The Decline and Fall of the American Empire

The Guardian wrote on June 6:

“The US is a country with serious problems… The budget, which was in surplus little more than a decade ago, now has a deficit of Greek-style proportions. There is policy paralysis in Washington. The assumption is that the problems can be easily solved because the US is the biggest economy on the planet, the only country with global military reach, the lucky possessor of the world’s reserve currency, and a nation with a proud record of re-inventing itself once in every generation or so…

“Let me put an alternative hypothesis. America in 2011 is Rome in 200 AD or Britain on the eve of the first world war–an empire at the zenith of its power but with cracks beginning to show. The experience of both Rome and Britain suggests that it is hard to stop the rot once it has set in, so here are… a few of the warning signs of trouble ahead: military overstretch, a widening gulf between rich and poor, a hollowed-out economy, citizens using debt to live beyond their means, and once-effective policies no longer working. The high levels of violent crime, epidemic of obesity, addiction to pornography and excessive use of energy may be telling us something: the US is in an advanced state of cultural decadence…

“The feeble response to today’s growth medicine suggests that the US is structurally far weaker than it was in the 1930s… America must rediscover the qualities that originally made it great. That will not be easy.”

The sad truth is that there is not much hope that prior to Christ’s return, America will “discover” and embrace true Christian values and live by them.  And so, as it is prophesied, the decline of America is inevitable, and its downfall will be severe and unparalleled in the history of that (once) great country. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

The U.S. Growing Debt—and China Drops Its Holdings in U.S. Treasury Bills…

On June 3, 2011, CNN News reported the following:

“China has dropped 97 percent of its holdings in U.S. Treasury bills, decreasing its ownership of the short-term U.S. government securities from a peak of $210.4 billion in May 2009 to $5.69 billion in March 2011… Treasury bills are securities that mature in one year or less that are sold by the U.S. Treasury Department to fund the nation’s debt… Until October, the Chinese were generally making up for their decreasing holdings in Treasury bills by increasing their holdings of longer-term U.S. Treasury securities. Thus, until October, China’s overall holdings of U.S. debt continued to increase. Since October, however, China has also started to divest from longer-term U.S. Treasury securities…

“China’s ownership of the U.S. national debt has decreased in each of the last five months on record, including November, December, January, February and March… As of March 2011, overall Chinese holdings of U.S. debt had decreased to 1.1449 trillion… Before the end of March 2012, the Treasury must redeem all of the $1.7 trillion in Treasury bills that were extant as of March 2011 and find new or old buyers who will continue to invest in U.S. debt. But, for now, the Chinese at least do not appear to be bullish customers of short-term U.S. debt…

“To the degree that the $1.7 trillion in short-term U.S. Treasury bills extant as of March must be converted into longer-term U.S. Treasury securities, the U.S. government will be forced to pay a higher annual interest rate on the national debt. As of the close of business on Thursday, the total U.S. debt was $14.34 trillion… Of that, approximately $9.74 trillion was debt held by the public and approximately $4.61 trillion was ‘intragovernmental’ debt.”

Senseless US Dealings…

Mail On Line reported on June 3:

“The U.S. is providing hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign aid to some of the world’s richest countries – while at the same time borrowing billions back, according to [a] report seen by Congress. The Congressional Research Service released the report last month which shows that in 2010 the U.S. handed out a total of $1.4bn to 16 foreign countries that held at least $10bn in Treasury securities.

“Four countries in the world’s top 10 richest received foreign aid last year with China receiving $27.2m, India $126.6m, Brazil $25m, and Russia $71.5m. Mexico also received $316.7m and Egypt $255.7m. And yet despite the massive outgoings in foreign aid, the receiving countries hold trillions of dollars in U.S. Treasury bonds.

“China is the largest holder with $1.1trillion as of March… Brazil held $193.5bn, Russia $127.8bn, India $39.8bn, Mexico $28.1bn and Egypt had $15.3bn. Foreign aid is earmarked for causes including HIV/AIDs prevention, combating weapons of mass destruction, fighting tuberculosis, and counter-terrorism efforts.”

The economic situation in the USA is awful, and the seemingly unintelligible US conduct could not possibly improve our conditions. It appears as if God has been continuing, in even increased measure, to pour out a spirit of stupor over our nations (compare Romans 11:8).

Almost 50% of Americans Fear a Great Depression Within a Year…

CNN reported on June 8:

“President Barack Obama’s overall approval rating has dropped below 50 percent as a growing number of Americans worry that the U.S. is likely to slip into another Great Depression within the next 12 months, according to a new national poll… Not surprisingly, with that much economic angst, the economy is the number one issue, the only one that more than half of the public says will be extremely important to their vote for president next year. Nearly all issues that at least four in ten say will be extremely important to their vote are domestic issues. Terrorism also makes that list, but Afghanistan is fairly low and Libya is tied for dead last out of the 15 issues tested. Abortion and gay marriage also rank very low, indicating that 2012 may be an election that is shaped more by bread-and-butter issues than social and moral concerns.”

The Insane New Healthcare Law

Money News reported on June 7:

“Three in ten employers will abandon offering health coverage to their employees when President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014, according to a survey published by McKinsey Quarterly. While only 7 percent of employees will be forced to switch to subsidized-exchange programs, 30 percent of companies say they will ‘definitely or probably’ stop offering employer-sponsored coverage, according to the study published by McKinsey Quarterly…

“Contrary to what employers assume, more than 85 percent of employees would remain at their jobs even if their employers stopped offering [employer-sponsored insurance], although about 60 percent would expect increased compensation.”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on June 8:

“Skeptical questions from three federal judges in Atlanta suggest they may be ready to declare unconstitutional all or part of the healthcare law promoted by the Obama administration and passed last year by Congress…  After nearly three hours of argument Wednesday, the three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals seemed prepared to declare at least part of last year’s law unconstitutional. The current case has gathered the most attention because it involves 26 state attorneys general — all Republicans — who jointly challenged the law. In addition, the 11th Circuit is considered among the most conservative of the federal appellate courts. If any of the appeals courts strikes down the law, the case almost certainly would land at the Supreme Court, perhaps during the election year.”

To impose a mandate for healthcare on all Americans or being faced with a fine is irresponsible and extremely damaging, especially in our current devastating economic situation. Sadly, Romneycare does not differ much from Obamacare in this regard, and as Piers Morgan pointed out in a recent CNN interview with Mitt Romney, his unsupportable and indefensible position on healthcare (hence Romney’s usual ramblings and evasive “answers” on the issue) will prove to be his Achilles heel.

What’s Wrong with US-German Relationship?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 6:

“Germany and the United States have never stood farther apart during Merkel’s two terms as chancellor as they are at the moment. Merkel’s reputation in Washington has been hurt by Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power by 2022, Berlin’s abstention in a United Nations Security Council vote on imposing a ‘no-fly’ zone in Libya and the country’s economic and financial policies…

“Obama’s standing has also taken a hit in German government circles. In the Chancellery, he is viewed as a president who fails to deliver on lofty pronouncements. Indeed, Merkel does not have faith that he can solve the world’s problems. The greatest thing the two governments have in common is their mutual annoyance…

“Berlin views Obama’s actions related to the Middle East conflict as particularly damaging. The government reportedly believes that Obama’s most fundamental misstep came last September when he spoke before the UN General Assembly and predicted that a Palestinian state would be welcomed as a new member of the global community within a year. In Berlin, many feel it only served to foster unreasonable expectations among Palestinians — and to anger the Israelis. Merkel also resents Obama for having initially spoken out against intervening in Libya and then allowing pressure from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other advisers to change his mind…

“… it wasn’t too long ago that Americans viewed Merkel’s Germany as their most important partner in Europe… Merkel enjoyed a reputation for being pro-American and reliable… However, as it became clear during the G-8 summit held two weeks ago at the French coastal resort of Deauville, Merkel has exhausted that goodwill…

“While it is still conceivable that some formal compromises will be reached on financial issues, it appears that nothing can bridge the trans-Atlantic divide when it comes to energy and climate policies…

“Of course, there have always been points of contention in the trans-Atlantic relationship. But the current situation seems particularly bad because the global political context has changed… The importance of US-German relations used to be taken for granted, but that no longer seems to be the case… Despite all these issues, Merkel and Obama are still dependent on one another. Washington knows that a government led by the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) or the Green Party would presumably be even less America-friendly than Merkel’s government. At the same time, Berlin watches with worry as the Republicans seem to inch further and further to the right…”

Clearly, as we announced when first Angela Merkel and subsequently Barak Obama came to power, the relationship between the USA and Germany will constantly get worse, not better. This is exactly what the Bible has prophesied to happen thousands of years ago. The most recent visit of Angela Merkel in the USA, and the honors bestowed on her by President Obama, as well as the niceties exchanged between the two leaders in front of rolling cameras, should not cloud our view as to what is really happening.

