USA Prepares For War With Iran

On April 2, 2006, The Sunday Telegraph reported about secret talks between the British government and military leaders pertaining to a military strike against Iran. The paper explained the reasons for these talks, as follows:

“It is believed that an American-led attack… is ‘INEVITABLE’ if Teheran’s leaders fail to comply with United Nations demands to freeze their uranium enrichment programme… The United States government is hopeful that the military operation will be a multinational mission, but defence chiefs believe that the Bush administration is prepared to launch the attack on its own or with the assistance of Israel, if there is little international support.”

The article continued:

“British military chiefs believe an attack would be limited to a series of air strikes against nuclear plants–a land assault is not being considered at the moment. But confirmation that Britain has started contingency planning will undermine the claim last month by Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, that a military attack against Iran was ‘inconceivable’… At the centre of the crisis is Washington’s fear that an Iranian nuclear weapon could be used against Israel or US forces in the region, such as the American air base at Incirlik in Turkey. The UN also believes that the production of a bomb could… lead to further destabilisation in the Middle East, which would result in Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia all developing nuclear weapons programmes… There are thought to be at least eight known sites within Iran involved in the production of nuclear materials, although it is generally accepted that there are many more secret installations.”

Keep your eyes on the Middle East. The Bible is very clear that traumatic events will occur in that often hostile part of the world. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Iran Prepares For War With USA

The Associated Press reported on April 5, 2006, that Iran claimed it had successfully test-fired a “top secret” missile, the third in a week. According to the article, “the report called the missile an ‘ultra-horizon’ weapon and said it could be fired from all military helicopters and jet fighters.”

The article went on to explain:
“The tests came amid war games being held since Friday… At the same time, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, said the United States must recognize Iran as a ‘big, regional power.’ Speaking on state television, Safavi said Iran could use the Straits of Hormuz to apply pressure on foreign powers. About two-fifths of the world’s oil supplies pass through the 34-mile-wide entrance to the Gulf… On Tuesday, Safavi called for FOREIGN FORCES TO LEAVE THE REGION. The U.S. 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain. That same day, Iran tested a new surface-to-sea radar-avoiding missile equipped with remote-control and searching systems, state TV reported. It said the new missile, called Kowsar, was a medium-range weapon that Iran could mass-produce. It also said the Kowsar’s guidance system could not be scrambled, and it had been designed to sink ships. On Friday, Iran tested the Fajr-3, a missile that it said can avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously using multiple warheads. Iran also has tested what it calls two new torpedoes. One of the torpedoes, unveiled Monday, was tested in the Straits of Hormuz. That seemed to be a CLEAR WARNING TO THE UNITED STATES that Iran believes it has the capability to disable oil tankers moving through the Gulf.”

These are frightening reports. Jesus warned that at the time just prior to His return, which He called the “beginning of sorrows,” “you will hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6, 8). When Christians find themselves surrounded by fear, terror and aggression, they might be tempted to fight for their country–especially against non-Christian enemies. But would this be God’s solution? For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?”

Iraq Without New Government

AFP reported on April 3 that “US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British counterpart Jack Straw wound up two days of intensive talks with Iraqi leaders pressing them to speed up the formation of a new government but without any indication of a breakthrough. More than three months after legislative elections, they urged Iraqi leaders to overcome their differences and choose a strong figure to unify the country and restore stability… Their visit in the midst of a POLITICAL VACUUM in the war-torn country brought on by the lack of a new government came even as the dominant conservative Shiite coalition has asked US LEADERS TO STOP MEDDLING IN IRAQI AFFAIRS.”

The article continued: “For the United States, a national unity government is the key for an eventual withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq, with high political stakes for the Bush administration. Polls show two-thirds of Americans opposed to his handling of Iraq, where more than 2,300 US troops have died, and the war [will likely be] a key issue in congressional elections in November.”

Even though the United States and Great Britain fought for Iraq and lost thousands of troops in the process, there is little gratitude in the world for their endeavor. In fact, it appears that their actions have not accomplished much for Iraq in the eyes of many commentators and reporters, as well as a majority of American citizens. These astonishing developments were prophesied in the Bible, and there is a reason for them. If you want to know the reason, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Europe And The Vatican

According to an article by EUObserver, which was published on March 31, “Pope Benedict XVI has joined forces with the conservative European People’s Party to highlight Christian values as the core of the European project… the Pope urged the politicians to prove their commitment to the Christian heritage by not supporting policies that counter basic principles.”

The article continued:

“In a list of examples, [the Pope] mentioned ‘the protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death,’ as well as ‘recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family–as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage.’… The leader of the European Parliament’s EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert Pottering, noted in his speech to the Pope and participants in the audience that the group had fought to get a reference to God in the European Constitution. ‘Although we were not successful, the final text does embody essential Christian values. The EPP-ED Group, as an advocate of Judaeo-Christian values, is determined about the spiritual and moral dimension of the European project,’ he said.”

The Vatican will play an influential and dominant role regarding the ultimate European UNIFICATION of ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN “core” member states. History and the Bible show that the Roman Catholic Church was a part of several European unifications of the past, which were known, among others, as “the Holy Roman Empire,” or “the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.” They included revivals of the European Empire under German or Austrian leaders such as Charlemagne, Otto the Great or Charles V. (The concept, however, which is proclaimed by some today, that the Protestant German Empire under Otto von Bismarck, called the “Second Reich,” constituted a revival of the Holy Roman Empire, is clearly erroneous.) The Bible predicts that a final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire will occur, consisting of ten “core” nations or groups of nations. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Rice’s Unsuccessful Trip To England

AFP reported on April 1 about a less-than-successful trip of Condoleezza Rice to England. In fact, her visit seemed to have been “cursed” in a multiplicity of ways. The article explained that her trip was “a public relations nightmare on which little has gone completely as planned.” It continued:

“Rice came to northwest England on what was supposed to be a feel-good visit to Straw’s constituency to repay his October trip to her home state of Alabama. But the journey was plagued by problems from the start. Hopes of meeting former Beatle Paul McCartney fell through, a mosque withdrew its invitation and a local luminary lined up to host a concert in nearby Liverpool pulled out as a political statement. She visited a school in this community that is 25 percent Muslim, but many of the children were kept home for the day by protesting parents. Others cut classes to join the protests. Rice was supposed to attend a local football match but it was moved to Monday night for better television coverage. So a brief ceremony to present her with a jersey took place in an empty 32,000-seat stadium. The unflaggingly acerbic British press was less than kind to Rice on her visit to the United States’ staunchest wartime ally, taking off on her fashion choices as well as her politics… On a trip designed as diplomatic puffery, Rice also managed to make some unwanted headlines with an admission at a foreign policy forum Friday that the United States had made ‘thousands’ of tactical errors in Iraq. The offhand comment sent her spokesman scrambling to call reporters with assurances she was just speaking figuratively. Too late: the remark made the lead of all three international wire services and the front page of the Washington Post.”

Governmental representatives of the United States of America are not even praised by their own allies, the British– let alone by the rest of the world. Why should this be the case? The Bible tells us, and our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America” gives you the answer.

Evolution’s Downfall or Resurrection?

The Associated Press reported on April 2, 2006, about a prognosis by mathematician and Intelligent Design proponent William Dembski to the effect that the “Evolution theory” is “on her last legs.” According to Dembski,”all the debate in this country over evolution won’t matter in a decade. By then, he says, the theory of evolution put forth by Charles Darwin 150 years ago will be dead… Dembski is one of the country’s leading proponents of intelligent design, which asserts that certain features of living organisms are best explained by an intelligent cause. The ideas put forth by Dembski’s movement have piqued the interest of some school boards, churches and politicians–including Kentucky’s governor and President Bush… Dembski, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and philosophy, teaches a course on intelligent design at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He calls Darwinian evolution ‘viscerally unacceptable’ to most Americans… Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher called design by an intelligent source a ‘self-evident truth’ in his annual State of the Commonwealth address in January. Fletcher has said he would encourage schools to teach the concept.”

The article continued to explain that the “debate [between Evolution and Intelligent Design] is fueled by a belief that Darwinian evolution is linked to atheism, said Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education and a former UK professor… Dembski said: ‘I guess I would say that even though intelligent design has a long way to go, it seems to me evolutionary theory is so problematic that just about any alternative that’s scientific, or has the possibility (of being scientific) should be allowed on the table.'”

Even though the concept of “Intelligent Design” is not providing us with the correct answers as to the origin of life, it has at least highlighted the untenable position of Darwin and his followers that all life “evolved” accidentally from an organic soup of gases which accidentally developed.

The Evolution theory is false. This is not changed by the “fact” that some scientists discover, from time to time, fossils which they claim to be “missing links”–allegedly proving that fish developed into reptiles, reptiles into birds, birds into mammals, and mammals into humans. The press just reported that scientists “have caught a fossil fish in the act of adapting toward a life on land” (The Associated Press, dated April 5, 2006). The Guardian gloated on April 7: “Scientists have made one of the most important fossil finds in history: a missing link between fish and land animals, showing how creatures first walked out of the water and on to dry land more than 375m years ago.” They later admit, however, that the “fish” was only “on the verge of the transition from water to land.” This, of course, is mere conjecture and speculation.

Scientists called the fossil “Tiktaalik,” meaning, “a large, shallow-water fish.” They actually tell us that land animals (and therefore man) evolved from fish. This is ridiculous. The existence of an extinct fish-like creature which lived in shallow water proves nothing. We have living animals today which exist on land and in the water, such as seals. The crucial issue is this: IF fish developed into land animals, to better adapt to their environment, why are there still fish living today? If birds developed into mammals, why do we still have living birds? According to the evolutionary concept, they should all have been extinct.

God calls all such ideas “foolishness.” Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, speaks about the “wise” of this world in Romans 1:20, when he states: “For since the creation of the world His [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” For a full explanation, please read our free booklet, “Evolution–A Fairy Tale for Adults.”

Demonstrations in France

The ongoing demonstrations in France over a new proposed labor law have brought into focus a perceived need for change in France, as well as in Europe. The events in France only highlight a feeling of unrest and uncertainty in continental Europe as a whole. The following articles also show a European mindset which is totally different from American standards. Again, we see how little Americans know about, or understand, Europeans.

The EUObserver reported on March 29:

“More than 1 million people are estimated to have taken to the streets on Tuesday (28 March) to try and get the French government to back down on a controversial new youth employment law. Many schools, universities, government offices and shops were closed as trade unions joined forces with students. Student leaders claimed it was the largest turnout since protests against the law started earlier this month, with the strike causing travel chaos throughout the country… prime minister Dominique de Villepin made it clear in parliament that he will not withdraw the law… which makes it easier for employers to end job contracts for those under 26 years of age at any time during a two year trial period. The employer can terminate a contract without having to offer an explanation or give prior warning. The government insists that this will encourage employers to hire more young people while students say it will erode job stability. The demonstrations are being seen as a major test of Mr de Villepin’s prime ministerial credentials.”

Der Spiegel Online added the following on March 29:

“France is moving headlong toward a crisis… The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung… [is] not optimistic about what it sees. ‘At the beginning it was just a conflict over an employment law, now it’s become a government crisis, and if it continues for a little while longer, then France will experience a crisis of state.’ The paper sees the country hopelessly split between the right and the left, with both sides more concerned about scoring political points than about the well-being of the country as a whole. ‘The socialists have only joined the demonstrators this time out of opportunism, without having any ideas of their own to reduce unemployment.’ The shocking part, the paper says, is that President Jacques Chirac, elected with an unprecedented 80 percent majority four years ago, has become completely helpless in the face of the series of crises France has faced in the past 12 months. ‘Never has a president, never has a government, done so little with such a large majority.’…

“The right-leaning Die Welt… sees the strikes as little more than whining for a WORLD THAT NO LONGER EXISTS… A ‘virus of DENYING REALITY’ is spreading throughout Europe, the paper argues. It’s not the systems that are too rigid, rather ‘now we can see that it’s the people who are inflexible.’ The financial daily Handelsblatt, finally, looks at what the strikes mean for President Chirac. No matter what happens, the paper points out, Chirac will be the loser. Should he capitulate to the protesters and withdraw the law, Villepin would likely resign, endangering any chance Chirac has of ‘improving on his rather meager list of accomplishments as head of state.’ If, on the other hand, Villepin manages to weather the storm, it will be virtually impossible to introduce any further reforms to the labor market that the two had been planning, ‘because the social climate in the country will remain poisoned for the foreseeable future.'”

