News for October 6, 2007

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'Syria won't hesitate to a start war with Israel to regain Golan' The Jerusalem Post (October 7, 2007) - Syria will not hesitate to start a war with Israel in order to restore its control over the Golan Heights, A-Baath, the official newspaper of President Bashar Assad's government, warned Saturday. In an article to mark 34 years since the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, A-Baath said: "Our people and our leadership are determined to liberate our conquered lands using all means, methods and ways." Meanwhile, ABC News quoted American officials as saying that the IAF raid in Syria during September was planned for several months and was postponed a number of times due to heavy US pressure. According to the report, Israel presented US officials with satellite imagery which clearly showed North Korean nuclear technology in a Syrian facility. According to a US source, Washington officials were astonished by the imagery and by the fact US intelligence had not picked up on the facility previously. "Israel tends to be very thorough about its intelligence coverage, particularly when it takes a major military step, so they would not have acted without data from several sources," said ABC News military consultant Tony Cordesman. A different source told ABC News that Israel had planned the strike as early as July 14, and in confidential meetings with high ranking US officials, debated over the appropriate response. Several officials supported Israel's decision to strike, although others, led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, firmly opposed it and offered to publicly condemn Syria for operating a nuclear facility instead. US officials who initially opposed the raid, according to ABC , apparently feared the negative influence it might have over the whole region. Consequently, officials in Washington persuaded Israel to push back the raid, but in September, Israel feared that information about the facility might be leaked to the press, and went ahead with the strike, despite objections by Washington.
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

This explains why Syria and others weren't more outraged about the bombing if they really had the nuclear equipment...they got caught.

US 'Must Break Iran and Syria Regimes' Telegraph (October 5, 2007) - America should seize every opportunity to force regime change in Syria and Iran, a former senior adviser to the White House has urged. "We need to do everything possible to destabilise the Syrian regime and exploit every single moment they strategically overstep," said David Wurmser, who recently resigned after four years as Vice President Dick Cheney's Middle East adviser. "That would include the willingness to escalate as far as we need to go to topple the regime if necessary." He said that an end to Baathist rule in Damascus could trigger a domino effect that would then bring down the Teheran regime. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, the first since he left government, he argued that the United States had to be prepared to attack both Syria and Iran to prevent the spread of Islamic fundamentalism and nuclear proliferation in the Middle East that could result in a much wider war. Mr Wurmser, 46, a leading neo-conservative who has played a pivotal role in the Bush administration since the September 11th attacks, said that diplomacy would fail to stop Iran becoming a nuclear power. Overthrowing Teheran's theocratic regime should therefore be a top US priority. more...
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 | America |

Bush says "very optimistic" on Mideast peace Reuters (October 5, 2007) - President George W. Bush said in comments aired on Friday he was "very optimistic" a Palestinian state could be set up alongside Israel and that next month's Middle East conference could lead towards peace in the region. The U.S.-sponsored conference is due to take place in the Washington area in November, although there are doubts over how far it will go towards ending decades of conflict and uncertainty over which Arab states will attend. "I am very optimistic that we can achieve a two-state solution," Bush told Al Arabiya television. "We're hosting an international conference that will be attended by interested parties and ... a committee from the Arab League. It is an opportunity for serious, substantive discussions about the way forward and a two-state solution," Bush said. "I fully understand that the two-state solution is a part of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Our strategy is to get all concerned countries to the table to get this comprehensive peace, and move forward in a way that is tangible." Reuters obtained a tape of Bush's remarks in English in the interview, which was dubbed into Arabic by the network. Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed on Wednesday that formal negotiations on Palestinian statehood would begin after the peace conference. But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has balked at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's call for setting a specific timeframe for the resolution of key issues including borders and the fate of Jerusalem and the Palestinian refugees. Abbas said on Thursday that formal negotiations for statehood could be completed six months after the conference. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | America |

