A New Middle East Being Born?

Newsweek reported on July 28:

“A New York Times/CBS News poll found a strong isolationist streak emerging, with 58 percent saying the United States has no responsibility to resolve the conflict between Israel and other countries in the Middle East, and 56 percent supporting a timetable for getting out of Iraq. A substantial majority of 62 percent say the Iraq war has not been worth it in terms of lives lost and dollars spent… Dale Bishop… taught Iranian studies at Columbia University and for 20 years served as Middle East area executive for the United Church of Christ. He spent much of his time reminding us of Lebanon’s bloody history and how Iraq seems destined to go down the same path.

“Both countries are artifacts of the colonial era. Winston Churchill drew the border lines for Iraq. The first Iraqi king was a Saudi-born royal who had not set foot in the new nation until he was installed. Lebanon was carved out of Syria by the French, who wanted a place for the Christian population… Lebanon has 17 sects, including a variety of Christians, Shiite and Sunni Muslims and Druze, and they fought a prolonged civil war that didn’t end until 1991. It was said that the fighting would continue until only a single Lebanese was left, and he would look at himself in the mirror and shoot the mirror. U.S. troops were in the middle of that mess until 241 American servicemen were ambushed and killed in their barracks in 1983. That was enough for President Reagan. He pulled out U.S. troops…

“The Lebanese continued to fight it out without U.S. forces, an outcome Bishop believes will eventually happen in Iraq. ‘And it’s not going to be pretty,’ he says. ‘We walked into a huge mess, and we’re not going to achieve a military victory—and our pride prevents us from just leaving… it’s a new Middle East that’s being born…”

“Hezbollah Are Cowards”

On July 31, News Herald Sun published several pictures showing that Hezbollah terrorists are using Lebanese civilians as “human shields” in their fight against Israel. The article stated:

“The images… show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons. Dressed in civilian clothing so they can quickly disappear, the militants [are] carrying automatic assault rifles and ride in on trucks mounted with cannon… The images include one of a group of men and youths preparing to fire an anti-aircraft gun metres from an apartment block with sheets hanging out on a balcony to dry. The release of the images comes as Hezbollah faces criticism for allegedly using innocent civilians as ‘human shields’. [UN’s humanitarian chief Jan] Egeland blasted Hezbollah as ‘cowards’ for operating among civilians. ‘When I was in Lebanon, in the Hezbollah heartland, I said Hezbollah must stop this cowardly blending in among women and children,’ he said.”

Christ’s Return in Our Lifetime?

On July 28, MSNBC.com published an interview with Tim LaHaye, coauthor of the popular “Left Behind” series. In the interview, LaHaye stated the following:

“Biblically speaking, the very nations that are mentioned in prophecy—and have been mentioned for 2,500 years as occupying the focus of the tension of the last days—are the very nations that are involved in the conflict [in the Middle East] right now. That may be one of the reasons there’s a sudden interest in bible prophecy because all of a sudden they realize end-time events could possibly take place and break forth right now… I have often said that no one knows the day nor the hour that Christ will come, but no generation has had so many signs of the times as our generation. We have more reason to believe that Christ could come in our lifetime than any generation before us…

“We believe that the Bible should be understood literally whenever possible. The next big event is the second coming of Christ. That’s preceded by a number of signs. And some of those signs could be stage-setting right now. They’re not going to come out of nowhere. For example, the Bible predicts when the antichrist comes and sits at his kingdom…, he’s going to have one world economy and one world government and one world religion. We’re already moving rapidly in the direction of those very things.”

Extreme Worldwide Weather Conditions

The Sunday Times reported on July 30:

“It looks like being the hottest July on record but Britain is not alone in experiencing extreme conditions… Hot, arid weather is afflicting millions in America and in dozens of countries across Europe and parts of east Asia. The phenomenon has surprised meteorologists who are used to seeing drought as a regional, not global, problem. This weekend they said early analysis of the hot weather, together with the size of the areas affected, suggested it was linked to global climate change…

“In California the temperature in Death Valley reached 56.5C and in many west coast towns it exceeded 40C. An estimated 130 people have been killed by the heat and demand for power to run air-conditioning overloaded power stations, leaving some areas without electricity for up to three days. In South America, mid-winter temperatures in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Brazil are up to 7C higher than average. The accompanying drought has reduced the giant Iguazu falls on the Brazil-Argentina border to a trickle. Temperatures are averaging 7C higher than usual across southern England and Scotland… Even Mediterranean countries were caught unawares. Last week Spain and France, hit by temperatures 7-9C above average, had to shut down nuclear power stations as the rivers supplying water for cooling became too warm.

“Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern India hit 3C above normal and much of central China was up by 5C. A drought, the worst for 60 years, is affecting the Chongqing region, leaving 2m short of water.”

Iran and Venezuela–Kindred Spirits?

The Guardian Unlimited reported on July 30:

“The presidents of Iran and Venezuela, leading U.S. critics, pledged Saturday to support one another in disputes with Washington… Iran’s president… said he saw in the Venezuelan president a kindred spirit. Chavez… said he admired the Iranian president for ‘his wisdom and strength.’ He invited Iranian oil companies to invest in Venezuela… Earlier this week [Chavez] secured an arms agreement with Russia that prompted U.S. criticism. Chavez boasted in Moscow on Thursday that Russia had helped his country break a U.S.-imposed ‘blockade’ by agreeing to sell fighter planes and helicopters worth billions of dollars to Venezuela… During his visit to Qatar, which began Friday, Chavez said Venezuela could eventually export guns and ammunition to Bolivia and other allies once these plants were built…”

Haider’s Strong Words

The Austrian Press reported on July 30 about Joerg Haider’s outspoken comments about and strong reaction to the crisis in the Middle East. According to Networld, Haider was quoted as saying in an interview with APA:

“The USA doesn’t fight the axis of evil–they ARE the axis of evil… [As was the case in Iraq] so they want a war in Lebanon at any cost…”

The article continued to point out that Haider remarked that European peace-keeping troops ought to replace the American military in Iraq and Afghanistan; that America is motivated by its interests in oil; and that it is willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians for those interests. He insisted that Austria protest officially against “Israel’s aggression in Lebanon” and he demanded to “dismiss Israel’s ambassador in Austria.”

EU Condemns Israel

On July 31, The Associated Press reported about Europe’s reaction to Israel’s airstrike on the Lebanese city of Qana. The article stated:

“… officials from the Finnish EU presidency, the European Commission as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana agreed to condemn the bombing as ‘unjustifiable.’… Solana declared that ‘nothing can justify’ the attack and the death of innocent civilians in Qana… The leaders of the UK and Germany, prime minister Tony Blair and chancellor Angela Merkel, in a joint statement after the Qana attack stressed the ‘urgency of the need for a ceasefire as soon as possible,’ but refrained from using the word ‘immediate.’ ‘It is now necessary to work in New York on the preconditions for such a ceasefire,’ the Blair-Merkel statement said.”

The Turning Point in Qana

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 31 about the reaction of the German press to Israel’s attack on Qana. The overall consensus was that the incident in Qana hurt Israel and helped Hezbollah. The article stated:

“At the start of Israel’s siege on militants in Lebanon, world opinion tilted toward Jerusalem — even some Arab governments made hushed noises against Hezbollah. But after an attack on a Lebanese village killed over 50 civilians on Sunday, that honeymoon is well and truly over, writes the German press. The deadly strike on the village of Qana on Sunday by Israeli planes has marked a sea-change in the almost three-week war in Lebanon: Not only did Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora publicly [uninvite] Condoleezza Rice to Beirut for peace talks; not only did Lebanese protesters smash windows at the UN building in Beirut; now world opinion seems to have shifted against Israel, and the violence threatens to hand Hezbollah militants a propaganda coup… At least 56 people died in the raid, including 37 children. Israel said it was unaware civilians were in the basement of a building when its planes bombed the village. But the strike outraged Lebanese people who remember a similar attack in Qana ten years ago, when Israel bombed a UN compound there during its so-called ‘Grapes of Wrath’ operation, killing 102 civilians…

“German editorial pages on Monday unanimously argue that the war has moved into a dangerous and perhaps unwinnable phase. The right-wing daily Die Welt suspects that Israel’s military ‘doesn’t know which strategy to take. It attacks, then it retreats.’ The lack of strategy leads to politically ‘tragic mistakes,’ and even an ‘immediate ceasefire’ now may give the terrorists a ‘world-shuddering victory — a victory which would also be expensive for us (in Europe)’… the left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung argues that it’s now too late for a sudden peace… ‘An immediate unconditional cease-fire will be the same as a victory for Hezbollah.’ The paper argues that Israel and the US have already lost ‘on the field of diplomacy,’ and that absent a quick military success, ‘Qana in 2006 will be what Qana in 1996 became: the writing on the wall that led to Israel’s retreat from Lebanon.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland… agrees with other papers that a retreat or a cease-fire will do no good. The last time Israel retreated from Lebanon, in 2000, it was ‘celebrated as a triumph for Hezbollah, and established its mythic status. As everyone can see, it didn’t serve the cause of peace.’ The paper isn’t optimistic about continued fighting, either, because the violence has already hurt Israel’s standing as a diplomatic negotiator. ‘The unprecedented criticism that Arab governments from Egypt to Saudi Arabia expressed against Hezbollah at the start of the current war has gone mute again.’ Although many leaders in the Middle East hate the idea of Iran spreading its influence through Hezbollah, the paper writes, now they have to show ‘solidarity’ with the Lebanese.”

The Pope Condemns Israel

According to an article in the German paper, NetZeitung, dated July 30, the Pope condemned Israel’s attack on Qana and stated: “In the name of God I am asking all responsible for this spiral of violence to immediately put down their weapons.” He continued to state that we “cannot build a new world order and peace with the vehicle of violence.” He asked, in German, to “pray to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, that the hardness of our hearts would cease and that the weapons would finally be silenced.”

Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon?

The Associated Press reported on August 2:

“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that Israel’s three-week-old offensive in Lebanon will stop only after a robust international peacekeeping force is in place in southern Lebanon… His comments on the international force were his clearest indication to date that Israel would resist European pressure for an immediate cease-fire. It’s not clear how long it will take to put such a force together… Turning to Syria to help solve the crisis would be useless, he said.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on August 2:

“Dealing a blow to a U.S.-backed strategy for Lebanon, France has refused to participate in a meeting of nations that could send troops to help monitor a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, even though it may join–and possibly even lead–such a force. The French refusal to take part in the meeting, set to take place at the U.N. on Thursday, reflects a wide divergence in views between Washington and Paris about how to impose a lasting peace after three weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah. France doesn’t even want to talk about sending peacekeepers until fighting halts…

“France, Italy, Germany, Ireland and Turkey have said they are considering joining a multinational force, and France, which has taken a prominent role in diplomacy over Lebanon, could lead it.”

However, according to other news, Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, told German tabloid Bild am Sonntag over the weekend that her country’s military capacities are “largely exhausted” with Berlin already providing peacekeeping contingents to Congo, the western Balkans and Afghanistan.

“The EU Must Act”

On July 29, the EUOberserver wrote a remarkable article, titled, “The EU Must Act.” In the article, it was stated:

“The international conference in Rome on July 26 offered hope that a consensus could be reached on a plan that would end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. But the conference ended without a resolution, and the members of the European Union are scrambling to salvage their first diplomatic attempt to end the current crisis. The EU should not be discouraged; it is capable of conducting a pro-active foreign policy and has the ability to commit the necessary financial, diplomatic, and military resources to bring stability and peace to the region. The EU must act decisively as a counterbalance to US unilateralism by proposing a European solution to the current crisis…  the chief problem is that the EU, which has an unprecedented opportunity to bring regional stability and an end to the deadly conflict between Israel and its neighbours, is holding back, as if it needs a permission slip from the United States before it can act.

The article continued:

“Unlike the US… the EU is still a credible broker in the region; Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority are members of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP)– their relationship yields more than $45 billion in trade annually… The European Union should consider the immediate dispatch of its EU Rapid Reaction Force (RRF)… to southern Lebanon. The RRF is a European military force that can be ‘triggered in situations of crisis and armed conflict’… Its development was predicated on the idea that the EU needs a force that can act independently of US-led NATO missions… The case for an EU force must also take into account Europe’s refusal to list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which opens the door for direct negotiations with hopes for the possibility that an EU force can maintain the peace without firing a shot.”

Opposition in Israel to the War in Lebanon

News Haaretz reported on July 31:

“The first person to refuse to do army service during the current fighting was sentenced Sunday to 28 days in a military prison. According to the refusal organization Yesh Gvul, which issued a public statement Sunday urging others to follow in Amir Fester’s footsteps, more than 10 other people have contacted the organization about the possibility of refusing to serve… Sunday’s bombing in Qana sparked an immediate surge in Israeli opposition to the fighting in Lebanon. Spontaneous demonstrations and petitions were organized within hours, and drew more people than the organized demonstrations of the previous two weeks…

“More than 600 people… have signed an international petition calling for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank… Thousands of Israeli Arabs took to the streets of Umm al-Fahm on Sunday evening to protest the war in Lebanon following the bombing of the village of Qana.”

IRS Warns Churches

The Associated Press reported on July 18:
 
“The Internal Revenue Service has been warning churches and nonprofit organizations that improper campaigning in the upcoming political season could endanger their tax-exempt status. In notices to more than 15,000 tax-exempt organizations, numerous church denominations and tax preparers, the agency has detailed its new enforcement program, called the Political Activity Compliance Initiative… Under the initiative, the IRS plans to expedite investigations into claims of improper campaigning, no longer waiting for an annual tax return to be filed or the tax year to end before launching a probe. A three-member committee will make an initial review of complaints and then vote on whether to pursue the investigation in detail.”
The article continued:

“Since 2004, the IRS has investigated more than 200 organizations, including All Saints Church in Pasadena. Two days before the 2004 presidential election, the Rev. George F. Regas, the church’s former rector, delivered a guest sermon that pictured Jesus in a debate with George W. Bush and John Kerry. Although Regas didn’t endorse a candidate, he said Jesus would have told Bush that his pre-emptive war policy ‘has led to disaster.’ The church drew national attention when the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints, disclosed the IRS investigation and later said the agency believed the church had violated federal tax code barring tax-exempt organizations from intervening in political campaigns and elections. Church leaders have not heard from the IRS since October, when the agency said the investigation was being taken to a higher level, according to Regas. The IRS has not confirmed whether the investigation is still ongoing…

“This month, OMB Watch, a Washington-based nonprofit government watchdog group, issued a report criticizing the IRS enforcement program and said the program could prompt retaliatory and harassment complaints unless the agency develops clear guidelines.”

“Israel’s Reaction Is Right!”

Der Spiegel Online published an article by Matthias Küntzel, a German political scientist and publicist, arguing that “Israel’s reaction is right.” The article stated:

“German and European public opinion does take sides — and it tends to side with the apparent underdog and against Israel. It has almost become a reflex on the Continent. In 2003, 59 percent of all Europeans pointed to Israel as the country presenting the greatest risk to world peace. On the third day of the current crisis, fully three quarters of all Germans polled were convinced that Israel was overreacting and using too much force in its response to Hezbollah. And since then, the images coming from the war zone have set the tenor: A cease-fire, most believe, should begin as soon as possible.

“I disagree — and have four reasons for doing so.

“First, Israel is fighting a just war. Germany and the European Union should unequivocally back Israel… Islamism has attacked Israel from both the south and the north and Israel has no choice but to react. But there is more to it than that. Israel’s military operation is important for the entire Western world… Islamism isn’t out to change Israeli policy in the region, Islamism is out to completely eradicate the country of Israel…

“Second, Israel wants peace… So far, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government has succeeded in coupling its military operation with transparent political goals. Every step can be justified. On the one hand, Israel recognizes Lebanon as a sovereign state, thus making it responsible for the Hezbollah attack on July 12 in which the group abducted two Israeli soldiers. On the other hand, Israel’s war aims have been clearly stated… The fighting serves to achieve the following aims: a. The implementation of United Nations resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah; b. The implementation of UN resolution 5241, which calls for south Lebanon to be solely under the control of the Lebanese army, and c. The unconditional return of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers…  The infrastructure in Lebanon is being attacked, but only insofar as it is relevant to the arming and operations of Hezbollah. The Lebanese civilian population has been warned with leaflets and radio messages prior to attacks in residential areas. Hezbollah, on the other hand, is marching to a different drummer. Their motto is: ‘You love life, we love death.’… Hezbollah is not only happy to kill as many Jews as possible, it is not bothered by the deaths of Shiite Muslims as well and has thus strategically based many of their rockets directly in the middle of Shiite residential districts.

“Third, there is no alternative to Israel’s current military operation. Will Hezbollah ever willingly give up their weapons? Not a chance! The Jihad against Israel is the foundation of the militant group’s very existence. For Hezbollah members, the destruction of Israel is not only non-negotiable, it is a religious duty. Hezbollah only understands the language of violence and Israel’s military is the only force that is in a position to effectively confront Hezbollah. A United Nations force would never be able to achieve what Israel could… With this in mind, the demand for an immediate cease-fire is the equivalent of a plea for saving Hezbollah.

“Fourth, Israel’s military operation has already resulted in positive effects. One can already see some positive results from the Israeli operation — the strength of which clearly took Hezbollah and its supporters by surprise. Whereas the process of ‘critical dialogue’ — supported especially by Germany — with the Mullah dictatorship in Iran and with anti-Semitic terror groups tended to strengthen those groups, the Israeli offensive seems to have started a paradigm shift in the Middle East: For the first time in the history of the Middle East conflict, an overwhelming majority of the Arab League distanced itself from Hezbollah’s ‘dangerous adventurism.’

“Israel must not be forced to abandon its war against Hezbollah, rather it must win the conflict. Just as Hezbollah is fighting the war as Iran’s proxy, Israel is fighting genocidal Islamism as the proxy for the rest of the Western world. The least Israel should be able to expect from the West is that it not be betrayed.”

Whether Israel–strictly based on human reasoning–is fighting a “righteous war” or not, is not really the most important issue. How does GOD–not man–look at this present situation? For more information, please make sure to view our StandingWatch programs, “War in the Middle East?” and “Why No Peace in the Middle East?”

American Hypocrisy?

The British paper, The Independent, published a thought-provoking article on July 21 about perceived glaring hypocrisy between America’s domestic and foreign policy. The article stated:

“Yesterday US troops killed five people, including two women and a child, in the city of Baquba [Iraq] during a raid, claiming they had been shot at. At best it was a tragic error, at worst it spoke to the cavalier attitude of the US towards Iraqi civilian lives. Local police said that a man had fired from a rooftop at the Americans because he thought a hostile militia force was approaching. While the eyes of the world are elsewhere, Baghdad is still dying and the daily toll is hitting record levels. While the plumes of fire and smoke over Lebanon have dominated headlines for 11 days, with Britain and the US opposing a UN call for an immediate ceasefire, another Bush-Blair foreign policy disaster is unfolding in Iraq.

“Invoking the sanctity of human life, George Bush wielded the presidential veto for the first time in his presidency to halt US embryonic stem cell research in its tracks. He… talked of preventing the ‘taking of innocent human life’. How hollow that sounds to Iraqis. More people are dying here–probably more than 150 a day–in the escalating sectarian civil war between Shia and Sunni Muslims and the continuing war with US troops than in the bombardment of Lebanon.

“In a desperate effort to stem the butchery, the government yesterday imposed an all-day curfew on Baghdad, but tens of thousands of its people have already run for their lives. In some parts of the city, dead bodies are left to rot in the baking summer heat because nobody dares to remove them…Iraqis are terrified in a way that I have never seen before, since I first visited Baghdad in 1978. Sectarian massacres happen almost daily. The UN says 6,000 civilians were slaughtered in May and June, but this month has been far worse. In many districts it has become difficult to buy bread because Sunni assassins have killed all the bakers who are traditionally Shia…

“I never expected the occupation of Iraq by the US and Britain to end happily. But I did not foresee the present catastrophe. Baghdad has survived the Iran-Iraq war, the 1991 Gulf War, UN sanctions, more bombing and, finally, a savage guerrilla war. Now the city is finally splitting apart, and–most surprising of all–this disaster scarcely gets a mention on the news as the world watches the destruction of Beirut so many miles away.”

Cease Fire Or Not?

The British paper, The Independent, wrote on July 21:

“Israeli warplanes continued their bombardment of Lebanon yesterday, defying a demand by Kofi Annan for an immediate end to fighting on the ninth day of a war that has led to the ‘collective punishment of the Lebanese people’. Two countries, the US and Britain, defiantly refused to back the international clamour for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas… [This] has given Israel a powerful signal that it can continue its attacks with impunity… Mr Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, used his emotive statement to the Security Council to reflect the deep-seated international unease about the human cost of Israel’s response to the onslaught of rockets from Hizbollah guerrillas backed by Syria and Iran. ‘What is most urgently needed is an immediate cessation of hostilities,’ he said. However, he added that there were ‘serious obstacles to reaching a ceasefire, or even to diminishing the violence quickly.’…

“The statement was sharply criticised by Israel and the United States… Britain and the US say they are not opposed to a ceasefire, but that Hizbollah must first stop firing missiles from south Lebanon into Israel and release two abducted soldiers. Countries such as Russia, which are calling for an immediate end to the fighting, have accused Israel of harbouring broader strategic goals than the simple return of the soldiers… The EU said yesterday that a ceasefire was essential before any peacekeeping mission can be deployed to southern Lebanon, and said the two sides were ‘not listening enough’ to calls for an end to violence.”

