Washington, D.C. — A main issue with wars, indeed Sun Tzu’s first admonition, is that war should be a last resort, not the first as Washington seems to favor. Because one never knows where wars lead once they start.

The fear is that Iran, once the United States attacks it, will be faced with the Hobson’s choice -- either fire its missiles, its main non-obsolete weapon, or risk the U.S. destroying them.

The fear is that Iran, once the United States attacks it, will be faced with the Hobson’s choice — either fire its missiles, its main non-obsolete weapon, or risk the U.S. destroying them. Firing them risks conflagration of much of the Persian Gulf oil shipping infrastructure. New technology in cheap mines and drones might also close the Gulf to shipping. This would devastate the world economy much of which depends upon the oil.

Firing [missiles] risks conflagration of much of the Persian Gulf oil shipping infrastructure. New technology in cheap mines and drones might also close the Gulf to shipping. This would devastate the world economy much of which depends upon the oil.

Add to this America’s penchant for starting wars, very often based upon lies or false premises. False flag operations mean having an attack blamed upon another nation which actually was not the culprit. Syria’s questionable fault for gassing of innocent civilians was used by Washington to bomb its air force.

Now Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has set us up by publicly stating that any attack on any American soldier in Iraq or Syria would cause America to attack Iran. He’s put every soldier at risk of death by some Israeli or Saudi fanatic.

America has a penchant for starting wars, very often based upon lies or false premises.

Trump now says he does not want war with Iran. But he is surrounded by advisors who do. Both Secretary of State Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence are profound end times evangelicals.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly stating that any attack on any American soldier in Iraq or Syria would cause America to attack Iran. He’s put every soldier at risk of death by some Israeli or Saudi fanatic.

In 2017 I wrote, Iraq, Syria, Iran…Are We To Destroy Iran Next? about the original neo-conservative program to re-mold the Middle East. A main new concern is Trump’s secretary of state’s strong evangelical beliefs in the end times. The NY Times describes his beliefs in The Rapture and the Real World: Pompeo Blends Belief and Policy. The belief is that a stronger and greater Israel will bring about Armageddon sooner and their rapture straight to heaven without a judgement day. Not all evangelicals are in this camp, e.g. see below about Jimmy Carter, but rather an important sector who moved from forecasting Armageddon to trying to bring it about. Destroying Iran for being a threat to Israel is thus seen as helping God’s intentions.

The Financial Times explained in “Pompeo’s Global Rapture Tour” the concerns about Pompeo’s beliefs: —

Trump now says he does not want war with Iran. But he is surrounded by advisors who do. Both Secretary of State Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence are profound end times evangelicals.

“Yet I can’t help but feel anxious that both of Donald Trump’s main global envoys, Pompeo and Pence, have a conflict between their private beliefs and what they publicly claim to be doing. Both profess to be pro-Israel for example. Each enthusiastically backed the decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year. Each also subscribes to the Christian Zionist belief that the rapture will only come once the Jews have all regrouped in the Holy Land.”

In 2017 I wrote, Iraq, Syria, Iran…Are We To Destroy Iran Next? about the original neo-conservative program to re-mold the Middle East. A main new concern is Trump’s secretary of state’s strong evangelical beliefs in the end times.

The FT also links to a Guardian article quoting Pompeo, ”Pompeo told a church congregation in Wichita three years ago, “It is a never-ending struggle . . . until the rapture. Be a part of it. Be in the fight.” Pompeo’s actions as a “Christian Zionist” are described in a New Republic article “The Christianization of U.S. Foreign Policy.”

The theory was originated in the mid-1800’s by an Irish priest, John Darby, that Jews’ return to Jerusalem would finally bring about the Second Coming and Armageddon, based on his interpretation of the Bible’s chapter in Revelations. The Chapter is so brutal and contrary to the rest of Christ’s teachings that Martin Luther did not include it in his original translation of the Bible which brought forth the Protestant Reformation. However evangelicals dwell upon it.

“Pompeo and Pence, have a conflict between their private beliefs and what they publicly claim to be doing. … Each subscribes to the Christian Zionist belief that the rapture will only come once the Jews have all regrouped in the Holy Land.” – from “Pompeo’s Global Rapture Tour” in the Financial Times

The prophesy is getting a little long in the tooth as it’s now some 75 years since the founding of Israel. The believers nearly all expected Armageddon to have come about already by now. Younger evangelicals are becoming more skeptical of their elders’ obsession with Israel,(see Harretz report). Longings and fantasies for the End Times are described in a famous series of books called Left Behind. I wrote about them once in an article, The Brutal Christ of the Armageddonites, how they depict the torturing and killing of the whole human race except for their sect of born-again Christians.

This may all sound a bit far-fetched for many of our readers, however just months ago the evangelical pastor, Robert Jeffress, chosen by Pompeo’s people to officiate and bless the transfer of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, had earlier stated (NY Times) that “Jews, Muslims and Mormons are all bound for Hell.”

This may all sound a bit far fetched for many of our readers, however just months ago the evangelical pastor, Robert Jeffress, chosen by Pompeo’s people to officiate and bless the transfer of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, had earlier stated (NY Times) that “Jews, Muslims and Mormons are all bound for Hell.” Another group, Christians United for Israel, had its leader, John Hagee, also invited to the ceremonies. He is famous for the theory that God created a special second paradise, for Jews who will die in the Second Coming. It’s called the Dual Covenant, meaning that God made a second covenant with Jews.

The embassy move was strongly supported by evangelicals. Indeed, J Street, the large Jewish group which support a dual state with Palestinians, reported on polls showing that most American Jews opposed the unilateral move without a settlement with Palestinians.

Of course, the above is by no means directed at all evangelicals. President Jimmy Carter is evangelical, and he strove mightily to bring peace to the Middle East with the Camp David accords. But the evangelical subset I describe above is very powerful, has done tremendous damage to America’s interests in the world, and is a threat to the whole human race. Pompeo is one of them.

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Copyright @ 2024 Jon Basil Utley is the publisher of The American Conservative magazine. A long-time anti-Communist and anti-war activist, Utley was active in the Committee to Avert a Mideast Holocaust before the first Gulf War in 1990.

This article appeared at antiwar.com on June 17, 2019.

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