JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
OTHER TRUDEAU SWEARING IN NEWS
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2015/11/the-swearing-in-of-godless-new-king-or.html
Trudeau, team of 30 cabinet members sworn in to kick off new Liberal era-By Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press – NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau has launched a new Liberal era with a 30-member cabinet that features predominantly fresh faces, an equal number of men and women and probably the most diverse line-up of ministers in Canadian history.The newly minted prime minister emerged Wednesday from the formal swearing-in ceremony boasting that he's put together a cabinet "that looks like Canada."Fully 18 of the newly minted ministers are rookies who won election for the first time on Oct. 19, including the all-important finance minister, millionaire Toronto businessman Bill Morneau.The cabinet includes two aboriginal ministers, two disabled ministers, one openly gay minister, a refugee from Afghanistan and four Sikhs — one of whom was once wrongly accused of terrorism, tortured and detained without trial for almost two years in India.From the moment Trudeau and his team arrived by bus at Rideau Hall and walked together up the long, tree-lined driveway to the Governor General's mansion, the swearing-in event was designed to convey openness, optimism and inclusion — a stark contrast to nearly a decade of what the Liberals call the one-man, secretive rule and politics of division of Stephen Harper's Conservatives.Even the weather seemed to co-operate, the brilliant, warm autumn day underscoring Trudeau's vaunted "sunny ways" approach to politics."We're a government that wants to earn Canadians' trust by demonstrating that we trust Canadians," Trudeau said."Openness and transparency" will be a hallmark of his government, he insisted, with the media allowed to hold government to account, MPs empowered to be powerful voices for their communities and public policy based on evidence, not partisanship.Highlighting his campaign promise to deliver "real change," Trudeau weighted his cabinet with newbies, giving them some of the most crucial and influential portfolios, some of which he has reconfigured or renamed.B.C. regional aboriginal chief Jody Wilson-Raybould takes on Justice; family doctor Jane Philpott takes Health; economist Jean-Yves Duclos takes Families, Children and Social Development; Catherine McKenna takes Environment and Climate Change; Harjit Singh Sajjan takes Defence; Melanie Joly takes Canadian Heritage; and MaryAnn Mihychuk takes Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.Former journalist Chrystia Freeland, who won a byelection in Toronto two years ago, will head up International Trade, while Navdeep Bains, who is back as an MP after being defeated in 2011, becomes minister of innovation, science and economic development.The rookies will be backstopped by seven veterans with previous federal or provincial cabinet experience, including: Ralph Goodale in Public Safety; Stephane Dion in Foreign Affairs; John McCallum in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Carolyn Bennett in Indigenous and Northern Affairs; Judy Foote in Public Services and Procurement; and Scott Brison in Treasury Board.Veteran MP and lifelong Trudeau friend Dominic LeBlanc becomes government House leader, while fellow longtime MPs Marc Garneau and Kirsty Duncan take on Transport and Science, respectively.Trudeau himself, who has promised to usher in a new era of collaboration with the provinces, takes responsibility for intergovernmental affairs and youth.Trudeau's Liberals won a strong majority of 184 seats, with representation in every province and territory. His cabinet reflects that, with 11 ministers from Ontario, six from Quebec, three from British Columbia and two each from Alberta and Manitoba. Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island all have a single representative in cabinet, as does Nunavut.Geography — along with Trudeau's determination to have a smaller cabinet than Harper's 39-member ministry and to ensure half his ministers are women — resulted in some surprising absences, including former general Andrew Leslie, popular former Toronto city councillor Adam Vaughan, former Toronto police chief Bill Blair, former provincial minister and one-time leadership rival Joyce Murray and Trudeau leadership organizer Mark Holland.Trudeau was unrepentant when asked why gender parity was so important."Because it's 2015," he said simply.Trudeau and his team arrived together at Rideau Hall shortly after a statement from a spokes person for Governor General David Johnston confirmed that Harper had resigned as the country's 22nd prime minister.Holding the hand of his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, Trudeau led his ministers-to-be on a walk up the long driveway leading to the Governor General's mansion, accompanied by a bagpiper and cheers from a throng of well-wishers and onlookers who lined the route.For the final steps of the stroll, Trudeau was joined by his three young children, carrying toddler Hadrien in his arms.The new Liberal prime minister and cabinet were scheduled to hold their first meeting later Wednesday.
