| Who is
the Prince
that Shall Come? (Daniel 9:26) A Study (Part II of II) To
Honor Jesus Christ, Glorify
God, Encourage Believers, & Warn All This
information is offered with the hope that YOU can come to KNOW the Lord
personally. An Open Letter to All Leaders, Kings, Religionists, and Supporters of the So-Called Coming "Peace" 02-04-2006 Ladies and Gentlemen, There will be a peace, but, only after the prince of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns physically to the earth to rule and reign. In the interim, the Bible says that there is going to be a false man-made peace followed by a calamity lasting 7 seven years. Specifically the Bible states "when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1 Thess 5:3) The world's citizens have attempted world unity previously and it failed (Gen 11:9). The Bible says that the present attempt will also fail. Having personally attempted my own "devices" and having experienced the fruit of my own works, I confess to failure and the utter uselessness of my own self initiated attempts at being in charge. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it... (Psa 127:1) is the warning of the scripture. We are not to invoke God's blessing upon our own plans, however noble they may appear. We are to allow the Lord to change us. Only then can a man do the work of the Lord. Whoever the prince that shall come is, he will think like this (according to the Bible). My suggestion is you read this link - it is a warning to all of us. All of us are subject to the same self deceptions. If you read the preceding link, you realize that our heart contains elements that the Lord wants to root out because our heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked , who can know it? (Jer 17:9) The Biblical prince that shall come is unaware of what is actually in his heart, just like the rest of us. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy... (Isa 10:7). Invoking the name of the Lord does not and will not validate our actions in the eyes of the Lord. I speak from personal experience and personal failure. None of us are immune. The prince that shall come has other titles in the Bible. One of these titles is antichrist. In spite of public perception to the contrary, the Biblical character is not a devil with horns running around doing evil because he believes evil is the thing to do. The Biblical character, as we have shown above, believes he is doing "good." The problem is that (just like the rest of us) when a man (unchanged by the Lord's deep-in-the-heart dealings, effectively emptying the man's heart, Psa 139:23-24) takes matters into his own hands, a disaster results. Herein lies the problem. The Biblical prince, antichrist, is effectively acting against Christ (without even realizing his error) while trying to do the "right" thing. The prince will then be used by his real (but unknown) boss whose proclamation, I will be LIKE the most high (Isa 14:14), attests to the fact that no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed into the ministers of righteousness; (2 Cor 11:14-15). In the eyes of the world's inhabitants, whose hearts have not been radically smitten by the Almighty, the prince will be a man celebrated as the epitome of all that a good, decent, moral, peaceful, "moderate", and well-intentioned man should aspire to being. From the world's viewpoint, the prince will be a wonderful man with admirable goals and abilities to meet them!! Which brings me to my question. Whose approbation do YOU desire? The Lord Jesus Christ or the world? Men or the Almighty (el Shaddai)? It is time for all of us to choose. Choose wisely. If you choose wrongly, you will be serving the one who desires to be LIKE the most high, the angel of light. Please give up your pride and submit to the Lord today. Submission to the Lord is the only action I ask you to make. You can not stop the prophecies of God nor can you bring them to pass. It is all in God's hands. This website does not seek to be in the limelight, has never been advertised, promoted, marketed, etc. We have no interest in "hits." We are here only for those few "seekers" who are left, who wait and "watch" for the return of Jesus Christ. If the Lord wants to bring someone here, we leave that up to Him. The vast majority of even nominal Christians have little interest in the second coming or in taking a serious look at true salvation. Warning: What good does it do you if you understand all there is to know about prophecy (or any religion of any kind) and you are LOST? I encourage all - Muslim, Jew, Gentile, Protestant, Catholic to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He stands at the door and knocks. What is your answer? We know that the Bible says many will be saved into eternity. Will you be one of these? If you are a cab driver in Fallujah, a Coptic Christian in Egypt, an Assyrian, a Jew, a teacher of Islam in a madrassah, a King in the Middle east, or the President of the United States (being religious does not save anyone, nor does invoking the name "Christian" or Jesus); it is not too late to accept the Lord. (The Lord said He would make a great nation of Ishmael (the progenitor of many Middle Eastern people); He is not done with this work.) True Christians loathe the Clash of Civilizations and wars on religious groups. True Christians LOATHE the war on Islam. It is against every precept of true Christianity. True Christians are fearful of the policies of preemptive war and their awful consequences. Let each individual be persuaded in his own soul. Nations can not be converted by any means, let alone force, only individuals, and then only by the work of the Lord (not by me). No one will win any clash of civilizations. To those who say I favor Israel only- As to all Israel being of the Lord the Bible says - Romans 9:6-7 ...or they are NOT all Israel, which are of Israel: neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children.. To those who say I am opposed to the Moslems, I know that Abraham is the Father of many- As to Hagar and her child Ishmael (many Moslem nations) -- Genesis 21:17-18 ...fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. To those who say I am for the Gentiles only- As to the Gentiles -- Romans 11:18 Boast NOT against the branches... There is NO room for pride. This website promises NO ONE a "bloody-end" as some bloggers say. This website encourages you to submit to the Lord. What is true is that the sovereignty of God is impossible for some to understand. These people have difficulty understanding that when we talk about something it does NOT mean we are going to DO anything to bring it to pass, nor do we believe we are ABLE to do anything to bring it to pass, nor we do advocate any ACTION on anyone's part, least of all military action or a societal condemnation of an entire religion. We simply believe that the Lord Himself is going to do what He said He was going to do and NO man can stop it and NO man can cause it. We are just trying to determine if prophesied events align with anything in the infancy of today. Please do not be angry with me for saying the antichrist referred to in the Bible is called the Assyrian. I am simply repeating what the Bible says. Perhaps you prefer that I lie about what the Lord said? I readily admit that I could be wrong in my understanding of current events, but when I repeat what the Bible says, please do not blame the messenger. This study is NOT about ethnicity. This is about what the Bible says. Do no harm to others for religious reasons; if you do, you only are responsible to the Lord. This information is solely for the purpose of getting YOU to go to the Bible yourself before it is too late. To Kings and Presidents - it is not too late to turn to the Lord. To us little people - it is not too late to turn to the Lord. NOBODY is gonna stand before the Lord and plead his ethnicity or religion (not Jews, not Moslems, not Christians) or anything else for that matter. Either you will accept the way of the Lord or you will reject His way. It is up to you. Will you serve men and societal pressures or the Almighty? I might be wrong in this analysis; but the Bible is never wrong. I submit to His Word. Will you? To those who say that it is dangerous to make predictions, I offer these comments. For those of you who get this far - this is not about predicting anything, let alone who the antichrist might be. It is about the nearness of the return of the Lord. It is about showing that current realities have prophetic Biblical possibilites. Don't you care that the Lord is coming soon? Would you not want me to warn you and others that the Lord is coming soon? This is about the real possibilites of the coming of the Day of the Lord. It is about warning you that YOU are going to MEET YOUR MAKER SOON. Are you ready? Regardless of the identity of the antichrist, regardless of anyone's application of the Bible, including my own, YOU are going to be face to face with the Almighty sooner than you think. Question, are YOU so busy saying that I (or anyone else) should not be "making predictions" that you MISS THE ENTIRE POINT here? Jesus Christ is coming soon. Are you too busy PREDICTING THAT HE IS NOT COMING SOON that you are UNWILLING to even look at what is happening? Wake up!! Do you love this world so much that you can't stand the idea that it might be gone soon? Are you too stubborn to entertain the notion that your viewpoint might be incorrect? Are you so religiously stubborn and stale that it is too much for you to open your eyes and ears? No one can know for certainty who the antichrist will be until the tribulation begins. The candidacy of King Abdullah is interesting primarily because the LOCATION of the Biblical endtime political "beast" is in Assyria and the antichrist is described in the Bible as "the Assyrian." (Will the antichrist speak "Assyrian"? I doubt it, probably Arabic and English.) There are those who are opposed to attempts to identify potential candidates because the candidates themselves could be saved. To this I say- I hope any candidate mentioned reads this page himself and finds the Lord and thus makes me wrong. (I am not wedded to my opinion nor do I hold myself up as any authority. I am just a seeker.) Nothing would be more satisfying than a saved soul making me wrong.. However, nothing I say is going to change the fact that the antichrist is alive and known to the LORD only. Therefore, it is in the hands of God only. I am not inclined to believe that this study is going to change the outcome. If the reader believes any part of this study of the antichrist, will the reader change the outcome? Hardly. This study is to show the nearness of the Lord's Coming and to exhort the believer and non-believer alike to go to the Word of God . So, why oppose a study of this type? This is a study, not some bold assertion. The author believes all of us are wrong and the Word of God is right. I freely admit I am nothing but dirt. I freely admit my ignorance and dependence on the Almighty. Will you? before it is too late? If one man is encouraged to fall into the hands of the Lord as a result of reading of the nearness of His Coming, then praise the Lord. The point here is that there is on earth a man who fits some of the known Biblical criteria and as events unfold this becomes more evident. As the evidence increases, the more likely is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ . Additionally, the point here is the study of Bible prophecy as a whole must present a view that is consistent with all the verses. All the scriptures taken together must tell a unified story. Synthesizing these scriptures as the reality unfolds is the objective here. When we make a mistake, we'll try to correct it. This study could be just plain wrong, only the future will tell us the truth. Read all the links to related topics and see if it could be possible that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is unfolding before our eyes. 02-02-2006 Yesterday I took all the text off this page and left it blank [including my lengthy and detailed study of who I believe the antichrist to be]. The title was changed to This Page Left Blank Purposefully. Upon doing this I received the following email. Greetings,
I would like to examine your opinion
concerning ____.
