“Democracy Is Great–Or Maybe Not”

On February 15, MSNBC published an article discussing democracy in certain countries. The article was titled, “Democracy is great–or maybe not.” It continued:

“Democracy is a great idea. Or maybe not. The early returns are in on the Bush administration’s strategy of trying to democratize the Middle East and elsewhere. The news isn’t as the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would have hoped. All around the world, countries and peoples–Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinians, Venezuela, Bolivia–keep having elections and keep electing candidates committed to terrorism or virulent anti-Americanism. The victory of Hamas, a group listed on the State Department’s terrorist roster, in last month’s Palestinian balloting is only the most recent in a run of elections leading to bad outcomes. ‘Bad’ from the point of view of those opposed to terrorism and anti-Americanism; ‘good,’ of course, from the point of view of Hamas.

“On Wednesday, several members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee demanded that Rice explain whether her strategy is working in the interests of America. Are the elections making the world safe for democracy and for America?… While neither Rice nor any of the senators seemed to come away from Wednesday’s sparring session fully satisfied or clearly victorious, the hearings showed that the committee is growing even more weary and wary of the Rice-Bush democracy crusade.

“Implied in some of the senators’ questions was this idea: The logical outcome of that crusade might be a geo-strategic situation in which the people of the world, if free to elect who they want, choose anti-American leaders, and the United States — beset by antagonists — will be worse off than it was in the old days of authoritarian governments. But Rice seemed undaunted in her enthusiasm for democracy as a subversive force against dangerous regimes: she used the opening comments of her testimony to request $75 million in funds to support democratic groups in Iran, groups which presumably would lead to the peaceful overthrow of the mullahs in Tehran.”

The Bible predicts that anti-Americanism–as well as anti-British feelings–will increase worldwide. The Bible also tells us the reasons for this development. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

No More Marriages in Canada?

According to a report published by LifesiteNews.com on February 7, “Prominent American conservative commentator Stanley Kurtz has uncovered a chilling plot for Canada–the former Liberal government, in collusion with liberal courts, has been attempting to ‘abolish marriage’ entirely. The first obvious reality is that the past Liberal governments, with the courts, have already caused critical damage to marriage–the advent of so-called same-sex marriage is a major step towards abolishing marriage. A next step will be legalization of polygamy, as the Liberals have already considered…

“As Kurtz describes, ‘Legalize gay marriage, followed by multi-partner marriage, and pretty soon the whole idea of marriage will be meaningless. It’s like this,’ he adds. ‘The way to abolish marriage, without seeming to abolish it, is to redefine the institution out of existence. If everything can be marriage, pretty soon nothing will be marriage.’ Kurtz explains that the introduction of polygamy, arguably because that would appeal to Muslims in our multicultural society, would lead to ‘the creation of a modern, secular, “non-patriarchal” relationship system that would allow for marriage-like unions in any combination of number or gender.'”

Laura Bush and the Pope

On February 9, 2006, Zenit published the following report about Laura Bush’s comments following her visit with the Pope:

“I just was very, very privileged to have the chance to meet His Holy Father, the new Pope, Pope Benedict… it was a huge privilege to have the chance to meet him and to bring the very best wishes of the people of the United States and of the president, of course, to him… we talked about religion, and we talked about the separation of church and state and religion… I talked about how many, many people in the United States are religious… He gave me a beautiful rosary, and I gave him a silver bowl from the president and me.”

The Bible predicts that the Catholic Church will become the most influential religion in the world–including in countries which are presently non-Catholic. The meeting between the Pope and Laura Bush, and her evaluation of this meeting, is therefore very interesting and telling. We need to note, however, that the growing influence of the Catholic religion will not foster true understanding of the truth of the Bible.

All-Time High US Trade Deficit

ABC News reported on February 10 that the “Commerce Department Reports U.S. Trade Deficit [or Trade Gap] Soars to All-Time High of $725.8 Billion in 2005.”

The article continued: “The chief culprit in pushing the deficit up last year was record global oil prices and increased U.S. demand because of a loss of Gulf Coast production following Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. foreign oil bill soared to a record $251.6 billion, up 39.4 percent from 2004… Analysts predicted that the 2006 trade gap will be even worse, with Global Insight forecasting it could hit $810 billion, reflecting lagging economic growth overseas that could hold back U.S. exports… Economists worry that if foreigners suddenly decide they want to hold fewer U.S. assets, they could send the value of the dollar, stocks and bonds all plunging… critics contend the trade deficits have contributed to the loss of nearly 3 million manufacturing jobs since mid-2000 as U.S. companies moved production overseas to lower-waged nations. Many economists believe those manufacturing jobs will never come back.”

The Daily Mail added on February 11:

“The US racked up its biggest ever trade deficit last year, leading to renewed fears that the world economy could be hit by a slump in the dollar… The dollar slide against the Euro and the Yen immediately after the numbers were released, on fears the US will struggle to finance its appetite for foreign goods… The deficit has tripled since President George W Bush took office, making it a major political headache… The possibility of a major slump in the dollar is one of the nightmare scenarios for global political leaders, because it could force a big boost in US interest rates and make it far harder for Americans to continue their debt-fuelled spending binge.”

USA Prepared to Strike Against Iran?

The Telegraph reported on February 12:

“Strategists at the Pentagon are drawing up plans for devastating bombing raids backed by submarine-launched ballistic missile attacks against Iran’s nuclear sites as a ‘last resort’ to block Teheran’s efforts to develop an atomic bomb… The prospect of military action could put Washington at odds with Britain which fears that an attack would spark violence across the Middle East, reprisals in the West and may not cripple Teheran’s nuclear programme.”

On February 11, WorldNetDaily had reported that “Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today echoed his earlier threats to ‘wipe Israel off the map’ by telling a mass demonstration in Tehran, commemorating the 27th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, that Palestinians and ‘other nations’ will remove Israel from the region, adding a warning to the West that harsh measures against the nation’s nuclear program would result in Iran walking away from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.”

The Bird Flu in Europe

The Independent reported on February 12:

“Scientists have confirmed that wild swans in Italy, Greece and Bulgaria have tested positive for the deadly strain of bird flu. More than 20 swans in the three countries have died from the H5N1 strain which experts say was probably brought by cold weather in the Balkans… H5N1 has killed birds in 20 countries and infected at least 166 people, killing 88 of them. The ‘majority’ of the 17 dead swans found in southern Italy tested positive for the lethal strain and all three swans found in northern Greece were killed by it.”

On February 14, Reuters added:

“Three more countries said on Tuesday they had detected cases of deadly bird flu in wild swans, with Germany, Iran and Austria the latest to find the virus that has killed 91 people worldwide… Germany said it would bring forward to February 17 a ban on keeping poultry outdoors, and Italy said police had impounded more than 80,000 chickens and 7,000 eggs from farms in the south that were not respecting health norms… Across Europe and into Africa, countries have reported sharp drops in poultry sales as the number of outbreaks grows… The virus could soon spread further into Europe as migrating birds return after wintering in Africa, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization… said.”

AFP stated on February 14:

“The French food safety agency AFSSA warned of a heightened risk of the deadly bird flu virus reaching the country, and called for poultry to be kept indoors wherever possible… France is Europe’s biggest poultry producer, with free-range birds accounting for 17 percent of its production — as well as western Europe’s main crossroads for migratory birds, potential carriers of the virus. According to a member of the AFSSA expert panel [Jean Hars], it is only a matter of time before bird flu arrives in France… ‘All migratory species either fly over or stop in France,’ he added, warning that the deadly virus could be carried by pigeons, sparrows or birds of prey as well as by geese and ducks.”

Major Storm in the USA

The Associated Press reported on February 12:

“A major storm slammed the mid-Atlantic and Northeast states on Sunday with nearly 2 feet of windblown snow, nearing record levels as it blacked out thousands of customers and shut down air travel from Washington to Boston. Wind gusting as high as 60 mph blew the snow sideways and threatened coastal flooding in New England… By late morning, 22.8 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park [in New York], the city’s second heaviest snowfall on record, surpassed only by the 26.4 inches that fell in December 1947… More than 80,000 customers were without power in Maryland… More than 60,000 customers were blacked out in northern Virginia, some 15,000 homes and businesses had no power in New Jersey… Most airlines canceled all flights at LaGuardia Airport, some of them until Monday… Hundreds of flights were canceled at Kennedy and Newark airports.”

Katrina Response a “National Failure”

AFP reported on February 13:

“The US administration led a ‘national failure’ in its response to Hurricane Katrina, while millions of dollars were lost to fraud after the disaster, Congress charges in an upcoming report. Emergency planners failed to act on warnings before Katrina laid waste to New Orleans and the surrounding region last August. They then failed to give speedy help, House of Representative lawmakers assert in excerpts of a damning report to be released in full on Wednesday. President George W. Bush’s administration also faces scathing criticism from a Congress watchdog which says millions of dollars in Katrina aid were given to people who provided false identities and addresses… [The report says:] ‘At every level — individual, corporate, philanthropic and governmental — we failed to meet the challenge that was Katrina.'”

Collaboration With China to Censor the Internet

BBC News reported on February 10 that “The internet giant Yahoo has been accused of providing China with information that led to the jailing of a second internet writer. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders claims that Yahoo released data which led to the arrest of Li Zhi. The online writer was jailed for eight years in 2003, after posting comments that criticised official corruption. Last year Yahoo was accused of giving information to Beijing which led to the imprisonment of reporter Shi Tao… Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako insisted that in its dealings with China, the company ‘only responded with what we were legally compelled to provide, and nothing more’… But she added that: ‘The government of China is not required to inform service providers why they are seeking certain information, and typically does not do so.'”

The article continued: “The Chinese government enforces strict laws on internet use, blocking content it considers a threat, including references to the Tiananmen Square massacre and notable dissidents… Four major US-based companies–Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and Cisco–have been accused of collaborating with China to censor the internet…  US lawmakers are due to meet later this month to discuss the ethical responsibilities of US-based internet companies doing business in China.”

The Associated Press reported on February 14:

“Google Inc. and other U.S. Internet companies under fire for assisting in China’s censorship efforts are insisting they must obey Beijing or risk limiting access to their most promising market… China encourages Internet use for education and business, but the government also runs what is widely regarded as the world’s most sweeping and successful effort to control the Internet. Thousands are believed involved in efforts to scan the Web and impose filters that block access to material deemed subversive or obscene. Companies that host Web logs are required to ensure their customers obey censorship rules.”

Reuters added on February 14: “Google Inc.’s Chinese search engine, for example, blocks many terms associated with topics related to democracy or independence for Tibet, part of China, and Taiwan, a self-ruled island which China considers its own.”

Atheist Lost Court Case in Italy

BBC News reported on February 10:

“An atheist who sued a small-town priest for saying that Jesus Christ existed has had his case thrown out of court. The judge said Luigi Cascioli should himself face charges for slandering Father Enrico Righi. Mr Cascioli sued Father Righi in 2002 after the priest attacked him in print for casting doubt on the legitimacy of the Christian gospels… He brought his case under Italian laws that forbid conning the public. He said he was now considering taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights… The priest countered that millions around the world had long believed in the evidence that appeared in the Gospels as well as thousands of other religious and secular writings.”

Berlusconi’s Outrageous Remarks

Reuters reported on February 12 about some outrageous comments by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: “‘I am the Jesus Christ of politics,’ Italian media quoted him as saying at a dinner with supporters on Saturday night. ‘I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone.’… Pierferdinando Casini, a sometimes uneasy Berlusconi ally and outgoing speaker of parliament, distanced himself. ‘I live on Earth. I don’t want to mix foolish things with serious things,’ the Ansa news agency quoted him as saying when asked about Berlusconi’s Christ comments. On Friday, Berlusconi compared himself to Napoleon, saying only the French emperor had done more for his country.”

British Army under Fire

The Times reported on February 13 that “Islamic leaders demanded last night the swift prosecution of British soldiers caught on video beating Iraqi youths, as the scandal provoked further fury among Muslims… Tony Blair promised that the allegations would be investigated ‘very fully indeed’ but said that the overwhelming majority of British forces behaved properly and deserved public support… Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said that the images posed a danger to 8,000 British troops already in Iraq and the 3,000 pledged for Afghanistan… Anas Altikriti, former president of the Muslim Association of Britain and an Iraqi, said that he had heard of many similar attacks.”

The Double Standard of the Islamic Press

Der Spiegel Online reported on  February 10, 2006, “Even as the Muslim world protests against the Muhammad caricatures printed in the West, a number of Arab newspapers publish virulently anti-Semitic cartoons. But nobody’s paying much attention. After all, Jew baiting in the Arab world has become the norm.”

The article continued:

“A quick glance at the Anti-Defamation League’s Arab Media Review from July to December 2005 illustrates the point. A cartoon depicting the Jewish Star of David superimposed onto a swastika appeared in the Saudi Arabian paper Al-Yawm in late November. A December cartoon in Al-Bayan, a paper from United Arab Emirates, shows a grinning Jew playing with a globe-shaped yo-yo. [Other cartoons portray the] popular anti-Semitic stereotype that Jews control the United States, the United Nations, Denmark, Europe and the world. And that’s before the Muhammad caricature scandal cranked up the volume of Muslim indignation. Since the beginning of February, there has been a tendency to conflate the appearance of the Muhammad caricatures in the Western media with Jewish perfidy. For example: a cartoon from Bahrain calling for a boycott against Danish products showed a Danish flag emblazoned with a Star of David sticking out of a chunk of havarti cheese. The cartoon’s title? ‘The Penetration of Zionism to Denmark.’…

“Even as the Muslim world continues its calls for mass protests and boycotts of Danish products, Jew-bashing continues unabated in the Islamic press. Indeed, in perhaps the most insulting bit of cartoon combativeness, the Iranian paper Hamshahri at the beginning of the week launched a contest to find the 12 ‘best’ Holocaust cartoons — ostensibly to test Europe’s commitment to freedom of speech by challenging editors here to republish them just as they did the Muhammad caricatures… But that’s a fine line to walk. Israel is a favorite target of the Arab media and many in the region see the Jewish state as a thorn in the side of the Middle East. There is no shortage of cartoons depicting incapacitated Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with blood on his hands as he gleefully slaughters Palestinian…

“A November cartoon in the major Egyptian daily al-Ahram — a paper which officially ‘does not commission or support anti-Semitic material in our newspaper’ according to a spokeswoman for the English version — provides a concise illustration. It depicts the United Nations, in human form, hunched under the crushing weight of a number of UN resolutions passed against various Middle Eastern countries. On top of the pile sits a Jew wearing a Star of David hat holding a bloody axe. Although the Jew is unobtrusively labelled ‘Sharon,’ it is clearly meant to indicate Jewish domination of the UN and by extension — especially given the globe-shaped head of the UN figure — the world.”

Mixed Rules for Free Speech in Europe

The Christian Science Monitor reported on February 8:

“The violence over cartoons satirizing the prophet Muhammad has highlighted often inconsistent rules in Europe governing free speech, tolerance, and the boundaries of public expression. Muslims in particular charge that hate-speech laws are implemented unfairly. Many countries, they say, do not abide anti-Semitic outbursts, but will tolerate cartoons that to many Muslims are deeply offensive… 

“Roger Koeppel, editor in chief at German newspaper Die Welt, which published the cartoons last week, says that European societies have a right to make their own choices. ‘Every society has the right to have taboos, the things they don’t talk about,’ he says. Mr. Koeppel says the cartoons were not published to annoy but to question a growing tendency for press self-censorship in delicate matters. At times, he says, it may appear there is a double standard. ‘Evenhandedness cannot be a goal,’ he says. ‘It has to be clear that the majority culture rules and the minority culture has to accept the rules. If the rules are not acceptable, no one is forced to live there.’… Europe is generally warier of free speech than is the US, with its First Amendment. Laws against inciting hatred and violence have sprung up in countries such as France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, resulting in criminal cases, convictions, and, in the case of foreigners, expulsions.”

More Violence in the Isamic World

The Associated Press reported on February 15 about the ongoing and still growing spirit of violence in Muslim countries: “Gunfire and rioting erupted Wednesday as more than 70,000 people joined Pakistan’s biggest protest yet against Prophet Muhammad cartoons, burning movie theaters, a KFC restaurant and a South Korean- run bus station. Three people died and dozens were injured in two cities, police and witnesses said. The massive crowd went on a rampage in the northwestern city of Peshawar, torching businesses and fighting police, who struck back with tear gas and batons. It was the third straight day of violent demonstrations in the Islamic nation… Intelligence officials say members of outlawed Islamic militant groups have joined the protests, and may be inciting violence to undermine the pro-Western government of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf… Police also battled protesters in the northwestern town of Tank, where 2,000 people rallied and set fire to 30 shops selling CDs, DVDs and videos, said police officer Attiq Wazir. One policeman was reportedly injured when a protester opened fire to resist arrest. Suspected militants have previously warned music shops in the town to close–saying music and videos are against Islam.”

The article continued:

“Elsewhere in Asia, hundreds of protesters from the small Muslim minority ripped apart and burned Danish flags in a rally at the Danish honorary consulate in Manila, the Philippines capital. In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the government ordered Guang Ming, the country’s third largest Chinese-language newspaper, to halt publication of its evening edition for two weeks as punishment for printing a photograph in which the cartoons were visible. And in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia’s importers association said it was boycotting Danish goods to protest the publication of the cartoons in Denmark.”

Evolution Sunday vs. God

The Chicago Tribune reported on February 12 about “Evolution Sunday.” If that wasn’t bad enough, the article continued to point out that “Evolution Sunday” was celebrated by nearly 450 “Christian” churches. The article explained this incredible event, as follows:

“Nearly 450 Christian churches around the country [USA] plan to celebrate the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin today with programs and sermons intended to emphasize that his theory of biological evolution is compatible with faith and that Christians have no need to choose between religion and science… Darwin’s theory holds that all life on Earth, including humans, shares common ancestry and developed over millions of years through the mechanisms of natural selection and random mutation. The concept is repugnant to many conservative Christians because it conflicts with their belief that man was specially created in the image of God.

“‘Evolution Sunday’ has drawn participation from a variety of denominational and non-denominational churches, including Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, United Church of Christ, Baptist and a host of community churches.”

Let us be perfectly clear: A true Christian believes in the Bible. The Bible condemns the theory of evolution. One CANNOT believe in Evolution and the Bible at the same time. In addition, science does NOT prove the accuracy of Darwin’s evolution theory–just the OPPOSITE is true! For more information, please read our free booklet, “Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults?”

Violent Demonstrations in the Arab World

As The Associated Press reported on February 4, “Thousands of Syrians enraged by caricatures of Islam’s revered prophet torched the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus on Saturday–the most violent in days of furious protests by Muslims in Asia, Europe and the Middle East… In Gaza, Palestinians marched through the streets, storming European buildings and burning German and Danish flags. Protesters smashed the windows of the German cultural center and threw stones at the European Commission building, police said.”

The article tried to explain that “at the heart of the protests” were “12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad first published in Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten in September and reprinted in European media in the past week. One depicted the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse.” The article continued that “The drawings have touched a raw nerve in part because Islamic law is interpreted to forbid any depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.”

However, this is only seemingly a correct assessment of the situation. In reality, the facts are much more complicated–or much simpler, depending on one’s viewpoint.

As Luxembourg’s RTL reporter and Islam expert, Antonia Rados, explained in an interview with Bild Online, dated February 4, the demonstrations are instigated by a radical Muslim minority of extreme fundamentalists. “For them, Islam is not a religion but a political ideology. They bitterly hate all Western values, such as equality of men and women, separation of church and state and the freedom of the press.” The cartoons were published as early as September, but, as Antonia Rados explained, the radical elements have waited for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, to create hostility against the West amongst the pilgrims.

