The following articles are compiled by:

Leo Wong

Leo@WatchmenWatching.com

 

 

 

Iranian Revolutionary Guard labelled Terrorist'

Source: The Washington Post

 

August 15, 2007 -- The United States has decided to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country's 125,000-strong elite military branch, as a "specially designated global terrorist," according to U.S. officials, a move that allows Washington to target the group's business operations and finances.

 

The Bush administration has chosen to move against the Revolutionary Guard Corps because of what U.S. officials have described as its growing involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as its support for extremists throughout the Middle East, the sources said. The decision follows congressional pressure on the administration to toughen its stance against Tehran, as well as U.S. frustration with the ineffectiveness of U.N. resolutions against Iran's nuclear program, officials said.

 

The designation of the Revolutionary Guard will be made under Executive Order 13224, which President Bush signed two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to obstruct terrorist funding. It authorizes the United States to identify individuals, businesses, charities and extremist groups engaged in terrorist activities. The Revolutionary Guard would be the first national military branch included on the list, U.S. officials said -- a highly unusual move because it is part of a government, rather than a typical non-state terrorist organization.

 

For weeks, the Bush administration has been debating whether to target the Revolutionary Guard Corps in full, or only its Quds Force wing, which U.S. officials have linked to the growing flow of explosives, roadside bombs, rockets and other arms to Shiite militias in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Quds Force also lends support to Shiite allies such as Lebanon's Hezbollah and to Sunni movements such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

 

Comments:  Iran supports and fuels terrorism of which there’s no dispute.  Iran’s financial interests worldwide (including in the U.S.) are significant and amount in the billions due to lucrative oil profits.  President Bush hopes that this labelling of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps for what it is will apply the required pressure on Iran’s president to call off the dogs and stand down on his nuclear program.  Not a chance.  You’re dealing with a madman here who has a Kamikaze mentally when it comes to standing up to the U.S.  He doesn’t care about the loss column as long as when the end of the day comes, he is declared the winner.  Mr. Bush is whistling Dixie if he thinks this declaration will elicit fear in the Iranians.

 

A military showdown is inevitable.  Either the U.S. or the U.S. with Israel will have to take military action to destroy Iran’s nuke capability or the Free World will face Armageddon right in the face.  Iran is determined to rally all of its operatives (Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, Shiites in Iraq) in a direct push at U.S. forces in the Middle East Region and at Israel herself.  Nothing will stop it except for a pre-emptive strike by the U.S.-Israel. Such a strike could occur at any moment.

 

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U.S. presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani opposes Palestinian state

Source: Jerusalem Post

 

August 15, 2007 -- US Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani said he opposes creation of a Palestinian state at this time and would take a tough stand with Iran, including destroying its nuclear infrastructure "should all else fail."

 

Outlining his foreign policy views in the September/October issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, Giuliani said "too much emphasis" has been placed on brokering negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians - an apparent swipe at President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who have been pushing both sides for final status negotiations despite Hamas's takeover of Gaza in June.

 

Comments:  This cross-dressing Roman Catholic Italian career politician likes to take the detours when it comes to becoming the next U.S. president.  When everyone it seems has hopped onto the bandwagon of giving the Palestinians a state to thwart a Middle East war, Rudy wants nothing of that notion.  He has taken a hard line along with Christian Zionists that Israel shouldn’t be giving away her land.  He’ll get votes from very conservative Christians, but that’s all he’ll get.  The majority of the world including Americans wants peace in the Middle East.  Rudy is swimming against the flow of public opinion.  Yes, it’s good to stand out from among the crowd, but when he takes a minority stance, he’s shooting himself in the foot.  He doesn’t understand the days he’s living in.  Christians have altered their stance concerning the Middle East.  Prominent Christians such as Bill Hybels and Rick Warren are leading their flocks to a more worldly viewpoint.  Traditional Baptist churches are throwing off their coats of traditionalism and are embracing emergent church, seeker sensitive and other post-modern Christian values.  The Republican Party must redefine itself or face many years in the wilderness wandering.

