Nothing Will Stop Iraq from being One of Ten Nations Attacking Israel!
A walk down a few Middle East Blogs from the past from 2002 to 2014
Makes me Believe Israel will be attacked by Islam After Obama is Gone
June 22, 2014
http://www.tribulatioperiod.com/
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, Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq, with logistical support from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, 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.
SPECIAL PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 170B
May 5, 2004
A Democratic Government Cannot Stand in Iraq!
I was 100 percent in favor of invading Iraq and ending the reign of Saddam the Butcher, and 100 percent in the corner of those who wanted to see the Baath Party out of power, but I have consistently been 100 percent in favor of NOT trying to establish a democratic type of government like ours because such a government would only stand for a few months, and the cost of American lives would not be worth the price. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ THAT WILL LAST – IT WOULD ONLY LAST AS LONG AS A LARGE AMERICAN ARMY WAS IN PLACE TO ENFORCE IT, AND AMERICANS WILL CONTINUE TO DIE IN HIT-AND-RUN-ATACKS WHILE THEY REMAIN TO MAINTAIN SUCH A GOVERNMENT.
I could have gotten out of fighting in Vietnam, but I chose to go. I did not go because I believed we could win the war and establish a non-corrupt regime in the southern half of the country. I went because I believed it was essential to stopping the spread of communism to other countries in the Far East. The support the Soviet Union poured into Vietnam and Afghanistan broke the financial back of the communist monster, which led to the breakup of the Soviet Union, and its demise as one of two great world powers. I believe it was absolutely essential that we go into Afghanistan. Its unbelievable mountainous terrain and deep sheltered valleys made it the perfect terrain for a Taliban government to be the breadbasket of terror led by Osama bin Laden. And we simply could not eliminate the numerous terror camp training facilities and headquarters with missiles and air strikes, no matter how sophisticated the state of our technical expertise was at that time. And, for that reason, I am still in favor for troops to be maintained there in order to prevent a reoccurrence of the same scenario. Iraq is a flat land compared to Afghanistan, and, once we had deposed Saddam and crushed his regime, I knew we had the advantage of destroying any threat that arose against our interests in the region with missiles and air strikes following our withdrawal. I am 100 percent in favor of the worldwide war on terrorism, but 100 percent in opposition to attempting to form a democratic form of government in Iraq like ours in this generation. Sure, I wish it were possible, it is an idealistic, noble daydream, but we are fighting Islamic windmills with toothpicks, and the price in blood we are paying for it cannot be justified by a final result that will be marked by failure to see it fulfilled.
The real problem in Iraq began in 1932, the year I was born. Iraq was also born that year as the first of the League of Nations mandate states. So, after 1932, Iraq was formally independent. There was still, of course, a large measure of British influence and power there, but it was certainly independent earlier than any of the other Arab states. The British were largely responsible for the impossible attempt to merge together four major contentious groups into one state, the Shiite, the Sunni, the Kurds, and the Assyrians. It would have been far better to have four countries with separate borders than to attempt to put four wildcats into a sack and call the sack a state. And there are many other smaller groups of ethnic wildcats that also were placed in the sack. It was inevitable that a government would eventually come into existence that would be held together by absolute force of a dictator. It is most unfortunate that the dictator who finally grabbed power was Saddam. Most dictators are happy to rule their own country with an iron hand, but Saddam had illusions of grandeur to be the great Islamic messiah who would even exceed the greatness of Saladin the Kurd and, in the end, be ruler over all of the Arab world. The only real solution to the problem, generated in 1932, is to establish governmental borders that separate the four major ethnic groups, and let each group internally fight it out as to the kind of government they want. After the dust has settled you may only have two or three states continuing to fight each other for dominance, but they will be fighting each other rather than the United States and Israel.