US-German Niceties for the Public… Don’t Change Much…

The Local wrote on June 8:

“Obama bestowed America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on the German Chancellor. He hailed her as the first East German, and the first woman to serve as German Chancellor and said the award was a recognition of her status as ‘an eloquent voice for human rights and dignity around the world’… The Presidential Medal of Freedom is rarely granted to foreigners but has been presented to Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl…

“Merkel’s visit came as Obama seeks to correct an impression that his focus on rising powers like India and China means a downgrade for the transatlantic alliance and as he faces rising political heat over the slow recovery… the two leaders praised one another’s courage… Obama said that Merkel was one of his closest partners on the world stage and that Germany was one of America’s most important allies on issues including Afghanistan, the Middle East, the Arab Spring, NATO and the world economy…

“Despite the warmth, Merkel admitted that she and Obama did not always see eye-to-eye… Germany caused frowns in Washington by abstaining in a UN Security Council vote that endorsed NATO action against Moamer Kadhafi’s forces in Libya – though both Obama and Merkel agreed Tuesday the strongman would soon be gone. The Merkel government has also been outspoken about some of the monetary measures the US government and Federal Reserve have taken to revive the US economy. Merkel also joked that Berlin, which Obama has not yet visited as president, despite several trips to Germany, was always ready to welcome him.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 8:

“US President Barack Obama pulled out all the stops for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the US this week. But despite the pomp and the Medal of Freedom for Merkel, the visit couldn’t hide the fact that the trans-Atlantic relationship isn’t what it once was… In Merkel’s current political reality, there are very few pleasurable moments. Her party is doing poorly in the public opinion polls, her government has shown a preference for bickering over policymaking and the European common currency is in trouble.

“… what will remain from the visit aside from a collection of nice images?… When it comes to Libya and the so-called Arab spring, even the US is unsure how to proceed with the NATO mission in North Africa. The US Congress is becoming uneasy and Obama has been accused of having a double standard because the US and the international community have ignored the situation in Syria, where dictator Bashir Assad has violently attacked demonstrators. The German abstention in the UN Security Council seems almost prophetic in this light.

“And in Afghanistan, the US has ceased making demands that Europe step up its engagement in the war-torn country. Indeed, Washington itself is considering a quicker withdrawal than originally planned…

“There are, in short, several new, external limits imposed on the once limitless trans-Atlantic friendship… the US is beginning to focus increasingly on the upcoming presidential campaign — even when it comes to the relationship to Europe. Obama’s recent trip saw him visit Ireland and Poland. Voters with roots in those two countries play an important role in the US electorate… A new survey published in the Washington Post shows that Americans are unhappy with Obama’s handling of the economy. Almost 60 percent of those surveyed said that the economic recovery had not yet begun. Such numbers do not speak well to the president’s chances for re-election. ‘The upcoming campaign clearly trumps any foreign policy considerations at the White House,’ says William Drozdiak, head of the American Council on Germany. State banquets and medal ceremonies, he added, don’t change that.”

Divisions Between USA and EU over Palestine

The EUObserver wrote on June 7:

“Russia and the EU are framing a joint position on relations with the Palestinian unity government, as divisions on the subject with the US and Israel deepen, a senior Russian diplomat has said… He indicated that the EU’s position is unpopular in Washington…

“Hamas in May agreed to accept an Israeli state based on 1967 borders, to call a truce with Israel and to abide by former international pacts as part of a new government with rival Palestinian faction Fatah. Ashton, speaking for the EU, has signalled she is willing to work with Hamas if it abides by the new terms. But Israel and the US have urged Fatah to walk away from the deal, with Israeli diplomats in Brussels pointing out that Hamas’ 1988 charter still calls for the ‘obliteration’ of Israel…

“He said Brussels and Moscow wanted the Quartet to play a bigger role and to put the Arab-Israeli conflict center stage in terms of international diplomacy in the region. But the US disagreed… Russia does not agree with EU countries’ military action in Libya and EU sanctions on Syria… On Syria, he added: ‘The prospect of a UN Security Council resolution along the same lines as 1973 on Libya [authorising military action] will not be supported by my country. We are in direct contact with Syrian authorities providing advice on how best to handle the situation.’”

“The Unification of Europe Is a Christian Project”

The Associated Press reported on June  6:

“Pope Benedict XVI backed Croatia’s bid to join the  European Union as he arrived in the Balkan nation, but said Saturday he could understand fears of EU’s centralized bureaucracy. The pontiff expressed the Vatican’s long-running concern that Europe needs to be reminded of its Christian roots ‘for the sake of historical truth’ as he began his first trip as pope to Croatia, a deeply Roman Catholic country that his predecessor visited three times during and after the bloody Balkan wars of the 1990s…

“Benedict sought to encourage Croatia’s EU bid, saying it was ‘logical, just and necessary’ that Croatia join the EU given its history and culture is so strongly rooted in that of Europe. ‘From its earliest days, your nation has formed part of Europe, and has contributed in its unique way to the spiritual and moral values that for centuries have shaped the daily lives and the personal and national identity of Europe’s sons and daughters,’ Benedict said upon arrival at Zagreb’s airport…

“Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, who greeted Benedict at the airport, concurred, saying Europe wouldn’t be unified were it not for the deeply Christian values of forgiveness and reconciliation that Croatia seeks to embody. ‘The unification of Europe is basically a Christian project,’ Josipovic said, as a military parade and Croatians in traditional dress greeted the pontiff on the tarmac. ‘It is precisely because of these deep Christian roots of the Croatian people that I am convinced that our citizens will support in the vast majority our accession into the European Union’…

“The Vatican and Croatia, which is 89.8-percent Catholic, have long had solid ties: The Holy See was one of the first to recognize Croatia when it declared independence from Serb-led Yugoslavia in 1991, and the Vatican is eager to have another stalwart Catholic country in the EU bloc…

“On Sunday, Benedict will celebrate Mass and then pray before the tomb of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, Croatia’s World War II primate whom John Paul beatified during a 1998 trip. Stepinac was hailed as a hero by Catholics for his resistance to communism and refusal to separate the Croatian church from the Vatican. But his beatification was controversial because many Serbs and Jews accuse him of sympathizing with the Nazis. Benedict praised Stepinac as a model for having defended “true humanism” against both the communists and the Ustasha Nazi puppet regime that ruled Croatia during the war. The Ustasha, said the German-born pope, ‘seemed to fulfill the dream of autonomy and independence, but in reality it was an autonomy that was a lie because it was used by Hitler for his aims.’”

The Catholic Culture added on June 6:

“During a weekend visit to Croatia on June 4-5, Pope Benedict XVI repeatedly emphasized the Christian roots of European civilization… The Pontiff… voice[d] his hope that Croatia would ‘help to steer the European Union toward a fuller appreciation of those spiritual and cultural treasures’ that rise from Europe’s Christian heritage. Later… the Pope returned to the question of European secularization, using strong language to warn that the attempt to make an absolute separation between religious and political affairs is a danger to Europe’s future…”

Although not envisioned and realized by most observers, these comments are extremely meaningful in light of the biblical prophecy that united Europe, in its final configuration, will be a political, economic and military power bloc under the guidance and leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

“Germany Must Lead…”

Reuters wrote on June 8:

“President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged European countries and bondholders to prevent a ‘disastrous’ default by Greece and pledged U.S. support to help tackle the country’s debt crisis… After a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he stressed the importance of German ‘leadership’ on the issue…’I’m confident that Germany’s leadership, along with other key actors in Europe, will help us arrive at a path for Greece to return to growth, for this debt to become more manageable,’ Obama said… Merkel, under political pressure at home to avoid being the financial savior for other struggling European countries, said Germany understood its role.

“[Obama’s] main message was aimed at EU countries – and, by default, wealthy Germany – to step up to help Athens…In public the two leaders referred to each other by their first names and joked about looking different from their predecessors. Obama is the first black U.S. president and Merkel is the first female chancellor of Germany. Their show of partnership did not mask differences between them – and Libya has been one of those issues in the past.”

