Unrest in Egypt: Israel's worst nightmare?

Yes it is. Well, it is an ongoing nightmare actually - only now the nightmare has become worse. Much worse. We are seeing the evolution of radical Islam taking over several key regions in the Middle East - regions that we know will go to war with Israel. This article gives us the realities of what Israel is now facing:

Unrest in Egypt could lead to Israel's worst nightmare

For Israel, the popular uprising against the Mubarak regime raises the specter of its worst strategic nightmare: collapse of the peace treaty with Egypt, the cornerstone of its regional policy for the past three decades

...in a worst case scenario, democratic or Islamic forces were to come to power denouncing Israel and repudiating the peace deal, that could herald the resurrection of a major military threat on Israel's southern border.

The largely American-equipped and American-trained Egyptian army — by far the most powerful military in the Arab world — numbers around 650,000 men, with 60 combat brigades, 3500 tanks and 600 fighter planes.

A hostile government in Cairo could also mean that Egypt would be aiding and abetting the radical Hamas regime in neighboring Gaza, rather than, as at present, helping to contain it.

Worse: If there is a domino effect that also leads to an anti-Israel regime change in Jordan, with its relatively large Islamic political presence, Israel could find itself facing an augmented military threat on its eastern border, too.

That could leave it even worse off than it was before 1977, facing a combined military challenge from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinians -- with the added menace of a fundamentalist Iran that seeks to acquire nuclear weapons.

To conclude:

...instead of democracy in Egypt, there could well be a two-stage revolutionary process -- an initial quasi-democracy, overtaken within months by the emergence of an autocratic Islamic republic under the heel of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It would be similar to what happened when the United States supported pro-democracy forces against the Shah in Iran in the 1970s, only to see the emergence of the fundamentalist Ayatollahs. Moreover, in the event of an eventual Muslim Brotherhood victory, the big regional winner would be fundamentalist Iran.

However the events in Egypt play out, they will clearly have an impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The very notion of a threat to the peace with Egypt will almost certainly further reduce the Netanyahu government's readiness to take risks for peace.

In a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Jerusalem on Monday, Netanyahu re-emphasized the importance he attaches to the security element in any peace package -- "in case the peace unravels." As for the Palestinians, the Egyptian protests could trigger Palestinian demonstrations pressing for statehood -- without peace or mutual concessions.

Either way, the events in Egypt are not good news for those advocating Israeli-Arab peacemaking. They could push efforts to resolve the conflict back several decades.

One aspect of this upheaval in the Middle East is this: It will have prophetic significance. These events are too close to the approaching battles that we know are coming, and Egypt will probably be involved in the early part of this continuum. We are watching the evolution of events which will lead into the prophetic battles described in Psalm 83, Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 38-39.

Its all coming together - and coming together at breathtaking speed. Jordan could be next as their turmoil is in the early stages.
And don't forget Lebanon, as that situation is also rapidly evolving.

Israel is indeed in the eye of the storm.

Mortar Attacks in Southern Israel

Palestinians shell western Negev with Grads, mortar attacks

Barrage of fire from Gaza hits southern Israel; rocket lands near building where wedding is taking place in Netivot; 4 treated for shock, vehicle damaged; Color Red rocket alert system fails to go off.

The relative calm in the South was shattered on Monday night when Palestinians in Gaza fired a barrage of powerful Grad rockets and mortar shells at the western Negev.

One Grad-type rocket fired from Gaza smashed into the town of Ofakim and a second rocket slammed into Netivot, not far from a building where a wedding celebration was taking place.

Four people were treated for shock from the attack on Netivot and a vehicle was damaged.

Grad rockets land in western Negev, four treated for shock

Grad rockets landed near the cities of Netivot and Ofakim in the western Negev on Monday, causing damage to a car and leading to four people being treated for shock.

The attacks came a few minutes apart late Monday. One rocket hit Netivot, which is 9 miles east of Gaza, and the second exploded in Ofakim, 15 miles from Gaza.

And how about this little detail:

A Qassam rocket that struck near a kindergarten in Ashkelon lightly wounded a teenage girl in a nearby building.

This reminds us of two points worth considering:

1. These mortars are intended to inflict bloodshed and terror.
2. The people affected include innocent children and teenagers.

Lets repeat that last sentence and let it sink in for a while. Remember - this is what Israel is facing:

A Qassam rocket that struck near a kindergarten in Ashkelon lightly wounded a teenage girl in a nearby building.

Thats right, It struck near a kindergarten. And it could have just as easily hit these children. A teenage girl was wounded.

More details emerge from this article:

Grad rockets hit near Netivot, Ofakim

"It was terrifying," an Ofakim resident said. "We heard a boom – like a nuclear bomb. We thought it was thunder; there was smoke and explosions. We're dying of fear that another wave of Grads and Qassams will begin. We have no shelters or secure rooms, and the rocket fell about 10 meters (33 feet) from the houses."

One of the people who attended a wedding in a small hall near the rocket's landing site in the Netivot area said, "There was music, then we suddenly hear a loud blast. Everyone - little children and men – ran for cover. People fell over one another. It's a miracle no one was hurt."

Another person who attended the wedding said, "Luckily, the rocket landed after the chuppah, while everyone was already eating at the tables. If it had landed a few meters closer, this could have been a mass casualty event."

Thats just a small reminder that these are real people involved. People who have lives just as we do. People who have families, and struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis - just as we all do. Only they have an imminent fear of being hit with an incoming missile, or worse, their children could be hit while at school. Or just going about daily business.

And the world yawns. After all, its just some Jews in Israel - who cares?

The Coming Famine (II)

Even for me, it is hard to believe that we could really have a world-wide famine on this side of the rapture, but the stories continue to roll in. Just today for instance:

Global food chain stretched to the limit

Strained by rising demand and battered by bad weather, the global food supply chain is stretched to the limit, sending prices soaring and sparking concerns about a repeat of food riots last seen three years ago.

Signs of the strain can be found from Australia to Argentina, Canada to Russia.

As supplies tighten, prices surge. Earlier this month, the FAO said its food price index jumped 32 percent in the second half of 2010, soaring past the previous record set in 2008.

Prices rose again this week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut back its already-tight estimate of grain inventories. Estimated reserves of corn were cut to about half the level in storage at the start of the 2010 harvest; soybean reserves are at the lowest levels in three decades.

Authoritarian governments start stockpiling food

Authoritarian governments across the world are aggressively stockpiling food as a buffer against soaring food costs which they fear may stoke popular discont

Commodities traders have warned they are seeing the first signs of panic buying from states concerned about the political implications of rising prices for staple crops.

Governments in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa have recently made large food purchases on the open market in the wake of unrest in Tunisia which deposed president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

Resentment at food shortages and high prices, as well as repression and corruption, drove the popular uprising which swept away his government.

Nouriel Roubini, the New York University economics professor who predicted the financial crisis, this week told the World Economic Forum in Davos that high prices were "leading to riots, demonstrations and political instability." "It's really something that can topple regimes, as we have seen in the Middle East," he said.

Jim Gerlach, of commodity brokerage A/C Trading, said: "Sovereign nations are beginning to stockpile food to prevent unrest." "You artificially stimulate much higher demand when nations start to increase stockpiles."

"This is only the start of the panic buying," said Ker Chung Yang, commodities analyst at Singapore-based Phillip Futures. "I expect we'll have more countries coming in and buying grain."

An era of cheap food may be drawing to a close

U.S. grain prices should stay unrelentingly high this year, according to a Reuters poll, the latest sign that the era of cheap food has come to an end.

U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat prices -- which surged by as much has 50 percent last year and hit their highest levels since mid-2008

The forecasts suggest no quick relief for nations bedeviled by record high food costs that have stoked civil unrest. It means any extreme weather event in a grains-producing part of the world could send prices soaring further.

A series of shocks brought the grains market to the brink last year.

Another year of high grain prices could exacerbate the problem of food price inflation.

A summer drought in Russia led to a suspension of grain exports, rains in Australia downgraded the quality of its wheat crop, and a lack of rain cut Argentine corn output. China bought near-record volumes of U.S. corn, and demand for corn-based ethanol surged.

