Where WAS Barack Obama Born?

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Breitbart News has obtained a promotional booklet produced in 1991 by Barack Obama’s then-literary agency, Acton & Dystel, which touts Obama as ‘born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii.’… The biography does… fit a pattern in which Obama–or the people representing and supporting him–manipulate his public persona.

“David Maraniss’s forthcoming biography of Obama has reportedly confirmed, for example, that a girlfriend Obama described in Dreams from My Father was, in fact, an amalgam of several separate individuals… Obama has been known frequently to fictionalize aspects of his own life. During his 2008 campaign, for instance, Obama claimed that his dying mother had fought with insurance companies over coverage for her cancer treatments. That turned out to be untrue, but Obama has repeated the story–which even the Washington Post called ‘misleading’–in a campaign video for the 2012 election… Regardless of the reason for Obama’s odd biography, the Acton & Dystel booklet raises new questions as part of ongoing efforts to understand Barack Obama–who, despite four years in office remains a mystery to many Americans, thanks to the mainstream media.”

The Telegraph wrote on May 18:

“Whatever you think of Breitbart.com’s punishing vetting process, it has exposed just how little work the mainstream media did in investigating candidate Obama back in 2008… Obama’s old literary agent has issued a terse statement to the effect that the wording was all her fault and she never consulted her client. If that’s true, she’s a bad agent. A different agent, quoted by Breitbart.com, disagrees. He told the website ‘that while “almost nobody” wrote his or her own biography, the non-athletes in the booklet, whom “the agents deal[t] with on a daily basis,” were “probably” approached to approve the text as presented.’

“If we accept that Obama didn’t provide the biography, it would seem highly unlikely that he didn’t get a chance to vet it. Accepting that he didn’t do that either, it’s incredibly strange that the literary agent approached by Breitbart.com does not remember Obama calling the agency to register a complaint and make a correction. My mother spent a lot of her childhood in Grenada. If my literary agent told people I was born in the Caribbean, I’d at least pick up the phone to set the record straight.

“Look beyond the sordid details and the big story here is that this nugget wasn’t part of the wider discussion had back in 2008 about Obama’s background and credentials. And why not? The documents were easy to find – the one that showed that ‘born in Kenya’ was still being used in 2007 was on the Internet.”

What is puzzling is that in light of this damaging evidence, both Breitbart and the Telegraph insist that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii. For example, the Telegraph wrote in the same article:

“Today, the President has satisfied all right-minded folk that he was in fact born in Hawaii. Breitbart.com itself has always rejected the absurd cult of birtherism. In fact, this story is really the opposite of birtherism – Breitbart infers that in the past Obama encouraged people to think that he was born abroad in order to establish an identity as an authentic, exotic voice in the debate on racial politics.”

And Breitbart wrote in their article:

“Andrew Breitbart was never a ‘Birther,’ and Breitbart News is a site that has never advocated the narrative of ‘Birtherism.’ In fact, Andrew believed, as we do, that President Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961. Yet Andrew also believed that the complicit mainstream media had refused to examine President Obama’s ideological past, or the carefully crafted persona he and his advisers had constructed for him.”

ABC News even went a step further, fantasizing the following on May 18:

“A possible source of the so-called ‘birther’ issue–or at least a potential cause of the rumors that have dogged President Barack Obama–has been identified. Obama’s former literary agency misidentified his birthplace as Kenya while trying to promote the then-Harvard Law grad as an author in 1991. According to a promotional booklet produced by the agency, Acton & Dystel, to showcase its roster of writers, Obama was ‘born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii.’ Miriam Goderich edited the text of the bio; she is now a partner at the Dystel & Goderich agency, which lists Obama as one of its current clients. ‘This was nothing more than a fact checking error by me–an agency assistant at the time,’ Goderich wrote in an emailed statement to Yahoo News.”

Strange and very difficult to believe, because ongoing investigations question that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii, and an affidavit by his grandmother claims that she was present when he was born in Kenya. Either way, Mr. Obama’s veracity is on the line. Either, he fabricated or helped fabricate a story in 1991, when he was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, claiming that he was born in Kenya, or he fabricated or help fabricate a story later, when running for the office of American President, claiming that he was born in Hawaii. To reiterate, only if he WAS born in Hawaii would he be legally qualified to hold the office of American President.

Both Obama and Romney Trample All Over 10th Amendment

The Washington Post wrote on May 20:

“The 10th Amendment, the amendment supposedly reserving for the states all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government, gets a lot of rhetorical love on the campaign trail. But on issues from medical marijuana to voter-identification laws to malpractice reform, both President Obama and presumptive GOP challenger Mitt Romney have shown few qualms about trampling all over the 10th Amendment.

“Earlier this month, Mr. Obama cited a respect for states’ rights as he announced his personal ‘evolution’ to support of gay marriage, but has repeatedly deployed his Justice Department to challenge states over their voter-ID and immigration laws, and medical marijuana use policies.

“For his part, Mr. Romney has repeatedly invoked the 10th Amendment to defend why he signed a state-level health law mandating coverage as governor of Massachusetts in 2006, only to oppose a similar program now at the federal level. But he has also called for overriding state laws to enact national tort reform, and has declined to say whether he would halt federal raids on dispensaries in states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses.

“Mike Maharrey, of the Tenth Amendment Center, said this kind of fair-weather federalism illustrates an inconsistency running rampant in both major parties. ‘That’s one of my greatest frustrations with the political process, not just with Obama and Romney, but both sides of the political spectrum tend to kind of turn to the 10th Amendment when it’s convenient,’ Mr. Maharrey said.”

This is the gist of politics–adopt positions which might be popular, and drop them when they could backfire. Hypocritical inconsistency seems to be the name of the game. Knowing this, why would any true Christian who is to stand up for and defend the TRUTH get involved in politics or grant their vote of confidence, support and approval to ANY of its political representatives?

Section 1021 of the 2012 NDAA Held Unconstitutional—For Now

The Associated Press reported on May 17:

“A day before Congress weighs an amendment to end indefinite military detentions in the U.S. [Note: This amendment did not pass], a federal judge Wednesday ruled the law that allows the practice unconstitutional.

“Saying the measure has ‘chilling impact on First Amendment rights,’ U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest, of New York’s Eastern District, found that a group of reporters and activists who brought the lawsuit had no way of knowing whether they could be subjected to it. That makes it an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendment’s free speech right and the Fifth Amendment’s right to due process, Forrest said in a written opinion.

“The lead plaintiffs — Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges of the Nation Institute and Tangerine Bolen, who runs the website RevolutionTruth — argued that they conceivably could be grabbed under the law because they deal with sources that U.S. authorities may deem to fall under the law, Section 1021 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.

“The law defines the suspects who can be detained as a ‘person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces.’ Forrest found the language too vague, and repeatedly tried to get government attorneys to say that the reporters’ fears were unfounded. The lawyers declined.

“At the hearing on this motion, the government was unwilling or unable to state that these plaintiffs would not be subject to indefinite detention under [section] 1021,’ Forrest wrote. ‘Plaintiffs are therefore at risk of detention, of losing their liberty, potentially for many years. An individual could run the risk of substantially supporting or directly supporting an associated force without even being aware that he or she was doing so,’ Forrest wrote. ‘In the face of what could be indeterminate military detention, due process requires more.’

“‘We dealt a pretty big blow to two branches of Congress and President Obama,’ Bolen told The Huffington Post. Bolen got involved in the lawsuit because she worked extensively on the Wikileaks and Bradley Manning cases, and used her website to expose where the war on terror has gone tragically wrong, including interviewing Iraqis and Afghans with damning tales to tell. ‘Given that I engage in those two activities and I have an entire team around the world, I really felt that under the vague language of the NDAA, someone like me could easily get in trouble,’ Bolen said…

“The author and activist Naomi Wolf said watching the judge question administration lawyers repeatedly on the issue of who might be detained under the law — and the lawyers not answering — was downright chilling. To have the judge find that state of affairs unconstitutional was a profound relief, Wolf said in an interview.

“‘To hear those words — it’s so true, it’s so obvious — it puts in glaring relief the hideousness, the unconstitutionality, the darkness of this legislative effort and others like it,’ Wolf said. ‘She is so completely, obviously right. It’s nothing short of treason to have put forward legislation like this, let alone to have had most of the people who represent us and our president sign off on this clearly, obviously criminally unconstitutional — unconstitutional is inadequate. It’s anti-constitutional. It’s dictatorial. ‘I’m so happy as a mother. It’s so profound. All of us were put in danger by this law.’

“The White House had no comment on the ruling Wednesday night… The government has 60 days to decide whether to appeal.”

This law is indeed very dangerous and appears to be unconstitutional for the reasons stated in the article. The fears expressed in the article are also very real, especially in light of the evasive conduct of the government lawyers. However, it will remain to be seen whether the Obama Administration will appeal, and how a higher court might rule on the matter, given the politically charged surroundings during an election year.

Why To Be Concerned About Homosexuality?

On May 21, 2012, CNN published an interesting opinion by R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Although being dead wrong on his idea that we are no longer required to abide by God’s dietary laws, he does set forth succinctly why homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God. We begin with quoting his erroneous conclusions regarding clean and unclean food:

“An honest consideration of the Bible reveals that most of the biblical laws people point to in asking this question, such as laws against eating shellfish or wearing mixed fabrics, are part of the holiness code assigned to Israel in the Old Testament. That code was to set Israel, God’s covenant people, apart from all other nations on everything from morality to diet.

“As the Book of Acts makes clear, Christians are not obligated to follow this holiness code. This is made clear in Peter’s vision in Acts 10:15. Peter is told, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ In other words, there is no kosher code for Christians. Christians are not concerned with eating kosher foods and avoiding all others. That part of the law is no longer binding, and Christians can enjoy shrimp and pork with no injury to conscience.”

This conclusion is totally false. Peter’s vision in Acts 10 has nothing to do with declaring unclean animals to be clean. Rather, Peter gives the meaning of the vision in verse 28, stating: “But God has shown me that I should not call any MAN common or unclean.” God never allowed the consumption of unclean food, and He will punish those in the end time who disregard His dietary laws (compare Isaiah 66:17). For more information, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

At the same time, Mohler’s comments regarding the biblical teaching on homosexuality are correct:

“Are conservative Christians hypocritical and selective when it comes to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality? With all that the Bible condemns, why the focus on gay sex and same-sex marriage?…

“The Old Testament clearly condemns male homosexuality along with adultery, bestiality, incest and any sex outside the covenant of marriage. The New Testament does not lessen this concern but amplifies it… The New Testament condemns a full range of sexual sins, and homosexuality is specified among these sins. In Romans, Paul refers to homosexuality in terms of ‘dishonorable passions,’ ‘contrary to nature’ and ‘shameless.’ As New Testament scholar Robert Gagnon has stated, the Bible’s indictment ‘encompasses every and any form of homosexual behavior’… Jesus made clear that marriage was always meant to be one man and one woman…

“Why are Christians so concerned with homosexuality? In the first place, that question is answered by the simple fact that it is the most pressing moral question of our times. Christians must be concerned about adultery, pornography, injustice, dishonesty and everything the Bible names as sin. But when my phone rings with a call from a reporter these days, the question I am asked is never [about] adultery or pornography. It is about homosexuality.

“Christians who are seriously committed to the authority of the Bible have no choice but to affirm all that the Bible teaches, including its condemnation of homosexuality… In other words, we understand that the Bible condemns all forms of sin because our Creator knows what is best for us. The Bible names sins specifically so that each of us will recognize our own sinfulness and look to Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. Christian love requires that we believe and teach what the Bible teaches and that we do so with both strong conviction and humble hearts. The Church must repent of our failures in both of these tasks, but we must not be silent where the Bible speaks.

“Are Christians hypocrites in insisting that homosexual behavior is sin? We, too, are sinners, and hypocrisy and inconsistency are perpetual dangers. The church failed miserably in the face of the challenge of divorce. This requires an honest admission and strong corrective. At the same time, this painful failure must remind us that we must not fail to answer rightly when asked what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. Love requires us to tell the truth.”

An Unfathomable Divine Mystery?

The Catholic News wrote on May 17:

“The Catholic Church’s relationship to Judaism as taught by the Second Vatican Council and the interpretations and developments of that teaching by subsequent popes, ‘are binding on a Catholic,’ said the Vatican official responsible for relations with the Jews. Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews and a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, spoke to reporters May 16 after delivering a speech on Catholic-Jewish relations in light of Vatican II’s declaration ‘Nostra Aetate’ on the church’s relations with non-Christian religions…

“The declaration highlighted the Jewish roots of Christianity and took ‘an unambiguous position against every form of anti-Semitism,’ he said… ‘God’s plan of salvation for humanity began with his covenant with the Jewish people and if Christianity ignores that, he said, ‘it is in danger of losing its location within salvation history.’ While Catholics profess that, in the end, all salvation will be accomplished through Jesus Christ, ‘it does not necessarily follow that the Jews are excluded from God’s salvation because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and the son of God,’ the cardinal said. ‘That the Jews are participants in God’s salvation is theologically unquestionable, but how that can be possible without confessing Christ explicitly is and remains an unfathomable divine mystery.’”

The Bible says that there cannot be any salvation except through Jesus Christ. This means that no one can and will be saved unless he or she accepts Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior and believes in His Sacrifice. However, the Bible also teaches that today is NOT the only day of salvation. To understand this “mystery,” please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Major Earthquake Hits Italy

BBC News reported on May 20:

“Thousands of people left homeless by a powerful earthquake in northern Italy are spending the night in shelters as aftershocks continue to hit the region. At least seven people died and more than 50 were injured when the quake struck in the early hours of Sunday. The magnitude six tremor, centred north of Bologna, destroyed or badly damaged many historic buildings… A 5.1 magnitude aftershock struck Sunday afternoon, destroying several buildings already weakened… Sunday’s earthquake was the worst to hit Italy since the L’Aquila tremor killed nearly 300 people in 2009.”

According to the Bible, more powerful earthquakes will strike around the world, and an extremely strong one might affect the city of Rome.

G8—Many Talks, No Solutions

Deutsche Welle reported on May 18:

“The leaders of the G8 group of the world’s most powerful countries did not show any new political paths at Camp David. They described problems well enough, but did not solve any…The big question after the two-day G8 summit at Camp David was, of course: did it bring any results? Did the eight government leaders, as well as their African guests, change the world – in any way at all? Well, no, they didn’t, is the answer. Well-known points-of-view were exchanged, both on the debt crisis in Europe and on the various flash points around the world. The initiative to strengthen Africa, which was brought to life three years ago, was once again emphasized over lunch with the African leaders. And that was pretty much it…

“The situation in Europe is getting trickier and trickier and turning German Chancellor Angela Merkel into the culprit for the crisis because she insists on budgetary consolidation. It borders on the absurd. Without painful reforms of state finances, which still loom for many countries, including that of the G8 host and its president, Barack Obama, there will not be a lasting exit from the debt crisis. While new French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti cozy up on the common ground they share with Obama, who is in the midst of an electoral campaign, it’s the facts that will count most at the end of the day. It’s a fact that financing stimulus programs with new debt would be a mistake. The chancellor is right – even if she is isolated in the exclusive club of eight leaders…

“There was at least one good thing to come from the summit: the commitment that Greece belongs in the eurozone. The country cannot and must not be left to its own devices. The offer being made to the Greeks is clear. Aid comes with strings attached. Now the Greeks will have the final say. The election in June will even be interesting for Barack Obama. If the attempt to keep Greece in the eurozone fails, the ensuing recession in Europe could pull down the world economy – and with it the United States. That is the last thing Obama needs right before American voters go to the polls in November. In a globalized world we are all Greeks, Europeans and Americans because we all depend on each other.”

Man has proven to be utterly incapable of finding true solutions and of ruling himself, and the most recent developments, as described above, are no exception. It will require the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth to bring lasting peace and prosperity to this war-stricken planet. See also the next article.

NATO Goes Ahead with European Missile Shield

The Local wrote on May 21:

“NATO leaders on Sunday gave the go-ahead for the new European missile shield, provoking anger in Russia. The US air base in Ramstein, western Germany, will host part of the system. The decision was made by 28 of the world’s most powerful leaders at the NATO summit in Chicago. It should be up and running before 2020 and protect Europe from missiles fired up to 3,000 kilometres away – roughly where Iran is. [Our comment: Deutsche Welle clarified on May 21 that “The White House says it expects initial operational capability by 2015, while the system will be fully functional in 2018. All 28 members of the alliance will participate in the financing.”]

“Initially a US warship carrying missiles will be installed near Turkey in the Mediterranean, followed by an early-warning radar system at the US air base in Ramstein [Germany]. Further bases are planned for Spain, Romania and Poland… The decision was not greeted warmly by Russia though, as Moscow fears the system could neutralise its own nuclear shield. The country’s government quickly called for joint control over the system and for NATO to sign a legally-binding guarantee that it is not aimed at Russia. But NATO rejected both demands, insisting on keeping two separate systems and refusing to sign a legally-binding document… analysts have questioned whether the shield is a full-proof defence against incoming rockets from rogue states.”

Paradoxically, the European defense shield will ultimately end up in complete European control, and it WILL help and encourage, to an extent, the Europeans to attack Russia and other Asian nations, as the Bible clearly reveals. However, the Asian power bloc will retaliate swiftly and brutally. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy,” and watch Norbert Link’s new video-recorded message, “The Seventh Trumpet.”

Trouble for Angela Merkel…?

Der Spiegel wrote on May 15:

“Last week Chancellor Angela Merkel’s austerity policy suffered twin blows in Europe when Socialist Francois Hollande, a critic of her strict approach, won the French presidency and Greek voters firmly rejected the painful reforms imposed on them. On Sunday came a further major setback for Merkel when her conservative Christian Democrats suffered a big defeat in an election in the country’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). It weakens her at home at a time when opposition to her crisis strategy is mounting across Europe…

“German media commentators say the defeat is largely attributable to the weakness of the CDU’s candidate for state governor, Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen, and that Merkel will be much harder to defeat in the 2013 general election. But they also say that the result is likely to make the left-wing opposition to her far more confrontational and less ready to compromise on upcoming issues such as the ratification of the fiscal pact, for which Merkel needs a two-thirds majority in parliament.

“Invigorated by their new-found strength, the Social Democrats and Greens are likely to demand concessions in return for supporting the pact that would enshrine budget discipline into the constitutions of 25 of the EU’s 27 member states, commentators say. The pact is central to Merkel’s increasingly unpopular strategy for… saving the euro…”

… Not Really…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 15:

“The chancellor’s personal approval ratings remain high, and opinion polls show the majority of Germans support her European strategy, which they see as the best way to limit the impact of the crisis on their personal finances… As long as that doesn’t change, Merkel won’t significantly soften her stance. Minor concessions are all France’s new Socialist president François Hollande… can expect… There is no question that Merkel faces a tougher time both at home and abroad, and that she is looking increasingly isolated after losing her main ally in Europe, Nicolas Sarkozy.

“But she will adapt and move on, as she has many times before, and her domestic support is likely to remain underpinned by Germany’s continued strong economic performance, confirmed again on Tuesday with stronger-than-expected GDP data showing a 0.5 percent rise in the first quarter thanks to a surge in exports… The chancellor said on Monday that the North Rhine-Westphalia election had been a ‘bitter, painful defeat’ for her party, but she signalled she would stand firm on austerity, saying: ‘It does not affect the work we have to do in Europe…’”

Greek Debacle Threatens Europe

The Telegraph reported on May 14:

“Raising the spectre of a Greek exit, the German chancellor said ‘solidarity for the euro’ was threatened by the ongoing political crisis in Athens. Stock markets around the world fell sharply with fears mounting that a euro break-up could lead to renewed financial turmoil… The cost of Spanish government borrowing also hit a record high since the single currency was introduced because of concerns that the crisis will spread… Attempts to form a new government in Athens have been thwarted…

“An outgoing Greek minister warned that the country could descend into ‘civil war’ amid the chaos of a euro exit… New elections may be held next month [Der Spiegel reported on May 15 that “Greece will hold a new election in June after President Karolos Papoulias failed on Tuesday to persuade parties to form a government”] and Greek voters are likely to be warned by European leaders that their country may be ejected from the euro if they do not support parties backing austerity measures… A report from Fitch, the credit rating agency, said yesterday that the British economy may not re-emerge from recession before 2014 if there is a ‘shock case’ of a disorderly Greek exit from the euro. Germany and the European Central Bank are thought to have drawn up detailed plans for a Greek exit for the euro…

“Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister,… said the advantages of Greece staying in the euro outweighed any perceived gain from exiting the single currency… ‘The price if they decide to leave the euro is very high. It would cause a huge amount of turbulence for all of us’… The Foreign Office also has plans to evacuate British citizens from Greece if it becomes dangerous…”

The Guardian added on May 14: “Chancellor Angela Merkel… stressed that Greece would ‘always’ be in the EU, a statement interpreted as meaning it might not always be in the euro…”

It is conceivable that Greece will give up the euro and depart from the eurozone, but it is not realistic to assume that the euro itself will be abandoned.

