RON PAUL HAPPY JULY 4TH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqP41_QLPsA&feature=player_embedded
U.S. Vice President Gives Israel Green Light to Attack Iran
by Gil Ronen JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) United States Vice President Joe Biden raised the pressure on Iran by appearing to give a green light for Israel to conduct a military strike against the Persian theocracy.In his appearance Sunday on ABC News’ This Week, Biden was asked three times by host George Stephanopolous if the Obama Administration would stand in the way of an Israeli military strike.Three times, he said that Israel was free to do what it needed to do. If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice,Biden said.
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For now, he said, President Barack Obama’s offer to meet with Iran over its nuclear program remains on the table. However, he rejected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s call for more US concessions before such talks begin.The ball’s in their court,Biden said of the Iranians.If they choose to meet with the P-5 [the United Nations Security Council permanent member states – ed.] under the conditions the P-5 has laid out, it means they begin to change course.And it means that the protestors [against the results of Iran's presidential elections ed.] probably had some impact on the behavior of an administration that they don’t like at all.
The transcript of the conversation between Biden and Stephanopolus regarding Israel is as follows:
BIDEN: If the Iranians seek to engage, we will engage.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And meanwhile, the clock is ticking...
BIDEN: If the Iranians respond to the offer of engagement, we will engage.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But the offer is on the table?
BIDEN: The offer's on the table.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it pretty clear that he agreed with President Obama to give until the end of the year for this whole process of engagement to work. After that, he's prepared to make matters into his own hands.
Is that the right approach?
BIDEN: Look, Israel can determine for itself it's a sovereign nation what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Whether we agree or not?
BIDEN: Whether we agree or not. They're entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that's going to alter our behavior as to how to proceed.What we believe is in the national interest of the United States, which we, coincidentally, believe is also in the interest of Israel and the whole world. And so there are separate issues. If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But just to be clear here, if the Israelis decide Iran is an existential threat, they have to take out the nuclear program, militarily the United States will not stand in the way?
BIDEN: Look, we cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination that they're existentially threatened and their survival is threatened by another country.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You say we can't dictate, but we can, if we choose to, deny over-flight rights here in Iraq. We can stand in the way of a military strike.
BIDEN: I'm not going to speculate, George, on those issues, other than to say Israel has a right to determine what's in its interests, and we have a right and we will determine what's in our interests.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he agrees to give President Obama’s engagement policy until the end of the year to bear fruit. He hinted, however, that Israel would feel free to take on the Iranian existential threat after that deadline had passed.
Biden: Israel has sovereign right to attack Iran,US vice president remains vague on whether US would block Israeli attempt to target Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel has a right to determine its interests, and we will determine what's in our interests,he tells ABC after interviewer repeats question three times Yitzhak Benhorin Published: 07.05.09, 17:58 / Israel News
WASHINGTON – Israel is free to do whatever it deems necessary to remove the Iranian nuclear threat, US Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday.In an interview with ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Biden said Israel can determine for itself it's a sovereign nation what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and Attack Route?
Report: Saudis to overlook Israeli jets headed to Iran / Ynet
Sunday Times says Saudi officials have agreed in secret talks with Mossad chief to turn blind eye to Israeli planes flying over kingdom during any future raid on Iranian nuclear sites. According to report, PM briefed on matter. Israel: Reports unfounded .As for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach, according to which Israel would give until the end of the year for this whole process of engagement (with Iran) to work before taking matters into its own hands, Biden said they're entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that's going to alter our behavior as to how to proceed.
However, the vice president did add that what we believe is in the national interest of the United States, which we, coincidentally, believe is also in the interest of Israel and the whole world. And so there are separate issues. If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice,he said. Asked by Stephanopoulos whether the US would stand in the way of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by denying over-flight rights in Iraq,Biden said I'm not going to speculate, George, on those issues, other than to say Israel has a right to determine what's in its interests, and we have a right and we will determine what's in our interests.CIA Director Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen had reportedly visited Israel in recent months and expressed their strong opposition to a military strike on Iran. Biden, who was a long-time member of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, hinted during the interview that the Obama administration was prepared to toughen its stance on Iran.He said that while the US' offer of engagement was still on the table, Washington would not accept Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's demand for more concessions before ahead of possible negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program.Biden's comments were made ahead of Obama's scheduled visit to Moscow for meetings with senior government officials and then to Italy for the Group of Eight (G8) summit, where the prospect of tightening sanctions on Iran is expected to be raised.Washington has suspended its efforts to hold direct talks with Iran and is now focusing on discussing Tehran's nuclear program through the P-5 (five Security Council members plus Germany).If they choose to meet with the P5, under the conditions the P5 was laid out, it means they begin to change course, Biden said.
Saudis Would Allow Israel to Attack Iran
by Avraham Zuroff JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) Saudi Arabia would turn the other cheek and allow Israel to use its airspace to attack Iran, London’s Sunday Times reports. According to the report, Mossad chief Meir Dagan has told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that Syria has hinted to the move.The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israel air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,a diplomatic source stated.The Saudis are very concerned about an Iranian nuclear bomb, even more that the Israelis, a former Israeli intelligence head stated.John Bolton, the former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., said that it was logical that Saudi Arabia would privately agree. None of them would say anything about it publicly, but they would certainly acquiesce in an overflight if the Israelis didn’t trumpet it as a big success, Bolton told several Arab leaders in the Gulf. To this day, the Israelis haven’t admitted the specifics, but there’s one less nuclear facility in Syria, Bolton added, referring to Israel’s attack on a Syrian nuclear site in 2007.Bolton said that the Arab countries would publicly condemn Israel at the U.N. but would breathe easier if the Iranian nuclear threat would be eliminated.
Several media sources reported Friday that an Israeli Dolphin submarine passed through the Suez Canal on its way to the Red Sea last month as part of a naval exercise. Israeli security officials told the Reuters news agency that the exercise was done as part of testing Israel’s strategy in light of the Iranian nuclear threat. Egypt denied the reports. Two weeks ago, IDF Commander in Chief Gabi Ashkenazi related to Israel’s possibly striking Iran and announced that Iran’s re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires Israel to keep all its options open. His severe expression regarding his desire to attack the State of Israel, and the constant allowance of Iran to acquire non-conventional weaponry, requires us to keep the army posted and prepared and the air force ready and sharp like a razor. Our obligation as an army is to put all the options on the table and to be prepared to deal with any threat for near and afar,Ashkenazi said at an air force graduation course.Foreign media reported that Israel is performing military maneuvers to prepare for a possible strike on Iran, while Iran is making defensive plans. Among the exercises was an Israeli long-distance refueling in flight to the Straits of Gibraltar and Iran’s employing an anti-ballistic battery a half year ago.Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, said Friday that Israel could be wiped off the map in seconds if Iran were to make a nuclear strike against Israel. This is a regime that’s willing to kill its own citizens; it will certainly have no compunctions killing other people in the region, Jews and Sunni Arabs alike, Oren told journalist Jeffrey Goldberg at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado.
Israeli Sub Sails Through Suez Canal, Sending Warning to Iran
by Yehudah Lev Kay JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) Defense sources confirmed Sunday that an Israeli Dolphin class submarine had sailed through the Egyptian Suez Canal last month on the way to exercises in the Persian Gulf. The move is seen as a warning to Iran that Israel and Egypt are willing to cooperate against Tehran’s nuclear threat.Israel owns three Dolphin submarines, whose conventional missile tubes have been formatted, analysts speculate, to also fire nuclear tipped warheads. By traversing the Suez Canal, the submarines can reach the Persian Gulf shores close to Iran in a matter of days, rather than the weeks required to sail around Africa otherwise.
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Sources said the submarine sailed through the Suez Canal above water, in a departure from previous Egyptian policy, which had not seen an Israeli warship sail through the canal since 2005. The submarine then headed to Israel’s naval base in Eilat, where it took place in a naval exercise. Egypt would neither confirm nor deny that the Israeli submarine had passed through the canal. A source said such an event would not be unusual since the two countries are not at war.Also on Sunday, London’s Sunday Times reported that Saudi Arabia had given tacit approval to Israel for use of its airspace in any attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Officials in the Prime Minister's Bureau denied the report, however.
BIDEN GENERATED CRISIS IN 1ST 6 MONTHS TO TEST OBAMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpiNfuG8YY8&feature=player_embedded
Vice President Biden's generated crisis has begun
June 20, 2:38 PM
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/biden-to-suppor.html
On October the 18th, 2008 the then Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden told supporters that, Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We are about to elect a brilliant 47 year old senator President of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis to test the mettle of this guy."
Vice President Biden then went on to tell supporters that poll numbers would be low, the reaction of the Obama administration would appear to be incorrect, and that supporters needed to be there for the administration during their darkest days. Biden also indicated the Middle East and Russia as possible hot spots at the time.It would appear that Joe Biden was correct, both in that the crisis happened within a six month time frame, and that the Obama administration would act unlike anyone would expect a U.S. administration to act. The protests in Iran are growing more violent each day, and the supreme leader of Iran has warned that bloodshed is the next step.
