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2012
A YEAR OF FEAR ?
AFTER 2011 — a year of horrific earthquakes, floods, fires, tornados, and
other disasters; a year of economic turmoil in Europe, the US and other
countries; a year of uprisings, revolutions and violent protests; a year of
political and international tension — one would hope for a better year ahead.
It couldn’t get much worse, could it?
Well it could! What about a world war?
2012 exhibited some beautiful fireworks around the globe, before taking
up the carry-over dramas of the past year – the financial bankruptcies; Iran on
the brink of nuclear weapons; US-IRAN confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz;
the Syrian “Spring” war that could ignite the whole region; the Palestinian
sparring with Israel; the Pakistan-American-Afghanistan impasse; Nations in
uproar; Terrorism back on the beat; Occupiers back on the street; and Doomsday
around the corner!
In the Mideast,
the battle for the Temple Mount continues, and the Jews are blamed for all the
troubles in the world. The news is filled with horrifying portents of an
approaching war in Israel, and worse, a nuclear world war.
The battle for
control of Syria is fierce and bloody – nearly 6,000 dead; and with the chances
for democratic freedom about as remote as it is
in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood is in a leading position.
An oil war is imminent as EU countries prepare to
impose an oil ban on Iran. Tehran promises to retaliate by blocking the Strait
of Hormuz – to prevent oil containers plying the vital route – and thus to
bring chaos to Western, and other nations.
An exercise in
brinkmanship in the Persian/Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, between Iran
and the US, has brought the world very close to the brink of an abyss. Iran is
warning US military ships not to enter the Persian Gulf. The US dismisses
Iran’s threats. So we will watch and
see if the US will attack Iran. If it doesn’t, Israel surely will – sooner or
later! But indications at present
suggest the US and Israel may unite to strike the rogue regime.
The American pull-out from Iraq has left Iraq in a state of
shambles. Now a new stage of conflict between Shias and Sunnis is developing.
But Kurdistan is also a region to watch, not only in relation to the rest of
Iraq, but also vis-a-vis Turkey, Syria, and Iran. Scripture indicates that the
Kurds (the ancient Medes) will become a very significant force in the
endtimes. (Jeremiah 51:11, 27-28)
 The Eurozone is an expanding crisis. The euro is
cracking, and the economic, political and social outlook
for 2012 is profoundly negative. The
almost universal consensus, even among mainstream orthodox economists is
pessimistic regarding the world economy.
Throughout
the nations, persecution of Christians continues. Christians in North Nigeria
have been severely attacked, threatened, and told to get out of the
region.
In
Western nations, the God-given institutions of marriage and the family are
being eroded and attacked; and Christians are increasingly portrayed as the
cause of social unrest, the source of intolerance, and a main obstruction to a
new world of peace and prosperity.
Apart from the
threats of terrorism, wars, natural disasters and economic collapse, there is a
fear gripping the world due to the ...
“2012 DOOMSDAY SCENARIO” 
The creators of
the movie, “2012,” which has been
viewed by millions of people over the last two years, have capitalised on
perceptions of the Mayan calendar, as well as a host of non-Biblical
prophecies, and messages received by new age gurus, from “the Ascended
Masters.”
The film features
the explosion of the Yellowstone Caldera, the
largest super-volcano in the US. The earth’s surface begins to break up,
and other disasters follow. Then there is a race for a few hundred select survivors
to reach the snow-
bound mountains of
Tibet to take their place on one of several “arks” that were built to withstand
the tsunamis, and then sail into the new world.
The film and all
the hype have created an expectation for the end of the current world order,
and the emergence of a new age. Signs
in the universe, sun flares, planetary alignments, extra-terrestrials, and
threatening rogue planets, as well as some Biblical prophecies have all been
added to the mix to produce frightening doomsday predictions.
Amateur
soothsayers of every stripe are excited about the mystical potential of the
year 2012. In decades past, as archaeologists began to decipher Mayan
pictographs, they discovered the famous “long count” calendar. It features a
5,126-year cycle, which began in 3,114 BC. It is divided into 394-year periods
called “Baktuns,” the 13th of which ends on December 21st of our year,
2012.
THE MAYAN CALENDAR
Apparently,
because the Mayans considered the number 13 to be sacred, the completion of this
grand 13th cycle has been projected as the fulfilment of an era, and a climax
of the age. However, archaeological experts who can read their ancient pagan
hieroglyphs insist that the Mayans themselves,
never prophesied that the end of this cycle would portend anything specific.
But even though
they never predicted any event, the temptation to connect world events to the
end of the 13th Baktun was too great to ignore. Enthusiastic “prophets”
felt that this date marked something significant … perhaps the return of the
Mayan’s serpent-god Kukulkan.
Some gurus,
following 2,000 years of Messianic hope fostered by the Christian church, have
stated that another Mayan god – Bolan Yokte – would return to save
human-ity. Amazingly, some of them even link Christ with this strange Mayan
god! They say that Bolan Yokte was the Mayan revelation of Jesus! Such
blasphemies abound among “spiritualists.” To them, the end of the Mayan
calendar constitutes the fulfilment of major prophecy.
“New Age” gurus
claim to have knowledge about massive shifts in the Solar System that are about
to take place. Earth, they say, is about to be bombarded with cataclysmic
transformation, including changes to the Earth’s tilt, orbit, and continental
plate tectonics. Some believe that only the intervention of “gods from outer
space” can save us. In fact, their expectations are a confusing counterfeit of the Messianic teaching of the
Holy Bible.
CAN
WE EXPECT CATACLYISMS IN 2012 ?
There is no
Biblical prophecy that indicates 2012 will be the year of the climax of the
age. And we should not put any weight on the Dec 21, 2012 doomsday expectation.
But, if we are
indeed close to the Biblical endtimes, as many of us believe we are, we can
expect to see an increase of all types of disasters, wars and deteriorating
social conditions. We know that the Day of Yahweh the LORD is drawing nearer
every day.
Bible-believers
shouldn’t be surprised at the way world events are pointing toward an
extraordinary chain of events. Y’shua the Messiah, (Jesus), told His disciples
that disasters would happen at the end of the age.
And after all, for
decades, preachers have been saying that we’re living in the end times and that
“Jesus is coming soon!” Given this proclamation, it would be strange if normal,
calm conditions still prevailed. Y’shua told the disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon earth
despair among nations, with perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men's hearts will faint from
terror, being apprehensive of what is coming upon
the world; for the very powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25, 26)
This prophecy will
be fully fulfilled in the Great Tribulation. What we see at present is a
precursor, a runner up - a foretaste of the Tribulation. And this year we can
expect more horrific events like we saw in 2011, and quite likely, worse. But
don’t forget the words of Y’shua our Master:
“When these things begin to take place, straighten yourselves
and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
We are drawing
near to the end of the present age; but not to
the end of the world!
Here’s a timely
message on 2012, from the Prophetic
Witness Movement, UK. (Many thanks PWMI).
2012 — and the END OF
OUR WORLD ?
Will you bother doing any Christmas shopping in 2012? For some people
that would be a pointless exercise because
they are expecting the world to end four days before Christmas - or, at best, come
close to an end. There are a number of
factors for this belief, most notably …
THE MAYAN CALENDAR
According to an ancient civilization in South America called the Maya, the date 21 Dec., 2012 marks the end of an important cycle for planet Earth. The Maya were, by some accounts, very skilful
astronomers and mathematicians, who accurately
predicted cycles of the planets and
weather patterns.
Others believe that their predictions came via occult sources. A trip to the British Museum in London will certainly convince anyone who doubts that they were involved in the most disturbing forms of spirit worship. There stone engravings portray their audiences with these beings.
But however the Maya came by their information, their calendar of world history (known as the Long Count) has aroused speculation that it spells doom for our planet in 2012. Mixing this belief with a cocktail of other doomsday scenarios, have caused some sources
to predict the worst possible outcome.
