Withdrawal of US Troops from Germany Bad Sign
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 2:
“US former National Security Advisor John Bolton criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Germany, in an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag published on Sunday… The decision to remove some 12,000 troops out of Germany is ‘a sign – and not a good one – of what lies ahead if Trump is re-elected,’ he warned…
“In his book The Room Where It All Happened Bolton has accused Trump of putting his own political interests above national security interests and the well-being of the US… When it comes to national security, Trump ‘follows no political philosophy, no strategic thinking,’ the 71-year-old said. He added that the consequence now is that ‘we are less secure today than we were before his arrival in office.’”
In his book, Bolton cites numerous examples and incidents, which, if true, would indeed be of great concern.
The Bundeswehr to the Rescue?
Deutsche Welle wrote on July 31:
“Germany should do more for its own security, Defense Minister Annagret Kramp-Karrenbauer said [adding] she would hold talks after the summer break with the leaders of the affected German states to discuss ‘how the Bundeswehr can support the affected regions.’… It was not immediately clear how the German military would attempt to fill the gap left behind by the US departures.”
But that the thought is mentioned is more than interesting.
Almost Half of Germans Welcome Withdrawal of US Troops
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 4:
“Nearly half of people in Germany are in favor of a US plan to withdraw nearly 12,000 of its troops from the European country… Some 47% of survey respondents said they supported reducing the number of US soldiers in Germany. One in four was in favor of all US soldiers leaving. Just 28% thought the number of US troops should remain the same and only 4% were in favor of increasing their numbers. Another 21% declined to answer…
“Of Germany’s six parliamentary groups, five oppose US troops leaving Germany. Only the country’s left-wing die Linke Party — which supports a complete withdrawal of all US troops — is in favor of the move. Voter opinion, however, tended to differ from that of the parties they support. People who generally vote for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU were largely against the troops leaving, with more than 40% opposed. Among supporters of all other parties, the majority was in favor of the withdrawal, to varying degrees.”
It would have been helpful if the article had explained as to WHY almost half of the Germans are favoring the withdrawal of the US troops. The result of the poll, all by itself, tells us little or next to nothing. But note the next article for a possible explanation.
US-German Relationship Beyond Repair
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on August 4:
“The notion that US-German relations during the pre-Trump era were exclusively cordial and free of controversy or recrimination is belied by the facts. The Cold War was largely defined by the division of Germany into East and West, and the resulting debate about German reunification between the US and the Soviet Union…
“The Ostpolitik policies of Chancellor Willy Brandt likewise frustrated US and NATO leaders, who saw West Germany’s efforts at détente with the Soviet Union, East Germany and other East Bloc European nations as a symptom of greater German independence from the dictates of NATO and the West. West Germany was ground zero for the anti-nuclear movement that swept Europe in the early 1980s following the US’ effort to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles onto European soil. This came in response to the Soviet deployment of SS-20 missiles, which triggered the collapse of the government of Chancellor Helmut Schmidt due to a vote of no confidence.
“While the signing of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in 1987, and the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent German reunification in 1989, helped repair US-West German relations, the US involvement in the Gulf War in 1990-91 did not receive German support. While Germany rallied behind the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this support did not extend to the US’ decision to invade Iraq in 2003; German recalcitrance prompted then-Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld to belittle Germany as part of ‘Old Europe.’ Gerhard Schroeder, who served as German chancellor from 1998-2005, worked towards closer relations with Russia, especially in the field of energy – an action that raised the hackles of the US government.
“When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, many Germans believed that he would usher in an era of improved relations… only to be disappointed by the reality that the problems souring US-German relations were larger than one man. Successive spy scandals in 2013 and 2014 involving eavesdropping by the US on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone, and the recruitment by the CIA of senior German officials, only confirmed to many Germans the reality that the US did not view their nation as a friend, but rather a potential adversary. The US’ use of military bases in Germany to conduct armed drone attacks against targets in the Middle East likewise drew the ire of many Germans, who believed their sovereignty was violated by such actions.
“Seen in this light, the deterioration of US-German relations under President Trump is not a new phenomenon, but rather a continuation of a decades-long slide which finds the two nations at odds over critical policy issues involving international peace and security, European independence, and relations with Russia… Trump’s actions in ordering the withdrawal of US troops from Germany are… the byproduct of a dysfunctional US-German relationship that has been devolving for decades… The worsening relationship between the two countries is tied to a clash between American exceptionalism and German notions of European sovereignty, which no US or German leader can paper over with gestures and speeches…”
Please view our new StandingWatch program, “US German Friendship Has Ended! Are You WAKING UP???”