Let us not be foolish, Iran is a major player in the Middle East. Iran trades nuclear technology with North Korea, Iran funds Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, opposing forces in Afghanistan receive aid from Iran, and all of those forces are aligned against their collective enemy in Jerusalem. Iran has economic and military ties with Russia, and China has proved to be a passive supporter of North Korea's at the U.N., while also providing most of North Korea's economic sustenance. All of these nations have entwined themselves together economically and militarily. That entire region of the world is tied together in one way or another, and this provides us with a powder keg of sorts.The grave warning Vice President Biden delivered on that sleepy Sunday in October was alluding to this particular moment in time. We are quarreling with North Korea, China has us pinned down economically, Russia hasn't trusted us since our actions in Bosnia in the 1990's, and the unrest in Iran provides a perfect match strike within this powder keg. The usually confused and hilariously awkward Joe Biden hit this one right on the head. Given his pin-point accuracy pertaining to this situation, conspiracy theories could abound, but let us not sink to the level of the left during the Bush administration. Instead, we will deal with what we know.Pertaining to potential world crises, it would appear that the Obama doctrine in foreign affairs lies somewhere between the foolishness of Great Britain's Neville Chamberlain and the isolationism of our own Franklin Roosevelt during the days leading to World War II. During which time Chamberlain returned from Germany to report that Hitler had no further aspirations, and that Hitler had assured him that Great Britain and Germany would never again be at war with one another. FDR was desperate to stay out of the war that happened despite Hitler's assurances to Chamberlain, but refusing to meddle in foreign affairs almost led to Hitler's complete domination of Europe, and certainly led the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
President Obama, by not speaking out against the illegal regime in Iran, by demanding that Israel give up land to those that hate them, by being friendly with Venezuelan mad man Hugo Chavez, and by placing us in a submissive position to the Chinese, most certainly represents the foolish inclinations of Neville Chamberlain. By preaching brotherhood and world peace to audiences everywhere from Idaho to Cairo, but then not taking a stand for the forces of freedom when things turn ugly, President Obama represents the isolationism of FDR.Are we on the verge of a world war? Nobody can see the future, except Joe Biden, of course. What we must understand is that what has begun in Iran, has only just begun indeed. With Iran in turmoil, the ripple effects will be felt throughout the region, given the numerous ties these nations have together. If Iranian rulers are allowed to crush rebellion, and shed the blood of the forces of freedom while the world stands by as passive observers, the signal will be sent to tyrannical or murderous regimes that the United States will not get involved, and things may spin desperately out of control. For instance we know that Iran, along with Hamas and Hezbollah, is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. We know that North Korea has clear nuclear weapons ambitions. Deep within ourselves we all know that evil exists, and it exists to spread its grasp. Who will be there to prevent these ambitions from becoming dangerous realities? European nations? The U.N.? China? Will we simply allow things to spiral out of control until we are forced to take action? Does anybody believe that what is happening in Iran will stay in Iran? The gears of unrest are moving in a part of the world where the United States has much interest. Foolish, we would be, to assume that we will not be dragged into this. We would be remiss in believing that this crisis will remain between the Iranian people and the Iranian power structure; these things do not just fizzle out over night. Rather, rebellions of this magnitude grow to a critical mass, often leading to widespread violence in a region and upheaval throughout. As Vice President Biden would tell you, mark these words, this President will be forced to take a decisive stand in this matter at some point down the road. How far will this go before we are involved? We can either act decisively now, or as reactionaries later. But just as in the case of World War II, with so much attention being focused on this event in Iran, the forces of good will inevitably have to align against the forces of evil. This thing will grow to its critical mass. History tells us that the longer the forces of good stand idly by, the better the chances of a major world conflict. Vice President Biden was correct, it would appear that we are taking all the wrong steps during this budding international, generated crisis.
Palin links resignation to higher calling By MARK THIESSEN, Associated Press Writer JULY 4,2009
JUNEAU, Alaska – Outgoing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday laid the groundwork to take on a larger, national role after leaving state government, citing a higher calling with the aim of uniting the country along conservative lines.A day after surprising even her closest friends by announcing she would step down as Alaska governor more than a year before her term was up, the controversial hockey mom was still keeping details of her future plans under wrap. But in a statement posted on Palin's Facebook account, she suggested that she had bigger plans and a national agenda she planned to push after she resigns at the end of the month.I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint,she said.Palin also cast herself as a victim and blasted the media, calling the response to her announcement predictable and out of touch.How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country, the statement said.And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make.Palin's personal spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, confirmed to The Associated Press that the Facebook posting was written by the governor.The abruptness of her announcement and the mystery surrounding her plans has fed widespread speculation. But Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein on Saturday warned legal action may be taken against bloggers and publications that reprint what he calls fraudulent claims.To the extent several websites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as fact that Governor Palin resigned because she is under federal investigation for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation,Van Flein said in a statement.This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law.Palin has kept a low profile since her abrupt announcement Friday at a hastily called news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, outside Anchorage. All of her public communication since then has been on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, or through statements released by her office.At the same time, Palin informed her spokesman David Murrow early Saturday that someone using the name exgovsarahpalin on Twitter was spreading a false rumor that there was to be a party at her suburban home in Wasilla, outside Anchorage. Palin was afraid her home would be mobbed, and security was dispatched, Murrow said.With only a few weeks before she steps down on July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell takes her place, the governor spent the Fourth of July weekend in the state capital, Juneau, but was only spotted briefly on the sidelines of the city's parade.
She had been invited to ride in a convertible, as she did last year, but never told organizers whether she would attend.Juneau parade director Jean Sztuk said officials drew up banners in case Palin showed and was willing to take part.As the last of the parade's clowns and marching bands headed past her, Sztuk gave up on Palin.What governor wants to be at the end of the parade? she asked.Her low-profile and vague Internet messages left mounting questions about her plans for the future shrouded in mystery. Will she lay the groundwork for a 2012 presidential bid? Will she find a high-profile place in the private sector, maybe on the speech circuit? Will she drop out of the limelight and focus on her five children? Her constituents, for one, wanted to know, especially in Juneau, where she has struggled to win over residents.
I think she owes it to Alaskans to tell us why,said state Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, the son of Alaska's first governor, Bill Egan.Egan, hosting a 50th anniversary statehood ceremony, said he was disappointed Palin decided not to finish out her term, which was scheduled to end in 2010. It's sad she abandoned us at this critical time,said Egan, who was appointed by Palin to an open seat on the last day of the legislative session in April, after a protracted battle with Senate Democrats. Palin's departure can't come soon enough for Laurel Carlton, a waitress at the Capital Cafe in the Baranof Hotel, where the city's political movers and shakers meet every morning before walking a few blocks to the Capitol.I think she has a game plan that's not Alaska, and hasn't been for awhile,Carlton said.She noted Palin has a book deal, and seems headed for the national stage.If you're really not going to stay and do your job every day, you should leave anyway, and so the sooner the better so somebody can step in and actually do the job,Carlton said.And as far as Carlton is concerned, Palin doesn't need to explain why she's leaving. We don't care. We just want her gone,she said.Palin, whose popularity in Alaska has waned amid ongoing ethics investigations, gave many reasons for stepping down: She didn't want to be a lame-duck governor; she was tired of the tasteless jokes aimed at her five children, including her son Trig, who has Down syndrome; she felt she could do more in another, still-to-be-defined role.
Sen. John McCain didn't rule out a return to politics for his former running mate, saying Saturday he believes she will continue to play an important leadership role in the Republican Party and our nation.He gave no other details.Even Parnell, who plans to run for re-election after finishing out Palin's term, said he was shocked at first when he learned of his boss' decision.But then as she began to articulate her reasons, I began to understand better,he said. And nobody unless they've been in her position and understood what she has gone through and dealt with and who she is as a person really understands.Associated Press Writer Rachel D'Oro in Anchorage contributed to this report.
DANIEL 7:23-24
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast(THE EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADE BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:(10 NATIONS) and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(BE HEAD OF 3 KINGS OR NATIONS).
Barroso vote to be postponed
HONOR MAHONY 03.07.2009 @ 16:14 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Member states on Friday (3 July) admitted they did not have enough support for a mid-July European Parliament vote on Jose Manuel Barroso's bid to become European Commission president for a second time.The vote is now likely to be postponed until September with the Swedish EU presidency hoping to get it wrapped up by the middle of that month.We have spoken to several party group leaders and no decision is going to be taken on Mr Barroso in July within the European Parliament. I hope, however, that we will be able to decide within the near future on when that decision will be adopted,said Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.We have to show all respect due to this independent institution. We shouldn't lay the basis for open dispute or argument between the institutions,he added, after his officials spent the last days sounding out opinions in the EU assembly.National governments had given their political backing for Mr Barroso at their traditional summer summit last month and had been pushing for a quick July vote.The retreat by member states comes after several groups in the European Parliament including the Socialists, Liberals, Greens and far-left were up in arms about the timing of the vote, planned for 15 July.Not supporters of Mr Barroso, whom they see as being too pro-business or too inactive on certain issues, the groups claimed there was not enough time to thoroughly grill the Portuguese politician on his planned policies for the next five years.They had also been objecting to a quick vote on legal and technical grounds. The addition of the Liberal group to the anti-Barroso camp earlier this week tipped the scales in their favour.
It meant that the centre-right EPP, which supports a quick vote on Mr Barroso, would have had to resort to courting the eurosceptics to be sure of winning a majority on voting day.French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who was in Stockholm meeting the Swedish leader, said that Paris had always said it would not be a disaster if the vote took place between the 15 July and 15 September.He added that after consultations between the Swedish presidency and the political groups in the parliament we will be able to nominate Mr Barroso, I hope, in September.The party groups of the European parliament will get back to us and tell us when they have agreed on the decision they have agreed to adopt and when,said Mr Reinfeldt.The leaders of the political groups will travel to Stockholm for discussions on the issue on Monday (6 July).
Formalising Mr Barroso's support
The expected delay is a blow to Mr Barroso who has been working the phones of MEPs to try and persuade them to come out in support of him this month.The postponement means that other names could emerge over the summer months putting his chances of a second commission presidency into jeopardy.For the EU as a whole, the danger is that some MEPs, sensing their power over member states on this issue, may push to postpone the vote even further, until after Ireland has voted on the EU's new set of rules, the Lisbon Treaty, in October.This could open a whole new round of haggling on other posts and leave the Swedish EU presidency without a focussed European Commission for several months.In order to try and keep deputies focussed on Mr Barroso, Stockholm is planning to formalise his nomination he currently only has political backing from EU leaders.This would neutralise a key complaint of the deputies - that they cannot discuss an informal candidate - and put the ball back in their court so, Stockholm hopes, they will agree to take a vote in September.
Latest UAE - I don’t want to cause a diplomatic incident,... Sustainability issues in the Mediterranean Iran: A member of UK Embassy faces prison sentence AU to create a new authority to support President ... Saudi-Syrian summit to take place in Damascus Sustainability issues in the Mediterranean David Morgan Sunday, 05 July 2009 13:33
On 25 June 2009 the first ministerial level sustainable development summit under the Union for the Mediterranean took place in Paris.The meeting discussed common issues relating to the shared coastal area and marine environment of the Mediterranean region which is seen to be a natural location for cooperation for sustainable development. Various policy initiatives have already been proposed under the aegis of the European Union-sponsored Union of the Mediterranean and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).The will to build a common Mediterranean area marks the recognition of the high degree of economic, social, demographic, cultural, environmental and ecological interdependence which exists between the Arab and European states who all share the shores of the Mediterranean.Achieving progress on these issues is particularly important given the vulnerability of the eco-region whose coastal zones are widely exposed to natural hazards, as well as being sensitive to climate change and undergoing rapid demographic transition.The climate threat has reared its head just as most Mediterranean countries are also facing the energy, economic, demographic and ecological challenges, to which has been added the recent financial crisis.
The aims and objectives of the Blue Plan were first set out in 2006 and adjusted in the light of recent developments, in particular to take account of climate change.