BUT WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
On the authority of the Bible we can say for sure that the world
will not end on this day or immediately after it. There are a number of reasons why this is the case, but let us give you just two of them which will suffice.
1. There are at least 1007
years of history left to be fulfilled
according to Bible Prophecy.
The Scriptures reveal that the Lord Jesus Christ
will reign on the earth for 1000 years when
He returns at His Second Coming. This period
of time, often called 'The Millennium',
is prophesied in Revelation 20 where
verse four says:
"And they lived and reigned with Christ for a
thousand years."
Obviously if that is to happen, the world cannot end in 2012.
'What about the other 7 years?' Well, those are the years of 'The Tribulation' - a period of terrible judgment which will come on the earth before Jesus Christ returns to
establish His kingdom. Certainly some extremely bad
things will happen in that time of
Tribulation, as prophesied in the book of Revelation (some of which make
the 2012 predictions look like a picnic!), but the world doesn't end then.
Rather, the world will still be here when the Lord Jesus returns at the end of those 7 years; when He comes back to reign for 1000 years.
So these 1007 years that are prophesied in the Bible totally undermine
the notion that the world will end in 2012.
2. The
Lord Jesus has warned us against the setting of dates
The Lord Jesus warned His disciples about setting dates in prophetic matters. Although we are to be watchful and discerning of the times, He said:
"Heaven and
earth will pass away... But of that day and hour no one knows, not even
the angels of heaven, but My Father only." (Matthew 24:35-36).
This is an important Scripture as it
tells us "no one knows" the date of these events - the coming of the Lord and the end of the age—not
even the Maya! If their information
did come from occult sources, as we
suspect, then even those spirit beings do not have access to this
un-revealed information, though they may
claim they do. Jesus said, "not even the angels of heaven” know the actual time ... and that includes fallen angels and evil spirits!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN?
Let us be clear, we are not saying that bad things won't happen in 2012. In fact, the Bible's teaching suggests that they probably will. Jesus spoke of the time leading up to His return as
containing ...
“great earthquakes in various places, and
famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful
sights and great signs from heaven." (Luke 21:11)
Some of these things could very easily happen in the times around 2012. However, as we have already shown, this will not be the end of the world.
The biggest danger for 2012 (and beyond) is actually deception. Some may well use the fearful days we are living in for their own corrupt ends. This could include both religious and
political deception as the Bible warns of both in the last days. We
need to come to a greater knowledge of
truth from the Bible so we can both test and resist the deceptions. In
the book called 'First John' (at the back end of the Bible), it says:
"Beloved, do not
believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world
...." (1 John 4:l)
Do you know the Scriptures well enough to do
this? To test the things that are spoken? If not, let us urge you to get a
reliable translation of the Bible and start studying
it today.
We would also encourage you to attend a Bible-believing
church where they teach it properly every
week. Our own prophecy meetings will help you understand more about the end times, as will our monthly journal
and website. To learn more about these
resources you only have to contact the address
at the end of this leaflet. We'll be happy
to help. Please visit:
www.pwmi.org
THERE’S ANOTHER “END” TO PREPARE FOR !
Although the world will not end in 2012, our own
personal world could end at any time. What do we mean? Just this: every day people die. They pass from this life into eternity and their lives here on earth end. When that happens, the Bible tells us that they either go to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus, or they go
to hell to face God's punishment for the things they have done.
To save us from going to hell the Lord Jesus came and died on the cross and then rose again. He took the punishment that
we deserve so that we could be forgiven. His own words were these:
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)
Again the Bible says, "whoever calls on the Name of the Lord
shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Dear reader, if you do not know the Lord Jesus as
your Saviour, please seek the Lord
with great urgency today. Don’t put off the matter of your salvation. Believe
in the Lord Jesus; pray to Him,
expressing your faith in Him, and asking for His salvation, forgiveness and the
gift of everlasting life that He offers to you. Then you will be ready for the end of
your life on earth, whenever it comes. The Lord Jesus will fulfil His word and
save you. Please don't put off your response
to the Saviour any longer.
PRAYER FOR SALVATION
Lord Jesus, I
come before You today, just as I am, a sinner needing salvation. I have read
this message, and I have come to understand that You came from Heaven to save
sinners like me.
Confessing my
own unworthiness, Lord Jesus, I thank You for the great sacrifice You made,
when You endured the cross, and paid the penalty of my sins. I believe You are indeed the Messiah, the
Saviour, and that You rose from the dead, ascended to Heaven, and are seated on
the Throne of Eternity.
I believe in
You, Master, and I trust You for salvation, for forgiveness and eternal life. I
receive You as my Saviour and Master, and by Your grace and strength, I want to
live for You from this day on. Thank You for your love and salvation. Make me
like You, Master.
Thank You, O
God, Heavenly Father, thank You so much for receiving me as Your child. Thank
You.
In the Name of
Your eternal Son, Jesus my Saviour, I pray.
Amen.
MANY VERY OMINOUS SIGNS
THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WILL BE
MORE DIFFICULT THAN 2011
Do you believe
that 2012 will be more difficult for the global economy than 2011 was? Well, that is what German Chancellor Angela
Merkel believes. The woman that has become the most important politician in
Europe, recently declared that “2012 will no doubt be more difficult than
2011."
The funny thing is
that Merkel has generally been one of the most optimistic public figures in
Europe throughout the financial crisis. But now, even she is openly admitting
that 2012 is going to be a really, really bad
year.
And another bad news quote from Angela Merkel:
“EUROZONE CRISIS WILL TAKE
'YEARS' TO SOLVE”
 DEC
2/11. The German Chancellor has dismissed talk that the EU summit will bring
about a definitive solution to the eurozone crisis, saying it will take years
to overcome the single currency's problems.
Assuming her now familiar role of dampener-in-chief of expectations,
Merkel said, "There are no simple or quick solutions nor is there the
alleged final shot that some talk about before each summit. That is not how I
speak or think about the issue."
Getting on top of the sovereign debt crisis will "take years"
said the chancellor, with the ultimate goal being a "fiscal union"
whose members would be bound by enforceable laws on budget discipline which
would contain an "effective instrument for crisis cases."
She said there is "no getting around" a change to the European
treaties or establishing new treaties among eurozone members. Well ... come January …
MERKEL,
SARKOZY MEET TO DRAFT FISCAL RULES
JAN 9/12. The
German Chancellor and French President plan to drive forward their agenda for
stricter budget rules as they seek to craft a master plan for rescuing the euro
over the next three months.
Merkel and Sarkozy
have sponsored a plan to draw up new fiscal guidelines by March to resolve a crisis that began in Greece
more than two years ago. As the contagion moves to the euro-area’s core, policy
makers are struggling to persuade investors they can contain the risk and
assure the single currency’s survival.
Now listen to the
other lady on the Beat …
CHRISTINE LAGARDE 
WARNS
“GLOBAL ECONOMY THREATENED”
DEC 25/11. The head
of the International Monetary Fund said the world economy was in danger and
urged Europeans to speak with one voice on a debt crisis that has rattled the
global financial system.
Christine Lagarde said the IMF's 4% growth forecast for the
world economy in 2012 could be revised downward. "The world economy is in
a dangerous situation," she told France's Journal du Dimanche. The debt crisis,
which continues into 2012 after the European Union summit on December 9 only temporarily
calmed markets, "is a crisis of confidence in public debt and in the solidity of the
financial system."
The European leaders drafted a new treaty for deeper
economic integration in the euro zone, but it is not certain that the accord
will stem the debt crisis, which began in Greece in 2009, and now threatens
France and even economic powerhouse Germany.
"The December 9 summit wasn't detailed enough on
financial terms and was too complicated on fundamental principles. It would be
useful for Europeans to speak with a single voice and announce a simple and
detailed time-table," Lagarde said. "Investors are waiting for it.
Grand principles don't impress. Part of the problem has been protectionism - 'everyone for themselves'.”
