The Russians are denying they have any plans to sell its new Iskander missile system to Syria, telling the State Department in Washington, "There are no talks under way between Russia and Syria concerning shipment of such missiles. Such talks are not taking place."
 

What does the denial mean?

It means there ARE talks underway between Russia and Syria concerning the shipments of missiles. You can tell the difference. When Russia is denying a policy, it means it is true. If it wasn't true, the Russians wouldn't bother to reply at all.

The denial was issued by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov during an official visit by the Russian diplomat to Washington where he met with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

While Ivanov was denying the talks, Syria's President, Bashar Assad, was finalizing the details of his scheduled trip to St. Petersburg on January 24 to sign the deal to buy the missiles Russia says it isn't currently talking about shipping.

It is worth noting that the meeting between Assad and Vladimir Putin will be in Putin's home town of St Petersburg, instead of a more-high profile meeting in Moscow.

I was fascinated to read that most of the major newspapers, and even the State Department interpreted Ivanov's statement as a "denial" that Moscow is planning to sell missiles to Syria.

You'd think that, after Bill Clinton, professionals like that would be better at parsing a statement to see what is REALLY being said.

You know, like when you are asked if you ever smoked marijuana and you deny it by saying; "I never broke any of America's drug laws" (because you smoked pot in England?)

Indeed, there are no talks underway concerning the SHIPMENT of missiles because Assad won't sign the deal until January 24. Why discuss a missile 'shipment' until after the sale goes through? And Ivanov's denial concerns 'shipment' talks -- THOSE are the talks that are 'not taking place'.

The missiles in question are not prohibited missiles under international arms agreements because of their limited range. The Iskander SS-26 is an updated version of the Soviet Scud missile with improved guidance and capable of carrying a chemical/biological or nuclear payload.

In tests, the Iskander delivered its two 1,000 pound warheads within a twenty-five yard circle of its intended target.

It's range is just 180 miles -- within acceptable international limits. But its range is more than sufficient to put all of Israel within Damascus' kill-zone. It can easily overcome existing air defenses.

It has no NATO equivalent and is extremely effective because it is launched from a mobile launching pad. It is satellite guided, and can 'see' through bad weather like our smart bombs can.

And the Iskander is only ONE of the weapons Moscow is talking about SELLING (not delivering, that comes later) to the terrorist-sponsoring Ba'athist government in Damascus. The second missile is even scarier.

The Igla SA-18 is the terrorist weapon of choice. It is the successor to the shoulder-fired SAM-7, upgraded and improved until it is one of the most deadly hand-held anti-aircraft weapons ever devised.

The improved SA-18 gives the user more time to fire, has a greater range than the SAM-7, and unlike the SAM, is not a heat-seeking missile, so it is immune to flares. That means it can cut through virtually all of our current missile defense systems.

Syria is one of the chief sponsors of Middle Eastern terrorism. Syria harbors and equips Hezbollah, sheltering the terror group in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Terror groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad are listed in the Damascus phone book.

There is intelligence that indicates Saddam sent his WMD stockpiles to Syria just before the US invasion, and Syria operates a direct pipeline into Iraq, facilitating the movement of insurgents and provided weapons to fuel the insurgency against the Iraqi and US governments.

Should the SA-18 fall into the hands of terrorists, no commercial aircraft in the world would be safe. No military aircraft in the world, (with the exception of the B-1 stealth bomber and the new F-22, of which we have very few) would have a chance against it.

A few dozen SA-18's in Iraq would effectively ground US air operations against terrorist strongholds, neutralizing the US air superiority advantage. It would shield Syria from Israeli retaliatory strikes from the air, leaving Israel with only its nuclear option to deploy in the event of war.

Syria enjoyed close ties with Moscow during the 50-year Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

But post-Soviet Russia has seen its influence wane in the aftermath of the fall of Communism. Iraq, for example, was once a Soviet client state. Today it is an American protectorate.

