blog.Tribulationperiod.com

Antichrist must have Supernatural Power

To hold a Herd of Wild Jackasses Together

Like descendants of Abraham’s Son Ishmael

Who Won’t hold together for extended Period

Because power mad chiefs seek great Dominion

June 14, 2008

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Revelation 13:4.5 – And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? [5] And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

It is not possible for them to cleave one to another very long just like it is very difficult for iron and clay to hold together except for a brief time.

Daniel 2:42,43 – And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. [43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

But supernatural power from a higher source will be able to hold them together long enough to accomplish its purpose.

Revelation 17:12,13,17 – And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. [17] For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Ishmael has indeed passed his characteristics on to his descendants, the adversaries of Israel,

the S

on of Isaac, who was the seed of promise.

Genesis 16:12 – And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Hebrew expression “a wild man” literally means “a wild jackass.”

The struggle going on between different factions of Arabs in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and the rest of the terrorist groups, does indeed seem to be between vast numbers of wild asses in heat.

The day is coming when this hatred for one another will cease long enough for them to unite in a massive Jihad attack against Israel.

Whatever you intend to do toward Jesus, with Jesus, or for Jesus, you had better get at it. This situation in the Middle East is headed toward the last war of this age, which will culminate with the return of Jesus at his Second Advent to end the final battle of Armageddon. As I keep on saying like a broken record, I guesstimate the attack, which begins this last war, will occur at some point in time between 2010 and 2015, and will terminate at the battle of Armageddon some three and one-half years later.

And, again, as I have stated many times, that is merely a guess in timing on my part, but I am certain that this Age of the Gentiles is drawing to a close, and these events are not in the far off sweet forever – They are at our door!

The following articles demonstrate the wild jackass characteristics of

the hoards of religious Islamic fanatics that will come against Israel.

At present Turks are fighting Kurds, Sunnis are fighting Shiites, Lebanese are fighting Fatah refugees, and Hamas is fighting Fatah.

Clay and Iron do not mix, but soon they will hold together as 10 toes long enough to drive Israel into the Negev Wilderness.

Begin Two Excerpts from Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Daily Alert

Begin Jerusalem Post Excerpt

Arab Rivalries Delaying Cease-Fire

Khaled Abu Toameh

June 13, 2008

The ongoing power struggle between Fatah and Hamas, as well as rivalries within Hamas itself, are largely responsible for the delay in reaching a cease-fire agreement between the Palestinians and Israel. Fatah is afraid that a cease-fire would consolidate Hamas’ grip on Gaza and encourage Hamas to try to extend its control to the West Bank. Within Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh has been pushing for accepting the Israeli conditions, first and foremost that abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit be part of a cease-fire deal. Other Hamas leaders, however, including Khaled Mashaal, Mahmoud Zahar and Said Siam, continue to insist that Shalit be dealt with only after a truce goes into effect.

Furthermore, Islamic Jihad, Fatah’s Aksa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees continue to express reservations about the Egyptian plan. “Even if Hamas accepts the truce plan, there is no guarantee that it would be able to enforce its will on the other groups operating in Gaza,” said a Palestinian political analyst in Ramallah.

In addition, Egyptian President Mubarak is desperate to prove that his country remains a major player in the Middle East.

But it is highly unlikely that Syrian President Assad would allow Mubarak’s efforts to succeed. Relations between Assad and Mubarak have deteriorated to a point where the two have made it clear they will never agree to be seen in the same room.