Emerging countries, which had been growth engines for the
world economy before the crisis, have also been affected, Lagarde said, citing
China, Brazil and Russia. "These countries, which were the engines, will
suffer from instability factors."
In January, Legarde said …
“THE
CRISIS WILL DRAG ON”
JAN
6/12. The euro will not "vanish" this year, but problems within the
eurozone remain and will slow down the global economy, the IMF chief said as
the common currency hit a new record low.
$6.3
TRILLION WIPED OFF MARKETS IN 2011
Almost $6,300,000,000,000 was erased from global stock
markets last year as the eurozone financial crisis reverberated across the
world in the latter half of 2011, calling into question the future of the
world's largest currency bloc. - Financial Times
CONFIDENCE
EBBS IN GREECE'S ABILITY TO STAY IN
EURO
JAN 9/12. Experts in Germany as well as the Czech Republic
are losing faith that Greece will be able to stay in the euro despite its
multi-billion euro bail-outs.
SPAIN
MAY REQUEST EU & IMF LOANS
It has been reported that Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy’s government is
considering applying for loans from the European Union’s rescue fund and the
International Monetary Fund to finance the restructuring of the country’s financial industry.
U.S.
DEBT IS NOW EQUAL TO ECONOMY
JAN 7/12. The soaring national debt has reached a symbolic
tipping point: It's now as big as the entire United States’ economy.
The amount of money the federal government owes to its
creditors, combined with IOUs to government retirement and other programs, now
tops $15.23 trillion.
That's roughly equal to the value of all goods and services
the US economy produces in one year: $15.17 trillion as of last September, the
latest estimate. Private projections showed the economy would grow to about
$15.3 trillion by Dec. — a level the debt is likely to surpass this month.
The 100% ratio (debt to GDP) means that the entire debt is
as big as everything that’s produced in the country.
Long-term projections suggest the debt will continue to grow faster than
the economy, which would have to expand by at least 6% a year to keep pace.
President Obama's 2012 budget shows the debt soaring past
$26 trillion in just a decade from now.
SOME
HARD FACTS ABOUT THE U S ECONOMY
# A staggering 48%
of all Americans are either considered to be "low income" or are
living in poverty.
# One recent survey found that 77% of all US small
businesses do not plan to hire any more workers.
# Right now, spending
by the federal government accounts for about 24% of GDP. Back in 2001, it
accounted for just 18%.
# For fiscal year 2011, the US federal government had a
budget deficit of nearly 1.3 trillion dollars. That was the third year in a row that our budget
deficit has topped one trillion dollars.
# If Bill Gates gave every single penny of his fortune to
the US government, it would only cover the budget deficit for about 15 days.
# Amazingly, the US government has now accumulated a total
debt of over $15 trillion. When
Barack Obama first took office the national debt was just $10.6 trillion.
# If the federal government began right at this moment to
repay the US national debt at a rate of one dollar per second, it would take
over 440,000 years to pay off the
national debt.
# The US national debt has been increasing by an average of
more than 4 billion dollars per day
since the beginning of the Obama administration.
# During the three years of the Obama administration, the US
government accumulated more debt than it did from the time when George
Washington took office in 1789, to the time that Bill Clinton took office in
1993 - that’s 204 years.
AUSTRALIA’S
NATIONAL DEBT
According
to the Australian debtclock.com.au, The Australian government debt is
increasing by $1000 per second — $77 million a day, $2.3 billion a month, $27.6
billion a year, and it now stands at around $144 billion. By the end of this
year it will be $170 billion, and by the end of the current government’s term
next year, the debt should be around $200 billion.
 GLOBAL
OUTLOOK PESSIMISTIC
The almost universal consensus, even among mainstream
orthodox economists is pessimistic regarding the world economy. Where is it all going? How bad is it?What
are the possibilities?
RECESSION
?
DOUBLE
DIP RECESSION ?
DEPRESSION
?
ECONOMIC
COLLAPSE ?
Recession means hard times, severe unemployment. Double dip recession is a second recession
after some recovery. It means even harder times.
Depression means desperate times, soup kitchens, bank crashes,
mass suicides.
Economic collapse means anarchy, widespread
crime, protests, rebellion, poverty, starvation, bartering or stealing for
food, disease, corruption and dictatorship.
Many
nations have been experiencing recession over the last few years. The fear now is of double dip recession in
many economies. Violent protests are taking place in response to austerity
measures being introduced by desperate regimes.
There
is fear that the EURO currency, which has been adopted by 17 European
countries, and is under pressure, could be further weakened and fail as a united
currency. There is fear about the European Union breaking up, and there’s a
call for revamping treaties, and imposing new tough federal fiscal measures to
hold the Union together. There’s fear also about Germany’s dominant role in all
of this. Behind it all there are the preparations for setting up the
Antichrist’s Revived Roman Empire.
And
there is fear of economic collapse in certain nations that are entangled in
hopeless indebtedness. And there is
fear of increasing Globalisation, and “Big Brother” exerting control over the
people and the nations.
 A
READER ASKS
Earlier
this month I received a letter from an elderly sister in Asia who is worried
about travelling in these disturbing times.
She wrote:
Q. I am planning to visit my family in England in April 2012. Do you think
it is wise to go to Europe in view of the imminent financial crash? If there
will be no money, then I guess there will be no travelling for anyone.
A. Shalom (peace) to you in Y'shua. Sister, I don't think you should fear
going to UK in April. Although there is a lot of turbulence and threats in
Europe, I don't think there is a drastic economic collapse coming so soon.
There may be currency turbulence and hyper-inflation in some places. And there
are already, social upheavals in many nations, (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal,
Africa, Sth America, Asia and even in UK), but I would not put off your trip.
UK should be ok for some time, as it is still a strong nation and has its own
currency.
I think it would be wise for you to see your family
now, because each month the uncertainties are increasing. And try to make sure
that all your family members are saved — because time is fast running out!
A major war in the Middle East would be a real threat to the world economy, as it would
lead to oil prices skyrocketing — and that can bring all types of pressures affecting every type of business.
It can lead to airlines and other businesses going bust, and the skyrocketing
prices of goods due to transport costs.
The current Middle East situation looks very ominous
—Iran-Syria-Lebanon-Turkey-Israel-US-Europe-Russia. The conflict could break
out before you receive this Alert.
Or it can be kept simmering for months, or until World War 3.
A short but severe Arab-Israel war is expected before long. (See Psalm 83:1-8, and Zechariah 12:6-8). That
would cause some disruptions in the Middle East and bring steep oil price
increases. It would have limited
effects for the world — unless it engulfed much of the Middle East in the
conflict.
The world nuclear war, I believe, will be early in the 7-year
Tribulation — in the first year. That war will lead to the destruction of one
quarter of the world. I don’t expect to
be here that horrific time as Y’shua has promised to keep His people from the
Hour of Trial [Judgment] that’s coming on the whole world. - Revelation 3:10-11. That’s the Rapture! The blessed expectation of the church,
as we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:
“For the Master Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. Then the dead
in Christ - those who died with faith in the Messiah - shall rise first.
Then we, the living believers who remain, will simultaneously be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Master in the air. And
so we will be with the Master for ever.
Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words.” AMEN!
Many poorer nations are already struggling to ward off
depression-like conditions, and they manage to survive by IMF loans and
grants. But loans are usually given in
exchange for collateral. The borrower has to surrender anything of value to the
lender. This means the country gets into greater debt and bondage.
The financial crisis will not destroy money. There will need to be some
form of monetary exchange that is more convenient than bartering goods and services.
What the “insiders” are planning is a world currency - as part of the
New World Order. And it has become clear that it is likely to be a digital
radio-frequency system involving micro chips implanted into hands or foreheads.
We see signs of this developing already, but it may not come into full
operation until after the Rapture.
The new one-world money system will need to be in operation by the middle of the Tribulation
when the Antichrist’s new world order begins.
The ultimate global economic collapse is described in Revelation 18, and it will be in the
second half of the Tribulation.
