I don't like what I'm thinking.

One thing is certain about the Madrid terror attack -- it worked. The Spanish people responded in their general election as anticipated. Whoever was responsible succeeded in removing a pro-American government from power in Europe.

So, who was responsible? According to most reports, Islamic extremists were thought to be behind the bombings. And the evidence found, and arrests made, appear to support this view.

So, like I ask in a previous commentary, why am I thinking this way? Why am I thinking there may be something more going on here?

For one thing, there are groups other than Islamic extremists who will benefit from the removal of the Spanish pro-American government  -- such as certain anti-American elements seeking to gain power in the new, super European Union.

And in the book of Daniel we read about specific geo-political realities that will precede the reign of  the foretold Roman prince. We read:

After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts (Daniel 7:7-8 New American Standard Bible). 

Is this describing the EU beast? I think it may. The EU is becoming extremely strong. It is devouring much what's left of the first three empires. It is different than anything the world has seen before. Since 1995 it has 10 horns -- the 10 nation Western European Union. And in 1999 one person rose up among them.

Now, if the passage in Daniel is describing the EU, what should happen next? In the above verse it says three of the first 10 horns will be pulled out by their roots. And later, according to an angel, this means three kings will be subdued.

Here's our question: Is what happened in Spain the pulling of the first horn? And are the two other pro-American governments in the10-nation alliance -- Italy and Britain -- next? Is it one down, and two to go?

No, I don't like what I'm thinking.