25 April 2014: This SITREP will focus on the current global military situation by looking at the top-tier military powers and their ability to project their power. War has been a dominant feature of life on planet Earth in the 20th century AD, and it continue to be a dominant feature ("wars and rumors of wars") until the end of the 70th Week. We will also engage in foresight from the Biblical perspective into the 70th Week. Some of you will notice that I remain absolutely consistent with the theme of the US playing a key role in the beast empire of the 70th Week.
It may come as a shock to some, but despite the much publicized downsizing of US military forces the US will remain the global military colossus it has been for the past six decades (since the end of WWII). One could say that the US is currently feigning weakness. And this would be consistent with one of the principle, albeit paraphrased, tenets of the ancient Chinese military genius Sun Tzu in his "The Art of War": "When you are strong, feign weakness, when you are weak, feign strength." Opposing the US is Russia, and right now Russia is flexing its military muscles against a relatively weak foe in Ukraine. This is where a full-scale military invasion appears to be imminent. But against a united NATO any Russian military adventurism would result in an overwhelming defeat for the forces of the red star.
When it comes to sheer, brute force, military power and the ability to project that power to any given point on planet earth, the USA is unrivaled by any nation or group of nations today. The chant "We're number 1" is no idle boast; it is a fact. The US defense budget for FY-14 is greater than the ten highest ranked military forces on the planet combined. Moreover the US exceeds their combined military spending by more than $105 billion dollars. Even more interesting is the fact that of those next top ten military forces, only two of them could be considered potential enemy's in a conflict, and all of the remainder constitute our closest military allies in Europe, the Pacific and in the Middle East. The second top ten military forces on planet Earth after the USA are, in relative order 2 through 10: Russia, China, India, UK, France, Germany, Turkey, South Korea, Japan and Israel.
US military spending for FY-15 is essentially unchanged in that a cut of .4 billion from the FY-14 spending still leaves the US with a $612.1 billion budget. This dwarfs the Russian budget of $76.6 billion and it is nearly five times that of Communist China's budget of $126 billion. The US has more proven, combat hardened soldiers than any nation on earth both on active duty or who would return to the call of duty if it were necessary such as in a world war scenario. Now add in the combined military forces and budgets of just our NATO, Japanese, South Korean, Australian and Israeli allies and one is staring squarely in the face of a $1 trillion dollar per year military colossus that has not yet had its full weight called into action on any field of battle.
The Bible's prophetic description of the power of this world dominating force might now have some more resonance when it is considered in light of these real-world facts. The most ancient description of the beast having crushing, trampling and tear to pieces power should not be lost as if it were mere hyperbole or of some purely symbolic meaning. On the contrary, the prophetic picture given to us in advance of that military power is as literal as literal can be and as accurate as accurate can be - even after the occurrence of the Harpazo. Take for example the vivid description of this military force in action as detailed by the angel Gabriel in Daniel 11:40-44 (with emphasis added):
When it comes to sheer, brute force, military power and the ability to project that power to any given point on planet earth, the USA is unrivaled by any nation or group of nations today. The chant "We're number 1" is no idle boast; it is a fact. The US defense budget for FY-14 is greater than the ten highest ranked military forces on the planet combined. Moreover the US exceeds their combined military spending by more than $105 billion dollars. Even more interesting is the fact that of those next top ten military forces, only two of them could be considered potential enemy's in a conflict, and all of the remainder constitute our closest military allies in Europe, the Pacific and in the Middle East. The second top ten military forces on planet Earth after the USA are, in relative order 2 through 10: Russia, China, India, UK, France, Germany, Turkey, South Korea, Japan and Israel.
US military spending for FY-15 is essentially unchanged in that a cut of .4 billion from the FY-14 spending still leaves the US with a $612.1 billion budget. This dwarfs the Russian budget of $76.6 billion and it is nearly five times that of Communist China's budget of $126 billion. The US has more proven, combat hardened soldiers than any nation on earth both on active duty or who would return to the call of duty if it were necessary such as in a world war scenario. Now add in the combined military forces and budgets of just our NATO, Japanese, South Korean, Australian and Israeli allies and one is staring squarely in the face of a $1 trillion dollar per year military colossus that has not yet had its full weight called into action on any field of battle.
