International powers remain deadlocked on what to do in Syria. The U.S. and some European powers favor the removal of al-Assad but Russia and China apparently fear a regime change that might threaten their long-term interests in the region. Russia has been a long-standing ally of Syria, has an important naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus and has been selling arms to Syria for years. Time and again at the United Nations, Moscow has declared the sovereignty of the Assad regime a "red line"—and stated that it would veto any resolution in the Security Council that would put it in jeopardy…. Democracies are on a rampage, so the Russian custodians of power insist, and a line has to be drawn in defense of an autocratic cabal of nations. Russian history alternates long periods of quiescence with sudden rebellions. The Putin autocracy was taking no chances. The French Press reported yesterday that the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “I don’t think Russian policy is about asking people to step down. Regime change is not our profession,”. Lavrov argued that while Mr. Assad was not an ally of Moscow, it was not up to other nations to interfere. Whether Mr. Assad can survive the “Arab Spring” or not we do not know for sure. What we do know is that a regime friendly to Russia and hostile to Israel will exist in the latter day. Russia has great interest in Mr. Assad’s survival, and following the loss of Gaddafi as their ally, does not want to lose another client state. Iranian Nuclear Threat Pulls Players Together Running parallel to this is Russia’s protection of Iran, the “Persia” of Ezekiel 38 who is “with them” along with Libya. This is definitely “heating up” the Middle East. Bloomberg reported on February 1st: Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz said his country must build up its military capabilities and be prepared to strike if economic sanctions fail to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Israel must be “willing to deploy” its military assets because Iran may be within a year of gaining nuclear weapons capability, Gantz said yesterday. “There is no doubt that Iran is striving for a bomb,” Gantz said. Its activities “must be disrupted,” he said. Speaking at the same conference, Israeli Military Intelligence chief Major-General Aviv Kochavi was reported by the Jerusalem Post, to have said: Iran can make bomb within a year; add to that 200,000 rockets and missiles, this threatens Israel. Iran has created a stockpile of enriched uranium that could be used to manufacture four nuclear weapons. The French Press reported secret talks between the CIA and the Mossad in the US this last week on this very issue. We read: The head of Israel’s intelligence service paid a secret visit to Washington last week to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, the CIA director and a top U.S. lawmaker said Tuesday. Mossad chief Tamir Pardo flew to the U.S. capital to consult with his American counterparts amid speculation over a possible Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, CIA director David Petraeus and Senator Dianne Feinstein revealed at a congressional hearing. The Bible paints a picture of the Merchants of Tarshish and the Young Lions of siding with Israel and “pushing” against the power of the north in Daniel 11:40: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him…. The “southern alliance” will be pro Israel, although unable to stop the onslaught described in Ezekiel 38. We look for a power more favorable to Israel to be driving the American bus in the latter days. Canada’s Prime Minister has proven to be pro-Israel, Britain is leaning this way, as are the Australians and the New Zealanders at times. The USA has had drop in its support for Israel under Obama. Although the current leadership of the CIA is exhorting Israel to hold back, the Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has different ideas: "I believe the best way to have peace in the Middle East is not for us to vacillate and to appease, but is to say we stand with our friend Israel,” he said. “We are committed to a Jewish state in Israel; we will not have an inch of difference between ourselves and our ally Israel.” It will be interesting to see what transpires throughout the US Elections this fall…. and also in Russia.

• published: 06 Sep 2015
• views: 2428