by Jeff Nesbit
Q10—IS THE THIRD, AND YOUNGEST, SON OF NORTH KOREA’S “DEAR LEADER” IN LINE TO TAKE OVER FROM HIS FATHER? IS HE REALLY A FAN OF THE NBA IN AMERICA? DID HE ONCE SEE MICHAEL JORDAN PLAY IN PARIS?
A. While it is nearly impossible to know the extent of the leadership succession planning in North Korea’s highly secretive and closed military society, infrequent reports do seem to indicate that Kim Jong Il is, in fact, making plans to hand over the reins to his youngest son, Kim Jong Un. And, according to at least one published report, the Dear Leader’s youngest son is a fan of the NBA. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls once played exhibition games in Paris in the fall of 1997—at the same time that the Dear Leader’s son was secretly attending a private boarding school in Switzerland near the North Korean embassy. There is only one published picture of the youngest son—and possible successor—in North Korea that has ever been published or circulated anywhere in the world.
Q11—IS JAPAN, IN FACT, MOVING AWAY FROM ITS POSITION AS THE UNITED STATES’ MOST TRUSTED ALLY IN ASIA, VASTLY COMPLICATING STRATEGIC U.S. MILITARY INTERESTS IN THE REGION?
A. There are clearly concerns in the U.S. that the new government in Japan has decided it may be in its self-interest to distance itself from the U.S. on certain strategic matters. This possibility presents extraordinary difficulties for the U.S. in Asia and has led to a series of increasingly confrontational discussions and meetings between U.S. and Japanese officials—including a reported ten-minute showdown in Washington between the leaders of both countries that was so direct and confrontational that the Japanese diplomatic corps chose not to publish a transcript of the meeting. U.S. and Asian officials have speculated that Japan may be considering a significant policy shift away from the United States and toward a more independent foreign policy.
Q12—IS A LASTING PEACE WITH NORTH KOREA A REALISTIC POSSIBILITY, OR SIMPLY WISHFUL THINKING?
A. The Korean War resulted in a truce—but not peace—between the United States and North Korea. The truth is that the outline of a meaningful peace accord between the two countries has been in place for some time. What has been missing is the political will of leaders in both countries to finally reach an accord that would formally end the conflict and allow the United States to remove its military forces from the DMZ and the region. At various times, North Korea has offered to make the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free through dialogue and negotiations, in return for an infusion of capital and economic help and a permanent end to the U.S. military presence in the region. It is nearly impossible to assess whether North Korea’s stated intention of wanting to ease tensions with Washington is real, however, due to North Korea’s paranoid leadership and closed military society.
Q13—COULD NORTH KOREA’S TAEPODONG-2 INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE ACTUALLY REACH HAWAII OR OTHER U.S. TERRITORIES?
A. No, it can’t. Most military analysts dismiss the possibility that the Taepodong-2 could ever make the four-thousand-mile journey to Hawaii and remain intact. And it is simply inconceivable to think that any ICBM from North Korea could ever make it to a major American city, much less deliver a nuclear warhead there on impact. North Korea regularly threatens “all-out war” against the U.S., but there is almost no possibility that such an ICBM could ever do any significant damage to any U.S. territory. Still, the remote possibility does exist that North Korea could someday launch an ICBM in the general direction of Hawaii as a “shot across the bow,” which has prompted the U.S. military to put defensive anti-missile systems in place in the Pacific.
Q14—ARE THE KANG NAM NORTH KOREAN CARGO VESSELS REAL? ARE THEY DELIVERING NUCLEAR PARTS AND MATERIALS TO IRAN AND ROGUE NATIONS IN THE WORLD?
A. Yes, the Kang Nam cargo ships are real. And, yes, they are likely smuggling illicit nuclear materials through international waters to rogue nations—an effort that is now clearly banned by a new United Nations anti-proliferation resolution. American ships have tracked Kang Nam cargo vessels on several occasions, but none has ever triggered the U.N. resolution and requested to board and inspect the cargo. If the American Navy ever did make such a request, the North Korean government has said it would consider such a request an act of war.
Q15—HAS HAMAS ACTUALLY ACQUIRED AND TESTED A ROCKET CAPABLE OF LAUNCHING FROM GAZA AND REACHING MAJOR CITIES IN ISRAEL?
A. Yes, Hamas probably acquired and test-fired such a rocket. Israel’s military intelligence chief said publicly in late 2009 that Hamas test-fired a rocket that flew 37 miles into the sea. A rocket with that range could launch from Gaza and reach Tel Aviv, according to published reports. A spokesman for Hamas denied the test, claiming that it was nothing more than a pretense for Israeli military operations in Gaza. But it seems clear from naval interdictions—some of which have been reported to the United Nations—and smuggling activities that Hamas has acquired the ability to deploy these types of rockets in Gaza. With greater cooperation between Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, it seems likely that rockets with this range are now deployed both north and southwest of Israel.