The continuous argument I have heard echo across the world’s political scenario from before Operation Desert Storm through Operation Iraqi Freedom is this – DO NOT DISTURB THE STABILITY OF THE REGION! And everyone seems to agree on how important it is to NOT disturb it! I totally disagree! I was hoping we would go in, get rid of Saddam, his henchmen, and his Baath Party, then pull out as quickly as possible, and let all hell break loose between the Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, and many other ethnic groups that make up Iraq. They would not be able to concentrate on how much they hate us and Israel, because they would be too busy hating each other. Then, after the smoke and killing ended in a truce, Iraq would probably be splintered into three separate countries, Kurdistan dominated by Turkey, Sunnistan dominated by Syria, and Shiitestan as a part of Iran. As far as I am concerned, the more instability, political turmoil, and confusion we see among all of the nations of Islam, the better off the United States (the big Satan as we are called) and Israel (the little Satan) will be in the world’s fickle climate. If I thought there was any possibility of actually installing a democratic type of government in Iraq, then I would say it would be worth the price we are paying in American blood to do so, but it is a futile pipedream, no matter how noble it may seem to those who favor it. I have been a supporter of both father and son Bush in their presidencies. I do continue to admire them both, and will vote for the son in November. However, I do not agree with the idea of attempting to establish a democracy in the midst of Islam because it is impossible – admirable, but beyond the scope of possibility in this generation. We need to get out and let them slug it out among themselves. In any case, whatever happens, Iraq will be one of the tens associated with Daniel 2 & 7, and Revelation 13 and 17. The Lamb King of the soon coming Kingdom foretold in Revelation 17:14 is the King of the Kingdom found in Daniel 2:44 and 7:27, and he is the only one who can bring lasting peace and stability to the Middle East under a theocracy. The Old Roman Empire had a large southern flank that, at one time, included all of what we know as the Islamic nations stretching from Morocco to Iran, which number more than the ten required to choose from as being the toes or horns in Daniel and Revelation.
Daniel 2:42,44 – 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. [44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Daniel 7:24-27 – And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. [25] And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. [26] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. [27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
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 17:12-14 – 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. [14] These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
TWO TRIGGERS DETERMINE WHEN WAR BEGINS
JULY 30, 2008
THIS TRIGGER SHALL CAUSE THE KING OF THE SOUTH TO PUSH NORTH INTO GREATER SYRIA.
Two major factors among several holding back a Middle East War:
1) Continuing presence of American troops in Iraq & Afghanistan
2) Iran does not have a deterrent arsenal of Nuclear Warhead Missiles
After both of these two preventative factors have occurred Islam will attack Israel
January 26, 2010
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The last war of the Age of the Gentiles will suddenly begin in the turbulent Middle East. The odds on it occurring will steadily increase with time, and the two major factors to watch, as to WHEN it begins, are tied to how fast U.S. troops are pulled out of Afghanistan and Iraq, and when Iran believes it has a large enough arsenal of missiles with nuclear warheads to deter Israel from launching its great stockpile they at them.
Begin Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM POST
Merkel: Sanctions will be a tragedy for the Iranian people
January 25, 2010
JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST
German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Iran Monday evening that it may face new sanctions if it doesn’t cooperate with the West over its nuclear program.
Merkel told diplomats in Berlin that “time is running out” for Iran. She said additional sanctions would be a “tragedy for the Iranian people.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim that it was evident that “Iran, which has large stocks of gas and oil, is not developing a nuclear capability for peaceful purposes.” Lieberman said the missiles Iran was developing were not intended to spread nuclear energy for the good of mankind.
Lieberman told his Brazilian colleague that Iran was the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism, ruled by a government that denies the Holocaust and Israel’s right to exist. He also referred to the regime’s crackdown on opposition activists, saying “we have seen how the Iranians took care of civilians after the elections [there].”
Lieberman and Merkel made their comments just hours after Der Spiegel reported that new intelligence acquired by Germany’s BND conclusively shows that Iran’s nuclear program has an advanced military offshoot which answers to the country’s defense establishment.
The report said the information was being reviewed in Germany, Israel, the US and the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna.
Aside from exposing the existence of a clandestine weapons development program, the document apparently shows that Teheran is in possession of advanced blueprints for producing a nuclear bomb.
Such documents, as well as information passed on to Western intelligence agencies by Iranian defectors and sources within Iran, are causing growing alarm among US and European leaders. In its report, Der Spiegel assessed that the White House may consequently raise threat levels from yellow to red. World leaders and even the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the newspaper, are beginning to understand that rumors of Iranian defiance, noncompliance and warmongering are neither Israeli propaganda nor a figment of the imagination.
The intelligence document raises questions pertinent to the nature of Iran’s nuclear program, which the Islamic republic claims is meant solely for peaceful energy production in a climate of dwindling natural resources, including oil. However, its evasive tactics, spiteful rhetoric and lack of transparency with Western bodies looking to halt the spread of nuclear weapons have caused world leaders to be concerned – and increasingly skeptical.
