“The Conscience of the Colonel”– How the U.S. Government Damaged Its Own Case

On March 31, 2007, The Wall Street Journal wrote an amazing and eye-opening lengthy article, which falls into the category of must-read publications, explaining the unusual decision of a veteran prosecutor to refuse to proceed with the prosecution of a case, based on legal and moral grounds. The paper titled the article, “The Conscience of the Colonel.”

We are quoting the following excerpts from the article:

“When the Pentagon needed someone to prosecute a Guantanamo Bay prisoner linked to 9/11, it turned to Lt. Col. V. Stuart Couch. A Marine Corps pilot and veteran prosecutor, Col. Couch brought a personal connection to the job: His old Marine buddy, Michael ‘Rocks’ Horrocks, was co-pilot on United 175, the second plane to strike the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. The prisoner in question, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, had already been suspected of terrorist activity…

“But, nine months later, in what he calls the toughest decision of his military career, Col. Couch refused to proceed with the Slahi prosecution. The reason: He concluded that Mr. Slahi’s incriminating statements — the core of the government’s case — had been taken through torture, rendering them inadmissible under U.S. and international law…

“Guantanamo prosecutors estimate that at least 90% of cases depend on statements taken from prisoners, making the credibility of such evidence critical to any convictions. In Mr. Slahi’s case, Col. Couch would uncover evidence the prisoner had been beaten and exposed to psychological torture, including death threats and intimations that his mother would be raped in custody unless he cooperated…

“Col. Couch had his own misgivings. On his first visit to Guantanamo in October 2003, he recalls preparing to watch an interrogation of a detainee when he was distracted by heavy-metal music. Accompanied by an escort, he saw a prisoner shackled to a cell floor, rocking back and forth, mumbling as strobe lights flashed. Two men in civilian dress shut the cell door and told Col. Couch to move along. ‘Did you see that?’ he asked his escort. The escort replied: ‘Yeah, it’s approved,’ Col. Couch says. The treatment resembled the abuse he had been trained to resist if captured; he never expected Americans would be the ones employing it…

“By May 2004, Col. Couch had most of the picture relating to Mr. Slahi’s treatment, and faced a painful dilemma: Could he seek a conviction based on statements he thought were taken through torture, as permitted by President Bush’s November 2001 military commission order citing a ‘state of emergency?’ Or was he nonetheless bound by the Torture Convention, which bars using statements taken ‘as a result of torture…as evidence in any proceedings.’…

“In May 2004, at a meeting with the then-chief prosecutor, Army Col. Bob Swann, Col. Couch dropped his bombshell. He told Col. Swann that in addition to legal reasons, he was ‘morally opposed’ to the interrogation techniques ‘and for that reason alone refused to participate in [the Slahi] prosecution in any manner.’ An impassioned debate followed, the prosecutor recalls. Col. Swann said the Torture Convention didn’t apply to military commissions. Col. Couch asked his superior to cite legal precedent that would allow the president to disregard a treaty. The meeting ended when Col. Swann asked the prosecutor to turn over the Slahi files so the case could be reassigned, Col. Couch recalls…

“With the Slahi prosecution on ice, Col. Couch continued work on other cases — including another ‘varsity program’ prisoner, Mohammmed al-Qahtani, who, according to army report overseen by Gens. Schmidt and Furlow, had been made to wear women’s underwear, leashed, forced to perform dog tricks and berated as a homosexual. Col. Couch refused to use statements obtained during these interrogations. But he determined the prosecution could continue based on a separate source of evidence compiled by the FBI before Mr. Qahtani’s Guantanamo interrogation…

“In August 2006, [Col. Couch] took on a new assignment as a judge on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. Col. Couch says he’s still frustrated that the actions of the U.S. government helped ruin the case against Mr. Slahi. ‘I’m hoping there’s some non-tainted evidence out there that can put the guy in the hole,’ he says.”

Iraq “Celebrates” Four-Year U.S. Liberation

The Associated Press reported on April 9:

“Tens of thousands of Shiites – a sea of women in black abayas and men waving Iraqi flags – rallied Monday to demand that U.S. forces leave their country. Some ripped apart American flags and tromped across a Stars and Stripes rug. The protesters marched about three miles between the holy cities of Kufa and Najaf to mark the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. In the capital, streets were silent and empty under a hastily imposed 24-hour driving ban. Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered up the march as a show of strength not only to Washington but to Iraq’s establishment Shiite ayatollahs as well…

“The fiery cleric owes much of his large following to the high esteem in which Shiites hold his father, Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, who was assassinated in 1999 by suspected agents of Saddam Hussein… Iraqi soldiers in uniform joined the crowd of marchers which stretched for at least three miles and was led by a dozen turbaned clerics, a Sunni Muslim among them.”

Der Spiegel Online added on April 10:

“German commentators are pessimistic about the future of the country… Monday marked the fourth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein. But instead of celebrations, the tone in Iraq was set by angry anti-American protests. The powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called protests in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, on Monday. April 9 was the fourth anniversary of the tearing down of a giant statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, which symbolized the end of the dictator’s regime… German commentators Tuesday felt that the demonstrations were a sign of increasing pessimism in Iraq over the country’s future…

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘Four years after the end of the Baath regime, most Iraqis are in no mood to celebrate. If one believes the latest surveys, more than three quarters of the population want the Americans and their allies to withdraw, and they have never been so pessimistic about the future…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘There is not the slightest chance that the Shiites will convert to the ideal which is wanted by the United States, namely that of a multi-denominational, multi-national Iraq…

“Conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘(Iraq is) a country in civil war — four years after its liberation.'”

The EU and Britain

The Wall Street Journal wrote on April 4:

“On March 30, the EU’s foreign affairs ministers gathered in Bremen, Germany, to discuss Iran’s kidnapping of 15 British soldiers. The ministers refused to support the U.K. proposal to pressure the mullahs with the threat of revoking government export guarantees. Their joint declaration of course ‘deplores the continued arrest of 15 British citizens by Iran’ and ‘underlines the European Union’s unconditional support for the government of the United Kingdom.’ But that’s as far as their ‘unconditional support’ went. There was no diplomatic or economic boycott, not even the hint of one, let alone a military threat.

“The EU couldn’t muster the strength to support one of its most important member states. The lack of substance in the declaration stands in sharp contrast to the gravity of the incident. The British soldiers were in Iraqi waters and their presence was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council.

“The Iranian leaders created this incident to test the will of the West and demonstrate their own power… The EU reacted as the mullahs expected: it did nothing. It wouldn’t even threaten ending export guarantees, although Europe could easily bear the possible loss of these sales that make up only 1.5% of its total exports. Europe chose instead to handle Iran with kid gloves, just as it has for years.”

In Townhall.com, Charles Krauthammer wrote on April 6:

“Iran has pulled off a tidy little success with its seizure and subsequent release of those 15 British sailors and marines: a pointed humiliation of Britain, with a bonus demonstration of Iran’s intention to push back against coalition challenges to its assets in Iraq. All with total impunity… The quid pro quos were not terribly subtle. An Iranian ‘diplomat’ who had been held for two months in Iraq is suddenly released. Equally suddenly, Iran is granted access to the five Iranian ‘consular officials’ — Revolutionary Guards who had been training Shiite militias to kill Americans and others — whom the U.S. had arrested in Irbil in January. There may have been other concessions we will never hear about… Where then was the EU? These 15 hostages, after all, are not just British citizens, but under the laws of Europe, citizens of Europe. Yet the EU lifted not a finger on their behalf…

“Iran’s shaky economy is highly dependent on European credits, trade and technology. Britain asked the EU to threaten to freeze exports, $18 billion a year of commerce. Iran would have lost its No. 1 trading partner. The EU refused.”

The article goes on to lament, as did the previous article of the Wall Street Journal, that Europe could not have acted as they are too diversified and politically incompetent to do so. However, that is NOT the real reason. The cause for EU’s inactivity and Britain’s isolation is to be seen in BIBLICAL PROPHECY. For more information, read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.” Also, please view our latest StandingWatch program on this issue, titled, “Why Britain’s Humiliation?” 

Not Much Sympathy for Britain

The Daily Mail wrote on April 6 about the lack of sympathy for Britain, after the release of the sailors from Iran. And the subsequent inappropriate conduct of some of the British sailors, offering their story to the press for money, did not help to change the world’s view. Due to the national and international outcry, the British government reportedly prohibited its sailors to “sell” their story–a forced reaction… “too little too late.”

The Daily Mail wrote:

“Sympathy for Britain was in short supply around the world yesterday…

“IN IRAN, newspapers reported the release of the 15 British hostages with glee. The conservative Resalat daily called the affair ‘a slap in the face’ for ‘those countries that think they can violate Iran’s territory’. The hardline Jam-e Jam declared: ‘Britain gave guarantees, soldiers were released. Iran could skillfully humiliate the West in this incident.’…

“IN SAUDI ARABIA, which has troubled relations with Iran, newspapers voiced the widespread suspicion that a deal had been struck over the 15 Britons. ‘Whatever spin the British may be putting on the release of their 15 naval personnel… the whole incident has become a triumph for the Iranians,’ said Arab News, an influential English language daily.

“IN THE U.S.,… The Wall Street Journal said the Iranian objective had been to humiliate Tony Blair…

“IN ISRAEL, a headline in the Jerusalem Post declared: ‘Iran Shows Up Britain’s Weakness.’…

“IN ITALY, the leading daily Corriere della Sera said in an editorial: ‘… it seems that Great Britain [has] negotiated a deal with Tehran.’

“IN HOLLAND, De Volkskrant agreed.

“IN FRANCE, influential broadsheet Le Figaro gloatingly told its readers of Britain’s sense of shame at the outcome of the hostage crisis. The paper showed front covers of… daily papers under the headline ‘Britain has been humiliated!’

“IN AUSTRALIA, the Sydney Morning Herald said the hostage saga had been ‘too horribly familiar’ and that Tony Blair’s protests seemed ‘hollow’ because he has supported the U.S. over Guantanamo and CIA renditions. In the case of the sailors there had been ‘release after coerced confessions and guilty pleas’.”

Iran Defies the World

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 10:

“The international community has sharply condemned Iran for announcing on Monday, its ‘National Day of Nuclear Technology’, that it had begun industrial-scale nuclear fuel production. The move is a fresh snub to the UN Security Council.

“Iran’s ‘National Day of Nuclear Technology’ didn’t give the international community much to celebrate this year. Russia called Iran’s announcement that it had begun industrial-scale nuclear fuel production a ‘provocation,’ the United States said it was a further sign of Iran’s defiance of the international community, and the United Nations urged Iran to engage in dialogue.

“Tehran on Monday announced it had achieved a major expansion of uranium enrichment and begun operating 3,000 centrifuges — nearly 10 times the previously known number — in defiance of UN demands it halt its nuclear program or face increased sanctions…

“Iran’s announcement marks a shift from experimental atomic fuel work involving a few hundred centrifuges used for enriching uranium to a process that will involve thousands of machines. Western nations fear enrichment will bring Tehran closer to building atomic bombs. Iran, the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter, says it only wants the fuel to produce electricity so it can export more of its oil and gas. US analysts say 3,000 centrifuges are in theory enough to produce sufficient fissile material for a nuclear weapon, perhaps even within a year…

“The move showed Iran was ‘definitively going in the wrong direction,’ said the Foreign Ministry in Germany, which currently holds the European Union presidency. A foreign policy spokesman for Germany’s ruling conservative Christian Democrats, Eckart von Klaeden, said Iran posed the biggest threat to international security… Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, warned that if the UN imposes further sanctions, Iran may reconsider how much it cooperates with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The IAEA has been conducting inspections at a number of Iran’s nuclear sites. Larijani… added that the West must accept that its nuclear program is a fact and rejected halting enrichment as a precondition for talks.”

More Bad News for the U.S. Dollar

WorldNetDaily wrote on April 11:

“While the world press has focused on Iran’s plans to move ahead with enriching uranium, Tehran continues to wage economic war against the U.S. dollar behind the scenes.

“Tehran has reached a decision to end all oil sales in dollars, according to statements by Iran’s central bank governor… in Kuala Lumpur at the end of last month. Zhuhai Zhenrong Trading, a Chinese state-run company that buys 240,000 barrels of oil per day from Iran, approximately 10 percent of Iran’s 2.2 million barrels per day total output, has confirmed a shift to the euro for its Iranian oil purchases…

“Meanwhile, China which now holds $1 trillion in foreign reserve holdings, announced March 20 it will no longer accumulate foreign exchange reserves. This is more bad news for the dollar, since approximately 70 percent of China’s $1 trillion in foreign reserve holdings are held in U.S. dollar assets… The dollar has lost 9 percent of its value against the euro in the last year and is down 35 percent against the euro in the last five years.”

China and Japan Want Reconciliation

AsiaNews.It wrote on April 11:

“Starting today through to April 13th the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is in Japan on a state visit which observers describe as a milestone in the journey towards reconciliation between East Asia’s two super powers… There are three events which give particular meaning to Wen’s trip to Japan: talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; his speech to the Diet, the first ever made by a Chinese leader; his audience with the Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the imperial palace… The event is of great importance on a geopolitical level, both in an East Asian and world context.”

China and Japan will ultimately work closely together. In fact, according to Biblical prophecy, they will become part of a power bloc which will also be joined by Russia and India, among other Asian nations.

France, UK and Germany’s Increased Powers

The EUObserver wrote on April 5:

“Despite recent enlargement, the biggest EU states – France, the UK and Germany – have increased their power over EU decision-making, a Swedish study suggests. But Italy is punching below its weight, while sheer charisma helps some small EU countries boost their influence.

“The overcrowded negotiating table in the European Council – EU leaders’ meetings which normally take place four times a year – has made the bloc’s big players more eager to pool their powers in coalitions and bilateral agreements where size really matters, the report ‘Bargaining power in the European Council’ says… Despite the two recent enlargement rounds, France, Great Britain and Germany have grabbed more influence over EU decision-making, although formally, all member states have equal say, the report concludes.

“‘The European Council is a rather inhospitable environment for small and medium sized member states,’ the study’s author [Mr. Tallberg] stated in Brussels, explaining that the nature of the European Council, with negotiations carried out behind locked doors, offers greater leeway for power politics than any other EU institution. ‘The presidency gets together with the large member states and settles the matter among them, and then they ask the other states if they are in or not,’ Mr Tallberg explained.

“The report quotes Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker as saying that ‘greater member states have a greater say. We never admit it, of course, but one has to acknowledge that geography and demography are playing a role.’…

“Finally, an important factor for gaining bargaining power in the council is the personal qualities of EU leaders and their ability to generate authority, respect and trust among their European colleagues.”

The article also pointed out that presently, “Germany has relatively little say in matters of defence, due to its limited military capacity despite its position as the largest EU member state.” However, when a charismatic German or Austrian leader will arise on the world scene, that situation will dramatically change. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Do Millions of Bees Die Because of Pesticides?

AFP reported on April 6:

“US beekeepers have been stung in recent months by the mysterious disappearance of millions of bees threatening honey supplies as well as crops which depend on the insects for pollination. Bee numbers on parts of the east coast and in Texas have fallen by more than 70 percent, while California has seen colonies drop by 30 to 60 percent. According to estimates from the US Department of Agriculture, bees are vanishing across a total of 22 states, and for the time being no one really knows why…

“The situation is so bad, that beekeepers are now calling for some kind of government intervention, warning the flight of the bees could be catastrophic for crop growers. Domestic bees are essential for pollinating some 90 varieties of vegetables and fruits, such as apples, avocados, and blueberries and cherries…

“Scientists… believe… [that] a new kind of chemical product… could be weakening the insects’ immune systems. The finger of suspicion is being pointed at agriculture pesticides such as the widely-used neonicotinoides, which are already known to be poisonous to bees. France saw a huge fall in its bee population in the 1990s, blamed on the insecticide Gaucho which has now been banned in the country.”

If true, this would be another example of the incredible foolishness of man.

Politicians Influence and Respond to Second Part of UN Report on Global Warming

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 6:

“Climate change in the coming century may lead to disasters ranging from famine in Africa to the thinning of Himalayan glaciers, according to the long-awaited second part of an extensive United Nations report on global warming. More than 100 countries represented in the UN’s panel on climate change spent a tense Thursday night in Brussels trying to agree unanimously on the language of a final draft.

“The report, prepared by more than 2,500 scientists for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), provides the first confirmation from the entire international scientific community that the burning of fossil fuels by humans is one of the main culprits of global warming…

“The report claims that global warming will lead to desertification, droughts and rising seas and that those living in the tropics will be the worst hit — from sub-Saharan Africa to the Pacific islands. Billions could face water shortages, and ocean levels might rise for centuries to come. It could lead to a sharp drop in crop yields in Africa and bring heatwaves to Europe and North America. Europe’s Alpine glaciers will disappear and much of the coral that comprises Australia’s Great Barrier Reef will die from bleaching.

“The scientific conclusions — based on 29,000 sets of data — also said that up to 30 percent of the Earth’s species faced a higher risk of vanishing if global temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above the average in the 1980s and ’90s…

“The contents of the report, most of which had already been leaked to the media in recent weeks, prompted political leaders to call for action, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. ‘The report confirms that climate change is a fact,’ Merkel told the Munich daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. ‘That’s why we need quick and determined action to limit the rise in temperatures worldwide and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. I will also address the issue at the G-8 summit. My aim is, insofar as possible, to involve all states in taking responsibility for climate protection.’

“Merkel said she hoped recent European Union actions might help to push China and the United States — the world’s two largest sources of greenhouse gases — to do more to reduce emissions. In March the EU’s 27 member states agreed [to] cut greenhouse gas emission by at least 20 percent from 1990 levels over the next 13 years. In addition, it agreed that at least one-fifth of all of the EU’s energy would come from renewable sources by 2020…

“Originally, the report was to be released on Friday morning at 10 a.m., but the presentation was delayed for hours as heated discussions continued as countries like China, Russia and the US continued to lobby for the removal of parts of the report. US delegates also opposed a passage warning of the prospects of ‘severe economic damage’ to parts of North America. But the main tension in Brussels between some authors of the report and some political representatives was not over the scientific findings, but over a 21-page summary that would be shown to policymakers.

“Earlier this week, the summary said scientists had ‘very high confidence’ that natural systems around the world ‘are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases.’ ‘Very high confidence,’ in the language used by the report, translates to a 90 percent certainty. Delegates from China and Saudi Arabia lobbied for ‘high confidence’ instead, or 80 percent certainty — and after a dramatic hours-long protest by three scientists on Thursday night, the milder language went in. ‘The authors lost,’ said one of the scientists. ‘A lot of authors are not going to engage in the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) process anymore. I have had it with them,’ he told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

“Though Washington and Beijing ultimately succeeded in changing very little of the text, the political tug o’ war drew sharp criticism in Germany. ‘We are happy that we were able to prevent this kind of scientific vandalism in the end,’ Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel told Reuters TV. ‘The people have a right to find out about the consequences that threaten them if we are unable to stop climate change.'”

Historic Cold Weather in Charlotte, N.C.

Charlotte.com reported on April 9:

“A historic cold weather outbreak shattered records this morning in Charlotte and elsewhere in the Carolinas, producing bone-chilling conditions for Easter sunrise services… The polar air outbreak that began Thursday reached the bottom this morning, when temperatures dropped to 21 degrees at 7 a.m. at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. That not only broke the low-temperature record for the date, but it was the coldest for any April day in Charlotte history… Sleet fell Saturday afternoon in parts of Texas, including the Dallas and Austin metropolitan areas. It was the first time in 70 years that frozen precipitation fell in April in those areas.”

Quake Lifts Island Out of the Sea

AFP reported on April 7:

“The seismic jolt that unleashed the deadly Solomons tsunami this week lifted an entire island metres out of the sea, destroying some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs. In an instant, the grinding of the Earth’s tectonic plates in the 8.0 magnitude earthquake Monday forced the island of Ranongga up three metres (10 foot).

“Submerged reefs that once attracted scuba divers from around the globe lie exposed and dying after the quake raised the mountainous landmass, which is 32-kilometres (20-miles) long and 8-kilometres (5-miles) wide.”

This occurrence reminds us–as a very tiny and small forerunner–of prophesied powerful earthquakes in the future, when “every mountain and island” will be “moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:14; compare, too, Revelation 16:20).

A Spooky Apparition in Rome

The Daily Mail reported on March 30:

“When retired policeman Andy Key went on a trip to Rome, he was struck by the beauty of sunlight streaming through a window in the Vatican. As the Pope made an address nearby, he decided to capture the stunning image on his camera. But it was only when Mr Key, 48, and his wife Susan, 44, returned home and downloaded their photographs that they noticed a strange apparition in the picture.”

The article added: “Professional photographers have studied Mr Key’s photo and are at a loss to explain what may have caused the image.”

The article speculated that this “apparition” might have been the picture of an “guardian angel.” However, Key was also quoted as saying: “I snapped the picture and didn’t notice anything until I got home. It looks almost like a hologram. I thought it was really spooky.”

The article published several pictures of that “apparition.” We would agree that “spooky” would be the operative word. The Bible has much to say about “apparitions,” but they are not in any way connected with God’s holy angels. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

Two Highly Controversial US Supreme Court Decisions

— Bush Administration Loses on Global Warming…

In one controversial decision, the US Supreme Court disagreed with the Bush Administration on issues related to global warming.

Reuters reported on April 2:

“In a defeat for the Bush administration, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a U.S. government agency has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions that spur global warming. By a 5-4 vote, the nation’s highest court said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] ‘has offered no reasoned explanation’ for its refusal to regulate carbon dioxide and other emissions from new cars and trucks that contribute to climate change. The ruling in one of the most important environmental cases to reach the Supreme Court marked the first high court decision in a case involving global warming. President George W. Bush has opposed mandatory controls on greenhouse gases as harmful to the U.S. economy, and the administration has called for voluntary programs instead of regulation. The states and environmental groups that brought the lawsuit hailed the ruling…

“Writing for the court majority, Justice John Paul Stevens… said the EPA can avoid regulation only if it determined that the gases do not contribute to climate change or if it provided a reasonable explanation. ‘If the scientific uncertainty is so profound that it precludes EPA from making a reasoned judgment as to whether greenhouse cases contribute to global warming, EPA must say so,’ he said…

“The court’s four most conservative members — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, both Bush appointees, and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — dissented. They said the environmental groups and the states lacked the legal right to bring the lawsuit in the first place. ‘No matter how important the underlying policy issues at stake, this court has no business substituting its own desired outcome for the reasoned judgment of the responsible agency,’ Scalia wrote.”

