What in the Sam Hill is a going on here?  I haven’t seen spin like this since I watched my socks dry in the Super Turbo Habanero Heat Dryer at my local Laundromat—and that was back when I still played cassette tapes in my car stereo.

O.K., let’s get serious.

A myriad of articles have appeared recently concerning the alleged endorsement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a U.S. led strike on Iran, as well as a rumor that Saudi Arabia has given the U.S. and Israel permission to use their airspace to do the same.

Let’s start by debunking that first terrible lie about the UAE…

Get a load of this headline from the Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, July 7^th:

UAE asks US to stop Iran by all means

Keep that headline fresh in your mind as you read the text of what the UAE ambassador to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba, is quoted as saying recently to an audience in Aspen, Colorado.  When asked if he endorsed a U.S. strike on Iran, Otaiba replied:

"I think it's a cost-benefit analysis. I think despite the large amount of trade we do with Iran, which is close to $12 billion … there will be consequences, there will be a backlash and there will be problems with people protesting and rioting and very unhappy that there is an outside force attacking a Muslim country; that is going to happen no matter what."

"If you are asking me, 'Am I willing to live with that versus living with a nuclear Iran?,' my answer is still the same: 'We cannot live with a nuclear Iran.' I am willing to absorb what takes place at the expense of the security of the UAE."

The Jerusalem Post quoted this from a Washington Times article posted on Tuesday entitled “U.A.E. diplomat mulls hit on Iran's nukes.”

Now, you tell me!  Where in Otaiba’s statements do you find any evidence that the UAE is asking the U.S. to stop Iran “by all means”?  Where is Otaiba asking the U.S. to do anything?  Judging from the JP headline, you would expect to find Otaiba on his knees pleading like Princess Leia as she cried,“Help us Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope!”

In the same JP article, John R. Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations, is quoted as saying that Otaiba's comments reflect the views of many Arab states that "recognize the threat posed by a nuclear Iran.”…“They also know — and worry — that the Obama administration's policies will not stop Iran," and that Arab leaders regard a pre-emptive strike as "the only alternative."

Is that right, Mr. Bolton?  Then why—only a day after the Washington Times article ran their disinformation piece—did the UAE's assistant foreign minister for political affairs, Tareq al-Haidan, release a statement through his country’s official news service that Otaiba's comments were taken out of context and "are not precise."   Haidan said "The UAE totally rejects the use of force as a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," adding: "The UAE, at the same time, believes in the need of keeping the Gulf region free of nuclear weapons."

Yes, Mr. Bolton, and I might add that Haidan didn’t single out Iran in that last part of the quote.  I’m certain he would also include Israel as one of those nations he’d like to see stripped of its arsenal so that the Gulf region can truly be “free of nuclear weapons.”

Now let’s tackle that second myth about Saudi Arabia.  This one is a bit dated, but it’s still being bantered around as fact…

On June 11, the London Times initially quotes a U.S. security official as saying that: 

The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way. They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department. It further quoted sources in the Saudi government as saying that officials in the country “all know” about the plan, and that they “will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing.”

Now here’s the kicker…

One day later, Arutz Sheva, an Israeli news service, completely discredited this assertion by proclaiming that:

Saudi Arabia on Saturday denied a report in the London Times that it had given Israel “clear skies” to attack Iran. According to the report, Saudi Arabia was testing its radar and defense equipment in order to partially disable defenses, in order to allow Israeli planes to fly over Saudi airspace in the event of an attack against Iranian nuclear facilities.  Riyadh [capital of Saudi Arabia] denied the report later Saturday, saying it was “slanderous. Saudi Arabia rejects violating its sovereignty or the use of its airspace or territories by anyone to attack any country,” an official said in a statement.”

And if that doesn’t convince you that there is little love between Israel and Saudi Arabia, consider the latest riff that most probably came as a result of Saudi Arabia’s snub. 