A Climate change and energy in the Mediterranean study was finalised in June 2008 by the Blue Plan with European Investment Bank (EIB) support, which charts the challenges to be faced by the Mediterranean countries.The southern and eastern banks of the Mediterranean in particular continue to be more affected by climate change than most other regions around the world. The impact of higher temperatures, less rainfall, more frequent and more intense extreme events and the possible rise in sea level all add up, intensifying existing pressures relating to human activities on the natural environment.Energy lies at the very heart of the climate change issue and in order to minimise damage and economic losses as far as possible, many adaptation options need to be identified and introduced. A sustainable development outlook plan for the Mediterranean was submitted to heads of state at the Paris summit in July 2008proposing strategic directions to reconcile the environmental and developmental priorities.The plan highlighted seven major development stakes: water, energy, transport, urban areas, rural areas, the coastal area and the marine environment.
The growth in tourism, which is a priority growth area for most of the countries in the region, is developing at a fast rate. It needs to be carried out in a sustainable way to protect the integrity of the natural environment, so the right balance needs to be struck between the competing demands of economics and conservation.In 2005, the Mediterranean countries received 246 million international tourists, in other words 30.5% of global international tourism. By 2025, national and international tourist numbers could well have hit 637 million for the Mediterranean countries, 312 million of which in the coastal regions alone. This is a major challenge for the region.
These figures illustrate the scale of pressure being exerted on environment and natural resources by the expanding tourism sector, as well as the potential for economic and social development that tourism represents.The tourism sector is emitting increasing amounts of greenhouse gases, a factor in climate change. Such emissions are attributable first and foremost to transport, partly from home to the destination, but also once at the destination, but also to the use of fossil fuels.
Another challenge relates to the impact of climate change in all its permutations. The Mediterranean is afflicted by a worrying water deficit and facing major problems of desertification and erosion whilst also witnessing a significant drop in its land and marine biodiversity. All these factors mean that over the coming century the Mediterranean is expected to be a hot spot for climate change.Recognising the importance of mitigating the impact of climate change effectively, governments in the region are now committed to making the Mediterranean a showcase for combating climate change. They now intend to tackle these issues in the region on a collective basis.
The more efficient use of water resources is another priority for the region and in order to give support for the Mediterranean countries in taking account of climate change in managing their water resources, the Blue Plan initiated a study on the theme of Water and Climate Change in the Mediterranean. Programmed over three years, the study will seek to enhance knowledge about the foreseeable impact of climate change on resources and the water demands of Mediterranean countries for 2050 and 2100with a view to improving water demand management. Such steps are in preparation for a future Mediterranean Water Strategy, whose principles were adopted at a Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting on water held in Jordan in December 2008.The energy issue lies at the heart of sustainable development concerns in the region, where the inter-dependency between energy and natural resources, energy and global change, energy systems and long term investment, and energy security and price volatility is expressed in sharp focus.Furthermore joint policies are also being developed for protecting the marine eco-systems, applying the concept of sustainability more widely in agricultural and rural development policies, managing forests, One more important issue is waste, which has become a public health and environmental protection issue. Managing waste is vital because of the impact on the salubriousness of towns, the state of groundwater resources, the coastal zones and marine biodiversity.Global Arab Network
France attempts to revitalise Union for the Mediterranean[fr][de]
Published: Friday 26 June 2009
Held up by the invasion of Gaza at the beginning of 2009 and the ensuing freeze in Israeli-Palestinian relations, France relaunched the Union for the Mediterranean at a meeting held in Paris yesterday (25 June). EurActiv France reports.
Background:
Heads of state from 43 countries launched the Union for the Mediterranean on 14 July 2008, breathing life into a project dear to French President Nicolas Sarkozy which initially drew heavy criticism from his European partners (EurActiv 14/07/08). The partnership, France hopes, will provide new impetus to regional cooperation by agreeing a set of priority development projects that create de facto solidarity between participating nations.Expectations are also high that the structure of the Med Union, based on a shared presidency between north and south, will increase co-ownership of the process and give it more political authority via regular summits, to be held every two years.The Union's members include all 27 EU nations, the 12 Mediterranean countries that are members of the EU's Barcelona Process and the four Balkan countries bordering the Mediterranean.The EU's relations with its Mediterranean neighbours have thus far been dealt with under the umbrella of the Barcelona Process, which includes Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authorities, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Libya has observer status.
After six months of slow motion, delegations from 43 member states were invited by the French environment minister to evaluate the condition of a number of sustainable development projects.The Union for the Mediterranean experienced a major slowdown after January […] We have convinced our partners to resume formal meetings,indicated the technical counsellor responsible for the economy and finance at the Elysée's Med Union unit, Gilles Mantré, during a conference organised by the Foundation for Policy Innovation on 19 June.And if the process has begun anew, it is solely because we've altered the parameters of cooperation,he added. Contrary to the technical meetings of the Barcelona Process, which brought together ambassadors and experts, the meetings of the Union for the Mediterranean put heads of state and government in contact with one another.According to diplomats, this was what allowed countries to overcome the Gaza crisis without leaving the Mediterranean Union. This point of view is shared by the president of the Arab World Institute, Dominique Baudis.It was a mistake to launch the Barcelona Process solely at the ministerial level. When an initiative is taken at the level of heads of state and government, the political impact is stronger,he said.Launched with great pomp in July 2008, the Mediterranean Union was given a Franco-Egyptian co-presidency. Institutionally, it has already been decided that the secretariat-general will be in Barcelona, but the team to staff it is yet to be determined.All the countries on the southern coast of the Mediterranean agreed to give it up provided that their neighbour didn't get it,explained Dominique Baudis. Nevertheless, the nomination of the secretary-general should, however, take place before the end of the year, the political conditions having been recently agreed, noted Mantré.Representatives from Israel and Palestine need to be included as joint secretary-generals. But any attempt to bring the two camps closer through the Union seems to stop there. The objective of the project is well and truly to link the countries of the Mediterranean through concrete projects. Also, in France's view, difficulties between members of the Union should not really be obstacles to the advancement of the project.We must [first] build concrete solidarity to integrate the zone and create the conditions for peace,reiterated Mantré.
Towards an energy partnership?
Energy cooperation was brought to the fore by experts and diplomats.This would not be the first time that economics, through energy, could give some leverage,commented the director of communications and public affairs at RTE, Michel Derdevet, alluding to the construction of the European Coal and Steel Community at the origins of the current European Union.9% of global energy demand comes from countries bordering the Mediterranean. The growth of energy consumption in southern countries is 6-7% versus 1% for those in the north.Encouraging nearby countries to work together makes sense, he added. Our interdependence could emerge through the concept of an energy partnership.But this project-based logic is not shared by all the players involved. It is difficult to abstract anything from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The identity questions need to be settled before we make the Union for the Mediterranean, said the director of the diplomatic representation of the Arab League, Nassif Hitti. We cannot allow the process to be taken hostage. But we can not abstract it from its context. Without Madrid, there would have been no Barcelona. If we cannot find the spirit of Madrid, there will be no Barcelona one, two or three,he added. In 1991, the Madrid conference favoured peace talks, which led to the Oslo agreement of 1993 and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty in 1994.The Union is facing difficulties because the member states composing it have broken down,added Asteris Huliaras, associate professor of geography at the Harokopion University of Athens.The real assessment of the Union for the Mediterranean will need to be made two years after its launch,added France's Mantré. Concrete projects such as solar power projects or sea highways thus still have a year to bear fruit.
MEDITERRANEAN UNION: FORUM IN JULY TO GET PROJECT RUNNING
(ANSAmed) - PARIS - Get the Mediterranean Union up and running again, at the moment trapped in the political deadlock seen in the Middle East, offering governments and entrepreneurs in the Mediterranean area the chance to get involved in concrete projects: this is the goal of the Economic and Financial Forum for the Mediterranean, to be held in Milan from July 20-21. Italian foreign ministry undersecretary Stefania Craxi spoke on the aims of the forum to French authorities and high-level figures. It will be an informal forum,Craxi said at the end of the Paris meetings, with the precise aim of offering the economic world of the Mediterranean concrete projects. This choice was made in order to avoid two big risks: that some European Union partners, seeing the difficulties experienced by the UPM, might decide to invest elsewhere, and that private individuals interested in the Mediterranean Union might see their enthusiasm wane.The forum, which will be held in Palazzo Mezzanotte in collaboration with the Milan City Hall and the Lombardy regional government, will be taken part in by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and the co-chairman of the UPM, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The topics to be discussed in the debates and round table discussions include: infrastructure, energy, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Other high-level figures expected to attend are the Italian economy minister, Giulio Tremonti, the Turkish premier, Tayyip Erdogan, European Commission president Jose' Manuel Barroso, the entrepreneur Naguib Sawiris and the Lebanese Fouad Makhzoumi. Final remarks will be made by the Italian and Spanish ministers for foreign affairs: Franco Frattini and Miguel Angel Moratinos. It will be a chance to get the Mediterranean Union back on its feet again,stressed Stefania Craxi, speaking once more on how at a political level the nascent institution is suffering from the political stalemate in the Middle East. However, we believe that development will help this process through concrete projects. To this end, the projects to be discussed in Milan will concern development,a necessary corollary for any peace process.(ANSAmed).