Consequences of Nuclear Attack on Germany
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 5:
“A nuclear attack on Germany’s biggest cities would kill hundreds of thousands of people instantly… Tens of thousands more would be plagued by long-term illnesses such as cancer…
“Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of the date the US dropped a nuclear bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima during World War II, instantly killing over 70,000 people. It was the first nuclear weapon ever used in warfare…
“[A] simulation examines three potential scenarios in Germany, dpa reported. One considers the effects of a nuclear attack on Berlin, Germany’s political center and capital. A relatively small bomb with an explosive energy of 20 kilotons — equal to the explosive force of 20,000 tons of dynamite — would kill some 145,000 people immediately. Of these, 25,000 would be killed by the resulting pressure and heat wave while the other 120,000 would be killed by the effects of nuclear fallout radiation on the surrounding area. ‘In addition, there would be more than 50,000 later deaths due to cancer,’ the report said.
“The second scenario estimates that around half a million people would die instantly were a nuclear bomb weighing 550 kilotons to hit Frankfurt, Germany’s financial hub. Just over half of the victims would be killed by the waves of heat and pressure as well as the immediate effects of radiation.
“A third scenario considers the effects of an attack on Germany’s Büchel airbase in western Germany, where… the US is storing nuclear weapons with an explosive force of 170 kilotons each. In such a case, the software estimated a total of 130,000 immediate deaths, with around 107,000 due fallout radiation…
“In an act of protest against nuclear weapons, Greenpeace on Wednesday flew a hot air balloon near the Büchel airbase. ‘Mass killings like those caused by the atomic bomb on Hiroshima must never happen again,’ Greenpeace spokesman for nuclear disarmament, Christoph von Lieven said Wednesday. The German government must ensure that not only are US soldiers withdrawn from Germany… but nuclear bombs as well, he added.”
A nuclear attack on German cities is prophesied.
Conservatives Unhappy with Trump
npr wrote on July 31:
“After voting for President Trump in 2016 and staunchly defending him in conservative publications… Steven Calabresi, co-founder of the powerful conservative legal organization, is now calling on the House of Representatives to do again what it has already done once this year: impeach Trump.
“In a scathing opinion piece in The New York Times published online Thursday, the Northwestern University law professor points to what ignited his newfound ire with the president: a tweet Trump sent out shortly after news broke Thursday morning that the U.S. economy had suffered its biggest recorded contraction ever last quarter. ‘With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA… Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???’ Calabresi declared himself ‘appalled’ by the tweet, which he characterized as ‘seeking to postpone the November election.’
“‘Until recently, I had taken as political hyperbole the Democrats’ assertion that President Trump is a fascist,’ the conservative legal scholar wrote. ‘But this latest tweet is fascistic and is itself grounds for the president’s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office by the Senate.’
“It was a remarkable turnaround for a man who as recently as November had accused House Democrats of conducting an ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘Kafkaesque “trial”’ in their Trump impeachment proceedings… ‘President Trump needs to be told by every Republican in Congress that he cannot postpone the federal election. Doing so would be illegal, unconstitutional and without precedent in American history,’ Calabresi warned. ‘Anyone who says otherwise should never be elected to Congress again.’
“Calabresi’s public distancing from the 45th president was applauded by other conservatives critical of Trump… Former national security adviser John Bolton…tweeted that Calabresi’s op-ed was ‘a must-read.’
“Trump, for his part, did not directly respond to his one-time ally’s demand that he be re-impeached. Instead, the president sought to portray his provocative suggestion that the election be delayed as stirring a needed public debate.”
Of course, Trump’s original tweet speaks for itself. We won’t comment as to whether it, all by itself, would be sufficient grounds for impeachment. We would state, however, that Bolton makes a strong case for impeachment in his book stating alleged facts which, if true, would go far beyond the Democrats’ botched and incompetent attempts of impeachment which were destined to failure from the outset.
Trump and Putin—Mussolini and Hitler?
Breitbart wrote on August 2:
“[In] Sunday on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said [this about Donald Trump and Putin:]
“‘I feel very strongly that he is Mussolini. Putin is Hitler… I don’t think he plans to leave the White House. He doesn’t plan to have a fair election. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to continue [to] hold on to office. That is why the American people had better wake up. I know a little bit about history, and I know how countries find their demise…’”
A modern “Hitler” will manifest himself soon, but not in the USA or Russia, but in Europe. A modern “Mussolini” might very well arise there as well.
