Mdd – the kings of malchus beis dovid were all from the command of Hashem that kings should come from him. In malchus yisroel, yeravam was made king by a navi, but only some wrested power through takeovers; they all had the din of a melech nevertheless.
Where did you get that all food was under the “hashgocha” of ovadia?
Smerel, it’s the simple chain of events. They only assembled an army after haman was defeated and mordechai was made viceroy. It was clear that the gezerah was batul and the king expressly told them to be omed al nafsham. In such a case, when we have Hashems favor we are assured victory, and not one Jew died.
Aaq, gedolim have cheshbonos for things – we know from people who were there at the time how the chofetz chaim felt about rabbi kook, going so far as to nock his name upon hearing that the latter had praised the mechalelei Shabbos soccer players.
It could be the chofetz chaim did address zionists at some point in writing; I’m not familiar.