Stolen from Debbie Hamilton

Where is Israel in the Arab Spring?

There was one striking thing missing from the events in the Middle East in past months: Israel. While certainly mentioned and condemned, none of the demonstrations centered on the issue of Israel. Israel was a side issue for the demonstrators, with the focus being on replacing unpopular rulers. This is odd. -- George Friedman

Something more important to the protesters than Israel? Their own freedom? It is odd. But not everyone put Israel on the back burner. In fact, Israel is still in as much danger, or perhaps even more, than before the so-called Arab Spring.

In fact, earlier this month Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Gaza Strip launched a barrage of no fewer than 45 missiles, rockets and mortar shells at communities in southern Israel and fired a shoulder-launched anti-tank missile at an Israeli school bus. PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s political advisor Omar al-Ghoul told the Arab audience that 'the school bus was not that badly damaged'. In fact...

In the Hamas daily Falastin, an article translated by Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) was headlined, “Israel's Claim of Attack on Bus Is Exaggerated – Just Like the Holocaust.”

The United Nations wants to make this same group of prople the State of Palestine. So what of these Arab protests and Israel's future? The new Arab world, same as the new Arab world, only maybe worse.

From an Arab Spring to a Muslim Winter?
The Communists wanted to turn every country in the world into communists, the Muslims want to turn every nation Islamic, and we want to turn them all into Democrats....[snip]

Lately some of us have gotten caught up in the idea that the Arabs have finally become just as passionate about democracy as us. But where we have come to value democracy as an end, their passion is for democracy as a tool of change, a means, not an end. Even the most devout Mahmoud, his scraggly beard caught in the pages of the Koran, blesses democracy as Halal, so long as it ushers in the rule of the devout. What matter if the Caliphate of the 12th Imam comes by way of a lottery, inherited monarchy or the ballot box-- so long as it comes. --Sultan Knish

The belief is that the 12th Imam is very near, the global Caliphate will be eventually be achieved, and Israel will be destroyed. That belief remains constant in spite of the protests for freedom.

Moqtada al Sadr is back in Iraq and insisting that American troops leave Iraq, a country that is still not stable and may revert. Afghanistan wants Western troops gone. Our military leader Gen. David Petraeus was photographed wearing Afghani headdress and full garments. Our soldiers under current Rules of Engagement, often must let terrorist go even when they are caught red-handed carrying out terrorist attacks. Pakistan orders us to stop the drone attacks.

Why does any of the above matter? Because the less effective our military is and the fewer of them there are on the ground and in the region, the more vulnerable Israel is? Or because in spite of all the money and blood we have spent on these nations, they still hate us?

The world situation is truly remarkable, unexplainable, just plain curious. Here in the United States the Obama Administration refuses to hand over evidence, delaying trial of Fort Hood jihad murderer. What are they hiding? Dhimmitude, failure on the part of Hasan's superiors to take action for fear of being called an Islamophobe. Making excuses for aiding a terrorist here on our own soil and not one head has rolled?

There are fresh Muslim protests in Afghanistan against the burning of a Koran here in the U.S. Two brave Iranian men in Iran risk their lives and burn the Koran while in the UK men are arrested for doing the same thing. Where is the freedom of speech? Not in Iran or the UK.

Iran's neighbors are worried, Arab states worried, Israel is worried. Where is the U.S.?

How sadly ironic. A few years ago, the two previous U.S. presidents were trying to get Gulf Arab states to do more to foster an Arab-Israeli peace settlement and to stand up against Iran. They didn't respond very much. Now they are ready for the battle and the current U.S. government is at best neutral and at worst on the other side! -- Barry Rubin

Israel and the United States are at a turning point. I truly believe that the decisions that are made in the next few years with greatly alter our future, for good or for bad, and our survival depends on those decisions.

Where is Israel in the Arab Spring? In a vise and the screws are tightening!

For the United States and Europe, the merger of Islamists and democrats is an explosive combination. Apart, they do little. Together, they could genuinely destabilize the region and even further undermine the U.S. effort against jihadists. The United States and Europe want Israel to restrain itself but cannot restrain Hamas. Another war, therefore, is not out of the question — and in the end, the decision to launch one rests with Hamas.

Tweet