Ex-US officials: Divide Jerusalem YNet News (October 4, 2007) - Five former State Department and Pentagon officials are proposing Israeli and Palestinian capitals in Jerusalem and excluding Arab refugees from returning to Israel as part of an Middle East accord. In a six-page policy statement submitted to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they also suggested a series of peace conferences following the one she hopes to convene next month, probably in Annapolis, Maryland, near Washington. Hamas, which controls Gaza and about one-third of Palestinian-held land, has not met US terms for attending. Those conditions are recognizing Israel's right to exist and abandoning violence against the Jewish state. But the ex-officials suggested Hamas might be drawn to attend a second conference, which implicitly would accept the first one and Israel's existence. They called the role of Hamas the most difficult issue in peacemaking. Jerusalem's future and that of Palestinian refugees have snarled past US peace efforts. Former President Bill Clinton's mediation efforts between the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak envisioned sharing Jerusalem. Clinton ruled out requiring Israel to take in most Palestinians or their families who claimed to have been forced out of Israel during creation of the Jewish state in 1947-8. It will be very difficult, "but not impossible," said Robert Pelletreau, a former US ambassador to Egypt and ex-assistant secretary of state for the region. "There is a little bit of momentum starting to build" with talks between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a mediator, he said in a telephone interview. Along with announcement of the conference, he said, "You have several things that can reinforce each other if they are framed properly." "The refugee issue is the most difficult," he said. "And Jerusalem is right up with it." more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | 1st Seal | America |

Syrian guerrilla group 'ready for attacks' WorldNet Daily (October 4, 2007) - A recently formed Syrian guerrilla group modeling itself after the Lebanese Hezbollah militia is preparing for "resistance attacks" against the Jewish state, leaders of the purported group stated during in-person interviews released in a new book. The information comes as Israel yesterday broke its nearly four-week silence and admitted officially the Jewish state's warplanes struck a "military installation" in Syria last month, prompting some officials in Damascus to call for retaliation, including guerrilla raids against Israel. In his new book, "Schmoozing with Terrorists: From Hollywood to the Holy Land, Jihadists Reveal their Global Plans – to a Jew!" WND Jerusalem bureau chief obtained access to the leadership of the new purported Syrian group, calling itself the Committees for the Liberation of the Golan. "If an agreement is not quickly forged between Israel and Syria [for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan], we will begin attacks," a senior leader of the Committees told Klein, speaking on condition his name be withheld. The Golan Heights is strategic mountainous territory looking down on Israeli and Syrian population centers captured by Israel after Damascus twice used the territory to attack the Jewish state. The Committees leader stated Syria watched as Israel "lost" a war against the Lebanese Hezbollah militia in the summer of 2006 and noted the Syrian leadership learned that "fighting" is more effective than peace negotiations with regard to gaining territory. The leader explained in "Schmoozing" his group will initiate rocket attacks and Hezbollah-like raids against Israeli troop positions and Golan-based Jewish communities in hopes of eventually provoking a conflict or generating domestic Israeli pressure for Israel to vacate the Golan. Much of the Israeli sections of the Golan look down on Syria, and there are U.N. posts at international buffer areas between the Israeli and Syrian sides of the territory, but the Committees leader explained there are multiple points of vulnerability along the Syria-Israel border that can be exploited, including many Israeli sections of the Golan that are at level with the Syrian sides. The Committees for the Liberation of the Golan Heights consists of Syrian volunteers, many from the Syrian border with Turkey and from Palestinian refugee camps near Damascus, the Committees leader stated. He said Syria held registration for volunteers to join the Committees last June. Israel is taking seriously the claims of formation of the Committees. Amos Yadlin, head of the IDF's intelligence branch, stated Syria is indeed in the early stages of forming a Hezbollah-like group. Israeli security officials speaking to WND said Syrian President Bashar Assad is under heavy pressure from Iran and from senior elements within his military to retaliate for the Israeli aerial strike, especially since the Israel Defense Forces yesterday officially confirmed a raid in Syria took place. The security officials said if pressure continues to escalate or if the IDF conducts other operation inside Syria, Assad, realizing his army it not prepared for a direct confrontation with Israel, may respond by launching guerrilla attacks against the Golan Heights. Yesterday, Mohammad Habbash, a member of the Syrian parliament, told reporters Syria may resort to a guerrilla war: "If the Israeli side launches attacks, believe me we will be very harsh in our response," stated Habbash. "It will be a guerrilla war. There will be guerrilla warfare coming from Lebanon and Syria, and it will be very harsh." In an interview with the BBC Monday, Assad said Syria is still considering an "appropriate" response to the Israeli aerial attack. He said it wouldn't have to be "missile-for-missile" but could be a political reaction. Assad claimed Israeli jets hit an unmanned military facility in the Sept. 6 raid. The IDF has not announced the exact target of its missile strike except that it was a military installation, but multiple newspapers reports have alleged Israel destroyed a facility at which North Korea was transferring nuclear technology to the Syrians.
| Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

