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• God Gives His Spirit To Those Who Obey Stan Smith - As a teenager I first read Peter’s words in Acts 5:32, telling of “the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” I imagined my own portion of the Holy Spirit would be distressingly small, reflecting my many failed attempts at obedience. But God had good surprises planned for me. It turns out that obedience is an art, and it takes time to develop. As we begin, even imperfect obedience can empower us to encounter His Spirit. Then as we grow, God fine-tunes our obedience and leads us into higher levels of His works and His presence. I might have spared myself a lot of anxiety as a young Christian if I had considered the life of the apostle Peter. This was the apostle who, in the final hours before Jesus’ crucifixion, cut off Malchus’s ear and then denied Jesus three times. But a few weeks later, he received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and became the spokesman for the early church. This happened because he walked in a key principle of obedience: no matter how often he got it wrong, he always came back to Jesus for restoration. God looks for obedience rooted in grace, not in law. Our first step is to engage with the simple gospel: receiving cleansing through the blood of Jesus, and powerful new life through His resurrection. Hebrews 9:17 says the law never made anyone perfect. It exposes and condemns sin, but it can’t change anyone. Only Jesus can. In forty years as a Christian, I have seen great transformations in people who keep coming back to Jesus, no matter how badly they mess up. The key to obedience is to let Jesus do it through us. He always does the things that please the Father. Obedience is not our gift to God; it is His gift to us. Look at Peter. He blew it as Jesus was being condemned to die, but found forgiveness and new life in Christ. It took time for him to work out the theology of what Jesus had done. But its power worked quickly, equipping him to flow with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. For new converts, this is good news. We can find fresh cleansing in Christ whenever we need it, and a new beginning of His obedience through us. It’s also good news for those who have known Him for years. We bog down in a lot of religious work to try to perfect ourselves. Cut it out! Stay in touch with the simple gospel, and let Him live through you. Amazingly, Jesus can do things through us that reflect wisdom beyond our years. Further, He is ready to release the gifts of the Holy Spirit through us when we are not at our best – tired, behind on our Bible reading and prayer, frazzled with too many loose ends. It is humbling to see God use us when we feel unworthy. It’s a reminder that our flesh can’t do the things of God. But Jesus is faithful to forgive sin, and then to live a godly life through us. It’s His faithfulness, not ours. more...

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• The new European century The Guardian UK (July 31, 2007) - The Project for the New American Century was tested in Iraq and floundered there. Now it's Europe's turn to make a play for world power. The American project aspired to US global leadership and military strength. If Europeans are to have continued influence in the world, we have to get our aspirations right. The European Union's methods are set by its ethos and structure. It claims to have a good human rights record, even if the reality lets down the most liberal of members sometimes. Military action is generally undertaken by member states individually. Working with its limited tools of trade and aid, the EU has been trying to increase its influence in the world. It recently signed agreements with Morocco providing financial support for economic and social cooperation. They cover human rights reforms, market integration, and energy security. The agreements are part of a larger plan called the European Neighbourhood Policy. The idea is that neighbouring non-member countries can enter into closer ties with the EU if they share its economic and social goals. Europeans who want to live in a prosperous continent should hope the policy works. It will ensure North African and Central Asian oil and gas is accessible through sympathetic countries. They would be useful allies in fighting against crime, and in ensuring that migration can be managed to the advantage of both Europe and the migrants. Europe's mistakes in the past century ensured that its economy lags behind the US economy. Today, it is Asia which could further eclipse Europe. Both China and India are likely to reach Europe economically within a lifetime. We can't stop the development of China and India. But we can keep Europe influential in the new world order. Being surrounded by a ring of economically successful allies will help keep Europeans rich and powerful. The advantages of close economic links with our neighbours are so strong that the EU might be tempted to drop its demands for high standards of human rights in its partners. Let's face it, the west has been getting its oil from repressive regimes for decades without domestic collapse. There are signs that Europe is willing to lower its standards. For example, the EU has entered into partnership agreements with Tunisia. We have given the North African state a billion euros in aid since 2002, so you might expect growing attention to human rights from it. Sadly, no; here's a taste of what Human Rights Watch says: "The government uses the threat of terrorism and religious extremism as a pretext to crack down on peaceful dissent. There are continuous and credible reports of torture and ill-treatment being used to obtain statements from suspects in custody. Sentenced prisoners also face deliberate ill-treatment." I wouldn't want to live in one of the EU's more repressive partners if we give up on human rights in them. Maybe if the partners were on the other side of the world, I would become callous to the suffering of their citizens. The trouble is, they are our neighbours. Human rights abuses in them have effects which are usually damaging to our long-term economic interests. more... | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1^st Seal | NewWorldOrder | The ENP is Solana's baby and the ticket to get everyone on his peace train. It's more like bait, offering money in exchange for obedience to EU ruling. The Bible says that the final kingdom that would rule the world will rise from the same empire that destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD, Rome. Daniel 9:26,27 The power over this final global governance is going to be handed over to one man who will declare himself to be God and then the end will come. Every day brings us closer to the day of the Lord, our catching away, and the time of God's wrath for the children of disobedience. The signs have been given, the story foretold, and now it is up to us who hear and see to share the warning with our neighbors and bring them to the saving arms of Christ.
