Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Israel’s Threat, & Iran

Soviet Chemical Weapons Canisters

Syria and its chemical weapons are in the news:

15 July 2102

How concerned should the world be about President Bashar al Assad’s possession of chemical and biological weapons?…

Syria is not a signatory to the international Chemical Weapons Convention and has never declared what its stocks might be. Nine years after the 2003 Iraq war – in which the US and Britain wrongly claimed that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction – many will want to scrutinise any claim made by western intelligence agencies about WMD stocks in Arab states.Still, independent experts say there is no doubt that, in the 1980s, the Soviet Union helped Syria develop a chemical weapons arsenal as a strategic counter weight against Israel. Russia has never denied its role in this. Intelligence agencies now believe President Assad possesses one of the largest chemical weapons stockpiles in the world, including blistering agents such as mustard gas as well as VX and sarin nerve agents.

Last Friday, worries about the fate of the arsenal intensified, with the US stating that the regime has started moving its chemical weapons stocks. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/02f97808-ce63-11e1-bc0c-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz20hIgDHy0

Israel is quite concerned about this. Enough so, that it again is considering a preemptive strike against Syria:

Yatom: Israel could go to war over Syria’s chemical weapons

July 12, 2012

Syria’s chemical weapons could end up in the hands of terrorist groups if President Bashar al-Assad’s regime falls, and concerns are increasing that Israel may go to war against Syria to prevent this “doomsday threat,” Sky News reported on Thursday, quoting Middle Eastern and other intelligence sources.

The sources say Syria possesses the biggest stockpile of nerve gases VX and Sarin, as well as mustard gas, in the Middle East…

this could lead to a regional war, former Mossad head Danny Yatom warned in an interview with Sky News.

“The conventional wisdom should be that we cannot exclude a non-conventional attack on Israel. We would have to pre-empt in order to prevent it. We need to be prepared to launch even military attacks… and military attacks mean maybe a deterioration to war,” Yatom told Sky News.

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=5035

Israel, in the past, has also indicated that it could make a preemptive attack against Syria. Yet, doing so, would probably get Iran involved. So, Israel is likely considering attacking both at the same time (Israeli officials have already made statements suggesting that it may launch preemptive attacks against both of them individually).

And speaking of Iran and Syria, notice the following:

Salehi: Iran ready to host Syria crisis talks

Jerusalem Post-15 July 2012

Iranian foreign minister statement appears to indicate a shift in the Iranian leadership’s approach to Assad; Putin to meet Annan in Moscow on peace plan.

So Iran is ready to host talks on a peace plan to resolve the situation in Syria? Iran is Syria’s closest ally. Iran has provided advice and physical items that have helped keep the Assad regime in power. World diplomacy is often odd and this is another example of that.

Syria and Iran, at this time, are locked together. If they remain so, both will not fare well for very long.

The Bible shows that Syria’s capital city Damascus (Isaiah 7:8) will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1). Whether this will happen because of internal civil war or an attack involving Israel remains to be seen. Syria’s Assad remains a close ally to Iran and Iran keeps taking steps that may provoke a regional (with Israel) or larger war (the USA itself could sustain damage). But whether it is involved in a war involving Israel or not, eventually, Damascus has to be destroyed, and probably relatively soon.

What may happen is a regional or even the current civil war in Syria, that somewhat gets out of control and may involve others (including many based in Lebanon) beyond Iran and Israel, may happen and could be a factor that ultimately leads to the fulfillment of Daniel 9:27 (which seems to be a peace deal, see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2012, 2013, or 2014?). Syria’s chemical weapons, directly or indirectly may harm Israel and even the USA. Iran’s emp capacity may directly or indirectly harm Israel and even the USA. The situation in the Middle East is dangerous and the danger level seems to be rising.

“And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).

Some articles of possibly 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?
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?
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”? Is there a needed peace deal first in the Middle East? 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?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?