… but Merkel Is in Deep Trouble over Greece

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 6:

“In a letter sent to the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and euro-zone countries, Germany’s finance minister warns of the possibility of a Greek bankruptcy and concedes the current bailout plan has failed. Instead he is calling for a de facto debt restructuring. Resistance within Merkel’s conservatives is stewing… The German government has conceded for the first time that Greece will soon need billions of euros in fresh aid and a restructuring of its debt in order to prevent bankruptcy… In the letter, the finance minister states that private investors and banks should take over part of the cost of stabilizing Greece… Investors would be asked to exchange all the Greek bonds currently in their portfolios for new ones with maturities extended by seven years. Investors would get their money later, but they would still get the full amount…

“Within Merkel’s conservative government comprised of the Christian Democrats and the business-friendly Free Democratic Party, resistance to additional bailout measures for Greece as well as the creation of a permanent crisis mechanism for the euro zone is massive. The German public also opposes the measures, with many considering the Greek bailout to be a bottomless pit… Gerda Hasselfeldt, a senior state-level figure in the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to Merkel’s CDU, said aid could not be allowed to become a ‘bottomless pit.’ However, many in Merkel’s coalition government are afraid it will become precisely that…

“Klaus-Peter Willsch, the budget expert for Merkel’s CDU, has already said he would vote against any plan for additional financial aid for Greece… Few have been as outspoken as Willsch within the conservatives, but he is far from alone in his negative stance within the joint CDU/CSU parliamentary group…

“The number of bailout critics is greater in the FDP, Merkel’s junior coalition partner, with around 15 members of parliament categorically rejecting any new aid for Greece. The campaign is being led by the FDP’s finance expert in the parliamentary group, Frank Schäffler, who hinted Greece should exit the euro zone in an ARD interview. ‘That wouldn’t be the downfall of the euro, it would save it,’ he said.

“It is still unclear whether the Greek debate will lead to a revolt in Merkel’s coalition government. Right now, the CDU, CSU and FDP only have a 19 vote lead over the opposition in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag. Nevertheless, Chancellor Merkel has good reason to be nervous about the outcome of a vote on additional aid for Greece as well as planned legislation this autumn paving the way for the European Stability Mechanism, the permanent euro rescue fund…”

We can expect that in the not-too-distant future, a popular, powerful and charismatic political personage with arise in Germany, replacing Angela Merkel or her successor(s).

House Finds Obama in Violation of Constitution

The Washington Times wrote on June 3:

“Crossing party lines to deliver a stunning rebuke to the commander in chief, the vast majority of the House voted Friday for resolutions telling President Obama he has broken the constitutional chain of authority by committing U.S. troops to the international military mission in Libya.

“In two votes — on competing resolutions that amounted to legislative lectures of Mr. Obama — Congress escalated the brewing constitutional clash over whether he ignored the founding document’s grant of war powers by sending U.S. troops to aid in enforcing a no-fly zone and naval blockade of Libya. The resolutions were non-binding, and only one of them passed, but taken together, roughly three-quarters of the House voted to put Mr. Obama on notice that he must explain himself or else face future consequences, possibly including having funds for the war cut off…

“The Constitution gives the power to declare war to Congress, but the power to manage the armed forces to the president. The War Powers Resolution, enacted in 1973, tries to bridge that gap by allowing the president to commit troops for up to 60 days, but requires him to seek congressional approval if he wants to extend the commitment beyond that period… U.S. military action began March 19, as Mr. Obama committed U.S. forces to take the lead in setting up a no-fly zone to protect Libyan rebels fighting against the government of Col. Moammar Gadhafi. The U.S. eventually moved to a support role, and is currently aiding NATO, which is maintaining the no-fly zone.”

We should not expect that too much will come out of this “condemnation.” The US Congress has become more and more a toothless tiger which might roar, without acting.

Russia Concerned With NATO Over Libya

The Associated Press reported on June 5:

“Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov says NATO is ‘one step’ from sending troops into Libya in a bid to help rebels remove Moammar Gadhafi from power… British and French attack helicopters struck for the first time inside Libya on Saturday. NATO had previously relied on attack jets generally flying above 15,000 feet (4,500 meters).”

It is prophesied that ultimately, Russia and Libya will even develop a still closer alliance.

The “Peaceful” Arab Spring Turns into a Violent Hot Summer

CNN reported on June 1:

“The roar of the jubilant crowd assembled in Cairo’s Tahrir Square said it all. Nearly four months ago, longtime Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak finally yielded to political reality and stepped down from power. Mubarak’s fall — coming on the heels of the ouster of neighboring Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali — was seen by many as part of a domino effect. The Arab world, it seemed, was finally on the brink of a peaceful democratic transition that had eluded the troubled region for generations.

“Today, however, the promise of a peaceful Arab Spring appears to be yielding to the reality of a long, violent summer as dictators across the Middle East and North Africa draw a line in the sand and fight to maintain control of their countries… dictators in the region have been spooked by the fate of Mubarak, who is now facing trial and a possible death sentence, and Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, who is facing an onslaught from armed rebels and NATO air forces…

“Close to 900,000 people have fled Libya since that country’s conflict began in February… Meanwhile, in nearby Egypt reformers are upset with the pace of change since Mubarak’s fall… To the northeast, Syria’s government stands accused of committing atrocities against its own people… The push for democratic reform is also encountering fierce resistance on the strategically critical Arabian Peninsula. The leaders of two key U.S. allies, Bahrain and Yemen, are struggling to maintain control despite slowly mounting international pressure… The question of how hard Western powers — the United States in particular — should push for change in Bahrain is complicated by the fact that the tiny Persian Gulf country is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Neighboring Saudi Arabia and the United States are both worried that a successful Shiite uprising would transform Bahrain into an Iranian client state…

“Finally, nearby Yemen continues to be rocked by escalating clashes between rebels and forces loyal to embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh… The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa has condemned what it called the ‘unprovoked and unjustified attack’ on demonstrators in Taiz. It praised the protesters and called on Saleh ‘to move immediately’ on the president’s previous promise to transfer power. Saleh, however, has been a leading U.S. ally against al Qaeda, which has a Yemen-based branch that has claimed responsibility for two attempted attacks on the United States…”

Man’s violent attempts to overthrow governments have never led to true freedom, peace and prosperity.

Yemen’s “Peaceful” Demonstrations

Deutsche Welle reported on June 5:

“Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets on Sunday, June 5, to celebrate what they said was the end of the 32-year regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
 
“The beleaguered president left Yemen late on Saturday to seek medical treatment in Saudi Arabia for injuries sustained in a rebel rocket attack on his presidential palace. Yemen’s opposition vowed to prevent the return of Saleh… For now, Mansour Hadi has taken over as acting president and supreme commander of the armed forces as stipulated by the country’s constitution…

“The rocket attack on Friday killed seven people and threw the Yemeni government into disarray, with injuries sustained by the country’s prime minister, two deputy prime ministers and the speakers of both parliamentary houses… Germany has closed its embassy in Sanaa and is withdrawing its three remaining diplomats from Yemen in the face of increasing political unrest in the country. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged German citizens to leave the country, if possible.”

USA Resumes Airstrikes in Yemen

CNN wrote on June 9:

“The United States has resumed airstrikes in Yemen and believes it killed a top al Qaeda insurgent there, a U.S. military official said on Thursday. Abu Ali al-Harithi, ‘described as one of the most dangerous al Qaeda commanders in Shabwa province,’ has been killed in Yemeni security operations, state-run TV reported on Thursday, citing an official military source. The New York Times reported on Thursday that American jets killed him in an airstrike last Friday … Last month, a U.S. drone strike attempted but failed to kill Anwar Al-Awlaki, the American-born radical Muslim cleric who moved to Yemen and has become a key figure in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.”

US Ally Yemen May Fall…

The Washington Post wrote on June 5:

“The flight of Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh to Saudi Arabia deprives the United States of a fitful ally in the fight against al-Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliate and injects new uncertainty into counterterrorism operations that were already hampered by the country’s bloody internal strife… While Saudi Arabia, with U.S. backing, will almost certainly prevent Saleh’s return to Yemen, it is unclear who will replace him and whether there will be a change in attitude toward American efforts to target Islamic militants in the country.

