Showing posts with label capital of Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label capital of Israel. Show all posts

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Trump on UN Jerusalem Vote: 'Let Them Vote Against Us. We'll Save a Lot' - CBN News Gary Lane

Trump on UN Jerusalem Vote: 'Let Them Vote Against Us. We'll Save a Lot'
12-21-2017
CBN News Gary Lane
The United Nations is expected to vote Thursday against a Trump administration decision that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Like Ronald Reagan before him, President Trump is taking on the United Nations. At the final Cabinet meeting of the year, he delivered some words of warning to the General Assembly about the capital of Israel vote.
"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us. Well, we're watching those votes," the president said. "Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care."
Earlier in the week, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley put out this tweet, saying,
"At the UN we're always asked to do more and give more. So when we make a decision, at the will of the American people about where to locate our embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us. On Thursday, there'll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names."
The United States sends the United Nations $8 billion a year. That's about 22 percent of the world body's annual budget, with $3 billion allocated for international peacekeeping efforts.
Like former President Ronald Reagan, Trump has complained that the money American sends is mismanaged by a bloated bureaucracy – a General Assembly that often votes against Israel and America's interests.
"The people who live here are great citizens that love this country," Trump said at the final cabinet meeting of 2017. "They're tired of this country being taken advantage of and we're not going to be taken advantage of any longer."
And before closing out the meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Ben Carson offered up a prayer.
"In this time of discord, distrust and dishonesty, we ask that you would give us a spirit of compassion, gratitude and common sense and give us the wisdom to be able to guide this great nation in the future. We ask in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen."

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem – With such high stakes, Christians need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations

jerusalem-siloutte

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem – With such high stakes, Christians need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations with Israelis, Arabs and each other about how to find true and lasting peace. [My new op-ed for Fox News.]

