operation bite: French and Russian news reports US will attack Iran in the next 10 days

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Russian intelligence is seeing a furious US military build up near the Iranian border. After the capture of 15 British navy shipmen by Iranian forces, I have to believe that the British will take part in a US attack if it goes that far. The military build up is said to be the largest since 2003 just before the US invaded Iraq. Word out of the Pentagon is that they have not yet made a final decision if or when an attack will take place.

Contrary to what US officials are saying, a well-known Russian journalist Andrei Uglanov in the Moscow weekly "Argumenty Nedeli" is reporting that according to his military sources a US attack on Iran will happen within the next 10 days. Here is a summary of his report regarding the timetable and the goals of the attack:

"The attack is slated to last for twelve hours, according to Uglanov, lasting from 4 AM until 4 PM local time. Friday [April 6th] is a holiday in Iran. In the course of the attack, code named Operation Bite, about 20 targets are marked for bombing; the list includes uranium enrichment facilities, research centers, and laboratories.

The first reactor at the Bushehr nuclear plant, where Russian engineers are working, is supposed to be spared from destruction. The US attack plan reportedly calls for the Iranian air defense system to be degraded, for numerous Iranian warships to be sunk in the Persian Gulf, and the for the most important headquarters of the Iranian armed forces to be wiped out.

The attacks will be mounted from a number of bases, including the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia is currently home to B-52 bombers equipped with standoff missiles. Also participating in the air strikes will be US naval aviation from aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, as well as from those of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Additional cruise missiles will be fired from submarines in the Indian Ocean and off the coast of the Arabian peninsula. The goal is allegedly to set back Iran’s nuclear program by several years". http://www.raidersnewsnetwork.com/full.php?news=4053

If this attack does take place, has Iran intentionally brought this upon themselves to hasten the coming of their messiah the Mahdi and to bring about a global holy war? Certainly as Christians, we realize that any supposed messiah figure that is produced by Iranian President Ahmadinejad will be an impostor but it could have far ranging implications for the one billion plus Moslems of the world. Here's what RIA Novosti political commentator Pyotr Goncharov had to say about the situation:

"There are many indications that in the past 12-13 months, Iran has been intentionally escalating the military tensions surrounding its nuclear program.

The rhetoric of the Iranian political and military elite has become much tougher; Tehran has been flexing its military muscle over the same issue, and has ostentatiously turned down the IAEA and UN Security Council proposals to return to the negotiating table in order to resolve the problem; and finally, the Iranian Navy captured 15 British sailors before the Security Council adopted its latest resolution on tougher sanctions against Tehran.

Many experts believe that Tehran unequivocally declared its claims to regional leadership after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president in the summer of 2005. More than a year ago, he demanded that the world community recognize Iran as a "regional superpower." Positioning itself like this, Tehran placed its bets primarily on nuclear technologies, strong anti-Israeli rhetoric, and Arab support throughout the Middle East.

Tehran did not conceal its intention to reduce American prestige in Arab eyes, if not to oust the United States from the region altogether. It was convinced that the U.S. had gotten stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan, and would not bother about Iran. This was an ideal chance to portray the Big Satan as a miserable paper tiger." http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070328/62741920.html

Whether Iran has underestimated how far the US and allies can stretch their military might or they truly believe that this will bring about the holy war they have longed for is unknown. They certainly didn't help themselves by bringing the British into the picture. That essentially gave Tony Blair, who was already down for the count for his involvement in the Iraqi war, a new political life.

As far as the US-led attack is concerned, we will know much more in the next couple of weeks, however, I don't foresee the attack being more than as described. The Bible says that Iran will play a major role in the partnership with Russia when they attack Israel in the last days (Ezekiel 38 & 39). Since that war is yet future, I believe their leadership will still be in control when the time comes.

In other news, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who holds the rotating office of EU president until June 30th, has vowed to have a roadmap for a constitution before the end of her term. Merkel's goal is to have the constitution ratified before the European Parliament elections in 2009.

Details of the text of the proposal were not disclosed but she did indicate that all 27 states had signed it.

Arab leaders at their summit on Wednesday urged Israel to accept the Saudi plan as is and suggested that a rejection of the plan would be like asking for war. "If Israel refuses, that means it doesn't want peace and it places everything back into the hands of fate. They will be putting their future not in the hands of the peacemakers but in the hands of the lords of war."

"It has never been proven that reaching out to Israel achieves anything," he told the Telegraph. "Other Arab countries have recognized Israel and what has that achieved? The largest Arab country, Egypt, recognized Israel and what was the result? Not one iota of change happened in the attitude of Israel towards peace." http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3382241,00.html

According to the Saudi peace initiative, all Arab nations will officially recognize Israel and bring about normalized relations with the Jewish state. In exchange, Israel will withdraw back to pre-1967 borders, and a Palestinian state will be created in Gaza and the West Bank with East Jerusalem as the capital. But the sticking point of the plan is a clause that allows Palestinian refugees the right of return to their land in Israeli territory before they were displaced in 1948.

Personally, I believe the Arab world is under the false assumption that they have the power to enforce a peace or war ultimatum with Israel. Is it possible that God has placed in their hearts the idea that this is the time for them to rise up and finally defeat their enemy Israel?

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said today that the Middle East is more dangerous than it has been for many many years. His reason for such dangerous times...Israel!

The Bible says that in the last days the world would be clamoring to figure out a way to solve the Israel problem. "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zechariah 12:3).

Are we on the verge of witnessing the day when all those who burden themselves with Israel will be cut to pieces?

Are you ready to meet the Lord? If not, your time is running out!

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Terry Malone