“The Pentagon and the CIA, which have steadily deployed more men and equipment to Yemen, including armed drones, will have to forge fresh relationships with whatever new leadership emerges in Yemen. And some in the opposition to Saleh have expressed skepticism about even the existence of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), describing the terrorist group that has come to preoccupy Washington in recent years as a myth. Officials in the United States and elsewhere fear that the al-Qaeda group will exploit the turmoil in Yemen to solidify its base and launch fresh attacks… Some observers said that if the violence continues, the chaos might put pressure on the United States to act unilaterally, including expanding the use of armed drones.”

Yemen Only a Step Away from Total Chaos

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 6:

“Allies of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have promised that he will return… There are plenty of people both within Yemen and abroad, however, who believe that Saleh’s departure is permanent… The chaos has many in the region fearful that Yemen could descend into a failed state…

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘The West must not blindly trust that demonstrators in Yemen will now find success. … The mountainous, poverty-stricken and austerely Muslim country is already virtually ungovernable. … Absent a halfway orderly transition of power, Yemen could completely collapse. … This political chaos would play into the hands of Islamist terrorists…’

“The left-leaning daily Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘…the Saudi leaders will be interested in seeing an “orderly transfer of power,” a formulation which in Egypt, for example, meant that as many officials as possible managed to hold on to their positions in the new regime… Saudi Arabia… has never been a champion of democratic reform…’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘It could be that the celebrations in Yemen will soon come to an end. The forces for freedom which began protesting against the rule of President Saleh more than four months ago could fall victim to a power struggle between those who remain loyal to Saleh and those who defected. … The most recent “revenge” attack carried out by government opponents on the presidential palace in Taiz in addition to explosions in the capital show just how close Yemen is to the abyss of violence.’”

What we are seeing is an inevitable development in that part of the world which, in accordance with prophecy, is totally separating itself from the USA and the state of  Israel, while some Middle Eastern and African countries will become or remain friendly towards Europe, and others will become extremely hostile.

Iran’s Nuclear Bomb Unstoppable Now?

Y-net news wrote on June 6:

“Airstrikes can no longer stop nuclear program, US can do nothing short of military occupation, says [a] report. The Iranian regime is closer than ever before to creating a nuclear bomb, according to RAND Corporation researcher Gregory S. Jones.  At its current rate of uranium enrichment, Tehran could have enough for its first bomb within eight weeks…

“The researcher based his report on recent findings by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), published two weeks ago. Making the bomb will take around two months, he says, because constructing a nuclear warhead is a complicated step in the process. Jones stresses that stopping Iran will require deploying forces on the ground, because airstrikes are no longer sufficient. The reality is that the US and Israel have failed to keep Iran from developing a nuclear warhead whenever it wants, Jones says…”

The Associated Press reported on June 8:

“An article praising the idea of Iran testing a nuclear bomb on a Revolutionary Guard website is raising alarms in western intelligence circles. The article is being interpreted as evidence of strong backing in the Islamic Republic for such a move. The article is entitled ‘The Day After the First Iranian Nuclear Test — a Normal Day.’ It coincides with other public or suspected activities that the United States and its allies see as indications that Tehran wants to possess atomic arms.

“‘The day after the first Iranian nuclear test for us Iranians will be an ordinary day, but in the eyes of many of us, it will have a new shine, from the power and dignity of the nation,’ says the article. It was published on the Gerdab site run by the Revolutionary Guard.”

The Bible shows that Iran will be involved in a war with Israel in the near future.

“Japan: Green Tea Exports Banned Due to High Radiation Levels”

The Telegraph wrote on June 3:

“The Japanese government has banned shipments of green tea leaves in four regions after high levels of radioactive caesium were found. A swathe of Japan’s tea making regions including parts of Tochigi, Chiba and Kanagawa prefecture as well as the whole of Ibaraki were included within the ban, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare…

“Tea leaves are the latest agricultural products in Japan to be affected by problems surrounding the still-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. From milk to spinach, a raft of items have fallen under the spotlight due to radiation fears… Tens of thousands of farmers have been hit hard by the nuclear crisis, due to issues surrounding potential soil contamination and food safety fears with many also having had to abandon their animals in the evacuation area.”

It seems that only now is the world beginning to see the terrible dangers of radiation, stemming from the Japanese catastrophe.

What Are the Bilderbergs Up To?

CNBC wrote on June 9:

“Dominique Strauss-Kahn, naturally, isn’t attending this year, and his likely successor Christine Lagarde is in China, but the Bilderberg Conference which kicks off in the Swiss resort of St. Moritz on Thursday retains its conspiratorial chic and pulling power. The attendee list of Bilderberg is still pretty much the only thing that is not a closely guarded secret, as 120 of the world’s richest and most powerful people meet behind closed doors… U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne are known to have attended in the past, although it seems unlikely that either will attend this week. A spokesperson at the U.K. Treasury press office said it ‘didn’t know’ whether or not Osborne would go this year, but promised to call CNBC.com back. They did not. Given the secretive spirit of Bilderberg, that could well be taken as a confirmation.

“The first Bilderberg meeting in 1954 was an attempt to stamp out post-war anti-Americanism in Europe, bringing together senior U.S. and European figures to meet and discuss the international challenges of the day. Since then, the rich and powerful have continued to meet. The 2010 event, in… Spain, included on its agenda ‘The Growing Influence of Cyber Technology,’ ‘Security in a Proliferated World,’ ‘Promises of Medical Science,’ and ‘Can We Feed the World,’ according to its official website.

“Its secrecy only serves to add fuel to the innumerate conspiracy theories that circulate around the event… The 120 participants attend in a private capacity and, officially, they do not forge agreements over global economic policy…

“Andrew Kakabadse is professor of international management development at Cranfield University… [He said:] ‘The Bilderbergs are probably the most influential global network of all time. It’s an honor to be invited, it’s a tremendous honor. Part of it is recognition for work done and part of it is for contribution to enabling world affairs. The people we talked to are quite genuine. Mostly they don’t understand the conspiracy bit, because they say when you go there what you find is people of all sorts of varying views. But the fact that they’ve been invited is indicative of the position that they’ve reached in life,’ he said.”

The Drudge Report published a link to the following article by Infowars, dated June 8, stating the following:

“According to AFP journalist and legendary Bilderberg sleuth Jim Tucker’s inside sources, the agenda now under review includes a number of critical issues at the top of the elite’s to-do list. These breakdown as follows:

“The elite are concerned that the American Congress may soon turn against the illegal and immoral invasion under humanitarian cover by NATO and the UN against the north African dictator Moammar Gaddafi… The elite… are pushing for a wider war and incalculable suffering in the Middle East.

“The money masters have long profited from war and mass murder. Nathan Rothschild made a financial bet on Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and while also funding the Duke of Wellington’s peninsular campaign against Napoleon. The House of Rothschild financed the Prussian War, the Crimean War and the British attempt to seize the Suez Canal from the French and also financed the Mexican War and the Civil War in the U.S.

“In addition to worrying about Congress waking up to the Libyan scam, the global elite is also concerned about a diverse liberty movement that has grown exponentially with the help of an open and free internet… The globalists are not opposed to the internet, especially as a corporatized money-making instrument. They are, however, opposed to an open, free, and unregulated by government internet where alternative media opposed to their globalist devices are allowed to thrive. In addition, we can expect minions of the global elite… to continue their propaganda efforts to convince the American people that the internet will be used as a terrorist weapon of mass destruction and as such needs to be tightly regulated – for our own safety, of course, and that of the children.

“Finally, the Bilderbergers will work on an effort to sucker an already economically besieged American public into further fantastic debt producing bankster bailouts, specifically for Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and other member EU nations sliding toward bankruptcy and social disruption on a monumental scale… the plan is to take down national sovereignty, impose drastic austerity measures, hold fire sales on national assets, consolidate wealth and power, and use an endless economic crisis as an excuse to usher in world government, a one-world currency, and a sprawling high-tech police state.”

The reality is that world government will come—but in a most unexpected way. First, another attempt will be made to revive the ancient military Roman Empire in Europe. The world will “worship” that governmental system and its leader and unspeakable suffering will follow. But then, finally, Jesus Christ will return to establish a peaceful and all-encompassing world government here on earth.

