Iraq

1
Iraq
2
Britain to send more troops to Iraq

• Headline
• Britain to send 650 more troops to Iraq as poll
  violence worsens
  - Headline DT 9 January
• Event
• The Government is expected to announce this week
  that hundreds of extra British troops will be
  sent to Iraq within days to bolster security in
  the run-up to the January 30 elections. Up to 650
  troops from the 1st Battalion of the Royal
  Highland Fusiliers, based in Cyprus, are being
  deployed because of concern that insurgent
  attacks will be stepped up. The extra troops will
  be based in southern Iraq. However, it is
  possible that they could be deployed to more
  dangerous areas, such as Baghdad and the Sunni
  triangle. Such a move would require the approval
  of the Prime Minister.
• Comment
• An announcement was made this week and extra
  troops are on their way. There are an increasing
  number of reports that say that both the US and
  the UK are becoming overstretched from a troop
  point of view in Iraq. Before 9/11 only 20 of
  active duty US army personnel were abroad. It is
  now almost 50 and a further 25 of the reserves
  are on foreign soil. There is growing military
  concern that the US would struggle to cope with
  another conflict. Same applies to the UK. Another
  conflict will happen. The largest conflict ever
  seen. The lion powers this time will fail.
• Bible Quote Job 4
• 13 the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of
  the young lions, are broken.

3
British troops abused Iraqi captives

• Headline
• British troops abused Iraqi captives
• Headline DT 19 January
• Event
• British troops abused and sexually humiliated
  Iraqi prisoners in a series of "shocking and
  appalling" incidents after the Iraq war, a court
  martial heard yesterday. One or more soldiers
  from 1 Bn, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers,
  forced two captured Iraqi looters to strip naked
  and simulate sexual acts, the hearing in Germany
  was told.
• The images are the most damaging to emerge since
  photographs of Iraqis being mistreated by
  American captors at Abu Ghraib prison appeared
  last year.
• Senior officers fear they will be used by
  insurgents as evidence that the British have no
  respect for Iraqi prisoners.
• Comment
• These are similar pictures to those that appeared
  some months ago involving US soldiers. As the
  article says above these photographs only help
  the insurgents. Britain and the US are seen to be
  united in these abuses. Back in 1980, brother
  Graham Pearce wrote, We look for Britain and
  America to be standing together, and being
  separated from Europe. Indeed we do see them
  standing together - united in war and abuses!
• Bible Quote Nahum2 11 Where is the dwelling of
  the lions, and the feedingplace of the young
  lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked,
  and the lions whelp, and none made them afraid?

4
US will not cut troop numbers

• Headline
• US will not cut troops in Iraq for two years
• Headline DT 26 January
• Event
• The Pentagon moved yesterday to quash speculation
  about a swift pullout of American troops after
  the election in Iraq as a first step towards
  complete withdrawal.
• Lt-Gen James Lovelace, the deputy chief of staff
  responsible for operations, said there was no
  plan to reduce troop numbers for at least two
  years. The army thought it "most probable" that
  it would need about 120,000 men in Iraq at least
  until the end of 2006, he said.That is close to
  pre-election levels, although recently troop
  numbers have reached 150,000 to provide security
  for Sundays vote.
• Comment
• So we now have a declared situation of America
  being locked into Iraq for at least another 2
  years. Why is this interesting? Well because a
  huge proportion of the US army is now tied up in
  this ancient area of Babylon. By definition it is
  much more difficult for it to fight other
  battles. It possibly explains how Russia and its
  allies are able to sweep down into Israel and
  through into Egypt. It is my belief that further
  and far greater destruction is coming on this
  area of ancient Babylon (Iraq) and this could
  possibly cause tremendous UK and US troop
  casualties.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 54 A sound of a cry
  cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from
  the land of the Chaldeans

