thetrumpet--2020-01-09--Weapons Sales Booming For Top 100 Arms Manufacturers

President Trump has restored deterrence against Iranian attack .
Will he now turn over Iraq ?
jerusalem Iran ’ s awaited response to the death of its arch-general Qassem Suleimani came overnight as it fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at United States bases in neighboring Iraq .
No American , Iraqi or coalition servicemen were killed in the strikes , which will likely allow the serious attack to pass without a U.S. response .
According to the Associated Press , the attack was “ Iran ’ s most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tv said it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Suleimani.
” Around 2 a.m. Iraqi time , most of the missiles landed at the Ain al-Asad air base , home to 1,500 U.S. soldiers and other anti-Islamic State forces .
A few other missiles landed near a base in the Kurdish capital of Erbil , also home to U.S. forces .
Two missiles failed to detonate .
The Ain al-Asad air base is likely a symbolic target for Iran , as it was the first base used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Saddam Hussein ’ s regime in 2003 .
It was also the first Iraqi base visited by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2018 .
Nevertheless , since no U.S. servicemen were killed in the attack , there will be no need for the United States to respond .
Comments from both the U.S. and Iran show that it is unlikely any further direct strikes will be forthcoming .
President Trump ’ s tweet immediately following the attack indicated that his redline for U.S. retribution had not been crossed .
A statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irgc ) during the attack , codenamed “ Martyr Suleimani , ” warned of more attacks if the “ Great Satan ” responded to its missiles .
However , a tweet from Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif implied that the overnight missile strike was enough retribution for the death of Suleimani .
The fact that the missiles were fired directly from Iranian territory against American interests , a first for the 40-year-old Islamic Republic , will likely be enough to save face and deescalate the situation .
Iranian media is also claiming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the supposed deaths of 80 Americans as a result of the strike .
Contrary to how it will be painted in Iran , the missile strike against America will be seen elsewhere as a fundamentally weak response to the death of its arch-terrorist general .
It was not an accident that Iran struck these U.S. bases with so many missiles and without the death of any U.S. servicemen .
Prominent Iraqi analyst Michael Pregent told the bbc this morning that Iran used its precision-guided missiles in the attack to purposely “ miss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” All told , the nature of the Iranian strike is an acknowledgment that President Trump ’ s killing of Qassem Suleimani and his clear redline on American casualties have temporarily restored United States deterrence against Iranian attacks .
Since coming into office , President Trump and his administration have forthrightly acknowledged Iran as the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world and the dangerous belligerent in the Middle East .
Contrary to past U.S. administrations , Mr. Trump has not allowed the Iranian regime to hide behind its proxy organizations .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the actions of its proxy network , whether Hezbollah , the Houthis , Hamas or Shiite militias in Iraq .
And when one of those proxies killed a U.S. citizen in Iraq on December 27 and orchestrated a march on the U.S. Embassy a week later , President Trump exacted revenge on Iran .
This crucial change in the U.S. ’ s perception of Iran was acknowledged in Lee Smith ’ s piece at Tablet Magazine last night .
Smith wrote : In making Iran accountable , Trump has knocked Iran down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safer from Iranian aggression than they have in fact been at any point in the last 40 years , during which Iranian proxies have repeatedly killed large numbers of Americans .
Killing Suleimani is a much more important operation than those targeting [ Islamic State ] leader al-Baghdadi and even bin Laden , since it will likely shape the future actions of a state , not the leadership rotation of terror groups .
Iranian-backed terror isn ’ t a stubborn , unchanging fact of the international landscape , except to the degree that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of appeasement that began in 1979 with the embassy takeover , culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( jcpoa ) when the Obama administration flooded Suleimani ’ s war chests with hundreds of billions of dollars and legitimized Iran ’ s “ right ” to a large-scale nuclear weapons program .
In line with the decades-long U.S. policy of augmenting the Iranian threat in order to avoid taking action against it , Obama said the only alternative to giving Iran the bomb was war .
Donald Trump was vilified when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in the eyes of the foreign-policy establishment , he committed an even graver sin by exposing the 40-year-old lie that U.S. policymakers , right and left , had cultivated to rationalize their collective unwillingness to protect Americans from Iranian terror .
In acknowledging that Iran is the head of the terrorist snake and holding Iran responsible for the acts of its proxies , President Trump has been able to restore deterrence against future attacks .
However , that deterrence does not announce the end of the Iranian regime or the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are some worrying signs that after this face-saving Iranian reprisal , President Trump could make a decision that empowers the Iranian regime even more .
In the hours following the strike , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a thunderous speech broadcast throughout Iran stating that “ the people of Iran slapped America in the face ” with the missile strike .
The crowd followed with the usual “ Death to America ” and “ Death to Israel ” chants .
Khamenei acknowledged that he was not satisfied with just the limited strike .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. forces from the Middle East .
“ This kind of attack is not enough .
The U.S. must be uprooted from the region because they brought destruction to this region , ” he stated .
The ayatollah ’ s link of the soft missile attack to the removal of United States forces from the region is interesting , considering a letter that made it to the press on Monday .
The letter was from the United States Army to Iraqi military joint operations command , announcing that the U.S. was willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The letter was sent to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi who said he received a copy of the letter in both English and Arabic .
Abdul Mahdi said that he had asked for clarifications of the letter because there seemed to be differences in the Arabic and English versions .
While the U.S. government has claimed the letter was a draft , the very existence of a draft shows that the U.S. is considering removing its forces from Iraq .
Furthermore , many of President Trump ’ s most vocal supporters believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq .
Lee Smith , author of The Plot Against the President , wrote the following for the New York Post this morning : In the piece , Smith lays out the case that despite the fact that America has spent billions of dollars and thousands of American lives , “ Tehran has more influence with Baghdad than Washington does.
” He continued : Those who advocate staying in Iraq are arguing largely from an admirable but impractical principle—the U.S. must not cut and run .
From that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one final victory from beyond the grave .
In reality , a U.S. withdrawal is more likely to cause problems for Tehran .
The departure of U.S. forces would restore the regional dynamics to their natural state in which Iran is a Persian Shiite power surrounded by a sea of Sunni Arabs more keen for revenge than ever after the depredations suffered over the last two decades in Iraq as well as Syria .
While Smith is correct on his point that Tehran ’ s influence in Iraq is greater than the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sunni Arabs would be able to counter Iran ’ s position when America withdraws from Iraq is far from assured .
One could argue , as President Trump may , that it is not the United States ’ problem whether or not the Sunni Arabs can stand up to Iran .
Indeed , President Trump may follow Smith ’ s advice and use Suleimani ’ s death to let us “ get out of the Iraqi quagmire on a high note.
” It is hard not to view surrendering Iraq as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grave , ” especially in light of what Bible prophecy says about Iran and Iraq .
Since 1992 , Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has referred to Iran as leading the biblically prophesied group of Islamic nations that pushes the world toward war .
This prophecy in Daniel 11:40 states , “ And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him : and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind , with chariots , and with horsemen , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enter into the countries , and shall overflow and pass over.
” Because Iraq is prophesied to join this “ king of the south , ” or radical Islam , led by Iran , Mr .
Flurry has forecast for decades that Iraq will eventually fall to Iran .
A December 1994 Trumpet headline asked , “ Is Iraq About to Fall to Iran ?
” That headline was repeated in 2003 , when the U.S. ousted Iraq ’ s Saddam Hussein from power .
Recently , we have shown Qassem Suleimani ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Iraq .
While Smith is correct in asserting the strong grasp that Iran has over the Iraqi government , the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq will not presage a new era of Iraqi nationalism to stand up against the Iranian regime .
In fact , it will have the opposite effect—Iraq will be swallowed up by Iran .
At the Trumpet we do not advocate a withdrawal or consolidation of U.S. forces in Iraq , we simply declare biblically based forecasts .
Those prophecies foretell that Iraq will be engulfed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and form a critical part of the radical Islamic kingdom led by Iran .
President Trump may have restored deterrence against Iran by killing Gen. Qassem Suleimani .
However , the United States ’ consideration of leaving Iraq at this very moment shows that Iran ’ s power in the region will not diminish in the long run .
If you would like to understand how we can be so sure of an Iranian takeover of Iraq and the events that will follow , please read Gerald Flurry ’ s booklet The King @ @ @ @

