Previously, I posted an item about the growing danger of a Turkish-Syrian war. These dangers are increasing. I urge readers to review the information in these four links. The first link reports that Turkish air force jets intercepted a Syrian airliner flying from Moscow to Syria and forced it to land in Turkey for an inspection of its cargo. The link reports that some cargo was seized by Turkish authorities before the plane was allowed to continue to Syria. I wonder what that seized cargo was? Since it was loaded in Moscow into the hold of the Syrian airliner and seized in Turkey, it is a safe bet it was something sent by Russia to Syria for use against the Syrian rebels. The fact that Turkey ordered a Moscow-originated plane to land at gunpoint indicates both that (A) Turkey is feeling much bolder about taking aggressive actions even if it offends Russia and (B) that Turkey (and NATO) had some very good intelligence sources in Moscow regarding what cargo was being loaded on that intercepted Syrian plane.
Turkey is definitely acting more aggressively toward Syria. The second link reports that NATO alliance members have agreed to defend Turkey with military help if war breaks out between Syria and Turkey. The third link reports that Turkey is warning that it is close to using greater force against Syria. Given that cross-border artillery duels have occurred on at least five days between Syrian and Turkish forces, it would not take much more of a spark to ignite an all-out war. Even more importantly, the fourth link reports that Turkey’s parliament “has authorized troops to launch cross-border attacks into Syria.” Don’t forget Syria also previously shot down a Turkish warplane. While both sides are making the usual noises about not wanting war, both sides are edging closer to war. Indeed, it is possible that both sides may feel they will benefit from a war. Assad’s hold over Syria is growing weaker. He may try to hold on to power by starting a war with Israel to attempt to make all Islamic nations fight with him vs. the Israelis. Hezbollah will launch thousands of rockets at Israeli targets if Iran gives the word to do so. Iran and Russia have a lot at stake in keeping Assad in power so some of Assad’s decisions may be forced upon him by Tehran and Moscow. On the other hand, now that Turkey has received assurances of NATO military support in a war with Syria, it could be emboldened to invade Syria to seize a chunk of Syria for its own purposes as well as dethroning Assad. As I pointed out in my previous post, NATO may have found a way to bypass the UN where Russia and China prevent any effective action vs. Assad.
Saudi Arabia would very much like to see Assad removed from power. Assad is an Alawite Moslem, an off-shoot of the Shiite Islamic faith of Iran. Saudi Arabia, as the keeper of the Islamic cities of Medina and Mecca and leader of the Sunni Arab nations, would doubtless like to see a new government in Syria headed by a Sunni Moslem. While not included in the links, I saw a BBC-TV report on the PBS network which showed a box of heavier weaponry than AK-47s for the Syrian rebels and it had clear markings that the box was provided by Saudi Arabia. The shape of the box indicated it may have held shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons. It does seem from the reports in the links that Syrian rebels are now doing better against Syrian regime forces. This implies that Saudi Arabia and other Sunni nations are funneling heavier weapons to Syria’s Sunni rebels.
A lot is at stake in the Turkish-Syrian confrontation. The outcome will decide if Syria aligns with the latter-day Gog-Magog alliance headed by Russia, China and Iran or whether it aligns with the opponents of the Gog-Magog alliance. Ezekiel 38’s prophecy does not give a clear answer on this, but the lack of any mention of an Arab (i.e. “Ishmaelite”) nation in the Gog-Magog alliance implies Syria will slip out of the Gog-Magog alliance’s grasp. It is important to note that not one nation in the modern world descended from Abraham is listed in the Gog-Magog alliance. The Islamic Arabs (descended from Abraham via Ishmael) are actually blood relatives to both the Israelis (descended from Abraham via Isaac, Jacob and Judah) and the USA, UK and many NATO nations (descended from Abraham via the ten tribes of Israel–as my books, articles and audio messages make very clear). God appears to be guiding world events to make sure no nations descended from Abraham are in the Gog-Magog alliance. The Jordanians are Ammonites (their capital Amman, still bears the biblical name of Ammon, a son of Lot) who are not directly descended from Abraham but are still part of the Abrahamic family of nations via Lot, Abraham’s nephew.
If Syria moves into the Sunni group of nations dominated by Saudi Arabia, Russia will lose big-time as it will likely lose its Mediterranean Sea port for the Russian navy now located on the Syrian coast. Turkey is also part of the Abrahamic family of nations (its former name, the “Ottoman” Empire”) bears the same consonants as the prominent Edomite name of Teman (mentioned repeatedly in Genesis 36). Edomites are descended from Esau, Abraham’s grandson via Isaac (Genesis 36:1). The confrontation with Syria may change Turkey’s foreign policy. Turkey is now essentially surrounded by real or potential adversaries. Iran lies to the west of Turkey while Syria, Iran’s puppet state, is located to its south. Russia, Iran’s and Syria’s main backer, is located to Turkey’s north. Turkey badly needs strong allies, and Turkey may now see that good relations with NATO nations is more vital to Turkey’s national security than it previously realized.
One last observation. If Mitt Romney is elected as the president of the USA, I expect the nations in the Mideast will breathe a huge sigh of relief as they will again be able to depend on a predictable US foreign policy which is loyal to its historic allies. Obama has been a weak leader who has thrown a staunch US ally, Egypt’s Mubarak, under the bus, greatly offended the Israelis and even went to war to remove Libya’s Qaddafi, who was helping the West vs. Al Qaeda (go figure!). Also, the refusal of the Obama administration to provide requested adequate security for its own ambassador to Libya, who died in what was apparently a planned Al Qaeda attack, makes the Obama administration look very impotent and lacking the backbone to defend even its own ambassadors! Look for traditional US allies to start moving strongly into the US corner if Romney is elected.
[Final Note: a posting in the near future will address the US elections and be entitled “Should Christians Vote?” Look for it soon.]
