In Brief... World News Review: United States vs. Syria
Syria is doing little to stop a steady flow of Sunni insurgents into western Iraq.
In a related development, Syria is doing little to stop a steady flow of Sunni insurgents into western Iraq. The American forces in Iraq are fully engaged in countering the infiltration of these al-Qaeda allies, who make their way from the border into Ramadi and Fallujah, and eventually all the way to Baghdad. U.S. forces have killed Syrian security personnel, as well, in fighting that shows Syria's reputed cooperation with coalition forces to be a lie. Not for religious reasons, but purely to preserve himself in power, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is trying to have it both ways—giving tacit support to a free Iraq, at the same time as aiding any forces that will oppose the coalition.
The fighting along the Iraqi-Syrian border has cost at least five American lives, not to mention the huge additional cost burden to maintain surveillance and support battle lines in the wilderness area.
Wars seem to turn on the slightest of circumstances, sometimes. By all rights, the American-led coalition should defeat the al-Sadrs, the al-Qaeda allies and the self-seeking despots. But is it God's will to bless the good intentions to free Iraq? Time will tell. But at some point, America's economic and military might will fail her.
Prophecy shows that only Jesus Christ, when present on the earth as its conquering King, will subdue insurgents for all time. Interestingly, in the context of one prophecy of that event, God tells what it takes to truly bring peace: "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).
An Article from:
World News and Prophecy: May 2004
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
Melvin Rhodes
Melvin Rhodes is a member of the United Church of God congregation in Lansing, Michigan.
