Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Syria: The First Tipping Point?

We should always keep in mind the promises that Syrian leader Assad has made on many occasions - that if any "foreign intervention" takes place against his regime in Syria, he will strike Israel. It is beginning to look like such intervention is just at the early stages or will be beginning very soon:


British and Qatari special operations units are operating with rebel forces under cover in the Syrian city of Homs just 162 kilometers from Damascus, according to DEBKAfile’s exclusive military and intelligence sources.

Our sources report the two foreign contingents have set up four centers of operation - in the northern Homs district of Khaldiya, Bab Amro in the east, and Bab Derib and Rastan in the north. Each district is home to about a quarter of a million people.

The British-Qatari troop presence in Homs was at the center of Assad's talks in Damascus Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian SVR intelligence chief Mikhail Fradkov. Senior Syrian intelligence officers laid their updates from the field before the Russian visitors and received SVR data and evaluations in return.


...the debate in Washington has shifted away from diplomacy and towards more robust action since Russia and China blocked a United Nations resolution condemning Syria.

The Pentagon’s Central Command has begun a preliminary internal review of US military capabilities in the region, which one senior official called a “scoping exercise” that would provide options for the president if and when they were requested.

Influential figures in Washington have recommended setting up a “humanitarian corridor” or safe haven, while others, such as Senator John McCain, have said it was time to consider arming the rebels of the Free Syrian Army.

Any plan to supply aid or set up a buffer zone would involve a military dimension to protect aid convoys or vulnerable civilians.

“The decision-makers have not determined we are at a point of no return,” the senior official told The Daily Telegraph. “There is still a window, it is just that that window is closing.



The race towards the first tipping point is continuing. One day it seems like it will be the Iranian conflict and another day it appears to be Syria - all while missiles continue to flow into Lebanon (Hezbollah) from Syria and Libya and while missiles continue to be launched from Gaza into Israel.

Today, Syria inches ahead in this approach to a tipping point. If Syria does indeed launch missiles into Israel, particularly chemically tipped missiles, then we may be well on the way to the Isaiah 17 scenario. And if that happens, Gog-MaGog won't be far behind.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

VERY VERY DANGEROUS >>>>

I see big trouble coming...

really

I am serious.

Just got the AAII sentiment numbers, we are down to 20 %
bears again.

And bulls are GOING INSANE...
buying call options.

I can see AN ATTITUDE on Wall Street right now like this
market is like IMMUNE to the ME,
immune to Greece, ect ect...

UH UH, 'aint gonna happen.

This market is gonna crash !!!!

All we need is ONE GOOD 300 plus
down day, and the trend is
back to the BEAR !!!!

People have a very arrogant
attitude now in this market.
Like bulls are in the sky.

I doubt it >>>>>>

LOOK OUT.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Caver said...

Just read the article...slowely. Several "flash points" in there....not only British troops already there but Turkey wanting to use their established bases for moving their own, and other Arab forces, into Syria.

That coupled with Assad's and Russian knowledge that they're there...and Turkey's plans.

Quote...

...presence of the British and Qatari troops was seized on by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for the new plan... Treating the British-Qatari contingents as the first foreign foot wedged through the Syrian door, his plan hinges on consigning a new Turkish-Arab force to Homs through that door and under the protection of those contingents. Later, they would go to additional flashpoint cities...

Unquote...

Turkey and UK troops helping the insurgents....That spells NATO to my little mind. And Assad aware of it.

Guess we wait and see, but this is precisely and exactly the trigger he vowed would compel him to attack Israel and put the ME in flames.

Stephen, completely agree that one down 300 day would drop everything over the edge ...... and this is precisely what could do that.

Scott said...

Agree Caver. This whole thing is rapidly approaching the tipping point...and when it does....

WVBORN56 said...

It is appearing we are just about to the top of the big roller coster...The ride up to the top is very slow and anxious and for a brief moment at the top all seems calm..then the big drop comes as if the bottom has fallen out...I'm afraid however for the unsaved the bottom of this coster meets a brick wall and the saved get a bail out via the rapture. I think we are now at the top experiencing the calm but it is about to come to an end. Time to take the escape plan...Romans 10:9 and John 3:16 show the way home.

Maranatha!

I'm only 56 and I just had my 3rd good friend from junior high pass away yesterday. I am finding this all rather sureal.It would be silly to make this all about me but it sure seems strange that they all deserted me as friends when the school bully singled me out as his favorite target. Am I reading too much into this? I have forgiven them and the bully as well but these were all good guys but probably not saved. Life is full of irony and I like to try and find God's purposes in those ironys when I can. Anyway please pray for the families in their great loss.

GG said...

Hi WV-

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I don't think you are reading too much into this at all. Life is about making a series of choices. As we know some of those choices come with different consequences. Some we were to young and naive to know the difference and some we just may not have had courage of conviction to do the right thing at the time, making us look weaker in character in front of all. (BTW-I love the analogy of the roller coaster)
I will certainly pray for them.

Lately it seems like many things are coming full circle for us all. Maybe this is the part of the experience where God is closing the chapters in our old lives as we begin writing a new life in peace, love and harmony in the prescence of our Heavenly Father. It's all bitter sweet but so worth the lessons this life has given us while we were here. I hope you will see all these guys on the other side and build even greater friendships.

God Bless You!!

GG

WVBORN56 said...

Thank you GG for the kind words. You are a blessing to everyone here!

Dutch Treat said...

WV, I will turn 65 at the end of this month; and have also lost a number of school mates recently, one who started attending my church recently. She had been having health problems; and I tried to explain to her about having a relationship with Jesus. Whether I was successful I really don't know. Hopefully I will see her in heaven soon. I guess all we can do is live our lives and be faithful to his calling and leave the results to him. Like you I wasn't the best looking guy around. So I was also teased and mocked a lot; and people wouldn't say two words to me. Yet today at reunions some of these same people give me a big hug. So time does heal wounds (a la Jacob and Esau). Will pray for your friend. Dutch.

WVBORN56 said...

Thanks Dutch...the further irony to my junior high story was the school bully didn't like me because we both were "vying" for the same girl. He won... but not really. They got married. She recently also died and I heard it was from a drug addiction. Who really knows? I'm still shaking my head. I married a wonderful godly woman instead. Thank you Jesus!

The ironies in our lives as GG said are not usually apart from the hand of God. When we get to heaven we will be amazed I'm sure at just how much God intervened and protected us in our walk with him. Like I said earlier it's a bit sureal. I'm feeling a bit like Joseph. Short term pain that produces long term gain. God is good to His children. I'm still connecting all the dots to this little saga.