Soon to Come–NUCLEAR War in the Middle East?

The German mass tabloid, Bild, published two articles on its Website on July 20 and 22, discussing the possibility of a NUCLEAR WAR in the Middle East.

The first article quoted Benny Morris, author and professor at the Ben Gurion University in Israel, saying that “it is virtually certain that Israel will attack the Iranian nuclear facilities within the next four to six months.” He continued that the attack had better be successful, because if it was not, a NUCLEAR WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST would be the likely consequence. His rationale: If Israel’s attack fails, then Iran will retaliate, forcing Israel to respond with nuclear weapons. Morris is also quoted as saying: “Israel has the choice between the Black Death and Cholera. In either case, a nuclear Holocaust looms over the Middle East.”

The second article quoted U.S. Major-General Henry Obering as saying that Iran possesses missiles which could reach a very large part of Europe, including Great Britain. Although not expressly stated in the article, the implication was given, of course, that Iran might strike Europe with missiles if it was attacked by European ally Israel.

In addition, Reuters reported on July 29:

“The United States will soon link Israel up to two advanced missile detection systems as a precaution against any future attack by a nuclear-armed Iran, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday… Barak declined to give details on whether Israel, which is believed to have the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal, would be prepared to take on Iran alone. Iran denies seeking atomic weapons and has vowed to retaliate for any attack… Israeli and U.S. officials this month voiced differing assessments on when Iran might acquire advanced S-300 anti-aircraft systems from Russia. The S-300s would complicate any pre-emptive air strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites… Israeli Defence officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, predicted first delivery of the systems as early as September.”

ABC reported on July 30:

“Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, met with House Democrats yesterday [and] told the caucus, according to an attendee, ‘Nobody said this to me directly  but I get the feeling from my talks [in the Middle East] that if the sanctions don’t work Israel is going to strike Iran.’ Others in the room recall this as well.

“The notion that Israel is preparing for such an action against Iran’s myriad nuclear facilities is not new, with conjecture heating up in May after an Israeli military exercise featuring 150 aircraft flying almost a thousand miles over the Mediterranean Sea in what was seen as a dress rehearsal for an air strike. Now that the Bush administration is engaged in diplomatic efforts with Iran, many Israeli officials are worried the US is getting soft on Iran, prompting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to travel to the US this week to meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Barak’s office released a statement saying ‘a policy that consists of keeping all options on the table must be maintained.'”

For more information, please watch our StandingWatch program, “Is War With Iran Coming Soon?”, which is posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube.

Israel’s Olmert Announces Intent to Resign

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 30:

“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert intends to hand his resignation letter to President Shimon Peres the day after the September 17 Kadima primary and ask him to entrust the new party leader with forming a new government, Olmert’s associates said Wednesday night… By law, Olmert will remain prime minister until a new government is formed. If the new Kadima leader forms a government soon after the primary, Olmert will then leave office. But if no new government is established, Olmert, despite having formally tendered his resignation, could remain prime minister until after a general election that would likely be held in spring 2009.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 31:

“When Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped in front of the camera and spoke to the nation on Wednesday evening, it is not hard to imagine millions of his countrymen united in a deep sigh of relief. Olmert, plagued by accusations of corruption, finally did that which the country of Israel had been awaiting for months: He said he would resign…

“For months, his countrymen have followed every new piece in an ever-growing mosaic of corruption allegations. The most recent low point was reached two weeks ago when the Israeli police indicated they suspected Olmert of having double- or even triple-billed for trips abroad and pocketing the profit. Olmert also stands accused of having accepted envelopes stuffed with cash from a Jewish-American businessman to fund his luxurious lifestyle and propensity for fat cigars. Dubious real-estate deals and sketchy political appointments made before he became prime minister round out the dossier against him…

“Israelis are sure to welcome the news of Olmert’s resignation. A huge percentage of the country’s voters have been unhappy with the prime minister for months and almost 60 percent of those in his own party were in favor of his stepping down. A survey carried out on Wednesday evening found that over 77 percent of Israelis think that Olmert did a poor job as head of Israel’s government. Even worse, many Israelis fear that Olmert has inflicted lasting damage on the office of prime minister. Olmert’s zigzag policies of the past few months have had just one aim: his own political survival…

“On Wednesday night, he also pledged to prove his innocence, saying that ‘those preaching to me today will one day have to contend with the truth.’ That, though, seems unlikely given the mountains of material state prosecutors have gathered to use against him. Few in Israel believe that his name will ever be cleared. The Israelis are sorely afflicted when it comes to scandals involving politicians. The then Chief of Staff Dan Halutz sold off his Israeli share package just before the war with Lebanon in 2006, fearing a stock market dip. Olmert’s predecessor Ariel Sharon had to defend himself on several occasions against corruption allegations. One of his sons even ended up in jail.

“Once the initial relief about Olmert’s resignation fades, the debate will begin about who will succeed him… Whoever follows in Olmert’s footsteps will face a huge task. Alongside all the other problems, he or she will have to re-establish a basic level of trust among Israelis in the integrity of their politicians.”

White House Sees Record Budget Gap of $482 Billion in 2009

Reuters reported on July 28:

“The Bush administration on Monday projected the U.S. budget deficit will soar to a record of nearly half a trillion dollars in fiscal 2009 as a housing-led economic slowdown cuts into government revenues. The economic and fiscal deterioration will complicate efforts to bring the budget to balance and pose challenges for whoever takes over the White House in January, either Republican Sen. John McCain or Democratic Sen. Barack Obama…

“Reacting to the White House’s new prediction that the budget deficit will hit $482 billion in the fiscal year that starts October 1, [Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent] Conrad said that number easily could rise by an additional $80 billion when the full costs of the Iraq war are tallied next year.”

New Bill INCREASES U.S. Debt Limit by Almost 1 Trillion Dollars

Bloomberg reported on July 30:

“President George W. Bush signed into law legislation that helps 400,000 homeowners facing foreclosure and extends a lifeline to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac… The measure passed the Senate July 26 and the House three days earlier… [Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson] who was the lead lobbyist for the White House, persuaded Bush to back off a threatened veto over a section of the legislation that provides $3.9 billion in grants to states to buy and repair foreclosed properties. Bush said he regarded it as a bailout of lenders. Democrats said it would stabilize neighborhoods…

“Under the law, the Federal Housing Administration can now insure higher loan limits, up to $625,500 from $417,000 in high- cost areas. The law also raises the nation’s debt limit to $10.6 trillion from $9.816 trillion to accommodate the Paulson plan.”

The Associated Press added on July 31:

“The Treasury Department gains unlimited power, until the end of 2009, to lend money to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or buy their stock should they need it… Democratic leaders, recognizing that the measure could be one of the last items to become law during what’s left of their abbreviated election-year schedule, tacked on an $800 billion increase, to $10.6 trillion, in the statutory limit on the national debt… Conservative Republicans were vehemently opposed to the bill, particularly the help for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Critics charge the companies enjoy lavish profits in good times and wield their outsized political clout to resist regulation while depending on the government to bail them out should they falter.”

“Ford Posts $8.7 Billion Loss”

The Associated Press reported the following on July 24:

“Ford Motor Co. posted the worst quarterly performance in its history Thursday, losing $8.67 billion in the second quarter… Ford shares dropped 58 cents, or 9.6 percent, to $5.45 in morning trading… Ford’s capital expenditures will reach $6 billion annually between now and 2010 because of the cost of revamping plants and introducing new products and engines. Ford plans to upgrade or replace all of its engines by 2010… Cost cuts also will come from employee layoffs. Ford said 4,000 U.S. hourly workers took buyouts in the second quarter, and the company will continue offering buyouts at targeted U.S. plants. Ford also has announced plans to cut its salaried costs by Aug. 1 through voluntary and involuntary layoffs…

“Ford reported a pretax loss of $1.3 billion in North America because of the deteriorating U.S. market and the shift away from trucks. U.S. sales overall were down 10 percent in the first half of the year, with Ford’s sales down 14 percent.

“The company, though, continued to be profitable overseas, posting a $582 million profit in Europe and $388 million in South America. The company also made $50 million at its Asia-Pacific-Africa division… Ford said it does not expect a U.S. economic recovery to start until early 2010.”

The Latest U.S. Bank Failures

The Wall Street Journal wrote on July 28:

“The latest bank failures… came late Friday, when federal regulators shut down First National Bank of Nevada, based in Reno, and First Heritage Bank of Newport Beach, Calif. The $3.2 billion in deposits of the closed banks were acquired by Mutual of Omaha Bank, a unit of insurer Mutual of Omaha. The branches are reopening Monday.

“The two failed banks were units of closely held First National Bank Holding Co., based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Both had been grappling with problem loans and had a combined first-quarter loss of about $140 million. First National Bank of Arizona, which was absorbed into First National Bank of Nevada in June, had a first-quarter loan-loss provision of $95.9 million…

“They are the sixth and seventh banks to have been shut by regulators so far this year, though they are far smaller than IndyMac Bank, the Pasadena, Calif., lender that collapsed earlier this month. IndyMac was a nationwide powerhouse in mortgage lending, while First National Bank of Arizona relied on brokers to generate loan volume from much of the U.S. Regulators are anticipating more closures as banks are overwhelmed by bad loans.”

“Is Your Bank Safe?”

Business Week wrote on July 28:

“Nothing says hard times like people standing outside a bank demanding their money. IndyMac Bancorp’s failure and the resulting chaos were reminiscent of Depression-era bank runs… the FDIC compiles a quarterly watch list of troubled banks; there are 90… That list ‘is going to grow longer, given the stresses we have in the marketplace, given the housing correction,’ Paulson said on July 20 in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation. Just don’t ask for the names of any banks on the list. The FDIC cannot discuss which firms are in danger of failing, given that the agency collects proprietary data from each bank and says it would be unfair to use the information to expose them publicly…

“Many more people now have deposits that are above FDIC-insured limits, meaning that if their bank failed they might get only a portion of that money back… Today, only about 62% are insured…

“Wachovia’s new president and CEO, Robert Steel, is featured in a video on the company’s Web site aimed at bank customers. ‘Although the nation’s financial news lately has been a bit troubling and Wachovia certainly isn’t immune, I want you to know that our company is on exceptionally sound footing,’ he says. Steel goes on to list the bank’s capital ($50 billion), liquid funding capability ($150 billion), and says the bank has enough cash to meet its current long-term debt obligations for three and a half years… Associated Banc-Corp, a regional bank based in Green Bay, Wis., issued talking points to tellers and other bank employees the week after IndyMac’s demise. It wanted customers to know, among other things, that it was well-capitalized and had issued dividends for 154 consecutive quarters…

“But even as banks try to reassure their customers, they are competing with increasingly vocal skeptics. Lists of troubled institutions continue to proliferate on the Internet…”

Who Wins in Today’s Economy

CNN reported on July 31 that “Exxon Mobil [the world’s largest publicly traded oil firm] once again reported the largest quarterly profit in U.S. history Thursday, posting net income of $11.68 billion on revenue of $138 billion in the second quarter. That profit works out to $1,485.55 a second.”

In addition, as the International Herald Tribune wrote, “Royal Dutch Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, reported a 33 percent increase in second-quarter profit Thursday, helped by a higher oil price even as production declined. Like smaller rival BP earlier this week, Shell profited from an oil price that almost doubled in the second quarter from the year earlier…”

The Current (and Future) State of Affairs of the US Economy

The Associated Press wrote on July 31:

“The country didn’t get the energetic rebound in economic growth hoped for from the government’s tax rebates in the second quarter, and the economy jolted into reverse at the end of 2007, raising new recession fears.

“The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product, or GDP, increased at an annual rate of 1.9 percent in the April-to-June period. That marked an improvement over the feeble 0.9 percent growth logged in the first quarter of this year…

“Still, the second-quarter rebound wasn’t as robust as economists had hoped; they were forecasting growth at a 2.4 percent pace. The pickup, while welcome, isn’t likely to be seen as a signal that the fragile economy is growing healthier. There are fears that as the bracing tonic of the tax rebates fades, the economy could be in for another rough patch later this year…

“A trio of crises — housing, credit and financial — have badly bruised the economy. In response, employers have cut jobs for six months in a row, bringing total losses this year close to a staggering half-million — 438,000. The Labor Department reported Thursday that layoffs rose sharply last week. New claims filed for unemployment insurance jumped to 448,000, the highest in five years… With more job cuts expected for July and in coming months, there’s growing concern that many people will pull back on their spending… dealing a blow to the shaky economy. These worries — along with the negative GDP in the fourth quarter of last year — may rekindle recession fears.”

“Obama Will Be Costly and Difficult for Germany”

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 25 on the German reaction to Barack Obama’s speech in Berlin:

“Barack Obama conjured up Berlin’s Cold War past in his speech on Thursday, urging Germany to strengthen the trans-Atlantic relationship. The German press on Friday regards the plea as a prelude to demands for more Bundeswehr soldiers in Afghanistan… Most hear one essential message loud and clear: If Obama ends up in the White House, then Europeans — and Germans in particular — will be called upon to play a greater role in the war on terror — and that means contributing more troops to the war in Afghanistan.
 
“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘There is no doubt that Obama will demand more from the Europeans to ensure success in Afghanistan and Iraq. … And the Germans in particular should prepare themselves for those demands. Obama will be costly for Germany. The haggling over sending more troops to Afghanistan will continue. And a President Obama will demand help in winding up the Iraq adventure in the name of strengthened trans-Atlantic solidarity…’

“Conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘… if he were to become president, he would demand that Germany and the EU play a much stronger role than they have been up to now in the war against terror and against the other evils in the world… Someone who dares to claim that now is the moment of great change should have very good arguments to back up that claim. And he should make it clear that he knows something about those tragedies where goodwill often creates nothing good. Unfortunately there was little trace of this in Barack Obama’s otherwise pleasant speech.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… It is now finally clear to the German government that more involvement — and particularly in Afghanistan — will be expected from Berlin. The US doesn’t see why they should grind away at fighting the Taliban while the Germans play the nice reconstruction aid workers…. Obama will ask for more. He’ll ask the Germans to deploy troops in the dangerous south. Although this has long been clear to the German government, Obama was still treated like a teddy bear. Politicians from almost every party projected the feeling that the trans-Atlantic partnership would automatically blossom with the Democratic politician (as president).

“‘While the government already knows what awaits it, the voters for the parties in Berlin’s grand coalition could soon experience a rude awakening once they see that Obama’s new America is pursuing the same old goals. Until now, the Germans have always been able to reject a more robust mandate for Afghanistan with the unspoken knowledge that there was no need to run after someone like George W. Bush. But it will be much tougher to reject any urgent requests from a President Obama, who has just been so widely celebrated here.’

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes: ‘Obama’s agenda seems to contradict George W. Bush’s foreign policy on nearly every point. … His agenda is well thought through and could easily have been drafted by political thinkers in Europe. However, it is very abstract on many points. When he eventually gives them substance, then these differences with the Bush administration’s policies fall away. For Obama, as for John McCain, a militarily strong America forms the basis of all their foreign policy concepts… Obama makes no mention of fewer troops, agents or weapons. On the contrary… The Europeans must renew their efforts to formulate their own common security and foreign policy…’

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘… When you take away the Obama feel-good factor, what remains is a crystal clear demand: More European soldiers for Afghanistan. If he wins, Obama will also be a difficult US president for Germany…’

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘… He did not spare the Germans and the Europeans the bitter truth that a change of administration in Washington will not change anything in the difficult task that faces the alliance. That was a friendly way of saying that the Europeans should not be under the illusion that the departure of George W. Bush will mark the beginning of paradise…'”

The Bible reveals that the relationship between the USA and Europe will not substantially improve. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Google Under Attack in Italy

Times Online wrote on July 25:

“Italian prosecutors have indicated that they will press charges against four Google executives over a video which was posted on one of the search giant’s Italian sites in 2006, which showed four youths making fun of a disabled teenager in a classroom in the northern city of Turin… A spokesman for Google was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying that the company co-operated with Italian prosecutors throughout their investigation and that the video was removed from the site in question within hours of administrators being notified of its existence in September, 2006…

“A Google spokesman was quoted as saying that there was no basis for the legal action because under EU legislation – which has been incorporated into Italian law – Google isn’t required to monitor third-party content on its sites. It must only take down offending content when it is notified.”

National State of Emergency in Italy

On July 28, the EUObserver wrote the following:

“The Italian government of Silvio Berlusconi is facing strong criticism from the country’s opposition over the declaration of a national state of emergency to deal with the ‘exceptional and persistent influx’ of irregular immigrants… The decision came shortly after Italy passed another controversial piece of law that would make undocumented migration a criminal offence punishable by six months to four years in prison. The law also allows that property rented to such an immigrant can be confiscated…

“In June, the Berlusconi government also found itself under heavy criticism… for plans to conduct a census, under which all Roma people, including children, would be fingerprinted. Left critics of the move compared it to the policies of Benito Mussolini, the country’s fascist leader during the second world war.”

European Double-Standards Policy

The following article was originally published by Adevarul, Bucharest, in Romanian, on July 24, 2008, and published in English by the BBC:

“Corruption is deeply rooted in Bulgarian society and the European Union is naive to think that several rules or highways will change the situation. However, corruption is an issue for new EU member Bulgaria (also Romania), so that it is no surprise that Brussels is threatening to suspend financial aid and retain travel restrictions for work- seekers should Sofia not crack down on organized crime and other forms of corruption. Bulgaria, the poorest EU member, is hoping to get 7m euros for structural reforms over the next five years… the EU threat shows a recurrent habit – the European Commission bullies smaller member states but is often soft on the important ones.

“Do you remember the agitation caused by Joerg Haider’s party getting good results in Austria? Fourteen countries, although they were not officially part of the EU, condemned Austrians as if Haider had set the Reichstag on fire. Portugal and Ireland were criticized for having infringed the euro zone debt rules and the Danish and the Irish were threatened in various ways for the ‘wrong’ results of their respective referendums.

“I do not recall, however, when the French or the German governments were last threatened or when the Italians were seriously warned about their own corruption, which swallowed a large slice of the EU aid intended for southern Italy. One can see those highways suddenly end in the middle of some Sicilian plain.  In short, if Brussels often lacks courage in front of the EU ‘big guys,’ the fact that it pompously and severely points at the ‘little ones’ can only highlight its double-standards policy.”

“Two-Speed Europe May Emerge Over Divorce Rules”

The EUObserver wrote on July 25:

“In the face of long-lasting deadlock, a group of nine EU states have decided to take the unprecedented path of closer co-operation and apply common rules for divorce between couples of different European nationality… Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia and Spain have teamed up in order to formally request the European Commission launch the so-called enhanced co-operation mechanism – allowing a group of countries to move ahead in one particular area, even though other states are opposed…

“A controversial and politically sensitive issue anyway, this route for dealing with the divorce question has further irked some capitals because, under normal procedures, a decision in this area would have to be taken by unanimity… Under the foreseen rules, if a Czech-German couple living in Belgium decide to divorce, spouses would be allowed to choose the competent court and the law to apply to their case. Should they fail to agree, the couple would be automatically referred to a court in Belgium, their place of residence.

“Malta and Sweden are widely considered the most reluctant to give the go-ahead to a EU-wide divorce scheme. Strongly Catholic Malta does not recognise divorce, while Stockholm fears that EU harmonisation in the area could threaten its liberal family law…

“Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Lithuania are also believed to be considering joining the initiative.”

“Multi-Speed Europe” On Defense

The EUObserver wrote on July 29, 2008:

“Europeans are a heterogeneous lot, and efforts to develop European defence need to recognise and accommodate this diversity. This last point is especially relevant in the aftermath of the Irish ‘No’ to the Lisbon Treaty. For some, this latest failure to get 27 runners and riders into the starting gates at the same time has only confirmed the need to accept a ‘multi-speed’ Europe. Whether or not this is true for the future of the Union as a whole, there is no room for dispute in defence – multi-speed is the reality, and will remain so as long as 27 Member States reserve the right to set their own defence policies, and take their own decisions about sending their young men and women into danger…

“This approach – the concept of the ‘pioneer group’ – appears in the Lisbon Treaty in the provisions on ‘permanent structured cooperation’. But, with Lisbon in baulk for the foreseeable future, the principles should be introduced as far and as fast as possible into the existing practices and institutions of European defence – most obviously, into the workings of the European Defence Agency.”

Deutsche Welle reported on July 29:

“Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has called for a group of EU states to develop a military force capable of reacting to crises around the world. He said the bloc needs a flexible defense policy. A group [of] EU nations should form a ‘pioneering group’ to deal with issues of European security and defense, Fischer said Tuesday, July 28, at the presentation of a European Council on Foreign Relations study. ‘We must recognize the reality of a “multi-speed Europe” on defense,’ said Fischer, one of the council’s co-chairs. ‘The reluctant should not be bullied, but neither must they hold the others back.’ Fischer added that the bloc needed to take a ‘flexible approach’ to cooperation between states on key issues in order to move forward after the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, which foresees creating a new post to steer European foreign and security policy…

“A former leader of the German Greens party, Fischer was instrumental in convincing his fellow party members to turn away from the party’s pacifist roots and to support NATO efforts in the Balkans in the late 1990s. It represented the first time German soldiers conducted military operations since World War II. Though he opposed sending troops to Iraq, Fischer lent his support to the Bundeswehr’s mission in Afghanistan.

“If such a European reaction force were created it would be able to react to violence around the globe such as in Chad and Congo, more effectively than allowed by current policies, according to the council’s report. ‘Europe’s security is being jeopardized by the reluctance of defense ministries to change and to work together,’ said Lord George Robertson, former NATO Secretary General, and one of council’s members. ‘Stronger European defense cooperation will only strengthen NATO.’ ‘A large part of the 200 billion euros that Europe spends on defense every year is simply wasted,’ the study says.”

A two-speed Europe–with a core Europe leading the continent–is inevitable. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

No Second Vote in Ireland?

The EUObserver wrote on July 28:

“Almost three quarters of Irish voters are opposed to the idea of a second vote on the EU’s Lisbon treaty…The leader of France, which currently [holds] the EU’s six-month rotating presidency, last week proposed to the Irish prime minister, Brian Cowen, that a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty be held on the same day as elections to the European Parliament next June…

“The survey also suggested that in the case of a repeated referendum, even more people would vote No than the first time around…

“Twenty out of 27 EU states have definitively ratified the EU treaty. Spain, Germany and Poland’s parliaments have approved the text but the respective heads of state must still sign off on the document, with the German constitutional court still considering a legal challenge.

“The Italian lower house is expected to back the text this week. Swedish MPs are set to pass the treaty without serious opposition when they begin their autumn session in September. And Czech deputies are planning to hold a vote in autumn, after the verdict of the country’s constitutional court on a legal appeal.”

New Sunday Law in Croatia

The Associated Press reported on July 26:

“The Croatian parliament has passed a law forcing shops to close on Sundays in a concession to the Roman Catholic church… The church has campaigned for years for Sundays to be devoted to family or Mass in Croatia, which is almost 90 percent Roman Catholic. But Croatians have begun spending weekends in shopping malls that have flourished across the country in the past few years and remain open seven days a week.

“The law [was] adopted Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1. It allows Sunday shopping over the summer and Christmas holidays. The law also allows stores in gas, bus and train stations to open on Sundays year-round, along with those in hospitals. Bakeries, newsstands and flower shops are also exempt from the ban.”

First Ever Recession in Eurozone?

The EUObserver wrote on July 25:

“The eurozone is facing the threat of the first ever recession in its brief history since 1999, according to the latest business data on the 15-country single currency bloc. A survey issued on Thursday (24 July) of some 5,000 companies showed both manufacturing and services activity declining rapidly in July, after data for March to June suggest that the second quarter may have experienced economic contraction. If the July to September period continues on its downward trajectory, the eurozone will meet the technical definition of a recession: two consecutive quarters of contraction…

“Employment in the service sector also shrank in July, the first time the number of services jobs has not grown in four years. And Employment in manufacturing dropped to a three-year low. Manufacturing output is at its lowest rate since the attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001 and new orders are at their lowest level in seven years.

“A slew of other surveys of the French, German and Italian economies also backed up the PMI data. A key survey of German business sentiment… showed the business climate in Europe’s largest economy at a three-year low. In France, business confidence fell this month for the sixth month in a row, and slipped to its lowest level since May 2005… In Italy, business sentiment plunged to its lowest levels for almost seven years… For its part, the Spanish government, struggling with a collapse in the housing market, has cut its growth forecast for 2008 to 1.6 percent, down from 2.3 percent.

“‘Economic growth in the eurozone is coming almost to a halt,’ said Bank of America economist Holger Schmieding, according to AFP.”

AFP also reported on July 31 that “Deutsche Bank [the biggest German bank] posted on Thursday a 63.0-percent slump in second-quarter net profit… the bank has suffered from the global credit crisis that broke a year ago, and was obliged to write down the value of its assets by 2.3 billion euros in the second quarter, following a markdown of 2.7 billion in the first three months of the year.”

WTO Talks Collapse With Gloomy Consequences

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 30:

“The WTO [World Trade Organization] efforts to strike a new global trade pact ended in failure on Tuesday, after the US resisted what [it] saw as protectionism from China and India. German papers on Wednesday are gloomy about the impact on the global economy.

“The negotiations had already dragged on for seven years but nine days of marathon talks in Geneva could not bridge the gap. On Tuesday the current round of World Trade Organization talks… collapsed in failure. The result is no trade deal and no good news in a time of increasing economic uncertainty.

“In the end, the deal hit a fatal snag when the United States refused to allow China and India a loophole which would have protected farmers from a sudden surge in imports. The recriminations started almost immediately, with each side blaming the other for what has been widely regarded as a disaster. On Wednesday China blamed ‘selfish’ wealthy Western nations for the failure to free up global trade, while Japan pointed the finger at China and India for focusing on their own interests instead of considering the global economy…

“The disappointment was all the more crushing because a compromise which had been painstakingly negotiated was so close to being accepted by all 153 WTO member states. The deal would have allowed poorer countries to sell more produce to rich countries while Western nations would have had access to emerging markets for their industrial goods and services. US officials were reported to be particularly bitter because they had made significant concessions by agreeing to limit US farm subsidies…

“Business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘In the long term the debacle in Geneva marks a break of immense importance… Above all the failure of the WTO talks reflects the changing power relations in the world. Gone are the days when the US and Europe could set the tone and largely draw up the world trade agreements amongst themselves. China and India took a tough stance. They fight hard for their interests and only support free trade when it suits them. The old industrial powers will slowly realize the bitter truth of this. Geneva was just a foretaste.’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘On Tuesday in Geneva the hope died that the powerful WTO would be capable of at least getting close to solving the most urgent problems facing people across the world. These are: rising food prices, declining natural resources, the crisis in the financial markets and the economic downturn in the Western industrial countries. A flourishing world trade, according to the WTO, could lead to a greater availability of food, which would decrease the prices of bread, rice and corn, make cars cheap and make it easier for people to make a living.'”