On February 3, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published the following editorial by Best-selling author and Muslim dissident Ibn Warraq:

“The cartoons in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten raise the most important question of our times: freedom of expression. Are we in the West going to cave into pressure from societies with a medieval mindset, or are we going to defend our most precious freedom — freedom of expression, a freedom for which thousands of people sacrificed their lives? A democracy cannot survive long without freedom of expression, the freedom to argue, to dissent, even to insult and offend. It is a freedom sorely lacking in the Islamic world, and without it Islam will remain unassailed in its dogmatic, fanatical, medieval fortress; ossified, totalitarian and intolerant. Without this fundamental freedom, Islam will continue to stifle thought, human rights, individuality; originality and truth. Unless we show some solidarity, unashamed, noisy, public solidarity with the Danish cartoonists, then the forces that are trying to impose on the Free West a totalitarian ideology will have won; the Islamization of Europe will have begun in earnest. Do not apologize.”

On February 6, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published another article, discussing the violent demonstrations in the Arab World against Europe and the USA, and even the Catholic Church–even though the USA and the Vatican condemned the cartoons. The magazine stated:

“In an essay appearing in the right-leaning Die Welt, [Tariq] Ramadan, [Islam expert and professor at St. Anthony’s College in Oxford] says what we are witnessing is very definitely not a ‘clash of civilizations’ nor is it a ‘confrontation between enlightenment principles and religion.’ Rather, radicals on both sides are defining the debate, Ramadan argues. ‘The majority of the people around the globe are watching the excesses (on both sides) in disbelief, wondering what is wrong with this world?”

The magazine, Der Spiegel Online, somewhat disagreed, pointing out: “Islam… was not always the mercurial, intolerant religion it has become today… Today, the Muslim world has a gigantic, insolvable problem: After centuries in a leading role, the religion is now intellectually moribund… Among many Muslims, this has led to resentment towards the West and a resulting chip on the shoulder. And there is nothing left of the tolerance preached in the Koran. There is no religion at present that is as intolerant as Islam…”

In quoting from another German paper, Der Spiegel Online stated: “Over at the center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung, the editors seem to have tossed up their hands and are preparing for the end of the world… [With] the West joining together to confront the danger presented by radical Islam, the fronts are hardening. The paper urges calm, but doesn’t seem to have much faith that such appeals will be heeded.”

UPI reported on February 7, 2006, that “A Moscow museum has announced it will exhibit the entire series of cartoons of Mohammed that have caused riots throughout the Islamic world… ‘We must show the whole world that Russia goes along with Europe, that the freedom of expression is much more important for us than the dogmas of religious fanatics,’ Samodurov said. [Yury Samodurov is the director of the Sakharov Museum and Public Center in Moscow.] The exhibition reportedly will open in March. Lawyer Yury Shmidt has said he will invite French philosopher Andre Glucksmann and French novelist Michel Houellebecq to the opening ceremony to read lectures about the threat of Islamic fundamentalism.”

On February 6, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Dutch politician forced to go into hiding after the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh [who was murdered by Islamists]. Ali responded to the Danish cartoon scandal, as follows:

“There is no freedom of speech in those Arab countries where the demonstrations and public outrage are being staged. The reason many people flee to Europe from these places is precisely because they have criticized religion, the political establishment and society. Totalitarian Islamic regimes are in a deep crisis. Not a day passes, in Europe and elsewhere, when radical imams aren’t preaching hatred in their mosques. They call Jews and Christians inferior, and we say they’re just exercising their freedom of speech. When will the Europeans realize that the Islamists don’t allow their critics the same right? After the West prostrates itself, they’ll be more than happy to say that Allah has made the infidels spineless… We could see the same thing happening that has happened in the Netherlands, where writers, journalists and artists have felt intimidated ever since the van Gogh murder. Everyone is afraid to criticize Islam… How can you address problems if you’re not even allowed to clearly define them? Like the fact that Muslim women at home are kept locked up, are raped and are married off against their will — and that in a country in which our far too passive intellectuals are so proud of their freedom!… [In Holland] we’re finally turning our attention to young girls who are sent against their wills from Morocco to Holland as brides, and adopting legislation to make this practice more difficult.”

Regarding Iran’s reactions and threats, Der Spiegel Online published the following piece on February 8:

“Iran has upped the ante in the cartoon culture wars by cutting off trade ties with Denmark and threatening to do the same to other European countries… A major Iranian newspaper even says it will hold a contest for the best anti-Jewish Holocaust cartoons in a totally unrelated tit-for-tat escalation of the dispute… Most German papers on Wednesday agree that the current situation is becoming increasingly dangerous and that Ahmadinejad is using the crisis to gain political capital in Muslim countries. The general consensus is that he hopes to create support for Tehran in the international dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. These days, Ahmadinejad has few friends even in his backyard, but the brouhaha over the Muhammad cartoons… could fuel enough anti-western sentiment for other regional powers to join Tehran’s team.”

On February 9, 2006, The Associated Press published another piece of information, which provided a str
ong indication who is actually behind the violent demonstrations in the Arab world. The article stated:

“Police killed four people Wednesday as Afghans enraged over drawings of the Prophet Muhammad marched on a U.S. military base in a volatile southern province, directing their anger not against Europe but America… In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Iran and Syria of instigating protests in their countries… The United States and other countries were looking into whether extremist groups may be inciting protesters to riot, said Yonts, the U.S. spokesman in Afghanistan… Zahor Afghan, editor for Erada, Afghanistan’s most respected newspaper, said the riots in his country have surprised him. ‘No media in Afghanistan has published or broadcast pictures of these cartoons. The radio has been reporting on it, but there are definitely people using this to incite violence against the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan,’ he said. Afghans who rioted Wednesday said they heard about the cartoons on the radio but none questioned had seen printed versions.”

In light of these reports, there can be little doubt that extremist fanatics, including certain anti-Western Arab governments, are instigating and supporting these violent demonstrations against Western values. Be sure to listen to our newest StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and the Middle East.” In the program, Norbert Link discusses the current violent demonstrations in the Arab world and shows from the Bible how EUROPE will ultimately deal with the situation.

Bush Budget Plan a Headache

The Associated Press reported on February 6, 2006, about President Bush’s budget plan for the next year, as follows: “Bush’s $2.77 trillion blueprint forecasts a record $423 billion deficit for the current year and improves upon that figure in 2007 largely by lowballing cost estimates for the war in Iraq… His proposal projects $70 billion in new funds to execute the war in Iraq through the end of September… At the same time, Bush proposes to kill or dramatically slash 141 programs for savings of almost $15 billion. Congress is likely to reject many of the cuts, such as a proposal to kill the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food aid to the very poor… [Republican] Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania… said proposals for [cuts in] education and health spending were ‘scandalous.’…

“With the increases for the Pentagon, this year’s Iraq and Afghanistan war costs, and new tax cuts for health care, the budget shows that deficits over the five years ending in 2011 would total nearly $1.2 trillion. Democrats charged that the real picture is worse and that Bush was understating future deficits by leaving out major items such as the long-term costs of the Iraq war.”

The article continued:

“For mandatory programs providing fixed benefits such as Medicare, farm subsidies and Medicaid and whose spending rises each year as if on autopilot, Bush is proposing $65 billion in savings over the next five years, much of it from the rapidly growing Medicare program for the elderly. The proposal would reduce spending on Medicare over the next five years by $36 billion, or less than 2 percent. Most of the reductions would come from smaller inflation adjustments for hospitals, nursing homes, home health care providers and hospices. Higher-income seniors would see increased premiums… ‘Hospitals already are stretching scarce resources to respond to the daily challenges of providing care to all who come through our doors,’ said Dick Davidson, president of the American Hospital Association. ‘Cuts to these resources will have a negative impact on the availability of care for the patients and communities we serve.'”

In light of these grim pictures, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Domestic Spying–Legal Or Not?

As AFP reported on February 6, “US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales insisted that listening in on Americans’ phone and email conversations without a warrant was a necessary part of the US ‘war on terror’. Gonzales defended a secret government program, which has provoked a storm of opposition, in testimony to skeptical lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee. President George W. Bush authorized the domestic eavesdropping without the usual court warrants after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Gonzales asserted that the ingenuity and determination of Al-Qaeda to launch new strikes against the United States made it necessary to devise equally creative means to combat terrorism.”

The article continued:

“Senator Arlen Specter, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said that Congress was well aware of the risks posed by terrorism, but that efforts to combat it must remain within established law. Specter said he was skeptical of the administration assertion that the president, as commander-in-chief of the military, has the authority to use whatever means he deems necessary to combat terror. He noted that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allows the government to conduct eavesdropping without a court warrant during a period of 72 hours, after which it must seek a warrant from a special FISA court. ‘The president of the United States has the fundamental responsibility to protect the country, but even … the president does not have a blank check,’ he said.”

In a related article, UPI reported on February 6:

“Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says President George W. Bush’s warrantless surveillance program appears to be illegal. Appearing on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ Specter called the administration’s legal reasoning ‘strained and unrealistic’ and said the program appears to be ‘in flat violation’ of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.”

America Has Enough To Do…

On February 7, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with U.S. Gen. James Jones, who is “the top NATO commander in Europe and leader of all United States forces in Europe.”  The following exchange was quite interesting:

“SPIEGEL: The US is not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but in many other places as well. Worldwide about 350,000 US soldiers are deployed right now. Has America still got the capacity to fight another war if necessary — for instance if Iran became a serious crisis? And how long could the only superpower sustain another conflict?

“Jones: That is a hypothetical question. The US is a big country with many resources and if it chooses to undertake certain things it usually finds a way to do it. But I’m not predicting another conflict. I think we have got enough on our hands right now.”

Afghanistan Five Years Later

On February 2, 2006, topix.net republished an article, which was first published by opednews.com. The following interesting and unflattering status report of a failed experiment was given:

“Afghanistan has been a policy disaster from the get-go. The country is ravaged by war and unemployment, security beyond the capital of Kabul is virtually nonexistent, and malnutrition rates are higher among children anywhere, other than sub-Saharan Africa… Afghanistan excels in one thing alone; the production and export of opium, a booming business which now provides 90% of the world’s heroin… ‘The new Afghan government promised us new schools, clinics, water pumps, but it has done nothing at all. People are so disappointed. At least the Taliban would grade the roads, build madras’s, while this government has done nothing,’ said Nyamatullah, Zabul tribal leader… The western media has done an impressive job in convincing the American people that progress is being made in Afghanistan when, in fact, the country continues to languish in destitution and chaos… The majority of the new Afghan Parliament is comprised of warlords and ex-Taliban fighters… This has… ensured that the countryside has remained under the control of the regional warlords…

“There’s been no ‘transformation’ of Afghanistan. As the New York Times reports, ‘Afghanistan does not have a viable economy. Its government is largely reliant on foreign aid (while) it struggles with an insurgency’….. ‘The country of 25 million people has some of the worst economic and health indicators in the world. 6 million people rely on food aid, 80% of the people are illiterate, and there is virtually no industry.’

“In the last year the resurgent Taliban have increased their attacks, further destabilizing areas in the south and prompting President Karzai to publicly announce that he would provide amnesty for Taliban chieftain Mullah Omar… The corporate media has done the American people a grave disservice by characterizing this drug-dependent settlement as a burgeoning democracy. Nothing could be further from the truth… Like Iraq, American troops have become the impetus for hostilities; the focus of blame for the country’s grim predicament.”

The article concluded with the following remarks of timeless validity:

“Afghanistan illustrates the shortcomings of a foreign policy that depends entirely on war to achieve its objectives. Neither peace nor security can be achieved under occupation.”

For more information on the futility of war, please read our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?”

Hamas in Power

The Palestinian elections have made one thing very clear: The “democratic process of free elections” in that part of the world has backfired on the USA and Europe and has produced an outcome least desired by the Western World. It has ended any peace talks and might have pushed Israel into the position of having to act unilaterally. The somewhat sugar-coated comments by some Western leaders cannot hide the fact that the outcome of the Palestinian elections is a disaster for the Western World. One is reminded of Dr. Frankenstein who created a monster which turned against his “creator.”

On January 27, 2006, Reuters reported:

“U.S. President George W. Bush has urged the Arab world to embrace democracy, even though free elections might well empower Islamists fiercely opposed to Washington’s policies in the region, including its support for pro-Western Arab governments. Islamist parties have sometimes done well at the polls in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Algeria, but only in Iraq have they taken power — and there only after a U.S.-led invasion toppled the Sunni-dominated rule of Saddam Hussein and organized elections won by factions representing the Shi’ite majority.”

Der Spiegel Online added on the same day:

“The Hamas landslide in Palestinian elections has stunned Israelis, but it may also have brought them a rare moment of clarity: with peace talks off the table, Israel will most likely pursue unilateral actions, drawing its own borders and separating itself from the Palestinians… Israel–whose own elections in two months could be heavily influenced by the Palestinian results–was likely to focus on speeding up construction of the separation barrier, which runs along and through parts of the West Bank.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online stated:

“Amidst fears for the future of the Middle East peace process, the foreign ministers of the United States, European Union, Russia and the General Secretary of the United Nations are trying to remain as optimistic as possible about an election result in the Palestinian Authority that most are judging as dismal… In Europe, political leaders are waiting for signals from Hamas about how it will lead the Palestinian Authority… The EU’s Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said the EU will work with any Palestinian government which commits itself to peaceful methods. Britain’s Tony Blair perceives a fork in the road at which Hamas must ‘decide between a path of democracy or a path of violence.’ German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his country could conceivably work with Hamas, but only under the stipulation that it ‘renounce violence and recognize the right of Israel’s existence.’

“In Berlin, Gerd Weisskirchen, the foreign policy spokesman for the Social Democrats, the junior partner in the coalition government, has threatened to let the Palestinian Authority’s ‘financial springs dry up’ by cutting off EU funding for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Eckart von Klaeden, his colleague in the conservative Christian Democrats concurred, threatening sanctions if Hamas does not show its willingness to play a ‘constructive role,’ beginning with recognition of Israel’s right to exist and the renunciation of militant force…

“Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung is more hopeful that a constructive solution is still possible… Austria’s Standard is not so easily consoled. ‘The election victory of Hamas is a shocking event, a giant step back, and at the same time the result of 20 years of a mismanaged conflict in the Mideast,’ it writes. The paper concludes that the Hamas victory has many fathers. ‘Especially the Palestinian Authority under Arafat, which was both corrupt and lenient towards terror,’ the paper writes. ‘Then the European Commission which pumped money into Gaza and Ramallah without securing the principles of “good governance.” And finally Israeli governments, which already during the first intifada in the eighties repeatedly supported the Islamists in order to weaken the PLO.’

“In Germany, Munich’s Süddeutsche Zeitung sees the results as part of a broader trend of Islamization in the Middle East… In its editorial, the leftist Die Tageszeitung expresses the belief that success will temper the extremists in Islamist Hamas movement… The paper also prints an interview with Israel’s ex-ambassador to Germany, Avi Primor, in which Primor affirms this view of a very protean Hamas. He believes that the Hamas like the PLO may give up its fundamental opposition to the state of Israel. ‘It is possible, not because they will suddenly love us, but because they will now have different goals and other needs and requirements.'”

On January 30, Der Spiegel Online published this additional report:

“Following her visit to Israel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel travels to the West Bank on Monday to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The German press explores the implications of her decision not to meet the Islamists from Hamas despite their resounding election victory last week… On Sunday, Merkel made clear that unless the Islamists back down from their hard-liner positions, it was ‘unimaginable’ that the Palestinian Authority would continue to be directly funded with EU money. ‘We’ll have to see what the reaction is,’ she said after meeting interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. ‘It’s important that Hamas understands that we have clear principles.’ Merkel set three conditions for European cooperation with Hamas: The group must recognize Israel’s right to exist, it must renounce violence, and the extremists must also accept the steps that the peace process has already achieved. That, of course, is a tall order for Hamas — and it’s likely unfillable in the immediate future.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online reported on January 29 that “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Sunday that the United States had failed to understand the depth of hostility among Palestinians toward their longtime leaders. The hostility led to an election victory by the militant group Hamas that has reduced to tatters crucial assumptions underlying American policies and hopes in the Middle East… Indeed, Hamas’s victory has set off a debate whether the administration was so wedded to its belief in democracy that it could not see the dangers of holding elections in regions where Islamist groups were strong and democratic institutions weak… ‘There is a huge transition going on in the Middle East, as a whole and in its parts,’ [Rice] said. ‘The outcomes that we’re seeing in any number of places, I will be the first to say, have a sense of unpredictability about them.'”

What will Hamas do? Will they accept the European and American demands? What will Europe and the USA do if Hamas does not agree to their demands? Will they stick to their guns, or will they buckle? What will Israel do if they find themselves–again–isolated and unprotected? What will the rest of the Arab World do? Not surprisingly, Iran’s President welcomed the outcome of the Palestinian elections. Will he get involved actively in this current crisis? It is critical that we watch the further developments in this explosive part of the world, which could affect all of us.

Iran and Plutonium

WorldNetDaily reported on January 29: “While the U.S. and E.U. nations are scrambling to convince Iran to abandon its program of uranium enrichment and debating bringing the Islamic Republic before the U.N. Security Council, Tehran may be in the process of directly purchasing the plutonium it needs to make a bomb from North Korea, intelligence sources say… For the first time since the nuclear crisis began in 1994, reports the London Times, North Korea has sufficient fissile material to sell some to its ally while retaining enough for its own purposes… While constructing a weapon from plutonium is more complicated, only 15 to 20 pounds of the material is needed to make each nuclear bomb–a relatively small amount of material to transport between the two countries.”

Russia and Its Missiles

The Associated Press reported on January 31 that “Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted on Tuesday that Russia has missiles capable of penetrating any missile defense system, an apparent allusion to the U.S. defense network, Russian news agencies reported. ‘Russia last year tested missile systems that no one in the world has and won’t have for a long time,’ he was quoted… ‘These missile systems don’t represent a response to a missile defense system, but they are immune to that. They are hypersonic and capable of changing their flight path.’ Putin said he had shown the working principles of the missile systems to French President Jacques Chirac during a visit to a Russian military facility. ‘He knows what I’m talking about,” RIA-Novosti quoted Putin…”

The US Supreme Court and the Catholic Church

The Hamilton Spectator published the following article on January 28, prior to the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the US Supreme Court. He was subsequently confirmed and sworn in on January 31:

“[Once Alito is confirmed], the Supreme Court will… have a Catholic majority for the first time in U.S. history. This is a remarkable historical turnaround. The Protestant majority once denounced Catholics as minions of the anti-Christ and servants of a foreign power, marginalized Catholic schools, demonized Catholic pastimes, particularly drinking, and tried to keep them out of high political offices… The Catholic takeover of the court has… coincided with the worst scandal in the Catholic Church’s history in the U.S.: a pedophilia crisis involving abusive priests and cover-ups. So why have the Republicans been so keen to tap Catholics? The most obvious reason is political: the Catholic vote is up for grabs…

“There is more than just vote-counting at work here, however. Conservative Catholics have formed a close alliance with one of the Republican Party’s most powerful constituencies — Protestant evangelicals. Evangelicals were the very heart of Protestant anti-Catholicism. But the two groups united in fury at the Supreme Court’s decision to make abortion a constitutional right in Roe v Wade (1973); and they have now broadened their alliance on issues from school choice to family values… Millions of traditional Catholics manage to ignore the ‘crazy aunt of Catholic dogma’ on matters such as birth control. The court’s Catholic majority is unlikely to vote as a block, even though they were all appointed by Republican presidents. Antonin Scalia (Reagan 1986) opposes the legalization of sodomy, but Anthony Kennedy (Reagan 1988) supports it… Alito’s arrival may be more of a swansong for Catholic America than the beginning of sustained popish hegemony… The Catholic faith is becoming ever less distinctive as conservative Catholics slide into the pews with conservative evangelicals, and liberal Catholics swap ideas with liberal Protestants. Three of Alito’s most bitter critics in the Senate were fellow Catholics — Edward Kennedy, Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin. Which is surely a triumph for the American way.”

