Military Drill or Preparation for War?
A recent report from an Israel-based Christian news source report about 'the largest joint US-Israel war game ever held' has been described by an American general as more a 'deployment' than an 'exercise.
by
Lonnie C. Mings
reporting for CFI Jerusalem
 If words could stop Iran’s march toward a nuclear weapon, the Iranians would have been out of business a long time ago. Ever since the capture of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 (in which, by the way, Ahmedinejad participated) the Western world has unleashed a torrent of words, most of them empty. Do you suppose Iran has reached the conclusion that the West will in the long run do nothing about their effort to obtain WMD’ In fact, I don’t see how they could have reached any other conclusion!
Some things have happened recently, however, to make one believe that the United States might, at long last, be on the verge of pinning Iran’s ears back, if not stopping her advance toward hegemony. In the last few days literally thousands of U.S. troops have been descending on Israel. This is not just a report obtained from a sensational news source. It has been corroborated by news media including the Washington Post, on January 5) as well as friends in Israel, and in fact it appears that some 9,000 U.S. troops are either now in Israel or on their way.
Senior US military sources have confirmed that this deployment is part of the US-IDF preparation for a possible military engagement with Iran and its likely escalation into a regional conflict. As of this writing, they will soon be joined by a US aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions with Israeli Air Force jets, either in training or in a real attack [Debkafile, January 6].
The incoming American soldiers are officially said to be participants in Austere Challenge 12, the largest joint US-Israeli war game ever held. These ‘games’ were originally designated ‘Juniper Stallion 2012.’ However, the altered name plus comments by the commander of the exercise, US Third Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, during his visit two weeks ago, that the coming event is more a "deployment" than an "exercise," confirmed that Washington has expanded its mission. The joint force will now be in place ready for a decision to either attack Iran's nuclear installations or be in position to respond to any war emergency.
Apparently it was decided at the last minute in Washington and Jerusalem to announce the forthcoming Austere Challenge 12 on January 5, ahead of the bulletin released by Tehran that another Iranian naval exercise at the Strait of Hormuz would take place in February, even though its 10-day drill in the same arena only ended Monday, January 2.
Martin Van Creveld, a military historian at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said on January 5 that the drill was intended not only to practice military manoeuvers but also to pressure Iran. ‘Defending against an attack is not something that you improvise [at the last minute]. It’s something you have to ’rehearse’ and prepare for,’ Van Creveld said. ‘This, among other things, is an exercise to show Iran, the people in Teheran, that Israel and the United States are ready to counterattack,’ he said [Washington Post, January 5].
But once a nuclear weapon is launched at you, a ‘counter-attack’ is too late. Let’s pray that Iran gets the point and feels the pressure, so that all-out war can be avoided. I believe that Israel will be protected, but God may do it through the vigilance and prayers of His people around the world.
‘They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord’ (Jeremiah 1:19). |
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