2015—A World on Edge

The Financial Times wrote on December 28:

“Battered, bruised and jumpy — the whole world is on edge. Not one global power is optimistic…

“In 2015, a sense of unease and foreboding seemed to settle on all the world’s major power centres. From Beijing to Washington, Berlin to Brasília, Moscow to Tokyo — governments, media and citizens were jumpy and embattled.

“This kind of globalised anxiety is unusual. For the past 30 years and more, there has been at least one world power that was bullishly optimistic… Yet at the moment all the big players seem uncertain — even fearful…

“On the political and security front, the implosion of the Middle East continues. Outside powers have proved unable to restore order to the region and are finding that disorder is spreading to Africa and Europe, in the form of refugees and jihadi terrorism.

“The biggest common factor is… a bubbling anti-elite sentiment, combining anxiety about inequality and rage about corruption that is visible in countries as different as France, Brazil, China and the US. In America and Europe, such complaints are often linked to a pervasive narrative of national decline. These social and economic anxieties have political side effects, fuelling a demand for ‘strong’ leaders, such as Mr Xi, Mr Trump or Vladimir Putin of Russia…

“The global gloom makes the international political system feel like a patient that is still struggling to recover from a severe illness which began with the financial crisis of 2008… Another severe shock, such as a major terrorist attack or a serious economic downturn, could spell real trouble…”

2015 — A Horrible Year

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 31:

“2015 was a horrible and depressing year. It was a year of crises, of war and of catastrophes. It was a year of things starting to unravel, of shows of force and of monstrous terror… The world is in political disarray and on the move. And the center of this commotion is the Middle East… terrorism is starting to spread out from the Middle East…

“Meanwhile, Europe has been dealing with war on its front doorstep, in Ukraine… Russia – despite all the sanctions against it – is back on the world stage… Obama’s USA is focusing on itself again… He knows that America can’t solve all of the world’s problems, and he knows it doesn’t want to, either.

“2015… has shown that crises around the world are starting to merge at a global level… countries are pursuing nationalist political interests… That is why 2015 was such a horrible, depressing and difficult year. And also because there is not much reason to hope that things will be any better in 2016, either.”

2015—A Year of International and National Violence and Domestic Turmoil for the USA

Deutsche Welle reported on December 27:

“It’s been a year of violence, unrest and historic change for the United States – both at home and abroad. With a presidential election just around the corner, the country’s future course is far from settled.

“President Barack Obama broke two major taboos in US foreign policy this year: he re-established diplomatic ties with Cuba, and cut a deal with Iran over its nuclear program… The nuclear deal with Iran has sparked fierce opposition from one of America’s closest allies, Israel…

“While negotiating with US adversaries, the president sought to end the country’s controversial wars. The rise of the self-styled jihadist group ‘Islamic State’ (‘IS’), however, has upended those plans. Three years after withdrawing, US troops have returned to Iraq in small numbers to combat ‘IS.’ In October, the president decided to keep more than 5,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan after he leaves office to check a resurgent Taliban and budding ‘IS’ branch…

“Domestically, gay and lesbian Americans won the right to marry nationwide over the summer, capping a decades-long struggle and a sea change in public attitudes toward homosexuality.  Earlier this month, the military opened combat positions to women, one of the few areas in the country where gender discrimination was still official policy…

“Muslims have been the target of increasingly discriminatory rhetoric in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California. Thirty-one governors oppose resettling Syrian refugees, while Republican front-runner Donald Trump has called for an outright ban on Muslims entering the United States. Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said the US should focus on settling Syrian Christians…

“Racial tensions have also been running high amid recurring incidents of unarmed African Americans dying at the hands of police. In the case of Baltimore, April protests boiled over into riots… In June, a white supremacist opened fire in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine worshipers… The massacre sparked a renewed debate on white supremacy in America and its symbols, particularly the Confederate flag – which represents the former slave-holding states of the south.

“The shooting spree in Charleston was one of 30 mass killings in the United States this year…

“The political environment is ripe for outsiders. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the US is witnessing a level of income inequality not seen since the 1920s. Nearly eight years after Obama was first elected president, Americans are still looking for change.”

2015—The Year of Terror in Europe

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 30:

“The year 2015 began as it ended: with shots ringing out in terror attacks in the heart of Paris…

“European politicians… promised solidarity and aid… the end of this year of terror saw the formation of an unlikely coalition that intends to take action against ‘Islamic State’… the USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, France and Turkey are all… pursuing totally different goals in the region…

“Germany and other European allies such as Great Britain and Denmark are now intent on putting their declared solidarity into action. The states have mobilized their air forces for the war against ‘IS.’ German Chancellor Angela Merkel… ordered the deployment of Tornado reconnaissance planes, a naval ship and a fueling aircraft to Syria. Security authorities have warned that Germany, too, has long been a potential target for terrorists, and more than ever at the end of the year…

“The European Union is promising France military assistance according to Paragraph 42 of the Lisbon Treaty. That’s never been the case before… The intended result is to have more monitoring of travel and money transfers…

“The open inner borders in Europe are doubly under pressure: first, because of the refugees who have been coming to the continent for months without being controlled, and secondly, because of the realization that terrorists with EU passports can obviously travel unhindered or mingle with the influx of refugees and thus arrive in France from Syria without being recognized. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has called for better protection of the EU’s external borders… From there, terror attacks are being coordinated and carried out in Europe… A joint border guard is to be set up…

“Nearly all the traces left by the perpetrators of the Paris terror attacks lead to Belgium. The attacks were apparently prepared in the Brussels district of Molenbeek, an Islamist stronghold that has long been known to the Belgian authorities… Soldiers are patrolling the streets at the end of the year 2015. Will that offer protection against jihadists?…”

“2015: The Year Merkel Became Europe’s Boss”

The Local wrote on December 28:

“In a year of crises for Europe, from the Ukraine war to Greece’s debt turmoil to the historic refugee influx, Germany’s Angela Merkel emerged as the continent’s de facto leader, drawing more praise and fire than ever. Whether spearheading EU diplomacy with Moscow, bargaining with Athens over tough bail-out terms or responding to the world’s biggest refugee wave since World War II — Merkel was in the middle, again and again.

“At a time of growing uncertainty and division in Europe, the pragmatic quantum chemist whom Germans call ‘Mutti’, or mummy, preached fiscal rectitude and humanitarian principles, often drawing a mixed response. Her unusually bold move to throw open Germany’s doors to Syrian refugees has particularly battered her long-stellar poll ratings at home, and left the leader of Europe’s top economy isolated on key issues in the 28-member EU. ‘2015 has been an incredible year, hard to comprehend really,’ said the 61-year-old chancellor, who is not usually given to hyperbole, at a congress of her centre-right party this month. ‘I’ve never experienced such a rapid sequence of highly significant events.’

“That was quite a statement for the Protestant pastor’s daughter, who grew up behind the Iron Curtain and lived through the fall of the Berlin Wall a quarter-century ago… The rise of Germany’s influence during Merkel’s decade in power has often unsettled European neighbours. When an unyielding Merkel told debt-hit eurozone members to slash public spending, she was caricatured as an austerity dominatrix in Nazi garb who deployed accountants rather than tanks…

“Merkel won over some of her harshest critics with her decision in September to open the doors to a record wave of refugees who were heading in, many on foot, from Budapest. The country that once sent rail carriage-loads of people into concentration camps was now cheering as trains arrived packed with refugees from war-torn Syria, in moving TV footage seen around the world… In rare unanimity, media organisations including Agence France-Presse, Time magazine and the Financial Times declared the long-time ‘Queen of Europe’ the world’s most influential person of 2015.

“New York Times columnist Roger Cohen wrote that ‘she has become a towering European figure, certainly the equal of such postwar German giants as Konrad Adenauer, Helmut Schmidt and Helmut Kohl — perhaps even surpassing them’…

“Many Germans, however, now have doubts, fearing that Merkel, their trusted guarantor of stability, is plunging the country into chaos. Polls point to growing fears about the influx of mostly Muslims, a right-wing populist party has been gathering steam and there has been a spike in racist hate crimes. ‘Germany is definitely split,’ said Oskar Niedermayer of Berlin’s Free University. ‘In general, Merkel and her work are still very highly regarded, but on the refugee crisis a majority think she is pursuing the wrong policy.’

“Merkel’s plan to avoid a million more arrivals next year is based in large part on convincing other EU members to accept more refugees. Yet the response so far has ranged from deafening silence to howls of protest. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected Germany’s ‘moral imperialism’ and sealed national borders with razor wire, while Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka charged that Merkel had ‘encouraged illegal migration’ to Europe. Even European Council president Donald Tusk labelled Merkel’s migrants policy ‘dangerous’.

“At the party congress, Merkel conceded that the refugee influx…  presented an ‘enormous’ task and would change the country forever. ‘It is a historic challenge for Europe, and I say we want Europe to meet this challenge,’ she said, to thundering applause. ‘And I am convinced it will.’

“Niedermayer said that Merkel, in her best speech so far, had ‘bought herself a few months, but not more’ while voters and her own party base would likely grow more impatient. ‘That’s why 2016 will be the true acid test.’”

Will the Deutschmark Replace the Euro? No Way!

On December 30, the Local published an article with the following headline: “Supermarket to accept Deutschmarks again.” But before anti-Euro politicians, parties and demonstrators get all excited, one has to read on:

 “Kaufland supermarkets will be accepting the former German currency at their cashiers. To support the campaign, many of the company’s products will also be given a 1960s design to enhance the nostalgic theme. But the food giant hasn’t suddenly been bought over by right-wing political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) – who famously want to reintroduce the old German currency. Instead, this is a limited campaign, lasting from January 4th until January 30th, and the aim is to get Germans to use the old currency they still have lying around. The estimated value of that currency is over €6 billion.

“A spokesperson for the company told The Local that customers can do all their normal shopping but pay with the currency which went out of use in 2002. The cashier will then calculate the payment based on an exchange rate of 1 Euro to 1.95 DM, a rate which has remained unchanged for 14 years… Calculations made by the Federal Bank in November estimate that 168 million Deutschmark notes and 24 billion coins were never exchanged. In fact these estimations suggest that around 54 percent of Deutschmark coins are still in the hands of the general public.

“But bankers also reckon that a large proportion of this booty no longer exists – or at least is no longer to be found in Germany. Many smaller coins will have simply been lost, while special edition silver coins could have been melted down to take advantage of the high price of silver in recent years, the Federal bank believes. Meanwhile, because the Deutschmark was used as a stable currency in the countries of former Yugoslavia for many years, other coins and notes were taken out of Germany years ago.”

Germany Criticizes Greece; Pleads for a EU Army; Establishes Special Classes for Foreign Children

The EUobserver wrote on December 29:

“Germany’s finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who has often been on collision course with Greek politicians over the last years of the country’s debt crisis, on Sunday (27 December) told Bild am Sonntag that Athens has for years ignored the rules that oblige migrants to file for asylum in the EU country they arrive in first. He recalled that German courts decided that refugees were being treated inhumanely in Greece, therefore it is not possible to send asylum seekers back there…

“Athens has been pushed to accept EU help to patrol its islands, where most migrants land from Turkey, and additional EU staff to help with fingerprinting new arrivals. Greece’s reluctance to accept EU assistance has also given birth to an EU Commission proposal to be able to send European border guards to a country in crisis at the external border area of the passport-free Schengen travel zone, even without that country’s consent…

“Schaeuble also said, the refugee influx meant that European countries will have to increase spending on defence. ‘Ultimately our aim must be a joint European army. The funds that we spend on our 28 national armies could be used far more effectively together,’ Schaeuble was quoted as saying. Earlier this year, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker also called for the gradual establishment of an EU army. He said the European Union needs its own army to help address the problem that it is not ‘taken entirely seriously’ as an international force.

“Faced with refugees from war torn areas in the Middle East and Asia, Germany has also stepped up efforts to play a more visible role in international affairs. In December, lawmakers approved a mission to Syria, which includes sending six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to help protect a French aircraft carrier, a refueling aircraft, and 1,200 military staff…

“Germany stepped up efforts at home too to accommodate the unprecedented number of new arrivals, many of whom are children in need of education. The country has recruited 8,500 people to teach child refugees German… With some 196,000 children fleeing war and poverty entering the German school system this year, 8,264 ‘special classes’ have been created to help the new arrivals catch up with their peers… According to Germany’s education authority, 325,000 school-age children reached the EU country in 2015.”

German MPs Angry at NATO Plane Mission

The Local wrote on December 27:

“A Nato force of reconnaissance planes that includes German personnel will be sent to help Turkey police its border, drawing ire from politicians in Germany who said on Sunday they were not consulted. ‘The government must immediately inform parliament of the details of this deployment, in particular what missions will be assigned to these planes and the destination of any data they collect,” Tobias Lindner, the green party’s head of defence matters, demanded…

“Though the mission involves sending German troops abroad, the government said it has no plans to consult the Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament… It was not immediately clear how many planes were to be sent to help Ankara ‘ensure Turkish security’ in view of conflicts in neighbouring Syria and Iraq…

“The head of the Bundestag’s defence committee, Social Democrat Wolfgang Hellmich, said the timing of the news was ‘a bit curious’ given that lawmakers were away for the holidays and have not yet taken up the matter.”

One has to wonder whether the German government is trying to secretly “pull a fast one,” while keeping the German people and even German MPs in the dark.

US Foreign Arms Sales Reach Astronomical Height

The New York Times wrote on December 25:

“Foreign arms sales by the United States jumped by almost $10 billion in 2014, about 35 percent… American weapons receipts rose to $36.2 billion in 2014 from $26.7 billion the year before, bolstered by multibillion-dollar agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Those deals and others ensured that the United States remained the single largest provider of arms around the world last year, controlling just over 50 percent of the market.

“Russia followed the United States as the top weapons supplier, completing $10.2 billion in sales, compared with $10.3 billion in 2013. Sweden was third, with roughly $5.5 billion in sales, followed by France with $4.4 billion and China with $2.2 billion.

“South Korea, a key American ally, was the world’s top weapons buyer in 2014, completing $7.8 billion in contracts. It has faced continued tensions with neighboring North Korea in recent years over the North’s nuclear weapons program and other provocations. The bulk of South Korea’s purchases, worth more than $7 billion, were made with the United States and included transport helicopters and related support, as well as advanced unmanned aerial surveillance vehicles.

“Iraq followed South Korea, with $7.3 billion in purchases intended to build up its military in the wake of the American troop withdrawal there. Brazil, another developing nation building its military force, was third with $6.5 billion worth of purchase agreements, primarily for Swedish aircraft.

“The report to Congress found that total global arms sales rose slightly in 2014 to $71.8 billion, from $70.1 billion in 2013…

“Despite the competition, the report concluded that, given its positioning, the United States was likely to remain the dominant supplier of arms to developing nations in coming years…”

What utter insanity!

Holocaust Denial on the Rise in Eastern Europe

Ynetnews.com wrote on December 29:

“The testimonies are fading away, the memorial sites are turning into entertainment centers, and the historical story is seen as just another ‘Jewish narrative’: If anyone thought that Holocaust denial was a marginal phenomenon among a few anti-Semites and Israel haters, evidence shows that is it a much wider, more well-established and dangerous phenomenon that is receiving reinforcement on the ground from eastern European countries.

“In Lithuania, for example, people are doing everything to downplay the significance of the horrors of the war as a unique event in the history of mankind, and in Ukraine a famous mass murder site has turned into a thriving jogging spot. According to Dr. Efraim Zuroff, a Nazi hunter and director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center office in Jerusalem, many countries have adopted an intentional policy leading to de facto Holocaust denial…

“Dr. Zuroff pointed at Lithuania as the country leading the change… He says there is an attempt to conceal and blur the eastern Europeans’ role in the massacre. ‘In Lithuania there was a systematic killing of Jews by the local population,’ he explained. ‘That is the reason why 96 percent of the Jews there did not survive and many communities were completely erased. The intentional goal is to conceal this fact. ‘The mass murderers of Jews among the local population are perceived as national heroes because of their war against the communists, and streets, squares and governmental institutions have been named after them…’

“Lithuania is not alone… ‘soft denial’ is taking place in Baltic countries like Estonia and Latvia, as well as in Poland, Croatia and Hungary… many Poles were far from being righteous gentiles, but… rather played a role in the annihilation in wide areas in Poland as the Nazis’ active partners…  sites of mass killing across Europe are being deserted or turned into parks which attract families on Sundays… The Babi Yar mass murder site in the heart of Kiev, where one of the deadliest massacres in Eastern Europe took place, has become a green band of jogging and baby strollers…

“According to Dr. Zuroff, Eastern European countries’ efforts to ‘conceal the evidence’ and blur history have increased since the Baltic countries became part of the European Union… The EU is keeping quiet… the leading countries in Holocaust denial today have good relations with Israel, even if they may be anti-Semitic towards Jews. So instead of crying out against what was done to the Holocaust victims, Israel is keeping quiet…

“According to Zuroff, the United States… is keeping quiet too, as are France and Germany. ‘The fact that there are countries in Europe which have not taken responsibility for the Holocaust must be acknowledged. In Austria, for example, they are still using all kinds of legal measures to prevent the prosecution of Nazi war criminals. Only recently, they rejected our request to try a woman who was responsible for putting women in gas chambers, arguing that she only played “a passive role” which she cannot be prosecuted for… We must understand that we are standing at a decisive junction in the history of the Holocaust. Most of the survivors can no longer cry out and speak, so it’s our mission to make sure that Europe, which wants to forget, will not forget.’”

Yehudah Glick to Become Member of Parliament?

The Times of Israel wrote on December 27:

“Yehudah Glick is undeterrable. Last year, he survived an assassination attempt when a Palestinian shot him four times at point-blank range. Before firing, the terrorist had called Glick an ‘enemy of al-Aqsa’ for his vocal advocacy on behalf of Jews’ rights on the Temple Mount.

“But Glick is not backing down. Even now that Israel finds itself in the middle of an extended terror wave, which is to a large extent inspired by Muslim concerns over the Jews’ alleged intention to destroy the al-Aqsa mosque, Glick does not intend to stop calling for Jews to be allowed to pray on the Temple Mount. And he might soon be able to make his case as a member of Israel’s parliament. ‘Just as I do it today outside the Knesset, I’ll try to do it inside the Knesset,’ the 50-year-old redhead told The Times of Israel this week in Jerusalem. ‘If I am in the Knesset, I will try do my best to change the situation on [the] Temple Mount.’…

“Jews can currently visit the contested site but are forbidden from praying there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted numerous times in recent months that he does not wish to change this arrangement — the so-called status quo — which has been in place ever since Israeli troops captured Jerusalem’s Old City in the 1967 Six Day War… But currently, Jews can’t even go up there without being harassed, argued Glick, the director of the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation…

“Glick… is next in line to enter parliament for the Likud party. In internal Likud elections before the general election in March, he placed 33rd on the party’s roster for Knesset, which seemed like a long shot. But then Likud surprisingly got 30 seats. After that, Danny Danon left to become Israel’s ambassador to the UN. And now Silvan Shalom is quitting politics amid harassment allegations. If one more Likud MK drops out, Glick will be sworn in as a lawmaker.

“Political pundits say it’s not unlikely that rabble-rousing MK Oren Hazan, currently barred from participating in parliamentary debates because of his behavior in the House, will be forced to quit the Knesset. A recent state comptroller report accused him of severely violating campaign finance laws and he now faces a three-year prison sentence. According to the abridged version of the so-called Norwegian Law, which the Knesset passed in July, government ministers may also quit the parliament while holding on to their ministerial portfolios, freeing up their seat.

“One way or another, Yehudah Glick could become Yehudah Glick MK pretty soon… In preparation for that possible future position, Glick has been regularly attending the Likud’s weekly faction meetings. Ideologically, he appears a good match: like most Likud MKs… he rejects Palestinian statehood…

“Left-wing groups and even centrist politicians… argue that any change to the fragile status quo on the Temple Mount has the potential to inflame the entire Arab world. Some worry that any move advancing Jewish rights at the site could spark World War III…”

Even though the article only reports about Glick’s ambition to allow Jews free access to the Temple Mount to be able to pray there, it is worthwhile noticing that Glick previously worked as the executive director of The Temple Institute, a group that supports the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount. Glick has been referred to in the Israeli press as a Temple Mount activist and a Third Temple activist.

The Bible shows that a Third Temple will be built, even though some biblical readers claim the opposite. Their argument is correct that sacrifices were offered at the time of Ezra before the Second Temple had been built (Ezra 3:1-6); however, those sacrifices were only given because it was settled that the Temple would be built (Ezra 3:8-13); further, it is not a question as to whether a Temple is “needed,” but whether it is going to be built in these end times. Paul’s statement in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that just prior to Christ’s return, the false prophet—the man of lawlessness—will sit in the Temple of God, claiming to be God, REQUIRES the building and existence of a literal Temple. The notion that the “Temple” could refer in this context to the Church of God—a symbolical spiritual Temple—is preposterous.

No Christ in “Christmas”!

MSN wrote on December 25:

“How do you keep the Christ in Christmas if your language doesn’t have a Christ in it to begin with? The languages of the world have quite a variety of names for Christmas… And many of them have nothing to do with Christ.

“Christmas lands right at the same time as winter solstice festivals that were celebrated long before the coming of Christianity. That’s likely an important reason Christmas is celebrated when it is: to co-opt the pagan festivals. (Jesus probably wasn’t actually born on December 25. Scholars — including, in a 2012 book, Pope Benedict XVI — have raised many questions and made many suggestions about his actual birth date.) And Christmas isn’t the only Christian celebration to co-opt pagan festivals: Hallowe’en and All Saints’ Day take over from a fall festival, for instance, and Easter gets its English name — and those eggs and bunnies — from a pagan goddess, Eostre. Likewise, Christmas gets its trees and holly and mistletoe and even its gift-giving traditions from pre-Christian religious celebrations, and in many languages it gets its name from them too.

“Take Yule, for instance (Old English spelling: Geol). Yule featured trees, logs, boars, carol-singing, and feasting at night. It appears in Scandinavian languages as Jul (or, in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, Jól) and was borrowed into Finnish as Joulu and Estonian as Jõulud — all now their words for Christmas. Yule was a festival of a holy night (or nights), and that’s where [the] German name for Christmas, Weihnachten, comes from: Middle High German wihen nahten, ‘holy night’ (also converted by Czech into Vánoce). Oh, yes, it’s holy for Christians too. It was easy enough to convert the festival to Christianity. Other nearby countries had winter festivals, too. In Latvian, Christmas is Ziemassvētki, which means… ‘winter festival.’

“The Romans had a similar festival: the day of the birth of the unconquered sun. In Latin, that’s dies natalis solis invicti. Just as the festival came to celebrate the birth not of the sun but of the son (of God), that word natalis, ‘of the birth,’ changed over time as Latin split into different languages. It became French Noël, Italian Natale, Spanish Navidad, and Portuguese Natal. Celtic languages also borrowed it: Gaelic Nollaig, Welsh Nadolig, and Breton Nedeleg.

“Romanian also came from Latin, but in Romanian, Christmas is Crăciun, which is thought to come from Latin calatio, the name of a calling together of the people by priests — pre-Christian ones. Hungarian uses another version of the same word, Karácsony. In Lithuanian, Christmas is Kalėdos, which has an unclear origin but may come from the same source or a related one.

“Birth shows up in other languages’ names for Christmas, and it’s not always easy to say whether the term started in reference to the birth of Jesus or whether it was carried over from a reference to a pagan birth (as of the sun god, for instance). In Polish it’s Boże Narodzenie, ‘birth of God.’ Croatian Božić is a similar reference to God (or a god)…”

This should tell us a lot about the true origin of Christmas.

Religion and Belief in God a Product of Atheistic Evolution?

If you have never read a ridiculous article by God-defying atheists, then here is a classic example.  It shows HOW FAR this evil and rotten world has departed from the true God. Satan must have a field day in reading [and inspiring] this nonsense. First, scientists taught atheistic evolution. Now, they are beginning to teach that atheistic evolution produced religion and a belief in a (non-existing) God, and that the Bible is a fabrication of “fearful” men. This is truly abominable, and woe to those scientists and teachers who fill the heads of our children with such blasphemous thoughts.

The Daily Mail wrote on December 25:

“Religion is often seen as being at odds with the science of evolution, but according to a growing area of research, it may actually be a product of this fundamental biological process. Fear of incurring the wrath of God, or a range of gods, may have played a key role in the development of our species, according to a leading expert in the evolution of human co-operation. He argues that belief in a divine being who will punish bad behaviour may have allowed humans to co-operate in a way our relatives in the animal kingdom do not…

“… it appears floods, famines and plagues may have… helped to start belief in some gods in the first place… The findings may help to shed light on how religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam first emerged and why stories of hardship play such a central role…”

And if that was not enough, an accompanying article suggested that “it is possible to significantly change a person’s beliefs simply by targeting their brain with magnets… People who were subjected to this treatment reported that their belief in God dropped by a third following the stimulation, while there was an increase in positive feelings towards immigrants…”

Indeed, Satan has brain-washed the entire world, and he is now using “educated” scientists to continue doing so. Please also note the following article about Professor Richard Dawkins, an atheist and one of the leading Evolutionists.

Richard Dawkins Attacks Islam… and other Religions

Express wrote on December 28:

“The furious academic walked out of an interview when a Muslim journalist confirmed he personally believed the prophet Muhammad flew to heaven on a winged horse. Dawkins… told the New Statesmen’s Emad Ahmed that his belief was ‘pathetic’ before angrily storming off… [He said on Twitter]: ‘I left when he said Muhammad rode a winged horse. A non-timewasting journalist needs at least SOME grasp of reality.’ He added: ‘Ridiculing belief in a winged horse is not “bigotry”, not “Islamophobia”, not “racism”. It’s sober, decent, gentle, scientific realism.’…

“The attack on Islamic belief is the latest in a long line by Dawkins. Last month he said Islamic culture could ‘go to…’ on a live TV chat show in the United States when referring to some practices in Islam, such as women being made to wear burkhas. Nor is it… the first time Dawkins has attacked the belief in the ascension of Muhammad…

“The Qur’an briefly refers to the Isra and Miraj, two parts of a night journey Muhammad took during a single night in the year 621. The ‘physical and spiritual journey’ sees the Islamic prophet travel on the steed Buraq to the ‘furthest mosque’ where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to heaven in the Miraj journey where he speaks to God, who gives instructions to take back to the faithful.

“Dawkins – who was once named the world’s leading thinker by Prospect Magazine – has been equally critical of other religions. He has described Judaism as a ‘tribal cult of a single fiercely unpleasant God, morbidly obsessed with sexual restrictions’. And he once claimed that being raised a Catholic and taught to fear hellfire is ‘worse than child abuse.’…

“Dawkins was born in Kenya but moved to Britain aged eight. He studied at Oundle School, in Northamptonshire, before reading Zoology… at Oxford University, where he is now an emeritus fellow of New College. He became an atheist in his early teens after learning about Darwin’s theory of evolution and has written 13 books on evolution, biology and religion, including several international best-sellers.”

Sadly, especially younger people in the UK believe in Dawkins’ pronouncements, and may view him almost like a Savior of mankind. However, Dawkins is dead wrong on his atheistic evolutionary beliefs. The fact that the crowd follows him is a strong testimony about the ability of “scientists” to brain-wash people. On the other hand, his comments are right on regarding the belief that “Mohammed rode to heaven on a winged horse.”

Horrible! Do Some Islamic Jurists Allow Cannibalism?

The Washington Examiner wrote on December 25:

“The Islamic State’s religious scholars have ruled that taking the organs of non-Muslims is permissible under Islamic law to save the life of a Muslim, because killing apostates to eat their flesh has previously been allowed. The revelation comes in a January 2015 document that was captured by U.S. special forces in Syria in May and obtained by Reuters… the document notes that Islamic jurists have ‘permitted, when necessary, the killing of the infidel combatant or the apostate should one need to consume their flesh for the purpose of saving his own life.’ Islamic scholar Imam al-Nawawi, according to the document, wrote about the ‘legitimacy of killing the infidel fighters and apostates and eating them.’

“The Islamic State scholars argue that ‘If the jurists had permitted, when necessary, the consumption of human flesh as a means [to] counter… death or harm, then it is even more appropriate [to] transplant… organs from the apostate to the Muslim to save the life of the latter. This is especially true because it was ruled that the apostate’s life and organs are not protected. On the contrary, the apostate’s life and organs don’t have to be respected and can be taken with impunity.’

“The document notes that, ‘The permission to transplant the apostate’s organs into a Muslim body facilitates, alleviates and removes the difficulties endured by Muslims [and] is corroborated by a reason strongly rooted in the pure Sharia.’”

Thomas Aquinas Against Islam (and the Catholic Church?)

Breitbart wrote on December 27:

“The 13th-century scholar Thomas Aquinas, regarded as one of the most eminent medieval philosophers and theologians, offered a biting critique of Islam based in large part on the questionable character and methods of its founder, Mohammed… Aquinas—considered by Catholics as a saint and doctor of the Church… wrote between 1258 and 1264 AD [that] the spread of Islam was worked through the promise of sensual pleasures and the violence of the sword…

“Islam’s violent methods of propagation were especially unconvincing to Aquinas, since he found that the use of such force does not prove the truth of one’s claims, and are the means typically used by evil men…

“Aquinas wrote that Mohammed ‘perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be seen by anyone who examines his law.’ According to the noted historian Hilaire Belloc, Islam ‘began as a heresy, not as a new religion… It was a perversion of Christian doctrine… It was, Aquinas wrote, ‘a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity.’”

It is undisputable that the Koran has changed and re-written numerous passages of the Old Testament. However, with the above-quoted statements, Thomas Aquinas also convicted his church of the same wrong methods and ideas, because many times the Roman Catholic Church resorted to brutal violent means to fight any “detractors” and “heretics,” and it also forbade its followers to read the Bible.

Blind Mystic Predicts Destruction of Europe in 2016

Express wrote on December 30:

“A BLIND mystic who ‘foresaw’ the 9/11 terror attacks on America and the Boxing Day Tsunami also predicted that Europe would be ‘DESTROYED’ in next year. Bulgarian peasant Baba Vanga claims a vision came to her showing Europe desolate and deserted in 2016 following a series of devastating catastrophes which rocked the continent… adding that Europe will ‘cease to exist’ by the end of next year… The bold prophecy has caused a stir, coming at a time when the 28-nation bloc faces being ripped apart by internal divisions. Experts have warned that ‘arrogant’ EU leaders are sleepwalking into catastrophe, with dire economic results and the ongoing migrant crisis sparking a surge in anti-Brussels sentiment…

“Ms Vanga, who died in 1996 aged 85, said in a dire prediction that Europe will ‘cease to exist’ in 2016, with the continent becoming a ‘wasteland almost entirely devoid of any form of life’ after a series of catastrophes. She predicted that the population of the continent will reach almost zero by 2025 with Muslim invaders – believed by some to refer to Islamic State (ISIS) – moving in to conquer the former European countries by 2043.  In a chilling echo of ISIS’ own stated goals, she prophesied that Islamist militants will conquer Rome in 2066 before the US will respond with a ‘climate change’ weapon to try and claim the city back for Christianity.

“She finishes her dire predictions for Europe by stating that the entire continent will come under the rule of a Communist dictator by 2076. Whilst the so-called ‘Nostradamus of the Balkans’ may be outlandish in her statements, other experts have also predicted that 2016 could be the year the EU falls apart.”

All of this is of course utter and complete nonsense. The late blind mystic was indeed very blind. She might have had some inspirational help from demons who know the future in part, but they are lying spirits, willing to deceive gullible people.

 Is Gonorrhea Becoming Untreatable?

BBC News reported on December 27:

“A highly drug-resistant strain of gonorrhoea was detected in the north of England in March. That strain is able to shrug off the antibiotic azithromycin, which is normally used alongside another drug, ceftriaxone. In her letter, the chief medical officer said: ‘Gonorrhoea is at risk of becoming an untreatable disease due to the continuing emergence of antimicrobial resistance… Gonorrhoea has rapidly acquired resistance to new antibiotics…’

“The infection is spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex… Often the person has no symptoms… but can still easily spread the disease to others. Untreated infection can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a child during pregnancy.

“Gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in England and cases are soaring…”

The spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as Gonorrhea would be largely avoided if sexual conduct would be restricted to married couples.

Trump Hails Putin

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump was full of praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday morning, saying he has always ‘felt fine’ about the Russian dictator and touting his poll numbers for being much higher than President Barack Obama’s. ‘I think that he’s a strong leader,’ Trump told MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ program about Putin, stunning host Joe Scarborough. ‘He’s a powerful leader.’

“Further, Trump said that Russians respect Putin as a leader, and his poll numbers show that… On Thursday, Putin hailed Trump as the ‘absolute leader’ in the presidential race and praised his talk about building a deeper relationship with Russia…

“But, Scarborough pointed out, Putin is ‘also a person who kills journalists, political opponents, and invades countries…’  Trump replied that there is ‘a lot of killing going on’ around the world… ‘I think our country does plenty of killing, also, Joe,’ Trump told him. ‘There’s a lot of stupidity going on in the world right now… And that’s the way it is…’ Scarborough… asked Trump if he condemns Putin ‘killing journalists and political opponents.’ ‘Oh sure, absolutely,’ Trump told him.

“Trump also pushed back on questions about Putin’s role in Ukraine and the Crimea, criticizing Germany and other nearby countries for not being more involved in the threat of Putin spreading his hold… Further, he said the United States is $19 trillion in debt, and nothing but problems in this country, but ‘we’re sitting on a big fat beautiful bubble that’s ready to explode, financial bubble, I’m talking about.’… Further, Trump said, the United States needs to rebuild its military, but ‘that doesn’t mean we have to use it.’

“Trump later in the show said he thinks Russia could be a ‘big asset to our country… They’re a powerful nation and they have a big military base and force and I think there can be a lot of good things happen with Russia, if we get along well and they respect us.’ Putin does not like Obama, Trump said, and the feelings are mutual… ‘I watch those two sitting in two chairs looking at each other and I say, “wow, that’s really bad chemistry.”‘

“But Russia can be a ‘positive force with respect,’ said Trump, praising Putin for bombing ISIS after starting out bombing other targets in Syria.”

The Huffington Post wrote on December 20:

“After basking in the ‘great honor’ of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s praise, Republican front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday defended Putin against longstanding accusations that his regime has carried out murders of journalists who oppose him… Trump said there is no evidence that Putin was behind any journalist murders in Russia.”

The Associated Press reported on December 20: “Putin says Russia will continue to develop nuclear weapons but doesn’t intend to use them… ‘Russia as a leading nuclear country will be improving this weapon as a containment factor; the nuclear triad is the basis of our nuclear security polices,’ he said, referring to the three main delivery systems for nuclear warheads — bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ICBMs.”

Thomson/Reuters wrote on December 20:

“Putin said Moscow would not abandon Russians living in southeast Ukraine to Ukrainian nationalists.. More than 9,000 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops since April 2014. Moscow says Ukrainian nationalists pose a threat to ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the region.”

Could a Trump election as President lead to an American-Russian alliance, angering Europe?

Does Putin Kill Russian Journalists?

The Washington Post wrote on December 21:

“Russia watchers would have to begrudgingly admit that… [there] really is little evidence to suggest that Putin ‘kills journalists that don’t agree with him.’ No one denies that journalists critical of Putin have been killed in Russia. There have been a number of cases over the years. The Committee to Protect Journalists has described Russia as ‘one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists,’ with 36 journalists killed since 1992.

“Perhaps the most well-known case is that of Anna Politkovskaya, a writer who was critical of Putin’s role in the second Chechen war. Politkovskaya was fatally shot in her apartment building on Oct. 7, 2006 – the same day as Putin’s birthday. Opposition politicians also have been killed: Boris Nemtsov, a high-profile figure in post-Soviet politics, was shot just steps from the Kremlin in February. There are plenty of people who suspect that Putin ordered the killings. The evidence, however, isn’t there…

“Given that few of these cases ever find closure in Russia’s flawed justice system… we may never know whether Putin had any involvement. Nina Ognianova, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, says that about  90 percent of killings of journalists in Russia go unpunished…

“Scarborough’s suggestion that Putin kills journalists is evidence of a widespread misunderstanding of Putin’s Russia — that he is directly responsible for every bad thing that happens in the country. That idea of Russia desperately lacks nuance: Putin may set the tone for everything that happens in the country, but he doesn’t necessarily order every politically charged murder…

“There’s a key difference between ordering the murder of a journalist and creating an environment in which journalists can be murdered. And while Putin may not be guilty of the former, he is certainly guilty of the latter…”

The Third Democratic Debate

AFP wrote on December 20:

“Democratic presidential hopefuls including Hillary Clinton used Donald Trump as a political bogeyman Saturday to highlight their own calls to defeat jihadist extremists without using the bigotry and bluster employed by their Republican rival… It was their party’s third debate of the primary election season — the last of 2015 and their first since the attacks in San Bernardino, California where a radicalized married Muslim couple killed 14 people…

“While the Democrats united against Trump, they disagreed on foreign policy, guns and how to rein in Wall Street excesses. Sanders clashed at length with Clinton over how to tackle extremism, opposing her call for a no-fly zone over Syria and for focusing on ousting that country’s President Bashar al-Assad… The self-described democratic socialist also reminded viewers of Clinton’s 2002 vote when she was a New York senator authorizing president George W. Bush’s use of military force in Iraq.

“Clinton insisted she too was not ready to send US boots into Syria and Iraq, saying she had a strategy to ‘combat and defeat ISIS without getting us involved in another ground war.’…

“The debate unfolded amid a minor scandal between the Clinton and Sanders campaigns, with accusations that a data breach was carried out by Sanders’s team against Clinton’s. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) temporarily suspended the Sanders campaign’s access to a key voter database after at least one of its staffers took advantage of a computer glitch to peek at Clinton voter data. Sanders filed suit against the DNC to regain access to the data on Friday. But on stage Saturday he apologized to Clinton, saying ‘this is not the type of campaign that we run.’…

“Data and IT are uncomfortable topics for Clinton, who was the center of an uproar after it was revealed she used a personal email account and server while secretary of state… Clinton, who has raised much more money than Sanders, has depended significantly on large checks from big donors. In national polls among Democrats, Sanders has 31 percent support, a number that has remained constant since early November. Clinton’s support in the mid-50s.”