For North African countries like Algeria, the rush to import grains, particularly in the past two weeks, has been fueled by concerns about how to reduce populist anger over rising food costs that has led to riots.

With the stepped-up demand from North Africa and the Middle East whittling away at global wheat stocks, there is no room for error with the winter wheat crop in the United States that was planted last fall and will be harvested in the summer. the same goes for the wheat crops in China -- the world's largest grower.

"We are not in a good situation going into February and March in China and in the U.S., so wheat is on the verge of a real scare," Roggensack said.

As discussed in the previous post regarding famine (see here), the bible informs us that in the early days of the Tribulation, it will require a single day of wages to buy a day's worth of food. That is a severe famine. And it seems to be approaching, due to a number of complicated factors which are not helped by flooding, drought and crop disease in much of the world.

Like all of the signs that we monitor - this one is progressing pretty much as we would expect at this point.

Worldwide Islamist Revolution Explodes

Thats the title of an ominous article from WND - an article which puts things in perspective:

Worldwide Islamist revolution explodes

Islamists, in particular the anti-Western Muslim Brotherhood, seem poised to take power throughout the Middle East as a result of riots that have already toppled one Arab regime and are threatening others, in what some are calling only the latest wave of an Islamic "tsunami" sweeping the globe.

In fact, some Muslim clerics are already calling the riots in Egypt simply an extension of 1979's Islamist conquests.

Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, as reported by Iran's Radio Zamaneh. "The fate of those who challenge [our] religion is destruction."

The leader of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, Hammam Saeed, warned that the unrest in Egypt will spread across the Mideast until Arabs succeed at toppling leaders allied with the United States.

In other words, we are seeing the early stages of a more widespread movement - a movement which is already involving Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon.

And on the Internet, the Middle East Media Research Institute reports, prominent Salafi cleric Abu Mundhir Al-Shinqiti issued a fatwa in the website Minbar Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad encouraging the protests in Egypt, claiming Islamist jihadis are now on the verge of a historic moment in the history of the Islamic nation, an "earthquake" he likened to the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City.

Similarly, it is Islamists allied with the Muslim Brotherhood who stand to gain in Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia and Yemen. Already, the Shiite fundementalist Hezbollah organization is poised to exert enormous influence over Lebanon.

ElBaradei, former International Atomic Energy Agency chief, has reinvented himself as a campaigner for "reform" in Egypt.
He is seen as an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition force in Egypt.

Last week, ElBaradei gave an interview to Der Spiegel defending the Brotherhood.

"We should stop demonizing the Muslim Brotherhood. ... [They] have not committed any acts of violence in five decades. They too want change. If we want democracy and freedom, we have to include them instead of marginalizing them," he said.

More worrisome quotes:

David Rubin, former mayor of the Israeli town of Shiloh and author of the book "The Islamic Tsunami," however, warns that the Obama administration cannot continue to ignore the Muslim Brotherhood's and other Islamist groups' greater goals.

"There is a plan to take over Western civilization," Rubin told The Washington Times, "and we need to recognize it for what it is."

In November, the Brotherhood's new supreme guide, Muhammad Badi, delivered a sermon entitled, "How Islam Confronts the Oppression and Tyranny."

"Resistance is the only solution," stated Badi. "The United States cannot impose an agreement upon the Palestinians, despite all the power at its disposal. [Today] it is withdrawing from Iraq, defeated and wounded, and is also on the verge of withdrawing from Afghanistan because it has been defeated by Islamist warriors."

Badi went on to declare the U.S. is easy to defeat through violence, since it is "experiencing the beginning of its end and is heading toward its demise."

That last quote is extremely ironic. Ironic because we know from biblical prophecy that this statement actually applies to radical Islam, not the U.S. We know from the prophet Ezekiel that this Islamic revolution is headed to a showdown with Israel - but more importantly a showdown with God Himself.

They won't know what hit them. Opps - I take that back. They will know exactly what hit them:

'I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them." (Ezekiel 39:21)

"And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord." (Ezekiel 38:23).

Israel: In the eye of the storm

With the recent turmoil in the north, as Hezbollah assumes control of Lebanon, and now in the south with Egypt's uprising and even in the east with newly formed protests in Jordan, Israel is indeed in the eye of the storm. The Jerusalem Post puts this situation in perspective - but to add to that, we see a huge opening now for the EU to assert their border control military troops - an unexpected finding in the midst of this rioting:

Analysis: Egyptian chaos and the Palestinian question

For instance, a recurring topic – and a source of disagreement – was whether an international force or Israel would monitor the eastern border of a future Palestinian state, with the Palestinians insisting on a third party, and Israel angling for a presence along the Jordan River.

There it is again, an "international force" to monitor the eastern border.

One of these issues was the notion of an Israeli presence both on the Jordan River, and also on the West Bank hills immediately overlooking Jerusalem and the coastal plain.

If Netanyahu was insisting on an Israeli security presence along the Jordan River before the events in Cairo, he will assuredly be even more adamant about it now.

And the next paragraph confirms this idea:

The instability gripping Israel’s neighbor in the south, as well as Lebanon in the north, will only strengthen Netanyahu’s default setting – that any peace accord must be preceded by ironclad security arrangements on the ground, and that those security arrangements can’t be a reliance on any third party. Israel must be present.

We also see the potential for expansion of this unrest in the Middle East and the ensuing violence:

But what if it is? What if the events in Egypt, as worrisome as they are for Israel, spread to Jordan, and massive demonstrators threaten the Hashemite Kingdom? What if King Abdullah II is overthrown, and replaced not by Jeffersonian democrats, but Iranian-backed Islamic radicals peering through gunsights on the other side of the Jordan River?

Who is Israel going to want on the west bank of the Jordan, US-led NATO forces, or Israeli ones? While a few months ago this scenario might have been readily dismissed as the paranoid ranting of the extreme right wing, times have quickly changed.

Mr Netanyahu provides us with a history lesson:

“We left Lebanon, Hizbullah came in,” Netanyahu said. “We left Gaza, and there was an Egyptian army that was there and is still there, and Iran walked in. And we need to have some safeguards that we don’t repeat this a third time, because obviously the security of the nation is at stake, and the security of our people, the security of peace, is at stake.

“There’s a country with which we had tremendously close relations,” Netanyahu said. “We had the exchange of the leaderships; there were exchanges between our security forces; economic trade. That country is called Iran. And that changed overnight.

“There’s another country with which we had flowering peaceful relations: meeting of leaders; joint military exercises; 400,000 Israeli tourists a year – that country is called Turkey.

Then the article closes with the same thoughts that we saw in its opening:

Which all doesn’t bode particularly well for the diplomatic process, because if the Palestinians were not willing to accede to an Israeli presence in Efrat two years ago, how likely are they to now agree to an Israeli armed presence in the Jordan Valley?

No, but I am betting that everyone will agree to the having the new Roman Empire involved in sending these forces which will make up the "armed presence" which is sought - and thus "confirm" the covenant.

Background: Who are the Muslim Brothers

As the Egyptian popular uprising enters its seventh day on Monday, all eyes are on the Muslim Brothers, the country’s largest and best-organized opposition movement, to see how it will try to leverage the crisis to further its goal of rising to power.

Founded by Hassan al- Banna in the smoky coffeehouses of Cairo in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood believes in the establishment of a fundamentalist state ruled according to the strictest interpretation of Shari’a (Islamic law).

The Brotherhood views secular Arab regimes as the foremost obstacle to setting up a state it believes has been ordained by the Koran.

That backdrop takes us to the present situation:

The Brotherhood’s ideology has placed it on a collision path with the Egyptian state for more than 60 years, forcing it to come up with a pragmatic, slowmoving tactical road map

As the Brotherhood evolved in Egypt and then spread to other Arab countries, and beyond, its ideologues came to believe that instant jihad was useless so long as the masses were not “properly” following Islam.

There would be no point in establishing an Islamic state, they reasoned, if an Islamic nation following their ideology did not first exist to populate it.

Should free elections ever be held in Egypt, the Brothers have a reasonable chance of winning, he said. “Clearly this is a possibility.

This is the most organized opposition in Egypt. The rest of the opposition groups are are a rabble.”