Q16—HAS HEZBOLLAH DEPLOYED AS MANY AS FORTY THOUSAND ROCKETS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON CAPABLE OF REACHING MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS IN ISRAEL?
A. Yes, almost certainly. In late 2009, for instance, the Israeli navy captured a ship bound for Hezbollah through Syria. Israel told the United Nations that this was the fifth time in 2009 alone that it had captured ships containing weapons originated in Iran and bound either for Hezbollah or other Iranian proxies. Journalists were invited to view the contents of the captured ship once it was towed to a port in Israel. Its contents were spread out and displayed on shore. Journalists who viewed the ship’s contents on shore reported that, in this one ship alone, Israel discovered three thousand rockets bound for Hezbollah and southern Lebanon. Credible, published reports indicate that Hezbollah may have stockpiled as many as forty thousand rockets in various parts of Lebanon and the mountains overlooking northern Israel, waiting for a day and a time to launch them at population centers in Israel. Without a doubt, it is one of the most serious threats confronting Israel’s national security in a generation.
Q17—IS THE SLEEPY FISHING VILLAGE OF JASK REALLY A NAVAL OUTPOST FOR IRAN IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ?
A. Not yet. But as I was writing PEACE and speculating about the possibility that Iran’s military leaders would station covert naval operations at Jask—and stage asymmetrical attacks against the 5th Fleet from there—The New York Times reported that American military authorities were, in fact, worried that Iran might position some of its naval assets at Jask. And Iran has likely concealed some of its anti-ship cruise missiles at various locations in the mountains that overlook Jask.
Q18—IS “ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE” A REAL THREAT TO THE AMERICAN 5TH FLEET IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ? HAS IRAN ACQUIRED ENOUGH SUBMARINES AND FAST SPEEDBOATS TO TAKE PART IN SUCH AN ATTACK? IS THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN VULNERABLE?
A. While the 5th Fleet—with the Nimitz-class supercarrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln—is the most formidable naval presence in the world, war games have, in fact, revealed that a swarming, asymmetrical attack could do significant damage. The New York Times reported in 2009 that a war-game scenario in 2002 showed that a swarming, asymmetrical attack in the Persian Gulf could actually defeat the U.S. Navy. Whether Iran could mount such an asymmetrical attack is difficult to assess, but the threat is real and credible. The American Navy has plenty of assets in place to counter such an asymmetrical attack, but a concerted effort on Iran’s part to build or acquire dozens of small, attacking craft could form a credible threat, most analysts believe.
Q19—IS THE ANTI-SHIP CRUISE MISSILE, THE SUNBURN, REAL AND PART OF IRAN’S ARSENAL?
A. It is real and most likely now part of Iran’s arsenal. Some have speculated that it is the one single weapon that could defeat American forces in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. According to published reports, the American Navy was struggling to develop defenses against the Russian-made SS-N-22 Sunburn as recently as a few years ago. Some have c
alled the Sunburn the most lethal missile in the world. It can, in fact, deliver a two-hundred-kiloton nuclear payload, hit speeds of Mach 3, remain close to the ground (or sea), and throw in extreme maneuvers to elude defense systems. U.S. ship defenses can track and shoot down Sunburns, but only if they see them in time. Some military analysts have speculated that, with enough Sunburns in the arsenal fired in a coordinated fashion, they could overwhelm even the most sophisticated antimissile systems. What is not known is the extent of anti-missile systems developed and deployed in recent years to combat the Sunburn. I wrote in PEACE that it is possible to knock out the guidance systems in Sunburns while in flight, but this is just an educated guess on my part. PEACE, after all, is just fiction.
Q20—HAS ISRAEL’S NAVY, IN FACT, SAILED THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE ATTACK ON IRAN?
A. Yes, it has. According to published reports, at least two Israeli missile-class warships have sailed through the Suez Canal. Israeli Dolphin submarines have also sailed through the Suez and deployed to the Red Sea, clearly showing that it has the ability to put a naval strike force within range of Iran on short notice. Israel has clearly strengthened military and diplomatic ties with Egypt in recent years, largely as a response to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Q21—IS THERE REALLY A 1540 COMMITTEE AT THE UNITED NATIONS?
A. Yes, there is. It’s based on UN Security Council Resolution 1540 adopted in 2004. It is designed to support efforts to keep “non-state actors” (terrorist groups) from acquiring nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. The 1540 Committee regularly meets to help establish domestic controls to prevent proliferation of materials and technology.
Q22—IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP A WORLDWIDE TEXT-MESSAGE NETWORK WITH DATABASES, MEDIA, AND MESSAGING THAT WORKS EVEN IN REPRESSIVE, TOTALITARIAN COUNTRIES?