India-born former soldier sworn in as Canada's new defense minister-Reuters By Leah Schnurr-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Harjit Sajjan, a former police officer and veteran of three military deployments to Afghanistan, was named Canada's new minister of defense on Wednesday, bringing first-hand expertise to one of the country's top cabinet positions.Sajjan will oversee an anticipated change in Canada's military involvement in the battle against militants in Syria and Iraq. Newly sworn-in Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already said he wants to end Canada's air strikes in the region in favor of providing humanitarian help.Born in India and elected to Parliament for the first time in last month's election, Sajjan is illustrative of the younger, more diverse cabinet Trudeau had aimed to create.Outgoing Conservative defense minister Jason Kenney had taken a hardline stance on security, saying Canada needed to be fighting against Islamic State militants to prevent them from becoming a threat to Canada.The issue has been at the forefront in the last year since a gunman killed a soldier and stormed Canada's Parliament last October.Sajjan is a Lieutenant-Colonel in Canada's armed forces and was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was Canada's first Sikh commanding officer and received a number of recognitions for his service, including the Order of Military Merit.Sajjan was also a police officer in Vancouver for 11 years, which included working as a detective in the gang crime unit. He won the riding of Vancouver South where he grew up, defeating a Conservative incumbent.He is married with two young children.(Editing by G Crosse)
A look at some issues facing each member of Justin Trudeau's first cabinet-By The Canadian Press – NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - The new federal cabinet has a lot of issues to tackle, and not a lot of time to learn their files. Here is an idea of what each new minister faces:Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale: The new public safety minister must tackle the reversal of some of the more contentious anti-terrorism provisions contained in Bill C-51, and oversee a promise from the Liberals to have more parliamentary oversight of Canada's national security agencies.Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay: A former farmer heads up a portfolio where dairy farmers are concerned about the effects of a new trade pact on their livelihoods, and where he will have to go overseas to sell Canadian products and produce to emerging markets.Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion: Dion will become Canada's face on the international stage (when Trudeau isn't available) and deal with counterparts in the United States, Canada's largest trading partner, members of the G7 and G20 group of nations, and oversee a foreign service in charge of diplomatic duties around the world.Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum: The Liberals committed to bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to the country before the end of the year, a promise that carries a lot of logistical issues to tackle — including how to bring them here and where to house them upon arrival — and not a lot of time to get it done.Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett: Bennett has spent years working on the Liberals' relationship with First Nations and she'll have to use those skills in what will be difficult consultations on the scope of a promised inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.President of the Treasury Board Scott Brison: Public service unions were quite happy to see the Conservatives lose the election, even actively campaigning against them, and it now falls on Brison to deal with the unions and the outstanding contract negotiations where issues like sick leave remain outstanding.Government House leader Dominic LeBlanc: With an ambitious legislative agenda, it falls to the House leader to make sure that bills and business are organized wisely in the Commons.Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Singh Bains: The federal government annually hands out grants to companies that work on developing new technologies and, in the process, create jobs; the Liberals promised during the election campaign to help companies that develop green technologies.Minister of Finance William Morneau: The finance portfolio may be the most high-profile portfolio outside of prime minister. Morneau will be in charge of setting the government's budget so that they don't run deficits more than $10 billion, as they promised in the campaign, and keeping a close eye on the economy to make sure the Liberals can meet a promise to balance the books by the end of their four-year mandate.Minister of Justice and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould: The federal government is running out of time to craft new right-to-die laws after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the existing provisions earlier this year. Wilson-Raybould will have to oversee that legislation and how the government goes about legalizing marijuana.Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote: Foote is in charge of one of the largest departments in the federal government and some of its biggest procurements, including replacements for the aging CF-18 fighter jets. The Liberals vowed not to buy the F-35, but also promised an open competition.Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland: As one of the last acts in government, the Conservatives signed on to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive trade pact with Pacific Rim countries. Trudeau said on the campaign trail that he wanted to read the agreement before taking a stance on it; whatever the stance, it will be up to Freeland to handle the fallout.Minister of Health Jane Philpott: The provinces have direct responsibility for health care, but rely on the federal government for funding. Philpott will be talking with the provinces who want more money and commitments that funding will rise higher under the Liberals than under the Conservatives.Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos: Replacing the universal child care benefit with a new, income-tested benefit for families with children will be top on Duclos's list of priorities. Also on his radar will be working with the provinces on some type of a national child care program — a promised vaguely spelled out in the Liberal platform document.Minister of Transport Marc Garneau: The Lac-Megantic rail disaster in July 2013 focused attention on rail safety in the country, but that isn't the only issue that Garneau will have to deal with: How to deliver security at airports, deal with shipping issues at the nation's ports, and a new crossing of the Detroit River to ease congestion at the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States. Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau: Despite work to improve maternal and newborn health abroad, the previous Conservative government was criticized for not doing enough on the international aid front. Trudeau said Canada would do more on international aid, with Bibeau in charge of those efforts.Minister of Natural Resources James Carr: The previous Conservative government put a heavy emphasis on turning Canada into a natural resources powerhouse. Oil prices remain low and there are still issues surrounding the development of the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region in Northern Ontario.Minister of Canadian Heritage Melanie Joly: The Liberals made promises to increase funding to cultural groups, but also roll back cuts at the CBC. Joly will oversee all that along with now fairly advanced plans to mark Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier: The Canada Revenue Agency was roundly criticized for auditing charities whose political activities ran against the Conservatives. The Liberals have promised to change that and crack down on international tax cheats. Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr, also associate minister of National Defence: The Conservatives outraged veterans with the closure of service offices. Hehr will have to repair relationships on the file and find ways to deliver services to veterans young and old.Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna: First challenge for the Ottawa MP happens at the end of the month when international climate change talks in Paris take place with countries ready to set ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gases.Minister of National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan: Canadian fighter jets and soldiers remain at war with the so-called Islamic State in Iraq — a military commitment the Liberals have vowed to end with Sajjan, who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, to oversee the withdrawal.Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour MaryAnn Mihychuk: The Liberals have promised to create tens of thousands of jobs for young people and repeal laws that required unions to disclose finite details of their spending — two issues that Mihychuk will have to oversee in this newly created portfolio.Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi: A cornerstone of the Liberal plan to grow the economy was to spend an extra $16.9 billion over the next four years on infrastructure across the country that include public transit, social infrastructure and "green" environment.Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef: The Liberals promised that last month's federal election would be the last under the first-past- the-post system. Monsef will have to oversee what will take over in its place, such as a ranked ballot or proportional representation.Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Carla Qualtrough: Overseeing Sport Canada, Qualtrough will keep an eye on the purse strings that have helped turn Canada into a more competitive nation at the Olympics and other international competitions, but also make sure that there are opportunities for all Canadians to participate in sports.Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Hunter Tootoo: Fishing is a major employer on two of Canada's coasts while the Canadian Coast Guard is responsible for all three coasts. Tootoo will have to oversee ways to improve search and rescue response times, keep fisherman happy and employed, and the annual seal hunt.Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan: The Liberals vowed that decisions around the cabinet table would be based on science and research. They also promised to bring back the mandatory long-form census that could be in place in time for the next national census in 2016.Minister of Status of Women Patricia A. Hajdu: It has been five decades since a royal commission on the status of women identified a slew of hurdles women faced to full political, legal and workplace participation. Hajdu will have to see what still needs to be done in Canada, and also be an advocate for women's rights on the world stage.Minister of Small Business and Tourism Bardish Chagger: Trudeau caused waves in the election campaign when he said a large number of small business tax filers were really wealthy Canadians incorporating to take advantage of the lower tax rate. The Liberals plan to reduce that rate further and Chagger will have to handle how to make that happen with new rules Trudeau wants to make sure the country's top earners aren't using the small business tax rate as a tax shelter.