 

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U.S. Lutherans consider Israel boycott

Source: Jerusalem Post

 

August 15, 2007 -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which has almost five million members in the US, took a step toward a partial boycott of Israeli goods at its 2007 Churchwide Assembly in Chicago last week.

 

On Saturday, the assembly, the church's top legislative authority, passed a resolution calling to work toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and urging investment in the Palestinian Authority.

 

The assembly then urged "consideration of refusing to buy goods or invest in activities taking place in Israeli settlements, and a review of other economic options," according to Bishop Christopher Epting, the presiding bishop's deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations," according to the Episcopal Life Online Web site.

 

According to the Pondering Pastor blog, Saturday's debate on the resolution picked "up with an amendment to call upon the ELCA to underscore the call for economic initiatives by this church and its members in the ['Peace not Walls'] campaign. Such initiatives, in consultation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land could include purchasing of products [from] Palestinian providers and exploration of the feasibility of refusing to buy products produced in Israeli settlements. Also to be explored is the entire investment activity by this church."

 

"This marks the first time a mainline American Protestant church has moved toward a possible boycott of Israel," said the center's Associate Dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper.

 

Comments: Zechariah 2:[8] For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.  Lutherans have pretty much adhered to their leader Martin Luther’s values.  Sure, Luther called for Sola Scriptura (Scriptures only) when it came to salvation by faith only in Jesus Christ in defiance of the Roman Catholic Church’s faith plus works, but Luther never tossed out the sacraments and other traditional Catholic practices.  He was also an anti-Semite having persecuted God’s people and was responsible for the deaths of many Jews.

 

It’s not surprising then that the Lutherans are urging their followers and other denominations to invest heavily in Palestinian businesses while reducing or pulling out investments in Israel to send a stern message to Israel.  Either give the Palestinians their own state or suffer the financial consequences.  Expect other liberal mainline Protestant denominations to follow suit.  They, after all, hold to the erroneous Replacement Theology teaching that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s plans for the ages and Israel is no longer favoured of God.  The land doesn’t belong to Israel anymore and God wants peace for the world.  Israel is standing in the way of that peace.  The Devil sure has Protestantism eating out of his hands.  Departure from the literal meaning of the Word of God does that to you.

 

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Dutch bishop: Call God 'Allah' to ease relations: Roman Catholic leader stokes already heated debate on religion

Source: MSNBC.com

 

August 15, 2007 -- A Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands has proposed people of all faiths refer to God as Allah to foster understanding, stoking an already heated debate on religious tolerance in a country with one million Muslims.

 

Bishop Tiny Muskens, from the southern diocese of Breda, told Dutch television on Monday that God did not mind what he was named and that in Indonesia, where Muskens spent eight years, priests used the word "Allah" while celebrating Mass.

 

"Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn't we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? ... What does God care what we call him? It is our problem."

 

Comments:  Isaiah 46:[9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. Allah is not God. Allah was one among many idols of Islam and he became the chief god.  Allah had no son where God of Heaven has the Son Jesus Christ.  Allah’s prophet was Mohammed who had a daughter named Fatima.  The Lord Jesus Christ had no children.  Having said all that, what compelled this bishop of Rome to say that God is Allah or any name one pleases to call God?  He said he did it to ease the tension between Muslims and Christians.  If Muslims insist on calling God Allah, why not?  After all, all roads lead to God anyways and God is God no matter what name you give him, right?  He’s dead wrong!  Allah is an idol.  God hates Idolatry.  He is God and there’s no one life Him.  Calling Allah God is blasphemy and Roman Catholics who do this are adding wrath upon wrath.

 

Islam and Roman Catholicism have their religious roots in the Babylonian Empire.  Babylon was the center of paganism and idolatry.  Their commonality makes their integration possible and probable.  Together, they make up some 2.5 billion souls, a formidable force for sure.  Such an alliance could head up the One World Religion that the book of Revelation alludes to.

 

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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

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