And of course, these last comments are completely expected in these last days:

In addition to representing a sea change within Egypt, a Muslim Brotherhood government would obviously spell bad news for relations with Israel.

In 2009, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt published a draft charter on its website, in which it said that the peace treaty with Israel would be “reviewed” if it came to power.

It is a given that when the Muslim Brotherhood comes to power (formally) - any agreements with Israel will be taken off the board. We can never forget the ultimate goal by Middle Eastern Islamists - and that is the complete destruction of Israel.

Prophetically we know where all these events lead as well. All of this will ultimately result in the invasion of Israel as described in Ezekiel 38-39. Radical Islam is on a collision course with Israel and with God. We are just seeing the pieces of the puzzle assembled.

Inside the Egyptian Revolution: Muslim Brotherhood Co-opts Movement

Joel Rosenberg comes up with another insightful analysis:

Inside the Egyptian Revolution: Violence is Rising Because the Muslim Brotherhood is Co-opting the Movement

In the past several days, the dynamic of the protests in Egypt has changed rapidly, and not for the better. What started out as a genuine and positive pro-freedom movement is being steadily coopted by the Muslim Brotherhood and other violent and extremist forces.

There is now a growing risk that the overthrow of the Mubarak regime could lead either to an authoritarian military regime, or a Radical Islamist regime. We must pray neither scenario comes to pass.

The people of Egypt would be further oppressed. The U.S., Israel and the West would be endangered. Bottom line: This is a very complex and fast-moving crisis, and it could get much worse.

This commentary provides several explanations of the various "groups" within Egypt, including the "radicals", the "reformists", the "revivalists" and the "resisters", just to name a few. Then we come to the conclusions:

That said, let’s focus again on the crisis at hand. What we are witnessing in Egypt is an historic clash between true Reformer Muslims who want free elections and free markets, and Radical Muslims who want to use the protests to overthrow the Mubarak regime and install a violent, extremist Islamist government.

The Revivalists in Egypt are, for the most part, staying underground. True to their nature, they are remaining apolitical and are devoting themselves to much prayer for the future of their country and the souls of their friends and neighbors.

For the first first few days of last week, most of the initial protestors on the streets of Egypt were peaceful, respectful, somewhat educated, and poor to middle class. I believe they were genuinely calling for an end to the Mubarak regime’s corruption and authoritarian rule in order to achieve more freedom, more opportunity, a better economy, more and better jobs, and a democratic government that would respect and protect their human rights and civil rights and set them free from the stagnant, stultified, oppressive Egyptian system they have suffered under for so long.

However, beginning on Thursday and accelerating throughout the day on Friday, the situation began to change dramatically.

The leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood (which began in Egypt in the 1920) had initially been caught off guard by sudden and intense rise of the protests and had not been involved in planning or developing these protests. But sensing an opportunity, they decided to move decisively and try to coopt the movement for their own purposes.

They mobilized their followers throughout the country and told them to take to the streets. That’s when the complexion of the protests took a turn for the worse, characterized by:


- Violent attacks directed at the police – Agence France Presse reported on Saturday that an estimated 60 percent of Egyptian police stations have been set on fire
- Rioting, instead of mere protesting
- The emergence of gangs on the streets wielding machetes and knives
- Government office buildings being set on fire
- Cars being set on fire
- The looting of the Egyptian Museum, with vandals ripping the heads off of two ancient mummies
- Looting of shops, businesses and homes
- Muslim Brotherhood members escaping from prison –[see this article as well]
- UPDATE: Some 8,000 prisoners escaped from a prison in the east of the country and one report said “prison guards have joined the protests allowing dozens of Muslim Brotherhood members to walk out of jail.”
- A rising civilian death toll as the police have been forced to defend themselves and protect other citizens — as of Sunday, there were more than 100 people dead, and more than 2,000 wounded

To contrast with what we observed in Iran last year:

These are not the actions of a true pro-freedom movement. Almost none of this happened last summer when millions of Iranians took to the streets to protest the fraudulent re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. To the contrary, the Iranian people, to their great credit, initiated what was overwhelming a classic non-violent, principled protest movement against the Radical regime.

And this:

For all of Mubarak’s sins, he is not a Radical. He doesn’t want to launch a jihad against the U.S., Israel or the West. He has maintained the peace treaty with Israel. He has worked to counter the Hamas movement in Gaza. He is strongly opposed to the Iranian nuclear weapons program and has worked closely with the West to counter it.

The Obama administration needs to be careful to support positive change in Egypt and support human rights there, without cutting the legs out from underneath Mubarak precipitously, the way President Carter did to the Shah of Iran in 1979.

The Shah had his many flaws, no question about it. But Carter’s actions helped trigger the Islamic Revolution and led to the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini, the loss of an American ally, and the rise of a terror-exporting country that has gained in lethality ever since. We dare not make the same mistakes with Egypt.

I am praying, therefore, that the Lord would be merciful to the people of Egypt, and that He would give wisdom to Mr. Mubarak and his senior advisors. My ideal at this point is that Mubarak would hand the keys to the kingdom to a group of Reformers, men truly committed to steadily expanding hope, growth and opportunity for all their people, and doing so in a way that creates order and stability, not an opening for the Muslim Brotherhood to seize control.

That possibility seems very remote at this point, unfortunately. It looks like the Muslim Brotherhood will maintain control of this situation as they have the infrastructure and motivation. It would seem very difficult to uproot their influence at this point. We shall see.

In the rest of the world:

While everyone focuses on Egypt, there are news coming in from the rest of the world:

Japan on Alert After Volcano's Biggest Eruption in 50 Years

A one-mile cordon has been established around a volcano on Mount Kirishima after it erupted scattering rocks and ash across southern Japan and sending smoke billowing 5,000ft into the air.

The Meteorological Agency raised the volcanic alert to level 3 as ash today continued to spew from Shinmoedake on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, and residents have been banned from going within a mile of the volcano following its worst eruption in 50 years.

Protestors in Jordan demand political economic reforms

Once again, we see the vice tightening around the tiny country of Israel:

Islamists, leftists and union members marched Friday in downtown Amman, demanding more significant economic and political reforms to help struggling citizens.

The Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Jordan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, is also asking for an "elected government." Currently, the prime minister and cabinet are appointed by King Abdullah II.

Besides their demands of Jordan's government, those in Amman also showed solidarity with others in the Arab world who have recently taken to the streets to demand certain freedoms and urge the ouster of their governments.

Chanting, "Egyptian nation, our beloved -- your redemption is near," the Jordanian demonstrators spoke to the thousands of protesters in that north African country, who hit the streets Friday calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year-rule.

Kashmir: A dangerous nuclear flashpoint

Sixty three years have lapsed but Kashmir dispute remains unresolved. During this period, besides several military standoffs, two full fledged Indo-Pak wars and two localised conflicts in April 1965 and in summer of 1999 took place on account of Kashmir issue

Indian security forces have kept the people of Kashmir suppressed through use of brute force and has hid its gross human rights abuses under the cover of blatant lies and deceit. Today Kashmir has turned into a dangerous nuclear flashpoint.

And like clockwork, with precision predictability, we see the following:

Tens of die-hard Jihadi groups cropped up to assist the Kashmiri struggle.

As a consequent to blocking Jihadi groups from assisting Kashmiris, these groups in revenge joined hands with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and TNSM and started fighting Pak security forces, thus compounding Pakistan’s security problems.

Apart from many in western countries, several intellectuals and human rights activists within India have started to sympathize with Kashmiris and are condemning ISF brutalities. Arundhati Roy has taken the lead and has not minced her words in saying that Kashmir is not part of India as claimed by Brahman Indian leaders and that justice should be meted to the people of Kashmir.

Indian leadership will never risk holding a plebiscite since it knows that the result would be to its disfavor. It will keep dragging its feet until it is forced to give up its obduracy. The US must play its role to solve this dispute to avoid a nuclear holocaust in the future.

The world is in turmoil. What will the outcome of this world-wide violence and political upheaval be?

Just read Revelation 6-18 and you will know the future. That is where all of this is headed - and it is headed there with great speed.

