Iraq or Iran In The NEWS!

[Soldier4Christ]

Iraq proposes memorandum for U.S. withdrawal
Al-Maliki tells ambassadors 'goal is to end the presence of foreign troops'

The Iraqi government proposed the memorandum after widespread Iraqi opposition to U.S. demands emerged during talks on a more formal Status of Forces Agreement. Some type of agreement is needed to keep U.S. troops in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at year's end.

"Now there is a memorandum of understanding replacing the draft agreement," al-Maliki told several Arab ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates during a meeting Monday.

The proposed memorandum includes a formula for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, said the prime minister -- an idea opposed by U.S. President George W. Bush.

"The goal is to end the presence (of foreign troops)," said al-Maliki.

The prime minister provided no details on that formula. But his national security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the government was proposing a timetable that would be conditioned on the ability of Iraqi forces to provide security.

By transitioning to a less formal memorandum and including a withdrawal formula, al-Maliki may have an easier time getting support from Iraqi lawmakers. They had been concerned about the original negotiation's impact on Iraqi sovereignty.

Al-Maliki has promised in the past to submit a formal agreement with the U.S. to parliament for approval. But the government indicated Monday it may not do so with the memorandum.

"It is up to the Cabinet whether to approve it or sign on it, without going back to the parliament," Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press.

Less than three weeks ago, al-Maliki said negotiations with the U.S. over the agreement were deadlocked. But Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said after returning from high-level meetings in Washington that the U.S. had made several serious concessions and a deal was "almost finalized."

At the same time, however, Zebari said that if the two sides could not agree, Iraq would either have to seek an extension of the U.N. mandate or pursue the type of memorandum of understanding that al-Maliki announced Monday.

The contentious issues are U.S. authority to carry out military operations in Iraq and arrest the country's citizens, plus legal immunity for private contractors and control of Iraqi air space.

Zebari said the U.S. had agreed to drop immunity for private contractors and give up control of Iraqi air space if the Iraqis guaranteed they could protect the country's skies with their limited air force.

But those concessions, which were never confirmed by the U.S., were apparently not enough to cement a formal agreement, leading Iraq to pursue the memorandum announced Monday.

The Iraqi government's decision to push the U.S. for a less formal agreement comes at a time when the government feels increasingly confident about its authority and improved stability in the country.

Violence in Iraq has fallen to its lowest level in four years. The change has been driven by the 2007 buildup of American forces, the Sunni tribal revolt against Al Qaeda in Iraq and al-Maliki's crackdowns against Shiite militias and Sunni extremists, among other factors.

Despite the gains, frequent attacks continue.

On Monday, a roadside bomb near a dress shop in Baqouba killed one woman and injured 14 other people, police said. Baqouba, 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad, and the surrounding Diyala province remain one of the country's most violent regions.

[Shammu]

Iran test-fires more missiles in Persian Gulf

By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer Thu Jul 10, 5:05 PM ET

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran test-fired more long-range missiles overnight in a second round of exercises meant to show that the country can defend itself against any attack by the U.S. or Israel, state television reported Thursday.

The weapons have "special capabilities" and included missiles launched from naval ships in the Persian Gulf, along with torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles, the broadcast said. It did not elaborate.

A brief video clip showed two missiles being fired simultaneously in the darkness trailed by red plumes of fire and smoke.

The report came hours after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran that Washington will not back down in the face of threats against Israel.

"We are sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and the interests of our allies," Rice said Thursday in Georgia at the close of a three-day Eastern European trip.

The director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, said Iran's missile tests have emphasized the urgency of going ahead with plans to place a proposed U.S. missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

Among the missiles Iran said it tested Wednesday was a new version of the Shahab-3, which officials have said has a range of 1,250 miles and is armed with a 1-ton conventional warhead.

That would put Israel, Turkey, the Arabian peninsula, Afghanistan and Pakistan all within striking distance.

Wednesday's missile tests were conducted at the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which up to 40 percent of the world's oil passes. Iran has threatened to shut down traffic in the strait if attacked.

Another Iranian state channel, Press TV, quoted a senior Republican Guard commander Thursday as saying Iran would maintain security in the Strait of Hormuz and the larger Gulf.

Gen. Mohammad Hejazi, chief of the Guards' joint staff, called the missile tests a "defensive measure against invasions," according to the channel's Web site.

Iran will not jeopardize the interests of neighboring countries, he said without elaborating.

