Oh my! Yet another connected reference to theme of The King’s return. Bless you Justin…
NATO in Wales and call to prophetic intercessors
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Oh my! Yet another connected reference to theme of The King’s return. Bless you Justin…
Tag Archives: #Obama
Israel, Palestine, Egypt 1; USA, Europe, Hamas 0
Readers might like to know that last night, after hearing John Kilpatrick’s detailed teaching upon Russia’s possible intentions according to Ezekiel 38-39 and his declaration to national leaders on Israel, I checked out the latest ‘before the media’ headlines. What I found had been published perhaps less than an hour before, according to its time-stamp.
In view of what we’d just heard, this headline was most interesting: Netanyahu-Sisi-Abbas line-up tells Hamas: “Accept an extra month’s truce – or Ramallah will” (click for full report). This ‘exclusive’ opens as follows,
“The Egyptian and Palestinian Authority delegations slapped down an ultimatum for Hamas when negotiations for a durable Gaza truce resumed in Cairo, Sunday, Aug. 17. Debkafile’s intelligence report that Hamas was given the option of declaring a 1-month extension of the 5-day ceasefire which runs out Monday midnight, (emphasis added) or else the announcement would be made from Ramallah Monday in the name of the Palestinian national unity government. This was the first joint action taken by the triple bloc formed by Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh El-Sisi, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas for pushing the Islamist Hamas-Islamic Jihad duo up against a wall…”
It continues by referring to the bloc’s backers, namely Saudi king Abdullah and Russian president Putin!
More sensational, but definitely not surprising to those who follow closely, is the bloc’s agreement to keep the Obama-Kerry duo and administration, as well as the Europeans, from the trio’s dealings with the Palestinian Islamist factions.
“The proposition the three partners have formulated puts Hamas and Jihad on the spot. The Arab world has abandoned them and their only source of funding is Tehran. So their choices are grim: Face an escalated war that Israel will fight until the bitter end, or swallow hard and accept the only proposition on the table which is tantamount to disarmament and capitulation.
“Their isolation is complete. The Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian leaders have managed to cut Hamas away from any backing in Washington, Qatar and Turkey as well as blocking its path to Moscow….
“Mahmoud Abbas, who appeared to be sitting on the sidelines of the Gaza conflict during Israel’s month-long military operation, finally threw in his lot with Sisi and Netanyahu when it came to the crunch…”
Thus, they’ve put the USA out in the cold, and their playmates Turkey and Qatar, as a result of the outrageous shenanigans that were a serious affront to sensible discourse, as Joel Rosenberg reported here. At least Abbas may now be cooperating with Israel – and without American involvement!
These actions confirm long-held suspicions of Obama’s preference to support terrorists, especially where connected with the Muslim Brotherhood. I voiced my own sceptical reservations of his 2009 overtures in Cairo to the Muslim nations, as well as to claims to his being a committed Christian. Obama’s own and his administration’s lack of concern for the butchery of fellow believers in Nigeria, Syria and Iraq are common knowledge.
[Respected analyst Caroline Glick’s insights on his change of direction in Obama’s new plan for Hamas point out there’s never been anything real to differentiate Fatah from Hamas. So Sisi’s gameplan may come undone, or actually prove effective in driving a wedge between the two Palestinian factions, as reported here. Update 19/8: see Abbas orders probe into Hamas coup plot revealed by Israel. Also, my comments on Obama in Cairo reinforced by US Army Lt Col (Ret’d) Allen West on how he’s enabled Islamist causes.]
Additionally, this decision by Israel’s supporters demonstrates Obama’s incompetence and strategic blunders in foreign policy has lost America all credibility and respect in the Middle East.
This fresh Gaza conflict instigated by Hamas has served to bring out into the open the new geo-political reality of America’s only democratic ally in the region now working with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia (as well as Jordan).
It demonstrates the truth of what the Lord promised Abraham that whomsoever blesses him and his descendants through Isaac will be blessed by Him and, conversely, those who curse them will fall outside that blessing and be open to living a cursed life, as it is written in Genesis 12.
Calls to pray for Obama appeared to result in a temporary change in his attitude to Israel. However, hostility seems to remain, as shown by his dealings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and halting further arms supplies. Anyway, this unrighteous gentile has the dubious distinction of being C-in-C and evangelist for changes in the definition of marriage; again defying scripture…
UPDATES:
- 19/8 truce extended by another 24 hours (possible Israeli concessions).
- 20/8 Hamas violates 11th ceasefire – rocket barrage on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
- for those whose main news is from BBC, its misreporting is corrected here!
- Qatar threatened to expel protected Hamas leader if it agreed to Cairo truce
- 21/8 Hamas admits to murder of 3 teenagers; last straw that brought retaliation
- In answering question about targeting Hamas leaders Netanyahu referred to the Israeli alignment with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority. There is no crisis with the US as relations are excellent. Obama administration backs Israel in its fight and includes support for Gaza’s demilitarization. (Debka)
- Hamas chiefs hammered to death for their war of attrition in breaking ceasefires
- BBC sticks to inaccurate statements despite Hamas’ admission on kidnappings
- 26/8 Jerusalem Post: Hamas official: language of Egyptian cease-fire proposal ‘acceptable’, but their political chief Khaled Meshaal is reported as still being against any truce and continues rocket attacks.
- Breaking news 17:30 IDT: Jerusalem has not commented on the claim by Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials fighting in Gaza of a deal with Israel to end their 50-day war. Egypt plans an announcement at 6 pm, followed an hour later by a possible statement by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Debkafile: In the course of the Gaza campaign, truces have repeatedly fallen by the wayside before implement-tation, or else they were violated by Palestinian terrorist groups before they took hold. Israel is therefore treating the Palestinian announcements with extreme caution.
Further reading
Another well-informed point of view on US foreign policy may be found in several short pieces by Elliott Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Also, see Cranmer on the Church’s attack upon PM Cameron’s ‘incoherent’ Middle-East policy.
See Joel Rosenberg on Netanyahu meeting Obama at The White House on 1st October 2014 after UN General Assembly. (Related material: PM Netanyahu at UN and Tale of 2 Speeches at UN.)
[Image courtesy of Watcharakun at Freedigitalphotos.com]
Gaza War Update, Day #21: Obama calls Netanyahu to demand “immediate” cease-fire. Kerry angers Israeli, Palestinian & Egyptian leaders.
Of Joel’s many updates I’m reblogging this because it covers the latest incompetence of messers Obama and Kerry (now persona non grata?). American influence in the Middle-East is likely to disappear in this rapidly changing geo-political situation.
UPDATED AT 10:30PM EASTERN SUNDAY:(Washington, D.C.) — The most dramatic developments of the weekend in the Gaza war were these:
- President Obama’s call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to demand an “immediate” ceasefire, even though Israeli leaders don’t feel they are yet finished neutralizing the terrorist threat posed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
- The U.N. Security council demand on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire, even though this will most help the terrorists.
- Secretary John Kerry’s disastrous efforts at negotiating a ceasefire, in which he actually managed to anger Palestinian, Egyptian and Israeli leaders all at once — as one regional commentator put it: “We are witnessing a grave strategic error by the Americans, who are succeeding in infuriating serious and strong allies like Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in favor of a deception in the form of Qatar and Turkey, which has managed to quarrel with all of its neighbors.”
