have all the information to stop being surprised.
Comment by Felix Quigley
— December 24, 2006 @ 9:07 am
We surely all know the expression, “Too clever by half.” That’s the State Department.
Felix, I’m puzzled as to why the Russians would need ME oil when they (apparently) have so much of their own. If the Russians really do have enough of their own, then other explanations have to be sought as to why they’re really scraping in the direction of the Arabs. One of these explanations, as we’re all aware, is, of course, the sales of arms.
Could be that they see a quick turnover: Israel destroys this shipment, the oilogarchs buy another, better shipment, and so on. It’s a businessman’s dream.
Comment by keelie
— December 24, 2006 @ 12:46 pm
M.Simon
I did not specifically mention the Russian Army. When I discussed the battlefield, I was referring to all components of a nation’s military capabilties. My understanding is the Russian Army’s equipment is largely old and obsolete, however, it is their nuclear arsenal that concerns me. The Russian nuclear arsenal is the largest and most advanced on earth. In the event of a nuclear exchange, America’s high tech weapons would be of little use any way. Russia’s nuclear arsenal is the great equalizer.
Felix
A possible solution to the stand off with Russia that I can think of would involve what I think is known as “realpolitik.” I don’t particularly like this solution but when dealing with a country like Russia it may be the best we can do.
A potential diplomatic solution would involve the US and NATO agreeing to withdraw all military units from former Soviet Socialist Republics. In other words, these nations who are now free of Russian rule would be sacrificed to the tender mercies of Vladimir Putin and his buddies who want to reestablish the Soviet Union. They invited NATO into their countries because they do not want to be ruled by Russia again. On some level, this would be a base betrayal of these countries. This would require the US to sacrifice legitimate business interests with these former Soviet Socialist Republics. These are mostly oil interests. This would likely be very costly to the US.
In exchange for this, Russia would agree to withdraw all support from Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Hamas, and all of the other terrorist supporting states and groups they support. Under this agreement, Russia loses the income that its weapons sales to these countries generate. The US and the West can work out some type of fincial arrangement with the Russians to compensate them for this loss.
If the Russians are truly interested in peace, this agreement should be acceptable or at least it would be a good starting point for negotiations. As I wrote earlier, I don’t really like this agreement. I really don’t think it would work any way. I think the Russians would either reject it out of hand or they would violate the agreement but it may be worth an attempt. At the very least, making such an offer would help us to ascertain Russia’s true intentions. Btw, Russian nuclear weapons have always been pointed at American cities. I suspect the US and its Western European allies have nuclear weapons pointed at Russian cities.
Finally, we would really help ourselves if we would only develop more of our own oil and natural gas resources. We might not be able to ahieve energy independence but it would certainly help us. Developing more of our own oil and natural gas resources would give us more leverage in negotiations. Right now we have very little leverage that we would be able to use in any negotiations.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 24, 2006 @ 1:18 pm
With regard to B. Poster’s comment on “developing more of our own oil and natural gas resources” please see the following article: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=643C3D30-E7F2-99DF-3108C4CB8A197667
What the heck! Here is a piece of the Scientific American article:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Superefficient, Cost-Effective Solar Cell Breaks Conversion Records
A tiny solar cell doubles the efficiency of common photovoltaics’ conversion of sunlight to electricity by capturing the energy from a broader spectrum of light.
The resulting efficiency nearly doubles that of standard silicon solar cells, which hover at 22 percent.
means this system could potentially generate electricity in the range of 8 to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour–roughly equal to consumer electricity prices today.
“This is the photovoltaic equivalent of the four-minute mile,” affirms Larry Kazmerski, director of the Department of Energy’s National Center for Photovoltaics in Colorado. “This is a disruptive technology that eventually could provide us, at least in the Southwest, with cost-competitive electricity fairly quickly.”
“This is not a technology that is 10 years away,” Kazmerski adds. “This is a technology that we are going to see out working next year.”
Nevertheless, the record-breaking solar cells are at least 12 months away from full-scale manufacturing, Lillington says. “Before we put this new cell into production it needs to go through a qualification process to make sure it can withstand the rigors of the environment.” Of course, its Martian peers have lasted 28 months in that harsh, alien environment.
And the triple-junction solar cell may not hold the efficiency record for long. “We are also looking at four-, five-, even six-junction solar cells,” Lillington notes. “There are at least three or four different approaches to take the efficiency into the 45 percent range.” And that means the price of energy harvested directly from the sun will continue to drop.
___________________________________________________________________________________
All we have to do is hang in there and the back of the oil economy will be broken. This change will upset many special interests, but oil and gas price gouging will be a thing of the past, whether by the Arabs, Iran, or Russia. I believe this is what makes this time period so dangerous, because these countries are trying to maximize their income to maximize their ownership of the world. They are the conspiracy and the Jews garner the blame. But not much longer, with the help of God.