A day after the debate, Hillary Clinton sent an email message to potential donors, stating: “I don’t know how else to say it except by saying it: We could lose the nomination… I am not taking anything for granted.”

There is still the ongoing FBI investigation of Hillary Clinton’s alleged criminal conduct regarding her emails. And the media fact checker pointed out that some of her claims against Trump during the debate were without any factual evidence… which prompted Trump to state that Clinton “lies like crazy about everything… and everybody knows that.” In turn, Sanders stated that Trump was a “pathological liar.”

US Congress Approves 2016 Budget and Proves Its Total Corruption

Deutsche Welle reported on December 18:

“US lawmakers have approved a compromise spending package that funds the government through September 2016. The budget deal also includes tighter visa requirements…

“US Congress on Friday cleared the way for government to spend a total of $1.14 trillion (1.05 trillion euros) in the current fiscal year, ending September 2016… US defense spending will be increased following pressure from the Republican Party which said this was critical given the level of unrest in the Middle East and rising terrorism.

“… a controversial measure aimed at temporarily halting a program allowing Syrian and Iraqi refugees to enter the United States was scrapped.”

Fox News wrote on December 20:

“A fired-up Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday he voted against the massive $1.1 trillion spending bill because not only was it rushed through Congress — but no one had a chance to read it. ‘It was over a trillion dollars, it was all lumped together, 2,242 pages, nobody read it, so frankly my biggest complaint is that I have no idea what kind of things they stuck in that bill in the middle of the night,’ Paul, R-Ky., said…

“On Friday, President Obama signed the legislation into law… Republicans and Democrats joined to approve the spending bill on a resounding 316-113 vote in the House… The unexpectedly large margin was a victory for new House Speaker Paul Ryan, who saw a majority of his GOP lawmakers back the legislation. Not long after, the Senate voted 65-33 to send the entire package to Obama’s desk. Paul said Sunday passing such large spending measures without thorough examination is ‘part of the reason why government is broke.’ He said the blame fell on every lawmaker’s shoulder. ‘Once again this came not at the behest of just the Democrats,’ he said… ‘It came at the behest of right-wing Republicans who want military spending and left-wing Democrats who want welfare spending, and that’s the first little secret.’

“Paul also called out specific spending habits of both parties. ‘You have people on the right who want unlimited military spending and then you’ve got people on the left who want unlimited welfare spending and the dirty little secret in Washington is that they come together… there’s an unholy alliance and in that unholy alliance everybody gets money and the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill,’ he said…

“Ryan on Sunday dismissed criticism of the $1.1 trillion spending bill that passed Friday, saying that Republican leaders fought hard for compromise. ‘Let me first say, this is a divided government and in divided government you don’t get everything you want,’ Ryan said… ‘we’re going to pick up next year where we left off and keep going for more.’

“Ryan… acknowledged that both Democrats and Republicans employ divisive political tactics…”

What a terrible picture of a US government and its political parties that are hopelessly sunk into the mire of corruption and blatantly unholy alliances.  

Franklin Graham Resigns Republican Party for Financing Planned Parenthood

Newsmax reported on December 22:

“Franklin Graham has resigned from the Republican Party and become an independent, declaring that ‘I have no hope in the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or tea party to do what is best for America…’

“[He wrote on Facebook:] ‘Shame on the Republicans and the Democrats for passing such a wasteful spending bill last week. And to top it off, funding Planned Parenthood! A Huffington Post article called it “a big win for Planned Parenthood.” I call it a big loss for America. After all of the appalling facts revealed this year about Planned Parenthood, our representatives in Washington had a chance to put a stop to this, but they didn’t. There’s no question—taxpayers should not be paying for abortions!…’”

“‘Abortion is murder in God’s eyes. Seeing and hearing Planned Parenthood talk nonchalantly about selling baby parts from aborted fetuses with utter disregard for human life is reminiscent of Joseph Mengele and the Nazi concentration camps! That should’ve been all that was needed to turn off the faucet for their funding. Nothing was done to trim this 2,000 page, $1.1 trillion budget. This is an example of why I have resigned from the Republican Party and declared myself Independent. I have no hope in the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or Tea Party to do what is best for America…’”

IRS Allowed to Revoke US Passports

USA Today wrote on December 22:

“A new enforcement provision passed by Congress and signed into law earlier this month… allows the Department of the Treasury and the IRS to authorize the State Department to take away U.S. passports from individuals with seriously delinquent tax liabilities. That’s defined as those greater than $50,000 and for which the IRS has filed a lien or levy….

“The State Department is now authorized to deny, revoke or limit use of a taxpayer’s U.S. passport, and it isn’t supposed to issue a passport to anyone owing that much money (with exceptions for emergencies or for humanitarian reasons). Americans out of the country when their passports are revoked may be allowed to return home…

“It doesn’t help that it’s getting more difficult for people to contact the IRS, which is answering only about 40% of telephone calls from taxpayers… Even tax professionals are looking at average phone waits of about 90 minutes…

“An IRS spokesman said the agency is reviewing the new law and taking steps to implement the program ‘as soon as feasible.’”

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers”

Breitbart published the following editorial by Senator Rand Paul on December 22:

“The birth of our Christ was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, who declared him ‘the Prince of Peace.’ Christ himself extolled the virtue of working for peace in the Beatitudes as he declared, ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers.’ Nowhere does he declare himself the Prince of War, or extol the virtues of those eager for war…

“I believe too many of our leaders are too eager for war—too eager to sacrifice the lives of our sons and daughters on the altar of their nation-building worldview, one that has proved to be so wrong and so destructive.

“The last century was the century of World Wars. There was WWI, the war to end all wars. Then there was the one after that, and the one after that.

“I read All Quiet on the Western Front years ago, which told the horrors of trench warfare, in which millions of young men were led to their slaughter. Then I read Silent Night, the story of the Christmas Armistice, in which opposing troops came out of their trenches, exchanged gifts, and played soccer together. The dichotomy is quite striking. For a brief moment in the middle of war, humanity won, and God’s light of peace broke through. It was short-lived, but it is repeatable if we seek it…”

US Air Force Was Prepared to Drop 91 Atomic Bombs in and around East Berlin

The Local wrote on December 23:

“The US Air Force planned to drop 91 atomic bombs in and around East Berlin in the event of the Cold War turning hot, documents released on Wednesday showed.  A 1956 list naming thousands of priority targets compiled by the US Strategic Air Command (SAC) showed that the USAF would drop nuclear weapons on military targets around the East German capital, as well as explicitly targeting the population for ‘systematic destruction’. That was in direct contravention of the international norms that had been established following the Second World War, which prohibited attacks directed mainly at civilians.

“The highest-priority targets on the list, released by the National Security Archive at George Washington University, were airbases from which the Soviets and their allies could launch strikes against the West… Soviet airbases around Berlin included Briesen, Welzow, Werneuchen and Gross Dolln (Templin) – all among the top 150 targets on the USAF list…

“As well as central Berlin, SAC planned to hit nearby Bernau, Hennigsdorf, Oranienburg, Postdam, Schönwalde and Velten, according to a list of targets around East Berlin provided by the National Security Archive… The atomic bombing of East Berlin and its suburbs would likely have produced fire storms, among other effects, with disastrous implications for West Berlin…”

Guns on Top of Christmas Lists

USA Today wrote on December 22:

“The convergence of fears over terrorism, a perceived threat of gun laws being changed and the Christmas holiday have sent gun sales soaring in what is already the busiest month of the year for firearm purchases. Guns are at the top of many Christmas lists, especially if November is any indication.

“Last month, the FBI ran more than 2.2 million firearm background checks on potential buyers, a 24 percent increase from November 2014. On Black Friday, a record 185,345 background checks were processed by the FBI…

“Giving a gun as a gift to another person within your own state is allowed under federal law, and in many states, the recipient is not required to get a background check… More companies have also tailored their approach to attract more women…”

Hasidic Jews Celebrate Christmas Eve

JTA wrote on December 22:

“Christmas Eve occupies a special place on the Hasidic calendar as a kind of ‘silent night’…  Known as ‘Nittel Nacht,’ the hours leading up to Christmas include a few peculiar traditions in Hasidic communities. It’s one of only two times during the year when Torah study is avoided (the other is the summertime fast day of Tisha b’Av). Couples traditionally abstain from sex. Yeshiva students are encouraged to engage in such ‘kosher’ secular activities as playing chess or doing household chores.

“And when it’s over – at the stroke of midnight, the same time many churches hold Midnight Mass – Hasidic study halls come alive when a community leader bangs on a lectern to signal the resumption of Torah study… The origins of Nittel Nacht customs are murky, and even the name itself is a matter of some debate.

“While ‘nacht’ is Yiddish for night, variations on the origins of ‘nittel’ range from the Latin for ‘the birth of our god’ to the Hebrew acronym for the words meaning ‘born on the ninth of Tevet’ — a reference to the time of Jesus’ birth.

“Historically, Christmas Eve was a fraught time for Jews who lived among Christian populations in Eastern Europe and Russia, a night when Jews sought to keep off the street for fear of violence by Christian celebrants… Others cite spiritual reasons for avoiding Torah study on Christmas Eve. Those who saw belief in the Trinity as a form of idolatry believed Christmas Eve was a time when dark forces were about, rendering it unfit for the purity of Torah study. Others say Torah study was avoided on this night so that the heavenly merit of Torah learning would not be accrued by Jesus or those celebrating his birth, or somehow benefit the souls of the wicked…

“Whatever the reason, Nittel Nacht observances remain in Hasidic communities, taking place either for the last six or 12 hours on Dec. 24 or, for Hasidic sects with origins in Russia or Ukraine, for the six or 12 hours before the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7…”

Christmas Restricted or Banned in Some Muslim States

Deutsche Welle reported on December 23:

“The Muslim-majority countries of Tajikistan, Somalia and Brunei have clamped down on Christmas. In the case of the latter country, celebrating the Christian holiday has been banned entirely…

“In Tajikistan, the government has issued a decree banning Christmas trees and other decorations from schools – the most aggressive attempt yet by the ex-Soviet country to clamp down on the Christian holiday… The move is part of an ongoing effort to tighten restrictions on Western holidays in general. In 2013 and 2014, for example, people dressed as zombies for Halloween were reportedly detained by Tajikistan police…

“In Somalia, the federal government announced a decision to ban Christmas and New Year celebrations in the capital of Mogadishu… ‘All events related to Christmas and New Year celebrations are contrary to Islamic culture, which could damage aqidah (faith) of the Muslim community,’ Director General of Somalia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs was reported as saying.

“Meanwhile, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of the Southeast Asian country of Brunei is going forward with his plan to enforce sharia law, which includes punishing anyone who defies the country-wide ban on Christmas…”

Mohammed Born on Christmas Eve?

“For Sunni Muslims, Milad un-Nabi is usually celebrated on the 12th day of the Islamic calendar month Rabi’ al-awwal, while the Shia Muslims celebrate it on the 17th of their month.

“This year, the 12th coincides with Christmas Eve, and while some Muslims around the UK took the step of celebrating in public earlier this month, at least two groups decided they wanted to march through British town centres on Christmas Eve.”

Now, this is REALLY interesting.

Israel’s Pro-Shabbat Bill Passes Preliminary Reading

Israel National News reported on December 20:

“The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved MK Mickey Zohar (Likud)’s Weekly Day of Rest bill Sunday afternoon in a preliminary hearing… The bill will ban businesses opening on Saturday without special permission from the Economy Minister and also ban conditional or contract work on Shabbat, forcing employees to work on Shabbat, or penalizing workers for protesting Shabbat work.

“Violating the ban would be considered ‘an injustice against citizens,’ and business owners will be able to file a claim against franchise operators who force businesses to open on the day of rest.

“The Israeli Merchants’ Association welcomed the approval of the bill. ‘This is an important first step to saving tens of thousands of small businesses from economic collapse,’ it said. ‘There is an end to the phenomenon of ‘Israebluff’ where tycoons and retail chains are breaking the law, opening their businesses on Saturdays, and require employees to work then.’”

It is interesting that the State of Israel is a country that at least, nominally, observes the Sabbath. It makes us wonder about the implications of Matthew 24 as far as what would cause God’s people to be in Israel and have to take their “flight.” For more information, please read our free booklet, “When and How Will Christ Return?”

Thousands of Terror Suspects Lost in the USA

Fox News and The Associated Press reported on December 18:

“The Obama administration cannot be sure of the whereabouts of thousands of foreigners in the U.S. who had their visas revoked over terror concerns and other reasons, a State Department official acknowledged Thursday. The admission [was] made at a House oversight hearing examining immigrant vetting in the wake of major terror attacks…”

UK Declares Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group—Clashing with Obama

Newsmax wrote on December 22:

“The United Kingdom declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group after an 18-month study ordered by British Prime Minister David Cameron — and the Obama administration slammed the document as flying in the face of the Brotherhood’s history as a ‘nonviolent Islamist group.’…

“As a result, the prime minister said that the U.K. government would continue to refuse visas to Muslim Brotherhood members and associates… Britain also will continue to uphold the European Community’s freeze on the assets of Hamas, another terrorist group with ties to the Brotherhood, Cameron said…

“Here are some key statements from Cameron’s report:

“‘There is little evidence that the experience of power in Egypt … has caused a rethinking in the Muslim Brotherhood of its ideology or conduct… even by mid-2014, statements from Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood-linked media platforms seem to have deliberately incited violence… Material still being promoted by UKIM [U.K. Islamic Mission] as of July 2014 continued to explicitly claim that it is not possible for an observant Muslim to live under a non-Islamic system of government.’”

Cameron Investigates US Ban of British Muslims Entering USA

The Associated Press reported on December 24:

“British Prime Minister David Cameron will look into claims that U.S. officials prevented a British Muslim family of 11 from flying to Disneyland for a planned holiday. The issue is sensitive because U.S. Republican presidential contender Donald Trump has called for a temporary ban on Muslims visiting the U.S. due to concerns about extremist attacks.

“Stella Creasy, a member of the opposition Labour Party, said Wednesday that U.S. officials gave no explanation for refusing to allow her constituents to board a flight from Gatwick Airport on Dec. 15, so she wrote Cameron seeking his intervention. She said there is ‘growing fear’ among British Muslims that aspects of Trump’s plans are coming into practice even though they have been widely condemned…

“Mohammed Zahid Mahmood said he and his family – two brothers and their nine children – were told nothing except that they were not allowed to travel to the U.S. despite having previously obtained clearance. ‘We were the only family that was of Asian, Muslim, sort of appearance, and it seemed a little bit embarrassing that only we were taken out (of the line to board),’ he told the BBC.

“Cameron… had earlier characterized Trump’s policy as ‘divisive and wrong’… Ajmal Masroor, a London-based imam and broadcaster, said he received similar treatment when trying to travel to the U.S. for business recently. He told the AP that a U.S. Embassy official prevented him from boarding a Dec. 17 flight and told him his business visa had been revoked…

“The Muslim Council of Britain also said the last-minute denial of boarding privileges without explanation is distressing for Muslims. ‘There is a perception that such decisions are being made due to the faith or political activism of individuals,’ the council said.”

In addition, the family had spent about 16,000 dollars in preparation for the trip. It was reported that they cannot expect any reimbursement. The US Immigration procedures came under attack some time ago when they refused entry to world-known artist Cat Stevens (“Morning Has Broken”) because he converted to Islam and was perceived to be a “threat” to the USA.

Ridiculous actions like these will make America extremely unpopular throughout the world.

ISIS Wants to Bring Terror Blitz to Europe’s Cities

Express wrote on December 19:

“ISIS militants are set to launch a ‘series of coordinated attacks across European cities.’ The terror blitz will… happen ‘all at once’ according to a former propaganda mastermind of the Islamic State group… British authorities are concerned that the recent wave of migrants across Europe could set the stage for pan-European terror. The horrifying plan has been revealed after a former Daesh identified only as Harry S escaped the terror group and is now being questioned by authorities in Germany…

“He told German intelligence officers that senior ISIS commanders asked him, along with other fighters, if he would ‘bring jihad back to their homeland’. He then detailed a plan to carry out a Europe-wide terror attack. He said: ‘They want something that happens everywhere at the same time. ‘All you need is to take a big knife, and go down to the streets and [slaughter] every infidel you encounter.’ The German jihadist witnessed beheadings and executions in Syria for three months but fled after he could no longer stand its brutality…

“Germany’s domestic intelligence agency believes more than 700 Germans have joined ISIS in Iraq and Syria…”

Planned French Anti-Terrorist Measures “Deeply Worrying”

Deutsche Welle reported on December 23:

“French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told a news conference on Wednesday that constitutional changes were necessary to protect France from the threat of French nationals returning home from territory controlled by the self-declared ‘Islamic State’ (IS). Under the planned changes, state-of-emergency laws which allow authorities to detain and search suspects without warrants would be enshrined in the French constitution. This would prevent the measures from being challenged in court…

“The constitutional reforms still need to be passed by a three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of parliament, where debates will start on February 3…

“Amnesty International said the constitutional reforms were ‘deeply worrying’ and added to an ‘already extensive and sometimes disproportionate arsenal’ of measures. ‘The government cannot undermine the rule of law and violate the very human rights it is trying to protect: freedom of expression, freedom of movement and non-discrimination,’ said Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty’s Europe director.

“Controversial justice minister Christiane Taubira has come under pressure to resign after publicly opposing the changes….”

Merkel under Attack

Reuters reported on December 20:

“Not since 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell and communism crumbled across eastern Europe, has the continent’s geopolitical kaleidoscope been shaken up so vigorously…

“The collapse of the Iron Curtain led within two years to the agreement to create a single European currency and, over the following 15 years, to the eastward enlargement of the EU and NATO up to the borders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. That appeared to confirm founding father Jean Monnet’s prediction that a united Europe would be built out of crises.

“In contrast, this year’s political and economic shocks over an influx of migrants, Greek debt, Islamist violence and Russian military action have led to the return of border controls in many places, the rise of populist anti-EU political forces and recrimination among EU governments…

“[Angela] Merkel has received little support from her EU partners in sharing the migrant burden… Some partners also accuse Berlin of hypocrisy over its energy ties with Russia… Merkel’s critics rounded on her at an end-of-year EU summit.

“Italy’s Matteo Renzi, backed by Portugal and Greece, attacked her refusal to accept a euro zone bank deposit guarantee scheme. The Baltic states, Bulgaria and Italy denounced her support for a direct gas pipeline from Russia to Germany at a time when the EU is sanctioning Moscow over its military action in Ukraine and has forced the cancellation of a pipeline to southern Europe. ‘It was pretty much everyone against Merkel in the room,’ a diplomat who heard the exchanges said.

“One problem likely to worsen in 2016 is that Europe’s main leaders are politically weak and so preoccupied by domestic challenges that they are unable to take the necessary collective action. The conservative Merkel’s survival in the chancellery hinges on her ability to bring down the number of refugees flooding into Germany next year and show she has migration under control…”

Germany Threatens Legal Actions Against Some EU Countries on Migrant Crisis Issue

The Local wrote on December 20:

“German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier threatened legal action on Saturday against EU countries that refused to accept refugees under the bloc’s quota programme. Steinmeier said in an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel that ‘if it cannot be done otherwise, things will be resolved through the appropriate legal channels’, adding that ‘Europe is a community of law’. The German minister spoke specifically of Slovakia and Hungary, which have both made their own threats of legal action against the controversial quota system… ‘European solidarity is not a one-way street,’ Steinmeier said, adding that ‘those who refuse (to welcome refugees) must know what is at stake for them: open borders in Europe’.

“… EU leaders on Thursday set an end-of-June deadline to agree on a new border and coastguard force to slow the influx of migrants across the 28-nation bloc’s porous external frontiers… they acknowledged they had been too slow to carry out a joint strategy to tackle Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.”

Will all of this lead to a rapid emergence of ten nations or groups of nations, developing out of the EU, as prophesied in Scripture, as well as the manifestation of a strong charismatic political leader from Germany or Austria, replacing the current leaders in these countries?

UN Resolution for “Peace” in Syria… a Total and Complete Joke

On December 18, the Los Angeles Times reported the following:

“The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution Friday outlining a process to end the civil war in Syria, but without settling one of the most contentious issues: the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad. After five hours of discussion, foreign ministers from 17 countries — some on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict — endorsed a plan that calls for cease-fire talks to begin next month and for U.N.-supervised elections to be held in mid-2017…

“The resolution urges the Syrian government and its opposition to embark, under the auspices of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on ‘urgent’ discussions of a ‘political transition process’ for the country… But key differences remain over how and on what timetable Assad should be removed from power… The lawlessness in much of Syria and neighboring Iraq has supplied the Islamic militants with a vast area to operate…

“The resolution… makes clear that a ceasefire would not apply to international operations aimed at ‘terrorist organizations.’ That means the U.S.-dominated coalition may continue airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria. It also gives the green light to Russia, which has been accused of bombing Assad’s foes rather than Islamic State.

“In addition to atrocities and carnage since 2011, the fighting in Syria and Iraq has sparked a desperate exodus. Fueled in large part by the Syrian war, the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide this year will surpass the record of 60 million, the U.N. refugee agency reported Friday.”

Not only is the UN resolution a complete joke, there may be more going on behind the scenes. Note the next article:

Are Germany and the USA Working with Syria’s Assad Behind the Scenes?

The Local reported on December 18:

“Germany’s foreign intelligence service BND has resumed cooperation with the Syrian secret service in the fight against Islamist extremists, according to a newspaper report Friday. The BND declined to comment on the report by Bild daily which comes as Berlin and other Western governments shun official cooperation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over his regime’s abuses.

“The mass-circulation daily, citing unnamed ‘informed sources’, said BND agents had been travelling regularly to Damascus for talks with their Syrian counterparts and that the service wanted to reopen an office there… a spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel also declined comment at a press conference.

“Bild said the aim of the contact was to exchange information on Islamist extremists and to open a channel of communication in the event of any potential crisis, such as a German Tornado pilot being shot down over territory held by jihadists. Germany has deployed Tornado surveillance aircraft and other non-combat military support to the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group, which controls wide areas of Syria and Iraq.

“Merkel has argued the world must seek a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict to end the killing there, to better focus on fighting IS, and to reduce massive refugee flows to Europe. But she has repeatedly stressed that this must not include cooperation with Assad, who, she said, ‘keeps dropping barrel bombs on his own people’, and whose regime was the main cause of the refugee exodus.”

One has to be very careful with the accuracy of “information” supplied by the mass tabloid “Bild.” However, Bild is known to express what most Germans think, and it is also quite instrumental in forming public opinion…

According to Newsmax, dated December 23, Germany would not be the only Western nation working with Assad. The magazine reported:

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff has indirectly supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a bid to help him defeat jihadist groups, a bombshell report by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh claims. Hersh writes… that the group of senior military leaders who advise Secretary of Defense Ash Carter sent intelligence through Israel, Germany, and even Russia.”

Turkey’s Forked Tongue

Reuters reported on December 19:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met with Khaled Meshaal, leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas, on Saturday in Istanbul, Turkish presidential sources said, a day after Israel and Turkey said they were close to patching up five-year political rift…

“Israel’s once-strong ties to Turkey soured in 2010 when Israeli commandoes killed 10 Turkish activists when storming the Mavi Marmara, a ship in a convoy seeking to break an Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Turkey had demanded Israel apologize over the assault, pay compensation and lift the Gaza blockade. For Israel, limiting Hamas activity in Turkey has been key.

“Under the preliminary deal between the two countries, Saleh al-Aruori, a senior leader in the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas who has been living in Turkey, would be barred from the country, the Israeli official had said.”

Anti-Semitism in Greece

JTA wrote on December 21:

“A leading Greek bishop has blamed the ‘Zionist monster’ for new legislation that would give same-sex couples in Greece expanded civil rights. Bishop Seraphim of Piraeus said the cohabitation bill is a result of the ‘constant war against the true faith’ being waged ‘by the international Zionist monster,’ which he said controls the Greek government…

“The bishop has a long history of making anti-Semitic comments. In 2010, he told a Greek TV station that Jews had orchestrated the Holocaust and were behind Greece’s financial crisis. He later clarified that these were his personal opinions and did not represent the Church of Greece…

“While the bill is highly unpopular in Greece, the Parliament could face European Court of Justice sanctions for discrimination if it does not pass the measure to meet European Union standards.

“Anti-Semitic stereotypes are widespread in Greek public and political discourse… Greece has Europe’s highest rate of anti-Semitic attitudes…”

More Than 60 Million Refugees in 2015

Reuters reported on December 18:

“The number of people forcibly displaced worldwide is likely to have ‘far surpassed’ a record 60 million this year, mainly driven by the Syrian war and other protracted conflicts, the United Nations said on Friday. The estimated figure includes 20.2 million refugees fleeing wars and persecution, the most since 1992… Nearly 2.5 million asylum seekers have requests pending, with Germany, Russia and the United States receiving the highest numbers of the nearly one million new claims lodged in the first half of the year…

“‘2015 is on track to see worldwide forced displacement exceeding 60 million for the first time – 1 in every 122 humans is today someone who has been forced to flee their homes,’ [a UN report] said. The total figure at the end of 2014 was 59.5 million.

“An estimated 34 million people were internally displaced as of mid-year, about 2 million more than the same time in 2014. Yemen, where civil war erupted in March, reported the highest number of newly uprooted people at 933,500.

“Syria’s civil war that began in 2011 has been the main driver of mass displacement, with more than 4.2 million Syrian refugees having fled abroad and 7.6 million uprooted within their shattered homeland as of mid-year… Together, nationals of Syria and Ukraine, where a separatist rebellion in the east erupted in April 2014, accounted for half of the 839,000 people who became refugees in the first half of 2015…

“Violence in Afghanistan, Somalia and South Sudan sparked large refugee movements, as well as fighting in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq… Many refugees will live in exile for years to come…”

Judicial Watch Takes on Obama Administration on Climate Change “Alarmism”

Judicial Watch reported on December 22:

“Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a lawsuit on December 2, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking records of communications from National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials regarding methodology for collecting and interpreting data used in climate models… The lawsuit sought the same documents unsuccessfully subpoenaed by a House committee.  Less than week after Judicial Watch served its lawsuit on NOAA, the agency finally turned over the targeted documents to Congress.

“Judicial Watch is investigating how NOAA collects and disseminates climate data that is used in determining global climate change. NOAA collects data in thousands of ways – from temperature gauges on land and buoys at sea, to satellites orbiting Earth.  Considered the ‘environmental intelligence agency,’ NOAA is the nation’s leading collector of climate data…

“Information provided to the Committee by whistleblowers appears to show that the study was rushed to publication despite the concerns and objections of a number of NOAA employees. On November 26, Smith published an opinion editorial in The Washington Times, which accused NOAA of tampering with data to help promote global warming alarmism… ‘We have little doubt that our lawsuit helped to pry these scandalous climate change report documents from the Obama administration… we have little doubt that the documents will show the Obama administration put politics before science to advance global warming alarmism’ [said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton].”

Undiscovered Asteroid Passes Near Earth

Express wrote on December 19:

“The asteroid was discovered just two days ago. Astronomers were oblivious to the existence of the space rock, which is big enough to destroy a town and called 2015 YB, until Wednesday… A Slooh spokesman said the pass was so near it would be within range of geosynchronous satellites which orbit at the same rotation period as Earth…

“It may sound far, but the estimated 34,672 miles away pass, it’s a cat’s whisker in cosmic terms, and is less than a fifth of the 238,000 miles between earth and the moon. The asteroid is only 20 metres in length, but an asteroid of the same size exploded suddenly in Earth’s atmosphere above Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013 – injuring 1,500 people. If an asteroid of 50 metres hit London it could destroy the city.

“Astronomers have nicknamed the asteroid The Flea, in honour of the world’s greatest soccer player, Lionel Messi. The spokesman added: ‘We will be asking, why, like Messi, it got through our best defences until two days ago.’… It is the second recent near Earth asteroid to turn up out of the blue.”

This article proves the total misrepresentation of the occasional claim by “scientists” that asteroids pose no threat to us, and that all asteroids which could come close to earth have been discovered.

Giant Comets May Threaten Earth

AFP wrote on December 22

“Planet Earth could be at higher risk of a space rock impact than widely thought, according to astronomers who suggested Tuesday keeping a closer eye on distant giant comets. Most studies of potential Earth-smashers focus on objects in the asteroid belt roughly between Mars, Earth’s outside neighbour, and Jupiter on its other flank, said the researchers. But they noted that the discovery in the last two decades of hundreds of giant comets dubbed centaurs, albeit with much larger orbits, requires expanding the list of potential hazards.

“These balls of ice and dust, typically 50-100 kilometres (31-62 miles) wide, have unstable, elliptical orbits that start way beyond Neptune, the most distant planet from the Sun. Their paths cross those of the giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, whose gravity fields occasionally deflect a comet towards Earth — once about every 40,000-100,000 years. As they draw closer to the Sun, the comets would gradually break up, which is what causes the trademark cometary debris tail — ‘making impacts on our planet inevitable’…

“They noted that a single centaur contains more mass than the entire population of Earth-crossing asteroids discovered to date… A comet strike is… a leading contender for having ended the reign of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago… ‘A centaur arrival carries the risk of injecting, into the atmosphere… a mass of dust and smoke comparable to that assumed in nuclear winter studies,’ wrote the researchers, referring to the hypothesised climate effects from the soot that would be released by firestorms caused in an atomic war.”

Pope Francis to Receive the Charlemagne Prize 2016

Deutsche Welle reported on December 23:

“Pope Francis will receive the annual Charlemagne Prize for 2016, according to some reports. The award, given out by the German city of Aachen, honors those who promote European unity… More specifically, the prize is given to people or institutions ‘distinguished by their outstanding work toward European unity or cooperation between its states.’

“The Charlemagne Prize was created by Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer in March 1950. In 1969, the Commission of the European Community became the first institution that would eventually become part of the EU to receive the award. Martin Schultz, a German citizen and President of the European Parliament, was the recipient of the prize in 2015.”

Angela Merkel received the prize as well. Pope Francis will be the first pope to receive it. Normally, the prize is given in Aachen, but in this case, the pope will receive it in Rome.

Utter Confusion in the “Christian” World

On December 18, JTA linked to an article by Forward, stating this:

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of the new document on the conversion of Jews that the Vatican released December 10… What the document says is that the Catholic Church rejects ‘specific institutional mission work’… aimed at Jews…

“Protestants don’t always admit it, but Vatican thinking has a trickle-down influence beyond Catholics. What happens in Rome doesn’t stay in Rome…

“… many Catholics believe… that Jews, unlike other non-Christians, can end up in heaven without believing in Jesus… that implication has been stated explicitly by growing numbers of Catholic scholars… Mainline and liberal Protestant churches, including Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Lutherans, have largely adopted [this concept] …

“The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, has repeatedly voted by huge majorities to reject proposals that it give up missionizing Jews…

“… the Vatican itself has difficulty explaining how it can reconcile its belief in the continuing Jewish covenant [and the concept that Jews go to heaven when they die, without having believed in Jesus]… with the equally clear principle appearing elsewhere in the New Testament that salvation comes only through Jesus. The new document puts it this way: ‘That Jews are participants in God’s salvation is unquestionable, but how that can be possible without confessing Christ explicitly, is and remains an unfathomable divine mystery.’…”

When the Catholic Church has no answers to the many contradictions between the clear teachings of the Bible and the church’s dogmas, the biblical doctrines are explained away as “mysteries.” The unbiblical claim of the Trinity is labeled as another mystery, which no one can explain, but which one “must believe.” In times past, those who questioned the Trinity were considered by the Roman church as heretics and “anathema” of Christ.  

Germany Releases Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”

The Economist wrote on December 19:

“IN GERMANY, as in the rest of Europe, copyright expires seven decades after the author’s year of death. That applies even when the author is Adolf Hitler and the work is ‘Mein Kampf’. Since 1945, the state of Bavaria has owned the book’s German-language rights and has refused to allow its republication. German libraries stock old copies, and they can be bought and sold. But from January 1st no permission will be needed to reprint it.

“Those living outside Germany may not immediately grasp the significance of the moment. ‘Mein Kampf’ has always been available in translation and is now just a click away online. But that is not the point. For Germans, the expiry of the copyright has caused hand-wringing and controversy.  The question, as they ring in the new year, is not what to do about ‘Mein Kampf’ as it enters the public domain. Rather, it is what Hitler means for Germany today…

“One by one, post-war taboos connected to Hitler are vanishing. Flag-waving is one. A breakthrough occurred in 2006, when Germany hosted the football World Cup. For the first time since the war the black-red-and-gold came out everywhere…

“Germans know that whenever others are angry with them, they will paint a Hitler moustache on posters of their chancellor. Many Germans are fed up with this—with being ‘blackmailed’, as Bild, the leading tabloid, complained this spring, when Greece unexpectedly brought war reparations into negotiations about bail-outs in the euro crisis…”

The American Papers that Praised Hitler

The Daily Beast wrote on December 20, 2015:

“‘The train arrived punctually,’ a Christian Science Monitor report from Germany informed its readers, not long after Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1933… As for all those ‘harrowing stories’ of Jews being mistreated—they seemed to apply ‘only to a small proportion’; most were ‘not in any way molested.’ Overall, the Monitor’s dispatch declared, the Hitler regime was providing ‘a dark land a clear light of hope.’

“Why did many mainstream American newspapers portray the Hitler regime positively, especially in its early months?… Why did they excuse or rationalize Nazi anti-Semitism?…  many American editors and reporters assumed… that a radical candidate would show some restraint once in office.

“An editorial in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin on Jan. 30, 1933, asserted that ‘there have been indications of moderation’ on Hitler’s part. The editors of The Cleveland Press, on Jan. 31, claimed the ‘appointment of Hitler as German chancellor may not be such a threat to world peace as it appears at first blush.’…

“Soon after Hitler assumed power, all Jews were dismissed from government jobs and ousted from a wide range of other professions, from dentistry to the movie industry. Sporadic anti-Jewish violence erupted throughout the country—and was amply reported in the American press. The Chicago Tribune described assaults… ‘Hundreds of Jews have been beaten or tortured. Thousands of Jews have fled. Thousands of Jews have been, or will be deprived of their livelihood. All of Germany’s 600,000 Jews are in terror.’

“Yet some American journalists presented a very different view of Germany… A page-one dispatch from the New York Herald Tribune’s Berlin correspondent on March 25 asserted that while the situation of German Jewry was ‘an unhappy one,’ many atrocity stories were ‘exaggerated and often unfounded.’…

“The New York Herald Tribune’s Berlin correspondent, John Elliott, claimed the Nazis were targeting Jews not because of their ‘race,’ but because they were political opponents of the Hitler regime…  A Christian Science Monitor editorial declared that it was the Jews’ own ‘commercial clannishness’ which ‘gets them into trouble.’

“A leading Protestant periodical, The Christian Century, proclaimed in an April 26 editorial: ‘May we ask if Hitler’s attitude may be somewhat governed by the fact that too many Jews, at least in Germany, are radical, too many are communists? May that have any bearing on the situation? There must be some reason other than race or creed—just what is that reason?’…

“Anne O’Hare McCormick [of the Times]… provided the Nazi leader with a major public-relations boost in July 1933. Her page-one interview, headlined ‘Hitler Seeks Jobs for All Germans,’ gave the Führer paragraph after paragraph to justify his domestic policies as the only way to deal with Germany’s unemployment, improve its roads, and promote national unity…

“Remarkably, even five years later—after five years of anti-Jewish violence, German militarization, and the annexation of Austria—some in the Western press still tried to present Hitler’s human side. In November 1938, the same month that the Kristallnacht pogrom devastated German Jewry, the British magazine Homes & Gardens ran a fawning three-page photo spread on Hitler’s “bright, airy chalet” in the Bavarian Alps…  Not long before that puff piece, The New York Times published a dispatch from one of its Berlin correspondents in which he could barely conceal his admiration of Hitler’s ‘mountain retreat.’…

“There was another important factor that influenced U.S. press coverage of Hitler’s early years: the position taken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration. Many editors and reporters took their cues from the White House… The Roosevelt administration, which carefully monitored 425 newspapers daily, downplayed the plight of the Jews… During the 1930s, the position of the White House was not just to sidestep the plight of the Jews, but also to combat any domestic criticism or protests that might interfere with U.S.-German diplomatic and economic relations.

“The administration intervened to block congressional resolutions in 1933-34 criticizing Nazi Germany… Secretary of State Cordell Hull shared with U.S. diplomats in Germany his ‘fear that the continued dissemination of exaggerated reports may prejudice the friendly feelings between the peoples of the two countries and be of doubtful service to anyone.’… Roosevelt even compelled Interior Secretary Harold Ickes to remove critical references to Hitler, Mussolini, and Nazism from a 1938 speech.

“When U.S. Jewish groups organized a boycott of German products, Hull asserted it would be damaging to American interests. The administration even quietly permitted goods to be labeled as having been made in a particular city or province rather than requiring that they be stamped ‘Made in Germany.’ It took the threat of a lawsuit by Jewish leaders to put an end to that. The labeling episode was a tailor-made opportunity for investigative journalism—if the mainstream news media had any interest in exposing the administration’s duplicity. Which it didn’t.

“Perhaps it is not surprising that the sudden, unexpected rise of an extremist from beer halls to the halls of power would catch the Fifth Estate off-guard. What is troubling, however, is the extent to which some mainstream American newspaper editors and reporters deviated from accepted journalistic standards and allowed their better judgment to be clouded by wishful thinking, admiration for punctual trains, susceptibility to celebrity, or deference to the president. One wonders how their successors would respond if a comparable situation were to arise in our own time.”

A comparable situation WILL arise in our time, and it will have to be seen how it is going to be reported in the mainstream media.

