Epicenter 2.0

by Joel C. Rosenberg

  235 Richard Helms, “Memorandum for the Record,” including oral history from CIA Director Richard Helms, prepared in Washington, October 22, 1968. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Histories, Middle East Crisis, vol. 7, Appendix G. Top Secret. Published by the U.S. State Department, Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967, www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/johnsonlb/xix/28059.htm, (accessed on March 29, 2006).

  236 Ibid., 54.

  237 Ginor, “How the Six Day War.”

  238 Nikita S. Kruschev, Vremya. Ludi. Vlast., memoirs in four volumes (Moscow: MN, 1999), volume 3, 435; vol. 4, 460; cited by Ginor in “The Russians Were Coming,” 45.

  239 Yuri V. Nastenko, “Aviatsiya v Egypte,” in Grif “Sekrentno” Sniat (Moscow: Committee of Veterans of Military Actions in Egypt, 1998), quoted in Ginor, “The Russians Were Coming.”

  240 Ginor, “The Russians Were Coming,” 49.

  241 Isabella Ginor, “The Cold War’s Longest Cover-Up: How and Why the USSR Instigated the 1967 War,” Middle East Review of International Affairs, 7, no. 3 (September 2003): 46, 57.

  242 Among them are Professor Robert O. Freedman of Baltimore Hebrew University and Professor Galia Golan of Hebrew University, both of whom have written extensively on Soviet policy in the Middle East. I spoke by phone with Professor Freedman, who dismissed Ginor’s findings. I also spoke by phone with Ginor, who lives in Israel. She stands by her reporting. She notes that she has carefully documented her findings, has spoken directly to most of the people she cites, and even quotes those who disagree with her, including then–Soviet ambassador to Washington Anatoly F. Dobrynin. She chose not to be quoted directly for this book, but approved of my quoting extensively from her articles.

  243 Paul Johnson, “The Necessity of Christianity,” Truth Journal, Volume 1, 1985, see www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth08.html (accessed May 24, 2006).

  244 Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, quoted in William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1959), 26.

  245 Arnold Beichman, “How Stalin, the ‘Breaker of Nations,’ Hated, Murdered Jews,” Washington Times, August 16, 2003. Beichman was reviewing Arno Lustiger’s book, Stalin and the Jews: The Red Book; The Tragedy of the Jews, published by Enigma Books.

  246 Aljazeera, “Ahmadinejad: Wipe Israel off map,” October 26, 2005.

  247 Arnaud de Borchgrave, “Later Than We Think,” Washington Times, February 6, 2006. See also Charles Krauthammer, “Today Tehran, Tomorrow the World,” Time magazine, March 26, 2006; and Anton La Guardia, “‘Divine Mission’ Driving Iran’s New Leader,” London Telegraph, January 14, 2006.

  248 ABC News, “An exclusive interview with Osama bin Laden,” TK, 1998; cited by Gershom Gorenberg, The End of Days (New York: Free Press, 2000, updated in 2002), v–vi.

  249 “Bird Flu Could Take 142m Lives,” CNN, February 16, 2006.

  250 Warwick McKibbin, Global Macroeconomic Consequences of Pandemic Influenza, Lowry Institute for International Policy, February 2006, 57.

  251 Charles Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 1326.

  252 Russian pastor, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity, September 2004.

  253 “Democrats Broaden Criticism of Administration on Iraq,” CNN.com, July 15, 2003.

  254 Robert C. Byrd, Remarks on the Senate Floor, January 25, 2005, byrd.senate.gov (accessed October 13, 2005).

  255 John Kerry, speech at New York University (September 20, 2004).

  256 Kevin Whitelaw, “Sen. Chuck Hagel Criticizes President Bush’s Performance on Iraq,” U.S. News & World Report, June 20, 2005.

  257 “Hagel: Iraq War Has Destabilized Mideast, Resembles Vietnam,” CNN.com, August 21, 2005.

  258 Ibid.

  259 Georges Sada (Iraqi General), interview with author, March 30, 2006.

  260 Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, February 2006, report to Congress in accordance with the Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2006 (Section 9010), U.S. Defense Department, www.defenselink.mil/home/features/Iraq_Reports/docs/2006-02-Report.pdf.

