Once it became apparent to Hussein that his bravado was not going to deter the U.S.-led coalition from an attack, he began to order the disbursal of trainees from the various terrorist training camps around Iraq, most notably in Nasiriyah and Fallujah. The trainees were provided money, arms, explosives, and transportation. Teams of terrorists were assigned the job of penetrating Saudi Arabia’s borders with the assignment to carry out terrorist attacks. One team was able to murder a Saudi judge, Abdul Rahman al-Suhaybani, known for combating subversive activities in his province. The team members then went underground to join the vast terror networks, al Qaeda, al-Muwahhidun, Hezbollah, and others so that they could one day emerge to kill again.
With the U.S. air and ground offensives in full swing and coalition troops steadily advancing on Baghdad, Hussein began to lose confidence in the outcome of the war. It is thought that Hussein began to put into effect several possible escape plans. One involved calling in markers from his friends in Belarus. Hussein asked for charter flights to transport cargo and members of his family out of Iraq. A plane identified as a Belarusian IL-76 transport allegedly took off from Saddam International Airport and traversed Iranian airspace on its flight to Minsk, Belarus. There was initial speculation that both Hussein and his sons were on board the flight.3 Another exile-of-choice location was Paris, and indeed a group of Hussein’s handpicked scientists were among the first to be transported from Iraq to Paris via Damascus. This was yet another example of French cooperation with Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Another arrangement involved Hussein joining a convoy of Russian diplomats from Baghdad to Damascus. When it was suggested that there might be a safer route through Amman, the Russian delegation declined and insisted on going to Damascus. With the convoy was Russian ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko. It has been reported that Hussein donned a disguise and joined the convoy carrying some twenty-five Russians. Just outside Baghdad, the convoy came under fire; five diplomats were wounded, some seriously, said Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko. Although the U.S. Central Command maintained that there were no coalition forces near where the attack occurred, Secretary of State Colin Powell contacted Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov to express his sincere apology for the incident. Powell did not admit any U.S. culpability though.4
As the ground fighting around Baghdad began in earnest, Lt. Gen. John Abizaid, CENTCOM deputy commander, reported, “Regular Iraqi army units seemed to vanish as the coalition advanced. Low numbers of Iraqi prisoners indicated that the regular army units were avoiding the fight…Regular Iraqi forces [along with senior officers] ‘have just melted away.’”5
With coalition troops entering Baghdad, the city fell into chaos. Various Iranian-armed and funded militia groups began to make their presence known in the city. The Shiite faction was, from all accounts, the most well-armed and organized of the groups. The popularity of the anti-American, anti–Saddam Hussein groups grew as it became known they could provide food and medicine to the neighborhoods they controlled. One such area became known as Sadr City, a low-income suburb of Baghdad and home of some two million Shia Muslims.
It looked as though advance preparations by Iran and Syria to make Iraq virtually uncontrollable were in full swing. The rage and antipathy of the Muslim world was directed at the “Great Satan.” Decree after decree and fatwa after fatwa were issued, calling for jihad against the United States. One came from Dr. Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, sheikh of Al-Azhar. He rallied the Iraqi people to continue their “Jihad in defense of religion, faith, honor, and property, because Jihad is a religious ruling of Islam aimed at opposing aggressors,” and encouraged Arab and Islamic volunteers to travel to Iraq, “to support the Jihad of their oppressed brethren there, because resistance to oppression is an Islamic obligation, whether the oppressor is Muslim or not.”6
In meetings between Iran’s Khamenei and Khatami and Syria’s al-Assad, the leaders determined that the United States should be met with violent resistance from the various Iraqi factions and from jihadists imported for the purpose of creating pandemonium for the coalition troops. The men called on the radical Islamic forces in the region to oppose an American occupation by every means possible. Again, Yossef Bodansky reported that Majlis (Iranian parliament) deputy Majid Ansari, in a briefing prior to the summit between Khamenei and al-Assad, outlined Iran’s position:
Even if they [the Americans] succeed in capturing Iraq…they will still face difficulties.… We [the Iranian leadership] are hoping that the Americans would be bogged down in Iraq and fail to realize their expansionist politics.…Even if America were to become victorious in Iraq for a short time…such a victory will be the beginning of serious problems for America’s warmongering and expansionist politicians.7
Both leaders were well aware that they were unable to forestall an American attack but could create havoc within Iraq once Saddam Hussein was deposed. The call for Islamic fanatics—terrorists, all—went forth and was answered by volunteers from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Palestinian Territory, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iran, and Syria, among others. The question for the coalition troops now became one of how to identify peaceful Iraqi citizens from the influx of terrorists bent on killing them in any way possible.
The battle for the soul of America is being lost. Intelligence leaders have related to me that terrorists fighting in Iraq are planning to head to the U.S. as early as this summer. If those with moral clarity sleep, America’s next president may be presiding over a nuclear 9/11.
A Message from Mike Evans:
In just 11 days, a battle will be fought for the soul of America by God-fearing men and women worldwide. I’ve been to Iraq twice this year; the last trip was at the invitation of President Barzani for a State visit. The book, The Final Move Beyond Iraq, will be in stores on May 15.
We are asking every caring person to purchase books beginning May 15. Why? Because this book can be driven to the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers’ list. Why is that important? It will place this book before tens of million of people and will open doors of opportunity to share its message and wage this battle on secular networks.
The battle can be won, but it has to be fought by knowing the truth (it will set us free), and through prayer.
Millions of praying saints (Daniels and Esthers) can reverse the curse. Esther won the battle:
“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Daniel won the battle: “The people that do know their God will be strong and do exploits…” (Daniel 11:28)
Please pray for God’s favor on the national campaign that begins May 15 with the book, The Final Move Beyond Iraq. Pray for a great open door with the networks, and pray for strength and favor as Mike steps into the fiery furnace to battle for the soul of America. Pray for protection as he battles against God-haters and radical Islamic fanatics (9/11 types) that are living among us. Pray also that everyone you know will join the battle by getting the word out, by buying the book and movie, and by telling their friends. Pray that every pastor will preach and every Sunday School teacher and prayer group will teach on this subject using the PowerPoint program and message entitled “What is Evil” available on the www.beyondiraq.com site.
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