The spy who was left out in the cold.

Robert Levinson

Caroline Glick had a bombshell on her Facebook page the other day, alleging that the Obama Administration was pressuring Interpol to lay off on prosecuting 14 Iranians suspected of involvement in the Argentine synagogue bombing.

I have looked all over trying to find corroborative reports, to little avail. The Gateway Pundit ran this post. If this story is true it is an abomination but not so surprising given this administration's evident attitude about a certain people. I will withhold judgement. But there may be something to it.

The Iranian Fars News service ran a piece yesterday that may substantiate the claims.

I have previously written extensively on the Nisman murder and Iranian complicity in the 1994 Synagogue bombing in Buenos Aires. Interesting article at The Hill today tangentially dealing with the Argentina bombing subject by Toby Dershowitz and Joseph Humire, US should help Argentina solve terrorism case.

1. Nisman’s 2006 report that led to the indictment of senior Iranian officials for their role in the AMIA bombing had a classified version prepared by Argentine intelligence. The Argentine government version should de-classified. This could shed light not only on the bombing itself – which killed 85 and injured hundreds – but on how Iran builds its terror networks throughout Latin America. Public access to the classified version is especially important following the recent release of a 2012 audio recording of former Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman admitting to the president of AMIA that Iran was behind the attack.
2. While Kirchner disbanded the Intelligence Secretariat in February 2015 following Nisman’s death, the prosecutor’s criminal complaint identified several individuals who helped Iran in its backchannel talks with the Kirchner government. Several of these individuals likely remain as intelligence assets for Iran in the restructured Agencia Federal de Inteligencia. Investigating these individuals would help unravel the web of spies who are obstructing Argentina’s efforts in the AMIA investigation.
3. With a fresh investigation under new stewardship, Argentina should undertake – and the United States should support – an independent investigation into whether Iran had any role in Nisman’s murder. Washington should share its intelligence on the role of Iranian networks in and around Argentina at the time of Nisman’s death.
4. At least three of the five Iranians for whom Interpol has issued “red notices” in connection with the attack—Mohsen Rabbani, Mohammad Asghari, and Ali Fallahian—have filed appeals with Interpol that their red notices, which are tantamount to international arrest warrants, be lifted. Officials in Macri’s administration have told the organization they are “determined to keep the notices in effect" and asked if it requires more information before it makes it recommendations to Interpol’s secretary-general. The U.S. should fully support maintaining the red notices when they come up for review in November.

I would like to think that our government would not stoop to running interference for Iranian terrorists but am not optimistic. After all, this administration pleaded with the court last year to derail a judgement against the PLO for damages in a terrorist attack that killed and injured United States citizens. In the Argentinian case, it is interesting that they have Timerman on tape admitting Iranian involvement after years of repeated denials.

I will wait and hope that all of these allegations are baseless. That my country has not sunk to such depths.

Rescue workers searching through the rubble of the Buenos Aires Jewish Community center after a deadly bombing on July 18, 1994. – Photo: AP

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Anyone who thinks that Iran doesn't know exactly where Robert Levinson (or his remains) are is a naive fool. His family isn't real happy with the administration, who never even notified them of the impending hostage release. See Levinson Family: We feel betrayed by White House.

The 67-year-old Levinson, who served for more than two decades with the FBI before retiring, disappeared off Iran's Kish Island in March 2007. For years the U.S. government said Levinson was working at the time as a private investigator, but in December 2013 his family acknowledged that he was, in fact, working as a freelance "spy" for a rogue CIA operation. The Iranian government has long-denied holding Levinson or even knowing where he is – the latter claim doubted by some U.S. officials and Levinson’s family.

Guy goes deep cover for his country and is cast adrift. Like the Iranians are going to release a guy named Levinson...

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The NGO/ Israel two step has been interesting. The proposed Israeli bill would require Israeli NGOs that receive more than half of their funding from “foreign political entities” (i.e., the European Commission and European governments) to make that information public whenever they lobby elected Israeli officials and whenever they publish their reports. Sounds quite reasonable.

