By Ryan Dernick
GCN Live.com and BellwetherPost.com

Friday Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted “the Islamist Republic will continue on that path.” This in reference to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The Supreme Leader goes on to vow “to punish those who carried out Wednesdays bombing and those behind it.”

Iran State Television reported “two attackers riding by on a motorcycle stuck a magnetic bomb on the car of the Iranian Nuclear Scientist.”

Pieces of broken glass and debris lay strewn across the pavement this past Wednesday at the scene of a bombing in Tehran. The victim Iranian Scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, age 32 has Iran blaming the United States and Israel for the attack.

The Iranian Government called the act a ” terrorist attack” blaming Israel and the United States.The Iranian Supreme Leader further elaborates on those who conspired to commit this assassination “This cowardly terror has been designed or helped by the intelligence services of the CIA and Mossad and shows that the arrogant powers have reached a dead end in the face of the strong Iranian nation.”

Refuting the claims against the United States, U.S. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton assured the international community “I want to categorically deny any U.S. involvement in any kind of act of violence inside of Iran.”

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta placated the troops in Texas on Thursday: “We we’re not involved in any way, in any way with regards to the assassination that took place there. I’m not sure who was involved .But I can tell you one thing that the United States was not involved in that kind of effort, thats not what the United States does.”

This is the latest in a string of attacks on Iranian nuclear officials. Two years ago a nuclear physics professor was killed when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded outside his home. Several months after that a pair of car bombings killed one nuclear scientist and wounded another while they were headed to work. In both cases Iranian officials also blamed the United States and Israel for the attacks and subsequent deaths. Iran has also been the victim of “Cyber Attacks”. In 2010 computers at Iranian nuclear facilities were infected with the stuxnet virus. It disrupted controls on centrifuges that were trying to enrich uranium. This past November an explosion destroyed part of a missile testing site however Iranian officials deemed that was an accident.

Just this week the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at a second site near the city of Kong. This recent assassination along with the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz show things are mounting toward an eventual conflict.

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Ryan Matthew Dernick is a writer and aspiring television news reporter originally from Delray Beach, Florida. He has a Bachelors in Broadcast Journalism & Multimedia Communications and a Minor in Environmental Science, Geology and Meteorology. For more information on Ryan’s background and experience visit his LinkedIn profile, and check out his blog at BellwetherPost.com.

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By Barb Adams
GCN Live.com

The world supposedly ticked one minute closer to the Apocalypse this week as scientists moved the hands of the ‘Doomsday Clock’ to five minutes to midnight.

Citing heightened tensions between Iran and the West, the Fukushima meltdown, inaction on key issues such as climate change and renewed nuclear proliferation, scientists affiliated with the “Bulletin of Atomic Scientists” (BAS) moved the ‘Doomsday Clock’ one minute closer to midnight (Apocalypse) on Tuesday as a warning that we have once again inched closer to possible obliteration. It was the first time in two years that the clock has been adjusted. In January 2010, the clock was moved back to six minutes before midnight amid hopes that world leaders appeared ready to act on nuclear weapons reduction and climate change.

The decision to move the clock closer to midnight was based on what the scientists say is a failure of world leaders and nations to meet goals set previously to stop global threats to humanity. “Two years ago, it appeared that world leaders might address the truly global threats that we face,” the BAS directors said in a statement. “In many cases, that trend has not continued or been reversed.”

The ‘Doomsday Clock’ was created in 1947 by a group of University of Chicago scientists involved with the Manhattan Project who used the image of the Apocalypse (midnight) to convey the perils of nuclear weapons proliferation. Today, the directors of the “Bulletin of Atomic Scientists” use the symbolic clock to gauge how close to global disaster we are by monitoring several different means by which humanity could be destroyed—nuclear weapons, climate change, and biological threats.

Throughout the years, the clock’s hands have moved in accordance with the times. In 1949, the clock stood at three minutes to midnight after President Harry Truman informed Americans that the Soviets had tested their first nuclear device, beginning the nuclear arms race. After the Upshot-Knothole Grable nuclear test in Nevada in 1953, scientists moved the clock to just two minutes before midnight. But with the end of the Cold War in 1991, the clock’s hands were reset to 17 minutes before midnight—the farthest they’ve ever been turned back.

By 2007, however, the clock was moved to five minutes to midnight based on threats of terrorism, tension between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, and North Korea’s strong nuclear stance.

What will it take for the ‘Doomsday Clock’ to stop ticking forward? The BAS released a list of changes they believe will lead to a safer world. Some of the items included in the list are ratification of a comprehensive test ban treaty between the U.S. and China; strengthening the International Energy Agency’s ability to oversee nuclear development and safety; the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through tax incentives and climate change agreements; transformation of coal power plants to new plants that capture and store the carbon dioxide they generate; and increasing both public and private investment in alternative energies such as solar and wind as well as the technologies for energy storage.

While all of these changes would definitely be steps in the right direction toward a safer world, perhaps a change in perspective is needed as well. Rather than focusing on ‘Doomsday’ and “catastrophe thinking,” which blocks problem-solving, we need to focus on more positive, solution-based thoughts. Change begins within. As Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” It’s all in the perspective. Focus on making 2012 the year in which the ‘Doomsday Clock’ is retired forever.

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Barb Adams is the host of Amerika Now talk radio show, which airs on GCN Saturdays 9:00p-1:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

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By Josh Tolley
GCN Live.com

Recently I had former Mayor of Shiloh Israel, David Rubin, on my program. David Rubin, like many pro-Israel supporters, have been lead to believe that Ron Paul would be a poor President for those who want to see continued success for our dear ally, Israel.

