One of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's most important political allies told Russian media it is time to "admit a Third World War is taking place in Syria, one which is led by the U.S. and its allies-even if these allies are simultaneously victims as well."

And while the startling comments seem extreme, pastor Carl Gallups, author of the new book "When The Lion Roars," and a student of Middle Eastern geopolitics, says he finds it hard to disagree with that analysis.

The declaration World War III is already underway came from Tarek Ahmad of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, one of the parties which forms part of the pro-Assad coalition in the shattered country.

The party's armed wing, "the Eagles of the Whirlwind," has lent support to the Assad regime in the ongoing civil war. Ahmad accused America of trying to secure "control of the world" and subduing any independent world power, including China and Russia.

The comments come at a time of sharply increased tension in Syria, as a newly brokered "ceasefire" has already collapsed after only a week. American diplomats also abruptly have increased their anti-Russian rhetoric in recent days, accusing Russia of supporting "barbarism" by backing Assad.

Meanwhile, Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, said peace is "almost an impossible task now" and alleged the United States is sending heavy weapons to Islamist rebel groups in Syria, including the al-Nusra Front, which was formerly aligned with al-Qaida.

The Syrian military also is claiming it has a record of the U.S. military communicating directly with ISIS during a bombing raid which killed dozens of Syrian Army personnel.

The Syrian government accused the United States of deliberately bombing Syrian soldiers and then halting the attack when ISIS forces advanced.

Gallups said the situation in Syria closely resembles that of the Spanish Civil War, which became a proxy war between the great powers which ultimately preceded the cataclysm of world war. Just as the Germany and Italy backed the Nationalists in Spain while the Soviet Union backed the Republicans, the Syrian conflict also sees great powers fighting each other through local allies.

In Syria, Iran and its ally, Russia, have been closely backing the Assad regime with military and financial aid. There have also been reports of Chinese military involvement on Assad's side.

Meanwhile, the American government and several Arab states continue to push for Assad's overthrow.

However, many of the weapons and equipment being sent to the so-called "moderate" rebels are actually supplying Islamic extremists, including the Islamic State itself. Thus, both the Russian-led alliance and the American-led bloc can accuse the other of being responsible for atrocities and war crimes.

 There have also been several close calls between Russian and American military forces, with Russian jets even "buzzing" U.S. Navy destroyers in a "simulated attack." A mistake by either side could easily lead to a fatal incident.

"The U.S. is on a collision course with Russia and China in the Middle East," observed WND founder Joseph Farah last year.

Gallups said both as a student of history and an expert in prophecy, the recent headlines about the situation in Syria send "cold chills down my spine." He argued the situation in Syria is critical to understanding eschatology.

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"The declarations of the Word of God are literally leaping off the pages of the Bible and landing directly in today's news announcements," he argued. "The frightening thing is that most of the world has no idea what it is seeing in regards to prophecy. Sadly, neither does most of today's church which is often consumed by watered down preaching, attracting big crowds and obtaining fancy facilities rather than preaching the truths of Scripture."

In "When the Lion Roars," Gallups describes what he calls the "prophetic linking between Syria, Russia, China, Iran and Turkey."

Gallups also noted the repeated warnings of an imminent world war from a huge variety of prominent world figures, including Pope Francis and even a Democratic Party congresswoman.

The pastor observed there are two biblical passages that appear to point directly to Syria, specifically to the utter destruction of the Syrian capital of Damascus as being a sign of the last days.

Isaiah 17:1-3 speaks of Damascus becoming a "heap of ruins," and Jeremiah 49:23-27 speaks of God setting "fire to the walls of Damascus."

Gallups believes both of these passages refer to future events, not prophecies that have already been fulfilled. And he argues with the active involvement of almost every great power in the current Syrian civil war, the destruction of Damascus and a global conflict that will eventually involve Israel seems not just plausible, but likely.

"Geopolitics has ebbs and flows, and so it is always dangerous to make certain predictions," said Gallups. "But few statesmen thought the local conflicts and grievances that preceded the two world wars were going to spiral out of control the way they did.

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"So it seems obvious to ask whether the time Jesus spoke of when he warned of 'wars and rumors of wars,' and 'nations rising against nations and kingdoms rising against kingdoms' has arrived. Was He referring to our historical generation? We are the only historical generation in history that could be called the 'generation of world wars.' Additionally, only our generation has seen the re-establishment of Israel. We see the Jewish state surrounded by enemies. And now, in the very locations where it was prophesied, we see every major global power on the brink of war in the Holy Land.

"Many world leaders, and ordinary people, seem to be possessed by a kind of angst that we are not far at all, short of a miraculous intervention, from a horrific conflict. And I have to count myself among them.

"Indeed, we are living in the most profoundly prophetic times since the first coming of Jesus Christ. Right now, the 'Lion of Prophecy' is roaring in Syria. But, does anyone hear its warning?"