Even as Hejazi tried to reassure Iran's neighbors, Tehran's standoff with the West took a new toll when French energy giant Total SA said it is too risky to invest in Iran for now. The decision raised questions about the future of major western involvement in developing Iranian gas reserves.

"The conditions are not present for investing in Iran today," said Total spokeswoman Lisa Wiler. "We hope that the political relations will improve so that we can invest."

Total had been in discussions for developing a liquefied natural gas project linked to Iran's South Pars gas field with Malaysia's Petronas.

But Total and oil majors have been under increasing political pressure from the United States and its allies over their activities in Iran amid mounting tensions over Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and other countries fear that program is aimed at building nuclear weapons but Tehran insists is for producing energy.

Israel showed off its latest spy plane Thursday in what defense officials said was a display of strength in response to Iranian war games and missile tests.

"It has the most sophisticated early warning and intelligence devices to date and is capable of reaching all destinations required by the air force," said Assaf Dargan, a spokesman for Israel Aerospace Industries.

Iran test-fires more missiles in Persian Gulf

[Shammu]

Iran tests more missiles as U.S. vows to defend allies
Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:11pm EDT

By Alistair Lyon

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran tested more missiles in the Gulf on Thursday, state media said, and the United States reminded Tehran that it was ready to defend its allies.

Video here

The United States, which accuses Tehran of seeking nuclear arms, said after Iran test-fired nine missiles on Wednesday that there should be no more such tests if Iran wanted the world's trust. An intelligence official in Washington said there had been a second test and that it was small.

U.S. leaders have not ruled out military options if diplomacy fails to assuage fears about Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran says is only to produce electricity.

Israel, which has long been assumed to have its own atomic arsenal, has sworn to prevent Iran from emerging as a nuclear-armed power. Last month it staged an air force exercise that stoked speculation about a possible assault on Iranian nuclear sites.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he favored diplomatic pressure and sanctions, but: "Israel is the strongest country in the region and has proved in the past it is not afraid to take action when its vital security interests are at stake."

Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, has vowed to strike back at Tel Aviv, as well as U.S. interests and shipping, if it is attacked, asserting that missiles fired during war games in the Gulf included some that could hit Israel and U.S. bases in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia that no one should doubt Washington's commitment to protect its allies.

"We are also sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and ... the interests of our allies," she said.

Rice said a planned U.S. missile defense shield, to be partly based in the Czech Republic and Poland, would dampen any threat of an attack from Iran. Russia opposes the project.

Iranian state TV and radio said the Revolutionary Guards -- the ideologically driven wing of Iran's armed forces -- had fired ground-to-sea, surface-to-surface and sea-to-air missiles overnight. Long-range missiles were also launched.

"The ... maneuver brings power to the Islamic Republic of Iran and is a lesson for enemies," Guards Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as saying.

OIL

The missile tests have rattled global oil markets. In late afternoon trading, oil prices surged $6, with some traders talking of a potential third missile test. Crude prices have hit a series of record highs this year partly over Iran.

The U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there had been no information to substantiate a rumor of a third test. She said the United States was still investigating details of the second launch.

"What we were seeing here is there was a round of tests first, then later in the day, Wednesday Iran time, there was a much smaller second test," she said.

Iran's state-run English and Arabic language satellite channels, which have been swift in reporting previous missile launches, gave no indication of a third missile test in news bulletins late on Thursday.

Iran has threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for Gulf oil exports, if it is attacked. Thursday's exercises involved divers, speedboats and the launch of a high-speed torpedo called Hout, state media said.

China urged restraint, and did not echo Western rebukes over the missile firings. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said he welcomed the prospect of fresh talks on the nuclear program. Iran is China's third biggest crude oil supplier.

The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have offered Iran incentives to curb its nuclear work. Tehran rejects their demand to suspend uranium enrichment.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana is expected to meet Iranian officials for talks on the package, but no time or place has been announced.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the six powers would be "extremely precise" on the issue of enrichment. "Yes to dialogue, but there must be an answer on uranium enrichment, halting it," he said.

China and Russia, which is building Iran's first, and so far only, nuclear power plant, have been resisting U.S.-led calls for expanding U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Sanctions have made Western firms increasingly wary of investment. France's Total said on Thursday it would not invest for now in a big gas deal due to the risk. Iran brushed off the impact, saying it has enough cash from oil to carry out the project itself or find other interested parties.

"We will proceed with development with or without them," Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari told journalists when asked about the latest comments from Total.

