America: How The Rest of The World Sees Us

     As I scan the headlines, I can't help but notice that the perception of America as the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" is damaged among the peoples and nations of the world.  One of the reasons can be laid at the feet of the NSA.  Reports that European Union offices and computers were hacked has resulted in leaders of the EU intimating that trade relations could be effected.  Germany's Foreign Ministry has actually summoned the U.S. Ambassador to do a little explaining.  French President Francois Hollande also threatened to block negotiations on a transatlantic free trade treaty, and allies from Belgium to Italy and throughout Europe have used the strongest language possible to register their distaste for alleged American spying.
     But it's not just government heads that are suspicious and mistrustful of our motives and actions.  Fugitive CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden released information to the German magazine Der Spiegel, in which he said the US had monitored phone lines and bugged embassies of European countries.  Editorials are appearing in the magazine lamenting the German peoples' lack of faith and doubt in the American government.  Having lived through the Nazi and Communist subversion of their own government, they are now openly warning Americans to wake up from our complacency and see the threat to both our liberty and our security.  While acknowledging the need to collaborate on both sides of the Atlantic to pursue and prevent organized crime and terrorism, the article admonishes that "it must be done in a way that strengthens civil liberties and does not reduce them."
     And it's a pretty sad commentary when a German citizen writes an editorial that chastises and corrects the President for his incorrect use of a quote by one of our Founding Fathers.  Malte Spitz got it right when he wrote, "Perhaps instead of including a quote from James Madison in his speech, arguing that “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare,” Mr. Obama should have been reminded of the quote from another Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, when he said, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  The German people have made it very plain that they have no intention of relinquishing their liberty, and no intention of repeating their historical mistakes by blindly trusting leaders who promise security through a reduction of freedom.

     But it is not only Europe who has become disillusioned with how America is conducting its affairs.  Opposition groups to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi are accusing the US of "being partner to a conspiracy to keep President Morsi in power."  The mass rallies in Cairo's Tahrir Square are evidence that the populace is disillusioned with the lack of promised democracy.  As far as the $1.3 billion in military aid the U.S. government gave the new Egyptian leader, the rebels are now furious.  "America and the Brotherhood have united to bring down the Egyptian people," said Hassan Shahin, a member of the Tamarod, or "rebel," movement.  To prove their point, the protestors have stormed and ransacked the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters and given a time demand to Morsi to abdicate his presidency.
     And it's only a hop, skip and a jump to the powder keg in Syria.  I don't think I need to remind you that we have made some questionable alliances and some poor decisions in the midst of their civil war.
     Of course, our relations with Russia are surely to be strained as Putin appears to be offering asylum to Ed Snowden, in direct defiance of our government's demands.  Of course that hasn't stopped the two Super Powers from signing agreements that will allow trained Russian "experts" to provide security at mass events.  (This is according to an article by the Ministry of the Russian Federation of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters).  So can we now surmise that we are no longer capable of providing our own security or cleaning up after a natural disaster?  Try telling the folks in Moore, Oklahoma or Joplin, Missouri that!
     All in all, the headlines of the day show a disturbing trend in regards to the image, perception, and actions of America.  We used to be the nation that everyone looked to for inspiration; and our influence and impact were sought after.  Now it appears as if we are mistrusted, doubted and down-right duplicitous in our foreign relations.  I am inclined to believe that the slide from the original vision for America has been occurring at a gradual, yet steady pace over the last century.  My fear is that somewhere in the near future, we are going to wake up and discover that the gradual decline has become a full-blown plunge.
     Now, more than ever, we need to return to the values and purpose for which this nation was founded.  Regardless of what the peoples of other nations think of us, Americans still know what freedom, virtue and honesty look like.  It is up to each of us to embody those principles in ourselves, instill them in our families and export them to our communities.  Now is the time to show the world what we're made of!

Proverbs 10:9    "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out."


   

Watching Our Pennies

     The situation in Cyprus does not bode well for the rest of the world.  I'm not a financial wizard, but I'm smart enough to know that what happened to the citizens on this Eastern Mediterranean island could happen anywhere in this global economy.  Each troubled economy has their own problems and point of origins, but this unique solution could be applied across the board.
     Here's Cyprus's story:  their failing economy required a bailout from the EU, (just another in a long line), but the consequences of this one held some foreboding news for unsuspecting Cypriots.  Over the weekend, a bank holiday was declared, and the good people of Cyprus woke up Monday morning to find out that the government had seized up to 10% of everyone's savings from their bank accounts ... without warning.  Bank deposit holders had no idea they would be footing part of the bill.  Panic ensued, there was a run on ATMs, and those funds were quickly depleted by mid-afternoon.

     But there could be an even more mysterious reason behind this particular resolution.  According to The Guardian, it seems "there is a lot of Russian money in Cyprus, much of it from somewhat dubious sources. With the richer countries of the eurozone suffering from bail-out fatigue, there was resistance – particularly in Germany – to the idea that ordinary European taxpayers should be writing blank checks to Russian oligarchs who might have been using Cyprus as a money laundering destination.".  Whoa!  Is there more to this story than meets the eye?
     According to an interview with Jim Sinclair, founder of The Sinclair Group (1977), and a respected precious metals specialist, as well as a commodities and foreign currency trader, this Russian money could be ex-KGB money!  To say that taking Russian money is a foolish idea is over-simplifying; but when you couple it with using Cyprus as the test model for bank account confiscation, you have a dangerous mix that is going to obviously explode.  Never mind the fact that normal everyday citizens are being hurt in the process, but now they must pay the price for the immoral business decisions of their banking officials, who, by the way, operated with the full approval of their government!  That seems to be a universal practice of all corrupt governments, doesn't it?
      On the one hand, you have the Russian problem.  But is this also a foreshadowing of a solution other failed economies could utilize?  Will bank holidays and purloined deposits become a matter of policy for determining how other bailouts will be paid back?  And will the citizens of other troubled countries fear the same type of confiscation, and cause a global run on the banks?  People in Cyprus are protesting in the streets, and there's no end to the fear and anxiety.  Calling the theft of private funds a "tax" doesn't alleviate the hostility or rage towards the government.
     But don't think that just because we are an ocean away, we don't face the possibility of similar "solutions".  In an article on KingWorldNews.com, Former Assistant of the US Treasury, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, reported that our very own J.P. Morgan "now threatens the stability of the entire global financial system.  And if the Fed loses control and we collapse, Nothing and no one would be safe anywhere.”  Well, that's going to help me sleep tonight!
     Dr. Roberts points out that the Student Loan problem in this country is a huge bubble ready to pop; and when it does, it stands to devastate our banking industry.  Combine that with the fact that we are an import-dependent country.  He states that we no longer produce our own manufactured products, clothes, or shoes anymore.  And these import items dwarf the import of oil or energy!  So the potential for what happens when these bubbles burst is widespread unemployment, and a rapid increase in inflation, and needless to say, we don't have an effective economic policy in place to deal with this kind of crisis!  We've heard this talk of economic gloom and doom for some time now, but the advent of the recent Bank Holiday adds a whole new level of trepidation.
     That's why what happened in Cyprus over the weekend could be a warning sign for troubled economies around the world.  If you think your bank accounts, money market funds, retirement plans, IRAs, mutual funds or stock market portfolios are ‘safe’ assets just because they've been recommended by your financial adviser, then in the words of SHTFPlan, you are "playing Russian roulette."  That seems to be what the government of Cyprus did, and look where it got them!

