Syrian Official: Assad Will Fight at All Costs

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad (Source: Agência Brasil, Wikipedia)
بشار الأسد

Today’s news has the following:

(CNN) — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will fight at all costs to crush the revolt seeking his ouster, a member of parliament who defected to Egypt said Tuesday.

“There is an open budget allocated to the crackdown on the popular uprising and revolution,” said Imad Ghalioun, who was a member of the Syrian parliament from the embattled city of Homs before he escaped to Egypt…Ghalioun, the highest-ranking Syrian official to defect, said the reports of bloodshed by pro-government forces are true. http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/world/meast/syria-unrest/?hpt=wo_c2

Another headline states “Syria: ‘heading for civil war.'” While another headline states, “UN, Arab League observers and Syria “violence”.” Also notice:

Bashar al-Assad to be driven from power within three months, says Syrian MP

Telegraph.co.uk – ‎17 January 2012

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad will be driven from power within three months, an MP for the embattled city of Homs told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.

Thus, Syria’s President must be feeling a lot of pressure.

Also notice another news item today:

Iran wants Syrian regime to stay, yet won’t be able to protect it …

‎

Al-Arabiya – 17 January 2012

Iran will not spare an effort to save its ally, Bashar al-Assad, owing to all the services he offers to the Iranian regime, said Walid al-Bunni, head of the Central Bureau for Foreign Relations in the Syrian National Council.

“There was not one regime in the region that offered this amount of free services to a foreign country like Assad did with Iran,” he said.

Bunni added that Iran’s efforts would be in vain since the Syrian people know what they want and are not going to give up on that.

What many seem to overlook is that there is another, not desirable, option for Iran and Syria: a war involving Israel.

I have been writing for some time, I suspect that the current Syrian government may decide to attack Israel. If so, I have also warned that it is likely that Iran will cooperate with Syria (so may parts of Lebanon and other lands in the area). Israel in the past has indicated that it is ready should Syria attack (Israel Ready to Strike Syria). Yet, this may not turn out well for either country if this ends up in a regional war involving Israel.

Back in biblical times (cf. Isaiah 7:8) and current times, the capital of Syria has been Damascus. Notice what the Bible shows will happen to it:

1 An oracle concerning Damascus:
“See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. 2 The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down,with no one to make them afraid. 3 The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim,and royal power from Damascus;the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the LORD Almighty. (Isaiah 17:1-3)

3 Thus says the Lord:
“For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment…5 I will also break the gate bar of Damascus,
And cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven,
And the one who holds the scepter from Beth Eden.
The people of Syria shall go captive to Kir,”
Says the Lord. (Amos 1:3, 5)

Syria’s Presdient might decide his personal best option is to more closely support Iran and perhaps be involved in an invasion of Jerusalem and Israel. If so, this might be how Isaiah 17:1 is fulfilled.

And FWIW, perhaps I should mention that technically, Syria is still at war with Israel as it never did sign a peace deal with Israel. So an actual war involving Syria and Israel is quite feasible. If so, Israel may hit back so hard that it might eliminate Damascus as Isaiah 17:1 says will happen.

Much is going on in the Middle East.

As Jesus said in Mark 13:37, we all should watch.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab 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 does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
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? Is he the Imam Mahdi? What does the Bible say?