• Evangelical Leaders Betray Israel Fulfilled Prophecy (July 30, 2007) - I have no doubt that the evangelical leaders who signed this letter in Sunday's New York Times mean well. They really believe that other evangelicals who defend Israel's right to her land are mistaken -- and dangerously so. It makes me think of another Christian leader who meant well. When Jesus told his disciples that he must suffer and be killed, Peter said, "No way, Lord. This won't happen to you." To which Jesus replied, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." And what are God's interest in Israel? He's chosen to reveal Himself to the world through the continued existence of this nation and her land. He gave her the land (Genesis 15:18), he warned of judgment for those who divide it (Joel 3:2), and he's promised a day when she will possess it in peace (Ezekiel 36). But man's interests are Palestinians and Israelis co-existing peacefully now, through a two-state solution -- a solution that requires Israel to give up much of her land. This is a plan that has been embraced by evangelicals from some of our largest ministries, churches and seminaries. Certainly, God is concerned about justice and the rights of the oppressed, as the letter signers point out. And he loves the Palestinians, not just the Israelis. But it's a logical leap to assume that this requires supporting the Quartet's "Road Map for Peace," or the other initiatives being pushed on Israel. Actually, loving the Palestinians would include warning them about opposing God. Their mistake reminds me of another rebuke Jesus gave, this time to Israel's religious leadership -- the Sadducees. They mistakenly believed that the dead will not be resurrected. Jesus told them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). The evangelical letter signers are also mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures about God's end-time plans for the nation of Israel that include a time of false peace made possible by the Antichrist. In fact, many Christians today don't know Bible prophecy and so, when they speak, they don't speak according to God's interests, but man's. And they, unknowingly, end up working with the enemy. | Apostasy | This is why understanding what the Bible actually says about the future, Bible prophecy, is so important. Many people claim understanding of the future, but how many of them really understand what the Bible says before opening their mouths? I know I've learned myself in the past that just a scripture here or there doesn't cover the full understanding of God's plans written for our understanding. That is why the whole council of God must be taken into account. This is beneficial for us because it requires study of all of God's Word, not just cherry-picking the verses or using someone else's template of scripture references. We must each have an intimate understanding of God's Word revealed through the Holy Spirit in you. If these leaders understood what God's Word said about the future and Israel's place in it, they would not go against God's design of Israel being in the land in the name of peace and security. But the world today is ignorant of the Satanic influences manipulating and causing this chaos. They're trying to figure out what's going on and solve it politically. In reality, all that is happening is the consolidation of global governance in the name of peace and security, removing national sovereignty and personal freedom to bring the world under the bondage of Lucifer and separated from the One True God who created and loves us. As Christians, we should all understand what is coming because God promised we wouldn't be in darkness. Darkness brings confusion, confusion brings fear and errors in judgment. Let us dispel fear of the unknown with the knowledge of it given to us by God in His Word, that is what the Watchman Bible Study is about, shining the light of the Word in the darkness to encourage and lift up the bride of Christ in these last days. We need to stick to God's Word and follow His plans, not make errors in judgment based on our own plans.
• Bulusan volcano spews ash anew, causing panic in the Philippines International Herald Tribune (July 30, 2007) - The Bulusan volcano in the central Philippines spewed ash early Tuesday, blanketing fields and villages as far as five kilometers (three miles) away, but there was no immediate sign of a major eruption, scientists said. The 1,560-meter (5,150-foot) Mount Bulusan has been showing signs of unrest with on-and-off ash and steam explosions since March 2006. "We are keeping an eye on some villages in Juban and Irosin town. An ash explosion can occur there anytime," said Bella Tubianosa from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. She said the latest burst sent ash falling five kilometers (three miles) west of the volcano, which is in Sorsogon province about 390 kilometers (240 miles) southeast of Manila. Television reports said the ash column caused panic in the surrounding area, with residents running out of their homes. Villagers have been warned not to venture into a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) "permanent danger zone" around the volcano. Broadcaster ABS-CBN said the military was expected to enforce an evacuation of people from Bulusan's immediate vicinity. Since it last ejected ash on May 12, the mountain's northeastern slope has swelled slightly and abnormally high numbers of earthquakes have been recorded, according to the Philippine volcanology institute. The Philippine archipelago lies on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity and earthquakes are common. In December, typhoon-triggered mudslides along the slopes of nearby Mayon volcano buried entire villages, killing more than 1,000 people. | Earth Changes |
• UMC ripped for partnership with Muslim Aid One News Now (July 30, 2007) - The United Methodist Church is being blasted for partnering with a Muslim group that is blatant about its mission. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, recently announced a partnership with Muslim Aid, a British-based relief organization. The Muslim group is very clear about its Islamic mission -- and on its website there are numerous references to the Koran and to Allah, says Mark Tooley with the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). "In its materials and on its website, it talks about the need to serve Allah," he continues, "and one of its programs is to help Muslims around the world fulfill their Islamic obligations, which include an annual animal sacrifice, which Muslim Aid will assist them with." Tooley expects the denomination to spend more than the $15 million dollars already proposed on joint relief projects worldwide. "Even prior to this recently announced partnership, they had been working together in Sri Lanka in relation to tsunami victims there," the IRD spokesman observes. Tooley points out that while Muslim Aid is vocal in its beliefs, UMCOR has virtually no mention of God, Jesus Christ, or the Bible on its website. "No wonder there is such easy agreement between them," he comments. UMCOR's operating budget last year was nearly $90 million, according to Tooley. He suggests that United Methodists and others might want to "ponder" why one of its denominational agencies appears hesitant to mention Jesus Christ, but seems to have no problem affiliating with a Muslim group that freely professes its service to Allah. | Apostasy |