The Bible's prophetic description of the power of this world dominating force might now have some more resonance when it is considered in light of these real-world facts. The most ancient description of the beast having crushing, trampling and tear to pieces power should not be lost as if it were mere hyperbole or of some purely symbolic meaning. On the contrary, the prophetic picture given to us in advance of that military power is as literal as literal can be and as accurate as accurate can be - even after the occurrence of the Harpazo. Take for example the vivid description of this military force in action as detailed by the angel Gabriel in Daniel 11:40-44 (with emphasis added):
"At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many."
It has been (wrongly I think) suggested that for Europe and the US (tarshish and her young lions) to only offer a toothless protest as described in Ezekiel 38:13 that they must be reduced to a 3rd rate power. The problem however, is this, we have yet to be reduced to a 3rd rate power and isn't the scenario described in Ezekiel a precise description of us today? I would submit that the reason we only offer a half hearted, toothless protest is because sadly under the current administration we simply don't care about our longstanding, trusted ally Israel.
ReplyDeletehartdawg,
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion you are absolutely correct on why some have misidentified response from Tarshish and all its young lions as "toothless." Well done Brother!
Sean: I agree with your assessment. US has been and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with. After watching "Pearl Harbor", I'd say we could use a FDR today. But that wouldn't be scriptural.
ReplyDeleteKen,
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean and you are absolutely correct about our need for a strong wartime leader, but we asked for twice and received twice the leader that we asked for.
I think a majority of the electorate actually believed that we were living in a time where a "peace dividend" president like Zero would be to our benefit.
Now those folks have been suddenly awakened with the reality that an wimp CInC is the wrong answer to Hitler-like blatant military conquest. However, the prophecy from Jesus' own lips tells us that the next strong leader will be the one who comes in his own name and not for our need. (John 5:43)
"Anonymous'" penchant to differ in opposition based upon his own personal views and not from any position close to resembling a Biblical perspective has been abbreviated in active moderation this morning. That moderation will continue indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the moderation process there was one sentence which passes muster for posting:
"Sean, your right, Israel does not have 8 months to move logistics and personnel in place to protect the Petroleum Shiekdoms."
This is about as close as I think this 'Anonymous' individual is capable of approaching a confirmation of the prophetic alliance that has long been evident between "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all the young lions thereof..." that is the centerpiece of the Ezekiel 38:13 prophecy.
This prophetic alliance has been in real-world evidence ever since the "Tanker War" that erupted in the Persian Gulf during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. Once again knowing or learning recent history provides a basis for understanding the very basis for the inerrant accuracy of the Ezekiel 38:13 prophecy.
It is no great mystery that the safe transit of petroleum supertankers from Sunni nations (primarily from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar) of the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz were protected by "Tarshish and all the young lions thereof" after the Iraqi airstrikes on the Kharg Island oil terminal in 1984.
The Iraqi airstrike was intended to force Iran to attempt a closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all Sunni commercial oil traffic and thereby bring the US and other western nations into the war on Iraq's side at a time when the war was not going in Iraq's favor.
The Iranian counter-invasion of Iraq landlocked Iraqi oil shipments and made Kuwait indispensable to Saddam's ability to sell his oil. This was the basis for Saddam's invasion and seizure of Kuwait exactly two years after the August 1988 conclusion of the Iran-Iraq War in in August 1990. The US-led Coalition of Nations in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm resulted, which eventually led to the second US-led Coalition war against Iraq known as Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
This is one of the reasons I see Jeremiah 49:34-39 as another future US-led Coalition war against a nuclear-armed Iran, as a proactive defense of the "Sheba and Dedan" allies against Iranian nuclear hegemony in the oil-rich Gulf.
I totally agree with your assessment and conclusions, but for a different reason, (it's actually more of an additional reason rather than a different reason), please correct me if I'm wrong, cuz I very well may be, but think about this, in the days prior to the Lord's coming, (harpadzo or second coming???), people will be buying and selling, planting and building....with the current global system and connections, if America ceased to be a global power then the global ramifications would be such that there would be no planting and building......based on that prophesied scenario I can't conceive America becoming a 3rd rate nation. Make sense?
ReplyDeleteYup, makes perfect sense and its the same thing I also believe about the last days, just stated a little differently. Those are the things people will be doing when the Great Tribulation suddenly sweeps them all away like a flood.
ReplyDelete