December 28, 2006

Germany At EU Helm Seeks to Revive Mideast Quartet (December 28, 2006) - Germany is well-positioned to restart a Middle East peace process when it takes over the EU presidency Jan. 1. The recent violence in the Gaza Strip has Berlin concerned the fragile ceasefire could collapse. Nudging Middle East leaders and international mediators in the simmering conflict back on the path to peace will top Germany's agenda when it takes over the six-month European Union presidency on Jan.1. Both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have called for a January meeting to "revitalize" the Mideast quartet -- grouping the EU, the United States, the United Nations and Russia -- to help kick-start the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Steinmeier said last week during a visit to Moscow that the aim was for the group to exercise a "stabilizing" influence in light of the deadly conflict between Palestinian factions and tentative hopes for peace talks. "The carefully established lines of communications between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be allowed to break," he said, two days before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas met for the first time in six months. Germany occupies a unique position in the Middle East due to its friendly ties to both Palestine and Israel. Supporters of both sides have called on the country to use its EU presidency to focus on Middle East issues. Palestinian diplomat Hael al-Fahum said the German government can play a substantial role in the Middle East. Germany has the chance and ability to propose a fair settlement to the Middle East conflict, al-Fahum told the Reuters news agency. "Its (Germany's) position as a long-time partner for Palestinians and at the same time a close friend of Israel places Germany in a strong position," the diplomat said. The pro-Israel American Jewish Committee (AJC) has also urged Germany to use its presidency to push the EU to clearly voice its support for Israel against ongoing threats from Syria and Iran. "It's important for EU countries in various international bodies to be united in supporting Israel against terrorist threats," Deidre Berger, the Berlin AJC director, told Reuters. "Germany takes a clearer position on this question than some other EU states." more... | Israel | Islam | EU/UN | This focus on the Middle East is exactly what leads to the false peace in Israel that allows the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. I'm still not sure whether the Gog/Magog attack will come before this peace or if the peace will result from the attack. The Bible says that Israel will be dwelling in safety, so perhaps the peace plan will come first.
Deadly wave of violence hits Rio (December 28, 2006) - Gang attacks on buses and police stations in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have left at least 18 people dead, officials say. In one incident, seven passengers were burnt to death when gunmen attacked their bus and torched it. The wave of violence across the city started on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning. Officials said the co-ordinated attacks had probably been planned from jail by imprisoned gang leaders. The gangs were trying to put pressure on the authorities ahead of the swearing-in of a new state governor on 1 January, Rio state Security Secretary Roberto Precioso told reporters. "It is very difficult to prevent these types of attacks that were practically kamikaze. Police action prevented the situation from getting much worse," he said. One local media report has spoken of an atmosphere of war in the city, which is preparing for a huge New Year's Eve beach party. At least 12 police stations and posts in different parts of Rio were attacked with grenades and automatic fire. Four buses were set on fire, and gunmen are reported to have stopped emergency workers from getting close to the scene. "I don't know how, but I gathered my strength, got myself into the aisle of the bus and jumped through the window. I felt like I was being toasted," a woman who escaped one of the burning buses said. more...
Islamic forces abandon Somalia's capital (December 28, 2006) - Jubilant Somalis cheered as troops of the U.N.-backed interim government rolled into Mogadishu unopposed Thursday, putting an end to six months of domination of the capital by a radical Islamic movement. Ethiopian soldiers stopped on the outskirts of town, after providing much of the military might in the offensive that shattered what had seemed an unbeatable Islamic militia. Islamic fighters fled south vowing to continue the battle. "We are in Mogadishu," Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi declared after meeting with local clan leaders to discuss the peaceful hand-over of the city. Despite the celebrations in the streets, worries about the future were widespread in a country that hasn't had an effective national government since clan warlords toppled a longtime dictator 15 years ago. Many in overwhelmingly Muslim Somalia are suspicious of the transitional government's reliance on neighboring Ethiopia, a traditional rival with a large Christian population and one of East Africa's biggest armies. Witnesses said crowds threw rocks at Ethiopians troops on the city's northern edge. Somalia's complex clan politics also are a big worry, having undone at least 14 attempts to install a central government in this violent, anarchic nation. Gedi's government, set up in 2004 with U.N. backing, is riddled with clan rivalries, most notably between the young prime minister and elderly president. "The future of Somalia is very bleak and Somalis will share the same fate with Iraq and Afghanistan," a Mogadishu resident, Abdullahi Mohamed Laki, told The Associated Press. "The transitional government has no broad support in the capital." more... | Islam |
