As US and Israel leaders continue to spar over what secret negotiations have been made with Iran, the Iran War Clock continues to tick. According to the people who pay attention to such things, there’s less than a 50/50 chance of a war with Iran in the next 12 months. There’s a 48% chance, if you want to be precise. We’re at 10 minutes to midnight, figuratively speaking. The Atlantic has introduced an Iran War Clock… not unlike the “doomsday clock” maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists gauging the likelihood of nuclear war. The current issue affecting this computation is the Obama administration’s secret, behind-the-back negotiations that took place between the US and Iran prior to the P5+1 meeting held last week in Istanbul, Turkey. Speaking out strongly against the six major powers led by President Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored the fact that relations between the US and Israeli leaders are as bad today as they ever were, just as the presidential election in the US gets into full swing. Mr. Netanyahu accuses the world powers of stringing out their talks with Iran over its nuclear program. “My initial impression is that Iran has been given a ‘freebie,’” Mr. Netanyahu said, referring to the five-week hiatus before the second round of the talks and complained that the gap will allow Iran “to continue enrichment [of uranium] without any limitation, any inhibition.” Mr. Netanyahu is among Iran’s harshest critics, arguing unceasingly that the Islamic Republic not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and threatening that if the international community did not prevent this from happening, Israel would. Yesterday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak arrived in Washington for a meeting with his counterpart, Leon Panetta, to try to get some answers to some tough questions. They followed the lines of, “What’s going on? Is there a deal? Don’t tell me what you have settled with the Iranians, just your minimal demands, your bottom line.” The questions reflected Israel’s deep concern at being kept in the dark about US-Iranian back-track negotiations and American concessions, including President Barak Obama’s willingness to yield on full transparency and international nuclear watchdog inspections at Iran’s nuclear sites. The two defense chiefs talked for more than an hour, joined for some of their conversation by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. According to military sources, they focused on the fresh intelligence reaching the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran had begun moving military nuclear facilities to secret locations not covered in the confidential deal evolving between the Obama administration and Tehran. Shortly after their conversation, Panetta and Barak spoke in separate media interviews. The US Secretary said that plans for a military operation against Iran were in place and he is sure that in the event of a clash, the American military would prevail. Barak stated that Iran was “clearly heading towards the objective” of building a nuclear weapon. This is probably the only real truth in the entire meeting between these two defense officials.

“Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” Proverbs 28:14

Iran is trying hard to protect the secret deal they have negotiated with the US at Israel’s expense. They are putting up an elaborate front to give the world the impression that they are a strong military nation that is capable of taking on Israel or the US if necessary. Yet, behind the scenes they have worked out an agreement with the Obama administration which will allow them more time to attempt to complete their nuclear weapons development program. While at the same they have established a headquarters for managing nuclear activities for Iran. Sources indicate that Fereidoun Abbasi, Iran’s nuclear chief, will oversee the headquarters operations as a part of Iran’s Civil Defense Agency. Iran’s president added his harsh rhetoric during a huge National Army Day military parade. “Our armed forces will make the enemy face a heavy and shameful regret if they commit any aggression and violate Iran’s interests,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. During the parade on Tuesday, April 17, Iran displayed an array of its homemade short-range missiles, tanks, drones and air defense system as well as some of its jet fighters, warplanes and military helicopters. Iran has tried to build a self-sufficient military program since 1992. On the sidelines of the parade, Iran’s army chief Gen. Ataollah Salehi told the state IRNA news agency that U.S. warships in the Gulf are “sweet targets” for Iranian armed forces.
Salehi, who is known for anti-U.S. rhetoric and had threatened U.S. ships in the Gulf before, did not elaborate. Among the weaponry on display Tuesday was “Qadr,” or a Sacred Night mentioned in the Quran, a 2,000 pound guided bomb. Iran has earlier suggested it could counter the U.S. naval presence in the Gulf. All of this has taken place since the Istanbul talks when US President Obama turned the tables on Israel and gave Iran more time for their nuclear program. Iran presented itself at the talks as ready to agree to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent and halt work at its underground facility for higher enrichment near Qom, and export its stockpile of highly enriched uranium for final processing to 20 percent for use in medical isotopes. Israeli sources say this report is false: Far from this being the shape of an eventual settlement, it was the shape of American demands relayed to Tehran in side-channels going via Paris and Vienna. Israel was never informed of Iran accepting this formula or its presentation to the Istanbul meeting. Above all, they stressed, Netanyahu has not and will not play a role in any choreography of this kind staged by the Obama administration. So, as usual, Obama’s promise to watch Israel’s back in its efforts to protect itself from Iran’s nuclear weapons threat was just another lie. Israel is again on its own as it can no longer count on a lying American president for support.