A study by a Swedish think tank has found that the world’s 100 largest weapons companies saw an increase in sales in 2018. Sales totaled $420 billion, which is a 4.6 percent increase over 2017 and 47 percent above sales in 2002.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which conducted the study, found that the largest increases came from American companies, but European companies also experienced an increase in sales. Results from China’s weapons companies were not included, however, because of the lack of reliable data.
The five largest weapons producers are all from the United States and make up 35 percent of sales by the world’s largest arms companies. American firm Lockheed Martin took first place with a 5.2 percent increase in 2018, representing 11 percent of sales by the top 100 companies. This was largely due to F-35 fighter jet sales to various governments.
According to the report, the U.S. government has pledged to expand its military weapons program against its two biggest opponents: Russia and China.
The trend of boosting weapons and armaments follows the trend of rising gun sales in America. The increase of mass shootings has led to a corresponding increase in weapons licenses, gun sales and individuals taking concealed carry classes.
The U.S. has 120.5 guns per 100 people, and that number continues to rise.
We are living in a dangerous world. Governments are boosting weapons production and stockpiling armaments. Meanwhile, citizens are doing the same. There is unease and tension everywhere.
But are guns really going to protect citizens? Where is this increase in weapon stockpiling leading?
The Bible reveals that these weapons will be used.
In Haggai 2:7, God says, “I will shake all nations.” In the Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s November-December 2014 article, he wrote:
This is global. This has never happened before. This is in the end time, and it is happening to all nations. Even now, many are shaking—and all of them should be. This verse could read, “The world is descending into chaos”—because God says He will shake all nations! God prophesied this turmoil would happen.
The world is descending into chaos and the increasing stockpile of weapons shows where this is all leading.
After the disciples asked Jesus Christ what would be the sign of the end of this age, He responded: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom …. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:6-7, 21-22).
Wars are prophesied to come in these last days with destruction beyond anything this world has ever seen. Several world governments already have nuclear weapons and the power to wipe out all human life.
But as Jesus said, human extinction will not come, because “for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
America will not be saved from destruction because it has the biggest armament companies, nor will its citizens be safer because it has more guns than any other nation. But there is a way that you can be protected. God says He will protect His very elect. If you want to be saved from the coming wars, buying up weapons is not the way. It takes reliance on and obedience to God.
In “As Gun Sales Rise, What Is Your Source of Protection?”, Trumpet managing editor Joel Hilliker wrote:
God does promise in many scriptural passages that in the coming Tribulation, He will provide a special place of protection for His people. You can read about this by requesting our free booklet Jordan and God’s Church in Prophecy. There is no limit on God’s ability to intervene on your behalf—except the quality of your faith and obedience. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). Are you doing what is pleasing in his sight? The question is about to become one of life and death: Do you have God’s protection?
Psalm 33:16-22 say, “There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.”
God is “our help and our shield.” If we fear God and trust Him, no matter what destruction comes on the world—and it will come—God promises to protect us. As Mr. Hilliker asked, as the world prepares for war, “[d]o you have God’s protection?”


thetrumpet--2020-01-09--Israel’s Economy Booms Amid EastMed Pipeline Deal

From left : Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades , Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands before signing an agreement for the construction of the Eastern Mediterranean natural gas pipeline , in Athens , Greece , on January 2 .
The world is focused , rightly , on the Middle East right now .
But another shift , just to the east , could be equally significant .
A new pipeline has set in motion a shift in alliances that has major implications for Europe and the world .
On January 2 , Israel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build a new natural gas pipeline , connecting gas reserves in Israeli and Cypriot waters to Greece .
A later project is planned to connect Italy .
It ’ s a big deal .
The $ 7 billion pipeline would supply 10 percent of Europe ’ s natural gas needs .
But while the three countries have been negotiating , Turkey has been plotting the pipeline ’ s demise .
It has formed an alliance with one of the factions in Libya ’ s civil war to try and extend its territory and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Nations-backed Libyan Government of National Accord ( gna ) signed an agreement on November 27 that sets the maritime boundaries between the two nations .
The territory claimed by Libya cuts straight across the proposed pipeline route .
“ In striking the deal with Libya , analysts say Ankara has essentially put both Greece and Cyprus on immediate watch , showing it is prepared to act tough to get its way and/or force new negotiations over their long-standing disputes , ” wrote Reuters .
To cement the alliance , Turkey sent soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdoğan confirmed their arrival on Sunday .
Turkey also announced its plans to buy six new submarines , beefing up its ability to hold the territory it claims .
All this marks a big shift for the region .
Here ’ s what it changes : Cyprus is right in the middle of all this , and it ’ s a country that needs to be on your radar .
It was also the subject of Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry ’ s November-December 2019 cover article , “ Why Germany Conquered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained that Germany has used its economy to dominate Cyprus because it is crucial to projecting power into the Middle East and North Africa .
He also forecast that Germany would gain more military dominance on Cyprus .
“ Britain has two large bases on Cyprus , taking up about 3 percent of the country , ” he wrote .
“ Yet the nation really controlling this area has been the United States ; those bases have been an invaluable asset in America ’ s Mideast military campaigns .
Now , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … Justified as it might be , Brexit puts the future of those bases on Cyprus in doubt .
I forecast that Britain is going to lose control of those bases .
… Brexit gives Germany a chance to take over those British bases.
” Now , Cyprus is menaced by an expansionist Turkey .
Turkey invaded the northern part of the island in 1974 , and the Turkish Army still has a major presence there .
Now it is planning to set up a naval base on the island , the Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Turkey has also been sending its drilling ships into Cypriot waters , drawing condemnation from the European Union .
With Turkey stepping up the pressure , Cyprus needs allies more than ever .
America won ’ t help much ; it is looking to get out of the Middle East .
It ’ s easy to see that Turkey ’ s expansion will push Cyprus closer to Europe—and Germany .
Turkey ’ s shift from an alliance with the U.S. to an alliance with Russia has been one of the big stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve pointed out from the start of the shift , Turkey and Russia don ’ t have a huge amount in common , and the relationship can not last .
Turkey stepping into the Libyan civil war could really strain relations with Russia .
Russia is backing the Libyan National Army , sending mercenaries and weapons .
Turkish soldiers and Russian mercenaries are now fighting on opposite sides of the war .
They could even end up shooting at each other .
It ’ s possible that the two have already come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even so , it shows that as Turkey flexes its muscles in the region , its interests will increasingly put it at odds with Moscow .
Turkey is growing into quite the expansionist power .
It has the most powerful military in the Middle East .
Its navy is the fourth largest in the region .
This year , it is scheduled to become the proud owner of a new aircraft carrier—the ultimate symbol of power projection .
Turkey has invaded northern Syria and sent more than 2,000 soldiers into Iraq .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a smaller one in Qatar .
George Friedman described Turkey ’ s move into Libya as “ a major shift.
” In Syria , and elsewhere , it has already been “ extending Turkey ’ s unofficial border into Ottoman-era territories.
” This recent move steps up that policy considerably .
Libya is a major source of oil and gas .
Turkey , unable to find any in its own territory , has been watching its neighbors strike it big with undersea deposits .
Influence over Libya ’ s resources could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In addition to wanting to secure sources of energy , Turkey wants to make it clear that the Eastern Mediterranean is a region where Turkish interests have to be considered , ” wrote Friedman .
He concluded that “ the maritime delimitation agreement with Libya has made Turkey the driving force in the region for now and , we think , in the long run.
” This is probably the biggest takeaway from the whole story .
Whether it ’ s the Syrian war , Israeli natural gas or Libyan resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bold statement : If you ’ re going to do anything , we must be involved .
If not , we have the power to make things much more difficult .
The Alliance to Watch For Turkey ’ s not a superpower , but it can not be ignored .
We ’ ve been watching for one country in particular to pay special attention to Turkey .
Russia and Turkey have a long history—of fighting .
Just try counting how many wars they ’ ve been on opposite sides of .
Hint : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the Russo-Turkish War , ” with the dates in brackets .
They were so common , historians didn ’ t even bother giving them numbers .
Once the Ottoman Turks settled down and stopped trying to take over Vienna , they had a much more stable relationship with European powers—especially with Germany .
As Germany unified and rose in power in the late 19th century , Turkey was its gateway to the Middle East .
Turkey went through coups and revolutions , but Germany worked hard to remain its partner .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War i. Germany used this alliance to spread its influence across the Middle East .
Turkey was the key pivot in Germany ’ s effort to stir Arabs into revolt against the British Empire .
“ Germany sought to harness the forces of militant Islam to its cause with the help of its ally Turkey , ” wrote historian Peter Hopkirk in his book On Secret Service East of Constantinople .
“ By unleashing a holy war against them , Wilhelm and his hawkish advisers aimed to drive the British out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caucasus and Central Asia .
It was a bold and adventurous strategy , for there were no precedents for a jihad in modern warfare.
” Turkey and Germany already have a close relationship .
Germany is Turkey ’ s top trading partner and the destination for 10 percent of its exports .
Germany has been relying on Turkey to stop its migrant crisis .
The EU pays Turkey to stop Syrian migrants from traveling to the rest of Europe .
Military relations between Turkey and Germany have been so close that , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an article titled “ Turkish Military Power , Made by Germany ?
” These days , relations between the two have been strained .
Erdoğan seems to believe Germany supported the coup against him in 2016 , and in 2017 , Turkey arrested a German citizen working for a German news outlet .
Any German cooperation with Turkey is unpopular with the German public because of Turkey ’ s attacks on Kurds in Syria .
These types of tensions would normally doom a relationship .
But German leaders have indicated they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upgrades to Turkey ’ s Leopard 2 tanks—on hold until a more opportune time , rather than canceling them outright .
When you see Turkey ’ s actions in Libya over the last month , it ’ s clear why .
If Germany has any ambitions in the Middle East and North Africa , it pays not to upset Turkey .
“ You watch what happens with Turkey and Germany , ” Mr .
Flurry said in a May 2012 Key of David program .
“ Turkey ’ s going to be allied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wedge between those two great countries , Turkey and Iran.
” He based this statement on Bible prophecy—a prophecy that aligns closely with current trends .
Modern-day Turks are the descendants of Esau , also known as Edom .
For proof , read our article “ East , West or Neither ?
” Psalm 83 is a prophecy about Germany ’ s relations with a variety of countries in the Middle East .
It ’ s an alliance that has never happened in history .
That is because it is prophecy about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Edom is at the top of the list of German allies in this prophecy .
Turkey is also singled out in the book of Obadiah for a major warning .
Obadiah says that Turkey will be “ as one of them ” —referring to the European conglomerate rising in Europe .
It is not part of the European Union , but it is a close ally .
Obadiah 14 gives more detail : “ Neither shouldest thou [ Turkey ] have stood in the crossway ….
” This crossway is a reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and Asia ; more specifically , it refers to the giant bridge spanning the Bosporus , a literal crossway between European and Asiatic Turkey .
The Bosporus Bridge was completed in 1973 .
In World War i , Turkey was the bridge for Germany , helping it reach out to other Muslim nations .
As Turkey returns to Islam , could it play that role again ?
Turkey ’ s and Germany ’ s interests don ’ t align perfectly .
And though powerful , Turkey is not a superpower—it needs an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a much better fit than either Russia or the U.S. Turkey is both geographically and religiously a nation that Germany can use to expand its power .
Germany ’ s rise in the world and its push into the Middle East is a key prophetic trend to watch .
And the Bible says Turkey will play a key role in enabling that push .
The Bible also reveals that this push is about much more than dealing with Iran or containing the instability in the Middle East .
Though it hides it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to conquer Jerusalem .
“ Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in Islam .
It is also probably the holiest site of the European Union .
You will see that more and more as Europe completes its formation into a Holy Roman Empire , ” wrote Mr .
Flurry .
“ It currently has 28 member nations , but to play this part as a religious empire , Bible prophecy says the EU will pare down to a smaller number of core nations bound by religion and led by a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ betray Israel in the Middle East , as well as Britain and America , by aiding Germany .
All of these events are laid out clearly in prophecies written thousands of years ago .
They ’ re unfolding according to a definite plan .
The book of Obadiah is one of the most sobering books in the Bible .
It has some troubling passages about what Turkey will help Europe do to Britain and America—as well as what will come back on Turkey .
Thankfully , it ends by saying that “ saviours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kingdom shall be the Lord ’ s ” ( verse 21 ) .
If this book can prove so accurate about Turkey ’ s fate , then the part about saviors and a coming Kingdom of God can be trusted too .
The events of the next few years are part of the process that will lead to the Kingdom being the Lord ’ s .
For more on what the Bible prophesies for this volatile region for the year ahead , read our free booklet The King of the South .