China, Russia and Iran
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 1:
“China and Iran [are] in the process of negotiating a 25-year strategic agreement… [which] is apparently close to being signed… The deal foresees not only an economic partnership worth billions but also close military cooperation… China sees Iran as a major market for its commodities — and as a source of oil. Iran, for its part, hopes Chinese investments and its own exports will lessen some of the economic pressure of ongoing US sanctions.
“Tehran’s move toward Beijing is partly a reaction to the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement… But the US isn’t the only reason… Tehran is also disappointed that the Europeans have not lived up to their economic commitments…
“China and Russia were the only two countries that had maintained their economic ties with Iran, leading the Iranian government to see expanded ties with these two powers as the only viable option to save its economy from collapse. At the same time… Iranian politicians increasingly had the impression that US power and international standing had begun to decline under President Donald Trump… Together with Russia, Iran has resolutely supported Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the country’s civil war — and China has consistently backed their actions at the UN Security Council.”
This anti-Western cooperation is remarkable in light of the fact that at the beginning of the Millennium, it will be these and other powers which will try to invade the Promised Land, where the modern descendants of the houses of Israel (USA, UK, Canada and others) and Judah (the Jews) will live by that time.
Annexation Not Off the Table… Washington Being Blamed for Delay
The Times of Israel wrote on August 3:
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told his Likud faction meeting that Israel’s planned annexation of West Bank land is not off the table, but is being held up by the US administration. Netanyahu had declared his intention to move forward with the partial annexation of the West Bank, under the auspices of the US peace plan, from July 1, but that date came and went without any movement on the matter, and in recent weeks, the prime minister has been largely silent on the issue.
“Reports in recent months have indicated that the White House has cooled on the Israeli proposal, amid the raging coronavirus pandemic, race protests, upcoming national elections, and other considerations. The White House has said repeatedly that it is up to Israel to decide on annexation, but has yet to give a definitive answer as to whether it is prepared to support and recognize the unilateral annexation now of part or all of the 30 percent of the West Bank allocated to Israel in its peace plan. That would include all of the settlements along with the strategic Jordan Valley…
“Last month, Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin acknowledged in private conversations that no attention is currently being given in Washington to Israeli annexation plans, according to an Army Radio report. The US administration’s attention is elsewhere, the report claimed Levin had said, and ‘it is not listening’ when it comes to annexation.”
This would be in line with Trump’s constantly wavering positions which Bolton describes in his book. On the other hand, Trump may not be able to afford silence much longer on the issue of Israeli annexation.
Lebanon Explosion
The Economic Collapse wrote on August 4:
“2020 just keeps getting weirder. On Tuesday, an absolutely massive explosion caused a red mushroom cloud to rise high over the city of Beirut, Lebanon. It is being called ‘Beirut’s Hiroshima’, and the blast was heard as far away as Cyprus… It appears that the shockwave did even more damage than the initial explosion did, and at this hour a large portion of the city of Beirut lies in ruins… It is being reported that Beirut’s port ‘is totally destroyed’, and this comes at a really bad time because Lebanon is already in the midst of an epic economic collapse… many eyewitnesses are comparing the blast to a nuclear explosion… ‘This reminds me of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki,’ said Beirut Governor Marwan Aboud. ‘I have never seen such widespread destruction. This is a national catastrophe. This is a disaster for Lebanon…’
“Over the past couple of years, there have been so many moments when it seemed like a major war could break out at any time in the Middle East. And here in 2020, tensions are running higher than ever… It appears that it is just a matter of time before a huge war erupts in the Middle East, and it certainly isn’t going to take much to trigger one. So could this explosion push the region over the edge?
“Let us hope not, but without a doubt this blast is not going to help matters. The devastation that we just witnessed has caused great pain and anger in Lebanon, and terror groups such as Hezbollah will inevitably try to channel all of that pain and anger in a way that furthers their ultimate goals.”
A terrible war in the Middle East is prophesied to occur soon.
An Attack?
Breitbart reported on August 4:
“President Donald Trump reacted to the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, on the capital city’s waterfront. ‘It looks like a terrible attack,’ Trump said during a press conference at the White House on Tuesday. He said that he met with his generals to discuss the explosion and they estimated the explosion was an attack. ‘This was not some kind of manufacturing explosion type of event,’ Trump said. ‘This was a – seems to be, according to them. They would know better than I would. They seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind, yes.’… The Lebanese government confirmed that ‘highly explosive materials’ were stored in the area where the explosion occurred.”