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Middle-East events and fulfilment of Bible prophecy – 1
Last August, in Events indicate the Bible’s relevance for today, I referred to what was happening in several Middle Eastern countries.
Although my subsequent coverage has been occasional, changes in the geo-political reality have continued to accelerate. It demonstrates how amazingly scripture has foretold what is unfolding before the world’s eyes.
It’s important for everyone, Christian or not, to appreciate the significance of these times and events.
There is an increasing likelihood of an internecine Sunni v Shite war. However, ulterior, religious goals may make them overcome their differences. This happened in the 1980s Iran-Iraq war when elite units from enemy camps rehearsed the storming of Jerusalem, thereby kick-starting my interest in the prophetic when I wasn’t a Christian! (Details in Welcome.)
The following overview of a couple of experts’ reports will help you understand these developments, especially if you follow the links for more details. Also, a newer slant on interpreting scripture will be briefly considered.
Declaration of an Islamic Caliphate
The Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs has published an informative document, What does an ‘Islamic Caliphate’ in Iraq Mean? and notes a coincidence that’s of no surprise to Bible students:
On the first day of the month of Ramadan (29 June 2014), the day on which World Pride Day was celebrated as a marker of social and cultural progress, the reestablishment of the Islamic caliphate (state) was declared in Iraq and a caliph was appointed to lead it.
The Centre’s analysis looks at the historical and current state-of-play:
The Islamic State is trying to reinforce its battlefield achievements in Syria and Iraq by creating a new Sunni Muslim religious entity that threatens to overturn the prevailing regional political order rooted in the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) which set the borders and carved up the Middle East into European spheres of influence. The rule of the caliphate is applied to the territory under its control….
The declaration of the caliphate poses a challenge to the rival Islamic organizations and particularly to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has tried to promote the concept of a “political Islam” that combines Islam and democracy (according to the Islamic interpretation) and is aimed at achieving the ultimate goal of global Islamic rule in stages.
The stated objectives of the declaration are not surprising to those who understand Islamic doctrine in depth, unlike Western politicians. The objectives are headed; Establishment of an Islamic caliphate…Implementation of Islamic law (sharia)… Fortification of the rule of the Islamic caliphate…The supremacy of the Muslims over the peoples of the world and the goal of an Islamic takeover of the world…Representation of the Muslims all over the world…The rejection of democracy, secularism, and nationalism…On-going jihad everywhere…
Note the goal of totalitarian, global supremacy, violence and inhuman suppression of freedom is no different to 1,500 years ago. That is, a caliphate is a backward step into the barbarism of the Dark Ages.
Providing a thorough overview and warning “The danger of regional instability is greater than ever”, the JCPA document is therefore worth careful study:
Commentaries
John McTernan:
Opinion: ‘The establishment of an Islamic caliphate has the potential to be the most important fulfillment of Bible prophecy since Israel became a state in 1948 and Jerusalem’s unification in 1967. A caliphate would unite all the Arabs and perhaps even all of Islam against Israel. This is exactly what the Bible states is going to happen just prior to Armageddon. What this caliphate needs to succeed and expand is a mass public uprising in its support. A war between Israel and the Palestinians could be this catalyst. It is easy to see Jordan fall to ISIS during a war with Israel and then Egypt. I have said all along that Syria is doomed and when ISIS consolidates power, they will turn on Syria. Syria is going to fall, there is no doubt about this. It appears from here on out that incredible prophetic events will unfold before our eyes.’
John’s Commentary for 8th July then summarises several news sources on that topic.
Following on from the re-blog on Saudi Arabia and ISIS, here’s an analysis from someone with good knowledge of and well-informed contacts in the region…
Walid Shobat:
This ex-radical PLO militant, now a Christian (see bio), brings an interesting viewpoint on the identity of ‘The Whore of Babylon’ as being connected with Saudi Arabia.
Writing about Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s entrance to announce his intentions in the grand mosque in Mosul on 29th June, Walid notes that, ‘Everything, statements, attire, setting and message comes from the Inaugural address to the first Muslim Caliph Abu Bakr and is why Al-Baghdadi chose the name Abu Bakr and even used the same statements of the historic Abu Bakr:
In analysing the recent event, he goes on to state that Saudi Arabia knows it is this man’s main target and Walid offers this scriptural opinion:
‘The Harlot of Babylon, Saudi Arabia is realizing finally that funding the Syrian revolution created a curse, that the same Jihdist fighters in Syria are now about to terrorize Arabia – the nation that allowed the Islamist boogeyman (sic) out of the box is now trying to shove it back in. After all it was Arabia—which Islam emanates from and its harlot religion is spread throughout the entire region. It was Arabia which produced Muhammad, Arabia’s prophet.
‘From a prophetic perspective, we see the impending destruction of Saudi Arabia. The kings stagger in their vomit as a drunkard not knowing what to do. Shoebat.com takes the position that Revelation 17 referenced Arabia as a prostitute “Whore of Babylon”.’
His full analysis in New Muslim Caliph’s eyes are on destruction of Saudi Arabia, relates how the highest authority in Islam, The Haditha, discusses the Ka’ba in Mecca as Babel “The Gate to God”, which is its Arabic term. He claims it’s also depicted as a woman!
This is explained further in ISIS vowed to destroy Mecca along with photographs from which we can see better how that centre of Mohammedanism may be regarded as a Babylon.
Another important aspect for understanding what’s happening and likely to come next is Islamic disagreement over recognition of this caliphate through strong opposition from the Muslim Brotherhood. And all of this centers around Turkey.
In Top Muslim scholar says Caliphate in Iraq is VOID because it doesn’t fit the Ottoman model, Walid reveals this scholar is none other than the MB’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Yususf al-Qaradawi. After quoting his words, Walid reminds his readers:
‘The Turkish based Ottoman Empire is something the Western media and leaders simply refuse to call attention to. Perhaps more noteworthy than al-Baghdadi’s declaration or even al-Qaradawi’s rebuke of that declaration is the admission by al-Qaradawi that the Muslim Brotherhood desires its resurrection. (Emphasis added)
‘This is something we have been maintaining for decades now. Once one understands how prominent al-Qaradawi is within the Muslim Brotherhood, it’s much easier to see what the group’s plans are…’
In Only Turkey can establish the Caliphate, he outlines the reasons for this:
‘As we stated previously, The Caliph must (be) Sufi Muslim, someone who will succeed in reviving the Ottoman glory days, unite Sunni and Shiite and only Turkey has such a model and a major regional presence with significant global standing and respect. The Iraqi model of the Caliphate has set the stage for a Caliphate competition. This is why Al-Qaradawi finally had to declare what he declared.
‘In Istanbul, Turkey a Caliphate nostalgia for the Ottoman Empire has been on the rise as of late. The Ottoman Sultan’s seal can be found on T-shirts, advertisements, and jewelry everywhere in its old imperial capital of Istanbul. More alarmingly, the jihadists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are now proclaiming a new Islamic caliphate in former Ottoman provinces.
‘As we have always stated, Turkey and Iran will unite, soon.’