Egypt Opens Gateway to Gaza

Fox News reported on May 28:

“After a four-year blockade, Egypt on Saturday permanently opened the Gaza Strip’s main gateway to the outside world, bringing long-awaited relief to the territory’s Palestinian population and a significant achievement for the area’s ruling Hamas militant group. The reopening of the Rafah border crossing eases an Egyptian blockade of Gaza that has prevented the vast majority of the densely populated area’s 1.5 million people from being able to travel abroad. The closure, along with an Israeli blockade of its borders with Gaza, has fueled an economic crisis in the territory…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 28:

“Egypt and Israel first imposed a blockade in 2006 following the abduction of an Israeli soldier. It was later tightened in 2007 in an effort to weaken the Islamic group Hamas after it gained control of the area. Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s regime defended its decision to close the only gateway to the Gaza Strip which was not controlled by Israel by asserting it was a necessary move in the fight against terrorism.

“But when Mubarak was ousted from power in February, Egypt’s military rulers opted to permanently ease the blockade imposed by Israel… fears have been raised in Israel that it will also be easier for militants to get in and out of Gaza. Some Palestinians had previously smuggled goods, including weapons, into Gaza using tunnels from Egypt.”

The New York Times added on May 28:

“… the formal, seven-days-a-week opening on Saturday did not remove all restrictions. It left in place a blockade on the shipment into Gaza of goods, including concrete badly needed to repair buildings damaged by clashes between Israel and Hamas… There are still restrictions on passengers as well. Although women, children and older Palestinians can now enter Egypt without a visa, men 18 to 40 years old are required to obtain one, for security reasons.”

Even though the opening of the gateway still includes many restrictions, the dangers especially for Israel should not be ignored.

Libyan Adventure Slow and Messy

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 28:

“The quick and clean intervention promised in Libya has proved slow and messy. Despite over two months of NATO air support for the Libyan rebels, the civil war in the country is looking more and more like a stalemate. As a result, it was only a matter of time before Britain and France sought to tip the balance in its battle against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s military machine…

“Britain announced it would be sending four Apache helicopters, with France flying in similar Tiger helicopters as well. These maneuverable craft can fly lower than large warplanes and bombers, and Western militaries hope they will offer [provided] scope for more precise attacks against smaller targets like tanks. Some military analysts… see this fresh deployment of more versatile aircraft as a sign that the NATO mission in Libya is failing…

“The US and Britain both reiterated this week that sending in ground troops was not an option, and arming the rebels does not conform to the mandate of UN Resolution 1973, which only authorizes Western powers to protect civilian lives in Libya…

“Estimates suggest the rebel troops are outnumbered by as much as 10 to one by those loyal to Gadhafi, an imbalance that air support alone might not overcome. On this basis, NATO looks set to stay in Libya, and for an indeterminate period of time.”

Reuters wrote on June 1:

“NATO said on Wednesday it had extended its Libyan mission for a further 90 days, after Gaddafi made it clear he would not step down, dashing hopes of a negotiated end to the fighting.”

It does not appear that we will see a closure in Libya any time soon. The German press, and especially the mass tabloid Bild, reported angrily how President Obama, during the recent G-8 summit, ignored Chancellor Merkel and showed her “the cold shoulder”; and that she was not invited for talks about the future of Libya. They also blasted the American President for his unwillingness to visit Germany (even though he found time to visit Ireland, England, France and Poland). The German press speculated that the reason for this “mistreatment” was America’s anger over Germany’s refusal to participate in military attacks on Libya. However, in the long run, the world might recognize Germany’s wisdom and America’s and NATO’s foolishness in this regard.

African Union Fails in Libya

On May 29, 2011, The New York Times reported:

“Talks between President  Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi ended Monday with no sign of the breakthrough Libyan officials had said they hoped for. The outcome appeared to leave the Tripoli government and its rebel foes still mired in the stalemate that has settled over the conflict, and NATO with the prospect of an extended campaign of airstrikes in its bid to topple the Libyan leader…

“The demand for Colonel Qaddafi to quit has been set by rebel leaders in eastern Libya and backed by the NATO countries leading the 10-week-old campaign of airstrikes against the Qaddafi government, and was joined last week by Russia, long considered a Qaddafi ally…

“The Zuma visit was widely trumpeted in advance by officials in Tripoli, who have come to see the African Union as a last bastion of diplomatic support. For decades, Colonel Qaddafi has sought to reach out across barriers of culture, faith and geography to promote solidarity between the continent’s Arab and African peoples, and to present himself, as posters around Tripoli proclaim him, as the ‘king of kings’ among African leaders.”

On March 10, the New York Times explained the following about the African Union:

“The African Union, which was formed to succeed the Organization of African Unity on July 9, 2002 and is loosely based on the European Union, aims to promote cooperation and integration among the independent nations of Africa. It consists of 53 African nations and its headquarters are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It works to promote African unity on issues involving the continent, and deals with security matters and regional conflicts…

“The current incarnation was conceived by Moammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan leader. The union has grand plans for the future that include the establishment of a central bank, with a single currency by 2023, and of a human rights court. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the president of Equatorial Guinea is its current leader.”

Please note that the African Union is headquartered in Ethiopia, which was formerly known as the king of the South, as referred to in the book of Daniel. Ethiopia could still play a significant role in world affairs. Please also note the next remarkable comments:

African Union Wants to End Libya Crisis with Russian Help

The EUObserver wrote on June 1:

“Senior African envoy Jean Ping has told the EU and Nato that the African Union is keen to end the Libya crisis by diplomacy, not war, and with Russian help… The EU and Nato have ruled out talking to Gaddafi and said he must step down from power…

“EU commission head Barroso… indicated that EU countries and the US are no longer in a position to dictate terms to African ‘client’ states…”

And Now Yemen… “Worse Than Libya”

The Guardian wrote on June 1:

“The crisis engulfing Yemen deepened on Wednesday with dozens of people killed as President Ali Abdullah Saleh reinforced his troops after heavy clashes with gunmen loyal to an influential tribal leader… Arab embassies were said to be evacuating their staff and the few remaining western residents were being advised to leave urgently. The Foreign Office is urging all Britons to leave while flights are still available in a situation diplomats described as ‘worse than Libya.’”

The EUObserver wrote on May 31:

“Syria-type EU arms trade and visa bans are looking ever more likely to be imposed on Yemen as fellow Arab countries struggle to resolve the crisis… EU and US nationals have been advised to leave the country as quickly as possible and many embassies are already working with essential staff only… The US embassy in Sanaa said it ‘condemns the unprovoked and unjustified attack on peaceful demonstrators’ in Taiz and ‘commends the youth protesters who have shown both resolve and restraint.’ Yemen is a strategically important country for EU security due to the presence of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in the south of the country and due to its location along the vital trade route through the Gulf of Aden.”

Iran Helps Syrian Government

The Washington Post reported on May 27:

“U.S. officials say Iran is dispatching increasing numbers of trainers and advisers — including members of its elite Quds Force — into Syria to help crush anti-government demonstrations that are threatening to topple Iran’s most important ally in the region. The influx of Iranian manpower is adding to a steady stream of aid from Tehran that includes not only weapons and riot gear but also sophisticated surveillance equipment that is helping Syrian authorities track down opponents through their Facebook and Twitter accounts, the sources said. Iranian-assisted computer surveillance is believed to have led to the arrests of hundreds of Syrians seized from their homes in recent weeks.

“The United States and its allies long have accused Iran of supporting repressive or violent regimes in the region, including Syria’s government, the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip… The new assertions… are clearly aimed at suggesting deepening involvement of Iranian military personnel in Syria’s brutal crackdown against anti-Assad demonstrators…

“Iran’s increasing engagement in the Syrian crackdown reflects anxiety in Tehran about the prospects for Assad, who has failed to end the protests despite rising brutality that human rights groups say has left more than 800 people dead and perhaps 10,000 in prison. Iran, a longtime supplier of military aid to Syria, has been helping Dasmascus battle the current wave of civil unrest since at least mid-March…”

Iran Able to Build a Bomb Now

Newsmax reported on May 31:

“The International Atomic Energy Agency believes that Iran’s nuclear program has dangerous ‘military dimensions,’ according to a piece published late Monday in The New York Times. The Times report, drawing on an IAEA document, details Iran’s apparent efforts to build a nuclear bomb using ‘implosion’ techniques – the same basic technology used in the bomb dropped on Hiroshima… Essentially, Iran is able to build a bomb now, according to senior staff members of the IAEA quoted by the Times.”

