EUROPEAN UNION MILITARY
Those following the emerging influence and significant world status of the European Union can mark one more milestone on the road to its full blown unified power. A recent contract awarded to Lockheed Martin gives us a glimpse of one of the building blocks. “Lockheed Martin’s F-16 came out the winner Friday in a dogfight among U.S. and European manufacturers battling to sell Poland fighter jets in a deal worth $3.5 billion.” (www.sfgate.com — 12/28/2002).
This sale of 48 F-16 fighter jets is part of a multination agreement for new members of Nato to modernize their air forces and thus to be able to defend their own airspace. Not only is Poland responding to its Nato obligations, but its coming entry into the E.U. will require it to spend around 2% of its yearly budget on developing its military. This is true for all current members and future aspirants of the European Union.
Another reference will show the intricate way this military puzzle is fitting together. This from www.analisidifesa.it –12/28/02: “Poland has officially offered a brigade completely independent and equipped with supports, plus ships and airplanes as a contribution to the Quick Reaction Corps that EU [is] try[ing] to make operative within 2003.” Note how this fits neatly into the overall master plan for Europe–“…the units for the cooperation with the Union are the same ones assigned to the NATO.”
In effect, the E.U. is able to buy American military technology to equip itself–thus bypassing the time-consuming and costly research and development otherwise necessary. In a very few years modern Europe will be a very powerful and a very self-sustaining, independent world military power–perhaps fully rivaling, if not in some ways surpassing, the United States. How quickly this might happen will be strongly driven by world events that could necessitate that Europe move rapidly to protect itself or its interests. That mindset is already well entrenched among many European leaders, and, as we are now witnessing in the looming U.S. conflict with Iraq, world opinion is not very favorable. This is especially true in Germany and other key nations on continental Europe.
EUROPE AND GREAT BRITAIN
As many of you know, God’s Church has proclaimed for decades, based on Biblical prophecy, that Great Britain will eventually not be part of a powerful European power bloc. It is interesting, perhaps, that on January 2, 2003, Britain’s Financial Times published an interview with Denis MacShane, Britain’s Europe minister,”accusing Germany of wanting to appoint an all-powerful ‘kaiser’ at the top of the European Commission.” He also “warned [Germany’s]Gerhard Schroeder that the English decapitated such a figure [Britain’s king Charles I] 350 years ago [on January 30, 1649].” In particular, MacShane “attacked the German proposals for a stronger head of the [European] Commission, arguing that they would sideline national governments and their leadership.” German magazines and newspapers, such as Der Spiegel and Bild, commented on the interview that it was aimed at Joschka Fischer, who reportedly wants to become “the first really powerful President of the European Commission.” (Der Spiegel). “The British are obviously afraid that their influence within Europe decreases — and that a French-German alliance will direct in the future the cause within the EU, ” according to Bild, as “France’s leader, Jacques Chirac, supports the German engagement to strengthen the European top.”
GERMANS CAN DO IT
In light of growing German pessimism for the future (2/3 of the Germans are viewing the future in a pessimistic way), Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder used his New Years’ address to emphasize self-confidence. As Der Spiegel reported, Schroeder made the following statements, “We in Germany have everything necessary for success. But, we need to want it. Nobody must hinder it… Germany is responsible, because of its history, to emphasize the alternatives to war. We Germans know from our own experience that dictatorships can sometimes only be stopped with violence. We also know, however, what bombs, destruction and loss of homeland mean for the people.That is why it remains the goal of my policy to carry out the U.N. resolution without war. And, I am thankful for the support from the midst of our society, for instance the churches and the unions.” [In an article of December 28, Der Spiegel quoted Joschka Fischer saying that the “United States did not plan an attack against the Iraq without the involvement of the United Nations” because of, among other things, “the German resistance against a war with Iraq.”] Mr. Schroeder also stated, “There is another reason why the world looks at Germany. We were successful, a few weeks ago, together with our other partners, to permanently overcome the division of Europe. When we accepted ten new members…, we have finished once and for all the chapter of war and conflict on our European continent…” At the end of his address, he pointed out, “Nobody knows today how world economy will develop within the next year. But we Germans know how to solve problems and overcome difficulties. We can rely on our strength and knowledge.”
THE EURO CLIMBS WHILE THE U.S. DOLLAR FALLS…
Despite skepticism from some Europeans regarding the Euro (especially in Germany and Italy), the fact remains that the Euro climbs, while the U.S. dollar falls. On December 31, 2002, the value of the Euro reached 1.05 U.S. dollars — an all-time high. Reasons for this powerful climb of the Euro — and the fall of the U.S. dollar — were seen in the strong possibility of an American war against Iraq and the development in North-Korea.
NEW CROPS, NEW FEARS
That is the headline of a brief news clip in “Parade Magazine”, of December 1, 2002 (on page 20). The article points out that “genetically modified plants are a hot topic of biology… But researchers at Ohio State found that genetically modified sunflowers have the potential to spread their genes to related plant species growing nearby. This has raised fears that all genetically altered plants could crossbreed with related plants and wipe out bugs we do want, such as butterflies, along with the pests. Or they could create superweeds we can’t destroy… scientists are sure of one thing: Once man-made genes start spreading through the natural plant population, they can’t be contained or reversed.”
In light of these statements, we should take careful note of God’s prohibitions against cross-breeding (compare our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”, pages 54-55), and His warnings that He will destroy those who are destroying the earth — with its lifeforms (compare Revelation 11:18).