5
Week of violence in Iraq

• Headline
• Week of violence in Iraq
  Headline
  BBC online 12 February
• Event
• 7 February Bomb attacks on police leave 25 dead
  in Mosul and Baquba
• 8 February At least 21 killed in suicide blast
  at army recruitment centre in Baghdad
• 9 February At least nine die, including a
  reporter for a US-Arabic TV station in Basra
• 10 February At least eight police are killed and
  more than 60 wounded in attack south of Baghdad
• 11 February Attacks on a Shia mosque leave 23
  dead
• 12 February At least 17 people are killed by a
  car bomb and a senior judge is shot dead
• Comment
• We may get used to hearing everyday about mass
  killings in Iraq. But let us not forget the
  significance of this area. It was the area of the
  garden of Eden where sin and death entered the
  world. It was the area of the first kingdom of
  men - Babel ruled by Nimrod. It was the area that
  Abraham was called out of (Ur ). He was called to
  a new land, a new hope, a new life, a new kingdom
  Gods kingdom. And now we see terrible
  destruction in this area of Babylon (Babel) it
  heralds the setting up of the kingdom of God.
  Babylon literal, political religious will be
  destroyed.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 54 A sound of a cry
  cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from
  the land of the Chaldeans

6
115 killed in Iraq

• Headline
• 115 killed as market bomber targets recruits
• 1,500th US soldier killedHeadlines DT 1 and 4
  March
• Event
• More than 115 people were killed and 130 injured
  in the single bloodiest attack in Iraq since the
  fall of Saddam Hussein when a suicide bomber
  exploded a car near a market south of Baghdad
  yesterday.
• The war in Iraq passed another bloody milestone
  yesterday when the United States announced the
  latest death of one of its soldiers in the
  conflict, bringing the number of American troops
  killed in the country to the 1,500 mark.
• Since May 2003 when President George W Bush
  declared the end of major combat operations,
  1,364 US military members have died in Iraq.
• Comment
• In this area of latter day Babylon we see great
  destruction and a sound of battle. This war
  against latter day Babylon will soon involve
  political (EU) and religious (Rome) Babylon as
  well when they invade Israel. Babylon in all its
  forms will be destroyed.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 50 22 A sound of battle is
  in the land, and of great destruction.23 How is
  the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and
  broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among
  the nations!

7
Dutch troops pullout of Iraq

• Headline
• Britain's troops take the strain as Dutch pull
  out
• Italy plans Iraq troop pull-out
• Headlines DT 14 15 March
• Event
• The Union flag is flying over a new stretch of
  Iraq. British troops have moved west of Basra to
  assume responsibility for the neighbouring
  province and in the process have more than
  doubled the area under direct British military
  control.
• Behind the move lies the erosion of President
  George W Bush's "coalition of the willing". Italy
  is to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq in
  September 2005, Italian Prime Minister Silvio
  Berlusconi has said. Italy has 3,000 troops in
  Iraq - the fourth largest foreign contingent.
  Domestic opposition to Italy's involvement in
  Iraq intensified after the killing of an Italian
  agent by US troops in Iraq earlier this month.
• Comment
• And so this week we see two key countries (from a
  troop point of view in Iraq) begin to pullout.
  The Dutch troops are moving out shortly with
  Italian troops moving out in September. As the
  article above says, it was the killing of the
  Italian agent who rescued an Italian hostage a
  few weeks ago that finally tipped the balance and
  Italys Prime Minister was forced to do
  something. The UK and US are almost totally
  isolated now in the ongoing war in Iraq. We
  expect Italy and Holland to be on the side of
  Europe in the final war so things continue to
  develop as expected.
• Bible Quote Jer 51 38 They shall roar together
  like lions they shall yell as lions whelps.
  Britain (old lion) US (young lion) previous verse
  talks of destruction in Iraq

Main international troops in Iraq US
150,000 UK 8,000 Italy 3,000 South Korea 3,600
Poland 1,700 Ukraine 1,600 Georgia
898 Romania 730 Japan 550 Denmark
496 Australia 400 Source Global Security
8
Iraq violence