Reports which have surfaced in recent years hint that Iran’s National Energy Council may not be the only body to which its nuclear scientists answer. In fact, according to Der Spiegel, Iranian Science, Research and Technology Minister Kamran Daneshjoo – a close ally of the country’s hard-line president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – worked for several years at a Teheran research and development center devoted to military technology. This government-sponsored scientific body is believed by Western intelligence agencies to have become subservient to Iran’s defense ministry. Vague estimates state that the body, headed by 48-year-old Revolutionary Guard officer Mohsen Fahrizadeh, now deals in “high technology” in a manner that differs greatly from that of the country’s energy council.
Der Spiegel suggested that the two bodies divide the labor of nuclear research and development between them, with the energy council focusing on uranium enrichment – the production of what could potentially evolve into fissile warhead material – and the defense ministry responsible for research on warheads compatible with Iran’s North Korean-developed Shahab ballistic missile line.
As such, the Islamic republic may be able to produce a crude nuclear bomb – too large to be attached to any missile – by the end of this year, with estimates citing 2012 or 2014 as a target date for a fully functional warhead.
Also on Monday, France pushed for tougher sanctions against Iran just as Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini called for greater involvement by Arab countries in international efforts to defuse the nuclear threat from Teheran. China and Russia, though still unpredictable, are likely to agree to sanctions not targeted at the Iranian economy.
France will serve as the European Council’s rotating president starting February.
SPECIAL PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 199A
November 21, 2004
Iran – A Snake Charmer in the Persian Bazaar of Demons
At the beginning of last week, Iran finally agreed to suspend its drive to enrich sufficient uranium to produce nuclear bombs. Like the bazaar snake charmer puts a snake in a trance like state by the soothing sound of his instrument, the sweet sounding words of the Iranian government have lulled France, Germany, and Great Britain into a dream world void of reality. In numerous Prophecy Updates, which may be read in our Prophecy Update Archives, I have elaborated at great length on this problem, and on what it will eventually produce in the Middle East. Among those Updates are 174B and 197A. Iran may well stave off the United Nations IAEA from bringing an unfavorable report against it on November 25th, which could result in international sanctions. If so, it will be because of their agreement to cease uranium enrichment. But let me assure you, while they swear they have stopped it, they will continue their drive in undeclared facilities hidden from the IAEA, and many of these facilities will be underground sites.
This game of cat and mouse, deceive and being deceived, has been going on for more then three years. Early last year, Iran agreed to end the enrichment pf uranium, saying they were doing so in the hopes it would lead to better international relations, particularly with the European Union. However, in July Iran admitted it had resumed making nuclear centrifuges to produce uranium enrichment. And, four months ago, Iran successfully test fired a new version of its Ballistic Shihab-3 missile, which is capable of reaching Israel and our Middle East forces. The Shihab-3 was successfully tested in 2002, and Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards were equipped with it in July 2003. It is, at present, Iran’s long range ballistic missile, with a range of about 800 miles, but this has been increased in its latest test, and could now be in excess of 1200 miles. It is also worth noting that the prototypes of the Shihab 4 and 5 are also in the works.
Last week Secretary of State Powell disclosed that Iran is still working to adapt missiles for delivery of nuclear weapons as warheads on the Shihab missile series. Material provided by opposition groups in Iran, consisting of some 1000 pages of Iranian drawings and technical documents, includes a nuclear warhead design and modifications that would enable Iranian ballistic missiles to deliver an atomic strike. The online Jerusalem Post Edition, quoting from the DEBKAfiles, stated: “The warhead design is based on implosion and adjusted for outfitting on existing Iranian missiles. If confirmed, this means Iran’s nuclear-cum-missile programs more advanced than previously known.” The DEBKA-Net-Weekly, in an exclusive release, offered the following: “The covert uranium enrichment facility, that exiled opposition groups in Paris accuse Tehran of hiding from the United Nations IAEA, is located in Nour in the Lavizan district of northwest Tehran.”
A little over a month ago Iran fired an upgraded and more accurate version of its Shihab-3 medium range missile, believed to be capable of hitting Israel and United States bases in the Persian Gulf. Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani told reporters that “Iran has tested a more accurate version of the Shihab-3 in the presence of observers.” And the former President, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, was quoted by the Iranian IRNA news agency as saying “Iran is able to launch a missile with a range of more than 1200 miles.” His statement came after Iran announced it had added another “strategic missile” to its arsenal after a successful launch. Shihab is the Persian word for Meteor or “shooting star.” The Shihab is based on the North Korean Nodong-1 missile that has been modified by Russian technology. Israel and the United States have developed the Arrow anti-ballistic missile, which is capable of the interception and destruction of missiles at high altitudes.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) believe that Iran is running a secret nuclear weapons program in parallel to the one it agreed to suspend last week. Their senior official told the Jerusalem Post that in the worst case scenario, Iran could produce a nuclear bomb within two years.
