Very Interesting Neighbors

Tensions in the Middle East continue to build. A spirit of unrest over the recently disputed Iranian elections lingers with even the ruling Muslim clerics taking divergent sides. The Iranian leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been more quiet, and I expect that will remain until after his inauguration early next month.

Meanwhile, Israel has picked up a "big stick" (to use a Teddy Roosevelt phrase) and has received tacit approval from the Arab world in doing so. Recently, the Egyptians allowed an Israeli submarine and two Israeli guided-missile destroyers to pass through the Suez Canal, making their way from the Red Sea into the Persian Gulf. I believe the movement of these Israeli ships was more than just a military maneuver. Then, it was announced last week that the Saudi government had given approval to the Israeli Air Force to fly over Saudi airspace during any attack upon Iran. I had wondered how Israeli warplanes would get to the nuclear facilities in Iran, especially since the relationships with Turkey had cooled tremendously since the first of the year.

You might be asking the question why both Egypt and Saudi Arabia would extend a hand to help Israel. Although Egypt has a peace agreement with Israel, neither Egypt nor Saudi Arabia could be called allies of Israel. So, what gives? The Saudis, the Egyptians, and the Israelis have a common enemy - an nuclear armed Iran with a radical Shi'ite power in control. Neither the Saudis nor the Egyptians, both nations being predominately Sunni Islamic, would be benefited with a nuclear Iran. And, Israel is the only country that has verbally spoken out against Iran and threatened a military intervention. And, as history has shown, Israel is not afraid to use military intervention...just ask the Iraqis and more recently the Syrians, both of whom had nuclear facilities destroyed by an Israeli air strike.

I referred to the quote made famous by President Teddy Roosevelt: "walk softly, but carry a big stick." Many are doing the "walk softly" bit today. We have sought diplomatic intervention. We have tried various forms of economic sanctions. And our President wants to continue along that pathway. Both he and Secretary of State Clinton have stated that sanctions will soon have to be replaced with other options, but will they truly "carry a big stick" and then not be afraid to use it? Israel has said that it will use the "big stick."

I do believe that something will happen, perhaps even before the end of the year. I do not see a "nuclear" Iran playing a role in the prophetic future, but a conventionally armed Iran certainly will (read Ezekiel 38 and 39).

When the attack finally comes, and it will come, the Arab world will be the first to lash out at Israel and make threats against it. But, in Riyadh and in Cairo, secretly they will be grateful for what Israel has done. It will just be another step in the preparation of the nations for an invasion of Israel prior to the Advent of the King.