“Migrants Face Deportations and Walls in Europe, Too”

The New York Times wrote on February 23:

“Just hours after the German cabinet approved tapping cellphones and attaching electronic bracelets to illegal migrants who might be deemed a threat, a group of Afghan men were put on a plane at a Munich airport Wednesday night and deported. The deportation was only the third such mass expulsion to Afghanistan since last fall, and in combination with new antiterrorism measures, it was a clear sign of the stiffening political headwinds that have made Europe, like America, a less welcoming place for migrants…

“Many governments are restricting their welcome to strangers. Sweden tightened immigration rules last year. Britain is leaving the European Union in large part to stem the flow of foreigners. Italy has embarked on a plan to train Libyans to scoop up migrant boats off their shore. Hungary sees the shift against migration as affirming the ‘correctness’ of its decision to build its own wall to seal its border.

“Then there are some states, like Germany, that are taking more assertive steps to ensure that those who have been denied asylum actually leave, like the 18 Afghans deported Wednesday… The deportation debate has flared in Germany since December when Anis Amri, a young Tunisian asylum seeker, drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 50. He had been expelled from Italy, had registered under at least 14 aliases for welfare and other benefits, and had been listed as a terrorist threat who should be deported. Yet he could not be deported because his native Tunisia failed to provide identity papers. After his attack, he fled first to western Germany, then to the Netherlands and finally to Italy before being killed in a shootout with the police. Ms. Merkel, under pressure from both the right and the left as she seeks a fourth term in September elections, cited Mr. Amri’s attack as she pressed Germany’s 16 states — which are responsible for deportation — to stop ‘this considerable danger to life and limb.’…

“In Central and Eastern Europe, European Union countries have fiercely resisted taking in migrants, particularly Muslims, arguing that they are ill equipped culturally and economically to shelter many strangers. In 2015, Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, was the first European Union leader to resist mass migration. He built a fence along his country’s borders with Serbia and Croatia to block refugees fleeing the war-afflicted Middle East via a Balkan route; that route largely shut down last spring after the union persuaded Turkey to stanch the flow, and governments along the way shut their borders for the most part… New measures likely to be passed by Hungary next month foresee the closing of camps where migrants who have been rejected for asylum have effectively waited while planning new attempts to cross into Austria and beyond. Migrants would instead be held in much more restricted conditions…”

Deportations of EU Citizens from Britain?

The Telegraph wrote on February 27:

“EU citizens living in the UK have expressed panic and confusion after it was alleged that Government regulations will allow the Home Office to remove some of them from the country if they do not have a comprehensive sickness insurance (CSI)… A briefing published by a barrister specialising in immigration law claims that the Home Office acquired controversial new enforcement powers against EU citizens from 1 February. It warns those EU citizens who are not considered to have a ‘right of residence’, including some students and spouses of UK citizens, and who do not have CSI, could be deported or refused entry back into the UK if they leave. The majority of EU nationals living in the UK…do not have the insurance.

“The Home Office has said this interpretation of their guidance is incorrect, and that the regulations are not new, nor will the Government remove EU citizens from the country if they do not have CSI. A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent: ‘It is completely wrong to say that we have new powers to deport EU citizens without comprehensive sickness insurance. EU citizens will not be removed from the UK or refused entry solely because they do not have this insurance. Their right to remain will remain unchanged while we are a member of the European Union and they do not need any additional documents to prove their status.’

“But the briefing… nonetheless provoked a wave of panic from European nationals residing in the UK… The barrister who wrote the briefing, Colin Yeo of Garden Court Chambers in London, said he believed the changes would not have as serious an impact as feared, but that the Home Office was being ‘careless’ and was causing ‘unnecessary panic’ to EU citizens.

“He told The Independent: ‘According to the regulations, if you are perfectly self-sufficient in the UK and you’re not claiming benefits or anything like that, but you don’t have comprehensive sickness insurance, you don’t have a right of residence and therefore you could be removed. I don’t actually think the Home Office is going to enforce this against say, the French wife of a British citizen. I think they’re using it against people they don’t like, like Polish rough sleepers. The position of a Polish homeless person who hasn’t committed any criminal offences or claimed public funds is exactly the same as the wife of a British banker but doesn’t have CSI, according to the regulations. They’re both equally removable as far as the Home Office is concerned. ‘I think they’ve drawn it up without really realising the power they’ve granted themselves and the way that it’s going to make people feel, because this is going to make people feel very insecure.’…

“When contacted by The Independent, the Home Office said it would be ‘securing the status’ of EU nationals in the UK ‘as a priority… as soon as we trigger Article 50 and the negotiations begin’…  It comes amid reports that Ms May is to end rights given to EU nationals under freedom of movement rules when she triggers Article 50 next month, which would establish a ‘cut-off date’ of around 15 March after which EU citizens would not be entitled to live in the UK permanently. It is unclear if the Government’s plan would be a breach of the EU treaties that guarantee freedom of movement. Under the plan, the 3.6 million EU citizens who are already in Britain and others who come before that date would have their rights protected – providing the EU agreed to the same status for UK citizens living in the EU.”

Will EU Nationals Have the Right to Stay in the UK after Brexit?

BBC wrote on March 1:

“The government has been defeated after the House of Lords said ministers should guarantee EU nationals’ right to stay in the UK after Brexit… The amendment backed by the Lords requires the government to introduce proposals within three months of Article 50 to ensure EU citizens in the UK have the same residence rights after Brexit. But it could be overturned when MPs, who have already backed the Brexit bill without amendments, vote on it again. The government is expected to attempt to overturn the defeat when the legislation returns to the Commons…

“[In] Theresa May’s… view, it would be unwise to guarantee the rights of the three million or so EU citizens in this country, before other EU countries are ready to do the same for British citizens abroad.”

Violent Attacks Against Migrants in Germany

AFP wrote on February 24:

“Germany saw more than 3,500 attacks against refugees and asylum shelters last year, interior ministry data showed, amounting to nearly 10 acts of anti-migrant violence a day as the country grapples with a record influx of newcomers. The assaults left 560 people injured, including 43 children, the ministry said in a written response to a parliamentary question…

“The sharp rise in hate crimes came after Germany took in some 890,000 asylum seekers in 2015 at the height of Europe’s refugee crisis. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to open the doors to those fleeing conflict and persecution polarised the country…

“A German neo-Nazi was sentenced to eight years in jail this month for burning down a sports hall set to house refugees, causing damage worth €3.5m. In another case that shocked Germany, a crowd of onlookers cheered and applauded as an asylum shelter went up in flames in the country’s former communist east last February.”

Pope Will Meet EU Leaders

AFP wrote on March 2

“Pope Francis will meet with the leaders of all EU nations at the Vatican on March 24 ahead of the bloc’s special summit in Rome, Vatican sources said Thursday. The March 25 summit will mark the 60th anniversary of the bloc’s founding treaty. The pontiff will meet the leaders in the afternoon, the sources said.

“The pope has already received EU leaders at the Vatican in May 2016 when he was presented with the bloc’s Charlemagne Prize for his contribution to European unification. In a speech at that ceremony he called on them to ‘tear down the walls’ and build a fairer society.

“Invoking the memory of the EU founding fathers’ pursuit of integration in the aftermath of World War II, the pontiff said they inspired because they had ‘dared to change radically the models’ that had led to war. The pope also made a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg in November 2014.”

Religious Leaders in Southern California Provide Shelter for Illegal Immigrants

The Los Angeles Times wrote on February 23:

“A hammer pounds away in the living room of a middle class home. A sanding machine smoothes the grain of the wood floor in the dining room. But this home… is no ordinary home… The purchase of this home is part of a network formed by Los Angeles religious leaders across faiths in the wake of Donald Trump’s election. The intent is to shelter hundreds, possibly thousands of undocumented people in safe houses across Southern California. The goal is to offer another sanctuary beyond religious buildings or schools, ones that require federal authorities to obtain warrants before entering the homes…

“The religious leaders have a name for their network: the Rapid Response Team. The idea is not necessarily a new one, according to… Zach Hoover, executive director of the interfaith community organization LA Voice. Hoover, 37, wasn’t an active member during the Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s when US congregations across faiths resisted federal law and provided shelter for Central Americans fleeing violence in their home countries. Many congregations offered direct sanctuary, housing the undocumented immigrants, while others offered food and legal assistance.

“The Rapid Response Team mirrors that structure, but goes one step further by also incorporating private homes, which offer a higher level of constitutional protection than houses of worship and an ability to make it harder for federal agents to find undocumented immigrants. Under federal law, locations like churches and synagogues are technically public spaces that authorities could enter to conduct law enforcement actions. In 2011, the Department of Homeland Security instituted a policy limiting ICE action at religious locations. The policy ordered ICE to not enter ‘sensitive locations’ like schools and institutions of worship. Religious leaders in Los Angeles that spoke to CNN are skeptical whether that policy will stand under a Trump presidency…

“Hoover points out that’s a tiny fraction of the estimated one million undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles county. The network’s focus would be on families fearing separation and working to keep them together by ‘moving into a place so that ICE can’t find them’… Hoover points to the Bible’s Matthew 25, which teaches the faithful should feed the hungry and fight for those in prison. ‘The God that I worship sent a person to earth in the name of Jesus who did not always get along with the authorities,’ Hoover explains. ‘I feel really convicted that I answer to God at the end of the day. That’s who I’m going to see when I die.’…

“[An unidentified] Jewish man offering his home as a safe house says he draws upon his religion’s history during WWII. As the Nazis rounded up Jews for detention and eventual extermination, Germans resisted their government, hiding their Jewish friends and neighbors in attics and basements…

“The growing energy of the network doesn’t mean the members aren’t also apprehensive or fearful about the consequences. The people forming the network are not a crowd with criminal records… there’s… concern about how the new Department of Justice will operate under Attorney General Jeff Sessions… Mark Krikorian, executive director of the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, says the law is clear about what these groups are intending to do. ‘They’re committing a felony. Harboring is a felony,’ Krikorian says. ‘Regular folks hiding people in a basement face jail time because it is ultimately a smuggling conspiracy.’”

ICE Becoming Much More Aggressive

The New York Times wrote on February 25:

“In Virginia, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents waited outside a church shelter where undocumented immigrants had gone to stay warm. In Texas and in Colorado, agents went into courthouses, looking for foreigners who had arrived for hearings on other matters…

“In Southern California, in one of the first major roundups during the Trump administration, officers detained 161 people with a wide range of felony and misdemeanor convictions, and 10 who had no criminal history at all.

“Interviews with 17 agents and officials across the country, including in Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Washington and California, demonstrated how quickly a new atmosphere in the agency had taken hold…

“At Kennedy Airport, Customs and Border Protection agents checked documents of passengers getting off a flight from San Francisco because ICE… thought a person with a deportation order might be on the plane. They did not find the person they were looking for… Bystanders are now being taken in if they are suspected to be undocumented, even if they have committed no crime, known within the agency as ‘collateral’ arrests…”

Mexico Threatens Retaliation Against the USA

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 25:

“Mexico has threatened retaliation if the US imposes a border tax to pay for Donald Trump’s wall… Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said Mexico could tax US products tit for tat should its northern neighbor impose a levy on Mexican imports to finance Donald Trump’s pledged ‘great’ border wall… Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said Mexico could bear any withdrawal of security funding by the United States. And officials have called absurd the notion that the US might deport non-Mexican irregular immigrants to Mexico…

“Politicians in both countries worry that Trump’s novice administration could jeopardize longstanding binational cultural and economic ties through its plans for a ‘military’ anti-migrant operation…”

AFP added on February 26:

“The Catholic Church in Mexico has accused the government of adopting an attitude of fear and ‘submission’ over US President Donald Trump’s immigration measures, which it labeled ‘terrorism.’ ‘Mexican authorities’ only make declarations and promises, their reactions are lukewarm and they also show fear and even worse, submission,’ read an editorial in the Church’s From the Faith weekly. The editorial, entitled ‘Migrant Terrorism,’ criticized Trump’s immigration measures, which aim to expel millions of undocumented migrants from the United States.”

The Puzzling Situation in Sweden—What Is the Truth?

Daily Mail wrote on February 26:

“A trans-Atlantic wave of puzzlement is rippling across Sweden for the second time in a week after a prominent Fox News program featured a ‘Swedish defense and national security advisor’ who’s unknown to the country’s military and foreign-affairs officials. Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly convened an on-air face-off Thursday over Swedish immigration and crime between a Swedish newspaper reporter and a man identified on screen and verbally as a ‘Swedish defense and national security advisor,’ Nils Bildt.

“Bildt linked immigration to social problems in Sweden, lamented what he described as Swedish liberal close-mindedness about the downsides of welcoming newcomers and said: ‘We are unable in Sweden to socially integrate these people,’ arguing that politicians lacked a systematic plan to do so. But if viewers might have taken the ‘advisor’ for a government insider, the Swedish Defense Ministry and Foreign Office told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter they knew nothing of him. In fact Bildt is an ‘independent analyst’ who moved to the US in 1994…

“Bildt’s appearance comes  a week after Donald Trump appeared to refer to a terror attack in Sweden which never happened. The president cited ‘what’s happening in Sweden right now’ during a speech on terror across Europe, prompting many to deduce he was out of touch with facts. President Trump later said he was in fact referring to the country’s immigration issues that he’d read on Fox News…”

Deutsche Welle added on February 26:

“This is the second time in a week that Swedes felt themselves forced to react to misinformation in the US media. Last Saturday, US President Donald Trump decried a mysterious incident in Sweden, apparently blaming it on immigration and invoking a Fox News report. While no incident of any great note took place in the country on Friday, Trump supporters pointed to a migrant riot in Stockholm three days later as evidence that the US president was right.”

Subsequently, Daily Mail wrote on February 26:

“A Swedish detective who has triggered a row by blaming violent crime on migrants has gone one step further and accused politicians of turning a blind eye to the problem because of ‘political correctness’. Earlier this month Peter Springare, who has spent more than 40 years in the police, aired his anger on social media when he was told not to record the ethnicity of violent crime suspects… Now Springare has told The Sunday Times: ‘The highest and most extreme violence – rapes and shooting – is dominated by criminal immigrants…

“Springare said he was due to retire soon and therefore no longer feared the disciplinary proceedings which might be brought against a younger officer for disobeying their superiors and raising the issue…”

The Local wrote on February 24:

“US president Donald Trump intensified his verbal attacks on Sweden, France and Germany on Friday, painting swaths of Europe as a jihadist-infested hellscape… Trump trashed long-time allies as he sought to justify his own controversial crackdown on immigrants. ‘Take a look at what’s happening in Sweden. Take a look at what’s happening in Germany. Take a look at what’s happened in France. Take a look at Nice and Paris,’ he said…

“Trump also defended contentious comments linking immigration and crime in Sweden. He earlier issued baffingly opaque remarks that suggested the peaceful Scandinavian country was undergoing significant unrest or attack. ‘I took a lot of heat on Sweden,’ he said… Trump’s remarks earlier this week were in fact highly controversial in Sweden.”

“Sweden to Introduce Military Draft for Men and Women”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 2:

“The Swedish government has decided to reinstate military conscription over fresh security fears, triggered by Russian actions in Ukraine. The conscription would apply to both men and women in the Scandinavian country… Thousands of Swedish youths will be conscripted and selected for military training that is set to start in 2018, the Swedish Defense Ministry said on Thursday. Sweden abolished the draft in 2010, but Russia’s moves in Eastern Europe have since prompted Stockholm to rethink its strategies and boost its armed forces. One of the challenges, according to officials, was shortage of volunteers for the army…

“The draft will cover people born in 1999 or later, with some 13,000 being called upon and 4,000 selected to receive military training in 2018 and 2019. According to the Swedish government, ‘modern conscription is gender neutral and will include both women and men.’ Women already make up 16 percent of Swedish 20,000-people-strong military.

“Although Sweden is not a NATO member, Stockholm maintained a formidable military force during the Cold War. In 1991, the country’s military budget was some 2.5 percent of GDP, but fell to 1.1 percent by 2015…

“Russian airplanes reportedly violated Swedish airspace repeatedly since the beginning of the diplomatic crisis in 2014, with Moscow also boosting defenses in its exclave of Kaliningrad, which is located across the Baltic Sea from Sweden. In December 2016, Sweden’s Civil Contingency Agency asked local authorities across the country to improve readiness for emergency scenarios, including a possible military attack. The recommended measures included maintaining and upgrading underground bunkers as emergency bases of operation.”

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

The New Yorker wrote on February 23:

“… contempt for Jews keeps showing up as a symptom of social stress—even now, and even in the United States. That was blatantly the case in Germany in the sixteenth century, when Martin Luther characterized Jews as ‘vermin’ within the German body politic, ‘a pest in the midst of our lands.’ That belief ultimately came to flower, of course, in the exterminating anti-Semitism of Hitler, who saw the very existence of Jews as a mortal threat to the Thousand-Year Reich. But, as the Holocaust revealed, this fear infected both Nazi ideology and the broader Western consciousness. The crime of genocide may have been enacted by the Nazis, but Jews died as they did because the rest of Europe—and America, too—excluded them from moral concern…

“When Christendom launched the Crusades, the holy wars that shaped Europe, in the eleventh century, Jews were the paradigmatic enemy inside (the infidel near at hand), and Muslims became the defining enemy outside (the infidel far away). Little wonder, then, that the First Crusade coincided with some of the earliest German pogroms, known as the Rhineland massacres. Within a few hundred years, the Spanish Inquisition had instituted its blood-purity laws, which lumped Muslims and Jews together in a new category of biological inferiority. In 1492 and 1502, first Jews and then Muslims were declared personae non gratae in Spain, facing forced conversion, expulsion, or death…

“Islamophobia is thus … a strange secret sharer of Western anti-Semitism…”

President Trump Attacks Media Again… and Changes His Story

The Huffington Post reported on February 24:

“President Donald Trump criticized the media again on Friday while speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. Trump claimed it was wrongly reported that he called the media the ‘enemy of the people’ last week, saying he’d actually called ‘fake news’ the enemy…

“Trump also said he thinks news outlets should not use anonymous sources, despite using them himself to make claims that have been proven false…

“Trump’s war with the media is ‘going to get worse,’ Trump adviser Steve Bannon said Thursday at CPAC. ‘Every day is going to be a fight,’ Bannon said.”

President Trump’s recent claim that he only attacked fake news and not the media is false. This is what he twittered on February 17: “The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!” This tweet speaks for itself. The problem is, hard-core Trump supporters only hear what they want to hear.

As USA Today wrote on February 24: “Trump’s constant attacks on the press are designed to undermine the public’s faith in institutions in general and the media in particular, as well as to generate doubt about negative stories regarding the administration… attacking the media at a forum like the Conservative Political Action Conference is the easiest way for Trump to unite conservatives who might otherwise oppose him over issues like entitlement spending, free trade, and limited government.” In reporting on President Trump‘s speech, Der Stern ran an article with the headline, “Trump saws at the main pillar of the freedom of the press.”

Is the USA Becoming a Dictatorship?

The New York Times wrote on February 24:

“Journalists from The New York Times and several other news organizations were prohibited from attending a briefing by President Trump’s press secretary on Friday, a highly unusual breach of relations between the White House and its press corps. Reporters from The Times, BuzzFeed News, CNN, The Los Angeles Times and Politico [as well as The Daily Mail, the BBC, the Guardian, the Huffington Post, the Hill, Al Jazeera, and the New York Daily News, among others] were not allowed to enter the West Wing office of the press secretary, Sean M. Spicer, for the scheduled briefing. Aides to Mr. Spicer only allowed in reporters from a handpicked group of news organizations that, the White House said, had been previously confirmed. Those organizations included Breitbart News, the One America News Network and The Washington Times, all with conservative leanings. Journalists from ABC, CBS, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Fox News also attended.

“Reporters from Time magazine and The Associated Press [as well as USA Today], who were set to be allowed in, chose not to attend the briefing in protest of the White House’s actions. ‘Nothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties,’ Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, said in a statement. ‘We strongly protest the exclusion of The New York Times and the other news organizations. Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest.’

“The White House Correspondents’ Association, which represents the press corps, quickly rebuked the White House’s actions. ‘The W.H.C.A. board is protesting strongly against how today’s gaggle is being handled by the White House,’ the association president, Jeff Mason, said in a statement. ‘We encourage the organizations that were allowed in to share the material with others in the press corps who were not…’”

Bild Online commented that this step is very disturbing. The White House justified its move by stating that it was an “off-camera” press “gaggle.” Deutsche Welle added that “The briefing had initially been billed as a traditional on-camera daily briefing but was switched to an off-camera press gaggle with restricted access at the last minute.” The White House’s explanation sounds contrived, as it was clearly in retaliation towards those reporters from some outlets that have provided critical coverage of the Trump Administration. Deutsche Welle added that “Fox News anchor Bret Baier noted that CNN and the New York Times stood with Fox in 2009 when the Obama administration attempted to exclude the outlet from interview rounds. Baier said the ‘gaggle should be open to all credentialed organisations.”

The Huffington Post added on February 24: “Though a reporter from the Wall Street Journal attended, the paper said later it would not do so again under such circumstances. ‘The Wall Street Journal strongly objects to the White House’s decision to bar certain media outlets from today’s gaggle,’ a Journal spokesman said. ‘Had we known at the time, we would not have participated and we will not participate in such closed briefings in the future.’”

In a damning article, the Daily Mail wrote on February 24:

“White House takes its revenge on the ‘fake news’ media by BANNING outlets from Sean Spicer’s briefing – including Trump’s top target CNN… The ban is the latest round in Spicer and his boss’s war with the media – dubbed the ‘opposition party’ by (Stephen) Bannon …

“CNN issued a defiant statement saying: ‘This is an unacceptable development by the White House. This is how they retaliate when you report facts they don’t like.’ The news network was already involved in a confrontation with the White House on Friday morning after it reported Thursday night White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had tried unsuccessfully to have the FBI deny there had been contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia.”

The Guardian wrote on February 24:

“The decision to limit access to Spicer… marked a dramatic shift. While prior administrations have occasionally held background briefings with smaller groups of reporters, it is highly unusual for the White House to cherry-pick which media outlets can participate in what would have otherwise been the press secretary’s televised daily briefing. The briefing has become indispensable viewing for journalists trying to interpret the often contradictory statements coming out of the Trump administration, and Spicer’s aggressive handling of the press and delivery of false or misleading statements…

“‘Gaggles’ – more informal briefings – with the press secretary are traditionally only limited to the pool when they conflict with the president’s travel, in which case they often take place aboard Air Force One. At times, impromptu gaggles form with reporters who spend their days in the White House, but denying outlets wishing to participate is extremely uncommon… outlets who made requests to attend were told this would not be permitted. When the Guardian asked to participate, pointing to its possession of a ‘hard pass’ that grants daily entry to the White House, an official declined.”

The Independent added on February 24:

“Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists [said that] ‘President Trump’s calls for an end to anonymous sources was alarming. It is not the job of political leaders to determine how journalists should conduct their work, and sets a terrible example for the rest of the world, where sources often must remain anonymous to preserve their own lives… We are concerned by the decision to bar reporters from a press secretary briefing. The US should be promoting press freedom and access to information.’”

Press Secretary Sean Spicer “said in December the Trump White House would not kick news organizations out of the briefing room over critical coverage. During a panel discussion that month with Politico, he said you can’t ban news organizations from the White House. ‘That’s what makes a democracy a democracy versus a dictatorship.’” (The Huffington Post, dated February 24).  Recently, John McCain warned that dictatorships start with censorship of the press. In this context, Breitbart reported on February 27: “During a discussion of the Trump administration banning certain outlets from a press gaggle on Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ co-host Mika Brzezinski wondered if the White House was ‘trying to create a dictatorship?’ After playing a clip from White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in 2016 [which is quoted above], Brezinski stated, ‘[H]e’s just described himself.’ She added, ‘[A]re they trying to create a dictatorship? I mean, I’m not joking and I’m not angry.’”

FBI Investigation—How The White House Is Making a Mess of Things

The Guardian wrote on February 26:

“The White House made a messy attempt on Sunday to control public perceptions of a widening scandal over alleged contacts between aides to Donald Trump and Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 election, alleging that the FBI had dismissed reports of such links. The scandal has shown little sign of coming under control, with a Republican congressman calling for an independent inquiry, multiple congressional committees pursuing investigations and Trump escalating a war with the media in an apparent attempt at distraction.

“While the White House has, by its own clumsy admission, been working behind the scenes to try to manage the conduct of Congress and intelligence agencies in the scandal, those efforts have so far backfired. Contacts between the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and top FBI officials have come in for particular criticism as a violation of a necessary line separating the White House from justice department investigations with potential targets inside the administration…

“The FBI has in fact made no public comment on its investigation into alleged contact between Trump associates and Russian operatives, which was first reported two weeks ago by the New York Times and CNN… The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, has confirmed that Priebus had asked top FBI officials to publicly debunk the matter, which they declined to do.

“… White House attempts to write the story off as a confabulation were undermined, however, by expressions of alarm on Capitol Hill. In an appearance on HBO on Saturday, Republican congressman Darrell Issa, a fiercely partisan warrior, called on the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who was a member of the Trump campaign, to recuse himself from justice department investigations of the affair. ‘You’re going to need to use the special prosecutor’s statute and office,’ Issa said. ‘You can’t just give it to your deputy. That’s another political appointee.’”

President Bush Speaks Out in Rare Interview

Today wrote on February 27:

“Early on in the exclusive sit-down, the former president expressed a clear-eyed support for the news media, saying a free press was ‘indispensable to democracy.’ ‘We need an independent media to hold people like me to account,’ Bush told TODAY’S Matt Lauer. ‘Power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive, and it’s important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.’

“Bush was asked about the media’s role in light of President Donald Trump’s recent characterization of the media as the ‘enemy of the American people.’ He noted he spent a lot of time during his two terms trying to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to embrace an independent press. ‘It’s kind of hard to tell others to have an independent free press when we’re not willing to have one ourselves,’ he said.

“Bush also addressed the controversy over Trump advisers and the role they may have played in the scandal involving Russian hackers who tried to intervene in the election, saying he would leave questions about whether a special prosecutor should investigate up to the Senate intelligence committee leaders. ‘I think we all need answers,’ he said, going to on praise North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, the head of the U.S. Senate intelligence committee. ‘I’m not sure the right avenue to take. I am sure, though, that that question needs to be answered.’

“Bush, the last Republican to occupy the White House, also was asked about President Trump’s controversial executive order that banned immigrants from predominantly Muslim nations.  Asked pointedly if he favored or opposed the policy, Bush said, ‘I am for an immigration policy that is welcoming and upholds the law.’”

The Huffington Post added on February 27:

“Bush also called the right to worship freely a ‘bedrock of our freedom’ and took a dig at Trump’s January executive order on immigration, which sought to indefinitely ban Syrian refugees and temporarily block visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. ‘I understood right off the bat … that [the executive order] was an ideological conflict,’ Bush told Lauer…”

Why a Special Prosecutor?

Salon wrote on February 26:

“Press Secretary Sean Spicer had strong words when trying to dismiss a reporter’s question about appointing a special prosecutor to investigate President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia: ‘A special prosecutor for what?’ After a brief but tense exchange with the reporter during Monday’s press conference, Spicer said: ‘We have now for six months heard story after story come out about unnamed sources, say the same thing over and over again. And nothing has come of it. Right? We’ve heard the same people, the same anecdotes, and we’ve heard reports over and over again. And as Chairman Nunes made very clear today, he has seen nothing that corroborates that. So at what point are you gonna ask yourself, What are you investigating?’

“Spicer’s comment about Rep. David Nunes, R-California and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, referred to Nunes’ assertion that ‘there’s no evidence of anything’ tying Trump’s presidential campaign to Russia’s ruling class.

“Spicer also confirmed that the administration is working with the CIA and Congress to discredit reports about Trump’s connections to Russia. ‘We have continued to give reporters information and sources that went to the accuracy or lack thereof of a report that was in a newspaper,’ Spicer said. He again referred to Rep. Nunes, who claimed that reports about Spicer coordinating a press campaign to counter reports of contact between Trump and the Russians were simply attempts by the administration to be ‘transparent.’

“Despite Spicer’s dismissal of these claims, there are a number of sound reasons to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia. He has had two powerful aides resign due to their relationship with Russia or pro-Russian politicians — former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn — and his own son admitted in 2008 that ‘Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.’ Because Trump has refused to release his tax returns, it is impossible to determine his potential conflicts of interest with that country.”

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions Recuses Himself 

The Times of Israel reported on March 3:

“US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he would recuse himself from any investigation into Donald Trump’s election campaign, which faces intense scrutiny over contacts with Russia…

“Sessions has faced increasing demands that he resolve the seeming contradiction between his two conversations in the summer and fall with Moscow’s US envoy, Sergey Kislyak, and his sworn statements to Congress in January, when he said he had not had communications with Russians during the campaign…

“Trump has been trailed for months by questions about potential ties to Russia. He’s vigorously denied being aware of any contacts his associates had with Russia during the campaign and has also insisted he has no financial ties to Russia.

“The Justice Department acknowledged two separate Sessions interactions with Kislyak, both after cybersecurity firms had concluded that Russian intelligence agencies were behind cyber-hacking of the Democratic National Committee…

“Sessions, an early supporter of Trump’s candidacy and a policy adviser during the campaign, did not disclose those discussions at his Senate confirmation hearing in January when asked what he would do if ‘anyone affiliated’ with the campaign had been in contact with officials of the Russian government. Sessions replied that he had not had communications with the Russians, and answered ‘no’ in a separate written questionnaire when asked about contacts regarding the election…

“At the confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked Sessions about allegations of contact between Russia and Trump aides during the 2016 election. Sessions said, ‘I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn’t have, did not have communications with the Russians, and I’m unable to comment on it.’”

“Trump Is Following Bannon’s Agenda”

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 25:

“[President] Trump… announced that he would do something to prevent media from basing their reporting on insider sources without naming those contacts. If something like this were really drafted into legislation, it would constitute a major attack on press freedom. Without protection for sources, without anonymous informers and ‘whistleblowers,’ the media would not be able to effectively carry out its job – keeping the powerful in check.

“Trump did stress that his attacks were not directed at the media as a whole, that there were ‘good’ examples too. But by ‘good,’ the president was referring to those outlets that tend to take his side: for instance, the openly pro-Republican broadcaster Fox News. Trump himself has often singled out the breakfast show Fox and Friends, whose hosts revere the president with a devotion that borders on sycophancy.

“Nevertheless, Fox also has some serious anchors who apply their critical faculties to all, like Shephard Smith and Chris Wallace. The channel does at least try to bring in voices from the left and liberal side of the spectrum in measured doses. You can’t say that about some of Trump’s other media pals like conservative radio crusader Rush Limbaugh. Or there’s the even more irate Alex Jones (of Infowars), who propagates conspiracy theories online, on the radio and via video. And of course there is the online platform Breitbart, which was managed for four years by Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon…

“At the end of the day, it is principally Bannon who wants to fundamentally shake up the ‘Grand Old Party’ and ultimately America itself. His tool for these renovations is President Trump, supported by the nationalist ‘movement’… ‘Nationalist’ is not a ‘mainstream-media’ exaggeration. Bannon himself often used this term, just like many other CPAC speakers and participants.

“And what of the more moderate conservative forces in the Republican Party, in Congress and in the Trump administration? They are playing along in order to realize their political goals… They had better tread carefully. Bannon and Trump might be hitting the media now, but their target is the entire establishment – including the Republican Party.”

Scandal in Germany: BND Spied on Foreign Journalists

Der Spiegel wrote on February 25:

“Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, apparently spied on large numbers of foreign journalists overseas over the course of several years, including employees of the BBC, Reuters and the New York Times. Critics see a massive violation of press freedoms.

“Arnaud Zajtman, 44, is not exactly the kind of person you would mistake for a terrorist, weapons trader or drug dealer. The Belgian journalist has been reporting from Africa for almost 20 years, with a keen interest in Congo. For 10 years, he was stationed in Kinshasa as a correspondent, first for the BBC and then for the television broadcaster France 24. His stories focused on the forgotten children of Congo, on the battles fought by the rebels and on the country’s first free elections since 1965. In that election year, in September 2006, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, took an interest in the journalist’s work… German officials never informed him that his phone had been tapped…

“The Belgian journalist isn’t the only reporter who was spied on… the BND conducted surveillance on at least 50 additional telephone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses belonging to journalists or newsrooms around the world in the years following 1999…

“Journalists in Germany enjoy far-reaching protection against state meddling. They enjoy similar legal protection to lawyers, doctors and priests: occupations that require secrecy. Journalists have the right to refuse to testify in court in order to protect their sources. German law forbids the country’s domestic intelligence agency from conducting surveillance on persons who have that right. The German chapter of Reporters without Borders says that the BND’s systematic surveillance of journalists is an ‘egregious attack on press freedoms’ and ‘a new dimension of constitutional violation’… Reporters without Borders is concerned that the BND will continue conducting surveillance on foreign journalists…”

The Obamacare Debacle

The Huffington Post wrote on February 26:

“White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to assure Americans on Sunday that anyone currently covered under the Affordable Care Act would not lose their coverage under President Donald Trump’s health care plan… A consulting firm told governors Saturday that the Republican plan to replace Obamacare could lead to millions losing their health coverage, with many people covered under the Medicaid expansion suddenly unable to afford health insurance.

“… in January, Trump vowed ‘insurance for everybody,’ but congressional Republicans have taken to guaranteeing ‘access’ to health care, rather than health care itself, meaning if individuals have the money to pay for insurance, they can get it.

“According to the presentation given to governors on Saturday, the effect of the GOP replacement bill would be huge insurance enrollment losses and greater budget pressure on states to make up the loss in federal money for programs like the Medicaid expansion.”

