© Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House March 5, 2018 in Washington, DC
The month of May is shaping up to be "May Madness," a take on the "March Madness" of collegiate basketball. According to Israel's intelligence and political echelons, President Donald Trump's policies will be tested in May on numerous fronts that have implications for Israel's national security. To these assessments one must add the mounting rumors, mainly in the Arab world, about a possible aerial assault - by the United States or Israel or both of them together - against Iranian forces in Syria. There is no evidence, however, to support the rumor. No official source has mentioned an anticipated attack, but the issue has been discussed intently in almost all the nerve centers of the Middle East.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the Security Cabinet
his opinion that Trump will probably withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran before a May 12 deadline on sanctions waivers for Iran. It had been said that Israel faces a dilemma concerning Iran's growing presence in Syria: Should it carry out a military strike to push the Iranians back from Israel's northern border or simply swallow the bitter pill and come to terms with the new situation? According to Western intelligence assessments, Israel is vacillating on the matter.
Is enforcement of the red lines regarding Iranian involvement in Syria (that is, a permanent presence and providing Hezbollah advanced weapons) worth the danger and tremendous destruction that would be caused by initiating a war?
On Netanyahu's return from a US trip this month, during which he met with Trump March 5, the prime minister announced that he had secured historical contributions toward Israel's "national security."
The educated guess is that Netanyahu had received some kind of vague promise from Trump on withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear agreement or maybe even some kind of cooperation regarding military action against Iranian forces in Syria.
There is great satisfaction in Jerusalem over the change in US policy on Iran thanks to Trump.
According to an intelligence source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, recent Israeli intelligence reports assess, "Instead of policy leaning toward an arrangement with Iran and viewing the country as a strategic partner,
the Americans now classify Iran as a key threat to their interests. Thus, they strive to change the nuclear agreement and oppose Iran's growing involvement in the region, which involves disseminating terror and launching precision missiles.
Perhaps they [the Americans] are even aspiring toward a change of regime in Iran."
Comment: As chaos swirls around the globe, especially from the ruminations and ruinations of corrupted Western minds, this potential for an escalated arms race may find momentary respite. (But...have we passed the point of no return?)