The State Department's John Kirby did quite a dance last week explaining why it was okay for the goose but not for the gander to interfere in other sovereign countries internal politics, supplying cash and fomenting demonstrations in this case. Now Hillary appears to be up to her neck in it too. Remarkable.

In a Dec, 18, 2011, email, former U.S. ambassador to Israel Thomas Pickering suggested that Clinton consider a plan to restart then-stalled peace negotiations by kickstarting Palestinian demonstrations against Israel.
Pickering described the effort as a potential “game changer in the region,” recommending that the United States undertake a clandestine campaign to generate unrest. Clinton requested that his email be printed.“Most of all the United States, in my view, cannot be seen to have stimulated, encouraged or be the power behind it for reasons you will understand better than anyone,” he wrote, suggesting that the government enlist liberal non-profit groups in Israel. “I believe third parties and a number NGOs [non-government organizations] on both sides would help.”

I honestly think that I will sit out the next presidential election. Hillary of course, also is on record for breaking a prior President's promise to Israel regarding land and security, the famous George Bush 2004 letter.

What is Hillary's present relationship with Sid Blumenthal anyway? He and his son seem like pretty fervent anti zionists. I would hate to think that they are going to be effecting policy if she is elected. Fabiani, Blumenthal, the Clintons sure know how to pick them.

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This administration has been the most openly hostile to Israel of any Presidency in my lifetime. As Ben Rhodes so famously said, dealing with Israel is a lose/lose proposition. Obama has an interesting philosophy, treat your country's enemies like friends and your friends and allies like enemies.

I thought that the recent Frontline series on Israel was interesting, especially his crony David Axelrod's interview. Obama thought that he was the closest thing we would ever have to a jewish president and is anguished at how he is perceived by some segments of American Jewry and in Israel. And I think that Axelrod hits on something profound here.

I remember a time when I worked in the White House, and I went to find the president, and he was sitting in this small dining room off of the Oval Office. He was just staring into space. He was very contemplative. I said, “What’s on your mind?” And this was in the midst of some of these back-and-forths with Bibi, and he said, “You know,” he said, “I think I’m the closest thing to a Jew that has ever sat in this office. The people who I’m closest to, the people who are mentors of mine, the Ab Mikvas, the Newt Minows, the values with which I was raised, I feel very close to the community, and it hurts to be depicted somehow as hostile to the community. It bothers me.”
And when you think about his history, it’s quite right. Hyde Park, where he really came of age politically, it’s a very integrated community, but a large Jewish population and a very progressive one. And a lot of the Ab Mikvas, Newt Minows and so on, these were people who were progressives in the ’60s, and when the civil rights movement was taking place [they] were outspoken advocates for civil rights. Those were many of the battles that were being fought in Chicago. Obama identifies with the Jewish community as the community that stood with the African American community in those very difficult fights back in the ’60s, in addition to his general appreciation for the kind of progressive tradition in Judaism, valuing education, valuing tikkun olam — repairing the world — and so on. …
One of the things Jeffrey said to us was, in a weird way, that [Obama] was surrounded by progressive Jews all his life. But then he comes across Bibi Netanyahu, and Jeffrey says in some ways, Bibi is the first ultra-conservative Jew that he had ever met, and he didn’t quite understand how to deal with him.

Obama made the mistake of confusing Israelis for squishy, liberal Chicago jews. And anyone who has lived in Israel for a long period of time as I have, or is the son of a sabra, as I am, knows that this is a major error. They are very different. Because the rubber hits the road there and they have a unique sense of what is really going on in the neighborhood that doesn't quite dovetail with the standard, progressive utopian platitudes. It is a very tough neighborhood and all sides play a very hard game. Obama has done a remarkable thing, dividing progressives and pro Israel jews in this country in a sophisticated triangulation strategy. Jews okay, Israel bad.

Obama was asked pointedly if he was an anti semite last year and he gave an odd, somewhat dispassionate answer, "There's no evidence of that." I thought of first officer Spock. Not a denial, more of a "I cover my tracks" kind of answer.

