Up until March 1st, 2003, Turkey has been a neutral power, a democracy with basically a secular government. They have tried to be a partner in peace with the United States and have done the same with Israel. This has been done in an effort to be economically sound and have not allowed religion to play a role in the political structure of the nation. However the other Islamic Countries have been dismayed by their policy.

But, on March 1st, 2003, things began to change in the relationship between Turkey, the United States and Israel. Immediately before the Iraq War the Turkish Grand National Assembly vetoed a bill to allow passage to some 60,000 American troops through Turkish territory into northern Iraq. Americans were bewildered because the Turks had always been seen as a reliable partner. The Turks felt that their sensitivities regarding the status of northern Iraq was being ignored and refused to agree to America's request.

Then things got worse on July 4th, 2003, when eleven Turkish Special Forces officers, on a surveillance mission in the northern Iraqi town of Sulaymaniyah, were arrested by American forces and taken to Baghdad. This incident became known as the notorious "Hood Incident". In America we didn't think much about this because we considered it to be a case of mistaken identity and didn't make much of it. The Turks being very proud of their military were humiliated and thought that the United States had disgraced Turkey by treating their soldiers in such a humiliating way. When captured the Americans covered their heads with hoods and led them away. This was an unforgivable act in the eyes of the Turkish citizens and is remembered by them with great contempt. No apology was given from America other than a note from Donald Rumsfield saying that America regretted the incident. This has infuriated the people of Turkey and relations between the U.S. and Turkey has spiraled downward.

A more publicized event came in early-2006 with the release of "Valley of the Wolves Iraq," a remake of a series depicting the enigmatic world of the Turkish mafia. The story starts with a reference to the "Hood Incident." According to the plot, one of the arrested Turkish officers commits suicide out of shame and leaves a note for his friend Polat Alemdar, the protagonist of the series, asking him to avenge the dishonor. Complying with the wishes of a comrade, Alemdar follows the Christian fundamentalist American commander (played by Billy Zane) who is responsible for the incident, together with the mass murdering of Iraqi civilians. The movie also stars Gary Busey as a Jewish-American doctor who harvests the organs of Iraqis to be sold in New York, London, and Tel Aviv.

This movie is one of the most viewed movies in Turkey and people line up outside the theaters to view it over and over again. Their hatred for America and Israel is growing more and more each day. They believe that this movie depicts the truth about America and Israel. Anti-Semitism is growing and to top it off the book "Mein Kampt" is being sold by the hundreds of thousands. This book was written by Adolf Hitler and is full of hatred for the Jewish people. The lies that he told in this book is being believed by the people of Turkey and is causing the people in Turkey to become more and more hostile toward Israel.

Although I knew that according to Bible Prophecy that Turkey would become one of the major players in the nations of the anti-Christ it was hard for me to see it happening because of the good relationship that Turkey had with America and Israel at that time. I figured that it would be years and years down the road before such a thing could take place.

Since and because of these events Turkey is trying desperately to re-establish itself with the nations of Islam and hope to become one of the leading powers among the Muslim people. They are on their way to becoming the very nation that God said they would. They will be one of the four major nations that make up the body of the beast in Revelations 13:1 described as a leopard's body. They will become part of the muscle of the anti-Christ nations to help him in a jihad against America, Israel and the western world that will not submit to the religion of Islam.

Turkey and the Appearance of the Antichrist
Article by Tammy S. 7/24/07

1. The Assyrian
Nothing God says is arbitrary in prophecy, and certainly nothing that He mentions several times. God calls the antichrist "the Assyrian". I used to think that this had different meaning than I do today, but it is nonetheless profound in its implications. Asking the question, "Why would the Lord call this person ‘the Assyrian’ so many times?" … led me to the following maps:
http://www.imninalu.net/maps.htm#Assyria
Look at the following passages. Whoever the a/c turns out to be, he will no doubt, come from the land that was a part of the Assyrian Empire. Can there be any other explanation why the Lord addresses him as the Assyrian so many times?

Therefore, this is what the Lord, the LORD Almighty, says: "O my people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat you with a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. Very soon my anger against you will end and my wrath will be directed to their destruction." (Isaiah 10:20-25)

I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders." This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (Isaiah 14:25-27)

Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets… 12 When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, "I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. …16 Therefore, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame. The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers (Isaiah 10:5-6,12-13, 16-17).

So with the geographical location narrowed down to parts of Turkey, Syria and Iraq, I pondered additional clues.

2. GOG AND MAGOG

Gog and Magog. Gog is the leader of Magog. Gog is the antichrist. If you do not think that Gog is the AC, I have attached a short article on that subject. God tells us who it is that will be coming against Israel in Ezekiel 38/39. "I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." (Ezekiel 39:1) Base on the maps below, it will be Turkey with its allies.
Look at the map below. It is a map in the archives of the University of Melbourne from 1614 http://db.lib.unimelb.edu.au/mrsid-cgi/map_view.cgi#top Look at where Magog and Tubal are located.

According to this map, look at where Magog planted itself in Turkey.

Here is a zoomed out version of the map as to see the areas as they pertain to Turkey, Syria and the Mediterranean. Look at the ancient tribes that formed Turkey. Notice anything? Originally from the land of Assyria, they founded the current area today known as Turkey … they are one and the same people. They are the very tribes mentioned in Ezekiel.

3. TURKEY AS THE PEACE POWER BROKER

Scripture tells us that whoever the AC is and the country he comes from; Israel will trust them at first:

In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land. Therefore, this is what the Lord, the LORD Almighty, says: "O my people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat you with a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. Very soon my anger against you will end and my wrath will be directed to their destruction." (Isaiah 10:20-25)

Turkey’s role in the peace process is pivotal. It is the only ally of both Middle Eastern and Western civilizations.
Articles:
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=66529
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=67081
It will be the country the prophecies say that Israel "relied" on. It is a trusted partner in the beginning. No other country in the Middle East fits this description but Turkey.

4. Erdogan – Watching and Waiting
The only way to know for 100% sure the identity of the anti-Christ is the abomination of desolation event that occurs halfway through the peace agreement. Since my attention is on Turkey, inevitably I have been drawn to Erdogan. His rise to power was in a small place called Siirt, Turkey. Right near the Syria / Turkey border. His birthplace was Tokat, Turkey (although he was raised in Rize and Istanbul, Turkey). Both the place he came to power and the place of his birth fall into the land which was ruled by the Assyrian Empire. See maps above about Assyrian Empire. Could this be the Assyrian? Could this be the chief prince of Mesech and Tubal?

Here are maps showing his place that he rose to power and the place of his birth.
Highlighted areas are Siirt, Tokat and Rize Turkey. The place where he came to power, where he was born, and where he was raised.

Yours in Christ,
Brother Tommie