Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
Jun 23
Israel Is Ready To Go
Israel is one major step closer to launching a strike against Iran 's nuclear facilities. Last week, the New York Times quoted a U.S. official who said a major military exercise was carried out by Israel earlier this month. It had all the signs of a practice run for a potential strike against Iran.
"More than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighter jets took part in maneuvers over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in the first week of June to gear the military for long-range strikes," said the New York Times.
"The exercise also included helicopters, which could be used in rescuing downed pilots, with the helicopters and refueling tankers flying over 900 miles (1,440 kilometers), roughly the same distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz," the Times website reported.
What makes this exercise such an important milestone is Israel ʼs ability to demonstrate that it is capable of carrying out an air attack at the distance needed to reach Iran. Beforehand, many analysts thought the Jewish state would need American military assistance for this type of task.
There is no doubt in my mind that Israel has the willpower to take on Iran. It was just last September that Israeli jets bombed a site in the Syrian desert that the global intelligence community believed housed a partly constructed nuclear reactor.
The $50,000 question now is: "When might this happen?" There are three factors at work that might force Israel to launch an air campaign:
Iran is getting very close to the point of no return in achieving nuclear capability.
George Bush's time in office is running out. The next U.S. president may not be as supportive of Israel.
Iran is acquiring Russian-produced SA-20 surface-to-air missiles, which puts pressure on Israel to act before the missiles are fielded.
It's always possible that Iran will make the first move. Southern Lebanon might as well be called Eastern Iran, with thousands of missiles being manned by a terrorist group trained and funded by Tehran. The Iranian leaders may try to block an attack by ordering Hezbollah to launch its missile at northern Israel.
An Israeli strike on Iran 's nuclear facilities will certainly have major consequences for the world. When that day comes, prophecy watchers will have to completely redraw the end-time map.
The price of crude could be profoundly affected. We've already seen the market jump on news of a move by Israel. Three weeks ago, Shaul Mofaz, Israeli Transport Minister, became the first senior figure to suggest publicly that Israel might launch its own strike on Iran. His remarks were blamed for causing a record single-day rise of $11 a barrel. Last Friday, news of the military exercise caused oil to leap three dollars.
Right now, oil demand and supply are so tight, the loss of a couple hundred thousand barrels of production can send the spot price soaring. Fighting in the Persian Gulf could reduce the flow by millions of barrels. The Iranians might try to blockade the Straits of Hormuz and cut the world off from Middle Eastern oil. One commodity analyst said the price of oil could reach $200 to $300 per barrel if such a scenario played out.
The attack could spark a regional war. Syria might see this as a perfect opportunity to take the Golan Heights by force. It has already threatened war if Israel doesn't surrender the Golan. Iraq and Afghanistan could flame up as Iranian-backed militants turn on American forces. Iran now has the ability to retaliate with long-range missiles. One can only guess what would happen if Iran used biological and chemical weapons against Israel .
I am particularly interested in how Russia has been reacting to all this news. In the past, Russia never has been directly involved with Israel. It has always chosen to use the Arabs as a surrogate. This time around, Russia has been very vocal on every development that comes out of the region. On Friday, Russia 's foreign minister warned against the use of force against Iran. Bible prophecy tells us that Mother Russia will someday join forces with Iran and other Arab nations in an attack on Israel.
"Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, [that] at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places [that are now] inhabited, and upon the people [that are] gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba , and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?" (Ezek. 38:9-13).
-- Todd
http://www.raptureready.com/rap16.html
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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