Economic Tailspin, TPP Cometh, NSA Droned – New World Next Week
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Why is the US Aiding and Enabling Saudi Arabia’s Genocidal War in Yemen?
By Michael Horton, Counterpunch, October 8, 2015
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen rivals the crisis in Syria. After six months of war and the imposition of a naval blockade designed to starve the country into submission, 90% of Yemen’s population of more than 24 million are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. More than 6000 people, nearly 90% of which are civilians, are dead and most of Yemen’s already limited infrastructure is in ruins. Sana’a, the capital of Yemen and home to 3 million, is under continuous aerial bombardment by Saudi Arabia and its partners who have targeted schools, hospitals, and homes in densely populated urban areas.
The US, along with the UK, is providing intelligence and logistical support to Saudi Arabia and its partners. Both countries are also supplying Saudi Arabia with weapons. The US is equipping the Saudis with internationally banned cluster munitions which now litter large swaths of the Yemeni countryside where they will kill and maim for years to come.
Beyond arms manufacturers, the only real beneficiary of this bloody war are takfiri groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State (IS) which is making inroads in Yemen.
So why is the US supporting a war that has achieved little beyond further empowering groups like AQAP and IS?
Yemen and its people are being offered up as a kind of sacrifice for Saudi Arabia’s and the Gulf Cooperation Council’s support for the nuclear arms deal with Iran. Most importantly US support for Saudi Arabia’s war has ensured a steady stream of new weapons orders. US-based arms manufacturers have sold 8 billion USD worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia since it launched ‘Operation Decisive Storm’ six months ago. This is a figure that adds almost ten percent to the 90.4 billion USD worth of weapons that US arms manufacturers have sold to Saudi Arabia since President Obama was elected.
In exchange for tepid Saudi support for the nuclear arms deal with Iran–support that the US does not need given that both Russia and China back the deal–and billions of dollars in weapons sales, the US has turned a blind eye to what can only be called state sanctioned genocide in Yemen. US support for Saudi Arabia’s disastrous war in Yemen is likely to have profound and lasting consequences for not only Yemen but also for the region, and in particular for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi led war in Yemen was launched on the pretense of re-installing the exiled government of Yemeni President Hadi. The real aim of the war is to destroy Yemen’s Houthi Shi’a rebels which Saudi Arabia views as Iranian proxies. The Houthis are Zaidi Shi’a, a sect which is doctrinally closer to Sunnis than Iran’s Twelver Shi’a. The Houthi movement is deeply rooted in the socio-cultural context of north-west Yemen and while it undoubtedly has a relationship with Iran, it has never been–and likely never will be–an Iranian proxy. The Houthi movement and its leadership are fiercely independent.
Saudi Arabia’s fears about growing Iranian influence in the region have led it and its partners into a war that will consume their blood and treasure for years to come thereby guaranteeing years of healthy profits for US and British arms manufacturers. Yemen’s mountainous terrain and complex political landscape rival those of Afghanistan. The Houthis, while at the other end of the religious spectrum, are comparable to Afghanistan’s Taliban in terms of their capabilities as guerilla fighters. In many respects, they are superior.
The Houthis will not be defeated by an aerial campaign and a limited number of ground troops. Neither Saudi Arabia nor its partners have the capability to deploy and sustain the thousands of troops that it will take to defeat the Houthis and their allies. Nor do they have enough political capital to absorb what would be an extremely high casualty rate for their soldiers. In 1962, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser sent troops into Yemen for what he thought would be a quick victory over Royalist forces fighting for the Zaidi Imam who ruled north Yemen. By 1967, at least fifteen thousand Egyptian soldiers had been killed in Yemen.
By enabling Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, the US is not only ensuring the destruction of Yemen and the empowerment of AQAP and IS, it could also be inadvertently further tipping the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of Iran. The government of Iran can only be delighted as it watches Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates plunge ever deeper into the quagmire that is Yemen. The war, which, if negotiations are not pursued, could go on for years, will only weaken the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. During a period in which oil prices are low and may head lower, both governments will be forced to pour billions of dollars into a war that will have no victors beyond groups like AQAP and IS–both of which will–and have–targeted the Gulf monarchies that now view them as useful proxies.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, the war has already spread across its long, rugged, and largely unguarded border with Yemen. Houthi fighters and Yemeni Army units allied with them have launched numerous successful attacks on Saudi border posts. For short periods, Saudi Armed Forces have lost control of towns and villages in the Saudi provinces of Jizan and Najran due to Houthi incursions.
Most seriously for Saudi Arabia, there are rumblings of discontent in the House of Saud with King Salman and his son and defense minister Muhammad bin Salman. Muhammad bin Salman–who at age 30 is the youngest and least experienced defense minister in the world–has broken with a foreign policy that has long been cautious and careful. The young defense minister who is also second in line to the throne is viewed by many members of the House of Saud as reckless. As Saudi Arabia is drawn deeper into what could well be its Vietnam, discontent with the current leadership will undoubtedly increase.
US support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and helped erase fifty years of progress in Yemen. As the war grinds on for what could be years, it will produce blowback as significant as that generated by the US’ own ill-conceived invasion of Iraq which altered the balance of power in the Middle East and ultimately spawned the Islamic State. This is undoubtedly welcome news for arms manufacturers.
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen rivals the crisis in Syria. After six months of war and the imposition of a naval blockade designed to starve the country into submission, 90% of Yemen’s population of more than 24 million are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. More than 6000 people, nearly 90% of which are civilians, are dead and most of Yemen’s already limited infrastructure is in ruins. Sana’a, the capital of Yemen and home to 3 million, is under continuous aerial bombardment by Saudi Arabia and its partners who have targeted schools, hospitals, and homes in densely populated urban areas.
The US, along with the UK, is providing intelligence and logistical support to Saudi Arabia and its partners. Both countries are also supplying Saudi Arabia with weapons. The US is equipping the Saudis with internationally banned cluster munitions which now litter large swaths of the Yemeni countryside where they will kill and maim for years to come.
Beyond arms manufacturers, the only real beneficiary of this bloody war are takfiri groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State (IS) which is making inroads in Yemen.
So why is the US supporting a war that has achieved little beyond further empowering groups like AQAP and IS?
Yemen and its people are being offered up as a kind of sacrifice for Saudi Arabia’s and the Gulf Cooperation Council’s support for the nuclear arms deal with Iran. Most importantly US support for Saudi Arabia’s war has ensured a steady stream of new weapons orders. US-based arms manufacturers have sold 8 billion USD worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia since it launched ‘Operation Decisive Storm’ six months ago. This is a figure that adds almost ten percent to the 90.4 billion USD worth of weapons that US arms manufacturers have sold to Saudi Arabia since President Obama was elected.
In exchange for tepid Saudi support for the nuclear arms deal with Iran–support that the US does not need given that both Russia and China back the deal–and billions of dollars in weapons sales, the US has turned a blind eye to what can only be called state sanctioned genocide in Yemen. US support for Saudi Arabia’s disastrous war in Yemen is likely to have profound and lasting consequences for not only Yemen but also for the region, and in particular for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi led war in Yemen was launched on the pretense of re-installing the exiled government of Yemeni President Hadi. The real aim of the war is to destroy Yemen’s Houthi Shi’a rebels which Saudi Arabia views as Iranian proxies. The Houthis are Zaidi Shi’a, a sect which is doctrinally closer to Sunnis than Iran’s Twelver Shi’a. The Houthi movement is deeply rooted in the socio-cultural context of north-west Yemen and while it undoubtedly has a relationship with Iran, it has never been–and likely never will be–an Iranian proxy. The Houthi movement and its leadership are fiercely independent.
Saudi Arabia’s fears about growing Iranian influence in the region have led it and its partners into a war that will consume their blood and treasure for years to come thereby guaranteeing years of healthy profits for US and British arms manufacturers. Yemen’s mountainous terrain and complex political landscape rival those of Afghanistan. The Houthis, while at the other end of the religious spectrum, are comparable to Afghanistan’s Taliban in terms of their capabilities as guerilla fighters. In many respects, they are superior.
