Obama the New War President

Politico wrote on September 23:

“With his new offensive against Islamic State terrorists in Syria, Barack Obama has a chance to revive his presidency, but the only way he can do that is to become a brand-new president, one who will be almost unrecognizable to his supporters…

“So is Obama now a war president? As air strikes in Syria commenced Monday, there was no longer any doubt that this is his new role… what is happening now no longer falls into the category of cleaning up old wars… This is a wholly new war, Obama’s very own, and it is out in the open…

“It’s not that Obama has been shy about using force in the past six and a half years. But he has preferred to do it covertly…

“The risk today… is that Obama will be forced to compromise on his pledge of no new boots on the ground. In his Sept. 10 speech, he said: ‘It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil.’ And yet as many as 1,700 U.S. troops are now acting in a vague role as advisers and trainers in Iraq, and it is reasonable to think that some U.S. operatives are helping to direct air strikes into their targets in Syria. The question is whether that can continue, or whether Obama will be forced to widen U.S. involvement…”

Quite a Different Message

US News wrote on September 24:

“Obama appears to be edging toward justifying a larger war. On Tuesday, he said the current attacks in Syria—which are opposed by the Syrian government—are designed to send a message “to anyone who would plot against America and try to do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people.” He also said the conflict will be lengthy and difficult.

“Obama… is now sending a far different message than he did when he ran for president. That message was so impressive that Obama won the Nobel peace prize shortly after taking office in 2009 because of his stated commitment to working for peace around the world and ending the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bild Online wrote on September 26:

“That’s how quickly it can happen, Barack Obama—from being the Winner of the Peace Nobel Prize to becoming War President… What has gone so terribly wrong?…  In one word: Weakness. His motto, ‘leading from behind’ is devastating. … Obama leaves behind a world of chaos…”

At War for Generations to Come?

Chicago Sun Times wrote on September 24:

“America will be at war for generations to come… It is impossible to feel optimistic about prospects for peace in Syria, or true democracy in Iraq or an end to Muslim sectarian strife anywhere in the Middle East. It’s hard to feel optimistic even about the ‘broad coalition,’ including Arab states such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia, that Obama has pulled together to fight ISIS, which he called a ‘network of death.’

“Obama gave no hint as to just how fragile and queasy that coalition really is. All five Arab nations on board have declined to even mention the United States in their official statements of support… This war, and others to come, could go on for years…”

German analysts stated that the new war would go on for at least 20 years…

A Divided and Deeply Inconsistent Coalition…

The Huffington Post wrote on September 25:

“The U.S. administration… is between a rock and a hard place: Saudi Arabia desperately wants Assad’s head on a plate and volunteers to fund the ‘war’ effort for that end. But, for Obama to assent to Iranian-Russian conditions [to leverage the ‘war’ precisely (and only) at ISIS in Syria and Iraq]– and thereby indirectly strengthen President Assad — he will cause outrage in the Gulf and amongst the ‘moderate’ Syrian exile insurgents. By doing as the Gulf wishes (attacking Assad’s forces), however, he will almost certainly tip Russia, Iran and Hezbollah into overt opposition and escalation, which will greatly complicate the war on ISIS in Syria (and in Iraq, too).

“Turkey, too wants to ‘use’ the war on ISIS, but the Turkish immediate objective is not to weaken ISIS, but rather to help ISIS undermine the Syrian Kurdish semi-autonomous region that lies adjacent to Turkey’s own restless (and far from autonomous) Kurds.

“… in the final analysis, the deep inconsistency — and likely cause of this whole enterprise’s ultimate failure — is simply the paradox that the West’s allies of choice will not, and cannot, be true ‘partners’ to this ‘war.’…”

“Why the Military Campaign Against ISIS Will Fail”

The Times of Israel wrote on September 26, republishing an article which had appeared in The Globalist:

“No matter how much Washington and its allies may wish otherwise, the military campaign against ISIS will fail, possibly with disastrous consequences.  Surprisingly, this outcome is not dependent on the issue that is currently so hotly debated – whether or not there will be ‘boots on the ground’ (and whose).

“To understand why, one needs to consider the dynamics and legacies of history. In the ultimate analysis, the existence of ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) can be ascribed in good part to the fact that… there was no reformation in the world of Islam…

“If one bears in mind the immense contribution made by the Arab world to science and civilization in centuries past — and indeed the fact that not that long ago cities like Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, Cairo and Alexandria were booming global centers of commerce and creativity — notably in the arts — then one can arrive only at one conclusion. The panorama of the Arab world today is indeed depressing and discouraging. Compared with most other parts of the world, it is in regress as opposed to progress.

“It can only be remedied by the Arabs themselves, based on a profound reform and indeed renaissance of Arab society…  by virtue of insight — and not by external military force. Until and unless these reforms — this reformation and renaissance — occur in the Arab world, all Western interventions will fail, and indeed in all probability make the situation worse. The proposed battle to ‘the gates of hell’ against ISIS will suffer the same fate…”

Deja Vu as UK Heads Back to Iraq

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 26:

“The UK Parliament voted in favor of joining the military action against the ‘Islamic State’ in Iraq… The move was approved on Friday by a vote of 524 in favor to 43 against.

“The decision makes the UK the latest country to join the anti-IS coalition. As well as the Arab states taking part in the US-led military campaign against the terrorist militia ‘Islamic State,’ France has already bombed targets in northern Iraq. Denmark too announced on Friday that it was sending seven F-16 planes to join the campaign, while Belgium and the Netherlands have also sent combat aircraft…

“It seems that the West is now irrevocably set on another bloody adventure in the Middle East, less than three years after US troops were finally withdrawn from Iraq following a nine-year war.

“That war is now widely seen as a mistake in the UK – former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s fall from popularity was largely down to his support for it – and Cameron on Friday was eager to suppress the obvious comparisons… a study published in April this year by UK-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute found that ‘there is no longer any serious disagreement’ that Britain’s participation in the 2003 Iraq war contributed to the radicalization of many young Muslims in Britain.”

