Seahawk Fan and Love’in it!

Russell Wilson

John R. Houk

© December 3, 2013

This diehard Hawk fan is ecstatic! The Seahawks not only won Monday Night’s football game against the New Orleans Saints but also opened a can of whupa*s. The Seahawks are now an 11-1 with their closest competitors in the NFC being 9-3 (Whupped-up Saints and Panthers). As the article “Seahawks, Russell Wilson Show They're NFC's Team to Beat by Demolishing Saints” says, “All roads to the Super Bowl lead through Seattle.” If you are a Seahawks fan or are following them this year as a fair weather fan you should read this article.

I usually avoid posting sports on my blogs, but I have been a Seahawk faithful ever since the organization came into existence in 1976 when I lived a mere 100 miles away in Ellensburg, WA. My life journey has since led me to Oklahoma but I will always be a Seahawk fan – GO 12^th MAN!

JRH 12/3/13

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Seahawks, Russell Wilson Show They're NFC's Team to Beat by Demolishing Saints

By Mike Freeman

(NFL National Lead Writer)

December 3, 2013

Bleacher Report

Seattle — This wasn't so much a game as it was a multi-layered coronation, done in the guise of a punch to the face, thrown by a gentleman. Instigated by an angry defense. Egged on by a volatile crowd.

These are the Seattle Seahawks, officially your NFC favorite to reach the Super Bowl. Sorry San Francisco. Buh bye New Orleans. G'night, Carolina.

Barring some sort of cataclysm, the road to New Jersey will go through here. That was established during the 34-7 disemboweling of the Saints on an unbelievable Monday night. It was established in the rawest, most guttural terms as the Seahawks bashed a good Saints team—strutting, shoving, battering, jawing and intimidating along the way.

This game was the equivalent of the Seahawks walking to the 50-yard line while holding a baseball bat and daring anyone to enter the territory they just marked.

You feeling lucky?

Really?

Well step on up, dude. Let's go.

Some of you will flame the message boards and stomp your feet about the Panthers or 49ers. This year, in this moment, the 49ers aren't winning here. Joe Montana ain't walking through that door. If you think a team like Carolina could win in this maelstrom of violence, you need to visit a doctor's office.

What makes the Seahawks most dangerous, more dangerous than any other NFC team, isn't solely their physicality or noisy home-field advantage, it's the Gentleman Destroyer, Russell Wilson.

Wilson has elevated himself to the position of the most well-rounded pass thrower in football not named Aaron Rodgers. This isn't a reactionary declaration but the culmination of a steady climb up the quarterback ranks. There were passes he made against the Saints that were Tom Brady-like and moves that were Randall Cunningham-esque.

The comparison for Wilson has been Fran Tarkenton, but he's actually more Steve Young because of the power of his arm and accuracy of his throws. Before this game, in his previous 19, Wilson was 299-of-458 for 4,014 yards, 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions. According to Sports Illustrated, his passer rating of 111.2 over that span is the best in football.

Coach Pete Carroll said that Wilson does so many things well he makes it almost impossible for opponents to game-plan against him. That's definitely a true statement.

Wilson had two touchdowns in the first half as the Seahawks jumped to a 27-7 lead. That means, according to the NFL, Wilson became only the fourth quarterback in league history to reach 20 touchdown passes in his first two seasons. He joins Dan Marino, Peyton Manning and Andy Dalton. Wilson is 22-6 as a starter.

What Wilson did against the Saints is use his feet and athleticism to recreate the pocket once protection broke down. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle and then throw, instead of running just to run.

Wilson used almost hypnotic footwork to dodge a fatty diving at him on numerous occasions. The escape would be followed by a dart down the field. On one play, Saints defensive lineman Akiem Hicks had Wilson cold, but Wilson stepped quickly to the side and Hicks went sprawling helplessly to the ground. After the play, Hicks just sat on the turf, hands in his lap, stunned by what had just happened.

Wilson does all of this with an All-American smile that hides a viciousness. Wilson at half had led the Saints to an offensive advantage of 315 total yards to 90 for New Orleans. Wilson finished 22-of-30 for 310 yards and three scores.

"He's an extraordinary person and it goes beyond his football abilities," Carroll said.

The aw-shucks stuff from Wilson is real. The talk of his work ethic is real. The player is…real.