The prophecy in James 5 indicates that the church will
see the beginning of the economic meltdown, for, after speaking of the corrosion of gold and
silver (the money system) in the last days, the prophecy gives a very
encouraging exhortation to believers:
“ Be patient, therefore,
brethren, until the coming of the Master. See how the farmer waits expectantly
for the precious 'fruit of the earth,' waiting patiently until the land
receives the early and late rains. You too be patient. Establish your hearts,
for the
coming of the Master is near.” (James
5:7-8)
So we are told to be patient until the coming of the
Lord. How close the coming is, we do not know. But with the increase of the
signs and indications that we are witnessing every day, the believer should be
looking up! And we should be redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
(Eph. 5:15-17). And be filled with
constant expectation!
THE MIDDLE EAST
PALESTINIANS
> < ISRAELI AFFAIRS
HAMAS
TO JOIN PLO
DEC 22/11.
Palestinian factions have taken a huge step towards reconciliation today. Hamas
Supreme Leader Khaled Mashaal met with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and they
agreed to join the executive board that oversees elections as part of the
Palestine Liberation Organization. The PLO has been the main body involved with
peace talks with Israel over the last 20 years.
Hamas is
classified as a terrorist organization by both the US and Israel; it refuses to
accept Israel’s right to exist, and has sworn to never negotiate a peace treaty
with the Jewish State.
The PLO represents
all Palestinians, not just those living in the disputed territories. PLO
elections include those living in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and elsewhere.
In addition to the
steps involving the PLO, the Palestinian
President Mahmoud
Abbas has called for local elections to choose the Parliament in the
territories. The last time elections were held, in 2006, Hamas swept in with a
huge majority of legislators.
HAMAS-FATAH
UNION MEANS “NO TALKS”
Israel’s PM
Binyamin Netanyahu says that if Hamas joins the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority
(PA) government, Israel will not be able to negotiate with the PA. Israel has
said in the past that they will not
negotiate with Hamas which is responsible for killing thousands of Israelis
through suicide bombings and have launched thousands of rockets into southern
Israel from the Gaza Strip.
The prime minister
said that if a PA state in Judea and Samaria is ever established, he is not
prepared to let it turn into "what happened in Gaza and
Lebanon." In both Lebanon and
Gaza, Israeli pull-outs in 2000 and 2005, respectively, created a vacuum that
was filled by Islamist terrorist groups Hizb’ullah and Hamas. – Arutz Sheva
Whether the major
Palestinian parties can truly pull together, remains to be seen. Within two
weeks of the above reconciliation, there were signs of it unravelling once
more. (The unity government fell apart in 2007 when Hamas waged a coup in Gaza,
and butchered their partners).
A day before the
new Israel-Palestinian meeting in Amman, (Jan 3), Hamas called on their
newly-made partners in the PLO and Palestinian Authority to boycott peace talks
with Israel, saying such negotiations have not succeeded in the past, and are
counter-productive. But the call was
ignored.
ISRAELI,
PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATORS MEET
JAN 4/12. Israeli
and PA representatives met in Amman to resume the beginning of face-to-face
negotiations after a 16-month prolonged gap in talks. Jordan’s King Abdullah hosted the meeting, having
zealously worked to kick start the peace process which the "Quartet"
has been actively promoting for months. The meeting ended with an agreement to
continue informal talks.
"We do not
want to raise our expectations at this stage, but we also do not want to
underestimate the importance of the meeting, which has brought the Palestinians
and Israelis face to face," said Jordanian FM Nasser Judeh.
The world was
pleased to see that Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molcho, and his Palestinian
counterpart Saeb Erakat, were at least able to agree to keep meeting.
Neither side went
to Amman with a desire to make concessions, though, and it's clear, Israel
wants the Palestinians to enter the talks without preconditions, but the PA
still wants the 1967 borders to be the basis of a two-state solution. In the
meanwhile, Israel, desperate for homes for people, has continued construction
in the settlements around Jerusalem, despite international calls for a building
freeze.
Israel has also
other serious issues including:
* PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting
with terrorists in Turkey not long before the meeting in Amman.
* The PA is also still holding unity
talks with Hamas which rejects Israel’s right to exist. Hamas is not interested
in peace with Israel. A Hamas spokesman called the talks a "farce, comedy
and a waste of time.” Hamas’ belligerence and its plan to sit in the united
Palestinian leadership will effectively squash peace negotiations.
Both sides,
Israeli and Palestinian, are supposed to offer their respective positions and
proposals to the Quartet by January 26.
We'll soon see what happens next.
COMMON
CONCERNS
When Hosni Mubarak
fell in Egypt, Abbas and Israel both lost their Egyptian support. Now, both are
turning to Jordan's King Abdullah II, who also has the friendship of the US.
There is one
concern that Israel, the PA, and Jordan all share: the rise of political Islam - the Muslim Brotherhood, and
Salafists - a result of the Arab Spring. "All three parties, Israel, the PA, and Jordan, are very much
concerned with the rise of Islamism, and that is part of what the present
meeting is about," said a political scientist at Al Quds University in
East Jerusalem.
HANIYEH
MEETS MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IN CAIRO 
DEC 27/11. Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader in Gaza, left Gaza in late
Dec. on official business for the first time since 2007, in an effort to gain
regional support for Gaza. He visited Egypt on the first leg of his Middle East
tour that would include Sudan, Tunisia,
Turkey and Bahrain.
Haniyeh visited
the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt where "Mohammed Badie,
MB leader, said, "The Brotherhood centre has always embraced issues of
liberation, foremost the Palestinian issue.”
Haniyeh explained,
''The Arab Spring has opened a wide horizon for us and we must take advantage
to promote the interests of our people.'' Hamas then warned Israel about making
Jerusalem its capital because such a move would “violate the Palestinian nation
and its rights.”
HANIYEH
IN TUNISIA
Speaking at a
rally in the Tunisian capital of Tunis, Haniyeh urged Arab Spring
revolutionaries to fight for an independent Palestine. AFP reported that
Haniyeh received an ovation from a crowd of some 5,000 men, women and children,
who gathered in a stadium waving PLO, Tunisian and Hamas flags.
Haniyeh was quoted
as saying: “Israel no longer has allies in Egypt and in Tunisia, and we are
saying to the Zionist enemies that times have changed and that the time of the
Arab Spring, the time of the revolution, of dignity and of pride has arrived.”
He added, “We
promise you that we will not cede a single part of Palestine; we will not cede
Jerusalem. We will continue to fight and will not lay down our arms.”
Haniyeh also urged
“the people of the revolution” to “fight the army of Al-Quds. To Tunisia we
say: ‘It is us today who are going to
build the new Middle East’.”
Then he insisted
once more that Hamas “will not recognize Israel,” as the crowd chanted, “Death
to Israel”, “The Tunisian revolution supports Palestine”, and “The army of
Mohammed is back.”
The next leg of
Haniyeh’s tour will be to Iran and Qatar.
HAMAS
PREDICTS SWEEPING VICTORY
DEC 27/11. Hamas co-founder
Mahmoud al-Zahar said that he expected the Islamic terror movement would
"win a sweeping victory" in upcoming PA legislative elections
scheduled for May. He is
confident Hamas will improve on their 2006 election victory, where they won 74
of an available 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Analysts say a
sweeping victory for Hamas in the
elections would
put the terrorist organisation firmly in control of PA enclaves in Judea and
Samara as well as Gaza. Such a scenario, they say, could force Israel to take
high-profile steps to dismantle the increasingly moribund Oslo Accords.
GEN BENNY GANTZ
“ISRAEL
WILL HAVE TO INVADE GAZA AGAIN”
DEC 28/11. Israeli
army chief, Gen. Benny Gantz says there is no alternative to another major military
ground operation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. A new Israeli offensive against
Gaza will be launched ''sooner or later'' and will be ''swift and painful,” he
warned.