(Jerusalem Post)

Begin Haaretz Excerpt

No Large-Scale Israeli Action Expected in Gaza

Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff

June 13, 2008

No large-scale military offensive is expected in Gaza in the coming months, absent a hit by a “strategic” Kassam rocket that exacts many casualties in Israel. According to the most optimistic IDF assessments, it would take many months of physical presence on the ground in parts

of Gaza to bring about a significant decrease in attacks on the communities in the Gaza envelope. The army is not certain whether the public or the government can muster such patience, when it is obvious that the prolongation of any fighting will cost the lives of many soldiers. We can occupy parts of the territory, says a senior officer, with the aim of gradually reducing the rocket fire and preventing the strengthening of Hamas, which relies on weapons being smuggled in from Sinai. “However, under what arrangement will the territory be transferred into responsible hands? An answer of ‘It’ll be okay’ will no longer suffice in this round.” (Ha’aretz)

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted m ateri

al the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

Mahdi Born in Gaza Strip

To Bethlehem making no Trip

False Religion Loves Liar’s Fables

Jihad Excites Man’s Humanistic Table

Basing his Foundation of Belief on Feelings

And a lot of Wars occur on Emotional Dealings

We are not dealing with a religion based on Reason

But with one where emotional fervor is always in Season

June 13, 2008

http://www.tribulationperiod.com

The Mahdi is an Islamic eschatological figure prophesied to appear on the Day of Judgment and to bring redemption to the world.

There are numerous traditions in Islam regarding his identity, time of appearance, and activities, which fall into two categories – Shi’ite and Sunni. According to Shi’ite tradition the Mahdi, i.e. the Twelfth Imam, was born but disappeared, and has not yet come back,

though his return is expected. According to Sunni tradition, the Mahdi has not yet been born.

In all Islamic traditions, the Mahdi’s advent is accompanied by the arrival of dajjal, the anti-Christ – a false messiah who will lead people astray.

Begin Excerpt from Middle East Media Review Institute (MEMRI)

February 6, 2008

Clip No. 1708

Palestinian Cleric Issa Badwan: The Mahdi Was Born in Palestine Four Years Ago; Muslim Conquest of Rome Is Imminent

Following are excerpts from an interview with Palestinian cleric Issa Badwan, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on February 6, 2008.

Issa Badwan: Someone who is well known and whom I trust – there is no need to mention his name – told me that four years ago, when he was driving his car, he saw an old woman, who stopped him and asked him to take her to hospital, so she could pick up her daughter, who had just given birth. He did her a favor and took her there, and waited for an hour at the entrance. The woman came out, with her daughter and grandson, and when they got into the car, the baby started talking, and said: “Peace and Allah’s mercy upon you.” They greeted him back.

Interviewer: The newborn baby?

Issa Badwan: Yes, the baby. The baby said… This is what the man told me, and we reported this to Sheik Nizar and to the Islamic Scholars Association… The newborn baby said: “I am the man who will be killed [sic] by the Antichrist, who will not rule over anyone again.” According to the Prophet’s hadith, this man [the Mahdi] would be 18-20 years old. These are good tidings.

Of course, the coming of the Antichrist will be preceded by the conquests of Rome in Italy, and Constantinople, like the Prophet told us.

These places will be conquered only by the righteous Mahdi. The Mahdi is from Palestine, as conveyed by Mu’adh bin Jabal, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas, and Abdullah bin Mas’ud, who were all great imams and scholars.

Interviewer: Is anyone following what’s going on with this chil

d?

Issa Badwan: Yes, now his identity is known, and the brothers follow and take good care of him. I would like to convey to the people, as well as to the scholars, that these are times of victory, with the grace of Allah, that the promised Mahdi lives among us, that the people of Palestine will be the standard bearers, who will carry this religion forth and spread its guidance and light.

FAIR USE NOTICE: Th is site

contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.

We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving

the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

Can Truce be a Rinse?

Hamas Rips Egypt’s Fence,

Much Israeli trouble ever Since,

Cause Hamas at fence shows Offence,

In great chaotic midst of so very little Sense,

But time shall arrive when truce doth come Hence!

Olmert political immorality stymies real Israeli Defense,

And public grows weary for military operation to Commence!

June 13, 2008

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

HAMAS CHILDISH JIHAD MALE VANITY – THE ONE GETTING IN

THE LAST LICK WINS THE FIGHT!

