World News Headlines

UNITED STATES

The ongoing fight against terrorism was highlighted this week in frightening scenarios.

Earlier this week, the American military fired on and killed numerous civilians in Afghanistan, who, according to Afghan reports, were celebrating a wedding and who were mistakenly identified as members of the Taliban. As Yahoo! News reported, “mounting anger about the civilian casualties could undermine the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai, and complicate American efforts to track down Taliban and al Qaeda fugitives in the country… Experts say Karzai’s government will have to deal with a lot of ant-American feeling as a result of the tragedy… Although Karzai has not condemned the attack in person, he has asked the Americans to inform Afghan authorities about future operations, something the U.S. military may be reluctant to do.” The American military defended the deadly attack, saying it believed senior Taliban leaders were sheltering in the village and that its planes had received anti-aircraft fire from several locations close to the houses. Afghans maintain the villagers were merely firing in the air to celebrate the wedding of the son and daughter of two tribal leaders, with 500 guests assembled for a five-day party.

Der Spiegel commented on the affair with strong words against the American warfare, reminding its readership that this is by no means the first time that innocent civilians, including women and children, were accidentally killed in Afghanistan by the USA. The magazine pointed out that in December, 150 civilians were killed in a village by the American military, and additional 14 civilians died in March. It concluded its report as follows, “Marc Herold, Professor at the University of New Hampshire, published a document at the beginning of the year, stating that more than 4000 civilians have been killed from October 7, 2001, until January 4, 2002.”

In a tragic twist of events, a shooting took place on the fourth of July at the Los Angeles International Airport, during which three people, including the gunman, were killed. According to the FBI, there is no proof for a terrorist activity, although the government of Israel claims otherwise. The gunman, who is originally from Egypt, shot at and killed an employee of an Israeli airline.

MIDDLE EAST

As Yahoo! News reported this week, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, whose country took over the presidency of the EU on Monday, urged the United States to work with the European Union to start a new, concrete and realistic peace process for the Middle East. Moeller said the Palestinians must keep their promise to hold elections soon, but Israel should withdraw its forces from Palestinian self-rule areas if elections are to take place. Moeller said the EU would continue to back Yasser Arafat as long as he remained the democratically elected leader of the Palestinian Authority. Referring to President Bush’s speech on June 24, outlining his vision of a Mideast peace, Moeller said too much attention had been paid to Arafat’s future and not enough to Bush’s commitment to establishing a Palestinian state. Although Arafat has dismissed a senior Palestinian security official this week, he has given no indication that he will step down, and while many Palestinians have complained about their leaders, Arafat’s position still appears solid.

While Syria has offered help in the U.S.-led fight against terrorism, they will not cease supporting the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah — which has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of Americans. As Yahoo! News pointed out, Hezbollah was linked in the 1980s to a series of suicide bombings and kidnappings of Westerners that killed more than 260 Americans. Today, besides a guerilla army, Hezbollah runs schools, hospitals and media outlets. It has nine members in the 128-seat legislature of Lebanon.

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

UNITED STATES — PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL?

A federal appeals court of the 9th Circuit ruled Wednesday that saying the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional because the “under God” portion added by Congress in 1954 improperly endorses religion. The 9th Circuit includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state. Judge Alfred T. Goodwin, an appointee of President Richard M. Nixon, wrote for the three-judge panel, stating that this phrase, as adopted by Congress, amounts to an official endorsement of “a religious orthodoxy” of monotheism over atheism or a belief in certain non-Judeo-Christian religions or philosophies, and is therefore impermissible. Judge Stephen Reinhardt, an appointee of President Jimmy Carter, joined Goodwin. Judge Ferdinand F. Fernandez, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, dissented.

The decision does not become effective until all appeals have failed. It is almost viewed as certain that the decision will be overturned, either by a full appeals court of the 9th Circuit, or, if the full court of appeals refuses to change the decision, by the United States Supreme Court, most likely sometime in 2003.

Most politicians condemned the decision. President Bush called it “ridiculous” and “out of step with the traditions and history of America.” He promised to appoint judges who affirm God’s role in the public square, stating that this country needs “commonsense judges who understand that our rights were derived from God.”

The U.S. Senate voted 99-0 on a resolution condemning the ruling. Attorney General John Ashcroft said “this decision is directly contrary to two centuries of American tradition.” Senator Joe Lieberman called for a constitutional amendment to enshrine “under God” in the Pledge. “There may have been a more senseless, ridiculous decision issued by a court at some time, but I don’t remember it,” he said.

Many newspapers across the nation condemned the ruling as well. The New York Times and The Washington Post said that the ruling was more misguided than incorrect, calling it “well-meaning” but lacking in “common sense.” The Los Angeles Times stated references to the Almighty have long been an integral part of everyday American life.

Some legal experts were not convinced that the decision was stretching the United States Supreme Court’s past cases. Washington lawyer Christopher Landau, former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, stated that he did not think “this is necessarily a wacko 9th Circuit result… This is the Supreme Court reaping what it sowed.” Eugene Volokh, a specialist in church-state law at UCLA Law School, concurred. “It is eminently defensible,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s ultimately the right result. But the court is applying principles the Supreme Court has established.” He continued that he expects that the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the Pledge, as the words “under God” qualify as “‘ceremonial deism’ — traditional references to a higher power so frequently invoked that they have lost any specific religious meaning.”