A selection of quotes on the swearing-in of the new federal government-By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - Some of what was said Wednesday about the swearing-in of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his new Liberal government:"Canadians expect to see their values and priorities reflected in their government, and we have listened closely to them. Canadians told us what kind of government they want, and we built the plan to make it happen." — Trudeau___"We are going to keep the promises we made to Canadians, to offer them the kind of country that we know we deserve." — Trudeau___"Today's swearing-in ceremony turns another page on the previous administration. While this change is welcome in Ottawa, progress made in the coming months and years will reveal the strength of that change." — NDP Leader Tom Mulcair___"Gender parity in cabinet is a good first step and should be congratulated, but achieving fairness and equality for all Canadians is a long-term goal that requires hard work. I look forward to pressing the new prime minister and his cabinet on their progress." — Mulcair___"I welcome the new government and look forward to working with Mr. Trudeau and the cabinet to start repairing Canada's international reputation at the upcoming climate negotiations." — Green party Leader Elizabeth May___"On behalf of the government of the United States of America and the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Trudeau and all of the newly appointed ministers. I look forward to getting to know each of them and working with them in their new portfolios as we continue to enhance the close relationship between our two nations." — U.S. Ambassador Bruce A. Heyman___"Prime Minister Trudeau has rounded up an impressive roster of individuals to help lead his team. The CMA welcomes collaboration with this government to improve health care for all Canadians." — Canadian Medical Association president Dr. Cindy Forbes___"Dr. Jane Philpott's background in family medicine suggests she has a deep understanding of the primary health-care approach, an approach that needs to be enhanced in Canada to meet the needs of today's population." — Karima Velji, president of the Canadian Nurses Association, welcomes the new health minister___"Oxfam has many years of experience working in partnership with the Canadian government, and we are enthusiastic about working with the new ministers on all initiatives that support women and men across the world to lift themselves out of poverty." — Julie Delahanty, executive director of Oxfam Canada___"I am encouraged to see the level of diversity and exceptional qualifications of this cabinet." — Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed___"We congratulate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all those appointed to cabinet today in a ceremony that reminds us of the importance of public service and the strength and continuity of Canadian democracy." — David Cape, chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs___"It's quite a time in history and I'm just excited to be a part of the movement." — Pippa McDougall, a spectator in the crowd at Rideau Hall who watched the swearing-in ceremony.
