It has not been a good week for President George W. Bush and American policy in the Middle East. There are many who applaud bad news for America, both within the country and without. The big question is whether peace is being achieved for all the people of the region.

First, on Sunday Jordan's King Abdullah speculated that the Middle East might be on the brink of three civil wars. The war in Iraq grows worse with the violence and tensions between competing Sunni and Shia factions. In Lebanon another government official is assassinated, and most feel that Syria is responsible for the murder. The government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora is on the verge of collapse from sectarian strife fueled by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. And then there is the ongoing strife in the Palestinian territory.

The common factor in all these areas is Iran coupled with Syria. Iran is working to become the dominant nation in the region. Its nuclear program is just one aspect of its desire to call the shots across the region. The leadership vacuum in Iraq is giving it prime opportunity to extend its influence and strike another blow at American prestige on the world stage.

President Bush flew into Amman, Jordan, yesterday for a scheduled meeting with Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki. Al-Malaki was under pressure from the Shiite faction of his government to not meet with the president. For whatever reason, Bush and the Iraqi prime minister did not meet as scheduled on Wednesday, leaving just one face-to-face meeting between the two today. Prime Minister al-Malaki is trying to appease opposing forces within his orbit, and in the end he will probably come out the loser, creating a serious setback for the fledgling Iraqi government. Alliances are rapidly shifting between Iraq, Iran and Syria as they perceive a future withdrawal of American troops and political support.

Domestic pressure from a Democratic-led Congress to pull out of Iraq will combine with recommendations from a special Iraq study group to likely change the focus and commitment of the Bush administration to the Iraq situation. Other coalition partners, such as Great Britain, are saying their troops will begin pullouts by the end of next year. The war in Iraq has already gone longer than U.S. involvement in World War II, and the patience of Americans is waning.

One of our themes in World News and Prophecy is the decline of the influence of the descendants of the biblical patriarch Joseph, America and Great Britain. Though both continue to experience the blessings of God, there are signs we are watching the sun's decline on two centuries of world dominance by these two nations locked into what many have called "the special relationship." The day is not over, but it is clear there are troubling days ahead. Our colleague Melvin Rhodes wrote an article in the current issue of World News and Prophecy on the parallels between the two nations titled, "Will Iraq Be America's Suez?"

The Middle East has another visitor this week. Or should I say, the crossroads between East and West? Pope Benedict XVI is in Turkey traversing the minefield of religion in the wake of his comments in September about Islam. On his arrival in Ankara on Tuesday the pope met with Prime Minister Erdogan and announced his support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union. This is a reversal of Benedict's previous position that Muslim Turkey has nothing in common with Christian Europe, a position debated by others. At least for now, it seems that Benedict is on a course to pour oil on troubled waters rather than igniting further conflict.

The Middle East is a volatile mixture of religion, politics and centuries-old animosity. It may seem like news that is far away and irrelevant to your daily life. A pope makes a speech and your life isn't affected. Bombings and violence in a Baghdad market don't impact your trip to the local superstore. Or do they?

History and the Bible tell us that we don't live in a bubble, and we are not always shielded from events that shape the world. Sooner or later it comes to our doorstep and changes our lives.

A lifetime ago my parents were newly married and starting their life together in small-town America, far away from places like Tokyo, Rome and Berlin. But powerful forces working through men with ideas turned their world and that of many others upside down in World War II. The same forces are gathering today that will change our world, and you can understand, in advance, what is happening.

Bible prophecy has a great deal to tell us about the landscape of our modern world. When we combine prophecy with history, we can begin to make sense of today's world and what lies ahead for all of us. World News and Prophecy is designed to expand your thinking beyond your world to help you understand our times and what lies in the future. Stay with us and…

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