While some within the GOP [including President Trump] demand repealing and replacing Obamacare, others just speak about amending Obamacare, as—so they say—no acceptable plan for replacement has been proposed. [Even some of those who want to appeal Obamacare are apparently willing to retain certain provisions, for instance guaranteeing somehow the insurance of those with preexisting conditions. At the same time, President Trump rejects the concept of a personal mandate.]  While Republicans were right in pointing out the unsatisfactory consequences of Obamacare, they have now a mess on their hands.

“Historic Increase” for US Military

The Telegraph wrote on February 27:

“Donald Trump is ordering a $54billion surge in defence spending… as he tries to make good on the populist programme that propelled him to the White House… ‘It will include an historic increase in defence spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America at a time we most need it,’ he said… It will leave expensive federal welfare programmes such as Social Security and Medicare [and Medicaid] in place… the money will be found from a significant reduction in foreign aid along with cuts at most domestic agencies…

“That sets up a showdown with Democratic opponents in Congress and the possibility of a government shutdown. Agencies will have the chance to negotiate changes before the 2018 budget is published in March…

“He has also promised to return the US ‘to the top of the pack’ on nuclear weapons…”

Deutsche Welle added on February 27:

“The US military already spends significantly more on defense than any other country. The defense budget will be officially unveiled to Congress next month… During a speech to conservative activists on Friday, Trump said he would lead ‘one of the greatest military buildups in American history.’’

First Speech to Congress—“Media Left and Right Give Trump’s Speech Thumbs Up”

The New York Times wrote on March 1:

“At precisely the moment he needed to project sobriety, President Trump delivered the most presidential speech he has ever given.”

The Hill wrote on February 28:

“President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress exceeded expectations among the pundit class on Tuesday night. CBS’s Gayle King felt Trump’s speech was authentic. ‘He said from the beginning he was going to speak from his heart, and I certainly think he did that.’ Fox News’s Chris Wallace echoed King’s sentiment. King’s sentiment. ‘I thought it was by far the best speech I’ve ever heard Donald Trump give,’ he said. ‘It was one of the best speeches in that setting I’ve ever heard any president give.’

“Democratic strategist and CNN contributor Kirsten Powers echoed Wallace’s sentiments, calling it Trump’s ‘best speech’ ever. MSNBC’s [network’s highest-rated host] Rachel Maddow said the speech would be ‘well-received.’… But Maddow’s analysis wasn’t all positive. ‘It will be a notable thing that the president spent a big portion of what was in effect a State of the Union telling the country what vicious, murdering criminals immigrants are,’ Maddow said.

“Media analysts estimate 40 million to 45 million people watched Trump’s address Tuesday night.”

Breitbart wrote on March 1:

“A CNN poll of Americans who watched President Donald Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening showed that nearly four out of five had a ‘positive reaction’ to the speech. The survey, conducted among 509 respondents with a 4.5% margin of error, showed that 57% had a ‘very positive’ reaction to the speech, while 21% had a ‘somewhat positive’ reaction, adding up to 78% ‘positive’ overall. Only 21% of those who watched the speech had a ‘negative’ reaction. In addition, 69% of viewers thought that the speech ‘would move the country in the right direction,’ while only 26% said it would move the country ‘in the wrong direction.’…

“On specific issues, Trump scored the highest marks for his proposed policies on the economy, with 72% saying those went in the right direction. Almost as many, 70%, said the same about his terrorism proposals. Slightly fewer, but still a majority, felt his policies on taxes (64%), immigration (62%) or health care (61%) were heading in the right direction.

“Ideologically, about two-thirds saw Trump’s speech as about right, while roughly one quarter (26%) pegged it as too conservative. Just 8% said it wasn’t conservative enough. The numbers, CNN said, were similar to those of similar president[s]. The poll sample was more Republican than the country in general by 8%, due to the inherent bias of viewers who identified themselves beforehand as interested in watching the speech.”

Politico wrote on March 1:

“The president’s hope-infused address before Congress was the most unifying moment of his divisive and chaotic first 39 days in office. For 60 minutes and 14 seconds Tuesday night, President Donald Trump abandoned the dark rhetoric and narrow vision that have long defined his politics and offered an aspirational message stocked with bold promises for the country in his first address before a joint session of Congress. While Trump still offered some charged language — including his use of the term ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ — the speech was notably less confrontational than his ‘American carnage’ inaugural address. It was, in fact, by far the most unifying moment of his divisive and chaotic first 39 days in office. Reading almost exclusively from prepared remarks on a teleprompter, the president pledged to provide ‘massive’ tax relief for the middle class, extinguish the ‘vile enemy’ that is ISIS, and rebuild America’s military… For the most part, the president’s specific policy prescriptions were as broad and vague as they were sweeping and ambitious…”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on February 28:

“[His] well-delivered speech to Congress on Tuesday night answered one major question — whether he could offer the country a less divisive tone — but provided almost no clarity about how he hopes to fulfill the promises that he made in his campaign. In addition to ‘massive’ tax cuts and additional write-offs, Trump talked of spending tens of billions more on the military and $1 trillion on infrastructure projects, with no explanation of how to achieve that without expanding the debt, which he criticized his predecessor, President Obama, for having increased.”

The Editorial Board of The Washington Post wrote on February 28:

“… the sunny tone and a laudable condemnation of recent attacks on minorities soon gave way to the same dark and false vision of the country featured in the president’s grim inaugural address — one in which borders are open, drugs are pouring in, illegal immigrants prey on law-abiding Americans and globalization has impoverished vast swaths of the nation. When it came to specific policy proposals, Mr. Trump similarly offered a few encouraging signs — but many more reasons for skepticism.

“In describing his bleak vision of a ruined United States exploited by foreigners, Mr. Trump wrote a series of checks he almost certainly cannot cash. He promised that ‘dying industries will come roaring back to life,’ that ‘crumbling infrastructure will be replaced’ and ‘our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately stop.’… Mr. Trump called for a $1 trillion ‘program of national rebuilding,’ ‘one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history’ and ‘massive tax relief for the middle class,’ all issues on which he could work with Democrats…

“The ugliest moment in the 60-minute address came when Mr. Trump announced the formation of an office on ‘Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement,’ and then introduced families of people allegedly murdered by illegal immigrants. It was an appeal to raw prejudice and fear that will do nothing to promote the national unity he claims to be seeking.”

The Chicago Tribune wrote on February 28:

“”[What was] really missing was a respect for reality.. Nothing is beyond him… Did we elect a president or a messiah? From this speech, you wouldn’t know that Republicans once emphasized the limits of government’s power to solve problems. Or that once upon a time — like, a year ago — they understood that every expenditure has to be paid for and has to be the best use of that money.

“House Speaker Paul Ryan gushed over the speech until he was asked how it would all be paid for. At that point, he walked away without answering. But it’s easy to guess: A bill will be sent to the taxpayers of the future.”

Russia and USA Clash Over Syria

The New York Times wrote on February 28:

“Russia and the Trump administration clashed in a vote at the United Nations Security Council for the first time on Tuesday, as the Kremlin vetoed a measure backed by the United States and its Western allies to punish Syria for using chemical weapons. While the Russians had long signaled their intent to block the resolution, which was supported by dozens of countries, the clash offered insights into the big divisions that remain between the Kremlin and President Trump, who has vowed to improve ties.

“Russia and China, two of the five permanent members of the Council, blocked the measure. It was the Kremlin’s seventh Security Council veto in defense of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria over the war that has been convulsing his country for nearly six years. The American ambassador, Nikki R. Haley, who has called chemical weapons attacks in Syria ‘barbaric,’ accused Russia and China of putting ‘their friends in the Assad regime ahead of our global security’ in her blunt rebuke of the vetoes…

“Diplomats said that Ms. Haley had insisted on putting the measure up for a vote this week, signaling a desire to take a tough stand on Russia. In recent weeks, Ms. Haley has condemned what she called Russia’s ‘aggressive actions’ in eastern Ukraine, vowed to maintain sanctions over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and, in her Senate confirmation hearing, went as far as saying that Russia was guilty of war crimes in Syria.”

Two-Speed Europe Fast Approaching

Express wrote on February 24:

“‘TWO-SPEED EUROPE’ Juncker backs ‘EU at different speeds’ in [a] bid to quell populism. JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER has proposed a ‘two-speed’ Europe in a desperate attempt to smooth over internal fractures amid discontent with Brussels from EU nations.

“European Commission President Mr Juncker has revived the idea, which has been frequently proposed as a way to deal with the differing rates various European countries are developing… But… the ‘multiple-speed’ Europe is controversial and has attracted criticism and fierce debates… Mr Juncker, the former premier of Luxembourg, is a self-confessed fan of the two-speed approach… He said: ‘This is no longer a time when we can imagine everyone doing the same thing together.’

“… one of the bulwark’s of Europe, Germany, is said to be behind the proposals. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who met with Mr Juncker on Wednesday, said ‘an EU at different speeds’ was approaching… Other founding members France and Italy, widely tipped to be in the fast-stream of a two-speed Europe, also acknowledged the move was likely.  And the news was met with delight in Rome, which is hosting a summit next month to reinforce closer cooperation to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome… One notable example of a differing layers currently with the EU is the single currency, the Euro, which is only used by 19 of the 28 members.”

Germany and Austria Call for EU-Wide Solutions

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 27:

“Germany’s foreign minister and Austria’s chancellor have said the US and Russia were openly trying to destabilize the EU. Sigmar Gabriel called for EU-wide solutions to current challenges… [and] to close ranks in the face of pressures from the new US administration and from Russia… Gabriel stressed that Europe needed above all a common foreign, defense and security policy…”

“Europe Is Starting to Get Serious about Defense”

 The Economist wrote on February 23:

“Donald Trump’s team has spent much of the last week in Europe cleaning up the boss’s mess. At the Munich Security Conference, James Mattis, the defence secretary, called NATO (which Mr Trump had written off as obsolete) ‘the best alliance in the world’. In Brussels, Mike Pence, the vice-president, assured his audience of America’s ‘strong commitment’ to the European Union, a club the president has dismissed as a ‘vehicle for Germany’. Europeans remain baffled by the mixed messages emanating from Mr Trump’s administration…

“But on one issue the president is in full agreement with his team… Mr Trump grouches that America’s NATO allies are not paying their bills. Only four other countries in the 28-member alliance meet its target of spending 2% of GDP on defence…

“Mrs Merkel needs a story to persuade sceptical German voters of the wisdom of ramping up military spending from its current level of just 1.2% of GDP… Wolfgang Ischinger, head of the Munich conference, suggests a 3% target for military, development and humanitarian spending…

“Germans in particular will chafe at devoting more money to a cause they dislike to please a foreign president they detest. Slamming American-inspired militarism could prove a useful campaign tactic for Martin Schulz, a Social Democrat who wants to thwart Mrs Merkel’s bid for re-election in September…

“Mr Trump’s warnings could even prove counter-productive… Make NATO conditional, and you force your partners into independence, and a foreign policy that may not suit American interests…”

Concern about Trump’s Contradictory Messages on Europe

Reuters wrote on February 24:

“When Donald Trump called the European Union ‘wonderful’ and said he was ‘totally in favor of it’, some Brussels officials feared the headline was a hoax, given the U.S. president’s earlier apparent disdain for the bloc. Trump’s remarks in an interview with Reuters late on Thursday appeared to contrast sharply with comments he made last month when he labeled the EU a ‘vehicle for Germany’, called Brexit a ‘great thing’ and said more countries would follow Britain out of the bloc.

“European diplomats were quick to credit Vice President Mike Pence with persuading his boss of the Union’s merits… Officials said it was unclear, however, if Trump’s policies would match the pro-EU language which Pence used on Monday or that of White House strategist Steve Bannon, whose scepticism about the bloc had been reflected in Trump’s earlier comments… Bannon told Germany’s ambassador last week that Washington would deal with individual states, but not the EU…”

Europe No Longer Toeing Washington’s Line?

Sputnik News wrote on February 24:

“The issue of a pan-European army reflects the Europeans’ desire to break free from US patronage and take their security into their own hands… ‘European policy needs its own concepts,’ said Johen Scholz, a member of the Society of International Policy of Peace and a former Bundeswehr officer. He recalled German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel’s statement about the EU’s need for an equal-footed partnership with the US instead of simply toeing Washington’s line…”

“Germany Takes Command of Czech Army”

Prague Morning wrote on February 24:

“Czech Defense Minister, Martin Stropnický, has signed a defense bill with his German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen, signaling an era of closer military cooperation. The meeting took place in Brussels last week and the bilateral agreement was rushed through. Vladimíra Vítová, head of the Czech Peace Forum called the deal a subordination of the Czech military to Germany and denounced the defense minister’s authority to make such a move.

“The 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, considered amongst the Czech Republic’s finest, is to be moved under the command of the German Bundeswehr… Some within the army top brass are pleased with the move as it allows for the army to gain experience at working alongside troops from other nations… ‘We want to better prepare our troops for a possible joint deployment in the context of larger army groups,’ [according to Czech army spokesman, Jan Šulc.].”

Growing Russian-German Estrangement

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 24:

“Russia and Germany are becoming increasingly estranged… and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Schoigu’s announcement that a replica of the German Reichstag will be built near Moscow and used for teenagers to ‘storm’ at a theme park hasn’t helped the situation… ‘The building of a Reichstag replica comes out of a deterioration of Russia’s relationship with Germany,’ said Stefan Meister of the German Council on Foreign Relations… ‘This will lead to a negative picture being created about Germany. It is a glorification of Soviet history.’

“For Elmar Brok, a German member of the European Parliament and until recently head of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, the crucial point is what kind of ‘Reichstag’ is going to be built. ‘I don’t have any objections if it is a recreation of how the Red Army occupied the Reichstag in the battle against Hitler,’ Brok said. ‘But if it is Germany’s modern home of democracy, then it is unacceptable.’ Such a step would look like threatening military action against modern Germany, he added… Since the end of World War II, Germany has used the term ‘Bundestag’ to refer to the country’s parliament while the ‘Reichstag’ is used to connote the building that houses the parliament.

“Julius von Freytag-Loringhoven, head of the Moscow office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which is tied to Germany’s free-market liberal Free Democratic Party, also described Moscow’s plans as disturbing. ‘Even if such an exercise is done for the purpose of a historical recreation, by building a replica Reichstag, it is unavoidable that those taking part in such military exercises will have the current Reichstag in mind,’ he told DW. He said Germans view Russia’s increasing militarization and identification with a belligerent period of history as rather sinister… ‘It seems that some in Germany have forgotten that Hitler and those who built the Third Reich started their bloody march from the Reichstag,’ [Russian Defense Military] spokesperson Igor Konaschenkow told DW. ‘The attacks from German politicians are met not only with a complete lack of understanding [in Russia] but also make one wonder about what views they may really have about the founders of the Third Reich.’”

The Associated Press added on February 24:

“The Reichstag Parliament building in Berlin was the scene of bitter fighting in 1945 between the Red Army and Nazi troops. The building, first opened in 1894, was refurbished after German reunification and in 1999 became the home of the German parliament… In Moscow, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov lashed out at the German officials for their reaction and vigorously defended the ministry’s plan, saying the Reichstag replica ‘will contribute to the patriotic education of young citizens and foreign guests.’

“Konashenkov also referred to the 1933 Reichstag arson, which is seen as a pivotal moment in establishing Nazi Germany… ‘Verbal attacks by certain German politicians are not only dismaying but they also make one wonder about how these people really feel about the creators of the Third Reich,’ Konashenkov said Friday…”

The relationship between Russia and a coming unified Europe under German leadership will ultimately result in nuclear war between these two power blocs.

Germany Condemns Turkey

Deutsche Welle reported on February 28:

“[Deniz] Yucel’s case is unparalleled: He is the first German journalist who has been jailed in Turkey since President Erdogan’s party, AKP, came to power in 2002. Yucel has both German and Turkish citizenship. Turkish authorities had initially detained the German correspondent of Die Welt newspaper on February 14 on charges of propaganda in support of a terrorist organization and inciting violence. A formal indictment is still pending…

“The arrest is part of a widespread crackdown by the Erdogan administration that has targeted the media, civil service and academics, as well as military and police sectors, following last year’s failed July 15 coup. Since July 2016, more than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended, tens of thousands have been arrested. So far, foreign reporters have mostly been spared, and they have enjoyed more liberties than local journalists. But Turkish authorities reportedly chose to treat dual-citizen Yucel as Turkish, rather than a German.

“In Germany, a country that used to be one of Turkey’s close allies and cooperated closely with Turkey as part of NATO, the case of Deniz Yucel has been criticized harshly by both the German government and the opposition parties. In fact, Yucel’s treatment is the one topic that all parties in the German parliament are currently able to agree on – from the Left Party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats.

“Relations between Turkey and Germany have been tainted by a number of incidents in 2016, including the vote in German parliament to recognize the Armenian genocide. Death threats, especially against the 11 members of the Bundestag with Turkish roots, came pouring in after the vote, while German politicians weren’t allowed to visit German troops at the Turkish military base Incirlik. Yet after the failed coup attempt in Ankara in July, Merkel and her government were slow to condemn the events. But Germany, and especially Angela Merkel, who has come under pressure because of her refugee policies, desperately need Turkey to uphold a so-called ‘refugee deal’ that controls the flow of migrants into Europe.

“Since the deal was cut between the EU and Turkey in March 2016, the number of migrants crossing the Sea from Turkey to Greece has dropped from an average 1,740 to 89 per day, according to the European Commission.

“Merkel has often refrained from harsh criticism of Turkey’s human rights practices in the past and has been strongly criticized for her lack of ‘clear words’ by the opposition in parliament. The case of Deniz Yucel puts the German chancellor in a tough spotonce again, just six months ahead of a federal election in Germany that Merkel said will be the toughest she has had to face in her career.

“Angela Merkel’s assessment of Yucel’s detainment, however, was untypically candid. She criticized Yucel’s arrest as ‘bitter and disappointing’ as well as ‘disproportionate.’ ‘The German government expects that the Turkish justice system keeps in mind the great importance that press freedom has in any democratic society in its treatment of the Yucel case,’ she said. ‘We will continue to insist on a fair and legal treatment of Deniz Yucel and hope that he will soon regain his freedom.’

“Germany’s top diplomat Sigmar Gabriel was even more candid in his response to the case. The new foreign minister expressed his dismay, saying Ankara was exacerbating what were already ‘dramatic times for German-Turkish relations.’… But at a time when German-Turkish relations are at their lowest point in decades, Yucel is only the tip of the iceberg. But one that will most certainly inflict further serious damage to the two countries’ relationship.”

“Could This Man Be the Next Chancellor of Germany?”

BBC News wrote on February 24:

“His critics say he is more Brussels than Berlin… But they have failed to damage his bid for Germany’s top job… Recent polls suggest that, given a choice between Mr Schulz and Mrs Merkel, he would be Germany’s preferred chancellor… After 12 years as its chancellor, Germany is, some say, simply fed up with Mrs Merkel… For years there has been no realistic alternative, until now…

“Mr Schulz has yet to unveil a manifesto but he has promised generous, and controversial, welfare reforms. A future coalition of the left is no longer out of the question, although commentators point out that it may be difficult to smooth over fundamental differences with some of the smaller parties. The left wing party, Die Linke, for example, urges the dissolution of Nato.

“A month ago it was possible to predict, with some certainty, that Mrs Merkel would win the September election, albeit having taken a hammering from the AfD. Now, for the first time in years, she faces significant opposition from a different political direction.

“Germany, like much of Europe, appeared to be edging to the right. Now it is just as likely to turn instead to the left… And, after a year of global political surprise, there is a sense here too now that anything could happen.”

“French Election Turns Ugly”

AFP wrote on February 27:

“Journalists accused of bias. Judges said to be taking orders from the president. The country in a state of ‘near civil war.’ This isn’t America’s bitter presidential election campaign last year, but France’s in 2017… Seven police officers were injured on Saturday in Nantes including one with serious burns when anarchists and vandals began throwing rocks and firebombs during an anti-Le Pen protest…

“Both [conservative Francois] Fillon and [far-right leader Marine] Le Pen have also attacked judicial investigations into their use of allegedly fake parliamentary aides as an attempt by outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande to influence the election. Fillon has described an inquiry launched in January as an ‘institutional coup d’etat’ and has accused journalists of trying to carry out a ‘lynching’ and an ‘assassination’.

“Herve Le Bras, a veteran political observer and head of research at the EHESS social sciences university in Paris, said he could detect the influence of US President Donald Trump in the French campaign. ‘The way that Trump has defied the justice system and attacked the media, calling them “fake news”, I think in a way it’s encouraging Fillon and Marine Le Pen to copy,’ he told AFP. ‘They can see that it seems to work in the United States,’ he said.

“Fillon, a 62-year-old former prime minister, faces allegations he paid his wife for 15 years as a fake assistant, while one of Le Pen’s aides was charged last week over allegations the party defrauded the European parliament. Both deny any wrongdoing but their attacks have repeatedly questioned the independence and neutrality of the justice system ahead of a two-stage presidential election on April 23 and May 7.

“Polls currently show independent centrist Emmanuel Macron as the most likely winner, though analysts caution against any firm forecasts after a rollercoaster campaign and the surprises of Brexit and Trump in 2016. Fillon was the clear frontrunner until January when newspaper Le Canard Enchaine brought his wife’s job to light… Le Pen went ahead with her rally in Nantes on Sunday where she delivered a speech laced with criticism of how French democracy had been corrupted by the political establishment, the media and financial interests…”

Carnival and “Christianity” in Brazil

The Associated Press wrote on February 23:

“While campaigning last year to become Rio de Janeiro’s mayor, Marcelo Crivella, a retired Pentecostal bishop, insisted his faith would not get in the way of governing the nation’s most famous city. The former gospel singer and missionary, a high-profile member of one of Brazil’s most powerful evangelical churches, captured 59 percent of the vote and took office January 1. But less than two months into his four-year term, Crivella’s promises are about to be tested by the Carnival, Rio’s annual week-long party often marked by heavy drinking and drug use, wild sex and round-the-clock dancing. The mayor’s office signaled this week that Crivella may not participate in the festivities…

“Participating in the Carnival is not unheard of for evangelicals, some of whom organize street parties and use the event to recruit church members. Evangelicals have enjoyed a growing role in politics in a country that is both a center of extraordinary growth for their churches and also home to more Catholics than any other country in the world. Twenty-two percent of Brazilians currently identify as evangelical Christians, up from 5% in 1970. A shortage of Catholic priests combined with evangelicals’ willingness to work in slums plagued by drug-trafficking and violence have helped them mobilize voters… Still, many Brazilians still reject evangelical faiths, seeing them as contrary to the live-and-let-live attitude that remains a strong part of national culture…

“When [Criviela] was running last year, the 59-year-old former bishop in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God promised he would not try to alter major city events, such as the Carnival or an annual gay parade. He also apologized about disparaging comments he made about gays, Catholicism and Afro-Brazilian religions in a book about working as a missionary in Africa…”

German Carnival Floats Show No Mercy for Trump and Other Political Figures

The Local wrote on February 27:

“The floats at Karneval parades across southern and western Germany are known for their biting satire. This year the main target of their derision was only ever going to be one man. Carnival is known as die fünfte Jahreszeit (the fifth season) in German. It is a time when the usual rules of polite society are thrown out the window. In the major cities of the Rhine region the inhabitants become Narren (jesters) for a week, mocking the political establishment of the day with satirical floats which parade through the city centres. The past twelve months have clearly provided plenty of ammunition to the west German satirists.

“In Düsseldorf one of the central floats on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) showed US President Donald Trump standing next to French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen, Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders and Adolf Hitler—all of them sporting carefully coiffed blond manes. The four populist leaders of past and present held a banner reading ‘Blond is the new brown’. Another float in Düsseldorf appeared to show Trump raping the Statue of Liberty…

“In Mainz, the US president was depicted as an elephant crashing through crockery. The sign on the float read Trumpel-tier, a pun on the word for a two-humped camel Trampeltier. The word (literally: lumbering animal) is also an insult meaning klotz or clumsy person. In [a] piece of quite literally biting satire, Trump was portrayed, along with Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leaders of Poland and Hungary, as a caterpillar munching away at the leaf of democracy.

“But Trump wasn’t the only leader to invite the scorn of the Karneval Narren. Theresa May, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, was shown pointing a pistol through her own teeth inscribed with the word Brexit. Erdogan, who has been accused of human rights abuses after imprisoning thousands of people following an attempted coup in July 2016, was shown screaming ‘terrorist’ at a clown in Düsseldorf. In Mainz, meanwhile, he had mounted a lawn mower and was cutting down the flowers of democracy and free speech.”

“Heightened Controls—How Trump Frightens Away [German] Tourists”

Der Stern reported on March 1:

“In 2015 alone, 2.27 million Germans traveled to the United States… But now, President Trump diminishes the eagerness of German visitors to travel to the US… Currently, nearly every second German is opposed to vacationing in the US… they feel unwelcome and do not want to support the politics of Donald Trump by coming to the US. Only 17 percent say they don’t care about the politics of the President and are still willing to spend their vacation in the US…

“Especially New York City and San Francisco suffer from restrictive entry permits. ‘We have no influence on the controls at the airport,’ said Joe D’Alessandro, president of the San Francisco Travel Association… The Foreign Affairs Office in Berlin announced: ‘Heightened security controls exist in the USA. Travelers should arrive at the airport at least three hours in advance to be able to go through security controls before their departure.’ It also states that it is within the discretion of the particular US custom agent whether or not to allow entrance at arrival.

“According to statistics, approximately two German travelers per day are being rejected by the Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBP) and have to fly back to Europe with the next plane. A much larger percentage can only enter the USA after a lengthy interview—even though they had received clearance through ESTA or are in possession of a valid visa stamped in their passports.

“Recently, NASA co-worker Sidd Bikkannava had to produce the PIN number of his business cell phone in order to prevent arrest, even though he is a participant of the Global-Entry program.

“The Department of Homeland Security includes now a section on the ESTA document [which must be submitted to be able to enter the USA under the visa waiver program], asking for personal information regarding participation on social networks, such as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter or Youtube. The official document states: ‘List the username, handle, screen-name, or other identifier associated with your social media profile.’ Presently, the answers are still ‘optional.’”

“Visa War” between EU and USA Escalates

The Telegraph wrote on March 2:

“Americans should be forced to apply for visas to travel to Europe, the European Parliament has said, in response to Washington refusing to allow all Europeans to travel to the States visa-free. The vote by show of hands is the latest in the ongoing ‘visa war’ between Brussels and the US capital… A European Parliament source told Telegraph Travel this was a ‘serious negative step in the EU-USA visa war’…

“The need to apply for a visa to travel to a country is widely seen as a turn-off to potential visitors, given the extra cost and time an application requires…

“It was in April 2014 the European Commission was first made aware that the US – along with Australia, Brunei, Canada and Japan – was failing to ensure the same visa waiver rights for its citizens that Europe offered in return. The Commission then gave the countries a deadline of two years before retaliating. Since, Australia, Brunei and Japan have all lifted their visa requirements, with Canada set to do the same by the end of the year, but the US has failed to act…

“Some 30 million American tourists visit Europe each year, spending more than $54billion (£44bn)… Most British nationals do not require a visa to enter the US, but must apply for an ESTA that costs $14 (£11.50) if arriving by air.”

Deutsche Welle added the following on March 2:

“The European Parliament on Thursday called on the EU’s executive body to reintroduce visas for US citizens ‘within two months’…

“By a show of hands, parliamentarians passed a [non-binding] resolution demanding that the European Commission impose visas by May, ahead of the traditionally-busy tourist season…

“However, a similar parliamentary attempt in 2014 fell to the wayside after Brussels allowed a deadline to pass without a response. The Commission said European officials have contacted US President Donald Trump’s administration ‘to push for full visa reciprocity.’… European officials said they hope to resolve the issue at an EU-US ministerial meeting slated for June 15…”

Reuters wrote on March 2:

“The European Commission stressed it was pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the row, leaving it unlikely that it would act on the vote by lawmakers setting a May deadline to impose visas…

“Washington refuses to grant visa-free access to people from four east European states and Cyprus, while those from the other 23 member states can enter using the U.S. visa waiver program. EU rules call for equal treatment for all Union citizens…

“Former Communist countries Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, have been calling on Brussels to end U.S. discrimination against their citizens. But the economic cost of imposing visa restrictions on the millions of American tourists and business travelers who visit Europe each year is a major disincentive…”

What Is All the Fuss About Discovery of Seven “Earth-Like” New Planets?

Forbes wrote on February 26:

“On Wednesday, the scientists at NASA kind of freaked out. They announced the discovery of some seemingly Earth-like planets outside of our solar system… They’re about 40 light years from Earth. That means using today’s rocket technology (and a whole lot of cash), it would probably take about 11,250 years to get [there]…

“I called up one of NASA’s exoplanet experts, Aki Roberge, to help us break down the find…

“At the moment, all you really tell from the transits is these are small black dots… Six of the seven planets look like they’re rocky… There are, however, several reasons to think that being a rock in the habitable zone of a red dwarf star is not actually a nice place to live, and that those environments are very different from our solar system… maybe they could have liquid water on their surfaces. But that’s a huge maybe. Just look at our solar system… We’ve got Earth, Venus and Mars in or near what astronomers call the ‘habitable zone’ – and they couldn’t be more different!… The Earth is unique in the solar system in one really important way: it’s the only planet that has surface life so abundant that it’s affecting the atmosphere. That is noticeable from interstellar distances…”

This does not sound like convincing proof that there could be any life on these “earth-like” planets.

Nuclear Incidents in the Arctic?

The Drive wrote on February 19:

“There have been rumblings regarding some sort of nuclear incident—or possibly incidents—in the Arctic over the last month. Multiple reports, some of them from official monitoring organizations, have reported iodine 131—a radioactive isotope often associated with nuclear fission—has been detected via air sampling stations throughout the region.

“The first detection of the isotope came during the second week of January, via an air sampling station located in Svanhovd, on Norway’s border with Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Within days, air sampling stations as far south as Spain also detected the presence of small amounts of the isotope. The fact that iodine-131 has a half-life of just eight days would point to the release occurring just days earlier, and not being a remnant of a past nuclear event.

“Because of the low levels of concentration, there is no health risk to the public or the environment, at least on a wide scale…

“After weeks without answers, the story seemed to pass as a peculiarity… until Friday when the US dispatched its WC-135 Constant Phoenix atmospheric testing aircraft to Europe without explanation. The highly unique aircraft are specifically designed to respond to nuclear incidents—especially those that include the detonation of nuclear warheads…

“You can check twitter to see loads of people claiming this is proof that the Russians have restarted nuclear weapons testing at Novaya Zemlya near the Arctic… There has been some talk about even the US restarting its nuclear testing under President Trump…

“A more likely possibility is that some sort of limited nuclear material storage, research, or power generation incident has occurred. Russia uses nuclear propulsion for many of its active submarines as well as its Kirov class battlecruisers and its icebreakers. Russia also uses nuclear power in the arctic region for multiple applications. Not just that, but Russia’s northerly naval bases near the arctic are nuclear graveyards of the Cold War. Hulls of decommissioned nuclear submarines sit idle still waiting to be denuclearized and disposed of. Many have said that over the decades following the end of the Cold War, these vessels are just an accident waiting to happen…

“The Arctic is also dotted with other Cold War relics that relied on nuclear power to function, these include Russia’s nuclear lighthouses and outposts. And this is just what you can see, below the surface, hulks of sunken nuclear vessels and other waste still pose a major threat to the environment. It is not really a question of if they will do harm, but when.

“During the Cold War, Russia dumped all types of nuclear waste in the Kara Sea, including an estimated 17,000 containers and 19 vessels full of radioactive waste. The USSR also pitched 14 nuclear reactors, some with spent fuel rods, into the same body of water and other forms of lower-level nuclear waste was just poured directly into the sea. The Russian submarine K-27, which was scuttled in the Kola Sea, is said to be literally a ticking time bomb. That is just that one area, and other areas in the region, such as the Barents Sea (K-159) and Norwegian Sea (K-278), also have abandoned nuclear submarines and who knows what else lining the sea floor. Even the US left its own portion of nuclear waste in the northern latitudes, such as the once secret reactor at Camp Century, in Greenland, although this is minuscule compared to what the Soviets left behind.

“With all this in mind, if there was a peculiar release of iodine-131 into the atmosphere, it is much more likely to have come from the nuclear wasteland that the Soviet Union created, or from operational reactors in the region, and not from some sort of clandestine atomic testing. That doesn’t mean it is impossible, just highly unlikely. There is even a possibility that it didn’t come from Russia at all, and was leaked by a reactor in Europe or elsewhere. Still, with the Arctic likely becoming a key battleground of the future… suspicions surrounding Russia’s true intentions in the region are at an all-time high…”

Radioactive Iodine 131 All Over Europe

The Sun wrote on February 20:

“Dangerous radioactive particles have been detected in seven different European countries and scientists can’t explain where they have come from. Traces of Iodine-131 were spotted in Norway, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain in January, but the public were not immediately alerted. These radioactive particles are produced by atomic bomb explosions or nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl or Fukushima. They appear to be emanating from Eastern Europe, but experts have not been able to say exactly what produced them…

“The particles could [have] been produced by Russian nuclear submarines. Scientists detected the highest number of particles in Poland, although still not enough to spark a public health emergency.”

Bewildered Europe Wonders About Chaotic White House and Contradictory Messages

Bloomberg wrote on February 19:

“… for many of the Europeans… the perception of chaos in Washington also raised an equally unsettling question: How much should Europe start doing on its own?… Chancellor Angela Merkel called for increased military integration between Germany and France. With the U.K. negotiating to leave the EU, a major hurdle to long-shelved projects for creating a consolidated military command and even centralized funding will also be removed…”

“Mike Pence Widens US Rift with Europe over Nato Defence Spending”

The Guardian wrote on February 18:

“The US vice-president has delivered the most uncompromising message yet from the Trump administration to Nato allies that they have to step up financial contributions towards defence spending.  On his first visit to Europe since taking office, Mike Pence said ‘some of our largest allies do not have a credible path’ towards paying their share of Nato’s financial burden. Although he did not name individual countries, his targets included Germany, France and Italy. ‘The time has come to do more,’ he said. This section of his speech to the Munich security conference… was greeted with lukewarm applause.