Mediterranean union launched: 43-nation group plans regional projects
by Sanjay Jha | July 13, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Emulating the European Union model 43 countries in Middle east have come together and formed a Mediterranean Union. Although unlike European countries many of these countries don't have great relations with each other.French President Nicolas Sarkozy launched a 43-nation Union for the Mediterranean on Sunday with a plea for Middle Eastern countries to emulate Europe’s model of reconciliation and integration.The ceremonial inaugural summit at the lofty iron-and-glass Grand Palais in Paris sealed a new detente between Syria and Europe, with the Syrian and Israeli leaders also sitting at the same table for the first time.Everyone will have to make an effort, as the Europeans did, to put an end to the deadly spiral of war and violence, that, century after century, repeatedly brought barbarity to the heart of civilisation, Sarkozy said in the keynote speech.But there was no handshake and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appeared to go out of his way to avoid Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, hiding his face behind his arm as he walked past where the Israeli leader was standing.An Olmert aide said Assad left the meeting room before the Israeli prime minister delivered a speech on water cooperation.An Israeli spokesman said Olmert used a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to convey a message that Israel was serious about seeking peace with Syria. But a Syrian official denied that Assad received any message via Erdogan.A Turkish official said both leaders had reconfirmed to Erdogan their will to continue the negotiations, but he would not go into specifics on any messages.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, co-president of the summit, told the leaders they must work together to meet the challenges of food, education and health for their growing populations.I am sure that today is a start. I am sure that we have a long way to go and we will go a long way,he said.On a day rich in political gestures, Sarkozy hosted cordial talks with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, capped with an effusive triple handshake and a joint news conference.The goal of this summit for the Mediterranean, of this Union for the Mediterranean, is that we learn to love each other instead of continuing to hate each other and wage war, Sarkozy said, flanked by Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.For Assad, Sunday’s summit signalled a spectacular emergence from isolation in the West three years after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which many believe was orchestrated from Damascus.The red-carpet treatment was partly a reward for Syria’s backing of a Qatar-brokered peace deal that pulled Lebanon back from the brink of civil war in May, and for starting indirect peace talks with Israel via Turkish mediation.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she told Assad at a private meeting: We’ve heard enough words exchanged, now we want to see deeds.—Reuters
LAND FOR PEACE (THE FUTURE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH)
JOEL 3:2
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
THE WEEK OF DANIEL 9:27 WE KNOW ITS 7 YRS
Heres the scripture 1 week = 7 yrs Genesis 29:27-29
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
ISAIAH 28:14-19 (THIS IS THE 7 YR TREATY COVENANT OF DANIEL 9:27)
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
Israel, Palestinians could face robust int'l peacekeeping forces
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-03 03:54:56 by David Harris
JERUSALEM, July 2 (Xinhua) -- International consensus is increasing on the need for more robust peacekeeping around the world. Now experts are trying to ascertain if strengthening peacekeeping forces could have effect on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.At a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on June 29,general understandings were reached that there have been failings with previous peacekeeping missions globally and a fresh approach needs to be taken to the subject.The Security Council meeting was carefully monitored by Efrat Elron, a senior fellow with the New York-based International Peace Institute. Summarizing the meeting, she said that missions have so far been imprecise or over ambitious and that there has been inadequate consultation with member states, regional organization and host countries.
The UN also realizes it has capacity shortages. Now the UN appears to be heading towards a policy of what it calls robust peacekeeping, with more powers being made available to troops in its missions.At the same time, the United States began expressing interest in offering more logistical support. NATO is also moving towards robust peacekeeping. Any peacekeeping force in the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, said Elron, must include an Arab and a European element. The idea of an Arab security role is gaining momentum. The day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's key policy speech on June 14, his spokesman Mark Regev said Israel sees room for Arabs to be involved in ensuring security in the region. Two Arab nations are already heavily involved in peacekeeping and security work. Egypt is liaising closely with Israel, the Palestinians and the United States on matters concerning the Gaza Strip and also along the Israeli-Egyptian border.
Jordan is currently playing host to an ambitious American scheme to train Palestinian security forces. The operation has so far focused on recruiting and general and specialty training. The aim is to create a force throughout the West Bank that has powers half way between those of a civilian police force and those of a military. The project is also equipping the force and producing mid-and high-level officers. Additionally, the Americans are working with the Palestinian Interior Ministry on planning and institution-building. At the same time, the European Union is training civilian police officers.As a result, a trained force is successfully operating in Jeninin the West Bank, and the scheme's graduates will soon be running security affairs in a handful of other Palestinian cities. Israel agreed in late June to withdraw its security forces from Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho and Kalkilya. Yet, despite all of this ongoing work, Israel is seeking international guarantees that its security will be taken care of if and when a final-status agreement is signed with the Palestinians. Israel is highly skeptical about peacekeeping forces. Its experiences with them have not been good. The obvious example is that of the United Nations Interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).UNIFIL failed in its main attempt to stop the arms supplies reaching Hezbollah,said Avaraham Sela, a professor of international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Another problem for any potential peacekeeping force is the role Europe would play.
The 27-member states of the European Union spend huge amounts of time trying to establish a common defense policy. The divergent opinions of the member countries means the creation of a single, unified EU peacekeeping force in the Israeli-Palestinian arena is unlikely, according to Aggestam. In her opinion, individual nations are more likely to team up with NATO in creating a force.A senior Brussels official told Xinhua that an EU peacekeeping force remains a possibility.There has to be a demand. The European Union is always ready,said the official.Elron does not entirely rule out a peacekeeping role for the EU, but agrees with Aggestam it is not that likely. However, she does recognize the skills EU member states bring to the table. European forces are imperative because of their known qualities,she said.
Aggestam said that the EU as a whole could make better use of its advisory capacity. The EU could work much more actively now suggesting ideas about various monitoring missions,said Aggestam. While talk of a peacekeeping force for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or possibly two forces, with one covering the West Bank border with Israel and the other around Gaza, may appear premature given the apparent lack of peace talks, experts say this is something that must be discussed now by the international community.Informal conversations are taking place between the EU and NATO about the formation of a peacekeeping force, said Elron, but It's all too separate, all too small.As important as a future peacekeeping role is a third party commitment to such efforts.The international and Arab community and its legitimacy is imperative for the transition phase to an independent Palestinian security partner, said Elron.
Responses to Netanyahu’s About-Face Range from Quiet to Strident
by Hillel Fendel JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) Likud members have been slow in responding to Netanyahu’s two states statement, but the nationalist parties, one in the coalition and the other in the opposition, were quick to express criticism.By mid-afternoon, not one Cabinet minister from the Likud Party had responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's two states statement Sunday morning. The prime minister noted proudly that he had managed to reach, for the first time, a national consensus regarding the concept of two states for two peoples.
In the Likud
Not for attribution, some Likud MKs are saying that they are working to gather together to take action against Netanyahu’s plan to establish a PA state, even if it be demilitarized. Netanyahu said, in his Bar-Ilan University speech three weeks ago that he would agree to a PA state on condition that it is demilitarized and that it recognizes Israel as a Jewish state.
Jewish Home
On the other hand, MKs of the Jewish Home, a coalition member party, and of the opposition National Union party, were quite willing to speak up. MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home) called on Netanyahu, Don’t give in to Western pressure; unfreeze construction in Judea and Samaria.The Jewish Home faction released a statement of sorrow at the quick erosion of the Prime Minister’s positions. The Kadima agenda does not have a majority in the current coalition.No hint of a party threat to leave the coalition was mentioned, however.
National Union
MK Yaakov Katz (National Union) took a strident tone, saying, Netanyahu is a serial turncoat. If he had spoken of two states three months ago, he would not have been elected. Who authorized him to speak of national consensus,when he was elected on exactly the opposite platform? MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari (National Union), Alas and woe unto a Prime Minister that boasts that he has reached a consensus on a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has betrayed his voters, and I call upon the Likud members to depose him from his position as head of the government. Yet another National Union MK, Prof. Aryeh Eldad, said,Netanyahu is now following in the footsteps of Ariel Sharon, who betrayed the trust of his voters and stole their votes. Netanyahu was elected to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, yet now he festively declares that he has reached a consensus to do the opposite.The only consensus Netanyahu has reached is that he is a weak leader who collapses under pressure and who tried to appease the Americans however he can. How can we understand those in the Likud who call themselves Land of Israel loyalists, yet continue to applaud Netanyahu?
Netanyahu, First Time: 2-State Solution
by Maayana Miskin JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu discussed his government's first 100 days in power on Sunday, and touted the two-state solution as an accomplishment. We have brought about national agreement on the concept of two states for two peoples for the first time,he said.Netanyahu credited his government with giving real meaning to the concept of two states for two peoples by insisting that Israel retain its status as a Jewish state under any agreement aimed at creating a demilitarized Arab state in Judea and Samaria.
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The speech was the first time Netanyahu has used the term two states for two peoples. Three weeks earlier he made headlines by using the phrase Palestinian state for the first time.The prime minister repeated his conditions for the implementation of a two state solution, saying,The Palestinians will need to recognize the state of Israel as the state of the Jewish people, and the refugee problem will be solved outside Israel's borders. Israel needs, and will get, defensible borders and the complete demilitarization of the Palestinian territory.
PA Rejects
The Palestinian Authority has rejected all of Netanyahu's conditions, and continues to insist that Arab refugees descended from those who fled pre-state Israel in the 1940s be allowed to return to Israel. Millions of foreign Arabs currently consider themselves Palestinian refugees.The PA refuses to recognize Israel as Jewish, fearing that such recognition would be taken as denying foreign Arabs the possibility of immigrating to Israel and becoming the demographic majority.
Other Accomplishments: Economy, Calm in South
Netanyahu also claimed the relative calm in Israel's south as one of his government's accomplishments. Operation Cast Lead, conducted shortly before his government took office, created a basis for calm, he said, emphasizing that the actions taken over the past three months preserved the calm.Israel has maintained its gains in Cast Lead by responding to every single shooting from Gaza, he explained. The prime minister claimed accomplishments in the financial realm as well. His government has achieved national economic unity and stands to pass Israel's first two-year budget, a step he said is a component of stability in an atmosphere of instability.The government has more plans for economic reform, including a proposal to ease building laws, he added.
Report: Gaza Religious Police Now Official
by Maayana Miskin JULY 5,09
(IsraelNN.com) A violent group calling itself The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has carried out attacks in Gaza since shortly after Hamas took over the area in mid-2007. Now a female Arab journalist reports that the unaffiliated group is clearly an official branch of Hamas, charged with enforcing the group's strict interpretation of Islamic law.The journalist, Asma abu-Ghul, told Al-Arabiya that she was stopped by the committee's policemen at the beach. Ghul said she was detained for allegedly laughing too loudly and appearing in public with uncovered hair.The prevention of vice police body reports directly to Hamas's Ministry of Waqf Affairs, Ghul said. The force is increasingly visible on the streets of Gaza, she reported, and its officers patrol public beaches and parks as well as businesses such as restaurants and coffee shops.
Hamas Denies Connection
Hamas officials admit that Hamas police patrol beaches and may tell women who they believe are dressed immodestly to go elsewhere. However, Hamas has not claimed any affiliation to the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, and has refused to even admit that the group exists.The committee lists its goal as hunting down slaves of the devil who commit blasphemy. Its first public act, in late 2007, was to beat a local singer for giving a concert. Soon afterwards, members of the group carried out a vicious assault on two residents of southern Gaza accused of disrespect for Allah.A similarly-named group exists in Saudi Arabia as an official government body. The Saudi Arabia organization is tasked with enforcing religious laws, such as ensuring that men and women who are not immediate family members do not interact and maintaining Islamic dress codes.Police forces responsible for enforcing Islamic law exist in other Muslim states as well, among them Afghanistan and Iran.