A Bank Run to Union?

Reuters wrote on May 17:

“A spreading bank run could hasten Greece’s exit from the euro zone but it certainly doesn’t have to end that way…

“…if things get worse in Greece, as they are almost certain to, depositors elsewhere in the euro zone may follow suit and withdraw money from banks in weaker countries. Deposits in Italian and Portuguese banks have dropped, relatively gently, though Italian deposits are still near earlier peaks.

“More withdrawals will be no surprise, whatever you think of the game of chicken between Greece and the rest of Europe. The opportunity cost of moving money is low, and even if the money is not deposited elsewhere, very low interest rates impose little penalty on cautious savers stuffing bank notes into mattresses.

“The logic is even less strong for a bank run in Spain, for example, forcing a disorganized euro exit. So long as Spain, or Portugal, is making minimal progress on reforms – and they are doing better than that now – there is even less incentive for the ECB to become spooked by a rush of questionable collateral onto its books.

“And if Spanish bank funds flee, the math will be the same for the ECB (European Central Bank) but the scale will be far different and argues further for forbearance rather than retribution. Something on the lines of a third of Greek deposits, or a bit more than 70 billion euros, have left its system. Extrapolate that to the Spanish system and you are looking at more than 500 billion euros.

“That could spook Germany and the ECB, but more likely it brings Europe into a sort of de facto fiscal union, in which the affairs, credits and debits of the players are so intertwined as to utterly resist detangling. The ECB will not end the euro on its own authority, and in the event of a huge bank run it will probably prove impossible for politicians to make the decision to pull the plug quickly. That will leave the south owing the north even more, but the north having less ability to collect or dodge. Some sort of common bond issuance or fiscal union might actually be hastened by a bank run, ironically enough.”

The inevitability of a growing European unification–in spite of contrary opinions–is coming to pass in this generation, and it is one of the great events of biblical prophecy which is now finding fulfillment. Our booklet, “Europe in Prophecy–The Unfolding of End-Time Events,” offers even more details, and it is available, free, at www.eternalgod.org.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble Recipient of Charlemagne Prize

Deutsche Welle reported on May 17:

“German Finance Minister and veteran of several governments Wolfgang Schäuble is seen as a man for tough jobs. On Thursday, he received the prestigious Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.

“Ever since the election in [the] fall [of] 2009, Wolfgang Schäuble has been the most important minister in Angela Merkel’s government. He’s the one with the most weight in political affairs, and, as the government’s real number 2, is deeply involved in international politics – a constant presence at every important international gathering. On Thursday, he [received] the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen for his service for European unification, an honor previously bestowed on the likes of Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, Pope John Paul II, and indeed Merkel.

“Schäuble, a lawyer who hails from the Baden region of south-western Germany, is one of the most important players in the current efforts to rescue the euro… Now he’s being asked to take on a key formal position in solving the crisis by becoming head of the eurogroup…

“… in 1981, he started his long intense relationship with Helmut Kohl. In 1984, Schäuble became Kohl’s chancellery minister… Then when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Schäuble became West Germany’s negotiator with the former communist East Germany over the Reunification Treaty. In less than twelve months, on October 3, 1990, unity had been achieved.

“But only a few days later, Schäuble was the victim of an assassination attempt. On October 12, in a public house in the town of Oppenau near his home in Baden, a psychopath shot him, injuring him severely. His life suffered a drastic change: from then on, he was confined to a wheelchair. Schäuble is a public servant with a strong, almost Prussian sense of duty. What followed was the fight of his life. He refused to give in, and took up his duties as interior minister after just six weeks.

“In January 2000 Schäuble had to admit that he accepted a DM 100,000 donation for his party from an arms trade lobbyist. Schäuble didn’t tell the whole truth to parliament: it’s an error for which he has never forgiven himself and for which he has publicly asked for forgiveness. As a consequence, in February 2000, he resigned as head of his party’s parliamentary group. He and Kohl became bitter enemies; in a television interview in April, Schäuble spoke of ‘an intrigue with criminal elements,’ and ‘a campaign to destroy me personally’…

“At that time, Angela Merkel was CDU secretary general. In December 1999 she wrote her now famous article in which she advised her party to ‘emancipate’ itself from Helmut Kohl… Once she became strong enough, she called [Schäuble] back into government. In 2005, he became interior minister in the grand coalition with the Social Democrats, and in 2009 he was unexpectedly given the finance ministry…

“Schäuble is passionate about Europe, and is committed to greater integration. The Franco-German alliance is particularly important to him. Whether it was the European single market in 1986, the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the Stability and Growth Pact in 1996 or the Lisbon Treaty in 2007 – Schäuble was there. He is highly respected in the EU, and across party lines in Germany. He’s flattered when people call him the last convinced European in Berlin, and he certainly doesn’t look tired of his job.

“He continues to repeat that the euro ‘is a stable currency, and, so long as we don’t make any serious mistakes, it will continue to be so… Europe has always emerged strengthened from every crisis. It’ll be the same this time,’ he insists. ‘In ten years we will have a structure that will be much closer to what one calls a political union.’ That’s his aim…”

Wolfgang Schäuble was born in 1942. He has been married since 1969, and the couple have four children. He defended the Iraq war and pleads for integration of Islam into German society, while stressing that certain core Christian doctrines must not be compromised. He is a convicted Protestant and still remembers the time when his Catholic father was excluded from the Catholic sacraments because his son Wolfgang was baptized by the Protestant church.

Obama the “First Gay President”

Newsmax wrote on May 13:

“President Barack Obama’s unplanned, sudden endorsement of gay marriage may pose potential political challenges for him in the upcoming months, but at least one news organization is proclaiming the married father of two the nation’s ‘first gay president.’ Newsweek on Sunday released the cover of their next issue, which features President Obama with a rainbow halo and the title of ‘The First Gay President.’… The article accompanying the cover was written by the news magazine’s nominally conservative blogger, Andrew Sullivan, who is an openly gay. ‘When you step back a little and assess the record of Obama on gay rights, you see, in fact, that this was not an aberration. It was an inevitable culmination of three years of work,’ Sullivan said in a statement about the article…

“Obama only made his move after his hand was forced by Vice President Joe Biden, who last week said he was quite comfortable with gay marriage. The next day, Education Secretary Arne Duncan seconded Biden with his own support… some conservatives have applauded the move. Several pundits last week pointed out that before Obama, the highest ranking government leader to endorse legalized gay unions was former Vice President Dick Cheney…”

Indeed, President Obama’s official stance on this matter was predictable.

“Around World, Obama’s Presidency a Disappointment”

The Associated Press wrote on May 12:

“In Europe, where more than 200,000 people thronged a Berlin rally in 2008 to hear Barack Obama speak, there’s disappointment that he hasn’t kept his promise to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, and perceptions that he’s shunting blame for the financial crisis across the Atlantic… many in the Middle East wonder what became of Obama’s vow, in a landmark 2009 speech at the University of Cairo, to forge a closer relationship with the Muslim world.

“In a world weary of war and economic crises, and concerned about global climate change, the consensus is that Obama has not lived up to the lofty expectations that surrounded his 2008 election and Nobel Peace Prize a year later. Many in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America were also taken aback by his support for gay marriage, a taboo subject among religious conservatives…

“Obama also has a strained relationship with Israel, where Bush was popular. Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been cool to one another in their handful of meetings. Obama’s Mideast envoy, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, made no progress during two years of frequent meetings with both sides before quitting last year…

“Obama remains popular in Japan, one of the United States’ closest allies, though that may be a matter of style over substance… America’s stature has taken a hit in Japan since the 2008 financial meltdown, which highlighted the excesses of U.S.-style capitalism to many Japanese.”

On the other hand, international confidence in a future Republican President is, overall, very low.

Germany and USA on Different Planets?

The Washington Post wrote on May 17:

“There are 4,169 miles between Berlin and Washington. But on economic policy, the two capitals sometimes appear to be on different planets. Germany has taken a tough-love, austerity-driven approach to solving Europe’s recession, pushing struggling countries to sharply cut public spending and chop their debt even as their economies slump. The United States confronted its own crisis with an $862 billion stimulus package in 2009, which brought debt levels to heights not seen since shortly after World War II but may have dulled the worst blow of its downturn.”

Those differences will contribute to an ever-increasing alienation between the USA and Europe.

Will Some Arab Nations Unite?

CNN reported on May 13:

“The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council will… discuss transforming their six nations into a union, similar to the European Union. The idea of the GCC nations to integrate into one entity — and replace what exists now as simply a cooperative — was first floated by Saudi Arabia in December… The GCC is comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates… The GCC was formed in 1981, soon after Iran instituted a Shiite theocracy and went to war with primarily Sunni Iraq.”

While many in Europe question the institution of the EU, some Arab states see the great advantages of such a unity for their cause.

Paralyzed Relationship Between USA and Pakistan

The Economist wrote on May 12:

“Relations between the United States and Pakistan, supposed ‘strategic’ allies, have been paralysed since American aircraft mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani troops stationed on the Afghan border in November, in an awful ‘friendly fire’ incident. Now, like two bickering children unable to swallow their pride and make up, President Barack Obama’s administration is unwilling to apologise over the deaths, and the Pakistani government has refused to reopen its roads for supplying NATO soldiers in Afghanistan, after closing them as punishment… America is furious that Pakistan is not doing more to stop the Haqqani network, an Afghan insurgent group based in Pakistan’s tribal areas, from pulling off attacks in Afghanistan…

“The border deaths in November capped a year of plummeting relations. In January 2011 a CIA employee gunned down two men in the street in Lahore. In May Pakistan was humiliated by the American discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden in a northern Pakistani town… Strikes by American drone aircraft against suspected extremists in Pakistan’s tribal areas make a mockery of the country’s sovereignty. Worse, the strikes often hit the ‘wrong’ jihadi fighters as far as Pakistan is concerned—that is, groups with whom the armed forces have reached an accommodation in order to battle other outfits it regards as more dangerous.

“Pakistan also wants payments, stalled two years ago, that it is owed under an American programme to reimburse the country for its military operations along the Afghan border. Pakistan reckons it is owed around $2 billion… Once Pakistan gets the apology it wants, it should be willing to allow NATO supplies back through its territory. But it no longer wants to give free passage. A transit tax would be imposed on each container, with the sum now being haggled over between the two sides. Before the route was cut, NATO had already managed drastically to cut its logistical reliance on Pakistan, down to about 30% of supplies, with the rest going through a much more expensive route via Central Asia, or by air…”

As the next article shows as well, most Far Eastern countries will ultimately unite against the Western powers.

The Asian Arms Race

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 20:

“Asia’s military might appears to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. Just last month, China announced a significant increase to its military spending. Since then, North Korea attempted (and failed) to launch a rocket into space, the United States began a joint military exercise with the Philippines and, on Thursday, South Korea tested a missile whose range includes all of North Korea.

“The biggest headlines, however, have been reserved for India’s testing on Thursday of a long-range ballistic missile… When the rocket, the Agni V, becomes part of the Indian military’s arsenal in 2015, the country will become the most recent member in the exclusive club of nations that possess ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads — a group that includes China, Britain, France, Russia, the US and, it is widely assumed, Israel… Most attention… was focused on what appear to be Indian efforts to both catch up to China militarily and to underline its supremacy over neighboring Pakistan, which also has nuclear weapons… Furthermore, New Delhi has purchased nuclear submarines from Russia and is seeking to modernize its tank fleet. In 2011, the country was the world’s biggest purchaser of arms…

“Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… The new economic powers in the [Asian] region are expanding their armies, naval fleets and nuclear capacities as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Those who had dreamed that the atomic age would slowly fade away following the end of the Cold War must now confront reality — and China and India are leading the charge. The two powers — which are slowly turning their regional weight into global influence — are counting on the nuclear deterrent. India’s test underlines this intention… An end to the arms race is not in sight. Even if the US wanted to, its influence in Asia would no longer be enough to slow this development.’”

Mysterious Deaths of Dolphins and Seabirds

The New York Times wrote on May 7:

“Late last year, fishermen began finding dead dolphins, hundreds of them, washed up on Peru’s northern coast. Now, seabirds have begun dying, too, and the government has yet to conclusively pinpoint a cause… At least 877 dolphins and more than 1,500 birds, most of them brown pelicans and boobies, have died since the government began tracking the deaths in February, the Environment Ministry said last week. The dolphins, many of which appeared to have decomposed in the ocean before washing ashore, were found in the Piura and Lambayeque regions, not far from the border with Ecuador. The seabirds, which seem mostly to have died onshore, have been found from Lambayeque to Lima…

“Over the weekend, the Health Ministry issued an alert advising people to avoid the waters around Lima and to the north… It advised people not to eat raw seafood… and recommended that people disposing of dead marine animals wear gloves and masks. The warning sowed confusion, given earlier government statements indicating that the seabirds were probably starving rather than falling ill from some disease…”

The Bible tells us that in these end times, more and more animals will die.

Abortion a Lifestyle Choice?

Mail on Line wrote on May 13:

“The Health Service [in Great Britain] is spending around £1million a week providing repeat abortions. Critics said figures revealed yesterday show thousands of women are using the procedure as a form of contraception. It is not unknown for some women to have seven, eight or even nine terminations in their lifetime.

“According to the statistics, single or unmarried women account for five out of every six repeat terminations. Around a third of all abortions carried out in England and Wales are repeats. The figures will fuel the debate on whether abortions, which cost the NHS up to £1,000 each, are being sanctioned as more of a lifestyle choice than a medical requirement.”

This sad development is by no means restricted to Great Britain. Please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”, which shows you from the Bible WHY abortion is wrong.

Microchips for Everyone?

Infowars reported on May 9:

“What would you do if someday the government made it mandatory for everyone to receive an implantable microchip for identification purposes? Would you take it? Such a scenario may not be as far off as you might think… In the United States today, millions of dogs and cats have been microchipped, thousands of elderly Americans with Alzheimer’s disease have been microchipped, and the U.S. military is developing ‘medical devices’ that contain microchips to monitor the health of soldiers. Once the government has microchips implanted in all of our soldiers, how long will it be before they want to put a microchip in all government employees for the sake of national security? Once the government has microchips in all government employees, how long will it be before they want to put a microchip in you?…

“The spread of implantable microchips is going to mostly be voluntary for right now. Large numbers of Americans have already taken them, and that number is going to greatly increase in the years ahead… We will be told that such programs are necessary to prevent identity fraud, to track criminals and terrorists, to crack down on tax evaders and to strengthen ‘national security’… some scientists are working on developing ‘edible microchips.’ These edible microchips would be used by doctors to monitor your health… if it was possible would you connect your brain directly to the Internet? It may not be as far off as you might think… But wouldn’t connecting your brain to the Internet also be incredibly dangerous? Couldn’t someone download ‘viruses’ directly into your brain? Couldn’t someone find a way to ‘control’ your brain remotely?… We will be sold on the ‘benefits’ of implantable microchips, but the public will rarely be told about the potential dangers…

“What would happen if a totalitarian government started requiring that all citizens have their ‘identities’ put on a microchip and implanted into them? It would certainly make it easier for a ‘Big Brother’ government to watch, monitor and track everyone… What would you do if you could not get a bank account without a microchip? What would you do if you could not go shopping without a microchip? What would you do if you could not get a job without a microchip? What would you do if you could not conduct a single financial transaction without a microchip?… Certainly most people would be very tempted to take the microchip so that they could take care of their families and lead fairly normal lives. Those that rebelled and didn’t take the microchip would be ostracized and would be considered enemies of the state. They would be hunted down and hauled off to prison… Don’t think that such a scenario is impossible.”

These are interesting questions. Even though the implantation of a microchip is NOT to be confused with the mark of the beast, spoken of in the book of Revelation, governmental control via microchips should not be underestimated. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Europe’s Continuing Leadership Crisis!

CBSNews.com presented the following review on May 6: 2012:

“…Almost every crisis-hit European country that has held an election since disaster struck in 2009 has thrown out its leader.

“Here’s a look at countries where political cadavers litter the landscape.

“SPAIN: A burst real estate bubble also deflates faith in a Socialist government, which is nonetheless reluctant to admit Spain has problems. Blips of good economic news are seized upon as ‘green shoots’ pointing to recovery. Wrong. Stimulus measures are enacted, then crushing austerity. Unemployment soars. The Socialists of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero are wiped off the map in November 2011 elections; Mariano Rajoy’s conservatives take over.

“ITALY: Silvio Berlusconi, the long-serving leader accused of everything from bedding escorts to serial corruption, finally bites the dust in November 2011. He resigns to cheers and jeers as investors lose confidence in his ability to spur economic growth and rein in debt. It’s the end of a political era. Mario Monti, a former European Commissioner, is named to replace him and lead a technical government until elections in 2013.

“BRITAIN: Gordon Brown leads the Labour Party to defeat in the May 2010 election; Conservative Party leader David Cameron becomes leader of a coalition government. Brown had been finance chief for a decade before succeeding Tony Blair in 2007. Brown had boasted endlessly of ending the cycle of boom and bust — but as prime minister he presided mostly over bust.

“IRELAND: Brian Cowen, promoted to prime minister in 2008 after being finance minister, doesn’t even get to run. He resigns as leader of the Fianna Fail Party weeks before the February, 2011 election. It doesn’t help his party, which suffers its worst ever defeat. Cowen was finance minister during Ireland’s banking crisis and the collapse of its housing bubble.

“GREECE: Greek Socialist leader George Papandreou swept to power in October 2009 over conservative opponents, pledging to spend his way out of a deteriorating economic situation. Two years later, at the height of Greece’s worst financial crisis since World War II, Papandreou’s own deputies force him out after he endangers a hard-won bailout by announcing he would put it to a referendum. He’s replaced by caretaker Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

“PORTUGAL: A month after Portugal requests a 78 billion-euro bailout, the center-left Socialist government of Jose Socrates is voted out of power in June, 2011. Portugal’s woes stemmed from a decade of feeble growth as it failed to modernize amid increasing global competition and dug itself deeper into debt.

“DENMARK: A center-right government in Denmark loses power in September in part due to discontent over austerity measures introduced amid the debt crisis. It is replaced by a center-left coalition.

“FINLAND: Finland’s government is reconfigured after June elections following a sharp surge in support for nationalists who oppose bailouts for debt-stricken eurozone countries. A conservative-led coalition spanning left and right is formed to keep the nationalist True Finns out of power.”

Most European nations are unsettled and grasping for change! As this report and the following articles reveal, battle lines between extremist positions pose great dangers–not unlike other periods in history when powerful despots arose to “take charge” and to enforce their own absolute rule!

What About France?

CNN.COM reported May 7, 2012:

“The defeat of French President Nicholas Sarkozy at the hands of Francois Hollande has the potential to greatly affect European politics and the future of the euro, as many have noted. But the election of the first French Socialist president since 1995 also could dramatically change France’s role in the world, at a particularly sensitive time.
 
“No doubt both sides of the Atlantic will keep a close eye on the rhetoric and actions of the new French leader in the days ahead.
 