“You destroy those who tells lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.”
Psalm 5:6

The International Nuclear Negotiations with Iran went nowhere on Friday. Having accomplished absolutely nothing, the only decision made was to schedule more discussions for May. Following the meeting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was visually upset stating that this delay was nothing more than a gift to the Iranians who will have more time to enrich uranium and accelerate their weapons development program. “My initial impression is that Iran has been given a freebie,” said the PM during a meeting with U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman. “It’s got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation, any inhibition.” No sooner had the fruitless talks ended when talk in Israel returned to the increasing imminence of war. “A major Israel TV station on Sunday night broadcast a detailed report on how Israel will go about attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities in the event that diplomacy and sanctions fail and Israel decides to carry out a military strike,” reports the Times of Israel. “The report, screened on the main evening news of Channel 10, was remarkable both in terms of the access granted to the reporter, who said he had spent weeks with the pilots and other personnel he interviewed, and in the fact that his assessments on a strike were cleared by the military censor. No order to strike is likely to be given before the P5+1 talks with Iran resume in May, the reporter, Alon Ben-David, said. ‘But the coming summer will not only be hot but tense.’…. The rift between Netanyahu and Obama became visible when high-ranking Israeli officials close to Netanyahu directly accused Obama of reneging on the US-Israeli understanding developed before the Istanbul negotiations with the P5+1 powers on April 14, 2012. Behind the facade at Istanbul, they charged the US and Iran of having reached secret agreements in clandestine bilateral contacts channeled through Paris and Vienna. As expected Obama’s response was quick as he spoke at a news conference at the end of the Western Hemisphere Summit in Cartagenia, Columbia. Obama commented sharply: “The notion that somehow we’ve given something away or a `freebie’ would indicate Iran has gotten something. In fact, they’ve got some of the toughest sanctions that they’re going to be facing coming up in just a few months if they don’t take advantage of these talks.” That is the very point on which Israel accused the US president of playing false: time. This obvious feeling of having been misled is what prompted Netanyahu’s exceptionally sharp reaction. Israeli official sources now suspect that in their secret contacts, the US has granted Iran far-reaching concessions on its nuclear program – more than Israel would find acceptable. The formal talks in Istanbul and in Baghdad on May 23 are seen as nothing but a device to screen the real business the US and Iran have already contracted in secret. The question here is Obama trying to start a war in the Middle East using Israel or are they agreeing to a nuclear Iran and simply trying to give them time to finish their weapons program? All of this could now lead to a surprise attack by Israel in the spring rather than summer as previously suspected.

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” Proverbs 12:22

This week has been relatively quiet in the Middle East as most of the world’s focus was on the North Korean missile launch. North Korea’s failed long-range rocket launch Friday was condemned by the Group of Eight nations’ foreign ministers. The G8 — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Russia — said firing the rocket, which broke into pieces before reaching space, was a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718, and 1874. South Korea’s Defense Ministry first reported the failed launch, which is seen as defying international warnings and widely viewed as a provocation from the rogue state. The U.N. Security Council will meet Friday to discuss a response to the North’s attempted launch. South Korea Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters in a nationally televised news conference that the rocket was fired at 7:39 a.m, local time Friday. “We suspect the North Korean missile has fallen into the ocean as it divided into pieces minutes after liftoff. This event was to be a celebration of North Korea’s technological progress by putting a satellite into orbit. This was widely publicized by inviting the international media to view the launch. The failure now of three attempts to launch this missile has turned the celebration sour and severely embarrassed North Korea’s leadership.

There are some new developments in the Russian-Israeli relationship as Netanyahu invites Vladimir Putin to come to Israel. Putin, the (second time) president-elect of Russia has indicated he intends to visit Israel after his May 7th inauguration. Putin is reportedly going to Israel for the unveiling a monument in Netanya to Jewish Red Army soldiers who fought in WW II, according to a senior Israeli official. A Russian relationship from Israel’s perspective has to do with moving Russia away from the rogue nations of the Middle East, while creating attractive business opportunities in computer technology, science, medicine, military technology, and agriculture. Those of us who are familiar with the Gog-Magog prophecy of Ezekiel can only wonder if Putin is not there but to “spy out the land.”

