STALL - Iran Asks to Resume Talks on Its Nuclear Program
Iran has proposed a new round of talks about its nuclear program with the United States and five other world powers, the country’s top nuclear negotiator said Saturday.

DEBKAfile, Iranian missile spin closes Hormuz for five hours
By a media trick, Tehran proved its claim that closing the Strait of Hormuz is as "easy as drinking water," debkafile reports. First thing Saturday morning, Saturday, Dec. 31, Iran's state agencies "reported" long-range and other missiles had been test-fired as part of its ongoing naval drill around the Strait of Hormuz. Ahead of the test, Tehran closed its territorial waters. For five hours Saturday, not a single warship, merchant vessel or oil tanker ventured into the 30-mile wide Hormuz strait, waiting to hear from Tehran' that the test was over.

AFP: Iran keeps tensions high over oil strait
Washington has warned a closure of the strait "will not be tolerated" after Iranian Vice President Reza Rahimi's threat this week that "not a drop of oil" will pass through the channel if more Western sanctions are imposed over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Iran has brushed off the warning from the United States, which bases its Fifth Fleet in the Gulf, with Iranian navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayari saying it would be "really easy" to close the strait.

Iran announces long-range missile test amid Strait of Hormuz row with U.S.
Ten-day Iranian military drill overshadowed by Iran-U.S. verbal row over an Iranian threat to close the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, through which 40% of the world's ship-borne crude oil is passed.

Hormuz Chokepoint - the land formation that looks as though God intended for it to lead to war. 1/6 of the world's oil siphoning along the coast of America's greatest, current enemy. Iran's Hormuz war games continue until January 3rd.

Hormuz Blockade: Not as Easy as Iran May Think
The Fifth Fleet said on Wednesday that "any disruption will not be tolerated." That came after Iran's navy chief said closing the Strait of Hormuz "is really easy... or as Iranians say, it will be easier than drinking a glass of water...

"We're in the game of threats. If you're going to cut them out of the oil market, they have no interest in the flow of oil from the region," Vali Nasr, a Tufts University professor, said.


Iran's message is: "If we are not allowed to play in the game [due to crippling sanctions], we have no interest in allowing anybody else to play," said Nasr, a former State Department adviser."

Hamas reconciles with Fatah and we have peace at last (sarcasm intended). Allah isn't going to help you because he doesn't exist. That will soon be proven in the battle between Islam and the God of Israel.

Hamas leader Haniyeh: Goal is destruction of Israel
At a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the founding of Hamas, Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh said that Hamas may work for the "interim objective of liberation of Gaza, the West Bank, or Jerusalem," but that this "interim objective" and "reconciliation" with Fatah will not change Hamas' long-term "strategic" goal of eliminating all of Israel

DEBKAfile, Iranian plan to mine Hormuz puts US, NATO on Persian Gulf alert
US and NATO task forces in the Persian Gulf have been placed on alert after US intelligence warned that Iran's Revolutionary Guards are preparing Iranian marine commandos to sow mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

John 6:

²⁸ They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

⁶³ The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

U.S., Israel Discuss Triggers for Bombing Iran’s Nuclear Infrastructure
The Obama administration is trying to assure Israel privately that it would strike Iran militarily if Tehran’s nuclear program crosses certain “red lines”—while attempting to dissuade the Israelis from acting unilaterally.

Put the manger aside for a moment and focus on what's most important:
 The Second Coming!

2 Thessalonians 1 NLT:
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

Associated Press - Muslim sect claims Nigeria church attacks; 25 dead
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) -- An explosion ripped through a Catholic church during Christmas Mass near Nigeria's capital Sunday, killing at least 25 people, officials said. A radical Muslim sect claimed the attack and another bombing near a church in the restive city of Jos, as explosions also struck the nation's northeast.

Iran's Navy Begins 10-Day Drill In Persian Gulf
Iran's navy has begun a 10-day drill in international waters beyond the strategic Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the passageway for about a third of the world's oil tanker traffic.

Nuke expert: Time to attack Iran - Ynetnews
WASHINGTON - A former special adviser on Iran policy to the Obama Administration said that a US-perpetrated strike on the Islamic Republic on is the "least bad" option in dealing with its nuclear threat.


[Editor's note: I'm using the 'emergency lights' a lot these days - it's the significance of the time we live in]

---

Arab Apartheid
After the establishment of Israel in 1948, several thousand Palestinians fled to Egypt. But King Farouq was not happy with the presence of Palestinians in his country and the three refugee camps that were established in Egypt for Palestinians were dismantled.