Iran Pushes at Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on May 31:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel touched down more than two hours late in New Delhi for the start of her visit to India, after Iran refused to allow her plane access to its airspace. The plane was forced to turn round and circle over Turkey before permission was finally granted – just before the plane ran out of fuel. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle requested the presence of the Iranian ambassador in Berlin on Tuesday. He said he wanted to make it clear that such a ‘breach of international protocol would not be tolerated’…

“Merkel is leading a large delegation of ministers and businessmen to India, seeking improved trade with booming South Asian economies… It is unclear why Iran suddenly withdrew permission to enter its airspace in the early hours of Tuesday morning… The plane was also carrying a large group of industry representatives and journalists.

“The German chancellor wants to promote European fighter aircraft. The Eurofighter consortium made up of Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy is hoping to sign a contract with the Indian air force for 126 new planes, worth 7 billion euros ($11 billion). Germany is India’s biggest trading partner in Europe, with bilateral trade at 15.4 billion euros in 2010. Indian officials estimate that this figure will grow to 20 billion euros by 2012.”

Europe’s Two-Faced Relationship with Iran

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 31:

“Relations between Berlin and Tehran have deteriorated in recent years due to German opposition to Iran’s nuclear program, and there have been a number of points of conflict in recent months. Germany recently dropped its opposition to European Union sanctions against a Hamburg-based Iranian bank that was considered a financial lifeline for Tehran’s nuclear program. The EU agreed to impose sanctions on the bank at a foreign ministers’ meeting last week.

“There was also tension between the countries when Iran detained two German reporters in October 2010. They were finally released in February after Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle made a personal visit to Tehran and met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“Despite Iran’s pariah status, Germany is still the third-largest exporter to the country. Last year, German exports to the Islamic republic were worth €3.8 billion ($5.5 billion). Nevertheless, a number of major German companies, such as Siemens and ThyssenKrupp, have decided to stop doing business with Iran.”

Please make sure to read our Q&A in this Update, discussing the future of Iran and its relationship with Europe, as prophesied in the Bible.

“Who Cares in the Middle East What Obama Says?”

The Independent wrote on May 30:

“This month, in the Middle East, has seen the unmaking of the President of the United States. More than that, it has witnessed the lowest prestige of America in the region since Roosevelt met King Abdul Aziz on the USS Quincy in the Great Bitter Lake in 1945. While Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu played out their farce in Washington… the Arabs got on with the serious business of changing their world, demonstrating and fighting and dying for freedoms they have never possessed. Obama waffled on about change in the Middle East – and about America’s new role in the region. It was pathetic…

“Obama’s failure to support the Arab revolutions until they were all but over lost the US most of its surviving credit in the region… Obama’s policy towards the Middle East – whatever it is – sometimes appears so muddled that it is scarcely worthy of study. He supports, of course, democracy – then admits that this may conflict with America’s interests. In that wonderful democracy called Saudi Arabia, the US is now pushing ahead with a £40 billion arms deal and helping the Saudis to develop a new ‘elite’ force to protect the kingdom’s oil and future nuclear sites…

“Obama stated that the Palestinians would have to answer questions about Hamas. But why should they? What Obama and Netanyahu think about Hamas is now irrelevant to them… Obama says no Palestinian state must be declared at the UN… Who cares in the Middle East what Obama says? Not even, it seems, the Israelis. The Arab spring will soon become a hot summer and there will be an Arab autumn, too. By then, the Middle East may have changed forever. What America says will matter nothing.”

This is truly a sad testimony about a powerful country which becomes more and more insignificant and irrelevant in world affairs. The reason for our national downfall is clearly described in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Afghan War Gets Even Uglier…

Deutsche Welle reported on May 30:

“A NATO commander apologized on Monday for the deaths of Afghan civilians killed by an airstrike in the southern province of Helmand on Saturday. Afghan officials said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had killed 12 children and two women. The raid was in response to a Taliban attack on US marines in the area…

“The apology came after President Hamid Karzai’s office issued what it called a ‘last warning’ to US and NATO troops… Karzai said such operations amounted to the ‘murdering of Afghanistan’s women and children’…

“Meanwhile, Afghan officials said on Sunday an investigation was under way into a suicide attack on Saturday that killed two senior police commanders and two German soldiers. German General Markus Kneip, the top NATO officer in the northern region was injured in the blast.”

The paper added on May 31:

“Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said NATO was ‘not allowed’ to launch attacks on Afghan homes in pursuit of insurgents, and that a recent wave of civilian casualties risks turning the Afghan people against them. ‘NATO must learn that airstrikes on Afghan homes are not allowed and that Afghan people have no tolerance for that anymore,’ Karzai told reporters at a news conference in Kabul. ‘If they don’t stop airstrikes on Afghan homes, their presence in Afghanistan will be considered as an occupying force and against the will of the Afghan people.’ Karzai added that he had warned NATO commanders ‘a hundred times.’

“‘The international community has helped us a lot, but they cannot risk the lives of Afghan people, this can’t be compensated,’ he said… Graphic footage was broadcast on television, showing mourning relatives holding the bodies of several children, among them babies… UN data shows at least three-quarters of civilian deaths are caused by insurgents, but those by NATO forces cause the most anger among the Afghan people.”

The Cost of the Afghan War

The Washington Post wrote on May 30:

“Of all the statistics that President Obama’s national security team will consider when it debates the size of forthcoming troop reductions in Afghanistan, the most influential number probably will not be how many insurgents have been killed or the amount of territory wrested from the Taliban… It will be the cost of the war.

“The U.S. military is on track to spend $113 billion on its operations in Afghanistan this fiscal year, and it is seeking $107 billion for the next. To many of the president’s civilian advisers, that price is too high… Military and civilian officials agree that the cost of the Afghan mission is staggering. The amount per deployed service member in Afghanistan, which the administration estimates at $1 million per year, is significantly higher than it was in Iraq because fuel and other supplies must be trucked into the landlocked nation, often through circuitous routes. Bases, meanwhile, have to be built from scratch.

“The U.S.-led effort to create a new national army, which Afghanistan never had, already has consumed more than $28 billion. The Pentagon wants $12.8 billion for fiscal 2012 — the largest single line item in next year’s Defense Department budget request — to continue training and equipping Afghan soldiers…

“Military leaders maintain that the 30,000-troop surge and an increase in civilian reconstruction efforts have resulted in a dramatic turnaround of what had been a foundering war, creating the possibility of a reasonably stable nation. They insist that a rapid withdrawal of forces would make that goal unachievable by rolling back territorial gains against the Taliban and jeopardizing efforts to develop Afghan security forces and build government institutions…

“On Thursday, the House narrowly defeated an amendment calling for an accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan and a fixed timetable for turning over military operations to the Kabul government. The vote, 204 to 215, was far thinner than last year’s 162-to-260 tally on the same issue. In the Senate, influential members have said recently that the cost of the war merits a reexamination of the overall U.S. strategy in Afghanistan…

“Some Republican presidential candidates also are beginning to have second thoughts about the scope of the war…”

Mankind has still a long way to go to finally learn that its costly and futile wars will NOT solve our problems and establish lasting peace. In that light, the following article is quite interesting.

“The Way to Peace They Do Not Know…”

The Local wrote on June 2:

“Margot Käßmann, former head of the German Protestant church, used her speech at an annual Christian convention on Thursday to question the morality of the German weapons industry. President Christian Wulff was in her audience. ‘Our national economy benefits from a war that we criticize,’ she said at the 33rd Kirchentag convention in Dresden, addressing an audience of thousands in a sports arena. ‘Is it legitimate to earn money from the weapons trade?’

“Käßmann cited the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which recently reported that Germany’s share of the global weapons trade rose to 11 percent between 2005 and 2010, making it the third biggest weapons exporter in the world, behind the US and Russia…

“Käßmann also criticized Germany’s mission in Afghanistan and the NATO bombing of Libya. She said she had been in favour of enforcing a no-fly zone over the latter country, but condemned the ‘deliberate attempt to kill Qaddafi, with whom we had been doing business with just before. That is no path to peace,’ she said.”

Need to “Redefine” Relationship Between USA and Europe

Deutsche Welle reported on May 28:

“US President Barack Obama has called on America and Europe to renew their flagging global leadership. But the Atlantic partners first must redefine their relationship in the face of Arab uprisings and Asian strength… Europe and the US are struggling to come to terms with the fact that their historic partnership is changing in response to revolts in the Arab world and stunning economic growth in Asia…

“During the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Deauville, France, the US and Europe sought to demonstrate the global leadership role Obama called for in London by agreeing to provide billions of dollars in aid to support the so-called Arab Spring, particularly democratic transitions in Egypt and Tunisia… Although America’s relationship with Europe is rooted in history, Washington’s fate has become deeply intertwined with developments in the Middle East, Asia and Russia over the past decade. As [a] consequence, the US has largely shifted its political attention towards the large emerging powers.