Israel signed a deal with Cyprus and Greece on January 2 to build an undersea natural gas pipeline from Israel to continental Europe. When completed, it will be the longest underwater pipeline in the world.
The 1,200-mile-long EastMed pipeline will run from Israel’s Levantine Basin offshore gas reserves to Cyprus, through the island of Crete, and then to the Greek mainland, bypassing Turkey. From there, the pipeline will continue overland to northwestern Greece. Another undersea pipeline is planned to carry the gas from Greece to Italy.
The estimated $6.7 billion project involves several technical difficulties, such as crossing several deep trenches, crossing a fault line south of Crete where several earthquakes occur, and the obvious problem of funding.
As a result of these difficulties, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz expects the EastMed pipeline to take up to seven years to build. However, he also said that the pipeline would be less vulnerable to sabotage because it is underwater and it does not cross many national borders before reaching markets.
Before leaving for Athens, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is set to become a “powerhouse in terms of energy” with its offshore gas reserves. He added that the three countries have established “an alliance of great importance” that will bolster regional stability.
The new pipeline is expected to be able to carry between 9 and 12 billion cubic meters of gas a year, satisfying about 10 percent of the “energy hungry” European Union’s gas needs.
After the deal was signed, Netanyahu was quoted by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, saying, “This a big day for Israel, which is becoming an energy power. We signed supply agreements with many neighbors; this strengthens the [Israeli] economy.”
This incredible signing comes just two weeks after Israel signed a deal to begin exporting natural gas from its lucrative Leviathan fields to Egypt. Steinitz called the deal a “historical landmark” for Israel. According to Ynet News, Steinitz said, “The natural gas revolution turns us into an energy power,” and this deal will provide “huge income for the country.”
Israel’s Surging Economy
Israel’s economy is booming, and these two natural gas exporting deals will bring more revenue and more economic growth to the Jewish state.
“The significance of this project is that we are turning Israel into a major energy power,” stated Netanyahu in a cabinet meeting on Sunday. “Last week, already, we started to export gas from the Leviathan field to Jordan; later on, we will also export gas to Egypt. This project will put billions of shekels per annum into state coffers. This money will be directed to investments in health, social services, education, infrastructure and things that will serve every citizen of the State of Israel.”
Israel has historically been dependent on imports, but this is slowly changing. Netanyahu continued: “The goal of converting our energy from coal to gas will change the status of Israel. For all the years of its existence, Israel imported energy, and this has been overturned. … This will greatly strengthen the Israeli economy.”
Netanyahu went on to describe the current state of Israel’s economy. In the field of tourism, the Jewish state has seen a 70 percent increase over the past five years, reaching an all-time high of 4.5 million tourists last year.
In the field of cybersecurity, Israel is second only to the United States. The 2019 CyberTech Conference in Tel Aviv announced that Israel received 20 percent of the overall cyberinvestments worldwide. Over the course of 2018, cybersecurity investments in Israel surged by a record-breaking 47 percent.
According to data from the Central Intelligence Agency’s 2019 World Factbook, between 2004 and 2013, Israel’s gross domestic product growth averaged a significant 5 percent per year. Then between 2014 and 2017, Israel’s gdp growth stabilized around an average of 2.8 percent per year, a very positive growth rate.
When Netanyahu became the finance minister in Ariel Sharon’s cabinet in 2003, Israel’s debt-to-gdp ratio was over 90 percent. By 2009, it was down to 74 percent. It is now at 59.5 percent.
Israel’s economic resurgence comes as the United States economy is also experiencing growth. Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, the U.S economy has seen significant growth. According to the 2019 third quarter report from Factcheck.org, since Mr. Trump’s inauguration, the U.S. economy has had a growth rate of 2 percent, a 25 percent increase in job openings (6 million more jobs), and a 3.5 percent decline in the unemployment rate.
The United States and Israel are living in a time of prosperity and national security.
Resurgence in History
This shared economic boom in the two nations parallels an ancient time of economic resurgence in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, under King Jeroboam ii and King Uzziah, respectively.
In “A Prophesied Resurgence in Israel,” Trumpet contributing editor Brad Macdonald drew comparisons between Jewish life in the eighth century b.c. under King Uzziah of Judah and the modern State of Israel’s economic prosperity today under Netanyahu. He wrote:
Judah’s resurgence is recorded in 2 Chronicles 26 and 2 Kings 15. The Chronicles account meticulously describes King Uzziah’s military victories, his power and fame, and Judah’s impressive “economic, military and cultural renaissance” (esv Bible Atlas). Under Uzziah, Judah attained wealth and glory not seen since the days of King Solomon. … So the Bible relates two crucial details about the resurgences in Israel and Judah. First, they occurred at exactly the same time. Second, though Jeroboam ii and Uzziah were extraordinary leaders, the ultimate source of their success was God. He sponsored the revitalization in both Israel and Judah.
2 Chronicles 26:5 says that “as long as [Uzziah] sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” This resurgence was not because of Uzziah’s own might or prowess; it was given by God.
At the same time, the northern kingdom of Israel was also experiencing a resurgence. 2 Kings 14:25 says that Jeroboam ii, one of the last kings of Israel, “restored the coast of Israel” ushering in a time of military dominance, political peace and economic prosperity. Verse 27 says that God “saved [Israel] by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.”
Jeroboam ii reigned in Israel for 41 years—the longest reign of any king in the northern kingdom of Israel. God used this king to save Israel temporarily from the coming captivity. Notice what Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in the May-June 2018 Trumpet:
King Jeroboam ii was not a righteous man—he did evil, and committed the same sins against God and the throne of David that the first Jeroboam had. Nevertheless, the Bible records something remarkable: God actually used this unrighteous king to help the nation! … This resurgence was not because of any personal greatness or leadership skill by Jeroboam. It was because God took pity on Israel in its affliction. It was because God did not want the name of Israel blotted out. It was because God saved Israel! And that resurgence was temporary. Not long after, Israel was conquered and its people dispersed in captivity to the Assyrians.
Resurgence in Prophecy
In The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong explained that Britain and the United States are the modern descendants of ancient Israel, specifically the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, while the modern Jewish state is primarily descended from the tribe of Judah. Just as the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah experienced a temporary resurgence, their modern descendants are also experiencing a temporary resurgence.
Mr. Armstrong frequently said that one third of the Bible is prophecy, and 90 percent of that prophecy is for the end time just before the coming of the Messiah. More than just history, this ancient resurgence is also prophecy for us today. In Isaiah’s End-Time Vision, Mr. Flurry writes, “Although many prophecies have been fulfilled in the past, most of them were only a small type of the greater end-time fulfillment.”
What we are seeing right now in Israel’s rise as an “energy superpower” through the signing of the EastMed natural gas pipeline is proof of this fulfilled prophecy.
However, this national resurgence is only temporary.
To learn more, please read “Saving America From the Radical Left—Temporarily,” by Gerald Flurry, and “A Prophesied Resurgence in Israel,” by Brad Macdonald.