Are Iran, Russia, China behind dollar's free-fall? WorldNet Daily (October 2, 2007) - The hottest selling book in China right now is called "Currency Wars," which makes the case that the U.S. Federal Reserve is a puppet of the Rothschilds banking dynasty and it has persuaded some top officials Beijing should resist America's demands to appreciate its own undervalued currency, the yuan. This might not be news of concern to most Americans if the U.S. dollar were not in precipitous free-fall, having reached record lows against the euro yesterday. What would it mean if China ever threw its economic weight around by dumping dollars in a major way? Suffice it to say it is referred to in some quarters as China's financial "nuclear option," because it would be the economic equivalent of detonating a thermonuclear weapon in the world's financial markets. But the American dollar's fate is hardly in the hands of the Chinese alone. Other foreign parties suspected of participating in a new "Currency Cold War" are Iran, Russia and Venezuela. Diane Francis, a financial reporter for the National Post in Canada, says it plainly and boldly: "There is a Currency Cold War being waged by Russia, Iran and various allies such as Venezuela." The grand strategy being engineered by Vladimir Putin, she writes, is to force the use of euros as the international monetary standard as a transition to the Russian ruble. "This is simply a monetary version of the old Cold War, minus the missiles," she writes. Experts don't see any short-term reprieve for the falling value of the dollar. Kathy Lien, chief currency strategist with DailyFX.com in the US, told Bloomberg she expects the American dollar to slide even further, forcing more lending rates cuts in the U.S. to stave off recession. "It seems like every single passing day we have a new record low in the dollar, and a new record high in the euro, and it's driven by the fact that U.S. data is continuing to deteriorate," she said. If other nations do not follow the U.S. in cutting rates, the slide in the value of the dollar would most likely continue. If the dollar trend continues spiraling downward, the risk is that nations like China – or Japan or Saudi Arabia – which have been buying U.S. Treasury bonds and thereby funding America's deficit, would stop that practice. That would be the nuclear option. China, with $1.3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves as a result of the massive and growing $260 billion U.S. trade deficit, has taken huge losses with the falling dollar, given that some 80 percent of China's $1.3 trillion in foreign reserves is held in U.S. dollar assets, largely in U.S. treasury securities. Meanwhile, Song Hongbing, the author of China's runaway bestseller, "The Currency Wars," says he's pleasantly surprised at the 200,000 copies his book has sold. He is probably not eager to see the dollar punished as he lives in Washington, D.C. more...
| Iran | Islam | America |

Burma Army Burns Christian Karen Villages, Satellite Images Show BosNewsLife (September 29, 2007) - The United Nations envoy for Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, arrived in the country Saturday, September 29, to urge the junta to end its violent crackdown on those opposing the regime, a day after satellite images confirmed that government-backed forces massively burn villages of predominantly Christian Karens. However as Gambari headed for the new administrative capital, Naypyidaw, to talks with military leaders, Singapore's Foreign Minister, George Yeo, warned in New York that he and other diplomats fear he will not accomplish much. Burmese officials admitted that this week alone at least 10 people, including a Japanese journalist, were killed in Rangoon by security forces suppressing pro-democracy demonstrations, but dissidents and human rights groups said the death toll may be as high as 200. Government soldiers in Rangoon, also called Yangon, and Mandalay reportedly raided and cordoned off Buddhist monasteries, and detained monks accused of instigating the demonstrations against 45 years of military rule. And, satellite images revealed an ongoing offensive outside Rangoon, against ethnic minority Karen villages, where many Christians live. Unveiling images taken months before the military's latest crackdown on dissent, the Washington-based American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) said destroyed settlements are visible in the high-definition photographs taken by satellites zooming in on the secretive state since late April. In Karen areas of eastern Burma, the group used three commercial satellites to focus on 31 "attack sites," AAAS project director Lars Bromley told reporters. The images also confirm previous reports on attacks against Karen villagers by Christian media, including BosNewsLife, and Christian rights investigators. "We found evidence of 18 villages that essentially disappeared," Bromley said. "We got reporting in late April that a set of villages in Karen State had been burned. We were actually able to identify burn scars on the ground -- square-shaped burn scars the size of houses." 3,000 villages have reportedly been destroyed by the military rulers, with 1.5 million refugees living along the country's borders. Christian rights groups estimate there are over one million Internally Displaced People within Burma, and over 150,000 refugees in Thailand. The crackdown on Karens and other predominantly Christian minorities has been linked to the junta's objection to Christianity, which it views as a threat to its ideology and powerbase. A satellite pictures taken in 2006, showed foundations and fence lines with all the structures gone, where a village had stood two years earlier. The area photographed was the site of a reported military raid on Karen villagers accused by the regime of supporting KNLA rebels. "We saw quite extensive evidence of possible forced relocation," Bromley told reporters. more...
| Signs of the Times |

