The arms race in the Middle East is now officially out of control.  As if tensions in that region were not high enough, there are now reports that Hezbollah is stockpiling chemical and biological weapons near Israel’s border, that Syria is about to start receiving MiGs from Russia and that Iran has developed systems that can now intercept stealth cruise missiles.

In a region where it seems like war is almost always ready to erupt, this is really, really bad news.

According to DEBKA, European intelligence sources have recently indicated that Hezbollah has received and is stockpiling a supply of chemical shells and short-range missiles with chemical warheads.  These types of shells and warheads can do much, much more damage to a civilian population than the rockets that were fired into Israel during previous conflicts.

When you couple this news with the previous report that Hezbollah has stockpiled over 40,000 rockets near the border of Israel, this all becomes very ominous. 

Not only that, but according to DEBKA’s sources,  Hezbollah is about to receive biological weapons as well.  The amount of devastation that a terrorist organization can achieve with just a few of those is mind blowing. 

One of DEBKA’s sources describes the new Hezbollah as “bad guys with good strategic vision.”

If that wasn’t bad enough, a Russian newspaper is reporting that Russia has agreed to sell advanced MiG fighter jets to Syria but has not yet begun delivering the planes.

If this is true, and there is no reason to believe that it is not, then this would totally change the air superiority equation in the Middle East.  Up until now, the Israeli air force has always been vastly superior to the Syrians, but this would equal things up significantly.

One Israeli defense official put it this way in the Jerusalem Post: “If Syria gets new MiG-31s, this will pose a definite threat to our air force.”

Not only that, but there are several troubling reports about Iran’s military buildup.

Firstly, Iran is now claiming that it has developed weapons systems that are able to intercept stealth cruise missiles.  If this is true (and they are prone to exaggeration) then this substantially upgrades Iran’s defensive capabilities.

Secondly, DEBKA is reporting that Iran is now closer then ever to being able to produce a nuclear bomb.  According to DEBKA, Iran will have stockpiled enough high-grade enriched uranium for two nuclear bombs by February 2010.

Will Israel wait that long to strike?

Only time will tell.

Lastly, there are now rumors that the cargo ship that was hijacked and subsequently disappeared in the Arctic Sea was carrying S-300 missiles bound for Iran.

S-300 missiles are Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft weapon, and if they had gotten to Russia it would have seriously made it much more difficult for Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Thus there are rumors that seem to be very persistent that Israel may have been involved in the disappearance of the Russian cargo ship.

In fact, one anonymous source told a U.K. newspaper that in the event of a strike on Iran’s nuclear installations, S-300 missiles would likely increase Israeli casualties by up to 50 percent.

So what does all this mean?

It means that both sides are getting ready for something.  A major war in the Middle East is closer now than it has been in ages, and if something is not done this seething cauldron of tension is likely to boil over.

Let’s hope that does not happen any time soon.

Has the United States now decided to that they are going to allow Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear program?  If new remarks from Vice President Joe Biden are to be taken seriously, then that indeed appears to be the case.

In a stunning new interview with ABC’s George Stephanoupolos, vice president Joe Biden stated the following: “Look, Israel can determine for itself — it’s a sovereign nation — what’s in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else.”

In response, Stephanoupolos asked whether Israel can do what they want whether or not the U.S. agrees with that course of action.

Joe Biden’s response?

“Whether we agree or not.”

Subsequently, Biden also added this: 

“And so there are separate issues. If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice. ”

Stephanopoulos sought to clarify this point by asking this question:

“But just to be clear here, if the Israelis decide Iran is an existential threat, they have to take out the nuclear program, militarily the United States will not stand in the way?”

In response, Biden answered this way:

“Look, we cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do.

This was the very first time that an Obama administration official has publicly left the door open for an Israeli military strike against Iran’s nuclear sites.

In addition, there are now reports circulating in the mainstream media that Saudi Arabia has agreed to turn a blind eye to Israeli warplanes flying over their territory in a raid on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Officially, these reports are being denied, but they are very intriguing.

You see, Saudi Arabia would not be too thrilled with Iran getting their hands on nuclear weapons.  Saudi Arabia is a Sunni Muslim nation, while Iran is the largest Shiite Muslim nation in the world.  There is a long history of violence between Sunnis and Shiites.  While both sects of Islam believe in Islamic world dominance, both are also deeply committed to seeing their own particular “brand” of Islam triumph in the end.

Therefore, Saudi Arabia has a vested interest in making sure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

So, it appears that everything is starting to line up for an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear program.

The truth is that Israel never intended to let Iran acquire nuclear weapons.

Nor should they.

Let us just hope that when they do strike that it will not spark a larger war.