Deutsche Welle added on August 4:
“Israel said it had nothing to do with the explosion, urging ‘caution around speculation.’ Hezbollah also said it had no indication of Israeli involvement.”
The Pardon of Assisi
Vatican News reported on August 2:
“Pope Francis invited everyone to receive the ‘Pardon of Assisi’, which can be obtained from the evening of 1 August until midnight on 2 August… ‘It is a plenary indulgence that may be received by partaking of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist and visiting a parish or Franciscan church, reciting the Creed, the Lord’s prayer and praying for the Pope and his intentions,’ the Pope pointed out. He recalled that the indulgence can even be obtained for a deceased person…
“The ‘Pardon of Assisi’ dates back to 1216, when Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and angels appeared before St. Francis. The apparition took place in the tiny Portiuncula, the chapel Francis had built in the Italian town of Assisi. When Jesus asked him [what] he desired for the salvation of souls, St. Francis asked for God to grant a plenary indulgence for all those who enter the chapel. The indulgence was later extended to anyone who visits a parish or Franciscan church on 1 August or 2 August.”
This is so blasphemous and idolatrous.
“The Lockdown Lunacy”
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on August 1:
“Well, the Virus Patrol sure has done it. In a fit of reckless overkill they have managed to vaporize six years of economic growth during the last 90 days… The real damage is far deeper, however, and is reflected in millions of small businesses permanently destroyed, tens of millions of households wiped-out financially and the vicious daisy chain of delinquencies, deferrals and defaults just beginning to rip through the $78 trillion edifice of debt which entombs the US economy…
“What is happening is an economic catastrophe the likes of which we have never seen before, even during the Great Depression of the 1930s. In fact, the worst annual decline back then was a 14.8 percent drop in 1932, while the entire peak-to-trough real GDP decline between 1929 and the 1933 bottom was 30.5 percent. So it would be fair to say that measured at an annualized rate, … Dr. Fauci and his Virus Patrol have now delivered a 32.9 percent GDP plunge, which single-handedly tops the entire contraction of the Great Depression…
“One manifestation of the Covid-Hysteria is the soaring level of ‘testing’ going on as people either try to get a hall pass in order to return to work or just plain run to the nearest testing station every time the media sends off new alarm bells. During April, for instance, which was the very worst month of the contagion in terms of serious illnesses and deaths, 5.2 million new tests were reported or 175,000 per day. By contrast, in July to date (thru the 29th), there have been 21.5 million new tests reported or an average of 745,000 per day. In a population that has been thoroughly exposed to the virus after five months, it is a given that with the number of tests soaring, the number of positive cases will rise proportionately.
“But that’s a misdirection because the real issue is the true medical severity of the new cases, and that has dropped precipitously. The death rate has dropped from 1,800 per day in April to 780 in July; and whereas 15-20 percent of new cases were being hospitalized in most states during April, that figure has now fallen to 2-4 percent…”
Why then the hysteria and more and more recommendations for lockdowns (which is pointed out below in additional articles)?
No Masks in the Netherlands
Daily Mail wrote on August 1:
“… while 120 countries in the world, including much of Europe, have ordered citizens to wear masks in public places to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Dutch are doing things differently.
“The nation’s top scientists, having examined key data and research, have declared there is no firm evidence to back the use of face coverings. Indeed, they argue that wearing the wretched things may actually hamper the fight against disease…
“’Face masks in public places are not necessary, based on all the current evidence,’ said Coen Berends, spokesman for the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. ‘There is no benefit and there may even be negative impact.’…
“Holland’s position is based on assessments by the Outbreak Management Team, a group of experts advising the government. It first ruled against masks in May and has re-evaluated the evidence several times, including again last week….
“The World Health Organisation has also been sceptical, warning that ‘widespread use of masks by healthy people in the community setting is not yet supported by high-quality or direct scientific evidence’. Although changing its advice in June to back the encouragement of mask wearing in some settings, the WHO lists 11 ‘potential harms’ that range from discomfort through to self-contamination and lower compliance with more critical preventative measures.”
And so, the debate among scientists goes on… but who is right, and who is wrong?