Trump at an All-Time High

The Washington Post wrote on December 15:

“Following his proposal to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country, Donald Trump has increased his lead in the Republican primary to its largest margin yet, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The results are the latest sign that Trump’s outspoken comments on immigration and terrorism continue to find an audience among rank-and-file Republicans in spite of sharp condemnation from Democrats, GOP leaders, some of Trump’s rivals and a chorus of world leaders.

“The survey puts Trump’s support at 38 percent among registered Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, six points higher than in October and November. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who also is running an anti-establishment campaign, has surged into second place with 15 percent, effectively doubling his support since last month.

“Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ben Carson are tied for third, with 12 percent each… No other candidate in the new poll registers in double digits…

“In Iowa, which kicks off the nominating season with caucuses on Feb. 1, Trump trailed Cruz [by more than 10 points] in a Des Moines Register-Bloomberg Politics poll released over the weekend. Trump continues to lead in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary on Feb. 9…”

In the most recent Republican Presidential Debate on December 15, Trump emerged as the undisputed winner, followed by Ted Cruz. Nationwide, according to several polls, Trump leads convincingly by a wide margin.

Buchanan to GOP: “Support Trump or Lose to Clinton”

Newsmax reported on December 10:

“Veteran conservative voice Patrick Buchanan issued a stern warning to the Republican Party on Thursday: Throw your weight behind GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump now — or prepare to lose next year’s election to Hillary Clinton. Buchanan, an adviser to Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, told Newsmax TV the freak-out over Trump’s proposal to temporarily bar all Muslims from entering the U.S. is misguided…

“Buchanan said he made the same arguments for limits on entry into the U.S. when he ran for president in 1996 and 2000…”

Ben Carson Blasts Corrupt GOP Conspiracy

Newsmax reported on December 11:

“Ben Carson said Friday that he would not run as an independent candidate amid reports that Republican Party officials had met to discuss the possibility of a ‘brokered’ convention to name a presidential nominee in Cleveland next year as Donald Trump continues to lead in national polls. ‘If it became clear that they were using various types of procedures to get around the will of the people, I would leave,’ the retired pediatric neurosurgeon told Neil Cavuto on Fox News in a telephone interview from Iowa… ‘I would not want to be a part of the deception,’ Carson said. ‘That’s the reason I got into this: to see if somehow we can turn this thing around and bring back integrity.’

“The Washington Post reported late Thursday that 20 top GOP officials, along with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, attended a private dinner on Monday to outline the party’s convention strategy… Generally, most delegates are required to support the candidate chosen in primaries or caucuses, the Post reports. That would not hold, however, if no nominee is chosen. This could lead to a ‘brokered’ convention, in which deals are made to attract delegates to another candidate. The Republican National Convention will be held July 18 to 21, 2016.

“Carson slammed party leaders, charging that any brokering of an eventual nominee would usurp ‘the will of the people’… ‘I don’t want to be part of corruption,’ Carson said. ‘One of the reasons that I got into this race is because I want to return America to we, the people — and the last thing I want to be part of is a bunch of establishment party bosses thwarting the will of the people.’

“Carson blamed leaders from both political parties for creating the current political climate in which he and Trump have thrived as outside candidates since their campaigns began earlier this year… ‘It’s been the conventional political establishment on both parties that have manipulated for the last many decades that has gotten us into this position,’ he told Cavuto. ‘They used the press, they use whatever they have, to manipulate the population and make them think that they’re getting what they want when in fact they are not. And I’m tired of it,’ Carson declared. ‘A lot of people are tired of it — although they still a lot of times don’t realize they’re being manipulated, and we just have to fight this.’”

These comments are very true. The corrupt political system in the USA, with its “politicians” and “political leaders,” is a total disgrace. However, during the Republican Presidential Debate on December 15, Dr. Carson claimed that he was assured by the GOP leadership that the report in the Washington Post was false, and that no such tactics, as alleged, will be employed. We will see.

Why Trump Would Clash with Germany

The Local wrote on December 10:

“Donald Trump would find plenty to dislike in the Federal Republic of Germany.

“Angela Merkel… beat out Trump to win the coveted TIME magazine Person of the Year award on Wednesday December 9th. Trump immediately made his feelings clear with an angry tweet that Merkel was ‘ruining Germany’. The two couldn’t be more different as politicians…

“A big part of Merkel being named person of the year was her decision in August to allow refugees fleeing conflict in Syria free passage into Germany from Hungary. That wouldn’t go down well with Trump, who famously called this week for all Muslims – not just Syrians or refugees – to be banned from the USA. There are sizeable Muslim communities all over Germany, and up to a fifth of people in the country have some kind of link to migration in their background. Just this year, German leaders of all political stripes have insisted that Islam ‘is a part of Germany’ – something Trump would definitely never say about the USA…

“Germans love nothing more than being green… Across the country, people recycle everything from glass bottles to electronic waste. Trump, meanwhile, thinks that global warming is ‘very expensive bull…’

“In Germany, people are often prosecuted for the crime of inciting people to hatred… It’s made far-right movements, such as anti-immigration, anti-Islam Pegida, very wary about the words they use to express their aims. You can also get into serious trouble with the authorities for saying or doing something that ‘endangers the basic democratic order’ of the country. That’s not something Americans like Trump have to worry about, thanks to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech…

“Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in the world – you have to prove that you need a gun for a good reason, such as hunting or target shooting… Trump, meanwhile, regularly expresses his support for gun ownership…

“Trump has regularly said that he thinks he’d ‘get along’ with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. That might not sit too well with Merkel, who has faced down the Russian leader over his annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine and support for pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country…

“In conclusion: Please don’t come to Germany, Donald – you’ll only regret it.”

There are of course many other reasons which would make Trump’s America clash with German leadership. For instance, Trump insisted that Germany should do more for Ukraine, rather than relying on the USA. He also favors the death penalty which is outlawed in Germany. But most importantly, an American President with the name of Donald Trump would be perceived as being in fierce competition with Europe regarding the economy. While wanting to make America great again and to re-regulate and renegotiate deals, Trump would by necessity antagonize Germany. This would include America’s terrible “deal’ with Iran to which Germany was a party.

Trump vs. Much of the Rest of the World

CNN wrote on December 11:

“If Donald Trump were to become president, he’d be starting off on the wrong foot with many of Americas’ allies…

“British Prime Minister David Cameron put out a rare statement criticizing the GOP presidential front-runner’s statements, calling them ‘divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.’…

“Shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office repudiated the proposal, Trump canceled a planned December trip to visit Israel and meet with Netanyahu…

“The foreign minister of America’s neighbor to the north (Canada) also publicly rejected Trump’s comments…

“Trump has also been called out by other Western allies, including politicians in France and the Netherlands…

“On Friday, a member of the Saudi royal family and business magnate tweeted that Trump was a ‘disgrace’… Trump also received a warning that he would ‘not be welcome’ in Muslim countries…”

Putin Praises Trump

AFP wrote on December 17:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday described US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump as ‘talented’ and ‘outstanding,’ welcoming his stance on Russia.”

Bloomberg added on December 17:

“Putin hailed Donald Trump as the ‘absolute leader’ in the U.S. presidential contest, praising the candidate’s talk about building a deeper relationship with Russia.”

The Bible does not indicate any war between Russia and the USA, but it DOES prophesy a war between continental Europe and the USA, the UK and the state of Israel; and a subsequent war between Europe and Russia.

“Paul Ryan Betrays America”

Slate.com wrote on December 16 about “The Paul Ryan Compromise,” continuing, “The new speaker’s first big deal is just like all of the ones that infuriated conservatives under Boehner…”

Breitbart minced no words and published the following headline on December 16:

“Paul Ryan Betrays America: $1.1 Trillion, 2,000-Plus Page Omnibus Bill Funds ‘Fundamental Transformation of America’…”

The article continued:

“Ryan’s first major legislative achievement is a total and complete sell-out of the American people masquerading as an appropriations bill… The Ryan-Pelosi package represents nothing short of a complete and total betrayal of the American people… By locking in the President’s refugee, immigration, and spending priorities, Ryan’s bill is designed to keep these fights out of Congress by getting them off the table for good…

“What may prove most discouraging of all to Americans is that recent reports reveal that conservatives in the so-called House Freedom Caucus are praising Ryan even as he permanently locks in these irreversible and anti-American immigration policies… the House Freedom Caucus will ‘give Ryan a pass’ even as he funds disastrous policies that prioritize the interests of foreign nationals and global corporatists above the needs of the American people whom lawmakers are supposed to represent.”

The Netherland’s Geert Wilders “Politician Of The Year” for the Third Time—Supports Trump

Breitbart wrote on December 15:

“Anti-Islamisation politician Geert Wilders has been named politician of the year for the third time in a Dutch poll as his Freedom Party gains ground in the country. In a survey of 37,000 people, Mr Wilders won 25 per cent of the vote, making him the first politician to win the vote three times. Dutch news site NDTV says he beat his nearest opponent, Green-Left leader Jesse Klaver, by 11 per cent. In third place, Labour’s finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem had just nine per cent.

“[Mr Wilders’] party is currently leading opinion polls in the country, with one poll recently suggesting they would win 35 out of 150 if elections were held tomorrow. The poll comes just days after Mr Wilders endorsed U.S. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s proposed temporary halt on Muslim immigration. Mr Wilders said: ‘I hope [Donald Trump] will be the next US President… We need brave leaders’. He added: ‘Also in The Netherlands, 100,000 Muslims – 11% – say it’s acceptable to use violence.’

“In September, he called Europe’s ongoing migrant crisis an ‘Islamic invasion’ that threatens the continent’s ‘prosperity, security, and identity’. Then in November, he said that Europe should close its borders to Muslims, telling AFP: ‘I’m not asking for anything strange, I am asking that our government close its doors as Hungary did … that we close our borders to those we consider to be migrants, not refugees.’

“Mr Wilders has also supported the ‘Draw Mohammed’ campaign of Pamela Geller, pledging to show Mohammed cartoons on Dutch television.”

Stunning Defeat of Le Pen in France

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“Marine Le Pen has steered France’s Front National (FN) from pariah status into the mainstream, and despite her party’s defeat in regional elections on Sunday, she sounded a typically defiant and vitriolic note, lashing out at the traditional parties for teaming up against her and vowing to press on…

“The first round of the regional elections had given the anti-mass immigration FN the highest share of the vote… But Sunday’s results showed the 47-year-old lawyer by training still has some way to go before convincing the majority of French voters.

“In the northern Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie region, she broke the symbolic 40-percent mark in the first round on December 6, exploiting anger over the dismal economy and the large numbers of migrants camped out in squalid conditions as they try desperately to reach Britain. But as so often for the FN, it was trounced in the second round after the ruling Socialists withdrew candidates and urged voters to back the centre-right.”

It is interesting that through political maneuvering and tactical manipulation, victories can be achieved (in this case for the French Socialists and the Republicans), which otherwise would not materialize. The Bible predicts that a very powerful German or Austrian leader (the “beast”) will arise on the world scene, gaining popularity and a high-ranking political office through flattery and deceit.

Does Merkel Cause More Damage Than Trump?

The Telegraph wrote on December 11:

“… we now have a great many Muslims in our midst – far more here, proportionately, than in Mr Trump’s country, and more in France than here. The risk of violence rises with the total. Even if it is true that 99 per cent of Muslims would not hurt a fly, when you increase the numbers you inevitably get more of those who would. People are, therefore, right to worry more about mass immigration from, say, Syria, than from, say, Poland…

“The founders of the European Union wanted… to give Christendom modern democratic form, but this is now nearly invisible. The leader of the union’s largest Christian Democrat party, Angela Merkel, has let more than a million mainly Muslim immigrants into her country this year alone. The East German pastor’s daughter is surely a much nicer person than Donald J Trump, but I wonder if she is not doing more actual harm to the future of the West.”

Merkel Rejects Multiculturalism

The Huffington Post wrote on December 14:

“In an address to the Christian Democratic Union on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to limit the flow of refugees entering the country, addressing critics in her own party who have questioned her decision to open Germany’s borders. As a top economic and political power, Germany has a ‘humanitarian imperative’ to accept people fleeing turmoil in Syria, Merkel said. Yet after accepting roughly 1 million refugees so far this year, she added that the country must now ‘noticeably reduce’ the number of new arrivals.

“… Merkel said refugees will have to make an effort to assimilate into German society. She also dismissed the idea of multiculturalism, which in parts of Europe is associated with a policy of encouraging distinct cultural groups to live in separate communities. ‘Those who seek refuge with us also have to respect our laws and traditions, and learn to speak German,’ she said. ‘Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies, and therefore multiculturalism remains a grand delusion.’…

“Her comments on Monday were neither new nor unexpected. In 2011, the Netherlands abandoned a policy of multiculturalism that allowed separate ethnic communities to live side by side without integration efforts. At a speech she gave to her party in 2010, Merkel said immigrants were welcome in Germany — but they should be prepared to adapt. ‘The approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other … has failed, utterly failed,’ she said at the time.”

DHS Under Severe Scrutiny

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on December 6:

“At least 72 employees at the Department of Homeland Security are listed on the U.S. terrorist watch list, according to a Democratic lawmaker… Rep. Stephen Lynch (D., Mass.)… ‘The [former DHS] director had to resign because of that,’ he said… Lynch referred to a recent report that found the Transportation Security Administration, which is overseen by DHS, failed to stop 95 percent of those who attempted to bring restricted items past airport security…

“Lynch said he has ‘very low confidence’ in DHS based on its many failures over the years. For this reason, he voted in favor of recent legislation that will tighten the vetting process for any Syrian refugees applying for asylum in the United States… ‘I have even lower confidence that they can conduct the vetting process in places like Jordan, or Belize or on the Syrian border, or in Cairo, or Beirut in any better fashion, especially given the huge volume of applicants we’ve had seeking refugee status,’ Lynch said.”

Muslim Brotherhood Very Active in the USA with White House Support

Breitbart wrote on December 7:

“Though President Barack Obama claimed that America must ‘enlist Muslim communities’ to combat terrorism in his Sunday evening Oval Office address, former FBI Counterterrorism Agent John Guandolo said… that since 9/11, ‘we collectively have received nearly zero help from the Muslim Community.’

“Guandolo… pointed out… that a ‘vast majority’ of U.S. mosques and Islamic centers are a part of a much larger ‘jihadi network’… He also pointed out that the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Islamic charity in America, was a ‘Hamas organization at the time it was indicted and Hamas is an inherent part of the Muslim Brotherhood.’ He said it will be nearly impossible to… successfully combat terrorists ‘so long as the U.S. government… emboldens and empowers Muslim Brotherhood organizations here.’…

“He also called out Saudi Arabia for being the top financier of Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and al-Qaeda projects in the United States. Guandolo said these organizations build lavish mosques that can hold thousands of people in areas where there are only 12 Muslims because their strategy is to claim ground ‘up to three miles around the mosque.’ He said the Saudis help these organizations purchase homes in the area at substantially above-market prices in order to ‘occupy that space around that mosque.’”

ISIS May Print Fake Syrian Passports

ABC News wrote on December 10:

“With the U.S. and other countries on high alert for ISIS attacks, American authorities are warning the terror group’s followers may have infiltrated American borders with authentic-looking [Syrian] passports ISIS has printed itself with its own machines…

“Former Department of Homeland Security intelligence official and ABC News consultant John Cohen said, ‘If ISIS has been able to acquire legitimate passports or machines that create legitimate passports, this would represent a major security risk in the United States.’

“Fake Syrian passports have already been discovered in Europe, most notably two used by suicide bombers in the horrific terrorist attack on Paris last month. The two men are believed to have slipped into Europe with a flood of Syrian refugees fleeing the violence in their homeland…

“[Allegedly] fake Syrian passports can be obtained in Syria for $200 to $400 and… backdated passport stamps to be placed in the passport cost the same…”

Saudi Arabia’s Coalition vs. ISIS, but without Iran

Express wrote on December 15:

“Saudi Arabia [a Sunni country] has announced a huge 34 state military alliance tasked with wiping out the Islamic State and other terrorist groups… Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi defence minister, said the group would fight terrorist activities in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan…The huge coalition combines Arab countries like Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with Islamic countries like Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.

“However [Shiite] Iran, Saudi Arabia’s arch rival for influence in the Arab world, is not part of the coalition. The two countries are locked in proxy conflicts across the Middle East. [Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposite sides in the wars raging in Syria and Yemen.] In Yemen, Saudi and Gulf Arab forces have been locked in battle with Iran-allied rebels, with an uneasy ceasefire soon to take place in the region.

“The alliance comes after western pressure, particularly from the USA, for nations like Saudi Arabia to help tackle ISIS, otherwise known as Daesh. Saudi Arabia is currently leading a military intervention in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels and is part of the US-led coalition bombing ISIS in Iraq and Syria.”

All these Middle Eastern and other Islamic countries, as mentioned in the article, are of a dictatorial and totalitarian nature, suppressing individual freedoms and liberties of their citizens. Any coalition between the USA and Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations will not hold. In addition, note the next article.

Saudi Arabia’s “Alliance” Makes No Sense

The Washington Post wrote on December 17:

“Saudi Arabia’s ‘Islamic Military Alliance’ against Terrorism makes no sense… First, some of the countries apparently in the alliance [including Pakistan, Malaysia and Lebanon] claim to have never heard of it… Other countries listed as being part of the alliance [including Uganda, Gabon, Benin and Togo] do not have Muslim majorities… A number [of] major Muslim countries [including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Indonesia] are not part of the alliance… 

“It’s unclear what exactly the alliance is aiming to do… Saudi Arabia has also gone to lengths to suggest that the alliance would not be limited to attempts to fight the Islamic State, but would focus on terrorism in general… Saudi Arabia’s definition of terrorism is worryingly broad… Under a law introduced last year, virtually any criticism of the kingdom’s political system or its interpretation of Islam counts as terrorism…”

ISIS Envisions Destruction of Rome

The Daily Mail wrote on December 11:

“The Islam State has released a chilling new video showing its apocalyptic vision of a final showdown with the West, which includes jihadists advancing toward the Colosseum in Rome. The disturbing footage, named ‘Meeting at Dabiq’, is focused on the notion of a deadly battle for world domination, in which ISIS ‘believers’ will fight western ‘crusaders’ in the Italian capital.

“… in a digitally-altered scene, an ISIS armoured unit is filmed heading toward the Colosseum. The male narrator describes how militants will destroy the ‘crusader’ sites… As well as the famous amphitheatre, St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City also features in the footage.”

ISIS will not destroy Rome, but it is interesting to see what goals ISIS has in mind.

Does Turkey Provoke Russia Deliberately?

Express wrote on December 13:

“The Russian plane shot down by Turkish forces last month was targeted in a cold-blooded ambush, according to a defence and aviation expert. Pierre Sprey, an American defence analyst involved in the development of the F-16 fighter jet, has revealed that he thought it was clearly a ‘pre-planned operation.’… He concluded: ‘The evidence looks pretty strong that the Turks were setting up an ambush.’

“The Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down as it returned to an air base following a military operation in Syria. According to the Turkish government, the Russian aircraft had crossed into their territory and refused to change direction despite receiving ten warnings in five minutes. However, the Russian military has responded by saying that their jet had not crossed the border and said it was one kilometer outside of Turkish airspace when it was shot down.

“They also claimed that they had not received any warnings, something Mr Sprey believes could be true. He said: ‘Now it so happens that Su-24s have no radios onboard for receiving UHF-frequency signals, a fact which is well known to American, NATO and Turkish intelligence. Those warnings may have been deliberately transmitted only on the international civilian frequency so that the Su-24s would never hear them.’”

Deutsche Welle added on December 13:

“Russian media reported on Sunday that the defense ministry had summoned Turkey’s military attaché in Moscow over a near-miss in the Aegean Sea. According to the Kremlin, a Russian destroyer only narrowly avoided Turkish vessel despite repeated warnings on the part of the Russian navy.

“‘The crew of the Russian patrol ship Smetlivy which was located 22 kilometers from the Greek island of Lemnos in the northern part of the Aegean Sea avoided collision with a Turkish seiner,’ said a ministry statement. ‘Despite numerous attempts by the Smetlivy, the crew of the Turkish seiner would not engage in radio contact and did not respond to special visual signals,’ the statement continued. The Smetlivy then fired small arms as a warning, ‘to prevent the collision of the ships.’

“The incident was sure to add to the tensions between the two nations, which has been at a fever pitch since a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkish security forces at the end of November, killing a pilot… Moscow has been particularly insistent that Turkey is funding terrorism by buying oil from ‘Islamic State’ (IS) jihadists.”

The Bible indicates that Turkey will ultimately collaborate with the EU and apparently against Russia.

Catholic Church Will Not Attempt to Convert Jews… at Least Not for Now

The New York Times wrote on December 10:

“Catholics should not try to convert Jews, but should work together with them to fight anti-Semitism, the Vatican said on Thursday in a far-reaching document meant to solidify its increasingly positive relations with Jews. Despite a long history of mutual suspicion and conflict, Christianity and Judaism are deeply intertwined, and Christians should treat the subject of the Holocaust with sensitivity and repel any anti-Semitic tendencies, the Vatican wrote.

“… the commission wrote that the church was ‘obliged to view evangelization to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views.’ It specified that ‘the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews.’…

“‘It clearly states that salvation doesn’t come from the Jews’ conversion, but it’s very respectful of their own mission,’ said Alberto Melloni, the director of a liberal Catholic research institution, the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies in Bologna… Coming 50 years after the Vatican formally repudiated the idea of collective Jewish guilt for Jesus’ death, the document emphasized the tight and inescapable link between Christianity and Judaism. ‘A Christian can never be an anti-Semite, especially because of the Jewish roots of Christianity,’ it stated…

“Jewish leaders praised the document and the way that Catholic-Jewish relations had progressed… Before the Second Vatican Council of 1962-65, Catholic prayers said on Good Friday, the day that commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion and death, called Jews ‘perfidious.’ The revisions to the Mass ordered by the council eliminated that characterization, but some other language that Jewish groups found offensive continued to be said by ultratraditional Catholics using old-style Latin prayers, including a reference to ‘the blindness of that people.’ Pope Benedict XVI ordered those prayers changed in 2008.

“The Vatican’s efforts to improve relations with Jews gained major impetus under Pope John Paul II. He was the first pope to pray in a synagogue, the first to acknowledge the failure of individual Catholics to act against the Holocaust and the first to call anti-Semitism a sin ‘against God and man.’…”

What is of course missing from this nice-sounding dialogue is the biblical truth that even though salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22), salvation is not possible except through acceptance of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. To be a true Christian, one has become a spiritual Jew, who will accept both the Old and the New Testament, but there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, and there is no salvation in any other but in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

“The War That Nobody Wants”

This is the headline of an article which was published by Deutsche Welle on December 4. The article continued:

“Germany is sending soldiers to Syria to combat the self-proclaimed ‘Islamic State’ (IS) terror group. The government isn’t acting out of conviction, rather in response to external pressure…

“The Iraq War of 2003 should serve as a cautionary tale when it comes to this sort of ill-considered obedience…

“Nobody is questioning the murderous, deeply evil character of this terrorist group… They can attack anytime, anywhere, and everyone knows it. Despite this, the government is contributing to the illusion that ‘IS’ can be beaten with more air strikes. They are deluding themselves…

“Independent political and military experts have voiced serious doubts about the success of such a mission. Then, there are international legal concerns… There is already a long list of failed deployments in this young century: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya – all failed states where the seeds of terror were planted and continue to grow. Now, in Syria, military alliances are suddenly being formed that, just weeks ago, would have been likened by all parties to a pact with the devil… This alone shows just how helpless and desperate the West – and with it now Germany – has become.

“The German government has painted itself into a corner. It knows that the agreed deployment is highly risky for both the soldiers, and the German people. It will, of course, increase the risk of an ‘IS’ terrorist attack on German soil.

“There are jihadists living among us. And the horrific scenes from Paris are still fresh. There, it was mainly French citizens with a Muslim background who carried out the attacks. Now, out of an honest sense of solidarity, Germany is participating in a war for which there are no convincing political and military arguments…”

German Muslims Warn Against German Military Involvement in Syria

Deutsche Welle reported on December 5:

“The head of Germany’s Central Council of Muslims spoke out against German involvement in Syria on Saturday… Aiman Mazyek said that this type of strategy in the fight against terrorism had already proven a failure…

“According to Mazyek, a much better plan is to stop the delivery of weapons to the jihadists, to force regional powers to come together at the negotiating table and by focusing on a strategy of reconciliation, creating a perspective of hope and peace for Syrians and not one of continued misery and conflict… adding that groups like ‘IS’ and al Qaeda benefit from the West engaging them in violence because war is an important part of their political goals.

“Referring to Germany’s involvement in the protracted conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Mazyek reminded readers that ‘we have sown war, and out of it came refugees and terrorism.’”

Undoubtedly, ongoing military engagement in Syria (which will not be successful in destroying ISIS) will maximize the ongoing migrant crisis.

Terror Attack in San Bernardino–a Political Nightmare for Obama

The Guardian wrote on December 4:

“There is never a good time for a commander-in-chief to learn of a terrorist attack on the homeland, but confirmation… could hardly have come at a worse time politically for Barack Obama. Just one week [ago] the president responded to mounting fear of terrorism with unusually forthright reassurance for Americans to ‘go about their usual activities’ during the US holiday season… the president also went out of his way to stress there was ‘no specific and credible intelligence indicating a plot on the homeland’.

“The message was a direct response to what Obama said were ‘understandable’ fears about terrorism in the wake of the recent Paris shootings. But it also came as he was facing unprecedented levels of criticism from political opponents about failing to take seriously the threat from Isis and those potentially inspired by its violent extremism…

“In the immediate aftermath of Wednesday’s shooting, Obama focused exclusively on gun control as a policy response – suggesting the attack fitted into a ‘pattern of mass shootings in this country’. By Thursday, after the identity of the attackers had become clear, the president acknowledged that terrorism was a possibility but still spoke mainly about the need to pass gun control legislation – even though it now looks possible that the assault rifles in the attack may have already been illegal under California law.”

Incredible–Falwell Jr. Encourages Students to Buy Guns

Newsmax reported on December 5:

“Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Christian-based Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is encouraging students to carry concealed weapons on campus for protection, a local newspaper reported. Falwell made his remarks at the school’s weekly convocation on Friday night, according to The News & Advance in Lynchburg. The comments came two days after a shooting in San Bernardino, California left 14 people dead and in the wake of other shooting sprees in the United States, including some on college campuses.

“‘It just blows my mind when I see that the president of the United States [says] that the answer to circumstances like that is more gun control,’ Falwell said, according to the newspaper. ‘I’ve always thought if more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in.’ Later on Friday, Falwell clarified via Twitter that he was referring to Islamic terrorists, not all Muslims, the paper reported.

“Falwell, whose [late] father Jerry Falwell Sr. was an evangelical Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative political commentator, urged students to take free classes offered by the university’s Police Department to obtain a concealed weapon permit, the newspaper reported. ‘Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here,’ he said. Liberty University is a private institution with about 14,500 students taking courses on campus and another 95,000 enrolled online, according to the school’s website.”

Newsmax added on December 7 “that… Jerry Falwell Jr. defended his stance that his students should be carrying guns on campus, saying the policy has been in effect since the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32… Students have to be 21 years old to carry weapons on campus, he said.”

Others, such as Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump, have made similar claims and recommendations.

However, all should be well advised to read Christ’s statements to Peter, in Matthew 26:52: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword [or a gun] will perish by the sword [a gun].” The warning is repeated in Revelation 13:10: “… he who kills with the sword [a gun] must be killed with the sword [a gun].” Christ introduced this warning in verse 9 with, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”

Falwell and others have not been listening so far, and neither have millions who think that they will live safer lives by carrying a gun and by willing to use it. The opposite is true.

Franklin Graham Blasts “New York Daily News” over Prayer Article

Newsmax wrote on December 4:

“Christian evangelist… Franklin Graham is blasting a prayer-shaming headline and story in the New York Daily News.

“… the son of famed preacher Billy Graham… decries the attitude that prayers don’t do much to prevent mass shootings like the [terrorist attack by a heavily-armed radical Muslim couple] that killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. ‘The New York Daily News front page touts “God isn’t fixing this” in regards to the San Bernardino mass shooting,’ Graham writes.

“‘And they have the audacity to criticize politicians who had publicly offered prayers and asked for God’s comfort following the killings, calling them “cowards who could truly end gun scourge.” Shame on them! … ‘It’s evident that this group is bashing the importance of prayer in order to promote their own gun control agenda,’ he adds.

“Graham argues prayers aren’t ‘“meaningless platitudes” as they say on their cover.’ ‘Prayer does make a difference in heartbreaking situations like this,’ he writes.”

“Most Controversial” Statements by Donald Trump So Far—“Complete Shutdown on Muslims Entering the USA”

NBC News reported on December 7:

“Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on Monday called for a ‘total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States’ [‘until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.]… Trump released a statement citing polling data he says shows ‘there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.’…

“Trump’s announcement comes the day after President Barack Obama addressed the nation, calling on Americans ‘to reject religious tests on who we admit into this country.’…

“‘Donald Trump always plays on everyone’s worst instincts and fears and saying we’re not going to let a single Muslim into this [country] is a dangerous over reaction,’ Carly Fiorina told NBC News after a campaign stop in Iowa.

“‘This is the kind of thing that people say when they have no experience and don’t know what they’re talking about,’ Chris Christie said during a radio interview. ‘That’s a ridiculous position,’ he added.”

Lindsey Graham tweeted that ‘Every candidate for president needs to do the right thing and condemn’ Trump’s comments. Ted Cruz said ‘that is not my policy.’ A spokesperson for Ben Carson said, ‘Everyone visiting our country should register and be monitored during their stay as is done in many countries. We do not and would not advocate being selective on one’s religion.’

Jeb Bush wrote on Facebook that Trump is “unhinged” and that his “policy proposals are not serious.” He later speculated whether Trump and Clinton were engaged in a conspiracy so that Clinton would win; and reporters on MSNBC “speculated” quite seriously whether Trump was making those controversial comments so that he could lose.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said he disagrees with Trump. “[His] habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together…” he said in a statement. Former Vice President Dick Cheney said that “such a policy goes against the spirit of America.” The White House and the Democrats universally condemned Trump’s proposal.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said that Trump’s proposal “is not what this party (GOP) stands for. And more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for.”

The Washington Post wrote:

“In the past month… Trump has called for greater scrutiny of Muslims — including Muslim Americans who are legal residents of the country. He has said he would support heavy surveillance of mosques, bar Syrian refugees of all religions from entering the country and would consider establishing a database to track all Muslims in the country. But Trump’s statement on Monday was his most controversial proposal yet.”

The Huffington Post wrote: “Trump goes full fascist.”

Fox News host Shepard Smith said that Trump “is representing the worst, darkest part of all that is America.”

 In Germany, Trump’s comments made the headlines in almost every news outlet. Bild Online wrote about Trump’s newest “provocation,” adding that Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, confirmed via Email that Trump’s demand to exclude Muslims does not only refer to refugees, but also to tourists and students. (Trump later “clarified” that his proposal would not apply to US citizens and Muslims living in the USA, and a Trump spokesperson said that his comments were meant to apply “only” to immigration). Trump also said that there would be exceptions for some, without giving any specifics. Die Zeit wrote that Trump found a new scapegoat—the “hateful” Muslims.

Trump was also highly criticized in Great Britain.

Deutsche Welle characterized Trump’s comments as “racist” and wrote on December 9:

“British hostility towards… Donald Trump is a hot commodity across the United Kingdom… nearly a quarter of a million people [have been] signing a petition to ban the US presidential candidate from Britain… [Trump said:] ‘We have places in London… that are so radicalised that the police are afraid for their own lives.’

“The latter comment drew outrage and fury from across Britain’s political establishment. London Mayor Boris Johnson lashed into Trump. ‘I think he is betraying a quite stupefying ignorance that makes him frankly unfit to hold the office of the president of the United States,’ Johnson told ITV News. The mayor also told the BBC, ‘Crime has been falling steadily… in London…’

“Prime Minister David Cameron – who now leads the same conservative party once led by Margaret Thatcher – said the US presidential candidate’s statement [banning all Muslims from entering the USA] was ‘divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.’…

“Trump’s comments prompted an outraged Scottish government Wednesday to drop him as a business ambassador for the country, where he owns golf courses and hotels… The petition will now be considered for debate by parliament as it has over 100,000 signatures, and will receive a written government response…”

The Associated Press wrote on December 7:

“[Trump] did not respond to questions about whether it would also include Muslims who are U.S. citizens and travel outside of the country, or how a determination of someone’s religion might be made by customs and border officials. There are, for example, more than 5,800 servicemen and women on active U.S. military duty and in the reserves who self-identify as Muslim and could be assigned to serve overseas.

“Trump was also unclear on whether his ban would apply to Muslim allies in the fight against Islamic State militants. Ari Fleischer, a former aide to Republican President George W. Bush, tweeted, ‘Under Trump, the King Abdullah of Jordan, who is fighting ISIS, won’t be allowed in the US to talk about how to fight ISIS.’…

“Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said of Trump’s idea, ‘It’s just foolish.’ But will it hurt his campaign? ‘I have no idea,’ McCain said. ‘I thought long ago that things he said would hurt his prospects, and he continues to go up.’”

On the other hand, the following two articles give a slightly different picture.

The New York Times wrote on December 8:

“His remarks ignited widespread condemnation that crossed ideological and social lines in many countries… But Mr. Trump’s position also had its admirers. His stance on Muslim immigration drew several hundred favorable comments on China’s Twitter-like social media site, Weibo, where supporters linked his idea to their own fears of the Uighurs, a minority Muslim group in China’s northwestern region, some of whom have resorted to militancy and violence…

“Mr. Trump’s views were more recognizable in Europe than most people liked to admit and… his stances resembled those of not just Ms. Le Pen [note the next section in these Current Events] but also other larger-than-life politicians who appealed to voters fed up with the political mainstream… in a world in which terrorism has come to be associated with radical Islam, Mr. Trump’s stance resonated among people who perceive a similar threat…”

Bloomberg reported on December 9:

“Almost two-thirds of likely 2016 Republican primary voters favor Donald Trump’s call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S., while more than a third say it makes them more likely to vote for him.”

Trump’s proposals, if they are indeed serious and not just unrealistic comments to get votes, become more and more troublesome. But in times of war, when “enemies” are found or designated, they are not surprising. In Nazi Germany, Jews became the scapegoats for everything which was “bad” in Germany, and they were persecuted mercilessly. In the USA under President Franklin Roosevelt, during World War II, unconstitutional restrictions were placed on American citizens of Italian, German and Japanese descent, culminating in American “detention camps” of innocent Japanese civilians. Is history beginning to repeat itself… and are much worse times ahead?

Far Right Anti-Muslim Party Wins Stunning Victory in France

The EUObserver wrote on December 7:

“The [far-right] National Front [under party leader Marine Le Pen] has come first [with a 27.9 percent share of the votes] in half of the regions in a first round of local elections in France. The results were expected but they created a shock in French politics… The Front National is ‘without contest the first party of France,’ Le Pen told supporters Sunday evening… The Socialist Party (PS) of president Francois Hollande and prime minister Manuel Valls came only third with around 23 percent.”

The Associated Press wrote on December 8:

“France’s options are no longer as simple as left and right. The far-right, anti-establishment National Front has ridden a wave of anger over migration and extremist attacks straight into the political mainstream — where experts predict it will stay. The party’s historic results in Sunday’s first round of regional elections were the latest in a series of electoral inroads, with scores that shamed and destabilized the traditional parties. The conservative party of former President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Francois Hollande’s Socialists — the long-standing anchors of French political life — scrambled to find ways to block the ascent of the far-right before the December 13 final round.

“The showing of the National Front… will dynamize leader Marine Le Pen’s planned bid for the presidency in 2017. In the traditionally Socialist northeastern region where she was running, the party won more than 40 percent of the vote. Her niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, had a similar showing in the southeastern Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, a stronghold of the traditional right…

“The party… is opposed to the European Union and the euro currency and fears that Muslim immigrants will supplant French civilization, replacing church bells with calls to prayer… Marine Le Pen replaced her father, party co-founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011. She immediately set about changing its anti-Semitic image to make it less toxic to voters and undo its pariah status. In its former life, people were often too ashamed to reveal that they had voted for the National Front…

“Far-right parties have made inroads across Europe in recent years, from Greece to Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands and elsewhere. Le Pen heads a powerful far-right group in the European Parliament. All are feeding on the migrant crisis… German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said the National Front’s strong performance must be a ‘wake-up call for all democrats in Europe.’”

JTA wrote on December 7:

“According to Haaretz, the result is the strongest electoral achievement for a far-right European party since World War II. Le Pen’s father, National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, had a history of anti-Semitism, though his daughter has distanced herself and the party from him and his record. Following publication of the results, CRIF, the umbrella body of French Jewry, called on French Jews to vote against National Front in the runoff. ‘On this coming Sunday, go out and vote by the masses to block the National Front, a xenophobic and populist party,’ the CRIF statement read. ‘Do not allow the Republic to fall.’”

War Is in the Russian Air

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“The popular Russian rock band Va-Bank released a new music video on Wednesday. It’s called ‘And After Berlin’ and… contains current political messages. International sanctions, Crimea and the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin are mentioned before the chorus comes: ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.’

“Since the annexation of Crimea, war and conquest fantasies have become commonplace in Russia. You hear them from politicians, journalists and pundits. Apocalyptic photomontages depicting a future war between Europe and the United States are making the rounds on social media…

“The threat of nuclear weapons… now surfaces regularly… ‘Russia is the only country in the world that is truly capable of turning the USA into a heap of radioactive ash,’ star moderator Dmitri Kisseljov said on state television [on March 16, 2014].

“Since then, prominent personalities have continued to swing the nuclear club. Right-wing populist Vladimir Shirinovsky, the deputy parliamentary chairman, has threatened to reduce first Kyiv, then Berlin, then Washington to dust. Most recently, he was toying with the idea of throwing a nuclear bomb into the Black Sea near Istanbul. Then the Turkish city would be washed away by a giant wave, Shirinovsky reasoned during an appearance before parliament on Tuesday…

“The ‘expectation of war’ is hanging in the air these days, the Moscow-based journalist and blogger Alexander Plushev told DW. He said the media were mainly responsible for spreading such sentiment.

