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neighboring Arab peoples of the
Middle East.
Modero Iran also includes numer–
ous minority groups of varying ethnic
backgrounds: Turks, Kurds, Arabs,
Baluchís, Armenians, Lurs, Azerbai–
janis, Bakhtiaris and others.
There is growing evidence of a
Soviet attempt to utilize to their own
advantage disputes among certain of
these ethnic minorities within Iran.
Sorne observers see this activity as
aimed at precipitating an interna)
crisis- a crisis that could provide an
opportunity for Soviet military "in–
tervention" in Iran.
An appeal for help by any pro–
Soviet ethnic minorities in Iran could
be answered by a movement of Soviet
troops both from the Soviet Union
across Iran's northern border and
from Afghanistan across lran's east–
ern border. Even as
1
write, move–
ments of Russian troops in Afghanis–
tan toward the lranian frontier a re
being reported.
Alternately, a pro-Soviet govem–
ment might ultimately rise to power in
Tehran and move the country into the
Soviet orbit by nonviolent means.
Whatever the method, the proph–
ecy of Ezekiel clearly indicates that
Iran will eventually become linked
with the Soviet Uníon: This is not to
say that Iran or other South Asían
nations will be incorporated into the
Soviet Union as full-ftedged repub–
lics. Rather, there will generally be
only political linkage in the form of
alliances or as vassal states domi–
nated by Moscow.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan, of course, is already
in the Soviet orbit. A Soviet-installed
regime today governs in Kabul.
12
Known anciently as Ariana and
Bactria, and in the Middle Ages as
Kborasan, Afghanistan lies in the
very heart of Asia. Historically, the
great ínvasions of the lndian subcon–
tinent have been made through its
strategic mountain passes.
Afghanistan's present racially
mixed population is a reflection of its
location astride the ancient trade and
invasion routes of Central Asia. The
bulk of the population (60 percent) is
Pushtun or Pathan, the main tribes
being the Durrani imd the Ghilzai.
Other groups represented are the
Tajiks or Tadhziks (30 percent),
Uzbeks (5 per cent), Hazaras, Tur–
komans and Kirghiz.
The unifying factor amid all this
ethnic diversity is
religion.
Afghanis–
tan is alrnost wholly Islamic, mostly
Sunni. Moslem armies had gai11ed
control of Afghanistan as early as
A.O.
652.
The biblical origins of the Afghan
peoples are widely varied. Sorne are
traced to the sons of Japheth. (The
Turkomans, for example, claim de–
scent from Tiras, a son of Japheth.)
Others descend from branches of the
families of Joktan, of_ Gomer, of Uz
and of Esau. Sorne Afghan chronicles
even claim that elements of the
Pathans are descended by intermar–
riage from King Saul of ancient Israel
through bis grandson Afghana.
INDIA
Also predicted to cluster around
the banner of Gog in the latter days
are
Cush
and
Phut
(or Put). These
peoples of Ezekiel 38:5 are generally
found today in the region of India
and Pakistan.
Cush was a son of Ham (Genesís
10:6). Cush is often translated
"Ethiopía" in the Bible. But not a ll
Cushites live in Ethiopia!
The descendants of Cush split into
two major groups, the Eastern and
Westei-n Cushites. Josephus and He–
rodotus recognized these two divi–
sions.
The western Cusbites are found in
major areas of Black Africa today,
including modero Ethiopia, now un–
der Soviet inftuence.
The Eastern Cushites, on the other
hand, are the brown peoples of cen–
tral and southern India and part of
Ceylon (Sri Lanka). They are repre–
sented by sucb groups as tbe Dravid–
ians, Tamils and Telugus. Herodotus
calls these eastern Cushites "Asiatic
Ethiopians." During their migra–
tions, incidentally, these Asiatic
Cushites gave their name to the
Hindu
Kush
mountain range of Cen–
tral Asia.
Interestingly, the names of Cush's
sons Seba and Raamah (Genesis
10:7) have been perpetuated in the
l ndian god
Siva
or
Shiva
(t he
destroyer) and the bero
Rama
(an
avatar of the god Vishnu).
Phut
was a lso a son of Ham. Phut
is often translated "Líbya" in the
Bible, referríng to the land of Libya
in North Africa. As witb Cush, there
is also an Asiatic branch of the
family of Phut or Put. It is that
Asiatic branch that will eventually
become associated with the
U.S.S.R.
Along with elements of Shem,
descendants of Phut (or Put) were
among the Indo-Aryans wbo sett led
northern India and drove the Cush–
itic Dravidians into the south of India
in the second millennium
B.C.
The
warrior-caste
Rajputs
were rulers
over the historie region of Rajputana,
a former group of princely states
comprising what is now Rajasthan
state of northwestern India.
Elements of Phut are also found
today in other states of northern and
central India and in the neighboring
country of Pakistan.
The clear implication, tberefore, is
that the nations of India and Paki–
stan will ultimately be politically
associated with the U.S.S.R., with
Pakistan most likely becoming Com–
munist dominated.
India, along with China, will
The PLAIN TRUTH