The Ezekiel Option
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The Ezekiel Option is a bestselling 2005 Christian apocalyptic novel by Joel C. Rosenberg. It involves the War of Ezekiel 38-39.
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[edit] Plot introduction
The story takes place after The Last Days and The Last Jihad, and it depicts the story of Russia becoming a dictatorship and subsequently forming an anti-American alliance with Iran. The book describes the author's interpretation of the War of Ezekiel 38-39.
[edit] Plot Summary
[edit] Backstory
In his previous book, the Last Days, very large oil deposits were discovered in Israel and the occupied territories, and a peace treaty was proposed between Israel and the Palestinians which setup a joint oil production company and made every Israeli and Palestinian a shareholder (making them instantly rich). This book picks up on from the end of Mr. Rosenberg's previous book.
[edit] Shootdown of Aeroflot Flight 6617
This book starts off with an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to New York being hijacked and diverted toward Washington. The flight carries several Duma members, the CEO of Lukoil, forty-one children. The plane gets shot down by the United States military on live television at the order of the President of the United States before it reaches Washington and causes significant damage.
Also, at this time the Palestinian Prime Minister that signed the Israeli-Palestinian Oil Peace Treaty is assassinated in Saudi Arabia by parties unknown. This happens while the former Israeli head of the Mossad is visiting the new country of Babylon, built on the ruins of post-Saddam Iraq. While mourning for his friend the Palestinian PM, the former Mossad head is warned of impending coup in Russia, but his warning comes too late.
[edit] Russian Coup
At the same time, Jon Bennett, an envoy of the President and main architect of the Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty, is in Moscow in preparation for treaty related discussions with the Russian government. However, the airplane shooting incident causing a significant cooling of relations between the US and Russia, and gives a boost to the right wing LDPR party which calls for cutting off relations with the US while enhancing Russia's military. When Mr. Bennett is summoned to meet with the Russian President Mr. Vadim, the LDPR with support of the Russian military orchestrates a coup and kills the President. The new Czar Gogolov of Russia severs all diplomatic relations with the US, removes Russia's embassy from the US and expels all US citizens from Russian soil. Mr Bennett is injured and is sent back to the US. However, his fiance (a CIA operative) who was with him in the Kremlin at the time of the coup is kidnapped by the new Russian government in order obtain CIA encryption codes.
Via a secret envoy, Russia proceeds to sell twenty five nuclear warheads to Iran to formalize the military alliance that has been growing between the two countries since the 1990's. Russian President/Czar Gogolov then proceeds to convince or in some cases blackmail European countries into support Russia's upcoming fight vs. the United States and Israel (the blackmail is made possible by the fact that Russia is a major gas supplier to Europe). At the same time, Russia convinces Cuba to sign the NPT.
[edit] Preparing War on Israel
Mr. Gogolov then speaks at the United Nations proposing UNSC resolution 2441 which gives Israel thirty days to disarm itself from nuclear weapons, allow IAEA inspectors in and sign the NPT. This is done in a fashion similar to how the US proceeded against Iraq. Russia also proceeds to turn world opinion against the US by painting that nation as a war monger which shot down a civilian airplane without any proof that a hijacking was in fact in progress. Additionally, Russia asks for one billion dollars/passenger killed reparation payment from the US before resuming diplomatic relations (for a total of $173 billion). Most US allies abandon the US, and side with Russia including EU countries.
[edit] Russia and Gog/Magog
Before the UNSC resolution comes to vote, the US President sends Mr. Bennett to Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Doron, as well as the former head of Mossad, Dr. Mordechai. PM Doron makes it clear that if the US lets the resolution pass, Israel will not comply. If matters come to war, Israel will then execute the Samson option. After meeting with the PM, Mr. Bennett proceeds to meet with Dr. Mordechai who lays out the case for the current events being the Biblical War of Gog and Magog.
Please see War of Ezekiel 38-39 for more information.
Dr. Mordechai interprets this as an alliance led by Russia together with Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Sudan and Saudi Arabia against Israel and proposes a new policy called The Ezekiel Option (as opposed to The Samson Option). This proposed policy states that Israel should not launch nuclear weapons but rather sit back and allow God wage war against its enemies. He hands a brief to Mr. Bennett to take back to the President of the United States.
[edit] UN Resolution to Disarm Israel
Meanwhile the US prepares to expose the Russia/Iran relationship regarding nuclear weapons in order to make Russia lose prestige in the eyes of the world before the UNSC vote takes place. However, the President's speech is pre-empted by Iranian announcement of renouncement of all nuclear energy and agreeing to unrestricted inspections by the IAEA (having obtained nuclear weapons Iran no longer needs the civilian nuclear energy program). Mr. Bennett takes the brief back to the US and hands it over to the President prior to the UNSC vote on resolution 2441.