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a 37-year-old Baptist minister from New York, for the observance of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ landing. It was not exclusively for the flag of the United States, but it was intended to be an international peace pledge. In 1923-24, the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution changed the words “to my flag” to “to the flag of the United States of America.” Congress added the words “under God” in 1954 after a two-year campaign begun by the Knights of Columbus, a Roman Catholic service group. Alfred Goodwin writes in his majority opinion that “the purpose of the 1954 Act was to take a position on the question of theism, namely, to support the existence and moral authority of God, while ‘deny[ing]… atheistic and materialistic concepts.'”

(Sources: Newdow v. U.S. Congress, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2002), pp. 9105-9136; USA Today; Washington Post; both as of June 27, 2002)

UNITED STATES — DROUGHT WATCH

The city of Denver, Colorado, has now imposed water restrictions because of ominous lack of rainfall and lower than normal water reserves. Now into a two and three year impact from low snowfall and precious little rain, the state of Colorado along with the greater Southwestern United States is beginning to implement plans for an ongoing drought that will only worsen.

Agricultural businesses now wonder if many farmers will even plant seed next year. Cattle herds are already being sold down in reaction to lack of irrigation water or timely rains to grow hay. Privately, some individuals are considering the reality of rationed drinking water–much less restricted lawn watering in the coming year.

MIDDLE EAST — NEW PALESTINIAN LEADER AS A REQUIREMENT FOR PEACE?

In a 15-minute speech on Wednesday, President George W. Bush expressed his vision that the state of Israel will live side-by-side in peace with a state of Palestine, fighting together against terrorism. He asked the Palestinian people to elect new leaders who are not tainted by terrorism, and to create a functioning democracy. Although never mentioning Arafat by mane, it became clear that Bush was advocating a new Palestinian leader other than Arafat.

Both Israel and Arafat reacted positively to Bush’s speech. Israel’s minister of defense, Benjamin Ben Eliser, stated that the speech was an “historical event”, and Arafat welcomed Bush’s “ideas,” stating that their expression showed a “serious effort.”

Subsequently, Bush emphasized in Canada that Israel has a right to defend itself. At the same time, he asked Israel to withdraw its army from areas that were occupied subsequent to September 2000. He also stated that Israel must cease from building Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory.

The White House also clarified that Bush’s demands towards Israel and the Palestinians were to be understood “simultaneously,” that have to be accomplished hand-in-hand. According to the White House, Mr. Bush did not want to imply a certain order of actions. It was not meant to convey that Israel could sit back and wait what will happen.

Sources: Bild, June 25; Der Stern Online, June 26

GERMANY — REMARKABLE COMMENTS FROM FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR

This week, former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (83) gave an insightful interview to BILD-Online, discussing the problems of present-day education in Germany. We feel that his worthwhile analysis applies equally to the Western World as a whole. The following are excerpts from the interview:

Question: “What values are missing in today’s education?”
Helmut Schmidt: “Virtues such as the feeling of responsibility for oneself and others…”
Question: “Which virtue played a predominant role in your education?”
Helmut Schmidt: “Bravery… If it does not work out in your job, don’t give up, but press on, even if it is difficult….”
Question: “Can young people be trained to accept those values?”
Helmut Schmidt: “Lectures don’t help. They have to experience those values in school, in a club, in the company, but mostly, in the family.”
Question: “Is television responsible for violence…?”
Helmut Schmidt: “Yes, in part… Our children and teens see daily on the TV screens murders, wars, and blood. The media supports this, as they want to make money. And our children finally begin to think, this is reality…”
Question: “Can teachers work against those developments?”
Helmut Schmidt: “This would require first that they will be respected. But the generation of the late 60’s glorified for the young people the vice of lack of respect for age … What an insanity…”
Question: “How did family life change since you were young?”
Helmut Schmidt: “Not as much, as many think. There are still intact families in Germany. But problems increase: More and more children grow up with divorce. Some remain single kids,
becoming more egoistic and self-centered…. Others are handed over far too early to pre-school or kindergarten, instead of staying with their parents. I know that more and more mothers want to work, but I do not think that this is a good development. ”
 

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

COLORADO DISASTER AREA

This has been a long, long week for the fire ravaged west–especially Colorado. As new fires sweep up acres of wilderness in Arizona, California and the state of Colorado, the up close and personal cost is settling in as families numbering in the thousands first evacuate their homes then anxiously await the outcome.

Words such as apocalyptic are being used to describe these out of control fires. There is even talk of these fires lasting for months with the only hope for dousing the flames being from snowfall! This week has seen a few welcomed rainfalls, but most of the moisture was falling only on the exterior boundaries of the largest fires. Continued low humidity and historic dryness throughout western forest areas portends even more sweeping destruction during the summer ahead.

HOME GROWN TERROR

A stunned public learned that the so-called Hayman Fire in Colorado was started by a U.S. forest Service employee. Motives as to why she did this have become the grist mill of the media while angry and displaced home owners in the affected area voice outrage and a deep loathing for the actions of one who should have been the first to protect the public.