Justin Trudeau sworn in as Canada's prime minister-AFP By Michel Comte-NOV 4,15- YAHOONEWS
Ottawa (AFP) - Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's 23rd prime minister Wednesday before a packed, flag-waving crowd, almost 50 years after his father took on the job.The 43-year old former French teacher overcame campaign attack ads claiming he was "just not ready" to win the October 19 election by a landslide, bringing an end to nine years of Tory rule under Stephen Harper.With his dark mop of curly hair, a confident swagger and hints of his father's speech, the younger Trudeau stood tall, smiled and mouthed "Thank you" as applause erupted after he took the oath in the ballroom of the governor general's mansion. Stepping out on the world stage, he confronts a diverse set of challenges: cutting carbon emissions, ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership, legalizing marijuana, drafting legislation permitting medically-assisted suicide, and plotting a return to the multilateralism sometimes shunned by his predecessor.The new Liberal government also has pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by year's end and to wind down Canada's combat mission against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria."Canadians from all across this country sent a message that it is time for real change, and I am deeply honored by the faith they have placed in my team and me," Trudeau said in a statement, adding that his Liberal government would hit the ground running. Aboriginal throat singing capped off the event, attended by aboriginal and military leaders, former prime ministers and past governors-general, foreign envoys and other guests.Trudeau's mother Margaret wiped away tears. She had been first to arrive for her son's swearing-in at Rideau Hall -- the official residence of the governor general -- carrying his youngest son Hadrian and with his two other children, Ella-Grace and Xavier, in tow.Trudeau himself and his cabinet pulled up soon afterward in a bus, rather than the limousines traditionally used to ferry government ministers around the capital, and then walked up a winding lane to the governor's mansion.His team includes some well-known personalities such as former astronaut Marc Garneau who takes over as transport minister, former Liberal leader Stephane Dion (Canada's new foreign minister), as well as several fresh faces.For the first time ever, the Canadian public was officially invited to witness the swearing-in ceremony in person. Two massive screens were set up outside the mansion for additional public viewing.A large crowd gathered in a carnival-like atmosphere for the event under a bright blue sky and colorful fall foliage."We all knew his father and after a decade of Conservatives in power this is a historic change in government," Robert Boisvert, a spectator at the swearing-in, told AFP.Many people at the ceremony had travelled to Ottawa from Montreal and Toronto, and camped out to get a glimpse of the new prime minister, who glad-handed dozens of people as he walked in with his wife Sophie Gregoire and his inner circle.- Family ties -The Trudeau family is often compared to the Kennedys in the United States.Pierre Trudeau, who died in 2000, was prime minister from 1968 to 1979, and again from 1980 to 1984. He is considered the father of modern Canada.At 43, Trudeau is the nation's second youngest prime minister after Joe Clark in 1979.Trudeau was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008, after years trying out different roles. He worked as a whitewater guide, snowboard instructor, bartender, bouncer and public speaker.After the ballroom ceremony, he was expected to deliver a statement and hold the new government's first cabinet meeting.Former native chief Jody Wilson-Rayould was named Canada's first aboriginal justice minister. She is expected to shepherd a key Liberal election promise of holding a public inquiry into more than 1,000 missing and murdered aboriginal women.The new trade minister is Trudeau friend Chrystia Freeland, author of a best-seller on the rise of the super-rich called "Plutocrats" and a proponent of tax hikes on the nation's wealthiest one percent.Businessman Bill Morneau will manage the nation's finances, while decorated soldier Harjit Singh Sajjan will command the military.The new prime minister himself will also take on two extra portfolios -- youth and intergovernmental affairs.He and his family, however, will not move into the prime minister's official residence at 24 Sussex, where Trudeau grew up, because it must undergo a massive renovation. Instead they will stay at a guest house on the governor general's estate.Parliament, meanwhile, is expected to be recalled in December after Trudeau returns from four back-to-back international events including UN climate talks in Paris.
Paris and other cities want voices heard at climate talks-Associated Press-NOV 4,15- YAHOO NEWS
PARIS (AP) — Michael Bloomberg and mayors of large world cities want to weigh in on upcoming U.N. climate negotiations with their local experiences in fighting global warming.Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Bloomberg, former New York mayor and now a U.N. climate change envoy, are convening mayors of Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Johannesburg and other cities Dec. 4 in Paris. Hidalgo's office said the mayors will produce proposals to negotiators at the U.N. conference near Paris Nov. 30-Dec. 11.Local leaders have been at the forefront of some of the more ambitious measures to reduce emissions. Bloomberg said the mayors' meeting will help ensure their "voice is heard in the treaty negotiations."His efforts in New York included planting 800,000 trees, improving bus and bike transport and requiring more energy-efficient buildings.
COUNTRIES WITH ISRAEL AND THE ENEMIES OF THE WEST
EZEKIEL 38:10-19
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,(RUSSIA,ARAB,MUSLIMS) 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.
13 Sheba, and Dedan,(SAUDIA ARABIA)(JORDAN) and the merchants of Tarshish,(ENGLAND) with all the young lions thereof,(USA,CANADA,AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND,EU,ENGLAND,ENGLISH SPEAKING shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
PSALMS 83:3-7 (COUNTRIES AGAINST ISRAEL)(EXCEPT JORDAN)
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,(JORDAN) and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, PALESTINIANS,JORDAN) and the Hagarenes;(EGYPT)
7 Gebal,(HEZZBALLOH,LEBANON) and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA,ARABS,SINAI) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)
ISRAEL-WEST ENEMIES EZEK 38:4-6,15-19
4 And I (GOD) 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: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts,(RUSSIA-ARAB/MUSLIMS) thou, and many people with thee,(AFRICAN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES) all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
DANIEL 11:44 (CHINA WITH RUSSIA-MUSLIMS)
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)
EZEKIEL 39:1-6 ISRAELS ENEMIES DESTROYED
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,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) 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 ATOMIC BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Russia's Syria force grows to 4,000, U.S. officials say-Reuters By Jonathan Landay, Phil Stewart and Mark Hosenball-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Moscow's military force in Syria has grown to about 4,000 personnel, but this and more than a month of Russian air strikes have not led to pro-government forces making significant territorial gains, U.S. security officials and independent experts said.Moscow, which has maintained a military presence in Syria for decades as an ally of the ruling Assad family, had an estimated 2,000 personnel in the country when it began air strikes on Sept. 30. The Russian force has since roughly doubled and the number of bases it is using has grown, U.S. security officials said.The Russians have suffered combat casualties, including deaths, said three U.S. security officials familiar with U.S. intelligence reporting, adding that they did not know the exact numbers.Russia's foreign ministry declined to comment on the size of the Russian contingent in Syria or any casualties it has suffered. It referred questions to the Russian Defense Ministry, which did not respond to written questions submitted by Reuters.The Kremlin has said there are no Russian troops in combat roles in Syria, though it has said there are trainers and advisers working alongside the Syrian military and also forces guarding Russia's bases in western Syria.The only death the Russian government has reported was that of a serviceman who the military said died by suicide. The man's parents have said they doubted this account.The United States has strongly criticized President Vladimir Putin's military intervention in Syria's 4-1/2-year civil war, and President Barack Obama has predicted it could lead to a quagmire for Russia.But Obama has had little success in affecting the conflict himself. Washington has targeted Islamic State in more than a year of air strikes, and last week Obama ordered the first U.S. troops into Syria - a small contingent of up to 50 special operations forces who will advise U.S.