Earthquake in Southern California–A Drill for the “Big One”

The Associated Press reported on July 29:

“The strongest earthquake to strike a populated area of Southern California in more than a decade rattled windows and chandeliers, made buildings sway and sent people running into the streets on Tuesday… The 5.4-magnitude quake — considered moderate — was felt from Los Angeles to San Diego, and as far east as Las Vegas, 230 miles away. Nearly 30 aftershocks quickly followed, the largest estimated at 3.8. The quake was centered 29 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles near Chino Hills, a San Bernardino County city of 80,000 built mostly in the early 1990s with the latest in earthquake-resistant technology…

“As strong as it felt, Tuesday’s quake was far less powerful than the deadly magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake that toppled bridges and buildings on Jan. 17, 1994. That was the last damaging temblor in Southern California, though not the biggest. A 7.1 quake struck the desert in 1999.

“The earthquake had about 1 percent of the energy of the Northridge quake, said Thomas Heaton, director of the earthquake engineering and research laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. ‘People have forgotten, I think, what earthquakes feel like,’ said Kate Hutton, a seismologist at Caltech. ‘So I think we should probably look at it as an earthquake drill. … It’s a drill for the “Big One” that will be coming some day.'”

LifeScience wrote on July 29:

“As if the San Andreas Fault weren’t long and menacing enough, newly found mud pots and mud volcanoes now suggest it extends another 18 miles, going under the Salton Sea and beyond, in the desert southeast of Palm Springs… Geologists had suspected that the San Andreas Fault extended beyond its agreed-upon terminal point near Bombay Beach, a location about midway along the eastern shore of the Salton Sea… The Salton Sea is an extremely salty, below-sea-level lake and the largest lake in California. It formed starting in 1905 when rainfall forced the Colorado River to swell and breach a nearby dike. The town of Salton and some Indian land was submerged by the time the flooding was controlled, two years later…

“The San Andreas Fault is a 700-mile plate boundary in California, separating the Pacific and North American plates. Seismologists say that enough stress has accumulated at the fault to generate the next ‘Big One,’ an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or greater, any day now or 10 years or more from now. Southern California is at greatest risk…”

What About Cell Phones and Cancer?

LifeScience wrote on July 29:

“Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, shocked just about all law-abiding scientists (abiding by laws of physics, that is) with his warning last week to his faculty and staff that cell phones might pose a cancer risk. This is troublesome because this time a really smart person is saying it, not just another nutcase. The basics still ring true, and Herberman admitted as much: There’s no convincing evidence that cell phone radiation causes cancer. Nor is there plausible biological or physical reasoning for why it would cause cancer.

“Herberman said his warning is based on early, unpublished data from a 13-country study on cell phone use. Scientists tend to be wary of preliminary results, and many are scratching their heads over why Herberman would make such a stern and public warning now. Herberman countered that until there’s definitive proof that cell phones are harmless, users should practice some caution…

“Yet Einstein, in a way, disproved the notion that cell phone radiation causes cancer. It’s called the photoelectric effect: Light is composed of photons which, when above a threshold energy, can dislodge electrons from atoms – for example, break chemical bonds in DNA and cause cancerous mutations. That threshold energy is near the ultraviolet part of the electromagnetic spectrum, thousands of times more energetic than cell phone radio waves. UV, X-rays and gamma rays cause cancer. These photons are like golf balls, whereas radio photons are like cotton balls. You can throw millions of cotton balls against a window; it just won’t break…

“Despite myriad studies showing no increased cancer risk from up to 20 years of cell phone use, some scientists continue to probe – as they should, given the omnipresence of cell phones.

“One alternate theory is that heat generated by cell phones can cook brain cells… One problem with the heat theory is that the sun can heat your head far more efficiently than a cell phone. And your body does a rather decent job at regulating heat, anyway… Each type of living tissue absorbs radiation at a different frequency. So it is plausible that cell phone radiation bypasses the skin and skull and is absorbed selectively by brain tissue. But scientists see only marginal evidence for changes at the cellular level induced by cell phone radiation in Petri dishes, fruit flies and mice. Similarly in human studies, such as the 13-country study Herberman was privy to, called INTERPHONE, there is at best only an inkling of evidence that cell phones might cause cancer if you use them long enough, for 30 or more years.”

American Economy MUCH MUCH WORSE Than Assumed

Bloomberg reported on July 21:

“American Express Co., the biggest U.S. credit-card company by purchases, withdrew its 2008 earnings forecast after second-quarter profit fell 37 percent on worse-than-expected consumer defaults… Profit from continuing operations declined to $655 million… ‘By almost any measure, the U.S. economy and business environment are much weaker than the assumptions’ the company had in January, Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault said today in a conference call. ‘Unemployment rates took the largest jump in over twenty years. Home prices declined at the fastest rate in decades and consumer confidence is at one of its all-time low points.’ The U.S. economic slowdown worsened in June, affecting even American Express’s wealthier cardholders with high credit scores…

“American Express, Capital One Financial Corp. and Discover Financial Services shares have dropped by more than a third in the past year as consumers have a harder time repaying debt of all kinds… Discover, based in Riverwoods, Illinois, said last month that profit from continuing operations in the quarter ended May 31 fell 19 percent to $202 million.”

The Associated Press reported on July 22:

“Wachovia Corp. reported a surprisingly large second-quarter loss Tuesday, deflating Wall Street’s hopes that the nation’s big banks are weathering the credit crisis well. The nation’s fourth-largest bank by assets said it lost $8.86 billion, is slashing its dividend and eliminating 10,750 positions after losses tied to mortgages soared. Even excluding one-time items, the results substantially missed Wall Street estimates…

“Late Monday, Wachovia announced plans to leave the wholesale mortgage lending business. And beginning Friday, the company will no longer offer mortgages through brokers, joining other lenders making similar moves to exit the troubled sector. Big banks, such as Bank of America Corp. and National City Corp., have stopped making loans through brokers entirely, relying instead on their loan officers.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on July 22:

“A federal rescue of troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could cost taxpayers as much as $25 billion, Congress’ top budget analyst said Tuesday… [Treasury Secretary Henry M.] Paulson said that Fannie and Freddie have issued $5 trillion in debt and mortgage backed securities. Of that amount more than $3 trillion is held by U.S. financial institutions and over $1.5 trillion is held by foreign institutions, making the stabilization of the two companies essential to the global economy… Paulson said that housing was at the ‘heart of our nation’s economy.’ He added that a key to turning the housing market around was bringing home buyers back into the market, an area where he said Fannie and Freddie needed to play a critical role to provide mortgage financing.

“The effort to provide support to the two mortgage giants follows the government’s involvement in dealing with the near-collapse of Bear Stearns in March when the Federal Reserve provided a $30 billion loan to facilitate the sale of Bear Stearns to JPMorgan.”

How much longer can the Federal Reserve “bail” out banks and thereby deplete its FDIC fund of an estimated amount of $75 billion? How soon are taxpayers going to be asked to “help” in the form of higher taxes and other hidden “incentives”? Surely, this country is facing a gigantic economic storm of unparalleled proportions in recent times–with all of our politicians being absolutely unable and helpless to weather it.

God HAS declared far in advance that this IS going to happen–all gainsaying and scoffing of so-called experts and an uninformed and indifferent public notwithstanding. The reason is that we do NOT OBEY God and that this country has been turning its back on God FAR TOO LONG. Now, man is going to reap what he has been sowing.

For more information, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound“

Worldwide Economy in Mortal Danger

The Telegraph wrote on July 21:

“It feels like the summer of 1931. The world’s two biggest financial institutions have had a heart attack. The global currency system is breaking down. The policy doctrines that got us into this mess are bankrupt. No world leader seems able to discern the problem, let alone forge a solution. The International Monetary Fund has abdicated into schizophrenia…

“Oil has queered the pitch. So has America’s fatal reliance on foreign debt… China, Russia, petro-powers and other foreign states own $985bn of US agency debt, besides holdings of US Treasuries. Purchases of Fannie/Freddie debt covered a third of the US current account deficit of $700bn over the last year. Alex Patelis from Merrill Lynch says America faces the risk of a ‘financing crisis’ within months. Foreigners have a veto over US policy…

“The coalitions in Belgium and Austria have just collapsed. Germany’s left-right team is fraying… This is the healthy part of Europe… Finance minister Pedro Solbes said Spain is facing the ‘most complex’ economic crisis in its history.”

Coming–Worldwide Water Shortage

The Economist wrote on July 19:

“SO WORLD markets are short of oil, and supplies of food are running thin. The prices of all sorts of basic commodities are soaring, and now there may also be reason for many to worry about the most fundamental of necessities—water. Some experts believe so, at least, and they are spreading doom-laden warnings of a Malthusian crisis in the world’s water supply.

“Goldman Sachs, an investment bank which likes to ponder the future of the world, recently suggested that a global lack of water could prove to be a bigger threat to mankind than rising food prices or the depletion of energy resources. Sir Nicholas Stern… points to some big local problems, for example in the Himalayas, where melting glaciers risk disrupting supplies of usable water in the region, just as many underground aquifers are drying up. He argues that water—at least the fresh sort—is not a renewable resource…

“Global water consumption is doubling every 20 years says Goldman Sachs. According to Sir Nicholas, in many places supplies are running short as rising consumption cannot be matched by fresh rainfall. As a result, suggests Goldman Sachs, the price of water is bound to rise…”

Coming–Worldwide Flu Pandemic

The Independent wrote on July 21:

“The world is failing to guard against the inevitable spread of a devastating flu pandemic which could kill 50 million people and wreak massive disruption around the globe, the [British] Government has warned… The Government’s evidence appeared in a highly critical report… which attacked the World Health Organisation (WHO) as ‘dysfunctional’…

“The Government said: ‘While there has not been a pandemic since 1968, another one is inevitable.’ Ministers said it would… leave up to 75,000 people dead in Britain and cause ‘massive’ disruption.”

Obama Wants MORE Troops–Not Less…

The Associated Press reported on July 19:

“Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama started a campaign-season tour of combat zones and foreign capitals, visiting with U.S. forces in Kuwait and then Afghanistan — the scene of a war he says deserves more attention and more troops… Obama advocates ending the U.S. combat role in Iraq by withdrawing troops at the rate of one to two combat brigades a month. But he supports increasing the military commitment to Afghanistan, where the Taliban has been resurgent and Osama bin laden is believed to be hiding…”

Jerusalem the Capitol of Israel?

AFP wrote on July 23:

“Barack Obama on Wednesday vowed to forge an ‘unshakeable’ bond with Israel if he becomes the next US president and warned a nuclear Iran would pose a ‘grave threat’ which the world must forestall. The Democratic White House hopeful hailed Israel as a ‘miracle’ as he courted Jewish voters at home… The Illinois senator also tried to convince the Palestinians, during a short trip to see the conflict from the other side, on the occupied West Bank, that he would sponsor a vigorous peace effort if elected…

“The senator reiterated his vow to stop Iran developing a nuclear weapon, but defended his offer of talks with leaders from the Islamic Republic, promising to use ‘big carrots and big sticks. A nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat and the world must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,’ Obama said…

“Obama also said that he had not backed down from his comment that Jerusalem should not be divided, which he made before the US Jewish lobby last month, sparking anger among Palestinians… ‘I continue to say that Jerusalem will be the [capitol] of Israel. I have said it before and will say it again… but I’ve also said that it is a final status issue’ that must be decided by negotiation. Obama’s original comment was seen by some observers as prejudging final status peace talks, and his campaign has since said that it was poorly worded.”

Israeli Attack on Iran Inevitable?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on July 16:

“An Israeli attack on Iran seems inevitable. If it succeeds, it will return to Israel its deterrent power and send a clear message to the saber-rattling jihadists that they were too early in beginning the countdown for the disappearance of the Jewish state.

“If it fails, or fails to achieve the majority of its objectives, it could amount to an act of national suicide. Fanatical Muslims on every side will be encouraged by the failure and outcome of an Iranian retaliation which would cause heavy damage to the whole center of our country… A non-nuclear Israeli attack on Iran would be a ‘surgical’ operation… Iran has the motivation to destroy Israel, and if it is allowed to gain nuclear weapons it will not need an excuse to do so…

“Let us try a scenario in which Israel carries out a successful attack, with or without active American help, on a few key Iranian reactors. Such an operation would not completely destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, but it would badly wound its national and Islamic pride.

“The Iranian people, including the opposition would, at least in the initial stage, rally around the ruling mullahs. The price of oil would soar, Israel would be blamed for the destruction of the West’s economy, and Europe might go so far as to impose sanctions on Israel, with or without a UN decision.

“Moreover, being an easy target, Israel would have to brace for the inevitable Iranian retaliation. Iran would attack with the Shihab 3 ballistic missiles that carry a warhead of up to one ton and have an accuracy of 50 meters-100m. Israel has an answer to a limited number of these missiles, of which Iran has probably a few hundred. It has no answer to all the missiles that would be launched against it from three fronts.

“Theoretically, Iran can deliver 1,000-1,500 tons of the most modern explosives within a few days. The long-range missiles that have been supplied to Hizbullah via Damascus, and the arsenal that has been massed by Hamas in Gaza, which includes missiles that can reach Beersheba, must also be taken into consideration.

“There is no question that these two organizations will move into action together with Iran, and it is not impossible that Hizbullah would attempt the invasion of Israel proper to gain a local victory by occupying a border village, killing inhabitants and kidnapping a few over to Lebanon.”

German Politicians Warn Obama

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 21:

“In the run-up to Barack Obama’s visit to Berlin, leading foreign and security policy experts for Germany’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) are warning the United States presidential candidate against making any far-reaching demands on the Germans.

“‘Obama should only ask of us what we are able to deliver,’ Niels Annen — a member of Germany’s federal parliament, with the left wing of the SPD — told SPIEGEL ONLINE Monday. ‘We won’t increase our number of troops.’

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet, however, has approved a plan to increase the number of troops from Germany’s armed forces in Afghanistan by 1,000 to 4,500 soldiers. All troop deployments of the Bundeswehr require a mandate from the German parliament, which is expected to consider the issue in the autumn. And SPD party chief Kurt Beck made clear over the weekend that 4,500 was the ceiling of what could be expected from Germany…”

Will Europe’s Adulation of Obama Soon End?

On July 21, Der Spiegel Online wrote about Germany’s Adulation of Barack Obama, which may end very soon. The magazine reported:

“Germans have fallen in love with the man many in Europe have come to see as the anti-Bush — the man who many hope will steer America back toward the path of peace, love and happiness. Almost three-quarters of Germans would vote for Obama were they given the opportunity to do so; in France, that number approaches 90 percent…

“… The financial daily Handelsblatt… looks at what Berlin might expect from Obama’s speech. ‘With the speech at the Siegessäule on Thursday, a new phase is beginning. And there are a number of signs pointing to the fact that those pleasantly anticipating an Obama presidency might not be quite as euphoric should he get elected. The reasons are clear: Obama’s superstar status in Germany is based primarily on two factors. One is the fact that he is not George W. Bush…. The second is that Obama has remained quite vague until now: Everyone can see in him what he or she wants. But now the senator from Illinois is beginning to mold a concrete foreign policy. Soon, it will be clear what ‘change’ really means. Obama wants to withdraw from Iraq but at the same time he wants to bolster troops in Afghanistan… Obama, should he become the superpower’s next president, will not suddenly transform into a dove. He too will use the US military to reach his political goals.'”

“An American Idol in Germany”

In a related and unnecessarily lengthy, laborious and almost tiresome article of July 21, titled, “An American Idol in Germany,”  Der Spiegel Online wrote about Europe’s perception of Barack Obama as a savior of mankind–a perception which might soon disappear. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“Europeans have fallen in love with the Democrat, mostly because he’s not Bush. But they may not like what they hear this week… He will be in Berlin this Thursday, when Germans will hail him as a magician with the ability to transform a gloomy world into a brighter place. Never before has there been so much excitement in Germany over the visit of a presumed US presidential candidate. Obama may be running for the White House, but judging by the commotion, one would think that he had already advanced two steps further and were the president of the world.

“Which is precisely the issue. Obama raises hopes that he will not just change America, but politics as a whole. Obama is the hope of a Western world filled with concerns… It is time for leadership. And only one man inspires the kind of confidence that would enable him to assume this leadership: Barack Obama…

“Chancellor Angela Merkel was also a candidate for the global presidency once. But by now it has become clear that she even has trouble leading her coalition government at home. Obama will be visiting a country that lacks leadership… it’s no wonder that many a German sees the charismatic American as a savior… While Germany looks forward to being spellbound by Obama this week, the magician’s allure has already begun to fade in America…

“Perhaps the ‘honeymoon’ will last a little longer with Obama, says Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg, a CSU foreign policy expert. But, Guttenberg adds, the ‘fracture point’ will be reached no later than the NATO summit in the spring of 2009, when the new US president, be it Obama or McCain, outlines exactly how he envisions trans-Atlantic cooperation in the future — and that will include US demands that Germany send more troops to embattled southern Afghanistan.

“Most US experts at research institutions share this assessment. They warn of exaggerated expectations. They warn against discounting McCain and the experience he brings to the table. And they warn of Obama’s lack of experience, speculating that the presidency could very well turn out to be a rude awakening for the Democratic candidate…

“Just how Obama feels about the Europeans becomes clear from chatting with Zbigniew Brzezinski, the national security advisor under former President Jimmy Carter and a current advisor to the Obama campaign… ‘I think the Europeans have to decide whether they want to be a global power or not,’ says Brzezinski. Should they decide they do, Brzezinski’s message continues, they will be called upon to assume their fair share of the decision-making process, responsibility and the financial burden.

“Suffering, of course, would also be a part of that. More than 4,500 Americans have died and more than 30,000 have been wounded, many of them severely, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Only recently, President Bush invited a group of war invalids to join him for a jog at the White House. Bush posed for photographers next to the wounded soldiers, as they stood there on prosthetic metal legs and plastic feet. The war on terror would not cease under a President Obama. Bush’s foreign policy meant tanks, aircraft carriers and bombers. Obama’s foreign policy would be focused on diplomacy, reconstruction aid and, if this doesn’t work, tanks, aircraft carriers and bombers…

“In the 60 years since the end of World War II, there has been only one president who, with the exception of an attempt to liberate hostages, did not command a military campaign. That president was the hapless Jimmy Carter. All others have taken greater or lesser advantage of their powers as commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces. In this regard, there have been few distinctions between Republicans and Democrats. Under Obama, the tone might be different than it has been under the stubborn President Bush, but the larger foreign policy substance likely would not be…”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 24:

“Meanwhile, the foreign policy spokesman for Chancellor Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats, Eckart von Klaeden, told RBB-Inforadio public radio he didn’t share the expectation of many German politicians that there would be a major shift in foreign policy under Obama. ‘Regardless whether it is a President McCain or a President Obama, people will quickly determine that the trans-Atlantic relationship will not be transformed to the degree that many are expecting.'”

We share this assessment, in spite of Obama’s meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, during which the “restoration of Transatlantic ties” was discussed (see AFP, dated July 24). Regardless of who the next American President will be, the relationship between Europe and the USA will NOT improve. 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.”

Obama Speaks in Berlin

On July 24, Barack Obama gave his long-awaited speech in Berlin. The “Superstar,” as Der Spiegel Online called him, spoke to an estimated crowd of more than 200,000 people, according to Bild Online. He said a few things which Europeans and especially Germans might NOT have wanted to hear, including his allusion to the need of the continuance of the war in Afghanistan and the necessity of Europeans to send more troops. It was observed that the crowd was more enthusiastic when they came than when they left. The Associated Press reported on July 24:

“Before an enormous crowd, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Thursday summoned Europeans and Americans together to ‘defeat terror and dry up the well of extremism that supports it’ as surely as they conquered communism a generation ago.

“‘The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand,’ Obama said, speaking not far from where the Berlin Wall once divided the city. ‘The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand,’ he said…

“He drew loud applause when he talked of a world without nuclear weapons and again when he called for steps to counter climate change. Obama mentioned Iraq, a war he has opposed from the start, only in passing. But in discussing Afghanistan, he said, ‘no one welcomes war. … But my country and yours have a stake in seeing that NATO’s first mission beyond Europe’s borders is a success’…”

AFP added on July 24:

“The strikingly audacious speech, in a fevered atmosphere in Berlin’s famed Tiergarten, took the White House race out of US borders in a way never seen before, and was designed to portray Obama as a leader with unique global appeal… Despite its soaring cadences however, the speech was short on specifics… The Illinois senator rebuked both his country and Europe for blaming one another for strains in their relations…

“In a speech that risked being seen as presumptuous, considering Obama will not even face US voters for another three months, he warned of a world where partnership was not a choice but the only means of survival… He promised America under his watch would be serious about tackling global warning, a huge concern in Europe and a cause of rifts between the continent and the United States during the Bush administration. But he also signalled he would demand Europe live up to its side of the bargain, asking for more help in the struggle against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. ‘America cannot do this alone,’ Obama said.”

Europe Pressures Ireland

The EUObserver wrote on July 24:

“The Italian senate’s unanimous support for the Lisbon treaty on Wednesday (23 July) should help force Ireland into a revote, Italian politicians said, with Ireland looking increasingly likely to stand out as the only EU country not to ratify the text… Twenty one out of 27 EU states have definitively ratified the EU treaty despite the Irish No vote in a referendum in June. The Spanish, German and Polish parliaments have also approved the text, which now awaits the signatures of the respective heads of state…

“Meanwhile, France is pushing Ireland to hold a second vote, with President Nicolas Sarkozy on his visit to Dublin on Monday suggesting that the June 2009 European Parliament elections would be a good time for another referendum on Lisbon.

“The EU summit in October will see the next major discussion of the future of the EU treaty, with Irish foreign minister Micheal Martin pledging to give ‘clarity’ on Ireland’s plans in December.”

However, the article by the EUObserver is somewhat misleading. Deutsche Welle correctly reported on July 24:

“The Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty has left the bloc searching for a new way to move forward as the treaty must be unanimously ratified in order to go into effect. [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel was one of the driving forces behind the new treaty under Germany’s EU presidency in the first half of last year.

“The treaty faces obstacles in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. German President Horst Koehler has said he will await a decision by the Constitutional Court on the treaty’s compatibility with the German Constitution before signing into law the necessary legislation, which has been passed by both houses of parliament.”

The Bible clearly shows that ultimately, ten core nations or groups of nations will lead Europe, and they will, in turn, give their power and authority to a charismatic political leader.

The European “Beast” Overtakes the USA…

The EUObserver wrote on July 16:

“Mark Schapiro – an American investigative journalist of some twenty years’ standing and the editorial director of the Center for Investigative Journalism – believes… that we can date the eclipse of the United States by the European Union quite precisely indeed – 25 June, 2004.

“On that day, some 200 million Europeans went to the polls to elect their representatives to the European Parliament, consolidating the union’s ascendancy. Europe’s parliament leap-frogged the US Congress in size of population represented, with an additional two member states, Romania and Bulgaria, boosting the numbers still further to almost half a billion people in 2007. Even more critically, in 2005, the GDP of the EU overtook that of the States.

“‘The EU is now the single largest trading partner with every continent except Australia,’ he writes in his recent book, Exposed, which considers the massive global economic power shift that has occurred as a result of these changes. He looks at how companies and state governments in the US, China and the rest of the world increasingly take their legislative lead – whether willingly or dragged kicking and screaming – on issues such as environmental standards, health and safety regulation and consumer protection not from Washington, but Brussels.”

Shapiro was quoted in the article, as follows:

“The world is changing, and it’s changing in dramatic ways in a number of different arenas. What’s interesting is that the role of the United States is shifting very sharply, independent of Iraq. Let’s not even talk about Iraq – which has also delivered a body-blow to American power in the world – let’s just look purely at the level of economics. In 2005, the US was supplanted as the world’s largest single market by the EU, and that was reported to us by our own CIA in their World Factbook…

“US corporations along with other companies are increasingly reliant on foreign markets to sustain their profitability. For many American firms, that means Europe… all these firms, which had become quite expert at influencing the rule-making apparatus in the United States through lobbying in congress and campaign contributions – suddenly had this new beast to deal with – the EU… This is indeed a self-interested political beast…”

The choice of the word “European beast” is quite interesting–since the Bible uses the same expression for the final political European revival of the ancient Roman Empire–as well as for the human leader of that revival (Revelation 13:1-4, 18). For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

America’s Banks Are Failing–The Handwriting IS On the Wall

The Associated Press reported on July 11:

“The last thing the Bush White House and the rest of the country needed in these economically trying times was another financial crisis. But they got one. The Republican administration and Democratic-run Congress now are facing the possibility that mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, once staid and stable, could need a bailout or even go under. Their default would send shock waves through already distressed financial markets, drive the U.S. economy further into recession territory and make it even harder for people to obtain mortgages or refinance their homes…

“Bush told reporters that [Treasury Secretary Henry] Paulson had briefed him on financial markets and ‘assured me that he and (Federal Reserve Chairman) Ben Bernanke will be working this issue very hard. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are very important institutions,’ Bush said.

“Bush, the first U.S. president with an MBA degree, may have been assured, but investors apparently weren’t. They dumped stocks in response to the woes of Freddie and Fanny, pushing the Dow Jones industrials at one point below the 11,000 mark for the first time in two years before recovering slightly. The two companies’ stocks are now at their lowest levels in 16 years, down 80 percent from just a year ago.”

Please make sure to watch our recent StandingWatch program on YouTube titled, “Coming–The Great Depression?”

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–an “Unmitigated Disaster”

Bloomberg reported on July 14:

“The U.S. Treasury Department’s plan to shore up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and the largest U.S. mortgage lenders are ‘basically insolvent,’ according to investor Jim Rogers. Taxpayers will be saddled with debt if Congress approves U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s request for the authority to buy unlimited stakes in and lend to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Rogers said in a Bloomberg Television interview. Rogers is betting that Fannie Mae shares will keep tumbling…

“‘I don’t know where these guys get the audacity to take our money, taxpayer money, and buy stock in Fannie Mae,’ Rogers, 65, said in an interview from Singapore. ‘So we’re going to bail out everybody else in the world. And it ruins the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet and it makes the dollar more vulnerable and it increases inflation.’… The U.S. economy is in a recession, possibly the worst since World War II, Rogers said. ‘They’re ruining what has been one of the greatest economies in the world,’ Rogers said… ‘[They] are bailing out their friends on Wall Street but there are 300 million Americans that are going to have to pay for this.”’

US Government Not to Expect to Help More Lenders

The Associated Press reported on July 13:

“The U.S. government is signaling it won’t throw a lifeline to struggling financial companies – except for mortgage linchpins Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – marking a shift to a new and potentially more volatile phase of the credit crisis.

“Such an approach could mean beaten-down investment banks like Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and regional banks must now fend for themselves as they try to recover from billions of dollars in mortgage-related losses. That is bound to unnerve Wall Street, already anxious as it awaits financial companies’ earnings reports that are expected to be down a stunning 69 percent from a year ago when all the numbers are in…

“‘The credit crisis has obviously entered into a new phase – the government has one bailout left in them, and this is it,’ said Jeffrey Gundlach, chief investment officer of TCW Group in Los Angeles, which invests $160 billion. ‘One consequence of Freddie and Fannie is that other firms are allowed to go under,’ he said.”

IndyMac Bank Seized by Federal Regulators

The Los Angeles Times reported on July 12:

“The federal government took control of Pasadena-based IndyMac Bank on Friday in what regulators called the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history. Citing a massive run on deposits, regulators shut its main branch three hours early, leaving customers stunned and upset…

“Based on a preliminary analysis, federal authorities said the takeover of IndyMac, which had $32 billion in listed assets, would cost the FDIC between $4 billion and $8 billion. Regulators said deposits of up to $100,000 were safe and insured by the FDIC. IndyMac’s failure had been widely expected in recent days. As the bank was shuttering offices and laying off employees to cope with huge losses from defaulted mortgages made at the height of the housing boom, nervous depositors were pulling out $100 million a day. The bank’s stock price had plummeted to under $1 as analysts predicted the company’s imminent demise.

“The takeover of IndyMac came amid rampant speculation that the federal government would also have to take over lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which together stand behind almost half of the nation’s mortgage debt.”

Reuters reported on July 14:

“IndyMac Bancorp Inc customers lined up outside a branch at the company’s headquarters on Monday, hoping to withdraw their money after regulators seized what was once one of the largest mortgage lenders in the United States… IndyMac is the fifth U.S. banking company to fail this year, and the largest since the 1980s savings-and-loan crisis… Gerard Cassidy, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, on Sunday estimated that 300 U.S. banks might fail over the next three years because of credit losses and tight capital markets…”

U.S. Economic Tempest Overtakes Europe

On July 16, Der Spiegel Online re-published the following article from the New York Times:

“Spain, Ireland and Denmark are either in a recession or on the brink. Italy is stagnating. France is weakening fast. And Germany, the sturdy locomotive of European growth, is suddenly faltering — dashing most residual hopes that Europe could escape the upheaval in the United States. On Tuesday, an influential poll of German investors by the Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim found that confidence had plummeted to its lowest level since the survey was started in 1991…

“While most economists had predicted that Europe would suffer fallout from the financial market chaos and the broader American malaise, the speed of the deterioration has been surprising… The tense mood in the United States is pushing investors to sell dollars and seek refuge in the euro. For all the storm clouds here, Europe still looks like a safe harbor in comparison to the United States… Still, the strong euro — combined with high oil prices — is exacting a toll on Europe’s export machine.”

How long will Europe allow the weak U.S. dollar to damage or destroy its economy? When will Europe begin to make drastic changes? For sure, it can’t be too long from now. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Temporary Rebound of the U.S. Dollar

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 17:

“The greenback staged a surprising, though brief, rally when oil prices fell. But don’t mistake an uptick for a bottom.

“On July 15, traders in Europe knocked the dollar to an all-time low of $1.6020 to the euro and a three-month low against the British pound. It was hardly a surprise: Investors around the world were appalled by the US government’s need to rescue the multitrillion-dollar mortgage behemoths, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, last weekend… The Asian markets duly punished banks that held Fannie and Freddie paper.

“But to the surprise of many traders, instead of plunging to uncharted depths, the dollar managed to bounce back and was trading at about 1.584 to the euro on July 16. ‘A lot of hedge funds were confused by the price action,’ says Stephen Jen, currency strategist at Morgan Stanley in London.

“Jen and other analysts think several factors have helped — at least, so far — to keep the dollar from going into the out-of-control downward spiral that many fear could be coming. For one thing, the greenback is already quite cheap, especially against the euro, making investors wonder how much lower it can go. But what may be even more important is that the wave of economic misery that began in the US last year is clearly starting to hit European economies, as well.

“… the dollar’s decline is hurting the US, because the weakness is being passed along to consumers in the form of higher energy prices, which, among other things, have largely negated the Bush Administration’s tax rebates.

“Awareness in the markets that intervention [of the U.S. government] is a growing possibility is probably another reason the dollar didn’t plunge further on July 16. The sharp selloff in oil prices that began on July 15 was also positive for the dollar. Indeed, the fact that the greenback kept its head above water could signal a turn, or at least a temporary bottom. But don’t count on it.”

US Faces Global Funding Crisis

The Telegraph wrote on July 15:

“Merrill Lynch has warned that the United States could face a foreign ‘financing crisis’ within months as the full consequences of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage debacle spread through the world. The country depends on Asian, Russian and Middle Eastern investors to fund much of its $700bn (£350bn) current account deficit, leaving it far more vulnerable to a collapse of confidence than Japan in the early 1990s after the Nikkei bubble burst. Britain and other Anglo-Saxon deficit states could face a similar retreat by foreign investors…”

President Bush Backs Israeli Plan for Strike on Iran

The Sunday Times wrote on July 13:

“President George W Bush has told the Israeli government that he may be prepared to approve a future military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations with Tehran break down, according to a senior Pentagon official. Despite the opposition of his own generals and widespread scepticism that America is ready to risk the military, political and economic consequences of an airborne strike on Iran, the president has given an ‘amber light’ to an Israeli plan to attack Iran’s main nuclear sites with long-range bombing sorties, the official told The Sunday Times.

“’Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you’re ready,’ the official said. But the Israelis have also been told that they can expect no help from American forces and will not be able to use US military bases in Iraq for logistical support.

“Nor is it certain that Bush’s amber light would ever turn to green without irrefutable evidence of lethal Iranian hostility. Tehran’s test launches of medium-range ballistic missiles last week were seen in Washington as provocative and poorly judged, but both the Pentagon and the CIA concluded that they did not represent an immediate threat of attack against Israeli or US targets.

“’It’s really all down to the Israelis,’ the Pentagon official added. ‘This administration will not attack Iran. This has already been decided. But the president is really preoccupied with the nuclear threat against Israel and I know he doesn’t believe that anything but force will deter Iran.’ …

“Senator Barack Obama’s previous opposition to the war in Iraq, and his apparent doubts about the urgency of the Iranian threat, have intensified pressure on the Israeli hawks to act before November’s US presidential election. ‘If I were an Israeli I wouldn’t wait,’ the Pentagon official added…

“The one thing that all sides agree on is that any strike by either Iran or Israel would trigger a catastrophic round of retaliation that would rock global oil markets, send the price of petrol soaring and wreck the progress of the US military effort in Iraq… How genuine the Iranian threat is was the subject of intense debate last week, with some analysts arguing that Iran might have a useable nuclear weapon by next spring and others convinced that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is engaged in a dangerous game of bluffing…

“Obvious targets would include Iran’s Isfahan plant, where uranium ore is converted into gas, the Natanz complex where this gas is used to enrich uranium in centrifuges and the plutonium-producing Arak heavy water plant. But Iran is known to have scattered other elements of its nuclear programme in underground facilities around the country. Neither US nor Israeli intelligence is certain that it knows where everything is.”

Whom to Believe…?

Reuters reported on July 11:

“An Israeli military spokesman described as ‘utterly baseless’ media reports on Friday about Israeli warplanes secretly training in U.S.-controlled Iraq for possible attacks on neighbouring Iran. The Baghdad government and the Pentagon similarly played down a report, carried on the website of the Jerusalem Post and quoting a Iraqi news network, that Israeli jets were practising in Iraqi airspace and landing on U.S. airbases in the country… Recent months have seen a flurry of high-level contacts between Israel and the United States, which accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge.

“The talks have stoked global speculation that the allies are planning pre-emptive military strikes… The Iraqi report carried by the Jerusalem Post referred to an airbase in western Anbar province near the town of Haditha. The airbase is controlled by the U.S. military. The Israeli newspaper said it could not confirm the veracity of the report.

“Security for Anbar is still formally in the hands of the U.S. military, although control is expected to be transferred to Iraqi security forces soon. Iraq has security control over nine of its 18 provinces.”

Iran and the Bomb

The Wall Street Journal wrote the following on July 15, voicing the opinion that military confrontation in the near future between Israel and Iran appears more and more likely–perhaps with the support of the USA. Please make sure to watch our new StandingWatch program on YouTube, titled, “”Is War With Iran Coming Soon?

“Iran’s test salvo of ballistic missiles last week together with recent threatening rhetoric by commanders of the Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guards emphasizes how close the Middle East is to a fundamental, in fact an irreversible, turning point.

“Tehran’s efforts to intimidate the United States and Israel from using military force against its nuclear program, combined with yet another diplomatic charm offensive with the Europeans, are two sides of the same policy coin. The regime is buying the short additional period of time it needs to produce deliverable nuclear weapons, the strategic objective it has been pursuing clandestinely for 20 years.

“Between Iran and its long-sought objective, however, a shadow may fall: targeted military action, either Israeli or American… If Iran reaches weaponization… the Middle East, and indeed global, balance of power changes in potentially catastrophic ways. And consider what comes next for the U.S.: the Bush administration’s last six months pursuing its limp diplomatic efforts, plus six months of a new president getting his national security team and policies together. In other words, one more year for Tehran to proceed unhindered to ‘the point of no return.’

“We have almost certainly lost the race between giving ‘strong incentives’ for Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and its scientific and technological efforts to do just that. Swift, sweeping, effectively enforced sanctions might have made a difference five years ago. No longer…

“That is why Israel is now at an urgent decision point: whether to use targeted military force to break Iran’s indigenous control over the nuclear fuel cycle at one or more critical points… The alternative is Iran with nuclear weapons, the most deeply unattractive alternative of all… What will the U.S. do if Israel decides to initiate military action?…

“Israel sees clearly what the next 12 months will bring, which is why ongoing U.S.-Israeli consultations could be dispositive. Israel told the Bush administration it would destroy North Korea’s reactor in Syria in spring, 2007, and said it would not wait past summer’s end to take action. And take action it did… we should be intensively considering what cooperation the U.S. will extend to Israel before, during and after a strike on Iran. We will be blamed for the strike anyway, and certainly feel whatever negative consequences result, so there is compelling logic to make it as successful as possible. At a minimum, we should place no obstacles in Israel’s path, and facilitate its efforts where we can. These subjects are decidedly unpleasant. A nuclear Iran is more so.”

Could Iran Strike Europe with Missiles?

Reuters wrote on July 15:

“The Pentagon said on Tuesday that Iran has the ability to launch a ballistic missile capable of hitting sections of eastern and southern Europe… Older versions of the Shahab-3 have a 800-mile (1,300-km) range. But a new extended version is believed to have a range of up to 1,250 miles, making it capable of hitting targets as far away as Greece, Serbia, Romania and Belarus.”

“Two Coffins for a Murderer”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 16:

“Some had hoped that Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev [Israeli soldiers who were abducted in the 2006 raid] still lived. But on Wednesday, a deal negotiated by German intelligence led to Hezbollah handing over two coffins with their remains. In exchange, Israel turned over a brutal murderer — and a bit of its dignity… ‘Today is a great victory for the resistance movements and for Hezbollah,’ said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. ‘It shows that the only successful way to free the prisoners is by kidnapping soldiers’…

“That Olmert and his cabinet… agreed to the deal on Tuesday was largely attributable to the government’s weakness domestically. For months, the prime minister has been plagued by corruption investigations…”

Chaos and Upheaval in Belgium

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 16:

“Chaos has returned to Belgium’s capital: The government has collapsed, the prime minister has offered his resignation. German newspapers on Wednesday wonder if the linguistically divided country will ever get its act together. The Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme threw in the towel late on Monday night, saying he could not force through a consensus between the Flemish and French-speaking coalition partners…

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘In terms of economics, Belgium is the most successful “failed state” of all time. Its per capita income is way ahead of Germany, the world’s leading exporter… Belgium can continue to flourish without a national government for the simple reason that the cabinet doesn’t have to decide much anyway. Most authority has devolved to the regions … The central government is left to deal with foreign policy, defense and finance policy — all issues that are increasingly taken care of at the EU level… The Belgian government still controls spending on social welfare. And this is where the conflict has blown up between the two language groups, because rich Flanders wants to pay less for poorer Wallonia…’

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘Belgium had always prided itself on being a model for Europe: exemplifying, through the art of compromise and the virtue of tolerance, how nations and cultures can exist peacefully side by side. The country can no longer claim this. The latest political crisis sees the kingdom moving towards the limits of being governable… The question is how much solidarity people are prepared to show when times are tough… In the end it’s all about money.'”

EU’s Galileo Satellite for Military Use

Deutsche Welle reported on July 10:

“The European Parliament in Strasbourg approved by 502 votes to 83 the military use of the European Union’s Galileo satellite. The bill, proposed by German conservative politician Karl von Wogau, aims to create a space surveillance system to watch out for space debris and other threats. It was approved on Thursday, July 10. Changes to the bill proposed by the Greens to use the system purely for civilian purposes were rejected. Secure, independent and sustainable access to space was a basic requirement for the EU, the text of the draft bill said.

“The system was about acquiring information so that the EU could prevent conflicts, be effective during crises and increase world security by, for example, monitoring the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. ‘The EU and NATO are expressly called upon to start up a strategic dialogue on the politics of space and missile defense,’ the text of the bill said.”

America’s Shrinking Influence in the World

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 11:

“There is little consensus on whether the G-8 summit can be seen as a success for the climate. What is certain is that US President George W. Bush had little part in the efforts to save the world. He didn’t lead, he only followed — and the American superpower never before looked as small as it did this week… the president doesn’t want to understand and he doesn’t even want to go for a walk. That’s why at the meeting of the world’s eight most industrialized nations the most powerful man in the world had to have the world explained to him by seven less powerful leaders.”

“This Bud Is For the EU”

The Associated Press reported on July 14:

“The maker of the King of Beers has agreed to go to work for the Belgian brewer InBev SA. Anheuser Busch Cos. said early Monday it had agreed to a sweetened $52 billion takeover bid from InBev, creating the world’s largest brewer… InBev is the world’s second-largest beer-maker, narrowly behind SABMiller. Swallowing Anheuser-Busch sees it leap ahead, capturing half of the U.S. beer market and a fifth of China and Russia… To some in St. Louis, losing Anheuser-Busch to a foreign buyer meant losing a little bit of history. From college buildings to theme parks to offices to the stadium where the Cardinals play baseball, the Busch name is virtually everywhere in the Gateway City.”

Religion and War

USA Today published an interesting article on July 14 about religion and war. Although much of the article must be rejected as inaccurate interpretation, here are a few worth-while excerpts:

“The specter of violent religion certainly hangs over us in these times, especially when it comes to certain followers of the world’s two dominant religions. Christian and Muslim conflict-mongers drone on against ‘Islamic terrorists’ and ‘Christian infidels,’ respectively, while violence continues erupting in the name of Islam, and conservative Christian figures in America… urge violent solutions to foreign policy problems…

“Yes, there appears to be considerable truth to the oft-heard claim that Christian-Muslim co-existence must be achieved lest our collective future turn out brief and brutal…

“As demonstrated by James Carroll’s powerful and dark new documentary, Constantine’s Sword, Christians over the centuries have too often wielded religion as a lethal weapon. Today that dubious distinction is most strongly associated with violent extremists from the Muslim world, who invoke Islam in terrorist strikes that have killed many thousands of innocents… Judaism, too, has had its spasms of violence, as have other major faiths and sects…

“So how we will know religion in the final analysis? By its peace or by its violence? The scriptures have had their say. It’s now up to the believers  — through their words and works  — to settle the account.”

Iran Fools the West–How Much Longer?

The New York Sun reported on July 7:

“The West’s current diplomatic strategy — offering endless incentives to Iran, hoping it will change its behavior — is little more than an exercise in self-delusion…

“Western diplomats reportedly are ‘disappointed’ at Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s written response over the weekend to the most recent incentive package that the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, offered to Iran. Disappointed? The Iranian response should have been foreseeable to anyone who’s been paying attention.

“Reading Mr. Solana’s package of benefits, Israel’s Ephraim Sneh told me, ‘I thought it was being offered to Sweden’… [and] not a terrorist regime that has thumbed its nose at U.N. Security Council resolutions. But the mullahs will react to the new generous package as they always have, he predicted last week. ‘Iran will fool the West to buy time, and the West will allow itself to be fooled,’ Mr. Sneh, a former deputy defense minister, said. Sure enough, European diplomats swore that they could detect ‘new language’ in statements from Iranian officials…

“Their statements were vague enough to raise hopes for a breakthrough. But then the nonanswer came in writing: The mullahs made it clear that they have no intention whatsoever of suspending their enrichment of uranium, as the Security Council has demanded. Instead, they offered more negotiations. Surprised? Was any other outcome possible?

“Meanwhile… anonymous Israel Defense Force sources and Pentagon officials predicted an Israeli military strike before the end of President Bush’s term. But some missing pieces of data might render such an attack ineffective, the Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday. Gaps in Israeli intelligence on the precise locations and vulnerabilities of Iran’s facilities emerged…, the Telegraph reported…

“Even if someone like Osama bin Laden were to go berserk tomorrow and attack the Iranian nuclear facilities, America and Israel would immediately be seen as the culprits. With dependents such as Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, and Syria in the east, Iran would certainly retaliate and shower Israeli cities with missiles. Attacks on U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf, as well as a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 70% of the world’s oil passes, would no doubt cause considerable discomfort here, as well.”

America’s and Iran’s War Games and Threats

Reuters reported on July 7:

“Iran started war games on Monday and its president rejected a demand by major powers that it stop enriching uranium as ‘illegitimate,’ showing no sign of backing down in a stand-off over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Missile units of the elite Revolutionary Guards’ naval and air forces began war games, Iranian news agencies said, hours after the U.S. Navy said it had begun exercises in the Gulf.

“Speculation about an attack on the world’s fourth biggest oil exporter over its nuclear program rose after a report last month said Israel had practiced such a strike. Fears of military confrontation helped send world oil prices to record highs…

“The Revolutionary Guards’ head said in remarks published in late June that Tehran would impose controls on shipping in the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz if it was attacked. The U.S. Navy last week vowed that Iran would not be allowed to block the Gulf waterway which carries crude from the world’s largest oil exporting region.”

Reuters added on July 8:

“Iran will hit Tel Aviv, U.S. shipping in the Gulf and American interests around the world if it is attacked over its disputed nuclear activities, an aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday.”

Iran “Tests” Nine Missiles–But Were They Really Nine?

On July 9, AFP reported the following:

“Iran on Wednesday test-fired a missile it said is capable of reaching Israel, angering the United States amid growing fears that the standoff over the contested Iranian nuclear drive could lead to war. The Shahab-3 was among a broadside of nine missiles fired off simultaneously at 8:00 am (0330 GMT) from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert…”

The International Herald Tribune elaborated, on July 9:

“State-run media, quoted by Western news agencies, said the tests near the Strait of Hormuz included long- and medium-range missiles, among them a new version of the Shahab-3, which Tehran maintains can hit targets 2,000 kilometers, or 1,250 miles, away… At the same time, U.S. and British warships have been conducting naval maneuvers in the Gulf – apparently within range of the launch site of the missiles tested Wednesday.”

According to an article in Der Spiegel Online, dated July 10, a spectacular photograph, issued by the Iranian government and showing four missiles being fired on Wednesday, was nothing but a digital forgery. At least one of the four missiles–the second one from the right– was allegedly “added” on the picture. The magazine also stated in a related article that commentators feel that the alleged reach of the Iranian missiles is “weigh overblown.”

Iran Fires More Missiles–and Oil Prices Jump

The Associated Press added on July 10:

“Iran test-fired more long-range missiles overnight in a second round of exercises meant to show that the country can defend itself against any attack by the U.S. or Israel, Iranian state television reported Thursday. The weapons have ‘special capabilities’ and included missiles launched from naval ships in the Persian Gulf, along with torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles…

“The report came hours after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran that Washington will not back down in the face of threats against Israel. ‘We are sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and the interests of our allies,’ Rice said Thursday in Georgia at the close of a three-day Eastern European trip.”

The International Herald Tribune reported on July 10:

“The head of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries warned Thursday that oil prices would see an ‘unlimited’ increase in the case of a military conflict involving Iran, because the group’s members would be unable to make up the lost production… Iran, the second-largest producing country in OPEC, after Saudi Arabia, produces about four million barrels of oil a day out of the daily worldwide production of close to 87 million barrels.”

Iran Divides Obama and McCain…With No Real Solution in Sight

AFP reported on July 9:

“Democrat Barack Obama Wednesday called for aggressive diplomacy with Iran while Republican John McCain warned against making any concessions, as Tehran’s missile tests jolted the White House race. The presidential rivals used Iran’s test of a missile capable of reaching Israel to sketch sharply divergent approaches on foreign policy.

“Senator Obama said Iran ‘must suffer threats of economic sanctions with direct diplomacy opening up channels of communication so we avoid provocation, but we give strong incentives for the Iranians to change their behavior… Part of the problem that we’ve got right now is that we’ve been basically farming out the diplomatic activity to the Europeans. We’ve got to be actively engaged,’ Obama said.

“Senator McCain issued a statement following the tests implicitly criticizing Obama’s engagement strategy, which Republicans argue is naive and dangerous. ‘Working with our European and regional allies is the best way to meet the threat posed by Iran, not unilateral concessions that undermine multilateral diplomacy,’ McCain said… McCain also said the tests shows the United States needs effective missile defense ‘now and in the future,’ including the planned missile defense sites in the Czech Republic and Poland…

“The Bush administration, which has not ruled out military action against Iranian atomic facilities, condemned the missile tests. ‘Iran’s development of ballistic missiles is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and completely inconsistent with Iran’s obligations to the world,’ White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. He expressed concern that Iran’s ballistic missiles could be used as ‘a delivery vehicle for a potential nuclear weapon.'”

Iran–A Frightening Intolerant Tyranny

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 8:

“A new law has been passed by the Iranian parliament extending use of the death penalty to online crimes. Previously, only people charged with insulting Islam or drug trafficking had been sentenced to death. In accordance with the new law, bloggers and website editors can be sentenced to death for crimes such as… apostasy… Blogging about subjects such as minority rights and freedom of speech and religion has already carried a risk. In 2005, blogger Mojtaba Saminejad was tried before a local court in Teheran charged with insulting the prophets, which carries the death penalty. He was eventually acquitted…”

Monkeys Used in Iran for Research Involving Biological Weapons?

The Sunday Times reported on July 6:

“Hundreds of endangered monkeys are being taken from the African bush and sent to a ‘secretive’ laboratory in Iran for scientific experiments. An undercover inquiry by The Sunday Times has revealed that wild monkeys, which are banned from experiments in Britain, are being freely supplied in large numbers to laboratories in other parts of the world. All will undergo invasive and maybe painful experiments leading ultimately to their death…

“The revelation will fuel speculation that the monkeys may be used for research involving biological weapons. Primates are typically used by scientists wishing to test both the effectiveness of germ warfare agents and defences against them… According to US intelligence, the pharmaceutical industry in Iran has long been used as a cover for developing a germ warfare capability.”

Iraq Pressures USA to Withdraw

The Associated Press reported on July 8:

“Iraq’s national security adviser said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the United States unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie were the strongest yet by an Iraqi official about the deal now under negotiation with U.S. officials. They came a day after Iraq’s prime minister first said publicly that he expects the pending troop deal with the United States to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

“President Bush has said he opposes a timetable. The White House said Monday it did not believe Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was proposing a rigid timeline for U.S. troop withdrawals.”

Russia Threatens Military Response to U.S. Missile Defense Deal

Times On Line reported on July 9:

“Russia threatened to retaliate by military means after a deal with the Czech Republic brought the US missile defence system in Europe a step closer. The threat followed quickly on from the announcement that Condoleezza Rice signed a formal agreement with the Czech Republic to host the radar for the controversial project.

“Moscow argues that the missile shield would severely undermine the balance of European security and regards the proposed missile shield based in two former Communist countries as a hostile move. ‘We will be forced to react not with diplomatic, but with military-technical methods,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement… The radar agreement still has to pass through the Czech parliament where the government only has a slim majority.”

Barack Obama to Visit Germany

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 8:

“Barack Obama wants to hold a keynote speech on trans-Atlantic relations in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate during his visit later this month… A July 24 date has been set by the campaign for a Berlin visit… ‘During this campaign, Senator Obama has been criticized for his lack of interest in Europe,’ an Obama campaign adviser with knowledge of the planning for the trip told SPIEGEL ONLINE. ‘This trip is partly a response to this… The memory of John F. Kennedy’s famous Berlin speech is still alive. Berlin is a bridge between East and West, and the German-American relationship is very strong…’

“Former US President John F. Kennedy was given a rousing reception by the people of West Berlin during his visit in 1963 when he held his famous ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ speech in front of the town hall in Berlin’s Schöneberg district — which lies several miles from the Brandenburg Gate. The German government has already announced that it would give Obama a warm welcome but also voiced concern that an Obama speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate may be misinterpreted as German interference with the US election campaign.

“… he won’t shy away from some ‘tough love’ in his speech, said the advisor, noting that he would spell out clearly that Europe needs to assume more international responsibility, especially in Afghanistan, and perhaps in Iraq as well… Obama will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. His advisors are also trying to make time for a meeting with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, partly to get a better understanding of both camps in Germany’s grand coalition government — Merkel being a conservative Christian Democrat and Steinmeier a center-left Social Democrat.

“The German government is treading carefully. Merkel and Steinmeier want nice pictures with the Democrat who is highly popular in Germany. But they can’t take sides too openly in the US election campaign… Merkel’s office on Monday diplomatically declared that it was greatly looking forward to Obama’s visit. But, it added, Republican contender John McCain was of course most welcome anytime as well.”

