Comments on: Iran, Israel, and the United States

By: Captain Faris

Captain Faris — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:15:48 +0000

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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By: Chas

Chas — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:12:02 +0000

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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By: Xion

Xion — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:44:43 +0000

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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By: Victoria

Victoria — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:25:35 +0000

Chas – I believe we are seeing the “falling away” as stated in verse 3 of 2 Thessalonians.

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By: Victoria

Victoria — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:22:58 +0000

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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By: Chas

Chas — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:07:32 +0000

Not everyone agrees with my interpretation.

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By: Chas

Chas — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:06:27 +0000

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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By: Chas

Chas — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:46:04 +0000

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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By: montyfisherwoof

montyfisherwoof — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:38:42 +0000

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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By: NJLawyer

NJLawyer — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:03:31 +0000

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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