February 15, 2012- Iran Show Off Nuclear Acheivments While Fails in Terror Attack J- Street Sends Destructive E-Mail

Israeli news was dominated today with what looks like the abrorted Iranian terror action in the Far East. There was also news from Iran of their much anticipated announcement heralding new nuclear capabilities. From Ahmedinejad''s buildup, one could have been led to believe he was going to announce they had built a bomb. Instead, Ahmedinejad announced that Iran had built nuclear rods for the scientific reactor in Teheran, that is currently in use, and under international supervision. If the rods were indeed Iranian built, it does show off the technical abilities of the Iranain Scientists. However it does not bring them much closer to the bomb. Other actions do. One independent observer wondered idly, why the Iranians keep making announcements intead of quietly doing things? The answer is, that it's very important to the Iranian regime to show off that the world will not stop them. That is why Ahmedinejad gave a 30 minute speech attacking the United States and other western countries for trying to stop the Iranian nuclear program; a program he stated would never be stopped.

Meanwhile, the investigations continue into the terror attacks in Bankok and New Dehli. Fatefully, the attack in Bankok turned into a fiasco for the terrorists. One of the terrorists threw a grenade that bounced off of a tree and blew his feet off. After the blast, the two other members of his immediate cell were both caught. Ultimately, the entire cell was caught. It was determined the same explosives were used both in the New Delhi and Bankgok attacks. In the case of New Delhi the terrorists made calls to both Lebanon and Iran in the hours immediately prior to the attack. The terrorists were carrying Iranian passports. The whole story seems strange. If the story of the attacks is what it appears to be, the implementation of these attacks indicate a level of amateurish behavior that we can be happy to see from the Iranians.

I was very disturbed by an e-mail I received from J Street this afternoon. While I have taken issue with many of J-Streets position. I would like to accept them at their word that they act in what they see as the best interest of Israel, even if I may not always agree.

Today's e-mail called on those who receive it to "Ask your Member of Congress to join the Ellison-Jones letter calling for robust, sustained diplomacy to prevent a costly new war."

This E-mail campaign is undoubtedly against the interests of the State of Israel and all of its citizens. Its only if the government in Iran truly fears a possible American strike that they might stop their nuclear program.As a resident of Tel Aviv, I ardently hope that Israel does not attack Iran's nuclear facilities. I fear the consequences of such an attack. I also know that such an attack would be stretching our abilities to their limit. But the Israeli government faces a severe dilemma. No one in Israel wants to spend the rest of their life in fear that religious fanatics in Teheran might one day end our lives in suicidal fit to eliminate the Jewish state. In my opinion, the best chance to solve the Iranian dilemma, short of war, is if the Iranians fear a US strike is immenent and they blink. The second best way to end the dilemma, from my perspective, is if the US strikes Iran. American military capabilities far exceed those of Israel. Israel will listens to pleas to give sanctions a chance, and take a chance missing its window to mount an attack, if it believes that the US would act in its place, J-Street is undermining the chances of that happening, and thus acting in a way that is inimical to interests of Israel and its people.