The Associated Press reported on July 26:

“U.S., European and Arab officials holding crisis talks on Lebanon failed to agree Wednesday on an immediate plan to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas… After listening to a dramatic appeal from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora for them to stop the killing, the officials said they had agreed on the need to deploy an international force under the aegis of the United Nations in southern Lebanon… The United States and Britain opposed the push for a quick cease-fire, saying any truce should ensure that Hezbollah no longer is a threat to Israel and should ensure a durable peace… The foreign ministers and other senior officials from 15 nations, as well as Annan and representatives from the European Union and the World Bank, agreed on a declaration that expressed ‘deep concern’ for the high number of civilian casualties in Lebanon, where government officials say hundreds of people have been killed… In Brussels, European Union officials said a meeting of foreign ministers would be held Aug. 1 to discuss the violence.”

Der Spiegel Online added on July 27:

“The Rome peace conference was widely derided as a failure on Wednesday, but Israel has claimed its one achievement was to affirm support for a continued bombardment of Lebanon…”

And so, the bloodshed, including the deaths of innocent civilians on both sides, will continue…

International Peacekeepers in Lebanon?

The Associated Press reported on July 23:

“President Bush’s chief of staff said Sunday international peacekeepers might be needed in Lebanon to help end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants, but that U.S. troop involvement was unlikely… Israel’s defense minister said Sunday that his country would accept a temporary international force, preferably headed by NATO, along the Lebanese border to keep Hezbollah guerrillas away from Israel, according to officials in the minister’s office.”

Der Spiegel Online added on July 25:

“CNN also reported that Rice suggested more than 10,000 Turkish and Egyptian soldiers be used and be placed under NATO or UN command after a cease-fire. In a second phase, the contingent would be expanded to 30,000. Rice had discussed the plan with the Israeli government but it was not clear whether Egypt and Turkey had agreed, the report said. Meanwhile Germany continues to agonize about whether it should send troops as part of such a force. The general secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Stephan Kramer, told German radio: ‘There are many Shoah survivors still alive in Israel, fortunately. And I don’t know what they would think if German troops had to take action against an Israeli soldier defending his country.’ Germany’s history made it problematic to send German troops to the region, he said.”

What Do Iranians Think?

On July 23, 2006, the British magazine, “Time,” published an article, titled, “Meanwhile, the view from inside Iran.” In the article, it was pointed out:

“To many observers in the Western world, Hizballah, the Lebanese guerrilla group battling Israel, is a mere puppet of Iran. Some are convinced that Hizballah triggered the crisis on Tehran’s orders to divert world attention away from Iran’s controversial nuclear plans. But client states are not necessarily as docile as one might think. Just as Israel sometimes takes actions that surprise (and even displease) the U.S., Hizballah does things Iran has neither ordered up nor necessarily approves of.

“It’s impossible to know the precise origins of the current crisis in Lebanon, but since it erupted two weeks ago, the mood in Tehran has swung between indifference–the fighting rarely makes the headlines–and resentment over Iran’s longstanding sponsorship of Hizballah. True, there have been officially sponsored rallies declaring support for Hizballah, whose leaders pledge religious allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatullah Ali Khamenei. But the emotional support for Hizballah common throughout the Arab world is largely absent here…

“It’s not only ordinary Iranians who are worried about what the Middle East explosion means for Iran. Even as state infomercials order Iranians to boycott soft drinks, officials in Tehran–pragmatists and conservatives alike–concur that the conflict is bad news for the Iranian regime because it exacerbates the West’s image of Tehran as a regional troublemaker. Rather than helpfully distracting attention from Iran, as many have charged, the conflict ‘undermines Iran’s position,’ says a university professor close to senior Iranian officials.

“The thorny nuclear negotiations with the West are likely to become even trickier. The delay in efforts to enforce a cease-fire in Lebanon is inflaming divisions within the Iranian regime on how to respond to the U.S.-backed package of incentives offered to Tehran in June. Before the crisis erupted, the momentum seemed to favor advocates of a pragmatic, positive response. But now the radicals are using the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign in Lebanon to push their case for a tough line. As an adviser to a senior conservative ayatullah puts it, ‘This has strengthened the hand of those who argue,”If this happened to us, the only thing that would save us is a nuclear deterrent.”‘”

Four UN Observers Killed

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 26 that “United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused Israel of deliberately targeting a UN observation post in an air raid which killed four UN observers on Tuesday night…  Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he had told Annan of his ‘deep sorrow’ at the killing of the observers, but voiced shock at Annan’s suggestion the attack was deliberate… China condemned the air raid, in which a Chinese national was killed. Its official Xinhua news agency said the other three observers were from Finland, Austria and Canada.”

America Unable To Solve the World’s Problems

On July 27, MSNBC.com posted an article on its Webpage, titled, “A Mission Unaccomplished.” In the article, it was stated:

“The war unfolding in the Middle East marks a new era. For Israel and the Palestinians, it is the end of any prospect for peace. For Israel and Hizbullah, it is the beginning of a death struggle. For newly reborn Lebanon, led by a West-leaning government that sprang from last year’s anti-Syrian Cedar Revolution, it’s a loss beyond calculation. And for the United States, it’s the last gasp of a cosmically naive pipe dream. A Middle East Pax Americana, topped by a friendly post-Saddam Iraq with democracies popping up like mushrooms across a once autocratic landscape? What rubbish. The United States is now bogged down, Israel is under threat, Lebanon is collapsing, Iraq is on the verge of civil war and Iran is fanning the flames across the region while pursuing its nuclear policy and calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. And in those unfortunate places where elections have indeed been held, Islamists swept the ballots, surfing on popular resentment against America, Israel and the West.”

It’s All President Bush’s Fault…

On July 25, The Russian paper, Pravda, published an overly simplified article by Rodrigue Tremblay, a professor emeritus of economics at the University of Montreal. However, the article shows the willingness of many to blame President Bush for almost everything which goes wrong these days in the world. The article stated:

“Coincidence or not, things started to go bad internationally soon after George W. Bush squeezed into power in January 2001, with the help of a one-member majority of the U.S. Supreme Court. Days after his inauguration, the new president began uttering incendiary statements, seemingly designed to provoke the Muslim world, but also to bully America’s allies… To what extent the al-Qaeda attacks of 9/11 were in response to Bush’s provocations, we will probably never know. One thing is certain, however, and it is that they surely did not help… The U.N.-sanctioned 2001 attacks against the al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan were accepted by the rest of the world as a necessary military mission to extirpate the virus of Islamist terrorism. Such was not the case with the unprovoked 2003 war against Iraq. There were no Islamist terrorists in Iraq before George W. Bush decided on his own to invade and occupy that country militarily…

“Bush II also demonstrated how irremediably caught up he is in the tangled neocon web when, in early July 2006, he ‘authorized’ Israel’s Ehud Olmert to indiscriminately bomb the defenseless country of Lebanon, even though there were 25,000 Americans in that country and hundreds of thousands of other nationals at risk. What’s more, Israeli offensive military forces were dropping American bombs on Beirut and on Lebanese villages. As a consequence, more than 350 Lebanese and other nationals, nearly all of whom were civilians and a third, children, have perished under Israeli bombs… In the Muslim world… [the] advent of democracy has been set back decades because Bush’s illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq has resulted in an Islamist and anti-democracy reaction. This reaction has been exacerbated by the military invasion of Lebanon by the U.S.’s client state, Israel… Even in Turkey, the most pro-Western Islamic country and a member of NATO, the anti-West mood is ‘rising’. The very idea of exporting ‘democracy’ with bombs and tanks was crazy to begin with, more like a cruel hoax. Elections in some of the most extreme Islamic countries were bound to bring anti-West religious parties to power.

“Indeed, in recent general elections in many Middle East countries, Islamist parties have obtained significant victories: for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, for Hamas in Palestine, for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and for a host of Islamist religious parties in Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan. As time goes on and the American-led occupation of Iraq and the Israeli occupation of Lebanon persist, and as American puppet Israel continues to kill innocent civilians in Gaza and in Lebanon, radical Islamist parties will gain further in popularity in most, if not all, Muslim countries. The U.S. will lose any following and Western values will be shunted aside in favor of radical Islamism. What a mess! It is really true that under the failed leadership of George W. Bush, the world is going to hell (politically, economically and morally speaking)!”

Why do we find so much anti-Americanism in the world? For answers, please read our free booklets, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” and, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Interview With Lebanese President Emile Lahoud

On July 14, 2006, Der Spiegel published an interview with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud. His statements are remarkable in light of the present war in the Middle East and reflect quite a different mindset than that of the Western World, showing that a peaceful solution for the country of Lebanon is as far away as ever. Lahoud stated:

“I myself built up [the Lebanese] army following the civil war and integrated all the religious groups: Muslims, Christians and Druze. This army is there to secure internal peace, but it is not an army to fight a war… But it wasn’t the army that freed the occupied south of the country, rather it was the resistance which achieved that. Without this resistance Lebanon would still be occupied today… Naturally the strongholds of the resistance [i.e., Hezbollah] are not known [to the Lebanese army or the Israelis]. Despite the hail of bombs, the Israelis have been unable to produce one single photo of a destroyed resistance base, because they don’t know where they are. Army bases, on the other hand, are well known and this is why they are invariably destroying our armed forces and, above all, civilian targets… The Israeli armed forces are destroying Lebanon, and the international community isn’t trying to hold them back, but giving them more time to complete their plan of destruction… The exchange of prisoners has always worked perfectly in the past. The Germans above all were very helpful in this process. It is unclear whether that will happen this time. It’s a charged atmosphere…

“Hezbollah enjoys utmost prestige in Lebanon, because it freed our country. All over the Arab world you hear: Hezbollah maintains Arab honor, and even though it (Hezbollah) is very small, it stands up to Israel… As long as the conflict between Lebanon and Israel remains unresolved, no international force will help, however large it may be. The problems smoulder on: the undetermined status of the Schebaa Farms, the Lebanese prisoners in Israel and above all the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon… We have today around half a million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, their birth rate is three times higher than the Lebanese. That is a time bomb. It is the basic problem of our country, it led to the outbreak of civil war in 1975 and still remains unsolved today. Everybody today is talking about UN resolution 1559 [United Nations Resolution 1559 demands that the (Lebanese) army should control the whole country], but nobody mentions resolution 194, which recognizes the Palestinians’ right of return (to Israel). Lebanon is small and can’t integrate the Palestinians.”

Catholic Church Does Not Get Involved in Politics?

The Associated Press reported on July 21 about some rather strange comments from Pope Benedict XVI, pertaining to the present crisis in the Middle East:

“Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that he does not plan to intervene diplomatically in the Middle East fighting, but called on people of all religions to join Sunday’s worldwide day of prayers for peace. ‘I think it is best to leave that to the diplomats, because we don’t enter politics. But we do everything for peace. Our goal is simply peace, and we will do everything to help attain peace,’ Benedict told reporters… The pope has set aside Sunday as a worldwide day of prayers for peace, hoping the prayers will bring a halt to the fighting. Benedict invited everyone to pray ‘especially Muslims and Jews.’

“Benedict said he had heard from Catholic communities in Lebanon and Israel. ‘Especially from Lebanon, who implored us, as they have implored the Italian government, to help,’ he said. ‘We will help with our prayers and with the people we have… in Lebanon.'”

Zenit added on July 20:

“A communiqué issued today by the Vatican press office said the decision was due to the ‘great concern’ with which the Holy Father follows ‘the fate of all the affected peoples.’ With this initiative, the Pope invites ‘the pastors and faithful of all the particular Churches, and all believers of the world, to implore from God the precious gift of peace,’ explained the Vatican communiqué. In particular, the Bishop of Rome appeals for prayer to the Lord ‘for an immediate cease-fire between the sides, for humanitarian corridors to be opened in order to bring help to the suffering peoples and for reasonable and responsible negotiations to begin to put an end to objective situations of injustice that exist in that region.’ According to the Pontiff, ‘the Lebanese have the right to see the integrity and sovereignty of their country respected, the Israelis, the right to live in peace in their state, and the Palestinians have the right to have their own free and sovereign homeland.'”

The office of Pope does hold great influence in this world–in fact, the Pope is the most influential religious personality of our day. Biblical prophecy reveals that this office, and the person occupying it, will become more and more powerful in coming years. The Word of God reveals that BOTH a religious and a military entity will soon emerge in continental Europe to jointly dominate events all over the earth! Please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy”, for more of the dramatic details of these future events!

Outrageous U.S. Court Decision in Collaboration With Social Services

The Associated Press reported on July 21 about an outrageous decision with the effect of an intrusion into the rights of religion and privacy of the parents and the victim who is suffering of cancer:

“A [Virginia] judge ruled Friday that a 16-year-old boy fighting to use alternative treatment for his cancer must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept treatment that doctors deem necessary, the family’s attorney said. The judge also found Starchild Abraham Cherrix’s parents were neglectful for allowing him to pursue alternative treatment of a sugar-free, organic diet and herbal supplements supervised by a clinic in Mexico, lawyer John Stepanovich said. Jay and Rose Cherrix… must continue to share custody of their son with the Accomack County Department of Social Services, as the judge had previously ordered, Stepanovich said. The parents were devastated by the new order and planned to appeal, the lawyer said.”

Just Wait…

USA Today reported on July 22 about the ongoing disagreement between Presidents Bush and Putin. The article stated:

“They’re the two most powerful people in the world. They shared private and public thoughts this past week. Two words summed up the difference in their philosophy, policy and style. This exchange between President Bush and Russian President Putin at a news conference after their private meeting at the Group of Eight summit tells it all:

“Bush: ‘I talked about my desire to promote institutional change in parts of the world like Iraq where there’s a free press and free religion … a lot of people in our country would hope that Russia would do the same thing.’

“Putin: ‘We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq, I will tell you quite honestly.’

“Bush: ‘Just wait.’

“’Wait’ has been the Bush clarion call in Iraq for years. Wait, we’ll find weapons of mass destruction. Wait, elections will bring a real working democracy. Wait, Iraq’s military will stand up and then our troops can stand down. ‘Wait’ makes Iraq Bush’s Achilles’ heel, which weakens his position with other world leaders on other world problems. The G-8 talked about them all–North Korea, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, the Hezbollah. Most issues produced compromising double talk because the G-8 countries have no strong world leader.”

ONGOING WAR in the Middle East

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 17:

“A spiral of violence has stymied peace in the Middle East for decades. Now, as bombs are being dropped on Beirut, rockets fired at Haifa and tanks sent into Gaza, Israel and Muslim extremists have brought the region to the brink of all out war…  Israeli fighter jets destroyed the runway at Beirut’s international airport. Then the city’s fuel storage tanks went up in flames. Israeli warships moved into Lebanese waters, blockading the country’s ports. Lebanon, which had just halfway recovered from 15 years of civil war, was bombed back into the last century during hundreds of air strikes in the last week. The simple headline ‘War’ in newspapers on both sides of the border said it all… the Israelis found themselves being bombed back into the days of the wars of 1948-49, 1956, 1967 and 1973, as tens of thousands fled from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israeli territory. Nahariya, a popular Israeli seaside resort, turned into a ghost town in the wake of a barrage of Katyusha rockets. More than a third of the city’s 50,000 inhabitants left after Hezbollah’s attacks caused dozens of injuries and one death.

“For the first time, the apparently upgraded Soviet-era Katyusha rockets hit the port city of Haifa, which had been considered out of range and safe. Eight Israeli railway employees were killed in an attack on Sunday on Israel’s third-largest city, triggering panic among Haifa’s 270,000 inhabitants…

“The most recent escalation of violence in the Middle East is the outcome of a cooperative effort as surprising as it is threatening. It appears that the Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Sunni Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip have for the first time managed to coordinate an operation on two fronts. Despite their bloody clashes in Iraq, the two factions within Islam have apparently set aside their differences in their struggle against common enemy Israel…

“[H]atred for Israel grows with each day, as Israeli fighter jets launch ever more ferocious bombing attacks on targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon, destroying bridges and roads, and as television stations broadcast close-up images of bloody corpses disfigured by shrapnel. Many Lebanese already sympathize with the Shiite militia for having liberated southern Lebanon in its struggle against Israeli occupation.”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 17:

“The militant Islamist group Hezbollah fire[d] Iranian-built missiles even deeper into northern Israel after Israeli Defense Forces bombarded Hezbollah strongholds and even Lebanese army targets over the weekend. World leaders have called for diplomacy and ‘international forces’ to keep the peace… Attending the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Israel had ‘a right to defend itself,’ but she and other G-8 leaders also called on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon. ‘We don’t want to let the forces of terrorism and those who support them get the chance to create chaos in the Middle East,’ Merkel said in an interview with the German television station ZDF. But German sources told SPIEGEL that, internally, Merkel’s government considered the Israeli bombardments ‘an excessive reaction.’…

“At their meeting in St. Petersburg over the weekend, G-8 leaders had trouble reaching a consensus over how to respond to the Mideast crisis. In a joint statement on Sunday, the G-8 leaders called for ‘an immediate end to the current violence.’ But throughout the weekend, differences of opinion emerged over where criticism should be directed. Bush held Hezbollah responsible for the violence and offered ‘tacit approval’ (New York Times) for Israel’s attack against Hezbollah. ‘Our message to Israel is, look, defend yourself, but as you do so, be mindful of the consequences,’ Bush said on Sunday, ‘And so we’ve urged restraint.’ But Russia’s Putin accused Israel of going further than just defending itself. ‘We do get the impression that the aims of Israel go beyond just recovering their kidnapped soldiers,’ he told reporters…

“Missiles fired from Lebanon late Sunday landed in the Israeli city of Afula — about 50 kilometers from the Israeli-Lebanese border and further south than ever before. At least one missile landed near Nazareth, while others fell in western Galilee, near the coastal city of Akko, and in Haifa. Eight people were killed in the first rocket attack on Haifa on Sunday… Egyptian ministers separately confirmed on Saturday that an Egyptian civilian ship off the coast of Lebanon had been hit during a barrage of rocket fire between Hezbollah militants and Israeli gunships. Hezbollah had launched an attack on a fleet of Israeli military vessels laying siege to Lebanon from the water; Israel said a stray Lebanese missile hit the Egyptian boat. Egypt’s state news agency MENA, however, reported that the ship had been hit by Israeli fire. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said it was too early to say which side had fired the shot…

“Thousands of foreign civilians are currently being evacuated from Lebanon. An estimated 20,000 French, 2,000 Germans and 5,000 Swedes reside in the country. Hundreds were being evacuated on Monday by air and by sea. The American, Israeli, and EU governments have coordinated the evacuations. Tens of thousands of Syrian guest workers, meanwhile, lined up at a Lebanese border crossing to escape the hail of bombs.”

The British paper, The Times, wrote on July 15:

“Regardless of the outcome of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the clear losers will be the Lebanese who had hoped that their country was shedding its image as a synonym for violence. “

The British paper, The Independent, added on July 15:

“The beautiful viaduct that soars over the mountainside here has become a ‘terrorist’ target. The Israelis attacked the international highway from Beirut to Damascus just after dawn yesterday and dropped a bomb clean through the central span of the Italian-built bridge–a symbol of Lebanon’s co-operation with the European Union–sending concrete crashing hundreds of feet down into the valley beneath. It was the pride of the murdered ex-prime minister Rafik Hariri, the face of a new, emergent Lebanon. And now it is a ‘terrorist’ target.”

The AFP reported on July 19:

“At least 55 civilians were killed as Israeli jets and gunboats pummelled towns and villages across Lebanon and tens of thousands of people fled a conflict that both sides defiantly warned would have no limit. In the bloodiest day since the fighting erupted eight days ago, two Israeli soldiers were also reported killed in clashes with guerrillas from the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah movement as another volley of rockets fell on northern Israel. Streams of Lebanese were fleeing their homes to find safe havens and thousands of foreigners, mainly Westerners, were being evacuated by sea from Beirut to the neighbouring Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

“The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe, with 500,000 people displaced by the Israeli onslaught and the air and sea blockade and at least 310 people killed in Lebanon alone since last Wednesday. With the international community unable to agree even on a ceasefire call, Israel vowed its ‘intensive war’ against militants would go on as long it deemed necessary. ‘The security cabinet met this morning and decided on the continuation of the offensives in Lebanon and Gaza with no time limit,’ an Israeli official said. Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed open war against Israel after his Beirut headquarters was bombed, retorted that its guerrillas can continue to strike with ‘an arsenal of rockets for long months, and not just days or weeks.’…

“Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, who took office about a year ago after the first elections since former powerbroker Syria ended its three-decade military presence, accused Israel of ‘committing massacres’ against his people… For many ordinary Lebanese there is little chance of… a rescue and many were fleeing their homes in southern Leb
anon, which has borne the brunt of the Israeli operation, to try to find safe havens.”

The Associated Press reported on July 20 that “Israeli troops met fierce resistance from Hezbollah guerrillas Thursday as they crossed into Lebanon to seek tunnels and weapons for a second straight day, and Israel hinted at a full-scale invasion.”

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 20 that “The Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel.”

US Already Bankrupt?

On July 14, the British newspaper, “The Telegraph,” published an article about the financial situation of the United States, titled, “US ‘could be going bankrupt.'” In the article, it was pointed out:

“The United States is heading for bankruptcy, according to an extraordinary paper published by one of the key members of the country’s central bank… Prof Kotlikoff said that, by some measures, the US is already bankrupt. ‘To paraphrase the Oxford English Dictionary, is the United States at the end of its resources, exhausted, stripped bare, destitute, bereft, wanting in property, or wrecked in consequence of failure to pay its creditors?’, he asked. According to his central analysis, ‘the US government is, indeed, bankrupt, insofar as it will be unable to pay its creditors, who, in this context, are current and future generations to whom it has explicitly or implicitly promised future net payments of various kinds.'”