Mr. Cameron told the UK Parliament that the military engagement would go on for “years.” It was noted in the press that the UK was acting cautiously—even though the UK Parliament authorized military actions – because of distrust towards the USA.

Boots on the Ground

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 27:

“General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that between 12,000 and 15,000 US-trained and –armed rebel fighters would be required in Syria to defeat IS… Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has also offered seven F-16 fighter jets… for use over Iraq, not Russia-ally Syria… Germany has committed weaponry, humanitarian aid and training for Iraqis either fighting against or displaced by the ‘IS’ advance, but has ruled out direct military intervention. The first German weapons deliveries arrived in Iraq on Friday.”

Die Zeit Online reported on September 26 that the USA is in need of 15,000 Syrian rebels to fight for the coalition and against ISIS. According to Der Spiegel Online, dated September 27, 2014, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated some willingness to support fighting against ISIS, provided, among other conditions, that there would be boots on the ground.

The Huffington Post wrote on September 28 that House Speaker John “Boehner also said he believes that at some point the United States will have to send combat troops to fight the Islamic State. ‘At the end of the day, I think it’s going to take more than airstrikes to drive them out of there,’ Boehner said Sunday. ‘At some point, somebody’s boots have to be on the ground.’ Asked if those boots had to be American, Boehner said, ‘We have no choice.’”

Was There Really an Imminent Threat from Khorasan?

The website of Kansas.com (linked by the Drudge Report) published the following article on September 26:

“European counterterrorism specialists say their American counterparts never mentioned an imminent plot by al-Qaida operatives in Syria to attack Western targets and didn’t brief them on the group that’s supposedly behind the plan, a previously unknown terrorist unit that American officials have dubbed the Khorasan group.

“The interviews with the specialists, from two European NATO allies with close intelligence ties to the United States, raise questions about why the United States used its first series of airstrikes on the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in Syria to also attack eight installations belonging to the Nusra Front, an al-Qaida affiliate that anti-government rebel groups consider an important ally in their fight to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad… U.S. officials… said the strikes were intended to break up a plan for an imminent attack.

“The European specialists, who meet regularly with U.S. officials on terrorism issues… said… [such] an omission [to warn them]… seemed unlikely if the plot were truly imminent.”

“Germany’s Military Feet of Clay”

The Local wrote on September 25:

“On Thursday at 10.30am a German military plane left Bonn for the Senegalese capital Dakar. It was carrying ten tonnes of supplies and a field hospital to help fight Ebola in Liberia. Almost nine hours earlier, but 12 hours late, a Dutch air force flight took off from Leipzig taking military equipment to Kurds in Iraq fighting the Islamic State (Isis). This is the role Germany wants its military to play on the world stage – transporting humanitarian aid and where necessary military trainers and equipment to help in the world’s trouble spots. But its military appears unfit for the task.

“Last week, the first military trainers being sent to join the Kurds were delayed after their own Transall aircraft broke down. Much of the Bundeswehr’s equipment is not combat ready. Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen defended the Bundeswehr in the media on Wednesday, describing it as ‘highly capable’…

“German units are still in Afghanistan. Others are providing air defence in Turkey, hunting pirates off the coast of Somalia, and training troops or providing logistical support across Africa. But politicians’ promises that Germany will use its troops and material to intervene abroad and provide disaster relief, as in Iraq and West Africa, are placing a heavy load on the already strained Bundeswehr.

“… just 24 of the air force’s 56 Transall transport planes, which will be critical for the Iraq and West Africa missions, [are] fit to fly. The air force is close to overload with its fighter planes also well under half strength. Helicopters, too, are a weak point, with half the navy’s fleet grounded and only 16 of 83 CH-53 transport helicopters flight ready.

“There are also problems with the army’s Boxer personnel carriers and the navy’s frigates. Just 70 of the 180 armoured vehicles and seven of the 11 ships are in fighting condition… Germany spent €48.8bn, 1.4 percent of GDP, on its military in 2013, well below the target of two percent confirmed at a NATO summit in Wales in early September.”

Even though the German people might not like it, politicians will very soon work on substantially improving the Bundeswehr and bringing it up to speed.

Eric Holder’s Resignation Long Overdue

The Washington Times wrote on September 25:

“The nation thirsts for a successor who goes back to the old model, where the attorney general doesn’t check party affiliation before deciding whether to act or what to do… The next attorney general will have an uphill battle in repairing the damage done to the integrity of the Justice Department. John Fund and Hans von Spakovsky, authors of ‘Obama’s Enforcer: Eric Holder’s Justice Department,’ cite inside sources who describe Justice as ‘racialized and radicalized’ under Mr. Holder ‘to the point of corruption.’… Mr. Holder has consistently put partisan politics at the top of his agenda.

“He bashes America as a ‘nation of cowards’ because Americans don’t want to listen to harangues about race… It’s not a good sign that Al Sharpton, the noted theologian and race hustler, says that he is ‘engaged in immediate conversations’ with the White House about the selection of Mr. Holder’s successor…”

The involvement of the infamous and highly objectionable Al Sharpton—who truly gives religion a bad name—is  a matter of the greatest concern.

The Huffington Post wrote on September 28: “Holder has agreed to remain in his post until his successor is confirmed by the Senate — so, given the current state of D.C. dysfunction, he may be AG for some time to come.”

NEXT: Julia Pierson Resigns as Secret Service Director

The Washington Post reported on October 1:

“Julia Pierson resigned as Secret Service director on Wednesday after just 1 1/2 years on the job following a series of major security lapses that eroded President Obama’s confidence in her ability to run the agency tasked with protecting him.

“Pierson’s abrupt departure — one day after Obama expressed full confidence in her — came as lawmakers from both parties were calling for her ouster after her halting performance during a Tuesday House hearing.

