QUESTION: Marty; You said Syria was the focal point for this ECM wave and the target for the beginning of World War III. I read you piece on Syria and the issue of religion rising from this single spot. I find it extraordinary how you can pick specific places like Ukraine and Syria long before something takes place. Is this all based on the historical records of war you have put together? Just curious. Does this have anything to do with the Biblical tribe of Gog and Maygog? May claim this is it. I figured you might know best.

Looking forward to Orlando. Have three friends who tried to get in now but can’t. You seem to also target your conferences to key periods in time.

Thanks for keeping us abreast.

ANSWER: On the prophecy of Gog and Magog, that is not the Syrians, Arabs or Turks. In ancient legend, outside the Bible, the Gates of Alexander was a legendary barrier supposedly built by Alexander the Great in the Caucasus to keep the uncivilized barbarians of the north from invading the land to the south. That was probably the Mongol tribes for they would have appeared Asian. Moscow is directly north to the east above Lebanon. Had it been the Russians, they would have appeared more white stemming from the Vikings. They would have been invading through Georgia. The Gates of Alexander may be the Great Wall of Gorgan, which was built during the Parthian dynasty or repaired at that time and new evidence suggests it may be 1,000 years older than the Great Wall of China. It was restored somewhat during the Sassanid era (3rd-7th centuries). Therefore, this wall is located north with the border of Iran and Turkmenistan. This was probably the same raiding tribes that inspired the construction of the Great Wall of Chins during the 3rd century BC.

Consequently, this legend of Gog and Magog is not confined to the Bible. The Romance of Alexander is comprised of several collections of legends concerning the mythical exploits of Alexander the Great. In one version of this collection of legends, “Goth and Magoth” are kings of the Unclean Nations. They were driven beyond a mountain pass by Alexander, and blocked from returning by the construction of a new wall becoming known as the Gates of Alexander. The account attributes Gog and Magog as barbarians who practice cannibalism of their conquests. Clearly, this is not confined to the Bible. Indeed, Gog and Magog also appear in the Quran as Yajuj and Majuj who are adversaries of Dhul-Qarnayn, which were generally equated with Cyrus the Great of Persia and al-Iskanadar (Alexander the Great) in Islam. So we have various attributions that have been applied over the centuries to such as Romans, the Turkic tribes from Central Asia, and of course the Mongols. The tribes of Gog and Magog remain forever associated with apocalyptic prophecy both in Christianity and the Muslim world. I am sure it will be attributed to the Russians if they invade through Turkey into Syria. Since China also constructed a wall, we might assume that these are closer to the tribes from Mongolia who were nomads rather than the Russians.

Nevertheless, with regard to Syria, this has been the crossroads between Asia and the West. It was within the sphere of Rome whereas Iran was the Persians of Parthia, which Rome never subjugated. In fact, it was Shapur I who captured in 260AD the Roman Emperor Valerian I (253-260AD) and made him his personal slave and finally stuffed him as a trophy upon his death. So this was the very place that market the collapse of Rome during the 3rd century. Curiously enough, 200 intervals of 8.6 years from 260AD was 1980 or the peak in the Public Wave. Time converges on this region from many aspects and the place has been a focal point between East and West for centuries.

Antioch of ancient Syria was indeed the third largest city in the Roman Empire and it was called “the cradle of Christianity” for it was always played a pivotal role in trade between East and West with the Silk Road, and also in the emergence of both Hellenistic Judaism and early Christianity. It was even the first city to have street lights. Antioch was located on the eastern side of the Orontes River and its ruins are near the modern city of Antakya, in Turkey. The name of the country Syria extends back to the Assyrian culture.

The Assyrian Empire was built on a warrior society model much like the Greeks of Sparta. The Assyrians produced the most fearsome soldiers were had the most innovative generals of its time. They used chariots, iron weapons, and siege equipment to dominate their enemies before others. They maintained a standing Army with every young man was expected to train as a warrior and be ready to fight. The Assyrian Empire grew by conquest employing their standing army of professional soldiers whose only job is to fight. Their soldiers were trained in siege warfare, battle tactics, and hand-to-hand combat. The Assyrians would launch a battle campaign every Spring conquering cities and stripping them of all wealth. Based upon ancient sources, the Assyrian army was probably several hundred thousand soldiers in number.

Assyria was a kingdom located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that dominated the ancient world from the ninth century to the seventh century BC. Its capital was Nineveh. It was the Assyrians who destroyed the northern kingdom Israel when they besieged Samaria dragging Israel into captivity after defeating them in 722 BC. They were very smart and realized that to conquer, they must destroy the sense of nationalism. Assyrian policy was therefore to deport conquered peoples to other lands within their empire. This is how they destroyed their sense of nationalism breaking any hope of rebellion. In this manner, they would always replace the people with strangers from another conquest mixing them up. They did not build an economic based economy, but robbed everyone else making them slaves. They were notoriously known for being cruel and creating horrible atrocities. They were the first Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) who skinned their prisoners alive cutting off various body parts to inspire absolute terror in their enemies. Records have survived documenting that Assyrian officials would pull out tongues and displaying mounds of human skulls of their victims intentionally to invoke sheer horror to compel people to submit. They extracted tribute from surrounding nations and they remain perhaps the most cruel of all armies ever to have exited.

Keep in mind that this is the focal point that even Rome could not overcome. For whatever reason, this is just the place.