Russia Increases Involvement in Middle East

On Wednesday Vladimir Putin will become the first ever Russian president to visit Israel. Putin plans a four day tour of the Middle East that will include stops in Egypt, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. Russia is a co-sponsor of the Road Map Peace Plan, and Putin is expected to meet with both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas while in Israel. Putin has called on Israel to withdraw "from all the occupied Arab lands back to the June 4, 1967 border." Putin has also stressed the necessity of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Golan Heights.

Russia angered Israel earlier this year when it announced plans to increase diplomatic and military cooperation with Syria. Russia has written-off nearly 75 percent - approximately 10 billion dollars - of Syria's Soviet-era debt. Putin has also said the proposed sale of surface-to-air missiles to Syria is still under discussion despite US and Israeli opposition. The missiles are some of the most sophisticated shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles on the market and Israel is concerned the weapons may fall into the hands of Palestinian terrorists.

Since Putin took power in 1999 he has established unrivaled dominance of both houses of parliament, reasserted control over the country's huge energy industry, forced the closure of the last independent national television network, strengthened Russia's ties to its former communist allies, and employed what he calls "managed democracy." Putin has manipulated elections, silenced critics, and gradually tightened his grip on the nation.

Putin is a former KGB officer and reports estimate that one in every four of Putin's government has a background in the military or security services. Some critics have described Russia as being ruled by a "power-hungry mafia" of former KGB and military officers, who have grabbed "the nation by the throat." Sergei Mitrokhin, a former parliamentary leader and member of the Yabloko party, described recent events as "a step toward dictatorship." In a recent speech Putin lamented the demise of the Soviet Union calling it the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century."

Democratic ideals, such as the freedom of speech, are rapidly eroding under Vladimir Putin's autocratic leadership. In recent months, Putin has faced growing criticism for restricting democratic freedoms and concentrating his presidential powers. Once thought to be a growing capitalist ally, Russia is returning to its Soviet roots. Perhaps even preparing the way for the dramatic events prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39.