"From time to
time, we face rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and we understand the continuing
buildup from the Sinai region," said Gantz.
"I believe
that the state of Israel cannot continue to live under the active threat of
Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Sooner or later, there will be no escape from
conducting a significant operation. The IDF knows how to operate in a
determined, decisive and offensive manner against terrorists in the Gaza
Strip.''
Gantz's remarks
came just hours after Israeli aircraft struck two Palestinian terror cells that
were en route to carry out attacks along Gaza's border fence. Gaza-based terror
groups responded by firing rockets at communities in southern Israel.
Shaul Mofaz, head
of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, warned that a more
substantial response to the mounting threat emanating from Gaza cannot be
sidestepped much longer.
"Israel needs
to respond differently to the violence coming from the Strip," said Mofaz.
"Not to occupy Gaza, but to act in a way that would cause terrorist
organizations to think twice before firing long-range missiles."
Palestinian
terrorists operating out of the Gaza Strip fired hundreds of mortars, rockets
and missiles into Israel in 2011. And that has been considered a “quiet year.”
With the terrorist
buildup in Sinai, Israel’s action in
Gaza will not be long delayed.
BASHAR
ASSAD
SYRIA – A STATE IN CIVIL WAR
In recent months,
Syria's conflict has turned increasingly violent as hundreds of soldiers and
officers defected from the Syrian army, and turned their weapons on the regime.
Some are working actively from across the borders in Lebanon and Turkey. And
many protesters have taken up arms to protect themselves.
Many Syrians have
fled to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan – nations that are alarmed by the prolonged
conflict.
Syria agreed in
December to an Arab League-brokered plan that calls for an end to the military
crackdown. Since then, about 165 Arab League monitors have been in Syria,
seeking to determine whether the regime is abiding by the plan to stop violence
and to pull heavy weapons out of the cities. They have witnessed some of the
atrocities, but are frustrated by the tricks of the regime, and are powerless
to influence the tragic events. And the killings have continued. The death toll
is now almost 6,000.
JAN 10/12. President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to respond to threats
against him with an "iron hand," and refused to step down, insisting
despite the 10-month-old uprising against him that he still has his people's
support.
Most of the world has condemned Assad’s brutal regime, but Iran, Russia
and Hizb’ullah remain as his chief supporters.
RUSSIA’S
SUPPORT TO SYRIA
DEC. 16/11.
Expanded Russian military and diplomatic support for the Assad regime was
underscored by the deployment of advanced Moscow-supplied Yakhont (SSN-26)
shore-to-sea missiles along Syria's Mediterranean shore to fend off a potential
Western-Turkish invasion by sea.
Russia also has
airlifted to Syria, 3 million face masks against chemical and biological
weapons. Furthermore, the Admiral
Kutznetsov carrier and strike group has spent several days at Syria's
Mediterranean port of Tartus.
Bible
Prophecy regarding Damascus
Most of my readers
will know of this prophecy in Isaiah.
But I repeat it as it very relevant today, and also because many new
readers may not be aware of this word …
“The oracle (divine
word) concerning Damascus. Look! Damascus is about to be removed from being
a city, and it will become a heap of ruins … The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus.” (Isaiah
17:1, 3)
This prophecy has
never been fulfilled. Syria’s capital, Damascus, is the world’s longest
continuously inhabited city. Despite Russia’s support, Damascus’ destruction
could occur at any time — before, or during, the Great Tribulation.
Many prophetic
eyes are on Syria and Damascus today!
A report in The
Australian, on Jan 13/12 announces …
US
and Turkey 'ready to strike Mid-East'
Russia
claimed last night that the US and Turkey were planning possible military
strikes on Iran and Syria.
The
prediction of a dramatic deterioration in the Middle East came as the US, EU
and Japan prepared to cut oil imports from Iran.
The
secretary of Russia's influential Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev,
predicted a US strike against Iran and possibly a Turkish strike against Syria.
"There
is a real danger of a US military strike on Iran," Mr Patrushev said.
"There is a likelihood of military escalation of the conflict, and Israel
is pushing the Americans towards it."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/us-and-turkey-ready-to-strike-mid-east-says-russia/story-e6frg6so-1226242991357
WARNING
OF “RIVERS OF BLOOD”
The last soldiers
of the US withdrawal from Iraq, departed on December 18, 2011.
DEC 25/11. Iraq's
Shi’ite PM, Nouri al-Maliki, renewed his objection to regions being formed on a
"sectarian basis." He has warned that efforts to create an autonomous
Sunni region within Iraq would divide the country and lead to "rivers of
blood."
His comments came
as a government crisis strained ties between Sunnis and Shias to the breaking
point.
Al-Maliki's
government has issued an arrest warrant for Sunni Vice President Tariq
al-Hashemi on what al-Hashemi says are trumped-up charges that he ran hit
squads against government officials.
Since al-Maliki
formed his government in Dec 2010, minority Sunnis have been complaining of
being marginalized by the Shi’ite-led government, prompting some Sunni
provinces - Salahuddin, Diyala and Anbar - to call for the creation of an
autonomous area similar to the northern Kurdish region.
Al-Maliki’s
comments comes a few days after a terrifying wave of Baghdad bombings killed 69
people and wounded nearly 200. The bombs tore through mostly Shi’ite
neighbourhoods of the Iraqi capital, evoking fears the country could descend
into a new round of sectarian violence.
IRAQI
ARMS DEAL STOKES FEARS OF CIVIL WAR
DEC 30/11. The
Obama administration is moving ahead with the sale of nearly $US11 billion
worth of arms and training for the Iraqi military, despite concerns that PM
Nuri al-Maliki is consolidating his authority in a one-party Shi’ite-dominated
state and abandoning the US-backed power-sharing government.
The military aid,
including advanced fighter jets and battle tanks, is meant to help the Iraqi
government protect its borders and rebuild a military that before the 1991
Persian Gulf War was one of the largest in the world.
But the sale of
the weapons - some of which have already been delivered - are moving ahead even
though Mr Maliki has failed to carry out an agreement that would have limited
his ability to marginalise the Sunnis and turn the military into a sectarian
force.
While the US is
eager to beef up Iraq's military, at least in part as a hedge against Iranian
influence, there are also fears that the move could backfire if the Baghdad
government ultimately aligns more closely with the Shi’ite theocracy in Tehran
than with Washington.
There is growing
concern that Mr Maliki's apparent efforts to marginalise the country's Sunni
minority could set off a civil war.
U
S ARMS SALE TO SAUDI ARABIA
DEC 31/11. The US
government has announced a deal with Saudi Arabia, agreeing to sell F-15
fighter jets valued at nearly $US30 billion to the Royal Saudi Air Force.
The agreement, and
the Obama government's parallel plan to press ahead with a nearly $US11 billion
arms deal for Iraq, despite rising political tensions there, is evidence of its
determination to project US military influence in the oil-rich Persian Gulf,
which is shadowed by the threat from Iran.
The weapons package is remarkable, both for
its size and technical sophistication. Under the terms of the $US29.4 billion
agreement, Saudi Arabia will get 84 Boeing F-15SA jets and upgrades to 70
F-15s, with new munitions and spare parts. It will also get help with training,
logistics and maintenance.
The new F-15s, which
will be delivered in 2015, are among the most capable and versatile fighter
jets in the world. They will come with the latest air-to-air missiles and
precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, enabling them to strike ships and
radar facilities day or night and in any weather.
Although Mr
Shapiro and other officials said the planes were intended to help Saudi Arabia
protect its sovereignty, military analysts said they would be effective against
Iranian planes and ships anywhere in the Persian Gulf.
The planes are
part of a 10-year, $US60 billion weapons package for the Saudis that Congress
approved last year.
