War with IRAQ: The Aftermath

War with IRAQ: The Aftermath As the war with Iraq winds down, Americans around the world are celebrating an overwhelming victory against a ruthless regime. We can all be proud of our troops who performed exceptionally well. They fought with great courage, professionalism, and efficiency limiting civilian casualties while rooting out enemy forces. However we must not make the mistake of putting our trust in horses and chariots alone. While a nation should be well prepared for battle, it is God who ultimately grants victory. We must never forget this! Many Christians have prayed for the safety and quick success of our troops. Even children have been praying for our soldiers and that innocent people wouldn t be hurt. I believe America s good fortune in Iraq thus far is due to the undeserved mercy of a loving God, responding to the fervent prayers of His true followers. We have enjoyed success not because America is good and deserved to win, but because Saddam Hussein s regime was incredibly evil and deserved to fall. During Saddam s reign of terror which spanned three decades, an estimated one million Iraqis were tortured, maimed or killed by his military forces and secret police. In many cases, women were raped in front of their husbands, and children were taken from their families in order to punish them for speaking or acting against the regime. In the late 1980s Saddam Hussein also killed tens of thousands of Iraqi Kurds via chemical weapons. The Kurds, of all people, suffered the greatest atrocities under this tyrant. Prior to his assault on the Kurds, Saddam used chemical and biological weapons some 40 times against Iranian forces during the Iran/Iraq war (CNN 4/14/03). Altogether, at least 290,000 Muslims were sent to their graves by his regime. History will record Saddam Hussein as one of the most brutal dictators of our time, alongside Stalin, Hitler, Mao and others. An Abundance of Enemies This war, along with liberating Iraq, has shown America who its real friends and enemies are. For example, rather than helping the US in targeting terrorist regimes, the United Nations has done everything possible to defend those regimes by standing in the way of US action against them. Thankfully, God has revealed the hidden loyalties of the UN for all to see perhaps as a warning of what lies ahead. For the first time in several decades, a large percentage of Americans

are distrustful of the UN and have begun to perceive it as an enemy, rather than a friend of the United States. The American people have also come to the painful realization that much of the world hates us. In spite of the wealth that America has generated for Europe since World War II, many Europeans envy America s self-sufficiency and resent her pride and over-confidence. In short, they would like to see us brought down off our high-horse. Going to war against the wishes of Europeans and Muslims (who also happen to be the main powers backing the UN) has made us an even bigger target. As Hosni Mubarak, the President of Egypt stated, If there is one Bin Laden now, there will be 100 Bin Ladens afterward. (MSNBC, March 31, 2003) While his remark may have been somewhat exaggerated, I am afraid his overall observation is true America will be more hated, not less hated as a result of this war. Things will never again be the same. Dangerous Times Ahead Where will President Bush s War on Terror go from here? The top two countries on the next list are North Korea and Syria. But the stakes will increase considerably if we seriously confront either of these dictatorial regimes. North Korea has nuclear weapons and the ability to deliver them on our West coast. Syria, on the other hand, also has access to nuclear weapons and has been Russia s closest ally in the Middle East for many years. Attacking Syria would be like attacking Russia, especially since Russia still has thousands of military advisors, strategists, and Special Forces in that country. Nevertheless, in order to stamp out terrorism, America will have no choice but to deal with Syria at some point. Why? Syria either supports or is home to more terrorist organizations than any other Islamic state including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, to name just a few. In addition, Syria has been Iraq s closest ally. It signed a special pact with Iraq (and Iran) several years ago and has become the main funnel for Russian, French and German technology and supplies into Iraq. For the time being I believe the Bush Administration will merely apply diplomatic pressure and carefully-timed rhetoric to keep Syria in check, but that could quickly change. I wrote about Syria s place in Bible prophecy in my first book, En Route to Global Occupation. Although it was published in 1991, its warnings against Syria are even more relevant today. Here are a few excerpts: Unlike the previous world wars in which Germany was the main instigator, the world s next major conflict will undoubtedly be sparked by the hotbed of tensions surrounding the Middle East. If not Iraq a second time, then perhaps Iran or Syria. This writer believes that Syria might play a significant role in ushering in the New World Order, if not as an instigator of war, then as a middleman for negotiating peace. It is too critical a nation

