Da'esh was created by, or is being funded and exploited by a few of our so-called allies. (names withheld to protect the innocent)

Very interesting piece I thought.

The notion of the Kurds as a buttress against resurgent Iran was new, hadn't seen that idea before.

And he clarifies and confirms how the Yemen war is going.

I would not recommmend to Israel or the Kurds that they get in bed with the Sauds much more than they are already.

Congratulations Bibi. Your efforts have finally come to fruition.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani flew to Italy on Monday at the start of his first official visit to Europe, looking to sign multi-billion dollar contracts to help to modernize Iran's economy after years of crippling financial sanctions.

Heading a 120-strong delegation of Iranian business leaders and ministers, Rouhani will spend two days in Rome before flying to France on Wednesday, hoping to burnish Tehran's international credentials at a time of turmoil across the Middle East.

While diplomacy will figure high on his agenda, trade ties are likely to dominate the headlines, with Iran announcing plans to buy more than 160 European planes, mainly from Airbus (AIRP.PA), on the eve of Rouhani's departure.

Officials in Rome said Italian firms were set to sign deals worth up to 17 billion euros ($18.4 billion) over the next two days, including in the energy, infrastructure and steel sectors.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-europe-rouhani-idUSKCN0V31DJ

seems the author skirts the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" angle completely, or keep them busy fighting each other that way they aren't fighting .........., IS or Daesh has become the perfect catch all security excuse for Bibi to the degree that he's made noise alluding their existence prevents a Palestinian state because gosh who knows.

He leaves lots of stuff out, and is Pollyanna-ish as you say, but then he is speculating about alternative history, and he is trying to sell his idea, so he doesn't want to arouse strong emotions.

I've seen the "Iran and Israel are natural allies" argument before, and I think it has merit, but various religious nuts and blowhards would have to be moved out of the way first on both sides if you want to get practical.

ISIS has become very handy, it's so useful to have something everybody can hate together.

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Israel’s problem was and remains the asymmetry between us and Iran. We don’t have a border with Iran, but Iran has more than one border with us – in Lebanon as well as in the northern Golan Heights. Iran’s prosperity will eventually reach Hezbollah, and with it comes advanced weaponry. The Sunni Hamas movement will also have difficulty resisting Iran’s advances when it comes calling with the promise of fat checks.

The Shi’ite axis in Syria that comprises Iran, Assad, and Hezbollah will apparently continue to control the most vital parts of the country – the Damascus airport and the seaports of Latakia and Tartus.

In recent years, Israeli officials have been divided over what position to take in regards to the raging civil war in Syria. There are those who claim that Israel needs to be more active in trying to remove Assad and thus breaking the link that connects Tehran to Beirut. The prevailing view holds that Israel needs to continue watching developments from afar from an almost neutral standpoint. It should only intervene in instances where its vital interests are threatened. Any Israeli intervention in the Syria war will only complicate our situation.

Without Assad in the picture, Hezbollah would undoubtedly be a different organization. But past experience shows that any Israeli attempt to impose a ruler on a neighboring country only brought upon us more trouble. Israel’s quiet support for the Sunni bloc’s efforts to stop Iran will continue, even though there won’t be a decisive knockout blow. All parties in the conflict are too strong to lose and too weak to win.

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Analysis-With-emergence-of-a-new-Iran-Israel-needs-new-allies-442783