The Catholic Church and Its Expensive Copyright

The Salt Lake Tribune reported on January 27: “Are words of a man of God priceless? Not if they come from the pope. The Vatican has come under heavy criticism for its decision to charge publishers to reprint excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI’s public statements and written works dating back to his professorial days as… Joseph Ratzinger. According to La Stampa, a Turin newspaper, the Vatican publishing division… recently billed a Milan-based publisher 15,000 euros (about $18,000) for printing a total of 30 lines from speeches Benedict delivered as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The lines were spoken to fellow cardinals immediately before the conclave to choose a new pope and during his subsequent inauguration ceremony. A statement released… said the decision was based on a Vatican decree, in which the Holy See assumed full copyrights to all of Benedict’s past, present and future writings and pronouncements.”

The Catholic Church’s Desire To Unite Europe

Catholic World News.com reported on January 26:

“Christians must work together to restore Europe’s Christian heritage. That was the message of Pope Benedict XVI to participants in a preparatory meeting for the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly… Pope Benedict said that ‘we are called to proclaim and bear witness in today’s Europe.’ The time for a new evangelization is ripe, he said, because since the fall of the Communist empire that divided Europe, ‘the meeting between peoples is easier.’ Still, the Pontiff said, ‘our presence as Christians will prove incisive and enlightening only if we have the courage to continue decisively down the path of reconciliation and unity.’ In the face of ‘the challenges of modernity and secularization,’  the [pope] urged the ecumenical delegates to make their own countries more conscious of the CHRISTIAN HERITAGE THAT UNITED EUROPE. This, he said, would be an ‘invaluable contribution’ TO THE CAUSE OF UNITY IN EUROPE and among Christians.”

Does the Late Pope Heal People?

The Associated Press reported about this interesting development on January 30:

“A nun’s apparently inexplicable recovery in France from Parkinson’s disease, the same affliction suffered by Pope John Paul II, looks very promising as the miracle needed to beatify the late pontiff, a Polish cleric said. But Vatican officials cautioned Monday that any decision about the healing would take time… A miracle is required for beatification, the last formal step before a person is considered for sainthood. A second miracle is needed for someone to be declared a saint.”

What The Associated Press failed to mention in its article is the claim that the nun was allegedly healed AFTER the pope’s death. Austria’s Networld, in quoting the Italian paper, “Il Messaggero,” explained that the nun was allegedly healed in April, and that science is unable to explain this alleged healing.

The Bible makes it very clear that people who have died are unable to do anything, including “healing” someone. The dead are in their graves, unconscious, and awaiting a resurrection from the dead. But the Bible also predicts that many will be deceived by “lying wonders,” erroneously thinking that they are witnessing a real miracle from God.

World Close to World War III?

Russia’s Pravda published an emotionally inflammable and propagandistic piece on January 29. Even though we don’t agree at all with the gist of the article, it is still interesting to note the following startling statement:

“When will Americans realize that at this moment, the world stands one or two decisions away from WWIII, which would likely see the use of nuclear weapons and subsequent genocides and holocausts that may make those of the 20th Century seem pale by comparison?”

What makes this statement so interesting is the fact of who is its author. None other than John Stanton, who is described by the paper as “a Virginia based writer specializing in political and national security affairs. He is the author of America 2004: A Power But Not Super, and co-author of America’s Nightmare: The Presidency of George Bush II.” The article does not explain why Stanton feels, exactly, that the world is facing World War III, but it is remarkable that he feels that way.

Americans Spend It All

The Associated Press reported on January 30 that “Americans’ personal savings rate dipped into negative territory in 2005, something that hasn’t happened since the Great Depression. Consumers depleted their savings to finance the purchases of cars and other big-ticket items… Americans not only spent all of their after-tax income last year but had to dip into previous savings or increase borrowing… The savings rate has been negative for an entire year only twice before–in 1932 and 1933–two years when the country was struggling to cope with the Great Depression, a time of massive business failures and job layoffs.”

The Demise of the Dollar

Russia’s Pravda stated on January 31 that “Experts of Standard & Poor’s forecast a global economic collapse. The collapse will be caused with the demise of the US dollar rate against the European currency by more than 30 percent. The dollar, specialists say, may lose almost 45 percent of its current value against the euro. However, it is obvious that even a 30 percent reduction will affect the international economy greatly… Standard & Poor’s (SP) ties the possible decline of the American currency with the imminent rise of the European economy and the payment shortage of the USA…

“The European Central Bank has expressed its concerns with the forecast from Standard & Poor’s. European financial specialists say that the demise of the American currency will endanger the global economy on the whole… According to [the President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude] Trichet, the world will have to pay a huge price for the ongoing increase of the payment deficit in the USA… If the pessimistic forecast from Standard & Poor’s is destined to come true, the declining dollar will affect the world economy entirely and lead to unpredictable consequences. The crisis will obviously strike a serious blow on the Russian economy too.”

The U.S. State of the Union Address

After President Bush gave his fifth State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 31, The Associated Press published the following analysis on February 1:

“The state of the union is fretful. President Bush acknowledged the public’s agitated state Tuesday night when he gave voice to growing concerns about the course of the nation he has led for five years. His credibility no longer the asset it once was, the president begged Americans’ indulgence for another chance to fix things. There is no shortage: the Iraq war, global terrorism, a nuclear Iran, a stingy global economy, skyrocketing health care costs, troubled U.S. schools, rising fuel costs, looming budget deficits and government corruption… Nearly 46 million Americans have no health insurance, up nearly a million in the last year. Health care costs are increasing three or four times the rate of inflation… parents still wonder about the quality of education in their schools. For the first time in generations, American children could face poorer prospects than their parents and grandparents did… Osama bin Laden has not been caught. Weapons of mass destruction were not found in Iraq. Victory in that war seems elusive, with more than 2,240 American troops killed–and counting. The solutions Bush offered were relatively small-bore and wrapped in familiar language: tax cuts, health savings accounts, alternative energy research and investments in education to help keep America competitive with emerging democracies; and a stay-the-course approach to fighting terrorism… The mood of the nation is unsettled. Nearly 7 of 10 American believes the country is headed in the wrong direction…”

AT&T Sued For Collaborating With NSA

PCWorld.com reported on February 1:

“A civil liberties organization filed a class-action lawsuit against AT&T this week for collaborating with a U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) program to intercept Internet and telephone communications of U.S. citizens without authorization from a court of law. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), based in San Francisco, filed the suit against AT&T for giving the NSA direct access to its databases of communications records, including whom their customers had phoned or sent e-mail to in the past. The suit was filed Tuesday in the United States District Court of the Northern District of California. EFF is suing the former AT&T before it merged with SBC Communications to become AT&T, says Kevin Bankston, a staff attorney with the EFF. However, the suit also is intended to protect customers of the new AT&T as it continues to merge the operations of the previously separate companies.

“The EFF alleges that this behavior on the part of AT&T violates several federal laws, including the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), he says. It also violates the first and fourth amendments, which protect U.S. citizens’ right to speak freely and not to be subject to unreasonable searches, Bankston says. The ECPA was enacted in 1986 as an update to a 1968 law against wiretapping phones that set out provisions for gaining access to electronic communications. Among other things, it prohibits the U.S. government from requiring disclosure of electronic communications from a service provider without proper procedure. The EFF is asking the court to award each AT&T customer involved in the suit about $21,000 in damages, Bankston says.”

Palestinians’ Parliamentary Election

As The Associated Press reported on January 25, 2006, “Hamas made a stronger-than-expected showing in the Palestinians’ first parliamentary election in a decade Wednesday… The impressive results for Hamas, competing in its first election ever, reflected popular discontent with Fatah, the secular party that has led the Palestinian Authority since its creation 12 years ago and has been accused of widespread corruption and mismanagement.

“The election was the Palestinians’ first truly competitive vote, and officials hoped it would help cement democracy in the post-Yasser Arafat era. But it also gave unprecedented clout to Hamas, which calls for Israel’s destruction and is listed as a terror group by the United States and European Union [as well as Israel]… President Bush told The Wall Street Journal in an interview Wednesday that the United States will not deal with Hamas until it renounces its position calling for the destruction of Israel.”

On January 26, it became obvious that Hamas’ victory was much greater than first anticipated. Reuters reported:

“The Islamic militant Hamas group swept to victory over the long-dominant Fatah party on Thursday in Palestinian parliamentary polls, a political earthquake that could bury any hope for reviving peace talks with Israel soon.The shock outcome, acknowledged by Fatah ahead of official results, does not automatically unseat President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate elected last year after Yasser Arafat’s death. But he has said he might resign if unable to pursue a peace policy.”

In a related article, Reuters stated on January 26: “On the streets of the Jewish state, there was grave concern at the victory of the Hamas movement that carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings during a Palestinian uprising and is formally dedicated to destroying Israel.”

The Associated Press added on January 26: “Hamas supporters raised their flag over the Palestinian parliament and rushed into the building amid clashes with Fatah loyalists a day after winning parliamentary elections. The two camps threw stones at each other, breaking windows in the building, as Fatah supporters briefly tried to lower the green Hamas banners. The crowd of about 3,000 Hamas backers cheered and whistled as activists on the roof of the parliament raised the Hamas banner again… Acknowledging the Hamas victory, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and his Cabinet ministers resigned hours before official results were released… Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, according to news reports, called the outcome a ‘very, very, very bad result.'”

France Willing to Use Nukes?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 20:

“Chirac has never been a politician afraid to make his opinion felt… In a speech given at a nuclear submarine base in Brittany, Chirac said France would be willing to use nuclear weapons against any state which launched a terrorist attack against it… Chirac’s words certainly drew the world’s eyes to France — hardly an unwelcome result for the attention-loving president — and in Germany, a country where a lot of people are uncomfortable with nuclear power, not to mention nuclear weapons, commentators are hotly debating whether Chirac is showing mettle or hubris.”

The EUOberserver added: “Analysts point out that it is the first time the French leader has linked the possibility of the country’s nuclear response to a terrorist attack, arguing that it means a policy change. France and Britain are the only two EU countries holding an independent nuclear deterrent, while Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Turkey, which is on the waiting list to join the bloc, are hosting US nuclear weapons on their territory.”

Der Stern reported on January 23 that German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed with Chirac, and that she saw no reason to criticize him for his comments. Merkel met with Chirac in Versailles. She stated that it was a good place and that they had a good meeting.

Bin Laden Is Back

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 20:

“Like a B-horror movie comedy corpse that just won’t stay under the coffin lid, Osama Bin Laden popped up again on Thursday. After a 13 month silence, a taped video message was broadcast on the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera. In the message bin Laden makes an appeal to the US public to push for a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and offers a ceasefire to Bush’s administration. The reply from the US government was a flat ‘no.’ We don’t negotiate with terrorists, it said. But if nothing else, this does prove that the al-Qaida leader is still alive, despite the fact that intelligence officials were assuming (or rather hoping) he was already dead. Assumed to be hiding in the mountainous area along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the video certainly begs the question of how is it possible the most powerful country in the world is UNABLE TO TRACK DOWN ONE MAN.”

Google Fights Bush

As it was reported on January 21 by Google News, “Google is resisting Bush Administration attempts to force it to hand over records about the behaviour of millions of people who use its search engine. The Justice Department wants data about every internet search during a one-week period. It claims the information is vital to restore online child protection laws the US Supreme Court struck down. But Google said the White House demands were too broad. It said to comply would give the impression it was willing to disclose personal information about those who use its services, ‘not a perception that Google can accept’. Civil liberties groups said the request highlighted the potential for governments to seize online databases and use them to spy on people… The Administration has issued similar subpoenas to other companies–Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL. Yahoo and AOL said they complied but no personal information was shared. Microsoft refused to say whether it received a subpoena.”

The article continued, highlighting the privacy issues, as well as the lack thereof, and the governmental surveillance involved in this case, which are somewhat reminiscent of George Orwell’s Big Brother-scenario, as vividly described in his novel, “1984”:

“Some experts said although the request was only for details of searches, not the people making them, it still raised serious privacy concerns. Google says it intends to ‘resist the Government’s efforts vigorously’. The case highlights how much information internet companies have on users. Internet service providers keep a record of every website a customer visits, and the destination, date and time of emails. Under a controversial directive passed before Christmas and designed to help police investigate terrorism, service providers will have to keep information for two years. Yaman Akdeniz, the director of the British organisation Cyber-Rights and Cyber-Liberties, described the move as ‘disturbing’. ‘It is worrying to hear that Google are keeping that much data, when their users are not aware of this,’ Mr Akdeniz, a law lecturer at Leeds University, said. ‘The US Government appears to be on a fishing expedition. What people look for on a search engine is private. If you type in neo-Nazi or child porn, it doesn’t mean that you are committing a crime.'”

Bolivia’s First Indian President

CNN reported on January 20:

“In the ancient temple of a lost civilization far from the Government Palace, a barefoot Evo Morales will ask Andean gods for help and guidance Saturday on the eve of his inauguration as Bolivia’s first Indian president… There, Morales, a U.S. critic who won by a landslide on a leftist platform, will be blessed by Indian priests who consider themselves inheritors of this pre-Incan culture, which had no written language and disappeared mysteriously.”

Australia Soon Without a King?

The Associated Press reported on January 20, that “Most Australians believe their country should sever its constitutional ties with Britain if Prince Charles becomes king, according to a poll published Saturday. The poll published in The Weekend Australian found 46 percent of Australians believed Australia should become a republic, while 34 percent wanted the British monarch to remain Australia’s head of state. But if Charles, the first in line for the throne, replaced his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who turns 80 in April, support for a republic would rise to 52 percent and opposition would slide to 29 percent, the poll said… Australia is a former British colony, which was granted independence in 1901 but retained the British monarch as head of state as have other former colonies.”

47 Million Legal Abortions in the US Since 1973

A newsletter of the Baptist Press, published on bpnews.net, reported on January 24:

“In what can only be described as tragic, the United States likely experienced its 47 millionth legal abortion at some point in 2005, more than three decades after the Supreme Court issued its infamous 1973 Roe. v. Wade decision legalizing the killing of the unborn… Since 1975, the United States has witnessed more than 1 million abortions each year. Unless the nation’s laws are changed, the number of abortions post-Roe will pass 50 million in 2008.”

Iraq–A Thorn in the Flesh!

The Associated Press reported on January 24, 2006, about the turmoil and disarray at the Saddam Hussein trial. After the Presiding Judge resigned, “Judges in the trial of Saddam Hussein tried to remove a newly appointed chief judge Tuesday, a dispute that forced an abrupt postponement of the proceedings and deepened the turmoil in what was supposed to be a landmark in Iraq’s political progress.”

The article pointed out the difficulties in bringing peace to Iraq, even when involving a situation which was originally viewed to be an “open-and-shut case scenario”:

“U.S. and Iraqi officials had hoped the trial would mark a political turning point for the violence-torn country, helping it deal with its past and look forward to a new political system. Instead, it has heightened divisions. Sunni Arabs sympathetic to the former leader, their patron, were heartened by Saddam’s outbursts during the hearings, which are televised nationwide. But Shiites and Kurds, who make up about 80 percent of Iraq’s estimated 27 million people and bore the brunt of Saddam’s oppression, found the relative freedom he has had in the courtroom an affront.”

US and European Human Rights Violations?

On January 24, AFP reported: “The US government rejected a Council of Europe report which said the United States had put more than 100 terror suspects through its secret ‘rendition’ program in Europe…On Tuesday the Marty-led probe for the Council of Europe issued an interim report which said European governments must have been aware that the United States was using their territory to transport or detain more than 100 terrorist suspects as part of its rendition policy.”

Der Spiegel Online added the following on January 25:

“A special investigator’s preliminary report to a European human rights watchdog on alleged CIA prisons and flights for terror suspects in Europe has produced no concrete evidence. And without greater cooperation from European governments there never will be… Speaking to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, Marty said it was likely… that European governments probably knew what was going on… For a high-level interim report, the sourcing was thin, too. For example, the charge that 100 people had been abducted was based on a quote from an interview with a single former CIA agent. That, however, could have more to do with the lack of cooperation the Swiss investigator has received from Washington and European governments. That lack of cooperation is the focus of several editorials in German papers on Wednesday.”

The magazine continued to point out:

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung says Marty ultimately has a thankless job. He is effectively an investigator without a mandate. The human rights watchdog the Council of Europe cannot set up an official inquiry and it cannot call witnesses or demand evidence from the governments of its 46-member countries, explains the paper. ‘Since the US government isn’t prepared to offer up information, official parliamentary inquiries by European states are the best way to uncover what happened,’ it comments…

“The conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also admits Marty had his hands tied from the start. The paper even brings into question his role by placing his title of ‘investigator’ in quotation marks. Strasbourg is not the place to bring to light the activities of intelligence agencies…

“The left-wing Berliner Zeitung says the Marty report has ‘little weight’ and ‘at best shows that the investigation … is only at the beginning.’ The paper believes the report comes just at the right time for Germany, which is also caught up in an unrelated investigation into the activities of German intelligence agents in Iraq at the beginning of the war. The daily comments that Berlin might be more worried about the cooperation of Germany’s BND intelligence agency with the CIA in Europe than what happened in Baghdad a few years ago.”

Terrible US Environmental Standards

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 24:

“A nation-by-nation study of environmental standards [2006 Environmental Performance Index or EPI] puts the United States, the world’s biggest polluter in 28th place, behind most of Western Europe. The authors of the study by two US universities [Yale and Columbia] say they hope the American public and government will take note of their findings… “The lagging performance of the United States on environmental issues — particularly on energy and climate change — signals trouble not only for the American people, but for the whole world,’ said Gus Speth, Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.”

Attacks on French Muslims and Jews Through Pig Soup

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 25 about a macabre and perhaps intentional attack by French right-wing groups on Muslims and Jews–by providing free pig soup to homeless people. It is also interesting that these “charitable” right-winged groups declare that the consumption of the pig–as the “food of the French ancestors”–preserves the “European identity”! The article explained:

“Soup doesn’t usually figure to be terribly high on the police list of peace-disturbing priorities. And one might think that charitable groups handing out hot soup to homeless people on a frigid winter’s day in Paris would engender a pat on the back rather than opprobrium. But the soup in question is made of pig parts, and Paris police don’t approve.

“For weeks now, groups associated with the far-right organization Bloc Identitaire have been handing out soup — which they are calling ‘identity soup’ — to the homeless across the country and in neighboring Belgium. But rather than altruistic charity, critics see blatant racism. Muslims and Jews are forbidden by their religions [both the Bible and the Koran] from eating pork — and excluding these groups, say many, is exactly the point of the handouts… ‘With pork in the soup, we return to our origins, our identity,’ Roger Bonnivard, head of homeless-support group Solidarity of the French and pork soup chef, told the Associated Press. ‘On every farm, you kill a pig and make a soup…. The pig is the food of our ancestors.’… ‘Identity soup’ is on its third winter in Paris, though this is the first year it has spread elsewhere. A number of local groups behind the liquid largesse are planning a so-called ‘great festive meal of European solidarity’ in Paris in February. The goal is to defend the European identity.”

No Holocaust?

As Der Spiegel Online reported on January 24, “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has followed up his calls for the destruction of Israel with plans to host a conference questioning the validity of the Holocaust. SPIEGEL ONLINE interviewed [highly competent and internationally recognized] German Holocaust historian Götz Aly.”

Aly explained in the magazine:

“Academics from all over the world have researched the Holocaust extremely thoroughly. The murder of the European Jews during the Second World War has been looked into more closely than any other aspect of the 20th century.”

Aly was asked about the actual numbers of those murdered by Germans at Auschwitz and other places, as well as the numbers of Germans killed during the British bombing of Dresden, and of those Sudeten Germans who died during their expulsion from Bohemia and Moravia. In response, Aly pointed out:

“Until 1989 there was an official sign in the former camp stating that four million people were killed in Auschwitz alone. Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, as a result of work which I, and others, carried out, this figure was amended. Approximately a million people were murdered in Auschwitz. It was important to make this correction, but it doesn’t change anything about the nature of the death camps… The murder of the Sinti and Roma comes to mind. It has got to the point where even the German Resistance Memorial Center, under the academic auspices of Peter Steinbach, claims that 500,000 people from these groups were killed by the Nazis. That is a massive exaggeration. Another example is that it took almost 50 years in Germany, for it to be generally accepted that the German army committed terrible crimes during the war in eastern and southern Europe. It took decades for West and East Germany to reduce the number of people killed during the British bombing of Dresden from over 300,000 to a more realistic 30,000 to 40,000. And still, up until 10 years ago, the Sudeten German Association claimed that more than 400,000 Germans were killed when the Sudeten Germans were expelled from Bohemia and Moravia. On the Czech side, officials twisted the facts just as much, by speaking of a few thousand suicides. In the meantime the German-Czech Historians Commission has determined that between 15,000 and 40,000 people died during these expulsions.”

