• Spengler offers a creative suggestion for Congress, which is considering approval for a strike on Syria:
Instead, Republicans should amend the resolution to authorize the use of force against Iran as well as Syria. Since Obama is inclined to ask Congress’ permission, Congress should pre-authorize a military strike against the dog’s master as well as the dog . . . The resolution need not require the administration to attack Iran, merely to authorize a strike. If the White House rejects the resolution, its credibility is shattered; if it accepts the resolution, the time-wasting diplomatic games with Tehran come to an end.
But Jeffrey Goldberg argues that Syria isn’t Obama’s litmus test on Iran. By the way, Spengler also notes reports that Obama already vetoed an Israeli attack on Iran.
• For more commentary/analysis, see Robert Fulford, Itamar Rabinovich, Daniel Nisman, Jonathan D. Halevi, Jonathan Spyer, and Amir Taheri. See also Charles Krauthammer, Tom Friedman, Walter Russell Mead, Nicholas Kristof, David Frum, Frida Ghitis, Michael Tomasky, Haroon Siddiqui, and Tony Burman.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Against Danish and EU anti-terror laws, Hamas TV is going to start broadcast from a Copenhagen mosque’s media center. Oh yeah, the Copenhagen Post (via Elder of Ziyon) reports that the 6,000 sq. meter mosque currently under construction is being funded by Qatar.
• Over at The Guardian, Deborah Orr (remember her?) opines that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would resolve itself if we could just remove the religious component to it.
• Ambassador Michael Oren to Israel HaYom: The American public is highly supportive of Israel, but also very isolationist.
• Worth reading: Jordanian journalist Yan Barakat visits Israel and is floored by the reception he receives from ordinary people:
How can we make real peace between us? Peace on paper is not enough, it needs to come from our hearts. I don’t want to lie again when I introduce Israelis to Arab friends and say that they are American or Dutch.
• Jerusalem Post: Gazans are spooked by rumors that Egypt’s getting ready to attack the strip. Is there any basis for this? Related reading: Fatah Wants Egypt to Overthrow Hamas.
Arab Spring Winter
• The Al-Firman Brigade makes firing rocket propelled grenades at ships in the Suez Canal look easy. But don’t take my word for it. Watch the video. Backstory at the Jerusalem Post.
• The Times of London was on hand as Mideast Christian leaders gathered in Jordan to discuss common problems. As expected, security in the face of radical Islam and the Arab Spring was a big topic. But so was another:
The exodus of Christians from the lands where the faith began was underlined by dozens of church leaders as the greatest challenge facing them. Some voiced fears that Christianity might disappear altogether, blaming not only Islamist violence but also growing official discrimination: Christians are denied jobs, barred from promotion, denied access to their faith at school, and across the Arab world made to feel second-class citizens.
(Image of jet via Flickr/US Air Force)
For more, see the previous Israel Daily News Stream.