Iran tests more missiles as U.S. vows to defend allies

[Shammu]

What Do High Oil Prices Mean for Iraq's Future?
By DAVEED GARTENSTEIN-ROSS (Special to the Middle East Times)
Published: July 28, 2008

There are very few silver linings to current record-high oil prices — but a more stable future for embattled Iraq may be one of them. Many experts believe that the country's growing oil revenues will yield three benefits: an improving economy that can diminish some support for the insurgency, more money to develop Iraq's security forces, and a greater willingness by other countries to invest in Iraq's future.

The U.S.'s Energy Information Administration projects that crude oil prices will average about $127 a barrel in 2008 and $133 in 2009, up from the $72 average in 2007. With the world's third largest proven reserves, and production having finally returned to 2.5 million barrels per day, Iraq's revenues will surely be greater than in past years. Iraq is expected to draw $70 billion in oil revenue this year alone, and its government has announced plans to further increase oil production.

This brings us to the first benefit that analysts foresee: a growing Iraqi economy.

One of the first things Iraq will need to do is upgrade its equipment used for oil production. Much of this infrastructure is antiquated, and there have been over 450 attacks on Iraq's pipelines, oil installations, and oil personnel since the insurgency began.

Michael Makovsky, foreign policy director at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former special assistant for Iraqi energy policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, told me that the funding needs of Iraq's oil infrastructure are tremendous.

"Some can come from foreign investors," he said, "but Iraq will have to put in a lot of money."

There are also multiple spending needs inside the country — including building power plants, meeting Iraqis' healthcare needs, and undertaking a housing reconstruction project for displaced people.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh recently told Iraqi media outlet Buratha News that "next year's budget will focus on economy, investment and services [while] the focus was security in previous phases."

A large federal budget means that funds should now be available to address Iraq's little-mentioned healthcare crisis; currently each Iraqi receives an average of only $68 a year in medical services. It also means, as reported by Iraq's Radio Sawa, that the government-sponsored food coupon program will receive additional support through a recent $21 billion supplementary federal budget.

Iraq's federal government will also be able to expand provincial budgets. According to Iraq's Al-Sabah newspaper, the government's 2009 budget apportions $13.6 billion to provincial ministries — which will likely increase the national government's influence at a regional level.

The combination of expanded social programs and a generally improving Iraqi economy will signal to citizens that the country's future is not destitute.

Iraqis, shaken by years of violence, may have a reason to participate in the reconstruction process; improving conditions may diminish both direct and also "soft" support for the insurgency as citizens economically invested in Iraq's future.

Danielle Pletka, the American Enterprise Institute's vice president of foreign and defense policy studies, said, "The problem we had in Iraq related to the space in which a relatively few extremists could operate, tolerated by locals. They will no longer be tolerated if the locals are employed and invested in Iraq's success."

Some observers hope that a growing Iraqi economy may even diminish Iran's influence. A senior American military intelligence officer expressed hopes that this new oil wealth could help incumbent Shias fund their campaigns in the next round of elections, and thus reduce Iran's financial hold over them.

He argues that one reason the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (formerly the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq) was able to break with Iran was that the group began to run a budgetary surplus, and could thus provide for its own funding needs.

The second benefit that many analysts see for Iraq from high oil prices is the government's ability to invest in the security forces.

Bill Roggio, a civilian military affairs analyst and my colleague at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told me that the security forces want to upgrade.

"The Iraqi army is currently a motorized infantry force," he said. "It appears that the ministry of defense is looking to transform several motorized divisions into mechanized and armored divisions. This can cost billions per division, but now the Iraqi government will have the money to purchase the equipment."

Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told me that as increased oil revenues allow Iraq's government to spend more on its military, "it might help deflect the U.S. political pressure that Iraq isn't spending enough money on its security forces."

The third benefit is that other countries will be more likely to help ensure Iraq's continued stability.

Perhaps this can be glimpsed in Kuwait recently naming its first ambassador to Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, and in Norway, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates considering reopening their embassies in Iraq.

The intelligence source quoted above said, "This is likely due to a combination of oil prices and the improving security situation in Iraq."

Makovsky said, "In a world where more oil is needed on the market, Iraq has the potential to be one of the largest producers in the world."

As Iraq's oil production capacity increases through infrastructure investments, Iraq may earn not only a better seat in the global oil market, but also at the diplomatic table.