Walid then considers how this may affect Egypt and relates it all to Biblical prophecy. That is, major developments in the Gog-Magog alliance prophesied by Ezekiel.
It is noteworthy this ex-PLO activist’s insights tally with Mark Davidson’s analysis based upon in-depth news reports in Parallels to 1914 Europe. Readers especially interested in the prophetic will find Mark offers fresh food for thought at The Four Signposts.
Daniel Pipes:
Let’s consider the opinion of a secular expert on Turkey, who warned in advance of the 9/11 attacks. In Turkish Support for ISIS Daniel Pipes states,
‘The battle in Iraq consists of “Turkish-backed Sunni jihadis rebelling against an Iranian-backed Shi’ite-oriented central government,” (as) I wrote in a recent article.
‘Some readers question that the Republic of Turkey has supported the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,” the main Sunni group fighting in Iraq. They point to ISIS attacks on Turkish interests, within Turkey, along its border with Syria, and in Mosul and a successful recent meeting of the Turkish and Iranian presidents. Good points, but they can be explained….’
He presents several substantiations and concludes,
‘Turkish leaders are finding Syria a double quagmire, what with Assad still in power and the Kurdish entity growing stronger. In reaction, they have cooperated with even the most extreme, retrograde and vicious elements, such as ISIS. But this support opened a second front in Iraq which, in turn, brings the clash of the Middle East’s two titans, Turkey and Iran, closer to realization.’ (Emphasis added)
The version of that article published in Washington Times used the title: “Turkey’s support for ISIS Islamist terrorists. Aiding jihadists could put Ankara at odds with Iran”. Daniel offers nine more proofs that AKP government of Prime Minister Erdoğan stands behind the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in an updated article.
(Note: Faced with threats, Mr Pipes issued an apology under duress in the Washington Times.)
Not withstanding the present bombardment and defensive action against Hamas by Israel, Daniel also reflects upon Benjamin Netanyahu’s important speech to a security institute. He too refers to the Sykes-Picot secret agreement and notes four great challenges posed by Islamic fanaticism; border protection, stability west of the Jordan River, building regional cooperation and especially to prevent Iran becoming a nuclear threshold state. (See Netanyahu’s Steady Hand).
Daniel admiringly concludes:
‘Going back to 1999, I have often criticized Netanyahu but the excellent analysis in this speech suggests a steady hand at the helm. (Secondly) All the more important to have an American ally that understands security concerns when the Obama administration is clueless.’
‘[Update: A number of readers have protested my describing the Obama administration as “clueless,” insisting that it is malign more than ignorant or incompetent. But this misunderstands what I meant by clueless: I meant mistaken, wrong-headed, foolish, ineffectual; I did not mean to ascribe reasons, whether malign or incapable.]‘
Conclusion
In my opinion, we may be about to witness major upheavals that will affect not only the ancient world’s centres of civilisation but also the modern world’s global petro-economy.
Furthermore, Walid Shoebat’s conclusion is most telling:
As Shoebat.com first reported, al-Qaradawi espouses the Sunni version of taqiyya [religiously directed deception.RB], otherwise known as Muruna. He has written extensively on the subject and until westerners understand this technique, they will fail to understand their enemies.
So, we should expect Turkey and Iran to be at loggerheads, even at war, but behind the scenes they will become allied against Israel and all non-Moslems, thereby manifesting the Ezekiel 37 ‘alliance’ of Gog and Magog.
Keep looking up for, “our redemption draws nigh”.
Another fulfilment of the Obama prophecy
In view of the popularity of prophecies on President Obama and Israeli PM Netanyahu, readers will be interested in the following.:
Details have emerged today revealing close operational collaboration for the first time in 4 years between US and Israeli intelligence and military agencies against an Iranian military target. Although this may surprise media pundits and well-informed experts alike, it is confirmation once again of the accuracy of Wendy Alec’s word and prayer request for Barack Obama from the Lord Himself. In response to our intercession He promised:
…That we will see a change in the direction of the White House –
That we will see a change – a transformation even of policies –
And it will be My Hand that has wrought this change says the Lord.
Today’s Debka Special Report on the naval operation refers to America’s questionable diplomatic approach to Iran’s bellicose regime :
Until now, the Obama administration steadfastly refused to act against Iran for fear of jeopardizing the international diplomatic track for curbing its nuclear program.
The unusual frankness with which the Obama administration announced its coordination with Israel is both dramatic in itself and a road sign pointing the way to a radical change in its Iran policy. The US and Israel appear to be lining up – in their military policies as well – against the Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah bloc…
The seizure of an Iranian ship’s secret cargo of missiles bound for Gaza is no doubt one of the factors behind recent cordial meetings in Washington between Obama and Netanyahu. Debka report continues,
This radical turnabout was most probably the high point of the conversation between the US president and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the White House Monday, March 3, after which Netanyahu raised comment by showering Obama with praise during his speech to the AIPAC conference in Washington the next day.
It’s all too predictable that mainstream media, being anti-Israel, will succumb to any Iranian smokescreen and be beguiled into repeating their disingenuous diatribe.
Related posts:
- Prophetic Word for President Obama – Nov 2012
- Wendy Alec’s urgent email with note by RB.
- Developments posted here and here.
- In connection with the Netanyahu prophecy.
- A question on the prophetic word’s accuracy.
- Dramatic shift in US Israeli-Palestine policy.
On the significance of Turkey’s turn-around
Yesterday’s news and announcement on this blog merits a brief explanation. As an ‘alert’, it was dashed off because I was about to close down for dinner but decided to quickly check ‘before-the-media’ news.
In fact, my short window on-line yesterday went in congratulating a friend on his political blog’s news. I mentioned that prophetic material in Ezekiel 38 is increasingly relevant. (As already disclosed, that topic had cropped up in my afternoon meeting.) Hence, my astonishment at reading the news from Debka – I was amazed that what I’d spoken of and referred to in writing had become news on that day!!
Why is this news of Turkey’s prime minster turning against Washington important?
If not the first, Tayyip Erdogan was one of the foreign leaders whom Barack Obama called very soon after taking office. After attending the G20 Summit in London, then with NATO in Strasburg and with the EU in Prague, President Obama went to Istanbul and Ankara on 7th April 2009, “to send a message to the world” (per White House transcript). In making a major speech to the Turkish Parliament on the Middle East, Obama wooed Turkey as “a critical ally”. [Is it a coincidence that Turkey soon moved from being a military ally of Israel to exhibiting great hostility, doubtless encouraged by POTUS’ own inclinations? – see Rewind re. Turkey.]
Two Arabic stations carried Obama’s speech live and Associated Press reported:
Making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president and calling for a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims.
“Let me say this as clearly as I can,” Obama said. “The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical … in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.
[Emphases Koenig’s Eye View From The White House, April 9th 2009]
But Bill Koenig, White House journalist, made this prophetically accurate observation:
This will be an incentive for the enemies of the United States to keep going, believing the U.S. has no fortitude to fight, and that they are winning. [Bang on! Emphasis mine]
It was Obama’s opening salvo in moving the goal-posts and he developed his earlier claims during the tour that the US and Europe must change its attitude to the Muslim world. [From thence he went on to cause consternation in bowing to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.]