“Turkey’s downing of a Russian military jet on its border with Syria at the end of November appears to have heated up Russia’s war rhetoric even more… Even some journalists loyal to the Kremlin have shown concern. At the end of November, Ulyana Skoibeda of the tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda questioned the jingoism in the wake of the Turkey conflict… Her column disappeared from the paper’s website a few hours after it was published…”

It is interesting that the article mentions a coming war between Europe and the USA… as this is exactly what will happen, according to biblical prophecy.

Denmark Says No to More Europe

On December 4, the EUObserver published an article with the following headline: “Denmark says No to more EU, casts shadow on UK vote.”

It continued:

“Danish voters, on Thursday (3 December), responded with a clear No when asked to integrate deeper with the European Union. The referendum resulted in a large majority – 53.1 percent No, against 46.9 percent Yes – refusing to join EU justice and home affairs policies. Denmark opted out from this part of EU policy when ratifying the Maastricht treaty 22 years ago.”

It does not appear that Denmark or the UK will be part of the final configuration of ten European core nations or groups of nations, as prophesied in the Bible.

EU Will Fall Apart Unless…

Express wrote on December 9:

“The European Union is at risk of falling apart over the next 10-years due to the migrant crisis, the head of the European Parliament suggested. Martin Schulz said the EU was in danger as there are forces trying to rip it apart… Mr Schulz said: ‘No one can say whether the EU will still exist in this form in 10-years’ time…

“Mr Schulz added no country could single-handedly tackle challenges like migration, adding this was only possible as a unified EU.”

According to the Bible, ten nations or groups of nations will emerge out of the EU “in this form.”

Israel Could Easily Destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Times of Israel wrote on December 3:

“Israel could easily destroy Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, but emphatically does not want to, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. In remarks to Likud colleagues, Netanyahu said Israel could rid the Temple Mount of the mosque with little effort, but that to do so would contradict everything that Israel represents…

“The mosque atop the Temple Mount — which is the holiest place in Judaism as the site of the two biblical temples — has been at the heart of a wave of Palestinian terrorism and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in recent months. Palestinian leaders and media have alleged that Israel intends to change the decades-long arrangements under which Jews are allowed to visit but barred from praying on the Mount — something Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted is not the case.”

However, the Bible shows that a Third Temple will be built and that sacrifices will be given by the Jews on the Temple Mount prior to Christ’s return. This suggests that the Al-Aqsa mosque WILL BE destroyed.

Outright Derision between USA and Israel

JTA wrote on December 5:

“U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking at an annual U.S.-Israel confab, said Israel’s government must consider the consequences of evolving toward a single state incorporating the Palestinian areas… Kerry’s forceful questioning of Israeli policy as well Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon’s outright derision of U.S. Middle East policy the previous evening underscored the divisions that continue to dog the governments of President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…

“Kerry’s bluntness matched Yaalon’s in his claim the previous evening that the Obama administration had forfeited leadership in the region to Russian President Vladimir Putin… Netanyahu, in a last-minute addition, delivered a 10-minute video address Sunday rebutting Kerry’s warning. He said the core issue hindering Israeli-Palestinian peace was the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state…

“Much of the recent spate of deadly violence in the West Bank and Israel has been stoked by tensions surrounding the Temple Mount…”

No Connection Between Temple Mount and Islam

Israel National News reported on December 6:

“Renowned Egyptian scholar Youssef Ziedan, a specialist in Arabic and Islamic studies [said] that there is actually no connection between Jerusalem and ancient Islam. When Islam was founded during the 7th century, he says, Jerusalem was a holy city to the Jews, while the Mosque of Omar was not even built until 74 years after Muhammed’s death. The reason it was built, Ziedan says, is because the builder wished to detract from the centrality of Mecca in Islam.

“Prof. Ziedan is the director of the Manuscript Center and Museum in the Library of Alexandria. He is a public lecturer, university professor, columnist and prolific author of more than 50 books. He won the 2009 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his work Azazeel, which was also translated into Hebrew… ‘Al-Aksa is not ours,’ he emphasizes, ‘and though the word comes from the word “extreme,” it does not refer to the far mosque on the Temple Mount, but rather to a mosque that is the “further” of two mosques in Mecca.’

“According to Ziedan, Muslims are purposely and falsely turning a political struggle between Israel and the Arabs into a religious one. ‘The religious aspect of the conflict is nonsense… The only reason why Muslims insist on the sanctity of Jerusalem is simply politics.’…

“Prof. Ziedan’s claims support knowledge long held by Jewish historians. Muslims have historically attached themselves to Jerusalem only when political expedient, beginning with Mohammed himself. In a barefaced attempt to win over the Jews living near him, the founder of Islam decided to announce that prayers would be directed towards Jerusalem – but when the Jews scorned his advances, he slaughtered many of them, and proceeded to direct his followers’ prayers towards Mecca instead.

“Not only did Mohammed never mention the city in the Koran, but later, when Moslems conquered the Holy Land, they totally ignored Jerusalem and established their capital in Ramle…”

Impression of King Hezekiah’s Royal Seal Unearthed

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 2:

“An unprecedented impression of the royal seal of King Hezekiah from the First Temple period was unearthed by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem archeological team during excavations at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount, the university announced on Wednesday. Dating back to 727–698 BCE and measuring 9.7 mm by 8.6 mm., the oval impression… was imprinted on a 3-mm.- thick piece of clay, measuring 13 mm. by 12 mm…

“The impression bears an inscription in ancient Hebrew script stating: ‘Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah,’ accompanied by a two-winged sun with wings turned downward, flanked by two ankh symbols serving as emblems of life…

“King Hezekiah is described favorably in the Bible (II Kings, Isaiah, II Chronicles) as well as in the chronicles of the Assyrian kings Sargon II and his son, Sennacherib, who ruled during his time. ‘Hezekiah is depicted as both a resourceful and daring king, who centralized power in his hands,’ the university said. ‘Although he was an Assyrian vassal, he successfully maintained the independent standing of the Judean kingdom and its capital, Jerusalem, which he enhanced economically, religiously and diplomatically.’

“The Bible states of Hezekiah: ‘There was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him’ (II Kings 18:5).”

Again, the Bible has been proven to be historically accurate.

California Owns Your DNA

CBS reported on November 9:

“… a non-descript office building in Richmond contains the DNA of every person born in California since 1983. It’s a treasure trove of information about you, from the color of your eyes and hair to your pre-disposition to diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.

“Using these newborn blood spots for research, the state is able to screen babies for 80 hereditary diseases. But the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is not the only agency using the blood spots. Law enforcement can request them. Private companies can buy them to do research – without your consent…

“The CDPH turned down a request for an interview and wouldn’t explain why it doesn’t ask permission to sell babies’ blood spots. But it said parents can have them destroyed. And CDPH says the blood spots are de-identified and can’t be tracked back to the child. But Yaniv Erlich with Columbia University and the New York Genome Center said there’s no way to guarantee that. His research demonstrated how easy it is to take anonymized DNA, cross-reference it with online data and connect it to a name…

“[Mrs.] Gatto thinks the state should have to at least ask her consent before storing and selling her daughters’ DNA… Gatto ended up requesting that her child’s blood spots be destroyed. Meanwhile, her husband – state Assemblyman Mike Gatto – introduced a bill this year that would have required signed consent on newborn screening. Opposition from the state and the industry killed it.”

This is rather shocking and disturbing. Is there anything in citizens’ lives which the US government and lobbyists do not take over and manipulate?

Incredible Religious Persecution… in Texas!

Fox News reported on November 28:

“12-year-old Jordan Wooley, the Texas girl who spoke out after her teacher made her say that God is a myth, says she has been bullied and told to kill herself after media coverage of the incident. It all began when Jordan’s teacher assigned a quiz asking students at West Memorial Junior High School in Katy, Texas, to label statements as ‘fact, assertion, or opinion.’

“Among the statements were ‘America is the most free country on Earth’ and ‘there is a God.’ After Jordan labeled the latter as a ‘fact,’ her teacher told her to deny God or get an ‘F.’

“The Katy Independent School District denied the incident ever happened and claimed no one could verify Jordan’s story. But that didn’t stop her from calling the board members ‘liars’ and asking for an apology in a statement on Monday…”

If this story turns out to be true, then the teacher and the responsible representative(s) of the Katy Independent School District should resign or be fired immediately.

Careful… Obama Administration and IRS Up to No Good?

Fox News reported on December 7:

“An Obama administration proposal to have some nonprofit charities report the Social Security numbers of donors giving at least $250 in one year is raising concerns about security, government overreach and another episode of IRS targeting. ‘There’s a big caution here. There’s a big yellow light that should be flashing for a couple of reasons,’ Illinois Republican Rep. Peter Roskam tells Fox News. ‘Number one, the IRS has not demonstrated its capacity to hold this type of information from confidentiality and a security point of view.’

“The change would impact organizations that fall into the 501 (c)(3) category, which includes churches and other religious or charitable groups. The Internal Revenue Service states the proposed change would be optional. But skeptics question whether it will eventually become the only option… attorney Cleta Mitchell… argues that the IRS cannot be trusted and that the change could have a devastating impact on charities’ ability to collect enough money to survive…”

EU To Become a World-Ruling Superstate

On November 29, The Telegraph published an article with the following headline: “How a secretive elite created the EU to build a world government.”

The article pointed out the following:

“Voters in Britain’s referendum need to understand that the European Union was about building a federal superstate from day one… As the debate over the forthcoming EU referendum gears up, it would be wise perhaps to remember how Britain was led into membership in the first place. It seems to me that most people have little idea why one of the victors of the Second World War should have become almost desperate to join this ‘club’…

“Why would [Britain] want to enter the EEC [forerunner of the EU]? The answer is that Harold Macmillan and his closest advisers were part of an intellectual tradition that saw the salvation of the world in some form of world government based on regional federations. He was also a close acquaintance of Jean Monnet, who believed the same…

“Despite advice from the Lord Chancellor, Lord Kilmuir, that membership would mean the end of British parliamentary sovereignty, Macmillan deliberately misled the House of Commons — and practically everyone else, from Commonwealth statesmen to cabinet colleagues and the public — that merely minor commercial negotiations were involved…

“Monnet’s Action Committee was also given financial backing by the CIA and the US State Department. The Anglo-American establishment was now committed to the creation of a federal United States of Europe.

“Today, this is still the case. Powerful international lobbies are already at work attempting to prove that any return to democratic self-government on the part of Britain will spell doom. American officials have already been primed to state that such a Britain would be excluded from any free trade deal with the USA and that the world needs the TTIP trade treaty which is predicated on the survival of the EU…”

Another European “Core Group” Created

The EUObserver wrote on November 30:

“German leader Angela Merkel has said a core group of eight EU states is preparing to resettle refugees from Turkish camps next year.  The eight leaders – from Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden – held a separate meeting in Brussels on Sunday (29 November), shortly before the 28 member states met with Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu.”

European core groups come and go, but ultimately, a political and military core group of ten nations or groups of nations will emerge, which will signal the imminent end of this present age.

Why the West Can’t Win Against ISIS

Breitbart wrote on November 27:

“Without question, our military is superior to any other on earth and we could inflict devastating damage to ISIS if we unleashed our military forces against them. But we are not going to do that…

“The real enemy is not ‘over there’ in Syria and Iraq, or in Paris or London. The enemy is already here in our homeland… I am speaking of the accelerating rot in our own culture… Islamist suicide bombers believe they are dying for a higher purpose, the greater glory of Allah.  What, exactly, are our ideals?…

“Witchcraft is as much a legitimate personal religion as Christianity… and polygamy is just another ‘lifestyle’…”

Bush and Obama Administrations Responsible for the Creation of ISIS and Current Mayhem

The Huffington Post wrote on November 30:

“Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, former U.S. special forces commander in Iraq and Afghanistan who was the country’s highest ranking military intelligence official, says that the George W. Bush administration’s Iraq war was a tremendous blunder that helped to create the self-proclaimed Islamic State, or ISIS. ‘It was a huge error,’ Flynn said about the Iraq war in a detailed interview with the German newspaper Der Spiegel published Sunday. ‘As brutal as Saddam Hussein was, it was a mistake to just eliminate him,’ Flynn went on to say. ‘The same is true for Moammar Gadhafi and for Libya, which is now a failed state. The historic lesson is that it was a strategic failure to go into Iraq…

“When told by Der Spiegel reporters Matthias Gebauer and Holger Stark that the Islamic State would not ‘be where it is now without the fall of Baghdad,’ Flynn, without reservations, said: ‘Yes, absolutely.’

“Flynn, who served in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years and was former commander of special forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, also said that the American military response following 9/11 was not well thought-out at all and based on significant misunderstandings… Instead of determining why the U.S. was attacked by terrorists, Flynn said, the Bush administration was looking at where the terrorists came from and locations to attack. ‘Then,’ Flynn said, ‘we strategically marched in the wrong direction.’

“Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 based on sketchy evidence presented by the Bush administration that linked weapons of mass destruction and terrorist organization Al Qaeda to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The fall of Hussein resulted in chaos and led to a power vacuum in the region that terrorist organizations, like the Islamic State, have taken advantage of…

“Following the violent attacks in Paris earlier this month, Flynn said that the Obama administration’s foreign policy is ‘amateurish’ and has ‘its own place of responsibility in the mayhem that we are seeing right now.’”

Sadly, this entire assessment rings very very true. America’s leadership, both past and present, has been a catastrophe.

“Obama’s Anti-Islamic State Coalition Crumbles as Arab Allies Abandon Effort”

The Washington Times wrote on November 30:

“The major Arab powers once deemed essential to the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq have largely pulled back from the U.S.-led military campaign, undercutting the Obama administration’s claims about the depth and reach of the coalition it has built with allies in the region. The Obama administration consistently touts the ‘65-nation coalition’ it has assembled to fight the group also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh — but critics say [that] fewer than a dozen nations today are contributing anything significant to the campaign.

“And behind closed doors, administration and military officials admit that air support from such key Arab allies as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — something the White House once touted as an unprecedented and essential part of the coalition — has all but evaporated.”

The White House’s Announcement Regarding Visa Waiver Program

 Deutsche Welle reported on November 30:

“The White House has announced it will add more screening for travelers allowed to enter the US without a visa. The decision comes after calls to tighten the Visa Waiver Program following the terrorist attacks in Paris.

“People from thirty-eight countries around the world are currently allowed to enter the US without applying for a visa. While the program will remain in place, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will start collecting information regarding visits to countries considered a ‘terrorist safe haven.’ The White House said on Monday it was also asking Congress for the authority to reprimand airlines that failed to verify passport data.

“DHS released a statement as well urging Congress to pass legislation tightening the program…”

Actually, the White House’s plans go much further than that. As Bild Online reported on November 30, “citizens from Germany and 37 additional countries… will be examined much more severely at American airports.” That will not make visiting Europeans very happy, as the American immigration procedure at its airports has already been a complete and incompetent nightmare.

This is also true for German airports, and the White House’s measures at its airports will undoubtedly be copied in Europe, making international travel a terrible endeavor for most people. It is interesting that terrorists will probably reach their goal of paralyzing major industries not so much by violent attacks, but much more easily by the reactions of panicking governments.

Der Spiegel Online wrote that traveling to America is already complicated enough, but that Obama wants to make it even more complicated, which measures will also affect German tourists and business people. For some American politicians, these changes don’t even go far enough.

The New York Times wrote on November 30:

“Congressional Republican leaders announced Monday that they would pursue more potent legislation to toughen the waiver program… The extremists who mounted the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 were not Syrians but citizens of Europe who might have been able to fly to the United States without getting a visa or going through any of the significant security screening that refugees face…

“The visa-waiver program also dwarfs the refugee plan, allowing 20 million foreigners a year to travel to the United States without being interviewed at American consulates and embassies. It covers 38 counties, mainly European but also allies such as Japan, Australia, Chile and New Zealand.

“While cracks in the visa-waiver program are worrisome to national security officials, business leaders see the program as a boon to tourism and the economy. Foreign tourists who come to the United States under the program are estimated to spend as much as $100 billion a year, and advocates argue that tightening the program would deter tourism, a concern the White House shares. American tourists get similar waivers to travel to Europe and other friendly countries…

“The House majority leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, said Monday that Republicans would push their own changes, which would include requiring that all visa-waiver countries issue electronic passports with built-in computer chips…”

It cannot be doubted that the tightening of the visa waiver program will have a devastating effect on America’s economy. America’s irreversible path towards national bankruptcy continues…

Under Obama in WW II, British Theaters Would Do Hamlet in German

The Washington Post wrote on November 30:

“You can speculate that if the Obama of today and not Winston Churchill had led Britain in World War II, the Old Vic theater would now be doing ‘Hamlet’ in German. The president has lost his voice, that is certain. The numbers say so. Obama has the approval of only 44 percent of the American people. During his time in office, Congress and much of the nation have gone Republican — statehouse after statehouse, governor after governor (soon to be 32)…

“His problem is that he often has nothing to say… It is on foreign policy particularly where he goes empty and cold… Obama’s self-inflicted predicament was apparent in the statement he issued following the Paris terrorist attacks… saying all the right things in the manner of a minister presiding at the funeral of a perfect stranger…

“This happened once before, when he issued his ‘red line’ warning to Syria — and then, upon consideration, said never mind. The result has been a foreign policy debacle…

“Obama’s dilemma is not just that he cannot find the words to articulate his policy. He cannot stick to his policy either. His initial reluctance to act in Libya faded when Moammar Gaddafi threatened to massacre his opposition and the French took the lead. His determination to stay out of Iraq collided with the threatened genocide of the Yazidis. Iraq fell apart, the Islamic State seemed to come out of nowhere. Americans were beheaded. Women were enslaved. No boots on the ground became some boots on the ground — and then some more and then some of them helped the Kurds and mixed it up with the Islamic State…

“Obama… is out of words because he is out of ideas…”

Britain Enters the War—and Splits the Country

On December 2, 2015, The Guardian wrote:

“Britain is to launch airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria immediately after MPs voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday night to authorise an extension of bombing. At the end of a day of extraordinary rhetoric and private anguish, MPs voted by 397 to 223 in favour of sending Tornados from the RAF base in Cyprus to seek out Isis targets in Syria…”

Reuters reported on December 2:

“Given Britain’s diminished role on the world stage, the victory hands Cameron the chance to restore Britain’s standing in global affairs… Many British voters are wary of being dragged into another war in the Middle East. Some view Western intervention in Iraq and Libya as a failure that sowed chaos across the region… British air strikes are unlikely to change the military balance…

“The British public is divided over launching the strikes… with 48 percent of respondents supporting strikes and 31 percent against. Those opposed to air strikes recalled the events of 2003 when Britain helped the United States to invade Iraq after asserting – wrongly, as it later turned out – that dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction.

“Julian Lewis, Conservative chairman of the Commons Defence Committee and a critic of extending air strikes to Syria, said the government was in denial about the effectiveness of bombing without deploying viable ground troops. Lewis compared Cameron’s assertion that there are as many as 70,000 moderate opposition fighters in Syria with the ‘dodgy dossier’ on Iraq’s military capabilities. ‘Instead of dodgy dossiers, we now have bogus battalions of moderate fighters,’ he said.’”

It is undoubtedly true that the radicals (not moderates) are the most successful Syrian “rebel” fighters against Assad’s regime.

Britain Does Not Have Enough Tornados Against ISIS

The Daily Mail wrote on November 28:

“Britain does not have enough aircraft to carry out effective bombing missions against Islamic State in Syria, a senior Conservative MP has told The Mail on Sunday. Experts say that 24 Tornado ground-attack aircraft would be needed for Britain to mount an effective campaign, while maintaining current missions in Iraq. But RAF sources say that only ‘two to four’ jets are poised to join the eight-strong force already operating over IS territory from Britain’s airbase at Akrotiri in Cyprus.

“…David Cameron was informed of the lack of available aircraft by Defence officials and was said to have been ‘disappointed’. Lewis, the Tory chairman of the influential Commons Defence Select Committee, said last night that Britain’s fleet of mission-ready Tornados was so small that it could only make a ‘marginal’ contribution to the war against Islamic State…

“And former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Sir John Walker, said: ‘Can we sustain an effective bombing campaign against IS in Syria with the numbers of Tornado currently available? I would say no, we can’t, and a lot of RAF people I speak to feel the same way. We’ve only got eight Tornados flying over Iraq and Syria. If you’re going to do this properly you need around 24.’…”

HIV Infections on the Rise in Europe

Breitbart wrote on November 27:

“Europe has seen 142,000 new infections of HIV this year, the virus which causes AIDS — the highest number in one year ever. Although the rising rates of transmission due to heterosexual intercourse and careless use of unclean drug paraphernalia has been cited in the media as causing the rise, gay sex between men is still the main source of the virus spread…

“World Health Organisation director for Europe Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab… named migrants travelling across Europe as being a particular risk for spreading HIV in the continent… A third of all new HIV diagnoses in Europe are to migrants and non-native Europeans, despite only accounting for a fraction of the population.”

German Police Unable to Protect Public?

Breitbart reported on November 28:

“The German police have been left unable to protect the public from criminal migrants due to years of neglect by state governments which have left the force short of thousands of officers. The remarkable admission was made by a spokesman for the Gewerkschaft der Polizei — the German union for police officers — in response to the comments made by union chief Rüdiger Seidenspinner about the migrant problem.

“Union spokesman Michael Zielasko told Breitbart London it was inevitable criminals would travel to Europe, remarking: ‘of course there is a percentage of criminals in this big amount of refugees the police has to cope with’.

“Mr. Zielasko said the state forces were hamstrung in the fight against migrant crime by budget cuts, which left them without the manpower to deal with the problem. He said: ‘It isn’t very easy to deal with this issue because German police has a lack of 16,000 policemen…

“Chief Mr. Seidenspinner spoke out yesterday on the migrant crime wave, his potentially controversial comments backed up by statistics which show incomers are between three and four times more likely to commit crime than the general population. Complaining officers routinely came up against the same criminal migrants time and again, he hit out at the courts and migration system which gave them joke punishments such as unenforceable fines, while failing to deport criminals…”

Germany’s New War

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 27:

“The news that Germany was going to join the military campaign against the self-styled ‘Islamic State’ (IS) in Syria in the wake of the Paris attacks was met with some skepticism in a country weary of war and fatigued by the long, protracted conflict in Afghanistan…

“For more than fifty years after the Second World War, Federal Germany pursued a policy of what became known as checkbook diplomacy, in which money rather than troops was sent abroad to help solve problems. That began to change with NATO’s Kosovo campaign in 1999 and popular opinion may now be following suit. At the beginning of 2014, two thirds of Germans opposed the idea of armed forces directly participating in combat missions. A survey from November 27 however suggests that 47 percent of Germans think the country should take part in fighting the jihadists militarily as opposed to 46 percent who are against it…

“Whether or not they are for or against military engagement abroad, a large majority (74 percent) of Germans fear their country will be targeted in a future terror attack. While bombing terrorist targets in Syria may provide some short-term relief, it won’t tackle the problem at its roots…”

How circumstances can change “convictions.” Thousands of years ago, the Bible prophesied that in these end times, Germany will become a powerful military force which will be actively engaged in international conflicts and combat missions.

France and Germany to Cooperate Militarily with Syrian Troops?

The EUObserver wrote on November 30:

“France and Germany have opened the door to a cooperation with the Syrian army in the fight against Islamic State (IS), while Germany is to send 1,200 military in the Middle East in a move away from its usual non-intervention stance. ‘There will be no future with [Syrian leader] Assad, this is clear,’ German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen said on German ZDF television on Sunday (29 November). ‘But there are parts of the Syrian troops that we can take.’…

Bild Online asked the question whether Germany is entering into a “pact with the Devil” when contemplating fighting together with Syrian troops against ISIS. Der Stern stated that such action of the German government would be tantamount to a “crime.”

Die Welt Online wrote on November 30 that “Germany stumbles aimlessly into the Syrian War” and engages in an “adventure with an uncertain outcome.”

Der Stern wrote on December 1, that “war for peace does not work,” stating that the war in Afghanistan has brought absolutely no positive results.

German Army’s Largest Mission

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 2:

“Germany should prepare for a long, difficult and dangerous fight against IS in Syria… Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the deployment but are likely to approve the mission… So far, the basic tenets of the deployment call for 1,200 soldiers, six Tornado renaissance jets, refueling aircraft and a frigate to join the international coalition fighting ‘IS.’

“The vote in the Bundestag is set for Friday, with approval seen as likely, as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ‘grand coalition’ government enjoys a wide majority in the German parliament’s lower house…

“The head of Germany’s armed forces union, Andre Wüstner of the Bundeswehrverband, told public broadcaster ARD on Tuesday that fighting could last ‘far more than 10 years’ and said politicians should come up with a ‘clearly defined mission’ for the military. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on public broadcaster ARD’s morning program on Wednesday that ‘it will be a long deployment, and it will be a difficult and dangerous deployment’…

“… the Syria mission would become the Bundeswehr’s largest. At the moment, the biggest foreign deployment of German armed forces is in Afghanistan, where fewer than 1,000 troops are assisting Afghan security forces. Germany previously fielded some 5,000 soldiers in the country during a combat mission. This week’s proposed mandate would also cover a deployment of up to 650 soldiers to the West African nation Mali to provide assistance to French forces fighting Islamist militants.”

France… The Beginning of the End of Democracy?

Reuters reported on November 28:

“France has put 24 green activists under house arrest ahead of the United Nations climate talks, using emergency laws put in place following the Paris shootings, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday. Cazeneuve said the activists were suspected of planning violent protests at the talks which kick off on Sunday, a day ahead of the opening ceremony, and run until Dec. 11.

“The conference, also dubbed COP21, is seeking to agree a deal that signals a break with a rising reliance on fossil fuels, blamed by a U.N. panel of scientists for causing more floods, heat waves and rising sea levels…

“Following the Nov. 13 attacks on Paris in which 130 people were killed, the French government declared the state of emergency, banning public demonstrations and giving police extended powers of search and surveillance. ‘These people have no connection at all with the terrorist movement, but our forces need to be totally focused on the protection of the French people,’ Cazeneuve said, saying any serious public disturbance would distract police from their fight against terrorism…

“Greenpeace France director Jean-François Julliard said that, to his knowledge, all the ecologists under house arrest were pacifist activists who had never committed any violent acts nor been charged with anything. ‘We have the feeling that (the government) wants to stifle criticism from the militants, but they are going about it in the worst possible way, this is repression,’ he said on BFM television…”

AFP added on November 28:

“Three of those concerned, who are in their late 20s, are suspected of belonging to the ‘radical opposition movement’, according to information obtained by AFP. They are banned from leaving their home town in western France without special police permission, they must report to a local police station three times a day and remain at their homes between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am until December 12, the day after the talks are due to end. The interior ministry says the three individuals have caused ‘serious disturbances to public order’ in the past.

“The activists’ lawyer, Marie Dose, said the state of emergency was being ‘misused’ in their cases… In the wake of the bloody jihadist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people on November 13, the government banned all public demonstrations linked to COP21…

“Stephan Oberreit, head of Amnesty International France, said the measures taken by the government were ‘disproportionate’. ‘The systematic banning of all meetings linked to COP21 deprives critical voices of an essential outlet to express themselves,’ he said in a statement.

“France’s Human Rights League (LDH) on Thursday condemned the decision to place Joel Domenjoud, a member of the legal team for the coalition of protest groups, under house arrest.”

Erdogan and Putin… Two of a Kind?

The Guardian wrote on November 26:

“Even if Turkey is right that a Russian fighter jet strayed into its airspace, the plane was within Ankara’s borders for just 17 seconds before being attacked – and was making no hostile moves against the Turks. Airspace incursions… happen all the time, and generally you’d expect warning shots to be fired and then attempts to force the intruder to leave or to land.

“That the Turks shot down the jet and did so within 17 seconds – with the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying he gave the order to fire himself – suggests very strongly they were waiting for a Russian plane to come into or close enough to Turkish airspace with the aim of delivering a rather pyrotechnic message. In this respect, it is understandable that the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, called the attack a provocation and an ambush.

“Moscow may have been foolish to let its planes stray so close to the border…  Turkey’s response went way beyond the usual practice.

“In 2012, the Syrians shot down a Turkish jet which had entered its airspace, and Erdoğan’s furious response at the time was that ‘a short-term border violation can never be a pretext for an attack’. (At the time, the then Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen called it ‘another example of the Syrian authorities’ disregard for international norms’. There hasn’t been a similar critique of Ankara.)…

“There are striking similarities between Erdoğan’s Turkey and Putin’s Russia, not least their ability and propensity to move conflicts into the covert arena. While Russia’s intervention in Syria may have cynical intent, the Turks are acting in support of their national interests in Syria with equal ruthlessness.

“Ankara is often guilty of neglecting attacks on Isis and hitting the Kurds (who are in so many ways the most effective force against the jihadists) instead, smuggling weapons in the guise of humanitarian convoys (something we saw the Russians doing in Ukraine), and being willing to support groups which are often jihadist in their own terms. Turkish military intelligence organisation (MIT) is every bit as cynically opportunist as the Russian military spy agency (GRU), and Erdoğan every bit as erratic, brutal and ambitious as Putin…

“This is a conflict that Ankara triggered and while it is being managed it is not going to go away… Expect to see this play out in snide, deniable, but nonetheless bitter actions for months to come.”

Turkey “Regrets” Downing of Russian Plane

The Associated Press reported on November 28:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday voiced regret over Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane, saying his country was ‘truly saddened’ by the incident and wished it hadn’t occurred. It was the first expression of regret by the strongman leader since Tuesday’s incident in which Turkish F-16 jets shot down the Russian jet on grounds that it had violated Turkey’s airspace despite repeated warnings to change course. It was the first time in half a century that a NATO member shot down a Russian plane and drew a harsh response from Moscow…

“Erdogan’s friendly overture however, came after he again vigorously defended Turkey’s action and criticized Russia for its operations in Syria…”

Der Spiegel Online added that Erdogan’s statements of regret are not be confused with an apology. Erdogan specifically rejected the concept that Turkey would apologize; also because that might trigger causes of action for damages and punishment for the “criminals,”  as demanded by Russia.

The Russian-Turkish Fight – Far From Over

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 28:

“Vladimir Putin has approved a raft of economic sanctions against Turkey in retaliation for the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish forces. The move came after Turkey’s Erdogan expressed regret over the incident.

“President Putin on Saturday signed a decree which bans the import of some Turkish products and forbids Russian firms from hiring Turkish citizens. The measures also include orders to suspend visa-free travel for Turkish citizens, end charter flights from Russia to Turkey, and for Russian tourism companies to stop selling trips to Turkey – a favorite holiday destination for many Russians. The Kremlin said the decree aimed to ‘ensure Russia’s national security and protect Russian citizens from criminal and other illegal activities.’…”

US Wants Turkey to Close the Border to Syria

Newsmax wrote on November 28:

“The U.S. wants Turkey to seal off a 60-mile stretch of its border with Syria in hopes of blocking the Islamic State (ISIS) from moving in foreign fighters, a move that Pentagon officials estimate could take as many as 30,000 soldiers.  Turkey has agreed that it needs to tighten the border… but has demands of its own, including support for a safe zone in Syria, which the Obama administration has rejected.

“Further, Turkey points out that Washington has not been able to seal the U.S./Mexico border, a statement that angered U.S. officials.  ‘If we were at war with Mexico, we’d close that border,’ a senior official responded to that line of argument…

“There also could be negative reaction from Europe if Turkey does not close its border and more ISIS fighters come through to Europe to commit terrorist attacks.”

Incredible Incompetency of the Obama Administration Regarding “Iran Deal”

Investors.com wrote on November 25:

“The Obama administration admits to Congress that its nuclear pact with Iran has not been signed by the Iranian regime and has no legal force. Obama’s ‘tough diplomacy’ is puff diplomacy…

“Going back to when, as a candidate, he expressed a willingness to talk directly with Iran, then through months of negotiations on its nuclear program, Obama never said that at the end of it all the Iranians might never bother to sign the deal that he promises will prevent the terror state from becoming nuclear-armed. Or that the lack of Iran’s signature was OK.

“But that is exactly what Obama’s State Department now says, in a Nov. 19 written response to a letter to Secretary John Kerry from Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., obtained by National Review’s Joel Gehrke. ‘The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is not a treaty or an executive agreement, and is not a signed document,’ according to Julia Frifield, assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs… According to the State Department, it doesn’t matter ‘whether it is legally binding or signed.’

“What matters are ‘the extensive verification measures we have put in place’ — like letting Tehran inspect its nuclear facilities — and ‘Iran’s understanding that we have the capacity to reimpose — and ramp up — our sanctions if Iran does not meet its commitments.’

“But sanctions will never be reimposed, because that would expose the deal as not being worth the paper it’s signed on — or, rather, isn’t signed on. Reinstating sanctions would kill the deal and expose Obama’s and Kerry’s efforts as a monumental failure…

“Earlier this year, the White House website answered the question, ‘Will companies that sign contracts with Iran be able to continue that business even if Iran violates the JCPOA and snapback occurs because of a grandfather clause? The answer was, ‘No. There is no grandfather clause in the JCPOA … (and) no exemptions from our sanctions for long-term contracts.’

“But if the deal is not signed, what does it matter what clause is there? A nonsigned contract is no contract, which our law ‘professor’ president presumably was taught in his high school business law class. Iran knows this — which is exactly why it hasn’t signed. ‘Moderate’ President Hassan Rouhani in August opposed parliamentary approval because ‘it will create an obligation for the government. It will mean the president, who has not signed it so far, will have to sign it,’ he said, asking, ‘Why should we place an unnecessary legal restriction on the Iranian people?’

When Donald Trump talks about our “stupid leaders,” he seems to know very well what he is talking about.

Israel Suspends Peace Talks with Europe

 JTA wrote on November 29:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended contacts between Israeli officials and European Union institutions and representatives involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The order Sunday comes in the wake of the EU decision to approve special labeling for Israeli products made in the West Bank and Golan Heights.

“Netanyahu, who also holds the foreign minister portfolio, ordered the Foreign Ministry to ‘reassess’ the involvement of EU and European Commission agencies in the peace process. But Israel will continue to maintain diplomatic contact with individual European countries that are member-states of the EU, such as Germany, Britain and France.

“The labeling regulations adopted last month require separate labeling for Israeli products sold in the European Union when they are either packaged or produced in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem or the Golan. It also requires labels on such products specifying whether they were produced by Israelis or Palestinians.”

More Nonsense—Emission Limits an Act of Defiance of Terrorism?

Bloomberg News reported on November 30:

“President Barack Obama told world leaders that the climate talks that opened Monday in Paris mark a turning point for collective action on global warming and stand as a rejection of the terrorists who struck the French capital a little more than two weeks ago.

“The threat posed by climate change is the defining challenge of the century, Obama told the United Nations-sponsored summit organized to reach the first truly global agreement to curb greenhouse gases.  Linking the meeting to the battle against extremism, Obama said a deal on emissions limits would be ‘an act of defiance’ that proves nothing will deter nations from ‘building the future we want for our children.’”

As if the terrorists cared about climate change…

Der Spiegel Online commented on December 1 that even though Obama likes to present himself as the savior of the world, his sincerity must be questioned.

Newsmax added on December 1:

“President Barack Obama and other world leaders meeting in Paris for climate talks nearly three weeks after violence by Islamic State terrorists caused 130 deaths and more than 360 injuries is ‘insane,’ actor Kevin Sorbo [former performer of “Hercules” in the long-running TV series] told Newsmax TV on Tuesday.

“‘They just had an ISIS attack,’ Sorbo, star of the new Christian film ‘The Secret Handshake,’ told ‘The Steve Malzberg Show’ in an interview. ‘Perfectly executed, exactly what they wanted to do in Paris — and here the irony is all these leaders are meeting in Paris, and it’s global warming is what they’re concerned about…’”

Murders at Planned Parenthood Clinic in Colorado Springs

The Washington Post wrote on November 28:

“The police officer who was killed during Friday’s shooting standoff at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs has been identified as… a co-pastor at his church and an ice-skating champion. [He] who was married and had two young children, had been with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs police department for six years and responded to the initial reports of an active shooter.

“Authorities said a suspect was taken into police custody after the hours-long shooting standoff at the clinic where [the officer] and two civilians were killed. Police were trying to determine the suspect’s motive after his capture. At least four other police officers and five civilians were injured.

“In a statement released by the White House on Saturday, President Obama praised the slain officer: ‘May God bless Officer… and the Americans he tried to save — and may He grant the rest of us the courage to do the same thing.’

“[The officer] was part of the leadership at his non-denominational, evangelical church that is overseen by a group of elders or co-pastors, as opposed to one specific pastor. [He] was part of what the church calls the ‘teaching team’ and played guitar on the worship team…”

The deadly events at the Planned Parenthood clinic are horrible and deeply disturbing. While Planned Parenthood immediately issued an irresponsible statement blaming the negative reports about its controversial abortions and sales of body parts for the shooting and while President Obama immediately blamed “liberal” gun control laws for the murders, we must ask the question whether the vicious cycle of violence can ever end when even pastors work for the police force. We truly regret the officer’s untimely death, who clearly meant well, but Christ’s warning against participation in violent conduct should ring loud and clear. When we feel that we can use the sword, even in the defense of others, then we might be in danger of dying by the sword, as Christ warned Peter who took the sword to defend Christ against an illegal arrest.

Mass Shooting in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Times reported on December 3:

“As the holiday gathering got underway Wednesday morning, Syed Rizwan Farook joined dozens of his colleagues from San Bernardino County’s public health department. Farook, an inspector, seemed quiet during the early hours of the event, then vanished just as a group photo was about to be taken. Shortly afterward, gunfire erupted at the Inland Regional Center where the employees filled a conference room.

“By the end of the day, police had identified Farook, 28, as a suspect in the massacre and said he was one of two people shot to death in a gun battle with officers. The other was 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik, who a family member said was Farook’s wife… San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said that there were reports of a dispute before Farook left the party…

“Farook recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and returned with a new wife he had met online… Farook was a devout Muslim, but rarely discussed religion at work.”