“He was speaking immediately after the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, made it clear she would not be bullied by the US over defence spending. She said Germany had made a promise to increase defence over the next decade and would fulfil that commitment rather than be forced into the faster rises that Trump is looking for…

“In a thinly veiled warning, Pence said that while the US was bound by Nato’s article five – an attack on one member would be an attack on all – he also reminded the audience that article three contained a commitment to sharing the financial burden, echoing Trump’s warning last year that he did not feel bound to come to the defence of countries that did not pay their share.  Pence peppered his speech with regular references to Trump, stressing that he was delivering messages from the president…

“Pence also attempted to square the contradictory comments made by Trump towards Russia. While the US wanted a new relationship with Russia, he said that the US expected Russia to honour the 2015 Minsk peace agreement aimed at ending violence in Ukraine.

“With Pence in the room, [Merkel] avoided direct references to Trump even though many of her comments during her speech and in a question-and-answer session afterwards were aimed at him. Asked about attacks on the media, Merkel said: ‘Freedom of the press is a pillar of democracy.'”

Der Stern commented on February 18: “The performances of Pence and Merkel looked like the clash of two different worlds. Since this weekend, we know from the mouth of Mike Pence that payday is drawing near. The times will get more unpleasant.”

Europeans Challenge President Trump

The Telegraph wrote on February 17:

“European leaders have pushed back at Donald Trump’s ultimatum that they increase defence spending or risk America scaling back its commitment to Transatlantic protection… The president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker… said countries must not cave in to US demands… Mr Juncker said he was ‘very much against letting ourselves be pushed into’ an increase in defence spending. He said: ‘I don’t like our American friends narrowing down this concept of security to the military… If you look at what Europe is doing in defence, plus development aid, plus humanitarian aid, the comparison with the United States looks rather different. Modern politics cannot just be about raising defence spending.’…

“Meanwhile Germany’s defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen, acknowledged that her country would in [the] future be unable to step back and rely on American protection… But she also had a message for Donald Trump, warning him that he could not put European allies on an equal footing with an aggressive Russia. She said: ‘Our American friends know well that their tone on Europe and Nato has a direct influence on the cohesion of our continent… There cannot be a policy of equidistance to allies and to those who openly question our values, our borders and international law.’”

EU Council President Attacks Donald Trump

Express wrote on February 20:

“The EU Council president (Donald Tusk) railed against ‘brute force, egoism and arrogance’ in a series of jaw-dropping remarks which will be interpreted as a very thinly veiled assault on the Republican commander-in-chief. Polish eurocrat Mr Tusk admitted that nobody could ‘pretend that everything is as it used to be’ following months of verbal attacks from the Republican’s administration which have met with furious responses in European capitals. And in an extraordinary press conference following talks with Vice-President Mike Pence the top Brussels official effectively admitted that trans-Atlantic relations are in the gutter following the election of Mr Trump.

“In an exchange surely unprecedented in recent EU-US history he railed against the new US President’s ‘surprising opinions’ on European integration and said he had directly challenged his second-in-command over the administration’s hostility towards the bloc. The remarks came after signs earlier emerged of the gaping chasm emerging between the two sides as France railed against a speech the Republican gave to delegates in Munich in which he did not even mention the EU.

“Mr Tusk made no attempt to hide Europe’s dismay at the election of Mr Trump, and instead harked back to better times for trans-Atlantic relations under his predecessors Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan…”

Subsequently, Mike Pence was asked in a press conference what America will do if Europe does not fulfill America’s demands of contributing more to NATO’s defense costs. The journalist raised the question in regard to a comment that Europe must do so, “or else.” Mike Pence refused to explain what was meant by that comment and said that the future will have to provide the answer.

And Now: President Trump’s Fight with Sweden

Deutsche Welle reported on February 20:

“US President Donald Trump has tried to clarify his comments about a non-existent terror incident in Sweden. He said his remarks referred to a television report on immigrants. ‘You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden. Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden,’ Trump said. ‘They took in large numbers. They’re having problems like they never thought possible,’ he continued, implying the country had been the victim of a terrorist attack… Former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was… asking ‘what has he been smoking? Questions abound.’

“On Sunday, Trump tweeted that his statement was in reference to a Fox News report on immigrants and Sweden. On Friday, the network had aired an interview with documentary film maker Ami Horowitz about the alleged effects of immigration in Sweden. A number of officials have dismissed the documentary which alleges a rise in violent crime after a rise in the number of refugees coming to the country. Official statistics show that Sweden’s crime rate has fallen since 2005 even as it has taken in hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

“Trump took to Twitter again on Monday, attempting to shift focus back to Sweden’s ability to integrate immigrants. ‘The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!’ the president wrote.

“With a population of around 9.5 million, Sweden has taken in nearly 200,000 refugees, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The policy has meant the Scandinavian country has taken in more refugees per capita than any other European nation.

“The Swedish Embassy to the US tweeted on Sunday that it looked ‘forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies.’ As part of the online responder to Trump’s comments, there has been a search for actual events in Sweden last Friday… They ranged from preliminary rounds for Sweden’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest to a bad snowstorm.”

Bild Online wrote on February 20 that the Fox Report “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and its interview with Ami Horowitz, which President Trump was apparently referring to, was filled with inaccuracies, conspiracies and fake news. The paper quoted Ylva Johansson, Swedish Minister for Labor, saying that the whole world listens to President Trump when he speaks, and that he has therefore an obligation to explain what he means, when he comments “about Sweden in a manner which we don’t understand.”  

The story is also big news in Britain. The Telegraph published a lengthy and detailed story on February 20 with the title, “Last Night In Sweden: Celebrities and the Swedish Mock Donald Trump’s Bizarre Claims.”

The Independent added on February 20 that President Trump “admitted he was talking about a widely debunked Fox News report he had seen on television the night before… News of Mr Horowitz’s documentary made headlines last year when he told conservative outlets such as Breitbart News that there were Muslim ‘no-go zones’ in Europe…”

Subsequently, some news agencies published a few selected articles to the effect that there was some violence in Sweden, allegedly involving refugees. But these articles did by no means support the claim that terrorist activities were rampant in the country.   

John McCain Compares Today’s Atmosphere to Nazi Years

Newsmax wrote on February 17:

“Arizona Sen. John McCain delivered a series of blows to President Donald Trump Friday during a speech in Germany, and at one point he compared today’s political atmosphere to the Nazi years of the 1930s and 1940s…

“While making his case, McCain… mentioned Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist. Von Kleist was part of the group that plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. ‘What would von Kleist’s generation say if they saw our world today?’ McCain asked. ‘I fear that much about it would be all too familiar for them… They would be alarmed by the hardening resentment we see toward immigrants, and refugees, and minority groups, especially Muslims… They would be alarmed by the growing inability, and even unwillingness, to separate truth from lies. They would be alarmed that more and more of our fellow citizens seem to be flirting with authoritarianism…'”

Mike Pence and the Ignorance of Darwinists and Evolutionists

The following was an absolutely appalling and mean-spirited article, attacking Vice President Mike Pence’s belief in the Bible and upholding Darwin’s nonsensical evolution hypothesis. We chose to ignore most of it. But, the following inadvertent admissions are revealing:

The Daily Beast wrote on February 17:

“The vice president dodges the question of whether he believes in evolution but he has his own version of intelligent design… ‘The Bible tells us that God created man in His own image, male and female; He created them,’ Pence has said. ‘And I believe that God created the known universe, the earth and everything in it including man, and I also believe that some day, scientists will come to see that only the theory of intelligent design provides an even remotely rational explanation for the known universe.’

“Pence also argued that evolution should not be taught in schools without a parallel commentary of Biblical explanations as being equally valid…

“Darwin himself was an agnostic. Whether he actually believed that the hidden architecture of life that he had described for the first time had divine origin doesn’t really matter… All of which makes it strange that anyone today would think it reasonable to persist, as Pence does, with the idea of ‘intelligent design.’ Indeed, Darwin saw that idea coming and dealt with it dismissively: ‘It is so easy to hide our ignorance under such expressions as the ‘plan of creation’ ‘unity of design’ etc and to think that we give an explanation when we only re-state a fact.’’

Of course, Darwin did not state any “fact” supporting his fairy tale of evolution.

On a related subject, The Telegraph reported on February 22 that “life may have evolved on at least three planets within a newly discovered solar system that is 39 light years from Earth… Astronomers… have detected no less than seven roughly Earth-sized worlds orbiting a dwarf star in the system… Three of the new planets are said to be particularly promising because they could sustain oceans. [A Nasa spokesperson said:] ‘This gives us a hint that finding a second Earth is not a matter of “if”, but “when’”.

This is further nonsense, because Evolution did not create life anywhere in the universe. GOD created life, but there is no hint in the Bible that He created physical life anywhere else but on planet earth.

Trump Administration Lifts Federal Guidelines “Protecting” Transgender Students

The Associated Press wrote on February 22:

“The Trump administration on Wednesday ended federal protections for transgender students that instructed schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities. Stepping into an emotional national debate, the administration came down on the side of states’ rights, lifting federal guidelines that had been issued by the Obama administration…

“Without the Obama directive, it will be up to states and school districts to interpret federal anti-discrimination law and determine whether students should have access to restrooms in accordance with their expressed gender identity and not just their biological sex… the [Obama] guidance carried no force of law. But transgender rights advocates say it was useful and necessary to protect students from discrimination. Opponents argued it was federal overreach and violated the safety and privacy of other students…

“Conservative activists hailed the change, saying the Obama directives were illegal and violated the rights of fixed-gender students, especially girls who did not feel safe changing clothes or using restrooms next to anatomical males…

“Legal experts said the change in position could impact pending court cases involving the federal sex discrimination law, including a case to be heard by the Supreme Court in March involving Gavin Grimm, a transgender teen who was denied bathroom access in Virginia…

“Fifteen states have explicit protections for transgender students in their state laws, and many individual school districts in other states have adopted policies that cover such students on the basis of their gender identity…”

The left-liberal agenda, which protects and supports young boys declaring to be girls and therefore demanding access to girls’ locker rooms and showers, is a blatant abomination in God’s eyes.

Fox News Anchor Shepard Smith Stands Up to Donald Trump’s “Crazy” Press Conference

Yahoo! News reported on February 16:

“Shepard Smith, the Fox News anchor, on Thursday afternoon seemed to have had enough of Donald Trump’s slams at the media as peddlers of ‘fake news’ — or, when it comes to CNN, ‘very fake news.’ ‘It is crazy what we are watching every day, it is absolutely crazy,’ Smith said. ‘He keeps repeating ridiculous throwaway lines that are not true at all and sort of avoiding this issue of Russia as if we are some kind of fools for asking the question.’

“Smith then started to look into the camera and added, ‘Really? Your opposition was hacked, and the Russians were responsible for it, and your people were on the phone on the same day it was happening, and we are fools for asking those questions? No sir, we are not fools for asking those questions, and we demand to know the answer to this question. You owe this to the American people.’…

“As long as Trump’s press conference was… it was dominated by Trump’s attacks on the media…

“Smith’s reference to ‘ridiculous throwaway lines’ may not have just referred to Trump’s ‘fake news’ and ‘fake media’ catchphrases, but his fixation on the size of his electoral college victory. When Trump boasted that his 306 electoral votes (actually 304) was the largest since Ronald Reagan, reporters corrected him. Barack Obama got more in 2012 in 2008, as did George H.W. Bush in 1988 — facts that are easily verified by a Google search…

“CNN’s Jake Tapper, in his own state of disbelief about the press conference, also looked into the camera on Thursday and said, ‘President Trump… You legitimately won the presidency. Now get to work and stop whining about it.’”

Shepard Smith has all along been making critical and challenging comments about Mr. Trump. Subsequently, outraged hard-core Trump supporters demanded the resignation of Shepard Smith for “daring” to stand up to the President. They reject any news article from the “left-liberal” press, criticizing Mr. Trump, and appreciate more the likes of Sean Hannity, a Fox News conservative political commentator, who with total acceptance and uncritical approval supports everything which Mr. Trump says or does.  It is interesting that highly-praised and long-time moderators such as Megyn Kelly or Greta von Susteren have left Fox News. (Megyn joined NBC News, and Greta has a new show on MSNBC, called “For the Record.”).

In addition to Shepard Smith, another Fox News “icon,” (according to Der Stern), Chris Wallace, strongly rebuked Donald Trump in an interview with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, saying that President Trump went too far for stating that the media is America’s enemy.

Showdown Between Ford and Donald Trump?

AFP wrote on February 17:

“US car maker Ford is sticking with a plan to open two auto-parts plants in Mexico this year, despite earlier announcing it had scrapped plans for a separate factory there. Ford without warning last month canceled plans to build a $1.6 billion project in San Luis Potosi, an auto-making area in central Mexico. Gabriel Lopez, president and CEO of Ford Mexico, said however that this did not affect two other projects it has under way in the country since 2015, which are scheduled to begin production this year.

“The plants… will make engines and transmissions. They will supply Ford factories in the United States, South America, Europe and Asia. The two facilities will cost about $2.5 billion and employ some 3,800 people…

“Ford is one of several US companies under pressure from the country’s new President Donald Trump. He has offered inducements to keep some US manufacturers in the United States, and threatened others with punishing tariffs if they go. Ford has been operating in Mexico for about 90 years. It currently employs around 9,000 workers in Mexico, according to Lopez.”

New “Trump Directives” Create Panic in Mexico

The Associated Press wrote on February 22:

“Mexicans fear deportee and refugee camps could be popping up along their northern border under the Trump administration’s plan to start deporting to Mexico all Latin Americans and others who entered the U.S. illegally through this country. Previous U.S. policy called for only Mexican citizens to be sent to Mexico. Migrants known as ‘OTMs’ — Other Than Mexicans — got flown back to their homelands. Now, under a sweeping rewrite of enforcement policies announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, migrants might be dumped over the border into a violence-plagued land where they have no ties while their asylum claims or deportation proceedings are heard in the United States. U.S. officials didn’t say what Mexico would be expected to do with them.

“The only consensus so far in Mexico about the new policies of President Donald Trump is that the country isn’t remotely prepared… It’s unclear whether the United States has the authority to force Mexico to accept third-country nationals. The DHS memo calls for the department to provide an account of U.S. aid to Mexico, a possible signal that Trump plans to use that funding to get Mexico to accept the foreigners…”

The Guardian added on February 22 that “Mexico has indicated it would not accept the Trump administration’s new immigration proposals, saying it would go to the United Nations to defend the rights of immigrants in the US.”

Deutsche Welle added on February 23:

“US officials met with Mexican officials to affirm positive relations, but success was limited. The US Homeland Security chief said immigration operations would not use ‘military force,’ contradicting the president…

“Trump [had] described a sweeping campaign of deportation across the US as a ‘military operation.’ However, Kelly appeared to undermine Trump’s remarks, telling a press conference that ‘there will be no use of military force for immigration operations.’ ‘There will be no, repeat, no mass deportations,’ Kelly said…”

“New Trump Immigration Orders Target Nearly All Illegal Immigrants in US”

Deutsche Welle reported on February 22:

“Nearly all of the United States’ 11 million illegal immigrants can be subject to deportation under the Trump administration’s new immigration guidelines released on Tuesday… Under the previous president, illegal immigrants not linked to serious crime… were not targeted for deportation. Both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations also attempted to create an immigration framework that would allow long-term undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States.

“The new memos pave the way for mass deportation that critics say will uproot families and damage economies…”

ACLU Will Challenge Trump’s New Immigration Directives

The Associated Press reported on February 21:

“Any immigrant who is in the country illegally and is charged or convicted of any offense, or even suspected of a crime, will now be an enforcement priority… That could include people [with a traffic violation or] arrested for shoplifting or minor offenses — or simply having crossed the border illegally… Overstaying a visa is a civil, not criminal, offense. Those who do so are not specifically included in the priority list but, under the memos, they are still more likely to face deportation than they had been before…

“The American Civil Liberties Union said it would challenge the directives. ‘These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the well-being of our communities, and even protections for vulnerable children, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy,’ said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project…

“The directives do not affect President Barack Obama’s program that has protected more than 750,000 young immigrants from deportation. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals remains in place, though participants could be deported if they commit crimes or otherwise are deemed to be threats to public safety or national security, according to the department… The directives indicate that some young people caught crossing the border illegally by themselves may not be eligible for special legal protections if they are reunited with parents in the United States. And those parents or other relatives that the government believes helped the children would face criminal and immigration investigations…”

Jewish Groups Oppose President Trump’s New Immigration Directives

The Times of Israel wrote on February 22:

“Jewish groups expressed alarm… ‘These new rules are extremely ill-advised and counter to our values as a nation that has always served as a beacon of hope for people around the world,’ Anti-Defamation League head Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement.

“‘The guidelines released today treat vulnerable people, many of whom are unaccompanied children and asylum seekers, like criminals,’ warned Mark Hetfield, president of the Jewish refugee rights group HIAS…”

Immigrants Seek to Naturalize

The Associated Press reported on February 21:

“Since last month, immigrants have been rushing to prepare applications to become U.S. citizens… The growing interest in citizenship follows a surge in naturalization applications last year amid Trump’s anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric and ahead of a December increase in filing fees. Nearly 1 million people applied to naturalize during the 2016 fiscal year, the largest number in nine years…

“Immigrants historically have sought citizenship for the many new opportunities it brings: the ability to vote, better job prospects, an American passport for travel, bringing relatives here from overseas. This year, it’s more about fear in a Trump administration… For years, immigrant advocates have urged lawful permanent residents, also known as green card holders, to naturalize, which would protect them from deportation were they ever convicted of a crime…”

Jewish Alumni Implore Jared Kushner to Change His Father-in-Law’s Mindset on Immigration

JTA wrote on February 21:

“Some 180 alumni and former staff of a New Jersey yeshiva high school implored graduate Jared Kushner to use his influence with President Donald Trump, his father-in-law, to ease the path for refugees coming to the United States… Kushner’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors who came to the United States after spending over three years in a displaced persons camp in Italy.

“‘Like you, many of us are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who escaped to this country when the lands of their birth promised almost certain death; like those of your grandparents, many of their parents, siblings and extended families did not make it to our shores and perished in the Holocaust…’

“The letter references the Torah calling on Jews ‘to love and welcome the stranger, for we too were once strangers in Egypt.’ ‘We implore you, as a Jew and as a graduate of an institution that instilled you with Jewish values, to exercise the influence and access you have to annals of power to ensure others don’t suffer the same fate as millions of our co-religionists. We ask you to ensure they gain the second chance our grandparents received to succeed and thrive in America,’ it concluded.”

Will Mr. Kushner respond to this plea, and will President Trump listen?

President Trump Decries Threats against Jewish Centers

JTA wrote on February 21:

“President Donald Trump denounced anti-Semitism a day after bomb threats were made to 11 Jewish community centers across the country and a large-scale cemetery was vandalized in the St. Louis area. Under pressure to condemn anti-Semitism in the wake of what has been called an uptick in incidents since he was elected, Trump told MSNBC on Tuesday morning, ‘Anti-Semitism is horrible and it’s going to stop, and it has to stop.’…

“Jewish groups and political leaders have called on Trump to speak out against anti-Semitism, especially after four waves of bomb threats called in to dozens of JCCs across the country in the past five weeks. After yesterday’s bomb threat hoaxes were reported, officials at various Jewish groups, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the Zionist Organization of America, issued remarks urging the president to make a personal condemnation of anti-Semitism.”

In a related article, JTA wrote on February 21:

“That it took so long for Trump to condemn anti-Semitism after twice being asked about it last week, and coming on the heels of a White House International Holocaust Remembrance Day statement that somehow omitted any mention of the Jews, was ‘mind-boggling’ to many groups…”

Stephen Bannon’s Beliefs and the Possibility of Civil War in the USA

Business Insider wrote on February 21:

“In a revealing interview, historian Neil Howe candidly discusses his perspective on Steve Bannon, the former head of the website Breitbart News who is now President Donald Trump’s chief strategist. Bannon is a proponent of the theory that history generally moves in 80-year cycles, with each cycle ending in a crisis that destroys the old order and ushers in something new…

“In widely reported remarks, Bannon believes the US has had three ‘turnings’ — the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the Great Depression/World War II — and is now in the midst of another emanating from the 2008 financial crisis…

“In the wide-ranging interview, Howe also detailed his own views about the possibility of civil war in America by discussing the mood in the US just before the Civil War in 1859: ‘Right up to the end, no one really realistically thought that actual war would happen. It just seemed incredible.’”

Holy Intifada Against Israel?

The Times of Israel wrote on February 21:

“Calling Israel a ‘cancerous tumor,’ Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday expressed support for a ‘holy intifada’ to eradicate the Jewish state, arguing that the international community is headed toward confrontation with the ‘Zionist regime.’… ‘The people of Palestine have no option other than keeping the flames of fighting alight by relying on Allah the Exalted and by relying on their innate capabilities, as they have genuinely done so until today,’ said Khamenei…

“A wave of terrorism some called a third intifada, which began last year and manifested itself mainly in stabbings and vehicular attacks against Israelis troops and civilians, is ‘moving forward in a bright and hopeful manner,’ the ayatollah declared. ‘And by Allah’s permission, we will see that this intifada will begin a very important chapter in the history of fighting and that it will inflict another defeat on that usurping regime.’… The supreme leader declared the Palestinian plight as ‘the most important issue in the world of Islam and as the pivot of unity for all Muslims and all liberated individuals in the world.’”

Germany Searches for a Common Identity

MSN wrote on February 17:

“Since World War II, trying to define the German national identity, much less celebrate it, has been taboo. Doing so was seen as a possible step toward the kind of nationalism that once enabled the Nazi regime. Flags were frowned upon, as was standing for the national anthem.

“But spurred by a sense of lost control over the country’s borders, economy and politics, many Germans are reaching for a shared identity but finding only an empty space. Into that vacuum slipped the Alternative for Germany, known by its German initials, AfD, the nation’s fastest-growing party with recent polls showing support at 12 percent, ahead of some mainstream parties. Only the AfD, whose populism puts it far outside of mainstream political norms, is openly promising to fulfill a desire for patriotism that would be routine in most other countries…

“The AfD, despite its rapid growth, remains a minority party… But as mainstream parties become more focused on defending against the far-right upstarts, the AfD’s populist agenda is trickling into their policies and messaging… Chancellor Angela Merkel opened her re-election bid in December by announcing a more populist agenda. She took a harder line on immigration and called for a ban on Islamic veils that cover the full face, saying they ‘do not belong to us’ and should be ‘forbidden wherever that is legally possible.’”

Martin Schulz, the “left Trump”

The Local wrote on February 21:

“The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats, Martin Schulz, could beat Chancellor Angela Merkel in September elections according to recent polls, thanks to a leftist programme that has earned him accusations of veering toward populism.  After years of languishing in Merkel’s shadow, Germany’s traditional workers’ party is almost giddy with excitement these days, hoping their new leader can end the decade-long reign of the ‘queen of Europe’. Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, on Monday attacked a holy cow of his party, criticising the sweeping labour and social welfare reforms pushed through under former SPD chancellor Gerhard Schröder between 2003 and 2005…

“‘The Robin Hood of the SPD’, ran a comment in business daily Handelsblatt. ‘Martin Schulz changes the course of the Social Democratic Party to the left’… Schulz unashamedly shifts the SPD – the party more than 150 year old and now a junior partner in a ‘grand coalition’ government with Merkel’s conservatives – to the left, more in line with Britain’s Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn or the French Socialists under presidential hopeful Benoit Hamon. Schulz has been applauded by the German far-left party Die Linke. It has signalled it is now far more open to entering a left-wing coalition with the SPD after the September election, which would likely also have to include the ecologist Greens party.

“Criticism has rained down all the harder from the right. One of the leaders of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, Michael Fuchs, has accused Schulz of employing ‘social-populism’. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble accused the SPD candidate of using ‘demagoguery’ by depicting as catastrophic the situation of workers in Germany while making fiscally irresponsible promises. ‘It’s almost word-for-word Trump,’ Schäuble told news weekly Der Spiegel in a recent interview…

“The newcomer can also count on a degree of voter fatigue with Merkel, who has been in power for over a decade, and has been weakened by the refugee crisis… A poll published Sunday by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper gave the SPD 33 percent support – one point ahead of Merkel’s party.”

Germany, France, Italy and Spain to Discuss Europe’s Future

Euractiv wrote on February 20:

“French President François Hollande said yesterday… there would be a summit in Versailles with the leaders of Germany, Italy and Spain on 6 March to prepare reforms for the European Union ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March. ‘It’s not about deciding between the four of us what Europe should be… but we are four important countries and it is up to us [to] say what we want to do with the others, together,’ Hollande said at a news conference alongside Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in Malaga.

“On the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of the Rome Treaties, EU leaders will hold a summit expected to finalise the formulation of a vision for the future of the Union after Brexit. The first two discussions were held at the EU informal summit in Bratislava on 16 September 2016 and at the Malta summit on 3 February. Rajoy and his Italian colleague Paiolo Gentiloni met on 27 January and discussed the EU summit in Rome this coming March to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the treaty establishing the European Economic Community.

“France, Germany and Italy are founding members of the EU, while Spain joined in 1986. The future of Europe has been discussed at various formats, including at ministerial level between the foreign ministers of the six founding members of the European Union, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. But EU countries outside this group decried the gatherings.”

No Set of Circumstances in which Scotland Will Stay in the EU

The Telegraph wrote on February 21:

“Scotland will be outside of the EU regardless of the terms of the UK’s Brexit deal or whether Nicola Sturgeon [First Minister of Scotland] wins a second independence referendum, David Mundell will tell MSPs this week. The Scottish Secretary will tell a meeting of Holyrood’s Europe and external relations committee on Wednesday that there is ‘no set of circumstances’ in which Scotland will stay within the EU when the UK leaves. Even if there was a vote for independence, he will say Scotland would have to apply for EU membership from scratch and advised against making ‘easy assumptions’ about how long this would take and the terms that would be offered by Brussels.

“… His intervention will come after an analysis published by two academics concluded that it would take a minimum of five to six years after an independence referendum for Scotland to become an EU member state…”

The New World of AI

The website of newatlas.com reported the following on February 16:

“The European Parliament has voted on a resolution to regulate the development of artificial intelligence and robotics across the European Union… the proposed rules include establishing ethical standards for… artificial intelligence, and introducing an insurance scheme to cover liability for accidents involving driverless cars…

“There still is a bit of a process before any hard and fast laws are established, with the proposals now moving through to the executive branch of the Union, the European Commission. The Commission is not legally obliged to institute the Parliament’s recommendations but it must state fair reasons for anything that’s rejected.”

The Potential Curse of AI

The New York Post wrote on February 17:

“Tech billionaire Elon Musk believes artificial intelligence could be catastrophic for humanity who are set to become a cyborg race which will have to grapple with 15 percent of the global workforce being without a job… self-driven cars were just 10 years away from usurping human driven vehicles completely…

“[He said:] ‘Make sure researchers don’t get carried away – scientists get so engrossed in their work they don’t realize what they are doing.’… Musk also discussed how he saw human beings as already being ‘cyborgs’ as we become more and more dependent on technology.”

Robots Take Over…

The San Diego Tribune wrote on February 20:

“The wave of automation that swept away tens of thousands of American manufacturing and office jobs during the past two decades is now washing over the armed forces, putting both rear-echelon and front-line positions in jeopardy… The U.S. military is very likely to pursue forms of automation that… remove soldiers from non-combat deployments where they might face risk from adversaries on fluid battlefields, such as in transportation… Driver-less vehicles poised to take taxi, train and truck driver jobs in the civilian sector also could nab many combat-support slots in the Army.

“Warehouse robots that scoot goods to delivery vans could run the same chores inside Air Force ordnance and supply units. New machines that can scan, collate and analyze hundreds of thousands of pages of legal documents in a day might outperform Navy legal researchers. Nurses, physicians and corpsmen could face competition from computers designed to diagnose diseases and assist in the operating room. Frogmen might no longer need to rip out sea mines by hand — robots could do that for them…

“… warships [are] increasingly designed to… reduce the number of sailors required for operations… The highly automated guided-missile destroyer Zumwalt that arrived in San Diego in December carries 147 sailors — half the crew that runs similar warships — and deploys up to three drone MQ-8 Fire Scout helicopters to find targets, map terrain and sniff out bad weather. The Office of Naval Research and the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office continue to experiment with what futurists call a ‘ghost fleet’ of unmanned but networked surface and underwater boats — and their flying drone cousins overhead.

“Tomorrow’s sailors could begin to encounter what scores of bookkeepers, cashiers, telephone operators and automotive assembly line workers already faced in the past two decades as increasingly fast and cheap software and automated machinery replaced some of their tasks in factories and offices. And that trend isn’t diminishing.  Advances in artificial intelligence, software and robotics threaten nearly half of all American civilian jobs during the next several decades… While such cuts might hit low-wage manual laborers the hardest, the cheap cost of high-speed computing also will slash many ‘high-income cognitive jobs’ while triggering the ‘hollowing-out of middle-income routine jobs’…

“In the United States, the push to automate blue-collar trades accelerated after the 2009 global financial crisis. American factories installed 27,500 units in 2015, triple the number six years earlier… They also bought 60,000 robots between 2010 and 2015, second only to China’s nearly 90,000 units.”

Staying the Enforcement of Travel Ban Not the Final Word

On February 9, Lawfareblog.com published the following article:

“Today’s 9th Circuit decision is a bit less of a big deal than it will play in the press tomorrow… This case is about two big questions, only one of which the panel’s per curiam today even mentions. The first question is how broad the president’s authority is to limit admissions from the relevant seven countries—and to what extent that authority is limited by constitutional law—under a statute that gives him the sweeping power to do this:

“(f) Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by President

“‘Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.’

“Remarkably, in the entire opinion, the panel did not bother even to cite this statute, which forms the principal statutory basis for the executive order (see Sections 3(c), 5(c), and 5(d) of the order). That’s a pretty big omission over 29 pages, including several pages devoted to determining the government’s likelihood of success on the merits of the case.

“The other question, one the panel does discuss, is the extent to which the repeated and overt invocations of the most invidious motivations on the part of the President himself, his campaign, his adviser, and his Twitter feed will render an otherwise valid exercise of this power invalid…

“The Ninth Circuit is correct to leave the TRO in place, in my view, for the simple reason that there is no cause to plunge the country into turmoil again while the courts address the merits of these matters over the next few weeks…  it’s worth emphasizing that the grounds on which this order was fought are not the grounds on which the merits fight will happen…”

It is legally not compelling to rely on the above-quoted statute (Section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), “Suspension of entry or imposition of restrictions by President”), giving the President the right to suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens or impose restrictions he may deem appropriate. The reason is that if it is argued that this statute gives the President the right to circumvent, ignore or violate constitutionally guaranteed rights of individuals, then it would be unconstitutional on its face. A statute can also be viewed as unconstitutional if it is applied in an unconstitutional way. This was one of the issues the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals had to focus on, and since the Court concluded that there is a great likelihood that the President’s Executive Order, as applied under the statute, would for example violate due process, it did not even have to discuss the statute as such.

Also, as the New York Times pointed out in an article, dated January 28, in its analysis of the Executive Order, the Order may violate 8 U.S. Code § 1152 that bars discrimination “in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth or place of residence.” Jennifer Chacon, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, said that a challenge to the executive order based on the later law’s equal-protection principles was the most promising line of attack. In an opinion article in The New York Times, David J. Bier, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian group, said Mr. Trump had at least violated the spirit of the later law. ‘Even if courts do find wiggle room here, discretion can be taken too far,’ Mr. Bier wrote. ‘If Mr. Trump can legally ban an entire region of the world, he would render Congress’s vision of unbiased legal immigration a dead letter.’”

However, Newsmax stated on February 8:

“President Donald Trump will lose the appeal on the nationwide ban on his travel executive order — but he will prevail before the Supreme Court, famed civil-rights attorney Alan Dershowitz told Newsmax TV on Wednesday. ‘I do not believe that this order constitutes a violation of the establishment clause of the Constitution,’ the Harvard Law School professor emeritus told ‘Newsmax Prime’ host J.D. Hayworth. ‘The fact that they picked seven Muslim states, those are the states that have high levels of terrorism… So, I think that the Trump administration will ultimately win on that issue, at least as it relates to people who have never been in the United States,’ Dershowitz concluded.”

That will remain to be seen and is far from certain, nor is Dershowitz’ opinion legally compelling. In any event, Dershowitz by-steps one of the most important issues, when singling out persons “who have never been in the United States.” The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals spent much of its opinion on people, however, who HAVE been in the USA LEGALLY, or who were in the process of entering the USA with LEGAL visas.

Report: Countries in the Travel Ban DID Produce Terrorists

Newsmax reported on February 11:

“Since the 9/11 attacks, 72 people coming from the seven Middle Eastern countries named in President Donald Trump’s executive order on travel and refugees have been convicted on terrorism charges according to a new report released Saturday. According to the nonpartisan Center for Immigration Studies, the report stands ‘in stark contrast to the assertions by the Ninth Circuit judges who have blocked the president’s order on the basis that there is no evidence showing a risk to the United States in allowing aliens from these seven terror-associated countries to come in.’

“At least 17 of those who have been convicted claimed to be refugees, while three came into the United States as students. Twenty-five more eventually became American citizens, the report shows. Jessica Vaughan, the center’s director of policy studies, said she based the report on information from a report in 2016 from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest…

“Out of the 72 from Trump’s targeted states, the persons arrested on terrorism charges lived in at least 16 different states, with the most living in New York, which had 10; Minnesota and California had eight each; and Michigan, six. Minnesota, along with Washington, were the states that sued to block the travel ban order, and the report revealed at least two of those convicted were from Washington.”