— But Wins on “Enemy Combatants”…

In another highly controversial decision, which appears to be inconsistent with prior renderings of the same court, the US Supreme Court sided with the Bush Administration on issues related to the retention of alleged “enemy combatants” without indictment, due process or trial.

AFP reported on April 2:

‘The US Supreme Court Monday decided dozens of Guantanamo Bay prisoners had no right to challenge their detention in federal court, handing the Bush administration a major victory for its ‘war on terror’ legal strategy. Only three of the nine judges on the court said they would be prepared to examine the… petition [which] was filed on behalf of inmates of the Guantanamo camp in Cuba, who have little prospect of facing formal charges, a tribunal or a return to their home countries… Monday’s decision was the latest dramatic legal chapter in a fiery debate over the treatment of Guantanamo inmates that brought the ‘war on terror’ into conflict with civil liberties provisions of the US constitution.”

The Associated Press added on April 2:

“… none of the roughly 385 detainees has yet had a hearing in a civilian court challenging his detention because the administration has moved aggressively to limit the legal rights of prisoners it has labeled as enemy combatants… ‘This is a perfect example of justice delayed is justice denied,’ said Washington lawyer Tom Wilner, who has represented Guantanamo detainees since May 2002. ‘All these people ever wanted was a fair hearing.’… ‘We’re disappointed and for us this is a delay that is unconscionable,’ said Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, which has led the fight to gain court access for the detainees…

“In 2004, the justices ruled that the courts can hear the detainees’ cases, saying that prisoners under U.S. control have access to civilian courts, no matter where they are being held…

“In 2006, the justices ruled that President Bush’s plan for military war crimes trials, envisioned for a small number of Guantanamo Bay detainees, is illegal under U.S. and international law… After the justices’ ruling in 2006, CONGRESS… enacted the law which blocked detainees from coming into U.S. courts and established new rules for the military trials.”

Tsunami Devastates Solomon Islands

The Associated Press reported on April 2:

“Tsunamis triggered by an undersea earthquake crashed ashore in the Solomon Islands on Monday, wiping away entire villages and setting off alerts from Australia to Hawaii, officials said. At least 13 people were killed, and the prime minister warned that the toll would likely grow. In the South Pacific nation’s west, where the devastation appeared the most dense, there were reports of people being swept away as waves plowed up to a half-mile inland. The magnitude-8 quake — the strongest to hit the archipelago in more than three decades — was followed by more than two dozen aftershocks, including at least four of magnitude-6 or stronger…

“The magnitude-8 quake struck shortly after 7:39 a.m. six miles beneath the sea floor, about 215 miles northwest of the Solomons capital, Honiara, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Within five minutes, waves 10-16 feet tall roared ashore and went up to half a mile inland, inundating buildings and sending thousands fleeing for higher ground, witnesses said… The Solomon Islands is an impoverished archipelago of more than 200 islands northeast of Australia, with a population of about 552,000 people, that lies on the Pacific Basin’s so-called ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of volcanos and fault lines where quakes frequently happen. The last time a quake this strong struck the Solomon Islands was in 1971, when it was struck by a pair of magnitudes 8 and 8.1 temblors.

“Monday’s earthquake occurred when the Australian tectonic plate suddenly dived beneath the Pacific plate, said David Wald of the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado… In 2004, a magnitude-9 quake sent tsunami waves slamming into the coastlines of a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean’s rim, killing about 230,000 people.”

Europe Angry at USA and Australia

AFP reported on April 2:

“European anger at the United States and Australia, the only two major countries to reject the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases, spilled over here on Monday as UN scientists prepared to deliver a damning report on climate change… As the four-day meeting got underway, European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas spelt out the latest plans for cutting European Union (EU) greenhouse-gas emissions through ever-tighter, legally binding curbs. He compared that with the voluntary approach of the United States, which he bluntly named ‘the number one emitter in the world.’ ‘(The US) approach doesn’t help in reaching international agreement and doesn’t reduce (US) emissions, because they are right now 60 percent above the 1990 level,’ Dimas observed tartly… ‘We expect the US to come closer and NOT TO CONTINUE WITH A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE in international negotiations… it’s absolutely necessary that they move.’…

“The EU championed the Kyoto Protocol after it was abandoned by the United States in March 2001. It sets the only specific global target for reducing carbon emissions… the treaty has been almost crippled by the absence of the United States, which alone accounts for about a quarter of all this pollution. President George W. Bush, in one of his first acts in office, said he would not put the draft to the US Senate for ratification. Bush said US commitments under Kyoto were too costly and the accord was unfair, as only industrialised countries — and not fast-growing large developing ones such as China and India — are bound to make targeted cuts. Australia has followed the United States in refusing to ratify Kyoto… EU leaders last month vowed to unilaterally cut the 27-nation bloc’s emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 and deepen this to 30 percent if other partners follow suit. But, to EUROPEAN FRUSTRATION, that offer has so far found no echo — and the US-Australian pitch for a voluntary approach is seen in some quarters as a spoiling tactic.”

The Iran Crisis–Iran “Pardons” British Sailors

On April 4, The Associated Press reported about an announcement by the Iranian government to release 15 British sailors. The article explained:

“President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defused a growing confrontation with Britain, announcing the surprise release of 15 captive British sailors Wednesday and then gleefully accepting the crew’s thanks and handshakes… The announcement in Tehran was a breakthrough in a crisis that had escalated over nearly two weeks, raising oil prices and fears of military conflict in the volatile region. The move to release the sailors suggested that Iran’s hard-line leadership decided it had shown its strength but did not want to push the standoff too far… Syria, Iran’s close ally, said it played a role in winning the release… Ahmadinejad… declared that even though Iran had the right to put the Britons on trial, he had ‘pardoned’ them to mark the March 30 birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and the coming Easter holidays… During Ahmadinejad’s news conference, the hardline president said Britain had sent a letter to the Iranian Foreign Ministry pledging that entering Iranian waters ‘will not happen again.’ … the standoff showed that Tehran has ways to push back after the U.S. and Britain beefed up their military presence in the Persian Gulf this year.”

In spite of the announcement of the release, the recent crisis has revealed remarkable frightening and embarrassing developments for Great Britain, Europe, as well as the United States, as the following articles show.

The Iran Crisis–Britain Left Without Real Support

On April 2, Der Spiegel Online discussed the controversy between Iran and Britain in its article, titled, “A Dangerous Game of Power and Propaganda.”

The magazine wrote:

“In the drama surrounding the 15 captured British sailors, Tehran is resorting to propaganda while London is relying on the West for support… British Prime Minister Tony Blair was quick to register his ‘disgust’ with the Iranians’ parading of his country’s sailors on television. He had frozen his government’s relations with Tehran the day before. On Sunday about 200 Iranian students threw firecrackers and bricks into the British embassy compound. On Monday Iranian television showed fresh footage of the naval personnel, saying they had all admitted to entering Iran illegally…

“Ali Larijani, the Iranian national security advisor, criticized London’s alarmism and called it ‘stupid and misplaced’ — as if hostage taking hasn’t already been a hallmark of Tehran’s foreign policy for decades. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demanded an ‘apology.’ London, for its part, threatened Iran with more than just diplomatic action if it did not promptly release the British hostages. The markets, the most important seismograph when it comes to earthquakes on the international political front, reacted immediately, and the oil price began creeping back up to the $70 level.

“In the past this would have been enough to start a war, with one power provoking and another being forced to take action — if only to avoid losing face. In the last century, the game the Iranians were playing with the British at the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab would have been a classic maneuver designed to produce one outcome: war…

“British Prime Minister Tony Blair OUGHT TO HAVE NO TROUBLE GAINING ALLIES against a country under as much international pressure as Iran and securing the prompt release of the prisoners. BUT THIS ISN’T THE CASE, because the simple question the British face from enemies and, indirectly, from friends is this: Why exactly are you in the Gulf region in the first place? LIKE AN EVIL CURSE, the war George W. Bush and Blair launched against Iraq is heightening tensions throughout the region with each month that passes. Knowing that most countries question the legitimacy of the Western presence, Ahmadinejad can take full advantage of the crisis. That starts with no longer having to pay serious attention to threats from Bush or Blair, leaders generally regarded as too weak to engage in another showdown.

“Under these circumstances, it was to be expected that Blair and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett believed, in the first days after the kidnapping incident, that bilateral contacts would be the best way to gain the prisoners’ release… But by Tuesday, the fifth day of the hostage crisis, the climate at home in Britain had changed. The London Times clamored over the ‘pusillanimous timidity of British officials and politicians, who have failed disgracefully to confront Iran with the ultimatum this flagrant aggression demands.’… Blair was in a tight spot. He had warned the Iranians against parading their hostages on TV, as they had done in a comparable case in 2004, but his warning merely encouraged the Iranians to do just that…

“By then the time to err on the side of caution had ended, at least for the British. London asked its European friends for their support, asked its Middle Eastern partners to mediate and even appealed to pro-Iranian groups Hezbollah and Hamas for their help. When the British asked the UN Security Council to condemn the kidnappings they were dealt their FIRST PAINFUL DEFEAT in the current crisis. Instead of complying with the British request, the Security Council merely voiced its ‘deep concern’ over the affair. Russia, a veto power, suggested that the two parties to the conflict return to bilateral negotiations. Nevertheless, at a meeting last Friday in Bremen, which had actually been convened to discuss tentative signs of improvement in the Middle East conflict, the EU foreign ministers lent their support to London and asked their chief diplomat Javier Solana to appeal to the Iranian president. However, NO ONE IN BREMEN MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT OTHER EU COUNTRIES FOLLOWING IN BRITAIN’S FOOTSTEPS AND PUTTING THEIR RELATIONS WITH IRAN ON ICE until the prisoners are released.”

The Iran Crisis–Prompted by USA?

Britain’s The Independent wrote on April 3, 2007:

“The botched US raid… led to the hostage crisis,” continuing: “How a bid to kidnap Iranian security officials sparked a diplomatic crisis.”

The newspaper pointed out:

“A failed American attempt to abduct two senior Iranian security officers on an OFFICIAL visit to northern Iraq was the starting pistol for a crisis that 10 weeks later led to Iranians seizing 15 British sailors and Marines… The aim of the raid, launched without informing the Kurdish authorities, was to seize two men at the very heart of the Iranian security establishment. Better understanding of the seriousness of the US action in Arbil – and the angry Iranian response to it – should have led Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence to realise that Iran was likely to retaliate against American or British forces such as highly vulnerable Navy search parties in the Gulf… The two men were in Kurdistan on an official visit during which they met the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, and later saw Massoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), at his mountain headquarters overlooking Arbil… The attempt by the US to seize the two high-ranking Iranian security officers openly meeting with Iraqi leaders is somewhat as if Iran had tried to kidnap the heads of the CIA and MI6 while they were on an official visit to a country neighbouring Iran, such as Pakistan or Afghanistan…

“US officials in Washington subsequently claimed that the five Iranian officials they did seize, who have not been seen since, were ‘suspected of being closely tied to activities targeting Iraq and coalition forces’. This explanation never made much sense. No member of the US-led coalition has been killed in Arbil and there were no Sunni-Arab insurgents or Shia militiamen there.

“The raid on Arbil took place within hours of President George Bush making an address to the nation on 10 January in which he claimed: ‘Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops.’ He identified Iran and Syria as America’s main enemies in Iraq though the four-year-old guerrilla war against US-led forces is being conducted by the strongly anti-Iranian Sunni-Arab community…

“The raid in Arbil was a FAR MORE SERIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE ACT. It was not carried out by proxies but by US forces directly. The abortive Arbil raid PROVOKED A DANGEROUS ESCALATION in the confrontation between the US and Iran which ultimately led to the capture of the 15 British sailors and Marines – apparently considered a more vulnerable coalition target than their American comrades.”

Is the USA Losing Another Ally?

The Australian News reported on April 2:

“One of the most enduring strategic relationships in the Middle East is showing signs of serious strain, after a series of public accusations and diplomatic snubs by Saudi Arabia against its erstwhile allies in Washington. The row came to a head last week when King Abdullah, the Saudi monarch, used his opening speech at the Arab League summit to CONDEMN THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ AS ILLEGAL, and went on to declare that the ARAB WORLD WOULD NOT ALLOW FOREIGN FORCES TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THE REGION… The Bush administration was put out by the comments from a ruler regarded as a close friend by George W. Bush and the President’s father, George Sr.

“… the clash over Iraq follows a spate of recent incidents suggesting the damage to the relationship extends beyond this issue. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi national security adviser, flew to Washington last week to offer King Abdullah’s apologies that he would not be able to attend a state dinner in his honour at the White House this month. No reason was offered for the snub, but observers suggest the Saudis may be DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM WASHINGTON in a bid to improve their standing in the region.”

Why do the USA and Great Britain find themselves–more and more–isolated and alone on the political world scene? You will find the surprising answers in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Germany Sends Fighter Jets to Afghanistan

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 3:

“Germany on Monday increased its contribution to the NATO force in Afghanistan by deploying six Tornado jets. The planes will be used for reconnaissance in southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban insurgency threatens international peacekeepers and Afghan citizens alike… Germany has refused to send Bundeswehr troops into southern Afghanistan — a stance that has at times drawn criticism from its international ISAF partners. A recent TNS poll taken for SPIEGEL showed that 57 percent of Germans believe the country should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan as soon as possible.

“With public support waning, [German Minister of Defense, Franz Josef ] Jung took pains Monday to express the restricted role the Tornados will play. The Tornados, he said, would aid in the fight against the Taliban, but he cautioned that efforts would be taken to ensure that the civilian population was not harmed in operations that benefited from the reconnaissance. And while the Tornados will be equipped with weapons, they will only be used in cases of self-defense.”

As in every war, such a “noble” position is simply impossible to maintain. There WILL be casualties, to be sure, and the big question is, how will the Germans react when that happens?

Crisis in Ukraine

Der Spiegel Online reported on April 3:

“Ukraine has plunged into its most serious political crisis since the 2004 Orange Revolution. A shaky truce between pro-Western and pro-Russian camps has broken after President Yushchenko ordered parliament to be dissolved… Ukraine’s simmering internal power struggle has escalated into a dangerous stand-off after PRO-WESTERN President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree to dissolve parliament and called new elections, a decision the assembly said was akin to a coup.

“The United States called on both sides to remain calm as PRO-RUSSIAN Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, supported by the parliament, urged Yushchenko to withdraw the decree or risk plunging the country into an uncertain future. Parliament says it will withhold government funding for the election, scheduled for May 27… ‘I have signed a decree today to disband parliament. I have taken this decision in line with the constitution,’ Yushchenko announced on Monday. ‘My actions were prompted by a crucial need to preserve the state, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.’ Parliament said the decree ‘bears all the signs of a step towards a coup d’etat’ and said the chamber would defy it…”

Very Active Hurricane Season Predicted

The Associated Press reported on April 3:

“The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be ‘very active,’ with nine hurricanes and a good chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast, a top researcher said Tuesday. Forecaster William Gray said he expects 17 named storms in all this year, five of them major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. The probability of a major hurricane making landfall on the U.S. coast this year: 74 percent, compared with the average of 52 percent over the past century, he said.

“Last year, Gray’s forecast and government forecasts were higher than what the Atlantic hurricane season produced. There were 10 named Atlantic storms in 2006 and five hurricanes, two of them major, in what was considered a ‘near normal’ season. None of those hurricanes hit the U.S. Atlantic coast — only the 11th time that has occurred since 1945. The National Hurricane Center in Miami originally reported nine storms, but upgraded one storm after a post-season review.

“Gray’s research team at Colorado State University said an UNEXPECTED LATE EL NINO contributed to the calmer season last year. El Nino — a warming in the Pacific Ocean — has far-reaching effects that include changing wind patterns in the eastern Atlantic, which can disrupt the formation of hurricanes there.

“A weak to moderate El Nino occurred in December and January but dissipated rapidly, said Phil Klotzbach, a member of Gray’s team. ‘We do not think that’s going to be an inhibiting factor this year,’ Klotzbach said.

“The team’s forecasts are based on global oceanic and atmospheric conditions. The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, averages 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes per year. The devastating 2005 season set a record with 28 named storms, 15 of them hurricanes. Four of those hurricanes hit the U.S. coast, the worst among them Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and leveled parts of the Gulf Coast region. Gray has spent more than 40 years in tropical weather research. He heads the Tropical Meteorology Project at Colorado State.”

Strange Beliefs of Orthodox Christianity

The Associated Press reported on April 2 about some rather strange comments by Pope Benedict XVI–leaving the reader wondering whether the pope was speaking “in jest”–or whether he was actually serious. In commenting on the anticipated declaration of sainthood of late Pope John Paul II, the news report stated:

“Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he can already hear the voice of John Paul II among the saints, indicating on the second anniversary of his predecessor’s death that he too was fully in favor of canonization… In the communion of saints, it seems we can hear the living voice of our beloved John Paul II, who from the house of his father, we are sure, continues to accompany the Church,’ Benedict said.”

The article continued pointing out additional rather strange-sounding requirements for becoming a Roman Catholic saint:

“On Monday, the congregation also received documentation concerning the purported miraculous recovery of a French nun, Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre, who says she was cured of Parkinson’s disease after she prayed to John Paul. The Vatican’s complicated saint-making procedures require that a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession be confirmed before beatification. A second miracle after beatification is necessary for canonization. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints will appoint medical experts to determine if there are medical explanations for the nun’s recovery. Theologians will then determine if the cure came as a result of prayer to John Paul. If panels of bishops and cardinals agree John Paul led a virtuous life and that the nun was indeed miraculously cured, they will forward the case to Benedict. He will then decide if his predecessor deserves to be beatified.”

All of this sounds rather incredible to a Christian believing in the literal teachings of the Bible. According to Scripture, a converted Christian is called a saint–while still alive (Psalm 16:3; Colossians 1:2). When he dies, he does not ascend to heaven (John 3:13; Acts 2:34), but he sleeps the sleep of death until his resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2). For more information, please read our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

EUROPE IS DESTINED TO UNITE!!!

This past weekend, Europe celebrated its 50th anniversary in Germany’s capital, Berlin. Whether people hate or love it–ridicule or admire it–the world has never seen anything like it in recent history. Bible prophecy predicted thousands of years ago that we will experience in these last days a powerful European Union, ultimately consisting of 10 nations or GROUPS of nations.

All critics notwithstanding, this is PREDESTINED to happen. In fact, the Bible predicted that it would be the last or final revival of the ancient ROMAN Empire! We are seeing the BEGINNINGS of a modern unified continental Europe developing RIGHT NOW in front of our very eyes. The Bible also says that when these things occur, the RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST is fast approaching!

Incredible Achievements

On March 23, The Wall Street Journal published an article by Mr. Trichet, president of the European Central Bank:

“Is there today a better symbol of peaceful European unity than the single currency, the euro, shared by 13 countries, 317 million fellow citizens and a single market across the whole continent?… the most important milestone for European integration was the Treaty of Rome, signed 50 years ago this Sunday. The choice of Rome was symbolic. For a long time, the ‘Eternal City’ symbolized a united Europe… The Treaty of Rome was an unlikely achievement… Europe has achieved even more than the founding fathers of the Treaty of Rome could have hoped for… The Union has also moved into new areas, such as foreign policy, and police and judicial affairs.

“Europe has crowned its single market with a single currency… today our 317 million fellow citizens of the euro area walk around with a little piece of Europe in their pockets… We will never know how a Europe without the euro would have weathered events such as 9/11, the bursting of the high-tech bubble or the oil shock. Under the roof of the euro, we had no intra-European turbulence… Europe is both old and new. It has the wisdom of a 2,000-year experience and the energy of a 50-year entity, which is extremely young in historical terms… And I am confident Europe will surmount its present political difficulty as it has done in the past.”

European Unification will not stand still, nor will it be complacent with just economic progress. And as the following articles will show, it becomes more and more obvious–as predicted in the Holy Scriptures–that Germany will be leading the United Europe, and that Britain will NOT be a part of it.

A European Army

The Times wrote on March 24:

“Angela Merkel got Europe’s 50th birthday weekend off to a controversial start yesterday when she said that the creation of a European army should be a key goal in its next 50 years… Mrs Merkel said that peace could not be taken for granted despite Western Europe’s longest period without internal conflict and suggested that a common army could help to bind countries closer together. Her suggestion was shot down immediately by Britain.”

It is VERY unlikely that it will take Europe 50 years to create a European army. The Bible strongly indicates that a European army will be in existence much sooner than that.

Der Spiegel Online added in this regard, on March 23:

“The idea of a European military force is not a new one. Indeed, the EU has been attempting to intensify its cooperation on foreign policy for years. The EU constitution, which was torpedoed by France and the Netherlands in the spring of 2005, had envisioned creating the office of a European Minister for Foreign Affairs, and in autumn of 2006, Europe sent an EU force to help provide security for elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Still, the idea of European countries sending troops abroad as part of an EU force remains a controversial one.”

Was It Foreseeable?

Der Spiegel Online quoted Angela Merkel, as follows:

“Europe should also be proud that it offers ‘freedom, the rule of law, and security for almost 500 million people in Europe. Who would have predicted that, 50 years ago?'”

In fact, the BIBLE did predict this more than 2,000 years ago–and the Church of God, under its late Pastor General, Herbert W. Armstrong, has announced this very initial development for more than the last 50 years. However, the face of a peaceful Europe will change in due course. People did not listen in the past to God’s true ministers–will they listen now?