by joelcrosenberg
(Washington, D.C.) -- Today, FoxNews.com published a new column of mine. While I wouldn't have written the headline quite the way they did, I am grateful they allowed me to lay out my thoughts in an op-ed significantly longer than they usually run. 
AFTER TRUMP RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL'S CAPITAL, EVANGELICALS WORK FOR PEACE BETWEEN JEWS & ARABS
By Joel C. Rosenberg, December 9, 2017
Many evangelical Christians are rejoicing over President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to begin planning to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.
However, other evangelicals who love Israel and believe Jerusalem is the biblical and historic capital of the Jewish State see the timing of the president’s decision as a mistake. They are concerned the move will cause more tension and violence, not create conditions more conducive to peace.
Most Palestinian and other Arab Christians in Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere are also opposed to the decision for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they worry renewed violence could be directed at them and their children.
As a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, an evangelical and a resident of Jerusalem with my wife and kids, these issues are not just theological or theoretical for me. They’re personal.
I love Jerusalem. And because I love Jesus, I love both Israelis and Palestinians dearly and equally because I believe God does. The last thing I want to see is more division, violence, terror or injustice of any kind.
I long to see peace between the two sides. I pray and work for the day when both peoples can truly live side by side, and among each other, in safety, security, freedom and prosperity.
I long to see peace between the two sides. I pray and work for the day when both peoples can truly live side by side, and among each other, in safety, security, freedom and prosperity. 
Toward that end, on Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, I helped launch a new organization called the “Alliance For The Peace of Jerusalem.”
We are a group of evangelicals scholars, pastors, authors and ministry leaders who believe that now more than ever, the Church needs to be faithful to the Psalmist’s command to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6) as well as to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).
We also believe evangelicals need to be faithful ambassadors of God’s love and compassion to both Jews and Arabs, who find themselves trapped in a cycle of seemingly never-ending conflict. And we believe evangelicals need to be ambassadors of grace toward Christian brothers and sisters who have different (and deeply held) views of how best to achieve peace.
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the rebirth of the State of Israel on May 14, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians will no doubt increase.
For some, this will be a year of thanksgiving to the God of Israel who made ancient promises to the Jewish people and is keeping those promises in modern times. For others, however, the anniversary of the creation of modern-day Israel will be a year of pain, even anger. They call it al Nakba – the Arabic term for “The Catastrophe.”
Presidents and prime ministers, kings and their counselors, have been confounded for decades on how to achieve peace between Israel and its neighbors. It should not be a surprise that pastors, priests and lay leaders are often confounded by how to apply biblical principles to most effectively resolve a conflict with roots going back thousands of years.
The last thing the Church needs is to engage in a snarky political firefight over some of the most contentious issues on the planet. Rather, we need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations on what the Bible teaches about Israel and its neighbors, and how we can play a more constructive role as peacemakers. 
As the Alliance begins our work, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the attitudes of American evangelicals toward Israel, the Palestinians and the peace process as we enter this historic year. The results were fascinating. Let me draw out three key points.
First, American evangelicals have a remarkably deep love for Israel and the Jewish people.
Our survey confirms that the people of Israel have no better friends in the U.S. than evangelical Christians.
  • Eight in ten evangelicals believe that the Abrahamic Covenant was an unconditional promise God made to the Jewish people for all time – a mere 5 percent disagree.
  • Eight in ten believe the rebirth of the State of Israel was the fulfillment of Bible prophecy – only 20 percent think it was merely an interesting geopolitical event.
  • And nearly eight in ten (76 percent) believe that Christians should support the Jewish people’s right to live in the sovereign State of Israel.
The survey makes clear that evangelical Christians of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and regions of the country overwhelmingly believe that God has made binding promises to Abraham and his descendants: to make them a nation; to give them a land; and to make them a blessing to the rest of the world.
The survey also finds that evangelicals believe that God is in the process of keeping his promises – that he is graciously bringing the Jewish people back to the Land of Israel after 2,000 years of exile, and rebuilding the State of Israel in the heart of the Middle East against all odds.
Second, American evangelicals want to obey Jesus’ command to love Israel’s neighbors.
  • 59 percent believe Christians should do more to love and care for the Palestinian people, and 66 percent of younger evangelicals believe this.
  • 73 percent are concerned for the safety of Christians in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
  • 41 percent agree with the statement: “Jewish people have a biblical right to the land of Israel, but also have a responsibility to share the land with Palestinian Arabs.” Another 28 percent disagree, while 31 percent say they’re not sure.
Too often, we hear an “either/or” tone when Christian leaders speak about their love for Israel or the Palestinians. But the God of the Bible is not “either/or.” He is “both/and.” He loves Jews and He loves Arabs. So must the Church.
Third, evangelicals aren’t convinced they understand enough about God’s plans for Israel. 
In fact, 72 percent of evangelicals say they want to know more about what the Bible teaches about Israel’s future.
So that’s the good news. But there is some challenging news in the data as well, specifically when it comes to younger evangelicals.
Millennials are sending the Church a sobering message. They’re not against Israel. But the survey makes it clear that many of them really don’t understand Israel’s place in the biblical narrative. Thus, their support for Israel is nearly 20 points less than the support voiced by their parents and grandparents.
Extrapolate that going forward. Unless the Church gives younger believers an understanding of God’s love and plan for Israel, evangelical support for the Jewish State could plummet over the next decade as millennials represent an ever-larger percentage of the Church body.
The raging controversy over President Trump’s decision on Jerusalem – and evangelicals’ conflicted views over how best to advocate peace – underscore the need for the new group Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem.
As we head into the new year, we need educate the Church – particularly millennials – about God’s love and plan for both Israel and its Arab neighbors, and to mobilize them to both pray for and seek peace in a dark and troubled region. 
*************************
Joel C. Rosenberg, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, is a New York Times best-selling author and a founding member of the Alliance For The Peace of Jerusalem.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Israel365 statement on Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel - Maayan Jaffe


Rabbi Tuly Weisz: Trump’s announcement is recognition of the eternal connection between the Land, the People, and the God of Israel

We are so appreciative to God that President Donald Trump took the courageous step of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We know that Trump’s declaration was largely made possible by the encouragement and support of so many American Christian Zionists. They provided the political backing to make this historic move and for that, the Jewish people should be thankful. At Israel365, we see Trump’s announcement as recognition of the eternal connection between the Land, the People and the God of Israel.

The Bible states that Jerusalem is the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). Now, finally, the Holy City will once again become a city of righteousness and justice, as the Hebrew prophets who lived in Jerusalem declared so long ago.

We will continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Israel365
Your Daily Connection
to the Land of Israel


facebookpinterestgoogle+youtube
MAAYAN HOFFMAN
Vice President
Publishing & Audience Strategy

President Trump: 'It Is Time to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel' - CBNNews.com

 
President Trump makes history by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel and directing his administration to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
WATCH NOW →

Donald Trump’s Recognition Of Jerusalem As The Capital Of Israel Will Shake The Middle East To The Core - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Posted: 05 Dec 2017 Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

This is one of the most historic things to happen in the Middle East in decades.  Just a few days ago I reported that Donald Trump would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel “in December”, and now we are being told that Trump will make this announcement at 1 PM eastern time on Wednesday.  