  261 Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi (Iraq’s minister of finance), interview with author, April 26, 2006.

  262 Dr. Sinan Al-Shabibi (governor of Iraq’s Central Bank), interview with author, April 26, 2006.

  263 “Iraq’s Economy Nearly Doubled—Report,” April 9, 2006, www.portaliraq.com.

  264 “Infrastructure: Visa Accepts International Card Payments In Iraq,” June 2, 2003, www.portaliraq.com.

  265 “FedEx Express Launches Service in Iraq,” press release, August 11, 2003, www.fedex.com/us/about/news/pressreleases/archives/pressrelease232234786.html?link=4 (accessed April 15, 2006).

  266 Reuters, “Coca-Cola in Iraqi Joint Venture Talks,” November 19, 2003, noted on www.portaliraq.com. See also Rory Carroll, “Cola Wars As Coke Moves on Baghdad,” The Guardian (London), July 5, 2005.

  267 Kamel al-Gailani, “Iraq: Open for Business,” Wall Street Journal, December 29, 2003.

  268 See “Operation Iraqi Freedom: Three Year Anniversary, Project Fact Sheet,” March 23, 2006, U.S. Defense Department.

  269 Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, 13.

  270 Allawi, interview with author.

  271 See “Operation Iraqi Freedom: Three Year Anniversary, Project Fact Sheet,” U.S. Defense Department, March 23, 2006.

  272 Lawrence Kumins, “Iraq Oil: Reserves, Production and Potential Revenues,” Congressional Research Service, April 13, 2005, 1, 5.

  273 North American oil executive, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity, April 2005.

  274 Kevin Phillips, American Theocracy (New York: Viking, 2006), 261. See also 253.

  275 John F. Burns, “New Babylon Is Stalled by a Modern Upheaval,” New York Times, October 11, 1990.

  276 Charles H. Dyer, The Rise of Babylon (Chicago: Moody, revised 2003 version of the original 1991 edition), 14.

  277 Jeffrey Gettleman, “Babylon Awaits an Iraq without Fighting,” New York Times, April 18, 2006.

  278 Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi (Iraqi finance minister), interview with the author, April 26, 2006.

  279 See Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1; Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; and Revelation 11, among many other verses in both the Old and New Testaments that concern a future Temple.

  280 See “Another Outrageous Claim by Arafat: Ancient Jewish Temple Was in Nablus, Not Jerusalem,” press release, Zionist Organization of America, May 21, 2002, www.zoa.org; see also Daniel Pipes, “More on the Muslim Claim to Jerusalem,” May 2002, www.danielpipes.org.

  281 For more on the threats to the Temple Mount, see Gershom Gorenberg, The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount (New York: Free Press, 2000, updated in 2002).

  282 In many Hebrew writings, the name of God is omitted or abbreviated, according to the Orthodox Jewish custom of not writing down the name of God.

  283 Gershon Salomon, “Long-Term Objectives, Short-Term Objectives,” www.templemountfaithful.org (accessed April 4, 2006). Last phrase regarding the Messiah comes from Salomon’s “Vision of Redemption” on the same Web site.

  284 Gershon Salomon, “The Voice of the Temple Mount,” newsletter, Spring 1998, www.templemountfaithful.org (accessed April 4, 2006).

  285 See “The Temple Mount Faithful Will Go up to the Temple Mount on Tisha B’Av,” www.templemountfaithful.org/Events/tishabav5761.htm, July 29, 2001. See also “Court Won’t Let Temple Mount Group Lay ‘Cornerstone’ of Third Temple,” Haaretz, October 16, 2005.

  286 Gershon Salomon, “An Open Letter about the Critical Situation on the Temple Mount and Its Godly Endtime Solution,” April 3, 2003, www.templemountfaithful.org (accessed April 4, 2006).

  287 Yisrael Ariel (Rabbi), writings, www.templeinstitute.org.

  288 “About the Temple Institute,” www.templeinstitute.org (accessed April 4, 2006).