Britain Strongly Opposed

In spite of Tony Blair’s eggshell dance, opposition of the British people to a united Europe is well-known, and critical voices are increasing. On March 23, The Daily Mail published an article, titled: “50 years of surrender to the EU.” The British tabloid pointed out:

“The leaders of those six countries – Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – who met in Rome 50 years ago were well aware that what they were setting in train was intended eventually to grow into something very much more than a mere ‘common market’. Even then, as we see from the documents of that time, they dreamed that it would be just the first step on the road to an eventual ‘European government’… Today’s European Union now has almost all the attributes of a fully-fledged state – its own flag, anthem and passport, its own ‘citizenship’ and currency, its own vast body of laws, governing almost every area of life. It is even on the way to establishing its own armed forces and police…

“For decades [the EU leaders] had been managing stealthily to take away the powers of national governments, without ever asking the peoples of Europe whether this was what they wanted… in no country, it appears, is the EU more unpopular than Britain… However unpopular the EU may have become, not just in Britain but all across Europe, we are stuck with this weird political construct, which now rules over our lives to a far greater extent than most people are aware of.

“One of the subtlest strategies employed by the EU, as it has gradually taken over more and more power from national governments, has been the way it has left each country’s national institutions in place. Monarchies and presidencies, national parliaments, civil services and legal systems have all been left standing, looking outwardly as if not very much has changed. Yet over the decades they have all been gradually hollowed out from within. Today, over vast areas of each country’s national life, the power to decide policies and make laws no longer lies in national capitals. It has been transferred to our new ‘supranational’ centre of government in Brussels. And the clever thing is how successfully most of this has been kept out of sight…

“Step by step we have seen our politicians handing over to this weird new system of government control over almost every aspect of our national life, from the power to decide who can come to live and work in Britain to the way our judges now have to interpret the law in our courts. What in fact we have witnessed over the past 50 years, has been in effect an immense, slow-motion coup d’etat. Our power to govern ourselves has been stealthily handed over to an entirely new kind of ‘supranational’ government, over which we no longer have any meaningful democratic say… Although half a century later it no longer enjoys the support of even half the 490 million people who must now live under it, it seems there is now nothing we can do to change it.”

Germany New Leader of Europe

In spite of criticism regarding the proposed EU Constitution, and even the “Berlin Declaration,” a two-page document about Europe’s success story, which was issued on Sunday, it has become clear that Angela Merkel and Germany have emerged as Europe’s leaders, expected to bring about further European unification. Bild Online wrote on March 25, “Merkel is now Miss Europe,” adding, “Europe listens to Merkel.”

The Herald Tribune wrote on March 25:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel took center stage of European politics Sunday, putting Germany back in the lead of European integration on a day that two of the bloc’s most controversial leaders probably attended their last EU summit meeting. Britain’s Tony Blair, an Atlanticist, is expected to leave office in May, and President Jacques Chirac of France, a Gaullist, announced last week that he would not be running for re-election when French voters elect a new president in two rounds of voting in April and May. Their exit from EU politics leaves Merkel as one of the few European leaders who might be able to bridge the differences between London and Paris that have divided the entire bloc. Over the past five years, Blair and Chirac have clashed bitterly over the U.S war in Iraq, the structure of the EU budget, particularly its large subsidies for agriculture, and the future shape of Europe. But together, they also advanced Europe’s defense policy…

“Merkel’s personal reminiscences, combined with a steely determination to make the EU more democratic, more efficient and united, confirm Germany’s rediscovery of its original role inside the EU. Fifty years ago, Merkel’s ideological mentor, Konrad Adenauer, was in Rome to sign the treaty. As Germany’s first chancellor after World War II, Adenauer embraced France to end the centuries of distrust that had so often proved destructive. It was no coincidence that throughout the public celebrations over the weekend – on Saturday night during a concert by the Berlin Philharmonic and Sunday during the signing of the Berlin Declaration – Chirac was seated beside Merkel.”

The Associated Press added on March 25:

“European leaders took a small but significant step Sunday toward overhauling the EU — and finally lifting the bloc out of two years of confusion and hand-wringing over its failed draft constitution. Politely but firmly nudged by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the assembled presidents and prime ministers vowed to seek a treaty establishing ‘a renewed common basis’ for the 27-member bloc before the next European Parliament elections in 2009. Merkel, who had made badgering phone calls right up to the end, urged… to quickly organize a conference that would come up with the treaty — whether a constitution or under some other name. She said leaders should agree [and ‘must decide’] on the terms of the conference at a June summit — before her six-month EU presidency ends.”

Europe’s Future Plans

AFP wrote on March 25:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the current EU president, said it was time to plot the way forward after the knock-out blow Dutch and French voters dealt a draft constitution in referendums in 2005. ‘We (Germany) are going to do everything that we can to prepare a roadmap,’ charting the way out of the political impasse over the constitution, Merkel told reporters after signing the declaration. Such a move could allow Portugal, which takes over the EU’s six-month rotating presidency in July, to call a meeting of member states to start drawing up a new treaty by the end of the year, she said. The aim would be to implement it before the 2009 European Parliament elections, she added… in interviews with German television, Merkel warned of the consequences of a second failure for any proposed European constitution… If this hurdle was not crossed, she continued, decision on internal security and the fight against terrorism would have to be approved unanimously. ‘We would not even be able to say how many commissioners the next Commission will have — we would not be able to pursue a dynamic policy.'”

The EUObserver added on March 25:

“The EU has marked its 50th anniversary with the adoption of the Berlin declaration in a ceremony in the German capital which saw EU leaders solemnly rise to hear Europe’s semi-official anthem, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. The anthem sounded through the German Historical Museum in Berlin which was packed with EU leaders, their wives and other EU VIPs on Sunday (25 March). The Berlin declaration was read out in a somewhat low-profile fashion by ex-German TV presenter Jo Brauner, while it was being signed by German chancellor Angela Merkel, current EU president, as well as European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering. All three signatories in their speeches used the occasion not only to look back on 50 years of ‘Europe’ since the 1957 Rome treaty – but also to give a clear political touch to the festive event by calling for a new EU treaty…

“Italy’s prime minister Romano Prodi, who spoke as the leader of the country where the Rome treaty was signed, gave the strongest pro-constitution speech. It was also in Rome where the disputed EU constitution was signed in 2004. ‘To continue building, we now need new rules, but not starting from zero,’ he said. ‘The treaty signed in Rome in October 2004 forms a very solid basis… a text signed by the 27 heads of state and ratified by 18 countries.'”

A United Europe–by the People for the People?

The Wall Street Journal wrote on March 26 about the methods which Europe uses to govern. The article pointed out:

“The trouble began with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to draft the [Berlin] declaration in a style akin to classic 19th-century secret diplomacy. The Czech government complained that by Thursday it had seen just 40% of the text. Berlin’s covert operation contradicted the stated goal of producing a ‘people’s document,’ one that would be short and clear and express Europe’s common principles, values and challenges. Ms. Merkel eventually had to show her cards and it led to the usual compromises and obfuscations…

“In a newspaper interview last week, Ms. Merkel diagnosed a certain alienation between the EU and its citizens, the root cause of which she located in the people’s alleged impatience with the slow pace of decision making in Brussels. ‘To change that we need an EU constitutional treaty,’ she said. Come again? The chancellor wants to fight the citizens’ alienation by ignoring democratic votes that expressed that very alienation?

“The Dutch government, for one, didn’t think it was a good idea to defy its voters. And so the declaration was downgraded to say governments agreed to ‘placing the European Union on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009.’ So much for ‘short and clear.’ This is vague enough for both sides to claim victory. The constitution’s supporters will interpret the language as a coded go-ahead to push through the text within the next two years. For the skeptics, it is simply a reference to making institutional changes, such as streamlining voting procedures, that a larger EU requires.

“Absent, too, is any reference to further enlargement. The EU just expanded to 27 members and there is little appetite among some governments to let in more ‘foreigners.’ While Britain and Poland, for instance, would like to proceed, Germany and France are more wary, particularly of Turkey… the Berlin Declaration sounds more like a call for the kind of ‘privileged partnership’ Ms. Merkel is fond of offering to Turkey in lieu of full membership.

“Just like the moribund constitution, the Berlin Declaration remains a godless document, literally. Proposals for an Invocation Dei, most loudly advocated by Poland, were rejected in secular Europe. Not even a reference to Europe’s Judeo-Christian heritage was allowed, even though that wouldn’t have been so much a call for God or religion as a simple statement of fact about the Continent’s cultural roots.

“The topics that made it into the text were less controversial — the euro, the common market, social responsibility, human dignity, equal rights, resolving global conflicts peacefully, fighting poverty and climate change. Also — and unusual for such documents in Europe — ‘the people’ made it into the declaration.

“‘We the citizens of the European Union have united for the better,’ the document pronounced in a rare nod to the voters (and, without acknowledging it, the U.S. Constitution). Even so, the leaders who speak for Europe’s citizens technically weren’t even speaking for themselves. The original plan was for all 27 leaders to sign the declaration. In the end, only the hostess, Ms. Merkel, and the heads of the European Parliament and Commission put their names under the text. It’s not that there wasn’t enough space for all the signatures on the dotted line. It has more to do with plausible deniability. Even after all the haggling and compromising, many governments were still uncomfortable with the text. Without the signatures, the nonbinding birthday card is even more nonbinding.”

Europe’s Confidential Talks

The EUObserver reported on March 25:

“Angela Merkel has said she will continue to apply her strategy of reviving the EU constitution by holding confidential talks with national officials, despite criticism that the strategy impedes democratic debate… The Merkel strategy consists of holding limited consultations with so-called sherpas – member states officials holding behind-closed-doors talks with the German EU presidency… [Merkel said:] ‘What I want to avoid is that every time there is a draft document, and when one of the 27 [member states] makes a small amendment, there has to be a broad debate on every single little change, that it becomes a matter of prestige… The real issue will be implementation. It is not good enough to have 27 signatories on a paper that cannot be implemented,’ the chancellor stated…

“Meanwhile, eurosceptic and pro-democracy groups are gearing up to fight any rapid resurrection of the EU constitution without citizens having a say in it… Law professor Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider, himself a strong opponent of the constitution, in 2005 filed a lawsuit against the charter… before Germany’s national constitutional court in Karlsruhe. The court said last October it would not rule on whether the EU constitution was compatible with the German constitution until after a final decision had been taken on the overall fate of the document. This ruling has impeded German president Horst Koehler from signing the ratification bill which was passed by the German parliament, with the president’s signature necessary for final ratification.”

A Permanent European President

The Daily Express wrote on March 25:

“Tony Blair is secretly backing plans to create a permanent President of Europe, in a move that could see him go head to head for the job with bitter rival Jacques Chirac. Senior Brussels sources revealed that Mr Blair was backing the idea as European leaders gathered in Berlin last night to mark the European Union’s 50th anniversary… Kim Darroch, Mr Blair’s personal envoy to the EU, has been told to use the negotiations to press for a permanent EU president to replace the current system, in which the presidency rotates among the member states every six months.

“The Prime Minister would be one of the favourites for the job, which would go to a former EU leader. His main rival would be the outgoing French president Jacques Chirac, who has clashed with Mr Blair over the future of Europe many times during the past decade.

“Supporters of the idea claim that a permanent president would provide greater continuity than the current system. Critics claim it would create a powerbase for greater EU centralisation on issues like foreign policy and defence. The president would be appointed by other EU leaders, rather than being directly elected. Neil O’Brien, director of the independent think tank Open Europe, warned that the new president would inevitably gain more powers as time went on.

“Mr O’Brien said: ‘It is very hard to see how the president would be accountable to the people.'”

Britain–The Sick Family of Europe

The Daily Mail wrote on March 19:

“Social breakdown has turned Britain into the ‘sick family of Europe’ and promises to be the major battleground for the next election, David Cameron warned yesterday. Creaking public services, irresponsible parents and rampant crime have stretched society to breaking point, the Tory leader said… Recalling the criticisms levelled at Britain in the 1970s before Lady Thatcher took over, Mr Cameron said: ‘It’s not that Britain is the sick man of Europe. We’re becoming the sick family of Europe… We’ve got a tax system that doesn’t recognise marriage. A benefits system that does recognise marriage but penalises it. In fact it penalises any form of commitment between two people. What sort of system is it that pays people to live apart? It’s got to change.'”

The Pope Speaks Out

On March 26, The Vatican Information Service quoted Pope Benedict XVI, as follows:

“If, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the governments of the EU wish to ‘get closer’ to their citizens, how can they exclude such an essential element of European identity as Christianity, in which a vast majority of that people continue to identify themselves?… it is becoming ever more indispensable for Europe to avoid the pragmatic approach, so widespread today, that systematically justifies compromise on essential human values, as if the acceptance of a supposedly lesser evil were inevitable… In such a context protection must be afforded to conscientious objection [in cases where] fundamental human rights are violated… I know how difficult it is for Christians to defend this truth. … But do not tire and do not be discouraged! You know your task is to contribute to building, with God’s help, a new Europe, realistic but not cynical, rich in ideals and free of naive illusions, inspired by the perennial and life-giving truth of the Gospel.”

In addition, The Times reported on March 27:

“Hell is a place where sinners really do burn in an everlasting fire, and not just a religious symbol designed to galvanise the faithful, the Pope has said.  Addressing a parish gathering in a northern suburb of Rome, Benedict XVI said that in the modern world many people, including some believers, had forgotten that if they failed to ‘admit blame and promise to sin no more’, they risked ‘eternal damnation — the Inferno’. Hell ‘really exists and is eternal, even if nobody talks about it much any more’, he said. “

For a true understanding on the existence or non-existence of hell and an “eternal inferno,” please read our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

The US War Over Iraq Intensifies

The Associated Press reported on March 29:

“Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from ‘the civil war in Iraq,’ dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief. In a mostly party line 51-47 vote, the Senate signed off on a bill providing $122 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also orders Bush to begin withdrawing troops within 120 days of passage while setting a nonbinding goal of ending combat operations by March 31, 2008… The Senate vote marked its boldest challenge yet to the administration’s handling of a war, now in its fifth year, that has cost the lives of more than 3,200 American troops and more than $350 billion. In a show of support for the president, most Republicans opposed the measure, unwilling to back a troop withdrawal schedule despite the conflict’s widespread unpopularity…

“The House, also run by Democrats, narrowly passed similar legislation last week. Party leaders seem determined that the final bill negotiated between the two chambers will demand some sort of timetable for winding down the war — setting them on course for a veto showdown with the president… Democrats acknowledge they do not have enough support in Congress to override Bush’s veto, but say they will continue to ratchet up the pressure until he changes course.”

Ridiculous German Poll–USA More Dangerous Than Iran

On March 29, Der Spiegel Online published a biting and well-considered article, by Claus Christian Malzahn, the magazine’s Berlin bureau chief, about German hypocritical feelings of Anti-Americanism. The magazine advocated an immediate course of re-education of the German mind:

“Forty-eight percent of Germans think the United States is more dangerous than Iran, a new survey shows, with only 31 percent believing the opposite. Germans’ fundamental hypocrisy about the US suggests that it’s high time for a new bout of re-education.

“The Germans have believed in many things in the course of their recent history… they believed that Jews should be placed into ghettos and concentration camps because they were the enemies of the people. Then they believed… that the Third Reich would ultimately be victorious… They believed that the Berlin Wall would be there forever and that their pensions were safe… They even believed in a German victory at the soccer World Cup. Now they believe that the United States is a greater threat to world peace than Iran. This was the by-no-means-surprising result of a Forsa opinion poll commissioned by Stern magazine. Young Germans in particular — 57 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds, to be precise — said they considered the United States more dangerous than the religious regime in Iran.

“The German political establishment, which will no doubt loudly lament the result of the poll, is largely responsible for this wave of anti-Americanism. For years the country’s foreign ministers fed the Germans the fairy tale of what they called a ‘critical dialogue’ between Europe and Iran. It went something like this: If we are nice to the ayatollahs, cuddle up to them a bit and occasionally wag our fingers at them when they’ve been naughty, they’ll stop condemning their women to death for ‘unchaste behavior’ and they’ll stop building the atom bomb. That plan failed at some point — an outcome, incidentally, that Washington had long anticipated. Iran continues to work away unhindered on its nuclear program, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reacts to UN demands with an ostentatious show of ignorance. The UN gets upset and drafts a resolution.

“Another item on the Iranian president’s wish list is the annihilation of Israel. But that will take a bit longer. In the meantime, just to make sure it doesn’t get out of practice, the regime had 15 British soldiers kidnapped a few days ago. But it’s still all the Americans’ fault — that much is obvious…  Anti-Americanism is the wonder drug of German politics… Anti-Americanism is hypocrisy at its finest… Not a day passes in Germany when someone isn’t making the wildest claims, hurling the vilest insults or spreading the most outlandish conspiracy theories about the United States. But there’s no risk involved and it all serves mainly to boost the German feeling of self-righteousness…

“Today, when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about a world without Israel while dreaming of an atom bomb, it seems obvious that we — as Germans of all people — should be putting two and two together. Why shouldn’t Ahmadinejad mean what he says? But we Germans only know what we believe.”

Russia and China–A New Power Bloc

AFP reported on March 27:

“China and Russia signed four billion dollars’ worth of trade deals on Tuesday during a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao… ‘For Russia, China has always been one of the most important economic partners in the world, and throughout recent years our business ties have steadily grown and strengthened,’ Putin said… The presidents oversaw the signing of 21 contracts, including an agreement by Russian state oil company Rosneft to supply jet fuel to China and long-term export contracts for Russian steel products… China’s chief interest in Russia, meanwhile, is securing more oil and gas to meet its huge energy needs. The Chinese president took a step in that direction on Monday by securing an agreement for increased deliveries of Russian oil by rail… Hu and Putin also talked up diplomatic ties between their countries, which have taken closely aligned positions in talks meant to end North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme and stem Iran’s nuclear ambitions. In a joint declaration on Monday, the two presidents said the standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme ‘should be resolved exclusively in a peaceful way,’ and welcomed the ‘positive dynamic’ in six-party talks aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear programme.”

Crisis With Iran Deepens

Reuters reported on March 29:

“The U.S. navy said on Thursday it had ordered an aircraft carrier to the Gulf to replace one of two patrolling the region, as the United States winds down naval war games on Iran’s doorstep. The Nimitz carrier strike group will sail from San Diego for the Gulf on Monday, a navy spokesman told Reuters, to replace the Dwight D. Eisenhower, as tensions mount between Iran and the West over captured British troops and Iran’s nuclear program… Strike groups typically include four or five frigates and destroyers and a submarine…

“The Eisenhower and fellow carrier John C. Stennis took part in this week’s U.S. war games, the largest in Gulf waters since 2003, when the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq… For the first time since the Iraq invasion four years ago, two U.S. aircraft carriers were deployed in the Gulf… Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the U.S. not to aggravate tensions with Iran with its naval presence in the Gulf… In February Iran said it had tested missiles that could ‘sink big warships’ in the Gulf. Britain, which maintains its 15 sailors were within Iraqi waters when captured by Iranian forces, wants U.N. Security Council members to endorse a statement that would ‘deplore’ their detention.”

The USA Is Pressing the Issue

AFP reported on March 23:

“The United States wants to reach an agreement by the end of the year on deploying anti-missile defences in eastern Europe, a senior US official said Friday, amid strenuous Russian objections to the plan… A total of 10 interceptor missiles and their accompanying radar would be deployed by about 2010… Washington says the system is aimed at guarding Europe against potential threats from states like Iran and North Korea.

“But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the US plan threatened Russia and would undermine cooperation in the United Nations… In Poland, opposition leader Donald Tusk accused the government of caving in to US demands and ‘following policies without a clear vision of the consequences.’ [Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark] Pekala responded that the threat from Iran was ‘real and quite urgent’ as the Islamic republic ‘could have medium or long-range missile capacity to deliver a significant payload to parts of Europe or much farther by 2010 or 2015.’… Pekala said the Czech Republic and Poland were ‘strongly in favor’ of the system and of holding negotiations on the proposed deployment.”

Ethiopia Back in the News

AFP reported on March 22:

“Somali troops backed by Ethiopian tanks Thursday exchanged heavy mortar and machine-gun fire with insurgents for a second straight day in Mogadishu, leaving a trail of casualties and violence showing no sign of let-up… The latest fighting, in which Ethiopian tanks swung into action, was sparked by a government crackdown on the insurgents, many of whom are believed to be Islamists who have returned to the capital after being driven out with the help of Ethiopian forces late last year…

“Western intelligence agencies believe numerous Al-Qaeda operatives are hiding within the ranks of the Somali Islamists, a charge the Islamists vehemently reject. Early this month an Islamist website released an audio-taped message attributed to Ayro, who called on Somalis to attack and kill Ethiopian troops in Somalia.”

AFP reported on March 29:

“Seven Ethiopian soldiers were killed in heavy fighting on Thursday in the south of Mogadishu, and two of their bodies were dragged through the streets… Dozens of men and women pulled the bodies of two soldiers in the street, shouting ‘We will kill the Ethiopian troops’, while five other bodies in Ethiopian uniforms lay on the ground in the southern district of Shirkole. Nearby an Ethiopian military vehicle burned in the street. Loudspeakers had earlier transmitted calls for residents to come out and fight the Ethiopian troops backing Somalia’s transitional government… Ethiopian helicopters earlier fired missiles on mainly southern Mogadishu as heavy fighting across the Somali capital left 15 people dead in an offensive against insurgent fighters. The Ethiopians spearheaded the offensive, deploying tanks in neighbourhoods that have witnessed the most intense insurgent activity in recent months.”

Ethiopia–Future “King of the South”?

Daniel 11:40 speaks of a “king of the South,” at the time of the end, attacking or “pushing at” the “king of the North–a European power bloc. As we pointed out before, it is possible that this prophecy has ALREADY been fulfilled in its FINAL application. On the other hand, it is also possible that this prophecy is dual and still awaiting an ultimate fulfillment. In that case, based on Biblical and historical evidence, the future “king of the South” would be Ethiopia. The concept, which is taught by some, that it would be a confederation of Arab leaders, or Iraq, or Iran, does not seem to have any biblical or historical support.