  Isaiah 56:11-12      Yes, they are greedy dog which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory.  “Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; tomorrow will be as today, and much more abundant.
   

The Well's About To Run Dry

     In a startling opinion piece on NewsForChristians.com, I learned more than I wanted to know about the state of the world's water supply.  As if it's not enough that we have to worry about food supplies, ammo supplies, warnings of nuclear attacks, and crippling economic news, we now receive reports that our levels of water are diminishing as well.

     Those of us here in the drought-stricken southern plains of Texas know this all too well.  But it was the following facts that brought this alarming situation into sharper focus.  According to this well-researched article, some of the largest lakes and rivers on the globe are being depleted at a very frightening pace.  We have all heard that the third world countries have little access to clean water, and perhaps you think "that's a problem, for certain, but it doesn't really affect me."  But did you know that the most important underground water source in America, the Ogallala Aquifer, is rapidly running dry? Did you know that the most important lake in the western United States, Lake Mead, is rapidly running dry?  Did you know that the most important river in the western United States, the Colorado River, is rapidly running dry?  Now do I have your attention?
     Here is a deeply disturbing memo from the first U.S. Intelligence Community Assessment of Global Water Security. The document predicts that by 2030 humanity's "annual global water requirements" will exceed "current sustainable water supplies" by forty percent!

    All this may sound like "government speak" and hard to assimilate into our day-to-day lives, but contemplate this:  When Lake Mead falls below 1,050 feet, the Hoover Dam's turbines shut down and the lights in Vegas start going out.  But the Hoover Dam doesn't just supply the electricity needs for Las Vegas.  Southern California, the city of Los Angeles, and the state of Arizona are supplied by Hoover Dam, as well.
     In an article by Alex Daley, we read this prescient opinion:  You can always build more power plants, but you can't build more rivers, and the mighty Colorado carries the lifeblood of the Southwest. It services the water needs of an area the size of France, in which live 40 million people. In its natural state, the river poured 15.7 million acre-feet of water into the Gulf of California each year. Today, twelve years of drought have reduced the flow to about 12 million acre-feet, and human demand siphons off every bit of it; at its mouth, the riverbed is nothing but dust.  
     If you are able to connect the dots, you will realize that this greatly affects the agricultural areas in the Southwest.  But it's not just our rivers that are being depleted.  Important groundwaters are drying up.  Science Daily reports that if current trends continue some parts of the southern High Plains that currently support irrigated agriculture, mostly in the Texas Panhandle and western Kansas, will be unable to do so within a few decades.  You see, our massive underground aquifers have always been able to support our agricultural needs and were responsible for the US being the breadbasket of the world.  That role is now in danger.

     According to the NewsForChristians site "Once the water from those aquifers is gone, it is gone for good. That is why what is happening to the Ogallala Aquifer is so alarming. The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world, and U.S. farmers use water from it to irrigate more than 15 million acres of crops each year. The Ogallala Aquifer covers more than 100,000 square miles and it sits underneath the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota. Most Americans have never even heard of it, but it is absolutely crucial to our way of life."  The author provides these alarming statistics:
• The Ogallala Aquifer is being drained at a rate of approximately 800 gallons per minute.
• According to the U.S. Geological Survey, "a volume equivalent to two-thirds of the water in Lake Erie" has been permanently drained from the Ogallala Aquifer since 1940.
• Decades ago, the Ogallala Aquifer had an average depth of approximately 240 feet, but today the average depth is just 80 feet. In some areas of Texas, the water is gone completely.
• According to a recent National Geographic article, the average depletion rate of the Ogallala Aquifer is picking up speed.... Even more worrisome, the draining of the High Plains water account has picked up speed. The average annual depletion rate between 2000 and 2007 was more than twice that during the previous fifty years. The depletion is most severe in the southern portion of the aquifer, especially in Texas, where the water table beneath sizeable areas has dropped 100-150 feet; in smaller pockets, it has dropped more than 150 feet.
• According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. interior west is now the driest that it has been in 500 years.
•  Experts report that U.S. water bills are likely to soar in the coming years. The drinking water infrastructure is old and it will cost more than $1 Trillion to repair, resulting in water bills tripling in the near future.
• It has been estimated that the state of California only has a 20 year supply of fresh water left; New Mexico only has 10 years left.

     These facts only concern the United States!  When you add in what scientists and experts report about the global water crisis, you can see that this takes on Apocalyptic dimensions.  Consider these facts:
• Total global water use has quadrupled over the past 100 years, and it is now increasing faster than it ever has been before.
• According to USAID (US Agency for International Development), one-third of the people on earth will be facing "severe" or "chronic" water shortages by the year 2025.
• The flow of water along the Jordan River is down to only 2 percent of its historic rate.
• It is being projected that the demand for water in China will exceed the supply by 25 percent by the year 2030.
• Every 8 seconds, somewhere in the world a child dies from drinking dirty water.
• Due to a lack of water, Saudi Arabia has given up on trying to grow wheat and will be 100 percent dependent on wheat imports by the year 2016.
•  Once upon a time, the Aral Sea (in Central Asia) was the 4th largest freshwater lake in the entire world. At this point, it is less than 10 percent the size that it used to be, and it is being projected that it will dry up completely by the year 2020.
     And the facts go on and on .... each one more striking than the last.  All in all, the picture looks bleak.  Pure and simply, mankind cannot live without water; clean drinking water and an amply water supply to support agriculture are necessary to sustain the world's population.  At this point, it looks as if we are facing a devastating water crisis with no reprieve in sight.  It looks as if prayer is our only answer!

Haggai 1:10-11    "Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."

See How God Works In Syrian Civil War

     It is far too easy to become mired in the problems of our own country, and forget that half a world away, people are being massacred and forced to flee their homes.  Here, in America, we are focused on Sequestration, gun control, higher taxes and an out-of-control spending problem.  But, in the war-torn country of Syria, people are fighting for their lives.

     CBN.com (The Christian Broadcasting Network) has done a superb job of covering the continuing civil war in Syria.  They have brought us, not only the political news of the war, but the human perspective.  I admit, that the dynamics of this civil war are confusing to me.  On the one hand, you have the tyrannical dictatorship of Bashir Assad, who has committed atrocities against the people akin to Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gadafi.  On the other hand, you have the "rebel forces" who are valiantly fighting the regime, but whose ranks are filled with a conglomeration of Al-Queda jihadists and terrorist insurgents from across the Middle East.  Is it possible to have two "bad guys" in this scenario?
     The real tragedy of this civil war are the hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens who have been killed or forced to flee their homes.  According to CBN, "former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's cease-fire plan for Syria has been shattered, not only by the massacres [carried out by the Assad regime], but by anti-government attacks from the armed opposition [rebels, terrorists and insurgents]. Blue-helmeted U.N. observers travel from town to town, listening to the accounts of atrocities after they occur."  [Emphasis is mine.]  Once again the U.N. proves it is unable and inadequate!   Exactly what do the U.N. observers hope to accomplish?  Asking all parties "to play nice" hasn't protected innocent civilians from the atrocities of this war.