“Almost from the outset, Hollande will be in the international spotlight, with the G-8 meeting at Camp David, Maryland, and the NATO Summit in Chicago less than two weeks away, and a G-20 meeting scheduled for June in Mexico City.

“The NATO alliance faces a complex transition in Afghanistan. The international community is dealing with an increasingly untenable situation in Syria and may soon have to contemplate military action. And while the nuclear crisis with Iran is at an ebb, it is by no means over.
 
“There are already strong signals that a Hollande administration will bring more change than continuity. Sarkozy, while not a Gaullist, sought to restore French national pride based on France’s role as a leader in the international community. His efforts were most notable in his participation in the NATO operations in Libya.
 
“Hollande will inherit record debt of just over $2 trillion and a jobless rate hovering around 10%. It is unclear what price the French defense establishment will have to pay to meet the president-elect’s desire to balance the budget by 2017, but with the Ministry of Defense in the midst of an internal review, French military policy will likely see changes driven by Hollande and his team…

“French participation in both Afghanistan and Libya has been significant — but equivocation regarding NATO commitments will make requests for increased authority ring hollow to other alliance members. Rather, if France is to have a greater say, then Hollande must be willing to put alliance interests ahead of national interests from time to time.
 
“Still, Hollande has also intimated that he could take a more pragmatic approach and understands that French actions could have practical and symbolic impacts that might detract from French standing in the world.
 
“He is a career politician and no doubt understands the downside of placing France at odds with its allies unnecessarily at a time when concerted action by the trans-Atlantic powers on economic and security issues could not be more important. Indeed, President-elect Hollande’s advisers say his No. 1 foreign policy priority will be helping to revive Europe’s economy.”

France’s history is remarkable. Depending on whose “historical expertise” one wants to follow, France led Europe under Charlemagne and Napoleon. Of course, others state that Charlemagne, a Frank, was German (while an evolving school of thought in Germany is even claiming now that Charlemagne did not exist, but was invented) and that Napoleon was not French, but Italian (having been born and raised in Corsica). In any event, it appears that France (biblical Reuben) will play an important role in end-time prophecy, but it will not reach the position of the main leader in Europe. That position is reserved for Germany.

Germany’s Leaders Stand Firm

Reuters.com wrote on May 7, 2012:

“Germany is ruling out any substantive shift in its approach to Europe’s debt crisis despite a rising chorus of opposition to Berlin’s austerity policies that reached a crescendo in Sunday’s elections in Greece and France.

“Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Berlin on Monday, rejected the notion that Europe was on the brink of a major policy shift after Socialist Francois Hollande defeated her fellow conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and Greek voters punished ruling parties who slashed spending to secure a foreign bailout.

“Shunned by Merkel, who publicly backed Sarkozy’s campaign, Hollande repeatedly criticized Germany’s focus on budget cuts and labor law reforms as the solution to Europe’s debt crisis. Many saw his victory and the outcome in Greece as heralding a shift in Europe toward higher-spending growth-oriented policies.

“But close Merkel allies made clear within hours that the expectation in Berlin was that it would be Hollande who would be making the lion’s share of the concessions, and rowing back on policy promises made during the French campaign which the Germans view as dangerous for the entire single-currency bloc.

“‘The position of the German government is clear. We will continue on our savings path,’ said Volker Kauder, parliamentary leader of Merkel’s conservatives and one of her closest allies.

“After another bad night for her Christian Democrats (CDU) in a state election on Sunday, Merkel knows that if she is to win a third term next year she can ill afford to ignore German voters’ demands that she give no more of their cash away to foreigners.

“‘Germans could end up paying for the Socialist victory in France with more guarantees, more money. And that is not acceptable,’ her ally Kauder said. ‘Germany is not here to finance French election promises.'”

Germany’s success story is remarkable and in total line with biblical prophecy which predicts that end-time Germany will become Europe’s unquestioned leader. The German press reported recently that Germany remains virtually the only major country in Europe which does not suffer from economic downturn. Rather, it has established steady economic growth. As Germany’s economic minister said: “We Germans have done our homework.”

Far Right Opposition Grows

CNN.COM reported on May 9, 2012:

“Two European elections, in France and Greece, have thrust the radical fringe into the spotlight.
 
“In Greece, voters disillusioned by a brutal austerity program pushed through by the two mainstream parties have turned instead to parties on the far left and far right.
 
“As a result, a leftist coalition opposed to austerity is seeking to form a government, and Golden Dawn — an ultranationalist party linked to street violence and neo-Nazism — stands to claim around 20 seats in the new parliament.
 
“France saw a swing to the left in Sunday’s runoff, with Socialist François Hollande ousting center-right incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy from the Élysée Palace.
 
“But the strong showing by far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen in the first round of the presidential election undoubtedly played into campaigning, with both candidates reaching out to the 6.5 million voters who backed her. Each pledged to crack down on illegal immigration, though Sarkozy went further in promising to cut the number of legal migrants by half in the next five years.
 
“Two very different outcomes, but with a common thread: the efforts of extremist parties to win support by plugging into popular discontent over the financial crisis, against the backdrop of a wider social unease and anti-immigrant sentiment…

“Europe’s far-right parties are definitely seeing a resurgence, according to Matthew Feldman, director of the Radicalism and New Media Research Group at the University of Northampton, but the trend is not universal and the austerity crisis is only one part of the picture.
 
“He said the far-right movement has been gaining ground for years, thanks partly to efforts to revamp its previously overtly racist and fascist image.
 
“This doesn’t mean that those racist or Nazi-sympathizing elements don’t still exist within different countries’ far-right groups, he said, but those at the top have often learned to present a more acceptable public face.

“Instead of open racial attacks, they play up a threat to national identity and criticize multiculturalism, particularly as it relates to Islam, Feldman said…

“The more research he does, Feldman said, the more it seems that ‘the lowest common denominator of this entire far-right narrative is that Islam is barbaric and a threat to European stability and peace.’
 
“A report by rights group Amnesty International last month highlighted the issue, saying Muslims in Europe face discrimination in education, employment and religious freedom.
 
“Feldman draws a parallel with the anti-Semitism of the 20th century and earlier.
 
“‘We are still seeing “Europe for the Europeans,” and that’s something we could have seen 80 years ago,’ he said. ‘History doesn’t give us perfect examples of replaying the past, but I think there’s a lesson to take away.
 
“‘In times of uncertainty and great change, finding scapegoats has always been a populist vote winner, and the scapegoat in this century is Muslims in Europe.'”

Political Deadlock in Greece

On May 9, 2012, The Christian Science Monitor wrote:

“A second round of talks to form a coalition government collapsed Wednesday, with Greece’s future in the euro and commitment to its international bailout deal in the balance and the specter of new elections looming ever larger.

“Sunday’s election threw the country’s political scene into turmoil after voters angered by years of Europe’s harshest austerity program — implemented to secure vital international bailouts and fend off bankruptcy — hammered mainstream politicians, but left no party with enough seats in Parliament to govern alone.

“Alexis Tsipras, head of the runner-up Radical Left Coalition, or Syriza, met with heads of parties across the political spectrum as he tried and failed to win support for Greece’s first left-wing-led government in four decades of democratic rule…

“The political uncertainty has alarmed Greece’s international creditors, who have insisted the country must stick to the cost-cutting terms of its bailout.

“Athens has promised to pass new austerity measures worth €14.5 billion ($18.9 billion) next month and to implement other reforms. These will be reviewed by its creditors, who will then determine whether to continue releasing rescue loans that are keeping Greece solvent.

“The eurozone’s bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, approved the release of a €5.2 billion ($6.73 billion) batch in rescue loans Wednesday. Greece will receive €4.2 billion ($5.44 billion) of that Thursday, while another €1 billion ($1.3 billion) is expected in June depending on Athens’ needs.

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed she still wants to keep Greece in the eurozone.

“‘I have always wanted to solve (the debt crisis) in such a way that Greece remains a member of the eurozone. Nothing about that has changed,’ she was quoted as saying in an interview with the daily Passauer Neue Presse.

“Merkel has been a leading advocate of austerity as a cure for Europe’s debt troubles, but that course has become hugely unpopular in Greece — and Sunday’s election has generated new political instability.

“Merkel insisted Greece must stick to its agreements with creditors and its reform course.

“‘Only this way can we imagine Greece’s road back to stability and economic strength,’ she said.”

If Greece should choose to not remain in the euro, the nation would be devastated! In fact, the European Union has become so important that the only final recourse for Greece will be to accommodate greater Europe’s demands. On the other hand, the Bible indicates that Greece may not belong to the “inner core” of Europe, even though it will be clearly aligned with the final configuration of an united Europe.

The Next Step for the EU?

EXPRESS.CO.UK wrote on May 4, 2012:

“A covert group of EU foreign ministers has drawn up plans for merging the jobs currently done by Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.

“The new bureaucrat, who would not be directly elected by voters, is set to get sweeping control over the entire EU and force member countries into ever-greater political and economic union.

“Tellingly, the UK has been excluded from the confidential discussions within the shady ‘Berlin Group’ of Europhile politicians, spearheaded by German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle.

“Opponents fear the plan could create a modern-day equivalent of the European emperor envisaged by Napoleon Bonaparte or a return to the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne that dominated Europe in the Dark Ages…

“Supporters of the move believe that the rival presidencies are undermining the EU’s ability to speak with a single voice. They argue that merging the two jobs will create a powerful European leader who is capable of pursuing the federalist dream of a united Europe which has been severely shaken by the eurozone crisis.

“Lord Stoddart confirmed the existence of the plot thanks to a parliamentary written answer in the House of Lords. He asked Foreign Office ministers to reveal what they knew about the merger talks.

“In response to his inquiry, Tory Foreign Office minister Lord Howell of Guildford said: ‘We are aware of one group of EU foreign ministers meeting on an informal basis to discuss a variety of issues related to the future governance of the EU.

“’While the UK is not part of that group, we understand that one idea under discussion is a merger of the positions of president of the European Council and president of the European Commission.’

“Lord Howell added: ‘A merger of the two presidencies would create a potential conflict of interest, undermine the quality of the EU’s decision-making processes and upset the institutional balance within the EU.’ Lord Stoddart said: ‘These sorts of informal discussions within the EU have a habit of rapidly being transferred into formal proposals.

“’Since the Government is not party to these discussions, its reservations are academic.

“’Such a merger would represent a massive shift of power into the hands of a single, unelected bureaucrat. The Government should be taking this far more seriously and voicing its objections very strongly.’

“He added: ‘The holder of this new office would be both Europe’s political and administrative leader, giving them far more powers than those given to the US president.'”

From a strictly human standpoint, these plans make much sense, as the many European member states become increasingly unruly and cause serious problems for themselves and the rest of Europe due to incompetent political leadership. British opposition, which is not necessarily based on right motives, will not further the “British cause” in Europe. On the other hand, even the best of motives might turn to horrible developments. It may well appear shocking that such plans are actually being formulated, but this is news that biblical prophecy has clearly reported well in advance! Please check out our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy–The Unfolding of End-Time Events,” for details only found in the Word of God!

Putin–A Not-So-New Leader For Russia

The LATIMES.COM reported on May 7, 2012:

“Vladimir Putin was inaugurated Monday to his third term as Russia’s president, extending the former KGB officer’s 12-year grip on power that most observers considered uninterrupted despite the past four years he served as prime minister.
 
“In the course of a solemn and elaborate ceremony in the Kremlin Grand Palace, the 59-year-old leader was sworn into office under the 1993 version of the Russian Constitution, which was amended by outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev to increase the term of presidency in Russia to six years.
 
“Putin then quickly submitted Medvedev’s name to the parliament as his candidate to be prime minister, a move that had been expected.
 
“In the presence of about 3,000 Russian officials and dignitaries and a few foreign guests — no leaders among them — Putin gave an oath “to safeguard the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, to observe and protect the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to protect the sovereignty and independence, the safety and integrity of the state, to loyally serve the people.”

“The center of Moscow, which was rocked by clashes between the anti-Putin demonstrators and police the day before, was quiet Monday morning. Riot police blocked thoroughfares and streets along the president-elect’s route from the seat of the Russian government, the Russian White House, to the Kremlin.”

Vladimir Putin is a very unpredictable and therefore typical politician. The international press reported recently that Putin manufactured stories and photo shootings to beef up his image, portraying himself as a successful hunter and deep-sea diver. Given the fraudulent nature of these pictures and “reports” and Putin’s questionable history as a KGB spy, we should not think that Putin can be trusted in his political endeavors.

A “Unity” Government for Israel?

CNN.COM reported on May 9, 2012:

“The Israeli parliament approved Wednesday by a vote of 71-23 a coalition agreement between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and the opposition Kadima party of Shaul Mofaz.
 
“After the vote, Mofaz took the oath of office. He will serve as minister without portfolio and deputy prime minister.
 
“The Knesset also approved Labor leader Shelli Yachimovitch as head of the opposition for the duration of the Knesset’s term.
 
“The move by Netanyahu upends the political calculations of smaller left-of-center parties and provides him with a comfortable governing coalition less sensitive to the demands of his current right-wing coalition partners. For Mofaz and his fellow Kadima members, the move buys another year in office without having to face voters amid sagging popularity ratings.
 
“Knesset Member Binyamin Ben Eliezer of Labor accused Mofaz of selling his soul to the devil, which he said was the only entity to profit from the deal.
 
“The chairwoman of the left-wing Meretz party, Zahava Gal On, blamed Mofaz and Netanyahu for putting together a deal so dirty that it has caused the public to lose faith in all politicians. She said one rotten apple — the Kadima party — has spoiled everyone…

“The Knesset’s approval of the government came a day after Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party agreed with the rival centrist political faction Kadima to form the unity government. The move puts off elections until late next year and creates one of the largest coalition governments in Israeli history.
 
“The deal was reached early Tuesday between Netanyahu and Kadima’s leader Mofaz a day after Netanyahu had called for early elections to be held September 4.”

Israel now has, among other divergent groups and interests, a growing ultra-orthodox community, and its historical unity has been greatly diminished. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is arguably one of the more adroit leaders of a nation (as is Angela Merkel in Germany); however, events that will shortly engulf not only the Middle East but the entire earth will far exceed any human government’s ability to cope! Please read our free booklets, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” for answers to how righteous government will be established for all nations!

What Americans Support!

REUTERS.COM wrote on May 8, 2012:

“Half of Americans believe same-sex couples should have the same right to wed as heterosexuals do, slightly down from a year ago but marking the second year that a majority of Americans have supported same-sex marriage, according to a Gallup Poll survey released on Tuesday…

“This year’s poll found Americans divided along political and religious lines.

“Nearly two-thirds of Democrats support allowing same-sex marriage, along with more than half of independents, while fewer than a quarter of Republicans believe it should be allowed.

“Among Americans with ‘no religious identify,’ the overwhelming majority backs allowing same-sex marriage, along with just over half of Catholics. Nearly six in ten Protestants oppose legalization.

“Other recent surveys have also found the country is split over whether to extend marriage rights, with younger and less religious people tending to be more supportive of marriage equality.”

The Bible predicts that in the end time, the majority of the American people will turn away from biblical moral standards and fall for politically correct, but ungodly concepts.

President Obama’s Evolving Morality

The New York Times reported on May 9, 2012:

“President Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage on Wednesday was by any measure a watershed. A sitting United States president took sides in what many people consider the last civil rights movement, providing the most powerful evidence to date of how rapidly views are moving on an issue that was politically toxic just five years ago.

“Mr. Obama faces considerable risk in jumping into this debate, reluctantly or not, in the heat of such a close election. The day before he announced his position, voters in North Carolina — a critical state in Mr. Obama’s re-election plan and the site of the Democratic convention this summer — approved by a 20-point margin a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. It was the 31st state to pass such an amendment…

“Mr. Obama’s declaration may have been belated and unplanned, forced out after his vice president, Joseph R. Biden Jr., during a television interview on Sunday declared his support for same-sex marriage. Still, it is a huge voice added to a chorus that has become increasingly robust, a reminder that a view that had once been relegated to the dark sidelines of political debate has become mainstream.

“The very riskiness of what Mr. Obama did — some commentators were invoking Lyndon B. Johnson’s embrace of civil rights in 1964, with all the attendant political perils — made it hard to understate the historic significance of what took place at the White House on Wednesday.”

As this and the previous article show, America of 2012 bears little common ground with that of past generations. While President Obama’s present affiliation with a particular Christian church is open to debate, Vice President Biden is a practicing Catholic. His stance is in direct opposition to his church, but he does not seem to care, as scoring political points seems to be more important. What is even more obvious–or at least should be–America is in the process of over-turning the biblical principles that once were among its foundational practices! The words of Jesus Christ stand in answer to our generation: “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'” (Matthew 15:7-9).

Fear of Violence in Germany Increases

The Local wrote on April 30:

“The ‘Pro NRW’ party in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia has already shown anti-Islamic caricatures in Essen and Gelsenkirchen, though the police prevented demonstrations taking place directly outside mosques. Police have also banned ‘Pro NRW’, which is campaigning on an Islamophobic platform, from using the Danish cartoons that caused massive protests in the Islamic world in 2005. But ‘Pro NRW’ intends to send activists to 25 mosques throughout the state in the run-up to the election on May 13, staging protests in Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Aachen, Wuppertal and Solingen.

“A report in Die Welt newspaper on Sunday said the far-right party intended to post around 100 what it called ‘Islam-critical’ drawings outside the mosques. Interior Minister in state Ralf Jäger condemned the campaign and expressed support for planned counter-demonstrations. ‘Pro NRW is committing spiritual arson,’ he told the paper… The federal Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich is reportedly worried about violent confrontations with the Salafists, the fundamentalist Muslims who began distributing free copies of the Koran in Germany three weeks ago…

“‘Pro NRW’ campaign manager Lars Seidensticker says he did not understand the outrage over the campaign, and says his party would bear no responsibility for any violence. ‘If the situation is so tense that you can’t do a campaign like this against Islamist influences any more, then the politicians are responsible for doing away with Germany,’ he said, alluding to the title of a 2010 book by banker Thilo Sarrazin (‘Germany Does Away with Itself’), which criticized Islamic immigrants in Germany… ‘Pro NRW’… is also planning to award a cash prize for the ‘best’ anti-Islamic caricature, named after Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who was responsible for the 2005 images.”

The confrontation involving Muslims in Germany will continue. Even though many won’t say it openly, most Germans are tired and fed up with the attempts of politicians to cater to the Muslims, while Christians all over the world find themselves as victims of fundamental Islamic aggression.

Greece Blocks Migrants

The euobserver.com reported on April 30, 2012:

“Greece on Sunday (29 April) set up its first detention centre for undocumented migrants, composed of box homes, surrounded by high wire, and meant to house some 1,200 people

“Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said the centre – situated in Amygdaleza, northwest of Athens – will help the country to deal with immigration. Athens expects to build another 50 similar centres between now and mid-2013…

“Athens has been struggling to contain and process some estimated 130,000 migrants who cross into the country by sea or along the porous Turkish border every year.

“‘We are sending a message in every direction that the country is not unfenced anymore,’ Chrysohoidis said at a rally in Athens.

“Earlier in the month, Chrysohoidis said they are nearing completion of a three-metre-high barrier to stem the flow of crossings along a 12.5km-long strip of land with Turkey…

“A poll conducted by To Vima newspaper on 9 April found around 90 percent surveyed believe immigrants are responsible for the rise in violence and crime.

“The resentment towards immigrants and undocumented migrants has fuelled support for the xenophobic former fringe movement, the Golden Dawn party.

“Headed by Nikolaos Michaloliakos, the Golden Dawn say all irregular migrants should be deported. They also want to place landmines along the Greek-Turkish border.

“Golden Dawn also organise security patrols in immigrant-dense neighbourhoods in Athens and hand out food and clothing to impoverished Greeks.

“’Only men and women of Greek descent and consciousness should have full political rights,’ proclaims Golden Dawn’s charter.”