Updates and Headlines

There are so many pertinent news stories today, we'll just post headlines with a few highly germane comments lifted. But for the most part there is only room for headlines.

1. Updates on Egypt:

Cairo: Thousands gather after relatively quiet morning

Exodus in Egypt: US Suggests Fleeing as Soon as Possible

Egyptians Defiant as Military Does Little to Quash Protests

Egypt Riots: MKs fear more infiltrators

Is the spreading anarchy in Egypt going to cause a heavy price to Israeli demographic? Knesset House Committee Chairman David Azoulay (Shas) expressed his concerns on Sunday that the uprising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak would lead to a massive flow of infiltrates into Israel.

Israel watches with concern as Egypt teeters

The other possibility that everyone is talking about is that the Muslim Brotherhood, the forerunner of the Palestinian Hamas, will take over. Experts have noted that he Brotherhood is the only large organized opposition force in Egypt, so if the Mubarak regime falls completely, the likelihood of a Brotherhood takeover is high.

If that scenario plays out, there are many that fear Egypt will go the route of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. The only thing that is currently missing is a charismatic Islamic figurehead. Iranian leaders on Saturday said they were pleased with how things are going in Egypt, and said they felt the revolution there had been inspired by their own.

Israel Holds Its Breath

This article brings forth an issue which has been kept relatively quiet:

Meanwhile, however, yet another United Nations resolution aimed at Israel like a guided missile is making its way through the Security Council and, at this point, only the U.S. can shoot it down with a veto.

The UN resolution declares that any construction in the West Bank by Israel is illegal, even if it is in its capitol, Jerusalem.

Though not confirmed, the rumor-mill in Washington is saying that the Obama administration will not veto the latest in an endless succession of anti-Israel resolutions.

If true, President Obama would become the first U.S. President to not defend Israel’s sovereignty.

If true, it would signal to the entire Middle East and the world that America is abandoning the only true democracy in the region and its longtime ally.

2. Recent Commentaries:

Hamas gunmen from Gaza battle Egyptian forces in Sinai

Gunmen of Hamas's armed wing, Ezz e-Din al Qassam, crossed from Gaza into northern Sinai Sunday, Jan. 30 to attack Egyptian forces and push them back. They acted on orders from Hamas' parent organization, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, confirmed by its bosses in Damascus, to open a second, Palestinian front against the Mubarak regime. The Muslim Brotherhood is therefore more active in the uprising than it would appear.

That is most certainly bad news. We keep hearing about how wonderful it is that Muslims and Christians are united in this struggle against the "oppression" of Egypt's current leaders, and to a degree this is true. But just as we have seen before (see below) this will end as soon as the radical element of Islam takes control - and then we'll see extreme persecution ensue as it always does.

Sunday, Hamas terrorists aim to follow this up by pushing Egyptian forces out of the northern and central regions of the peninsula and so bring Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip under Palestinian control. Hamas would then be able to break out of the Egyptian blockade of the enclave and restore its smuggling routes in full.

And that is worth remembering.

Early Sunday, the Egyptian army quietly began transferring armored reinforcements including tanks through the tunnels under the Suez from Egypt proper eastward to northern Sinai in effort to drive the Hamas forces back

The Egyptian troop presence in Sinai, which violates the terms of the peace treaty, has not been mentioned by either of the peace partners. Our Jerusalem sources report the Netanyahu government may have tacitly approved it.

Hamas' Gaza leaders do not seem to fear Israel will resort to military or even air action to interfere with their incursion of Sinai, although it brings their armed units within easy reach of the long Egyptian border with Israel.

Carter Redux?

For those who lived through the 1979 Iran revolution and the abandonment of the Shah of Iran by the Carter administration, there is a tangible sense of foreboding as to what form the outcome of the current upheaval in Egypt will take.

Like Carter, Obama has made overtures to the Islamists. 1n 1978 Jimmy Carter was on the side of "human rights" and eagerly embraced Ayatollah Khomeini. Carter's UN Ambassador Andrew Young went so far as to call him "some kind of saint".

It now turns out that in 2009, the Egyptian daily Almasry Alyoum reported that President Obama secretly met with representatives of the jihadist Muslim Brotherhood, the Hamas and Al Qaeda ally that has been barred by the US and put on the terror watch list by the Bush administration.

The last comment above is one of many articles which has seized upon this meeting between the US and the Muslim brotherhood. Unfortunately, it looks more and more as though this actually did occur.

There are numerous reports out of Cairo that the Islamist element has not only helped foment this uprising but is now taking control of it.

Is this 1979 all over again? The world cannot afford another Iran on the shores of the Mediterranean thus in control of the Suez canal and completing an encirclement of Israel. That will almost guarantee a Middle East War.

Egypt and Iran: We WIll Again Fuel the Fires of Revolution

This paragraph is worth remembering and repeating over and over in the coming weeks:

But revolutions don’t stop with the initial demands.

Revolutions create power vacuums that draw new players with different agendas from those who initially sought to make the revolution. Revolutions move to the extremes, usually to the left. Those who join the mob to demand more liberty will ultimately create a regime that extinguishes all liberty. Did those who ran through the streets of Paris in July 1789 think they were revolting for the ensuing “Terror”? Did the workers who charged the Winter Palace in 1917 think they were fighting for the Gulag? Did Banisadr and Ghotbzadeh think they were replacing the shah of Iran with a theocracy?

There is more worth remembering from this article:

The choice in the streets of Egypt is not Mubarak or democracy.

It is Mubarak or the Muslim Brotherhood. It is the Muslim Brotherhood, like the ayatollahs of Tehran, who are the best situated to benefit from and direct the revolution, unless of course the Egyptian military holds firm.

If the Brotherhood comes to power, it will behave as did its proxy in Gaza: one man, one vote, one time, with the opposition shot in the legs and thrown off rooftops.

For decades we have been dumping billions of dollars worth of advanced weapons into Egypt. A revolution means that those weapons could fall into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood. This will tilt the balance of power in the Middle East. Emboldened by success in Egypt, radical Islam will next show its power in the Gulf and threaten the world’s oil supply. Already there are riots in Yemen.

The world as we knew it might just spin out of control. It remains to be seen if the Egyptian military, with or without our support, will rise to the task of restoring order and stability in Egypt and become a vehicle for vital political change. But if Obama emulates the horrendous decisions Jimmy Carter made during the Iranian revolution, radical Islam will spread through the region like a forest fire with the Saudis facing the ultimate conflagration.

This situation in Egypt looks more and more like Iran in the early days of its revolution. As the Muslim Brotherhood moves in more and more, one can safely bet that we'll see a radical Islamic faction seize control. We can only watch and pray at this point.

The MSM will attempt to paint this crisis in Egypt as "non-Muslim" and even this morning a pundit on the news was gleefully declaring that Christians and Muslims are united in this effort. Don't believe it. Not for a second. It may be the case, superficially, in the early stages - but as we have seen over and over and over in the past in these types of uprisings - once the Muslim Brotherhood gains complete power - persecution will ensue. And it will do so in a big way.

Globalism: The New World Order

Below is a fascinating view of what globalism really involves in this day and age. It may be different than you think - at least for now:

What is Globalization?

So what is globalization? In an economic sense, it is the integration of the national economies of the world. Just because we don't have a "one world government" yet and just because we all aren't paying our bills with implantable microchips yet does not mean that the global economic system has not arrived.

In fact, if someday the United States is merged into a one world government, that doesn't mean that our current government would disappear. It is likely that it would just be made subordinate to the global government, kind of like how our state governments have been made subordinate to the federal government in Washington D.C.

Trade is one of the primary tools of those seeking to implement globalization. This is something that a large percentage of those that are concerned about a "New World Order" fail to realize. Most people keep their eyes focused on the political realm, but the globalists realize that once you get control of money and trade you are a long way towards winning the game.

These three paragraphs form the introduction to the article. It is well worth reading. Lets jump to the middle and then to the conclusions:

That is exactly what is happening right now. Our "regional economy" and culture are becoming integrated with the rest of the world. Many applaud this change, but it also means that everything that once made America "exceptional" is being lost as we are merged into a new global system.