Israel to renew Gaza pinpoint attacks (December 27, 2006) - After weeks of restraint, Israel said Wednesday that it will renew attacks on rocket-launching militants in the Gaza Strip, threatening to derail an already shaky, month-old truce. A new round of fighting in Gaza could undermine Israel's efforts to bolster the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in his standoff with the Islamic militants of Hamas who control the Palestinian government and legislature. The Israeli decision, made at a meeting of top officials, came hours after a Palestinian rocket seriously wounded two Israeli teenage boys in the southern town of Sderot, next to Gaza. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said Israeli retaliation would be limited to "pinpoint" operations meant to foil rocket launches. "At the same time, Israel will continue to abide by the cease-fire," the statement said. The truce was reached Nov. 26, ending five months of deadly fighting in Gaza. But since the cease-fire declaration, more than 60 rockets have been fired at Israel, the army said. Israel has so far refrained from responding, but Olmert had warned in recent days his patience was wearing thin. The wounding of the two boys late Tuesday increased pressure on Olmert from political opponents and members of his Cabinet to take action. Hamas government spokeswoman Ghazi Hamad denounced the Israeli decision to "continue their aggression against our people," but added: "We still believe that this agreement is alive, and both sides should respect this agreement because it is (in) the interest (of) our people." Hamad's comments were directed not only at Israel, but also at the rival militant group Islamic Jihad, which has been responsible for most of the rocket fire. After the Israeli threat of retaliation, Islamic Jihad fired another rocket. There were no reports of damage or injuries. more... | Israel | Islam |
Taiwan quake disrupts communications (December 27, 2006) - Undersea fiber-optic cables were damaged by a powerful earthquake off the southern tip of Taiwan, causing the largest outage of telephone and Internet service in years and demonstrating the vulnerability of the global telecommunications network. Two residents were killed and more than 40 injured in the magnitude 6.7 tremor that hit offshore, near the southern Taiwanese town of Hengchun late Tuesday. Up to a dozen fiber-optic cables cross the ocean floor south of Taiwan, carrying traffic between China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, the U.S. and the island itself. Chunghwa Telecom Co., Taiwan's largest phone company, said the quake damaged several of them, and repairs could take two to three weeks. Taiwan lost almost all of its telephone capacity to Japan and mainland China. Service to the United States also was hard hit, with 60 percent of capacity lost. Later, Chunghwa said connections to the U.S., China and Canada were mostly restored, but 70 percent of the capacity to Japan was still down, along with 90 percent of the capacity to Southeast Asia. Stephan Beckert, an analyst with the Washington-based research firm TeleGeography, said it was the largest telecommunications failure in years. more... | Earth Changes |
King Abdullah: Israel not as strong as we thought (December 27, 2006) - Jordan’s King Abdullah said during an interview with Tokyo-based newspaper The Daily Yomiuri that “The (Lebanon) war last summer showed that Israel is not as strong as we had previously thought, and, justifiably or not, the perception in the Middle East is that Israel lost.” Abdullah, who is currently visiting Japan, added that “More and more countries in the region will now believe that the only way to get Israel to listen is through force and not negotiations. Israel will have to take a significant step in the right direction that will lead to calm in the region.” The Jordanian king stressed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the main source of Mideast tension. “Until we deal with this issue, which can be easily resolved, the Middle East will be forever cursed, as will the entire Muslim world,” he said. Abdallah said that in light of the current situation Israel must decide whether or not it wishes to remain isolated. “The Arab countries are very interested in moving the peace process along, and this conveys a message to the Israelis: If we advance the peace process and implement a two-state solution, all the Arab and Muslim countries will agree to establish (diplomatic) relations with Israel,” he said. more... | Israel | Islam |
7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan; 3-Foot High Tsunami Headed for Philippines (December 26, 2006) - A powerful earthquake struck off southwestern Taiwan on Tuesday, triggering a potentially destructive tsunami that was headed toward the Philippines on the second anniversary of the deadly waves that killed thousands in southern Asia. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said the quake measured magnitude 6.7, while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.1. Japan's Meteorological Bureau said a one-meter-high tsunami was headed toward the eastern coast of the Philipines. "There is a possibility of a destructive local tsunami," the bureau said, saying waves were expected to hit Basco in the Philippines. "However at some coasts, particularly those near the epicenter, higher tsunami may arrive," it said. "Authorities should be aware of this possibility." Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said an aftershock measuring 6.4 magnitude struck a nearby area about nine minutes later. The quakes hit on the second anniversary of a massive earthquake off Indonesia that triggered a powerful tsunami in the Indian Ocean which killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. | Earth Changes |
US, EU Strengthening "Abbas's Force" (December 26, 2006) - US and European officials have visited a base in Jordan where Fatah is training troops, known as the Badr Brigades, to reinforce Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in any showdown with Hamas, sources familiar with the visits told Reuters on Monday, December 25. The United States recently sent a mid-level US official to visit a Badr training facility in Jordan for informal discussions, a European diplomat and other sources said. A military official from a European country also visited the base separately to talk to Badr commanders and assess their needs, the sources said. US officials declined to comment on the matter. Up to 1,000 members of the Brigade would initially be deployed in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank as part of US-backed efforts to strengthen Abbas's hold on power, the sources added. They said Badr's deployment may not start for several months because the force needs substantial amounts of new military equipment and training. The sources say that the United States has not so far provided Badr troops with training or equipment, but has assisted with coordinating preparations for their deployment. Israel has already signalled support for Badr's deployment. It has been under US and European pressure to take steps to bolster Abbas after his call for early elections. more... | Israel | Islam | How many times through modern history has this game of building one side of a conflict up to defeat the other actually worked without backfiring? With the lens of Bible prophecy, it's possible to see how these very troops that Israel is thankful for will one day be lopping off the heads of those same Jews. Islam is programmed to hate the Jews. How quick will these forces turn their training and weaponry on Israel? Keep watching!