Two months later, the broadside fired in his Cairo speech made his lack of historical and political accuracy abundantly clear to informed observers. In encouraging a move towards principles of western democracy and welcoming the Muslim Brotherhood he sent an even clearer signal that American policy was now taking an about-turn.
The rest is history and confirms the bankruptcy of American foreign policy with the consequential geo-strategic re-alignment of the whole Middle-East. Iran has beaten the US hands down in nuclear negotiations and, after the fiasco over Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations can no longer trust Obama. Therefore, Russia is now taking advantage of the political vacuum in that region.
Therefore, after a close relationship with Prime Minister Erdogan from the outset of his presidency, the Turk’s turning away from Washington to Tehran is highly significant. This is especially so when we recall Turkey had major differences with Iran over Syria. [See Reuters’ article below for detailed update.]
OR, could Obama have instructed Erdogan to make it up with Iran? Or even to get in so POTUS could have a personal ‘take’ on the Iranians? I wonder…
As prophesied over 2,500 years ago, these peoples are coming together, not in any loose confederation, but in a political and military alliance under Russian dominance!!
EXCEEDINGLY INTERESTING TIMES! The words of the Lord given to His prophet Ezekiel accurately forecasted modern political developments in the region around the tiny state of Israel.
How say you, my reader?
UPDATED 31 Jan: Turkey & Iran – conflict of interest?
Further reading:
- Reuters – Turkey’s Erdogan visits Iran to improve ties after split over Syria
- Dr Renald Showers – Ezekiel prophecy reveals future major alliance against Israel
- Koinonia House – The Treacherous Trio of Ezekiel 38 – Part 1 (Turkey) – Part 2 (Iran) – Part 3 (Russia).
- Richard’s Watch – Rewind re. Turkey and other early posts via links below.
Replay of Munich ’38 missed – only just!
A serious miscalculation by America has been averted – for the time being.
Like British PM Neville Chamberlain in Sept 1938, POTUS Barack Obama prefers peace rather than war with a totalitarian, supremacist regime. But as my parent’s generation learned, appeasement [1] comes only at a high price. A ‘peace for our time’ agreement with Nazi Germany wasn’t worth the paper it was written on [2].
Proviso
Let me clarify for first-time visitors and newer subscribers to this blog, I’ve no political axe to grind whatsoever. Over 25 years ago (when anti-Christian), I was confronted by the singular goal of Iraq and Iran, although at war with one another! [3] Therefore, I’ve been well aware of the Iranian regime’s ultimate aim – the destruction of the state of Israel.
It’s important to be aware of today’s situation’s connection to the ‘Ezekiel 38 Alliance’ that was foreseen millennia ago and recorded in the Bible [4]. This coalition is made up mainly of Iran/Persia, Syria and Turkey along with its leader, Russia. They were seen as becoming united against, and seeking to destroy, Israel. These ancient and modern facts cannot simply be ignored.
Political leaders would, therefore, be well advised to tread very carefully in dealing with this alliance.
Summary
Last week, US Secretary of State Kerry’s headlong push for a disastrous agreement in Geneva with Iran over its nuclear ambitions has brought recriminations from national leaders and many well-informed commentators.
Although claiming to cover Israel’s back, Obama has been in secret, back-channel talks with Iran, especially since the election of President Rouhani [5]. His team had arranged for nothing important to be conceded by the Iranian’s for easing international sanctions. That is, it was not known this arrangement did not require Iran to reduce refinement of uranium and halt production of nuclear weapons [6], which was the rationale behind sanctions.
Israeli PM Netanyahu was reportedly ‘in a state of shocked disbelief’ and felt ‘misled’ by ‘messianic-complex’ Kerry [7], who is said to have threatened Israel with sanctions over its peace negotiations with the Palestinians, who are never, ever at fault! [8]. The US was accused of deceit because,
‘…the interim nuclear accord negotiated directly between Washington and Tehran was already secretly in the bag before the 2-day talks between Iran and the Six World Powers took place in Geneva on Thursday…’. [9]
Middle-East analyst Daniel Pipes foresaw the 911 attack and recently reiterated,
I wrote before the last presidential election that “Israel’s troubles will really begin” should Obama win second term. At Obama’s second inauguration, I predicted that he, “freed from re-election constraints, can finally express his early anti-Zionist views after a decade of political positioning. Watch for a markedly worse tone from the second Obama administration toward the third Netanyahu government.” [10]
America’s Arab allies in the Gulf were also horrified by the bad deal and felt cheated. In line with their strong reaction [11] to Obama throwing Egypt’s President Mubarak under the bus, Saudi Arabia has been arranging to buy nuclear warheads from Pakistan as protection from a nuclear-armed Iran [12].
Then when Iran and the Six met for 3 days in Geneva, France unexpectedly scuttled the deal at the last minute on behalf of the Europeans, Saudi Arabia, the UA Emirates and Russia [13]. Joel Rosenberg sees God’s hand in changing this situation [14]. Expecting a generous hand-out from the US and an easing of stringent sanctions, Iran’s President Rouhani urgently met Supreme Leader Khamenei and reminded him their ‘cupboard is bare’. [15] Hoping to negotiate with more flexibility, he’ll have a tough time persuading Iran’s top dog.
The US ‘capitulated’ [16]. Disingenuous Kerry blamed Israel’s Netanyahu and claimed Obama is a man of his word, but was met with deep scepticism by their partners. This is no surprise bearing in mind not only American deceit in changing the deal but also over Obama’s credibility gap as a result of the Syria farrago [17]. On Sunday,
…Netanyahu hit back at his misrepresentation as the lone spoiler by revealing his contacts with the European powers represented in Geneva and his close cooperation with the Arabian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia.
“The world should pay heed when Israel and the Arabs speak with one voice. It doesn’t happen that often,” he said… Washington sources admit that the group effort by Jerusalem, Paris and Riyadh to defeat the Obama administration’s Iran policy was a groundbreaker. One source noted that it had attained the unheard-of level of coordinated Israeli-Arab-European teamwork for mobilizing individual US congressmen and senators against the deal with Iran and in favor of tighter sanctions. (Emphases added)
The game is clearly changing for the US in the Middle-East because Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu are on a two-day visit to Cairo [18]. This will conclude a major sale of advanced Russian weaponry to Egypt’s army and for Russian naval access to ports on the Mediterranean. (Obama chose to delay assistance because Egypt refused to acquiesce to his demand to reinstate the Muslim Brotherhood, probably because of his elder brother’s involvement with them!)
Yesterday, the Head of International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report of his visit to Iran on Monday. According to Debka, he pointed out that he had seen no changes in Iran’s nuclear activities in the three months since the election of Hassan Rouhani. Iran continues to enrich uranium up to the 20% level and his comments
…exploded the optimistic assumption at the root of the Obama administration’s soft policy on Iran, namely that Tehran had assumed a new, moderate face, amenable as never before to talking through a deal on its nuclear program. [19]
Yukiya Amano’s urgently arranged meeting with supreme leader Khamenei was meant to be an opportunity for him to signal that he approved of further efforts to overcome the impasse reached last week in Geneva.
