Iran moving closer to stage where it will be too late to destroy nuclear facilities, Israel warns

Iran is moving closer to the point when it will be too late to destroy its nuclear facilities with a precision air strike, Israel’s defence minister has warned

“We are determined to prevent Iran from turning nuclear,” he told the World Economic Forum in Davos. “And even the American president and opinion leaders have said that no option should be removed from the table.

If the EU flinches which I believe it will, due to it’s economic problems.  I don’t believe that when it comes down to Greece, Italy, and Spain completely collapsing, which is exactly what is going to happen when Iran cuts off the oil. I doubt that the EU will stand firm on ANY SANCTIONS.

And I’ll guarantee the Jews don’t believe they will either. The EU will flinch, The Jews will attack, The Iranians will respond.

There are 3 full American Naval Fleets in Striking distance both to and from Iran, not to mention ground based Air Strike groups.

Iran will when hit, not only strike back at the Jews, but also at the  many targets of opportunity for them just sitting there.

Even Obama wouldn’t dare not respond once our assets have been attacked. Besides do you know how hard it is to defeat a Sitting U.S. President while a hot war is in progress?

I give it till March

Always look on the bright side of life!

Fitch just cut the long-term issuer ratings of 5 EU countries:

Belgium: AA+ to AA

Spain: AA- to A

Italy: A+ to A-

Cyprus: BBB to BBB-

Slovenia: AA- to A

It affirmed Ireland’s BBB+ rating with a negative outlook.

for you Newt

I am a Gingrich supporter, and I say that with pride, those who do not follow politics as closely as I have over the past 30 years look at this man as just a loose cannon. They couldn’t be further from the truth.
Now does Newt say a lot of things off the cuff that people can run with? Yes he does, but what is his record?

1998 was the last year that Gingrich, Paul and Santorum were all in Congress. Gingrich’s annual and lifetime ACU ratings were better than both of the others:

(100% = perfect conservative voting record)

100% – Gingrich: Annual 1998 ACU Rating (90% Lifetime Rating as of 1998)

88% – Paul: Annual 1998 ACU Rating (88% Lifetime Rating as of 1998)

84% – Santorum: Annual 1998 ACU Rating (83% Lifetime Rating as of 1998)

Lets even take away facts, because I know so many of you can’t handle them. No other person alive has done more groundwork and foot soldiering than Newt. Romney has done nothing, he has implemented Liberal Policies, and publicly ran away from Reagans policies.

On Thursday, Mike Reagan, a respected conservative commentator, responded to the Gingrich critics with this statement to Newsmax:

“I am deeply disturbed that supporters of Mitt Romney are claiming that Newt Gingrich is not a true Reaganite and are even claiming that Newt was a strong critic of my father.

“Recently I endorsed Newt Gingrich for president because I believe that Newt is the only Republican candidate who has both consistently backed the conservative policies that my father championed and the only Republican that will continue to implement his vision.

“It surprises me that Mitt Romney and his supporters would raise this issue — when Mitt by his own admission voted for Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale who opposed my father, and later supported liberal Democrat Paul Tsongas for president.

“As governor of Massachusetts, Romney’s achievement was the most socialistic healthcare plan in the nation up until that time.

“Say what you want about Newt Gingrich but when he was Speaker of the House he surrounded himself with Reagan conservatives and implemented a Ronald Reagan program of low taxes and restrained federal spending.

“Newt’s conservative program created a huge economic boom and balanced the budget for the first time in more than a generation.”

Mike Reagan concluded: “I would take Newt Gingrich’s record any day over Mitt Romney’s.”

And Nancy Reagan, Reagan’s wife, has stressed Gingrich’s close relationship with her late husband.

In a 1995 speech at a dinner honoring Ronald Reagan, Nancy said: “The dramatic movement of 1995 is an outgrowth of a much earlier crusade that goes back half a century. Barry Goldwater handed the torch to Ronnie, and in turn Ronnie turned that torch over to Newt and the Republican members of Congress to keep that dream alive.”

This is a long post, I will split it, knowing that means the majority of our commentator’s won’t read it. “Well” as Ronnie used to say, “there you go again” Remember whoever wins this race will face Obama and $1 billion dollars worth of attack ads. Romney can’t even defend his own wealth, he shrinks from the task and apologizes for it, when instead he should attack.

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Crazy hair but what a memorable tune, and with accordians giving it that ooh-la-la feel!

First there was the “French paradox”: how do those chaps over the channel eat so much fat and yet get so little heart disease?