Read more:
http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-arms-sale-to-saudis-sends-message-to-iran-20111230-1pfj3.html#ixzz1i46NlOzi
RUSSIA
TESTS MISSILE PROJECT
NICKNAMED
"SATAN"
DEC 21/11. The
Russian government announced that it had successfully tested a short-range
interceptor missile, nicknamed “Satan,” as part of its ongoing effort to
develop a domestic missile defence system. The Russian Defence Ministry has
even provided a video of the missile launch on its website. Russia also is
working on the development of a 100-ton ballistic missile.
Russia’s
opposition to American missile defence plans in Eastern Europe seems to be at
the centre of these proceedings. “In connection with the plans of the US to
develop the air defence system in Europe, in close vicinity to Russia’s
borders, and because of the unwillingness of the US side to provide any
guarantees, the Russian Federation continues to take measures to preserve
parity in the field,” says Pravda.
The actions come a
month after US-Russian weapons negotiations failed. -
Russia’s RIA News Agency.
CHINESE
PRESIDENT URGES NAVY
TO PREPARE FOR COMBAT
DEC 6/11. President
Hu Jintao has urged the Chinese navy to prepare for military combat, amid
growing regional tensions over maritime disputes and a US campaign to assert
itself as a Pacific power.
The navy should "accelerate its transformation and modernisation in
a sturdy way, and make extended preparations for military combat in order to
make greater contributions to safeguard national security," he said.
Addressing the powerful Central Military Commission, Hu said: "Our
work must closely encircle the main theme of national defence and military building."
His comments, which were posted in a statement on a government website,
come as the United States and Beijing's neighbours have expressed concerns over
its naval ambitions, particularly in the South China Sea.
Several Asian nations have competing claims over parts of the South
China Sea, believed to encompass huge oil and gas reserves, while China claims
it all. One-third of global seaborne trade passes through the region. - AFP
“Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for
war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the
men of war draw near; let them come up to attack! Beat your plowshares into
swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say “I am strong’.”
(Joel 3:9-10)
IRAN
THREATENS TO BLOCK OIL SHIPMENTS
DEC 29/11. IRAN has threatened to
block all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, (a vital artery for
transporting about 20% of the world's oil supply), if the US imposes tougher
economic sanctions on the regime.
The declaration by
Iran's first vice-president, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, came as President Obama
prepared to sign legislation that, if fully implemented, could substantially
reduce Iran's oil revenue, in a bid to deter it from pursuing a nuclear weapons
program.
The US
administration has been laying the groundwork for cutting off Iran from global
energy without raising the price of oil or alienating close allies. The new
measures that are a part of a bill financing the military, and that would
significantly increase US sanctions against Iran, was passed by the Senate, by
a rare 100--0 vote
Apparently fearful
of the expanded sanctions' possible impact on the already stressed economy of
Iran, the world's third-largest energy exporter, Mr Rahimi said:
''If they impose
sanctions on Iran's oil exports, then even one drop of oil cannot flow from the
Strait of Hormuz,'' according to Iran's official news agency.
Merely uttering
the threat appeared to be part of an Iranian effort to demonstrate its ability
to cause a spike in oil prices, thus slowing the US economy, and to warn US
trading partners that joining the new sanctions would come at a high cost.
These developments
come just six weeks after the International Atomic Energy Agency published a
report that for the first time laid out its evidence that Iran may be secretly
working to design a nuclear warhead.
In the wake of the
IAEA report, and a November attack on the British embassy in Tehran, the
European Union is also contemplating sanctions, such as an embargo on Iranian
oil.
Read more:
http://www.theage.com.au/world/iranians-threaten-to-block-oil-shipments-20111228-1pcub.html#ixzz1hsFaxny8
OBAMA SIGNS NEW DEFENCE BILL, THAT CALLS
FOR TOUGH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON IRAN
"The US Congress voted in favour, 100 to 0, in favour of a new
defence bill that imposes tough US financial measures on Iran because of its
secretive nuclear program. President Obama signed the bill into law on New
Year's Eve. He then said, “We hope that the Europeans will take equivalent
action by 30 January (the next regular meeting of the EU foreign ministers), in
order to clearly demonstrate our determination."
A prospective embargo by the EU, along with the financial sanctions of
the US, form a concerted Western campaign to hold back Iran's nuclear program.
EU PREPARING TO IMPOSE OIL BAN ON IRAN
JAN 4/12. European governments have agreed in principle to ban imports
of Iranian oil, EU diplomats say, dealing a blow to Tehran that crowns new
Western sanctions just two months before an Iranian election.
France has in recent weeks continued to build support for the EU to join
the US embargo. Its foreign minister, Alain Juppe, said there is no doubt that
Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons and that President Sarkozy wants to see
an oil ban as well as a freeze on Iran's central bank assets.
The EU has since 2010 already banned its companies from helping Iran to
pump oil or gas, to provide insurance for Iranian firms or to sell weapons to the
Islamic republic. It has also built up a blacklist of around 300 companies and
people involved in the nuclear program and in human rights abuses.
For its part, Iran has threatened - if its oil exports are blocked - to
shut down the Strait of Hormuz - a
34-km-wide sea passage between Oman and Iran used by Saudi Arabia and other
Gulf states to get their oil to world markets.
Iran confidently says, “Lost customers can be replaced.” - euobserver.com
FIFTH
FLEET SAYS IT WON'T ALLOW DISRUPTION
The US Fifth Fleet
has said it would not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international
strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be
tolerated," the Bahrain-based fleet said.
16 million barrels
a day of crude pass through the strait daily.
Analysts say that
Iran could potentially cause havoc in the Strait of Hormuz, a strip of water
separating Oman and Iran, which connects the biggest Gulf oil producers,
including Saudi Arabia, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its
narrowest point, the Strait is 21 miles (34 km) across.
But Iran’s navy
would be no match for the firepower of the Fifth Fleet which consists of
20-plus ships supported by combat aircraft, with 15,000 people afloat and
another 1,000 ashore.
A British Foreign
Office spokesman called the Iranian threat "rhetoric," saying:
"Iranian politicians regularly use this type of rhetoric to distract
attention from the real issue, which is the nature of their nuclear
program."
Tension has
increased between Iran and the West after EU foreign ministers decided recently
to tighten sanctions on the world's No. 5 crude exporter, but left open the
idea of an embargo on Iranian oil.
Iran's international
isolation over its defiant nuclear stance is hurting the country's
oil-dependent economy, but Iranian officials have shown no sign of willingness
to compromise.
Iran dismisses the
impact of sanctions, saying trade and other measures imposed since the 1979
Islamic revolution toppled the US-backed Shah have made the country stronger.
During a public
speech in Iran's western province of Ilam, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
implied Tehran had no intention of changing course.
"We will not
yield to pressure to abandon our rights ... The Iranian nation will not
withdraw from its right (to nuclear technology) even one iota because of the
pressures," said Ahmadinejad, whose firm nuclear stance has stoked many
ordinary Iranians' sense of national dignity.
Some Iranian oil
officials have admitted that foreign sanctions were hurting the key energy
sector that was in desperate need of foreign investment.
The
United States and Israel have not ruled out military action if sanctions fail
to rein in Iran's nuclear work.
An Iranian analyst
said, "Iranian officials are showing their teeth to prevent a military
strike." But he added that closing the Strait of Hormuz would harm Iran's
economy, undermining the Iranian leadership ahead of a parliamentary election in March.
Iran cracks down on Internet as
parliamentary elections DRAWS near
As Iran nears its March 2
parliamentary elections, Tehran is adding new surveillance measures over its
citizens’ Internet freedoms. In a recent briefing, the Department of State,
said that the move will cut Iranian citizens off from the “global
conversation.” The announcement comes as Iranian authorities work to develop a
national intranet, which would
effectively replace the World Wide Web for Iranians.
Iran “issued regulations giving Internet cafes 15 days to install
security cameras and start collecting detailed personal information on
customers and document users’ online footprints,” the Wall Street Journal
reported, calling the crackdown Iran’s “most sweeping move” yet.
The rules also require users to furnish personally-identifying
information in order to log on to the Internet at the cafes, including the
user’s “name, father’s name, address, telephone and national identification
numbers.” What
a police state!