The Houthis will not be defeated by an aerial campaign and a limited number of ground troops. Neither Saudi Arabia nor its partners have the capability to deploy and sustain the thousands of troops that it will take to defeat the Houthis and their allies. Nor do they have enough political capital to absorb what would be an extremely high casualty rate for their soldiers. In 1962, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser sent troops into Yemen for what he thought would be a quick victory over Royalist forces fighting for the Zaidi Imam who ruled north Yemen. By 1967, at least fifteen thousand Egyptian soldiers had been killed in Yemen.
By enabling Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, the US is not only ensuring the destruction of Yemen and the empowerment of AQAP and IS, it could also be inadvertently further tipping the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of Iran. The government of Iran can only be delighted as it watches Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates plunge ever deeper into the quagmire that is Yemen. The war, which, if negotiations are not pursued, could go on for years, will only weaken the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. During a period in which oil prices are low and may head lower, both governments will be forced to pour billions of dollars into a war that will have no victors beyond groups like AQAP and IS–both of which will–and have–targeted the Gulf monarchies that now view them as useful proxies.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, the war has already spread across its long, rugged, and largely unguarded border with Yemen. Houthi fighters and Yemeni Army units allied with them have launched numerous successful attacks on Saudi border posts. For short periods, Saudi Armed Forces have lost control of towns and villages in the Saudi provinces of Jizan and Najran due to Houthi incursions.
Most seriously for Saudi Arabia, there are rumblings of discontent in the House of Saud with King Salman and his son and defense minister Muhammad bin Salman. Muhammad bin Salman–who at age 30 is the youngest and least experienced defense minister in the world–has broken with a foreign policy that has long been cautious and careful. The young defense minister who is also second in line to the throne is viewed by many members of the House of Saud as reckless. As Saudi Arabia is drawn deeper into what could well be its Vietnam, discontent with the current leadership will undoubtedly increase.
US support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and helped erase fifty years of progress in Yemen. As the war grinds on for what could be years, it will produce blowback as significant as that generated by the US’ own ill-conceived invasion of Iraq which altered the balance of power in the Middle East and ultimately spawned the Islamic State. This is undoubtedly welcome news for arms manufacturers.
Israel Invaded!
We see the situation in the Middle East changing with the advent of Russian Military help to Syria. How does this fit in with Bible prophecy? If Russia is in fact the present representative of "Gog and Magog" of Ezekiel 38 and 39 then it would seem to make sense for Russia to have a military presence in the Middle East for that future invasion of Israel to take place. In the chapters in Ezekiel we see Gog, from the chief cities Meshech and Tubal invade Israel. There is some controversy about who exactly Gog is and from which land area he will come. Derek Walker has written a scholarly article summarizing the point of view I take in this article titled Where is MESHECH and TUBAL? I have included his article below.
Derek Walker writes,
Tubal and Meshech are mentioned together in Ezekiel 38:2. They were the 5th and 6th sons of Japheth, the son of Noah (Genesis 10:2). Some believe these people intermarried and became known as Magog, the dominant tribe. There are two main theories for their location: (1) RUSSIA and (2) TURKEY. Whichever it is does not change the overall picture as both are identified by the other names in Ezekiel.
(1) Regarding Meshech and Tubal, some assign a Russian identification, connecting these 2 nations with the modern Russian cities of Moscow and Tobolsk. Meshech - Moscow, and Tubal - Tobolsk. The first view became well known through the Scofield Study Bible: “That the primary reference is to the Northern powers headed by Russia, all agree. The reference to Meshech and Tubal (Moscow and Tobolsk) is a clear mark of identification.” Thus the name Moscow derives from the tribal name Meshech, and Tobolsk, the name of the principal state, from Tubal. This view is partly based on the similarity of sound in these names and their close proximity to Rosh (Russia). If this is so, the names Meshech and Tubal, point directly to Russia, being identified with Moscow, the capital of modern Russia, and Tobolsk in Asiatic Russia. Modern Tobolsk was founded in 1587 in western Siberia, and from there the Cossacks rode eastward to open up all of Siberia to Russian domination. Meshech and Tubal would then be names standing for Russia in Europe and Asia. L.Sale-Harrison corroborated this identification on linguistic grounds.
Ethnologists, historians who track the migrations of people, tell us after the Flood, the Japhethites migrated from Asia Minor to the north, beyond the Caspian and Black Seas. They settled in the area of Rosh that we know today as Russia.Wilhelm Gesenius, the world class Hebrew scholar, whose Hebrew Lexicon has never been surpassed, said Gog is undoubtedly the Russians. He also identified Meshech as Moscow, the capital of modern Russia. Tubal he identified as Tobolsk, the earliest province in Asiatic Russia to be colonised, and also the name of the city in which Peter the Great built the old fortress after the pattern of the Kremlin in Moscow. “Meshech was founder of the Moschi, a barbarous people, who dwelt in the Moschian mountains.” He went on to say that the Greek name “Moschi”, derived from the Hebrew ‘Meshech’, is the source of the name for the city of MOSCOW. In discussing Tubal he said, “Tubal is the son of Rapheth, founder of the Tibereni, a people dwelling on the Black Sea to the west of the Moschi.” His conclusion was these people make up the modern Russian people.
‘Meshech’ the 6th son of Japheth, settled in the NE portion of Asia Minor. His posterity extended from the shores of the Black Sea along to the south of the Caucasus. He was the father of the Rossi and Moschi, who dispersed their colonies over a vast portion of Russian territory. And their names are preserved in the names of Russians and Muscovites to this day. The Septuagint version of the Old Testament renders the term: “Meshech” by the words “Mosch” and “Rosch”; while “Moscovy” was a common name for Russia, and the city of Moscow is one of her principal cities. ‘Tubal’ or ‘Tobal’ settled beyond the Caspian and Black Seas in the eastern possessions of Russia, embracing a very large portion of these dominions. The name of this patriarch is still preserved in the river Tobal, which waters an immense tract of Russian territory; and the City of Tobalski in Russia is still a monument to him.
(2) Another line of study reveals that Meschech and Tubal are the ancient Moschi/Mushki and Tubalu/Tibareni peoples who dwelled in the area around, primarily south of, the Black and Caspian Seas in Ezekiel's day. Meshech and Tubal are mentioned together in Ezekiel 27:13 as trading partners with ancient Tyre (modern Lebanon). Today these regions are in Turkey, possibly including parts of southern Russia and northern Iran. Meshech was located near what was known as Phrygia, in central and western Asia Minor, while Tubal was located in eastern Asia Minor. So Meshech and Tubal form portions of modern Turkey. (However later migrations north into Russia mean that this view is also consistent with the first theory).
Herodotus, the 5th century BC Greek philosopher, mentioned Meshech and Tubal. He identified them with a people named the Sarmatians and Mushovites who lived at that time in the ancient province of Pontus in northern Asia Minor, SE of the Black Sea [Histories IV], again pointing to modern Turkey.
Josephus said that the people of his day known as the Moschevi and Thobelites were founded by Meshech and Tubal respectively [Antiquities I.6].
Expositors Bible Commentary: “Meshech and Tubal refer to areas in eastern Turkey, southwest of Russia and northwest of Iran.”
Assyrian texts & monuments locate Meshech (Mushku) and Tubal (Tabal) in Anatolia (W.Turkey), the areas that became known as Phrygia and Cappadocia.
Mark Hitchcock concludes: “Meshech and Tubal are identified in ancient history with the Mushki and Tabal of the Assyrians, and the Moschi and Tibareni of the Greeks (according to Herodotus), who inhabited territory in modern Turkey.”
Today this region is predominantly Islamic. While modern Turkey has been secular, pro-western with a good relationship with Israel (particularly in the military), recently Turkey has swung back towards a return to a stronger Islamic and anti-Israel identification (see Appendix 8), which means that Ezekiel’s prophecy could be ready to be fulfilled any time now!