Wearing Masks
Target Liberty wrote on August 5:
“Governments in many parts of the land [USA] have ordered mask-wearing to ‘battle’ a virus that is about as deadly to the average American under 80 as hay fever. The mask-wearing order has resulted in near 100% compliance in such areas as California. It is a sign of cowering submission to the state [with] an added bonus of neighbors, and other busybodies, backing up the state orders with rants and rages for [those] who do not wear masks…
“The mask-wearing edicts are a relatively minor burden for those… who aren’t required to wear masks all day, but we don’t know what is coming down the road in terms of future tyranny. It is very important to learn now how to deal with different situations for the future when the stakes might be much higher.”
And that is VERY true.
The Fight for the Vaccine
The Associated Press wrote on August 2:
“Who gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine?… Traditionally, first in line for a scarce vaccine are health workers and the people most vulnerable to the targeted infection… For all the promises of the U.S. stockpiling millions of doses, the hard truth: Even if a vaccine is declared safe and effective by year’s end, there won’t be enough for everyone who wants it right away — especially as most potential vaccines require two doses.
“It’s a global dilemma. The World Health Organization is grappling with the same who-goes-first question as it tries to ensure vaccines are fairly distributed to poor countries — decisions made even harder as wealthy nations corner the market for the first doses…
“How to decide? The CDC’s opening suggestion: First vaccinate 12 million of the most critical health, national security and other essential workers. Next would be 110 million people at high risk from the coronavirus — those over 65 who live in long-term care facilities, or those of any age who are in poor health — or who also are deemed essential workers. The general population would come later…
“And it may be worth vaccinating entire families rather than trying to single out just one high-risk person in a household… Whoever gets to go first, a mass vaccination campaign while people are supposed to be keeping their distance is a tall order…”
None of that sounds too promising or reassuring.
Blue Blood of the Horseshoe Crabs for Coronavirus Vaccines
National Geographic wrote on July 6:
“Each spring… hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs clamber onto beaches to lay their eggs… For drug companies, it’s a crucial resource for making human medicines safe. That’s because their blue blood… provides the only known natural source of limulus amebocyte lysate, a substance that detects a contaminant called endotoxin. If even tiny amounts of endotoxin—a type of bacteria—make their way into vaccines, injectable drugs, or other sterile pharmaceuticals such as artificial knees and hips, the results can be deadly…
“Every year, pharmaceutical companies round up half a million Atlantic horseshoe crabs, bleed them, and return them to the ocean— after which many will die… Catching crabs and harvesting their blood is time-consuming, and the resulting lysate costs £48,000 per gallon.
“In 2016, a synthetic alternative to crab lysate, recombinant factor C (rFC), was approved as an alternative in Europe, and a handful of U.S. drug companies also began using it. But on June 1, 2020, the American Pharmacopeia, which sets the scientific standards for drugs and other products in the U.S., declined to place rFC on equal footing with crab lysate, claiming that its safety is still unproven.
“Starting in July, Swiss-based Lonza will begin manufacturing a COVID-19 vaccine for human clinical trials—and they’ll have to use lysate in the vaccine if they plan to sell it in the U.S…. conservationists fear that without rFC or other alternatives available, the ongoing burden on horseshoe crab blood for COVID-19 vaccines and related therapeutics may imperil the crabs and the marine ecosystems that depend on them.”
This sounds like a weird story from a science fiction novel.
Huge Demonstration in Germany Against Corona Restrictions
The Associated Press wrote on August 1:
“Thousands protested Germany’s coronavirus restrictions Saturday in a Berlin demonstration marking what organizers called ‘the end of the pandemic’… With few masks in sight, a dense crowd marched through downtown Berlin from the Brandenburg Gate. Protesters who came from across the country held up homemade signs with slogans like ‘Corona, false alarm,’ ‘We are being forced to wear a muzzle,’ ‘Natural defense instead of vaccination’ and ‘We are the second wave.’ They chanted, ‘We’re here and we’re loud, because we are being robbed of our freedom!’
“Police estimated about 17,000 people turned out… Protesters continued to a subsequent rally on a boulevard running through the city’s Tiergarten park, which police estimated drew 20,000 people.”
AFP wrote on August 1:
“Several politicians condemned the demonstration… Health Minister Jens Spahn [stated]: ‘Yes, demonstrations should also be possible in times of coronavirus, but not like this. Distance, hygiene rules and masks serve to protect us all…’”
Many on social media and those who were there claim that the actual figure of demonstrators was from 500,000 up to 1,3 Million. This figure has been disputed as a gross exaggeration. Still, what we are beginning to see is a possible confrontation between the Merkel government and Germans who are opposed to governmental restrictions. Several AfD representatives [from the opposition party] participated in the protest and were interviewed.