• Headline
• Car bomb blows apart Iraq market
• Headline BBC online 6 May
• Event
• At least 16 people have been killed in a car bomb
  attack in a market south of Baghdad, Iraqi police
  say. As many as 40 people were injured in the
  blast at Suwayra, about 60km (38 miles) south of
  the capital.
• In Baghdad, police found a shallow grave with the
  bodies of 14 men, apparently the victims of
  execution-style killings.
• Meanwhile at least eight police officers died in
  a bombing near the northern city of Tikrit.
• Comment
• 5 May At least 23 people die in wave of attacks
  in Baghdad 4 May At least 50 people killed in
  suicide attack on police recruits in Irbil 29
  April At least 29 people killed in wave of car
  bomb attacks on Iraqi security forces 10 March
  47 people killed by suicide bomber at Shia
  funeral in Mosul 28 February Massive car bomb
  kills 125 people in Hilla 19 February Suicide
  bombers kill 30 people during Shia Ashura
  celebrations 18 February Around 29 people die in
  attacks in Baghdad and Iskandariya 7 February
  Attacks on security forces kill at least 25
  people in Mosul and Baquba.
• Iraq area of ancient Babylon is a place of
  violence and destruction.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 54 A sound of a cry
  cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from
  the land of the Chaldeans

9
10 suicide attacks in one day - Iraq

• Headline
• Ten suicide bombers in one day bring
  more
  death to Baghdad streets - DT July 16
• Event
• Suicide bombers struck 10 times in Baghdad
  yesterday, killing at least 25 people.
• Thirty-two people, most of them children, were
  killed the day before when a suicide bomber
  exploded his car beside a convoy of American
  soldiers handing out sweets in a Baghdad suburb.
  The blast left the street covered in pools of
  blood, mangled bicycles and the corpses of the
  young, many still clutching blue-wrapped
  chocolate bars.
• Comment
• The death, destruction and sheer horror of the
  daily attacks in Iraq is shocking. Iraq is the
  home of ancient Babylon, the even more ancient
  Babel and the even more ancient Garden of Eden.
  It was where sin and therefore death entered the
  world. It was where the first kingdom of men (see
  Genesis 1010) was established. It was where
  Abraham was called out from (Ur of the Chaldeas).
  It cannot be coincidence that in the last days
  this literal area of Babylon is suffering such
  destruction. It portends the greater destruction
  of spiritual Babylon and in fact all the kingdoms
  of the earth which shall be replaced by Gods
  kingdom.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 54 A sound of a cry
  cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from
  the land of the Chaldeans Jer 5046 At the
  noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is
  moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

10
25,000 civilians killed in Iraq

• Headline
• Fighting in Iraq 'has cost 25,000 civilian lives'
• Headline DT July 20
• Event
• Nearly 25,000 Iraqi civilians have died in the
  two years since US and British troops invaded
  Iraq - an average of 34 people a day - according
  to figures published yesterday by British
  academics.
• They estimate that about four out of five Iraqi
  civilians killed were men, while nearly one in 10
  were children.
• According to the survey by the Oxford Research
  Group and a website called Iraq Body Count,
  US-led coalition forces are responsible for about
  37 per cent of these deaths, mostly during the
  initial invasion phase when about 7,000 civilians
  were killed.
• Comment
• Babylon was situated in modern day Iraq. It is
  hard not to read the prophecies in Isaiah and
  Jeremiah without seeing a latter day fulfilment
  of modern day Iraq. In no way does it take away
  from the political aspect (Europe) and religious
  aspect (Rome)
• Bible Quote John 12 2 Declare ye among the
  nations, and publish, and set up a standard
  publish, and conceal not say, Babylon is taken,
  9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up
  against Babylon an assembly of great nations from
  the north country22 A sound of battle is in the
  land, and of great destruction.23 How is the
  hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken!
  how is Babylon become a desolation among the
  nations!