Will you please send me your opinion via email attachment?
... and my cause for interest.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Michael
--- ANSWER Thank
you for writing, Michael. Are you a regular reader? My
opinion about this has not changed and there was also no
coercion. Michael, I am blind copying several other
readers [so they can get my feelings as well; I only have so much
time and I have 47 unread emails.]
Because
of something I read on the internet last night relative to this
subject I decided to pull the page while I gave it some more
thought. Heretofore, I have had no such inclination to pull the
page in spite of some opposition... I had no idea that (a
significant related event occured today) ... So, I am
especially grateful for your email. Perhaps, the Lord had a
reason for causing me to remove this information last night.
I will
say this - many people are going to be killed in the future events of
Revelation on account of supposed "extremists." There
has always been a delicate balance between telling the truth
and simultaneously avoiding being labelled an "extremist"
(consequently causing damage to the cause of Christ, my only
cause). Many of the things I added to this page were introductory
explanations to avoid such "extremist" labels. It is VERY
difficult to discuss the topic without appearing boastful (to some),
racist (to some), "judgmental" (to some), religiously bigoted (to
some), unnecessarily speculative (to some); I have Christian
friends tell me I should never discuss this topic. I have
resisted them. I have been accused of promoting the very
Clash of Civilizations [because I said the antichrist will be
the Assyrian, exactly what the Bible teaches] against which said Clash
I have stood. It is very difficult to discuss the meat
and potatos of political and religious "clashes" and at the same time
not be seen as promoting them.
The
time is rapidly approaching when "difficult" will be the wrong
word. "Impossible" will be the right
word. Perhaps that time has come; I have not decided
yet.
My only
reason for discussing this topic was to demonstrate the nearness of the
return of the Lord. If i believe i can accomplish BOTH
- provide some help to seekers and avoid damaging the cause of Jesus
Christ, I will put the information back on the net. If
not, I will not put the information back. I will not email the
material to anyone. Either it will be on the net or
unavailable. Suffice it to say, that as I pen these words, it
occurs to me even more so that what I have said could well be true and
it may soon come to fruition.
Pray
for me and God bless you,
Russell
P.S.
Just so you know some of the difficulties, Michael, how would I be able
to tell if you were an enemy bent on promoting the "extremist" label
(instead of being a seeker)?
End 02-02-2006 02-04-2006 Upon consideration of reaching perhaps the soul of even one person, I have decided to restore the page to its original condition. I wrote the introductory letter at the beginning of the page to demonstrate how close each and everyone of us has been (or is) to being an antichrist. Lest any of us get lifted up in pride, we are forewarned of our own enmity with Christ by the Bible itself (Romans 8:7) The carnal mind is enmity against God.. End 02-04-2006 01-14-2006 An interesting DNA study is available from a renowned geneticist. The entire study is most informative on many levels and is worth reading. We will consider only a couple of issues. http://www.assyrianfoundation.org/genetics.htm The authors of the
book
"The History and Geography of Human Genes"1, published in 1994, and
the abridged version in 19962, took on
the monumental task of analyzing the vast number of research articles
written about genetic properties of different human populations. The
senior author, Prof. L.L. Cavalli-Sforza, Professor of Genetics at
Stanford University, is considered one of the preeminent human
population geneticists in the world, a field that he has been working
in for over forty years. After eight years of
collecting this massive information, the authors spent several more
years doing the genetic and statistical analyses using sophisticated
computer methods. The
objective was nothing less than to define the
genetic variations in the entire human population of the world and,
from that information, to trace the origin and migration of modern
humans to their present locations on the planet (hence the
"History and Geography" in the
title). As the American Journal of Human Genetics stated, "This book
represents a landmark in
biology. There is nothing
of its
kind... where the evolutionary
history of a single species possessing a cosmopolitan distribution is
distilled from genetic, morphological, and cultural data. It represents
an essential historical source for all human biologists ... " And as
the New York Times said, "Perhaps more than anyone else in his field,
Dr. Cavalli-Sforza ... has been able to make sense of the whisperings
of human ancestors that
are recorded in the genes of present-day people."
The author of the webpage is Dr. Elias of the University of California School of Medicine. The title of the webpage is The Genetics of Modern Assyrians and their Relationship to Other People of the Middle East. Quoting the article (emphasis added)- The
closest genetic relationships of the Assyrians are with the native
populations of Jordan and Iraq. In
point of fact, however, all of
the seven populations of interest are quite close to each other. There
are no wide separations between any of them. This despite the
fact that they contain members of three major language families:
Indo-European (Iranian, Kurdish), Turkic (Turkish) and Semitic (Iraqi,
Jordanian, Lebanese - Arabic; Assyrian - Aramaic). As the authors
state, "In spite of the complex history of the Middle East and the
great number of internal group migrations revealed by history, as well
as the mosaic of cultures and languages, the region is relatively
homogeneous" [genetically]. The least heterogeneous zone of Asia
"is observed in the Near East, where the highest population densities
have existed the longest, especially in the central part (Mesopotamia).
Ten thousand years of agriculture, ancient urban developments, and
internal migrations are probably responsible for this homogeneity."
Thus, in that part of the world with the most ancient civilizations, an
underlying genetic homogeneity has been "masked" by great cultural,
religious and linguistic heterogeneity. ..