“A decisive factor in the president’s change of heart, aides said, was that he learned only from news accounts Tuesday that a private security guard with a gun and a criminal history had not been screened before being allowed to board an elevator with him last month in Atlanta.”

Embarrassing as this latest resignation is for President Obama’s now lame-duck administration, the world is being given more and more evidence that America is no longer a dependable or even a capable ally.

“Married Couples Now a Minority in US”

“Married couples have become a minority in the United States during the past few years, while those married pairs with children comprise just one in five households… married couples living together, with or without children, accounted for 48.7 percent of households…

“In 2012, women living without a mate accounted for 15.2 percent of households, while men living without one comprised 12.3 percent. ‘Other family households’ accounted for 17.8 percent, mostly unmarried couples living together, with or without children, and to a lesser extent married couples living apart…

“The consistently decreasing percentage of Americans who are married is surely related to the rising percentage of U.S. babies born to unwed mothers… 36 percent of the generation of Americans born from 1993 through 2012, who are beginning to turn 21 this year, were born to an unmarried mother.”

Russia Puts Pressure on EU Against Ukraine

The EUObserver wrote on September 26:

“Russian energy minister Alexander Novak has warned that EU states which re-export gas to Ukraine will face cut-offs… Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia earlier this year began shipping Russian gas to Ukraine in order to help it cope in winter after Russia stopped supplying Ukraine in a price dispute which is bogged down in legal arbitration.

“Earlier this month, Russian gas flows to Poland temporarily dropped by 45 percent and to Slovakia by 10 percent in what was blamed on technical reasons. For its part, Hungarian gas distributor FGSZ on Thursday said it will no longer supply Ukraine ‘until further notice’ also due to ‘technical reasons’ linked to increased demand at home. But Ukraine transit firm Naftogaz said in a statement the decision is political.

“… two recent EU-brokered deals, on a ceasefire in east Ukraine and on EU-Ukraine free trade, have attracted criticism.  The ceasefire, agreed on 5 September, has seen Ukraine pass laws to let pro-Russia rebels stay in place in Donetsk and Luhansk and to create a buffer zone between the two forces… [Regarding the] EU-brokered trade deal…  Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said in a letter to the EU commission… that he will impose trade sanctions on Ukraine if it starts to make any pro-EU economic reforms in the next 15 months. He added that the substance of the trade treaty must be modified to meet Russian demands.”

EU Condemns Russia

The Local wrote on September 26:

“The EU condemned Russia on Friday for barring entry to the German leader of the Green fraction in the European Parliament who flew to Moscow to observe a trial of a Ukrainian pilot accused of espionage… Rebecca Harms, who co-chairs the Greens group in the European Parliament, said she was refused entry on Thursday despite holding a diplomatic passport. She said she was then sent on a flight back to Brussels after authorities told her they objected to her voting for sanctions against Russia…

“European parliament president Martin Schulz said he would lodge a formal protest with the Russian embassy in Brussels over the treatment of Harms. ‘I strongly denounce this grave diplomatic incident which is a worrying setback for relations between the European Parliament and Russia,’ he said.”

“Japan’s Cabinet Rocked by New Claims of Links to Neo-Nazis”

The Independent wrote on September 28:

“Japan’s government is weathering accusations of links to far-right groups that promote racism and hate speech. Several members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet, including the Police Minister, have been forced to deny their neo-Nazi links after photographs surfaced of them posing with far-right figures…

“Mr Abe’s government has raised eyebrows with its far-right profile. Sixteen cabinet members belong to the League for Going to Worship Together at Yasukuni, a Tokyo shrine that honours leaders executed for war crimes. Sixteen support Nihon Kaigi, a nationalist think-tank that advocates a return to ‘traditional values’ and rejects Japan’s ‘apology diplomacy’ for its wartime misdeeds.

“Many belong to a parliamentary association that… deny many wartime atrocities… In August, Mr Abe sparked controversy when he paid tribute to soldiers, including war criminals, who gave their lives for ‘the foundation of the fatherland’. The tribute was sent to a temple housing a monument to 1,000 ‘martyrs’ who fought in the Second World War…”

Pope: Pray to Angels!

CNA reported on September 29:

“On Monday’s feast of the archangels Pope Francis spoke of the ongoing battle between the devil and mankind, encouraging attendees to pray to the angels, who have been charged to defend us…

“Pope Francis concluded his homily by encouraging those present to pray to the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and to recite the prayer to Saint Michael often.”

While this may represent Catholic doctrine, suggesting that we should pray to angels flies in the face of what Jesus Christ taught in Matthew 6:9 in which He said we are to pray to the Father.

Scotland Stays—“But It’s All Over Anyhow”

Fox News wrote on September 19:

“Scotland’s decision to remain part of the United Kingdom in an historic referendum Friday gave British markets a brief lift, as fears of an independent Scotland causing economic havoc waned. After an unprecedented voter turnout of just under 85 percent, 55.3 percent were against independence to 44.7 percent in favor. The decision prevented a rupture of a 307-year union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

The EUObserver added on September 19:

“In the end nothing changed and everything changed. Scottish people voted with a decisive majority against independence on Thursday (18 September) but the conversation in the UK has only just begun. David Cameron, seemingly invigorated by almost becoming the PM who oversaw the break-up of the UK, has promised devolution for everyone. In Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England…”

Breitbart wrote on September 19:

“First the good news. Thanks to last night’s “No” vote in the Scottish referendum Britain has been spared the following: a run on the pound; the hasty exodus of Scotland’s finance industry;… a collapse in the markets;… the entirely unnecessary and utterly ill-considered rupture of the greatest Union between nations the world has ever known; waking up this morning to find ourselves no longer in bed with cherished (if fractious) friends, allies, partners and comrades alongside whom we’ve fought, loved and prospered for over 300 years.

“Now the bad: it’s all over anyway.