This tragic occurrence magnifies poignantly the utter breakdown in societal traditions and values. More and more, societies are not only suffering wrath from outside their own borders, but now terror reigns from within national confines. Expensive and devastating acts have whole populations reduced to shocked awareness that we are now living in a very different kind of world than the more comfortable times of the recent past.

ANTI-ISRAELI VIEWS IN GERMANY

Germany’s “spokesman” and Second-in-Command of the Free Democrats, Juergen Moellemann, does not seem to give in to pressures to retract certain of his statements which have been interpreted by some as anti-Semitic. He continued his criticism this week of Ariel Sharon, stating that Sharon should not be surprised when Palestinians retaliate, even with suicide bombings, for Israel’s attacks on them. Der Spiegel ran an analysis on June 7, 2002, pointing out that, although the official figures show a decline of popularity of the FDP, there remain concerns that a majority might agree with Moellemann, but remain silent during polls. Allegedly, Moellemann received 11,000 email messages supporting his policy and position. Scientists were quoted by Der Spiegel, stating that up to 30% of the German population might be supporting anti-Semitic concepts and might therefore vote for Moellemann and the FDP in September. Others feel that this figure is far too high, as it is based on studies in the 80’s.

US HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS?

In an unusually strong article, Der Spiegel accused the United States on June 20 of engaging in violations of human rights of its citizens and legal residents in its fight against terrorism. In citing several examples, the German magazine concluded that flagrant constitutional violations might lead soon to a new form of civil resistance in the U.S., even though 64% of the U.S. population are presently willing to give up individual liberties, and 80% would be willing to endorse detentions of U.S. citizens (without the benefit of granting them certain constitutional rights) in order to gain security. At the same time, according to Der Spiegel, Amnesty International speculated that the U.S. participates in or at least tolerates torture in foreign countries in their fight against terrorism, stating that Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Pakistan do use torture in order to obtain confessions from prisoners.

ASTEROID FLY-BY

As pointed out in the booklet, Evolution – A Fairy Tale for Adults, this world will soon experience devastating collisions with asteroids, meteors or comets. Now, perhaps as a warning and a foretaste of what could have been a terrible disaster, an asteroid, approximately a hundred meters in size, almost hit the earth on June 14. It came within 120,000 kilometers of Earth. According to Der Spiegel in its on-line article of June 20, scientists tell us that if there had been a “deep impact,” devastating damage would have been the result. It is almost certain that the effect would have been at least the same as if an atomic bomb had exploded. Especially discomforting and frightening is the fact that the asteroid was only discovered on June 17 — three days AFTER the impact almost took place.

More information on the asteroid can be found at http://skyandtelescope.com/news/current/article_641_1.asp

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

JAPAN CONSIDERS NUCLEAR ARMAMENT
An article appearing in the Sunday, June 9, 2002, edition of The Denver Post reveals that some Japanese are openly challenging that nation’s traditional pacifism. The article refers to Yasuo Fukuda, the chief Cabinet secretary: “In comments that stunned many here, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s top aide told reporters last week that what Japan calls its three non-nuclear principles could soon come under review.” The three non-nuclear principles are never to own, produce or allow nuclear weapons on Japanese territory.

This public declaration has stirred a wave of criticism; however, the article goes on to point out, “Despite the denials of an imminent change, remarks like these indicate that a major shift in Japanese security thinking is underway.”

Quoting from the article, the point is made that this stand is not isolated or without political consensus when considering “…other recent statements that show an erosion of support for pacifism.”

The increasing power of China and doubts of America’s ability to provide Japan’s security needs lies squarely behind this new wave of self-reliance. It is estimated that Japan could produce between 3,000 to 4,000 nuclear warheads. There is little doubt that Japan’s great technical know-how would quickly usher it into the nuclear family.

COLORADO INFERNO
Headlines in both national and international news sources quoted Colorado’s governor, Bill Owens: “All of Colorado is burning today!”

Now called the worst fire problem in the nation, and locally identified as the worst fire in this state’s history, the so-called Hayman Fire is engulfing staggering amounts of acreage and driving residents to seek safety and prayerfully hope that their home and belongings will be spared.

These fires are directly related to the brutal drought conditions that hold sway throughout the region. Forests are bone dry and full of abundant fuel. Environmental policies along with long standing land management attitudes have contributed to forests which have not experienced regular burnings–a kind of self-pruning occurrence that normally prevented the kind of catastrophic fire storms now sweeping through the state.

It is remarkable to note that these fires and the current drought are called without precedent! These catastrophes are moving right off any scale of comparison for our nation’s history! There is a kind of stalking fear that is unnerving people as we all wonder, “What next?”

GERMAN PRESS VIEW OF THE US
On June 7, Der Spiegel published an article warning that a crash of the U.S. dollar may be near. It states, “Another symbol of American predominance suddenly appears to be vulnerable: The dollar has lost its reputation of a secure haven…. The dollar has lost nine percent since February in comparison with the Euro and the Yen… Observers express their fear that the weak dollar may reflect a new, fundamental mistrust of the world against the United States.”