However, the road paved with oil is slippery. One reason improvements should not be seen as inevitable is the possible return of heavy insurgent violence, while another factor is the political situation and the government's ability to effectively spend its newfound wealth.

Marina Ottoway, director of the Middle East program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told me: "They key is the security situation, which is in turn tied to the political situation."

Pointing out that there is currently a debate about how successfully Iraq's government is spending its budget, Ottoway said, "Greater revenue will not make a difference unless the government is organized well enough to spend it."

Iraq may also face challenges specifically related to its increased oil wealth, as greater amounts of money pouring into the country will have an inflationary effect. Lowering interest rates may help Iraq cope with the rising costs of consumer goods, but only for so long. The government must develop a long-term strategy for stabilizing the economy.

But despite these uncertainties, high oil prices seem to be a significant boon for Iraq. They will provide the country with unprecedented economic leverage that can in turn enhance stability.

What Do High Oil Prices Mean for Iraq's Future?

[Shammu]

High oil prices worldwide are helping to set the stage for the rebuilding of war-torn Iraq, which is a perquisite for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

Though the average consumer complains of high prices each and every time he pulls up to the pump, there is a great benefit coming to Iraq out of this.  With the ever-increasing demand for oil, and the continuing rise in the price of oil, Iraq's oil revenues are increasing, which provides the much needed economic gain to rebuild their nation.

These new funds will rebuild a nation from battlefields to a seat of great authority - as it once was some 2,500 years ago when the capital of the Babylonian and Grecian empires were located in this region.  The ancient prophet Daniel predicted the major Gentile world powers in advance, and a super world leader known as the Antichrist, who will come to power to rule the world, (Daniel 7).  In Revelation 18 it is predicted that the Antichrist will set up a political, economic, governmental headquarters in Iraq at Babylon.  This Antichrist will control the economies of the world from Babylon until it is destroyed, (Revelation 16:17-20).

[Shammu]

US troops 'to quit Iraq by 2011'
22 August 2008

US combat troops could leave Iraq by 2011 under the terms of a deal awaiting approval by Iraq's parliament and presidency, an Iraqi official has said.

The draft security agreement also calls for US forces to withdraw from all Iraqi urban areas by June 2009.

The 27-point agreement reportedly includes a compromise allowing US soldiers some immunity under Iraqi law.

The final date when US troops leave will depend largely on security, the BBC's Crispin Thorold in Baghdad says.

The decision will be taken by a joint committee, which could reduce or extend the amount of time US troops spend in the country.

Mohammed al-Haj Hammoud, the top Iraqi official negotiating with the US on the status of US forces in Iraq, said a deal had been agreed that envisaged all US combat troops leaving Iraq by 2011.

Some US troops could remain beyond 2011 "to train Iraqi security forces", the AFP news agency quoted him as saying.

"The combat troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 2009," Mr Hammoud said.

"Both the parties have agreed on this... The negotiators' job is done. Now it is up to the leaders."

A White House spokesman has however said details of the draft agreement were still being discussed.

Gordon Johndroe said US President George W Bush had spoken with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki about the deal.

They "had a good conversation", Mr Johndroe said, adding that "there are a lot of details that have to be worked out".

Handover aim

A deal also appears to have been struck on the controversial issue of granting US troops immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law.

Mr Hammoud said the deal allowed US troops to remain immune from prosecution on military bases and while on operation.

All other cases would be considered by a joint judicial committee.

The draft deal still needs to be approved by the Iraqi Presidential Council, and critically, by the parliament.

The deal marks the end of 10 months of difficult negotiations.

Speaking on a visit to Baghdad on Thursday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the final deal would be in line with Iraqi laws and sovereignty.

Ms Rice said the aim remained to hand over responsibility for security to Iraqi forces.

There are currently around 147,000 US troops in Iraq.

US troops 'to quit Iraq by 2011'

[Shammu]

On the campaign trail, both US presidential candidates have offered their plan for a resolution of the United States involvement in the Iraqi war. Both sides want to see the United States military leave Iraq and return home - and their advisers have different ideas as to how this may be accomplished. The plan that seems to be coming together between the United States and Iraq may be the answer to a very tough situation. Whatever may happen in the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and when it actually does happen will come about eventually.

However, there is something that we can know for sure about the story in Iraq, when the troops withdraw the story will not be complete. Bible prophecy describes a world headquarters for a one world, political, economic, governmental system that will be headed up by a powerful world leader known in Biblical terms as the Antichrist. That is found in Revelation 18. Today's Iraq is Biblical Babylon and the end time scenario for Babylon is first to come to power in the last 3 1/2 years of the 7 year Tribulation period and then to be completely destroyed. That is found in Isaiah 13 - 14, Jeremiah 50 - 51, and Revelation 16 and 18.