A show of goodwill from Khamenei would have been used by the US administration to persuade Israel, France and Saudi Arabia to stop fighting the draft accord they’d thrown out. Iran’s Foreign Minister promised the Americans that if the IAEA chief came to Iran then an audience with Khamenei would be set up. But the whole three days Amano was in Tehran no audience materialised. He was fobbed off with paper and photo-op for ‘a roadmap for cooperation’. So Khamenei’s brush-off for Amano put paid to efforts to improve the stand-off.
Conclusion
So today it’s very interesting to read that a professor of law at Harvard has just asked: “Is this our Chamberlain moment?” [20]. Oh, what a surprise!
When published, the full details of the current state of affairs and how the crisis erupted must surely read better than any political thriller. Just let these links tantalise you…
Links for LOTS MORE details:
- ‘Appeasement’ in the mid-20th century
- Neville Chamberlain’s official statement
- Richard’s Watch: read about The Invisible Hand in Welcome..
- Richard’s Watch: Events indicate the Bible’s relevance today
- Charles Crawford: Iran at the UN – Diplomatic Chess
- Debka: Major Israel-US rift over allowing more uranium enrichment
- Joel Rosenberg: …Rapidly intensifying crisis in US-Israel relations
- Aaron Klein: Kerry threatening Israel
- Debka: Israel accuses US of deceit on nuclear deal
- Daniel Pipes: Obama turns on Israel
- Richard’s Watch: Deep US-Saudi rift emerges
- Joel Rosenberg: Arab allies of US horrified by deal…
- Debka: France’s last-minute hold-out aborts Iran deal…
- Joel Rosenberg: France scuttles disastrous nuclear deal…
- Debka: Iranian leaders urgently mull some nuclear flexibility…
- Israel Hayon: ‘US capitulated’ on Iran deal…
- Debka: Kerry bids from Abu Dhabi to break up broad front…
- Debka Exclusive Report 12 November 2013
- Debka: …Khamenei refuses to see nuclear watchdog director
- Gatestone Institute: Nuclear peace with Iran in our time
Could Obama restore Christianity?
Preposterous as that question seems, this guest post by T.E. Hanna complements the previous item about religio-political stirrings on this side of the ‘pond’. Readers of long standing are aware of my reservations about POTUS’ claims as a fellow believer. (I recall the inordinate, idolatrous adulation given upon his first election. Incredibly one writer regarded him as C-in-C Theologian!!) Yet, scripture and Christian leaders point out, as here, he needs our prayers…Lord, grant president Obama a Damascus Road encounter and full baptism in your Holy Spirit.
T.E. puts challenging and pertinent, provocative points which, in my humble opinion, merit careful consideration by American believers.:
HOW BARACK OBAMA IS RESTORING CHRISTIANITY
Hold on. Put the stones down for just a moment. Hear me out.
So you’re a fan of Obama? Fine. Not a fan? Still fine. I’m not particularly interested in political affiliation. I’m far more caught up in the need for the Christian body to reclaim its place as influencers of our nation at a cultural level rather than a political one. And let’s be honest… we’re not exactly making track records in that department.
In the face of our waning cultural influence, followers of Jesus increasingly rally to reclaim a “Christian nation” by working to pass pseudo-Christian legislation and thereby impose the illusion of a Christian presence. We do this, however, without ever really engaging the hearts and minds of individuals where the real influence of the Messiah comes to dwell. This is the problem: we don’t become a Christian nation by teaching people to “act Christian” as a form of civic obedience. We become a Christian nation by reaching the men and women of our communities with the life-altering presence of Christ.
In that regard, Obama is helping us more than we realize.
We Face A Rival Theology
One of the greatest challenges we face in recovering our Christian influence is in the way that the culture of our churches has merged nationalism with Christian theology. We engage the problems of our world very differently when we approach it from a nationalist mindset than we do when we approach it from the perspective of a culturally subversive community that functions as the front lines of a kingdom-not-of-this-world. At the root of this is what we might call a “competing eschatology”.
To quote Old Testament scholar Dr. Peter Enns:
Eschatology means: “We have brought you to where things are as they should be. You are at the place where you can now–finally–have reason to hope. Trust in us. Fear not.” Eschatology means the pinnacle of true humanity, where wrongs are righted, all is at peace, and the human drama comes to its fullest expression.
A nationalist eschatology adopts the utopian vision of government and seeks to bring about this grand pinnacle through the right means of legislation and leadership. It imbues humanity with hope through cultivating trust in those who lead and feeding us the ever-elusive promise of “progress”. In a nationalist eschatology, we place our faith and hope in the system and, if the system is broken, we place our hope in the righting of that system. In the current trend of Christian nationalism, we have bled our theology into this rival promise, looking to that same system to bring about the “utopia” of Christian transformation.
But Ours Is A Divine Narrative
Unfortunately, this rival eschatology is just that: a rival. As seductive as it is, it undermines the Christian hope passed down to us throughout history and embedded within the pages of God’s sweeping narrative of scripture. The Great Story we find ourselves in the midst of is not a story of powerful governments drawing humanity along to an ever brighter future. In fact, the pages of scripture unfold to tell us of a people at the outskirts of civilization, a nation constantly under the dominion of the powerful empire. It speaks to us of a promised messiah, the very being of God himself, who announces a heavenly kingdom before being crucified by an earthly one.
It teaches us of a heavenly calling to an earthly citizenry, the slow cultivation of a community of people who transformed an empire despite existing under that very empire’s persecuting power. It whispers to us of a God who works from the margins and engages the worldly systems through a transformed gathering of His children. It reminds us that to change our world, we must live as those whose citizenship lies beyond the soil upon which we tread.
Our eschatology does not look to presidents or kings. It looks upon the crucified Lord, King of the Jews, and King of all Kings. It looks to the coming heavenly kingdom, a kingdom not of this world.
Obama Reminds Us Who We Are
Regardless where one stands in their view of our president, we cannot help but look with dismay upon the past several months. In the course of this year alone we have faced the prospect of yet another war, the shutdown of our government, and the divisive controversy over healthcare. We have peeled back the curtain, stared the promise of nationalism in the face, and found it wanting. Despite efforts to the contrary, the Obama administration has exposed the vacuousness of the nationalist ideal. I love our nation, but it is not in government that we place our hope. It is in Jesus.
Today (Monday) we celebrate our veterans. We honor and recognize the men and women who fought to retain for us our precious freedom. We can honor them by using that freedom, not by turning to the empty promises of a rival eschatology, but by freely living as the men and women of God who model a different way; a Jesus way. In the midst of our nation, we are still foreigners, emissaries of a heavenly kingdom that is bursting forth all around us. We can yield ourselves to that kingdom, or we can yield ourselves to this one.
Only one truly offers us hope for humanity’s future.
Modern prophecy on USA & Israel approaches fulfillment
Am grateful to a critic of revival and the prophetic who castigates the promise of greater blessings and quickening power coming to the Welsh Outpouring, as declared by Chuck Pierce. (I will deal with that defamation later.) Continue reading
A Biblical relevance to Cameron’s ‘judgement call’?