Der Spiegel Online added on July 10:

“Barack Obama’s campaign team has responded to Angela Merkel’s apparent discomfort over his bid to hold a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. A spokesman for the chancellor said his choice to hold the speech at the historic setting was ‘odd’ and that Merkel has ‘little sympathy for the Brandenburg Gate being used for electioneering and has expressed her doubts about the idea.’… Ultimately, the decision on whether Obama can speak at the Brandenburg Gate will be made by the government of the city of Berlin. According to report in the Friday edition of the Hannoverschen Neuen Presse newspaper, city officials in Berlin’s Mitte district have reserved the Brandenburg Gate for the Democratic Party politician on July 24. Mayor Klaus Wowereit has also expressed his support for using the site for Obama’s speech.”

Worldwide Food, Fuel and Financial Crises–Man-Made Catastrophes

On July 4, 2008, the EUObserver reported the following:

“As the head of the World Bank [Robert Zoellick] warns world leaders that the planet is entering the ‘danger zone’ with millions thrown into extreme poverty by the twin food and fuel crises, a leaked report from his organisation shows that biofuels have pushed up global food prices by 75 percent – a much bigger role in the disaster than previously thought… ‘What we are witnessing is not a natural disaster – a silent tsunami or a perfect storm. It is a man-made catastrophe and as such must be fixed by people,’ [Mr. Zoellick] said in the letter.”

The EarthTimes wrote on July 6:

“The global financial crisis could lead to losses of 1,600 billion dollars for financial institutes, according [to] a report in the Swiss Sunday newspaper SonntagsZeitung. It quoted a confidential study by the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates as saying losses for banks holding risky assets could be four times greater than the 400 billion dollars previously estimated… The value of such risky assets is 26,600 billion dollars, according to the hedge fund. The losses would amount to 1,600 billion dollars if these assets were valued at market rates and not in the form of securitization, the newspaper said.”

“The U.S. Dollar Is Mighty No More”

The Associated Press reported on July 7:

“The almighty dollar is mighty no more. It has been declining steadily for six years against other major currencies, undercutting its role as the leading international banking currency. The long slide is fanning inflation at home and playing a major role in the run-up of oil and gasoline prices everywhere… Everything made in America — from goods to entire companies — is near dirt cheap to many foreigners. Meanwhile, American consumers, both those who travel and those who stay at home, are seeing big price increases in energy, food and imported goods.

“The dollar has lost roughly a quarter of its purchasing power against the currencies of major U.S. trading partners from its peak in 2002. Since oil is bought and sold in dollars worldwide, the devalued dollar has made the recent surge in energy prices even worse for Americans, leading to $4 gasoline in the United States…

“The loss of the dollar’s purchasing power and international respect has some experts worrying that the euro might one day replace the dollar as the so-called primary reserve currency. And that could trigger a dollar rout as foreign governments and international investors flee from U.S. Treasury bonds and other dollar-denominated investments.

“Making matters worse: The gaping U.S. current-account deficit — the amount by which the value of goods, services and investments bought in the U.S. from overseas exceeds the amount the U.S. sells abroad — and the low levels of domestic savings means that foreigners must purchase more than $3 billion every business day to fund the imbalance. Since roughly half of the nation’s nearly $10 trillion national debt is held by foreigners, mostly in Treasury bills and bonds, such a withdrawal could have enormous consequences…

“The dollar has fallen so far, it will be difficult to halt or reverse its slide. U.S. efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia and other major oil-producing nations to increase their production — and help ease pressure on both oil prices and the dollar — have brought scant results…”

“Conflicting” Messages of the British Government

The Independent reported on July 7:

“The Government is to launch a campaign to stamp out Britain’s waste food mountains as part of a global effort to curb spiralling food prices. Supermarkets will be urged to drop ‘three for two’ deals on food that encourage shoppers into bulk-buying more than they need, often leading to the surpluses being thrown away. The scandal of the vast mountains of food that are thrown away in Britain while other parts of the world starve is revealed in a Cabinet Office report today. It calls for a reduction in food waste: up to 40 per cent of groceries can be lost before they are consumed due to poor processing, storage and transport…

“Gordon Brown said he would make action to tackle the soaring cost of food a priority at the G8 summit starting today in Japan. ‘If we are to get food prices down, we must do more to deal with unnecessary demand, such as by all of us doing more to cut our food waste which is costing the average household in Britain around £8 per week,’ he told journalists on board the plane to the summit.”

However, as the Telegraph reported on July 8, Mr. Brown’s conduct at the summit was in sharp conflict with his words:

“Gordon Brown and his fellow world leaders have sparked outrage after it was disclosed they enjoyed a six-course lunch followed by an eight-course dinner at the G8 summit where the global food crisis tops the agenda. The Prime Minister was served 24 different dishes during his first day at the summit – just hours after urging the world to reduce the ‘unnecessary demand’ for food and calling on British families to cut back on their wasteful use of food…

“The dinner consisted of 18 dishes in eight courses including caviar, smoked salmon, Kyoto beef and a ‘G8 fantasy dessert’. The banquet was accompanied by five different wines from around the world including champagne, a French Bourgogne and sake.

“African leaders including the heads of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Senegal who had taken part in talks during the day were not invited to the function…

“Dominic Nutt, of Save the Children, said: ‘It is deeply hypocritical that they should be lavishing course after course on world leaders when there is a food crisis and millions cannot afford a decent meal to eat.’… The Prime Minister’s spokesman declined to comment on the menus.”

Anglican Bishops and Members to Flock to Catholic Church?

The Sunday Telegraph wrote on July 6:

“Senior Church of England bishops have held secret talks with Vatican officials to discuss the crisis in the Anglican communion over gays and women bishops. They met senior advisers of the Pope in an attempt to build closer ties with the Roman Catholic Church… Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was not told of the talks and the disclosure will be a fresh blow to his efforts to prevent a major split in the Church of England.

“In highly confidential discussions, a group of conservative bishops expressed their dismay at the liberal direction of the Church of England and their fear for its future. They met members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the most powerful of the Vatican’s departments, the successor to the medieval Inquisition, which enforces doctrine and was headed by Pope Benedict XVI before his election.”

Meanwhile, Sky News reported on July 7:

“The Church of England’s ruling body has voted to go ahead with the ordination of women bishops… Sky News correspondent Mike McCarthy said: ‘It’s a historic and very significant moment for the Church of England. The real test now is how many people will leave (the Church). There are certainly going to be many wrestling with their consciences.’… A total of 1,333 clergy have threatened to leave the Church of England if they are not given legal safeguards to set up a network of parishes that would remain under male leadership.”

Deutsche Welle reported on July 8 that “The Vatican has strongly criticised the Church of England’s plan to ordain women bishops, describing it as a historic break from Christian doctrine that will drive Anglicans and Catholics further apart.”

The Telegraph added on July 8:

“The Bishop of Ebbsfleet… Andrew Burnham, is to lead his fellow Anglo-Catholics from the Church of England into the Roman Catholic Church… Bishop Burnham, one of two ‘flying bishops’ in the province of Canterbury, has made a statement asking Pope Benedict XVI and the English Catholic bishops for ‘magnanimous gestures’ that will allow traditionalists to become Catholics en masse. He is confident that this will happen, following talks in Rome with Cardinal Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal Kasper, the Vatican’s head of ecumenism…

“Bishop Burnham hopes that Rome will offer special arrangements whereby former Anglicans can stay worshipping in parishes under the guidance of a Catholic bishop. Most of these parishes already use the Roman liturgy, but there may be provision for Anglican prayers if churches request it. Anglican priests who are already married will not be barred from ordination as priests, though Bishop Burnham would not be able to continue in episcopal orders, as he is married and there is an absolute bar on married bishops in the Roman and Orthodox Churches.”

The Powers of the Vatican Court

CNN reported on July 5:

“A fake priest was caught trying to hear confessions in St. Peter’s Basilica and was tried by a Vatican tribunal, a Vatican judge said in an interview published Saturday. Judge Gianluigi Marrone, who is a member of the court system of the independent Vatican city-state, said the man was wearing clerical garb and carried documents alleging that he was a priest… ‘It was a case of usurping an ecclesiastical title, and thus he was tried by our tribunal,’ the judge added…

“[He] didn’t say when the incident happened, what the tribunal’s verdict was or if the man received punishment… Last year, Italian news reports said that… the Vatican court system issued a drug conviction, giving a former employee of the Holy See a four-month suspended sentence for possession of cocaine.”

Why the World Will NOT End in 2012

AOL published the following on July 6, under “Weird News”:

“Survival groups around the world are gearing up and counting down to a mysterious date that has been anticipated for thousands of years: Dec. 21, 2012. Across the United States, Canada and throughout Europe, apocalyptic sects and individuals say that is the day that the world as we know it will end…

“Ancient Mayan societies, known for their advanced mathematics and astronomy, followed a ‘long count’ calendar that lasted 5,126 years. When their charts are translated to the Gregorian calendar, the international standard used today, time runs out on Dec. 21, 2012.

“Believers say there are other links besides just the Mayan calendar that portend catastrophe. The sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years on the same day, which marks the winter solstice. Some say that will disrupt the energy flow to Earth, or that the high rate of sunspots or sun flares that NASA has predicted for 2012 could affect Earth magnetic fields. Scientists have tried to squash the doomsday scenario as another empty prophesy, but it’s clear there are thousands who consider the possibility of a worldwide catastrophe occurring on that date very real…

“Searching for ‘2012 the end of the world’ on Google brings up nearly 700,000 hits. More than 6,500 video posts about the day have been posted on YouTube… ‘These prophecies of doom really don’t have any basis in what we know about the Maya,’ said Stephen Houston, an anthropology professor at Brown University and an expert in Maya hieroglyphic writing. ‘The Maya descriptions barely talk about this event.’ He said the Mayans saw their calendar coming to an end on the date, but then starting over without any catastrophes.'”

Jesus said very clearly that we do NOT know the time of His return and the end of the present civilization. So, we can dogmatically say that it will not be on or about December 21, 2012. Christ said He would return at a time when we DON’T expect it!

“Dangerous U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Gun Rights”

On June 27, Der Spiegel Online re-published the following thought-provoking article which was originally published in The New York Times:

“Thirty-thousand Americans are killed by guns every year — on the job, walking to school, at the shopping mall. The Supreme Court on Thursday all but ensured that even more Americans will die senselessly with its wrongheaded and dangerous ruling striking down key parts of the District of Columbia’s gun-control law.

“In a radical break from 70 years of Supreme Court precedent, Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, declared that the Second Amendment guarantees individuals the right to bear arms for nonmilitary uses, even though the amendment clearly links the right to service in a ‘militia’…

“This is a decision that will cost innocent lives, cause immeasurable pain and suffering and turn America into a more dangerous country. It will also diminish our standing in the world, sending yet another message that the United States values gun rights over human life.

“There already is a national glut of firearms: estimates run between 193 million and 250 million guns. The harm they do is constantly on heartbreaking display. Thirty-three dead last year in the shootings at Virginia Tech. Six killed this year at Northern Illinois University.

“On Wednesday, as the court was getting ready to release its decision, a worker in a Kentucky plastics plant shot his supervisor, four co-workers and himself to death…

“But that’s a sharp reversal for the court: as early as 1939, it made clear that the Second Amendment only protects the right of people to carry guns for military use in a militia…

“In this month’s case recognizing the habeas corpus rights of the detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Justice Scalia wrote in dissent that the decision ‘will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed.’ Those words apply with far more force to his opinion in this District of Columbia case.

“… when the justices go to work at the Supreme Court, guns will still be banned. When most Americans show up at their own jobs, they will not have that protection…”

Gun-Related Suicides in Private Homes

On June 30, The Associated Press added the following comments:

“The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on gun ownership last week focused on citizens’ ability to defend themselves from intruders in their homes. But research shows that surprisingly often, gun owners use the weapons on themselves. Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation’s nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

“Public-health researchers have concluded that in homes where guns are present, the likelihood that someone in the home will die from suicide or homicide is much greater. Studies have also shown that homes in which a suicide occurred were three to five times more likely to have a gun present than households that did not experience a suicide, even after accounting for other risk factors.

“In a 5-4 decision, the high court on Thursday struck down a handgun ban enacted in the District of Columbia in 1976 and rejected requirements that firearms have trigger locks or be kept disassembled. The ruling left intact the district’s licensing restrictions for gun owners… The high court’s majority opinion made no mention of suicide. But in a dissenting opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer used the word 14 times in voicing concern about the impact of striking down the handgun ban. ‘If a resident has a handgun in the home that he can use for self-defense, then he has a handgun in the home that he can use to commit suicide or engage in acts of domestic violence,’ Breyer wrote.”

“The Ignorant American Voter”

In its June 23/June 30, 2008, issue of “U.S. News & World Report,” Bret Schultze, in discussing a new book by Rick Shenkman, wrote an interesting editorial. In quoting Shenkman, he stated the following:

“The long Iraq war. The bungled Hurricane Katrina response. The credit crunch. A quick look at the newspapers will give many voters reason to doubt the wisdom of America’s leaders. Unfortunately, Americans are doing little to educate themselves about those leaders…

“Americans are ill-prepared to guide the world’s most powerful democracy. Only 2 of 5 voters can name the three branches of the federal government. Only 49 percent of Americans think the president has the authority to suspend the Constitution. But Shenkman saw the problem snap into focus after Sept. 11, 2001, when polls showed that a large number of Americans knew little about the attacks and the Iraq war that followed… Americans did little to seek the truth…

“Even after the 9/11 Commission, a majority of Americans believed there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Only a third of Americans understood that much of the rest of the world opposed our invasion…

“… we need to simply acknowledge that the ordinary voter is not as smart as they should be. They are susceptible to manipulation and being conned… My No. 1 suggestion… is to ask every college [freshman] to take a CURRENT EVENTS QUIZ WEEKLY.”

Shame on America–Torture of Innocent Detainees

CNN reported on June 18:

“Former terrorist suspects detained by the United States were tortured, according to medical examinations detailed in a report released Wednesday by a human rights group. The Massachusetts-based Physicians for Human Rights reached that conclusion after two-day clinical evaluations of 11 former detainees, who had been held at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in Afghanistan. The detainees were never charged with crimes.

“‘We found clear physical and psychological evidence of torture and abuse, often causing lasting suffering,’ said Dr. Allen Keller, a medical evaluator for the study. In a 121-page report, the doctors’ group said that it uncovered medical evidence of torture, including beatings, electric shock, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, sodomy and scores of other abuses.

“The report is prefaced by retired U.S. Major Gen. Antonio Taguba, who led the Army’s investigation into the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in 2003. ‘There is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes,’ Taguba says. ‘The only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account.’…

“Since only 11 detainees were examined ‘the findings of this assessment cannot be generalized to the treatment of all detainees in U.S. custody,’ the report says. However, the incidents documented are consistent with findings of other investigations into government treatment, ‘making it reasonable to conclude that these detainees were not the only ones abused, but are representative of a much larger number of detainees subjected to torture and ill treatment while in U.S. custody.’

“Four of the men evaluated were arrested in or taken to Afghanistan between late 2001 and early 2003 and later were sent to Guantanamo Bay, where they were held for an average of three years before being released without charge, the report says. The other seven were detained in Iraq in 2003 and released within a year, the report says.”

Another Sad American Record–Americans Are World’s Top Drug Users

AFP reported on July 1:

“Americans are the world’s top consumers of cannabis and cocaine despite punitive US drug laws… And despite the US government’s massive anti-drug efforts, the United States remains the world’s top drug market, one amply supplied by South American cartels. The US Drug Enforcement Agency has observed ever larger quantities of illegal drugs pouring into the country.”

Will America Strike Iran Soon…?

CNN reported on June 30:

“The Bush administration has launched a ‘significant escalation’ of covert operations in Iran, sending U.S. commandos to spy on the country’s nuclear facilities and undermine the Islamic republic’s government, journalist Seymour Hersh said Sunday… Hersh told CNN’s ‘Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer’ that Congress has authorized up to $400 million to fund the secret campaign, which involves U.S. special operations troops and Iranian dissidents.

“President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have rejected findings from U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran has halted a clandestine effort to build a nuclear bomb and ‘do not want to leave Iran in place with a nuclear program,’ Hersh said. ‘They believe that their mission is to make sure that before they get out of office next year, either Iran is attacked or it stops its weapons program,’ Hersh said. The new article, ‘Preparing the Battlefield,’ is the latest in a series of articles accusing the Bush administration of preparing for war with Iran.”

AFP added on June 30:

“The commander of the US navy’s Fifth Fleet warned on Monday that the United States will not allow Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf sea lane through which much of the world’s oil is supplied… His remarks followed comments by the chief of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, who issued a new warning last week against any attack against his country over its controversial nuclear drive… The strait between Iran and Oman is a vital conduit for energy supplies, with as much as 40 percent of the world’s crude passing through the waterway from Gulf suppliers…”

… Or Will Israel Strike First?

ABC News wrote on June 30:

“Senior Pentagon officials are concerned that Israel could carry out an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities before the end of the year, an action that would have enormous security and economic repercussions for the United States and the rest of the world. A senior defense official told ABC News there is an ‘increasing likelihood’ that Israel will carry out such an attack, a move that likely would prompt Iranian retaliation against, not just Israel, but against the United States as well.

“The official identified two ‘red lines’ that could trigger an Israeli offensive. The first is tied to when Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility produces enough highly enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon. According to the latest U.S. and Israeli intelligence assessments, that is likely to happen sometime in 2009, and could happen by the end of this year…

“The second red line is connected to when Iran acquires the SA-20 air defense system it is buying from Russia. The Israelis may want to strike before that system — which would make an attack much more difficult — is put in place. Some Pentagon officials also worry that Israel may be determined to attack before a new U.S. president, who may be less supportive, is sworn in next January.

“Pentagon officials believe the massive Israeli air force exercise in early June, first reported by the New York Times, was done to prepare for a possible attack. A senior official called it ‘not a rehearsal, but basic, fundamental training’ required to launch an operation against Iran…

“The widely held view among Pentagon officials is that an Israeli attack would do only temporary damage to Iran’s nuclear program, and that it would cause major problems in the region and beyond, prompting a wave of attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq, the Persian Gulf and elsewhere. As another senior defense official put it, ‘We’d be guilty by association.'”

Reuters added on July 1:

“The United States has repeatedly shielded its Israeli ally from censure by the U.N. Security Council for military action against its Palestinian and other Arab foes. A strike on Iran, however dire the consequences, might be no different. ‘It is very difficult to see the U.S. chastising Israel,’ said Trita Parsi, a Washington-based expert on relations between the two countries and Iran. ‘The U.S. may adopt a quiet attitude, while celebrating the attack behind the scenes.’

“Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer now at the Brookings Institution, said senior Israeli military planners believed a mission to dent Iran’s nuclear program was feasible. ‘History shows Israel will use force to maintain its monopoly of nuclear weapons in the Middle East,’ he told Reuters by email, citing past Israeli attacks on Iraq and Syria. ‘Israeli political leaders may see the last months of a friendly Bush administration as a window of opportunity.'”

Confrontation with Iran–“Israel Will Not Stand By Idly…”

On July 1, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Isaac Ben-Israel, a former Israeli Air Force general and now member of the ruling Kadima party. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“Neither the sanctions nor diplomacy have had much of an effect. Today, the Iranians are one to two years away from building a nuclear bomb. We held this military exercise [in Greece] to prepare for the eventuality that the international community will not be able to put a halt to Iran’s nuclear program. It was not the first exercise, and it won’t be the last…

“We also have to offer something to the Iranians. For example, if they put a stop to the uranium enrichment, then we will help them build up their economy. It requires the right combination of the carrot and the stick. We have to make it clear to the Iranian president that he stands to lose more than he can win… If Russia and China endorse the sanctions, the United Nations may be able to achieve their goal. One thing is certain: Israel will not stand by idly while Iran builds a nuclear bomb. If necessary, we will use force…

“Of course they will react, they will launch a few dozen rockets at us, but that’s not so bad. And of course they can set the Lebanese Hezbollah on us. They are better armed than two years ago… We won’t repeat the mistake of 2006. At the time, we hesitated too long and did not act resolutely enough against Hezbollah. Of course they could carry out terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli institutions around the world. And they could spark a global crisis of sorts by halting their oil production… the mullahs… wouldn’t be that crazy [to use the bomb], at least they won’t launch nuclear missiles at us directly from Iran. But they could, for example, give the bomb to Hezbollah, I think they are that crazy.”

Russia Warns Israel

AFP wrote on July 2:

“Any military attack on Iran would have a ‘catastrophic’ effect on the Middle East, a Russian foreign ministry official said Wednesday after reports that Israel might launch such an attack. ‘All this is very dangerous. If force is used it will be catastrophic for the whole Middle East,’ the official told journalists on condition of anonymity… Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has a section of border close to northern Iran in the Caucasus mountains and has been cautious about Western efforts to punish Iran over its nuclear activities.”

Earthquake Soon in Lebanon and Israel?

AFP wrote on June 30:

“A strong earthquake could soon rock Lebanon and parts of Israel, authorities said on Monday, urging health officials in northern Israel to make preparations for such an event… Since February, abnormal seismic activity has been noted in southern Lebanon, which had suffered some 500 minor earthquakes in a three-month period… In May, the tremors have become more intense and were felt in northern Israel… 800 tremors ranging in magnitude from 2.3-5.1 degrees on the Richter scale had shaken the south Lebanon regions of Tyre and Nabatiyeh since February 12…

“Experts in Lebanon expect a quake of between five and six degrees on the Richter scale to strike, like the tremor that shook Lebanon in 1956 killing 136 people and destroying 6,000 houses… Some seismologists in Israel say that quakes have historically rocked the region every eight decades, and the last one was nearly 81 years ago. About 300 people were killed in Jerusalem and nearby Jericho by the July 11, 1927 temblor.

“A similar quake measuring seven on the Richter scale and with an epicentre in the Hula Valley, today in northern Israel, devastated the town of Safed and killed some 4,000 people in 1837.”

Worst June Since Great Depression

Bloomberg reported on June 26:

“U.S. stocks tumbled, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its worst June since the Great Depression, as record oil prices, credit-market writedowns and a slowing economy threatened to extend a yearlong profit slump.”

Reuters added on June 30:

“The worldwide credit crisis that burst onto investors’ radar screens nearly a year ago wiped out some $3.3 trillion in wealth from global stock market wealth in the first half of this year, and optimism for a second-half recovery is fading fast.

“Benchmark stock indexes around the world just wrapped up their worst first half in six years or even more. For some, most notably the Dow Jones industrial average, which dropped 14.4 percent in the six months through June 30, it was the poorest start to a year in nearly four decades.”

The New York Times reported on July 3, 2008: “Russia’s new president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, less swaggering than his predecessor but as touchy about criticism from abroad, said in an interview that an America in ‘essentially a depression’ was in no position to lecture other countries on how to conduct their affairs… He also said that a revived Russia had a right to assume a larger role in a world economic system that he suggested should no longer be dominated by the United States.”

Please make sure to watch our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “Coming–The Great Depression” It has been viewed approximately 5,000 times on YouTube.

Europe Needs Change–Fast

AFP reported on June 30:

“France took the European Union helm on Tuesday with President Nicolas Sarkozy calling for profound changes in building Europe following the setback over Ireland’s ‘No’ to the bloc’s key reform treaty. ‘There have been errors in the way that Europe has been built,’ Sarkozy acknowledged during a television interview on the eve of the July 1 opening day for the six-month French EU presidency…

“The energetic leader who proclaimed ‘France is back in Europe’ after winning elections last year is now expected to spend much of his time as EU leader working to salvage the Lisbon Treaty.

“‘We mustn’t rush, but at the same time, we don’t have much time,’ he said, recalling that EU leaders had set the June 2009 European parliament elections as the deadline for approval of the Lisbon Treaty… Sarkozy’s proposal on the oil tax has received a cool reception from EU leaders, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel arguing that cutting the VAT would do nothing to encourage a reduction in consumption…

“France has defined four priorities for its EU stint — immigration, defence, energy and the environment, and agriculture — and one of its most high-profile projects is the July 13 launch of a new Union for the Mediterranean. The union will bring together European countries with states from the Mediterranean rim including Israel and its Arab neighbours to develop cooperation… On Monday evening, the Eiffel Tower was lit a dazzling blue with gold stars, symbolizing the EU colours.”

German, Polish Presidents Refuse to Sign EU Reform Treaty

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 1:

“Attempts to reform the European Union’s institutions, already in disarray following Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon Treaty last month, have suffered fresh blows in the last two days with the refusal of the presidents of Germany and Poland to complete the ratification of the treaty…

“German President Horst Köhler’s office announced on Monday he would not sign the ratification documents until the Federal Constitutional Court, the country’s highest court, rules on legal challenges to the treaty, which aims to streamline the bloc’s institutions following the 2004 accession of central and eastern European countries. Köhler’s role is largely ceremonial but he still has the power to halt legislation. The court had asked him not to sign the treaty, approved by both houses of the German parliament earlier this year, pending its hearing of two challenges brought by the Left Party and by a politician from Bavaria’s conservative Christian Social Union party. There is no date set for a ruling by the court, but it may not come until next year.

“Polish President Lech Kaczynski followed suit on Tuesday by saying he will not sign the treaty either for the time being because of Ireland’s rejection. Kaczynski told Polish newspaper Dziennik that it was ‘pointless’ to sign the treaty even though Poland’s parliament had ratified it in April.”

Are Sarkozy’s Days Numbered?

The French news agency, AFP, wrote on July 1:

“France’s six-month stint at the helm of the EU got off to a rocky start Tuesday, with Poland plunging the bloc deeper into crisis and President Nicolas Sarkozy engaged in a bitter row with European trade chief Peter Mandelson. Sarkozy, DEEPLY UNPOPULAR AT HOME, had hoped to score points on the international stage but the French EU presidency was hobbled even before it began by Ireland’s rejection in mid-June of the so-called Lisbon Treaty.

“And on Tuesday the 27-nation bloc took a fresh blow when Polish President Lech Kaczynski said that after the Irish ‘no’ he was refusing to sign the treaty that was aimed at streamlining EU decision-making. That decision puts Kaczynski alongside his Czech counterpart in seeking to delay final ratification of the charter while Germany also faced a legal hurdle to final approval. On top of that came an angry statement Tuesday from Mandelson’s spokesman saying that Sarkozy’s ‘attack’ on the commissioner was ‘wrong and unjustified.'”

Core Europe “Has Long Been Reality”

The Berliner Zeitung wrote on July 2:

“The idea of a core Europe or a two-speed Europe is not at all the heresy that some make it out to be. It has long been reality: Many states do not participate in one of the key issues of European integration: the single currency. Has this damaged the EU? Another successful model of two speeds is the Schengen Agreement.

