Mideast Powder Keg

Mideast Powder Keg

Hal Lindsey

The Middle East has long been a powder keg, and right now that powder keg is inhabited by people with flaming torches.  In the last week, hostility in the region reached new levels.  But this time the rage is not against Israel.  It is Muslim versus Muslim; Sunni versus Shiite.  The possibility of war between them, casts a pall over the entire planet.

Iran seems willing to blow the world into chaos believing it will bring back their Muslim messiah, the “Mahdi.”  They promise to wipe Israel from the earth.  They fund terrorism.  They have a history of providing a safe haven for terrorists.  They love to shout “Death to America.” And, yes, they are still developing nuclear weapons, and the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICMBs) to carry them.

 United States used to have a good relationship with the Saudi Kingdom.  At one time, the U.S. probably could have talked Riyadh out of executing the Shiite cleric.  But the Iran nuclear deal changed that.  Saudi Arabia no longer trusts the United States.  It feels that the U.S. has thrown in its lot with Shiites.

With the Iran deal, the United States alienated much of the Sunni Muslim world, and Sunnis make up at least 85% of the world’s Islamic population.

 

You might expect that by giving Iran pretty much everything it wanted in the nuclear deal, America would have at least turned the Shiites into friends.  But Shiites respect strength.  When we gave away everything in negotiations, it only increased their disdain.  

In the Middle East, no one is sure whose side the U.S. stands.  In the nuclear deal, the United States stands with Iran against Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni Muslim nations.  In Yemen, the U.S. stands with Saudi Arabia against Iran and the other Shiite nations.  In Iraq, the U.S. seems to stand with the Shiite government against the Kurds and Sunnis.  In Syria, the U.S. stands against President Bashar al-Assad and his allies, the Iranians.  The U.S. is also against Sunni terror groups, such as ISIS and al-Qaeda.  America claims to be on the side of Syria’s “moderate rebels,” but can’t seem to find any.

The list could go on and on.  The U.S. is both for and against practically every one of the many factions in the Middle East.  This foreign policy chaos has left everyone confused, and no one trusting the United States.  Though still active in the region, the U.S. has squandered away its friendships, influence, and standing.

 

That opened the door for the Russians.  They have seized the opportunity to fill the void where the U.S. once stood.  In doing so, Vladimir Putin has neatly positioned Russia to fulfill the role prophesied for it in the Bible 2500 years ago.  Pray that we will out last President Obama’s Presidency.  If we get another left wing President, we are finished.