Will the 12th Imam cause war with Iran? YNet News (September 28, 2007) - Not since the prime minister of the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada presented an address claiming that UFOs posed a mortal threat to the future of mankind has the United Nations been treated to such a bizarre spectacle. Many people believe the greatest threat to world peace concerns Iran's nuclear programme, so there was understandably great interest at this week's general assembly in New York when the country's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, took the platform. But instead of seeking to reassure delegates that Iran's nuclear intentions were purely benign, Mr Ahmadinejad took advantage of his official visit to a country deemed – in the lexicon of the Iranian Revolution – "the Great Satan" to embark on a discourse about the wonders of the 12th Imam. For those unacquainted with the more obscure tenets of Islamic theology, the 12th Imam is held by devout Shi'ite Muslims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed who went into "occlusion" in the ninth century at the age of five and hasn't been seen since. The Hidden Imam, as he is also known by his followers, will only return after a period of cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed – what Christians call the Apocalypse – and then lead the world into an era of universal peace. Rumours abound of Mr. Ahmadinejad's devotion to the 12th Imam, and last year it was reported that he had persuaded his cabinet to sign a "contract" pledging themselves to work for his return. For many of the hundreds of delegates who attended Mr. Ahmadinejad's speech to the UN this week, his discourse on the merits of the 12th Imam finally brought home the reality of the danger his regime poses to world peace. more...
| Iran | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

Abbas: Peace Deal Possible By May YNet News (September 28, 2007) - Israel and the Palestinians could sign a peace deal within six months of an international peace conference scheduled for November, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told AFP on Friday. "The meeting in November should define the principles settling the questions over the final status (of the Palestinian territories)," Abbas said in an interview in New York, where he is attending the UN General Assembly. "Then we will begin negotiations on the details under a timeframe, which ought not to exceed six months, to reach a peace treaty," he added. The leader of the Palestinian Authority, who has met with several foreign leaders during his stay in New York, said that the US-sponsored talks would open in Washington on November 15. The leader of the Palestinian Authority, who has met with several key foreign leaders during his stay in New York, said that the US-sponsored talks would open in Washington on November 15. "We have noted that the whole world is interested in this meeting and attaches great hopes to its success," he added. Abbas said that Palestinian and Israeli negotiators would start to tackle preparations for the gathering in the coming days. "We want to prepare a framework agreement defining clear principles and without equivocation that will serve as a basis for the settlement. Immediately after the meeting we will hold negotiations on the basis of this document." Key stumbling blocks in previous talks between Israel and the Palestinians have included the borders of a future Palestinian state, the fate of the Jewish settlements, the status of Jerusalem and the question of Palestinian refugees. "We, the Israelis and the Arabs, must make this meeting succeed," he said. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land |

'Heaven's Rehearsal' draws 15,000 for worship and foretaste of Heaven Canadian Christianity (September 27, 2007) - 'Heaven's Rehearsal' drew a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 people to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on September 15. The massive worship service was billed as an historic opportunity to demonstrate unity and ignite hearts by gathering Christ-followers from every nation, in one place, worshipping Jesus, the King of Kings. The initiative was chaired by Reynold and Kathy Mainse from 100 Huntley Street. The event -- inspired by Toronto's assertion that it is the most ethnically diverse urban centre in the world -- was a complex undertaking. Due to a series of unexpected technical problems, the crowds were kept waiting outside and the doors opened late. As a result, many had not yet reached their seats when the program started. "This is what heaven will be like, one nation under Christ." The audience, which represented a spectrum of ages, skin colours, cultural backgrounds and denominations, was on its feet for much of the three-hour program, arms raised, jumping, singing and shouting praise. In order to keep the evening's focus on Christ, none of the performers was named; none of the organizers appeared on stage; no sermon was preached; no announcements were made; and no offering was taken. Volunteers collected donations as people exited the building. The program flowed through a series of 14 scenes that illustrated topics such as 'The Lamb,' 'Casting Down Crowns,' 'Martyrs' and 'Eternal Hope.' Multi-national pastors read scripture passages, most from Revelation.A few audience members found it hard to loosen the bounds of earth, as their attention spans wavered and they checked text messages on their cell phones. For others, it was a transcendent experience. One white-haired, East Asian man spent most of the evening on his knees, his Bible clasped to his heart and his face raised towards heaven. more...

