According to an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal by Bernard Lewis, August 22nd of this year corresponds to the 27th of Rajab in the Islamic calendar. This is the date when many Muslims "commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhamman on the winged horse Buraq, first to 'the farthest mosque,' usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1). This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmedinejad [President of Iran] plans any such cataclysimic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possiblity in mind."

Lewis then records a revealing quotation from the late Ayatollah Khomeini taken from an 11th-grade Iranian textbook: "I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one another's hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours."