Syria

Iran preparing for 'the Last Six Months'

April 26, 2012 - While Iran publicly claims it has not yet decided to make nuclear weapons, the UN indicates that they already have enough enriched uranium for six bombs. A former undercover CIA agent in Iran's Revolutionary Guard, who goes by the pseudonym Reza Kahlili, claims that the country appears to be in the last six months of preparation for an all-out war, which they believe will usher in the return of their messiah, the Mahdi (or 12th Imam) to destroy all of Islam's enemies.

Mahdi will only reappear, Shiites believe, when Israel is destroyed and the U.S. is brought to its knees; [and] two-thirds of the world’s population will die in a nuclear exchange.

Nine years ago Kahlili wrote a book, The Last Six Months. It describes the conditions that Iran's leaders believe will lead to Mahdi's return. The 9/11 attacks and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq are preludes to even greater signs: Attacks on Syria and then on Iran itself. Current conditions make both of these events plausible today.

Source: WND

Israel's top general says Iran unlikely to make bomb - Reuters

Prophetic Significance of Syria

China steps back from supporting Assad, parts ways with Russia

April 24, 2012 - The Chinese government has evidently told the Obama administration that they have decided to no longer back Syrian President Assad against the uprising in his country.

The latest message received in the latter half of last week said: China will no longer be a problem for America in dealing with Assad. That leaves only Russia.

Source: DEBKAfile

'Syria vows to withdraw all military troops from towns by April 10'

Apr. 3, 2012 - Kofi Annan is the special envoy of both the United Nations and the Arab league in the matter of Syria's violence.

The Syrian government has informed international mediator Kofi Annan that it is implementing a plan to withdraw all military units from towns by April 10, Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said on Monday.

Fawzi also said that Syria has already begun withdrawal of its forces from the cities, and this process should be completed by April. 10. He then expects both sides will cease hostilities within 48 hours.

Source: Haaretz

Blasts as Baghdad opens Arab summit on Syria peace plan

Mar. 29, 2012 - A UN-backed peace plan begins today in Baghdad. It is highly significant in two ways. It is the first international summit to be hosted by Iran in decades, and if it is successful, the UN-Arab League plan would see a monitored end to the bloody internal struggle in Syria.

Source: BBC

Panetta caught in one-world scheme

Mar. 9, ,2012 - U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has been involved in various organizations that promote world government, including Citizens for Global Solutions and its parent organization, the World Federalist Movement. At a congressional hearing this week he said that the US would need to obtain “international permission” to launch an international military campaign against Syria. He was asked if that meant that the U.S. could "act without Congress and initiate a No Fly Zone in Syria, without congressional approval.”

Panetta replied: “Again, our goal would be to seek international permission and we would come to the Congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this.”

Source: WND

Conflict between Muslim sects on the rise

Feb. 23, 2012 - The Syrian civil war is a focus of the division between the two major branches of Islam (Sunni and Shia) and the developing alliances with other nations on both sides of that division. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite, whose tribe is an offshoot of the Shia branch. The Opposition is led by Sunni factions.

Elliott Abrams, who was George Bush's Middle East adviser on the National Security Council described the conflict:

“The question now, really, is who is going to win – the Russian, Chinese, Iranian side backing Hezbollah, backing Assad? Or the other side, which includes the Saudis, the Turks, the Europeans, the Arab League, the GCC and us?”

Unfortunately for the United States, to support the opposition in Syria is to side with The Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda. And it will probably make matters worse in the new cold war relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

Source: WND

What Is the Difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims? - Prophecy Central's Islam Section

Syria: For Three Sins, Yea Even for Four - Crosswalk

Syria Violence ‘Intolerable’ as Turkey Calls for Broad Coalition

Feb. 8, 2012 - Violence in Syria had led to 5, 400 deaths since March. Russia and China vetoed a United Nations resolution that called for an end to the violence. Now Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the situation is heading toward an “intolerable point,” and called for an international coalition to stop President Bashar al-Assad’s deadly crackdown.