• ‘Possible Attack on the U.S. Within Ninety Days’ Family Security Matters (July 30, 2007) - Counterterrorism expert Juval Aviv met recently with reporters at Fox News and revealed information, which he believes is accurate, concerning an imminent Al Qaeda attack on five to seven American cities simultaneously. "I predict, based primarily on information that is floating in Europe and the Middle East, that an event is imminent and around the corner here in the United States. It could happen as soon as tomorrow, or it could happen in the next few months. Ninety days at the most,” said Mr. Aviv. Mr. Aviv knows of that which he speaks.  He is a former Israeli Counterterrorism Intelligence Officer and has also served as a special consultant to the U.S. Congress on issues of terrorism and security.  He is best known as the source of the 1984 book, Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas, on which Steven Spielberg's film Munich was based.  He is also the author of The Complete Terrorism Survival Guide: How to Travel, Work and Live in Safety (2003); and Staying Safe: The Complete Guide to Protecting Yourself, Your Family, and Your Business (2004). Currently, Aviv is the president of Interfor, Inc., a corporate investigations firm in New York City. So it is clear that Aviv has the background and experience in global terror and its operating methods to warrant taking his current warnings seriously. It would be foolish to ignore or minimize this counterterrorism veteran’s expert prognosis. Mr. Aviv told Fox that, from what his sources have been relating, sleeper cells that already have been placed inside the continental United States are on the verge of carrying out major attacks. “What they’re going to do," he explained, "is hit six, seven or eight cities simultaneously to show sophistication and really hit the public. This time, which is the message of the day, it will not only be big cities. They’re going to try to hit rural America. They want to send a message to rural America: "You’re not protected. If you figured out that if you just move out of New York and move to Montana or to Pittsburgh, you’re not immune. We’re going [to] get you wherever we can and it’s easier there than in New York." While this prediction leaves most Americans feeling helpless, fearful and frustrated, Juval Aviv recommends that we at least do what we can. He suggests that for the next few months, if we are traveling by public transportation, we should equip ourselves with a bottle of water, a hand towel and a flashlight. He reminds us that many fatalities in the London tube and Madrid train attacks occurred from victims who breathed in the lethal fumes from bomb components and burning gasoline. Had these people had wet towels to cover their mouths and noses, they would have had a much better chance of survival. Mr. Aviv is a very strong proponent of “If you See Something – Say Something” school of preparedness. He stated that a great number of potentially lethal terror attacks in Israel have been – and still are – thwarted by the intelligent actions on the part of alert, aware and watchful citizens. Americans must do the same, he advises. The global war on terror is not “somewhere over there in the Middle East.”  It is here on our own soil. If ever there were a time to be especially vigilant, the time is now. Let us hope and pray that these vicious enemies and their depraved plans against our citizens and our country, which come out of a wicked ideological brew, will be forestalled and prevented, and the perpetrators apprehended.  So far, our law enforcement, military, counter-terrorism and intelligence personnel have done a stellar job.  At the same time, and as we all know, we have to be lucky 100% of the time, and the terrorists have to be lucky only once. So stay alert…stay away from crowds…and if you see something, say something!  You could save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. more... | Islam | America |
• 500 dead in China's worst flooding ever Breitbart.com (July 30, 2007) - China is facing its worst flooding ever with more than 500 people killed among 200 million affected, the Red Cross said Monday. Nearly five million residents have been evacuated from their homes because water levels have risen dangerously high along China's main rivers, while more flash floods, downpours and landslides are expected in the coming days, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said. "Over the past two months, more than 200 million people have been affected and over 500 have been killed nationwide by the worst flooding ever to hit the country," it said. | Earth Changes | China summer storm deaths approach 700
• Four dead babies found in Maryland home Reuters (July 30, 2007) - The remains of four premature babies have been found hidden in garbage bags and a blanket at the home of the owner of a taxi company in Ocean City, Maryland, police said on Monday. Christy Freeman, 37, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the death of one of the babies. Further charges may follow, said Ocean City police spokesman Barry Neeb. Police found the body of one baby wrapped in a blanket in Freeman's apartment last Thursday after she was admitted to a local hospital with cramps and bleeding, Neeb said. Doctors at the hospital determined that Freeman had been pregnant but was no longer, prompting police to search her apartment. At the apartment, police also found a garbage bag hidden in a trunk in Freeman's bedroom. Inside were three smaller plastic bags, two of which contained the remains of two more infants, and a third contained what police said was a placenta. The next day, the remains of a fourth infant were found in another garbage bag inside a Winnebago motor home parked in Freeman's driveway, according to a police statement. A medical examiner's report on the ages of the infants and the cause of their deaths is expected this week. "None of them were full-term," Neeb said. Police are continuing to search Freeman's home and excavate its surroundings in an operation that also involves the FBI. Freeman has four other children who are believed to be teenagers, Neeb said. Freeman was at a bail hearing on Monday morning. The case is expected to be referred to a grand jury, Neeb said. | Signs of the Times |
• US "Evangelicals"—Divide the Land of Israel Jerusalem Newswire (July 30, 2007) - The issue of where to take a stand concerning the Land and People of Israel continues to split Christians who choose to reinterpret the scriptures through liberal and socialist lenses from those who insist that the Bible is the unchanging Word of God. In a letter published in the Sunday edition of the New York Times, 34 self-described "evangelical leaders" wrote to US President George W. Bush, urging him to forge ahead with his plan to implement a "two state solution" to the "Palestinian"-Israeli conflict. The document appears to have been drawn up in reaction to the statements of high-profile evangelicals like John Hagee who have recently asserted anew that tens of millions of American evangelicals identify themselves as Christian Zionists and oppose the globally-supported effort to establish an Arab state on the biblical heartland and national cradle of the Jewish people. Twisting both the meaning of scripture and historic fact to support their position, the signatories to the letter - who claimed to speak on behalf of "large numbers of evangelicals throughout the US" - sought to "encourage" Bush with the assertion that not "all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank [sic]." They had written "to thank [Bush] for [his] efforts (including the major address on July 16) to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to achieve a lasting peace in the region. "We affirm your clear call for a two-state solution. We urge that your administration not grow weary in the time it has left in office to utilize the vast influence of America to demonstrate creative, consistent and determined US leadership to create a new future for Israelis and Palestinians [sic]." more... | Israel | America | Apostasy | Lack of understanding Bible prophecy is a main issue with this I believe. For those who don't believe Israel's right to the land, they come up against the Word of God. For those who think Israel isn't part of God's plan for the end-times, it shows a deep lack of understanding of the Hebrew Bible. It is the historical record of the children of Israel through which our Messiah was born. Romans 11 explains how God has not cast them off completely. And it is our Lord Yeshua Himself