-backed rebels. 'PEOPLE OUTSIDE The WIRE'-A U.S. defense official said Russian aircraft are now operating out of four bases, but multiple rocket launcher crews and long-range artillery batteries are deployed outside the facilities."They have a lot of people outside the wire," he said.Victoria Nuland, the top U.S. diplomat for Europe, told U.S. lawmakers Russia had begun to deploy ground assets such as artillery to areas Assad forces have lost to the moderate opposition, including near the cities of Hama and Homs."Russia is fielding its own artillery and other ground assets around Hama and Homs, greatly increasing Russia's own soldiers' vulnerability to counterattack," Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, said.The main Russian base is at the Bassel al-Assad International Airport near the port city of Latakia. All of Moscow's fixed-wing aircraft are flying from there in support of ground offensives by the Syrian army and foreign Shiite militias, the defense official said.Three other bases - Hama, Sharyat and Tiyas - are being used for helicopter gunships, he said. The Russians began operating from Tiyas only this week, the official said.Russia's air fleet in Syria comprises 34 fixed-wing aircraft and 16 helicopters, the U.S. officials said. Current government ground offensives appear aimed at securing President Bashar al-Assad's grip on a rump state running from Aleppo in the north, through Hama and Homs, south to Damascus and the Lebanese border.Despite the Russian air strikes, the offensives have failed to make significant advances, the U.S. officials and independent experts said. A key factor appears to be significant losses by pro-government forces of tanks and other armored vehicles to U.S.-made TOW anti-tank missiles that Saudi Arabia has been supplying to the anti-Assad rebels."The impact was insufficient to achieve a breakthrough against opposition forces except minimally south of Aleppo," Yezid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center, a Beirut-based policy institute, told a Washington briefing on Tuesday.Russia said when it began its air strikes that it is primarily targeting Islamic State, which controls large parts of northern Syria. Western governments and opposition activists say that Russia has mostly been hitting other anti-Assad forces, including some groups backed by the United States. The top U.S. diplomat in the Middle East reiterated this charge on Wednesday.A Reuters analysis last month of Russian Defense Ministry data showed that almost 80 percent of Russia's declared targets have been in areas not held by Islamic State, undermining Moscow's assertions that its aim is to defeat the group.-'LOGISTICAL TAIL'-A U.S. intelligence official said the Russian-backed offensives could still achieve breakthroughs, but the longer the stalemate persists, the more pressure will build on Putin to consider new options."The major offensives are only in their infancy," said the official, who requested anonymity in order to discuss the issue. "Should the pro-regime offensives stall or continue to make only incremental gains, it could force Putin to weigh options for an increased military footprint."Christopher Harmer, a senior analyst with the Institute for the Study of War, a research institute, said the increase in Russian forces on the ground represents support and logistical personnel needed to sustain combat operations."What has most likely happened is that as soon as the Russians had enough forces in theater to start military operations, they did," Harmer said. "The increase to 4,000 is simply the logistical tail to support the combat tooth." He predicted the Russian force could expand to 8,000 or more.On Oct. 20, a senior pro-Syrian government military source told Reuters at least three Russian citizens fighting with Syrian government forces had been killed by a shell that hit their position near Latakia. Russian authorities strongly denied at the time that any of their military personnel had been killed.(Additional reporting by Ekaterina Golubkova in Moscow; Editing by Warren Strobe, Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis)
US diplomats: Russian strikes hit Syrian rebels, civilians-Associated Press By DEB RIECHMANN-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two top U.S. diplomats said Wednesday that 85 to 90 percent of Russian air strikes in Syria have killed moderate opposition forces and civilians and that Moscow's intervention has done little to stop Islamic State militants.The State Department officials testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee where both Democratic and Republican members maintained that the current U.S. policy in Syria is too limited.The hearing follows the White House's announcement last week that it was deploying as many as 50 special operations forces to Syria and Secretary of State John Kerry's recent meetings in Vienna to chart a political transition to the conflict, which has killed 225,000 Syrians and caused more than 4 million to become refugees."Russia's military intervention has dangerously exacerbated an already complex environment," said Anne Patterson, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, adding that Russian airstrikes predominantly have targeted areas where Islamic State militants are not present.She said Moscow has claimed that it is striking terrorists, but that so far, 85 to 90 percent of Syrian strikes have hit moderate Syrian opposition forces and have also killed civilians."So far, then, this has not been a Russian fight against terrorism so much as an effort to preserve the Assad regime," she said about Syrian President Bashar Assad.Patterson said that so far, U.S. diplomatic efforts have not led to any agreement on the fate of Assad.Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, said Moscow has failed to exact any humanitarian concessions from Assad as a price for Russian support."The regime continues to barrel bomb its own citizens with impunity, perhaps even emboldened by Moscow's help," Nuland said.She said Kerry is hoping that if the U.S. and others can "rope" Russia into the diplomatic effort, it will lead Moscow to seek a peaceful solution different than the military intervention they are engaged in today.Nuland said Russia is spending $2 million to $4 million a day on its air campaign in Syria at a time when Russians are hurting from an economic downturn."What would positive cooperation by Russia look like?" she asked. "First, Russia would turn its guns on IS and stop carnage in and around Syria's western cities. As the price of its support, Moscow would insist that Assad ground the helicopters and planes he uses to drop barrel bombs on innocents on a daily basis."Moreover she said Russia also should work with the U.S. and its partners toward a cease-fire and political transition.Rep. Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the committee, called Obama's policy "tepid" and "very ineffectual." He also said Russian cargo aircraft have been seen running Iranian weapons into Syria in violation of the U.N. arms embargo."The administration has done little to help the opposition. Its feeble train-and-equip program is now defunct. ... And no one believes Friday's announcement of 50 special forces will be decisive," Royce said.Rep. Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the committee, said the failed effort to train and equip moderate Syrians to fight IS was too little, too late. He said the U.S. needs to learn from its past mistakes, look forward and focus on ways that Congress can work with the White House to strengthen the current policy.