[HisDaughter]

Aug 25, 1:53 PM EDT

Iraq demands deadline for pullout of all US troops

 BAGHDAD (AP) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday no security agreement with the United States could be reached unless it included a "specific deadline" for the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq.

Last week, U.S. and Iraqi officials said the two sides had agreed tentatively to a schedule which included a broad pullout of combat forces by the end of 2011 with a residual U.S. force remaining behind to continue training and advising the Iraqi security forces.

But al-Maliki's remarks Monday suggested that the Iraqi government is still not satisfied with that arrangement. An aide to the prime minister said Monday that Iraq remained adamant that the last American soldier must leave Iraq by the end of 2011 - regardless of conditions at the time.

The official, like others who spoke about the specifics of the debate, spoke on condition of anonymity because the text had not been approved by either government.

President Bush has long resisted a timetable for pulling out troops from Iraq, even under heavy pressure from a nation distressed by American deaths and discouraged by the length of the war that began in 2003.

"There can be no treaty or agreement except on the basis of Iraq's full sovereignty," al-Maliki told a gathering of tribal sheiks. He said such an agreement must be based on the principle that "no foreign soldier remains in Iraq after a specific deadline, not an open time frame."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said negotiations with the Iraqis continued, but reiterated the U.S. stance depended on conditions in Iraq.

"We're optimistic that Iraq and the U.S. can reach a mutual agreement on flexible goals for U.S. troops to continue to return on success - based on conditions on the ground - and allow Iraqi forces to provide security for a sovereign Iraq," he said in Crawford, Texas.

The Bush administration now speaks about "time horizons," but even that now appears unacceptable to al-Maliki's government.

"We find this to be too vague," a close al-Maliki aide told The Associated Press on Monday. "We don't want the phrase 'time horizons.' We are not comfortable with that phrase," said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the ongoing negotiations.

Another top al-Maliki aide, also speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said the Iraqi government has "stopped talking about the withdrawal of combat troops. We just talk about withdrawals," including trainers and logistics troops.

In his Monday address, al-Maliki also suggested that the question of granting immunity to U.S. military personnel or contractors continued to be a sticking point in the negotiations.

In one key part of the draft agreement, private U.S. contractors would be subject to Iraqi law but the Americans are holding firm that U.S. troops would remain subject exclusively to U.S. legal jurisdiction.

Al-Maliki said Monday that his country could not grant "open immunity" to Iraqis or foreigners because that would be tantamount to a violating the "sanctity of Iraqi blood." He did not elaborate.

The agreement had been scheduled to be concluded by the end of last month.

No new date has been set, but the two al-Maliki aides said a final draft was now available to the political leaderships in Baghdad and Washington. One of the two said a breakthrough was not expected before next month.

 

[Shammu]

Iran to Jewish community: Go anywhere but Israel
09.02.08

Islamic republic's goverment lets Jews leave country only if they promise not to immigrate to Jewish state
Danny Adina Ababa

Iran opens another front in its war against Israel: The Iranian government has begun demanding that Jews leaving the country make a promise not to immigrate to Israel.

Several weeks ago, some 40 Jews arrived in Austria from Tehran in a bid to immigrate to the United States after receiving the required permits and visas. The American authorities are delaying the documents, while the Iranian Jews are stranded in Vienna.

The Jewish community in Vienna and the Jewish Agency suggested that the Iranian Jews immigrate to Israel instead of waiting for the required permits to enter the US, but the Jews refused, saying they promised the Iranian government they would not immigrate to Israel.

The organization responsible for flying the Jews from Tehran to Vienna is the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), America’s oldest international migration and refugee resettlement agency. HIAS protects persecuted and oppressed Jews worldwide and helps deliver those wishing to emigrate to safe countries.

According to estimates, the Jews stuck in Vienna will receive their visas in the coming days and will be able to begin their new life in Los Angeles.

Iran to Jewish community: Go anywhere but Israel

[Shammu]

This sounds like Hitler back in 1942 all over again. No........ can't come in........ go die somewhere else...........

[nChrist]

This sounds like Hitler back in 1942 all over again. No........ can't come in........ go die somewhere else...........