11
Iraq on brink of meltdown

• Headline
  
  Iraq on brink of meltdown
• Headline DT August 26
• Event
• The credibility of Iraq's political process was
  in danger last night as parliament again failed
  to vote on a draft constitution which a Sunni
  politician said was "fit only for the bin". The
  impression of growing crisis in Iraq was
  reinforced when a new front erupted in the
  violent rebellion, with Shia Muslims fighting
  each other with guns and rocket-propelled
  grenades.
• Comment
• This headline Iraq on brink of meltdown was the
  front page headline. The violence and terror in
  the land is quite astounding. Even more
  astounding though are these words from the
  President of America. "freedom has finally
  arrived in Iraq, where life improves every day as
  that country makes progress toward becoming a
  prosperous and peaceful nation. This was said in
  April 2003. A cry of freedom but a false one.
  This is part of the unclean spirits like frogs
  going out into all the world to bring the nations
  to the great battle of God Almighty. Just as
  Pharaoh in Egypt, during the plague of frogs,
  gave a false promise of freedom to the Israelites
  so this modern Pharaoh gives a false promise of
  freedom. It has led to destruction.
• Bible Quote Revelation 16 13 And I saw three
  unclean spirits like frogs..which go forth unto
  the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to
  gather them to the battle of that great day of
  God Almighty.

12
1000 killed in Baghdad panic

• Headline
• 1000 killed in Baghdad panic Headline DT
  September 1
• Event
• Up to 1,000 people were crushed to death or
  drowned after a rumour that a suicide bomber was
  about to detonate his explosives spread panic
  through a procession of one million Shia pilgrims
  in Baghdad yesterday. Hundreds were trampled in
  the resulting stampede while many more threw
  themselves off a bridge into the strong currents
  of the Tigris in a desperate attempt to escape.
• Thousands of abandoned sandals littered the area,
  kicked off in the panic to escape.
• The vast majority of those killed were women,
  children and the elderly, while nearly 400 people
  were confirmed as injured.
• Comment
• More death and destruction in Iraq. Again as we
  were doing our readings the events before us
  echoed very closely to the events we watched that
  very day. The verses below are talking of Babylon
  (modern Iraq). Note the worship of false gods and
  the slain that will fall in the midst of her.
  This is exactly what happened this week. Surely a
  partial fulfilment of these words.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 7 17 Every man is
  brutish by his knowledge every founder is
  confounded by the graven image for his molten
  image is falsehood, and there is no breath in
  them. 47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that
  I will do judgment upon the graven images of
  Babylon and her whole land shall be confounded,
  and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

13
Al Queda kill 152 in Baghdad

• Headline
• Al Queda kill 152 in Baghdad
• Headlines DT September 15
• Event
• At least 152 people died and 542 were wounded as
  11 suicide bombers struck across Baghdad
  yesterday in the second most deadly day of
  insurgent violence Iraq has witnessed since the
  fall of Saddam Hussein.
• The worst incident was in the north of the
  capital where a car carrying 500lbs of explosives
  drove into a crowd of unemployed labourers
  killing 114 and injuring 156.
• Comment
• Iraq (ancient Babylon) is in trouble. In the
  verse below it talks of fanners coming into the
  land. This word fanners means strangers. It is
  interesting that most suicide bombers are
  strangers to the land. They are pouring in from
  over the borders - from Iran and Syria. There
  seems to be an unlimited supply of those willing
  to kill themselves and kill as many others as
  possible. It is interesting that the physical
  land of Babylon is in such distress and
  destruction. Spiritual Babylon (Rome) and
  political Babylon (Europe) will also end in
  distress and destruction. The city of man in all
  its forms will be removed from the earth to be
  replaced by Gods kingdom.
• Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 2 And will send unto
  Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall
  empty her land for in the day of trouble they
  shall be against her round about. 4 Thus the
  slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans,
  and they that are thrust through in her streets.

