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Iran, Israel, and the United States
Stratfor CEO George Friedman discusses the tense situation in the Middle East, including the aftermath of the Iranian presidential election (which he calls “a relatively fair election in which Ahmadinejad destroyed his opponent”), Israel’s offer of a Palestinian state with terms unacceptable to the Palestinians, and how President Obama is likely to react:
Topic: Newsworthy, WorldMagBlog
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back to top18 Comments to “Iran, Israel, and the United States”
Friedman’s views have a lot of merit, with the exception of his analysis of the current Iranian election. He characterized it as “…a relatively fair election” and a “…reasonable outcome.” Millions of protesting Iranians vehemently disagree. The only ones who agree with Friedman on this point are the Iranian Imams and Ahmadinejad and who are now using clubs and bullets to “validate” their view. So much for that perspective.
However, his opinion on the controversy over Israeli settlements and the differences between Obama and Netanyahu on this subject seem in line with reality. Israel is indeed much dependent on the U.S., as Friedman notes.
But, in my opinion, that does not mean she is subservient. When her national security is at stake, she will do whatever it takes for national preservation. The danger for the U.S. in Obama’s egotistical approach to foreign policy is that he will favor Muslin interests too much and push Israel too far. He is already going down this road. This may well blow up in his face and plunge the region into a catastrophic war that we will all regret.
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The muslim countries surrounding Israel are for the most part Sunnis (excepting Syria which is controlled by Alawite muslims; a Shiite offshoot). So all those Sunnis are fearful of a country as big as Belize? All that fear and obsession at Israel seems sorta dumb now that a militant expansionist Shiite country [Iran] is ready to flex its muscles. Shiites regard Sunnis as heretics and vice versa.
The Sunnis better recognize the Israelis are the last best and final hope of throwing the brakes on the runaway fanatics of Khomeiniland
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Sawgunner. A country the size of Belize defeated them three times.
Michael, You may be correct in that it may plunge the region into a catastrophic war. Iran will soon be the predominant power in the mideast. Iran will control the Strait of Hormuz. They already control Hezbolla. Ahminidjad has already declared the intent to destroy Israel, and he believes the resulting war will produce the 12th Imam.
It’s a dangerous situation. I don’t know how NKorea and China factor in this; but they’re in the equation somehow.
The U.S. is the only reason the Arab powers have not solved the “Israel Problem” so far. If the U.S. stands down, they are on their own. Unless God is on their side.
I can’t make prophesy. I can’t even interpret it.
However, Zechariah 12-14 seem more significant every day. God made a promise to Abraham. He renewed it to Isaac, Jacob and David. The promises of God are without repentance.
The Chas interpretation of Zech. 12:2 “Jerusalem is a bone in the throat of the surrounding nations. And they will attack Judaea and Jerusalem”. Then, we see what happens.
“In that day” decisions will be taken to affect the world for eternity.
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Chas: As I understand it, for biblical reasons, you regard Israel as a strategically important country for the US. More important than say, Turkey, or Greece or another country in North Africa or maybe the Baltics? Or something closer to home, like Cuba, which has been red for a long time, or Central America?
What is your strategic reasoning?
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This just in:
JIMMY CARTER SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT/PLOT? IN GAZA
Can anyone confirm this?
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Sawgunner, it can be found on the link below:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244371110137&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
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Every time I see the Dome of the Rock Mosque on the Temple Mount, I have a vision of Christ returning and every one of us learning exactly what’s really at stake. What’s happening there in the Middle East supersedes politics.
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NJL – 7
The antichrist will sit in the temple and exalt himself to be god.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 2 Thessalonians 2
There would be a general falling away first, such as would occasion the rise of antichrist, that man of sin. There have been great disputes who or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition. The man of sin not only practises wickedness, but also promotes and commands sin and wickedness in others; and is the son of perdition, because he is devoted to certain destruction, and is the instrument to destroy many others, both in soul and body. As God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in and with his church now; so the antichrist here mentioned, is a usurper of God’s authority in the Christian church, who claims Divine honours. Matthew Henry
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Victoria, interesting verses. I can’t even hazard a guess as to who that son of perdition is — I couldn’t pick him out of anyone we’ve heard about so far! I can’t help but wonder about what Michael Martin wrote — “This may well blow up in his face and plunge the region into a catastrophic war that we will all regret.”
This could all plunge us into something we can’t begin to imagine, and I can see a son of perdition coming out of something like that. There’s already a falling away, and we have economic chaos. People turn to the government to solve their problems rather than change, so I can see people following someone like that. There are times when I think it really will happen in my lifetime. They will be hard, difficult times, but if it means the return of Christ, will we all regret it?
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We are not given to know when.
there seem to be so many candidates for the position though.
.
Side Note, Ex president Carter did not know there was an attempted assassination….. he is clueless yet again.
