‘Iraq Parliament Collapses, Lawmakers Flee Baghdad’

Voice of America (VOA) reported the following:

Iraq Parliament Collapses, Lawmakers Flee Baghdad

May 1, 2016

RBIL, IRAQ—Baghdad teeters on the edge of political chaos Sunday.

The city is in a state of emergency, protesters are occupying parts of the once-secure International Zone (IZ), lawmakers have run away and the military is on high alert.

By Sunday morning, protesters led by Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr continued to crowd the streets in front of the country’s now-empty parliament and gather in what is known as the zone’s “Celebration Square.”

Lawmakers fled Saturday after protestors stormed into the parliament.

About 60 lawmakers, mostly from the minority Kurdish and Sunni parties, flew out of the capital for Irbil and Suleymania, in the northern autonomous Kurdish region.

“It was dangerous for all of us,” one parliament official told VOA, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. Some lawmakers were beaten, he said.

The official said thousands of protesters were still in the so-called International Zone Sunday, parked outside the major government buildings. …

Political unrest

The parliament takeover was the culmination of weeks of political wrangling and increasing instability, and came just days after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Baghdad.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the visit was a good indication of U.S. continued support for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s efforts to unify Iraq and confront the Islamic State (IS) group.

But the visit was not enough to stave off the deepening political crisis. …

Unrest growing

But even as political blocs have fought to maintain their positions and all the trappings of power, the anger in the Iraqi street has been growing for the past year over the lack of basic services, security, and the vast government corruption and political patronage. http://www.voanews.com/content/iraqi-parliament-collapses-lawmakers-flee-baghdad/3310404.html

May 1, 2016

Militants on Sunday unleashed dual car bomb attacks in southern Iraq, killing at least 23 people and wounding dozens, officials said, at a time when the country’s government is struggling with mounting public unrest in the capital over delays in promised reform plans. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/05/01/car-bombings-kill-at-least-18-people-in-iraq.html

May 1, 2016

(CNN) A pair of suicide bombings in southern Iraq killed at least 11 people and wounded 13 others, including children, state-run al-Iraqiya TV said.

ISIS released a statement on Twitter claiming responsibility for the attack Sunday in al-Samawa city.

In the statement, the terror group said the assailant “blew up his car in the middle of a gathering of the Shiite Ministry of Interior Special Forces (al-Maghaweer forces). He killed and wounded a number of them.”

When Shiite security forces arrived at the bomb site, the attacker “blew up his car and killed more people,” ISIS said.

The carnage in al-Samawa came as Baghdad’s Green Zone was engulfed in chaos. On Saturday, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of protesters rushed the normally off-limits area for government buildings and foreign embassies. They were intensely angry and broke into Parliament, ransacked rooms and sat at lawmakers’ desks while gesturing at cameras that captured the scene. Several people were injured, including two Iraqi security forces, local media reported. http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/01/middleeast/iraq-violence/

Iraq is a dangerous place. The rise of the so-called “Islamic State” was greatly assisted by USA actions and inactions in the region.

In 2010, US President Obama declared an end to the USA’s combat mission in Iraq. On September 1, 2010, I wrote:

Civil unrest is likely for Iraq, and it may break out with civil war. Ultimately, I expect much of Iraq to align with the soon coming Islamic King of the South, and that may somewhat minimize Iraq’s disintegration–but such disintegration may happen prior to this leader being accepted. (Thiel B. Obama Declares End to Combat Mission. COGwriter, September 1, 2010)

The next year, on December 26, 2011, I wrote:

The US and its allies attempted to do the best that they humanly can, but overall, things will change in the Middle East and will NOT be as the US, etc. hopes.

Civil unrest is likely for Iraq, and it may break out with civil war. Ultimately, I expect much of Iraq to align with the soon coming Islamic King of the South, and that may somewhat minimize Iraq’s disintegration–but such disintegration may happen prior to this leader being accepted. (Thiel B. Iraq (Political) Attack. COGwriter, December 26, 2011)

Despite USA interventions, and possibly because of it, eventually Iraq, and others in the Middle East and North Africa, will plot to eliminate the USA based upon the 83rd Psalm.

The modern national identities shown in [ ] mainly come from an article titled The Arab World in Prophecy from the Plain Truth magazine dated December 1979:

4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation] and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia];
Moab [part of Jordan] and the Hagrites [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today];
7 Gebal [Lebanon], Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks];
Philistia [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon];
8 Assyria [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]. (Psalms 83:4-8, NKJV)

It probably should also be mentioned that some others consider that the Iraqis are better identified as Ishmaelites or being Hagarenes. Some consider that the Hagarenes are better identified with Iraq–yet since Ishmael’s mother was Hagar–Genesis 16:15–they would all tend to be related). Whether they are identified better as Hagarenes or Ishmaelites or descendants of Lot, Iraqis and other Arabic peoples are prophesied (along with others) to be part of a confederation that will decide to eliminate Israel (and not just the area in the Middle East).

The Bible thus is showing that despite the differences and issues in Iraq, most there will coalesce around a coming confederation. Those in the Middle East and North Africa are also expected to support a coming group led by one that the Bible refers to as the King of the South (Daniel 11:40), and that will not end well for the confederation or those in Iraq (cf. Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8).

Notice a little bit more about a coming confederation involving the Arabs in Ezekiel:

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!” 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt. (Ezekiel 30:1-5, NIV).

5 “Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword.” (Ezekiel 30:5, NKJV)

A confederation will form, Iraq and others will be part of it, and many of the nations that enter into a confederation with Egypt will suffer. This includes Iraqi and Arabic peoples, and possibly the Kurds (the Turks escape this per Daniel 11:42; but have other problems later; cf. Obadiah 8-11).

Why might the Kurds be referred to in Ezekiel 30? The word translated in the NIV as Libya, Puwt, may be referring to some of the peoples of Iran as Puwt was a Persian tribe and the Kurds are an Iranian people with mixed heritage. There are estimated to be at least 30 million Kurds, most of which are in the Middle East (with the largest populations in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria). The Kurds could be part of the ‘mingled people’ as the NKJV translates a portion of Ezekiel 30:5.

Although the Kurds themselves have long wanted independence, they have a history of making many alliances. Like the Turks, the majority of Kurds are Sunni Muslims. Despite the fact that the governments in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran have caused problems for the Kurds, the Kurds may well support a future Arabic-Turkish alliance (Daniel 11:40-43), especially if they get some protection of autonomy to do so. It is also possible that they could be among those that escape the wrath of the King of the North (Daniel 11:42). But that power also will end (cf. Revelation 11:15; 18).

As I have been writing for years, the violence and other problems in Iraq will not end well.

However, the time will come when God will call all people in the world, including the Iraqis and the Kurds. That will be a time of peace (Isaiah 2:3-4; Revelation 21), but until then war and destruction appear to be part of the expected fate of that region of the world for some time.

Some items of possibly-related interest may include:

Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Bible and the Arab World In 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?
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.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved?
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 188 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon Kindle edition.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.