Fortunately, many Americans are starting to wake up to the threat of globalization. In particular, large numbers of Americans now realize that globalization is sending millions of our jobs overseas and it is destroying the standard of living of America's middle class.

You see, one of the things that globalization is ultimately all about is transferring power, wealth and control out of the hands of the middle class and into the hands of the global elite. The entire system is designed to funnel money into their hands and leave the rest of humanity fighting over a smaller and smaller slice of the pie.

Now the conclusions:

This is not communism and it is certainly not capitalism. It is probably best described as "neo-feudalism", and it is a system that will strip virtually all of our liberties and freedoms away if we allow it to.

Globalization is here and it is happening right now. It is destroying what still remains of the once great U.S. capitalist system. As our economy continues to be merged with the economies of the rest of the world, our standard of living will inevitably sink to match the standard of living that the rest of the world enjoys.

The entire game is changing. All of the things that you were taught about trade and economics as you were growing up are being turned upside down. Globalization is a complete and total nightmare. Hopefully the American people will wake up before it is too late.

Unfortunately, this train isn't stopping and it certainly isn't reversing course. This train is running full steam ahead - right into the Tribulation, where we will have a continuation of the global economic platform - only it will be controlled by a central figure. The world will also have a global religion and a global governance. We are just seeing the preparations in progress.

Its all about globalism and a new world order. I'm glad not to be part of it.

The Pragmatic Fantasy

As mentioned in the previous post, this commentary is so insightful and relevant, it needs to be emphasized.

From Caroline Glick:

Column One: The pragmatic fantasy

Today, the Egyptian regime faces its gravest threat since Anwar Sadat’s assassination 30 years ago. As protesters take to the street for the third day in a row demanding the overthrow of 82-year-old President Hosni Mubarak, it is worth considering the possible alternatives to his regime.

On Thursday afternoon, presidential hopeful Mohamed El Baradei, the former head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, returned to Egypt from Vienna to participate in anti-regime demonstrations.

As IAEA head, Elbaradei shielded Iran’s nuclear weapons program from the Security Council.He repeatedly ignored evidence indicating that Iran’s nuclear program was a military program rather than a civilian energy program.

Well, this is just peachy. The potential next head of Egypt is firmly in Iran's camp.

Elbaradei continued to lobby against significant UN Security Council sanctions or other actions against Iran and obscenely equated Israel’s purported nuclear program to Iran’s.

His actions won him the support of the Iranian regime which he continues to defend. Just last week he dismissed the threat of a nuclear armed Iran

Elbaradei’s support for the Iranian ayatollahs is matched by his support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

This group, which forms the largest and best-organized opposition movement to the Mubarak regime, is the progenitor of Hamas and al-Qaida. It seeks Egypt’s transformation into an Islamic regime that will stand at the forefront of the global jihad

In recent years, the Muslim Brotherhood has been increasingly drawn into the Iranian nexus along with Hamas. Muslim Brotherhood attorneys represented Hizbullah terrorists arrested in Egypt in 2009 for plotting to conduct spectacular attacks aimed at destroying the regime.

Based upon knowledge of biblical prophecy, it is highly unlikely that this unrest will herald a democratic government favorable to the principles of the west with its freedoms, both politically and religious.

Elbaradei has been a strong champion of the Muslim Brotherhood. Just this week he gave an interview to Der Spiegel defending the jihadist movement. As he put it, “We should stop demonizing the Muslim Brotherhood. ...[T]hey have not committed any acts of violence in five decades. They too want change. If we want democracy and freedom, we have to include them instead of marginalizing them.”

The Muslim Brotherhood for its part has backed Elbaradei’s political aspirations. On Thursday, it announced it would demonstrate at ElBaradei’s side the next day.

Now we see the ramifications for Israel:

And as we now see, all of its possible secular and Islamist successors either reject outright Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel or will owe their political power to the support of those who reject the peace with the Jewish state. So whether the Egyptian regime falls next week or next year or five years from now, the peace treaty is doomed.

THE TRUTHS exposed by the convulsive events of the past month make it abundantly clear that Israel lives in a horrible neighborhood. It is a neighborhood where popular democracy means war against Israel.

The quotes above are just a small sample of this commentary, which is worth reading in its entirety.

The uprisings seen in the Middle East today are likely to be co-opted by radical Islam. We now watch various events in the region developing - and we know that ultimately these events are leading into the massive invasion of Israel. There may be twists and turns as part of this ongoing process - but we will not see a reversal of history. The hour is too late. The outcome for each of these uprisings will be towards regimes who will support aggression against Israel.

Thats a guarantee. The prophetic scriptures have given us the bottom line. Everything we are seeing right now, in real time, will ultimately have complete consistency with biblical prophecy. That fact alone dictates that new regimes will aid and assist those who are sworn to destroy Israel.

And in this endeavor, they will be forced to face God Himself. That is the "real" bottom line.

The Middle East: Updates and Commentaries

When we see breaking news such as the case with Egypt, I am equally interested in the recent news and well reasoned commentaries on the underlying basis of such news and what it all really means. Today we have both. There are some excellent commentaries being written on this situation in Egypt. First, recent updates:

Egypt's Regime on the Brink

President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year grip on power hung in the balance as protesters massed around Egypt and overpowered the police, prompting the army to deploy on the streets of the nation for the first time in 25 years.

His address appeared to only heighten the gulf between Mr. Mubarak and the tens of thousands of protesters who took part in Friday's planned "Day of Wrath" against what they characterized as the regime's oppression, stagnation and lack of opportunity.

The deployment of army tanks and troops across Egypt late Friday represented a critical point in the crisis. It was the army's first mobilization on the streets of the Arab world's most-populous nation since 1986.


"It means that the military is more in charge than Mubarak, and now there is a lot of uncertainty about who is in charge in Egypt and who is giving orders," said Issandr al-Amrani, a Cairo-based analyst and blogger.

The military's role in the country's future remained unclear. The army has historically been the seat of power in Egypt, with all Egyptian leaders for the past 60 years haling from its ranks.

It is beginning to crystallize - who the military actually supports, but it still isn't completely clear yet:

Some protesters appeared to welcome the troops, with chants of "the army are our brothers." A half-dozen armored personnel carriers rolled through downtown Cairo with protesters riding jubilantly on the roofs. After the army deployed at the foreign-affairs ministry and the besieged headquarters of state television, troops and protesters were seen chanting together: "We are Egyptians, we are brothers."

Analysts said the unrest in Cairo is almost certain to doom whatever prospects still existed of Mr. Mubarak handing power to his son Gamal, who many have believed for years was being groomed to rule...

Some of the most serious violence Friday was in Suez, where protesters seized weapons stored in a police station and asked the policemen inside to leave the building before they burned it down, according to the Associated Press. They also set ablaze about 20 police trucks parked nearby. Demonstrators exchanged fire with policemen, trying to stop them from storming another police station, and one protester was killed in the gun battle

Massive Cairo demonstrations; protesters vow to defy curfew

Al-Jazeera reported that the number of people killed in Egyptian protests was reported to be close to 90, with at least 23 deaths confirmed in Alexandria, and at least 27 confirmed in Suez, with a further 22 deaths in Cairo.

The sight of over 50,000 protesters pouring into Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square for a fifth day indicated Mubarak's words in a televised speech shortly after midnight had done little to cool the anger over Egypt's crushing poverty, unemployment and corruption.

In Suez, 1,000-2,000 protesters gathered and that the military was not confronting them, the news agency reported.

A military officer was quoted as saying that troops would "not fire a single bullet on Egyptians", regardless of where the orders to do so come from.

----------

Below are some excellent reviews and commentary on this situation:

Iranian leaders hope for Islamic republic in Egypt

Iranian leaders expressed satisfaction with the anti-government protests in Egypt, with one leader saying he believes the protesters were inspired by the revolution in his country in 1979.

Western officials fear Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will be replaced by a hardline cleric similar to the ayatollahs in Iran, like the Muslim Brotherhood opposition party, which also gave rise to Hamas.

Egypt Revolution? By Whom? For What?

You can’t judge a revolution by its theatrics. Something real has to happen, something beyond marching, chanting slogans, and making demands.