On Sunday, Wilson texted Carroll to say how happy he was with the team's week of practice. Most players don't send those kinds of texts to coaches. Usually, texts are sent to coaches when they want more playing time, or bail money.

This Seahawks team is wonderfully athletic and formidably powerful. They can knock you out. They can outrun you. If they so choose, they can do both of the above. New Orleans had its largest halftime deficit since 2007 and Drew Brees' 74 passing yards through two quarters was his lowest since 2008. This was one of the few times you will ever see Sean Payton out-coached.

The Seahawks are brutal and they are also not always the most likable group. In fact, what the Seahawks are is quite possibly the first Super Bowl contender that is both lovable and hate-able. Wilson is the talented teddy bear, so likable he's Red State electable, while other components of the Seahawks can be absolutely jerkish.

Wide receiver Golden Tate preens and jaws after seemingly every routine catch. On almost every occasion, Seattle defensive backs mouthed off to Saints players. There was a solid cheap shot or two from the Seahawks as well, including a nasty one in the end zone. None of this includes how Seattle has enough suspended and PED'd dudes to create their own practice squad.

At CenturyLink Field, however, all of this works for Seattle. The intense crowd noise…the fervor…it creates not just an electricity but an almost elevated sense of being. Everything Seattle is elevated: the play, the energy, the water that rolls next to the stadium.

The Seahawks almost can't help themselves because the energy level acts like a propellant. It's not Adderall—it's 12thMan-erall.

The 11-1 Seahawks are two games ahead of New Orleans and Carolina (9-3) in the NFC. The conference belongs to Seattle.

"As of right now," said quarterback Drew Brees, "it's looking like the road to the Super Bowl goes through here."

If Seattle keeps playing like this, it won't just be home-field advantage they win.

________________________________

Seahawk Fan and Love’in it!

John R. Houk

© December 3, 2013

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Seahawks, Russell Wilson Show They're NFC's Team to Beat by Demolishing Saints

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Message of Hope in the Time of Trouble

Ms. Benjamin shares a rarity relating to Pakistan; viz., a Pakistani Christian band. According Ms. Benjamin Muslim singers are typically used to record Christian music. So a band singing Christian music by Christians from Pakistan is a big deal.

 

JRH 12/2/13 (Ms. Benjamin sent a re-edit)

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Message of Hope in the Time of Trouble

 

By Lubna Thomas Benjamin

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow2011-12, Journalist

Sent: Mon 12/2/2013 1:38 PM

 

Amidst the trials and un-ending problems for the Christians living in Pakistan, certainly no words or actions can pacify or comfort those living there. Under constant threats and the fear of something might happen which will shatter their lives in the form of persecution, attack or blasphemy law, God’s hand is more powerful to strengthen the Christians of Pakistan in their faith.

  

 

Soon after twin suicide attacks inside the church of Peshawar, I relentlessly started to search how the Christians living in Pakistan can ever have even a modicum of hope. What they need to do among themselves to uplift and encourage others to keep up with the faith. A committed and dedicated spirit is needed to drive such motives to give the message of hope and peace. No one other but someone from them can only deliver that message.

 

 

I got success in my search after I found this young group of Christian worshippers who carry the message of peace, hope and love in their music. With the name of the Hallelujah Band, this musical group consisting of six-team members is not only blessed with the talent but also the power of faith and love for Jesus Christ.

 

“Hallelujah is not the name of our musical band rather the slogan that we carry and it’s the word that everyone can say and affiliate their faith with,” said Waqar Peter Gill, the band’s spokesman and guitarist.

 

 

“A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together.” Margaret Atwood.

 

 

The motivation behind the formation of this band is to give the message to the world and the Muslims, majority population of Pakistan about the love and forgiveness that the Christians carry having the name of Jesus Christ.

 

https://www.facebook.com/HallelujahPakistaniGospelBand

 

“We don’t have hope from the majority living here as they don’t have the name of Jesus, it’s we who have this name and we spread this to the Christians who are living in fear”, Waqar told.

 

Gifted with the talent to sing in more than one language, this band magnificently mixes Urdu, Pakistan’s national language with English to make it easy for the international listeners to understand.  Their song “Mera Masih (My Jesus) is the vivid manifestation of this:

 

http://vimeo.com/80475571

 

Mera Masih - Power Ballad - Urdu, Hindi, and English from Hallelujah The Band Pakistan on Vimeo.
Hallelujah The Band Performing "MERA MASIH" at Jesus Christ Television's Satellite Launching Ceremony @JCTV Lahore...

