America Pulls Out of Iraq

[Steve Myers] Can the United States really withdraw from the mid-east? Or for that matter, can any major power really withdraw? Can they ignore that area of the world? Today marks the day that US troops are withdrawing from Iraq. President Obama is keeping one of his campaign promises in removing our troops from Iraq itself. But can we ignore that area? Can the nations, the power nations of the world really withdraw from that area?

[Darris McNeely] That's a good question. America has spent more than 4,500 lives, 800 billion dollars, and more than eight years of involvement in Iraq. When we went in there it was to overthrow Sadam Hussein, who was deemed a threat to the security of the world. And that mission was accomplished. We've imposed a democratic form of government that everyone is hoping will hold against the other forces that are at play in the Middle East. But we are going to keep, Steve, 4,000 troops in Kuwait as a ready force to protect Iraqi and American interests in that region.

[Steve Myers] But we...

[Darris McNeely] But your question is important. Can America or any major power withdraw?

[Steve Myers] So really, we're not really withdrawing in a sense because we're in the region, the other nations of the world certainly are focused on that, whether their interests are in Iraq, whether they're in Iran, look at Syria, look at the nations that have recently been overturned—their governments have been overturned. They're scattered throughout the mid-east.

[Darris McNeely] It would be a fantasy for anyone to think that the problems that are generated out of the Middle East are going to just go away and that by ignoring it, they will go away. That is not going to happen.

[Steve Myers] And that brings up a...

[Darris McNeely] And that's why we focused on that region as much as we do because...

[Steve Myers] Yeah, why do we talk about it?

[Darris McNeely] Because Bible prophecy, it shows that the Middle East is a major region from which the end time prophecies leading to Christ's return are going to be involved. And so, we're going to be drawn back into that area. Not only the United States, but any major power is going to be drawn back into that problem.

[Steve Myers] Yeah, so when you look to the Bible, look to Bible prophecy, Daniel 11 and you look at that section of scripture, verse 40 specifically talks about the King of the North and the King of the South (Daniel 11:40). There are armies and there's going to be a major focus in that area. So, the world's attention will be drawn to the mid-east and we won't be able to ignore it.

[Darris McNeely] It's because of the focus of Bible prophecy that we pay as much attention as we do on Beyond Today and in the Good News magazine to this subject. You're going to see programs coming up in a few weeks on Jerusalem, the Middle East, and also a focused attention on Islam in the Good News magazine coming out in January. So, we're going to be focused there. You should be. Keep your eyes there because no country really can withdraw ultimately from the forces and the influences that that region is going to have over the entire world.

[Steve Myers] That's BT Daily. See you tomorrow.