Administration officials are stressing that this move is a “recognition of reality”, because of course the seat of the Israeli government has been in the holy city for a very long time.  But without a doubt this announcement will shake the Middle East to the core, because Israel’s neighbors are extremely displeased that Trump is doing this.

According to the Jerusalem Post, President Trump phoned leaders all over the Middle East on Tuesday to inform them about what would happen on Wednesday
US President Donald Trump called the leaders of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt on Tuesday to inform them of his intention to move the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, 22 years after the US Congress called on the White House to do just that.
What Trump didn’t say, however, was when the move would take place, something that could provide some maneuvering room for him to try to tamp down Arab anger over the highly contentious step.
The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will be immediate, but the U.S. embassy will probably not be moved for six months.  The following comes from CNN
The President is expected to make a public announcement Wednesday declaring his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his intent to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv, diplomatic officials and a person familiar with the plans tell CNN. Trump is also expected to sign a waiver delaying the embassy move for six months, citing the logistical challenges of moving US personnel.
By not moving the embassy immediately, administration officials are hoping that this will pacify Israel’s neighbors a little bit.

Unfortunately, that may not work.  One prominent Arab leader has already stated that he believes that Trump is “a pyromaniac who could set the entire region on fire with his madness”, and the Saudis are calling this “a flagrant provocation of Muslims”
In Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency said that King Salman bin Abdul Aziz had received a call from Trump, as well, and that the two discussed the potential moves. Using the Arabic name for Jerusalem, the king “reiterated that such a dangerous step of relocation or recognition of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel would constitute a flagrant provocation of Muslims, all over the world,” the agency said.
Once Trump’s announcement is made, all eyes will be on the Palestinians, and Palestinian leaders have already planned for protests to begin on Wednesday
The Palestinian factions said protests will start on Wednesday and last until Friday at the very least. According to Palestinian leaders, marches against the decision are being backed by the Palestinian Authority.
Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Mahisan told Haaretz that Trump’s decision was an inflammatory material that will inspire Palestinians to take to the streets in rage. “The Palestinian people know how to protect their rights and we are in consultations regarding [our moves] in the coming days.”
The three days stretching from Wednesday to Friday are being called “three days of rage”, and it is very likely that we will see widespread violence.  The following comes from the Jerusalem Post
In a joint statement, the Palestinian “national and Islamic forces” announced three days of rage that would begin Wednesday and end on Friday. “We call on all our people in Israel and around the world to gather in city centers and Israeli embassies and consulates, with the aim of bringing about general popular anger,” the statement said.
The statement added that “a huge protest should be launched in order to reject out of hand the attempts of the US administration to transfer the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem or recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. The right of the people and the nation to act in all legal and diplomatic ways within the international community, the international law in the Hague, in order to torpedo this attempt,” the statement said, calling for an emergency meeting of the leaders of the Islamic countries and the Jerusalem Committee to emphasize their rejection of the American moves in Jerusalem.
Some U.S. officials had urged Trump not to make this sort of a move, but it is the right thing to do.  U.S. policy should never be dictated by threats of violence, and I greatly applaud President Trump for refusing to be intimidated.

Hopefully things will not get too crazy over the next few days, but without a doubt U.S. facilities around the world will need to be on very high alert.  In fact, one anonymous State Department official is concerned that U.S. embassies all over the globe could be targeted by violence
“The impending Jerusalem announcement has me very worried about the possibility of violent responses that could affect embassies,” one State Department official told Politico. “I hope I’m wrong.”
And according to CBS News, U.S. government officials are being ordered to stay away from the Old City and the West Bank for now…
U.S. government employees and their families are being banned by the U.S. from personal visits to Jerusalem’s Old City and the West Bank, including Bethlehem and Jericho, amid the potential for demonstrations. The demonstrations are being planned as President Trump indicated that he intends to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He’s also expected to announce that the U.S. will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move that’s inflaming Arab sentiment against the U.S.
It takes a lot of courage to do the right thing even though you know that the other side may resort to violence.

Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is going to tremendously shake the entire Middle East, and nobody is quite sure what will happen next.
Let us pray that peace will prevail, but even if it doesn’t, Donald Trump has made the right choice and for that he should be greatly commended.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

    
Posted: 05 Dec 2017 04:56 PM PST


It should upset you that virtually everything stocking the shelves of our major retailers seems to have been made somewhere else.  As a nation, we are consuming far more wealth than we are producing, and that is a recipe for national economic suicide.  This week we learned that imports from China hit an all-time record high in October, and that was one of the primary reasons why our trade deficit hit a staggering 48.7 billion dollars during that month.  Year after year we buy far more stuff from the rest of the world than they buy from us, and this is systematically impoverishing us.