MEMBERS:
Vocals: Zahid Nazir & Zeeshan Rafiq
Keyboards : Anthony Soshil Shah (Moon)
Guitars : Adnan Peter Gill (Nono)
Guitars : Waqar Peter Gill (Bittoo)
Bass Guitar : Sunil Inayat (Sunny)

"HALLELUJAH" The Band Pakistan "Is A Project Of Alfa Productions ™ a non profit interdenominational ministry that has been commissioned to spread the Gospel through media productions.

 

Not only this, but this group’s one song “Rahber” (Guide) has become the first Christian video that has been played on different music channels of the country and was entitled as “the true message of peace”.

 

 

It’s only in recent years that there is a trend of Christian band singing like professional singers. Before that, mostly the Muslim singers would sing and made albums for psalms and singing Christian songs. As I talked to Waqar, I came to know that other purpose of forming this band is to show that the Christians have the talent to bring their own music and worship Jesus in true spirit. I could feel the passion and pain Waqar had for the Christian youth of Pakistan as I talked to him on Skype. “We need to inspire our youth towards the worship and to channelize their potential and services towards the productive work.”

 

 

As this band is a project of Alpha Productions run solely by the Christians, Waqar shared his experience of having the young Christians as interns and then after they learn the production, they can go out to explore the market and start jobs.

 

 

Being the media person myself and having worked in the Pakistani media for seven years and the leading news channel, I know the troubles that a new person has to face especially when you have to work in a leading news channel.

 

 

Hallelujah band’s story of bringing change in the lives of the Christians of Pakistan doesn’t end here but they are also running the Blood donation network, the need of which they felt after the Peshawar blasts in church. They are committed to help all the people irrespective of race, color and religion through this blood bank.

 

 

I know one fact very clearly that whenever you are in minority you either get strengthened in your faith or you give up with this in the presence of threats or persecution. For the Christians of Pakistan and being one of them, I know that they would never give up with their faith no matter how much problems and suffering they have to face. The more problems we have, the more we have voices like the Hallelujah Band to strengthen and uplift the faith of the people. As it’s just the voice that we all have.

_______________________________

Lubna Thomas Benjamin

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow (2011-12)

 

http://lubnatbenjamin.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/lubnathomas

http://pinterest.com/lubna2012/

http://vimeo.com/user8751144/videos

http://about.me/lubnathomas/

http://cronkite.asu.edu/node/2173

 

 

Haul Over the Coals – Incompetent Puppet Finally Gets the Boot

Shamim Masih writes that a corrupt Pakistani politician has been reprimanded for inefficiency and given the “boot”. Shamim then provides a little civics lesson on how the Pakistan government operates. Civics might seem mundane but it is a fascination look on how a modern Muslim nation attempts to govern on a secular basis and yet incorporates Islamic Supremacism (i.e. Sharia Law) as the focal point of the rule of law.

JRH 12/2/13

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Haul Over the Coals – Incompetent Puppet Finally Gets the Boot

By Shamim Masih

Sent: 11/28/2013 7:27 PM

ISLAMABAD: Tahir Khalil Sindhu – the only Minister in Punjab province, resigned from his portfolio as provincial minister for health after Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif severely reprimanded him for inefficiency. And the Pakistan Times reported “Incompetent” Sindhu gets the boot. A Health Ministry’s spokesperson said the chief minister confronted Sindhu over his inability to implement precautionary measures. Rather than seeking another opportunity, the health minister submitted his resignation and has since been terminated from the position. Sindhu resigned after Chief Minister Shahbaz severely scolded him. He has remained the minister for minorities and human rights. Let’s see how the former health minister will deliver in this capacity.

It is the general perception among Pakistani Christians that the Pakistan Muslim League (N) is against Christians in the area. And this is the reason behind the sectarian violence such as in Gujra and Joseph Colony which mounted up in the Punjab province during their regime and no one is being punished for their complicity. But people like Sindhu have been working for PML(N) and finally received their shut up call. Let’s see when his older brother PM Nawaz Sharif will do the same with another puppet sitting as a federal minister for port and shipping. With a Muslim dominated Pakistan, I am an ordinary person standing up for humanity and human rights. My purpose is to protect individuals wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied.