Trump Announces Replacement Ban by Next Week

Newsmax wrote on February 16:

“President Donald Trump’s administration said in court documents on Thursday it wants an end to the legal fight over its ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations and will issue a replacement ban as it strives to protect the nation.

“Details of the new proposal were not provided in the filing or at a wide-ranging news conference by Trump. But lawyers for the administration said in the filing that a ban that focuses solely on foreigners who have never entered the U.S. — instead of green card holders already in the U.S. or who have traveled abroad and want to return — would pose no legal difficulties.”

Melania Trump’s Immigration Lawyer: “Travel Ban Is Wrong; Melania Is Like Esther”

The Times of Israel wrote on February 10:

“So far Attorney Michael Wildes has escaped President Donald Trump’s wrath.  An immigration lawyer, Wildes is speaking out against Trump’s January 27 executive order that banned immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim majority nations. While Wildes is certainly not the only one to oppose the president’s order, he isn’t just any immigration lawyer: He represents First Lady Melania Trump in immigration matters.  ‘She was very respectful and understood my position. She is not only First Lady; she is a lady of the first order. I think America is going to come to appreciate her,’ said the 52-year-old lawyer in a telephone interview with The Times of Israel. ‘I liken her to Queen Esther; she has the ear of the president. She is an immigrant herself,’ said Wildes.

“Even so, Wildes, who is conservative Democrat, said he couldn’t remain silent in good [conscience]. ‘I feel the president is a patriot but I just wish the [language of the] order was more restrictive, that it had excluded green card holders, those with permanent residency,’ Wildes said…

“A managing partner at Wildes and Weinberg Law Office in New York City, Wildes focuses solely on immigration. The firm, founded by his father Leon Wildes, represents Trump Models, President Trump’s NY modeling agency and secures visas for models in the Miss Universe pageants. The first also helps students, business people, and physicians navigate US immigration laws.

“When Wildes heard about the order he said he ‘was concerned… I had one client, an Iranian doctor who treats children, who was doing cancer surgery in Italy. He couldn’t get back…’  Wildes’ Sudanese brain surgeon client said he wasn’t able to make it to the airport to greet his parents, who are permanent residents. He was nervous and asked Wildes to send lawyers to JFK. Wildes, in addition to being the mayor of Englewood, New Jersey for two terms, has served as a federal prosecutor. He made a few phone calls to former colleagues, a letter was drafted and the parents ‘were given every courtesy,’ he said, and entered the US without incident.

“For Wildes, representing immigrants goes to the core of who he is, as an American and as a Jew. On one side his grandparents came from Poland and Russia, on the other from Liechtenstein. Wildes was raised in a Modern Orthodox household… Until the First Lady, the firm’s most famous client was John Lennon. Wilde’s father represented him in 1970 when Richard Nixon wanted to deport the Beatle for his political activism. Today the song ‘Imagine’ plays when callers are put on hold at Wildes and Weinberg.

“Trump approached Wildes last September when questions surfaced regarding Melania Trump’s immigration to the US. She released a letter, signed by Wildes that unequivocally denied allegations she worked illegally in the US before acquiring the right work visa. However, two months after that letter was published, the Associated Press reported that in the nearly two months before Trump received her work visas, the First Lady was paid for 10 modeling assignments.

“Wildes continues to represent Trump on immigration matters as well as in a $150 million libel lawsuit against the Daily Mail. He also represents her parents Viktor and Amalija Knaus, who live in Trump Tower. Wildes wouldn’t clarify their immigration status, saying only ‘they are here.’

“As for the executive order, Wildes agrees the nation must be protected. Yet, the current list of seven nations appears arbitrary and ill conceived, he said. It neither includes Indonesia or Saudi Arabia, the origins of 16 of the 19 hijackers in the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Trump and the majority of GOP members of Congress argue the executive order will keep terrorists from flooding the country.

“However, it must be noted the US knows precisely who gets resettled here, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. The less than one percent of refugees chosen for permanent resettlement in a new country are already required to go through an arduous vetting process, according to Chris Boain, spokesperson for the UNHCR. It takes between 18 and 24 months to go through the US process, which includes background checks by government multiple agencies. Individuals don’t reach that point until after UNHCR or another international agency does an initial vetting that lasts several weeks to several months, according to the UNHCR. Additionally, the majority of these refugees, including Syrian refugees, must submit biometric data, including retinal scans and fingerprints. This information is collected from virtually all Syrians four-years-old and above. Only then will the UN refer the refugee to a county for resettlement, according to the UNHCR.

“However, Wildes said there are countries where the vetting procedures need to be tightened. ‘In a nutshell there are countries where law enforcement is not as it should be and biometric data can be purchased and dummied up,’ Wildes said. Even so, Wildes said he finds the order wrong.

“He isn’t alone. On Tuesday several refugee organizations joined the fight. HIAS, the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees, initiated a legal challenge against the order. ‘As an organization that has long partnered with the US government, litigation is unprecedented for HIAS, but we feel we have no other choice,’ said HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield. ‘We cannot remain silent as Muslim refugees are turned away just for being Muslim, just as we could not stand idly by when the US turned away Jewish refugees fleeing Germany during the 1930s and 40s. Our history and our values, as Jews and as Americans, require us to fight this illegal and immoral new policy with every tool at our disposal — including litigation,’ said Hetfield.”

Let us hope that Melania Trump is indeed like Esther and has the ear of her husband.

Mexico Warns Its Citizens Living in the USA against Trump’s Immigration Policies

CNN wrote on February 10:

“Mexico warned its citizens living in the United States on Friday to ‘take precautions’ and remain in contact with consular officials a day after the deportation of an undocumented mother following a routine visit with US immigration authorities… ‘The case… illustrates a new reality for the Mexican community living in the United States, facing the most severe implementation of immigration control measures,’ Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

“Mexican consulates ‘have intensified their work of protecting fellow nationals, foreseeing more severe immigration measures to be implemented by the authorities of this country, and possible violations to constitutional precepts during such operations and problems with due process,’ the statement said.

“On Wednesday, Garcia de Rayos made her eighth visit to the immigration office since her 2008 arrest and conviction for using a fake Social Security number. After each previous meeting, the married mother of two was released and went back to her family, but this week she was detained and deported within 24 hours to her native Mexico. Her attorney said the deportation was a direct result of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. US immigration officials said there was nothing special about her case — she committed a crime and her deportation order was enforced…”

The New York Times wrote on February 10:

“By no standard of common sense or decency should Guadalupe García de Rayos have been a priority for deportation. Ms. Rayos, a 35-year-old mother of two, was arrested on Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Phoenix. On Thursday she was deported to Mexico, a country she left 21 years ago. Her devastated family, including her American-born children, remains in the United States.

“President Trump persists in the absurd claim that America will be safe and great again only after an assault on ‘bad dudes’ and ‘criminal aliens,’ whom he has promised to arrest and remove by the millions. But Ms. Rayos fits no such definition and was no threat, though she had been living in the United States illegally since she was 14. She had been known to the authorities since she was caught in a workplace raid in Phoenix in 2008. In the years since, she would check in regularly with immigration officials, who chose not to deport her, having more important things to do.

“Mr. Trump ran for office promising to eliminate such discretion and replace it with heedless and pointless enforcement. His campaign amplified the nativist passions of his supporters and hard-line advisers, including the man who is now his right hand in the Justice Department, Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

“What was always most alarming about Mr. Trump’s posturing on immigration wasn’t the wall, which will never be built in the way he describes it. It is instead the prospect of ramped-up enforcement that promises to increase misery on both sides of the border… the brutal idiocy of it all.

“Mr. Trump, or the ideologues who speak into his ear and guide his pen, came up with executive orders the first week of his presidency that vastly expanded the universe of potential deportation targets to include anyone found guilty of any offense, no matter how old or minor, and people accused of crimes but not convicted…

“Mr. Trump’s federal force… threatens to return America to a disgraceful era of workplace raids, indiscriminate sweeps and mass arrests. This will fix nothing…”

USA Today wrote on February 8:

“Garcia de Rayos came to the U.S. in 1996, when she was 14. In 2008, she was swept up in one of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s work-site raids targeting the Golfland Entertainment Centers, which operated several water and mini-golf parks. Sheriff’s deputies seized hundreds of employment records and later arrested Garcia de Rayos at her house in Mesa. She pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal impersonation, a Class 6 felony, the lowest level.

“As a result of the charge, Garcia de Rayos was then turned over to ICE, Ybarra-Maldonado said. She spent six months in ICE custody at the Eloy Detention Center, he said. In 2013, an immigration judge found Garcia de Rayos had no legal stance to remain in the U.S. and issued a voluntary departure instructing her to leave the country, Ybarra-Maldonado said. After Garcia de Rayos appealed the voluntary departure, ICE gave her an order of supervision instructing her to check in yearly, and then every six months, Ybarra-Maldonado said.

“Garcia de Rayos was scheduled for her six month check-in Wednesday but instead of being told to come back in six months, she was taken into custody, he said. Ybarra-Maldonado immediately filed documents asking ICE to stay her deportation, on the grounds that she has lived in the U.S. since she was 14, has two children who are U.S. citizens, and she is fighting to have her felony conviction thrown out on the grounds that Arpaio’s work-site raids were unconstitutional.”

Bild Online strongly condemned this action. The mass tabloid pointed out that the lady was married in Arizona, and her husband and their two American children (14 and 16), who had never been in Mexico, were waiting outside the immigration building when it became clear to them that their wife and mother would not return to them. Her attorney stated that her deportation has nothing to do with national security, but that it was just for the purpose of destroying families. The attorney stated that this is a prime example of a failed immigration policy, which will lead to more illegality, as illegal immigrants will from now on no longer report to the immigration offices, but they will rather try to find shelter in churches and other safe places.

This is indeed just one example of an immigration policy which has gone awfully wrong, if judged based on godly standards.

Report: Trump’s Wall Extremely Costly and Time-Consuming

Reuters reported on February 9:

“President Donald Trump’s ‘wall’ along the U.S.-Mexico border would be a series of fences and walls that would cost as much as $21.6 billion, and take more than three years to construct, based on a U.S. Department of Homeland Security internal report seen by Reuters on Thursday…

“The plan lays out what it would take to seal the border in three phases of construction of fences and walls covering just over 1,250 miles (2,000 km) by the end of 2020… The report said the first phase would be the smallest, targeting sections covering 26 miles (42 km) near San Diego, California; El Paso, Texas; and in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. The report assumes DHS would get funding from Congress by April or May, giving the department sufficient time to secure contractors and begin construction by September. Trump has said Congress should fund the wall upfront, but that Mexico will reimburse U.S. taxpayers. Mexico has said it will not pay…

“Bernstein Research, an investment research group that tracks material costs, has said that uncertainties around the project could drive its cost up to as much as $25 billion.

“The second phase of construction proposed in the report would cover 151 miles (242 km) of border in and around the Rio Grande Valley; Laredo, Texas; Tucson, Arizona; El Paso, Texas and Big Bend, Texas. The third phase would cover an unspecified 1,080 miles (1,728 km), essentially sealing off the entire U.S.-Mexico border.

“… A source familiar with the plans said DHS may have to go to court to seek eminent domain in order to acquire some of the private land needed to cover the final and most ambitious phase.

“The first phase, estimated to cost only $360 million, could be a relatively easy way for Trump to satisfy supporters eager to see him make good on his campaign promises to limit illegal migration. But the rest of the construction will be markedly more expensive, covering a much larger stretch of land, much of it privately owned or inaccessible by road. In addition to seeking eminent domain and environmental waivers, the U.S. government would also have to meet the requirements of the International Boundary and Water Commission, a U.S.-Mexico pact over shared waters. The report estimated that agreement alone could bring the cost from $11 million per mile to $15 million per mile in one area.”

US Weapons Deal with Saudi Arabia

 Mic Network Inc wrote on February 10:

“As President Donald Trump spent this week bitterly defending his temporarily blocked de facto Muslim ban, his administration is reportedly preparing a big arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia was notably excluded from Trump’s controversial immigration ban, which barred U.S. entry to nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees.

“… the majority of people killed in domestic terrorist attacks were killed by Saudis… The White House has been tightlipped about the alleged arms deal, but unnamed government officials involved directly in the reported deal told the Washington Times Tuesday that a major sale of arms to Saudi Arabia was imminent.

“Saudi Arabia is reportedly set to buy a $300 million precision-guided missile technology package from the United States — a deal confirmed by anonymous Congressional sources.

“The U.S. has a long history of making billion dollar arms deals with Saudi Arabia, and America’s key ally, the United Kingdom, continues to sell arms to the oil-rich Arab nation, a decision currently under judicial review…

“Saudi terrorists have been responsible for the vast majority of people who have died in terrorist attacks committed on U.S. soil. Between 1975 and 2015, there have been 40 successful terrorists on U.S. soil, according to the think tank Cato Institute. Nineteen of those were responsible for executing 9/11, 15 of whom were from Saudi Arabia. With 2,983 deaths from 9/11, the 15 Saudi nationals killed an average of 2,355 people. However, the remaining 25 terrorists over the 40 year period were collectively responsible for an average of 669 deaths… Supporting and encouraging Saudi Arabia’s military might has major implications for the world and regional stability — that means it unavoidably has implications for national security too.”

Only 29 Percent of Americans Think Trump Is Respected by Foreign Leaders

Vox wrote on February 10:

“… a new Gallup poll shows that by a stunning 29-67 margin, Americans think foreign leaders don’t have much respect for Trump. That’s dramatically worse than Americans’ assessment of the state of American leadership under either Barack Obama or George W. Bush.”

War Between the US Intelligence Community and President Trump?

The Observer (a British paper, which has been linked by the German magazine, Der Stern) wrote on February 12:

 “… the still-forming Trump administration is already doing serious harm to America’s longstanding global intelligence partnerships. In particular, fears that the White House is too friendly to Moscow are causing close allies to curtail some of their espionage relationships with Washington—a development with grave implications for international security, particularly in the all-important realm of counterterrorism.

“Now those concerns are causing problems much closer to home—in fact, inside the Beltway itself. Our Intelligence Community is so worried by the unprecedented problems of the Trump administration—not only do senior officials possess troubling ties to the Kremlin, there are nagging questions about basic competence regarding Team Trump—that it is beginning to withhold intelligence from a White House which our spies do not trust. That the IC has ample grounds for concern is demonstrated by almost daily revelations of major problems inside the White House, a mere three weeks after the inauguration. The president has repeatedly gone out of his way to antagonize our spies, mocking them and demeaning their work, and Trump’s personal national security guru can’t seem to keep his story straight on vital issues.

“That’s Mike Flynn, the retired Army three-star general who now heads the National Security Council. Widely disliked in Washington for his brash personality and preference for conspiracy-theorizing over intelligence facts, Flynn was fired as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency for managerial incompetence and poor judgment—flaws he has brought to the far more powerful and political NSC.

“Flynn’s problems with the truth have been laid bare by the growing scandal about his dealings with Moscow. Strange ties to the Kremlin, including Vladimir Putin himself, have dogged Flynn since he left DIA, and concerns about his judgment have risen considerably since it was revealed that after the November 8 election, Flynn repeatedly called the Russian embassy in Washington to discuss the transition. The White House has denied that anything substantive came up in conversations between Flynn and Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador.

“That was a lie, as confirmed by an extensively sourced bombshell report in The Washington Post, which makes clear that Flynn grossly misrepresented his numerous conversations with Kislyak—which turn out to have happened before the election too, part of a regular dialogue with the Russian embassy. To call such an arrangement highly unusual in American politics would be very charitable.

“In particular, Flynn and Kislyak discussed the possible lifting of the sanctions President Obama placed on Russia and its intelligence services late last year in retaliation for the Kremlin’s meddling in our 2016 election. In public, Flynn repeatedly denied that any talk of sanctions occurred during his conversations with Russia’s ambassador. Worse, he apparently lied in private too, including to Vice President Mike Pence, who when this scandal broke last month publicly denied that Flynn conducted any sanctions talk with Kislyak. Pence and his staff are reported to be very upset with the national security adviser, who played the vice president for a fool.

“It’s debatable whether Flynn broke any laws by conducting unofficial diplomacy with Moscow, then lying about it, and he has now adopted the customary Beltway dodge about the affair, ditching his previous denials in favor of professing he has ‘no recollection of discussing sanctions,’ adding that he ‘couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.’ That’s not good enough anymore, since the IC knows exactly what Flynn and Kislyak discussed…

“A new report by CNN indicates that important parts of the infamous spy dossier that professed to shed light on President Trump’s shady Moscow ties have been corroborated by communications intercepts… This is bad news for the White House, which has already lashed out in angry panic, with Press Secretary Sean Spicer stating, ‘We continue to be disgusted by CNN’s fake news reporting.’ That is hardly a denial, of course, and I can confirm from my friends still serving in the IC that the… dossier… is damning for the administration. Our spies have had enough of these shady Russian connections—and they are starting to push back…

“A senior National Security Agency official explained that NSA was systematically holding back some of the ‘good stuff’ from the White House, in an unprecedented move. For decades, NSA has prepared special reports for the president’s eyes only, containing enormously sensitive intelligence. In the last three weeks, however, NSA has ceased doing this… NSA doesn’t appear to be the only agency withholding intelligence from the administration out of security fears…

“None of this has happened in Washington before. A White House with unsettling links to Moscow wasn’t something anybody in the Pentagon or the Intelligence Community even considered a possibility until a few months ago… This is a risky situation, particularly since President Trump is prone to creating crises foreign and domestic with his incautious tweets. In the event of a serious international crisis of the sort which eventually befalls almost every administration, the White House will need the best intelligence possible to prevent war, possibly even nuclear war. It may not get the information it needs in that hour of crisis, and for that it has nobody to blame but itself.”

Michael Flynn Resigns

The Daily Mail wrote on February 15:

“President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his recently resigned National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was torpedoed by Democratic partisans who ‘illegally leaked’ intelligence material in order to harm him. Appearing in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said ‘the fake media’ had fomented a scandal that wouldn’t exist but for angry Democrats who were acting out in the wake of an embarrassing loss in November’s presidential election. ‘General Flynn is a wonderful man,’ Trump said. ‘I think he’s been treated very, very unfairly by the media – as I call it, the fake media, in many cases.’ ‘From intelligence, papers are being leaked, things are being leaked,’ Trump complained. ‘It’s a criminal action – a criminal act. And it’s been going on for a long time, before me, but now it’s really going on.’ …

“The president’s comments came after a morning tweet-storm attacking his own intelligence agencies by saying malicious leakers had touched off a tempest by suggesting he and his aides had improper contact with the Russian government during his presidential campaign. ‘The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by “intelligence” like candy. Very un-American!’ he tweeted. The president faces accusations that he was needlessly sympathetic to Moscow, along with renewed suspicions that his foreign policy was informed by threats of blackmail from Vladimir Putin’s government.’

In addition, the President faces accusations that he knew about Flynn’s conduct and left his Vice-President in the dark, who embarrassed myself by repeating Flynn’s denial on public television.  

The Times of Israel wrote on February 15:

“Questions about the Trump administration’s ties to Russia are hardly going to disappear with the firing of national security adviser Michael Flynn. Investigations are underway, and more are likely by the new administration and on Capitol Hill. US agencies, including the FBI, have been probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. And three congressional committees are conducting their own investigations that include looking at contacts between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign and administration.

“This isn’t the first time Trump has distanced himself from an adviser in light of a relationships with Moscow. In late August, Paul Manafort resigned as Trump’s campaign chairman after disclosures by The Associated Press about his firm’s covert lobbying on behalf of the former pro-Russian ruling political party in Ukraine. Trump’s own ties to Russia have been questioned in light of his friendly posture toward the long-time US adversary and reluctance to criticize President Vladimir Putin…

“On Tuesday, Republican leaders focused on the idea that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his contacts with the Russian ambassador… The Justice Department had warned the White House late last month that Flynn could be at risk for blackmail because of contradictions between his public depictions of the calls with the Russian ambassador and what intelligence officials knew about the conversations… Flynn did not concede any wrongdoing in his resignation letter, saying merely that he ‘inadvertently briefed the vice president elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador.’

“… Republican Lindsey Graham, who is leading a Senate judiciary subcommittee investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, echoed… concerns about whether Flynn was acting alone and without direction in his contacts… ‘I think most Americans have a right to know whether or not this was a General Flynn rogue maneuver, or was he basically speaking for somebody else in the White House,’ Graham told CNN Tuesday.”

USA Does No Longer Insist on Two-State Solution

The Guardian wrote on February 15:

“In a single sentence, and without detailed elaboration, Donald Trump has casually discarded decades of US diplomacy – pursued by both Democratic and Republican administrations – on the Middle East peace process. Standing alongside the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the White House, the US president declared himself unconcerned whether negotiations should be aimed at the two-state solution, which has long been guaranteed by Washington. Instead, Trump indicated that it would be left to Israelis and Palestinians to sort out the ‘ultimate deal’ he had once promised he would make. ‘I’m looking at two-state and one-state and I like the one that both parties like. I’m very happy with the one that both parties like,’ Trump said…”

The Europeans are strongly committed to a two-state solution. A one-state solution would be totally unacceptable to them.

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 15:

“Germany has reaffirmed its support of a two-state solution in the Middle East after reports the US was open to alternatives… The head of a German parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, Norbert Röttgen, was quoted by ‘Die Welt’ newspaper as saying ‘the two-state solution is the only way Israel can remain a democratic and a Jewish state at the same time.’ Niels Annen, foreign policy spokesperson for the Social Democrats in parliament, told the same paper that if the alleged shift in the US stance on Israel was indeed true, ‘it would torpedo the efforts of the United Nations and cause a break in German-American Middle East policy.’…

“Shimon Stein, a former Israeli ambassador to Germany, told the Bayerischer Rundfunk public broadcaster that abandoning the two-state solution was ‘unrealistic’ and ‘a lot of blood would be shed’ before both sides finally end up returning to the two-state solution. A spokesperson for the EU’s foreign policy official, Federica Mogherini, also reaffirmed the EU’s support for the two-state solution. The two-state solution is seen by many as the only way to achieve lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. However, Israel’s policy of expanding settlements under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put it at odds with the international community – including the United States – making a two-state solution a difficult prospect for the time being.”

One-State Solution Absurd and Dangerous

The Times of Israel wrote on February 16:

“In a barrage of editorials, the New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times described Trump’s statements as ‘nonsensical’ and the idea of a one state solution as ‘absurd,’ and said that by withdrawing from decades-old US policy the president was instead increasing the chances of violent conflict…

“‘He offered no details on any peace initiative, and the vagueness of his remarks suggests he has no inkling of how to move forward. His willingness, however, to lend credence to those who would deny a separate state to the Palestinians will certainly make peace harder to achieve,’ the editorial board [of the New York Times] wrote…

“The Washington Post described Trump’s shift in policy as ‘a dangerous retreat’ that made the chances for peace even less likely ‘and increased the chances that one of the few relatively peaceful corners of the region will return to conflict.’… Trump… is being ‘naïve’ and is setting himself up for ‘diplomatic failure,’ the paper wrote.

“… The LA Times said that Trump had ‘demolished’ the two-state solution and described the idea of Israelis and Palestinians agreeing to a one-state outcome ‘absurd.’ ‘A single state that would be agreeable to both sides isn’t the “ultimate deal” of Trump’s imaginings; it’s the ultimate fantasy,’ the newspaper said.

“Netanyahu… indicated a willingness to consider the US president’s call to rein in settlement construction. Later, however, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying he did no such thing.”

The Coming Collapse of the USA and the Resurgent Powers of Other Nations

The Bookings Institution wrote on February 10:

“… the declining will and capacity of the United States and its allies to maintain the present world order… will reach the moment at which the existing order collapses and the world descends into a phase of brutal anarchy, as it has three times in the past two centuries. The cost of that descent, in lives and treasure, in lost freedoms and lost hope, will be staggering…

“History shows that world orders do collapse, however, and when they do it is often unexpected, rapid, and violent. The late 18th century was the high point of the Enlightenment in Europe, before the continent fell suddenly into the abyss of the Napoleonic Wars. In the first decade of the 20th century, the world’s smartest minds predicted an end to great-power conflict… The most devastating war in history came four years later. The apparent calm of the postwar 1920s became the crisis-ridden 1930s and then another world war.

“Where exactly we are in this classic scenario today… is, as always, impossible to know. Are we three years away from a global crisis, or 15? That we are somewhere on that path, however, is unmistakable. And while it is too soon to know what effect Donald Trump’s presidency will have on these trends, early signs suggest that the new administration is more likely to hasten us toward crisis than slow or reverse these trends… For the moment, he seems not to have thought much about the future ramifications of his rhetoric and his actions…

“Now, the question is whether the United States is willing to continue upholding the order that it created and which depends entirely on American power or whether Americans are prepared to take the risk — if they even understand the risk — of letting the order collapse into chaos and conflict. That willingness has been in doubt for some time, well before the election of Trump and even before the election of Barack Obama. Increasingly in the quarter century after the end of the Cold War, Americans have been wondering why they bear such an unusual and outsized responsibility for preserving global order when their own interests are not always clearly served — and when the United States seems to be making all the sacrifices while others benefit…

“Germany, the aggrieved victim of Versailles, did not satisfy itself by bringing the Germans of the Sudetenland back into the fold. They demanded much more, and they could not persuade the democratic powers to give them what they wanted without resorting to war…

“… unsettled, disordered conditions produced the fertile ground for the two destructive world wars of the first half of the 20th century. The collapse of the British-dominated world order on the oceans, the disruption of the uneasy balance of power on the European continent as a powerful unified Germany took shape, and the rise of Japanese power in East Asia all contributed to a highly competitive international environment in which dissatisfied great powers took the opportunity to pursue their ambitions in the absence of any power or group of powers to unite in checking them. The result was an unprecedented global calamity and death on an epic scale.

“It has been the great accomplishment of the U.S.-led world order in the 70 years since the end of World War II that this kind of competition has been held in check and great power conflicts have been avoided. It will be more than a shame if Americans were to destroy what they created — and not because it was no longer possible to sustain but simply because they chose to stop trying.”

Hard To Believe–USA Used Psychics to Try to Locate American Hostages

The Miami Herald wrote on February 10:

“The dozens of American diplomats taken hostage by revolutionary students who seized the U.S. embassy in Iran in 1979 may have had some secret company during their 15-month captivity: U.S. intelligence agencies had a squad of military-trained psychics using ESP to watch them, according to declassified documents in a newly available CIA database. In an operation code-named Grill Flame, half a dozen psychics working inside a dimly lit room in an ancient building in Fort Meade, Maryland, on more than 200 occasions tried to peer through the ether to see where the hostages were being held, how closely they were guarded and the state of their health.

“Officially, the psychics worked for U.S. Army intelligence. But the documents in the CIA database make it clear their efforts were monitored — and supported — by a wide array of government intelligence agencies as well as top commanders at the Pentagon. They were even consulted before the super-secret U.S. military raid that attempted to free the hostages in April 1980, which ended in disaster when a plane and a helicopter collided at a desert staging area…

“Edwin May, a physicist who oversaw parapsychology research for government intelligence agencies for 20 years [said]: ‘The psychics were able to tell, in some cases, where the hostages were moved to. They were able to see the degree of their health…. If you can sit in Fort Meade and describe the health of hostages who are going to be released, so that the right doctors can be on hand, that’s very helpful.’

“Others are more skeptical, to put it mildly. ‘The intelligence agencies might as well get a crystal ball out and stare into space and hope they see something,’ said James Randi, a former professional magician who turned his career into debunking ESP and psychics. ‘It’s a huge waste of time and money…’

“Operation Grill Flame was just one part of a broader U.S. intelligence project involving psychics and ESP that continued for 20 years. It… carried out 26,000 telepathic forays by 227 psychics before the government shut it down in 1995… in the fall of 1979… six [psychics] were put to work looking for a missing U.S. Navy plane. On Sept. 4, 1979, the psychics were able to pinpoint the location of the missing plane to within 15 miles.

“Other details of the search for the plane are blacked out in CIA documents, but Jimmy Carter, who was president at the time, may have been alluding to it in an interview he gave 12 years ago. ‘We had a plane go down in the Central African Republic — a twin-engine plane, small plane. And we couldn’t find it,’ even with satellite photography, Carter said. ‘So the director of the CIA came and told me that he had contacted a woman in California that claimed to have supernatural capabilities. And she went in a trance, and she wrote down latitudes and longitudes, and we sent our satellite over that latitude and longitude, and there was the plane.’…”

We know that Satan and his demons are ruling this world, but sometimes, we may be astonished of their methods in doing so, and how receptive even our governments might be to their influence.

America Unprepared Militarily to Defend Itself at Home and Abroad

The Daily Signal wrote on February 10:

“This week on Capitol Hill, several top U.S. military leaders from across the armed services presented a sobering case to Congress: U.S. military readiness is the lowest it has been in decades, leaving it unprepared to defend America’s interests at home and abroad…

“According to multiple reports just this week, about two-thirds of the Navy’s fighter/attack aircraft and more than half of the Marine Corps’ total aircraft fleet are unable to even get off the ground. These problems are merely the tip of the iceberg. The American people can expect to hear more accounts like these in the coming months as we learn more about the declining state of U.S. military readiness…”

“Britain’s Entire Fleet of Attack Submarines Are ‘Out of Action’”

The Telegraph wrote on February 10:

“The Ministry of Defence have denied that the Royal Navy’s fleet of attack submarines are all currently out of action. Britain’s seven ‘hunter-killer’ vessels were reported to be ‘non-operational’ as they undergo repairs and maintenance. However, an MOD source told the Telegraph the reports were ‘categorically not true.’ Theresa May was said to have been kept in the dark by Defence chiefs, the Sun reported. A Whitehall source told the newspaper: ‘No one is being honest about the scandal.’

“It was reported that five of the fleet, including one of the new type, are having refits or maintenance after breaking down. Sources said the three new Astute class subs, which cost £1.2billion each, are beset by technical problems… It comes after Britain’s ability to defend itself against a major military attack was called into question after an investigation found Navy warships are so loud they can be heard 100 miles away by Russian submarines.

“A Royal Navy spokesman said: ‘We don’t comment on specific submarine operations. Britain has a world-class fleet, the Royal Navy continues to meet all of its operational tasking, deploying globally on operations and protecting our national interests as Britain steps up around the world.’’

If you want to believe that…

German Army Leading NATO Army in Europe?

The EUObserver wrote on February 10:

“German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen [stated that the] longer term strategy would turn the Bundeswehr into the leading Nato army in Europe, with small countries integrating their military forces into the German command structures, reports German daily FAZ.”

Will Germany Fill the Military Void?

The Local wrote on February 15:

“After less than a month of life with the Trump administration, it is still far from clear how Washington now sees NATO and the defence of Europe. On Tuesday US Defence Secretary James Mattis described NATO as “the most successful military alliance in history” on his way to a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels. But his boss in the White House has repeatedly called the alliance’s continued utility into question and has called on other member states to do more,,,

“As the largest economy in Europe, and the powerbroker in the EU, Germany is the obvious NATO partner to step into the breach, should the US draw back.In late January and early February, hundreds of German soldiers landed in Lithuania to head up a deployment of a 1,200-strong battalion that will include forces from several NATO members.

“Germany’s Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who was at the base to welcome the troops, said that ‘it sends a clear and important message to all: NATO stands strong and united.’ It was one of several headlines over recent months that suggest Berlin is taking its military commitments more seriously. In May 2016, the Defence Ministry announced that it was adding thousands of new soldiers to its ranks and increasing its spending by billions. It was the second year in a row that an increase in defence spending was announced, after continual cuts since the end of the Cold War. ‘It is clear to Germany that we need to contribute more to the NATO alliance,’ a spokesman for the Defence Ministry told The Local on Tuesday. But he also stressed the contribution the Bundeswehr (German military) is already making to European security.

“As well as the troop commitment in Lithuania, Germany is a key contributor to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) – a highly mobile force of 5,000 soldiers set up to deter a Russian assault on smaller NATO members. The German airforce has also been involved in policing air space over the Baltic region, while contributing ‘significantly’ to Multinational Corps Northeast (a military cooperation with Poland and Denmark), the spokesman added.”

Disgrace: German Weapons End Up in the Hands of “Child Soldiers”

The Local wrote on February 10:

“A new report by the German Alliance for Child Soldiers and other non-profits found that there are currently around 250,000 child soldiers in at least 20 conflict-ridden countries who are forced to spy, fight, carry supplies and even be sex slaves. And often German arms end up in these child soldiers’ hands. ‘The study proves that Germany delivers small weapons of the deadliest kind to many conflict regions – also those where child soldiers are deployed, for example in the Middle East, India, Pakistan or the Philippines,’ said Ralf Willinger, children’s rights expert and spokesman for the child soldiers alliance, in a statement. ‘Germany is thus jointly responsible for the escalation of armed conflicts and the suffering of children in these countries.’

“Germany exported €47 million-worth of small arms in 2016 – €15 million more than the year before, the study notes – an increase of nearly 50 percent. More than a third of these exports end up going to countries outside of the EU or NATO. German law forbids the export of weapons to conflict-torn countries, but the report says weapons still manage to cross borders illegally. On top of that, German weapons may be licensed to be produced in other countries, but where they go afterwards becomes unclear…

“[The report] also calls for Germany to lift its own military recruitment age to 18. Germany allows 17-year-olds to join the Bundeswehr with parental permission, though they are limited to using weapons during training, and are not sent on international missions…”

EU Warns Trump Not to Interfere

The Times of Israel wrote on February 10:

“EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini warned Donald Trump’s administration Friday not to ‘interfere’ in European politics, in an apparent reference to the US president’s praise of Brexit. ‘We do not interfere in US politics… And Europeans expect that America does not interfere in European politics,’ said Mogherini…

“Trump’s election dismayed many European leaders, who see him as dangerously naive about the threat posed by Russia and fear his victory will inspire Europe’s own far-right populist parties. ‘Europeans feel and believe that their interest[s] are better protected and promoted through our union,’ Mogherini said. ‘The European Union is here to stay.’”