Hamas Funds Koran Studies, Supports Covering Girls' Hair
Hamas recently announced that it would cut its employees' salaries by 1% in order to finance Koran studies in Gaza. Former Hamas terrorists and those imprisoned in Israel report that Koran study centers are often the place where young boys in Gaza are first recruited to Islamic terrorist groups.Last year, the group officially adopted the traditional Muslim criminal code, which includes penalties such as lashes, amputation and crucifixion.According to the Jerusalem Post, residents of Gaza believe Hamas plans to make hair covering mandatory for all girls in school in the near future. The requirement would affect girls as young as age five.
Thousands take part in tea party protest against high taxes in Morristown
by The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk Saturday July 04, 2009, 3:00 PM
Some 2,000 people gathered in Morristown to mark the nation's birth with an old-style political protest as part of nationwide anti-taxation protests fashioned on the Boston Tea Party.Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger Protesters, including international chess champion Mikhail Zlotnikov, left, prepare to sign their names on a large reproduction of the Declaration of Independence. Some 2,000 people gathered on the Morristown Green to voice their protest over rising taxes as part of nationwide tea party rallies.Despite a hot and sunny break from weeks of rain, angry taxpayers skipped the beaches and crammed onto the Morristown Green a historical site of revolutionary activity during the Revolutionary War to express their frustration with increasing taxes and call for smaller government.Though the tea party movement has focused on taxation, today's event felt more like an old-fashioned free-speech protest, with flag-waving protesters carrying signs that read America's no longer free and Save our constitution! Attendees wearing tea bag earrings and hats with tea bags hanging from them were a bipartisan crowd, brought together by a mutual feeling of American pride and disgust over policies believed to increase the burden on taxpayers.I don't see a crowd of Democrats and Republicans,conservative blogger Tom Adkins told a cheering crowd.I see a crowd of Americans.Fox News commentator Charles Payne also spoke at event.Participants expressed their opposition to the stimulus package and the cap-and-trade system that would limit greenhouse gas emissions by retrofitting residential, commercial, and government buildings to increase energy efficiency.The Morristown event is one of more than a dozen Independence Day tea protests which stands for taxed enough already held around the state today, including events in Clifton, Newton and Wayne. Some 1,300 tea parties are scheduled throughout the country over the holiday weekend.We're standing on sacred ground here,Maryann Franzese, one of the organizers of the Morristown event, said of the Morristown Green.If we're going to have another revolution, it might as well start here.Tea party groups from across the nation plan to gather in Washington D.C. on Sept. 12 for a unity rally.Staff writer Nyier Abdou contributed to this report.
Fort Lauderdale Tea Party protesters declare: End fiscal lunacy
Tea Party protesters stirred up over government spending JULY 4,09
A hearse with a sign on the window reading born free but taxed to death drives past protesters lined up in front of the Federal Courthouse on Broward Blvd. This was one of many Republican-led protests against taxes, modeled after the Boston Tea Party (in spirit, anyway; there are no ships of tea to unload) demonstration against taxes keyed to the holiday. (Mike Stocker, Sun Sentinel / July 4, 2009)Sun Sentinel 5:47 PM EDT, July 4, 2009
FORT LAUDERDALE - In a sea of red, white and blue, hundreds of anti-tax demonstrators took to the streets in Fort Lauderdale to speak out against government spending and President Obama's policies.Hoisting a sign with the message My grandchildren do not deserve fiscal lunacy,Frank Sullivan of Tamarac stood in the crowd, hoping to make his point.Sullivan, a retired police officer, said the president is spending too much too fast to serve a liberal agenda. You don't appease the bully,said Sullivan, referring to liberals.Dubbed a Tea Party, the protest was one of many held around the country Saturday. They drew on the symbolism of the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest what they considered an unfair tax.
Organizers estimated that the last such protest in Fort Lauderdale, held in April, drew about 5,000 people.Initially Saturday's demonstration in Fort Lauderdale was going to be held in a park, but lack of permits shifted the rally to Broward Boulevard, in front of the federal courthouse.Under a blazing sun, the crowd chanted, USA.Some wore T-shirts with messages like Obama: How you like him now? and Send Barry back to Kenya.Republican Allen West, who unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein last year, gave a speech promising to help win seats in 2010 and 2012 and put the country back on a more conservative course.For Fourth of July it's really remarkable that people would stand out in the heat to express their distrust of our government,said radio host Joyce Kaufman on WFTL, AM 850.Kaufman said people are stirred up because Obama is handling the country's finances all wrong.You have to give tax relief to people and grant corporations the money they need to put people back to work,she said.In April, an aide to the Obama administration responded to the criticisms coming out of tea parties, saying they were unfounded since the president is cutting taxes for most Americans, according to The Associated Press.Javier Alvarez, of North Miami Beach, nabbed one of few spots in the shade Saturday and held a copy of the Declaration of Independence so people passing could see it.He is against mandating health care reform and the cap-and-trade plan in Congress to deal with climate control.The Declaration of Independence used to mean something, he said. But our freedom is being squashed.Georgia East can be reached at geast@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4629.
It's witchcraft! Harry Potter pushing same-sex marriage - Dumbledore's social change agenda teaches foreign policy friendship July 03, 2009 10:05 pm Eastern By Bob Unruh 2009 WorldNetDaily
Got questions about life, death, politics or religion? How about one on the topic of gay marriage? It's time for WWDD. That's not a typo on the familiar WWJD What Would Jesus Do? a theme among Christians. It stands for What Would Dumbledore Do? a new move to answer such questions and spark social change through the teachings available in the Harry Potter witchcraft books and movies. The campaign has begun specifically promoting gay marriage.Not happy? Here's what Dumbledore and Potter say:To accept our reality exactly as it is and want nothing more than that reality is to stand in a place of self-acceptance. To accept oneself as we are right now can happen at this moment, but to accept oneself for a sustained period of time often times takes a lifetime of practice. But make no mistake: there is no higher joy.Virtually no question theoretically isn't answered by the beliefs and actions of the creations of author J.K. Rowling. For example, the following discussion on diversity offers a foreign policy position for the U.S. president:In our world, wars often end because each side recognizes the others' humanity. One small but profound example is Northern Ireland where Protestant women began attending the funerals of Catholic men and vice versa. As these women gradually discovered that they were all suffering the loss of their husbands and sons, it was no longer the other side that was the enemy, but the war itself.Conversely, the U.S. invasion of Iraq was led by an administration with very little background knowledge of the rich and diverse cultures in Iraqi society and a lack of curiosity to learn about them. The head of the original invasion, Paul Bremer, could not even speak Arabic and to this day the current administration continues to allow many of the small number of Arabic translators we do have to be fired for being gay. Imagine if this were different. Perhaps, if children and adults in both countries had formed friendships with each other, there never would have been a need for such a war in the first place. Some may call this wishful thinking. I believe Dumbledore would have called the building of friendships as an impediment to war, realism.It's all, according to an Orlando Sentinel blog that described the effort, a part of the Harry Potter Alliance program to teach values and beliefs and achieve social change.It's not actually Harry, it's the non-profit Harry Potter Alliance that is trying to channel film and fiction fandom into charity,social change,and good works,wrote the blogger.
Get Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged DVD
Those things have been after-thoughts to the fanboys and girls who made Star Trek,Star Wars and Lord of the Rings phenomena that had lives outside of the big and small screen. A little charity, here and there, but mainly those fans are about the faux reality of the world of their fixation Trek on big screen and small, The Empire, The Rebel Alliance or Middle Earth.But not for Muggles,the blogger wrote.Poster from Order of the Phoenix movie.The wildly popular Harry Potter books, movies and characters have faced criticism for attacking the Judeo-Christian values on which the United States was built.WND columnist Ben Shapiro earlier raised objections when author Rowling suddenly announced Dumbledore was homosexual.When J.K. Rowling announced that Albus Dumbledore, the aged headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was gay, I was somewhat confused. When did the old dude with the funky beard turn into Gore Vidal? According to Rowling, Dumbledore was always Gore Vidal, Shapiro wrote.Why did Rowling surreptitiously plant a creepy subtext in the most popular children's book of all time? She didn't. By most accounts, there is nothing in any of the books to suggest that Dumbledore is gay. It's easy enough for Rowling to retroactively adopt politically correct attitudes about homosexuality she never had to face the public scrutiny that surely would have ensued had she made Dumbledore openly gay. Instead, she raked in over $1 billion by appealing to kids and their parents, then conveniently announced Dumbledore's orientation before a swooning fan base in New York,he wrote.Ted Baehr, founder of MovieGuide, earlier wrote in a WND column there are lessons for children in the books and movies, but parents may have concerns about them.Aside from the fact that these children are exposed to ugly creatures, fantastic violence and worthless incantations, this movie has some dialogue that sounds like it comes out of Stuart Smalley's Daily Affirmations on Saturday Night Live.Namely, when professor Dumbledore sits Harry down and tells him, You are not a bad person. Every person has light and darkness. You have a choice, Baehr wrote.Imagine saying this to Cho Seung-Hui after he had his killing spree at Virginia Tech. Or Adolf Hitler.Contrary to Dumbledore's idiotic aphorisms, there are bad people,he wrote.
For those who don't care about the occult worldview in the Harry Potter books and movies, which reinforces this rampant selfish solipsism, they should care about this insane condoning and tolerating of malignant narcissistic behavior. For instance, one woman several years ago told me that she always took her children to see Harry Potter.After her little boy talked back to her, kicked at her and annoyed her, I said that I could see he's learned his scripts of behavior from dear old Harry,he continued.Witchcraft means rebellion against God's authority in the Bible. These books and movies teach rebellion against authority. When they add to this rebellious attitude the stupid aphorism that you're really a good person,then one must seriously ask: What are these narcissistic children supposed to think? The Harry Potter Alliance website says it is using the next Harry Potter film to coordinate the entire Harry Potter fandom, harnessing new media and the night of the movie release to promote social change.Twitter, Facebook and its own website, whatwoulddumbledoredo.org, will be put into the action.Fans will take worldwide actions to create a larger discussion for how the lessons of Albus Dumbledore can be translated into our lives and toward a global transformation,the website says.
Alliance Executive Director Andrew Slack wrote,In just two weeks, millions of theater goers will watch the shocking death of Harry's mentor Albus Dumbledore followed by Harry stating that Dumbledore will live on in all who remain loyal to his spirit.