Comment by jerry
— December 24, 2006 @ 10:28 pm
That Jerry is amazing and is wonderful news for humanity. As I said I think Israel is in defensive mode and struggling to hold on until… I may have been a bit heavy in referring to Russian nukes pointing at American cities. But they are. They have to be. I was reacting to the idea that the US the EU and NATO can just do what they like without REACTIONS.
Comment by Felix Quigley
— December 25, 2006 @ 7:49 am
Jerry
Thanks for the information on the Scientifc American article and the link!! This is a good place to start, however, I’m skeptical that we will be able to replace oil in the foreseeable future.
I suggest we develop this technology, as well as developing more of our own oil and natural gas resources. Countries such as Japan, India, and China depend heavily on oil imports. They would be vunerable to manipulation by oil suppliers. I would suggest that the US propose a partnership with these countries to develop the technologies you suggest and others that would get all of our countries off of oil imports. I agree with Felix that this would be wonderful for humanity.
Felix
Russian weapons do not have to be pointed at US cities. The NATO presence in former Soviet Republics is only there at the pleasure of these sovereign nations. It is for defense only. They pose no threat to Russia or its legitmate interests.
What the US and the EU may not understand is Russian goals have not changed. They still have the same goals they had during the days of the Soviet Union. As such, any action by anyone even if it is to conduct legitimate business with these now independent nations will be viewed as a hostile act by Russia. They harbor dreams of reestablishing the Soviet Union. They view these nations as something that they own to be exploited by them.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 25, 2006 @ 7:02 pm
After reading about the US embargo of sophisticated and other arm, I have realized that the Prime Minister of Israel is in reality, that Bastard Bush. The lagacy that he will leave with is that he directed the destruction of Israel and Judaism and indirectly the destruction of Christianity.
Comment by Ed D
— December 25, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
If Israel lost the war against Lebanon, it is becuase the US signed onto the UN ceasefire. The bottom line, is the US did not allow Israel enough time to complete the job. If Israel was defeated, the US and the Administration hve mostly themselves to blame. They could have vetoed the UN ceasefire resolution.
The Pentagon should be smart enough to know that the IDF did not lose. They fought magnificiently. The problem is with the politicians. The UN forced a ceasefire on Israel and Israeli officials agreed to it before the IDF had time to defeat Hezbollah. Using only conventional means Israel would have needed at least four months to defeat an enemy as powerful and dug in as Hezbollah.
Israel has the right idea about a bigger war with Syria. Using only conventional means, this one would take even longer. In order to win the Global War on Terror, Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq needed to be removed. That has been done. Now the regimes of Iran and Syria will need to be removed.
If the US will back up Israel or at least stay out of their way, they should be able to take out the Syrian regime. The US, Britain, and its allies should be able to take out the Iranian regime. Removing the Iranian and Syrian regimes would go a long way toward stablizing Iraq.
Saudi Arabia needs to understand that it is in their best interest that Israel or the US remove the Syrian regime, furthermore, a Palestinian state is not in their interest. Iran’s Syrian ally is hostile to Saudi Arabia. A Palestinian state would also be hostile to Saudi Arabia.
Once the Syrian and Iranian regimes are removed, they will need to be replaced with regimes that are friendly to the West and we will need to begin the long and arduous process of transforming the culture of the Middle East.
Part of the problem with the Iraq war was there was never a coherent plan for what would be done after the Islamic terrorist supporting Baathist government of Iraq was removed. The other part of the problem was not enugh troops were used.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 25, 2006 @ 7:35 pm
The long range survival of Western Civilization depends upon reforming the Middle East. Middle Eastern culture and Western Civilization cannot peacefully coexist together.
The spirit of multiculturalism will be purged from Western nations. The only question is will it occur before or after Islamic terrorists detonate a nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb in one or more of their cities.
Eventually the Middle East will be colonized. This will not happen becuase the West wants to do it but they will be forced to do it. The US may or may not participate with other Western nations. For the US to survive, it will need to return to God.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 25, 2006 @ 7:43 pm
Jerry, I have news for you, and for others who may be deeply interested in making not only America, but the entire West, free from oil domination.
There’s a branch of science called Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR), which was formerly called (mistakenly) “Cold Fusion”. Teams of very dedicated physicists have been working on this ever since vested interests made its original discoverers (Pons and Fleischman) the laughing stock of the scientific community, and, more importantly, the world. By doing this, an incredibly viable source of energy has been held back for over 17 years. We owe this to these vested interests, the same vested interests that are now plotting what could be the end of the civilized world, in favour of their own wallets.