A European Nuclear Superpower—Yes or No?

The Telegraph wrote on February 9:

“The German government has been forced to deny it is interested in acquiring nuclear weapons amid calls for it to lead a European ‘nuclear superpower’… The highly unusual statement comes amid growing calls for the European Union to invest in its own nuclear deterrent… Spiegel magazine has questioned whether it is time for Germany to acquire its own nuclear weapons. And the Financial Times has called for Germany to ‘think the unthinkable’ on the issue…

“Roderich Kiesewetter, an MP and former army colonel who is foreign policy spokesman for Mrs Merkel’s party, has called for Germany to take a leading role in setting up a European nuclear deterrent… he wants Germany to pay for the UK and France, Europe’s two existing nuclear powers, to increase their arsenals in order to provide a ‘nuclear shield’ for the continent… ‘Europe must start planning for its own security in case the Americans sharply raise the cost of defending the continent, or decide to leave completely,’ he said.

“Others believe the UK is not a viable partner in the light of Brexit, and have called for any such plan to focus on France. ‘If the US is no longer prepared to do its part of the nuclear deterrence, Germany and France will have to fill this vacuum,’ Gustav Gressel of the European Council on Foreign Relations said.”

Canada Supports Strong EU

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 15:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed the European Union as a bastion of international partnership on Thursday. In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Trudeau made it clear that Canada sought to distance itself from the protectionism promoted by US President Donald Trump and post-Brexit vote Britain. ‘You are a vital player in addressing the challenges that we collectively face as an international community,’ he told lawmakers. ‘Indeed, the whole world benefits from a strong EU.’

“The prime minister then called on the EU and Canada to take center stage in the global economy: ‘We know that, in these times, we must choose to lead the international economy, not simply be subject to its whims… Canada knows that an effective European voice on the global stage isn’t just preferable, it’s essential,’ he added, calling the bloc a ‘truly remarkable achievement and unprecedented model for peaceful cooperation.’

“Trudeau’s talk came just one day after the European Union backed a controversial free-trade deal with Canada, commonly known as CETA. Not only does the move show a stark contrast to the policies of President Trump, who withdrew from the proposed trans-Pacific free trade deal TTP, it illustrates Canada’s drive to pivot away from complete reliance on trade with its neighbor to the south… The Canadian leader gave his speech fresh from a trip to Washington, where he and President Trump attempted to bridge their many differences, even as Trump threatens to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).”

France Prevents Possible Terror Attack

The Associated Press wrote on February 10:

“Anti-terrorism forces arrested four people Friday in southern France, including a 16-year-old girl, and uncovered a makeshift laboratory with the explosive TATP and other ingredients for fabricating a bomb. France’s top security official said the raid thwarted an ‘imminent attack.’ A police official said the teen had pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group in a recent video.

“The prosecutor’s office said around 70 grams (2.5 ounces) of TATP were seized in the Montpellier-area home of a 20-year-old man, along with a liter each of acetone, oxygenated water and sulfuric acid. TATP, which can be made from readily available materials, was used in the deadly November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 2016 attack in Brussels carried out by Islamic State extremists.

“Two other men were arrested, a 33-year-old and a 26-year-old… The police official… said one of the suspects was believed to be planning a suicide attack but that the investigation had not yet uncovered a specific target. He said one person in the group had tried to reach Syria in 2015 and was known to intelligence services. The group — notably the girl — attracted new attention with their social media postings, he said…

“France is still under a state of emergency after several deadly attacks in 2015 and 2016.”

Most Europeans for a Muslim Travel Ban

Deutsche Welle reported on February 9:

“A new survey by London think tank Chatham House reveals that the majority of Europeans oppose Muslim immigration, Germans included. There is no country polled in which support for Muslim immigration surpasses opposition…

“The survey was carried out in Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Great Britain, Hungary and Poland. Some countries, like France, Belgium and Great Britain, have relatively large Muslim minorities, while others, like Poland or Hungary, have practically none. This difference is not reflected in the opinion of Muslim immigrants… It is also clear that in all of these countries, the right-wing populist parties are strong and in some cases, make up the government. The most pro-Muslim immigrant country was Spain, where 41 percent of the population opposed the survey statement…”

Germany’s New President

 AFP wrote on February 12:

“Billed as Germany’s ‘anti-Trump,’ center-left former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected Sunday as the new ceremonial head of state. The 61-year-old, who regularly polls as Germany’s most popular politician, will represent the EU’s top economy abroad and act as a kind of moral arbiter for the nation…

“Steinmeier is one of Germany’s best-known politicians, having twice served as top diplomat under Merkel for a total of seven years. Though the trained lawyer is usually measured in his speech, in the thick of last year’s US election campaign Steinmeier labeled Donald Trump a ‘hate preacher.’… “

Martin Schulz the German Donald Trump?

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 10:

“Germany’s finance minister [Wolfgang Schäuble] compared the rival SPD’s candidate for chancellor, Martin Schulz, to US President Trump… Schäuble, who is a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), called Social Democrat (SPD) Martin Schulz ‘Trump, almost word-for-word’ in an interview with ‘Der Spiegel.’ He also accused the former president of the European Parliament of trying to ride a similar wave of populism that put the real estate mogul in the White House…

“‘If Schulz allows his supporters to use the slogan “Make Europe Great Again,” then he is Trump almost word-for-word,’ said Schäuble, referencing the use of the slogan and the hashtag #MEGA by a small group of Schulz supporters on the website Reddit. Schäuble continued, ‘in a time when populism is seducing people the world over, politicians should not speak like Mr. Schulz. If he wants to fight populism, as he claims, he should take note of these facts.’

“Schulz has himself expressed his distaste for the US president’s bombastic rhetoric, calling Trump ‘dangerous to democracy’ and accusing him of ‘playing with the security of the Western world.’”

North Korea’s Missile Test

Newsmax reported on February 13:

“North Korea’s missile that it claims it tested over the weekend is designed to launch from a submarine… Officials said the KN-11-mod-2 missile was launched in the northwest region of North Korea Saturday evening and traveled around 300 miles into the Sea of Japan. The missile test this weekend happened around the same time as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s appearance in the U.S. with President Donald Trump.

“The missile traveled farther than any other missile that North Korea has launched… The launch was a ‘clear grave threat to our national security,’ Capt. Jeff Davis said, according to Fox News. Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s 33-year-old dictator, witnessed the launch in person, officials said…”

China Expels Christian Missionaries

Reuters reported on February 10:

“China has expelled 32 South Korean Christian missionaries… amid diplomatic tension between the two countries over the planned deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in the South. The 32 were based in China’s northeastern Yanji region near the border with North Korea, many of whom had worked there more than a decade…  they were expelled in January… four people, including a Korean missionary and a Korean-American pastor, were apprehended by Chinese police in a Yanji hotel on Feb. 9…

“China’s Communist Party says it protects freedom of religion, but keeps a tight rein on religious activities and allows only officially recognized religious institutions.”

More Nonsense from End-of-the-World Conspirators

The Daily Mail wrote on February 11:

“The world could be set to end in October this year, when a giant mysterious planet collides with our own – according to a conspiracy theorist. David Meade, author of the book ‘Planet X – The 2017 Arrival’, believes a star, which he calls ‘a binary twin of our sun’, is coming ‘at us towards the south pole’. He says the star will bring with it ‘seven orbiting bodies’, including Nibiru, a large, blue planet that he also refers to as Planet X hurtling towards our planet.

“Nibiru, sometimes referred to as Planet X, is a hypothesised planet on the edge of our solar system. Nibiru is a different planet to the Planet Nine, which is also sometimes referred to as Planet X, that was proposed by astronomers in Caltech in January last year.

“Conspiracy theorists believe the gravitational influence of the ‘rogue planet’ Nibiru disrupted the orbits of other planets hundreds of years ago… David Meade believes the planet is set to hit into our planet in October this year, after being driven here by the gravitational pull from a ‘binary star’ twinned with the sun – of which there is no evidence.

“He says the star is difficult to spot because of the angle it is approaching Earth… The scientific community does not agree Nibiru exists. ‘Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an internet hoax,’ Nasa has said previously… Nibiru was widely predicted to hit our planet in December 2015, and before that in September. It was also predicted to smash into our planet to coincide with the Mayan apocalypse that did not occur in 2012. Even before that it was predicted Nibiru it would destroy the world in 2003.”

How gullible can people be to believe such nonsense? Even the admission is telling that the “star” is difficult to spot.

9^th Circuit Court of Appeals Refuses to Lift Stay

The New York Post wrote on February 9:

“Three federal appeals judges unanimously upheld a decision that slammed the brakes on President Trump’s refugee and immigration ban — and he furiously fired back on Twitter that he would continue the fight in court.

“The ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco means the temporary travel ban — which caused chaos and massive protests at airports across the US — cannot go into effect without further litigation. 

“‘The Government has pointed to no evidence that an alien of the countries named in the Order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States,’ the three-member panel wrote. ‘Rather than present evidence to explain the need for the Executive Order, the Government has taken the position that we must not review its decision at all. We disagree.’ [In footnote 7 on page 27, the Court also addressed and rejected the argument that the Executive Order was justified as these countries had been previously declared as countries of concern in 2015 and 2016.]

“Trump responded in an all-caps post on Twitter: ‘SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!’ Trump said.

“He later told NBC the ruling was a ‘political decision’ and predicted ‘we’re gonna win the case.’

“The judges — who included one Republican — said that the states of Washington and Minnesota had shown that even temporary reinstatement of the ban would cause harm to their citizens. And the judges also took issue with the administration’s argument that the president had near absolute power over the nation’s borders and immigration policies…

“Trump has insisted his travel ban wasn’t aimed at Muslims. But the appeals judges said that issue remains to be decided. ‘The States have offered evidence of numerous statements by the President about his intent to implement a “Muslim ban” as well as evidence they claim suggests that the Executive Order was intended to be that ban,’ the judges wrote…”

The Los Angeles Times added on February 9:

“The court said the states were likely to succeed in their due process claim, noting that the due process protections provided under the Constitution apply not only to citizens, but to all ‘aliens’ in the country as well, as well as ‘certain aliens attempting to re-enter the United States after traveling abroad.’”

Deutsche Welle added on February 9:

“The San Francisco court decision was not about the ban itself, but about whether it should be allowed to go into effect immediately.”

The Court Order includes many citations of case law, including decisions pertaining to the unconstitutionality of detention camps for Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II, and of denying passports to American members of the Communist Party despite national security concerns. 

For the entire 29-page order of the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals, refusing to lift the stay on the Executive Order, see this link: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2017/02/09/17-35105.pdf

We also include below several articles which were published prior to the decision of the 9^thCircuit Court of Appeals.

Assessing Limits of Trump’s Executive Order in Light of Emergency Court Rulings

The Daily Journal wrote on February 6:

“Seven emergency injunctions preventing parts of the President Donald J. Trump’s executive order on immigrant travel from being implemented have left attorneys scrambling to figure out who is affected, who is protected, and whether the government has complied with the rulings so far in sending some visa holders back to their home countries. Judges in Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Detroit, New York, and Alexandria, Virginia have weighed in on the Jan. 27 order, with some tailoring their rulings more narrowly than others… What remains unclear about the various injunctions’ reach is the definition of ‘valid visa’ at the time each judge’s order took effect.

“That’s because within hours of Trump signing his executive order on Jan. 27, the State Department ‘provisionally revoke[d] all valid nonimmigrant and immigrant visas of nationals of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen,’ according to a letter published that day by Edward J. Ramotowski, deputy assistant secretary of the Department of State Bureau of Consulate Affairs. ‘Those visas are not valid for travel to or entry into the United States beginning Jan. 27,’ according to the department website. About 60,000 visas were preliminarily revoked, the State Department has said. As yet, no additional government statements have elucidated the meaning of ‘provisionally revoked.’”

Briefs Pour in Opposing Travel Ban

The Daily Journal wrote on February 7:

“… nearly 300 colleges, 100 technology companies, 16 state attorneys general and a host of civil rights organizations voiced their opposition to the ban in amicus briefs filed over the weekend. The legal argument behind each filing varies, with some focusing on the potential economic impacts, some focusing on the order’s alleged legal failings, while others raise concerns over human rights violations…

“Americans United claims the ban, which blocks entry for immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibiting Congress from establishing an official religion… The Korematsu Center, a social justice advocacy group, said the order relies on the plenary power doctrine, which holds that the legislative and executive branches are solely responsible for regulating immigration. Their brief criticized the doctrine as inapplicable and ‘a relic of an odious past that has no role in modern American jurisprudence.’… A coalition of 16 state attorneys general filed a brief Monday arguing the ban would undermine state law, as in many cases it would require a state to defy its own anti-discrimination law to stay in line with the federal order… Separate briefs filed by a coalition of law professors and clinicians and a group of nearly 100 tech companies emphasized the potential economic impacts of the ban…

“[Professor Andrew J. Pincus’] brief, signed by 292 universities nationwide, claims the ban would severely impact students from the seven affected countries, who would be prohibited from traveling outside the U.S. for academic or personal reasons out of ‘fear that they may fall out of legal status and suffer deportation.’ ‘Furthermore, if international students from the seven banned countries are no longer able to attend school in the U.S., either because they are denied entry to the country or their visas expire, our universities stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars,’ the professors wrote in their brief.”

The New York Times added on February 5:

“In its argument for an appeal, the Justice Department had said the president had an ‘unreviewable authority’ to suspend the entry of any class of foreigners…”

Trump’s Attacks on Judges Will Backfire

The New York Times wrote on February 8:

“President Trump on Wednesday lashed out at federal judges considering a challenge to his executive order banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries, as his Supreme Court nominee called Mr. Trump’s attacks on the independent judiciary ‘demoralizing’ and ‘disheartening.’

“Mr. Trump escalated his public feud with the courts over his immigration order, saying that he had found a federal appeals court hearing on his executive order Tuesday night ‘disgraceful,’ and that the judges had failed to grasp concepts even ‘a bad high school student would understand.’

“The comments were a remarkable show of disdain by a sitting president for an independent judiciary, and they came at an awkward time for Mr. Trump, just as his newly selected nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch of the federal appeals court in Denver, was meeting with senators on Capitol Hill in the hopes of gaining support for his confirmation.

“Judge Gorsuch told Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, that he objected to Mr. Trump’s harsh criticism of the courts, including his attack over the weekend on a Seattle district court judge who temporarily blocked his immigration order. In a Twitter posting on Saturday, the president called Judge James L. Robart, a ‘so-called judge’ whose ruling was ‘ridiculous’ and would be overturned.”

The Telegraph added on February 8:

“Mr Trump told the crowd he had listened to Tuesday’s hearing with dismay… Mr Trump attempted to litigate the case himself, reading at length from a document and commenting on how it proved the legal foundations of his travel ban – which was halted on Friday. Mr Trump went on: ‘I listened to lawyers on both sides last night, they were talking about things that had nothing to do with it… courts seem to be so political… it would be so great for our system if they could read something and do what’s right.’”

Refugees in the USA Flocking to Canada

Reuters reported on February 6:

“Refugees in the United States fearing a worsening climate of xenophobia in the wake of a divisive U.S. presidential campaign are flocking to Canada in growing numbers…

“More… would enter at border crossings, advocates say, if Canada didn’t have a policy of turning many of them away when they do.  Prime Minister Trudeau took office in 2015 on a commitment to admit tens of thousands of Syrian refugees… But this year, Canada plans to take only 7,500 government-assisted refugees – less than half last year’s number. People eager to sponsor refugees find themselves waiting years to do so…”

Trump: “We have a Lot of Killers”

Fox News wrote on February 4:

“On Sunday, Bill O’Reilly… asked [Donald] Trump whether he ‘respects’ the former KGB agent [Vladimir Putin]… ‘[Putin] is a killer,’ O’Reilly said. ‘There are a lot of killers,’ Trump responded, ‘We’ve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country’s so innocent?’”

Deutsche Welle added on February 6:

“Trump’s comments, which were broadcast ahead of the Super Bowl, irritated a number of congressional Republicans, who swiftly dismissed any equivalence between the US and Russia. Speaking to CNN, Mitch McConnel, the Senate leader, said of Putin: ‘He is a former KGB agent (and) a thug.’”

The Guardian added on February 6:

“Putin, in his 17th year of dominating the Russian political landscape, is accused by some Kremlin critics of ordering the killing of opponents. Putin and the Kremlin have repeatedly rejected those allegations as politically motivated and false… In January last year, after a British judge ruled that Putin had ‘probably’ authorised the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, Trump said he saw no evidence the Russian president was guilty.”

Trump’s Chief Political Strategist a Leninist?

The Guardian wrote on February 6:

“Stephen Bannon, President Trump’s chief political strategist and, after Trump, the most powerful man in Washington, once declared proudly: ‘I am a Leninist.’ He was talking to a New York university academic who had written extensively on communism and the former Soviet Union. ‘What on earth do you mean?’ the professor asked him. ‘Lenin wanted to destroy the state and that’s my goal too,’ replied Bannon. ‘I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today’s establishment.’

“… Bannon has an assortment of Leninist political tactics that could have come from the Bolshevik leader’s playbook… much of Lenin’s political style and strategy can be adapted to present conditions. He depended on constant conflict and drama. He deliberately used shock tactics. He was nearly always domineering, abusive and combative, and often downright vicious. He battered opponents into submission with the deliberate use of violent language…

“Lenin abolished the existing legal system and started afresh… In his quest for power, Lenin promised people anything and everything. He offered simple solutions to complex issues. He lied unashamedly. He justified himself on the basis that winning meant everything; the ends justified the means…”

Mr. Bannon also made remarks about the great power of Darth Vader and Satan. Business Insider quoted Bannon in this way on November 18, 2016: “Darkness is good… Dick Cheney, Darth Vader, Satan. That’s power.”

This should wake everybody up. If not, maybe the next article will.

Do Donald Trump and Stephen Bannon Want a Holy War?

The Israeli paper, Haaretz, wrote on February 6:

“It’s an inconceivably scary thought that the Trump administration is simply winging it, breakneck, disrupting and detonating and taking America apart – and all of it without a plan. But here’s the even scarier possibility – that there is, in fact, a plan. A plan which would dramatically concentrate and expand Donald Trump’s power, inflame and mobilize his base, whip up and leverage racism, Islamophobia and, at a later stage, if needed, anti-Semitism, in order to slough all shortcomings onto scapegoats.

“… He needs a Holy War. And he needs a doomsday weapon he can rely on. As it happens, he already has one. It’s called Steve Bannon. And Steve Bannon… has been talking Holy War for years.

“In a speech to a Christian conference held in the Vatican in the summer of 2014, Bannon declared that ‘we’re at the very beginning stages of a very brutal and bloody conflict, of which if the people in this room, the people in the church, do not bind together and really form what I feel is an aspect of the church militant, to really be able to not just stand with our beliefs, but to fight for our beliefs against this new barbarity that’s starting, that will completely eradicate everything that we’ve been bequeathed over the last 2,000, 2,500 years… We’re now, I believe, at the beginning stages of a global war against Islamic fascism,’ he said. National security analyst Robert Baer said Tuesday that the Bannon speech sounded ‘like preaching for the First Crusade.’

“… Referring to the Friday presidential Executive Order which severely curbed immigration and entry from seven mostly Muslim countries, an order which Bannon is reported to have drafted without consultation with the office of the Attorney General nor with the Defense, Homeland Security, or State Departments, Baer said the ban could cripple U.S. intelligence gathering and America’s standing throughout the Mideast and the Islamic world… ‘None of this makes sense. We’re going to lose allies, and 99 percent of our intelligence in the Middle East comes from allies, from Iraqis, from Syrians.’ The ban could cause an Iraqi parliament to expel the 5,000 U.S. troops serving in the country in response, further hampering the battle against terrorists, he added…

“On Saturday night, amid the bedlam generated by the travel ban, as well as condemnations of Trump’s having marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day while refraining from any mention of Jews, the president named Bannon to the key Principals Committee of the National Security Council, at the same time dropping as regular members the chairman of the joint chiefs and the director of national intelligence…

“The war may not be underway just yet, but the Crusade certainly is. The Muslim Ban was just the staging area… And what about real war? Trump may well consider it a positive option precisely because he has no clue in [the] world what it’s like. What the horror of war means to the people whose lives are destroyed by it, whether they physically survive or not… His only experience with military service is evading it. His only experience with the innocent victims of war, is sending them back to Syria… God help us all.”

Underreported Terrorist Attacks?

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 7:

“The White House late on Monday issued a list of terror attacks over a 28-month period from September 2014 to December 2016, with US President Donald Trump saying that media had failed to cover them properly. The release of the list came after Trump continued to accuse the media of deliberately manipulating the news, saying that the press had been minimizing coverage of terror attacks and playing down the threat posed by the so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS). He stated that the ‘very, very dishonest press’ had ‘their reasons’ for not reporting what he referred to as a ‘genocide’ at the hands of the terrorist group.

“The list, which… was made available to journalists, details cities, months, years, targets, and attackers… fails to explain why the White House had assessed these events to be underreported, and how they were all supposedly linked to IS. The Washington Post published the actual list online, which is more than 1,600 words long and features 27 instances of the term ‘attacker’ misspelled.”

Trump’s Bogus List

The Local wrote on February 7, 2017:

“… the list includes a number of terror attacks that were widely covered internationally, such as the November 2015 Paris attacks, in which 130 people were killed, as well as the 2015 shootings in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people.

“The attacks mentioned in Germany include the recent Berlin truck attack on December 19th in which 12 people were killed. The attack continues to be covered widely in the German media, which debates new, increased security methods and more is revealed about how the main suspect, Anis Amri, managed to slip through cracks in German intelligence.

“Overseas, it made front page coverage worldwide on December 20th, and the memorial service attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel was the main image on the front page of The New York Times on December 21st. As recently as the end of January the LA Times was still reporting on the attack’s impact on German politics.

“The list also mentions an attack in Hanover that has been in the news recently. In February last year, a teen girl motivated by Isis stabbed a police officer in the neck, though not fatally. She was sentenced at the end of last month to six years in jail. The case made the pages of the Telegraph, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.

“Two other attacks in Germany linked to Isis on Trump’s list also did not result in deaths other than of the perpetrators. In Würzburg, an asylum seeker attacked and injured five people on a train with an axe last July. He was shot dead by police. Within a week, an asylum seeker in Ansbach blew himself up outside a bar, injuring 15 others. Both of these attacks were widely covered and discussed in German politics, especially because they happened within a week of one another, and also of a mass shooting in Munich that was not found to be linked to terror.

“Internationally, both the Würzburg and Ansbach attacks attracted large media attention, from the BBC to the Los Angeles Times. The Ansbach explosion was a top story for CNN on their homepage, as was the Würzburg attack.

“Before the two attacks last summer, a Sikh house of prayer was hit by a homemade bomb attack in Essen last April, injuring three. The suspected perpetrators are three teen boys, accused of being inspired by jihadist extremism. Again, this attack was widely covered by international media.

“The one German attack mentioned in the list that seems to have received the least attention was an attack in Hamburg last October that still has not been solved. No suspect has yet been found, though Isis did claim responsibility. In this assault, a 16-year-old boy was fatally stabbed by a man described as being ‘of southern appearance’. In Germany, the murder was covered by every major newsroom: Bild, Die Welt, Spiegel, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and more.

“Perhaps due to the lack of clarity about the crime’s motives, it was not as widely covered abroad, but a story about it by the Associated Press was published throughout local and national media in the US. In the UK, the Daily Mail and the Telegraph also covered the case.

“Of course, it is not known to what extent Trump hoped international news groups would cover these attacks. Some incidents mentioned on his list from Europe do not even appear to have solid links to terrorism, such as a drug bust gone wrong in Denmark and an arson attack in Sweden.”

No “Underreported” Terror Attacks in Israel Mentioned in Trump’s List

JTA wrote on February 7:

“No attacks in Israel were included on a list of 78 ‘underreported’ terrorist attacks released by the White House… Some of the dozens of attacks on the White House list were widely covered in the media, such as a series of attacks in Paris in November 2015, and mass shootings in Orlando, Florida, and San Bernardino, California, in June 2016 and December 2015, respectively.

“Attacks in Israel were omitted from the list, though over 350 terrorist attacks — including stabbings, shootings, vehicular ramming attacks and a bus bombing — have taken place since Sept. 13, 2015, according to a report released last month by Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. Daniel Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote on Twitter that the omission of attacks in Israel ‘is really hard to explain,’ adding that several attacks ‘were genuinely underreported.’

“Trump’s comments hinting at a journalists’ conspiracy to downplay terrorist attacks were widely derided by the media. ‘This appears to be a talking point that is in search of a set of facts that just doesn’t exist,’ said Jim Acosta, senior White House correspondent for CNN.”

A Long History of Presidential Untruths

The Los Angeles Times wrote on February 6:

“There’s a long history of presidential untruths…  As president, Ronald Reagan spoke movingly of the shock and horror he felt as part of a military film crew documenting firsthand the atrocities of the Nazi death camps. The story wasn’t true.

“Years later, an adamant, finger-wagging Bill Clinton looked straight into a live TV camera and told the American people he never had sex with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. He was lying.

“Presidents of all stripes and both major political parties have bent, massaged or shaded the truth, elided uncomfortable facts or otherwise misled the public — unwittingly or, sometimes, very purposefully… But White House scholars and other students of government agree there has never been a president like Donald Trump, whose volume of falsehoods, misstatements and serial exaggerations — on matters large and wincingly small — place him ‘in a class by himself’…

“When Trump incessantly talks of rampant voter fraud, boasts about the size of his inaugural audience or claims to have seen thousands of people on rooftops in New Jersey celebrating the Sept. 11 attacks, all are demonstrably false…

“President Obama took his turn apologizing for promising ‘if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it’ under the Affordable Care Act; millions of Americans found that not to be true, and PolitiFact, the nonpartisan truth-squad organization, bestowed the dubious 2013 ‘Lie of the Year’ honor for Obama’s repeated falsehood…”

Speaker of the House of Commons Against Trump Addressing British Parliament

The Independent wrote on February 6:

“Donald Trump will not be welcome to address Parliament on his state visit to the UK because of its opposition to racism and to sexism, the Speaker of the House of Commons has said in a major snub to the American President. In a dramatic intervention, John Bercow, the Speaker, said he was ‘strongly opposed’ to Mr Trump speaking in the Commons as he stressed that being invited to address Parliament was ‘not an automatic right’ but ‘an earned honour’…

“The intervention will cause headaches in Downing Street, where Theresa May has bent over backwards to rekindle the so-called special relationship with the US… The Speaker’s intervention is a particularly stunning development because the post is politically neutral. Mr Bercow was previously a Conservative MP before he was elected to the role… Nearly two million people signed a petition calling for Mr Trump’s state visit to be cancelled in just days after it was announced. MPs are to debate the issue in Westminster Hall.”

JTA added on February 6:

“The Jewish speaker of Britain’s House of Commons said President Donald Trump should not be welcomed to address the British Parliament… [John] Bercow’s comments were greeted with enthusiastic applause… Bercow, whose paternal grandparents were Romanian Jewish immigrants to England, attended the Finchley Reform Synagogue and had a bar mitzvah, though he now considers himself secular.

“As one of the three so-called key holders at Westminster Hall, Bercow said he would use his position to prevent Trump from addressing Parliament. Saying the decision whether to invite him to England at all is ‘way beyond and above the pay grade of the speaker,’ Bercow said that opposition to racism and sexism and support for an independent judiciary are ‘hugely important considerations in the House of Commons.’”

German Public Trust in USA Plummets to Record Low

The Local wrote on February 3:

“A new poll shows that German trust in the transatlantic relationship has dropped to a level [equal] to public trust in Russia since Donald Trump was elected US President. In total, seven out of ten respondents told [a] research group…  that the US is not a trusted ally of Germany at the moment. That was a drop of 37 percent compared to a survey conducted in November, marking a record historic low for faith in the transatlantic partnership, Die Welt reports… Asked about their attitudes to US President Donald Trump, Germans expressed considerable disapproval.

“Eighty percent of respondents said that the EU must work more closely to oppose the US president. Similarly, 67 percent expressed fear that he would harm the German economy, while only 26 percent said they thought it was a good thing that Trump was implementing his election pledges. [Another] poll found similar concerns about the new head of the White House among the German public. Only three percent of respondents said they thought German-American relations would improve with Trump in power, while three quarters of respondents said they would get worse.

“Two thirds of Germans also said that Trump’s implementation of election pledges through executive orders is undemocratic. Eight out of ten respondents… said the travel ban for people from seven Muslim-majority countries was damaging for the US. And 85 percent said that Trump’s policies would do his country economic damage.”

“When Trump Makes America Small, Europe Must Stand Tall”

The EUObserver wrote on February 2:

“Donald Trump is certain he is going to make his country great again – by turning its back to the world, by building walls and by saying no to foreign people, goods and services. But it won’t work… It will lower the living standards of the average working American by making products more expensive, cutting off supply chains and reducing specialisation and competition. It is devastating not only to the United States but to all of us.

“When the US turns inwards, it leaves a void that needs to be filled… we need to remind ourselves that the second largest economy in the world is not China… The biggest one is the European Union. The most logical and well-suited actor to replace America’s leadership is Europe… The rest of the globe should turn to [Europe], not to China… Europe should be the shining city on the hill for the rest of the world…

“When the US goes home, Europe goes abroad. When Donald Trump turns friends into enemies, we remain friends. When he makes enemies into allies, we remain allies to our friends…”

This reaction is quite telling.

Europe Is “Forced” to Unite

The EUObserver wrote on February 3:

“EU leaders pledged the need for unity and for Europe to stand on its own two feet at their meeting in Valletta on Friday (3 February), during a discussion on how to handle US president Donald Trump…Leaders… said they would… move toward more independent European action on issues where the EU and the US administration disagree…  Merkel said that this is an opportunity for Europe to redefine itself and become more self-reliant.”

Europe Sees Trump as a Threat

The New York Times wrote on February 2:

“Like much of the world, the European Union is struggling to decipher a President Trump who seems every day to be picking a new fight with a new nation, whether friend or foe. Hopes among European leaders that Mr. Trump’s bombastic tone as a candidate would somehow smooth into a more temperate one as commander in chief are dissipating, replaced by a mounting sense of anxiety and puzzlement over how to proceed.

“If many foreign leaders expected a Trump administration to push to renegotiate trade deals, or take a tough line on immigration, few anticipated that he would become an equal opportunity offender. He has insulted or humiliated Mexico, Britain, Germany and Iraq; engaged in a war of words with China and Iran; and turned a routine phone call with the prime minister of Australia, a staunch ally, into a minor diplomatic crisis.

“With the possible exception of NATO, where he has softened his tone, Mr. Trump has expressed disdain for other multilateral institutions such as the European Union. His praise has been reserved for populists and strongmen, like Nigel Farage, the former leader of the U.K. Independence Party, President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and, of course, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

“Mr. Trump is convinced that the United States has been played for a patsy by the rest of the world and is vowing to set things straight. ‘We’re taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually,’ he said on Thursday at a prayer breakfast. ‘It’s not going to happen anymore.’

“Against this forbidding backdrop, some European leaders are urging their counterparts to recognize that Mr. Trump may represent a truly dire challenge, one that threatens to upend not only the 70-year European project of integration and security, but just about everything they stand for, including liberal democracy itself…

“Traditionally, Europeans view Germany as the bulwark of the European Union, its largest, richest and most influential country, but uncomfortable with open leadership. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, up for re-election this autumn, is seen as practical, pragmatic and devoted to the European project, and Germans see the euro as a political sacrifice they made of the revered deutsche mark to please the French. So they deeply resent Mr. Trump’s attacks on Ms. Merkel for her refugee policy and his statements that the European Union itself is a ‘vehicle’ for German self-interest. Ms. Merkel was angry over comments by Peter Navarro, the director of Mr. Trump’s new National Trade Council, that Germany was manipulating a ‘grossly undervalued’ euro to gain trade advantages over other Europeans and the United States.”

All of this will lead to a stronger united Europe in our time.

Europe a Nuclear Super Power?

Die Zeit wrote on February 6, that the Chairman of Poland’s governing party and former leader of Poland, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, advocates the creation of a “European nuclear super power” which is to equal that of Russia.

The Express added on February 7:

“Warsaw sensationally called for a new ‘nuclear Europe’ complete with its own gargantuan defence force and missile armoury to help keep the Kremlin’s ambitions in check. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, widely seen as the most powerful man in eastern Europe’s biggest country, said a radical rethink of the EU’s defence policies was the only way to secure peace in the region…

“But the political heavyweight, seen as the power behind the throne of Poland’s government, admitted his plan may not be popular with other member states. And he conceded it would require ‘tremendous expenditure’ to get off the ground, which is an unlikely course of action given the economic malaise which has gripped the eurozone for the last decade.

“Both Berlin and Warsaw are keen on further EU integration of military spending and operations with the eventual aim of creating a Brussels army…”

Coming—a New Pro-European Alliance between Germany and France?

MarketWatch wrote on February 8:

“Come the autumn, the eurozone may have its most pro-Europe, reformist leadership for a couple of decades. The centrist Emmanuel Macron is getting closer to power in France, while the Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz looks to have a decent chance of replacing Angela Merkel in Germany.

“A Schulz-Macron alliance could finally re-boot the euro, creating the momentum for the genuine fiscal, monetary and economic union that the single currency needs…

“Start with France. With the Republican Francois Fillon sinking deeper into a scandal over vast sums paid to his wife from the state, the centrist Emmanuel Macron looks more and more likely to make it into the second round of voting in early May.