Israeli spies divided over Syria's peace overtures (December 26, 2006) - Israelis are puzzling over the prospect of peace with Syria after their two foreign intelligence agencies gave dramatically different assessments of recent diplomatic overtures from Damascus. While the Mossad spy service said Syrian President Bashar Assad had no genuine interest in peace talks, Israel's Military Intelligence said it believed Assad was ready to negotiate if this leads to the return of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Assad has repeatedly signaled an interest in rapprochement since Israel's war in Lebanon with Syrian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas. The situation has been complicated by U.S. charges that Syria supports Iraq insurgents -- something Damascus denies -- as well as Syria's open sponsorship of Palestinian militants. Past talks have run aground over the Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war. But Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said in a U.S. newspaper interview this month that new negotiations could be "without preconditions" on the Golan. The messages elicited a mix of hope and suspicion in the Jewish state, stoked by the very government agencies charged with interpreting them. Mossad chief Meir Dagan last week accused Assad of trying to distract from Western scrutiny on his regional alliances. "Every time international pressure is applied, Assad puts on the same show of willingness to enter negotiations with us," a political source quoted Dagan as telling cabinet ministers. "But I still don't see Syria offering to resume talks with Israel." Yet the chief analyst for Israel's Military Intelligence, Brigadier Yossi Baidatz, took a more upbeat tone. "Syria is interested. Its overtures, predicated on the overall objective of recovering all of the Golan Heights, are genuine," Baidatz told Israeli lawmakers on Monday, according to an official account of the briefing. more... | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | I think you know where I stand. This could be what triggers Israel to attack Damascus, perhaps because they see some large-scale plans on the horizon perhaps? Isaiah 17 seems to be because of the children of Israel.
Burning Issues No. 18: Is Russia an ally of Iran? (December 26, 2006) - Russia's refusal to impose even mild UN sanctions against Iran resulted in a substantially watered-down resolution that is unlikely to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The resolution exempts a nuclear reactor project supported by Russia, even though it could eventually supply plutonium for nuclear weapons. Complicating matters further, Russian-supplied air defenses surround Iranian nuclear facilities. At the same time, Moscow has claimed on several occasions that it objects to an Iranian nuclear weapons capability. Which side is Russia on? What's Putin trying to achieve? Michael Freund: Vladimir Putin is playing a double game, and a transparent one at that. With words, he is sending soothing signals to the West, suggesting that Russia is opposed to Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions. But his deeds demonstrate otherwise. Russia is clearly on Russia's side, and no one else's. They see an opportunity to stick it to the Americans by assisting their long-time foe Iran, while also making a fast ruble or two by selling the ayatollahs the technology and military hardware that they desire. In addition, the Russians almost certainly reached some type of understanding with Teheran regarding Iranian non-interference among Russia's restive Muslim population, which has long been a source of concern to the Kremlin. Hence, in one fell swoop, Mr. Putin has been able to strengthen his position at home, while also bringing in some much-needed hard currency to his nation's coffers. This act of treachery, however, can not be allowed to stand, and it is time for the West to speak out and expose Mr. Putin for what he is: a deceitful authoritarian ruler whose dubious methods have not only circumscribed basic freedoms at home, but have compromised international security as well. more... | Iran | Gog/Magog |
Putin to remain leader after leaving Kremlin: senior politician (December 23, 2006) - President Vladimir Putin will retain a leadership role in Russia even if he steps down in 2008, as required by the constitution, a senior politician has said. "He will not leave," Sergei Stepashin, head of Russia's accounting chamber, was quoted as saying in the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily Saturday. "I think he will find the kind of formula in which he would step down, but stay on." Stepashin, a former prime minister, secret services chief and KGB veteran, suggested that Putin's post-Kremlin future could be modelled loosely on that of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who in the 1990s was widely considered to retain backroom power despite his retirement. Asked what sort of options Putin might consider, Stepashin answered: "Lots. Party leader, head of parliament, government, a new state council." Putin has repeatedly vowed to respect the constitution and leave office at the end of his second four-year term in 2008. However, he has also said that he hopes to retain influence. According to Stepashin, Putin's departure would be a blow. "He is right and not right. There is a dilemma. From the political view, he should stay. Not only because the work is all going well. Any new leader brings a new team. At a minimum, this causes a break in momentum." Putin, another KGB veteran whom critics accuse of rolling back democracy and crushing independent media, became president in 2000. Polls show that he is hugely popular in Russia. | Gog/Magog |
German home school advocate says Nazis have returned (December 23, 2006) - For parents who wish to teach their own children in the Judeo-Christian tradition, Germany today is not much better than it was under Nazi party control in the 1930s and 1940s, according to a man who lives there and is pleading for international help for his country. "We are not far away from an intolerant dictatorship in our country," the man wrote WND. "Parental rights are more and more abolished. If you do not the way the state wants, to so-called Jugendamt (youth welfare office) is quickly to check out if they can take away the custody of your children." He said for homeschoolers, the crackdown is getting so "draconian" they are fleeing to other countries, leaving homes and sometimes jobs behind, in order to protect their children from the anti-Christian teachings of the secular school system. The man identifies himself as being part of the German homeschool support organization Netz-Bildung Freiheit (Net-Education Freedom). He contacted WND after the news website broke the story that a German government official had warned that families' religious beliefs will have to be brought into alignment with required school attendance laws. His name is being withheld by WND so that he is not targeted for speaking out, because he is pleading with those outside of Germany to launch a campaign to focus international attention on their actions. "We hope that it will have an impact on the persons in responsibility that the international publicity is looking on them," the homeschool leader wrote to WND. "Express your protest against the violation of parental rights and the right of the free choice of education." "The situation for families is depressing, all the lawsuits have been lost in the past, judges are not ready to acknowledge the conflict in conscience of the Christian homeschoolers," he wrote. "Freedom of faith and conscience is a matter which is officially a basic right granted in the constitution, but practically it isn't worth the paper it is written on. more...
Turkey, Georgia vow to strengthen ties (December 23, 2006) - Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his visiting Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili on Tuesday vowed to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation. Speaking at a joint press conference after their meeting in Ankara, Sezer underscored good neighborly relations between Turkey and Georgia, saying that Turkey appreciates and supports the Georgian government's development efforts and its Euro-Atlantic initiatives. As for bilateral relations and cooperation, Sezer said that Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline will follow the Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline, which was constructed by Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. "We have also reached a consensus to widen this comprehensive regional cooperation to transportation with the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway connection," Sezer said. Sezer also said that Turkey supports Georgia's unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. "In this context, our country wishes that Abkhazia and South Ossetia problems will be solved through peaceful means," Sezer said. He said that Turkey expects an agreement aiming to prevent double taxation to follow a preferential trade agreement, which was signed by the two countries earlier in the day. Sezer said he believes that Saakashvili's visit will contribute to improvement of friendship and cooperation between Turkey and Georgia. more... | Gog/Magog |
After Shell, Russia now turns on BP (December 22, 2006) - The Kremlin has moved decisively to take back ownership of Russia's oil-and-gas assets, taking effective control of Royal Dutch Shell's Sakhalin-2 project and issuing a chilling warning to BP about its future in the country. President Putin personally oversaw the signing of a deal in which Shell will hand over control of Sakhalin to Gazprom, while a key Kremlin official warned BP that it has no choice but to accede to Russian demands with its latest project, or face crippling sanctions. Shell and its Japanese partners accepted a $7.45bn (£3.8bn) cash payment for a stake of 50pc plus one share in the project in the far north-east which was until yesterday the biggest single foreign investment in Russia. Experts hailed Shell chief executive Jeroen van der Veer for securing a good price, but the sale will dramatically reduce the com-pany's reserves. It is particularly troubling for Shell since it was recently embroiled in a scandal over the accounting for its reserves, which led to the departure of previous chief executive Sir Philip Watts. One analyst had warned that taking cash rather than barrels of oil for Sakhalin would be a "worst case scenario". But a spokesman said: "This is an acceptable outcome for Shell and ends a period of uncertainty." Under the Sakhalin deal, Shell will halve its stake from 55pc to 27.5, while Mitsui and Mitsubishi will see their shares cut to 12.5pc and 10pc respectively. The Anglo-Dutch group will continue to contribute to management and will act as a technical adviser to Sakhalin, which is the biggest liquefied natural gas project in the world. Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller said: "We, as the main shareholder of the project, will do everything to launch it as soon as possible." Shell had come under mounting pressure to sell its stake to the Russians, with regulators criticising the company for its environmental and accounting record, and threatening to delay the project. Now that the project has transferred into Russian hands, these obstacles are expected to disappear, and the resources minister Yuri Trutnev indicated as much last night, saying that the companies should "make the project the best in terms of environmental protection". All eyes will now turn to BP's Russian joint venture, TNK-BP, which is already coming under increased scrutiny from the Kremlin. more... | Gog/Magog |