Revolutions end systems of rule and replace them with new ones. Is that happening now in the Middle East?

I think that the efforts by Hezbollah to take over Lebanon also constitute an attempt at revolutionary change, because it would turn the secular Lebanese system into an Islamic Republic.

All of which is a long way of saying that there’s a lot of tumult in the Middle East (and not only the Middle East; there were big demonstrations a few hours ago in Albania), a great perturbation in the Force, as Obiwan would say. Lots of fighting. Lots of factions. In Egypt, which is by far the most important of the Arab countries affected by the tumult, there are genuine democrats and also members of organizations (from the Muslim Brotherhood to Islamic Jihad, Hamas, et al.) who would transform Egypt from an authoritarian to a totalitarian regime.

At this point, he gets to the crux of the matter:

The key to many of these tumults — certainly not all, for example, Tunisia — is Iran.

My thoughts exactly.

It follows that the Iranians will — probably have already — mobilize their terror army against Mubarak, as against the Jordanian monarchy, and for the tyrants in Khartoum. They are good at manipulating Arabs (when’s the last time you saw a Persian suicide terrorist? They’re all Arabs manipulated by the Persians) and the Iranians’ religious proxies and self-starting fellow travelers and useful idiots in Sunniland will be calling for mass martyrdom. Nobody knows how this will play out. Not even the mullahs. Everyone’s in a big hurry, and lots of mistakes will be made.

And last but certainly not least, this comes in from Caroline Glick:

Column One: The pragmatic fantasy

On second thought - this commentary is just too important and insightful to bury here. It deserves its own, separate post. More to come.

The Truth in an Age of Lies and Deception

We've mentioned this aspect of end times prophecy so many times - that this age would be a period of lies and deception. We see it manifest every single day.

Today, Jerry Golden has an interesting perspective on the Middle East:

How About Some Truth

This is relatively brief and worth posting in its entirety:

Israel has four borders, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt and we could now say five if one considers Gaza. Our largest border is the Mediterranean Sea to the west but today even that is changing with the Prime Minister of Turkey making statements like if Syria is attacked by Israel they will not sit quiet that in fact they will defend Syria against Israel.

Today with riots in the streets of Cairo threatening to oust President Hosni Mubarak from his 30 year reign as Dictator of Egypt. The man that wants to replace him is the former head of I.A.E.A Mohamed ElBaradei who shielded the Iranian nuclear weapons programs for years. But looking over his shoulder is the Muslim Brotherhood connected to the Wahhabi out of Saudi Arabia who supplied the terrorist for 9/11. Mubarak's position is weak at best and his only option to stay in power is to begin shooting protesters dead in the street like they did in Iran. The question now is would the Egyptian military follow such an order at this point, I don't think so. As for what hangs in the balance for Israel and the fragile peace treaty seems to be in serious danger to completely failing and Egypt once again preparing to join in the fight to destroy Israel with the rest of the Islamic Arab World.

If you listen to the Main Line News Media you would think this is a good thing and that it's all about fighting for Democracy but the facts on the ground are quiet different. They are protesting for survival, they can no long afford the price of food and there are no jobs, put that together with the Islamic propaganda they have listened to all their lives and you have an explosion in the makings. If you were able to take a survey in Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan or any Arab country you'd find that the average man on the streets believes that some how Israel is the reason for their suffering and that Israel must be destroyed.

We are now seeing these same riots happening in Jordan and as I stated in past reports Jordan is pulling away from their peace treaty with Israel and embracing Iran and the rest of the Islamic Arab world to make sure they are not next on the list to be destroyed.

What seemed to be the quiet takeover of Lebanon by Hezbollah may not be so quiet after all as riots are breaking out in the streets of Beirut as well and this could be the kicker to start the next war as Hezbollah could very well start the missiles flying into Israel to change the political direction when Israel retaliates forcing the people to get behind Hezbollah and forgetting their political problems for the time being.

We are now hearing from Debka that Iran is sending a fleet of warships into the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal taking up positions around Israel's western shores. The US has sent the USS Enterprise carrier with a strike group carrying 6,000 sailors and marines and 80 warplanes, to read more about this deployment CLICK HERE.

In the mean time Syria continues to move long range missiles into southern Lebanon in preparation for the coming war. As far as Egypt is concerned it may be the only thing that could save Mubarak at this time is joining a war against Israel, but I can't see that happening in time to save him.
There are many Scriptures that are in the making of fulfillment in all of this, Zechariah, Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel also in the Gospel of Luke and Matthews I could print them all here but you should know them by now. One thing is certain the Arabs learned their lesson in the wars of 48, 67, 73 and they want more assurance this time around and will come with all their might, only to be destroyed by God Almighty. The sad part will be the death and suffering once again to the Jewish people as the Devil tries once again to destroy the possibility of the return of the Jewish Messiah.

I am asked all the time how does this Ministry play into all of this, all I can say is we have heard from God and we will continue looking towards our salvation and strength knowing that God has a plan for this Ministry, what we do may not be big in the eyes of men, but very important in the eyes of God. We are short at this time on finances
The larger boat is still our greatest need, and the establishing of ground communications with our boats is also needed. Our travels will not be published for a while for obvious reasons.

As for the USA Obama has sealed its fate with his hatred of Israel and his love for the enemies of God and of Israel, but he put the final nail in the coffin when he repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell, now God has no choice but to be true to His Word.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for our son Joel and all the IDF soldiers. Pray for this Ministry and your part in it.

Shalom, jerry golden

Jembatan Yang Terbuat Dari Rumput

Jembatan Yang Terbuat Dari Rumput

Jembatan gantung Qeswachaka terletak sekitar 100 Km dari kota Cuzco, Chile, jembatan tersebut merupakan tradisi dari peninggalan kerajaan Inca, membentang sekitar 120 meter diatas sungai Apurimac, sekitar 13.000 kaki diatas air. Jembatan Qeswachaka dibuat dari rumput dan lebarnya hanya cukup untuk dilewati satu orang saja. 

Jembatan tersebut terbuat dari tumbuhan lokal yang dikenal dengan rumput Qoya, jembatan ini sangat rapuh dan cepat rusak, dan setiap masyarakat sekitar membangun kambali setiap tahunnya. sekitar 1.000 orang dari penduduk sekitar berkumpul di jembatan Qeswachaka setiap minggu kedua bulan Juni untuk melakukan upacara pembangunan jembatan. rumput Qoya yang panjang ditenun sehingga menjadi jembatan yang membantang diatas sungai.

Bukan berarti mmereka tidak sanggup untuk membangun jembatan yang lebh modern, tapi pembangunan jembatan tersebut merupakan cara bagi orang-orang Andes untuk merayakan dan menghormati nenek moyang mmereka dan tetap menjaga tradisi mereka supaya tetap hidup selama berabad-abad. 

UPDATE: EGYPT

First some breaking news, and then a very nice summary from Joel Rosenberg. These types of situations are very familiar to Mr Rosenberg, given his background and experience and his insights will be invaluable as watch the Middle East ignite.

Mubarak sacks gov't, protesters remain in Cairo's streets

Embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak fired his Cabinet early Saturday and promised reforms in his first response to protesters who have mounted the biggest challenge ever to his 30-year rule.

But many protesters were outraged by Mubarak's nationally televised address, in which he also defended the crackdown by police on tens of thousands of demonstrators that drew harsh criticism from the Obama administration Friday, and even a threat to reduce a $1.5 billion program of foreign aid if Egypt escalated the use of force.

Mubarak's decision to dismiss Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and the rest of the Cabinet would be interpreted as a serious attempt at bringing change under normal circumstances. But on a day when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to demand Mubarak's ouster, it fell far short of expectations.

As a result, options appeared to be dwindling for Mubarak, a 82-year-old former air force commander who until this week maintained what looked like rock-solid control of the most populous Arab nation and the cultural heart of the region.

There is much more in this article regarding the current state of affairs in Egypt.

Egypt Cuts Off Most Internet and Cell Service

Autocratic governments often limit phone and Internet access in tense times. But the Internet has never faced anything like what happened in Egypt on Friday, when the government of a country with 80 million people and a modernizing economy cut off nearly all access to the network and shut down cellphone service.