“What… [the] Scottish National Party (SNP) insurgency achieved in Scotland last night is [this:] Yes they may have lost the battle. But it was their stepping stone towards ultimately winning the war… [They] are hardly going to view that 45 per cent they gained at the ballot box as a loss. Rather they will draw the conclusion that nearly half of Scotland’s population yearns for independence and that all they have to do now is press on…

“Their unlikely allies in this will be all those people in the rest of Britain driven to apoplexy by the concessions that have been made by the ‘Westminster government’… How can it possibly be fair, they’ll want to know, that… Scottish residents will continue to receive more than £1000 per capita per year of taxpayer-funded handouts than people in the rest of the United Kingdom? And how, with all these extra powers that Scotland’s parliament has been granted, can it be right that the 59 Scottish MPs at Westminster get to vote on matters exclusive to England, Wales and Northern Ireland… when their UK counterparts are denied any say on Scotland?

“The answers to both questions, of course, is that it isn’t. Which is why, in its desperate attempts to engender national unity by shoring up the Union, what the Westminster political class has actually ended up doing is sow the seeds for still further, deeper national division…”

Almost Queen of Scots

BBC News wrote on September 19:

“The Queen faced the prospect of becoming Elizabeth I of Scotland or even Elizabeth, Queen of Scots, had the Scottish people voted in favour of independence…

“As a 27-year-old, she was crowned more than 60 years ago in Westminster Abbey when she took a solemn oath to ‘govern the peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’.

“The Queen’s Scottish heritage has been an important part of her life. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, hailed from an ancient aristocratic Scottish family… The Queen is descended from Mary, Queen of Scots, James I, who was James VI of Scotland, and Robert the Bruce, who secured Scotland’s independence from England.”

Does God Exist?

NBC News wrote on September 18:

“The archbishop of Canterbury – the spiritual leader of the world’s 80 million Anglican Christians – has admitted he sometimes doubts whether God actually exists. Justin Welby made the comments during a relaxed interview in front of an audience at Bristol Cathedral, in England. ‘There are moments, sure, where you think, “Is there a God? Where is God?”’ The archbishop, who is also the leader of the Church of England, added that his admission was ‘probably not what the archbishop of Canterbury should be saying.’”

One in four people in Britain regard themselves as belonging to the Church of England. 1.7 million people take part in a church service every month, according to statistics from the Church of England.

The Guardian wrote on September 18:

“The archbishop of Canterbury… disclosed that, on a recent morning jog with his dog, he questioned why the Almighty had failed to intervene to prevent an injustice… Later in the interview, Welby said he was certain, however, about the existence of Jesus, even talking about his presence beside him…

“Welby, who was appointed to his post in November 2012, has frequently made known his feelings on a wide variety of issues… He has also offered wholehearted support for the consecration of women bishops, describing the rejection in 2012 as a ‘grim day’.”

Doubting the existence of God, but not of Jesus whose presence is being “felt,” seems rather incomprehensible. 

Russia and China—the NEW Warsaw Pact

The Washington Times wrote on September 19:

“The international security meeting in Paris on Monday showcased a world in fear of the growing threat that the Islamic State poses to the global order. A group of 26 countries have now vowed to fight the Sunni extremist group ‘by any means necessary,’ and more will continue to join the effort. However, there are two countries it seems that we, once again, can’t count on: Russia and China. Both nations — in different ways — are refusing to get on board.

“Russia is insisting that airstrikes must be coordinated with Damascus and Tehran. China has yet to acknowledge the proposal to participate in the U.S.-led coalition delivered last week by National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice. In this way, Russia and China are not only facilitating the power and reach of rogue regimes such as Syria and Iran, but are also continuing to solidify their alliance…

“Russian-Chinese collaboration has been growing for years, tracing back to the 2001 forming of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which Vladimir Putin called ‘a reborn version of the Warsaw Pact.’… Indeed, these longtime adversaries now work together along economic, technological, military and political lines.

“Russia and China proceed with strategic and tactical clarity — and often with mutual support. When Russia invaded Crimea in March, China abstained from a vote condemning it in the United Nations. When the European Union proposed new sanctions against Russia recently, Beijing loudly objected and suggested that additional sanctions ‘may lead to new and more complicating factors’ in Ukraine.

“Russia and China are increasing their military budgets across the board, while the United States is drawing down…

“The world is aflame today in no small part because of the influence of rogue regimes such as North Korea, Iran and Syria — and Russia and China have facilitated their activities, even if they often stay in the background… Russia and China are accomplished practitioners of cyberwarfare. The Justice Department indicted five Chinese officers of the People’s Liberation Army for cyber-espionage in May. Russian hackers, almost certainly affiliated with the Kremlin, have wrought havoc on American businesses with cyber-attacks…

“Mr. Putin has aroused memories of 1939 with his aggression in Ukraine, where tens of thousands of Russian troops and hundreds of tanks are currently operating — and he has hinted that he may move on to the Baltics. In a telephone conversation with the outgoing head of the European Commission, Mr. Putin reportedly said, ‘If I want, I’ll take Kiev in two weeks.’ China is more subtle, but no less aggressive…”

Russia, China and other Middle and Far Eastern nations will combine forces in opposition to the West—and especially Europe. See the next article.

China and Iran Conduct Joint Naval Drills

The Times of Israel wrote on September 20:

“For the first time, Chinese warships docked in an Iranian port Saturday as Beijing and Tehran prepared to conduct a series of joint naval drills… The arrival of the Chinese ships came a few days after the Iranian Navy thwarted a pirate attack on a Chinese container ship in the Gulf of Aden…

“Last year, Iranian ships were in the Sea of China ‘to deliver Iran’s message of peace and friendship to the Chinese,’ [the semi-official Iranian news agency] Fars reported.”

Putin Puts the World on Notice… But Who Is Listening?

