"Seven countries in five years" to advance the cause of Greater Israel

The phrase "seven countries in five years" refers to an alleged post-9/11 U.S. Department of Defense plan to destabilize or overthrow specific governments in the Middle East and North Africa. This claim was popularized by retired U.S. Army General 

Wesley Clark

, who stated that a senior military officer showed him a classified memo in 2001 detailing this strategy. 

While Clark’s original account focused on U.S. foreign policy and neoconservative influence within the Bush administration, some critics and analysts link this plan to the "Greater Israel" project—an ideological vision of an expanded Israeli state. 

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The "Seven Countries" Plan

According to General Wesley Clark, the 2001 Pentagon memo outlined a five-year campaign to "take out" the following seven countries:

1. Iraq
2. Syria
3. Lebanon
4. Libya
5. Somalia
6. Sudan
7. Iran
    (to be "finished off" last) 

Clark argued that this strategy was a "policy coup" by hardline officials, such as Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz, who sought to remake the Middle East without a national dialogue or clear link to the 9/11 attacks. 

Connection to "Greater Israel"

The "Greater Israel" (Eretz Yisrael Hashlema) project is a Zionist ideology suggesting a Jewish state that extends beyond current borders, historically described by some as stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. Modern interpretations of this link to the "seven countries" claim through several frameworks: 

• The Yinon Plan (1982): Authored by Israeli strategist Oded Yinon, this document advocated for the fragmentation of Arab states into smaller, sectarian entities to ensure Israel's regional dominance. It specifically called for the dissolution of 
  Iraq
  , 
  Syria
  , and 
  Lebanon
   along ethnic and religious lines.
• A Clean Break (1996): A report prepared for Benjamin Netanyahu by U.S. neoconservatives (including Richard Perle and Douglas Feith) that suggested a new strategy for Israel, including the removal of Saddam Hussein and the containment of 
  Syria
   and 
  Lebanon
  .
• Neoconservative Influence: Analysts like Jeffrey Sachs argue that these strategies were integrated into U.S. foreign policy after 9/11, effectively using American military power to advance regional goals that aligned with expansionist Israeli interests. 

Recent Regional Context

The concept of "Greater Israel" has seen renewed attention due to recent statements and military actions: 

• Official Statements: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly stated a desire for Israel to expand "little by little" to include Palestinian territories, 
  Jordan
  , 
  Lebanon
  , 
  Egypt
  , and parts of 
  Syria
  .
• The "Seven Fronts" Narrative: In 2024, Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials described Israel as fighting a war on seven fronts: 
  Iran
  , 
  Gaza
  , 
  Lebanon
  , 
  Yemen
  , 
  Syria
  , 
  Iraq
  , and the West Bank. Some observers view this as a continuation of the long-term regional destabilization strategy described by Clark.
• Geopolitical Maps: In 2024, Netanyahu drew international criticism for presenting a map at the UN that showed Israel encompassing all of historic Palestine, which some regional leaders interpreted as a sign of expansionist intent. 

How many "Israel-first" believers are in America?

While there is no official census for "Israel-first" believers, the term is frequently used in current political discourse to describe Americans—primarily Christian Zionists—who believe that supporting the state of 

Israel

 is a theological or moral imperative that should be a non-negotiable priority in U.S. policy. 

Population Estimates (2026)

Estimates of this group vary based on how strictly the "Israel-first" or Zionist ideology is defined:

• Broad Adherents: Recent academic estimates suggest there are more than 30 million Christian Zionists in the United States. Some research papers place the broader range of Americans with these foundational beliefs as high as 20 to 50 million.
• Formal Membership: Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the largest pro-Israel organization in the U.S., reports a membership of over 11 million as of 2026.
• Committed Activists: Analysts suggest that while tens of millions hold these beliefs, only a few million are "fully signed up" to the intensive political, military, and religious activism associated with the movement. 

Demographic & Belief Breakdown

• Primary Base: The majority of these believers are found in evangelical and fundamentalist churches, particularly in the "Bible Belt" (southeast and south-central U.S.).
• Theological Foundation: Most of these adherents believe in dispensationalism—the idea that the return of Jewish people to their ancestral homeland is a prerequisite for biblical end-times prophecies and the second coming of Christ.
• Biblical Conviction: As of late 2025, approximately 70% of White evangelicals believe that God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people, a conviction that often translates into "Israel-first" political stances.
• Comparison to Jewish Population: There are significantly more Christian Zionists in the U.S. than there are Jewish people. Estimates for the American Jewish population in 2026 hover around 7.5 to 7.6 million. 

