This is an Op/Ed by Ron Cantrell following the address to the 
U.S. Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing the US Congress, March 3, 2015.

I believe this was the most historic speech since Winston Churchill.

On one hand I am proud of the United States Congress. On the other, I apologize to Israel for those congressmen and congresswomen who refused to show up for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address. Twenty-six standing ovations in 44-minutes before the Congress and President Obama responds with, “Netanyahu offered nothing new and no viable alternatives.” I am embarrassed! Iran claimed the address was, “boring and repetitive.” I’m sure they did.

It is my opinion that the United States has just come to a pivotal point in history.  I believe many that heard the Prime Minister’s address would agree with me. Future generations will ask what we did with this dire warning from our only real ally in the region. The name Neville Chamberlin should come to mind again as what seems to be a scrambling administration seeks . . . “WHAT?” I don’t know what they are seeking.

Arming Iran…Why?

Iranian military parade of missiles

Iran may have as many as 190,000 centrifuges in operation soon. Why???? What enemy does Iran have to need a full-blown nuclear arsenal of that magnitude? Saudi Arabia is shaking in their boots and watching closely at what we will do. And not just watching…they are warning us.

Bibi handed a splendid compliment to those Americans who support Israel and have for decades. And, he did not neglect to acknowledge the good things that our President has done on behalf of Israel during his term in office. Netanyahu is a big man–a man of great political stature who has seen firsthand the insanity of terrorism and nations that perpetrate it. Bibi lost his beloved brother Yoni in the raid on Entebbe in Uganda decades ago–rescuing a hijacked airplane of Israelis by terrorists. We, too, have been firsthand witnesses of hate-filled Islamic terrorism when I survived a senseless suicide (homicide) bus bombing in downtown Jerusalem perpetrated by Hamas, funded by Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

A Contrast of Core Values

It is shameful to me that a foreign dignitary has to remind America of our core values by contrasting us with Iran. As Americans, we live with the understanding of our rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Meanwhile, the 1970s’ Iranian Revolution resulted in a new constitution, overseen by the exiled terrorist, Ayatollah Khomeini. That constitution declared the core value of Iran to be: Exporting the Revolution worldwide, and the pursuit of the ideal of jihad (“holy war” that leaves Islam as the last standing religion on the face of the earth). Summed up, their values are death, tyranny, and holy war. That’s the truthful contrast. In a nation that bans all but strict archaic Islamic lifestyles, including the internet, the Ayatollah “tweets” his intents to destroy Israel…in English! That would be just laughable if it were not so dire.

Iran blows up a mock US naval ship

Netanyahu made the point clear to us in his address that Iran attacked and blew up a mock United States naval ship just last week.  Iran backs Hezbollah in Lebanon openly. The leader of Hezbollah has said that it would be good for all Jews to come home to Israel so that they can all be exterminated there and not chased around the nations of the world.

Remember Mordecai’s Warning to Queen Esther

The visit from the Israeli dignitary comes immediately before the Jewish fast/feast of Purim, wherein Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from a Persian tyrant. This intentional timing of the Israeli leader pleading, urging, and warning our nation, is unmistakably vital for us to heed.

A Regional Bad Deal

Bibi called this deal with Iran for what it is: a “bad deal.” He urged the U.S. to demand that Iran stop its aggression against its neighbors, stop its support of terrorism, and stop the open threats against Israel before any moves toward normalizing relations with them. The opinion of U.S. President Obama that Netanyahu offered no alternative is dangerously shortsighted. The fact is, should the deal go through, the Middle East will be ushered into a nuclear arms race to hold Iran at bay. Their aggression against Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other regional neighbors, is being totally ignored.

An Urgent Warning

An urgent and strong warning from Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu

Netanyahu ended his address with a strong warning that Israel’s days of taking a beating at the hands of hate-filled Islamic nations is over. The irony was tangible as Bibi pointed up above the heads of the Congressmen and Congresswomen to the statue of Moses residing in the Congressional chamber. The Patriarch of both Christians and Jews speak in Scripture saying: “Never fear or dread your enemies.”

As for me, this warning address has not fallen on deaf ears. Tuesday March 3rd, 2015, stands as an historic moment in all of history. Perhaps the second most important world leader has issued a dire warning. For the sake of the beautiful people of the region, held hostage by tyrannical religious leaders, I am personally heeding this urgent warning.

U.S. President Obama is partly right when he says Netanyahu offered nothing new. The fact is, Netanyahu has been warning us for 15 years of what is now on the table.

Ron Cantrell, former resident of Jerusalem, Israel for 20 years, 
is the author of Unholy War for an Islamic Empire and The Mahdi, 
Hijacked Messiah. These books, and others by the author, are 
available on Amazon.com.