Fox News reported that the suspects’ apartment was a “bomb-making factory,” with improvised explosive devices (IED) and remote-controlled cars for delivering explosives to their targets. The suspects are said to have attacked the holiday party wearing body armor and GoPro cameras to record their exploits.

The Associated Press added on December 3:

“A heavily armed man and woman dressed for battle opened fire on a holiday banquet for his co-workers, killing 14 people and seriously wounding [at least 21 people] in a precision assault, authorities said. Hours later, they died in a shootout with police. Authorities were trying to determine a motive, which could include workplace violence or terrorism… San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan [said:] ‘They came prepared to do what they did, as if they were on a mission’…

“The couple dropped off their 6-month-old daughter with relatives Wednesday morning, saying they had a doctor’s appointment…  Farook and Malik were found with assault rifles and semi-automatic handguns, and were wearing ‘assault-style clothing’ with ammunition attached… Three explosive devices — thought to be real and all connected to one another — were found at the social service center and later detonated by a bomb squad… Federal authorities said that the two assault rifles and two handguns used in the violence were purchased legally, but they haven’t said how and when they got into the hands of the two shooters.”

The Daily Mail added on December 3:

“The radicalized San Bernardino gunman clashed with a Jewish co-worker over religion just two weeks before he and his Pakistani wife stormed an office holiday party where they massacred 14 people.

“Syed Farook, 28, got into a heated argument with colleague Nicholas Thalasinos, a Messianic Jew who was identified today as one of the victims of Wednesday’s rampage.

“It came as FBI agents discovered a huge arsenal of weapons and pipe bombs at a California home linked to Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik.

“Agents discovered nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition, a dozen pipe bombs and hundreds of tools for making improvised explosive devices at the property, law enforcement officials revealed today.

“It also emerged that the US-born Farook appeared to have been radicalized and was in touch by phone and via social media with more than one international terrorism subject, which may have in part motivated the attacks, CNN reported, citing investigators.”

A Sad State of Affairs… Majority of Young Americans Believe in Atheistic Evolution

The website of iflscience.com reported on November 25:

“Nearly a quarter of the American public… do accept evolution, but with a huge caveat: a supreme being guided the process throughout history for the sole purpose of creating humans…

“…the majority of Europeans and many in other parts of the world accept the theory regardless of their religious propensities…

“51 percent [of young Americans under the age of 30] accept evolution without a guiding supreme being…  This upward tick may have something to do with the fact that America is getting less religious each year…

“As also seen with social issues – including same-sex marriage…– the younger generations tend to be far more progressive than the comparatively conservative elder generations…”

More ungodly would be a better term to describe the “values” of “younger generations.” And this is why God is VERY ANGRY with America and a rulership consisting of “children.”

Dangerous Virus Without Treatment

NBCNews.com reported on November 28:

“Chikungunya, a painful, mosquito-borne virus that’s spreading fast across the Americas, can be more serious than feared, researchers report. They found it can cause a serious brain inflammation called encephalitis far more frequently than reported before. That’s bad news for Latin America and the Caribbean, where the rate of infection is about a million people a year. ‘Since there is no vaccine to prevent chikungunya and no medicine to treat it, people who are traveling to these areas should be aware of this infection and take steps to avoid mosquito bites, such as wearing repellent and long sleeves and pants if possible,’ said Dr. Patrick Gérardin of Central University Hospital in Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, who led the study…

“More than 600,000 cases have been reported so far this year, with 76 deaths, according to the Pan American Health Organization. In 2013 and 2014 more than 1.1 million cases were reported and it killed 194 people…

“They said it’s higher than the rate of encephalitis [in] the United States from [West] Nile virus and similar infections between 1999 and 2007. West Nile was only introduced into the United States in 1999, but it quickly spread to all 50 states as well as Canada and Mexico. Since then, it’s infected hundreds of thousands of people, causing severe illness in about 40,000 and killing more than 1,600… There’s no vaccine against either chikungunya or West Nile…”

Religious Persecution of Christians in Kenya

The Associated Press reported on November 27:

“As song and prayer drifted from the open, ivy-lined doorways of a Catholic church in Garissa, several security officials, including Muslims, stood watch on the grounds nearby. Their presence was a reminder of the violence that hit this Kenyan town in April, when Islamic extremists killed nearly 150 people at a college of mostly Christian students…

“Garissa offers a snapshot of what France and Lebanon, both targeted in recent attacks, and other countries face — the challenge of harmonizing Christian-Muslim relations at a time of danger from extremists…

“Garissa, 225 miles (365 kilometers) east of the capital, Nairobi, lies in a mostly Muslim area. But the country is about 80 percent Christian… Survivors of the attack said the gunmen fired indiscriminately but also asked some students what faith they belonged to first…

“Nicholas Mutua, a local Catholic priest, welcomed the deployment of police to guard Garissa churches during services and noted that the Bible and the Quran carry similar messages of tolerance…”

To say that the Bible and the Koran carry similar messages on tolerance is absolutely untrue.

Recreating Ancient Wines Drunk by David and Jesus

The New York Times reported on November 29:

“The new crisp, acidic and mineral white from a high-end Israeli winery was aged for eight months — or, depending on how you look at it, at least 1,800 years. The wine, called marawi and released last month by Recanati Winery, is the first commercially produced by Israel’s growing modern industry from indigenous grapes. It grew out of a groundbreaking project at Ariel University in the occupied West Bank that aims to use DNA testing to identify — and recreate — ancient wines drunk by the likes of King David and Jesus Christ.

“Eliyashiv Drori, the Ariel oenologist who heads the research, traces marawi (also called hamdani) and jandali grapes to A.D. 220 based on a reference in the Babylonian Talmud. ‘All our scriptures are full with wine and with grapes — before the French were even thinking about making wine, we were exporting wine,’ he said…

“Wine presses have been uncovered in Israel — and the West Bank — that date to biblical times. But winemaking was outlawed after Muslims conquered the holy land in the seventh century. When Baron Edmond de Rothschild, an early Zionist and scion of a famed Bordeaux winery, helped restart the local craft in the 1880s, he brought fruit from France…

“Then there is proving that the old specimens were actually used for wine… one set that was recovered near the site of the destroyed Jewish temples alongside a shard of clay marked in an ancient Hebraic script, ‘smooth wine’…”

This article also shows that wine existed at the time of David and Jesus, and that Jesus did in fact drink wine, as the Bible clearly states… not just unfermented “grape juice,” as some contend.

“Should Hanukkah Be the Jewish Christmas?”

JTA wrote on December 1:

“Jews throughout America once again will encounter a challenging cultural/religious question: how should we celebrate Hanukkah?  Sure, there will be candle-lighting and latkes, but what else? Lavish presents?  Contemporary, catchy songs?  Vodka and latke parties? Or, to put it more succinctly, how much like Christmas should our Hanukkah celebration be?

“The traditionalists among us might recoil at such a thought. After all, according to the (second) blessing we recite when lighting our candles, Hanukkah celebrates a great miracle that our ancestors experienced in 165 BCE.  It is a holiday that enables us to… praise God for the miracle of a single cruse of oil lasting a full eight days.  Why tarnish these virtues by dipping into a Christian(ish) context?…

“On the other hand, Christmas asserts a powerful gravitational pull on American culture from late October through New Year’s.  Whether or not one is Christian, one is bombarded — in malls, on the radio, in office elevators, and on and on — with Christmas music, decorations, and other symbols.  It is incredibly hard to shelter Jewish Americans from this influence; merely suggesting that all Jews just turn a blind eye to this cultural monolith is perhaps a tad naive. Plus, it is far from clear how Christian Christmas actually is.  As far back as 1984, the Supreme Court ruled… that a town’s display of a Santa Claus house, a Christmas tree, a banner reading ‘Season’s Greetings,’ and a crèche were not Christian symbols violating the First Amendment…

“Hanukkah is referenced several times in the Mishna… and other early Jewish literature… without any reference to the miracle of oil lasting eight days. Nor is the oil miracle described in either of the two Books of the Maccabees. It is only several hundred years later, in the Babylonian Talmud…  that the account of the oil miracle first occurs. Based on this novelty, along with… the prevalence of Zoroastrian lighting ceremonies in Babylonia at the time the Talmud was redacted, [Professor] Hauptman suggests that the oil miracle story might have been incorporated by the rabbis to provide a mythology to underlie the pre-existing Hanukkah celebration dating back to Hasmonean times.

“While this might seem radical to the naked eye, the truth is that Judaism… has incorporated, expanded, and Judaized contemporary religious and cultural practices of other groups… In short, it is Jewish to borrow from broader cultural memes and symbols and to redirect them through a Jewish prism. Perhaps Hanukkah, in its relationship to Christmas, is no different. Perhaps we can derive Jewish nachas (Yiddish for pride) and meaning from a little more Christmas-style revelry in our Hanukkah celebrations.”

This article sheds interesting light on the modern celebration of Hanukkah and Jewish practices in general. The Bible prohibits the incorporation of pagan worship elements in the true worship of God. Many claim that Jesus Christ celebrated Hanukkah. The idea that Jesus kept Hanukkah is based on John 10:22-23, which says that “it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem… And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” “Hanukkah” is Hebrew for Dedication. It is also referred to as the Feast of Lights. But that Christ walked in Solomon‘s porch during the Feast of Dedication, and that He referred to Himself as the “light of the world” (John 8:12), does most certainly not justify the conclusion that He participated in modern day Hanukkah celebrations.

The following article, which was published on the Internet in December of 2008, adds additional observations, which we would like to share, as they raise interesting questions.

“When Jesus was in Solomon’s Porch as written in John 10, He was not there to celebrate the Feast of Dedication, but was walking in the court of the Gentiles that was built by Herod. It was built so that non-Jews could access a view of the Temple without defiling the Temple proper, which had signs warning of imminent death if the area was entered by any non-Jewish person. Solomon’s Porch was also where the money changers set up shop, as well as where they kept the animals and birds that were sold for sacrifices. This is where the tables were that Jesus overthrew when He chased the money changers from the temple…

“Does anyone believe that Jesus had a chanukkiah (nine branch menorah) which was devised by men, and not commanded by God as the seven branch menorah was. The miracle of the oil is merely a legend, and is not historically accurate. There is no mention of it in the apocryphal-historical writings of either Maccabees 1 or 2 (63 bce – 25ce). The legend was first introduced into Judaism in the talmud (200-500 CE)…

“To think that He celebrated Chanukkah in the modern sense as we know it cannot be proven historically or Scripturally…”

Pope Francis Attacks “Fundamentalism”

AFP wrote on November 30:

“Pope Francis said Monday that fundamentalism was ‘a disease of all religions’, including the Roman Catholic Church, but had nothing to do with God. ‘Fundamentalism is always a tragedy. It is not religious, it lacks God, it is idolatrous,’ the Argentine pontiff told journalists on the plane during his return from a trip to Africa.

“Francis said Islam was not the only religion to suffer from violent extremists, such as the ones behind the deadly attacks in Paris which were claimed by the Islamic State. ‘We Catholics, we have a few, even many fundamentalists. They believe they know absolute truth and corrupt others,’ he said, adding: ‘I can say this because this is my Church’.”

Even though Pope Francis does not define “fundamentalism,” which he condemns, he seems to equate it with the belief in absolute truth. These statements sound rather strange for the leader of a church which claims that it has received godly authority to change the truth of the Bible and replace it with their own dogmas and human traditions, including the abrogation of the weekly Sabbath and the introduction of Sunday, as well as the replacement of God’s annual Holy Days with human holidays such as Christmas and Easter, which do not derive from the Bible, but from paganism and the heathen worship of sun and moon gods.

How ISIS Came into Being

The Huffington Post wrote on November 22:

“The Bush administration invaded Iraq and made policy calls that are central to how the Islamic State group became the force the world is so worried about today. (Though there are, of course, many other reasons for the group’s rise.)… here’s a rundown of the many ways the Iraq War helped a small extremist group formed in Jordan in 1999 become the focus of the world’s fears today.

“The Bush administration decided, less than a month after it toppled the Saddam Hussein regime, that it would disband Hussein’s army. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who had previously been among the most privileged in their desperate country were suddenly unemployed, though they retained all the ingenuity and discipline they had gained working for the dictator.

“Veteran New Yorker correspondent Dexter Filkins called the move ‘probably the single most catastrophic decision of the American venture in Iraq.’ Multiple Iraqi soldiers were willing to work with the Americans, and some U.S. military commanders wanted to keep the institution alive, but those messages went ignored…

“After the Bush decision, many of these disenfranchised soldiers — who were doubly alienated because they were largely Sunni, like Hussein, in a country now being run by the other major sect of Islam, the Shiites — joined the insurgency against the U.S. presence. Deep investigations into ISIS’s workings show that the group has benefited from having well-trained Sunni army lieutenants from the Saddam era in its leadership…

“After Bush transferred thousands of potentially enraged detainees to Iraqi custody…, hundreds of them were released– fresh with bomb-making expertise and other dangerous skills.

“Bush’s adventure had a ripple effect throughout the Middle East that empowered violent radicals. Just a year after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, extremist groups were already gaining recruits thanks to the propaganda value of an unpopular, visibly ineffective occupation… At the same time, more established anti-American forces in the Middle East — notably, the regimes in Syria and Iran — saw the massive U.S. presence in Iraq as a juicy target and began ramping up their support to extremists who would later attack U.S. soldiers, undermine stability in Iraq and, you guessed it, help ISIS grow.

“Dictatorial Syrian President Bashar Assad allowed thousands of extremists to move through Syria to Iraq… and Iran’s top intelligence agency supported al Qaeda in Iraq as recently as 2012…  The group eventually became the Islamic State group’s predecessor…

“There are scores of other reasons for ISIS’s growth. President Barack Obama’s approach to Iraq did not help… the Obama administration did support controversial Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki for years after it became clear that he was not serious about working with Sunnis in Iraq, and did not attempt to increase aid to Iraq or take steps that might give Washington leverage over him.

“The White House didn’t pressure the prime minister to step down until after Maliki’s shocking treatment of Sunnis — including the  persecution of top Sunni politicians — led Sunni Iraqis to welcome ISIS with open arms in the summer of 2014. Though his successor, Haider al Abadi, has attempted reform, his hands seem tied by the Iranian influence that Maliki allowed to grow for years under Obama’s nose.

“Syria’s Assad is another factor. He violently reacted to a largely peaceful Sunni opposition movement in 2011, sparking a civil war that gave ISIS a new power vacuum to move into… Assad has helped ISIS by releasing extremists from his jails and largely ignoring its advances through his country. An Associated Press report earlier this week revealed that Assad continues to enable the extremists…

“Some of the blame also goes to Turkey… and to Arab rulers who continue to suppress their populations with U.S. backing and guarantee future radicalization…”

As this article shows, one bad decision of this world’s leaders leads to the next, until an unsolvable situation has been reached.

What ISIS Wants…

The Huffington Post wrote on November 23:

“Many experts agree that terrorists in the group that calls itself the Islamic State believe they are waging an end-times battle against the West, and the Nov. 13 Paris attacks are just the latest chapter… The hadith — the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings as recounted by others — includes accounts of a final reckoning and a struggle between the forces of al-Dajjal, the Great Deceiver, and the Mahdi, a Muslim messiah… The Quran itself does not mention these messianic figures.

“… many extreme jihadists believe they are in the midst of an apocalyptic struggle against Christians and Jews…

“… the group’s end-times fixation distinguishes it from other groups, including al-Qaida, and is key to its relative success… Many young people facing what they feel are dead-end lives find the idea of restoring Islam to its past glories irresistible… [and] ISIS promises young men who join its army concubines and wives…”

ISIS terrorists, in preaching, teaching and practicing radical Islam, are willing to destroy everyone who is not accepting their demonic theology, but especially Christians, Jews and Shiites.

Majority of Americans for Ground Forces in Syria

Newsmax reported on November 20:

“The Washington Post-ABC News survey finds a stunning 83 percent of registered voters believe a terrorist attack in the United States resulting in large casualties is likely in the near future… A full 40 percent say a major attack is ‘very likely’…  The survey also shows 59 percent think ‘the United States is at war with radical Islam.’…

“Asked about Obama’s handling of the threat of terrors, 40 percent approve, 54 percent disapprove. Asked about his handling of ISIS, a mere 35 percent approved, and a whopping 57 percent disapproved…

“54 percent say the United States shouldn’t take in refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East – even if they’re screened.

“In other findings, the survey shows: 73 percent think the United States should take part in a military response to the Paris attacks, with 73 in support of increased air strikes – and a majority 60 percent backing the use of U.S. ground forces.”

This might lead to another American military adventure in the Middle East… with devastating consequences for the USA.

President Obama Invites Millions of Refugees to Come to the USA

The Associated Press reported on November 21:

“Pushing back against efforts to bar Syrian refugees from resettling in the U.S., President Barack Obama vowed Saturday that his country will be a welcoming place for millions fleeing violence around the world ‘as long as I’m president.’…

“Obama’s comments were intended as a direct rebuke to those demanding a halt to Syrian and Iraqi refugees entering the U.S. in the light of the Islamic State’s attacks in Paris… Democrats in large numbers have abandoned their president… forty-seven of them voted against Obama on Thursday. Having secured a veto-proof majority in the House, supporters are now hoping for a repeat in the Senate, while Obama works to shift the conversation to milder visa waiver changes that wouldn’t affect Syrian refugees.”

NPR wrote on November 20:

“While dozens of governors have announced their opposition to Syrian refugees settling in their states, some senators are focusing their attention on a program they say poses a bigger threat of allowing terrorists into the country: the visa waiver program.

“And while some lawmakers have been discussing changes to the program for months, they gained more support after one of the attackers in the Paris massacre appeared to have a Syrian passport that had been stamped in Greece. That provoked concern on this side of the Atlantic about how the U.S. government screens asylum seekers and refugees.

“At least 19 million people visit the United States through the visa waiver program every year. And given that there are an estimated 3,000 fighters in Syria from Europe, the fear is that a jihadist could attempt to come to the U.S. on a European passport and not be subject to an in-person interview or in-depth screening.

“Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has called the program America’s ‘Achilles’ heel.’ She and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., are proposing legislation that will impose new restrictions, including requiring anyone who has traveled to Iraq or Syria in the previous five years to apply for a visa, whether or not their country is part of the visa waiver program.

“That position is gaining adherents on Capitol Hill…

“As NPR’s Brian Naylor reported on Friday for Morning Edition, the visa waiver program has been in operation for decades: ‘It used to be that if you were a person living abroad and you wanted to see the U.S., you had to first go to an American Embassy and get a visa. You would be interviewed by an embassy official who would ask about your background. Since the 1980s, residents of many countries no longer have to go through that process. In fact, 38 nations, including most of Europe are visa waiver countries. It’s a largely hassle-free way to come to the U.S. for tourists and businesspeople. You’ll need to answer a few questions on a form on the Internet, and have a passport with a digital photograph.’”

“As Naylor reports, the Obama administration has said it is open to amending the program.”

Inviting millions of refugees to come to the USA and at the same time limiting free travel for Europeans under the Visa Waiver program is surely not a wise and just course of conduct… especially in light of the next article.

ISIS from Syria in the USA

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“A leader of New York City’s Syrian community told The Post on Wednesday that ISIS terrorists have ‘absolutely’ sneaked into America by posing as civil-war refugees — and joined sleeper cells just waiting to be activated. ‘I believe the terrorists from Syria have been coming into the United States, not only in the past few years, but way before that,’ said Aarafat ‘Ralph’ Succar of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, home of the city’s largest enclave of Syrian immigrants. ‘I think they’re already at work.’

“Succar, a member of the Bay Ridge Community Council, said corruption in his homeland is so rampant that anyone could easily pay bribes and obtain official identification papers bearing a fake name to disguise their real identity… ‘These are not forged documents. These are written out by a government employee who needs money, whose family has no food.’”

UN Against Israel

The website of unwatch.org reported on November 24:

“The UN General Assembly today adopted six non-binding resolutions, drafted by the Palestinians and Syria, singling out and criticizing Israel, and no resolutions on China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, ISIS, or any other human rights situation. ‘Surreal barely captures the scene whereby the world is under assault by terrorists killing in the name of Islam and martyrhood — as Palestinians are doing while stabbing Israeli Jews — and the UN’s response is to reflexively condemn Israel in six separate resolutions, all of which are one-sided,’ said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch.

“One resolution condemned Israel for holding on to the Golan Heights, demanding Israel hand the land and its people to Syria. [This resolution was adopted by 105 in favor, 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States) and 56 abstentions.]

“‘It’s astonishing,’ said Neuer. ‘At a time when the Syrian regime is massacring its own people, how can the U.N. call for more people to be subject to Assad’s rule? The timing of today’s text is morally galling and logically absurd.’ ‘What is also outrageous is that these resolutions claim to care about Palestinians, yet the U.N. proves itself completely oblivious to the actual suffering on the ground, happening right now: hundreds of Palestinians slaughtered, maimed and expelled by Assad’s forces.’

“‘Today’s farce at the General Assembly underscores a simple fact: the U.N.’s automatic majority has no interest in truly helping Palestinians, nor in protecting anyone’s human rights; the goal of these ritual, one-sided condemnations remains the scapegoating of Israel,’ said Neuer. ‘The U.N.’s disproportionate assault against the Jewish state undermines the institutional credibility of what is supposed to be an impartial international body, and exposes the sores of politicization and selectivity that eat away at its founding mission, eroding the U.N. Charter promise of equal treatment to all nations large and small,’ Neuer added.”

Another resolution reads: “Reiterates its determination that any actions taken by Israel, the Occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal and therefore null and void and have no validity whatsoever, and calls upon Israel to immediately cease all such illegal and unilateral measures.” This resolution was adopted by 153 in favor, 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States) and 8 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, South Sudan, Toga, Tonga).

Incompetence, Treason or What?

Canada Free Press wrote on November 21:

“As of late, there is a constant drone of political pundits, even from CNN, asking ‘Why is Obama doing this?  Why is he saying that?’  Even former President Carter, the weakest president of the twentieth century, has said ‘Obama is inept.’… Is he truly inept or is there much more to this man that our miserable main-stream media didn’t tell us or bothered to find out?

“The media seems to be playing the ‘we’re confused card.’  They scratch their collective heads and wonder in amazement about what Obama says and does.  They actually look as confused as so many of us.  Is he incompetent or does he have a plan he’s not divulging?  Or, did Obama plainly announce his plan in 2008 to ‘fundamentally change America?’…

“Why is Obama insisting on importing Syrian ‘refugees’ contrary to fervent public opinion in spite of the Paris tragedy and then say ‘Are you telling me that the American people are afraid of widows and orphans?’…  In short, why is Obama doing the opposite of what any amount of common sense would say to do?

“Former Defense Secretaries Panetta and Gates have both written books and have had numerous interviews testifying to Obama’s refusal to take advice from professionals in the military and his administration as to how to deal with terrorists and criminal regimes like Iran. Why did Obama work so hard on an Iran deal that gives that country a nuclear capability?  Why is Obama shrinking our military to pre-World War II levels?… Why does Obama ignore the plight of Christians and Jews but is constantly pleading for Muslims?… Why does Obama seem to divide the nation by race and class, white against black, rich against poor?  Why does Obama routinely trash his own country on foreign soil?…

“Spread the gay agenda in the culture and especially in the military; sabotage their morale and morality and you help destroy the most powerful nation in the world.  Dismantle the family, the Church… Destroy the culture and you destroy the nation.

“Anyone with any sense can see the destruction of our nation is increasing in intensity.  Unless an accomplice can complete the task, Obama has only a year left to conclude the work.  He has much help from the likes of Kerry, Clinton and Valerie Jarrett, Obama’s Iranian-born senior advisor and communist mentor.

“This is not mere incompetence, but a carefully planned program of eradication.  His father hated the West.  Maybe that is why Obama ordered the bust of Churchill removed from the oval office… A plan to crush what he hates, the West, Christianity, Israel and America…”

Of course, there is another and much more compelling answer to the question as to why President Obama is acting in the way that he does. If you want to know the answer, please watch Norbert Link’s sermon, “The Christian in a Political World.”

The Ever-Growing Authority of the IRS—Revoking Passports for Delinquent Tax Debts?

Newsmax reported on November 22:

“The U.S. government reportedly plans to soon enact a law allowing your passport to be revoked or denied if you owe more than $50,000 in taxes. Starting in January, the State Department will block Americans with ‘seriously delinquent’ tax debt from receiving new passports and will be allowed to rescind existing passports of people who fall into that category…

“The rule is buried in a highway funding bill… The rule has been passed in similar versions by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress is expected to pass it in early December.

“Critics of the measure claim there will be no judicial review and no due process if the passport revocation rule retains its current form… [One expert stated:] ‘You don’t get to go in front of a judge first to have a fair and impartial hearing over whether or not the government’s tax allegations are accurate. The language in the law is very clear: they can simply revoke your passport if you owe them money in their sole discretion’…”

Many complain about the burdensome tax code and the virtually unrestricted authority of the IRS. Some Republican presidential candidates have been advocating a much simpler tax code and the abolishment of the IRS… a nice dream which won’t be materialized in the USA. In fact, things will get much worse, not better or easier.

Western Powers Will Not Lift Sanctions against Russia regarding Ukraine

Reuters reported on November 20:

“Western leaders who met on the margins of last week’s Group of 20 summit in Turkey agreed to extend sanctions imposed on Russia for its intervention in Ukraine by six months until July of next year… The decision was taken despite mounting calls to cooperate more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the fight against Islamic State following the militant group’s Nov. 13 attacks in Paris which killed 130 people…

“The sanctions are due to expire in January, before full implementation of the so-called Minsk peace deal, which aims to resolve the standoff between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Western countries have said all elements of Minsk need to be fulfilled before they can consider easing the sanctions… the leaders had concluded that it was important to maintain pressure on Russia ahead of planned elections in eastern Ukraine.

“Hollande has called for a grand coalition of nations to fight Islamic State, which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq. The French president is due to travel to Moscow on Nov. 26 to discuss closer cooperation with Putin.

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel will dine with Hollande in Paris the evening before his trip and, according to German officials, will urge him to remain firm on the sanctions question while in Moscow.”

Russia’s New Military Control Center… a Nightmare for the USA

The Washington Post wrote on November 21:

“It could have been a scene straight out of ‘Dr. Strangelove’ when President Vladimir Putin stepped into the Russian Ministry of Defense’s brand new…  control center this week, for a war briefing that had its fair share of movie-like pageantry. The fortified National Control Defense Center was Putin’s first stop after officials confirmed that the Russian charter jet crash that claimed 224 lives last month was the result of an act of terror. On movie-theater-size screens, live broadcasts showed long-range strategic bombers taking off from Russian air bases to fly sorties over Syria…

“But the real star of the show may have been the building itself, which is designed to be a new nerve center for the Russian military that will coordinate military action around the world, including ballistic missile launches and strategic nuclear deployments. The building is roughly the equivalent of the U.S. National Military Command Center used by the Pentagon, but as one Russian state news agency noted in a breathless headline this week, ‘Russian Defense Data Center Outperforms US Facility Threefold: Official.’…

“It was finished in 2014 and is part of a massive, decade-long modernization of Russia’s army, which has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, but has also produced noted improvements, from the expertise of Russian troops deployed during the Crimea operation to the recent cruise missile strikes launched from the Caspian Sea…

“Yes, it all looks very persuasive, and the Pentagon might even only dream of something like this, if only in a nightmare…”

Turkey Destroys Russian Warplane

npr.org reported on November 24:

“Turkey says that after issuing 10 warnings in five minutes, two of its F-16s shot down a Russian warplane that Turkey claims violated its airspace… Russia’s Defense Ministry said its Sukhoi SU-24 was flying ‘only within the borders of Syrian territory.’… Russian President Vladimir Putin called the action a ‘stab in the back by the terrorists’ accomplices.’… Putin went on to say that there would be ‘significant consequences… We will never tolerate such atrocities as happened today and we hope that the international community will find the strength to join forces and fight this evil,’ Putin said…

Russian Jet Shot Down INSIDE Syrian Airspace

AFP wrote on November 25:

“The United States believes the Russian jet shot down by Turkey was hit inside Syrian airspace after a brief incursion into Turkish airspace, a US official told Reuters. The official… said the assessment was based on detection of the heat signature of the jet…

“Turkish ambassador Halit Cevik said in a letter to the UN Security Council that his government was determined to defend its sovereignty, security and borders… ‘The ambassador said two SU-24 planes approached Turkish airspace in the Hatay region, flying at an altitude of 19,000 feet and that they crossed into Turkish airspace for 17 seconds… One plane left Turkish air space, but the second one was fired at by Turkish F-16s performing patrols in that area, said the ambassador…”

Turkey allegedly warned the Russian planes 10 times for five minutes while they were NOT in Turkish airspace. Turkey also alleges that the Russian pilots did not respond to the warning. (All of this is disputed by Russia, see below.) Turkey then proceeded to shoot down one jet inside Syrian airspace (!) after it had allegedly entered Turkish airspace for 17 seconds before leaving. Der Spiegel Online summarized the events as follows: The incident contains many mysteries. The invasion of the Russian jet into Turkish airspace was as unnecessary as its destruction.

Surviving Russian Pilot Claims: “No Warning Received, Never Entered Turkey’s Airspace”

Breitbart wrote on November 25:

“… the navigator of the Su-24 warplane, Captain Konstantin V. Murakhtin, survived, and was rescued by Russian special forces who suffered a casualty of their own during the operation, a Marine named Aleksander M. Pozynich. Pozynich was reportedly killed when his Mi-8 search-and-rescue helicopter came under fire from insurgent ground forces.

“The pilot of the Su-24, Lt. Col. Oleg A. Peshkov, was killed, apparently by small arms fire from Turkmen rebels on the ground, according to the UK Guardian…

“After his rescue, Captain Murakhtin was interviewed by Russian television from Russia’s Hmeymim airbase in Syria. He insisted that his plane did not cross into Turkish airspace. ‘There were no warnings. Not via the radio, not visually. There was no contact whatsoever,’ said Murakhtin, according to the UK Independent’s translation of his remarks. ‘That’s why we were keeping our combat course as usual. You have to understand what the cruising speed of a bomber is compared to an F-16. If they wanted to warn us, they could have shown themselves by heading on a parallel course. But there was nothing. And the rocket hit our tail completely unexpectedly. We didn’t even see it in time to take evasive maneuvers.’…

“There seems to be no question that the Russian plane came very close to the Turkish border… The Russians, of course, maintain that their plane had no intention of attacking targets in Turkey, while the Turks point out that they’ve complained about numerous Russian violations of their airspace since the Syrian bombing campaign began.

“It seems unlikely that Murakhtin’s plane could have missed all ten warning messages broadcast on the GUARD frequency by Turkey, but they might not have taken those warnings seriously enough…

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his government had ‘serious doubts’ the downing of its plane was an ‘unpremeditated act.’ He said it looked ‘very much like a planned provocation,’ according to CNN.

“There is also the question of exactly what the Su-24 was doing when it crossed the Turkish border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan angrily denied Russian claims that the plane was carrying out operations against the Islamic State. ‘There is no Daesh!’ he thundered about the area where the Su-24 was flying, using another name for ISIS…”

The Russian-Turkey (NATO) Conflict Widens

The Huffington Post wrote on November 24:

“The Defense Ministry… announced that Russia is severing all military contracts with Turkey…

“Ankara is dependent on Moscow for natural gas and is looking to deepen its energy cooperation with Russian entities… While Turkey and Russia have been close partners in natural resources, the two nations butt heads on Syria policy; Russia backs Syria’s dictator Bashar Assad and Turkey demands his ouster.

“It’s far from the first time that Ankara has been accused of turning a blind eye to or even supporting extremists in Syria, a country in which its shared border has been deemed a ‘jihadi highway’ for ISIS recruits. Turkey vehemently denies any connections to the hardline militant group. Meanwhile, Russian airstrikes aiding Syria’s supposed war on ‘terrorism’ have largely targeted moderate Syrian rebels and civilians, not ISIS.

“The Russian-Turkish military dispute comes at an increasingly complicated and deadly time in the nearly five-year-long Syrian civil war, in which over 250,000 Syrians have died and millions more displaced…”

The New York Times wrote on November 24:

“The tensions immediately took on Cold War overtones when Russia rejected Turkey’s claim and Ankara responded by asking for an emergency NATO meeting, eliciting more Russian anger and ridicule. After the meeting, the NATO secretary general… said the allies ‘stand in solidarity with Turkey.’ It was thought to be the first time a NATO country has shot down a Russian plane in half a century… the incident highlighted the dangers of Russian and NATO combat aircraft operating in the same theater and has soured chances for a diplomatic breakthrough over Syria…

“Mr. Hollande and Mr. Obama clearly hoped that the bombing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt, claimed by the Islamic State, would cause Moscow to make defeating the jihadists more of a priority than propping up Mr. Assad. But Tuesday’s events will make that a tougher sell…

“Turkey, especially under the increasingly authoritarian rule of its nationalist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been fierce in defending its airspace, shooting down Syrian jets that have strayed in the past… Mr. Putin said that instead of ‘immediately making the necessary contact with us, the Turkish side turned to their partners in NATO for talks on this incident. It’s as if we shot down the Turkish plane and not they, ours. Do they want to put NATO at the service of Islamic State?’…

“NATO countries have been concerned about Mr. Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies for some time, and NATO officials acknowledge that Turkey’s agenda in Syria does not always match that of Washington, Britain or France — let alone Russia… Mr. Erdogan’s own troops have largely turned their fire on the Syrian Kurds, whom Washington regards as its best local ally so far against the Islamic State…

“Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov canceled a Wednesday visit to Turkey, and a large Russian tour operator, Natalie Tours, announced it was suspending sales to Turkey. Russians accounted for 12 percent of all tourists to Turkey last year. The two countries are also significant trade partners. But ‘Russia-Turkey relations will drop below zero,’ Ivan Konovalov, director of the Center for Strategic Trends Studies, said on the state-run Rossiya 24 cable news channel.

“Washington is not interested in getting deeper into Syria with ground troops or having a conflict with Russia. So cautious are the NATO countries about Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which calls for mutual self-defense, that when Mr. Hollande declared ‘war’ on the Islamic State after the Paris attacks, he invoked the European Union’s toothless Lisbon Treaty and sidestepped NATO. Mr. Hollande was also, French officials have said, eager not to offend Mr. Putin by making Syria a NATO issue.”

This incident and NATO’s response will seriously jeopardize any cooperation between Russia and Western nations in their fight against ISIS. At the same time, it is telling that Mr. Hollande asked for the military help of the other EU member states, and NOT of NATO (and the USA).

Putin Is Playing Hard Ball

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 25:

“Russia has already said bombers flying missions in Syria will now be accompanied by fighter planes and that it plans to increase its military presence in Syria.

“The defence ministry has announced it is sending a warship off the coast of the country and that it will be deploying its advanced, long-range S-400 anti-aircraft system to a military base there. It has already warned that, following the attack, ‘all potentially dangerous targets will be destroyed.’

“This could have huge implications for not just Turkey, but other nations operating in the skies above Syria.”

It was also reported that the S-400 missile systems, which will be sent to the Hemeimeem air base in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia, located just about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the border with Turkey, are capable of targeting Turkish jets “with deadly precision.”

Russia Responds to Turkey

The Washington Post reported on November 26:

“Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called for tough sanctions against Turkey that could bite into more than $30 billion in trade ties between the two countries, as police here began seizing Turkish products and deporting Turkish businessmen… On Thursday, it became clear that the Russian government was now turning its ire on whatever extensions of the Turkish economy it could get its hands on.

“At a cabinet meeting, Medvedev said that joint investment projects with Turkey would be frozen or canceled. Negotiations over a proposed preferential trade regime with Turkey would also be scrapped, he said… ‘These documents will introduce restrictions and bans on the activity of Turkish economic structures in Russia, limiting deliveries of goods, including foodstuffs, labor, and services from Turkish companies,’ Medvedev said…

“Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev at the same session said that economic sanctions would affect Turkstream, the planned gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey announced by Putin last December, and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, which it signed an agreement with Russia to build in May 2010. He added that the sanctions may affect direct flights between Russia and Turkey.

“Elsewhere, government agencies were busy. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer oversight agency, announced it had seized 800 kilograms of ‘high-risk Turkish products,’ including meat, candies, and nuts.

“And in the southern Kuban region, Russia’s Migration Service said it had arrested and would deport 39 Turkish businessmen who attended an agricultural expo on tourist visas.

“Analysts say that Russia will choose from a menu of asymmetric responses in retaliation against Turkey, including informal economic sanctions and providing military aid to Turkey’s enemies, including the Kurds… Russia is unlikely to change its mission in Turkey as a result, Russian analysts said, and will seek to punish Turkey on the ground there…

“On Wednesday evening, Turkey’s state-run news agency, Anadolu, reported that Russian airstrikes targeted Turkish aid vehicles in the Syrian border town of Azzaz, killing at least seven drivers. The town is a hub for supplies being delivered from Turkey to Syrian rebels fighting government forces in the nearby city of Aleppo… On Thursday morning, reports emerged of a second bombing raid against Azzaz, a Syrian border town.

“Shady al-Ouaineh, a media representative for Determined Storm, a rebel group associated with the Free Syrian Army, said in a telephone interview that Russia had dramatically intensified air raids in the rebel-held areas of Latakia province. Syrian government forces and allied Shiite militiamen from Iraq, backed by Russian air cover, have been trying to advance on some of the last opposition holdouts in the province, said Ouaineh, close to where the Russian jet was shot down. ‘It is clear Russia is taking out its revenge on us here,’ he said.

“Russian attitudes toward Turkey, which were reasonably friendly a year ago, have turned cold with alarming speed. Most Russian tour operators stopped selling travel packages to Turkey on Wednesday. Protesters in Moscow pelted the Turkish Embassy with eggs and rocks, shattering windows. Russian lawmakers introduced a bill that would criminalize denying that the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 by the Ottoman Empire was a ‘genocide.’ The issue remains highly sensitive: Turkey acknowledges that atrocities occurred but has long denied that what took place constituted a genocide…”

In addition, Putin demanded an apology from Turkey for shooting down the jet, which Turkey refused to give. These developments are of prophetic significance, because the Bible shows that Turkey will ultimately enter into a closer relationship with Europe—and not with Russia.