-
http://dailycaller.com
BRITAIN
FLAGS MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN
JAN 6/12. Britain
also has warned Iran that any attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital
shipping lane, would be ''illegal and unsuccessful'' and would be countered by
military action if necessary.
The Defence
Secretary, Philip Hammond’s warning came as European countries took their
boldest step so far in the increasingly tense standoff with Iran over its
nuclear program, by agreeing in principle to impose an embargo on Iranian oil.
''Our joint naval
presence in the Arabian Gulf is the key to keeping the Straits of Hormuz open
for international trade,'' he said. ''Disruption to the flow of oil through the
Strait of Hormuz would threaten regional and global economic growth. Any
attempt by Iran to do this would be illegal and unsuccessful. The Royal Navy
will continue to play a substantial role as part of the Combined Maritime
Forces, both at the headquarters in Bahrain and through our mine
counter-measure vessels which help maintain freedom of navigation in the
Gulf.''
BUILD
UP OF WARSHIPS OFF SYRIA, AS
IRAN AND T HE WEST THREATEN EACH OTHER
JAN. 9/12. DEBKAfile Special Report. US, Russian French and British
air and naval forces have headed to the Syrian and Iranian coasts on guard for
fresh developments at the two Middle East flashpoints.
The Russian carrier Admiral Kuznetsov anchored
earlier than planned at Syria's Tartus port on the Mediterranean, on Jan. 8,
arriving together with the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and frigate Yaroslav
Mudry. To counter this movement, France consigned an air defence destroyer Forbin
to the waters off Tartus.
debkafile's military sources report a buildup in the
last 48 hours of western naval forces opposite Iran in the Persian Gulf and
Arabian Sea, in readiness for Tehran to carry out its threat to close the
Strait of Hormuz.
The Daily
Telegraph reported that the Royal Navy is sending its most advanced
warship, the HMS Daring to the Sea of Oman. This is intended to send a
message to Iran following its recent10-day exercise in the Gulf, and threats to
close the Strait of Hormuz
According to the
report, the HMS Daring, a Type 45 destroyer, has been equipped with new
technology that will enable it to intercept any Iranian missile. It also
reportedly possesses the world's most sophisticated naval radar.
The HMS Daring
is due to arrive at the same time as the French
Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Our sources report
that on Jan 7, the giant drone, RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV, took off from the USS
Stenning aircraft carrier for surveillance over the coasts of Iran.
The Stennis and
its strike group are cruising in the Sea of Oman at the entrance to the Strait
of Hormuz, after Tehran announced it would not be allowed to cross through.
This was the first
time the US has deployed unmanned aerial vehicles over Iran since its RQ-170
stealth drone was shot down by Iran on Dec. 4. It was also the first time the
huge drone was ordered to take off from an aircraft carrier for a Broad Aerial Maritime Surveillance Mission (BAMS).
US military
sources reported on Jan. 9, that the Global Hawk's mission is "to monitor
sea traffic off the Iranian coast and the Straits of Hormuz." The US Navy was ordered to maintain a watch
on this traffic, another first, after Iranian Navy chief, Adm. Habibollah
Sayyari said in a televised broadcast that the Strait of Hormuz was under full
Iranian control and had been for years.
Also Sunday, Army
Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the US Chiefs of Staff, warned in no uncertain
terms that Iran has the ability to block the Strait of Hormuz “for a period of
time.” He added in a CBS interview: “We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure
that if that happens, we can defeat that. … Yes, they can block it. We've
described that as an intolerable act and it's not just intolerable for us, it's
intolerable to the world. But we would take action and reopen the
straits."
Appearing on the
same program, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta warned of a quick, decisive and
very tough American response to any Iranian attempt to close the Strait of
Hormuz.
They both spoke a
few hours after a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards said the supreme
Iranian leadership had ruled that the Strait must be closed in the event of an
oil embargo imposed on Iran by the European Union.
debkafile's military sources report the constant
escalation of military tension around Iran and Syria in recent days was not
just stemming from the rapid advances Iran is making toward production of a
nuclear weapon, but from fears in the West and Israel that Tehran and Damascus
are in step over their military plans for the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean
sectors.
After the Admiral
Kuznetsov docked in Tartus with much fanfare, the Syrian Navy commander
Dawoud Rajha was received on the deck by a guard of honour of marines under a
flyover of Russian Su-33 and Su-25 fighter-bombers.
This was taken as
a signal of Moscow's willingness to back the Assad regime up against any
Western military intervention as well as a gesture of support for co-op-eration
between Syria and Iran in their operational plans.
On Jan 8, the
Iranian media issued divergent statements about the situation at Iran's
underground uranium enrichment plant at Fordo,
near Qom: In English, the site was described as going on stream
soon, while the Farsi media reported it was already operational.
The head of Iran's
Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi Davani declared, furthermore,
"… the Islamic Republic is capable of exporting services related to
nuclear energy to other countries."
This statement
showed that Tehran has no fear of raising the level of its threats to the West,
up to the point of offering to hand out its nuclear technology to other
countries in a gesture of uncontrolled proliferation.
U.S.
WILL CONTINUE TO DEPLOY WARSHIPS IN
PERSIAN GULF IN SPITE OF IRANIAN THREATS
JAN 3/12. The US
says it will continue to deploy its warships in the Gulf, after Iran threatened
to take action if the US Navy moves an aircraft carrier into the Gulf.
"These are
regularly scheduled movements and in accordance with our long-standing
commitments to the security and stability of the region and in support of
ongoing operations," Commander Bill Speaks said. "The US Navy
operates under international maritime conventions to maintain a constant state
of high vigilance in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime
traffic in waterways critical to global commerce."
Earlier today,
Iran said it would take action if a US aircraft carrier which left the area
because of Iranian naval exercises returns to the Gulf. The Iranian news agency
IRNA quoted army chief Ataollah Salehi as saying that "Iran will not
repeat its warning ... the enemy's carrier has been moved to the Sea of Oman
because of our drill. I recommend and emphasize to the American carrier not to
return to the Persian Gulf."
Iran also said it
had no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz but had carried out
"mock" exercises on shutting the strategic waterway. -
http://www.haaretz.com
IRAN STARTS NUCLEAR WORK IN MOUNTAIN BUNKER
JAN 9/12. Iran has started
refining uranium deep inside a mountain, diplomatic sources say - a move likely
to increase the dispute with Western powers over Tehran’s nuclear weapons
capability.
They said uranium enrichment to a fissile purity of 20% had begun at the
Fordow underground site near the
Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Qom, signaling Iran's defiance in the face of
intensifying Western pressure to curb such activity.
Iran has said for months that it is preparing to move its highest-grade
uranium refinement work to Fordow from its main enrichment plant at Natanz, and
sharply boost capacity. Enriched uranium can have both civilian and military
uses.
SAUDIS,
GULF STATES ON WAR ALERT
The armies of
Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf Co-operation Council states stood ready on Jan. 5,
for Washington to stand up to Iranian threats and to send an aircraft carrier
or several warships through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. Riyadh
has been leaning hard on the Obama administration, not to let Tehran get away
with its warning to react with "full force" if the USS Stennis aircraft
carrier tried to re-enter the Gulf, and not to cave in to Iran's pretensions to
control the traffic transiting the world's most important oil route.
Last night, the Iranian parliament began drafting a bill prohibiting
foreign warships from entering the Gulf without Tehran's permission.
debkafile's
Washington sources report that Saudi Arabia has warned the Obama administration
that Iranian leaders mean what they say; their leaders are bent on provoking a
military clash with the United States at a time and place of their own
choosing, rather than leaving the initiative to Washington. To this end,
Iranian officials are ratcheting up their belligerence day after day.