However one wants to look at the issue of “illegal immigration,” the methods employed, as described above, remind us very clearly of what happened in Germany prior to and during World War II. We must be aware of the fact that history WILL repeat itself in Europe, and this will bring about a rude awakening for many.

Russia Warns Against European Shield

BBC reported on May 3, 2012:

“Russia says it is prepared to use ‘destructive force pre-emptively’ if the US goes ahead with controversial plans for a missile defence system based in Central Europe.

“The warning came after the Russian defence minister said talks on missile defence were nearing a dead end.

“Moscow fears that missile interceptors would be a threat to Russia’s security.

“But the US and Nato say they are intended to protect against attacks from Iran or North Korea.

“‘A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens,’ chief of the Russian defence staff Gen Nikolai Makarov said…

“Gen Makarov also said that if the European shield was built, Russia would respond by putting more powerful warheads on its own ballistic missiles.”

We hear more and more of powerful nations threatening with or even carrying out preemptive strikes–including the USA, Israel and now Russia. Many legal experts feel that preemptive strikes are in violation of international law, and Christian churches, even though they have developed a complicated and unbiblical system of “righteous wars,” would not allow preemptive strikes. But nobody seems to care… and so, the insanity of mass destruction continues, leading to the potential of the utter annihilation of the human race. But thankfully, Jesus Christ will intervene to shorten those days and bring an end to man’s willful attempts to destroy himself.

The Ukraine Under Attack

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 30, 2012:

“Last Thursday and Friday, it was the new German president, Joachim Gauck, who dominated the press review. He had cancelled a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, to protest the treatment of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Gauck’s decision had the press and politicians scrambling to sing his praises. The new president had set a ‘standard for everyone,’ wrote Berlin’s Tagesspiegel. ‘Gauck takes a stand,’ commented the Hamburger Abendblatt…

“It didn’t take long for officials at the Chancellery to seek to capitalize on Gauck’s exceedingly good press. Merkel’s assistants hurried to emphasis the role their boss had played in the president’s well-received decision. Of course, Chancellery officials hastened to add, the president had only cancelled his meeting with Yanukovich after consulting with the chancellor. Furthermore, government spokesman Seibert indicated, Merkel might decide not to attend any of the games played by the German national team at the upcoming European Football Championship, which Ukraine is co-hosting…

“If Berlin has its way, the tussle over the fate of the imprisoned former prime minister will no longer take place behind closed doors, but on the larger political stage instead. The Tymoshenko case offers Merkel the opportunity to portray herself as a committed proponent of human rights. The overwhelmingly positive response to Gauck’s accession to office has now given the Germans a new means of exerting pressure. When the new German president took office on March 18, his Ukrainian counterpart had already issued an invitation for a mid-May meeting of European heads of state in Yalta…

“It seems safe to assume that no German cabinet member would travel to the tournament… The EU’s association agreement with Ukraine won’t be signed until Yanukovich relents, either. If necessary, say senior diplomats, individual member states will block the agreement. The Germans, they add, have simply taken on a key role in the Ukraine case…”

“The Tymoshenko case gives Merkel the opportunity to portray herself as a champion of human rights once again. The Chancellery’s goal is to bring the former Ukrainian prime minister to Germany for treatment, but the days of face-saving solutions are now gone. Gauck’s cancellation of the Yalta visit has pushed backroom diplomacy into the bright spotlight, a move that is absolutely to Merkel’s advantage.

“She still hopes that Yanukovich will eventually give in. Meanwhile, the Chancellery is already mapping out other scenarios for the event that he doesn’t come around. If Tymoshenko is not released before the European Football Championship kicks off in June, the German team will probably have to play without Merkel in attendance.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 30:

“The Ukrainian government  reacted angrily on Monday to reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ministers are considering not attending matches in the European Championship soccer tournament in June in protest of the treatment of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

“‘Kiev cannot afford to break with the European Union, and especially not with Berlin. The question arises as to why Yanukovych will not accept Chancellor Angela Merkel’s peace offering: to allow the opposition leader to travel to Berlin to receive medical treatment. Not only would Yanukovych be praised for a humanitarian gesture, but it would also put an end to his international isolation. Yanukovych would gain latitude in dealings with Putin, whom he clearly does not like. The Russian Prime Minister is supposed to have repeatedly uttered disparaging remarks about the man from eastern Ukraine. Altogether it is unclear to what extent Yanukovych has an overview of the political situation. It could be that the entourage that he has built up around him shelters him from a portion of the media influence, which of course does not make him more inclined to take on a bigger responsibility for the Tymoshenko case as well as other abuses. There is also an argument to be made that the eastern Ukrainian steel barons have lost influence over the presidential office in Kiev in favor of the pro-Russian gas lobby.'”

According to the Bible, the Ukraine will become an ally with Russia against Europe and Germany. Current events might lead to such a constellation.

Rift Between USA and Europe

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 30, 2012:

“A US Army drone strike in March killed a German citizen who had joined the jihad in Pakistan. His death has the potential to reignite the debate over the legitimacy of air strikes by unmanned drones and may increase diplomatic tensions with the US…

“The fact that the strike killed a German national lends it diplomatic precarity. With its attacks in Waziristan, the United States has been operating in a gray zone of international law. On the one hand, members of the Afghan Taliban are hiding out in the region. On the other, however, Pakistan is officially at peace. Given these circumstances, is it still permissible to launch pre-emptive strikes using military means?

“US President Barack Obama has answered this question with a clear ‘yes.’ In recent years, the American military’s Joint Special Operations Command has massively increased the number of operations it conducts with unmanned aircrafts in the war on terror. Roughly 800 drones are currently in use in the Hindu Kush region and North Africa. According to one US study, some 2,000 people in Pakistan alone have been visited by death from the sky.

“This isn’t the first time that a German citizen has fallen victim to a drone attack. In October 2010, Bünyamin E., a 20-year-old German of Turkish descent from the western city of Wuppertal, was killed on the outskirts of the town of Mir Ali, in Waziristan.

“At the time, this incident sparked serious political debates within Germany because the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) had provided American intelligence agencies with information related to Bünyamin E.’s departure from Germany and cell-phone usage. In response, Germany’s Interior Ministry issued tighter regulations and instructed the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, to no longer relay information to German allies that would allow them to locate German citizens.

“The case of Samir H. has been kept secret until now. But in Germany at least, it could reignite the debate over the legitimacy of America’s air war.”

As we have repeatedly and consistently informed our readers, the relationship between the USA and Europe will deteriorate.

U.K. Rejects EU Banking Plan

AP reported on May 2, 2012:

“European finance ministers early Thursday failed to reach a deal that would force banks to build up higher capital cushions against financial shocks amid disagreements over the powers of national regulators.

“The 27-country European Union is in the process of writing an international agreement on capital defenses for banks into European law. The so-called Basel III deal was negotiated by the world’s largest economies in the hope of avoiding a repeat of the financial meltdown brought on by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers. The 2008 crisis demonstrated that many banks did not have enough of a capital cushion to absorb sudden losses on subprime mortgage loans and other risky activities.

“Danish Finance Minister Margrethe Vestager, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, called the new rules ‘one of the most important files taking the lessons from the financial crisis.’

“Once enacted, Basel III would require lenders to increase their highest-quality capital — such as equity and cash reserves — gradually from 2 percent of the risky assets they hold to 7 percent by 2019. An additional 2.5 percent would have to be built up during good times.

“The new rules will apply to more than 8,300 banks in Europe, forcing them to compile billions of euros in extra capital by selling shares or assets or reining in bonuses and dividends…

“After the meeting, three EU officials said that all states apart from the U.K. were willing to agree to the latest compromise proposal. Another official said that Bulgaria also objected to parts of the deal. The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential talks.

“Their resistance puts Britain and Bulgaria in an interesting position, since they do not have enough votes in the council of ministers to block a deal on capital rules at their next meeting in two weeks. If all other states stick to the compromise, they can force the agreement onto the holdouts — a first in EU financial decision making.”

Britain continues to position itself at odds with the EU. At every level, from adopting the Euro to falling in line with the common decisions of the membership within the European Union, the British just can’t find themselves willing to “give in” to Europe. That is a fact that will grow even more apparent in the months and years immediately ahead! Please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Israel’s Leaders Fight–Themselves!

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on May 3, 2012:

“Top Israeli political and military figures remain at odds over their opinions on Iran’s regime and its nuclear program, making it difficult to guess what Israel’s next steps will be. The prime minister’s announcement this week that he is open to moving elections up by more than a year only increase the uncertainty.

“Today Defense Minister Ehud Barak slammed former prime minister Ehud Olmert, former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, and former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin, all of whom have downplayed the threat that Iran poses to Israel and criticized Mr. Barak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their hawkish approach.

“‘Olmert, Dagan, and Diskin are traveling the world and are weakening Israeli leaders’ accomplishment of turning the Iranian issue into an important and urgent one – not only to Israel but to the world,’ Barak said today, according to Haaretz. Of Mr. Diskin, who formerly headed Israel’s domestic security agency, Barak said, ‘it is not even his field of specialization or his responsibility.’

“Israel’s top foreign-policy priority has been convincing the international community, particularly the United States, that Iran is an imminent threat, and the world cannot afford to wait and see if increasingly stringent sanctions will curtail Iran’s nuclear program. Iran argues that its program is wholly peaceful, but Israel and others suspect Tehran aims to develop nuclear weapons under cover of its civilian program…

“Diskin said last week that he had no confidence in Barak and Netanyahu’s leadership and said their Iran efforts were motivated by a “messianic” drive. There has been dissent for months – often public – among current and former political and security officials, but his unequivocal comments gave the criticism a substantial credibility boost, The Christian Science Monitor’s Dan Murphy writes: Israeli politicians are known for their very public disagreements, but differences between security officials past and present and Israel’s sitting government – especially on a topic as critical as this – are rare. Israel’s generals have far more sway over policy in Israel than US ones do, at least historically, and in the case of the war posturing over Iran’s nuclear program the simple message of their public comments appears to be: Don’t.”

That Iran poses a threat to world peace cannot be in doubt. That a preemptive strike against Iran would ignite a powder keg in the Middle East is likewise without question. Man’s problems are unsolvable, and all signs point at cataclysmic events of unknown proportions. But there is hope. Our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God” shows you the nature of that hope.

Asia: An Arms Race Develops

Spiegel Online wrote on April 20, 2012:

“India added itself to the short list of nuclear-armed countries with ballistic missile capability on Thursday. More importantly, though, the country’s successful test marks a new chapter in the developing Asian arms race. German commentators express deep concern on Friday.

“Asia’s military might appears to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. Just last month, China announced a significant increase to its military spending. Since then, North Korea attempted (and failed) to launch a rocket into space, the United States began a joint military exercise with the Philippines and, on Thursday, South Korea tested a missile whose range includes all of North Korea.

“The biggest headlines, however, have been reserved for India’s testing on Thursday of a long-range ballistic missile. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised the successful launch, saying it was ‘another milestone’ in India’s ‘quest for security, preparedness and to explore the frontiers of science.’ Many observers, however, noted that it furthered India’s goal of becoming a counterweight to China’s military dominance in the region…

“Most attention, though, was focused on what appear to be Indian efforts to both catch up to China militarily and to underline its supremacy over neighboring Pakistan, which also has nuclear weapons. Only recently, India ordered 126 fighter jets from the French firm Dassault, one of the biggest arms deals in the recent past. Furthermore, New Delhi has purchased nuclear submarines from Russia and is seeking to modernize its tank fleet. In 2011, the country was the world’s biggest purchaser of arms.”

Africa: Fighting for Oil

German-Foreign-Policy.com published the following on April 26, 2012:

“South Sudan, which, with German support, seceded from Sudan, is provoking a new war. A few days ago, troops from the South Sudanese regime in Juba occupied an oil field, belonging, according to a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, to Khartoum. The oil field accounting for about half of Sudan’s total oil production is vital, because the country has already lost approx. three-quarters of its oil reserves to secessionist South Sudan. Khartoum is counter-attacking to retake control of the oilfield. The fighting threatens to escalate into full-scale warfare. This is significant for Germany, not only because German soldiers are stationed in South Sudan, but also because Berlin, for years, has been pushing to establish a functioning South Sudanese state. The objective is to also link South Sudan, with its enormous deposits of oil and other natural resources, to Kenya and Uganda, which, unlike Sudan, are considered fundamentally pro-western and easier to control.”

Europe: Unifying Its Defense Capabilities

UPI.com wrote on April 20, 2012:

“The European Defense Agency is pushing cooperation among EU members with a series of projects and exercises.
 
“The agency reports an event focusing on energy and the environment will be in June in Brussels. Military Green 2012 will showcase high level visions on policy beyond 2020 and its impact on defense and crisis management.
 
“Also in June, the agency will host a land systems workshop at the Eurosatory trade show in France in which procurement options will be explored to give the EDA member states maximum procurement capabilities.
 
“The European Defense Agency is also leading three major multinational aerial exercises this year for rotary assets: Hot Blade 2012 in Portugal in July and Green Blade 2012 in Belgium in September.
 
“Its first fixed-wing training exercise for transport forces is being staged in Spain in June.
 
“The EDU was established in 2004 by the European Union to improve the defense capabilities of member states, promote and enhance cooperation in armaments, and strengthen the continent’s defense industrial base.”

As we have been reporting, the European Union is taking small, if difficult, steps toward a stronger military. In numerous ways, the military and political might of the EU is emerging. The Bible offers many details about what is about to happen as these nations do ultimately unify as the final revival of the ancient Roman Empire. Our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy – The Unfolding of End-Time Events,” along with “Germany in Prophecy,” are available at www.eternalgod.org.

EU: National Border Controls Sought

The Telegraph reported on April 20, 2012:

“Germany and France are seeking to curb free movement in Europe by demanding the right to reintroduce unilateral border controls to stem the flow of illegal immigrants entering the European Union.

“Berlin has backed a French campaign to give members of the EU’s borderless zone the power to carry out controls on their frontiers when there are influxes of immigrants via weakly policed borders in countries such as Greece.
 
“Passport-free travel within Europe’s ‘Schengen area’, which does not include Britain and Ireland, is regarded as a major achievement.
 
“But what applies to European travellers also applies to illegal immigrants, allowing them entry to any EU country without showing identity papers.
 
“Following demands by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and during an election where immigration is a major issue, Germany is now supporting a ‘non-negotiable’ right to start national border controls if a country identifies an ‘exceptional’ frontier problem.
 
“’If the operation of the Schengen area is compromised, the other member states must have, ultimately, the possibility of reintroducing checks at internal borders for a period not exceeding 30 days,’ said a letter signed by the German and French interiors ministers and leaked yesterday…

“The EU’s passport-free travel zone has been under unprecedented pressure since April last year after Italy gave residence permits to more than 25,000 Arab migrants, allowing them unfettered access to the rest of the continent…

“In March, Britain joined Germany, France, Austria, Holland, Belgium and Sweden to demand EU intervention to plug a hole that is allowing illegal immigration via Greece into the rest of Europe. The Franco-German demand for new controls does not specifically mention Greece but diplomats said Athens was the main concern, especially as European funding was given to the Greeks for border checks.”

French Elections Reveal Far Right Influence

CNN.com wrote on April 25, 2012:

“The success of France’s anti-euro National Front party in the first round of the country’s presidential elections thrust the far right into the headlines.
 
“A day later in the Netherlands, the refusal of the far-right Freedom Party to back austerity measures led the Dutch government to collapse.
 
“Two very different scenarios, but with a common thread: the efforts of extremist parties to win support by plugging into popular discontent over the financial crisis, against the backdrop of a wider social unease and anti-immigrant sentiment.
 
“Across Europe, anger at a perceived mismanagement of the economic crisis, and accompanying high unemployment, low growth and painful cuts, has seen the fall of half a dozen governments.
 
“Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Finland and Italy are among them — and unless President Nicolas Sarkozy pulls a victory out of the bag in the second round of voting on May 6, France may be the next to see power change hands, this time in a shift to the left…

“Europe’s far-right parties are definitely seeing a resurgence, according to Dr. Matthew Feldman, director of the Radicalism and New Media Research Group at the University of Northampton, but the austerity crisis is only one part of the picture.
 
“He says the far right movement has been gaining ground for years, thanks partly to efforts to revamp its previously overtly racist and fascist image.
 
“This doesn’t mean that those racist or Nazi-sympathizing elements don’t still exist within different countries’ far right groups, he said, but those at the top have often learned to present a more acceptable public face.
 
“Instead of open racial attacks, they play up a threat to national identity and criticize multiculturalism, Feldman said…

“Dr. Michael Minkenberg, a professor of political science at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) who has also taught at New York, Cornell and Columbia universities, said concern over immigration, law and order ‘and the feeling that things aren’t what they used to be any more’ are at the heart of support for Europe’s radical right.
 
“Euroscepticism, as resistance to greater European political integration is known, is also on the increase, he said, and ‘there’s this anxiety about what will happen, a growing complexity and not much reassurance from either national governments or the European Union.’
 
“Coupled with a mistrust of the political elite, this has also led to a swell of support for the far right in Austria, Belgium and Scandinavian countries, Minkenberg said…

“Farther east, a different strand of far-right thinking dominates in countries like Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, he said. There, far-right groups poll around 10% but tend to be more nationalistic in tone, he said, with anti-Semitism and anti-Roma views seen as more legitimate there than elsewhere in Europe.”

Britain’s Economy Staggers

BBC News wrote on April 25, 2012:

“The UK economy has returned to recession, after shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012.

“A sharp fall in construction output was behind the surprise contraction, the Office for National Statistics said.

“A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction. The economy shrank by 0.3% in the fourth quarter of 2011.

“BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders says it ‘adds to the picture that the economy is bumping along the bottom’.

“She said economic output was slightly smaller now than it was in the autumn of 2010.”

Israel: The World Watches

The Los Angeles Times wrote on April 24, 2012:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that his Cabinet has decided to retroactively legalize three West Bank outposts that previous governments had conceded were built without permission, marking the first step toward what critics fear will become Israel’s first official new settlements since 1990.
 
“The decision late Monday by a Cabinet committee begins a long administrative process to authorize the small settlements of Rehalim, Sansana and Bruchin.
 
“The move infuriated Palestinians and frustrated the international community, which has been pushing Israel to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank and refrain from taking actions that might hinder efforts to restart peace talks.
 
“Government officials said it was inaccurate to characterize the legalization process as establishing new settlements, noting that the three outposts were founded in the 1990s, reportedly with the government’s blessing. Officials said the outposts lack only certain technical authorizations and planning permits, which now will be given.
‘
“‘This decision does not change the reality on the ground whatsoever,” said a government official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue. ‘It does not establish new settlements or expand existing ones.'”

Little that happens in the State of Israel goes unnoticed by the world at large. Israel–and especially Jerusalem–remain a focus in the news. What is happening in this area of the Middle East is also central to many prophecies in the Bible! Our booklet, “The Book of Zechariah–Prophecies for Today!,” offers real insight into the future of this troubled land.

The Book of John

Time.com reported on April 16, 2012:

“The British Library has paid 9 million pounds (US$14.3 million) to acquire the St. Cuthbert Gospel, a remarkably well-preserved survivor of seventh-century Britain described by the library as the oldest European book to survive fully intact.

“The palm-sized book, a manuscript copy of the Gospel of John in Latin, was bought from the British branch of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), the library said Tuesday.

“The book measures 96 mm (3.8 inches) by 136 mm (5.4 inches) and has an elaborately tooled red leather cover. It comes from the time of St. Cuthbert, who died in 687, and it was discovered inside his coffin when it was opened in 1104 at Durham Cathedral.

“The British Library said the artifact is one of the world’s most important books.

“‘To look at this small and intensely beautiful treasure from the Anglo-Saxon period is to see it exactly as those who created it in the seventh century would have seen it,’ said the library’s chief executive, Lynne Brindley.

“‘The exquisite binding, the pages, even the sewing structure survive intact, offering us a direct connection with our forebears 1300 years ago,’ she added.

“Cuthbert’s coffin arrived in Durham after monks had removed it from the island of Lindisfarne, 330 miles (530 kilometers) north of London, to protect the remains from Viking raiders in the ninth and 10th centuries.”

