Screams, sirens and smoke are once more filling the streets of Kabul after another terrorist attack in the Afghan capital. After 13 years of war in Afghanistan, the violence continues, with terrorism a common part of life in the nation. But you need to notice! This latest act of violence was no ordinary attack.

On January 17, a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up at the gate to a popular restaurant in downtown Kabul. As the smoke cleared, two gunmen rushed into the restaurant, opening fire on the patrons. This restaurant was a popular destination for foreigners. Twenty-one civilians died, 13 of which were internationals. It was the deadliest attack against foreign civilians in Afghanistan since the war began almost 13 years ago.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was in retaliation to an airstrike by U.S. forces in the Parwan province that killed civilians.

Notice this attack came after 13 years of conflict. The Taliban just struck its deadliest blow against civilians yet! What have the vast time and resources America has thrown at the occupation achieved? The goal has been to oust the Taliban and install peace and democracy. But the murder of 21 civilians is stark testimony to the fact that this cause has been all but lost.

The smoldering ruins of the restaurant in Kabul are a sign. They are a sign the war is over for America.

In 13 years, with an abundance of troops and weaponry, the U.S. has been unable to defeat the smaller and weaker Taliban. Instead, the U.S. has slowly but surely extricated itself from the country, giving the region back to the enemy on a silver platter.

After more than a decade of war, the U.S. is tired of policing the nation. The drawdown has begun; by the end of 2014, most U.S. troops will be out of the nation. It will be the latest step for Washington’s extraction from the entire region. We have all born witness to the devastating after-effects of a hasty withdrawal over the past few years. Iraq is case-in-point. The nation is facing a resurgent al Qaeda and a pro-Iranian government. In Libya, after aiding in the ouster of Col. Muammar Qadhafi, the U.S. left the nation to itself. Today, militants rule the streets, and the nation is a safe haven for terrorists from the Middle East and North Africa.

Yet despite the obvious negative effects of a Middle East and North Africa without American influence, Washington continues the extraction process. This exodus fits precisely with many Bible prophecies surrounding the Middle East.

God has plenty to say about current events unfolding in the Middle East today and where they are leading. The Trumpet has been monitoring and warning of the prophetic significance of events in the region for over a decade. A common factor that has repeatedly been highlighted is who will rule over the Mideast. And one nation that is prophesied to lose its role in the region is the United States of America! Daniel 11 and Psalm 83—as well as many more chapters of the Bible—discuss the powers that will dominate the region in the very near future. Their identities may shock you!

Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains these powers in detail in his booklets The King of the South and History and Prophecy of the Middle East. (All Trumpet literature is free upon request.) If you haven’t read these pieces, be sure to request your copies today. They will help you understand how events such as the recent bombing in Afghanistan and the overarching war against the U.S. by radical Islam are actually leading to the fulfillment of prophecies set to occur right before the spectacular return of Jesus Christ!