     One disturbing CBN article reported that "Syria's 2,000-year-old Christian community is being devastated by the country's civil war."  Journalists, in talking to refugees that are flooding across the Syrian border into Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, have reported that Muslim rebel forces are especially targeting Christian families and communities; sometimes shooting them in the head, just for being Christian.  According to the article, "Syria's population of 2 million Christians is the second largest in the Middle East after Egypt, and now whole villages are disappearing when Islamist rebels arrive."  Where is the international outcry over this inhumanity to man?  According to one patriarch of a Syrian family, "there is a great silent exodus taking place."  Interestingly enough, most Christians remain in Syria while others, Alawites and Sunni Muslims, are leaving.
     It is estimated that there have been over 600,000 refugees who have fled the civil war in Syria.  Many times it is the Christian churches in Jordan and Lebanon who are ministering to the needs of the tens of thousands who are not of the Christian faith.  And it is the tender mercy of Christ's followers that is making an impact on these traumatized refugees.
     As CBN reports, many of these Syrian refugees are experiencing Christian love for the very first time.  "They say you treat us like a human and not like others," one pastor said, even as he is careful to hide his identity.  It is always dangerous for a Christian to attempt to minister to Muslims in the Middle East.  Yet they do it out of love and compassion.  The pastor continued, "[We] take this opportunity to show the light in the darkness because the people who go outside Syria, they are hopeless.  Before they didn't have the chance to listen about the Gospel or about Jesus. But right now we have the chance to show them the love and mercy and our prayer for what we do for them."

     Many of these people flee their homes with only the clothes on their backs.  So you can imagine that when a church offers them a hot meal, clean clothes, and a place to sleep, that they are overwhelmingly grateful.  And if the pastors and churches get the opportunity to share the word of God, then they take it.  "We are caring about their souls as we care about their bodies," the pastor said.
    CBN interviewed one family who had received help from a Christian organization after they fled to Jordan.  The head of the family is a Sunni Muslim who served as a medic for the Free Syria Army, or rebel movement. He said his efforts led Assad's government agents to torture and imprison him.  "They were seeking information about my friends and their movements. I refused to tell them anything," he said. "It was terrible. They beat me so badly, I couldn't lie down for one week."
     "Hamza" said his captors let him go after he paid them money. He and his family later fled to Jordan and now live in an apartment.  Hamza is unemployed; a Syrian friend pays the rent. But Hamza said it is food deliveries and regular visits from caring Christians that have made a lasting impact on his family.  "Going to the church we are respected, we maintain our pride and dignity. Most of the other organizations are not providing help," he said. "The biggest difference between the church and the other organizations is the love and feeling the Christians have for us."
     And that is how Christ transforms lives!  As you can imagine, life as a refugee can be a life in turmoil.  The refugee camps are often chaotic and disorganized.  But as one woman told a CBN reporter, "It was the Bible people that came to us and gave us food and clothes and loved us and played with our children. It was the Bible people who were there for us."
     I guess I wanted to bring you these stories and this picture of the Syrian civil war, because I don't want us to lose focus on how God continues to be present throughout world events.  As I stated before, I confess that I don't get a clear picture of any "good guy" in this conflict.  And I'm a little confused as to why our new Secretary of State, John Kerry, has said the Obama administration will give the Syrian opposition an additional $60 million in aid.  Shouldn't we be a little more certain as to who and where that money will go?  If Al-Queda has its tentacles in the midst of the Syrian opposition, is this really a good idea?  But, as usual, I digress.  This post is about God showing up in spite of our best efforts to spoil His plan.  And He is becoming more evident to the devastated Syrian refugees.
     In the midst of the tribulations of these wartime refugees, "The Bible People" are having an influence in their lives.  By sharing the love of Christ, and meeting their material needs, they are able to show them that hope exists.  Through Jesus, they are shining light into the lives of Syrians fleeing the darkness of war and death.  Pray for their safety and continued blessings on them and the people they serve.

Psalm 22:24     "For He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help."

God Made A Farmer

     I want to join the chorus of those applauding Chrysler and their Dodge Ram truck commercial during the Super Bowl.  Not only was it the single most respectable commercial aired, but it actually had something worthwhile to say.  It didn't follow the increasingly vulgar tone set by most ads, and its message was long overdue.

     "God Made A Farmer", with a voiceover by the revered Paul Harvey, struck a harmonious chord across the prairies and plains of America.  If you couldn't smile at that ad and feel a sense of pride in our heritage, then we've probably lost you to the culture wars.
     And if you are not aware of the plight of our farmers in this nation, then you've probably had your head buried in your iPad too long.  So I want to salute the Chrysler Corporation for taking the brave stand of supporting Future Farmers of America, and attempting to raise $1 million for the organization, along with other corporate sponsors Stihl, Bosch and Mossy Oak.
     But there's another part of this story that you need to know and which we need to address.  We should extol the American farmer and encourage domestic agricultural growth.  But there is a wolf at the door and our food supply is in danger.  Because of the globalization of the world and the increasing influence of the UN across borders and boundaries, we, in the U.S., are expected to contribute towards alleviating the worldwide food crisis that is predicted for 2013.
     According to an article from The Guardian, here's the problem:  our grain reserves are at an all-time historic low, due to the drought of 2012 and its continuation into this year.  So what effect will that have on our food production and world famine?
     Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Centre in Washington, D.C., and one of the world's "leading environmentalists", says that extreme heat and drought in the U.S. will have consequences for the world's hungry.  "We are entering a new era of rising food prices and spreading hunger. Food supplies are tightening everywhere and land is becoming the most sought-after commodity as the world shifts from an age of food abundance to one of scarcity," says Brown. "The geopolitics of food is fast overshadowing the geopolitics of oil."  He warns that the global food supply system could collapse at any point, leaving hundreds of millions more people hungry, sparking widespread riots and bringing down governments.  According to Brown, the Middle East and Africa are especially vulnerable.  I'm guessing that the warm glow from the Dodge Ram commercial is waning about now.
     But here's the caveat to this report:  it is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, known economic globalists, as well as climate theorists.  Furthermore, Gates believes one of the solutions to world hunger is through the genetic modification of foods, and he has invested not only in companies such as Monsanto, who have engineered genetically modified (GM) foods, but also invested in agriculture in Africa.  Whether true humanitarianism or something more dangerous is behind his interest and his money, you can guarantee that the world's agriculture will be affected.  These kinds of reports and the genetically modified food technology do not bode well for the American farmer OR the American consumer.

