Daniel
8:20
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
Mark Rouleau
rouleau-law@insightbb.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Rosenberg
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 12:06 PM
Subject: U.S. strike forces massing near Iran
 

 
* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *

DECISION TIME?

As tensions mount, U.S. and allied strike forces massing near Iran.

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(Washington, D.C., March 28, 2007) -- In a phone call earlier this morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin told President Bush that the latest U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at Iran "unambiguously rules out the use of force."

Putin also expressed concern over U.S. plans to build a missile defense system to protect ourselves from ballistic missiles that could be fired by Iran, North Korean and other rogue nations.

Nevertheless, the White House plans to move forward with a missile defense shield, and U.S. and British forces are steadily building up in and around the Persian Gulf as tensions mount with Iran. Two carrier strike groups are now in position, carrying out the most extensive war games in the region since just before Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Now the French have also positioned their aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle strike group in the Arabian Sea. Oil prices have shot to their highest levels all year.

With hints that Iran may soon parade their British hostages through the streets of Tehran, British military officials today released exact GPS coordinates showing their forces were in Iraqi -- not Iranian -- waters at the time of their capture. Prime Minister Tony Blair is warning Iran to return the sailors and Marines, or else.

The Bush administration denies it is ratching up the pressure on Ahmadinejad's regime. "These military exercises were long planned and so there is no escalation of tension on our part," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters. Yeah, sure.

Then she added: "We stand with our British allies and stand behind Tony Blair as he works to get these 15 soldiers back from the Iranians." That's more like it.

I've written before that 2007 is the Year of Decision. But is April about to become the "month of decision"?

There is growing speculation in the region that Bush and Blair now have the justification they need to attack Iran -- an illegal act of war by the regime in Tehran. Are the rumors of war justified, or does the White House and 10 Downing Street believe they now have more leverage for strengthening even further international sanctions against Iran before force is needed?. It's not yet clear.

I tend to believe President Bush is not inclined to use force, but that may be changing.