In light of this conclusion, the article, as set forth below, contains several interesting pieces of information:

Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 28:

“Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christians are among the oldest Christian communities in the world. Their hymns and prayers have been preserved and passed down over the ages. But with its numerous religious holidays, the Christian tradition also worsens the country’s grinding poverty… Some 40 percent of the 68 million Ethiopians are Orthodox Christians… In the middle of the 4th century, King Ezana decided to become baptized. Just a few years later Christianity was proclaimed the state religion. Despite this, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was headed for centuries by a metropolitan who was appointed by the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria. It wasn’t until the middle of the past century that the Ethiopian church became AUTONOMOUS and appointed its own patriarch in Addis Ababa. Alongside the 17 eparchies in Ethiopia, bishoprics in Nubia and in Jerusalem now fall under his aegis…

“The churches in Lalibela were built by a king of the same name – a contemporary of Genghis Khan and Barbarossa. He wanted to create a new Jerusalem, which Saladin reclaimed from the crusaders in 1187; denied access to the Holy Land, pilgrims from Ethiopia and the small Christian states along the Nile would be able to worship there. The stream bubbling past the city was christened the Jordan, and the hill overlooking it Mount Tabor… For centuries, Islamic conquests in neighboring regions isolated Ethiopia from the Christian world. Nevertheless, its Christian heritage – the prayers, the hymns and the liturgical language Ge’ez – was successfully preserved for centuries.

“The full glory of the Orthodox Eucharist is tangible in the churches of Lalibela, above all during the Timkat Festival which commemorates Christ’s baptism in the Jordan. On the eve of the event, underground processions wend their way to and through the churches, accompanied by the sound of bells and horns. Priests and deacons cloaked in beaded, darkhued velvet lead the way. On their heads they bear tabots, wooden tablets symbolizing the Ark of the Covenant. These are then placed in a large tent, outside which the faithful congregate, waiting the entire night to embrace the holy powers they believe invested in the tabots. The ritual is no less solemn or impressive than the anointing of a cardinal in the Vatican…

“The Orthodox calendar lists more than 150 holidays and 180 days of fasting, on which Christians are banned from working and limited to one meal… And the SABBATH is still celebrated in rural areas – a relic of the Salomonic dynasty which ruled Ethiopia from the 13th century and adopted numerous JEWISH CUSTOMS. The clergy in Addis Ababa, the country’s capital since the end of the 19th century, may be slowly losing its authority, but the priests in the highlands ENFORCE THE HOLIDAYS with an iron fist. Punishment inexorably follows any failure to comply. Not to mention the prospect of ending up in hell.

“Moreover, the church still DEFINES THE CALENDAR. The Ethiopian year has 12 months lasting 30 days, each plus five or six additional days. The patriarchy refuses to countenance change. The government has sought to adopt the modern Western calendar on several occasions, only to be stymied by the clergy. In practice, the separation of church and state has yet to be implemented. Christianity is also responsible for another phenomenon in Ethiopia: racial arrogance. Viewing their faith as SUPERIOR to Africa’s natural religions, Orthodox Christians regard themselves as a chosen people. In their minds, the portrayal – in the illustrations of the sacred books – of lighter-skinned people as the rulers of the Promised Land and the blacks as their servants is evidence of God’s will…

“Although the Organization for African Unity maintained its headquarters in Addis Ababa for decades and the African Union is now based there, Ethiopians do not see themselves as Africans…

“The Rastafarians from Shashemene, a small city 150 miles south of the capital, have escaped this discrimination; despite their color, they enjoy the full respect of the Christians. The Rastafarians established their colony in the 1960s, and some members later joined Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian community. Their name is derived from the birth name of the Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie: Ras Tafari Makonnen. They revered him as the REINCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST.”

Human “Science”–Where Will It End?

The Mail reported on March 24:

“Scientists have created the world’s first human-sheep chimera – which has the body of a sheep and half-human organs. The sheep have 15 per cent human cells and 85 per cent animal cells – and their evolution brings the prospect of animal organs being transplanted into humans one step closer… The process would involve extracting stem cells from the donor’s bone marrow and injecting them into the peritoneum of a sheep’s foetus. When the lamb is born, two months later, it would have a liver, heart, lungs and brain that are partly human and available for transplant…

“But the development is likely to revive criticisms about scientists playing God, with the possibility of silent viruses, which are harmless in animals, being introduced into the human race… Animal rights activists fear that if the cells get mixed together, they could end up with cellular fusion, creating a hybrid which would have the features and characteristics of both man and sheep.”

What April Fool’s Day Hoaxes May Do to Some

On March 29, AFP wrote about the ten “best” April Fool’s Day hoaxes. The following is a quite interesting one, as it shows how gullible people not only believe the hoax, but also imagine things, based on the hoax, which are simply non-existent:

“Noted British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on the radio in 1976 that at 9:47 am, a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event, in which Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, would cause a gravitational alignment that would reduce the Earth’s gravity. Moore told listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment of the planetary alignment, they would experience a floating sensation. Hundreds of people called in to report feeling the sensation.”

Incredible Interest in UFOs

The Associated Press reported on March 23, that “some 100,000 documents on supposed UFOs and sightings of other unexplained phenomena” are published on the Internet by the “French space agency.”

The article continued:

“France is the first country to put its entire weird sightings archive online… The first batch of archives went up on the agency’s Web site this week, drawing a server-busting wave of traffic… The archive includes police and expert reports, witness sketches (some are childlike doodlings), maps, photos and video and audio recordings. In all, the archive has some 1,650 cases on record and about 6,000 witness accounts… Only 9 percent of France’s strange phenomena have been fully explained… Experts found likely reasons for another 33 percent, and 30 percent could not be identified for lack of information. Other cases were impossible to crack…

“Among the unexplained cases, one of the most perplexing concerned a 1994 Air France flight. While flying over the Paris region, the crew noticed a large brown-red disk hovering on the horizon and constantly changing shape. The case ‘has never been explained to this day, and leaves the door open to all possible hypotheses,’ the agency wrote.”

It is possible that the false and demonically-inspired belief in the existence of intelligent alien life forms will influence the armies of this world to decide to fight the returning Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:11-21)–perhaps believing in the appearance of a hostile invader from outer space.

The Lost Iraq War

The Associated Press reported on March 19:

“The Iraq war lumbered into its fifth year Monday with President Bush pleading for patience to let his revised battle plan work and Congress’ new Democratic leaders retorting that no patience remains… Four years in, the war has claimed the lives of more than 3,200 members of the U.S. military. Predictions about the cost and length of the war have been far surpassed. The public overwhelmingly opposes the war, and Bush’s approval rating stands near his all-time low. Trying to halt spiraling sectarian bloodshed, Bush has ordered nearly 30,000 more combat and support troops to Iraq, mostly to stabilize Baghdad…

“A new poll reflected the stress and hopelessness that are the result of the unrelenting violence and uncertain political situation. The poll, by ABC News, USA Today, the BBC and ARD German TV, found only 18 percent of Iraqis have confidence in U.S. and coalition troops, 86 percent are concerned that someone in their household will be a victim of violence and 51 percent say violence against American forces is acceptable… Iraq missed the Dec. 31 target dates to enact the oil law, as well as laws establishing provincial elections and reversing measures that have excluded many Sunnis from jobs and government positions because they belonged to Saddam’s Baath party…”

America Has a Lot to Answer For

Deutsche Welle reported on March 19:

“On the fourth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, European newspapers were gloomy as they took stock of the ongoing conflict. The broad consensus: The US has a lot to answer for.

“‘For Iraqis, every year has been worse than the last since 2003,’ writes Britain’s The Independent on its front page. ‘In November and December last year alone 5,000 civilians were murdered, often tortured to death, according to the UN. This toll compares to 3,000 killed in 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland. Many Iraqis have voted with their feet, some two million fleeing — mostly to Syria and Jordan — since President George Bush and Tony Blair ordered US and British troops across the Iraqi border four years ago today.’

“In Barcelona, El Periodico de Catalunya said… ‘Four years on, the invasion has turned into the worst fiasco the US has faced since Vietnam. President George W. Bush can keep predicting that the Americans will win this fight, but that has little bearing on reality…’

“The liberal Romanian newspaper Gandul was damning in its appraisal of US foreign policy. ‘The result is obvious: this has been an overwhelming disaster for the Bush administration. After Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU, the US was estimated to be some 22 years ahead of the EU in terms of technology, most probably because of the billions invested in high-tech US defense. These vast sums have led to a skyrocketing domestic deficit…the lesson Iraq teaches us is that everyone pays for America’s mistakes, regardless of who follows its policies or not.’…

“Conservative French daily Le Figaro was fatalistic. ‘100,000 Iraqis are dead. Over 3,000 Americans have lost their lives and of some 32,000 soldiers sent home injured, most will suffer lasting damage. What next? Washington is beginning to think about the aftermath. The Pentagon is preparing a gradual withdrawal and the secretary of state has approved talks with Syria and Iran. What can Europe and the rest of the world do? It is tempting to just sit back and watch, washing one’s hands of the situation. But that is not an option. Stability in the Middle East is even more important to Europe than it is to the US. We can criticize the US for stumbling into this mess, but we will still have to help it out of it.'”

American Army Becoming Desperate

The Washington Post wrote on March 19:

“Four years after the invasion of Iraq, the high and growing demand for U.S. troops there and in Afghanistan has left ground forces in the United States short of the training, personnel and equipment that would be vital to fight a major ground conflict elsewhere, senior U.S. military and government officials acknowledge. More troubling, the officials say, is that it will take years for the Army and Marine Corps to recover from what some officials privately have called a ‘death spiral,’ in which the ever more rapid pace of war-zone rotations has consumed 40 percent of their total gear, wearied troops and left no time to train to fight anything other than the insurgencies now at hand.

“The risk to the nation is serious and deepening, senior officers warn, because the U.S. military now lacks a large strategic reserve of ground troops ready to respond quickly and decisively to potential foreign crises, whether the internal collapse of Pakistan, a conflict with Iran or an outbreak of war on the Korean Peninsula. Air and naval power can only go so far in compensating for infantry, artillery and other land forces, they said. An immediate concern is that critical Army overseas equipment stocks for use in another conflict have been depleted by the recent troop increases in Iraq, they said…

“Under current Army and Marine Corps plans, it will take two to three years after the Iraq war ends and about $17 billion a year to restore their equipment levels. It will take five years and at least $75 billion for the Army to increase its active-duty ranks to 547,000 soldiers, up from the current 509,000, and for the Marine Corps to increase its numbers to 202,000, up from 180,000.”

U.S. Odd Man Out?

Reuters wrote on March 17:

“A consensus on the need to protect the world’s environment is emerging among rich and developing nations, but the United States remains at odds with other countries on key points, Germany said on Saturday. Environment ministers of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations, and officials from leading developing countries, were meeting to prepare for a June G8 summit at which climate change will be a major topic. ‘On two issues, the United States were the only ones who spoke against consensus,’ German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters at the end of the two-day meeting, which he chaired on behalf of Germany’s G8 presidency.

“Gabriel said the U.S. remained opposed to a global carbon emissions trading scheme like the one used in the European Union and rejected the idea that industrialized nations should help achieve a ‘balance of interests’ between developing countries’ need for economic growth and environmental protection. ‘We find this regrettable,’ Gabriel said, adding ‘I would have been disappointed if I’d expected something different.’… Developing countries cite the U.S. position as a reason for their refusal to commit to reduction targets.”

Russia Supports US and Europe? — Don’t Be Fooled

On March 18, The New York Times reported enthusiastically about an estranged relationship between Russia and Iran, implying that Russia was beginning to support the American and European efforts to impose sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt nuclear enrichment. The paper wrote:

“Russia has informed Iran that it will withhold nuclear fuel for Iran’s nearly completed Bushehr power plant unless Iran suspends its uranium enrichment as demanded by the United Nations Security Council, European, American and Iranian officials said… Moscow and Tehran have been engaged in a public argument about whether Iran has paid its bills, in a dispute that may explain Russia’s apparent shift… ‘We’re not sure what mix of commercial and political motives are at play here,’ one senior Bush administration official said in Washington. ‘But clearly the Russians and the Iranians are getting on each other’s nerves — and that’s not all bad.’”

The Associated Press agreed with the assessment of The New York Times, stating on March 20:

“Russia is pulling out its experts from the Iranian nuclear reactor site they were helping build, U.S. and European government representatives said Tuesday. The move reflected a growing rift between Iran and Russia that could lead to harsher U.N. sanctions on the Islamic republic for its refusal to stop uranium enrichment.” However, Bloomberg clarified on March 20 that Russia’s recent conduct is not motivated by concern over Iranian nuclear enrichment, but it’s strictly all about money.

In addition, according to the report, “Russia denied threatening to halt nuclear fuel deliveries to Iran unless the Islamic state freezes uranium enrichment, saying a financial dispute was to blame for any delays… Russia has repeatedly delayed construction of the Bushehr project… The UN Security Council’s permanent members — the U.S., U.K., France, Russia and China — along with Germany are deliberating the imposition of more sanctions on Iran after the Islamic Republic ignored a Feb. 22 UN deadline to halt uranium enrichment. Iran instead is expanding its capacity to make the nuclear fuel, which can be used to power atomic energy or to make nuclear weapons.

“Peskov [a Kremlin spokesman] suggested the sanctions were also complicating the timetable for Bushehr’s completion. ‘Certain sanctions are already effective and some third countries are failing to complete shipments of equipment to Bushehr,’ the Kremlin spokesman said, without specifying the countries involved. ‘This is adding problems.’ Russia started work on the Bushehr reactor in 1995, taking over from Germany’s Siemens AG, which stopped work because of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.”

Russia–Don’t Close Your Eyes!

On March 15, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Russian opposition politician and former chess world champion, Garry Kasparov, who believes that Vladimir Putin’s Russia is not a democracy. We are bringing you the following excerpts from his interview:

“The people in power have put together a list of 10,000 alleged extremists, which is maintained by the intelligence service’s anti-terrorism committee. Putin’s talk about fighting terrorism and extremism has a purpose: He wants to create the option of using the tools of oppression against the opposition… I think that Putin’s popularity is virtual in many respects. He certainly has legitimacy. He was elected, even though the elections were manipulated. But this legitimacy will end with the presidential election in March 2008.

“The current regime is beneficial to barely 15 percent of the population. Many among the remaining 85 percent — 120 million people — are dissatisfied… Pressure [from the West] is counterproductive. The regime uses it to its advantage. The West should simply be objective. Russia is not a democracy. If you realize this, you should say so. No one refers to the Chinese leaders or the Belarusian dictator Aleksander Lukashenko as democrats. Don’t close your eyes when Russia supports terrorists like Hezbollah and Hamas, or Iran.”

Europe’s Fight Over American Anti-Missile System

Reuters reported on March 17:

“Germany sent a thinly veiled warning to the United States on Saturday not to try to split Europe into ‘old’ and ‘new’ with its plans to deploy parts of an anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

“In some of the strongest German rhetoric to date on the issue, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said it was important not to let the U.S. project spark a new arms race in Europe nearly two decades after the end of the Cold War… ‘Our top priority remains disarmament and not an arms buildup. We don’t want a new arms race in Europe,’ he said…

“Germany is concerned the issue will cloud its presidency of the EU by highlighting divisions in Europe reminiscent of those that emerged in the run-up to the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003. At that time, Poland, Britain and others backed the U.S.-led invasion while Germany, France and others opposed it. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld famously dismissed European countries opposed to the war as ‘old Europe’ ‘There is no “old” and “new” Europe and nobody should try, based on calculated short-term interests, to create such a split,’ Steinmeier said in remarks that appeared aimed at Washington. ‘NATO is the right forum for this discussion. The goal of the debate must be a common solution that does not provoke anyone.'”

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 20:

“Plans by the United States to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe has led to sharp criticism from some quarters in Germany… Kurt Beck, the chairman of the SPD, which is in coalition with Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said he opposed the planned defence system. He told the mass circulation Bild newspaper: ‘We don’t need any new missiles in Europe.’ He added that the SPD didn’t want to see a new arms race between the US and Russia on European soil…

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘It would be a mistake for the West to allow itself to be split and put under pressure by Russia’s aggressive posturing. Or to let the defense system be demonized as a threat to world peace. Russia’s criticism is not convincing…’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘If Kurt Beck, the leader of the SPD, has concerns about re-armament, maybe he should express them in Tehran. That is where a missile system is being worked on, one that could reach the heart of Europe in a few years.’

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes: ‘The SPD leader (Kurt Beck) is not a cabinet member and so can say quite simply: We don’t need or want new missiles in Europe. Most Germans think the same way, especially when the missiles are American. Now the Chancellor will have to constantly answer the same simple question: Do we need, and does she want, new missiles in Europe? But she can not give a simple answer, because she has to consider treaties and commitments to the alliance.”

Germany Warns Poland…

AFP reported on March 16:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday warned Poland against blocking the European Union’s stalled constitution, while she also sought to woo Warsaw to Germany’s side in building a stronger Europe. Failure to endorse the EU constitution would be ‘a historic missed opportunity,’ Merkel said in a speech at Warsaw University shortly after arriving here on a visit both ‘as German chancellor and president of the EU.’ ‘The time for reflection is past. It’s time for decisions. I pledge that there will be a roadmap to move forward (with the constitution) by the end of the German presidency,’ in June, Merkel said.

“‘It is not only in Europe’s interest but also in the interest of member states and citizens of Europe that this process is taken to a positive end by the next European elections in 2009… Europe is not a “Christian club,” as some would like to say. But Europe is founded on values that are clearly grounded in the Christian vision of humanity,’ said Merkel… ‘There is only one way forward: don’t act alone but as part of a united Europe, which is also a strong Europe.'”

… And Poland Gives In…

AFP reported on March 17:

“Polish President Lech Kaczynski held out an olive branch to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday saying Warsaw will not block efforts to revive the European Union’s constitution… Kaczynski also told Merkel that Warsaw would sign up to a declaration at an EU summit next week to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which founded the then European Community. ‘Poland has certain reservations about the wording of the declaration of Berlin but in refusing to sign it we would have been the only country not to do so,’ Kaczynski said…

“Relations between Germany and Poland have been tested recently. One touchy issue involves Germans who were expelled from Polish territory as World War II drew to a close. They were among some 14 million German civilians who were displaced, deported or expelled from their homes in eastern Europe from 1944 onwards as the Soviet Red Army advanced and Germany’s Third Reich crumbled.”

Russian Democracy Dead

Canada.com Network wrote on March 10:

“A message has been communicated to anyone who wants to speak out against the Kremlin: ‘If you do, no matter who you are, where you are, we will find you and we will silence you in the most horrible way possible.’ Those words come from an interview broadcast on NBC’s Dateline on Feb. 26. They were spoken by Paul Joyal, a Washington consultant who studies the former Soviet Union. Joyal was talking about the murder of his friend Alexander Litvinenko, the KGB defector who died painfully in London on Nov. 23 from radiation poisoning.

“Four nights after his Dateline interview, Joyal met another prominent KGB defector, Oleg Kalugin, for dinner at a restaurant in downtown Washington. Joyal returned to his home in suburban Maryland about 7:30 pm, stepped out of his car — and was shot in the groin. Neither his wallet nor his briefcase were taken. His shooter has not been found.

“Happily, the shooting was not fatal. Ivan Safronov, a military affairs writer for the Russian daily Kommersant, was less fortunate. Safronov had been working on a big story about a secret Russian deal to ship highly advanced Iskander missiles to Syria. The day after the Joyal shooting, Safronov fell out of a fifth story window in Moscow. Safronov is the 89th journalist to have died violently in Russia over the past 10 years.

“We do not know how many of those deaths were ordered by the Russian government. (And indeed Joyal’s shooting may well have been an ordinary crime.) But we do know that over the past half dozen years, Vladimir Putin’s government has extinguished all of Russia’s independent broadcast media and severely curbed most print media. We do know that Putin has ended elections for local government and centralized all power in the Kremlin. We do know that he has used administrative powers to seize some of Russia’s largest corporations and transfer ownership to his supporters — and to confiscate gas fields leased to foreign investors.

“And now we have a clearer idea of how Putin has been able to get away with these dangerous moves toward dictatorship: The Russian people support him. Last week, the EU-Russia Centre released the results of a major new survey of Russian public opinion. Only 16% of those surveyed identified the ‘Western model’ of democracy as the ideal. More than twice as many, 35%, said they ‘prefer the Soviet system before the 1990s.’ Only 10% of Russians regarded their country as belonging to the West. 71% said that Russia was not part of Europe. Almost half of Russians, 45%, regard Europe as a threat… As an institution, Russian democracy is dying. Inside the minds of the Russians, it is already dead.

“We have no shortage of things to worry about in our troubled world… Now add one more. A potentially great power, endowed with vast energy wealth and inheriting a vast nuclear arsenal, is deliberately and with the approval of the majority of its people turning its back on democracy and freedom. Instead of joining the West, Russia is finding its way to dangerous alliances with Iran, Syria, China… This grouping of anti-democratic states is extending its reach around the world…”

Europe Without Britain?

The EUObserver reported on March 10:

“The EU should go ahead and further integrate without the UK if it attempts to block a new constitutional treaty, Belgium’s prime minister Guy Verhofstadt has said. In an interview with German daily Die Welt, he said he expected the German EU presidency ‘not just to have put down a roadmap for the new constitution by the end of June, but also an outline of the content… Asked about what the EU should do if the UK blocks an agreement on a new treaty, Mr Verhofstadt said then the train has to drive on anyway… [and] ‘the European Union must progress without Great Britain.’… Drawing parallels from across the Atlantic, he said ‘the United States of America also did not come about in unison. At the time, only nine of the 13 British crown colonies voted in favour. The rest tailed behind and accepted the agreement later.'”

Watchdogs or Lapdogs?