     Neither does the sale of domestic farmland to institutional and foreign investors.  Farmland is an attractive "hedge" for investors looking to put their money into commodities that are safer than the stock market.  And countries such as China, with its exploding population and economy are eying the U.S. exports of corn, soybeans, and wheat.  And according to writer Steve Shenk, "the United States, like a short-sighted trust fund baby, is selling off their financial future along with their source of food for a quick grab of cash today."  Shenk goes on to report, "Foreign ownership of farmland is almost double what it was twenty years ago. In fact since 2004, foreign ownership of American soil has grown by almost thirty percent."  Kind of makes me a little nervous about who is protecting our domestic food supply!
     There is no doubt that farming in America has changed.  My heritage, on both sides of the family, is farming, and I can remember when my paternal family farm was sold.  It was a sad day.  I have one cousin on my mother's side who is still hanging on.  It is in his blood and he will die a farmer.  But the future of Agriculture in America is going to change.  Will we still own "the amber waves of grain" that grace the fields of America?  And will it even resemble the grain that God created, or will it be a genetic mutant that has little similarity to its natural goodness?
     There will be many who say this is a lot of fuss about nothing.  But are you willing to trust your food supply to the likes of Bill Gates or China?  Do you have plans if the price of food suddenly sky-rockets?  What about Heirloom seeds to grow your own food?  This is something to think about, people!  Drought and weather conditions are unpredictable, and so apparently is the world's food supply.  Don't take your "daily bread" for granted!

Genesis 1:29      Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
     
   

Who Is The Enemy?

     I was extremely saddened, and then angry, this weekend at the news that the kidnapped workers at the Algerian gas plant were massacred.  According to our government's official statement, "The blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out."  Hmmm, are you sure about that?  Because over the last few weeks, you've laid the blame for domestic violence on the weapons that were involved.  Are you sure you don't want a global ban on the grenades, rocket launchers, suicide belts, and missiles that were among the al-Queda terrorists' arsenal?  Oh, yeah, and what about fire?  They burned the plant and workers were killed by that means, as well.
     And if the blame for that tragedy rests with the terrorists, then why doesn't the blame lie with Adam Lanza, James Holmes, and Jared Lee Loughner?  Why is it being transferred to the millions of law-abiding citizens who deplore this kind of violence, and want to be able to protect themselves and their families from it?
     It's hard to ignore that our foreign policy includes assisting the very groups and nations associated with these kinds of atrocities with jets and tanks, paid for by American taxpayers; and yet they don't want to help us protect our families and nation from the possibility of these kinds of attacks.  Because make no mistake about it; these groups will not limit their terrorism to the far-off Saharan desert.  It is their major goal to bring it to our shores and our communities.

     So our government wants to gain "a fuller understanding of what took place so that we can work together to prevent tragedies like this in the future."  What's to understand?  They made it pretty darn clear!  According to a NY Times article, one Algerian who managed to escape told France 24 television that the kidnappers said, “We’ve come in the name of Islam, to teach the Americans what Islam is.” The haggard-looking man, interviewed at the airport in Algiers, said the kidnappers then immediately executed five hostages.  Now what's so hard to understand about that message?
     It doesn't take much research to know that the never-changing goals of Islamist terrorists include killing large numbers of Westerners and disrupting states they have put on their enemies list.  Want to guess who is at the top of that list?  And lest anyone think we can negotiate with these terrorists by meeting demands such as they made with the Algerian authorities of releasing al-Queda prisoners from overcrowded jail cells, this latest attack was carried out by a special commando unit, known as "Those Who Sign in Blood."  They are all martyr wannabes.  There can be no discussion, debate or dialogue.  They will not stop until they have reached their goal of annihilation of the West, and that my friends, is us.
     So excuse me if I'm a little concerned that our government has no problem loaning money to Muslim Brotherhood-supported Egypt or selling arms to questionable "freedom fighters"in Syria through the back door of Libya.  Why should I see a contradiction between those policies and the current gun control efforts of late?   I found it quite interesting, and telling, that Debka.com views our government's response to the Mali and Algerian situations as further evidence of a foreign policy of "isolationism."  To me, it appears to be more of a strategy of acquiescence; accepting the actions without protest.  But, as an American, I cannot deny the chilling statement on this Israeli website:  Whereas the US homeland may not be in immediate peril from the Mali and Algerian episodes, it is important to remember the far-reaching interconnectivity of al Qaeda’s operations. Seven years ago, the suicidal jihads who on July 7, blew up London trains and a bus, used explosives provided by the same Al Qaeda cells of Sahel Desert which are now threatening Mali and which struck the Algerian gas field.  No US official can guarantee that such explosives from the same source won’t be used in 2013 against American targets in Europe or be smuggled into the American homeland by al Qaeda cells in Europe.
     So tell me again ..... why would any intelligent American (or government official, for that matter) think it is a good idea to give up our weapons for self-defense?  Once again, the Devil seems to be selling his agenda to those who are willing to be deceived.  But I have a message for them .... "Those Who Sign in Blood"  are no match for "We, Who Are Covered in The Blood of Jesus."  No explanation needed!

Psalm 60:11-12     "Give us help against the enemy because human assistance is worthless. With God we will display great strength.  He will trample our enemies."

Syria: What Is The End Game?

     It's no secret that I view world events from a Biblical perspective.  You may, or may not agree with me, but I would hope you would consent to the idea that this viewpoint is legitimate and valid.  To that end, I am fascinated with the machinations of world leaders in regard to Syria.  In truth, the circumstances in this war-torn country, that has seen the reported deaths of 60,000 of its citizens, is an on-going event; so it is impossible to sum it up.  But it is nonetheless compelling in its relevance.

     There are so many references to Syria in the Bible.  For instance, Damascus is mentioned 67 times; it was on the road to this historic city that the Apostle Paul was converted.  And what Christian does not know the prophecy of Isaiah 17 that "Damascus will become a ruinous heap"?  So I watch all the maneuverings and the posturing between Russia and the United States and wonder, what will be the outcome of their furtive tactics?
     Just this past week, Syrian President Bashar Assad puffed out his chest and proclaimed that his country no longer takes dictation from anyone, and called on Syrian citizens to defend the country against “a war fought by only a handful of Syrians and many foreigners.”  Of course, I'm sure the 16 Russian warships, just off the Syrian coast, and carrying thousands of marines, gave him the confidence to boast that he would “deter the West from deploying ground forces in Syria."  So on the one hand, we see Russia actively getting involved in Syrian affairs.
     On the other hand, contradictory statements by U.S. Secretary of State candidate John Kerry leave me wondering just how our nation views our relationship with this troubled country. In March of 2011, Kerry spoke optimistically about the Syrian government and the United States making progress with Assad.  "“President Assad has been very generous with me in terms of the discussions we have had .... So my judgment is Syria will move; Syria will change, as it embraces a legitimate relationship with the United States and the West and economic opportunity that comes with it and the participation that comes with it."  He was quick to add, however, “I take nothing at face value in any relationship.”
     That's good, because in August of 2012, Kerry called for President Assad to step aside, in the wake of international outrage over Assad’s "unceasing violence against his people."   These remarks stood in stark contrast to previous Kerry statements.  He further stated, “what is clear is that we need to increase the political and economic pressure so President Assad understands that he must end the violence and embrace reforms.”
     To me, the unsophisticated (to put it mildly) political analyst, it would appear that the U.S. and Russia are jockeying for position, and influence, with Syria.  But what is their end goal?  It is hard to believe that the U.S. really thinks Assad wants any kind of relationship with the West; especially when he sees how the U.S. and its allies threw Egyptian President Mubarek to the wolves; whether he deserved it or not.  Why would he trust the West?
     And then there is Russia.  What is their agenda?  Russia and Syria have had a long history together; Syria being Russia's strongest Middle Eastern ally.  Russia has been supplying Syria with weapons since the 1950s, and has a vested interest in seeing the relations between the oil-rich Middle East and the United States in turmoil.  At this stage, it would appear that both super powers are backing opposite factions in Syria --- Russia supports Assad and his regime, while the U.S. approves of the so-called "rebel fighters" fighting for "democracy".  (We have yet to receive answers about our alleged involvement in gun-running via Libyan terrorist groups in Benghazi).

