Not Russia. Ice fishing in March.

Submitted by MIchael S. (United States), Sep 25, 2014 at 20:01

Hi, Lujack

I see that you gave a "RaptureReport" link. I'm not looking forward to a "rapture" a la Hal Lindsay. I expect that if we don't get killed, my wife and I will be very much alive -- as senior citizens, I might add -- when anything resembling the expected "Messianic Age" comes on the scene; and I expect ALL our Christian friends, if they haven't died by then, to be alive with us.

You're welcome to the "rapture" doctrine, if you want it; but besides possibly opening you up to a great surprise when the final events happen (and you don't get raptured), it probably causes Christians to look upon the plight of the Jewish nation from something of an ivory tower. I am quite sure we won't be viewing these things from heaven; but we will be very much a part of them -- on one side or another.

"What would Assad do if Assad was attacked by the United States?"

Probably, whatever the Russians tell him to do. The Iranians may be his main source of weapons and advisors; but the Russians have his back. One part of Syria the US almost certainly will NOT attack is the port facility at Tartus, which contains a Russian naval base.

"It seems more like if the Syrian president was about to lose his power and life both Assad and his next door neighbor Hezbollah would launch missles at Israel and Israel would respond in such force desolation would strike both southern Lebanon and southern Syria."

Assad and Hizbullah are not lock-step with one another. The Hizzies will attack Israel when Iran tells them to, and not likely sooner. Hizbullah is probably more important to Iran than Syria, as well as more dependent on her.

"Putin last year sent the Libyans ten armoured personel carriers. Turkey even helped train some Libyan troops. Turkey despises the present Egyptian government. Turkey is going Islamic."

Since last year, Libya has gone through some real convulsions. I dare say that Mr. Putin, who now has more important things on his mind (such as the Ukraine and NATO), will not get involved in Libya in the near future.

Concerning Turkey, I really marvel at the direction she is going. I have the Middle East (well, the whole world, actually) mapped out, according to speres of influence. Turkey has backed just about every Islamist movement there is, from Hamas to al-Nusra to the Caliphate to LIbya Dawn; but the only state actor in its camp has been Qatar. Lately, Qatar expelled the (Turkish-affiliated) Muslim Brotherhood and joined Turkey's enemies Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the US-led attacks in Syria. Meanwhile, Turkey has sat out these attacks and refuses to allow the US to use Turkish bases in them. Turkey, then, stands alone among state actors, and independent, for all practical purposes of NATO -- which is the "merchants of Tarshish" in Ezekiel 38, which you refer to.

"The Muslims will come in two waves against Israel. The first war could be caused by ...Assad..."

Highly unlikely.

"The second wave to strike at Israel will be lead by Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and their allies."

You are referring, of course, to Ezekiel 38-39. As I have said elsewhere, Russia is never mentioned in that prophecy, and I expect Russia to play no role in a Turkish attack on Israel. You are correct about Libya and Iran; and their other "allies" amounts to Sudan; that's all. Sudan has been a conduit for men and equipment from Libya for some time now, with Caliphate loyalists increasingly involved in the operation; so that end of things is already in place. The only piece of the jigsaw that is not in place, is Iran -- which currently is still at odds with Turkey.

Iran's part in all this can change in an augenblick. At the moment, there is an awkward situation wherein the US, the Saudis and NATO are fighting alongside the Iranians and Syrians (read, "al-Assad); and the NATO-allied Turks are tacitly supporting the enemy. This situation cannot go on forever, and I expect something to snap soon. If Ezekiel 38-39 is about to happen, I expect that "snap" will find Turkey and Iran on the same side as each other.

The situation is as stable as lake ice in March; and I would not advise fishing on it.

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