While this is a remarkable example of the preservation of one of the books of the Bible, the even more astounding truth is that God has caused His entire Word, the Holy Bible, to be preserved throughout generations, centuries and millennia. Our booklet, “The Authority of the Bible,” presents proof that the Bible is and remains to be the inspired Word of God!

Eurozone Security

Euobserver.com published the following on April 5, 2012:

“Since autumn 2008, the financial crisis and its implications has dictated EU policies. The pressure on EU governments to control expenditure continue to be enormous. Defence spending has not been immune. This raises important questions about how the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the EU can function in this new environment and if it can even survive austerity.

“Some commentators see it only as a question of choices – how much does defence matter and where does it stand in national priorities. This misses a critical point. Without a strong security and defence policy in the EU, underpinned by credible military capabilities, Europe risks becoming a marginalised player…

“…Europe’s role in the world can only be sustained through enhanced defence cooperation and a group of like-minded Member States ready to drive CSDP forward can be much more effective. Others may then follow suit.”

What is becoming more and more obvious to leaders in the EU is that the United States is beginning to focus on its Asia-Pacific concerns, and that is creating the need for unifying Europe’s various military organizations under the control of a central headquarters–a move that will happen in the not-so-distant future (For more information, please see our free booklet: “Europe in Prophecy-The Unfolding of End-Time Events!”).

Southern Europe Faces Reality!

Spiegel International online reported on April 17, 2012:

…”The euro debt crisis came as a rude awakening to countries like Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, which are now firmly caught in the chokehold of their creditors and are forced to sharply cut back government spending. For many people, it is the biggest political and social turning point in decades.

“But these countries were already having trouble staying competitive before the current crisis. It was only possible for them to ignore China’s spike in exports or the new competition from Eastern Europe because of prospering national markets, generous transfers from Brussels and the existence of the euro. Because of the common currency, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Greece benefited from historically low interest rates, promoting a boom based on borrowed funds. It was suddenly cheaper than ever before to build a house or order a bigger car — or for governments to distribute generous welfare payments.

“It was an extended party for those in southern Europe who had work, as real wages rose sharply. In Germany, on the other hand, wages stagnated. Beginning in 2003, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder began a series of labor market and welfare reforms — known collectively as Agenda 2010 — which completely reorganized the welfare state. It is the kind of reform that now seems to be in the future of several southern European countries…

The countries of Southern Europe, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, are coming under unwelcomed and very exacting controls–as the article points out, a “troika consisting of the European Union, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank (ECB) monitoring compliance.”

Spain Suffers Loss in Argentina!

The Guardian wrote on April 17, 2012:

“Spain pledged to wage diplomatic and industrial war on Argentina after the country’s populist president, Cristina Fernández, announced plans to nationalise the Spanish-owned part of oil company YPF.

“‘With this attitude, this hostility from the Argentine authorities, there will be consequences that we’ll see over the next few days,’ industry minister José Manuel Soria pledged, calling it a hostile action against Spain. ‘They will be in the diplomatic field, the industrial field and on energy.’ Retaliatory measures for the expropriation of the Spanish Repsol company’s shares in YPF will be announced after a cabinet meeting on Friday, while the European Union was also pulled into the dispute.

“Spanish president Mariano Rajoy had blistering words for Fernández, speaking at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. ‘This damages Argentina’s international reputation,’ said Rajoy. ‘What happened yesterday could happen to any other investment.’ Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, claimed that Fernández had originally planned to time her announcement to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Falklands war on 2 April.

“‘We expect Argentinian authorities to uphold their international commitments and obligations, in particular those resulting from a bilateral agreement on the protection on investments in Spain,’ said European commission president José Manuel Barroso. European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called off a meeting of the EU-Argentine joint committee on Thursday.

“A Chinese website, meanwhile, reported that Repsol had been preparing to sell YPF to the China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec) for $15bn. Repsol, which has Sinopec as a strategic partner in Brazil, did not comment on the claim. China has far greater clout than Spain in Argentina, whose economy is heavily dependent on soya exports to the Asian giant, leading to speculation that Fernández might strike her own deal with Sinopec, effectively handing even greater control over Argentina’s economy to Beijing…

“Argentina now runs the risk of scaring away other foreign investors needed to develop the larger Vaca Muerta area. Analysts said the move, announced live on television amid the increasingly populist and nationalist paraphernalia that accompanies Fernández, would have far-reaching implications.”

In the background of this battle between Spain and Argentina is China. In Africa, Mexico, Central America, South America and many other areas, China is “competing” for resources. These geopolitical strivings are setting the stage for global confrontations–events vividly portrayed in biblical prophecies! Our free booklets, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord” along with “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” present detailed explanations that will help you understand today’s news based on the Word of God!

The Battle for Arctic Resources

On April 16, 2012, Fox News reported:

“To the world’s military leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts.
 
“By Arctic standards, the region is already buzzing with military activity, and experts believe that will increase significantly in the years ahead.
 
“Last month, Norway wrapped up one of the largest Arctic maneuvers ever — Exercise Cold Response — with 16,300 troops from 14 countries training on the ice for everything from high intensity warfare to terror threats. Attesting to the harsh conditions, five Norwegian troops were killed when their C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed near the summit of Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain.
 
“The U.S., Canada and Denmark held major exercises two months ago, and in an unprecedented move, the military chiefs of the eight main Arctic powers — Canada, the U.S., Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland — gathered at a Canadian military base last week to specifically discuss regional security issues.

“None of this means a shooting war is likely at the North Pole any time soon. But as the number of workers and ships increases in the High North to exploit oil and gas reserves, so will the need for policing, border patrols and — if push comes to shove — military muscle to enforce rival claims.”

Britain Looks to Asia…

Reuters reported on April 10, 2012:

“Britain and Japan said on Tuesday they have agreed to jointly develop and build defense equipment, the first time since World War Two that Japan has concluded a weapons-building deal with a country other than the United States.

“The announcement came at the start of a tour of Japan and southeast Asia by British Prime Minister David Cameron aimed at boosting trade ties with the region.

“‘We have decided to identify a range of appropriate defense equipment for joint development and production … which contributes to both countries’ security and presents industrial opportunities,’ said a statement from Cameron and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

“Without elaborating, the leaders agreed to ‘seek to launch at least one programme of such defense equipment as soon as possible and explore the feasibility of a future major programme’.

“Japanese defense policy changed last December to allow Japanese companies to export weapons and collaborate with countries other than its main ally, the United States.

“Hours before Cameron’s plane touched down in Tokyo, Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor Co said it would spend $200 million to build a new hatchback at its British plant.

“Cameron’s two-year-old coalition government is trying to boost British manufacturing to lessen reliance on a financial services sector roiled by the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. It also seeks to limit the economy’s exposure to the crisis-hit euro zone by doing more business with fast-growing Asian economies and emerging markets around the world…

“‘There’s enormous upside potential, and I think a number of businesses are very excited by the fact we’re going to Indonesia,’ Cameron told reporters.

“In Malaysia, Britain aims to tap the Southeast Asian country’s position as a regional education hub, with many Western universities setting up campuses there.”

As we have been reporting, Britain is not finding itself in harmony with the EU. In fact, it appears that Great Britain is deliberately positioning itself outside of the rapidly changing structure of a unifying European super-power.

No Easy Fix for U.S. Cities

Reuters, on April 17, 2012, wrote:

“America’s swelling ranks of fallen municipal borrowers have been blamed in the past year on ‘what-were-they-thinking’ causes, be it a Taj Mahal sewer system in Alabama or an overpriced trash incinerator in Pennsylvania’s capital city of Harrisburg.

“But the next series of major cities and counties in danger of defaulting on their debt can hardly point to one single decision for their malaise. Whether it be Detroit, Miami or Providence, Rhode Island, their problems have a lot more to do with financial policies that put them on course to live well beyond their means.

“Municipal defaults have shot up since 2007 and are on pace for another high year in 2012, according to Richard Lehmann, publisher of the Distressed Securities Newsletter.

“Many failures will be due to local politicians’ willingness to give unionized local government workers lucrative pensions and health care benefits when times were good. For others, the housing bust was enough to destroy their real estate tax base. They almost all share the failure to prepare for a rainy day.

“Now, belt tightening by state and federal governments is adding to the pain – as contributions to governments at city and county levels get squeezed. Many of the places in the worst condition are in the Northeast, Midwest, California and Florida.”

In Malachi 3, verse 9, God rebukes His people, saying, “‘You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.'” Is it really possible that our national problems have anything to do with our robbing God? For more vital information, please read–“Tithing – Today?”–available, free, online at www.eternalgod.org.

Another Black Eye For America!

CNN reported on April 18, 2012:

“On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times published photos of U.S. soldiers posing with what the paper said were bodies of insurgents in Afghanistan.
 
“The newspaper said a soldier came forward with the images to draw attention to the safety risk associated with a decline in leadership and discipline. In the Times story, editor Davan Maharaj said publishing the photos ‘would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan, including the allegation that the images reflect a breakdown in unit discipline that was endangering U.S. troops.’
 
“The Los Angeles Times said efforts to get responses from the soldiers involved were unsuccessful. CNN has not independently authenticated the photos.
 
“The images are just the latest in a string of scandals that some say could damage U.S. efforts in the war, which is in its 11th year.
 
“In January, video footage emerged of U.S. soldiers apparently urinating on Afghan corpses. In February, Afghans rioted after it was discovered that Qurans had been burned in violation of Islamic custom at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Last month, an Army staff sergeant allegedly went on a rampage and shot to death 17 Afghan civilians, including numerous children.
 
“The U.S. is due to hand over control of the country to Afghan forces in 2014…”

Will America somehow win this terrible war?–absolutely not! God warns the nation that because of its disobedience to Him, He will “‘break the pride of your power'”–that has been happening and it will continue, at least, until the modern descendants of the tribes of Israel are brought to repentance! Please review our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

“Rumors of War”

“The Times of Israel” wrote on April 15, 2012′

“A major Israel TV station on Sunday night broadcast a detailed report on how Israel will go about attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities in the event that diplomacy and sanctions fail and Israel decides to carry out a military strike.
 
“The report, screened on the main evening news of Channel 10, was remarkable both in terms of the access granted to the reporter, who said he had spent weeks with the pilots and other personnel he interviewed, and in the fact that his assessments on a strike were cleared by the military censor.
 
“No order to strike is likely to be given before the P5+1 talks with Iran resume in May, the reporter, Alon Ben-David, said. ‘But the coming summer will not only be hot but tense.’
 
“In the event that negotiations fail and the order is given for Israel to carry out an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, ‘dozens if not more planes’ will take part in the mission: attack and escort jets, tankers for mid-air refueling, electronic warfare planes and rescue helicopters, the report said…

“The attack, the report said, would presumably trigger a war in northern Israel, with missile attacks (presumably from the Iranian-proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon). ‘There will be no tranquility and peace anywhere in Israel,’ Ben-David said.”

Nuclear Power Plant Problems

CNN.COM reported on April 6, 2012:

“A large Southern California nuclear plant is out of commission indefinitely, and will remain so until there is an understanding of what caused problems at two of its generators and an effective plan to address the issues, the nation’s top nuclear regulator said Friday.
 
“Gregory Jaczko, chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, refused to give a timetable as to when the San Onofre nuclear plant could resume operation. He said only that his agency had ‘set some firm conditions’ as to when that could happen.
 
“‘We won’t make a decision (to approve the facility’s restart) unless we’re satisfied that public health and safety will be protected,’ Jaczko told reporters. ‘They have to demonstrate to us that they understand the causes, and … that they have a plan to address them.’
 
“The power plant has been shut down since this winter, when a small amount of radioactive gas escaped from a steam generator during a water leak. At the time, federal regulators said there was no threat to public health, though they could not identify how much gas leaked or exactly why it had happened…

“Located near San Clemente, the San Onofre nuclear plant’s twin reactors are ‘Southern California’s largest and most reliable sources of electricity,’ according to Southern California Edison’s website. When operational, the facility — which is owned by that utility, San Diego Gas and Electric and the city of Riverside — supplies power for 1.4 million households at any given time.”

The uneasiness with nuclear power is a growing worldwide concern–especially, in light of the frightening consequences of the Japanese Tsunami and the destruction of one of Japan’s nuclear facilities. Late in the game, governments are having to face up to the long-term responsibilities of using nuclear fuel. The unthinkable looms–what will happen when another Chernobyl occurs but on a scale of even much greater proportions?

Astronauts Reject Global Warming Endorsement

Washingtonexaminer.com wrote on April 10, 2012:

“In an unprecedented slap at NASA’s endorsement of global warming science, nearly 50 former astronauts and scientists–including the ex-boss of the Johnson Space Center–claim the agency is on the wrong side of science and must change course or ruin the reputation of the world’s top space agency.

“Challenging statements from NASA that man is causing climate change, the former NASA executives demanded in a letter to Administrator Charles Bolden that he and the agency ‘refrain from including unproven remarks’ supporting global warming in the media.

“’We feel that NASA’s advocacy of an extreme position, prior to a thorough study of the possible overwhelming impact of natural climate drivers is inappropriate,’ they wrote. ‘At risk is damage to the exemplary reputation of NASA, NASA’s current or former scientists and employees, and even the reputation of science itself.’

“The letter was signed by seven Apollo astronauts, a deputy associate administrator, several scientists, and even the deputy director of the space shuttle program.

“NASA had no immediate comment.

“In their letter, the group said that thousands of years of data challenge modern-day claims that man-made carbon dioxide is causing climate change. ‘With hundreds of well-known climate scientists and tens of thousands of other scientists publicly declaring their disbelief in the catastrophic forecasts, coming particularly from (NASA’s) Goddard Institute for Space Studies leadership, it is clear that the science is NOT settled,’ they wrote.”

Livestock Antibiotics–A Sweeping Reform?

The Chicago Tribune reported on April 11, 2012:

“Livestock  producers  should use antibiotics to treat sick animals not to make them fatter faster, according to new voluntary guidelines released  by the Food and Drug Administration this morning.

“The long awaited guidance aimed at reigning [sic] in the explosion of antibiotic-resistant infections in humans, met with mixed reactions from activists who have long lobbied the agency to crack down on the routine feeding of antibiotics to healthy animals.

“’This is a step in the right direction, but much more must be done.  Antibiotic-resistant diseases now kill more Americans than AIDS and this issue needs to be treated with the seriousness it deserves,’ said Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-D) who has sponsored bills for tough regulation on the issue. ‘Nonbinding recommendations are not a strong enough antidote to the problem.’

“The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Caroline Smith DeWaal called the guidelines ‘tragically flawed,’ noting they ‘rely too heavily on the drug industry and animal producers to act voluntarily in the best interest of consumers’…

“How much of an economic hit the pharmaceutical industry might take is hard to say.  An FDA report estimated that about 28.6 million pounds  of antibiotics were sold in 2009 for use in food animal production.  That’s about 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the country.

“The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that about 70 percent of those drugs were administered to healthy animals. The FDA would not offer such a specific figure but acknowledged that non-therapeutic usages  ‘represent a substantial portion’ of all antibiotics used in livestock production.

“While the guidelines restrict antibiotic use for growth promotion they do leave room for ‘judicious’ preventative usage. Some worry about this loophole.

“The UCS is concerned that antibiotic makers will simply ‘relabel drugs currently slated for growth promotion for disease prevention instead,’ said senior UCS scientist Margaret Mellon. ‘Such relabeling could allow them to sell the exact same drugs in the very same amounts.'”

More Powerful Earthquakes!

The Japan Times Online reported on April 12, 2012:

“Two powerful earthquakes struck off the western coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island on Wednesday, triggering tsunami alerts around the Indian Ocean.

“But the waves observed as of Wednesday night were minor, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or serious damage.

“Nevertheless, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect around the entire Indian Ocean, including India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Somalia, Tanzania, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

“The center said that while it was not immediately known whether the strong temblor had generated massive waves, ‘earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin’…

“Speaking to reporters soon after the first, 8.6-magnitude quake jolted Sumatra at 2:38 p.m., Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the country remained on alert but was unlikely to experience massive tsunami.

“The second temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 8.2, rocked Sumatra at 5:43 p.m., and Indonesia’s government immediately issued tsunami warnings for the five provinces along the island’s western coast.

“Reporters in Banda Aceh and the city of Lhokseumawe in North Aceh Regency said the earthquakes caused panic among locals, many of whom were seen fleeing their homes screaming in terror.”

Following the earthquake activity near Indonesia, a strong earthquake was experienced in Mexico and a lesser quake occurred off the Oregon coast–all within a twenty-four hour period:

USA Today wrote on April 11, 2012:

“A strong earthquake struck a sparsely populated area in the mountains of western Mexico on Wednesday, and caused tall buildings to sway more than 200 miles away in Mexico City. People evacuated some buildings in the capital, but the city government said helicopter flights detected no signs of damage.

“Authorities in Michoacan state, where the tremor was centered, also had no immediate reports of damage.

“The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported a preliminary reading of 7.0 magnitude for the quake, but later downgraded it to 6.5.

“A quake of that magnitude is capable of producing severe damage in an urban area, but this one occurred about 41 miles below the surface and a tremor’s power to cause damage is often dissipated when it is so deep.

“The USGS said the tremor was centered in Michoacan state 238 miles west-southwest of Mexico City and 88 miles northwest of the Pacific resort of Zihuantanejo.

“Manuel Ortiz Rosete, the Michoacan state civil protection director, said no damage had been reported in major cities and coastal communities of the state.

“Wednesday’s tremor was the latest in a series of strong shakes to hit Mexico City since a powerful 7.4-magnitude quake hit southern Mexico three weeks ago, but this was not an aftershock of that one , USGS geophysicist Dale Grant said.

“‘It’s a different earthquake. We are calling it an individual earthquake,’ Grant said. ‘There’s a potential for aftershocks.'”

Reuters published this additional report on April 11, 2012:

“A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon on Wednesday and was followed a minute later by a smaller quake off the coast of central California, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

“The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quakes were unlikely to trigger a tsunami. The Oregon quake was initially reported as a magnitude 6.2 and the California one as a 5.3. Both were later downgraded.”

CNN reported on April 12, 2012:

“A pair of strong earthquakes rocked Mexico’s Gulf of California only minutes apart early Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
 
“The quakes — magnitude 6.9 and 6.2 — were centered about 85 miles northeast of Guerrero Negro in the Mexican state of Baja California, or 325 miles south-southwest of Phoenix in the United States. Both epicenters were shallow, a little more than six miles underground.
 
“No tsunami warnings were issued and there were no immediate reports of damage, but people as far north as Tucson, Arizona, reported feeling them.”

While people all over the earth now can receive virtually instantaneous reports of major occurrences such as these, the fact remains that those who are experiencing these events are living in terror! In speaking of the time that would signal the end of this age of human government and His imminent return, Jesus said, “‘And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven'” (Luke 21:11). One must consider, are we just getting better reporting, or are events such as those prophesied to occur by Jesus actually taking place in our time?

A Worldview From the Muslim Brotherhood…

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 10, 2012:

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s main presidential candidate seeks to fundamentally Islamicize Egyptian society if elected, according to newly uncovered footage of an extended address he gave supporters last year shortly after his release from prison.

“Egyptian activists have transcribed Khairat al-Shater’s 90- minute address into English, offering a rare glimpse into the worldview of the normally tight-lipped candidate who is a front-runner in upcoming elections to lead the Arab world’s most populous state.”

The article continues with these quotations from Khairat al-Shater:

“’Everywhere, the Brothers are working to restore Islam in its all-encompassing conception to the lives of people,’ Shater says in the address. ‘Thus the mission is clear: restoring Islam in its all-encompassing conception, subjugating people to God, instituting the religion of God, the Islamization of life, empowering of God’s religion, establishing the renaissance of the ummah [worldwide Muslim nation] on the basis of Islam… Every aspect of life is to be Islamicized.

