Allies? Consider Saudi Arabia. The country is virtually a feudal state, kept firmly in the grip of over five thousand of the "Royal Family," presently headed by a senile, barely functional king, but in reality ruled by his half-brother and a tight-knit clan. Any semblance of democratic process is met with immediate force. For decades, the incredible free-wheeling, free-spending ways of Saudi "princes" who regularly drop millions in a single gambling foray to Las Vegas, London, Switzerland or the Bahamas; have been legendary. Their hedonistic excesses are well known the world over.
So far, it has been demonstrated that the majority of the terrorists who carried out the attacks on the Trade Towers and the Pentagon were Saudi Arabians. The leaders in the Al Qaeda cells in Afghanistan are (or were) Saudis. Though Iran, Iraq, Syria, and many other Islamic states also harbor and support terrorists, Saudis have been especially involved. Outwardly, the US claims that Saudi Arabia is our "strongest ally in the region." However, the Saudis did not assist the US in tracking down those responsible for the bombing of the Khobar towers, and they have not been helpful in any number of investigations into terrorism in Israel, Lebanon, and here at home in America.
Bin Laden is a Saudi. His wealth comes from his fathers’ and his own business dealings which were based primarily in Saudi Arabia. Because he became a nettlesome problem to the corrupt government there — continually issuing scathing denunciations of the royal family; agitating for the expulsion of all western influence, particularly US bases and forces stationed on what he called "the holy land," he was once briefly arrested, and then deported.
He went to the Sudan, where he engineered the murderous US embassy bombings in Sudan and Kenya, and later was involved in the attack on the USS Cole, harbored in Yemen.
Like so many of the so-called "moderate" Islamic regimes, the Saudis sit atop a very uncertain throne. They retain their power by the maintenance of a loyal, yet weak military (or so they hope), and their own version of state police. They are keenly aware of the potential of a popular uprising against them, and so continually make cosmetic gestures against the US, in order to placate seething hatred against both the United States and Israel among their subjects.
Saudi Arabia is a major source of funds for Arafat’s Palestinian authority, and while the government may officially decry terrorism, several terrorist organizations are not only funded by private Saudi businessmen, but their operatives come and go as they please.
Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal was the leader in clamping down the OPEC oil embargo against the US in 1973/74. Crown Prince Khalid was made king in March of 1975, following the assassination of Faisal. When Khalid died, Fahd was proclaimed king in June of 1982.
To understand the incredible potential for violent emotions associated with Islam, one has only to remember the riots which broke out in Mecca in 1987, when Iranian pilgrims clashed with anti-Iranian Moslems, and battled Saudi police. More than 400 were slain.
Then, when hundreds of thousands of fervent, crying, praying, shouting Muslims created a stampede in a pedestrian tunnel near the holy places in July, 1990, they trampled to death 1,426 of their own fellow worshipers. Again in 1994, nearly 300 were killed in a similar stampede.
Temporary encampments are set up around Mecca when such fervent religious pilgrimages are conducted, and when fires broke out in such a camp in 1997, more than 340 were burned to death, or killed in the stampede.
The Saudis are the host government to the "holiest" of all the Islamic holy places in the world — Mecca, the famed "Kaaba" rock, and the tomb of Mohammad. As such, they become the target of all fanatics who claim that the presence of a single "infidel" on the "holy soil" of Saudi Arabia is sacrilege.
Will The Saudis Soon Demand That Americans Leave?
Within past weeks, the British press has continually stated that the Saudis are demanding that the US abandon their bases on Saudi soil. Secretary of State Colin Powell has denied that any such demand has been made, and US government officials downplay such reports.
Nevertheless, the signs are hard to ignore.
There is plenty of historical precedence for nervous Saudi leaders to placate the restive Islamic populace by committing some overt anti-American act. The US has had to spend hundreds of millions of additional dollars in waging the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan because of the denial of the use of bases in Saudi Arabia which were constructed with US money.
Rather than flying B1 and B-52 bombers from just across the gulf, B-52's have had to fly round trip missions from Barksdale AFB near Shreveport, Louisiana, and from Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean. The bulk of US air strikes have been carried out by the positioning of US nuclear-power aircraft carriers in the Arabian sea. All this at great expense.
If the Saudis demand that the US vacate their bases, it will be a clear victory for Osama bin Laden. Huge victory celebrations will light the skies all over the Islamic world. Delirious, celebrating Muslims will burn US flags and George Bush effigies, dance in the streets, and fire their AK-47's into the air.
What most Americans do not know is that Osama bin Laden is far, far more popular in Saudi Arabia that the royal family! What most are not told is that over 25,000 Saudi citizens have gone to other countries as volunteers to join various terrorist organizations and cells.