I find it curious that the Obamaites can pledge to stop collecting intelligence on foreign leaders yet make an exception under the guise of national security for tapping the intelligence of Israel's leader, a country that has legitimate national security concerns. And that Barack can admirably plea for tolerance and understanding for muslim americans yet have no qualms about tapping the phones of prominent jewish americans who might be talking to Israelis.

Or try to derail the military job opportunities of a simple jewish dentist, because he has family living in Israel and might have the dreaded "dual loyalties." This stuff would be comical if it wasn't so sad. Liberal McCarthyism at its finest.

In his interview for the position, Pincus was open about the fact that he has family in Israel, including his mother, who has dementia, as well as two of his siblings. He also had a son that briefly served in the Israeli army before dying of a drug overdose. Otherwise, he has no friends in Israel and no financial stake in the country. In fact, the security investigation deemed Pincus as someone who was not "vulnerable to blackmail, extortion, coercion or duress."
Despite the investigation's results, Pincus was denied security clearance due to "divided loyalties" to Israel. The Office of Personnel Management explained:
“You have weekly telephone contact with your mother and brother in Israel. You added your mother, sister and brother may have contact with neighbors in Israel. Foreign contacts and interests may be a security concern due to divided loyalties or foreign financial interests, may be manipulated or induced to help a foreign person, group, organization or government in a way that is not in U.S. interests, or is vulnerable to pressure or coercion by foreign interests.

After public pressure the Pentagon reversed itself last week, without comment or explanation. But it still begs the question, when exactly did the jews and Israelis become the enemy?

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Iranian President Rouhani made a statement to the Iranian parliament when sanctions were lifted the other day that said all the parties involved are satisfied with the deal "with the exception of Zionists and warmongers ... American hardliners and extremists." And I heard this and thought, well Barack Obama agrees with this guy completely.

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"Those young people were on their hands and knees in a begging position with their hands up and thugs behind them with guns, and then we talk like it's OK. It's not OK. It's lack of respect."
Donald Trump

Secretary of State John Kerry said on CNN that once he heard about the sailors' detention, he was "very frustrated and angry", and that "I raised it immediately with the Iranians." The tough talking sterile cuckold, they are probably trembling in Teheran.

A few weeks ago, U.S. military commanders accused Iran of firing rockets not too far away from an American aircraft carrier and several other ships. The ships were given 23 seconds of warning. One Navy spokesperson said, "Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional, and inconsistent with international maritime law."

What was interesting about this story is that the Iranians absolutely denied that it happened, than had to backtrack when the United States released video of the incident. Great pals you got there, Barack.

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Tehran's Provisional Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani stressed that in the recent case of the capture of US Navy sailors, who had intruded Iran’s territorial waters, the world witnessed how powerful and at the same time kind Iranians are.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy surrounded and captured the US sailors bravely and powerfully, Ayatollah Movahedi Kermani said, addressing a huge gathering of worshippers here in Tehran on Friday.

“This sends a message to the US and other countries that Iran is powerful, mighty, and strong, and at the same time shows kindness, which we witnessed in the recent release of the US forces,” he added.

In similar remarks on Thursday, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the US sailors’ case showed that the Persian Gulf’s security is in Iran’s control.

In a message to the Commander of IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, Boroujerdi said the “brave” move by the Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf indicated that Iran controls the security of this sensitive region.

Next we can talk about the current state of human rights in Cuba. Next time.

From Amnesty International:

Cuban human rights activists are at increased risk of detention or harassment from the authorities amid demonstrations on International Human Rights Day, 10 December, said Amnesty International following a wave of almost 1,500 arbitrary arrests in just over a month.
Yesterday, police in the capital Havana arbitrarily restricted the movement of members of the prominent Ladies in White (Damas de Blanco) group of activists as they prepared for today’s demonstrations. This came after at least 1,477 politically motivated detentions in November 2015, the highest monthly total in many years, according to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN).
“For weeks on end, the Cuban authorities have used a spike in arrests and harassment to prevent human rights activists and dissidents from protesting peacefully. This is a systematic problem that silences Cuban activists in their own streets. For years, harassment on Human Rights Day has been the rule rather than the exception, and is absolutely unacceptable,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.