Coming Shia Crescent

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Iranistan - The Coming Shiite Crescent

By Bill Salus - 2010

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s October 11, 2010 pre-condition for Mideast peace may be the shot in the arm Iran needed to accelerate its move to form a Shiite Crescent inside the Fertile Crescent.

Presently, peace talks have hit a stalemate opening a window of opportunity for Iran to make its move on the Middle East. It is commonly understood in the region that the present Iranian regime seeks the formation of a Shiite Crescent starting with Lebanon and Syria that subsequently moves deeper into the Sunni Arab states of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Iran has been building inseparable relations with Hezbollah and Syria and developing a nuclear program that should facilitate the Crescent’s formation in the foreseeable future.

In its bid to revive the ancient Persian Empire, Iran could achieve the killing of three birds with one stone in a coming conflict: the destruction of Israel, the establishment of a Palestinian State in its place and the allegiance of Lebanon to Iran. Iran seeks a Palestinian State in their Shiite pocket. Iranian president Ahmadinejad’s continued threats to wipe Israel off the map hint of a greater plan to control Jerusalem, Islam’s third holiest city, by establishing a Palestinian proxy state to replace Israel.

Jordanian King Abdullah II has expressed his concern about this Shiite crescent possibility on numerous occasions. Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and possibly Iraq falling like dominoes into Iran’s grand Shiite scheme puts Saudi Arabia and the other smaller oil nations in a precarious position.

Saudi King Abdullah is extremely concerned about the prospects of Iran taking over the Middle East. If Iran first controls Jerusalem through a proxy Palestine and subsequently captures Mecca and Medina, it can promote Shiite theology on a wider scale within Islam.

Seemingly, for this reason Saudi Arabia has temporarily allowed Israel a strip of airspace to pre-empt a strategic strike against Iranian nuclear sites, and contracted to purchase 60 billion dollars worth of advanced American aircraft

Making matters worse for Israel, Hezbollah has the backing of Iran, Syria and the Hamas should another conflict occur. Iran has feverishly worked with Syria to arm Hezbollah with skillfully trained troops and 60,000 rockets over the past four years. In the summer of 2006, Hezbollah lobbed 4,000 rockets into northern Israel averaging 117 strikes per day. Presently, Hezbollah has 15 times as many more advanced rockets and arrogantly boasts it can hit any target inside of Israel including Dimona Israel’s main nuclear site.

Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah recently said, “We do not believe in multiple Islamic republics; we do believe, however, in a single Islamic world governed by a central government.” .......“Jerusalem and Palestine will not be regained with political games but with guns.” ....... "Hezbollah can destroy one-half of Israel's army."

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