The EUObserver wrote on September 19:

“Ukraine leader Petro Poroshenko has warned the US that Europe is at risk of a ‘terrible and unimaginable … war’ despite his two-week ceasefire with Russia. But his speech, to US congress members and senators in Washington on Thursday (18 September), failed to convince the White House to send military assistance.

“Referring to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its invasion of east Ukraine, he accused the Kremlin of having an ‘imperialistic mindset’ which threatens not just Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova, but also EU and Nato countries such as the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria…

“His speech comes after a leaked EU paper brought to light a fresh threat by Russian leader Vladimir Putin. ‘If I wanted to, in two days Russian troops could be not only in Kiev, but in Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Warsaw or Bucharest,’ Putin is said to have recently told Poroshenko, according to the minutes of the Ukrainian leader’s conversation with European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso in Kiev last week obtained by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung…

“But the White House said only it plans to give him another $53 million in non-lethal aid – $7 million for humanitarian assistance, and the rest for equipment such as counter-mortar detection units, body armor, binoculars, and small boats. With Russia’s annual military spending dwarfing Ukraine’s by a factor of 20 to one… American weapons would make no difference if worst comes to worst…

“For their part, the EU and Ukraine recently made a big concession to Russia by agreeing to freeze their free trade pact until 2016. But Russia on Thursday said it wants more.

“Its foreign ministry noted in a statement that the trade pact should be ‘modified’ in substance… It added that if Russia does not get its way, ‘we reserve the right to respond swiftly’ with trade penalties against Ukraine.

“… the Polish foreign affairs thinktank, Pism… said there is a 50 percent chance that Russia will, in October, launch a new offensive in south east Ukraine designed to create a land-bridge to Crimea. It said there is a 30 percent chance that by the end of the year Russian leader Vladimir Putin will try to cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea by conquering all of south Ukraine. It said the worst case is a full-scale invasion, including of Kiev.”

Ukraine announced that they have lost over 60% of their weaponry in their ongoing conflict with Russia. Der Spiegel Online reported that very soon, they might have no weapons left. And there are more troubles ahead for Ukraine. The Local reported that “Relatives of German victims of downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 plan to sue Ukraine and its president for criminal negligence for not closing the country’s airspace.”

Russia’s Further Provocations

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on September 19:

“Russian strategic nuclear bombers carried out air defense zone incursions near Alaska and across Northern Europe this week in the latest nuclear saber rattling by Moscow… The new aggressive military posture appears to be an element of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policy of seeking to return Russia to its Soviet empire status.”

The Local added on September 19:

“The Swedish Armed Forces confirmed on Friday afternoon that two Russian SU24 fighter-bombers had been detected flying over the country… The Foreign Ministry said the Russian Ambassador had been summoned so that Sweden could make a formal protest… The planes left Swedish airspace after a Swedish Gripen plane was scrambled to warn them off.”

We can expect an escalation between Russia and Europe… with the USA only playing a marginal future role or no role at all in that coming conflict.

No Likely Reductions of Nuclear Weapons in Europe

The Los Angeles Times wrote on September 19:

“Last summer in Berlin, President Obama called for ‘bold reductions’ in U.S. and Russian tactical nuclear weapons to ease the risk of annihilation in Europe… But since last summer, that hopeful outlook has evaporated. Russia’s incursions into Ukraine and nuclear threats made by Russian President Vladimir Putin have killed any chance that the U.S. would withdraw its tactical nuclear weapons any time soon…

“Newer members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, including Poland and the Czech Republic, have openly advocated for continued deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe…

“The weapons spread over the continent are exposed to potential theft or accidents…The U.S. began sending battlefield nuclear weapons to Europe in the 1950s, when it was feared the Soviet Union’s conventional military superiority would allow it to overrun Western Europe… Over the last 15 years, this U.S. nuclear umbrella has extended over an additional dozen Eastern European nations that gained entry into NATO…

“Pressure has built in Washington for the Obama administration to do more than increase the economic sanctions on Russia that seem to have had little effect…”

And so, we are moving closer and closer to the threat of total annihilation of the human race—which would in fact occur if Christ was not to intervene at the last moment to save us from ourselves (Matthew 24:22).

USA in War With “Enemies of Islam”?

Breitbart reported on September 19:

“On Thursday, in a session with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State John Kerry was asked by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) whether America was at war in Iraq and Syria. Kerry responded: ‘If you’re more comfortable calling it a war against this enemy of Islam then please do so. We’re happy to call it that.’

“So it’s official: America is at war with the enemy of Islam. However, strange bedfellows arise if the Obama administration so chooses to uphold Kerry’s claim that we are at war with the enemy(s) of Islam.

“The following displays that Secretary of State John Kerry is far from the only person who claims to be at war with Islam’s enemies:

“Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, ‘Caliph’ of the Islamic State: ‘Support the religion of Allah through jihad in the path of Allah… Terrify the enemies of Allah and seek death in the places where you expect to find it…’

“Osama Bin Laden, former leader of Al Qaeda: ‘I am not afraid of the American threats against me… As long as I am alive there will be no rest for the enemies of Islam…’

“Ayman al-Zawahiri, current leader of Al Qaeda: ‘I invite you to gather around the true scholars of Islam, support them and protect them. I invite you to back them and support them and guard them. And I invite you to launch a massive public uprising in defense of Islam against the enemies of Islam.’

“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran: ‘The enemies of Islam are afraid… and try to confront Islam in the name of Islam and under the cover of Islam… The American Islam, despite having Islamic appearance and name, complies with despotism and Zionism… and totally serves the goals of despotism and the US.’” 