In a second article of June 7, Der Spiegel criticized the Bush administration for its tariffs on steel. It cites with approval the Washington Post, stating that these tariffs “have never been a good idea,” but that now, “they appear to be ridiculous.” It points out that due to the higher prices of imported steel, the decline of the dollar, and the bankruptcies of several American companies dealing with steel, the consequences for the American economy may be devastating, including a price increase for cars and other products made out of or with steel, and the loss of employment for steel workers.

In an article of June 11, Der Spiegel questions the accuracy of the reports that a detained U.S. citizen accused of plotting to attack the United States with a “dirty bomb” are accurate or even credible. The magazine points out that there are very few, if any, proofs for these allegations, and there is “practically no evidence” that such an attack was ever planned. At the same time, the U.S. citizen, under an old military law, is held without being charged, and he is not allowed to see or communicate with an attorney.

In an article of June 12, Der Spiegel reports the outcry of the parliament in Netherlands against the United States, due to the approval, in principle, of an American law by both houses of Congress that would make possible an American invasion in The Netherlands, to take over and/or neutralize the International Criminal Court in Den Haag, if an American citizen would be tried there — the irony with our report in the previous news clip regarding the questionable detention of an American citizen in the US notwithstanding. When discussing possible invasion of the Netherlands, democrat David Obey pointed out that it could be done with ships, or through the air.

THE MIDDLE EAST
This week saw further violence in the Middle East caused by suicide bombers, blowing themselves up and killing innocent civilians. The series of violent incidents erupted as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in Washington to persuade congressional leaders that Arafat is not a partner for peace talks because of persistent Palestinian violence. In an interview with the German newspaper “Bild,” Israeli President Katsav warned that no country on the face of this earth, including Germany, Spain, Italy or France, will be secure and protected from terrorism, if the Palestinians should be successful with their terror against Israel. He also accused Europe of having “encouraged” terrorism when they supported Arafat, pointing out that 80% of Palestinians killed by Israelis were terrorists, while 80% of Israelis killed by Palestinians were civilians. He stated, “The hypocrisy of the West is sometimes really intolerable.” He concluded that after 2000 years of suffering, persecution, and the holocaust, the Jews have found a home. “And,” he said, “we will fight for it.”

 

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

MIDDLE EAST — NEW SUICIDE BOMBINGS AND ISRAELI REPRISALS
As USA Today reported on June 6, 2002, “Israeli troops stormed Yasser Arafat’s headquarters early Thursday, blew up three buildings in the sprawling compound and shelled the Palestinian leader’s living area in response to a Palestinian suicide attack on an Israeli bus that killed 17 passengers.” As the newspaper explained, “a member of the Islamic Jihad group drove a car packed with 154 pounds of explosives alongside a moving bus and detonated the load, igniting a huge fire ball…. Among the dead were 13 soldiers in their late teens and early 20s.”

Der Spiegel added that, although a response from Israel was expected, its attack with 30 tanks came as a surprise. Nabil Abu Rudeihneh, advisor to Arafat, accused the United States of having given the green light to Israel for their military actions against the Palestinians. The United States rejected those charges, claiming that they were not informed before the incursion into Ramallah, and that Washington did not give prior approval. Earlier this week, however, according to USA Today, visiting “CIA chief George Tenet warned Arafat that if he did not stop suicide bombings, he would stand alone against Israeli reprisals.”

GERMANY’S FIGHT WITH ANTI-SEMITISM
As we reported in our last Update (Update #45, World News Headlines, “Anti-Semitism in Germany?”), Germany’s Free Democrats’ Juergen Moellemann came under heavy attack for comments against Ariel Sharon and Michel Friedman, Vice-President of Germany’s Jewish Community. The criticism of Moellemann continued this week, including a protest of over 2500 people demonstrating in Berlin, following the appeal of the Jewish community in Berlin. Susanne Thaler, member of the Free Democrats in Berlin, resigned in protest to Moellemann’s comments and the apparent lack of an official response from the FDP. As Der Spiegel reported on Thursday, more and more inquiries are being received from concerned citizens in Israel and the United States who are worrying about the developments in Germany.

In the meantime, Jamal Karsli, German-Syrian member of the FDP and Moellemann’s protégé, was pressured to resign, after he had issued statements which were considered by some as anti-Semitic. He denied that he is anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish, but insisted that he will not cease to criticize the politics of Ariel Sharon.

Juergen Moellemann fired back as well in a news interview. He stated that he did not mean to apologize to Michel Friedman, as he does not deserve an apology. Moellemann continued to describe Friedman as “an arrogant and aggressive” person. He had said earlier that Friedman was responsible for anti-Semitism in Germany, due to his “hateful” conduct.

As before, Moellemann received unwelcome support from Austria’s Joerg Haider. In an interview on Sunday with Bild, Haider stated that Moellemann represents a politic which we in Austria are already pursuing since 1986. He encouraged Moellemann not to give up. He also stated, according to FOCUS, that Germany’s foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, has shown “open sympathies for terrorism.”

GERMANY — PEACE EVALUATION 2002
As Der Spiegel reported, several German scientists published on Thursday their yearly evaluation on world peace. In it, they heavily criticized the military politics of the United States. Any positive success of the military offensive in Afghanistan was also questioned. As the war continues, figures of civilian deaths are unknown, the terror network has been destroyed, and its leadership has not been captured. The scientists encourage Europe to determine its future role independently and to build up its civil and military possibilities, but not in dependency to the United States. They also warn not to continue showing unquestioned support and solidarity for the United Sates, as this would not be in accordance with European interests.