Worldwide Donors to the Catholic Church

On July 13, Zenit published an article, explaining that Mexico belongs to the list of the ten highest donors to the Vatican. According to the article, “the Mexican contribution is ninth in the world, after that of the United States, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Canada and Korea, and before that of Austria. Mexico is in ninth place both in contributions to ‘Peter’s Pence’ as well as in the contributions of bishops in the collection carried out in their dioceses to support the universal mission of the Church… In previous years, the country of some 90 million Catholics had no significant place in aid to the work of the Church.”

Has the Iraq War Produced A Better Iraq?

On July 19, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“Nearly 6,000 civilians were slain across Iraq in May and June, a spike in deaths that coincided with rising sectarian attacks across the country… The report from the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq describes a wave of lawlessness and crime, including assassinations, bombings, kidnappings, torture and intimidation. Hundreds of teachers, judges, religious leaders and doctors have been targeted for death, and thousands of people have fled, the report said…

“In the last two days alone, more than 120 people were killed in violence in Iraq. In the worst attacks, fifty-three perished in a suicide bombing Tuesday in Kufa, and 50 were slain Monday in a market in Mahmoudiya… In the first six months of the year, it said 14,338 people had been killed… Women report that their rights have been rolled back by extremist Muslim groups–both Shiite and Sunni. While under Saddam Hussein’s largely secular regime, women faced few social restrictions, they say they are now barred from going to market alone, wearing pants or driving cars. And children are frequently victims, perishing in large crowds or sometimes even targeted themselves, the report said. ‘Violence, corruption, inefficiency of state organs to exert control over security, establish the rule of law and protect individual and collective rights all lead to inability of both the state and the family to meet the needs of children,’ it said. The government still has not pursued many allegations of torture and other inhumane treatment in prisons and detention centers, the U.N. said.”

America In World War III?

On July 15, The Seattle Times quoted former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as saying that “America is in World War III.” In the article, it was pointed out: “Gingrich said in the coming days he plans to speak out publicly, and to the Administration, about the need to recognize that America is in World War III. He lists wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, this week’s bomb attacks in India, North Korean nuclear threats, terrorist arrests and investigations in Florida, Canada and Britain, and violence in Israel and Lebanon as evidence of World War III… He said people, including some in the Bush Administration, who urge a restrained response from Israel are wrong ‘because they haven’t crossed the bridge of realizing this is a war.’ ‘This is World War III,’ Gingrich said. And once that’s accepted, he said calls for restraint would fall away… Gingrich said that public opinion can change ‘the minute you use the language’ of World War III. The message then, he said, is ‘OK, if we’re in the third world war, which side do you think should win?’ An historian, Gingrich said he has been studying recently how Abraham Lincoln talked to Americans about the Civil War, and what turned out to be a much longer and deadlier war than Lincoln expected.”

Earthquake and Tsunami Hit Java Island

The Associated Press reported on July 17 that “A powerful earthquake sent a two-meter high tsunami crashing into beach resorts along Indonesia’s Java island Monday, killing around 20 people and causing extensive damage to hotels, restaurants and homes, witnesses and officials said [It was subsequently reported that the tsunami killed over 530 people and left more than 50,000 people without home or shelter]… The tsunami followed a quake that struck deep beneath the Indian Ocean 150 miles southwest of Java’s western coast… The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.2, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was followed by a [series of aftershocks, including a] 6.1-magnitude aftershock two hours later.”

According to subsequent reports on July 19, another 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the region on Wednesday.

The article continued:

“Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because of its location on the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed at least 216,000 people, nearly half of them in Indonesia’s Aceh province. On May 27, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake devastated a large swath of Java Island, killing more than 5,800 people.”

Israel’s Goals in Lebanon

On July 19, Der Spiegel Online discussed the reaction of the German press to Israel’s fight in the Middle East. The magazine quoted numerous German newspapers, as follows:

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung doubts a buffer zone will do much good… ‘The (rocket) attacks on Haifa prove that Hezbollah has weapons to reach Israel even from the hinterlands of Lebanon,’ writes the paper. The idea of disarming Hezbollah and forcing Lebanon to obey Resolution 1559 also seems to be an Israeli pipedream: ‘Until now the Lebanese army has been too weak, and whether they will want or be able to fulfil this task after the terrorists have been decimated in their own country remains an open question.’ Until Hezbollah surrenders, writes the FAZ, even sending UN troops to keep the peace will be ‘an illusion,’ and the risk of escalation remains high…

“The right-wing daily Die Welt runs a guest editorial filed from Tel Aviv, which argues that the international press has focused on Israel’s use of military force but missed the larger point: Israel hasn’t ‘opened’ a war on two fronts (in Lebanon as well as Gaza); Israel has ‘responded on two fronts’ after months of harassment and hundreds of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, the author, conservative US commentator Jeffrey Gedmin, writes…

“The left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung also runs a guest editorial, by the German-born Israeli peace activist and journalist Uri Avnery. It’s a ‘total illusion,’ Avnery writes, to think the Lebanese government would disarm a popular movement like Hezbollah, or that the Lebanese army–full of Shiites sympathetic to the Shiite militants– would fight them. ‘The only solution (for Israel) will be an agreement with the Shiites, and an indirect one with Syria and Iran,’ he argues, warning that Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has started to position himself in the Arab world ‘as a kind of liberator the Palestinians.’ Israel needs to negotiate, Avnery believes…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung… wonders exactly where the violence will lead. Hezbollah’s rockets are hidden in civilian cellars, and ‘the longer this war of deterrence lasts and the more civilian victims are mourned in Lebanon, the more pictures of destruction will shove the true instigators of this war — Hezbollah — into the background.'”

Anti-Israeli Sentiments Grow

The EUObserver wrote on July 16 that “US foreign affairs chief Condoleezza Rice played down the split between Europe and America on reactions to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon… The US lays blame on Hamas and Hezbollah militants, arguing that Iran and Syria incited and supported the groups in kidnapping Israeli soldiers to halt Lebanon and Palestine’s recent moves toward democracy and peace with Tel Aviv… Mr Bush’s Iraq ally, UK leader Tony Blair, broadly aligned himself with the US after a bilateral meeting on Sunday morning, blaming Iran and Syria for disrupting regional ‘democratisation’ and saying ‘we have got to deal with those underlying conditions.’ But French president Jacques Chirac and Russian leader Vladimir Putin came out on Saturday night with strongly anti-Israeli statements in an international polarisation reminiscent of the divisions around the 2003 Iraq invasion itself.”

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on July 18:

“With Israel’s confrontation with Hizbullah and Lebanon lurching closer to all-out war, winds of anger are blowing through the Middle East that are likely to strengthen the political hand of radical Islamists from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. Since the fighting began, at least 24 Israelis, 12 of them civilians, have been killed and at least 175 Lebanese, nearly all civilians. In recent weeks, about 200 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in a separate showdown between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group who won power in elections earlier this year. The confrontation–coupled with the rising civilian toll–also poses a serious threat to US interests in the region… Anger at Saudi Arabia’s close relationship with the US, and by association Israel, has long generated support for Al Qaeda among many Saudis… The escalating confrontation between Israel and Lebanon is also helping Syria and Iran gain influence and prestige among Arab populations for their strong support of Hizbullah and Hamas.”

Rift Between EU and USA Over Israel?

On July 19, The Associated Press reported:

“A rift is emerging between the European Union and the United States over whether Israel should cease its offensive against Hezbollah guerrillas.

“The Europeans fear mounting civilian casualties will play into the hands of militants and weaken Lebanon’s democratically elected government. The Bush administration, while noting these concerns, is giving Israel a tacit green light to take the time it needs to neutralize the Shiite militant group.

“The mixed message could help Israel in its mission to destroy Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Lebanon and stop the guerrillas’ deadly rocket fire on Israel. But Islamic hard-liners and terrorist groups could be long-term winners, using the vivid television imagery of the death and destruction in Lebanon to win popularity and promote their jihads.”

Iran’s Hezbollah Welcomes World War III

Newsmax.com reported on July 18:

“Iran’s Hezbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said on Tuesday it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide. ‘We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year,’ said Iranian Hezbollah’s spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli… ‘They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardize Israel and America’s interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader’s green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three . . . we welcome it,’ he said… While Iran did fund and support Lebanese Hezbollah during the 1980s, Tehran says it has not contributed troops or weapons in the latest violence. Israel says Iranian armaments have been fired against it.”

Is Lebanon’s Hezbollah Planning Attacks in the USA?

TCV News reported on July 16 that “While many US government officials are deeply concerned over Iran’s nuclear program, according to recent reports, investigations by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department revealed last May that the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah may be plotting attacks. These attacks may be launched by their sleeper cells in New York and several other US cities… Hezbollah, or God’s Party, grew out of the Lebanese civil war in the early 1980s and quickly became the region’s leading radical Islamic movement. Their primary goal was to drive Israeli and American troops out of Lebanon. For many years, Hezbollah was synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings.

“In 1983, militants who went on to join Hezbollah’s ranks carried out a suicide bombing attack that killed 241 US marines in Beirut, which lead to President Ronald Reagan’s withdrawal order for all US military peacekeepers. In May 2000 — due to the success of the party’s military arm — one of its main aims was achieved. Israel’s military was forced to end almost 20 years of occupation in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah now serves as an inspiration to Palestinian factions fighting to liberate more territory. The party has embraced the Palestinian cause and has said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada.”

“Hezbollah’s political rhetoric’s central theme is the total annihilation of the state of Israel. Its definition of Israeli occupation has also encompassed the idea that the whole of Palestine is occupied Muslim land and it has argued that Israel has no right to exist. Hezbollah’s spiritual head Sheikh Fadlallah is close to Iranian government and is believed responsible for the vitriolic speeches of the Iranian president.

“Hezbollah is funded, armed and trained by the Iranians and given free reign by Syria’s ruling Ba’athist Party. Its international network, according to terrorism analysts, is believed to include at least 15,000 operatives in cells in the US, Canada, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, most of Western Europe, Indonesia, Malaysia, and throughout Africa. Western intelligence sources estimate Hezbollah’s annual budget to be approximately $400 million, including almost $100 million annually from Iran.

“Other sources of funding include Syria, charitable organizations, individual donations, legitimate business, and illegitimate businesses such as illegal arms trading, cigarette smuggling, currency counterfeiting, credit card fraud, theft, operating illegal telephone exchanges, and drug trafficking. Recently two men were convicted of running a criminal operation that helped to fund Hezbollah.”

Slow Evacuations of Americans

USA Today reported on July 18:

“Thousands of Americans remained stranded Monday in Lebanon as the State and Defense departments developed plans to evacuate them. By late Monday, 64 Americans had been flown by Marine helicopter to safety on the island of Cyprus. The pace of the evacuation angered some in the USA with relatives in the country… As Israel and the militant Islamic group Hezbollah trade rocket attacks and airstrikes, European nations with citizens in Lebanon have evacuated more of their citizens more quickly than the United States. For example, about 850 Swedes among about 5,000 in Lebanon have been evacuated, and Sweden also chartered three ships to bring Swedes from Beirut to Cyprus… The State Department rejected a land evacuation through Syria because of safety concerns for Americans in that country…

“The Defense and State departments are developing a plan to evacuate those of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon who want to leave, said Thomas Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus. A U.S. Embassy statement issued Monday instructed American citizens to be ready to leave immediately. It may be a week or more before the evacuation is fully underway, Miller said. Israeli airstrikes have damaged the international airport, making the sea Americans’ main escape route. The Pentagon has mobilized some ships and troops to aid in the evacuation. The 750-passenger Orient Queen, a Greek cruise ship, has been chartered to ferry evacuees from Beirut to Cyprus.”

As CNN reported on July 18, many Americans begin to compare the slow response of the American government to the crisis in Lebanon with its slow response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

On July 19, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“An eight-deck cruise liner [the “Orient Queen”] carrying more than 1,000 Americans sailed out of Beirut’s port Wednesday, the first mass U.S. evacuation from Lebanon since Israeli airstrikes started more than a week ago. The U.S. Marine general coordinating the evacuation says 6,000 Americans will be out of Lebanon by the weekend… Many of those aboard were relieved to depart, after complaints of slow action by the United States compared to European countries that sent cruise ships, ferries and warships over the past three days to move out thousands… The Americans also stepped up evacuations Wednesday by military aircraft from their hilltop embassy, which was expected to stay open. Four Chinook transport helicopters ferried 800 Americans from Beirut to nearby Larnaca airport in Cyprus. The Chinooks can carry twice as many people as the Sea Stallion choppers that have carried evacuees for the past three days… The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it had dropped a plan to make Americans reimburse the government for the transport… An estimated 8,000 of the 25,000 U.S. citizens in Lebanon want to be evacuated. A total of 320 Americans–mostly children, students and the elderly–left Tuesday night by military helicopter and a Norwegian car ferry, which also carried hundreds of Swedes, Norwegians and others… Part of what delayed the Orient Queen was Israel’s blockade of Lebanon’s ports…”

…While Some Other Nations Act More Quickly

AFP reported on July 18:

“World powers have deployed helicopters, warships, chartered ferries and buses to pluck tens of thousands of trapped foreigners from war-torn Lebanon in one of the biggest mass evacuations since World War II. With Beirut’s airport in tatters, foreigners fled by bus to Syria to escape Israeli bombs, missiles and artillery fire, as others were taken away by ship or helicopter to Cyprus. Israel has imposed an air and sea blockade around Lebanon but has said it will co-ordinate with foreign governments to allow their terrified nationals to leave.

“In London, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain now had six ships in the region… The British press has put pressure on Blair, saying Britons in Beirut are impatient with preparations to evacuate up to 12,000 British nationals, 10,000 dual nationals, and Commonwealth citizens… By early Tuesday, a chartered French ferry with about 1,250 people aboard — 800 French nationals, including 300 children, 400 from other European Union member states and 50 Americans — had already docked in Larnaca, Cyprus. The French nationals were to return to France on chartered Air France flights… Larnaca will also be the first port of call for nearly 50,000 Canadian citizens trapped by the fighting; Ottawa has chartered three ships — each capable of carrying 900 people — to help in the evacuation. An Italian vessel — with 186 Italians, 58 Lebanese and 49 Swedes and a new-born baby on board — docked there late Monday…

“Russians fleeing southern Lebanon described a harrowing journey along deserted and bombed roads to Beirut as others returned safely to Moscow from the Palestinian territories… Sweden is chartering a 1,600-passenger Greek vessel. Stockholm’s ambassador to Cyprus Ingemar Lindhal said 750 of its 5,000 passport holders are believed to have already escaped overland through Syria… Some 181 Polish nationals escaped to Syria on six buses which also contained about 30 other people, including Americans, Slovaks and Czechs… Spain said Tuesday that 113 people, most of them Spanish, had been brought home on board an armed forces Boeing 707 from Damascus, where they had arrived by bus… At the same time, German, Swiss and Austrian nationals began arriving back in Europe on chartered planes, many again on flights out of Damascus.”

The Costs of the Iraq War

The Associated Press reported on July 14 about the incredible financial costs of the Iraq war. According to the report, “The war in Iraq has cost almost $300 billion and would total almost a half-trillion dollars even if all U.S. troops were withdrawn by the end of 2009, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Thursday. Congress has approved $432 billion for military operations and other costs related to combating terror since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks… A recent competing analysis by the Congressional Research Service puts the tally for Iraq at $319 billion with the war in Afghanistan costing another $88 billion.”

No Capable Leaders in this World–While the World Is in Chaos?

 Britain’s “Daily Mail” wrote on July 17 about the G8 summit meeting in Russia, entitling its article: “The eight most powerful people on the planet…but weak, indecisive and utterly incapable of true world leadership.” The paper continued:

“Rarely can the impotence of what is supposed to be the most powerful group of people in the world have been placed in sharper focus. President Bush is limping to the end of his presidency; President Chirac of France and Japan’s Prime Minister Koizumi are both nearing the end of their own terms; Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, the new girl on the block, is already dragged down by mounting criticism at home; and our own Prime Minister Blair–well, say no more. Yet the G8 could hardly be meeting at a more dangerous juncture in world history, with the conflagration in the Middle East escalating virtually by the hour and the crisis over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme reaching a critical point of decision. If ever the state of the world called for united and decisive leadership, it is now…”

The paper made the following additional comments regarding the present war in the Middle East:

“It is wrong to see what has happened in Lebanon as a local skirmish that somehow got out of control. It is rather an attempt by Iran to gain regional dominance, with untold consequences for all of us if it succeeds. Israel is under ferocious attack by Iran and Syria through their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. Hezbollah is a kind of unofficial Iranian army, which continues to receive extensive funding and weapons from Tehran–including the arsenal of more than 13,000 rockets which have been pointed at Israel from their launchers in southern Lebanon for years. It was these missiles which hit Haifa yesterday, killing at least eight Israelis. It has been reported that Iranian Revolutionary Guards worked with Hezbollah in Lebanon on these attacks. And it was almost certainly Iran which instigated them. Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, as well as posing a mortal threat to the west from his regime’s potential for nuclear terrorism and blackmail. Last Tuesday, Iran dismissed the EU’s attempt to rein in its nuclear programme by saying it was in no hurry to respond…

“True, Israel’s response has been a fierce bombing campaign across Lebanon. It has blown up bridges, roads, Beirut airport and Lebanon’s TV station and many targets which it says were Hezbollah bases. It has choked off Lebanon’s economy, including its growing tourism industry. Tragically, more than 120 Lebanese have been killed so far, including a convoy of fleeing families and a further 23 civilians who died in raids yesterday. This has led to some accusing Israel of a disproportionate response. But in my view this is no more ‘disproportionate’ than, for example, Nato’s bombing of civilian targets in Serbia to force it to withdraw from Kosovo. War is always hell. Innocents always get killed, and where terrorists have deliberately embedded themselves among civilians it is hard to avoid such tragedies.

“It’s important to remember that the reason Iran was able to launch this wave of attacks upon Israel was the world’s abject failure to implement the UN Security Council resolution demanding the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. Despite all their fierce words, both President Bush and Tony Blair are paralysed over Iran and other rogue states because they have been so politically weakened–and militarily stretched–in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even those of us who supported the war in Iraq have been appalled by the way mistakes made since the fall of Baghdad have left the coalition so powerless. It is that perception of chronic U.S. weakness which has so emboldened Iran and Syria, from whom the U.S. has exacted no price for their role in helping foment the war in Iraq.”

More Turmoil in the Middle East

AFP reported on July 12, 2006:

“Israel has invaded southern Lebanon in a ground and air assault to retrieve two soldiers snatched by Hezbollah, the first such assault into the country since a 2000 pullout. The capture, in an attack on an army outpost on the volatile Lebanese border, opened a new front in the Middle East after the capture of another Israeli soldier by Palestinians two weeks ago plunged the region into chaos. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the abduction amounted to an act of war, held the government in Beirut fully responsible, and vowed no negotiations, as aircraft and artillery pounded Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

“Hezbollah, whose Shiite militia was instrumental in forcing Israeli troops out of Lebanon six years ago and which is sponsored by Israel’s arch-foes Syria and Iran, demanded the release of Arab prisoners in exchange for the soldiers. The morning raid and abduction came amid intense cross-border exchanges in which at least four civilians were wounded in northern Israel and another four in south Lebanon, including a correspondent of Hezbollah television. Two Lebanese civilians were later killed and five others wounded as the Israelis mounted their incursion, Lebanese police said.”

The article continued:

“Defence Minister Amir Peretz confirmed the soldiers were captured in an operation along Israel’s northern border… As soon as news of the capture was announced, celebratory gunfire erupted across Beirut’s southern suburbs — a Hezbollah stronghold. Some residents were also seen distributing sweets to passing motorists… The return of Israeli troops to the Gaza Strip last week has already evoked painful memories of the army’s disastrous 1982 invasion of Lebanon where soldiers became bogged down in a deadly quagmire before finally leaving… In an interview, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said his mediation efforts for Shalit’s release had been sabotaged by an unnamed party. In the remarks published Wednesday, Mubarak said he had reached a deal with Israel for ‘a large number of prisoners’ to be released but added that Hamas came under fresh pressure and the mediation was scuppered… Israel has so far refused to negotiate and launched a large-scale operation against the Gaza Strip, killing more than 60 Palestinians in the past 10 days and pounding the territory’s infrastructure.”

Der Spiegel Online added the following on July 13:

“After the kidnapping of two of its soldiers, Israel is cutting Lebanon off from the outside world with an air, land and sea blockade, Israeli army radio announced Thursday. Bombing raids continue after both Beirut airport and a suburb of the Lebanese capital were targeted causing at least 27 civilian casualties. Conflict in the Middle East intensified Thursday as Israel announced it would completely blockade Lebanon and continue bombing raids until two kidnapped Israeli soldiers are released. At least 27 civilians died in a night of bombing, with scores more injured as Israel flew more than 40 bombing raids over Lebanon… The Israeli Navy has entered Lebanese waters while flights have been halted into and out of Beirut’s only international airport. It is the biggest show of Israeli force in Lebanon since the 1982 invasion…

“During the night and early morning Israel carried out an aerial bombardment of southern Lebanon. According to police, ten members of a family were killed when their house was hit by a bomb: the dead included eight children. According to AFP at least 27 civilians died during a night of attacks. The Israeli army confirmed it had flown around 40 raids. The army is targeting hidden caches of Hezbollah weapons and munitions and targeted Beirut airport because, according to the army, it ‘is a central hub for the transfer of weapons and supplies to the Hezbollah terrorist organization.’… Meanwhile, the Israeli army has also stepped up its operation in the Gaza Strip. The office of the Palestinian foreign minister there was bombed Wednesday night and ten children were injured, doctors at the El-Schifa hospital said. According to eyewitnesses the children lived in houses near to the office. Nearby apartments were badly damaged by the blast.”

