"Iranian Nuke Update"

International negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program have gone nowhere. Though further discussions are planned for next month, odds are they will only accomplish one thing: allowing more time for Iran to continue uranium enrichment. Apparently, the international community, blind to that fact, is determined to allow Tehran its "stall tactics". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, " My initial impression is that Iran has been given a freebie. It's got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation, any inhibition."

In a Tuesday CNN interview, Netanyahu reiterated that while sanctions against Iran are crippling its oil exports, they have not affected its continuing nuclear activities. "They're certainly taking a bite out of the Iranian economy, but so far they haven't rolled back the Iranian program or even stopped it by one iota. I hope that changes, but so far, I can tell you the centrifuges are spinning. If the sanctions are going to work, they better work soon."

In the meantime, it appears Israel is preparing for war. According to The Times of Israel, "A major Israel TV station on Sunday night (April 15th) 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."

Should the order to attack be given, the plan calls for dozens of planes to take part in the mission. "Attack and escort jets, tankers for mid-air refueling, electronic warfare planes and rescue helicopters" would be used. The report adds, "the moment of truth is near." All it would take to trigger an attack is Iran moving key parts of its nuclear program underground to its Qom facility. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will have little choice but begin "the long journey to Iran."

Israel fully expects the strike to bring retaliation ("presumably from the Iranian-proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon) and years of preparations are likely to come to realization...This could be the first full-scale war the IAF has fought in nearly 30 years."

Let's keep Israel and the negotiations with Iran in our prayers. A war in that region won't be good for anybody, especially if Russian President Vladimir Putin carries through with his threat to back Iran. Russian military intervention would almost certainly broaden the scope of the conflict and things could easily spin out of control.

Ezekiel 38 clearly predicts this is exactly what will happen eventually, so let's pray that God will intervene and prevent it from happening now.


"I look up to the mountains-
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made the heavens and the earth!
He will not let you stumble and fall;
the One who watches over you will not sleep.
Indeed, He who watches over Israel
never tires and never sleeps." -- Psalm 121

News:

• CNBC: The government of Holland nearly collapsed on Monday
• PressTV.ir: Former Obama adviser: "US won't apologize to Israel over Iran" (double-dealing)
• msnbc: Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke: "Congress steering US economy toward a fiscal cliff."
• usawatchdog.com: Pentagon chief: " We're within an inch of war almost daily."
• Reuters: US lawmaker urges investment treaty pact with China
• CBN News: A Global Genocide Against Christians Underway?
• Debka file: European sources calculate the Obama administration will decide to lift sanctions against Iran in stages.