Not All Senators Agree that America Must Arm Syrian Rebels

Deutsche Welle reported on September 18:

“The US had long supported forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s civil war, but had not provided direct military assistance. Now, however, the measure [to arm Syrian rebels, including some very radical groups] has been portrayed as a part of the package of measures designed to combat the self-proclaimed ‘Islamic State’ (IS) terror group, which has taken control of parts of Syria as well as Iraq…

“Outspoken Senator Rand Paul was among the politicians to vehemently question the military assistance for Syrian opposition fighters. ‘Intervention that destabilizes the Middle East is a mistake. And yet, here we are again, wading into a civil war,’ Paul, the son of perennial Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul, said. Like his libertarian father in several races before him, Paul is considered a certainty to run in the Republican primaries as a possible presidential candidate. However, he is considered a highly unlikely final Republican choice for the 2016 presidential race.”

Breitbart wrote on September 20:

“Paul told Breitbart News that while he does, in fact, support going after ISIS, he does ‘not think arming the Syrian rebels is the appropriate way to do it.’

“Syrian rebels have explicitly mapped out their priority as a toppling of the Assad Regime. However, beyond that, their interests do not lie with principles of western democracy, particularly as it relates to Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East: 

“‘If the [Syrian] rebels are to win, even the moderate rebels, how many of them do you think will recognize Israel? None. How many of them do you think might turn their arms against Israel? Maybe quite a few. In fact, some of them have said that their goal is to take back the Golan Heights if they can defeat Assad. I think that the one truism of the Middle Eastern morass is that, when we have toppled secular dictators, chaos has ensued and the rise of radical Islam has occurred. Whether this was Hussein being toppled, Mubarak being toppled, Gadaffi  being toppled, or potentially Assad being toppled, what comes in their wake is worse than what we had.’”

This is so VERY true.

Disinterested Congress Far Too Quick to Vote for War?

The Washington Post wrote on September 19:

“Before the U.S. military attacked Saddam Hussein’s forces in 1991, Congress spent months considering its approval of the war. Twelve years later, another attack on Iraq came after three weeks of debate and intensive negotiations.

“But this week, the House and Senate each took only a few hours to sign off on President Obama’s plan to once again deploy the military in the Middle East, approving it as part of a broader budget bill before bounding out of town for a two-month recess and hitting the midterm campaign trail.

“Some on Capitol Hill were stunned by the seeming congressional disinterest on a matter of such importance. Now, lawmakers in both parties are asking an uncomfortable question: Has Congress forfeited its rightful role in the most solemn of all national decisions?…

“The sentiment was expressed Friday in a stern letter from a dozen lawmakers — six Democrats and six Republicans — who wrote to House leaders in both parties…

“Both chambers approved the measure with wide bipartisan majorities, but there were visible signs of discord. Eighty-five House Democrats — more than 40 percent of the caucus — bucked the president, demonstrating the anti-war left has a new rallying point. In the Senate, several rising stars who are considered potential presidential candidates — including Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — rejected the proposal…

“Some lawmakers fear this week’s action will be akin to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which was approved in 1964 after President Lyndon B. Johnson said North Vietnamese forces had launched two unprovoked attacks on U.S. ships off Vietnam. The resolution stated that the United States was ready to do all it could militarily in the region but stopped short of openly approving military action. Presidents in both parties went on to cite that resolution — approved unanimously in the House — for an escalating war in Vietnam.

“Critics from both parties note that Obama’s legal and military advisers have cited the 2001 authorization regarding the Sept. 11 attacks to justify his authority to target Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria. ‘It’s no longer applicable in any way. If you read it, it says “those responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11”, so it’s clearly outmoded and needs to be updated,’ McCain said… There was no update this week, however…”

Americans Support Air Strikes Against ISIS Even Though “They Won’t Do Any Good”

The Huffington Post wrote on September 20:

“Americans remain big supporters of airstrikes against the Islamic State militants, even though few think they’ll do any good… 66 percent of Americans now support the decision to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State… even though only 32 percent of Americans think taking such action against the Islamic State will improve the situation in Iraq and Syria. Twenty-five percent said military action won’t make any difference, and 17 percent said it will make things worse. Twenty-six percent said they weren’t sure…

“Moreover, few Americans think that just airstrikes — the form of military action currently being taken by the U.S. — will make much difference. Only 30 percent said it’s possible that airstrikes alone can be an effective way to fight the militants, while 40 percent say it’s not possible.

“That doesn’t mean they want to go any further, however… Just 38 percent of Americans said they support sending ground troops, while 44 percent were opposed. President Barack Obama has declared that ground combat troops will not be used, but administration officials, including Vice President Joe Biden, have continued to float the idea.

“Similarly, only 32 percent of Americans said they support arming more moderate Syrian rebels, while 47 percent were opposed.”

It has already been determined by God Almighty that due to America’s abhorrent sins, America will not win this war or any other future war. As we have pronounced for years, America won its last war in 1945—and they did not win that war because of any righteousness of the USA, but simply because of God’s unconditional promise to Abraham to bless his descendants for a while. But God also warned that if they would not obey Him, He would take away His blessings. And so, there has not been any American victory since World War II, nor will there be one in this day and age. 

Forever War and Broken Promises?

The Associated Press reported on September 20:

“President Barack Obama’s military campaign against the Islamic State group already has extended beyond the limits he first outlined. But military experts inside and outside the administration argue that an even greater expansion may be needed for the mission to succeed, including positioning U.S. ground troops with front-line Iraqi security forces. Doing that could put Obama close to violating his pledge to keep Americans out of combat…

“For Obama, re-engaging in combat in Iraq would mean going back on promises about the current mission and undercutting a pillar of his presidency — ending long wars and avoid new ones…”

Subsequently, the Obama administration answered affirmatively the questions in this challenging article. Note the next article.

Now America Is Clearly At War

The New York Times wrote on September 22:

“The United States and [Arab] allies launched airstrikes against Sunni militants in Syria early Tuesday, unleashing a torrent of cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs from the air and sea on the militants’ de facto capital of Raqqa and along the porous Iraq border.