“There is no need for the current state of perplexity. European politicians should stop acting as if there is no alternative to the Lisbon Treaty. … Those who want a future for the European Union have to stop trying to change the citizens. Instead they should change the policy.'”

Turmoil in Zimbabwe–While the World Stands Idly By…

The present crisis in Zimbabwe, as well as the predictable outcome of Zimbabwe’s most recent undemocratic elections, were long known to the Western world–but nobody did anything about it. Time magazine wrote on June 23, 2008:

“Zimbabwe is in the midst of slow-motion, man-made disaster… President Robert Mugabe’s internal terrorism does not simply consist of starving and harassing hundreds of thousands of people; it also amounts to the systematic demolition of Zimbabwe’s one small hope of democracy…

“…when a calamity is preventable and unfolding systematically before our eyes, nations sit on their hands. The world… turns away quite leisurely from the disaster… why aren’t the U.S. and other democracies making an attempt either to get Zimbabwe to hold genuinely free elections… or to delegitimize in advance what will certainly be undemocratic results?”

But the world did and does nothing, except for giving some useless “lip services” and “verbal condemnations.” And so, The Associated Press reported on June 30:

“Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will not step down and Western critics who called the country’s recent election a sham can ‘go hang,’ the longtime ruler’s spokesman said Tuesday. The defiant comments raised doubts over efforts to persuade Mugabe to share power. Zimbabwe’s opposition also was taking a hard line on power-sharing, further dimming prospects of a quick resolution after last weekend’s runoff election in which Mugabe was the sole candidate.

“Leaders at the AU summit, in its second and final day Tuesday, have been unwilling to publicly criticize Mugabe and instead are gently pushing behind the scenes that he accept some sort of power-sharing agreement with Zimbabwe’s opposition… The United Nations has ‘made it clear’ that dialogue between Mugabe and his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, is necessary…

“The United States, Britain and other European countries have widely condemned Zimbabwe’s runoff. The U.S. is pushing for more financial and travel sanctions against Mugabe supporters and is urging the U.N. Security Council to impose an arms embargo. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged the African Union to reject the result of the runoff, and France says it considers Mugabe’s government ‘illegitimate’…

“In Zimbabwe, there also were strong doubts about an agreement, even as Tsvangirai left the Dutch Embassy, where he had fled for safety after announcing his withdrawal from the runoff because of state-sponsored violence against his supporters…

“Key African leaders have long had close ties to Mugabe, renowned as a campaigner against white rule and colonialism and Zimbabwe’s ruler since its independence in 1980. They are also reluctant to be seen as backing the West — former colonial rulers — against a fellow African. Meanwhile, Egyptian security ramped up restrictions Tuesday on journalists covering the summit after a British TV crew got into a verbal exchange with Mugabe the previous day. Many reporters were not allowed to leave the press area. The confrontation began when British network ITN approached Mugabe outside the conference hall and asked how he could regard himself as president. The Zimbabwean leader responded that it was on the same basis as Brown’s being the British prime minister.”

“African Leaders Should Stand Up Against Mugabe”

The Independent in Britain published the following comments on June 30:

“Robert Mugabe is moving at lightning speed to ensure that his fraudulent re-election as Zimbabwe’s president wins the crucial endorsement of fellow African leaders. Hence the decision to race from the coronation ceremony in Zimbabwe – even before the election results are declared – to the African Union summit in Egypt, where the old gambler intends to bounce Africa’s leaders into accepting his victory…

“African leaders have proved loath to criticise the guerrilla leader who toppled Ian Smith’s white Rhodesia, and feelings of racial and political solidarity have traditionally trumped concerns over Zimbabwe’s breathtaking collapse under Mugabe’s brutal but cack-handed rule…

“Kenya’s leaders have spoken out against the nonsense of an election in which only one candidate took part and the opposition was driven from the field by terror. Botswana has also made known its deep unhappiness over the state of its neighbour. Pan-African observers of the Zimbabwe election have declined to bless the poll, insisting it was neither free nor fair. Clearly, they were swayed by the defiance of many Zimbabweans who refused to vote, spoiled their ballot papers, or even cast votes for the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, though he had by then withdrawn as a candidate.

“Until now, Mugabe has been able to rely on nods and winks from Thabo Mbeki in South Africa, the only country with real leverage over Zimbabwe. It would be too much to expect a change of heart from Mbeki at this late stage; but sharp criticism of the Mugabe regime from the new ANC leader, Jacob Zuma, as well as from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and, in recent days, from Nelson Mandela, shows that black South Africans no longer feel as bound by ties of loyalty to Zimbabwe’s boss as they did…

“Resolution of Zimbabwe’s crisis is urgent. Discussion of its government as a tyranny often misses the point. This is not an otherwise economically ‘normal’ country, disfigured by a politically repressive regime. It is a country where the economy is collapsing with such terrifying speed that a large proportion of the population faces only two options: flight, or death by starvation. It is still not too late to salvage something of Zimbabwe’s vanished prosperity and prevent its further descent into hopeless turmoil. But it depends on Mugabe’s speedy exit from the stage…”

American Archbishop Burke to Head Vatican Supreme Court

The Associated Press reported on June 28:

“An archbishop who tussled with singer Sheryl Crow, college basketball coach Rick Majerus, and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry over their support for abortion rights has been named as the first American to lead the Vatican supreme court. Archbishop Raymond Burke, an expert in church law and perhaps the most outspoken of conservative U.S. bishops, will likely be made a cardinal after his appointment Friday. The supreme court is traditionally headed by a cardinal… Burke’s new appointment shows that Pope Benedict XVI has a great amount of respect for U.S. bishops… It comes on the heels of Benedict’s naming William Joseph Cardinal Levada, former archbishop of San Francisco and Portland, Ore., as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith…

“Burke… excommunicated three women for participating in a women’s ordination that is forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church… Burke said he would move to Rome in late August to head the supreme court, which resolves jurisdictional disputes among various Vatican tribunals and hears procedural appeals on marriage annulments. Benedict and his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, have complained for years that local tribunals grant an excessive number of annulments…

“In 2004, Burke caused a stir by saying he would deny Communion to Kerry because of the Massachusetts senator’s stance supporting abortion rights. Last year, Burke indicated he would [do] the same for then-Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani. He also protested Crow’s appearance at a benefit for a Catholic children’s hospital over her support for embryonic stem cell research.”

Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt–“Both Sides in the Grips of Insanity”

On June 26, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting interview with former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (89). We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“I was 26 when the war ended and I knew nothing about the world. I had grown up during the Nazi period and, until I was made a prisoner of war, I had never heard the word democracy… It quickly became clear that the soldiers of the Western allies were largely outnumbered by the Soviet Union’s enormous buildup of troops…

“When it comes to war, as well as the prevention of war, it is not merely a question of economic capacities and the size of the defense budget, but also of the sheer size of the armed forces. You can see an example of this in Iraq. The Americans do not have enough people on the ground there, so they cannot win the war…

“I did not see the Americans and the British as enemies. Not even as a soldier, despite the fact that I am a native of Hamburg, where in 1943 some 30,000 to 40,000 people were killed by the British in a single week. But the people of Hamburg have been Anglophiles since the Napoleonic Wars and they held it less against the British [than] against Hermann Göring, who had failed to protect them…

“[During the time of the Cold War, both] sides were in the grips of… insanity. And things have not changed. The Americans still have around 10,000 nuclear warheads. And the Russians have a few more…

“The fact of the matter is that up until the 1980s, the Soviet Union used its physical potential to fuel a military buildup to a greater degree than any other country… It was of course a rigid dictatorship… The Soviet Union imploded, but not as a result of the Cold War. Some Americans would like to believe that they ran the Russians into the ground with the arms race. That is an understandable exaggeration, but it is also absurd…

“The Cuban Missile Crisis was the most perilous moment in the second half of the 20th century. The greatest strategic challenge in the 21st century is not terrorism but rather the population explosion and the growing cultural conflict between the West and the Islamic part of the world. These problems could produce mass migrations and possibly even wars.”

“Civilization-Threatening” Impact Long Overdue

USA Today reported on June 30:

“The centennial anniversary of the last big impact, the 1908 Tunguska blast that rocked Siberia, falls Monday, June 30… The Tunguska ‘event’ leveled nearly 800 square miles of swampy woodland in Siberia, traveling from the northwest to deliver a 5-megaton blast seen by hundreds of witnesses, including one who created a postage stamp of the explosion. A space rock about 50 yards long had zoomed into the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded in mid-air… Years later, a scientific expedition to the remote region found trees knocked sideways in straight lines radiating 15 miles away from the blast.

“Science journals this week brought us more warnings of asteroid hazards, looking even further back in time. Buried under the Chesapeake Bay and its surroundings hides a 35.4 million year-old impact crater about 56 miles across. A team led by Gregory Gohn of the U.S. Geologic Survey reports in the current Science journal that… the blast [was] one that dwarfs the Tunguska event…

“Asteroids and comets are still out there, of course… All told, astronomers have spotted more than 5,000… ‘Near-Earth Objects’ since the 1990s.

“In terms of risk to Earth, astronomer David Morrison of NASA’s Ames Research Center says a Tunguska-magnitude strike could happen once every two centuries and a bigger impact, a ‘civilization-threatening’ million-megaton strike, could happen once every 2 million years. Scientists only started to worry about these impacts in the 1960s, when researchers such as Gene Shoemaker realized the moon was covered with impact craters. And in 1980, Science published a study detailing how an asteroid strike, centered in the Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan peninsula, was implicated in the extinction of dinosaurs about 65 million years ago, raising more concern.”

Our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–A Fairy Tale for Adults,” describes numerous big impacts in the past and raises the question, from a scientific AND a biblical standpoint, whether mankind should expect a civilization-threatening impact in the near future.

Everything Is Spinning Out of Control

In an eye-opening and thought-provoking article, The Associated Press wrote on June 21 that conditions in the USA and around the world have run out of control in unparalleled ways–raising the all-important questions: Why is it happening, and can solutions be found?

The article stated:

“Is everything spinning out of control? Midwestern levees are bursting. Polar bears are adrift. Gas prices are skyrocketing. Home values are abysmal. Air fares, college tuition and health care border on unaffordable. Wars without end rage in Iraq, Afghanistan and against terrorism… The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country’s sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance.

“The sense of helplessness is even reflected in this year’s presidential election… An Associated Press-Ipsos poll says a barrel-scraping 17 percent of people surveyed believe the country is moving in the right direction. That is the lowest reading since the survey began in 2003…

“Recent natural disasters around the world dwarf anything afflicting the U.S. Consider that more than 69,000 people died in the China earthquake, and that 78,000 were killed and 56,000 missing from the Myanmar cyclone…

“Food is becoming scarcer and more expensive on a worldwide scale, due to increased consumption in growing countries such as China and India and rising fuel costs. That can-do solution to energy needs — turning corn into fuel — is sapping fields of plenty once devoted to crops that people need to eat. Shortages have sparked riots. In the U.S., rice prices tripled and some stores rationed the staple. Residents of the nation’s capital and its suburbs repeatedly lose power for extended periods as mere thunderstorms rumble through. In California, leaders warn people to use less water in the unrelenting drought. Want to get away from it all? The weak U.S. dollar makes travel abroad forbiddingly expensive. To add insult to injury, some airlines now charge to check luggage…

“American University historian Allan J. Lichtman notes that the U.S. has endured comparable periods and worse, including the economic stagflation (stagnant growth combined with inflation) and Iran hostage crisis of 1980; the dawn of the Cold War, the Korean War and the hysterical hunts for domestic Communists in the late 1940s and early 1950s; and the Depression of the 1930s. ‘All those periods were followed by much more optimistic periods in which the American people had their confidence restored,’ he said. ‘Of course, that doesn’t mean it will happen again.’…

“Records were shattered by voters showing up at polling places, yearning for a voice in who will next guide the country as it confronts the uncontrollable. Never mind that their views of their current leaders are near rock bottom, reflecting a frustration with Washington’s inability to solve anything. President Bush barely gets the approval of three in 10 people, and it’s even worse for the Democratic-led Congress.

“Why the vulnerability? After all, this is the 21st century, not a more primitive past when little in life was assured. Surely people know how to fix problems now. Maybe. And maybe this is what the 21st century will be about — a great unraveling of some things long taken for granted.”

Unprecedented Lightning Storm Causes Hundreds of California Wild Fires

On June 24, The Associated Press reported the following:

“Fire crews joined aircraft from neighboring states Tuesday to battle hundreds of lightning-caused wildfires across Northern California… Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was told late Sunday evening that the state had 520 fires, and he found it ‘quite shocking’ that by Monday morning the number had risen above 700. Moments later, a top state fire official standing at Schwarzenegger’s side offered a grim update. The figure was actually 842 fires, said Del Walters, assistant regional chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. All but a couple were in the northern part of the state. ‘This is an unprecedented lightning storm in California, that it lasted as long as it did, 5,000 to 6,000 lightning strikes,’ Walters said. ‘We are finding fires all the time.'”

“The End Is Near”

UPI.com reported on June 23:

“Thousands of people in the Netherlands say they expect the world to end in 2012, and many say they are taking precautions to prepare for the apocalypse. The Dutch-language de Volkskrant newspaper said it spoke to thousands of believers in the impending end of civilization, and while theories on the supposed catastrophe varied, most tied the 2012 date to the end of the Mayan calendar, Radio Netherlands reported Monday. De Volkskrant said many of those interviewed are stocking up on emergency supplies, including life rafts and other equipment. Some who spoke to the newspaper were optimistic about the end of civilization. ‘You know, maybe it’s really not that bad that the Netherlands will be destroyed,’ Petra Faile said. ‘I don’t like it here anymore… The country will sink even lower, which will make the flooding worse.'”

In response to the timing of those doomsday predictions, please read our Q&A in this Update.

Inevitable–A “Two-Speed” Europe and a Core Europe

Bloomberg wrote on June 19:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected proposals that the European Union move on without Ireland after Irish voters vetoed the EU’s new governing treaty, saying there ‘is no other way’ than proceeding together. ‘A two-speed Europe is not the way forward,” Merkel told lawmakers in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin today.  ‘We must ensure that treaties in the EU are promoted unanimously.’…

“Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said he expects the Irish to vote again and Czech President Vaclav Klaus declared the treaty dead. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi contradicted Merkel’s stance, saying that Ireland will be left to find its own way out. ‘We will indicate that the 26 remaining countries will approve the European Union treaty, excluding Ireland,’ Berlusconi said today in a speech in Rome to Italian retailers. ‘The 27th country, Ireland, will have to come up with its own solution.’

“Europe can afford individual member states staying out of specific policy areas such as the single currency or the passport-free ‘Schengen’ zone, Merkel said, citing Denmark which hasn’t joined the EU’s common security and defense policy…

“Merkel’s comments on a two-speed Europe also contrast with those of her foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who raised the possibility June 14 in Beijing that ‘Ireland will make space for some time for an integration of the remaining 26 member states…’ Steinmeier, a Social Democrat, is a possible candidate to challenge Merkel, a Christian Democrat, for the chancellorship at elections next year.”

The Austrian news network (news.at) discussed on June 18 the concept of a core Europe, as follows:

“The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, recommended earlier in his book, ‘The United States of Europe,’ the initiative of [creating] a core Europe… The Green European representative, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, advocated in the magazine ‘Der Spiegel’ [the creation of] a core consisting of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland ‘and of all those who want to belong.’… The chief of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, said in ‘Deutschlandfunk’ that ‘there may be no other solution than to form the club of the few.'”

On June 19, The EUObserver published a commentary on the inevitability of a two-speed Europe and a core Europe. The comments were made by Christoph Leitl, President of SME Union (Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Union), the business organization of the European People’s Party and Honorary President of Eurochambres–The Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Leitl wrote:

“The shock waves of the Irish No are still being felt across Europe. But however bitter the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty is, Europe has to look ahead. The challenges Europe is facing are too big to be blocked by one single Member State… The defeat of the Reform Treaty marks a turning point…

“In the near future, it will certainly not be possible to reach consensus on either option – an integrated political European Union or a loose free trade zone – with 27 Member States… At the same time, a strong and united Europe is vital. One needs only to look at the Balkans to understand that an enhanced role of the European Union in the field of foreign and security policy is desperately needed… I am deeply convinced that the time has come for a courageous step by those who want to go for a more integrated European Union…

“One of Europe’s fundamental values is individuality. Individuality could also be the way out of this dead end. Just like there are two groups of countries within the EU Schengen agreement or like there are Members and Non Members of the Euro area, it should be possible that certain countries form a group that works closer together. Nobody should be obliged to participate in this core group. At the same time nobody should be able to object to this process either. Each and every Member State would have to decide whether it wishes to be in or out, whether it wants to be part of a pure economic community or also a joint political entity…

“A core Europe has always been inevitable. The only question was how it would come about… We need a coalition of the willing to get Europe back on track.”

The Bible is VERY clear that a core Europe WILL soon become reality. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.” Please also make sure to watch our new StandingWatch program, “Ireland Says No–What Now?” StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube. If you speak German, you might also want to watch the program in its German version, titled, “Irland Sagt Nein–Was Nun?” .

USA Blamed for Ireland’s Rejection of Lisbon Treaty

The EUObserver wrote on June 24:

“France’s Europe minister, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, has said that Europe has enemies in Washington, suggesting that neo-conservatives played a significant role in the Irish rejection of the Lisbon treaty earlier this month. French daily Le Monde reports Mr Jouyet as saying that ‘Europe has powerful enemies on the other side of the Atlantic, gifted with considerable financial means. The role of American neo-conservatives was very important in the victory of the No.’…

“Allegations that some funding for the No side came from across the Atlantic also came up during the Irish debate preceding the referendum. Libertas, an anti-treaty organisation campaigning on a platform of cutting Brussels red-tape, was on the receiving end of such accusations earlier this month…

“The Yes camp alleged it was being bankrolled by a US company, Rivada, which has links to the US military. Some key member of the Libertas campaign had been on Rivada’s payroll. Libertas chief Declan Ganley is also chief executive of Rivada, a telecommunications company.”

Not Easy to Be an American Abroad

In a telling article, Deutsche Welle reported on June 24:

“It’s not easy to be an American abroad these days. Not only is your government unpopular — the US embassy is also worried you’ll be hurt by rowdy enthusiasts of a strange, no-hands-allowed sport [referring to the Euro 2008 soccer tournament in Austria and Switzerland]…

“In the face of… manifold soccer perils, all American tourists can do is follow their embassy’s advice and ‘exercise caution…and be aware of their surroundings at all times.’ And those planning vacations for the future might well consider staying home.”

Will Israel Attack Iran After November 4, 2008 and Before January 20, 2009?

On June 24, The Telegraph reported:

“John Bolton, the former American ambassador to the United Nations, has predicted that Israel could attack Iran after the November presidential election but before George W Bush’s successor is sworn in. The Arab world would be ‘pleased’ by Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, he said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph… Mr Bolton, an unflinching hawk who proposes military action to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons, bemoaned what he sees as a lack of will by the Bush administration to itself contemplate military strikes… Israel, however, still had a determination to prevent a nuclear Iran, he argued. The ‘optimal window’ for strikes would be between the November 4 election and the inauguration on January 20, 2009.

“‘The Israelis have one eye on the calendar because of the pace at which the Iranians are proceeding both to develop their nuclear weapons capability and to do things like increase their defences by buying new Russian anti-aircraft systems and further harden the nuclear installations. They’re also obviously looking at the American election calendar. My judgement is they would not want to do anything before our election because there’s no telling what impact it could have on the election.’ But waiting for either Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, or his Republican opponent John McCain to be installed in the White House could preclude military action happening for the next four years or at least delay it…”

“Market Speculations and High Government Taxes Prime Cause for High Oil Prices”

The Washington Post wrote on June 22:

“Leaders from oil-producing and oil-consuming nations will meet here Sunday to try to pinpoint the reasons behind the rise in oil prices, which have doubled over the past year, and to find ways to bring them down.

“The summit, hastily convened by Saudi Arabia after oil prices nearly reached $140 a barrel this month, is meant to encourage key consumers and producers to join forces to combat high prices, officials said. Though officials from the more than 30 countries gathering here agree that the price must come down, they disagree sharply on the cause of the steep climb.

“U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, representing the world’s top oil consumer, said Saturday that insufficient oil production is driving the soaring crude prices… But Saudi officials have argued that the market is sufficiently supplied and that market speculation — billions of dollars in financial investments in oil by investors hedging against a weakening U.S. dollar — is the primary force driving up prices… The Saudis have also said high government taxes on fuel and other geopolitical forces, such as instability in oil-producing countries including Iraq, Nigeria and Iran, were putting pressure on prices.”

High Oil Prices to Stay

The Associated Press wrote on June 23:

“Oil prices rose Monday as traders shrugged off a pledge by Saudi Arabia to increase its production and focused on disruptions to Nigerian supply and heightened Middle East tensions. Saudi Arabia said Sunday it would produce more crude oil this year if the market needs it. The kingdom announced a 300,000 barrel per day production increase in May and said before the start of the meeting in Jeddah that it would add another 200,000 barrels per day in July, raising total daily output to 9.7 million barrels…

“Saudi Arabia’s pledge fell far short of U.S. hopes for a specific increase… With expectations fading that the Saudi moves would drive the market downward, analysts suggested present high levels were here to stay, at least for the short term…

“Royal Dutch Shell PLC said Friday that it cannot meet contractual obligations to export oil from a Nigerian oil field following a militant attack Thursday… Also supporting oil prices were worries about heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, after Pentagon officials said Friday a large-scale Israeli military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean early this month could have been a demonstration of Jerusalem’s ability to attack Iranian nuclear facilities.”

“Defying U.S., EU Scraps Cuba Sanctions”

Reuters reported on June 19:

“European Union states agreed on Thursday to scrap sanctions against Cuba… The decision, taken despite U.S. calls for the world to remain tough on Havana, will be reviewed after one year, EU sources said… Unlike the 1962 U.S. embargo, the EU sanctions do not prevent trade and investment. Lifting the sanctions will put the EU at odds with Washington, which wants to maintain a hard line against Cuba.

“‘We certainly don’t see any kind of fundamental break with the Castro dictatorship that would give us reason to believe that now would be the time to lift sanctions,’ U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said on Thursday. ‘We would not be supportive of the EU or anyone else easing those restrictions at this time.'”

A Russian-European Pact?

Reuters reported on June 25:

“Russia seeks a ‘serious’ pact with the European Union reaffirming it as part of Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev told Reuters ahead of a Russia-EU summit in Siberia. The summit starting on Thursday in Khanty-Mansiysk is expected to launch long-delayed talks on a partnership agreement governing relations between Russia and the EU.”

Europe–Don’t Expect Too Much From Obama

On June 18, Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“So far, the details of a European policy have been a non-existent issue in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign… What Obama pointedly did not do… was to attempt to focus the attention of the US electorate on such difficult questions as how, in the wake of the disastrous Bush presidency, a new American administration can go beyond mere rhetorical good will and get down to the hard work of repairing relations with key European allies… So far, at least, Europe has been almost completely off the Obama campaign’s radar…

“Obama has made one major foreign-policy speech since gaining the delegates he needs to score the nomination. Speaking before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington, Obama said, ‘Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.’ Palestinian groups reacted to the nod to Israel with a fury pronounced enough to potentially complicate any Middle East peace negotiations in an Obama administration. To some, it was an indication that the outsized Obama-mania that is so widespread in European capitals may be tempered by a wave of at least mild skepticism… At this stage in the campaign, no one really expects Obama to articulate exactly how he will deal with European leaders.”

As the Bible shows, the relationship between the USA and Europe, which reached an unprecedented low under George Bush, will gradually turn worse, not better, REGARDLESS of who the next American president will be. This is one of MANY reasons why members of the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate international affiliates NEITHER endorse any political candidate NOR vote in governmental or presidential elections. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Should You Fight in War?”, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Religious Confusion–Obama vs. Dobson

On June 23, 2008, The Associated Press reported about an ensuing biblical controversy between Barack Obama and James Dobson. As can be seen in the article, both are ignorant regarding some of God’s teachings, and their wrong understanding might only serve to confuse even more an unsuspecting and ignorant society.

The article pointed out:

“As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement’s biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a ‘fruitcake interpretation’ of the Constitution… The conservative Christian group provided The Associated Press with an advance copy of the pre-taped radio segment, which runs 18 minutes and highlights excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal. Obama mentions Dobson in the speech.

“‘Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?’ Obama said. ‘Would we go with James Dobson’s or Al Sharpton’s?’ referring to the civil rights leader.

“Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy – chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, ‘a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application.’ ‘Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles,’ Obama said.

“Dobson and Minnery accused Obama of wrongly equating Old Testament texts and dietary codes that no longer apply to Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament. ‘I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,’ Dobson said. ‘… He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.'”

As mentioned, both Obama and Dobson, as well as many other religious “leaders,” are confused regarding important doctrinal issues. If you want to learn more about what the BIBLE teaches on those matters, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound.”

Jury Duty for Priests?

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote on June 25:

“Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik was selected Tuesday to serve on a jury for a home invasion case in Allegheny County court… Defense attorney James Sheets said the attorneys asked Zubik the same general questions they ask all jurors. A juror questionnaire asks, for example, if any religious, moral or ethical beliefs would prevent the prospective juror from sitting on a criminal case and reaching a fair verdict. ‘The bishop answered no to that question,’ Sheets said… Mike Manko, spokesman for District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., said that prosecutors aren’t opposed to priests serving on juries and that Zubik’s jury service ‘is a great example to the community.’ Several priests from the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh have served on juries, but Zubik is the first bishop in recent memory to be seated…

“Cardinal John Joseph O’Connor, who headed the Archdiocese of New York from 1984 to 2000, used to forbid priests from serving on juries, said… Thomas Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. ‘His argument was that being on a jury was participating in an act of government and the clergy were not supposed to be involved in government,’ said Reese. O’Connor would send a letter to the courts and the priest would be excused from serving. Zubik asked for no such dispensation, said Ray Billotte, county court administrator.”

American Pastors Challenge IRS

ABC News reported on June 20:

“Few Americans would invite an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, but that’s exactly what Minnesota pastor Gus Booth wanted when he stood behind his pulpit and told his congregation God wanted them to vote Republican.

“In an election where candidates openly discuss their faith and are regularly seen in churches, and a time when pastors’ sermons lead the politics sections of newspapers, one might be excused for not knowing that it is illegal for a church to endorse or oppose a candidate for president.

