[Guest post by DRJ]

There are reports Israel is preparing to attack Iran:

“Iran’s Fars News Agency said the Israeli military aircraft landed 10 days ago at the Saudi base near the city of Tabuk, located in northwest Saudi Arabia, one of the closest areas in the oil kingdom to Iran.

Fars said that the Tabuk base will be the central station for an Israeli attack on Iran. It quoted an Islamic news site that a commercial airline passenger said the airport in Tabuk was closed to all other traffic during the alleged Israeli landings. The passenger said that “no reasonable explanation” was given for shutting down the airport and those passengers were compensated financially and booked in four-star hotels.

“The relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have become the talk of the town,” the passenger added. The chief authority in Tabuk, Prince Fahd ben Sultan, was reported be coordinating the cooperation with Israel.

Iran’s government-funded Press TV reported that the Revolutionary Guards began closely patrolling the Islamic Republic’s northwestern border after noticing the American forces, which Iran claimed also included Israeli troops. Azerbaijan’s independent Trend news site also reported on Wednesday that American armed forces are in the country, which is in an armed conflict with rebels.

Revolutionary Guards Brigadier General Mehdi Moini said Tuesday that his forces are mobilized “due to the presence of American and Israeli forces on the western border.” The Guards reportedly have called in tanks and anti-aircraft units to the area in what amounts to a war alert.”

I didn’t think the U.S. was sending 12 warships including the Eisenhower and the Truman to the Middle East just to deal with the Gaza Flotilla.

Thanks to aunursa.

— DRJ

UPDATE— CIA Director Leon Panetta today on ABC’s This Week:

“CIA Director Leon Panetta says Iran probably has enough low-enriched uranium for two nuclear weapons, but that it likely would take two years to build the bombs.

Panetta also says he is doubtful that recent U.N. penalties will put an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”

A lot seems to be coming together at the same time and all of it is focused at Iran.

[Guest post by DRJ]

Jim Treacher makes Dave Weigel’s life even more miserable.

H/T Eric Blair.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

My condolences to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the death of her husband, Martin Ginsburg, who died today of cancer at age 78. They met as students at Cornell and had been married 56 years last week.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

GatewayPundit links a YNet News report that the Obama Administration is conducting direct meetings with Hamas:

“A top-ranking official in Hamas said Friday that the terror group is holding talks with the Obama Administration. They want to keep the meetings secret for fear it would rouse the Jewish lobby in the United States.”

It this report is true, apparently the Obama Administration’s desire to keep these meetings secret was lost in translation.

My guess is the Hamas leaders want to make sure Israeli PM Netanyahu knows where he stands when he meets with President Obama on July 6th, although the Israelis already know. We all know.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

From Enoch Root at POWIP, a mining company planning to hire more people in Wisconsin lost loan guarantees because of Obama Administration environmental concerns:

“Local concern, Bucyrus, has victory snatched from the jaws of … erm.. victory.

Inside sources report that having been centimeters away from receiving a loan from bank in the amount of 350 Million Dollar (citation needed), bank (having received Federal money) is pressured to kill off loan by Obama Administration (opposed to any carbon-based jobs) – bank capitulates – deal falls through.

The government never gives our money away for free – unless it’s to its own government employee or unions’ base.”

It appears there is confirmation from Rep. Paul Ryan at POWIP’s link, and this:

“Up to 1,000 jobs at Bucyrus International Inc. and its suppliers could be in jeopardy as the result of a decision by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, funded by Congress, to deny several hundred million dollars in loan guarantees to a coal-fired power plant and mine in India.
***
The fossil fuel project was the first to come before the government-run bank since it adopted a climate-change policy to settle a lawsuit and to meet Obama administration directives.

“President Obama has made clear his administration’s commitment to transition away from high-carbon investments and toward a cleaner-energy future,” Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg said in a statement. “After careful deliberation, the Export-Import Bank board voted not to proceed with this project because of the projected adverse environmental impact.”

The bank’s decision is puzzling, Sullivan said, because the power plant will meet international standards and the bank’s environmental criteria.”

Congratulations, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. You’ve been Obamaed.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Via Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion, The Independent reports President Obama didn’t sack General Stanley McChrystal solely because of the Rolling Stone article. McChrystal was replaced because things are going badly in Afghanistan and may damage Obama’s re-election chances.

If it’s “off-message” to lose a war, then everything really is political to this Administration.

It’s also interesting how the negative Obama news is coming from foreign news organizations, including left-leaning organizations like The Independent. Maybe the American reporters are too busy reorganizing Journolist.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

President Obama wants a global stimulus but the G20 wants deficit reduction. Do I need to mention how as a candidate, Obama promised to resolve America’s differences with the rest of the world and soothe the pain of the polarizing Bush years? I didn’t think so.

Welcome to the real world, President Obama.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd has been hospitalized in serious condition. He’s 92, has been in ill health in recent years, and it seems his appearances in the Senate are fewer and fewer.

If I were a Democrat or a West Virginian, I might hope for Senator Byrd’s resignation to let someone healthier represent the people of West Virginia. This June 2007 Op-ed in The State Journal goes through the permutations of what might happen if Byrd’s Senate seat were vacant. The author says the State’s Democratic Governor, Joe Manchin II, would name Byrd’s successor until the next election — either in November 2010 or perhaps not until November 2013, depending on how the election deadlines work. In addition, Manchin may want the seat himself, in which case it’s more complicated.

I’m not sure what I want as a Republican, but as a Christian I definitely won’t wish for Senator Byrd’s death and I hope no one here does either.

— DRJ