Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Israel, the USA, and Turkey
Damascus, Capital of Syria
The situation in Syria is getting Israel’s and the USA’s attention:
U.S. concerned Israel may launch attacks on Syrian WMD sitesJune 22, 2012
U.S. intelligence agencies are closely watching Israel’s military for signs it will conduct strikes on Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons, amid concerns the deadly nerve agents could fall under the control of Hezbollah or al Qaeda terrorists, U.S. officials said.
Syria’s arsenal remains vulnerable as the result of the internal conflict currently underway in Syria between government forces and opposition rebels, one official said.
“Everyone suspects Syria maintains an active chemical weapons program; and it would be dangerous not to plan accordingly,” the official said…However, other U.S. officials said special operations forces are prepared to take action inside Syria in the event the regime falls and the country spirals further into chaos…
A June 20, 2006, cable reported that Iran was assisting Syria’s chemical warfare program with construction of four to five precursor chemical production facilities.
“Iran would provide the construction design and equipment to annually produce tens to hundreds of tons of precursors for VX, sarin, and mustard,” the cable said. http://freebeacon.com/target-syrian-wmd/
June 21, 2012
“Unlike Moammar Gadhafi, who had basically dismantled his chemical weapons,” said John Pike, head of Globalsecurity.com, “the Syrians have a very active poison gas program.” Pike says they have “the medium-range ballistic missiles that would enable them to deliver it to the neighborhood – certainly to Israel and Turkey, but not farther afield, certainly not to western European countries.”
Experts say there is little hard data on Syria’s chemical weapons program because the country has not signed the Chemical Weapons Convention that outlaws the production, possession and use of such weapons. Most of the estimates come from intelligence agencies and analysts. http://www.voanews.com/content/syria_said_to_possess_vast_quantities_of_chemical_weapons/1216592.html
Furthermore, Turkey is claiming that Syria shot down one of its military aircraft:
BBC News – 22 June 2012 Turkey has said it believes that one of its fighter jets has been shot down by Syrian security forces. The F-4 Phantom disappeared over the Mediterranean, south-west of Hatay province, not far from Syria’s coast.
Reuters – June 22, 2012By Jonathon Burch and Oliver Holmes | ANKARA/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syriashot down a Turkish warplane over the Mediterranean on Friday and Ankara warned it would respond decisively to the incident that threatened to open a new international dimension in the 16-month revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Syria said the Turkish aircraft was flying low, well inside Syrian territorial waters when it was shot down.
With the second biggest army in NATO, a force hardened by nearly 30 years of fighting Kurdish rebels, Turkey would be a formidable foe for the Syrian army which is already struggling to put down a 16-month-old revolt.
There have been mixed reports that Syria may have apologized for this while other reports indicate that it has not truly taken responsibility for that. Syria really does not want to have to engage Turkey in battle.
Syria will change, now or later. Much is going on in the Middle East. The King of the South will rise up (Daniel 11:40), it will not be Iran, and thus Syria (directly or indirectly) is likely to play a role in that occurrence. Syria will end up being a supporter of that king–thus the situation in Syria must change (Turkey is likely to temporarily support the King of the South, but will apparently turn against it (per Daniel 11)–for details see The Islamic and Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy).
And Turkey is starting to seem more determined to assist in some of the changes that will occur in Syria.
The Bible shows that Syria’s capital city Damascus will be destroyed:
7 thus says the Lord God: “It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus (Isaiah 7:7-8)
3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. (Amos 1:3)
1 The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)
Whether this destruction will happen because of what is now considered by some to be an internal civil war or an attack involving Israel and/or the USA and/or Turkey remains to be seen. And both could happen (and Israel would seem to be involved if Amos 1:3 is also applicable for the end time–Isaiah 17:1 most definitely is a future prophecy as it has not been fulfilled since written).
If the USA and/or Israel get involved in a regional conflict with Iran and/or Syria one or both may find that the cost of intervention greatly exceeds what either currently thinks as Syria is likely to use any weapons at it disposal, including chemical ones.
As Jesus said in Mark 13:37, we all should watch.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
The Islamic and 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 will happen with Turkey and Iran? 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?
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