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Arcadia, Israel has been supported by the U.S. since 1948. We have not fought their fights, but have supplied them with resources. It is not for Biblical reasons that I consider them important.
Strategically, they are not that important. However, they are the only democracy in the region and the only friends we have between London and Tokyo or Canberra.
The Bible says, in numerous places, that Israel will someday return to the land of it’s covenant. I believe this is the time. Much has happened to establish that.
As for their strategic position, they are more dependant on us than we on them. However, though Israel doesn’t realize it yet, (Israel resists Christian missionaries, though they don’t persecute them, they inhibit their work.) the Bible tells of a time when Israel, as a nation, will turn to Christ. (Rom. 11, Zech. 12:10-13:6, and others, but these others require more explaining. e.g. Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, Hosea: He doesn’t beg his wife to return, he says, “I will buy her back (with the price of a slave) and she will be mine.” etc.)
As far as the U.S. is concerned, I stated that briefly above. I believe God will deliver Israel. Israel will turn to Christ as Paul says in Romans 9-11, etc. Jesus said in Matthew 23:
38 Behold your house is left unto you desolate,
39 For I say unto you, you shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
As for the U.S. As a nation we need to understand that we have a real ally in the area. But, as I said before, we should be careful not to help God along. Much damage has been done by anticipating God, as King Saul learned. Yet, when the time comes, we don’t want to be on the wrong side.
Out relationship to Israel should not affect our relationships with Greece, Turkey, Cuba, etc. It’s a non-issue.
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Victoria, NJL, We can’t anticipate who the “man of sin”, commonly called Antichrist, is. However, Jesus said, “When, therefore, when you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet … Matt. 24:15 and as Victoria quoted Paul in 2 Thess. 2:3 “…that day shall not come except there come the falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
(Antiochus Epiphanies fit the description of Daniel’s “beast” exactly, but Jesus said it was yet to happen.)
I believe the rider on the white horse in Rev. 6 is the Antichrist who will conquer by obtaining a peaceful solution to the world’s problems. This will be short lived. Since I don’t believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, but a pre-wrath rapture, I believe God’s people will know. There will be severe persecution. It is not helpful at all to try to identify this person before the time. The abomination will be obvious to us.
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Not everyone agrees with my interpretation.
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Chas
I agree, the one riding on the first white horse is the antichrist • • I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.
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Chas – I believe we are seeing the “falling away” as stated in verse 3 of 2 Thessalonians.
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Israel has a very interesting government at the moment. I don’t see it much in the Western press, but in the Hebrew Israeli newspapers the new government is under an agreement called ‘Rotation’. Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud has one less seat than Tifni Livni of the Kadima party, but Netanyahu was clearly accelerating. Likud gained 27 seats while Kadima lost one.
Rotation means that there are two prime ministers and they will share power. Netanyahu (a hawk) will rule for two years and then Livni (a dove) will rule for two years.
Iran will attack Israel – no doubt about it. The question is when. I’ve read everything Netanyahu has written and I met him personally. I trust he will protect Israel in a swift devastating counteroffensive. I don’t know what Livni will do.
But I do know what the doviest dove of all doves will do. Obama will consult his teleprompter and then express how unacceptable the Middle East crisis is and that everyone should get along.
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Xion, and Jimmy Carter will blame it on Israel.
If it weren’t for Israel, there would be no problem over there.
Actually, there would be, it would be Sunni/Shiite. They can’t get along with anyone.
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Friedman’s analysis is correct, in that Iran’s core values of piety, anti-corruption and national strength are in fact represented by Ahmadinejad, at least in the eyes of the non-English speaking non-intelligentsia of Iran. So it was a fair election, assuming that the government’s “feed the poor” program in the provinces doesn’t count as “vote buying”.
But Friedman’s suggestion that the US President can draft a new Mideast policy effectively withdrawing support for Israel is probably a Red Herring. Friedman can’t possibly believe that the US will let the President do that, though he (the President)may be foolish enough to try. Hilary will certainly have some heated things to say when he does, however.
Friedman and StratFor have long advocated an “it’s hopeless so why try” assessment of US options for peacefully engaging the Islamic world. I’m reminded of Kissinger’s view that World Peace can be achieved through strength, as long as “I” (meaning Kissinger) am the strong man.
Of course, we’ve read “the book” so we know Friedman is ultimately right (in thinking it’s hopeless)–but that doesn’t mean we can rationalize our way towards a godly foreign policy based on that. It is never wrong to do “the right thing”. Sometimes that means “seeking the prosperity of the land into which we are sent in captivity.”
Personally, my own response to Iran’s election is to vote for more decent city councilmen here in my courner of the land. (Though admittedly I’m drafting a new strategy for the Republican Party at the same time.)
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