The Egyptians expelled many Palestinians to the Gaza Strip, which was still under Egyptian sovereignty. But those who were allowed to stay in Egypt were required to have an Egyptian "guarantor."

Extremist Teachings Remain In Saudi Textbooks Despite Kingdom's Claims Of Reform
“They show students how to cut (the) hand and the feet of a thief,” he said. In another textbook, for ninth-graders, the students are taught the annihilation of the Jewish people is imperative. One text reads in part: “The hour (of judgment) will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. ... There is a Jew behind me come and kill him.”

Islam: Anti-Christ

1 John 2:

²¹ So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. ²² And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. ²³ Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Quran Sura 19:

88 They say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!" 89 Indeed ye have put forth a thing most monstrous!

Obviously the pastors supporting the oxymoron called "Chrislam" [i.e. Christ + Islam = Peace] need to have their heads examined.

Iran's war games could force U.S. into aggression
Iran announced Thursday its navy will stage a 10-day exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, starting Saturday.

The move, which increases the risk of military confrontation with the United States, has the potential to temporarily choke off oil exports from the Middle East, drive up international energy prices and damage the global economy.

Muslim Brotherhood Calls for a "United Arab States" with Jerusalem as its Capital
Hegazy replied: "No, I say the capital is Jerusalem, Allah willing."

Today's Top Headline (As the world is distracted in its fantasies about Santa Claus, the Obama Administration finally develops a sense of urgency, but likely too late for them to do anything about it.)

DEBKAfile, Panetta: Iran is just months away from a nuke - a red line for US and Israel

"That's a red line for us and that's a red line, obviously for the Israelis. If we have to do it we will deal with it."

Iran announces: all nuclear activities are stored safely underground

FLASHBACK: Iran Shielding Its Nuclear Efforts in Maze of Tunnels - NYTimes.com
Mr. Ahmadinejad began professional life as a transportation engineer with close ties to the Revolutionary Guards and an abiding interest in tunnels.
[Ahmadinejad] helped found the Iranian Tunneling Association in 1998, according to the group’s Web site. That year, the Tehran subway began a major expansion, and Iran, in secret, accelerated its nuclear program.

Another war is brewing, and this could be the big one.

In Gaza, tens of thousands rally for Hamas, as militant group mark 24 years since founding - The Washington Post: A large replica of Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque, built on the ruins of the biblical Jewish Temples, served as a backdrop. “Oh, Jerusalem, we are coming,” read one of the banners.

Hamas’ prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived as a band rallied the crowd in a chant of “We will not recognize Israel.”

Joel 3 NLT: 4 “What do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and you cities of Philistia? Are you trying to take revenge on me? If you are, then watch out! I will strike swiftly and pay you back for everything you have done.

Israel Defense Forces: The Elite and Classified Units You’ve Never Heard of 
Israel may have a remarkable military, but in the end it won't be the IDF 'saving the day'.

Israel due to free 550 Palestinians in Shalit swap | Reuters: Israel plans to release 550 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday in the second stage of a deal with Hamas that brought home soldier Gilad Shalit after five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas Marks Anniversary with Celebration of Israeli Deaths: The Iran-backed Hamas terrorist organization celebrated its 24th anniversary Wednesday by boasting that its military wing has killed 1,365 Israelis, wounded almost 6,500 and fired over 11,000 rockets at Israeli towns and cities.

Imagine the international uproar if Israel celebrated the number of Palestinians they've killed. Yet Gaza's official government - Hamas, partner for peace, is celebrating the killing of Israeli's? Where's the world outrage?

There's yet another example of the double-standard. Come quickly Lord Jesus, because the world has lost its proverbial 'marbles'.

Israel Forms Special Ops Command - NYTimes.com: Israel said on Thursday it was unifying its special forces under one command, a move experts say could help Israel strike countries like Iran, whose nuclear program the Jewish state deems a threat to its existence.

DEBKAfile, Syria deploys Russian anti-sea missiles on coast, Scuds on Turkish border
Debkafile's military and intelligence sources report that the rush of Syrian war moves backed by Russia indicates that both believe a Western-Arab force is on the point of invading Syria.

Watch this video from the 3:30 mark.

Earlier: Russia delivers missiles to Syria - Ynetnews
Russia has delivered supersonic cruise missiles to Syria despite the violence shaking the Arab country and Israel's furious condemnation of the deal...

Another Russian official told Interfax that the missiles, which operate as part of the Bastion mobile coastal defense system, "will be able to protect Syria's entire coast against a possible attack from the sea." 