Truly, I much prefer covering prophetical rather than political/military matters. But some things based upon the Word of God need saying when the occasion arises. So I’ll be brief:
This time last week I read reports of mobilisation around the eastern Med and the Gulf in preparing for a US missile strike upon Syria by the weekend. In view of the ‘ready-to-go’ status, I wasn’t surprised my son’s flight in that region set for Friday was brought forward to early Thursday. PM Cameron had urgently recalled Parliament from its Summer recess and later that day sought all MP’s backing for military support of the US and associates’ attack. The PM has been concerned over the very dreadful plight of civilians in Syria and long canvassed Obama for action of one sort or another.
(The US has trained Syrian rebels in Jordan, who’ve already been in action. Assad had warned this would trigger retribution, including use of chemical weapons – see DebkaFile’s analysis with their original report of mid-August).
Thursday evening’s news referred to PM Cameron stressing that military action is a “Judgement call” – see Channel4 News and Friday’s The Independent. As we know, the PM lost the House’s vote. Much has been written about this and so I’ll be succinct. It’s noteworthy that after having heard Cameron tell him UK is unable to help the US, Obama suddenly changed his mind about the strike – not even telling his military chiefs or allies! (DebkaFile refers.)
What struck me is, not so much the complete about-turn by both leaders, as a likely connection with both having forsaken the ways of the Lord and failing to stand on his Word – God is not mocked!
Let’s recall from a previous post on the US Administration’s problems how the Amplified Bible spells out chapter 6 of Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. [BibleGateway]
We cannot pretend to know how the Lord is working in all this, but it’s instructive to note the PM’s “judgement call” may have a deeper connotation than is ordinarily assumed!
Cameron railroaded through Parliament a completely unnecessary Statute to redefine marriage. His American mentor has led nationally and internationally in this and now faces troubles across several fronts, including the Muslim Brotherhood (see this by Joel Rosenberg).
Thus, they’re reaping as they’ve sown within their very own political system. AND it has come through attempting to deal with an evil regime in cahoots with another – but how can our leaders expect to be righteous in this issue when they’re not in others?
So, this round has been won by the ‘Ezekiel 38 Alliance’, or ‘axis’ as David Blair terms it in his commentary West’s failure to act. Analysing America’s three main interests in the Syrian issues, Caroline Glick hits the nail on the head in Obama’s bread and circuses. International Business Editor for the Telegraph, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, also makes several good points in A Fairly Honourable Defeat. This comes with insights from his father’s involvement in Syria in 1942.
Yesterday’s development is the proposed transfer of Assad’s chemical weapons into deep shelters in Iran, thereby averting any US attack (report here) and possibly using the move as a bargaining chip. [Debka reported ahead of the invasion of Iraq that Saddam Hussein’s WMD stock was moved into Syria. Many years later I noted the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, Canon Andrew White, corroborate this claim on TV.] A fortnight ago Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned,
“Syria has become Iran’s testing ground….Iran is watching and it wants to see what would be the reaction on the use of chemical weapons.”
Today brings news of joint US-Israel tests at sea of interceptive missile systems for protection of Israel and Jordan in the event of the conflict expanding into the region.
So tensions continue to simmer near boiling point….
Is the use of chemical weapons in Syria of more importance than the eradication of Christianity?
Gillan Scott provides an excellent in-depth follow up to my brief note on Barnabas Fund’s call to prayer for the persecuted church. At least our people are not joking in poor taste on this issue as did the Obama Administration over the persecution in Egypt! (See Christian Post and Raymond Ibrahim) Please note readers’ comments too..
Pray for persecuted Christians
This Sunday, Barnabas Fund is calling Christians around the world to pray, act and donate in a special show of support for our suffering brothers and sisters. The threat to the vulnerable Christian minorities in Syria and in Egypt is now at cataclysmic proportions.
For details read Marked for Destruction: Christian targets daubed with a black X, which provides suggested course of action to contact national leaders.
Why the black X? The linked announcement explains that Barnabas Fund,
is using a black X for this campaign as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted because of their faith. Islamists have daubed this sign on the walls of Christian homes and businesses in Egypt to identify them for attack, while Muslim properties have been painted with a red X for protection.
The Fund’s latest email on global persecution by Islamic nations may be read here.
Please also note.:
The ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, Canon Andrew White, features in Edward Malnick’s article of last Sunday about The ‘almost unremarked’ persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
Joel Rosenberg reports in The Muslim Brotherhood’s War On Egypt’s Christians that over 200 churches and Christian-owned buildings have been attacked.
NIGERIA
Christians in Nigeria have endured murderous persecution for years at the hands of the Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group which the Obama Administration is on record as failing to censure or condemn but, instead, as urging the Nigerian government to respect its human rights!!
Raymond Ibrahim reports upon this nonsense here and includes it in his latest update on Muslim Persecution of Christians. This news confirms many suspicions that the US Administration is a lackey of the Muslim Brotherhood, does it not?
The US rebuke contrasts sharply with Open Doors’ report (here) that Boko Haram is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The Court’s preliminary investigation blames the Islamic sect for 1,200 deaths. Need I say more? [Latest attack is reported in Christian World, hat-tip Robert Spencer.]
So, persecution isn’t confined to only Syria and Egypt but is endemic across Islamic nations. Let us pray, therefore…
Prophets call for protective prayers for President Obama
Folks will be aware of my reservations on President Obama’s policies and decisions. I’m not a fan but it is important to respect him in his role. So Ire-posted Wendy Alec’s call for intercession after the re-election, followed by news of related developments. Another call comes from elsewhere and possibly connects into one of my readers’ dreams. After careful consideration, therefore, I’m posting this short video.
The following ‘alarm calls’ to pray for the United States and its president come from four prophets who are recognised by my church leadership here in England. I’m familiar with Bobby Conner’s standing and our pastor is aware of Neville Johnson’s ministry. So, you may wish to hear and weigh their comments on this video. (NB: please watch before reading the comments section, where you’ll find our reaction.)
On the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses a matter shall be confirmed…
Thus states Deuteronomy 19:15 (NASB) about testifying at an inquiry, or any other situation. This principle was also used at the first church council in Jerusalem, whereof Dr Luke recorded the decision to allow Gentile (non-Jewish) believers in Jesus Christ to be in fellowship with Jewish believers:
28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. [Acts 15]
Are there times when the Lord draws your attention to certain scriptures and principles by their repetition, even through another person or something else? For me this can happen one day after another, or even during a church service. My latest should be shared but first, if you’ve not read the previous post’s comments, please let me explain.:
PS to previous post
After publishing that last post I had some reservations about its tone and how it had grown beyond a brief ‘roundup’ of the first two press sources, with my remarks of 2011, into a piece with more depth. I’d run off a hardcopy of the draft to check over lunch and the idea dropped into mind it would be better to start with scripture, specifically verses from the closing chapter of Paul’s earliest letter (to the church in Galatia).
Having done that I also included a bit from Bill Koenig before some of Walid Shoebat’s main piece. To clarify it all a conclusion was needed but, devoid of any earlier thought whatsoever, I found myself referring to Obama’s LGBT agenda. And this flowed straight into revisiting Galatians 6 with a pointer for this month as, ‘God is not mocked month’!
I wasn’t sure about it. Could I unwittingly have put a prophetical timing on this issue?
