Joel C. Rosenberg
(Washington, D.C., December 8, 2011) -- A major "hot war" in the Middle East may be coming in 2012. But evidence continues to mount of an aggressive "covert war" already being fought inside Iran and throughout the Mideast. The goal: to neutralize Tehran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs before it's too late. Mysterious explosions are occurring. Iranian scientists are disappearing. Top secret U.S. stealth drones are being used -- now one has been down and captured by the Iranians.

There is little doubt that the Israeli Mossad is involved in some of these operations. The question is how extensively are the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies are involved. In my new political thriller, The Tehran Initiative, the main character -- David Shirazi -- is a CIA operative sent deep inside Iran to use "all means necessary" to pinpoint, disrupt and sabotage Iran's nuclear threat before Israel launches preemptive strikes.

We can only hope the CIA is being this aggressive. Yet at the same time the White House and State Department continue a policy of appeasement towards the wicked regime in Tehran. Now the Obama administration is even trying to water down tougher new Iran sanctions passed by the Senate last week, 100 to 0. Why? Such actions are foolish and reckless, and are making the prospect of an Israeli first strike more likely, not less. Keep praying. It may be a long, tough year ahead.

Here are the latest headlines suggesting a covert war is underway (all linked on the blog):

* Mysterious blasts, slayings suggest covert efforts in Iran -- Attacks targeting nuclear scientists and sites lead some observers to believe that the U.S. and Israel are trying to derail Iran's programs
* Drone Crash in Iran Reveals Secret U.S. Surveillance Effort
* Iran state television displays 'downed U.S. surveillance drone'
* New York Times reports "Images Show Devastation at Iran Base After Blast"
* 'Blast in Iran struck uranium enrichment facility'
* Explosion Seen as Big Setback to Iran's Missile Program
* FLASHBACK: Covert war in Iran focus of Newsweek cover story (Dec 27, 2010)
* FLASHBACK: Stuxnet computer virus used against Iran's nuclear computers was developed in Iran, reports NYT (January 16, 2011