Like many others, I was initially shocked when I read last week that US intelligence had determined with “moderate confidence” that Iran abandoned its quest for nuclear weapons in 2003. Hadn’t US intelligence determined just 11 months earlier with a far greater degree of confidence that Iran was determined, despite the potential consequences, to develop nuclear military power?
From the US Annual Threat Assessment delivered on January 11, 2007:
We assess that Tehran is determined to develop nuclear weapons–despite its international obligations and international pressure.
But then I began to process this development in the context of the rest of the news surrounding it.
Like his father and Bill Clinton before him, President George W. Bush is determined to carve out for himself a positive legacy before the end of his presidency. Mr. Bush can’t do that if his second terms ends with the entire Muslim world hating him. And while there is little hope of convincing the Muslim world to suddenly love America, let alone the Bush Administration, there is no hope whatsoever of that happening if Israel strikes Iran with tacit US approval.
Israeli leaders responded to the US intelligence report by stressing that Israeli intelligence did not concur with the conclusions, and that Israel would still strike Iran if it felt there was no other option.
But an Israel cabinet minister told Time magazine what everyone knows to be true: that the US report had effectively taken the option of a preemptive Israeli strike off the table, since Israel did not intend to attack Iran without the green light the Olmert government believes it needs from Washington.
In addition to that, I believe, as do others I have spoken to, that the findings of this report are part of the overall scheme to divide the Land of Israel.
Again, like his father and Bill Clinton before him, the creation of a Palestinian Arab state would be the jewel in the crown Bush hopes will be his legacy. Bush declared with messianic vigor in 2004 that he would be the one to bring peace to the Middle East, and he is determined to see that pledge through.
However, Mr. Bush only has one year left to get things done, and we are no further along in the “peace” process today than we were 10 years ago. How in the world could this situation possibly be brought to a head in just one year? Well, it certainly won’t if there are other major regional concerns, like a nuclear Iran. So the US took that concern off the table in order to focus maximum attention on ramming through the division of the Land of Israel.
If you ask me, Bush and Rice are not to be believed when they express frustration over the findings of the intelligence report. This is all part of the plan.
Stan has written a must-read analysis of this situation, explaining how the US intelligence report is only the latest piece of evidence that in the end, Israel will stand alone with no national friends or allies.
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2 comments so far ↓
1 Matt // Dec 9, 2007 at 10:09 pm
The NIE report was indeed shocking, though perhaps it should have been forseen. As stated in the above article, President Bush has very publicly declared his intention to bring peace to the Middle East. His fervor for establishing democracy in that region of the world, which he rather naively thought would come quickly and bring an end to Islamic radicalism and despotism, seems to have waned recently in the face of reality (i.e. true democracy is incompatible with Islam).
With his failure in that regard he has shifted focus to “bringing peace” to Israel and her neighbors, failing to realize the impossibility of the task. Islam is only interested with a peace that is built on the ashes of the Jewish nation. The only peace the world intends to allow Israel is the peace that comes with death.
The sooner Israel’s leaders awake to this reality the better. Will they?
Unfortunately, President Bush appears more and more lately to be well aware of this truth, and accepting of it. I agree that his frustration over the NIE report is very likely mostly for show. The report and the actions of the US leadership is already serving to embolden the Islamic regimes in the Middle East; The Palestinian Authority is now declaring that to negotiate the issue of Jerusalem is treason, while Iran has announced that it will no longer accept oil payments in US Dollars.
The first move is clearly a sign of the Palestinians’ increasing aggressiveness with respect to the “peace talks.” The apparent weakness in the Israeli Government, and lack of real support of Israel from the US administration, has given the PA renewed confidence that they have the upper hand.
The second, a highly provocative act, is designed to further destabilize the Dollar in the world markets and encourage OPEC, which meets again in February in Vienna, to follow suit.
It passes the pale of belief that the US administration could fail to see the significance of these actions. Why then do they continue down this frightening path? Anyone’s guess is as good as mine. All I know for certain is that worse is yet to come.
2 Al // Dec 10, 2007 at 3:23 am
Ryan and Matt,
I read Stan Goodenough’s article linked above. He mentions that Israel is now alone in her struggle for survival.
The truth is Israel has been in denial over a simple fact. She does not have any true political allies in the world. This is not something new or recent. The only true friends she has are those who have a true covenant relationship with the God of Israel and His Messiah, Yeshua. Even within the group we refer to as the “church”, there are those who do not understand how important it is to support Israel, but I digress.
Israel’s only hope lies with Yeshua. He is God’s appointed restorer for Israel. We know certain events are inevitable because prophetic scripture demands this. We know Israel will engage Syria in a costly war (Isaiah 17) which will include the destruction of Damascus. We know Jerusalem will be taken away from Israel at some point with the exception of the Temple Mount (Revelation 11). We know God will supernaturally empower two endtime prophets (”Moses and Elijah”) to minister and proclaim to Israel and the world that He is still charge.
We know an antimessiah and his false prophet will oppose both Israel and believers in the true Messiah, Yeshua. This same antimessiah will desecrate the Temple Mount along the same lines as Antiochus Epiphanes because Yeshua warned His disciples of exactly this event.
Yes, Ryan. Worse is definitely yet to come. Some of what is coming will not be easy to endure. But Yeshua said that after these things take place, our expectation should be to look up. He’s coming back to settle this once and for all. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. All the politicians and armies in the world will not prevent this from happening. But we need to speak up in our churches and synagogues so that God’s people will be ready when it all happens.
To those who read this, let’s forget to encourage others who forget:
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Pray for the return of her true King, Messiah Yeshua.
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