Monday, September 19, 2011

Escalation in the Middle East

Turkey is continuing to stir the pot in the Middle East and shows no signs of remitting. This is all happening as we approach the PA bid for statehood at the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, we also see that missile attacks into Israel have started again:

Turkey Threatens to Drill for Gas Off Northern Cyprus 'Soon'

As Israel began drilling for natural gas Monday in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey announced that it, too, may soon begin a deep-sea search for oil and gas, off the coast of northern Cyprus.

Turkey's Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz, described the drilling as a “provocation.” He called on “Greek Cypriots to halt immediately the work with Noble [Energy],”

Yildiz threatened that Turkey would begin its own gas and own exploratory drilling as early as next week, off the northern coast of the island under the Turkish Cypriot administration, if drilling by Cyprus did not stop.

“We can say that Turkish naval ships may escort Turkish seismic survey ships doing exploration in the Mediterranean Sea,” he added. “Oil exploration platforms would follow, but we don't want it to come to that.”

It also follows a stream of bellicose threats by Erdogan against Israel, the most recent warning that Turkish warships could be sent to prevent Israel from moving freely in the eastern Mediterranean “at any time.”


Erdogan threatens Cyprus over offshore drilling

Turkey-Cyprus tensions nearing boiling point? Cyprus announced Monday that it has contracted US-based Noble Energy to do exploratory drilling for oil and gas off the coast of Cyprus despite the area being the center of a dispute it has with Turkey.

Turkey had warned Cyprus against any such move in the past and in a significant escalation of tensions, Ankara said that it would send warships to protect its claims to submarine resources in the area.


Not only that, but we also see this:

"Turkey's frigates, gunboats and its air force will constantly monitor developments in the area," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, adding that Turkey will begin its own oil and gas search as early as this week.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that unless Cyprus halted the drilling, his country would send its own energy research ship out escorted by the Turkish navy.


It appears that Turkey is looking for any excuse to begin war. This most recent situation may provide just that opportunity.

Top US Intel official in Ankara to head off clash, bring Palestinians to talks

The US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper arrived in Ankara on an urgent surprise visit Sunday night Sept. 18 as Turkish saber-rattling threatened three major US interests.

DEBKAfile's intelligence sources report that Clapper was in Turkey for a last-ditch Obama administration bid to avert sea and air hostilities erupting between Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Israel in the eastern Mediterranean where tensions have been building up over Turkish threats inter alia against offshore gas exploration by Israel and Cyprus.

On the day of their Cairo conversation, Ankara leaked tough new instructions issued by the Erdogan government to the Turkish Navy to pen Israeli warships inside their 12-mile territorial waters and disable the weapons of any vessels sailing beyond that limit.

James Clapper was also commissioned to caution Turkish leaders against continuing their threatened military brinkmanship in the Mediterranean.


At the same time, we see a renewed effort to escalate tensions in Israel:

PA Terrorists Resume Rocket Attacks on Southern Israel

Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists launched rocket attacks on southern Israel, and rioting on the road further north.

Further north, PA Arab rioters blocked the Cross-Binyamin Highway near the Jewish town of Neve Tzuf.

The rioters hurled rocks, clashing violently with IDF soldiers who were sent to the scene.


It will only take one of these "matches" to ignite the entire region. Will this match be Turkey's navy in the Mediterranean?
Will this match be one too many rockets launched into an Israeli city? Will it be Syria at the Israeli border? Lebanon? Gaza? Hezbollah? Hamas? Egypt?

Name one. It will explode at some point in the near future - probably sooner rather than later, and it will probably be a seemingly minor incident to spark this powder-keg.

Of course, only in God's perfect timing.

14 comments:

ally said...

how much longer can it take? will it take? I keep feeling like lucy on the pitchers mound from geared ups thing. ARG!
Come quickly Jesus-help me out here!
Much Love!

Dylan said...

I wonder if they're planning a terrorist attack on the USA if the statehood is vetoed. Otherwise the pa is just full of empty threats.

WVBORN56 said...

This waiting is like blowing up a ballon and continuing to blow into it until it explodes. I cringe all the while surprised it has not yet popped. This waiting is keeping everyone on edge.

Israel is in a vice grip and all the pressure being applied will at some point break out in war. Isaiah 17 will come first quickly followed by Turkey and company in gog-magog. Who would have dreamed Turkey would have been at the fore front just 2-3 years ago?

The hook in the jaw is looking a lot like the oil and gas off the coast.

Scott said...