  289 “Sanhedrin Launched in Tiberias,” Arutz
Sheva/Israel National News, January 20, 2005.

  290 “Reestablished Sanhedrin Convenes to Discuss Temple,” Arutz Sheva/Israel National News, February 9, 2005. See also Hal Lindsey, “Revived Sanhedrin Discusses Temple,” WorldNetDaily.com, February 17, 2005.

  291 Gershon Gorenberg, The End of Days, 13.

  292 Ibid., 10.

  293 For more on this subject, I would highly recommend two books by Randall Price, an evangelical Christian scholar of the ancient Temples and their treasures. One is The Temple and Bible Prophecy: A Definitive Look at Its Past, Present and Future, published in 2005 by Harvest House. The other is Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls, published in 1996 by Harvest House. Both were invaluable tools as I wrote The Copper Scroll.

  294 Yisrael Ariel (Rabbi) and others, “Where Is the Ark of the Covenant?” www.templeinstitute.org/ark_of_the_covenant.htm (accessed on April 4, 2006).

  295 Glenn Frankel, “Brooklyn Rabbi a Power in Israel,” Washington Post, November 23, 1988.

  296 Charles Fenyvesi, “Awaiting the Messiah,” U.S. News & World Report, June 27, 1994.

  297 “Today: The Goal,” www.chabad.org/therebbe/timeline.asp?AID=62188 (accessed April 4, 2006).

  298 Yisrael Ariel, “Which Comes First, the Messiah or the Temple?” www.templeinstitute.org (accessed April 4, 2006).

  299 Ian MacKinnon, “Old Shack Will Give Madonna Front-Row Seat for Arrival of Her Messiah,” Times (London), March 4, 2006.

  300 Martin Buber, Gog and Magog: A Novel, paperback ed., trans. Ludwig Lewisohn (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1999), 284. The book was originally published in German in 1981 by Atheneum.

  301 Elie Wiesel, Souls on Fire, paperback ed. (1972; repr., New York: Touchstone, 1993), 206–7.

  302 Elie Wiesel, Elie Wiesel: Conversations, ed. Robert Franciosi (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2002), 138.

  303 Figures based on interviews with messianic Jewish leaders in Israel and the U.S.

  304 Ibid.

  305 Patrick Johnstone and others, Operation World (Waynesboro: Authentic Media, 2001), 362. Operation World was a winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and is researched and produced by WEC International. See www.gmi.org/ow/.

  306 Charles M. Sennott, The Body and the Blood: The Middle East’s Vanishing Christians and the Possibility for Peace (New York: Public Affairs, 2001), prologue.

  307 Sennott, The Body and the Blood, endorsements on the 2003 paperback edition.

  308 Jonathan Mann and Gerald Kessel, “Christians Leaving Middle East,” CNN, April 21, 1992.

  309 Roger Hardy, “Christians Quit Christ’s Birthplace,” BBC News, December 21, 2001.

  310 Bob Edwards and Sylvia Poggioli, coverage of the Pope’s visit to Syria, Morning Edition, National Public Radio, May 7, 2001.

  311 Jonathan Adelman and Agota Kuperman, “Christian Eclipse in Shadow of Radical Islam,” op-ed, Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post, December 22, 2001.

  312 William Dalrymple, “William Dalrymple on how the Christians of the East became an endangered species,” The Guardian (London), October 30, 2001.

  313 Salim Mansur, “A Christian Exodus?” Toronto Sun, December 23, 2004.

  314 Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, 1998 paperback ed. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996), 65. Quoted by Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), 5.

  315 Gayle Young, “Fast-Growing Islam Winning Converts in Western World,” CNN, April 14, 1997.

  316 Ray Suarez, “Observing Islam,” The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, PBS, November 16, 1997.

  317 For example, see www.islamicity.com/Mosque/aboutislam.htm, www.allaahuakbar.net/womens/islam.htm#Listen, www.riseofislam.com/western_world_02b.html.

  318 Dan Woodling, “Cairo’s Extraordinary Garbage Dump Priest and His Cave Cathedral,” Assist News Service, www.assistnews.net/strategic/s0000020.htm (accessed April 5, 2006). See also the church’s Web site, www.saman-church.org/English.htm (accessed April 5, 2006).