When asked whether it is meaningful to have laws making it a crime to deny the Holocaust (as is the case, for instance, in Germany), Aly replied:

“As an historian I regard laws which forbid someone from denying anything as complete nonsense. In the same way that I believe that the law in Turkey which says the Armenian genocide never happened, is absurd. Laws against denying the Holocaust don’t do anything anyway. You are always going to have a few crazy people who ignore the facts.”

Aly also commented on the real danger of the proposed Iranian conference:

“The danger of the Iranian conference is that it gives a few lunatics the opportunity to  come into contact with a state which has a great deal of power to act on its ideological, and here in particular its anti-Semitic, obsessions. To this extent, we are talking about a completely different level, compared to when some crazed guy from the German nationalist NPD party claims that the Holocaust is a myth.”

Eight Myths of Smoking

Der Stern Online published an article on January 23, debunking eight myths of smoking, which have been advanced and propagated by certain elements of the world-wide tobacco industry, and by smokers who don’t want to quit. We summarize the findings of the article, as follows:

Myth #1: Smoking is not harmful if it is only done occasionally.Truth: Every cigarette is harmful and shortens our life expectancy.

Myth #2: It is easier to quit smoking slowly and in stages, by reducing cigarette consumption gradually, than by quitting immediately and abruptly. Truth: To gradually reduce cigarette consumption does not work, as the smoker becomes even more addicted to the “few” cigarettes that are “permitted” to be smoked each day.

Myth #3: Light cigarettes are less harmful than other cigarettes. Truth: False. Light cigarettes are as harmful as other cigarettes.

Myth #4: When one has begun smoking, it is unnecessary to quit, as our health has already been affected. Truth: It is always important to quit. A few hours after quitting, the body receives more oxygen; after two to three days, one can smell and taste better; and after a few years, risks of cancer and heart attacks diminish.

Myth #5: If I do not inhale, I cannot get lung cancer. Truth: False. Even passive smoking can lead to lung cancer.

Myth #6: Smoking poses no problem with the modern anti-baby-pills. Truth: False. The risks remain.

Myth #7: Smoking makes one only psychically addictive. Truth: Nicotine is a drug which causes psychical and psychological addiction.

Myth #8: When I quit smoking, I will gain weight. Truth: On an average, a person who quits smoking gains two to four kilograms during the first several weeks after quitting. However, the weight increase is not an automatic consequence, but it is explained by the fact that the person begins to eat too much, and the wrong things. Most of the time, the person eats chocolate to replace the cigarettes.

U.S. Economy in Big Trouble

The Economist reported on January 12, 2006:

“The economy that Alan Greenspan is about to hand over [when he retires on January 31] is in a much less healthy state than is popularly assumed… he is leaving behind: the biggest economic imbalances in American history… Part of America’s current prosperity is based not on genuine gains in income, nor on high productivity growth, but on borrowing from the future. The words of Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist of the early 20th century, nicely sum up the illusion: ‘It may sometimes be expedient for a man to heat the stove with his furniture. But he should not delude himself by believing that he has discovered a wonderful new method of heating his premises.’… America kept the world going during troubled times. But now it is time for others to take the lead.”

On January 16, The Pravda published the following alarming article:

“The United States is heading to financial crisis at top speed. That is correct, America will default on its foreign debt sooner or later if the actual trends remain unchanged. Consequently, the whole dollar-based world (including savings in U.S. currency) may crumble. In actuality, the public have grown tired of numerous forecasts regarding an imminent collapse of the U.S. economy. The picture looks pretty grim this time around. Several factors will have an extremely detrimental effect on the dollar, according to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury John Snow who forwarded a letter full of ominous predictions to 21 members of U.S. Congress…

“In his letter, Snow predicts a crisis in February this year. Citing U.S. government forecasts, Snow believes that America’s foreign debt currently standing at $8,184 trillion will hit the debt ceiling as early as February-March 2006. For decades the White House has been borrowing money to cover expenditures that exceeded the real economic growth rates. As a result, the U.S. public debt currently totals to $8.1 trillion, a huge figure compared to the U.S. GDP that is slightly above $11 trillion…  An additional minimum amount of $171 billion in foreign loans over the limit is required to satisfy the needs of the U.S. economy (though growth rates are far from being spectacular), otherwise the U.S. will face the first foreign debt default in its history. ‘We will run out of funds for financing the government operations by mid-March at the latest even if the U.S. Department of the Treasury takes all possible legal measures to keep the foreign debt ceiling from going up,’ says Snow. Under his scenario, the government will have to take ’emergency measures’ to pay the bills. The measures mostly boil down to cutting the spending in all areas from social sector to national security.”

The article continued:

“… a number of events are due [to] take place in March. The events look very alarming to the world of the dollar. First, Iran is to officially switch into the euro in its foreign trade operations including oil exports. Second, China is hinting at a potential increase of the euro share in its Central Bank basket of currencies. The dollar share currently holds 70% of the basket. The dollar will be severely affected should the two countries, an oil and gas producer and a manufacturer, take action in a simultaneous manner.”

Iran Threatens the West

The Observer reported on January 15:

“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the hardline President of Iran, launched an angry tirade against the West yesterday, accusing it of a ‘dark ages’ mentality and threatening retaliation unless it recognised his country’s nuclear ambitions. In a blistering assault, Ahmadinejad repeated the Islamic regime’s position that it would press ahead with a nuclear programme despite threats by the European Union and United States to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, where it could face possible sanctions. He added that Iran was a ‘civilised nation’ that did not need such weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is a wholly peaceful attempt to generate electricity.”

Regarding the nature of the threat of retaliation, The Observer speculated:

“Iran is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and analysts have predicted that any disruption to its supplies could have a grave impact on global markets.”

North Korea Threatens the USA

CBS reported on January 13: “North Korean three-star General Ri Chan Bok tells correspondent Dan Rather that if the U.S. invades his country, he will use nuclear weapons to defend it… Does the general think that the United States might attack North Korea? ‘We firmly believe that the United States will carry out its policies on our country, even if they have to use military means,’ Gen. Bok tells Rather. ‘What we can say to you definitely right now is that we currently have nuclear weapons,’ he threatens.”

Germans and Americans

On January 16, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting article about the differences between Americans and Europeans. The magazine stated:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent trip to Washington has a lot of people talking about ‘common values’ among conservatives. But a US conservative is a different species from a European conservative… since the beginning of her [Merkel’s] term in November, it’s been post-Cold War realities — including secret CIA prisons in Europe, extraordinary renditions, and Guantanamo — which have defined the US-German relationship. Indeed, given such differences, one wonders just what exactly are those ‘common values’ so often touted by conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic?… British historian Tony Judt recently pointed out that Europe and America have been lumped together in an entity known as ‘the West’ only since Word War II. It’s an entity that held strong from Pearl Harbor through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.”

The magazine concluded that a reference to “common values” should be dropped, as there is more division than agreement on true “values”–even amongst American and German conservatives.

Merkel in Russia and Washington

On January 16, Der Spiegel Online reported about Angela Merkel’s first visit to Russia as German Chancellor, stating:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first visit to Moscow as German leader has heralded a cooler, more businesslike approach to Russia compared with the unquestioning friendship displayed by her predecessor Gerhard Schröder… Germany’s new chancellor, Angela Merkel, signalled a decidedly no-nonsense approach during her inaugural visit to Moscow on Monday that reflected concern in Berlin about an excessive dependence on Russian gas and Russian human rights abuses… The contrast in atmosphere compared with Schröder’s days could not have been greater. Yet analysts say the end of close personal ties won’t lead to a marked deterioration in relations between the two countries, simply because too much is at stake. It’s a cold economic fact that they need each other — Germany gets over 30 percent of its natural gas supplies from Russia and trade between the two countries surged 30 percent last year.”

The magazine summarized Merkel’s recent trips to Washington and Moscow, as follows:

“Merkel has won praise for her reserved, sober style on the international stage and was given credit for brokering a European Union budget deal last month. Her inaugural visit to Washington last Friday also went off smoothly despite her criticism earlier in the week of the detention of terror suspects without trial in Guantanamo Bay.”

However, when President Bush and Chancellor Merkel were asked during a joint press conference about the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, President Bush made it very clear that Washington had no intentions of closing it down any time soon. Chancellor Merkel did not take a strong position on that occasion, rather choosing to dance around the issue. It is perhaps noteworthy that subsequently, according to a news report, dated January 18, the European Parliament “demanded” of the USA the “immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, condemning the American practice of incarcerating hundreds of suspects” (Bild Online, January 18, 2006).

Did Germany In Effect Support the Iraq War?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 17, 2006, about an outcry in Germany, after it was revealed that Germany collaborated with the United States during the Iraq war, even though former Chancellor Schröder publicly condemned the war. The article pointed out:

“Revelations that information from German intelligence agents in Baghdad was passed along to Washington, while former chancellor Gerhard Schröder publicly condemned the US-led war in Iraq, have caused an uproar in Berlin.”

The magazine continued to ask:

“So what was it? Hypocrisy at the highest levels or simply pragmatic realpolitik? Certainly, it would be naive to believe that just because Schröder refused to back US President George W. Bush’s plans for invading Iraq that all military and intelligence ties between Berlin and Washington would be cut… In an investigative report aired by German public broadcaster ARD late last week, a former Pentagon employee alleged that two Baghdad-based BND agents supplied useful intelligence to the US military’s Defense Intelligence Agency that helped American forces choose bombing targets.

“The most dramatic example of the alleged assistance may have been the April 7, 2003 attempt on the life of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. According to ARD’s Pentagon source, US intelligence received a tip that morning of a column of black Mercedes limousines near a restaurant often frequented by Saddam and other government leaders. It was thought that Saddam might be among the passengers. US officials reportedly called up German intelligence and asked them to have their agents do a drive-by of the restaurant. The German agents in Baghdad confirmed the existence of a convoy of armored vehicles outside the building and not long afterwards, four satellite-guided bombs obliterated the site. But that claim has been forcefully denied by the current BND [Germany’s Foreign Intelligence Agency] head, Ernst Uhrlau, who at the time was intelligence director at the chancellery…

“Berlin did, however, inform Washington that it had two BND agents operating in Baghdad. And once the war began, the German spooks quickly became highly valuable to US intelligence officials. Several times the Americans asked the Germans to clarify important details, such as whether or not Saddam Hussein’s claim was real that trenches around Baghdad had been filled with gasoline and would be set on fire as US forces approached… In exchange, the Americans provided the Germans with classified details about planned military operations — all valuable information for a German government that had been isolated by Washington because of its outspoken opposition to the war.”

The article published the following concluding remarks:

“While the whole episode may seem like a tempest in a tea cup to observers in Washington, it could have serious repercussions for the government in Berlin. The potential impact of the affair surrounding the two BND agents has been magnified by recent revelations about several other incidents of dubious cooperation with the United States on highly controversial matters in the war on terror. Sometimes that involved Berlin looking the other way while Washington bent the rules on human rights and sometimes the Americans simply misused German intelligence.”

Eavesdropping Without Court Approval Illegal?

The Associated Press reported on January 16, 2006, that former Vice President Al Gore accused President Bush that he “broke the law by eavesdropping on Americans without court approval.” Gore was quoted as saying: “What we do know about this pervasive wiretapping virtually compels the conclusion that the president of the United States has been breaking the law repeatedly and insistently.” The article continued to point out:

“Gore… said the concerns are especially important on the [Martin Luther] King holiday because the slain civil rights leader was among thousands of Americans whose private communications were intercepted by the U.S. government. King, as a foremost civil rights activist in the 1950s and 60s, had his telephone conversations wiretapped by the FBI, which kept a file on him and thousands of other civil rights and anti-Vietnam war activists.”

AFP reported on January 17, that “Civil liberties groups fired double-barrelled lawsuits at US President George W. Bush, challenging the legality of his domestic eavesdropping programme and demanding its immediate suspension. The suits were filed in New York by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and in Detroit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a host of other advocacy groups. Both actions sought an injunction that would prohibit the government from conducting surveillance of communications in the United States without judicial warrants.”

The news agency continued:

“The New York Times on Tuesday reported that much of the domestic spying conducted by the NSA after the September 11, 2001 attacks was unproductive and led federal agents to dead ends or innocent Americans. The monitoring of international telephone calls and computer messages placed by Americans to suspected terrorists abroad, and vice versa, produced such a huge amount of unfiltered information that it overwhelmed the FBI, current and former officials told the newspaper.”

First Elected African Female Leader

The Associated Press reported on January 16 about Africa’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was sworn in Monday as war-battered Liberia’s new president. The article explained about Liberia:

“Founded by freed American slaves in 1847, Liberia was prosperous and peaceful for more than a century, bolstered by abundant timber and diamond wealth. But back-to-back civil wars from 1989 to 2003 brought the country to its knees, killing 200,000 people and displacing half the nation’s population of 3 million. It is now one of the world’s poorest countries, ranked 206th in terms of per capita income out of 208 countries on 2004 World Bank list. Today, not even the capital has running water or electricity: the rich rely on generators, the poor on candles. Unemployment is 80 percent.”

Focusing on Liberia’s new leader, the article continued:

“Born in Liberia in 1938, Sirleaf worked her way through college in the United States by mopping floors and waiting tables. She graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard in 1971 and took top jobs in Liberia, including finance minister, and senior positions at Citibank, the World Bank and the U.N. Twice imprisoned in Liberia in the 1980s for political reasons, she returned during a break in fighting in 1997 to run for president. She lost to Taylor, but tried again last fall, emerging victorious.”

We wish Ellen Sirleaf all the best in her endeavor to return peace and prosperity to this once peaceful and prosperous country.

War on Terror to Last for Decades?

The Daily Telegraph reported on January 17:
“Biological weapons pose a far more serious long-term terrorist threat to the West than nuclear weapons, according to Washington’s leading counter-terrorism expert. And Henry ‘Hank’ Crumpton, the newly-appointed head of counter-terrorism at the US State Department, believes that it is simply a matter of time before international terrorist groups such as al-Qa’eda acquire weapons of mass destruction and use them in attacks… [He also] warned yesterday that the ‘war on terror’ was likely to last for decades.”

Crumpton also had some harsh criticism for America’s European allies, stating:

“But despite the initial success achieved during the Afghan war in 2001, he expressed disappointment with the support Washington had received from its European allies since hostilities ended. ‘The job was not finished and it is not finished now.’ Bin Laden, who escaped to Pakistan, was ‘in all probability’ still alive, he said. The regime of President Assad in Syria also seriously threatens western security, he says. ‘The regime continues to support terror organisations. And we know that the Baathist leadership fled to Damascus taking with them money and terrorist expertise, and we cannot rule out the fact that some of that expertise related to WMD.'”

Iran and the Mahdi

On January 6, 2006, WorldNetDaily published an interesting article about the belief of the President of Iran in the near arrival of an Islamic Messiah, the Mahdi. The paper pointed out:

“Iranian President Mahmoud’s Ahmadinejad’s mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure–the Mahdi–is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.”

The article continued that the Iranian President’s “apocalyptic religious zealotry has received less attention” than it should have. It related an interesting episode in the life of the President:

“In a videotaped meeting with Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli in Tehran, Ahmadinejad discussed candidly a strange, paranormal experience he had while addressing the United Nations in New York last September. He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn’t the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven… Ahmadinejad wasn’t the only one who noticed the unearthly light. One of his aides brought it to his attention. The Iranian president recalled being told about it by one of his delegation: ‘When you began with the words “in the name of Allah,” I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end.’ Ahmadinejad agreed that he sensed the same thing… ‘On the last day when I was speaking, one of our group told me that when I started to say “Bismillah Muhammad,” he saw a green light come from around me, and I was placed inside this aura,’ he says… Ahmadinejad’s ‘vision’ at the U.N. is strangely reminiscent and alarmingly similar to statements he has made about his personal role in ushering in the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah.

“He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, as to ‘pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.’ According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world. Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West… Ahmadinejad and others in Iran are deadly serious about the imminent return of the 12th imam, who will prompt a global battle between good and evil (with striking parallels to biblical accounts of ‘Armageddon’).”

Subsequently, the paper reported on January 10, 2006, that the Iranian President told a crowd of theological students in Iran’s holy city of Qom that “Islam must prepare to rule the world.”

Muslims Pray for Salvation

The Associated Press reported on January 9, 2006, that “More than 2 million Muslim pilgrims from 178 countries prayed for salvation Monday at Mount Arafat, Islam’s most sacred site… With hands raised to heaven, the mass of pilgrims converged on the mount, not far from Mecca and the site of the last sermon by Islam’s 7th century prophet Muhammad three months before he died in 632… Islam requires that all Muslims who are financially and physically able make the hajj at least once. Sheik Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik, the kingdom’s grand mufti, said Muslims faced critical challenges, among them accusations of terrorism and human rights abuses and calls for revisions in their school textbooks. ‘Oh, Muslim nation, there is a war against our creed, against our culture under the pretext of fighting terrorism. We should stand firm and united in protecting our religion,’ he said, speaking at a mosque on the plain of Mount Arafat. ‘Islam’s enemies want to empty our religion from its contents and its meaning. But the soldiers of God will be victorious,’ said al-Sheik, the Saudi kingdom’s top religious authority…

“The Kaba, the huge cube-like edifice, is considered the focal point of the hajj. It also serves as the Qibla, or center of the Islamic world toward which all Muslims turn in prayer. The Quran declares the Kaba was the first place of worship designated by God. Muslims believe that the Kaba was built by Abraham on the foundations of an earlier temple built by Adam, the progenitor of all mankind.”

Disputed African Border

The Associated Press reported on January 9, 2006, that “The United States launched a diplomatic initiative Monday to try to mark the contested border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a dispute that led to a 2 1/2-year war in an area where both countries are again massing troops… Ethiopia has refused to implement the international boundary commission’s April 2002 ruling, which awarded the key town of Badme to Eritrea. Angry that the ruling was not enforced, Eritrea in October banned U.N. helicopter flights and vehicle movements at night on its side of the buffer zone… Everybody recognizes that the goal must be the demarcation of the border and normalizing relations between the two poverty-stricken countries so they can focus on development rather than spend money preparing for a possible war.”

Ethiopia and Eritrea are regions filled with historical significance. In the 4th century AD the region, later known as Eritrea, was part of the ancient Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. Italy occupied some coastal regions in 1885 and established a colony in 1890, calling it Eritrea, from the Roman name for the Red Sea. From 1936 to 1941 this colony was joined with Italian-occupied Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland to form Italian East Africa.

As Mr. Armstrong pointed out in the Plain Truth, June 1967, the prophecy of Daniel 11:40 was fulfilled in February/March of 1896, when King Menelik II of Ethiopia ‘pushed at’ the Italians at Aduwa, and when subsequently, in 1935, Mussolini came against Ethiopia “like a whirlwind.” He did, however, not enter the “Glorious Land”–this prophecy of Daniel 11:41 will still have to be fulfilled by a modern European leader. Whether the prophecy in Daniel 11:40 will be fulfilled a second time, will have to be seen.

Earthquake in Greece

On January 8, 2006, “A powerful earthquake shook Greece,” according to an article in The Associated Press. The article continued: “The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the epicenter of the 6.9-magnitude quake was located beneath the seabed about 125 miles south of Athens and 12 miles east of the island of Kithira in the Sea of Crete. ‘It was a very powerful quake which shook all of Greece…’, institute head Giorgos Stavrakakis said. ‘The quake occurred deep undersea and that’s what saved us.’ The earthquake was felt as far away as Cairo, Egypt, [and] across southern Italy but there were no reports of damage or injuries, Italian news reports said… scientists project that as many as 6 million people may have felt the earthquake.”