I agree - the waiting is very very hard. In fact, I have said this before, but the waiting actually makes it harder to be a prophecy watcher - because we know how close we are to the ultimate goal (plus, we care a LOT about the ultimate goal) - and having it "so close yet so far away" actually makes life more difficult in many ways. Its a paradox. Recall Rev 3:10 "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently..." is a reference to this aspect.

I also wonder if this was at least lartly what Paul was talking about in 1 Thess 5:11, when we were told to "encourage one another and build each other up" -- I believe that this is part of what we are to do among ourselves - to keep each other pumped up and when one of our brothers or sisters gets frustrated with the "waiting" - its up to the rest of us to keep encouraging and building each other up to NOT lose this hope that we have - as we "endure patiently".

God Bless - lets keep each other built up as we await the Lord's coming!

Dylan said...

To be honest, I get impatient sometimes. The waiting is tiring sometimes. Man, I can't wait till he comes back and we hear the trumpet and "come up hither". Oh what a day that'll be!

Anonymous said...

Dear Ally >>>

We gotta wait for that AC to show up,
like Paul said in 2 THESS 2....so
I am still waiting for that person
to get revealed.

OK, HERE WE GO AGAIN !!!!

The USA is butting it's nose where
it DOES NOT belong, like this latest
game being played in Ankara.

One of these days, the STOCK MARKET
will CRASH for real and Obama will
NOT be able to stop it.

I would say that the powers that
be would like to keep the DOW
north of 11,000.....

WE WILL SEE how long that will last.

Stephen !!!!

ms said...

Dylan, your comment "Oh what a day that will be, reminds me of that song..what a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace, when He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land, oh what a day, glorious day that will be.
o.k. all my family, this is our song for today. ms

Caver said...

Well, after years of positioning and purging the military of those that would oppose them,the Turkish gov. appears ready, confident, and determined to force a confirmation. I suspect that if they keep pushing, they will indeed get their wish.

Israel will have no other choice. They are almost completely backed into a corner....either give up or stand their ground. There are precious few concessions they can make and still maintain a position of nation state sovereignty.

The remaining Arab states, the West, NATO, South America, and Africa have all pretty much chosen sides. The only position of silence I am seeing is out of the majority of Asia.

It certainty looks like the Perfect Storm from my little knot hole.

Throw the UN vote, Turkey's agitation, the ME, the weather, the economy, and this "thing" coming our way all into a mixing bowl and shake and something is going to fall out into the baking pan. I don't know what....what it will look or taste like, but I suspect its gonna smell to high heaven. I do suspect its gonna give the world gas.....a huge amount.

The really scarey part is how small the ME is and how well armed, informed, and coordinated the whole region is. As Scott said, the powder is dry and stacked from floor to ceiling and the fuze is short....very short. From the first spark the entire ME could be be on fire in a matter of hours to days.

IMHO, its not the time to invest in green banana futures right now. The Caver household sees a far more comforting and better long term return and investment in Knee Mail right now.

Robin said...

As anxious as I am for the day of the Rapture to arrive . . .as a lifelong news hack, having a front row seat to watch the beginning stages unfold is exciting. Questions I've pondered for years are being answered. We can all know for certain, that as soon as the "full number" of saved souls is reached, that glorious day will arrive.

Scott said...

CAVER
You most definitely have a way with words :)

And you are exactly right - the powder is dry and the fuse is short....Indeed brother, indeed.

Expected Imminently said...

Hello Visitors

Stephen persists in confusing the 70th Week with the Rapture of the Church.

Scott and his blog ALL agree that according to the Apostle Paul in 2 Thess 2 that before the 70th Week can happen, the Restrainer of evil stands aside and the Departure occurs BEFORE that day can begin and the A/c is revealed. The Rapture is an unsigned, imminent event that occurs BEFORE the 70th Week.

The Church is told to watch for Jesus and never for the A/c .

Expected Imminently said...

Hello Scott

I can't vouch for the following links of Pastor Lindsey Williams, but thought you might find them intersting?

I wondered if Hartdawg knows of him. Please delete them if needs be.

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74PZsUOT4WY&feature=player_embedded#!

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrMrXReIAh0&NR=1

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Tf-X6SUkMWE

4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6BBwZtTN30&feature=player_embedded

Scott said...

Sue- thanks so much - I'll check these out later today when I get a chance
Maranatha!
S

Caver said...

Sue, thanks for the links. That man is tied in and his forecast have usually been spot on. He knows TPTB.

I will be watching.