Rare opportunity for peace YNet News (September 27, 2007) - Last month, Jordan's Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib and his Egyptian counterpart, Ahmed Abul Gheit, presented to our prime minister and political leaders the details of the Arab initiative ratified in Saudi Arabia. The initiative, which was rejected by former premier Ariel Sharon, who was busy with the disengagement at the time, is back on the international stage, and constitutes a rare window of opportunity. For the first time in 60 years, all Arab countries are willing to recognize the existence of the Jewish state and even maintain normal relations with it. The conditions for it, according to a source involved in drafting the initiative, are very general: Israel is obligated to withdraw from the occupied territories and grant the Palestinians an independent state whose capital is east Jerusalem. In addition, the initiative calls for a fair solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. However, the initiative does not require the parties to base an agreement on the precise 1967 borders or allow refugees to enter Israel. In addition, the initiative does not stipulate that the Old City in Jerusalem become the Palestinian capital. What makes this initiative unique is the agreement of all Arab states to accept any solution worked out by the parties, as long as it constitutes an end to the conflict. According to sources involved in the matter, the initiative is not an outline of red lines for ending the conflict, but rather, constitutes a sort of general umbrella for any agreement between any Arab state and the State of Israel, or between the Palestinians and Israel. Another issue that stems from the decisions taken in the Riyadh summit and was not publicized, perhaps because of the sensitivity of the issue within Arab states and among the Palestinians, is the solution to the refugee problem within the borders of a future Palestinian state: Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states expressed their willingness to take part in a special compensation fund that will be established under American and Israeli direction. The Saudis, who have played a significant role in marketing the initiative, convinced other Arab countries to accept any agreement signed by Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert. Saudi Arabia continues to relay calming and positive messages to Israel via the US while also receiving regular updates from the parties involved regarding the progress in negotiations. Hence, the initiative's significance stems from the fact all Arab states, including Syria, agreed to it, and its implementation is not far removed from reality. We are facing a one-time opportunity and a basis for a long-term agreement that will guarantee quiet for many years to come. These developments, and the fall summit in the US, encourage our prime minister to vigorously advance on the Palestinian track. In addition, in light of the rare window of opportunity, we must not view Olmert's desire to advance on the Palestinian track as a mere matter of political survival and an attempt to distract attention from the Winograd Commission or other affairs threatening him. This may also be the reason for Ehud Barak's and Tzipi's Livni's deep involvement in the process. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | 1st Seal |

Hizbullah: If Israel attacks Syria, we'll respond Fulfilled Prophecy (September 27, 2007) - "If Israel dares to make an adventurous move against Syria, it will pay a heavy price," a member of Hizbulla's political council warned Thursday. In an interview with the Nazareth-based Kul al-Arab newspaper scheduled to be published on Friday, Dr Ahmad Malli warned Israel against considering an attack on Syria, saying that the Lebanese organization would respond to such an offensive with full force. "I believe that things have changed," Malli explained. "The times when everyone was afraid of the Israeli threats are over. The Zionist entity knows more than anyone that the price of such adventurousness would be heavy, and the Israelis know the price more than anyone. "Since 2006 we have begun a new stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict and have demonstrated this during the Israeli aggression in July (the Second Lebanon War). If anyone wants to make an adventurous move, it will baer responsibility for this aggression." Asked whether he was referring to aggression both against Lebanon and against Syria, Malli replied, "We are all in one Middle East." Ahmad Jibril, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also warned Thursday that if Israel attacked Syria or Hizbullah his organization would also respond. In an interview with the al-Hadat newspaper, which is published in Arabic in the Galilee city of Tamra, Jibril warned that Israel planned to invade Syria in coordination with Arab countries. The interview is scheduled to be published Friday. According to Jibril, if such an attack takes place, Iran and Hizbullah will stand by Damascus and respond in full force. "I believe that the Israelis and the Americans will carry out attacks against Syria as soon as possible, in other words in the near future. I do not reject the possibility that the Israeli aircraft will attack us – the Palestinians in Syria. more...
| Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam | Isaiah 17 |