The existing electoral system for Non-Muslims has a peripheral substance in the country.  The Parliament of Pakistan consists of the President and two houses to be known respectively as National Assembly - NA and the Senate. The NA consists of 342 seats including 60 seats reserved for women and 10 seats reserved for Non- Muslims. The members of the NA are elected for a term of 5 years. Members of the NA and Provisional Assembly - PA are elected by direct voting in a constituency on first past the post system through a secret ballot. A candidate, who obtains the highest number of votes in a constituency, is declared elected as member of NA or a PA.

On the other hand, members to the seats reserved for women and non-Muslims, are elected in accordance with law through proportional representation system of a political party’s lists of candidates on the basis of the total number of general seats secured by each political party in the NA or PA. Thus big Muslim parties are authorized to select the people of their own choice although they are not a public choice. Tahir Khalil Sindhu, a Christian provisional minister was one of them.

  

From 1947 to 1973, the country had a unicameral system of legislature. Under the 1973 constitution, Pakistan adopted bicameral system at the centre, called “The Parliament”, composing the President, the National Assembly and the Senate. Originally, the general seats of the NA were 200 with an additional 10 seats reserved for women, bringing the total strength to 210. The newly created Upper House, i.e. the Senate had 63 members. Later in 1985 through a Presidential order (P O No. 14 of 1985), seven seats were added to the general seats and ten to the reserved seats for women in the NA. Ten seats were exclusively reserved for minorities to be filled through separate electorate system. Thus the total strength of the lower house reached to 237 members. Similarly the strength of Senate was also increased from 63 to 87.

Under the 1973 constitution the NA is elected for five years term, unless sooner dissolved. The seats in NA, unlike the Senate, are allocated to each province and other units of the federation, on the basis of population. The constitutional provision of 20 special seats for women lapsed in 1990, thus decreased the Assembly strength from 237 to 217. Under the constitution, elections to the 10 seats reserved for the minority were held on separated electorate basis. Then the selection system under joint electorate imposed by General Parvez Musharaf in 2002, elections had a reduced representation of Christians in Pakistan. In 1970, Christians had 6 seats in NA, in 1985 dictator Zia Haq distributed 10 reserve seats as 4 for Christians, 4 for Hindus, 1 for Ahmadi and 1 for Parsi, Sikh and other religious minorities. But during the last tenure, distribution of 10 reserved seats was as under Hindu 7, Christians 3 in 2008, and in 2013 Hindus 7, Christians 2 and Parsi 1.

It was during the fag end of the PPP regime when a bill was tabled to increase the number of seats for minority communities in the NA to enhance their representation in the House from the exiting 10 to 14 seats on proportionate basis. The mover of the bill gave the reason behind increasing the number of reserved seats in the NA was that the existing number of seats, 10 was not in proportion with the total number of seats in the Parliament House. It was demanded in the bill that number of the seats reserved for the minority communities in the NA should be raised to 14, corresponding with the existing number of seats in the House on proportionate basis. Eventually, the NA completed its tenure, leaving the bill pending. “Since the number of seats in the House was increased, as such it was very pertinent that the number of seats for the minority communities should also have been increased proportionately,” said Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, ex-member provisional assembly.

Though a joint electoral system was introduced to bring non-Muslims into the main stream of politics, we must admit that we are still in an evolution phase where Muslim voters will take years to vote for Non-Muslims candidates.

Separate elections or duel voting is a popular demand of Non-Muslims; however there is lack of certainty if the popular demand is a priority for the law makers to look into this [as an election system]. According to the report, many within the community are calling for an end to a party-list system where the 10 seats are distributed according to the percentage distribution of the parties in the National Assembly at large. Instead, they want to see a double vote: “Non-Muslims should be awarded dual franchise. They should be given two ballot papers. They should cast one to a general seat candidate and the second to a member of their own community,” says the report. I cover the parliament house for my local paper and I am an eye witness to it that none of these 3 Christian parliamentarians has spoken a single word for minority rights. They are simply working for their “bosses” not for the community and it must be discouraged.

Be Blessed,

Shamim Masih

_____________________________________

Edited by John R Houk. Brackets and links in Shamim article are added by editor hopefully adding clarity to the content for the American reader.