The news is, however, that LENR is not a myth, but has been proven to be viable, scientifically viable. Separation is now under way between the real scientists and those to whom politics (and money) means more than determining the scientific facts.
For the latest on this, please take a look at http://www.newenergytimes.com .
This ratification of what looks like a new aspect of nuclear physics is only one of several remarkable possibilities for clean, extremely cheap, energy. Stand by for major debunking by the paid sceptics. For the sake of our survival, the professional debunkers have to be severely challenged. But there’s a lot of money out there to pay for the debunking campaigns…
Comment by keelie
— December 25, 2006 @ 8:31 pm
Re: B Poster comment at 7:02:
Yes, it would seem that energy appetite will always outrun the ability to supply it. Energy (actually power, which I believe is energy x time) is the equivalent of slavery and serfdom of past generations. It is akin to the importation of cheap labor from the Arab countries to Western Europe, since physical labor is something that humans seem to abhor unless they can call it exercise and dress for the part. We must get something for nearly nothing if it is to be worth having.
Yet, oil is part of a flexible market, with prices rising and falling based upon demand. It would seem that the Arabs and oil barons have run a maximization formula for getting the most money, but without allowing alternative energy sources to become economically practical.
If the multi-junction solar cell is as advertised, then oil producers will have to reformulate their pricing substantially downward. This will cause second thoughts about engaging in war, since replacement costs for lost infrastructure will be unbearable and they will have to sell overseas assets at a loss to replace their bridges and brothels.
Also, arid, flat land like desert will become very dear. Invest in wastelands now!
Comment by jerry
— December 25, 2006 @ 8:40 pm
Keelie & jerry
LENR and solar cells sound like a great idea. Thank you for the links!! I would suggest that the enviro whackos make themeselves useful by pushing for broader impelentation of these ideas. Right now they are very good at blocking us from drilling for much of our own oil and natural gas supplies and they have been very good at blocking the construction of new refineries. They have done more to hamstring us than anyone else. They need to atually make themselves useful by pushing for broader implemetnation of oil’s alternatives. They have the organizatin. They have the money and they have the allies in media to effectively push for these alternatives. If they would actually do this I would actually respect thme and I would refrain from calling them enviro whackos.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 25, 2006 @ 10:22 pm
Based on another post here, I wrote about why this might be happening. Treachery.
The short version: Israel double crossed America last summer by not trying to goad Syria and Iran into war. This is payback.
How could Israel fix this mess? Dump Olmert, put Likud in.
If Israelis keep Olmert in power it will only get worse for Israel.
Could some one explain again why Israelis are not in the streets?
BTW for energy this is a better bet: Easy Low Cost No Radiation Fusion
Comment by M. Simon
— December 25, 2006 @ 11:45 pm
Keelie,
The science for hot fusion is better developed than the cold fusion stuff. See my link in #18.
Better science = quicker roll out.
In any case Cold Fusion depends on the DT reaction which produces a neutron for every fusion. The H B11 reaction produces no neutrons.
Comment by M. Simon
— December 25, 2006 @ 11:53 pm
BTW the fusion plant in #18 could generate electricity at a cost of one tenth of a cent per KWh. That is about 1/10th to 1/20th of current prices from coal or nukes at the bus bar.
Comment by M. Simon
— December 25, 2006 @ 11:57 pm
B. Poster,
If we are to sacrifice the former Russian “Republics” why not throw Israel into the mix?
In other words: this is a bad direction to head in.
In a word: Don’t be like Olmert and lose your nerve.
If we need a deal with Russia I’d say play nice or we will take more of your “Republics” into NATO.
We are strong, they are weak.
Comment by M. Simon
— December 26, 2006 @ 12:01 am
It is unlikely that we will be saved by alternative energy. The same people blocking us from increasing or own sources of energy are doing so with the intentions of keeping us dependent upon others. We have been sold out, the only thing that keeps the US humming is the support of other nations who products and resources have made us their servants. Funny thing is, the perception is that lesser countries serve the US, but the truth is that they sustain the US. They prop up our economy and dollars to prop up their own economies.
In other words, the American economy exists only as a perception. The dollar is only worth anything because we have all agreed to it for our own benefit. There is no real substance behind it.
If you want a better explanation than I can give you of this you may wish to read a recent article which appeared in the American Thinker entitled Deficits: Should we worry? by Dennis Sevakis,
The bottom line is that the borrower is servant to the lender. We have been purposely made into a consumer society which cannot sustain itself by those who have international ambitions and loyalties. We play ball with others and they play ball with us knowing that we can collapse each others economy, but if we do we collapse ourselves.