“But when Booth addressed the members of his Warroad Community Church one Sunday in May and told them, ‘If you are a Christian, you cannot support a candidate like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for president,’ he very much knew he was violating the law. He even wrote a letter to the IRS explaining what he had said and challenging the tax collection agency to do something about it.

“Churches and other non-profit groups like charities and universities do not have to pay taxes. That exemption, however, comes with a price. Churches, and by extension the pastors who serve them in an official capacity, are not allowed to endorse or oppose political candidates.

“Booth, 34, is one of several religious leaders who this year hope to challenge federal law by flouting the regulations about endorsing candidates from the pulpit–a move that could potentially cost them their tax-exempt status, creating financial ruin for many congregations… Booth and other religious leaders who want to challenge the government believe their rights to freedom of speech and religion, enshrined in the First Amendment, permit them to say whatever they want, wherever they want. Those rights, they say, should trump a 54-year-old tax code…”

U.S. Supreme Court “Interprets” Second Amendment and Upholds an Individual Right to Own and Use Handguns

In a somewhat predictable, albeit regrettable move, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, struck down the District of Columbia’s 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment.

The Associated Press reported on June 26 the following:

“The court had not conclusively interpreted the Second Amendment since its ratification in 1791. The amendment reads: ‘A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.’

“The basic issue for the justices was whether the amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that an individual right to bear arms is supported by ‘the historical narrative’ both before and after the Second Amendment was adopted…

“In a dissent he summarized from the bench, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote that the majority ‘would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the Framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons.’ He said such evidence ‘is nowhere to be found.’ Justice Stephen Breyer wrote a separate dissent in which he said, ‘In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas.'”

Der Spiegel Online commented on the decision, as follows: “According to estimates, there are 250 million guns in the USA. After enactment of a stricter law in 1976 for Washington, at that time known as the murder capitol, the number of capital crimes with guns greatly declined. Administrative officials of the capitol and organizations for the protection of the youth are now afraid that the number will rise again.”

cbs2chicago.com pointed out that “the gun ban in Washington, D.C., that was struck down Thursday, is the same as Chicago’s, forbidding the sale and possession of handguns.” The article continued:

“… the decision is expected to have effects across the country, including in Chicago, where a ban on the sale and registration of handguns has been in place since 1982. Only police officers, aldermen and a handful of others are exempt from the ban… Mayor Richard M. Daley is a staunch supporter of gun control, and says the recent police shootings – all of which allegedly involved offenders who aimed guns at officers – are the direct result of having too many guns on the street. Daley also says gun violence has claimed the lives of schoolchildren, and without the ban, the city would have more serious problems.

“‘It is an epidemic in America. There’s something about a handgun, there’s something about rifles and shotguns and Uzis people want, and drug dealers and gangbangers have them,’ Mayor Daley said. ‘And one thing we know – the more guns in society, the more victims you have in violent crimes.'”

And so, sadly, we will have to wait a little bit longer for the time when all men–including all judges, politicians and citizens of the USA–will understand the utter uselessness of guns–whether for the purpose of “self-defense” or otherwise–and when they finally “beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4).

Nonsense–Putting Oil Firm Chiefs on Criminal Trial for Denying Global Warming?

In a ridiculous move, a prominent scientist wants to put oil firm chiefs who deny global warming on trial for high crimes . Such irresponsible proposals only add to the dangerous trend to muzzle free speech and to label everything as “hate speech” or worse, which does not fit in the political agenda of “politically correct” opinions. You might want to listen to our recent StandingWatch program, discussing this frightening development, titled, “Beware of Hate Crimes.” It is posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube.

The Guardian reported on June 23:

“James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer.

“Hansen will use the symbolically charged 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking speech to the US Congress–in which he was among the first to sound the alarm over the reality of global warming–to argue that radical steps need to be taken immediately if the ‘perfect storm’ of irreversible climate change is not to become inevitable.”

In an accompanying article, the Guardian wrote on June 22:

“The majority of the British public is still not convinced that climate change is caused by humans–and many others believe scientists are exaggerating the problem, according to an exclusive poll for The Observer.

“The results have shocked campaigners who hoped that doubts would have been silenced by a report last year by more than 2,500 scientists for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which found a 90 per cent chance that humans were the main cause of climate change and warned that drastic action was needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions… Some environmentalists blame the public’s doubts on last year’s Channel 4 documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle, and on recent books, including one by Lord Lawson, the former Chancellor, that question the consensus on climate change…

“Professor Bjorn Lomborg, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, said politicians and campaigners were to blame for over-simplifying the problem by only publicising evidence to support the case… ‘If you’re saying, “We’re not going to tell you the whole truth, but we’re going to ask you to pay up a lot of money,” people are going to be unsure.'”

After Blair–Is Bush the Next Convert to Catholicism?

The Associated Press reported on June 13:

“[President Bush] began the day [Friday] taking a rare stroll through the lush grounds of the Vatican Gardens, stopping at a grotto where the pontiff prays daily. ‘Your eminence, you’re looking good,’ Bush told Pope Benedict XVI at the beginning of their third visit. Normally, VIPS are received in the pope’s library in the Apostolic Palace. That’s where Bush had his first meeting with Benedict in June 2007. But in a gesture of appreciation for the hearty welcome Bush gave him in Washington in April, Benedict welcomed the president and Mrs. Bush near St. John’s Tower in the lush Vatican Gardens.”

Reuters added on June 13:

“Pope Benedict gave George W. Bush an unprecedented welcome in the tranquility of the Vatican Gardens on Friday before the U.S. president resumed his campaign to rally European support for sanctions against Iran… As birds chirped, the two entered a restored medieval tower and held 30 minutes of private talks. ‘Such an honor, such an honor,’ Bush said to the pope.

“After the meeting in the tower, they stood on a terrace to take in the view of 44 hectares (108 acres) of manicured gardens, buildings, ancient walls and St Peter’s Basilica that make up Vatican City. Bush asked: ‘How big is it?’ A Vatican aide responded: ‘Not quite as big as Texas.’ Bush then said: ‘Yes but more important … this is spectacular.'”

AFP stated on June 13:

“Bush ‘is a huge fan of the pope and has full respect for him,’ White House chief of protocol Nancy Goodman Brinker said. The US leader ‘fully supports the (Catholic) Church and fully supports everything this pope is trying to do on behalf of peace, education and hunger in cooperation with world political leaders,’ she told the ANSA news agency. Bush, whose relations with pope John Paul II were strained because of the US-led invasion of Iraq, feels closer to Benedict, who appreciates the religious fervour of the president, a born-again Protestant… On Friday, the two leaders will pray before a statue of the Madonna before bidding each other farewell.”

In fact, they did. Bild Online reported on June 13: “They prayed together before the picture of the Virgin Mary.” The paper also pointed out the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Catholic Mary Ann Gleddon, kissed the pope’s hand when they met.

As a consequence, the Belfast Telegraph stated on Monday, June 16, that “Bush ‘may convert to Catholicism.'” The article continued:

“President George Bush was given such a splendid welcome by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday that rumours started flying that the President, like Tony Blair before him, was on the verge of converting to Catholicism… The notion was given extra mileage by the fact that the President’s brother Jeb, the former governor of Florida, converted to Catholicism on marrying his wife Columba, a Mexican.

“The Vatican differs from the White House on immigration and the death penalty but on other issues including stem cell research, gay marriage and abortion there has been, as the Catholic daily L’Avvenire put it, ‘total harmony.’  Cardinal Pio Laghi, the papal envoy to the White House, said: ‘Bush believes in the values of the Church and his brother is a convert.'”

Serious Problems for this Year’s Harvest Due to Flooding

The New York Times wrote on June 16:

“Last week, the price of corn rose above $7 a bushel on the commodities market for the first time, and soybeans rose sharply, too, reacting to the harsh weather hampering crop production across the Midwest. In addition to Iowa, the farming states of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota have suffered an unusual level of flooding this year.

“Soaring global demand in addition to the increased use of corn for ethanol, an alternative fuel, have shrunk the worldwide supply of staples that are the core of practically every continent’s diet.

“Meanwhile, the price of oil has jumped, raising the cost of producing crops and feeding livestock and causing an increase in grocery bills here and abroad, sparking riots and protests in at least two dozen countries.

“At a moment when corn should be almost waist-high here in Iowa, the country’s top-producing corn state, more than a million acres have been washed out and destroyed. Beyond that, agriculture experts estimate that 2 million acres of soy beans have been lost to water, putting the state’s total grain loss at 20 percent so far, with the threat of more rain to come…”

US Floods Hit Food Prices

The Financial Times wrote on June 17:

“Consumers were warned to expect even sharper increases in global food prices after US officials said that some of the country’s best farmland was facing its worst flooding for 15 years. Agriculture officials and traders said the damage could push up worldwide corn and soyabean prices, which have spiralled in recent days as floods have swamped crops in parts of Iowa, the US’s biggest corn-producing state. The warning comes at a time when high food prices are already sparking protests across the developing world…

“The increase in the cost of corn and soyabeans – the two main feed crops for farm animals such as cows and chickens – increased the price of live cattle yesterday for the second day in a row, to the highest level in 22 years…

“After weeks of heavy rains and low temperatures, the US Department of Agriculture said that only 57 per cent of the country’s corn crop is in good or excellent condition, considerably less than the 70 per cent registered this time last year. Local farmers in Illinois said that the bad weather had delayed planting by up to five weeks, which would result in a much reduced crop of corn and soyabeans. Some farmers expected their corn production to be down by as much as 50 per cent from last year’s level.

“Agriculture traders described the problem graphically, saying that corn plants in Iowa or Illinois should now be reaching almost waist height, but due to the impact of the heavy rains and low temperatures were below knee-height.”

Reuters added on June 18:

“The swollen Mississippi River ran over the top of at least 12 more levees on Wednesday, as floodwaters swallowed up more U.S. farmland, adding to billion-dollar losses and feeding global food inflation fears… About 10 levees were breached earlier this week, bringing the total to 22 on Wednesday… The cost of the disaster may end up rivaling that of 1993 Midwest floods that caused more than $20 billion in damage and 48 deaths… The prospects of smaller crops have already jolted commodity markets, food producers and exporters. Chicago Board of Trade corn prices traded at a record $8.07 a bushel. The floods will mean more food inflation, not only for U.S. consumers, but also for dozens of countries that buy American grain. The United States exports 54 percent of the world’s corn, 36 percent of its soybeans and 23 percent of its wheat…

“Estimates are that 5 million acres across the Midwest have been ruined and will not produce a crop this year. Iowa and Illinois usually produce one-third of all U.S. corn and soybeans. Expectations of reduced crops from the main sources of livestock feed, renewable fuels like ethanol, starch and edible oils has sent commodity prices to record highs… The worst flooding has struck Iowa but evacuations have also affected flooded sections of Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.”

After the Irish “No”-Vote–Difficult Times Ahead for Europe

Der Spiegel wrote on June 13:

“Ireland shot down the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum held on Thursday. Already, EU politicians are branding the Irish as ingrates. But it is exactly that kind of arrogance which helped lead to the Irish ‘no’ in the first place… Brussels is disappointed — and furious…

“Listen to the Irish themselves and it becomes clear that they remain, for the most part, committed Europeans. In the run up to Thursday’s referendum, though, the country posed two questions born of pragmatism: Is this treaty good for us? And: Are we happy with the current development of the EU? Both questions are ones which many millions of Europeans would likely have responded to with ‘no.’ Had they been asked…

“Already, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have said that ratification of the Lisbon Treaty should continue as planned — as though the Irish referendum never took place. But for the EU — which sings the praises of democracy and does what it can to improve democratic institutions in places like Turkey — that would be the wrong way to go.”

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“The long campaign to forge a new dispensation for the European Union descended into panic and uncertainty yesterday when Ireland turned its back on its 26 EU partners and voted down the Lisbon Treaty. EU leaders in Brussels and governments across the union, particularly Germany and France, were stunned by the Irish verdict, which amounted to a huge vote of no confidence in the way the EU is run… The result left Europe’s leaders with a giant dilemma over what to do next… The pressure on Britain indicated that Germany and France still hope to salvage the treaty, although it was not clear how since it has to be ratified by all 27 EU countries to take effect…

“Everything suggested that Europe’s key leaders were urgently conferring on a scheme to steamroller their blueprint through despite the Irish rejection, a course likely to trigger protest from Eurosceptics and deepen Europe’s democratic legitimacy problems. At the very least, the deadlines for implementing the treaty looked difficult to achieve.”

The EUObserver wrote on June 16:

“Europe will this week try and pick up the political pieces following Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, but the relatively high turnout at the ballot box, the wide margin and the jumble of reasons for the No vote mean an exit strategy will be hard to find… Ireland has admitted it will be hard-pressed to come up [with] an answer and asked Europe to not isolate it… France and Germany have been careful to sing from the same hymn sheet, staving off a feeling of Europe in crisis and rushing out a joint statement to say ratification should continue in a bid to stop more eurosceptic countries such as Britain immediately calling off the process… But all countries need to ratify the Lisbon Treaty for it to come into force…

“The most obvious way out – without resorting to renegotiating the treaty for which there is little political appetite – is another vote to see if the Irish say yes second time round… But it appears unlikely that the Irish government can take this route… the EU would leave itself exposed to charges that it is ignoring the will of the people if it pushes Dublin towards a second vote.”

Coming–a Two-Speed or “Core” Europe

The Times wrote on June 15:

“Gordon Brown is privately ready to sacrifice the Lisbon treaty rather than allow the Irish no vote to create a two-tier Europe. Despite the Irish referendum, France, Germany and senior Brussels officials have insisted there should be no delay in implementing the European Union blueprint. But No 10 sources say the prime minister would rather see the entire constitutional treaty collapse than allow individual member states to be left trailing in a two-speed Europe… If Europe presses ahead without Ireland, it would set a precedent for a two-speed club, with Britain likely to be stuck in the second tier…

“The only EU leader so far to admit that the treaty is dead is Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, who declared the entire project ‘finished’. ‘Ratification cannot be continued,’ he said. There are signs that across Europe political leaders will face growing public opposition if they disregard the Irish vote.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 16:

“The most probable option that remains is an exhausting marathon. The EU would continue working, at least for a while, with the instruments and powers that it already has. Then, in a couple of years, a new round of negotiations would begin in order to come up with a more efficient set of rules for the club. That would take a long time and by that point the old longing for a smaller, better ‘core Europe’ among committed Europeans would once again have been awakened.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 16:

“Elsewhere, calls for a ‘two-speed’ Europe have once again become audible. Many in Germany, France and other long-time EU members have argued that, if not everyone is willing to fully integrate, then those who would like to should move ahead. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said on German radio on Saturday that it was time for a ‘Club of the Few.’ Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer likewise wrote in an editorial for Die Zeit that ‘those who want political integration should move forward and those who are happy with just a common market should be left behind.'”

Ultimately, a two-speed Europe WILL develop, and certain “core nations” WILL move forward. For more information, please watch our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Ireland Says No–What Now?” It is posted on StandingWatch, Google Video and YouTube. Also, make sure to read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

“Fortress Europe Is Taking Shape”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 19:

“The European Parliament has approved new measures for handling illegal immigrants in the European Union. But does it make the EU more humane? German commentators aren’t sure…

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘Unfortunately, the train is heading in the wrong direction. … Already the approach is wrong. Instead of seeing immigration as a way to enrich and increase the growth prospects of the aging continent, the EU has set its sights on building a wall. … The slogans are regulation and repression. Fortress Europe is taking shape… there is absolutely no reason for the EU to strengthen the fortress.'”

European Defense–Top Priority

The EUObserver wrote on June 17:

“French president Nicolas Sarkozy has reaffirmed his intention to make European defence a major theme during his country’s six-month stint at running the European Union, beginning in less that two week’s time. In a key address before French military brass on Tuesday (17 June), Mr Sarkozy said ‘building European defence is our priority’ and that ‘whatever the future of the Treaty of Lisbon’ he would not change his mind…

“EU member states in 1999 committed themselves to achieving a Rapid Reaction Force of this size, deployable within 60 days… Mr Sarkozy said he wants to make defence and security policy an example of a ‘concrete Europe, of a Europe that responds to the needs of its citizens. I very much hope that the French presidency of the European Union (…) will be the first step in a veritable relaunch of European defence for the coming years,’ he said, according to AP.”

Blueprint for Nuclear Weapons in the Hands of U.S. Enemies?

CNN wrote on June 15:

“An international smuggling ring may have secretly shared blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon with Iran, North Korea and other rogue countries, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The now-defunct ring led by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan is previously known to have sold bomb-related parts to Libya, Iran and North Korea.

“A draft report by former top U.N. arms inspector David Albright says the smugglers also acquired designs for building a more sophisticated compact nuclear device that could be fitted on a type of ballistic missile used by Iran and other developing countries, according to the Post.”

In addition, The Financial Times wrote on June 19:

“The US military cannot locate hundreds of sensitive nuclear missile components, according to several government officials familiar with a Pentagon report on nuclear safeguards. Robert Gates, US defence secretary, recently fired both the US Air Force chief of staff and air force secretary after an investigation blamed the air force for the inadvertent shipment of nuclear missile nose cones to Taiwan. According to previously undisclosed details obtained by the FT, the investigation also concluded that the air force could not account for many sensitive components previously included in its nuclear inventory. One official said the number of missing components was more than 1,000.”

Israel Believes Air Strike Against Iran Unavoidable–“We Will See a Middle East in Flames.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 16:

“The Israeli government no longer believes that sanctions can prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. A broad consensus in favor of a military strike against Tehran’s nuclear facilities — without the Americans, if necessary — is beginning to take shape… there is now a consensus within the Israeli government that an air strike against the Iranian nuclear facilities has become unavoidable…

“The one question over which Israel’s various political groups disagree is the timing of an attack. The doves argue that diplomatic efforts by the United Nations should be allowed to continue until Iran is on the verge of completing the bomb…

“The hawks, on the other hand, believe time is running out. They stress that there is now a ‘favorable window of opportunity’ that will close with the US presidential election in November, and that Israel can only depend on American support for as long as current US President George W. Bush is still in charge in Washington. They are convinced that the country cannot truly depend on any of the candidates to succeed Bush in office. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic candidate, has already said that he favors direct negotiations with Tehran. And even if Republican John McCain wins the race, politicians in Jerusalem do not expect him to be ordering an attack as his first official act… President Bush, however, has recently been sending out signals that are suspiciously reminiscent of the run-up to the Iraq war…

“In a recent letter to Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak wrote that Tehran is not far from the ‘point of no return’ at which the Israelis believe it could no longer be prevented from developing a bomb. Israeli intelligence officials believe that Iranian weapons engineers could have enough enriched uranium to build a nuclear warhead by 2009.

“Bruce Riedel, a Middle East expert who spent many years working for the CIA, says it would be ‘very difficult for this administration [of the USA] to start a war with Iran. There would be public uproar and congressional uproar.’ But the situation is different from Israel’s perspective, says Riedel. ‘There is some risk that Israel thinks it has limited time to act and it has a green light from American politicians.’ Besides, the Israeli Air Force is known for its ‘inventive solutions to military problems,’ says Riedel, who has strong contacts to Israel, referring to the feasibility of such an attack. ‘Israeli military planners tell me it is mission doable.’

“This is why Riedel sees an Israeli military strike, with the US government’s consent, as the most likely attack scenario. But the consequences, according to Riedel, would not differ from those of an American attack. ‘An Israeli attack will be seen as a US attack. Iran will retaliate against both Israel and the US.’ The consequences, says Riedel, would be fatal. ‘We will see a Middle East in flames.’

“Nevertheless, in Israel it is no longer a matter of whether there will be a military strike, but when.”

No Official Position on Homosexual Bishops in Lutheran Churches

Reuters reported on June 17:

“Germany could elect its first openly gay Lutheran bishop [Horst Gorski, a senior cleric from Hamburg] next month [July 12], a move conservatives say would alienate many Christians and open divisions in the Church…

“‘Many members of the community would have little understanding for a bishop with this kind of lifestyle,’ Ulrich Ruess, a pastor in the northern city of Hamburg, was quoted as telling Die Welt newspaper. Others have been quoted as saying Gorski’s appointment would damage the standing and weight of the Lutheran Church, founded by German Martin Luther in the 16th century and now one of the largest Protestant denominations.

“The election committee is standing by its choice of candidates. ‘After careful consultation, we have nominated two experienced provosts as candidates who have excelled in their localities and in the region in a variety of ways,’ said election committee member Bishop Maria Jepsen, the world’s first woman Lutheran bishop. In an Internet statement, she said the two candidates earned respect with their theological and pastoral work as well as through their strong charisma.

“The Lutheran World Federation, which represents nearly 69 million Christians, says it will not get involved as it has no common line on the question of homosexuality… Last year the largest U.S. Lutheran body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), said it would allow homosexual clergy in sexual relationships to serve as pastors.”

California’s Gay Marriages

The Associated Press reported on June 18:

“Wearing everything from T-shirts to tuxedos and lavish gowns, hundreds of same-sex couples rushed to county clerks’ offices throughout California to obtain marriage licenses and exchange vows as last-minute legal challenges to gay marriage failed. All 58 counties began issuing licenses Tuesday following an order from the state’s highest court.

“San Diego County, typically a Republican stronghold, added four walk-up windows and assigned 78 employees to issue marriage licenses, up from the usual 19. It issued 230 licenses on Tuesday, breaking its previous single-day record of 176 on Valentine’s Day 2005…

“A recent Field Poll showed that Californians favor granting gays the right to marry 51 percent to 42 percent. It was the first time in 30 years of California polling that the scales tipped in that direction. In a sign of the growing political support for same-sex marriage, the Los Angeles City Council president, the mayor of Sacramento and at least two state lawmakers agreed to officiate at the weddings of staff members and friends.”

Romantic Human-Robot Relationships?

AFP wrote on June 15:

“Romantic human-robot relationships are no longer the stuff of science fiction — researchers expect them to become reality within four decades… ‘I am talking about loving relationships about 40 years from now,’ David Levy, author of the book ‘Love + sex with robots’, told AFP at an international conference. ‘… [Then] there [will exist] robots that have also emotions, personality, consciousness. They can talk to you, they can make you laugh. They can … say they love you just like a human would say “I love you”, and say it as though they mean it …’

“Scientists were working on artificial personality, emotion and consciousness, said Levy, and some robots already appear lifelike… Levy’s bombshell thesis, whose publication has had a ripple-effect way beyond the scientific community, gives rise to a number of complicated ethical and relationship questions.”

Jacob’s Pillar Stone in the UK–Fact or Fiction?

The Telegraph wrote on June 16:

“Scottish, English and British monarchs have been crowned on the ancient coronation stone since the ninth century. It spent 700 years under the chair in Westminster Abbey after it was seized in 1296 by King Edward I, and was finally returned to Scotland 12 years ago. It has since been viewed at Edinburgh Castle by tens of thousands of people, and is regarded as a symbol of Scottish independence. According to legend, Jacob used the ancient stone as a pillow when he dreamt of a ladder to heaven.

“But Scotland’s First Minister is convinced that it may be no more than a worthless lump of Perthshire sandstone. He believes it was passed off as the real coronation stone when Edward stormed Scone Abbey in 1296…

“On Christmas Day 1950, the Stone of Destiny was stolen from below the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey by a group of radical nationalist students… After a brief sojourn north of the border it was later handed back to British authorities and was used in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

“Ian Hamilton, a QC who was one of the four students who stole the relic 58 years ago, said he remained convinced it was the real thing… A spokesman for Westminster Abbey said she had always believed the stone was genuine.”

What Germany Can Expect from the Next U.S. President

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 9:

“It’s a dream, nothing but a dream… what if German politicians would exude just a smidgen of the youthfulness and spirit of optimism that Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, seems to have in abundance? In the grey bleakness exuded by Berlin’s grand coalition government, these daydreams thrive like marsh marigolds on a wetland meadow…

“Obamamania has gripped large segments of Germany’s political establishment and population… In an editorial in last Friday’s edition of the influential Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper titled ‘What the conservatives Must Do Now,’ former Bavarian conservative leader Edmund Stoiber gave his party some unsolicited advice. America, the Bavarian politician wrote, is ‘a marvellous example of the power of democracy.’…

“In a head-to-head contest with John McCain, the designated Republican presidential candidate, 67 percent of Germans would vote for Obama… Despite all the enthusiasm for Obama, Germans know little about his foreign policy ideas…

“McCain’s positions, at least, are well known… But the Republican candidate is also known for his temper. His fits of rage are legendary… McCain’s outbursts have long been the subject of ridicule among Americans attending the Munich conference…

“Obama, on the other hand, is as fascinating to German politicians as a mirage. He seems promising from afar, and yet no one knows what he actually stands for. In fact, hardly anyone knows him at all…

“If McCain wins the election, most German foreign policy experts predict trouble ahead for Germany. If Obama wins there will also be friction, but no one knows where and on what fronts.

“Whoever moves into the White House next January will base his decisions on American interests, not on personal preferences… For the Germans, Obama could in fact prove to be the more difficult partner… Analysts in Berlin believe that both Obama and McCain would be more adamant than the current president in calling for the German military, the Bundeswehr, to participate in combat missions in [the south of Afghanistan]…”

“What Is the Post-Bush Era Going to Look Like?”

On June 9, Der Spiegel Online stated the following:

“US President George W. Bush will arrive in Europe this week… But… Europe is more than happy to see him off… Since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Europeans have viewed Bush with a great measure of distrust and fully 77 percent now disagree with his international policies…

“Bush himself seems content to play his bad-guy role right to the very end. Just recently, his government presented plans to require Europeans — even those who don’t need visas — to register online at least three days before travelling to the US. Bush himself once again mentioned the possibility of a strike on Iran. And his Republican Party recently blocked a climate protection bill in the Senate.

“Still, Europe is looking beyond Bush. The outgoing president has made it easy for Europe to resist requests for more involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, for example. But that will change — likely as soon as next year. Should Barack Obama, who is wildly popular in Europe, get elected, it will be even more difficult for Europe to say no. The question then would be a more existential one for trans-Atlantic relations… the question will be whether Europe and the US are natural partners as has so long been assumed. Or whether the rise of other world regions like Asia has done permanent damage to the axis.

“‘The Bush visit,’ says John Glenn of the German Marshall Fund, ‘is a reminder that one of the most interesting periods of all times is about to begin in trans-Atlantic relations: What is the post-Bush era going to look like?'”