The shutdown caused a 90 percent drop in data traffic to and from Egypt, crippling an important communications tool used by antigovernment protesters and their supporters to organize and to spread their message.

White House: Time for reform to come to Egypt

The White House says that the "legitimate grievances" of the Egyptian people must be addressed immediately by the Egyptian government and violence is not the right response.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama has not spoken with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the target of roiling street protests. Asked why not, Gibbs said that "we're monitoring a very fluid situation."

---------

Now for some insight from Joel Rosenberg:

Revolution in Egypt? And Could Jordan Be Next?

This commentary is worth reading - here are a few parts:

One thing’s for certain: No one predicted the demonstrations in Egypt would grow so big so fast. Momentum for the protests is growing. A Facebook page promoting the democracy protests grew from 20,000 members on Wednesday to 80,000 on Thursday.

The government then reportedly shut down Facebook, and disrupted Internet service in parts of the country. Twitter has been blocked. Police are beating protesters. As of Friday, more than 1,000 Egyptians have been arrested for demonstrating. Now an overnight curfew has been imposed and the Egyptian army has been deployed to urban centers.


Meanwhile, protests have mounted in recent days in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. There, too, economics is playing a critical role. Reports the AP: “The economy saw a record deficit of $2 billion this year, inflation rising … to 6.1 percent just last month and rampant unemployment and poverty — estimated at 12 and 25 percent respectively.

In Jordan, there is a very high risk that Islamic radicals would take over the regime. As I write in Inside The Revolution, “It is precisely because the Jordanians have made such progress [with positive political and economic reforms in the past two decades] that I am worried by the Radicals’ determination to launch a jihad there, seize the capital, and create a new anti-Israel, anti-Western base for Iran and al Qaeda.

Therefore, I often pray for Jordan’s peace, prosperity and continued progress. I pray for King Abdullah’s health and safety, and I pray that the Lord would grant him the wisdom to know how best to move forward in such challenging times.”

On top of all this, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror movement has just toppled the government in Lebanon. Iran’s leaders are convinced their so-called messiah known as the Twelfth Imam is coming to earth at any moment, and feverishly trying to build nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to help usher in a new messianic age and an Islamic caliphate.

One aspect of this whole situation strikes me the most. With the Hezbollah (Iranian) takeover of Lebanon - and with Egypt in turmoil. Not to mention Jordan - we now have perfect "staging areas" for the battle of Gog-MaGog. Staging areas where troops can assemble prior of the massive invasion of Israel. Israel is completely surrounded, and feeling pressure from every end.

Thankfully, they have God on their side.

10 ikan prasejarah yang masih ada hingga sekarang

10 ikan prasejarah yang masih ada hingga sekarang

Tenyata ada ikan zaman prasejarah yang mampu bertahan atau masih ada hingga sekarang. tentunya ikan-ikan ini telah lolos dari seleksi alam dan masih tersisa dan hidup hingga sekarang, yang lebih menarik adalah ternyata ikan-ikan ini ternyata adalah ikan-ikan yang cukup aneh, langsung saja dibawah ini adalah ikan-ikan zaman prasejarah yang masih hidup atau ada hingga sekarang:

10 Hagfish

Menurut catatan fosil, hag telah ada selama lebih dari 300 juta tahun, yang berarti mereka sudah ada ketika dinosaurus mengambil alih dunia! . binatang ini dapat ditemukan di perairan yang relatif dalam, binatang ini kadang-kadang disebut belut lendir, tetapi mereka tidak benar-benar belut, dan sebenarnya, mereka bahkan mungkin tidak ikan sama sekali, menurut beberapa ilmuwan. Mereka adalah hewan yang sangat aneh dalam semua hal, mereka memiliki tengkorak tetapi tidak memiliki tulang belakang, dan mereka memiliki dua otak. Hampir buta, mereka makan di malam hari di bangkai hewan besar (ikan, paus dll) yang jatuh ke dasar laut. "belut lendir " adalah nama panggilan untuk fakta bahwa mereka menghasilkan zat Slimey yang dapat merusak insang ikan predator; sebagai akibatnya, mereka hampir tidak memiliki musuh alami. 

9 Lancetfish

lancetfish memiliki penampilan yang sangat jelas sebagai "ikan prasejarah", dengan gigi yang tampak sengit tajam pada rahang dan layar di punggungnya, mengingatkan kepada beberapa dinosaurus (walaupun, layar di lancetfish ini sebenarnya adalah sirip punggung) . Bahkan nama ilmiahnya memiliki bunyi layaknya nama dinosaurus (Alepisaurus ferox). Panjang predtor ini bisa sampai dua meter (6 '6 ") panjangnya, predator ini ditemukan di semua samudra kecuali untuk daerah kutub; sangat rakus, biasanya memakan ikan kecil dan cumi-cumi, dan bahkan dikenal sebagai ikan atau predator yang memakan kawannya sendiri (spesiesnya).

8. Arwana

Kalau yang ini saya yakin anda pasti sudah tahu, sekarang ini arwana tengah banyak dioneksi oleh masyarakat sebagai ikan hias, tapi tahukan anda tenyata ikan iniadah ikan yang telah ada pada zaman prasejarah, ikan ini sudah ada pada periode Jurassic. Hari ini, mereka ditemukan di Amazon, dan di beberapa bagian Afrika, Asia dan Australia. Kadang-kadang disimpan sebagai hewan peliharaan eksotis (mungkin bagi anda suka ikan hias, ikan ini pasti ada pada list anda), arwana adalah predator rakus yang memakan binatang kecil yang dapat mereka tangkap, termasuk burung dan kelelawar akan dimakannya (mereka bisa melompat hingga 2 meter (6 ‘) ke udara) . Di Cina, arwana dikenal sebagai " ikan naga " karena penampilan mereka, dan mereka dianggap pertanda keberuntungan.

7 Frilled Shark

predator ini hidup dilaut dalam, salah satu hiu yang paling primitif yang masih hidup sekarang ini , predator ini adalah peninggalan dari periode Cretaceous, ketika dinosaurus menguasai Bumi. hiu ini juga Jarang terlihat dalam keadaan hidup, hiu ini dapat tumbuh hingga 2 meter (6 '6 ") (jika diumpamakan maka lebih besar dari laki-laki) dan mereka tinggal di perairan dalam, makanan mereka sebagian besar adalah cumi-cumi. Mereka tidak berbahaya bagi manusia, dan Sebenarnya, hiu ini menghabiskan seluruh hidup mereka tanpa melihat manusia. Hanya spesimen yang mati atau sekarat yang biasanya dilihat oleh nelayan atau ilmuwan.

6 Sturgeon

Sturgeon merupakan ikan yang telah ada pada awal mula dinosaurus, sturgeon sudah dikenal sebagai salah satu sumber utama kaviar (yang terbuat dari); karena penangkapan yang berlebihan, ikan ini terancap punah. Spesies sturgeon terbesar dapat tumbuh hingga 6 meter (19 '7 "), mereka memakan binatang kecil dari dasar laut dan tidak berbahaya bagi manusia, kecuali diprovokasi atau diganggu

5 Arapaima

Arapaima adalah kerabat dekat dari arwana , Arapaima Amazon kadang-kadang dianggap sebagai ikan air tawar terbesar di dunia. Menurut deskripsi awal, ikan ini bisa tumbuh sampai dengan 4,5 meter , tetapi sekarang ini, ikan sebesar itu jarang ditemukan dan arapaimas dewasa sekarang ini paling hanya berkisar rata-rata 2 meter (6' 6") lama. predator Ini bergerak lambat dan makanannya dalah ikan kecil, atau apapaun jika itu kecil maka akan dimakan langsungdengan mulut lebarnya. 

4 Sawfish

hewan atau ikan ini dapat ditemukan baik di laut atau di sungai dan anak sungai, dan telah ditemukan hingga kedalaman 100 km. Panjangnya bisa mencapai Hingga 7 meter (23 '), ikan hiu (sawfist) tidak mungkin terlihat seperti hiu mereka mempunyai mulut yang panjang dan merupakan sebuah senjata dan organ sensorik, ditutupi pada elektro-sensitif pori-pori yang memungkinkan untuk merasakan mangsa walaupun penglihatan buruk. Meskipun biasanya tenang, ikan hiu ini bisa menjadi sangat berbahaya jika diprovokasi (diganggu).

