By the time you read this we may well know the course of the next few years in the Middle East. More than 200,000 American troops are massed to invade Iraq and take out the regime of Saddam Hussein and destroy his suspected weapons of mass destruction. In a speech before the American Enterprise Institute on Feb. 26, President George W. Bush stated that the "dangers of our time must be confronted actively and forcefully...we are prepared to disarm Iraq by force."

In what was his clearest statement to date explaining his vision for the Middle East and the world, he went on to say that "success in Iraq could also begin a new stage for Middle Eastern peace and set in motion progress towards a truly democratic Palestinian state."

Mr. Bush sees democracy and Western ideals as the key to reversing the old patterns of conflict and removing the generations of hatred and bitterness that prevent the lasting solution for peace which so many have sought. It is hoped that a new democratic regime in Iraq will be the first step toward changing other Arab states and creating Western-style governments based on the freedom of the individual and economic openness. In short, this is a vision of a completely different Middle East than what we see now.

This won't be the first time this method has been tried. More than 80 years ago in the aftermath of World War I, the great powers gathered in Paris to decide what to do with the Arab peoples of the collapsed Ottoman Empire. The nations of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine (later partitioned to form the modern state of Israel) and Saudi Arabia were among the nations created at that historic conference. Unfortunately, the problems that have plagued the region since were sown within the lines drawn to form the map we see today. Will a new American-led effort to redress the area's ancient problems result in a lasting peace? Time will tell, but history is not on America's side.

A new Gulf War will be different from the one fought 12 years ago. With the exception of Britain, America is largely alone in this fight. It is leading a much smaller coalition force than it did at that time. America's values and prestige are on the line as never before. If it wins, the rewards could be great. If America stumbles in this war, the leadership of the world will be up for grabs.

The book of Daniel shows a future armed force entering the Middle East focused on entering the Holy Land (Daniel 11:40-41). The motive of this army will be different in many ways from that of the United States. The result will be a brutal occupying force, which Revelation shows will impact the whole world. For further understanding, please request our free booklet The Book of Revelation Unveiled.

In this issue of World News and Prophecy we again focus your attention on the sure hope of God's promises as the key to traversing these uncertain times. It is easy to be worried by the immediate issues of life. But a Christian looks beyond today's world to the time when God will intervene to restore the eternal values of His Kingdom. Those who inherit that world will be focusing on that godly way of life. Nothing shall move those who have made God their refuge and fortress. —WNP