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

REACTIONS TO MR BUSH’S VISIT TO GERMANY
While most Germans welcomed and appreciated President Bush’s visit and address in the German Parliament last week, some of the European neighbor states reacted rather negatively.

President Bush had stated in his address on May 23 that Europe needs a strong Germany — and that a strong Germany would be good for the entire world. The German Bild-Zeitung ran a commentary the next day, stating, “Bush has convinced us.” The newspaper continued, “America’s President George W. Bush has given a convincing speech in the German Parliament. We did not listen to a war-monger, …but to a convincing … leader.” The German magazine FOCUS reported that the leaders of both major German parties expressed their “tremendous impression” of Mr. Bush’s speech. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder described it as an “extraordinary event.”

Britain’s Financial Times’ evaluation was less flattering. They criticized that Mr. Bush’s speech revealed a lack of a proper understanding of European concerns regarding the fragile state of the transatlantic relationship. Europe has continued concerns that Bush will in the end pursue his own course of action, “regardless of what his allies might say.”

The Zuercher Tages-Anzeiger of Switzerland criticized Bush as being generally without power of conviction, and “noncommittal.” The Standard of Vienna, Austria, concurred, stating that Bush’s speech did not include anything new.

(Additional Sources: Focus, May 23; Bild, May 24; Der Spiegel, May 23)

ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY?
Juergen Moellemann, second-in-command of Germany’s Free Democrats (FDP), might have been surprised himself about the reactions to his televised interview in which he made some critical statements regarding Ariel Sharon of Israel and Michel Friedman, Vice-President of the Jewish Community in Germany. Moellemann had stated that Friedman’s conduct is responsible for a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Germany, and that Ariel Sharon’s policy is leading to war. Friedman responded by calling Moellemann an anti-Semite.

Virtually all politicians in Germany, regardless of affiliation, condemned Moellemann for his statements. Moellemann apologized for his statements against Friedman, but insisted that he is not an anti-Semite only because he is critical of Sharon’s policy.

While Schroeder’s party, the SPD, announced that they will almost certainly not build a coalition with the FDP after the September Parliamentary elections, Stoiber’s CDU/CSU did not rule it out. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer of the Greens criticized Moellemann indirectly in Haifa, stating that it is “shameful when German Jews have the feeling again that they are left alone, and whether it was a mistake to stay in Germany.” He forcefully stated that “Israel can rely, in the future, on Germany as a friend and partner, regardless of the political constellations.”

In a poll in Germany, 29 percent felt that the amount of votes for the FDP in September would decrease, due to Moellemann’s statements. On the other hand, 19 per cent felt that the FDP would now gain votes.

Moellemann received unwelcome support for his stance by Austria’s Joerg Haider. Haider defended Moellemann and stated that the political leadership of the FDP are without courage and that they are political cowards. Although Moellemann had stated that Haider might as well go to the devil, Haider responded that this does not bother him — if this is the way for Moellemann to survive, so be it. Haider stated, in regard to Moellemann’s criticism on Sharon and Friedman, that he would not have said that “in that way,” but continued that one cannot dictate what one has to believe. Haider announced that he will found a European-wide party and that he will run as one of the candidates at the European elections in 2004. Haider stated that Moellemann would be a good asset and addition to that new party.

(Sources: Der Spiegel, May 29 and May 30; Bild, May 29; Der Stern, May 29; Max, May 29)

POPE JOHN PAUL II IN BULGARIA
As Der Spiegel reported on May 24, during his recent trip to Bulgaria, Pope John Paul II admonished the European states to emphasize more their Christian roots while uniting politically. He stated that, in its search for an identity, the European continent has no choice but to return to its Christian roots. He also encouraged the orthodox and the Roman-catholic Christians to move closer together.

KASHMIR — IS NUCLEAR WAR COMING?
Brinkmanship now threatens to spill over into the FIRST NUCLEAR EXCHANGE BETWEEN NATIONS. India and Pakistan, long bitter enemies over the control of Kashmir and further divided because of religious differences, now continue to prepare for a nuclear war.

Over one million men in each country are on full alert. That coupled with missile tests by Pakistan this week have edged the region into a sense of inevitable conflict. The United States is making preparations to remove its troops from Pakistan. Additional preparations are now moving forward for evacuating Americans from these nations. President Bush announced on Thursday that U.S. Minister of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, and U.S. Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Richard Armitage, will travel to the conflict region next week to try to diffuse the danger. Some, however, predict that nuclear war could erupt within the next few weeks.

Der Spiegel reported on May 29 that scientists are convinced that we are closer to an outbreak of a nuclear war than ever before, excluding the Cuba crisis. They fear that Pakistan will begin the war, when it reaches the point that it cannot compete any longer with India’s conventional might. According to the British newspaper, The Times, the danger is real.

MEMORIAL CEREMONIES IN THE US
This week marks the somber observance of the final clean-up at “ground zero”–site of the former twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. National news in the United States revisited the horror and tragic aftermath of this attack on America during this period.