On March 13, News.com published a revealing interview with famous journalist, Dan Rather. We are bringing you the following excerpts from Rather’s insightful comments–which can also be applied to the ongoing role and commission of God’s Church:

“Rather opined at length on the state of his profession, in which too many journalists have become lapdogs to power, rather than watchdogs… he spent most of his time on stage talking about why he thinks many people have lost faith in journalists. One reason, Rather said, is that questioning power, especially at a time of war, can be perceived as unpatriotic or unsupportive of America’s fighting troops. ‘That’s ‘a very serious charge in this country,’ Rather said. ‘We’ve brought it on ourselves,’ he added, ‘partly because we’ve lost the sense that (the) patriotic journalist will be on his or her feet asking the tough questions.’ “Indeed, Rather’s ascent to the pinnacles of power in journalism came as a result of his reputation for asking very tough questions and… not being afraid to ask follow-up questions, of powerful people like President Richard Nixon, the first President George Bush, current President Bush, Saddam Hussein, and many others. ‘In many ways,’ said Rather to loud applause, ‘what we in journalism need is a spine transplant.’ …

“It is incumbent on journalists to be willing to risk their access to power to seek out the truth behind a story, he said. And they shouldn’t be willing to water down the truth to protect their access to power. Rather also said that the consolidation of power in a small number of media companies has hurt the search for the truth… As media conglomerates get bigger… the goal becomes satisfying shareholders, not citizens, he said.

“Rather reiterated the journalist’s role as a watchdog. ‘Not as an attack dog… But what does the lapdog do? He just crawls into someone’s lap,’ he said. ‘A good watchdog barks at everything that’s suspicious. I submit to you, the American press’ role is to be a watchdog.'”

This choice of words is quite remarkable. The media IS supposed to tell the people the truth about relevant issues, but this is often not the case. God has said that He has called WATCHMEN for the purpose of WARNING the nations. It is actually God’s CHURCH today which is to fulfill the role of the watchman or a “watchdog”–with the duty to BARK at wrong things!

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

The Chicago Tribune wrote on March 13:

“The ranking Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee sharply rebuked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Tuesday, taking issue with General Peter Pace’s view that homosexual acts are immoral. Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a former Secretary of the Navy, said, ‘I respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairman’s view that homosexuality is immoral…’ Pace told The Chicago Tribune Tuesday that ‘I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.’ He said he supports the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell policy,’’ explaining that ‘I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way. As an individual, I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else’s wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior,’ Pace said.

“The general was responding to a question about the Clinton-era policy that is coming under renewed scrutiny amid fears of future U.S. troop shortages. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), a candidate for president, for example, has sharply criticized the policy and called for it to be dismantled. So has Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president. Pace said the Pentagon should not ‘condone’ immoral behavior by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. He said his views were based on his personal ‘upbringing,’ in which he was taught that certain types of conduct are immoral.”

Reuters added on March 13:

“The top U.S. military officer, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, tried on Tuesday to calm anger that erupted after he described homosexual acts as immoral, saying he was expressing only his personal views. Gay rights activists and Democrats criticized the chairman of the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff for his comments and a veteran Republican senator voiced his disagreement… Under the policy, commanders may not ask the sexual orientation of service members, but gays and lesbians can serve only if they keep their sexual orientation private and do not engage in homosexual acts. Later, Pace issued a statement saying he had made a mistake in devoting so much time to his personal views… House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was ‘disappointed in the moral judgment’ voiced by Pace and the military should consider changing policy on allowing gays to serve in its ranks.”

It is interesting that in all of this political debate and sword-rattling, no word is mentioned about GOD’s view point. The Bible is VERY clear on the issue, and supports General Pace’s sentiments. Sadly, political pressure forced him to “clarify” his position.

British Schoolchildren to Be Taught Wrong Values?

Der Spiegel Online published the following piece regarding unbelievable indoctrination of British schoolchildren. The magazine supports this unfortunate development; so we have chosen to just publish those excerpts from the article which state the facts, while omitting the unacceptable “opinions” of the author. The magazine wrote on March 13:

“Once upon a time a prince was looking for a suitable queen to be. He was introduced to one princess, two princesses … and fell in love with another prince. They married each other in a dream wedding and lived together happily ever after. Sounds like an underground gay comic? It isn’t — the text in question is a schoolbook.

“School children in Britain learn about sexual diversity and alternative family structures from an early age. A state-supported pilot scheme run at 14 elementary schools — attended by children from the age of four to 11 — is stirring up trouble with its sexually liberal message… Apart from ‘King & King’, there will be other books addressing same-sex parenthood. ‘And Tango Makes Three’ features a baby penguin with two fathers while ‘Spacegirl Pukes’ is a picture book about two mothers who send their daughter on a space trip. The texts are listed on the recommended reading list for the schoolchildren… If successful, the scheme will be extended nationwide. It is supported with £600,000 in funding from the state-run Economic and Social Research Council and is backed by the National Union of Teachers and General Teaching Council… the liberal Blair government has been much more tolerant towards homosexuality than its predecessors… homosexual marriage was legalized in 2005…”

The Pope’s Tough Stance

AFP wrote on March 13 about the Roman Catholic Church’s renewed and confirmed tough stance on the dogma of “celibacy”–the man-made prohibition for Catholic priests to get married and produce children. The French news agency reported:

“Celibacy ‘remains obligatory’ for Roman Catholic priests, Pope Benedict XVI stated Tuesday in a long-awaited text… ‘I reaffirm the beauty and importance of a priestly life lived in celibacy as a sign expressing total and exclusive devotion to Christ, to the Church and to the Kingdom of God,’ reads the apostolic exhortation, the first of Benedict’s papacy and second in importance only to an encyclical. ‘I therefore confirm that it remains obligatory in the Latin tradition,’ the pope wrote in the document reflecting the conclusions of an October 2005 synod of bishops. Benedict, who was elected pope in 2005, wrote: ‘The fact that Christ himself, the eternal priest, lived his mission even to the sacrifice of the Cross in the state of virginity constitutes the sure point of reference for understanding the meaning of the tradition of the Latin Church.'”

The article continued:

“The pope also reaffirmed that Catholics who divorce and remarry are barred from taking communion, unless they ‘commit to living their relationship… as friends, as brother and sister.”

According to further news reported in the German press, the Pope also reconfirmed his prohibition for Catholics and Protestants to take the communion together.

The Pope’s harsh line enforcing “celibacy” and prohibiting communion for divorced and remarried Catholics does not surprise those who might have studied Benedict’s positions, when he was still known as Cardinal Ratzinger. It will undoubtedly disappoint many Catholics. In addition, it is–in both respects–against Biblical teaching. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, prophesied in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 that false teachings would arise, “forbidding to marry,” and Jesus Christ and Paul made it clear that there ARE legitimate reasons for divorce and subsequent remarriage–not just for “annulment” (compare Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:12-15).

Is the German Army Becoming Americans’ Foot Soldiers?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 9:

“Afghanistan is back in the German headlines after a German aid worker is murdered and the German government formally approves sending six Tornado jets to support troops in volatile south Afghanistan… Business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The German army must not become the Americans’ foot soldiers. Whether this happens or not does not depend on the deployment of Tornados. Even without the reconnaissance jets, it’s very likely that the German soldiers will become fully involved in combat, and in autumn there will probably be a call for ground troops. … The more convincingly Berlin proves that it wants to achieve success in Afghanistan, the more its NATO partners will understand German politicians’ desire for German troops to not be under American command. But if the suspicion grows that Germany just wants to avoid a difficult domestic political debate, then Berlin will just reap increasing disappointment and frustration.'”

German Interview with Governor Schwarzenegger

On March 13, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting interview with Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. We are bringing you the following excerpts from his comments:

On Air Pollution:

“The message I am trying to get across is exactly this: Protecting the environment does not require us to be against large SUVs or trucks. Instead we should develop technology to cut down greenhouse gas emissions because that is where the action is — it’s not about what the size of the car is. We just have to redo the vehicles… Those oil rigs you see out there will be gone eventually because we now know that environmental pollution is counterproductive and that we could be slowly killing ourselves with climate change… We do not like the fact that we must rely on fossil fuels. This dependence is a huge mistake. It’s as bad as having an investor who only invests in a single product or company. You have to diversify. You have to invest in 30 different companies because that is the only way you can guarantee that your investment will grow. We have not done that with our energy… The most interesting thing politically is that Republicans are now supporting environmental protection. We’ve always expected nothing less from the Democrats. As a Republican, people expected me to protect the oil companies and business. Now they are surprised that I talk about greenhouse gases. But it’s true that the documentary has now given Gore tremendous legitimacy. California is now passing new environmental laws that Gore was actually talking about 20 years ago. He was right, but people called him a tree hugger because he’s a Democrat.”

On President Bush and the Iraq War:

“I’m not sure things are that simple with Bush. When he was still governor of Texas, he ran his state in the most bipartisan of ways. I do not know why it has gone so differently [in] Washington. I think Washington just does something to people… I gave him some suggestions about what he should do. It is very clear that we have to work together in order to do a good job. What is really hurting the country is the way they are governing in Washington at the moment… You change your positions as things change. I had different information from the president. I only get the information that Washington shares with us and that is broadcast in the media. It seemed clear at the time that Iraq was sheltering terrorists. Saddam Hussein’s regime was a dictatorship that cost a lot of lives. There was good justification to invade, especially after 9/11… Four years later, we have to look at it and ask if Iraq is becoming another Vietnam, and I do not want it to become another Vietnam. I think we have now helped the Iraqi government long enough. We have trained their soldiers. We have done everything that we can, so now let’s talk about a timeline of withdrawal… We should have an end in sight for this war. It costs a fortune and it costs a lot of lives.”

On his own future:

“I never like to think more than just a few days ahead. The reason I chose to come to the US is because there is no safety net here. I chose making movies over doing TV series because I didn’t want to know what my next move would be. I like the idea of the risk — if a movie goes in the toilet then you get no new offers. If the movie does well, then you have 15 scripts in front of you. I always feel that if you pay 100 percent attention to what you are doing then you have every option available in the future. These things fall into place. I have total faith in my future… When I was 15 years old I felt totally confident I would become a world champion and the greatest bodybuilder in the world. The same was true of show business — I knew that one day I would make more money than anyone else in the industry and I did. For that you need the willingness to work and do everything it takes to make the vision turn into reality. Those are the kinds of things that you also need in politics. There are thousands of experts here in Sacramento, but at the end of the day, it’s all about taking something on and seeing it through to the end. That’s the perfect job for me.”

Are Scotsmen English–After All?

The International Herald Tribune wrote on March 11:

“The one sure way to irritate a Scotsman is to call him an Englishman… But now comes the intriguing evidence from geneticists… that the people of the British Isles are more closely related than the history books had suggested. According to [this evidence], the core populations of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales are of very much the same stock, with only minor add-ons at the edge from Viking and other invasions. So being Scottish is not, in genetic terms, all that different from being English… if that is shown… to be true, then the differences — however profound and important to cultural identity — are demoted to the incidental variations that flow from living in separate places and developing distinct local cultures… The more we are shown to be related, the more our sense of shared humanity must come to the fore. That may be hopelessly idealistic, but it was very much the message that the great poet Robert Burns gave to the world. And he was Scottish. Or was he?”

Is Russia Resurrecting a By-Gone Era?

On March 7, The New York Times published the following commentary by Marshall Billingslea, a former assistant secretary general of NATO and former chairman of the NATO-Russia Council’s ad hoc working group on theater missile defense. It was pointed out:

“Russian reactions to the discussions among Poland, the Czech Republic and the United States on a missile defense system in Europe have been disconcerting. Some of the rhetoric in past days — such as Monday’s blunt threats by Lt. Gen. Igor Khvorov to target European missile defense sites with bombers, or intimations by other Russian officials of scrapping the 1987 INF Treaty (which bans short- and medium-range nuclear missiles) — is a throwback to a bygone era that needs to stay gone.

“Moscow should be well aware that the proposed defense installations are focused on the emerging Iranian threat. Russian defense planners surely understand the physics and geography of the potential deployment, and know that a Czech radar facing south and 10 interceptors in Poland pose no threat to the credibility of the Russian deterrent of thousands of warheads. It would be physically impossible for interceptors in Poland to chase down Russian ICBMs headed toward North America. The Russian ICBMs move too fast, and defensive interceptors cannot win such a ‘tail chase.’

“Nor could they get out of their silos fast enough to protect Europe from a Russian missile attack, even if the radar were facing in that direction, which it wouldn’t be. The radar would not be able to see incoming Russian missiles in time, and — again — the interceptors would be thrown into a losing tail chase. In other words, the system proposed for Poland and the Czech Republic is clearly designed to protect against Iran, and not against Russia. No doubt about it. Unlike the NATO nations, who are in the early stages of developing missile defenses, Russia has long possessed its own antiballistic missile defense for its capital, making recent Russian protests even more perplexing.”

China’s Military Ambitions

The Wall Street Journal reported on March 7:

“For more than a decade, China has boosted defense spending by double digits every year and won’t explain why or for what exactly. The bad news for Beijing is that it is now reaping the unintended consequence of its stonewall tactics. Some of the region’s biggest players — the U.S., Japan and even India — are increasingly skeptical of China’s ‘peaceful development’ campaign and are building up their own defenses accordingly… China’s military advances are no longer just about attacking Taiwan. As January’s test of an anti-satellite weapon demonstrated, they are about protecting all of China’s interests and countering anyone who may interfere with them.”

Turkey vs. Freedom of Expression

The Associated Press reported on March 7:

“A Turkish court ordered access to YouTube’s Web site blocked on Wednesday, after a prosecutor recommended the ban because of videos allegedly insulting the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Paul Doany, head of Turk Telekom, Turkey’s largest telecommunications provider, said his company had begun immediately enforcing the ban… On its front page on Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had written YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. ‘YouTube got the message,’ the headline said. Insulting Ataturk or ‘Turkishness’ is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison. Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.”

If Turkey ever wants to join the EU, either those practices will have to change, or the current practices of the EU will.

Libby’s Conviction

The Associated Press reported on March 6, 2007:

“The case laid bare the inner workings of a presidency under siege and the secretive world of Vice President Dick Cheney. It showed the lengths to which Cheney went in early summer 2003 to discredit administration critic Joseph Wilson. The former ambassador’s assertions had cast doubt on the administration’s justification for having taken the country to war in Iraq. And the Libby case showed the president assisting Cheney in the leaked attacks on Wilson. Libby, who was Cheney’s chief of staff, was found guilty on Tuesday of four of five counts of obstructing justice, lying and perjury during an investigation into the administration’s disclosure of the identity of undercover CIA official Valerie Plame, Wilson’s wife. The verdict ‘does great damage to the Bush administration,’ said Paul C. Light, professor of public service at New York University. ‘It undermines the president’s pledge of ethical conduct. But the most serious consequence is that it will raise questions about Cheney’s durability in office. It may be time for Cheney to submit his resignation.'”

The article continued:

“The trial, which included a month of testimony, is also relevant as the U.S. seeks to build a case that Iran is providing sophisticated munitions to Shiite insurgents in Iraq who are using them against U.S. troops. Administration critics have suggested the administration is trying to lay the groundwork for isolating or even attacking Iran — using flawed intelligence, like in Iraq. Wilson, a retired career diplomat, had accused the administration of manipulating intelligence to build its case to invade Iraq.”

Unanswered Questions in the Libby Trial

The Associated Press reported on March 7:

“Former White House aide I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby’s conviction capped a four-year, politically charged investigation but did not seal Libby’s fate or resolve some of the lingering questions in the CIA leak case… the case offered little new information about whether President Bush was involved or whether he authorized any leaks. Defense attorneys never delivered Cheney or Libby to the witness stand as promised to discuss the White House effort to undermine the credibility of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, a campaign that resulted in the disclosure of his wife Valerie Plame’s job at the CIA. Libby’s attorneys offered few details about a supposed White House conspiracy to protect Bush adviser Karl Rove from prosecution. It also was never explained why former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who originally leaked Plame’s identity, was never charged.”

On March 7, Townhall.com added the following comments by Patrick J. Buchanan:

“However, this was about a larger issue than the narrow question of whether Libby lied about leaking the role of Valerie Plame in having her husband sent to Niger to investigate a report that Iraq had been seeking ‘yellowcake,’ a critical component in a uranium enrichment program.
 
“That larger issue is this: Were we misled, were we deceived by our government, as the White House made the case for invading and occupying Iraq? Did neoconservatives at the Pentagon cherry-pick the intelligence, stovepipe it to the vice president’s office and Libby, and then feed it to sympathizers and collaborators in the media, to stampede our country into a war against a nation that, no matter how odious its regime, did not threaten us, did not attack us and did not want war with us? In short, were we lied into a war in Mesopotamia that is breaking our Army, has crippled an administration, and has bled and divided our country as it has not been since the days of Vietnam?

“And why has the Democratic Congress, on taking power in January, not begun a broad investigation into how we got into this war? This is the dog that didn’t bark. And the reason the dog is silent suggests itself. The Congress, in voting President Bush the authority to take us to war against Iraq at a time and place of his own choosing, failed to do its duty by the Constitution… The dilemma a Democratic Congress faces in any investigation into whether we were lied into war is that Congress would be investigating why a Democratic Senate failed its constitutional duty to determine the necessity for war.

“And, lest we forget, the media, too, played a supporting role in pushing this nation into an unnecessary war. Columnists and commentators assured us there was a nexus between Saddam, al-Qaida and 9-11, a ‘Prague connection’ between Muhammad Atta and Iraqi intelligence. We were told Saddam had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and was working on nuclear weapons, that enrichment of uranium was being done secretly around the country, that if we did not act now, we faced a nuclear-armed Iraq that would surely transfer atomic weapons to al-Qaida terrorists. Said Condi Rice, our proof of WMD might well come in the form of a mushroom cloud above an American city… in the end, we are unlikely to know the truth of why it was we went to war. For that record is sealed in minds and souls.”

CO’s and the Army

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 7:

“Is it possible to become a conscientious objector once you have signed up to fight a war? According to United States military regulations, the answer is yes. But as confirmed by a US Army court martial in the case of former Army Specialist Agustin Aguayo near the western German city of Würzburg on Tuesday, the Army also reserves the right to answer no. Aguayo, a 35-year-old Mexican-American from Los Angeles, served a tour of duty in Iraq as a combat medic from 2004 to 2005. Early on in basic training, however, he began to realize that he was opposed to war. When his unit was ordered to return to Iraq for a second tour of duty in the war-torn country, Aguayo decided he simply could not obey with a clear conscience… In a small cramped courtroom on the Leighton Barracks near Würzburg, Germany on Tuesday, Aguayo was found guilty of desertion, slapped with a bad-conduct discharge, stripped of pay and benefits and sent to the brig for eight months…

“Aguayo has become the latest in an ever-growing list of US soldiers hitting the headlines for refusing to fight in Iraq. Some, like Lt. Ehren Wutada — who recently became the first US officer to be court martialed for opting not to obey orders sending him to Iraq — argue that the fight is illegal. Others, like Aguayo — and Mark Wilkerson, who was sentenced to seven months behind bars in February for desertion — choose the conscientious objector route, saying that their belief systems have changed… ‘Those who take a public stand give support to those (still in the military) who are against the war and thinking of resisting,’ Kelly Dougherty, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. ‘The only ones who can destroy the myth (that the Iraq War is necessary) are the military.’… nearly 1,600 active soldiers have now signed a petition to the US Congress that reads in part: ‘Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price.’ Likewise, according to the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada, there may be as many as 200 to 300 US soldiers who have headed north across the border to escape deployment.”

Roman Catholic Bishops vs. Israel

Der Spiegel Online reported on March 7:

“Comments by Germany’s Catholic bishops during a pilgrimage to Israel and the Palestinian territories have sparked fury among the Jewish community in Germany, who have accused the bishops of making anti-Semitic remarks… According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the bishop of Eichstätt, Gregor Maria Hanke, remarked during a visit to Bethlehem, ‘This morning in Yad Vashem the photos of the inhuman Warsaw Ghetto, and this evening we travel to the ghetto in Ramallah. That makes you angry.’ The Bishop of Augsburg Walter Mixa then remarked that it was a ‘ghetto-like’ situation and that it was ‘almost racism.’

“The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Charlotte Knobloch, has reacted with anger and disappointment to the remarks, which she describes as ‘awful and completely unacceptable.’ Comparing the fate of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto with the situation of the Palestinians in Ramallah belied ‘either a questionable shortfall in historical knowledge,’ or an attempt to turn the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and their children into today’s perpetrators, she said.

“Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein, spoke of a demonization of Israel and said that those who used the term ‘Warsaw Ghetto’ in connection with Israeli or Palestinian politics, had ‘forgotten everything, or learnt nothing, or failed morally.’

“Bishop Mixa also came in for criticism for ascribing racist motives to the Israeli state and government in their dealings with the Palestinians. ‘It says more about the bishop’s mentality than about the actual situation in the Middle East,’ Knobloch said, adding that it not only misjudges the facts of the Middle East conflict and Israel’s security situation, but it also makes use of clichés ‘that border on anti-Semitism.’ …

“The Catholic Church in Germany is now trying to diffuse the row with a number of apologies… Bishop Mixa denied that the opinions given during the trip could be interpreted as politically one-sided. He expressed his concerns about the future of the peace process and Palestinians and Israelis living together, and emphasized the Church’s position of supporting the right of Israel to exist and the right of the Palestinians to their own state.”

A Permanent European President and Foreign Minister?

The Telegraph wrote on March 7:

“Ahead of an EU summit in Brussels that opens tomorrow the Germans vowed to resurrect plans for a full-time EU president and dedicated EU foreign minister…Last night, Downing Street attempted to play down the German intervention, saying it would not react in detail until the full Berlin plan on what to do about updating the EU’s institutions is revealed at another summit at the end of June…

“Germany’s fresh push was spelt out in detail by Wolfgang Ischinger, the country’s ambassador to London, in a briefing with journalists. Mr Ischinger said ‘the first step’ to make an enlarged EU work better should be to end the system of six-month rotating presidencies of the EU, and give the community ‘a permanent, professional presidency.’ It was also high time the EU had a full-time foreign minister who could be the public face of a European foreign policy abroad.

“‘Why can’t we get our act together and have a European foreign minister who can travel to Malaysia, or Washington or some other country and say this is what the EU believes,’ he said.”

