Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Millennium
Oct 22nd, 2012
CommentaryGrant Phillips
Categories: Exhortation

The thousand year reign of Christ upon the earth is something I long to see. I can hardly wait until the time when Jesus shows one and all how the earth should be ruled.

Satan has tried for millennia to accomplish this and has always failed. He will make one last effort with the Antichrist, but the Bible tells us that he will fail again. He won’t be around to see Christ rule the earth, but we who belong to Him will be here, and what a day that will be. Jesus will let Satan loose after the thousand years is complete, but just long enough for him to lead a rebellion and meet his final judgment in the Lake of Fire.

The various rulers of this current world rule their countries in whatever un-Godly fashion they choose, but those days will be no more during the Millennium. In this country, for example, there will be no liberal elite who blaspheme and get away with it. Justice will be meted out the only way it should be, by God Himself.

Revolts in the West Bank and Jordan Challenge or Opportunity?
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily NewsIsrael Today - Elizabeth Blade
Categories: Commentary;Contemporary Issues

Since the eruption of the uprisings in the Arab world starting in late 2010, the West Bank, the biblical Judea and Samaria, has been relatively quiet. Now the situation seems to be changing with the notorious Arab Spring knocking on the door.

September saw massive protests across the Palestinian Authority-ruled territories as thousands of locals observed a one-day strike, while others shut down entire cities, burning tires and attacking PA governmental offices.

The demonstrations came in response to the government’s failure to pay the August wages of nearly 150,000 public employees, as well as the decision to raise fuel costs and value-added taxes on most goods and services. This made it hard for ordinary Palestinians to provide for their families, especially given the fact that an average monthly salary in the PA stands at about $400.

Frustrated at the expensive costs of living and the inability of the government to act upon its promises, Palestinians called for the resignation of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who as recently as last year was celebrated for boosting economic growth. Similar calls have also been directed against the President Mahmoud Abbas.

More to come

These protests are not likely to die out. A recent study by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) concluded that 76% of Palestinians expected the current wave of demonstrations to continue and even escalate, especially if prices climb further.

In an attempt to tackle the crisis, the PA came up with a number of initiatives designed to cool down the masses. Fayyad, for example, promised to resign if that was the will of the people and if doing so would “solve the economic problems”. He also announced some concessions, reducing the tax increase to 15% (instead of the proposed 15.5%), promising to restore petrol prices to their August levels, and guaranteeing that PA employees would get at least half of their salaries immediately.

Other high ranking officials joined the chorus, vowing that the government would introduce a minimum wage law and would work on the creation of price control initiatives aimed at preventing traders from exploiting the crisis.

Simultaneously, to distract public attention from domestic issues, President Abbas revved up his efforts to obtain non-member state status at the United Nations General Assembly, the debate and vote for which are expected in November.

Opportunity for extremists?

But as people are frustrated with the lack of progress, and as Abbas’ Fatah party seems to be losing support among Palestinians, could that be used by radical elements (like Hamas) to seize power, ousting the current government? In other words: will the West Bank become the Arab Spring’s next victim?

Professor Hillel Frisch, senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar Ilan University, says it is unlikely the Palestinian government will fall.

“The PA is weak, fragmented and has almost zero support, but I doubt it’s going to be brought down. In fact, the Arab Spring is actually helping the PA. Palestinians see the extent of suffering in other Arab states that were hit by the revolutions and they come to the realization that they don’t want this turmoil at home,” Frisch explained to Israel Today.

Addressing the concerns that Hamas could take over the West Bank in general elections, Frisch again expressed his doubts: “First of all, I don’t believe that [truly] democratic elections will take place and, secondly, Hamas is not popular even in the Gaza Strip,” let alone the West Bank.

Indeed, as the West Bank geared up for municipal elections on Saturday, with Hamas boycotting the polls amid claims of Fatah harassing its candidates, the chances of a Hamas takeover seemed bleak. Although analysts predicted severe blow to Fatah as well, the ruling party did win the elections without encountering any significant resistance.

Another reason that could explain Palestinians’ reluctance to turn peaceful protests into bloody revolts against their government is people’s lingering exhaustion from years of destructive uprisings against Israel (that mostly ended in 2005) as well as a relative rise in prosperity that followed soon after.

Scapegoating Israel

But even if that’s the case, the PA still fears that a regime change is possible, preferring to redirect people’s ire toward Israel, and encouraging a third Intifada (uprising).