who connects Israel's existence to the end-times. On the mount of Olives, the disciples asked Yeshua, "when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" According to Yeshua, "the end" comes at the abomination of desolation. Matthew 24:14-22 That is when the great tribulation begins, which is the antichrist's 3 1/2 year reign on the earth. Daniel 7:25 It begins with the time of Jacob's trouble in Judea, which is why Christ said for those in Judea to run to the mountains at the abomination of desolation. But I digress. Christ referred to Daniel, an Old Testament prophet, regarding what time was being referred to. Daniel 9:27 places that event in the middle of the final week of years (7 years) of the prophecy given to Daniel about the future of Israel! That means that Israel is the absolute center of Yeshua coming again! Here's what the prophecy began by stating, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." If the 70 weeks are for Israel and the last one has "the end" in the middle of it, that must mean Israel is significant to end-time Bible prophecy. For those who don't believe there is any future aspect to Bible prophecy, you have a big surprise coming. The Bible lays out the future, trust in God's Word and it will be a light to your path leading straight to Christ. Psalm 119:105 The church needs to wake up to God's plans so their own don't counter His Will. Those who don't believe God has a plan don't know His Word or don't take Him at His Word. And if you don't believe in the Bible, you have bigger problems coming. Certainly not from me, but God is just and without believing in Christ and obeying God's Word, we show we have no love for Him (John 14:15-21) and He respects our desires. To be separated from God is hell, beyond the wildest imaginations. Nobody is tough enough to deal with it and it's forever. I don't want anyone to get their wish to be separated from God. Eventually reality will always overcome vain imaginings. May God reveal His Word in greater detail as you get to know Him better. Get alone in your prayer closet and just speak to Him. He is worthy of our praise! 2 Timothy 4:1-4
• Survey: Christians Worldwide Too Busy for God The Christian Post (July 30, 2007) - Christians worldwide are simply becoming too busy for God, a newly released five-year study revealed. In data collected from over 20,000 Christians with ages ranging from 15 to 88 across 139 countries, The Obstacles to Growth Survey found that on average, more than 4 in 10 Christians around the world say they "often" or "always" rush from task to task. Busyness proved to be the greatest challenges in Japan, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Indonesia. Christians in Uganda, Nigeria, Malaysia and Kenya were least likely to rush from task to task. But even in the less-hurried cultures, about one in three Christians report that they rush from task to task. In Japan, 57 percent agreed. The busy life was found to be a distraction from God among Christians around the globe. About 6 in 10 Christians say that it's "often" or "always" true that "the busyness of life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God." Christians most likely to agree were from North America, Africa and Europe. By country, Christians in South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, Singapore, Ireland, Philippines, the United States, and the United Kingdom, are more distracted from God, respectively, than those in other countries. While across gender lines, busyness afflicts both men and women, the distraction from God was more likely to afflict men than women in every surveyed continent except North America, where 62 percent of women reported busyness interfering with their relationship with God compared to 61 percent of men. By profession, pastors were most likely to say they rush from task to task (54 percent) which adversely also gets in the way of developing their relationship with God (65 percent). "It's tragic. And ironic. The very people who could best help us escape the bondage of busyness are themselves in chains," said Dr. Michael Zigarelli, associate professor of Management at the Charleston Southern University School of Business who conducted the study. Managers, business owners, teachers and salespeople were among Christians most likely to say they rush from task to task. And professionals whose busyness interferes with developing their relationship with God include lawyers (72 percent), managers (67 percent), nurses (66 percent), pastors (65 percent), teachers (64 percent), salespeople (61 percent), business owners (61 percent), and housewives (57 percent). "The accelerated pace and activity level of the modern day distracts us from God and separates us from the abundant, joyful, victorious life He desires for us," said Zigarelli. While the study does not explain why Christians are so busy and distracted, Zigarelli described the problem among Christians as "a vicious cycle" prompted by cultural conformity. more... | Apostasy |
• Israeli Researchers Take First Step toward Live Computer Chip Israel21c (July 29, 2007) - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein might have been unprecedented in its time, but since then, popular culture has been clogged with a fascination for the concept of artificial intelligence, from the eerily humanoid robots of The Twilight Zone to films like AI and Robocop. People can't seem to get enough of the idea that advanced technology may one day create sentient life, but at the same time seem to dread the consequences of an apparent transgression against the laws of nature. It may therefore come as a surprise to find that advances in the field of nano biotechnology are now taking place that have nothing to do with creating monsters. Instead, for Professor Eshel Ben-Jacob and his graduate student, Itay Baruchi of Tel Aviv University's Department of Exact Sciences, the goal is to find treatments for neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. With the use of chemical stimulation, Ben-Jacob and Baruchi discovered that they could trigger a man-made network of neurons to imprint patterns—the same process by which the brain creates memories. This discovery marks an early but crucial step toward the invention of a computer chip with the capability to create and store information the same way our own brains do. By linking the network of neurons to software which reads the neural activity, the network and the computer can work together to carry out tasks of which computers are currently incapable. "Computers don't have cognitive function because they lack plasticity—they are fixed," Ben-Jacob told ISRAEL21c. "We're therefore thinking of adding features to computers to make them more flexible and adaptable, like human brains." It's the connection between the computer and the neural network, which would communicate with one another, that creates a new kind of machine. Ben-Jacob elaborates: "The network won't replace the computer, but it will do the softer cognitive functions of decision-making, interaction with the environment, and sound recognition." According to Baruchi, biological computing might also lead to technology that Microsoft has been working to achieve, without success: handwriting recognition, made possible by virtue of the biological system's ability to detect patterns. "The ability of the regular silicon-based computer to detect patterns is very low, and it needs a very sophisticated algorithm. With the biological system it's very easy, because humans and animals can easily detect patterns," said Baruchi, who has been working with Ben-Jacob for seven years. more... | Israel | Technology |