The next morning I read Beth’s contribution to that post and in which she referred to Dutch Sheets’ Reaction to the Election. I’ve quoted him occasionally but was unaware of this, which he concludes with Holy Spirit’s reply about unanswered prayers, as follows:
“Your prayers and worship did prevail…though not in the way you wanted. Because of them, however, I will now deal with this man who has mocked Me and My laws.”
Two more friends of mine had dreams in which Barack Obama was named Belshazzar (see Daniel 5). This was the ruler in Babylon who saw a hand writing on the wall of his palace—as he and his friends were mocking God. The ominous message written by the hand of God was, “You have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.” The writing went on to say Belshazzar’s reign would end.
I don’t know what form the judgment of the Lord will take, but I am quite confident that God has put up with all of the mocking He intends to from Barack Obama, and that Daniel 5 is now his passage. I say this without malice or ill will, but nonetheless, confidently.
Also in my email was advice of Gillan Scott’s latest on the voting for same-sex marriage in the House of Lords. I opened up his webpage to scan its full content and at the close was reader Hazel’s brief comment, which closes,
If you replace the word gay with sodomite, the Bible is quite clear about it. God is not mocked.
WOW – two sisters and myself witnessing independently to a specific theme that the renowned intercessor and prophetical prayer warrior had received of the Lord. Ancient scripture attests that this is one way a matter is confirmed, or as in some translations, ‘established’.
Therefore, I can only conclude He is about to move in a significant way, AND we were prophetically informed only last week of the “coming great clash between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light”, as reported herein. Most interesting times…
SO, WATCH OUT!
Let’s lift up our heads for our redemption draws nigh…the Lord bless you and keep you.
Is Obama’s impeachment now on the cards?
Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. [Galatians 6:7-8 Amplified Bible]
Lots of national news and personal thoughts fill my mind in getting back into the swing of blogging. And where did May go? There was lots happening and I want to write on the ‘new season’, especially on the Lion of Judah, as well as the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s Coronation on 2nd June 1953.
After dealing with email, however, maybe I ‘sense’ someone’s got something significant and open my ‘Favourites – Blog’ and click at the foot of its long list. This opens to Walid Shoebat’s site (ex-member of PLO and Muslim Brotherhood, now born-again Christian). I found his Barack Obama’s Blue Dress? is a good summary of posts about the ‘Uber-Scandal’ gathering around the US President.
I beg indulgence of my American readers familiar with their administration’s failures, and of readers elsewhere for not recounting the full background. A couple of pre-blog emails (The Gravity of Current Events and Revelation on Israel) of 2011 refer to the possibility of Obama’s impeachment. Other issues, especially many unanswered questions about Benghazi, gave rise to my reservations over the 2012 election, as outlined in If I were an American citizen…
In commenting upon my short post on its results, Tony asked for my ‘take’ on Obama’s re-election. I replied, “Maybe it’s (God’s) intention a 2nd term will either enable Obama to repent or make corrections?” (The latter seems to have happened regarding Israel, but I kept a tight rein on my thoughts that re-election may allow time for Gal 6:7-8 to be applied with its consequential outcome – it’s better to bless and be gracious, for the Lord will work out the detail.)
New York Times’ Jonathan Weisman summarises what’s facing Capitol Hill this week after a week’s recess and Congress’ ability to balance its twin responsibilities of legislating and of investigating. How that works out may make the difference between landmark legislation for Obama, or his being consumed by charges relating to several scandals:
…House leaders and committee chairmen appear to be giving themselves over to an expanding and aggressive oversight effort — on the I.R.S., the Justice Department’s targeting of reporters, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.’s statements to Congress on that targeting and the Sept. 11 attack on the United States Mission in Benghazi, Libya.
The previous week, Bill Koenig had opened his Inside The White House briefing with, Obama’s slow-coming judgment is picking up steam:
The judgment against Barack Obama and our nation — which elected him — has been exceedingly slow in unfolding, but does have deep foundational consequences. Many of us were surprised that there weren’t more major judgment-type events in his first year in office and through his first four-year term. In many ways, events and activities seemed to go smoothly with no apparent bumps in the road, even his re-election efforts went very smoothly, but the damage to infrastructure being done daily was considerable.
![williamkoenig-web[1]](https://richards-watch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/williamkoenig-web1.png)
Koenig briefly recaps upon Obama’s immediate implementation of an LGBT agenda whilst taking his oath of office on January 19 2009 and his appointment of numerous activists to key positions. He briefly covers financial and diplomatic issues and what the Lord put on his heart about national accountability for having elected this leader. Then he closes with a brief summary, Acceleration of events:
The recent acceleration of pressure on Israel — both overt and covert; Obama’s defiant support of Planned Parenthood; his public support of the Morning-After Pill for young women 15 years old and up; his continued and active public endorsement of LGBT; have been followed by the Benghazi debacle which has ensnared the White House, the National Security Council, the State Department, the Pentagon and the CIA; the public disclosure that the US Justice Department was wire-tapping media figures; and the discriminatory actions of the IRS against certain Christian and conservative groups and the revealing of the extreme bias of those responsible… (emphases added)
I understand there may be a connection between the two emphasised matters. The IRS took inordinately longer than normal to grant tax-exemption approval to many Biblically based opponents to Obama’s policies. Eg. Billy Graham’s evangelical association and its humanitarian aid associate Samaritan’s Purse (see Politico). His son Franklin sent a strong letter direct to the President and concluded,
‘I believe someone in the Administration was targeting and attempting to intimidate us. This is morally wrong and unethical – indeed some would call it ‘un-American’.
That’s extremely irregular in any leading democracy but it suggests deep corruption lies at the heart of US federal government!
Yet more
Today, Walid Shoebat adds yet another indictment to the pile in what could be the straw to break the camel’s back.:
The signature of senior IRS official Lois Lerner sits at the bottom of a letter addressed to the Barack H. Obama Foundation (BHOF) in general, Malik Obama in particular. The letter – dated June 26, 2011 – not only granted the BHOF tax-exempt status in record time but did so retroactively to April 30, 2008.
In back-dating the tax-exempt status of Malik’s organization more than 27 months, Lerner committed a crime – a serious one.
However, she didn’t just commit a bureaucratic snafu. Lois didn’t just cross a line of legality by back-dating Malik’s tax-exempt status to a point in time that violated the law. You see, the issue for Lois involves the matter of whom she granted that status to. (Click to read full article)
Just who is this Malik Obama – none other than Barack Hussein Obama’s brother. AND what does he do? In drawing to a close, Shoebat claims.:
We now know that Malik is in bed with a government – Sudan – that has been identified by the U.S. State Department as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and that President Omar al-Bashir is a genocidal maniac; Malik works with him. (Click for detailed account)
With Nixon, it was the tapes. With Clinton, it was his own DNA. With Obama, will it be a letter that implicates his own flesh and blood?
A recent radio show discussed all these very serious issues and stressed that Sudan is, globally, one of the four worst terrorist states. As Shoebat comments about the show.:
If we had one critique, …it’s just so difficult to wrap your head around just how big this Uber-Scandal is (even if you don’t factor the president into the equation).