     But back to Kerry's statement about "Assad ending the violence," and President Assad's own statement about a"war fought ... by many foreigners."  Just who are these foreigners?  As my recent post, Understanding the Syrian Conflict  explains, many feel that the "rebel forces" fighting Assad are, in reality, Al Qaeda-linked forces, streaming into Syria to claim the country for their cause and align themselves with Iran and other anti-West terrorist groups.
     To that argument, I found a most interesting proposition on Debka, the Israeli news source.  In its latest issue of Jan. 4, Debka-Net-Weekly revealed that both Washington and Moscow may be encouraging the rush to Syria of Al Qaeda and other radical Islamist fighters so as to put them in harm’s way on the Syrian battlefield instead of their staying home to make trouble in Asian, European and other Middle East countries.  On this point, Assad remarked: “The West tried to get rid of these terrorists by drawing them into conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places, but were unsuccessful. Now they are sending them to Syria. "
     Wow!  That seems like a crazy idea .... or does it?  There's nothing I wouldn't believe these days.  As if that's not enough to blow your socks off, Assad seems to think that the presence of Russian marines near Syrian waters “will deter the West from deploying ground forces in Syria." The Russian flotilla and marines are intended to be the counterweight to the six NATO Patriot missile interceptors, the US, Germany and Holland have installed on the Turkish-Syrian border. Russia along with Iran  is providing Assad with a strong military shield, which is supplemented by Chinese diplomatic support.
     So, are you seeing the picture develop as I am?  Are the nations of the world assembling for an apocalyptic conflict on the plains of Syria?  They certainly seem to be competing for position, as well as power.  But woe to them, for they don't realize that the hand of God is the real Master behind world events.  It may not yet be time for Damascus to become "a ruinous heap", but the clock is surely ticking.

Ezekiel 38:23       "I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord."


 
   

Is Mali The Next Afghanistan?

     I have been so engulfed with issues going on in America, that I have to remind myself to keep an eye on the rest of the world.  As much as I would like to deny it, there are many important topics and debates that could affect our well-being, both physical and spiritual, and we must remain vigilant.  I want to take a closer look at some of them over the next couple of days.
     As I surfed the net, I kept coming across headlines referencing the small North African nation of Mali; so many in fact that I could no longer ignore them.  But the one that really caught my eye was "Terrorist State At the Doorstep of France and Europe."  This was a statement made by France's Defense Minister, no less, and the reason given for that nation joining forces with the African countries of Senegal and Nigeria in a combined air and ground assault.  It seems that this former French colony has become so desperate in its fight against radical jihadists, that it could no longer battle them alone.  While most Malians adhere to a moderate form of Islam, known Al-Qaida affiliates in Africa, (including those backed by the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi), have been a shadowy presence for years in the forests and deserts of Mali.

     So why should this interest us?  After all, the small nation of Mali is an ocean and a continent away. As reported on The Blaze and CNN, Al-Shabab, a Somalian-based cell of Al-Quaida, and its allies, have taken advantage of political instability, taking territory in order to stock weapons and train forces. Turbaned fighters control major towns in the north, carrying out amputations in public squares, just as the Taliban did.  And as in Afghanistan, they are flogging women for not covering up.  Since taking control of Timbuktu, they have destroyed seven of the 16 mausoleums listed as world heritage sites.
     Furthermore, even the United Nations has acknowledged that amputations, floggings and public executions -- like the stoning of a couple in July, who'd reportedly had an affair -- are becoming common in areas controlled by these radical Islamists. They are applying a strict interpretation of Sharia law by banning music, smoking, drinking and watching sports on television.
     And now that our country's leaders seem to be speeding up our withdrawal from Afghanistan, what can we expect to be the result?  Have we forgotten that it was groups such as this that plotted an attack against our homeland from those far off caves and deserts?  After years of fighting and thousands of American lives lost, do we really think that the Taliban and Al-Quaida will let Afghanistan (and now Mali) continue with their aspirations of freedom and democracy?  And who will be next?
     I'm just an average citizen, but even I can see that the West's pursuit of tolerance and appeasement, encouraged by the UN's benign policy for all nations of the world to respect the rule of law, has only resulted in further aggression and atrocities by radical ideologues who respect none of the above!  But they are no dummies, either.
     They deal with their enemies in determined and clever ways.  They calculate the best way to infiltrate each culture; whether it be direct and hostile, or careful and calculating.  In the case of Mali, a fairly new democratic, multi-party Islamist nation, the people can best be subjugated by threats of strict Islamic (Sharia) law.  This is what the Taliban has successfully done in Afghanistan, as well.  But in the West, we are being deceived by our own political correctness and the enemy's fraudulent misuse of our founding tenet, freedom of religion.
     Because, make no mistake about it, the ideology being fomented in these distant lands is not as remote or temperate as you might wish.  And the true enemy behind it begins with a capital "E" and seeks to destroy man's freedom; our freedom to worship the one true God, to live in relationship with Him, and to seek His justice and righteousness.  So look behind the veil of world events and you will see the truth.  It's the same battle that has been fought since the Garden of Eden.

1 Peter 5:8-9        "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."

The Controversial Subject of Fracking

    I overheard an interview with documentary filmmakers Phelim McAleer (UK) and Ann McElhinney (Canada) that piqued my interest.  These two filmmakers have a history of tackling controversial subjects and fearlessly questioning the core premise of a position.
     Their 2006 documentary Mine Your Own Business, examined the Roșia Montană mining project in Transylvania, Romania.  Environmental groups such as Greenpeace opposed the project, and the documentary asserted that opposition by such environmental groups was unsympathetic to the needs and desires of the locals.   They further maintained that opposition prevented industrial progress, and consequently locked the people of the area into lives of poverty. The film claimed that the majority of the people of the village supported the mine and the investment in their hometown.
     They produced a similar documentary in 2009, titled Not Evil Just Wrong, that challenged Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, by suggesting that the evidence of global warming is inconclusive and that global-warming legislation will have a negative impact on industry, resulting in more harm than benefits for the human population.