Because fat is good and necessary for health. It’s also very tasty. State Dietary Field Guidance is the worst possible diet advice. All that bread, rice, potatoes and pasta is the reason for much ill-health and why many find it difficult to lose weight. Get rid and replace with more meat, fish and fruit and veg. Fry them if you like in olive oil, it’s just as good.

High-fructose corn syrup is another reason for ill-health. It’s in almost all processed foods and it’s poison. Yes, “the Mediterranean diet” is healthier than ours in Blighty or North America, and one reason is because it excludes the rubbish which comes in tins and packets.

Did you see that Spain’s unemployment figure has passed the five million mark in the last quarter of 2011, official figures show.

The National Statistics Institute said 5.3 million people were out of work at the end of December, up from 4.9 million in the third quarter. The rate rose from 21.5% in the third quarter to 22.8% – the highest rate in nearly 17 years. The new figures show more than half of all 16-24 year-olds are jobless – 51.4% compared with 45.8% before.

From talking to people in Spain, I understand that even this does not reveal the true degree of the dreadful situation-  with many of those young people who ARE working in dead end jobs.

The havoc wrought on the Spanish economy is entirely the fault of the Spanish people who endorsed Zapatero’s socialist government for two consecutive terms. In essence they sold the future of their young people for more than a handful of Euros. Now, as the new Spanish Government seeks to shrink the Debt and row back the outrageous spending, the people take to the streets. They would do better to look in the mirror and ponder their actions in 2008 and 2004.

If you want to encourage Faith, it’s important that you keep faith with the idea of ensuring that the established Churches are prevented from controlling State Education.

It’s a simple proposition, really. Should the Churches get to determine what is taught in State schools? The answer is also straightforward; No – they should not. And yet in the UK and Ireland, the established Churches retain significant influence over how schools are run, what is taught and who does the teaching.

Don’t get me wrong – I fully support the idea of Faith Schools. I think some of these do a very good academic job whilst staying true to their core religious values. I know some people who teach in these schools and am certain that they provide a decent grounding for the young people under their instruction. But I also believe that not so much as one penny from the taxpayer should go their way as it is plainly inappropriate for the State to fund Faith schools. In the same way, it is important that the State also keeps its nose out of Faith Schools and I object to the way in which the pernicious  State seeks to control Church Schools. It has to be a two way street. No Church interference in State schools and no State interference in Church Schools.

If we look to the United States, a Nation that is considered much more religious than the UK, we can see the clear benefit of separation between Church and School. In the US 83% of people consider themselves Christian, compared to a sinking 70% in the UK. The Founders were clear that in order to maintain religious liberty and freedom of religious choice, Churches and Schools must be kept apart. I’m with the 4^th US President James Madison who shrewdly observed that “the [religious] devotion of the people has been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.” This situation still prevails and shows that people can be trusted to find Faith without it having to be dictated on the daily curriculum.

In Northern Ireland, all schools run by the Roman Catholic Church, the Free Presbyterian Church and any other Church should have any funding they receive from the State removed. If Churches here want to run schools, that’s great, but let them pay for it. It is quite outrageous to demand that the taxpayer hands over hundreds of £££millions to fund their institutions. Why do they take an arrogant attitude that is both wholly and indeed holy unreasonable? Where is the moral imperative that justifies a claim to all the cash needed to preserve their schools and their ethos? If they want to keep this, let them pay for it from their own funds.

State schools should be what they say on the can. They exist care of the taxpayer and their mission should be to provide a balanced and excellent education to all who attend. Should Religion be part of that? Of course! To appreciate the works of Shakespeare, to marvel at the wonders of the Universe, to understand the human condition, a sense of religious faith is an asset and State schools should ensure students are exposed to a wide range of Religious Faiths – so they can make their own mind up. I’m all for the Churches going into Religious classes in State schools and putting forward their views, their traditions, their values.  But that’s as far as it goes. I don’t believe that Morning Assemblies with prayers and hymns are relevant in 2012 and far too often these are simply banal exercises in going through the motions. It is possible to envisage circumstances where a School Assembly could potentially benefit from a Christian teaching but that is different to saying that this is the norm or a requirement.

CK Chesteron observed that “A coziness between church and state is good for the state and bad for the church.” He’s right.

Over the last 70 years, Churches and State Schools have become far too cozy with the Churches sitting back with their collection plates held out accepting the filthy lucre dispensed from Government. They would do better to reclaim their independence by separation from the State. If they don’t, they haven’t really got a prayer.