Germany at War

Deutsche Welle reported on November 25:

“Merkel promised Hollande she would act ‘swiftly’ in the fight against terrorism and promised her complete solidarity.  ‘We have a shared enemy: terrorism. The Islamic State will not be convinced with words. It has to be defeated militarily,’ Germany’s chancellor said.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 26:

“Germany plans to send reconnaissance jets to Syria, to help in the fight against ‘Islamic State’… Germany has already promised to send 650 peacekeeping troops to Mali, relieving French troops fighting an Islamist insurgency in the former colony. Berlin also promised to strengthen its operations training anti-IS fighters in northern Iraq…

“Sources told the DPA news agency that Germany would send a warship [with torpedoes, missiles and over 250 soldiers] and at least one refueling aircraft [of the German Luftwaffe or air force], as well as providing [spy] satellite reconnaissance. The decision was made at a meeting of senior ministers in Berlin, called by Chancellor Angela Merkel…”

The Local added on November 26:

“German frigates could [also] escort friendly ships at sea… Merkel’s promise marks a big change from just a few days ago, when her junior coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) told The Local Hollande’s request for aid from EU partners was only ‘symbolic’… Germany has shown increasing willingness to help France more directly since then…”

Bild Online added that the German government did not specify how many fighter jets would be sent to Syria. Allegedly, six jets are being discussed.  According to Bild, all of this means that Germany will now be actively participating in the Syrian war, which in turn might increase the possibility of terrorist attacks in Germany. 

In this context, The Associated Press reported on November 26:

“A senior German police official says some of the migrants reaching Europe are Islamic State radicals planning terrorist attacks… He said Thursday that his office knows of 7,900 Islamic radicals in Germany who advocate violence to advance their goals, with some trying to win migrants to their cause.”

Bavaria’s Premier Horst Seehofer Reelected as CSU Leader—in the Midst of Controversy with Angela Merkel

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“Horst Seehofer, the premier of the German state of Bavaria, has been re-elected as leader of his conservative Christian Social Union (CSU). This comes amid ongoing disagreements with the chancellor over refugee policy… It is the fifth time he has been chosen as leader of the CSU, which is the Bavarian sister party and coalition partner of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU).

“The vote comes as Seehofer has clashed with the chancellor over refugee policy…  On Friday, Seehofer reiterated his call for a cap on the number of asylum applicants allowed to enter Germany, contradicting Merkel, who, also speaking at the CSU conference, again rejected the idea of imposing a limit. Seehofer, who has in the past described Merkel’s decision to allow Germany to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees this year as a ‘mistake,’ continued to insist on Saturday on putting a ceiling on asylum seeker numbers…

“Sticking to his hard line on refugees, he ruled out abolishing border controls into Germany any time soon, saying that they had to stay in place as long as the European Union’s external borders lacked effective monitoring. Seehofer said the controls were urgently needed to protect Germany and its citizens, with Bavaria bearing the brunt of the refugee influx into the country…”

Merkel Defiant

 Reuters reported on November 25:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Wednesday to stick to her open-door refugee policy, defying criticism at home and abroad which has intensified due to growing fears about a potential security risk after the Islamist attacks in Paris.

“Conservative Merkel faces splits in her right-left coalition and pressure from EU states, including France, over her insistence that Germany can cope with up to 1 million migrants this year and that Europe must accept quotas to take them in… Merkel stressed her commitment to her disputed refugee policy, saying Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, has a duty to protect those fleeing war and conflict in the Middle East, Africa and Asia…

“She countered politicians in some countries who have warned that the refugee crisis has exposed problems in Europe’s Schengen passport-free area, saying that states must develop it further by agreeing on migrant quotas…”

Seehofer Wants to Meet with Putin

Bloomberg wrote on November 21:

“Bavaria’s state premier said he plans to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin next year, stepping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s foreign-policy turf a day after clashing with her over refugee policy… ‘We can’t solve the conflicts of our times without or against Russia,’ Seehofer said in a speech to a CSU convention on Saturday in Munich, which is home to companies such as Siemens AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG…”

A temporary pact or agreement between Russia and some European nations, including Germany, might very well occur, but it will be short-lived.

Europe’s Anti-Immigration and Hard-Right Parties Gain Support

Business Insider wrote on November 19:

“Europe’s anti-immigration and hard-right parties are on the warpath. It seems like everywhere you look in continental Europe, the hard right is gaining ground.

“Today, it’s the turn of the Sweden Democrats. In 2014, the hard-right party came in third place on 12.9% of the vote, shocking international commentators. By comparison, the party got just 5.7% of the vote in 2010, and 1.49% in 2006. They’ve only been getting more popular since and on Thursday Yougov published a poll that puts the Sweden Democrats ahead on 26.7%, 5 points clear of any other party…

“Germany’s rightist and eurosceptic AfD just got their best polling result ever, hitting 10.5%. They’re back in 3rd place as the public mood with regards to refugees becomes increasingly fearful.

“Dutch polling likewise puts Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom not just in the lead for the next election (which must take place before March 2017), but 19 points clear of the next party.

“In the rest of Europe, it’s a similar story. Austria’s Freedom Party have drawn or lead in every poll conducted for the last six months. Italy’s regional hard-right Lega Nord’s polling average is sitting at around 15%, after getting just 4.1% in the 2013 election.

“In France… Front National leader Marine Le Pen, who has built up significant support on the same eurosceptic and anti-immigration platform, [leads] in most polls for the 2017 presidential election. Le Pen has already demanded an immediate halt of all migrant flows into France since the attacks.

“Europe’s hard-right is already riding high after months of refugee crisis headlines, and the brutal attacks on Paris could propel it even further.”

“The Schengen Agreement Must Survive”

The EUObserver wrote on November 25:

“Europe’s single currency would come under threat if the Schengen visa-free travel zone fails, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday… Juncker warned that the euro is pointless if people can’t move around freely to use it…

“‘Schengen is one of the main pillars of the construction of Europe,’ he added… Schengen has 26 members, though a few are not EU states… ‘Those who believe in Europe, those who believe in its values and principles, freedoms, must breathe new life into the spirit behind Schengen,’ he noted…”

“He also confirmed the EU commission will come forward with proposals on an EU-wide border guard and coast guard system in December, and called for more effective cooperation between European intelligence services.”

Europe Is Looking for a Strong Leader

Newsmax reported on November 22:

“Conservative pundit Pat Buchanan says the United States and Europe are moving more conservative in light of events such as the November 13 terrorist attacks on Paris. ‘I think we are seeing a general retreat of liberalism in the United States and in Europe, and a fairly dramatic shift to the right, if you will, politically and ideologically,’ Buchanan said Sunday… ‘These events are producing a tremendous rise in nationalism…’

“‘Europe is also seeing a move toward “Caesarism,”’ Buchanan said, ‘in other words, the look for a strong leader, someone who will deal with these devils who came to kill us and who will deal with them in a tough way. So I think it’s a change in the world…”

There are already “strong leaders” in certain countries around the world, and the USA is also looking for a strong leader. Some of the presidential contenders might qualify for that role. The question is, will all of these “strong leaders” make the world a safer place, or will they in fact cause a nightmarish situation of unparalleled disaster— well beyond the ability of any man to prevent, stop or reverse?

Coming… a Two-Speed Europe

The EUObserver wrote on November 19:

“The European Union will have to develop a framework in which some core member states can do everything together and others will be less involved, Jean-Claude Juncker, EU commission president, said on Wednesday (18 November). ‘I think that, eventually, it will no longer be possible that 33, 34 or 35 states will proceed at the same speed with the same momentum in the same direction,’ Juncker said in a discussion with citizens in Brussels.

“The 28-member EU is in accession talks with countries in the Balkans with the aim of having them join the bloc eventually. Juncker said at the start of his presidency, however, that there will be no enlargement under his mandate until 2019.  Of the 28 EU countries, some already work more closely together on certain issues than they do with others.

“Most notably, the 19 member states that share the euro currency coordinate budget policies and have a banking union in which all the large eurozone banks are under a single supervisor, the European Central Bank… The Schengen states, meanwhile, share a common external border and have dismantled border checks amongst themselves… [However, the rules of the Schengen agreement were temporarily suspended by some of the member states, due to the migrant crisis.]

“‘One day we should rethink the European architecture with a group of countries that will do things, all things, together, and others that will position themselves in an orbit away from the core,’ Juncker said… His predecessor, Jose Manuel Barroso, former EU commission president, opposed allowing a split within the EU and creating core and non-core EU countries – a two-speed Europe… Juncker also reinstated his call for a European army and argued for a common defence policy in the EU.”

The Bible shows that a two-speed Europe will develop, and that ten core nations or groups of nations, arising out of the eurozone, will lead the EU, including militarily. They, in turn, will transfer their authority and power to a charismatic political “strong leader.”

 Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Looking for a Strong Leader.”

Archbishop of Canterbury Doubts God’s Presence

Daily Mail wrote on November 22:

“Justin Welby has admitted that the terrorist attacks in Paris had made him doubt the presence of God. The Archbishop of Canterbury said he was left asking why the attacks happened and where God was when the militant jihadis struck.”

This is quite a statement for the religious leader of a powerful Christian denomination.

Archbishop of Canterbury Supports Use of Armed Forces

The Daily Mail wrote on November 24:

“The Archbishop of Canterbury admitted today the world’s battle with ISIS ‘must involve the use of armed force’.”

Christ warned against this kind of thinking.

 Britain’s Biggest Cinema Chains Refuse to Show Movie Reciting the “Lord’s Prayer”

Daily Mail wrote on November 21:

“Britain’s biggest cinema chains have banned the screening of a [one-minute] film in which the Archbishop of Canterbury and members of the public recite the Lord’s Prayer – because they say it could be offensive to movie-goers…

“The ban will heighten fears that Christianity is being pushed to the margins of society by political correctness, and the Church said it could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech.”

No doubt about that. Worldwide antagonism against the Bible and its teachings is one of the signs of our time.

Will the Nonsense Ever Stop?

Daily Mail wrote on November 22:

“The King of Sweden has called for a ban on baths to help save the environment. King Carl XVI Gustaf… said he realised how much water and energy they used when he was recently staying somewhere without a shower…

“Much like the Prince Charles’s overhaul of Highgrove House with ‘eco toilets’, the Swedish king’s residence has been made greener with environmentally-friendly heating and low-energy lightbulbs.”

The Associated Press wrote on November 24:

“Prince Charles says climate change is partly responsible for Syria’s civil war and the chaos it has unleashed. The heir to the British throne says climate change is causing drought, conflict over resources and mass migrations.”

Syrian refugees flee the territory because of ongoing violence–not because of alleged or real climate change.

Muslim Invasion

Breitbart wrote on November 13:

“‘Allahu akbar!’ That all-too-familiar battle cry kicked off six Islamic acts of war on the people of France. Muslims set off on a murderous rampage in Paris Friday night… Devout Muslims were celebrating the attacks on social media.

“One of the apprehended jihadists reportedly stated, ‘I am from the Islamic State.’ … [Also, shouts by the terrorists were heard, stating: This is for Syria!]… At the concert hall, the merciless jihadis murdered their hostages one by one… Paris police said that the siege ended when French forces killed at least two of the jihad murderers inside the hall.

“Hollande ordered a state of emergency in Paris. He also closed the country’s borders.  [He also ordered a curfew… the first since World War II , and he called in the army of 1,500 troops.]

“The massacre took place at several different locations in Paris — near the site of the massacre of Muhammad cartoonists at the Charlie Hebdo offices in January…

“This Paris jihad massacre casts into a new light the desire of New York State Senator Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to bring 1.5 million Muslim migrants from Syria to New York. Obama wants to accelerate the entry of Syrian refugees into the U.S…. Americans must be ready… It’s not just in Paris, it’s here… yesterday, an Ohio Muslim was arrested for plotting to kill U.S. soldiers and bomb churches and schools. ‘I’ll be proud when I shed American blood,’ Muslim convert Terrence McNeil said, according to prosecutors. He allegedly posted messages advocating jihad against the United States: ‘I would gladly take part in an attack on this murderous regime and the people.’ …

“The Muslim migrant stream into Europe is a Muslim invasion. Back in February, the Islamic State warned that they would send millions of Muslim fighters into Europe. They have made good on their every pledge. And now the attacks in Paris demonstrate that Europe is at war. It’s coming here. …”

Hollande’s order of state of emergency in Paris is tantamount to martial law in the USA.  AFP reported on November 15 that “he wanted the state of emergency declared after the Paris attacks to last three months…  Any extension to a state of emergency beyond 12 days requires parliamentary approval.”

ISIS Responsible for Paris Terror Attacks—France Retaliates

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 14:

“The ‘Islamic State’ group has claimed gun and bomb attacks in Paris that left more than 128 people dead. It said the attacks would continue as long as the country continued its current policies… French President Francois Hollande had earlier vowed to strike back after an emergency meeting with security officials on Saturday… The president announced that France ‘will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic State’ and act ‘by all means anywhere, inside or outside the country.’”

On November 15, Reuters reported:

“France has been bombing Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria for months as part of a U.S.-led operation. Following Friday’s mayhem, Paris vowed to destroy the group. Underlining its resolve, French jets on Sunday launched their biggest raids in Syria to date, hitting its stronghold in Raqqa…”

New Terrorist Attacks in the Making…

The Local reported on November 18:

“Sweden has raised its terror threat level in response to ‘concrete information’ of a terrorist plot… Turkish police have arrested eight alleged jihadists from Morocco at Istanbul airport as they were headed for Germany…”

The Washington Post wrote on November 18:

“A woman triggered a suicide blast Wednesday as more than 100 police and soldiers stormed an apartment north of Paris… the seven-hour siege left no doubt that other potential threats remained… a police helicopter spotted a man trying to escape as he fired at police. Sharpshooters killed him…

“In addition to the two dead, police arrested at least seven people before the showdown was over in the historic heart of the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, a teeming quarter with a large immigrant population.”

Newsmax added that “Authorities believe the raids thwarted a bigger operation by Islamist radicals.”

Breitbart added on November 18:

“The man believed to be the mastermind behind Friday’s Paris terror attacks that resulted in the deaths of over one-hundred people and wounded hundreds more has been killed in a police raid on his location, according to senior European intelligence officials.”

Germany in Panic

The Washington Post reported on November 17:

“Germany and the Netherlands were supposed to play a soccer match in Hannover on Tuesday, but it was called off about 90 minutes before kickoff after police found a suspicious object inside the stadium, which was evacuated.

“German media is reporting that police received ‘concrete’ information about a bomb threat and that the Hannover police confirmed an explosive device on the premises. In a press conference held later, however, German officials denied any explosive device had been found… German officials also denied various reports purporting that a truck bomb disguised as an ambulance was found near the stadium.

“Hannover police informed fans that the game had been canceled on its Facebook page… At the stadium, police asked that people evacuate by foot, as all trains moving away from the stadium were stopped. Only a few spectators were inside the stadium when the evacuation was announced…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel was expected to attend the game, according to reports, ‘as a signal that Germany wouldn’t bow to terrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks,’ the AP reports. On Friday, a match between Germany and France in Paris was the site of numerous explosions in a terror attack that killed at least 129 people throughout the city. One of the attackers reportedly attempted to enter the stadium with a ticket after the game had begun but was turned away. He then detonated his explosive vest.”

Deutsche Welle added on November 17:

“Police also closed off part of Hannover’s central train station after another object was found before a bomb disposal unit removed a suspicious package from an InterCity (IC) train. Investigators were unable to immediately determine whether it was a bomb or a dummy-explosive… A second Hannover stadium, the TUI arena, was evacuated shortly after, where fans had been waiting to [see the] German band ‘Söhne Mannheims.’”

It was also reported that Belgium called off a friendly soccer match against Spain after the country raised its terror threat level. A friendly soccer game between England and France did take place in London, as scheduled. Reuters reported on November 17 that during a friendly soccer game between Turkey and Greece, a moment of silence for the victims of the Paris attacks was booed by Turkish fans before breaking out into a chant of “Allah Akbar.” It was also pointed out that 99.8 percent of the Turkish population is Muslim (Sunni), and that the disruption came at a game attended by both the Turkish and Greek prime ministers.

German Interior Minister Mocked on the Internet

The Local wrote on November 18:

“Germans proved that the Teutonic sense of humour is alive and well on Wednesday, as people mercilessly mocked Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière’s reason for protecting his intelligence sources… ‘Part of the answer to the question [of why we evacuated the stadium in Hanover before the Germany-Netherlands friendly] would make the public feel unsafe,’ de Maizière told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday night. But as many social media users quickly pointed out, leaving the public hanging was liable to have much the same effect.

“Inevitably, the Interior Minister became the subject of ribaldry and guffawing across social networks… [Here is a funny and telling example:] ‘How do you think I’m doing as Interior Minister?’ de Maizière asks Merkel. ‘Part of my answer would unsettle you,’ Merkel responds…”

Subsequently, De Maizière gave some lame “explanations,” stating that he had received specific information to the effect that an attack was imminent. However, he did not shed any light on the fact as to why his intelligence sources were so wrong. He only tried to defend the government’s action with a statement that he still did not know whether the information was correct or false.

De Maizière is a scandal-ridden politician. Many Germans feel that he should have been sacked a long time ago. But for whatever secret reason–perhaps only known to Mrs. Merkel–he is still heavily engaged in politics, and continues making a mess of things.

German Conservatives Link Terror Attack to Migrant Crisis

The Local wrote on November 14:

“Conservative leaders in Germany insisted on linking the terror attacks in Paris on Friday night to the country’s own refugee crisis… ‘Paris changes everything,’ Bavarian finance minister Markus Söder told Die Welt am Sonntag. ‘It cannot be that we don’t know who is coming to Germany and what these people are doing here. This situation must be brought to an end by any means,’ said Söder, echoing comments by state premier Horst Seehofer.

“Söder added that Germany should consider following France’s lead by closing the country’s borders if the European Union was unable to secure its external frontiers – something the state of Bavaria might also do itself if federal action is not forthcoming, he said… The German Police Union (DPolG) also called for tougher action at the borders, with Ernst Walter, head of the DPolG federal police branch, calling for the ‘immediate conversion of the EU border agency Frontex to an effective European border police’ in a statement…”

American Conservatives Link Terror Attack to Migrant Crisis

 The Washington Post wrote on November 15:

“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal [who announced this week that he is suspending his campaign for the Presidency] called for sealing off U.S. borders, while former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee wants to halt the arrival of any refugees from countries with a ‘strong presence of ISIS or al-Qaeda.’ [Dr.] Ben Carson… said Sunday that accepting Syrian refugees is ‘a suspension of intellect.’…

“The Obama administration has said it wants to host an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees in the coming year — which some liberals argue is not nearly enough. During the Democratic debate on Saturday evening, Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley said the United States should increase that number to 65,000…”

Newsmax added on November 16:

“Mitt Romney is calling for the West to stop the ‘insanity’ of accepting refugees from the Middle East — particularly young men — and for the United States to wage war on the Islamic State to ‘eradicate it once and for all.’”

Republican Governors in Open Defiance of President Obama

Daily Mail reported on November 16:

“25 Republican governors – and one Democrat too – have said they don’t want Syrian refugees in their states, as President Obama recommitted the U.S. to take a portion of this population fleeing from ISIS. In a press conference this morning in Turkey, Obama said that ‘the United States has to step up and do its part,’ while chiding those in the opposition party for suggesting there be a ‘religious test’ for entry into the United States…

“Republican governors from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Texas and Wisconsin said they would postpone programs to bring in Syrian refugees, or they’re against the idea entirely… Additionally, CNN reported that Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee are also on the list. Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina were added by USA Today.

“Presidential candidate Chris Christie, indicating that New Jersey also isn’t on board, and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez also said she opposed the administration’s plan. New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan was the first Democrat to express support for stopping the flow of Syrian refugees into her state.”

US “Civil War” Continues

AFP reported on November 17:

“President Barack Obama lashed out Wednesday at Republicans who insist on barring Syrian refugees from entering the U.S., deeming their words offensive and insisting ‘it needs to stop.’ ‘Apparently they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America,’ Obama said.

“Mocking GOP leaders for thinking they’re tough, Obama said overblown rhetoric from Republicans could be a potent recruitment tool for the Islamic State group. He insisted the U.S. process for screening refugees for possible entry into the U.S. is rigorous and said the U.S. doesn’t make good decisions ‘based on hysteria’ or exaggerated risk…

“Obama’s comments during a meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino marked his harshest condemnation yet of Republicans’ response to the Paris attacks blamed on IS that killed 129 people last week. Republicans in Congress and on the 2016 presidential trail have urged an immediate closure of America’s borders to Syrian refugees, but the Obama administration has shown no sign of backing off its plans to bring an additional 10,000 Syrians fleeing civil war into the U.S….

“In Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have urged at least a temporary halt in the resettlement of Syrians, while disputing Obama administration claims that the small numbers making their way here so far are being thoroughly investigated…”

Newsmax added on November 17:

“The Obama administration stepped up its assurances that it can keep terrorists from mixing with incoming Syrian refugees as a top Senate Democrat voiced reservations about a resettlement program already under fire from Republicans. New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who will take over as the Democratic leader in the chamber in 2017, said ‘a pause may be necessary’ on the entry of Syrians fleeing civil war.”

Obama Clueless and Delusional?

Newsmax reported on November 17:

“Fox News host Bill O’Reilly says President Barack Obama seems to have no idea the ‘civilized world’ is losing the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). ‘Is President Barack Obama delusional?’ he asked in opening Monday’s ‘O’Reilly Factor.’ ‘History will record that the two biggest deficits of the Obama administration were the failure to create a robust economy and the president’s retreat from the terrorist battlefield,’ O’Reilly said.

“Obama has never had a real strategy for dealing with ISIS, he said, and his cluelessness was underscored when Obama declared that ISIS is being ‘contained’ just hours before the deadly Paris attacks.”

Dangerous Thinking—Suspending the Visa Program with Europe?

Breitbart reported on November 16:

“Representative Tulsi Gabbard argued ‘we need to temporarily suspend this visa waiver program’ between the US and Europe because ‘it could just be a matter of hours, before someone travels through these different borders, someone who’s become a foreign fighter, who’s been fighting in Syria, and ends up here on the United States soil’ on Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s ‘The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.’…”

Blitzer responded that this could also mean that Europe would suspend its visa waiver program for US citizens, meaning that US citizens would need a visa for visiting Europe, while European citizens would need visas to visit the USA. Gabbard agreed with this conclusion. Other ideas propose the concept of shutting down all “dangerous” mosques in the USA, as well as in France.

Some of the Paris Terrorists Entered Europe as “Refugees”

Reuters wrote on November 15:

“The holder of a Syrian passport found near the body of one of the gunmen who died in Friday night’s attacks in Paris was registered as a refugee in several European countries last month, authorities said.

“The man… came into Europe through the Greek island of Leros, where he was processed on Oct. 3, Greek officials said on Saturday. He was among 70 refugees who arrived on a small vessel from Turkey… The information is significant because if one or more of the Paris gunmen turned out to have come into Europe among refugees and migrants fleeing war-torn countries, this could change the political debate about accepting refugees… Greek government sources said a second suspect attacker was also likely to have passed through Greece.”

Some have stated that the Syrian passport might have been forged to cast suspicion on refugees in their attempt to stop migrants entering Europe. Controversial and scandal-ridden German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière toyed with this idea, as Deutsche Welle reported on November 17:

“Police in France have been trying to discern whether a passport used by one of the Paris suicide bombers was stolen from a dead Syrian soldier. Germany’s interior minister has suggested it was a ploy to set up refugees.”

When “Enemies” Become “Friends”… at Least for a Brief Moment

Deutsche Welle reported on November 16:

“Obama and Putin met for around half an hour on the sidelines of the [G20] conference, and according to eye witnesses they had an intense discussion… To date, both Russia and Iran have supported Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad. The US, Western countries and Saudi Arabia are demanding that he be replaced. It’s now possible that the common fight against ‘Islamic State’ could bring the two sides together…

“However, Turkey is involved in this as well. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is hosting the summit, is also conducting airstrikes in Syria and Iraq – but he’s attacking Kurdish rebels, too. Turkey considers them to be terrorists. But the United States is supplying these Kurdish fighters with weapons…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel… conceded… that Europe must protect its external borders better if it is to be able to register Syrian refugees and prevent the possibility of terrorist infiltration…”

The EUObserver added on November 17:

“On Tuesday the Russian air force bombed the IS stronghold of Raqqa, where the French had already struck twice on Sunday and Monday evening… Putin also admitted on Tuesday that the Russian aircraft that crashed in Sinai on 31 October, killing 234 people, was downed by terrorists. He had previously ruled out any terror act. His admission may indicate that he is ready to cooperate against IS with France, Britain, the US, and the EU member states ready to join operations in Syria.”

Greater Military Involvement for Germany?

The Wall Street Journal reported on November 16:

“The Paris attacks have jolted Germany into considering greater military involvement in the fight against Islamic State, despite public opposition to abandoning its largely pacifist foreign policy. The voices raising the prospect of military intervention by the European Union’s biggest country came largely from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative group in parliament…

“Government officials urged caution but ruled out nothing. They noted that Germany already was contributing by training and equipping Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq, who have been attacking Islamic State positions there…”

“German Army ‘Could Join UN Syria Mission’”

The Local wrote on November 18:

“Germany might send ground troops into Syria on condition that there is a UN resolution covering any military intervention, Der Spiegel reported… That would be a big step up from Germany’s current role in the battle against Isis of arming and training Kurdish Peshmerga troops in northern Iraq. Officials close to Chancellor Angela Merkel believe it’s increasingly likely that German troops might be called on to supervise a negotiated ceasefire…

“The cabinet decided on Wednesday to moderately restrengthen the Bundeswehr’s (German army) presence in the north-east of Afghanistan… The cabinet also agreed upon extending Germany’s involvement in “Active Endeavour” the EU’s anti-people smuggling mission in the Mediterranean.”

“We Need a European Army” – “Europe in Great Danger”

According to the German edition of the Huffington Post, Germany’s former Finance Minister, Rainer Brüderle (FDP), stated on November 15 that Europe needs a European army. He recommended to start with German-French combined military combat forces, and others could join them.

Bild Online wrote on Sunday, November 15, that a real danger exists that Germany will be attacked by terrorists, and that an attack could happen any time. Experts are quoted as saying that the danger has not been that real for the last 15 years. According to a secret governmental study, at least more than 200 jihadists have entered Germany from Syria.

Newsmax added on November 16:

“Sharad Kumar, the director general of India’s National Investigation Agency [who attended a conference of European police chiefs in September, said the following:] ‘During a discussion on the threat posed by the ISIS in Europe, we were told that there were around 50,000 Europeans who have joined the ranks of the terror outfit… It makes Europe very vulnerable to terror attacks from these fighters who can come back any day and who also know major cities there from the back of their hands.’

“According to the Clarion Project, ‘The European Police Chiefs Convention was held on September 23 and 24 and briefed 300 police representatives from 50 countries on the terror threats posed by the Islamic State and related groups.’”

Activation of the “Mutual Defense Clause” in EU Treaty

The EUObserver wrote on November 17:

“EU member states agreed Tuesday (17 November) to grant military assistance to France following Friday’s terror attacks in Paris. For the first time in EU history, defence ministers unanimously decided to activate the ‘mutual defence clause’ of the EU treaty… French president Francois Hollande had invoked article 42.7 of the EU treaty in an address to the parliament Monday. ‘If a member state is the victim of armed aggression on its territory,’ the article states, ‘the other member states shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power.’…

“While EU law also includes a solidarity clause in the event of a terrorist attack, to ‘protect democratic institutions and the civilian populace’, France chose to ask for help for its external military operations… In addition to launching strikes against the Islamic State group and protecting its own territory, France has sent troops to the Sahel region, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, and to several minor theatres. Around 7,000 troops are deployed overseas…”

The Times of Israel added on November 17:

“France made an unprecedented demand Tuesday that its European Union allies support its military action against the Islamic State group…

“The French government invoked a never-before-used article of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty obliging members of the 28-nation bloc to give ‘aid and assistance by all the means in their power’ to a member country that is ‘the victim of armed aggression on its territory.’

“French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said all 27 of France’s EU partners responded positively… Arriving for talks in Brussels with his EU counterparts, Greek Defense Minister Panagiotis Kammenos told reporters that the Paris attacks were a game-changer for the bloc. ‘This is Sept. 11 for Europe,’ he said…

“‘(Syria is) the biggest factory of terrorism the world has ever known and the international community is still too divided and too incoherent’ in its response, Hollande said, adding that the ‘acts of war’ in Paris were decided upon and planned in Syria…”

“These Are the End Times”

Breitbart wrote on November 15:

“Two days after the horrendous jihadist attacks in Paris, Pope Francis preached about the ‘end times,’ encouraging his hearers to be vigilant and ready at any moment to meet God face to face… the Pope invited the ten thousand pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square to think about their death, the day they will meet God and give an accounting for their life… Francis unequivocally recognized the Islamist ideology behind the attacks, denouncing the use of God’s name to justify the brutal attacks as ‘blasphemy.’

“Commenting on Sunday’s Scripture readings, the Pope said that Jesus’ preaching about the end of the world contains ‘apocalyptic elements, like war, famine, and cosmic catastrophes.’ ‘In those days,’ Francis repeated, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’… The most important thing is not knowing when the end will come, but being ready for it when it does, he said.”

“Ukraine Gives Equal Rights to Gay Workers to Please Brussels”

The EUObserver wrote on November 13:

“Members of the Ukrainian parliament granted equal rights to gay workers on Thursday (12 November), but several did it more out of necessity than of conviction. The adopted legislation was a requirement from Brussels if Ukraine wants visa-free travel. As a result of the vote, Ukraine’s labour code will be amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds on which discrimination in the workplace is prohibited…

“The European Union had set the inclusion of anti-discriminatory provision for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGTBI) people as a prerequisite for visa-free travel by Ukrainians to those European countries which are part of the Schengen area. It was also framed in Kiev as a measure required to move closer to the EU out of fear of Russia. ‘It’s better to have a gay parade on [Kiev’s main street] Khreshchatyk than Russian tanks in the centre of the Ukrainian capital,; said MP Yuri Lutsenko, who is a member of president Petro Poroshenko’s party. ‘I believe if we go to Europe, we must recognise the rules adopted in the EU,’ Lutsenko added…

“Those opposed had argued the bill was an attack on Ukraine’s Christian Orthodox values…”

Ultimately, many Ukrainians will become very unhappy with European rules (as is the case with the UK), and they may want to become part of the Russian influence, while departing from the EU.

ISIS’ Worldwide Terrorist Threats

Reuters reported on November 6:

“Moscow suspended passenger flights to Egypt, and the United States imposed new air travel security requirements in the wake of the crash of a Russian jet in Egypt, as Western officials pointed on Friday to the conclusion it was brought down by a bomb… While no official investigation has confirmed that claim of responsibility, countries have been canceling flights and announcing new precautions, leaving tens of thousands of European and Russian tourists stranded at Red Sea resorts…

“U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have already said the crash might have been caused by a bomb. Moscow initially rebuked Western countries for drawing such conclusions too quickly. But President Vladimir Putin’s decision to suspend Russian flights suggests the Kremlin is no longer trying to avert attention from that theory…

“French TV station France 2 said on its website that the sound of an explosion could be heard on the black boxes recovered from the plane, according to an investigator who had access to them. The investigator ruled out engine failure, it added…

“Decisions by Britain and other European countries to suspend flights to Sharm al-Sheikh left tens of thousands of tourists stranded in one of the most popular destinations for European holidaymakers seeking winter sunshine. Moscow’s decision to follow suit on Friday adds tens of thousands more… The Russian Travel Industry Union, cited by Interfax, estimated there were about 50,000 Russian tourists currently in Egypt and said refunding canceled tickets to Egypt could bankrupt Russian tour operators…

“British attempts to bring home thousands of stranded tourists were thrown into chaos on Friday when Egypt reduced the number of flights it would allow to take them home…”

The Washington Post wrote on November 6:

“The hardening prospect that a Russian airliner was brought down over the Sinai Peninsula by a terrorist bomb is raising concerns that the threat from the Islamic State has dramatically expanded, and it points to the potentially deadly role of insurgents around the world who have allied themselves with the militant group… If the Islamic State indeed destroyed the plane, it would shatter whatever expectation there was that the group could be confined and ultimately defeated within Iraq and Syria — the region where it has seized territory and declared a caliphate…

“There have been arrests of Islamic State operatives in Kosovo and Albania in recent months for allegedly planning attacks in Europe, said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University. ‘But this is the first time that ISIL has crossed the threshold and burst onto the international terror scene,’ he said…

“The apparent ability of the group to smuggle a bomb on board a plane loaded with tourists is disturbing to U.S. security officials, who had comforted themselves with the idea that the Islamic State appeared focused on establishing its caliphate and was so far unwilling or unable to strike outside its immediate area of operations. ‘This is the most significant terrorist-related airline incident since 9/11,’ Hoffman said. ‘So the repercussions for this have to be quite profound.’”

Deutsche Welle reported on November 7:

“The weekly ‘Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung’ (FAS) reported in its Sunday edition that the German government believes the Russian Metrojet airliner was bombed by the ‘Islamic State’ (IS) terrorist group. ‘All available information points to this conclusion,’ a senior German security official told the paper, adding that the aircraft’s sudden drop in altitude, without any irregularities having been recorded in the cockpit, make a bomb ‘very plausible.’”

Subsequently, governmental officials from the USA, Great Britain and Europe have stated that they are “99% sure” that the Russian plane was destroyed by a bomb.

The Associated Press reported on November 10 that “Moscow’s ban on all flights to Egypt in the wake of a Russian plane crash will last for at least several months, the Kremlin chief of staff said Tuesday, dealing a severe blow to Egypt’s struggling tourism industry.”

“The Temple Mount Belongs to Israel”

i24news.tv reported on November 11, 2015:

“[70 senior] rabbis from the Religious Zionism movement have issued a petition claiming the sacred status of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, also known as the al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslims…

“The rabbis have said that they refuse to give up Jewish ownership of the Temple Mount and continue to pray for the construction of the third temple where its predecessors had been…

“Under the headline, ‘We won’t give up the Temple Mount,’ the Rabbis wrote that ‘the Temple Mount belongs to the people of Israel for generations of about 3,000 years now, since it was purchased by King David for its full price from Araunah the Jebusite… The two temples of the people of Israel stood on the Temple Mount for some 1,000 years, before the religion of Islam even existed. No one has the authority to give up the Temple Mount…’

“The rabbis argued that the people of Israel were certain of the fulfillment of the prophets’ vision on the construction of the temple, and ‘pray that we will see it happen soon in our time.’”

Leaders of China and Taiwan Meet for the First Time Since 1949

The Associated Press reported on November 7:

“The leaders of China and Taiwan met Saturday for the first time since the formerly bitter Cold War foes split amid civil war 66 years ago, and though no concrete agreement resulted, both hailed the meeting as a sign of a new stability in relations… In brief opening remarks in front of reporters before going into a closed-door meeting, [China’s] Xi said, ‘History will record this day.’ He alluded to China’s long-cherished goals of unification with Taiwan, saying, ‘We are one family,’ and ‘No force can pull us apart.’

“[Taiwan’s] Ma said, ‘Both sides should respect each other’s values and way of life,’ while adding that relations between the sides were ‘the most peaceful and stable they have ever been.’

“When they split in 1949, both sides aspired to absorb the other, with each claiming the mantle of the only legitimate government of all of China, Taiwan included. Communist Party-ruled China still demands that Taiwan eventually be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary, while many citizens of democratic Taiwan increasingly prefer to simply maintain the separate status the island has carved out over more than six decades.

“Critics of Ma in Taiwan are wary that his meeting with Xi and similar contacts will pave the way for Beijing to assert greater control over the island, further deepening its international isolation… China refuses to acknowledge the island as anything other than a breakaway province, and pressure from Beijing keeps Taiwan out of the United Nations and other major multinational organizations…

“Each leader hopes to seal his legacy as one who helped bring decades of division and mistrust to a mutually acceptable end…”

“Let Europe Be Europe!”

On November 9, WorldNetDaily published the following article by Pat Buchanan:

“‘A modern day mass migration is taking place … that could change the face of Europe’s civilization,’ warned Hungarian President Viktor Orban… He erected a 110-mile fence on the Serb border, redirecting hundreds of thousands of migrants away from Hungary to Croatia, thence to Austria and Germany.

“Sunday, after a third of a million had passed through, Croatia replaced a center-left with a rightist party. A fortnight ago, the right-wing eurosceptic Law and Justice Party won a landslide victory in Poland.

“Support for Angela Merkel, who has opened Germany to a million migrants, is plummeting. Bavaria’s CSU, sister party of Merkel’s CDU, is in rebellion. Bavaria has been the main port of entry for the hundreds of thousands of arriving migrants.

“Europe is undergoing the greatest mass migration since World War II, when 14 million Germans were driven out of Prussia and eastern Germany and Central and Eastern Europe. That mass migration halted after two years. But no end is in sight to the migrations from Africa and the Middle East. As long as Europe’s borders remain open, they will come. And the people who wish to come number not just in the millions but the tens and scores of millions. And they know how to get there…

“Under the Schengen Agreement, there are to be no barriers to trade and travel, to the movement of goods and people inside the EU. Yet, across Europe, fences are going up, borders are being re-established, anti-immigrant and anti-EU parties like the National Front of France’s Marine Le Pen, are gaining converts. If the mass migrations are not halted, the rise of nationalist regimes at the expense of Europe’s liberals and leftists is inevitable…

“Optimists point to how America absorbed the 15 million that arrived in the Great Wave of immigration from 1890 to 1920. But they ignore the differences. America’s immigrants were Europeans from Christian nations… those pouring into Europe are Arab, African and Muslim, not European Christians or Jews. They come from other civilizations and cultures. And they are… creating enclaves in Europe that replicate the lands whence they came…

“Will Europe remain Europe if she is repopulated by Arabs, Muslims, Asians and Africans? What will hold Europe together?… One day soon, a voice will arise across the Atlantic calling for an end to this invasion, by force if necessary, and declare: ‘Let Europe be Europe!’”