     McAleer and McElhinney have now been joined by Polish documentarian Magdalena Segieda, in a new film, titled FrackNation.  The project began as an answer to the anti-fracking documentary Gasland, by Josh Fox.  Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) is a process by which oil and natural gas are extracted from the ground; it has been around for decades.  Fracking makes it possible to produce natural gas extraction in shale plays that were once unreachable with conventional technologies. Recent advancements in drilling technology, such as three dimensional imaging, helps scientists determine the precise locations for drilling.  Highly pressurized water and fracking fluids are injected into the shale areas, creating new channels within the rock from which natural gas is extracted at higher than traditional rates.  The well is then cased with cement to ensure groundwater protection.
     In Gasland, Josh Fox asserted that this process was so dangerous, that it was poisoning the water, even making it flammable.  In the making of their documentary, McAleer and his partners confronted Fox on this position, pointing out that water has been lit for centuries (the French explorer La Salle was shown the "Burning Springs" by Seneca Indians in 1669).  Mr. Fox was momentarily able to censor this information from the internet, by having the subsequent video of this confrontation removed first from YouTube, and then Vimeo.  But the law was on the side of McAleer and the video is once again up on YouTube.
     The object of FrackNation, as in their previous videos, is to show both sides of the argument.  Environmental groups never show the opinions of the locals that are most affected by these issues. And to be honest, the environmentalists always seem to have a hidden agenda behind their viewpoints.  I am just as concerned as the next person about approaching drilling and the new technology with an eye on how it will affect our environment and lands for future generations.  But the hypocrisy of such "protectors of the environment", as actor Matt Damon, is laughable.  He recently made a film, called Promised Land, which purportedly explored the alleged damage fracking caused both the environment and local communities.  But how can you trust his opinion after discovering that he received funding from the United Arab Emirates, who stand to make billions of dollars in oil if fracking is banned here in America.

     On the other hand, locals who are making hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars themselves from leasing portions of their lands to the oil and gas industry, are subject to suspicion, too.  I have personally seen the favorable impact on families who were on the brink of losing their family farms.  Once, they felt forced to sell their land to housing developers to avoid bankruptcy; now they are the beneficiaries of an economic boom that could allow the US to be energy self-sufficient.  Fracking holds the promise of ensuring cheap energy for generations to come.  Obviously, the locals might have a prejudicial opinion, considering the positive economic impact drilling has brought to their families.
     It is hard to know who is telling the truth.  Environmentalists have a visceral hatred for the oil and gas industry, wanting to enslave us to the UN and Agenda 21-style "sustainable energy programs."  But who would that benefit?  "Green energy" sources such as solar, electrical and wind will simply not sustain our economy.  Is this agenda being pushed just to make money for those individual such as Al Gore and Jeffrey Imelt (GE) who have so heavily invested in what they thought would be "the next big thing"?
     I have heard it said that the explosion of Natural Gas exploration in the US is what is keeping Wall Street and our economy afloat.  I tend to agree with that.  Millions of jobs and billions in revenue have been the result.  And it just seems natural to exploit the stupendous reserves we have within our own borders.  Why would we want to pay some Arab sheik for oil, when we have a cheap source of energy right here at home?   And just maybe, the Good Lord in His role of Creator of the Universe, allowed all that natural gas to form for just such a time as this.
     Yet I can't seem to find answers to questions such as "How does fracking affect our levels of underground water?" I'm not so much concerned about pollution of the water (that problem seems to be eliminated), as I am about the volume of water needed to reach the natural gas.  Seeing the country all around me suffering from a debilitating drought makes this a sensitive issue for me.  But I will admit to ignorance on the actual impact and perhaps someone else can enlighten us.
     In the end, I am happy to see documentary filmmakers such as McAleer and friends, who are willing to probe both sides of this important issue.  The one thing I know for sure is that we can't trust the EPA or the UN for honest appraisals.  Our economy and our energy needs will benefit greatly from fracking and the natural gas industry.  We just need to make sure those rewards are balanced by sound conservation policies and protection of water supplies.

FrackNation, the documentary, will appear January 22, at 9 pm ET, on www.axs.tv.  Dish Network and DirecTV will also carry it.

Psalm 85:11-12        "Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.  Indeed, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce."

U.S. Spared Another UN Treaty --- For Now

     I must admit that I was surprised (and elated) to hear that the U.S. Senate blocked the ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities.  And you probably guessed it, since Republican Senators were the ones instrumental in stopping the passage of yet another attempt by the U.N. to supersede the U.S. Constitution, they were labeled uncaring, insenstive, and anti-every group except old, rich, white men.
     If the Progressive bleeding-hearts who supported this treaty would just take a step back and look at this thing logically, they might realize that going along with this piece of legislation was quite unnecessary, besides being completely unconstitutional.  After all, the treaty was modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law which prohibits discrimination based on disability. ADA is considered the "Civil Rights Act of 1964 for people with disabilities," and the blueprint for effective protection of rights around the world.  The U.S. has the most robust laws protecting the disabled in the world, so why do we need to join forces with the UN?

     Just reading some of the items of the Preamble to this treaty, gave me the creeps.  For example, item E reads .... Recognizing that disability is an evolving concept and that disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (emphasis is mine) .... tells me that the UN is deliberately refusing to define "disability"; perhaps to incorporate a much broader interpretation in order to control more aspects of social programs and national policies.  The use of "attitude" and "environmental" as possible barriers should give you an idea where they are headed.  My fear is that their goal is to eventually include economic, social and cultural considerations under the banner of "disabled."
     But the most chilling concept of this treaty was buried a little over a third into it, namely Article 18, Item 2:  Children with disabilities shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by their parents.  You read that correctly.  If you, an American citizen, give birth to a disabled child (and remember, "disabled" is an evolving condition), then you would be required to register your child with the UN.  What if, in 5 or 10 years, the UN decides that "disabled" includes a child with learning disabilities, or a child that suffers from chronic hay fever due to those darned "environmental barriers that hinder her from full and effective participation" in outdoor play.  After all, if the child can't read "on an equal basis with others", or run and play "on an equal basis with others", then what's to keep that child from being labeled "disabled"?  Read it --- it's there in Item E (above).
     And do you really want your child on some register that the government and the UN can monitor?  And then determine that you are not able to adequately "know or care" for your child? In effect, under this treaty, your rights and authority as a parent can be taken over by a global entity.  But the bleeding hearts don't tell you that aspect of the treaty, do they?
     What's more, according to Article 9, Item 1a, measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall apply to: Buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces.  That means every homeowner would have to make their house accessible for citizens with disabilities.
     As frightening and Orwellian as this treaty sounds, I am most dismayed at the thought that our legislators would even consider giving up U.S. sovereignty and self-government for UN compliance.  Since this is an international and global treaty, the U.S. (make that the U.S. taxpayer) would have to fund disability programs around the world.  And after wading through the treaty (see link above), I'm still unclear if it would become the law of our land.  I guess the fact that it is unclear makes it potentially possible.  In fact, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney tried to spin this pact as a "positive rights" treaty, saying, "Ratification would require no changes to U.S. law, as the United States already leads the world in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities."  First of all, I believe he made my point that we already have adequate laws.  But he's disingenuous in the fact that it might not change U.S. law, but could give the UN authority and power over U.S. law.  That's not a chance I'm willing to take.
     But the fact that this was presented to our governing body, the Senate, as a treaty makes no sense to me.  Protection of the rights of the disabled is important; that's a given.  But it is a matter of domestic U.S. law.  It is not a foreign relations matter and therefore should never have been introduced as a "treaty", which needs ratification by two-thirds of the Senate.  And speaking of "treaties", I'm going to leave you with this final thought ....  as stipulated in the Declaration of Independence, treaties may not be consummated with other than sovereign nations.  The 1945 ratification of the UN Charter as a treaty is effectively un-Constitutional, because the last time I looked, the UN is not a sovereign nation.
     We've been lulled into complacency regarding our Constitutional rights.  Heck, we don't even know our Constitutional rights!  We have recklessly trusted those who represent us to safeguard those rights for us, and we've slept while thieves robbed us blind.  We got lucky this time --- we dodged a bullet with this particular "treaty", but don't think the UN (or their New World Order minions) will give up that easily.  Senators Reid, Kerry, Lugar and McCain have voiced their hope that "the Senate will reconsider this treaty soon in the next Congress."  Let's stay on our toes, Americans.  They are coming for our sovereignty and our individual rights!