thetrumpet--2020-01-08--Kenya Terrorist Attack Kills Three Americans

Al Qaeda-linked terrorists conducted their first attack against a United States base in Kenya on Sunday, resulting in the death of three Americans.
Militants from the al-Shabaab group attacked the Manda Bay Airfield in Kenya, killing an American service member and two Pentagon contractors. According to the U.S. Africa Command statement released on Twitter, two other Americans were wounded and six aircraft were damaged in the predawn attack.
U.S. Secretary of Defense @EsperDoD expresses condolences to the families of the three Americans killed in Manda Bay, Kenya. https://t.co/dGkcCmF288 — US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) January 8, 2020
“The attack on the compound today involved indirect and small arms fire,” stated the U.S. Africa Command press release. In a major security lapse, the al-Shabaab terrorists breached the perimeter and made it inside the military outpost. “After an initial penetration of the perimeter, Kenya Defense Forces and U.S. Africa Command repelled the al-Shabaab attack.”
According to Geopolitical Futures, “[Al-Shabaab] claimed that it attacked the military base for the sake of ‘al-Quds’ (Jerusalem), which is similar rhetoric to that used by the Iranians to legitimize previous operations of Suleimani.”
This attack followed an al-Shabaab bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, last month, which killed at least 85 people and injured nearly twice as many. A similar attack in 2017 killed almost 600 people. Significantly, it also came the day after the U.S. assassination of Quds Force Cmdr. Qassem Suleimani and the appointment of his successor, Ismail Qaani. The attack appears to have been hastily organized and poorly executed, as if done in a rush. Though evidence is circumstantial, this seems to indicate that the attack was retribution for Suleimani’s death.
The new Quds Force commander has a background in counterintelligence and is experienced in staying out of the media spotlight. Similarly, this attack, which killed three Americans, went largely uncovered in media while the focus remained on the Middle East and the death of one American.
“Many Americans and members of Congress ask why the U.S. is still fighting terrorism in Africa—in the Horn and against Boko Haram in West Africa,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. “Reports occasionally emerge that the Trump administration is questioning the commitment.”
Al-Shabaab is an al Qaeda-linked terrorist organization seeking to establish a self-governed Islamic state in East Africa. In 2008, it was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States government. Al-Shabaab militants are believed to have received training in Afghanistan about waging asymmetric and surprise warfare. In the past, the group has also shown that it is willing to attack larger forces than its own and has expressed its intent to attack the U.S. homeland and its citizens.
Somalia hasn’t had an effective national government for more than 20 years, and much of the country is an ongoing war zone. Al-Shabaab has tried to seize control of the government, gaining control of as much as 40 percent of Somalia in 2011. It was forced out of Mogadishu in 2011 and out of the vital port of Kismayo in 2012; since then, the group has relied heavily on the lucrative charcoal trade and the tolls and taxes it collects at various checkpoints throughout the country.
This group of radical terrorists follows the Wahhabi branch of Islam, which is typically opposed to the Shiite branch of Islam. Iran is predominantly a Shiite nation. Despite these differences, however, Iran supports and occasionally works with al-Shabaab. There is a functioning relationship between the two.
The U.S. Africa Command press release on January 6 stated, “Contrary to various open source reports, U.S. Africa Command does not assess yesterday’s attack by al-Shabaab is linked to Iran. While Iranian involvement is not suspected in the attack, U.S. Africa Command has observed other nations, including Iran, seek increased influence in the Horn of Africa.”
The Horn of Africa’s primary importance to Iran is to help exert control over the vital Red Sea shipping lane. An estimated 4.8 million barrels per day of crude oil and refined petroleum flowed through this strait in 2016 toward Europe, the United States and Asia.
In Libya and Ethiopia in Prophecy, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry described how Iran is using al-Shabaab to gain control of this vital shipping lane:
In addition to the radical Islamist problem festering inside its borders and the growing threat from Eritrea, Ethiopia is under increasing threat from the radical Islamist presence in Somalia. Mogadishu’s Transitional Federal Government is frail and politically immature, two issues made worse by the fact that it is under near-constant attack from al-Shabaab and its regional supporters, including Iran. Ethiopia’s border with Somalia is nearly 1,000 miles long, and the risk of the Islamist war spilling over into Ethiopia is real, which is why Ethiopia supports the tfg. By doing so, however, Ethiopia risks becoming a target of al-Shabaab and its radical Islamist partners. … No matter what angle you view it from, the picture is the same: Ethiopia is under extreme pressure to come under the influence of radical Islam! Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, and via its Islamic allies in Egypt is fast gaining decisive influence over the Suez Canal. When it eventually gains influence over Ethiopia and Eritrea, Iran will control the Red Sea. When that happens, Iran will have the power to lock down virtually the entire Middle East!
Much of Europe’s trade with Africa, Asia and the Middle East travels through the Red Sea. Bible prophecy indicates that Iran is about to gain control of this vital shipping lane as a means of threatening Europe.
Daniel 11:40 says: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north [a German-led European Union] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.”
For years, the Trumpet has identified the king of the south as radical Islam, led by Iran. Today, Iran is an extremely pushy and aggressive nation. This has become increasingly more obvious over the last few weeks and months as it is becoming bolder and bolder in its willingness to attack foreign entities.
Daniel 11:42-43 describe Iran’s strategy to gain control of the Red Sea. The verses describe Iran as having some form of control over the nations of Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia. Biblically, the term Ethiopia is likely referring to the Horn of Africa region.
Today, all three nations have strong radical Islamic communities, which Iran is working with. An article by Egypt Today announced the possibility of the Muslim Brotherhood reappearing in Sudan, a nearby neighbor of Ethiopia, which looks poised to collapse as a result of internal ethnic and religious division.
Radical Islam is active in the region, and this attack by al-Shabaab, whether coordinated by Iran or not, shows this is true. As Iran recovers from the death of Qassem Suleimani and its newly appointed commander takes the helm, watch for Iran to increasingly push its way into Africa.
For more information, request Libya and Ethiopia in Prophecy, by Gerald Flurry.


Iran Deescalates

Pieces of missiles are seen at the rural area of Al-Baghdadi town after Iran ’ s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) targeted Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq , a facility jointly operated by U.S. and Iraqi forces , in Erbil , Iraq on January 08 , 2020 .
Iran launched its revenge campaign last night firing precision ballistic missiles near U.S. troops in Iraq .
Many analysts believe Iran intentionally missed the “ targets ” due to fears of retaliation from the United States .
Now that America has established some degree of deterrence , Iran appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grieve the Death of Iranian Terrorist ( 14 minutes ) NBC live-streamed the funeral of Qassem Suleimani yesterday .
It was disgraceful to hear American commentators praising a man who caused the death of hundreds of American troops , led a worldwide terror network , and ordered Iranian protesters to be gunned down .
The Democrat media complex now view every single event through the lens of “ hate Donald Trump.
” More and more conservatives are saying the time is ripe for America to pull out of the Middle East .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from afar or let the region take care of its own problems .
How does this attitude shift play into Bible prophecy ?
Many people believe that right and wrong are defined by their conscience—what feels right or wrong is what guides them .
But the Bible says the human heart is evil !
Subscribe to the Trumpet Daily Radio Show on Apple Podcasts , Google Play or by RSS

Iran Deescalates
A Precision-Guided Missile Strike? (13 minutes)
Iran launched its revenge campaign last night firing precision ballistic missiles near U.S. troops in Iraq. Many analysts believe Iran intentionally missed the “targets” due to fears of retaliation from the United States. Now that America has established some degree of deterrence, Iran appears to be deescalating the conflict.
U.S. Media Grieve the Death of Iranian Terrorist (14 minutes)
NBC live-streamed the funeral of Qassem Suleimani yesterday. It was disgraceful to hear American commentators praising a man who caused the death of hundreds of American troops, led a worldwide terror network, and ordered Iranian protesters to be gunned down. The Democrat media complex now view every single event through the lens of “hate Donald Trump.”
America to Leave Iraq? (15 minutes)
More and more conservatives are saying the time is ripe for America to pull out of the Middle East. They argue that America can manage the region from afar or let the region take care of its own problems. How does this attitude shift play into Bible prophecy?
Bible Study: What Is Sin? (13 minutes)
Many people believe that right and wrong are defined by their conscience—what feels right or wrong is what guides them. But the Bible says the human heart is evil!


