Daily WATCH! Volume 2 Issue 64, Monday, April 8, 2002
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WITH FRIENDS LIKE THAT WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?
By Randy Loudenslager
"Withdraw without delay," was the repeated utterance to the media by U.S. President George W. Bush over the weekend. His statements were directed at Israel and her recent occupation of some Palestinian communities situated in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Just days ago Bush was daily repeating his support for Israel and her need to pro-actively deal with the Palestinian terror infrastructure through military incursions.
Bush's change from a position of empathy with Israel to a demand for immediate withdrawal is like trying to change gears without a clutch, the sound of grinding gears no doubt pleases the Arabs and the EU. What could change the mind of the leader of the world? World-wide condemnation of Israel and subsequent pressure on Washington to do something about what is perceived by the world as a one-sided conflict. In short, the mob rules.
In phone conversations with Ariel Sharon over the weekend Bush reiterated his call for immediate withdrawal while emphasizing America's friendship with Israel. Friendship? What friendship can be found in joining the crowd against a friend because of peer pressure? Sharon promised that he would expedite withdrawal as soon as operations were complete, but it is obvious that American and Israeli agendas are becoming increasingly at odds with each other.
As most students of basic government can figure out for themselves politics is basically the practice of coercion with a civil face. God wants us to practice justice and mercy not manipulation and coercion. History has taught us that a nation's bounty comes from obedience to God and not from deal making. War, in various forms, is always the eventual outcome of coercion politics. In politics' most basic form one party perceives a weakness in an opponent and enters into a series of increasingly coercive deals that always benefits the party in the stronger position. Eventually the parties reach a gridlock or the weaker party can give no more and becomes a vassal or rebels, resulting in open conflict. As seen in the dealings between the Republican and Democrat parties in the American politics the coercion game is played out on a daily basis on Capital Hill.
Israel is a nation that increasingly participates in international coercion. This was not always the case in her recent past. Israel desired peace with her neighbors but would not compromise her relationship with God in order to have it. The results were a series of invasion attempts by her enemies. But God honored Israel's uncompromising devotion and she easily overcame what seemed insurmountable odds and defeated her enemies. Now Israel has begun to compromise and thus has identified herself as a participant in the international coercion game. In response Israel's enemies have changed their tactics from war to what Islam excels at, coercion. Islam's prophet Mohammed practiced these same coercive tactics when encountering Jewish strongholds. He would make deals for peace until strong enough to overpower them. Yassar Arafat has told his people he is following the prophets example. In this game a weaker player can be a winner by joining up with others. Hence the ganging up on Israel by first the Palestinians and Arabs and then eventually Europe and the world and now America. God warned Israel against alliances with pagan nations.
Israel's alliance with America was a fruitful one because America was a God fearing nation. This made America steadfast and determined to do right for the most part, but this is the case no longer. America is now a pagan nation and unable to stand united as a people in moral steadfastness she must resort to deal making to appease the desires of those who control her between elections. Israel was once untouchable in American eyes but now she has put Israel's covenant on the table as she deals away the Holy Land to achieve less Godly desires. What America is doing to Israel is already coming back at her, drought is one of God's punishments on nations who rebel against him. Is America still blessed? Maybe so, but the blessings are waning and curses follow in their wake.
Copyright 2002 Randy Loudenslager Ministries
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Our web resources site: http://lastday.info
E-mail: randy@lastday.info
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