"The WAR on error"
This Sunday we observe the annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Therefore, I address to all men of good will and, in particular, to Christian communities, a special message dedicated to migrant families.
Christians have a right to make their voices heard on political and civil issues. This was one of the points made by Benedict XVI in his address to the Roman Curia on Dec. 22. After commenting on why the Church is opposed to legalizing marriage for same-sex couples, the Pope defended the right of the faithful, and the Church itself, to speak out on this issue.
Western Christianity is steeped in paganism just as Western culture is intrinsically pagan and anti-Christian. The 3 most celebrated Western holidays provide astounding proofs of the high paganism of Western civilisation.
Looking grim and drawn in recent days, Stoiber has extracted vows of loyalty from key lieutenants. And most of the plotters say they still dare not oust Stoiber in a party coup for fear this would split the CSU.
The Bavaria-only Christian Social Union wrestled today over the fate of its leader, whose departure could smooth the workings of Merkel's government. German news media have reported that party leaders, several of whom have pledged public support, are privately looking for ways to ease Stoiber aside as early as this week.
Edmund Stoiber was under pressure yesterday to resign as state premier of Bavaria, threatening disarray in Merkel's conservative bloc. Her party is dependent on the continuing success of the Christian Social Union. For decades, Stoiber's and Merkel's parties have had a pact whereby the Christian Democrats would keep away from establishing a political presence in Bavaria, and the Christian Social Union would not venture outside the prosperous, conservative and largely Catholic state.
Germany's state of parliamentary democracy is under threat from the European Union which is slowly taking away all the national parliament's powers, the country's ex-president has said. "EU policies suffer to an alarming degree from a lack of democracy and a de facto suspension of the separation of powers. By far the biggest part of the current laws in Germany are agreed by the council of ministers [member states representation in Brussels] and not the German parliament."
German parliamentarians themselves have also started to complain about not being consulted enough on what their government agrees in Brussels. In addition, the final technical step for Germany's ratification of the EU constitution is being held up due to a similar complaint. Although both houses of parliament have overwhelmingly approved the document, Germany's president Horst Köhler has refused to sign it until the country's constitutional court rules on whether the charter is taking too much power from the national parliament.
German leader Angela Merkel has strongly defended the independence of the European Central Bank, saying she is "worried" about the debate over the euro in France. The German chancellor in a weekend interview with French daily Le Monde took a firm stance against the idea of increased political control of the ECB promoted recently by French politicians. Ms Merkel said "frankly, this debate in France rather worries me. The existence of the euro is linked to a common decision which we took: to have an independent Central Bank." The 1992 deal on the establishment of European Monetary Union was at the time only accepted by Germany on condition that the ECB had full independence from political interference.
The euro has displaced the US dollar as the world’s pre-eminent currency in international bond markets, having outstripped the dollar-denominated market for the second year in a row. The rising role of the euro comes amid growing issuance by debt-laden European governments. However, the main factor is a rise in euro-denominated issuance by companies and financial institutions.
In an interview published in the German media Sunday, former Afghan prime minister and powerful warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar called on Chancellor Merkel to withdraw German troops from Afghanistan. "We had hoped from the German chancellor that she wouldn't sacrifice German sons for American interests."
The Bush administration has again threatened to dispose Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki if he does not fully collaborate with its surge of troops into Iraq and its plans for a brutal crackdown against the Shiite fundamentalist movement led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Just two months after the American people repudiated the Iraq war in congressional elections and made clear they wanted its end, the Bush administration is preparing even greater crimes.
Iran government spokesman said today that Iran was moving towards completion of the nuclear fuel cycle which would need 3,000 or perhaps even more centrifuges. He said the country would pursue peaceful nuclear activities nothwithstanding any move by the enemies to create obstacles on its path, saying it will circumvent all obstacles put on its path.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday called as 'incorrect' allegation made by Condoleezza Rice consistent with kidnapping Iranian diplomats from Iranian Consulate. "The assumption made by Rice was incorrect. All activities of the consulate in Arbil were legal, official and endorsed by Iraqi officials."
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said yesterday the United States, Britain and Israel [Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah] were an "axis of evil" trying to drive a wedge between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims. "America, Britain and the Zionist regime (Israel) are an axis of evil against the Islamic world and the whole of humanity."
The belief that George Bush's troops "surge" policy in Iraq is also aimed at confronting Iran was strengthened yesterday when the White House declared that it was "going to deal" with the actions of the Tehran regime.