to remain on the sidelines for very long and, contrary to popular belief, Syria not Iraq is the most powerful Islamic military state in the Middle East. It therefore merits close watching. During the past several years, Syria appears to have been laying the groundwork for its own attack against Israel.we know that a nuclear exchange is a very real possibility. There is an Old Testament prophecy concerning Damascus, the capitol of Syria, which has yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah proclaimed: See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. (Isaiah 17:1) As it is, Damascus is the oldest standing city in the world, never having experienced mass destruction. This prophecy must be fulfilled sometime before the return of Christ. (pages 143-144) If the United States ever decides to go into Syria, it would take us to the brink of World War III. We had better be prepared if we engage in such a conflict. Unlike Saddam s regime which was despised by many Arabs (who were willing to look the other way for a time), attacking Syria would almost certainly provoke a military response from other Arab nations and possibly their closest European allies. Such a war could quickly spin out of control, setting the stage for the rise of Antichrist and the implementation of an authoritative world government. The people of the world fearing the destruction of the human race might be willing to embrace solutions that under normal circumstances they would never accept. The desire for peace at any price would be the driving force. A Stumbling Stone The amazing thing is, the current tension in the Middle East can be traced all the way back to the hatred between Ishmael and Isaac. In spite of the millennia that have passed, this ongoing dispute between Arabs and Jews remains the central threat to world peace. This should not come as a surprise to Christians. God s Word predicted it would be this way and that the rivalry would continue until Jesus Christ returns. This very matter poses one of my chief concerns with the Bush Administration. Colin Powell, who has been very pro UN, continues to tow the UN line on Israel; namely, that Israel should be divided into two separate autonomous states one belonging to the Palestinian

Arabs and the other to the Jews. This proposal calls for the permanent stationing of international military forces in Israel to enforce peace. It is my belief that if such an agreement were reached it would allow a global governing body to finally have its way with the Jewish people the Antichrist could rule the world from Jerusalem. Woe to the nation or nations who make this agreement possible! George W. Bush is the first US President to officially declare his support for a separate Palestinian state, which would require the carving up of Israel. This should cause all Americans great concern, as our position on Israel could well determine our fate. Joel 3:9-21 is just one passage that warns of what happens to nations who deal harshly with Israel They are devastated! No country that has ever meddled with Israel s internal affairs has retained God s favor for long. Dividing Israel in two would be interfering directly with God s purpose for the Jewish people. We must pray that President Bush will reject the influence of Colin Powell and the UN on this issue and heed the advice of his more conservative advisors who are willing to challenge UN positions on matters of national sovereignty. Israel is perfectly capable of dealing with her own problems. She would in fact be far better off (and so would America) if we would have allowed her to effectively deal with terrorism over the years. We must stop interfering, or we will pay the price! Additional Observations * The fact that our President is being pulled in different directions is apparent in his mixed response to the UN. While he has generally sided with the UN on issues relating to the future of Israel and America s re-entrance to UNESCO (which he made public last September), he has also opposed the UN on a number of fronts. To his credit, he has refused to subject the United States to the terms of the Kyoto Agreement (on the environment) and to the authority of the International Criminal Court. And, of course, he defied the UN by moving against Iraq. The need for godly wisdom and counsel by a US President has never been greater. Again, we must pray that the Lord would surround George Bush with articulate, Bible-based men and women who will provide sound advice. * Why hasn t the US been more vocal against France, Germany and Russia for supplying military items to Iraq? In all likelihood, it is because of our own actions in the Iran/Iraq war during the Reagan Administration. In that conflict we favored Saddam Hussein s regime, seeing it as the lesser of two evils. For several years we supplied Saddam with a variety of military hardware and technology. What a tangled web we weave! * For the last two years a number of Arab oil-producing nations have considered switching from the US Dollar to the Euro as their principle currency for oil transactions. If the Euro were to suddenly replace the Dollar as the world s top oil currency, it would wreak havoc on the US economy, possibly sending it into a tailspin. The fact is, wars are fought on more than one front: economics can be as important as weapons. While our main reason for going against Iraq may

