REMINDER: 1) Check out this week's broadcast of ''Truth ThatTransforms'' (http://www.truthinaction.org/index.php/tr/uth-that-transforms This week’s sermon is entitled “ A Godly Education" and explains what is happening in our public schools. It also presents a feature about a courageous home-schooling German family; and 2) I came across this fantastic message by Jentezen Franklin on 9/6 that could simply be entitled, "Be There!" This message is well worth your time. http://event.cbn.com/weekofprayer/2013-fall/default.aspx?ventID=143699&cpid=DM1309061 PLEASE take time to check these programs out!
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."
[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"- CBNNews.com, Aug 14, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/ - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.]
UPDATE: Iran Rejects Saeed's Appeal, Family 'Devastated' , CBNNews.com, August 27, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Iran-Rejects-Saeeds-Appeal-Family-Devastated/ "By keeping the 8-year prison sentence in place, Pastor Saeed, now potentially faces additional beatings and abuse inside Evin Prison -- treatment that has significantly weakened him during his first year in prison,"....{
“Abandoned” For Christ" - Graham Calls On White House To Support Abedini - By Dr. Tom Askew, Aug.8, http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/opinion
Franklin Graham is the latest to join the chorus of voices calling for U.S. State Department and White House officials to take a more vocal role in protesting the Iranian imprisonment of American pastor Saeed Abedini. September 26 will mark the one year anniversary of Abedini’s imprisonment for allegedly “endangering the national security” of Iran.
Graham pointed out that, in contrast to Iranian accusations, “Pastor Saeed was in Iran trying to help children. With the permission of Iran’s government, he was working to build an orphanage. But his humanitarian mission led to an arrest on bogus charges and nearly a year of inhumane treatment, simply because he loves Jesus Christ.”...
Behind the scenes, more than 600,000 people around the world have signed a petition sponsored by ACLJ in support of pastor Abedini. A concerted movement this past May brought together Christians from many nations to set aside Pentecost to pray for Abedini. On June 13, demonstrations were held at Iranian embassies in at least six countries to protest Abedini’s treatment. And, on July 29, Arizona Republican Representative Trent Franks spoke on the floor of the House to urge other Congressmen to join him in “adopting” Pastor Abedini through the bipartisan Defending Freedoms Project.
Saeed’s response…and yours - Through his family living in Iran, Pastor Abedini has been made aware of these efforts on his behalf, and is grateful. “I heard that the persecution, my arrest and imprisonment has united churches from different denominations, from different cities and countries. That the churches have united together in prayer to put one request (my freedom) on one day (Pentecost) before God,” he wrote in a letter.
The story of Saeed Abedini, the jihad against Syrian Christians, the attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, and the ongoing desecration of churches in Nigeria and India should cause every American to reflect on the blessings of freedom still enjoyed in this nation.
PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.
- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him
- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ
- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans
Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
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Franklin Graham is the latest to join the chorus of voices calling for U.S. State Department and White House officials to take a more vocal role in protesting the Iranian imprisonment of American pastor Saeed Abedini. September 26 will mark the one year anniversary of Abedini’s imprisonment for allegedly “endangering the national security” of Iran.
Graham pointed out that, in contrast to Iranian accusations, “Pastor Saeed was in Iran trying to help children. With the permission of Iran’s government, he was working to build an orphanage. But his humanitarian mission led to an arrest on bogus charges and nearly a year of inhumane treatment, simply because he loves Jesus Christ.”...
Behind the scenes, more than 600,000 people around the world have signed a petition sponsored by ACLJ in support of pastor Abedini. A concerted movement this past May brought together Christians from many nations to set aside Pentecost to pray for Abedini. On June 13, demonstrations were held at Iranian embassies in at least six countries to protest Abedini’s treatment. And, on July 29, Arizona Republican Representative Trent Franks spoke on the floor of the House to urge other Congressmen to join him in “adopting” Pastor Abedini through the bipartisan Defending Freedoms Project.
Saeed’s response…and yours - Through his family living in Iran, Pastor Abedini has been made aware of these efforts on his behalf, and is grateful. “I heard that the persecution, my arrest and imprisonment has united churches from different denominations, from different cities and countries. That the churches have united together in prayer to put one request (my freedom) on one day (Pentecost) before God,” he wrote in a letter.
The story of Saeed Abedini, the jihad against Syrian Christians, the attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, and the ongoing desecration of churches in Nigeria and India should cause every American to reflect on the blessings of freedom still enjoyed in this nation.
"Syria FAQ: Is Striking Syria in America’s Strategic Interests?,"- By Kim Holmes, September 9, 2013
Is Obama’s plan to strike Syria in America’s strategic interests? Is it true that unless we attack Syria, chemical weapons could somehow be used against us or our allies? Is it true that America’s credibility really is at stake? And will the planned strike measurably change the balance of power in the conflict, as required by the proposed congressional resolution?
Will Assad’s chemical weapons likely be used against us if we don’t strike?
As horrible as their use has been against the Syrian people, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unlikely to use them against us or anyone other than his own people unless we escalate the conflict. He’s already got his hands full. He could very well use chemical weapons again against his own people, but he has shown no sign in the past of sharing them with others, including outside terrorist groups.
What about U.S. credibility? Proponents argue it will be undermined unless we strike.
I’m afraid that argument has already been lost. President Obama has been so adamant about the limited nature of the attack on Syria that no one reasonably expects him to escalate if Assad uses chemical weapons again. So the question arises: What kind of military intervention exactly would we be signaling is on the table? The Administration has been crystal clear that it does not want to use force in a large way. Perhaps supporters of a strike wished it were otherwise, but it makes no sense to pretend as if Senator John McCain (R-AZ) were making strategic decisions instead of Barack Obama.
Iran already knows Obama doesn’t want to escalate. A strategically meaningless strike would not deter Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons any more than sanctions have. Not only that, the Iranians already know that Obama would be no more enthusiastic about using force against them in the future than he has been against Syria. The cat’s already out of the bag on that one. If anything, a meaningless pinprick strike will be seen as yet another gesture of weakness.
What about changing the balance of power in the Syrian civil war? Will a limited strike make a difference?
The strange thing about this argument is that it completely ignores the fact that the Obama Administration has had ample opportunity to aid the rebels with arms but chose to delay as much as possible. Engaging moderate rebels a couple of years ago and arming them may have made a difference. But now it’s too little too late. Radical Islamist groups are in contention to replace Assad, and a future civil war may emerge between them and anti-Islamist groups. What do we do then?
Again, the only use of force that could change the balance of power is precisely what Obama says he will not do. It is theoretically possible that a military strike could destroy Assad’s chemical weapons, but that would involve precisely the kind of ground-force intervention Obama has completely foresworn. In London, Secretary of State John Kerry went so far as to characterize the attack as “unbelievably small.” How could that affect the outcome of the war?
Putting aside for a moment whether a change could actually benefit the Islamist forces, the real problem is this: The promise of gain from such a strike is too small to outweigh the risks involved. We could spark a wider war rather than contain it. Iran could unleash Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Iranians could start a terrorist campaign against us or our allies. Assad may actually use chemical weapons again precisely to call Obama’s bluff. It is bad enough they’ve been used already. It would be an outright tragedy if, because of Obama’s miscalculation, the U.S. gave Assad yet another reason to use them.
It is not in America’s strategic interests to use force against Syria as outlined by President Obama. It does not meet the most basic criteria for defending our security and achieving military success.
[bold AND italics emphasis mine]
Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org
URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/09/syria-faq-is-striking-syria-in-americas-strategic-interests/
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