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Basically every so often the balance of power in the middle east. Historically, you have had three power in the Middle East, Egypt, Asia Minor and Iraq. Egypt wants to control the access to Egypt to prevent any invasion of Egypt. Egypt has been invaded primary from a power that control right is now Israel (In Ancient times it was once conquered from Libya and from up the Nile, but these were the exception to the rule, even Caesar when he landed by Sea had an army sent via Israel to provide most of his Army in Egypt when he took it). In more modern days, Napoleon did take Egypt from the Sea (via a point close ot the Libyan border) and the British took over Egypt via the Suez Canal. As to Libya Rommel threatened Egypt but as a whole Napoleon was driven out of Egypt by the Turks as the Turks Chased him back to Egypt.
As to Iraq, it is protected from any Egypt and Asia Minor by the Mountains Separating the Mesopotamian lowlands from the Mediterranean. Asia Minor uses the same Mountains to help protect itself.
Now while each of these "Super-Powers" has huge area to pull from, each are also pulled into the Mountains. Iraq wants to secure the head waters of its two rivers, Egypt wants to make sure no one uses those Mountains as a base to attack Egypt and Asia Minor is pulled into the to protect the headwaters of its Rivers. All three once in the Mountains want to stay to enhance the Mountains as a protection, but this brings all three groups into conflict with each other. What happens is some sort of peace is made between the three, with the people in the Mountains working out details for themselves (Playing the three against each other).
AS to the South, i.e. Right is no Saudi Arabia and most of Jordan, it is to dry for agriculture so herding dominates. This tends to make the residents of that area much weaker than even the people in the Mountains (Who do to greater rain fall can do agriculture). Most times the people of the desert are nuisance, but occasionally they get up to threat status, but then fall back to nuisance. Except for the Arab Conquest of Muhammad it was rare for the people of the Desert to pose even a threat (OF the Arab Conquest more below).
Thus in most time periods you have a balance between the locals and the three Superpowers. This balance may change year to year, but stay about the same for Centuries (One city my be Egyptian one year, independent the next, allied with Iraq the Third and minor changes like that can occur, but nothing major that would be of great concern of one of the Super powers). On the other hand if one of the super power has to withdraw forces, then the other super powers will use it to expand the area the control. The locals will also try to expand the area they control as would the Bedouins in the desert. It is such times Revelations are talking about.
For example, during the 6th Century AD, Rome had controlled Asia Minor and Egypt for Centuries. Most of Iraq had been control by Iran (Whose rivers flow into Iraq, making Iran for all practical purposes part of Iraq). The Western Empire Fell in the 5 th Century AD, but in the Sixth The Eastern Empire tried to re-take the West, conquering Tunisia, Southern Spain and Italy, but to do this required Rome to pull Troops from the East. This opened up the East for Conquest by Persia (Modern Iran) which did so, even taking Egypt. The Eastern Empire re-acted, Abandoned the West and attack the Persians, destroyed the Persians, but did not conquer them. To do so, a large army had to be raised and supported. This Bankrupt ed the Empire. As the Empire pulled back from Iraq, the Arabs under Muhammadan moved in, first defeating a much weaker Roman Empire in Syria and then Taking Egypt (Which the Eastern Empire only made half hearted attempts to re-take do to lack of troops do to the extensive wars in Italy, The Balkans and Iraq over the previous 30 years and in many ways still going on when the Arabs attacked). The Eastern Empire, after losing its army in Syria, decided it was NOT worth holding Egypt nor Syria and left them to the Arabs. Persia, in complete disarray after its defeat by the Eastern Empire was Conquered by the Egyptians. All of this was over a 50 year period, That started with the Eastern Empire Pulling troops to fight in Italy.
The above has occurred before (Look at the history of Assyria) and have happened Since (One of the side affects of the Crusades was a change in Egypt from Shiite to Sunni Muslim). The Mamaluks who controlled Egypt till Napoleon cam into power as the result of the 1258 Conquest of Iraq by the Mongols which brought the Mongols to the Middle east (and a withdraw of Iraq from wars against the Crusaders, who were smashed by the Egyptians let they ally themselves with the Mongols).
If is times like these that Revelation is about, time when a power ha had to WITHDRAW from the area and the locals and the other Powers react to that withdraw. The old Soviet Union Withdraw in the early 1990s as it dissolved, but the big question is how long can the US remain in the Middle east AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN WE WITHDRAW. Revelations is just a warning of what will happen, not the details for that changes during each transition, but the over all situation, one of criss and destruction that had been unseen for Centuries.
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