Let me put this another way.  The amount of money that leaves our country each month is far greater than the amount of money that comes into it.  When you grasp this concept, it becomes easy to understand why major exporting nations such as China have become so wealthy, and why we are drowning in debt.

Sadly, most Americans don’t understand the trade deficit, and so they don’t understand how important news like this really is.  The following comes from Bloomberg
The U.S. trade deficit widened in October to a nine-month high on record imports that reflect steady domestic demand, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday.
The surge in imports probably reflected merchants preparing for the holiday-shopping season. Consumer goods imports increased almost $800 million, including a $303 million gain in cell phones and other household goods, as well as more inbound shipments of furniture, appliances, toys and clothing.
Since China joined the WTO in 2001, the United States has lost more than 70,000 manufacturing facilities and millions of good paying manufacturing jobs.  Formerly great manufacturing cities such as Detroit now resemble war zones, but until Donald Trump came along nobody seemed to really care very much about what was happening.

Of course the Chinese are going to keep taking advantage of us for as long as they can.  They slap all sorts of tariffs and fees on our goods, and meanwhile we allow them to flood our shores with their products.  As a result, our trade deficit with China keeps hitting record high after record  high
Record imports from China helped drive up the U.S. trade deficit 8.6 percent in October as retailers stocked up for the holidays, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.
Goods and services coming into the U.S. from China, Mexico and the European Union all hit record levels, which boosted the trade gap to $48.7 billion from $44.9 billion in September. It’s the highest monthly trade deficit recorded since President Trump took office.
President Trump is precisely correct when he says that our trade agreements are not fair to American workers and American businesses.  We will always need to trade with the rest of the world, but we need to do so in a way that is fair for both sides.  As a member of Congress, I will fight tirelessly for American workers, and if you believe in what I am trying to do I hope that you will join the team.

We simply cannot stand by and do nothing.  Our trade deficits are absolutely killing our long-term economic future, and the only way that we have been able to maintain our standard of living is by going on the greatest debt binge in human history.

If we truly want to make America great again, we need to start making things in America again, and we need to start sending leaders to Washington that understand these issues.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

As Sources Predicted, Trump Will Declare Jerusalem the Capital of Israel—Pray for the City's Peace - STEVE STRANG CHARISMA NEWS

President Trump says the U.S. will officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Wednesday. (Wikimedia Commons )

As Sources Predicted, Trump Will Declare Jerusalem the Capital of Israel—Pray for the City's Peace

STEVE STRANG  CHARISMA NEWS
As Christians, we know we are to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you!" (Ps. 122:6, MEV).
U.S. President Donald Trump will make a historic announcement in Jerusalem on Dec. 6, Mike Evans says. Evans, an evangelical Christian and founding member of the Trump Evangelical Initiative, says President Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Several news sources reported today that Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders he plans to do that on Wednesday. This is gigantic news and constitutes a major, fulfilled promise to both evangelical Christians and to the Jewish community.
Nearly an hour later, CBN News reported that President Trump has informed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that the U.S. will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. CBN's report said that several news sources quoted an Abbas spokesman, saying Trump made the announcement in a phone call Tuesday. That news has been confirmed by a tweet from the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Some say declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel is actually more important than moving the embassy, but it certainly must be a precursor to it. We must help our evangelical friends understand this, especially those who are only focused on the embassy and not thinking about the significance of Jerusalem.
So that you are better informed, take the time to watch Jared Kushner talk about the peace process during his interview at the Saban Forum this past weekend. Paula White-Cain, who prayed at the president's inauguration, sent me this link and asked me to encourage my readers to watch it because Kushner speaks of the progress being made to bring peace to that part of the world.
Johnnie Moore of the Kairos Group told one reporter this morning who speculated about the announcement that many evangelicals believe "Moving the embassy is of political importance, but naming Jerusalem the capital is even more than that; it is of theological importance to our community."
Charismanews.com will report what happens Wednesday as well as when a formal decision to the move the embassy is made. For now, it's important believers are praying "for the peace of Jerusalem" as these decisions are announced and instituted.
Today, I received an email from Evangelist Alveda King also asking for prayer for this decision. She added: "President Trump is on a record promise-keeping roll. His support for Israel, undergirded by our 'prayers for the peace of Jerusalem' are encouraging evidence that God is blessing us." 
Share this and encourage others as we band together to pray for this important announcement Wednesday. 
Charisma Readers save 50% OFF these select Bibles plus FREE SHIPPING plus a Special Bonus for a limited time! Show me the Bibles on sale!
Christmas is coming soon. Get a jump start with these great Spirit-filled bundles. Save up to 70% plus FREE Shipping! Life in the Spirit Gift BoxesSpecial Book Bundles, and Christmas Gift Bundles.

