The World Seems to be a Giant Conflict Zone

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live in an Islamic Caliphate?  I read two very disturbing articles today that give us an inside look at life in a Caliphate, at least for businesses and for Christians.  The first article was on the Fox News website: www.foxnews.com/world/2014/07/23/purged-by-isis-iraq-christians-appeal-to-world-for-help.  "Iraqi Christians are begging for help from the civilized world after Mosul, the northern city where they have lived and worshiped for 2,000 years, was purged of non-Muslims by ISIS, the jihadist terror group that claims to have established its own nation in the region.  Assyrian Christians, including Chaldean and Syriac Catholics, Syriac Orthodox and followers of the Assyrian Church of the East have roots in present day Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran that stretch back to the time of Jesus Christ.  While they have long been a minority and have faced persecution in the past, they had never been driven completely from their homes as has happened in Mosul under ISIS.  When the terror group ordered all to convert to Islam, pay a religious tax or face execution, many chose another option: flight. ... Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, included 60,000 Christians in 2003.  By last month, the number had dwindled to just 35,000.  It now stands at zero, according to Ignatius Yousef Younan III, patriarch of the Syrian Catholic Church.  Yousif Habash, the Iraqi-born bishop of the Syriac Catholic Church exclaimed, 'Where is the conscience of the world?  Where is the United Nations?  Where is the American administration to protect peace and justice?  Nobody has said a word.' ... Dr. Sallama Al Khafaji, a member of the Iraq High Commission for Human Rights, reportedly told a local news agency that ISIS militants forced their way into the home of an Assyrian family in Mosul, demanding a 'jizya' or poll tax.  When the family said they could not produce the money, three jihadist militants raped the mother and daughter in front of the husband and father, who later committed suicide."  So, here is the message: Christians, you have a choice - either you convert, or face death, or pay a tax.  If you were a Christian in Mosul, what would have been your response? 


On the breitbart.com website, there were these headlines today: "Islamic State Says Mannequins Must Wear Veils."  The brief article said, "The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) [which, by the way is another name for ISIS] told shopkeepers in Mosul the mannequins must wear veils.  The veil is in accordance with Sharia law since 'the human form is not depicted in statues or artwork.'  Both genders of mannequins are to wear the veil."   These people have an agenda that they certainly are not keeping hidden from sight.  The world knows where these militants stand and what their objective is.  And we are their ultimate target. 


Reports out of Ukraine today were tragic.  Two Ukrainian fighter planes were shot down by missiles in the same area where the Malaysian Airliner was shot down last Thursday.  Was that act of murder of 298 innocent people who were just getting on with their lives a planned act or an accident?  Perhaps we will never know for sure.  But the Cold War of the 1970's and 1980's is back and is threatening to become a hot war between Russia and Ukraine.  Sanctions imposed upon Russia have done little to halt their support of the rebels in Eastern Ukraine.  I think Russian President Putin knows that we will not take a hard stand.  President Obama is no President Reagan, of that Putin is very confident.  The Russian Bear is stirring from its slumber and is focusing upon recreating that powerful entity we once knew as the USSR.  Will Putin be successful in its recreation?  When one reads the Scriptures, especially those passages in Ezekiel 38 and 39, I believe it will happen.  Will it happen under Putin's leadership?  Quite possibly, but if not, at least Putin is setting the table for Gog.


And the fighting continues unabated in the Gaza Strip.  Richard Engel, reported from Gaza tonight on NBC Nightly News about the overcrowding of Palestinian hospitals with the wounded.  He then said, "There is one less hospital in Gaza tonight because it was bombed by Israel."  According to a report from the IsraelInternationalNews.com website this morning, "The IDF has struck a terrorist position in Gaza's Al Wafa hospital, illustrating the highly sensitive and illegal use of civilian targets as human shields by Hamas and other Gazan terrorist groups.  IDF sources say that the controversial decision to attack the position was taken after several days in which ground forces came under heavy fire from gunmen positioned inside the hospital grounds.  The fire reportedly included both light weaponry and heavy anti-tank missiles directed toward IDF armored vehicles.  'The hospital premises were being used as war rooms and command centers by the terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad,' said an IDF spokesperson.  The military added that it had repeatedly warned international agencies and the Palestinian head of the hospital directly about the gunfire from the hospital, as well as several other senior Palestinian officials - but to no avail.  Instead, in the past several hours the intensity of the attacks has only increased, posing a real and imminent danger to the lives of soldiers operating in the area, forcing the IDF to respond with fire of its own."


And The Jerusalem Post, in an article written by Ariel Ben Solomon, and published today, had a headline that read, "Jihadi cleric calls for Muslim fighters to join the fighting in Gaza."  "A new jihadi media outlet called Al-Fawaris released a video calling on Gazans to endure the military operation, saying that victory looms and that Muslims all over the world support them.  According to a report published on Monday by the MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor, the video also features jihadi cleric Abu hareth Al-Maqdisi threatening Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, saying his demise is coming soon. ... 'Oh our brothers in Gaza, know that you are fighting an enemy following Satan's path, whereas you are fighting in the way of [Allah] the merciful,' Maqdisi said.  He added that he and his fighters want to join the fighting in Gaza.  'True, we are fighting in Syria, but our heart yearns to arrive and fight the sons and brothers of the apes and pigs [the Jews],' MEMRI reported Maqdisi as saying.  The jihadi cleric said that Gazans must be patient and wait for either victory or martyrdom, adding that Allah will soon send 'extraordinary soldiers who will fight and defeat the Jews.  The days of defeats have passed.  Our concept today is offensive and therefore you must attack them [the Jews] so they won't attack you, hold on, fortify yourself and trust in Allah so you may succeed,' Maqdisi said." 


Does Hamas want a cease-fire?  Absolutely not, at least they give no indication that they desire such.  Hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel today.  And so Israel will keep moving forward with both its ground and air operations. 


I have wondered what the Gaza would be like today had Israel not disengaged from the Strip back in 2005.  Israeli leadership, really under pressure from the Bush administration, agreed to give peace a chance by withdrawing all Jews from the Gaza Strip.  Did peace come?  Did the Palestinian leadership take the reins to improve the lots of the people of Gaza?  No, for in spring 2006, Hamas succeeded in winning the election in Palestine and then took control of the Gaza Strip.  And it has been a hotbed for kidnappings, rockets, and terror ever since.  Should Israel just wipe out Hamas?  That would only create another leadership vacuum, so common in the Middle East, that would be filled with another terrorist group.  Should Israel re-annex the Gaza?  Not unless the Strip becomes an armed Israeli camp.  What about a ceasefire?  It will only happen when Hamas believes it would be to its advantage to accept one, but not until then.  They really do not care how many civilians are killed.  I don't hear any Hamas leaders anguishing about the high numbers.  That angst is only coming from Western media who do not understand the nature and history of the conflict. 


All around us conflicts are raging.  Jesus said that in the last days there would be "wars and rumors of war."  Just another indication that we are nearing the end.  "Come quickly, Lord Jesus" should be our battle cry.