What may
one conclude from such
a study? One thing is for certain,
Jordanians and Iraqis are closley related and the most closely related
genetically to the modern Assyrians (lending credibility to our
hypothesis that the Assyrian antichrist will come from
Jordan/Iraq). However, there is a lot more forthcoming in this
region. One must keep in mind that traditionally the Assyrians
have been persecuted by the Islamists and many of them are Christians,
in fact, many of them were the "original" Christians (they were called
Christians
first in Antioch).In striking contrast, there was an "extremely close affinity of Jewish and non-Jewish Middle Eastern populations [Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, Druze, Saudi Arabians] observed here ...[that] supports the hypothesis of a common Middle Eastern origin" of these populations dating back about 4,000 years. [can you hear the voices of Abraham and Sarah "whispering?"] The differences between the populations were not statistically significant, demonstrating once again the close genetic relationship of Middle Eastern populations to each other. In fact, the Palestinians and Syrians were so close to the Jews in genetic characteristics that they "mapped within the central cluster of Jewish populations." As one of the Israeli scientists on the team said, "Eventually people will realize that they are not that different." [can you hear the voices of Ishmael and Isaac "whispering?"]... The results of these scientific studies lead to the startling realization that Turks, Iranians, Kurds, Iraqis, Jordanians, Lebanese are more closely related genetically to Assyrians than they are to other members of their own respective language families in Asia. These seven groups (and Jews) are genetically close. The great language, cultural and religious differences are not reflected in the most fundamental aspect of their biology - their genes, which are the most accurate indicators of their shared origins and ancestry. Since it is becoming evident that the strategy of manipulation of the Kurds/Islamists against the so-called Assyrians has already begun, we are merely pointing out that such a manipulation is based on a genetic absurdity. The manipulation has gone to to the extreme of attributing the problem to "certain pressure groups in the West who are deeply interested in reviving and promoting the ancient Christian heritage in the traditional Kurdish territories". By the way, that pressure group referenced in the link above just happens to be jesus-is-the-way.com (I can not stop laughing at such an inane notion; read my comments on the link.) This blatant manipulation is made more inflammatory toward the Islamists by not only engendering hatred toward the Assyrians, but also, toward Christians. The sensationalistic message to the Islamist is that Assyrian Christianity may take root in the Kurdish region and it must be stopped. I am not the only one who finds the article manipulative. Recently, on an Assyrian Forum(http://www.aina.org/bbs/index.cgi), I found this quote regarding the same article- I see a little bit of manipulation (and it is not something new) that he also want the Assyrians to now engage at sparring with the Kurds over our ancient lands. Do you not find it interesting that the so-called "disputed territory" (our ancient lands) happens to be the place of origin of the Magog invaders? Friends, this Magog invasion is going to be, perhaps, one of the biggest manipulative events in history. The manipulation we are discussing is just the beginning of what will culminate in the Magog invasion (and people are going to believe that it is the defeat of the antichrist!!). Let these words soak in - Be thou prepared (by another) - Eze 38:7. Right now, we are preparing commando troops in the northern Mesopotamia. End 01-14-2006 There are other candidates, but, the following one is interestingly close. I may well be wrong, but, there is a lot going on here. The number one attribute of the Coming Prince is the "confirmation" of the peace program. 11-07-2004 From the website- http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=54085&d=7&m=11&y=2004 we read- Fahd, Abdullah Hold Talks With Jordanian King P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News JEDDAH, 7 November 2004 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah held talks with Jordan’s King Abdallah on major international issues including the situation in Palestine and Iraq. The talks between King Fahd and King Abdallah covered the latest developments at Arab, Islamic and international levels, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two sides also discussed ways of strengthening bilateral ties, it added. King Abdallah, who arrived here earlier in the day, was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Prince Ali ibn Hussein, Prime Minister Faisal Al-Fayez and Personal Adviser Yousuf Al-Dalabeeh. Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, Prince Saud ibn Fahd, deputy director of intelligence, and Muhammad Al-Nuwaiser, chief of the royal court, also attended the talks. Prince Abdullah earlier met with the Jordanian king separately at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah and discussed major issues including Palestine and Iraq and ways of strengthening cooperation between the two countries , SPA said. He shall confirm the covenant with many... Daniel 9:27 from the website- http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=95916&Sn=WORL&IssueID=27231 we read- Polls will 'boost democracy in Arab world' AMMAN: Successful elections in Iraq would help the entire Middle East region and boost democracy across the Arab world, according to Jordan's Prince Hassan, former crown prince and uncle of King Abdullah. "A comprehensive election process is the objective of any administration during a period of transition," Prince Hassan said in an interview with AFP. "It will be in the interest of all parties to emphasise the comprehensive nature of involvement of all the parties ," he said. "Doing it right in Iraq is so important for the region as a whole. It will create a positive climate, a new dynamic , and a precedent for citizens' empowerment," for the rest of the Arab world, he added. He shall confirm the covenant with many... Daniel 9:27 from the website- http://www.foreignpolicy.com/users/login.php?story_id=2714&URL=http://www.foreignpolicy.com/stor y/cms.php?story_id=2714 we read- The Road to Reform By King Abdullah II November/December 2004 What is the right approach to development in the 21st century? Does it take only one shape, or can real advances be made in different ways? Modern history provides many lessons, but one endures: Successful change comes from within. That was true for the West; it is proving true for the powerhouse developing nations; and it will be true for the Middle East as well. In the Arab world, development policy is not an academic issue but an urgent need. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver... Daniel 11:43 From the website- http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=931 we read of the upcoming funeral of Arafat and it's significance- Israel has demanded that a burial with the trappings of a state funeral must take place in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians, with some support from their European friends, are insisting on his burial in Abu Dis, the Palestinian suburb of Jerusalem that has a view of Temple Mount. Arafat had a building constructed there to house a future Palestinian parliament. It stands empty and could serve as a tomb. In Gaza, the funeral procession would follow the route taken by Arafat a decade ago on his arrival there from Tunis in the wake of the Oslo peace accords. Qureia will be in Gaza Saturday to discuss funeral arrangements with the local heads of organizations. Both venues pose colossal security problems. Who will control the hordes of Palestinians on the move between the West Bank and Gaza Strip to attend the funeral? Who will guarantee the safety of the VIPs coming to the funeral – Western and Arab? It has been suggested in some capitals, including Washington, that the funeral and the presence of international figures will provide an opportunity for discreet diplomacy. Americans officials may come to show their respect for the Palestinian people and mark the end of the Arafat era. They will advise the Palestinians that, if they can consign their dead leader’s campaign of terror to the past, they will be granted a new beginning on the basis of the revived Middle East roadmap to peace. The clock may then be turned back to June 2003, when President George W. Bush endorsed the roadmap at the Sharm el Sheikh Arab summit and the Aqaba conference in the presence of Jordan’s King Abdullah, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas, then Palestinian prime minister. by peace shall destroy many... Daniel 8:25 11-07-2004 11-09-2004 from the website- www.aljazeerah.info we read- Abdallah Urges Serious Global Efforts for Mideast Peace Abdul Jalil Mustafa Arab News AMMAN, 8 November 2004 — Jordan’s King Abdallah yesterday told a US congressional delegation that serious international action was needed to prevent collapse of the Middle East peace process. “There must be serious international action to save the peace process,” he said during the meeting, according to the state-run Petra news agency. The king also briefed the delegation, led by the chairman of the Ways and Means Commission William Thomas, “on the efforts Jordan is making to revive the peace process and put it back on track ”, the agency said. There was no mention of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat who is fighting for his life in a French hospital and whose death would have repercussions on the future of Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations. He shall confirm the covenant with many... Daniel 9:27 The congressional delegation is on a tour of several Arab countries, including Egypt, Oman and Tunisia to discuss trade, investment and security issues. “It is high time for an international move to salvage the peace process ,” the monarch was quoted as telling Thomas and the accompanying delegation. The king alluded to an ensuing opportunity for a fresh US effort to reinvigorate the deadlocked Arab-Israeli peace negotiations following President George W. Bush’s victory in this week’s presidential election. Abdallah also told the US lawmakers that Jordan “supported ongoing efforts to restore stability and security to Iraq as well as rebuilding the country,” it added. According to the US Embassy, the team is on a “fact-finding mission” through several countries in North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf. The delegation planned to explore the possibility of encouraging economic development in the region through concluding trade agreements with Middle East countries in implementation of a recommendation to this effect by the US National Commission on attacks launched on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, officials said. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver... Daniel 11:43 from the website- http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-11/09/content_2194317.htm we read- Jordan's king stresses independent Palestinian statehood www.chinaview.cn 2004-11-09 13:18:46 BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Jordan's King Abdullah II has stressed the necessity to revive hope for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. End 11-09-2004 11-21-2004 Nothwithstanding reports to the contrary, President Bush did not invade Iraq for Haliburton, for oil, for money, or to start a war with Islam. He did it for the very reasons he stated. He actually believes in establishing "democracy" in the Middle East. He got rid of Saddam Hussein to allow the opportunity for "democracy" to take root. [ We do know from the Bible that a time of euphoria will emerge, but, after they say " peace and safety " then shall come " sudden destruction ." 1 Thess 5:3. Consequently, we know already that "democracy" will not truly come to the MidEast, though it may appear to have come. We know from the Bible that there will be a 7-year autocracy followed by a 1000-year theocracy.] In the interim, before the euphoria emerges, the PRESSURE to "democratize" the MidEast is mounting and is affecting Mideastern rulers. from the website- http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=69983 we read- State media to be liberalised-Jordan Jordan Times - 19/11/2004 His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said Jordan is enacting laws to restructure state media organisations and disengage the government from direct control. "Laws have been drafted to liberalise the sector and to open the public airwaves to private TV and radio stations," King Abdullah told more than 500 media leaders attending News Xchange 2004 conference here. ... Following is the full text of King Abdullah's remarks: "Thank you all. It's a pleasure to join the world's top broadcast news professionals. I've had the privilege of being interviewed by more than a few of you. And my country has been honoured to host many of you and your colleagues during the last few years. I'm grateful for your hospitality today. I understand that my time with you this morning is listed on your agenda as a keynote address. But I've learned enough from my friends in the broadcasting world to know that you don't want to sit for 20 minutes looking at a talking head. So, if I may, I'd like to make just a few remarks, and then I hope we can have some interaction back and forth. First, let me say that every one of you is part of an extraordinary enterprise, an international dialogue of tremendous scope and power . Through your work, the people of the world have had unprecedented access to information and ideas. And your viewers want to share in that larger world. To benefit from modern knowledge and opportunity. And more to share in the benefits of justice and peace. So how does our world expand its promise, to those who are left out? I've suggested before that we face a great choice in this century. In one direction is a world of freedom and openness — a human community based on respect for others and growing opportunity . The other direction is the way of the extremists, toward a world of violence and division. I believe in progressive change. And I believe that for this to happen, we need thoughtful journalists and credible sources of news more than ever. Today, the camera lens is the eye, not of the cameraman, but of millions of viewers watching over his or her shoulder. And we count on the global media to keep the focus clear. The challenge is to see beyond the surface. To avoid distortion. And to translate, not only between languages, but between cultures and communities — especially, today, Muslim and non-Muslim worlds . Only a few years ago, such dialogue was rarely discussed. Today building bridges is a major issue. We human beings have an urgent need to understand each other better, to speak to each other more responsibly, to avoid easy categories and avoid inflammatory rhetoric. [This website, to be sure, is considered inflammatory rhetoric] In the past few years, I've talked often about Islam as a religion of peace, rooted in core values of tolerance and respect for others. Islam's historic dynamism made my region a pioneer in civic development and scholarship — and by the way, paved the way for Western development as well. I've tried to express what the vast majority of today's Muslims expect themselves to be full partners in our 21st century, on the basis of peace and shared respect. Speaking out on these issues is my responsibility, not only personally, but as a citizen of the Arab Islamic world. And there are millions more who share my belief in the values and the future of our region. Jordan has led the way with structural reforms. We are energising our economy. We are working for stable, democratic political life . And we have put significant emphasis on human rights. A new Human Rights Centre has been established to act as an ombudsman. In the area of the media, we are enacting laws to restructure state media organisations, and disengage the government from direct control . Laws have been drafted to liberalise the sector and to open the public airwaves to private TV and radio stations. And we abolished the Ministry of Information . We know there is work ahead. Lasting change is deep change, and deep change does not come overnight. But Jordan has made its choice, for progressive reform, optimism and peace. And many throughout the region agree. Let me say, I am delighted that News Xchange 2004 is highlighting the role of the Arab broadcast media. The Arab media has an important role if regional reform and peace are to succeed. Dispassionate, knowledgeable reporting, fairness, credibility — these are all essential to constructive public dialogue. Extremists don't seek dialogue; they seek platforms and exposure. Responsible journalists deny it to them, just as they deny the hatred and violence terrorists incite. I cannot talk about our region without discussing the subject of peace. I know you're all closely following events in Iraq. It is urgent for the whole region, the whole world, that there be a rebuilt, violence-free, democratic and sovereign Iraq. The Arab-Israeli peace process is also critical . This conflict is the central challenge of our day — not just in the region but around the world. It has brought untold suffering to the parties. It has held back regional development. And it is causing worldwide collateral damage — including extremist violence and a serious loss of faith in international justice. In 2002, the Arab countries committed themselves to a balanced and lasting solution. It was a milestone proposal: Real security for Israel to live in peace with its neighbours. A sovereign, viable, democratic and contiguous Palestinian state. And a process that leads to a comprehensive settlement, based on a two-state solution, addressing the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. The parties agreed to the goals. The G-8 supported them. Now it's time for some hard, focused work to make it happen. At Yasser Arafat's funeral, world leaders came together with a new sense of urgency about fulfilling the dream of an independent Palestine and peace. I have urged the international community, especially the United States, to take the lead in moving the parties forward. Now, I urge you, as news professionals, to help the world's leaders keep their eyes on the prize. Ordinary people on both sides, Israelis and Palestinians alike, are crying out for peace. Listen to them. Listen to their hopes. Help them speak louder than tanks and bombs. Let me close by joining you in paying tribute to a special group of your peers — the reporters and cameramen and translators and others who have been killed doing their job. Many broadcast professionals have gone into danger to get the news in conflict zones and areas of crisis. Some have taken these risks to cross divides, to make sure they are hearing the whole story. I know this conference is going to be looking closely at safety issues, and the welfare of journalists and their families. To me, the greatest honour I can pay them, and all of you, is to continue the work for peace. I believe we will succeed." [They will succeed, but, only in the short run .] and from this website- http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/11/18/opinion/edlet.html we read- Preaching democracy International Herald Tribune It is curious to read King Abdullah II's thoughts on the hopes for democracy for the Palestinians and Iraqis ("Now that Yasser Arafat is gone - The road ahead," Views, Nov. 13). The king's family has ruled Jordan as a benevolent dictatorship since 1946. . At this point, democracy in Jordan could be a natural step forward for the king. Abdullah could remain as a constitutional monarch. With democracy in Jordan the country could revert to "Palestine" with the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank as its cantons. Such a state would be viable and able to absorb refugees from Lebanon and elsewhere . (The tiny and overcrowded Gaza and West Bank could not take in so many refugees without Jordan.) This would remove much of the tension in negotiatons for a final peace with Israel and would defuse one of the Middle East's longest and most emotional conflicts. . End 11-21-2004 12-19-2004 from the website- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4086865.stm we read how "democacy" in Jordan is not exactly what may be happening Arab reform dreams run aground Across most of Amman you could hear the guns blasting out their ceremonial salute, as King Abdullah arrived for the state opening of the Jordanian parliament just a few days ago. His uniform glittering with medals, the king delivered a speech to the assembled parliamentarians, announcing plans for the parliamentary term. The only interruptions came as members vied with each other to shout out their praise of the country's leader. A quaint hand-down of a tradition from the old imperial power, Britain, you might think. But at Westminster, the Queen is just a mouthpiece, reading a speech written for her by the elected government. Here in Jordan, it is the king who still runs the show. Jordan was meant to be a showpiece for democracy - an example of the sort of reform the Americans would like to see happening across the region. Instead, the process of reform has stalled. If anything the king is acquiring more power. ... In an interview last week, Mr Powell said there was now a "wave of reform " in the region. Many observers believe precisely the opposite is the case. There has been little to show for the initiative, and the Americans are already scaling back their ideas. In Jordan, most members of parliament are still appointed, not elected. The electoral system helps to divide the opposition. And most power is held by the palace, the king ruling by a system of "temporary laws". "Our monarchy has been moving very much to be more centralised ," argues Leith Shubeilat, an Islamist politician in Jordan who has been jailed three times for criticising the king. "The king is not a constitutional monarch, he runs business, even day-to-day business, which is what a president does." Abdulatif Arabiyet, a former head of the Islamic Action Front, argues that democracy in Jordan is only skin deep. "We are not practising the full meaning of democracy," he says. "We are trying to do something, but we only have a few centimetres of democracy, not enough to develop the full meaning of democracy." Chickening out One of the keys tools of the Bush administration to tackle this issue is a policy initiative called the Middle East Partnership Initiative or Mepi. It is a multi-million dollar programme designed to kick-start political reform. But according to a recent report by the Brookings Institution in Washington, "in its first year-and-a-half, Mepi has chosen to nibble at the margins of the reform problem by funding a wide variety of uncontroversial programmes and largely working within the boundaries set by Arab governments". Indeed, it takes no grand studies to spot President Bush's continued support for unelected governments in Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to name but three. Washington, in short, has chickened out. "If you look at the rhetoric that was going round in 2002 and 2003, Washington was basically announcing the beginning of a new era," says Muin Rabbani, an analyst with the International Crisis Group in Amman. "I think those days are long past." Doomed sponsorship The American policy always had a fundamental contradiction. Washington relies heavily on strong support from undemocratic Arab governments. More democracy is almost bound to mean less reliable support. Take the case of Jordan. A popularly elected government here would come under huge pressure to renounce the peace treaty with Israel - and would probably try to reverse social reforms on issues like women's rights. Hardly the sort of policies Washington could live with. Moin Rabbani believes this dilemma was never really examined in enough detail. "The Americans have this idea that democracy is good and therefore we are going to promote democracy in the region," he says. "They feel quite strongly that the absence of democracy in this region is somehow connected with the growth of radical and violent Islamist organisations, such as al-Qaeda." "But looking at the further consequences for American interests, I think they didn't think it through." Leith Shubeilat is more harsh, but his judgement would be echoed across the region: "The American track record is very well known. They don't support anything except dictatorships." "Any democracies they do support are quasi-democracies, pseudo-democracies that deliver to them what they care about - their interests." Here in Jordan, despite a veneer of modernity, society is still basically tribal. And the trouble is that any attempts by the Americans to help change that are doubly condemned because of the virulent anti-Americanism in the region - a result of what is happening in Israel and Iraq. In other words American sponsorship of any project for reform - whatever the motive - is pure poison. -- from the website- http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/50330.html we read- Cash-strapped Jordan aims high The cash-strapped kingdom is lobbying the world to invest in its economic growth. After spending several years carefully negotiating free-trade agreements with the United States, Europe and fellow Arab countries, Jordan is determined to gain a competitive advantage for Jordanian industries in world markets. And Washington appears eager to help them achieve success. Why? Because the administration hopes that economic reforms and trade liberalization in Jordan will spur change throughout the region. King Abdullah was one of the first heads of state to travel to Washington in the weeks following the September 11th terror attacks; his visit was welcomed as a gesture of support for Americans – at a time when they needed support the most. It was indeed a gesture of support, but it also served another purpose: the trip was the final step in cementing an agreement to cut tariffs on nearly all goods and services exchanged between the two countries by 2010. President Bush signed into law the legislation needed to implement the Jordan-United States Free-Trade Agreement (JUSFTA). First bilateral US FTA The agreement was the first of its kind between the United States and an Arab country, and was years in the making. The deal gave both men what they wanted. It provided Abdullah with an important tool needed to shape Jordan – a country with limited natural resources, staggering internal debt, and high rates of poverty and unemployment – into a central trading depot in the region. The deal gave Bush a prototype for expanding trade partnerships throughout the Middle East. Three years later, though, international trade specialists say JUSFTA's potential has not been fulfilled because the private sector has still not taken advantage of it. 'Neither side is happy with the level of trade and investment between Jordan and the US since the signing of the agreement,' said Rasim Abderrahim, chief executive officer at the Export Expert Program and a former economic and commercial specialist at the American embassy in Jordan. Nevertheless, commercial ties between the two countries have flourished. Exports from Jordan to the United States have jumped from $31 million in 1999 to $673 million in 2003. By 2003, Jordanian industries shipped 30 percent of their exports to the United States. But this increase in trade has more to do with agreements the United States negotiated in the late 1990s with Israel and Jordan to promote relations between the two countries. The agreements allow goods that are partially produced in Jordanian qualifying industrial zones (QIZs) and Israel to qualify for duty-free tariffs in the United States. Textile exports produced in QIZs account for 90 percent ($587 million in 2003) of all Jordanian exports to the United States. Abderrahim says the JUSFTA rules provide greater flexibility and opportunity. JUSFTA will eliminate all tariff and non-tariff barriers to bilateral trade in nearly all industrial goods and agricultural products; it provides intellectual property rights that will – among other things – require Jordan to provide copyright protection on the Internet and adhere to World Intellectual Property Organization treaties; and it includes requirements that the two countries maintain labor and environmental protections. Public relations As JUSFTA enters its third stage of tariff elimination in January, the Jordanian government is devoting more resources to publicizing the benefits of the agreement to US businesses. 'Not many people know about the arrangements that Jordan and the US enjoy in terms of the QIZs, in terms of the FTA, in terms of the bilateral investment treaty,' says Maher Matalka, director of the economic and commerce bureau at the Jordanian embassy in Washington. ' We see our role as to capitalize on all those mechanisms or agreements that are in place .' Matalka said the embassy is expanding its commerce department in Washington , establishing a Jordanian business network in nearly a dozen key US cities to promote exports, and is also recruiting corporate executives from companies like Cisco Systems and Intel to a new US-Jordan Business Alliance . The alliance will brainstorm fresh ideas for international trade and participate in Jordan's World Economic Forum meeting next spring . Several other public-private coalitions already exist. Members of the TIJARA Coalition in Jordan hope to increase exports to US markets to $900 million and bilateral trade to $1.8 billion by the end of 2004. The coalition provides Jordanian exporters with support for marketing, pricing and distribution. Another group encourages small and medium-sized businesses in the same industry to pool together to create a competitive advantage for exports of olive oil, jewelry, soap, automotive parts and marble. The Jordan-US Business Partnership, a project managed by the International Executive Service Corps and funded by the United States Agency for International Development, helps Jordanian firms participate in US trade shows and form coalitions that enable them to pool their resources to promote and protect their products abroad. 'Jordan has a very active Jordanian-American business community that has worked very hard to match make opportunities between American companies and Jordanians so that trade flows can go both ways,' said Catherine Novelli, an assistant US trade representative who helped negotiated JUSFTA. ' And King Abdullah himself is probably the best advocate for trade in the whole region.' But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver...Daniel 11:43 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power... Daniel 8:24 --- from the website- http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=72556 we read- Natsios confirms USAID's commitment in supporting Jordan's development process Jordan Times - 12/12/2004 AMMAN (JT) — USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios stressed on Friday that USAID will continue to work closely with the government to achieve His Majesty King Abdullah's vision for a thriving economy and a high standard of living for all Jordanians. During a meeting with Acting Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Hazem Nasser, the USAID chief also confirmed that the administration in Washington has approved the $250 million which represents the economic assistance package to Jordan for the fiscal year 2005. Natsios expressed his admiration to Jordan's commitment and effort to the reform and development process. "This commitment by the people of Jordan and the government has resulted in a successful partnership with USAID," he remarked --- from the website- http://www.sierratimes.com/rss/newswire.php?article=/afp/20041214/wl_mideast_afp/japanjordaniraq&time=1103020882&feed=iraq we read- Japan to help send Jordanian experts to developing world Posted: Tuesday December 14,2004 - 02:41:22 am TOKYO (AFP) - Japan will pay for Jordan to send experts on development projects abroad and share technology with its Iraqi and Palestinian neighbors, officials said during a state visit by King Abdullah II. End 12-19-2004 12-23-2004 from the website- http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/12/23/whose_war_is_it_now/ we read amidst criticism of US policy in Iraq how- The United States is deepening the Shi'ite-Sunni divide. President Bush got his Sunni Arab proteges King Abdullah and interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar to denounce Iranian "interference" in Iraqi affairs. Also, the Americans are prodding interim Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi to try to put together a Sunni-dominated party to counter the pro-Iranian Shi'ite alliance. ... An Arab-American friend who has returned from a tour of the region tells me that in Jordan's cafes and college campuses King Abdullah II is being "openly denounced" as America's "lackey" and "collaborator ." My friend had not seen Jordanians criticize the monarchy so harshly and publicly before. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power... Daniel 8:24 ... Now Arab commentators are saying that America is fighting "Iran's war." The US invasion has, besides facilitating the creation of a pro-Iranian government in Baghdad, wrecked the military power of Iraq, Iran's historic adversary. Iraqi Shi'ites aren't a monolith, and the elections could be followed by an intra-Shi'ite power struggle, alongside a broader one among Shi'ite Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Sunni Kurds. Are the last 3 entities mentioned going to be the prophetic " three horns " that the eventual antichrist replaces in order to rise to power? End 12-23-2004 12-28-2004 from the website- http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=74370 we read- Jordan's King discusses economic assistance with US delegation Jordan Times - 24/12/2004 His Majesty King Abdullah held talks on Thursday with a visiting US congressional delegation from the House of Representatives on economic assistance to the Kingdom. The delegation told the King, and later the press, that the US is keen on supporting Jordan, one of its main "partners" in the Middle East. "Jordan is ranked as 4th or 5th among the countries that benefit most from US assistance, due to its role in the fight against terrorism," said Representative Jim Kolbe (R-Arizona) who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, which funds most US foreign aid programmes. He also led the visiting delegation. "During our meetings with King Abdullah, we had the opportunity to discuss the request His Majesty made to the Bush administration for additional appropriations to Jordan," Kolbe told a press conference later on Thursday. --- from the website- http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=106&ncid=742&e=1&u=/nypost/20041224/cm_nypost/hopeandfearinbethlehem we read- Another cloud hovers east of the Jordan, where King Abdullah is alarmed about another election next month, in Iraq . According to diplomatic reports, the Jordanian leader asked Washington to delay the voting because he fears it will leave a Shiite regime, controlled by Iran, on his doorstep . Abdullah was turned down by the U.S. and is now warning Israel that Iran is sending tens of thousands of Shiite sympathizers across the porous border to ensure victory in the Jan. 30 elections. This story is significant in the light of a future action of the antichrist at the very time he assumes power . --- from the website- http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=142637 we read of more information (propaganda?) pointing to a future suspected political objective of Jordan- And now, Jordan is implementing a disinformation campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Shias, claiming that one million Iranians have entered Iraq to vote illegally in the upcoming election. This propaganda campaign is connected with Allawi’s numerous trips to Jordan, where he receives orders from high-ranking Jordanian officials because he is attempting to serve Jordan in another way. In addition, many Iraqi officers of Saddam’s Baath regime are currently receiving military training under the supervision of the CIA and Mossad in Jordan’s deserts, with the goal of eventually regaining power in Iraq. Thus, Jordan intends to reestablish the Baath regime in Iraq and re-marginalize the Shias, in order to resolve the Palestine issue through the resettlement of five million Palestinian exiles in western Iraq. Will Jordan achieve its evil objectives? Definitely, the Iraqi people, especially the Shias, are vigilantly following national issues and will not allow the dream of a united Iraq to be killed by the conspiracies of neighboring countries. The Shias have realized that holding a free and fair election is the correct path, and they are determined to establish a democratic government based on the votes of the majority of the Iraqi nation without the interference of regional countries. End 12-28-2004 01-23-2005 from the website- http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2005/01/20/news/world/aaa.txt we read how the King of Jordan continues his habit of discussing the Palestinians and the Iraqi situation with the President of the United States Bush, Abdullah talk President Bush discussed the latest crisis in Israeli-Palestinian relations with King Abdullah II of Jordan. Bush phoned Abdullah on Tuesday to discuss Jan. 30 elections in Iraq, which neighbors Jordan, but they also discussed recent violence in the Gaza Strip that prompted Israel to cut relations with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. "Both also expressed the need to help the new government of President Abbas to move forward as it builds the institutions necessary for a viable democratic state to emerge," the White House said in a statement. (if the King was not seriously interested in these issues, these talks would not be taking place. ) End 01-23-2005 01-27-2005 We know that the antichrist will think to change times and laws (Dan 7:25). Would that include new tools and reforms? In a recent speech opposing the division of Iraq , the King of Jordan said the following- http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?ID=36528 "If Israel really wants peace, it should help the Palestinian leadership, ease economic restrictions and rapidly launch a dialogue ," he said. King Abdullah, who took over on the death of his father King Hussein in February 1999, said his aim was to make Jordan "an example of political openness ... security and stability" in the region. "The world is changing and we must face the challenges of the century with new tools," said the king, who said he wanted to lead the Jordanian people toward "a process of development and reforms". End 01-27-2005 02-16-2005 Several things we know about the antichrist. 1) He will be the "Assyrian ". 2) He will be from the "north"; he'll be the king of the north (Dan 11:40) and will launch a campaign from there like this . 2) He will assume more power or a continuation of power WITH the ten kings for one hour, presumably a part of 70th week, (the second half of Daniel's 70th week?) One hour could be the entire week, but, it is probably less than the entire week (Rev 17:12 - received no kingdom as yet) 3) He will "confirm" the covenant with many for one week, the entire Daniel's 70th week . (His association with the ten kings must not be firmly established during the first half of Daniel's 70th week) 4) The antichrist will "displace" three of the ten kings and it is this very "displacement" that occasions his rise to ultimate power which does occur at the midpoint of Daniel's 70th week . (An hypothesis about this displacement .) (See Dan 7:8, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots) 5) The confederation of the ten kings occurs when Assur, northern Iraq, and Edom, Moab, and Ammon (Jordan) are JOINED together (along with others). Since #5 has the ultimate confederation and kingdom as a "merger" of Jordan and Iraq and others and since three "kings" within the confederation will "give way" to the antichrist, there are two possibilities here: a) the Jordanian monarch assumes command in place of Assur and others b) a "King" from northern Iraq (Assur) assumes command in place of Ammon, Edom, and Moab (Jordan) or others In either case, the "place" of the antichrist arising from the "merger" with the ten kings will be located (at first) in Northern Iraq. (This merger could be three and one half years AFTER the rapture and Magog invasion.) Antichrist will conduct military campaigns toward the south (ultimately conquering Egypt ). Due to the revelations and developments on the ten kinged confederation , it is becoming abundantly clear that events are accelerating rapidly. We are truly on the brink of the second coming. We know that the sequence of events looks like this . After the rapture , we will see the Magog invasion The Magog invasion will greatly change the landscapeof the Mideast with the defeat of Iran and other Moslem states(the Shia nation). This will be preparatory to the 70th week proper and the eventual merger (confederation) of the ten kings. Preparations are being made to bring the Shia nation against Israel already. After the 70th week is underway , we will see the merger of the ten kings and the antichrist. Let's watch and wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ together. If you see anything we missed or you have an idea, please write. End 02-16-2005 02-22-2005 Other scenarios that could develop: Two interesting developments have already taken place. The First Development- from the website- http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050127/2005012716.html we read- King Abdullah discusses the division of Jordan to three districts Jordan, Politics, 1/27/2005 The Jordanian King Abdullah II said he will reconsider the administrative divisions in the Kingdom in order to form three districts of elected local councils, with each district including several governorates. The Jordanian King said that he will form shortly a royal committee with a mission of "including this inclination from various aspects and draw an appropriate mechanism to implement it and convert it from a theory to a tangible practice." In a televised statement, the Jordanian TV underlined the importance of this political development "starting as from people's organizations up to the centers of decision making, not the opposite way round." The Second Development- In November, Abdullah stripped his half-brother, Prince Hamzah, of his crown as heir to the throne. In so doing, the King said that the action enables the King to assign Hamzah responsibilities that he could not if he remained crown prince. Are the two developments related? Analysis, Possibility- Consider this- (a picture from the webpage - http://www.go.com.jo/QNoorjo/main/funeral4.htm The sons of the late King Hussein. From left to right: Prince Ali, Crown Prince Hamzah, King Abdullah II, Prince Faisal Prince Hashim. Now, take Prince Hamzah from the picture (since he is no longer crown prince). Was he removed to leave the 3 remaining brothers Ali, Faisal, Hashim in a position to represent the three districts of Jordan? Could the three districts be Ammon, Moab, and Edom? We know that the antichrist enroute to destroy Egypt will not harm Ammon, Moab, and Edom ? When Jordan unites with Iraq to form the 10-king confederation, will three of the ten kings be Ammon, Moab, Edom ? Will the 3 kings actually be Ali, Faisal, and Hashim? Could it be that the Jordanian monarch already knows he is headed for a "promotion" and he is preparing his country to be part of the new " democratic security regime" in the Middle East? Lastly, could it be that the three kings that the eventual antichrist actually displaces will be Ammon, Moab, and Edom instead of replacing parts of Iraq? By the time this happens the believers in the church will have been long gone from the earth . End 02-22-2005 02-23-2005 France and much of Europe used to be out of the Middle eastern loop. They are not out of the loop anymore and who is meeting with them? from the website- http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=17193&name=King+of+ Jordan+to+meet+Chriac+in+Paris King of Jordan to meet Chirac in Paris AMMAN, Feb 22 (AFP) - Jordan's King Abdullah II left for Spain on Tuesday at the start of a European tour that will take in France, Britain and Germany, the official Petra news agency reported. The king talks with European leaders will focus on "the latest political developments in the Middle East, particularly... in Palestine and Iraq, and efforts being made to push forward the peace process in the region," it said. Following talks in Spain with King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Jordanian king will head to Paris to meet French President Jacques Chirac. He will also hold talks in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and in Germany with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the agency added End 02-23-2005 03-26-2005 from the website- http://www.freep.com/voices/columnists/edoctoroff25e_20050325.htm we read of the "visionary ledership" of the Jordanian Monarchy from the Detroit Free Press LOCAL COMMENT: Jordan's message of peace
March 25, 2005 BY ANDREW S. DOCTOROFF ( president of the metropolitan Detroit chapter of the American Jewish Committee, a Jewish advocacy organization) The conventional wisdom that the Middle East is devoid of courageous statesmen to aggressively challenge Islamic extremists was exposed as myth at the Bassman Palace, on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan. This is where King Abdullah II conferred last week with a small delegation of representatives of the American Jewish Committee, including me.The king spoke with pride of the Amman Message, a dissertation published under his name that unequivocally condemns terrorism, citing the Koran to demonstrate that terrorism and Islam cannot be reconciled. The Amman Message proclaims: "On religious grounds, on moral grounds, we denounce the contemporary concept of terrorism which is associated with wrongful practices wherever they come from. ... Extremism ... is an evil alien to Islamic values of moderation and tolerance." Those unvarnished sentiments, discussed in a mahogany-paneled room adorned with arabesques and towering portraits of princes and kings, were jarring to our group. They upended expectations that public rhetoric in this part of the world would be cautiously tailored to appease the "Arab street." Evoking Judeo-Christian tenets, the Amman Message emerged from the carnage of the September 2004 seizure by Muslim attackers of a school near the Russian Republic of Chechnya. The 43-year-old king who drafted it is widely believed to be a direct descendant of Mohammad and, therefore, of the highest standing to persuade extremists that bloodshed betrays Islam. The Amman Message has received virtually no attention in the United States. It should, because it challenges absolutists who would have us believe that ensuring our safety at home necessarily entails a clash of civilizations or that Islam is inherently barbaric. In a region where deeds have greater currency than words, King Abdullah, educated in the West, is blazing a trail of moderate leadership. Last month, Jordan became the first Middle Eastern country since the beginning of the second intifada in 2000 to return its ambassador to Israel.King Abdullah recently sponsored an international conference at which he promulgated the Amman Declaration, which advocates free elections, protection for journalists and the institution of checks and balances. Jordan drafted "Beirut-plus-plus," a statement that acknowledges Israel's right to exist and declares that the Arab world will embrace any negotiated two-nation agreement reached by Israel and the Palestinians. Jordan was expected to lobby for the statement to be adopted at this week's Arab Summit in Algiers. Jordan vigilantly protects its border with Israel from terrorist infiltration and has an enviable history of security cooperation with Israel, as well as with the United States.These actions evince true leadership, because they run counter to the impulses of many Jordanians who, like their counterparts across the Arab world, continue to hold deep-seated animosity for Israel. Though Jordan endeavors to be a model Arab state, it feels insufficiently supported by Washington. U.S. aid to Jordan has increased dramatically in recent years -- but so have the threats facing the kingdom's security. Jordan has requested additional assistance that, if granted, would bolster the country's economy and the perceived legitimacy of progressives in its government. The Bush administration has not acted on Jordan's plea to accelerate the reduction of tariffs addressed in a free trade agreement between Jordan and the United States. Jordan would also like to amend accords creating Qualified Industrial Zones, areas in which manufacturers may export goods duty-free, which have been a boon to the Jordanian economy and created strong economic links with Israel. One senior Israeli official described foreign aid to Jordan as insufficient, particularly given that King Abdullah is "sticking his neck out" for the United States. Jordan is not a democracy. King Abdullah has exercised his constitutional authority to dissolve the National Assembly's popularly elected Chamber of Deputies. Images of King Abdullah and his late father, King Hussein, are ubiquitous in the country, fostering a cult of personality. Published reports indicate that political dissenters who oppose Jordan's pro-U.S. policies are sometimes gagged or subject to criminal prosecution. Yet, because of King Abdullah's visionary leadership and his commitment to forging lasting peace in the Middle East, one travels Jordan with palpable optimism, a confidence that there has emerged a caliph who presages a rise of rationalism, effecting meaningful change. Sadly,
this hopefulness is tempered by not only the region's inherent
instability, but also a concern that we are not suitably protecting
King Abdullah from the reactionary wrath that surely festers among his
subjects.
04-18-2005 We read with interest of developments in Jordan. http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1015 Jordan`s Not-So Far-fetched Scenario for West Bank DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 16, 2005, 11:33 AM
(GMT+02:00) King Abdullah II is deeply preoccupied in restructuring governance in his realm according to a self-designed pattern of democracy. This revolutionary process is going forward quietly step by step. This month, he appointed a new government shorn of policy-making authority in the fields of foreign affairs, defense and home security, prerogatives that will pass to the royal court. Furthermore, he is acting to decentralize parliament in Amman. But along with these radical
reforms, the
Jordanian king’s peripheral sight is fixed on his western neighbor. He
has not missed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’s descent deeper day by
day into the morass of disorder and revolt. ... But according to our Amman sources, Abdullah thinks the Palestinian Authority under Abu Mazen is sinking rapidly and may be beyond saving. What interests him most is the July 17 Palestinian election and its potential impact on stability in his kingdom given his large Palestinian population ...Abdullah is therefore turning over the possibility of Jordan moving in to fill the power vacuum that would be formed on the West Bank by Abu Mazen’s downfall. Last week, the Jordanian ruler set up a new body called the Commission for Determining Jordan’s National Agenda. Its eight sub-committees were entrusted with drafting new laws for the redistribution of legislative authority among provincial parliaments still to be created. DEBKAfile’s Amman sources reveal that the king has decided on three provincial parliaments for Irbid in the north, Salt in the center and Kerak in the south. Each will elect a government to administer the province. As for the West Bank, the Jordanian king would not be surprised if a breakdown of the Abbas government in Ramallah produced an invitation from Washington, pro-Jordanian elements among the Palestinians - and even possibly Israel, for him to step in and sort out the mayhem in the West Bank. Such an invitation might
lead to consideration
of a plan to make the territory the Jordanian kingdom’s fourth wilaya. Abdullah’s aides are seeking to muster a majority of royalist supporters for the three Jordanian provincial governments. The headhunt is led by Jordan’s elder statesman Zeid al-Rifai, many times prime minister in Amman, his son, Samir Rifai, one of the king’s closest advisers, and the speaker of parliament, Abd al Hadi Majali. DEBKAfile’s Washington sources have no doubt that the king discussed his West Bank concept with Bush during their White House talks in March. Neither gave the game away in their public appearances later. The president only praised “His Majesty’s” steps for democracy in general terms, making no commitments. He may have set Abdullah’s suggestion aside as a possible Plan B for consideration if the Palestinian Authority crisis becomes terminal. Our American sources are certain Sharon was clued in on the Jordanian option when he visited the presidential ranch in Texas last week. Whatever becomes of this as yet unformed notion, a Jordanian-Palestinian province on the West Bank might open up some fresh thinking on ways of keeping some Jewish settlement blocs in situ – if not under full Israeli sovereignty then at least under Israeli administration – under give-and-take accords.
In conjunction with these developments we find that - ISRAEL-JORDAN PEACE TREATY Main Points of Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty October 26, 1994 On October 26, 1994, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Prime Minister Abdul-Salam Majali signed the Treaty of Peace between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the second peace treaty The peace treaty with A significant part of this agreement is- 5. Places of Historical and Religious Significance There will be freedom of access to the places of religious and historical significance. In accordance with the Washington Declaration, Israel respects the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Muslim Holy shrines in Jerusalem. When negotiations on the permanent status, as detailed in the Declaration of Principles, will take place, Israel will give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines. ... Standing next to Abbas, Jordanian Prime Minister Adnan Badran said The "shrines" will turn out to be the temple in which antichrist will sit showing himself to be God in the middle of Daniel's 70th week. End 04-18-2005 04-18-2005 We read with interest of developments in Jordan. http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1015 Jordan`s Not-So Far-fetched Scenario for West Bank DEBKAfile Exclusive Report April 16, 2005, 11:33 AM
(GMT+02:00) King Abdullah II is deeply preoccupied in restructuring governance in his realm according to a self-designed pattern of democracy. This revolutionary process is going forward quietly step by step. This month, he appointed a new government shorn of policy-making authority in the fields of foreign affairs, defense and home security, prerogatives that will pass to the royal court. Furthermore, he is acting to decentralize parliament in Amman. But along with these radical
reforms, the
Jordanian king’s peripheral sight is fixed on his western neighbor. He
has not missed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’s descent deeper day by
day into the morass of disorder and revolt. ... But according to our Amman sources, Abdullah thinks the Palestinian Authority under Abu Mazen is sinking rapidly and may be beyond saving. What interests him most is the July 17 Palestinian election and its potential impact on stability in his kingdom given his large Palestinian population ...Abdullah is therefore turning over the possibility of Jordan moving in to fill the power vacuum that would be formed on the West Bank by Abu Mazen’s downfall. Last week, the Jordanian ruler set up a new body called the Commission for Determining Jordan’s National Agenda. Its eight sub-committees were entrusted with drafting new laws for the redistribution of legislative authority among provincial parliaments still to be created. DEBKAfile’s Amman sources reveal that the king has decided on three provincial parliaments for Irbid in the north, Salt in the center and Kerak in the south. Each will elect a government to administer the province. As for the West Bank, the Jordanian king would not be surprised if a breakdown of the Abbas government in Ramallah produced an invitation from Washington, pro-Jordanian elements among the Palestinians - and even possibly Israel, for him to step in and sort out the mayhem in the West Bank. Such an invitation might
lead to consideration
of a plan to make the territory the Jordanian kingdom’s fourth wilaya. Abdullah’s aides are seeking to muster a majority of royalist supporters for the three Jordanian provincial governments. The headhunt is led by Jordan’s elder statesman Zeid al-Rifai, many times prime minister in Amman, his son, Samir Rifai, one of the king’s closest advisers, and the speaker of parliament, Abd al Hadi Majali. DEBKAfile’s Washington sources have no doubt that the king discussed his West Bank concept with Bush during their White House talks in March. Neither gave the game away in their public appearances later. The president only praised “His Majesty’s” steps for democracy in general terms, making no commitments. He may have set Abdullah’s suggestion aside as a possible Plan B for consideration if the Palestinian Authority crisis becomes terminal. Our American sources are certain Sharon was clued in on the Jordanian option when he visited the presidential ranch in Texas last week. Whatever becomes of this as yet unformed notion, a Jordanian-Palestinian province on the West Bank might open up some fresh thinking on ways of keeping some Jewish settlement blocs in situ – if not under full Israeli sovereignty then at least under Israeli administration – under give-and-take accords.
In conjunction with these developments we find that - ISRAEL-JORDAN PEACE TREATY Main Points of Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty October 26, 1994 On October 26, 1994, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Prime Minister Abdul-Salam Majali signed the Treaty of Peace between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the second peace treaty The peace treaty with A significant part of this agreement is- 5. Places of Historical and Religious Significance There will be freedom of access to the places of religious and historical significance. In accordance with the Washington Declaration, Israel respects the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Muslim Holy shrines in Jerusalem. When negotiations on the permanent status, as detailed in the Declaration of Principles, will take place, Israel will give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines. ... Standing next to Abbas, Jordanian Prime Minister Adnan Badran said The "shrines" will turn out to be the temple in which antichrist will sit showing himself to be God in the middle of Daniel's 70th week. End 04-18-2005 04-24-2005 It's been a long time coming, and it's hard to believe this strategy has not been tried already. Anything that is favored by the United States in the Middle East will be opposed by the Moslem nations. So, why not "oppose" that which you support? from the website- http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=14321 we read- Jordan falls from grace in Washington By Maggie Mitchell-Salem Is Jordan still the darling of U.S. President George W. Bush's campaign to refo |