Later migrations north from Turkey to Russia could mean that both identifications are valid, and indeed both Turkey and Russia are directly to the north of Israel (as required by Ezekiel 38:6, 15, 39:2). In any case, between them, Magog, Rosh, Mechesh and Tubal certainly represent RUSSIA leading the CIS Republics along with TURKEY. After RUSSIA it seems that TURKEY and IRAN (see their Appendix 9) must be the major players in this Invasion from the North. (End of Derek Walker's article]
Dennis continues,
So despite some modern day prophets and scholars saying otherwise, there is sound Biblical and scholarly research confirming Russia as Gog and Magog. If we read through the countries that will participate in the invasion of Israel we also find Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Turkey and some even believe Germany may be included. [1] The countries that dispute the invasion are none other than Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, USA and possibly Canada and Australia. [2] The Oxford Bible Church has written an article explaining this point of view which can be read here. I do not agree with everything they say, but just so you know I am not the only one presenting this interpretation. Their article about the invasion can be read here. They mention that God allows this invasion and America does not seem to be able to stop it. God will bring the Antichrist forces against Israel to punish Israel for her sins and then punish the Antichrist during the Battle of Armageddon some time afterwards for his sins.[3]
All this to say, the current situation in Syria with the Russian presence seems to fit in line with Bible prophecy, with Russia maintaining military presence in Syria which would facilitate a future invasion of Israel by a combined force of Russia and its allies. Have you taken time to study Bible prophecy so you can be ready for the terrible days ahead? Jesus mentioned that unless he cut short the Great Tribulation period, no life on earth would be saved.[4]
In November 25, 1973 D. Brandt Berg published his famous controversial letter called Israel Invaded which was distributed widely throughout the world. I have included it here below. Some of the circumstances have changed, but he still makes some valid points for you to consider. Keep attentive to the situation in the Middle East. Bible prophecy clearly seems to indicate that that is where the war leading to WWIII and Armageddon will take place. Are you ready?
Israel Invaded by D. Brandt Berg
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, (a falling away from the true faith in Christ as the Messiah) and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (the Antichrist);" 2 Thessalonians 2:3
ISRAEL WILL SOON BE INVADED AND CONQUERED AND AMERICA DESTROYED by a combination of world powers led by Russia, according to the Bible and our own recent revelations. The Bible even names the countries that will participate and the route of their invasion!
THE BIBLE SAYS THIS IS THE ONLY WAY the Arab-Israeli war can be ended and a final agreement reached on the Arab lands and an international pact made concerning the city of Jerusalem.
BECAUSE ISRAEL WILL NEVER WILLINGLY WITHDRAW from the Israeli-occupied Arab territories and has said flatly she will never give up Jerusalem, and because the Arabs have said they will never be satisfied with anything short of an Israeli withdrawal from Arab territories, including and particularly Jerusalem, nothing less than forced intervention by one of the superpowers can solve the situation.
SINCE ISRAEL IS AN AMERICAN COLONY and America's only beachhead in the Middle East aimed at the Arab oil fields, and America cannot survive without the oil which the Arabs are determined not to give her unless she makes Israel give up Jerusalem and the Arab territories and let the Palestinians back in, which she will never do, America will fight for the possession of Israel and Arab oil.
NEITHER RUSSIA, ASIA, AFRICA NOR EVEN EUROPE COULD POSSIBLY TOLERATE SUCH HIGH-HANDED AGGRESSIVE BELLIGERENT AMERICAN ARMED INTERVENTION in the Middle East to achieve her own ends for the protection of Israel and conquest of the Arab oil fields, and thereby complete American domination of the entire Middle East and North Africa to the very borders of Russia.
RUSSIA AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS WITH THE HELP OF OTHER ASIAN AND EUROPEAN POWERS WILL CONFRONT SUCH AN AMERICAN THREAT or attempt, by their own armed invasion of Israel to put a stop to it and end the Arab-American Israeli War, restore the Arab lands to their rightful owners, reinstate the rights of the Arab Palestinians with self-determination, and make Jerusalem an international religious capital of the world by a specific pact enforced on the participants by this combination of world powers and its coming world dictator.
SO THE BIBLE SAYS, AND I BELIEVE IT, AND YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT too, because it's going to happen and it has to happen soon! Because Arab patience has reached its limits with Israeli refusal to abide by the unenforced UN Resolution No.242 in which virtually the whole world, including America, agreed that Israel should withdraw from Arab lands.
UN Resolution No.242
(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict; (the Six-Day War of 1967)
(ii) Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
BUT THE WORLD HAS ONLY PAID LIP SERVICE TO THIS AGREEMENT and, until now, no attempt has been made by the world powers to compel Israel to obey it, and she will never obey it unless forced to do so by the actual armed intervention of a super power.
SINCE THE ARABS ARE NOW AGREED, UNITED AND DETERMINED--BACKED BY RUSSIA, Asia, Africa and Europe--that America must persuade Israel to withdraw or America will get no more oil from the Arabs; and since America will never force Israel to do this, and her economy will collapse without the oil, America herself will feel forced to fight for Israel and Arab oil.
SO THE BIBLE TELLS US THE WHOLE CONFLICT WILL BE SETTLED BY THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA AND THE INVASION AND CONQUEST OF ISRAEL BY RUSSIA and other supporting world powers.
BECAUSE OF THESE TOTALLY IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SELFISH AMERICAN AND ISRAELI INTERESTS AND THOSE OF THE REST OF THE WORLD, A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT IS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE, and an armed invasion and conquest by Russia and supporting powers is inevitable, and this can only be accomplished by the destruction of America herself as a world power.
ONLY THEN WILL WE HAVE PEACE AND ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT and a proper apportionment of the world's resources "from each according to his ability unto each according to his need" of both fuel and food and other necessities, and an end to the waste of world supplies and environmental pollution!
THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF A CAPABLE AND POWERFUL ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT which shall arise from the ashes of this war.--The Bible says so!
GOD HIMSELF DESCRIBES THIS INVASION OF ISRAEL AS HIS OWN VENGEANCE UPON HER for her sins, and says it will come from the North led by Russia with the help of Europe, Libya, Turkey, Persia andEthiopia!
LIBYA AND THE OTHER ARAB STATES WILL, OF COURSE, ASSIST, AND ETHIOPIA WILL HELP them to continue the Red Sea blockade at its narrow straits between Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula.
WHILE EGYPT RENEWS ITS DRIVE ACROSS SINAI, THE INVASION FORCES FROM THE NORTH AND EAST WILL SPLIT into a two-pronged attack from Bozrah, just inside the southern border of Syria, throughJordan and the Arab territories toward Haifa and Tel Aviv, and a major decisive battle will be fought atArmageddon a few miles south of Haifa near the juncture of the Haifa and Tel Aviv highways in the Esdraelon Valley.
MEANWHILE, ANOTHER MAJOR INVASION FORCE OF UP TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN hidden in the bomb-proof caverns of the impregnable rock city of Petra in Edom, Jordan, just south of the Dead Sea will drive westward across the Negev to the Arab Gaza Strip on the Mediterranean coast, thus cutting off all help from whatever is left of Israeli forces in the Sinai and Negev and Israel's access to the port of Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba.
ISRAEL'S NORTHERN ARMIES IN THE GOLAN WILL BE CUT OFF from both Haifa and Tel Aviv by the northern drive from Bozrah, and Jerusalem and Tel Aviv will therefore be completely isolated and encircled by the giant pincer's movement of these two major drives, from Bozrah on the Northeast and Edom on the Southeast.
CUT OFF FROM HER TWO MAIN ARMIES IN SINAI AND GOLAN AND SURPRISED BY THIS SUDDEN ATTACK on the soft underbelly of her longest and most indefensible Eastern border, and deprived of the help of her destroyed American partner, Israel will at last be compelled to surrender to these vastly superior forces, and be forced to return Palestine to the Arabs under international rule with Jerusalem as an international world capital.
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES ALL OF THIS IN DETAIL, and if you want to read it for yourself you can find some of the most outstanding passages on the subject in Isaiah 63, Ezekiel 38 and 39, Daniel 8, 9, and 11, Luke 21 and Revelation 11, 13, 17 and 18 as well as many, many others, all of which agree on these same major events and their outcome.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family International, article found here.
Russian strikes changing landscape of Syria battlefield, rebels say
By Scott Peterson, CS Monitor, October 7, 2015
GAZIANTEP, TURKEY–Russia stepped up its military strikes against anti-regime rebels in Syria Wednesday, launching 26 cruise missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea some 900 miles away as part of its bid to reshape the battlefield to favor President Bashar al-Assad.
The week-long series of Russian air and sea strikes has been criticized by the US and Western governments for targeting moderate rebels in western Syria–many of them clandestinely backed by the United States–while leaving Islamic State (IS) and other jihadist groups relatively untouched.
