*Arms sales by nation (graph by Crosswords)*

The USA retains its lead as the world’s largest supplier of military equipment in the world:

February 22, 2016
HELSINKI – A Swedish think-tank says global arms exports increased 14 percent during the five years to 2015, with the U.S. retaining top position after its sales grew 27 percent from the previous five-year period.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says sales from the next biggest exporters, Russia and China, also increased but fell for numbers 4 and 5, France and Germany.
The top five exporters accounted for 74 percent of all arms sales, with the U.S. and Russia supplying a total of 58 percent. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/22/world-arms-sales-up-14-percent-in-past-5-years-led-by-us.html

The USA has long been the leading supplier of weaponry around the world. It has been considered to be ‘the arsenal of democracy,’ although other powers also want to produce and sell weapons.

The sale of weapons not only supports the economy of the USA, it also helps subsidize its arms’ industry by spreading overhead costs over higher production, which in turn tends to lower the costs for the USA to get its own weapons.

But over the past several years, the USA has made a lot of cuts to its military (e.g. US military being severely damaged by budget cuts), plus has engaged in a lot of ‘social engineering’ which some feel is weakening its military capacity.

Notice something related to that ‘social engineering’ weakening:

February 21, 2016
Expert: U.S. military could topple like Jenga blocks
‘Best in the world, but its strength and integrity cannot be taken for granted’
CMR is run by Elaine Donnelly, who was appointed by Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. Later, President George H.W. Bush appointed her to the Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces. …
Obama’s social agenda is the top blocks, but troop strength and support are the foundation blocks that are being removed, she has argued.
“Our military is the best in the world, but its strength and integrity cannot be taken for granted,” she said in the CMR report. “It will be the responsibility of the next commander-in-chief to maintain and strengthen our military by restoring necessary resources and removing heavy burdens caused by social experiments.”
Her report notes the issue is assuming greater importance in light of a recent Washington Times article that highlights the consequences of budget cuts in Special Operations Forces.
The article points out that Special Forces are not ready to integrate women into tip-of-spear fighting units, as the White House has insisted.http://www.wnd.com/2016/02/expert-u-s-military-could-topple-like-jenga-blocks/#Cb8x67oI44dfVQ75.99

Here are some quotes directly from the CMR report alluded to above:

The administration is planning to assign significant numbers of minimally – qualified young women to small fighting units, on an involuntary basis, and to send them to fight ISIS and other vicious enemies under conditions that involve higher risks for women than for men. This is being done even though officials are well aware that women’s physical capabilities are far less than men’s and their risks of injury are far greater.
This is not a “pro- woman” policy; it is a cruel deception, betraying the interests of uniformed women who deserve better.
It is also unfair to men – tantamount to telling Navy SEAL s that they should execute HALO (high altitude, low – opening) jumps with parachutes known to fail 30% of the time. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and like – minded activists keep insisting that training standards will not be adjusted to levels that are “gender-neutral” but lower than before. This will not be possible, due to pressures from Pentagon officials who truly believe that “gender diversity is a strategic imperative.” Secretary Mabus has loudly called for gender diversity quotas of at least 25%, while simultaneously denying plans for gender diversity quotas.http://cmrlink.org/data/sites/85/CMRDocuments/SASCTestimonyElaineDonnelly020216_Final.pdf

Having served in the military and seen what really happens between males and females in the military, I concur that the ‘social experiments’ the Obama Administration has engaged in are not conducive to optimal defense. While the CMR report did not mention the acceptance and promotion of homosexuals in the military, let me state that this too is not conducive to optimal defense.

Many will dismiss these types of assessment. Many believe that since the US military is the strongest in the world, that it is not subject to enough internal decay to be taken over. But to believe that, one must overlook what the Bible teaches.

The Bible teaches that the unrepentant who despise God’s statutes (Leviticus 26) are subject to being taken over (Deuteronomy 28). This applies to the USA.

The Bible teaches that the end time power with massive amounts of debt will be taken over (Habakkuk 2:2-8). This applies to the USA.

The Bible also teaches that a power will overpower the place with the strongest military (Daniel 11:39). This applies to the USA.

For that last point, notice multiple translations of Daniel 11:39:

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (NKJV)
39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price. (ESV)
39 He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price. (NASB)
39 Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward. (NLT)
39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. (NIV)
39 He’ll take action against the strongest fortresses. With the help of a foreign god, he’ll recognize those who honor him, making them rule over many, and he’ll parcel out the land for a profit. (ISB of 2012)

The “strongest fortresses,” meaning the world’s strongest military, belongs to the USA. Yet, notice that Bible prophecy says that the strongest military will be defeated and its lands will be taken over.

The USA is being naive about military matters. But as its political and military leaders do not really believe and understand biblical prophecy, they think their ways will work. The Bible teaches otherwise (cf. Isaiah 59:8).

Despite its arms’ sales, the USA is setting itself up to be taken over in what could be called World War III.

Original article: http://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/usa-is-worlds-largest-arms-dealer-but-is-getting-closer-to-collapsing-militarily/

News presenter: John Hickey