• Iran, Russia discuss ME developments Islamic Republic News Agency (July 29, 2007) - Iran and Russia on Saturday discussed the latest developments in the Middle East region particularly the ongoing events in Lebanon. In a meeting between Iran's Ambassador to Russia Gholam-Reza Ansari and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko, the two officials referred to negotiations as a solution to crises in the Middle East. They exchanged views on implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Yakovenko highlighted the significance of complete implementation of the resolution by all parties involved in Lebanon's case and making a realistic assessment of situation following its enforcement. During the Zionist regime's imposed war on Lebanon last summer, Russia condemned the attack and fully supported Lebanon. Moscow has made great efforts at the UN Security Council to stop aggression of the Zionist regime and adopt Resolution 1701. | Iran | Gog/Magog |
• The Sampson Option Hal Lindsey (July 28, 2007) - Last week, WorldNetDaily reported a stunning admission from a Syrian official. He said that Syria had "learned from the Hezbollah experience last summer and we can have hundreds of missiles hitting Tel Aviv that will overwhelm Israel's anti-missile batteries." He claimed Syria has "proof" Israel is also readying for a war. "We hear about special Israeli trainings to take Damascus. We see that Israel is re-establishing bases of the Israeli army in the Golan that are unusual and not needed except for war. We believe the Israeli government has an interest in confronting Syria to rehabilitate its image of losing to Hezbollah." The WorldNetDaily report also says that Damascus believes newly-installed Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, a former prime minister, "wants to prove he is a military expert." This information is perfectly in line with the official statements made by both Bashar Assad and Mushen Bilal to several major Arab newspapers. Furthermore, London's Daily Telegraph reported June 25 that Tehran was establishing a missile defense shield for Syria. Iran is also preparing to ship sophisticated military hardware, including "dozens of medium-range Shahab-3 and Russian-made Scud-C missiles, together with Scud-B missiles." Syria recently test-fired two Scud-D surface-to-surface missiles that have a range of about 250 miles. This puts virtually all of Israel's population centers within range. Analysts say the planned Iranian arms shipment to Syria may be coordinated with the delivery of advanced Russian fighter jets. Syria is also known to be producing non-conventional warheads, including those containing VX gas for delivery via the new longer range and more accurate Scuds. All Israel's cities are within range of these missiles. Most of them can be reached in less than three minutes. Syria is gambling that Israel's performance in the Hezbollah war of June 2006 means that it has seen all Israel has to offer. Apparently, Bashar Assad now believes Israel can be beaten. Assad is miscalculating. In the event Syria launches a gas attack on Israel, it's a virtual certainty that Damascus would be instantly obliterated by Israeli nuclear weapons. The thought of being gassed evokes a visceral response among Israel's Holocaust survivors and their descendants that Damascus wildly underestimates. Israel has more than 400 nuclear weapons in hidden silos in various places within its borders, as well as at least two submarines in the Mediterranean that are launch capable. And you can be certain that in the event of a massive WMD attack by the Syrians, Israel will respond in kind. more... | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | I just watched a video on Google Video from the Prophecy Club where Bill Schnoebelen talked about scalar weaponry. While I don't agree with the constant push about no harpazo, I found the information presented by Bill very intriguing and it reminds me of the "kindling of a fire in the wall of Damascus." Watch it here and jump to 0:15:58 if you would like to begin at the scalar weapons talk.
• The Future Belongs to God Jack Kinsella (July 28, 2007) - More than 2600 years ago, the Prophet Isaiah recorded a challenge hurled by God to all those who laid claim to Divinity, saying; "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isaiah 41:23) While many have picked up the challenge, including Mohammed, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, William Miller, Harold Camping, etc., all have failed to meet God's exacting standard of 100% accuracy, 100% of the time. Consider what it means for Ezekiel to describe, 2500 years in advance, the geopolitical alliances of the 21st century. It was only sixty years ago that the world was at war -- the alliances described by Ezekiel didn't exist until that war forced them into being. The Scriptures say that the 'hairs on your head are numbered' -- multiply that times every single person who ever lived. Every single one of them had free will choices and the choices made by our ancestors, no matter how far back we go, shaped the world we live in today. The same one foretold by the prophets. Hebrew prophets named alliances between nations that didn't exist in their world, and in some cases, didn't exist until this generation. Let's take a look at ten prophecies in the process of fulfillment in this generation. A lot of this is covering old ground to long-time Omega Letter readers, but it is worth taking a second look. 1. 'Take heed that no man deceive you' "And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you." (Matthew 24:3-4) It's often been said that the 'devil's greatest trick is convincing people that he doesn't exist'. Deception has been raised in this generation to an art form. We expect to be deceived by our politicians, our entertainment, advertisers and the media. 2. An increase in disasters and wars. "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." (Matthew 24:6) World War One and World War Two were cataclysmic events that shaped the 20th century, but they were domestic disputes in comparison with what World War Three with the Soviet Union would have looked like. For fifty years, the two sides were locked in ideological combat in what history calls the Cold War. Every morning for fifty years, each side woke up wondering if the Cold War would turn hot -- the ultimate rumor of war -- that ended only a decade ago. But, as Jesus noted, see that ye not be troubled, for the is not yet. And it wasn't. 3. The great "Falling Away". "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians 2:3) In this generation, being labeled a Christian 'fundamentalist' is almost a criminal charge. The very phrase "Christian fundamenalist" conjures up images of wild-eyed crazies stockpiling weapons against the end of the world while plotting the best way to blow up abortion clinics. more...
• Picture poses question: Are we alone? Memphis Action News 5 (July 28, 2007) - Take a look at the picture and let us know what you see. The ring at the top center has a lot of people asking the question: What is it? While staring into the dusk sky a small group in one neighborhood couldn't quite grasp what they were looking at.  So, one Millington woman grabbed her camera. The pictures still don't quite clarify what's hovering overhead. Jan Yarbro saw that unexplained figure in the sky Wednesday night just after 8:00. She grabbed her camera and snapped a series of photos. But is that car-sized, translucent, black outline out-of-this world? "Looked up in the sky, saw the thick black circle," said Yarbro. "It stayed stationary, no lights or anything like that. Stayed there for 20, 30 minutes and then it just started disappearing," she added. It's a picture that's leaving neighbors not necessarily sold on the paranormal, but definitely open-minded. "Stuff's been getting in that garden back there, but we figured it was coons. Now it might be something different," said Yarbro. "I'm sure there's an explanation that's simple, but it's just interesting," she added. Neighbors are just looking for some logic in a close encounter. Yarbro says her pictures were not doctored. Those on Lucy Road say they've never seen that bubble before or in the few days since. | UFO | I don't know what this is, but it is unidentified, in the sky, and taking a shape not naturally seen in the sky. Odd huh?