That pattern was made clear in Kafr Nabl, a town in northern Idlib province where a headquarters of a faction of the US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) was struck last week. On Wednesday, five bombs were dropped around an emergency hospital that treats wounded fighters but is very far from any IS position.
Russia’s direct military intervention comes more than four years into this civil war, which has claimed some 250,000 lives and displaced millions of Syrians. At least in part, it reinforces the efforts of regional power Iran, which for years has supported the Assad regime financially and militarily along with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah whose fighters have been instrumental in the battle against anti-regime rebels.
“Definitely this will change the direction of the battle, and the direction of the [anti-Assad] groups who can’t defend themselves from this,” says Mr. Payoush. “The Americans decide to strike the jihadists, so Russia strikes the moderates. The only remaining force will be Assad.”
Russia has also hit IS–stating that the cruise missiles were programmed for IS targets–and claims in recent days to have destroyed ammunition depots and four IS command centers. But Moscow says its battle against “terrorists” extends beyond the jihadists and includes all rebel groups, many supported with weapons and cash by the US, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan to topple Mr. Assad.
The bulk of Russian strikes so far have clustered in areas where Assad recently has lost ground, threatening a critical spine of territory in western Syria stretching from the capital, Damascus, to the coastal city of Latakia–the base of Russian air operations in Syria.
The Russian air and missile bombardments come amid reports of Syrian government forces launching a fresh ground offensive, in concert with hundreds of Iranian military advisers and thousands of Shiite Hezbollah fighters.
Russian cargo aircraft fly non-stop to Syria, and Russian drones are now constantly above Aleppo and rebel bastions in the countryside, hunting for targets. Already Russian strikes have surprised moderate rebel factions with their precise intelligence on weapons and supply depots, and communication centers.
US officials believe that factions trained and equipped by the CIA–including those with advanced TOW anti-tank weapons–have been a top targeting priority of the Russians, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The lack of an American military reaction to stop Russian strikes has convinced many Syrians that the US secretly gave a green light to Moscow, and that Washington now believes that Assad must be part of a political solution.
“The Russians are intervening with all their power and weapons, and that might change the battle very much,” says Younes Shasho, a member of Aleppo’s Council of Salaheddin Revolutionaries. “This is preparing for a very big battle in northern Syria.”
The Russian intervention may revitalize the beleaguered government forces and their allies, and at least stop rebel advances, if not begin to reverse them.
“Long term, they might win, it’s possible. Especially because the FSA has not been progressing and weapons are running out,” says Mr. Shasho of Assad and his determined allies. The FSA and a number of other moderate factions supported by the US and its allies have been battling jihadists, who in turn battle among themselves.
Shasho notes a lack of anti-aircraft weapons on the rebel side that have long been requested of the US. Washington has never provided shoulder-held anti-aircraft weapons, known as manpads, afraid that they might fall into the wrong hands and be used in the Middle East against commercial aircraft.
GAZIANTEP, TURKEY–Russia stepped up its military strikes against anti-regime rebels in Syria Wednesday, launching 26 cruise missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea some 900 miles away as part of its bid to reshape the battlefield to favor President Bashar al-Assad.
The week-long series of Russian air and sea strikes has been criticized by the US and Western governments for targeting moderate rebels in western Syria–many of them clandestinely backed by the United States–while leaving Islamic State (IS) and other jihadist groups relatively untouched.
That pattern was made clear in Kafr Nabl, a town in northern Idlib province where a headquarters of a faction of the US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) was struck last week. On Wednesday, five bombs were dropped around an emergency hospital that treats wounded fighters but is very far from any IS position.
Russia’s direct military intervention comes more than four years into this civil war, which has claimed some 250,000 lives and displaced millions of Syrians. At least in part, it reinforces the efforts of regional power Iran, which for years has supported the Assad regime financially and militarily along with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah whose fighters have been instrumental in the battle against anti-regime rebels.
“Definitely this will change the direction of the battle, and the direction of the [anti-Assad] groups who can’t defend themselves from this,” says Mr. Payoush. “The Americans decide to strike the jihadists, so Russia strikes the moderates. The only remaining force will be Assad.”
Russia has also hit IS–stating that the cruise missiles were programmed for IS targets–and claims in recent days to have destroyed ammunition depots and four IS command centers. But Moscow says its battle against “terrorists” extends beyond the jihadists and includes all rebel groups, many supported with weapons and cash by the US, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan to topple Mr. Assad.
The bulk of Russian strikes so far have clustered in areas where Assad recently has lost ground, threatening a critical spine of territory in western Syria stretching from the capital, Damascus, to the coastal city of Latakia–the base of Russian air operations in Syria.
The Russian air and missile bombardments come amid reports of Syrian government forces launching a fresh ground offensive, in concert with hundreds of Iranian military advisers and thousands of Shiite Hezbollah fighters.
Russian cargo aircraft fly non-stop to Syria, and Russian drones are now constantly above Aleppo and rebel bastions in the countryside, hunting for targets. Already Russian strikes have surprised moderate rebel factions with their precise intelligence on weapons and supply depots, and communication centers.
US officials believe that factions trained and equipped by the CIA–including those with advanced TOW anti-tank weapons–have been a top targeting priority of the Russians, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The lack of an American military reaction to stop Russian strikes has convinced many Syrians that the US secretly gave a green light to Moscow, and that Washington now believes that Assad must be part of a political solution.
“The Russians are intervening with all their power and weapons, and that might change the battle very much,” says Younes Shasho, a member of Aleppo’s Council of Salaheddin Revolutionaries. “This is preparing for a very big battle in northern Syria.”
The Russian intervention may revitalize the beleaguered government forces and their allies, and at least stop rebel advances, if not begin to reverse them.
“Long term, they might win, it’s possible. Especially because the FSA has not been progressing and weapons are running out,” says Mr. Shasho of Assad and his determined allies. The FSA and a number of other moderate factions supported by the US and its allies have been battling jihadists, who in turn battle among themselves.
Shasho notes a lack of anti-aircraft weapons on the rebel side that have long been requested of the US. Washington has never provided shoulder-held anti-aircraft weapons, known as manpads, afraid that they might fall into the wrong hands and be used in the Middle East against commercial aircraft.
After Obama Apology, Medical Charity Presses Probe Request
Associated Press, Oct. 8, 2015
KABUL, Afghanistan–A day after President Barack Obama apologized for a tragic U.S. airstrike that killed at least 22 people at a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in northern Afghanistan, the medical charity said Thursday it is continuing to press its demand for an independent investigation of the incident.
The Oct. 3 airstrike took place as Afghan forces were fighting to retake the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was overrun and briefly held last week by the Taliban. The insurgents, who have been massing around the city for months, launched a multi-pronged attack that took authorities by surprise.
Obama on Wednesday apologized to the organization and said the U.S. would examine military procedures to look for better ways to prevent such incidents.
But scarce details on the erroneous strike have only fueled growing condemnation by MSF, as the charity is known under its French acronym, and other aid groups. Along with a dozen hospital staffers, 10 patients were also killed.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Kabul, MSF’s general director, Christopher Stokes, reiterated the group’s demand for the probe, saying it would be important and a precedent for non-government organizations working in conflict zones worldwide.
Stokes said MSF wanted the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission “to get the facts of what happened, the truth.”
The IHFFC is based in the Swiss capital, Bern. It is made up of diplomats, legal experts, doctors and some former military officials from nine European countries, including Britain and Russia. Created after the Gulf War in 1991, the commission has never deployed a fact-finding mission.
MSF, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization that provides medical aid in conflict zones, is awaiting responses to letters it sent Tuesday to 76 countries that signed Article 90 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions, seeking to mobilize the 15-member commission. The Conventions lay out rules on conduct in armed conflict, mostly on protecting noncombatants.
For the commission to be mobilized, a single country would have to call for the fact-finding mission, and the U.S. and Afghanistan–which are not signatories–must also give their consent.
MSF says it has had no response yet from any country.
“It would show a distinct lack of courage if none of the 76 signatories come forward,” Stokes said.
The MSF hospital in Kunduz is no longer operational, which has put severe burden on the city, MSF and Afghan officials have said.
Of the 105 patients who were in the hospital at the time of the bombing, nine have yet to be accounted for; and of a total of 461 staff, 24 are still missing, said Guilhem Molinie, MSF’s representative in Afghanistan.