“Germans Are Waking Up. Americans Still Asleep”
Ron Paul wrote on August 3 in the Ron Paul Institute:
“Tens of thousands of Germans marched through Berlin on Saturday, proclaiming a ‘Day of Freedom’ and demanding an end to government-mandated face masks and ‘social distancing.’ The UK and Netherlands also saw large protests against their governments’ tyrannical actions in response to the coronavirus outbreak… the Berlin protesters held signs reading ‘We are being forced to wear a muzzle,’ ‘Natural defense instead of vaccination,’ and ‘We are making noise because you are stealing our freedom!’
“Good for them!
“The New York Times tweeted that the masses of Berlin demonstrators were all ‘Nazis’ and ‘conspiracy theorists.’ Does the ‘paper of record’ really want us to believe there were perhaps a million Nazis active in the streets of Berlin? Wouldn’t that be alarming?
“The fact is, Europeans are realizing that their government-mandated lockdowns did little or nothing to protect them from the virus, while causing economic catastrophe and untold human suffering. They likely looked around and noticed that Sweden, which never locked down its economy, rejected face masks, and kept its restaurants and other places of business open, did not fare any worse than the countries that have been turned into open air prisons for much of the year. In fact, Sweden had a lower death rate from the virus than strict lockdown states like the UK and France. No wonder people are starting to get angry.
“Unfortunately, while the Europeans are waking up, Americans are still asleep as our freedoms continue to be trampled. While Europeans demand an end to government tyranny, here we see states with minuscule new deaths returning to lockdown. It is as if all the wannabe tyrants from mayors to governors are finally realizing their secret dreams of ruling by decree. Their dreams are our nightmares!
“New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy put citizens ‘on notice’ that he will lock the state back down if people dare to go outside without a face mask or even to have guests inside their own homes!… The US government is dumping billions into a vaccine that may be less than 60 percent effective to prevent a virus that has something like a 99.8 percent survival rate. What kind of math is that?… the US government has just granted big pharma immunity from liability claims if the vaccine produces damaging side effects.
“They keep moving the goal posts to keep us terrified and isolated. First it was body counts and then ‘cases.’ The numbers have been so wildly off that it’s hard to trust any reporting. People are getting angry. They are confused. They are facing an economic depression of historic proportions. But worst of all, they are watching as Leviathan government snatches every last bit of freedom.
“Three cheers for the Europeans! Let’s hope America wakes up soon!”
The reports by the left-wing mass media (and also by conservative outlets such as mass tabloid Bild and others) about the demonstrations by labeling all of the protestors as Nazis was so foolish and so predictable. Let us also point out that the German and the European governments will not be silent either. They are determined to fight back and suppress any “dissenters” under the pretense of “public health.” Notice the next articles.
German Government Threatens Those Who Disagree
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 1:
“Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he wants tougher penalties for coronavirus rule breakers. ‘Anyone who deliberately endangers others must expect that this will have serious consequences for him,’ Altmaier told the DPA news agency. ‘We must not jeopardize the recovery that is just beginning by accepting a further increase in infections.’…
“The chief minister of Saxony-Anhalt state, Reiner Haseloff, warns against a new lockdown. ‘We cannot afford a second lockdown,’ Haseloff [said Saturday]. ‘Our economy would hardly be able to cope with that and in the end, it would also have a negative effect on the welfare state and its stability,’ he said.”
Deutsche Welle wrote on August 3:
“Saturday’s huge demo in Berlin against Germany’s coronavirus measures has raked up a new debate about the boundaries between the right to assemble and the protection of public health… By Monday, several German politicians had taken to their favored media outlets to condemn the demonstrators…
“In Germany, it’s up to local authorities to make the conditions under which demonstrations are permitted — though their hands are tied to a great extent by the German constitution, which enshrines the right to demonstrate except when demos turn violent, if participants are carrying weapons, or if their faces are covered (which of course raises its own legal headache in the coronavirus age)…
“Paulina Starski, a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, explained that the authorities can only shut down demonstrations if there’s a direct danger to public security… Of course, among the rules the police currently has to enforce are social distancing guidelines — so there are dangers to public security inherent during the outbreak of a highly contagious virus…
“The courts, meanwhile, have a duty to guard against constitutional violations, and, as Starski explained, will often side with people’s rights rather than the police if there is doubt — partly a lesson learned during Germany’s dark authoritarian past. As Starski added, there is certainly a danger that authorities could use coronavirus prevention measures to curtail constitutional freedoms. ‘Absolutely,’ she said. ‘The new rules during the hard lockdown led to a situation where the freedom of assembly was to a large extent de facto suspended…’”
Restrictions can be expected again and despite the questionable propaganda according to which most people allegedly welcome those, many will not do so for sure. Note the next article.