Current Support Trends

While the core "Israel-first" constituency remains a formidable voting bloc, especially among older Republicans, overall U.S. public support for Israel has seen a decline in early 2026. 

• Approval Rating: Only 32% of Americans approved of Israel's ongoing military actions as of late 2025.
• Generational Shift: Support remains high among older groups (77% among those over 65), but has dropped significantly among younger cohorts, where only 40% of Republicans under 44 sympathize more with Israelis than Palestinians. 

Mexico

https://x.com/i/status/2025629594242416908

Major events are unfolding in Jalisco state, Mexico: Here’s what we know so far: 1.CJNG leader “El Mencho” Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes was reportedly killed in Jalisco during a military operation. 2.Some are reporting that it was a joint U.S. and Mexican Special Forces operation. (Not confirmed) 3.His reported elimination triggered immediate cartel retaliation across Jalisco. 4.CJNG members are kiIIing police, setting vehicles, buses, and structures on fire in multiple cities including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. 5.Armed gunmen are attacking areas around Guadalajara International Airport, causing panic and major disruption. 6.Road blockages and coordinated criminal activity spread across the region. 7.Air Canada temporarily suspends flights to and from Puerto Vallarta 8.The U.S. Embassy issued a security alert urging Americans to shelter in place in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León. 9.A NOTAM over Tapalpa, Jalisco restricting flights within a 10 NM radius up to 22,000 ft until February 23

Trouble in Mexico -- major alert, most-wanted drug king-pin killed

 

As of February 22, 2026, 

Mexico

 is in a state of high alert following a major military operation that killed the country's most-wanted drug kingpin. 

Current Security Crisis

• Death of "El Mencho": The Mexican army confirmed today that they killed 
  Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes
  , the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in the western state of 
  Jalisco
  .
• Active "Code Red": In immediate retaliation, cartel members have launched widespread attacks across 
  Jalisco
   and neighboring states.
  • Blockades: Major highways are blocked by burning buses and trucks.
  • Resort Disruptions: In 
    Puerto Vallarta
    , tourists were evacuated or ordered to shelter in place as violence reached the city and its airport.
  • Travel Alert: The U.S. Department of State has issued an urgent security alert for 
    Jalisco
    , 
    Tamaulipas
    , 
    Michoacán
    , 
    Guerrero
    , and 
    Nuevo León
    , advising citizens to shelter in place until further notice. 

Status of Major Cartels

• Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG): Despite the loss of its leader, the CJNG remains one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations. It recently issued threats to attack U.S. Border Patrol agents with weaponized drones in response to a border crackdown.
• Sinaloa Cartel: The organization has been significantly weakened by internal infighting following the loss of top leaders "
  El Mayo" Zambada
   and the sons of "El Chapo" (the Chapitos), most of whom are now in U.S. custody.
• Weaponization of Technology: Cartels have dramatically increased their use of aerial drones for surveillance and dropping explosives on security forces. 

Government & International Context

• Shift in Strategy: President Claudia Sheinbaum has abandoned the previous "hugs, not bullets" approach for a more aggressive offensive, partly to head off threats of U.S. military intervention.
• Extraditions: In a show of cooperation, Mexico recently extradited 37 members of organized crime to the U.S..
• U.S. Designations: In early 2025, the U.S. officially designated the major Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). 

Major media outlets are currently providing extensive coverage of the security crisis in Mexico following the death of 

Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes

 on February 22, 2026. 

Key News Coverage Highlights

• Breaking Reports: The New York Times and The Washington Post are providing real-time updates on the military operation in 
  Tapalpa, Jalisco
  , which "decapitated" the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
• Violence and Retaliation: The Guardian and Reuters have documented "narco-roadblocks" across five states—Jalisco, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Tamaulipas—using burned-out buses and trucks to impede federal forces.
• Airport Chaos: Several outlets, including Times of India and Hindustan Times, are reporting significant disruption at 
  Guadalajara International Airport
   and in 
  Puerto Vallarta
  , where U.S. airlines have canceled flights due to nearby gunfire and violence.
• Drone Conflict: Fox News and CNN recently highlighted a separate, escalating issue: the use of weaponized drones by cartels near the U.S. border, which led to a 10-day airspace closure in El Paso earlier this month after a cartel drone incursion.
• Political Context: The Wall Street Journal notes that the operation is a major win for President 
  Claudia Sheinbaum
  , signaling an aggressive shift in strategy to appease the Trump administration, which has threatened direct military intervention in Mexico. 

Recent Major Reports

• PBS News: Covered the extradition of 37 cartel members to the U.S. as part of a renewed cooperation effort.
• WOLA: Detailed the deployment of anti-drone laser weapons by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to counter cartel surveillance drones.