The organization expects there are still 24 bodies in the debris of the building that was bombed, he added.
Three children who were among the 10 patients who perished were members of the same family, admitted the night before the bombing after their car came under fire, Molinie said.
KABUL, Afghanistan–A day after President Barack Obama apologized for a tragic U.S. airstrike that killed at least 22 people at a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in northern Afghanistan, the medical charity said Thursday it is continuing to press its demand for an independent investigation of the incident.
The Oct. 3 airstrike took place as Afghan forces were fighting to retake the strategic northern city of Kunduz, which was overrun and briefly held last week by the Taliban. The insurgents, who have been massing around the city for months, launched a multi-pronged attack that took authorities by surprise.
Obama on Wednesday apologized to the organization and said the U.S. would examine military procedures to look for better ways to prevent such incidents.
But scarce details on the erroneous strike have only fueled growing condemnation by MSF, as the charity is known under its French acronym, and other aid groups. Along with a dozen hospital staffers, 10 patients were also killed.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Kabul, MSF’s general director, Christopher Stokes, reiterated the group’s demand for the probe, saying it would be important and a precedent for non-government organizations working in conflict zones worldwide.
Stokes said MSF wanted the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission “to get the facts of what happened, the truth.”
The IHFFC is based in the Swiss capital, Bern. It is made up of diplomats, legal experts, doctors and some former military officials from nine European countries, including Britain and Russia. Created after the Gulf War in 1991, the commission has never deployed a fact-finding mission.
MSF, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization that provides medical aid in conflict zones, is awaiting responses to letters it sent Tuesday to 76 countries that signed Article 90 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions, seeking to mobilize the 15-member commission. The Conventions lay out rules on conduct in armed conflict, mostly on protecting noncombatants.
For the commission to be mobilized, a single country would have to call for the fact-finding mission, and the U.S. and Afghanistan–which are not signatories–must also give their consent.
MSF says it has had no response yet from any country.
“It would show a distinct lack of courage if none of the 76 signatories come forward,” Stokes said.
The MSF hospital in Kunduz is no longer operational, which has put severe burden on the city, MSF and Afghan officials have said.
Of the 105 patients who were in the hospital at the time of the bombing, nine have yet to be accounted for; and of a total of 461 staff, 24 are still missing, said Guilhem Molinie, MSF’s representative in Afghanistan.
The organization expects there are still 24 bodies in the debris of the building that was bombed, he added.
Three children who were among the 10 patients who perished were members of the same family, admitted the night before the bombing after their car came under fire, Molinie said.
Sweden’s foreign policy is causing a stir
By Adam Taylor, Washington Post, October 7, 2015
On the face of it, the unexpected cancellation of permits for a flat-pack-furniture store might not seem like a matter of geopolitical importance. However, while the Swedish Foreign Ministry has played down the situation, multiple accounts suggest that the opening of Morocco’s first Ikea store was unexpectedly blocked as punishment for Sweden’s foreign policy. Many in Morocco believe that Sweden is planning to soon become the first Western nation to recognize the independence of Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by Morocco. Stockholm’s involvement in a long-standing territorial dispute in North Africa might surprise outsiders, but Swedish foreign policy has thrown up a variety of surprises over the past year. Since Stefan Löfven, leader of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SAP), became prime minister last October, Sweden has pursued a subtly radical, “feminist” foreign policy–a policy that has placed it at odds with a number of foreign powers. The first and most dramatic sign of this new foreign policy at work came when Sweden recognized the state of Palestine shortly after Löfven took office. “We hope that we can make the parties a little less unequal,” Foreign Minister Margot Wallström told CNN at the time. In response, Israel recalled its ambassador and then-Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman chided that the Middle East is “more complicated than a piece of furniture from Ikea,” which was founded in Sweden. Wallström shot back: “I will be happy to send Israel FM Lieberman an Ikea flat pack to assemble. He’ll see it requires a partner, cooperation and a good manual.” A second key moment came in March 2015, when Wallström was unceremoniously booted from a gathering of the Arab League in Cairo after her public criticism of Saudi Arabia’s handling of human rights issues. Again, the situation escalated quickly, with Sweden scrapping a major arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recalled their ambassadors from Stockholm, while the Arab League issued a statement condemning Wallström. After the new government took office, Wallström explained Sweden’s new stance as part of a broader “feminist foreign policy,” but at first it wasn’t totally clear what that meant. The Web site of Sweden’s government now says that “equality between women and men is a fundamental aim of Swedish foreign policy” and that Sweden has a duty to ensure that “women and girls can enjoy their fundamental human rights.” Speaking to the New Yorker’s Jenny Nordberg in April, Wallström expanded on this definition, explaining that a feminist foreign policy meant “standing against the systematic and global subordination of women,” adding that it was “time to become a little braver in foreign policy.” Some experts say that, although still important, the feminism tag doesn’t fully describe the moves Sweden has been making over the past year. “Sweden’s feminist foreign policy is still in the making,” Fredrik Wesslau, director of the Wider Europe Program at the European Council of Foreign Relations, explains. “It’s not the overarching concept underpinning Sweden’s foreign policy, but it is an important concept.” Another, perhaps overlooked thread over the past year may be the wistful memories of Swedish diplomatic history, according to Ulf Bjereld, a professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg and a SAP supporter. “For many years, there has been a pressure inside the Social Democratic Party for a more progressive and independent foreign policy,” Bjereld explains. “Some members of the Social Democratic Party look at the foreign policy of Olof Palme during the 1970s and 1980s as an ideal.” As prime minister, Palme adopted a policy of non-alignment toward major powers and support for independence movements in developing countries. He was assassinated in Stockholm in 1986; the killing remains unsolved. Löfven’s and Wallström’s foreign policy isn’t necessarily a complete break from the past, however. Issues such as the Western Sahara and the fight for a Palestinian state have long been supported by significant numbers of Swedes, and Swedish policy was built on consensus even under previous center-right governments. Ahead of the troubles with Saudi Arabia, 31 Swedish business leaders published a statement in the DN Debatt newspaper urging the government to maintain good ties with that Sunni kingdom. “Sweden’s reputation as a trade and business partner is at stake,” the statement read. “In a very real way, this is about Sweden’s credibility as a contractual partner,” Carl Bildt, Wallström’s predecessor as foreign minister, told Defense News. “That credibility is important to a relatively small country like Sweden. This whole situation is unfortunate.” Some experts argue that Sweden was losing political leverage with these moves rather than gaining it. “Sweden has definitely taken a back seat in the Israel-Palestine conflict since now one of the parties–Israel–won’t listen to it,” said Per Jönsson, a Middle East expert at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Tracz sees the dispute with Morocco as a knock-on effect of the Palestine decision. “There’s no certainty now about how Sweden will act,” she says. “Certain countries are starting to get nervous about what Sweden will and will not do.” If nothing else, the new policy has got people talking. “For all my years in this business, I have never met such a strong international interest for Swedish foreign policy as during this last year,” Bjereld says. “You can, of course, discuss if this is good or bad–but it is clearly a change.” |
Prison debate team victorious over Harvard champs
Catherine Garcia, The Week, Oct. 7, 2015
The debate team from New York’s Eastern Correctional Facility has major bragging rights, after beating the national debate championship team from Harvard.
In September, the inmates invited the Harvard team to the Napanoch prison for a friendly match. The Eastern Correctional Facility team was formed two years ago, and the men take debate classes taught by faculty at Bard College; about 15 percent of the inmates are enrolled in different courses through the Bard Prison Initiative. “Students in the prison are held to the exact same standards, levels of rigor, and expectation as students on Bard’s main campus,” Max Kenner, executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative, told The Associated Press. “Those students are serious. They are not condescended to by their faculty.”
During the battle against Harvard, the inmates had to argue that public schools should have the right to turn away students whose parents came to the United States without documents. It was a stance the inmates didn’t agree with, but they were able to come up with points Harvard wasn’t expecting, AP reports, and a neutral panel of judges declared them the winners. The inmates have defeated teams from West Point and the University of Vermont, and the Harvard team appears happy to join their ranks, posting on Facebook: “There are few teams we are prouder of having lost a debate to than the phenomenally intelligent and articulate team we faced this weekend.”
The debate team from New York’s Eastern Correctional Facility has major bragging rights, after beating the national debate championship team from Harvard.
In September, the inmates invited the Harvard team to the Napanoch prison for a friendly match. The Eastern Correctional Facility team was formed two years ago, and the men take debate classes taught by faculty at Bard College; about 15 percent of the inmates are enrolled in different courses through the Bard Prison Initiative. “Students in the prison are held to the exact same standards, levels of rigor, and expectation as students on Bard’s main campus,” Max Kenner, executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative, told The Associated Press. “Those students are serious. They are not condescended to by their faculty.”
During the battle against Harvard, the inmates had to argue that public schools should have the right to turn away students whose parents came to the United States without documents. It was a stance the inmates didn’t agree with, but they were able to come up with points Harvard wasn’t expecting, AP reports, and a neutral panel of judges declared them the winners. The inmates have defeated teams from West Point and the University of Vermont, and the Harvard team appears happy to join their ranks, posting on Facebook: “There are few teams we are prouder of having lost a debate to than the phenomenally intelligent and articulate team we faced this weekend.”
Conte Comigo
Link
Palavras de Jesus
“Pois foi por meio da fé que os antigos receberam bom testemunho. Todos estes ainda viveram pela fé, e morreram sem receber o que tinha sido prometido; viram-nas [as promessas] de longe e de longe as saudaram.” — Hebreus 11:2, 13[1]
Se parar para pensar nos grandes homens e mulheres de antigamente, tanto os personagens da BÃblia como outros desde então, verá que cada um deles dedicou a vida a Mim e realizou grandes obras em Meu nome. Alguns, como os explica Hebreus 11, nunca receberam a promessa durante a sua vida na terra. No entanto, permaneceram inabaláveis e isso lhes garantiu grandes, plenas e eternas recompensas.
Existem situações as quais você questiona se vou interceder em seu favor? Você se preocupa com algo que Eu disse, achando que não vai acontecer como espera ou gostaria? Pense na grande nuvem de testemunhas. Medite no conselho que lhe oferecem, reabasteça seu espÃrito com o exemplo daquelas figuras bÃblicas e encontrará paz de espÃrito ao interiorizar essa força e coragem. Vou interceder em seu favor exatamente como fiz por todas essas pessoas.
Fã solidário
Portanto, também nós, uma vez que estamos rodeados por tão grande nuvem de testemunhas, livremo-nos de tudo o que nos atrapalha e do pecado que nos envolve, e corramos com perseverança a corrida que nos é proposta, tendo os olhos fitos em Jesus, autor e consumador da nossa fé.” — Hebreus 12:1–2[2]
O jogo está acirrado, o placar apertado, já é quase o final do segundo tempo … Torço por você. Se percebo que sua defesa está fraca, grito para avisá-lo. Quando vejo sua ofensiva deixando a desejar, pego o megafone e Me certifico de alertá-lo. Quando o Inimigo faz gol e vejo sua cara de decepção, torço por você com toda força para animá-lo. E dou um grande susto no Diabo e na turma dele.
Pode contar Comigo para aumentar sua autoestima. O melhor de tudo é que, depois que faz um gol ou vence o jogo, a voz de apreço que se sobressai é a Minha! Torço, danço e incito as hostes celestes a bradarem em seu favor. Você nunca viu um fã clube como o Meu.
Luz do sol eterna
“Pois Deus que disse: ‘Das trevas resplandeça a luz’. Ele mesmo brilhou em nossos corações, para iluminação do conhecimento da glória de Deus na face de Cristo.” — 2 CorÃntios 4:6[3]
Continue olhando para Mim, aconteça o que acontecer. O céu pode estar tomado por nuvens escuras, o vento soprando forte, as águas podem ser profundas e turvas e as ondas à sua volta. Talvez não pareça haver escapatória, mas sou o seu escape. Sou o sol que afugenta as nuvens escuras. Minha voz acalma as águas tumultuosas. Meus raios de luz tornam as águas claras para que você possa ver o fabuloso coral e todo o esplendor abaixo da superfÃcie da água do mar da vida.
Por isso, quando tudo ao seu redor estiver sombrio e escuro, olhe para Mim, a sua luz eterna. Resplandecerei intensamente em sua vida, acalmarei os mares e o ajudarei a encontrar paz e segurança.
Paciência
“Meus irmãos, considerem motivo de grande alegria o fato de passarem por diversas provações, pois vocês sabem que a prova da sua fé produz perseverança. E a perseverança deve ter ação completa, a fim de que vocês sejam maduros e Ãntegros, sem lhes faltar coisa alguma. Feliz é o homem que persevera na provação, porque depois de aprovado receberá a coroa da vida que Deus prometeu aos que o amam.” — Tiago 1:2–4, 12[4]
A paciência é uma virtudede valor inestimável que aumenta com as experiências que a colocam à prova. Então, valorize essas ocasiões, com paciência, e não espere que Eu o resgate antes da hora. Aproveite ao máximo cada teste. Entenda que tenho um propósito e um plano com resultados que serão para o seu bem.
Vai seguir o caminho da impaciência, autocomiseração, angústia de coração e mente, e das reclamações?Ou vai seguir a estrada da paciência, aceitação, verdade e determinação, para tirar maior proveito desse tempo de esperar em Mim? A segunda opção é decididamente a recomendada, pois você chegará ao seu destino realizado, feliz, satisfeito com a jornada, e com os músculos de paciência bem definidos. Mas se seguir a primeira opção chegará ao seu destino desanimado, fraco, desgastado, e temeroso quanto ao futuro que lhe preparei.
Escolha o da paciência e verdade, e jamais se arrependerá. Poderei levá-lo ao seu destino rapidamente e ficará empolgado com os dons que adquirirá através disso.
Planos majestosos
“Não andem ansiosos por coisa alguma, mas em tudo, pela oração e súplicas, e com ação de graças, apresentem seus pedidos a Deus. E a paz de Deus, que excede todo o entendimento, guardará os seus corações e as suas mentes em Cristo Jesus.” — Filipenses 4:6–7[5]
No Meu plano, posso fazer tudo contribuir para o seu bem, inclusive as situações que você gostaria que fossem diferentes. Você deseja muito ver o plano total, mesmo que não o entenderia caso Eu o revelasse!
Por favor, não fique remoendo o que poderia ter feito diferente. Isso é fora da realidade, pois o passado não pode ser alterado. Quero ajudá-lo a ter um novo começo, a partir do ponto em que se encontra.
Agora é a hora de recomeçar. Você se encontra em uma singular junção de tempo e espaço, o tempo e o espaço onde desejo que viva. Você talvez não possa intervir em algumas — ou muitas — coisas, mas pode viver este momento com alegria. Afinal, neste exato momento você está em comunicação Comigo, seu Salvador e Senhor. Você é capaz de lidar com o próximo momento e com o momento seguinte.
O mais difÃcil para você é aceitar a sua perspectiva de futuro, baseando suas previsões nas circunstâncias atuais. Mas o futuro é um daqueles mistérios que se está além do seu domÃnio. Deixe por Minha conta, isso é da Minha jurisdição. Recuse-se a se preocupar com o futuro e verá que seus recursos para hoje são mais do que suficientes. Lembre-se que estou incluÃdo nesses recursos e que nada é impossÃvel para Mim![6]
Publicado originalmente em março 2009, exceto indicação contrária. Adaptado e republicado em novembro 2014. Tradução Hebe Rondon Flandoli.
[1] NVI.
[2] NVI.
[3] NVI.
[4] NVI.
[5] NVI.
[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
Palavras de Jesus
“Pois foi por meio da fé que os antigos receberam bom testemunho. Todos estes ainda viveram pela fé, e morreram sem receber o que tinha sido prometido; viram-nas [as promessas] de longe e de longe as saudaram.” — Hebreus 11:2, 13[1]
Se parar para pensar nos grandes homens e mulheres de antigamente, tanto os personagens da BÃblia como outros desde então, verá que cada um deles dedicou a vida a Mim e realizou grandes obras em Meu nome. Alguns, como os explica Hebreus 11, nunca receberam a promessa durante a sua vida na terra. No entanto, permaneceram inabaláveis e isso lhes garantiu grandes, plenas e eternas recompensas.