I Corinthians 13:11 – When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Ever since Hamas tore through the western border security with Egypt, which allowed thousands of Gaza residents to pour into Egypt, Israel has made daily pronouncements that it is about to unleash a major IDF Operation into Gaza, but no operation has occurred.

It appears Israel is determined to get some kind of a truce with Hamas, and Hamas is determined to get in “the last lick” before it happens.

However, they have been pushing the offensive to extremes in the last couple of days, and the Knesset patience is wearing razor thin. If Hamas continues this pattern they will leave Israel no choice other than to strike a prolonged blow into the Gaza Strip.

Begin DEBKAfile Article

Hamas pounds Israel with missiles, rockets, mortars, suicide bombers all day Thursday

June 12, 2008, 7:30 PM (GMT+02:00)

Under cover of a barrage of more than 50 missiles, mortars and rocket, Hamas made three attempts to breach the Gaza border fence for major suicide bombings, the last one late Thursday, June 12. They sent a bulldozer to ram Netiv Ha’asara, a bomb car to crash the border fence and gunmen on foot to blow up the Erez crossing. Israel ground and air units foiled them all.

Israeli locations from Ashkelon in the north down to Shear Hanegev, Kibbutz Nir Oz and Sderot were struck by 20 missiles, one Grad rocket and more than 35 mortar shells. A woman was injured at Kibbutz Yad Mordecai.

Sirens warned people under attack

to stay in indoors, as fires blazed and explosions erupted – one close to the Barzilai regional hospital in Ashkelon.

The first Hamas attempt to blow up Israeli military guard posts at the Erez crossing was mounted early Thursday as the Israeli defense ministry’s political coordinator Amos Gilead traveled to Cairo to hand over Israel’s acceptance of the Egyptian formula for a truce in Gaza.

They were intercepted and at least one was killed by Israeli ground and air fire.

Wednesday, Israel’s security cabinet approved the decision by prime minister Ehud Olmert and defense minister Ehud Barak to accept a ceasefire with Hamas (called “a lull”), instead of launching the large-scale military operation needed to finally relieve southwestern Israel of daily Palestinian missile, rocket and mortar attacks. Hamas greeted that decision with the heaviest Palestinian barrage in months.

Its spokesman replied to an Israeli demand with derision: The captive soldier Gilead Shalit will be released as part of truce accord only in Israel’s dreams. Hamas PM Ismail Haniya said: “Ariel Sharon is neither alive nor dead a fate all Israel’s leaders will share.”

The population is preparing further protest action, accusing the Olmert government of cowardice, sacrificing their security for self-serving political ends and risking the loss of the Negev, the southern half of Israel.

Begin Jerusalem Post Article

Israel still seeks truce after 50 projectiles pound Negev

Jun. 12, 2008

YAAKOV KATZ and HERB KEINON, THE JERUSALEM POST

As more than 50 mortar shells, Kassam and Katyusha rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on Thursday, the Defense Ministry was still working to “exhaust” the dialogue with Egypt on a cease-fire with Hamas, sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry’s Diplomatic-Security Bureau, returned Thursday night from a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to try to finalize a deal.

Defense officials said Gilad asked the Egyptians for clarifications on the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit in conjunction with a truce deal, as well as on Cairo’s promise to step up efforts to curb the smuggling of weapons into Gaza under

the Philadelphi Corridor.

“The Egyptians are supposed to get back to us with answers in the coming days,” a senior defense official said. “It is likely that the cease-fire will go into effect by the middle of next week.”

The barrage of rockets on the western Negev on Thursday was interpreted by the defense establishment as an attempt by Hamas to flex its muscles before implementing a cease-fire. There are fears that Hamas will try to carry out a massive terrorist attack in the coming days.

“They want to have the last word before the cease-fire,” the senior defense official said. “But if they continue with their attacks we will not sit by idly and will respond harshly as well.”