There are a few areas of ignorance which many pro-Israel supporters fail when looking at the strategic positioning of Israel. Many think that Ron Paul’s policies are a danger to Israel for a number of reasons.

The Argument: Ron Paul’s desire to cut all foreign aid would weaken Israel’s ability to defend their nation.

Reality: Most of our foreign aid actions are not in line with the constitution in the first place. As if that weren’t enough though, there are actually strategic benefits for Israel if we cut foreign aid across the board. We currently are providing billions of dollars to the enemies of Israel in addition to Israel itself. This means we would essentially be starving off the enemy and leaving Israel and their good economy in a position to defend themselves against enemies who wouldn’t have the cash flow to launch a massive offensive. In addition, countries would not be receiving American military equipment, like the Saudi Arabians who are the recipients of state of the art fighter jets while in the same month rewarding terrorists who killed Israelis.

The Argument: Even if we cut off aid to everyone, China and Russia would still be providing aid to the Gulf region so funding would only really be cut to Israel, leading to more vulnerability.

Reality: Ron Paul’s foreign policy would have dire impacts on the economies or Russia and China as our trade practices would become more advantageous to American small business and our debt would stop becoming a weapon to use against us. From energy production/consumption staying domestic to trade agreements which favor America, when we realize we are still the number one economy and use that to our advantage it allows us to remain the number one economy. If China’s economy falters while our dollar gains strength it allows us to not only buy back our debt from China at a discounted rate but limits the regional impact China can play.

It is our faulty international economic practices which have empowered nations like China to be in this position in which they can play a part in Middle Eastern affairs in the first place. If there are those who make the argument against cutting aid to Israel because China and Russia would still be helping, they do not understand international economics.

The Argument: Ron Paul’s foreign policy is dangerous because Israel depends on our money.

Reality: The Israeli Prime Minister told our joint Houses of Congress that they in fact do not need our money. And the great thing about sound economic practices is that it empowers countries like Israel to increase revenue through trade.

Those who support the argument that Israel wouldn’t make it if it was not for our assistance are really just spitting in the face of the great people of Israel. Israel has technological advancements, agricultural exports, and a number of other opportunities to continue to grow as a financial powerhouse. Thus, they have the ability to purchase and develop military technology on their own.

Coincidentally, military advancement would then be at a much faster advancement rate than her enemies as the enemies of Israeli would no longer have access to our state of the art equipment and would be settling for second hand gear at best (keep in mind the global economic shift which would take place would also limit the advancement and sale of Chinese and Russian tech to these “enemy” nations.)

The Argument: Romney, Newt, Santorum would make a better friend to Israel.

Reality: Romney’s puppet syndrome would leave him in a similar position as Barack Obama. He has shown no desire to take any course different than one that has been taken by both parties over the last couple decades. It is this inept course which has placed Israel in danger time and again. So Romney is clearly out.

Santorum is another big government, big problem, fake conservative. Think George Bush in a sweater vest and less personality. Again, the appearance of being a friend to Israel but in reality just killing them softly through poor policy practices.

This leaves Newt. Newt Gingrich is the guy who would be perfect if he was half as conservative as he pretends to be on debate night. Here is a CFR, Third Wave, Globalist with nothing of real validity to offer in regards to Israeli security other than bombing Iran and placing Israel in the middle of a retaliatory strike.

The Argument: The rise of radical Islam is one that will be slow and cultural, not an invading army.

Reality: The argument is dead on, however the approach to defense between Ron Paul and the other candidates show some strategic stupidity. Newt, Santorum, Romney are all TSA loving, Patriot Act promoting, HR 3166 backing wild men who do not understand the enemy and certainly don’t understand how to defend against it.

Ron Paul is wrong about radical Islam. However, his ignorance of the topic does not prevent success against the enemy. Defeat at the hands of radical Islam is when you can reclassify people as “enemy combatants” and take away citizenship. Defeat is when we need to have TSA check points and warrant-less privacy invasion.

In that regard, radical Islam has no greater friends in Washington D.C. than Gingrich, Romney, and Santorum.

Even though Ron Paul is ignorant to the fact that radical Islam out-dates false flag attacks, his ignorance doesn’t hinder the pursuit of happiness in the land of the free. With Ron Paul we get to live out what our founding fathers knew, and that is liberty and freedom are much more important than security.

Radical Islam is a threat to each and every one of us. Ron Paul does not understand this issue well enough to grasp the danger. However, the strategy of Romney, Santorum, and Gingrich is so inept that it will only cause us to lose this “war” on terrorism by our own hand.

In an odd twist, it is this freedom which would allow for the regrowth of American culture and American exceptionalism (the proper form) and would actually make us more secure against the real attack from radical Islam, the cultural attack.

The Argument: Ron Paul’s defense cuts would endanger the homeland.

Reality: When you look at closing international bases, cutting the fat from the budget. We could actually experience an increase in available defense funds to defend the homeland. This argument only holds water with people who don’t understand America’s current military positioning.

Bottom line is we can go issue by issue and find the faulty logic in the pro-Israel/Anti-Paul movement and find time and again that Ron Paul is the biggest ally that Israel has in this class of GOP hopefuls.

The ignorance on the part of the American populace as to what it really means to support Israel is the root of the problem. If we recognized that our track record of international trade, domestic economic practices, foreign aid, and other policies have been the cause of Israeli endangerment instead of thinking our past actions have been to their advantage, Israel would have a much better friend in America.

Josh Tolley and David Rubin (Fmr. Mayor of Shiloh, Israel) Debating Ron Paul (Part 1):

Josh Tolley and David Rubin (Fmr. Mayor of Shiloh, Israel) Debating Ron Paul (Part 2):

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Josh Tolley is the host of The Josh Tolley Show, which airs on GCN Monday-Friday 9:00-11:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

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