Notwithstanding
their military inferiority, the Iranians believe they can snatch a measure of
success from a military confrontation, just as the Lebanese Hizb'ullah did in
the 2006 war against Israel. In any case, they expect any clash to be limited –
at least at first. The two sides will begin by feeling for the opposite side's
weaknesses while endeavouring to hold the line against a full-blown war.
America's failure
to rise to Iran's challenge will confirm the conviction of the Iranian leaders
that the US is a paper tiger and will encourage them to press their advantage
for new gains.
The assessment of
British military experts was that the question now is: Who will blink first?
Will the US follow through on the Pentagon's assertion that the deployment of
US military assets in the Persian Gulf will continue as it has for decades? Or
will Iran act on its warnings and block those waters to the entry of American
warships?
President Barack
Obama can't afford to cave in to Iran,
especially while
campaigning for re-election next Nov.
Tehran, for its part, has made too many threats to easily back down.
The
entire region is now on tenterhooks waiting for the next move,
with US, Iranian and Gulf armies on the highest war alert. American and Iranian
war planners both accept that their advantage lies in surprising the enemy –
without, however, catapulting the Persian Gulf into a full-dress war.
US Navy
publications as of Wednesday, January 4 showed some sign
of the times:
One was a series
of photos of F-18 Super Hornet fighter-bombers standing on the runways of the USS
Stennis aircraft carrier ready for take-off at any moment.
Another depicted
for the first time ever, row upon row of huge bombs in the carrier's hold, to
show the Iranians what they are taking on.
In the view of
debkafile’s military sources, the fact that the US has deployed only one large
aircraft carrier in the region does not signify any reluctance on Washington's
part to preserve the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the
Persian Gulf. There is no longer a need to rush more carriers to a flashpoint
in these strategic waters.
The US maintains
five huge air bases in the Gulf region – two, the Ali Al Salem and Ahmed Al
Jaber bases, in Kuwait; the Al Dhafra base in the UAE; and the largest air
bases outside the US – Al Adid in Qatar and the Thumrait in Oman.
The concentration
of aircraft carriers at any given location is no longer treated as the marker
of an imminent US military operation.
–
www.debka.com
DUBAI
SHEIKH: “IF IRAN ATTACKS ISRAEL …”
DEC 6/11. Iranian
President Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, but he will
discover his own cities may disappear if he attacks Israel, the Emirate’s PM
told CNN.
Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as vice president of the Emirates, said
he doubts that Iran would use a nuclear bomb or even build one.
"What can
Iran do with a nuclear weapon?" he asked rhetorically. "For example,
will they hit Israel? How many Palestinians will die? And you think if Iran
hits Israel, their cities will be safe? They will be gone the next day."
The UAE, like
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, are dead-set against Shi’ite Muslim Iran’s
bold desire to head an Islamic empire, based on Sharia law, in every Muslim
country.
The UAE probably
would provide key bases and air space in the event of a Western or Israeli
attack on Iran. It also is a prime target for Iran, which is separated from the
UAE by only 34 kilometres of the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, several Gulf State
islands are claimed by Iran.
However, al
Maktoum spoke diplomatically.
"Iran is our neighbour," he said. "They are Muslim, and
we lived next to each other for thousands and thousands of years. I don't
believe that Iran will develop a nuclear weapon." – Arutz Sheva
THOUSANDS
OF U.S. TROOPS LAND IN ISRAEL.
JAN 6/12.
www.debka.com also reports that thousands of US troops began descending on
Israel this week. Senior US military sources told debkafile that many
would be staying up to the end of the year as part of the US-IDF deployment in
readiness for a military engagement with Iran and its possible escalation into
a regional conflict. They will be joined by a US
aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions
with Israeli AF jets. The 9,000 US servicemen gathering in Israel in the coming
weeks are mostly airmen, missile interceptor teams, marines, seamen,
technicians and intelligence officers.
The incoming
American soldiers are officially categorized as participants in Austere
Challenge 12, the biggest joint US-Israeli war game ever held.
The manoeuvre was
originally designated Juniper Stallion
2012. However, the
altered name plus the comment heard from the exercise's commander, US Third Air
Force Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, during his visit two weeks ago, that the coming
event is more a "deployment" than an "exercise," confirmed
that Washington has expanded its mission. The joint force will now be in place
ready for a decision to attack Iran's nuclear installations or any war
emergency.
The joint
US-Israeli drill will test multiple Israeli and US air defence systems against
incoming missiles and rockets, according to the official communiqué. They will
also practice intercepting missiles and rockets coming in from Syria, Lebanon
and from the Gaza Strip.
Washington and
Jerusalem are doing their utmost to present a perfectly synchronized military
front against Iran: American officers are stationed at IDF command centres and
Israeli officers posted at the US European Command-EUCOM.
LATE
NEWS. Amidst conflicting reports and reasons, the
joint US-Israel exercise has been postponed or called off.
SAUDI KING CALLS FOR
ARAB SUPER STATE
King Abdullah of
Saudi Arabia formally called for the formation of a Gulf
Union on a backdrop of regional unrest and growing tensions with
rival Iran.
"I ask today
that we move from a phase of cooperation to a phase of union within a single entity," Abdullah said during his
address at the opening session of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council
conference in Riyadh. "You must realise that our security and stability
are threatened and we need to live up to our responsibilities. Our summit opens
in the shadow of challenges that require vigilance and a united stance,"
he added.
The GCC --
comprised of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates -- was formed in 1981 as
a security alliance to counter post-revolution Iran.
While Abdullah did
not speak directly of the nature such a union might take, the six-member GCC
has been openly discussing transforming their alliance into a unified
diplomatic and military confederation for months now. It has also been actively
moving to expand its ranks.
The GCC opened
integration negotiations with Jordan earlier
this month, and is engaged in exploratory talks with Morocco. GCC officials revealed they were making the
inclusion of Egypt - the region's
most populous and militarily powerful Arab country - a priority. - http://www.israelnationalnews.com
EGYPTIAN
ELECTIONS 
BROTHERHOOD
WINS BIG IN FINAL ROUND
JAN 8/12. Egypt's
once-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood won big in the third and final round of
parliamentary elections last week. The MB has vowed to leave the issue of how
to deal with the country's peace treaty with Israel to the people of Egypt,
vowing to hold a referendum on the matter once a government is in place.
The MB’s Freedom
and Justice Party (FJP) won the high-
est number of
votes, garnering at least 41% of the seats in the country's Lower House of
parliament. The country's more extreme Salafi Islamist Nour Party took 20% of
the seats. Together, Islamists of various parties won nearly two-thirds of the
498 seats in the new People's Assembly.
It is the People's
Assembly that will choose the 100-strong body who will draft the nation's new
Constitution.
The new Lower
House of the parliament is scheduled to hold its first session January 23, two
days before the first anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution, referred to in
the country as the "25 January Revolution."
Elections for the
Upper House of the parliament are scheduled to begin in the next few weeks, but
presidential elections won't be held until June.
MB VOWS NOT TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL
The Egyptian party's deputy leader Dr. Rashad Bayoumi told the Arabic
daily al-Hayat, that Egypt’s
Muslim Brotherhood will not recognize
or negotiate with Israel “under any circumstance,” but it will seek to
cancel the peace treaty.
CONCLUSION
We have scanned a few of the world events that are causing men’s hearts
to “be apprehensive and fearful because of what is coming on the world.” (Luke
21:26).
Many people, however, view these things briefly, and forget about them
within minutes. Many are scarcely bothered or affected, unless a tragedy hits
close to them.
But when we consider these current events, and add to them the multitude
of disasters, violence, atrocities, the widespread unrest, the social and moral
deterioration, and also the political, economic and religious corruption that
confronts us on every side, we can be forgiven for asking,
“How long, O Lord. How long?”
“YES, I AM COMING QUICKLY.”
“AMEN. COME Y’SHUA, LORD JESUS.”
Revelation
22:20
“He who
is coming, will come, and will not delay.”
Hebrews 10:37
MARANATHA. SHALOM. GOD BLESS YOU. - DS
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