The U.S. President has tried to marshal international support to counter dual nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea. The U.S. believes that Iran is racing to produce large quantities of enriched uranium that can be used for making nuclear weapons BEFORE its program of no more enrichment goes into effect this week.
North Korea plans to beef up its deterrent defenses in response to President Bush’s warning to Tehran and Pyongyang that the world would unite to thwart their nuclear ambitions. At the Asia-Pacific Economic forum opening forum on Saturday, President Bush stated he was treating Iran’s nuclear ambitions very seriously, and was concerned about its speed-up of processes that could lead to a nuclear weapon.
The Iranians are fierce in their claim to be from the ancient Persians. I could not think of a more apt location for deceit and treachery to exist than this spiritual abode of a demonic king, who rules over this area in Satan’s invisible kingdom. There is a highly structured, well organized, satanic kingdom on this earth consisting of fallen angels in his demonic realm. It is referred to by Paul in Ephesians, and a couple of Satan’s under kings are named as dominating two areas of it, one in the Middle East and the other in southeastern Europe. The ancient Persian Empire stretched from Iran in the east to Greece in the west. Satan’s kingdom is not visible to our human eyes, but it is very visible and functional to those dwelling in it, and it affects our lives every day in the material, physical kingdom by what goes on in it alongside us.
Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle 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.
The angel sent to Daniel with prophecies of the latter days was withheld by the demonic fallen angel known as the “prince of the kingdom of Persia.” Michael, quite often associated with the prophecies of the latter days, came to help the angel to come to Daniel.
Daniel 10:12-14 – Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. [13] But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. [14] Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
One of the latter day events in which Michael is involved is when he stands up against the antichrist to defend the children of Israel. He does this when the antichrist stands on the temple mount claiming to be God, an event that occurs near the end of the tribulation period, just before the battle of Armageddon.
II Thessalonians 2:4 – Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Daniel 11:36,45 to 12:1 – And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. [45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. [1] And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Prophecy Updates 75 and 76 in our Prophecy Update Archives cover this in intricate detail)
Shiite and Sunni Clay Now in Opposition Will Hold Together One Hour
April 30, 2006
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
When the Shiite and Sunni Clay and Iron Mixture Comes Together for a Common Cause, Namely the Defeat of Israel, They will Hold Together Long enough to Defeat Israel, as will All the other Sects of Islam. But the Sects cannot cleave together very long as Iron and Clay.
Daniel 2:41-43 – And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. [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. [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.
The Hebrew word translated as “MINGLED” is the word “ARAB.”
Revelation 17:12,13 – 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.
ONE HOUR simply means a brief period of time, which I believe will be less than seven years, but more than three and one half.
I have taught this would eventually come to pass in the Middle East for more than 30 years.The Kurdish people, or Kurds are an ethnic group in Western Asia, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
They are an Iranian people and speak the Kurdish languages, which are members of the Iranian branch of Indo-European languages. The Kurds number about 30 million, the majority living in West Asia, with significant Kurdish diaspora communities in the cities of western Turkey, in Armenia, Georgia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Russia, Lebanon and, in recent decades, some European countries and the United States.
The Kurds have had partial autonomy in Iraqi Kurdistan since 1991. Nationalist movements in the other Kurdish-populated countries (Turkey, Syria, Iran) push for Kurdish regional autonomy or the creation of a sovereign state.
Al-Mahdi – The Coming Islamic Imam Messiah
The major difference between the two sects of Sunni and Shiite, concerning the coming of their Messiah, the Al-Mahdi, is that the Sunnis believe he is yet to be born, while the Shiites believe he has been hiding in a cave for 1,100 plus years, but will soon come out to rule all Islam as the 12th Imam. To the extreme sect of Shiite, the 12th Imam is Muhammad al Mahdi, who was born in 868 AD, and has been been waiting to come out of a cave for some 1137 years, from which he will suddenly appear and lead Islam to worldwide victory over all its enemies. The list which follows contains the names of the 12 Imams.
Shia (Shiite) “Imams”
In the Shia context, Imam also has a meaning more central to belief.
The Shia believe that an Imam is someone that is able to lead mankind in all aspects of life. In addition they believe that an Imam is a perfect example in everything. According to Shia, an Imam is a leader that must be followed since he is appointed by Allah (GOD).
The Shia interpretation is that the Quran clearly says that only God can appoint an Imam and no one else has the power to designate one. The incident of Ghadeer-e-Khum is referenced as when Muhammad declared Ali as the leader of the community after him.