Putin, Merkel edge Obama to new low in power ranking-AFP-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
The magazine published its seventh annual ranking just weeks after Putin opened a new front in the Syria war by conducting air strikes, then Putin hosted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Moscow."As Obama enters the final year of his presidency, it's clear his influence is shrinking, and it's a bigger struggle than ever to get things done," Forbes wrote."At home, his approval ratings are perpetually stuck under 50 percent; abroad, he's outshined by Merkel in Europe, and outmaneuvered by Putin in the Middle East."In August, Putin's domestic approval rating soared to 87 percent, the highest level in six years, according to an independent polling center.His intervention in Syria has seen Putin seek to muscle his way back to global influence after months of Western isolation over Ukraine."Putin continues to prove he's one of the few men in the world powerful enough to do what he wants -- and get away with it," said Forbes.Despite international sanctions imposed after Moscow annexed Crimea and over the conflict in Ukraine, Putin has made the US and NATO look weak, and helped rebuild Russian influence abroad, Forbes said.The German chancellor, jumped up three places to grab the second spot, last year occupied by Obama."Merkel is the backbone of the 28-member European Union, and her decisive actions dealing with the Syrian refugee problem and the Greek credit crisis helped bump her up the list," Forbes said.Pope Francis was number four and Chinese leader Xi Jinping number five, falling two spots from last year. The 2015 list ranks 73 powerbrokers among 7.3 billion people on the planet.Among the eight newcomers were Saudi Arabia's new monarch, King Salman, number 14, and US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at number 58 and 72 respectively.Thirty on the list come from the United States, eight come from China, and four each from Japan and Russia.Nine women made the cut.The youngest on the list are 31-year-old Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, at number 19, and North Korea's 32-year-old leader Kim Jong-un at number 46.The entire list can be seen at www.forbes.com/power.
South Sudan rivals boosting weapons stockpiles: U.N. experts-Reuters By Michelle Nichols-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Warring parties in South Sudan are expanding stockpiles of weapons and ammunition in violation of an August peace deal and President Salva Kiir risks fueling violence with plans to almost triple the number of states in the country, said United Nations experts.In a report to the U.N. Security Council, seen by Reuters on Wednesday, the experts said they were examining the flow of arms into South Sudan and had "credible, independent" reports that both the government and opposition were boosting their supplies.The experts, who monitor U.N. sanctions on South Sudan, said they would provide details shortly. The 15-member Security Council warned in August it was ready to impose an arms embargo on the country if the peace agreement collapsed.A political row between Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar sparked civil war in late 2013 and reopened ethnic fault lines between Kiir's Dinka and Machar's Nuer people. More than 10,000 people have been killed.Kiir and Machar signed the peace deal in August, but since then both sides have accused one another of attacks, and humanitarian groups have pulled out of parts of the oil-rich country where heavy violence has been reported.The experts said both sides were "persistently failing to implement a permanent ceasefire and failing to agree meaningfully to security arrangements that are requisite for the establishment of the transitional national government."They also said Kiir had taken steps to "undermine the power-sharing formula" that underpins the peace deal by planning to increase the number of states in South Sudan to 28 from 10. The presidential decree is due to come into effect by mid-November." South Sudan has a long history of violent disputes over internal border demarcation," the experts wrote. "Implementation of the decree and the consequent discussion over the exact borders as well as competition over new governorships may inject new drivers of conflict into the ongoing civil war."The government continues to target civilians in oil-producing Unity state, said the experts, citing U.N. and non-U.N. agencies which had reported more than 50 rapes in October and accusations that government troops shot into swamps at fleeing civilians, burned houses and abducted women and children.The Security Council blacklisted six rival generals in South Sudan in July, the first people to be subjected to a global asset freeze and travel ban. But Russia, Angola and Venezuela objected in September to a U.S. bid to add South Sudan's army chief and a rebel commander to the sanctions lists.(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Iran holds negative attitude toward US despite nuclear deal-Associated Press By ALI AKBAR DAREINI and JON GAMBRELL-NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — As Iran marks the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, there are signs that the Islamic Republic's attitude toward the United States is as negative as ever.The arrests of U.S. citizens, hints of a Cold War-style prisoner swap, fears of Western infiltration and even the shutdown of a lookalike KFC restaurant show the suspicion still held by hard-liners after the nuclear deal with world powers.In the short term, things may even get worse, analysts say, as Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continues to warn about American influence, a crucial parliamentary election approaches and the country's intelligence and military services try to hold onto their economic and political power."I think many Americans and many Iranians didn't take the leader at his word that this does not mean detente, that this is a one-off transaction. I think the system was deadly serious about this," said Cliff Kupchan, the chairman of the Eurasia Group. "I think the increased contact will lead to detente with the U.S., but we have a lot of harsh repression to go through before we get there."On Wednesday, thousands demonstrated in front of the old U.S. Embassy, marking the 36th anniversary of students seizing 52 Americans hostage there after Washington refused to hand over the toppled U.S.