Obama arrives in Israel: 3 questions he needs to answer on Iran nuke threat

 

(Washington, D.C., March 20, 2013) -- To say that the pundits have low expectations for President Obama's trip to Israel and Jordan this week would be putting it mildly. Most expect a series of photo ops, but no serious progress on the three major issues: the Iran nuclear threat, the implosion of Syria, and the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

"It is hard for me to recall a less-anticipated trip to Israel by an American president," noted Thomas L. Friedman in his recent column in the New York Times. "But there is a message in that empty bottle: Little is expected from this trip -- not only because little is possible, but because, from a narrow U.S. point of view, little is necessary."

Actually, much is necessary. The president needs to "re-set" U.S.-Israeli relations in a positive way after a contentious relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the first term. But that is the just the beginning.

There are three critical questions the president needs to answer on this trip:

1) Have diplomacy, sanctions and covert operations failed to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons?

2) If so, will President Obama order airstrikes against Iran, or give Israel the "green light" to hit Iran's nuclear sites since other measures have failed?

3) If not, why not?

The administration has been giving mixed messages in recent weeks. Top officials have suggested diplomacy and sanctions are not working, but the President seemed to suggest the world has at least another year before Iran could get The Bomb, implying there is quite a bit more time. The Israeli leadership has a different view. They believe time is short and the clock is running.

These questions need to be asked by PM Netanyahu -- and by journalists -- and answered clearly and decisively by the President.

Meanwhile, Syria -- already on the agenda for the President's trip -- is taking on growing importance. CNN reports a "high probability" that chemical weapons were used Tuesday in Syria, killing dozens and wounding dozens more. The White House chief of staff is calling the development a "game changer" if proven true. Much of the US and Israeli media is talking about the chemical weapons story as part of the President's arrival coverage, and there is speculation about possible US and allied airstrikes against Syria's WMD storehouses.

Please keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem and all in the region, and wisdom for our leaders to know how best to proceed.

[To read my full column -- these are just a few excerpts -- please go to the blog.]

KEY STORIES I'M TRACKING ON THE BLOG:

* For the next few days, I'm live blogging and live Tweeting through the President's visit to the epicenter -- Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. I'm also be re-Tweeting key tidbits, stories and analysis I'm seeing from others. Please send me stories you find interesting, and please follow along - @joelcrosenberg

* What does Bible prophecy say about the future of Syria? Could the countdown to the destruction of Damascus be underway. Please watch my 30 min interview on CBN's Stakelbeck Report -- the link is on the blog.

* "Syria rebels, regime blame each other for first alleged chemical weapons attack": Report

* Will Israel & Iran go to war in 2013? Exclusive interview w/fmr CIA Director Porter Goss

* "Damascus Countdown" to debut at #7 on New York Times list
* "Damascus Countdown" hits USA Today & Publishers Weekly best-seller lists

[To read these articles -- and/or learn more about DAMASCUS COUNTDOWN; or to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in the U.S., Israel, North Africa, Russia, and the Middle East -- please go to: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.]


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