Although Dumbledore is a fictional character, his presence remains real in the hearts of Harry Potter fans and his message, much like the message of such real life figures as Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama, is needed in our world.Moviegoers are being encouraged to share a lesson that Dumbledore taught them, and various fan sites are asking their supporters to tweet Dumbledore with the hope that each time people do, they'll think of what he stood for and how he lives on in each of us.Ultimate, the 100online lessons articulate how Dumbledore's values can be translated to our personal lives.And beyond that, the Doctrine,teaches how those values ultimately can be translated onto the national and global stage into public policy that legalizes same sex marriage, indigenous people's rights, the Employee Free Choice Act, and media reform while joining the HPA's partner NGO's in their stand against genocide, poverty, prison torture, and global warming.On the blog forum, came this response from Amanda: This is awesome! The Harry Potter books and Dumbledore have lots of great advice on how to have a better world. I am so taking part in this.The alliance, which describes itself as a non-profit that engages Harry Potter fans in social activism,lists study subjects on its website including bravery, choices, diversity, equality, friendship, happiness, living fully, loss, personal power and race. The movie,Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,is set to launch July 15.
DOCTOR DOCTORIAN FROM ANGEL OF GOD
then the angel said, Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world.
JAMES 5:1-3
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
REVELATION 18:10,17,19
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
EZEKIEL 7:19
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
HOUSE CLIMATE BILL PASSES WITHOUT READING IT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGUQN2RCr8s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTOFhmZOlTE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaWLlqo2E9Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwStSezja04
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_r0BTABUeo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bISM0YOIPs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rPpSdCMGAA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ls0OzcrpY&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uxsAuY1AF4&feature=player_embedded
Danielle Cuave Raleigh Libertarian Examiner.Another bill passed without it being read June 30, 12:40 PM
Earlier this year congress passed an astronomical spending bill often called the economic stimulus bill that was more pork than substance. It contained every special interest and pork project possible, from teapot museums to turtle crossings. Despite the fact that as of today, June 30, 2009, less than a tenth of the money allotted to the stimulus has yet to be spent, lawmakers were told that it was imperative that they pass the bill as soon as possible. It was so imperative, in fact, that it was passed without giving lawmakers the time to read the bill. It seems that this situation is occurring again, as Friday, June 26, 2009 congress passed the controversial cap and trade energy bill without being able to read the more than 300 pages of amendments made to the bill added at 3 am the day of the vote.The cap and trade bill was designed to eliminate or lessen greenhouse gasses by companies and individuals. Congress acknowledges that energy prices will rise in result to the bill as they plan to set aside revenue to offset the cost for low-income people, which will require more tax dollars. Two environmental-enforcement attorneys in California, a state that has utilized cap and trade, stated that cap and trade did more harm than good to the environment as it issued more permits for pollution than was emitted previously. Some have suggested that it may cause undue harm to the US economy as many current jobs in energy would be eliminated in exchange for fewer in the green energy sector. And Glenn Beck stated on his show on Monday, June 29, 2009 that the bill would cause, a tax on anyone who drives a car, buys an American product
(AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File), or flips on a light switch but would dole out almost a trillion dollars worth of grants.
There is much need and motivation to find cleaner sources of energy for our homes and cars, but not reading a bill that is this weighty is not the answer. Congress should have to read each and every word of each and every bill that comes across their desks. President Obama was smart to ask for a five day period of time in which politicians could read the bills they would be voting on and ask questions about them, but he was wrong to cherry pick those bills which would have to abide by this rule and those that didn’t. There is no way for a politician to be aware of what is in a bill without reading it and without knowing the contents of it is unable to determine whether it would be of benefit to his constituents. And that was what he was elected for in the first place- to do what was best for his constituents.
Articles Like This: Broadband to be paid for with stimulus dollars, Lobbying may be behind push for healthcare reform, Paul and Frank push for marijuana's decriminalization.
CASH IS KING AY NEW WORLD ORDER OFFSHORE BANKER NUTCASES,USE SHOULD KNOW USE HAVE ROBBED THE WORLD OF AT LEAST $20 TRILLION OF IT AND COUNTING SO FAR.
ALL BUSINESS: Cash is king for investors By Rachel Beck, Ap Business Writer – Sat Jul 4, 12:01 pm ET
NEW YORK – That old saying cash is king certainly rings true these days. Investors can't seem to get enough of it, which ultimately could be bad news for the stock market and the economy.In the past, investors would cling to cash until the market's prospects brightened and then money would pour back into stocks. That's just what the bulls today are hoping will drive a surge on Wall Street in the months ahead.But the shock of the financial crisis which have made leverage and risk-taking dirty words may be changing all that. Even with today's minuscule returns, cash seems to have become a sought-after asset class among investors who intend to keep it as a part of their portfolios for the long term.Watching this play out firsthand is Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. In sizing up the outlook, he has to balance what the past tells him about cash tending to move back into the market and the cautionary tone that he's hearing from the bank's clients.Historical data he has crunched shows that whenever assets in money market mutual funds which are low-risk, highly liquid investments exceeded 25 percent of the market capitalization of the Standard & Poor's 500 index, stocks have rallied over the following two years.This ratio jumped to an almost-unheard of level of more than 60 percent on March 9, almost triple the median level in the early years of this decade, for two reasons. Money market fund totals have surged 30 percent since the stock market peaked in October 2007, and by early March the S&P 500's market cap had plunged 57 percent from its high point in 2007.Today, that ratio has narrowed to about 45 percent, primarily because of a recent rebound in stocks. There is $3.7 trillion sitting in money market mutual funds right now, and the market cap of the S&P 500 is about $8 trillion, up from a March low of $5.9 trillion.Ablin considers the 45 percent level still to be unusual and a potential source of fuel for further stock gains if investors choose to redeploy their low-yielding cash.
If the stock market keeps trending higher and corporate earnings numbers progress, some investors might feel left out and decide to buy again,Ablin said.That is driven by human nature.But there is recent evidence from some big-name investors that argues otherwise, at least on the margins. The California Public Employees' Retirement System, also known as CalPERS, announced June 15 that it had boosted the target cash exposure of its $183 billion investment portfolio from zero to 2 percent.That helps explain why Ablin is cautioning against counting on a stampede out of cash and into stocks, especially after talking to his banks' clients. They've been burned by the bear market and worry about having enough cash especially those who invested in things like auction-rate securities that turned out not to be as easily accessible as they thought. Since credit markets remain tight, many are also finding it harder to borrow or raise money.So they are clinging to their cash, especially in plain-vanilla accounts like money market funds, which now yield on average only 1.3 percent, according to Bankrate.com.Ablin has started giving a presentation to clients titled Cash is an Asset Class.He discusses how investors' experiences in 2008 called into question two underpinnings of investment management buy and hold and diversification. As a result, he sees many investors viewing cash as an important asset to have in an environment where you need to protect yourself.Ablin's thinking jibes with what David Rosenberg, chief economist and strategist at the Canadian wealth management firm Gluskin Sheff, has been telling his clients.Even though there is a mountain of cash on the sidelines, he says it is being deployed tactically, seeing as demand for liquidity is running at very high rates at every level of the economy.Rosenberg points to the record number of dividend cuts by S&P 500 companies over the last 12 months 1,043 of them, according to S&P. That's evidence corporations are hoarding cash so that they can fund operations, buy other companies or to ensure they can satisfy their debt refinancing needs going forward.The end result is that stock investors are seeing their cash flow squeezed. Since 1955, the average has been 15 dividend increases for every decrease. Now, it's five increases for every six decreases, according to S&P.Shifting investor sentiment is also reflected in the surge in the personal savings rate, which was hovering near zero in early 2008 but soared to 6.9 percent in May. That was the highest rate since 1993. Even with the massive government stimulus program, Americans are choosing to bolster their nest eggs rather than spend. According to Rosenberg's calculations, the total stimulus from the Obama administration came to $163 billion at an annual rate in May, but consumer spending only increased at an annual rate of $25 billion. So long as the cash just stays on the sidelines, there won't be much fuel to propel stocks and the economy forward.Rachel Beck is the national business columnist for The Associated Press. Write to her at rbeck(at)ap.org (This version CORRECTS spelling of executive's name to Ablin sted Albin)
Europe's free, state-run health care has drawbacks By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer – Sat Jul 4, 3:32 pm ET
LONDON – As President Barack Obama pushes to overhaul the American health care system, the role of government is at the heart of the debate. In Europe, free, state-run health care is a given.The concept has been enshrined in Europe for generations. Health systems are built so inclusive that even illegal immigrants are entitled to free treatment beyond just emergency care. Europeans have some of the world's best hospitals and have made great strides in fighting problems like obesity and heart disease.
But the system is far from perfect.
In Britain, France, Switzerland and elsewhere, public health systems have become political punching bags for opposition parties, costs have skyrocketed and in some cases, patients have needlessly suffered and died.Obama has pointedly said he does not want to bring European-style health care to the U.S. and that he intends to introduce a government-run plan to compete with private insurance, not replace it.
Critics fear Obama's reforms will lead to more government control over health care and cite problems faced by European health systems as examples of what not to do.
Other experts say Americans could learn from countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, especially in the debate on how to reorganize health insurance.
These countries are in some way an inspiration for our reforms, said Uwe Reinhardt, a health economist at Princeton University. All of these countries somehow manage to assess risk and compensate for it ... we could learn from that.Many European health officials applaud Obama's attempt to provide health care to millions more Americans, but they also advise him to proceed with caution.What we can be proud of in Europe is the ground rules, that everyone has the right to health care, said Jose Martin-Moreno, a health expert at the University of Valencia in Spain. But the implementation has been difficult and one size does not fit all.Private health care is also available in Europe, creating in some instances a two-tier system that critics say defeats the egalitarian impulse on which national systems were built.When Britain's National Health System was founded 61 years ago, it pledged that with few exceptions, patients would not be charged for anything.All prescription drugs are covered, and the government regularly sets health targets, like maximum waiting times in emergency rooms or for having an operation.Critics say the policies are often driven more by politics than science. Last week, Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised that patients unable to see cancer experts within two weeks would get cash to pay for private care. Brown had previously argued against paying for private providers and some say the reversal may be a gimmick to boost his sagging popularity.More serious problems in Britain's health care were reported last month, when cancer researchers announced that as many as 15,000 people over age 75 were dying prematurely from cancer every year. Experts said those deaths could have been avoided if those patients had been diagnosed and treated earlier.There is nothing inherently different about cancer in the U.S. and Britain to explain why more people are dying here,said Dr. Karol Sikora, of Cancer Partners UK.The U.S. already spends the most worldwide on health care. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the U.S. spent $7,290 per person in 2007, while Britain spent $2,992 and France spent $3,601.