Today is the third day of the agreed upon Syrian cease fire as reports coming out of Syrian tell of another major attack by Assad’s security forces on the city-center of Homs. The Security Council is due to meet again after failing Friday to agree on the powers of a UN observer team to oversee the ceasefire which hasn’t ceased.

The other news of the day comes out of Istanbul, Turkey where the P5+1 group are holding negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program. European diplomats close to the nuclear negotiations which Iran and six world powers launched in Istanbul Saturday, April 14 praised the first session as “constructive” because all the participants agreed that it laid the ground for a follow-up meeting in a month or six weeks. How convenient, for this modest “concession,” Tehran won its first advantage, time for advancing its nuclear weapons program and a substantial delay for any US or Israel military action to preempt this advance – up until mid-summer. However, the initial US approach and the absence from the American delegation of any important expert on Iran’s nuclear program have raised concern among some of America’s Western allies as well as Israel about the prospects of the Istanbul talks getting anywhere in their avowed objective of reining in Iran’s nuclear aspirations. One can only wonder if Obama deliberately worked to move these negotiations to the summer to help his re-election efforts.

The West, Israel and the US are all seeking a means to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons development program as the sanctions do not appear to be a deterrent to Iran’s nuclear goals. Intelligence sources support the reports that Iran is continuing its high-level uranium enrichment at its Fordow facility deep under a mountain outside of Tehran. After talks on Iran’s nuclear program ended, more than a year ago, they are now scheduled to begin again on Saturday, April 14th in Istanbul. “After weeks of debates, Iran and the six world powers (P5+1 countries) agreed to attend a first meeting in Istanbul,” the semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing unnamed sources. The State-run English language Press TV carried the same report. Fars also said the sides had agreed to a second round of talks in Baghdad if there was progress in Turkey. Apparently, the US and Israel have been secretly working behind the scene to come up with a formula for a baseline proposal for Iran to accept. Their “Formula 1,000” is the agreed upon final concession which will be submitted at the talks in Istanbul. This formula would let Iran keep 1,000 centrifuges for enriching uranium up to 3.5 percent and stock 1,000 kilograms of the same grade uranium while, aside from a small amount for medical research, giving up its store of 20-percent grade uranium which can be jumped quickly to weapon’s quality. US sources have also indicated that Russia and China have accepted this deal. Reports coming out of Jerusalem seem to indicate that Israel’s position of totally stopping Iran’s uranium enrichment program is softening significantly to the point where they are willing to give in and allow a limited amount to be allowed for “medical research.” As a result Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad opened the door even further slapping down three fresh demands which Tehran would put before the Six Power negotiators in Istanbul Saturday. Iran is putting those three demands on the table to counter the US-Israeli insistence on shutting down the underground nuclear enrichment plant at Fordow, near Qom. In an address on Iran’s annual day to celebrate its nuclear achievements, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Western powers that Iran would continue to pursue its swift scientific progress. “The nuclear industry is like a locomotive that can carry other industries along with it. It is like the space industry that has raised tens of sub-industries under it and it is clear that we must continue on this path,” the Iranian state news agency quoted him as saying. While Israel’s concession has helped the US bring the Iranians back to the negotiating table, their back-channel to Tehran will remain open and it is Obama who is more likely to be induced by Iran’s wiles to make even more concessions than it is for him to give Israel the green light for military action. Obama continues trying desperately to hold tight to the controls of Israel’s military, but for how long?

“When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none.” Ezekiel 7:25

Without question the most disturbing event of the past week was the visit of a group of the Muslim Brotherhood to this country. Six members of the Muslim Brotherhood visited New York City this week as part of the group’s first delegation in the United States. The delegation met with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and the editorial boards of prestigious newspapers. The Council on Foreign Relations hosted them in New York for a talk, and they met with the Carnegie Endowment and the Brookings Institution in Washington, with a lot of coffee-talk in between. The goal: to alleviate the fears of a still-suspicious American establishment. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the group is the oldest and largest Islamist movement in the world. Many Western pundits and politicians have long denounced the group as a quasi-terrorist organization and the ancestor of al Qaeda. Some al Qaeda leaders — notably Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is Egyptian — have roots in the Brotherhood. Before leaving the US, the group is scheduled to meet with President Obama at the White House as if they were heads of state. Recall it is the Brotherhood who are taking over the Arab countries which were “liberated for the sake of democracy” during the Arab Spring of 2011. Remember too that it was Obama who encouraged the deposing of the various dictators affected and even used US Military forces to take down one of them in Libya. Following is Bill Wilson’s article on the Brotherhood.

