part 2

For Fair Use Discussion and Educational Purposes

http://aoreport.com/ao/

Originally posted on RITA Rapture in the Air on 3 18 2011

http://pub48.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=4086901292&frmid=13&msgid=1064523&cmd=show

Reposted on PreWrath & Pre Tribulation Rapture of the Church Forum

http://pub39.bravenet.com/forum/static/post.php?usernum=3330765498&frmid=8549&msgid=0&cp=1

On the flip side, Saudi’s Royal Family realizes that a Bahrain revolt would not only trigger massive unrest in Saudi Arabia but would also likely result in that island becoming a bastion for Iranian military power as the new government would throw out the US Navy’s 5th Fleet base and headquarters. This means that there is a battle for Bahrain that is emerging and if Iran wins that battle, then the battle will be on for control of Saudi Arabian and all of the oil in the Middle East.
Keep in mind that while Saudi Arabia is predominantly composed of Sunni sect Arabs, about 20% of the Saudi population is Shiite and the Shiites primarily reside along the Saudi coastline of the Persian Gulf where most of Saudi Arabia’s oil installations are located. Civil unrest within the Shiite community, combined with underground terror cells commanded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards could leave Saudi oil facilities open to devastating commando/terror attacks that could cripple or halt all Saudi oil production.
With all of this as background, it is easy to see the strategic threat to the world’s supply of oil courtesy of Iran.

Suddenly in 2011, Arab Sunni leaders find themselves facing a critical threat of extinction at the hands of Iran. The threat is so severe that Saudi King Abdullah defied the Iranian threat of retaliation and sent its military to the rescue of the King of Bahrain who is also of the Sunni Sect just as is the Saudi Royal Family.

The Iranians issued the threat, believing that the Saudi King would never take up the challenge and follow through. The Iranians underestimated the King and his ability to recognize the insidious intent of the Iranians efforts to foment revolution in Bahrain.
Indeed, Iran is largely responsible for the protests after it dispatched Hezbollah agents into Bahrain to organize protests and make preparations for guerilla war inside Bahrain.
On Monday, March 14, even as Saudi tanks and infantry rolled into Bahrain, the Saudi King dispatched thousands more troops to cover the Saudi coastline where the majority of Shiites live. The Saudi forces set up a primary headquarters in the coastal city of Qatif while other elements of the Army were stationed in key Shiite cities of Dahran, Tamim, Dammam and Jibil. The purpose of this military deployment was to be a warning for the two million Shiites living there. It was a signal to the Shiite communities to not even think about rise up against the throne or to even stage protest rallies. Consequently, the entire Shiite enclave along the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia looks like a Saudi military zone. The Saudi Royals are taking no chances considering Iran is heavily invested into the goal of regime change in Saudi Arabia.
For now, the Saudis await the next move by Iran in what is rapidly becoming an Islamic Civil War throughout the Middle East. Why do we say that? There are other theaters of conflict now emerging between the Shiite and Sunni sects. Let’s look at those areas of conflict next.

Iraq
As clashes between Sunni and Shiites developed in Bahrain in the past 10 days, new clashes between the two Islamic sects emerged in the Iraqi city of Najaf. On Thursday, March 17, thousands of Shiite protesters converged on their holy shrines in the holy city Najaf for a show of solidarity with their coreligionists in Bahrain. As this took place, Shiite leaders of Iraq huddled with the Grand Ayatollah Sistani to call for a holy war to be waged against the Sunni King of Bahrain and his government.
A decision on publishing such a “Fatwa” is not clear as the Shiite clergy at Najaf and the Grand Ayatollah ponder such a decision. Remember this development just took place hours ago as we go to publication here.
What we do understand is that should such a Fatwa be issued, Shiite elements of the Iraqi Army would automatically proceed to Bahrain to join the Shiite rebels in their fight against the Sunni King and his government. This would also place them in conflict with the Saudi Arabian Army. What’s more, the Iraqi Prime Minister who is Shiite could not stop these Shiite contingents from their call to a Shiite-Sunni civil war. The Iraqi government would be powerless to stop such an effort. Most likely it would end up triggering a Shiite-Sunni civil war within Iraq. It would also bring down the Iraqi government and turn the nation into anarchy.
Another interesting aspect though is the fact that the Grand Ayatollah Sistani has enough respect within the Shiite sect that should he issue such a fatwa, its power would extend not only to Iraqi Shiites but also to Iranian Shiites. It would force Iran to draft volunteers to fight in Bahrain at the bidding of the Iraqi hierarchy, thereby shifting the Shiite religious supremacy claimed by Iran to its rivals in Najaf. What a total turn-around that would be. It is something that Iranian leaders, both civil and religious do not wish to see.
More than likely, if Tehran sensed the Grand Ayatollah Sistani was to issue such a decree, then Iran’s Supreme Leader would pre-empt Sistani’s fatwa by issuing his own fatwa – and then the real war would begin between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Do we think this will happen or will cooler heads prevail? Well, one never knows about the Iranian regime. With every thing going in Iran’s favor these days, it seems highly illogical that Iran would wish to derail their success in a costly civil war with Saudi Arabia. We suspect that instead Iran will pressure Iraq’s Grand Ayatollah to defer a decision on the fatwa issue, for the time being. We also suspect that Sistani will be reluctant to upset the current status quo within Iraq, but he might feel compelled if enough pressure is exerted by a huge majority of the clergy ranked underneath him.

Lebanon
Under the direction of Iran, much of Hezbollah’s intelligence, logistical and financial resources are focused on fomenting and supporting a Bahrain revolution. Hezbollah’s leader, Sheik Nasrallah was therefore caught by surprise when bloody clashes erupted at midweek in various parts of Lebanon between Shiites and Sunnis. The clashes were in support of each side's factions in Bahrain. This was not something Nasrallah or Tehran had bargained for in Lebanon.

The violence on Wednesday failed to carry over into Thursday and Nasrallah and Tehran both must hope it stays that way. The last thing Hezbollah and Iran need is a new round of civil war in Lebanon that would divert Hezbollah from its strategic role in enlarging the growing Persian/Iranian Empire that now is in the embryonic development stage.

Syria
Minor protests in Damascus and other Syrian cities began to surface in the past two weeks prompting Syrian President Assad’s regime to round up and detain 3,000 dissidents including 1,000 Kurds. The detentions were conducted on March 15, 16.
Some analysts think this move could trigger a showdown between the majority Sunni sect and the minority Shiites. Many Sunnis are upset with Assad’s pro-Iranian alliance because Iran is a Shiite nation. In the event of a burgeoning Islamic civil war between Shiites and Sunnis, Syrian President Assad may find himself one its casualties and a regime change could ensue in Syria leading to a pro-Sunni regime.

Conclusion:
It remains to be seen how things will exactly play out in the Middle East other than it will have a negative impact for Israel. Will Satan first spark an Islamic civil war or is this something that God would stir up, much as He did in the Old Testament at times with Israel’s enemies. We think of Gideon as one example where Israel’s enemies turned on themselves. Perhaps this will be the case now. If so, it means we’re not yet quite on the cusp of the Tribulation Era although, it certainly seems that way now.
I suspect the next few weeks will reveal to us whether or not a Sunni-Shiite civil war will emerge. If it does not emerge, look for Iran to make significant inroads and create a Magog-Alliance which will march to fulfill Ezekiel’s prophecies of chapters 38 and 39. It is entirely possible that we could see such a war emerge this year or next year in 2012. At the moment however it seems things are in such a state of flux that it seems unlikely that a war with Israel is imminent unless a major incident mushrooms into war.