The rockets began to fly in the afternoon, shortly after a powerful explosion flattened the home of a Hamas operative in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.

Seven people, including an infant girl, were killed by the blast, which the IDF said was not caused by an Israeli attack but was rather a “work accident,” most likely caused by terrorists’ faulty handling of explosives.

Earlier in the day, three Palestinian gunmen were killed by IDF soldiers after they were spotted placing a bomb along the Gaza border.

Under the cover of the ensuing mortar shells, IDF troops spotted a bulldozer approaching the security fence in northern Gaza near Kibbutz Netiv Ha’asara.

Soldiers fired at the vehicle, whose occupants escaped. IDF sources said the bulldozer was part of an elaborate Hamas plan to infiltrate Israel.

An Israeli woman was moderately wounded by shrapnel in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai shortly after noon, and evacuated to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.

A number of fires broke out following the attack.

Several people were treated for shock after a Grad-type Katyusha rocket was fired at Ashkelon. A state of emergency was declared in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council and residents were instructed to enter fortified rooms.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokesman, Mark Regev, said Thursday’s attacks “show the current situation is both unstable and not sustainable, and that there has to be a solution.”

Regev said that the fact Hamas fired dozens of mortars the day after Israel declared it wanted to give the Egyptian cease-fire track an additional chance “shows who we are up against. This shows who Hamas is. They are committed to violence, not dialogue.”

Still, he said, Israel would give the Egyptian-mediated talks a chance, while at the same time continuing to plan for military action “in the unfortunate event that they won’t be successful.

The situation in the South is expected to be one of the key items on the agenda of talks US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will hold in Jerusalem on Sunday and Monday.

Diplomatic officials say the US has been urging Jerusalem to let the Egyptians try to put together a cease-fire, concerned that an IDF invasion of the Gaza Strip could end the current diplomatic process with the Palestinians and badly damage Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s stature.

Rice, who is scheduled to arrive Saturday night and leave on Monday, is expected to hold two different sets of trilateral talks here to discuss the ongoing Israeli-PA negotiations.

One of those trilateral meetings will be with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the head of Israel’s negotiating team, and her PA counterpart, Ahmed Qurei, to discuss the status of those talks, and the second trilateral meeting will be with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad to discuss implementation of road-map obligations.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

Antichrist Bypass Will Be Ready!

June 12, 2008

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Since the 1948 War, when Palestinians refugees began to massively flee into Jordan, afterwards to be made citizens in 1950, it has become more and more difficult for the monarchy’s political control to be maintained because of Palestinian hatred for Israel. More than half the population is now of Palestinian origin.

Antichrist will bypass Jordan on his initial sweep into Israel.

Jordan will succumb to the internal Palestinian population’s will and join with Antichrist after Jerusalem falls to him.

The Jordanian Monarchy will be over as the Antichrist sweeps into Egypt.

I have believed this would be the case for some thirty years, indicating it on the internet when we first began this site, as you can see on Archive Prophecy Update Number 71, which follows the Jerusalem Center’s excerpt from AFP.

Begin AFP Excerpt from Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs – Daily Alert

Jordan Fears New Pressure to Merge with West Bank

Randa Habib

(AFP)

Jordanian officials fear renewed proposals for a merger with part of the West Bank. “To get half or less of the West Bank with all the Palestinian population would be suicide,” a senior Jordanian official said.

A significant proportion of Jordan’s 5.8 million inhabitants are already of Palestinian origin and officials worry that the addition of the West Bank’ s Pale

stinians would fundamentally alter the population balance.

“We would prefer to be at war with Israel rather than accept such a situation, which would be a security nightmare and which would in the long term cause Jordan to lose its identity,” the Jordanian official said, adding that such a move would allow the Palestinians control of Jordanian politics.