According a Haaretz article dated June 3^rd, Israel is trying to pressure the U.S. into blocking future sales of F-15’s to the Saudi government and not allowing existing craft to be upgraded.  Israel’s justification for this is that they fear future Saudi rulers might someday use those aircraft against Israel.  Wow, talk about paranoid!  

But you’re not supposed to know this stuff.  That’s why the Israeli propaganda machine is in overdrive.  They’re attempting to repair their battered image in light of the worldwide condemnation it suffered following the IDF’s botched raid on the Freedom Peace Flotilla—that left nine people dead (all of them peace activists)—last Memorial Day.

This is why we now see Netanyahu running around with a big smile on his face, meeting with Obama and declaring that U.S. and Israeli ties are stronger than ever.  No longer is he the defiant, arrogant PM we saw last March when he broke glass in Biden’s face and condemned the Obama administration for not supporting his illegal housing settlements in East Jerusalem.  Netanyahu finally realizes that he has brought his nation to the brink of ruin.  He has no allies left except for the United States.

Articles like the one out of the Jerusalem Post are intended for an American audience.  They are trying to sell the illusion that Israel not only has the full support of western nations, but that they are also allied with half the Islamic world.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, Israel is the last nation the UAE or Saudi Arabia would align themselves with—not  even over a Shiite nation like Iran.  They know that doing so would bring a vengence upon them (from their own people) that would rip the Islamic world to shreds. 

That’s not to say, that behind closed doors, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are not under intense pressure by the U.S. to turn a blind eye and throw up their hands when U.S. and Israeli planes force their way through.  But if other Islamic nations see them stand down when that happens, they know that the transparency of that act will bring dire consequences from their fellow Muslim allies. 

We may be starting to see the end of a UAE/Saudi Arabian alliance with the U.S. and the beginning of one with Russia, China…or both.  By placing the UAE and Saudi Arabia in this precarious position, they may now be rethinking the value of their relationship with the United States.

Don’t think I’m trying to make the case there is little chance the U.S. and Israel will strike Iran.  To the contrary—I believe a strike is inevitable, but it will not be with the full endorsement and cooperation of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.  They are reluctant participants caught in a quagmire. 

There will be a strike on Iran sooner than later.  This will be brought about by the slightest thing that the U.S. or Israel can misconstrue as an Iranian provocation.  We’ve already seen what Israel now considers weapons.  After the invasion of the Freedom Peace Flotilla, plumbing supplies and kitchen utencils were offered up as examples of the weapons of mass destruction used by the peace activists to defend themselves against well armed IDF commandos (another word for terrorist).  I’m sure they will now expand that list to include rubber bands, paper airplanes and stip wads on future engagements.  What I mean to say is—there is very little leeway given for Iran to avoid a confrontation. Israel and the U.S. are just waiting, like a detective that had been watching around the corner and now follows to make his arrest.

So when and where will all this take place?  The recent mobilization of 12 warships through the Suez Canal into the Persian Gulf is the perfect opportunity for such a confrontation.  If the U.S. and Isreal attempt to board Iranian ships for inspections, or to enforce the terms of sanctions, there is bound to be a plethora of scenarios that could lend justification for an escalation.  If an Iranian sailor so much as sneezes in the direction of a U.S. or Israeli serviceman, that man could very well be accused of releasing a biological agent and then, well—Game On!

Of course the worst case scenario is our greatest fear.  This may be accomplished by a flase flag terrorist attack on American soil or by Navy Seals/MOSSAD agents dressed up as Iranians as they fire from a speedboat at allied ships.  Sound far-fetched?  This was the exact scenario suggested by former Vice President Dick Cheney, as revealed by Seymour M. Hersh in his article “Preparing The Battlefield” back in 2008.

As we get closer to the endgame, expect rumors, myths and misnomers to run rampant in the mainstream press.  Even the alternative media can be deceived if they do not remain vigilant.  If you see a story that is worthy of note, follow it up daily for any indication that it may be misleading, innacurate or downright false.

We live in a world of lies. But even the slightest ray of light—that is truth—can penetrate the dark clouds of deception.

©  EsinIslam.Com