Still, experts say that before committing the U.S. to footing the bill for universal health care, Obama should consider it has cost Europe.A World Health Organization survey in 2000 found that France had the world's best health system. But that has come at a high price; health budgets have been in the red since 1988.In 1996, France introduced targets for health insurance spending. But a decade later, the deficit had doubled to 49 billion euros ($69 billion).I would warn Americans that once the government gets its nose into health care, it's hard to stop the dangerous effects later,said Valentin Petkantchin, of the Institut Economique Molinari in France. He said many private providers have been pushed out, forcing a dependence on an overstretched public system.Similar scenarios have been unfolding in the Netherlands and Switzerland, where everyone must buy health insurance.The minute you make health insurance mandatory, people start overusing it,said Dr. Alphonse Crespo, an orthopedic surgeon and research director at Switzerland's Institut Constant de Rebecque.If I have a cold, I might go see a doctor because I am already paying a health insurance premium.Cost-cutting has also hit Switzerland. The numbers of beds have dropped, hospitals have merged, and specialist care has become harder to find. A 2007 survey found that in some hospitals in Geneva and Lausanne, the rates of medical mistakes had jumped by up to 40 percent. Long ranked among the world's top four health systems, Switzerland dropped to 8th place in a Europe-wide survey last year.
Government influence in health care may also stifle innovation, other experts warn. Bureaucracies are slow to adopt new medical technologies. In Britain and Germany, even after new drugs are approved, access to them is complicated because independent agencies must decide if they are worth buying. When the breast cancer drug Herceptin was proven to be effective in 1998, it was available almost immediately in the U.S. But it took another four years for the U.K. to start buying it for British breast cancer patients.Government control of health care is not a panacea, said Philip Stevens, of International Policy Network, a London think-tank. The U.S. health system is a bit of a mess, but based on what's happened in some countries in Europe, I'd be nervous about recommending more government involvement.Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report from Washington.
Turkey gives green light to EU gas pipeline deal
VALENTINA POP 03.07.2009 @ 17:38 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Turkey will host the signing of an inter-governmental agreement on the EU-backed Nabucco gas pipeline on 13 July, in a major breakthrough for the long-delayed project aimed at reducing Europe's gas reliance on Russia.I can confirm that the European Commission has received an invitation to the signing ceremony of the inter-governmental agreement on the Nabucco pipeline on 13 July in Ankara,commission spokesman Ferran Tarradellas said at a press conference on Friday (3July).The 13 July transit deal will secure the legal basis and conditions for the use of the pipeline crossing EU candidate country Turkey and member states Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. The 3,300 km long pipe is designed to bring natural gas to Europe from Azerbaijan and potentially Turkmenistan, Iraq or even Iran at a later stage. Currently, several eastern and central European countries import up to 100 percent of their gas consumption from Russia.The project, first put forward in 2002, has so far developed at a steady pace, amid strong criticism from Russia, who wants to protect its monopoly on the transport and trading of Caspian gas from its former Soviet republics.Turkey's hard bargaining on the details of the transit deal was so far the other big stumbling block in the development of the project, with Ankara's conditions also seen as putting pressure on the EU to speed up its accession process.
One of the claims mentioned in various press reports was for Turkey to get 15 percent of the envisaged pipeline capacity of 30 billion cubic metres a year for internal consumption or re-export.Turkey's security of supplies has been taken into account in the document draft, but precise figures have not been finalised yet, sources familiar with the matter told EUobserver. Nabucco should be seen as a matter of energy security for Turkey, not just the EU, since Turkey imports 65 percent of its gas consumption from Russia,Alan Riley, an energy expert from City Law School of London told this website.Neither Mr Taradellas nor the Nabucco consortium wanted to give details on the 15 percent clause, until the agreement has been signed.The agreement was agreed between the member states Nabucco is going to cross and Turkey, based on the principles of mutual solidarity, equality and interdependence,Mr Taradellas said.
For its part, the Nabucco consortium, consisting of gas companies from the five countries concerned plus Germany's energy giant RWE is eagerly awaiting the legal agreement to be signed.We strongly welcome a signing in July, because the inter-governmental agreement is an important milestone for the Nabucco project,Christian Dolezal, spokesman for the multinational consortium told this website.This would create the necessary legal framework for the successful continuation of the project.
Once signed, the agreement would allow companies to bid for pipeline capacity and to sign long-term contracts with the Nabucco consortium. Construction is set to begin in 2011, if the final investment decision is taken early 2010.The agreement would also unblock €200 million earmarked for Nabucco by the EU commission as part of a €5 billion economic recovery package to be used in 2009 and 2010. The total cost of Nabucco is currently estimated at €7.9 billion.
Fischer vs. Schroder
The signing of the transit deal would be a first success for former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer, recently employed by the consortium to lobby for the project. His ties with the Turkish leadership are seen as essential in bringing the project forward, as Mr Fischer has been a constant advocate of Ankara's EU bid.The Green politician is also a former coalition ally of ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroder, employed by Nabucco rival Gazprom to lobby for another pipeline, Nord Stream, designed to bring more Russian gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea.Mr Schroder denied rivalry with his former foreign minister. Welcome to the club,he said on Tuesday in Berlin, noting that professional life was important when political life was over.According to German media, Mr Fischer has signed for a six-digit salary. Unlike Mr Schroder, who signed the Nord Stream deal with the then Russian president Vladimir Putin just weeks before ending his mandate, there was no direct link between Mr Fischer's political decisions and his current activities for Nabucco.
MUSLIM NATIONS
EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
DANIEL 11:40-43
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south( EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) and the king of the north (RUSSIA AND MUSLIM HORDES OF EZEK 38+39) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.(JORDAN)
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.
JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
3RD JIHAD TRAILER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJy9tpGHGXM&feature=player_embedded
3RD JIHAD MOVIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gt9UGB1-tQ&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbnaWpSS8Dk&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1d0Lx8MPtI&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZdhKcFk5vg&feature=player_embedded
SHARIA LAW IN AMERICA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuEy0uiyvNw&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppTo-TTtJQo&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqV-CtEVUU&feature=player_embedded
TESTING THE FAITH Muslims attack fleeing Christians with acid,9 women, 4 children injured by rampage July 04, 2009 12:25 am Eastern 2009 WorldNetDaily
A door to a Christian's home in Pakistan demolished by a Muslim mob in this photograph from the Barnabas Aid .Muslims apparently angered because a Christian man driving a tractor reportedly tried to pass a Muslim on a motorcycle have rampaged in one village in Pakistan, destroying Christians' homes and throwing acid on women and children as they fled, according to a new report from Barnabas Aid. The ministry reported that the violence this week happened in the village of Bahmani Walla in Punjab state in Pakistan, which is dominated by Islamic influences.The report said 600Muslims used gasoline bombs to vandalize 117 homes belonging to Christians including 48 damaged by fire, and sabotage water pumps and cut electricity. According to the report, the violence apparently stemmed from an incident one night earlier, in which a Christian man driving a tractor requested that a Muslim man riding a motorcycle allow him to pass.The request was refused and a disagreement ensued, said the Christian ministry that directs financial support to projects that help Christians where they suffer discrimination, oppression and persecution as a consequence of their faith.Following the confrontation, news was spread among Muslims that there had been blasphemy against Islam, and it took only a few hours for a 600-strong mob of Muslims to assemble and begin the attack.
Cars and trucks owned by Christians were burned or stolen, jewelry and cash were taken and the next morning found Christian business owners facing a boycott.Wreckage of a Christian's home damaged by a Muslim mob in this photograph from the Barnabas Aid.The most disturbing development was the throwing of acid at the Christians as they fled. At least nine women and four children have been injured,the Christian ministry reported.While blasphemy carries a death penalty in Pakistan, there is no punishment available for making a false accusation that someone was guilty of the crime, the ministry said.Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Bahmani Walla, who have suffered in this shocking attack, pray that the authorities will investigate thoroughly and bring to justice the perpetrators,said Patrick Sookhdeo, the international director for Barnabas Aid.The organization also is accepting contributions to help some of the Christians deal with the needs of housing and food while their homes are restored and their lives re-assembled.
LAW OF THE LAND-Will legal jihad silence online critics of Islam? Court wades into brewing battle over rights of Internet journalists July 04, 2009 7:00 pm Eastern
By Drew Zahn 2009 WorldNetDaily
Joe Kaufman
When Internet journalist Joe Kaufman wrote an article exposing terrorist connections in two American Muslim groups, he was sued by a swarm of Islamic organizations, none of which he had mentioned in his online article. The technique is called by some legal jihad or Islamist lawfare,and the Thomas More Law Center, which is representing Kaufman in the lawsuit, claims Muslim advocates are using the strategy to bully online journalists into silence.The lawsuit against Kaufman was funded by the Muslim Legal Fund for America. The head of that organization, Khalil Meek, admitted on a Muslim radio show that lawsuits were being filed against Kaufman and others to set an example,claims a Thomas More statement on the case.Indeed, for the last several years, Muslim groups in the U.S. have engaged in the tactic of filing meritless lawsuits to silence any public discussion of Islamic terrorist threats.The organizations suing Kaufman also sought to legally deny him certain legal protections granted to traditional journalists, claiming that as an Internet writer, his right to seek a quick and inexpensive dismissal of the case didn't apply.The case set up a battle, not only between Islamic advocates and those that would question their political connections, but also between organizations that fly low under the mass media's radar, enjoying little public scrutiny, and the burgeoning field of Internet journalism that often investigates places the mainstream media ignores.In an unanimous decision from a three-judge panel of the Texas Second Court of Appeals, however, not only did the court rule that the Muslim organizations had no basis for claiming defamation since Kaufman didn't name or point to them in his article – but the judges also declared that online journalists do merit the same status and legal protections that their more traditional media peers enjoy.Though the case against Kaufman is therefore dismissed for now, the Law Center reports the seven Muslim organizations have filed an appeal, continuing their quest for, according to court documents,injunctive relief related to Kaufman's existing and future Internet publications.