Alaska Volcano

WorldNetDaily reported on January 11: “The Augustine Volcano in Alaska could erupt in hours or days, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory… Over the past six hours, earthquake activity beneath Augustine has increased markedly… The volcano showed signs of unrest last week with steam explosions and blasts of ash from the summit… The volcano hasn’t seen much activity since it erupted in 1986, spraying ash over the city of Anchorage, Alaska’s most populated city.”

Pat Robertson in the News

The Associated Press reported on January 5, 2006, about Pat Robertson’s highly controversial statements. The article pointed out: “Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine punishment for ‘dividing God’s land.’ ‘God considers this land to be his,’ Robertson said on his TV program ‘The 700 Club.’… Sharon, who ordered Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza last year, suffered a severe stroke on Wednesday… Sharon ‘was dividing God’s land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU (European Union), the United Nations, or the United States of America,’ Robertson said.”

In a follow-up article, The Associated Press reported on January 11: “Israel will not do business with Pat Robertson after the religious leader suggested Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke was divine punishment for the Gaza withdrawal, a tourism official said Wednesday. Robertson is leading a group of Christian evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build a large Christian tourism center in Israel’s northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught. But Ido Hartuv, a spokesman for Tourism Minister Avraham Hirschson, said Israeli officials were furious with Robertson.”

The article also pointed out that “Robertson’s comments drew condemnation from other Christian leaders and even President Bush.”

British Values Under Siege

On January 9, 2006, The Daily Mail published an article by columnist Melanie Phillips, titled, “Who will save us from the zealots who treat common sense as bigotry?”

In the article, the following was stated:

“Not for the first time, this country appears to have taken leave of its senses. Ed Greening served for five years on Wiltshire County Council’s adoption panel. As a Christian, he thought that adoption by same-sex couples was wrong, and so he abstained whenever the panel approved such an arrangement. This accommodation, however, was not enough. Last month he was told he would not be re-appointed to the adoption panel because, according to advice from its lawyers and the national Commission for Social Care Inspection excluding people as adopters on the grounds of sexual orientation was ‘not an option’. This is the outcome of an adoption law which recently came into effect and which gives the same status as adopters to samesex couples as to heterosexuals.

“… But what is happening is that same-sex couples are actually being preferred to heterosexual couples who are being turned down as adopters, because the new law means that if adoption panels choose heterosexual couples, they might be accused of discrimination against samesex couples. Or at least, that’s the excuse that’s been given. Of course, such panels would never be accused of discrimination against heterosexual couples, even though that is patently what is happening.

 “.. As a result, vulnerable children are to be deprived of the most favourable home life and subjected instead to potential disadvantage – simply to pander to the doctrine that gay lifestyles have to be treated in an identical fashion to heterosexual ones, and anyone who objects is a bigot… And these doctrines represent a deliberate attack on the traditional values of our society and their replacement by what used to be considered irregular behaviour. Where once homosexuals were excluded from public life, now it is those who uphold traditional family values who are excluded.

 “… British values are under siege. The freest and most tolerant society on earth now leads the way in intimidation, moral degradation and lies. The need to identify, reclaim and defend the real centre ground, in order to rescue the progressive ideal of social justice which has been taken hostage, is the single most urgent task in British politics.”

Austria and the EU Constitution

The Independent reported on January 9, 2006, that “Austria has pledged to help bring Europe’s constitution out of cold storage as its EU presidency started amid calls to salvage key elements of the treaty. With no sign of agreement among EU member states on how to proceed, Ursula Plassnik, the Austrian Foreign minister, yesterday promised new consultations before decisions in June on what to do next. Ms Plassnik called for a ‘new step in the debate on the future of Europe’ under the ‘constitution process which has slowed down and which is now covered in a blanket of snow, waiting for Spring’. She added: ‘What we need is climate change.'”

Praise for Merkel’s Courage

Der Spiegel Online published an article on January 9, 2006, praising German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her courage. It is rare that the left-liberal magazine praises a conservative politician, but in this case, the praise was for Merkel’s criticism of Washington. The article stated:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel says an institution like the US Guantanamo terror prison, where suspects are held without trial or charges, ‘cannot’ and ‘must not’ exist. German Newspapers representing the entire political spectrum are praising her frank criticism of Washington. “

The article continued, quoting excerpts from other newspapers:

“In an editorial, the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says ‘America and its president should be grateful for this criticism.’ … the conservative Die Welt… describes Merkel’s visit [this week in Washington] as a sobering one, ‘free of illusion.’… The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung praises Merkel for her statements, seeing it as yet another example of the fine stateswoman who is emerging. ‘As so often, Merkel has been underestimated in foreign policy,’ the paper writes. ‘Within a few weeks she has not just freed herself from the suspicion of being diplomatically naive,’ it says, ‘she has even managed to approach the US government with a self-confidence which Schröder could never have ventured after his election campaign escapades.’ The [right-leaning] tabloid Bild newspaper… describes Merkel’s statement as ‘courageous’ and marking a turning point in German human rights history…  ‘If Merkel speaks frankly with our American friends, she can be all the more uninhibited in demanding human rights elsewhere.’ The paper also notes that Murat Kurnaz, a native of Bremen, is still being held at Guantanamo, denied of his right to legal due process.”

Austria Looks South

The International Herald Tribune wrote on December 31, 2005:

“Austria, once an imperial power in southeastern Europe, is reasserting its economic influence in its former territories and intends to encourage political change in the region when it takes over the European Union presidency Sunday… Austria never really abandoned Central Europe or the Balkans. Even after the collapse in 1918 of the Austro-Hungarian Empire–which at its height stretched from Silesia in what is now Poland to Transylvania in Romania–Vienna remained a beacon for writers, composers and artists from across the region. When Stalin put up the Iron Curtain in 1948, Vienna took on a new status, providing a refuge for people fleeing the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the failed Prague Spring of 1968, and persecuted Jews fleeing from the former Soviet Union. But it was in the summer of 1989, months before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, that Foreign Minister Alois Mock of Austria and his Communist Hungarian counterpart, Gyula Horn, took the action that was to change the face of Europe. On an abandoned stretch of land that marked the Austrian-Hungarian border, Mock and Horn literally cut through the barbed wire that divided Western and Eastern Europe and allowed 700 East Germans to reach the West without being shot. This breach, later widened after negotiations between Hungary and West Germany, allowed tens of thousands of East Germans to leave the country and precipitated the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

“The breach also opened new investment opportunities in the East. But because of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, Austrian companies concentrated on Eastern and Central Europe. Only now are they venturing into the Balkans, anticipating the boom that EU membership for Romania and Bulgaria, planned for 2007, will bring to the region. Austria’s Economy Ministry says the increase in investment has been enormous. Total investment by Austria in southeastern Europe–Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro–reached E5.9 billion, or $6.9 billion, in 2004, an increase of 57 percent over the previous year. In the same period, Austrian investment in Eastern Europe rose 17 percent…

“And it is not just trade that is on the rise. Politics is playing an ever more important role, with Austria sometimes at loggerheads with its 24 EU partners over the bloc’s policies toward its southern neighbors. In early October, Austria stood alone among the EU members in resisting the start of accession talks with Turkey. In return for its support, it insisted that the EU start negotiations with Croatia as well. After days and nights of intense talks, the EU agreed that both countries could begin accession negotiations.”

Many Austrians and Germans are descendants from the ancient Assyrians, as the Bible and historical records reveal. And the Bible contains startling prophecies for modern Assyria in these end times. It is therefore important for us to watch developments in Germany and Austria.

Iran’s Nuclear Power

AFP reported on January 4, 2006:

“A day after Iran notified the UN atomic watchdog of its decision to ‘start research on the technology of nuclear fuel in a few days,’ the country’s chief official for the nuclear file, Ali Larijani, said the decision was ‘not negotiable.’ His comments followed similar remarks late Tuesday by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was quoted by state television as saying Iran would not ‘step back’ on its decision to resume nuclear fuel work.The increasingly hardline tone from Iranian leaders came despite calls from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Europe and the United States to maintain its suspension of enrichment-related activities.

“Germany, a member of the EU-3 negotiating team that also includes Britain and France, said it viewed Iran’s latest announcement with ‘concern,’ and added that it could ‘throw into doubt the exploratory talks’ to be held in Vienna on January 18. France also urged Iran to withdraw plans to resume research on its nuclear programme, warning that future talks could be put on hold… A Western diplomat said that Tehran’s gesture ‘is the sign that shows Iran’s negotiations with the EU are on their last legs.'”

The Guardian reported about another concern in its article, dated January 4. It was pointed out: “The Iranian government has been successfully scouring Europe for the sophisticated equipment needed to develop a nuclear bomb, according to the latest western intelligence assessment of the country’s weapons programmes. Scientists in Tehran are also shopping for parts for a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe, with ‘import requests and acquisitions … registered almost daily’, the report seen by the Guardian concludes.”

USA vs. Iran

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 30, 2005:

“Recent reports in the German media suggest that the United States may be preparing its allies for an imminent military strike against facilities [as early as 2006] that are part of Iran’s suspected clandestine nuclear weapons program… DDP [a German news agency] also reported that the governments of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Pakistan have been informed in recent weeks of Washington’s military plans. The countries, apparently, were told that air strikes were a ‘possible option,’ but they were given no specific timeframe for the operations.”

State of Emergency in California

AFP reported on January 4, 2006, that “Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger broadened the state of emergency in storm-hit northern California as flood waters subsided… ‘Conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist,’ Schwarzenegger said in his written decrees. ‘The series of storms brought unusually heavy rains that caused flooding, mudslides, the accumulation of debris, washed out and damaged roads, and the loss of human life.’… Damage estimates climbed past 100 million dollars on Tuesday.”

AFP had reported in a previous article, dated January 3, that “Violent weather across the United States has brought a tempestuous start to 2006, as wildfires swept across southern parts of the country Monday and storms triggered floods in California… Monday’s storm drenched usually sunny southern California, flooding roads and causing landslides in the Los Angeles area. The storm also soaked the Rose Parade, an annual event just north of Los Angeles featuring flowery floats, for the first time since 1955… Meanwhile, runaway fires that have killed at least four people continued to rage across the southern central US states of Texas and Oklahoma, forcing residents to flee [from] burning homes.”

In a TV broadcast on January 3, CNN claimed that the weather conditions in California, Texas and Oklahoma are related. According to the program, the same storm drenching California moved toward Texas and Oklahoma and picked up hot air over the Arizona desert. It caused the prolonged draught in Texas and Oklahoma to continue, raising the fire dangers in those states.

America’s Image

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 4, 2006:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel can look forward to the red-carpet treatment in Washington next week as US President George Bush — who never got on with her predecessor Gerhard Schröder — hopes to signal a fresh start. But a top German official warns that despite improving trans-Atlantic ties, America’s reputation among the European public is waning.”

The article continued:

“‘I’m concerned that the image of America as a haven of state legality where the state protects the personal freedom of individuals has suffered,’ said Karsten Voigt, the German Foreign Ministry’s co-ordinator for German-American cooperation… ‘I hope people in the US are aware of the problem.’ Voigt said… public opinion in Germany and other European countries remained highly critical of US government policy…  While the Iron Curtain divided Germany, the relationship was clear– the United States was West Germany’s protector. The fall of communism had ended Germany’s need for protection and thrust it into the new role of having to help solve crises elsewhere in the world, said Voigt. ‘In the last century we either caused the crisis or were at the center of it,’ said Voigt. ‘We were automatically involved. Now we have to decide whether we get involved…'”

Russia and Europe

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 6, 2006:

“Following a few days of concern that Europe might be in for a very cold winter, Russia and the Ukraine… announced they had managed to end their dispute over natural gas pricing– conveniently just in time for Orthodox Christmas break.”

But even though Russia bowed to European pressure, the waves have not calmed down, and Europe’s suspicions about Russia’s intentions remain. The magazine explained:

“But many officials in the European Union remain unsettled after Moscow simply turned off the tap on Jan. 1 following Kiev’s refusal to pay more for its gas. The episode has raised doubts whether Russia — which supplies some 25 percent of the EU’s natural gas — can be a reliable partner for Europe’s energy needs. Western commentators said Russian President Vladimir Putin was using Russia’s gas wealth as a weapon to intimidate its neighbors and shore up Russian influence in the region. Western-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has annoyed Moscow by aiming to take Ukraine into the European Union and NATO — a move which would further reduce Russia’s influence over the states of the former Soviet Union.”

In a previous article, dated January 3, Der Spiegel Online had explained the precarious situation, as follows:

“The supply stop has already led to reduced natural gas deliveries to France, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Poland by as much as 35 percent… Germany, Europe’s largest economy, gets about 30 percent of its gas from Russia… The conservative German daily Die Welt wrote: ‘Moscow still regards its western neighbors as a back yard in which self-will isn’t tolerated and is even punished.’ Business daily Handelsblatt wrote that Russia had shown it wasn’t an honest and reliable supplier of gas… The United States government was quick to express its concern. ‘Such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector in the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure,’ State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said… German Economics Minister Michael Glos… warned Moscow it must act responsibly if it wants Germany to import more Russian gas in the future.”

The article continued:

“The affair has also fuelled criticism of Schröder for agreeing to take a top job in the Russian-German consortium building a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea straight from Russia to Germany, a move seen tainted with favoritism given Schröder’s friendship with Putin. The undersea pipeline has been condemned by Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine because it could be used by Moscow to raise pressure on its closest neighbors, since Russia could shut off eastern pipelines while continuing supplies to Western Europe. ‘A former German chancellor manning the Russian gas cannon. What an absurd idea!’ wrote German mass circulation daily Bild.”

Britons in Debt

According to an article in The Independent, which was published on January 3, Britons are in debt to the tune of 1.13 trillion pounds. It was predicted that 66,000 people will go bust this year. The average household debt is 7,650 pounds (excluding mortgage debts). Two-thirds of EU credit card debt is British. One in five students owes at least 15,000 pounds.  Finally, 40% of women keep debts secret from their partners, and half of all heavy debtors suffer from depression.

Ridiculous Italian Court Ruling

As The Times reported on January 3, 2006, “an Italian judge has ordered a priest to appear in court this month to prove that Jesus Christ existed.” A militant atheist wrote a book claiming that there is no historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed. When a Catholic priest disputed this claim, the atheist sued him for “abusing popular credulity” or “abuse of popular belief” [“Abuso di Credulita Popolare”] and for “impersonation” [“Sostituzione di Persona”], both offenses under the Italian Penal Code–hence the ridiculous ruling by an Italian Superior Court judge in this ridiculous lawsuit. The Times continued to report about some of the evidence for Christ’s human existence on earth, as follows:

“The Gospels say that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, preached and performed miracles in Galilee and died on the Cross in Jerusalem. In his Antiquities of the Jews at the end of the 1st century, Josephus, the Jewish historian, refers to Jesus as ‘a wise man, a doer of wonderful works’ who ‘drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles.’ Muslims believe Jesus was a great prophet. Many Jewish theologians regard Jesus as an itinerant rabbi who popularized many of the beliefs of liberal Jews. Neither Muslims nor Jews believe he was the Messiah and Son of God. Tacitus, the Roman historian who lived from 55 to 120, mentions ‘Christus’ in his Annals. In about 120 Suetonius, author of The Lives of the Caesars, says: ‘Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, Emperor Claudius expelled them from Rome.'”

Signs of the Time

Our English correspondent sent us the following synopsis from British newspaper headlines and quotes, pertaining to the last three weeks, describing appalling conditions in Great Britain. When reading these reports, do we need to be surprised when the Bible tells us that God IS going to punish Great Britain for its sins?

“Acceptance of same-sex ‘marriages.’ 12-year old children offered nicotine patches. Top 100 UK companies facing ‘black hole’ of 75 billion pounds final salary pension schemes thus putting retirees in financial jeopardy. Only one crime in 100 results in offender being prosecuted. About 140 people end up in hospital every weekend because of ‘binge’ drinking. Cherie Blair (Tony Blair’s wife) uses a practice from white witchcraft before important meetings known as ‘casting a circle’. In one school, a woman ‘wican’ (witch) is teaching children about witches as long as they come with a parent. Mobile phones from one company give children a hot line to hard porn. Alarming rise in weapons used by street criminals. Britain is the drug capital of Europe with the highest rate of amphetamine abuse and with the worst record for taking ecstasy; it also has the highest rate of seizures of heroin (per UN statistics).”

Are Western Powers Losing the Battle?

On December 30, 2005, Great Britain’s The Daily Mail published the following article:

“We were sickened when the Americans thought it necessary to incarcerate terror suspects in the most degrading conditions at Guantanamo Bay. We were sickened when we saw those pictures of Iraqi prisoners being abused by their U.S. captors at Abu Ghraib. We were sickened when America used phosphorus to ‘shake and bake’ the people of Fallujah, burning many of them to death, women and children included. And we remain deeply uneasy at persistent reports on the ‘extraordinary rendition’ of prisoners flown to remote camps to be tortured–especially as Mr Blair sees no reason to investigate whether those CIA flights used British airports.

“So what are we to make of the latest claims that British and Greek security agents colluded in the kidnap and torture of 28 Pakistani suspects in Greece, after the London bombings on July 7? Greek politicians say British intelligence orchestrated the abduction. A leading Athens newspaper has named the MI6 station chief who was allegedly in charge. Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor says the case ‘warrants detailed attention’. One thing is sure. When the war on terror supposedly defends freedom, democracy and Western values, it simply isn’t good enough for Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to dismiss these accusations as ‘complete nonsense’ and leave it at that. The tragedy is that the Western powers are losing the battle for hearts and minds. No longer are they perceived as commanding the moral high ground.”

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

Der Stern Online reported a while back about the battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, when Napoleon I beat the allied armies of Austria and Russia, “ending the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.” This battle is sometimes called the Battle of the Three Emperors, because Napoleon, Francis of Austria and Alexander of Russia were all present on the field. Of course, Napoleon himself brought about the eighth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire–but not “of the German Nation.” The article continued to point out that on August 6, 1806, Emperor Francis of Austria abdicated as German Emperor. According to the article, “after almost 900 years the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation ceased to exist.”

But it did not cease to exist forever. The Roman Empire, under German and Austrian leadership, experienced another revival under Hitler, and the final revival or resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire” is happening right now in Europe. According to the Bible, ten mighty European nations or groups of nations, which will perhaps be called “core nations,” will unite continental Europe and then turn over their authority to a charismatic and powerful political leader–who will be either a German or an Austrian.

For more information, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Sharon’s Farewell From Politics?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 5, 2006: “After a serious stroke, it appears Israeli leader Ariel Sharon’s political career could be at an end. He came into office as a settlement-loving hawk, but he will leave it as a pragmatist who brought some hope for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… Even if Sharon recovers, he is unlikely to return to politics. An Israeli cabinet member said Thursday that it is clear to all that Sharon will be unable to continue his work as prime minister… Israeli private television channel 10 also cited members of Sharon’s family saying that he could recover from the stroke but would never return to office… The biggest worry surrounding Sharon’s stroke is that his absence could be a destructive blow to the Middle East peace process and, coming less than three months to go before elections, it could give a boost to hardliners surrounding former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And though Sharon is disliked by Palestinians, who consider him an enemy who led brutal military campaigns against their people, he did demonstrate his ability to compromise through his decision to withdraw all Israeli settlements last year in the Gaza Strip… His absence from the political scene now threatens the steps that have been made towards peace in the region. Ultimately, his departure could push the process backwards, with the Palestinians, Israelis and even Americans looking for a new starting point.”