Lurking behind these commemorative events is the startling forecast of future terrorists attacks! Leadership in government has solemnly predicted that it is not a question of “if” but rather “when”. The specter of nuclear bombs being transported into the U.S. via cargo containers poses an almost insurmountable monitoring issue. Threatened attacks against apartment complexes and public transportation serve to further unnerve the whole nation.

Numerous Biblical warnings indicate that future destruction is coming. Isaiah speaks of a time when “Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire…” (Isaiah 1:7) Also, in Deuteronomy 28:52, God warns His people, ” ‘They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout ALL YOUR LAND; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout ALL YOUR LAND which the Lord God had given you.’ ”
 

World News Headlines

PRESIDENT BUSH IN GERMANY
The Los Angeles Times reported on May 22, that President Bush was greeted on Wednesday in Berlin, Germany, by tens of thousands of anti-war protestors. He warned that Europe may be terrorists’ next target, and added that “we must continue to fight against global terror.” The LA Times continued that “Bush is trying to build a case at home and abroad for widening the war beyond Afghanistan to other terrorist hot spots, primarily Iraq.”

President Bush only stayed 20 hours in Germany, before flying to Moscow on Thursday, to sign an agreement reducing Russia’s and the USA’s nuclear arsenals to 1,700 to 2,200 warheads from the current 6,000. Following this trip, Bush is scheduled to fly to France and Italy where he plans to visit Pope John Paul II.

As the LA Times points out, Europe and the Bush Administration differ strongly on foreign policy issues. “Already wary of Bush’s anti-missile defense plans, his scrapping of the Kyoto environmental treaty and his reputation as a go-it-alone foreign policy novice, European leaders have a list of post-September 11 complaints. Those include the treatment of Taliban and al-Qaida prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, the perceived rejection of NATO’s offer of military support, Bush’s rejection of the International Criminal Court and new American tariffs on steel. ‘Military action against Iraq is not justified as it isn’t certain that Saddam supports or shelters al-Qaida terrorists,’ said Peter Struck, the leader of [German Chancellor] Schroeder’s Social Democrats… U.S. officials privately complain that Europe is soft and unreliable now that early war successes have yielded to tougher tasks.”

As Focus, a German weekly magazine reports, President Bush declared in an interview to the German press that the war has not yet ended. In a German TV interview, he explained that it is his goal to see Saddam Hussein gone, but that there are no concrete plans against the Iraq.
As Der Spiegel reported, in his 30 minutes speech before the German Parliament on Thursday, Mr. Bush welcomed a United Europe, as this would increase the security in the world. The stronger Europe gets, the closer Europe and the United States grow together, Mr. Bush said. He also stated that he will try to incorporate Russia into the European family and bring it in this way closer to the United States.

Mr. Bush was interrupted in his speech through several German members of Parliament who voiced disagreement with his politics on terrorism. Four members of Parliament left the building in protest.

Before his speech, Mr. Bush implied that Germany is a necessary partner in any war against Iraq. Mr. Schroeder refused to state whether Germany would actively participate in a war against Iraq.

MIDDLE EAST
Another suicide bomber killed himself and at least one other person on Wednesday night in a Tel Aviv Suburb. Since Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted in September 2000, there have been nearly 60 suicide bombing incidents. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is under pressure to put an end to terrorist attacks against Israelis. At the same time, it is recognized by some, including Secretary of State Powell, that it is impossible for Arafat to control countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria or Libya, which are charged by the US. State Department to support terrorism and militant terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and Jihad. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham agreed Monday with Vice-President Cheney, stating that further terrorist attacks in the United States are a certainty. Graham had pointed out previously that the most dangerous and powerful terrorist group is the Lebanese guerilla group Hezbollah, the “party of God,” as the name is to be translated from the Arabic. (Sources: AP, May 20, 21, 22).

WORSENING DROUGHT IN THE UNITED STATES
In the May 14, 2002, National Drought Summary, the following excerpt demonstrates the frightening reality of drought in much of Western America:

“There is a great deal of concern about elevated fire danger, soil moisture shortages, low streamflows, and declining reservoir stores in much of the Rockies, Intermountain West, Southwest and Great Basin. Problems related to these drought impacts are likely to increase as spring and summer progress.”

The impact is already widespread with crops not being planted, cattle herds being reduced, cities going to water rationing and many affiliated businesses starting to revamp for disastrous sales projections.

Without substantial rainfall in the future, the boom town population growth in the Sunbelt regions of the Southwest is facing dire water shortages. Regular mention is now made that this is the WORST drought in recent history–even surpassing the infamous dust bowl years of the 1930’s.

EUROPE / CATHOLIC CHURCH

EUROPE
The German weekly magazine, “Der Stern,” ran a series of articles this week to report on Europe’s recent switch to the right. The magazine cited Belgian foreign minister Louis Michel’s recent statements, as follows, “‘I was correct to take serious the extreme right, in light of events in Austria, Italy and now France, the homeland of human rights.'” “Der Stern” continued, “With Denmark, a country will preside over Europe in the second half of 2002 which has strongly advocated more serious political measures against foreigners.”

