This morning even the main stream media is showing cell phone video coming out of Tehran of the street riots protesting the results of the election. The videos are also showing the police and Red Guard attempting to put down the riots. The U.S. should now be doing everything possible to encourage the Iranian people to oust this government. It certainly appears that the people are ready.
* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *
AHMADINEJAD VS. NETANYAHU: THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME OF IRAN'S "ELECTIONS" IS ANOTHER REGIONAL WAR
Note: I may be on Glenn Beck today to discuss Iran and Netanyahu. Please check weblog for updates.By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., June 15, 2009) -- The Supreme Leader of Iran has spoken, and it is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for another four years. A major, cataclysmic war is the most likely outcome of the Iranian elections. And the battle lines are clear. It's Netanyahu vs. Ahmadinejad -- Bibi vs. Mahmoud -- and the big question is: Who will strike first?
This weekend's events in Iran tell us a lot.
First, the results prove that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei firmly, completely and whole-heartedly supports Ahmadinejad's End Times beliefs. Khamenei also fully supports Ahmadinejad's commitment to build nuclear weapons and long-range, high-speed ballistic missiles. There is no daylight between Khamenei and Ahmadinejad on this Radical eschatology, or End Times theology, as some analysts and commentators have suggested. These two men are who I have said all along they are: members of an apocalyptic, genocidal death cult. They are kindred spirits. They believe the wind is at their backs, that Allah is on their side, and they believe they will soon see complete victory. That's what makes them so dangerous.
Second, the results prove that the people of Iran never had a real choice. This wasn't a real election. It was totally and completely rigged by a Radical Muslim mafia. The aftermath became, as one Iranian noted over the weekend, a Tehran Tiananmen. Protesters and dissidents were beaten, arrested and tortured. Text messaging was turned off. Facebook was shut down. The internet was down or slowed for vast stretches. All this prevents ordinary citizens from mobilizing their opposition to the government. That said, however, the massive turnout at the polls -- and the street demonstrations and violence in Iran over the weekend -- showed that even though Iranians didn't have real Reformer candidates to choose from, the vast Iranians are deeply disgusted with the current regime. They long for true freedom and true democracy. They desperately wanted the elections to be real. They are ABA -- Anybody But Ahmadinejad. They don't buy into the regime's End Times theology. They desperately want someone to liberate them. I feel for them. I want them to be free. Now more than ever.
Third, the results prove that the Obama administration's belief that you can sit down and have a rational discussion with such Radicals -- or trust an agreement even if one could be negotiated with them -- is nonsensical. How could we possibly trust the Iranian leadership to keep a promise to stop building nuclear weapons (if such a promise were made), when they steal elections and beat and torture dissidents in front of the whole world?
Fourth, as for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech, he was right: Iran is the real threat to the region and the world, not Israel's refusal to make more "land for missiles concessions" to the Palestinian leadership.
Fifth, we need to continue praying for peace, but preparing for war. Our Joshua Fund board met over the weekend for several days of strategic prayer and planning meetings. At this point, we see our mandate clearly: Do everything we can to educate, awaken and mobilize the followers of Jesus Christ to pray for peace, and do everything we can prepare for war in case the Lord allows a cataclysmic battle ensue between Israel and Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. We are working on building the organizational and financial infrastructure to eventually provide $100 million worth of food, clothing, medical supplies and other relief aid to Israel, and another $20 million to Israel's immediate neighbors. This will take time and much effort. It's not clear how quickly we can achieve this goal, but I believe we are moving in the right direction. We've expanded our budget this year (In 2006, TJF's budget was $160,000. This year, it is about $5.7 million.) We've increased the size of our staff (from 1 in 2006 to 4 full time employees today). We are actively recruiting several new staff positions. We're working with our financial services provider to expand their capacity for receiving and processing donations. We're working to improve our communications to our donors so we can do a still-better job at briefing them on the projects we're doing and how we're investing the resources they've entrusted to us. We're recruiting more prayer partners. We're building more government and civilian allies in Israel and the region. We're working to build more allies among evangelical pastors and ministry leaders in North America and beyond. We're also taking up to 300 evangelical leaders and lay people to Israel in November for a prayer & vision trip. And, as the Lord gives us grace, strength and resources, we will do more to help followers of Christ learn, pray, give and go. This is a critical moment. The threat is real. The time is short. We would be grateful for your continued prayers and support in the weeks and months ahead. God bless you.
[For the latest developments in Iran -- and the full text of Netanyahu's speech -- please click below.]
Click here to track the latest developments in Iran and to read the full text of Netanyahu's speech.