Currently China has taken over much of the manufacturing. Russia is moving to take more control over the world’s energy supplies and this is one reason the are making cozy with the Arabs and Chavez.
If there is breakdown in the global economic treadmill (intentionally or unintentionally), the West is paralyzed. China and Russia will suffer but they will be able to sustain for a longer period. However, China, Russia, and everyone else and their uncle will dump US dollars (maybe for the Euro?) and what does the US have? - the US is basically the consumer of world goods but if dollars are worth next to nothing there is a global shift of power.
Russia and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (opec) have begun cutting their dollar holdings and Iran has shifted their oil trade into Euros as well as Venezuela.
Now, since this is Israpundit where the topics all come back to Israel, what repercussions of this will there be upon the Jewish State?
Chiefly, Israel cannot count on the USA or any other nation for defense, or survival, or really anything. There can easily come a time where the US government may be unwilling to help Israel or possibly virtually unable to help. Why? because the world has become a huge global machine which may be able to sputter along for a bit with America turned off. If America is turned off, or least way down by circumstances or manipulation the political pressure will be great to become submissive to the internationalist Europeans, Russians and others at the UN and great pressure will come to bear upon Israel. One must wonder to what extent this is happening already.
I have stated for a long time that Russia sees the sacrifice of Israel as the solution to the turmoil in the Middle-East. They feel they can keep the Arab nations in check if they can satisfy their Jewish blood-lust and show themselves supportive in the effort.
The Arabs get Israel, the Russians get control of the oil fields. BTW, the EU already gets 40% of their petroleum from Russia.
Now, all of this is just stuff I have been observing and I don’t swear it’s the way it’s all coming down but I am disturbed by the events of particularly the last 20-30 years of global economics and energy trade.
I would say to watch this for it will be a trenmendous hardship on the US a spell a great threat to Israel if it plays out - Furthermore in the case of the US economy, it must play out at some point, for it is built on nothing but the belief in value of the dollar.
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 26, 2006 @ 12:35 am
M.Simon (# 18)
Thanks for the information and the link!! The environmental groups could finance Dr. Bussard’s research. Unfortunately it seems to me that they may be more interested in hamstringing America than they are in actually finding constructive solutions to the issues we face. They block us from accessing many of our own oil and natural gas resources but they fail to advocate any pratical solutions. If environmental groups are sincere, they can finance Dr. Bussard and others who are working hard on alternatives to oil and gas.
M.Simon (# 21)
You write: “If we are to sacrifice the former Russian republics why not throw Israel into the mix?” I tried to make clear in the post where I discuss this issue that I DO NOT like the idea of sacrificing these republics. It would be both immoral and we would lose allot of money due to to legitimate business we would be forced to give up.
“In other words: this is a bad direction to head in.” I agree with you 100%. In my post, part of what I was trying to do was illustrate the crappiness of “realpolitik.”
“In a word: Don’t be like Olmert and lose your nerve.” I have not lost my nerve. The problem is many Americans have lost there nerve and many of our Western European allies did not have any nerve from the beginning. I agree with the phrase at the top of this web page. There really is only a military solution. This probably applies to Russia as well, however, it becomes significantly more problematic when dealing with a country like Russia than it does when dealing with a country like Iran. I will say again, Russia is the only country on Earth capable of winning a military confrontation with the US.
“If we need a deal with Russia I’d say play nice or we take more of your “republics” into NATO.” Whether anyone joins NATO or not will be up to that country and the other members of the NATO alliance. We will not be taking any country into NATO whose government does not wish to be a part of it. I would agree that as long as Russia is continuing to be beligerent that we look to open the option of NATO membership to more former Soviet Republics. This would help to strengthen the buffer between us and them. This would work in much the same way that Israel acts as a buffer between the West and its terrorist enemies.
“We are strong. They are weak.” I would agree with your assessment that we are strong, however, I don’t think they are weak. Russia is the only country on Earth capable of beating the US in a military confrontation. While it is probably true that the US conventional military is far superior to that of Russia, Russia’s nuclear arsenal is larger as the US’s and it is every bit as advanced. This is the great equalizer. I would suggest we invest in missle defense and we should build nuclear shelters for our population. The Russians and the Chinese have done this. From my perspective, it does not seem the US is doing enough to prepare for potential war with Russia. Confrontation with Russia is not something that should be taken lightly. I would prefer to avoid it. Unfortunately it may be inevitable. I would at least like to see a public acknowledgement by the Government of the fact that Russia is no friend of the US or the West. Then I would like to see concrete steps on a plan for defeating Russia should it become necessary to fight them.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 26, 2006 @ 1:38 am
RandyTexas
I have had many of the same observations as you have had. The US debt issue is very real and it must urgently be addressed.