The Associated Press added the following comments, on March 29:

“In much of Europe, the idea that a company can dismiss workers just because profits are sagging is UNACCEPTABLE, AN AFFRONT TO MODERN VALUES [This is quite a different viewpoint than the commonly accepted model in the USA]. Yet economists say that even if the AMERICAN MODEL–under which layoffs are common–WOULD NEVER FLY HERE, reforms to Europe’s labor laws are crucial to the continent’s economic health. The battle in France over a new labor law is just the loudest and latest sign that the EUROPEAN SYSTEM IS AILING. The question of how to cure it is prompting soul-searching and underscoring divisions across the continent. AT STAKE IS EUROPE’S VISION OF ITSELF. Is it the world’s epicenter of enlightened ideas, or an economic heavyweight? Can it be both?… The European Union has had little luck stepping into the fray. One of the most divisive EU debates of late was over a law that would have allowed companies to operate under the labor regulations of their home country while doing business in another EU country. It was struck down last month. “In the United States and Britain, young people frequently jump from job to job. To dismiss an employee, companies can often just say, ‘You’re fired.’ [AGAIN, WE SEE QUITE A DIFFERENT MENTALITY BETWEEN THE USA AND THE UK ON THE ONE HAND, AND CONTINENTAL EUROPE ON THE OTHER. BOTH POWER BLOCS SIMPLY DO NOT THINK ALIKE.] But in France [as well as in Germany, for example], workers who land a coveted permanent contract can plan to stay at their jobs until retirement. To fire most employees, companies not only have to give at least three months notice, pay fines to the state and up to three years of severance–they also have to convince a judge that the dismissal is justified, something they don’t always manage to do. The French government says these rules are crippling and at fault for persistent unemployment, and devised a law in January that eases them. The most prickly part of the law, the so-called first job contract, allows employers to fire workers under age 26 without reason during the first two years on the job.”

The article continued:

“Part of Europe’s challenge is getting its growing numbers of immigrants into the work force. The French jobs law is aimed partly at immigrant youth, who face unemployment rates as high as 50 percent… Already, without a permanent job in France, it’s nearly impossible to rent an apartment, buy a house or earn a bank loan. [OF COURSE, IN THIS REGARD, THE SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES IS NOT ANY BETTER, PERHAPS A LOT WORSE.] As a result, many French youth live with their parents throughout their 20s, drifting among unpaid internships, temporary jobs and the unemployment line… public workers in southwestern Germany have been striking for eight weeks over an attempt to extend working hours. Job protections have been a major campaign issue ahead of Italian elections next month. More than half of Italian college students consider a job-for-life either fundamental or very important…”

Europeans are unhappy about these current conditions. They will not wait MUCH LONGER to FORCE their leaders to not only talk about the problems, but to DO something about them. They will most certainly not be satisfied with a labor law and conditions patterned after the “American” model. And even though most European leaders might not be able or willing to follow suit, ONE charismatic leader WILL–in the not-too-distant future.

U.S. Immigrants–Criminals or Americans?

America has been caught by surprise about unprecedented demonstrations by mainly the Hispanic community pertaining to a highly controversial proposed new Immigration Law. The following articles address the real present and future problems that the USA is facing, and they point out the sometimes unrealized fact that America would probably stop functioning without its illegal immigrants!

Der Spiegel Online stated on March 29:

“The German press loves bashing US President George W. Bush and usually, they find it not terribly difficult given the consensus on this side of the Atlantic that US foreign policy since Sept. 11, 2001 has been a complete disaster. But the recent US-wide debate on American immigration law is not proving to be quite as clear cut — and it is producing a deep split in the Republican Party. On the one hand, there is a Republican fraction — to which Bush belongs — which would like to see the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States be granted work visas with an option of becoming full citizens later. A bill reflecting this viewpoint — supported by Democrats led by Senator Edward Kennedy — was passed by the Republican-controlled Senate on Monday. But a second group of Republicans would like to see illegal immigration cracked down on in the form of strong measures taken to prevent it. This group — which helped push a bill through the House of Representatives in December — would like to see illegal immigrants criminalized and sent home. The two laws will now have to be reconciled. Many conservative Republicans are criticizing the proposed reform as a slippery slope towards an amnesty for illegal immigrants and — given the fact that fully 11.7 percent of the US population was foreign born in 2003 — as a threat to the national identity of the USA.

“Left-leaning daily Berliner Zeitung [points out] that the massive contribution of illegal immigrants to the US economy is an UNDENIABLE REALITY [as was the case in Germany in the 60’s, when guest workers from Turkey and other nations were invited to come into the country to temporarily work there]. ‘Deport the illegal immigrants and the country would PROBABLY STOP FUNCTIONING,’ the editors write, going on to note that while they feel the reform proposal is laudable, polls show that the majority of US citizens does not support it… Editorials in two other German papers [Financial Times and Süddeutsche Zeitung] reflect not so much on the specific debate over efforts to reform US immigration law, but rather on the difficulties faced by the president and his party in general. Not only are Bush’s poll ratings abysmal, but for the first time in his over five years in office, Bush has gotten rid of one of his closest aides, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card… who resigned on Tuesday…”

AFP reported on March 29 that “More than 36,000  [Los Angeles] students walked out of class to protest on Monday and more than 11,000 boycotted on Tuesday, prompting education chiefs and police to warn that pupils who skip class would be punished as truants if they failed to show up for class… While Los Angeles has been the focus of the student protests against the proposed immigration law, similar walkouts have taken place across California as well as in the states of Texas and Nevada in recent days. Saturday, 500,000 demonstrators brought Los Angeles to a standstill by staging ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEMONSTRATIONS IN RECENT US HISTORY against the proposed crackdown, while 50,000 people protested Monday in the northeastern US auto-making capital of Detroit over the issue…

“The US House of Representatives in December passed a bill that would make illegal entry in the United States a CRIME and heavily penalise EMPLOYERS of undocumented workers [as well as requiring CHURCHES to check the LEGAL STATUS of people they want to HELP], opening the floodwaters of protest in the Hispanic community, the largest US minority group… The hardline plans have sparked anger among the more than 32 million people of Hispanic cultural origin in the United States, who make up more than 12 percent of the population and wield growing political and economic clout. Hispanic community leaders said they were planning a massive countrywide Hispanic boycott of US life on May 1 that will be dubbed ‘A day without Latinos or a day without immigrants.'”

Israeli Election

Israel’s recent elections have shown that Israelis are more interested in the solutions of their own problems than in pursuing an unrealistic “peace” process. The following article also shows the grave mistrust of Israeli citizens in their political leaders–a phenomenon which is mirrored in most countries in the Western World.

On March 29, Der Spiegel Online reported the following about the election results in Israel: “The Israelis have turned their BACK ON THE PEACE PROCESS. The days when the left dreamed of the ‘New Middle East’ are over. Instead of negotiating about future co-existence with the Palestinians, the Israelis want a divorce, once and for all. They’re not aiming for peace… The so-called security fence is aimed at separating the two peoples from one another. How the Palestinians are supposed to survive when they are cut off from the outside world is of no interest in Israel. Instead of looking out for their Palestinian neighbors, Israelis want their government to fight poverty in their own country. Israel’s focus is turning inwards.

“But what’s most astonishing is that despite the dramatic changes now faced by the country and the whole region, almost 40 percent of eligible voters stayed at home. The lack of interest isn’t just explained by the absence of strong, charismatic personalities following the departure of Ariel Sharon. In the eyes of many Israelis POLITICS IS SUCH A DIRTY BUSINESS THAT THEY WANT NO PART IN IT, not even from a distance. The names of many politicians have been cited in connection with corruption cases. Some parliamentarians will even have to go to jail soon, among them the son of Ariel Sharon.”

Hamas Takes Power

After some delay, Hamas took power. The future for peace in the Middle East looks grimmer than ever.

The Associated Press reported on March 29:

“Hamas formally took power Wednesday, and the newly installed prime minister [Islmail Haniyeh] pledged to cooperate with President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the defeated Fatah party… Haniyeh said he and Abbas would confront ‘Israeli aggression against the people’ as well as internal chaos. He called Hamas’ assumption of power ‘a great moment.’ The swearing-in ceremony, which came just a day after Israel’s national election, ended a two-month transition period of ambiguity since Hamas’ election victory in January. The 24-member Cabinet includes 14 ministers who served time in Israeli prisons.

“With a Hamas government installed, the LINES OF CONFRONTATION WITH ISRAEL ARE CLEARLY DRAWN. Hamas insists it will not soften its VIOLENT IDEOLOGY toward the Jewish state. Israel’s presumed prime minister-designate, Ehud Olmert, has countered that if Hamas will not bend, he will set the borders of a Palestinian state by himself and keep large areas of the West Bank. With Hamas at the helm, the Palestinian Authority also faces a crippling international economic boycott. Canada announced it was suspending assistance to the Palestinian Authority, with Hamas calling the decision hasty and unfair…”

Israel May Be Next al-Qaida Battleground

As if Hamas’ radical stance was not enough, suspicion is mounting that al-Qaida is concentrating on Israel as their new battle field. The Associated Press reported on March 22: “Signs are mounting that al-Qaida terrorists are setting their sights on Israel and the Palestinian territories as their next jihad battleground. Israel has indicted two West Bank militants for al-Qaida membership, Egypt arrested operatives trying to cross into Israel and a Palestinian security official has acknowledged al-Qaida is ‘organizing cells and gathering supporters.’… Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon have established contacts with al-Qaida followers… a major concern is al-Qaida’s activities in Israel’s neighbors, especially Jordan… Some Israeli officials have expressed concern that al-Qaida operatives from Egypt may have entered Gaza after Israel withdrew from the coastal strip last summer.”

Afghan Christian Given Asylum in Italy

Abdul Rahman fled Afghanistan after his release from prison (due to some concocted rationale of “insufficient evidence” and “suspected mental illness”) and found asylum in Italy. The Western World can sigh a temporary sigh of relief. But the sign is deceitful. Afghanistan’s problems have not been solved by any stretch of the imagination. Afghanistan’s future does not give room for much optimism.

The Associated Press reported on March 29:

“The Afghan man who faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity received asylum in Italy Wednesday, despite requests by lawmakers in Afghanistan that he be barred from fleeing the conservative Muslim country. Abdul Rahman arrived in Rome days after he was freed from a high-security prison… after a court dropped charges of apostasy against him for lack of evidence and suspected mental illness. The case has attracted wide attention in the West and led to calls by the U.S. and other governments for the Afghan government to protect the 41-year-old convert. It also inspired an appeal by Pope Benedict XVI to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and efforts by the United Nations to find a country to take him in after Muslim clerics in Afghanistan threatened his life, saying his conversion was a ‘betrayal to Islam.’ Rahman was in the care of Italy’s Interior Ministry, Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday evening. ‘He is already in Italy,’ he said… The premier declined to release more details. The Interior Ministry said Rahman was ‘UNDER PROTECTION.'”

“Afghanistan’s new parliament debated Rahman’s case Wednesday and DEMANDED HE BE BARRED FROM LEAVING THE COUNTRY. But no formal vote was taken on the issue. Some 500 Afghans, including Muslim leaders and students, also gathered at a mosque in the southern town of Qalat… to demand the convert be forced to return to Islam or be killed… Germany, where Rahman once lived, praised the Italian move. ‘This is a humanitarian signal and we welcome it,’ German government spokesman Thomas Steg said.”

Even though Rahman lives in MORE OR LESS relative safety, the terrible status quo in Afghanistan has not changed. In fact, nothing has changed. Women are still being persecuted on a daily basis, and any Afghan who is charged with converting from Islam to Christianity will face the same ordeal which Rahman did. Afghanistan is, by no stretch of the imagination, a “free” country.

As Deutsche Welle wrote on March 23:

“Starting in 2004, Afghanistan — with Western help — ushered in a new reformed constitution, after which it elected a new parliament and created a Supreme Court and an independent legal system — steps considered essential in what the US administration calls ‘nation-building.’ But, experts warn about the dangers of flaunting Afghanistan as a poster-child for spreading democracy to former totalitarian countries. More than four years after the fall of the Taliban, the country remains riddled with corruption and cronyism linked to the country’s administrative system and $2.8 billion… drug industry. ‘One shouldn’t forget that [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai had to make several concessions to ultra-conservatives in drawing up the constitution,’ said Citha Maass, Afghanistan expert at the Berlin-based German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Maass pointed out that the Rahman case highlighted the contradictions in Afghanistan’s constitution, which enshrines religious freedom on the one hand and upholds the supremacy of Islamic Sharia law on the other… The Afghanistan expert also pointed out that recent protests over controversial cartoons published in European newspapers HAD BEEN THE MOST VIOLENT IN AFGHANISTAN.”

Afghanistan Fighting Deadliest in Months

The ongoing problems in Afghanistan were highlighted on Wednesday, March 29, when The Associated Press reported:

“Taliban rebels launched a large-scale attack on a coalition military base Wednesday in southern Afghanistan [in Helmand], killing an American and a Canadian soldier but losing 32 of their own in a fierce American-led retaliation. The fighting was THE DEADLIEST in months and reflected a GROWING INTENSITY OF MILITANT ATTACKS after the Taliban warned of a renewed offensive this year, more than four years after the hard-line militia was ousted by U.S.-led airstrikes… It was not clear if Wednesday’s violence was linked to the DRUG TRADE. Helmand is Afghanistan’s main opium poppy-growing region and fears of widespread violence have risen since an aggressive poppy eradication campaign started in recent weeks. Helmand’s rugged mountains also are popular hiding places for Taliban rebels, many of whom are believed to slip back and forth across the province’s largely UNGUARDED BORDER WITH PAKISTAN. The attack on the base came a day after a roadside bomb killed six Afghan soldiers on a road in the province, and four private security workers–a Namibian and three Afghans–were killed elsewhere in the south in attacks blamed on Taliban rebels.”