Has George W. Bush ordered up a "secret war" against Iran and Syria? Some administration opponents on Capitol Hill began asking this question after U.S. forces in recent weeks arrested two groups of Iranian government. In fact, administration officials (anonymous due to diplomatic sensitivities) concede that Bush's Iran language may have been overly aggressive, raising unwarranted fears about military strikes on Tehran.
That there will be war with Iran is now virtually guaranteed. The Bush Administration set out a clear casus belli over the weekend in two stories – masterworks of warmongering propaganda – appearing in two major bastions of the "liberal media." Make no mistake: this is the marker that has now been put down; this is the card that's been laid on the table. The Bush Administration has openly accused Iran of killing American soldiers in Iraq.
As reported by the January 12 New York Times, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice admitted that George W. Bush authorized the raid of the Iranian liaison office in Irbil, Iraq, and that the raid was part of a broad military offensive against Iran ordered by Bush several months ago. The Iranian government’s response to these raids, material seized by US forces in this raid, and whatever results from the arrest and detainment of five Iranians, will be used as the pretext to launch the long-anticipated Anglo-American war on Iran.
As American troops storm what is, or was, an Iranian consulate and the president accuses Tehran of arming and aiding Iraqi insurgents, the answer to the question "Why are we in Iraq?" should begin to dawn on even the dullest. The answer: Iran. We're in Iraq so we can go after the mullahs in Tehran, and, perhaps, those other Ba'athists in Syria. All indications point to a strike at the Iranians before Bush leaves office.
When are the American people and their representatives in Congress and the military going to wake up and realize that the US has an insane war criminal in the White House who is destroying all chances for peace in the world and establishing a police state in the US? Americans don’t have much time to realize this and to act before it is too late. Bush’s "surge" speech makes it completely clear that his real purpose is to start wars with Iran and Syria before failure in Iraq brings an end to the neoconservative/Israeli plan to establish hegemony over the Middle East.
There is a large majority of Americans who are terrified by our governments inability to hear our voices. We do not want war. Not with you, not with anyone.
It has finally become clear that the goal of these efforts isn't to win the war against terrorism; indeed, nothing about Padilla, Guantanamo Bay or signing statements moves the country an inch closer to eradicating terrorism. The object is a larger one: expanding executive power, for its own sake.
The collapse of the Bush presidency is truly historic. While a weakened Bush presidency may appear intuitively to be a cause for celebration, it poses a serious danger.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy overwhelmingly captured the presidential nomination of France's governing party Sunday, pledging to reform the country, enforce respect of French laws and traditions and make the French work longer and harder.
Big dividends for shareholders means higher prices for the poor and middle class, thanks to a cut in a tax rate by congress; freezing pay for workers to raise profits, lawyer for former CIA client asserts that we should be able to act with impunity around the world. Bristol Bay about to be destroyed with pollution; reasons why Bush and Cheney have to go, Phoenix real estate flattening.
Before we close the book completely on 2006, we'd be remiss not naming Rocky Balboa "man of the year" (although, I suppose, Time already did, in naming everyone). In portraying a larger-than-life man who embraces his masculinity as the blessing it is, Rocky is doing his part to buck up the real real men. Pop culture isn't exactly overflowing with messages encouraging men to be manly and to take pride in knowing they have something their families need. Perhaps the character's greatest virtue is his love for the vulnerable. Harvard's Harvey Mansfield defines "manliness" as "confidence and command in a situation of risk."
Today in Scripture
* "On the 24th day of the 9th month, in the 2nd year of Darius, the word of YAHWEH came to the prophet Haggai: ... 'So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,' declares YAHWEH. 'Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.'" (Haggai 2:10,14)
* "Now give careful thought to this from this day on - consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in YAHWEH's temple." (Haggai 2:15)
* "'From this day on, from this 24th day of the 9th month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of YAHWE's temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. From this day on I will bless you.'" (Haggai 2:18,19)
* "The word of YAHWEH came to Haggai a 2nd time on the 24th day of the [9th] month: 'Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. On that day I will take you - my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel - and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares YAHWEH TSABA." (Haggai 2:20-23)
* "The word of YAHWEH came to Haggai a 2nd time on the 24th day of the [9th] month: 'Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. On that day I will take you - my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel - and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares YAHWEH TSABA." (Haggai 2:20-23)
[WAR: I hinted at this a few weeks ago, but now I'll spell it out ... Considering that Yahshua's body was the new temple (John 2:19-21) and that he was born on Trumpets (Rev 12:1), then it makes perfect sense that Yahshua was conceived on this day ("the day when the foundation of YAHWEH's temple was laid"!! Nine months later would be the 24th day of the 6th month. And since "pregnancy lasts approximately 9 months", then just add a week and that puts his birth at Trumpets!]
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