CNN.com added on Thursday, July 13, that “Israeli forces struck Beirut’s international airport for the second time Thursday, hitting fuel tanks that exploded into fireballs. The attack came soon after two rockets struck the northern Israeli port of Haifa on a day of spiraling violence and deepening crisis. Israel Defense Forces said the Haifa rockets came from Lebanon and blamed the strike on Hezbollah, whose guerrillas triggered the violence when they attacked inside Israel on Wednesday, killing eight Israeli soldiers and capturing two more.”

The EU Flexes Its Muscles

AFP reported on July 12:

“The European Commission has slapped Microsoft with a new fine of 280.5 million euros for failing to fully respect a 2004 antitrust ruling, but the software giant vowed to appeal. Raising the pressure on the US software giant, the European Union competition watchdog also threatened additional fines of three million euros (3.82 million dollars) a day from the end of the month if the company continued to defy the ruling. EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said that more than two years since the decision was handed down she now had ‘no alternative’ than to impose new fines, on top of a nearly half-billion-euro penalty in the original ruling… ‘No company is above the law, each and every company, large or small, operating in the European Union must obey EU law, including competition law for the benefit of all companies and consumers.’… After a five-year investigation, Kroes’ predecessor Mario Monti took the commission’s biggest competition decision ever in ruling that Microsoft had broken EU law by using a quasi-monopoly in personal computer operating systems to thwart rivals… In addition to fining Microsoft, the EU ordered the company to sell a version of its Windows operating system without Media Player software and to divulge information on Windows needed by makers of rival products.”

In a somewhat related matter, The Associated Press reported on July 12:

“The EU head office on Wednesday proposed to legislate price controls on the cost of using a mobile phone abroad, saying network operators make “excessive” profits on roaming calls and have systematically ignored appeals to moderate their prices… EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding said the roaming rates bill she has drafted tackles ‘one of the last borders within Europe’s internal market… For years, mobile roaming charges have remained at unjustifiably high levels, in spite of repeated warnings to the industry,’ she said. ‘I am convinced reducing roaming charges will not only be beneficial for citizens traveling within the EU, but will also enhance the competitiveness of Europe’s industry…. [A] local call in Poland costs euro 0.19, but on a non-Polish cellphone it costs from euro 0.34 to euro 2.56 per minute. While a local call in Italy costs an Italian customer euro 0.10, that same call will cost a French customer euro 0.50 to euro 1.18 per minute.”

Bush Administration in More Trouble?

AFP reported on July 10, 2006:

“The Bush administration concealed at least one ‘major’ intelligence operation from Congress in possible violation of the law and briefed lawmakers only after they had learned about it from independent sources, a ranking congressman said. The charge by Republican Representative Peter Hoekstra, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, calls into question repeated assurances by President George W. Bush and his top aides that they strictly comply with disclosure requirements. They also follow allegations the administration may have acted illegally by authorizing wiretaps on American citizens in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks without requisite court warrants… US law requires that the intelligence panels of both the Senate and the House of Representatives be informed of the government’s intelligence activities.”

Bush Defends Putin

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 7:

“Ahead of his trip to the G8 summit in St. Petersburg later this month, US President George Bush has warned against publicly criticizing his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on contentious issues.”

The article continued:

“Bush still considers Putin a friend despite ongoing US-Russian tensions, the US leader said in a recent television [interview] with news channel CNN. At the same time, he said admonishing the Russian president in public on matters of concern such as democracy and human rights would be counterproductive… Bush will meet with Putin on July 15-16 for a Group of Eight (G8) gathering of the world’s leading industrial nations in the Russian leader’s hometown St. Petersburg, Russia. The summit comes at a time of harsh exchanges between US and Russian officials, including US Vice President Dick Cheney’s comments in May that Putin was bullying Russia’s neighbors with energy sources and hurting the domestic development of democracy.

“More recently, Russia has opposed a UN Security Council resolution backed by the United States that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its missile tests. But Bush said he has a good relationship with Putin despite all of the disagreements. ‘I don’t understand some of the decisions he’s made, but my relationship is such that I’m able to express that concern and listen carefully as to why he does what he does,’ he said in the CNN interview… Bush likely has some sympathy for Putin, since the US president has been subjected to public criticism in recent years like few other leaders ever have.”

President Bush in Germany–His Lonely Arrival

On July 13, Der Spiegel Online wrote the following about President Bush’s short visit in Germany: “The airport of the Baltic Sea port town Rostock has probably never received as prominent a visitor as US President George W. Bush, who arrived in Germany Wednesday night. But amid heavy security hardly anyone was there to see Bush and his wife Laura land.”

The article continued:

“The airport had been closed off. The president’s audience consisted only of Secret Service agents and the journalists on the specially set up press podium… Meanwhile the town of Trinwillershagen is preparing for its great night in a relatively relaxed manner. True, there are vehicle controls at the entrance to the town — which has 770 inhabitants — but beyond the checkpoint everything is fully accessible, including the inn where Merkel and Bush will have their barbecue along with 50 hand-picked guests on Thursday evening.”

Has World War III Begun?

The New York Daily News reported on July 9:

“Last week’s headlines prove the point: North Korea fires missiles, Iran talks of nukes again, Iraq carnage continues, Israel invades Gaza, England observes one-year anniversary of subway bombing. And, oh, yes, the feds stop a plot to blow up tunnels under the Hudson River. World War III has begun. It’s not perfectly clear when it started. Perhaps it was after the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended. Perhaps it was the first bombing of the World Trade Center, in 1993. What is clear is that this war has a long fuse and, while we are not in the full-scale combat phase that marked World Wars I and II, we seem to be heading there. The expanding hostilities mean it’s time to give this conflict a name, one that focuses the mind and clarifies the big picture. The war on terror, or the war of terror, has tentacles that reach much of the globe. It is a world war…

“I sound pessimistic because I am. Even worse than the problems is the fact that our political system is failing us. Democratic Party leaders want to pretend we can declare peace and everything will be fine, while President Bush is out of ideas. Witness Bush now counseling patience and diplomacy on North Korea. This from a man who scorned both for five years. But what choice does he have now that the pillars of his post-9/11 foreign policy are crumbling?… I believed Iraq was the key, that if we prevailed there, momentum would shift in our favor. Now I’m not sure. We still must prevail there, but Iraq could mean nothing if Iran or Bin Laden get the bomb or North Korea uses one.”

President Bush Defends Israel

The Associated Press reported on July 13:

“President Bush said Thursday that Israel has the right to defend itself as it launched fresh attacks on Lebanon after the capture of Israeli soldiers. Bush, visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel en route later in the week to a summit of world leaders in Russia, laid the blame for the escalation of violence along the border on Hezbollah, whose guerrillas mounted a cross-border raid earlier in the week and captured the two soldiers. He also said that Syria ‘needs to be held to account’ for supporting and harboring Hezbollah… Merkel appealed for restraint from both sides. But she suggested they do not share equal blame, repeatedly noting that the violence began with the soldiers’ capture… Bush was pressed on whether Israel’s military assaults, which have killed nearly three dozen civilians, could trigger a wider war. He tempered his strong support for Israel by saying his ‘biggest concern’ was that the attacks could weaken the Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and make it harder for the fledgling democracy movement there to continue to grow.”

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 13 that “Greece on Thursday expressed ‘serious concern’ over Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and urged neighboring countries to show restraint… Greece has traditionally close ties with Arab countries but has also recently improved relations with Israel.”

The article in The Associated Press continued:

“On Iran, both Bush and Merkel declined to take a hard line against Tehran, which has defied appeals from the United States, Germany and other nations to provide an answer by Wednesday on whether it would accept a package of incentives to halt uranium enrichment. The United States and other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, along with Germany and the European Union, have agreed to raise Iran’s behavior at the Security Council for possible punishment.”

Southern California Wildfire

The Associated Press reported on July 13 about a huge wildfire which was caused by lightning and finds fuel in many dead trees killed by beetle infestation:

“A huge wildfire was edging toward San Bernardino National Forest Thursday, worrying fire officials that it could grow rapidly and get close to the resort community of Big Bear Lake and add to the nearly 100 structures it had already devoured. The blistering heat and strong winds that have made firefighting efforts difficult were not letting up, as forecasters expected 100 degree plus temperatures Thursday. Temperatures hit 108 degrees Wednesday as 2,500 firefighters attacked flames burning greasewood, Joshua trees, pinon pines and brush in hills and canyons… A severe bark beetle infestation has killed many trees in the National Forest in recent years, and could provide the Sawtooth Complex fire with substantial fuel… The fire, ignited during the weekend by lightning, had destroyed 42 houses, 55 other buildings and 91 vehicles in and around this high desert community 100 miles east of Los Angeles, authorities said. As of late Wednesday, it had burned 37,000 acres (according to news reports on Thursday, more than 40,000 acres have been burned).”

Mass Murder in India

AFP reported on July 12:

“Indian police said the bombs which ripped through trains in the financial hub Mumbai [formerly known as Bombay], killing more than 200 people and wounding hundreds more, bore the hallmark of Islamic militants. Investigators picked through the debris of Tuesday’s rush-hour strikes seeking clues to the country’s worst attack in more than a decade… Seven blasts [according to subsequent reports, eight blasts] went off in the space of 15 minutes along the western railway line, tearing open first-class train carriages that were packed with people travelling home from work. The toll was 200 dead with more than 700 injured… Analysts said the bombers hoped to stoke Hindu-Muslim tensions and may have targeted first-class carriages to minimise casualties among Muslims, a minority in Mumbai and generally poorer than their Hindu counterparts.”

India Launches Its Missiles

The Jerusalem Post reported on July 9:

“India test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni III missile Sunday for the first time, the Defense Ministry said… India’s longest-range missile [was] able to fly 3,000 kilometers… The Agni III further boosts India’s homegrown missile arsenal, which includes… [a] short-range… ballistic missile, [a] medium-range [missile] and [a] supersonic… missile, developed jointly with Russia.”

Japan Considering Pre-Emptive Strike on North Korea

The Associated Press reported on July 10:

“Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on… [North Korea’s] missile bases would violate its constitution… Japan was badly rattled by North Korea’s missile tests last week and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike…

“Japan’s constitution currently bars the use of military force in settling international disputes and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military for warfare. Tokyo has interpreted that to mean it can have armed troops to protect itself, allowing the existence of its 240,000-strong Self-Defense Forces. A Defense Agency spokeswoman, however, said Japan has no attacking weapons such as ballistic missiles that could reach North Korea. Its forces only have ground-to-air missiles and ground-to-vessel missiles…”

A Europe-Wide Missile “Defense”-System?

The EUObserver reported on July 7:

“NATO headquarters has been warming up to the idea of a Europe-wide missile defence system… The issue has come under a new spotlight following this week’s missile tests by North Korea… Hungarian press quoted the US lieutenant commander Joe Carpenter as saying that a deal on the location is far from ended. ‘The decision hasn’t even been made whether or not we will build in Europe. The first question is whether or not the system is viable,’ he added…

“Mrs Alliot-Marie also confirmed that French leaders discussed… a kind of Europeanised nuclear force or ‘eurobomb’ with the British prime minister Tony Blair during their summit in Paris on 9 June. Her confirmation sparked criticism by Geoffrey Van Orden, defence spokesman for the UK conservatives in the European Parliament. He argued ‘Given the importance of the independent nuclear deterrent to the national security of the United Kingdom, I am very surprised that the prime minister did not mention that such a vital issue is currently being discussed.’

“Mr Van Orden said that while the UK and France have been on different sides of the argument on several key foreign policy issues, ‘It would be the most extraordinary act of folly if we were to become in any way reliant on France for the ultimate strategic defence capability of our nation.'”

Germany’s Transformation

On July 5, 2006, Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“Germany’s World Cup dream might be over, but that doesn’t mean the tournament won’t have a lasting effect on the country. The soccer spectacle has already altered the way the world sees the Germans and even how the Germans see themselves… The soccer tournament has unleashed a torrent of feel-good vibes from Hamburg to Munich that has stunned the locals probably even more than all the foreign visitors from around the globe. Germans — long shy about expressing positive attitudes toward their country in light of their difficult history — have experienced three weeks of unabashed fun and pride decked out in the national colors black, red and gold.

“The Germans are positive. The Germans are friendly. The Germans have hosted an unforgettable World Cup. How can this be? For years, commentators both at home and abroad have derided the Germans for their pessimism and often glum or crabby manner. A sudden transformation brought on by the sunny, California-style optimism of German national soccer team coach Jürgen Klinsmann?… much of what has seemed so surprising over the last three weeks is less some dramatic transformation than simply a new perspective on things. Germany was always full of friendly and optimistic people like Klinsmann — it’s just that they were often drowned out by all the complainers and pessimists. The World Cup hasn’t changed the foundations of the country, but it has changed the balance within it…

“Just as Germany was never as bad a place as many foreigners thought, it was certainly much nicer than many Germans were willing to admit. Yes, there are problems, serious ones. The economy might be doing okay at the moment, but far too many people remain jobless. And Chancellor Angela Merkel’s so-called grand coalition appears more willing to simply milk taxpayers than undertake real reforms that would overhaul the country’s bloated welfare system or creaky healthcare.

“Still, Germany remains a very comfortable place to live… Many Turks and Arabs flew the German colors at their shops or on their cars. A small gesture perhaps, but an important one to both those Germans concerned about integration and those immigrants acknowledging that this is their home too. This outpouring of good-natured patriotism is only logical: if the Germans are more willing to express their affection for the good aspects of their own country, then so too will others. Of course, there will be challenges both private and public that will make it difficult for some Germans to stick to their newfound positive ethos. But the naysayers no longer have the upper hand here. Many optimists will not cede the country back to the moaners so easily. And that, in many respects, is a greater gift from Klinsmann and his team than winning the World Cup ever could be.”

Germany’s Leadership Crisis

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 6 about the crisis in leadership of Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel. With strong words, the magazine pointed out:

“The German government’s protracted health reform talks were worth the effort in at least one respect: a clearer picture of Angela Merkel has emerged. The chancellor who took office with a mission to modernize the country isn’t delivering… Angela Merkel is no German Maggie Thatcher. That’s not something one has to complain about, but it’s important to know. Surprisingly, Angela Merkel has so far not even reached the standing of a female version of Gerhard Schröder… Her small steps won’t modernize the country. Quite the contrary. They are even leading away from Angela Merkel. She is betraying herself by trying to swap conviction for popularity…

“The fact that the Social Democrat party without Schröder is following her willingly, and even encouraging her at times, doesn’t lessen Merkel’s responsibility for what’s happening, it increases it. It’s Merkel’s task to continue the reforms, to speed them up and deepen them. Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of postwar West Germany, embedded the country into the west, Willy Brandt, the first Social Democrat chancellor, opened Germany to the east. It’s Merkel’s historic mission to reform the welfare state and cut mass unemployment. There’s no point trying to evade the enormity of this task by negating it. In the end, Merkel will be chancellor of reform or she won’t be chancellor at all. Her ‘breakthrough in health policy’ announced at the weekend is a breakthrough in the wrong direction… It’s the job of the media to describe reality. The chancellor’s job is to effect change, improve opportunities for prosperity and minimize future risks. And to lead the country, sometimes into areas where no one has ventured before. Angela Merkel isn’t delivering this kind of leadership at the moment.”

On July 7, the magazine published a follow-up article about the current political situation in Germany, under Angela Merkel’s leadership:

“The shine has come off Germany’s so-called grand coalition. Recently proposed healthcare reforms have sparked a bitter row between Angela Merkel’s conservatives and their Social Democratic partners… Rather than working together to find a solution, the coalition currently seems to prefer criticizing each other… After a golden honeymoon in which Merkel seemed to be able to do no wrong, suddenly her popularity, and that of the coalition government, appears to be in freefall. A survey by public broadcaster ARD for July recorded just 24 percent of the German population is happy with the work of the grand coalition — the worst poll rating since the government was formed last year. Two-thirds of respondents said they felt the grand coalition was no better at solving Germany’s problems than the previous center-left government under Gerhard Schröder…

“[The] conservative newspaper Die Welt [writes:]… ‘The German drama is that both partners are too weak on their own to risk a new beginning. So they’ll stay together, and muddle through in small steps.’… ‘the grand coalition faces a summer of discontent,’ writes Financial Times Deutschland. ‘The combination of deadlock, chaos and anger is reminiscent of the crisis of Gerhard Schröder’s second administration… The grand coalition today suffers from a quite different predicament: the fundamental incompatibility of two political directions and mentalities.’…

“[The] Sueddeutsche Zeitung [writes:] ‘Nothing significant is to be expected from this government… Only a few months after it took office, the coalition is acting like it’s preparing for a separation and to apportion blame.’ The honeymoon is over for Angela Merkel too. In the cold light of day, ‘nobody knows what this woman really wants and for what policies she stands…'”

Germany is facing a leadership crisis of potentially dangerous proportions. Please make sure to listen to our new StandingWatch program, “Germany’s New Patriotism.”

Sabbath Keeper Wins in Court

The Adventist News Network reported on June 30, 2006, that “A United States federal district court in Fayetteville, Arkansas, has ruled for a Seventh-day Adventist who sought accommodation for his Sabbath-keeping beliefs. The worker was awarded U.S. $311,166.75 in lost wages and punitive damages. It is believed to be one of the few such cases in which punitive damages–designed to ‘reform or deter the defendant,’ as one definition puts it–have been awarded to a Sabbath-keeper.”

The article continued:

“Todd Sturgill, age 41 and a resident of Springdale, Arkansas, was a 19-year driver for United Parcel Service when he joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in May of 2004. In July of that year, Sturgill asked his employer for accommodation on Friday evenings during the upcoming holiday delivery season. After three months, Sturgill was told he would receive no accommodation. Though Sturgill was happy to perform his job, his conviction about observing the Biblical Sabbath on the seventh day of the week–which begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on the Sabbath, or Saturday–would not allow him to perform work during that time. Despite these roadblocks, Sturgill was able to make arrangements with his coworkers to adjust his schedule and keep the Sabbath until Friday, Dec. 17, 2004. On that day, despite repeated requests for assistance and accommodation, managers at the firm took no steps to enable Sturgill to complete his work before sundown, and he returned to the UPS center with roughly 35 undelivered parcels, and then went home. He was fired the following Monday for what UPS called ‘job abandonment.'”

The article pointed out:

“The June 30 ruling supports an earlier federal court case in which an auto salesman in Arkansas, who was not a Seventh-day Adventist, won the right to have his Sabbatarian beliefs accommodated. ‘While we are gratified over today’s outcome, one message is clear,’ said Todd McFarland, associate general counsel for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. ‘The United States needs to enact the Workplace Religious Freedom Act to safeguard the rights of working people.'”

For more information about the godly requirements for true Christians to keep the weekly Sabbath, as well as seven annual Holy Days, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

Russia’s Pravda Acknowledges Weakness of Evolution Theory

The Pravda published an interesting article on July 7, bringing into focus some of the problems with the Evolution Theory. The article pointed out:

“The theory of evolution teaches that matter has an innate tendency to evolve towards greater and greater complexity or order. We are so accustomed to seeing evolution of technology all about us (new cars, boats, ships, inventions, etc.) that we assume that Nature must work the same way also. Of course, we forget that all those new gadgets and technology had a human designer behind them. Nature, however, does not work the same way… For example, a few amino acids have been produced spontaneously, but there is already a natural tendency for molecules to form into amino acids if given the right conditions. There is, however, no natural tendency for amino acids to come together spontaneously into a sequence to form into proteins. They have to be directed to do so by the genetic code in the cells of our bodies. Even the simplest cell is made up of billions of protein molecules. An average protein molecule may comprise of several hundred sequentially arranged amino acids. Many are comprised of thousands of sequential units. If they are not in the precise sequence the protein will not function!

“The sequence of molecules in DNA (the genetic code) determines the sequence of molecules in proteins. Furthermore, without DNA there cannot be RNA, but without RNA there cannot be DNA. Without either DNA or RNA there cannot be proteins, but without proteins there cannot be either DNA or RNA. These complex molecules are all mutually dependent upon one another for existence! If the cell had evolved it would have had to be all at once. A partially evolved cell cannot wait millions of years to become complete because it would be highly unstable and quickly disintegrate in the open environment.

“The great British scientist Sir Frederick Hoyle has said that the mathematical probability of the sequence of molecules in the simplest cell occurring by chance is 10 to the 40,000th power or roughly equivalent to a tornado going through a junk yard and assembling a 747 Jumbo Jet. It is not rational to put faith in such odds for the origin of life. Considering the enormous complexity of life, it is much more logical to believe that the genetic and biological similarities between all species is due to a common Designer rather than common biological ancestry. It is only logical that the great Designer would design similar functions for similar purposes and different functions for different purposes in all of the various forms of life.

“Contrary to popular belief, scientists have never created life in the laboratory. What scientists have done is genetically alter or engineer already existing forms of life, and by doing this scientists have been able to produce new forms of life. However, they did not produce these new life forms from non-living matter… Furthermore, because of the law of entropy the universe does not have the ability to have sustained itself from all eternity since all the useful energy in the universe will some day become irreversibly and totally useless. The universe, therefore, cannot be eternal and requires a beginning. Since energy cannot come into existence from nothing by any natural process, the beginning of the universe must have required a Supernatural origin!