Afghanistan’s Religious “Freedom”

On March 20, 2006, The Arizona Republic published an article about an abominable situation in Afghanistan. This is the same country which Western powers decided to set free from tyranny and terrorism and to guarantee those freedoms which Western citizens treasure dearly, including the freedom of speech and religion. However, we see today the influence of former war lords and drug traffickers in Afghanistan, as well as unspeakable religious tyranny, which is legally sanctioned and promoted:

“An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under this country’s Islamic laws… The defendant… was arrested last month [with a Bible in his possession] after his family accused him of becoming a Christian [and] was charged with rejecting Islam. During a one-day hearing, the defendant confessed that he converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago … ‘We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law,’ the judge said… the prosecutor.. said he had offered to drop the charges if [the defendant] converted back to Islam, but he refused… ‘We are Muslims, and becoming a Christian is against our laws [the prosecutor said]. He must get the death penalty.'”

When reading that his own family accused the defendant and reported him to the authorities, we are reminded of a Biblical prophecy telling us that at the very end, true Christians “will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of [them] to death” (Luke 21:16).

On March 21, 2006, globeandmail.com added the following:

“If sentenced to death, Mr. Rahman has two avenues of appeal: to the Provincial Court and to the Supreme Court. The death sentence also would need President Hamid Karzai’s approval to be carried out. [Karzai could change the death sentence to life in prison. Whether he would do so or whether he would bow to the pressure of radicals, will remain to be seen]… The trial is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam should take four years after the ouster from Afghanistan of the fundamentalist Taliban regime. It also reveals the friction between Islamic and statutory law. Both are affirmed in the country’s draft constitution, which says Islam is the religion of Afghanistan but also mentions the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which ensures freedom of religion. Afghanistan is a conservative Islamic country. About 99 per cent of its 28 million people are Muslim and the rest are mainly Hindu.

“A Christian aid worker in Kabul, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said there is no reliable figure for the number of Christians in the country, although it is believed to be only in the dozens or low hundreds. He said few admit their faith because of fear of retribution and there are no known Afghan churches.”

AFP reported on March 22: “International pressure is mounting on Afghanistan… Washington says it is watching closely how Kabul deals with Rahman, 41, who is believed to be the first convert accused in Afghanistan under strict Islamic Sharia law for refusing to become Muslim again. Germany, where Rahman reportedly lived for nine years before returning to his war-scarred homeland, has called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to step in and save him.”

The Associated Press stated on March 22, 2006 that “German Roman Catholic Cardinal Karl Lehmann said the trial sent an ‘alarming signal’ about freedom of worship in Afghanistan.”

When will the Western powers begin to retaliate against the persecution of their religious faith? Even though “freedom of religion” is guaranteed in the draft Afghan constitution, it appears that it is only applied to the “freedom” of Muslims to follow the Koran and, in effect, to suppress Christianity. As Der Spiegel Online reported on March 21, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier reminded the government of Afghanistan of their duty to guarantee “religious freedom.” The Afghan government responded that they will not intervene in the case, as this was a matter of the judicial branch. According to the magazine, Afghanistan’s judges are still the same old conservative hardliners that existed five years ago. Insofar, nothing has changed since the “liberation” of Afghanistan. Some “cautious” German politicians are concerned about the “sensitivities” in Afghanistan, as the situation could “explode.”

Nicholas Burns, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, reportedly agreed. According to AFP of March 22, he “suggested that Washington would not try to impose its will in the controversial case.”

However, President Bush used much stronger words. According to The Associated Press of March 22, he stated: “We expect them to honor the universal principle of freedom… I’m troubled when I hear, deeply troubled when I hear, the fact that a person who converted away from Islam may be held to account. That’s not the universal application of the values that I talked about. I look forward to working with the government of that country to make sure that people are protected in their capacity to worship.”

Other governmental officials from Germany state that Afghanistan’s conduct must be condemned by the international community, and that all European financial support for the country must immediately cease unless it changes. According to News Networld of March 22, the Afghan government responded by accusing Germany of “blackmail.”

In another bizarre twist of events, “Afghanistan said that a man facing the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity might be mentally unfit to stand trial, as international pressure over the case mounted… Observers said the court’s announcement may be a sign that Afghanistan is seeking a way out of an increasingly embarrassing issue for US-backed President Hamid Karzai” (AFP, March 22, 2006).

Of course, such a “cop-out” would not solve anything. What happens next time when another Afghan Muslim is accused of converting to Christianity? Or, are the Afghan authorities prepared to declare every Muslim as insane who converts to Christianity?

In addition, Afghan Muslim clerics have taken an unmistakable stance on the situation. As The Associated Press reported on March 23, “[Four] Senior Muslim clerics [in Kabul] said Thursday that an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity should be killed regardless of whether a court decides to free him… ‘He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian,’ said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque. ‘The government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed.’ ‘He is not mad. The government is playing games. The people will not be fooled,’ said Abdul Raoulf, cleric at Herati Mosque. ‘This is humiliating for Islam. … Cut off his head.’ Raoulf is considered a moderate cleric in Afghanistan. He was jailed three times for criticizing the Taliban’s policies before the hard-line regime was ousted by US-led forces in 2001.”

Der Spiegel Online published the following biting and thought-provoking commentary on March 23:

“A few caricatures in a Dutch newspaper caused bloody riots in the Muslim world. But now an Afghan man has been sentenced to death for converting to Christianity. Afghanistan has told the West it should mind its own business. Come again?”

The magazine continued: “German liberty has not arrived [and] radical Islam has remained… Afghanistan is no properly democratic state. The fact that a Muslim is now facing the death penalty because of his conversion to Christianity shows how far this country still is from guaranteeing its citizens the most basic rights. In neighboring Pakistan, an ally in the war on terror, the situation is hardly any better. There Christians, who make up between five and 10 percent of the p
opulation, live in ghettos, faced with the constant threat of violence. Many Christians living in Islamic countries exist in a state of religious apartheid. The response to Western criticism of the Kabul verdict is being dismissed as a case of foreigners ‘meddling’ in Afghanistan’s ‘domestic affairs.’ This means it’s high time to send a clearer message. It’s not just about Abdul Rahman, who has chosen to become a Christian for reasons that are no one’s business but his own. It’s also about the women locked away in Afghan prisons for having been accused of adultery. It’s about female students who can’t walk down the street by themselves because a few male illiterates might get it into their heads to attack them. And it’s about the many hundreds of thousands of Afghan women forced to live their lives behind walls — without access to education, without the right to happiness. There is a good chance that President Hamid Karzai will pardon Abdul Rahman, as he has many of the imprisoned women, who are often convicted on bogus adultery charges made up by men who simply want to get rid of them. But this is not about mercy; it’s about basic human rights. The West should insist on nothing less. “This is in no way merely a domestic matter — it is a question of the validity of international human rights. When a Danish newspaper published a few more or less idiotic cartoons, Islamic rage flared up. Now that human lives and basic rights are at issue, we’re hearing statements that could just as easily have been made during the Cold War. Back then, the phrase ‘domestic affairs’ was invoked by the Soviet empire every time the West criticized its human rights record. What concerns Abdul Rahman and the women of Afghanistan concerns us too. And if the German army can’t defend this kind of liberty in the Hindukush, then it should leave. Our soldiers have sworn allegiance to the rights enshrined in the German constitution; there’s no reason to turn these soldiers into toothless operetta characters.”

We are observing another example of an outright war–at this time being fought with words–between Islam and Christianity. According to Biblical prophecy, Europe WILL ultimately accept the challenge and begin to act–and when doing so, IT will, in turn, become dictatorial in its approach with religions other than “orthodox” Christianity. Sadly, religious persecution will be the consequence. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Austria’s Schüssel on European Unification

During a SPIEGEL Interview on March 20, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel stated the following about European unification:

“… the discussion about European identity is critical if we want to get to the bottom of discontent in Europe. What do our citizens find at fault in Europe, in its institutions? For the first time, we are now talking about issues like Europe’s geographic borders and, as was discussed in the European Parliament last week, the question of the EU’s capacity to accept new members. If you don’t see this as progress, I can’t help you. In my view, it’s a positive sign that we don’t immediately have the fitting answer for every question. We have to think about things for a while before we can provide the right answers. Where should the journey be going? Who assumes responsibility?… The Austrians aren’t against the EU… The main issue is European harmony, which emanates from Europe’s diversity of opinion, and indeed its diversity per se. This is our strength, which, admittedly, needs a little work. We have to be more self-confident about projecting the ‘European way of life’ to the rest of the world. It’s far more attractive than the American model, for example. We have a more effective balance among economic performance, social cohesiveness and environmental sustainability. We should embrace this tremendous aura and not call it into doubt… We just happen to need more of Europe in some areas. In foreign policy, for example, or in the coordination of a joint energy policy. We need less small-mindedness in these areas. In other areas, the regions need to be strengthened. In many cases, a national state is too small to deal with the biggest problems… The only way to bring peace to a region plagued by bloody wars and forced expulsions until not too long ago is to offer it the prospects of EU membership. We must tell them that they will be part of us sooner or later. “

The magazine also published the following exchange:

“Der Spiegel: In other words, a future Europe would feature stronger local and regional competencies and a common European foreign policy and defense policy. Wouldn’t this ultimately spell the demise of the nation-state?

“Schüssel: No, nation-states will retain their positions, otherwise none of this will work. The nation-states must make Europe their top priority, and must feel responsible for this European being. We have to nurture this little plant.”

As the Bible clearly states, Europe will unite soon and become a mighty power bloc. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

China, Japan and Russia

The Bible prophesies that a mighty power bloc, consisting of countries such as Russia, China and Japan, among others, will become an economic, political and even military challenge to Europe and the Western Word. The following recent reports are interesting in light of these predictions:

On March 23, the China Daily reported: “China and Russia are important partners in economic and technological development, President Hu Jintao and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed yesterday… In a speech, Putin highlighted Sino-Russian energy co-operation, saying that Russia has become China’s fifth-largest energy supplier. On Tuesday, the two countries signed three deals on oil and natural gas supplies… Trade volume between China and Russia has been increasing rapidly in recent years and exceeded US$29 billion last year.”

Reuters reported on March 23: “China said on Thursday, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin left Beijing, that Beijing and Moscow are in accord on Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday criticized a draft U.N. Security Council statement aimed at pressuring Iran to stop enriching uranium.”

AFP reported on March 23: “Senior US officials have urged Japan to halt development of a massive oil field with Iran amid concern that revenue from the project could fuel the Islamic state’s nuclear drive, a report said… The US embassy told AFP Japan was aware of US opposition to investment in Iran but declined to comment on whether Washington has pressured Tokyo to stop the Azadegan project… But a Japanese foreign ministry spokeswoman said Japan ‘is holding no concrete talks with the United States’ on the future of the project. ‘The Azadegan oil development is a very important project for us in terms of stable energy supply. We will cope with the matter squarely as nuclear non-proliferation and stable supply of crude oil are both important,’ she said. Japan has walked a tightrope on the Iranian crisis, supporting US and European calls for Tehran to give up its nuclear program while trying not to jeopardize its close commercial ties with the Islamic regime. Japan defied the United States in 2004 by signing the contract to develop Azadegan, considered one of the world’s biggest untapped oil reserves.”

For more information on the future of China, Russia and Japan, as mentioned in the Bible, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

America’s Incredible Debt to Foreign Powers

On March 17, 2006, The Times published the following article:

“If you are worried about how much you owe on your credit cards, this might put things in perspective: America’s national debt limit was increased yesterday to $9 trillion… enough to buy Buckingham Palace 9,000 times… The increase, passed by Congress, allows the Government to borrow another $781 billion (£447 billion), increasing the national debt limit–the maximum America can borrow–from $8 trillion and $184 billion to $8 trillion and $961 billion. If the debt ceiling, which is set by Congress, had not been raised by March 24, the Administration would not have been able to borrow more money and the US would have begun to default on its domestic and foreign obligations, an untenable consequence… The national debt is the total amount owed by the Government… America has had a national debt since 1791, when it was $75 million. Today it rises by that amount every hour.”

The article explained the enormity of a sum of $9 Trillion:

“[It]… equates to $1,500 for every man, woman and child in the world… it would buy all the tea in the world for the next 2,000 years… [it is] enough to solve the Palestinian crisis by rehousing every Israeli and Palestinian family… [it would] build 28 Eiffel Towers–constructed out of gold.”

The article made the additional striking observation:

“Nearly half the publicly owed debt is held by foreigners. Japan is the biggest creditor, at $668 billion. China, the second-biggest, recently increased its stake by $40 billion to $263 billion…”

We see Biblical prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes. God prophesied thousands of years ago that in these end times, foreigners would control and rule over the USA (compare Deuteronomy 28:43-44). We are observing the beginning of this development, because, as the Bible says, the borrower is the servant or slave to the lender (compare Proverbs 22:7). The following words by Alice Rivlin, a former budget director for Bill Clinton, are quite remarkable, as quoted in the above-stated article: “We used to have much less held by foreigners. It makes you much more vulnerable to people’s agendas.” Ultimately, the USA which is already, to an extent, a slave to the lender, will even become defeated in an outright war by a foreign enemy and it will become QUITE LITERALLY enslaved (Deuteronomy 28:47-50, 52). For more information, please read our free booklets, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

The Bird Flu IS Coming to the USA

ABC News reported on March 13:

“In a remarkable speech over the weekend, Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt recommended that Americans start storing canned tuna and powdered milk under their beds as the prospect of a deadly bird flu outbreak approaches the United States. Ready or not, here it comes. It is being spread much faster than first predicted from one wild flock of birds to another, an airborne delivery system that no government can stop. ‘There’s no way you can protect the United States by building a big cage around it and preventing wild birds from flying in and out,’ U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Michael Johanns said. U.S. spy satellites are tracking the infected flocks, which started in Asia and are now heading north to Siberia and Alaska, where they will soon mingle with flocks from the North American flyways…

“ABC News has obtained a mathematical projection prepared by federal scientists based on an initial outbreak on an East Coast chicken farm. Within three months, with no vaccine, almost half of the country would have the flu. That, of course, is a worst-case scenario — but one that cannot be completely discounted. The current bird flu strain has been around for at least 10 years and has taken surprising twists and turns — not the least of which is that it’s now showing up in cats in Europe, where officials are advising owners to bring their cats inside. It’s advice that might soon have to be considered here.”

