I’m looking forward to “Your Thoughts” on the Israeli political crisis, the Turkey political crisis, the Iranian / Syrian / Hezbollah coalition. Things are definitely heating up on several fronts! Always look forward to your perspective and insights on these matters.
Many observers are predicting that 2007 will be a pivotal year in the Middle East. Israel cannot permit much more military build-up in Gaza and along their border with Syria, yet the government keeps the army’s hands tied to avoid a problem like Lebanon repeating itself in the South. Frankly, I believe that Israel’s enemies are doing everything they can think of to try and lure Israel into another conflict because they think they can finally win this one. Israel clearly needs new leadership, and right now.
Sources say that Syria’s military presence in the north has not been so great since the run up to the Yom Kippur War, with rockets and missiles that can reach any point in Israel. Hizbollah has all but declared itself to be Lebanon’s real Army, claiming to be replenished and ready to take on Israel whenever the opportunity presents itself. It’s quite revealing that Hizbollah’s leader said that every attack against Israel, from a suicide bomber to a full scale attack, has to have the personal approval of the Ayatollah in Iran. It shows you who’s running things over there.
In Turkey over 100,000 citizens rallied to persuade FM Abdullah Gul, an avowed Moslem, from seeking the presidency. Apparently it worked because Gul, the only candidate running, withdrew. Efforts to elect him in the parliament failed for lack of a quorum. So for the moment, Turkey remains a secular nation. That will soon change.
It’s also becoming clear that if the world doesn’t stop Iran in 2007, it might be too late. In 2008 we’ll be distracted by politics and who knows what the next President will be like. And Iran might just pass the point of no return by next year, after which the game could be over. The build up of US Naval forces in the Gulf is said to be an attack force waiting for Iran to do something that kills a significant number of US troops all at once. This will be the excuse for a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
From a prophetic standpoint I see only the possibility of Isaiah 17 being fulfilled in all of this. I think the rest falls under the category of “Wars and Rumors of War”.