Syria building 'death trap' villages (December 22, 2006) - Warning that Israel may face a "Syrian intifada," a high-ranking officer in Northern Command has told The Jerusalem Post that villages recently built by Syria along the border are planned to be used as "death traps" for IDF troops in Hizbullah-inspired attacks. Since this summer's war in Lebanon, Syria, the officer revealed, has invested large amounts of money in replicating Hizbullah military tactics, particularly in establishing additional commando units and fortifying its short- and long-range missile array. The idea is to draw Israel into an asymmetric war, the officer said, like the warfare the IDF encounters in combat against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as against Hizbullah in Lebanon. Over the past two years, Syria has built a number of villages along the border with Israel, some inhabited and some not. At first, the IDF was not sure of their purpose. But now, following the war, the officer said, it was understood. "Syria drew motivation from Hizbullah's surprise success this summer," the high-ranking officer said. "They now want to copy that type of guerrilla warfare." While for years it was assumed that Israel had a major edge against Syria's military with regard to a conventional war - tank versus tank, jet versus jet - in an urban setting, the Syrian military would be able, the officer said, to wreak havoc against IDF infantry and armored units like Hizbullah did. According to the officer, Syria has drawn three major lessons from the war and has begun to implement them. The first is that rockets - 4,000 struck northern Israel during the 33-days of fighting - can paralyze the home front. The second is that antitank missiles can penetrate the Merkava tank and force infantry units to abandon armored personnel carriers and trek into enemy territory by foot. And the third is that in villages and cities the Israeli Air Force's abilities are limited and IDF ground forces can be defeated. more... | Israel | Islam | Gog/Magog |
‘Syria preparing to lure Israel into war’ (December 22, 2006) - Israeli media reported Friday that Syria has taken a leaf out of the Hizb’allah war manual and is laying the groundwork to draw Israel into a war of attrition. According to an exclusive report in The Jerusalem Post, Damascus has been overseeing the building of “death trap” villages along its border with Israel. Israeli intelligence officials believe that, watching the Hizb’allah at work last July, the Syrians learned some important lessons:
- Surface to surface missiles can immobilize Israel’s population.
- Israel’s state-of-the-art Merkava tanks cannot withstand Russian anti-tank rockets.
- IDF troops are not sufficiently well-trained to quickly win in urban warfare.
Hizb’allah succeeded in preventing the overwhelmingly superior IDF forces from winning the war by:
- Paralyzing Israel’s home front, damaging or destroying more than 6000 homes and businesses, keeping half-a-million tourists from visiting Israel, and dealing a $2.5 billion blow to the Israeli economy;
- Knocking out IDF tanks and troop carriers, forcing Israeli soldiers to enter southern Lebanon villages on foot, where they were met by withering fire.
More than 150 Israeli soldiers lost their lives in that war. Since a UN-imposed ceasefire last August, Syria has invested large amounts of money preparing to engage the Jewish state in a similar conflict. Up to now the Israel-Syria frontier has been the quietest of all Israel’s borders since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |
Olmert: Syrian Peace Overtures Not Genuine (December 20, 2006) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert renewed his opposition to peace talks with Syria , describing recent peace overtures by Syrian President Bashar Assad as false pretenses. "Syria continues to support terror in Iraq, is collaborating with the Iranian President and is sparing no effort to topple the government of (Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad) Siniora," Olmert said during a joint press conference with his Norwegian counterpart Jens Stoltenberg in Jerusalem. "We want to achieve peace with every state, peace we want – but false pretenses we are not ready to accept," he said. Olmert said Israel doubts the seriousness of Assad's readiness to talk peace with Israel because of its ongoing interference in Lebanon where it is seeking to create "chaos" by strengthening its ally Hizbullah.
"We see Syria continuing to support the most extreme and violent terror against the state of Israel," charging that Damascus's support for Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal has hindered talks over the release of Gilad Shalit in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Turning his attention to the Palestinian front, Olmert expressed his readiness to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas as soon as possible. "I hear that Abu Mazen (Abbas) will be happy to hold a meeting with me. If it is possible to make him and myself happy, I see no reason not to do so, and I hope this will happen very soon," he said. Speaking about the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip, Olmert said that Israel's restraint to ongoing violations of the ceasefire in the form of rocket attacks at southern Israeli cities will soon end. "Over 40 rockets landed in Israel since the ceasefire and the last one was fired as we speak," Olmert said referring to a Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip at the western Negev by Islamic Jihad gunmen. more...