-backed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The protest came despite the deal that will see Tehran limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.Meanwhile, four Iranian-Americans are known to be held by Iran: Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian of The Washington Post; former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, Michigan; pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho; and Siamak Namazi, a businessman and the son of a politician from the shah's era.Separately, former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran in 2007 while working for the CIA on an unapproved intelligence mission. Iran also recently announced the arrest of Washington-based Lebanese citizen Nizar Zakka, who holds permanent-resident status in the U.S.Iranian media has raised the possibility of exchanging some Americans for 19 Iranians held in the U.S. While that potential swap may figure into the arrests, Kupchan said the detentions also signal that the Iranian "deep state" still has a "number of post-deal messages it wants to send," including to Iranians living abroad."To me, the message to the Iranian-American community is: 'Don't think you're going to use your connections to come in and take over economic profits ... in post-deal Iran, because you're not,'" he said.Another message involves projecting Iran's power in the region, like supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country's long civil war. Images promoting Iran's military prowess abound, whether it's the recently televised Revolutionary Guard tour of an underground missile base or the announcement of newly designed weapons. Anti-Americanism plays into that. As demonstrators burn American flags, a new Tehran billboard appropriates the famous Associated Press photo of the World War II flag-raising at Iwo Jima with blood-covered U.S. soldiers standing on a pile of corpses.Even facsimiles of American culture are targeted, as demonstrators Wednesday carried signs that said no to U.S. fast-food chains like McDonald's or Starbucks setting up franchises in the country. Authorities on Monday closed a newly opened lookalike KFC in Tehran, complete with images of founder Col. Harland Sanders, reportedly over licensing issues. Abbas Pazooki, the restaurant's manager, said he hoped to reopen soon and claimed his eatery, "KFC Halal," had nothing to do with the U.S. brand.Andy Izquierdo, a spokesman for Yum Brands Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky, the owner of KFC, said his company was "shocked with the news that an illegitimate KFC outlet has opened in Tehran."" No franchise rights have been granted to any party in Iran," he said in a statement. "We are in contact with local authorities and external advisers and will be filing a legal action against any company or individuals claiming to have rights to open KFC."During the demonstrations, state prosecutor Ebrahim Raeisi announced that the intelligence department of the Revolutionary Guard had detained a number of writers and spies "hired by Americans." He did not elaborate. In recent weeks, artists and journalists in Iran have been arrested or given harsh sentences in a series of trials."Under no circumstances will we allow penetration of Americans in economic, social and cultural areas," Raeisi said, repeating a constant warning heard since the nuclear deal.So far, the nuclear deal seems secure in both countries despite Iran's rhetoric and the recent arrests. U.S. President Barack Obama holds veto power over any effort by Congress to enact sanctions on Iran, while Iran's government and Khamenei already have approved the terms of the deal. A parliamentary election in February also probably won't endanger it, although hard-liners are eager to regain political power from those allied to moderate President Hassan Rouhani."Hard-liners are at work to undermine Rouhani's policy of detente and constructive engagement with the outside world," said Saeed Leilaz, a Tehran-based political analyst. "An expanded campaign by hard-liners is aimed at thwarting Rouhani's administration and stopping his allies from winning the upcoming parliamentary elections."Despite the deal, the distrust will probably remain for some time. The crackdown and the increasingly hostile comments are intended entirely for Iran's domestic audience and to ensure Khamenei's power, said Sara Bazoobandi, a lecturer at Regent's University London and an associate at Chatham House."A lot of senior politicians and senior policymakers inside of Iran do not understand the dynamics of U.S. domestic politics and the U.S. public," Bazoobandi said. "In the same way, the Americans sit in the Congress and in the Senate thinking, 'This is an attack against us,' while it's not. The Iranians sitting inside of Tehran think, 'Oh, the Americans just want to walk in and overthrow us.'"___Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Adam Schreck in Dubai contributed to this report.___Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
After attacks, France walks narrow line on Islam in schools-Associated Press By LORI HINNANT-NOV 5,15-YAHOONEWS