Shocking News from the UK
Express wrote on August 2:
“The Prime Minister was told by scientific advisers too much mingling between family groups is the main cause of an alarming rise in infections. It comes after Mr Johnson was forced to announce a slow down of the lockdown…
“Large swathes of the North of England were also told on Thursday night they were not allowed to enter other people’s homes. The shock announcement was made by Health Secretary Matt Hancock at 9pm on Twitter, and told over 4million people in areas of Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and East Lancashire separate households were no longer allowed to meet indoors.”
And so, we are afraid that in the UK under Boris Johnson’s wavering leadership, irresponsible lockdowns will be starting again.
News from Melbourne, Australia
Our local elder, Paul Niehoff, sent us the following report on August 2:
“At the moment about 600 people are being infected daily. Around 10 are dying, mostly in aged care homes. The premier has stated publicly on TV that he would not want to put his mother in one of these homes as their conditions are so bad. The premier has also declared a ‘state of disaster’ and a curfew from 8 pm till 5 am daily.
“The premier has now closed or dramatically reduced nearly all industry in Melbourne. It is estimated that 250,000 workers will be stood down for the next six weeks, with no promise of the shutdown ending then. All non-essential retail will go on-line. Some can order on-line and collect outside the store. Hair dressers and lawn mowing and garden maintenance are banned totally. Meat working plants are reduced in capacity by 33%, with all staff in full protective clothing. Construction sites are dramatically reduced in number of workers on site. Bottle shops will remain open. When I went shopping yesterday, at the first supermarket, absolutely all of the minced meat had gone. The second one did have minced meat available. But it shows how quickly food can disappear from the shelves.
“For healthy people, only one household member may go shopping each day. A disabled person may have an assistant but they must be separated. Outdoor exercise is allowed for a maximum of one hour per day. Shopping is limited to 5 kilometres radius unless the nearest supermarket is over that distance. Funerals can have 10 guests not including the officials. Weddings are banned although there may be compassionate exemptions. Acts of parliament have been suspended and police given greater powers.”
The last sentence should be of great concern.
Dr. Fauci Unwilling to Answer Jim Jordan
Breitbart wrote on July 31:
“Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) grilled Dr. Anthony Fauci during a House panel hearing Friday over whether the government should limit ongoing protests, like it has other activities, for fueling the spread of the coronavirus. ‘I’m not in a position to determine what the government can do in a forceful way,’ a visibly uncomfortable Fauci… said in responding to Jordan’s questions… ‘You make all kinds of recommendations,’ Jordan noted. ‘You made comments on dating, on baseball, on everything you can imagine … you just said that protesting increased the spread. I’m just asking, should we try to limit the protesting?’ ‘No, I think I would leave that to people who have more of a position to do that,’ Fauci… said…
“The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects both the freedoms to protest, and of religion, Jordan argued. He also noted that the government prevents some people from going to work to help hinder the spread of the virus. ‘Government is stopping people from going to church, Dr. Fauci,’ the Ohio Republican pointed out, later adding, ‘You’ve advocated for certain businesses to be shut down.’ Jordan asked, ‘Is there a world where the Constitution says you can favor one First Amendment liberty, protesting, over another, practicing your faith?’…”
Newsweek wrote on August 1:
“Tucker Carlson has once again criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci, this time over the infectious diseases expert’s answer before Congress to a question about the wisdom of protesters gathering in large numbers… Carlson praised Jordan for his questioning, saying, ‘There is nothing Dr. Anthony Fauci won’t opine on as long as it doesn’t offend the popular and fashionable left.’
“Carlson went on to say: ‘Fauci is 79, but maybe if he had like 22-year-old kids who were trying to make their way in this world in an economy that is headed down the tubes, thanks largely to his recommendations, he would feel differently. It’s not merely an inconvenience when your economy collapses. It’s the end of the American dream. That’s not a small thing…’
“Earlier this week, Carlson gave Fauci both barrels in a segment in which he called him ‘a hypocritical buffoon who refuses to admit what he clearly doesn’t know,’ adding that, ‘if you say that out loud they will cancel you… criticize Fauci, and you will disappear from the Internet.’
