At the center of the most recent difficulties in the middle east is a U.S made aircraft. The Mc Donnell Douglas F-15 supersonic fighter — said to be the most advanced fighter aircraft of the U.S. — is a key element in the President’s proposed three part arms package to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In an effort to be evenhanded toward both Israel and her neighbor countries, Mr. Carter has proposed the sales of the aircraft to the three nations on an all-or-nothing basis
Israel, whose aircraft reserves were rather strongly depleted by the Yom Kippur War of 1973 as a result of sophisticated Russian missiles, has a continuing interest in upgrading her defenses. She is scheduled to receive about 15 more of the F-15 aircraft and some 75 of the F-16 aircraft.
The Saudis, on the other hand, have a small military force, yet have requested no less than 60 of the supersonic F-15’s. Egypt is to receive about 50 F5E aircraft, a slower and reportedly “less lethal” plane for defensive purposes only.
Israel has publically expressed profound dismay at the U.S strategy, and indeed the introduction of the newest and most advanced aircraft into both sides of the volatile middle east situation seems unwise.
In view of the strategic position played by Saudi Arabia as chief spokesman for the Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as well as the middle eastern country with largest oil reserves, one can well understand their concern for adequate defense equipment. The Saudis have stressed that their sole interest in the F-15 is for defense purposes. This appears to be a credible statement in the light of their past stands as moderates amongst the Arab countries. However, news accounts portray the F-15 as considerably more than a defensive type of aircraft, and as recently observed by one news writer in the Los Angeles Times, the pending arms sale could well shift the region of confrontation between Israel and the Arabs to Saudi Arabia itself.
Now the mere sale of a few dozen fighter planes, however swift they may be, cannot in itself be the sole cause of the concern registered by Israel. The real source of their anxiety seems to lie with he sophisticated electronic hardware of the F-15. As commonly equipped, they have a highly advanced radar system apparently able to identify and track all aircraft activity for many miles around each plane. Every F-15 thus becomes an airborne monitoring station, in which one nation can, from within its own borders, track all of its enemies activities. This ability was demonstrated in the recent Israeli invasion of Lebanon, in which Israeli F-15’s were able to monitor Syrian jet activities so well, that the Syrians, aware of this capability, stayed well away from the invasion region. With the long operating range, a speed 2.5 times that of sound, computer guided missiles, along with the electronic capabilities just described, the F-15 is a formidable weapon in any country’s hands.
It is significant that the Saudis have been virtually adamant in their stance regarding their request for the F-15. Veiled threats of economic retaliation have surfaced if their requests are not heeded. As the OPEC spokesmen, they clearly refer to the availability in the future of oil for the U.S. The irony of the situation is that of all Israel’s friends in the world, her largest and probably most consistent supporter — the U.S. — is creating a major new source of trouble by its very attempts to bring peace to the middle east. Though strong pressures by those in the government have been made to attempt to separate these arms sales and consider each on its own merits, it is most likely that they will all go through in one form or another. Thus the basic problem remains.
This type of situation is common of man’s solutions to world unrest. The world for the most part, pays lip service to peace efforts. Although few people would ever welcome the destruction that attends a state of war, most will not do those things that truly make for peace. The rulers and powers-that-be, publically proclaim a desire for peace, yet deep within the governments are vested interests which will profit from each weapon sold.
In the absence of a true faith in God, there is no reason to believe that peace can come without mighty weapons of war for “defense.” The balance of power approach depends on equality of strength to deter aggression. But “balance of power” in modern times has created immense stockpiles of weapons on each side, poised for the destruction of the “other side,” if it commits an act of aggression. This situation places the world between these two precariously balanced juggernauts.
To Israel, God spoke long ago:
“Thus said the LORD, thy redeemer and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things;
that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad;
that turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish;
that confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the counsel of his messengers;
that saith to Jerusalem, ‘thou shalt be inhabited,’ and to the cities of Judah, ‘Ye shall be built and I will raise up the decayed places thereof.’ Isa 44:25-26
The God fearing man can take comfort in the fact that it is the Almighty, not man, who is in true control. As the prophet has said above, Yahweh has made all things and has determined the course of these events. Jerusalem shall be inhabited and in the day of His manifestation shall become a glorified place, holy, the source of life giving knowledge to all mankind, as we are told elsewhere in scripture.
The contrast between man’s approach to peace and God’s is dramatic. In the second chapter of Isaiah, at verse 4 we read:
“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
This is the secret to lasting world peace. It is not through the equilibrium of hostilities that peace is obtained, it is through the absence of hostility.
Until the day when the Lord of Righteousness returns to bring His kingdom of peace, we must expect all things to continue as they have from old times. There will be wars, rumors of wars, famines and pestilence, earthquakes and the like. For our part, we cannot expect the message of peace to be received any differently than of old, either. Israel scoffed at her own prophets and destroyed them when they became inconvenient. Yet their word lives on. We, in these last times, have the opportunity to be “ambassadors of peace” by the message we proclaim. In the face of discouragements and lack of interest, we have the comfort of knowing that our God is in control. Where-ever there are good and honest hearts willing to listen, He will direct the message to reach them. Let us be certain that each one of us is a willing ambassador, God will do the rest.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One