thetrumpet--2020-01-08--Iran’s Face-Saving Missile Strike Against U.S. Bases

President Trump has restored deterrence against Iranian attack .
Will he now turn over Iraq ?
jerusalem Iran ’ s awaited response to the death of its arch-general Qassem Suleimani came overnight as it fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at United States bases in neighboring Iraq .
No American , Iraqi or coalition servicemen were killed in the strikes , which will likely allow the serious attack to pass without a U.S. response .
According to the Associated Press , the attack was “ Iran ’ s most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tv said it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Suleimani.
” Around 2 a.m. Iraqi time , most of the missiles landed at the Ain al-Asad air base , home to 1,500 U.S. soldiers and other anti-Islamic State forces .
A few other missiles landed near a base in the Kurdish capital of Erbil , also home to U.S. forces .
Two missiles failed to detonate .
The Ain al-Asad air base is likely a symbolic target for Iran , as it was the first base used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Saddam Hussein ’ s regime in 2003 .
It was also the first Iraqi base visited by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2018 .
Nevertheless , since no U.S. servicemen were killed in the attack , there will be no need for the United States to respond .
Comments from both the U.S. and Iran show that it is unlikely any further direct strikes will be forthcoming .
President Trump ’ s tweet immediately following the attack indicated that his redline for U.S. retribution had not been crossed .
A statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irgc ) during the attack , codenamed “ Martyr Suleimani , ” warned of more attacks if the “ Great Satan ” responded to its missiles .
However , a tweet from Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif implied that the overnight missile strike was enough retribution for the death of Suleimani .
The fact that the missiles were fired directly from Iranian territory against American interests , a first for the 40-year-old Islamic Republic , will likely be enough to save face and deescalate the situation .
Iranian media is also claiming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the supposed deaths of 80 Americans as a result of the strike .
Contrary to how it will be painted in Iran , the missile strike against America will be seen elsewhere as a fundamentally weak response to the death of its arch-terrorist general .
It was not an accident that Iran struck these U.S. bases with so many missiles and without the death of any U.S. servicemen .
Prominent Iraqi analyst Michael Pregent told the bbc this morning that Iran used its precision-guided missiles in the attack to purposely “ miss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” All told , the nature of the Iranian strike is an acknowledgment that President Trump ’ s killing of Qassem Suleimani and his clear redline on American casualties have temporarily restored United States deterrence against Iranian attacks .
Since coming into office , President Trump and his administration have forthrightly acknowledged Iran as the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world and the dangerous belligerent in the Middle East .
Contrary to past U.S. administrations , Mr. Trump has not allowed the Iranian regime to hide behind its proxy organizations .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the actions of its proxy network , whether Hezbollah , the Houthis , Hamas or Shiite militias in Iraq .
And when one of those proxies killed a U.S. citizen in Iraq on December 27 and orchestrated a march on the U.S. Embassy a week later , President Trump exacted revenge on Iran .
This crucial change in the U.S. ’ s perception of Iran was acknowledged in Lee Smith ’ s piece at Tablet Magazine last night .
Smith wrote : In making Iran accountable , Trump has knocked Iran down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safer from Iranian aggression than they have in fact been at any point in the last 40 years , during which Iranian proxies have repeatedly killed large numbers of Americans .
Killing Suleimani is a much more important operation than those targeting [ Islamic State ] leader al-Baghdadi and even bin Laden , since it will likely shape the future actions of a state , not the leadership rotation of terror groups .
Iranian-backed terror isn ’ t a stubborn , unchanging fact of the international landscape , except to the degree that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of appeasement that began in 1979 with the embassy takeover , culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( jcpoa ) when the Obama administration flooded Suleimani ’ s war chests with hundreds of billions of dollars and legitimized Iran ’ s “ right ” to a large-scale nuclear weapons program .
In line with the decades-long U.S. policy of augmenting the Iranian threat in order to avoid taking action against it , Obama said the only alternative to giving Iran the bomb was war .
Donald Trump was vilified when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in the eyes of the foreign-policy establishment , he committed an even graver sin by exposing the 40-year-old lie that U.S. policymakers , right and left , had cultivated to rationalize their collective unwillingness to protect Americans from Iranian terror .
In acknowledging that Iran is the head of the terrorist snake and holding Iran responsible for the acts of its proxies , President Trump has been able to restore deterrence against future attacks .
However , that deterrence does not announce the end of the Iranian regime or the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are some worrying signs that after this face-saving Iranian reprisal , President Trump could make a decision that empowers the Iranian regime even more .
In the hours following the strike , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a thunderous speech broadcast throughout Iran stating that “ the people of Iran slapped America in the face ” with the missile strike .
The crowd followed with the usual “ Death to America ” and “ Death to Israel ” chants .
Khamenei acknowledged that he was not satisfied with just the limited strike .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. forces from the Middle East .
“ This kind of attack is not enough .
The U.S. must be uprooted from the region because they brought destruction to this region , ” he stated .
The ayatollah ’ s link of the soft missile attack to the removal of United States forces from the region is interesting , considering a letter that made it to the press on Monday .
The letter was from the United States Army to Iraqi military joint operations command , announcing that the U.S. was willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The letter was sent to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi who said he received a copy of the letter in both English and Arabic .
Abdul Mahdi said that he had asked for clarifications of the letter because there seemed to be differences in the Arabic and English versions .
While the U.S. government has claimed the letter was a draft , the very existence of a draft shows that the U.S. is considering removing its forces from Iraq .
Furthermore , many of President Trump ’ s most vocal supporters believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq .
Lee Smith , author of The Plot Against the President , wrote the following for the New York Post this morning : In the piece , Smith lays out the case that despite the fact that America has spent billions of dollars and thousands of American lives , “ Tehran has more influence with Baghdad than Washington does.
” He continued : While Smith is correct on his point that Tehran ’ s influence in Iraq is greater than the United States ’ , his following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to counter Iran ’ s position when America withdraws from Iraq is far from assured .
One could argue , as President Trump may , that it is not the United States ’ problem whether or not the Sunni Arabs can stand up to Iran .
Indeed , President Trump may follow Smith ’ s advice and use Suleimani ’ s death to let us “ get out of the Iraqi quagmire on a high note.
” It is hard not to view surrendering Iraq as a final victory for Suleimani “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in light of what Bible prophecy says about Iran and Iraq .
Since 1992 , Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has referred to Iran as leading the biblically prophesied group of Islamic nations that pushes the world toward war .
This prophecy in Daniel 11:40 states , “ And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him : and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind , with chariots , and with horsemen , and with many ships ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shall overflow and pass over.
” Because Iraq is prophesied to join this “ king of the south , ” or radical Islam , led by Iran , Mr .
Flurry has forecast for decades that Iraq will eventually fall to Iran .
A December 1994 Trumpet headline asked , “ Is Iraq About to Fall to Iran ?
” That headline was repeated in 2003 , when the U.S. ousted Iraq ’ s Saddam Hussein from power .
Recently , we have shown Qassem Suleimani ’ s critical role in achieving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is correct in asserting the strong grasp that Iran has over the Iraqi government , the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq will not presage a new era of Iraqi nationalism to stand up against the Iranian regime .
In fact , it will have the opposite effect—Iraq will be swallowed up by Iran .
At the Trumpet we do not advocate a withdrawal or consolidation of U.S. forces in Iraq , we simply declare biblically based forecasts .
Those prophecies foretell that Iraq will be engulfed by “ the king of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the radical Islamic kingdom led by Iran .
President Trump may have restored deterrence against Iran by killing Gen. Qassem Suleimani .
However , the United States ’ consideration of leaving Iraq at this very moment shows that Iran ’ s power in the region will not diminish in the long run .
If you would like to understand how we can be so sure of an Iranian takeover of Iraq and the events that will follow , please read Gerald Flurry ’ s booklet The King of the South .

jerusalem
Iran’s awaited response to the death of its arch-general Qassem Suleimani came overnight as it fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at United States bases in neighboring Iraq. No American, Iraqi or coalition servicemen were killed in the strikes, which will likely allow the serious attack to pass without a U.S. response.
According to the Associated Press, the attack was “Iran’s most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and Iranian state tv said it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Suleimani.”
Around 2 a.m. Iraqi time, most of the missiles landed at the Ain al-Asad air base, home to 1,500 U.S. soldiers and other anti-Islamic State forces. A few other missiles landed near a base in the Kurdish capital of Erbil, also home to U.S. forces. Two missiles failed to detonate.
The Ain al-Asad air base is likely a symbolic target for Iran, as it was the first base used by the United States following the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003. It was also the first Iraqi base visited by U.S. President Donald Trump in December 2018.
Nevertheless, since no U.S. servicemen were killed in the attack, there will be no need for the United States to respond. Comments from both the U.S. and Iran show that it is unlikely any further direct strikes will be forthcoming.
President Trump’s tweet immediately following the attack indicated that his redline for U.S. retribution had not been crossed.
All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020
A statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (irgc) during the attack, codenamed “Martyr Suleimani,” warned of more attacks if the “Great Satan” responded to its missiles.
However, a tweet from Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif implied that the overnight missile strike was enough retribution for the death of Suleimani.
Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched.
We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 8, 2020
The fact that the missiles were fired directly from Iranian territory against American interests, a first for the 40-year-old Islamic Republic, will likely be enough to save face and deescalate the situation. Iranian media is also claiming that the United States is trying to cover up the supposed deaths of 80 Americans as a result of the strike.
Contrary to how it will be painted in Iran, the missile strike against America will be seen elsewhere as a fundamentally weak response to the death of its arch-terrorist general. It was not an accident that Iran struck these U.S. bases with so many missiles and without the death of any U.S. servicemen.
Prominent Iraqi analyst Michael Pregent told the bbc this morning that Iran used its precision-guided missiles in the attack to purposely “miss the American side of these Iraqi bases.”
Former US Intelligence Officer @MPPregent tells #BBCBreakfast why Iran’s missile launch could actually symbolise the start of deescalation of tension between #IranvsUSA.
More here: https://t.co/uR0Rl9DiF8 pic.twitter.com/avNvTZ35v5 — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) January 8, 2020
All told, the nature of the Iranian strike is an acknowledgment that President Trump’s killing of Qassem Suleimani and his clear redline on American casualties have temporarily restored United States deterrence against Iranian attacks.
Since coming into office, President Trump and his administration have forthrightly acknowledged Iran as the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world and the dangerous belligerent in the Middle East. Contrary to past U.S. administrations, Mr. Trump has not allowed the Iranian regime to hide behind its proxy organizations. Instead, the president has consistently blamed Iran for the actions of its proxy network, whether Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas or Shiite militias in Iraq. And when one of those proxies killed a U.S. citizen in Iraq on December 27 and orchestrated a march on the U.S. Embassy a week later, President Trump exacted revenge on Iran.
This crucial change in the U.S.’s perception of Iran was acknowledged in Lee Smith’s piece at Tablet Magazine last night. Smith wrote:
In making Iran accountable, Trump has knocked Iran down to its natural size—and likely made Americans safer from Iranian aggression than they have in fact been at any point in the last 40 years, during which Iranian proxies have repeatedly killed large numbers of Americans. Killing Suleimani is a much more important operation than those targeting [Islamic State] leader al-Baghdadi and even bin Laden, since it will likely shape the future actions of a state, not the leadership rotation of terror groups. Iranian-backed terror isn’t a stubborn, unchanging fact of the international landscape, except to the degree that we made it so. The policy of appeasement that began in 1979 with the embassy takeover, culminated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (jcpoa) when the Obama administration flooded Suleimani’s war chests with hundreds of billions of dollars and legitimized Iran’s “right” to a large-scale nuclear weapons program. In line with the decades-long U.S. policy of augmenting the Iranian threat in order to avoid taking action against it, Obama said the only alternative to giving Iran the bomb was war. Donald Trump was vilified when he exited the Iran deal in May. But in the eyes of the foreign-policy establishment, he committed an even graver sin by exposing the 40-year-old lie that U.S. policymakers, right and left, had cultivated to rationalize their collective unwillingness to protect Americans from Iranian terror.
In acknowledging that Iran is the head of the terrorist snake and holding Iran responsible for the acts of its proxies, President Trump has been able to restore deterrence against future attacks.
However, that deterrence does not announce the end of the Iranian regime or the beginning of the end. In fact, there are some worrying signs that after this face-saving Iranian reprisal, President Trump could make a decision that empowers the Iranian regime even more.
The Gift of Iraq
In the hours following the strike, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a thunderous speech broadcast throughout Iran stating that “the people of Iran slapped America in the face” with the missile strike. The crowd followed with the usual “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” chants. Khamenei acknowledged that he was not satisfied with just the limited strike.
He also called for the ousting of U.S. forces from the Middle East. “This kind of attack is not enough. The U.S. must be uprooted from the region because they brought destruction to this region,” he stated.
The ayatollah’s link of the soft missile attack to the removal of United States forces from the region is interesting, considering a letter that made it to the press on Monday. The letter was from the United States Army to Iraqi military joint operations command, announcing that the U.S. was willing to move its forces out of Iraq. The letter was sent to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi who said he received a copy of the letter in both English and Arabic. Abdul Mahdi said that he had asked for clarifications of the letter because there seemed to be differences in the Arabic and English versions.
While the U.S. government has claimed the letter was a draft, the very existence of a draft shows that the U.S. is considering removing its forces from Iraq.
Furthermore, many of President Trump’s most vocal supporters believe that now would be the best time to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq. Lee Smith, author of The Plot Against the President, wrote the following for the New York Post this morning:
The targeted killing of Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Suleimani last week broke an old taboo: Finally a U.S. president held Iran responsible for the proxies it uses to kill Americans. It was a strategic victory for President Trump and an opportunity to roll it into a political masterstroke, as well—the immediate and complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
In the piece, Smith lays out the case that despite the fact that America has spent billions of dollars and thousands of American lives, “Tehran has more influence with Baghdad than Washington does.” He continued:
Those who advocate staying in Iraq are arguing largely from an admirable but impractical principle—the U.S. must not cut and run. From that perspective, surrendering Iraq would give Suleimani one final victory from beyond the grave. In reality, a U.S. withdrawal is more likely to cause problems for Tehran. The departure of U.S. forces would restore the regional dynamics to their natural state in which Iran is a Persian Shiite power surrounded by a sea of Sunni Arabs more keen for revenge than ever after the depredations suffered over the last two decades in Iraq as well as Syria.
While Smith is correct on his point that Tehran’s influence in Iraq is greater than the United States’, his following point that the Sunni Arabs would be able to counter Iran’s position when America withdraws from Iraq is far from assured. One could argue, as President Trump may, that it is not the United States’ problem whether or not the Sunni Arabs can stand up to Iran. Indeed, President Trump may follow Smith’s advice and use Suleimani’s death to let us “get out of the Iraqi quagmire on a high note.”
It is hard not to view surrendering Iraq as a final victory for Suleimani “from beyond the grave,” especially in light of what Bible prophecy says about Iran and Iraq.
Since 1992, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has referred to Iran as leading the biblically prophesied group of Islamic nations that pushes the world toward war. This prophecy in Daniel 11:40 states, “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.”
Because Iraq is prophesied to join this “king of the south,” or radical Islam, led by Iran, Mr. Flurry has forecast for decades that Iraq will eventually fall to Iran. A December 1994 Trumpet headline asked, “Is Iraq About to Fall to Iran?” That headline was repeated in 2003, when the U.S. ousted Iraq’s Saddam Hussein from power. Recently, we have shown Qassem Suleimani’s critical role in achieving Iranian dominance over Iraq.
While Smith is correct in asserting the strong grasp that Iran has over the Iraqi government, the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq will not presage a new era of Iraqi nationalism to stand up against the Iranian regime. In fact, it will have the opposite effect—Iraq will be swallowed up by Iran.
At the Trumpet we do not advocate a withdrawal or consolidation of U.S. forces in Iraq, we simply declare biblically based forecasts. Those prophecies foretell that Iraq will be engulfed by “the king of the south” and form a critical part of the radical Islamic kingdom led by Iran.
President Trump may have restored deterrence against Iran by killing Gen. Qassem Suleimani. However, the United States’ consideration of leaving Iraq at this very moment shows that Iran’s power in the region will not diminish in the long run. If you would like to understand how we can be so sure of an Iranian takeover of Iraq and the events that will follow, please read Gerald Flurry’s booklet The King of the South.


