Economic woes and political in-fighting complicate the U.S. response to international wars.
PRAY FIRST for God to grant wisdom to America’s political and military leaders.
The White House called on Congress to “advance our national security and support our allies and partners.” They were expressly seeking supplemental funding from Congress to support the war in Ukraine and, to a lesser extent, the war in Israel. This also included some funding for Taiwan security assistance and issues at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet, many believe there are national security priorities far more critical than what $106 billion can buy.
Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, a fact from here combined with a fact from there put together an overall picture that is far from bright for America.
The federal government
Since the ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the House of Representatives has been in disarray. They continue struggling to find a new speaker in order to get back to business.
Among other things, the current continuing resolution that is keeping the government from a shutdown is due to expire on November 17. Another continuing resolution will need to be adopted by Congress to avert a shutdown, as it is doubtful that appropriations legislation could be enacted by that date.
Before the passage of the current CR, the Department of Defense spokesperson said that the department could still—and must—”defend and protect the United States and conduct ongoing military operations.”
Yet the Department of Defense also said, “A shutdown would degrade and impact our operational planning and coordination, impact our more than 800,000 civilians, and diminish our ability to recruit and maintain quality individuals for military service.” In other words, “on the strategic level, a shutdown would play into the hands of U.S. competitors.”
The implications for America’s security are vast. If a government shutdown occurs, defense work could be suspended, defense contractors and military units may go unpaid, and long-term readiness could be interrupted.
Special interest migrants
Customs and Border Protection data has revealed thousands of “special interest” migrants from numerous countries, including the Middle East, have been detained attempting to enter the U.S. at the southern border illegally. Most are said to be men between the ages of 18 and 25 and they come from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, and Mauritania.
New York City, one of many sanctuary cities across the U.S., claimed several months ago that half of the city’s hotel rooms are now filled by migrants at taxpayer expense. Mayor Eric Adams said, “Think about that. I’m not sure what it’s going to take before people hear what I am saying.”
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has federal officials in the U.S. on high alert. The San Diego Field Office Division of Customs and Border Protection sent out a memo that reads in part, “San Diego Field Office Intelligence Unit assesses that individuals inspired by, or reacting to the current Israel-Hamas conflict may attempt travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit across the Southwest border.”
The Middle East conflict
To date, the war between Israel and the Palestinians has been contained to that small area of the world, and countries in the region have restrained themselves from direct involvement.
U.S. military forces in the region have been placed on a high alert state of readiness. The aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower and its strike group will soon join the USS Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean, in what the U.S. has declared is a deterrent for Iran and Hezbollah from expanding the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Drones have attacked a pair of American military bases in Syria. The U.S. military destroyed one, but another reached its target, causing minor injuries. A statement from CENTCOM (Central Command) said, “In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in Iraq and the region. We want to emphasize US forces will defend US and Coalition forces against any threat.”
As a counter-deterrent against American action, China now has stationed a number of its warships in the Persian Gulf, showing support for Iran, whose Revolutionary Guard Corps helped to plan the attack on Israel.
A senior official with Hezbollah warned, “The responsibility obliges all the sons of our nation not to be neutral and we are not neutral. … There is a message to the Americans and Israelis that what happened in Gaza means that your protracted foolishness and underestimation have led you to the Al-Aqsa Flood (Operation), and if you go further today you will witness the flood of the entire nation, not only al-Aqsa.”
Ukraine and Russia
For the first time, Congress dropped U.S. aid to Ukraine, as a growing number of legislators are increasingly opposing assistance for Ukraine’s war resisting Russian aggression.
The latest effort has been asking Western governments to use the hundreds of billions of frozen Russian rubles to help Ukraine.
Congressional approval for President Biden’s latest Ukraine funding request remains uncertain
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said, “The world is closely watching what Congress does next.”
Members of Congress are speaking out against “bundling” aid to Ukraine with aid to Israel, saying that suggestion could quicken the potential for a government shutdown.
War cries
In a televised interview, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky described China, Russia and Iran as the new “axis of evil.”
“You have to respond to conditions that actually exist that are a threat to the United States. The Iranians are a threat to us as well. And so, this is an emergency. It’s an emergency that we step up and deal with this axis of evil – China, Russia, Iran – because it’s an immediate threat to the United States,” McConnell said.
Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said his committee is preparing legislation to authorize the use of military force in Iran, fearing the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza could set off a broader regional conflict. He said, “We have a situation in the Middle East that’s growing day by day with intensity.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky has said he fears if Ukraine is defeated, Russian President Vladimir Putin would be given the go-ahead to attack others in the region, leading to World War III.
Spiritual Warfare
In a speech on the Senate Floor, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said, “This fight (Hamas versus Israel) is barbarism against civilization, good versus evil. The differences between the two sides are as stark as darkness and light. The light and goodness will prevail if we stand with Israel.”
A leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said, “This war reminds us more and more of the rules of unseen warfare, the spiritual struggle that every Christin wages with the devil, with evil, and his servants.”
The Puzzle Pieces Connect
Evil abounds in the world. America is facing financial, political, and spiritual challenges to its national security. There is great unknown in the motivations of many of the illegal immigrants who have entered the nation. Immense potential still exists for a much broader war in the Middle East. It would take a small spark to set ablaze the entry of the United States and China into the conflict, potentially ushering in a third world war. Peace in Ukraine will remain elusive as long as there are soldiers to fight and American dollars supporting it. “Hawks and doves” in Congress will argue the pros and cons of the world’s conflicts, but little will be resolved. God is still sovereign. He knows the end from the beginning, and He alone is trustworthy.
HOW THEN SHOULD WE PRAY:
— Pray that Christians keep their confidence in the Lord in every circumstance. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, when the recompense of God. He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4).
— Pray that your own positions will be held up by the dictates of Scripture. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20).
— Pray that God would direct and give wisdom to the nation’s political and military leaders. The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills” (Proverbs 21:1).
CONSIDER THESE ITEMS FOR PRAYER:
- Pray for the protection of the nation from the potential of malevolent motives of the many illegal immigrants.
- Pray for negotiators working behind the scenes to try to secure an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
- Pray about Israel’s right of self-defense and God’s faithfulness to that nation.
- Pray that the House of Representatives will secure a speaker.
- Pray that a government shutdown would be averted and its ramifications avoided.
Sources: The White House, The Hill, Federal Times, The Department of Defense, NBC News, AP News, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, The New York Times, CBS News, Reuters
