Friday March 28, 2008

I've Been Thinking:

A new regional security assessment has been drawn up by Israel.
The assessment was released last week - frankly, there were no surprises.

According to the 2008 Assessment:
Watch Hezbollah and Syria
Iran will continue to make progress in the area of nuclear development
Iran will be on-line in 2009
Hamas will attempt to make major inroads to the West
Hamas may attempt a takeover of the West Bank
Chances of an agreement between the PA and Israel are low

Bernard Lewis, one of the world's greatest Arabists, gave Israeli Prime Minister Olmert his own, personal assessment.
Lewis believes that the real danger in the Middle East is radical Islam.
Saudi Arabia knows it, Egypt knows it and the Gulf States know it.
Lewis advised the prime minister not to be misled by Syria - Assad is no Sadat.

Intelligence assessments are not political perspectives.
Intelligence assessments are an attempt to predict the future independent of politics.
The United States can afford to learn something here.

Read my new book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595550739