Obama: American Leadership

This week President Obama gave his annual State of the Union Speech. It was full of his usual pompous bluster. He boldly stated:

My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military – then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.

I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don't let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents. That's exactly what we're doing right now – and around the globe, it is making a difference.

Claiming to act as the world’s intelligent policeman, he boasted of Americas achievements, and its resolve not to get dragged into another Middle East ground war:

In Iraq and Syria, American leadership – including our military power –  is stopping ISIL's advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group.

Many politicians in America have argued that the war against ISIL will not be successful without “boots on the ground”. Bible Prophecy indicates that there will be a western presence in the area of modern day Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as Daniel describes:

“He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.” (Daniel 11:41 - ESV)

Ezekiel explains who the force will be in this area at the time:

“Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:13)

One of the young lions or merchants of Tarshish reiterated this week its resolve to assist in the war against ISIS as Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended Canada’s mission in Iraq:

 “We want to help, we want to advise and assist Iraqi forces, particularly the Kurdish forces, to lead the combat themselves… but let me be clear, this is a robust mission. We are there to make those guys effective so they can take on the Islamic State and deal with them. If those guys fire at us, we are going to fire back and we are going to kill them, just like our guys did….”

Obama on Russia

Obama also took aim at Russia in his state of the union address:

We are demonstrating the power of American strength and diplomacy. We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small – by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, as we were reinforcing our presence with the front line states, some suggested that Mr. Putin's aggression, it was suggested, was a masterful display of strategy and strength, that is what I heard from some folks. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters. That is how America leads, not with bluster, but with persistent steady resolve.

Russia's Response?

What do the Russians think of Obama’s statement? They haven’t been slow in responding. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov address the press in his annual speech the day following Obama’s State of the Union address. He stated:

"Relations between Moscow and Washington have become seriously acute on the American front. The US administration has wrapped up bilateral dialogue in most areas. We call on our American partners to return to the path of constructive mutual activities on bilateral issues as well as on the world arena where our countries carry great responsibility…

"The Americans have taken a path of confrontation, completely and uncritically assessing their own steps, and President Obama’s speech yesterday shows that there is only one in the center of [his] philosophy: We are Number One. And everyone else just needs to understand that…"

"The Americans have already been forced to turn for help and form coalitions as they cannot solve any issue all alone: This happened in Iraq and is continuing in the fight against the so-called Islamic State.”

In his retort, Lavrov also claimed that the EU is not quite as behind the USA as it would like to think:

"We know that different points of view are expressed within the European Union, but this stage, when almost half of the member states start to insist on lifting the sanctions, shows that when such decisions are made, based on collective responsibility, mechanically, following the US partners… then it becomes very difficult to ‘pull back’."

Lavrov insisted that Obama’s attempt to isolate Russia will not work.

"We hear a lot of statements from our western partners about the need to isolate Russia. President [of the United States Barack] Obama thought it was appropriate to say almost the same during his address to the nation yesterday. All these attempts will yield no results."

Pushing Russia and Iran into each others arms

Obama also claimed to have dealt with Iran effectively:

"Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies – including Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran."

So on one hand, he claims sanctions against Russia have been the successful in isolating it backing it off from bulling other nations, and yet on the other hand he claims that sanctions are not the answer for Iran and will guarantee diplomacy fails? So how is Iran different from Russia?  It has a proxy army in the Hezbollah, and has been provoking Israel with its terror tentacles… yet sanctions are not in line here, nor is military action? It would seem Israel is not valued as much as the Ukraine. After all there is terrorism from Paris to Pakistan, but Israel where terror attacks strike all the time are not mentioned.

The Russian response to America’s stand on Syria and Iran is predictable based on Bible prophecy. The scriptures state that the coalition coming against Israel will be led by Russia and will include Iran:

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the prince of Rosh (RV,YLT) [Russia] Meshech [Muscovy or Moscow] and Tubal [Tobolsk]: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia [Iran], Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: (Ezekiel 38:3–5)

So no surprise what happened on Tuesday of this week, as reported by The Business Insider:

In Tehran on Tuesday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Iranian counterpart, Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan, signed an agreement on "military cooperation" between the two countries, according to the state-controlled news agency TASS.

The Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stated:

"The signing of the intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation today became a significant step in the strengthening of these relations… The theoretical basis of cooperation in the military sphere has been established… We have agreed to expand the practice of visits of warships in Russian and Iranian ports"

The Article also stated:

Shoigu noted that the thinking of Russia and Iran regarding the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan was "closer or coincides."

The article went on to describe the drawing closer of the two nations, as the Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan stated:

"Emphasis was placed on the need for cooperation between Russia and Iran in the joint struggle with the intervention of outside forces in the region. The situation in the region and in the world required that a powerful Russia and a powerful Iran jointly promote the strengthening of international security and regional stability….

"Iran and Russia are able to confront the expansionist intervention and greed of the United States through cooperation, synergy, and activating strategic potential capacities…. As two neighbors, Iran and Russia have common viewpoints toward political, regional, and global issues."

So while Obama is claiming effectiveness in reducing the Iranian nuclear threat, Russia is planning to build more reactors. The article stated:

Russia is planning on building nuclear reactors for Iran, even while Moscow works with Western powers on negotiating a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program. The two countries also reportedly inked a five-year deal that included "closer ties in the oil and gas sector, construction and rebuilding of generating capacity, development of power supply network infrastructure, machinery, consumer goods, and agriculture."

Not only this, but Iranian Defence Ministry said the two countries decided to settle missile problem. The RIA Novsti, the Russian international news agency reported Colonel General Leonid Ivanshov as stating:

"A step was taken in the direction of cooperation on the economy and arms technology, at least such defensive systems such as the S-300 and S-400. Probably we will deliver them."

These are the very missiles that Netanyahu went to Moscow to ask Putin not to ship to Syria, Iran’s proxy.  Milliitary supply of Iran and Syria is to be expected as the Bible clearly states,

And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet (Ezekiel 38:4–5)

America Dividing over Israel an Iran

In his state of the Union Address Obama took a swipe at the Republican dominated Congress and Senate on the issue of Israel and Iran:

“But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails -- alienating America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn't make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.”

Throughout Obama’s foreign policy portions of the speech, the Speaker of the House, Republican John Boehner remained stone faced. It didn’t take long for the republicans to strike back. They did so by taking the unprecedented step of inviting Benjamin Netanyahu to come to Washington and address a combined house, without informing the Whitehouse:

"Another priority is protecting the United States and our allies overseas. That is why I have Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress on the grave threats radical Islam and to the threat Iran poses to not only the Middle East, but frankly, to the world. American and Israel have always stood together, we have a shared cause, we have common ideals, and now we must rise to that moment once again. I did not consult with the Whitehouse. The Congress can make this decision on its own.  I don’t believe I’m poking anyone in the eye. There is a serious threat that exists in the world, and the president last night kind of papered over it. And the fact is that there needs to be a more serious conversation in America about how serious the threat is, from radical Islamic jihadists and the threat posed by Iran."

Obama’s White House was quick to respond, and not surprisingly is not going to meet with Netanyahu when he comes. USA Today reported Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council as stating,

“As a matter of long-standing practice and principle, we do not see heads of state or candidates in close proximity to their elections, so as to avoid the appearance of influencing a democratic election in a foreign country...”

Meehan also reiterated Obama’s opposition to sanctions against Iran:

“The president has been clear about his opposition to Congress passing new legislation on Iran that could undermine our negotiations and divide the international community.”

So Israel and the threat of Iran, now form the dividing line between the President and the Congress in American politics. Whether America wants it or not, God has indicated the course it will pursue as part of the protectorate of Israel in the latter days. As John Thomas predicted of Britain’s involvement in Palestine prior to 1917, the same is true of America today:

“…their present intentions, however, are of no importance one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt…. The finger of God has indicated a course to be pursued by Britain [and the other Tarshish nations] which cannot be evaded, and which her counsellors will not only be willing, but eager, to adopt when the crisis comes upon them. The decree has long since gone forth which calls upon the Lion of Tarshish to protect the Jews”

So as we watch the Bible in the News, the nation of Israel remains at the centre in America, Europe and Russia.

We can be assured, what God has determined about this nation will come about, the Kingdom will be restored, Messiah will come and it will be the centre of world government, and it is only then that world peace will come:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, And shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2–4)

Join us next week, if we are still here, as we consider, the Bible in the News.  This has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.