“Fauci enjoys considerable trust among Americans about his approach to the coronavirus. A poll in July showed that two-thirds of the public, or 67 percent, expressed trust in the public health official’s information about the pandemic…”
This poll, if true, does not speak much for an informed opinion of trust in a man who has made numerous wrong predictions and who has given numerous wrong recommendations.
In a somewhat related development, “America’s Frontline Doctors” did a video program last week in front of the US Supreme Court describing their practice of prescribing hydroxychloroquine for their patients with almost 100% success. They also were taking it themselves, just one or two tablets a week, and not catching the virus even though only wearing a mask and no other protective equipment. The video had over 17 million views before being taken down by Twitter etc. Anyone who put the video on their website had their website taken down also. It is available on small non-censored sites but most people would never find them and if someone tweeted the address of these websites, they were also taken down.
While Trump advocates the use of the medication for coronavirus treatment, Fauci opposes it, saying it has no effect and could even be dangerous. Note the next article.
Trump vs. Fauci and Birx
Mediaite wrote on August 3:
“President Donald Trump attacked Dr. Deborah Birx for the first time on Monday, in an apparent response to her warning that the United States is entering a ‘new phase’ of the coronavirus pandemic. ‘So Crazy Nancy Pelosi said horrible things about Dr. Deborah Birx, going after her because she was too positive on the very good job we are doing on combatting the China Virus, including Vaccines & Therapeutics. In order to counter Nancy, Deborah took the bait & hit us. Pathetic!’
“Trump was responding to Birx’s Sunday interview with CNN’s Dana Bash… Birx also used the opportunity to respond to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who reportedly accused her of helping Trump spread pandemic misinformation. Birx mostly shrugged off Pelosi’s criticisms by saying she had ‘tremendous respect’ for her. After that, Birx reaffirmed that she has seen alarming new pandemic data across the U.S.
“It also comes two days after Trump pronounced Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘wrong!’ for warning about the recent outbreaks that have happened. Trump repeatedly trashed Fauci in the past, but this appears to be the first time he has publicly gone after Birx.”
Now Dr. Fauci is also recommending to at least some states in the USA to reconsider lockdowns, while Dr. Birx is recommending that at least some people (being part of a family) should wear masks in their homes. What a time of confusion and lack of clarity and reliability. Fauci and Birx belong to Trump’s team. If Trump has no confidence in them, he should fire them.
No Public Charge Rule During Coronavirus Pandemic
Newsmax wrote on July 30:
“The Trump administration’s ‘public charge’ rule – which makes it more difficult for immigrants to obtain legal status if they use public benefits – cannot be implemented during the coronavirus pandemic, a federal judge ruled… [He] issued a nationwide injunction halting enforcing of the requirements. The matter is now likely to be heard by the Supreme Court, which in January voted 5-4 to move forward with the plan – but that was prior to the pandemic.
“The Department of Homeland Security started enforcing the rule in February. A group of state attorney generals from New York and other states had asked the court to issue an injunction against the rule, but their request was denied. In his opinion, Daniels wrote that since that ruling in April, the COVID-19 pandemic has gotten worse and ‘the irreparable harm and public interests that warrant an injunction have come into sharper focus.’ ‘We no longer need to imagine the worst-case scenario; we are experiencing its dramatic effects in real time,’ he wrote.
“Green card applicants who relied on social services as their primary means of financial support in the past could be denied permanent residency under what is known as the ‘public charge’ rule…”
Public Bible Burning in Oregon
Daily Wire wrote on August 1:
“Left-wing activists rioted in Portland on Friday night where they burned Bibles, set fires in the street, and tore protective boarding off of buildings… Numerous journalists who were on the ground said that the left-wing activists were trying to provoke a response from the federal agents inside…
“President Donald Trump announced late Friday night, ‘Homeland Security is not leaving Portland until local police complete cleanup of Anarchists and Agitators!’’
Violence All Around Us
The Week wrote on July 31:
“All week I’ve been haunted by a brief few seconds of video posted on Twitter late Sunday night by a student journalist in Eugene, Oregon. Two men face off at a protest — the one standing on the left is demonstrating for Black Lives Matter; the one on the right, sitting in a pickup truck, is a counter-protester. Each is pointing a handgun at the other’s face at point blank range. That’s us. That’s America during the long, hot summer of 2020…
“I see so much anger around me — at the grocery store, while driving, on television, online…
“So how does it play out? What if the next time opposing protesters point guns at each other’s faces, one of them pulls the trigger?…”
Frightening.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