So Moscow is trying to repair the damage. It supplied Iran with nuclear technology and know-how, sold Tehran the same missiles it is now planning to sell Damascus, and is generally resuming its traditional role as the principle supplier of arms to Middle Eastern dictatorships.

Russia has been upgrading Syrian military equipment for years, although this is the first new arms deal with Damascus since 1990.

This all has such a familiar ring to it, doesn't it? The sale of advanced weaponry, including nuclear know-how to Iran explains the ranking of 'Persia' as the principle ally of Russia in the Gog-Magog invasion.

Ezekiel 38:5 lists the major players in the following order: "Persia (Iran) Ethiopia (modern North Africa, including Sudan and Somalia) Libya, (Mediterranean North Africa) all of them with shield and helmet" (Gog-Magog's ground assault force)

It is simply stunning when one sits back and thinks about it. Ezekiel wrote of the invasion of Israel in the latter times'. From Ezekiel's vantage point in history, 'Israel' was destroyed more than 150 years before.

As a captive of Babylon, in Ezekiel's world, the Kingdom of Judah was history, Jerusalem and the Temple were in Babylonian hands, and there was every reason to doubt the survival of the Jewish people, let alone their future restoration in the 'latter times'.

But, from OUR vantage point in history, Ezekiel seems to be discussing our daily newspaper headlines.

As far as Syria is concerned, it plays no role in the Gog-Magog invasion, despite its current cozy relationship with Moscow.

Syria, as a principle sponsor of Middle East terrorism and Israel's chief tormentor, has a prophetic destiny distinct from that of Gog-Magog.

Damascus is painting itself into a corner. By purchasing the Russian SA-18 and SS-26, it is virtually guaranteeing its own destruction.

Its arsenal will render Israel incapable of responding with conventional weapons to any Syrian attack, leaving Israel with only its nuclear option. Now a look at Isaiah's prophecy concerning Syria's future.

First, Damascus is the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. It was old when Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem three thousand years ago. It was old when the Apostle Paul met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.

But Isaiah prophesied, "The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."(Isaiah 17:1)

Since this has never occurred in history to this day, it remains an unfulfilled prophecy - so far. But one extremely likely to be fulfilled -- should the undeniable Syrian intentions to arm themselves, literally to death -- go forward as planned.

So much of Bible prophecy is beginning to fall into place that it is almost becoming routine. Earthquakes, famines, wars, rumors of wars, pestilence, signs in the sun, the moon, the stars . . . the distress of nations, with perplexity. . . men's hearts failing them for fear at what is taking place -- it is almost TOO much to contemplate, until the supernatural becomes routine to the point Peter spoke of:

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (2nd Peter 3:3-4)

To my mind, that verse has taken on new meaning. In years past, I read it as meaning that the lost would scoff -- but by and large, the lost are the ones most interested in Bible prophecy.

They are the ones buying up most of the books and movies about prophecy. The 'Left Behind' series has sold 42 million copies through mainly secular bookstore outlets.

Many Christians, having grown weary of hearing about prophecy, signs, a Rapture and the coming Tribulation, are concluding that maybe this isn't it, after all. I heard Jerry Jenkins, co-author of the Left Behind series, suggest to Bill O'Reilly last night that maybe the Rapture 'might not happen for another thousand years'.

The sheer preponderance of evidence has dulled the sense of wonder and awe at the miraculous -- when miracles are routine, the lack of miracles becomes noteworthy.

The Old Testament is a record of an ongoing series of miraculous signs, prophecies and direct contact between God and man. The New Testament is a record of another brief period of the miraculous becoming routine.

That is why the 400 year period between the Testaments is so noteworthy it is called the 'Silent Period'.

After 2000 years of relative silence, in this generation, God is talking to us again. The miraculous is becoming so routine it is losing the 'gee whiz!' factor for many.

"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 24:43-44)

Excerpted from the Omega Letter Daily Intelligence Digest, Vol 40, Issue 13
Jack Kinsella

Theomegaletter.com