SYRIA'S ROLE IN THE FINAL SCENE - POSSIBLE PLAYER AS THE BEAST?

I know that Syria and Russia (MAGOG) will play a role together in the final onslaught on Jerusalem.  I just did a piece on the meaning of Medved as the Bear.  This may shed some light on who the Beast is (whether literal, or just to back up the imagery, it is interesting nonetheless):

Antiochus Epiphanes is a fore-glimpse of the Antichrist, and created an "abomination that causes desolation" when he desecrated the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, for a 3 1/2 year period, approximately 160 years before the birth of Yahushua Messiah. Antiochus Epiphanes was the King of Syria. The King of Syria will be the Anti-messiah. Hafez al Assad, the immediate past King of Syria and father of the present king was the most brilliant, deceptive, and cunning man in the middle east during his era. Born Hafez al Wahash (In Arabic, Wahash means "Beast"), he changed his name to Hafez al Assad (In Arabic, Assad means "Lion.")  The Antichrist will have the "mouth" of an Assad.

Revelation 13:2  The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. Revelation 13:5-6  The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme YHWH, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

When Hafez al Wahash (Assad) changed his name from Wahash (beast) to Assad (lion), did it change who he really was?

Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

In arabic, "Bashara"  means "the good news."  "Bashar" means, "the giver of the good news", or "the one that reveals the good news".

Dr. Bashar al-Assad (Arabic: بشار الأسد‎, Baššār al-Asad; born 11 September 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party, and the son of former President Hafez al-Assad. Ophthalmologist , Politician. His father, Hafez Al Assad, was the President/Dictator of Syria for 30 years. He had changed his last name from Al Wahash (The Beast in Arabic) to Al Assah (The Lion in Arabic).
His Physical Traits (KJV, NKJV, NASB, NLT & NIV cited):

Isaiah 10:5-15
haughty looking (NKJV); high looks (KJV)

Daniel 7:8 & Daniel 7:20 were eyes [insight into human eyes] like the eyes of a man (NKJV) see notes below whose appearance was greater than his fellows (NKJV) looked more imposing than the others (NIV) whose look was more stout than his fellows (KJV) larger in appearance than its associates (NASB) had eyes [possesed insight into human eyes] (KJV) spake very great things (KJV) mouth uttering great boasts (NASB)
mouth which spoke pompous words (NKJV)

Daniel 8:23-25
fierce countenance (KJV); fierce features (NKJV); stern-faced king (NIV); a fierce king (NLT)

Revelation 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 & 20 described as "the beast" Greek: Therion (Strong's 2342) - a wild animal, wild beast, beast, brutal man,
bestial man, savage or ferocious Arabic: al-Wahash - the beast...he is a Syrian Arab

Revelation 13:18 (see tutorial below) Arabic gematria\numerology of his name

Tutorial Pending... His Names:

Isaiah 10:5-15, 13:1-22, 14:24-27, 30:27-33 & 31:4-9 The Assyrian, The King of Assyria, The King of Babylon\The Opressor (ancient Assyria & ancient Babylon)

Ezekiel 28:1-10 The Prince of Tyre\Tyrus (Tyre, Lebanon)

Daniel 7 & 8 The Little Horn (in Daniel's two visions)

Daniel 11 King of the North (Syria, north of Israel within ancient Assyria)

2 Thessalonians 2 The Man of Sin\Lawlessness (Torah-less), The Son of Perdition

1 John 2:18 The Antichrist

Revelation 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 & 20 The Beast

Joel 1The Lion Arabic: al-Asad - the lion

Micah 5
The Assyrian Fact Sheet:

Bashar Al-Asad, Basharu l-Assad, Bashir el-Asad, Bashar Al-Assad, Bassar Al-Asad.

SOURCES INCLUDE Wikipedia, Encyclopedia of the Orient, Answers.com, etc...

Born September 11th, 1965 in Damascus, Syria. Called by its Arabic name Dimashq ash-Shām (Ash-Shām) for NORTH, NORTHERN or "land to the north."

Often called "Guardian Hunter" in his military career, a name given to him after the Greek Orion who was "the archer" in the heavens. Nimrod was also called the "Mighty Hunter"of men and was a rebel against YHWH from Assyria.

Son of Hafez al-Asad, formerly Hafez al-Wahash (the beast), the "Sphinx of Damascus" and former President of Syria. A sphinx is a Cherub or Karab in Hebrew.

Alawite Muslim - highly secretive splinter sect of Shia Islam incorporating Christopagan, Islamic, Gnostic & Zoroastrian beliefs including but not limited to: Belief that in each world age special prophets like Jesus or Mohammed came to show the right path. Belief in metempsychosis, the soul ascends into the heavens via a series of transformations.

Raised primarily in Qardaha\Latakia, Syria (Laodicea, Syria)

Former Chairman of the Syrian Computer Society

Syrian & UK educated Ophthalmologist

Speaks Arabic, English & French
Not only are both the ram and the goat mentioned in the Tanakh as symbols of power, but Cumont has noted that different lands were assigned to the signs of the Zodiac according to astronomical geography. In this view, Persia is thought of as under the zodiacal sign of Aries, the "ram," and Greece as sharing with Syria, the principal territory of the Seleucid monarchy, the zodiacal sign of Capricorn, the "goat." The word Capricorn is derived from the Latin, caper, a goat and cornu, a horn.
John I 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
 
Here is an interesting web link I found with info that links America with Mystery Babylon in the book of Revelation. Mystery Babylon is the nation that according to biblical scripture Yahuwah Judges and destroys. If you think about it we have influenced the world greatly with our materialistic values. He are home to Sin City (Las Vegas) and Nevada even allows prostitution. Our government is corrupt and this list goes on and on. Mystery Babylon during the end times is the most powerful and wealthiest nation in the world. Its the seat of world trade. So either America is Mystery Babylon or something profound will happen to America that will cause us to loose our world status. If you believe in bible prophecy, either way it looks bad for the United States. I find it interesting because Revelation describes the great city of Mystery Babylon as a woman dressed in Purple and Scarlet with a golden cup in her hand. That image sounds like the Statue of Liberty. As a matter of fact the torch in Lady Liberty hands was actually suppose to be a golden cup and her robe was supposed to be painted purple and scarlet butto cut costs The designer of the statue of liberty left the paint off. This is a true story btw.