Muslim Brotherhood takeover of Egypt accelerates prophecy clock
By Bill Wilson, KIN Senior Analyst

The Western media is expressing surprise and alarm that Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Abu Zaid may well be the next President of Egypt. This should be no shock at all. The White House and other Western governments assisted the Muslim Brotherhood in overthrowing the Mubarak government in deference to “democracy.” The Muslim Brotherhood won a position of strength in the “democratic” elections, as did another Sharia Law Islamic party. Now Egypt will likely totally fall under the control of extremist Islam — another win for President Barack Obama and America’s new foreign policy strategy from his “New Beginning” speech given June 4, 2009, in Cairo. Another acceleration of end-time prophecy. At the time, the U.S. president raised controversy when he allowed representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) to attend his speech where he stated his mission: “I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles — principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.” The news media and political analysts did not foresee that this speech would reverse America’s Middle East policy in favor of Islam, but it was the beginning. As has happened in every Middle Eastern country where the U.S.-backed Arab Spring deposed and overthrew governments, Sharia Law Islam has taken over. There are ample examples of how Islamic Sharia Law parties use democratic elections to establish themselves. The clear example is to be found in Israel. The Palestinian Authority elections resulted in Palestinian Liberation Organization and Hamas representatives being elected — both terrorist organizations. Indeed, when Israeli settlers were forced from Gaza, Islamists there used their opportunity for freedom to elect Hamas representatives. They continue to shell Israel and conduct terrorism — and the MB supports these organizations. The MB creed is as follows: “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.” The MB believes that Sharia Law should be globally established and is attempting to unite Islam under a new global caliphate. Frank Gaffney Jr. reported on July 2, 2011, that President Obama embraced and legitimized the MB as a major foreign policy partner. The President’s actions accelerate the prophecy clock in that he is using the MB to further radicalize the nations surrounding Israel.
There is a promise from YHVH in Zechariah 12:9 (KJV), “I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” This may well include instigator countries like Russia and, unfortunately, as it stands today, America.

In his campaigning President Barak Obama has been very busy praising himself for all the “wonderful things” he has accomplished during his term in office. And already what he considers his prime legislative accomplishment, his health care bill, is being reviewed by the Supreme Court for it constitutional basis. His major foreign policy act that he is so proud of is the role he played in the Arab Spring of 2011. The part of that for which he is most remembered was his staunch support of the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Now, after just over a year, we are witnessing the real fall-out of that decision. Recall that Obama, along with Hillary Clinton, kept telling us that their support of the Egyptian rebels was to see Egypt become a democratic nation. Today we see the Muslim Brotherhood poised to take over the entire government in Egypt’s May 23rd elections. This is the same Brotherhood that was outlawed in Egypt during Murbarak’s almost 30 years as president. Also, Obama is now showing his real allegiance by inviting a group of Muslim Brotherhood members to the White House and you can be assured that they will get the VIP treatment. This comes after former Egyptian intelligence strongman, Gen. Omar Suleiman’s decision, finalized on Thursday, April 5, to drop out of the presidential race. This was a shock to many in both Washington and Jerusalem as it dashed their hopes of a figure capable of halting, or at least offsetting, the Muslim Brotherhood’s monopoly of power in post-Mubarak Egypt. The leading generals understood that their days were about over and a new group of young elite generals would follow, some of which were already known Brotherhood supporters, who would take over the military leadership of Egypt. The revelation of Islamist infiltration of the Egyptian officer elite came as a shock to Washington and Jerusalem, where it had been hoped that Gen. Suleiman would ride into the presidency and stall the Muslim Brotherhood’s spreading domination of Egypt. As a result, the Muslim Brotherhood nominated its chief strategist and financier, Khairat el-Shater, on Saturday, as its candidate to become Egypt’s first president since Hosni Mubarak, breaking a pledge not to seek the top office and a monopoly on power, according to the New York Times. Because of the Brotherhood’s unrivaled grass-roots organization and popular appeal, el-Shater, 62, a multimillionaire business tycoon who was a political prisoner until just a year ago, immediately became a presidential front-runner. If he wins the June election, the Brotherhood, a previously outlawed Islamist group, would control the presidency, the Parliament and the committee writing the new constitution, moving toward a confrontation with Egypt’s military rulers over the country’s future. His candidacy is likely to unnerve the West and has already outraged Egyptian liberals, who wonder what other pledges of moderation the Brotherhood may abandon. The Brotherhood is also engaged in a standoff with the military over its calls to dissolve the military-led government, and the degree of civilian oversight of the military in the new constitution. For all of this we give due credit to another Muslim, American President Barak Obama.