“Der Stern” also pointed out that the campaign against Austria some time ago was initiated by France, a country in which now the right-winged Le Penn has gained every fifth vote in recent elections.

On May 15, another victory for the right was achieved in the Netherlands. After the murder of the right extremist and homosexual politician Pim Fortuyn on May 6, Fortuyn’s party has gained second place and will participate in the next government of Netherlands.

The most famous right-winged European politician is without any doubt Joerg Haider of Austria. “Der Stern” reminded its readership of Haider’s unusual successes over the years, as well as his strong words that always seem to strike a nerve. Haider, a lawyer and millionaire, called Germany’s foreign minister Joschka Fischer of the Greens “a left-winged terrorist,” Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Social-Democrats “a fool,” and Jacques Chirac of France a “little tiny Napoleon.” He recently almost destroyed his own party over a disagreement regarding foreign policy, mocked the highest court in Austria and asked the citizens to ignore its ruling, and vehemently criticized Austria’s President. In the midst of preparations by the United States to attack Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Haider chose to officially visit him for the second time within a year. He also announced that he has not “resigned” from Austrian politics.

“Der Stern” stated that Germany’s present government, run by Social-Democrats and the Greens, may have cause for alarm and concern for the national parliamentary elections in September, following their devastating defeat in a recent German state election in Saxony-Anhalt.

The magazine asked the question why we are suddenly seeing such a dramatic switch to the right, after many left and left-liberal governments had ruled Europe for years and decades. One of the reasons, according to “Der Stern,” is the weak economic situation in Europe. Another reason is the terrorist attack on September 11 in the United States, which has brought about a universal feeling of insecurity. Finally, other reasons are the high numbers of criminals in Europe and the uncontrolled immigration of foreigners into Europe.

CATHOLIC CHURCH
The German weekly, “Der Spiegel,” asked, “Will the Pope step down prematurely?” According to the article, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is very close to the Pope and who meets with him at least once each week for confidential discussions just between the two of them, is very concerned about the health of the Pope (82) and does not rule out any longer his premature resignation. The Pope, however, has declared that he does not want to resign.

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

This week has seen an unusual outbreak of terrorist attacks around the world. Are we beginning to witness the results of Satan’s great wrath unfolding on this earth, as predicted in Revelation 12:13?

Middle East
On Tuesday, May 7, a suicide bomber killed 16 people, including himself, in a pool hall near Tel Aviv.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell acknowledged that the latest bombing… would again “put at risk” the possibility of peace progress in the Middle East. The Los Angeles Times reported on May 9, 2002, “President Bush pressured Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Wednesday to moderate his response… and praised Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat’s condemnation of terrorism as ‘incredibly positive.'”

Arafat had said on Palestinian television, in Arabic, “I gave my orders and directions to all Palestinian security forces to confront and prevent all terror attacks against Israeli civilians from any Palestinian side or parties and at the same time to confront any aggression or attack on Palestinian civilians, whether by Israeli soldiers or settlers, which we all condemn.” Arafat also said that his police were too weak to carry out his orders in the wake of Israeli’s large-scale military operation aimed at crushing Palestinian militias in the West Bank.

The German magazine, “Der Stern,” ran this editorial by Editor-in-Chief, Thomas Osterkom: “Israel makes it difficult even for his friends to show understanding and solidarity. The U.N. had agreed unanimously to investigate the possible massacre in Jenin. But Sharon refused to let the Commission visit the camp. Likewise, the country does not care about Resolution 242 of the U.N. in 1967, which asked Israel to withdraw from all occupied territories… Any consequences? None. What right do the United States have, then, to attack the Iraq — allegedly, because Saddam Hussein does not allow the U.N. weapon inspectors to travel into the country? In spite of the obvious violations of Israel, it is difficult to evaluate who is right or wrong in this present conflict.”

Europe
On Monday, May 6, right-winged political candidate Pim Fortuyn was murdered in the Netherlands.

Der Spiegel reported on May 7 that Europe is in shock. Fortuyn’s party, known for its anti-foreigners position, was expected of receiving 20 percent of the upcoming Parliamentary elections on May 15. Fortuyn was killed with five bullets, following a radio interview. This is the first assassination of a politician in the Netherlands since the country’s recent history. A white citizen of Netherlands was arrested as the possible killer.

Pakistan
The Los Angeles Times reported on May 9 that a suicide car bombing in Pakistan killed 11 French workers and two citizens of Pakistan. President Pervez Musharraf said that this was an act of international terrorism. The government blamed either members of Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda terrorist organization or agents from India for the attack.

 

Russia
As the German newspaper, “Die Welt,” reported on May 9, 2002, 32 people were killed and 150 injured by a bomb in the city of Kaspijsk, Dagestan, South Russia. The attack occurred at the beginning of a parade, celebrating the 57th year of Russian victory over Nazi Germany. President Putin stated that the deed was a terror attack by a “dross,” for whom nothing is holy. “We have the right,” he continued, “to deal with them the same as with the Nazis.”

