Middle East War Drums

The situation in the Middle East is getting more tense with Syria and Iran, and this would impact the USA:

Syria attacks Saudi over arming opposition calls

The Associated Press – ‎25 February 2012

BEIRUT (AP) – Syria lashed out at Saudi Arabia on Saturday, a day after the kingdom’s foreign minister backed the idea of arming the rebels fighting President Bashar Assad’s regime, accusing Riyadh of becoming “a partner” in the killings taking place .

Hamas Leader Backs Syrian Protesters

Wall Street Journal – ‎25 February 2012

CAIRO—Hamas has thrown its political clout behind an uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Palestinian Islamist group’s longtime patron and host, a shift that cracks a formidable alliance and further widens the Middle East’s sectarian divide. Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of Hamas… made his comments alongside several Muslim Brotherhood members…Hamas is the Palestinian wing of the international Muslim Brotherhood movement which has its headquarters and ideological center in the Egyptian capital.

Israeli attack on Iran might pull US into new war

The Associated Press – 25 February 2012 W ‎ASHINGTON (AP) – An Israeli pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear sites could draw the US into a new Mideast conflict, a prospect dreaded by a war-weary Pentagon wary of new entanglements…Israel, however, worries that Iran soon could enter a “zone of immunity” in which enough of its nuclear materials are beyond the reach of Israeli air power so that Iran could not be stopped, or perhaps could be stopped only by superior American firepower.

If Israel’s American-made strike planes managed to penetrate Iranian air space and bomb Iran’s main nuclear facilities, some of which are underground, then Iran would be expected to retaliate in any number of ways. That possibly could include the firing of Shahab-3 ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv or other Israeli targets.

Iran might take a less direct approach, relying on its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon or Hamas militants in Gaza to hit Israel with missiles from closer range.

If Israel decides that it has to attack Iran or Syria (which could happen if either attack Israel directly first or if the nuclear risk from Iran is perceived to be too large), Israel is likely to find that this is a very difficult and dangerous operation. Israel might decide to try electronic magnetic pulse (emp) weapons and not just “bunker-busting” bombs as Iran probably expects them.

Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah are all allies and might use a variety of options in counter-attacks, including perhaps using emp weapons. It is highly likely that Syria and/or its allies might use chemical and/or biological weapons in a war against Israel. Iran itself has enough uranium to at least launch what are called “dirty bombs” (bombs with radioactive fallout), if not actual nuclear weapons itself (it also likely could release biological and/or chemical weapons).

As I have mentioned before, Israel would be likely to hit back hard and perhaps detonate some type of weapon of mass destruction (like a nuclear bomb or so) to devastate Damascus, Syria (cf. Isaiah 17:1) and possibly parts of Iran.

It should be noted that some believe that the idea of Iran having nuclear capability is over stated and that the West is basically sounding war drums as justification for an attack against Iran. Notice two such opinions from Islamist sources:

Sean Ali Stone: West Lying about Iran’s Nuclear Threat

Fars News Agency – ‎25 February 2012

“My issue, really, is I don’t want to see our country go to war, and, you know, if it’s going to be over the potential threat that Iran is to Israel, I would say that’s a complete lie,” Stone explained in an interview with the CNN television network on Thursday.

“We are in a very dangerous situation – precarious situation – right now, if Israel gets the green light, and attacks preemptively Iran, the way that we preemptively attacked Iraq. That’s what I’m most concerned about,” he added.

Stone recently converted to Islam while in Iran, and has had meetings and discussions with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Drums of war: The US media’s ‘Iranian threat’

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Aljazeera.com – 25 February 2012

On Listening Post this week: Beating the drum for war – the US media and ‘The Iranian Threat’…Something sounds familiar. ‘Long-range nuclear missiles’, ‘terrorist sleeper cells’, ‘WMDs’: terms which quickly became part of the media’s vocabulary in the run up to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. Fast-forward to 2012 and they are featuring heavily once again, only now it is not about Iraq, but Iran.

Notice also the following:

Mideast war in March?

NATO considering intervention as opposition fights Syrian regime

Feb 24, 2012

NATO countries are strongly considering the possibility of an international deployment to Syria if the Syrian opposition does not make major advances in the next few weeks, according to informed Middle Eastern diplomatic and security officials. http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/mideast-war-in-march/

But it is not just the West that is setting up the war/attack scenario. The Arab League basically has been drawing its own line in the sand and simply does not want Syria to continue as it is nor does it care for the regime in Iran. Hamas’ reported position may not bode well for Syria or Iran. The situation in Syria will eventually have to change and it may involve a regional war for that to happen, and not just a civil war in Syria (though that is an option).

Because I do not believe that Iran will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:4-43), I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up. A serious regional conflict in the Middle East may neutralize Iran and neutralize much of its influence. And Syria (Isaiah 17:1) and parts of Lebanon and others may be involved.

The King of the South that the Bible foretells (Daniel 11:40) must rise up. And since it will not be Iran, the drum beats of war in the Middle East (as well as possible revolution within Iran) may be what eliminates Iran from the leadership role it wants for the Islamic world.

Jesus said to “watch” (Mark 13:37).

Some articles of related interest may include:

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?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2012, 2013, or 2014? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000?
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?