“I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; everyone will fight against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” Isaiah 19:2

The Middle East is a boiling pot today as all the major players flex their military might and continue their vocal threats. Russia continued to proclaim its solidarity with Iran stating that a preemptive attack on Iran would violate international law. Russia has already enjoyed success in delivering Syria’s Bashar Assad from the people’s revolt against his regime. Now they want to “buddy-up” with Iran to fend off a potential strike against Tehran’s nuclear program as well as shore up Iran’s regional interests (and in turn their own interests) from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. One of their concerns is the US, Israel and Greece launching of a classified air and naval exercise in the Mediterranean, Thursday, March 29th. Codenamed “Noble Dina,” it appears to range across a broad sweep of sea up to Crete and including the waters off Turkey, Cyprus, and Israeli Navy bases in Haifa and Ashdod. It would appear that the tripartite exercise is designed to simulate action in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Aden. Concurrently, Iran is trying to wiggle out of its commitment to participate in the international nuclear negotiations scheduled for April 13th and 14th in Istanbul, Turkey. This move is causing concern in Washington and Jerusalem as a postponement would delay any military option that Israel or the US might choose to take. Not only are the Iranians trying to buy more time for their nuclear program by postponing the talks, but they also want to move the talks to Europe, which would again cause additional delay of the negotiations. Iran is also on the outs with Turkey because of their opposition of Bashar Assad and his government and Turkey’s apparent friendship with the US and Israel. Earlier today the Iraqi government offered Baghdad as an alternant site for the upcoming world power talks with Iran. However, the US and Israel are certain to reject this offer because it would give Tehran the important edge of a key diplomatic event taking place on pro-Iranian soil. To emphasize the importance of having these talks, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Ryabkov, said Tuesday, April 3rd: “The Middle East standoff could boil over into military action at any moment.” Referring to the massing of military and naval forces in the Persian Gulf, he said: The pot can explode if the diplomatic valve is not opened.” The question now is will any of the key players move to open that valve.

“So do not fear [Israel], for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10

Is Obama betraying Israel? Is the US making a deliberate effort to hinder a strike on Iran by leaking classified info, intelligence assessments and other classified plans? Is this how Obama intends to “cover Israel’s back?” The Israeli’s have learned the hard way, early in Obama’s presidency, that he could not be trusted to keep his word. His promise to support Israel in whatever decision they made concerning an attack on Iran was hardly out of Obama’s mouth before he not only broke his commitment to Israel, but turned against them. It is obvious that Obama understands that Netanyahu and the IDF know they cannot reply on help from the US and have made their operational plans accordingly. It would appear that the Obama administration has shifted into high-gear in a desperate move from persuasion efforts among Washington’s decision-makers and Israel’s public opinion to outright sabotage of potential Israeli operations. And we wonder why America is a joke in the foreign policy arena. The first and most important American objective today is to eliminate potential operational options available to the IDF and the State of Israel. This is done through psychological warfare, propaganda dissemination and/or disinformation. It is clearly evident that reports in the past week alone have caused Israel substantive diplomatic damage, and possibly even military and operational damage. One of the Obama administration’s objectives is to convince the Israeli public that an Iran strike (including a US attack) will not achieve even the minimum required to justify it. By this they are trying to turn Israeli public opinion against Netanyahu and the IDF. Probably the most noteworthy of US psychological warfare is the recent publications used to try and scare the Israeli public by way of an apocalyptic account of possible retaliations by Iran and its allies. This effort also aims to press Israeli decision-makers into not acting to support an attack on Iran, which is exactly what Obama and Tehran hope for. An excellent example of Obama’s program to prevent Israel from attacking Iran was leaked earlier this week when the liberal Foreign Policy Magazine published a major piece on the likelihood of airbases in the Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan being used by Israeli aircraft in an attack against Iran. . Besides a comprehensive account of Israel’s public and secret relationship with the Aliyev regime, the main points in the feature are the quotes of anonymous American diplomats and intelligence officials claiming that Israel has an unwritten agreement with the Azeris to use old Soviet airbases in their territory. Again, these are not accidental leaks by the political opposition, but what we are seeing in all of this is not a trickle of information, but rather, a powerful current, a true flood that leaves no doubt as to the existence of an orchestrated media campaign by the Obama administration with clear aims targeting Israel.

“A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Proverbs 26:28