ABC News reported on March 14:

“Robert G. Webster is one of the few bird flu experts confident enough to answer the key question: Will the avian flu switch from posing a terrible hazard to birds to becoming a real threat to humans? There are ‘about even odds at this time for the virus to learn how to transmit human to human,’ he told ABC’s ‘World News Tonight.’… viruses mutate, and the big fear among the world’s scientists is that the bird flu virus will join the human flu virus, change its genetic code and emerge as a new and deadly flu that can spread through the air from human to human. If the virus does mutate, it does not necessarily mean it will be as deadly to people as it is to birds. But experts such as Webster say they must prepare for the worst. ‘I personally believe it will happen and make personal preparations,’ said Webster, who has stored a three-month supply of food and water at his home in case of an outbreak. ‘Society just can’t accept the idea that 50 percent of the population could die. And I think we have to face that possibility,’ Webster said. ‘I’m sorry if I’m making people a little frightened, but I feel it’s my role.'”

The outbreak of the bird flu in the USA is a real danger and could very well be in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, which predicts famines and pestilence IN THE USA–as well as around the world. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Israel vs. Iran

On March 10, 2006, The Jerusalem Post reported the following:

“The United States has until now not done enough to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, a senior Defense Ministry official has told The Jerusalem Post… ‘America needs to get its act together,’ the official said. ‘Until now the US administration has just been talking tough but the time has come for the Americans to begin to take tough action.’ The only real way to stop Teheran’s race to obtain the bomb apart from military action was through tough economic sanctions that caused the Iranian people to suffer… Iran, the official said, was doing all it could to stall for time, including holding ‘pointless’ talks with Russia concerning the enrichment of its uranium… While it was complicated to overthrow the current regime in Teheran, ‘it is not impossible,’ the official said. If the world stopped refining Iranian oil, the official said as an example, the country would not have gas for its cars… if the diplomatic course failed, Israel and the US needed to be prepared, the official said, to take military action against Teheran.”

The article continued:

“Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told reporters in Germany on Wednesday that Israel had all it needed to defend itself against Iran… Israel, Mofaz told senior German officials, would not stand by idly while its very existence was at risk. ‘We do not plan to turn a blind eye to these threats and we will do everything possible to make sure they do not materialize.'”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on March 13:

“The Pentagon is looking into the possibility of Israel launching a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities… The discussions, which were described as intelligence-oriented and not policy-oriented, examined the likelihood of an Israeli pre-emptive attack against Iran and the method in which such an attack could be carried out. One of the main questions presented in these discussions was whether Israel would inform the US in advance in case such an attack is to take place and when would such an advance notice be given… The sources pointed out that it is clear that Israel would have to coordinate with the US forces air control any attempt to fly over Iraq on the way to Iran, if Israel chooses to attack using the shortest route.”

The Bible clearly predicts that in these end times, which will lead to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, we would be hearing of wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24: 6). Christ said that these, as well as “famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places,” would be “the beginning of sorrows” (verses 7-8). Although we have always had wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes, there can be no doubt that they have dramatically increased in recent years, especially in their magnitude and with their potential consequences.

Iran Prepares for War

The Telegraph reported on March 11:

“Iran’s leaders have built a secret underground emergency command centre in Teheran as they prepare for a confrontation with the West over their illicit nuclear progamme… The underground strategy is partly designed to hide activities from satellite view and international inspections but also reflects a growing belief in Teheran that its showdown with the international community could end in air strikes by America or Israel… The regime is also reviewing its contingency plans to attack tankers and American naval forces in the Persian Gulf and to mine the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 15 million barrels of oil (about 20 per cent of world production) passes each day. Any action in the Gulf would send oil prices soaring – a weapon that Iran has often threatened to wield… US intelligence believes that if Iranian nuclear facilities were attacked by either America or Israel, then Teheran would respond by trying to close the Strait of Hormuz with naval forces, mines and anti-ship cruise missiles… ‘The price to the West for standing up to Iran is clear,’ Gen Moshe Ya’alon, the former Israeli defence chief said last month in Washington. ‘It includes terror attacks, economic hardship… and consequences resulting from fluctuations in Iranian oil production. Indeed, the regime believes that the West – including Israel – is afraid to deal with it.'”

Iran and Venezuela

The Miami Herald reported on March 12 about the new-found friendship between Iran and Venezuela:

“Iran is not the first or last openly anti-Western Middle Eastern government that has warm relations with Caracas. As an OPEC member, Chávez courted Libya leader Moammar Gadhafi and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and last month endorsed the Palestinian government of Hamas, which Washington and Europe regard as a terrorist organization. But few countries are as embroiled in as serious an international controversy as Iran, accused of seeking nuclear weapons. Venezuela joined Cuba and Syria as the only countries to vote in the International Atomic Energy Agency last month against reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council… The Caracas-Tehran ties have been causing concern in Washington.”

Milosevic Dies

AFP reported on March 11:

“Serbs were stunned by the news of the sudden death of former Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic, blaming his recent health problems on his detention at the UN war crimes tribunal… Even opponents of Milosevic said they believed the former Yugoslav president’s death would have a negative effect in Serbia… Many questioned the cause of Milosevic’s death.”

On March 13, AFP reported:

“Sunday’s autopsy pinpointed ‘myocardial infarction’ — heart attack — as the immediate cause of death, although a court spokeswoman admitted it was too early to rule out poisoning, as claimed by his entourage and Milosevic in a letter revealed after his death… a medical report given to Milosevic by court officials had revealed the presence in his blood of an antibiotic also described as one used to fight leprosy and tuberculosis. In the letter, written a day before his death, Milosevic pleaded with the Russian foreign ministry for protection, charging: ‘They would like to poison me.'”

The Queen of Australia

The Associated Press reported on March 12:

“Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Australia on Sunday for a five-day state visit that has reignited the simmering debate over whether she should remain the country’s head of state… Australia became an independent state in 1901, but, like many former outposts of the British Empire such as Canada, it still recognizes the queen as head of state. The nation overwhelmingly voted against changing the country’s constitutional monarchy into a republic in 1999.”

For more information on the increasing lack of influence of Great Britain in world affairs, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Trade War Between EU and US

The Associated Press reported on March 14:

“The European Union advised the World Trade Organization on Tuesday that it would reintroduce trade sanctions against the United States in two months unless Washington complies with a WTO ruling condemning tax breaks for U.S. companies operating overseas… Last month’s decision ‘made it absolutely clear that the U.S. has yet to come into full compliance with earlier rulings and recommendations,’ the EU told the WTO’s dispute settlement body. The panel’s ruling was officially adopted by the global commerce body at Tuesday’s meeting. EU legislation means the retaliatory measures, suspended in January will automatically go back into force in 60 days…The EU estimates the tax advantages from the jobs creation act will benefit airplane maker Boeing alone by at least $615 million over the next decade.”

Worst Fires in Texas’ History

Star Telegram reported on March 14:

“Panhandle firefighters spent a second day Monday battling hot spots in the worst series of wildfires in Texas history. Since Sunday, wildfires have claimed at least 11 lives, injured more than a half-dozen people and scorched at least 697,000 acres, officials said.”

Gaza Strip Under Attack

On March 14, AFP reported:

“Three foreign hostages — two French and a Korean — were being held by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli raid on the Jericho jail, which succeeded in its aim of netting a militant leader but sparked a violent reaction in the territories, much of it aimed at British and US interests… The president of the European Parliament roundly condemned Israel’s massive raid on the prison and the wave of kidnappings of foreigners that followed it. ‘We strongly condemn the attack on the prison in Jericho by Israeli forces as well as the resulting kidnappings and acts of violence in the Palestinian territories today,’ Borrell, head of the European Union’s directly elected assembly, said in a statement…

“Israeli troops had pounded the prison compound with tank and missile fire throughout the day in a bid to force the militants’ surrender. Two Palestinian security guards were killed and 26 others wounded, five of them critically. The operation came minutes after the three British monitors, part of a team that normally also includes Americans, were withdrawn from the prison, prompting furious charges of collusion from the Palestinians. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw denied the charges, saying the monitors were pulled out for their safety. Hundreds of armed Palestinians reacted to the Israeli action by storming the British cultural centre in the Gaza Strip and set fire to it while gunmen barged into [an] American office used to teach English in Gaza City. In the West Bank town of Ramallah, the British cultural centre and a branch of HSBC bank were also attacked… Israeli Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said the prison raid was undertaken to prevent the militants going free after Abbas repeatedly voiced readiness to release them in recent weeks. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat condemned what he described as a ‘kidnapping operation’ and held Britain and the United States responsible for the safety of the PFLP leader, whose predecessor Abu Ali Mustafa was assassinated by Israel in 2001.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 14:

“In a potentially dangerous escalation of Middle East violence, Palestinian gunmen have kidnapped a number of foreigners in response to the storming of a West Bank jail by Israeli forces. Arabs are accusing the United States and Britain of coordinating the raid… The new outbreak of violence in the Palestinian territories underscored the wider collapse of relations between Israel and the Palestinians since the militant Islamist group Hamas won Jan. 25 Palestinian elections.”

The Middle East will become more and more the focus of Biblical prophecies. And it will be Europe–not the United States of America or Great Britain–which will play a most important role in the developments within that region of the world. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Iraq’s New Parliament

AFP reported on March 16:

“Iraq’s new parliament opened three months after elections but continuing deadlock on forming a government and choosing a speaker forced the chamber to adjourn after only a brief session. The session, held deep inside Baghdad’s fortified ‘Green Zone’ protected by walls, razor wire and troops, lasted just 40 minutes and was adjourned after the 275 members of the national assembly were collectively sworn in. The summoning of parliament was meant to provide new momentum to talks between rival Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factions on forming a coalition at a time of worsening sectarian violence which threatens to trigger civil war. The latest sign of such blood-letting came when authorities announced the discovery of 25 corpses — men who had been shot to death and dumped in different parts of the capital. At least 80 more were found earlier in the week. Communal violence has left hundreds dead since a Shiite shrine was blown up on February 22.”

Germany Emerging as Europe’s Leader

The EUobserver reported on March 7:

“Germany has indicated that it might be willing to lead EU peacekeeping troops to secure elections in Congo, but member states are reluctant to provide soldiers to the mission. According to Reuters, when asked if he expected Germany to drop its initial reluctance to lead the mission, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said ‘I think so’. At a meeting of EU defence ministers in the Austrian alpine resort of Innsbruck on Monday (6 March), German defence minister Franz-Josef Jung appeared to soften Berlin’s reluctance to lead the operation, but insisted that he expected others to offer troops for the mission. ‘We have always said we will not sidestep a responsibility, but there is an overall responsibility for Europe here,’ Mr Jung said. ‘We have always said very clearly that it must be a combined European effort, there must be a fair distribution. Germany can’t commit to sending 1,500 soldiers,’ he added… Britain and France both refused to lead the mission meaning Germany was the only member state left with sufficient military capacity to do so. Portugal and Austria have said they might ‘symbolically’ send half a dozen soldiers. Spain has been asked to send soldiers, but despite foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos expressing ‘good intention’, Spanish diplomatic sources at the meeting in Innsbruck said that the chance of Spanish troops being deployed in Congo were ‘minimal’, writes daily ABC. Finnish defence minister Seppo Kaariainen said that Finland might consider contributing a few staff officers to the operation, but no troops.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 8:

“The European Union has once again postponed deciding whether to send peacekeeping troops to Congo during elections this June… any mission to the strife-torn African country threatens to become a farce… Germany, which has reluctantly been pushed into taking the lead of any eventual EU mission, apparently can’t even find enough other European countries willing to contribute troops. Poland on Tuesday pledged 30 troops and Austria promised to send 10… Whether even a determined mission by the EU could help turn things around is questionable. But some observers fear a wishy-washy deployment that only appears to be ensuring Westerners have a safe getaway when things fall apart could even do more harm than good. Still, members of the German government seem convinced Europe cannot afford to stand by and do nothing. ‘Europeans have a special responsibility for Africa,’ said German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, explaining Europe must finally follow words with deeds. ‘Anything else would be an admission of failure.'”

The EUobserver added on March 7: “Germany, who had earlier indicated that it might be willing to lead the EU force, insisted more talks were needed with Congolese leaders before deploying soldiers for the operation. German defence minister Franz-Josef Jung told reporters in Innsbruck that Berlin would not agree to take the lead until it had clear offers of support from other EU members and firm agreement from Congolese authorities.”