U.S. authorities probing alleged cyberattack plot by Venezuela, Iran - Washington Times
U.S. officials are investigating reports that Iranian and Venezuelan diplomats in Mexico were involved in planned cyberattacks against U.S. targets, including nuclear power plants.

Casis belli
Oil Chokepoint

Iran army declines comment on MP's remarks to close the Strait of Hormuz
The legislator, Parviz Sarvari, told the student news agency ISNA: "Soon we will hold a military maneuver on how to close the Strait of Hormuz. If the world wants to make the region insecure, we will make the world insecure."

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Located between Oman and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Hormuz is the world's most important oil chokepoint due to its daily oil flow of 15.5 million barrels in 2009, down from a peak of 17 million bbl/d in 2008. Flows through the Strait in 2009 are roughly 33 percent of all seaborne traded oil (40 percent in 2008), or 17 percent of oil traded worldwide.

Some things just sicken me. Like the hypocrisy in election season.

After Perry attack, Obama displays Christian faith | Campaign 2012
Obama added, "Service to others; compassion to all; treating others as we wish ourselves to be treated -- those values aren’t just at the center of Christianity. Those are values that are shared by all faiths."

Then why are Muslims slaughtering the "infidels" and the "people of the book"? Islam is a thugocracy.

U.S. Spent $200M on Egypt Election
The Obama administration spent some $200 million on democracy building in the lead-up to the elections this week in Egypt. But with 65 percent of the vote going to Islamist candidates, it doesn’t appear the money was well spent.

Fueling Jihad with Oil

Photostory: The brighter side of Gaza | The Electronic Intifada
This summer Palestinian American student Sami Kishawi traveled to the Gaza for the first time since 2004, expecting to see war-torn buildings and a “collective sense of devastation.” But as his photos show, he saw a Gaza which is not depicted in the media.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards prepare for war - Telegraph
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been put on a war footing amid increasing signs that the West is taking direct action to cripple Iran’s nuclear programme.

Has the War with Iran Already Begun? - NationalJournal.com
...But if Iranian retaliations grow serious enough, he said, they could provide “the pretext for a much larger war” in which the Israelis, and possibly the Americans, launch a full attack on Iran.

DEBKAfile is predicting war within the next couple months? "Merry Christmas" may take on a whole new meaning this year. The God of Israel has gathered the world. Iran is threatening the very existence of Israel. Moscow and China are in a coalition with Syria and Iran. Could this be the beginning of Gog & Magog War (i.e. Ezekiel 38)? We are within a generation of Matthew 24:34

DEBKAfile, Israel and Syria brace for regional war between mid-Dec. 2011 and mid-Jan 2012
Neither the United States nor Russia would have concentrated two powerful fleets in the proximity of Syria and Iran unless they were certain a military conflagration was imminent. While any of the prime movers, Washington, Moscow, Tehran, Israel or Bashar Assad, may at the last moment step back from the brink of a regional war, at the moment, there is no sign of this happening.

Matthew 24:
³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out [May 14, 1948], you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁴ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Islam's true intentions

The founders of Hamas to take control of Egypt. Yet another clue that we're at the end of this age.

Egypt Islamists tell rivals to accept vote result
Preliminary results showed the Brotherhood's liberal rivals could be pushed into third place behind ultra-conservative Salafi Islamists, mirroring the trend in other Arab countries where political systems have opened up after popular uprisings.

“The Greeks and the Romans...are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out...the Jews saw them all, survived them all...all things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces passed, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”

—Mark Twain, 1898

The war against Iran's nuclear program has already begun - Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Explosions, deadly computer viruses and other sorts of 'accidents' - someone is targeting Iran's nuclear project: either the Western intelligence agencies, internal opposition groups, or both...

The kind of sabotage used in Iran requires sophistication, financial and technological resources, agents and precise intelligence. Someone, for example, had to know that General Moqaddam would be at the base that day to supervise a test, apparently of a new missile engine.

Russia 'delivers missiles to Syria'
Russia has delivered supersonic cruise missiles to Syria despite the violence shaking the Arab country and Israel's furious condemnation of the deal, a news report said on Thursday.

Missile base - before and after

Satellite Image Confirms Iranian Missile Base Was Destroyed

Israel says Iran attack not imminent - Telegraph
Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Thursday an Israeli (read: overt) attack on Iran is not imminent but all options remain open to stop what Israel sees as an Iranian bid to develop nuclear weapons.

Mossad has been taking out Iran's nuclear scientists, now they appear to be taking out Iran's nuclear facilities. Why fight an open war, risking WWIII, when a covert war will do?