Steven Collins
June 13, 2008
There have been a number of military developments in the world that are worth passing on to readers of this blog. The most pressing situation is the Iranian situation. As you know, the USA, various EU nations and the Israelis have been hoping for a diplomatic resolution which would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran’s leader has proclaimed his desire to “wipe the Israelis off the map,” and he is refusing any and all diplomatic pressure to get him to abandon his nuclear weapons program. It should be clear to all by now that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons (with the help of Russia which is selling Iran the nuclear technology) unless someone stops them via military means.
Logically, the USA and the Israelis are the most likely to act against Iran. However, President Bush of the USA and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert are both in exceedingly weak political situations. President Bush is reportedly desirous of handling the Iranian crisis before he leaves office, but the USA’s downsized military is already wore out fighting two endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Israeli leader Olmert may be out of office very soon, given his growing personal scandals. The best military option would be if the USA and the Israelis were joined by other European or Sunni Arab nations in taking action against Iran. This would give the USA and/or Israel needed political “cover” for such a strike.
It is my view that a significant portion of the run-up in oil prices is due to global fears of a war in the Mideast due to a strike against Iran followed by an Iranian counter-strike against its attackers. How can one know how to limit such a war if a strike versus Iran does occur. Will Iran launch cruise missiles at Saudi oil facilities or US naval vessels in the Persian Gulf? Will it seek to sink western oil tankers passing through the Straits of Hormuz? These are very legitimate fears. I urge readers to watch this situation very carefully. President Bush is running out of time to act if he intends to do so. The Israelis may need a new governmental leader who has the force of personality to rally their nation in order to take military action. The western world is running out of time to act. If this war does occur, the USA and/or Israel will try to limit the attack to actions needed to stop Iranian “nukes” from coming into being. However, given the eccentricities of Iran’s leader, it is impossible to predict how Iran will react to any such strike.
Now let’s consider new military developments affecting a variety of nations.
The first link below reports that the French military is, literally, falling apart. The Telegraph.com website reports that “less than half” of French tanks are functional, “less than half” of its military helicopters are operational and “two-thirds” of its fighter aircraft are “unusable.” This is a shocking situation. Some people who follow biblical prophecy actually fear Europe, but Europe’s military forces are so small, weak and decaying that one wonders how Europe can even survive for long in the 21st century. It has all but disarmed following “the end of the Cold War.” France is a major European nation and one of its nuclear powers, yet its military is in dreadful condition. [I also saw a BBC TV report that revealed a category of new British military helicopters simply don’t work as planned.] The link’s report indicates that France’s “solution” to its dire military weakness is to reduce its troops to a mere 30,000, cut fighter aircraft and close military bases. Amazing! France’s “solution”‘ for its military weakness is to become even weaker! I think few people realize how small and weak the military forces of many European nations really are. France is in such dire shape that its own military could scarcely suppress a revolt by its domestic Islamic radicals. Coupled with the growing exhaustion of the US military in its two Asian wars, the military situation of the western world is steadily deteriorating. This fits the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 that the modern nations of “the house of Israel” would neglect their military defenses in the latter days. Ezekiel 38:11 prophesies these nations would be like “cities without walls and gates” (i.e. their homelands would be very vulnerable to an attack).
The second link below reports that the Israelis have deployed a “blue-green laser” system which allows for enhanced communications with its submarines (which are reputed to have nuclear-armed cruise missiles). It also reports that the Israelis have “about 200 nuclear weapons” in their arsenal, so the Israelis have the ability to put Iran “in the stone age” in a worst-case scenario. The third link below documents that the US Navy also is deploying a system to allow all its submarines to communicate in “real time” with other surface vessels of the US fleet. This is a major improvement as submarines usually had to come close to the surface to receive communications in the past (making them vulnerable to an enemy). The fourth link below notes that the Iranian navy is now deploying cruise missiles on its three Russian-made Kilo submarines, and that the Israelis are ordering additional submarines to join the three modern Dolphin subs it already has.
The US Navy is trying to develop a “railgun” weapon which will be able to fire shells a distance of 200 miles at a speed of Mach 7 (see fifth link below). This system is not operational yet, but it would give the Navy vastly increased firepower if it is successfully developed and deployed. Let’s hope this effort is successful! I’ll also bet that this railgun technology would also greatly enhance the Navy’s ability to defend its aircraft carriers from attacking cruise missiles.
The final link below reports that India is rapidly developing a ballistic missile capacity to fire its own nuclear warheads at far greater distances than before. Most notably, its new missile can reach as far as Beijing. As the article notes, India lives with hostile nuclear-armed neighbors (China and Pakistan) and Russia’s might is well-known. India needs its own nuclear military capacities to deter an attack against itself.
The links below document that military developments are continuing as the nations prepare for a future war. Bible prophecy indicates a global World War III is inevitable at the end of our age. Ezekiel 38-39, Daniel 11:40-12:1, Zechariah 14, Matthew 24:21-22, Revelation 16:12-17 (and others) all foretell that a global world war will occur at the end of this age. Thankfully, it is also prophesied that the return of Jesus Christ will prevent the extinction of all life on this planet (Matthew 24:21-31). Keep in mind the links below describe military developments which are public knowledge! There are, no doubt, many military programs and weapons systems which are being developed which are not being reported in any public forum. If you wish to examine biblical prophecies about a final world conflict at the end of this age, I urge you to read my free research report entitled “What Ezekiel 38-39 Reveal about a Future World War III,” available for free at this website.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/2084832/French-army-falling-apart%2C-documents-show.html?service=print
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/05/981106.aspx
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0308/030508bb1.htm
http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/2006/08/a_nuclear_subma.html
http://machinedesign.com/ContentItem/72601/MilitaryDevelopsElectricSlingshot.aspx
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080522/COMMENTARY/364944950