Ramallah has already pinned the blame for the acute fiscal situation on Jerusalem, claiming it was responsible for the high costs of living. This is despite the mutual agreement to improve cooperation on tax collection (signed this summer), and the ongoing efforts of the current Israeli government to remove many military barriers that bog down Palestinian trade.

Nevertheless, the PA’s strategy seems to be paying off. Crowds flooded the streets across Judea and Samaria chanting anti-Israel slogans, including “The people want the fall of [the] Oslo [Accords]!”

But Frisch said that Israel had nothing to worry about. “People may act foolishly as a mob but most of them are tired of the problems and are more concerned with financial issue rather than Israeli activities”. His words were backed by the reassurances of hopeful candidates in Saturday’s local elections that promised everything from cleaner streets to free Wi-Fi, while largely avoiding outlandish anti-Israel slogans.

Blaming everyone but themselves

Yet, determined to find a scapegoat, Fayyad pointed a blaming finger at the international community, arguing the decrease in foreign funds stood behind PA’s impotence in handling the crisis.

“What they are getting today is 20 times larger than it was in 1994, when limited Palestinian self-rule came into being,” said Frisch, referring to the generous cash injections flowing from such states as Japan, Canada, the US, EU members, Russia and many others.

“The only way for the Palestinians to increase their wealth is through work in Israel. This possibility has been scrapped [following the outbreak of the second Intifada in 2000 that claimed the lives of more than 600 people]. Now they are paying the price for their past mistakes,” concluded the expert.

Meanwhile in Jordan

In neighboring Jordan the situation is equally alarming, but unlike other Arab countries, where protests erupted spontaneously, demonstrations in the kingdom have been meticulously orchestrated.

But king Abdullah II saw it coming. That’s why, before demonstrations actually escalated, he started addressing the issues of corruption and lack of representation. Yet, the proposed reforms as well as the resignation of five governments didn’t help to ease the tensions.

In the beginning of October, thousands of Jordanians gathered in the capital city of Amman to protest the slow pace of reform and the electoral law passed last July, which discriminated against Jordanians of Palestinian descent.

Staged by the Islamic Action Front, a Jordanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, mass protests got particularly intensive following the king’s decision to dissolve the parliament and call for early elections (without specifying the dates), indicating that the Brotherhood’s real intention was to overthrow the monarchy, not to push for reforms.

Could Jordan fall?

Will Islamists succeed in Jordan as they did in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya? Experts are skeptical.

“The situation can get nasty and tensions can mount, leading to the collapse of the regime. Yet, as things seem right now, I don't see it happening. In order to understand why, you have to know the system,” said Orit Perlov, a researcher with Israel’s Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), who specializes in monitoring the moods of the Arab street through social networks.

“Some 70% of Jordan’s total population is people of Palestinian origin. They hold the keys to the economy and business sectors, while the Hashemites (native Jordanians of Bedouin descent), the backbone of the current regime, are in charge of the army and the government,” she explained. “If the Muslim Brotherhood pushes the line too much, the army will use its force and blood will be shed. There should be no doubts about that and the Muslim Brotherhood knows it.”

Frisch agreed. “Many people might not be satisfied with the king’s ‘divide and rule’ practices, but the regime is not going to be toppled, primarily because the king has always had strong people to side with,” he told Israel Today.

A house divided

While the pro-government forces seem to be loyal to the regime, the opposition is pretty divided. “First of all, there is the [Muslim Brotherhood] movement that pushes for political reforms, among which is the demand to establish a constitutional monarchy where the government is elected and not appointed by the king,” explained Perlov, adding that even though the Brotherhood is organized, it does not represent the majority of the population, and is unable to draw big numbers for protests.

“Secondly, there are the kingdom’s Palestinians, most of whom oppose the Muslim Brotherhood, but they do speak up against high unemployment rates and political inequality. And, finally, there are the Hashemites, who call for socio-economic reforms,” she stressed.

Additionally, according to Perlov, there are two other factors that could keep the regime intact. “The majority of people – though angry with the authorities – still back the king. Plus, many Jordanians simply don’t believe the Islamic opposition would be able to oust the government, primarily because it doesn’t have the weapons to do so,” she charged.

The only problem is that there are plenty of regional (and international) players who would be more than willing to arm the anti-government masses. According to Saudi news channel Al-Arabia, Russia, Syria and Iran are already snooping into Jordan’s affairs, stirring conflict in the kingdom, motivated by the desire to weaken the western forces and distract their attention from the war-stricken Syria.