“American fighter jets and armed Predator and Reaper drones, flying alongside warplanes from several Arab allies, struck a broad array of targets in territory controlled by the militants, known as the Islamic State. American defense officials said the targets included weapons supplies, depots, barracks and buildings the militants use for command and control. Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from United States Navy ships in the region.

“The strikes are a major turning point in President Obama’s war against the Islamic State and open up a risky new stage of the American military campaign. Until now, the administration had bombed Islamic State targets only in Iraq, and had suggested it would be weeks if not months before the start of a bombing campaign against Islamic State targets in Syria.

“Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates took part in the strikes…

“The strikes in Syria occurred without the approval of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, whose government, unlike Iraq, did not ask the United States for help against the Sunni militant group… But administration officials acknowledge that American efforts to roll back the Sunni militant group in Syria cannot help but aid Mr. Assad, whose government is also a target of the Islamic State…”

The Washington Post added on September 23:

“… in ordering the attacks, Obama also thrust the U.S. military directly into Syria’s devastating civil war, something that he had steadfastly tried to avoid since the country began breaking apart in 2011… The Islamic State also represents a mortal threat to Assad and has beaten back his forces on several fronts. The Obama administration has said repeatedly that it would not cooperate with Assad in any way, even though the two sides now share an enemy. As a result, it was unclear how Assad’s armed forces would respond to unauthorized intrusions into Syrian airspace by U.S. warplanes….

“The Syrian government has some of the most formidable air defenses in the Middle East. Obama had publicly warned Syria in advance not to interfere with any U.S. operations against the Islamic State, saying the Pentagon would respond forcefully. In the end, U.S. military planners said they expected Assad would stand down and allow them to attack Islamic State targets freely…

“The Pentagon also has a large number of aircraft stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, a NATO installation. But with the exception of unarmed U.S. surveillance drones based there, Turkish authorities have said they won’t allow the U.S. military to conduct airstrikes against the Islamic State from their territory…

“Although France has agreed to join in airstrikes in Iraq, and last week conducted a bombing raid there, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Monday that his government did not believe it had the legal basis to join the Syria operations…”

Germany has ruled out joining air strikes or any ground offensive in the fight against Isis jihadists. However, the beheading of French citizen HerveGourdel by an Islamic State (IS) affiliated Algerian group known asJund al-Khilafah has changed popular thinking in France.

BBC News added on September 23:

“US forces also attacked a network of al-Qaeda veterans named Khorasan who had established a safe haven west of Aleppo (Syria) and were [allegedly] plotting imminent attacks against the West.”

Russia, Iran and Lebanon condemned the air strikes as being in violation of international law.

Bombing Syria Bad Decision

The New York Times wrote on September 23:

“President Obama has put America at the center of a widening war by expanding into Syria airstrikes against the Islamic State, the Sunni extremist group known as ISIS and ISIL. He has done this without allowing the public debate that needs to take place before this nation enters another costly and potentially lengthy conflict in the Middle East… In the absence of public understanding or discussion and a coherent plan, the strikes in Syria were a bad decision.

“Mr. Obama has failed to ask for or receive congressional authorization for such military action… Meanwhile, Congress has utterly failed in its constitutional responsibilities. It has left Washington and gone into campaign fund-raising mode, shamelessly ducking a vote on this critical issue…

“With so much at stake and so much unknown, before he gets any further into this operation, Mr. Obama needs to… prove that he has fully accounted for the consequences of this foray into Syria.”

Obama Ignores Iran

JTA wrote on September 24:

“President Obama devoted the bulk of his U.N. speech to the fight against violent Islamic extremism and hardly mentioned Iran’s nuclear program.

“In his address last year to the General Assembly, Obama spent a great deal of time talking about Tehran’s nuclear pursuit, describing it as one of two major focus areas for American diplomatic efforts (the other was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). On Wednesday, he devoted just four lines to Iran… The thin coverage of Iran drew immediate notice from Jewish groups… Near the speech’s conclusion, Obama also spoke a bit about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…

“Most of the president’s speech focused on the need for the international community to counter what he described as the ‘cancer of violent extremism.’ At the top of the list was ISIS, the Islamic group in Iraq and Syria also known by the acronym ISIL…

“The first nation Obama focused on was Russia, which he lumped in with ISIS and the Ebola virus as reasons for ‘a pervasive unease in our world – a sense that the very forces that have brought us together have created new dangers.’”

President Obama and Vice-President Biden—How Quickly “Convictions” Change

National Review wrote on September 23:

“Joe Biden mocked Mitt Romney’s foreign policy during the 2012 presidential campaign — but Obama-approved air strikes in Syria, which commenced Monday evening, suggest that the administration is coming around to the position of the former GOP nominee. ‘He [Romney] said it was a mistake to end the war in Iraq and bring all of our warriors home,’ Biden told an audience in York, Penn., on September 2, 2012.

“‘He said it was a mistake to set an end date for our warriors in Afghanistan and bring them home. He implies by the speech that he’s ready to go to war in Syria and Iran.’ Biden also scoffed at Romney for his tough talk about Russia: ‘He wants to move from cooperation to confrontation with Putin’s Russia. And these guys say the president’s out of touch?’”

According to Breitbart, September 22, President Barack Obama dismissed F-22 fighter jets as ‘outdated and unnecessary’ in a speech on July 21, 2009. But according to the Wall Street Journal of September 22, the US used F-22 fighter jets in their airstrikes against ISIS and Khorasan targets in Syria. Der Spiegel Online reported on September 22 that the F-22 fighter jets are the most sophisticated and important fighter jets of the American air force. In addition, there are more challenges for the Obama administration: Eric Holder who was heavily criticized, among other problems, for the “Fast and Furious” debacle, announced that he will step down as Attorney General.

More than 100,000 Syrians Seek Shelter in Turkey

The Washington Post wrote on September 21:

“The number of refugees seeking shelter in Turkey from the Islamic State’s advance across northern Syria has hit 100,000 in less than a week… the figure represents Syrians escaping the area near the Syrian border town of Kobane, where fighting has raged between Islamic State and Kurdish fighters since Thursday.