Friday, December 1, 2017

It Is Being Reported That Donald Trump May Recognize Jerusalem As The Capital Of Israel In December - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG


Posted: 01 Dec 2017 Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Is President Trump about to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel?   If so, this would be one of the most historic events to happen in the Middle East in a very long time.  

Needless to say, the government of Israel would be absolutely thrilled by such a move, while the Palestinians and Israel’s neighbors would not be pleased at all.  In fact, some Palestinians have suggested that if the Trump administration actually moves the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem that it could spark widespread violence or even war.

But Donald Trump promised that he would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel during the campaign, and it looks like he intends to keep his word
A senior U.S. administration official said on Thursday that President Donald Trump is considering recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel without moving the embassy to the Israeli capital, at least for the time being.
Trump wants the recognition of Jerusalem to be a gift to Israel on the occasion of its 70th Independence Day, and he may even announce this recognition by means of a statement to be made by Vice President Mike Pence, who will visit Israel in December.
Pence will be visiting Israel this month, and he is scheduled to deliver an address to the Knesset.  If the Trump administration is going to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, it is believed that it may happen at that time.

Israel became a nation in 1948, and so 2018 will be Israel’s 70th anniversary.  There will be independence celebrations throughout the year, and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as we approach this highly significant time would be considered a great gift to the Jewish people.

For the moment, however, the Trump administration will not be moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.  The White House recognizes that such a move could spark violence in the region, and so administration officials are treading carefully
President Donald Trump and his senior aides are mulling a plan to eventually move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a decision that could derail Trump’s attempts to restart peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
A leading option under consideration: temporarily keeping the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv while also outlining a longer-term strategy to begin the process of moving the embassy to Jerusalem, according to two administration officials. The plan is meant to strike a middle ground on the politically treacherous issue.
We shall see how this plays out, but Vice-President Mike Pence sure sounds optimistic that moving the embassy will actually happen.  Earlier this week, he posted the following message on Twitter
While for the past 20 years, Congress and successive administrations have expressed a willingness to move our embassy, @POTUS Trump is actively considering when and how to move the American Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 
Of course moving the embassy would have very serious ramifications, and without a doubt many those surrounding Trump are advising against such a move
American intelligence circles may caution Trump against the move, warning of the security-related ramifications that could ensue and danger that it could pose to American embassies around the world.
Rumors of Trump’s planned announcement were met with warnings from Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who said during a visit to the US that “the transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem at this stage will have repercussions in the Palestinian, Arab and Islamic scene.”
I will be even more blunt.  If the U.S. embassy is moved to Jerusalem, there will definitely be violence, and it could potentially move us closer to armed conflict in the Middle East.
But U.S. policy should never be dictated by threats of violence.  Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is the right thing to do, and we cannot allow anyone to intimidate us.  In 1995, Congress passed a law that requires the U.S. embassy to be moved to Jerusalem, but ever since then presidents have used “waivers” to delay the move.

The current “waiver” expires on December 1st, and Trump is expected to sign another one at that time.

But even if the U.S. embassy is not moved to Jerusalem any time soon, the truth is that the next major war in the Middle East seems to be getting closer with each passing day.  Just check out some of the things that have happened over the past week…

-Saudi Arabia just intercepted another ballistic missile that was fired from Yemen.  The civil war in Yemen is essentially a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the Saudis hold the Iranians directly responsible whenever a missile is fired toward their territory.

-China has announced that they will be sending “elite troops” into Syria to fight alongside the Syrian army in the ongoing civil war that is raging there.

-Just a few days ago, the Pentagon acknowledged that there are approximately 2,000 U.S. troops currently in Syria working with forces that would like to overthrow the Syrian government.

The Middle East is a tinderbox that could literally erupt at any moment.  Most Americans have absolutely no idea how close we are to a major regional war, and let us pray that one does not happen any time soon.

Michael Snyder is a Republican candidate for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional District, and you can learn how you can get involved in the campaign on his official website. His new book entitled “Living A Life That Really Matters” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.