When the resolution comes to vote, the resolution passes 12 to 4 with one abstention (USA). Here is how the voting goes (bold indicate permanent members):
| Argentina | For |
| China | For |
| France | For |
| Germany | For |
| Philippines | Against |
| Indonesia | For |
| Japan | For |
| Libya | For |
| Poland | Against |
| Italy | For |
| Russia | For |
| Turkey | For |
| Britain | For |
| USA | Abstains |
[edit] War Preparations Post UNSC vote
The Russian government orchestrates a fake assassination attempt on the life of Czar Gogolov by supposed agents of the Mossad and the Israeli government. This is done in order to have an excuse for first strike against Israel.
Meanwhile, massive amounts of troops are being moved toward Israeli borders, all ostensibly in preparation for implementation of the UNSC resolution in case Israel refuses to disarm. Armies from the following countries are participating: Russia, former USSR republics, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Sudan, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen. In addition, naval wargames are taking place off the coast of Israel between Russia, and former USSR republics. There are also unknown number of nuclear warheads pointing at Israel from Russian and Iran. Coalition troops are supplemented by numerous horses for the benefit of cavalry troops.
Nine days before the the UN resolution deadline expires (October 8), the Israeli nuclear forces go on full alert. Russia's forces go on full alert as well to match. The US follows suit by moving to Defcon 2.
[edit] Going Into Russia
After the UNSC vote, Mr. Bennett storms the Oval Office to question the President about the vote. After a heated argument, he resigns and leaves. After a trip to visit his mother in Florida, he smuggles himself back into Russia with the help of Dr. Mordechai in order to find and save his fiance. After crossing the border to Iran, Mr. Bennett sends a letter to Dr. Mordechai pleading with him to make the Ezekiel Option public information by sending his brief to a New York Times reporter. Meanwhile his fiance manages to escape her captors and flee to the streets of Moscow with a massive manhunt underway for her.
Mr. Mordechai decides to go to the NY Times with his brief. However, the NYT keeps delaying the publication of the story until Drudge leaks it to the world. Following the leak, NYT publishes the story followed by interviews on numerous television stations. The Russian president laughs at the brief:
The Jews were always a pathetic lot. Let them pray to their gods.
Eventually Mr. Mordechai is invited to the Israeli command bunker where he discusses the brief with the Israeli PM. At the same time Mr. Bennett finally reaches Moscow where he is reunited with his fiance.
[edit] Nuclear War
On the last day before the UNSC resolution deadline (October 16), Russia launches a nuclear tipped SS-18 missile at Israel from the city of Tobolsk. The US moves to Defcon 1 while Israel prepares execute The Samson Option to launch all of its nuclear missiles as follows:
- 100 to target Russia
- 50 to target allied formed USSR republics
- 25 to target Iran
- 15 to target Germany and Austria
- 8 to target Saudi Arabia
- 6 to target Syria
- 6 to target Turkey
- remaining missiles would target capital cities of the rest of coalition forces and the troops massing on the borders
Meanwhile Mr. Bennett and his fiance are chased by security forces in Moscow which is empty of most citizens who have fled to escape the expected nuclear strike by Israel. At the same time, Dr. Mordechai is trying to convince the Israeli PM not to launch nuclear weapons but rather execute The Ezekiel Option which calls for letting God save Israel. The Russian Czar Gogolov and his second in command meanwhile evacuate Moscow via helicopter to a secure command bunker in the Ural mountains.
[edit] Divine Intervention
With 8 minutes left to impact, suddenly a massive earthquake takes place with the epicenter near Jerusalem. However, unlike normal earthquakes this one is felt all over the world in fulfilment of Ezekiel's prophecy (38:19-20):
19. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20. So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
At 2 minutes left to impact, massive fireballs originating from space begin to attack Russia, Iran and other coalition countries. In Russia, the buildings in the Kremlin complex and the Red Square are hit and destroyed including St. Basil's Cathedral and Lenin's Tomb. This is followed by destruction of every Russian military base and missile silo. In Iran, Libya and other coalition countries military and government buildings are being destroyed. In Saudi Arabia fireballs hit Mecca and Medina, incinerating thousands of people on live television. The Blue Mosque in Turkey and the Reichstag in Germany follow. Near Israel, troops massing on the borders are being massively firebombed and destroyed. In Jerusalem a series of fireballs destroy the Al Aksa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock and all other buildings on the Temple Mount.
The book ends with the helicopter carrying the Russian president and second in command being destroyed by a fireball, and the Russian president being carted off by demons. At the same time Mr. Bennett and his fiance escape the burning city of Moscow via a speed boat in the Moskva river.