"Even if MB does find the weapons to launch full-scale attacks against pro-government forces and the king decides to step down to prevent bloodshed, Hashemites will not relinquish power that easily. They will fight to the bitter end, determined not to let Palestinians take over,” stated Perlov.

Regional battle lines

Other Arab monarchies won’t allow the Jordanian regime to fall, either. The Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia have already voiced concerns about Muslim Brotherhood activities next to their borders, fearing that the collapse of the Hashemite monarchy in Jordan would make Saudi Arabia next on the Islamists’ target list.

Israel is also anxious to see how the current developments will play out, especially since the 1994 peace agreement is at stake.

Western financial aid attached to that peace treaty doesn’t seem to be adequate incentive for the Islamists, and last Friday thousands of Brotherhood supporters took to the streets of Amman’s downtown, calling on the government to cut relations with Jerusalem despite earlier claims that they would honor the peace treaty. Crowds that totaled some 10,000 people have also urged the king to expel all US forces on Jordanian soil.

Show of might

In an attempt to send a clear message to the Islamists to back off, the king decided to display his military might, attending drills, and meeting with a French commander and Kuwaiti minister to mull cooperation. He also welcomed some 150 US planners and other specialists, who came to assist the monarch in dealing with the Syrian crisis as well as those forces that threaten stability.

Storm clouds on the horizon

“While the Islamists are too scared to confront the army at the present moment, they could get bolder if the Arab Spring managed to knock out Syria and the current Palestinian leaders, or if Islamists (like Hamas)ascended to power following free and democratic elections,” argued Perlov, adding that this possibility was highly unlikely due to Hamas’ dwindling support.

But while Israeli experts are skeptical, there are some who think that an Islamist regime in Jordan is not only possible, but could play into the hands of Palestinians.

Voltairenet.org, a French network of non-aligned press groups dedicated to the analysis of the international relations, claims that Hamas leader Khaled Mashal could become a potential leader of a post-Abdullah Jordan, especially given his past experience as the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Jordanian branch. If this scenario does play out, says the website, Mashal could unite the two banks of the Jordan River, becoming the ruler of a larger Palestinian state.

Perlov rebutted those allegations. “I doubt he will be chosen. Israel is hunting him, that's why he cannot even go back to Gaza and prefers to live in hiding,” she explained. Frisch conceded that Mashal was an unlikely candidate, but said the union of the West Bank and Jordan was not an issue of personality.

Nevertheless, Perlov said that the two banks’ union was inevitable in the long run. “With or without Mashal, it is going to happen. As things go right now, the West Bank is going to become a de facto Jordanian territory, whereas the Gaza Strip will eventually merge with Egypt. The writing is already on the wall.

“But until this actually happens, we will just witness another round of uncertainty and instability, with crime and arms smuggling reaching unprecedented levels,” she summed up.

Netanyahu to Europe: Jerusalem is Ours!
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily NewsIsrael Today - Ryan Jones
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rebuffed European criticism over the construction of new housing units in a Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem, insisting that the Holy City belongs to the Jews.

Last week, Israel's Interior Ministry approved the construction of 800 new apartments in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo. Gilo is home to tens of thousands of Israeli Jews, and new construction there is by no means out of the ordinary.

But Britain, France and the European Union immediately took advantage of the opportunity to again express their displeasure with Jewish sovereignty over the entirety of Jerusalem, calling those few new apartments an "obstacle to peace."

Netanyahu said the world can call it whatever it wants, but his government will not "impose any restrictions on construction in Jerusalem."

The Israeli leader added that Jerusalem "is our capital" and the Jewish nation has a connection to Jerusalem that is as "ancient and powerful" as the connections Europeans have to their respective capitals.

Let the Headlines Speak
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

5.3-Magnitude Quake, Aftershocks Rattle Calif.
Nearly 6,700 people reported feeling the magnitude 5.3-quake when it struck late Saturday outside of King City, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website. USGS geophysicist Don Blakeman said the temblor struck in a "seismically active area" near the San Andreas Fault, about 90 miles southeast of San Jose. It was followed by at least four aftershocks that were greater than magnitude 2.5.

