Vladimir Putin and the 2016 Election

A popular item for an unpopular man: Barack Obama toilet paper in Russia

Does Russia want to start a war with the United States? Why have the Russians become increasingly bold in recent years with a series of provocative actions aimed at the U.S.?

Last Tuesday (4/12/2016), a Russian Su-24 fighter jet repeatedly circled the USS Donald Cook, a naval destroyer that was cruising in the Baltic Sea. Though the ship's officials tried to warn with jet's pilot to desist, the pilot ignored the warnings.

According to a Russian military spokesman, the crew of the ship acted provocatively and aggressively, which concerned the operators of monitoring stations and ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Su-24 attack aircraft demonstrated to the American crew readiness to harshly prevent a violation of the frontier and to defend the interests of the country.

The Russians claim that the USS Cook sailed too close (24 miles) to Russian waters, while U.S. military officials claim that the ship never got closer than 75 miles from Russian waters. Who's telling the truth? The U.S. is probably telling the truth because the Russians have an ulterior motive for the provocative act.

And what's that? I believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be trying to influence the upcoming 2016 U.S. presidential election by drawing the U.S. into a military confrontation with Russia.

But why? Because if the U.S. responds militarily by shooting down a Russian fighter jet, the Russians might respond by bombing some U.S. military bases in Europe. Putin doesn't believe that President Barack Obama wants anything to do with a military confrontation with Russia or anyone else, and he doesn't believe that Obama will respond if the Russians launch an attack.

A Russian military strike against the U.S. would also humiliate America in the eyes of the world. It would make the U.S. look extremely weak and vulnerable. If that happens, Putin likely believes that many Americans would then reject Hillary Clinton in November as their next president because she'll be seen as an extension of Obama.

But why would Putin want the U.S. to elect a president who'll stand up to Russia? He doesn't want that. Rather, he wants someone who'll be friendly with Russia and won't try to prevent the Bear from becoming a world superpower.

Putin's still angry at the U.S. for imposing economic sanctions on his nation after he annexed Crimea in 2014. He's angry at the U.S. for trying to persuade the Ukraine to join NATO. Putin considers Ukraine part of Russia, and the Bear's influence in eastern Europe would've been emasculated had the Ukraine joined NATO.

Putin's also angry at the U.S. for intentionally flooding the world with cheap oil in order to tank the Russian ruble. Russia's economy is heavily dependent on crude oil sales, and more oil on the international market means lower demand and lower prices. And that hurts Russia. Here's what I wrote last year:

Thus, crude oil is dirt cheap right now on the global market. That's holding Russia down economically and preventing the Bear from building the formidable military that Putin envisions will one day rule the world. And indeed, it will. But when that happens will be determined by how long the western world, and particularly the United States, decides to keep the crude flowing. Though the U.S. currently possesses the largest amount of crude and coal in the world, radical environmentalists want America to turn off the spigots, shutter the coal mines and go green. 

The Russians certainly don't want war with the U.S. Russia has billions of dollars invested in the American economy, and the Bear needs America a lot more right now than America needs Russia. But the time is coming when Russia won't need America because the Bear will be able to stand on its own two feet without the aid of an archenemy.

However, that time hasn't come yet. But it will. Biblical prophecy reveals that Russia is going to build a devastating military coalition that will threaten the entire world before the return of Jesus Christ. (Ezekiel 38-39) And that coalition will attempt an invasion of Israel at an event called Armageddon:

Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army-your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops-the many nations with you." (Ezekiel 38:1-6)

Who is Gog? Gog was an ancient name for Russia. Who will Russia's military coalition consist of? Meshek, Tubal, Gomer and Beth Togarmah were located in what is now Turkey. Persia is now Iran; Cush is now Ethiopia, and Put is now Morocco.

Though that doesn't sound like much of a military alliance, consider that Magog represents the new Russian empire--"the many nations with you"--that will comprise Eastern Europe, Asia and much of Western Europe. Magog will also consist of the nations of the Middle East, Northern Africa and Asia Minor. Many of these nations are currently Islamic that will eventually be transformed into "Christian" nations before the advent of the dreaded Antichrist.

That's what's coming. For now, Putin will try to influence the upcoming U.S. presidential election by embarrassing the Obama administration via provocative confrontations such as the recent one in the Baltic. Don't expect that to be the last one. There'll be more. Will Putin's strategy work? We'll find out in November.