3 Alligator Gar

Ikan ini adalah predator hebat yang bersisik tebal, ditemukan di AS selatan dan utara dan timur Meksiko, menjadi ikan air tawar terbesar di Amerika Utara (meskipun kadang-kadang mengembara ke laut). ikan ini dapat tumbuh hingga 4 meter (13 ') panjangnya dan berat sampai 200 kg (£ 440). Aligator gar, disebut demikian karena penampilan mereka seperti reptil dan mempunyai rahang panjang, bersenjata dengan dua baris gigi tajam.

2 Polypterus Senegalus

Ikan Africa ini sering disebut belut dinosaurus "", karena penampilan mereka seperti reptil dan sirip mempunyai punggung bergerigi, mengingatkan pada punggung berduri beberapa dinosaurus '. Mereka tidak benar-benar belut, tetapi anggota keluarga bichir. Mereka bisa bertahan keluar dari air untuk jangka waktu yang lama selama kulit mereka tetap basah, yang memungkinkan mereka untuk mengembara jauh dari tangki mereka.

1 Coelacanth

The Coelacanth adalah ikan yang paling terkenal dari semua "fosil hidup" dan pantas menjadi no 1 dalam daftar ini, ikan ini adalah hewan yang seharusnya telah lama punah dan tak terduga ditemukan masih hidup. Ikan ini seharusnya telah punah pada periode Cretaceous, bersama dengan dinosaurus, tetapi pada tahun 1938, sebuah spesies hidup tertangkap di Afrika Selatan. Sejak itu, spesies ini lebih telah dilihat dan difoto, dan spesies Coelacanth kedua bahkan ditemukan di Indonesia pada tahun 1999. Ikan ini adalah predator besar, dan dapat tumbuh hingga 2 meter (6 '6 ") panjangnya, mereka memakan ikan yang lebih kecil, termasuk hiu kecil, dan biasanya ditemukan diperairan dalam, perairan gelap. Meskipun jarang ditangkap dan dikonsumsi karena rasanya yang tidak enak, ikan ini termasuk ikan yang hampir punah.

10 Hujan Aneh tapi Nyata

10 Hujan Aneh tapi Nyata

Hujan yang lazim kita lihat dan kita kenal tentu hujan air dari langit dengan tahapan-tahapan prosesnya yang telah diketahui bersama melalui penelitian ilmiah. Selain hujan air kita juga sudah terbiasa melihat hujan batu di negeri ini ketika ada demonstrasi atau kerusuhan. Tetapi tahukah Anda bahwa ada hujan-hujan lain yang sungguh aneh tetapi nyata pernah terjadi di muka bumi ini. Bahkan para ilmuwan pun dibuat bingung. Ini bukan lelucon, tetapi benar-benar nyata.

1. Hujan Laba-Laba di Argentina

Pada tanggal 6 April 2007, laba-laba dalam jumlah yang sangat banyak berjatuhan dari langit propinsi Salta, Argentina. Pada waktu itu, Christian Oneto Gaona dan teman-temannya memutuskan untuk bepergian ke Propinsi Salta selama liburan. Mereka mulai mendaki Gunung San Bernardo dan dua jam kemudian, mereka menemukan tanah di sekitar mereka diselimuti oleh laba-laba dengan berbagai warna, dengan panjang sekitar 4 inci. Semakin naik ke puncak gunung semakin banyak laba-laba yang mereka temukan. Mereka mencari sumber laba-laba tersebut dan alangkah terkejutnya mereka melihat begitu banyak laba-laba yang berjatuhan dari langit.

2. Sapi yang Jatuh dari Langit di Laut Jepang

Pada tahun 1997 sebuah kapal nelayan Jepang diselamatkan di Laut Jepang. Mereka mengklaim bahwa seekor sapi jatuh dari langit dan menimpa perahu mereka sehingga menyebabkannya tenggelam. Para anggota kru itu langsung dipenjarakan karena dikira mengada-ada. Sekitar 2 pekan kemudian, Angkatan Udara Rusia menginformasikan Pemerintah Jepang bahwa kru dari salah satu kapal kargonya telah mencuri seekor sapi dan menempatkannya bukan di tempat khususnya di pesawat. Karena itu si Sapi mengamuk saat kapal sedang terbang sehingga membuat pesawat oleng tak terkendali. Untuk menyelamatkan peswat dan diri mereka, pada ketinggi sekitar 30.000 kaki, kru tersebut terpaksa mendorong jatuh sapi tersebut saat melintasi laut Jepang. Wah… ternyata sapi dari pesawat. 

3. Hujan darah di Kolombia

Pada tahun 2008, hujan berwarna merah yang dipastikan oleh bakteriolog setempat sebagai darah jatuh pada sebuah komunitas kecil di La Sierra, Choco. Sebagian sampel diambil dan analisis, dan hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa air itu darah. Orang yagn dituakan di dusun tersebut mengatakan bahwa ini merupakan tanda dari Tuhan bahwa manusia harus menghentikan perbuatan-perbuatan dosa yang mereka lakukan.

4. Hujan Star Jelly di Skotlandia

Pada tahun 2009, hujan jelly terjadi di Skotlandia. Para ilmuwan yang tergabung dalam National Geographic melakukan tes pada benda tersebut, tetapi mereka tidak menemukan adanya DNA di dalamnya. Teori pun bermuncul tentang asal usul star jelly ini termasuk yang mengatakan bahwa itu merupakan ovarium katak yang dimuntahkan oleh elang karena tidak dapat dicerna. Tetapi jumlahnya sangat banyak.

5. Hujan cacing yang jatuh dari langit di USA

Salah seorang pegawai kepolisian, Eleanor Beal baru saja melintasi jalan untuk pergi bekerja ketika sesuatu terjatuh dari langit. Bukan langit yang runtuh, tetapi yang jatuh itu cacing, kata dia. Dari mana asalnya masih menjadi misteri, tetapi ada yang meyakini bahwa semburan air yang berjarak kurang dari lima mil pada saat yagn sama di dekat Lacassine Bayou bisa menjadi penyebabnya.

6. Salju berwarna-warni jatuh di Siberia

Di daerah Omsk, 1400 mil ke timur Moskow, salju berwarna orange, kuning, dan hijauh jatuh disana pada tahun 2007.

7. Hujan ikan di Australia

Kejadian ini belum berselang. Dari langit di Lajamanu Australia, ribuan ikan terjatuh dari langit selama badai hujan hebat di kawasan itu.Penduduk setempat cukup terkejut akan fenomena ini, bahkan ada yang menyebut itu ikan-ikan yang aneh, beberapa diantaranya masih hidup bahkan setelah jatuh ke tanah atau genangan air.

8. Hujan Kecebong di Ishikawa, Jepang

Pada bulan Juni 2009, menjelang musim hujan, daerah Ishikawa Jepang kejatuhan kecebong dari langit dalam jumlah yang sangat banyak. Yang membuat heran adalah di daerah ini tidak terjadi angin puting beliung ataukah angin kencang yang dapat mengangkat ikan dan benda di air lainnya ke darat. Cuaca juga bagus. Seorang pria 55-tahun di kota Nano tertimpa hujan kecebong yang menutupi luas area sampai radius 10 meter.

9. Hujan Burung Jalak di Inggris

Di kampung Somerset, Coxley, dekat Wells, ratusan burung jalak berjatuhan dari langit tepat di kebun Julie Knight pada Maret 2010.

10. Hujan daging segar di USA

Pada tanggal 9 Maret 1876, serpihan-serpihan daging jatuh di dekat rumah Allen Coruch, yang tinggal di dekat Olympian Springs. Daging-daging ini sampai menutupi tanah seluas 100 x 50 yard. Langit dalam keadaan cerah pada waktu itu, dan Allen mengatakan daging-daging ini terjatuh seperti kepingan salju. Dua lelaki yang mencicipi daging itu mengatakan bahwa daging itu bukan daging domba ataupun daging rusa.