Defections rise
(Reuters) - A brigadier general and about 20 soldiers defected from the Syrian army in two separate incidents on Saturday, activists said, in another sign that the strength of President Bashar al-Assad's armed forces is diminishing.
Brigadier General Mohammed Khalouf appeared dressed in a camouflage military uniform in a video on Al Arabiya news channel and said he had planned his escape with the opposition movement for some time.
"It is not possible for anyone to accept any of the ideas of this regime unless they have achieved special interests," he said in the video.
There was no comment about the defection on Syrian state news outlets.
Defection of high-ranking military and political figures has slowed in past months.
But a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) published this week estimated that Assad's forces, thought to be more than 300,000-strong at the start of the uprising two years ago, were now at a much lower effective strength and were likely to diminish further.
The IISS said that perhaps 50,000 of the Syrian army's elite troops could be depended on for loyalty. Most of them were likely to be from Assad's minority Alawite sect, which has dominated the country for more than four decades.
Many deserters report that their units were held inside bases to prevent their escape.
When the Syrian uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in March 2011, many analysts believed the regime would remain intact, given the strict loyalty test officials and diplomats have to endure before receiving important positions in the army or government.
As the uprising progressed, military generals and soldiers began to defect from the Syrian army to form the rebel Free Syrian Army. A large number of soldiers fled to neighboring Turkey while others remained in Syria to battle government forces.
These defecting officials represent a small minority of government representatives – most have remained loyal to the state.
NUMBER OF HIGH LEVEL DEFECTIONS
Senior Military & Security Officials: 82
Cabinet: 3
Parliament: 4
Diplomats: 14
Total: 103
PROPHECY UNFOLDING (My take on things)
I have seen this in the early days of Syria's crisis. But that's not all I have seen. I also have seen how Muslims have eventually unified under ISIS, which gains their respect. I also heard a voice, "Let us destroy the Zionist infidel and convert by force and by death their slaves the Christians."
ISIS is going to take over Syria, Lebanon, Western Iraq and Jordan. They will get down to Egypt and the Sinai. Their success will motivate the Norther African Muslim States who will join ISIS in their final battle against Israel. Their philosophy: when Israel falls Christianity will fall. Christlam is only the first phase of global Islamization done by rather peaceful means through American Muslims.
KJV [Ezekiel 36:19] And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. [20] And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These [are] the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. [21] But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. [22] Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not [this] for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. [23] And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I [am] the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. [24] For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. [25] Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. [26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. [28] And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Christian Zionists have shown varying degrees of enthusiasm for implementing six basic political convictions that arise from their fundamentalist theology:
1. The belief that the Jews remain God’s chosen people leads Christian Zionists to seek to bless Israel in material ways. However, this also invariably results in the uncritical endorsement of and justification for Israel’s racist and apartheid policies, in the media, among politicians and through solidarity tours to Israel.
2. As God’s chosen people, the final restoration of the Jews to Israel is therefore actively encouraged, funded and facilitated through partnerships with the Jewish Agency.
3. Eretz Israel, as delineated in scripture, from the Nile to the Euphrates, belongs exclusively to the Jewish people, therefore the land must be annexed, Palestinians driven from their homes and the illegal Jewish settlements expanded and consolidated.
4. Jerusalem is regarded as the eternal and exclusive capital of the Jews, and cannot be shared with the Palestinians. Therefore, strategically, Christian Zionists have lobbied the US Administration to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem and thereby ensure that Jerusalem is recognized as the capital of Israel.
5. Christian Zionists offer varying degrees of support for organizations such as the Jewish Temple Mount Faithful who are committed to destroying the Dome of the Rock and rebuilding the Jewish Temple on the Haram Al-Sharif (Noble sanctuary of Al-Aqsa).
6. Christian Zionists invariably have a pessimistic view of the future, convinced that there will be an apocalyptic war of Armageddon in the imminent future. They are deeply skeptical of the possibility of a lasting peace between Jews and Arabs and therefore oppose the peace process. Indeed, to advocate an Israeli compromise of “land for peace” with the Palestinians is seen as a rejection of God’s promises to Israel and therefore to support her enemies.
Christian Zionist organizations such as the International Christian Embassy (ICEJ), Christian Friends of Israel (CFI) and Christians United for Israel (CUFI) wield considerable influence on Capitol Hill, claiming a support base in excess of 50 million true believers. This means there are now at least ten times as many Christian Zionists as Jewish Zionists. And their European cousins are no less active in the Zionist Hasbarafia, lobbying for Israel, attacking its critics and thwarting the peace process.
The United States and Israel are often portrayed as Siamese twins, joined at the heart, sharing common historic, religious and political values.
FEW POINTS OF INTEREST
I explain that Many Christians are not really gentiles, but in fact they are the lost sheep of the House of Israel that were scattered by the Assyrians among nations. By their fruits we recognize them (Matthew 7:16-23).
[Matthew 10:5-6] These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; [6] but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[Matthew 13:44] The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The world is the field, the tares are the evil ones (even Kenites) and the good seed is God's treasure sown (hidden) in the field. So, Yeshua (Hebrew, salvation) paid for the entire world (the field) in order to get to His treasure, that's you and me. I know this for a fact. How about you. What do you know?