“Science cannot prove we’re here by creation, but neither can science prove we’re here by chance or macro-evolution. No one has observed either. They are both accepted on faith. The issue is which faith, Darwinian macro-evolutionary theory or creation, has better scientific support. Whatever evolution occurs in Nature is limited to within biological kinds (such as the varieties of dogs, cats, horses, cows, etc.) but, unless Nature can perform genetic engineering, evolution will never be possible across biological kinds, especially from simpler kinds to more complex ones (i.e. from fish to human)… What we believe about our origins does influence our philosophy and value of life as well as our view of ourselves and others. This is no small issue!”

For more information on this vital topic, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.”

A New Germany?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on July 5:

“On Tuesday night, one second after Germany lost 2-0 to Italy, it was as if someone had pulled the plug on Germany’s World Cup party. As the flag-waving subsides, politicians and media are urging Germans to stay confident and proud after a month-long display of patriotism which startled the world and the nation itself. The cheers, the cries of ‘Deutschland, Deutschland,’ the honking of horns, the whole wall of sound that has echoed around cities since June 9 ended within a second of the final whistle. In the country’s biggest public viewing area, the Fan Fest behind the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, 900,000 fans fell silent and drifted home with their flags stuffed in their pockets and tears smudging the national colors of black, red and gold painted onto their faces… On Wednesday morning, every other car still had a German flag on it. The big question now is whether the upbeat mood and outpouring of patriotism in recent weeks, the flag waving, the fervent singing of the national anthem, marked a genuine revival in national pride or was just a short-lived summer carnival…

“The World Cup hasn’t changed the fact that Germany remains weighed down by mass unemployment, slow economic growth, high public debt and a social welfare system struggling to cope with an ageing population and surging costs. Chancellor Angela Merkel went as far as to call the country an ‘economic basket case’ two weeks ago… President Horst Köhler said Germans should stay upbeat even after the World Cup. ‘We can achieve a lot if we have the courage to try new things,’ said Köhler. ‘We should remember that after the World Cup. The Germans are identifying themselves with their country and its national colors. I think that’s great. And I think it’s great that I’m not the only one with a flag on my car,’ added Köhler…”

On July 4, Der Spiegel Online reported:

“Like so many ageing Western societies, Germany has struggled with surging healthcare costs in recent years. But instead of coming up with a grand reform to the healthcare system, the government in Berlin has agreed to a sickly compromise… The ideological differences between the conservatives (CDU/CSU) and the SPD left the coalition unable to deal with the question of what to do with Germany’s private health insurers… In the end, Germany gets a half-baked compromise that is loathed by an insurance lobby… It also raises the important question of whether Merkel’s grand coalition really has the courage to initiate the tough reforms Germany requires.”

The mass tabloid Bild was less concerned with finding “diplomatic” words for its criticism. It wrote on July 4:

“They (the Grand Coalition) have once again broken their word. Only two weeks after the greatest tax increase of all times, the Grand Coalition grabs into our pockets once again… They broke another promise–and this is not the first time.”

In its accompanying commentary, Bild Online wrote: “The citizens ask: Why can’t the Grand Coalition accomplish anything?… The so-called health-care reform is… a political declaration of bankruptcy.” On July 3, Der Stern Online referred to the “health care reform” as “der grosse Murks” (loosely translated as, “the big chaos”), adding that the German government is losing its credibility.

Bild Online also reported on July 4 that SPD’s party-chief Peter Struck accused Coalition Partner and Chancellor Angela Merkel of breaking her word. He had publicly commented previously, on June 26, 2006, that Gerhard Schroeder would be a better chancellor than Angela Merkel.

As can be expected, not much, if anything, is reported in the American press about this ongoing controversy in the German Grand Coalition. This is perhaps due to a lack of foresight and appreciation regarding the significance of the events in Germany. However, the indications are that the current German government won’t survive for long. The ideological differences are too great, and the will to compromise too appalling. Coupled with a perception that the ruling parties are incompetent to govern, the German citizens are becoming increasingly frustrated with “their” leadership. The new-found wave of patriotism, in the wake of the World Cup, might contribute to a conviction that Germany deserves much better!

In order to understand what IS prophesied for Germany’s future, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Flag-Waving in the USA

The Associated Press reported on July 4:

“It’s a true epidemic: the red, white and blue, stars-and-stripes banners are everywhere in the United States–on house facades, front lawns, cars and clothes. Hitting an high point on the July 4 US Independence Day holiday, it is a genuine phenomenon of American national pride that, inevitably, gets a good but also sometimes unwanted boost from commercial exploitation. ‘It’s a little strange, this obsession of the flag,’ French author Bernard-Henri Levy wrote after traveling across the country… But the phenomenon hits its peak each year around the Fourth of July, when it becomes the focus of intense advertising and commercial promotions. At shopping malls, big and small national banners show up on jeans, baseball caps, dinner plates and swimsuits. The Stars and Stripes decorate everything — from tattoos and fingernails to huge cakes…

“An official federal government code sets very specific rules on how the US flag should be handled. The national banner cannot be thrown on the ground, hung upside down, torn or allowed to become dirty. It must be illuminated in nighttime and, the code says, cannot be used as a prop for advertising activities. However, there is no sanction for violating these rules. The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that freedom of expression guaranteed by the US constitution includes the right to burn the flag, an act frequently observed during protests against the Vietnam War. Last week, the US Senate barely rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that could have led to criminal penalties for desecrating of the flag.”

South American Trade Bloc vs. USA

The Associated Press reported on July 5:

“President Hugo Chavez marked Venezuela’s entry into the South American trade bloc Mercosur with a six-nation summit Tuesday, an alliance that he says should be a common front against U.S. free trade deals. Chavez and the leaders of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay formalized the bloc’s expansion to include Venezuela, which Chavez claims as a victory against Washington’s ‘imperialistic’ economic plans for the hemisphere. Bolivian President Evo Morales, a close Chavez ally, was to attend the signing ceremony as an observer. ‘We are defeating the hegemonic pretensions’ of the United States ‘and today we have placed a new cornerstone for the freedom and unity of South America,’ Chavez said to a rousing applause in a packed Caracas auditorium following the signing ceremony.”

North Korea A Real Danger?

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 5:

“Despite repeated warnings from the international community, North Korea has test-fired at least six missiles. The missiles were launched on Wednesday morning at 3:30 a.m. local time and included a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is thought to be capable of reaching the United States. Due to the time difference — North Korea is located on the other side of the international dateline — the launch symbolically took place on July 4th, America’s independence day, a day generally associated with less nefarious fireworks. According to US officials, the Taepodong missile failed just 42 seconds after take-off, while the others fell into the Sea of Japan. Washington and Seoul have both criticized the tests, calling them ‘provocative,’ while Japan has demanded an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.”

The Associated Press added:

“North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor that began when the reclusive regime defied international protests by launching a long-range missile and at least five shorter-range rockets earlier in the day. The North’s state-run media said Wednesday that the country was prepared to cope with any provocation by the United States… China, North Korea’s neighbor and most important ally, urged all parties to remain calm.”

The Hostage War

On July 3, Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“The kidnapping of an Israeli soldier shows that radicals within Hamas want to harm the pragmatists around Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. Now Israel is trying to destroy the Islamists’ infrastructure — in the face of massive international criticism… The hostage affair has given Israel a welcome provocation to destroy the infrastructure for militants who have been firing Qassam rockets at the small Israeli town of Sderot ever since Jewish settlers left the Gaza Strip. This end justifies any means, in Prime Minister Olmert’s opinion. ‘The world is fed up with the Palestinians,’ he railed at a meeting of Israel’s Security Cabinet. According to Olmert, the entire Palestinian political leadership — including President Abbas — is responsible for the kidnapping… There’s one thing the Israeli action has accomplished: Factions within Hamas have put aside their differences, and for now moderates are working in solidarity with hardliners again.”

The Middle East Quartet a Failure–and Gaza a “Hell Hole”?

Der Spiegel Online reported on July 4:

“The ultimatum issued by Palestinian militants to the Israelis for the release of prisoners in exchange for a captured Israeli soldier has not been met. Pessimism is growing about the prospects for a diplomatic resolution…

“The left-wing ‘Die Tageszeitung’ is pessimistic about the chances for an international resolution of the current crisis. The Middle East Quartet — the United States, EU, Russia and the United Nations — had described itself as the ‘guardians of the peace process,’ presenting the quartet members as ‘honest brokers between the Israelis and the Palestinians.’ However, the current crisis makes clear the extent to which the Quartet has failed. The paper points out a number of reasons for this failure: firstly, its ‘partiality.’ Over the past three weeks the Quartet ‘held its tongue as 20 civilians died as a result of constant Israeli pounding of the Gaza Strip. It was only with the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier that it suddenly lifted a finger.’ The Quartet should also have ‘been working over the past year and a half to transform the unilateral cease fire by Hamas into a bilateral one.’ The paper continues: ‘The decision to boycott the Hamas government now seems to be a failure too.’ As a result, Americans and Europeans have no access to the right people. According to the newspaper, ‘the Quartet now has to put pressure on Presidential president Mahmoud Abbas, who has to pass this on to the Hamas government, which then has to put the militant groups under pressure.’ It points out that ‘without diplomatic channels, there is no diplomacy and thus no diplomatic solution.’

“The conservative ‘Die Welt’ writes that since the Israelis withdrew from the Gaza Strip and gave up the settlements, the ability of the Palestinians to establish a stable state has been put to the test. ‘The results have been catastrophic. Gaza, instead of becoming a model of Palestinian autonomy has become a hell hole.’ The Israeli reaction of shelling is a ‘disproportionate retaliation without a clear and reachable political goal.’… The paper concludes that ‘the small war over Gaza shows signs of spinning out of control.’ The Quartet, as well as Egypt, the Saudis and Israel have to understand that ‘if the fire brigade hesitates the fire in Gaza, it will spread across the whole neighborhood.'”

If you want to learn more about what is prophesied for the Middle East, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

…but it’s the Wrong Sabbath

On July 3, USA Today published an article by a Presbyterian pastor about the need to keep the weekly Sabbath holy. Unfortunately, the pastor confuses the weekly Sabbath–the seventh day of the week– with Sunday, the first day of the week. This error is not uncommon in the “Christian” world–but it shows the complete ignorance, if not willful defiance of the teachings of the Bible. In addition, the article contains other glaring errors. To judge for yourself, just read the following excerpts:

“For all the attention paid this past year to public displays of the Ten Commandments, you’d think people would spend as much energy trying to follow them. When it comes to the Fourth Commandment–‘Remember the Sabbath Day’–that’s not the case. And pastors like me, far from being role models, are among the worst offenders. After all, we work every Sunday.

“The problem with ignoring the Sabbath is that it hurts us as individuals, families and communities… Whether religious or not, people know that they need to take a day off in order to maintain their sanity and remain efficient and productive at work. But I’m convinced that downtime is not enough. We need a formal day of rest. A true Sabbath gives us time to refresh and renew ourselves, regain proper perspective and redirect our lives to what is good and true and worthwhile. There is something positive and even creative about allowing ourselves to take a break, as is noted in the Bible when it says God finishes the work of creation on the seventh day … by resting (Genesis 2:2). Resting is an act of creativity…

“Given this history, Sabbath-keeping is going to be a countercultural activity, one requiring commitment and creativity. A day of rest does not have to be a Saturday or a Sunday–impossible for pastors and many others–but it should be at least one day out of seven, and qualitatively different from the other six. The key is to break away from work patterns, whether that means hobbies, sports or artistic activities. (Sabbath is related to the Hebrew verb meaning ‘to cease, stop, interrupt.’)… So take a vacation this summer and a Sabbath day throughout the year–whether to honor God, your family or yourself.”

The Bible commands us to keep the seventh day of the week holy–which is the time from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. And it is to be kept in honor of God. To keep Sunday–or just one day out of seven–does not fulfill Godly requirements in the slightest And the suggestion to keep the Sabbath to honor yourself is just plain ridiculous. For more information, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

Further Erosion of Individual Liberties

The EUObserver reported on June 29 about the recent scandal regarding US access to international banking transfers–another piece of a puzzle showing more and more the restrictions and the erosion of privacy of US citizens and others. The article revealed the astonishing fact that, apparently, European countries secretly collaborated with the US:

“The European Central Bank and the Bank of England were aware that customers’ payment data were being transferred to US authorities, according to a document obtained by Belgium’s Le Soir newspaper. A consortium known as SWIFT, which manages the ‘Swift’ codes for international payments, tried in vain to get permission from the Frankfurt and London banks to hand payment data to Washington, but the banks did not subsequently tell the government of Belgium–where SWIFT is based–that data was being transferred to the US. SWIFT, which stands for the ‘Society for Worldwide Inter-bank Financial Telecommunications’ based just outside Brussels, was thrust into the limelight when the New York Times last week reported that officials from the CIA, the FBI and other US agencies had since 2001 been allowed to inspect the transfers. The Belgian senate announced on Wednesday (28 June) that it had opened a case on the affair. The office of Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said in a statement that the probe will determine whether Belgian law and the rights of Belgian nationals were respected when information on financial transactions worldwide was passed on to US authorities. The National Bank of Belgium (BNB) acknowledged that it knew of the transfers. But it claimed that it could do nothing about them as its primary task is to see to the soundness of financial transactions, not of data transfer.

“London-based human rights group Privacy International said it was alleging that SWIFT made the disclosures ‘without regard to legal process under data protection law’ and without any legal basis or authority. ‘This unlawful activity shows yet again how the US wilfully disregards the privacy rights not only of its own citizens, but also the rights of foreign nationals,’ said the head of the group Simon Davies in a statement. ‘The scale of the operation is breathtaking, and the extent of privacy violation is almost without parallel. We will work to bring the programme to a halt pending further investigation.’ A European diplomat said ironically however, that ‘in any case, the Americans have succeeded in doing what the Europeans cannot; creating a European judiciary… European judges spend years to obtain this kind of information,’ Liberation writes.”

Guantanamo Camp Illegal!

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 30:

“The United States Supreme Court has ruled that George W. Bush overstepped his authority when he set up military tribunals for Guantanamo Bay inmates. The ruling has widespread implications for Guantanamo, the war on terror and rule of law in the United States… In its ruling the Supreme Court, which ruled 5-3… against the government, said that the tribunals contravened the Geneva Convention, as well as the US code of military justice. It added that there was ‘no sweeping mandate for the president to invoke military commissions whenever he deems them necessary.’ The German press resoundingly welcomes the Supreme Court decision, and many papers comment on its implications for the democratic rule of law and separation of powers in the United States.’…

“The financial daily Handelsblatt writes that the existence of the camp ’causes serious concerns for every person who respects the law.’ Concerns that the US itself could embark on the path of lawlessness, ‘which the fight against terror is actually aimed at defeating.’ The paper argues that the decision by the Supreme Court against the Bush military tribunals is therefore good for the US: ‘It makes clear that in America it is not only the opinion of the president that counts.’ The paper then asks: ‘How long can the US government afford to sanction this kind of extrajudicial space, against the doubts of its own Supreme Court? How long can they keep going back to Sept 11 to justify operating on the edges of legality?'”

America’s reputation in the world is growing worse and worse. To understand the reasons for this startling development, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Haider in the News Again

On June 17, the Jerusalem Post reported the following: 

“Far-right Austrian leader Joerg Haider called US President George W. Bush a war criminal on Saturday. In an interview with the Austrian daily Die Presse, Haider claimed Bush ‘brought about the war against Iraq deliberately, with lies and falsehoods … The Iraqi population is suffering terribly. Bush took the risk of an enormous number of victims.’ Haider added in the interview that Bush’s actions have only served to strengthen international terrorism.”

According to Austrian reports, Haider might be contemplating running for office in non-Austrian territories within a few years from now–due to a proposed change of the European laws, purportedly allowing candidates from one European country to run for office in another European country. Even though Haider is considered by some as just an “agitator,” it might be advisable to take note of his words, conduct and plans.

More Tension in the Middle East!

Following the abduction of an Israeli soldier–the first since 1994, Israel has mounted a massive show of force to free this 19 year old combatant. BBC News reported on June 28:

“Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would not hesitate to ‘carry out extreme action’ to free the captured soldier but said Israel did not want to re-take control of Gaza.”

In an article from the Chicago Tribune on June 28, by Joel Greenburg, the seriousness of this confrontation was highlighted:

“Israel readied forces to enter the northern Gaza Strip early Thursday and rounded up Hamas government officials in the West Bank, stepping up its response to the abduction of one of its soldiers by Palestinian militants.”

The article continued: “About 750,000 people in the Gaza Strip were left without electricity and many lacked running water, officials said, after an air strike on the territory’s only power station cut the electricity supply and crippled water pumps. Engineers said repairs of the station could take as long as six months.”

“…Mustafa Barghouti, a member of parliament and a physician, said that the cut off of electricity, which engineers said affected 65 percent of the Gaza Strip, would cause serious hardship.

” ‘What will we do for medications that need to be preserved, what will we do for hospitals that need electricity, what will we do for schools, for people who have no electricity now in their houses and probably will not have water supply?’ Barghouti said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. television. ‘This collective punishment will only aggravate people and enhance violence.’ “

The entire Middle East is now a cauldron of boiling problems! Iran continues to defy the world as it deftly ignores pleas and threats from Western nations to stop its nuclear program. Iraq is infested with an insurgency of implacable violence despite the best efforts of coalition forces led by the world’s current “Super Power”–the United States. However, Bible prophecy points to Jerusalem and the land of Israel as the contested focal point of world powers in the near future. Even now, developments are setting the stage for the dramatic culmination of these prophesied events. Be sure to view our insightful StandingWatch commentary that explains the news of our day in the light of Bible prophecy–available at www.standingwatch.org and presented by Evangelist Norbert Link.

Christianity Spreading in China

On June 27, the Rocky Mountain News published an article by Nicholas Kristof (The New York Times) that reported about a rapid change happening in China:

“Christianity is booming as never before in China, and some giddy followers say China could eventually have hundreds of millions of Christians–perhaps more than any other country in the world.”

The article continued: “This boom in religion, particularly Christianity but also including the Bahai faith and various cults like Falun Gong, reflects a spiritual yearning among many Chinese. While China has official Catholic and Protestant churches, the fastest-growing churches are the underground ones–usually evangelical without any specific denomination–that are independent of the government. The total number of Chinese Christians today probably exceeds 40 million, and some estimates go far higher.”

In the turbulent times ahead, Biblical prophecy reveals that the whole world will embrace a global religion. To understand how nations–great and small–will follow the lead of a powerful and charismatic religious leader, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Anglican Church Split in Two!

Following several years of highly publicized controversial differences within the Anglican Church over such issues as ordaining a gay bishop, ordaining women and performing same-sex marriages, some now recognize that the compromises are tearing the 77 million strong church apart. The following excerpts appeared in the “Daily Mail” on June 19, 2006:
“Efforts to prevent a schism in the Anglican Communion are now futile as it has become virtually ‘two religions’, a leading Church of England bishop claimed in an interview published today.”

Continuing from the article: “…Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, said the division between liberals and conservatives in the worldwide Anglican Communion was now so profound that a compromise was impossible.

” ‘Nobody wants a split, but if you think you have virtually two religions in a single Church, something has got to give some time,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.”

Additionally, a related article, by Laurie Goodstein and Neela Banerjee, appeared in the New York Times on June 28:

“In a defining moment in the Anglican Communion’s civil war over homosexuality, the Archbishop of Canterbury proposed a plan yesterday that could force the Episcopal Church in the United States either to renounce gay bishops and same-sex unions or to give up full membership in the Communion.”

Continuing to quote from the article: “The archbishop wrote, ‘No member church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship.’ “

The battle is between conservative and liberal members and what is permitted among those who call themselves “Christian.” The following comment from the article places the blame: “The conservatives have insisted all along that it is the American church that destabilized the Anglican ship and should be pushed overboard if it will not relent.”

Secondhand Smoking!

In an AP report by medical writer Lauran Neergaard on June 27, the dangers faced by nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke were cited from a surgeon general’s report:

“Breathing any amount of someone else’s tobacco smoke harms nonsmokers, the surgeon general declared Tuesday–a strong condemnation of secondhand smoke that is sure to fuel nationwide efforts to ban smoking in public.

” ‘The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard,’ said U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona.

“More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans are regularly exposed to smokers’ fumes–what Carmona termed ‘involuntary smoking’–and tens of thousands die each year as a result, concludes the 670-page study. It cites ‘overwhelming scientific evidence’ that secondhand smoke causes heart disease, lung cancer and a list of other illnesses.”

The issue of smoking and its addiction has certainly been a modern plague–both for those who do smoke and for those who have to live around smokers. A beginning point for those who struggle with this can be found in the Word of God. Jesus said the following: ” ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” For more information on what the Bible reveals and for help in overcoming problems of this nature, please read our free booklets, “Sickness and Healing, What the Bible Tells Us” and “Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

USA: Drought / Floods!

On June 27, USA Today published an article by Catherine Rampeli. In the article, the author states:

“A drought over a third of the nation has grown so severe that consumers could be facing higher prices for everything from beef to bread by the end of the year.

“Conditions have become so dire that ‘the middle of the United States and certainly the Southwest are well on their way to one of the worst droughts in history,’ says Carl Anderson, professor of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University.”

By contrast, the Eastern Seaboard of the United States is suffering from record-setting floods! In an article from the Associated Press on June 28, writer Mark Scolforo reports:

“Up to 200,000 people in the Wilkes-Barre area were ordered to evacuate their homes Wednesday because of rising water on the Susquehanna River, swelled by a record-breaking deluge that has killed at least 12 people across the Northeast.

“Thousands more were ordered to leave their homes in New Jersey, New York and Maryland. Rescue helicopters plucked residents from rooftops as rivers and streams surged over their banks, washed out roads and bridges, and cut off villages in some of the worst flooding in the region in decades, with more rain in the forecast for the rest of the week.”