A. Yes, absolutely. While totalitarian governments and dictators have been able to successfully block Internet, satellite, television, and radio communications, the advent of ubiquitous cell phone use worldwide has forever changed the global media landscape. Oneto-many text message capability has created the opportunity for media to emerge even from paranoid, repressive countries like North Korea. The concept of the mVillage, which has such a dramatic impact in PEACE, is based on this very technology.
Q23—COULD IRAN’S SHAHAB-3 MISSILE REACH ISRAEL WITH A NUCLEAR PAYLOAD?
A. It’s possible, though not very likely right now. The Shahab-3 technically has a range of two thousand kilometers, putting it within range of Israel. But whether it could reach Israel is debatable. And the likelihood of its reaching Israel with a nuclear payload, right now, is nil. Tests of the Shahab-3 in Iran clearly show that it can be fired from a mobile launch pad. But whether it could make the trip, intact, to Israel is questionable. Expert opinions on the capability of the Shahab-3 vary wildly. Some call it a glorified Scud missile, which is notoriously erratic and crude. Others maintain that North Korean military planners have helped Iran stabilize the missile. But most agree that Iran is probably years away from the ability to attach a nuclear weapon to a stable Shahab-3 missile capable of reaching Israel.
Q24—ARE THERE, IN FACT, CLERICS IN IRAN WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEACE WITH THE U.S. AND ISRAEL?
A. Yes, there are such clerics. Ayatollah Emami-Kashani, for instance, delivered a sermon in 2008 in which he clearly said that Iran was not a threat to either Israel or the United States, and that it was willing to hold talks. “We do not wish to go to war with Israel,” he was reported to have said. Others have echoed this sentiment—that Iran has no wish to directly attack Israel but will respond if provoked.
Q25—IS “FROM DAN TO BEERSHEBA” A REALISTIC PEACE OPTION IN ISRAEL?
A. The phrase “from Dan to Beersheba” appears numerous times in the Bible. It represents the area traditionally settled by Jews in ancient Palestine. Some would argue that this represents the most logical homeland for Israel and could create an opportunity for a free Arab state to the south of Beersheba. The radical peace plan proposed by the White House in the novel is based on this concept and the outlines of the original 1947 partition plan at the United Nations after the Second World War.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEFF NESBIT has been a national journalist, the communications director to the vice president at the White House, and the director of public affairs for two prominent federal science agencies. He has also written seventeen commercially successful novels for adults and teens with Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Tyndale, Hodder & Stoughton, Harold Shaw (now part of Random House), Victor Books (now David C. Cook), and others.
He wrote PEACE after extensive research into the truth about the conflict between Israel and Iran, which is threatening to destabilize the Middle East. One of the underlying principles of PEACE is that the “salt of the earth”—great and small—must act now. Decisions surrounding the Israel-Iran conflict made by world leaders and nations—the earthly principalities and powers that govern us—will determine the fate of the planet. Events are moving quickly.
Possible scenarios and events in PEACE—like a secret prison camp in North Korea, hidden taqiyya terrorist cells in the United States, the threat of a cesium doomsday bomb that can irradiate half the planet, the possibility that the U.S. will sell Stealth planes to Israel, the premise that the First and Second Jewish Temples were never built above the rock under the Dome of the Rock, the radical peace plan for Israel based on the biblical phrase “from Dan to Beersheba” and the outline from the original 1947 UN resolution on a Palestinian homeland, or Russia’s military interest in oil fields to the south and in Israel—are all quite plausible and based on science and research. The second and third novels in the Principalities & Powers series—OIL and TEMPLE—will also be based on extensive research and background into the real, truthful nature of the global conflict surrounding Israel.
Nesbit also managed a successful strategic communications business for nearly fifteen years. His clients and projects included dozens of national nonprofit, trade associations, media companies, Fortune 500 companies, major health foundations, public relations agencies, and advocacy organizations such as Discovery Communications, the American Heart Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Yale Medical School, Harvard Business School, the American Red Cross, Porter-Novelli, CTIA, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Burson-Marsteller, the Chandler-Chicco Agency, and others.
Nesbit was also a national journalist with media organizations such as Knight-Ridder Newspapers (now The McClatchy Company), ABC News’ Satellite News Channels (acquired by CNN), States News Service (when it was managed by The New York Times), nationally syndicated columnist Jack Anderson, and Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen magazine.
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THE PRINCIPALITIES & POWERS SERIES
AT NO OTHER TIME IN HISTORY HAVE THE STAKES BEEN SO HIGH. INDIVIDUALS AND NATION-STATES CONTEND FOR POWER AND CONTROL OF THE EARTH, AND ISRAEL IS AT THE VERY CENTER OF THE STRUGGLE.
– BOOK ONE –
PEACE
Israel has just decided to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
What happens next takes the world to the edge.
– BOOK TWO –
(COMING SOON)
OIL
Israel and Iran once secretly built the Eilat pipeline.
Now it’s the key to a new world economy.