In light of the last paragraph, the following articles are quite revealing… and frightening, considering the consequences.

“Germany Unable to House 300,000 Refugees”

The Local wrote on November 9:

“Germany doesn’t have the capacity to house hundreds of thousands of the refugees set to arrive in the country over the remainder of the year, a study released on Monday claims… [arguing] that Germany currently only has the capacity to house around half a million refugees. But with almost that number already having arrived in the country – and 380,000 more projected to arrive before the year is out – that means housing solutions are still needed for 370,000 migrants.

“The report included a survey of 300 local authorities in Germany who estimated that a total of 870,000 people would arrive in Germany in the whole of 2015 seeking asylum. Over three quarters of local authorities said that their greatest challenge was finding shelter for all the refugees who arrive at their door. Almost two-thirds also voiced fears over the lack of reliable numbers of arriving refugees…”

Migrant Crisis in Germany

Breitbart wrote on November 12, 2015:

“Germany’s finance minister has warned that an ‘avalanche’ of migrants has been triggered, just as it was revealed that Germany should expect up to 10 million migrants by 2020. According to the calculations of another member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ‘grand coalition’ of parties, the continent can expect nearly 10 times as many migrants as has been projected for this year alone over the next five years…

“The nation is expecting up to 1.5 million this year alone. The numbers began rising sharply immediately after Mrs. Merkel promised to suspend the Dublin agreement in August, and ‘welcome’ any migrant who could make it across the German borders… the German government has no idea how many migrants it has already taken in and begun to process…”

The Local added on November 12:

“Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has warned that the flow of refugees into Germany and Europe could turn into an ‘avalanche’ if not managed properly. ‘Avalanches can be triggered when some slightly careless skier goes to the slope and moves a little bit of snow,’ Schäuble said in Berlin on Wednesday evening. It was impossible to tell at this point whether the avalanche had reached the valley floor or was still in the top third of the slope, he added.

“The comments were a rare statement of position from Merkel’s finance chief Schäuble, who has until recently confined himself to comments on the affordability of the refugee crisis… In recent days, Germany has tightened its refugee policy, re-introducing the so-called ‘Dublin rules’ for Syrian refugees, which would see them sent back to the first EU country they entered to apply for asylum.

“Last week, Sweden asked refugees on their way to the Nordic country to stay in Germany as they were hitting their limit for accommodating migrants. And Merkel faced a mini-rebellion over the weekend from her Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere when he announced his own plans for stricter policies, apparently without the backing of other senior officials.”

Courting Turkey

Deutsche Welle reported on November 12:

“EU officials have announced they will hold talks with Ankara over ways to help stem the migrants crisis… The EU has been courting Turkey for the past couple months in the hopes its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will take on some of the burden of caring for the migrants. Turkey is home to some 2 million Syrian refugees.

“In exchange for assistance, Ankara has demanded 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in aid from the EU. Brussels has already pledged closer ties with the country and says it is working to pull together the requested amount of money… In October, Merkel paid a visit to Ankara after bomb blasts that left more than 100 people dead in the Turkish capital. The visit was seen largely as an effort by the chancellor to mend relations with Erdogan, especially as both the refugee crisis and the ongoing fighting in the Middle East intensify.”

Ex-German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Dies

Deutsche Welle reported on November 10:

“Schmidt, who led West Germany from 1974 to 1982, died on Tuesday at the age of 96… Schmidt was a politician who believed in plain speaking and whose steadfast refusal to censor himself never detracted from his popularity. He was regularly voted the most popular politician in postwar Germany, despite being contrary and often opinionated.

“In a television interview at the height of the European financial crisis, for example, he didn’t mince words when asked what he thought of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s leadership. ‘It would take me a while to come up with a diplomatic answer,’ he said. Asked what he thought of then Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle of the pro-business Free Democrats, his response was similarly caustic. ‘You can‘t seriously expect me to answer that,’ he said.

“Schmidt remained consistently critical of developments in the EU, the feasibility of a multicultural Germany and the Bundeswehr’s mission in Afghanistan, but continued nonetheless to enjoy the respect of the German public…

“For many Germans, Helmut Schmidt earned that respect first and foremost with his handling of the infamous ‘German Autumn’ in late 1977, when West Germany was terrorized by the left-wing urban guerrillas of the Red Army Faction (RAF). The German Autumn reached its high point when the RAF kidnapped industrialist Hanns Martin Schleyer [who was later killed by the terrorists] and hijacked the Lufthansa airplane Landshut with the help of the allied Palestinian group PFLP, landing in Mogadishu, Somalia. Their aim was to force the release of RAF terrorists from German jails. But Helmut Schmidt dug in his heels, refusing to meet the kidnappers’ demands… In a highly fraught mission, Schmidt had the West German counterterrorism group GSG 9 storm the Landshut airplane. All passengers were freed. Had any hostages died, it later emerged, Schmidt would have most certainly resigned as chancellor…

“In 1974, when Willy Brandt resigned over what became known as the Guillaume affair, an espionage scandal revolving around the exposure of an East German spy within the West German government, Helmut Schmidt was his obvious successor…

“His relationship with his own party, the Social Democrats, was never an easy one. He was seen to belong to the more conservative end of the SPD… An ardent believer in NATO, Schmidt was willing to let the alliance station US nuclear missiles in West Germany. His detractors, within his party and among the German public, saw his stance as naive. He defended his position, arguing to those pushing for unilateral disarmament rather than contractually secured disarmament, that ‘history has shown that surrender by no means prevents aggression on the part of the stronger power.’

“It was a stance that the SPD supported with considerable reluctance and wasted no time officially reversing when Schmidt left office in 1982. He resigned the chancellorship after a vote of no confidence, having lost his voting majority in the Bundestag over his refusal to cut West Germany’s social welfare programs…

“In subsequent years Schmidt withdrew from the political arena, becoming a co-publisher of the weekly newspaper ‘Die Zeit’…”

The Washington Post added on November 10:

“Helmut Schmidt… helped complete the transformation of his country from a subdued and still recovering post-World War II ally into the leading political and economic power in Europe…

“Inducted into the Hitler youth movement at 16 and the army in 1937, he served for eight years, fought for a while on the Russian front, was awarded an Iron Cross as an artillery officer and was eventually captured by the British in 1945. He managed to keep secret a dangerous family fact during the Third Reich: His father was an illegitimate child, and his real grandfather was Jewish.

“Mr. Schmidt was a Lutheran, but there was no outward sense that religion played a role in his life… He took a leading role in development of the European Monetary System which, except for the British pound, tied major European currencies together as protection against wide dollar fluctuations…

“On occasion, he spoke broadly about Europe’s common cultural identity, from the Atlantic to the Urals in Russia… In Europe, he deepened relations with France, especially…”

In spite of his faults and limitations, Helmut Schmidt was an influential and popular leader, regardless of whether one agreed with his positions or not.

Britain to EU: Change or We Will Leave

Daily Mail wrote on November 10:

“Mr Cameron insisted major changes were need[ed] as the price for keeping Britain in the EU, and warned his planned referendum could not be reversed, adding: ‘Leave means leave.’ He demanded Brussels rules be rewritten to protect Britain from becoming ‘tangled’ in a United States of Europe [to] ensure non-euro countries are not forced to bail out the single currency. If he gets what wants he will campaign ‘with all my heart and all my soul’ for Britain to stay in the EU in his promised referendum but if they refuse to meet his demands, he will ‘rule nothing out’…

“By far the biggest challenge to other EU countries is the demand for tougher limits on who can claim benefits from Britain’s welfare system ‘to reduce the numbers [of migrants] coming here’… officials in Brussels were quick to point out that he stands little chance of getting a deal on benefits…”

The Washington Post added on November 10:

“Call it the British wish list: an array of demands, aspirations and proposals sent to its partners in the European Union on Tuesday that clarifies battle lines in an intensifying debate over whether Britain should quit the bloc… Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on Britain’s membership in the E.U. before the end of 2017, the outcome of which could fundamentally reshape both Britain and the E.U…

“Cameron argued that the referendum would be ‘perhaps the most important decision British people will have to take at the ballot box in our lifetimes’…

“At the beginning of the year, the chances of Britain leaving the E.U. seemed slim, but polls now show the gap narrowing, with marginal differences between the ‘remain’ and ‘leave’ sides. Analysts say the migration crisis engulfing Europe has made it more difficult for the British government to argue the merits of staying in the group…

“Cameron is expected to face resistance to some of his demands, notably around restricting benefits for other E.U. citizens living in Britain. The freedom to live and work in other E.U. member states is a key tenet of the E.U. project, and anything that appears to be a restriction on that freedom of movement could be challenged. In his letter, Cameron proposed that E.U. citizens coming to work in Britain should not qualify for some benefits unless they had lived in the country for four years.

“European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said that some of Cameron’s demands were ‘highly problematic as they touch upon the fundamental freedoms of the internal market,’ the Reuters news agency reported. He said that ‘direct discrimination between E.U. citizens clearly falls into this last category.’…

“But even if Cameron were to get all of the concessions he wants, there is no guarantee that voters will favor remaining part of the bloc. ‘When we poll British voters, it’s clear they want to go beyond benefit changes. They want fundamental reform on issues of free movement. Voters don’t simply want in-work benefits curbed for migrants, they want fewer migrants — and that’s the awkward reality for David Cameron,’ said Matthew Goodwin, a politics professor at the University of Kent.

“Cameron also stressed that there would be no second referendum on E.U. membership. ‘If we vote to leave, then we will leave. . . . This is our only chance to get this right for Britain and for the whole E.U.,’ he said.”

Setback for Obama’s Immigration Policy

Politico wrote on November 9:

“A federal appeals court has rejected President Barack Obama’s effort to move forward with a series of executive actions he announced last year seeking to give quasi-legal status and work permits to [up to five] millions of undocumented immigrants. The 2-1 ruling Monday from the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit is a defeat for the Obama administration, but one that may have come just in the nick of time to give the Supreme Court the chance to revive Obama’s attempt to make it easier for many immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally to live and work here…

“Obama’s actions announced last November expanded eligibility for a program the president set up in 2012 to allow immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children to get ‘deferred action’ status and be eligible to work legally. The new effort also included a new initiative to grant the same status to illegal immigrants who are the parents of U.S. citizens or green-card holders…

“When Obama announced the new moves about a year ago, he said he was acting because Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. But the decisions drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, who argued he was overstepping his powers under the Constitution. Congressional Republicans had seized on multiple statements Obama himself made that indicated the president did not believe he had the legal authority to act on his own to halt deportations and grant work permits…

“‘This decision contributes to the mounting evidence that the president’s executive action on immigration was unlawful and he simply cannot be trusted on this issue,’ said AshLee Strong, spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)…”

As was to be expected, the Obama Administration announced that they will appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court.

Trump Picks Wrong Fight Against Starbucks

Breitbart wrote on November 10:

“Donald Trump has suggested a boycott of Starbucks over the coffee giant’s un-festive red cups… telling a capacity crowd in Springfield, Illinois, he was shocked by the design, which this year is pure red with absolutely no Christmas-related imagery at all. He also told the crowd to be proud of celebrating the season, saying ‘We will all be saying Merry Christmas again’ if he enters the White House… He added that Starbucks operates a store in one of his buildings, saying: ‘That’s the end of that lease, but who cares?’’

The Washington Post added on November 10 that “the self-avowed Presbyterian and presidential hopeful Donald Trump suggested it might be a good idea [to boycott Starbucks], but even his own church won’t claim him. Instead, many Christians responded to the backlash with backlash, saying that a boycott was pointless and a bit ridiculous.”

Fox News stated on November 10: “It wasn’t too long ago that many of the same folks complaining about Starbucks were defending Christian-owned bakeries and flower shops… we ought not to be telling bakeries and florists how to run their business and we ought not to be telling Starbucks how to run theirs.”

 Christmas has NOTHING TO DO with the Jesus Christ of the Bible. It is a pagan holiday to the core, which was dedicated to the worship of pagan sun gods. As a Christian, one ought not to celebrate “Christmas.” So, not “all” will say “Merry Christmas”, even if Mr. Trump becomes President. Non-Christians would most certainly not say it, and true Christians won’t or shouldn’t, either.

In other developments, Breitbart reported on November 11:

“Wednesday on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said to remove the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, he would have a ‘deportation force.’”

This would without doubt create a logistic nightmare and may result in unparalleled civil unrest and violence.

Mysterious Occurrences in Southern California Caused by US Navy

The Los Angeles Times wrote on November 9:

“The U.S. Navy said it launched a second — and final — missile in a planned exercise Monday afternoon from a submarine off the Southern California coast… The blast-off took place to far less fanfare than Saturday night’s launch, which provoked residents from San Francisco to Mexico to take to social media, posting photos of an eerie-looking bluish-green plume smeared above the Pacific.

“Speculations were wide-ranging, including rumors of an otherworldly alien UFO visit… The Navy later confirmed a ballistic submarine launched an unarmed Trident II (D5) missile in a test flight…

“The Kentucky, the ballistic submarine, conducted the two launches as part of a demonstration and shakedown operation, or DASO, process that certifies the readiness of a submarine’s crew and strategic weapons before returning to operational availability…

“The $31 million missile, built by Lockheed Martin Corp. in Sunnyvale, Calif., has had more than 150 successful launches since its first test in 1989. It is capable of hitting a target 4,000 nautical miles away…

“While the risk of nuclear confrontation between the United States and Russia declined after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, it has never gone away. The U.S. military’s nuclear weapons strategy rests on a triad of delivery systems — bombers, submarines and land-based missiles — developed early in the Cold War to deliver warheads anywhere in the world.

“The Pentagon recently embarked on a $355-billion program for modernizing each aging leg of the U.S. nuclear triad over the next decade. The submarine missile test came late Saturday after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter addressed a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley about the U.S. ‘adapting our operational posture and contingency plans’ to deter Russia’s ‘aggression.’ ‘We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot, war with Russia,’ he said to the forum. ‘We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake; the United States will defend our interests, our allies, the principled international order, and the positive future it affords us all.’”

However, the Bible paints a grim picture of US incapability to defend against an all-powerful enemy… which will not be Russia.

Thermal Scanning of Great Pyramid Throws Up Anomalies

The Associated Press wrote on November 9:

“Scans revealed ‘particularly impressive’ anomaly at ground level on [the] eastern side of [the] largest of three pyramids… Two weeks of new thermal scanning of the pyramids of Giza have identified anomalies, including a major one in the largest pyramid, Egypt’s antiquities ministry has announced… The scanning showed ‘a particularly impressive [anomaly] located on the eastern side of the Khufu pyramid at ground level”, the ministry said. The largest of the three Giza pyramids is known locally as Khufu and internationally as Cheops.

“The thermal scanning was carried out during sunrise, as the sun heats the structures from the outside, and then during sunset as the pyramids are cooling down. The speed of the heating and cooling phases was used to uncover ‘hypotheses’ such as empty areas in the pyramids, internal air currents, or different building materials used…”

For interesting facts on the history of the Great Pyramid, please read our Editorial in this week’s Update.

How the Public in the UK Is Deceived

The Guardian wrote on November 10:

“Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species has been voted the most influential academic book ever written…

“After a list of the top 20 academic books was pulled together by expert academic booksellers, librarians and publishers to mark the inaugural Academic Book Week, the public was asked to vote on what they believed to be the most influential… Darwin’s explanation of his theory of evolution was the public’s overwhelming favourite, with 26% of the vote, said organisers.

“Professor Andrew Prescott of the University of Glasgow called Darwin’s 1859 study ‘the supreme demonstration of why academic books matter’. ‘Darwin used meticulous observation of the world around us, combined with protracted and profound reflection, to create a book which has changed the way we think about everything – not only the natural world, but religion, history and society,’ he said. ‘Every researcher, no matter whether they are writing books, creating digital products or producing artworks, aspires to produce something as significant in the history of thought as Origin of Species.’…

“On the Origin of Species was followed in the public vote by The Communist Manifesto and The Complete Works of Shakespeare, with Plato’s The Republic fourth, and Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason fifth…”

The truth is that Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species” and “The Communist Manifesto” are probably some of the worst books ever written. The false concepts and philosophies expressed in them are diametrically opposite to the teachings of the Bible.

Could Mount St Helens Erupt Again Very Soon?

Daily Mail reported on November 5:

“Its scarred and jagged crater is a reminder of the terrible devastation that Mount St Helens wrought over the Washington countryside 35 years ago. Now a new study of the volcanic plumbing lurking beneath the 8,363ft (2,459 metre) summit suggests the volcano could yet again blow its top in an explosive eruption.

“Geologists studying the volcano, which is responsible for the most deadly eruption in US history, have discovered a second enormous magma chamber buried far beneath the surface… They said earthquakes around the volcano are a sign of magma pumping from the lower reservoir into the upper one, and this could reveal clues about an impending eruption… The researchers also believe a second neighbouring volcano – Mount Adams – may also be fed from the deeper magma chamber…

“Researchers claim to have worked out how to accurately predict the eruption of ‘supervolcanoes’ that blanket the earth in giant ash clouds triggering a ‘nuclear winter’… They said a series of distinct earthquakes in the months leading up to the massive eruption on 18 May 1980, which killed 57 people, may have been caused by the pumping of magma from the lower to the upper chamber. This caused the pressure inside the upper chamber to increase dramatically until it erupted explosively…

“Mount St Helens began erupting again back in 2004 producing a new lava dome, but fell silent in July 2008. However, it is still considered to be a high-risk volcano and the US Geological Survey are closely monitoring it for signs for renewed unrest… The scarred and jagged crater of Mount St Helens… looms over the surrounding countryside in Washington. Its current shape is the result of a massive explosion in 1980, but a lava dome has been steadily growing inside the crater since 2004…”

Mormons Against Same-Sex Marriage

Newsmax reported on November 6:

“The Mormon Church… believes that apostasy occurs when ‘an individual or community rejects the revelations and ordinances of God, changes the gospel of Jesus Christ, or rebels against the commandments of God, thereby losing the blessings of the Holy [Spirit] and of divine authority.’

“… church spokesman Eric Hawkins… added in a statement that the Mormon Church’s policy has been against gay marriage for a long time. ‘The Church has long been on record as opposing same-sex marriages. While it respects the law of the land, and acknowledges the right of others to think and act differently, it does not perform or accept same-sex marriage within its membership,’ the statement continued.”

On this point, the Mormons teach correctly that same-sex “marriages” are against the truth of the Bible.

Wide-Spread Sexting in America

CNN reported on November 9:

“Students at a Colorado high school exchanged hundreds of naked photos of themselves, prompting a felony investigation by police and the forfeiture of a football game because many players have been implicated in the sexting scandal, officials said… Students used a photo vault app that hides the nude photos by appearing to be a calculator or media player… ‘When you go into it and you … hold a certain button long enough, a prompt for password comes up. Once you enter that password, then any messages that have been sent from photo vault to photo vault start coming up,’ [an official] said…

“‘For parents that may be having conversations with their children or reviewing cell phones as the superintendent recommended, they need to understand that continuing or ongoing possession of these materials does constitute a very serious crime for the adults and for the children,’ the prosecutor said. Any convictions could involve registration as a sex offender…”

It was reported that children and teens as young as 12 years of age allegedly participated in the sexting scandal in Colorado.

On January 2, 2015, CNN had published the following article:

“More than half the undergraduate students who took part in an anonymous online survey said they sexted when they were teenagers… an astonishing 61% did not know that sending nude photos via text could be considered child pornography.

“[One expert is quoted as saying:] ‘… parents need to be actively involved in their children’s online lives… parents should go over with their child when they get a phone, including setting up a contract so they understand their phone will be monitored… Phones are a privilege, not a right. They should only be given to kids with the expectation that mom or dad will be checking it on a daily basis.’”

On November 6, The New York Times gave some valuable tips for parents as to how to deal with these secret “vault apps” of their children and teens:

“When students were caught participating in an illicit photo ring that was operating out of a high school in Cañon City, Colo., parents and school officials there were quick to say that kind of thing was surely happening all over the country…

“Parents concerned about vault apps can take proactive measures by enabling parental controls. For families with iPhones, parents can screen apps before they are downloaded to their children’s iPhones with a feature called Ask to Buy. By turning on Ask to Buy, whenever a child wants to download an app (whether free or paid), it sends a request to the parent’s iPhone, and the parent can then approve or deny the download. The steps, which are available on Apple’s website, involve setting up each iPhone with Family Sharing and then enabling Ask to Buy for the child’s iPhone.

“For families with Android devices, parents can enable parental controls inside Google Play’s app store… parents can download an app called AppLock on the child’s device and lock down any app that they suspect to be a vault app with a PIN code.

“Websites that focus on digital learning for teenagers provide tips for parents on how to spot a hidden app. Common Sense Media, one such website, detailed some of the ways they use vault apps, and other apps that are used to discreetly take photos…

“A post published on TeenSafe.com said that parents should be proactive about looking for warning signs that teenagers are using vault apps: Hiding phone screens, refusing to give over passwords and a sudden increase in device usage are all red flags, according to the site…”

Sadly, in this day and age of perverse behavior, induced by Satan the devil and his demons, such proactive steps by parents may become very necessary.

“Where Did All the Muslims Go?”

WorldNetDaily wrote on October 31:

“Die Welt [a highly respected German daily newspaper] is reporting that thousands of refugees have left their assigned accommodations. ‘They are simply not there anymore,’ the news outlet reports. Refugees disappear daily from the initial welcoming centers in Brandenburg without giving notice… Several hundred migrants have disappeared each week since the beginning of September without signing in, Ingo Decker, the spokesman of the Potsdam Ministry of the Interior, told Die Welt…

“According to official figures of the state government, more than 17,000 newcomers came into the country since early September. About 7,800 have been housed in cities and villages, about 2,700 people are still in the initial reception centers. That leaves at least 7,000 who have left…

“Paul McGuire, an analyst who has appeared on Fox News and the History Channel…, says the heavy influx of Muslim migrants almost assures there will be another terrorist attack at least as big as what happened in Paris earlier this year at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper office. He said sources in Germany tell him the majority of the nearly 1 million migrants who have streamed into the country are between 18 and 25…

“A large portion of Germany’s missing refugees had not been registered, nor had they applied for asylum, which is a recipe for chaos. The local authorities point out that they have no authority to hold people…”

Europe’s Migrant Crisis… It Will Only Get Worse

Daily Mail wrote on October 31:

“One million more people could flee war-torn Syria for Europe in a dramatic escalation of the migrant crisis, it was claimed yesterday. Turkey is expecting the worsening situation in the country to displace another two million people over the winter. And capital Ankara claimed that half of them were likely to head across its borders into Europe as a result of Russian air strikes in the region…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised Turkey speedier talks on its aspirations to join the EU in exchange for it sealing its borders and halting the flow of migrants. Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: ‘David Cameron has been a cheerleader for Turkish accession to the EU for years. Now [President] Erdogan is blackmailing the EU, using the migrant crisis as his crowbar to prise open European taxpayers’ pockets.’

“He told the Daily Mail: ‘This new demand for 3billion euros annually is directed as much at the guilt-stricken governments of Europe as to his own people as a grubby election promise. Britain should have nothing to do with plans to salve Angela Merkel’s conscience, particularly when we can see the Erdogan government intensifying both its crackdown on the freedom of speech and in the prosecution of its war against the Kurds.’”

The Associated Press wrote on November 5:

“The European Union is predicting that 3 million migrants could arrive in the 28-nation bloc by the end of next year…”

The New York Times wrote on October 31:

“There are more displaced people and refugees now than at any other time in recorded history — 60 million in all — and they are on the march in numbers not seen since World War II. They are coming not just from Syria, but from an array of countries and regions, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Gaza, even Haiti, as well as any of a dozen or so nations in sub-Saharan and North Africa. They are unofficial ambassadors of failed states, unending wars, intractable conflicts.

“The most striking thing about the current migration crisis, however, is how much bigger it could still get… There are between six million and eight million people displaced in Syria, along with more than four million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. Egypt’s five million or more Copts, the Middle East’s last remaining major Christian sect, are deeply worried about their future in an unstable and hostile country…

“While Yemenis have yet to abandon their homeland in substantial numbers, their plight is worsening daily amid wartime shortages of food and medicine and persistent bombardment by Saudi warplanes. Yemen is not much farther away from Europe than Eritrea, now the biggest source of African refugees, just across the Red Sea, and at some 25 million it is as populous as Afghanistan.

“Nor is it only the Middle East and North Africa that European leaders need to consider… in Nigeria, which already has double the population of Germany, 40 percent of people would emigrate to the West if they could. And the lesson of 2015 — for them and much of the world — is that they can…

“There are now some two million Iraqi refugees, many bound for Europe…”

For more information, please view our StandingWatch program, “Germany’s Disastrous Migrant Crisis.”

Turkey’s Totalitarian Crackdown Against Freedom Continues

The EUObserver wrote on October 30:

“Almost a week after German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Istanbul, Turkish police together with judiciary seized one of the country’s largest media groups [which]… was one of the few remaining critical voices in today’s Turkey, where 60-70% of the press is already controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his cronies.

“The editor-in-chief of Bugun TV, Tarık Toros, managed to continue to broadcast for another 5 hours by locking himself up in the control room. He was then thrown out of the building, which he had run for the last 8 years, by police force. Both Toros and Erhan Basyurt, the editor-in-chief of Bugun daily were immediately sacked by the new so-called ‘trustees’, all from AKP ranks despite the law dictating that they should be neutral…

“Erdogan is a shrewd politician and master tactician. He calculates well and moves quickly when he deems the atmosphere is ripe. Being given red-carpet treatment in Brussels on 5 October to discuss how to stem the flow of refugees to Europe, Erdogan quickly realised that he was no more a pariah in Brussels…

“Erdogan rightly thought that the EU would simply shut up regarding his domestic actions and that he could get concessions from Brussels… as long as he promised Turkey’s help to rein in refugees. Unfortunate as it is, he was right.

“… Commission spokesperson Alexander Winterstein [said] about the EU’s reaction to the seizure of IPEK Media group…  ‘[W]e do not comment on internal developments’. He was in tune with his boss, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker…

“As Human Rights Watch (HRW) and many MEPs put it, the EU seems to betray… its own principles. HRW underlines that the EU is willing to soft-pedal Turkey’s abusive rights record in exchange for its cooperation in stopping asylum seekers and migrants.

“What is also very surprising is that Juncker is behind this… who, back in 1997 as the prime minister of Luxembourg, was strongly opposed to the idea of Turkey being declared a candidate country due to its poor human rights record…”

Politics is SUCH a corrupt and dirty business. It is high time that ALL politicians in EVERY country be replaced by Jesus Christ, which will happen when He returns to this earth to set up the RIGHTEOUS government of God. In the meantime, we will only hear of more and more corruption and betrayal of any “principles” by ALL leaders and potential leaders in this Satan-ruled evil world. To prove this point, see the next series of articles.

Erdogan Wins Decisively in Turkey

The Telegraph wrote on November 1:

“President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won a decisive victory in the Turkish parliamentary election, with his Justice and Development Party (AKP) winning a majority of seats and defeating the other three opposition parties.  With 98 per cent of the vote counted, the AKP had won 49.4 per cent and 316 seats in the 550 seat parliament, a far better performance than predicted by the polls…

“The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) had a surprisingly sharp fall in its vote from 13 per cent in the last election, which denied the AKP its majority, to bring it dangerously close to the 10 per cent threshold below which it would lose all its members of parliament. This would have left Turkey’s Kurdish minority, with its long history of confrontation with the state, without any effective parliamentary representation…

“In the wake of the AKP’s spectacular victory, it will be in a strong position to take control of all remaining levers of power: army, security services and media. Ever since it first formed a government in 2002, the AKP has been progressively eliminating all opponents in positions of authority in the secular Turkish state founded by Kemal Ataturk. Almost all the state and private media has already come under AKP control, which is one factor explaining its gain in votes. State television has given blanket coverage to Mr Erdogan and the AKP, while largely ignoring its opponents…

“Mr Erdogan will be strengthened by his new mandate to influence events in Syria. He has clearly not suffered in the minds of Turkish voters from his failure to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad… The past three years have also seen the rise of a de facto Syrian Kurdish state in north-east Syria controlled by a branch of the PKK. This has an army of some 25,000 fighters who act in close cooperation with the US air force, despite being repeatedly denounced by Mr Erdogan and Mr Davutoglu as ‘terrorists’. Mr Davutoglu has threatened a Turkish military response if the Syrian Kurds advance west of the Euphrates.

“Mr Erdogan is reported to have wished for direct Turkish military intervention in Syria in the past, but to have been restrained by the Turkish army. After this impressive endorsement by the 58 million electorate on an 86 per cent turn out, he may be better able to push for greater military engagement in Syria.”

Corrupt Turkish Government’s Cover-Up of Corruption Investigation

Newsmax wrote on November 3:

“The victory of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party this week is a blow to press freedoms and rule of law, Turkish opposition journalist Sevgi Akarcesme tells Newsmax TV. Appearing Tuesday on ‘The Hard Line,’ Akarcesme told host Ed Berliner she now fears for freedom as two of her editors already have been arrested and she has been sued over her tweets. ‘We are one of the remaining free, independent and critical newspapers in Turkey,’ Akarcesme said…

“Erdogan’s victory will make journalists an even bigger target, she said, because they are reporting on a two-year-old corruption case that hits him and members of his family. Police and judges have been jailed as well, including one judge who ordered a jailed journalist freed. ‘The government has done everything in its power to silence opposition media to cover up the corruption investigation,’ she said. ‘This is not a democratic country anymore.’”

For more information as to what will happen to Turkey in the very near future, please view our newest StandingWatch program, “What’s in Store for Totalitarian Turkey?”

“Please, White House, Call It Combat in Iraq and Syria”

The Huffington Post wrote on October 30:

“It boggles the mind that the White House, in announcing the deployment of more Special Operations to Syria, still insists on saying that they won’t have a ‘combat mission.’… The point is, unless the White House can guarantee that these troops will be far behind the wire, surrounded by vetted friends, and out of the reach of any enemy operations, there’s a good chance they’ll be in combat, with mortal consequences.

“In fact, just this past week Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler was killed during a raid to free hostages held by ISIS. He was one of the troops sent over there, also with no ‘combat mission.’ And yet, he was killed — in combat. ‘Of course he died in combat. That’s what happened,’ Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said last Wednesday. Finally, honesty! But, by Friday, Carter was singing a different tune. ‘It [Wheeler’s death] doesn’t represent assuming a combat role. It represents a continuation of our advise-and-assist mission,’ Carter said.

“That brings us to today’s announcement. ‘These forces do not have a combat mission,’ White House press secretary, Josh Earnest said throughout the announcement that the White House was sending additional troops…

“The White House needs to be honest, and needs to prepare Americans for the lives that very well may be lost in combat — if they truly believe that there is no other way to address the rise of ISIS than to deploy more U.S. troops… In the end, spinning military action at the outset almost always ends badly. The White House would be wise to remember that.”

The Guardian wrote on October 30:

“Administration officials were left squirming on Friday to explain how sending special forces to work alongside Syrian rebels fighting the Islamic State was compatible with Obama’s earlier promises not to ‘put boots on the ground’ in Syria or ‘engage in combat operations’ against Isis.”

The answer is clear: President Obama does not keep his promises. What else is new in this politically corrupt environment? The next article confirms this.

The Associated Press reported on October 31:

“U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says American special operations troops being sent to Syria will only fight Islamic State militants and won’t become involved in the long-running civil war. Kerry calls IS a threat to every nation and says U.S. policy is clear — the group must be defeated. Kerry isn’t ruling out a further U.S. escalation of the fight, saying he can’t predict the future.”

According to John Kerry, American troops WILL FIGHT in Syria. They WILL have a combat mission. So, in his idle attempt to “explain” President Obama’s decision, he is making matters worse by blatantly contradicting the official position which was expressed by the White House press secretary (see above).

Russian Airline Destroyed by ISIS?

JTA wrote on November 2:

“The Russian airplane that crashed in the Sinai was brought down by an ‘external force,’ according to the airline… The airline’s deputy director, Viktor Yung, said the crew appeared to have been disabled before the crash as well… ‘This explains why they didn’t attempt to contact air traffic and report the incident happening on board’…

“The officials appear to be alluding to a bomb or sabotage. All 224 people aboard the plane were killed in Saturday’s crash… The Sinai affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for bringing down the flight on Saturday, saying it was in retaliation for Russian airstrikes on rebels in Syria’s civil war…”

The Telegraph added on November 4 that the “state of [the badly burned] bodies suggests [a] mid-air explosion.” The Associated Press added on November 4 that the “British government says it is increasingly concerned that a Russian jet was brought down by a bomb and is suspending flights to and from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.”

Newsmax reported on November 4:

“Evidence now suggests that a bomb planted by the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group is the likely cause of last weekend’s crash of a Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, U.S. and European security sources said on Wednesday… Robert Baer, a former CIA officer and author, told CNN that he thought a plastic explosive was a likely tool used by the terrorists. He said it would have been quite [easy] for the terrorist group to have the expertise to design such a device. He said the technology was widespread in Baghdad among insurgents during the Iraq war…”

Deutsche Welle added on November 5:

“A top UK official has said there was a ‘significant possibility’ an ‘Islamic State’ affiliate was behind the crash of a Russian passenger plane in Egypt…  a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Thursday that while Moscow ‘cannot rule out a single theory’ about the crash, he insisted that singling one out at this stage was merely speculation…

“The UK and Ireland have suspended all flights to and from the resort indefinitely pending a review of security. London has called an emergency cabinet meeting and is planning to evacuate its tourists from the resort. News agency AFP estimates about 20,000 Britons were currently there… Almost a million Britons visit Red Sea resorts each year.

“Egyptian officials have stressed the need to wait for the results of an international investigation. Tourism is a key earner for Egypt. The country’s economy is struggling to recover from years of political conflict. The British acted ‘too soon,’ Hany Ramsay, deputy head of Sharm el-Sheikh’s airport told The Associated Press, adding that other countries might follow and suggesting that there may be political and commercial motives at play. ‘They want to hurt tourism and cause confusion,’ he added.”

Common Core and Islamic Propaganda in American Schools

Breitbart wrote on November 2:

“A mindset that has gradually led American parents to leave the education of their children — unchecked — to schools and elitists has spawned controversies such as the promotion of Islam in classrooms and the unpopular Common Core standards… Donna Hearne, former Reagan official in the U.S. Department of Education… tells Breitbart News that a look at the history of Common Core shows the reform is the latest effort by progressive elites to take decision-making about children away from parents and transfer it to government bureaucrats…

“Hearne says the controversial math and English standards reflect teaching that is not based on logic. ‘Children’s brains are no longer trained logically,’ she explains. ‘In math, traditionally we have laid down a knowledge base and then built on it until it becomes automatic. The same with grammar and English as traditional and classic education, but not so now.’…

“With regard to world history, Hearne says as far back as the1930s there was a movement to collect and write curricula that would be hostile to America. The Frankfurt School – which was the source of Critical Theory – was developed with the goal of advancing Marxist philosophy in Germany. Following the Nazi takeover, the Frankfurt School eventually moved to New York and Columbia University. ‘In the states that have seen more of an emphasis on Islam – students wearing the burqas and such – Islam is described as a “religion of peace” and there is limited study of the nation’s Judeo-Christian foundation,’ Hearne says…

“As a Breitbart News investigation recently revealed, the current seventh grade Social Studies standards… were adopted by the state and promote Islam at the same time they also tone down Christianity…

“CBN reported the Saudi government donated millions of dollars to Middle East Centers at universities that received the Title VI funds. Both the Harvard Center for Middle Eastern Studies Center and Georgetown University each received a $20 million donation from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal in 2005. The outcome is that through the U.S. taxpayer-funded Title VI university centers, Saudi-funded ‘lesson plans’ made their way into America’s K-12 classrooms. ‘Saudi donations to American universities should be seen in a much larger picture of Saudi promotion of a Saudi point of view,’ Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia told CBN…”

Debt Without Ceiling

The Washington Examiner reported on November 3:

“The U.S. national debt jumped $339 billion on Monday, the same day President Obama signed into law legislation suspending the debt ceiling. That legislation allowed the government to borrow as much as it wants above the $18.1 trillion debt ceiling that had been in place. The website that reports the exact tally of the debt said the U.S. government owed $18.153 trillion last Friday, and said that number surged to $18.492 on Monday.”

Crazy!!!!

Ben Carson: “Pyramids Were Built by Joseph”

The Huffington Post reported on November 4:

“Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson once vocalized an odd theory about Egyptian history. According to a video unearthed by BuzzFeed on Wednesday, Carson posited in a 1998 commencement address at Andrews University that the pyramids in Egypt were used for grain storage rather than as tombs for ancient kings and queens. ‘My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain,’ Carson said, referring to the Old Testament. ‘Now all the archeologists think that they were made for the pharaohs’ graves. But, you know, [something to store that grain] would have to be something awfully big, if you stop and think about it.’

“Carson appeared to be referencing the biblical figure of Joseph, who was sold into slavery in Egypt and later went on to advise the Egyptian pharaoh to store grain due to a coming famine. The famed neurosurgeon, who is currently the front-runner for the GOP nomination, added in the speech that he didn’t think aliens built the pyramids, as some conspiracy theorists have stated… Asked Wednesday by CBS News whether he still believed the pyramids were primarily used for grain storage, Carson said, ‘It’s still my belief, yes.'”

The Times of Israel wrote on November 4:

“Carson added [on CBS News]: ‘And when you look at the way that the pyramids are made, with many chambers that are hermetically sealed, they’d have to be that way for various reasons.’”

This is not an odd belief at all. In fact, it has been established, based on biblical and historical evidence, that at least the Cheops Pyramid WAS built by Joseph and Job.