President Bush Apologizes for War Rhetoric

The Times wrote on June 11:

“President Bush has admitted to The Times that his gun-slinging rhetoric made the world believe that he was a ‘guy really anxious for war’ in Iraq. He said that his aim now was to leave his successor a legacy of international diplomacy for tackling Iran. In an exclusive interview, he expressed regret at the bitter divisions over the war and said that he was troubled about how his country had been misunderstood. ‘I think that in retrospect I could have used a different tone, a different rhetoric.’…

“Mr Bush is concerned that the Democratic nominee Barack Obama might open cracks in the West’s united front towards Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. At the EU-US summit in Slovenia, he pressed for tougher sanctions against Iran unless it agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme verifiably… The President was keen to bind his successor into a continued military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq… he delivered a thinly veiled warning to Mr Obama that his promises to renegotiate or block international trade deals were already causing alarm in Europe and beyond.”

Practice for Guantanamo Bay Suspects Held Unconstitutional

The Associated Press reported on June 12:

“The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have rights under the Constitution to challenge their detention in U.S. civilian courts. In its third rebuke of the Bush administration’s treatment of prisoners, the court ruled 5-4 that the government is violating the rights of prisoners being held indefinitely and without charges at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. The court’s liberal justices were in the majority… The court said not only that the detainees have rights under the Constitution, but that the system the administration has put in place to classify them as enemy combatants and review those decisions is inadequate…

“In dissent, Chief Justice John Roberts criticized his colleagues for striking down what he called ‘the most generous set of procedural protections ever afforded aliens detained by this country as enemy combatants.’ Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas also dissented. Scalia said the nation is ‘at war with radical Islamists’ and that the court’s decision ‘will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed.’ Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Souter and John Paul Stevens joined Kennedy to form the majority.”

Lessons that the USA Must Learn

On June 7, USA Today published the following thoughtful and truly remarkable editorial:

“It has long been apparent that the United States rushed to war in Iraq based on false premises. Saddam Hussein didn’t have weapons of mass destruction, didn’t have ties to the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks and wasn’t an imminent danger.

“But one great unanswered question has festered in Washington: Did President Bush and his top officials knowingly lie when they repeatedly asserted that Saddam was reconstituting a nuclear program and had biological and chemical weapons? Or did they simply get it wrong, cherry-picking flawed intelligence to make their case for action?

“Anyone hoping for the final answer from the long-delayed Senate Intelligence Committee report released Thursday will be disappointed–unless, of course, they cherry-pick it to support their preconceived opinions.

“For the most part, the 171-page report contradicts the simplistic ‘Bush lied, people died’ formulation found on bumper stickers. It concludes that the administration’s prewar statements on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction were mostly backed up by available (but flawed) U.S. intelligence, although the statements tended to gloss over internal debate among intelligence agencies about those findings.

“The report does find, however, that assertions by Bush and Vice President Cheney that Saddam was prepared to arm terrorist groups to attack the United States contradicted available intelligence. In fact, that intelligence suggested Saddam was unlikely to do so because he feared an attack would strengthen the U.S. case for war.

“This mixed verdict won’t satisfy partisans on either side. But it doesn’t mean the report — endorsed by the panel’s eight Democrats and two of its seven Republicans — is an exercise in futility, as its GOP critics claimed. It is, in fact, a cautionary tale that provides important lessons, particularly as the nation decides what to do about Iran and its murky nuclear program.

“For Congress, the lesson is that lawmakers need to double-check intelligence themselves, not simply rely on summaries or administration assurances. Pathetically few members of Congress read the complete 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, which detailed misgivings of some intelligence agencies, before they cast fateful votes that authorized the Iraq war.

“For this and future administrations, the lesson is that White House officials need to weigh and study all available intelligence, not seize on only what supports their preconceived notions. They mustn’t present ambiguity as certainty. They mustn’t launch pre-emptive attacks without bulletproof evidence. And never again should they treat war as a marketing campaign, like selling a new brand of toothpaste.”

“Many Have Lost Faith in America”

On June 11, 2008, Der Spiegel Online reported about the German view on German-American relationships:

“German newspaper commentators have launched a scathing attack on US President George W. Bush’s record, saying he embodies ‘the arrogance of power’ and has shattered the world’s faith in America. The diplomatic fence-mending between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President George W. Bush over the past two years seems to have done nothing to pacify German editorial writers who have seized on the US president’s farewell trip to Europe to launch a tirade of criticism of his eight years in power.

“The Iraq war, Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, CIA renditions and Bush’s record on climate change have tainted not only Bush’s image but also that of America for years to come, write Germany’s leading newspapers… German politicians from Merkel’s ruling coalition have been similarly scathing this week in their assessment of Bush’s record, throwing diplomatic caution to the wind five months ahead of the presidential election.

“Left-wing Berliner Zeitung writes: ‘Rarely has an American president been less popular in this country. And rarely has one embodied the arrogance of power more convincingly than Bush… Many have lost faith in America…’

“Business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘With this unilateralism Bush damaged America’s reputation…’

“Center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘In Germany, America is no longer seen as a country of individual liberty, as a reliable ally and definitely not as a model… in the thoughts and feeling of many Germans [Bush] is leaving behind a mixture of antipathy, ridicule, anger and skepticism towards US policies and towards America in general. Differentiating between the two has become more difficult with every year of his presidency. The memory of Bush will darken America’s image in the world for years to come.’

“Conservative Die Welt writes: ‘… It’s not just George W. Bush who’s unwelcome. Ever since Reagan’s Berlin visit in 1987, American presidents haven’t been especially welcome whenever they embodied the uncomfortable aspect of the Atlantic alliance, which many regard as a burden that should be discarded soon. But the Bush critics are overlooking one thing: Whether Obama or McCain, the coming president of the US will be a difficult partner.'”

Iraq Caught Between the USA and Iran

The Los Angeles Times reported on June 10:

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki concluded a three-day visit to Iran after meeting Monday with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who warned that the continued presence of U.S. troops was ‘the main obstacle on the way to progress and prosperity in Iraq.’

“The session with Khamenei, Iran’s top religious and political authority, served to further highlight the delicate position of the Iraqi government — caught between the U.S. and Iran, each seeking to pull Iraq out of the other’s sphere of influence…

“Khamenei and other Iranian politicians have repeatedly urged Maliki’s government not to sign a status of forces agreement being negotiated with the United States. The agreement would provide a legal framework for the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq after the United Nations mandate expires at the end of this year.”

A European Army–Friend or Foe?

The Associated Press wrote on June 8:

“Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton has warned Europe against forging closer military ties. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for greater defense cooperation among European nations. But Bolton told a conference in Dublin on Sunday that such a move could undermine NATO.

“Bolton says creating a European Union military capability would be a huge mistake. Sarkozy called in a speech last week for an independent European defense policy. But he insists his plans would complement — not compete — with NATO.”

Bush and Pope Will “See” Statue of “Madonna”

Reuters reported on June 9:

“Pope Benedict will unusually host talks with U.S. President George W. Bush in a restored medieval tower on Friday, to repay him for a warm reception at the White House, the Vatican said… St. John’s Tower is a round structure on a hilltop inside the Vatican gardens that is sometimes used as a residence for important guests. After their private talks, Bush and the pope will stroll in the gardens to see a statue of the Madonna.”

The big question is: Why would a U.S. President who is a Methodist, want to see a statue of the “Madonna”–who is worshipped by Catholics as the Queen of Heaven or the Holy Mother of God?

Please make sure to read the Q&A in this issue, discussing the “image of the beast,” as mentioned in the book of Revelation.

The Dollar and the Euro

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 9:

“… the value of the U.S. dollar against the euro has fallen drastically in the last few years. In December 2002, one dollar was equal in value to one euro; today, it requires more than half… as many dollars to equal one euro…

“The euro is the official currency used by 320 million Europeans in 15 member states: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Another three member states – Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom – use their own currencies.”

New York’s Chrysler Building For Sale

The New York Post reported on June 11:

“The latest Big Apple trophy being coveted by oil-rich sovereign wealth funds is the landmark Chrysler Building. Sources say the super-rich Abu Dhabi Investment Council is negotiating an $800 million deal for a 75 percent stake in the Art Deco treasure that has defined the Midtown skyline since 1930. The Chrysler assets would be purchased from TMW – the German arm of an Atlanta-based investment fund that’s been eager to cash out of its Chrysler stake.

“The deal follows last month’s sale of the GM Building and three other Macklowe/Equity Portfolio properties for $3.95 billion to a group of investors including the wealth funds of Kuwait and Qatar and Boston Properties… Tishman Speyer Properties owns the remaining 25 percent stake in the Chrysler Building and operates the landmark at 405 Lexington Ave., along with the Trylons and the newer next door neighbor at 666 Third Ave… Recently Tishman Speyer obtained a 150-year extension of the ground lease.  Sources say the deal would leave Tishman Speyer in charge of the building, with the Abu Dhabi fund essentially acting as a silent partner. Abu Dhabi has also partnered with Tishman Speyer in other deals around the world, sources said.”

Israel Threatens To Attack Iran…

On June 7, 2008, the Guardian stated the following:

“Israel ‘will attack’ Iran if it continues to develop nuclear weapons, one of prime minister Ehud Olmert’s deputies warned yesterday. Shaul Mofaz, a former defence minister and a contender to replace the scandal-battered Olmert, said military action would be ‘unavoidable’ if Tehran proved able to acquire the technology to manufacture atomic bombs…

“Mofaz was born in Iran, giving his remarks extra edge… Mofaz’s remarks came at the end of a week of intense US-Israeli talks on Iran. They were also the most explicit threat yet against the Islamic Republic from a member of the Israeli government, which, like the Bush administration, has preferred to hint at force as a last resort should UN sanctions be deemed to have failed…

“Experts doubt whether Israel could destroy Iran’s extensive and heavily defended nuclear facilities without American help. In 1981 Israel bombed and destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor. Last September its planes bombed a site in Syria that the US said was a nuclear reactor built with North Korean help. Syria denied having any such facility. Israel is believed to have an arsenal of 150-400 nuclear warheads. Unlike Iran, it has never signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.”

… and Iran Responds in Kind

On June 10, 2008, Reuters reported:

“Iran’s defense minister was quoted on Tuesday as warning Israel of a ‘very painful’ response if it launched a military strike over the Islamic Republic’s disputed nuclear program…  In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday to refrain from discussing sensitive matters publicly, officials said… [Iran’s] Shahab-3 missile, with a range of 2,000 km (1,250 miles), is capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf, Iranian officials say.”

Grim Prospects for Worldwide Harvests in 2008

The International Herald Tribune wrote on June 10:

“In a year when global harvests need to be excellent to ease the threat of pervasive food shortages, evidence is mounting that they will be average at best. Some farmers are starting to fear disaster. American corn and soybean farmers are suffering from too much rain, while Australian wheat farmers have been plagued by drought…

“At a moment when the country’s corn should be flourishing, one plant in 10 has not even emerged from the ground, the [U.S.] Agriculture Department said Monday. Because corn planted late is more sensitive to heat damage in high summer, every day’s delay practically guarantees a lower yield at harvest…

“Last winter, as the full scope of the global food crisis became clear, commodity prices doubled or tripled, provoking grumbling in America, riots in two dozen countries and the specter of greatly increased malnutrition. As the world clamors for more corn, wheat, soybeans and rice, farmers are trying to meet the challenge. Millions of acres are coming back into production in Europe. In Asia, planting two or three crops in a single year is becoming more common.

“American farmers are planting 324 million acres this year, up 4 million acres from 2007. Too much of the best land is waterlogged, however. Indiana and Illinois have been the worst hit, although Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota were inundated last weekend…

“United States soybean plantings are running 16 percent behind last year. Rice is tardy in Arkansas, which produces nearly half the country’s crop…

“Harvests ebb and flow, of course. But with supplies of most of the key commodities at their lowest levels in decades, there is little room for error this year. American farmers are among the world’s top producers, supplying 60 percent of the corn that moves across international borders in a typical year, as well as a third of the soybeans, a quarter of the wheat and a tenth of the rice…”

Shocking Rulings in Canada Regarding Alleged “Hate Crimes”

WorldNetDaily reported on June 9:

“A Canadian human rights tribunal ordered a Christian pastor to renounce his faith and never again express moral opposition to homosexuality, according to a new report.

“In a decision dated May 30 in the penalty phase of the quasi-judicial proceedings run by the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, evangelical pastor Stephen Boisson was banned from expressing his biblical perspective of homosexuality and ordered to pay $5,000 for ‘damages for pain and suffering’ as well as apologize to the activist who complained of being hurt… Boisson wrote a letter to the editor of his local Red Deer, Alberta, newspaper in 2002 denouncing the advance of homosexual activism as ‘wicked’ and stating: ‘Children as young as five and six years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system; all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights.’…”

Please listen to our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “Beware of Hate Crimes,” which discusses the problematic development of overzealous governmental agencies, prosecutors and courts in their dealing with alleged “hate crime” offenders. The program is posted on  StandingWatch or Google Video or YouTube.

The Word’s Questionable Obsession with “Hate Speech”

The International Herald Tribune wrote on June 11:

“A couple of years ago, a Canadian magazine published an article arguing that the rise of Islam threatened Western values. The article’s tone was mocking and biting, but it said nothing that conservative magazines and blogs in the United States did not say every day without fear of legal reprisal. Things are different here. The magazine is on trial.

“Under Canadian law, there is a serious argument that the article contained hate speech and that its publisher, Maclean’s magazine, the nation’s leading newsweekly, should be forbidden from saying similar things, forced to publish a rebuttal and made to compensate Muslims for injuring their ‘dignity, feelings and self respect.’ The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, which held five days of hearings on those questions in Vancouver last week, will soon rule on whether Maclean’s violated a provincial hate speech law by stirring up animosity toward Muslims…

“In the United States… [under] the First Amendment, newspapers and magazines can say what they like about minority groups and religions – even false, provocative or hateful things – without legal consequence…

“Canada, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia and India all have laws or have signed international conventions banning hate speech. Israel and France forbid the sale of Nazi items like swastikas and flags. It is a crime to deny the Holocaust in Canada, Germany and France…

“[In the USA, the] First Amendment is not, of course, absolute. The Supreme Court has said that the government may ban fighting words or threats. Punishments may be enhanced for violent crimes prompted by race hate. And private institutions, including universities and employers, are not subject to the First Amendment, which restricts only government activities. But merely saying hateful things about minority groups, even with the intent to cause their members distress and to generate contempt and loathing, is protected by the First Amendment…

“Many foreign courts have respectfully considered the U.S. approach – and then rejected it. A 1990 decision from the Canadian Supreme Court, for instance, upheld the criminal conviction of James Keegstra for ‘unlawfully promoting hatred against an identifiable group by communicating anti-Semitic statements.’ Keegstra, a teacher, had told his students that Jews are ‘money loving,’ ‘power hungry’ and ‘treacherous.’…

“Steyn, the author of the Maclean’s article, said the court proceeding illustrated some important distinctions… ‘What we’re learning here is really the bedrock difference between the United States and the countries that are in a broad sense its legal cousins… Western governments are becoming increasingly comfortable with the regulation of opinion. The First Amendment really does distinguish the U.S., not just from Canada but from the rest of the Western world.'”

Did Jesus Visit Britain?

On June 7, 2008, the Daily Express stated the following:

“An astonishing new book claims that a decade before he was crucified, Jesus sailed [to Britain] on a trading ship… William Blake’s Jerusalem is a hymn about the legend that Jesus once came to Britain. In it Blake asks if Jesus ever walked upon England’s ‘mountains green’, words inspired by the myth that a man called Jesus wandered through British vill­ages a decade before He was crucified…

“By collating stories from local legends, architectural evi­dence from two ancient churches and analysing letters from our earliest historians, author Glyn Lewis believes the tale of Jesus’s visit to Britain is true. The key to it all is Jesus’s family. Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus’s uncle, was a metal trader who travelled Europe. He was a trustworthy businessman – in Mark 15:43 he is described as an ‘honourable counsellor’.

“’Joseph of Arima­thea almost certainly came here to buy tin in Cornwall and copper and lead in Somerset,’ says Lewis, author of Did Jesus Come To Britain? ‘In the Bible Joseph of Arimathea approached Pon­tius Pilate for Jesus’s body after the crucifixion. The law then stated that only a close relative could have done this, which shows he and Jesus clearly knew each other well. Pilate also gave Joseph time in a meeting, which showed he wasn’t just “anybody” but a respected member of the community.’…

“Miners’ songs in Corn­wall mention Joseph and Jesus and folk songs from Somerset also tell of the days where He walked among the people of Glastonbury. ‘Britain is one of the very few countries that has songs and hymns about Jesus being here,’ Lewis explains. ‘There are so many that it just seems strange they would all be fictional.’…

“It is, however, difficult to find concrete evidence. ‘We have no written history until about the 6th century when famed histor­ian Gildas started writing but I think he refers to Jesus’s time in this country.’ St Gildas, who lived from AD516 to AD710 wrote that: ‘Christ afforded His light to our island during the height of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.’…

“If Jesus and His uncle landed in Cornwall they would have gone on to Somerset. This was a well-established route for metal traders like Joseph and he would have sailed his ship around the Cornish coast and moored near Burnham or Uphill in Somerset. Lewis writes, they ‘might have called in at the mouth of the Camel estuary in Cornwall’ to replenish supplies of food and water. There remains to this day a well on this harbour which legend has it was where Christ and His uncle stopped…”

The Latest News — Ireland’s EU Treaty Referendum Too Close to Call

AFP reported on June 12:
 
“Ireland on Thursday held a knife edge vote on the European Union’s new reform treaty, with rejection certain to plunge the 27-nation bloc into a new crisis… Counting starts on Friday morning and official results were expected later in the day… EU leaders are anxiously watching Ireland’s voters after a late surge of opposition… Ireland is the only EU member holding a public vote on the treaty, which replaced a draft EU constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005…

“The Lisbon Treaty, which aims to make EU decision-making more efficient following the recent expansion to 27 nations, has already been approved through a parliamentary vote by 18 other European nations. The Greek, Finnish and Estonian parliaments all ratified the treaty on Wednesday.

“If it is rejected by Ireland, the EU risks being pitched into a new period institutional crisis like that which followed the demise of the EU constitution three years ago… Ireland has caused upsets in EU referendums before. In 2001, its voters rejected the Nice Treaty, a result overturned in a second poll the following year.”

America’s Historical Moment–Obama Declared Democratic Presidential Candidate

As it was reported on Tuesday, June 3, 2008, Barack Obama effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, becoming the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a fall campaign for the White House.

In a remarkable and unusually strong speech on Wednesday morning at a vast annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (AIPAC), Obama presented himself as a tough candidate and vowed unwavering support for Israel, coupled with a willingness to use everything within his power–a phrase that he repeated loudly three times to add emphasis–to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He also stated that America must take the lead in dealing with Iran, as Europe has failed to bring about any acceptable solutions.

AFP added the following in its article of June 4:

“Barack Obama said Wednesday that Jerusalem must remain the ‘undivided’ capital of Israel… Obama said in the strikingly pro-Israel speech that the US bond with the Jewish state was ‘unbreakable today, unbreakable tomorrow, unbreakable for ever,’ adding he was speaking from his heart as a ‘true friend’ of Israel… Obama warned Islamist movement Hamas must renounce violence, pledged to stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself at the United Nations and to provide the Jewish state the means to guarantee its security… ‘There is no room at the negotiating table for terrorist organizations.'”

In its article of June 4, USA Today quoted the following additional comment from Obama’s speech: “…’let there be no doubt: I will always keep the threat of military action on the table to defend our security and our ally Israel. Sometimes there are no alternatives to confrontation.'”

Will European-American Relationships Improve Under a New U.S. President?

Many German commentators and newspapers don’t think so.

Deutsche Welle published the following comment on June 3:

“Lots has been written about the world’s infatuation with Obama, here and elsewhere. With Obama’s candidacy assured, however, how he is perceived by an international audience and what is expected of him becomes more important… A lucid analysis of Obama’s international role and its possible problems offers Constanze Stelzenmüller of the German Marshall Fund of the United States: Entitled The Dalai Obama, Stelzenmüller writes that Germans’ high hopes for an Obama victory are not unfounded, but they may still be disappointed…

“Even if Obama defeats McCain and becomes President, the end of the euphoria is foreseeable writes Stelzenmüller. ‘Obama will call on the help of Germany and the rest of Europe to combat authoritarian regimes worldwide. Iran, NATO in Afghanistan, engagement on Europe’s borders, diplomacy in the Middle East, and perhaps stabilization assistance in Iraq. As an idealist, Obama hopes his appeal to Europe’s sense of responsibility, but if that fails, he must continue as a realist – without Europe.'”

Other German newspapers agree with this assessment. Der Spiegel Online stated the following on June 5, 2008:

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

“‘America is ready for a change and possibly even for a historic transformation … But regardless who gets elected president in November, the change is not going to be as earth-shattering as people expect… In terms of foreign policy, there won’t be a major shift under McCain or Obama — not even a rapid withdrawal of American soldiers from Iraq…’

“In the Hamburg weekly newspaper Die Zeit, journalist Josef Joffe writes: ‘The zeitgeist is blowing for Obama — even if not as strongly in Asia, Africa and Latin America as it is in Western Europe. But an optical illusion may be influencing our opinions: the comforting idea that the real problem is George W. Bush and not America. Out with cowboys and in with change and hope, and then we’ll be able to love America once again.’

“‘So, why is this a mental delusion? First, because anti-Americanism is older than the younger Bush. Second, because Obama (probably) comes, but the superpower stays. America, this modern steam hammer of a nation, is fundamentally a destroyer.

“‘In Old Europe, we’d prefer to take things a bit easier — and, no wonder, after all the catastrophes of the 20th century. And that’s why we don’t want (what former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder once described in his election campaign as) “American conditions.” We also don’t want any American demands about reinforcing the military in Afghanistan or hard sanctions against Iran or civilian assistance in Iraq, which both Obama and McCain would request.'”

2008–Already Deadliest Tornado Year Since 1998

The Associated Press reported on May 28:

“With the year not even half done, 2008 is already the deadliest tornado year in the United States since 1998 and seems on track to break the U.S. record for the number of twisters in a year, according to the National Weather Service. Also, this year’s storms seem to be unusually powerful. But like someone who has lost all his worldly possessions to a whirlwind, meteorologists cannot explain exactly why this is happening…

“And it’s not just more storms. The strongest of those storms — those in the 136-to-200 mph range — have been more prevalent than normal, and lately they seem to be hitting populated areas more…

“Global warming cannot really explain what is happening… While higher temperatures could increase the number of thunderstorms, which are needed to trigger tornadoes, they also would tend to push the storm systems too far north to form some twisters…”

Islamic Terrorists Envision Devastation of America After Nuclear Attack

The Daily Mail wrote on May 30:

“Washington is laid to waste. The Capitol is a blackened, smoking ruin. The White House has been razed. Countless thousands are dead. This is the apocalyptic scene terrorists hope to create if they ever get their hands on a nuclear bomb.

“The computer-generated image below was posted on an Islamic extremists’ website yesterday.

“It appeared as rumours swept the Internet that the FBI was warning that an Al Qaeda video was about to be released urging militants to use weapons of mass destruction to attack the West… One message with the Washington picture said: ‘The next strike’s in the heart of America…’… Last night FBI sources said Al Qaeda was desperate to get its hands on a weapon of mass destruction, be it nuclear, chemical, or biological…”

U.S. Invasion of Iraq Has Failed–Why?

USA Today reported on May 28:

“Too often during this current occupation, Iraqis have been treated as mere pawns in a geopolitical game between the United States and the Baathists or the jihadists. We have surged our military forces and poured billions into the reconstruction but have made relatively little effort to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis by involving them in a common endeavor.

“Instead, we’ve conveyed the sense that the United States is in Iraq for its own interests and not those of the Iraqis. We fight the terrorists there so we don’t fight them here, we say. That may or may not be so, but… democracies are built not by the force of arms or a flood of dollars, but by an active demonstration of faith in the common bonds of humanity.”

Chuck Hagel: “New Great Leaders Will Arrive”

On June 3, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with U.S. Republican Senator Chuck Hagel. We are bringing you the following excerpts from the interview:

“We invaded Iraq, we are occupying Iraq and we have made Iraq dependent on us. By our actions we have done terrible damage to our own country and undermined our interests in the world… Our first moral obligation is to our own people whom we keep sending back to Iraq again and again. Four-thousand US soldiers have given their lives, over 30,000 have been wounded, many seriously. I just got an e-mail today from the father of a helicopter pilot. His son is going back to Iraq for the fifth time. That is not acceptable…

“We need to get out [of Iraq], but responsibly. Much depends on how we are going to engage Iran. That spills over into the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. It spills over into Lebanon. It spills over into the relationship with Syria. We need a regional strategy, and in my view that means a permanent Middle East conference in which all Middle East nations participate. The longer we stay in Iraq, the more difficult it becomes to implement such a process. Many of the Arab nations don’t trust us…

“What has American involvement accomplished so far? The Middle East is as combustible and as complicated as it has ever been. Our policy has been disastrous.. We have to use our economic and also our cultural strength. Trust is the crucial currency in international relations. We willfully diminished the value of this currency and we now have to rebuild it. Trust is more important than anything else…

“A strong America is in the interest of the world. I often meet with foreign leaders and they know that the world is more dangerous when America is stumbling, bumbling and weak. America should lead, but through consensus and common interests…

“We are the greatest debtor nation in the world. We have an enormous trade deficit… you cannot continue to spend $600 billion a year that you do not have. We are spending $3 billion a week in Iraq alone…

“Today, I don’t see any great global leaders of the stature of Reagan, Kohl, Mitterand and Thatcher. They were important, whether you agreed with them or not. But as [former German Chancellor Helmut] Schmidt also told me in my office, there will come a time when we will find those new leaders again.”

Think the U.S. Economy Is Bad? It Will Get MUCH Worse!

The New York Times wrote on June 1:

“Struggling as we are with the housing bust, the credit crunch, shrinking consumption, rising unemployment and faltering business investment, we can be forgiven for thinking that all the big shoes have dropped. There is another one up there, however, and it is about to come down.

“State and city governments have yet to shrink the economy; indeed, they have even managed to prop it up. They have quietly maintained their spending at pre-crisis levels even as they warn of numerous cutbacks forced on them by declining tax revenues. The cutbacks, however, are written into budgets for a fiscal year that begins on July 1, a month away. In the meantime the states and cities, often drawing on rainy-day savings, have carried their share of the load for the national economy.