“Central European nations such as Poland, where Obama spent the final leg of his trip, have expressed growing concern that Washington is overlooking their security as it seeks to improve ties with Russia by inviting Moscow to participate in the construction of a missile shield…

“Building partnerships in Europe is complex due to the continent’s maze of political institutions… Washington has to simultaneously engage the continent through NATO, the individual nation-states, as well as through the European Union…. As a result, Washington finds it difficult to engage a European continent that often lacks a common voice on global issues… The US has been disappointed with Europe’s reluctance to engage in Afghanistan and that it did not assume full responsibility for the intervention Libya.”

Sadly, the relationship between the USA and Europe will continue to deteriorate.

EU Unhappy With Ashton

Mail On Line wrote on May 27:

“Baroness Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has been told she has until the autumn to raise her game or she could lose her job. The Labour peer, who is the world’s highest-paid female politician, was given the warning by leading German politicians… the attack from Germany could cut short her five-year term in Brussels on £250,000 a year – a  salary that is higher than President Barack Obama’s.

“Wolfgang [Schaeuble], the German finance minister, said Lady Ashton ‘does not have the power to portray Europe’ on the world stage. He criticised the impression she had made during the Arab Spring, saying she had ‘not spoken with one voice’ for Europe. Elmar Brok, an MEP from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party, warned that she had until autumn to prove herself… She is also facing criticism from the French, Spanish and British as well as some of the smaller member states, particularly for what is seen as a low-key approach to her job.”

Soon, Europe WILL speak and act much more powerfully.

Slavery in the Third Reich

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 27:

“Germany’s occupation of Poland is one of the darkest chapters of World War II. Some 6 million people, almost 18 percent of the Polish population, were killed during the Nazi reign of terror that saw mass executions, forced evictions and enslavement… The Nazis’ aim was to transform the Poles into a nation of slaves. In May 1940 Himmler wrote that ‘the non-German peoples of the East may not receive any education beyond four-year elementary school…’

“The occupiers set up the first major ghetto in Lodz, which they renamed Litzmannstadt, in the ‘Reich District of Wartheland’ (also known as the Warthegau), where 3.7 million Poles and 400,000 Jews were resettled for ‘germanization.’ Even minor offenses led to Poles being sent to Germany as forced laborers. In this way, more than two million people were enslaved… In November 1942, police officers began brutally evacuating more than 100,000 Polish farmers to make way for 20,000 ethnic Germans. Those fit for work were sent to Germany as slave laborers, old people and children were resettled in so-called ‘retirement villages,’ while anyone deemed ‘inferior’ or ‘unreliable’ was deported to Auschwitz.”

This should serve as a painful reminder that slavery is possible in our sophisticated civilized world. The Bible has clearly announced for thousands of years that in these end times, the USA, Great Britain, Canada, and other English-speaking nations, as well as the Jewish people, WILL BE defeated in war and enslaved  by a powerful enemy.

Radiation Fears in Japan

Focus wrote on May 28:

“The news agency Kyodo reported that the damaged [Fukushima nuclear] plant was not sufficiently secure and protected against heavy rain and wind… Kyodo also reported that at twelve places on the ocean floor, within a radius of between 50 and 300 kilometers, Japanese governmental agencies detected radiation levels which exceeded officialy safe limits hundreds of times and which would be very dangerous to human health if they would also be deteced in fish and shellfish.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 1:

“Contamination levels in the Japanese mountain village of Iitate are higher than in some parts of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Its evacuation has been a painful process for residents…

“In the days following the explosions inside the Fukushima reactors, the wind carried radiation clouds in a northwesterly direction, all the way into the mountains surrounding Iitate, about 40 kilometers away from the plant. The people working in the fields at the time knew nothing about the dangers in the sky. No one had warned them. Later on, the authorities measured radiation levels of up to 45 microsievert per hour in Iitate. This is several times the level that led to the evacuation of Chernobyl…

“Twenty years after Chernobyl, the United Nations published a comprehensive report on the health of those resettled from the restricted zone there. According to the report, the people were traumatized by the loss of their homes and the fear of radiation damage. Believing that they are doomed to die, many drink and smoke excessively…”

The reality of the plague of dangerous radiation and the accompanying pain and suffering of the victims cannot be overemphasized. Our nuclear plants are simply not safe enough to prevent terrible disasters from occuring. It has now been reported that a nuclear plant near Joplin, Missouri, could be seriously affected by a powerful tornado. In this light, Germany’s controversial decision to abandon nuclear energy altogether is quite interesting, as the next article shows, also in consideration of the fact that Germany is becoming once again the (unpopular) leader of Europe in important questions.

Germany To Abandon Nuclear Energy

The Local wrote on May 31:

“The German plan, hammered out by Merkel’s ruling coalition in marathon overnight negotiations, will see the country shutter all 17 of its nuclear reactors… within 11 years. Seven of the eight reactors already offline are the country’s oldest, which the government shut down for three months pending a safety probe after the Fukushima emergency. The eighth is the Kruemmel plant, in north Germany, which has been offline for years because of technical problems. Six further reactors will shut down by 2021 and the three most modern will stop operating the following year 2022.

“Monday’s decision, which could run into legal challenges from energy companies, means Germany will have to find the 22 percent of its electricity needs that were covered by nuclear power from other sources… Thorny questions remained unanswered, including finding a permanent storage site for the highly radioactive waste and slashing CO2 emissions…

“France, meanwhile, said nuclear power allowed the country with its 58 reactors to provide electricity at prices about 40 percent cheaper than other European countries, on average… Sweden said the German decision would lead to a disjointed energy policy that failed to adequately address climate change. Poland and nuclear-free Austria, however, welcomed the German move… Poland, considering launching its first nuclear power station in 2020, said it would rethink its plans.

“The United States and Britain have announced plans to build new reactors as an alternative to producing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Italy scrapped nuclear power in 1987, one year after the Chernobyl disaster, while Switzerland said last week it would phase out atomic energy by 2034.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 31:

“… the majority believes the chancellor had no other choice given the broad consensus in the German populace that nuclear power has no place in the country. That sentiment is expected to be codified by the German parliament on July 8…

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… since the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima, it is impossible in Germany to mobilize a majority in favor of a return to atomic energy’…

“The tabloid Bild writes: ‘… German prosperity and millions of jobs in the country are dependent on affordable energy… what share of the costs will have to be picked up by renters and homeowners? The government has acted on the behalf of voters, but who will be forced to pick up the tab in the end?’

“The conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘…The upgrading of Germany’s energy supply, related costs and the necessity of greater energy saving will hit or at least be felt by all…’

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘… the breakneck speed with which the government decided to hastily and permanently turn its back on the use of nuclear energy by 2022 makes a mockery of every democratic rule of procedure. It began with the repealing of the decision to extend nuclear life spans … which happened at the spur of the moment after Fukushima, without any discussion or reflection — out of fear of the Greens (who have recently seen their influence increase dramatically in Germany).’”

Germany’s Deadly Disease Outbreak…

Time magazine wrote on May 30:

“German authorities are urging consumers not to panic as an outbreak of a virulent strain of enterohemorrhagic E. coli known as EHEC has killed at least [18] people, with no sign of abating. The bacterial outbreak — which was first reported on May 20 in northern Germany — is believed to have infected around [2,000] people, but officials fear it hasn’t yet reached its peak. After scientists in the north German port city of Hamburg traced the bacterium to cucumbers imported from Spain, German health-safety officials have advised consumers to steer clear of raw cucumbers, salad, and tomatoes. And now the fear has spread to Russia, where authorities on Monday banned the import of all raw vegetables from Germany and Spain — and threatened to widen the ban to produce from the rest of the European Union.

