The link below is from Bill Gertz’ “Inside the Ring” column from the Washington Times. He covers several military matters from around the world which I’d like to pass on to readers of this blog. The first topic (“Iranian naval threats”) confirms the report that I blogged on earlier that the Iranian military now has the ability to shut the Strait of Hormuz to all oil tankers (and presumably all maritime traffic). This link observes that Iran’s supply of Chinese-made cruise missiles enables it to “target any point within the Strait of Hormuz and much of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.” This will make any Israeli or American attack on Iran very risky as it will almost surely result in Iran firing its cruise missiles at all western ships within range of its cruise missiles. Of course, this risk is still less than the risks associated with Iran using its nuclear bombs (when they are ready) to start a war to usher in the return of their “hidden imam.” If such a war breaks out, this will greatly spike upward the price of oil. If Iran fires missiles at Iraqi, Kuwaiti and Saudi oil refineries and oil fields, Persian Gulf oil could be “off-line” for an extended period of time. Iran’s use of Chinese cruise missiles is totally consistent with the prophecy in Ezekiel 38:2-6 that Iran (“Persia”) and China (“Gomer”) will be allies against the West in the latter days.
The third topic in the link below reports on a major joint military exercise involving the armed forces of Japan and the USA. While other media reports have noted that Japan’s new government is distancing itself from the USA in matters involving international banking and finance, US-Japanese military ties remain very strong. Significantly, the military exercise was timed to begin on December 7, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. This timing shows that Japan and the USA are firm military allies and that World War II’s history is totally in the past (a very good thing, in my view). The USA and Japan are not likely to drift apart militarily as they are being drawn ever-closer by China’s rising military power which threatens both Japan and the USA. This is also consistent with Ezekiel 38:13’s prophecy that Japan (“Tarshish”) will not be an enemy of the West (the ten tribes of Israel) in the latter days. For evidence that Japan is modern Tarshish, please read my article on Japan’s role in biblical prophecy at the articles link at this website.
The fourth topic in the link below is a major cause for concern. It documents that Taiwan’s long-standing request for U.S. F-16s is still being held up by the Obama administration. In a bipartisan submission to China’s “creditor power” over US policy, the Bush administration also “caved” to Communist China’s pressure on this issue. If the USA does not sell Taiwan enough F-16s to defend itself, Taiwan will either have to (A) develop its own nuclear weapons—which Taiwan surely has the technological skills to do, (B) buy sophisticated aircraft from other nations or (C) eventually surrender to China. All three of these options are very bad for American interests, and keeping Taiwan free is a vital U.S. interest. That the USA is unable to act in its own best interests re: Taiwan is further proof that China is gaining steadily more power (as America’s creditor nation) to prevent the USA from acting in its own interests. The wisdom of Proverbs 22:7 is obvious here. The USA has had a string of exceptionally foolish presidents and Congresses which have essentially bankrupted the U.S. Treasury, making the USA less able to act in its own geopolitical interests.
The last topic is a review of a book by Michael Ledeen, a former official in the Reagan administration, who warns that “The United States is failing to recognize that the Iranian regime is a force for evil in the modern world.” Mr. Ledeen warns that “Iran’s leaders are committed to the domination or destruction of the United States, Israel, the Jewish people, and indeed Western civilization.” He also warns that modern American leaders have a “refusal to see evil” and are in “deliberate denial.” This will eventually have grave consequences for the USA and the West. I do believe that the current Israeli leaders do see this danger from Iran and are not in denial. Ezekiel 38:11 warns that at the time the modern nations of the ten tribes of Israel are attacked by the Gog-Magog alliance, the Israelite nations (USA, UK, many NATO and Western nations) will be lands of “unwalled villages” that lack “walls and gates.” In other words, these nations will have let down their defenses because they are blind to the dangers that are threatening them. Having strong walls and gates were essential for the defense of all ancient cities of Ezekiel’s time. Putting his prophecy in a modern context, it means the modern nations of the West will have badly neglected the defenses of their homelands when this age-ending war comes crashing down on them. Mr. Ledeen’s book is also entirely consistent in describing the very attitude that was prophesied for the latter-day Western nations in Ezekiel 38:11.
It is very evident that Ezekiel 38 is one of the most important and revelatory prophecies in the entire Bible re: the “latter days” (the time period when Ezekiel 38 will be fulfilled—see verses 8 and 16).
http://www.gertzfile.com/gertzfile/ring120309.html