Hello DreamWeaver,

Brother, this is all quite strange. I'm having  a hard time understanding why Iran made the Jews promise not to go to Israel before they would let them leave. I realize how much Iran and other countries in the Middle East hate Jews, but I also realize how senseless that hatred is. Did Iran fear that those Jews leaving would become enemies if they went to Israel? Maybe that's it. It's actually impossible to find real reasons for hating Jews OTHER than they are GOD'S People, and GOD has promises that will be fulfilled soon to Israel. However, those who hate Jews don't believe the Holy Bible or accept the TRUTH of GOD'S Promises. SO, what's left to be jealous of with Israel, and what manufactured lies must be conjured up to hate them? After all, Israel has has a hard time throughout history.

I've had many Jewish friends all of my life, and most of them aren't Christians. As individuals, they share something in common:  they really make it almost impossible to dislike them. This is obviously just my personal experience, and I realize that not all Jews are good people. Most Jewish people throughout the world share something else in common: they face senseless hatred and persecution when some find out that they are Jews. They just want to survive and be treated with basic dignity. Just survival has been a formidable task for them. Sadly, Israel's greatest trials and persecution is yet to come. This is a Bible Fact, but GOD has also Promised to restore Israel. JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will rescue and restore Israel, but Israel will have to cry out to GOD for help in a genuine way first. Israel's cries to GOD in the second half of the Tribulation Period will be completely genuine, and GOD will answer their cries. Israel will rightfully fear total annihilation from the face of the earth. What's left of Israel will accept their only Rightful MESSIAH and KING this time, and HE is JESUS CHRIST!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Favorite Bible Quotes 423 - Psalms 56:3-4 What time I am afraid, I
will trust in thee. 4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put
my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

[Shammu]

Hello DreamWeaver,

Brother, this is all quite strange. I'm having  a hard time understanding why Iran made the Jews promise not to go to Israel before they would let them leave. I realize how much Iran and other countries in the Middle East hate Jews, but I also realize how senseless that hatred is. Did Iran fear that those Jews leaving would become enemies if they went to Israel? Maybe that's it. It's actually impossible to find real reasons for hating Jews OTHER than they are GOD'S People, and GOD has promises that will be fulfilled soon to Israel. However, those who hate Jews don't believe the Holy Bible or accept the TRUTH of GOD'S Promises. SO, what's left to be jealous of with Israel, and what manufactured lies must be conjured up to hate them? After all, Israel has has a hard time throughout history.

I've had many Jewish friends all of my life, and most of them aren't Christians. As individuals, they share something in common:  they really make it almost impossible to dislike them. This is obviously just my personal experience, and I realize that not all Jews are good people. Most Jewish people throughout the world share something else in common: they face senseless hatred and persecution when some find out that they are Jews. They just want to survive and be treated with basic dignity. Just survival has been a formidable task for them. Sadly, Israel's greatest trials and persecution is yet to come. This is a Bible Fact, but GOD has also Promised to restore Israel. JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will rescue and restore Israel, but Israel will have to cry out to GOD for help in a genuine way first. Israel's cries to GOD in the second half of the Tribulation Period will be completely genuine, and GOD will answer their cries. Israel will rightfully fear total annihilation from the face of the earth. What's left of Israel will accept their only Rightful MESSIAH and KING this time, and HE is JESUS CHRIST!

Brother, I'm sure you already know this but, I'm going to post it for those that don't know.

It maybe it's because the Jewish people are a physical reminder of God.

Isaiah 43:10 "You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me."

Isaiah 44:8 'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'

From Abraham, God gave the land of Caanan to the Israelites. Today, that map would include Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the so-called Palestinian Territory and Israel. Because of disobedience, God caused the Israeli's to be exiled away from their land, dispersing them to the four corners of the earth. This did not, however, negate the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham and to his descendants on the claim of the land of Israel.

Deuteronomy 30:3-5 The Lord will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it.

Ezekiel 37 God prophesied that Israel will be a nation again.

Ezekiel 37:11-14 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished; We are completely cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it, declares the LORD.'"

This event took place in May 14, 1948. Since that time, the land of Israel has been a focal point of the world and the goal of the Arab world to destroy. There was never a state of Palestine. Biblical references to "Palestine" often are about Philistine or Philistia. The Canaanites and Philistines, along with many other Biblical tribes, no longer exist, except for the Jews. Interestingly enough, the Philistines were European people from the region of Greece, not arabs. How did "Palestine" come about? Around 135 AD, Emperor Hadrian renamed the land of Israel to Palestine to try and erase any references to Jews and Israel. Just as today, the arab world's goal is to destroy Israel and the Jews.

