Arabs, U.S. See Decline In Israeli Deterrence

The Institute for National Security Studies, formerly the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, said the Lebanon war eroded Israeli deterrence among Arabs and others in the Middle East. The institute, in one of the most scathing reports published in decades, said the war exposed Israel's weaknesses and placed the Jewish state in a worse strategic position.

Russia Nearly Completes SAM Deliveries To Iran, Syria
MOSCOW [MENL] -- Russia has delivered more than half of the anti-aircraft defense systems ordered by Iran and Syria.

Russian defense officials said Moscow has accelerated deliveries of surface-to-air missiles to Damascus and Teheran over the last few months. They said the SAM contract with Syria has been completed, while half of the air defense systems arrived in Teheran.

Egyptians Hope Olmert-Mubarak Meeting Leads to 4-Way Summit
Olmert is set to meet Thursday evening with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss the proposal, the stalled talks between Israel and the PA, and smuggling of weapons and money into the Gaza Strip. Olmert will request stronger Egyptian monitoring of the border.

Police in Spain find car with 220 pounds of explosives
MADRID, Spain - Police in the Basque region said Thursday they had found a bomb in northern Spain, five days after a car bombing in Madrid that was blamed on the separatist group ETA and killed one person.

Israeli troops, Palestinians exchange fire in Ramallah
RAMALLAH, West Bank - Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen exchanged heavy fire in downtown Ramallah on Thursday after undercover Israeli forces tried to arrest fugitives in the city's vegetable market. Two Palestinians were killed and 25 were wounded.

Fatah Calls State of Alert as Blood Runs in Gaza
Blood is running in the streets of Gaza again, as killings and kidnappings by Fatah and Hamas terrorists escalate to their former levels. Fatah has declared a state of alert among its ranks.

House and Senate opens with Democrats in control for first time in 12 years
WASHINGTON — Democrats took control of both houses of Congress today for the first time in a dozen years and pledged tighter ethics rules and a more bipartisan spirit.

The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate were called into session at noon, with the Democrats in charge in both chambers.

WASHINGTON'S CHERRY BLOSSOMS SHOW COLOR -- IN JANUARY...

Global Warming: Record snow fall buries Anchorage...

Scientists Say 2007 May Be Warmest Yet...

Iran leader: I believe Israel will soon collapse
Iran 's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a new verbal attack against Israel on Wednesday, saying he believed it would soon collapse, state media reported.

Report: Olmert plans to remove Peretz
Unclear when the prime minister was planning on firing the defense minister.

A group of United Airlines employees have reported a UFO hovering over O' Hare's International Airport
A flying saucer-like object hovered low over Chicago's O' Hare International Airport for several minutes before bolting through thick clouds.

Iraq: Iran aiding Sunnis in order to incite civil war
WASHINGTON- Iranian sources supported Sunni as well as Shiite militias simultaneously in order to fan the flames of the ethnic strife in Iraq, according to documents obtained by American forces in Iraq. The documents were apparently on Iranian security officials and diplomats who were arrested in Baghdad.

Comments
A new report by the Institute For National Security Studies concluded that Israel's ability to protect itself against its enemies has significantly eroded.  It was the worst report in years and following the Lebanon war Israel was exposed as weaker and in a worse strategic position.

"The war in Lebanon underscored the problematic and fluctuating nature of Israel's strategic environment, damaged Israel's deterrent image, and exposed weaknesses in the Israel Defense Forces and the decision-making process in Israel," the institute reported on Tuesday. http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2007/january/01_04_1.html

Although a somewhat damning report by world military standards, this is all in God's plan to embolden Israel's enemies.  It is my believe that reports like this and others will one day soon arouse the Islamic world into a false believe that they can conquer Israel.  As I stated in yesterday's article, I don't believe nuclear weapons will be used due to the close proximity of those Islamic nations who will participate.  Their plan will be to come upon Israel "like a storm" (Ezekiel 38:9).

In related news, Russia has decided to accelerate its contracted SAM anti-aircraft defense system deliveries to Iran and Syria.  As reported yesterday, Israel gave the U.S. an ultimatum to do something about Iran's nuclear program or they would.  You can bet Russia's accelerated delivery of the SAM systems is in direct response to what they believe will happen in the future.  Russia seems to be getting awfully cozy with their Islamic neighbors and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if they were already preparing to lead a future war against Israel.  But I still hold to the belief that this attack won't take place until after Israel has something of value for Russia to spoil (Ezekiel 38:4-12).   

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is in Egypt today to discuss a proposal with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh aimed at getting Israel and the PA back to negotiation table.  Egyptian leaders are trying to arrange a four-way summit between Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egypt’s Mubarak, Israel’s Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).  

Police in Madrid Spain have found a car laden with 220 pounds of explosives in the Basque region.  The bomb was ready to go lacking only a detonator.  

This just goes to show that after cowering down to terrorists after the Madrid train bombing and pulling their troops out of Iraq the only thing they succeeded in doing was showing they were weak.  This is just a reminder why one should never negotiate with terrorists.  Look for the terrorism to continue in Spain.

Evidently, scientists are saying that 2007 may be the warmest year of all time...and it's not just in the United States.  Many are attributing this to an El Niño year and others are saying it is being caused by global warming.  

I have to admit, I'm not a big advocate of global warming and the prophetic theories that have surfaced as a result.  Many believe that global warming will be the cause of many of the plagues described in the Book of Revelation.  I do not subscribe to this theory.  When God brings judgment to this world it will be sudden and unexpected.  In fact, they will be so unexpected that the Bible says that many will say in that day, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (II Peter 3:4)"

The judgments will be God made and not man-made, and there will be no mistaking where they came from when they happen.  When the sky thunders and the sea roars, every mountain and island is moved, and the cloud rolls back as a scroll, every man will say "to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:16 & 17)"

No my friend, when that day comes there will be no escape nor hiding place.  "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved (Matthew 24:22)."

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

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Pastor Malone