Boarding houses were common places of residence for young working people in our cities, way back when, and they were poorly insulated. Your neighbors could hear what you were saying through the walls, and you could hear them. So when you went to bed at night, if you dropped your shoes on the floor instead of putting them gently down, the people in the room below you would have to wait for that second thud before they could get to sleep.
Hence the expression, Waiting for the second shoe to drop.
BBC News is now saying that Israel is prepared for a 30 day war with Iran, and the discussion of an attack on Iran is the current urgent topic in the Israeli halls of government.
Israel’s outgoing home front defence minister, Matan Vilnai, says an attack on Iran would likely trigger a month-long conflict that would leave 500 Israelis dead. Vilnai told the Maariv newspaper that the fighting would be “on several fronts”, with hundreds of missiles fired at Israeli towns and cities. (From Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.)
“Israel was prepared, he said, though strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities had to be co-ordinated with the US.”
That’s the sticker. The Israelis aren’t anxious to launch the attack before our presidential election, yet they can’t really wait any longer either, it’s felt. If Obama agrees to take part in the attack, it could give his chances for re-election a real boost — especially if it happens within 30 days of the election. We have a big naval buildup in the Persian Gulf, and we could strike Iran anytime.
The attack on Iran seems inevitable. The question is when? Maybe if I turn up the radio at night, I won’t hear the first thud, so I’ll be asleep before the second one. The suspense is terrible.
We live in interesting times, what with a looming Israel/Iran war, maybe triggering a wider Middle East war, and the imminent collapse of the EURO. I think I may sell everything and buy an underground bunker full of 5 years worth of baked beans. (The bunker would need to be well ventilated)
Perhaps as well that Iran is Shia, the minority Muslim sect. Much as the others hate Israel, can’t see the Saudis supporting the Iranians in any practical way.
Are the Israelis being realistic about the timescale? Israel is one of the world’s foremost military powers but it is such a small isolated country that it has very limited capacity for a prolonged conflict. If that happens the US woud get sucked in.
Israel’s wars have always been short, they pounce with devastating force and accuracy, so no doubt they’re aware of the need to get things done quickly. But then, the possibility of a prolonged war is why they have nukes. Nukes get things done quickly. If they were attacked with overwhelming force, I’ve no doubt they’d use nukes to reverse the tide.
The Saudis would never attack Israel unless we here were already prostrate. We have a protection treaty with Saudi Arabia and we supply most of their arms. If they violate that treaty, we can take over Saudi Arabia the way the British once did.