“The basic rule of French politics is very simple. Whoever makes it into the second round again Le Pen wins the presidency… Macron looks a surer bet with every week that passes.

“Over in Germany, something just as dramatic is happening. Switching Martin Schulz from Brussels to Berlin has given the center-left Social Democrats a huge boost in the polls. One this week showed his party overtaking Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, while all of them have shown significant rises in support. Add in the Left Party and the Greens, and come September Schulz may have enough support to finally bring Merkel’s long reign to an end…

“If Schulz takes power, the Berlin-Paris axis, the most important relationship in European politics, would suddenly look very different. There would be the opportunity to accelerate economic integration — and give the euro a final chance to succeed. Far more than the leaders they would replace, both Macron and Schulz are passionate believers in the EU, and they are willing to sacrifice national sovereignty to make integration work.

“Merkel was always portrayed as a great champion of the EU, and on paper she was. But in practice, she didn’t do much about it…

“Between them, Macron and Schulz would agree on one thing. The eurozone, as Macron argued in a speech in Berlin last month, needs to radically change if it is to prosper. It needs to be turned into a fully functioning economic union.

What would that look like? For starters, there would be a banking union, with a single regulator… There would be a EU Treasury, with powers to raise taxes, harmonize rates, and spend money right across the continent… In short, Brussels would look a lot more like the federal government in Washington.

“True, that might create intense political opposition. Lots of people won’t like it. But… Macron and Schulz as president and chancellor would have the will and momentum to make it happen…”

Merkel Says Europe’s Future Could Be Two-Speed

The Local wrote on February 4:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders may commit to a union of ‘different speeds’ when they make a major declaration on its future at a summit in Rome next month. The European Union has long been riven by debate about whether all countries must commit to full integration including the single currency, or whether some can go at different paces. The 27 leaders minus Britain are due to make a declaration at the summit in Rome in March marking the 60th anniversary of the EU, in which they will set out a post-Brexit roadmap.

“‘We certainly learned from the history of the last years, that there will be as well a European Union with different speeds, that not all will participate every time in all steps of integration,’ Merkel told reporters after a summit in Malta. ‘I think this may be in the Rome declaration as well.’ Merkel said the idea was to set out a plan for the next ten years of the EU, which has been buffeted by the eurozone crisis, Brexit, migration, the Ukraine conflict and now faces a new challenge in the form of US President Donald Trump. Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, a group of the EU’s founding members, also issued a statement on Friday backing a two-speed EU.”

Deutsche Welle added on February 8:

“… it was the first time that Merkel clearly claimed this old idea [of a two-speed Europe] as her own. Whoever believed it was an exclusive statement had to think again on the following Tuesday. In a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, Merkel once again spoke of a Europe of ‘two speeds.’… ‘That should be taken seriously,’ an EU diplomat in Brussels told DW.

“… Right now it looks like a two-speed Europe will be part of this vision… The truth is that Europe has worked at different speeds for decades. The eurozone, the freedom of movement embedded in the Schengen agreement and the Maastricht Social Protocol are already part of a ‘phased integration’ in which not all EU member states take part. In the future, different combinations are conceivable, like the eurozone, a core Europe driven by Germany and France or a circle of the EU’s founding members…

“The goal is to save the European project. This applies to the common currency and the economy in particular. The next Greek crisis is at Europe’s doorstep – maybe even a trade war with Donald Trump’s United States. Before everything goes down the drain, Merkel is trying to at least maintain the shell of the union… The idea of a multi-speed union is perhaps Angela Merkel’s last attempt at saving Europe.”

The Bible prophesies that a two-speed Europe is coming. Ten core nations or groups of nations will develop from the Eurozone, and they will transfer, at that time, their power and authority to a charismatic political and military leader who will promise safety and security for Europe and the entire world. Note the next article.

Adolf Hitler: “Wait Calmly”

Die Zeit wrote on February 1:

“Few sensed what Hitler’s appointment as chancellor actually meant, and many reacted to the event with shocking indifference.

“… This, despite the fact that Hitler had plainly explained in ‘Mein Kampf’ and countless speeches before 1933 what he wanted to do once in power: to abolish the democratic ‘system’ of Weimar Germany, to ‘eradicate’ Marxism (by which he meant both social democracy and communism) and to ‘remove’ the Jews from Germany. As for foreign policy, he made no secret of the fact that he wanted to revise the Versailles Treaty and that his long-term goal was the conquering of ‘Lebensraum in the East.’

“German President Paul von Hindenburg’s camarilla, which had hoisted him to power through a series of intrigues, agreed with Hitler’s goals of preventing a return to parliamentary democracy, of cutting the chains of the Versailles Treaty, massively arming the military and once again making Germany the dominant power in Europe. As for the rest of Hitler’s stated intentions, his conservative coalition partners were inclined to dismiss them as mere rhetoric. Once he was in power, they argued, he would become more reasonable…

“The fact that Hitler’s appointment meant that a fanatical anti-Semite had come to power should have made Germany’s Jews, above all, nervous. But that was not the case at all. In a statement given on Jan. 30, the chair of the Central Association of German Citizens of Jewish Faith said, ‘In general, today more than ever we must follow the directive: wait calmly.’ He said that although one watches the new government ‘of course with deep suspicion,’ President Hindenburg represents the ‘calming influence.’ He said there was no reason to doubt his ‘sense of justice’ and ‘loyalty to the constitution.’ As a result, he said, one should be convinced that ‘nobody would dare’ to ‘touch our constitutional rights.’ …

“French Ambassador Andre François-Poncet called the Hitler-Papen-Hugenberg cabinet a ‘bold experiment,’ but he also suggested his government remain calm and wait for further developments… Rarely has a political project so rapidly been revealed to be a chimera as the idea that the conservatives would ‘tame’ the Nazis. In terms of tactical cunning, Hitler towered high above his cabinet allies and opponents. In a short time, he had upstaged them and driven them against the wall…

“Hitler needed only five months to establish his power. By the summer of 1933, fundamental rights and the constitution had been suspended, the states had been forced into conformity, the unions crushed, the political parties banned or dissolved, press and radio brought into line and the Jews stripped of their equality under the law. Everything that existed in Germany outside of the National Socialist Party had been ‘destroyed, dispersed, dissolved, annexed or absorbed,’ François-Poncet concluded in early July. Hitler, he claimed, had ‘won the game with little effort.’ ‘He only had to puff — and the edifice of German politics collapsed like a house of cards.’”

We should take this warning from the past very seriously today.

The Brutal Murders of the Syrian Regime

The Guardian wrote on February 7:

“As many as 13,000 opponents of Bashar al-Assad were secretly hanged in one of Syria’s most infamous prisons in the first five years of the country’s civil war as part of an extermination policy ordered by the highest levels of the Syrian government, according to Amnesty International.

“Many thousands more people held in Saydnaya prison died through torture and starvation, Amnesty said, and the bodies were dumped in two mass graves on the outskirts of Damascus between midnight and dawn… for at least five years.

“The report, Human Slaughterhouse, details allegations of state-sanctioned abuse that are unprecedented in Syria’s civil war, a conflict that has consistently broken new ground in depravity, leaving at least 400,000 people dead and nearly half the country’s population displaced.

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed last May that at least 60,000 people had died as a result of torture or dire conditions in Syrian prisons from the earliest months of the anti-Assad insurrection…”

Fox News added on February 7:

“The 48-page report claims Syria secretly carried out mass hangings at the Saydnaya Military Prison to eliminate those who spoke out against the government… There are two detention centers at Saydnaya Military Prison, which, according to the report, may hold up to 20,000 people.

“In the ‘red building’, the majority of detainees are civilians who have been arrested since the beginning of the crisis in 2011. In the ‘white building’, the majority of the detainees are officers and soldiers in the Syrian military who have been arrested since 2011. The report said the detainees were never given a fair trial. Instead, they were tortured until they gave false confessions. Government leaders, the report said, knew the prison was a human slaughterhouse yet turned a blind eye to it.”

Botched Raid on Yemen

The Guardian wrote on February 8:

“The Yemeni government said on Wednesday it wants a rethink of US counter-terrorist operations on its territory after a botched commando raid on 29 January that left more than 30 civilians dead. The Navy Seal operation, aimed at gathering intelligence on al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap), has shone light on chaotic decision-making in the Trump White House, where presidential aides, many with little foreign policy or national security experience, are competing for influence…

“In the White House press briefing on Wednesday, the press secretary, Sean Spicer, insisted that the raid in Yemen was a success and said anyone questioning its success owed an apology to the family of Chief Petty Officer Ryans Owens, the Navy Seal killed in the operation.

“When asked if that criticism applied to Senator John McCain, who deemed the raid a failure after receiving a classified briefing on the operation, Spicer repeated: ‘Anyone who undermines the success of that raid owes an apology and a disservice to the life of Chief Ryan Owens.

“The night raid on a village in the central Yakla region appears to have gone wrong from the start, with the crash landing of an Osprey aircraft. According to the accounts of local villagers, about 50 US troops began by shooting villagers and tribal elders, and Aqap militants camped nearby only joined the fight after many civilians were already dead. Villagers told the Bureau of Investigative Journalists (BIJ) that 31 people had died, including nine children under the age of 13. Of the nine young children who died, the smallest was only three months old. Seven women were killed, including one who was heavily pregnant. Seven more women and children were injured. The dead also included the eight-year-old daughter of al-Qaida propagandist and American citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a September 2011 US drone strike in Yemen, her family said…

“The circumstances of Trump’s authorisation of the raid, at a dinner on 25 January, have drawn scrutiny of how the new White House makes such life and death decisions. The plan was presented to Trump at the dinner by the defence secretary, James Mattis, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Joseph Dunford. The president was flanked by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his chief strategist and former Breitbart news executive, Steve Bannon. Apart from Bannon’s seven years as a navy officer more than three decades ago, neither has foreign policy experience.

“The casual format differed markedly from previous practice, where such decisions would have been taken in the White House situation room and involved top officials from the state department and intelligence agencies, convened by the national security council (NSC)…”

This is stunning and sad, indeed.

Germany “Disappointed” with Israel

JTA wrote on January 8:

“Germany condemned a controversial new Israeli law that retroactively legalizes settler homes built on private Palestinian land. Berlin said Wednesday that the ‘regulations law’ undermines trust in Israel’s seriousness about reaching a compromise with the Palestinians. ‘Many in Germany who stand by Israel and feel great commitment toward it find themselves deeply disappointed by this move,’ a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement. ‘Our trust in the Israeli government’s commitment to the two-state solution has been fundamentally shaken.’

“The law, which the Knesset passed in a raucous late-night session Monday, allows the state to seize private Palestinian land on which settlements or outposts were built, as long as the settlers were not aware of the status of the land. In cases where the landowners are known, they are entitled to compensation.

“Censure of the law has come from governments around the world, including the United Nations, the European Union, France, Britain, Turkey, Jordan and the Palestinians. The United States has refused to comment…

“Most of Israel’s political opposition and even members of the governing coalition oppose the legislation. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said he would not defend it before the Supreme Court. It was the first time that an Israeli attorney general has made such a refusal, legal experts told JTA.”

Of course, when the acting US attorney general made a similar comment regarding the executive order of a travel ban, President Trump fired her immediately. Does this mean that Israel is more of a democracy than the current USA?

Whatever Happened to Repeal and Replace Obamacare?

The New York Times wrote on February 6:

“In a brief aside in an interview with Bill O’Reilly of Fox News broadcast before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Mr. Trump went further than he ever has in acknowledging the reality that any hope of quickly replacing the Affordable Care Act has been dashed. ‘Yes, I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year,’ the president said. That admission is sure to be a serious disappointment for the president’s most fervent supporters, who sent him to Washington believing that he would move quickly to dispatch the health law.

“The uncertainty is already reflected in the way Republicans talk about the health care law. Some now talk about ‘repairing’ the law, rather than repealing it entirely… ‘I don’t really know what he’s referring to in terms of a year,’ said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican. He added that Republicans hoped to get their replacement plan in place ‘well before that.’ Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 3 Republican in the chamber… expressed hope that ‘at some point,’ if Mr. Trump has a health care proposal, ‘he’ll engage and that we’ll be able to work together with him on it.’…

“Insurance executives say immediate action is needed to stabilize insurance markets, or else more insurers will withdraw from the public marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. Insurers deciding whether to participate in the market in 2018 face a May deadline for submitting rate proposals to the federal government.”

Obamacare is indeed a disaster, with sky-rocketing premiums and continuously increasing co-payments. But so is the delay in keeping the clear promise to replace and repeal Obamacare.

Climate Change Exaggerated?

The Daily Mail wrote on February 4:

“The Mail on Sunday today reveals astonishing evidence that the organisation that is the world’s leading source of climate data rushed to publish a landmark paper that exaggerated global warming and was timed to influence the historic Paris Agreement on climate change…

“The report claimed that the ‘pause’ or ‘slowdown’ in global warming in the period since 1998 – revealed by UN scientists in 2013 – never existed, and that world temperatures had been rising faster than scientists expected. Launched by NOAA with a public relations fanfare, it was splashed across the world’s media, and cited repeatedly by politicians and policy makers. But the whistleblower, Dr John Bates, a top NOAA scientist with an impeccable reputation, has shown The Mail on Sunday irrefutable evidence that the paper was based on misleading, ‘unverified’ data. It was never subjected to NOAA’s rigorous internal evaluation process – which Dr Bates devised.

“His vehement objections to the publication of the faulty data were overridden by his NOAA superiors in what he describes as a ‘blatant attempt to intensify the impact’ of what became known as the Pausebuster paper…

“Official delegations from America, Britain and the EU were strongly influenced by the flawed NOAA study as they hammered out the Paris Agreement – and committed advanced nations to sweeping reductions in their use of fossil fuel and to spending £80 billion every year on new, climate-related aid projects. The scandal has disturbing echoes of the ‘Climategate’ affair which broke shortly before the UN climate summit in 2009, when the leak of thousands of emails between climate scientists suggested they had manipulated and hidden data…”

This is indeed shocking. Truth does not seem to be an issue in light of political agendas.

Remarkable Words from Pope Francis

On February 7, Zenit reported the following:

“According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis stressed this to faithful during his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, as he reflected on how ‘God created us as children in His image.’ Drawing inspiration from the Book of Genesis’ account of the Creation of man and woman, Francis recalled how God has given us His DNA and spoke about the first of three great gifts, which God gave humanity in Creation.

“‘… First of all, He gave us His “DNA”, that is, He made us His children, created us in His image, in His image and likeness, like Him. And when one makes a child, he cannot take it back: the son is made, he exists. And whether or not he resembles the father, he is a son; he has received his identity…’ Jesus, he noted, taught us how a father waits for his children. (He gave us the identity of a child: ‘to “man and woman”, we must add the identity of “child”. We “are like gods”, because we are children of God.’…

“God’s second gift in Creation, Pope Francis said, is a ‘task,’ namely the work of advancing Creation. ‘Not to destroy it; but to make it grow, to care for it, to keep it and make it carry on…’

“God’s third gift in Creation, the Pope stressed, is love. Beginning with the love shared between a man and a woman. ‘Male and female He created them. It is not good for the man to be alone. And He made his partner,’ the Pope said…”

It is indeed the potential of man to become a born-again God being in the Family of God. God made man in His image… first as a physical being, but with the potential of becoming a Spirit being—a God being. Those who have received God’s Holy Spirit are already begotten children of God, but it has not been manifested what they will be. But they will be like Christ in His glory, when He returns.

Worldwide Condemnation of Trump Immigration Ban

Deutsche Welle reported on January 28:

“Airlines across the globe are turning back would-be passengers from countries affected by a US immigration ban that bars them from entering the United States. Leading political and business figures moved quickly to condemn the ban… keeping citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. The executive order has also been applied to people with permanent residence permits, known as green cards.

“In Europe, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel decried the order during a press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, in Paris. Gabriel said Trump’s refugee policy contradicted America’s Christian traditions of ‘love thy neighbor.’ During the same press conference, Ayrault said the policy ‘can only worry us,’ and that ‘welcoming refugees who flee war and oppression is part of our duty.’…

“In the United States, Democrats called the measures ‘un-American.’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted late on Friday, ‘Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon.’… In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted on Saturday ‘To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength. Welcome To Canada.’…

“A study from the US Cato Institute found that foreigners from the seven nations affected by the immigration ban have killed zero Americans in terrorist attacks on US soil between 1975 and the end of 2015.”

Bild wrote on January 28 that a high official within the Trump Administration confirmed that the seven countries listed are probably just the beginning, and that the government was considering very aggressively which countries were to be added. See also the next articles.

More to Come

The New York Times wrote on January 27:

“Announcing his ‘extreme vetting’ plan, the president invoked the specter of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Most of the 19 hijackers on the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pa., were from Saudi Arabia. The rest were from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon. None of those countries is on Mr. Trump’s visa ban list.”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on January 27:

“President Trump signed an executive order Friday that temporarily halts the nation’s refugee program and ushers in the most sweeping changes in more than 40 years to how the U.S. welcomes the world’s most vulnerable people… Trump’s action, seen as part of his campaign pledge to ban Muslims from entering the country, sparked an international outcry, given the historic role that the U.S. and other industrialized nations have long played in embracing victims of war and oppression. The last major change in U.S. refugee policy came during the Vietnamese resettlement programs of the mid-1970s.

“In the ABC interview, Trump said… residents of countries left out of the ban – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia – will nonetheless face what he calls ‘extreme vetting’…

“Critics called Trump’s order a betrayal of long-held American ideals…  Several of those who condemned Trump’s order noted that it was signed on Holocaust Remembrance Day, a reminder that thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany were denied safe harbors in the United States and elsewhere, forcing them back to Nazi-controlled territory, where many were murdered. ‘Donald Trump is retracting the promise of American freedom to an extent we have not seen from a president since Franklin Roosevelt forced Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II,’ said Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York City.”

Will Even “Dreamers” Be Affected?

Reuters reported on January 30:

“Divisions have emerged among advisers to President Donald Trump over whether to rescind a signature policy of his predecessor, President Barack Obama, that shields young immigrants from deportation, according to congressional sources and Republicans close to the White House. Even though Trump campaigned on a promise to roll back Obama’s executive orders on immigration, the Republican has so far left intact an order safeguarding 750,000 people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, known as the ‘dreamers.’

“The issue has become a flashpoint for White House advisers divided between a more moderate faction such as chief of staff Reince Priebus and immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon, said a former congressional aide who has been involved with immigration issues in Washington.

“Priebus has said publicly that Trump will work with Congress to get a ‘long-term solution’ on the issue. Meanwhile, Miller, said to have mastered the thinking of his former boss and anti-immigration advocate Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General, as well as Bannon, former head of right-wing Breitbart News, have pushed Trump to take a harder approach and rescind the protections…

“House Speaker Paul Ryan told a woman protected by DACA, at a townhall hosted by CNN Jan. 12, that there should be a solution for people like her to get ‘right with the law’ and not be separated from their families. Just two days prior, Sessions, a Senator, told a Senate panel considering his confirmation that it would ‘certainly be constitutional’ to repeal DACA…”

British, French and German Citizens Affected by Trump Ban

The Telegraph wrote on January 28:

“The US State Department said that Britons with dual nationality with the countries Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen will be stopped at the American border for the next 90 days…

“Politicians said tens of thousands of Britons could be caught up in the border chaos as Mr Trump’s new immigration rules impact on holidays and business trips.

Der Spiegel added on January 28 that Trump’s ban includes tens of thousands of Germans with dual citizenship, including a parliamentarian of the Green party, who has a German and an Iranian passport. In this context, Bild Online added on January 29: “Horror at Ban: Trump also Locks out Germans.” Subsequent developments changed this picture somewhat, but we still can’t be sure as to what extent, as some of the following articles discuss.

Merkel Slams Trump over Muslim Travel Ban

The Local wrote on January 29:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday slammed the restrictions on immigration imposed by US President Donald Trump, saying it was ‘not justified’ to target people based on their background or religion… Merkel’s condemnation comes a day after she spoke by phone with the new US president, when they discussed a range of issues from relations with Russia to the situation in the Middle East and NATO.

“Statements released by both sides after the call made no mention of the immigration ban, but Seibert on Sunday said Merkel had reminded the US billionaire of his human rights responsibilities.”

The Local wrote on January 30:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday reaffirmed her criticism of a US travel ban slapped on travellers from seven countries, saying it smacked of anti-Muslim bias. ‘The essential and also resolute fight against terrorism in no way justifies general suspicion against people of a specific faith, in this case people of the Muslim faith or people of a certain background,’ she told reporters in unprompted remarks about measures enacted by US President Donald Trump. ‘This approach in my view contradicts the basic tenets of international aid to refugees and international cooperation,’ she said…”

Schulz Slams Trump

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 29:

“Martin Schulz, the Social Democrat’s nominee to challenge Angela Merkel… has also slammed US President Donald Trump’s clampdown on minorities as an ‘intolerable’ taboo breach… Schulz accused US President Donald Trump of attacking minorities in the United States with ‘shameless and dangerous’ statements… Germany and Europe… had to make it clear to Trump that international human rights also apply to him, Schulz insisted…”

Trump Retaliates by Attacking Germany—“Top Trump Aide Blasts Germany for ‘Exploiting’ US on Trade”

AFP wrote on January 31:

“A top economic adviser to US President Donald Trump bashed Germany for exploiting an undervalued euro to take advantage of its trading partners, the Financial Times reported Tuesday. The public rebuke of a major trading partner is the latest example of the brash tactic that has become a feature of the new US administration, with Trump himself using public attacks and Twitter to criticize businesses and allies, including Mexico.

“Peter Navarro, who advised Trump during the campaign and heads the White House’s new National Trade Council, said in an interview with the FT that Germany ‘continues to exploit other countries in the EU as well as the US with an “implicit Deutsche mark” that is grossly undervalued.’…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Stockholm, deflected the criticism, saying the currency value is the responsibility of the European Central Bank… France’s Finance Minister Michel Sapin hit back saying, ‘The decisions of the new US administration pose a serious risk to the world trade order.’ He warned that ‘history reminds us that protectionist retreats are the worst of solutions,’ and said neither France nor Europe ‘will be able to watch helplessly what might risk being a dislocation of our economic institutions.’”

“Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Trump’s Refugee Ban ‘Makes Us Look Stupid’”

Newsmax wrote on January 30:

“Arnold Schwarzenegger… said that the new president’s executive order on refugees and immigration was poorly vetted and that it ‘makes us look stupid’ when the White House ‘is ill-prepared to put this kind of’ directive out there. Schwarzenegger [was] was governor of California from 2003 to 2011…

“‘To go and ban people who have a green card, that means that the United States of America has given you permission to work here permanently and you are on the way to permanent citizenship. … I was in that position. … It’s crazy. It’s crazy and makes us look stupid when the White House is ill-prepared to put this kind of executive order out there,’ he said. Schwarzenegger is an immigrant from Austria, who came to the United States in 1968.”

These statements were run in European papers as the “quote of the day.” How “stupid” and “crazy” we look can be seen in the next article.

US Handcuffs Five-Year-Old Boy for Hours

The Mirror wrote on January 30:

“The White House says a five-year-old boy was held for five hours and reportedly handcuffed because he could have been a ‘threat’ to the United States. The boy was one of more than 100 people detained for hours at airports across the country, after Donald Trump signed an Executive Order banning travel from seven majority Muslim countries.

“In a briefing tonight, Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer said: ‘To assume that just because of someone’s age and gender that they don’t pose a threat would be misguided and wrong.’ The boy, who was identified by Senator Chris Van Hollen as a US citizen who lives in Maryland, was detained at Washington DC’s Dulles airport on Saturday. He was seen being showered with kisses by his mother, who is believed to be Iranian-born, after they were reunited.

“Senator Van Hollen said it was ‘outrageous’ that the boy had been held for so long – adding that he was detained despite giving the authorities advance notice of his arrival. When he called to see if he had been released, Senator Van Hollen said airport authorities refused to say.”

Major Tech Firms Oppose Trump’s Executive Order on Travel Ban for Muslims

Forbes wrote on January 29:

“Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is adding his voice to those who are alarmed and upset by President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration — and he’s upping the ante on corporate responses, vowing to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years. Trump’s executive order… has sparked an outpouring of criticism, including from chief executives and founders across America.

“Airbnb founder and CEO Brian Chesky said his company will offer free housing to refugees and anyone not allowed in the U.S.; Google co-founder Sergy Brin joined a protest at San Francisco International Airport; and the CEOs of Tesla, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft have tweeted, emailed or otherwise publicly voiced disapproval.”

Wired added on January 30 that in addition, the following tech firms are opposing the order, so far: Viber, Uber, Slack, Elon Musk, Facebook, Twitter and Lyft.

Google Asks All Travelling Employees to Return to USA Immediately

Newsmax wrote on January 28:

“Alphabet Inc.’s Google delivered a sharp message to staff traveling overseas who may be impacted by a new executive order on immigration from President Donald Trump: Get back to the U.S. now. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai slammed Trump’s move in a note to employees Friday, telling them that more than 100 company staff are affected by the order…

“The comments underscore a growing rift between the Trump administration and several large U.S. technology companies, which include many immigrants in their ranks and have lobbied for fewer immigration restrictions. Pichai’s note echoed similar statements from tech peers voicing concerns about the harm such policies could have on their businesses… ‘We are advising our clients from those seven countries who have green cards or any type of H-1B visa not to travel outside the U.S.’ said Ava Benach, a partner at immigration law firm Benach Collopy LLP…”

“It Took Her Long Enough”—May Disagrees

The Independent wrote on January 29:

“Theresa May ‘does not agree’ with a contentious ban on immigration implemented by Donald Trump, Downing Street has said. In a statement released late on Saturday evening, and responding to mounting anger from within her own party, the Prime Minister passed judgment on the President’s executive order on immigration…”

The Times of Israel added on January 29:

“Iraqi-born MP Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that he had had ‘confirmation that the order does apply to myself and my wife as we were both born in Iraq,’ even though the pair have British passports. ‘A sad, sad day to feel like a second class citizen! Sad day for the USA,’ he added… Olympic champion runner Mo Farah, born in Somalia, was another British citizen potentially affected by the ban…

“Tory MP Sarah Wollaston called Trump ‘a sickening piece of work’ and demanded that he not be allowed to address both of Britain’s Houses of Parliament when he makes a state visit later in the year, when he will be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II…”

“Clearly a Muslim Ban”

The Mirror wrote on January 30:

“Tonight, British MPs passed a motion calling on Donald Trump to repeal the Muslim ban. It came after former Labour leader Ed Miliband was granted an emergency debate on the Muslim ban. In a passionate speech during the debate, Mr Miliband said: ‘It clearly is a Muslim ban. Why do I say that? Because it was the president’s original intention.’”

Many Jews Strongly Oppose Trump’s Immigration Ban by Referring to the Holocaust

The Times of Israel wrote on January 29:

“… many Jews saw something akin to what their forebears endured as they attempted to flee Nazi-occupied Europe. Some noted cruel irony in the president’s order coming down on Friday, which was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Chava Brandress, a corporate lawyer, said she belongs to a pro-bono legal listserv, and her email ‘began exploding’ Saturday afternoon with tales of foreign nationals being detained after landing at Dulles. ‘I felt, “I can’t understand how this is happening again,”’ said Brandress, 36, recalling how Jews, fleeing Nazi persecution, were turned away from US shores…”

Newsmax wrote on January 26:

“Anne Frank and her family – led by father Otto Frank’s late and futile attempts – were denied entry visas into the U.S. during World War II… Otto Frank’s efforts to get his family to the United States ran afoul of restrictive American immigration policies designed to protect national security and guard against an influx of foreigners during time of war…

“Anne Frank died at the age of 15 in a German concentration camp, but… Anne Frank could be a 77-year-old woman living in Boston today – a writer.”

The Travel Ban and Green Card Holders

JTA wrote on January 31:

“Among the travelers delayed for hours by the Trump administration’s executive orders banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries were seven people with ties to the Syrian Jewish community… federal authorities had detained the seven people for over six hours disembarking at Port Canaveral from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. At least three of them were U.S. born… One woman, the mother to the three U.S. natives, was Syrian but was not a citizen. She had permanent residency – a green card – and had lived in the United States for 20 years.

“… there have been multiple instances since President Donald Trump issued the order last Friday of authorities detaining green card-holding travelers who have citizenship in one of the seven banned countries, one of which is Syria…”

Israelis with Dual Citizenship Still Affected

The Times of Israel wrote on January 31:

“The US Embassy in Tel Aviv has clarified that President Donald Trump’s travel ban will largely not affect the tens of thousands of Israeli Jews born in Middle Eastern countries.  A Tuesday statement said the controversial executive order would not be enforced against Israelis from those countries unless they possess a valid passport from one of the seven Arab countries banned under the directive.  ‘If you have a currently valid US visa in your Israeli passport and were born in Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen, and do not have a valid passport from one of these countries, your visa was not cancelled and remains valid,’ the statement said.

“Regarding those Israelis born in the seven countries who do have a valid passport from one of those countries, the embassy did not have definitive information, but seemed to indicate this would be handled on a case-by-case basis. ‘Authorization to enter the United States is always determined at the port of entry’, it said in the statement. ‘Similarly, we continue to process visa applications for applicants born in those countries, so long as they do not have a valid passport from one of those countries…’

“… Israel is home to around 140,000 people born in the seven countries covered by the Trump order, including around 45,000 Iranians and 53,000 Iraqis… The majority are over the age of 65 and many fled persecution. Their Israeli passports say where they were born, but most do not retain citizenship in their birth country. Israel has no diplomatic relations with any of the seven countries…

“Trump’s order was met with near-immediate condemnation from world leaders across the globe, with presidents, prime ministers and senior government members from the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Iran and a host of other countries panning the initiative.”

However, this ruling regarding Israelis with two valid passports creates further confusion, as nothing was said before in this respect regarding other nationals with dual citizenship, including Brits, Germans, French, Canadians or Swiss nationals.

Foreign Airlines React

AFP wrote on January 28:

“Foreign airlines are barring Iranians from traveling to the United States following President Donald Trump’s temporary order barring visas for seven Muslim countries, travel agents in Tehran said Saturday.  Two agencies told AFP they had been instructed by Etihad Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines not to sell US tickets or allow Iranians holding American visas to board US-bound flights… An Iranian studying in California who was visiting home said Saturday that she could not return because her ticket had been cancelled under the new restrictions.”

Affected Countries Retaliate

Reuters reported on January 28:

“Iran said on Saturday it would stop U.S. citizens entering the country in retaliation to Washington’s visa ban against Tehran and six other majority-Muslim countries announced by new U.S. President Donald Trump. ‘While respecting the American people and distinguishing between them and the hostile policies of the U.S. government, Iran will implement the principle of reciprocity until the offensive U.S. limitations against Iranian nationals are lifted,’ a Foreign Ministry statement said.

“‘The restrictions against travel by Muslims to America… are an open affront against the Muslim world and the Iranian nation in particular and will be known as a great gift to extremists,’ said the statement, carried by state media. The U.S. ban will make it virtually impossible for relatives and friends of an estimated one million Iranian-Americans to visit the United States.”

Newsmax wrote on January 30:

“Iraqi lawmakers voted Monday to call on the government to enact a reciprocal travel ban on Americans if Washington does not withdraw its decision to bar Iraqis, officials said… The travel restrictions, which come on the heels of repeated assertions by Trump that the US should have stolen Iraq’s oil before leaving in 2011, risk alienating the citizens and government of a country fighting against militants the president has cast as a major threat to America.”

Nomination of Supreme Court Judge Receives Mixed Reactions from Jewish Community

JTA wrote on January 31:

“President Donald Trump nominated to the Supreme Court Neil Gorsuch, a federal judge known to favor protections of religious belief in the public square and for business owners. The nomination, likely to trigger a vigorous confirmation battle, is already splitting the organized Jewish community, with the Reform movement expressing concerns and an Orthodox Union official describing his record as ‘encouraging.’…

“Gorsuch, 49, is on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Denver covering six Western states. He would replace one of the high court’s most stalwart conservatives, Antonin Scalia, who died last year.

“Among his opinions most attracting Jewish interest was Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby in 2013, when the appeals court upheld the right of a private business to reject the government mandate to provide contraceptive care under employee health plans. The Obama administration had offered leeway on such coverage to faith-based nonprofits but would not extend them to private businesses.

“Gorsuch joined the majority in the appeals court ruling, which was upheld the next year by the U.S. Supreme Court… Gorsuch has also favored displays of crosses on public lands, and has tended in his rulings toward the rights of gun owners, in favor of the death penalty and against abortion rights…

“The nomination is likely to face a fight, with Democrats suggesting they may filibuster. Democrats are still stung by the refusal of Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to allow a hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia, Merrick Garland, a moderate judge… Garland, had he been confirmed, would have brought to four the number of Jewish justices on the court.”

Newsmax added on January 31:

“Gorsuch has strong academic qualifications, with an Ivy League education: attending Columbia University and, like several of the other justices on the court, Harvard Law School. He also completed a doctorate in legal philosophy at Oxford University, spent several years in private practice and worked in George W. Bush’s Justice Department…

“As long as Kennedy and four liberals remain on the bench, the court is not expected to pare back abortion rights as many U.S. conservatives fervently hope. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. In June, the justices ruled 5-3 to strike down a Texas law that restricted abortion access, with Kennedy and the liberals in the majority… If any of those three is replaced by a Trump appointee, conservatives would be eager to bring cases challenging the Roe v. Wade ruling in the hope it would be overturned, long a goal for many Christian conservatives.”