Following the severe hurricanes that hit the U.S. last year, the economic losses for all Americans became clearly felt through higher gasoline prices–among other things. Now, with a severe drought growing across the nation, citizens will again experience higher costs as national food supplies dwindle. The ongoing floods of this week will also prove costly for the immediate areas in the Northeast as well as for other parts of the country. Just WHY these national disasters are increasing is revealed in the prophecies of the Bible. For ANSWERS, please read our free booklet, “The Rise and Fall of Britain and America.”

German and American Patriotism–Right or Wrong?

On June 14, Der Spiegel Online published an article by American journalist Marc Young. In the article, Young discusses Germany’s and America’s patriotism and argues that America has become the “new Germany”:

“The World Cup has caused Germany to break out into a patriotic burst of black, red and gold not seen since reunification 16 years ago. Many Germans are confused. Some are even concerned… Sometimes it would be easier to just be Swedish. Aside from getting uncontrollably drunk on Baltic Sea ferries, the Swedes haven’t really annoyed anyone for over a century. The times when Scandinavian armies or hordes of pillaging Vikings descended upon Europe are far enough back that no one begrudges the friendly Swedes their orgy of yellow-and-blue-colored patriotism whenever their national soccer team steps onto the pitch…

“Of course, supporting the national soccer team has long been the most innocent way for Germans to feel good about their country. But it’s still easy to believe that what we might all be witness to this summer is nothing less than a watershed in attitudes towards patriotism and pride in Germany. Six decades after the horrors of World War II and 16 years after reunification, it’s okay to be German again. As an American, I can attest that’s a positive thing. There’s absolutely no reason why Germans shouldn’t be able to feel good about their modern and tolerant country. Germany is still far from perfect, as I have written here before, but the best way to cut neo-Nazis and other mutants off at the knees is to avoid abandoning love of country and patriotism to right-wing extremists…

“… while in Germany it’s becoming easier to wave the flag, unfortunately the situation is exactly the opposite for me and many of my American countrymen. When it comes to being disliked abroad, it sometimes feels like America has become the new Germany. When you’re from a large and mighty country, nobody likes to see you throw your weight around and then gloat about it. When Swedes revel in unabashed national euphoria it’s cute. But when your country invades another under false assumptions and is reviled by many around the globe as either the ‘Great Satan’ or the rotten source of imperialistic capitalism, flying the Stars and Stripes isn’t easy. The official bus transporting the US soccer team during the World Cup is the only one out of 32 that isn’t painted in the country’s national colors…

“So Germans should be happy they can freely cheer for Michael Ballack and team while swaddled in black, red and gold for the next three weeks. But before they get misty-eyed about the Fatherland, they should thank US President George W. Bush. Ironically enough, his decision to invade Iraq has helped many Germans feel proud — as well they should — about their country and its strong opposition to the war. Besides, patriotism isn’t about some misguided ‘my-country-right-or-wrong’ type of attitude. I can vehemently disagree with US apologists for embarrassments like Guantanamo Bay exactly because I believe the sort of legal limbo the prison camp creates goes against the very principles that actually make me proud of my country.”

It is remarkable that the United States of America has become so unpopular in the world. But there are reasons for this astonishing development. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

USA Unprepared!

AFP reported on June 16, 2006:

“The United States is not prepared to cope with a large-scale terrorist attack or a powerful hurricane, the US Department of Homeland Security has said in a report… The Nationwide Plan Review comes two weeks into the hurricane season, which started June 1. US weather experts are forecasting between eight to 10 hurricanes — as many as six of them major — would form in the Atlantic basin this year. The review was conducted in all 56 states and territories and 75 urban areas over six months. The emergency plans were compared to pre-Katrina standards by review teams that included former state and local homeland security and emergency management officials.

“‘The majority of the Nation’s current emergency operations plans and planning processes cannot be characterized as fully sufficient to manage catatrophic events,’ the report said. ‘Significant weaknesses in evacuation planning are an area of profound concern,’ it said, adding that the capabilities to receive and care for large numbers of evacuees were found to be ‘inadequate.'”

kutv.com added on June 16:

“Utah is only partially prepared to respond to a catastrophic event such as an earthquake along the Wasatch Front, a federal security analysis concluded Friday. ‘An earthquake along the Wasatch Front would be our Hurricane Katrina in magnitude and impact,” said Derek Jensen, spokesman for the Utah division of emergency services and homeland security… New Orleans is still woefully unprepared for catastrophes 10 months after Hurricane Katrina… New York and Washington, al-Qaida’s targets on Sept. 11, 2001, received lukewarm ratings. Seventy-one percent of New York’s emergency plans were described as only partially sufficient. In Washington, 67 percent of the plans were deemed partially sufficient and 2 percent insufficient.”

Europe’s Immigration Problems

Not only the USA is confronted with illegal immigration problems. Europe is facing similar issues. The EUObserver pointed out on June 16:

“EU leaders have agreed they must find some common principles on how to tackle immigration, with Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schussel stressing that immigrants must accept some European values if they want to settle in the continent. ‘It is very important for somebody who is coming to our countries to learn the language and sign up to the values, the human rights, the position of women, the rule of law. There is no compromise on this,’ Mr Schussel told journalists on Thursday (15 June) at the EU summit in Brussels… Spain and Malta pointed to the increasing number of illegal immigrants ending up on their territory. French president Jacques Chirac indicated the EU must improve its cooperation with African states on the issue, and try to help them solve the roots of the illegal immigration… The European Commission is planning to table some fresh proposals on illegal immigration in July, including a plan for rapid border intervention teams and a list of safe countries–from which the EU will not accept asylum seekers.”

Cruelty to Animals

The Associated Press reported on June 15:

“Customers craving fresh crustaceans will have to look beyond Whole Foods Market Inc. after the natural-foods grocery chain decided Thursday to stop selling live lobsters and crabs on the grounds that it’s inhumane… Animal rights activities were thrilled with the decision, not just because of the way lobsters are harvested, shipped and stored but because of the fate that awaits many of them–being dropped alive into a pot of boiling water. ‘The ways that lobsters are treated would warrant felony cruelty to animals charges if they were dogs or cats,’ said Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In making its decision, Whole Foods pointed to a November report from the European Food Safety Authority Animal Health and Welfare panel that it said concluded all decapod crustaceans, including lobsters and crabs, appear to have some degree of awareness, feel pain and can learn. But other scientists and seafood industry officials said Thursday that lobsters have such primitive insect-like nervous systems they don’t even have brains and can’t experience pain the way animals and humans do.”

For more information, please make sure to view our new StandingWatch program, “Why So Much Cruelty?”

The Long-Term Effects of War

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 15, 2006:

“The German military is battling a new problem: As it prepares for a new foreign deployment in Congo, many soldiers are still suffering from traumatic experiences in Somalia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. A term most commonly associated with the Vietnam War — post-traumatic stress disorder — is now increasingly afflicting German soldiers returning from missions abroad… It is the most difficult of all human reactions to stress; it changes the personality and, if untreated, often leads to a permanent disability that renders the patient incapable of working. A good 30 years after Vietnam, one-third of all homeless men in the US are veterans. Drug abuse and rates of criminality, divorce and suicide are way above average in this population… Symptoms of the trauma are always the same: sleeplessness, aggression, depression. Then come problems with a spouse or a boss, and then, more often than not, total social dysfunction… Of the American soldiers who return today from Iraq, 17 percent suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder… ‘Kriegszitterer’ or ‘war-tremblers’ is what Germans called soldiers who fell apart during World War I — who suffered from hysterical crying or whose limbs shook despite the absence of visible injury. Doctors considered them malingerers and tortured them with electroshock therapy until they were ‘fit’ to return to the front.”

War is SO wrong. And war does not bring good results. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?”

Haider vs. Bush

The Jerusalem Post reported on June 16, that “Far-right Austrian leader Joerg Haider called US President George W. Bush a war criminal on Saturday. In an interview with the Austrian daily Die Presse, Haider claimed Bush ‘brought about the war against Iraq deliberately, with lies and falsehoods … The Iraqi population is suffering terribly. Bush took the risk of an enormous number of victims.’  Haider added in the interview that Bush’s actions have only served to strengthen international terrorism. Bush is expected to arrive in Vienna this coming week in order to participate in a summit meeting with European leaders.”

The Pope Head of All Christians?

On June 14, the “Indian Catholic” published an article by Cardinal Ivan Dias, the newly appointed head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples. In the article, Dias took the position that the Pope has a God-given authority to speak for all Christians, and to all of mankind. He explained this bold assertion as follows:

“The moral and spiritual authority vested in the Pope is normally referred to as The Holy See: the term ‘see’ (which means seat) symbolically signifies the chair from which teaching is officially imparted, laws are promulgated and judgements pronounced, something akin to… the thrones of the kings in Europe…

“Strictly speaking, the Holy See or the Apostolic See is the ministry of the Pope who has a double sovereignty: as Pastor of the universal Church and as Head of the Vatican City-State… The Holy See is thus the central governing body of the Catholic Church, whose head is the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, and it is precisely in the exercise of this function that it enjoys international recognition. The Holy See is also the supreme authority of the Vatican City-State… The Holy See, not the Vatican City, maintains diplomatic relations with 174 nations and participates in various international organizations. Foreign embassies are accredited to the Holy See, not to the Vatican City, and it is the Holy See that establishes treaties and concordats with other sovereign entities and, when necessary, even on behalf of the Vatican City… The State of the Vatican City was… created with the signing of the Lateran Pact between the Holy See and the Italian Authorities on February 11, 1929 to ‘ensure the absolute and visible independence of the Holy See’ and ‘to guarantee to it an indisputable sovereignty in international affairs’… This permanent international recognition of the Holy See is proof enough that States and Governments looked at the Holy See, not primarily as a territorial entity, but as an international juridical reality, whose foundation was the spiritual sovereignty of the Church exercised through the ministry of the Pope… The Holy See has existed ever since Peter was mandated by Christ to take care of His flock, which is the whole human race.”

It should be clearly understood that Peter was not a pope or the “first pope”–even though the Catholic Church has falsely proclaimed this concept over the centuries. In fact, when reviewing the teachings of the apostle Peter with those of the Catholic Church, one has to conclude that any similarities might just be coincidental. But it is interesting that the Catholic Church restates its century-old claim that the Pope is ABOVE the State, and that he speaks for and to the State. This unfortunate alliance and interdependence of Church and State has caused much persecution for the true followers of Jesus Christ, as well as the entire world. And the Bible does show that it will bring much more trouble in the future. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Son of Late Italian Emperor Arrested

AFP reported on June 16:

“Prince Victor Emmanuel, son of Italy’s last king [King Umberto II, who reigned briefly as Italy’s last king in 1946], was arrested on suspicion of links to criminals involved in corruption and prostitution…  Victor Emmanuel of Savoy made an official return to Italy in March 2003, after 56 years of exile imposed on the family of his grandfather King Victor Emmanuel III, who ruled from 1900 to 1946 and died in 1947, for its support of the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. The constitutional ban on a return to Italy by male heirs of the kingdom of Savoy was lifted in July 2002 by the national parliament.”

Thailand Celebrates Its King and Queen

The Associated Press reported on June 9:

“Thailand’s king, the world longest-serving monarch, marked 60 years on the throne Friday, calling for unity in his politically troubled country as hundreds of thousands of adoring Thais cheered and waved yellow flags. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 78, greeted his subjects in a glittering golden gown from the palace balcony in Bangkok, only the third such appearance of his royal career… The monarch is beloved for his projects to help the rural poor and for using his moral influence to keep the country together through political turmoil… The people cried and held hands in reverence, chanting ‘long live the king,’ as Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit waved goodbye from the balcony. Thailand has been mired in a political crisis for months over corruption allegations against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and demands that he resign. The country has been without a working legislature since April 2 general elections boycotted by the opposition and invalidated by the nation’s highest court…

“Although the king is a constitutional monarch with limited powers, he has used his prestige to smooth over several political crises over the years, persuading opposing parties to compromise for the sake of peace and stability. He often mingles with people in remote villages where he has started hundreds of development projects… Thailand has declared a five-day public holiday for the festivities, including fireworks, feasts and a river parade featuring dozens of gilded ceremonial boats. A royal banquet Tuesday closes the celebrations. Heads of state and royalty from 25 countries, including Japan’s Emperor Akihito, Britain’s Prince Andrew and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, were expected to attend the culmination of celebrations next week. King Bhumibol was named king on June 9, 1946, after the death of his older brother. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended to the throne in 1952, is the world’s second-longest serving monarch.”

We like to remember Queen Sirikit’s remarkable visit to the USA in March of 1985; her stay as a guest on the grounds of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) and Ambassador College (AC); and her close friendship with Herbert W. Armstrong, former human leader of the WCG. During her visit, Queen Sirikit made the following remarks about Mr. Armstrong (who was, by then, 93 years old, and who died less than a year later):

“I’d like to devote this event [an exhibition of valuable Thai art] to Mr. Armstrong, a good friend of Thailand, who has a far vision and who has made it possible for the Exhibition of these ancient Asian treasures… I feel I have a debt to pay to Mr. Armstrong and others who are supporting and have given us a chance to exhibit our cultures from the first recorded history of Thailand till the present time in this beautiful Ambassador College.”

In a book commemorating Queen Sirikit’s visit to America, titled, “Royal Moon Rising over America,” the following expressions were made by the Queen about the AC students:

“There are about 600 students attending the college. They do not teach just liberal arts, but also moral values. The purpose is to help the students become people with good morality. We saw the students here dressed better than other teenagers. Men have short hair and wore neckties nicely. There were no punks with long hair–or no hair–or colored hair at all. The ladies were impressively well dressed. No tight jeans were worn. The most important fact is that every one of them had good manners and good speech. When the students saw us passing by, they smiled at us and talked with us. When we asked them questions, they were very helpful to us all… ‘It is not surprising that this college has received three awards… And first of all, which may be the most important value here, is that you produce incredible people–people with good qualities,’ Her Majesty expressed…. ‘This Ambassador College campus is beautiful like heaven.'”

What a terrible tragedy it is that after Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986, the values and high standards, taught by the WCG and AC, were gradually eroded, until, due to the shortsightedness and lack of vision of the new leadership and their different emphasis on what is important in life, AC was closed and its campus sold. For more information on how doctrinal errors gradually found their way into WCG, make sure to read our latest member letter, as well as our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”

No German Troops in Iraq

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 9:

“The United States remains interested in a greater German involvement in Iraq… According to the Berlin daily Berliner Zeitung, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has asked his German counterpart Franz Josef Jung for help in training the Iraqi military in Baghdad. Germany’s policy of only providing training assistance outside the borders of Iraq, however, will continue, Jung said at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday… Germany has consistently refused to become involved directly in Iraq — a policy that has not changed since Chancellor Angela Merkel’s election in the autumn of 2005… a direct German involvement in Iraq would likely be extremely controversial. Schröder’s outright refusal to get involved in Iraq, first voiced categorically during his 2002 campaign for the chancellery, was extraordinarily popular in Germany and led to his re-election that year. Four years later, the US presence in Iraq remains deeply unpopular in Germany.

“The German military only recently pledged almost 800 troops to participate in a peace-keeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo during elections there at the end of July. German troops are likewise stationed in Afghanistan, Kosovo and off the Horn of Africa.”

Otto von Habsburg Warns Of Russia

On May 27, 2006, Austria’s “NtwWorld News” published an article about Otto von Habsburg’s comments at a meeting of the Pan-European Union. Habsburg, son of the last Austrian Emperor, Charles I, was quoted as saying: “There are dangers and Russia is the greatest danger for us.” He continued that Russia’s President Putin is making “exactly the same steps as Hitler.” He stated that the conviction of oil-magnate Michail Chrodorkowski was “a “repetition of the big trials under Stalin.” Dr. Habsburg also expressed his view that the enlargement of Europe is “inevitable.” He said that some politicians make one step forward and three steps backward. “We must prevent this from continuing,” Habsburg was quoted. 

Tony Blair’s Interview: “They Libel Everyone!”

At the beginning of the World Cup, Reporters from Bild Online and The Sun interviewed England’s Prime Minister Tony Blair. Bild Online published the interview on June 10. The following excerpts are quite remarkable:

When asked how he views the relationship between Germany and England,. Blair answered: “Obviously not without complications, because of the known historical reasons. At the same time, many Germans work in England. And most tourists who are visiting Berlin are from England. We are also very close politically.” He also stated that “we never underestimate the Germans–when it comes to soccer.”

When asked why a good relationship between England and Germany is so important, Blair stated: “Especially when looking at big nations such as India or China, the collaboration between European countries becomes more and more important. Europe gives us smaller countries a chance to epitomize our potential and to accomplish the best.”

When asked how Blair would “explain the constant attacks of the English press on the Germans, and the oftentimes war-like language,” Blair responded: “You should hear what they call me. They libel everyone, without making any difference. You must not take this personally.”

Israel and Hamas–and No Peace in Sight

The Associated Press reported on June 9:

“Palestinians fired rockets into Israel Friday and vowed to avenge Israel’s assassination of the Hamas government’s top security chief in an attack that threatened to ignite large-scale violence between the two sides. The security chief, Jamal Abu Samhadana, was a key player in Palestinian rocket attacks against Israel and a close ally of the Hamas militants who now govern the Palestinian Authority and have refused to renounce their commitment to Israel’s destruction. Hours after his death Thursday night, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets into Israel… Tens of thousands of Palestinians flocked to a Gaza Strip stadium for Abu Samhadana’s funeral Friday, some firing in the air and calling for blood…

“Hamas government officials called Abu Samhadana’s killing a direct assault on the Palestinian Authority, and vowed to continue its resistance against the Jewish state. Abu Samhadana’s Popular Resistance Committees faction vowed revenge… Since Hamas was elected to power in January, it has not been directly involved in attacks against Israel, but it does back other factions’ operations… The U.S. and other Western countries imposed the sanctions because of Hamas’ refusal to disarm militants and recognize Israel.”

The Associated Press also wrote the following in a related article on June 9, 2006:

“Hamas militants called off a truce with Israel on Friday after a barrage of Israeli artillery shells tore into Palestinians at a beachside picnic in the Gaza Strip, killing seven civilians. The declaration raised the prospect of a new wave of bloodshed. Hamas militants suspended a campaign of deadly suicide attacks on Israelis with a February 2005 cease-fire, and have largely stuck to the truce. The Islamic group now leads the Palestinian government… The Israeli artillery attack was part of a wider aerial and artillery bombardment of suspected Palestinian rocket-launching sites that killed a total of 10 people Friday. The violence fueled tensions already high over an Israeli airstrike that killed a militant commander in the Hamas-led government Thursday… Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack on the beach as a ‘genocidal crime.’ He called for international intervention and declared a three-day period of mourning. His rival, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, said the shelling was a ‘war crime’ and urged an end to recent fighting between Hamas and Abbas’ moderate Fatah movement.”

AFP reported on June 11, 2006:

“Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has expressed regret over the death of eight Palestinian civilians who were killed by shelling of a beach in the northern Gaza Strip. ‘We regret the death of innocent civilians,’ Olmert told ministers at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. The prime minister pledged that the exact circumstances behind the deaths on Friday afternoon would be brought to light. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has denounced the deaths as a ‘bloody massacre’ while there has also been widespread international condemnation of the killings… Britain’s Foreign Minister Margarget Beckett has been among those to voice their condemnation of the incident, saying that ‘the killing of innocent civilians is utterly unacceptable.’… The eight civilians killed included three children and their parents.”

State and Catholic Church Against Sects?

The Catholic news agency, Zenit, reported on June 8:

“A bishop [Bishop Gestori] says that the Catholic Church should collaborate with the state in order to keep the phenomenon of sects from triggering public interference in religious life… The 70-year-old bishop [tried] to specify the limits and ways within which the state and Church can intervene to oppose the spread of sects… Special laws… would be dangerous, because there would be the risk of state interference ‘in an area that is not of its competency. The state cannot define what a sect is and cannot judge a religious doctrine,’ he added. ‘The state must take an interest in sects and, in general, in religion, when it is a question of public order, but it has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of a religious group,’ he clarified. From this point of view, the problem of the regulation of sects remains an open question and its evolution merits the careful attention of the Catholic Church in order to collaborate with the state. The foregoing might also serve to ‘avoid the objective problem of sects becoming an occasion for interference in religious life… It might reveal itself as a threat to religious freedom and the profession of faith, of any faith.'”

These comments are to be looked at very seriously. The history of the Catholic Church and of the powers of the European states is one of collaboration against non-Catholic beliefs. Many times, these beliefs were forcefully and brutally suppressed. And it was often the Catholic Church which told the European states what and who was “heretical” and had to be eradicated. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp Illegal?

AFP reported on June 11:

“The Guantanamo Bay prison camp for US war on terror suspects faced renewed scrutiny and criticism after three inmates hanged themselves. A top Republican senator criticized the policy of prolonged detentions of hundreds of terror suspects without trial at the Cuba facility run by the US Navy. ‘Those people have to be tried,’ said Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. ‘There are tribunals established, and they ought to be tried. Where we have evidence they ought to be tried, and if convicted they ought to be sentenced,’ said Specter, who said some inmates have been detained based on ‘the flimsiest sort of hearsay.’ A senior Senate Democrat, Jack Reed, called for the detention center to be permanently shuttered… The suicides Saturday represent a new challenge for President George W. Bush’s administration, which is under strong pressure to close the camp from critics that include the United Nations, international human rights organizations, European governments and Britain’s top legal advisor… Some 460 prisoners are being held at the military-run prison. Only 10 have been formally charged since the camp opened in early 2002, and none has gone on trial.”

Space Man’s Only Hope for Survival?

On June 13, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there’s an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth, world-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking said Tuesday.