Top This One

We might have thought that we heard it all. But then, an incredibly stupid news report catches our attention. Like the following one about an “unusual wedding” between an eccentric British millionaire and a dolphin. Yes, you read correctly. Here is the story:

“Till death do us part? An unusual wedding ceremony was held in the southern resort town of Eilat on Wednesday, as Sharon Tendler, a 41-years-old Jewish millionaire from London married her beloved Cindy, a 35-years-old dolphin, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday. The groom, a resident of the Eilat dolphin reef, met Tendler 15 years ago, when she first visited the resort. The British rock concert producer took a liking to the dolphin and has made a habit of traveling to Eilat two or three times a year and spending time with her underwater sweetheart… After a years-long romance, Tendler decided to embark on the highly unusual path of tying the knot with her beloved dolphin. Last week, she approached Cindy’s trainer Maya Zilber with the extraordinary request… And so on Wednesday afternoon, the thrilled bride, wearing a white dress, walked down the dock before hundreds of astounded visitors and kneeled down before her groom, who was waiting in the water. Cindy, escorted by his fellow best-men dolphins, swam over to Tendler and she hugged him, whispered sweet nothings in his ear, and kissed him in front of the cheering crowd. After the ceremony was sealed with some mackerels, Tendler was tossed into the water by her friends so that she could swim with her new husband.”

What a mockery of the Godly ordained institution of marriage. How far will this world drift away from our Creator, before He has had enough?

For more information on the Godly purpose for marriage, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Creation or Evolution?

500 to 700 million copies of the Bible are produced each year. The Bible has been translated into 2,287 languages. The average reader needs 50 hours to read the entire Bible. If one reads four chapters a day, one has completed the book within a year (according to the magazine, Focus). But how many believe in the accuracy of the Biblical record?

Surprising as it may sound, many Germans claim that they do. They say that they believe the Biblical account of the creation of man, thereby rejecting the Evolution theory. According to Der Spiegel Online, dated December 20, 2005, “Germans… believe in the literal record of the Bible. Every second German believes that a higher Power created life on earth.” The article continued: “Perhaps Germans are much more religious than originally assumed… In West Germany, 54 percent believe in a creative Power outside natural laws… 58 percent of the German people over 50 years old do not believe that apes and men had the same predecessor.”

The Austrian news agency, NetWorld, reported that Christoph Schoenborn, Archbishop of Vienna, criticized the theory of Evolution. He coined the fundamental question: “Is man a product of time and chance, or was a Will responsible for his existence?” He also rejected the concept of “theistic evolution,” as it only allows for God at the beginning of the evolutionary process, without any subsequent involvement and intervention. He sided with Thomas Aquinas who postulated that the Creator is not only the Originator, but also the One Who carries, upholds and directs the Creation.

For more information, please read our free booklet, “Evolution–a FairyTale for Adults?”

Spying on Americans

Germany’s left-liberal and highly popular magazine, Der Spiegel, made a very provocative and somewhat offensive statement in its online edition of December 22, when it titled its article: “Bush’s Impeachable Offense.”

We are bringing you excerpts from the magazine’s articles, as well as from AFP, a French news agency. We are not taking any position as to whether or not the conclusions reached in the articles are factually or legally correct. It is, however, our commission to make you aware of this controversy, as it shows the ongoing and progressive deterioration between the United States of America and continental Europe. The reporting is indicative of how many Europeans view the current US administration with disfavor and disdain. As we pointed out before, this development was prophesied in God’s Word thousands of years ago. And it will continue, until the war of words will end up in a real–bloody and devastating–war between these two power blocs–unless the people of the United States of America, as well as countries such as Great Britain and Canada, repent of their sins against Almighty God.

Der Spiegel Online stated:

“Yes, the president committed a federal crime by wiretapping Americans, say constitutional scholars, former intelligence officers and politicians. What’s missing is the political will to impeach him… Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said, ‘I think if we’re going to be intellectually honest here, this really is the kind of thing that Alexander Hamilton was referring to when impeachment was discussed.”… former Nixon White House counsel John Dean called Bush ‘the first president to admit to an impeachable offense.’… ‘The American public has to understand that a crime has been committed, a serious crime,’ Chris Pyle, a professor of politics at Mount Holyoke College and an expert on government surveillance of civilians, [said.] ‘Looking at this controversy objectively, you inevitably end up with a question of impeachment,’ says Jonathan Turley, a professor at the George Washington University School of Law…

“On Dec. 18, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, released a 250-page report detailing Bush’s misconduct and, on his Web site, called for the creation of a select committee to investigate ‘those offenses which appear to rise to the level of impeachment.’… While noted experts — including a few Republicans — are saying Bush should be impeached, few think he will be… Similar fears are voiced by Bruce Fein, a former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan. Fein is very much a member of the right… Suddenly, though, Fein is talking about Bush as a threat to America. ‘President Bush presents a clear and present danger to the rule of law,’ he wrote in the right-wing Washington Times on Dec. 20. ‘He cannot be trusted to conduct the war against global terrorism with a decent respect for civil liberties and checks against executive abuses’… What alarms Fein is not only that Bush has broken laws but also that he has repeatedly shown contempt for the separation of powers. Fein wants to see congressional hearings that would explore whether Bush accepts any constitutional limitation on his own authority… [Fein says:] ‘We just can’t sacrifice our liberties for ourselves and our posterity by permitting someone who thinks the state is him, and nobody else, to continue in office.’

“In fact, though, that may be EXACTLY WHAT AMERICA IS PERMITTING BUSH TO DO. ‘Politically, I see no possibility that impeachment will succeed,’ says Jonathan Entin, a professor of political science and law at Case Western Reserve University… ‘The only question here is the political one,’ says Pyle of Mount Holyoke College. A former military intelligence officer, Pyle blew the whistle on the U.S. Army’s domestic spying program during the Vietnam War. He believes that Bush has committed an impeachable offense — and that right now there’s no prospect he will be impeached. ‘This president has admitted committing the crime. He just claims he’s above the law,’ Pyle says. ‘So the issue is: Is the president above the law?’ If so, Pyle continues, ‘then we need not argue over the PATRIOT Act. We do not need the PATRIOT Act, because THE PRESIDENT CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS IN TIME OF WAR. He can ignore all the criminal laws of the United States, including the laws against indefinite detention and against torture. I don’t think we want to go down that road.'”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online reported on December 22 that “Earlier this week, Judge James Robertson resigned from a special court that issues warrants for electronic surveillance and searches in terrorism cases, shortly after the New York Times reported that the National Security Agency had intercepted hundreds of phone calls and e-mail messages by American citizens without seeking permission from the court. Robertson was protesting President George W. Bush’s domestic spying policy, according to the Washington Post. Bypassing the special court may be an impeachable offense, but Bush and his Attorney General have claimed it was a legal measure to track down terrorists quickly after Sept. 11. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISA… is highly secret and tends to help federal officers do their work; but it needs to hear ‘probable cause’ before it issues a warrant. An emergency provision even allows warrantless eavesdropping for 72 hours in certain cases. Robertson, according to his friends, worried about the ramifications of fast-and-loose domestic spying in the name of fighting terrorism. ‘He would not want the process to be compromised,’ a lawyer friend of Robertson’s told the Los Angeles Times. Tainted or illegally-gathered information — lacking a judge’s authorization — CAN’T BE USED to prosecute terrorist suspects in an American court.”

The French-based AFP is still stronger in the way of their reporting. In their article of December 22, it was stated:

“For a week, Bush has been defending his secret 2002 order enabling the NSA to monitor, without a warrant, international telephone and electronic mail of US citizens suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda. Critics have charged that the unprecedented move is an abuse of power and a violation of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which requires a warrant to conduct wiretaps and electronic surveillance. The White House has fired back that Bush’s move is legal under the US Constitution and a congressional resolution, passed after the September 11 attacks, that authorized the use of force in Afghanistan. In 2004 and 2005, Bush repeatedly argued that the controversial Patriot Act package of anti-terrorism laws safeguards civil liberties because US authorities still need a warrant to tap telephones in the United States. ‘Any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires — a wiretap requires a court order,’ he said on April 20, 2004 in Buffalo, New York. ‘Nothing has changed, by the way. When we’re talking about chasing down terrorists, we’re talking about getting a court order before we do so,’ he added.”

Other American constitutional scholars and politicians maintain that President Bush’s actions were legal. However, many Europeans are convinced that they were not–and this fact, among many others, WILL influence European politicians in their dealings with the US Administration.

Turkey and the EU

The Associated Press reported on December 27 of another interesting development in Turkey, raising doubts that Turkey will ever become of full member of the European Union. The article pointed out:

“Turkish prosecutors said Tuesday they had begun an investigation to determine whether a European Parliament lawmaker should be prosecuted for insulting Turkey’s armed forces, a decision likely to further STRAIN THE COUNTRY’S TIES WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. EU officials have already criticized Turkey for putting Orhan Pamuk, the country’s best known novelist, on trial on charges of insulting the country and have called on Turkey to do more to protect freedom of expression at a time when Turkey is seeking to join the bloc. A group of nationalist lawyers last week called for the prosecution of Joost Lagendijk, the head of the EU parliament’s committee on Turkey, who reportedly told Turkish journalists that the Turkish military was provoking clashes with autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels… It is a crime to insult the army in Turkey.”

Europeans for Europe

The EUobserver reported on December 20, 2005, that “Europeans generally back the idea of an EU constitution and reject Turkish EU accession… Of the 25 member states, Austria and the UK appear the most eurosceptic, with just 32 percent of Austrians and 33 percent of Brits saying EU membership is a good thing for their country, followed by Latvia (36 percent), Finland (38 percent) and Sweden and Hungary (both 39 percent). On the other side of the coin are the union’s greatest supporters, Luxembourg (82 percent) and Ireland (73 percent)…

“Remarkably, in the Netherlands, a country that overwhelmingly rejected a European constitution in June, a whole 70 percent of citizens say that EU membership is a good thing… 63 percent of EU citizens believe that the EU will work better with a constitution in place… The number of Europeans opposed to further enlargement has grown since the spring, from 38 percent to 39 percent, with Austria, Germany and France in particular concerned about expansion, and Greece, Slovakia and Poland most in favour… Meanwhile, support for EU membership among Turks themselves has dropped from 66 percent in spring to 52 percent this autumn, while 77 percent of Europeans back Swiss and Norwegian accession.”

Muslims Wait for a Mahdi

The Christian Science Monitor reported on December 21, about the vivid expectations of many Muslims for the arrival of their Messiah–a Mahdi. The article pointed out:

“For those who believe, the devotion is real. Tears stream down the cheeks of 2,000 men ripe for the return of the Mahdi, the 12th Imam they expect will soon emerge to bring justice and peace to a corrupt world… Among the true believers is Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who predicted with ‘no doubt’ his June election victory, months in advance, at a time when polls gave him barely 1 percent support… From redressing the gulf between rich and poor in Iran, to challenging the United States and Israel and enhancing Iran’s power with nuclear programs, every issue is designed to lay the foundation for the Mahdi’s return… The Mahdi’s eventual return is an article of faith for Shiite Muslims that taps deeply into Persian consciousness and mystical tradition.”

Wasps Fighting Terrorism?

In the Old Testament, God told ancient Israel that He would use hornets to fight against Israel’s enemies. Now, scientists state that in the near future, wasps could be used to fight terrorists. USA Today reported on December 27:

“Scientists at a Georgia laboratory have developed what could be a low-tech, low-cost weapon in the war on terrorism: trained wasps. The tiny, non-stinging wasps can check for hidden explosives at airports and monitor for toxins in subway tunnels… [Joe] Lewis [a U.S. Agriculture Department entomologist] and his partner, University of Georgia biological engineer Glen Rains, say their device is ready for pilot tests and could be available for commercial use in five to 10 years. Rains says the wasps could one day be used instead of dogs to check for explosives in cargo containers coming in to the nation’s seaports, in vehicles crossing at border checkpoints, at airports and anywhere else where security should be tight…

“The wasps may also be trained for medical uses, including detecting cancer or ulcers by smelling someone’s breath. They probably can be trained like dogs to find bodies buried in rubble, Rains says… When the wasps pick up an odor they’ve been trained to detect they gather by the vent–a response that can be measured by the computer or actually seen by observers. Lewis says the wasps, when exposed to some chemicals, ‘can detect as low as four parts per billion, which is an incredibly small amount.’ He says the ‘ability to capture nature and its marvels is … revolutionary.’ Rains says, ‘The sensitivity of animals (and insects) to chemicals in general is probably beyond what we can comprehend. We don’t really know what the limits are.'”

U.S. Birthright Citizenship

The Associated Press reported on December 26 about a debate in the United States pertaining to birthright citizenship. According to the law, each person born in the USA is automatically a US citizen, regardless of the citizenship of his or her parents. Other countries have different laws. In Germany, for instance, the place of birth is immaterial. Under German law, a person is only automatically a German citizen when at least one parent is German–even if he is born abroad.

The article of The Associated Press pointed out:

“A proposal to change long-standing federal policy and deny citizenship to babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil ran aground this month in Congress, but it is sure to resurface–kindling bitter debate even if it fails to become law. At issue is ‘birthright citizenship’–provided for since the Constitution’s 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868. Section 1 of that amendment, drafted with freed slaves in mind, says: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.’

“Some conservatives in Congress, as well as advocacy groups seeking to crack down on illegal immigration, say the amendment has been misapplied over the years, that it was never intended to grant citizenship automatically to babies of illegal immigrants. Thus they contend that federal legislation, rather than a difficult-to-achieve constitutional amendment, would be sufficient to end birthright citizenship.”

Some of those opposing such a change in the law point at the situation in Germany. As the article continued to explain:

“Lucas Guttentag, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said some Western European nations with different policies have suffered problems. ‘Look at Germany–the children of guest workers are not citizens,’ he said. ‘That creates enormous social and racial tensions. That’s the opposite of where we want to go.'”

Big Brother in Britain

On December 22, The Independent reported that “Britain is to become the first country in the world where the movements of all vehicles on the roads are recorded. A new national surveillance system will hold the records for at least two years. Using a network of cameras that can automatically read every passing number plate, the plan is to build a huge database of vehicle movements… cameras [will be able] to read number plates automatically night and day to provide 24/7 coverage of all motorways and main roads, as well as towns, cities, ports and petrol-station forecourts.”

Canada a New Haven for Pedophiles?

According to a shocking article by WorldNetDaily, which was published on December 27, 2005,  Canada’s Supreme Court has given green light to sex clubs, involving boys and girls as young as 14, and has thereby opened Pandora’s Box for pedophiles. The article explained:

“The Canadian Supreme Court ruling that redefined obscenity for that nation and legalized group-sex clubs, combined with Canada’s unusually low age of consent–14–will result in an influx of pedophiles to America’s neighbor to the north, contends a former consultant to the U.S. Justice Department… [Judith] Reisman, [word-renowned scholar and author]… says the court’s decision sends a clear message to pedophiles: ‘You don’t have to go to Asia anymore. Pedophiles can have the blond, blue-eyed kids in Canada, too.’… The liberalization of the Canadian courts, the author contends, shows ‘that pedophiles or politicians who refuse to prosecute these types of crimes are in power more than ever in Canada.'”

Almighty God’s Holy Scriptures condemn pedophiles in no uncertain terms. God also holds those accountable who know of such deviant behavior and do nothing about it [and this does not exonerate or exclude political or church leaders], even though it would be within their power to stop it. God tells us that it will be HE who will intervene in due time, when man refuses to right the wrong, and that He will hold accountable both the perpetrator and the inactive observer.

Is the Pope Above the Law?

The Associated Press reported on December 23 about a deeply disturbing development in a civil sex-abuse lawsuit against a Catholic seminarian and his ultimate superior, the pope. As it was stated in the article, “A U.S. judge in Texas dismissed Pope Benedict XVI from a civil lawsuit accusing him of conspiracy to cover up the sexual abuse of minors by a seminarian, ruling Thursday that the pontiff has immunity as a HEAD OF STATE. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal cited a motion filed by the Justice Department, known as a ‘Suggestion of Immunity,’ in which the government said allowing the lawsuit to proceed would be ‘INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE UNITED STATES’ FOREIGN POLICY INTERESTS.’ After a suggestion of immunity is filed, it is the COURT’S DUTY to surrender jurisdiction,’ Rosenthal wrote.

“Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict’s former name–is named as a defendant in the civil lawsuit, accused of conspiring with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and some of its officials to cover up the abuse of three boys during the mid-1990s… Lawyers for one of the alleged victims argued in the lawsuit that a May 18, 2001, letter Ratzinger wrote to bishops around the world was evidence that he was involved in a conspiracy to hide [the seminarian’s] crimes and to help him escape prosecution…”

Daniel Shea, lead council for the plaintiffs, stated that an appeal was being considered. “‘I think it’s a setback for the American people that the administration ever gave the Vatican diplomatic immunity to begin with, and that it’s using that to shield them from the conduct that’s involved in here,’ he said. The pope’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lena, said the ruling was significant in that Benedict was identified as ‘head of a foreign state, the Holy See.’ Some plaintiffs have sought to identify Benedict as only head of a religious entity. Lena said Rosenthal’s ruling recognized that ‘the pope is entitled to immunity like any foreign sovereign without any special limitations imposed upon his immunity JUST BECAUSE HE IS A RELIGIOUS LEADER.'”

Archbishop Justifies Christmas

Even though the “Christmas Days” for 2005 seem to be past in most Western countries, the aftermath is still very much noticeable. Therefore, let us review the Catholic Church’s position on the matter–but let us do so with OPEN eyes.

A reader sent us the following article, introducing it as follows: “What a spin. Satan definitely has done a good job of deceiving this world!! “

Here are excerpts from the “spin”-article:

In the Catholic Sentinel, Archbishop John Vlazny wrote on December 22: “The origins of Christmas can be traced back to a Roman festival called Saturnalia. In the second half of December, Romans had a seven-day celebration in HONOR OF SATURN, the god of agriculture. Since the winter solstice fell around Dec. 25 on the Julian calendar, the Romans ENACTED RITUALS to commemorate the lengthening of days marked by this solstice. In St. John’s Gospel, the coming of Jesus is often described as the coming of the Light. The early Christians TOOK OVER THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT FROM THE PAGANS and made it their own festival of Light, the Light… Jesus, the Christ. My CONCERN would be that we might not be on guard and thereby ALLOW THE FEAST TO BE TAKEN BACK BY THE PAGANS of our own day! No, I am not trying to make them celebrate Christmas. But I am very concerned that you and I continue to celebrate Christmas. After all, we are the ones who bask in the glow of the Light of Christ whenever we gather for Eucharist or hear the Word of God proclaimed. We are the ones who are called to be light for others. How could we ever celebrate ‘holidays’ instead of Christmas?… Gift-giving at Christmas is not a tradition of human origins. Gift-giving at Christmas traces it roots to the great gift of Jesus, sent by the Father, to rescue us from our sinfulness and suffering. God continues to share the gift of Jesus with the world through the church. When we exchange gifts at Christmas, WE ARE TRYING TO BE CHRIST for one another, a practice at the very core of Christian discipleship…

“With the celebration of Midnight Mass, we begin the great feast of Christmas. It doesn’t end the next day! NEW YEAR’S DAY, THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS, THE FEAST OF MARY AS MOTHER OF GOD, is also our World Day of Prayer for Peace. The OFFICIAL CLOSING OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, JAN. 8, when we shall celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. I encourage you to enjoy ALL THESE CHRISTMAS FEASTS and to make the most of the many graces shared among us in this holy season. Yes, it’s Christmas. For some it’s just another holiday. Too bad for them.”

But why shouldn’t we give “Christmas” back to the pagans, since it was admittedly taken away from them? After all, God COMMANDS His followers NOT to worship Him in the way in which pagans worshipped or worship their gods. He says that He does NOT accept that kind of worship! Also, in regard to the claim that gift-giving at Christmas traces its roots to the great gift of Christ, nothing could be further from the truth! This should be obvious when considering that in Catholic Italy, it is not even Santa Claus who brings gifts to the children on January 6 (!), but the old, ugly, “wise” WITCH Befana. She comes through the chimney and places her gifts in the children’s shoes (compare Bild Online, December 24, 2005).

However one wants to put a spin on things, Christmas celebrations are WRONG. Human traditions don’t tell you what is right or wrong. ONLY GOD DOES. But very few today are willing to listen to God.