I would not expect alternative energy sources or developong more of our own oil and natural gas resources to solve all of our problems, however, I think it would help greatly.
I would suggest that Israel should work to become self sufficient in weapons production of all types. This would help them, if assistance from the US should become unavailable. I actually think it is in the US’s interest to help Israel become completely self sufficient in all areas.
Alternative energy will not “save” us but it will help us greatly. We must start somewhere. With alternative energy sources available and more of our own oil and natural resources available this will give us geater leverage when dealing with other nations.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 26, 2006 @ 1:54 am
Cheap energy will help everyone. It will allow China to grow in terms of manufacturing capacity and provision of a decent life for its citizens. It will allow a modicum of wealth for the Russian people, who, unlike the Arabs, would prefer not dying for the cause of world hegemony. It will help the United States to reduce payments to oil producers and change its balance of payments. It will help Israel, since the Arab pressure would be reduced due to their decreased leverage. Energy is the answer or drastically reduced populations. Either one, but not neither one. Along with just a tiny bit of empathy, cheap energy will keep us from eating each other,
I love the analogy of the Wizard of Oz. Please remember the wealth and opulence of Frank Baum’s Oz; it was all because of one old guy pulling a few levers. That circumstance can only arise from cheap energy and its effective application. By the way, preparing for war takes more energy than any other human endeavor. War’s only advantages are that there are more jobs and fewer mouths to feed afterwards.
Comment by jerry
— December 26, 2006 @ 5:05 am
Re: Randy Texas’ at 12:35 AM”
“The bottom line is that the borrower is servant to the lender.” This is only true if you are an ordinary borrower. An eight hundred pound gorilla borrower controls the lender. This is the source of the dilemma in which China and Russia and the Arab countries find themselves. They’ve got hold of the Gorilla by his neck. If they squeeze too hard, they will choke the gorilla, causing him to drop from the trees, killing the gorilla and all those along for the ride.
While this is a cute analogy, I believe it mirrors reality with a high enough correlation to allow many people to understand the circumstances the world is facing.
Comment by jerry
— December 26, 2006 @ 5:35 am
#19 M. Simon
“The science for hot fusion is better developed than the cold fusion stuff.”
Sorry to disagree with you, but this is absolutely not true. What is true is that countless billions of dollars and many years (I believe about 50) have been spent on some extremely eye-catching hot fusion technology, but the hot fusion people have come nowhere near what’s called “over unity” (OU) energy output; getting more energy out than has been input. Just like the oil industry, the hot fusion industry has many people in and around it who have various vested interests.
Where your article is concerned, LENR started of this way - on the laboratory bench, and what’s been holding up progress until now (see the New Energy Times website) has been the evasiveness of repeatability. Those who have been working tirelessly on this over the years knew that they had something, at least potentially, but they simply couldn’t get a handle on why often nine times out of ten, they could repeat the effect, but that tenth time… This is now in the past. Your article makes it sound easy. It’s not. I and others have been adding our (technical) voices to try to solve what was a very subtle problem - a problem inherent in the atomic structure of the materials used in the experiment. But it took a group working virtually fundless, in the US Naval Research Station in San Diego to make the breakthrough.
By the way, Israel has a very interesting company engaged in the field. It’s technology is, to say the least, fundamentally different from most others (would you believe), but they are apparently having similar repeatability/materials problems… at least for now.
Comment by keelie
— December 26, 2006 @ 7:04 am
[…] The rest of the article is blocked behind a subscription system. Israpundit has the remainder of the article: “Several weeks after the war, the U.S. supplies stopped,” the source aid. “There was no real explanation.” […]
Pingback by Euphoric Reality - » Is America Abandoning Israel?!
— December 26, 2006 @ 11:34 am
US Blocks Arms to Israel…
I just hope this isnt true.
Report: U.S. Blocking Weapons to Israel, Relations Worsening
15:35 Dec 24, ‘06 / 3 Tevet 5767
(IsraelNN.com) Relations between Israel and the Bush administration have worsened to the point that the United States has …
Trackback by Cao's Blog
— December 26, 2006 @ 11:59 am
The bottom line is that we do not have time to shift to alternatives before repercussions of the last 30 years converge upon us. While it is true that much of the world is dependent upon the US economy if it begins a slide it can cause a stampede to other currencies and cause an economic avalanche of the US dollar. All nations will suffer but it will be devastating for the US economy.
The other thing to consider is that many of the other nations which are cogs in the global economic system only care about the economic welfare of their people in as much as it effects the stability of their governments, many of their people are use to living in poverty and they will be able to sustain a global economic meltdown longer than the spoiled children of the West. Not only so, but they will switch out currencies which will ease their hardship but impose more on the USA.
I don’t see there being enough time, even worse, enough will or foresight, to shift back to self dependence. It is true that globalization has made us economic hostages of one another but it is all based upon a very fragile balance.
The trade imbalances creating the enormous deficits mean only one thing if they continue - and that is - that the USA will soon have been played for all it is worth. As other nations build their economic engines the collective world can begin to absorb the financial strength of the US and in time will be in the position to collapse the US economy - which, at some point they will do intentionally.
The US is Israel’s only true ally (an arguable statement on two counts) but the US is under great political pressure internationally. This is why US policies regarding Israel are so compromised and back and forth.
We have seen repeatedly that most of the world will stand by during Israel’s time of trouble and a fair number of nations directly and indirectly show favor and provide support for Arab nations.
America’s soul is being tried and the pressure is to yield power to international consensus, which is anti-Zionist and pro-New World Order.
Internationalist have a great deal of power in US policy and the will of the internationalist is to force Israel away from being a nationalistic Zionist state towards an internationally controlled entity. This would spell destruction for the Jewish people in their own land.
You can find pages of verifiable quotes such as the ones above. It should not be denied that these people and many others such as George Soros and Ted give-the-UN-a-billions-bucks-Turner are determined to save the world by international controls and laws.
The kicker is that the focus is on the Middle-East where the unrest is a hindrance to this global convergence. Solving the problem with the hostile Islamic states seems impossible, however, the hope is that by forcing Israel into capitulation they may appease the more “moderate” Arab factions bringing them into cooperation with the international body of nations and eventually reign in the radicals. There are Israeli politicians who would be willing to go along with all of this if they could get control.
Back to Rockefeller’s statement: “We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nations will accept the New World Order.”
If there are WMD attacks in major cities or an engineered global economic shift, what will America do? Will it continue to buck the UN or will the people and politicians in the US cry out for internationalization?
There is a global agenda which Israel is in conflict with by nature because Israel cannont survive within it. America however has a choice, and this is at the root of the political conflict and anti-American sentiments around the world today.
Mark Styne’s recent book America Alone may in time may be better entitled Israel Alone.
Keep your eyes on all of this.
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 26, 2006 @ 12:32 pm
Here is the central question, if the report is true:
Is the US weapons freeze (to whatever extent & systems) because of the Hizballah campaign, as the article suggests, or is it because of Israel’s Mil Trade with China?
The former is a stretch to connect the logic, but not impossible. The latter is not. And if it is the latter, the scope is far less pervasive.
A lot of review of information not openly available is necessary to arrive at a concrete conclusion.
Comment by Steve Schippert
— December 26, 2006 @ 2:37 pm
Israel is the one who is paying the price for this bungled war in Iraq. It is beyond disgraceful and morally reprehensible.
Comment by Laura
— December 26, 2006 @ 4:47 pm
Re Schippert 2:37
You question the authenticity of the report and wind up blaming Israel’s trade policies for the US reaction. Speculation is cheap and muddies the waters. If you have information, share it. If you have a plan of action, propose it. Otherwise, await more information. When comments like this appear, I suspect attempts to quash indignant reactions.
Frankly, the US has done this before at the drop of a hat. If it is not true, Mr. Schippert, try to get a denial from your Congressmen and Senators, so we have something on the record. If you concerned, do more and better.
Comment by jerry
— December 26, 2006 @ 9:38 pm
RandyTexas (# 30)
I agree with every thing you have written. There probably is not enough time to shift to alternative energy sources or to develop our own oil and natural gas resources without there being some negatuve repercussions. If we will invest more in alternative energy sources and we develop more of our own oil and gas reserves, this will help to miniimize the negative reprercussions.
If current trends hold, the US will not be the preeminent power in the world for much longer. If current trends hold, I estimte the US has only about three to five years left as the world’s preeminent power. Current trends are not guarantted to hold. There are any number of things that can happen to alter them. If current trends are sufficently altered, which they can be, the US could remain a major world power for years to come.
Sadly, for the US, it may not always be able or willing to offer any support for Israel. This would be sad for the US becuase its continued blessings depend upon it standing with Israel.
No matter what the nature of the US allaiance with Israel is it would be prudent for Israel to chart a course, for its future, that is completely self sufficient of the US. I would like to think they are already doing this.
Also, it would be prudent for the US to chart a course, for its future, that includes complete independence from foreign energy sources. I hope and pray steps are being take to get this done. Some of the research into alternative energy sources seems hopeful.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 26, 2006 @ 11:02 pm
B.poster,
It is not just a matter of time. Anything that creates self reliance such as drilling in Anwar or anywhere in the US is met with hostility. What is the excuse? It will destroy the environment? So, if that is the case, then it is O.K. to destroy the environments of other countries to get oil? Dose that make sense? I thought they cared about people in less developed countries. It is Hypocritical to use oil and demand others suffer the consequences of producing it. But what are the consequences, trillions of US dollars?