thetrumpet--2020-01-08--China Courts Malaysia in Bid to Control of Strait of Malacca

Malaysia commissioned its first Chinese-built Keris-class ship on January 6, in the latest sign of China’s tightening grip on a nation that boosts Beijing’s control over one of the world’s most important maritime choke points: the Strait of Malacca.
The vessel, delivered to Malaysia on December 31, is officially categorized as a Littoral Mission Ship. But due to its cutting-edge armaments and capacity to carry attack helicopters, Radio Free Asia calls this designation a “euphemism.” In actual practice, the Keris-class is not a patrol vessel but a warship.
.@tldm_rasmi’s first new-class large patrol craft to be based at @MPA_Timur near #KotaKinabalu was officially commissioned into service and named as KD Keris in a ceremony in Shanghai, China on Monday.
STORY: https://t.co/nt4mdIfGpb
Photos: RMN@SABAHtwt @SabahInfo @KKCity pic.twitter.com/2FPw7iQixI — Daily Express Malaysia (@DailyExpress_MY) January 6, 2020
The ship is the first of four Keris-class vessels Malaysia will receive from China in the coming months as part of a contract worth $256 million. The Royal Malaysian Navy wrote that the handover of the first ship marks a milestone for military ties between the two nations since it is “the first capital defense asset acquired from China” by Malaysia.
The warship deal follows an equally momentous decision by Malaysia in April to let China restart construction of a vital section of its Belt and Road Initiative (bri) through the country.
The goal of China’s bri is to rebuild the ancient Silk Road network of routes that facilitated the flow of trade and ideas across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. China is loaning nations in those regions billions of dollars’ worth of capital to build ports, roads, rail networks, bridges and energy pipelines. In many cases, the Chinese take charge of the projects’ construction and operations—all in a bid to give China dominance over world trade.
Shortly after coming to power in 2018, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad canceled his predecessor’s plan to let China build a bri-branded railway through Malaysia. But after renegotiating the terms of the agreement in April, Mohamad announced that the project was back on. The East Coast Rail Link starts on the northern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, where the Gulf of Thailand meets the South China Sea, and runs 400 miles down to Port Klang, on the southern coast, which is one of the main ports controlling passage through the Strait of Malacca.
With more than 90 percent of all crude oil flowing through the South China Sea passing through Malacca, the strait is regarded as the world’s second-most important shipping choke point, surpassed only by the Strait of Hormuz. And as China continues to deepen its ties with Malaysia, it is increasingly positioned to assert control over Malacca. This translates into bolstering China’s ability to dictate who can enter and exit the South China Sea.
“The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific and Indian oceans,” writes Stratfor’s Robert D. Kaplan in his book Asia’s Cauldron. It is “the mass of connective economic tissue where global sea routes coalesce” and the “region that will dominate the future of geopolitical conflict.” The Sydney Morning Herald recently called the South China Sea “the world’s most valuable commercial artery.”
Trumpet editor in Chief Gerald Flurry has said China’s increasing control over the South China Sea “should alarm the world” because it means “China is steering the world toward war.”
He covered this topic in the Trumpet’s July 2016 issue, explaining that China’s tightening grip on this oceanic region is working toward the fulfillment of a specific Bible prophecy about America and Britain. The prophecy, recorded in Deuteronomy 28:52, says that as punishment for the U.S.’s and Britain’s rejection of God, He will cause them to lose control over sea “gates” that He had previously placed under their control.
For many decades, the Strait of Malacca was one of dozens of the world’s most important sea gates that were controlled by Great Britain. And then the baton was passed to the United States, which by virtue of its long uncontested naval power exerted a de facto control to ensure that such passages remained open to global traffic. But in recent decades, Britain and the U.S. have been losing control of the gates, one by one. And now, by forming defense ties with Malaysia and building the bri through the country, China is moving in and tightening its grip on the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea.
Mr. Flurry wrote that China’s increasing control over the South China Sea is one of many areas where we can see this prophecy in Deuteronomy 28:52 “moving toward its fulfillment.” And he explained that it is leading to a time when China and its allies will be able to block the U.S. and Britain out of world trade.
To understand more about China’s rise, what it means for America and Britain, and why these developments mean “everything is headed in the direction of war,” read Mr. Flurry’s article “China Is Steering the World Toward War.”