Source:Bloomberg Businessweek

Christians Targeted in Syria's Violence - Crosswalk

Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria; US 'disgusted'

Feb. 4, 2012 - After 11 months of protesting in Syria and hundreds of citizens killed by government forces, the United Nations Security Council had the chance to pass a resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. The resolution had enough votes but Russia and China vetoed it.

US Ambassador Susan Rice said her country was "disgusted" by the vote, adding "any further bloodshed that flows will be on their (Russia's and China's) hands."

Source: YNet News

Impasse at UN Security Council debate on Syria violence

Feb. 1, 2012 - The United Nations Security Council heard arguments for and against the Arab League's plan to ask Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stand down. The meeting ended without agreement. Russia and China were especially opposed to the plan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said,

"Yes, we condemn strongly the use of force by government forces against civilians. But we condemn in the same strong way the activities of the armed extremist groups who attack government positions."

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said that efforts will continue to adopt a Security Council resolution that sends a message to President Assad and his regime.

Source: BBC

UN resolution could spur Syria civil war, Russia warns

Jan. 31, 2012 - As the insurgency continues in Syria, Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi plans to ask the UN Security Council to back the league's call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign. Russia has already threatened to veto any such resolution. Russia's deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov said that a UN resolution on Syria would be a "path to civil war."

Source: BBC

Arab League Suspends Mission in Syria Amid Violence

Jan. 29, 2012 - Arab League representatives have been in Syria to monitor and hopefully to moderate the violence there. However, the mission was aborted after this week-end's upsurge, during which rebel forces took control of three Damascus suburbs, and security forces killed at least 98 people.

According to the U.N., over 5,000 people have been killed since protests against the government began last March.

Source: Christian Post

Russia backs Assad, last friend in Arab world

Jan. 29, 2012 - Russia continues to protect Assad regime in Syria from United Nations sanctions even though most other nations are witholding aid to Syria.

But Moscow’s relations with Washington are already strained amid controversy over US missile defense plans and other disputes. And Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seems eager to defy the US as he campaigns to reclaim the presidency in March elections.

Source: Arab News

'Half of Damascus falls to rebels' as breakaway army slowly seize control of capital from Assad regime

Jan. 28, 2012 -

Two days of bloody carnage in which at least 74 people have died has come as the rebel force - the Syrian Free Army - steps up its mission to take control of the streets from government forces.

Source: Daily Mail

Update: Syrian army returns to Damascus suburbs - BBC

Syria's Increasing Role in Prophecy
Hal Lindsey

Mar. 11, 2011 - The bombing of Syria's nuclear facilities by Israel gave the world a wake-up call about future conflict between the two countries. Hal Lindsey says that Syria is believed to have other nuclear development facilities, and that the prophecies of Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83 could be fulfilled by a Syrian attack against Israel and a nuclear response that would virtually eliminate Damascus.

Source: YouTube Video

'Israel will attack Iran on its own'

Dec. 21, 2007 - According to Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official and senior adviser to three US presidents, Israel will attack Iranian nuclear sites even if the U.S. does not join in the effort. Interviewed for an article in Newsweek magazine, Riedel said that the Israeli attack on a Syrian nuclear site was a test run of their capabilities and a warning to Iran.

Riedel told the magazine his impression that Israel would venture a strike on Iran on its own was formed before the publication of the joint US intelligence agencies' report, the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE).

Source: Jerusalem Post

What Will Israel Do? - Michael Hirsch - Newsweek

Israeli attack on Syrian nuclear reactor

Sept. 6, 2007 - Operation Orchard was an Israeli airstrike on a nuclear reactor in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria carried out just after midnight.

Source: Wikipedia

Russian Navy to operate from Syria

Aug. 7, 2007 -

For the first time since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia plans to re-operate the Tartus and Latakia ports in Syria as permanent bases for the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean basin, according to recent western media reports.

Russian Navy commander, Admiral Vladimir Masorin said, "Being present in the Mediterranean is very important for our Navy in the Black Sea." During the past year Russia and Syria signed a large arms agreement, which included the use of its ports.

Source: YNet