PARIS (AP) — This was the week that schoolchildren in one Paris suburb got a stark choice at the cafeteria: pork or nothing at all.Chilly-Mazarin joined a handful of towns run by right-leaning mayors which have ended a practice of offering a substitute for students forbidden by their religion from eating pork.The decisions have come amid increased discussions in France about its secularist ideals following the terror attacks in January that were blamed on French Islamic extremists — a discussion critics say has been hijacked by anti-Muslim forces on the far right.On Wednesday, the Socialist government issued unusually direct criticism against the schools that have ended the pork substitutes as it was training dozens of appointees to mediate tense questions about the role of religion in schools and in public life.In back-to-back speeches, the education and interior ministers walked the country's increasingly narrow line on religion in schools, with the unspoken threat of Islamic extremism hovering over the auditorium in Paris' tony 16th arrondissement.Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said teachers at schools have to impart the secularist ideal, but "not a secularism that is a declaration of war against a religion, as we see when a mayor here or there decides that in the name of a so-called secular ideal, children will be forced to eat pork or skip school lunch."France forbids "ostentatious" symbols of religion in schools and government buildings, a mandate generally interpreted to mean Muslim head scarves and one that includes parents who accompany school outings wearing them. Schools take seriously their mission to educate the next generation of secular French citizens, never more so than since the January terror attacks.Vallaud-Belkacem alluded to that mission repeatedly in her speech to the mediators, whose job is to offer advice to local governments and schools about France's much-vaunted division between church and state."School is a place of knowledge, not of belief. This distinction is essential and we have to repeat it and teach it without cease," said Vallaud-Belkacem, who was born in Morocco and raised as a Muslim. Schools need to take responsibility for spotting and countering extremism, she said.But some say that what France defines as a religious problem actually leads to discrimination of a minority population that has little economic power and even less hope of advancement."The terror attacks of January 2015 weigh heavily on the way the problem is defined," said Olivier Noel, a sociologist who studies discrimination in France. "When you are talking about misusing the secular ideal, on the one hand it's happening on the extreme right, with Islamophobia. Then you have the extreme secularism of the left. And without meaning to, they join the positions of the extreme right."Vallaud-Belkacem and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve drew the line at public figures they accused of using attacks on religion to score political points.Vincent Berton is the secular mediator for the Marseille area, a Mediterranean crossroads where religions have mixed for hundreds of years. But even there, he said, "you find the same questions pretty much everywhere" — scarves, school meals, prayers.The issues are not clear cut. Although a group of intellectuals floated the idea of vegetarian meals as a secular alternative, the concept of meatless lunches has yet to take hold. But in Chilly-Mazarin, for example, the school cafeteria menus for November and December show only four days when pork is the only main dish offered. And in the Burgundy town of Chalon-Sur-Saone, an administrative panel rejected an emergency request to keep the substitutes, ruling that only two of 50 meals until the end of the year contained pork.The tribunal said the hard decision — whether the town's decision was an attack on freedom of religion — will be made within three months by a higher judge.
NATO exercises send clear message to potential foes: Stoltenberg-AFP By Bryan McManus- NOV 4,15-YAHOONEWS
Zaragoza (Spain) (AFP) - NATO's biggest military exercise in more than a decade sends a clear message to friends and foes alike that it is ready to face the challenges of a fast-changing world, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday."While our aim is to train and exercise, we are also sending a clear message to our nations and to any potential adversary," Stoltenberg said."NATO does not seek confrontation but we stand ready to defend all allies," he said as troops, armoured vehicles and aircraft battled it out at the San Gregorio training grounds near the northeastern Spanish city of Zaragoza.The training moves were part of the much larger Trident Juncture exercise launched last month.The drill is putting some 36,000 troops through their paces for five weeks in Italy, Spain and Portugal to demonstrate the improved readiness levels NATO judges necessary to cope with new threats.Leaders of the 28-nation, US-led military alliance, shocked by Russian intervention in Ukraine, agreed in September last year to upgrade its rapid response force, more than doubling its size to around 40,000 troops.They also approved setting up what is known as the Very High-Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), a smaller "spearhead" unit which can put boots on the ground within 48 hours, rather than the weeks and possibly months needed for the larger unit to get to a crisis spot."Trident Juncture is an important part of NATO's long-term adaptation to a changed and new security environment," Stoltenberg said.If the Ukraine crisis provided the initial impetus, war and turmoil across North Africa and the Middle East are also major concerns for NATO.Turkey, with NATO's second largest armed forces, is especially exposed as the Syrian war drives millions of refugees onto its soil and then onto Europe, creating a major humanitarian crisis.Russian intervention in Syria and several incursions by its aircraft into Turkish airspace have also frayed nerves, although tensions appear to have eased recently as Washington and Moscow push for a political solution to the conflict.Stoltenberg stressed that Russia had been invited to the Trident Juncture exercises, and complained that Moscow had not reciprocated when holding its own training drills.He told reporters that NATO foreign ministers would discuss security on its southern borders at a December meeting, adding that the alliance planned to deploy surveillance drones to Sicily from next year to boost its situational awareness."I would like to underline that NATO has done a lot to meet security challenges to the south," he said, stressing the creation of the VJTF and the alliance's improved overall readiness.
METRO JET-A321-pic-aircollection.org
A solar flare erupting from the sun. Photo: AP Photo/NASA