The Ram and the Goat - Daniel ch 8

The Ram had two horns, one longer than the other, though the longer one had sprouted later than the shorter one.

Could mean the two religions Judaism and Islam. Islam started at a much later date, yet seems perhaps to be more popular and is rising in popularity and gaining more attention around the world.
The Ram is a beast (a power or authority) and is butting westward, northward and southward. The principle areas of the two religions spread in these directions. Little of the two religions spread east.
Then along bound a male goat from the west, which jumped without touching the ground, i.e. it had no religious basis. The goat magnified itself exceedingly after hitting the ram and shattering the two horns and striking it to the ground.
The goat appears stronger. There is great emphasis on the ram and the religions, yet in terms of world economics and politics, we all are aware that the USA is by greater than all the countries combined of Islam and Judaism. America is set up its constitution based on christian principles, but that has largely been steamrollered over by successive generations who simply play lip service to those principles whilst in government. Another big horn not set up through religion, is the UN and its might and strength to provide needs for each country and stamp its authority in the name of peacekeeping.
The large horn is broken as the goat grows in strength. In its place four horns appear.
It is intriguing that there is currently a powerful group in the world. Not the G8 countries. No religion or religious groups but rather a geo-political group based on the cultures of the west. This group known as "The Quartet" consists of USA, UN, EU and Russia. It is this group which presides powerfully over every other nation and group on the earth today.
Out from one of the horns another, smaller horn grew, exceedingly great, towards the east and the Beautiful Land of Israel.
This horn came from small beginnings but quickly grew very popular and then magnified itself greater to trample down the very host of heaven and to be equal to God himself.
Out from "The Quartet" there streams a man who has had small, humble beginnings. A religious man by all accounts. He became the leader of his country and successfully became popular over the 10 years of his lead. Now, rising on the crest of that popularity, he has been assigned by "The Quartet" to be an envoy to the middle east regions, particularly, Israel and Palestine and other countries and interests with in the area in a bid to draw out a peace agreement which is acceptable and workable on all sides. He did it for Northern Ireland, surely he can do it for this region.
The man's name is Tony Blair. He came from humble beginnings, and now is a famous and proven world statesman.
It would be interesting to monitor his conduct within the confines of his position in negotiating for peace and a solution to the conflict and whether he has a belief in a greater ambition, to not only match the flair and power of the US president but to match the flair and power of God himself?
We know the antichrist will come from out of the church, will start humbly but gain enormous power and respect of the peoples of the earth and then before they are aware will make policy decisions which would have immediate and worldwide ramifications.
When people are claiming peace in the world there is actually the beginnings of great tribulation.