Current news of the day is the ensuing battle between Israel against the Islamic terrorist groups hamas and hezbollah, that leads to Lebanon, Syria and Iran. The call for a Palestinian State is a con by the arab/muslim world to detract from their true agenda. What are world leaders saying in the midst all this conflict? Peace? if there is a Palestinian State. Peace? if Israel concede more land. Peace? if Israel stop their aggression. Israel has made concessions since 1948. Israel was attacked while trying to form their young nation by the arab/muslims around them. Then 1956, the fight over the Suez Canal against Egypt, Syria and Jordan. The 1967 Six day War again the arab armies made war with Israel to try and destroy them. The 1973 Yom Kippur War, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on their most holiest day. In all four of these wars, the tiny nation of Israel was victorious against the large arab armies, gained the lands of the Golan Heights, West Bank, and Gaza Strip. The muslims lost these lands that they are now claiming the Jews stole from them. The chances of Israel winning these battles against the armies of the surrounding muslim nations combined was very low. More than likely, they would be have been destroyed as a people and a nation. I believe that God had a hand in all these victories. This is the land that God gave to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. No one can uproot them, unless God allows it.

So is it any wonder that when missiles are falling on Israeli towns, you don't hear a peep from news or world leaders, but when Israel finally retaliates against these terrorist, the world tells Israel to stop their aggression.

What should we make of this? The Jews are not only a witness to the sovereignty of God, but also His power. In Ezekiel 38-39, God prophesied of nations invading Israel named Gog and Magog. These are I believe to be Iran, several arab nations and Russia. Iran is calling for the destruction of Israel and supporting Hamas and Hezbollah in its terrorist acts against Israel. Russia has been aligned with Saddam Hussein (Iraq), Iran, North Korea, Hamas. That war will be won by the Power of the Most High, not by the might of man. Both Gog and Magog will be destroyed. Will we see these biblical events happen before our eyes? I don't know. But what I read from the Bible is that when this war happens, this will be the beginning of the end. The wrath of God will be let loose upon the earth, and those who have thumbed their nose at God will feel that wrath. Those who are in Christ, that is those who call upon His Name as Lord and Savior of their soul, will escape the wrath to come and be taken up to heaven in the Rapture.

That explains why people hate the Jews and why they will be a focal point in the end times, but why does God continue to bless and protect and help Israel even though they for the most part don't follow Him and have rejected His Son their Messiah? The answer to that is simple, yet very complicated. First God made promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and He will not break His promises.

Genesis 15:18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates--"

Genesis 35:10-12  God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

cont'd next post

[Shammu]

Notice that God didn't make this a conditional promise, He just plainly said that He would give this land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for ever. This promise cannot be broken. Now because of disobedience, God has at times removed the Jews from the land, but it has and will remain their land until the end of time.

There is another reason that God continues to bless and help Israel, and that is because they represent Him. Now as a nation they don't think they represent God, many Jews in fact don't believe in the God of their Father Abraham, or at the very least don't think much about Him. But that doesn't matter, God and the Jews are connected and will remain connected.

2 Chronicles 6:5-6 'Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a leader over My people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.'

Ezekiel 20:14 "But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, before whose sight I had brought them out."

Whether it is the Christians, or the muslims or anyone else in the world who look at the Jews, they see the God of the Bible. They may or may not believe in Him, but they see Him in the Jewish people. The Jews, and especially the nation of Israel, bear God's name and He is very jealous for His name.

God says that sometimes He backs Israel and supports them because He refuses to allow His name to be profaned. It isn't about the Jews as individuals, it isn't even about whether they believe in God or follow Him, but rather it is about what they represent. They represent God and His holy name. He has made promises and those promises will stand. There may be give and take, and He may even allow horrible things to happen to Israel, but they will never be destroyed and God will never allow His name to be profaned.

The nation of Israel is a nation today because of these promises of God, and God's world will be fulfilled. His word says that the world will hate Israel, it also says that Jerusalem will be the focus of the world in the last days. As we see the things happening in Israel we should prepare ourselves because the time is short. I am not saying that the incidents of the last few days mean that Christ will return in the next year or soon, but He certainly could, but what I am saying is that the time is growing short and we as believers need to look up and be prepared.

The moment of truth is Americans need to take a hard look at what is going on in the Middle East, because it provides the clearest picture possible of the war we are in. On one side are al-Qaeda, hamas, hezbollah, Syria and Iran and their allies: Russia, France, Greece, and the UN majority. On the other is the only democracy in the land of Muslim and Arab terror. The origins of this front in the war on terror are crystal clear: the desire of the muslim terrorists, the elected majority among Palestinian Arabs and the occupying Shi'ite army in Lebanon, backed by Syria and Iran, to destroy Israel and push the Jews into the sea.

Human Rights (Except for Jews) The main mistake lies in the fact that the Palestinian organizations did not respond correctly to the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and its consequences. Instead of beating their swords into plowshares, pens, and other things that are needed for the development of Palestinian society, in terms of the economy, society, culture, and so on, most of them read the developments incorrectly and immaturely. This was exploited by the terrorist networks, that are funded and run by the regimes of the ayatollahs (I have a better name, but it isn't for the forum) in Tehran and the Ba'th party in Syria, and people have been taken in by delusions and empty slogans like "liberation from the river to the sea" that are heard among the poor, hungry, and desperate Palestinian masses. At present, what these masses need most is Jesus, food, medicines, clothing, and other essentials, not explosive belts, car bombs, and the slogan, "Congratulations, oh martyr, the black-eyed virgin awaits you."

I know some Texans, that would like to meet a few of these "wanna be martyr's". 

[nChrist]

AMEN DREAMWEAVER!

Great posts Brother! I enjoyed them. The complete truth is definitely in HIS WORD. The irony here is that Islam rejects the Holy Bible completely, and Israel rejects the New Testament of the Holy Bible. However, there is much in the Old Testament about CHRIST and Bible Prophecy yet to be fulfilled. The best Old Testament Bible Scholars who ever lived were and are Jews, so this makes another difficult question to answer: How did they miss and reject their own MESSIAH and KING? I just know some of the answers, and I always find it fascinating.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Favorite Bible Quotes 144 - Galatians 2:19-21 For I through the law am
dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate
the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is
dead in vain.

[Soldier4Christ]

Iran’s Complicity in the 9/11 Attacks?

The United States government is concealing Iran’s role in the 9/11 attack, says Kenneth Timmerman, world-renowned investigative journalist and contributing editor of Newsmax.

Timmerman published an expose on unknown Al Qaeda head terrorist Osama Bin Laden for the Reader’s Digest in 1998. Less than a decade later, in 2006, he was nominated for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize by former Swedish deputy Prime Minister Perk Ahlmark for his expose on the Iranian nuclear weapons program.

Speaking on Israel National Radio’s Tovia Singer Show, Timmerman stated that the Iranian government was “deeply, directly and materially involved” in the preparation, the planning, the execution “and the aftermath of the attack in helping Al Qaeda“. He said that the American public is in general unaware of this connection.

Timmerman quoted the 9/11 Commission Report, issued on July 2004 as saying: “We now have evidence suggesting that 8 to 10 of the 14 Saudi “muscle” operatives traveled in or out of Iran between October 2000 and Feb 2001.”
There’s strong evidence that Iran allowed transit of Al Qaeda members before 9/11
The “muscle” operatives were the 9/11 hijackers who overpowered airline crew members, slit their throats, and terrorized passengers so the Al Qaeda pilots could seize control of the airliners and fly them into their targets.

The commission concluded that there was “strong evidence that Iran facilitated the transit of Al Qaeda members into and out of Afghanistan before 9/11, and that some of these were future 9/11 hijackers.”The commission also concluded that the hijackers “were accompanied by a senior Hizbullah operative.” Timmerman, in his book “Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran”, identified the operative as Imad Faize Mughniyeh, Hizbullah’s second-in-command who was assassinated last February in Damascus.

Although the commission noticed that “either this was a direct material evidence of Iran’s involvement in the hijackings or it was just a remarkable coincidence”, says Timmerman, “they didn’t come down either way… they wouldn’t say which”. In explanation of this resignation he said: “I can assure you they (the commission) were under tremendous, tremendous pressure from the US intelligence community not to say anything about this.”

Rabbi Tovia Singer is the founder and director of Outreach Judaism, an anti-missionary organization. Rabbi Singer addresses more than 200 audiences a year. He is the author of the book and accompanying audio CD series entitled Let’s Get Biblical and Singer holds a bachelor’s degree in social work. He has hosted the Tovia Singer Show since 2002.