The Alliance of Civilizations: War on Monotheistic Religions? (December 19, 2006) - One is, it appears, allowed to have a religion in the “New World Order,” a/k/a “Alliance of Civilizations,” a/k/a “global governance.” One is not, however, allowed to believe it true. Nor is one allowed to tell others it is true. If somebody believes that “Maitreya is the Christ,” Rev. Moon is “the Lord of the Second Advent,” or Sai Baba is God, they may tell you their religion is true. That is called “dialogue.” If a Christian dares to suggest Jesus is the only way, that is called “proselytizing.” We are looking at what anti-Christian writer, Theosophist Gina Cerminara during her lifetime cheerfully admitted in her books was a “war of general semantics.” The newest and most powerful front in this war I have seen to date is the Kofi Annan convened, Javier Solana 2003 originated “Alliance of Civilizations.” Officially proposed, no doubt at the request of Dr. Solana, by prime ministers of Turkey (Erdogan) and Spain (Zapatero), it is a powerful convergence of politics and religion blending into frightening and fast-growing “global governance.” Right on schedule, its “High Level Group of Eminent Personalities,” (amazingly similar to long disappeared former Lucis Trust administrator, Donald Keys’, and his then 1981 proposed “World Council of Wise Persons”) issued its final recommendations on November 13, 2006. You may read it for yourself by clicking here. What a surprise! I didn’t get an invitation to make my input! Karen Armstrong, an obviously apostate former Roman Catholic nun did. She is one of the “Eminent Personalities.” Not making it quite to that level, but respectfully listened to at Palais des Nations hearings in Geneva on July 17th, 2006 was another apparent Catholic sell-out to the New World Religion: Fr. Gaspar Martinez. He purports to represent something he calls Pax Romana. Curious, I also found him on a Google.com search posing with a group of Spaniards in something called “Bilbao 2005. Its symbol looked amazingly like a spiral formed mirror image 666. Its theology sounded remarkably like Matthew Fox. As to Karen Armstrong, her new and lofty position as an eminent personality” has put her in a place where she may even be a form of female pope. She comfortably thinks she can tell the present one what he may think – as well as what the rest of us should believe. Well, as my critics have said for the past 25 years, I surely must be reading too much into this. And, another coincidence of coincidence: There it was, page 61 “Hearings with the International Community & Civil Society regarding the: United Nations High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilisations, one Ghislaine de Reydet, representing Lucis Trust-Bonne Volonté [World Goodwill]. “Googling” Mme de Reydet, I discovered her to be none other than the “Secretary General” of Lucis Trust of Switzerland. For the record, I have three books in my personal library from the time Lucis Publishing Company (owned by Lucis Trust) published as “Lucifer Publishing.” Another “coincidence,” I suppose. Well, I wonder when the Alliance of Civilizations will get around to analyzing the incitement from that organization against what David Spangler calls “Peoples of the Book” – Jews, Christians, and Moslems. Never, I suspect! more... | NewWorldOrder |
Assad to meet Putin and ask for weapons (December 19, 2006) - Syrian President Bashar Assad was set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. The two were expected to discuss a Russian arms sale to Syria, according to Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara. "We need Russian weapons for defense. Weapons supply is problematic; the international community headed by the US and Israel is overseeing us," al-Shara said. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |
Seven dead, 150 injured in Indonesian earthquake (December 18, 2006) - A quake that struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra has killed at least seven people, injured 150 and damaged hundreds of homes. Three aftershocks sent residents rushing out of their homes in the region, where memories of the 2004 tsunami which devastated Aceh further to the north are still fresh. Rescuers worked all day to reach 20 villages which were cut off by landslides triggered by the 5.7-magnitude quake, police said Monday. The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 4:39 am (2139 GMT Sunday), was 150 kilometres (95 miles) southeast of Sibolga at the relatively shallow depth of 17.7 kilometres, geologists said. Eddy Syofian, information chief in the North Sumatra provincial government, said the death toll was seven with 150 injured, according to the detikcom news portal. Police in Panyabungan bordering South and West Sumatra earlier said that a family of four was killed after their home collapsed in Tamiyang village some 65 kilometres away. "Three people were killed due to falling debris while an elderly man in his 70s suffered a deadly heart attack," police officer Ahmad Sofian told AFP. He said the quake damaged 850 homes and six people had been admitted to hospital with serious injuries. more... | Earth Changes |
Iran to celebrate nuclear victory in February: Elham (December 18, 2006) - Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham here on Monday said that the Iranian nation will celebrate a nuclear victory during the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies marking the anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution (February 11-20). Iran's access to the peaceful nuclear technology has been based on international rules and is under thorough supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he told reporters. The world should know that Iran's nuclear program has always been transparent and legal, he added. Elham called on the international bodies and certain countries to refrain from hostile attitudes toward the Islamic Republic, stressing that "Tehran will never withdraw from its path." Asking a question on Tehran's future relations with the IAEA, he said the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) makes all decisions and the government is duty-bound to materialize such decisions. Urging the international bodies to recognize Iran's legitimate rights, Elham said, "If they violate Iran's rights, Tehran will make use of its existing potentials to restore its rights." The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly reiterated that it does not want to go out of the IAEA supervision, he said adding, "If they want to go beyond frameworks, they may naturally create new conditions. If they want to change conditions, they should make changes in their attitudes." Elham added that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly announced that Iran is ready to provide other countries with its peaceful nuclear achievements to help them pursue healthy and clean energy for constructive objectives. Iran's nuclear achievements benefit the entire world countries, particularly Iran's neighboring states, he said stressing that pursuance of peaceful nuclear technology is inalienable right of all countries. The world recognizes the right of all states interested in pursuance of clean nuclear technology, he added. As to critical situation in Iraq, he urged all Iraqi groups and parties to help strengthen their legitimate government. "The Iraqi people and government should cooperate in order to establish peace and security in that war-torn country", he added. The government spokesman called on the occupying forces "to change their attitude". If they change their attitude, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a powerful country in the region will be ready to help establish security, he added. | Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Given what the Bible says will happen in the last days, I wouldn't be surprised if the nuclear victory celebration doesn't have something to do with fulfilling another deep desire of Islam, the removal of the Jewish state from their midst. Keep watching!