Conclusion
My coverage of these disreputable matters may seem a tad gross but it is important for my readers to appreciate what’s happening and it’s relevance to Biblical understanding. I’m aware of details known to White House press circle about Obama’s proclamation in his first term of officially designating every June as ‘LGBT Pride Month’. To say the very least, those details are unsettling.
As the Word of God is alive and active and does not return to Him void of accomplishing His purpose, perhaps He’s designated June 2013 as God Is Not Mocked Month ??
Footnote: Galatians 6:8 uses ‘phthoron’ meaning ‘corruption’ for ‘decay’ – how apposite! (Scripture4All Greek Interlinear Bible)
The implications of Obama’s foreign policy team for the Middle East
Further to my recent post on the shift in US Israeli-Palestine policy, interested readers may wish to read a summary from the Middle East Forum’s Associate Fellow, Marilyn Stern.
In her concise account Ms Stern summarises a briefing given by phone to the Forum during President Obama’s official visit to Israel. This came from Jonathan S. Tobin, senior online editor of Commentary magazine and writer for its “Contentions” blog.
Many commentators in the US have great difficulties with and thus remarked adversely upon Obama’s new leadership of his foreign policy team. This issue is summarised by Mr Tobin and he then speculates whether such a team can carry out their chief’s shift in policy.
To read the summary of Mr Tobin’s briefing click here.
US Israeli-Palestine policy makes dramatic shift
Obama to Palestinians: Accept the Jewish State
Policy shift challenges the core of Arab resistance
Under the above headline and lead-in published as Tuesday’s ‘Editor’s Pick’ in the Washington Times, leading Middle-East analyst Daniel Pipes opens with.:
One key shift in U.S. policy was overlooked in the barrage of news about Barack Obama’s eventful fifty-hour visit to Israel last week. That would be the demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish state, called by Hamas leader Salah Bardawil “the most dangerous statement by an American president regarding the Palestinian issue…
in his Jerusalem speech last week, Obama suddenly and unexpectedly adopted in full the Israeli demand: “Palestinians must recognize that Israel will be a Jewish state.””
Pipes is of the opinion.:
That sentence breaks important new ground and cannot readily be undone. It also makes for excellent policy, for without such recognition, Palestinian acceptance of Israel is hollow, indicating only a willingness to call the future state they dominate “Israel” rather than “Palestine.”
The one-page article is very instructive, albeit concise, in its overview of the history of modern Israel and minimal on reference to America. If any reader is unfamiliar with these important facts then I recommend their reading the article (here). It is updated to include reference to hostility to Obama’s speech from a London-based Arab editor.
Obama’s fledgling mentor
Last weekend’s Inside the White House from Bill Koenig reports.:
A naïve, idealistic and inexperienced 35-year-old is molding Obama’s Middle East foreign policy, which is leading the region to Armageddon –
How could that be? President Obama, who had very little real-world experience before he took the office, apparently doesn’t fully understand the great importance of surrounding himself with experienced Middle East staff.
Bill refers to Mark Landler of The New York Times’ article, Worldly at 35 and Shaping Obama’s Voice; ‘Benjamin J. Rhodes, a 35-year-old deputy national security adviser with a soft voice, strong opinions and a reputation around the White House as the man who channels Mr. Obama on foreign policy, has had a very significant hand in some of the great failures in the Middle East in the last three years and nine months.’
Landler reveals that Rhodes first came to prominence after he wrote Mr. Obama’s landmark address to the Muslim world in Cairo in June 2009. The speech was notable for President Obama’s assertion that governments should “reflect the will of the people,” prefiguring his policy in dealing with President Hosni Mubarak and Colonel Qaddafi.’
Koenig adds, ‘The speech Obama gave to the Muslim world from Cairo, Egypt in 2009, was filled with inaccuracies, falsehoods and total distortions, and was obviously written by someone unfamiliar with the region, the long history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the depth of conflict between the Shiites and the Sunnis.
‘Just think’, writes Koenig, ‘Obama spoke to the Muslim world with a speech written by a young ideologue with very little real world experience, a speech that he gained much credit for, which further led to his responsibility for preparing and writing Obama’s major address to the Israelis this week.
‘Rhodes wasn’t even born at the time of the Six-Day War of 1967 or the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Furthermore, he’s had a major influence on some very serious decisions that have had horrible results…’
[Koenig’s in-depth critique of Obama’s Cairo speech is here, my briefer points here.]
Postscript: As ever, Carolyn Glick’s insights and reservations made in advance of the visit make for an interesting read; see Obama’s mysterious visit. Also, my recent post on Raymond Stock covers the issues in some depth.]
Prophetic Perspective
From my perspective this is a most interesting development and yet another to thank the Lord for in answer to the prayer request and prophetic words published late last year. (See original post, with developments here and here.)
UPDATE 25 April: see Viscount Samuel, Meet Secretary Hagel by Daniel Pipes for news of Secretary of Defense Hagel turning over a new leaf regarding Israel.
Butties and coffee with Raymond Stock
![Stock_Raymond[1]](https://richards-watch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/stock_raymond1.jpg)
Having closed the previous post by recommending Raymond Stock, I thought to take him (rather, his paper) to lunch in the garden-room downstairs. His article had come to me from the Middle-East Forum at the end of January and had remained flagged in my in-tray – until today.
Somehow I got one of those inexplicable ‘nudges’ and saw it buried in the mass of email and checked it out. It was eminently fitting for the matters in-hand – no surprise! Having run off a pdf-copy I read it whilst yet again munching (ham ‘butties’ on fresh bread I’d baked – and yet another coffee). Continue reading
A really good morning coffee
Bit slow off the starting blocks this morning – Kitty jumped all over us at 4am as the local fox must have been nosing around the path behind our back garden. With a surname like ours, perhaps she thinks she’s also a guard dog-cum-cat?
After defrosting a freezer we went to our local shops 5 minutes walk away and were pleased to find the long-closed greengrocery had re-opened. Great to be able to get better fruit and veg in dedicated shop instead of over-priced, poorer quality food in supermarkets. (We’d take a weekly drive to nearby towns for visiting their greengrocer.)
Upon return and winding up the PC it was time to catch up on daily digital mail. Cartoons have always caught my eye. So first was Kenny T’s Morning Story and (vintage) Dilbert and today’s Three Brothers was so very appropriate as a modern version of the parable of the talents and initiative.
Couldn’t help but respond with a comment and, whilst I jotted it, Nina called, “Coffee’s ready”. We treated ourselves to very light and tasty Danish apricot pasties – also known as; ‘yum-4my-tum’! I don’t always get a daily paper but, on impulse, used a voucher for the Telegraph. Naturally it’s front page cartoon first – and Matt brings hilarity, as ever!
With coffee and munch I flick-scan the newspaper’s contents and am AMAZED to find that last night they covered my main topic of yesterday’s blog, as you’ll see from copy below, or read digital version with comments here.: Continue reading
Israel unveils logo for the Obama visit
Further to my previous post, World Watch Daily reports and links into an announcement in the Times of Israel on the logo selected for President Obama’s forthcoming visit to Israel.:
The paper reports about the slogan,
Curiously, the logo reads “unbreakable alliance” in English, but its corresponding slogan in Hebrew reads “an alliance of nations.”
Richard's Watch 