“’We call upon God Almighty to make this transformation the beginning of a new renaissance for the ummah and the shaking off of the state of backwardness from which it has suffered for decades,” ‘Shater says in the clip.” ‘As Muslim Brothers, it is imperative that we, as well as the entirety of the ummah, God willing, take advantage of this revolution which took place in Egypt and continues in the countries surrounding us.’”

Does Syria Matter to the U.S.?

On April 10, 2012, CNN published the following:

“In between taking care of their families, working and trying to keep up with everyday life, many Americans have caught at least a couple of stories about Syria. Many probably know that clashes between government forces and protesters who want the country’s president to relinquish power have become increasingly bloody over the past several months. Much of that violence has been represented in online videos, ostensibly that Syrians have posted, suggesting the slaughter of children and families.
 
“It’s horrible. No one would argue anything else. But there is violence in many corners of the world. Why should what’s happening in Syria be especially important to Americans? It’s clear a lot of people think it’s not. Several readers reacted to Tuesday’s top story on CNN about Syria by commenting: ‘Zzzzzz not our problem’ and ‘Anyone surprised? *yawn*.'”

The reporter of this article adds several very key reasons why the upheaval in Syria should and does matter to the United States. However, this conflict may be just one revolt too many for the U.S. to take on! The seemingly endless involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan; the hard feelings with Pakistan; the unwelcomed extremist turn of the Arab Spring; and any number of other misadventures is causing Americans to–more and more–not want national involvement as peace keepers for the world!

Will Syria Boil Over?

Reported in the Washington Post, April 9, 2012:

“Conflict in Syria burst into neighboring Lebanon and Turkey on Monday, with one Lebanese cameraman killed and at least four people injured in fighting on the Syria-Turkey border.

“The attacks, on the eve of a deadline under a fading U.N.-backed deal for ­Syrian troops to withdraw from cities and cease hostilities amid a widespread uprising, risked bringing the Syrian conflict to what the Turkish government called a ‘new stage.’”

Will Europe and America be Attacked?

WND.COM posted the follow article on April 4, 2012:

“Terror cells have been placed on high alert to attack targets in the United States and Europe should Iran’s nuclear facilities be attacked, a source in the Revolutionary Guards says.

“The terror cells in the U.S. are being coordinated by Quds Force personnel operating out of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington, the source says. Because Iran and the U.S. have no diplomatic relations, Iran’s Interests Section operates under the umbrella of the Pakistani embassy.
 
“’These cells work out of safe houses where ammunition and explosives are stored, each with an operational commander who reports back to Iran,’ the source says.
 
“Analysts in Iran believe Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, has provided two choices to the West: either accept a nuclear Iran or face all-out retaliation if its nuclear facilities are attacked.
 
“According to the source, who has served in the Guards’ intelligence apparatus, Iranian leaders have long prepared for an all-out confrontation with the West. The Guards’ commander, Hussein Babai, has openly stated that after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon, Quds Force and Hezbollah terror cells began expanding in cities across Europe and America.”

The Bible Belt Takes a Stand…

Huffingtonpost.com reported on April 4, 2012:

‘A Tennessee bill meant to protect teachers who allow students to question and criticize ‘controversial’ subjects such as evolution and climate change became law on Tuesday after Gov. Bill Haslam (R) declined to act.
 
“The state legislature had sent the bill to Haslam earlier this month. He had until Tuesday to veto it, sign it or allow it to pass without his signature.
 
“Critics of the legislation have dubbed it the ‘Monkey Bill’ and charge that it is anti-science, backdoor approval of the teaching of religion in schools that reminds of the state’s history with the Scopes Trial.
 
“‘It would open the door to creationism, it would open the door to climate change denial, and to other sorts of pseudosciences being introduced into Tennessee classrooms,’ Josh Rosenau of the National Center for Science Education told The Huffington Post last month.

Assessing the remarkable controversy this bill has aroused speaks to just how upside-down and far-removed people really are when it comes to biblical knowledge. The sad truth is that this bill would not pass in the legislature of almost all of the other states–it certainly would be soundly rejected on the federal level!

Russia Takes a Stand…

Reported in Spiegel Online on April 6, 2012:

“For the first time, police in St. Petersburg, Russia, have made arrests on the strength of a new law banning the dissemination of information on homo-, bi- and transsexuality. Two men were arrested in the city center on Thursday after holding up a sign reading ‘Homosexuality Is Normal,’ according to the newswire Interfax.

“Russia’s second-largest city passed the controversial law on Feb. 29. The two men now face a possible maximum fine of 500,000 rubles (€12,800/$17,000). The maximum penalty is more than the average annual income in Russia.

“The law bans films, music videos, books and newspapers that contain homosexual content as well as the rainbow flag, which is a common symbol of gay pride. And the ban may soon no longer be limited to just St. Petersburg and other cities in Russia. At the end of March, Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party introduced a bill in the country’s parliament, the Duma, which would impose the ban at the national level.

“”We are trying to protect our society from homosexual propaganda,’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Russian radio three weeks ago.

“German Green Party parliamentarian Volker Beck — who, like German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, is openly gay — said the bill is a “hate law” and that Russia is on the ‘path to the Dark Ages.’ In the past, Beck has attended anti-homophobia rallies in Russia.

“Homophobia remains widespread in Russia, and it is an open secret in the country that many public figures have sought to hide their sexual preferences by entering into marriages of convenience. The Russian Orthodox Church views homosexuality as a sin, and it was only in 1999 that homosexuality was stricken from the list of mental illnesses in the country.

“Vitaly Milonov, the United Russia politician who is one of the initiators of the proposal for a nationwide ban in the Duma, accused the German band Rammstein of ‘gay propaganda’ earlier this spring. He also warned the American singer Madonna against transgressing the law at a planned summer concert. Madonna, for her part, has said she plans on defying it.”

In considering the preceding two articles, this profound indictment from God comes to mind: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

Pesticides and Bee Collapse

Wired Science wrote on April 4, 2012

“A controversial new study of honeybee deaths has deepened a bitter dispute over whether the developed world’s most popular pesticides are causing an ecological catastrophe.

“Researchers led by biologist Chensheng Lu of Harvard University report a direct link between hive health and dietary exposure to imidacloprid, a so-called neonicotinoid pesticide linked to colony collapse disorder, the mysterious and massive die-off of bees across North America and Europe.

“The study isn’t without critics, who say doses used in the study may be unrealistically high. But the level of a realistic dose is also a matter of controversy, and even critics say the findings are troubling.

“’Our result replicates colony collapse disorder as a result of pesticide exposures,’ said Lu, who specializes in environmental exposures to pesticides. “We need to look at our agriculture policy and see if what we’re doing now is sustainable.”

“Developed in the 1990s as a relatively less-toxic alternative to pesticides that seriously harmed human health, neonicotinoids soon became the world’s fastest-growing pesticide class and an integral part of industrial agricultural strategy. In the United States alone, neonicotinoid-treated corn now covers a total area slightly smaller than the state of Montana.

“Like earlier pesticides, neonicotinoids disrupt insects’ central nervous systems. But unlike earlier pesticides, which affected insects during and immediately after spraying, neonicotinoids spread through the vascular tissues of plants. They’re toxic through entire growing seasons, including flowering times when bees consume their pollen.

“The first reports of colony collapse disorder came in the mid-2000s from commercial beekeepers, who depending on region have experienced colony losses ranging from 30 to 90 percent. Commercial pollination costs have since skyrocketed, and as wild bees are also afflicted, even naturally occurring pollination is threatened.

“Measuring bee declines, however, proved much easier than explaining them. Among a lineup of potential culprits including fungus, mites, viruses, bacteria and pesticides, studies failed to find an obvious, smoking-gun cause — but, piece by piece, evidence against neonicotinoids has steadily accumulated…

“Some European countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have even banned neonicotinoids, though pesticide companies vehemently defend their ecological safety and say concerns are based on inconclusive and premature science.”

Continuing from the Wired Science article:

“Among Bayer’s (the chemical and pharmaceutical giant that manufactures imidacloprid) criticisms is that imidacloprid, a first-generation neonicotinoid, is little-used in the United States. It’s largely been replaced by newer formulations — but these, said pesticide expert Charles Benbrook of The Organic Center, an organic food research consultancy, are chemically similar to imidacloprid.’

“’Virtually all our corn seed has been treated with a very similar neonicotinoid,” said Benbrook. If the study had been conducted with clothianidin, another controversial neonicotinoid, ‘they’d almost certainly have found the same thing.’”

Our honey bees may just be the so-called “canary” in the mine shaft–for us! With mounting strange sicknesses and allergies, many people are beginning to question what they are eating and how their food is being prepared and brought to market.

A Balanced U.S. Budget–Maybe Never Again!

CNN.COM reported on March 29, 2012:

“The House has passed the Republican budget plan submitted by Rep. Paul Ryan, but some budget experts believe that [the] federal government is so far in the red that it may not balance the budget again in our lifetime.

“‘We may never, as a country, have a balanced budget again,’ said Marc Goldwein, policy director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. ‘And you know what? We don’t have to.’

“Goldwein is a bit of a budget wunderkind who was also a staffer for the Bowles-Simpson Commission, established by President Obama to address the nation’s fiscal problems, and for the congressional super committee. He and the nonpartisan think tank where he works used to push vehemently for a balanced budget.’

“But no longer. Now the bumper sticker hanging in his cubicle reads, “Stabilize the Debt”…

“The Ryan budget, despite its cuts and aggressive fiscal moves, does not balance the budget for at least 23 years, according to the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office.

“‘This just shows you how deep of a hole our country is in,’ Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and chairman of the Budget Committee, said when asked about the 2035 budget balance date.”

This stunning admission reflects on a society that is “throwing in the towel” on all of the difficult issues–such as abortion, drug abuse, illegal immigration and now, even the future stability of the nation’s economy.

A Difficult Union

From Reuter’s, April 2, 2012:

“As the euro zone debt crisis forces the currency area to integrate more closely to survive, those outside the bloc but in the European Union are worried that they will be left as junior partners without a say.

“The euro zone’s response to its public debt crisis has created layers of new agreements and mechanisms that affect the EU’s 10 non-euro countries, who are shut out when deals are done and only learn later of the decisions of the 17.

“Strategies to bring all EU countries together on overarching economic issues have had unintended consequences by creating divisions because not everyone can agree, threatening efforts to implement policies to revive the region’s depressed economies…

“Many EU officials concede that things are getting unwieldy, even for experts who struggle to decipher the structures intended to unify the EU’s 500 million citizens.

“‘We are building a fiscal union in a complicated way,’ Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said of the euro zone at a gathering of students in Copenhagen.”

The article concludes:

“But if an overarching integration strategy emerges, it must also go beyond monetary and economic affairs.

“‘The concurrent circles in the EU will always differ according to the subject,’ said Karel Lannoo of the Brussels-based Centre for European Policy Studies. ‘Today economic policy is most important, but tomorrow it may be defense.'”

The European Union IS uniting in spite of its difficulties! Our free booklet, “Europe In Prophecy–The Unfolding of End-Time Events“, gives real understanding about what is forming on the European continent and how that emerging super-power will change the world as we know it!

French Election Targets Immigrants

The Globe and Mail published on March 30, 2012:

“’There is an obsession with immigrants in this election,’ said Ms. Ghali, one of only three Arab members of France’s senate, ‘but there’s no talk, even within my own party, of doing anything to help them. All we have is an increase in tension directed at Muslims.’
 
“That’s because the tightly-fought presidential election, with the first round set for April 22, was upended last week when one of France’s young Arabs, Mohammed Merah of Toulouse, murdered seven people, including three Jewish children, in a calculated series of terror acts. In the week since Mr. Merah was killed in a standoff with police, President Nicolas Sarkozy made speeches across the country calling for restrictions on legal immigration, laws to make it illegal to browse Islamist websites or visit training camps, and for tougher policing and more deportations. He famously said, on the day of Mr. Merah’s first killing, that there were ‘too many foreigners’ in France…

“But on the campaign trail, he is also adopting some of the language of Marine Le Pen, the head of the ultra-right-wing National Front, a party with a history of Holocaust denial and an absolute opposition to immigration. Ms. Le Pen seized on the Merah killings, asking in a speech this week, ‘How many Mohammed Merahs are arriving on boats and planes each day, filling France with immigrants? How many Mohammed Merahs are among the children of our immigrants?'”
 
The bottom line is that the most recent terrorist attack inside of France has fueled a resurgence for Mr. Sarkozy in his attempt for re-election–all at the cost of inflaming the extreme left and far right contingents seeking to govern the nation.

The Next President of Egypt?

CNN.COM reported the following on April 2, 2012:

“The political arm of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has announced plans to run one of its leaders in the country’s presidential elections in May, reversing an earlier pledge to stay out of the race.

“The once-banned Islamist movement will be represented by Khairat al-Shater, a longtime financial backer, the Brotherhood announced over the weekend. Al-Shater has resigned from his post as deputy chairman to join the already crowded field of presidential candidates, the group said.

“The jail terms he served under ex-Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak had been an obstacle that would have kept him off the ballot. But the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power after the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak, pardoned him Sunday, his lawyer, Abdel Moneim Abdel Maqsood, told CNN.

“The Muslim Brotherhood has pledged repeatedly that it would not field a presidential candidate. But candidates from its political arm, the Freedom and Justice party, won the largest share of seats in Egypt’s parliamentary elections in December. And Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie said Saturday the new Egypt ‘is under a serious threat’ because its current, military-led government ‘has failed to represent the will of the people.'”

As we have learned in the United States, elections do have consequences, and so will, it appears, the Arab Spring.

Nuclear Israel–A Threat…

Haaretz.com reported on April 5, 2012:

“German Nobel literature laureate Guenter Grass published a poem Wednesday in which he said that Israel’s nuclear program is a threat to world peace.

“In his poem, the 85-year-old author claims that Israel’s nuclear reactor – and not Iran’s – presents a threat to world peace. Grass’ poem calls for Germany to cease supplying Israel with submarines, and warns against an Israeli strike on Iran.

“The poem, entitled ‘What must be said,’ will be published on Wednesday in the Deutsche Zeitung and La Republica. In the poem, Grass writes that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has a ‘big mouth,’ and that the intentions of the Iranian nuclear program are not proven.

“The poem drew sharp criticism in Germany, Israel and among Jewish organizations. The Israeli embassy in Germany said that the poem was in line with the ‘tradition of blood libel ahead of Passover.'”

Nationalpost.com adds on April 4, 2012:

“German Nobel literature laureate Gunter Grass touched off a firestorm of protest Wednesday with a poem accusing Israel of plotting Iran’s annihilation and threatening world peace…

“Mr. Grass, author of the renowned anti-war novel The Tin Drum, shocked his admirers in 2006 when he admitted, six decades after World War II, that he had been a member of the notorious Waffen SS — a revelation that severely undermined his until then substantial moral authority in Germany.
 
“The country’s most influential media commentators were unanimous in their criticism. The website of news weekly Der Spiegel wrote, ‘Never before in the history of the republic has a prominent intellectual waged a battle against Israel in such a cliche-ed way.’”

Israel Teams With Azerbaijan

The Algemeiner reported on April 5, 2012:

“Much has been made of Mark Perry’s recent piece in Foreign Policy Magazine, which claims that Israel has been given access to at least one Azerbaijan airfield for use during a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Azerbaijan borders Iran to the north, which would allow Israeli planes to refuel on the ground instead of in the air.
 
“Israeli-Azeri relations have developed rapidly s’nce Azerbaijan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. This is mainly due to both countries recognizing “Iran as a major, even existential security threat’. According to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, his country’s relationship with Israel is ‘nine-tenths … below the surface”…

“According to four anonymous U.S. senior diplomats and military intelligence officers, Israel now has access to Azeri airfields. The Sitalcay airstrip is considered to be suitable for Israeli aircraft due to its distance from Azerbaijan’s capital and its existing facilities. Israel may also have “electronic listening stations” along the border with Iran.
 
“Although Azerbaijan’s defense minister refused to allow any attack to be launched on Iran from Azerbaijan, he ‘did not explicitly bar Israeli bombers from landing in the country after a strike’ or ‘…rule out the basing of Israeli search-and-rescue units in the country.’”

North Korea Continues to Taunt

BBC.CO.UK reported on March 30, 2012:

“Japan says it will shoot down a North Korean rocket if necessary, as new satellite images appeared to show preparations for the launch next month.

“Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka issued the order to intercept the rocket if it threatened Japan’s territory.

“Pyongyang says it will launch a satellite on a rocket between 12-16 April.

“Satellite images taken on Wednesday indicate that work at the launch site is under way, says a US university.

“Mr Tanaka had issued an earlier order on Tuesday to the country’s defence forces to prepare ‘destruction measures against ballistic missiles’.

“On Friday, he told reporters in Tokyo that he had received cabinet approval to shoot down the rocket if necessary.

“The country began preparing missile defence systems last week.”

Also, from The Telegraph, April 3, 2012:

“Reconnaissance satellites have identified the huge missile at a government research and development facility in Pyongyang, South Korean government sources told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
 
“Analysts estimate the weapon to be around 130 feet long and, equipped with a more powerful booster unit, capable of delivering a warhead more than 6,200 miles.
 
“Unveiling the missile will raise new fears in neighbouring countries, already alarmed by Pyongyang’s insistence that it will go ahead with the launch in mid-April of a rocket to put a satellite into orbit…
 
“Tokyo is taking the threat posed by the planned launch of the North Korean rocket, announced for between April 12 and 16, seriously and is sending 450 troops to the southern island of Ishigaki to man Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor missiles.
 
“The Japanese government has stated that it will shoot down the rocket if it threatens Japanese territory.
 
“Tokyo is also deploying state-of-the-art Aegis warships in the East China Sea to monitor the launch. The vessels will be protected by F-15 fighters.”

A Catholic Revival in Cuba

Caribbean 360 wrote on April 3, 2012:

“Good Friday, April 6, will be celebrated as a public holiday in Cuba for the first time since the early days of the 1959 Cuban Revolution when Fidel Castro abolished religious holidays in that country.

“This follows President Raul Castro’s granting of a request by Pope Benedict XVI during the pontiff’s three-day visit to Cuba last week.

“The government said in a communiqué that the decision was made in view of the success of Benedict’s ‘transcendental visit’, adding that the Council of Ministers, Cuba’s supreme governing body, will later determine whether to make Good Friday a permanent holiday.

“Havana’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega referred to Benedict’s visit as a ‘Springtime of faith’.  It came 14 years after Pope John Paul II’s groundbreaking trip in 1998, which many Cubans say was the beginning of the thaw in church-state relations.  During this visit, then President Fidel Castro honoured John Paul’s request to restore Christmas as a public holiday.

“While Fidel Castro received the pope warmly in 1998, his brother and current president Raul Castro was even more attentive on this latest papal visit, attending the two Masses celebrated by Benedict, seated in the front row.

“’The fact that the Cuban authorities quickly welcomed the Holy Father’s request to President Raul Castro, declaring Good Friday a non-work day, is certainly a very positive sign,’ said Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi in a statement.

“’The Holy See hopes that this will encourage participation in the religious celebrations and joyous Easter festivities, and that following the visit of the Holy Father will continue to bring the desired fruits for the good of the church and all Cubans,’ he added.”

On April 4, 2012, the Catholic News Service posted these summary comments given by Pope Benedict XVI regarding his visit to both Mexico and Cuba:

“‘I encouraged the Mexican people to let their deep Christian roots inspire their efforts to overcome violence and to work for a better future,’ he said.

“And in Cuba, ‘I prayed for a rebirth of faith, openness to God’s love and respect for the truth about our human dignity and freedom revealed in Christ,’ he said.”

Admittedly, this current pope has not seen the popularity of his predecessor, John Paul II; however, Benedict’s reception in Mexico and his impact on Cuban society have been significant. With a strong Catholic revival of former Communist bloc nations, Catholicism is gaining a renewed influence in both the religious and political realms.