Need of the Hour Fulfilled Prophecy (September 27, 2007) - You know the old saying, "The devil is in the details"? It couldn't be more true of the United Nations gathering taking place right now. For two weeks each year, world leaders swoop on the U.N. headquarters in New York, where they're given a platform to address their concerns. Media has aired sound bytes from their speeches -- mostly juicy ones about Iran's president -- yet much of the real news is happening on the sidelines, out of the spotlight. Yesterday, for example, the Alliance of Civilizations Group of Friends held its second ministerial meeting, attended by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.N. General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim. The presence of the U.N's top two leaders shows that this meeting was not viewed by them as peripheral. Quite the contrary, in his remarks to the Group of Friends, Ban called the AoC's task of healing the divide between Muslim and Western societies "the need of the hour." Ban went on to say that the AoC "can help reinforce the work of the United Nations system." For those who don't know what the AoC is -- let's just say it's "the U.N. meets religion." The U.N. realized it can't achieve world peace without getting religious people onboard -- those who are the source of so much conflict. So, in 2005, it launched this initiative -- co-sponsored by the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey -- which "hopes to contribute to a coalescing global movement" against religious extremism, according to its Web site. Unfortunately for Christians, it labels as "extremists" all those who claim sole ownership to the truth -- not just terrorists. (Learn how it may play into the end-times false religious system in league with the Antichrist.) During his speech yesterday, Sampaio enlisted the help of the Group of Friends -- made up of representatives from governments and multilateral organizations -- in fulfilling his vision for the AoC, as outlined in the "Implementation Plan 2007-2009." But, first, Sampaio pointed out how many nations have joined the Group of Friends since late April, from about 40 to over 70. See the list here. This means the AoC now has weight to throw around. Or, in Sampaio's words, "our ever-enlargening Group of Friends has now reached the critical mass of participation." Read his speech here. He said it's time to turn the AoC's momentum into concrete action in the form of commitments from governments. He urged the Group of Friends to go back to their countries and seek suggestions for projects and policies that can be implemented nationally, regionally and locally -- targeting the AoC's four areas of focus: education, youth, migration and media. According to the Implementation Plan, such projects should include programs to train journalists, major-motion films, AoC youth groups, advertisements at cultural and sporting events, and new curriculum on religion for schoolchildren. As Sampaio said yesterday, the AoC is much more than conferences and lectures: It "needs to be integrated in the domestic agendas of the countries, in the international agenda and indeed in all aspects of the work of the United Nations." In other words, the AoC is planning some big stuff. If the Implementation Plan is, indeed, implemented, then schools around the world may soon be required to use AoC-approved curriculum. Yes, even religious schools (don't believe me, read the Implementation Plan). Do you want your kids being taught that all religions are equally valid -- that Jesus was wrong and he isn't the only way? Of course, this excludes, for now, the United States, which hasn't yet joined the Group of Friends. But, oh, the difference one election can make! The participating government's suggestions will be presented at the AoC's first annual forum, Jan. 15-16, in Madrid Spain. Sampaio urged them to view this event as a golden opportunity for the AoC to go public. You think Hollywood's got a liberal agenda, wait until film directors catch the AoC vision. And don't forget the very real possibility of Super Bowls sponsored by the Alliance of Civilizations. The good thing is then the media will have to report on it.
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | RCC | NewWorldOrder | America | Apostasy |

Holy See's speech addresses a 'serene dialogue of civilizations'