How NOT to Save the Planet

Der Spiegel Online wrote on March 5:

“Germany in its capacity as president of the European Union and G8 is leading a drive to slash CO2 emissions. But German media commentators want to know why their country should take the leading role while the world’s biggest polluters, the United States and China, stand idly by… While Merkel has committed Germany to an emissions reduction of more than 20 percent by 2020, both China and the United States have indicated that their emissions will continue to increase in the coming years. German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who sees Germany as a driving force in climate protection, has suggested anchoring it as a goal in a future European Union constitution. Following an Australian initiative, Gabriel has proposed a German ban of standard issue light bulbs, and the introduction of new EU energy efficiency guidelines for lamps and household appliances. The German press has responded skeptically to the leading role that Merkel and Gabriel want Germany to adopt, questionning the political motivations behind the grandstanding and calling for greater international pressure on the true offenders: China and the USA.

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The discussion lacks all sense of proportion. Germany contributes roughly 6 percent to CO2 production worldwide and the figure is declining. Roughly half of all emissions come from the USA and China, where the output continues to grow at double-digit rates… The perfect insulation of all German homes will save one million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, and exchanging all lightbulbs will save a similar amount. But when Germany shuts down its nuclear plants, their output will in part have to be taken over by coal and gas-fired power stations which will produce up to 160 million tonnes of CO2 additionally per year. We’re saving in the wrong places.’

“Mass circulation Bild in a front-page story headlined: ‘Are We Germans Supposed to Save the World on our own?’ writes: ‘We Germans are for environmental protection! We’re also prepared to make sacrifices for the environment. But sometimes one gets the impression: We’re supposed to save the earth ourselves! What are the biggest polluters, the USA, Russia and China, doing to save the planet?’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘The Christian Social Union wants to ban cars with combustion engines. The Social Democrats wants air travellers to pay a climate tax. The Greens want to slap a tax on air fuel and Greenpeace wants to ban all budget air travel. What’s peculiar is that the so-called climate-protectors are punishing mobility and little else. Of course, the environmental costs of traffic are significant and the energy efficiency of travel has to be improved. But much more energy is being consumed by industry and private households… The issue of how the energy needs of billions of people can be satisfied without destroying the environment and the climate is far too important to be left to politicians intent on self-promotion.”

Out-Of-Body Experiences?

The Telegraph wrote on March 3:

“People who have out-of-body experiences, such as flying along a tunnel towards a heavenly light, are more likely to suffer a strange effect called sleep paralysis, according to a survey that adds to mounting evidence for a biological explanation for the experience.

“During sleep paralysis, people experience a kind of breakdown between states of consciousness which takes place on the fringe of sleep, either when falling asleep or waking. Because the brain turns off the body’s ability to move during dreaming, muscles can lose their tone, or tension, causing paralysis.

“The details of sleep paralysis vary from person to person. Some hear vague sounds, indistinct voices and demonic gibberish. Others see hallucinations of humans, animals and supernatural creatures. There is a striking inability to move or to speak, or a weight on the chest.

“Also common are feelings of rising off the bed or flying. In addition, people report out-of-body experiences, sometimes accompanied by ‘autoscopy’ when they look down on themselves. Not surprisingly, these moments are accompanied by fear. Throughout history, there have also been accounts of people having visions on the brink of death – what are now called ‘near-death experiences’.

“Today, the two odd effects are linked by a study that backs the idea that the near-death experience is a biological experience, rather than anything to do with a spiritual dimension, a glimpse of heaven or the existence of the soul… The sleep paralysis linked with out-of-body experiences was thought rare, but may strike between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of people at least once. They report sensations of floating, flying, falling or leaving one’s body. It ranges from relatively tranquil floating experiences to horrible feelings of falling or rising at high speed.”

Jesus’ Burial Cave Found? — Utter Nonsense!

The Associated Press reported on February 26:

“Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets, but the Oscar-winning director said the evidence was based on sound statistics. ‘The Lost Tomb of Christ,’ which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries–small caskets used to store bones–discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel. One of the caskets even bears the title, ‘Judah, son of Jesus,’ hinting that Jesus may have had a son, according to the documentary. And the very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven…

“Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film’s hypothesis holds little weight. ‘I don’t think that Christians are going to buy into this,’ Pfann said. ‘But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear.’… Pfann is even unsure that the name ‘Jesus’ on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it’s more likely the name ‘Hanun.’ Ancient Semitic script is notoriously difficult to decipher. [Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site] said the filmmakers’ assertions are false. ‘It was an ordinary middle-class Jerusalem burial cave,’ Kloner said. ‘The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time.'”

The claims of this “documentary” are utter nonsense. As with the infamous Da Vinci Code postulations, this is another Satanic attempt to discredit the Holy Word of God–the Bible–and the very foundation of Christianity. If Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. In that case, we have no hope for life after death through a resurrection.

The issue is quite simple: Either we are willing to believe God and His unshakable promises, or the assertions of human skeptics and ignorant filmmakers willing to make merchandise of people.

Embarrassment for Washington

Deutsche Welle reported on February 21:

“Stuttgarter Zeitung took a tough line on Tony Blair’s announcement he would reduce troops in Iraq. ‘…Blair will hardly be able to improve his image in history books,’ the paper wrote. ‘He said himself that he had wanted to lead Great Britain into the Euro zone, into the heart of Europe, but what he’s ended up doing is turning the United Kingdom into an aircraft carrier for the United States,’ the paper wrote. It also pointed out that British voters will punish Blair’s Labour Party just like American voters did with the Republicans in Congressional elections in November.

“The Obermain-Tagblatt got right to the point: ‘The signal from London couldn’t be more embarrassing for Washington — Tony Blair, the US’ closest ally, disentangles himself from the circle of unity.’ Berlin’s Tagesspiegel pondered the dilemma: ‘…Sir Richard Dannatt, the new, unusually upfront British Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, even believes that the mere presence of his soldiers in Basra triggers more violence than they prevent,’ the paper wrote…The paper said the US’ most loyal allies were following on the heels of the tens of thousands of Iraqis who have fled their country.’

“Braunschweiger Zeitung said withdrawing troops from Iraq is the right thing to do. ‘The West has lost. That should be openly acknowledged,’ the paper opined. ‘The war against Saddam Hussein was based on lies, and the war is ending with lies,’ the paper continued.”

Killing In the Name of God

On February 23, Der Spiegel Online published a provocative article with the title, “Violence in the Name of God.” We do not agree with much of the author’s anti-religious premises, nor his false interpretations of especially the Old and New Testaments. But we do find that the following factual historical observations are worthwhile repeating:

“Religious fanaticism has existed in all ages and all religions. It is the sinister side of faith, and its explanation remains elusive. Such extremism – which is usually unleashed in spasms of violence against dissenters – can even be found in so-called ‘gentle’ faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism. It is most prolific in the three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam, i.e. the religions that trace their roots to Abraham (or Ibrahim, as he is called by the Muslims). Abraham’s son Isaac is considered the progenitor of the Jews. The Arabs regard his half-brother Ismael (whom Abraham conceived with Hagar, a maidservant, and not his wife Sarah) as their progenitor… Both the Koran and the Bible’s Old and New Testaments bear witness to a good and merciful God. They urge humans to live in peace and harmony. This is reflected most clearly in the instruction attributed to Jesus in the Hebrew Bible: ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’…

“Killing in the name of the Lord? Look no further than the Crusades and the Inquisition. Deus lo vult (‘It is God’s will’) was the Crusaders’ battle cry. Popes had called upon Christendom to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule. Beyond the prospect of rich plunder, the Crusaders could expect forgiveness for all their crimes. The Christian armies weren’t content to pillage Palestine during at least six crusades between 1096 and 1291… At home, they butchered Jews who got in their way. All for the glory of their God… When conquering Jerusalem in 1099, the Crusaders embarked on a ruthless rampage on the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif). ‘Our men waded in blood up to their ankles,’ one witness reported. All told, an estimated 5 million Muslims, Jews, Christians from the Byzantine Church and Christian invaders died in the Crusades.

“And these unholy campaigns were no exception. For five centuries, various popes joined forces with bishops, emperors, kings and dukes to persecute anyone who deviated from the prescribed methods of worship. >From the 13th century until after the Enlightenment, the Inquisition left a trail of carnage across Europe. At least 1 million are thought to have died at the hands of its tribunals… The bloodletting was particularly horrendous in Spain. The Spanish Inquisition, which started around 1570, claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of conversos, Jews who had converted to Christianity, and Moors. The Spanish conquistadors meted out similar treatment to the ‘heathens’ they encountered in the New World. Millions of indigenous Central and South Americans were slaughtered for refusing to accept the conquerors’ God…

“The Protestants were no better than the Catholics. Just as many women died in Protestant countries as in Catholic areas… Yet the Catholic Church probably incurred its greatest burden of guilt through its treatment of the Jews. Even in early Christendom, anti-Jewish sentiment against the ‘murderers of Christ’ was widespread, and the Church adhered to this course until well into the 20th century… The Holocaust might never have happened, had it not been for this Christian legacy of anti-Semitism…

“A chronicle describing the spread of Islam bears the words: ‘See, I was sent with the sword (by God) to bring debasement and dishonor to those who oppose his word.’ When he died in 632, Mohammed controlled nearly the whole of the Arab peninsula. Twenty years later, the entire Middle East was under Islamic rule. In its early days, Islam was a bellicose religion – and an incredibly progressive one… The decline began with the orgy of violence inflicted by Christian crusaders in Jerusalem in 1099… Islam… degenerated into an alibi for unscrupulous Ottoman dictators… Islamic law only permits holy war under extreme circumstances, for instance when a person needs to defend him- or herself, or when the Islamic world is under attack and its very existence threatened. But the Koran also says: ‘So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush!'”

Animal Behavior May Disprove Evolution Theory

The Associated Press reported on February 23:

“Researchers report witnessing a chimpanzee skewering a tree creature for supper with a spearlike tool, a rare observation of a long-studied primate in the wild. ‘It’s not uncommon to have chimps use tools. But to use them in the context of hunting’ is nearly unheard of, said Jill Pruetz, an anthropology professor from Iowa State University… Pruetz said the chimpanzees stripped leaves from tree branches and modified the tip with their incisors, ‘effectively making a point.’ Then the chimpanzees jabbed the tool into a cavity to snag a bushbaby. Chimpanzees commonly use sticks to get food, such as termites, said Ian Gilby, a postdoctoral fellow who studies chimpanzee hunting at Harvard University.”

If these new findings are confirmed, they would show an interesting piece of truth. Even though certain scientists will use these findings, no doubt, as “proof” for the evolution theory, postulating that man developed from apes, the facts would actually show the opposite: That is, they would establish that certain animals were created to use “tools.” Pre-Adamic “human-like” remains would then show nothing else but animals with certain “advanced” abilities. That would be in total harmony with what the Bible actually teaches, namely that God created the first human beings about 6,000 years ago. This means that alleged human-like findings of an older age were either animals without the human spirit, or the age given to those findings was simply untrue. As the age of many fossils is determined by the unreliable Radio Carbon 14 method, the latter alternative is a distinct possibility.

For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.” If you read German, you might want to read our German booklet, “EVOLUTION–ein MÄRCHEN für Erwachsene,” which is published on our German Website (www.aufpostenstehen.de). This booklet includes additional information and discusses in detail the problems, difficulties and unreliability of “scientific methods,” including the Radio Carbon 14 method, which are used to determine the age of fossils.

Disappearance of Bees Threatens American Economy

The New York Times wrote on February 27:

David Bradshaw has endured countless stings during his life as a beekeeper, but he got the shock of his career when he opened his boxes last month and found half of his 100 million bees missing. In 24 states throughout the country, beekeepers have gone through similar shocks as their bees have been disappearing inexplicably at an alarming rate, threatening not only their livelihoods but also the production of numerous crops, including California almonds, one of the nation’s most profitable…

“The sudden mysterious losses are highlighting the critical link that honeybees play in the long chain that gets fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and dinner tables across the country. Beekeepers have fought regional bee crises before, but this is the first national affliction. Now, in a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie, bees are flying off in search of pollen and nectar and simply never returning to their colonies. And nobody knows why… A Cornell University study has estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts. ‘Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,’ said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation. The bee losses are ranging from 30 to 60 percent on the West Coast, with some beekeepers on the East Coast and in Texas reporting losses of more than 70 percent; beekeepers consider a loss of up to 20 percent in the offseason to be normal.”

The Growing Exodus Out of the U.S. Dollar

On February 28, swissamerica.com wrote:

“First it was Warren Buffet, then Bill Gates, then George Soros who began shedding dollars. Now China, Japan, Russia, OPEC and even central banks are chiming in, one by one, with plans to diversify out of U.S. dollars. Who can blame them? Here are a few examples of recent headlines and quotes reported at swissamerica.com which will help explain why there’s a growing exodus out of U.S. dollars and into foreign currencies and commodities like gold.

“Peoples Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said at a recent Frankfurt conference that China has very clear plans to diversify its currency reserves, which now stand at more than $1 trillion. A wide range of instruments are under consideration, including gold and oil, reports Marketwatch… Hong Kong billionaire Lee Shau Kee says, ‘I am a bear on the U.S. dollar. The U.S. has a mountain of debt. I don’t believe in debt. Ever since I was young, I have seen how paper money has suffered. If a country is encouraging a lot of debt, at the end of the day, they have to repay. If they don’t, there will be big turmoil,’ reports Forbes… ‘The head of the United Arab Emirates central bank said it will convert 8% of its reserves of U.S. assets into the European currency,’ reported Bloomberg…

“The Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) is agreeable to replacing the US dollar with the euro in Iranian foreign transactions, said a member of the Majlis Planning and Budget Commission, Morteza Tamaddon. In case the West pulls through with its planned economic sanctions on Iran, Tamaddon said the country would still have access to its monetary accounts based on the euro, reports IRNA… The dollar has suffered weakness because of concerns about global imbalances and the future course of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy, reports London Financial Times… Japanese life insurers, who manage the equivalent of $1.6 trillion in assets, will cut holdings of U.S. Treasuries, according to Calyon Securities… ‘The dollar lost nearly 12 percent against the euro in 2006, as investors became concerned that U.S. economic growth was slowing and that the interest rate differential with Europe may narrow. You should hold as few dollars as possible. The dollar’s decline would go on for years to come,’ Commodity expert Jim Rogers told Reuters…

“‘Two analysts who have reconstructed money supply data after the Fed stopped publishing it argue a coming dollar collapse will set the stage for creating the amero as a North American currency to replace the dollar,’ reports WND… ‘We are entering a critical new phase of the dollar’s decline, which may: – drive up the interest rates on bonds, commercial loans and all forms of mortgages … – crack open the U.S. housing market — not only because of rising mortgage rates, but also because fewer foreigners are willing to speculate on American real estate …- force the Fed to start a whole new round of interest rate hikes to attract foreign money back to the U.S., and … – send contra-dollar investments — gold, silver, oil and other commodities — into a new, rip-roaring surge,’ writes Safe Haven’s Martin Weiss…”

The article continued:

“As central banks and other major investors in global asset markets shift away from holding US dollars, severe implications for the U.S. may become reality:… difficulty for the U.S. in financing its ballooning deficits… a possible collapse in the traded value of the dollar… higher interest rates in order to attract international lenders… compromising of the dollar’s reserve currency status… slower growth in the US economy given our dependence on debt financing.”

More “Hick-Ups” Between Europe and the USA

The Associated Press reported on February 28:

“A senior U.S. administration official on Wednesday warned that ongoing inquiries into secret CIA activities in the European Union may undermine intelligence cooperation between the United States and European nations. The European Parliament accused Britain, Poland, Italy and other nations in mid-February of colluding with the CIA to transport terror suspects to clandestine prisons in third countries. In a report that concluded a yearlong investigation, the parliament identified 1,254 secret CIA flights that entered the European airspace since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. It said that these flights were against international air traffic rules and suggested some of them may have carried terror suspects on board in violation of human rights principles.

“John Bellinger, legal adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, called the European Parliament report ‘unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair’ and called on the EU governments to challenge the suggestion that Europeans need to be concerned about secret CIA flights… Germany, Italy and several other EU countries have been carrying out their own inquiries into secret CIA activities in Europe, probes Bellinger said ‘have not been helpful with respect to necessary cooperation between the United States and Europe. I do think these continuing investigations can harm intelligence cooperation, that’s simply a fact of life,’ Bellinger told reporters…

“EU parliamentarians have rejected Bellinger’s criticism and called on the United States to address concerns that some flights have carried kidnapped terror suspects. Bellinger also said the United States would refuse any Italian extradition request for CIA agents indicted in the alleged abduction of an Egyptian cleric in Milan, one of the cases the European Parliament focused on in its inquiry… Bellinger also said the U.S. government was keen on closing the Guantanamo detention center in Cuba but has not yet figured out what to do with the inmates… ‘We have not seen Europe has been willing to help. We have seen many statements from European governments saying Guantanamo must be closed immediately. It’s not clear how Guantanamo would be immediately closed. Europe has been prepared to criticize … but has not been prepared to offer a constructive suggestion,’ Bellinger said. He added that the United States has been looking to Europe for help with inmates from the Middle East who cannot, for various reasons, return to their home countries, but has not received any offers from European countries to accept these people.”

Prince Charles Wants McDonald’s Fast Food Banned

The Associated Press reported on February 28:

“Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald’s fast food was crucial for improving people’s diets, a British news agency reported. Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi…’Have you got anywhere with McDonald’s? Have you tried getting it banned? That’s the key,’ Charles was quoted as asking one of the center’s nutritionists… Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is an active advocate of organic food and in 1986 set up a farm on his Highgrove Estate that does not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers… The United Arab Emirates has the world’s second highest number of diabetes cases per capita, with more than 20 percent of those aged 20 to 79 already diagnosed with the illness, while 40 percent of the population are at risk.”

The website of “thisislondonco.uk” added:

“Princess Diana often took sons William and Harry to the McDonald’s restaurant opposite Windsor Castle. Charles’s comments will fuel the debate about obesity in Britain. He has already called for a total ban on GM food, which he considers a health risk – a stance that has left him at odds with the Government… He immediately laid himself open to charges of hypocrisy after it was pointed out that the company’s signature Big Mac contains fewer calories, fats and salt than some products in his own organic Duchy Originals food range… His Cornish pasty contains 264 calories per 100g compared to the burger’s 229 calories, and 5.5g of saturated fat as opposed to the Big Mac’s 4.14g.”

Pentecostals a Threat to Catholic Church

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 28:

“Pentecostal ministers in Latin America are luring increasing numbers of Roman Catholics away from their faith with modern marketing tactics… Hordes of believers from the world’s largest Catholic country are defecting to the evangelicals. The archbishop of São Paulo, Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, estimates that the Catholic churches have lost one-third of their members over the past 40 years. Seven out of 10 former Catholics are seeking salvation in a Protestant community… The trend is running rife throughout Latin America, once a Third World bulwark of Roman Catholicism. From Mexico to Argentina, the Church is in retreat. In just a few years, over half the populations of Guatemala and El Salvador are expected to be Protestant.”

Italian’s Prodi “Back-Pedals”–and Stays On

AFP reported on February 28:

“Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Wednesday survived a close vote of confidence in the Senate, ending a weeklong political crisis after his shock resignation. The 67-year-old former European Commission chief, serving his second stint as prime minister, is expected to sail through another vote Friday in the Chamber of Deputies, where he has a comfortable majority… Prodi’s disparate centre-left coalition, which won a general election 10 months ago by a hair’s breadth, was thrown into crisis last week when the prime minister resigned after losing a vote of support on foreign policy issues…

“Prodi rallied his coalition around a 12-point ‘non-negotiable’ pact before agreeing to stay on. Taking the floor as the debate opened Wednesday, the embattled prime minister back-pedalled on a bill that would grant legal status to unmarried couples including gays. In an apparent gamble aimed at garnering support from the Catholic centrists in his centre-left majority and the opposition — at the expense of far-left groups who promote the legislation — Prodi said that in presenting the bill to parliament, the government ‘has done its duty.'”

Religious Confusion in Europe…WHY?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 16 about an almost incredible phenomenon in Germany and Europe: A growing minority of Catholic and Protestant “Christians” doesn’t believe in God and is looking for “alternative” belief systems.

The magazine stated:

“… in Germany… [one] in three [Germans] is no longer officially registered as a Christian. Just one in four eastern Germans believes that Christ was actually crucified. Only two-thirds of registered Catholics say they believe in God – and only one of two Protestants do. Finally, if pressed on their views, 11 percent of officially registered Protestants actually turn out to be card-carrying atheists.

“‘The church is just an option now, nothing more,’ says religious sociologist Klaus-Peter Jörns, who compiled these statistics some years back. According to a study conducted by Shell, one in five youths today belongs to a breed that Jörns calls ‘transcendence believers’: They admit that supernatural forces may exist, but are unwilling to pin the word ‘god’ on them – let alone put faith in concepts like the epiphany, sin and salvation.

“Simultaneously, adults raised within a Christian culture are increasingly expecting to be reincarnated. More than a quarter of all churchgoing Swiss Catholics say they can relate to Buddhist ideas on the subject. Heiner Barz, a professor for educational science at Düsseldorf University, has identified the ‘displacement of the resurrection doctrine by the reincarnation doctrine’ as a key religious trend in contemporary Europe – albeit with the caveat that it lacks ‘the doctrine of karma that is associated with it in the Eastern cultural sphere’ and its personal accounting system.

“… almost anything goes today… Innocuous supernatural phenomena which do not strike the fear of God into people have proven the most popular… ‘Our modern world is far less enlightened than we think,’ says Hartmut Böhme, a Berlin-based cultural scientist who sees palpable evidence of ‘fetishism’ in the modern European mindset.”

The magazine asked whether something is missing in all of this confusion. The answer is distinctively, YES! What is missing is the TRUE UNDERSTANDING of who and what God is, what He is doing TODAY, WHY we are experiencing so much suffering, and WHAT is the ultimate potential and fate of man! WHY was man created in the first place? There is only ONE source which gives you the answers to all these questions–and unfortunately, this source is not “orthodox” or traditional Christianity with their false teachings of heaven and hell, Easter bunnies and Christmas carols; nor can it be found in eastern religions with their esoteric concepts of reincarnation, or transcendental meditation practices falsely postulating that they can bring about “enlightenment.” Rightly understood, many of these practices are not only useless, but they could be terribly DANGEROUS for some engaging in them.