Germany–The Economic Model

Spiegel Online reported on March 21, 2012:

“It wasn’t so long ago that many viewed Germany’s economic model as outdated and the country as the ‘sick man of Europe.’ These days, however, even the Americans have come to praise parts of it, though they still doubt whether they would be able — or willing — to adopt it wholesale…

“…US newsweekly Time writes that the wide range of German economic and social reforms have been ‘farsighted’ and that German firms, together with those reforms, have forged ‘the most competitive industrial sector of any advanced economy.’ The New York Times, meanwhile, says that: ‘The German economy has been one of the wonders of the world over the last couple of years.’

The article continues:

“…As America groans under the aftereffects of the financial crisis and recession, Germany’s economy continues to steam ahead, even becoming an object of study. ‘Americans, including policymakers, are increasingly taking an interest in Germany’s reforms and what it managed to accomplish in the last 10 years,’ says Michael Spence, an American economist and the 2001 winner of the Nobel Prize in economics.

“‘We need to be more like Germany’ concurs GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt. And former President Clinton has praised Germany for what he described as a correct response to the crisis. More than anything, Germany is considered a role model for its successes as an exporting nation. While Germany enjoys a foreign trade surplus of €120 billion ($158 billion), America has a trade deficit of €423 billion.”

The contrast between Germany, the new economic leader, and the United States, the nation in financial crisis, is a glaring testimony to problems that have become too large to ignore; however, it appears that the U.S. will continue to do just that very thing!

German Parliament Gains Decision Role

Spiegel Online wrote on March 27, 2012:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition reached a compromise with opposition parties on Tuesday to give the Bundestag lower house of parliament a greater say in euro bailout decisions, in line with a requirement by the country’s highest court for stronger parliamentary involvement.

“According to legislation drafted by the ruling conservative Christian Democrats and Free Democrats, along with the opposition Social Democrats and Greens, the whole parliament will decide on bailouts, even in urgent cases, contrary to earlier plans for a small parliamentary panel to give swift approval.

“Only when secret steps need to be taken, such as the purchase of government bonds in the secondary market to aid troubled states, will approval be left to a small panel representing parliament. That will ensure the confidentiality required for the operation to have the desired impact on financial markets.”

The impressive aspect of this report is that opposition parties were able to come together and to forge a decisive way of handling their role in bailing out the weaker nations of the EU. This stands in stark contrast to the U.S. government’s constant quarreling and unending disagreements!

Disagreement Deepens Over EU Carbon Tax

AFP, on March 23, 2012, reported:

“India has barred its airlines from complying with the European Union carbon tax scheme, joining China in resistance to plans that have caused a backlash among the EU’s trade partners.
 
“The European Union imposed a carbon levy on air travel with effect from January 1, but no airline will face a bill until 2013 after this year’s carbon emissions have been tallied.
 
“Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told parliament on Thursday that ‘the imposition of carbon tax does not arise’ because Indian airlines would simply refuse to hand over their emissions data.
 
“‘Though the European Union has directed Indian carriers to submit emission details of their aircraft by March 31, 2012, no Indian carrier is submitting them in view of the position of the government,’ he said.
 
“India’s resolution to boycott the scheme follows China’s decision last month to prevent its airlines from complying with the EU directive.
 
“The two Asian giants have attacked the EU scheme, calling it a unilateral trade levy disguised as an attempt to fight climate change.
 
“According to a so-called Moscow declaration adopted last month by countries opposed to the tax, governments have decided on a list of retaliatory measures to be taken if necessary, including banning their airlines from participating.
 
“It also allows governments to take tough retaliatory measures against EU carriers and aviation companies and impose their own taxes on EU airlines.”

The overview gained from this article points to tremendous influence being exerted from the European Union. In matters small and large, it appears that Europe’s growing power positions it to be the rule-maker–and not everyone is happily submitting!

Tensions Rise Over Defense Shield

The Mainichi Daily News filed the following report for March 30, 2012:

“A U.S. led NATO missile defense plan that Washington says is aimed at deflecting potential Iranian threats will break existing nuclear parity with Russia and prompt it to retaliate, President Dmitry Medvedev warned Friday.
 
“Moscow rejects Washington’s claim the plan is solely to deal with any Iranian threat and has voiced fears it will eventually become powerful enough to undermine Russia’s nuclear deterrent…

“‘I will say honestly that no matter how warm relations between me and my colleagues are, no matter how advanced relations between Russia and NATO member states are, we will have to take that into account and, under certain circumstances, respond,’ Medvedev said.
 
“Earlier this week, he told the top Russian military brass that the armed forces must prepare to counter U.S. missile defense plans even as talks between Moscow and Washington are continuing.
 
“‘By 2017-2018, we must be fully prepared, fully armed,’ Medvedev said, referring to his earlier threat to aim missiles at the U.S.-led NATO missile shield if no agreement is reached…

“Dmitry Rogozin, a deputy prime minister in charge of the military industries, was more hawkish in his remarks at the conference, saying the NATO shield has an ‘openly anti-Russian vector.’
 
“‘The system that is being developed is intended to intercept heavy intercontinental missiles blasting off from the Russian territory,’ Rogozin said.
 
“‘Missile defense isn’t the best way to ensure security,” he added. “Those who are smart know that the defensive arms race is no better than the offensive arms race. Strengthening of the shield entails strengthening of the sword.'”

In spite of ongoing dialogue, all parties continue to arm themselves and to prepare for the worst. The potential for global devastation is increasing, yet few recognize the emerging interests of a powerful and united Europe and the role destined to be played out by this growing super-power. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe In Prophecy–The Unfolding of End-Time Events.”

No Defense Against Hackers

From an article in The Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2012, the title sums up the status of this nation’s computer networks: “U.S. Outgunned in Hacker War”–here are some further comments reported in this article:

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s top cyber cop offered a grim appraisal of the nation’s efforts to keep computer hackers from plundering corporate data networks: ‘We’re not winning,’ he said.

“Shawn Henry, who is preparing to leave the FBI after more than two decades with the bureau, said in an interview that the current public and private approach to fending off hackers is ‘unsustainable.’ ‘Computer criminals are simply too talented and defensive measures too weak to stop them,’ he said.

“His comments weren’t directed at specific legislation but came as Congress considers two competing measures designed to buttress the networks for critical U.S. infrastructure, such as electrical-power plants and nuclear reactors. Though few cybersecurity experts disagree on the need for security improvements, business advocates have argued that the new regulations called for in one of the bills aren’t likely to better protect computer networks…

“‘I don’t see how we ever come out of this without changes in technology or changes in behavior, because with the status quo, it’s an unsustainable model. Unsustainable in that you never get ahead, never become secure, never have a reasonable expectation of privacy or security,’ Mr. Henry said.

“James A. Lewis, a senior fellow on cybersecurity at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that as gloomy as Mr. Henry’s assessment may sound, ‘I am actually a little bit gloomier. I think we’ve lost the opening battle [with hackers].’ Mr. Lewis said he didn’t believe there was a single secure, unclassified computer network in the U.S.”

Gun Sales Surge

The Washington Free Beacon reported on March 22, 2012:

“Despite calls for stricter guns laws in response to the shooting of Trayvon Martin, firearm stocks are soaring as gun companies struggle to keep up with high demand.
 
“Shares of Sturm Ruger & Co. (RGR) were up as high as 14 percent Thursday afternoon after CEO Michael Fifer announced the company was temporarily suspending its acceptance of new orders in an effort to meet a dramatic surge in demand for its products.
 
“’Despite the company’s continuing successful efforts to increase production rates, the incoming order rate exceeds our capacity to rapidly fulfill these orders,’ Fifer said in the statement late Wednesday.
 
“Ruger received more than a million order requests in the first quarter of 2012.
 
“Shares of rival firearm maker Smith & Wesson (SWHC) were similarly up about 13 percent Thursday — a sign, gun proponents say, that Americans are not swayed by the recent protests.”

More guns in the U.S. have not led to more safety for its citizens. While our society grows more and more violent, the real answer to peace and personal safety remains illusive. Jesus Christ warned that “‘…all who take the sword will perish by the sword'” (Matthew 26:52). Our free booklet, “Should You Fight In War,” addresses the real solution for personal safety and the promise of a true and lasting peace among all people.

Pro-abortion Training…

CNN.com posted the following report on March 21, 2012:

“A Washington advocacy group training in-the-trenches religious leaders to speak out on hot-button issues like abortion is nothing new.
 
“But a liberal beltway group training left-leaning clergy to speak out for abortion rights is.

“’Religion does support a woman’s personal decision-making about whether she is ready to become a parent,’ said Sally Steenland, director of the Faith Initiative at the Center for American Progress, a progressive group that launched its Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute on Tuesday.
 
“’We felt that the harsh anti-choice rhetoric dominating the public debate stigmatized women making these important decisions and claimed a monopoly on God, morality, and family values,’ Steenland said in an e-mail message.
 
“The Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute ‘will provide new and seasoned leaders with the resources they need to be effective faith advocates for women’s reproductive health,’ according to a Center for American Progress press release.”

So now, ungodly murder is called “progressive” Christianity!

U.S. Troops–Demons!

Newsmax wrote on March 29, 2012:

“Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has called Americans in his country ‘demons’ and says the burning of Qurans by U.S. troops will ‘never be forgiven.’

“Karzai met on Friday with relatives of the 16 Afghan men, women and children killed allegedly by an American soldier and said the massacre ‘was not the first incident, indeed it was the 100th, the 200th and 500th incident,’ The New York Times reports.

“He also said: ‘Let’s pray for God to rescue us from these two demons. There are two demons in our country now,’ clearly referring to the United States and the Taliban, according to the Times.

“And he referred to the accidental burning of Qurans on Feb. 20 as ‘Satanic acts that will never be forgiven by apologies.'”

Preparing For the Apocalypse

The Independent wrote on March 25, 2012:

“A mountain looming over a French commune with a population of just 200 is being touted as a modern Noah’s Ark when doomsday arrives – supposedly less than nine months from now.

“A rapidly increasing stream of New Age believers – or esoterics, as locals call them – have descended in their camper van-loads on the usually picturesque and tranquil Pyrenean village of Bugarach. They believe that when apocalypse strikes on 21 December this year, the aliens waiting in their spacecraft inside Pic de Bugarach will save all the humans near by and beam them off to the next age.

“As the cataclysmic date – which, according to eschatological beliefs and predicted astrological alignments, concludes a 5,125-year cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar – nears, the goings-on around the peak have become more bizarre and ritualistic.

“For decades, there has been a belief that Pic de Bugarach, which, at 1,230 metres, is the highest in the Corbières mountain range, possesses an eery power. Often called the ‘upside-down mountain’ – geologists think that it exploded after its formation and the top landed the wrong way up – it is thought to have inspired Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Since the 1960s, it has attracted New Agers, who insist that it emits special magnetic waves.

These kinds of reports–like so many other false predictions—only mask the truth of what is about to happen when God intervenes in world affairs and sends His Son, Jesus Christ, back to this earth to establish the Kingdom of God. Our booklets, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” address the true biblical facts of the end of this age and the magnificent promises God has given for mankind’s future.

A Warning To Drug Users!

The Associated Press reported on March 22, 2012:

“Whitney Houston was a chronic cocaine user who had the drug in her system when she drowned in a hotel bathtub, coroner’s officials said Thursday after releasing autopsy findings that also noted heart disease contributed to her death…

“She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, but Houston’s drug use derailed her career and took a heavy toll on her once pristine voice.

“But by the end of her career, she was a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming. Her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills and was eventually unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.”

This tragic death is sad testimony to the ever-increasing use of drugs throughout society. Now, states in the U.S. are relaxing the laws relating to use of drugs. Drug abuse is simply one more “war” that is being lost!

Papal Visit to Mexico and Cuba

CNN reported on Mach 29, 2012:

“In a farewell speech just before boarding the plane, he criticized the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, saying ‘restrictive economic measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly burden its people.’

“Benedict, whose office has routinely cast the trip in the context of a spiritual pilgrimage, at times addressed political issues — often subtly, and on occasion more overtly.

“At the start of his visit, aboard a flight from Rome, he denounced violence caused by the drug war in Mexico and blasted Cuba’s Marxist political system by saying it ‘no longer corresponds to reality.’

“Later, he prayed for ‘those deprived of freedom’ while in Cuba’s southeastern city of Santiago de Cuba. And he made several references to freedom in his final sermon in Havana, addressing a nation that human rights groups have routinely denounced for its abuses.”

Benedict’s influence is clearly substantial in these predominately Catholic regions. There was abundant press coverage throughout his most recent trip, and the papal office is looked upon as being decisive among Catholics. Biblical prophecy indicates that a great world religion will appear in the not-too-distant future–one led by a religious authority who will arise with great deceptive power. This is discussed in detail in our free booklet: “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

The USA—a Land of Limited Possibility

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 12:

“The US is a major player in world politics… But is the superpower still fully capable of acting? In view of the global financial crisis, German experts have their doubts. If the United States were a patient lying in a hospital, worried doctors would knit their brows: the frailty of the inner organs could become chronic and permanently confine the patient to bed.  The US administration in Washington faces a similar scenario, according to Josef Braml of the think tank German Council on Foreign Relations… The ongoing financial, economic and energy crises are making life difficult for the superpower, he said.

“The US has become a land of limited possibilities, as the country continues to suffer from a huge mountain of debt, a weak dollar and a growing social divide. ‘The more the tanker USA leans to its side, the more limited the government’s ability to manoeuver, domestically and internationally,’ political scientist Braml wrote in his most recent book, ‘The American Patient’. His conclusion: ‘The political powers are blocked because there’s nothing left to distribute’…

“A ‘threatened collapse of the US’ Braml describes is anything but good news for the rest of the world. A nation fighting for its economic survival will not necessarily be considerate of others, the author said, predicting fierce protectionism, for example in trade policies. Braml said the US would ‘make the dollar cheap’ in order to garner a competitive edge. ‘Not much longer, and the dollar will no longer be a key currency,’ he said… ‘We Europeans will have to make sure that we can maintain security in our own neighborhood,’ Josef Braml said. ‘America won’t support us as much anymore…’”

The description of America being a sick patient is very interesting in light of Isaiah 1:5-6.

Barack Obama’s Birth Records a Forgery?

On March 7, 2012, the English Pravda published the following article, which was linked on March 11, 2012, by the Drudge Report on March 11, 2012. The author, Dianna Cotter, was described as a “Senior at American Military University, a 4.0 Student, the recipient of the Outstanding Student Essay of 2009, a member of Delta Epsilon Tau and Epsilon Pi Phi Academic Fraternities and [having been placed] on the Dean’s and President’s Lists for academic achievement. She has published at Examiner.com, in American Thinker, Accuracy in Media, and Family Security Matters.”

The article stated the following:

“A singularly remarkable event has taken place in the United States of America. This event occurred in Arizona on March 1st and was an earth shattering revelation. A long awaited press conference was given by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio… Arpaio asserts that his investigators discovered, during a 6 month long investigation which is ongoing, not only was the ‘Long Form’ likely a digitally created forgery, but the President’s Selective Service Card (Draft Card), allegedly filed in 1980, was also a forgery. These documents are what Barack Hussein Obama relies upon to prove his constitutional eligibility to the office of President of the United States…

“The silence from the main stream media in the US is deafening… the American Press is aggressively protecting the presumed President of the United States, pushing the fraud upon both America and the world, supporting a man who may well have usurped the office… One can easily imagine the reaction of the press had this scenario been about George W. Bush in 2004…

“Years before the 2008 election, Barack Obama was involved in [unsuccessful] efforts to amend the US Constitution to allow those who were born to parents who were not citizens to become President along with those born overseas…

“His father, Barack Obama Sr. was a student from the British Commonwealth of Kenya, a British Citizen who never sought to become a US Citizen, and indeed was eventually forced to leave the country. Mr. Obama has only one parent who was an American Citizen. Obama clearly does not meet the requirements of Natural Born Citizen as defined by the Supreme Court in Minor v. Happersett.

“The state of Hawaii’s role in this cannot be neglected for several reasons… It was well known at the time, that any person could register the birth of a child in the state on a late form with only the signature of a witness… Federal laws with regard to Hawaii had been written to allow a baby receiving state documents to be declared a Citizen of the United States without being subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States… A child born in Hawaii, regardless of whether or not they were born in the state and subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, automatically gained US Citizenship. This is the only state in the United States where this condition existed. This is why Hawaii is so vitally important to Obama, and could explain why it is important enough to forge birth documents for. It is why Obama’s birth is being alleged to have occurred there instead of somewhere like Washington State or elsewhere…

“Obama, by being born in Hawaii, got automatic citizenship status in the United States without regard for whether the United States had jurisdiction over his citizenship… And it only took a witness signature to gain it…”

CBS News added: “Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said President Barack Obama’s birth certificate is not authentic. Arpaio revealed the findings of an investigation into the president’s birth certificate at a 1 hour and 20 minute news conference Thursday, calling the certificate ‘suspect.’ Arpaio’s team of investigators said they found that the long-form birth certificate was created electronically and never existed in paper form.”

On March 9, WorldNetDaily published an article by Chelsea Schilling who joined the Army at age 17 and  received “the rare designation of expert marksman three times. In addition to WND, Schilling has worked as a news producer at USA Radio Network and as a news reporter for the Sacramento Union.”

The article stated:

“It’s a twist of irony: The Russian news website Pravda has published an accusation that the American media is ‘tame,’ afraid to publish news and is ‘deliberately hiding the evidence published on the internet about [President Obama’s] defrauding of the American public and the deliberate evisceration of the Constitution of the United States.’ In a March 7 Pravda column, ‘Arizona sheriff finds Obama presidential qualifications forged,’ Dianna Cotter, a senior at American Military University, blasts America’s mainstream media for their virtual silence about Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s six-month investigation into the controversy surrounding Obama’s birth certificate and his constitutional eligibility for office…

“Cotter lays out detailed evidence of a widespread cover-up and concludes: The American Press is deliberately hiding the evidence published on the internet about this defrauding of the American public and the deliberate evisceration of the Constitution of the United States. It is hiding Barack Obama’s Fraud as it has been revealed by a Sheriff in Arizona. The silence of the American press would be unbelievable if it weren’t so blatantly obvious. It is nearly as egregious as the audacity of Obama’s fraud itself.”

Donald Trump raised the issue for a while, but after some pompous words, he decided to “chicken out.” None of the Republican presidential candidates is raising the issue. No prominent newscaster on CNN, NBC, MSNBC or Fox News wants to go anywhere near the issue. Democrats ignore it, which is to be expected. So do most Independents. The main stream press glosses over it. But the nagging issue of President Obama’s eligibility as President of the United States will not go away.

However, it is feared that due to intentional delay, it won’t be decided, if at all, until the USA has a new President. If it should be determined, after the fact, that America’s current President was in fact ineligible to be President, the reputation of the entire American political system (from a perceived deliberate cover-up through the U.S. government and a timid and fearful opposition, as well as a perceived incompetent House and Senate) as well as the perceived “bribed” ineffective and useless American main-stream media (whether left, middle or right) will be irreparably destroyed in the eyes of the world. All the presently existing conspiracy theories about all kinds of issues (September 11; moon-landing; etc. etc.) will become insignificant and pale by comparison.

The Tragedy of War

The Washington Times wrote on March 12, 2012:

“Reports of a lone solider allegedly massacring 16 Afghan civilians was a body blow to the image of U.S. troops fighting the difficult, decade-long war there. Sunday’s deadly rampage southwest of Kandahar came shortly after days of rioting following revelations that NATO forces had improperly disposed of religious writings, including Korans. It’s been a difficult few weeks in the battle for Afghan hearts and minds.

“Critics of the war have rushed to declare that this dreadful action by a lone, reportedly troubled soldier delegitimizes the entire effort. The troubling event, however, says more about the nature of war than the particulars of American policy or the need to meet our objectives in Afghanistan…

“Promoting the war has been a hard sell lately. An ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted last week shows that by 2-1 Americans think the war in Afghanistan isn’t worth fighting, and 54 percent think America should withdraw its military forces even if the Afghan army isn’t adequately trained. The same poll showed the public evenly split on President Obama’s conduct of the war; the approval bump he received in May from the death of Osama bin Laden has vanished.