• Mysterious Aerial Lights Over Stratford-upon-Avon, July 14, and Farnborough, Hampshire, on July 22 EarthFiles (July 27, 2007) | UFO | See video here
• EU Treaty published - but only in French Telegraph.UK (July 27, 2007) - MPs have accused Brussels and Government ministers of preventing proper scrutiny of the new European Union treaty by failing to provide the House of Commons with an English version of the 277-page text. William Hague accuses the Government of dodging debate "Corners are being cut" and parliaments across Europe snubbed in the rush to seal a treaty deal by (October!!), officials have admitted to The Daily Telegraph. A treaty text was tabled in Brussels on Monday in one language, French. The Government, and EU officials organising negotiations, cannot produce an official English translation of the 145 pages of draft articles, 69 of protocols and 63 pages of declarations until next month, well after the Commons has finished for the summer. MPs will return to duty 10 days before Gordon Brown signs a final treaty agreement in Lisbon on October 18-19. Rejecting referendum calls, the Prime Minister will then press for (parliamentary ratification!!) on a treaty that will have been negotiated over the summer without proper scrutiny by MPs. William Hague, the Conservative foreign affairs spokesman, has accused the Government of dodging democratic debate. "Now that the rejected EU constitution is back, with a different label, it is clear that it is being rushed through with the minimum of scrutiny," he said. "Gordon Brown wants the British people to know as little as possible about the major transfer of their own powers to Brussels this treaty will bring about, but the tactic could not be more transparent. It simply shows up the undemocratic nature of the exercise." EU leaders are racing against the clock to rush through a new "reform treaty" to replace the constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. Officials close to the organisation of negotiations have admitted that documents in all the EU's 23 languages are not expected until December, when a formal ratification text will be signed by Europe's leaders. "We believe it is a problem but we have a mandate that is tight. There is urgency. Doing all this within six months is unprecedented and there are going to be real limitations to the process," said an official. Normal EU rules stipulating that documents must at least be in German, French and English have been suspended. The Conservative MP Roger Gale has asked for, and been refused, a copy of the new treaty in English. "The Government obviously does not want MPs, journalists or the public to have access to the document until it is a done deal - presumably for fear of the growing demand for the people to have the right to vote on the issue," he said. | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | NewWorldOrder |
• 1,033-Foot-Long East Field Wheat Formation "Happened Within 90 Minutes." EarthFiles (July 27, 2007) Whatever is making the crop circles, it is not human and creates patterns that are not natural in a very small amount of time.
• Why Have They Missed It? Fulfilled Prophecy (July 26, 2007) - Many leaders in the Mid-East peace talks are saying peace is a real possibility. In fact, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said it could occur in less than a year, before President Bush leaves office. Read about it here. There has certainly been a renewed flurry of diplomatic activity. And Bush is continuing to push along the Quartet's efforts. He and Jordan's King Abdullah met yesterday at the White House for "private talks."  Read about it here. Yet, when I talk to Christian friends about the possibility of peace in the Middle East, they often express skepticism that this could ever happen. But they of all people should know that, one day, it will happen. According to the Bible, there will be a temporary time of peace for the region, made possible by a "covenant with many" brokered and strengthened by the Antichrist. Since it's very possible that the covenant with many has already been made and strengthened, then it's also very possible that a peace deal will soon be made. And when it is, I fear many Christians will miss its prophetic significance--just as they've missed the significance of all the events leading up to this peace deal. Why have they missed it? I believe a number of teachings in the church have led to their blindness, including not only the pre-tribulation harpazo teaching (which may dad so often expressed concern about), but also replacement theology, "kingdom now" teaching and--for those who don't embrace those teachings--the belief that it's unbiblical and fruitless to focus on end-time prophecy. I plan to write more about these teachings, showing why they're wrong and and how they've blinded so many Christians.
• Electing Career Politicians and the Consequences Koenig's International News (July 26, 2007) - A slang definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. With the approval rating of the President hovering around only 30 percent and Congressional job approval ratings even lower in the mid-20’s, American’s are faced with a grim ultimatum come the 2008 elections. Do we elect career politicians so the government can continue to grow out of control, continue raising the tax burden on American citizens, and continue conducting foreign policy with same worn out concepts, or dump the whole bunch of them and recruit, vote for and elect anybody except a career politician. I would wager that the average American has more common sense than does a career politician. Somewhere, somehow along the way, Americans got caught up in a paradigm that only career politicians can govern best. But look where it has gotten us. The country, thanks to career politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, has become an immoral and financial shell of what it once was. Everybody has more rights than what the Constitution provides. The right to free speech has been extended to pornographers and haters of America, while the rights of those who would call on the name of God in the public square have been severely curtailed. The rights of a perverse sexual group of people have trumped the protection of the citizenry in the name of tolerance. The rights of animals have more standing in America than those of pre-born American citizens. American citizens no longer own property because it is taxed to the extent that if taxes are not paid, their property can be taken from them and sold. Property can be seized even if the taxes are paid if some entity wants to build a mall or an apartment complex and the politicians agree it is in the best interest of the common good. All these things have been accomplished by electing the same old career politicians to do more of the same. In a nation of over 300 million people, surely there is one person who isn’t a career politician and has the common sense and integrity to lead a country. But if we, as Americans, cannot look at the reason why we do not approve of Congress or the President, and act on it, who is to blame? Could it be said that the current crop of Presidential candidates, for example, are completely unqualified to lead the nation because they are responsible for its troublesome state? Jesus said in Matthew 15:14, “Leave them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” That ditch can be mighty deep if it’s the cavernous government dug by career politicians. | America | I'm starting to track some of the candidates for 2008. Here's some interesting info: | Sex Ed for Kindergarteners 'Right Thing to Do,' Says Obama | Rudy Giuliani's law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, is the exclusive legal representative working for Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte , S. A. (Cintra) in Spain, owned by Juan Carlos (king of Spain). The law firm has worked to lease the Chicago skyway and Indiana toll road to Cintra to build the roads for the trans-national corridor. Cintra is the strategic partner of the State of Texas in the design and planning of the Trans-Texas Corridor and has been selected as preferred bidder for a 75-year concession to maintain and operate the Indiana Toll Road (ITR). More on Cintra from wikipedia | Ron Paul's Statement of Faith | William Koenig is apparently running now to as of July 20.