As WND reported, Kaufman's troubles began when he wrote an article for the online FrontPage Magazine in 2007, criticizing two Islamic groups for hosting a Muslim Family Day at Six Flags over Texas, a Dallas-area amusement park. The Islamic Circle of North America and the Islamic Association of North Texas, Kaufman revealed, had funneled money to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and al-Qaida. While using images of cartoon characters and sponsoring events at amusement parks may seem innocuous, the danger that the Islamic Circle of North America poses to the United States, Canada and others is clear,Kaufman wrote.As a faction of the Muslim Brotherhood, the organization looks to impose Islam on Western society, and as a donor to a terrorist organization, the group is a willing participant in the act of violence.And while neither the ICNA nor the IANT claimed libel, seven other Muslim organizations the Islamic Society of Arlington, Texas, Islamic Center of Irving, DFW Islamic Educational Center, Inc., Dar Elsalam Islamic Center, Al Hedayah Islamic Center, Islamic Association of Tarrant County and Muslim American Society of Dallas cried foul, bringing the defamation suit against Kaufman.Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented,This frivolous lawsuit is an example of the legal jihad being waged by radical Islamic organizations throughout our nation. These lawsuits are aimed at stifling the free speech rights of Americans who dare to expose their agenda. They intentionally file lawsuits to intimidate reporters who seek to expose their agenda. By making it costly to defend against their lawsuits, they hope journalists will refrain from writing about the threat to our nation.The opinion of the court, written by Justice Terrie Livingston, overturned a lower court's denial of Kaufmann's motion to dismiss the libel claim before a time-consuming and expensive trial.Listing seven different reasons for the court's decision, Justice Livingston wrote, We conclude that an Internet author's status as a member of the electronic media should be adjudged by the same principles that courts should use to determine the author's status under more traditional media.The court did not, however, uphold that all Internet writers such as bloggers should be afforded the protections traditional journalists enjoy.Kaufman, the court noted, has written for a variety of national publications since 1995, has appeared on several television news networks and in writing for FrontPage Magazine, was writing for a separate online news source with the freedom to accept or reject his article. The court concluded,We believe that these facts and circumstances, establishing Kaufman's journalistic background and his notoriety outside of the parameters of the article and graphic at issue and FrontPage Magazine's broad readership and its existence as a news/commentary medium that is independent from Kaufman's articles, are sufficient to qualify Kaufman as a member of the electronic or print media and to qualify FrontPage Magazine as an electronic or print medium.Furthermore, the court ruled, that the Muslim organizations' contention that an Internet author could never qualify as a member of the media would make as little sense as an inverse rule that a print author (such as someone distributing their own photocopied musings) would always qualify as such.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200 MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)
ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
ISAIAH 26:21
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).
MATTHEW 24:37-51
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
North Korea Fires 7 Missiles Off Eastern Coast
Saturday, July 04, 2009 KCNA via AFP
North Korea fired seven ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, a violation of U.N. resolutions and an apparent message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day.The launches, which came two days after North Korea fired four short-range cruise missiles, will likely further escalate tensions in the region as the U.S. tries to muster support for tough enforcement of the latest U.N. Security Council resolution imposed on the communist regime for its May nuclear test.A senior State Department official told FOX News there is no reason to doubt these reports we're all seeing.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said three missiles were fired early Saturday, a fourth around noon and three more in the afternoon. The Defense Ministry said that the missiles were ballistic and are believed to have flown more than 250 miles.Our military is fully ready to counter any North Korean threats and provocations based on strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture,the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying the missiles appeared to be a type of Scud missile. North Korea's Scuds are considered short-range, the South's military said.But Yonhap also said that it is possible they could have been longer-range Rodong missiles fired a shorter distance.Experts told FOX News the timing of launches speak to only one purpose to get the attention of and defy the U.S. One described it as a poke in the eye against the U.S. and an escalation of activities by the North.
Experts are puzzled, however, as to what the North now wants to get from the U.S. as it has declared that it would not give up its nuclear capability and showed a lack of interest in further talks.For that reason, experts say there still might a domestic purpose of the launches, further bolstering the possibly waning regime of Kim Jong Il.
One expert told FOX News they are looking closely at the intelligence, noting there is a chance that longer-range missiles had been tested but were limited in range.
Scud missiles have a range of up to 300 miles, which could hit most of South Korea. The Rodong has a range of up to 800 miles, putting most parts of Japan within striking distance.North Korea is not allowed to fire Scuds, medium-range missiles or long-range missiles. They are banned under U.N. resolutions, including Resolution 1874passed after North Korea's May 25 nuclear test, that prohibit any launch using ballistic missile technology.Thursday's launches, on the other hand, did not violate the resolution as they were cruise missiles rather than ballistic, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry.Ballistic missiles are guided during their ascent out of the atmosphere but fall freely when they descend. Cruise missiles fly low and straight to their target.The North has a record of timing missile tests for the U.S. national day, which fell on Saturday.The missiles were seen as part of military exercises, but North Korea also appeared to have sent a message to the U.S. through the missile launches,a senior official in South Korea's presidential said, without elaborating.
The official told The Associated Press that North Korea could fire more missiles in coming days, but said there was little possibility it could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, as it threatened in April.He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.Daniel Pinkston, a Seoul-based analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, said both political and military reasons were behind the launches.I think it's a demonstration of their defiance and rejection of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874, for one thing, and to demonstrate their military power capabilities to any potential adversaries, Pinkston said.He also pointed out that July 4 is not only U.S. Independence Day but also the anniversary of a 1972 joint communique in which the two Koreas agreed to work toward peacefully reunifying their divided peninsula.During the U.S. Independence Day holiday in 2006, Pyongyang fired a barrage of missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 that broke apart and fell into the ocean less than a minute after liftoff. Those launches, which occurred on July 5 in North Korea, also came amid tensions with the U.S. over North Korea's nuclear program.North Korea's state news agency carried no reports on the launches. But the North had warned ships to stay away from its east coast through July 10 for military exercises an indication it was planning launches.The chief of U.S. Naval operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, said Saturday the American military was ready for any North Korean missile tests.Our ships and forces here are prepared for the tracking of the missiles and observing the activities that are going on,Roughead said after meeting Japanese military officials in Tokyo before news of the launches.South Korea and Japan, which are within easy range of North Korean missiles, condemned the launches as a provocative act that violates the U.N. resolution.South Korea expressed deep regret over the North's continuous behavior that escalates tensions in Northeast Asia by repeatedly defying the resolution, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said in a statement that the launch of missiles is a serious act of provocation against the security of neighboring countries, including Japan, and is against the resolution of the U.N Security Council.In Beijing, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said he had no immediate comment. China is the North's closest ally.FOX News' Greg Palkot, James Rosen and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHINA AND KINGS OF THE EAST MARCH TO ISRAEL 2ND WAVE OF WW3
REVELATION 16:12
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.(THIS IS THE ATATURK DAM IN TURKEY,THEY CROSS OVER).
DANIEL 11:44 (2ND WAVE OF WW3)
44 But tidings out of the east(CHINA) and out of the north(RUSSIA, MUSLIMS WHATS LEFT FROM WAVE 1) shall trouble him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.( 1/3RD OF EARTHS POPULATION)
REVELATION 9:12-18
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.(IRAQ-SYRIA)
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.(1/3 Earths Population die in WW 3 2ND WAVE)
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand:(200 MILLION MAN ARMY FROM CHINA AND THE KINGS OF THE EAST) and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
The Bigger Issue Behind North Korea's Missile Launch By BILL POWELL – Sat Jul 4, 1:45 am ET
Though older now, and a bit infirm, and increasingly consumed with thoughts of passing on to his youngest son the family business (running North Korea into the ground), Kim Jong Il still has a fondness for a decent Fourth of July fireworks show. Pyongyang shot at least seven short-range SCUD missiles in the direction of the Sea of Japan on Saturday morning, in what some analysts termed an act of defiance against the United States and its allies in east Asia. But the SCUDS, fired from the eastern coast of North Korea, have limited range, and fell harmlessly into the sea less than 300 miles (480 kilometers) from where they were launched. The exercise drew perfunctory condemnations from the U.S. and some of the North's neighbors.Indeed, acts of defiance have become so predictable with Kim that they've come to be business as usual. The chief of the U.S. naval forces, Admiral Gary Roughhead, meeting with Japanese counterparts in Tokyo Saturday morning, blandly observed that American and allied ships in the region were simply tracking the missiles and observing the activities that are going on.The low-key response was entirely appropriate, given Kim's past behavior on the big U.S. holiday. On July 4 2006, he test fired unsuccessfully, it turned out a long-range, multi-stage ballistic missile, in explicit defiance of a U.N. resolution. By comparison, today's exercise felt a bit like a teenager tossing a few M-80s into the water off a dock somewhere. (See pictures of North Koreans at the polls.) The U.S. and the rest of the world know well that the North has a range of missiles. The Obama Administration, in the wake of Kim's recent, relentless belligerence, has made it clear that preventing the proliferation of missiles and other weapons of mass destruction is what drives U.S. policy now. On June 30, the Administration imposed unilateral U.S. sanctions on two North Korean companies engaged in proliferation sanctions that will augment efforts to curtail the North Korean regime's ability to develop and sell WMD and missiles, says Bruce Klingner, former North Korea analyst at the CIA, now a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. One of the firms sanctioned, called Hong Kong Electronics and located on Kish Island, Iran, is alleged to have transferred millions of dollars of proliferation-related funds from Iran to North Korean companies already on U.S. and U.N. sanctions lists, according to the Treasury Department. The firm also facilitated the sale of North Korean missiles to Iran, Treasury says.
At the same time, the State Department sanctioned Namchongang Trading Company, based in Pyongyang, for being involved in the purchase of aluminum tubes and other equipment specifically suitable for a uranium enrichment program since the late 1990s.The State Department believes the company may also have been involved in assisting Syria to build a covert nuclear reactor one that Israel ultimately destroyed in September 2007. The sanctions came as the U.S. Navy was tracking but not boarding a North Korean freighter as it moved slowly across the ocean, apparently headed toward Burma, and then turned around and appeared to be heading back. East Asian diplomats have said that North Korea and the regime in Burma have recently stepped up military ties. A large North Korean military delegation recently visited the country, and the suspicion is that it was very much a sales call. Pyongyang is looking for more customers for its missiles and other material.Deterring that kind of proliferation is what will consume the U.S. and its allies, long after Kim's latest holiday fireworks show is over.
I WRITE NEWS ABOUT AND PUT NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM PERTAINING TO BIBLE PROPHESY HAPPENINGS.JOEL 3:20 But Judah (ISRAEL) shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.(THATS ISRAEL-JERUSALEM WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED AGAIN)-WE CHRISTIANS ARE ALL WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE TO OCCUR.SO WE CAN GO TO JESUS AND GET OUR NEVER DYING BODIES.SO WE CAN RULE OVER CITIES OURSELVES.WHILE JESUS RULES FROM DAVIDS THRONE FOREVER IN JERUSALEM.
IMPORTANT LINKS
- 2-STRONG MAN BEHIND THE SPIRIT.
- 2024 CANADA PREDICTIONS.
- ABORTION IS MURDER OF A GENERATION OF CHILDREN.
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- WHOS LAND IS IT (2)
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- WOKE CULTURE IS MAOISM IN CANADAS CHARACTERISTICS
- WW3 THE WAVES.
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