We can do the job of getting oil safer and cleaner than anyone in the world, plus we would save the huge amounts of energy burned and pollution in delivering it half way around the world.
The true issue at hand is that there is an international agenda at work and it is both political and economic. Money and politics, if they can’t marry always form a civil union.
We have been intentionally made interdependent and anyone who tries to exercise or create national independence will be attacked using any means that is effective in smearing them. They will be destroyed. The propagandist are every bit as dangerous as the terrorist threat, for if the terrorist are successful they will owe a great deal of their success to the media and leftist propagandist.
Israel may very well end up facing off alone against the world - and if it comes to that, I believe they will win.
Israel is faltering and I like you see the US faltering, but I do not know the extent of the collapse or the time frame. There is still a base of good people in the US like there is in Israel and when it becomes evident that the situation is dire they will arise a become a force.
There already exists a number of these type people throughout the world as evidenced by their communications and writings which are found here and at other places on the net. There are also many more which will begin to come together once they are awakened.
The focus of all the world’s attention is going to be on Israel and the Middle-East. And this is not just some prophetic theological end-time rant, it is in the newspapers man. You don’t need a Bible to come to these conclusions, any major news publican can bring you to the same logic.
I hold a profound belief in good and I believe Israel will pull together and survive this but the longer it takes for them to do this the harder and more dangerous it becomes. I would also add that I haven’t given up on all of the people in the WEST either, along with some others scattered abroad.
Netanyahu was on a recent tour here in the US and stated that good will win, it always does. It is just a matter of at what cost will it come.
That resonates with me.
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 27, 2006 @ 12:48 am
Randy
I have had the same observations when someone tries to push energy independence such as more drilling of domestic sources they are attacked mercilessly. Progess has been made by some to make more domestic drilling a priority but it has not been enough. I agree with you that we can drill cleaner and more efficiently than anyone in the world. Eventually circumstances will force us to drill for more of our own oil and the enviro whackos who have sold America out will be made to pay a heavy price. I suspect many of them work for foreign powers. Nothing I can prove. Eventually the enviro whackos will get theirs. The long range survival of the US and the West including their elites ultimately depends on tapping into more or our oil and natural gas resources. Ultimately I think they will choose to survive and purge the enviro whackos from their midst.
The problems we have had with domestic drilling is we have been unable to get enough votes to beat a filibuster in Congress and there has been problems in the courts but eventually the people and the American elites wwill demand it. The survival instinct is generally quite strong.
I agree that good will eventually win over evil. This is why Israel, the US, and the West will ultimately prevail. As immoral as the West is, it is still far superior to its enemies.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 27, 2006 @ 1:26 am
I should add to my previous post that, as a Christian who believes that both the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Scriptures are the infalliable word of God I have absoule confidence that good will prevail over evil and that Israel will ultimately prevail over all of its enemies. God promisses the Jewish people a bright and glorious future.
As for the West and the US, God makes no such promises to them. As such, I am unable to say with absolute certainty what will happen to them, however, for all of their faults, America and the West are still vastly morally superior to their enemies. This is why I ultimately expect America and the West to emerge victorious but unless they repent and return to God I would not expect them to escape God’s righteous judgements.
In other words, while I believe Israel, America, and the West will ultimately win, I think it is goning to VERY costly. I pray that I’m right about our ultimatte vicory but I pray I’m wrong about the very costly part.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 27, 2006 @ 2:22 am
In post # 22 on this topic I commented on the false economy the US is powered by and how it could be broken by an organized effort of Europe, Russia, China, and the OPEC nations.
Currently at the time of this comment the headlines at the top of the page on The Drudge Report are as follows:
Euro circulation to overtake dollar…
*A coming of age for the European currency…
**United Arab Emirates ‘diversifying its reserves’…
These are the very type of things I was eluding to.
Russia is beginning a move to the Euro as a base for the oil trade at the same time thay are making a play for all the control they can get their hands on over petro. These things that are happening can, if they continue and are increased, devastate the US economy and thus, much U.S. power and put great presure on the US to yeild to international presures.
There are several links in my comment #22 but the following link gives information and how this shift could drastically change a lot of things economically and politically.