U.S. violent crimes jump in first half of 2006: FBI (December 18, 2006) - Murders, robberies and other violent crimes reported in the United States jumped 3.7 percent in the first half of the year, continuing a troubling upswing that began in 2005, the FBI said on Monday. The FBI said law enforcement agencies reported that robberies soared by a startling 9.7 percent, followed by an increase in murders of 1.4 percent and aggravated assaults of 1.2 percent. Last year, the number of violent crimes increased by 2.5 percent, the largest percentage gain in 15 years. The increase came after years of declines. The U.S. Justice Department then announced that it would conduct a study of why the crime numbers are increasing, a study that has yet to be completed. Department officials have cited as possible reasons a surge in gang-related violence, spreading use of the illegal drug methamphetamine and demographics, with children of the baby-boom generation entering the years when individuals are most likely to commit crimes. The officials have rejected any suggestion that an emphasis on preventing terrorism since the September 11 attacks and funding cuts for federal programs to put more police officers on the street were to blame for the increase. The FBI crime report, which comes out every six months, gave the latest statistics, but provided no explanation for the increase. more... | America |
Their Global Plan (December 18, 2006) - Jesus warns to beware of the leaven of Herod and the Pharisees. He said for such -- those driven by power, position and money -- there can be no sign given (Mark 8: 11-15). Friends, nothing has changed. The fulfillment of the prophecies are before us -- as they were Herod and the Pharisees -- but the majority our modern spiritual leaders refuse to see it. So, don't be surprised when even some of our own evangelical leaders give their support to the UN's new Alliance of Civilizations (AoC). Jesus tells us that, in the time of the end, the true colors of all professing believers will be exposed (Matthew 13: 24-30). The news I've been following is about the power struggle between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions in Gaza, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to the Middle East, and Blair's visit today with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Read about it here. You see, I suspect that these stories are directly linked. In fact, I believe almost all that's going on in the Middle East is. And, the connection goes through the halls of Brussels, across to Washington, and on to New York. As you may recall, I believe that Fatah leader Abbas may have been offered something that persuaded him to finally confront Hamas. After Blair's joint press conference with President Bush in Washington, Blair attended the EU's summit. From there he flew to Turkey, Egypt, Israel and now Gaza. In his travels, I want you to notice what Blair is saying. In Egypt Blair says: On the issue of Iran, the Prime Minister added: "Given that Iran seems to see its purpose as to derail the prospects for peace and stability and democracy, for many of us who genuinely want to see an alliance of civilisations - an alliance of moderation against extremists ..Read it here This report from Afghanistan says: Mr Blair visited the second largest mosque in the world, the Saudi-funded Faisel mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad. He said he was sure there would not be a clash of civilisations, but instead an alliance of civilisations to fight terrorism Read it here. This is what I think: Since Blair endorsed the initiative Read about it here, the AoC has become a central element to the international community's new approach to bringing a lasting and comprehensive peace to the Middle East. If you recall, the AoC was co-sponsored by Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And, Erdogan actually calls the AoC a global peace plan. He says: "We consider the Alliance Of Civilizations the global peace project of the 21st century" Read about it here. Here's what I think: It's no coincidence that today Zapatero and Erdogan are in New York to participate in Kofi Anna's official presentation of the AoC project to the UN's General Assembly Read about it here. Friends, I think it's all connected. The AoC isn't just another UN initiative. It's their global plan. | EU/UN | NewWorldOrder |
One of the Most Influential "Immortals" of the French Academy Believes a Coming Christian Renaissance will go Beyond All Expectations (December 17, 2006) - The Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) has reported on French anthropologist René Girard -- who, as recently elected as one of the 40 "immortals" of the French Academy, is one of the most influential intellectuals of contemporary culture -- the author of the new book Truth or Weak Faith: Dialogue on Christianity and Relativism, in which he concludes that a Christian Renaissance lies ahead. "We will live in a world that will seem and be as Christian as today it seems scientific," he claims. "I believe we are on the eve of a revolution in our culture that will go beyond any expectation, and that the world is heading toward a change in respect of which the Renaissance will seem like nothing." According to the report, this conclusion was reached after 10 