• LEAD: M7.0 quake hits off Indonesia's eastern Malukus+ Breitbart.com (July 26, 2007) - Indonesia issued a tsunami warning, lifted later, after a 7.0 earthquake hit off the Maluku Islands at about 2:40 p.m. Thursday. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake's epicenter in the Molucca Sea about 223 kilometers north of the North Maluku provincial capital Ternate, about 950 km west southwest of Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao and 44.6 km under the seabed. The quake was also felt in the North Sulawesi provincial capital Manado, about 240 km east of Ternate. "I am outside my office now, because everything -- glasses, helmets -- were shaking," a man in Manado told the Jakarta-based private radio station Elshinta. An hour after the quake, no tsunami was reported and the Jakarta-based Meteorological and Geophysics Agency lifted the tsunami warning. Indonesia, with more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes. In December 2004, a powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed about 200,000 people in Aceh Province and tens of thousands of others in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and other areas around the perimeter of the Indian Ocean. A magnitude 8.7 earthquake jolted Nias Island, off Sumatra to the south of Aceh, in March 2005 killing more than 800 people. And a strong earthquake also rocked Yogyakarta and surrounding Central Java cities on May 27 last year, killing about 5,800 people. more... | Earth Changes |
• High time for Middle East peace: UAE to Blair The New Zealand Herald (July 26, 2007) - The United Arab Emirates said it was high time for serious efforts towards Middle East peace as Tony Blair arrived in the Gulf state on his first visit to the region as an international envoy. "It is high time to find real mechanism to achieve peace ... all efforts should be exerted towards just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East so that the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate rights," UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan told Blair. The official WAM news agency said Sheikh Abdullah also voiced support for Blair's mandate to revive the stalled peace process between Palestinians and Israel. The former British prime minister earlier spoke of a "moment of opportunity" after he met Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Tuesday but warned that steps towards peace would take time. On the Gulf leg of his regional tour, Blair is expected to also visit Bahrain. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan form a group set up at an Arab League summit this year to promote an Arab offer to Israel of normal relations in return for full withdrawal from lands occupied by the Jewish state in the 1967 Middle East war. Blair's meetings in the Gulf coincide with a visit by the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan to Israel to promote the Arab peace proposal, which also calls for a just settlement for Palestinians displaced by the creation of Israel in 1948. Blair said earlier on his trip that he had come to the Middle East to "listen and reflect" and that he would return for a longer visit in early September. Blair was appointed this month as envoy for the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers - the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia. | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | 1^st Seal | Dividing the Land
• Analyst concerned CNN documentary may equate 'Christian Right' with Islamic terrorists One News Now (July 26, 2007) - Starting August 21, CNN plans to air a three-night, six-hour documentary in prime time called God's Warriors. The special, hosted by chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour, will purportedly discuss "the impact of religious fundamentalism as a powerful political force around the world." CNN says the documentary will feature what it calls "patriot pastors who seek to change American culture through the ballot box," "parents who reject science education in conflict with their religious principles," and Muslim "suicide martyrs who are revered as iconic heroes." Knight, director of the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute (CMI), says any series that equates "conscience-based resistance to liberal programs" with Islamic extremists is a blatant attempt to equate Christianity with Islam and to say "a pox on both their houses -- they're all bad." "It looks very much like what the media had been up to all along, which is to push a secular viewpoint and to tar all religious believers with the same brush," says Knight -- and that includes resorting to "vilifying Christians" using any method they are able, he adds. "They never seem to get around to explaining that the only reason there's a free press in America is because it was founded by Christians who believed in freedom of conscience," says the CMI director. "They instead paint the picture of all religion threatening fundamental civil liberties." CNN says its God's Warriors series also includes an interview with former President Jimmy Carter about "the political impact of the Christian Right in the United States." Examples of religious fundamentalists in the CNN documentary include the non-violent Christian youth group "Battle Cry." The CNN special also includes interviews with the late Dr. Jerry Falwell and the founder of the Israeli settlement movement. | America |
• Dominionism and the rise of Christian Imperialism Discernment-Ministries Inc. (July 26, 2007) - "Conspiracy theorizing about the Christian Right’s supposedly “secret” agenda involves highlighting the hate-mongering and bizarre ideas of a handful of Christian Right players while neglecting the broad popularity of dominion theology. - Sara Diamond, “Dominion Theology: The Truth About the Christian Right’s Bid for Power,”
  American churches are to a large degree defined by what they choose to rebel against. The Christian right has set itself in opposition to liberal, secular government and, as a political consequence, declared itself a buddy of big business.” - Russ Rymer, Mother Jones, Dec. 2005
  The ambassador's words seemed prophetic a couple of weeks later, when a Dream for Africa draft plan found its way into Swazi newspapers, turning public opinion sharply against Mr. Wilkinson. Under the headline “British Colony or Dr Bruce Colony?” one op-ed writer in the Swazi News wrote, “Why can't he simply tell us that he wants to be given the whole country so that he can gloat to his friends overseas that he owns a modern day colony in Africa called Swaziland?” - Michael M. Phillips, “Mr. Wilkinson Hits Wall Trying To Push 'Orphan Village'”, Wall Street Journal, 12/19/05