14
Saddam on trial

• Headline
• Court drama on day one of trial
• Headline DT October 20
• Event
• The judge summoned "Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti",
  and a door opened to reveal the man who had held
  Iraq in thrall for a quarter of a century. The
  figure who entered looked hardly the embodiment
  of evil, whose regime is accused of torturing and
  murdering tens of thousands of citizens. Instead,
  there was an old man in an ill-fitting suit,
  clutching a Koran in his left hand. He looked
  momentarily confused and pathetically human. The
  room which held the court was once part of one of
  his most lavish palaces. It still had the
  chandeliers and marble floors meant to signal his
  dominance. Now - after two years in which he had
  seen only the inside of a military prison - he
  blinked and seemed panicky as he took in the
  scene around him.
• Comment
• Saddam Hussein called himself a latter day
  Nebuchadnezzar. And in many ways he has indeed
  lived a similar life. He tried to rebuild the
  city of Babylon. He launched war on Iran (ancient
  Persia) to re-establish the great kingdom once
  lost to the Persians. But he lost it all. He was
  found in a pit with his hair grown long. Now the
  nations look at him and wonder is this be the man
  who terrorised the world?
• Bible Quote Isaiah 14 16 They that see thee
  shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee,
  saying, Is this the man that made the earth to
  tremble, that did shake kingdoms these verses
  are talking of Nebuchadnezzar see previous verse!

15
US deaths in Iraq reach 2,000

• Headline
• US deaths in Iraq reach 2,000
• Headline DT October 26
• Event
• The number of United States service personnel who
  have died in Iraq since its troops streamed
  across the country's borders in March 2003 passed
  2,000 yesterday. But President George W Bush,
  while making no direct reference to the figure,
  told an audience of military families in
  Washington that their sacrifice was best
  recognised by continuing the fight against a
  fanatical enemy.
• "Each loss of life is heart-breaking. And the
  best way to honour the sacrifice of our fallen
  troops is to complete the mission and lay the
  foundation of peace by spreading freedom," he
  said to applause.
• Comment
• The deaths mount up. Over 2,000 US soldiers have
  now died in this war. Over 15,000 injured. Many,
  many thousands of Iraqis are dead. Why? Well, as
  President Bush says above, this apparently is
  laying the foundation of peace by spreading
  freedom. So we have a promise of freedom that
  brings destruction. Precisly what the Bible says
  will bring all nations to Armageddon. In
  Revelation 16 it is unclean spirits like frogs
  that go to the kings of the earth to gather them
  to the final great battle. An unclean spirit is
  to do with madness and lies. The frogs are to do
  with the plague on Egypt when Pharaoh promised
  freedom but lied and continued the slavery. And
  so we see a madness in a king of the earth
  promising freedom but bringing death.
• Bible Quote Revelation 16 13 And I saw three
  unclean spirits like frogs 14 For they are the
  spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
  forth unto the kings of the earth and of the
  whole world, to gather them to the battle of that
  great day of God Almighty.

16
26,000 deaths in Iraq

• Headline
• Victims of insurgents in Iraq top 26,000
• Headline DT October 31
• Event
• The United States military has for the first time
  admitted that it is keeping records of Iraqi
  deaths as it disclosed that it estimates 26,000
  to have been killed or injured by insurgents
  since January last year. The data, released
  without fanfare in a report compiled by the
  Pentagon for the US Congress, says casualties,
  which include Iraqi police and soldiers as well
  as civilians, have risen from about 26 a day on
  last Jan 1 to 64 a day in the run-up to this
  month's constitutional referendum.
• Attacks by insurgents have also tripled from just
  under 200 a week at the start of 2004 to more
  than 650 now.
• Comment
• It seems incredible that so many have been killed
  in Iraq. 64 people killed a day. 650 attacks a
  week. 26,000 (at least) dead. We reported last
  week that over 2,000 US soldiers had now been
  killed in this war.
• Can it be a coincidence that at the time of the
  end this ancient land where mankind began
  (Garden of Eden), where the kingdom of men began
  (Babel), where sin and death entered the world is
  now the centre of such terrors. It was here that
  Abraham lived and was called to leave to travel
  to a new land that God would show him. Where? To
  Israel where Gods kingdom will be established.
  We have left (spiritually) the kingdom of men and
  are now strangers and pilgrims desiring a better
  country (Gods kingdom) that WILL be established.
  Death and destruction will then cease.
• Bible Quote Hebrews 11 they were strangers and
  pilgrims on the earth.
• 16 But now they desire a better country, that
  is, an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to
  be called their God for he hath prepared for
  them a city.