According to the Twelve-Imam Shiite, Imam is a divine status like Prophecy. A Prophet can also be an Imam but not all Prophets are Imams. Since Prophet Muhammad is the last Prophet, there could be no Prophets after him and so the 12 Imams are not Prophets but only Imams. These 12 Imams are as great in a sense as all the previous prophets except Prophet Muhammed who is the greatest of all. Following is a listing of the rightful successors of Muhammad, as recognized by (“Twelver”) Shias. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, except for Husayn who was the brother of Hasan. See Shia Imams for details.
(1) Ali ibn Abu Talib (600–661)
(2) Hasan ibn Ali (625–669)
(3) Husayn ibn Ali (626–680)
(4) Ali ibn Husayn (658–713), also known as Zainul Abideen
(5) Muhammad al Baqir (676–743)
(6) Jafar as Sadiq (703–765)
(7) Musa al Kazim (745–799)
(8) Ali ar Rida (765–818)
(9) Muhammad at Taqi (810–835)
(10) Ali al Hadi (827–868)
(11) Hasan al Askari (846–874)
(12) Muhammad al Mahdi (868–?)
Begin Excerpt from DEBKAfile
Obama’s “up to 300 US military advisers” won’t stop ISIS-Sunni entrenchment in Iraq
DEBKAfile
June 19, 2014, 9:13 PM (IDT)
President Obama announced Thursday, June 19, after meeting his national security team, that the US would send up to 300 military advisers to help, advise and train Iraqi forces, and establish joint operations centers in Baghdad and the North. The US has been conducting “surveillance and reconnaissance missions for a better picture of the locations of ISIS forces,” he said.
US combat troops would not be returning to Iraq, said Obama firmly, but if regimes were in place in Syria and Iraq with inclusive agendas, the US would be willing to establish joint counter-terror platforms for regional partners to fight terrorism. He spoke of “targeted US military action if the situation required it,” but only after consulting Congress and regional partners.
We talked to Iranians about their role in Iraq, Obama reported, and told them we hoped it would be constructive – unlike their posture in Syria which was on the side of a sectarian solution.
In its special video report earlier Thursday, DEBKAfile reported:
By dispatching the USS George W.H. Bush to the northern Gulf this week, Obama recalled his tactics at the outset of the Syrian civil war in 2011. He first piled up a menacing armada opposite Syrian shores and told Bashar Assad he must go. But then, he backed away from intervening in the Syrian crisis after all. Is that fro-and-back pattern being repeated in Iraq?
How to interpret the posting of a US warship opposite Iraq on June 15 and, for that matter, Barack Obama’s comment two days earlier: “We do have a stake in making sure these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Syria or Iraq.”
Has he again developed cold feet? The CIA and Pentagon have explained they have not been able to determine the exact makeup of Al Qaeda’s ISIS – the Islamist State in Iraq and the Levant which has swallowed up much of Iraq’s Sunni heartland link.
According to DEBKA’s military and intelligence sources, the Islamists advancing on Baghdad are not one, but two armies: The Al Qaeda element has been joined by a hodgepodge of Sufi groups, Saddam Hussein’s old Baath Party guard, and US-trained Sunni Awakening Council tribes.
Iraq Wednesday formally requested US air support, including drone strikes and more surveillance. According to some reports, Washington will hold back anything more substantial that a hundred or so Special Operations personnel as non-combat military instructors for Iraq’s army.
Anyway, Al Qaeda lacks the fixed formations of a professional army, making it an elusive target for pinpointed attacks. So the jihadis’ advance may prove unstoppable and even if Baghdad survives, it may be too beleaguered to function as Iraq’s capital.
Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki is hardly posed to meet US expectations for setting up a national unity government to heal the strife. The Obama administration would much prefer to see al Maliki step aside and that may be one of its conditions for substantial military aid.
As the situation is developing now, Iraq is more likely to break up into pseudo states as a result of the Al Qaeda led Sunni revolt against Maliki’s regime. A Kurdish state in the north, a Shiite state in the south, and Al Qaeda and Sunni statelets in western, central and eastern Iraq, up to Baghdad’s outskirts.
ISIS also has plans to send its heavily indoctrinated foreign recruits back to their own countries primed for terror: “The people in that regime, as well as trying to take territory, are also planning to attack us here at home in the United Kingdom.”
Al Qaeda’s success in the face of Obama’s vacillations may infect Iraq’s neighbors with an epidemic of instability.
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