have been to oust Saddam and deal a blow to terrorism, the behind-the-scenes monetary issues may have provided an additional motive. * I am not yet fully convinced that Saddam is dead. There is a real possibility that he and some of his top officials escaped to Syria or are laying low elsewhere. Saddam began moving illegal weapons into Syria as early as September of last year. In exchange for their ongoing cooperation, Syria has been receiving all the Iraqi oil they can handle (via specially constructed pipelines). Although the leaders of Syria, Iraq and Iran aren t necessarily fond of each other, they have been drawn together by their common hatred for America. * Sporadic fighting, terrorist ambushes, and suicide bombings unfortunately are likely to continue as long as there are US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We can still not completely rule out the use of weapons of mass destruction since we do not know where they are stored or who can set them off. It is also important to remember that more than 200,000 of Saddam s Republican Guards and other loyalists are unaccounted for. They suddenly and mysteriously faded from the scene, either blending in with the civilian population or hiding underground in secret tunnels or chambers. Our military must not rest easy until they have identified their locations. * While America s weapons technology has advanced significantly in recent years, the actual size of our military has decreased substantially. The number of divisions in each of our armed services is only 55 to 60 percent of what it was in the 1980s, before the major cutbacks began. What does all of this mean? We can more easily shock and awe our enemies; but when it comes to fighting sustained battles on two or more fronts, we would quickly be stretched thin. In the back of my mind I can t help but wonder if one purpose of global terrorism is to draw our military personnel out of the United States in order to hit us here at home. Advice for America Post-war Iraq will not be a pleasant place. It will pose monumental challenges for the US and its allies. It is extremely important that we restore law and order quickly. Doing so while preventing rival Islamic factions from warring with each other will be no small task. But in order to gain the confidence and support of the Iraqi people it is absolutely essential that the looting and lawlessness be brought under control immediately. It is also critical that the Alliance limit UN involvement on key matters of governance. Fighting this war only to turn Iraq over to the UN would be senseless in fact, it would be a crime. The United Nations should be given no opportunity to directly influence the new Iraqi government. Any role the UN plays should be secondary such as providing food and medical relief if anything. The UN has a long history of using its influence against Israel and the United States. It has consistently condemned both countries while refusing to condemn terrorism. Therefore, we should not assist the UN in gaining even more influence among Islamic nations. By cooperating

with the UN we would deliberately be setting ourselves against Israel. To reiterate my earlier point DON T MESS WITH ISRAEL! We do not know specifically how the forces behind the UN will respond to America s stance. Therefore, America must remain vigilant while seeking God s direction. Defending our Constitutional Republic against foreign enemies in order to remain a free and independent people is a worthy cause. In the past, God has granted us favor, and we have been able to prevail against our adversaries. But, how much longer will God have mercy and shield America from her enemies? Only God knows the answer to this question. The outcome hinges on our willingness as a nation to turn from our sins and submit wholeheartedly to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Currently, I do not see much evidence of such a wide-scale repentance. The Bible warns, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) The United States, more than any nation, has been quick to boast of its greatness. Yet history teaches us that most world powers have fallen at the very time they thought they were invincible. Oh America, if we could only learn to walk in humility before God and recognize that our blessings come from Him and are not a result of our own doing! Work and Pray We do not know how quickly world events may unfold or how many days of freedom we may have left. But one thing is certain, we are moving ever closer to the fulfillment of God s Word; everything will happen just as He said it would! Those seeking to obey the Lord have much to do in the time that remains. We must share the hope of Jesus Christ with all who will listen, because contrary to the arguments of political correctness Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6). Since those who reject Him will be eternally condemned (John 3:18, 36), the matter is serious one of life and death! Along with sharing the Gospel and praying for unsaved friends and loved ones, let s also remember to pray for the Jewish and Arab Christians who are caught in the middle of the escalating tensions. They are one in Christ, who has bridged the gap through His love. As Christians, we must always remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) Ever mindful of this, let us prayerfully move forward, doing the will of our Father as He enables us.