Begin Archive Prophecy Update Number 71, Issued 7 years Ago

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 71

June 7, 2002

The King of the North – The Antichrist

Part 1

Daniel 11:41 – He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

The initial attack into the glorious land of Israel will be from the north, from Syria and Lebanon, and the first of many countries that will fall before the antichrist will be Israel. There will be a lightning surprise Jihad blitzkrieg launched by Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Iraq, with logistical support from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Turkey, and Sudan. These are the ten toes of Daniel’s great statue, the ten horns of his fourth beast, and the ten horns on both of John’s beasts. At the time of the attack the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza will attack the IDF internally and outwardly.

Daniel 2:42 – And as THE TOES of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

Daniel 7:7 – After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; AND IT HAD TEN HORNS.

Revelation 13:1 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and TEN HORNS, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Revelation 17:3 – So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and TEN HORNS.

Many of the countries of Daniel’s day were named for their first descendants as they related to Abraham. Edom was associated with the descendants of his grandson Esau, with Ammon and Moab being associated with the two sons

of his nephew Lot. In Daniel’s day these three countries were to the immediate east, northeast, and southeast of Israel.

If you will check all maps from B.C. 500 to 700, you will discover that all three of these countries would be entirely engulfed by modern day Jordan. So why would Jordan escape his wrath

? Its geographical position would have no military, political, or financial value to him, and the occupants of Jordan will certainly not attack him, so he will bypass Jordan on his way

to conquer the Suez Canal, which will have all three of these values abundantly. Jordan will not be a part of the initial Jihad, but after Israel is driven into the Negev it will be 100% in the antichrist’s camp. Because Egypt and Jordan made peace with Israel they are out of favor with what I call the big three, which are Syria, Iraq, and Iran. And because Saudi Arabia plays footsies with the United States, it also falls into the non-favored category. The Arab world simply doesn’t trust Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia enough to include them in the secret planning that will go into the Jihad, and they will be as surprised as Israel when it is launched. Jordan and Saudi Arabia will support the antichrist after he conquers Egypt, and will to do so for the remainder of the tribulation period.

Daniel 11:42 – He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

SEE ARCHIVE PROPHECY UPDATE FOR A CONTINUATION OF THE EXPOSITION OF DANIEL 11:41 TO 12:1.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.

We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.

“Islamilization” Takeovers by Radical Islamic Elements

Old Turkish Secularists Think Turkish PM like Antichrist

June 12, 2008

http://www.tribulationperiod.com/

Islamic Extremist Elements of the Worldwide Jihad Movement, within the Muslim Society, will not cease their gradual chewing away of any other mindset, until a massive Caliphate under Islamic Law

stretches from Morocco to India.

Begin Two Excerpts from Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs – Daily Alert

Begin Excerpt 1

Al-Qaeda Groups Active in Gaza after Year under Hamas

Nidal al-Mughrabi (Reuters)

Analysts believe

al-Qaeda-allied radical groups like Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation) have benefited from the Hamas takeover in Gaza to expand their membership.

In addition, there has been an increase in attacks on Christians in the past year, apparently by Islamists not content with the extent of Hamas’ “Islamization” of Gaza.

Among the outward signs has been a proliferation of beards on men and headscarves on women, along with the virtual disappearance of alcohol.

Market stalls do brisk business in selling recordings of speeches of al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahri and the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, as well as videos of beheadings of U.S. and foreign soldiers and personnel in Iraq.

One Gaza political analyst noted: “Hamas is keen not to be seen as an Islamic state, so they’ve refrained from passing laws or f

orcing people to follow what they believe.

They have not taken action to Islamize the community. But allowing extremist thinking to breed armed cells is much more dangerous.”

Begin Excerpt 2

First Paragraph Excerpt from Speech by Secretary of State Rice

A Global Counterinsurgency

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (Foreign Affairs)

The first challenge is the global ideology of violent Islamist extremism, as embodied by groups such as al-Qaeda, that thoroughly reject the basic tenets of modern politics, seeking instead to topple sovereign states, erase national borders, and restore the imperial structure of the ancient caliphate. Ultimately, this is more than just a struggle of arms; it is a contest of ideas. Al-Qaeda’s theory of victory is to hijack the legitimate local and national grievances of Muslim societies and twist them into an ideological narrative of endless struggle against Western, especially U.S., oppression.