Do YOU want to know the answers to these all-important life-determining questions?

If you do, please read our free booklets, “God Is A Family,” and “Human Suffering–Why… And How Much Longer?“

Germany’s Wrong Attempts to Deal with Holocaust Deniers

On February 16, Der Spiegel Online reported about the conviction and sentencing of a Holocaust denier in Germany, raising the important question whether such procedures do “more harm than good.” The short answer is: They certainly do. It is an unfortunate lesson of history that Germany has still not learned to act with BALANCE–they are either too strict or too lenient. To charge a Holocaust denier with a crime and sentence him to jail is –in American eyes — just plain ridiculous. And so, Germany WILL learn the hard way that their attempts of dealing with Holocaust deniers is just not working and will become counter-productive–regardless as to how laudable and noble the underlying intentions might be.

Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“Historical revisionist Ernst Zündel has been convicted for denying the Holocaust and sent to jail for five years. But many in Germany suspect such trials may do more harm than good… Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung [states:]… ‘Freedom of opinion is a fundamentally far-reaching basic right… It’s not concerned with the validity of the thoughts expressed; it applies to any old nonsense, covering witlessness and idiocy no less than extraordinary stupidity…’

“The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is even less convinced the trial and the sentence were justified. The piece, printed on the conservative daily’s front page, begins by stressing that this and previous trials — including one in Canada which Zündel won — have helped create a platform for Holocaust deniers. ‘Ernst Zündel has become world-famous. He’s become well-known not just via his publications but also thanks to court proceedings… He was granted the same freedom of speech as every other Canadian, albeit reluctantly…’ [Even though he won the court case in Canada, where he lived, Zündel was subsequently deported from Canada to Germany.] The legal basis for Zündel’s conviction in a German court is questionable, the paper argues: ‘Guilt has now been extended to include a person’s views… it likely fosters the very thing it wants to fight.’

“The left-wing daily Die Tageszeitung is especially disturbed by how the trial was conducted. ‘The trial was intolerable for all those who don’t belong to the extreme right. The right-wingers associated with Jürgen Rieger — the lawyer who is also an activist for the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) — used the trial as a platform for their revanchism and in order to publicize their claimed scientific “discoveries” on “the Auschwitz lie.” The lawyers also repeatedly tried to provoke the presiding judge … and turn the court proceedings into chaos. ‘Perhaps it would be better not to give Holocaust deniers and their supporters the satisfaction of taking them to court,’ the commentator concludes.

“‘Maximum Penalty — What Else?’ is the headline in conservative daily Die Welt. But the commentator is more concerned about the trial and its possible consequences than the title suggests. ‘The circumstances of the trial were often intolerable, at least for the non-confused among us. The fact that one of Zündel’s lawyers signed a document with the words “Heil Hitler” is just one of the more grotesque lapses.’ The commentator goes on to ponder a proposal currently being debated within the European Union — that of making ‘racism and xenophobia’ a punishable crime in all of the EU’s member countries. He takes a critical view of the proposal. ‘Should all Polish glorifiers of Stalinism and all French deniers of the murder of Armenians be taken to court in the EU, regardless of which country they are active in? That, from the German point of view, doesn’t seem like a good idea…'”

Neither does it seem to be a good idea to punish as criminals and sentence to jail those misled and misleading agitators who falsely deny the Holocaust–however blatantly objectionable and offensive such denial may be. To criminalize the expression of thought in this world–even of wrong thought–is VERY dangerous. It has backfired before in Germany and Europe, as well as in the former Soviet Union–and it will without doubt backfire again. Germany’s and Europe’s attempts to fight totalitarian thoughts by suppressing and criminalizing them with the “sword of the law” harbors the lurking danger of becoming totalitarian themselves–and Europe is, tragically, marching into that very frightening direction!

For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Italian-US Relations Hit New Low

The Telegraph.co.uk reported on February 17 that “Italian-US relations hit new low after protests.” It continued:

“Italian pacifists and Left-wingers staged a 50,000-strong protest yesterday against the presence of a new large-scale US air force base. A former civilian airport in the northern city of Vicenza has been earmarked, with the base replacing two in Germany and acting as a departure point for US tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. The £500 million American plan to convert the Dal Molin airport, one and a half miles from the city centre, has come under fire from Italians who have long been opposed to America’s wars.

“The mass demonstration in Vicenza follows a series of diplomatic spats which have plunged relations between Italy and America to a new low. On Friday, an Italian court ordered 26 CIA agents to stand trial for the ‘rendition’ of a Muslim cleric allegedly kidnapped in Milan. Earlier this month, another judge ruled that Mario Lozano, a US marine, face trial for the fatal shooting of Nicola Calipari, an Italian spy.”

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi Resigns

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 22:

“There are certain things you can rely on in Italy, like good food, nice weather and sharp dressers. So it is reassuring that Italian politics seem to be back to normal as well, after the blip that was Silvio Berlusconi’s recently ended five-year stint in power: With Romano Prodi’s resignation, we are back to the volatile Italian governments that we know and love. Italian Prime Minister Prodi stepped down on Wednesday after his center-left coalition suffered a Senate defeat on foreign policy… The governing coalition, ‘The Union,’ ranges from Catholic centrists to communists and greens, and it was its diverse nature which ultimately led to Prodi’s demise. In the past he has often resorted to confidence votes to bring his unruly allies into line over issues including the budget, gay rights — which brought the pro- and anti-Vatican factions into conflict — and Italian involvement abroad. The development is typical of Italy’s notoriously unstable coalition governments. Prodi’s government was Italy’s 61st since 1945 — an average of one government per year… Prodi’s proposal to keep Italian troops in Afghanistan, on the heels of his having allowed the expansion of a US military base in Italy, proved too much for his coalition to handle… Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano accepted Prodi’s resignation but the beleaguered prime minister may still stay in power if he can bring his unruly coalition into line.”

Major Setback to American Efforts Against Al Qaeda

The New York Times reported on February 19:

“Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once-battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials… The concern about a resurgent Al Qaeda has been the subject of intensive discussion at high levels of the Bush administration, the officials said, and has reignited debate about how to address Pakistan’s role as a haven for militants without undermining the government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president… Officials from several different American intelligence and counterterrorism agencies presented a consistent picture in describing the developments as a major setback to American efforts against Al Qaeda.

“…debates within the administration about how best to deal with the threat have yet to yield any good solutions, officials in Washington said… American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said that most of the men receiving training in Pakistan had been carrying out attacks inside Afghanistan, but that Al Qaeda had also strengthened its ties to groups in Iraq… Over the past year, insurgent tactics from Iraq have migrated to Afghanistan, where suicide bombings have increased fivefold and roadside bomb attacks have doubled… Last fall, the Algerian group renamed itself Al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb. Officials in Washington say they believe that the group is linked to a recent string of sophisticated car bombings and other attacks in Algeria.”

Reunification of Anglican and Roman Catholic Church?

The Times On Line reported on February 19:

“Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt… The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches. In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope… Rome has already shown itself willing to be flexible on the subject of celibacy when it received dozens of married priests from the Church of England into the Catholic priesthood after they left over the issue of women’s ordination.

“There are about 78 million Anglicans, compared with a billion Roman Catholics, worldwide. In England and Wales, the Catholic Church is set to overtake Anglicanism as the predominant Christian denomination for the first time since the Reformation, thanks to immigration from Catholic countries…

“In one significant passage the report notes: ‘The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the ministry of the Bishop of Rome [the Pope] as universal primate is in accordance with Christ’s will for the Church and an essential element of maintaining it in unity and truth.’ Anglicans rejected the Bishop of Rome as universal primate in the 16th century. Today, however, some Anglicans are beginning to see the potential value of a ministry of universal primacy, which would be exercised by the Bishop of Rome, as a sign and focus of unity within a reunited Church… Anglicans are also urged to begin praying for the Pope during the intercessionary prayers in church services, and Catholics are asked also to pray publicly for the Archbishop of Canterbury.”

America in Turmoil

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 19:

“Republican Senators foiled a Democratic bid to have Congress criticize President George W. Bush’s troop increase in Iraq. But with a clear majority of politicians on Capitol Hill opposing the White House’s war strategy, is this a defeat for the president or for the Democrats?”

The magazine continued:

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘For four years any criticism of the war was seen as a betrayal of the troops. This taboo has now been broken … the vote marks a decisive change in American politics. The Bush Administration has not only forfeited its credibility internationally — now it is also fighting a losing battle on the home front… But a US government that has suffered such a loss of authority is a weakness for the whole West. Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Iran and North Korea are the big conflicts in international politics. Bush — morally disavowed and increasingly abandoned by his own party colleagues — will not be able to do much to solve them. So who will?’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The damage to Bush is enormous. Congress has made clear to the president: this war has increasingly become his war and not a mission in the name of the nation. Congress has to vote on the defense budget in March — and whoever dares refuse the troops the money will be criticized by the government for lacking patriotism. The trick has always worked before. The Democrats are already ensnared in tactical manoeuvers — torn between loyalty to the military and their anger over the botched Bush war … Four years after the disastrous march on Baghdad it is not only Iraq that is collapsing. The war also threatens to split America into friend and foe.’

“The left-wing Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The US Democrats have failed their first big test. They won’t be able to end the US mission in Iraq in the foreseeable future … That is a disappointment but not a surprise … It was never really their aim to use all their might to stop Bush. That was finally clear when the liberals agreed that the Iraq resolution would be ‘non-binding.’… The majority of Democrats wanted to do something symbolic without taking on the responsibility for the disastrous war in Iraq. It is pure electoral politics… The Democrats could now refuse to approve the president’s war budget. But that plan looks unlikely in the face of the recent defeat. It would mean that the Democrats had a plan to get out of Iraq without setting the entire region alight. There is no such plan in sight — neither from the Democrats nor from the Republicans. And certainly not from the White House.”

“The conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘George W. Bush suffered a defeat in Congress that will resonate in some way or another. Either it was the beginning of a political avalanche which will bury Bush’s Iraq policy and with it seal his presidency’s foreign policy failure. Or it was an error on the part of the opposition in Congress, which could end in a rude awakening for those candidates who want to succeed Bush in the White House.'”

US Coalition Allies On Opposite Track

The Associated Press reported on February 21:

“Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months and aims to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if Iraqi forces can secure the country’s south, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday. The announcement, which came as Denmark said it would withdraw its 460 troops and Lithuania said it was considering pulling out its small contingent, comes as the U.S. is implementing an increase of 21,000 more troops for Iraq — putting Washington on an opposite track as its main coalition allies… Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice played down the British pullback, saying it is consistent with the U.S. plan to turn over more control to Iraqi forces.”

The article continued:

“But opposition Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell said Blair’s plan fell a long way short of a promise to leave Iraq as a ‘beacon of democracy’ for the region. ‘The unpalatable truth is this … we will leave behind a country on the brink of civil war, where reconstruction has stalled, where corruption is endemic and a region which is a lot less stable than it was in 2003,’ Campbell said.

“Besides the United States, Britain and Denmark, the major partners in the coalition include South Korea (2,300 troops), Poland (900), Australia and Georgia (both 800) and Romania (600), according to the Brookings Institution. South Korea plans to halve its 2,300-member contingent in the northern city of Irbil by April, and is under pressure from parliament to devise a plan for a complete withdrawal by year’s end. Polish President Lech Kaczynski has said that his country’s troops would stay no longer than December.

“Blair, who has said he will step down by September after a decade in power, has seen his foreign-policy record overshadowed by his role as Bush’s leading ally in the unpopular war. As recently as last month, Blair rejected opposition calls to withdraw British troops by October, calling such a plan irresponsible.”

Less Than 15 Years?

The Financial Times reported on February 22:

“The world has less than 15 years to take urgent action against global warming through the use of new technology if it is to prevent a climate catastrophe, the United Nations warns in the as yet unpublished third part of its World Climate Report [due to be published in May]. If carbon emissions are not substantially reduced by 2020, the report warns, global warming will set in motion irreversible natural processes such as the melting of the ice shields in Greenland and the over-acidification of the oceans… The scientists who compiled the report propose a range of measures, including the much increased use of biofuels and hybrid cars, as well as the construction of new nuclear power stations… The first part of the ­Climate Report, which looked at the physical basis of climate change, caused a global discussion about global warming when it was published this month. The scientists warned of a future characterised by extreme weather events – long and intense droughts, fierce hurricanes, heatwaves and rising sea levels – as a result of rising temperatures… The second part, expected to be published in April, will look more specifically at the effects of climate change on humans and nature.”

Tensions Intensify Between Washington, Moscow and Europe

The Financial Times reported on February 21:

“Tensions intensified on Wednesday over US plans for missile defence bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, as Washington called on Europe to take a tougher stance towards the Kremlin. The Bush administration’s two top foreign policy officials lashed out at Moscow’s campaign against the bases, which Washington insists are aimed at possible threats from Iran rather than Russia. Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, said the suggestion this week by Russia’s head of strategic rocket forces that Russia could target the two central European countries if they agreed to host the bases was ‘very unfortunate’. She also dismissed comments by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, who said this week Moscow should have been consulted more about the sites, given their proximity to Russia’s borders… Mr Steinmeier’s spokesman said the minister was aware that ‘technical talks’ had taken place between Moscow and Washington, but said he had been warning against a return to the type of security stand-offs of the cold war era.

“Separately in Brussels, Stephen Hadley, US national security adviser, emphasised Washington’s dismay at a speech this month in which Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, hit out at the missile defence plans and the US’s ‘unilateral’ use of force… The EU has consistently struggled to forge a common line on Russia. Countries such as Poland, which are suspicious of the Kremlin’s intentions, are pitted against big western European states such as Germany and France, which are often keen to deepen ties with Moscow.”

Beware of the Hornets

The Telegraph.co.uk reported on February 21:

“Swarms of giant [Asian] hornets renowned for their vicious stings and skill at massacring honeybees have settled in France. And there are now so many of the insects that entomologists fear it will just be a matter of time before they cross to Britain… Thousands of football-shaped hornet nests are now dotted all over the forests of Aquitaine, the south-western region of France hugely popular with British tourists… A handful can destroy a nest of 30,000 bees in just a couple of hours — a major concern among the beekeeping industry.”

When reading this, one is reminded of God’s promise to defeat ancient Israel’s enemies with hornets (Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12). Hornets can be a powerful enemy for humans.

Smoking Much More Dangerous Than Originally Thought

Reuters reported on February 20:

“Smoking causes long-lasting changes in the brain similar to changes seen in animals when they are given cocaine, heroin and other addictive drugs, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. A study of the brain tissue of smokers and nonsmokers who had died showed that smokers had the changes, even if they had quit years before… A team led by Bruce Hope of NIDA, one of the National Institutes of Health, analyzed levels of two enzymes found inside brain cells known as neurons… Smokers and former smokers had high levels of these enzymes… Hope said other studies had seen the same thing in animals given cocaine and heroin — and it was clear that the drugs were causing the effects… Experts on smoking have long said that nicotine is at least as addictive as heroin.”

Middle East In Worst Condition Ever

On February 9, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, discussing the escalating developments between the USA and Iran, and the volatile situation in the Middle East. ElBaradei stated the following:

“… I personally believe that in a situation like the one you have in the Middle East today, where it’s like a ball of fire, you have to be very cautious. We cannot afford to add oil to that fire. The more we have confrontation, the more the Middle East will become militant and angry… We should not ride a train wreck. The Middle East is in the worst condition I have ever seen… It’s regrettable that Iran restricted the number of inspectors and we wrote to them and asked them to reconsider. It restricts our flexibility. I hope the Iranians will understand that the more transparency there, the better it will be for them.

“But I can also say that there are over 100 designated inspectors accepted by the Iranians. So we have enough people to do the job. We were just in Natanz and will soon go again… The Iranians themselves said that they want to install 3,000 centrifuges and are now moving forward in installing them… How long it will take to install and operate them will be part of my report to the IAEA Board of Governors on Feb. 21. So the window of opportunity for a time-out is very narrow. If my report is negative in the absence of any movement on the part of Iran then the Security Council will work for more sanctions. That would mean a further escalation that will become more and more difficult to scale back.”

On February 9, Der Stern Online published an interview with retired U.S. four-star general Wesley Clark. In the interview, Clark said, “I fear it will come to a military confrontation with Iran. This would lead to catastrophic results, for the region and for us.”

Accused Putin Becomes Accuser

In what must be seen as a “further worsening” of the relationship between Washington and Moscow, Russia’s highly controversial leader, Vladimir Putin, launched an unparalleled attack against the United States in a speech at a security conference in Germany. Putin has come under increased scrutiny for his perceived authoritarian conduct of brutally suppressing any resistance to his policies which are apparently aimed at the re-establishment of Russian dictatorship.

AFP filed this report on February 9:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a full-frontal attack on the United States, saying it had broken from international law and made the world a more dangerous place. Putin’s denunciation of US policy, made at a high-level security conference in Munich, prompted dismay among senior officials and politicians from the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation…

“The United States had disastrously ‘overstepped’ its borders… ‘in all spheres — economic, political and humanitarian and has imposed itself on other states,’ Putin said… What he called a ‘uni-polar’ world dominated by the United States, ‘means in practice one thing: one centre of power, one centre of force, one centre of decision-making, a world of one master, one sovereign,’… Such a situation ‘is extremely dangerous. No one feels secure because no one can hide behind international law,’ Putin said. He added that US dominance was ‘ruinous, not only for those inside the system but for the sovereign himself because it destroys him from within. It has nothing in common with democracy.’

“In a direct reference to US military policy, Putin said ‘local and regional wars didn’t get fewer. The number of people who died didn’t get less, but increased…. We see no kind of restraint, a hyper-inflated use of force.’ The United States, he said, had gone ‘from one conflict to another without achieving a fully-fledged solution to any of them.’

“Putin also rejected US criticism that under his watch, Russia has back-tracked on democracy… The speech marked a further worsening of relations between Moscow and Washington under Putin… The head of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, said the world was seeing an ‘increasingly uni-polar government in Russia, where competing centres of influence are being forced to toe the party line.'”

The Associated Press pointed out that “The Russian leader also voiced concern about U.S. plans to build a missile defense system in eastern Europe — likely in Poland and the Czech Republic — and the expansion of NATO as possible challenges to Russia.”

The EUObserver added on February 12:

“Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s tough speech in Germany this weekend is a wake-up call to the harsh realities in EU-Russia relations, early reactions from European politicians say… Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt told Reuters: ‘we should take [Putin] at his word. This was the real Russia of now and possibly in four or five years time it could go further in this direction.’… Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg thanked the Russian leader ironically, saying that he had vindicated NATO’s decision to take in members from the former Soviet east over the past decade. Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves also urged the EU to think twice about future relations with ‘a country that considers democracy on its borders as a threat, or despotism inside its borders as a source of stability.'”

On February 12, Der Spiegel Online reported about German reactions to Putin’s provocative speech:

“The business daily Handelsblatt argues: ‘It’s dangerous and frustrating that the two nuclear superpowers have lapsed into a calculated simulation of the Cold War.’… The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… Russia is demanding a front-row seat once again and with its nuclear weapons, its size and its wealth in oil and gas, there are powerful arguments in its favor. The US with its disastrous Iraq adventure provides another argument. Because (the war) has damaged Western credibility, it has provided Putin with the opportunity to give a powerful voice to the growing number of countries and people who doubt the wisdom of the West’s policies. The Russian President has laid his cards on the table. Europe and America now know Russia’s position… There is a lot to be said for not only listening to Russia’s voice but for taking it seriously.'”

The Bible confirms that we ought to listen to “Russia’s voice” and take it “seriously”–but for reasons which are unknown and unrecognized by most people. To learn more about Russia’s future role, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Putin’s Mideast Tour

The Associated Press reported on February 12:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to find quick success on a historic Mideast tour that saw the leader of energy-rich Russia forging oil diplomacy in Saudi Arabia and backing a natural gas cartel Monday with neighboring Qatar. Putin’s Middle East tour comes as Washington’s stature in the Gulf is slipping and Arab monarchies are busy boosting ties outside the region, particularly in Asia. Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have welcomed Putin despite being traditional U.S. allies…

“European Union leaders have said they would stand against any effort by Russia to create a gas cartel, fearing energy prices — and Russia’s political clout — could rise dramatically as a result. Europe gets 44 percent of its natural gas imports from Russia… ‘Russia and Saudi Arabia are the world’s leading energy producers and exporters and here it is easy for us to find common ground,’ Putin said in remarks in Saudi Arabia broadcast on Russian state television. Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia, represents a potential ally with considerable political strength as a member of the U.N. Security Council and the so-called Quartet of Middle East peace mediators…

“Earlier Monday, Putin met with about 200 Saudi and Russian businessmen eager to expand ties. Saudi Arabian firms have been seeking deals in countries other than the United States because of the difficulty in getting visas following the Sept. 11 attacks. The hijackings were carried out by 19 Arabs, including 15 Saudis.”

AFP added on February 13:

“Putin paid tribute to ‘the good relations between Russia and Jordan’ and said he noted ‘an increased interest in Russia on the part of our Arab partners’ during his tour. The visits have opened the way for ‘big possibilities for Russia,’ he said. ‘For Russia the Middle East is strategically important.”

A Friendlier US Defense Secretary

AFP reported on February 13:

“US Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew home from a mission to gain support for a military counter-offensive in Afghanistan that produced little concrete but set a friendlier tone with US allies… He won no public promises of new troops and equipment from European allies, or a sea change in Pakistani policies that have allowed the Taliban to take root in its tribal areas near the Afghan border…

“[He] candidly made amends at each stop for past US errors. He told reporters in Islamabad his last visit to Pakistan was in connection with a decade-long struggle against Soviet occupation by Afghan mujaheddin fighters, which the United States backed along with Pakistan… ‘After the Soviets left, the United States made a mistake,’ he said. ‘We neglected Afghanistan and extremism took control of that country. The United States paid a price for that on September 11, 2001. We are here for the long haul.’

