US Senate committee approves military action against Syria

Today, the USA inched closer to getting more support for attacking Syria:

September 4, 2013

WASHINGTON –- A divided Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted narrowly Wednesday to authorize a punitive U.S. strike against Syria, opening the way for a vote in the full Senate next week.

The vote was 10 to 7, with Democrats and Republicans on each side. Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) supported the measure, as did ranking member Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has repeatedly urged President Obama to do more to aid the Syrian opposition.

Opponents included conservative Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and liberals Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who voted for the resolution, said it would send a clear message to Assad. “This won’t be a limited, but a powerful response,” he said. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-senate-committee-military-strike-syria-20130904,0,7238618.story

September 04, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama and some leading lawmakers are coming out strongly in favor of military strikes against Syria, but it appears they have more work to do to convince the American public.

A Washington Post / ABC News poll finds 59 percent of Americans surveyed oppose launching missile strikes against the Syrian government compared to 36 percent in favor. The poll found support for airstrikes against Syria increased from 36 percent to 46 percent if other countries, such as Britain and France participated.

Another poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found those opposed to airstrikes against Syria outnumbered those in favor, 48 percent to 29 percent.

The poll found 74 percent of respondents say that airstrikes will result in an anti-American backlash, while 61 percent think airstrikes would lead to a long-term U.S. military commitment. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-public-skeptical-of-syria-strikes/1742943.html

Secretary of State John Kerry spent much of the afternoon speaking to a House of Representatives committee.

“As we debate, the world is watching and the world is wondering, not whether Assad’s regime actually did this,” Kerry said. “The world is wondering whether the United States of America is going to consent through silence to stand aside while this kind of brutality is allowed to happen without consequence.”

The Senate committee approved a plan that would give Obama authority to order limited strikes against Syrian military targets for 60 days. He could extend the window by another 30 days under certain conditions.

The resolution does not authorize the use of ground troops. It states military action must be aimed at deterring and preventing Syria from carrying out future chemical weapons attacks.

Obama says he is convinced that President Assad’s government used chemical weapons on civilians in the attack on August 21, which killed more than 1,400 people near Damascus.

Syria denies using chemical weapons, alleging it was the rebels who deployed them. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-says-international-credibility-at-stake-on-syria/1743020.html

Those in USA may end up having regrets about what part of its government is hoping to do. The opposition in Syria is not pro-West, and the Assad regime has indicated that it will not go without a lot of fight.

The U.S.A. itself is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and they and/or items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. could affect the U.S.A. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

Of course, various ones want the USA to get involved, despite the risks. A reader sent the following:

Secretary of State John Kerry said at Wednesday’s hearing that Arab counties have offered to pay for the entirety of unseating President Bashar al-Assad if the United States took the lead militarily.

“With respect to Arab countries offering to bear costs and to assess, the answer is profoundly yes,” Kerry said. “They have. That offer is on the table.”

Asked by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) about how much those countries would contribute, Kerry said they have offered to pay for all of a full invasion.

“In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places, they’ll carry that cost,” Kerry said. “That’s how dedicated they are at this. That’s not in the cards, and nobody’s talking about it, but they’re talking in serious ways about getting this done. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/liveblog/the-houses-syria-hearing-live-updates/#e68f139f-e012-476c-876e-2467ba30e5e3

Related to the above, a reader who sent it said that the website that led him to that source commented:

Yes, this is really what America has become in 2013, a “murder-for-hire” thug nation eager to do the bidding of wealthy Muslim countries for the right price. After all, Obama with much fanfare did bring the Chicago Way to the White House when he first began to occupy the president’s chair in 2009.

Now, I should add that I do not believe that the USA is simply a “gun for hire” in this situation, though I do believe it has an agenda beyond eliminating Syria from using chemical weapons.

Irrespective of political views, the reality is that the oil-rich Arab nations hope to be able to eliminate Shi’ite Iranian-influence, in the area (which Syria is involved in) as well as the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood (who wants a confederation of Arabic nations in an Islamic state).

No matter what happens now, the oil-rich (Sunni) Arab nations will ultimately not succeed quite as they hope. They will end up in a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern Arab nations, along with Turkey and others (Ezekiel 30:1-9; Daniel 11:40-43). And this will include Syria (though Jordan, Turkey, and some of the oil-rich nations will not be a real strong part of the confederation, and may be among those that will ultimately betray it per Daniel 11:26).

Because of its prophesied role, the situation in Syria will change. As I believe that Syria biblically is one of the nations that will support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43), either Assad will change, die, or be exiled. Israel needs to realize that it can be damaged, perhaps severely by retaliation from Syria and/or its ally Iran (cf. Isaiah 22:1-14).

Ultimately, Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1), and it may be because of damage done to Israel and/or the USA.

Some items of related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
The Future King of the South is Rising Does the Bible teach that there will be a future King of the South in Daniel 11? Is this kingdom rising up now? Did the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) teach that there would be another one? And who is the King of the South? How will this involve Egypt? Is the final King of the South some type of Arab-Muslim confederation? Can Iran be involved? Is there a group that seems to be supporting the goals of the King of the South? Has the Obama Administration supported the rise of this power? This sermon video answers those questions.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?