Egyptian President Seemingly Mouths ‘Amen’ after Preacher Calls for Destruction of the Jews
The translators at MEMRI – the Middle East Media Research Institute – have posted a new video showing Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi attending Friday prayers at a mosque in the Matrouh governorate in northern Egypt. During the religious service, the Muslim cleric Futouh Abd Al-Nabi Mansour gave a sermon that included a prayer to destroy or deal harshly with the Jews, and to grant victory over the “infidels.” In the clip, it appears that Morsi is mouthing the word “Amen” after each of the cleric’s pronouncements.

Jordan 'foils major al-Qaeda plot'
Ending a four-month surveillance operation, the Jordanian intelligence service arrested 11 suspected militants with links to al-Qaeda. Government officials in Amman said that the conspirators had aimed to eclipse the bombing of three hotels in the city in 2005, an attack that claimed more than 60 lives.

IMF's epic plan to conjure away debt and dethrone bankers
So there is a magic wand after all. A revolutionary paper by the International Monetary Fund claims that one could eliminate the net public debt of the US at a stroke, and by implication do the same for Britain, Germany, Italy, or Japan.

Weird weather ahead as 'blood rain' forecast for Halloween
The weirdest weather on record continues this week - a 20C Indian summer is set to be followed by snow with 'blood rain' thrown in for good measure, the Met office says. Temperatures are set to soar this week to an unseasonably warm 20C - but the Indian summer is not set to last as snow as predicted for the end of the week.

Swarm of quakes hit Tolaga Bay
According to GeoNet, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake occurred at 1.13am. It was located around 50km east of Tolaga Bay, and had a depth of 19km. Around six minutes later, a second quake, with a magnitude of 3.8, hit 40 km east of Tolaga Bay A little later, at 1.49am GeoNet reported a 3.4 magnitude shake in the same area. And at 1.55am, a magnitude 4 quake, with a depth of 20km was reported.

Iranian regime said to be rooting for Obama
The Iranian regime seems to have a rooting interest in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to a review of online writers and bloggers in Iran.

Israel Disaster Drills Prepare Nation For War
A conflict with Iran looms largest in the Israeli mind at the moment. It may be triggered by a unilateral strike against Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. It would be certain to provoke a counter-attack from Iran directly using long-range ballistic missiles and through its Lebanese surrogate, Hizbollah.

Iran, U.S. deny reported plan for secret one-on-one nuclear talks
The New York Times, quoting unnamed U.S. administration officials, had said on Saturday that secret exchanges between U.S. and Iranian officials had yielded an agreement “in principle” to hold one-on-one talks.

Obama campaign accepted foreign Web donation -- and may be hiding more
Chris Walker, a British citizen who lives outside London, told The Post he was able to make two $5 donations to President Obama’s campaign this month through its Web site while a similar attempt to give Mitt Romney cash was rejected. It is illegal to knowingly solicit or accept money from foreign citizens.

South Korean police ban propaganda leaflet launch to North
South Korean police banned activists from sending propaganda leaflets across the heavily militarized border into North Korea on Monday, following last week's threat of attack by Pyongyang if they went ahead.

Lebanon army calls for political 'caution' amid clashes
Lebanon's army has urged the country's political leaders to show caution when expressing their opinions, in a bid to calm "unprecedented" tensions. It comes after clashes broke out in several areas, following the killing of a senior security official on Friday. The worst clashes were in Tripoli in the north, where at least three people died as gunmen exchanged fire.

Turkey 'cracking down' on press freedom
An international media watchdog group has accused Turkey of waging "one of the world's biggest anti-press campaigns in recent history". The Committee to Protect Journalists says it has identified 61 journalists imprisoned because of their work - more than in any other country in the world. Those detained face charges including terrorism and denigrating Turkishness.

Europe's Lost Generation Costs $200 Billion A Year: Study
A lost generation of 14 million out-of-work and disengaged young Europeans is costing member states a total of €153bn (£124bn) a year – 1.2% of the EU's gross domestic product – the largest study of the young unemployed has concluded.

Israeli Air Force strikes in Gaza; 2 killed
Israeli aircraft attacked Palestinians who launched mortars toward IDF soldiers near Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip Monday morning. The soldiers were operating near the security fence separating Israel from the Hamas-ruled enclave when mortar shells were fired in their direction. The soldiers set off smoke bombs, and an Israeli pilot fired a missile at the terrorists. The pilot identified a hit.

US election debate: Candidates to spar on foreign policy
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are set to meet in their third and final debate ahead of 6 November's presidential election - focusing on foreign policy. Libya and Iran will likely feature, as well as terrorism, a rising China and the wars in Afghanistan and Syria.