Proverbs 26:23-25    "Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them .... "

Keep your Eye on Egypt

     While we, here in the United States, have been occupied with serious issues such as the Fiscal Cliff and the seeming breakdown of our national security infrastructure, the people of Egypt have once again taken to the streets.  It has been nearly a year since millions of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the overthrow of the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
     The protestor's grievances included police brutality, lack of free elections and freedom of speech,  and corruption.  In a little over two weeks, which saw 846 protestors killed and over 6,000 injured, Mubarak resigned.  Months of turmoil and violence ensued, with protestors swarming Tahrir Square in opposition to the military junta, which had taken over after Mubarak's resignation.  They demanded immediate governmental reforms and a transfer, via free elections, to a civilian government.

     On June 24th, 2012 they got what they asked for.  After a heated and controversial election, Islamist Mohammed Morsi, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, was declared the 5th President of Egypt.  Now, it seems, the Egyptian people are once again unhappy with their ruler, and with good cause.
     Yesterday, over 200,000 people filled Tahrir Square to proclaim their opposition to the latest decrees by their President.  Last week, Morsi granted himself sweeping new powers that, in effect, give him dictatorship-like authority.  His declaration made all his decisions immune to judicial review and banned the courts from dissolving the upper house of parliament and an assembly writing the new constitution, both of which are dominated by Islamists.
     This constitutional drafting process has long been embroiled in debate over issues including the role of Islamic law, presidential powers and the rights of minorities and women. Almost all secular members of the 100-member constituent assembly have withdrawn, walking out of the committee.  The elimination of judicial review has resulted in Judges going on strike and lawyers joining the protestors.  In short, the country is in chaos, as it faces both a struggle to revive its economy and to define just what kind of government will rule.  Will Egypt become a Democracy or another Islamic State, is yet to be determined.  If the Muslim Brotherhood has its way, any balance or separation of powers will be a non sequitur.
     As for the people, they have made it clear that they are not willing to exchange one regime for another.  They fear that the current draft of the constitution, or one that Morsi would enforce, would curtail freedoms such as speech, and women's and children's rights.  The protestors are calling for the resignation of Morsi.  However, there's an elephant in the room, and he's not likely to go quietly.  The Brotherhood's stated goal is to instill the Qur'an and Sunnah as the "sole reference point for ...ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual, community ... and state".  They have a foothold in the Presidency of Egypt, and they are not likely to relinquish it.
     All of this takes on a whole new light when you consider that Mr. Morsi was pivotal in negotiating a cease fire between Israel and Hamas last week.  His star seems to be on the rise in the Middle East, regardless of the fact that his people have turned on him.  How does all this effect us?  Because, I can assure you it does.
     Did you know that Mr. Morsi made his first official trip outside the Middle East by visiting China? That would seem to signal that China plays a very important role in Morsi's foreign policy agenda, wouldn't it?  Especially since the U.S. gives Egypt nearly $2 Billion each year in foreign aid.  Couple this news with the fact that China enjoys a much more popular standing among the Egyptian people than the U.S., and the increased economic interconnectedness, and I think we have a problem.
     You see, Egyptian/Chinese trade jumped 46% from 2008 to 2011, surpassing Egyptian trade with the U.S.  If that's not enough to convince you that we need to keep our eye on Egypt, consider this:  Egypt is following the course of other Muslim states -- including Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey -- which have returned China's embrace of their economies.  That does not bode well for our foreign trade or our national security.
     Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the U.S. and Washington are experiencing declining influence around the globe and China is only too happy to step in.  Because Washington is not regarded very highly among the average Egyptian on the street (or the Arab Street, in general) our enemies are chomping at the bit to cement these foreign alliances and cultivate ties with these emerging powers.   Now is not the time to play it safe.

Psalm 31:11     "Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends— those who see me on the street flee from me."

   

I Can Be Silent No Longer!

     For a few weeks now, I have had my suspicions about the truth behind the Benghazi, Libya debacle, but was reluctant to spread rumors or theories.  But as of yesterday, the lid has been blown off this scandalous betrayal of true American heroes.  The father of slain Navy Seal, Tyrone Woods, has come forward to reveal facts that the White House (and I believe, the media) has concealed.
     This is not a knee-jerk reaction from a grieving father.  Charles Woods took his time before deciding  that his son's death could not go unanswered.  Our special operations warriors are intensely honorable men, and I'm sure Charles Woods wanted to proceed in a manner that would show respect for his son.

     By now, you must be aware of the facts that are coming to light:  1) Ambassador Stevens felt that he was on an Al Queda "hit list", and let it be known that security was not adequate;  2)  There is a still-evolving storyline that indicates the U.S. is involved with supplying arms to Al Queda affiliates in Syria to topple Assad;  3)  As our Al Queda go-betweens in Libya began their attack on the safe house, there were three requests for military back-up.  Former Navy Seals Woods and Dougherty, arrived as part of separate groups to try and rescue Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith, even though they were told to "stand down";  4)  Those requests were never answered, as the White House watched the attack in real time from a drone that flew overhead.  Regardless of the chain of command .... from the CIA annex to Langley to the Department of Defense .... it all ends up in the Situation Room at the White House.  No excuses!
     This is nothing less than a bungled nightmare; a demonstration of incompetence, and a supreme lack of leadership.  And I am indescribably angry! Where was the Commander in Chief when the men, who take their oath of service so seriously, needed him?  I know my opinion won't have any effect on this situation, but I am keenly aware of the sacrifice our military makes to keep this country safe and the best in the world.  I believe in them and honor their service, and I am just so outraged that those who were in command failed them.  AND THEN THEY LIED TO US! 
     My knowledge and experience is inadequate to understand all the facts and details of how such an operation would go down.  But it is becoming quite clear that it was a fiasco; totally mismanaged and it cost the lives of four Americans.  But rather than me continuing with my indignation, I would like to share a concise and appropriate essay by someone who has the experience to know how this situation should have been handled.  Matthew Bracken is a former Navy Seal, who has written a series of popular books about the decline of America.  He has written a biting post on Western Rifle Shooters Association that lays the blame squarely at the feet of the White House.  No apologies, just the facts!