Existem situações as quais você questiona se vou interceder em seu favor? Você se preocupa com algo que Eu disse, achando que não vai acontecer como espera ou gostaria? Pense na grande nuvem de testemunhas. Medite no conselho que lhe oferecem, reabasteça seu espÃrito com o exemplo daquelas figuras bÃblicas e encontrará paz de espÃrito ao interiorizar essa força e coragem. Vou interceder em seu favor exatamente como fiz por todas essas pessoas.
Fã solidário
Portanto, também nós, uma vez que estamos rodeados por tão grande nuvem de testemunhas, livremo-nos de tudo o que nos atrapalha e do pecado que nos envolve, e corramos com perseverança a corrida que nos é proposta, tendo os olhos fitos em Jesus, autor e consumador da nossa fé.” — Hebreus 12:1–2[2]
O jogo está acirrado, o placar apertado, já é quase o final do segundo tempo … Torço por você. Se percebo que sua defesa está fraca, grito para avisá-lo. Quando vejo sua ofensiva deixando a desejar, pego o megafone e Me certifico de alertá-lo. Quando o Inimigo faz gol e vejo sua cara de decepção, torço por você com toda força para animá-lo. E dou um grande susto no Diabo e na turma dele.
Pode contar Comigo para aumentar sua autoestima. O melhor de tudo é que, depois que faz um gol ou vence o jogo, a voz de apreço que se sobressai é a Minha! Torço, danço e incito as hostes celestes a bradarem em seu favor. Você nunca viu um fã clube como o Meu.
Luz do sol eterna
“Pois Deus que disse: ‘Das trevas resplandeça a luz’. Ele mesmo brilhou em nossos corações, para iluminação do conhecimento da glória de Deus na face de Cristo.” — 2 CorÃntios 4:6[3]
Continue olhando para Mim, aconteça o que acontecer. O céu pode estar tomado por nuvens escuras, o vento soprando forte, as águas podem ser profundas e turvas e as ondas à sua volta. Talvez não pareça haver escapatória, mas sou o seu escape. Sou o sol que afugenta as nuvens escuras. Minha voz acalma as águas tumultuosas. Meus raios de luz tornam as águas claras para que você possa ver o fabuloso coral e todo o esplendor abaixo da superfÃcie da água do mar da vida.
Por isso, quando tudo ao seu redor estiver sombrio e escuro, olhe para Mim, a sua luz eterna. Resplandecerei intensamente em sua vida, acalmarei os mares e o ajudarei a encontrar paz e segurança.
Paciência
“Meus irmãos, considerem motivo de grande alegria o fato de passarem por diversas provações, pois vocês sabem que a prova da sua fé produz perseverança. E a perseverança deve ter ação completa, a fim de que vocês sejam maduros e Ãntegros, sem lhes faltar coisa alguma. Feliz é o homem que persevera na provação, porque depois de aprovado receberá a coroa da vida que Deus prometeu aos que o amam.” — Tiago 1:2–4, 12[4]
A paciência é uma virtudede valor inestimável que aumenta com as experiências que a colocam à prova. Então, valorize essas ocasiões, com paciência, e não espere que Eu o resgate antes da hora. Aproveite ao máximo cada teste. Entenda que tenho um propósito e um plano com resultados que serão para o seu bem.
Vai seguir o caminho da impaciência, autocomiseração, angústia de coração e mente, e das reclamações?Ou vai seguir a estrada da paciência, aceitação, verdade e determinação, para tirar maior proveito desse tempo de esperar em Mim? A segunda opção é decididamente a recomendada, pois você chegará ao seu destino realizado, feliz, satisfeito com a jornada, e com os músculos de paciência bem definidos. Mas se seguir a primeira opção chegará ao seu destino desanimado, fraco, desgastado, e temeroso quanto ao futuro que lhe preparei.
Escolha o da paciência e verdade, e jamais se arrependerá. Poderei levá-lo ao seu destino rapidamente e ficará empolgado com os dons que adquirirá através disso.
Planos majestosos
“Não andem ansiosos por coisa alguma, mas em tudo, pela oração e súplicas, e com ação de graças, apresentem seus pedidos a Deus. E a paz de Deus, que excede todo o entendimento, guardará os seus corações e as suas mentes em Cristo Jesus.” — Filipenses 4:6–7[5]
No Meu plano, posso fazer tudo contribuir para o seu bem, inclusive as situações que você gostaria que fossem diferentes. Você deseja muito ver o plano total, mesmo que não o entenderia caso Eu o revelasse!
Por favor, não fique remoendo o que poderia ter feito diferente. Isso é fora da realidade, pois o passado não pode ser alterado. Quero ajudá-lo a ter um novo começo, a partir do ponto em que se encontra.
Agora é a hora de recomeçar. Você se encontra em uma singular junção de tempo e espaço, o tempo e o espaço onde desejo que viva. Você talvez não possa intervir em algumas — ou muitas — coisas, mas pode viver este momento com alegria. Afinal, neste exato momento você está em comunicação Comigo, seu Salvador e Senhor. Você é capaz de lidar com o próximo momento e com o momento seguinte.
O mais difÃcil para você é aceitar a sua perspectiva de futuro, baseando suas previsões nas circunstâncias atuais. Mas o futuro é um daqueles mistérios que se está além do seu domÃnio. Deixe por Minha conta, isso é da Minha jurisdição. Recuse-se a se preocupar com o futuro e verá que seus recursos para hoje são mais do que suficientes. Lembre-se que estou incluÃdo nesses recursos e que nada é impossÃvel para Mim![6]
Publicado originalmente em março 2009, exceto indicação contrária. Adaptado e republicado em novembro 2014. Tradução Hebe Rondon Flandoli.
[1] NVI.
[2] NVI.
[3] NVI.
[4] NVI.
[5] NVI.
[6] Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
How to Live to 100
Will you live to 100 and beyond? Certainly genetics is a key factor, but the number of years that you actually accrue–and how healthy you are during those years–often are within your control.
Consider: The number of centenarians–people who live to the ripe old age of 100 or beyond–increased by 51% between 1990 and 2000. The average life expectancy in the US is now 78.8 years, a record high.
Improvements in health care deserve some of the credit, but personal choice is a strong predictor of how long you’ll live. About 70% of “normal,” age-related declines–including those caused by heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases–are mainly due to lifestyle factors.
But which factors are the most important? Not smoking is one. But there are four other lifestyle changes that make the biggest difference when it comes to living a healthier, longer life. They’ll also improve your life right now by boosting your mood, energy and cognitive focus.
Exercise more as you get older. Some exercise is better than none, but it’s a myth that just a little exercise is enough. Walking to the mailbox or enjoying the occasional game of golf isn’t enough.
Everyone should exercise hard at least five days a week. Make it six days if you’re 50 or older. Tough workouts stress muscles, bones and blood vessels and cause adaptive microtrauma, small injuries that trigger the body’s self-repair mechanisms. Result: Healthier and stronger tissues.
A study that looked at 10,000 middle-aged men over a five-year period found that those who were fittest were three times less likely to die than those who were the least fit. Even more encouraging, men who were largely sedentary at the start of the study but who boosted their exercise levels reduced their mortality by half.
Suppose that you’re 30 pounds overweight and a smoker, but you exercise every day. You’ll still live longer than someone who is thin and doesn’t smoke but does not exercise. (Obviously, you’ll do even better if you give up the smokes and lose a few pounds.)
I advise patients to join a gym, even if they would rather not. Many people think that they’ll get all of the exercise that they need by working out “informally”–by using a home treadmill, for example, or by going for runs or bike rides in the neighborhood. But most people don’t stick with it.
In my experience, a gym membership is a good investment. Once you’ve written a check, you’re already invested in making it work. Once you make it to the gym, you’re going to exercise–and it’s more fun to do it with others than alone.
Helpful: Sign up for classes or other group activities such as spin classes, aerobics sessions and Zumba that require you to be there at certain times. Or hire a personal trainer on a regular basis to give you a routine to follow.
Give up white foods. Sure, you’ve heard this before, but it bears repeating because it’s crucial to living longer. Give up or strictly limit white potatoes, white rice, white bread and white pasta. Even though “simple” carbohydrates have only about half the calories of fat, they’re more likely to cause weight gain because they act like pure sugar in the body. They cause surges in insulin that trigger inflammation and increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Important: I don’t recommend formal diets for weight loss. Calorie control obviously is important, but strict dieting rarely works. Most people will lose weight just by giving up junk food–and white, starchy foods are junk. Replace junk food with natural foods that haven’t been processed or refined such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, etc.