“The U.N. refugee agency said earlier Sunday that about 70,000 Syrians had crossed into Turkey in the past 24 hours, and that it was preparing for the arrival of hundreds of thousands more. Those are significant numbers, even in the context of the 1.5 million refugees who have fled to Turkey in the past 3 ½  years… The refugees, most of them ethnic Kurds, have been desperate to reach Turkey and escape the advance of religious extremists barreling across Syria.”

Philippine Terrorists Linked to ISIS Threaten to Kill German Hostage

The Local wrote on September 24:

“Islamist militants in the Philippines have reportedly threatened to kill one of their two German hostages over German support for the US-led campaign against jihadists in Iraq and Syria… [The] two German hostages… were captured from a sailing yacht in April… US-based SITE, which monitors extremists’ activities worldwide, released a picture attributed to the Abu Sayyaf group a masked militant with a machete beside a grey-haired white man, reportedly a German doctor. A younger white woman, said to be the doctor’s girlfriend, with close-cropped hair was also shown, while other masked men stood behind them, armed with assault rifles and machine guns…

“Abu Sayyaf, considered a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’ by the United States, is a loose band of several hundred Islamic militants originally organized with Al-Qaeda funding in the 1990s. It operates on remote and largely lawless southern Philippine islands that are mostly populated by the nation’s Muslim minority. Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for the Philippines’ worst terrorist attacks, including kidnappings, abductions and beheadings of foreign and local hostages. It was also blamed for the bombing of a ferry on Manila Bay that killed more than 100 people in 2004…

“In recent months Abu Sayyaf has uploaded videos on the Internet proclaiming its allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has taken control of large parts of Iraq and Syria. The US military has had a rotating force of a few hundred soldiers based in the southern Philippines since 2002 to train local troops in how to combat the group.”

Pope Francis in Albania

The Associated Press wrote on September 21:

“Pope Francis denounced how extremists around the world are ‘perverting’ religion to justify violence as he arrived Sunday in Albania, a Balkan nation where Christians and Muslims endured brutal religious oppression under communism but today live and work together peacefully. Security was unusually tight for Francis’ visit to the majority Muslim country amid reports that militants who trained in Iraq and Syria had returned and might pose a threat…

“It was Francis’ first visit to a majority Muslim nation since the Islamic State crackdown on Christians in Iraq, where members of religious minorities are being killed, persecuted or forced to flee their homes. The Vatican has voiced mounting concern about the exodus of faithful from lands where Christian communities have existed for 2,000 years…

“Albania is seeking European Union membership and his visit comes just a few weeks before he delivers a major speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Albania’s president, Nishani, thanked Francis for making the country his first European destination, saying it was a historic event for all Albanians…

“The capital’s main Boulevard Martyrs of the Nation was decorated with Albanian and Vatican flags, as well as giant portraits of 40 Catholic priests who were persecuted or executed under Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, who declared Albania the world’s first atheist state in 1967. Hundreds of priests and imams were jailed, scores executed before the regime fell in 1990…

“Francis has a busy schedule in Tirana: In addition to the address to Albanian authorities, he celebrated a Mass before tens of thousands of people in a rain-soaked square named for Albania’s most famous Catholic — Mother Teresa. Later in the day, he was meeting with leaders of different faiths…”

Muslims make up about 59 percent of tiny Albania’s population, with Catholics amounting to 10 percent and Orthodox Christians just under that.

Man-Made Climate Change or Not?

The Los Angeles Times wrote on September 22:

“Naturally occurring changes in winds, not human-caused climate change, are responsible for most of the warming on land and in the sea along the West Coast of North America over the last century, a study has found.

“The analysis challenges assumptions that the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has been a significant driver of the increase in temperatures observed over many decades in the ocean and along the coastline from Alaska to California.

“Changes in ocean circulation as a result of weaker winds were the main cause of about 1 degree Fahrenheit of warming in the northeast Pacific Ocean and nearby coastal land between 1900 and 2012, according to the analysis of ocean and air temperatures over that time.”

India First Single Nation to Reach Mars “At Its First Go”

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 24:

“India has made history by becoming the first nation to reach Mars and enter the planet’s orbit in its maiden mission, a move that catapults the country into the scientific world stage…

“India’s low-cost Mangalyaan spacecraft entered orbit around the Red Planet on Wednesday, September 24, after a 10-month-long journey. The success of the mission represents a milestone in the country’s space program…

“With this achievement, India joins a club of deep space explorers such as the United States, Russia and Europe, all of which have reached Mars. The success is also a reason for national pride as India became the first single nation to reach the Red Planet and enter orbit at its first go. More than half of all missions to the planet have failed, including China’s in 2011 and Japan’s in 2003. Moreover, at a cost of 74 million USD, the mission cost is less than the estimated 100 million USD budget of the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Gravity’ and represents just a fraction of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, which began to successfully orbit the planet just a few days ago…”

Violent Chimps

AFP wrote on September 17:

“Chimpanzees can be lethally violent to each other… Chimps kill to wipe out rivals, thus gaining territory, mates, water or food… The evidence comes from an examination of five decades of research into 18 closely-studied chimpanzee communities in African forests. The researchers pored over 152 killings by chimps, most of which were carried out by males acting together.

“The groups would often band together to carry out murderous raids on another community, typically killing rival males and infants who were not genetically related. They sometimes snatched babies from nursing mothers to slaughter them but spared the females.

“The investigators had to determine whether these acts were driven by hunger, human disturbance or deforestation and whether the protected area the chimps inhabited was large or small. Most of the killings occurred in east African communities that were least affected by human interference of any kind.”

Neither evolution (survival of the fittest) nor God are responsible for this kind of conduct, either. There remains only one possibility, as discussed in our recent Q&A series on dinosaurs prior to man.