thetrumpet--2020-01-08--Germany Calls for European Response to U.S. Sanctions

German politicians have called on the European Union to take measures to shield Europe from United States sanctions after the U.S. single-handedly brought construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany to a screeching halt. The pipeline is Europe’s biggest energy infrastructure project with Russia, worth $10 billion.
With the stroke of a pen, United States President Donald Trump shut down the most significant energy project in the world, the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
It’s an impressive demonstration of the massive economic power America only rarely uses.https://t.co/yXBHOEA2w4 — theTrumpet.com (@theTrumpet_com) December 25, 2019
Although U.S. sanctions led to the construction being halted immediately, Russia Energy Minister Alexander Novak said only 99 miles of the pipeline are yet to be constructed. The project is expected to be finished in the next few months by Russian ships.
Initially, it seemed only Russia was angered by the sanctions, as the Kremlin threatened retaliation but Germany remained silent. However, German officials and politicians are now calling for Europe to take measures to protect their strategic interests from future U.S. sanctions.
German Deputy Foreign Minister Niels Annen tweeted last week, “Europe needs new instruments to be able to defend itself from licentious extraterritorial sanctions.” Miguel Berger, the German foreign office’s director general, called the sanctions an “attempt to use coercive measures for selling lng [liquified natural gas] to Europe.”
Germany and Europe have become increasingly irritated by the long and powerful reach of the American economy. Disputes over digital taxes, aircraft subsidies that saw the U.S. impose a record $7.5 billion in tariffs last year, and U.S. sanctions on Iran have also hurt European businesses, further souring relations.
As a result, according to the Wall Street Journal, Europe now believes that “fortifying Europe’s defenses against U.S. sanctions could require closer cooperation with Russia and China at a time when President Trump is pressuring EU allies to side with Washington in its trade, technology and geopolitical disputes with Beijing.”
Indeed, the European Council on Foreign Relations wrote that Europe “cannot count on Washington to protect its [economic] interests.” Instead, it urged for Europe “both as a union and member states” to engage with Russia and China, whose integration would in turn open up Eurasian markets that Europe can engage with.
Relations between Europe and Asia have steadily improved in recent years, with annual merchandise trade now reaching $1.5 trillion, compared to $312 billion in 1994. Germany and China are, according to the World Economic Forum, “the main trade bridges between the two continents.” China is the largest consumer of German goods, and more than half of China’s exports go to Germany.
This ostensible European willingness to further align with Russia and China against American power is proof of the validity of Bible prophecy. Jeremiah 1 describes a coming German-led superpower as “a seething pot” (verses 13-15).
In a 2018 Trumpet article, editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote, “Beneath the surface, [Germany] is full of simmering dissatisfaction with the current world order. Germans are angry at the U.S., and especially furious with President Trump. The imperialistic ambition that prompted Germany to start both world wars is alive and well. It is ‘seething’!”
These new U.S. sanctions have clearly added to that dissatisfaction. By Germany’s own admission, it will look to align itself with Russia and China in order to bypass America’s economic might. The Bible prophesies of such an alignment established in the spirit of building a financial system free of U.S. control. This prophecy of a powerful “mart of nations,” consisting of European and Asian nations, is found in Isaiah 23.
Historical precedent certainly shows that this is possible. In 1939, Germany and Russia announced the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, or the Hitler-Stalin pact. It led to advanced trade, cooperation and mutual support between Russia and Germany; Russia trained with and shared in German military advancements while Germany received millions of tons of Russian oil, grain and minerals. In “Germany and Russia’s Secret War Against America,” Mr. Flurry explained the most important aspect of the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement: “Adolf Hitler’s Germany basically said to Joseph Stalin’s Russia: Stay out of it, Russia, and we will take over Europe. Then the two of us can split up Poland and other countries between ourselves.”
Present developments are not mere shadows of historical events. As Mr. Flurry wrote:
The fact that Russia and Germany are charging ahead with Nord Stream 2 today despite objections from other European nations and the United States is even more reason to believe that these two may already have worked out a modern Molotov-Ribbentrop deal. History shows that Germany and Russia are not actually partners. When they enter into peace deals and economic partnerships, it is a signal that either or both are preparing for some kind of imperialistic exploit.
Many German and European efforts to establish economic systems that exclude the U.S. have thus far failed. History, however, shows that economic conflict is often a prelude to military conflict, and Bible prophecy indicates that the anti-American sentiment will worsen.
New events and developments are expediting and encouraging the prophesied outbreak of violence between the U.S. and a powerful German-led Europe. To learn more about this coming conflict and the critical, prophesied events it is a part of, read “Germany and Russia’s Secret War Against America.”


thetrumpet--2020-01-07--Two Stabbings Remind Europe of Islamist Threat

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a meeting of the Bishops ’ Conference of France at College des Bernardins in Paris , on April 9 , 2018 .
Why Macron ’ s attempts to revive the Holy Roman Empire will succeed French President Emmanuel Macron has often caught the world ’ s attention .
But the mainstream media has overlooked one of the most important and most frightening developments of his presidency : his courting of the Roman Catholic Church .
The Notre Dame fire in April 2019 caught the world ’ s attention .
Media of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religions were glued to their screens .
In response , Macron pledged to restore the cathedral to even greater glory .
Yet an event almost exactly a year before the burning of the cathedral should have caught the world ’ s attention even more , but it didn ’ t : Macron ’ s plea to restore the link between church and state in France .
At the Collège des Bernardins , on April 9 , 2018 , Macron gave an hourlong speech addressing French Catholic bishops and more than 400 Catholic leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ [ W ] e doubtless share the same vague feeling that the link between the church and the state has been damaged and we both believe it is important to repair it.
” Following the fires at Notre Dame , the Institute of Current World Affairs noted in an article titled “ In Secular France , Catholic Roots Run Deep ” : “ In a secular country home to 45,000 Catholic churches—as well as Europe ’ s largest Muslim and Jewish populations—the fire ’ s symbolic undertones were difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population in France identifies as Catholic , but “ churches are increasingly empty—shells of a bygone Catholic France , ” it noted .
Some estimate that only 2.9 percent practice their faith .
The Notre Dame fire “ showed us how deeply rooted Catholic culture is , ” Guillaume Cuchet , a historian of Christianity , told the Institute of Current World Affairs .
“ Even if the practices have largely disappeared , the culture has , at least for now , outlived the erasure of religious practice .
That might not hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappear in two or three generations either.
” Macron is well aware of this fact .
Not only does he want to restore Notre Dame to greater glory , he also wants to restore the Catholic Church ’ s position in French politics .
In that 2018 address , Macron said : His comments , at the time , though barely noticed outside France ’ s borders , received much criticism in France .
Some saw it as an attack against France ’ s secularity .
Others called Macron a priest disguised as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complete metaphysical delirium .
Intolerable .
We expect a president , and we hear a priest , ” Jean-Luc Mélanchon , leader of the far-left France Unbowed party , said at the time .
When Europe ’ s history of religious wars , crusades and inquisitions are considered , it is clear why France is adamant at keeping religion and politics separate .
“ What I want to call for tonight , ” Macron told the Catholic bishops , “ is your political involvement in our national debate and in our European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of commitment that this debate needs and because , historically , you have always brought your ideas to the table because effectiveness means not disconnecting individual action from political and public action.
” Referencing common mistrust toward Catholics , Macron said : “ For biographical , personal and intellectual reasons , I have a higher opinion of Catholics.
” At age 12 , Macron pursued Catholic baptism and later attended a Jesuit college .
Today , his religious beliefs guide his politics .
“ While those close to him say he is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zombie Catholic ’ —one whose faith continues to influence him after formal belief has died , ” priest Ben Johnson noted for the Acton Institute .
Macron believes that the Catholic Church ’ s spiritual guidance is crucial to France ’ s success .
He said : One such religion in France is Islam—a religion Macron views very differently from Catholicism Islam can only dominate France politically if other religions remain politically inactive .
If the Catholic Church reenters the political stage , other religions ’ influence will diminish quickly .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why Is Macron Courting the Church ?
” : “ Political Islam wants to secede from our republic , ” Macron said in April .
“ We are talking about people who , in the name of a religion , pursue a political project.
” But Macron ’ s ambition to combat radical Islam stretches beyond France ’ s borders .
“ Christians are paying for their attachment to religious pluralism with their lives , ” he said .
“ I am thinking , of course , of the Christians of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share the same responsibility to these persecuted individuals , not only because we have historically inherited the duty to protect them , but because we know that wherever they are , they are the symbol of religious tolerance.
” Christians in the Middle East are being persecuted by radical Islamists .
For centuries , these groups have repeatedly clashed .
Muslims have sought to invade Europe ; Christians have sought to populate the Middle East to get control of the Holy Land .
European leaders in the postwar era have more or less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of Christians have lost their lives in the Middle East or were forced to abandon their homes .
In 2019 alone , more than 4,000 Christians worldwide were killed for religious reasons , according to Open Doors World ’ s Watch List .
More than a thousand churches or church buildings were attacked in 2019 .
In numbers , Christians are the most persecuted group on Earth .
In the past , world leaders have rarely addressed the issue .
The topic of religious persecution is , for many , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And France has one of Europe ’ s strongest militaries to back its words with action .
France is already actively engaged in fighting the Islamic State in the Middle East .
We can expect these efforts to intensify .
When Macron talks about a historic responsibility , restoring the Catholic Church ’ s role in France , and combatting political Islam , he is really talking about resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire .
This is the heritage Europe is living by .
It ’ s about an empire led by the Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community is living largely by the heritage of the Holy Roman Empire , though the great majority of the people who live by it don ’ t know by what heritage they live , ” the late Otto von Habsburg said .
Macron knows this heritage well .
He often refers to its leaders and culture .
This empire has ruled Europe for over 1,500 years .
Its rule is marked by ups and downs—mountains and valleys—as governments have risen and fallen .
Emperors and kingdoms have come and gone , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes that the Continent ’ s greatest achievements have come through this church-state union .
He said , “ From the point of view of a head of state , from a secular point of view , I am concerned that those who work at the heart of French society , those who work to heal its wounds and console its sick , also need a voice on the political scene , on both the national and European political stage.
” Macron wants all of Europe to be guided by this church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an article and proposed “ a conference for Europe ” that is able to amend European Union treaties and is also partially advised by religious and spiritual leaders .
It ’ s important to note Macron ’ s efforts to resurrect the Holy Roman Empire .
The Bible prophesies that this empire will once again rule the Earth , right up to the point of Jesus Christ ’ s Second Coming .
The Woman Who Rides the Beast In Revelation 17 , the Apostle John recorded a prophetic vision of our age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rides a beast .
We need to be able to identify who this woman and beast are .
Verse 2 refers to a woman with “ whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.
” A woman in the Bible is symbolic for a church .
The Bible describes the woman of Revelation 17 as a whore who commits fornication with the kings of the Earth .
This church has great influence and has guided kingdoms for a significant amount of time ( verse 3 ) .
It sits on “ seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peoples , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues ” ( verses 9 , 15 ) .
This influential church has had such international impact because it is allied with a world-ruling empire , represented by the beast ( verse 3 ) .
The Bible leaves no doubt that this is referring to the the Holy Roman Empire—a political power , with incredible military strength , that is led by the Catholic Church .
A look at a map will show that Rome , headquarters of the Catholic Church , is situated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rides the beast truly does sit on “ seven mountains.
” ( For more detailed information about this empire , request our free book The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy . )
As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in Daniel Unlocks Revelation , the Holy Roman Empire as described in Daniel 2 , Daniel 7 , Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 was prophesied to plague this Earth seven successive times .
We have already seen this empire rise six times .
The last resurrection is prophesied to consist of 10 European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled by 10 European kings .
At the helm of this empire will be Germany .
The Trumpet and its predecessor , the Plain Truth , have foretold for decades that one of these 10 nations will be France .
Modern France , as the late Herbert W. Armstrong explained in The United States and Britain in Prophecy , is the descendant of ancient Reuben , one of the 12 sons of Jacob , or Israel ( as God changed his name to be ) .
Reuben was Israel ’ s firstborn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birthright promises and the name Israel was given to Joseph .
Reuben anciently betrayed his brother Joseph ( e.g .
Genesis 37 through 46 ) .
The descendants of Joseph are Britain , America and other parts of the English-speaking world .
In Genesis 49 , Jacob delivers a prophecy to his 12 sons regarding “ the last days ” ( verse 1 ) .
Jacob prophesied that Reuben would be “ unstable as water.
” In “ France Is Betraying America and Fulfilling Bible Prophecy !
” , Mr .
Flurry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how [ France ] is going to behave , even toward [ its ] own brother.
” The descendants of Reuben will betray the descendants of Joseph—that is what the sure word of Bible prophecy says .
As Mr .
Flurry has written , Macron has made “ bold remarks that reveal a lot about how he feels about the U.S. today.
” ( For the specifics of this betrayal , please read Mr.
Flurry ’ s article . )
Putting all these Bible prophecies together , we can clearly see that France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roman Empire against America and Britain .
We are seeing this happen today on the world stage .
France , under Macron , promises greater unity in the EU .
It opposes U.S. leadership within nato and instead seeks closer cooperation with Germany .
Macron ’ s call for greater Catholic involvement in Europe is prophetic .
Macron has also called for a true European army .
Consider that the Holy Roman Empire is mostly famous for its military conquests .
Macron ’ s push to revive Europe ’ s Catholic heritage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s military should send shock waves around the world .
But our leaders have a poor understanding of history and no understanding of Bible prophecy ; they are , therefore , oblivious to the true danger emanating from Europe .
But God hasn ’ t given up on this world .
He wants mankind to repent .
He gives a clear charge to His Church today : “ Say unto them , As I live , saith the Lord God , I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and live : turn ye , turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die , O house of Israel ?
” ( Ezekiel 33:11 ) .
“ The root cause of all human suffering and death is made clear here : sin .
God is crying out , through His watchman , for all mankind to repent !
Evil leads only to death ; God wants us to live , ” Mr .
Flurry said in “ God ’ s Watchman.
” God will use the Holy Roman Empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about to see its greatest calamity ever , before God intervenes to put an end to all suffering .
That is what it takes for mankind to learn this lesson .
As we see the rise of this final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire , it is high time to heed this call for repentance .
Nations ought to heed this message and escape the terrible punishment .
But whether they heed this message or not , you individually have a responsibility to hear God ’ s Word .
Request our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prophecy to understand God ’ s plan for the years ahead .