“The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm has said in a statement that the outbreak in Germany is one of the biggest of its kind worldwide, and certainly the largest ever in Germany. Up to 500 cases of EHEC have been reported in the northern port city of Hamburg alone…

“‘This is a very serious outbreak,’ says Thomas Alter, a food-safety expert at the Institute of Food Hygiene at Berlin’s Free University. ‘In the past, there have been smaller EHEC outbreaks in Germany which have been detected in beef or [unpasteurized] milk. But there’s never been an EHEC outbreak linked to vegetables.’ Alter notes that Germany normally has an average of 900 cases of EHEC each year, but the new outbreak is ‘very dangerous.’ ‘The challenge now is to identify the source of the infection and determine how vegetables were contaminated by the EHEC bacterium which is usually found in cattle,’ he says. The European Disease Centre says that transmission of the EHEC infection usually occurs through contaminated food or water, and through contact with animals, but person-to-person transmission is also possible…

“Amid growing concerns that the outbreak is spreading, some German supermarket chains have taken Spanish-imported cucumbers off the shelves and German consumers have started boycotting raw vegetables, even those from Germany. According to a survey published on Sunday in the newspaper Bild am Sonntag, 58% of Germans say they are not eating fresh cucumbers, raw tomatoes or salad. German farmers say they are now facing huge losses and are being forced to destroy crops because of the consumer boycott. However, despite pressure from Germany’s powerful farming lobby, the government is still sticking to its guidelines…

“‘My advice is simple: avoid salad, cucumbers and raw tomatoes, wash your hands carefully in the kitchen, and heat up all food properly,’ says Lothar Wieler, professor of microbiology at Berlin’s Free University. ‘The high mortality rate and the spiraling number of cases of patients infected with EHEC who develop HUS are extremely worrying,’ he says, adding that the EHEC bacterium cannot be treated with antibiotics…

“Other EHEC cases have been reported across Europe — in Britain, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Sweden — but all of those cases involve either German nationals or patients who have recently traveled to Germany. European health officials say no case of a locally acquired infection has so far been detected outside Germany…”

The Associated Press added on June 1:

“The outbreak is already considered the third-largest involving E. coli in recent world history, and it may be the deadliest.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 2:

“As the E. coli outbreak continues to ravage Germany and other parts of Europe, the World Health Organization said Thursday that the aggressive intestinal bacteria is a new strain never seen before. Meanwhile fears of the illness prompted Russia to ban imports of vegetables from the EU… the World Health Organization announced that preliminary genetic sequencing had revealed the deadly strain is likely a mutant form of two separate E. coli bacteria that is new to scientists… Thousands of people in nine European countries have been infected by the bacteria… The swiftly spreading outbreak is baffling even the most experienced of doctors… In the meantime experts have ruled out their initial suspicion that Spanish cucumbers were the source of the E. coli bacteria…

“The EU commission has since removed its warning against Spanish cucumbers, but Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told a national radio station that his country would seek reparations from European authorities to cover farmers’ losses… The outbreak also prompted Russia on Thursday to ban the import of vegetables from the entire European Union, a move the commission health spokesman Frederic Vincent called ‘disproportionate.’ The commission will write a letter to Russian authorities demanding an explanation, he said, adding that fresh fruit and vegetable exports to Russia amount to between €3 billion and €4 billion ($4.3 billion and $5.8 billion) per year, primarily in apples.

“Despite the EU’s criticism, Germany’s disease control authority, the Robert Koch Institute, maintained its warning against eating raw tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce until the source of the bacteria could be found. Experts remain uncertain whether it arises during transport, loading, or packaging the products. However, experts said it was unlikely the bacteria’s source would be located quickly, if at all…”

In His Word, the Bible, God speaks of worldwide costly diseases—some of them unheard of before—which will plague this world prior to Christ’s return.

Tunnels and Excavations Under Jerusalem

The Associated Press reported on May 30:

“Underneath the crowded alleys and holy sites of old Jerusalem, hundreds of people are snaking at any given moment through tunnels, vaulted medieval chambers and Roman sewers in a rapidly expanding subterranean city invisible from the streets above. At street level, the walled Old City is an energetic and fractious enclave with a physical landscape that is predominantly Islamic and a population that is mainly Arab. Underground Jerusalem is different…

“Archaeological digs under the disputed Old City are a matter of immense sensitivity. For Israel, the tunnels are proof of the depth of Jewish roots here, and this has made the tunnels one of Jerusalem’s main tourist draws: The number of visitors, mostly Jews and Christians, has risen dramatically in recent years to more than a million visitors in 2010. But many Palestinians, who reject Israel’s sovereignty in the city, see them as a threat to their own claims to Jerusalem…

“Beginning this summer, a new passage will be open… : a sewer Jewish rebels are thought to have used to flee the Roman legions who destroyed the Jerusalem temple in 70 A.D. The sewer leads uphill, passing beneath the Old City walls before expelling visitors into sunlight next to the rectangular enclosure where the temple once stood, now home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the gold-capped Dome of the Rock…

“Palestinian Muslims… are suspicious of any government moves in the Old City and particularly around the Al-Aqsa compound, Islam’s third-holiest shrine. Jews know the compound as the Temple Mount, site of two destroyed temples and the center of the Jewish faith for three millennia… Mindful that the compound has the potential to trigger devastating conflict, Israel’s policy is to allow no excavations there…

“Despite the Israeli assurances, however, rumors persist that the excavations are undermining the physical stability of the Islamic holy sites. ‘I believe the Israelis are tunneling under the mosques,’ said Najeh Bkerat, an official of the Waqf, the Muslim religious body that runs the compound under Israel’s overall security control.  Samir Abu Leil, another Waqf official, said he had heard hammering that very morning underneath the Waqf’s offices, in a Mamluk-era building that sits just outside the holy compound and directly over the route of the Western Wall tunnel, and had filed a complaint with police.”

This existence of a network of tunnels beneath Jerusalem is also interesting in that it could give additional meaning to the prophecy of the strong possibility of a future erection of a temple on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return, and the certainty of a future military invasion of that city.

Our Selective Memories

The following article shows how careful one must be with “repressed memories,” and it gives useful tips as to what parents can do to foster even early memories of their children.

The Wall Street Journal wrote on May 31:

“Why we remember some scenes from early childhood and forget others has long intrigued scientists—as well as parents striving to create happy memories for their kids. One of the biggest mysteries: why most people can’t seem to recall anything before age 3 or 4. Now, researchers in Canada have demonstrated that some young children can remember events from even before age 2—but those memories are fragile, with many vanishing by about age 10…

“Researchers asked 140 children, aged between 4 and 13, to describe their three earliest memories, and repeated the exercise two years later with the same children. On average, the 50 youngest children, aged 4 to 6 during the first interview, recalled events from when they were barely 2 years old, as verified by their parents. When they were interviewed two years later, only five of those 50 children mentioned the same earliest memory. By contrast, 22 of the 61 children who were 10 to 13 at the first interview were able to mention the same earliest memory when they were interviewed again two years later…

“The inability of adults to remember the earliest years of childhood—also known as infantile amnesia—has been the subject of speculation for more than a century. Modern researchers think that storing and retrieving memories require language skills that don’t develop until age 3 or 4. Others believe that while children can recall fragments of scenes from early life, they can’t create autobiographical memories—the episodes that make up one’s life story—until they have a firm concept of ‘self,’ which may take a few more years…

“Indeed, experts say that if parents want their children to remember particular events from their early lives, they should discuss them in as much detail as possible and help children see their significance. Talking over events with an adult ‘gives a meaning to memories that children may not have before,’ says psychologist Judith Hudson of Rutgers University who has studied how mother-child interactions influence memories. Ask a child, ‘Remember when we went to the zoo? What did you see?’ she suggests. ‘Suddenly, it’s something to talk about and share.’

“Traumatic events, such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, also tend to become seared in children’s memories… Dr. Peterson and colleagues interviewed 145 children aged 2 to 13 who were treated in a hospital emergency room for injuries. Children who recalled crying a lot at the time were more likely to remember specific details two years later.

“Yet most early childhood memories are far more mundane, which baffles experts and parents alike… Still, because the brain is constantly reassembling the fragments, they are vulnerable to distortion… In one famous case, the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget had vivid memories of being kidnapped at age 2 in Paris, complete with the kidnappers scratching his nurse’s face. Years later, the nurse confessed to fabricating the story—but Piaget had heard his family discuss it so often that his mind created a false memory…

“Some therapists claim to be able to ‘recover’ repressed memories of childhood traumas, but the field fell into disrepute in the 1980s when some unscrupulous therapists were found to be planting false memories of incest and child abuse.

“Is it possible to recall more of your own childhood memories? Some researchers believe that people can access more if they have the right cues. Discussing past times with family members can jog the memories as well as offer different perspectives. Photographs and letters are also helpful; knowing specific dates like the birth of a sibling or a move to a different house can help place fragmentary memories in time.”