“In Germany, he acknowledged that Guantanamo and the prisoner abuse scandals in Iraq had damaged America’s reputation, and explicitly repudiated Donald Rumsfeld’s division of Europe into ‘new’ and ‘old’ depending on whether a country supported the US invasion of Iraq. ‘All of these characterizations belong to the past,’ he said… When Putin stunned an audience of defense and foreign policy heavyweights in Munich with a stinging attack on US global leadership, Gates used a disarmingly light touch to defuse it.”

In fact, Gates compared himself with Putin, pointing out that both had been trained as spies and were therefore known to be blunt. However, Gates added with a smile that he–contrary to Putin–had gone through a process of re-education.

Deal With North Korea Breakthrough or Disaster?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 14:

“Negotiators in Peking as well as Washington hailed it as a breakthrough: North Korea will phase out its nuclear program. But to many critics — including George W. Bush’s own political allies — the deal looks like a concession. A day after the initial optimism surrounding the agreement with North Korea… many analysts, including a number of US conservative allies of US President George W. Bush, are waking up with second thoughts.

“The deal, struck on Tuesday as part of the six-party talks in Beijing [between North Korea, the US, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan], calls for massive oil and energy deliveries to North Korea in exchange for the mothballing of the country’s nuclear facilities. In addition to humanitarian and economic assistance, the aid amounts to some $400 million, according to reports in the US media.

“The dream of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, however, is still a long way off. Pyongyang will hold on to the nuclear arsenal it has already built — which is why some criticize the deal as a concession to North Korea, for very little in return.

“Former US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, was one of the critics. ‘It’s a bad, disappointing deal and the best thing you can say about it is that it will probably fall apart,’ Bolton said. ‘The only reason they were back at the negotiating table was because of the pressure we put on them through financial sanctions. Now we’re about to release that pressure.’ Bush advisor Mike Green also expressed doubt about the deal. ‘We won’t really know if the North Koreans have changed their basic stance and are really serious about giving up their nuclear program,’ he said, until it’s clear what they plan to do with their plutonium stockpile.

“In the agreement’s first phase, Pyongyang will receive 50,000 tons of fuel oil when it shuts down its nuclear power station in Yongbyon — which is set to happen in the next two months — under the supervision of international inspectors. A further 950,000 tons will follow once the station, about 62 miles from the capital Pyongyang, is disassembled… the international community seems to be grudgingly accepting North Korea into the nuclear weapons club following the country’s Oct. 9, 2006 test…”

AFP reported on February 14:

“US President George W. Bush rejected criticism of a breakthrough nuclear deal with North Korea… Speaking at a White House press conference, the US leader said the agreement aimed at halting North Korea’s nuclear weapons was a ‘good first step’ but added ‘there is a lot of work to be done to make sure that the commitments made in this agreement become a reality.’ Bush defended the deal against critics, including from his key conservative base, who said that offering aid and other guarantees to North Korea in return for disbanding its nuclear network was rewarding ‘bad behavior’ and a sign of US weakness…

“Among the agreement’s vocal critics was Washington’s former UN envoy, John Bolton, who called it ‘a very bad deal’ that shows US weakness at a time when Washington was challenging Iran over its controversial nuclear program. It also ‘undercuts’ UN sanctions resolutions against North Korea, Bolton said. But Bush rejected his criticism, saying ‘I strongly disagree, strongly disagree with his assessment.'”

Bad News for Great Britain

AFP reported on February 14:

“Britain’s youngsters had the worst relationships with their family and peers, suffered more from poverty and indulged in more ‘binge drinking’ and hazardous sex than children in other wealthy nations, said [a UNICEF] report. The United States placed 20 and Britain 21 on the list. Britain came in last for two of the main six areas studied by UNICEF: relationships, especially with their peers; and risky behaviour such as sex, drink and drugs… More broadly, Britain joined the United States and Sweden in having the highest proportion of children living in single-parent families, while Italy, Greece and Spain had the lowest… Almost a third of British youngsters aged 11, 13 and 15 reported being drunk on two or more occasions…”

Our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” explains WHY we are confronted with such terrible developments in the British and American societies. In addition, you might also want to read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families,” explaining that our children don’t HAVE to grow up like those as described in the UNICEF report.

Reactions to Global Warming Report

Reuters wrote on February 2:

“The world’s top climate scientists said on Friday global warming was man-made… The scientists said it was ‘very likely’ — or more than 90 percent probable — that human activities led by burning fossil fuels explained most of the warming in the past 50 years… The Kyoto Protocol is the main plan for capping emissions of greenhouse gases until 2012 but it has been severely weakened since the United States, the top source of greenhouse gases, pulled out in 2001. Emissions by many backers of Kyoto are far over target… A 21-page summary of IPCC findings for policy makers… says it is ‘more likely than not’ that greenhouse gases have made tropical cyclones more intense.”

The Associated Press added on February 2:

“Scientists from 113 countries issued a landmark report Friday saying they have little doubt global warming is caused by man, and predicting that hotter temperatures and rises in sea level will ‘continue for centuries’ no matter how much humans control their pollution… The 21-page report represents the most authoritative science on global warming as the panel comprises hundreds of scientists and representatives. It only addresses how and why the planet is warming, not what to do about it… The scientists said global warming was ‘very likely’ caused by human activity, a phrase that translates to a more than 90 percent certainty that it is caused by man’s burning of fossil fuels. That was the strongest conclusion to date, making it nearly impossible to say natural forces are to blame. It also said no matter how much civilization slows or reduces its greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and sea level rise will continue on for centuries.”

On February 2, BBC News quoted Sharon Hays, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, as saying: “This report is a comprehensive and accurate reflection of the current state of climate change science.”

The Washington Post wrote on February 2 that “In 1965, the concern that greenhouse gases would lead to global warming was a prediction. Today, it is an established scientific fact.”

AFP added on February 2:

“In its first assessment in six years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dealt a crippling blow Friday to the shrinking body of opinion that claims higher temperatures in past decades have been driven by natural, not man-made, causes… British Environment Minister David Miliband said the report ‘is another nail in the coffin of the climate change deniers’… The exhaustive IPCC study, culled from work by 2,500 scientists in more than 100 countries, sounded alarms about the impact of carbon pollution, mostly from the burning of oil, gas and coal. These fossil fuels release CO2, which traps heat from the sun instead of letting it radiate safely into space.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 2:

“A new United Nations report on climate change makes for sobering reading. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, humans are almost certainly responsible for global warming. And the consequences could be worst than previously thought. For years, global warming was dismissed as an apocalyptic vision dreamt up by cranks and hippies. But recently consensus has been growing that the climate is indeed changing and humans are directly responsible. Now the United Nations has concluded that humans are almost certainly responsible for global warming and issued its strongest-ever warning about the consequences.

“The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its keenly awaited report on climate change Friday in Paris. It contains the UN’s strongest conclusion yet that human activities are leading to global warming, and warns of more droughts, stronger storms and rising sea levels by 2100… According to the report, human-made emissions of greenhouse gases can be blamed for fewer cold days, hotter nights, killer heat waves, floods and heavy rains, devastating droughts, and an increase in hurricane and tropical storm strength.”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on February 2:

“In the strongest language it has ever used, a United Nations panel says global warming is ‘very likely’ caused by human activities and has become a runaway train that cannot be stopped… The phrase ‘very likely’ indicates a 90% certainty. The last IPCC report, issued five years ago, said it was ‘likely’ that human activity was at fault, indicating a certainty of 66%. Many scientists had argued during the editing process that the report should say it is ‘virtually certain’ that human activities are causing global warming. That would indicate a 99% certainty. But the change was strongly resisted by China, among other nations, because of its reliance on fossil fuels to help build its economy…In addition, the report says, for the first time, that it is ‘more likely than not’ that the strong hurricanes and cyclones observed since 1970 have been produced by global warming.”

Bild Online wrote in sensational words, “Climate Horrors–Man is to be blamed when our earth dies.” The article quoted some of the German co-authors of the “shocking” study, as well as other weather experts, as saying that cities like London or Sydney were in danger of overflooding. According to the article, commencing in 2020, Dublin and Ireland will experience drought; the Sahara might stretch as far as Berlin, and man will become more and more violent…

No Universal Agreement on Global Warming

Not everyone agrees with the finding of the IPCC report–nor, that there is unanimous consensus of all reputable scientists on the issues of man-made global warming or climate change. To reach this conclusion, one does not have to go so far as to focus on controversial “commentator” Rush Limbaugh, who postulates on his shows that the extent to which fossil fuel emissions have contributed to the rise in global atmospheric air temperatures since about the mid-1800s is still debatable, and that the Antarctica ice is actually increasing.

Other voices, which are normally more accepted within the scientific community, can be heard as well. The highly-respected conservative German newspaper, Die Welt, wrote on February 3 that those scientists who disagree with the findings of the UN report are rejected as “deniers”–a highly explosive term, especially in Germany, where Holocaust deniers are committing a crime. Die Welt also stressed that there are scientific critics, including respected meteorologists, who have gathered and analyzed data and who have reached different and less dramatic results pertaining to the weather and the climate. The paper stressed, too, that in the negotiations in Paris, which resulted in the UN report, politicians, and not scientists, had the final say.

Another highly respected newspaper, the German left-liberal publication, “Die Zeit,” likewise criticized the fact that politicians, and not scientists, seemed to have run the show in Paris. This began–according to Die Zeit–when counties selected “their” representative scientists for Paris–a procedure which hardly guarantees independence. And the report itself had to be agreed to by the representatives of the individual governments–and these representatives had received directives from their governments what to agree to and what not. In an interview with sociologist Peter Weingart, Die Zeit raised tough questions, including the fear that the report could not be objective, as it had become part of the political mainstream to predict global warming. The additional fear was voiced that a scientist who would not agree to such a postulate would be cut off from receiving further funds for scientific research. The paper also stated that, due to inconsistent scientific “findings” of the past, “no one is sure anymore what to believe, when it comes to climate change.”

Political Pressure on “Dissenters”

In our last Update, we reported about alleged political pressure from the Bush Administration on scientists believing that global warming is man-made.  But it goes both ways. Set forth below is an article reporting about political pressure from the state of Oregon on the state’s Climatologist who believes that man does not cause global warming.
 
kgw.com reported on February 7:
 
“In the face of evidence agreed upon by hundreds of climate scientists, George Taylor holds firm. He does not believe human activities are the main cause of global climate change… Taylor has held the title of ‘state climatologist’ since 1991 when the legislature created a state climate office at OSU. The university created the job title, not the state. His opinions conflict not only with many other scientists, but with the state of Oregon’s policies. So the governor wants to take that title from Taylor and make it a position that he would appoint…

“In an interview [Taylor] told KGW, ‘There are a lot of people saying the bulk of the warming of the last 50 years is due to human activities and I don’t believe that’s true.’ He believes natural cycles explain most of the changes the earth has seen. A bill will be introduced in Salem soon on the matter. Sen. Brad Avakian, (D) Washington County, is sponsoring the bill. He said global warming is so important to state policy it’s important to have a climatologist as a consultant to the governor.”

European Pressure on the USA

The New York Times reported on February 1 that continuous critic of the USA, French President Jacques Chirac, “has demanded that the United States sign both the Kyoto climate protocol and a future agreement that will take effect when the Kyoto accord runs out in 2012… he warned that if the United States did not sign the agreements, a carbon tax across Europe on imports from nations that have not signed the Kyoto treaty could be imposed to try to force compliance. The European Union is the largest export market for American goods.”

Chirac expresses, to a large extent, the European opinion which blames the U.S. in this matter. They openly deride America for not signing on to the Kyoto Protocol. This is another arena in which the United States is viewed as a rogue nation that is disinterested in what others think. The impact of this latest go-round is only serving to further isolate the U.S.A.

This can also be seen, when considering the following excerpts from an article in The Associated Press of February 3:

“Fear of runaway global warming pushed 46 countries to line up Saturday behind France’s appeal for a new environmental body that could single out — and perhaps police — nations that abuse the Earth… Without naming the United States directly, Chirac expressed frustration that ‘some large countries, large rich countries, still must be convinced.’ They are ‘refusing to accept the consequences of their acts,’ he said.”

Angela Merkel–Peacemaker or Economist?

Deutsche Welle reported on February 6:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel met Emirati President Khalifa Monday as part of her efforts to revive the Middle East peace process… Merkel said Germany, as the current European Union president, would throw its weight behind the reconciliation talks in Mecca on Tuesday between Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas political supremo Khaled Meshaal… adding the EU would stay in close contact with Saudi Arabia, which is hosting the meeting… Merkel later told the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies in a speech on EU foreign policy that reaching a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is ‘absolutely central to bringing stability to the region.’… She said that working towards a two-state solution is the best way forward…

“Merkel also criticized Iran and Syria for their role in the Middle East… ‘There are forces, in the region and elsewhere, that do not want success in these efforts,’ Merkel said in the United Arab Emirates’ capital. ‘On this account we have concerns, especially with respect to Iran… Syria has not used its opportunity to play a constructive role…’

“Elsewhere, the meeting with Sheikh Khalifa focused on… economic ties between Berlin and Abu Dhabi… Sheikh Khalifa also called for a boost to economic ties between the UAE and Germany, whose two-way trade increased 25 percent last year to seven billion dollars… In Riyadh, she met King Abdullah as well as the crown prince and foreign minister of the oil-rich monarchy, and Abderrahman al-Attiya, secretary general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.”

“Limited” Mandate to Help NATO troops in Afghanistan?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 7:

“The German cabinet decided on Wednesday to send six Tornado reconnaissance jets to Afghanistan to help locate Taliban bases in response to a request from NATO. The German pilots will be accompanied by around 500 support staff. The mission has to be approved by parliament in March and the Tornados could be deployed in April for a six-month tour…. Germany has around 2,900 troops serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan…. The mission will cost around €35 million. With more than 4,000 people killed in violence, last year was the bloodiest in Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said the Tornados… could help prevent civilian casualties and that the mission was necessary given that the Taliban had announced it would launch 2,000 suicide attacks.

“Meanwhile an opinion poll showed a big majority of Germans are opposed to sending Tornado jets to the south of Afghanistan. Only 21 percent were in favor, with 77 percent opposed… Former German air force general Hermann Hagena said the Tornados might end up getting involved in combat. If troops on the ground were in danger a pilot should be prepared to open fire, Hagena told NDR Info radio.”

While Bild Online asked the question, “Has Germany entered the war,” Der Spiegel Online voiced the opinion that “Germany has already been at war for a while,” and that the German government should be honest enough to admit this fact.

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 8:

“In approving the deployment of Tornado jets to Afghanistan, but only for reconnaissance purposes, the German cabinet has revealed the full extent of Germany’s schizophrenic Afghanistan policy. This double game has to stop. The chancellor should finally say it like it is: Germany is at war. The German government approved the deployment of Tornado jets to Afghanistan on Wednesday. ‘Are we now at war?’ the tabloid Bild wrote, clearly hedging its bets. German Chancellor Angela Merkel should be honest enough to answer this question with a clear ‘Yes.’ While she’s at it, she should add that this has been the case for the last five years.”

Pagan Christians or Christian Pagans?

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 7:

“The old natural religions continue to thrive in Africa. While Christianity and Islam vie for supremacy in many countries, they have failed to banish the rain gods and spirits south of the Sahara. Frequently the pagan rites have fused with a faith in Jesus Christ… The clash of civilizations and religions… can be witnessed firsthand here in Africa…  Islamic Fundamentalism is advancing from the west, penetrating all the way to the continent’s eastern reaches. In some regions it collides head-on with an equally aggressive brand of Christianity. The clashes are becoming increasingly bitter because the desert is expanding, bringing more poverty in its wake… Yet, as hard as the two great monotheistic faiths have struggled for supremacy, they have failed to wrest power from [pagan] priests… With its nature deities, the old African mythology is often the only stabilizing force in a world full of suffering, displacement and death, where everything is in constant flux but rarely changes for the better, where – in many respects – time has stood still. This is a world populated by nymphs and sirens, by elfin spirits, sun and moon gods, and by animal deities such as cows, stags, lambs and calves.

“At the end of the 19th century, the British ethnologist Edward Burnett Tylor coined the term animism (the Latin word anima means soul or breath) to describe this pantheon [explaining that] plants, animals and objects also have souls in the minds of these ‘primitive peoples.’… Despite the best efforts of Christian and Islamic missionaries, some 40 percent of the people in Burkina Faso, western Africa, are still considered animist. In East African Ethiopia, a largely Christian domain, the figure is still thought to be 10 percent. Yet these numbers remain pure conjecture. In truth, religious distinctions have long blurred, indeed evaporated, in Africa. Someone who attends church in the morning and the mosque at midday might easily invite a voodoo priest over in the evening to read the kola nuts. Practically everywhere the cult of the dead intermingles with Christianity…

“In Kenya, for example, the modernminded Kikuyu, flashing cell phones and Ray-Bans, happily journey to Mount Kenya and pray to Ngai, the supreme God of the animists – despite often being members of one of the numerous Christian sects, such as the Pentecostals or the gospel churches. In this way… Christianity and the pagan belief in nature deities and demons mutually impact one another. The existence of a god of creation in nearly all pre-Christian African religions encourages this process. This cross-fertilization is not as strange as it may sound, even to Christians in the West. Something quite similar occurred there centuries ago, ‘when pagan Germanic customs mingled with Christian rites,’ says [religious scholar Fritz] Stenger [from the Catholic University of East Africa in Nairobi]. ‘Even Christmas – that most traditional of Christian celebrations – has ancient Germanic roots.”

New U.S. Military Command HQ in Africa–and Germany Will Help…

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 7:

“With the end of the Cold War, Germany lost much of its strategic importance for the United States military, a development reflected in the ongoing drawdown of US forces from bases here. But Germany hasn’t lost all of its significance — it is still home to the US forces’ European headquarters and soon it will also serve as temporary host to the US military command for Africa, Africom…

“The move reflects increased US interest in the continent as a result of fears that Islamist militants could find havens in countries with weak governments such as Somalia. US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were targeted in simultaneous al-Qaida attacks in 1998, killing over 250 people, and US forces recently targeted al-Qaida militants in Somalia with air strikes. Washington is also keen to foster stability on the continent with an eye to AFRICA’S OIL RESERVES which could provide an alternative to Middle Eastern oil. The new unit will initially be based in the western German city of Stuttgart, also HOME to the military’s EUROPEAN COMMAND, and it is expected to be in full operation by September 2008.”

“The West Must Pay Closer Attention” to Russia!

On February 2, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting interview with Russian author Vladimir Sorokin. In the interview, Sorokin stated:

“…what would happen to Russia if it isolated itself completely from the Western world — that is, if it erected a new Iron Curtain. There is much talk about Russia being a fortress. Orthodox churches, autocracy and national traditions are supposed to form a new national ideology… Putin likes to quote a sentence from Czar Alexander III, who said that Russia has only two allies — the army and the navy. As a citizen, this makes me sit up and take notice. This is a concept of self-imposed isolation, a defense strategy that sees Russia surrounded by enemies.

“When I turn on the TV I see a general calmly claiming that our missiles are ahead of the latest American models by three five-year plans. It’s a nightmare. We are creating a concept of the enemy, just as they did in the Soviet era. This is a giant step backward… . My television teaches me that everything was wonderful in the Soviet Union. According to the programs I watch, the KGB and apparatchiks were angels, and the Stalin era was so festive that the heroes of the day must still be celebrated today…”

The article continued to quote Sorokin, as follows:

“The West should be even more vocal in insisting that the Russians respect human rights. All compromise aside, I ask myself whether Russia is moving in the direction of democracy. I don’t believe it is! Bit by bit, Russia is slipping back into an authoritarian empire. The worst thing that can happen to us is indifference in the West — that is, if it were interested in nothing but oil and gas. I am always surprised when I watch the weather report on German television. First they show the map of Europe and then the camera moves to the right. Then comes Kiev, then Moscow and then everything stops. This seems to be the West’s view of us — of a wild Russia that begins past Moscow, a place one prefers not to see. This is a big mistake. The West must pay closer attention.”

Bird Flu Isolates Britain

The Associated Press reported on February 5 about an outbreak of the bird flu virus H5N1, which is also dangerous for humans:

“Poultry farmers around Europe were on guard Monday against the possible spread of bird flu across the North Sea from infected Britain, fearing the disease could be carried by wild birds.The Netherlands and Norway ordered restrictions on commercial poultry over the weekend after the outbreak last week of the H5N1 strain of the virus, which hit poultry stocks in Asia in 2003. About 2,500 turkeys died of the H5N1 strain on the farm, owned by… Europe’s largest turkey producer… and all of the facility’s 159,000 turkeys were ordered slaughtered. It was the first time H5N1 had been found on a British farm.

“Authorities in both parts of Ireland banned bird shipments from Britain and revoked poultry-import licenses Monday… the ban in Japan, which imported more than 160,000 fowl from Britain in 2006, was effective as of Saturday. Russia will stop imports from Tuesday, including eggs and poultry feed…”

Army Officer Might Have to Go to Jail

The following serves as a good example to illustrate that once you are in the army, you have to follow orders unconditionally–even if they violate your personal conscience and convictions. Therefore, for this reason alone, young men and women should carefully consider the consequences, before joining the military.

The Associated Press reported on February 4:

“Denied a chance to debate the legality of the Iraq war in court, an Army officer who refused to go to Iraq now goes to trial hoping to at least minimize the amount of time he could serve if convicted… Ehren Watada… has spoken out against U.S. military involvement in Iraq, calling it morally wrong and a breach of American law. ‘As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order,’ Watada said in a video statement [in the past]… ‘Though the American soldier wants to do right, the illegitimacy of the occupation itself, the policies of this administration, and the rules of engagement of desperate field commanders will ultimately force them to be party to war crime,’ Watada said then…

“Seitz [Watada’s attorney] unsuccessfully sought an opportunity to argue the legality of the war, saying it violated Army regulations that specify wars are to be waged in accordance with the United Nations charter. His final attempt was quashed last month when the military judge… ruled Watada cannot base his defense on the war’s legality. [The judge] also rejected claims that Watada’s statements were protected by the First Amendment.”