Trouble…

“TEHRAN, Iran – A group of influential conservative Iranian clerics launched an online registration drive on Monday seeking volunteers to fight against Israel in response to its air assault on the Gaza Strip. About 3,550 people registered Monday with the Combatant Clergy Society’s Web site. The weeklong online campaign gives volunteers three options on ways they can fight Israel: military, financial and propaganda.

The group, which has considerable political and economic power in Iran, did not provide further details on the program including how it would contact the volunteers or implement the program.

The conservative clerics decided to sign up volunteers after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a religious decree on Sunday that said anyone killed while defending Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip against Israeli attacks would be considered a martyr.

Khamenei’s religious decree was not considered a government decision and did not oblige the government to launch attacks against Israel.

But Iran considers Israel its archenemy, and its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of the Jewish state. Iran also is Hamas’ main backer, though Tehran denies sending weapons to the Islamic militant group that took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007.”

I’m sure as soon as Obama is back from body surfing he’s speak of meeting with Khamenei face to face without conditions. Seriously though, a strong Hamas is a boon for Iran and subsequently they have a lot to lose if Israel continues to pound them into the ground.

Israel has to work fast to complete it’s operation, especially in light of the expected pro-hamas/palestine media. The longer this takes the more PR leverage it gives to Hamas because of collateral damage.

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