© Shamim Masih

Special Correspondents

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More Than A Threat

Intro to ‘More Than A Threat’

Justin Smith writes one of the best essays he has ever written. So kudos to Justin!

Justin writes about the Joint Plan of Action (JPA) which is the appellation of Obama’s delusion of peace with Iran over nukes and in which Obama is also offering billions of dollars in “Sanction Relief” to Iran. All the U.S. and the other negotiating Security Council members plus Germany get in return from Iran is an unverifiable PROMISE.

Read the preamble to the JPA and ask yourself if Iran will even come close to its part of the agreement.

Preamble

The goal for these negotiations is to reach a mutually-agreed long-term comprehensive solution that would ensure Iran's nuclear programme will be exclusively peaceful. Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek or develop any nuclear weapons. This comprehensive solution would build on these initial measures and result in a final step for a period to be agreed upon and the resolution of concerns. This comprehensive solution would enable Iran to fully enjoy its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under the relevant articles of the NPT in conformity with its obligations therein. This comprehensive solution would involve a mutually defined enrichment programme with practical limits and transparency measures to ensure the peaceful nature of the programme. This comprehensive solution would constitute an integrated whole where nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. This comprehensive solution would involve a reciprocal, step-by-step process, and would produce the comprehensive lifting of all UN Security Council sanctions, as well as multilateral and national sanctions related to Iran's nuclear programme.

There would be additional steps in between the initial measures and the final step, including, among other things, addressing the UN Security Council resolutions, with a view toward bringing to a satisfactory conclusion the UN Security Council's consideration of this matter. The E3+3 and Iran will be responsible for conclusion and implementation of mutual near-term measures and the comprehensive solution in good faith. A Joint Commission of E3/EU+3 and Iran will be established to monitor the implementation of the near-term measures and address issues that may arise, with the IAEA responsible for verification of nuclear-related measures. The Joint Commission will work with the IAEA to facilitate resolution of past and present issues of concern. (Copied from text version from The Guardian PDF posting of the JPA Agreement)

So who believes Iran will the kind of access this preamble insinuates? Just for clarity sake the “E3/EU +3” references these nations: USA, Russia, China/France, Germany and the UK.

No it is time to read Justin Smith’s brilliant essay.

JRH 12/1/13

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More Than A Threat

By Justin O. Smith

Sent: 11/30/2013 10:45 PM

J. O. Smith Facebook Notes

Posted: November 30, 2013 at 11:09pm

"Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of worlds." -Hindu scripture from the 'Bhagavad Gita'

In the aftermath of the November 24, 2013 interim deal to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions, which is called the Joint Plan of Action (JPA), Americans bear witness to an Iranian regime that has supported international terrorism, while waging war against the United States and Israel since 1979. We see Secretary of State John Kerry, with an anti-American bias in everything he approaches, purposefully and knowingly pave the way to ensure that Iran will soon acquire a nuclear weapon, while Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid, two members of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet, long "to be in a situation in which the Americans listen to us the way they used to listen to us in the past". And properly so, America heard Benjamin Netanyahu reiterate that "Israel has the right and the obligation to defend itself, by itself, against any threat".

Vali Nasr, dean of John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, released one of the most naive and idiotic statements in regards to the deal between the U.S, Western powers and Iran. He suggested that Iran might now be helpful in brokering a postwar settlement in Afghanistan, between the U.S. and the Taliban.

Does anyone really believe Iran will ever stop attacking the U.S. and Israel and their interests across the globe, as long as the mullahs, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Islam... the mother of all totalitarianisms-theocracy... keep Iran in a stranglehold?

For 444 days the islamoNazis of Iran held Americans hostage after deposing the Shah, and the attacks against the U.S. continued into the present. Eighty-five percent of the improvised explosive devices used in Iraq in 2004 were furnished by Iran, according to Lt General Moshe Ya'alon, former Israeli Defense chief of staff. Thirty thousand Revolutionary Guard Corps and Quds Force were actively fighting coalition forces in Iraq; throughout the Afghanistan War, these same forces formed hunter-killer teams for the sole mission of killing U.S. soldiers, according to the 5th Special Forces command hierarchy.