      You need to realize this: our military did all they could.  They swung into action; into "crisis contingency plan mode" and were ready to respond with Delta Force, Marines, planes and ships to perform the necessary rescue mission.  But it would be classified as a "cross-border hostile mission", and only one man can give a "Go!" to that order.  And an answer never came.  As Bracken expresses so sharply in his article, "But no order came.  And then none would come..... While his ambassador was off-radar, missing, possibly being dragged down a Benghazi street or even raped... POTUS went to bed.  That is the greatest scandal of Benghazi. The POTUS slept through it, while all around the world, military forces were poised for the Raid on Entebbe or any other damn thing the POTUS ordered them to do. (And they were raring to go, believe me.).... God help us.  
     So don't take my word for it.  This man knows what he is talking about.  Read his article!
     I guess what makes me so angry, and incredibly sad, is that Tyrone Woods and Glen Dougherty displayed remarkable honor, decency and character by ignoring orders to "stand down" and went to the rescue of Ambassador Stevens; upholding their oath to serve and protect.  And those who are in charge of leading these principled men have shown nothing but cowardice; unable to be honest with the American people and lying to cover up their immoral behavior.

     My words seem so inadequate to describe my feelings.  Perhaps we should concentrate on the words of Charles Woods:  “I want to honor my son, Ty Woods, who responded to the cries for help and voluntarily sacrificed his life to protect the lives of other Americans. In the last few days it has become public knowledge that within minutes of the first bullet being fired the White House knew these heroes would be slaughtered if immediate air support was denied. Apparently, C-130s were ready to respond immediately. In less than an hour, the perimeters could have been secured and American lives could have been saved. After seven hours fighting numerically superior forces, my son’s life was sacrificed because of the White House’s decision. This has nothing to do with politics, this has to do with integrity and honor. My son was a true American hero. We need more heroes today. My son showed moral courage. This is an opportunity for the person or persons who made the decision to sacrifice my son’s life to stand up.” 
     It's time to stop the lying.  It's time to do right by those who sacrificed their lives for America.  I pray that honor can be returned to our land and to our leadership.   As Matthew Bracken so eloquently expressed ..... God help us!

Final Thought:  If you are a faithful reader of this blog, then you know my opinion on the judgments that have come against America due to the decisions made by our government.  Could the coming "Perfect Storm" that is ready to slam into the East Coast be God's reaction to the indefensible position our leaders took in Benghazi?  After all, the storm is right on track to strike Washington D.C.  Something to think about!

Psalm 3:35  "The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame."

   

IMPORTANT INFO! Smart Meters Are Coming To Your Neighborhood!

     For awhile now, I have been concerned about the installation of "Smart Meters".  What are they?  One of the best explanations I've seen was on the website, earthcalm.com, a site that monitors the dangers from electronic and magnetic fields.  Their definition reads:  "Smart Meters are electric and gas meter reading devices being installed all over the US as a first step in creating a national smart grid. Designed to enhance energy efficiency and make widespread adoption of renewable energy easier, Smart Meters are radio transmitters that communicate data from homes and businesses to the gas and electric company through a matrix of radio signals. They allow people [and eventually, the government] to measure and monitor their own energy consumption in order to reduce it."  In other words, we are supposed to hale the advent of these new devices as a way to monitor and reduce our energy costs, while saving the planet.

     You want the truth?  They are part of the U.N.'s "sustainable development" and Agenda 21 plan of action.  The installation of these meters is being mandated across the nation by the federal government, and stimulus money is providing the funding.  However, one finds out that the law asking for smart meters and a smart grid, (Energy Policy Act of 2005), only mandates the utilities to "offer" the meters and to install them "upon customer request.” The choice is still supposed to be ours.  However, what I am about to tell you will show that we are being offered no choice at all!
     In case you think I am just responding to my normal conspiracy bias, let me tell you what I encountered just yesterday.  I noticed the Grid One company truck entering my property and the meter reader approaching my utility pole.  I met him at the pole and asked why they were no longer reading the meter from the highway.  The utility representative could barely speak English (that's another issue I could speak to!), and was only able to tell me that "Next year, everyone will get Smart Meters."  I tried to question him further, but he had no answers.  Now my radar was up!
     I went to the internet and started doing my research, and I was astonished to find that citizen activists all over the nation are fighting the forced installation of these so-called "smart growth" energy devices.  There are areas of the country that are under assault; their rights are being violated as older analog meters are removed and they are forced to accept the new Smart Meters.  With a smart meter on your home or property, your kilowatt hours will be billed at different rates during different times of the day.  Mary Hendry, of Lakeland, FL wrote in an article, "“Basically, you can't cook, bathe, run the washer or dryer, have heat or air conditioning until after 9 at night, or you are spending too much on electricity. If a mom is trying to keep the electric bill down, I see her bedtime being around 2 a.m. most nights.”  She explains that with her utility company, the three main time categories are on-peak, mid-peak and off-peak....  and peak time is almost twice as expensive as off-peak."
     And what we're not being told is the harm to our health from these "smart" devices.  Hendry's article goes on to tell us, "There are already hundreds of thousands of cases against various utility companies because of the deleterious health effects of smart meters.  The symptoms and illnesses range from nausea, vomiting and tinnitus to heart arrhythmia and cancer due to the radio frequency waves and electromagnetic frequency they emit.  In fact, studies done on the same kind of waves emitted by smart meters show them to be equal to a level two carcinogenic."  And earthcalm.com has a very informative article stating all their research on the health risks of the smart meters.

     Citizens across the country are rightfully concerned and up in arms over this violation to our Constitutional rights.  In one case, in Houston, TX, a citizen literally had to protect herself from a Utility Company enforcer.  Thelma Taormina was home the day the utility company tried to install a smart meter.  An article at newamerican.com describes the encounter experienced by the 912 Project activist.  When the public-utility subcontractor showed up to install the meter, Thelma informed him she didn't want it; that he was trespassing on her property, and she asked him to leave.  He refused.  Words were exchanged.  He called his supervisor; she called her husband.  He was asked to leave several more times; he continued to refuse and to install the meter.  Their encounter escalated and the subcontractor shoved her.  She put her hand on the meter to stop him, and more shoving ensued.  He threatened to call the police, and then suggested she do it, because he would be through installing the device by the time they arrived.  She had enough.  She felt threatened by his physical actions, and he refused to leave her property when asked.  So being a Concealed Carry Permit holder, she gained access to her gun and asked him to leave again.  This time he complied.
     This story has made national headlines, and according to Thelma, been sensationalized by all the Second Amendment haters.  The subcontractor did call the police in the hopes of filing assault charges.  They came, questioned Thelma, and determined that no charges would be filed.  The man was trespassing and did not leave when requested.  So for the time being, Thelma is through with the incident.  (Some personal advice?  Next time, Thelma, you should be the first one to call the police.  You were the victim, and by delaying, you made the utility employee look like the victim.)  So while Thelma still does not have a smart meter, the Public Utility is still considering the pursuit of legal action..... some nonsense about being "troubled that someone would pull a gun on an employee trying to do their job." Although Thelma was successful in resisting the installation of her Smart Meter, over 2,000,000 have been installed in the Houston area.... even though Texas state law does not mandate the meters.  
     So my question to you is this:  Do you know where your public utility stands on this issue?  What are your state laws?  Do you know the steps to resist the installation should you decide to opt out?  Do your research!  This is not just happening in Texas or Florida or California.  It is nationwide!  Don't fall for the propaganda.  This is more than the advancement of technology; it is Big Brother and the U.N. controlling how we live our lives.  Be informed and take your stand!

Colossians 1:28-29      "Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing everyone and instructing everyone in all wisdom, that we may present every person mature in Christ. For this I labor, striving with all the superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me."