Excerpt from the UK Guardian

Turkish PM fights for survival with plea for Islamists and secular judges to avoid clash

Erdogan hopes to deter court closure of AKP

Constitutional battle after new ruling on headscarves

Robert Tait in Istanbul

The Guardian (UK)

Wednesday June 11 2008

Turkey’s embattled prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, launched an attempt to save his political skin yesterday by seeking to lower tensions in a power struggle with the state’s secular establishment that threatens to split the country, close his party and oust him from office.

After days of simmering government anger, Erdogan pleaded with his supporters and Turkey’s most senior judges to avoid a “clash of powers” following a ruling that overturned a law allowing female university students to wear the Islamic headscarf.

“Everyone should refrain from actions that make the rule of law, absolute supremacy of the constitution and our constitutional institutions matters of discussion,” he said in a televised address to parliament in the capital, Ankara. “No one should try to benefit from such attempts.

We have to take Turkey out of such a ‘clash of powers’ environment.”

His tone was markedly more conciliatory than that of other government figures and appeared calculated to avoid antagonising the constitutional court before it hears a separate case calling for the ruling justice and development party (AKP) to be shut down, and Erdogan and 70 other leading figures

to be banned from politics for five years for alleged anti-secularism.

Some AKP members had taken a much harder line after the court last Thursday ruled that the headscarf was a symbol of political Islam that threatened Turkey’s secular system established under Atatürk. Many MPs accused it of usurping the government’s powers and dem

anded parliamentary action to annul the ruling. But Erodgan merely called on the court to explain its actions.

“Legislative powers belong only to the elected parliament. No one has the right to put itself in the place of the legislative,” he said.

Last week’s ruling, which prompted the government to hold six hours of emergency talks, has led many to conclude that Erdogan is doomed when the court delivers its verdict in the party closure case, which is expected in the autumn. The case is based on a 162-page indictment compiled by the chief prosecutor. It cites the headscarf law, a host of Erdogan’s statements and AKP actions at local government level, including bans on alcohol sales.

Some analysts depicted yesterday’s remarks as a l

ast-ditch effort by the prime minister to placate his enemies in the judiciary and armed forces, the ultimate arbiters of Turkish political power.

“Erdogan is trying to save his skin but it’s too late,” said Cengiz Aktar, a professor on EU affairs at Istanbul’s Bahçesehir University. “The guy has been yielding to the demands of the establishment for weeks but they don’t want to listen any more. He is considered an outsider and there are a lot of personal animosities.

Many people in the old establishment simply hate him – they think he represents a sort of Antichrist.

“Even if he does survive, what then

? This country’s constitution was not designed for reform but to protect the state against its citizens.

The era of reform is over.”

Soli Ozel, an analyst at Bilgi University, said Erdogan was trying to prevent possible military intervention: “The whole aim of the closure case is to get Erdogan’s head. But further polarisation doesn’t suit the AKP’s interests. It’s much better to form a new party than be more confrontational and bring about a final clash – the ultimate form of which would be a military takeover.”

The long-standing headscarf ban was passed by parliament in February to much acclaim from religious conservatives, who saw it as ending unfair discrimination, but it was greeted with dismay and protests from secularists.

The AKP, which has roots in political Islam but draws support from across the middle class, championed the reform on grounds of religious freedom and insisted that it posed no threat to secularism.

Analysts expect the AKP, which won an emphatic majority at last year’s general election, to re-form under a different name if it is closed down. Some say the party’s parliamentary majority would allow the new party to continue in office without Erdogan and the other figures subject to a possible ban.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.

We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.

You may use material originated by this site. However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.