UK will not fight with Assad against Islamic State, many British Muslims fight for the Islamic State, US calls Islamic State ‘apocalyptic,’ and Muslims killed in Iraq

2004 Mugshot of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (current head of the Islamic State)

The UK says it will not join with Syria’s Assad to fight the Islamic State:

August 22, 2014

Britain will not work with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the battle against Islamic State (IS) extremists, the foreign secretary has told the BBC.

Philip Hammond said to do so would not be “practical, sensible or helpful”.

Former head of the Army Lord Dannatt and ex-Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind called for the move following the beheading of US journalist James Foley by IS militants. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28892755

For years, the UK and the USA have supported the opposition to Bashar al-Assad. So while this is consistent with the UK’s official position, it is a little interesting in view of the following that a reader sent me yesterday:

August 21, 2014

LONDON — It is likely that there are now more British Muslims fighting for the Islamic State than for Britain’s military.

Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed to USA TODAY that there are approximately 600 British Muslim servicemembers in its armed forces of almost 200,000 people. Official government estimates put the number of British Islamic State fighters operating in Syria and Iraq at up to 800. The Foreign Office cautioned Thursday that it is difficult to provide precise numbers.

The militant who beheaded American journalist James Foley in a horrifying video released this week spoke with a British accent. United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond acknowledged that the militant in the video could be a British national. And he knows the problem of British jihadists is not a new one.

“This is something we have been tracking and dealing with for many, many months and I don’t think this video changes anything,” he said. “It just heightens awareness of a situation which is very grave.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/08/21/islamic-state-americans-british/14384045/

The situation is not as clear as many wish it would be. Notice also the following:

August 22, 2014

Dozens of people were killed in an attack on a Sunni mosque in Iraq’s Diyala Province during Friday prayers. Sunni religious authorities are blaming Shi’ite militiamen for the attack, while government military commanders are blaming Islamic State militants. The attack threatens to undercut Iraqi government attempts to forge a unified front against the extremist group.It was a brutal attack, which began when a suicide bomber blew himself up during Friday prayers, followed by gunmen storming the mosque to kill survivors. The attack took place in the government controlled village of Bani Wais in Diyala Province, north of Baghdad.

Eyewitnesses and Sunni religious officials are accusing members of a hardline Shi’ite militia of the crime. Government military commanders, however, are pinning the blame on Islamic State militants. The hospital in the nearby town of Baquba reported that it received 68 bodies from the attack in its morgue.

Doctors at the hospital told Arab media they fear an attack on their facility by militiamen attempting to kill survivors being treated on the premises. Asharqiya TV reported an Iranian-trained Shi’ite militia was responsible.

Diyala Province Governor Amr Mujamai refused to specify who was behind the crime, but complained that government forces are not in control of large parts of the province. http://www.voanews.com/content/iraqi-shiite-militia-open-fire-on-sunni-mosque-dozens-dead/2424777.html

At this time, perhaps some background on the leader/Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, of the Islamic State is in order.

After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, al-Baghdadi helped to found the militant group, Jamaat Jaysh Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamaah (JJASJ), in which he served as head of the group’s sharia committee. According to US Department of Defense records, al-Baghdadi was held at Camp Bucca as a “civilian internee” by US Forces-Iraq from February until December 2004, when he was recommended for an “unconditional release” by a Combined Review and Release BoardAl-Baghdadi and his group joined the Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC) in 2006, in which he served as a member of the MSC’s sharia committee. Following the renaming of the MSC as the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) in 2006, al-Baghdadi became the general supervisor of the ISI’s sharia committee and a member of the group’s senior consultative council (Wikipedia viewed 08/22/14). The group was later known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Syria (ISIS), and now calling itself the Islamic State.

The USA had the current leader and let him go. The USA now considers the Islamic State to be a serious and imminent threat to all US interests according to its Defense Secretary Hagel. Notice also:

Senior Pentagon officials described the Islamic State (Isis) militant group as an “apocalyptic” organisation that posed an “imminent threat” on Thursday, yet the highest-ranking officer in the US military said that in the short term, it was sufficient for the United States to “contain” the group that has reshaped the map of Iraq and Syria.

Army general Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told reporters in a Pentagon briefing that while Isis would eventually have to be defeated, the US should concentrate on building allies in the region to oppose the group that murdered an American journalist, James Foley.

“It is possible to contain them,” Dempsey said, in a Pentagon press conference alongside the defence secretary, Chuck Hagel. “They can be contained, but not in perpetuity. This is an organisation that has an apocalyptic, end-of-days strategic vision which will eventually have to be defeated.” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/21/isis-us-military-iraq-strikes-threat-apocalyptic

As far as being ‘apocalyptic’ goes, groups like the Islamic State will contribute to changes coming to the world, that ultimately will lead to the Great Tribulation.

Many currently are taking steps against the Islamic State/ISIS and the situation in Iraq will one day change. The Bible suggests that Iraq will be involved in a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern nations (Ezekiel 30:1-9; Psalm 83:4-8) who will support a leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43).

At this moment, I do not believe that this will be the ‘Caliph’ of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Instead, I believe that many will point to groups such as the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Hamas, Boko Haram, etc. as extremists and claim that a ‘moderate’ Arabic-Turkish Islamic confederation is the best way to control ‘extremism.’ The West, including probably the UK and USA, will go along with that.

Yet, once they do, it may not be too long before destruction will come to them. I still maintain that more terrorism and violence will affect the USA and UK and will come from some associated with one or more forms of Islam.

As far as Iraq goes, it probably will have ups and downs. The Bible tells of a time of a peace deal that will affect the region, but that deal will not last (Daniel 9:27) and more war will later come (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8).

As I have written before, it will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to truly solve the conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. Those in Iraq and Syria are in my prayers.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? Here is a link to a related video video: Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
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.
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.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In 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 Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
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? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
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.
Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution? This is a sermonette-length video.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? 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? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (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-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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.