Even though these events show again how reluctant Europe is to get involved in trouble-spots outside Europe–and that Europe presently does not have one mind and does not speak with one voice–it is still interesting that GERMANY is being pushed into a leadership position in Europe. THAT is exactly in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy (compare Revelation 17:12-13). For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Did the Soviet Union Try to Kill the Pope?

On March 2, 2006, AFP reported the following:

“Leaders of the former Soviet Union ordered the assassination bid on Pope John Paul II in 1981, the head of an Italian parliamentary commission announced. But the post-Soviet intelligence service of President Vladimir Putin immediately dismissed the allegation as an absurdity. Italian Senator Paolo Guzzanti said the findings of the commission showed ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’ that Moscow’s military secret service, the GRU, was responsible for the shooting as the late pope greeted pilgrims in St Peter’s Square. The assertion, for years a favourite of conspiracy theorists in Italy, reopened old Cold War wounds. ‘This commission believes, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the leaders of the USSR took the initiative to eliminate Pope Karol Wojtyla [John Paul II] and that they communicated this decision to the military secret service ….to commit a crime of unique gravity, without equal in modern history,’ said a draft made available to journalists…

“Historians have long held that John Paul II’s support for the Solidarity-inspired democracy movement in Poland was a thorn in the side of the Soviet Union, and the late pope has been credited with helping to tear down the Berlin Wall in 1989… The Russians had also used the East German secret service, the Stasi, to spread ‘disinformation and media poisoning…'”

Venezuela Prepares for War with the USA

The Telegraph reported on March 3:

“Venezuela begins training a vast army of civilian reserves today to fight off the attack its Left-wing president, Hugo Chavez, says the United States is plotting against it. The oil-rich state aims to teach up to two million volunteers, from the unemployed to office workers, shop assistants and housewives, basic military skills such as marching in step or shooting to kill. If it reaches that size, the force will be the largest civilian reserve army in the Americas, double the size of Washington’s reserves. Its creation will further inflame relations between Venezuela and the US, already characterised by insults and tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats… Mr Chavez has been buying military hardware, including Russian helicopters, 100,000 AK-47 rifles and Brazilian and Spanish equipment he says Venezuela needs to defend itself.”

But what are Chavez’ real intentions? The article continued:

“… many Venezuelans see Mr Chavez, not the US, as the real threat. They are increasingly afraid the civilian reserves will be used to intimidate and, if necessary, suppress the opposition as he campaigns to win six more years in power later this year. A message written in the dusty window of a Caracas van sent a silent plea to the US not to invade but to rescue the Venezuelans from their maverick leader. ‘We are counting on you, Condoleezza [Rice]. Intervene, please.'”

U.S. House Panel Votes to Block Ports Deal

The Associated Press reported on March 8, 2006, that “a House panel dominated by Republicans voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a Dubai-owned firm from taking control of some U.S port operations. By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports. Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress, but there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall’s elections… By its vote, the House committee attached the ports language to a must-pass $91 billion measure financing hurricane recovery and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The full House could consider that measure as early as next week. While GOP Senate leaders hope to delay a quick showdown with Bush on the issue, the House panel, including members of Bush’s own party, showed a willingness to defy him.”

Did God Tell Tony Blair to Go to War?

AFP reported on March 4 about Tony Blair’s recent highly controversial comments on God and the Iraq war:

“Details emerged Friday of Blair’s interview on an ITV1 television talk show where he said God and history would judge his action in joining the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. ‘That decision has to be taken and has to be lived with…’ Blair… a devout Christian [said]. ‘If you believe in God, it’s made by God as well.’… Blair’s remarks reminded him of US President George W. Bush who was quoted as saying last year that God told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan… Blair is seen by some as the most religious British premier since William Gladstone (1809-1898), who gave up his vocation as a pastor to enter politics… There is speculation he plans to convert from High Church Anglican to Catholicism after leaving office. Blair’s wife Cherie is a strong Catholic and he regularly attends Mass with her and their children at the prime minister’s country residence in Chequers. The Catholic priest of that parish, Timothy Russ, has revealed that Blair asked for advice on moving between the churches. But Blair says he has no plans to convert and only attends Catholic services so the family can worship together.”

War With Iran?

The Guardian reported on March 6:

“The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, has told British MPs that military action could bring Iran’s nuclear programme to a halt if all diplomatic efforts fail… While the US and Britain keep a united front over Iraq in the UN security council, there are clear differences over Iran. Britain has ruled out a military option… The US has not… Some believe Iran has secret facilities that are buried so deep underground as to be impenetrable. They argue that the US could never be certain whether or not it had destroyed Iran’s ‘capability’.”

On February 16, 2006, Der Spiegel Online had stated:

“Thousands of soldiers and civilians would likely be killed if the United States or Israel were to attack Iran. The strikes would also spark a lasting regional crisis in the entire Middle East and the risks would be enormous, a new British study warns.”

The Associated Press reported on March 8:

“Iran threatened the United States with ‘harm and pain’ Wednesday for its role in hauling Tehran before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program. But the United States and its European allies said Iran’s nuclear intransigence left the world no choice but to ask for Security Council action. The council could impose economic and political sanctions on Iran.”

Reuters added on March 8:

“If the U.N. Security Council is incapable of taking action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Israel will have no choice but to defend itself, Israel’s defense minister [Shaul Mofaz] said on Wednesday…’The Israeli approach is that the U.S. and the European countries should lead the issue of the Iranian nuclear program to the table of the U.N. Security Council, asking for sanctions. And I hope the sanctions will be effective,’ Mofaz said… At a news conference with Mofaz, [German defense minister Franz-Josef] Jung told reporters Germany was already discussing with the five permanent Security Council members — Russia, China, the United States, Britain and France — what the council could do to prevent Tehran getting the bomb. ‘Everything must be done to ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons,’ Jung said.”

Bird Flu–and No End in Sight…

The Associated Press reported on March 6:

“Three cats have tested positive for the deadly strain of bird flu in Austria’s first reported case of the disease spreading to an animal other than a bird, state authorities said Monday… The World Health Organization called bird flu a greater global challenge than any previous infectious disease, costing global agriculture more than $10 billion and affecting the livelihoods of 300 million farmers. Poland reported its first outbreak of the disease, saying Monday that laboratory tests confirmed that two wild swans had died of the lethal strain.”

China and India’s New-Found Friendship

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 6 about the relationship between China and India. The article was titled: “When Former Enemies Become New Friends.” It was stated:

“Though the people of India and China may still be keeping prejudices alive that have divided the two countries for decades, a rapprochement is taking place on the political level. In recent years, New Delhi has signaled that it may align with its former military enemy and current economic competitor in its battle for shares of the world market and to increase Asia’s military clout. Together, the countries aspire to move up into the league of rich nations. Last year, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao negotiated an economic cooperation partnership with the Indian government which would see an increase in trade from the current $13 billion a year to $20 billion by 2008. A declaration of intent states that more cross-border businesses, roads, rail and flight connections should be created. Cooperation should also be strengthened ‘in the development and use of oil and gas resources in third countries.’ If these new Asian friends successfully implement their plans, a partnership that first caught Europe and the United States by surprise could soon fuel fear in the West. The most ambitious idea being floated in Beijing and New Delhi is that of creating a joint Sino-Indian common market based on the European model. If that effort ever prevailed, it would result in the world’s largest economic unit, with around 2.5 billion consumers, one-third of the world’s population…  by aligning its economy with China’s, India might still emerge as an economic powerhouse. ‘When China awakens, the world will tremble,’ French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is believed to have said about 200 years ago.”

In an earlier article, titled, “Can the Dragon and the Elephant Be Friends?”, the magazine wrote on April 18, 2005:

“Asian giants China and India may be teaming up. It’s a development that is sending shockwaves around the world and may threaten the global balance of industrial and political power… China and India — two nuclear powers whose populations account for close to 40 percent of the globe — are growing closer… Strategists at the CIA… insist the emergence of the two giants has political and economic consequences as ‘dramatic’ as the rise of Germany in the 19th century and the rise of the United States in the 20th century… In [a] plan, China is looking to use battleships outside its own borders to secure its oil supply. In fact, in the fight over natural resources, the new Asian partners remain bitter opponents. Both China and India are desperately trying to gain oil and gas supplies from all over the world. But even in this dealing, the Indians and Chinese are using a pragmatic approach: In Sudan, an Indian company is building a pipeline while Beijing is supplying the corresponding refinery. And in Iran, India holds 20 percent of an oil field, while 50 percent belongs to China.”

These are interesting developments. The Bible predicts that in the end, China and India will become strong allies, even militarily, together with such countries as Russia and Japan. Europe will feel more and more intimidated and threatened by rumors emerging from that region of the world–so much so that it will unsuccessfully attack this new emerging power bloc (compare Daniel 11:44-45). For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Iraq’s Coming Civil War

On March 6, Der Spiegel Online wrote about the real threat of civil war in Iraq–because of religious animosity in that country. The article was titled: “Religious Strife Is Pushing Iraq towards Civil War.” It was pointed out: “The conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Basra is overshadowing the insurgency against occupation forces, as armed groups controlled by radical clerics take over power in the country. As Iran systematically expands its influence in southern Iraq, the Americans are being relegated to a secondary role.”

South Dakota’s Fight Against Abortion

On March 6, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“Gov. Mike Rounds signed legislation Monday that would ban most abortions in South Dakota, a law he acknowledged would be tied up in court for years while the state challenges the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. The bill would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless the procedure was necessary to save the woman’s life. It would make no exception for cases of rape or incest. The governor issued a written statement saying he expected a lengthy legal battle over the law, which, he said, would not take effect unless the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it.”

New Solar Storm Coming

On March 7, ScientificAmerican.com reported about the increased danger of solar storms. A new model is supposed to predict the intensity and timing of solar storms. The article stated: “This model proved more than 98 percent effective in predicting the relative strength and duration of the past eight solar storm cycles… it calls for the next cycle–so-called Cycle 24–to be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the present one. Solar outbursts have effects on everything from satellites to the electrical grid here on Earth.”

The article pointed out that, according to the model, Cycle 24 will begin in late 2007, or early 2008, but some scientists disagree, stating that it will begin in late 2006.

In a related article, the Stanford Solar Center speculated whether solar storms might cause global warming, stating: “Some solar scientists are considering whether some part of global warming may be caused, by a periodic but small increase in the Sun’s energy output. An increase of just 0.2% in the solar output could have the same affect as doubling the carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.”

Since there were clearly solar storms in the past, which would have changed the carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere, this proves the inaccuracy of the postulated age of fossils according to the radio carbon method. After all, that method requires, in order to give accurate results, that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was constant at all times and never changed.

Finns Unhappy with Europe

The EUobserver reported on March 8 that “One in four Finns would like their country to withdraw from the European Union, according to a poll published on Tuesday (7 March)… On the budget, nearly 70 percent… said that Finland’s contribution to the bloc’s common coffers was too high compared to what the country got back. Finns also have reservations about the euro. Some 44 percent said they were unhappy with the common currency… The poll comes just ahead of Helsinki’s time at the helm of the EU, with the country set to take over the bloc’s presidency in July. Among the reasons given by Finns for being discontent with the EU are the dominance of the largest member states.”

According to Biblical prophecy, there is a strong possibility that countries like Finland and Sweden, as well as the United Kingdom, will NOT be part of the final configuration of the United States of Europe.

Poland Against Europe?

The EUobserver reported on March 8 that “Polish president Lech Kaczynski has said it is too early for the creation of an EU foreign minister post, following calls from Paris for a strengthened role for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana… adding that the time is not ripe for the creation of a European diplomatic service either. The Polish stance comes amid French calls for quicker implementation of single elements of the EU constitution to strengthen the EU’s voice in the world… Small states like the Netherlands are also wary of a strengthened role for Mr Solana as he is seen as following the agenda of big member states France, Germany and the UK… Mr Kaczynski reiterated his opposition to attempts to revive the EU constitution… The Polish leader also pushed the idea of a NATO-style EU energy security pact, rebuffing German proposals that EU energy security should be modelled along the looser structure of the OSCE which also includes Russia… Energy is set to be one of the topics dominating talks between Mr Kaczynski and Ms Merkel, amid frequent criticism by Warsaw of Berlin’s signing of a bilateral deal with Moscow on a direct German-Russian gas pipeline bypassing Poland.”

Poland’s position is very understandable, especially in light of past occupations of Germany and Russia. However, it is very likely (although not necessary) that Poland will become a strong supporter of European unification under German leadership.

EU Joint Defense Research Fund

On March 7, 2006, the EUobserver reported: “EU defence ministers have given the green light to create a common defence research and technology… fund, aimed at narrowing the gap between the US and Europe in high-tech military equipment… One EU proposal suggests member states pool a small part of their defence budgets for EU cooperation on military research… the move has been heavily criticised, with opponents saying it would constitute a threat to national control over military affairs. Britain is among the states that has strongly opposed the fund, which would be managed by the EU’s European Defence Agency… and controlled by national governments… the British have now agreed to spending more money on research and technology in the bloc, although London has stressed that the money should be spent on concrete projects, and not be paid to Brussels ‘in blanco'”.

It is again Great Britain which seems to be slowing down European unification. The Bible strongly suggests that continental Europe will finally decide that they are “better off” without British participation in the formation of a United States of Europe.

US Port Takeovers No Security Risks?