“The British astrophysicist told a news conference in Hong Kong that humans could have a permanent base on the moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars in the next 40 years… ‘It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species,’ Hawking said. ‘Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of.'”

Sadly, the Bible predicts that in a few years from now, great disasters will strike the earth so that mankind would be totally annihilated, if it weren’t for God’s intervention. But God WILL intervene and prevent man’s cosmocide. Man’s survival depends on God alone–and not on colonizing space.

For more information, please read our free booklets, “Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Illegal Immigration in the USA–The Overlooked Reality

The Associated Press reported on June 5:

“Millions of illegal immigrants in the United States never jumped the U.S.-Mexico border where Congress wants to erect impenetrable walls and President Bush is sending National Guard troops to patrol. They never sneaked in at all. The little-acknowledged reality is that nearly half the estimated 12 million undocumented foreigners in the United States entered on bona fide U.S. visas–and simply never left. Authorities call them ‘overstays’ who have been largely overlooked in the vitriolic debate on immigration.”

Bird Flu–and a Massive Cover-Up?

The New York Times reported on June 4 about the already existing reality of human-to-human transmissions of the bird flu virus. In the article, it was stated:

“In the wake of a cluster of avian flu cases that killed seven members of a rural Indonesian family, it appears likely that there have been many more human-to-human infections than the authorities have previously acknowledged. The numbers are still relatively small, and they do not mean that the virus has mutated to pass easily between people–a change that could touch off a worldwide epidemic. All the clusters of cases have been among relatives or in nurses who were in long, close contact with patients. But the clusters–in Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Vietnam–paint a grimmer picture of the virus’s potential to pass from human to human than is normally described by public health officials, who usually say such cases are ‘rare.’… Dr. Angus Nicoll, chief of flu activities at the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, acknowledged that ‘we are probably underestimating the extent of person-to-person transmission.’… several scientists have noted that there are many clusters in which human-to-human infection may be a more logical explanation than the idea that relatives who fell sick days apart got the virus from the same dying bird.”

America’s Reputation Continues to Go Downhill in Iraq…

America’s involvement in Iraq becomes more and more questionable. Iraqis don’t like Americans to continue “occupying” their country. And alleged murders of civilians by American troops, and an alleged subsequent cover-up by the Marines, does not help to ease the tension.

AFP reported on June 2, 2006:

“The US military was investigating allegations made by Iraqi police that American troops rounded up and shot dead civilians in March, the BBC reported, after airing video footage it obtained of dead adults and children. The alleged incident in Ishaqi, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, comes on the heels of allegations that US Marines killed unarmed Iraqi civilians. The report by the British Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday quoted a spokesman for US forces in Iraq as saying that an inquiry was under way into the events in Ishaqi on March 15 this year. The BBC, which said it had received the video from a Sunni Muslim group opposed to US forces, said the evidence appeared to contradict the US version of events. US officials said at the time that four people died when US troops became involved in a firefight after a tip-off that an al-Qaeda supporter was visiting a house in Ishaqi, the BBC said. US officials, it added, said that the home collapsed under heavy fire, killing one suspected militant, two women and a child. But a report filed by Iraqi police accused US troops of rounding up and deliberately shooting 11 people in the house, including five children and four women, before blowing up the building. The BBC aired video footage of several bodies, including those of three children, one of them covered in blood. The BBC’s John Simpson said the images clearly show the dead adults and children suffered gunshot wounds. The BBC’s Ian Pannell in Baghdad said the footage has been cross-checked with other images taken at the time of events and is believed to be genuine.

“The video aired by the BBC follows news of an alleged massacre in Haditha, where US Marines are suspected of killing up to 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians last November… The Haditha shootings came to light in a Time magazine report… last March which cited an Iraqi human rights group and Haditha residents.”

The Associated Press stated on June 3 that “The U.S. military said Saturday that it had found no wrongdoing by American troops accused of intentionally killing civilians during a raid in a village north of Baghdad [Ishaqi]  that left up to 13 Iraqis dead.”

The Associated Press had also reported on June 2:

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki upbraided the U.S. military over allegations that Marines killed two dozen unarmed civilians in Haditha, calling the killings ‘a horrible crime’ in his strongest public comments on the subject since his government was sworn in last month… Al-Maliki said the list of human rights breaches by coalition forces in Iraq was long. ‘This is a phenomenon that has become common among many of the multinational forces,’ the prime minister said. ‘No respect for citizens, smashing civilian cars and killing on a suspicion or a hunch. It’s unacceptable.’ Al-Maliki’s remarks bolstered Iraqi complaints that U.S. troops are insensitive to their culture and show disregard for their lives. To many Iraqis, the soldiers are occupiers seeking to control the country’s oil wealth. The Americans, on the other hand, are under intense pressure, isolated from Iraqis by cultural and language barriers and battling insurgents who easily blend into the civilian population. Some of the troops are in Iraq on their third combat tour since the U.S. invasion three years ago…

“U.S. military investigators have evidence that points toward unprovoked murders by the Marines, a senior defense official said last week. The Washington Post reported Thursday that the investigators will conclude some officers gave false testimony to their superiors, who then failed to scrutinize the reports adequately… It took nearly a month for President Bush to be told of the Haditha investigation, the White House said Thursday.”

The New York Times added on June 3:

“Marine commanders in Iraq learned within two days of the killings in Haditha last November that Iraqi civilians had died from gunfire, not a roadside bomb as initially reported, but the officers involved saw no reason to investigate further, according to a senior Marine officer. The commanders have told investigators they had not viewed as unusual, in a combat environment, the discrepancies that emerged almost immediately in accounts about how the two dozen Iraqis died, and that they had no information at the time suggesting that any civilians had been killed deliberately. But the handling of the matter by the senior Marine commanders in Haditha, and whether officers and enlisted personnel tried to cover up what happened or missed signs suggesting that the civilian killings were not accidental, has become a major element of the investigation by an Army general into the entire episode. Officials have said that the investigation, while not yet complete, is likely to conclude that a small group of marines carried out the unprovoked killings of two dozen civilians in the hours after a makeshift bomb killed a marine.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 3:

“Only a few days ago, US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly conceded that their two countries had made many mistakes in Iraq. In his speech, the US president symbolically mentioned Abu Ghraib, the site of gruesome excesses committed by American soldiers. But if accusations prove to be true, Haditha would represent an even more serious act of barbarism — a systematic murder of the innocent motivated by revenge. Haditha will then be on par with the infamous My Lai incident. Five hundred and four Vietnamese civilians were killed on March 16, 1968 in a massacre committed by soldiers in the 11th Infantry Brigade, under the command of Lt. William Calley. It took almost two years before Life magazine first reported on the atrocities that took place in the village on the border with North Vietnam — finally breaking the cloak of silence the US military had placed over My Lai.

“… the Haditha incident has destroyed much of any progress made in the region. Haditha reinforced widespread suspicion that the US is not only capable of atrocities, but also that it does its best to cover them up. Should it come to an investigation, each case is merely declared an isolated incident. Haditha weakens America and is likely to bolster already staunch opposition to the now-unpopular US president’s war. ‘Such incidents are devastating,’ says Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Ambassador to Iraq, in an interview with SPIEGEL… Instead of launching their own investigation, the Marines tried to cover their tracks. Their official version of the incident has the 24 civilians being killed by insurgents and not by US troops… The families of most of the victims each received $2,500, the maximum amount of compensation allowed under Marine regulations. The payments represented an initial acknowledgment that Haditha was more than just an ordinary attack with a high, but not unusual number of victims…

“The Marines’ version of the incident fell apart when the investigators reconstructed the massacre. The principal suspects include Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who led the patrol, and two privates. All three will likely face murder charges. Nine of the 13 Marines probably witnessed what happened in Haditha, but failed to intervene. The battalion commander, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, and two other officers suspected of trying to cover up the killings have since been relieved of their commands. Chessani also apparently gave the order to compensate the victims’ families. Under Marine regulations, cash compensation can only be paid when innocent people are killed.”

… and in Afghanistan

There are also troubles brewing in Afghanistan, provoked by conduct of American troops which has been strongly condemned by the Afghan government. The Associated Press reported on June 1:

“President Hamid Karzai on Thursday condemned the use of gunfire by U.S. troops to suppress Afghans angered by a traffic accident involving a military truck that sparked the worst riots in the capital since the fall of the Taliban. Speaking in his native Pashto language, Karzai used phrases that left open whether the U.S. troops had fired into a crowd that had gathered at the scene of Monday’s accident, or only over their heads. But he was strongly critical.’The coalition opened fire, and we strongly condemn that,’ Karzai said in a national radio address. ‘I have to say, all the time we tell them to be careful because we have one joint aim, which is the struggle against terrorism.’… AP Television News video from Monday shows the mounted machine gun of a U.S. Humvee firing over the heads of Afghans shortly after the accident. Many Afghans at the scene and some officials say the U.S. troops also fired into the crowd. The U.S. military has only confirmed that its soldiers used their weapons in self-defense.

“On Thursday, a top judge said foreigners could be tried for crimes committed in Afghanistan, after lawmakers passed a nonbinding resolution calling for local prosecution of U.S. troops responsible for the crash. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Neumann, however, said that American troops in Afghanistan couldn’t be punished under local law… There also is outrage in Afghanistan over civilian deaths caused by coalition military action against Taliban guerrillas. The latest incident occurred last week, when a U.S. airstrike killed at least 16 civilians in a southern village. A rights group said as many as 34 civilians died.”

In War This Kind of Thing Happens

AFP reported on June 4 from Camp Pendelton:

“Here outside the world’s largest base of US marines — the elite force that calls itself ‘the few, the proud’ — men of all ranks are cautious when responding to reports of marines killing civilians. But privately the answer is simple: ‘in war that kind of thing happens.’… [These] remarks provide a framework to comments… on reports that US marines massacred 24 civilians, including unarmed women and young children, in the western Iraqi town of Haditha in November. Time magazine reported that the marines killed seven civilians in one house and another 12 civilians in neighbouring [sic] homes, as well as shooting dead the driver of a taxi and his four passengers… There are currently at least two investigations regarding Haditha — one relating to the massacre charges, the other relating to the coverup… Both the marines and the Oceanside residents expressed anger at the news media coverage of the case, and are stunned by the official investigation. ‘It’s the marines, the soldiers there are in the camp of battle, fighting for our country,’ said [one person].”

Recently, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was quoted in an article by AFP, dated May 26, as follows:

“‘Well, obviously, they hear a lot of bad news and it’s not surprising. A war is an ugly thing. I don’t think you’ll ever find a popular war,’ he said. “Why should war be popular? It’s a vicious, horrible, ugly thing. But…, if we tossed in the towel every time we had a problem in this country we wouldn’t have a country,’ he said. ‘Turning over that country [Iraq] to violent extremists would destabilize that region, it would put at risk the neighboring Sunni regimes. If you were Iran, it would be the best thing in the world,’ he said… Visiting the casualties of war and their families at military hospitals, he said, ‘can be heartbreak.’ Asked how he dealt with it emotionally, Rumsfeld said he read US history to try to keep it in perspective.”

Lieutenant Announced that He Won’t Fight in Iraq

On June 6, 2006, ThankyouLT.org filed the following article:

“As thousands of Fort Lewis Army troops prepare to head back to Iraq, one of their officers is making a stand. A lieutenant says he is going to refuse to go, saying it’s an unjust war… Lt. Ehren Watada of the Stryker Brigade writes, ‘I refuse to be silent any longer. I refuse to watch families torn apart, while the President tells us to “stay the course.” I refuse to be party to an illegal and immoral war against people who did nothing to deserve our aggression…’  [T]he lieutenant hasn’t done anything official yet, there’s no violation. But should he decide to go ahead with this, he could be charged with ‘desertion’ or more likely with ‘missing the movement’ of his unit… It’s happened before with a sergeant who refused to go… [and] was sentenced to 15 months… Anti-war protestors… are rushing to [Watada’s] aid. They have put up a Web site believing he’s the first commissioned officer to refuse to go.” 

Success in Iraq?

AFP reported on June 8, 2006:

“Al-Qaeda’s chief in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who orchestrated a bloody campaign of attacks and beheadings, has been killed in an air strike, with US and Iraqi officials hailing it as a major blow against the network… US President George W. Bush and other leaders welcomed the killing of the Jordanian-born insurgent who carried a 25 million dollar bounty on his head, but also cautioned Al-Qaeda remains a dangerous force in Iraq and worldwide… Bush cautioned: ‘The difficult and necessary mission in Iraq continues. We can expect the terrorists and insurgents to carry on without him. We can expect the sectarian violence to continue.’… An Al-Qaeda statement on an Islamist website confirmed the death. ‘We announce the martyr death of our sheikh, fighter Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,’ said a statement… His death ‘would only reinforce our determination to pursue “jihad” so that the word of Allah gains the upper hand,’ the statement said. The group promised Al-Qaeda supremo bin Laden that ‘his soldiers in Al-Qaeda in Iraq will continue on the path forged by our sheikh Abu Musab.’…

“… in another step aimed at returning security to the insurgency-wracked country, parliament also approved Maliki’s long-awaited appointments to the defence and interior ministries. Jawad Polani [a Shiite] was named as interior minister, Abdel Qader al-Obeidi [a Sunni] as defense minister and Shirwan al-Waili [a Shiite] to head national security.”

Der Stern commented on Thursday: “Even the few good news in Iraq deal with killing… The death of al-Zarqawi is one of the very few successes for the US government in Iraq–a success which is not due to Bush, but to al-Zarqawi’s own conduct…. A militant Sunni leader in Iraq said recently: ‘We are so heavily involved in fighting the Shiites that we don’t get around to fighting the Americans. Allah may curse al-Zarqawi: His constant attacks on the Shiites have turned them against us.'”

Reuters added:

“A Baghdad baker gave out free bread and a school teacher in rebellious Falluja expressed hope the killing of al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would halt Iraq’s ‘rivers of blood.’ But other Iraqis lamented the death of Zarqawi… as a great loss in the fight against American occupiers and some feared it would prompt reprisals… Some experts on Islamist groups have accused the United States of playing up the role of Zarqawi in Iraq to exaggerate America’s successes in Iraq. ‘We received this news with great joy, but our greater joy will be the departure of the occupation forces from Iraq,’ said Sahib al-Amiri, a member of radical Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s group… ‘Zarqawi is a puppet in the hands of the Americans, who chose to kill him to keep the occupation in our country. The occupation forces will start a new game in coming days.'”

European Countries Under Fire

The Associated Press reported on June 7:

“Fourteen European nations colluded with U.S. intelligence in a ‘spider’s web’ of secret flights and detention centers that violated international human rights law, [Swiss senator Dick Marty,] the head of an investigation into alleged CIA clandestine prisons said Wednesday… Marty relied mostly on flight logs provided by the European Union’s air traffic agency, Eurocontrol, witness statements gathered from people who said they had been abducted by U.S. intelligence agents and judicial and parliamentary inquiries in various countries… He listed 14 European countries–Britain, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Bosnia, Macedonia, Turkey, Spain, Cyprus, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Romania and Poland–as being complicit in ‘unlawful inter-state transfers’ of people. Some, including Sweden and Bosnia, already have admitted some involvement… A parallel investigation by the European Parliament has said data show there have been more than 1,000 clandestine CIA flights stopping on European territory since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks… The Council of Europe has no power to punish countries for breaching the treaty other than terminating their membership in the organization. Based on irrefutable evidence, the European Union might be able to suspend the voting rights of a country found to have breached the convention.”

On June 8, 2006, AFP reported that “Poland and Romania led European countries in dismissing [the] report… The United States also criticized the report calling it a list of unproven allegations… In Warsaw, Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz dismissed the allegations as ‘libel’ with ‘no basis in fact’… Romania said the accusations were ‘pure speculation’ and slammed as unacceptable the ‘accusations based on “indications”‘… Belgium, meanwhile, urged Poland and Romania to lay their cards on the table and clear up the murky situation… Spain ‘categorically’ rejected the accusations… British Prime Minister Tony Blair dismissed the report as containing ‘absolutely nothing new’… But rights watchdog Amnesty International welcomed the report and repeated demands for the United States and Europe to halt ‘extraordinary renditions’. The London-based organisation said the report showed that so-called renditions were outside the law and ‘contrary to basic legal principles — involving… “disappearances”, arbitrary detention, illegal transfers and torture or other ill-treatment’.

“The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, which is a separate body from the European Union, was set up after World War II to promote democracy and human rights across the continent. All 25 EU countries are part of the 46-member organisation.”

Iran’s President Unwelcome in Germany?

AFP reported on June 6 that “The head of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center wrote to Germany’s leader [Angela Merkel] on Monday after Iranian officials were quoted by media as saying their president would attend the football fiesta in Germany if Iran’s team advances to the second stage. ‘President Ahmadinejad has denied the Holocaust and called for the obliteration of the state of Israel,’ wrote Rabbi Marvin Hier… ‘It is inconceivable that a head of state who advocates those policies would be received at a world sporting event by the same country where the Nuremburg Laws were proclaimed and where Adolf Hitler first enunciated his policies that led to the “Final Solution.” Such a visit would desecrate the memory of the millions murdered in the gas chambers and contradict the very foundation upon which the post-war Federal Republic of Germany was built,’ Hier added in the strongly worded letter on behalf of the 400,000 center members… While as a head of state Ahmadinejad does not require an official invitation from Germany to accept the games, Hier said he believed Berlin had a ‘moral obligation to state publicly that his visit would be unwelcome. I feel that the international community, and in this case Germany as the host country, have to say something and it’s not good enough to say they are hoping he won’t come,’ Hier told AFP.”

The German press has discussed for weeks the possible unwelcome visit of the President of Iran, but they have also pointed out that Germany does not really have any legal grounds for prohibiting the President’s visit. Even his denial of the Holocaust–to do so is a crime in Germany–does not constitute any legal basis for criminal prosecution or a denial of his visit, as the President of Iran would enjoy diplomatic and legal immunity.

Is the World Bowing to Iran?

The Associated Press reported on June 6:

“A package of incentives presented Tuesday to Iran includes a provision for the United States to supply Tehran with some nuclear technology if it stops enriching uranium–a major concession by Washington, diplomats said… The package was agreed on last week by the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia–the five veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany, in a bid to resolve the nuclear standoff with Iran.”

On June 8, 2006, AFP reported:

“The United States refused to confirm or deny reports that it and European powers had offered Iran the possibility of uranium enrichment on its territory, dismissing them as ‘hypothetical and theoretical.’… The State Department and White House reiterated that Iran must suspend all uranium enrichment on its soil as a condition for Washington’s participation in negotiations with the Islamic republic… According to diplomatic sources in Vienna and Tehran, the powers’ offer to Iran would eventually allow uranium enrichment on its territory, but only after the approval of the international community.”

CIA Cover-Up?

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 7:

“The United States and West Germany knew of the location and alias of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann two years before his capture, according to CIA documents released on Tuesday. The newly declassified intelligence archives reveal that the CIA was told by West German intelligence in 1958 about Eichmann’s whereabouts in Argentina. Eichmann is known to have organized the ‘final solution’ –the deportation of Jews to ghettos and death camps — to rid Germany of its Jewish population during World War II… Eichmann remained at large in Argentina with his family until 1960 where he was captured and kidnapped by Israeli intelligence…After his capture by Israeli agents Eichmann was taken to Israel where he was tried, convicted and executed in 1962 for crimes that he committed against the Jews.”

Aachen Cathedral Restored

“This Week in Germany” reported on June 3 about the completed restoration of the cathedral of Aachen, a German town with highly significant historic relevance. The article stated:

“The cathedral–Germany’s oldest–defines the phrase ‘work in progress,’ featuring architectural and artistic elements from several eras of German history. Construction of the Palatine Chapel began in 786 AD at the behest of Charlemagne, who chose Aachen as the seat of his Holy Roman Empire. Thirty kings of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned in the cathedral’s chambers. It continued as wings were added to the structure periodically over the course of the next millennium, while a ‘glass house’ for choral performances was built in 1614. In 1978, the Aachen cathedral was the first German site to be chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In late 2005, the first compilation of the Seven Wonders Foundation’s roster of ‘New 7 Wonders’ ranked the Aachen Cathedral at number 25, making it the highest ranked German site on the list.”

Mass Extinctions Through Space Rock?

Space.com reported on June 1:

“An apparent crater as big as Ohio has been found in Antarctica. Scientists think it was carved by a space rock that caused the greatest mass extinction on Earth, 250 million years ago.The crater, buried beneath a half-mile of ice and discovered by some serious airborne and satellite sleuthing, is more than twice as big as the one involved in the demise of the dinosaurs.The crater’s location, in the Wilkes Land region of East Antarctica, south of Australia, suggests it might have instigated the breakup of the so-called Gondwana supercontinent, which pushed Australia northward, the researchers said. ‘This Wilkes Land impact is much bigger than the impact that killed the dinosaurs, and probably would have caused catastrophic damage at the time,’ said Ralph von Frese, a professor of geological sciences at Ohio State University… The Permian-Triassic extinction, as it is known, wiped out most life on land and in the oceans. Researchers have long suspected a space rock might have been involved. Some scientists have blamed volcanic activity or other culprits… The newfound crater is more than twice the size of the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan peninsula, which marks the impact that may have ultimately killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The Chicxulub space rock is thought to have been 6 miles wide, while the Wilkes Land meteor could have been up to 30 miles wide, the researchers said.”