Studies have shown that eating a Mediterranean-style diet (which actually is high in fat but includes the healthy foods above) is probably ideal for health as well as longevity.
Log your life. Can you live longer just by writing down, every day, what you ate and how much you exercised? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.
Even though it’s a bit of a hassle, keeping a daily diary of health-related details is a sign that you care. It’s also a good form of accountability. You might be less likely to skip a day’s exercise or chug down a supersized soft drink when you know that you’ll have to confess it (if only to yourself).
The health software that now is standard issue on some smartphones makes it particularly easy to track your habits. The iPhone Health app, for example, automatically counts the number of steps you take and how far you have walked or run. You can use other features to track your weight and what you eat. I also like the apps MapMyRide (for cycling) and MapMyRun (for running).
Stay connected. People who have close friends and are engaged in their communities tend to live a lot longer than those who are loners. It makes sense because we need people around us.
Single men, for example, have higher rates of heart disease and cancer than married men–and they tend to die years sooner. People who go home to an empty house after a heart attack are twice as likely to have a second heart attack within a few months. Those who are angry and isolated have four times the mortality rate of those who are happier.
My advice: Do whatever you can to connect with other people. Make plans with friends even when you would really rather be alone. Get involved in charities and other altruistic activities. Attend religious services. Take advantage of Meetup and other web-based social groups.
Obviously, someone who’s naturally solitary will never want to become the life of the party. That’s fine because what matters is the aggregate of your social connections. A few truly caring relationships can expand your life (and your life span) just as much as a wide social network.
Also, consider adopting a dog–or a cat, rabbit or bird. The emotional connections that we form with animals can rival, in terms of health benefits, those that we form with fellow humans.
One study, for example, looked at dog ownership in heart attack patients. People who didn’t have a dog were six to eight times more likely to die of a second heart attack than those who did.
Not a dog lover? That’s OK because any pet that you truly love and care for can offer the same benefits.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Syrian forces begin ground offensive backed by Russia air and sea power
By Erin Cunningham and Andrew Roth, Washington Post, October 7, 2015
BEIRUT–Russian missiles fired from Caspian Sea warships traveled more than 900 miles to strike targets in Syria on Wednesday as Syrian government forces opened a ground offensive into areas that include rebel factions, officials said.
The bombardment marked the first naval salvos in Russia’s week-old military intervention and another sharp escalation of Moscow’s firepower in Syria’s multi-faction civil war.
The path of the cruise missiles was not immediately clear, but a route from the Caspian could require coordination with Iran and Iraq. Like Moscow, Iran is a key backer of Syria’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad. Iraq’s leadership has close ties with Iran, but also depends on support from the United States and Western allies.
Another possible route would take missiles over NATO-member Turkey, where previous violations of Turkish airspace by Russian warplanes brought stern warnings from the Western military alliance.
In Moscow, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said four Russian warships carried out 26 missile strikes against 11 targets, but gave no other details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a television meeting with Shoigu, said the missiles were fired from “the water of the Caspian Sea from 1,500 kilometers away.”
Putin added that the strikes “destroyed all the planned targets speaks to the good preparation and the enterprises of the military-industrial complex and the good training of the personnel.”
The comments came after a wave of Russian sea and air attacks that appeared launched in coordination with Syrian forces seeking to reclaim territory after a string of defeats before the Russian military aid.
The Syrian push represents the first major ground advance since Moscow began airstrikes last week in support of Assad.
The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that its main aim is to drive back the Islamic State in Syria. But the United States and allies say the Russian attacks have concentrated on areas that include strongholds of Western-backed rebel units and others.
A Syrian official, cited by the Associated Press, said the new ground operations are concentrated in the western province of Hama and northwest province of Idlib.
Earlier, Syrian activists said Russian airstrikes hit rebel sites in both areas in apparent preparation for ground troops.
Wednesday’s airstrikes were carried out by Russian fighter jets and attack helicopters, activists said. There were no immediate reports of casualties, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russia has staged a assive military build-up in pro-regime areas of Syria in recent weeks. The United States, too, is launching air raids on Islamic State targets in parts of the country.
In Rome, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter did not respond directly when asked by reporters about the Russian military’s apparent support for the Syrian government’s ground offensive.
But the Pentagon chief for the first time ruled out any cooperation with Moscow in the fight against Islamic State, saying that Russia’s strategy was clearly just to support Assad and his government.
“We believe Russia has the wrong strategy. They continue to hit targets that are not ISIL. This is a fundamental mistake,” Carter said, using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State.
In the past, the Obama administration has publicly held out hope–however faint–that Moscow might cooperate in the military campaign against Islamic State.
In his most hard-line comments to date about Russia, Carter rejected the possibility of teaming up with the Russians in that regard. He said the Pentagon still wanted to talk with Moscow about finding ways to manage the crowded airspace above Syria and avoid any hostile or inadvertent encounters. “That’s it,” he said flatly.
“We are not prepared to cooperate on strategy, which as we explained is flawed–tragically flawed–on Russia’s part,” Carter said during a joint press conference with Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti. “We continue to have a fundamental strategic disagreement.”
BEIRUT–Russian missiles fired from Caspian Sea warships traveled more than 900 miles to strike targets in Syria on Wednesday as Syrian government forces opened a ground offensive into areas that include rebel factions, officials said.
The bombardment marked the first naval salvos in Russia’s week-old military intervention and another sharp escalation of Moscow’s firepower in Syria’s multi-faction civil war.
The path of the cruise missiles was not immediately clear, but a route from the Caspian could require coordination with Iran and Iraq. Like Moscow, Iran is a key backer of Syria’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad. Iraq’s leadership has close ties with Iran, but also depends on support from the United States and Western allies.
Another possible route would take missiles over NATO-member Turkey, where previous violations of Turkish airspace by Russian warplanes brought stern warnings from the Western military alliance.
In Moscow, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said four Russian warships carried out 26 missile strikes against 11 targets, but gave no other details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a television meeting with Shoigu, said the missiles were fired from “the water of the Caspian Sea from 1,500 kilometers away.”
Putin added that the strikes “destroyed all the planned targets speaks to the good preparation and the enterprises of the military-industrial complex and the good training of the personnel.”
The comments came after a wave of Russian sea and air attacks that appeared launched in coordination with Syrian forces seeking to reclaim territory after a string of defeats before the Russian military aid.
The Syrian push represents the first major ground advance since Moscow began airstrikes last week in support of Assad.
The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that its main aim is to drive back the Islamic State in Syria. But the United States and allies say the Russian attacks have concentrated on areas that include strongholds of Western-backed rebel units and others.
A Syrian official, cited by the Associated Press, said the new ground operations are concentrated in the western province of Hama and northwest province of Idlib.
Earlier, Syrian activists said Russian airstrikes hit rebel sites in both areas in apparent preparation for ground troops.
Wednesday’s airstrikes were carried out by Russian fighter jets and attack helicopters, activists said. There were no immediate reports of casualties, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russia has staged a assive military build-up in pro-regime areas of Syria in recent weeks. The United States, too, is launching air raids on Islamic State targets in parts of the country.
In Rome, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter did not respond directly when asked by reporters about the Russian military’s apparent support for the Syrian government’s ground offensive.
But the Pentagon chief for the first time ruled out any cooperation with Moscow in the fight against Islamic State, saying that Russia’s strategy was clearly just to support Assad and his government.
“We believe Russia has the wrong strategy. They continue to hit targets that are not ISIL. This is a fundamental mistake,” Carter said, using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State.
In the past, the Obama administration has publicly held out hope–however faint–that Moscow might cooperate in the military campaign against Islamic State.
In his most hard-line comments to date about Russia, Carter rejected the possibility of teaming up with the Russians in that regard. He said the Pentagon still wanted to talk with Moscow about finding ways to manage the crowded airspace above Syria and avoid any hostile or inadvertent encounters. “That’s it,” he said flatly.
“We are not prepared to cooperate on strategy, which as we explained is flawed–tragically flawed–on Russia’s part,” Carter said during a joint press conference with Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti. “We continue to have a fundamental strategic disagreement.”