Americans Are Becoming Less Religious

The Associated Press reported on November 3:

“Americans are becoming less religious, judging by such markers as church attendance, prayer and belief in God, and the trend is more pronounced among young adults, according to a poll released on Tuesday. The share of U.S. adults who say they believe in God, while still high compared with other advanced industrial countries, slipped to 89 percent in 2014 from 92 percent in 2007…

“The proportion of Americans who say they are ‘absolutely certain’ God exists fell even more, to 63 percent in 2014 from 71 percent in 2007…

“Younger people also are less likely to pray daily, at 39 percent… Young adults are also much less likely to attend religious services… Both the 2007 and 2014 studies surveyed more than 35,000 adults and had margins of error of less than 1 percentage point.”

American Jews Even Less Religious

JTA wrote on November 3:

“Compared with the last time Pew surveyed Americans about religion, in 2007, the percentage of Jews who said religion is very important to them grew from 31 percent to 35 percent. Similarly, the percentage who said they attend religious services weekly or more often grew from 16 percent to 19 percent; the proportion of Jews who said they read ‘scripture’ at least weekly grew from 14 percent to 17 percent, and the percentage of those who said they participate in prayer groups or religious study groups at least weekly grew from 11 percent to 16 percent…

“Jews think about the meaning and purpose of life less than American Christians or Muslims — 45 percent of Jews compared to 64 percent of Muslims, 61 percent of Protestants, 52 percent of Catholics and 59 percent of Buddhists…

“Eleven percent of Jews believe the Torah is the literal word of God…

“Forty percent of Jews say they believe in heaven… and 22 percent say they believe in hell… Seventy-nine percent of Jews believe other religions can also lead to eternal life — a higher proportion than among Christians (66 percent) or Muslims (65 percent)…

“While 90 percent of Muslims surveyed said they abjure pork and 67 percent of Hindus said they avoid beef, only 40 percent of Jews abstain from eating pork. Fifty-seven percent of Jews surveyed affirmed they eat pork…

“Acceptance of ‘homosexuality in society’ grew among all Americans between 2007 and 2014, from 50 percent to 62 percent, and among Jews from 79 percent to 81 percent. The religious groups least tolerant of homosexuality in society are Mormons (only 36 percent favor societal acceptance), Jehovah’s Witnesses (16 percent) and Protestant evangelicals (36 percent). Buddhists were the most accepting at 88 percent. Seventy-seven percent of Jews said they support same-sex marriage, compared to 53 percent of all Americans.”

These are some sad figures for American Jews.

Many Healthy People Die from Flu after Vaccination

Health Impact News wrote on October 30:

“Another flu death of an otherwise healthy person after receiving the flu vaccine has been reported in Wisconsin… 26-year-old Katherine McQuestion has died from flu complications, after she received the flu shot. Katherine was reportedly a newlywed, and was required to receive the flu shot as part of her employment…

“A review of the quarterly reports issued by the Department of Justice showing cases in which the government has paid out damages for vaccine injuries and deaths clearly shows that the majority of cases are awarded to flu vaccine victims… Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is the most common side effect and injury due to the flu vaccination. It is listed as a side effect with a warning in the flu vaccine package insert…

“Is not one death from the flu in a healthy individual after receiving the flu vaccination worthy of an investigation into the safety of flu vaccines, and the supposed science behind them? When multiple deaths occur, when health officials call it ‘rare’ after healthy individuals die from the flu after receiving the flu shot, does that not qualify as an ‘epidemic?’…

“Dr. Mark Geier explains…that the flu shot causes Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and that the flu shot is not very effective in preventing the flu. He also explains that the CDC [Center for Disease Control] does not follow the law for vaccines in requiring long-term safety testing for the influenza vaccine like they do with other vaccines, as it is impossible to test a vaccine that changes every year. So the flu vaccine is basically an experimental vaccine that they want to give out to 300 million people every year. There are also no studies showing the safety of giving the flu vaccine to the same person every single year…

“Dr. Geier goes on to explain that flu is ‘the wrong thing to vaccinate against’ because you have to keep re-vaccinating against it every year, unlike childhood infectious diseases, such as smallpox, that are only vaccinated for once…”

But the vast majority of gullible people, believing the government-sponsored propaganda of the mainstream left-wing media, have been influenced to conclude that flu vaccines are helpful or even necessary.

You Can’t Be Serious… “Why Trick-or-Treating Is Good for the Soul!”

In this most ridiculous article, which was published on October 30 by the Washington Post, Halloween celebrations were advocated, in spite of the fact that the evils associated with this immoral Satanic feast were clearly pointed out, although they were downplayed or wrongfully denied. The following was stated:

“Although we may not traditionally think of Halloween — with its ghouls and ghosts and toilet paper in the trees — as a night of hospitality, today it functions as one of the few times we really give to those we’ve never met and connect with people outside our network. We should do everything we can to celebrate it.

“Of course, Halloween has its critics. It’s deeply commercial: Americans spent $7.4 billion on it last year, more than any other holiday except Christmas. Adults have co-opted it as their own, as evidenced by the proliferation of the ‘sexy’ witch/devil/cat/pumpkin costumes that have turned the holiday into foreplay. And then there are the perennial warnings that it’s a pagan holiday, or, quite wrongly, satanic. But as far back as the Puritans, the religious right has been bad mouthing Halloween — not for its lack of churchiness but for having too much Catholic ritual about it: All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) were two of the most important dates in the medieval Catholic calendar, and the hallowed eve of Oct. 31 marked the gateway to the two-day celebrations of the dead.

“… if you can’t do it for the sake of your immortal soul, do it for society. Prepare the candy feast. Throw your door wide. And welcome all to your home… Don’t speculate about what the holiday once was. Don’t complain about what it has become. Just keep it going. It may be our best defense against social isolation.”

One has to wonder whether the author can possibly be serious. This must truly be one of the most horrendously stultifying and stupefying articles ever written on the subject of Halloween. For more information about the Satanic character of Halloween, please view our StandingWatch program, “Halloween—a Feast for the Devil?”

Brussels Has Created an Authoritarian “Right-Wing Monster”

The Telegraph wrote on October 23:

“Portugal has entered dangerous political waters. For the first time since the creation of Europe’s monetary union, a member state has taken the explicit step of forbidding eurosceptic parties from taking office on the grounds of national interest. Anibal Cavaco Silva, Portugal’s constitutional president, has refused to appoint a Left-wing coalition government even though it secured an absolute majority in the Portuguese parliament and won a mandate to smash the austerity regime bequeathed by the EU-IMF Troika…

“There can be no fresh elections until the second half of next year under Portugal’s constitution, risking almost a year of paralysis that puts the country on a collision course with Brussels and ultimately threatens to reignite the country’s debt crisis…

“This is a dangerous demarche. The Portuguese conservatives and their media allies behave as if the Left has no legitimate right to take power, and must be held in check by any means. These reflexes are familiar – and chilling – to anybody familiar with 20th century Iberian history, or indeed Latin America. That it is being done in the name of the euro is entirely to be expected.

“Greece’s Syriza movement, Europe’s first radical-Left government in Europe since the Second World War, was crushed into submission for daring to confront eurozone ideology. Now the Portuguese Left is running into a variant of the same meat-grinder.

“Europe’s socialists face a dilemma. They are at last waking up to the unpleasant truth that monetary union is an authoritarian Right-wing enterprise that has slipped its democratic leash, yet if they act on this insight in any way they risk being prevented from taking power.  Brussels really has created a monster.”

Will Britain Stay in the EU as an “Associate”?

The Daily Mail wrote on October 23 about a new report and developments within the “Yes”-Camp which proposes the establishment of an “associate status” for Britain within the EU. However, it is doubtful that Britain will ultimately obtain or maintain such a status, short of leaving the EU.

“Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission President, will by [the time of the referendum] have set in motion a series of treaty changes for the next stage of integration as the EU develops into a superstate…

“The report [of the “Yes” Camp] envisages yet further integration among 19 countries in the single currency eurozone, binding them so tightly (financially, socially and politically) that, in effect, the eurozone will become a single country. Not being signed up to the euro, Britain will not be part of this group and will be given a so-called ‘escape clause’, freeing us from any further moves towards closer union…

“It means that David Cameron will be armed with powerful weapons to argue for Britain’s continued membership of the EU, even if he fails to win the concessions for Britain that he has said he aims to achieve. He will be able to argue, very plausibly, that EU membership gives the UK the best of both worlds: that is, we remain part of the wider European trading area, while escaping the onerous burdens of membership of a new European superstate. What’s more, the Europhiles will be helped by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is expected to give her blessing to Britain having ‘associate status’.

“The Yes camp — with Osborne and Mandelson plotting behind the scenes — are convinced that all this will convince the majority of the British people to vote to remain in the EU. Also, they expect the No campaign to be destabilised by these apparent concessions to the British people…”

Tony Blair’s Late “Change of Heart”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 25:

‘The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he is sorry for mistakes around the US-led military invasion of Iraq. Speaking to CNN, he also conceded that the war may have helped bring about the ‘Islamic State.’…

“His comments come despite previously telling a British parliamentary committee he would not apologize for the US-led invasion, which his government supported politically and militarily… Last week, a leaked memo suggested that Blair had signed up to the war a year before it began.”

World Would Be Better off with Saddam Hussein and Gadhafi Sill in Charge?

Newsmax wrote on October 25:

“They both committed atrocities against their own people, but GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump says the world would be a better place today if Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein were still alive and in charge. ‘I mean, look at Libya. Look at Iraq,’ Trump said Sunday on CNN’s ‘State of the Union.’

“‘Iraq used to [have] no terrorists. [Saddam] would kill the terrorists immediately, which is like now it’s the Harvard of terrorism. If you look at Iraq from years ago, I’m not saying he was a nice guy, he was a horrible guy, but it was a lot better than it is right now,’ Trump added. ‘Right now, Iraq is a training ground for terrorists. Right now Libya, nobody even knows Libya, frankly there is no Iraq and there is no Libya. It’s all broken up. They have no control. Nobody knows what’s going on.’

“When asked by host Jake Tapper if the world would be better off today with the two despots still in power, Trump replied, ‘100 percent.’”

On that issue, Trump is 100% correct.

The Silent Secession of Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on October 23:

“For the past several months, street and city signs with Ukrainian names have been replaced with signs written in Russian throughout the country’s east…

“During negotiations in Minsk, it was agreed that the 2-3 million residents of the regions surrounding Donetsk and Luhansk would receive more autonomy but remain part of Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande most recently reiterated those points during meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Paris this October.

“Yet, exactly the opposite is taking place. Although guns have been silent since the beginning of September, the separation of the coal mining region Donbass from the rest of Ukraine, which was begun in the spring of 2014, is quietly continuing. Largely unnoticed by the world at large, facts are being created on the ground. This is happening without Russia having to formally take control of the region, or having to annex it like it did with the Crimean Peninsula.

“The separatists first introduced the Russian ruble alongside the Ukrainian hryvna months ago. Then, on September 1, the ruble was declared the official currency of the Luhansk Oblast…

“There have also been changes in education. According to media reports, ‘humanitarian convoys,’ as Moscow calls them, brought some 500 tons of schoolbooks to the separatist provinces. Students in Donetsk and Luhansk now learn from Russian textbooks, which are different from Ukrainian textbooks, especially in subject areas such as history. Russian curricula are also being widely adopted.

“… within the framework of the Minsk Protocol, Russia has officially sent military advisers into the rogue provinces. They are charged with overseeing the ceasefire. To that end, the Russian and rebel Ukrainian militaries are operating a shared headquarters… That is how Russia controls the troops…

“On Tuesday, a separatist-friendly online website reported that by the end of this year a government agency is to be installed in the southern Russian port city of Rostov-on-Don with the power to issue Russian passports to residents of the Eastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Luhansk provinces… Moscow has acted similarly in other former Soviet republics once conflicts became frozen – in Georgia for instance, where Russian passports were also issued.”

Israel Loses Big in Temple Mount Conflict

ynetnews.com wrote on October 24:

“US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday that Israel and Jordan have agreed on steps aimed at reducing tensions at a holy site in Jerusalem that have fanned Israeli-Palestinian violence. Kerry said Netanyahu had expressed a commitment to continue enforcing the status quo, which says only Muslims may pray at the compound, while non-Muslims may only visit… Israel will continue to enforce its policy of religious worship, including ‘the fundamental fact’ that it is Muslims who pray there and non-Muslims who visit…

“It should be noted that Israel strongly opposed a recent French initiative to place international observers at the Temple Mount, a proposal that led to the French ambassador being reprimanded by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem… Saeb Erekat, the secretary general of the PLO Executive Committee, said that… Abbas was told by Kerry that Netanyahu had agreed to freeze building in West Bank settlements.”

This new deal will make many conservative Jews very unhappy.

Ridiculous Propaganda by the “Grand Mufti of Jerusalem”

JTA wrote on October 25:

“The grand mufti of Jerusalem said in an interview with an Israeli television station that there has never been a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. There has been a mosque on the site ‘since the creation of the world,’ Sheik Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, who is in charge of the Al-Aqsa mosque on what Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary, said Sunday evening in an interview in Arabic with Israel’s Channel 2. The mosque was built in the eighth century.

“Hussein, who has served as mufti since 2006, has called for suicide bombings against Israelis, the Times of Israel reported Sunday evening. Muslim sources have corroborated historical sources in recording that two Jewish temples have stood atop the site…”

Can the EU Help in Light of US Absence?

The EUObserver wrote on October 26:

“[The] EU and its member states have shown increasing signs of diplomatic activism designed to unlock Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, whether through the United Nations Security Council, in the form of European parliamentary support for Palestinian recognition, or efforts to exclude Israeli settlements from EU-Israel bilateral agreements.

“Despite the inherent potential in this kind of European diplomacy and the considerable expectations built over the last year, 2015 has been a wasted opportunity to fill the diplomatic vacuum left by US disengagement following the collapse of Kerry’s peace-making efforts in April 2014.

“EU leaders have been unable to clearly articulate their own vision for solving the conflict… the EU’s ability to babysit the conflict in the US’ absence has been far from glowing…”

In time, this will change, and Europe will play a decisive role in the Middle East… which will throw the world into terrible disaster.

Germany’s Security Experts Warn Merkel

Breitbart wrote on October 25:

“Germany’s security experts have rounded on the country’s leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, warning that her immigration policy will ‘produce extremists’, and stating that the country is importing ‘Islamist extremism, Arab anti-Semitism, [and] national and ethnic conflicts of other nations’.

“Former Interior Secretary August Hanning told Die Welt Am Sonntag (the World on Sunday): ‘The German security authorities are and will not be able to handle these imported security issues and the resulting reactions’, warning that not only is Germany welcoming Islamist extremists, but that it will foster resentment in the native population.

“He has recommended this week that Germany closes ‘the border for immigrants without an entry permit in accordance with the legislation immediately, and to reject those traveling without an entry permit immediately’.

 “A new 10-point-plan from his office says that Mrs. Merkel should declare that Germany’s abilities to absorb more people are ‘exhausted’, and there should be no entry for those coming from ‘safe’ countries, with an exception for children. He wants the Balkans route into Germany shut off, and a restriction of family reunification, meaning that the 80 per cent male population descending on Germany would not be able to send home for their families. Mr Hanning estimates that each migrant will attempt to bring four more people each with them in the long term.

“And he also wants compulsory integration and language lessons for migrants.

“His comments reflect the concerns of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Bremen district, Ulrich Maurer, who said this week: ‘In recent weeks, we have registered an increase in agitation attempts by Salafis in refugee centres’.

“Mrs. Merkel has been coming under increased pressure from within her party, and even from the political left in her country who have warned about the increasing pressure on Germany’s infrastructure and the general public. Her party’s poll numbers continue to decline…”

The Local wrote on October 26:

“Hundreds of refugees disappear in Germany… many of the refugees have not even been registered by local authorities yet, nothing is known about who they are or where they could have gone…”

Merkel Committing Political Suicide

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 27:

‘For a long time now the German Chancellor has been regarded as the great authority within Europe. But her refugee policy has turned her into a burden for the Union… Within just a few weeks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s standing in Europe has dramatically decreased…

“She accepted the state’s loss of control over its borders with a mere shrug of the shoulders. And as if all that weren’t enough, she stood up in front of all the other Europeans and declared her personal view of things to be the only one that was morally right. In other words: Germany’s European partners should help it deal with the consequences of a policy for which Merkel is significantly responsible. No one claims that Merkel is responsible for the refugee movement per se – but she has certainly increased the pull towards Europe, and in doing so has made other countries liable, too, against their will.

“… Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, has even openly declared the stream of refugees ‘a German problem’ and is cutting his country off. Following Poland’s swing to the right, Merkel can’t expect concessions from there any more, either. Even Sweden’s head of state, Stefan Löfven, is coming under pressure at home to close the borders. With all of this going on, there can be no more talk of European solidarity. Everyone is trying to save themselves – at others’ expense, if need be.

“However much the Chancellor believes she’s morally in the right, on European refugee policy she is isolated. She was able, for the most part, to push through her views on economic policy because it was a policy the majority of Europeans believed in, even though it was painful. But not only are the majority in Germany opposed to her ideas about accepting an unlimited number of refugees, a considerable majority also oppose her in Europe, and have done for some time. Ultimately, there is no policy that will help with this. Merkel’s personal tragedy is that she is in the process of gambling away the significant authority she had built up for herself in Europe.”

Mini-Summit of 10 EU Nations

The Local wrote on October 26:

“Tensions are high at EU, Balkans refugee summit. The mini summit, called by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, grouped the heads of 10 EU nations, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, plus the leaders of non-EU Albania, Serbia and Macedonia… More than 670,000 people have landed on European shores this year – many of them fleeing violence in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan — in the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War II. Some 3,000 people have died making the dangerous Mediterranean sea crossing…

“Fears are rising that the crisis is threatening the cherished ‘Schengen’ system of borderless travel, one of the bedrock achievements of a united Europe. Faced with a huge influx heading north, Hungary has closed off its borders with Serbia and Croatia. Tiny Slovenia has now threatened to build border fences if it does not receive help, having become the main entry point to the Schengen zone following Hungary’s clampdown… Slovenia, which numbers two million people, has been swamped by more than 60,000 migrants in a matter of days…

‘Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia on Saturday warned they would not accept being turned into a ‘buffer zone’ for the tens of thousands of arrivals streaming into Europe. ‘If Germany and Austria and other countries close their borders … we will be ready to also close our borders at that very same moment,’ Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said…

“The 10 leaders from the 28-nation European Union who are invited to the mini summit are from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden…”

Right-Wing Party Wins in Poland

The EUObserver wrote on October 26:

“The right-wing Law and Justice party swept back to power in Polish elections on Sunday (25 October), winning an absolute majority of 232 seats in the 460-seat parliament, based on exit polls… Its campaign… included more populist elements, depicting Civic Platform as being servile to Germany, feeble on Russia, and putting Poles at risk of ‘diseases’ brought by Syrian refugees under an EU relocation programme…

“The Guardian, a British daily, compared Law and Justice to the far-right, anti-EU National Front in France and the PVV in The Netherlands. The New York Times said Poland is part of a broader swing to the right in eastern Europe, including in Hungary and Slovakia…

“Le Monde, the French paper of record, highlighted [the party’s leaders] links with the Polish Catholic church… German broadcaster ARD accused Kaczynski [the party chief] of ‘hate speech’ on refugees, comparing his pre-election statements to the xenophobic Pegida movement in Germany… The [Italian] Corriere della Sera daily attributed Kaczynski’s triumph to ‘anti-immigrant rhetoric’…”

Migrant Crisis Will Unleash Extremism in Europe

The Telegraph wrote on October 27:

“It is hard to comprehend the stupefying naivety of those, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who thought it a good idea to send out an utterly self-serving signal a few weeks ago inviting anyone who could make the journey to head for Europe. This was ostensibly aimed at Syrians who had fled the civil war in their homeland; but the exodus has been swelled by migrants from many other countries looking for a better life – and who can blame them?…

“This will unleash extremist politics in Europe. In Germany, the anti-immigrant Pegida movement is attracting thousands to its rallies and in France the Front National continues to gain support. Elsewhere, Eurosceptic parties are making inroads. In Portugal, a Syriza-style leftist minority government has taken office opposed to the eurozone’s fiscal rules; and in Poland, the Law and Justice Party is back in power, pledged to oppose any Brussels diktat on migrant quotas. Against this backdrop, which can only darken, Britain has to decide over the next two years whether to remain part of an increasingly unstable organization…”

Benghazi Committee—a Waste of Time and Money

The Washington Post’s Editorial Board wrote on October 23:

“The House Select Committee on Benghazi further discredited itself on Thursday as its Republican members attempted to fuel largely insubstantial suspicions about Hillary Clinton’s role in the 2012 Benghazi attacks [leading to the death of four Americans]. Grilling Ms. Clinton all day, they elicited little new information and offered little hope that their inquiry would find anything significant that seven previous investigations didn’t…

“Ms. Clinton is not blameless. As she admitted, she had final responsibility for the actions of those who served under her. A State Department review found bureaucratic failures that contributed to the relatively light security in Benghazi. While it’s unreasonable to expect Ms. Clinton to have known about [US Ambassador] Stevens’s precise circumstances, she bears some blame for the bureaucratic context in which security decisions were made.

“Yet the major, top-line policy fumble in Libya stemmed not from callousness or incompetence on Ms. Clinton’s part but from the Obama administration’s broader failure to live up to the vision of assertive U.S. engagement…”

Outrage over US Justice Department and “Lawless” Obama Administration

Newsmax wrote on October 23:

“Conservatives were outraged Friday that the Justice Department closed its two-year investigation into the IRS targeting scandal without charging former supervisor Lois Lerner or anyone else at the agency, with tea party activist Mark Meckler slamming the decision as ‘a whitewash and miscarriage of justice.’… Meckler’s organization, which is based in Austin, Texas, has a federal lawsuit pending against the IRS and the Obama administration in the targeting scandal. Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True the Vote, the Houston group that also sued over the scandal, referenced such Obama administration debacles at the Fast and Furious gun-running scheme and the email probe over the 2012 Benghazi attacks.

“‘This is a lawless administration,’ she said. ‘The FBI closing their investigation is par for course in the Obama administration, where criminals walk free and honest Americans fear their government.’… ‘At every turn, President Obama and administration officials have repeatedly and publicly undermined the investigation into the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups yet today’s announcement from the Department of Justice is still very disturbing,’ said Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, one of the panels investigating the scandal.

“Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, said that the Justice Department’s ‘faux investigation’ warranted an independent probe by a special counsel. ‘It’s an outrage – a mockery of justice,’ he said in a blog post.

“ACLJ still represents many targeted groups in lawsuits on the scandal. ‘We will not give up,’ Sekulow said. ‘We will not stop pressing for the truth. Justice will be served… Americans should never have to fear that the IRS or any other branch of the bureaucracy will target them for their beliefs.”

IRS Head to Be Impeached?

The Washington Post reported on October 27:

“A group of House Republicans led by the chairman of a powerful committee moved Tuesday to impeach the head of the Internal Revenue Service, saying he violated the public trust and lied to Congress as it investigated the treatment of conservative groups. The announcement by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform panel, came four days after the Justice Department formally closed its investigation of the targeting scandal without filing criminal charges.

“The last-ditch effort to remove IRS Commissioner John Koskinen follows through on a threat Chaffetz made over the summer after he called on President Obama to fire the commissioner, whom he accused of erasing back-up tapes containing thousands of e-mails written by Lois Lerner, the central IRS official in the scandal…

“The oversight committee has been investigating the IRS for more than two years, since agents were discovered to have subjected conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status to additional scrutiny.

“Chaffetz was joined by 18 committee Republicans in sponsoring an impeachment resolution, which now goes to the House Judiciary Committee. House Democrats quickly denounced the move as political grandstanding…

“Pursuing impeachment against an agency leader is highly unusual, and a step beyond contempt charges, the mechanism House Republicans tried to use against both Lerner and former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr. in past disputes.

“More than a century ago, Congress brought articles of impeachment against War Secretary William Belknap in 1876, after the House of Representatives uncovered evidence supporting a pattern of corruption. He resigned during the proceedings.”

IRS a “Criminal Enterprise”?

Newsmax reported on October 23:

“The Internal Revenue Service is a ‘criminal enterprise’ that should be ‘put to death,’ Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says. ‘They use the extraordinary, almost unlimited power of government that they have and they use it to attack political enemies. They use it to attack conservatives, pro-Israel groups. They hide the records, they destroy the records,’ Huckabee told CBN’s ‘The Brody File.’

“‘The IRS can launch an investigation, they conduct their own investigation, they come to findings and they even get to assess the penalty as a result of their findings. It’s a one-stop shop. That violates the various branches of government that are supposed to be involved in adjudicating us and it is also a violation of… not only the separation of powers but of being able to be innocent until proven guilty.’

“Huckabee made his comments as he discussed his ‘fair tax’ plan, which he says has no need for the IRS. Other tax-reform ideas being proposed by other presidential candidates leave the agency intact, he added. ‘Every one of those plans is tinkering with the tax code. You still have the IRS,’ Huckabee said. ‘They’re still a criminal enterprise. They still need to be put to death and only the fair tax does that.’”

Paul Ryan Doomed as Speaker of the House?

The Washington Post wrote on October 23:

“Paul Ryan is doomed, too… The Wisconsin Republican… will end up in the same position as Boehner — held hostage by the Freedom Caucus… the fundamental problem — no functional GOP majority — will remain…”

Newsmax wrote on October 27:

“The presumptive new House speaker is bashing outgoing Speaker John Boehner, Senate leaders and the White House for their backroom budget deal, declaring the ‘process stinks’… and promised a change in direction…

“Politico reports the deal will actually help Ryan, setting budget levels for two years, lifts the debt ceiling until March 2017, and eliminating the threat of a government shutdown until October 2016. Still, Politico notes, Ryan wasn’t involved in the negotiations and wants to distance himself from it, as it comes under conservatives’ attacks.
“Conservatives, however, appeared resigned to the outcome. ‘We can’t stop it. He’s in league with the Democrats,’ Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie said of Boehner on Tuesday. ‘I mean I don’t think there’s anything you can do at this point.’”

Ryan was elected as the new House Speaker on October 29. In his speech, Ryan declared the institution as “broken.” The New York Times wrote that the House is “divided and chaotic.” As the Washington Post reported, former speaker John Boehner“left Ryan with a fiscal agreement hashed out with President Obama that would increase government spending by $80 billion through 2017 and raised the federal debt limit — enraging hard-line conservatives…”

Carson in First Place?

According to new Nationwide poll, Ben Carson leads for the First Time. Newsmax wrote on October 27:

“Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has sailed past Donald Trump nationally to take the lead in the race for the GOP nomination, a new poll shows. The CBS News/New York Times polls shows:

“Carson, 26 percent; Trump, 22 percent; Marco Rubio, 8 percent; Jeb Bush, 7 percent; Carly Fiorina, 7 percent.

“All other candidates, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Ohio Gov. John Kasich each were the choice of 4 percent or lower. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.”

As Der Spiegel Online reported on October 27, the new poll asked 575 voters. That small figure might not be a convincing representative result for nation-wide voters. In the third Republican Debate on October 28, which was hosted by CNBC, neither Carson nor Trump performed extraordinarily well. The shining moment belonged to Ted Cruz when he blasted the hostile moderators for their inappropriate and sometimes totally irrelevant questions. 

Surprisingly, Newsmax reported on October 29 that “Donald Trump was the huge winner of the third Republican presidential debate — triumphing by a wide margin over Dr. Ben Carson, a new Newsmax poll reveals… Carson… was also topped by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in the survey conducted following the Wednesday night GOP slugfest on CNBC.”

It appears that no matter how Trump performs, he turns out to be the winner.

Abortion to Be Outlawed?

Newsmax wrote on October 25:

“Ben Carson would like abortion to be outlawed in the United States. [Carson] said in a Sunday interview on Meet the Press that he would ‘love to see’ the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision overturned, and that he would greatly limit the number of exceptions to a nationwide ban on abortion, including cases of rape and incest. ‘Rape and incest, I would not be in favor of killing a baby because the baby came about in that way. And all you have to do is go and look up the many stories of people who have led very useful lives who were the result of rape or incest,’ Carson said.”

In fact, the Bible does not allow the abortion of any child for any reason.

Trump, Carson and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The Washington Post wrote on October 25:

“Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sunday that he saw no reason to apologize for raising the issue of rival Ben Carson’s Seventh-day Adventist faith during a recent campaign rally. ‘I would certainly give an apology if I said something bad about it. But I didn’t. All I said was I don’t know about it,’ Trump said during an interview on ABC’s ‘This Week’…  Trump dismissed a suggestion by host George Stephanopoulos that by mentioning Carson’s religious affiliation he was trying to ‘send a dog whistle’ to ‘some conservatives [who] claim the Seventh-day Adventists are not Christian.’…

“Trump had brought up Carson’s religion on Saturday, during a rally in Florida. ‘I’m Presbyterian,’ he said. ‘Boy, that’s down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don’t know about. I just don’t know about.’

“Carson, in an interview on Fox News, declined to strike back but noted that Trump ‘went ballistic’ several weeks ago when Carson questioned Trump’s faith, saying the difference between him and Trump was that ‘I’ve realized where my success has come from, and I don’t in any way deny my faith in God.’ ‘So it seems a little interesting that he would now be doing that,’ Carson noted. Carson, who has also said he would not support a Muslim for president, later apologized for the comments about Trump’s faith…

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church has struggled historically to be accepted by mainstream Protestants. It traces its roots to lay theologian William Miller, who predicted the return of Jesus Christ in 1844, the movement was abandoned by some of its early followers and dismissed as a cult after Miller’s prediction didn’t pan out.

“Over the decades, leaders of the church have worked hard to emphasize their belief in Christian doctrine and practices, though some Christians still look at them with skepticism, as they do with Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses…

“Carson, who has said that he was twice baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist, talks frequently about his belief in God and the need to defend religious freedom, but not as much about his specific faith…”

All of the above-mentioned denominations–the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Presbyterian–have certainly some teachings which are biblical, while many are not. We need to point out too that within all of these churches, there are great differences of doctrinal viewpoints of their members and minsters. But based on the worldly definition of “Christianity,” which is limited to just believing in Christ, they would all qualify as “Christian.” The same would be true for those denominations, which are mentioned in the articles below—the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. But when analyzing their teachings, it becomes obvious that many of their doctrines and core beliefs are not in accordance with Scripture.

Will Ben Carson’s Belief in Seventh-Day Adventism Help or Hurt Him?

 The New York Times wrote on October 27:

“In an election season where religion and politics have collided frequently, Mr. Carson’s faith remains a mystery to some and is something that could prove to be a strength and a liability…

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church counts more than 18 million members globally and 1.2 million in North America, but some skeptics see it as a sect out of touch with mainstream Christianity. While the church avoids involvement in politics, Mr. Carson’s emergence as a prominent political figure has presented an opportunity for it to gain credibility…

“During a 1999 interview with the Religion News Service, Mr. Carson said he was happy to attend other kinds of churches. ‘I spend just as much time in non-Seventh-day Adventist churches because I’m not convinced that the denomination is the most important thing,’ he said. ‘I think it’s the relationship with God that’s most important.’

“More recently, however, Mr. Carson made clear that he would always defend his Adventist beliefs against skeptics. ‘I’m proud of the fact that I believe what God has said, and I’ve said many times that I’ll defend it before anyone,’ Mr. Carson told the Adventist Report in 2013. ‘If they want to criticize the fact that I believe in a literal six-day creation, let’s have at it because I will poke all kinds of holes in what they believe.’

“For theological reasons, Adventism has faced tensions with the Roman Catholic and Baptist churches over the years. Last spring, Mr. Carson was invited to speak at a Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference in Ohio, but he faced opposition because of his beliefs and eventually backed out. ‘Dr. Carson is a Seventh-day Adventist,’ a group of pastors from the Baptist organization B21 wrote in protest of his visit. ‘Their official theology denies the doctrine of hell in favor of annihilation,’ they wrote, ‘and believes that those who worship on Sunday will bear the ‘mark of the beast.’

“The church has also had a strongly anti-Catholic strain, and when Mr. Carson decided to attend Pope Francis’ visit to Congress last month, Adventist message boards lit up with questions about his presence with the pontiff. Some questioned him referring to the pope as the ‘Holy Leader’ and wondered, ‘How do such words come from the mouth of a Seventh-day Adventist?’…”

Newsmax reported on October 26:

“Gathered below are 12 things you may or may not know about Seventh-day Adventists and their unique system of belief.

“1. Millerite origins — After studying the prophecies of Daniel, Baptist preacher William Miller predicted the literal Second Coming (advent) of Jesus Christ on Oct. 22, 1844, and formed a large following around this belief.

“2. Great Disappointment — When Christ did not return to earth on the predicted date, some adherents abandoned their faith in the idea of a literal Second Coming, while many continued to find the idea of a literal Second Coming useful to the practice of their faith.

“3. Founding — Out of the Millerite denomination grew the formal Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was founded in 1863 at the First General Conference. At the conference, twenty delegates met in Battle Creek, Michigan, to outline the beliefs of the denomination.

“4. Ellen G. White — Among the original founders was a woman born in Maine named Ellen G. White… White is recognized as having received the gift of prophecy as outlined in Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12, and her writings are seen as ‘a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.’

“5. Sabbath — Adventists recognize Saturday as the Sabbath, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week.

“6. Body as temple of the Holy Spirit — Many Adventists ‘adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures,’ as they view the body as the vessel for the Holy Spirit. Many abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics.

“7. Unconscious dead — Seventh-day Adventists believe that those who die lay in an unconscious state until the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

“8. Second Coming of Christ — Adventists believe that Christ, having died on the cross, been resurrected, and ascended to heaven, will return to earth twice more: once to catch up the righteous, and finally to establish heaven on earth.

“9. First resurrection — During the first resurrection, the righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord.

“10. Millennium — After Christ resurrects and takes up the righteous, he will reign in heaven with them for 1,000 years, while Satan and his angels will occupy a desolate earth with no living human inhabitants.

“11. The End of Sin — At the end of the Millennium, Christ, His saints, and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will be resurrected, and surround the city along with Satan and his angels. At that time, God will consume them in fire, thus cleansing the earth and the universe from sin and sinners forever.

“12. New Earth — After Satan is destroyed, Seventh-day Adventists believe suffering and death will have passed away, and God will rule with the redeemed in a perfect environment of love, life, and joy.”

As can clearly be seen, the Seventh-Day Adventists combine some elements of truth with many errors.

In particular, Miller’s predictions were obviously wrong: Ellen G. White is manifestly NOT a prophetess of God; there is no biblical prohibition to abstain from alcohol; Christ will NOT return twice to earth, but only once; Christ will not reign in heaven with the saints during the Millennium, but on a beautiful earth, which will be occupied by humans; Satan and his demons will not occupy a desolated earth, but they will be imprisoned during the Millennium in a “bottomless pit”; the Holy City will not descend to earth at the end of the Millennium, but much later; Satan and his angels will not be consumed in fire and destroyed, but after having been thrown into the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium, they will ultimately be “wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

It is interesting that the above-quoted article admits that Saturday was the “original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week.”

When Women Bishops Rule the Church…

Daily Mail wrote on October 25:

“Britain’s most senior female bishop, who is to become the first to sit in the House of Lords, has said God should not be referred to as specifically male… The bishop said God should not be gendered and said while she knowns many will disagree, she believes the Church of England should use both male and female pronouns when referring to God…”

According to biblical doctrine, women should not be ordained as ministers, and they are NOT to preach in Church. And the Bible clearly states that God is our FATHER, and Jesus Christ is His SON, and no woman preacher can change this undeniable FACT.

Strong Divisions Within the Catholic Church

The New York Times wrote on October 21:

“Pope Francis had encouraged bishops from more than 120 countries to speak freely when they gathered at the Vatican nearly three weeks ago for a broad discussion of family matters to guide the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. And speak freely, they have. The result has been the most momentous, and contentious, meeting of bishops in the 50 years since the Second Vatican Council, which brought the church into the modern era. The meeting has exposed deep fault lines between traditionalists focused on shoring up doctrine, and those who want the church to be more open to Catholics who are divorced, gay, single parents or cohabiting…

“Progressives, led by the contingent from Germany, are pushing for a church that is more welcoming toward divorced, gay and other parishioners who are not living the Catholic ideal of family. The German bishops have found allies among some prelates from Western Europe, Asia and the Americas.

“The traditionalists – whose standard bearers are the African and Eastern European bishops – have resisted any proposals that appear to soften the church’s doctrine that marriage is ‘indissoluble’ and homosexuality is ‘intrinsically disordered.’ In one indication of their fervor, Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is from Guinea and leads the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship, told the synod, ‘What Nazi-Fascism and Communism were in the 20th century, Western homosexual and abortion ideologies and Islamic fanaticism are today.’

“Bishops from the United States have revealed themselves to be just as divided as their flock back home…

“The synod can make recommendations, but unlike the three-year Second Vatican Council, it cannot make decisions. That power lies with the pope… it could be many months before Francis issues an official document…

“The pope threw another thunderbolt last Saturday, saying in a private address to bishops that the church needs a ‘sound decentralization’ of authority. He said the church should not be run like a top-down organization with the pope at its summit, but instead should be an ‘inverted pyramid’…  But in his speech, the pope also made it clear that he would be the final arbiter…”

The Washington Post added on October 21:

“At Pope Francis’s closed-door meeting in Rome this month, top clergy are intensely debating whether the church should bend more to the messy realities of modern families, and on Wednesday they released some early reports revealing their deep divisions…  Changing Catholicism’s stance toward such things could begin to unravel the unity of the world’s largest church, say opponents who see the debate in Rome as directly tied to the future of Catholicism…

“Some of the powerful Italian-language groups, meanwhile, suggested bishops should have the final say…

“But not all in the Church are open to change. Division is so pronounced that Catholics are witnessing the spectacle of cardinals writing op-eds about one another… The concern comes mostly – but not exclusively — from traditional bishops and their allies who worry that Francis is stirring extremely dangerous waters by proposing changes that they see as cutting at the very heart of the nature of the Catholic Church and what it means to be Catholic…”