Many reports and news analysts have taken the position that the contemplated takeover of US ports by an Arab company, which is controlled by the government of the United Arab Emirates, does not pose a security risk. However, others are convinced that it does. We are quoting from a commentary by Karl Day, which was published on February 24, 2006, by WorldNetDaily.  Karl Day is a former senior editor for Family Research Council, a West Point graduate, a former Ranger and Green Beret (trained in guerilla warfare and counter-guerilla efforts) and a Vietnam veteran of the Tet Offensive. Here is Day’s analysis:

“South Carolina’s legislators have it right. To hand over the operation of six of our most important ports to an Arab company is questionable at best, and potentially suicidal at worst… Saudi Arabia is considered an ally, yet 17 of the 19 terrorists who perpetrated the events of 9-11 were Saudis. Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist in the world is a Saudi. Nineteen Americans were killed in the bombing of the Kobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1996… Did not the U.S. Navy consider Yemen friendly when they chose to refuel ships there? Seventeen Americans died when the USS Cole was attacked on Oct. 12, 2000. Has Lebanon ever been declared our enemy? Yet 241 American servicemen died when their barracks were bombed there in 1983. Was not the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 perpetrated by Arabs? U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed in 1998–again by Muslims, if not by Saudis…

“In addition to the tens of thousands of illegals who walk or swim across our borders, over a million trucks enter the country every year and our Customs officials cannot monitor them effectively with their limited resources… Budget-driven downsizing and a mandated reduction from 72 hours to 24 hours for advanced notification of the planned arrival of foreign vessels have already crippled the U.S. Coast Guard, responsible for port security and inspection of incoming vessels. Port operations involve the handling of bills of lading and ship manifests–any or all of which can be altered if those persons involved in the process have evil intent. To add fuel to the fire, hundreds of times a year, container ships operated by COSCO (China Overseas Shipping Company) enter our major ports. Is there anyone on the planet who would declare that Communist China is our ally? Some of these ships carry over 5,000 containers. Containers can be shipped, transshipped, and routed around the globe and at each point, the manifest and/or bill of lading can be altered by anyone who wishes to conceal either their origin or their contents and there is no trustworthy way of tracking or detecting such alterations.

“As a former officer in the U.S. Special Forces, I have trained with nuclear devices small enough to fit in the trunk of a sports car. Modern developments have certainly improved the lethality of such weapons, while diminishing their size and weight. Think of trying to find a nuclear device, not much larger than a suitcase, concealed in one of the thousands of containers arriving daily in our major ports and then being trucked–most likely by innocent drivers–to a destination somewhere in the country where it can be detonated on command by a local or long-distance operative. The Israeli Mossad (secret service) took out a Palestinian terrorist by planting explosives in his telephone. How hard would it be to actuate a cell phone driven trigger for a nuclear device by merely calling it from a continent way?

“This is a dangerous world and the United States is rapidly becoming a lonely, albeit powerful nation. We have very few true friends in what is evolving as a global economy. The coercive force of growing Muslim populations threatens a number of our former allies. Sadly, our leaders are unwilling to declare what is patently true: We are engaged in a global conflict and the enemy is not just a scattering of Islamic extremists. The enemy is fundamental Islam and its commitment to the eradication of Israel and the ultimate domination or elimination of the infidels–that’s us. In recent years, the United States has demonstrated a level of naivete or ineptitude in the practices of espionage, intelligence gathering and threat deterrence. Our lack of finesse in such activities reflects a national mindset which, to date, has been one of self-satisfied complacency. It is time to recognize that we are dealing not with a smattering of cowardly gangsters, but with sophisticated fanatics who are committed to our undoing.

“It may be beyond our comprehension that individuals willingly strap explosives to their bodies and walk into public places for the purpose of blowing themselves and dozens of innocents to smithereens for some jihadist cause. It may be beyond comprehension, but it is reality. To give the enemy any possible entree into the security of our major ports is foolhardy. Hurting the feelings of so-called allies pales in comparison to assuaging the grief borne by those who have lost loved ones thus far in this war on terror.”

The Vatican Speaks to Muslims

On February 23, 2006, Reuters reported about the following ironic twist of events, which may lead to the growth of the Catholic faith in the aftermath of the violent demonstrations in the Arab world:

“After backing calls by Muslims for respect for their religion in the Mohammad cartoons row, the Vatican is now urging Islamic countries to reciprocate by showing more tolerance toward their Christian minorities. Roman Catholic leaders at first said Muslims were right to be outraged when Western newspapers reprinted Danish caricatures of the Prophet, including one with a bomb in his turban. Most Muslims consider any images of Mohammad to be blasphemous. After criticizing both the cartoons and the violent protests in Muslim countries that followed, the Vatican this week linked the issue to its long-standing concern that the rights of other faiths are limited, sometimes severely, in Muslim countries. Vatican prelates have been concerned by recent killings of two Catholic priests in Turkey and Nigeria… At least 146 Christians and Muslims have died in five days of religious riots in Nigeria.”

We should realize, of course, that these violent demonstrations in the Arab world are being instigated by radical elements and governments. Nevertheless, the Vatican is trying to capitalize on these developments. The article continued:

“Reciprocity — allowing Christian minorities the same rights as Muslims generally have in Western countries, such as building houses of worship or practicing religion freely — is at the heart of Vatican diplomacy toward Muslim states… Saudi Arabia bans all public expression of any non-Muslim religion and sometimes arrests Christians even for worshipping privately. Pakistan allows churches to operate but its Islamic laws effectively deprive Christians of many rights…”

The article pointed out another disturbing, but well-documented development in Iraq:

“Iraqi Christians say they were well treated under Saddam Hussein’s secular policies, but believers have been killed, churches burned and women forced to wear Muslim garb since Islamic groups gained sway after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.”

U.S.-Arab Split Deepens

Reuters reported on February 24:

“Saudi Arabia deepened a U.S.-Arab split over Hamas on Wednesday, joining Egypt’s rejection of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s appeal for neighbors to deny aid to a Palestinian government led by the militant group. Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest donors to the Palestinians, warned against the U.S. position of stopping aid before seeing what policies the anti-Israel group adopts in government.”

The article continued:

“The Palestinian government needs about $1.8 billion in aid each year and officials in the interim government say it is heading for a financial crisis. Hamas has so far been unswayed by pressure to change its anti-Israel stance and says threats to stop aid are blackmail… despite hours-long meetings with regional leaders, Rice’s Middle East tour has underscored the distance between the United States and its allies on how hard to press Hamas. Senior U.S. officials traveling with Rice to lobby against Hamas were at a loss to cite any country that has pledged to the United States it will immediately end aid when the group takes over the government in the next few weeks. Rice also acknowledged allies diverged from the United States hard line.”

Hamas Won’t Recognize Israel

As MSNBC reported on February 26, “Hamas’s prime minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh on Sunday denied he had suggested the Palestinian Islamist group might one day recognize Israel… Reiterating a long-standing position by Hamas, Haniyeh said the group would never recognize Israel but could agree to a long-term truce if Israel withdrew from lands captured in the 1967 war, freed prisoners and allowed the return of refugees… ‘Hamas will never recognize the legitimacy of the Zionist entity on any part of our land of Palestine,’ senior Hamas leader Khalil Abu Laila said, enunciating Hamas policy.”

Iran Prepared to Attack Israel

On February 25, www.haaretz.com published the following article: “Dr. Abasi, an advisor to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, said Tehran would respond to an American attack with strikes on the Dimona nuclear reactor and other strategic Israeli sites such as the port city of Haifa and the Zakhariya area. Haifa is also home to a large concentration of chemical factories and oil refineries. Zakhariya, located in the Jerusalem hills is… home to Israel’s Jericho missile base.”

Al Qaida At It Again!

The Associated Press reported on February 25: “Al-Qaida suicide bombers will attack more Saudi oil facilities, the terror group purportedly threatened Saturday in an Internet statement that claimed responsibility for the foiled attack on the Abiqaiq plant in eastern Saudi Arabia. Two suicide bombers tried to drive cars packed with explosives into Abiqaiq, the world’s largest oil processing facility, on Friday afternoon, but security guards opened fire and the vehicles exploded outside the gates, killing the bombers and fatally wounding two guards. The guards died in the hospital.”

The article continued:

“Al-Qaida had long threatened to attack Saudi Arabia’s oil plants, but Friday was the first time it actually attempted to do so. Previously militants linked to al-Qaida had killed foreigners working in the industry, but not at oil facilities. Friday’s assault suggested the militants were adopting the tactics of insurgents in neighboring Iraq, who have repeatedly targeted the oil industry.”

“Don’t Attack Iran,” Mubarak Says.

On March 1, 2006, The Associated Press reported the following:

“Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak strongly advised the United States not to attack Iran, warning that military action would create more terrorists in neighboring Iraq… Mubarak also told Egyptian newspaper editors he warned Vice President Dick Cheney that ground troops ‘will have a hard time’ in such a conflict… He said Shiite Muslims in the Gulf region also could turn against the United States because ‘Iran generously provides for Shiites in every country and these people are ready to do anything if Iran is attacked.’ ‘Listen to my advice for once,’ he recalled telling Cheney in English. ‘You have vital interests in the Gulf region, especially oil.’… When asked, he said it was unlikely Israel would launch a nuclear attack against Iran ‘because Iran owns ballistic missiles that it will launch against Israel and there will be huge destruction.’ Mubarak added that such an attack also would spark revenge from Iraqi groups, extremists religious parties and organizations such as the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.”

The Da Vinci Code’s Blasphemies!

On February 23, Zenit published the following interesting article about the blasphemous fictitious novel, “The Da Vinci Code”:

“Millions have read ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and many are expected to see the movie version when it is released May 19. That is why Mark Shea and Ted Sri — an apologist and theology professor, respectively — have co-authored ‘The Da Vinci Deception’… In an interview with Zenit, co-author Shea explained:

“… tens of millions of people have read ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and many have had their faith in Christ… shaken. This blasphemous book has become a major cultural phenomenon, largely by attacking the very person and mission of Jesus Christ… [Author Dan] Brown is attempting to establish a neo-pagan feminist creation myth. The basic myth is: Jesus was actually a feminist, [teaching] neo-paganism. The Church supposedly covered up all this with lies about his divinity. Brown’s point here is: Let’s get back to goddess worship as Jesus intended… it’s written with the express intention of destroying faith in Jesus Christ and replacing it with neo-pagan goddess worship.”

Among many other fallacies, Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” claims that Jesus Christ did not die and was not resurrected, but that He, instead, married Mary Magdalene. It is easy to see how readers, who begin to believe such nonsense, are being led away from the truth, as revealed in Scripture. Surely, Satan, the “god of this world,” attempts everything imaginable to discredit the inspired record of God’s Word, the Bible.

Brussels Pressures the USA

The EUObserver reported on February 24 about another, potentially hot dispute between the EU and the USA:

“The EU is mounting pressure on the US to introduce a visa free regime towards the bloc’s ‘new’ member states. While American citizens can travel throughout the EU with no visa, the countries that joined the EU in May 2004–minus Slovenia–have still not been accepted to the US visa-free regime for tourists staying in the country for up to 90 days. Of the 15 ‘old’ member states, Greece is also not a part of that regime… EU interior ministers suggested after their meeting on Tuesday (21 February), that the commission should include in its report ‘possible measures to be taken in relation to third countries with which full visa reciprocity has not been achieved.’ Sanctions like visa obligations for the countries’ diplomats have been mentioned in the past as a possible retaliatory move… Washington argues that it is holding bilateral talks with individual countries on the matter, not with the EU as a whole.”

As the Bible predicts, the USA will soon find itself in the undesirable position that it will HAVE to deal with the EU “as a whole.” The EU will unite, and it will speak with one voice–as unimaginable as this may seem at the moment. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Civil War in Iraq–Inevitable?

TimesOnLine reported on February 26 about the real fear of a civil war in Iraq, and what the potential disastrous consequences would be:

“It was not only the golden-domed mosque in Samarra that lay in ruins. [The] strategy of building a broad-based government of national unity in Iraq was suddenly threatened by the prospect of civil war. Since the bombing last Wednesday up to 200 Iraqis have lost their lives in an outpouring of sectarian revenge… Influential figures close to the US administration have long been emphasising the dire consequences should sectarian divisions escalate into all-out conflict. Andrew Krepinevich, a Pentagon adviser who heads the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a military think tank, warns that if civil war breaks out ‘the outcome may be that we help the rise of another Saddam Hussein who is ruthless enough to deal with the problem.'”

The article continued to point out that “… a vicious sectarian conflict could spread to other parts of the Arab world. In a report… the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based security think tank, warns that nations should begin planning for the ‘next Iraq war’ — the one after the country falls apart… The violence has brought home how little power Iraq’s politicians have compared with the clerics. Many Iraqis refused to heed prime minister Jaafari’s appeal for calm, while Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani appeared to call on sectarian militias to protect religious sites. Previous pleas for restraint by Sistani have been heeded, but his ability to control Shi’ite radicals appears to be waning and the country has faced a dangerous power vacuum since elections last December.”