  319 Egyptian Bible Society leaders, interview with author given on condition of anonymity, January 23, 2006.

  320 The Morocco Times ran an article on March 12, 2005, entitled “Why Are Moroccans Converting to Christianity?” The Times published a story on January 24, 2006, entitled “Evangelical Missionaries Back in the Limelight.” Other Moroccan publications that have run similar stories include Attajdid, Le Journal Hebdomadaire, Le Matin, and La Gazette Du Maroc. The U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report 2005 included this item on Morocco: “The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom; however, converts to Christianity generally face social ostracism. From January until the May concert of contemporary Christian music, there was an ongoing societal debate on the influence of evangelical Christianity in the country. In January, the French language weekly Le Journal reported that an Istiqlal (Nationalist Party) party member, Jilali Abouali, challenged the minister of Islamic affairs in Parliament about allowing Christian evangelical missionaries into the country. In April, an Islamist Arabic-daily newspaper, Attajdid, carried an editorial by Habib Choubani, a member of parliament representing the Islamist Party for Justice and Development (PJD), charging that evangelicals were invading and that the Government, by permitting the concert, was undermining the country’s ‘spiritual security.’ In spite of considerable criticism, the Government allowed the May concert to take place and no negative incidents occurred.” See www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51606.htm.

  321 Ahmed Kostas (senior advisor to the Moroccan king), interview with author, November 28, 2005.

  322 Dr. Ahmed Abaddi, interview with author, April 24, 2006.

  323 Arab pastor, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  324 “Algeria bans Muslims from learning about Christianity,” ArabicNews.com, March 21, 2006.

  325 Sudanese evangelical leader, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  326 Stan Guthrie, “Hope amid the Ruins: Anglican Bishop Sees Massive Church Growth,” Christianity Today, January 2004.

  327 Sheikh Salman Al-Odeh, “Christian Missionaries Sweeping the Islamic World,” transcript, Lesson 66, Monday 12th of Safar, 1413 Hijra (1993), from www.islamworld.net/tanseer.htm (accessed February 3, 2006). Al-Odeh was apparently citing the 1982 edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia. The updated figures in the 2001 edition found that the number of Christians in Africa had jumped from 9.9 million in 1900 to 360 million in 2000, still an enormous growth and a significant degree of it from Muslim converts. See David B. Barrett and others, World Christian Encyclopedia (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 5.

  328 Sheikh Ahmad Al Qataani, interview on Aljazeera, transcript, December 12, 2000. Transcript available from Ali Sina, Iranian dissident, on his Web site, www.faithfreedom.org/oped/sina31103.htm (accessed February 3, 2006).

  329 “More Christians Arrested in Wake of ‘Apostasy’ Case,” Open Doors USA Web site, www.opendoorsusa.org/Display.asp?Page=AfghanArrests (accessed on April 3, 2006). See also www.compassdirect.org.

  330 Afghan evangelical Christian leader, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  331 Georges Sada (Iraqi general), interview with author, May 22, 2006.

  332 Iraqi pastor, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  333 Iraqi evangelical leader, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  334 Iraqi pastor from Baghdad, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  335 Cited by Julian Lukins, “Behind the Black Veil,” Charisma, June 2004.

  336 Patrick Johnstone
and others, Operation World (Waynesboro: Authentic Media, 2001), 353.

  337 Iranian evangelical leader, interview with author, given on condition of anonymity. Name of interviewee and date of interview withheld.

  338 Ramin Mostaghim, “Ruling Shiites Influence Eroded by Other Faiths,” Inter Press Service, May 5, 2004.

  339 Compass Direct news service, “Government Officials Admit Christianity ‘Out of Control,’” October 7, 2004.

  340 Compass Direct, “Iranian Convert Stabbed to Death,” November 28, 2005; see also World Watch List 2006, Open Doors, www.opendoorsuk.org/downloads/wwl_downloads/WorldWatchList.pdf (accessed April 3, 2006).