“That share is gigantic. At $1.8 trillion annually in a $14 trillion economy, the states and municipalities spend almost twice as much as the federal government, including the cost of the Iraq war. When librarians, lifeguards, teachers, transit workers, road repair crews and health care workers disappear, or airport and school construction is halted, the economy trembles. None of that, or very little, has happened so far, not even in California, despite a significant decline in tax revenue.

“’We are looking at a $4 billion cut to public schools and deep cuts that will result in thousands of Californians losing their health care,’ said Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project, offering a preview of coming hardships. ‘But the reality is we have not pulled money off the streets yet.’

“Quite the opposite, the states and municipalities have increased their spending in recent quarters, bolstering the nation’s meager economic growth. Over the past year, they have added $40 billion to their outlays, even allowing for scattered spending freezes and a few cutbacks in advance of July 1. Total employment has also risen. But when the current fiscal year ends in 30 days (or in the fall for many municipalities), state and city spending will fall, along with employment — slowly at first and then quite noticeably after the next president takes office.”

New Law on Global Warming Would Create Giant Tax, Critics Say

The Associated Press reported on June 3:

“The Senate began what is expected to be a weeklong, contentious debate Monday over legislation to combat global warming by mandatory reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases… The Senate measure, which has wide Democratic and some Republican support, would cap U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, cutting them by 18 percent by 2020 and by two-thirds by mid-century. It would specifically target refineries, power plants, factories and transportation for 70 percent reductions…

“Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called it ‘a giant tax on virtually every aspect of the economy,’ and accused Democrats of being ‘laughably out of touch’ in taking up the bill when the country is reeling from $4 a gallon gasoline and other high energy costs. President Bush said at a White House event that the measure amounted to ‘a huge spending bill fueled by tax increases’ and that it ‘would impose roughly $6 trillion in new costs on the American economy.'”

Myanmar’s Military Junta Prevents Aid for Their People

The Associated Press reported on June 3:

“More than 1 million people still don’t have adequate food, water or shelter a month after a devastating cyclone swept through Myanmar, and it’s not clear what the military junta is doing to help them, the United Nations said Tuesday.

“Humanitarian groups say they continue to face hurdles from Myanmar’s military government in sending disaster experts and vital equipment into the country. As a result, only a trickle of aid is reaching the storm’s estimated 2.4 million survivors, leaving many without even basic relief. Aid groups are unable to provide 1.3 million survivors with sufficient food and clean water, while trying to prevent a second wave of deaths from malnutrition and disease, the U.N. said in its latest assessment report…

“Myanmar’s xenophobic military regime left survivors to largely fend for themselves. It barred foreigners from the delta until last week and refused entry to U.S. and French aid-laden naval vessels, which have been idling off the country’s coast.”

AFP added on June 4:

“US warships laden with supplies for Myanmar’s cyclone victims will sail away after the junta refused their help, even as aid workers Wednesday pleaded for more help… The United Nations estimates that of the 2.4 million survivors in need of food and shelter, 1.1 million have received no foreign aid.”

Worldwide Food Price Crisis

AFP wrote on June 3:

“UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for a huge rise in food production Tuesday as world leaders opened a summit on the food price crisis that threatens hunger, poverty and conflict worldwide…

“Prices have doubled in three years, according to the World Bank, sparking riots in Egypt and Haiti and in many African nations. Brazil, Vietnam, India and Egypt have all imposed food export restrictions. Rising use of biofuels, trade restrictions, increased demand from Asia to serve changing diets, poor harvests and increasing transport costs have all been blamed for the price rise.

“World Bank President Robert Zoellick has said two billion people across the world are struggling with high food prices, and 100 million extra people in poor countries may be pushed into poverty by the crisis… Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda urged fellow leaders to release excess stockpiles of food to ease shortages in poorer countries, offering more than 300,000 tonnes of imported rice held by Japan.”

Worldwide Fuel Crisis

The Independet wrote on May 31:

“All around the world, in a multitude of ways, the soaring price of oil is hurting rich and poor alike…

“The number of Britons in ‘fuel poverty’ – 10 per cent of their income goes on energy – is thought to have reached four million… Malaysia has told petrol stations to stop selling fuel to Singapore-registered cars…

“Africa is at the sharp end of the oil shock and the inter-related surge in food prices. With millions living on the tiny margin between subsistence and starvation, fuel costs can quickly become a matter of life and death… There are also growing fears that rapidly increasing fuel prices could have a knock-on effect for aid agencies in countries such as Ethiopia, which are struggling to pay for fuel. This week the Red Cross said in its annual report that rising oil and food costs would mean it now needs much more money than last year just to keep the same level of aid distribution. Africa remains the largest area of Red Cross spending, accounting for 45 per cent of the field budget in 2007…

“In Egypt, petrol prices have risen by as much as 40 per cent in a year. Yemen has been rocked by riots in the south, which is home to only a fifth of its 22 million population but produces 80 per cent of the country’s oil. Young men and separatists, angry that very little of the nation’s oil wealth has trickled down to ordinary people in the south, have been protesting since April, raising concerns that Islamic militants could exploit the unrest in the notoriously fractious country…

“In Gaza this week, where fuel shortages have long been a major source of seething discontent due to rationing by Israel and Hamas, Palestinians were forced to fill their cars with olive oil instead of diesel… Iran is acutely vulnerable to rises in fuel prices because, despite being the world’s second largest producer, it is still forced to import about 40 per cent of its petrol because of a lack of refining facilities. Protests last year over fuel prices brought in rationing, which is still in place in Tehran and other major Iranian cities.”

Germans Don’t Want Darwin Questioned

Deutsche Welle reported on June 4:

“A Swiss firm has announced plans to construct a ‘Genesis Land’ in the Heidelberg area. But local politicians and theologians don’t like the prospect of becoming home to an anti-Darwin amusement park… According to the developers’ plans, Genesis Land would feature a ‘life-sized’ Noah’s arch, a ride simulating the Biblical Flood and a 3-D animated retelling of the New Testament… The project’s Web site says it aims to ‘communicate Biblical history and a Biblical message in a modern, experience oriented way.’…

“But religious and political representatives from the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg are less than enthusiastic… ‘A project like this only gets in the way of our attempts to spread the faith,’ Hansjörg Hemminger, the Wuerttemberg Protestant Church’s Spokesman on World Views told the newspaper Die Welt.

“Civic planners, too, are against Genesis Land. ‘Such a project isn’t going to get any support from us,’ Raban von der Malsburg, the official in charge of construction in Heidelberg, told the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung newspaper. Christoph Trinemeier, the director of a regional association, shares the belief that creationism wouldn’t enhance the area’s reputation. ‘Scientists from the entire world live and do research at the most modern level in our region,’ he said to the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung as grounds for opposing Genesis Land.

“But the project is still very much in the planning stage and may never become reality.”

The Theory of Evolution is wrong. Our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults” proves from Scripture, WHY it is a human fabrication, without any scientific basis whatsoever. Please watch in this regard our latest StandingWatch program, “Is There Life on Mars?” View it on StandingWatch or Google Video or YouTube.

Tissue from Dead People to Create Cloned Stem Cells

On June 1, 2008, The Sunday Times wrote the following:

“Scientists [in the UK] are to be permitted to use tissue from dead people to create cloned human stem cells for research, under a legal change put forward by the government. Health ministers have proposed that laboratories should be allowed to use stored human tissue to create cloned embryonic stem cells without the explicit consent of the tissue donor. This would allow research to be done on tissue donated for medical research as long as 30 years ago. Scientists would also be able to use cells from people who have died since they donated their tissue or who cannot be contacted. Many laboratories have banks of stored tissue which act as DNA libraries…”

“Hate Crimes” in Canada…

WorldNetDaily reported on June 5 about hate crimes in Canada:

“A priest is being investigated as a potential criminal under a federal ‘hate crimes’ law for quoting from the Bible, and he’s being targeted using a Canadian provision under which no defendant ever has been acquitted, according to a new report.

“Pete Vere, a canon lawyer and Catholic journalist, has reported on the prosecution of Father Alphonse de Valk, a pro-life activist known across Canada, by the Canadian Human Rights Commission – ‘a quasi-judicial investigative body with the power of the Canadian government behind it’ – at CatholicExchange.com. ‘What was Father de Valk’s alleged “hate act”?’ Vere wrote.

“‘Father defended the [Catholic] Church’s teaching on marriage during Canada’s same-sex ‘marriage’ debate, quoting extensively from the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Pope John Paul II’s encyclicals. Each of these documents contains official Catholic teaching. And like millions of other people throughout the world and the ages – many of who are non-Catholics and non-Christians – Father believes that marriage is an exclusive union between a man and a woman,’ he wrote.

“The new case comes just as columnist and author Mark Steyn, and Maclean’s magazine which published an excerpt from his ‘America Alone’ book, are on trial before the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal for similar ‘offenses.’… That case revolves around Joseph’s claims the defendants depicted Muslims as ‘a violent people’ with a religion that is ‘violent.'”

… and in Britain…

The Telegraph reported on June 2, 2008:

“A police community support officer ordered two Christian preachers to stop handing out gospel leaflets in a predominantly Muslim area of Birmingham. The evangelists say they were threatened with arrest for committing a ‘hate crime’ and were told they risked being beaten up if they returned. The incident will fuel fears that ‘no-go areas’ for Christians are emerging in British towns and cities…

“The preachers, both ministers in Birmingham, were handing out leaflets on Alum Rock Road in February when they started talking to four Asian youths. A police community support officer… interrupted the conversation and began questioning the ministers about their beliefs. They said when the officer realised they were American, although both have lived in Britain for many years, he launched a tirade against President Bush and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“[One of the ministers] said: ‘I told him that this had nothing to do with the gospel we were preaching but he became very aggressive. He said we were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread our Christian message. He said we were committing a hate crime by telling the youths to leave Islam… West Midlands Police, who refused to apologise, said the incident had been ‘fully investigated’ and the officer would be given training in understanding hate crime and communication.”

… and in Continental Europe

The Associated Press reported on June 3:

“Brigitte Bardot was convicted Tuesday of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying France. A Paris court also handed down a $23,325 fine against the former screen siren and animal rights campaigner. The court also ordered Bardot to pay $1,555 in damages to… [a] leading French anti-racism group known as MRAP…

“In [a] December 2006 letter to Sarkozy, now the president, Bardot said France is ‘tired of being led by the nose by this population that is destroying us, destroying our country by imposing its acts.’ Bardot, 73, was referring to the Muslim feast of Aid el-Kebir, celebrated by slaughtering sheep.

“French anti-racism laws prevent inciting hatred and discrimination on racial or religious… grounds. Bardot had been convicted four times previously for inciting racial hatred.”

These laws are on the books in many parts of Europe. Since they are prohibiting “inciting discrimination on religious grounds,” the time is drawing nearer when religious organizations will be prosecuted in Europe for teaching the Biblical truth about “orthodox Christianity” and especially the history and the prophesied future of Babylon the Great and the woman riding the scarlet-colored beast, as mentioned in Revelation 17 and 18.

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

The USA Is in a Lonely Spot…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Reality has taught America a bitter lesson. Years after the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the wars in those countries are still raging… The United States is in a lonely spot, even in the West. When Tony Blair resigned as British prime Minister, the US lost its last European vassal. In Asia, home to half the world’s population, America has many military bases but virtually no friends. To make matters worse, the weak dollar has made oil-rich Moscow and Tehran both strong and impudent.”

Shift in Global Power NOT in America’s Favor

The New York Times wrote on May 21:

“There has been much debate in this campaign about which of our enemies the next US president should deign to talk to. The real story, the next president may discover, though, is how few countries are waiting around for us to call. It is hard to remember a time when more shifts in the global balance of power are happening at once — with so few in America’s favor…

“[In] ‘The Post-American World,’ by Fareed Zakaria, the editor of Newsweek International, [the following is discussed:]

“Mr. Zakaria’s central thesis is that while the US still has many unique assets, ‘the rise of the rest’ — the Chinas, the Indias, the Brazils and even smaller nonstate actors — is creating a world where many other countries are slowly moving up to America’s level of economic clout and self-assertion, in every realm…”

None of this should surprise us. We have warned for decades that this development would come upon us. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America”

U.S. Housing Slump Continues to Deepen

The Associated Press reported on May 27:

“U.S. home prices dropped at the sharpest rate in two decades during the first quarter, a closely watched index showed Tuesday, a somber indication that the housing slump continues to deepen.

“Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller said its national home price index fell 14.1 percent in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, the lowest since its inception in 1988. The quarterly index covers all nine U.S. Census divisions.”

In a follow-up article, the Associated Press reported on the same day:

“Sales of new homes rose in April for the first time in six months although the unexpected increase still left activity near the lowest level in 17 years.

“The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that sales of new homes rose 3.3 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 526,000 units. But the government revised March activity lower to show an even bigger drop of 11 percent to an annual rate of 509,000, which was the weakest pace for sales since April 1991…

“The Commerce report showed that the median price of a new home sold in April dropped to $246,100 in April, down 4.2 percent from April 2007… Many analysts don’t expect to see a rebound in prices until sometime next year.”

“USA Already In Recession”

On May 28, Der Spiegel Online published a revealing interview with US billionaire Warren Buffett. Buffett does not share the optimism of some regarding an alleged recent improvement of the U.S. economy. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“I do believe that we are already in a recession. Maybe not according to the economists’ definition. That would require two consecutive quarters of negative growth. We haven’t reached that point yet. But people are already feeling the effects of the recession. It will be deeper and last longer than many believe.

“… the Germans know something about business. In fact, the strong euro works against Germany. But if an exporting nation like Germany is still strong, it proves that the supply and quality are right.”

The Associated Press reported on May 29:

“Consumers — whose spending is the economy’s lifeblood — are feeling the pressure from the economy’s problems. They increased spending at just a 1 percent pace in the first quarter. That was the slowest since the last recession in 2001. Consumers are pulling back as high energy and food prices leave them with less money to spend on other things. Falling home values are making many homeowners feel less wealthy and less inclined to spend. And, the credit crunch has made it harder to finance big-ticket purchases…

“Even if economic activity strengthens later this year, the unemployment rate — now at 5 percent — is expected to climb to 6 percent or higher early next year… An inflation measure linked to the GDP report showed that prices grew at a rate of 3.5 percent in the first quarter… Excluding food and energy prices, ‘core’ inflation increased at 2.1 percent pace in the first quarter… The core inflation figure… is still outside the Fed’s comfort zone. The upper level of the Fed’s inflation tolerance is 2 percent… Looking forward, inflation pressures could get worse given surging food and energy prices.”

No Freedom of Conscience for California County Clerks?

The Associated Press reported on May 20:

“The city attorney said Monday that county workers authorized to perform marriage ceremonies must be willing to conduct same-sex marriages under last week’s landmark court ruling, regardless of their personal views on homosexuality. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said in similar letters to the Secretary of State and Los Angeles County Supervisors that any policy that would allow certain workers to conduct only marriages between a man and a woman would be inconsistent with Thursday’s state Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriages in California… ‘County clerks have no legal standing to grant county employees the authority or ability to choose which marriage they wish not to officiate at, based on their personal views or biases,’ he wrote.”

German Government Can’t Rule Effectively

More and more German newspapers and magazines admit now what we have stated from the outset in the pages of this weekly Update: That the German grand coalition under Angela Merkel is unable to rule effectively. Note the following article:

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government will limp on to the next general election in 2009 but is too divided to rule the country effectively… The Social Democrats’ decision on Monday to nominate political professor Gesine Schwan to challenge conservative President Horst Köhler in Germany’s presidential election next May (May 23, 2009) has angered Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and rammed another nail in the coffin of their grand coalition government…

“Merkel’s left-right government is unlikely to fall because neither party will dare to withdraw from the coalition and risk being blamed for its collapse. Both the Social Democrats (SPD) and the CDU know that German voters would punish the perceived culprit at the ballot box. Nevertheless, this government is now too weak and divided to take any major decisions in the remaining 16 months of its term, say commentators…

“The left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The coalition crisis will remain absurd because neither the conservatives nor the SPD will dare to break it up. After all, they haven’t got any alternative coalition partners, and an early election can be ruled out because it would undermine the credibility of both parties if they dissolved parliament prematurely yet again. But this grand coalition won’t be taking any more major decisions. Or put another way: this government has turned into a non-government organization, with immediate effect… The grand coalition was no successful model for Germany…'”

Germany Without Leadership

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Politically, Germany seems rudderless these days. The government and the ruling parties’ leaders are unable to get their projects through or no longer have any policies to agree on.

“… what is the grand coalition good for? What will it do with its remaining 18 months? The government only has two grand projects, a difficult budget and an even more difficult healthcare reform program. The government lacks the strength to tackle any more than that…”

High Gasoline Prices in Europe

Time magazine reported on May 28:

“American motorists are understandably grumbling over skyrocketing oil prices as the summer travel season approaches. But their pain hardly registers against the rage afoot in Europe these days. Fishermen, truck drivers, and farmers are threatening to bring entire economic sectors to a halt with protests against crippling fuel costs. The wave of angry action is expected to spread further across Europe in coming days, despite efforts by political leaders to feel the pain and figure out what, if anything, they can do to alleviate it.

“Strikes and blockades staged over the past three weeks by French fishermen spread this week to Spanish ports; Italy, Portugal, and Greece expect more of the same on Friday as mariners seek to force national governments to offset marine diesel prices, which have shot up by 40% since January. Single boat owners and entire trawler fleets face a real threat of bankruptcy…

“On Tuesday, hundreds of British truck drivers in London and Cardiff brought traffic to a crawl in a campaign to get their government to lower taxes on diesel fuel, which now costs over $11 per U.S. gallon (3.8 liters). Other businesses owners who rely heavily on gas use – including farmers, ambulance and taxi drivers, and private bus companies – have joined the protest movement or are preparing to do so.

“Those labor protests reflect the hit millions of Europeans are taking at the gas pump. As American drivers groan over prices nearing $4 a gallon, the French are paying $8.67 for a gallon of super, compared to $7.10 in January, 2007. A gallon of diesel in French gas stations averages $8.54, up from $5.35 just a year ago. And in the U.K. diesel costs $11.50 per gallon, compared to around $3.90 in the U.S. Across the European Union, the average cost of a gallon of gas runs to about $8.70 – more than twice what Americans are shelling out to fill ‘er up. And Europe’s dizzying fuel costs would be even worse if it weren’t for the considerable appreciation of the euro and the British pound against the dollar over the past year, which has partially off-set the price escalation in dollar-traded oil.

“One big reason for the difference is that European governments put a much higher tax burden on fuel than the U.S. does. State and federal taxes currently make up just 11% of the pump price in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration; in France and the U.K., taxes account for an average of around 70%.

“Given the growing chorus of angry protests, it isn’t surprising that leaders across Europe have begun scurrying for ways to provide some relief at the pump. But their margin for maneuver is limited. On Tuesday, for example, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed suspending most value added tax (VAT) on gas, a measure he said would mean as much as $267 million in savings per quarter to those hit hardest by fuel price increases… But as Sarkozy himself acknowledged, no nation among the European Union’s 27 member states can make such a move without the unanimous approval of the others.”

How Europeans Would Vote in U.S. Presidential Election

The Telegraph reported on May 29:

“Senator Barack Obama emerged as Europe’s favourite candidate for America’s presidency today when a poll conducted for Telegraph.co.uk gave him 52 per cent support across five of the world’s richest nations, including Britain. John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee, received only 15 per cent of the vote in [an] unprecedented survey covering Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia.

“The poll also found a striking level of anti-American feeling in every country. A clear majority of Russians – 56 per cent – believe the US is a ‘force for evil’ in the world. In Britain, only 33 per cent see America as a ‘force for good’.

“Opinion towards America has become steadily more hostile throughout the presidency of George W Bush, with the Iraq war probably being the single most important factor. Mr Bush’s unpopularity appears to have rubbed off on Republican presidential candidates in general. This might explain why Mr McCain, a strong supporter of the Iraq war, is the least popular potential president in all the countries surveyed.

“Meanwhile, Mr Obama, the only consistent opponent of the Iraq war in the race for the presidency, commands a clear lead. He is especially popular in Italy, where a remarkable 70 per cent would vote for him if they could. In France, historically the European country with the strongest anti-American sentiment, 65 per cent would back Mr Obama. In Germany, the Democratic Senator would get 67 per cent of the vote – while Mr McCain would receive a derisory six per cent. Mr Obama appears to have made less of an impact in Britain than elsewhere in Europe. A relatively modest 49 per cent of Britons would vote for him, while 14 per cent would back Mr McCain – twice the totals favouring the Republican candidate in Germany or France.”

“Hezbollah Triumphs in Lebanon”

The Associated Press reported on May 26:

“Lebanon’s new president got a red carpet welcome Monday, but was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah’s leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah delivered his stern message after military bands and an honor guard saluted President Michel Suleiman on his first day on the job… The Shiite militant group has rejected demands it disarm, insisting its weapons are needed to protect Lebanon from Israel…

“Pro-Western political groups, which hold a small majority in parliament, have repeatedly called for a defense arrangement that would eventually integrate Hezbollah’s fighters and weapons into the national army. Hezbollah rejects the idea…”

Der Spiegel Online reported on May 29:

“A new civil war has been averted in Lebanon, and Israel and Syria are back at the negotiating table. But Hezbollah is stronger than ever, and its arsenal is brimming with weapons — partly because the United Nations monitoring program has failed…

“Hezbollah has further expanded its position as a state within a state… Hezbollah and its allies… are expected to receive 11 cabinet posts in the new government of national unity to be formed in Beirut. This bloc will be large enough to veto any cabinet decisions in the future. Most of all, the Qatar agreement allows Hezbollah to keep its weapons, a sensitive issue that all parties to the talks were quick to remove from the agenda…

“Various intelligence services have long been warning of Hezbollah’s regaining strength. Intelligence experts believe that the militia replenished, and even doubled, its arsenal after the summer war against Israel in 2006. Hezbollah is now believed to have 27,000 medium-range missiles, some of which could even reach Tel Aviv… The weapons were purchased with the help of funds from Iran and Syria. In 2007 alone, Hezbollah is believed to have received anti-tank weapons and rocket launchers worth $800 million (€516 million) from Tehran. The weapons were delivered overland through Syria.

“Observers consider it a foregone conclusion that [Hezbollah’s leader] Nasrallah is both capable and willing to engage in a new round of fighting with Israel. Political scientist Saad-Ghureib believes that it is not a question of if, but when, this could occur.”

“Unwinnable War in Afghanistan”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 29:

“Forty nations are embroiled in an unwinnable war in Afghanistan. Anyone who travels through the country with Western troops soon realizes that NATO forces would have to be increased tenfold for peace to be even a remote possibility.”

The article continued:

“Good days are in short supply in Afghanistan, a country at war — or involved in several wars, to be exact. There is constant fighting on many fronts, hard and soft. The newspapers, and there are many of them in Kabul now, serve up pages of chaotic images every day. Their reports are about bombs and drinking water, holy warriors and wheat prices, NATO air attacks and schoolbooks, kidnapped children, refugees and bandits.

“Almost seven years have passed since the overthrow of the Taliban regime, and in those seven years half of the world has tried to bring a better future and, most of all, peace to this new country, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As part of the NATO military operation known as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), 40 nations have 60,000 soldiers deployed in the country. There are 26 United Nations organizations in Afghanistan, and hundreds of private and government agencies are pumping money, materials and know-how into the country’s 34 provinces. But anyone seeking success stories or asking about failures will encounter reports that do not seem to be coming from the same country…

“There is no peace anywhere in Afghanistan, not even in the north, which officials repeatedly insist has been pacified… The United States and Europe have stumbled their way into a new type of international war, one in which all of today’s global and regional powers are involved…

“Since the fall of the Taliban regime almost seven years ago, the country’s opium harvest has been more abundant in almost each successive year. Last year, 93 percent of the heroin traded in the world came from Afghanistan… For fear of triggering hostility against foreign troops among the local population, the powers that be agreed early on that the Afghans would have sole responsibility for waging the drug war, with no NATO involvement whatsoever.”

And There WILL BE Earthquakes in Different Places…

On May 25, AFP wrote the following:

“A major quake such as the one that left at least 60,000 dead in southwestern China this month can trigger other earthquakes half way around the world, according to a study released Sunday… A team of geologists in the United States found that 12 out of 15 major quakes — registering a magnitude of 7.0 or higher — since 1990 generated surface waves that set off smaller seismic events in fault systems on distant continents… The terrible December 2004 mega-quake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, for example, provoked seismic events as far away as Alaska, California and Ecuador.

“There is a better than 95 percent likelihood that the earthquake rate in distant areas will be much higher in the immediate aftermath of a big quake than before or after, the study found. And while the seismic movements triggered by far away quakes were generally smaller — in the three-to-five magnitude range — there is no reason they could not be as big or bigger than the first.”

When the “Big One” Hits…

The Associated Press wrote on May 21:

“The ‘Big One,’ as earthquake scientists imagine it in a detailed, first-of-its-kind script, unzips California’s mighty San Andreas Fault north of the Mexican border. In less than two minutes, Los Angeles and its sprawling suburbs are shaking like a bowl of jelly. The jolt from the 7.8-magnitude temblor lasts for three minutes –15 times longer than the disastrous 1994 Northridge quake.

“Water and sewer pipes crack. Power fails. Part of major highways break. Some high-rise steel frame buildings and older concrete and brick structures collapse. Hospitals are swamped with 50,000 injured as all of Southern California reels from a blow on par with the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina: $200 billion in damage to the economy, and 1,800 dead. Only about 700 of those people are victims of building collapses. Many others are lost to the 1,600 fires burning across the region — too many for firefighters to tackle at once.

“A team of about 300 scientists, governments, first responders and industries worked for more than a year to create a realistic crisis scenario… The scenario is focused on the San Andreas Fault… [which] is the source of some of the largest earthquakes in state history, including the monstrous magnitude-7.8 quake that reduced San Francisco to ashes and killed 3,000 people in 1906…”

Even though these are frightening figures, it appears that they are far too conservative and optimistic. The reality will be MUCH grimmer–and who is to say that the earthquake which WILL hit Southern California in the not-too-distant future [and much sooner than 30 years from now] will not exceed a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale? The Bible predicts terrible calamities in the USA and around the world. Notice Jesus’ warning in Luke 21:11, 25-26:

“And there will be GREAT earthquakes in VARIOUS places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven… And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth DISTRESS OF NATIONS, with PERPLEXITY, the SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING; men’s hearts failing them from FEAR AND EXPECTATION of those things which ARE COMING on the earth, for the powers of the heavens WILL BE shaken.”

For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord“