“Hardly a day goes by when our senses are not bludgeoned by some new outbreak of terrorism in the Middle East.  Despite our best efforts at making and keeping the peace, political, economic, and religious tensions often lead to unrest, violence, and riots.”

-Jim Bakker in “Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse”

Kofi Annan, who has championed peace plans and tried to bring a diplomatic solution to the civil war in Syria, has resigned as the UN and Arab League special envoy to the country.

The news comes as Syrian rebels in Aleppo are hammering a military airfield. The rebels have taken tanks and other heavy machinery from the military after battles and are now putting them toward their offensive.

Government warplanes shelled rebel locations in the northern and western parts of the city. Also, military defectors are giving strategic instruction to the rebel forces and are fortifying the rebels.

Syrian officials also shut down phones, cellular phone networks and internet on Wednesday night in an attempt to keep rebel forces from communicating. It’s also a prelude to what insiders call a full-scale government attack.

Activists say it’s an attempt by Syrian troops to keep the outside world from seeing the crimes against humanity being committed under orders from President al-Assad.

President Obama has reportedly authorized providing intelligence help to the rebels but not weapons. However, the US is providing support to countries who are giving weapons to the rebels.