17
Iraq asks Russia for help

• Headline
• Iraq asks Russia for help
• Headline Moscow Times November 22
• Event
• Iraq's foreign minister on Monday called on
  Russia to use its close ties with Syria to urge
  it to do more to seal its border with his
  violence-wracked country and accused neighbouring
  states of interfering in Iraqi affairs.
• "We really do have problems with our neighbouring
  countries, including with Syria," Hoshyar Zebari
  told reporters after meeting with Foreign
  Minister Sergei Lavrov.
• "We asked Russia, using its authority, to provide
  assistance to help us agree with some of our
  neighbours on issues dealing with security,"
  Zebari said. "Russia has good relations with our
  neighbours, Syria and Iran."
• Comment
• Russia is becoming more and more involved in
  Middle East affairs. Russia has much closer links
  to Iran and Syria than any other country outside
  the Middle East.
• Also Russia has the desire to become a superpower
  again. Putin has said so himself. By becoming a
  major player in the Middle East, Russia exerts
  its influence and by so doing Americas influence
  diminishes.
• Iraq is in trouble as we all know with continued
  insurgency. America and Britain have not been
  able to stop the attacks which are being fuelled
  by fighters coming in from Syria and Iran. So
  here we have once more Russia being asked to help
  out. To try to use their influence on Iran and
  Syria. As Iraqs foreign minister says above
  Russia has good relations with Syria and Iran.
  The Bible says the same in the verse below.
• Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 7 Be thou Gog prepared,
  and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy
  company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou
  a guard unto them.
• Gog Russia thy company (amongst others) Iran

18
2005 review

• Comment
• And so another year draws to a close. But what a
  remarkable year in terms of prophecy fulfilled!
• At the beginning of each World Watch it says that
  time and again the following would keep cropping
  up as we journey towards the coming kingdom.
• Israel Middle East the growing conflict
• This year has seen Israel become ever more the
  focus of the worlds attention. Iran has called
  for Israel to be wiped off the map. Israel has
  withdrawn from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. A
  wall almost surrounds the entire nation now.
• Europe the developing union / political and
  religious
• A new Pope is elected Cardinal Ratzinger. He
  named himself Benedict after the patron saint of
  Europe. He is calling for Christian Unity! In his
  Christmas speech he called for Middle East peace.
  He means Israel should give up East Jerusalem.
  This will bring war. Europe has rejected the
  constitution but continues to hang together as
  divided nations exactly as Revelation 17 and
  Daniel 2 show us.
• Russia continued turning back to anti west ways
• Russia is increasingly in the news for doing arms
  deals with those the US considers to be the Axis
  of Evil i.e. Syria and Iran. Under Putin the free
  press has been shut down, nuclear programmes have
  been developed and a new Cold War may have
  started.
• The development of King of South US UK
• Tarshish and her young lions continue to be
  locked in a war in Iraq. This area of ancient
  Babylon where sin and death entered the world and
  the first kingdom of men began is a scene of
  death and destruction. Remember Abraham was
  called out of this area.
• Declining moral standards and increasing
  violence.
• The UK introduces gay marriage. Violence
  increases remember the scenes in France! We
  have seen unprecedented natural disasters with
  Tsunami, hurricanes and earthquakes. Let us pray
  that 2006 finally brings relief with the return
  of our King.
• Revelation 22 20 Surely I come quickly. Amen.
  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.