Two stabbings, both motivated by radical Islam, shook European cities in recent days. The first happened on January 3 in a suburb of Paris, France. The other happened two days later, on January 5, in a small western German town.
Coming at the start of what could be one of modern Europe’s tensest years, the attacks renewed fears of Islamic terrorism on European soil.
In France, an Islamic terrorist killed one man and injured several others. Counterterrorism officers took over the investigation into the knife attack in Villejuif, a Parisian suburb, after strong evidence emerged about the attacker’s conversion to Islam and subsequent radicalization.
The 22 year-old attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) as he rampaged through the street. He was shot dead when police arrived.
As the investigation progressed, police found a letter “with phrases fairly typical of a Muslim man who self-flagellates” and a bag full of Salafist literature, according to Philippe Bugeaud of the Paris investigative police. The attacker had converted to Islam in 2017 and was known for severe mental illness.
In Germany, a similar incident unfolded two days later in the small town of Gelsenkirchen. There, the attacker approached police holding a knife behind his back. Despite being warned multiple times to stop, he reportedly cried out “Allahu Akbar” and attempted to assault the officers. The officers, forced to defend themselves, shot him dead at the scene.
These attacks bring a painful problem back to the conscience of Europe at a time when many are celebrating their traditional holidays. Though a new year has begun, the threat of Islamic terrorism is not new. And it threatens to grow worse as terrorist networks expand and seek revenge on “soft targets,” meaning primarily civilians.
Germans clearly remember the December 2016 attacks on their Christmas markets. The French remember the Bataclan and Charlie Hebdo attacks, among numerous other stabbings and ramming attacks.
Terrorist attacks in the European Union have risen since the migration crisis began in early 2015. According to the European Parliament, there were two attacks, four deaths and 395 arrests in 2014. The following year, arrests spiked to almost 700, and there were 150 deaths in 17 attacks. Since then, arrests remained over 700 until 2018, and deaths remained close to 150 per year until 2017.
By 2018, after many nations increased security precautions and attempted to stem the flow of migrants, there were just over 500 arrests. There were 24 attacks, the second-highest number since the crisis began.
Most analysts realize radical Islam is not going away any time soon. Many view it as a growing power. Europe is searching for solutions to this deadly and ongoing threat, so far without much more than increased policing efforts to show for it.
But there is soon to be a radical change in policy, which will bring these two civilizations—Christianity and radical Islam—into deadly confrontation.
Though it is not openly admitted, many in Europe’s leadership already have strong Christian values and strong feelings against militant Muslim and terrorist ideologies. The most high-profile example at the moment is French President Emmanuel Macron, who was openly criticized in April 2018 for attacking secularism by supporting a restoration of links between church and state.
Macron himself admitted in April 2019 that “political Islam” is working against the republic, failing to integrate and pursuing a totally different version of society.
Radical Islam looks set to help Europe find its roots once more.
These two societies are set for a clash.
The Trumpet has predicted this clash for years. “A terrorist act could be that push that causes a war between these two great powers, and frankly, two great religions—one from Europe and one from the Middle East,” said Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry in a 2003 episode of The Key of David.
He made this bold statement because of a Bible prophecy found in Daniel 11, which describes a violent clash between radical Islam, led by Iran, and a rising European superpower, led by Germany. These are called, in biblical language, “the king of the south” and “the king of the north,” respectively.
What will be the ultimate result of this battle of civilizations? “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40).
A stabbing on the streets of a European city may seem isolated and distant, especially to those who have never experienced firsthand the effects of radical Islamic terrorism. But prophecy shows these events are part of a worsening trend. Europe has not forgotten those killed.
Radical Islam, sponsored and led by Iran, will soon “push,” by a terrorist attack or other means, in such a way that the European response will be unlike anything this world has seen.
To understand the full implications of Islamic terrorism on European soil and how it is certain to change your world within a few short years, request your free copy of The King of the South, by Gerald Flurry.


thetrumpet--2020-01-07--Iranian Propaganda and the Danger of U.S. Isolationism

Iranian mourners gather around a vehicle carrying the coffin of Qasem Soleimani during the final stage of funeral processions , in his hometown Kerman on January 7 , 2020 .
America ’ s mainstream media outlets seem to be mourning the death of Iranian terrorist Qassem Suleimani .
While regime hard-liners grieve the death of their terrorist general , many ordinary Iranians know he was a war criminal and are happy to see him gone .
The Western media chooses to ignore that group .
It ’ s all about bashing President Donald Trump—even if it means glorifying radical , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Western media has turned Suleimani into a saint .
More American conservatives are jumping on board with President Trump ’ s vision for the Middle East : Why should America even be there ?
America has energy independence , they argue .
Why not let Europe and China , who have greater interests in the area , police the region ?
This transformation is prophesied in your Bible !
Bible Study : The Sickness of the Human Mind ( 15 minutes ) Why is mankind incapable of solving its problems ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars ?
Why can ’ t people get along with one another ?
There is a cause for every effect .
The Bible explains !
Subscribe to the Trumpet Daily Radio Show on Apple Podcasts , Google Play or by RSS

Iranian Propaganda and the Danger of U.S. Isolationism
Radical Left Defend Iran (16 minutes)
America’s mainstream media outlets seem to be mourning the death of Iranian terrorist Qassem Suleimani. While regime hard-liners grieve the death of their terrorist general, many ordinary Iranians know he was a war criminal and are happy to see him gone. The Western media chooses to ignore that group. It’s all about bashing President Donald Trump—even if it means glorifying radical, America-hating Islamist terrorists. In doing so, the Western media has turned Suleimani into a saint.
American Isolationism (20 minutes)
More American conservatives are jumping on board with President Trump’s vision for the Middle East: Why should America even be there? America has energy independence, they argue. Why not let Europe and China, who have greater interests in the area, police the region? This transformation is prophesied in your Bible!
Bible Study: The Sickness of the Human Mind (15 minutes)
Why is mankind incapable of solving its problems? Why is human history a history of wars? Why can’t people get along with one another? There is a cause for every effect. The Bible explains!