  For the past several decades the political Left has focused attention on the Christian Right’s political activism in America. Particularly, the Left has been highly critical of a select group of dominionists called Reconstructionists, whose aggressive verbiage, extreme Calvinist theologies, and religious political agendas have made it an ideal target for outrage. But, as Leftist researcher Sara Diamond has astutely observed, “the Reconstructionists’ religion of Calvinism. . . makes them unlikely to appeal to most evangelicals.”⁴ Indeed, few Reconstructionists would consider themselves to be evangelicals. Nevertheless, their influence has been considerable over the much larger group of patriotic evangelicals. There are two other dominionist sects within evangelicalism that have escaped in-depth scrutiny from the Left. These dominionists have been able to function virtually incognito for several reasons: 1) They have been deeply embedded within the evangelical subculture; 2) They cloaked their dominionism with new terminologies and doctrines over a period of thirty years; and 3) They figured out how to package dominionism using sophisticated mass marketing techniques. Also noteworthy: these two other dominionist camps have been operating in a dialectical fashion – while one group appealed to the TBN charismatics with all of its emotional excesses, the other group carefully managed its more intellectual public image to conform to traditional evangelical standards. This paper is a brief overview of the three main dominionist movements operating inside evangelicaldom and examines how all three of these sects are now converging around a global “kingdom” agenda. This paper is not a treatise on doctrine, nor is it an historical record, nor is it a thorough analysis of the multifarious streams of evangelical dominionism. This paper does not cover the broader issue of dominionist sects within other world religions, except for a few brief noteworthy mentions. To examine the totality of the individuals, the organizations, and their cross-linkages would require an exhaustive study which is beyond the scope of this brief synopsis. Even so, every point made in this paper could be validated by dozens, sometimes hundreds, of pieces of documentation. The inquiring reader may check out the footnotes and references. Only a small handful of Christian discernment and apologetics ministries, of which this writer is a part, have been paying attention to the intersection of the dominionist streams. The apologetic ministries fulfill a Scriptural role to examine and expose false doctrines and teachers, and to warn other believers of heresies (Jude 3, 2 Peter 2:1). Increasingly, over the past two decades, many apologists have become seduced by dominionism, blunting their ability to critically examine the roots and fruits of this rapidly rising new church era. more... | Apostasy |
• Secy. Rice: Israel Must End Occupation of 'West Bank' Israel National News (July 26, 2007) - Speaking with Arabic-language Radio Sawa, based in Washington and Dubai, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice went further in her demands on Israel than President Bush did in his recent speech on Israel. Rice, about to depart for the Middle East to prepare an upcoming international meeting of regional leaders, said that President Bush recently stated "very clearly that Israel's future will rest in Israel, in places like Galilee and in the Negev - and that the occupation of the West Bank will have to end, and a Palestinian state will need to be established." In fact, however, in his recent speech, President Bush did not phrase this as a demand upon Israel, but rather cited Prime Minister Olmert as having "made clear that Israel's future lies in developing areas like the Negev and Galilee - not in continuing occupation of the West Bank. This is a reality that Prime Minister Sharon recognized, as well. So unauthorized outposts should be removed and settlement expansion ended." Rice Sets New Standard Pres. Bush also stopped short of saying Israel must withdraw from all of Judea and Samaria.  Bush said rather that future Israel-PA negotiations must "lead to a territorial settlement, with mutually agreed borders reflecting previous lines and current realities, and mutually agreed adjustments." By stating so clearly that the "the occupation of the West Bank will have to end," Rice has set a new standard for United States officials of her stature in opposition to Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Secretary Rice did not deal with the question of what to do with the 240,000 Jews living in the non-annexed areas of Judea and Samaria (nor the roughly equal amount living in the outlying neighborhoods of Jerusalem beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders).  Israel has not yet been able to solve the problems of the fewer than 10,000 Jews it evicted from Gaza two years ago; those Jews are still living in transient camps of temporary pre-fab houses, with no long-term housing or employment solutions in sight. more... | Israel | Islam | 1^st Seal | America | Dividing the Land
• The E.U. Deal News With Views: Constance Cumbey (July 25, 2007) - On a random internet search, looking frankly for something else I never found, I just discovered an off the road lovely little blogspot maintained by one of Javier Solana’s most obvious London based thinktanks: The Centre for European Reform. A few years ago, Herb Peters and I laughed on live radio air at a $10,000 award two of its foremost analysts, Charles Grant and Steve Everts received for an essay competition for ideas on how to better manage “Transatlantic Relations” in its alleged “growing divide.” Their thoughts:

  o Give Javier Solana more power
  o Give Javier Solana more money
  o Give Javier Solana more staff

  We joked on the air over WMUZ radio in Detroit on my then regular program, “Law Talk,” “Now why didn’t we think of that? We could have had $10,000 to divide by writing the obviously desired lines of other power elites: “Give Javier Solana more power, more money, and more staff.”

  Grant/Everts’ exact essay wording was “Streamline decision-making and give Javier Solana more resources.” Quoting from their prize winning essay:

  By all accounts, Solana has been a great success. He has put the EU on the map, in the Balkans, the Middle East and elsewhere. The time has come to give him a formal right of initiative. Doing so would put him at the same level as the Commission and the member-states. It is clear that EU foreign policy would be more impressive if all sides worked better together – and if the EU could take decisions more easily. One way to achieve both these objectives would be to promote more joint initiatives. The EU should decide that if the High Representative and the Commissioner for external relations agreed on a joint proposal, then EU foreign ministers should accept it if a qualified majority voted in favor. Because Solana has such excellent links with the capitals, he would filter out any idea that he knew was too controversial. Similarly, involving the Commission at an early stage in the policy process can ensure that its extensive resources are used to support the EU’s diplomatic strategy. . . . In any case, Solana needs more resources. The EU needs to triple the CFSP budget – to the still modest sum of €120 million. EU leaders routinely say they want Europe to assert itself more strongly on the global stage. But then they balk at the financial consequences. Clearly, the EU cannot develop a credible foreign policy ‘on the cheap’. Solana also needs more people working for him. In the short term this means stationing more national diplomats in Brussels. In the medium term, the EU should create its own diplomatic service. EU diplomats should shuttle between the Brussels,the capitals and the Commission delegations outside the EU. They should gradually take the lead in blending national perspectives on international problems. Developing shared analyses is the best way to ensure that member-states also agree on the necessary policy responses.”

  Co-author Steven Everts thereafter not surprisingly