No More Limbo

As UPI reported on December 28, “Theologian advisers to Pope Benedict XVI have disposed of the Roman Catholic doctrine of limbo started in the Middle Ages by St. Thomas Aquinas. Limbo is the place, Catholics have believed for centuries, to which unbaptized babies are consigned. While official Vatican removal of the doctrine could be a year or more away, the pope, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, said in 1984 that, ‘Limbo has never been a definitive truth of the faith,’ The New York Times reported. ‘Personally, I would let it drop, since it has always been only a theological hypothesis,’ the cardinal said while serving as Pope John Paul II’s doctrinal watchdog. Ideas about limbo have been changing since the 1960s Second Vatican Council. Pope John Paul II omitted the term from an updated catechism and, shortly before his death, asked the Vatican’s theological commission to consider the question of unbaptized babies, the newspaper reported.”

Roman Polanski Speaks Out

In a rare interview with Der Spiegel Online, popular and oftentimes controversial film-maker Roman Polanski (“The Pianist”) talked about his experiences as a nine-year-old boy in Poland during World War 2. Polanski (72) stated in the article, which was published on December 25:

“The real pain was my separation from my parents… I did not know that my mother was murdered a few days after her arrest in Auschwitz. I only learned after the war that she was pregnant… I hid in a stable. It belonged to a terribly poor Catholic farmer who did not know that I was Jewish… I was lucky that I did not look like a Jew. Otherwise, he [and his wife] would have reported me to the Germans… All Poles were anti-Semitic.This was a part of their culture after one thousand years of Vatican propaganda. Every farmer would have slain you with his ax if you had told him that Jesus was a Jew. It is unimaginable what they would have done to you, if you had told them that the Virgin Mary was Jewish… I watched [from the outside] through the wired fence [movies which were shown to the prisoners in the concentration camp.]… Between the movies, paroles were broadcast, such as, ‘Jews=lice=typhus.’… Later, all children in the Ghetto were shot.”

Earth Created For Life

The Russian paper, Pravda, published an interesting article on December 28, claiming that the “Latest geophysical discovery [is] to overturn all concepts of Earth’s history.” In the article, it was pointed out:

“Our planet assumed the present form 4.5 billion years ago. It has not virtually changed the original appearance ever since. Earth was suitable for conceiving and developing life forms from the first moments of existence. A team of Western researchers reject the theories about Earth being completely covered with oceans before the first marine species stepped onto the shore…  ‘Looks like Earth formed in the wink of an eye,’ says one of the researchers, Dr. Steven Moses at the University of Colorado. ‘If the theory proves to be right, all today’s concepts concerning the formation of Earth will have to be completely revised… According to researchers, the new findings indicate that the earth’s crust, its oceans and atmosphere existed from the very beginning, and the planet Earth was suitable for life in those prehistoric times.'”

Christmas Is Wrong… So What?

A shocking headline? Perhaps! But it reflects–sadly–the view point of many Christians these days. Even though they know that it is pagan, they see nothing wrong with it.

USA Weekend published an article on December 18, 2005, pointing out the following:

“If you think Scrooge and the Grinch are grumpy come Christmastime, consider the Puritans: These founding fathers banned Christmas! From 1659 to 1681, the devout Puritans of Massachusetts outlawed Christmas celebrations in Boston in part because they felt the holiday was rooted in, and therefore tainted by, pagan customs. And THEY WERE RIGHT: Much of what we celebrate about Christmas — from decorated trees to yule logs and mistletoe — does come from pagan myths and customs. These folk practices were wrapped around the nativity story and became the colorful array of Christmas customs observed today. Here are the stories behind some of our favorite holiday symbols:

“Christmas trees: The pagans get credit for using evergreens, the ancient symbols of life — trees that remained alive in the dead of winter… Santa Claus:… the predecessor to Santa Claus is based on the Norse god Odin, who rode through the winter skies on his eight-legged horse and brought gifts to the needy. Odin became Father Christmas, and the eight-legged horse transformed into eight reindeer. Mistletoe: The kissing tradition stems from Celtic and Norse myths. Considered sacred by the Celtic Druids, evergreen mistletoe was a healing plant so holy that enemies would lay down their arms if they met beneath it. Mistletoe emerged as a token of peace and, thanks to Norse myths, eventually romance.”

But unbelievable, perhaps, here is the conclusion of the article’s author: “Understanding the roots of Christmas doesn’t change the meaning of the holiday. Whether you say ‘Joyeux Noel,’ ‘God Yul’ or ‘Buon Natale,’ the season is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the hope for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men.”

In a related article by the Scripps Howard News Service, the question was asked: “How hard should Christians fight for Christmas?” And a surprising answer was given, as follows: “… I’m not sure we Christians should spend too much time saving the public use of red and green decorations, or candy canes, or ‘Christmas’ trees, or ‘Christmas’ cards or demand that stores wish us a ‘Merry Christmas’ when we purchase our ‘Christmas’ Pods and Palm Trees at this time of year… I mean, none of this has anything to do with Christmas. IN FACT, CHRISTMAS DOESN’T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ‘CHRISTMAS.'”

“Let’s face it… Early Christians didn’t consider celebrating his [Christ’s] birth. That ‘Holy Day’ came later, probably when early missionaries conflated celebrating Christ’s birth with Pagan festivals as a way of trying to convert lost souls. The holiday didn’t really catch on as we know it today until Victorian times. And no, there was no brightly lighted or decorated Christmas tree in the manger. That was largely popularized as we know it now by Prince Albert in England, who brought one over from his native Germany.

“In fact, in part because our early American puritan forefathers were opposed to the pagan origins of ‘Christmas,’ in many early New England communities its celebration was literally banned. (For the same reasons, it was also banned for a time in England in the 1600s.) No, little puritan children never got to sit on Santa’s lap. And you know all those creche scenes which depict the wise men at the manger? Those fellows probably didn’t actually show up until around the time Christ was a toddler.

“When I lived in Virginia, I was a member of a Presbyterian church that did not officially recognize ‘Christmas.’ While the parishioners, including the pastor, typically celebrated the holiday with all its trimmings as largely a secular celebration, it wasn’t part of our church calendar in any way because an annual celebration of Christ’s birth wasn’t called for in scripture. (I had Christian friends who just could not get that.)”  

But again, after reading all of these correct expressions of wisdom, the author’s conclusion is nothing but shocking: “Now look, I go ga-ga over ‘Christmas.’ I love the songs, the lights, the gifts, the chaos, the parties, the whole deal. I don’t hold back. It’s fun! The older I get, the more ga-ga I get. When my first was born, I was adamant that I wouldn’t tell him that Santa Claus was anything but a lovely story. By the time number four came along, I was adamant that the Santa she was talking to at the mall just HAD to be the real one. I just recognize it for what it is–a largely secular celebration. Now I’m all for Christmas Day being a national holiday.”

How true is God’s Word, telling us that the “wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). For more information, please read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

Santa Claus a Myth…

… but teachers are not allowed to say it! In fact, they are instructed to teach the LIE of Santa Claus. And so, our young children are still being told LIES by their teachers–and concerned parents are not permitted to stop it.

This reads like a Crime or Horror Story from the Middle Ages. But, it’s happening in the sophisticated, civilized and modern United States of America–year after year. As WorldNetDaily reported on December 15, 2005:

“After angry calls from parents and involvement of school administrators, an elementary music teacher has RECANTED statements she made to her first-grade students earlier this week that Santa Claus was a MYTH. ‘She told the students that in fact SHE HAD HEARD FROM SANTA, and she WANTED TO REASSURE THEM THAT HE IS ALIVE AND WELL in the spirit of Christmas,’ Jeanne Guerra, Richardson, Texas, school district spokeswoman told the Dallas Morning News. The quick turnaround was the result of the teacher’s bosses receiving calls from parents upset that the part-time instructor would tell such young children that Santa wasn’t real. Guerra said the teacher MISSPOKE during a lesson about holiday traditions. During a discussion about how Christmas presents are delivered, the teacher reportedly told the children it was actually parents who were responsible for Santa’s gifts. According to the paper’s report, a student quickly disputed the teacher’s contention, at which time she realized the age of the children and quickly changed the subject. ‘Santa Claus is an important part of the holiday season for many children,’ a district statement said.”

End-of-Year News Conference

As AFP reported on December 19, 2005, “US President George W. Bush mounted a robust defense of domestic spying programs and hotly disputed anti-terror laws, in an end-of-year news conference at the White House. Bush rolled out a combative performance as he sought to right his presidency after a testing year which saw his popularity tumble amid bloodshed in Iraq, the Hurricane Katrina debacle and scandals soiling his Republican party.

“The president, under fire over revelations that he authorized the National Security Agency to conduct surveillance missions on terror suspects within the United States, contrary to legal precedent, was unapologetic… Bush also said he expected a full investigation into who leaked information about the secret wiretaps to the New York Times, which published a story on the issue last week, after holding off for a year amid administration protests… As debate on civil liberties and the battle against terrorism rumbled on, Bush demanded recalcitrant senators drop their opposition to renewal of the Patriot Act, which has also attracted concern from the civil liberties lobby. ‘The senators … must stop their delaying tactics and the Senate must vote to reauthorize the Patriot Act,’ he said of an act which expires in 12 days.”

Subsequently, it was reported by The Associated Press on December 22, that “The… Senate on Wednesday approved a six-month extension of the USA Patriot Act to keep the anti-terror law from expiring on Dec. 31. President Bush gave it his grudging blessing. The Republican-controlled House is now expected to come back and consider the legislation keeping the 16 provisions of the law passed after the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington from expiring. Republican leaders and Bush wanted to make most of the law permanent, but were stymied by a filibuster in the Senate and had to resort to a six-month extension.”

USA Today stated on December 20:

“President Bush made an unapologetic defense Monday of a controversial program to spy on some Americans’ international phone calls WITHOUT COURT WARRANTS, VOWING TO CONTINUE IT as long as the nation faces ‘an enemy that wants to kill American citizens.'”

AFP wrote in a follow-up article on December 20 that President Bush “vowed TO EXTEND an unprecedented spy effort targeting US citizens with suspected ties to Al-Qaeda and denied that the program was illegal or an abuse of his power.”

But as The Associated Press reported on December 20, “Some Democrats say they never approved a domestic wiretapping program, undermining suggestions by President Bush and his senior advisers that the plan was fully vetted in a series of congressional briefings… Some legal experts described the program as groundbreaking… [Before President Bush’s news conference,] there was a growing storm of criticism in Congress and calls for investigations, from Democrats and Republicans alike… The SPYING UPROAR WAS THE LATEST CONTROVERSY about Bush’s handling of the war on terror. It follows allegations of secret prisons in Eastern Europe and of torture and other mistreatment of detainees, and an American death toll in Iraq that has exceeded 2,150.”

First Afghan Parliament

Reuters reported on December 19, 2005, about the historic fact that the first Afghan parliament in decades was sworn in on Monday. This development was viewed as an overwhelming victory of the international efforts to bring peace and democracy to Afghanistan. But–was it? The article pointed out:

“Former warlords, ex-communists, Taliban defectors and women activists were sworn in on Monday as members of the first Afghan parliament in more than 30 years amid hopes of national reconciliation after decades of bloodshed. The inauguration was peaceful despite threats by Taliban guerrillas and was greeted with tears of emotion although there is disappointment that many in the parliament are accused of serious rights abuses and links to the drugs trade.”

The article continued:

“Human Rights Watch says up to 60 percent of deputies are warlords or their proxies, boding ill for efforts to account for abuses and to stamp out a massive drugs trade. Malalai Joya, a 27-year-old MP, told reporters she was upset by an assembly of ‘warlords, war criminals and drug lords’ and vowed to reveal their crimes, or resign… Opinions differed among Afghans. Government employee Ghulam Faroq, 60, said it was time to forget the past, but businessman Abdul Karim, 40, said parliament was ‘defective.’ ‘It was decided by the U.S.,’ he said. ‘It won’t be able to do anything for Afghans because lots of MPs are illiterate and most are warlords who know nothing except killing people.'”

Turkey in the News

The Associated Press reported on December 15, 2005, about a controversial and unwelcome trial in Turkey, which could jeopardize Turkey’s future proposed membership in the EU. As Turkey is identified as the Biblical Edom, it is highly unlikely that Turkey will become a member of the EU, even though it WILL cooperate with Europe. The article pointed out:

“Turkey’s foremost novelist goes on trial Friday in Istanbul in a free-speech case that has divided the nation, embarrassed its liberals and cast a pall over its dream of joining the European Union. For Europeans who oppose Turkey’s membership in their prosperous club of democracies, the prosecution of Orhan Pamuk reinforces the view that the nation of 70 million Muslims, WHILE A USEFUL BUFFER BETWEEN EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, is no part of contemporary European civilization. Pamuk… faces up to three years in prison for saying to a Swiss newspaper in February that no one in Turkey is willing to deal with painful episodes in the country’s past treatment of its Armenian minority or its continuing problems with its 12 million Kurdish citizens. His remark that ‘30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands, and nobody but me dares to talk about it,’ is being prosecuted as a breach of a law against insulting the Turkish Republic or ‘Turkishness.'”

The article continued:

“On Thursday, the European Union made the stakes clear. ‘It is not Orhan Pamuk who will stand trial tomorrow, but Turkey,’ said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, adding that prosecuting ‘a nonviolent opinion casts a shadow over the accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU.’… The Bush administration regards Turkey as an ally and strongly backs its admission to the EU… The dilemma has grown more acute now that even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a staunch supporter of Turkey’s admission to the EU, is saying it can only happen if Turkey embraces European standards of free expression.”

These events are interesting in light of Biblical prophecies dealing with Edom. As mentioned, Edom describes modern Turkey–and not, as some erroneously claim–the Palestinians or Arab terrorist organizations. Such views are not supported in Scripture at all–in fact, several Biblical passages refute such an understanding. Let us therefore continue to watch the interesting developments in TURKEY.

“Domino” Bolivia Falls

As Der Spiegel Online reported on December 20, “The leftward shift in Latin America shows no signs of abatement. From the Caribbean to Tierra del Fuego, South American voters are rejecting ’90s-style free market policies for varying shades of socialism. Now Bolivia has followed suit, electing left-winger Evo Morales.” The article continued:

“When George Bush went to the Summit of the Americas in Argentina last November, he found that he had few friends. There was Vicente Fox of Mexico and Alvaro Uribe Velez of Colombia, but the guy who dominated the summit was Hugo Chavez, the left-wing Venezuelan who has become a thorn in Washington’s side. Washington has watched one electorate after another in South America turn its back on pro-globalization leaders and vote for left-wing governments. Now Bolivia has gone the same way.”

Jesus a Magician?

Discovery Channel announced that they will air on “Christmas eve” a special program about the miracles of Jesus, presented by Brock Gill, a world-renown magician and illusionist, who also claims to be a Christian. The program will address such questions as whether the miracles of Jesus can be re-created using 21st century technology.  Brock will be asking: “Was He a magician? Was He an illusionist? Was He a hypnotist?… Was He a paranormalist? Or was He just a master of psychology? What was the deal? Was He a real miracle worker?”

The program will allegedly investigate three different locations where Jesus performed His miracles: Nain, Galilee, where the widow’s son was raised from the dead; the Golan Heights, where the multiplication of loaves and fishes for the feeding of 5,000 people took place; and the Sea of Galilee where Christ walked on water.

“I’ve always been fascinated by miracles, ever since I was a kid reading the Bible stories. They were so outside of the ordinary,” says Brock. “I always liked the idea of being able to walk across the water.” 

We don’t know where this program is heading, or what beneficial value–if any–it will contain. The way in which the program is described, however, may create great disagreement with and damage for the inspired Word of God. We will, however, reserve further comments until after the program has been aired.

Chancellor Merkel–The Peacemaker

The Independent, a newspaper from Great Britain, reported on December 17: “During a day of tense talks, the new German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, emerged as a key powerbroker between Tony Blair and the French President, Jacques Chirac, as she attended her first European summit… The German Chancellor met Mr Blair and M. Chirac separately, then held a meeting with both. She also held talks with the French President, the Austrian Chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel, and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker.”

AFP added on December 18: “While Europe’s political leaders haggled over the sacrifices underpinning a budget accord, Germany’s Angela Merkel — a newcomer on the EU summit scene — quietly emerged as a key mediator in the diplomatic hurly-burly. It was a measure of her success that the deal eventually clinched by Blair was for precisely the spending limit Merkel had proposed. ‘She played an extraordinarily important role behind the scenes,’ Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said. ‘It was her debut at a European summit, and she pulled it off brilliantly. She was cool, calm and very professional.’ Her tactics were also hailed by the European press. ‘THE GERMAN WALLET SAVED THE EU BUDGET,’ wrote the Svenska Dagbladet in its online edition, saying she had agreed to a higher budget level ‘so Blair could gather his “Christmas presents” for those who were dissatisfied.’ France’s Le Figaro newspaper went further. ‘It appeared as if WITHOUT HER, Europe would have found itself in a new political crisis.'”

Merkel for Europe

The EUobserver reported on December 19, 2005, that Angela Merkel is determined to save the EU Constitution, as is.  “Germany takes over the rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2007 and could play a key-role in reviving the constitution, Elmar Brok, a prominent member of Ms Merkel’s CDU party in the European Parliament, pointed out. ‘It will be the main task for the German EU presidency’, he said. In May 2007 France is to hold presidential elections while the Netherlands will hold parliamentary elections. ‘Following these terms, it falls INTO THE HAND OF GERMANY, to save the constitution’, Mr Brok said.”

Europe After Blair

The Telegraph, a British paper, reported on December 20:

“Europe’s federalist leaders yesterday celebrated the last days of Britain’s EU presidency and announced that the ‘time is ripe’ for reviving their most cherished project: the EU constitution. With BRITAIN’S PRESIDENCY–seen in Brussels as a time of MISERABLE STAGNATION–expiring this month, the baton is already passing to the next holders, AUSTRIA. Ursula Plassnik, the Austrian foreign minister, flew to Brussels yesterday to hail the constitution as holding the answers to key questions about Europe. Austria would relaunch the debate on the future of Europe at a June 2006 summit, Mrs Plassnik said.”

Europe’s Club Within a Club

The United States of Europe are not dead. But they may evolve differently than many have thought, perhaps as a club within the club–as a group of core nations directing the EU?

Der Spiegel Online discussed Europe’s future in its article, dated December 19, 2005, reporting about the old, but newly emerging idea of several core nations within Europe. The article pointed out:

“The fact is, a 25-member European club has proven to be incredibly unwieldy. The solution could be the creation of an EU core… For months, the EU — the mini-success of a budget agreement aside — has slid from one defeat to the next. And it’s a trend that isn’t likely to reverse itself anytime soon. Which has leant an increasing amount of credence to an idea that has been kicking around the halls of Brussels for some time now: that of creating a club within the European club. The heads of those states that have been in the EU the longest feel that they — working together — can lead Europe out of its current crisis. Old Europe pulling new Europe along behind… The idea would involve some EU core countries taking the next step toward Europe’s future ALONE… Indeed, [Prime Minister of Belgium, Guy] Verhofstadt has already issued a ‘manifesto’ describing just how such a ‘new Europe’ might look. The core of such a Europe would be a small group of states — a sort of ‘United States of Europe’ as he calls it — bound closely together. Those countries wary of such intimate alignment would form a looser alliance surrounding the tightly-knit core group. The ‘Organization of European States,’ as Verhofstadt has christened it.

“Verhofstadt has already started peddling his idea and has approached French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. THEY HAVE SHOWN INTEREST…”

The article continued:

“Verhofstadt’s model of a core EU ALREADY EXISTS: the single currency euro zone… When EU finance ministers meet, the 12 ministers from the euro zone hold talks among themselves before they meet the 13 colleagues whose countries haven’t adopted the euro. In that pre-meeting, THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR THE EURO ZONE ARE MADE — in the club of the avant-garde. And it’s a model that could conceivably be transferred from finance policy to other areas — with the euro zone core leading the way. It’s an idea that has been launched by France and which has found a certain degree of acceptance. Already, the first summit of euro-group leaders has been penciled in for 2006.”

