Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: In the end, we're dealing with a serious and determined Iranian adversary, along with their network of regional terrorist groups. Let's hope and pray that we have the strategic foresight to fully comprehend the multifaceted threat posed by Iran, both internally and externally, and that we take decisive action to implement the educational, political, and military solutions to neutralize the most dangerous global threat we face.

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THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
The Ticking Iran Time
Bomb
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Credit Photo: Safwat Sayed via https://www.flickr.com/photos/77068017@N07/6925502641
The October 7 brutal massacre by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel galvanized
us to confront the ultimate threat that Iran poses to Israel and the world.
A Terrorist Superpower
Iran seeks nothing less than a global caliphate with the subjugation or death of
anyone deemed an “infidel.” Its ambitions are advanced through proxy armies of
radicalized Jihadi terrorists, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon,
Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen. These groups share
ideological sympathies with Iran and often receive financial, military, or
logistical assistance.
As of right now, Iran has strategically surrounded Israel as well as U.S. bases in
the Middle East. They provide rockets, missiles, armed drones, and anti-tank
weapons to rain on Israel’s population centers from the north to the south and
to routinely attack American assets. Further, they do this while thumbing their
nose at the West’s attempt at dealmaking, appeasement, and the release of

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billions of dollars to fund Iran’s nuclear ambitions, state-sponsored terrorism,
and progressive war footing.
Additionally, the terrorist Houthis, aside from using Iranian drones and ballistic
missiles to attack Israel from 900 miles away, are attempting to close the Red
Sea from freedom of navigation and shipping both to Israel’s port in Eilat and
other vital passages of ships through the Suez Canal that account for 30% of
global container shipping.
Of course, the most concerning issue is Iran’s persistent pursuit of nuclear
weapons in defiance of the United Nations. Iran has continuously evaded or
obstructed inspections by the IAEA, removed surveillance cameras from their
nuclear facilities, concealed their nuclear enrichment activities, and disregarded
sanctions in their relentless quest to acquire nuclear capability. Additionally,
they boldly threaten to eradicate Israel and even pose a missile threat to NATO.
Extensive Cultural Infiltration
In addition to expanding its military might regionally and worldwide, Iran and
its allies attack more subtly, from within. For example, Iran exerts a growing and
malevolent anti-Semitic influence on the international community, particularly
through the United Nations and its myriad related organizations. As a result, the
influence of radical Islamic terror is more clearly visible than ever in the one-
sided, biased, and disproportionate condemnations of Israel at the United
Nations. Already in 2023, there were 14 resolutions against Israel, compared to
just 7 for the rest of the world combined. Similarly, UNHRC has a history of
selectively targeting Israel, with over 90 biased, anti-Israel resolutions since its
founding in 2006. Additionally, UNRWA has misused resources intended for
helping refugees and instead allowed them to be used for further radicalizing
the Palestinians and supporting terrorism. Moreover, for over two and a half
months now, the morally bankrupt United Nations Security Council has wholly
failed to even condemn Hamas for the October 7 atrocities.

4. 12/24/23, 7:22 AM The Ticking Iran Time Bomb | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Not only is Iran the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, but it also engages in
antisemitic disinformation and propaganda against Israel, as well as being
rabidly committed to Holocaust denial. On campus in particular, the shocking,
immediate, ongoing, and often violent post-October 7 “protests” by Hamas and
its supporters in cities worldwide have revealed the extent to which funding
flowing from Iran-allied, Hamas-promoting Qatar has penetrated and
underwritten Western universities, where faculty and students alike are
indoctrinated with grievances, deeming us “colonialist” and therefore evil to the
core. Armed with disarmingly positive names but poisonous messages, groups
like “Students for Justice in Palestine” (recently banned by multiple universities
for violating their codes of conduct) foster hate while employing the rhetoric of
victimhood.
With multiple, massive refugee crises exploding across the globe, the ideology
of radical Islam, part and parcel of Iran’s tyrannical message, now threatens
Europe and America alike from within. Instead of an effort to constructively
integrate themselves into their newfound countries, a significant number see
themselves as part of a conquering force inherently opposed to them. As a
result, ordinary citizens live in fear of constant attacks with little support from
the police. Barring effective border policies and law enforcement, the values
that underpin our nations are, to put it mildly, no longer assured.
Prepare for 2024
Since the Hamas massacre in Israel’s border communities, Israel has been
fighting in Gaza to free hostages and destroy Hamas and its leaders. However, a
war in the north against Hezbollah is percolating, with daily fire exchanges and
117 Hezbollah terrorists killed.

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Once Israel defeats Hamas in Gaza, either Hezbollah will have retreated from
the border or they will have to be forcibly removed to end the danger to Israeli
communities in the north. Hezbollah likely has an advanced tunnel network in
south Lebanon, and Israel cannot allow another attack like the one on October
7.
Meanwhile, the United States and coalition partners must reopen the Red Sea
for shipping, or Israel will have to do this. Already, Israel’s Sa’ar 6-class navy
corvettes have set sail for the coast of Yemen, and Israel’s air force will not be
far behind.
Strategically, Iran has sought ties with and weapons from Russia to protect
them from Israel’s and the United States’ actions to end their extremist pursuit
of Shiite global dominion. And even though Russia is preoccupied with fighting
in Ukraine right now, there is no telling whether action in Iran will spark a
larger and vastly more dangerous war with today’s “axis of evil.”
Eliminate the Threat
Unfortunately, the war will not be over until the head of the snake is severed.
Iran’s evil leadership is living on borrowed time. As “brainwashed” leftists chant
along with the Iranian mobs for “death to Israel” and “death to America,” and
they call for a ceasefire from the West while Iran marches along the path of
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Jihad against all the infidels, none of us should be fooled into complacency.
Addressing the Iranian nuclear program and its numerous terrorist proxy armies
remains a major geopolitical challenge.
The bottom line is that unless the U.S. and Israel act, Iran will not stop until
they fully poison the minds of our young people with a culture of hate and
entitlement, as well as with a continuous flood of militants, causing us to
implode from within, and threaten to blanket our cities with missiles potentially
carrying weapons of mass destruction from the outside.
In the end, we’re dealing with a serious and determined Iranian adversary, along
with their network of terrorist groups. Let’s hope and pray that we have the
strategic foresight to fully comprehend the multifaceted threat posed by Iran,
both internally and externally, and that we take decisive action to implement
the educational, political, and military solutions to neutralize the most
dangerous global threat we face.

7. 12/24/23, 7:22 AM The Ticking Iran Time Bomb | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-ticking-iran-time-bomb/#comments-1141348 7/8
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
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M maritimeguy
19 minutes ago
I seem to recall hearing that with any country or people, HaShem gives them a free
ride until they reach their quota of sinning -- and, then, he gives them a good swift kick
in the kishkas. May that kick be given to Iran speedily and in our time!
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R r.applebaum
15 minutes ago
You're hearing voices? You can get help with that.
R l Sh

8. 12/24/23, 7:22 AM The Ticking Iran Time Bomb | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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1 reply
M maritimeguy
9 minutes ago
. . . and if you're not hearing them, as you should, you can get help with that
as well.
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