Der Spiegel Online added on February 24:

“At least 200 people, mostly Sunnis, have now been killed amid violence sparked by the bombing of Samarra’s Shiite al-Askari shrine on Wednesday. In an attempt to prevent further deaths, Iraq’s government on Friday placed a curfew on Baghdad and three provinces. Despite the curfew, a large crowd attended Friday prayers at Baghdad’s Abu Hanifa mosque, the city’s most important Sunni site. The imam there denounced the [attack] against the Shiite mosque, but Sunni politicians, in protest against the reprisals, have pulled out of negotiations to set up a coalition government of national unity. As emotions continue to run high, many observers are becoming worried the latest sectarian strife will spark a civil war. Some German commentators on Friday fear the violence has only just begun.

“For the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra and the ensuing outbreak of violence have destroyed the hopes created by the Iraqi elections in December. ‘Just how out of control the situation is, has been shown by the interventions of the occupation forces. The British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, has called the Iraqi parties to urgently form a government. The US ambassador in Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, even threatened with cutting off American financial support.’ Like many observers, the FAZ suspects that foreign terrorists, under the leadership of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, are behind the bombings. ‘It is not surprising that in a perverse grouping of interests, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also fanning the flames of the Iraqi fire.'”

On March 1, 2006, The Associated Press added:

“Bombings in Baghdad killed 26 people and four others died when mortar rounds slammed into their homes in a nearby town Wednesday, the second day of surging violence after authorities lifted a curfew that briefly calmed sectarian attacks… A spokesman for the powerful Association of Muslim Scholars blasted the government for failing to stanch sectarian attacks that have pushed the country closer to civil war.”

Most Feel Iraq War Was Wrong

AFP reported on February 28:

“Most people in 33 out of 35 countries worldwide believe that the US-led war in Iraq has increased the threat of terrorism, a survey for BBC World Service radio suggested… The survey of 41,856 people by Canadian pollsters GlobeScan and the US Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) also claimed there was overall support in 20 countries for US forces to withdraw in the next few months… Other responses suggested that 21 countries thought the removal of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was a mistake; overall, 45 percent were against removing him from power… Greatest criticism of the move came from Argentina (74 percent), with strong opposition from Spain (65 percent) and Germany (61 percent). In Britain, whose government backed the US-led campaign and still has about 8,000 troops in southern Iraq, 40 percent thought removing Saddam was a mistake; in the United States, the figure was 32 percent and in Iraq, 23 percent… In Britain, 77 percent of those questioned thought the terrorist threat had risen since the war, with 55 percent in the United States saying likewise and 75 percent in Iraq.”

German Government Not THAT Peace-Loving?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 24:

“One can’t blame Germans these days if they no longer know what to believe. First, the news was that German secret service agents had helped US forces identify bombing targets during the Iraq war. Then, the German intelligence agency BND convincingly denied it. On Wednesday, though, following a closer look taken by the congressional committee charged with overseeing the BND, the Green Party politician Hans-Christian Ströbele gave an impromptu press conference… He revealed that German agents did, in fact, pass on information regarding bombing targets to US forces…

“That the BND may have been fibbing is of secondary concern for most Germans. The previous government under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder was unbending in its rejection of the Iraq war. BND target hunting would seem, however, to indicate that German politicians, both then and now, weren’t telling the whole truth. Needless to say, German commentators are not impressed… According to the center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung the controversy surrounding the deployment of German intelligence services in Iraq was so great, that for once it has been important to make the activities of the secret agents public. ‘That there even was such a cooperation (between German and American intelligence) is quite staggering, considering the dogmatic rejection by the Schröder/Fischer (SPD/Green Party) government of the Iraq war… the question of how delivering information to American intelligent services could be aligned with the official government anti-war policy, remains unanswered.”

On February 26, Der Spiegel Online filed this report:

“Rarely has a denial been as categorical as the one delivered by official Berlin. The Monday article by the New York Times, reporting that German intelligence officials stationed in Baghdad during the US invasion of Iraq had provided the Americans with a diagram of Iraqi defense plans for the city, is simply untrue, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm says… The New York Times… stands by its story. On Monday evening, the paper published an editor’s response to the German government’s denials. The story, written by Michael Gordon, is based on a classified study undertaken by the Joint Forces Command in 2005. The editor’s response quoted the study in more detail and made it clear that at least three German agents were implicated… German media on Tuesday seem skeptical of the government denials in Berlin. Indeed a number of commentators proved susceptible to conspiracy theories making the rounds…  The theory seems to be that the United States is getting back at Germany for its opposition to the Iraq invasion — and that this most recent leak could be in response to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s demand that the Guantanamo prison be closed.”

The magazine pointed out the crux of the matter, when continuing:

“But conspiracies aside, the Times report, if true, could present major credibility difficulties for both the former government under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and the current government under Merkel. Schröder was one of the most outspoken critics of the war on Iraq. Many are of the opinion that, if German intelligence agents provided the American military with strategic information, it would indicate a high degree of hypocrisy. Germany did allow US troops overfly rights and access to their German bases during the Iraq invasion, but consistently refused any active support. Even the new government under Merkel, which took office in November 2005, would be vulnerable if the Times revelations are proven. The government is a coalition formed by Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and Schröder’s Social Democrats, and Merkel’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was Schröder’s chief of staff. He was also responsible for coordinating with Germany’s intelligence services. Should the Times report prove correct, Steinmeier could become the first political victim.”

In addition to the usual German suspicion of United States’ activities, at stake is nothing less than the new-found trust of the German people in their current government. If that trust is shaken, the consequences might be severe.

IRS vs. “Political” Churches

The Washington Times reported on February 27:

“The Internal Revenue Service said yesterday it found a ‘disturbing’ amount of illegal politicking in churches and charities after investigating complaints coming out of the 2004 election. To prevent a repeat in the upcoming congressional elections, the agency said it is gearing up to quickly investigate and quash any violations that arise this year… More than 100 complaints were filed with the tax agency after the closely contested 2004 presidential election charging that some evangelical and black churches and various nonprofit groups violated their tax-exempt status by overtly campaigning for the candidates. The agency completed investigations of 82 cases, and found that nearly three out of four of the groups violated the tax law at least once. It did not release any of the groups’ names but said they represented ‘the full spectrum of political viewpoints.’…

“The IRS has fined one group, moved to revoke the tax-exempt status of another three, and sent 55 organizations, including 39 churches, letters of warning not to violate the law again. Investigations are ongoing in another 28 cases… Common violations in the 2004 elections included distributing campaign literature and lists recommending candidates, endorsing or opposing candidates from the pulpit, and inviting candidates to appear at church meetings or other social functions… Some groups blatantly violated the law by making cash campaign contributions, while the political activities of others were more vague and harder to discern..”

The Bird Flu’s Deadly Outreach

The Associated Press reported on February 28:

“The deadly strain of bird flu has been found in a cat in Germany, officials said Tuesday, the first time the virus has been identified in an animal other than a bird in central Europe. Health officials urged cat owners to keep pets indoors after the dead cat was discovered over the weekend on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen, where most of the more than 100 wild birds infected by the H5N1 strain have been found. The cat is believed to have eaten an infected bird, said Thomas Mettenleiter, head of Germany’s Friedrich Loeffler Institute. That is in keeping with a pattern of disease transmission seen in wild cats in Asia… Maria Cheng of the World Health Organization in Geneva said there was not enough information on how the disease is transmitted to be sure. She noted that tigers and snow leopards in a zoo in Thailand became infected after being fed chicken carcasses, dying from H5N1 in 2003 and 2004… Scientists are particularly concerned about bird flu infecting pigs, because swine can also become infected with the human flu virus. The fear is the two viruses could swap genetic material and create a new virus that could set off a human flu pandemic.”

The article continued:

“Forty-three countries–including the United States–have partially or totally banned French poultry products after H5N1 was confirmed in commercial birds over the weekend. A group of veterinary chiefs meeting in Paris said Tuesday no country should consider itself safe from the deadly strain and that it is ‘highly likely’ the disease will continue its spread in poultry stocks in Europe and beyond.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 1:

“Now that the virus has killed a housecat, worries are increasing that it could become easier for humans to get infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most of the people who were infected with the virus had direct contact with infected live or dead poultry. Of the 173 cases of avian flu in humans, 93 were fatal. Vietnam has seen the most cases thus far — 93 in total with 42 fatal infections. Closer to Europe, in Turkey, 12 cases have been detected in humans, with four fatalities. Currently, the disease can’t be transmitted from human to human, but scientists fear that if it does, it could cause a pandemic of a magnitude not seen since the Spanish flu H1N1, which killed as many as 50 million people between 1918 and 1920.”

US Port Takeovers

Money Telegraph reported on February 21:

“Hillary Clinton is to introduce legislation in the US which would block the take-over of P&O by Dubai Ports World. The US senator for New York claims the deal poses a threat to national security because it would place operations at six major US ports under the control of the government of the United Arab Emirates [UAE], which owns Dubai Ports World. ‘Our port security is too important to place in the hands of foreign governments,’ said Mrs Clinton, who is backed by New Jersey senator Robert Menendez… Mrs Clinton’s legislation would prevent US ports from being owned by any foreign government, but much of the concern in this case arises because DP World is owned by the government of the UAE. The country was used to wire money to the September 11 hijackers, say US officials, though it has been a staunch ally of President Bush in his war on terror.”

The Associated Press added on February 21: “Two Republican governors are threatening legal action to block an Arab company from taking over operations in major U.S. ports and some… lawmakers say the deal should be closely examined. In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House… The Bush administration got support Monday from former President Carter, a Democrat and frequent critic of the administration. ‘My presumption is, and my belief is, that the president and his secretary of state and the Defense Department and others have adequately cleared the Dubai government organization to manage these ports,’ Carter told CNN. ‘I don’t think there’s any particular threat to our security.'”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on February 21:

“Brushing aside objections from Republicans and Democrats alike, President Bush endorsed the takeover… He pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement… Bush, who has never vetoed a bill as president, said on the White House South Lawn: ‘This is a company that has played by the rules, has been cooperative with the United States, from a country that’s an ally on the war on terror, and it would send a terrible signal to friends and allies not to let this transaction go through.'”

The Associated Press reported on February 22: “President Bush was unaware of the pending sale… until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday. Defending the deal anew, the administration also said that it should have briefed Congress sooner about the transaction, which has triggered a major political backlash among both Republicans and Democrats… THE FIRST-EVER SALE INVOLVING U.S. PORT OPERATIONS TO A FOREIGN, STATE-OWNED COMPANY is set to be completed in early March. It would put Dubai Ports in charge of major shipping operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.”

This development is interesting in light of the fact that the Bible prophesies that in these end-times, foreigners or aliens will control and rule over the United States of America (compare Deuteronomy 28:43-44).

Russia and Iran

The Associated Press reported on February 16:

“Russia’s top military chief on Thursday WARNED THE UNITED STATES against launching a military strike against Iran… He said that while Iran’s military potential cannot compare to the United States’, ‘it is hard to predict how the Muslim world will respond to the use of force against Iran. THIS MAY STIR THE WHOLE WORLD, and it is crucial to prevent anything like that’… Moscow is deeply concerned about the current Iranian regime’s prospects for acquiring nuclear weapons, not only because Russia is geographically located close to Iran, but also because of the impact that could have on other Middle East players’ nuclear aspirations, including Saudi Arabia’s, [an unidentified Russian] diplomat said. “

Europe and Iran

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 14:

“When Danish embassies began going up in flames last week, some in the European Union wanted a firm response. But nothing happened. The most the EU could agree on were a few wishy-washy statements… Ever since a Danish newspaper published 12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad and triggered sometimes violent protests against Denmark and the West in the Muslim world, the European Union has been casting about for a common position. So far, though, without success — and as the EU lack of action on the issue becomes more and more obvious, the realization grows that the 25-member European club has let a golden opportunity slip through its fingers. For years, Europe has repeated the mantra that real international relevance will only come with the development of a common foreign and security policy. The problem, though, has been that whenever difficult decisions need to be made, EU MEMBERS CAN’T AGREE.

“The idea last week — given that European embassies were being set alight in a number of Muslim countries — to call a meeting of all European foreign ministers, or even heads of government, was chucked out. Too dangerous was the verdict. On the one hand, there was NOTHING EVEN APPROACHING UNANIMITY AMONG EU MEMBERS as to where they stood on the conflict between freedom of the press and respect for religious sensibilities. On the other hand, it was felt, such a meeting had the distinct risk of further inflaming Muslim passions. Instead, Europe retreated into the safe harbor of soothing platitudes. ‘Violence is unacceptable’ quickly became a favorite. Or: ‘We stand by our Danish friends but we also have understanding for the hurt feelings of the Muslims.’ The media was likewise quick to come around and began calling for restraint on all sides to avoid more violence. But SUCH BANALITIES DID LITTLE to satisfy the European public — nor did they go far in calming the violent demonstrations in the Middle East… Even French President Jacques Chirac — head of a country which plays host to 6 million Muslim citizens — suddenly sounded like a spokesman for the religious of the world. Reprinting the caricatures in a French satirical paper was a ‘provocation,’ Chirac said…

“There were some voices on the other end of the spectrum. The Italian right called for a crusade. Roberto Calderoli, a minister in Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s cabinet, called in all seriousness for POPE BENEDICT XVI TO LEAD THE CHRISTIAN WORLD AGAINST THE ‘THREAT OF ISLAM’ JUST AS HIS PREDECESSORS DID IN THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES. Just as a major reaction was necessary then to beat back the Turks from the gates of Vienna, Calderoli said, counter-measures are necessary. Calderoli didn’t have to wait long for a response. ‘Berlusconi must fire his minister and ask Islam for forgiveness,’ demanded Seif al-Islam al-Gadhafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Otherwise, al-Gadhafi threatened, ‘Libya, the Arabic world, and ISLAM WOULD BE FORCED TO REACT.'”