Why does America put up with such incredibly thankless, treacherous behavior?
Simple.
Oil.
The Bible does not use the term "allies" for those nations which have been wooed by our people. It uses the term "lovers." God says, "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
"She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies" (Lamentations 1:1,2). Read the shocking 23rd chapter of Ezekiel, and see what God says about the harlotry of His people, who, contrary to the average prostitute, do not RECEIVE pay from their clients, but PAY THEM, instead!
Saudi Arabia: A Corrupt Islamic Dictatorship
Sadly, the US has compiled a sordid history of cooperating with any number of corrupt leaders for sometimes questionable geopolitical purposes. We cooperated with Manuel Noriega of Panama originally, then, when he began protecting drug lords, he became our enemy. We looked the other way when Saddam Hussein brutally suppressed his own people so long as he was waging war against Iran after another dictator of ours, the Shah, was deposed.
Today, partly because of the political clout of environmentalists who invariably shriek about anything from caribou to pocket mice, the US is more than 50% dependent upon foreign sources for its energy supplies. It has not been politically expedient for the US to develop a sound-minded energy policy, knowing that when one depends upon one's "friends," those friends can betray you. With Japan holding much of our debt, and with Islamic Arabs controlling the source of much of our energy, how safe should we feel?
When oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1930's, it was little more than a desert wasteland, populated by nomadic Arab tribes and feudal lords. U.S. oil companies, such as Standard Oil and others, sent their experts to Saudi sands, and began developing the "black gold" that lay deep beneath.
A couple of my own neighbors spent many, many years in Saudi Arabia, working for an American oil company.
Saudi Arabia takes its name from the successful overthrow of the Turks in 1913 by Ibn Saud. By virtue of his successful grass roots uprising and coup, he became the founder of the Saudi dynasty.
Saudi Arabia has no constitution. It has no senate, or house of representatives, or parliament. Laws are passed and enforced depending upon the whims of the rulers, who often squabble among themselves. The lust for power among them is notorious. Today, Crown Prince Abdullah rules; his half-brother, the old king, said to be virtually comatose. He may not be around much longer.
Today, Saudi Arabia is in serious economic duress. Unemployment has skyrocketed.
The military is weak and ineffective. It has been pointed out that, had not the US intervened when it did, Saddam Hussein could just as well have taken Saudi Arabia while he was at it, following the invasion of tiny Kuwait. Saudi northern beaches are still a disaster area, resulting from the massive, deliberate oil spills ordered by Saddam.
Bible prophecy says the Beast power will suddenly invade the entire Middle East, occupying Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, along with "many countries."
Here is that prophecy: "And at the time of the end [the time setting is inescapable!]shall the king of the south push at him [not yet identified: he may be an Egyptian, a Saudi, or someone else]: and the king of the north [the Beast power] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
"He shall enter also into the glorious land [Palestine! Modern-day Israel], and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom [Turkey], and Moab [perhaps Iraq], and the chief of the children of Ammon [Jordan: Amman is Jordan’s capitol city].
"He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
"But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [Cush and Put: probably Pakistan and India] shall be at his steps [at the farthest point of his advance].
"But tidings out of the east and out of the north [Russia, China, and Japan] shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
"And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him" (Daniel 11:40-45).
It is not only America who depends upon middle eastern oil! So does Europe! So does Japan! "Tidings out of the north AND THE EAST" obviously mean that, should ANY major power suddenly be in control of Japan’s life’s blood — oil — they Japanese would be as desperate for their survival as they were when the US and Britain clamped down an embargo on them in 1941! They would be forced to act. The climactic battle which would develop would be, quite literally, A NUCLEAR BOMB WORLD WAR III!
It will culminate in the great Battle of Armageddon, the heavenly signs (Revelation 6, 7), the Day of the Lord, and the Second Coming of Christ to this earth!
It is time, and long past time, for those who will heed Christ’s warning about the times of Noah: "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage [going about their daily lives — "business as usual," planning for their future lives], until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
"And knew not [because they choose not to know! They could SEE the ark taking shape!] until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken [as under arrest], and the other left.
"Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
"But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:37-44).
The events of coming years; perhaps the next 3 to 5 years — for it is VERY CLOSE now, will be truly mind-boggling! Many will be unable to believe it! But those who are engaged in the WORK of God will not be taken unawares!
As Daniel said, "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time [See Matthew 24:21,22]: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel. 12:1-3).
Though it was written several years ago, my booklet "Middle East Strife — Will It Lead To Armageddon?" gives you much background, especially on the life of Mohammad, and a detailed portrayal of events ahead of us. It is available here on this web site, or in booklet form if you wish to call (903 561-7070) and ask for your free copy.