And when will Iran's proxy "holy warriors" of Hezbollah ever be brought to a day of reckoning for the murders of 283 U.S. Marines in Beirut, Lebanon on October 23, 1983? Marines on a "peace-keeping" mission. One must wonder over President Ronald Reagan's decision not to mount a swift retaliation... the only real failure of his Presidency.

Now, it is surreal to see John Kerry as the chief negotiator striving to limit Iran's nuclear ambitions, when this is the same radical antiwar activist who never met an enemy of the United States that he didn't like. Kerry should be criminally charged for not registering as an Iranian agent, because he advocated giving Iran nuclear fuel during the first presidential debate in 2004, as "a test" of Iran's "true intentions". And, this is seen as especially egregious, once one finds that Hassan Nemazee, top Kerry fund-raiser and alleged "agent" for Iran, stated in a 2004 deposition, that he "would not trust this regime (Iran) on the nuclear issue to have any intentions other than a weaponized program".

Last week, Ruhollah Hossinian, a hardline lawmaker, stated, "It (JPA) practically tramples on Iran's enrichment rights". This is reminiscent of 2006, when the UN Security Council had set an August 31 deadline for Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment programs or face sanctions. On August 31, Iranian President Ahmadinejad, in a televised appearance, stated, "They should know that the Iranian nation will not let its rights be trampled on". And by March 2007, Iran had added 3000 new centrifuges capable of manufacturing weapons grade uranium to its facilities at Natanz.

The 'New York Times' characterized the JPA agreement as "a chance to chart a new American course in the Middle East", although its reality is virtually the exact same policies America has witnessed liberal Democrats employ for decades. In 1979, A.Q. Khan, a nuclear physicist, gave Pakistan nuclear weapons, under the careless watch of Zbigniew Brzezinski; Khan promptly proliferated this technology, first to North Korea and then to Iran, along with blueprints of a Chinese designed warhead. Madeleine Albright failed to halt Kim Jong Il's nuclear weapons program during the Clinton administration, and now we see Obama and Kerry falling in line with the advocates of appeasement.

What does it mean to Iran's mullahs that Obama and Kerry are unwilling to concede an Iranian "right" to enrich uranium? Absolutely nothing. The mullahs want nuclear weapons and a dominant position throughout the Middle East more than they desire peace and prosperity for their people, so no amount of sanctions will achieve a satisfactory result.

Utilizing numerous deceptions, such as tramp steamers off the U.S. and European coasts or physically crossing porous borders, it would not be too difficult for Iran to target 29 critical sites in America and the West, identified numerous times by successive Iranian presidents. Iran's Shahab-4 missiles have a 2500 mile range and can carry biological, chemical or nuclear warheads. The destruction of these sites would seriously cripple Western power, killing millions of innocent people in the process.

How many times and in how many different ways do we have to hear Iran's leaders state their intent to destroy "the Great Satan" - America and "the Little Satan" - Israel before we believe them and take their words to heart?

Make no mistake. President Hassan Rouhani is no different from his predecessors, Khatami and Ahmadinejad, and while he couches his statements in ambiguous and subtle nuances, ultimately he hopes to foist an Iranian Islamic nightmare on the world.

A few years after taking power, Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomenei said: "I say let Iran go up in smoke, provided Islam emerges triumphant in the rest of the world".

The JPA is merely another delaying tactic for Iran's mullahs, who are just mere weeks away from seeing their goal come to fruition. And, despite all the best efforts of those like Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) who asserts "...strong sanctions...brought Iran to the table", Iran will have nuclear weapons soon.

The world stands at a critical crossroads, and unfortunately the only real solution is a war to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities and possibly remove a rogue regime from power, one that should have been targeted long before Iraq or Afghanistan. Rife with cohorts to the jihadists desiring negotiations, no matter the cost, the Obama administration will not answer this call, and Iran fully realizes this due to Obama's "red-line" failure with Syria. The weight of this solution, unfairly and even more unfortunately, sits on the shoulders of Israel.

In the early 1930s, many viewed Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' as just rhetoric, although he clearly had laid out his program to exterminate the Jews. Sixty-one million deaths, including six million Jews, lay at the feet of Neville Chamberlain's appeasement plan, because, as so eloquently stated by Winston Churchill, the world lacked the "democratic courage, intellectual honesty, and willingness to act". Let America and the world not make this same mistake again with Iran.
__________________________

© Justin O. Smith

Edited by John R. Houk