years of meetings between Girard and challenging Italian professor Gianni Vattimo, a supporter of moral relativism. Girard writes: "Religion conquers philosophy and surpasses it. Philosophies in fact are almost dead. Ideologies are virtually deceased; political theories are almost altogether spent. Confidence in the fact that science can replace religion has already been surmounted. There is in the world a new need for religion." In regard to moral relativism, defended by Vattimo, René Girard says, "I cannot be a relativist" because "I think the relativism of our time is the product of the failure of modern anthropology, of the attempt to resolve problems linked to the diversity of human cultures. Anthropology has failed because it has not succeeded in explaining the different human cultures as a unitary phenomenon, and that is why we are bogged down in relativism. In my opinion, Christianity proposes a solution to these problems precisely because it demonstrates that the obstacles, the limits that individuals put on one another serve to avoid a certain type of conflict." Criticizing the "politically correct world" which considers "the Judeo-Christian tradition as the only impure tradition, whereas all the others are exempt from any possible criticism," Girard concludes: "If it was really understood that Jesus is the universal victim who came precisely to surmount these conflicts, the problem would be solved," adding that Christianity is a revelation of love" but also "a revelation of truth" because "in Christianity, truth and love coincide and are one and the same." more... I agree that a time of unparalleled Christianity worldwide is coming, but it won't happen until Christ is ruling for the millennium in my understanding of Bible prophecy. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5 says that a great falling away will precede the revealing of the man of sin (antichrist) and at that point, the great tribulation begins as he is given power over the saints for 3 1/2 years. Daniel 7:25 It isn't until after that point, the end of the 70th week of Daniel, that Christ returns and rules from Jerusalem for 1,000 years. During that time, the whole world will keep the final fall feast of Israel, the feast of Tabernacles. They will make annual pilgrimages to worship Christ in Jerusalem. Zechariah 14
Russia Defies West And Goes Ahead With Nuclear Fuel Sale To Iran (December 17, 2006) - Russia is to begin supplying Iran with nuclear fuel early next year despite mounting concern in the West that this could accelerate Tehran’s plans to build a nuclear bomb. Sergei Shmatko, head of Atomstroyexport, Russia’s state nuclear fuel exporter, said last week that preparations to send fuel to Iran would start next month and the first consignment was expected to reach the Islamic republic in early spring. The announcement, at a time when Russia is asserting itself as an energy power, has caused anxiety in western countries which are trying to convince the Kremlin to end its nuclear co-operation with Tehran. The concerns were strengthened yesterday when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was reported to have told a Kuwaiti envoy that Iran was ready to transfer its nuclear technology to neighbouring countries. The nuclear fuel will be sent to Bushehr, Iran’s first nuclear power station, which has been built by Russia over the past decade as part of a £450m contract. Iran says the plant will be used to produce energy and that its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes. Officially at least Moscow accepts the claim. The West has little doubt that Tehran’s real aim is to build a nuclear bomb and is afraid that as a nuclear power Iran would threaten Israel and destabilise the region. Shmatko estimated Bushehr would become operational about six months after the first fuel reaches it in March. “We are simply fulfilling our contractual obligations,” said Irina Esipova, of Atomstroyexport. “Every country has a right to develop its own peaceful nuclear power programme. The fuel is ready and in storage in Siberia. In the spring it will be sent to Tehran by plane.” more... | Iran | So why is Russia talking on one hand about supporting sanctions against Iran and then selling them fuel on the other? Perhaps it's because they are two-faced and playing the West to accomplish their own goals. And what are those goals? We know the end result will be an attack against Israel by Iran, Turkey, Russia, and other Islamic nations. It's just a matter of time.
Northwest Storm Leaves 1.5M in the Dark (December 16, 2006) - Residents of the Pacific Northwest struggled to stay warm Saturday after the worst windstorm in more than a decade knocked out power to more than 1.5 million homes and businesses and killed at least six people. About 950,000 customers in Washington and Oregon remained without power Friday night. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency, and with temperatures expected to drop over the weekend, officials warned people not to use outdoor grills, propane heaters or other carbon monoxide-producing equipment indoors. Firefighters in Kent found 33 people from four families suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning Friday night, fire Capt. Kyle Ohashi said. They had taken their barbecues inside to cook or h