“The current drama is an unfortunate propaganda victory for the Taliban. Insurgents denounced the ‘sick-minded American savages’ and called for retribution. Of course, Taliban umbrage must be kept in context. Killing noncombatants is a matter of policy for them…

“More will be revealed about the killings and why they took place, but the damage to trust and confidence has been done… Instead, this senseless incident is a reminder of the terrible costs of even the most just war – to the innocent people who can be its victims, to the men sent to fight it, and to the people on the home front who seem only to hear about it when the news is too dreadful to bear…”

When will man learn that his wars never bring lasting positive results? Christ told His followers, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Since America is calling itself a “Christian nation” (notwithstanding President Obama’s claim that it is not), why doesn’t it follow then one of the most basic and incontrovertible tenets of Christianity?

Germany Woos Afghanistan in Light of US Debacle

ABC News reported on March 12, 2012:

“President Obama said Monday that the shooting of 16 Afghan villagers, apparently by a U.S. soldier, underscores the need to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.”

However, this is not the way Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel sees it.

The Local wrote on March 12, 2012:

“The point has not yet been reached where Germany can say ‘we can pull out today,’ Merkel said as she visited troops stationed in Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of Afghanistan… Tensions were running high in Afghanistan as Merkel arrived following the rampage by the US soldier who killed 16 villagers including women and children in their homes in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar on Sunday. In a telephone call to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Merkel vowed that everything would be done to investigate what she called ‘the dreadful act of the US soldier’. She expressed her personal condolences and those of the German people to Karzai for the outrage…

“Merkel also congratulated Karzai for progress made in building up Afghan security forces while he in turn expressed gratitude for Germany’s commitment to peace in the country. She also urged Kabul to push forward the political reconciliation process with armed groups like the Taliban.

“The massacre in the Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan added to roiling anti-Western sentiment in the war-ravaged country over the burning of the Koran at a US base… last month… The Koran burning ignited days of violent anti-US protests in which some 40 people died, plunging relations between foreign forces and their Afghan allies to an all-time low. Sunday’s killing spree came as the United States and Afghanistan pursue difficult talks on securing a strategic pact to govern their partnership once foreign combat troops leave Afghanistan in 2014. The proposed accord would likely cover the legal status of any US troops remaining in Afghanistan to help Kabul with intelligence, air power and logistics in the fight against Taliban insurgents…

“Germany is the third biggest supplier of troops to the 130,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force… after the United States and Britain… The German mission, the first major Bundeswehr deployment outside of Europe since World War II, has been consistently unpopular in the country. Shortly after her arrival, Merkel paid homage to the more than 50 German soldiers killed in Afghanistan since NATO-led troops first went into the country in 2001…”

Deutsche Welle added on March 14, 2012:

“German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere arrived in Afghanistan on Wednesday to visit troops after signing a military cooperation deal with neighboring Pakistan a day earlier. Arriving just two days after Chancellor Angela Merkel, the German defense minister is there to reassure Kabul and NATO that the scheduled 2014 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is still on target. On Monday, Merkel had caused some confusion when she said on a surprise visit to Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of [the] country that reconciliation with insurgents had not made enough progress to allow foreign troops to leave…”

One will have to wait and see whose position will prevail—Merkel’s or Maiziere’s. In any event, while America’s influence in the world will diminish more and more, the influence of EU under German leadership will steadily increase.

The Financial Times Deutschland wrote on March 13, 2012: “These are signs that the relationship between the US and Afghanistan is more damaged than ever. It is possible that it can no longer even be repaired…” Die Welt added: “The terrible shooting rampage by a US Army sergeant that targeted Afghan civilians is not the reason that the war in Afghanistan was lost. The seeds of defeat were already contained in the overambitious political goals of the original military operation… if (the US) hadn’t had naively high expectations for Operation Enduring Freedom, it would not have dragged on for over a decade — and the US soldier, who was apparently severely mentally disturbed, wouldn’t have had a chance to kill children and women in his private nocturnal rampage.”

Germany Wants an EU Constitution

Reuters reported on March 9:

“Germany wants to reignite a debate over creating an EU constitution to strengthen the bloc’s ability to fight off financial troubles and counter-balance the rising influence of emerging economies, Germany’s foreign minister said on Friday. Guido Westerwelle said the bloc’s Lisbon treaty… was not enough to keep European decision-making structures effective… ‘I think we have to reopen the debate about a European constitution again,’ he said. ‘We have a good treaty, but we need a constitution … There are new centers of power in the world.’

“German government sources said representatives of several EU member states would likely meet in the next few weeks for talks. Driven by public frustration over financial bailouts for debt-stricken states, Germany has fought hard over the last year to amend the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, a watered-down version of the 2005 constitution proposal… For example, it wanted an amendment to incorporate tighter regional oversight of government spending and allow the European Court of Justice to strike down a member’s laws if they violated fiscal discipline. But Britain vetoed the plan in December in a row over safeguards for its financial sector.”

Even though some EU member states are presently opposed to an amendment of the Lisbon Treaty, the adaptation of a European Constitution is inevitable. It is not expected that Great Britain will sign it.

Should Germany Reinstate Monarchy?

The Local reported on March 14:

“Germany should reinstate its monarchy to speak to people’s emotions, make them proud of their country and even encourage them to have babies, according to Prince Philip Kiril of Prussia, great-great grandson of the last Kaiser [and a Protestant minister]. Speaking in Thursday’s edition of Die Zeit newspaper, Philip stressed that a monarch would be financially independent – and so would not be likely to accept presents from friends, such as those which led to Christian Wulff’s resignation from the presidency… ‘Of course a king should have a happy marriage. Of course the heir to the throne should marry,’ he said.

“And even the question of royal children was a legitimate matter for the public, he said. ‘When, as now in Sweden, a member of the royal family is born, what a joy goes through the country! Even the prime minister spoke of a happy day…’ The lives of a royal family lend a country stability, he said… He suggested that German politicians would even vote for a royal family to be reinstated, if it came to a vote – nearly a century after the last Kaiser was removed from the throne in 1918. Even left-wingers would be in favour, he suggested, pointing to Sweden where he said some socialists were also royalists. But even if the German royal family were to be reinstated, Prince Philip would not sit on the throne – that honour would go to Prince Georg Friedrich von Preußen, who is the direct heir and has said he would not want to see a royal restoration.”

In an accompanying article, the Local added:

“Germany got rid of its last Kaiser nearly a century ago, but the country remains fascinated by royals. One of the Kaiser’s descendants says royalty would help the country… The Kaiser’s descendants still live aristocratic lives even though the royal family was abolished in 1918 after defeat in World War I. And last summer, the wedding of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia attracted not only a good showing of European royal guests but also the attention of the German public. They are still excited by the royal families of nearby countries, and positively gorged themselves on last year’s wedding of British Prince William, which was broadcast live on four national television channels

“A possibly increasing acceptance and even popularity of Germany’s home grown monarchy is no doubt linked with the young, educated and affable Prince Georg. His rare public appearances, fresh-faced good looks and reticence would certainly offer a contrast to the grey-haired politicians representing the country. Germany’s presidential post has hardly been covered in glory recently, having been held by two politicians, one of whom resigned arguably too early, the other too late. The debacle over Christian Wulff’s resignation prompted one of the Kaiser’s great-great grandsons to argue this week that a monarchy would be good for the country.”

The Bible says in Revelation 17 that ten European “kings” will give their power and authority to the beast—a political and military leader—prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Whether these “kings” will be literal monarchs or just political leaders of their respective countries will have to be seen.

Europe Awakens to Iranian Nuclear Threat

Reuters reported on March 9:

“Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ron Prosor, said on Friday that he is concerned about the slowness of the international community regarding Iran’s nuclear program but is encouraged by the fact that Arab countries are speaking out against Iran… Prosor said that Israel’s diplomatic efforts in regards to the Iranian nuclear threat are like a train ‘traveling from London to Paris at a very fast speed,’ whereas the international community’s efforts regarding Iran are like ‘a slow running train which stops at every station.’

“Prosor said, however, that he is seeing reasons for optimism in what he described as the awakening of the European countries regarding Iran, a fact which is reflected in the latest rounds of sanctions on the Iranian oil industries… ‘The recent sanctions against the Iranian central bank and its oil industry show that Europe has awakened to the Iranian nuclear threat.’ He added that recent reports by the International Agency for Atomic Energy… are a public statement of the international community that leaves no room for doubt that Iran has a military weapons program… When asked whether he has heard Arab diplomats saying behind closed doors that they support an attack on Iran, Prosor responded with ‘Yes.’”

Europe’s involvement in the affairs of the Middle East will multiply.

New EU Parliament Chief Martin Schulz on Course of Confrontation

The EUObserver wrote on March 8:

“The European Parliament can make or break laws in the EU but is considered something of an irrelevancy among the general public, something its new chief wants to change through some old-fashioned confrontation. In the job for a little under two months and finding it an ‘enormous challenge’ to be ‘prudent and impartial,’ Martin Schulz says that his institution is always at risk of disappearing in the public eye…

“A real institutional player since 2010 when the latest EU treaty gave it law-making powers in virtually all policy areas, the 736-member house suffers the inferiority complex of having an ever-decreasing vote turnout and the ignominy of being considered only a rubber-stamping institution. The only way to change the status quo and make the institution a household name is through political fisticuffs, he believes. ‘I’m a fighter. I am trying to put the European Parliament in a confrontation with the heads of government,’ said the German politician, who cemented his combative reputation during his time as leader of the socialists. In marked contrast to his more discreet predecessor, Schulz is content to be seen in disagreement with prime ministers.

“He has highlighted differences with the leaders of Hungary and the Netherlands, both on the EU’s radar over rights issues. His biggest bugbear is the European Council – the increasingly powerful forum for EU leaders. ‘The role of the European Council is the biggest problem in terms of oversight by the European Parliament – that is why I insist on being present [at EU summits].’ Schulz has just two years to put the parliament on the political map.”

The European Parliament will become more and more influential under the leadership of a charismatic figure. Ultimately, the European member states will be willing to give autocratic and dictatorial powers to a future political leader.

Russia’s and Europe’s Dubious Roles

On March 12, Stratfor Global Intelligence published a report on Germany strategy pertaining to Russia. Even though much of what is being said appears far-fetched and unreasonable, as well as outright wrong, we are quoting a few excerpts which are worthwhile considering:

“Germany was divided after World War II. Whatever the first inclinations of the victors, it became clear that a rearmed West Germany was essential if the Soviet Union was going to be contained. If Germany was to be rearmed, its economy had to be encouraged to grow, and what followed was the German economic miracle. Germany again became the most dynamic part of Europe… Germany needs the European Union to survive for both political and economic reasons.

“Germany must be considering an alternative strategy. Its relationship with Russia is such a strategy… Germany’s current strategy is to preserve the European Union and its relationship with France while drawing Russia closer into Europe…

“A German-Russian relationship would have the potential to tilt the balance of power in the world. The United States is currently the dominant power, but the combination of German technology and Russian resources — an idea dreamt of by many in the past — would become a challenge on a global basis…The Russo-German relationship already exists and is deepening. Germany thinks of it in the context of the European Union…”

The Bible shows that Germany will become the dominant leader of a united Europe, but it is also very likely that Europe, under German leadership, will enter into a temporary alliance with Russia—especially to create a challenge to the United States. However, as was the case with the German-Russian treaty under Hitler and Stalin, this alliance will not last, and Europe and Russia will become again deadly enemies. For further developments pertaining to Russia and other Far Eastern nations, please view our StandingWatch program, which was posted on YouTube about 1 year ago, and which received so far in excess of 69,000 views. It is titled, “When Will Russia Attack Israel?”

For further troubling evidence of Russia’s real intensions, note the following article by the Independent, dared March 14:

“Russia insisted yesterday that it would not halt arms shipments to Syria even as evidence mounts that the regime is committing crimes against humanity, with a rights group today releasing a sickening dossier of the torture inflicted on those who oppose President Bashar al-Assad… Despite this growing evidence that the arms it sells the regime are being used against civilians, Russia remains defiant. ‘Russia enjoys good and strong military technical co-operation with Syria, and we see no reason today to reconsider it,’ [Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister, Anatoly] Antonov said yesterday. ‘Russian-Syrian military co-operation is perfectly legitimate,’ he added. Mr Antonov admitted that Russia has military instructors on the ground in Syria training the Syrian army.”

In addition, Haaretz wrote on March 14:

“The United States has asked Russia to deliver an ultimatum to Iran, warning the Islamic Republic that it has one last chance for talks before a military strike, the Kommersant daily quoted Russian diplomats as saying on Wednesday. According to the Russian newspaper, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York on Monday to tell Tehran that it has one last chance to solve the conflict peacefully by making progress in the talks with the P5+1 group – United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany. Otherwise, an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities will occur within months, the diplomats said… Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a series of television interviews, said last week that an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities could take place within months…”

It will have to be seen what Russia will do in respect to the other one of its two allies in that part of the world—these two allies being Syria and Iran.

Israel and USA on Course of Confrontation

Haaretz reported on March 12:

“Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin announced Monday he is banning a delegation of MKs from attending a women’s conference in Washington this month because the United States has denied entry to MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union). MKs Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) and Einat Wilf (Atzmaut) were scheduled to take part in a four-day conference on women that begins March 25 and will be hosted by the U.S. Congress. They were due to sit on a panel with U.S. congresswomen and to launch a collaborative project between the Knesset and Congress. Gal-On, Hotovely and Wilf were also scheduled to attend a reception at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

“The U.S. refusal to grant entry to Ben Ari because of what it said are his ties to a terrorist group amounts to ‘an assault on the Knesset as a whole,’ Rivlin said Monday. ‘The United States’ allegation that an MK is a terrorist is unacceptable.’ Ben Ari is a long-time follower of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party is outlawed in Israel and is considered a terrorist organization in the United States.

“The National Union MK applied for an entry visa to the United States last month so he could participate in two conferences, one of which is aimed at promoting immigration to Israel. The U.S. consular staff said Ben Ari’s application was denied based on the State Department’s prerogative to ban terrorists from entering the country.”

It is amazing how diligent the USA seems to be to create repeatedly unnecessary problems for themselves and others—even with respect to close allies such as Israel. Such foolish conduct will bear bitter fruit. The Bible states that in the end time, the USA and Great Britain are ruled by “children,” and it predicts that the relationship between the USA and Israel will deteriorate and might end up in open hostility.

Obama and Cameron Meet in Once-Burned White House

USA Today reported on March 14:

“President Obama formally welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron to the White House today — and what ceremony would be complete without some jokes about how the British army once burned the place down? ‘It’s now been (nearly) 200 years since the British came here to the White House under somewhat different circumstances,’ Obama said, referring to the attack on Washington in 1814… Cameron returned the favor, saying he was ‘a little embarrassed’ at what his ancestors wrought two centuries ago, but ‘I can see you’ve got the place a little better defended today. You’re clearly not taking any risks with the Brits this time,’ Cameron cracked…

“Of course, the United States and Great Britain made up after the War of 1812, and have remained allied in a ‘special relationship’ ever since. ‘One constant’ in an ever-changing world has been ‘a rock solid alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom,’ Obama said. Cameron said the Americans and the British can always count on each other ‘when the chips are down.’… Obama also joked that the Americans and the British ‘speak the same language — most of the time…’”

In spite of the jokes, the Bible says that the relationship between America and Great Britain will deteriorate as well.

Smoking Bans Work

The Local wrote on March 13:

“The smoking ban in German pubs and cafes, even patchily implemented, has clearly reduced the number of heart attacks over the last few years, a report published on Tuesday says. The study, conducted by the DAK-Gesundheit statutory health insurer showed a reduction in heart attacks by eight percent since 2007, while angina attacks – often a precursor to heart attacks – were down by 13 percent.

“The insurer said it had evaluated hospital data of more than three million patients across Germany over the last five years – the biggest study in the world on the effects of a smoking ban. The first year of the smoking ban had resulted in 1,880 fewer hospital treatments, and saved the health care system €7.7 million, said Herbert Rebsche, CEO of DAK-Gesundheit.

“He said the state of Bavaria had imposed the most significant smoking ban in Germany, and its example should be followed by other states.  Carola Reimann, chairwoman of the parliamentary health committee called for the states – which determine health policy – to be more consistent over smoking bans. ‘I wish that all states would act like Bavaria and uniformly reject exceptions,’ she said on Tuesday.”

Pink Slime for School Lunches

Northesthio.com reported on March 6:

“Just a little over a month after McDonald’s announced they would stop using ‘pink slime’ in their hamburger patties, the ammonia treated meat has found a new home. According to the Huffington Post, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is purchasing seven million pounds of the slime for school lunches. The product officially termed ‘Lean Beef Trimmings’ is a ground-up combination of beef scraps, cow connective tissues and other beef trimmings that are treated with ammonium hydroxide to kill pathogens like salmonella and E. coli. It’s then blended into traditional meat products like ground beef and hamburger patties.

“The controversy surrounding the ‘pink slime’ stems from the fact that it… is not nutritionally equivalent to ground beef. The ammonium hydroxide also has the potential to turn into ammonium nitrate—which is a common component of homemade bombs. The USDA’s plan to buy the meat comes only weeks after the government announced new guidelines to ensure students get healthier options for school lunches.”

It is a shame that the US government is willing to feed American students with “pink slime,” while stating at the same time that they should be given healthier options. How political all of this is, can also be seen in the next article.

“Pepsi Next” Uses Cells Derived from Aborted Fetus

LifeSite.net reported on March 5:

“The Pepsi Company, which is set to release the new product Pepsi Next in the coming weeks, is facing a more robust boycott as pro-life activists protest the company’s use of cells derived from an aborted fetus in flavor-enhancing research. But Pepsi has succeeded, with help from the Obama Administration, in keeping its controversial operations from consideration by its shareholders.

“In a decision delivered Feb 28th, President Obama’s Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled that PepsiCo’s use of cells derived from aborted fetal remains in their research and development agreement with Senomyx to produce flavor enhancers falls under ‘ordinary business operations.’

“The letter signed by Attorney Brian Pitko of the SEC Office of Chief Counsel was sent in response to a 36-page document submitted by PepsiCo attorneys in January, 2012. In that filing, PepsiCo pleaded with the SEC to reject the Shareholder’s Resolution filed in October 2011 that the company ‘adopt a corporate policy that recognizes human rights and employs ethical standards which do not involve using the remains of aborted human beings in both private and collaborative research and development agreements.’

“PepsiCo lead attorney George A. Schieren noted that the resolution should be excluded because it ‘deals with matters related to the company’s ordinary business operations’ and that ‘certain tasks are so fundamental to run a company on a day-to-day basis that they could not be subject to stockholder oversight.’ Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director of Children of God for Life, the organization that exposed the PepsiCo-Senomyx collaboration last year was ‘appalled by the apathy and insensitivity’ of both PepsiCo executives and the Obama administration. ‘We’re not talking about what kind of pencils PepsiCo wants to use – we are talking about exploiting the remains of an aborted child for profit,’ she said. ‘Using human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) to produce flavor enhancers for their beverages is a far cry from routine operations!’

“PepsiCo also requested the resolution be excluded because it ‘probed too deeply into matters of a complex nature upon which shareholders cannot make an informed judgment.’ ‘In other words, PepsiCo thinks its stockholders are too stupid to understand what they are doing with the remains of aborted children,’ Vinnedge stated. ‘Well they are about to find out just how smart the public really is when they turn up the heat on the world-wide boycott!’ Oklahoma Senator Ralph Shortey has proposed a bill SB1418 banning the sale of products that are developed with or contain aborted fetal remains. In the case of Pepsi products, the cells derived from the aborted fetus do not end up in the final product… To date, the world-wide boycott has expanded to include Canada, Germany, Poland, UK, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand.”

For the US government and the Pepsi Company to say that the “use of cells derived from aborted fetal” to “produce flavor enhancers” for soft drinks deals with “the company’s ordinary business operations,” is sickening and also tragic evidence for the amoral state of affairs in the USA.