Trump’s First Military Attack Since Becoming President

Deutsche Welle reported on January 29:

“In the first confirmed US raid under Donald Trump’s presidency, at least 14 militants were killed in Yemen, along with a US soldier and several civilians…

“The raid targeted the homes of three tribal chiefs linked to al Qaeda, tribal sources told AFP… But Apache helicopters also targeted a school, a mosque and a medical facility…

“It was the first military attack… attributed to the United States since President Donald Trump took office on January 20. Yemen was one of the seven Muslim-majority countries listed on Trump’s immigration ban. “

Trump’s Safe Zones—a Declaration of War?

Global Research wrote on January 28:

“A… draft EO authorizes the establishment of safe zones for Syrian civilians, saying ‘(p)ursuant to the cessation of refugee processing for Syrian nationals, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, is directed within 90 days of the date of this order to produce a plan to provide safe areas in Syria and in the surrounding region in which Syrian nationals displaced from their homeland can await firm settlement, such as repatriation or potential third-country resettlement.’…

“It lacks details of where they’ll be located, how they’ll be protected, how much the scheme will cost, whether a no-fly zone will be implemented, and the risk of US/Russia confrontation over this very sensitive issue. Safe zones will illegally redraw Syria’s map, violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity, what Damascus and Moscow strongly oppose.

“Last year, Joint Chiefs chairman General Joseph (‘fighting Joe’) Dunford said implementing safe and no-fly zones ‘require(s) us to go to war with Syria and Russia.’ Former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin Dempsey warned about greater intervention in Syria, including the perils of establishing safe and no-fly zones, saying it could involve thousands of US troops.

“Costs could run ‘in the billions.’ The plan requires ‘hundreds of ground and sea-based aircraft, intelligence and electronic warfare support, and enablers for refueling and communications.’ Dempsey estimated over $1 billion a month in cost, explaining around 70,000 US troops would be needed, warning the entire scheme could backfire. Greater regional conflict could follow, turning a bad situation into potential disaster.

“Syria needs humanitarian aid, peace, stability, reconstruction, and employment for its displaced people so they can begin rebuilding their lives. Obama’s war wrecked them. Greater US intervention for the wrong reasons risks escalated conflict instead of all-out efforts to resolve it. Trump’s safe zones scheme sounds more like a declaration of war than a good faith effort to end it.”

Donald Trump the Least Popular US President in at Least 40 Years

Yahoo News reported on January 30:

“It took former President George W. Bush 1,205 days to reach a majority disapproval rating. Former President Barack Obama crossed that threshold in 936 days. And President Donald Trump did it in just over a week.

“The Republican, who was sworn in on Jan. 20 as the least popular president in at least 40 years, hit majority disapproval in a record eight days, a new Gallup poll… finds. As of Saturday, 51 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump.

“Trump’s majority disapproval rating comes after a tumultuous first week in office… By contrast, it took at least several hundred days for the majority of Americans to disapprove of the past five presidents…”

“Stocks Fall Most This Year”

Newsmax on January 30:

“Major U.S. stock indexes posted their largest drop so far in 2017 on Monday as investors worried that a curb on immigration ordered by Donald Trump was a reminder that some of the U.S. president’s policies are not market-friendly. An executive order issued by Trump on Friday banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries…

“Airline stocks fell, with American Airlines down 4.4 percent and United Continental down 3.6 percent. At least one analyst cited worries over the travel ban to the United States. ‘The concern is that (Trump’s) travel ban starts to encompass more countries or that there are more stringent restrictions on travel to the U.S.,’ or other countries retaliate, said Stifel analyst Joseph DeNardi…”

Brexit Under Way

BBC News reported on February 1:

“MPs have voted by a majority of 384 to allow Prime Minister Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way. They backed the government’s European Union Bill, supported by the Labour leadership, by 498 votes to 114. But the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrat leadership opposed the bill, while 47 Labour MPs and Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke rebelled.

“The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law. The prime minister has set a deadline of 31 March for invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, getting official talks with the EU started… Talks with the EU are expected to last up to two years, with the UK predicted to leave the 28-member organisation in 2019.”

Tusk Attacks Trump, Pleads for European Unity

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 30:

“The Trump administration has joined Russia, China and radical Islam as a geopolitical challenge for the European Union, EC President Donald Tusk said in a letter. Tusk also called on EU member states to stand together. In a letter to the European Union’s (EU) national leaders, European Council (EC) President Donald Tusk said Tuesday that the bloc’s current challenges ‘are more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome 60 years ago.’

“Tusk highlighted an ‘assertive China,’ ‘Russia’s aggressive policy’ in Eastern Europe, and ‘radical Islam’ as key external threats to the EU. These factors ‘as well as worrying declarations by the new American administration all make our future highly unpredictable,’ he said, referencing the Trump administration.

“Tusk’s [letter] reflects the worries of many European national leaders regarding the Trump presidency. ‘Particularly the change in Washington puts the European Union in a difficult situation; with the new administration seeming to put into question the last 70 years of American foreign policy,’ Tusk wrote.”

Der Spiegel wrote that Tusk did “right” in responding in this way to the “provocations of the White House,” and that it is hoped that the European leaders will support Tusk in this and not shy away from it.

“EU Needs Strong Military Force”

The Prague Daily Monitor wrote on January 30:

“The European Union cannot further rely on doing without a military force if it wants to keep influence on the international scene, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek [said]. The EU has too long believed that it can do with ‘soft capabilities’ only, but it needs to enhance its defence capability in future, otherwise its influence will decline, Zaoralek said. A similar effect could be seen in connection with the recent peace talks on Syria in Astana, Kazakhstan, to which the EU was not invited, Zaoralek said.

“‘A ceasefire is being discussed by those who have weapons and are present in Syria, but we are unwilling to make a military intervention in the country. As a result, we have been ousted from [the negotiations] that concern us immensely. All of us know that the fate of Syria, its peace and reconstruction are crucially tied with the safety and fate of Europe,’ Zaoralek said.

“The EU has not intervened in the Syrian conflict by sending in soldiers, but mainly by providing humanitarian aid to the afflicted regions. This, however, will not be enough in [the] future, if the EU is to keep influence on the international scene, Zaoralek said… He said he would welcome it if the EU started to intensively work on forming its own military units…

“The debate on forming a European military has been promoted in Brussels by Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka… and the idea was jointly supported by the Visegrad Group (V4) comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

“Europe’s capability of making a military intervention and acting unitedly is also crucial in relation to the USA, Zaoralek said. A number of EU countries, many of which are members of NATO, consider their NATO membership a guarantee of their safety. However, the new U.S. president, Donald Trump, previously said the USA would ponder on whether to help them as a NATO ally, if attacked, if their spending on defence failed to meet their promises…”

Trump–Nightmare for Europe?

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 30:

“The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator said Donald Trump’s presidency is the newest threat to the European Union. Speaking to a group of scholars at a public policy institute in London, Guy Verhofstadt said the EU is facing a three-pronged attack from radical Islamists, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and now US President Trump. ‘I have just come back from US and my view is that we have a third front that is undermining the EU… and that is Donald Trump,’ Verhofstadt said in a speech at the Chatham House think-tank…  Verhofstadt was the prime minister of Belgium for nine years, and has been a member of the European Parliament since 2009…

“In addition to Verhofstadt’s recent trip to the US, Trump’s choice for ambassador to the EU – Ted Malloch, a long-time EU critic – raised eyebrows when asked by a BBC presenter on Friday why he wanted to be the US ambassador to the EU. ‘Well,’ he replied, ‘I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union, so maybe there’s another Union that needs a little taming.’”

Will Trump Make Europe Great Again?

ETF Daily News reported on January 30:

“Donald Trump’s promise to put America first might actually help make Europe great again.

“First, while the new U.S. administration aims to discourage imports into the U.S. and boost domestic production, European exporters should still be able to increase their market share in the U.S. for some time…

“Switching demand away from foreign to domestic goods could work eventually, but in the near term, there simply isn’t enough quality and capacity in U.S. manufacturing to fill the gap. Most of the ‘Make America Great Again’ hats that Trump supporters were sporting at the inauguration were manufactured in China or Vietnam, and it will take a while, and a major relative price change, before we see the more affluent Americans favor Chevrolet, Lincoln, Chrysler and Jeep over BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Range Rover.

“Second, the prospect of a more protectionist U.S. administration, together with existing local pressures from populist movements, will likely provoke policy responses in Europe aimed at stimulating domestic demand and potential growth…

“Third, a more isolationist U.S. foreign and defense policy could catalyze a new joint European defense initiative. Committing to a common defense budget, financed by joint issuance, to counter actual or perceived external threats is a much easier sell than other forms of fiscal union…”

Is Ivanka Trump Really Jewish?

The Times of Israel wrote on January 26:

“Last summer, Israel’s religious authorities issued a ruling that raised doubts about her conversion to Judaism… President Donald Trump’s daughter converted to Judaism under a prominent Orthodox rabbi in Manhattan before her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, an observant Jew.  In its ruling last July, an Israeli state religious court rejected the legitimacy of another conversion by the same rabbi. Although it didn’t directly affect Ivanka Trump, it raised questions as to whether Israel’s powerful religious establishment would recognize her as being Jewish.

“But in early December, just weeks after Trump’s election victory, Israel’s chief rabbis said they would work to change the rules for recognizing conversions performed abroad – and they singled out Ivanka Trump… Israeli activists say the sudden policy change appears to be an attempt to curry favor with the new US president. Ivanka Trump’s husband has been appointed a senior adviser to Trump and is expected to focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts… ‘The timing is certainly suspicious,’ said Rabbi Seth Farber, director of ITIM, an organization that represents converts seeking recognition from the rabbinate. ‘My biggest fear is that the rabbinate will find some way to find Ms. Trump kosher, to recognize her conversion, but leave thousands of other converts behind, simply saying they’re not Jewish enough for us.’

“… Israel’s Orthodox establishment does not recognize conversions performed by the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, to which most American Jews belong… Secular Israelis often wed in civil ceremonies abroad to avoid the rabbinate, while many ultra-Orthodox Jews dismiss the rabbinate’s certification of kosher food as too lax…”

Is Jared Kushner’s Influence Diminishing?

JTA wrote on January 31:

“Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have been called the two most influential Jews in America, owing to their proximity to Ivanka’s dad. But is Shabbat preventing them from having the president’s ear? That’s the contention of an article in Vanity Fair, which claims that Jared and Ivanka were unaware of the growing protests over President Trump’s ban on refugees and other travelers from predominantly Muslim countries because Trump signed the executive order close to sundown on Friday. Shabbat observance includes abstaining from electronics from Friday at sundown until Saturday night, and usually renders observant Jews incommunicado for that 25-hour period.

“The article says Shabbat may also have been to blame for Ivanka’s tweet, posted just after midnight Sunday morning, showing her and Jared in the formal wear they wore during that night’s exclusive Alfalfa Club dinner, at the same time that protesters were massing in airports nationwide against what critics were calling a ‘Muslim ban.’ Because Shabbat had just ended, the article says, Ivanka was only ‘obliquely’ aware of the unrest…

“Trump signed the order at 4:42 p.m. Friday. Candle-lighting, the moment when many observant Jews begin Shabbat observance, came in at 5:06. Sundown, the latest possible time by which Shabbat must begin, was 18 minutes later, at 5:24. Shabbat ended Saturday at 6:08 p.m…

“Shabbat hasn’t been an obstacle to other observant Jews in senior government roles. Jack Lew, a Shabbat observer who served as President Obama’s chief of staff and treasury secretary, would get on the phone during moments of crisis…

“Perhaps the most famous Orthodox Jew in government, former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, also made Shabbat observance work with his obligations to the country. During the debate over universal health care in 2010, Lieberman once walked five miles across Washington, D.C. so he could attend synagogue and then participate in a vote, according to The Hill. The article also said Lieberman answered his phone during ‘times of national emergency.’

“Even Jared and Ivanka themselves have reportedly bent the rules of Shabbat in deference to their new advisory roles. The couple allegedly received a rabbi’s permission to travel in a car after sundown on January 20 so they could safely attend post-inaugural events… Jewish law prohibits the observant from discussing their business matters on Shabbat, although wide latitude is giving for those involved in public safety or life-saving professions.

“Others have speculated in the past that Shabbat has undermined the moderating role Jared and Ivanka are expected to play within Trump’s inner circle. A September Huffington Post profile of Ivanka posited that some of Trump’s most inflammatory tweets came on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, when similar restrictions apply…

“The Vanity Fair’s most significant contention, at least from the perspective of Jared and Ivanka watchers, is that the couple’s influence in the nascent administration is ‘flagging.’ ‘Less than a fortnight into his new post, Kushner appears unable to control both his father-in-law and those around him. (On the same day as Trump’s visit to the Pentagon, the White House acknowledged International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a statement that omitted mention of the Jews.),’ according to the article.”

The Vanity Fair’s article of January 30 also stated this:

“Kushner appears unable to control his father-in-law—and is ‘furious’ that his efforts are being undermined… As the work week came to a close, Trump quietly announced from a wooden desk what would surely be the most controversial measure of them all: a ban on refugees from around the globe. Trump would temporarily halt migration, in particular, from seven predominantly Muslim countries, such as Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Sudan. Saudi Arabia, where the plotters behind the 9/11 attacks had hailed, was notably absent, among other nations. As others have noted, Trump has business interests in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates…

“Last week, the president personally called the Park Service on the morning after his inauguration to inquire about the size of the crowds who came to watch him take the oath of office. He subsequently delivered a widely derided speech at C.I.A. headquarters that afternoon, during which he blathered on about the media’s treatment of him and his inaugural crowd size. He then sent his press secretary, Sean Spicer, into the briefing room to falsely claim that it was the largest audience for an inauguration in history. During the tumult, some noticed the conspicuous absence of Kushner’s allegedly calming presence. ‘He wasn’t rolling calls on Saturday when this happened,’ one person close to Kushner told me last week. ‘To me, that’s not a coincidence.’…

“… his most pivotal role within Trumplandia may have been his ability to manage the more severe messages being pushed out by the likes of Stephen Bannon and Stephen Miller. As one source put it to me last week, Kushner has been the ‘secure line’ into the White House… Kushner’s influence on his boss may be flagging. Last week, Kushner spent 24 hours trying to broker a meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto… Ultimately, Peña Nieto agreed…  Less than 12 hours later, though, it all fell apart… the meeting was canceled. ‘Kushner was… furious,’ the source told me…”

The Vanity Fair article has received great attention in Germany as well. Bild Online published a lengthy article about the perceived fall-out between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kushner, while providing a link to the article of Vanity Fair.

The Pig-Human Embryo

National Geographic write on January 26:

“In a remarkable—if likely controversial—feat, scientists announced today that they have created the first successful human-animal hybrids. The project proves that human cells can be introduced into a non-human organism, survive, and even grow inside a host animal, in this case, pigs… The team created what’s known scientifically as a chimera: an organism that contains cells from two different species…

“In the past, human-animal chimeras have been beyond reach. Such experiments are currently ineligible for public funding in the United States… Public opinion, too, has hampered the creation of organisms that are part human, part animal.

“But for lead study author Jun Wu of the Salk Institute, we need only look to mythical chimeras—like the human-bird hybrids we know as angels—for a different perspective. ‘In ancient civilizations, chimeras were associated with God,’ he says, and our ancestors thought ‘the chimeric form can guard humans.’ In a sense, that’s what the team hopes human-animal hybrids will one day do…”

“Weird” is the right word… and an understatement.

Key Statements from President Trump’s Inauguration Speech

“What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again…

“For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; We’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own; And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon…

“But that is the past… From this moment on, it’s going to be America First… We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and Hire American…

“We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow…

“The Bible tells us, ‘how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity’… When America is united, America is totally unstoppable. There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God…

“No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again… A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

“It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag. And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator…”

These statements speak for themselves. We will leave it to the reader to evaluate them; but this should be done in the light of biblical values, teachings, and prophecy.

The Trump Administration and Obamacare

Reuters reported on January 22:

“The Trump administration may no longer enforce a rule requiring individual Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty if they do not, a senior White House official said on Sunday. Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week’ program, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said President Donald Trump ‘may stop enforcing the individual mandate.’ Separately, on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’ show, she reiterated Republican promises that no one would lose their health insurance under Obamacare while a replacement is being developed. ‘For the 20 million who rely upon the Affordable Care Act in some form, they will not be without coverage during this transition time,’ she said.

“On Friday Trump signed an executive order concerning the 2010 healthcare law, urging U.S. agencies to ‘waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation’ of provisions deemed to impose fiscal burdens on states, companies or individuals… Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ reiterated Republican promises to replace Obamacare and allow patients to buy health insurance across state lines using health savings accounts. ‘We’re going to move carefully in conjunction with the administration to repeal and replace it with things like health savings accounts and interstate health insurance sales and high-risk pools at the state level to take care of people who have pre-existing conditions,’ he said.”

The Huffington Post wrote on January 22:

“Just last week, a report from the Congressional Budget Office predicted that removing the individual mandate but keeping other Obamacare provisions, such as the pre-existing condition guarantee, would lead to premiums jumping by 20 to 25 percent within a year, above and beyond current projections.”

Mr. Trump Won’t Release His Tax Returns

Newsmax wrote on January 22:

“President Donald Trump will not release his tax returns after winning the election and being sworn in, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said Sunday… The position of not releasing the returns counters a campaign statement the returns [would] be released after an audit was completed.”

In a related article, Newsmax wrote on January 22:

“WikiLeaks is calling for someone to send it President Donald Trump’s tax returns so it can release them to the world… WikiLeaks had been derided for being partisan and supporting President Trump’s campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton,  but Sunday’s tweet seemed to combat its political lean… WikiLeaks even tweeted another shot Sunday at President Trump’s seemingly broken campaign promise of releasing his tax returns after an audit was completed: ‘Trump’s breach of promise over the release of his tax returns is even more gratuitous than Clinton concealing her Goldman Sachs transcripts.’

“Speaking of broken promises, Julian Assange said he would agree to U.S. extradition if Chelsea Manning was granted clemency by President Barack Obama. But once Manning’s sentence was commuted by President Obama on Tuesday, Assange reneged on his promise. [Assange’s lawyer told The Hill that the extradition offer was only on the table if Manning were to be released immediately. Manning, who stole 750,000 pages of documents and videos and released them to WikiLeaks in 2010, is set to be discharged on May 17.]

Our word should be as good as gold, without ignoring to fulfill a given promise or trying to find loopholes in what one has clearly promised.

Confusing Stance on NATO in Trump Administration

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 23:

“US Defense Secretary James Mattis has reassured his British counterpart of the ‘unshakeable commitment’ the US has toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a Pentagon spokesman said Monday… Less than a week on the job, Mattis also spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to affirm the importance of the alliance…

“Mattis’ calls to European defense officials comes less than two weeks after US President Donald Trump told the German daily ‘Bild’ and British newspaper ‘The Times’ that the alliance was ‘obsolete.’”

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Proceed with Keystone Pipeline

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 24:

“In a move that will enrage climate change and environment activists, Trump has signed an executive order to proceed with the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines… President Donald Trump has resurrected the controversial construction of [the] two oil pipelines that his predecessor Barack Obama had blocked on environmental grounds in 2015.

“On Tuesday, the new Republican president authorized both projects on the condition that American steel is used… The Obama administration stopped Keystone, which will carry crude oil from Canada to Texas along a 1,897km (1,178 miles) route, just over a year ago due to concerns over the damage such quantities of fossil fuels would do to the environment.

“Meanwhile Dakota Access, an almost identical length pipeline which is planned to transport 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day across four states from North Dakota to Illinois, has attracted controversy not only because of the potential environmental impact but because it disturbs the land of the Sioux Native American people and will potentially contaminate their drinking water…”

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Withdraw from TPP

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 23:

“The new US president has signed an executive order to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 12 Asian countries… The TPP was negotiated under former President Barack Obama, but never ratified by Congress…  Donald Trump also reiterated threats to impose a significant ‘border tax’ on companies that move production of products outside of the US to other countries.

“During a meeting in Washington, he told the chief executives of Ford, Dow Chemical, Dell Technologies, and Tesla that companies were welcome to negotiate with governors to move production between US states. But those businesses that choose to move factories abroad would pay a price. ‘We are going to be imposing a very major border tax on the product when it comes in,’ the US president warned, adding: ‘A company that wants to fire all of its people in the United States, and build some factory someplace else, and then thinks that that product is going to just flow across the border into the United States – that’s not going to happen.’

“At the same meeting… Trump said he would seek to cut corporate taxes to the 15 to 20 percent range – down from current statutory levels of 35 percent. In addition, the new US president promised to cut regulations, saying business leaders had told him that reducing those was ‘even more important’… He also said he planned to hold meetings with American CEOs on a quarterly basis or whenever they wanted to in order to address their concerns.”

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Build the US-Mexican Border Wall

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 25:

“President Trump has signed an executive order to start building his promised US-Mexican border wall. It could be one of the most costly US state projects ever. The executive order sets out to fulfill one of Trump’s key campaign promises, to build a wall along the 3,110-kilometer (1,933-mile) border between the US and its southern neighbor, Mexico… Ahead of the signing on Wednesday, Trump said in a television interview: ‘There will be a payment; it will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form.’

“In February last year, Trump told MSNBC he could finish the wall for $8 billion (7.4 billion euros) as a barrier already existed along parts of the border… However, others have put the cost far higher [saying that building] the rest of it would cost between $15 billion and $25 billion, with an annual maintenance cost of $700 million.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 26:

“After Donald Trump told President Pena Nieto not to visit the US unless Mexico intended to pay for Trump’s border wall, the Mexican president has taken the advice, calling off next Tuesday’swork meeting… Pena Nieto’s tweet followed about three hours after Trump threw down the gauntlet, challenging his Mexican counterpart to cancel their meeting if Mexico isn’t prepared to pay for the wall…

“Late Thursday afternoon Trump called for a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports as a means for Mexico to effectively pay for the wall. His spokesman Sean Spicer said the tax would be more than enough to pay for the wall. ‘By doing that, we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone,’ he said.

“Trump initially dismissed the canceled meeting, saying it would have been ‘fruitless.’ But then he claimed that the cancellation was a decision he made jointly with his Mexican counterpart…

“In canceling the trip the Mexican president [declared]: ‘I’ve said it time and time again: Mexico will not pay for the wall’…”

Newsmax added on January 26:

“President Donald Trump wants to pay for his proposed southern border wall by slapping a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico. White House spokesman Sean Spicer says Trump has discussed the idea with congressional leaders and wants to include the measure in a comprehensive tax reform package.

“But then later, at the White House, Spicer tried to take back his earlier comments by saying the 20 percent tax is one of several options under consideration and Trump hasn’t settled on it as the way to recoup construction costs for building the wall.”

President Trump to Sign Executive Order to Reduce Funding of UN

The Independent wrote on January 26:

“Donald Trump [is] to sign [an] executive order to dramatically reduce funding of United Nations. The upcoming order would dramatically reduce the US’ role in the UN and other international organisations…

“He also signed an executive order on Monday, re-instating the Ronald Reagan-era law which prohibits federal funding for any international organisation that carries out abortions or even mentions abortions, or tells its patients or clients where to go to get an abortion.”

Religious Leaders and Churches Opposed to Trump’s Immigration Orders

The Huffington Post wrote on January 25:

“President Donald Trump’s first week in office has signaled major changes are on the way for immigrants and refugees seeking new lives in the United States. On Wednesday, Trump signed executive orders to move forward on the construction of a wall on the southwest border and crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities, a broad term that refers to jurisdictions that do not fully cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts.

“Congressional sources also confirmed to The Huffington Post that the president is expected to issue an executive order later this week that will dramatically restrict refugee admissions to the U.S. and deny visas to individuals from countries his administration deems high-risk.

“Many religious organizations that support refugee and immigrant populations responded to Wednesday’s news with dismay. ‘Catholic teaching is very clear: we are called to welcome the stranger,’ Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice said in a statement. ‘President Trump’s actions today are antithetical to our faith.’

“A draft of the order on refugee resettlement obtained by HuffPost indicates that the Trump administration is planning [to] block refugee admissions from the war-torn country of Syria indefinitely. It also plans to suspend refugee admissions from all countries for 120 days and ban all ‘immigrant and nonimmigrant’ entry of individuals from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen for 30 days. ‘This decision will mean that many of those who are the most vulnerable, the most at risk of further violence, the least likely to be able to fend for themselves, are now to be left without hope. Such a position does not reflect who we are as a nation, or as a people of faith,’… Canon E. Mark Stevenson, director of Episcopal Migration Ministries said.

“Refugees undergo a stringent, two-year long vetting process once they are recommended by the U.N. refugee agency for resettlement in the U.S. It includes various security and medical clearances as well as cultural orientation. If the U.S. government stops processing or admitting people even for a week, ‘their exit visa expires or their medical expires, they have to go back and start all over,’ Nina Zelic, director for refugee services for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, told HuffPost.

“Robert Bank, president and CEO of American Jewish World Service, noted that there was a time when the U.S. ‘acted with indifference to Jewish and other refugees from Europe during World War II.’ He urged the Trump administration not to let history repeat itself. ‘We object in the strongest terms to the demonization of Muslims by the new American administration,’ Bank said in a statement. ‘We understand what it means for a community to be demonized by authoritarian powers, and we regret that President Trump does not understand this lesson from the darkest chapters in world history.’

“Leaders from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Unitarian Universalist Association, Church World Service, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the United Church of Christ and a host of other faith-based organizations also criticized Trump’s actions. ‘If the president does go through with an executive order to suspend refugee resettlement and to close access to asylum seekers, we know that many lives will be put at risk and hopes for a future will be destroyed,’ said Susan Krehbiel, of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Faith organizations and local congregations may need to pick up the slack, she added, ‘to mitigate the abandonment of the federal government to this cause’…

“John C. Dorhauer, who serves as the general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, said: ‘As a religious leader, I am gravely concerned. I ask myself: when do we stop being America?…’

“Despite the outcry from many faith leaders, some of Trump’s own religious advisors argued that although the Christian faith commands believers to welcome the stranger, this imperative does not apply to the government. ‘It’s not a biblical command for the country to let everyone in who wants to come, that’s not a Bible issue,’… Franklin Graham, a prominent evangelical pastor and the president of the international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, told HuffPost.

“But Sister Campbell urged senators and representatives to ‘remember what Pope Francis said when he addressed Congress, “We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners.”’”

The Huffington Post also stated that according to Section 9 of the draft executive order, it is planned to “suspend the visa interview waiver program indefinitely” and to instead require everyone seeking entry into the USA, including visitors, to undergo “an in-person interview” at the American consulate or embassy. If enacted, this short-sighted and ill-conceived procedure would be extremely burdensome for tourists or business personnel from any country, including all European nations, and it would have serious consequences and repercussions for the USA, as foreign countries would surely enact similar burdensome laws for Americans wishing to enter their countries. This could result in a serious decline of the American economy and would certainly contribute to further anti-Americanism around the world. In addition, it would definitely hurt the Church of God tremendously, which gives us an indication as to who is truly behind these contemplated measures.

Jewish Organizations Oppose Trump’s Proposed Executive Order on Immigration

JTA wrote on January 25:

“Several liberal Jewish groups have decried a leaked draft of an executive order from President Donald Trump that would temporarily bar refugees and immigrants from some Muslim countries from entering the United States. The draft, which was leaked to the media Wednesday, bars the entrance of noncitizens from certain Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia, for 30 days. It also suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days, and bans refugees from Syria from entering the U.S. until further notice. When the refugee program resumes, the government may prioritize asylum claims from members of persecuted religious minorities.

“The executive order would begin to make good on Trump’s pledge during the campaign to bar Muslims, later amended to citizens of countries compromised by terrorism, from entering the United States. A chorus of Jewish groups criticized the proposal when Trump first announced it in 2015, and several liberal Jewish groups slammed it again Wednesday. ‘History will look back on this order as a sad moment in American History – the time when the president turned his back on people fleeing for their lives,’ read a statement from Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. ‘This will effectively shut America’s doors to the most vulnerable people in the world who seek refuge from unspeakable pain and suffering.’

“Other groups also recalled past Jewish suffering in opposing the executive order. Ahead of the Holocaust, the United States denied entry to Jewish refugees, most notably turning back the M.S. St. Louis, a ship carrying nearly 1,000 German Jews. ‘As Jews, we recognize the danger in any action that singles out people based on their religious beliefs,’ read a statement by Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center, the Reform movement’s legislative advocacy arm. ‘If the order is issued as anticipated, it is deeply troubling, rooted in exclusion and discrimination, and echoes the most shameful parts of our history. ’

“Bend The Arc Jewish Action, a liberal advocacy group, endorsed a rally opposing the executive order to be held Wednesday in front of the White House. Other groups that oppose the draft order include the American Jewish World Service, which provides aid to poor countries, and Jewish Voice for Peace, which endorses the movement to boycott Israel. ‘Making decisions on who is welcome in our country based solely on their religion or national origin is fundamentally un-American,’ said a statement by Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc. ‘As Jews, we know what it’s like to be scapegoated and we will not be silent now.'” 

Donald Trump Rebuked for Condoning Torture

Reuters reported on January 26:

“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have joined global human rights groups in their rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump for condoning torture.

“Trump told ABC television in an interview on Wednesday that he thought waterboarding ‘worked’ as an intelligence-gathering tool but would defer to his cabinet on whether to use it in interrogations.

“‘These practices of torturing detainees and “disappearing” them in black sites are serious crimes which must never be repeated,’ Ian Seiderman, Legal and Policy Director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said in a statement.”

The State Department’s Entire Senior Administrative Team Resigned

The Washington Post wrote on January 26:

“Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s job running the State Department just got considerably more difficult. The entire senior level of management officials resigned Wednesday, part of an ongoing mass exodus of senior Foreign Service officers who don’t want to stick around for the Trump era… [It] amounts to a near-complete housecleaning of all the senior officials that deal with managing the State Department, its overseas posts and its people…

“Several senior Foreign Service officers in the State Department’s regional bureaus have also left their posts or resigned since the election. But the emptying of leadership in the management bureaus is more disruptive because those offices need to be led by people who know the department and have experience running its complicated bureaucracies…

“By itself, the sudden departure of the State Department’s entire senior management team is disruptive enough. But in the context of a president who railed against the U.S. foreign policy establishment during his campaign and secretary of state with no government experience, the vacancies are much more concerning…”

UK and USA to Be Global Leaders?

The Guardian wrote on January 26:

“In a foreign policy speech that marks a clear break with the liberal interventionism of the Tony Blair and David Cameron eras, the UK’s prime minister said there must be ‘no return to the failed policies of the past’ that saw Britain bogged down in conflicts in the Middle East.

“As she prepared to meet Donald Trump in Washington, amid profound anxiety in Europe about how he will choose to exercise American power, May insisted that the ‘days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over’.

“But she stressed that the two countries should still meet their ‘obligations of leadership’ to tackle ‘new global challenges’, including the conflict in Syria and the fight against Islamic State.

“… Downing Street is keen to demonstrate that Britain intends to play a key role in world affairs after leaving the European Union…

“May suggested global leadership by the US and the UK had become all the more necessary, because of the rise of ‘new enemies of the west and our values’ and fears that fast-growing economies such as China and India could ‘eclipse’ the west…”

 “UK Government Covered Up ‘Disastrous Failure’ in Nuclear Missile Test”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 22:

“A British newspaper [the Sunday Times] has alleged that an unarmed nuclear missile veered off course and headed toward the US in a 2016 test…

“The newspaper cited an anonymous senior naval source who claimed that the unarmed Trident II D5 missile failed after being launched from a British submarine off the coast of the US state of Florida in June. The cause of the failure was top secret, but the source said the missile may have accidentally veered towards the mainland. ‘There was a major panic at the highest level of government and the military after the first test of our nuclear deterrent in four years ended in disastrous failure,’ the source told the paper. ‘Ultimately, Downing Street decided to cover up the failed test. If the information was made public, they knew how damaging it would be to the credibility of our nuclear deterrent.’…

“According to ‘The Times,’ Britain has conducted only five tests of Trident missiles from submarines since 2000, partly due to the 17 million pound cost of each launch. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a strident critic of nuclear weapons, said it was a ‘pretty catastrophic error’ for a missile to go in the wrong direction…”

If these allegations are true, then we can easily see how nuclear war could occur due to inadvertent mistakes.

Doomsday Clock Moving Closer to Midnight

The Telegraph wrote on January 25:

“The Doomsday Clock, which symbolises the current threat of global annihilation, is expected to be moved closer to midnight by scientists. The countdown was established in 1947 by a group of experts who were working on the Manhattan Project to design and build the first atomic bomb. They wanted a simple way of demonstrating the danger to Earth and humanity posed by nuclear war. The clock is currently running at three minutes to midnight, where 00.00 represents the end of humanity. But the Bulletin of the Atomic Science is expected to move it forward by one minute on Thursday, the closest it has ever been to the apocalypse since 1953 when the US took the decision to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with the hydrogen bomb…

“In a statement the scientists said: ‘Tensions between the United States and Russia that remain at levels reminiscent of the Cold War, the danger posed by climate change, and nuclear proliferation concerns – including the recent North Korean nuclear test – are the main factors influencing the decision about any adjustment that may be made to the Doomsday Clock.’ On Sunday it posted an article on its website warning that ‘terrorism involving nuclear or radiological materials remains one of the gravest threats to humanity and to global stability’. The scientists also warned of ‘accidental, unauthorised, or inadvertent nuclear exchange between the United States and Russia’, saying that the two countries had 800 warheads on high alert, ready to launch.

“… The clock was last moved in 2015, when the scientists took it two minutes forward, so that it currently reads three minutes to midnight. That sent a message that the Earth was closer to oblivion than any time since the early days of hydrogen bomb testing and 1984…”

Deutsche Welle reported on January 26:

“The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists unveiled its updated Doomsday Clock on Thursday – and it doesn’t look good. The symbolic countdown to man-made global destruction now stands at two and a half minutes to midnight – the closest it has been since 1953.