Interview with Iran’s President

On May 30, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published a revealing interview with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. We are publishing the following excerpts from his highly controversial comments. We want to make it clear that we do not quote his comments because we agree with them, but to show how an intelligent charismatic figure can advance arguments which may sound reasonable to some, or he might exploit ideas for his purposes. Adolph Hitler and propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels were masters in this at their time:

Ahmadinejad’s comments about the Holocaust:

“We are saying that if the Holocaust occurred, then Europe must draw the consequences and that it is not Palestine that should pay the price for it. If it did not occur, then the Jews have to go back to where they came from. I believe that the German people today are also prisoners of the Holocaust. Sixty million people died in the Second World War. World War II was a gigantic crime. We condemn it all. We are against bloodshed, regardless of whether a crime was committed against a Muslim or against a Christian or a Jew. But the question is: Why among these 60 million victims are only the Jews the center of attention?… Why must the German people be humiliated today because a group of people committed crimes in the name of the Germans during the course of history?… How can a person who wasn’t even alive at the time be held legally responsible?… Why is such a burden heaped on the German people? The German people of today bear no guilt. Why are the German people not permitted the right to defend themselves? Why are the crimes of one group emphasized so greatly, instead of highlighting the great German cultural heritage? Why should the Germans not have the right to express their opinion freely?… How much longer do you think the German people have to accept being taken hostage by the Zionists?…”

Ahmadinejad’s comments about nuclear weapons:

“… a number of countries… possess both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. They use their atomic weapons to threaten other peoples. And it is these powers who say that they are worried about Iran deviating from the path of peaceful use of atomic energy. We say that these powers are free to monitor us if they are worried. But what these powers say is that the Iranians must not complete the nuclear fuel cycle because deviation from peaceful use might then be possible. What we say is that these countries themselves have long deviated from peaceful usage. These powers have no right to talk to us in this manner. This order is unjust and unsustainable… I stress once again, we don’t need any nuclear weapons…”

Ahmadinejad’s comments about Iraq and Europe:

“For eight years, the Western countries provided arms to Saddam in the war against us, including chemical weapons, and gave him political support. We were against Saddam and suffered severely because of him, so we’re happy that he has been toppled. But we don’t accept a whole country being swallowed under the pretext of wanting to topple Saddam. More than 100,000 Iraqis have lost their lives under the rule of the occupying forces. Fortunately, the Germans haven’t been involved in this. We want security in Iraq… We have very close ties to the Iraqi people. Many people on both sides of the border are related. We have lived side by side for thousands of years. Our holy pilgrimage sites are located in Iraq. Just like Iran, Iraq used to be a center of civilization… We have always cultivated good relations with Europe, especially with Germany. Our two peoples like each other. We’re eager to deepen this relationship.

“Europe has made three mistakes with respect to our people. The first mistake was to support the shah’s government. This has left our people disappointed and discontent. However, by offering asylum to Imam Khomeini, France earned a special position that it lost again later. The second mistake was to support Saddam in his war against us. The truth is that our people expected Europe to be on our side, not against us. The third mistake was Europe’s stance on the nuclear issue. Europe will be the big loser and will achieve nothing. We don’t want to see that happen… we’re puzzled why some European countries are opposed to us. I sent out a message on the nuclear issue, asking why the Europeans were translating the Americans’ words for us. After all, they know that our actions are aimed toward peace. By siding with Iran, the Europeans would serve their own and our interests. But they will suffer only damage if they oppose us. For our people is strong and determined… The Europeans risk losing their position in the Middle East entirely, and they are ruining their reputation in other parts of the world. The others will think that the Europeans aren’t capable of solving problems.”

Earthquake in Indonesia

The Associated Press reported on May 31, 2006:

“U.S. Marines joined an international effort to deliver aid and medical care to nearly 650,000 Indonesians displaced by a devastating earthquake, as hopes faded of finding more survivors… The United Nations said at least 21 other countries have joined the effort to help those left homeless by Saturday’s magnitude-6.3 quake, which killed more than 5,800 people. An estimated 647,000 people were displaced by the quake, nearly a third of them homeless and the rest staying with relatives.”

Smooth Entry Into the United States?

MSNBC reported on May 30:

“The European Union and the United States today vowed to strike a new deal allowing European airliners to transfer passenger data to US authorities, after the European Court of Justice today ruled the existing deal illegal. Today’s court decision means more queues and long hold-ups for Europeans at American airports once the current system is scrapped, unless a new arrangement can be reached. The agreement between Brussels and Washington, which was blasted by civil liberties groups, was insisted on by America after the September 11, 2001 attacks. It required European airlines to provide the US authorities with 34 pieces of information on each passenger including names, addresses and credit card information, within 15 minutes of a plane taking off. It was opposed by many European MPs as a breach of privacy laws.

“But the 2004 deal was annulled not on the issue of privacy, but on the purely technical grounds that existing EU data protection law only covers commercial data, and was not wide enough in scope to cover data used for security purposes. The EU and Washington now have until September 30 to negotiate a new agreement before the present arrangement expires… There is already a vexed history between Washington and Europe on the level of information necessary for European passengers to enjoy smooth entry to the United States.”

Just About Everything Wrong in Iraq?

On May 29, 2006, Der Spiegel Online published an outspoken essay by former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer about the Iraq war:

“What went wrong?… Today, three years after the beginning of the war in Iraq, that question needs to be directed not just at the Arab world, but also at Western policy, and above all at United States policy. After all, since the administration of George W. Bush decided to remove Saddam Hussein from power by war, just about everything went wrong that possibly could have. What is more, the reality in Iraq and the surrounding region far surpassed all negative expectations and fears, and it continues to do so today…  The question is whether the majority of US citizens were ever really prepared to pay the very high military, political, economic, and moral cost for such an imperial enterprise, and to pay for it over a long period of time. We know today that the answer is ‘No.’ But such a negative answer was already to be expected in 2002 and 2003, and would have been the starting point if the actual reason for the war had been placed at the center of the domestic debate in the US. That’s why other reasons for going to war were invoked–weapons of mass destruction and international terror–reasons that have quite obviously not held up to reality…

“US policy in Iraq today has stalled entirely. Instead of bringing about regional realignment, the US is using its strength to create a power vacuum, and thus prevent a civil war. Such a civil war is, however, becoming more likely every day. If, in 2003, everything suggested that this US war was a mistake, then today, the arguments against a US retreat in Iraq are at least as strong. But the situation is even worse, since every day that US troops remain in Iraq will only aggravate rather than solve this crisis — a crisis that is headed for civil war. It’s depressing to see that nothing is left of the US strategy of regional realignment. Instead, an unnecessary defeat — and one with far-reaching consequences — will have to be responded to by a strategy of containment, deterrence and long-term transformation from within the societies concerned. These prospects are anything but encouraging, but when one looks back on the years since the US invaded Baghdad, one finds that all gloomy predictions have been surpassed by reality.”

Italy Jumps Off the Sinking Ship

On May 26, 2006, The Associated Press reported:

“Italy will pull 1,100 of its troops from Iraq in June, the new government said Friday, giving its first specific numbers about the planned withdrawal… [New Italian Prime Minister] Prodi had opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq and pledged during his campaign for the elections in April which brought him and his center-left allies to power to bring Italian troops home and replace the contingent with a civilian force… In contrast, [former Italian Prime Minister] Berlusconi defied widespread opposition at home and sent about 3,000 soldiers to Iraq to help with reconstruction after the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003… U.S. allies in Iraq have slowly but steadily drawn down or pulled out as Iraqi forces take more responsibility for securing the country. By year’s end, officials say, the coalition may shrink noticeably.”

Bush and Blair Meet, Admit Mistakes

AFP reported on May 26 about the meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Bair in Washington:

“British Prime Minister Tony Blair came here to show solidarity with US President George W. Bush on Iraq, but his 24-hour visit highlighted their problems in extricating themselves from a war that has hurt them both… the two leaders, acknowledging a series of major mistakes in Iraq, had little new to offer in the way of strategy and appeared as far as ever from setting a timetable to withdraw their troops… [Tony Blair said:] ‘This should be a moment of reconciliation not only in Iraq but in the international community. The war split the world. The struggle of Iraqis for democracy should unite it.’… [The] predominant impression left behind by Bush and his British comrade in arms… was a growing awareness of how much had gone wrong in Iraq. Blair virtually conceded they had misread the battlefield they were entering and criticized the decision to launch a wholesale purge of members of Saddam’s old Baath party from the army and government. Bush spoke of ‘setbacks and missteps’ such as delays in rebuilding Iraq’s security forces and economy, and above all the widely publicized abuses of Iraqi inmates at Abu Ghraib prison.

“The Texas Republican went so far as to regret some of his rhetoric in the war on terror, such as his ‘Bring ’em on’ taunt to Iraqi insurgents. He called it the ‘kind of tough talk that sent the wrong signal to people.’ But as he and Blair did their mea culpas, a new, potentially devastating scandal loomed with allegations that US Marines went on a rampage last November and killed up to two dozen men, women and children in a western Iraq town.  At the same time, Blair seemed to admit that the ongoing bloodshed in Iraq and resurgent violence in Afghanistan could crimp the allies’ ability to deal with other crises, such as Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program. ‘We don’t want a conflict with Iran. We have got enough on our plate doing other things,’ he told the Arab television station Al-Jazeera in an interview released Thursday by his office.”

Are Iran and Iraq Getting Closer?

Reuters reported on May 27:

“Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met leading Iraqi cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Saturday in one of Iraq’s holiest cities and thanked him for promoting unity between Iraq’s groups. The meeting with Sistani, who has emerged as perhaps the most powerful man in Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s downfall, in the Shi’ite holy city of Najaf was likely to fuel Sunni Arab fears that Shi’ite Iran was trying to gain influence in Iraq… [T]he Sunni minority are suspicious of non-Arab Iran, against which Iraq fought a war in the 1980s.”

The German Pope in Poland

On May 29, 2006, Der Spiegel reported about the Pope’s visit in Poland, and especially in Auschwitz. For most Catholic believers, it does not matter where the Pope was born–they accept him as long as he is the Pope. And many Holocaust survivors liked what they heard from the Pope. But not all were happy:

“Most Polish believers don’t care where the Pope was born. They love him–because he has so thoroughly studied their difficult language; because he subjects himself to the tedium of protocol so uncomplainingly and mildly; because he has a message, even if it is a strict one; because he quotes their beloved Jan Pawel II in every address; but most of all–because he’s the Pope…The word ‘guilt’ is never used [by the Pope]. There is no ‘mea culpa,’ neither with regard to anti-Semitism in the Church, nor with regard to the role of his country. The Germans, he says–and the remark will probably be associated with him for a long time to come–the Germans are a people ‘that a gang of criminals managed to achieve power over with deceitful promises, with the promise of greatness, of the resurrection of the nation’s honor and significance, with the promise of well-being and also with terror and intimidation, such that our people could be used and abused as an instrument for their fury of destruction and domination.’… Many of [the] Holocaust survivors praised the Pope’s speech. ‘What else should he have said? The highest voice of the Catholics says that God was not at Auschwitz. That’s more than enough,’ the leader of the ghetto uprising Marek Edelmann told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. But for others Ratzinger’s silence is not enough. The head rabbi of Warsaw, Michael Schudrich… said he wished the Pope had clearly addressed growing anti-Semitism in Catholic Poland.”

Murder of Innocent Children

On May 28, Associated Newspapers LTD published the following article about new scandalous developments in Great Britain, involving the murder of innocent children:

“The ethical storm over abortions has been renewed as it emerged that terminations are being carried out for minor, treatable birth defects. Late terminations have been performed in recent years because the babies had club feet, official figures show… Other babies were destroyed because they had webbed fingers or extra digits. Such defects can often be corrected with a simple operation or physiotherapy. The revelation sparked fears that abortion is increasingly being used to satisfy couples’ desire for the ‘perfect’ baby. A leading doctor said people were right to be ‘totally shocked’ that abortions were being carried out for such conditions.”

Vatican Wants International Control Over Jerusalem

On May 29, ynetnews.com reported about the Vatican’s renewed interest in “international” control of Jerusalem. The article stated:

“The Vatican’s legal advisor in Israel, David Jaeger, harshly criticized Israel’s policy regarding safeguarding Christian holy sites. Speaking during an international conference at a Haifa University conference Tuesday, Jaeger said Jerusalem is an important city the fate of which should not be left in the hands of Israel and the Palestinians. Any solution to the status of Jerusalem needs the approval of the international community, said Jaeger, adding that the Palestinian Authority has also failed in keeping with international conventions on preserving holy sites. Jaeger said there is a contradiction between agreements signed between Israel and the Vatican on preserving Christian Holy sites and Israeli laws dating from the British mandate in Palestine. The Israeli government took away the courts’ authority to deal with issues related to lands and funds belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, causing legal disputes that have been dragging in courts for years, the Vatican envoy said.”

Sale of Weapons Big Business

Pravda reported on May 29 about the questionable reputation of the five leading countries that are engaged in arms exports:

“Experts of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute have prepared another report about the export of arms in the world. The specialists calculated that Russia has become [the] world’s largest exporter of weapons during 2000-2004… According to SIPRI,  the first five positions of the list of [the] world’s largest exporters of arms (with up to 81 percent of deliveries) are distributed between: Russia ($26.9 billion), the USA ($25.9 billion), France ($6.3 billion), Germany ($4.8 billion) and Great Britain ($4.4 billion).”

AFP reported on May 26 that “The United States urged Russia to reconsider its decision to honor a contract to sell TOR-M1 surface-to-air missiles to Iran… At the end of last year, the Russian press announced that Iran had signed a contract with Moscow to buy 29 TOR-M1 air defense systems in a deal valued at 700 million dollars.” As the article continued to point out, Russia is determined to honor the contract and to deliver the missiles to Iran.

Illegal Immigration Big Politics

On May 28, 2006, The Washington Post published an article about America’s fight with illegal Immigration. The article came close to pointing out that politicians from all parties are heavily engaged in this fight for, apparently, mainly political reasons. The article does not even address the issue of right and wrong–just what position might result in the most votes:

“Republican House members facing the toughest races this fall are overwhelmingly opposed to any deal that provides illegal immigrants a path to citizenship — an election-year dynamic that significantly dims the prospects that President Bush will win the immigration compromise he is seeking, according to Republican lawmakers and leadership aides… The nearly united front of Republicans from the most competitive districts against Bush’s approach to immigration underscores the difficulties the president is facing… Most said 80 to 90 percent of feedback coming from constituents last week was in opposition to Bush and the Senate on the citizenship question.

“Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will not allow a vote on a House-Senate compromise that does not have the support of most GOP lawmakers or one that would undermine the reelection chances of his at-risk members, aides said… John McCain (Ariz.), in an interview, cautioned his House colleagues to more closely examine ‘voting patterns’ and understand the ‘detrimental’ consequences of alienating Hispanics, who make up about 12.5 percent of the U.S. population.

“Rep. Ric Keller… said, about 90 percent of voters are opposed to a guest-worker program and in favor of the House approach… Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) [said:] ‘We keep our finger on the public pulse all the time, not just every six years.’… Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.), a top Democratic target who represents a district so competitive it is known as the ‘bloody 8th,’ warned that if House Republicans do not oppose guest workers, temporary workers and anything ‘that looks like amnesty,’ they could very well lose the House. ‘There are [a] lot of people on Capitol Hill that have no clue what November is going to bring them on immigration,’ he said. ‘It could be something like a tidal wave that could benefit the Democrats simply because Republicans don’t do the right thing. To survive through November, the folks up here [on Capitol Hill] are really going to have to understand the passion behind this.'”

Children in US Detention Camp?

Great Britain’s The Independent published the following article on May 28:

“The notorious US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay has been hit by fresh allegations of human rights abuses, with claims that dozens of children were sent there–some as young as 14 years old. Lawyers in London estimate that more than 60 detainees held at the terrorists’ prison camp were boys under 18 when they were captured. They include at least 10 detainees still held at the US base in Cuba who were 14 or 15 when they were seized–including child soldiers who were held in solitary confinement, repeatedly interrogated and allegedly tortured. The disclosures threaten to plunge the Bush administration into a fresh row with Britain, its closest ally in the war on terror, only days after the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, repeated his demands for the closure of the detention facility. It was, he said, a ‘symbol of injustice’. Whitehall sources said the new allegations, from the London-based legal rights group Reprieve, directly contradicted the Bush administration’s assurances to the UK that no juveniles had been held there. ‘We would take a very, very dim view if it transpires that there were actually minors there,’ said an official.”

European Ministers Meet–Where and When?

The Associated Press reported on May 27:

“Meeting at a 900-year-old Roman Catholic monastery, the [EU foreign] ministers… discussed a proposal for a declaration restating the principles and values of an increasingly united Europe–ideally in 2007 when the EU marks its 50th anniversary. ‘Europe is a model all over the world and we should draw some self-confidence from that,’ German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said… One task is to convince ordinary Europeans–skittish about their jobs, crime rates and cultural identities in an age of globalization–that closer integration and bringing in half a dozen or more states into the EU is a good thing. Opinion surveys say Europeans generally support the EU and even the idea of a constitution but want the bloc to focus more on their day-to-day concerns such as unemployment, immigration and globalization.”

In a related article, The Associated Press wrote:

“European Union foreign ministers were cloistering themselves inside a 12th century abbey Saturday to consider the bloc’s future, almost exactly a year after French voters threw the continent into turmoil by rejecting what would have been the first Europe-wide constitution. The envoys were gathering informally at the Roman Catholic monastery in Klosterneuburg on the outskirts of Vienna for a two-day ‘future of Europe’ meeting… Several EU nations, notably the Netherlands and Germany–sensing public resistance to further expansion–want the EU to commit soon to final borders… The charter has been ratified by the parliaments of 13 nations: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. Finland is expected to ratify it in the second half of 2006.” It is interesting that this meeting should take place on the Sabbath (Saturday, May 27), as well as on Sunday, May 28, in a Roman Catholic monastery close to Vienna, Austria. In addition, some of the 13 independent “countries” listed in the article which have “ratified” the EU Constitution would be clearly looked upon as “one” nation in Biblical terms. The Bible predicts that ultimately, 10 European nations or groups of nations will rule a united Europe. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Europe Marches On

The EUobserver wrote on May 26:

“German chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out in favour of a reference to God in the EU constitution… Merkel said ‘We live in a world in which we want to understand and communicate with other religions and cultures’. This includes knowing your own roots and being aware of them which is why God and the Christian belief should be included into the EU constitution, she indicated… It is the first time Berlin has spoken out in favour of a Christian reference in the EU constitution, and could potentially reopen one of the most bitter debates surrounding the drawing up of the document four years ago. Spain, Italy and Poland were among the most active countries in pushing for a strong Christian reference in the constitution–Germany’s Christian Democrats were also very vocal but they were then in opposition.”

The Incredible Debt of the U.S.

On May 23, The Pravda published a highly revealing article about the devastating economic situation in the United States. We feel that this should be considered as a “must-read” article:

“When Bush became president in 2001, the United States’ public debt was 5.8 trillion dollars. Today the public debt stands at 8.3 trillion dollars. Of this over $2.2 trillion dollars are held by foreigners… In 2005 the U.S. government paid $325 billion dollars only in interest payments alone. Then there are the future obligations such as Medicare, Social Security and government pensions. These obligations amount to $54 trillion dollars. This huge problem worried the former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. He told congress: ‘As a nation, we may have already made promises to coming generations of retirees that we will be unable to fulfill.’

“One would think that this amount of debt would worry the president and the congress. But apparently it does not. United States’ Congress recently (March 2006) voted to increase the Federal debt limit to 9 trillion dollars. Any other nation in similar circumstances would have had to approach IMF for help. IMF would then have forced that nation to cut spending and devalue its currency. But the U.S. does not need to do this. The U.S. can just print some more dollars. But how long can this continue before the world loose faith in the greenback, sending it crashing to unimaginable levels?… Asian countries such as Japan, China and others that hold most of the U.S. debts have been happy to indulge the American deficit spending… The value of U.S. dollar so far has been kept artificially high by Japan, China and oil-exporting countries. These countries, by buying US debts, have kept interests rates relatively low in the United States and allowed Americans to keep spending even as their debts mount. But there is only so much risk these lenders (Asian and oil-exporting countries) are willing to take…

“China with the reserves of over $800 billion dollars has already begun to slowly reduce its dependency on dollars by converting part of its reserves to other currencies. If other Asian countries–with their vast dollar holdings–follow suit, then it will be disastrous for the value of the dollar. No-one is interested in holding a weakening currency… Another threat against the dollar comes from countries such as Iran and Venezuela… Iranians are going to make the Euro the standard currency for oil transactions. Some sympathetic countries such as Venezuela and others may join in. If the Iranians succeed in this, the pressure on the dollar will be catastrophic…

“[The] U.S. government keeps spending money in an un-winnable war in Iraq and is considering starting another one in Iran. The total cost of Iraq war, including the future payment to the disabled soldiers, replacement of equipment, etc., is estimated be between [sic] 1 to 2 trillion dollars. Any attack on Iran will substantially increase this cost. Even if there is no attack, the tense situation in the region will keep the oil prices at uncomfortable levels, contributing to both a reduction in U.S. growth and an increase in its deficit… Sooner or later, both the United States and the rest of the world have to address the existing problems. This problem is not the United States alone. We cannot ignore the largest economy on earth. It is said that if the United States sneezes, the world catches cold. We have to either make sure that the United States doesn’t catch cold or vaccinate ourselves against it.”

Sadly, Biblical Prophecy predicts that the entire world will “vaccinate” itself against the United States and Great Britain. For more information, read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

This Is How Much You Owe!

According to brillig.com, “The Outstanding Public Debt as of 01 Jun 2006 at 01:31:10 AM GMT is: $8,359,544,791,446.22. The estimated population of the United States is 298,820,299, so each citizen’s share of this debt is $27,975.16. The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $1.75 billion per day since September 30, 2005!”