Voice of America (VOA) reported the following:
May 21, 2016
BAGHDAD—Baghdad woke Saturday to the early morning sounds of helicopters flying overhead, most of them heading in and out of the fortified International Zone after protesters defied bullets and tear gas to storm the area.
As they fled the gunfire and tear gas Friday afternoon, some carrying their injured friends across the bridge away from the IZ, the anti-government protesters vowed they would return – but with weapons.
Many are followers of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who, like many of the political leaders in Iraq, has his own armed militia known as the Peace Brigades.
Sadr has come out in support of what he describes as the people’s “revolt” against the government. …
Squeezed by years of violence and a deepening economic crisis, Iraqis are fed up with government corruption and the leadership’s inability to protect them from repeated rounds of violence. http://www.voanews.com/content/baghdad-wakes-to-helicopters-talk-of-a-peoples-revolt/3340087.html
Iraq is a dangerous place.
As I reported before, the rise of the so-called “Islamic State” was greatly assisted by USA actions and inactions in the region.
Back in 2010, when US President Obama declared an end to the USA’s combat mission in Iraq, I wrote:
Civil unrest is likely for Iraq, and it may break out with civil war. Ultimately, I expect much of Iraq to align with the soon coming Islamic King of the South, and that may somewhat minimize Iraq’s disintegration–but such disintegration may happen prior to this leader being accepted. (Thiel B. Obama Declares End to Combat Mission.COGwriter, September 1, 2010)
The next year, on December 26, 2011, I wrote:
The US and its allies attempted to do the best that they humanly can, but overall, things will change in the Middle East and will NOT be as the US, etc. hopes.
Civil unrest is likely for Iraq, and it may break out with civil war. Ultimately, I expect much of Iraq to align with the soon coming Islamic King of the South, and that may somewhat minimize Iraq’s disintegration–but such disintegration may happen prior to this leader being accepted. (Thiel B. Iraq (Political) Attack. COGwriter, December 26, 2011)
Despite USA interventions, and possibly because of it, eventually Iraq, and others in the Middle East and North Africa, will plot to eliminate the USA based upon the 83rd Psalm.
The modern national identities shown in [ ] mainly come from an article titled The Arab World in Prophecy from the Plain Truth magazine dated December 1979:
4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation] and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia];
Moab [part of Jordan] and the Hagrites [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today];
7 Gebal [Lebanon], Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks];
Philistia [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon];
8 Assyria [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]. (Psalms 83:4-8, NKJV)
It probably should also be mentioned that some others consider that the Iraqis are better identified as Ishmaelites or being Hagarenes. Some consider that the Hagarenes or some of Moab are better identified with Iraq–yet since Ishmael’s mother was Hagar–Genesis 16:15–they would all tend to be related). Whether they are identified better as Hagarenes or Ishmaelites or Moabites or the descendants of Lot, Iraqis and other Arabic peoples are prophesied (along with others) to be part of a confederation that will decide to eliminate Israel (and not just the area in the Middle East).
The Bible thus is showing that despite the differences and issues in Iraq, most there will coalesce around a coming confederation. Those in the Middle East and North Africa are also expected to support a coming group led by one that the Bible refers to as the King of the South (Daniel 11:40), and that will not end well for the confederation or those in Iraq (cf. Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8)
Notice also the following:
Daniel 11 also mentions some of the Mideast peoples who will be involved in that struggle among the nations at the close of this age. The belligerents will include the “King of the North,” the leader of the European Union (or its final outgrowth, called the “Beast”). The “King of the South” (an Islamic leader—apparently from Egypt {or} some other Muslim state) is also referred to. The following lands/peoples are specifically mentioned: Egypt, the Holy Land (Israel/Palestine), the Ethiopians (modern Cushites, south of Egypt), Libya, Edom, Moab and Ammon. Many descendants of the ancient peoples known as Edomites or Idumeans now live in the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Arabia, Yemen, the Persian Gulf states, etc. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! Copyright Raymond F. McNair 2005, Church of God—21st Century).
Notice a little bit more about a coming confederation involving the Arabs in Ezekiel:
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!” 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.
5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt. (Ezekiel 30:1-5, NIV).
5 “Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword.” (Ezekiel 30:5, NKJV)
A confederation will form, Iraq and others will be part of it, and many of the nations that enter into a confederation with Egypt will suffer. This includes Iraqi and Arabic peoples, and possibly the Kurds (the Turks escape this per Daniel 11:42; but have other problems later; cf. Obadiah 8-11).
As I have been writing for years, the violence and other problems in Iraq will not end well.
However, the time will come when God will call all people in the world, including the Iraqis. That will be a time of peace (Isaiah 2:3-4; Revelation 21), but until then war and destruction appear to be part of the expected fate of that region of the world for some time.
http://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/iraqis-protest-and-vow-to-weaponize-their-protests/
News presenter: John Hickey