Jordan Foils 'Major Terrorist Plot'
Eleven men have been arrested by Jordanian intelligence services which accuses them of planning a "major terrorist plot," attacking shopping centers, residential buildings and foreigners, including diplomats. Jordan's state-run news agency, Petra, reported today that the plan was uncovered months ago during its early stages as the accused terrorists carried out surveillance on potential targets and armed themselves with explosives, guns and mortars.

Japan, U.S. Call Off Naval Drill for Fear of China’s Reaction
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily NewsRIANOVOST
Categories: Today's Headlines;Warning

Japan has decided to cancel its planned joint naval drill with the United States fearing that it would provoke a negative reaction from China, the Japan Times daily reported citing an unnamed source in the government.

According to the scenario of the drills, slated for November, the forces of Japan and the United States were to “recapture” an uninhabited Irisuna Island, a remote island in Okinawa Prefecture.

The drills, however, were called off as they could worsen the backlash from Beijing, which blasted Japan’s move to nationalize disputed Senkaku Islands.

The daily said quoting its source in the Japanese government that the decision to abandon the island recapturing drills “reflects the opinion of the prime minister's office.”

The relations between Japan and China have recently plummeted to their worst level in years over a chain of islands claimed by both countries.

The islands, known as the Senkaku to Japan and Diaoyu to China, have been at the center of a dispute recently that has triggered violent anti-Japanese protests across China and caused Japanese companies to suspend operations in China.

The islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan, lie on a vital shipping route and are situated above large hydrocarbon deposits.

Iran’s Global Cyber War - Room is Secretly Hosted By Hizballah in Beirut
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iran’s secret cyber war-room is located at Hizballah’s secret internal security apparatus headquarters in the Shiite Dahya district of South Beirut, debkafile’s exclusive intelligence and counterterrorism sources reveal. The hackers and cyber experts who recently attacked American banks and Saudi oil sites and which guided an Iranian stealth drone into Israeli airspace on Oct. 6, operate from Hizballah’s premises in Beirut and its secret bunkers.

Wafiq Safa is head of the security apparatus and also deputy of the Iranian general, Hossein Mahadavi, who serves as the liaison and coordination officer with Hizballah in Lebanon.Safa’s son is married to the Hizballah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s sister.
Cyber intelligence experts explain Tehran uses its Lebanese surrogate to host its global digital war-room - firstly, to disguise the source of its cyber offensives and keep Iran clear of blame; secondly, because the Hizballah facility is protected from electronic penetration by exceptionally efficient firewalls.
They were strong enough to keep Israeli cyber experts from discovering the electronic center which dispatched the UAV over their country and reaching its controllers. Whenever Israel experts tried manipulating the drone’s movements, they found an external force overrode them and recovered control. Eventually, the Israeli commanders gave up and ordered the drone brought down with as little damage as possible.
The drone’s components have given up to its captors many secrets about Iran’s stealth UAV technology and capabilities, but very little about the Iranian cyber team operating out of the Hizballah facility in Beirut and their equipment.
By cutting away from the captured UAV, the Iranian controllers also locked their operation away from outside access and any possible evaluation of their capabilities.

The Americans encountered the same difficulty in early October when they tried to locate and identify the hackers who disabled 10 major US bank websites, attacked Saudi Arabia’s Aramco’s websites with a virus called Shamoon that replaced data with burning American flags, and invaded the computers of Qatar’s gas industry.

Six days after the drone’s penetration of Israel, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta talked to reporters in New York about “a pre-9/11 moment” for the United States. He did not come right out and name Iran or mention its cyber war headquarters in Beirut. He did, however, warn “the attackers are plotting,” and that recent electronic attacks in US and abroad demonstrate the need for “a more aggressive military role in defense and to retaliate against organized groups or hostile governments.”

IMF's Epic Plan to Conjure Away Debt and Dethrone Bankers
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily NewsThe Telegraph - Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

So there is a magic wand after all. A revolutionary paper by the International Monetary Fund claims that one could eliminate the net public debt of the US at a stroke, and by implication do the same for Britain, Germany, Italy, or Japan.

French FM: Iran Could Start Building Nuke in Early 2013
Oct 22nd, 2012
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

FM Laurent Fabius reported Sunday, on the evidence of the most authoritative experts in the field, that Iran has finished installing its centrifuge plant for uranium enrichment and would be able to build it first nuclear bomb in the first half of 2013. DEBKAfile released this information exlusively and in detail on its site Friday. Oct. 19