Bush to U.N.: Lay Off Israel Israel National News (September 25, 2007) - United States President George W. Bush urged the United Nations to reform its Human Rights Council Tuesday, criticizing the body for ignoring abuses in places like Iran "while focusing its criticism excessively on Israel.” "The American people are disappointed by the failures of the Human Rights Council," Bush said. "The United Nations must reform its own Human Rights Council." In the course of his speech, Bush pointed out several regimes which he termed "brutal" and "cruel." He announced new sanctions against the military dictatorship in Myanmar (Burma), accusing it of imposing "a 19-year reign of fear" that denies the basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship. "Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma," the president said in an address to the U.N. General Assembly. He purposely used the country's old name, Burma: the military junta renamed the Asian country Myanmar but the U.S. refuses to recognize the change. "Basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship are severely restricted," he said. "Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labor, human trafficking and rape are common. The regime is holding more than a thousand political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was elected overwhelmingly by the Burmese people in 1990. "The ruling junta remains unyielding, yet the people's desire for freedom is unmistakable," Bush said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sat in the chamber and checked his watch during Bush's remarks. First Lady Laura Bush, also present for the president's speech, walked by the seated Iranian president without making contact, and Israeli Ambassador Danny Gillerman, too, made a point of avoiding Ahmadinejad. Bush urged the world's nations to support countries that are struggling for democracy. more...
| Iran | Israel | Islam | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | America |

Solana calls for more substance in Israeli-Palestinian talks EU Business (September 24, 2007) - "The issues that are fundamental have been stated already many, many times," Solana said as the members of the quartet -- the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia -- began two hours of talks. "We have to go beyond the mere stating of the issues and try to put some more meat on every issue," he said. "Water, borders, security, Jerusalem, refugees -- those are the fundamental issues that have to be resolved at the end of the day," he said, adding: "We can not afford a failure." "Without any doubt, it would be going back several years. We cannot afford that to happen," he added. more...
| Israel | Islam | Dividing the Land | EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |

France Steps Up European Milspace Push Aviation Week (September 24, 2007) - Europe is signaling a growing willingness to develop new military space capabilities and more closely integrate them. But moving toward a unified milspace will require high-level political support that remains elusive, government and industry executives say. French officials have been rallying Europe to put more joint effort into milspace. And while more nations are jumping on the bandwagon, cooperation has been largely ad hoc and with little concern for broader integration. “We now need to go further,” argues Rear Adm. Phillipe Arnauld, the top French space officer, who noted that the assumption of the European Union presidency by France in July 2008 could provide a key impetus to forge an integrated European milspace program at last. But a clear consensus doesn’t exist, and funding in France, which would have to underpin any major project, has been decreasing. One of the most promising signals of progress is that the European Space Agency is ready to participate in military-related endeavors, which officials signaled at a conference here last week organized by the French Aeronautics and Astronautics Assn. ESA representatives said a dual-use space situational awareness system will be proposed soon (see p. 34). Space awareness could provide a test case for Europe to make breakthroughs on information sharing, believes Patrick Chatard-Moulin, a staff official for the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The mission has gained increased attention in Europe after China’s anti-satellite test this year. A senior ESA official says that the consequences are evident daily; half the near-misses of spacecraft by debris in a recent week were linked to parts left over from the ASAT test. more...
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | NewWorldOrder |

UN to open regional "support office" in Baghdad The Jerusalem Post (September 23, 2007) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday voiced continued concerns about security in Iraq even as he announced plans to open a regional support office in Baghdad, part of the UN's efforts to expand its presence in the war-torn country. "Security is still a problem," Ban said, as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sat beside him in a joint news conference in which the Iraqi premier stressed that gains realized on the security front. The two were speaking after a meeting that grouped top diplomats representing many of Iraq's neighbors, the United States, donor nations and other groups. Ban emphasized his hope that "more would be done" on the security front and said the U.N. would build its presence on the ground as the situation improved. The UN has maintained a reduced presence in Iraq since after an August 19, 2003, bombing at its Baghdad headquarters that killed 22 people. But Ban stressed that there was clear agreement in the meeting that the international community cannot turn away from Iraq. "Its stability is our common concern."
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom |

Javier Solana's "New International Order" Fulfilled Prophecy (September 22, 2007) - Wow. I'm sitting here in near disbelief after having read an article written by Javier Solana for the Summer/Autumn 2007 issue of the journal Social Europe. The article is a state of the union address -- for the European Union, that is -- with the long title, "Where We Stand: From Building Peace in Europe to Being a Peace-Builder in the World -- Taking Stock of the Union's Foreign and Security Policy." Read it here. It was just brought to my attention by an FP reader. Only five pages long, it's a must-read for students of end-times prophecy. It reveals Solana's global agenda -- one that appears to have a lot in common with the agenda of the Antichrist. In his article, Solana -- High Representative for the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and secretary general for both the Council of the European Union and the Western European Union -- argues that since the European Union has been so effective at bringing peace and stability to Europe, it now needs to bring peace and stability to the world. He says the model the European Union has used -- one based on common laws and strong institutions, not armies -- needs to be replicated in a "new international order." Solana says:

"As new powers emerge and new issues call for our engagement, Europe will have to apply itself to the task of promoting the emergence of a new international order. An international order which is based on clear rules and strong institutions."