WORLD NEWS HEADLINES

Middle East – No Peace in Sight?
Commenting on Israel’s withdrawal from Yasser Arafat’s compound in Ramallah, the LA Times ran an article on May 2, 2002, titled, “Arafat’s Woes Just Beginning.” The article stated, “Inside his ruined compound, Arafat looked heroic to his people merely by enduring Israel’s siege. Once outside, he must address growing — and often conflicting — demands from Palestinians and the international community to change his ways… Palestinians are looking for Arafat to prove to them that their sacrifices were not in vain. Some Palestinians are clamoring for reforms. Others are clamoring for revenge.”

The article continued, “In meetings with U.S. and European representatives, Palestinians have estimated that they will need $350 million to repair roads, homes, business and ministries… [Jean] Breteche [the European Commission’s representative to the Palestinian authority] said that the European Commission is seeking assurances from Israel that it will not again destroy infrastructure that international donors pay to repair, and that it will allow Palestinian institutions to function.”

The article also reported, “A renewed Palestinian suicide bombing campaign in Israeli towns would trigger another military operation in the West Bank and possibly the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army and government have warned. Many Israeli analysts say a resurgence of Palestinian attacks — REGARDLESS OF WHO CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY — also will result in Arafat’s immediate expulsion.”

With these political uncertainties and so many monetary interests involved, it should be easy to see that there will be no peace in the Middle East, unless an outside power begins to play a mighty role in that area.

The United States and Europe…
Is a Trade War Coming?
In another article of the Los Angeles Times, dated May 2, it was pointed out that the Bush administration and European leaders were meeting in Washington IN HOPE OF LESSENING TENSIONS ON A NUMBER OF RISING TRADE ISSUES. Included were some “nasty fights on trade, such as steel and a U.S. export tax break.” After the meeting, however, “officials reported NO BREAKTHROUGHS.”

As it stands right now, the European Union has threatened to bring a case against the U.S. before the World Trade Organization (WTO). The L.A.Times commented, “Many trade experts fear that the WORLD’S TWO BIGGEST TRADING POWERS are on the brink of a tit-for-tat trade war that could SERIOUSLY HARM THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMY’S FRAGILE REBOUND.”

In addition, the United States is facing high sanctions at the hands of the Europeans over a U.S. tax break for American companies who export. This tax break has been ruled ILLEGAL by the WTO which in June will announce the size of the penalties the EU can impose if the US and the EU do not reach a settlement over the issue, so the LA Times.

Europe – Outspoken Words from Austria’s Joerg Haider
While Europe is still in shock over the unexpected recent success of French right extremist Jean-Marie Le Pen, Austria’s Joerg Haider, made significant moves. He said that he would be willing to become Austria’s next chancellor and also proceeded to give a highly outspoken interview to Austria’s political magazine, Profil, (18th edition). HAIDER HAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD HOW TO MASTERFULLY EXPRESS THE OPINIONS OF MANY EUROPEANS. Here are some excerpts from his interview:

When asked whether he is willing to run for an international European party, he answered, “I could imagine such a movement, but it is also highly necessary. A counter-program against the bureaucratic nonsense in Brussels could accomplish much.”

When asked who his partners in such a movement might be, he responded, “I believe that we would have great potential in Denmark, Holland, the southern part of Germany, and Italy.”

In regard to Le Pen, he stated, “Le Pen and Haider are very different — I’d like to emphasize that. Le Pen follows goals that are unacceptable. He has in his program racist positions, which have no place in the modern world. But I do not want to make rush condemnations, as I do not know him yet.” He added regarding Jacques Chirac, “Unfortunately, he is now being given a historical chance to be elected [on May 5] with the help of the left, although he really should be brought to trial.”

Regarding Ariel Sharon and Israel in general, Haider stated, “Of course, [Sharon] is a war criminal… He is personally responsible… Israel has the support of the U.S. Apparently, they do not need to abide by any rules. The new Bush doctrine that states that only the U.S. can determine who is good and who is bad, is dangerous and must be rejected.” He added that Sharon must be brought before a war-crime tribunal in Den Haag.

Regarding Bin Laden, he said, “Osama Bin Laden is not only a product of the Arabic world, but he has helped the Americans quite well against the Russians in Afghanistan.” When asked why he has such a love for the Islamic World, he replied, “This has developed quite coincidentally through my contacts with Qadafi’s family and also through the Islamic world’s positive reactions towards [Austria] regarding the world’s sanctions against Austria.”

When asked whether he is going to convert from Catholicism to Islam, as Qadafi’s son Saif had indicated, Haider answered, “He would perhaps like to see that.”

Drought Begins
Many newspapers and local news programs now provide a running dialogue concerning the current unusual and sustained dry spell in the Rocky Mountain West. Encompassing areas from Mexico to the Canadian border, this critical region acts as a kind of water reservoir for all of the Southwestern United States as well as many of the plains states through its collection of winter snow fall.

This year has witnessed dramatic shortages with the portent of water rationing looming as a very real possibility. Warnings in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 indicate that God will withhold His blessings to our nations if we don’t turn to Him.

Leviticus 26:17-20 warns of imminent consequences to national disobedience: “I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.”

We find described in Amos 4:8 a time coming when “…two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water.” The Bible reveals that our nations face a period of national punishment from God. As that time draws close and is NOW even BEGINNING, we must make certain that we draw close to God and fulfill our part as watchmen willing to proclaim this fearsome warning before the world!