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/crisis/2003/1010oilpriceeuro.htm
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/crisis/2003/1010oilpriceeuro.htm
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 27, 2006 @ 5:36 pm
Randy
A switch to the Euro for global oil trade is probably inevitable. This will happen no matter what the US does. There is no question that this will negatively affect the American economy. Specifically this will hamper the ability of the US to run a budget deficit. These coming changes are all the more reason to get our budeget and trade deficits under control and this is all the more reason to develop non foreign energy sources.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 28, 2006 @ 12:12 am
If the US dollar collapses, the US economy collapse. The only thing that might halt the decline of tthe dollar is to shrink the deficit. This is doable but it will require sacrifices.
As to how this relates to Israel, given this situation, the US may not always be able or willing to help Israel, however, it is my prayer that the US will always remain allied with Israel. If Israel has not done so already, it is in their best interest to chart a course for their country that is not dependent upon the US. It is also in America’s best interest to encourage Israel to become completely self sufficent from the US.
Israel is our most vauluable ally. It is in the best interest of both Israel and the US that Israel not rely on US aid.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 28, 2006 @ 1:52 am
…..Which means that it is not do-able.
The US is a house divided and a house divided cannot stand. As I have already stated, there is a significant force of Washington elitists which hold a mind-set that the solution to the world’s problems is creating equality among nations by giving all nations the same rights and powers and by spreading America’s wealth abroad internationally. The hate-America-crowd will be estatic to see the rise of other powers and the diminishing of the US.
As the wealth and power is shifted out of America many of these nations use what has been given to them deal treacherously by working to undermine the US.
“A fool and his money are soon parted.” That goes for a man or a nation.
All great empires rise and fall. In olden times this took hundreds or even a thousand years in some cases. The modern world moves at an incredibly faster pace and we have all ready seen the decline of the British and now the foundation on which the U.S. stands has cracks running through it.
All nations are not equal. America with all of its faults has produced power and wealth because of certain principles it was built upon, but where morality declines prosperity will likewise be diminished.
I noticed some time ago that Soros hedged against the dollar in favor of the Euro about the same time Warren Buffet shifted to the Euro. As I commented earlier there is a slow steady movement away from the dollar particularly by nations who are politically adversarial against US policies. The Euro is now set to take preeminence as the world’s main currency.
There is still much wealth to be gained in the dollar so the shift away is controlled but at some point when it become all too obvious there will likely be a stampede.
When this happens it will be because the great US Prostitute has sold itself out internationally - and this global prostitution will result in the US being raped by her customers without payment.
However, as this situation starts becoming more evident the elitist in the US will say the problem is that we are not tied into international system enough.
The wealth of authoritarian and totalitarian nations may build for a time at the expense of the US and the rise of other currencies but it will not be sustainable.
The greatest implications to all of this though is not global economics but the shift of political power and politics which will be toward international socialism and will be very hostile against the Jewish state and free societies in general.
We are not only facing the Islamic threat in the immediate future but a complete upheaval of the world as we know it.
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 28, 2006 @ 11:26 am
Randy
You are quite right. If America is to remain a great power, it must find some way to unify and the decline in basic morality must be stopped. You are correct to point out that a house divided cannot stand. I wish I could be more optimistic that the US can resolve its issues in time but it is hard to have much optimism about the current situation.
I think you are right that the world is headed for a complete upheaval. All of the issues we face are solvable. It would be a matter of taking one issue at a time rather than trying to solve them all at once.
If elitists wish to maintain the interdependency of nations, this would be all of the more reason to get America’s deficit spending under control and all of the more reason to lessen dependence on foreign energy sources. Unfortunately some of the elitist are Anti-American adn Anti-Western. In other words, they are more interested in bringing the US and Western civilization down than they are in an international new world order.
World socialsim appears to be on the rise. Ultimately Divine justice guarantees that the purveyors of international socialism will fail but it will likely be very costly. I think you nailed it when you point out that the world is headed for a complete upheaval.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 28, 2006 @ 3:33 pm
At this point, the Euro will likely soon become the world’s dominant currency. This will happen no matter what US policy makers do or don’t do. A pro-American policy maker should plan accordingly. A good place to begin would be to work to get deficit spending under control.
Unfortunatley often times pro-American policy makers are viciously attacked in the main stream media and few Americans want to hear about sacrifices that will need to be made. Many people prefer to have their ears tickled, so to speak.
As the world upheaval begins, people may be more inclined to listen to these policy makers, as such, the policies to get deficit spending under control should be formulated now.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 28, 2006 @ 3:40 pm
The shift toward international socialism has been underway for quite some time. I think this is why “neo conservatives” are so hated by world elites. At least on paper, they are an anathema to this system.
No one can say for certain how each event will unfold, however, my semi educated guess is that the followers of Islam or someone else will do something to thwart the plans of the international elitists. In any event, we are likely looking at a complete upheaval of the world as we have known it.
Comment by B.Poster
— December 28, 2006 @ 4:19 pm