Yes, you read that right. Solana's calling for the European Union to spearhead a new international order, based on foreign policy he's crafted. It's not the first time he's admitted to having a global agenda, but it's one of his most direct statements on it. What intrigues me is Solana's repeated references in the article to the need for international rules and laws to make "global governance" a reality. He says:

"Therefore, one key task for Europe for the next 50 years is to protect and develop a system of strong institutions able to tackle the problems of a new age; and to build a rules-based international order with the rules that will help us navigate the choppy waters ahead."

Speaking again of law, Solana says:

"Above all, we need to re-learn that the biggest shift in history came when we extended the rule of law. First within states and now, gradually, also among them. This gradual extension of the international rule of law has provided enormous benefits: taming the passion of the states but also providing a legal framework to guide many aspects of human inter-actions at a global level."

The legal framework for a global order would include stepping up both the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement system and the International Criminal Court, according to Solana. Solana's focus on law intrigues me because, in the book of Daniel, we learn that the Antichrist "will intend to make alterations in times and in law" (Daniel 7:25). When I recently asked one of my former theology professors -- who is also a lawyer and friend whom I respect -- what he thought is the meaning of this passage, he said something to the effect of, "Well, sure. Law is the first thing that has to be changed to bring about major change to a society." So, Solana realizes that a new international order needs new laws to govern it or, in his words, new laws to "organize our globalised world." Could this be the meaning of that obscure Daniel passage? Solana also stresses the necessity of the EU Member States' common foreign policy. He says:

"It means we can act together to address a range of different issues that concern us. Our unity, our influence and our action benefits us, of course. But it also serves many others. And, actually, it is often easier for us to act together than alone. Solidarity and shared political objectives are good force generators, and our collective weight counts."

This interests me because the book of Revelation tells us that 10 kings will share a "common purpose" with the Antichrist and help him execute it (Revelation 17:17). Similarly, Solana is asking for the help of the EU Member States -- which include the 10-nation Western European Union military alliance -- to extend his foreign policy globally. A new international order will require other things, too -- more EU structure, staff and "sharpened crisis management performance" (a.k.a., police and military forces), according to Solana. He points out that the EU already has "sophisticated" crisis management forces that, in the past year, have conducted 10 operations across three continents, including military, police and rule-of-law missions. One of these missions provides the only open border crossing point in Gaza. And the EU is about to send out its largest force ever -- to Kosovo to enforce peace and the rule of law there. Of the EU's crisis management operations, Solana says:

"The global reach and scope of these different operations is striking. ... And their impact is significant. From Aceh to Rafah, and from Kinshasa to Sarajevo, the EU is providing the 'key enablers' for peace and stability."

A new international order will also require the representation of more countries in international governing bodies, like an enlarged G-8 and UN Security Council, as well as stronger regional organizations, like the African Union and the ASEAN, according to Solana. And a new international order will require more "bargaining," he says. Concessions must be made when it comes to the environment and climate change and -- this is very interesting -- when it comes to "forms of dialogues between cultures." This sounds like Alliance of Civilizations language to me. If so, then it seems Solana may be referring to concessions being made between religions, which -- according to the Alliance of Civilizations -- would include giving up exclusivistic claims like "There is only one path to God." This is a bargain Jesus' followers can't buy. Solana ends his article with a quote he's used before -- borrowed from Jean Jacques Rousseau in his The Social Contract -- which Solana applies to his own vision of a "global social contract." The quote goes:

"The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right and obedience into duty."

In other words, a global government will only work when citizens dutifully obey leaders, according to Solana. And they'll willingly want to obey leaders who make right decisions. Yet, students of end-times prophecy know that the final world government will be unrighteousness and demand obedience. It's amazing Solana has such a powerful position from which he can construct a new international order. Yet, most people still don't know who this guy is. (If you don't know about him and his powerful office, learn more here.)
| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | Solana | 1st Seal |