In other words, according to this model, those countries which have adopted the euro would constitute the club of core nations, while those countries which have not adopted the euro, including Great Britain, would NOT. The concluding remarks of the article could prove to be almost prophetic:

“In 2007, Jacques Chirac will likely be facing retirement at the hands of French voters. Chancellor Merkel, on the other hand, will just have taken over the EU presidency — it will be Germany’s turn to run the show for the first six months of 2007. Merkel, who has emerged as Europe’s new star following the weekend’s budget agreement, would have a perfect opportunity to secure her European legacy. SHE COULD TRANSFORM THE EURO GROUP INTO A NEW, SOLID, POLITICAL CORE OF A UNIFIED EUROPE.”

Schroeder’s Pipeline Gains (Some) Support

As Deutsche Welle reported on December 16, 2005, some members of the German Parliament have apparently begun to realize that former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s involvement with the German-Russian pipeline might not be all that bad for Germany. While conservatives and those of the opposition, in typical political fashion, condemned Schröder’s conduct, most, but not all, Social Democrats, in likewise typical political fashion, conveniently chose to REFUSE making decisive comments. As the news agency reported:

“The German parliament pondered the ethical implications associated with former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s decision to take a top position on a Russian-German energy project so quickly after leaving office. The news that Schröder would head the supervisory board of the North European Gas Pipeline (NGEP) less than one month after leaving the chancellor’s office met with immediate disapproval from parliamentary conservatives Thursday, opening cracks in the governing grand coalition of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats… One of Schröder’s closest confidents, Müntefering, said it was not up to the current administration to make judgments on what kinds of work former politicians should or should not accept. He also said he was convinced Schröder would act in Germany’s best interest. ‘I’m personally glad he did it,’ Müntefering said. ‘It is a strategic project for all of Europe.’… Earlier this week Schröder defended his new post, calling it an honor to lead the project that would bring gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea… Social Democratic head and former defense minister under Schröder, Peter Struck, also said Schröder’s participation in the project would be good for Germany.”

Politics in the UK

According to information received from one of our correspondents in the UK, “Already the new UK Conservative leader David Cameron has invited a lesbian as part of his team. In the UK there is an increasing tendency to recognize homosexuals and lesbians in government circles. This week there was an article in the Daily Mail alluding to the persistent chastisement of those who call people ‘homophobic’ who demonstrate against homosexual practices.  I wrote a letter to the Editor that I just wondered if these people would dare call God Himself homophobic because He calls the practice abominable! The Editor wouldn’t print it.”

Homosexual “Marriages” in the UK

As The Telegraph reported on December 22, “The most sweeping social reform for 40 years came to fruition yesterday when nearly 700 couples, including Sir Elton John and David Furnish, celebrated England’s first gay ‘weddings.’ To the delight of gay rights campaigners and the dismay of many Church leaders, homosexual couples ‘tied the knot’ in ceremonies that were hardly distinguishable from civil marriages. The sense of history was heightened by Tony Blair, who welcomed the new civil partnerships as ‘a modern, progressive step’ of which he was proud…

“But hard-line Christian campaigners described the ‘weddings’ as ‘a sham and an affront to almighty God’. Stephen Green, the national director of Christian Voice, said: ‘Ordinary people will be revolted by the sight of these couples embracing and the recognition in our law of what the Bible describes as an abomination and ‘vile affection’ will bring judgment on our land from the same Almighty God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.'”

In a related article of the Evening Standard, which was published on December 19, it was reported that prior to Sir Elton John’s wedding, a video message from Bill Clinton was played at a cabaret party. In the message, Mr. Clinton congratulated Elton John and David Furnish, stating, “If there were more people like Elton, the world would be a better place.”

Schwarzenegger vs. Graz

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 20:

“The execution of Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams in California has sent ripples of outrage through Europe, in part because one of its native sons refused to grant clemency. Now Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Austrian hometown of Graz has threatened to remove his name from its soccer stadium — but the Terminator fights back… No sooner had the Austrian city of Graz begun a petition to remove the name ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’ from its football (sorry, soccer) stadium than the governor of California fired off a fax. You can’t use it anyway, wrote Gov. Schwarzenegger to Graz Mayor Siegfried Nagl, in German: ‘In the future, the use of my name to advertise or promote the city of Graz in any way is not allowed… In all likelihood… during my term as governor I will have to make similar and equally difficult decisions. In order to spare the responsible politicians of the city of Graz further concern, I withdraw from them as of this day the right to use my name in association with the … stadium. You will receive related correspondence from my legal counsel shortly.’ …

“The earliest Graz would have considered removing the name by itself was January 19. Schwarzenegger beat them to it. He has also sent back a ‘ring of honor’ awarded to him by Graz in 1999. ‘Since … official Graz appears to no longer accept me as one of their own, this ring has lost its meaning and value to me,’ Schwarzenegger wrote. ‘It is already in the mail.'”

Compromise For Unity?

In its attempt to achieve unity amongst all Christians, the Catholic Church has again emphasized that this goal might have to be achieved through compromise. Of course, it was not put quite that way. Rather, it was stated that the submission of “our” will under God’s Will was required.

VIS reported on December 15, 2005: “Benedict XVI today received members of the joint coordinating committee of the International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.” The Pope “pointed out that the renewed dialogue will consider two aspects: ‘On the one hand, eliminating the remaining differences, and on the other, upholding the fundamental desire to do everything possible to re-establish full communion, which is so essential for the community of the disciples of Christ, as the preparatory document of your work makes clear. We must seek out God’s will… though it may not correspond to our simple human projects. We must achieve full unity of the Church and reconciliation among Christians, even at the cost of submitting our own will to the will of the Lord.”

This development might serve, perhaps, as a warning against “unity” at all costs. Even in God’s Church, some advocate mergers between several groups. However, if such a goal can only be achieved through compromise of established and revealed Biblical doctrines and practices, it cannot be pursued in such a way.

Evolution Nothing But A Theory!!!

Thanks to the correct understanding of a Federal Appeals Court, Evolution CAN be CORRECTLY described as merely a theory, and NOT as a fact. The Associated Press reported on December 15, 2005, that “A federal appeals panel Thursday questioned the accuracy of a judge’s ruling that a disclaimer in school textbooks describing evolution as ‘a theory, not a fact’ represents an endorsement of religion. ‘I don’t think you all can contest any of the sentences’ on the disclaimer sticker, Judge Ed Carnes of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals told an attorney arguing for parents who sued.

“‘IT IS A THEORY, NOT A FACT; the book supports that,’ Carnes said… The panel did not indicate when it would rule.”

It is hoped that the court will rule in favor of truth and accuracy–that is, that a label on school books advising that evolution is merely a theory, and not a fact, must NOT be removed from those books. Actually, evolution is really nothing but a fable. For further information, please read our free booklet, “Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.”

But, of course, most don’t [want to] see it that way. As USA Today reported on December 21, 2005, “A federal judge dealt a major setback Tuesday to backers of the idea that some forms of life are so complex that they must be the product of an intelligent designer. Judge John Jones ruled that it is unconstitutional to teach the concept in public school science classes because it is ‘a religious view.’… Jones’ ruling is not binding outside the Middle District of Pennsylvania, but attorneys and outside experts say it will have broad impact on judges, lawyers and school boards… Intelligent design theory does not answer the question of who or what is the designer… In his ruling, Jones said intelligent design ‘violates the centuries-old ground rules of science by invoking and permitting supernatural causation’; it relies on ‘flawed and illogical’ arguments; and its attacks on evolution ‘have been refuted by the scientific community.'”

However, neither Evolution nor Intelligent Design give us critical answers about WHO created Man, and WHY. Please be sure to listen to this week’s StandingWatch program, titled, “Evolution or the Bible?”

Water on Mars?

On December 22, 2005, UPI reported about another major setback to the concept that there must be–or must have been–life on other planets, such as Mars. Earlier this year, scientists proclaimed that they found evidence for water on Mars. Now it was strongly suggested that they did not. UPI stated:

“Two Arizona State University geologists say features at the Opportunity landing site on Mars were formed not by a lake, but by constant meteorite strikes… The site where the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed has sediments and layered structures that are thought to be formed by the evaporation of an acidic salty sea. The prevailing thought is that when the Martian sea existed it may have supported life forms and thus would be a prime site to explore for fossils. However, ASU geologists L. Paul Knauth and Donald Burt — along with Kenneth Wohletz of Los Alamos National Laboratory — say base surges resulting from massive explosions caused by meteorite strikes offer a simpler and more consistent explanation for the rock formations and sediment layers.”

Elections in Iraq

Many have hailed the success in Iraq by pointing at the most recent historic governmental election. But not all seems to be “satisfactory” or a cause for joy. As AFP reported on December 20, there is already increased cause for concern due to the surprisingly low approval rate of Sunnis and the surprisingly high approval rate of Shiites in partial election results.

The news agency reported:

“Iraq’s largest Sunni political coalition has contested partial election results and threatened to demand a new ballot despite calls from US President George W. Bush for a swift new government. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani also appealed Tuesday for a broad-based government representing the entire ethnic and political spectrum following Thursday’s landmark general election.

“The National Concord Front, a coalition of three major Sunni powers that competed in parliamentary polls for the first time, condemned what it described as fraud and violations in the election… The conservative Shiite United Iraqi Alliance list won 58 percent of the vote in Baghdad while the National Concord Front came second with 18.6 percent, according to partial results announced by the electoral commission on Monday. ‘The electoral commission can still rectify the situation, otherwise it will be entirely responsible for this fraud which will have SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS ON THE SECURITY AND ECONOMIC SITUATION,’ said Tareq al-Hashimi of the Iraqi Islamic Party, a coalition member.”

The WRONG War on Christmas

AFP reported on December 10, 2005, about an alleged war on Christmas which angers the conservative right in the USA. The article stated: “Conservative Christians and commentators are seeing red as ‘Merry Christmas’ has been replaced by ‘happy holiday’ in many places in an effort to include the many beliefs of the country’s diverse population… The right wing has launched a counter-attack against secularists by calling for boycotts of stores refusing to wish shoppers ‘Merry Christmas.’… A Republican lawmaker from Virginia has introduced a resolution asking that Congress declare that it ‘strongly disapproves of attempts to ban reference to Christmas.’ Conservatives are not alone in their concerns, as some in the left cringe at what they see as excessive political correctness. ‘Christmas is a Christian holiday, and trying to eliminate the religious aspect is insulting,’ wrote Los Angeles Times columnist Joel Stein.”

It is a tragedy that the problem with Christmas celebrations is raised by the wrong people and for the wrong motives. IF Christmas WAS Christian, it should be kept, as Christmas, in a Christian country, regardless of the cultural diversities. BUT, Christmas is NOT Christian and NEVER HAS BEEN. It is the TRUE Christians who ought not participate in Christmas celebrations. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

Schröder’s Pipeline

Der Spiegel Online described former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s controversial future management role in a big German-Russian consortium, building a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea. The magazine stated:

“On Friday, Schröder confirmed he would head an advisory committee of a massive undersea Russian-German gas project, sparking a storm of protest about a potential conflict of interest. Schröder, along with his old chum Russian President Vladimir Putin, signed off on the Euro 4-billion gas pipeline less than a fortnight before he lost Germany’s general election in September. Now only weeks after leaving office he has agreed to take a plum job in a project headed by partially state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom.”

The reaction from the German press and the German and international political spectrum was basically one of condemnation. However, what might be overlooked in the discussion is the tremendous economic and strategic advantage which Germany will gain from Schröder’s new role.

Surprisingly, a lone voice of support came from one of Schröder’s former political opponents, Germany’s minister of economics, Michael Glos (CDU). He welcomed Schröder’s appointment to the new post, as the pipeline will satisfy one-third of Germany’s energy needs from 2010 (Bild Online, December 9, 2005).

The Washington Post added the following interesting comments in its article, dated December 13, 2005:

“But the announcement should also raise questions in German voters’ minds about the real reasons Mr. Schroeder was so keen to see this pipeline project launched. The pipeline has cost Germany diplomatically by infuriating its Central European and Baltic neighbors. They point out that the Russian government chose to use the sea route rather than run a new pipeline alongside one that already exists on land, despite the far greater expense. The only possible reason for doing so was political: The Baltic Sea pipeline could allow Russia, a country that has made political use of its energy resources, to cut off gas to Central Europe and the Baltic states while still delivering gas to Germany.”

Tsunamis Threaten California

The Associated Press reported on December 12, 2005, about a frightening scenario, threatening the very survival of coastal areas in California. The article pointed out:

“Tsunami waves generated by a large offshore earthquake would threaten at least 1 million coastal residents in California and inundate the nation’s largest port complex… In the past century, more than 80 tsunamis–mostly minor–have been recorded or observed along the California coastline.The most deadly was in 1964 when a magnitude-9.2 earthquake in Alaska generated massive waves that killed 12 people. Scientists have also kept a close eye on a 680-mile fault 50 miles off the West Coast that behaves much like those that produced the 1964 Alaska quake and the Southeast Asia tsunami that killed more than 176,000 last year…

“If a tsunami shut down the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for two months, the economic loss could reach $60 billion. The ports make up the third busiest port in the world, but its docks and terminals are only about nine feet above the water.  A massive wave higher than that could cause extensive damage.”

Gigantic Explosion Near London

The Pravda reported on December 12 about the terrible explosion at an oil depot near London. The paper stated:

“A fire at an oil depot north of London blazed for a second day after explosions rocked the complex in probably the biggest such incident in peacetime Europe… Authorities said the blasts Sunday morning appeared to be accidental, though they came just four days after an Al Qaeda video appeared on the Internet calling for attacks on facilities carrying oil ‘stolen’ from Muslims in the Middle East…  The blasts could be heard up to 100 miles away–some reports suggested that they were felt as far away as northern France and the Netherlands.”

In a related article, The Associated Press added on December 12 that “A smoke cloud also drifted over northwestern France and was expected to reach Spain” within a few days.

The Associated Press also reported on December 14 that “Investigators searched Wednesday for the cause of [the] explosion… Since suicide bombers targeted London’s Underground and bus system in July, killing 56 people including the bombers, questions have arisen over Britain’s preparedness to deal with terrorist attacks and terror-related disasters…”

CIA Flights Under Investigation

The EUobserver reported on December 13, 2005, that “A Council of Europe report has reinforced suspicions that… the CIA has detained suspected Islamic terrorists without proper judicial procedure, and violated sovereignty laws in Europe… Meanwhile, the European Parliament is planning to set up its own temporary committee to deal with the allegations of secret jails and CIA flights in Europe… Despite secretary of state Condoleezza Rice’s assurances in Brussels last week that the US does not condone inhumane acts or torture, an increasing number of EU member states are trying to find out whether the CIA has been violating sovereignty and anti-torture laws in Europe.”

USA and EU Clash Again

The EUobserver published the following headline on December 14, 2005: “EU-US clash on food aid at WTO summit.” The article pointed out that “The first day of a key World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit saw an open clash between the EU and the US, with EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson accusing the United Nations of supporting US food dumping in the developing world… Brussels accuses Washington of offering large amounts of its superfluous agricultural products to developing countries in the form of food aid for hunger relief.”

Syria Guilty of Political Assassinations?

The AFP reported about the assassinations of two prominent Lebanese political and public figures critical of Syria. Investigations suggest that Syria supported or even carried out both murders, according to the news agency. The following was stated: “A UN enquiry report delivered to the Security Council cited new evidence further implicating senior Syrian officers in the murder of Lebanese ex-premier Rafiq Hariri and raised doubts about Syrian cooperation in the probe… The 25-page document was released amid rising tensions in Lebanon sparked by the killing of anti-Syrian lawmaker Gibran Tueni… The attacks have created a climate of fear in Lebanon… Many Lebanese blame Damascus for Hariri’s death and the other attacks, charges Syria denies.”

Iran Isolates Itself

The Jerusalem Post reported on December 10 about German reactions to the Iranian President’s recent controversial statements about Israel and the Holocaust. The paper pointed out:

“German church leaders on Saturday joined international protests against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s demand that Israel be moved to Europe and his statement doubting whether the Holocaust happened. Roman Catholic Cardinal Karl Lehmann said he was ‘outraged’… Lutheran Church leader Wolfgang Huber said the international community needed to take action against Iran, but he did not elaborate. ‘Whoever denies the historical fact of the murder of millions of Jews during the Third Reich in Germany and denies Israel’s right to exist has committed incitement,’ Huber was quoted… as saying. Incitement to racial hatred is a crime in Germany… The United States, Israel, Europe, [the] United Nations and even Iranian ally Russia have condemned Ahmadinejad for his remarks.”

Subsequently, Iran’s President added comments on Wednesday to the effect that “the Holocaust is a ‘myth’ that Europeans have used to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world,” according to an article of The Associated Press of December 14, 2005.

The press also reported that Israel threatened an attack on Iran, which was subsequently denied by Israel. The Pravda stated:

“Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the Israeli military command to prepare a military operation against Iran. An air strike on nuclear objects of the Islamic republic was set for March 28, Israeli military structures said. The date of the supposed attack coincides with the general election in Israel. Israel intends to strike Iran for the country’s persistent arms race and anti-Jewish statements released from [the] Iranian President… News messages about Israel’s intention to fire missiles on Iran first appeared on the pages of Britain’s Sunday Times.”

The paper continued: “The news about the IMMINENT WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST appeared several days after Iran’s [President] released another portion of anti-Israeli statements. It goes without saying that Iran will not sit on its hands and watch Israeli missiles hitting targets. The Islamic country will attack Israel in return too.”

The Russian paper also admitted: “Russia plays a significant role in Iran’s growing defensive capacity. Russia assisted Iran in launching its first satellite, the Sinah-1, which can perform the functions of a spy satellite too. Moscow also agreed to deliver Tor-M1 air defense complexes to Iran last week. To crown it all, Iran’s entire nuclear program is being conducted with the participation of Russian specialists.”

Modern Pharisees in Israel

On December 8, 2005, news.telegraph published the following article: 
“Machines will perform euthanasia on terminally ill patients in Israel under legislation devised not to offend Jewish law, which forbids people taking human life. A special timer will be fitted to a patient’s respirator which will sound an alarm 12 hours before turning it off. Normally, carriers would override the alarm and keep the respirator turned on but, if various stringent conditions are met, including the giving of consent by the patient or legal guardian, the alarm would not be overridden. Similar timing devices, known as Sabbath clocks, are used in the homes of orthodox Jews so that light switches and electrical devices can be turned on during the Sabbath without offending religious strictures.

“Parliamentarians reached a solution after discussions with a 58-member panel of medical, religious and philosophical experts. ‘The point was that it is wrong, under Jewish law, for a person’s life to be taken by a person but, for a machine, it is acceptable,’ a parliamentary spokesman said. ‘A man would not be able to shorten human life but a machine can.’ The bill… will become law next year.”

This article pinpoints the wrong Jewish teaching on both the stringent man-made prohibitions of activities on the Sabbath and the concept of “taking” human life. The article reflects the Pharisaical approach which was condemned by Jesus Christ. As it is absolutely not wrong to turn on light switches and electrical devises on the Sabbath, so it is also not necessarily wrong, and does not constitute the “taking” of human life, to end the ARTIFICIAL AND UNNATURAL prolongation of human life–for instance in case of a brain-dead person, who has been in a coma for several months, and who has been kept “alive” by machines.

Persecution of Christians in Pakistan

On December 13, WorldNetDaily reported about persecutions of Christians in Pakistan with the at least passive approval of the government. The article stated:

“Militant Islamists in Pakistan have called for the elimination of Christians and the public hanging of a Christian accused of blasphemy… [During a gathering on December 2,] Islamic leaders using loudspeakers urged Muslims to rise up and eliminate Christians. They also passed a resolution demanding that Yousaf Masih, a Christian accused of desecrating the Quran, be publicly hanged. A resolution [adopted by Pakistani minority religious and civil society leaders] accused the Pakistani authorities of having ‘done nothing to defuse the tension,’ and of ‘failing to repair the situation.’ It claimed the government was ‘not admitting the facts and is rather protecting the instigators of mob violence.’ Procedural delays have meant vital evidence has been lost, which has made the judicial process ‘ineffective,’ the resolution claimed.”