The Bible predicts that Europe will unite under a powerful religious influence. And then, Europe WILL speak with one decisive voice–albeit, only for a very short time, and with disastrous consequences. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Germany and Iran

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 16:

“Amid ongoing concerns that Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb, the West is quietly mulling the possibility of a military strike. Diplomacy may not yet be exhausted, but already the question of using force against the mullahs in Tehran is threatening to split the German government… Whereas [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel’s conservatives generally believe Iran will not be cajoled into giving up its nuclear ambitions without the prospect of military confrontation, many members of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) want to make clear Germany will not support the use of force. Should the dispute between Iran and the West continue to escalate, Merkel could quickly have a major domestic political crisis on her hands.”

Iran’s Radical Clerics Justify Nuclear War

The Telegraph reported on February 19:

“Iran’s hardline spiritual leaders have issued an unprecedented new fatwa, or holy order, sanctioning the use of atomic weapons against its enemies… The pronouncement is particularly worrying because it has come from Mohsen Gharavian, a disciple of the ultra-conservative Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, who is widely regarded as the cleric closest to Iran’s new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… The comments, which are the first public statement by the Yazdi clerical cabal on the nuclear issue, will be seen as an attempt by the country’s religious hardliners to begin preparing a theological justification for the ownership–and if necessary the use–of atomic bombs.”

USA and Venezuela

AFP reported on February 20:

“Responding to remarks before the US Congress last week in which Rice called Chavez a ‘challenge to democracy’ in Latin America, Chavez warned the top US diplomat to back off… On Friday, Chavez had warned that he was taking steps to potentially cut off oil shipments to the United States if Washington attacks his country.

“US-Venezuelan relations have gone downhill since Chavez was elected seven years ago. He frequently accuses Washington of plotting against him, and has charged it backed an aborted coup in 2002. Relations hit a new low earlier this month when Caracas expelled a US naval attache on espionage charges, prompting Washington to retaliate by kicking a Venezuelan diplomat out of the United States. Despite the war of words, Venezuela remains the fourth-largest supplier of crude oil to its northern neighbor, selling it about 1.5 million barrels daily.”

Greenland In Danger

USA Today reported on February 17:

“Greenland’s glaciers are dumping ice into the ocean twice as fast as they did 10 years ago, most likely because of global warming, researchers said Thursday. Melting glaciers raise the level of the world’s oceans, and the finding raises fears about the impact of climate change on coastal areas… The researchers found that in 2005, the glaciers discharged more than twice as much ice as they did in 1996–enough fresh water to supply Los Angeles for 220 years…  A United Nations climate panel suggested in 2001 that temperatures worldwide would rise 2 to 10 degrees over the next century, driven in part by emissions of man-made greenhouse gases, chemical compounds that trap heat in the atmosphere.

“The world’s largest island, Greenland sits frozen atop the North Atlantic, with an ice sheet roughly the size of Mexico covering more than 80% of its surface. Only about 50,000 people live there… The ice sheet, which NASA says is more than a mile thick, would raise sea levels about 23 feet worldwide if it melted completely…”

Bird Flu On the Rise

The Associated Press reported on February 19:

“Health officials and farm workers in protective gloves and masks slaughtered thousands of chickens Sunday in western India a day after the country’s first reported outbreak of deadly bird flu… Some 500,000 birds will be slaughtered…

“In Italy, a dead wild duck and six wild swans tested positive for the highly virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu, bringing the country’s number of confirmed cases to 16… Italian poultry sales have dropped 70 percent despite government efforts to isolate outbreaks and reassure consumers, and poultry farmers warned that, without state aid, thousands would be out of business within a week.

“German authorities also ordered a limited slaughter of poultry on a Baltic Sea island to prevent the spread of H5N1 from wild birds to farm stocks… as Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the region.”

AFP reported on February 23: “Germany recorded its first case of flu in DOMESTIC birds following initial tests on a duck at a poultry farm on the Baltic Sea island where thousands of wild birds have succumbed to H5N1 since its discovery there last week… Germany becomes the second EU country to report the disease in domestic birds after H5N1 was found in two chickens in southern Austria on Wednesday.”

Syria Switches to Euros

Reuters and Economy News reported on February 14:

“Syria has switched all of the state’s foreign currency transactions to euros from dollars amid a political confrontation with the United States… Most of the government’s foreign currency flows goes through the Commercial Bank, whose US assets were frozen by Washington in 2004 as relations with Syria deteriorated. The bank, which dominates the Syrian market, also stopped dealing with dollars for international private flows, such as imports, exports and letters of credit. The latest official figures show Syria imported $6.7 billion goods in 2004 and exported $5.4 billion. Oil output is about 400,000 barrels a day… One economist said the euro move by the Commercial Bank of Syria ‘looked like a kind of pre-emptive action aimed at making their foreign assets safer and preventing them from getting frozen in case of any conflict.'”

According to the prophecies of the Bible, it is safe to say that the Euro is destined to become the most powerful world currency, while the U.S. dollar and the British pound will gradually decrease in value. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Violent Muslim Protests in New York City

CBN.com reported on February 18:

“So far, the violent riots that have erupted throughout the Muslim world over the Mohammed cartoons have not been repeated here in the U.S. But yesterday in New York City, one radical Islamic group was preaching a message that is anything but peaceful. It wasn’t Pakistan or Gaza. It was Manhattan’s east side.The group calls itself the Islamic Thinker’s Society–ITS, for short. The purpose of the demonstration was to condemn the now infamous cartoons. But there was another message as well: that Islam will one day dominate the world. One ITS member said, ‘We are here to tell you that there is nothing you can do–and that your days are numbered…all of you who disbelieve: speak good, or Allah will silence you.’

“The protest began in front of the Danish Consulate. ITS members stomped on Danish flags and warned Denmark that it would suffer ‘Allah’s wrath.’ The group then moved to the German Consulate, where they trampled on German and Israeli flags–and called non-Muslims ‘scum.’ All of this took place under the watchful eye of the NYPD. Onlookers we spoke to were outraged… Members of the ITS declined to be interviewed for this story. But off-camera, their leader told CBN News that the group consists of mostly college students who live in New York City… Although this event lacked the violence that has been so prevalent in cartoon protests throughout the Muslim world, the message was eerily similar: America and Europe, your days are numbered.”

Spirit of Violence Prevalent

On February 18, Reuters reported:

“Deadly protests over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad spread in Africa, killing 16 people in Nigeria on Saturday a day after claiming 11 lives in Libya. Many of those who died in northern Nigeria were Christians, killed after a Muslim protest over the cartoons turned violent and rioters torched churches, shops and vehicles, police and local officials said… ‘They went on the rampage, burning shops and churches of the Christians. The protesters killed the others. Some were even killed in the churches,’ said Joseph Hayab, north-west secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)… In Nigeria, whose 140 million people are divided about equally between Christians and Muslims, 15 people died in the northeastern state of Borno and one died in the north-central state of Katsina, police spokesman Haz Iwendi said. He said 11 churches had been torched in Borno and the army had been called in to state capital Maiduguri to impose order.”

These violent outbreaks and demonstrations are clearly prompted by a SPIRITUAL influence. Please don’t neglect to view our latest StandingWatch program, titled, “Why This Much Violence?” We also encourage you to read or re-read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

Destruction Does Not End in Iraq!

On February 23, 2006, Der Spiegel Online reported about the most recent terrible destructions in Iraq. The magazine stated:

“Following an attack on the Askariya golden mosque in Samarra, Iraq on Wednesday, violence between Shiites and Sunnis has rapidly escalated. Police on Thursday reported that more than 80 bodies pierced with bullet wounds have been delivered to Baghdad’s morgue in the past 24 hours. And more ominous, most of the dead were of Sunni origin. Police believe they were killed in retaliation for the Wednesday bombing of the mosque, one of the four most important holy sites for Iraqi Shiites… For Iraqi Shiites, Wednesday’s 6:55 a.m. attack on the mosque at Samarra is seen as a massive provocation, perhaps even comparable to the effect an attack on Peter’s Square at the Vatican might have on Catholics. Shiites represent the majority of the Iraqi population (approximately 60 percent), but for hundreds of years they were suppressed — until the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. With the introduction of democracy in the country, Shiites have taken on the most influential roles. The situation has angered Sunnis, who clung to power for decades.”

In a related article, the magazine pointed out:

“Bombings are nothing new in Iraq. But the destruction became even more senseless this week, when one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam was destroyed… [In ‘retaliation,’] dozens of Sunni mosques have been attacked all over Iraq and a wave of violence has resulted in the deaths of countless Iraqis. Tens of thousands of people have also staged protests, waving flags and calling for justice. The biggest question now is whether this shocking event will push Iraq into civil war, or whether it will help unify the government against radicals who clearly want to see the country descend into chaos. German commentators are pessimistic.

“The center-left daily Die Süddeutsche Zeitung believes that the country already is in a sort of civil war… The paper draws a direct parallel between Saddam Hussein’s regime and the current US administration: in 1990 UN resolutions stipulated that, in the case of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the aggressor must be held responsible for the consequences of an invasion. ‘The US may not have actively sought out the complete break down of public order. However, THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS, just as Iraq once had to.’ For the right-wing daily Die Welt it is hard to overemphasize the significance of Samarra’s destruction. ‘The attack is comparable to blowing up the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem [although] this is not the result of religious mania, but rather an act of premeditated evil. However terrible the killing of Sunnis by Shiites and vice versa may be, this attack has the potential to do much more damage by unleashing civil war in Iraq.’… The financial daily Handelsblatt is equally pessimistic. ‘ALL THE REPORTS ABOUT A STABILIZATION OF THE SITUATION IN IRAQ HAVE BEEN PREMATURE. The country remains a powder keg.'”

Man’s wars and violence only produce more war and violence. Man will NEVER be able to solve his problems through violence. This is THE lesson of history, which man is UNWILLING to learn. And so, we will see more and more hatred, bloodshed and violence in the future. For more information, please read our free booklet: “Should YOU Fight in War?”

Afghanistan’s Continuing Nightmare

AFP reported on February 22: “Afghanistan has ‘huge problems’ and NATO troops will be in the country for ‘years and years’, the commander of Canada’s forces in Afghanistan [Major General Michel Gauthier] told a British newspaper [the Guardian daily]… A bomb fixed to a bicycle struck a convoy of NATO peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing one person and wounding 13 others including a German soldier. [The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)] troops are frequent targets of an insurgency blamed primarily on militants allied to the hardline Taliban government ousted in a US-led campaign in late 2001. The insurgency, which has seen a rash of suicide blasts in the past months, has been focused on eastern and southern Afghanistan from where the ultraconservative Taliban rose to control most of the country by 1996… ‘What is clear [is that] narcotics, criminality, terrorism and insurgency are all linked,’ [Gauthier] added.”

Abortion Limits in South Dakota

The Associated Press reported on February 23 about an interesting, but perhaps only short-lived development. The article explained: “South Dakota moved closer to imposing some of the strictest limits on abortion in the nation as the state Senate approved legislation that would ban the procedure except when the woman’s life is in danger. The bill [is] designed to spark a courtroom showdown over the legality of abortion… The legislation targets Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.”

If the bill passes, it is expected that it ultimately will be reviewed by the US Supreme Court. Supporters of the bill feel that the recent appointment of Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito make the U.S. Supreme Court more likely to consider overturning Roe v. Wade now.

Pope Names First Cardinals

On February 23, AFP reported:

“Pope Benedict XVI named a fierce critic of the Chinese government and John Paul II’s private secretary among the first 15 cardinals of his pontificate, as he began selecting the men who will elect his successor… Hong Kong Archbishop Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun… is seen as an activist for greater religious freedom in China and a prominent critic of Beijing, which does not recognize the Vatican. Zen is one of two Asian archbishops to be elevated to cardinal…

“Benedict also named two cardinals from the United States, former San Francisco Archbishop William Levada and Boston archbishop Patrick O’Malley. Levada is now the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrinal enforcer, having assumed the pope’s former position. The bearded O’Malley was chosen by John Paul II to succeed the disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law after he resigned from the Boston archdiocese, tainted by a spate of sex scandals involving paedophile priests.”

Scientists Question Darwin

On February 21, WorldNetDaily reported the following:

“More than 500 scientists with doctoral degrees have signed a statement expressing skepticism about Darwin’s theory of evolution… The statement, signed by 514 scientists, reads: ‘We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.’… ‘Darwin’s theory of evolution is the great white elephant of contemporary thought,’ said David Berlinski, a signatory and mathematician and philosopher of science with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. ‘It is… almost completely useless, and the object of superstitious awe.'”

The article pointed out that the signed statement “includes endorsement by members of the prestigious U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Russian Academy of Sciences.” It continued: “The list includes 154 biologists, 76 chemists and 63 physicists. They hold doctorates in biological sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, computer science and related disciplines. Many are professors or researchers at major universities and research institutions such as MIT, The Smithsonian, Cambridge University, UCLA, University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Ohio State University, University of Georgia and University of Washington.”

For further information, please be sure to read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults?”

“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.”