“The clock – which serves as a visual metaphor for how close humans are to destroying the world with technology – has moved up for the first time by 30 seconds due, in large part, to the comments by the new US President Donald Trump…  about expanding the US nuclear arsenal…”

Russia Warns of World War III

The Russian government-sponsored Pravda wrote on January 20:

“… a war between Russia and the Western bloc would drag the whole world into it. Only 100 years ago the world was dragged into a serious war that went on for four years. The ambitions of European politicians thrust the world into an irreversible conflict in three weeks. This conflict was the First World War and led to deaths of 20 million people. Twenty years later, even before the ink on the peace treaties dried, another much deadlier world war broke out. By the time the warring parties sat round the peace table, 50 million people had lost their lives. A century after all these events, there is no doubt that the conditions have changed dramatically. A potential world war in the 21^st century would likely claim several hundred millions of lives…

“In various places of the world, hundreds of thousands of people are arming themselves with weapons to fight every morning. At any moment, some kind of provocation can ignite the fuse of a great war as the Sarajevo assassination did in 1914… In the civil wars of Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, there are tens of thousands of mercenaries. As for [the] Mediterranean, five aircraft carriers, over a hundred warships, warplanes, helicopters, amphibious transport docks and tens of thousands of soldiers are advancing. An environment where deadly weaponry is stocked with such intensity is no doubt a very risky one…

“War with Russia is a disastrous scenario that shouldn’t even be considered. Tensions with Russia mean putting the entire world into danger…”

The article is filled with ridiculous Russian propaganda, trying to show Russia’s peacefulness vs. European warmongers. We have chosen not to quote those sections. But the sections quoted above are worthy of contemplation.

Will the Trump Administration Attempt to Stop an EU Army?  

Express wrote on January 22:

“The controversial 1000-strong Euro Corps was formed in 1993 and is spearheaded by a German-Franco brigade of troops. It provided HQ staff for operations in Afghanistan in 2004 and currently supports an EU maritime operation against pirates off Somalia. Directed by Brussels it is manned by 10 EU member states and Turkey. While in the EU, Britain used its influence to block its expansion.

“Brexit was met with the immediate publication of plans to build a military new headquarters, as the EU scrambled to reinforce the project’s identity. Separately, Germany’s defence white paper revealed its own ambitions to lead a pan-European force. The moves have caused concern in the Trump camp. ‘… there is big concern about the EU moving towards an EU army, a military of Western Europe,’ said Ted Malloch, President Trump’s new ambassador to the EU, recently.”

It has been our experience that one must be careful with articles published by the Express, dealing with continental European developments. But if it is indeed President Trump’s goal to prevent a powerful European army from developing, he is predestined to fail in this endeavor.

Unprecedented Deterioration between USA and Europe under President Trump

Global Research published the following article on January 19, which was originally published by the World Socialist Web Site:

“Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the United States heralds an unprecedented deterioration in post-war relations between the US and Europe, above all between the US and Germany… Trump praised Britain’s exit from the European Union, describing the EU as a vehicle for German domination… Trump threatened Germany’s auto industry with sanctions and attacked Chancellor Angela Merkel, blaming her refugee policy for destabilising Europe…

“Never before has a US president set as his explicit goal the breakup of the EU. Trump made clear in his interview [with Bild and Times of London] that he was seeking to pit the UK against Germany…

“The response from Europe’s political elite was uniformly hostile. In Germany, Merkel replied, ‘I think we Europeans hold our fate in our own hands.’ Sigmar Gabriel of Merkel’s coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party, insisted, ‘We must not adopt a servile attitude now… In dealing with Trump, we need German self-confidence and a clear stance.’ French President Francois Hollande said that ‘transatlantic cooperation’ will from now on be based on Europe’s own ‘interests and values.’

“Europe’s think tanks and media predicted escalating militarism and an eruption of nationalist tensions. ‘EU member states will have to consider increasing strategic autonomy by reinforcing collective defence inside the EU,’ said Felix Arteaga of the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid…

“The last time tensions emerged sharply between the US and Europe was in 2003, during the run-up to the Iraq War, when US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld denounced France and Germany for failing to support the US in Iraq. Rumsfeld called the two countries ‘old Europe’ and counterposed to them the states of Eastern Europe…”

The article was written from a socialist viewpoint, and we have chosen not to cite most of it. However, the excerpts quoted above are noteworthy.

Donald Trump’s New World Order… Biggest Enemies: Germany and Japan

Der Spiegel wrote on January 20:

“For more than 60 years, the U.S. has promoted European unity. The country introduced the Marshall Plan, it supported the single European market and backed Europe’s eastward expansion following the collapse of the Iron Curtain. But now, a man is entering the White House who is counting on the disintegration of the EU. He would rather negotiate with each country individually, believing that will be more beneficial for America… His only goal is America’s profitability, particularly in global trade, which he sees as a brutal fight for survival…

“The situation could hardly be worse for German Chancellor Angela Merkel… Can Merkel’s Europe now hold together? Can she become a worthy adversary to Trump in the approaching conflicts…?

“That which had seemed inconceivable just a short time ago now appears to be a foregone conclusion: A new era is beginning… For the most part, that is because the 45th president of the United States of America is simply not interested in the world order that has developed since 1945. He is just as disinterested in the trans-Atlantic partnership and the long-cultivated alliances with Western allies…

“Europe finds itself on the eve of an epochal shift of the kind it hasn’t seen since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. Is this the end of the West as we know it, as former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warned a month ago?…

“Russia’s annexation of Crimea was the first indication that the global order that we had enjoyed for 25 years was under threat — and the world simply stood by and watched. Apart from a couple of sanctions, U.S. President Barack Obama left the problem to the Europeans… The new president will likely continue the process that began under his predecessor: America’s withdrawal from global politics. Just that the incoming president is expected to formulate that withdrawal more clearly than Obama did…

“For the last 70 years, Europe could depend on having America at its side. Now, this is no longer a certainty…

“Merkel’s staff has become certain that conflicts with the new U.S. administration will primarily be focused on two policy areas: foreign trade and relations with Russia. The decisive question is: Can Merkel rely on European backing? After the in-coming president made clear this week that he believes the EU has outlived its usefulness, it wasn’t long before European leaders closed ranks…

“The incoming U.S. president has always viewed the EU as an alliance aimed at weakening America’s economy… If Trump sticks with his positions, it is the chancellor’s view that Europe could be facing a great threat…

“America’s Greatest Adversaries [are] Japan and West Germany. That is particularly true when it comes to trade policy, which Trump has for decades seen as a conspiracy against America. For the past several weeks, a March 1990 issue of Playboy magazine has been making the rounds in Merkel’s Chancellery… Inside is a long interview with Trump, in which he talks about what he sees as America’s most dangerous adversaries. He doesn’t mention Russia or Red China, but Japan and West Germany, countries that he said had robbed the U.S. of its self-esteem. ‘Their products are better because they have so much subsidy,’ he said, while America is ensuring that those countries aren’t ‘wiped off the face of the earth in about 15 minutes.’ He concludes his point by saying: ‘Our “allies” are making billions screwing us.’…

“Trump is the end of the world as we know it — that much is clear. Or, as the Economist recently wrote: ‘Things could get much worse.’”

Another Financial Crisis Coming Soon?

The Telegraph wrote on January 21:

“‘If the Trump administration does just half of what it says it’s going to do in economic policy and financial regulation, another financial crash is almost certain and sooner rather than later,’ is the informed verdict of Dennis Kelleher, the head of the Better Markets think tank…

“During the last crash central banks cut interest rates from around 5 per cent to zero and bought up trillions of dollars of bonds and loans to stabilise the system. Governments spent vast amounts of public money to stop banks going bust and devastating the wider economy.

“But today interest rates across the developed world are still close to zero and government debt is much higher than it was in 2008, giving policymakers considerably less room for manoeuvre if the system fails again. The bottom line is that we can’t afford another financial crisis. Yet, thanks to Trump, one may well be coming.”

Wall Street Boom Despite or Because of Trump?

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 26:

“What a historic moment on Wall Street! The Dow Jones industrial index cleared the 20,000-point threshold for the first time ever…

“For most observers, it’s pretty obvious what the current bullish mood on Wall Street is based on. They claim the latest boom is all about hopes the new US president may provide fresh momentum to the domestic economy. There’s a feeling that Donald Trump’s first moves in office have met investors’ expectations…

“One should assume that investors have enough economic wisdom to know where to put their money. They should know tax reductions, investment programs and measures to reduce the debt burden do not really go hand in hand. In principle, financial market players have an inkling that Trump’s plans may not be realistic at all.

“What if the bubble bursts?… After withdrawing from TPP and numerous warnings to carmakers to produce their vehicles in the US, the president is now also getting serious about erecting a Mexican border wall.

“Donald Trump doesn’t seem to realize that the US economy stands to suffer long-term from such measures, which will disrupt well-attuned cross-border supply chains. Some investors are beginning to nurture doubts already. The ‘Global Fund Manager Survey’ says almost 30 percent of big US investors polled fear trade wars might break out as soon as this year.

“Right now, stocks on Wall Street keep rising because of Trump, but soon people will realize they’ve been rising despite Trump… investors are well-advised to be cautious despite the current euphoria around them… shares are a crucial part of people’s old-age pension schemes in the US. Their provisions could be severely hit, should the Trump bubble burst one fine day. And it would be the middle class that would be affected the most – the very people the president has promised to support…”

How Europe Views Donald Trump

The Guardian wrote on January 20:

“Most newspapers across Europe predict that Donald Trump will be a reckless world leader, viewing him as a buffoon and fearing that he will undermine transatlantic relations and weaken the European Union. They are also worried that he might make deals with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, at the expense of smaller countries in central and eastern Europe.

“Newspaper articles published over a seven-day period prior to Trump’s inauguration are said to reveal a level of trepidation about the incoming American president that is probably unparalleled in recent history…

“These findings emerge from an analysis by the European Journalism Observatory of the content of three daily newspapers in each of 10 European countries from 12 to 18 January. The countries studied were Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine and the UK…

“Among the reactions: ‘Europe’s nightmare’ (Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung); ‘Trump ruins the European Union’ (Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza); and ‘Europe could be the first victim of Trump’ (commentator in Italy’s Corriere della Sera)…”

Reaction to Donald Trump’s Inauguration Speech

Most world leaders congratulated Mr. Trump on his inauguration. But reaction from Germany, the United States’ biggest trading partner, and China took a different tone.

Bild wrote on January 21:

“Trump’s Speech was a Declaration of War on the World… Trump will become a big radical experiment of perhaps historical proportions…”

The Guardian wrote on January 21:

“‘What we heard today were high nationalistic tones,’ [Germany’s vice chancellor Sigmar] Gabriel said… ‘I think we have to prepare for a rough ride.’… Europe and Germany must stand together ‘to defend our interests.’…”

“China’s Global Times, a Communist party tabloid, said the ‘impressive’ address signalled that the start of the Trump era would herald ‘dramatic changes’… ‘Frictions between the US and its allies, and trade tensions between the US and China seem inevitable within the four years ahead,’ the state-run newspaper said in an editorial. ‘Undoubtedly the Trump administration will be igniting many “fires” on its front door and around the world. Let’s wait and see when it will be China’s turn’…”

The Pope’s Reaction

AFP wrote on January 21:

“Pope Francis on Saturday warned against populism, saying it could lead to the election of ‘saviours’ like Hitler. In an hour-long interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais conducted as Donald Trump was being sworn in as US president, the pontiff also condemned the idea of using walls and barbed wire to keep out foreigners. ‘Of course crises provoke fears and worries,’ he said but added that for him ‘the example of populism in the European sense of the word is Germany in 1933. Germany… was looking for a leader, someone who would give her back her identity and there was a little man named Adolf Hitler who said ‘I can do it’. Hitler did not steal power,’ the pope said. ‘He was elected by his people and then he destroyed his people.’

“The Germans at that time also wanted to protect themselves with ‘walls and barbed wire so that others cannot take away their identity,’ he said. ‘The case of Germany is classic,’ he said, adding that Hitler gave them a ‘deformed identity and we know what it produced.’

“Pope Francis however underscored that it was too early to pass judgement on Trump. ‘Let’s see. Let’s see what he does and then we will evaluate,’ he said.”

The Pope’s comments about Hitler’s Germany are only partially true. There is no evidence that Germany, under Hitler, was trying to “protect” itself with walls and barbed wires. Rather, this was the official “justification” of Russian-controlled East Germany for building the Berlin Wall. 

Vatican Takes Over Knights of Malta Catholic Order

Newsmax wrote on January 25:

“The Vatican said Wednesday it was taking over the embattled Knights of Malta lay Catholic order in an extraordinary display of papal power after the Knights’ grand master publicly defied Pope Francis in a bitter dispute over condoms. The move marks the intervention of one sovereign state – the Holy See – into the governance of another, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, an ancient aristocratic order that runs a vast charity operation around the globe… The Knights of Malta is a sovereign entity under international law, making the Vatican intervention all the more remarkable.

“… The Order of Malta has many trappings of a sovereign state, issuing its own stamps, passports and license plates and holding diplomatic relations with 106 states, the Holy See included. The Holy See, however, has a unique relationship with the order since it is a Catholic entity…  The knights trace their history to the 11th-century Crusades with the establishment of an infirmary in Jerusalem that cared for people of all faiths.”

Leading European Right-Wing Populists Attend Meeting in Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on January 21:

“The political group Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), which consists of representatives of several populist and anti-immigration parties including Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the French National Front, is holding a convention in the western German city of Koblenz on Saturday. The ENF is the smallest group in the European Parliament… Prominent European populist politicians, including AfD co-leader Frauke Petry, the National Front’s leader and French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and the Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, are attending, along with Matteo Salvini, who head Italy’s Northern League (LN).

“Wilders… hailed the advent of Donald Trump onto the world stage as newly inaugurated US president, saying: ‘Yesterday a free America, today Koblenz, tomorrow a new Europe.’ Trump, who took office on Friday, has advocated a vehement ‘America first’ nationalist stance.”

These parties will not prevail in trying to destroy European unification; rather, their existence will lead to the opposite result: To counter anti-European “nationalism,” European leaders will make an extra effort to facilitate stronger European unity.

Schulz, not Gabriel, Will Run Against Merkel

The Local wrote on January 24:

“Vice Chancellor and the leader of Germany’s Social Democrats, Sigmar Gabriel, made the surprise announcement on Tuesday that he would not run against Chancellor Angela Merkel in September’s general election. Gabriel told Die Zeit newspaper that he would recommend that former European Parliament president Martin Schulz take his place as SPD party chairman and candidate for chancellor.

“… Gabriel told Stern and Die Zeit that he now aimed to become foreign minister, replacing Frank-Walter Steinmeier who is expected to be elected German president next month… The news… came as a shock to political observers in Berlin…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 24:

“Until now, Schulz has been a European politician: He was a European parliamentarian… and served as the president of the European Parliament from 2012 to 2017. But now, Schulz has come into the fold as a national politician in Germany…

“His… character… makes him a popular guest on talk shows. Schulz rarely avoids a confrontation, but that may also be what makes the 62-year-old seem so surprisingly fresh when it comes to debating political issues at home in Germany…

“Schulz has proven time and again, in Brussels and Strasbourg, that he can pack a punch on the issues that will confront him in German domestic politics… Schulz’s clear words are perhaps also why he is so surprisingly popular.

“According to the latest opinion polls, he is as popular among Germans as Chancellor Angela Merkel of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He is also far more popular than SPD leader and current Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 25:

“By naming former EU Parliament President Martin Schulz to run against Angela Merkel for chancellorship, the Social Democrats are back in the game… [They] have started the election year with a bang…

“Martin Schulz, the new chancellor candidate, is someone who is able to match Merkel in terms of popularity, and comes closer to her as a rival for the chancellorship than any other Social Democrat in the last decade. He is a proven supporter of Europe and a great communicator who is able to attack fiercely as well as defend himself with confidence…

“For the voters, the Social Democrats have suddenly become visible again… It is all about showing the Germans that it truly makes a difference who they vote for, that the main parties are not all the same. But one thing is unchanged: a firm commitment to Europe. Amongst the parties represented in the federal parliament in Berlin, there is no room for the nationalism that is growing in parts of Europe and the world – not even in an election year… After years of weakness, the Social Democrats now have a chance to show themselves as a real alternative for Germany.”

Incredulity and Outrage in Germany over Donald Trump

The Financial Times wrote on January 16:

“Donald Trump’s latest verbal assault on Germany, Nato and the EU is forcing the continent’s politicians to consider a challenge they hoped never to confront: dealing with the first US president since the war to champion European disintegration.

“Weeks of wait-and-see thinking in Europe’s diplomatic capitals were blown away on Monday with a gust of plain-speaking rhetoric disparaging the pillars of the transatlantic relationship, and one of Washington’s closest traditional allies. While Angela Merkel’s government tried to turn down the political temperature after Mr Trump’s interviews with The Times and Bild, it was impossible to contain the anger in Berlin at their chancellor being mentioned in the same breath as Vladimir Putin of Russia, let alone being blamed for co-opting the EU and accelerating its destruction with her refugee policy.

“Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, said Mr Trump’s comments were met with ‘astonishment’, adding that he heard first-hand the ‘concern’ of Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary-general. Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, told the Financial Times that Mr Trump’s remarks showed ‘the west’s political unity doesn’t play any role for him’.

“The full ramifications of a real volte-face in Washington’s European outlook are difficult to imagine. The US has been integral to Europe’s postwar security and trade arrangements that have made the Atlantic one of the world’s most lucrative trade corridors.

“The question in Brussels is whether Mr Trump’s agitation for more ‘great’ Brexit moments will amplify the EU’s divisions and challenges, or galvanise the union against a perceived common threat. ‘Donald Trump is calling for Europe’s dislocation: that is not acceptable!’ said Manuel Valls, France’s former prime minister and a centre-left candidate in its presidential elections. ‘We Europeans must be united and say who we are.’

“Should member states rally round, it could have far-reaching implications, not just in rekindling a willingness to integrate in areas such as defence, but also in reinforcing the EU’s resolve to ensure Brexit is a warning to those who may consider leaving. ‘The more they will see the UK looking to the US the more they will want to stick together,’ said one senior EU diplomat closely involved in Brexit talks. ‘The premium on EU unity for the German chancellor is now greater than ever. She is aware of Germany’s special responsibility.’

“Like many in Berlin, Mr Röttgen said he had hoped Mr Trump would soften his approach as his inauguration neared. ‘But he hasn’t changed at all. He says what he said on the campaign trail . . . The fact that he regards Nato as obsolete and that it doesn’t bother him if the EU is split shows he doesn’t care about the west’s unity.’

“For the few European politicians who have been in contact with Mr Trump since the elections… the worrying signs were evident. In a post-election telephone call with Donald Tusk, the European Council president, Mr Trump’s first question was apparently which EU country was ‘leaving next’, according to diplomats familiar with the conversation. Should this view be reflected in Trump policy, it would mark a revolution in US relations with Europe’s main powers, overturning what had been a historically crucial role in bringing together a war-torn continent.

“… With his cheerleading for Brexit, Mr Trump is threatening to act as an agent of division.

“Anti-establishment parties in Italy seized on Mr Trump’s iconoclastic remarks. ‘Trump and Putin say “Nato is obsolete and ill-equipped to fight Islamist terrorism”. I completely agree,’ tweeted Matteo Salvini, the leader of the Northern League.

“Manlio di Stefano, a senior lawmaker from the Five Star Movement on foreign affairs, tweeted an image of Mr Trump’s Bild interview and wrote: ‘The world is changing from east to west, the status quo is being shaken in every way and we are part of that change.’…

“Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said the EU must stand united in the face of Mr Trump’s comments. ‘The best response is European unity,’ he said. ‘As is the case with Brexit, the best way of defending Europe, which is rather what Mr Trump has invited us to do, is to remain united, to remain as a bloc, not to forget that the strength of the Europeans lies in their unity.’”

Mr. Trump’s stance on many political issues will force Europe to unite against the USA… which has long been prophesied in the Bible to occur.

German Leaders Dismayed and Bewildered by Trump Interview

Deutsche Welle reported on January 16:

“Across the board German politicians, including Angela Merkel, and policy experts have sharply criticized a pair of controversial Donald Trump interviews… There was an immediate political outcry against Trump’s characterization of NATO as ‘obsolete’ and ineffective against terrorism as well as his contention that most members failed to pay their fair share of the costs…

“Trump threatened to impose a 35 percent punitive import tax on BMW for any cars made outside the US but intended for the American market… German trade and industry representatives reacted strongly against the suggested tax…

“SPD defense spokesman Rainer Arnold says that there was no reason to hope for a more centrist President Trump. ‘Anyone who thought Trump would be more moderate after he was elected will find himself disappointed,’ Arnold told DW. ‘He is what he is: an irresponsible egomaniac. I see no cause to believe that he’ll become reasonable. I think it will be a terrible presidency.’”

German President Gauck Warns

The Local wrote on January 18:

“Outgoing President Joachim Gauck warned in a talk on Wednesday that his country’s democracy is at risk amid major international shifts, including Donald Trump becoming US President on Friday… Gauck will leave his office on March 18th, and his successor will be chosen on February 12^th… Gauck argued that Germany and Europe must strengthen their defence efforts so that they wouldn’t become a kind of toy to be tossed around according to others’ interests.”

EU Nations Show Defiance for Trump

The Associated Press wrote on January 16:

“European Union nations bracing for the looming Donald Trump presidency showed defiance Monday in the face of the president-elect’s stinging comments on everything from NATO and German cars to the crumbling of the EU itself… German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted: ‘We Europeans have our fate in our own hands’…

“Although Trump had made similar statements about NATO during his election campaign, his recent comments still came as a bit of a surprise since his choice for defense secretary, retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, stressed his support for the NATO military alliance in his U.S. congressional confirmation hearing last week. Trump’s views, in an interview published Monday with German daily Bild and The Times of London, contradict Mattis…

“There have even been fears the U.S. military commitment to Europe would wane under Trump… Whatever his goal, Trump’s comments were strong enough to make him the talk of the town in European capitals…”

Reaction with Fury, Dismay and Concern

The Daily Mail wrote on January 17:

“German politicians have reacted with fury after Donald Trump lashed out at Angela Merkel’s ‘catastrophic’ open-door migration policy and threatened to slap tariffs on imported cars… Mr Trump added that he thought the entire EU had become a ‘vehicle’ for Germany… BMW said it would press ahead with plans for a factory in Mexico despite the Trump threat…”

BBC added on January 16:

“Donald Trump’s comments have caused dismay, concern – but perhaps not surprise – in Berlin. Few expected the new transatlantic relationship to echo the warm and trusting alliance nurtured by Angela Merkel and Barack Obama, who was a vocal supporter of Mrs Merkel’s refugee policy.

“There is anger, too. Germany’s outspoken Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel retorted that the migrant crisis was the result of ‘faulty, interventionist American policies in the Mediterranean and Middle East’. ‘That Mr Trump should take aim at Germany’s car manufacturers has also raised eyebrows… Germans were largely unimpressed by Mr Trump during his election campaign and now, despite his own German heritage, the president-elect is doing little to endear himself.”

“France Hits Back at Trump’s ‘Declaration of War’ on Europe”

The Local wrote on January 17:

“The president of France and his former prime minister have let their feelings be known about US President Elect Donald Trump’s criticism of the EU. Former French prime minister Manuel Valls said Trump’s remarks amounted to a ‘declaration of war on Europe’… French President Francois Hollande replied bluntly on Monday to Donald Trump’s criticism of the European Union, saying the EU ‘has no need for outside advice’ on its affairs.”

Europe Must Act Now

The EUObserver wrote on January 18:

“In a recent Atlantic interview, Henry Kissinger argued that above all, states and politicians around the world need to take the time to understand the implications of a Trump administration. He predicted that a ‘frenzy of studying’ will now take place in an effort to formulate a response to this year’s election. The European Union (EU), however, cannot afford the luxury of a period of reflection. Trump’s election has serious implications for European states and far too much is at stake for Europe to simply wish him well and hope for the best.

“European states must pay attention to what Donald Trump has been saying about European affairs and be prepared to take the necessary precautions. On the issue of European security, Trump is correct. Europe has developed a habit of relying on the US to make its tough foreign policy decisions… Now, European leaders must prepare for its worst-case scenario: a Russia-friendly, isolationist US willing to accept that Europe, to some extent, falls under the Kremlin’s sphere of influence…

“Overall, EU states have seen a trend of decreasing defence spending. Even with the rise of the Islamic State (IS) militant group and escalating Russian aggression, only the Baltic states, Poland, the Netherlands and Romania have increased their defence spending.  Five other states – the UK, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Germany – have decreased their defence budget…

“As Europeans, we should have long been ashamed for letting a valued and loyal partner, which the US has been for over half a century, pick up the cheque for our security. Now we simply have no other choice but to act.

“Secondly, EU defence cooperation must step up… We have already seen successful examples of multinational cooperation in defence in Europe, such as the Benesam programme, a naval cooperation agreement between the Netherlands and Belgium. Multinational EU battlegroups have existed since 2006, even though they have never been tested in combat. The EU also possesses its own military headquarters, the Eurocorps, although it is in effect a command post with no soldiers.  In short, the infrastructure is, to a large extent, already in place. It is time to connect these disjointed dots.

“… the mere election of Donald Trump, an anti-internationalist who has questioned the US commitment to Nato, undermines this basis of NATO’s credibility and our security. For this reason, we must come to terms with the fact that Nato, or at least Nato as an American-backed project, may not in the future form the cornerstone of European security…”

“The World at the Eve of Trump”

The New York Times wrote on January 16:

“The Germans are angry. The Chinese are downright furious. Leaders of NATO are nervous, while their counterparts at the European Union are alarmed.

“Just days before he is sworn into office, President-elect Donald J. Trump has again focused his penchant for unpredictable disruption on the rest of the world. His remarks in a string of discursive and sometimes contradictory interviews have escalated tensions with China while also infuriating allies and institutions critical to America’s traditional leadership of the West.

“No one knows where exactly he is headed — except that the one country he is not criticizing is Russia and its president, Vladimir V. Putin. For now. And that he is an enthusiastic cheerleader of Brexit and an unaffiliated Britain. For now.

“Mr. Trump’s unpredictability is perhaps his most predictable characteristic. The world is accustomed to his provocative Twitter messages, but is less clear about whether his remarks represent meaningful new policy guidelines, personal judgments or passing whims…

“The barrage of inflammatory comments in joint interviews published Sunday and Monday in Britain and Germany elicited alarm and outrage in Europe… nearly everyone agreed that Mr. Trump had made trouble…

“For good measure, Mr. Trump had also infuriated China by using an interview on Friday with The Wall Street Journal to again question China’s longstanding One China policy. It holds that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the mainland. On Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said that anyone trying to use the status of Taiwan for negotiations would be ‘smashing their feet by lifting a rock’ and would face broad and strong opposition from the Chinese government and people, as well as the international community. She added that ‘not everything in the world can be bargained or traded off’…

“Mr. Trump’s interviews in Europe have placed him right in the middle of the Continent’s most contentious issues. His critique of German dominance over the European Union is hardly a novel thought; many Europeans share the same complaints. But what is startling is how an incoming American president would make such a statement about a key ally and, in doing so, give succor to populist parties seeking to shatter the European political establishment…”

“Don’t You Dare! EU Warns Britain There Can Be No Trade Talks With US Until After Brexit”

Express wrote on January 16:

“In a series of blunt remarks, Brussels’ foreign minister Federica Mogherini said it was ‘absolutely clear’ that the UK cannot negotiate with Donald Trump’s administration on even an informal basis until it has fully left the bloc. And she got in a sly dig at Theresa May over how long it has taken the Government to trigger Article 50, questioning why Britain was ‘still here’ seven months after voters chose to quit the troubled bloc.

“The Italian eurocrat made the remarks as she gave a press conference on the outcomes of today’s meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, where discussions were dominated by the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Gaza. She was quizzed about US President-elect Mr Trump’s remarks in a bombshell interview that he did not care if the entire EU collapsed and that he will prioritise relations with Britain over those with Brussels in stark contrast to the outgoing Obama administration.

“Ms Mogherini said she was sure that the European Union will ‘stick together’ even with a eurosceptic president in the White House…

“Unprompted, she then responded to Mr Tump’s promise to strike a trade deal with a newly independent Britain as soon as possible, insisting that Brussels would block any talks on an agreement for as long as the UK continues to be an EU member… And asked about the future of EU-US relations Ms Mogherini was notably lukewarm, suggesting that Brussels has come to terms with the fact that it is going to enjoy a much less fruitful transatlantic partnership as that it has enjoyed under Mr Obama… she added: ‘The EU has its own solid, autonomous, strong polices which are not determined elsewhere than in the places where the EU member states and institutions meet.  ‘We always like to be in good company but we determine our policies by ourselves…’”

Theresa May’s Brexit Plan Not Possible?

Express wrote on January 17:

“The Prime Minister has outlined her European divorce strategy, where she declared Britain will leave the single market as she looks to prioritise regaining control of national borders and slowing immigration. She promised to end the UK’s ‘vast contributions’ to the bloc, but said that she will push for the ‘greatest possible’ access to the single market after Brexit.

“But Michael Fuchs, Mrs Merkel’s senior economic adviser, has warned it will not be possible to strike such as arrangement, as he said Brussels will block Britain from cherry picking its desired access…

“Mr Fuchs insisted Brussels had to be ‘pretty tough’ on the UK, because if they made it too easy for a country to leave the Union it would allow other countries to do the same. ‘This we don’t want, we want to stay together, we want to be a very strong European Union together so it is necessary that we follow our common rules,’ Mr Fuch said.”

The Local wrote on January 18:

“After talks with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in Berlin, the leader of Europe’s top economy said that the remaining EU member states would enter into the negotiations with London with a united front… Looking to Gentiloni, Merkel said that Germany and Italy would ‘closely coordinate’ with each other and with ‘our respective industrial sectors’ as the Brexit talks progressed. ‘I am not worried that we won’t stand together – the most important thing is that Europe won’t let itself be divided and we will ensure this with very close contact,’ she said.”

Italian Tajani Wins Run-Off Vote for Presidency of European Parliament

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 17:

“Long-time Italian commissioner to the EU Antonio Tajani has won the run-off vote to become the new president of the European Parliament. He beat Gianni Pittella in a final run-off vote… His victory followed a pact which was made between his center-right European People’s Party (EPP) group and the liberals, led by Brexit negotiator and former Belgian premier Guy Verhofstadt…

“Tajani’s EPP group is made up of Christian democratic and liberal-conservative politicians including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Tajani’s victory gives the EPP control of all three presidencies of the major EU political institutions…

“The 63-year-old Tajani is a former spokesman for ‘Forza Italia’ political leader and ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi who went on to serve as Italy’s European commissioner for two successive mandates, first for transport and then for industry. His candidacy became stronger following an agreement between Manfred Weber, the German MEP who leads the EPP group and Verhofstadt, the ALDE leader, who withdrew his own candidacy for president in favor of the new alliance…

“The liberal support for Tajani was based on a commitment to set up a group to reflect on the future of the EU, as well as a new committee on EU police cooperation.”

It is rather amusing and at the same time embarrassing to reflect on the ill-informed and ignorant pro-Brexit media, especially in the UK and in the USA, predicting that Italy would leave the EU—considering that the next President of the European Parliament “happens” to be an Italian… and not only that, but also a former spokesman of controversial right-wing Italian ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi.

“‘Lunacy’: US Ambassador Warns of Trump Backing EU Breakup”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“The outgoing US ambassador to the European Union on Friday warned President-elect Donald Trump’s administration of supporting the [European] bloc’s breakup, saying it would be ‘sheer folly.’ ‘To think that by supporting the fragmentation of Europe we would be advancing our interests would be sheer folly. It is lunacy,’ said US Ambassador Anthony Gardner at a final press conference.

“… Gardner called on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with other European leaders who have influence, to ensure Trump’s administration understands the EU stands together for the bloc’s cohesion and integrity.

“… German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday… called on EU member states to remain unified…”

The paradox is that a unified European bloc is not in the best interest of the United States, but neither the Obama nor the Trump administration understand the reason. Regardless, the European bloc will become unified in a much stronger way than ever before.

EU Opposed to US Move of Embassy to Jerusalem

The Associated Press reported on January 16:

“European Union foreign ministers on Monday opposed any plan by President-elect Donald Trump to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and warned that it could ratchet up tensions with the Arab world.

“‘It is very important for us all to refrain from unilateral actions, especially those that can have serious consequences in large sectors of public opinion in large parts of the world,’ EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters after chairing their talks in Brussels… ‘We will for sure not move our delegation. That is in Tel Aviv,’ Mogherini said… Mogherini said that the EU would continue to respect the international consensus that embassies shouldn’t be based in Jerusalem…”

Nikki Haley, Nominated US Ambassador to the UN, Supports Move of US Embassy to Jerusalem

The Associated Press reported on January 18:

“South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley pledged her support for moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a shift firmly endorsed by Donald Trump but one that could trigger more violence in the Middle East. Haley, Trump’s pick to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that she ‘absolutely’ backs the embassy move because that’s what Israel and congressional Republicans want…

“During the hearing, Haley assailed the Obama administration for failing to block a U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Israel’s settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. She pledged to reject future measures that she said unfairly targeted the Jewish state, if the Senate confirms her nomination. Haley said she won’t go to U.N. headquarters in New York and ‘abstain when the U.N. seeks to create an international environment that encourages boycotts of Israel.’ She told the committee the U.N. resolution was ‘a terrible mistake’ that makes a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians harder to achieve.

“Haley also said the U.N. has a ‘long history of anti-Israel bias,’ and that during the most recent U.N. General Assembly session, the international body adopted 20 resolutions against Israel ‘and only six targeting the rest of the world’s countries combined.’”

Great Britain Breaks Ranks with Europe over Israel

JTA wrote on January 17:

“Two days after delegates from more than 70 nations attended the Paris summit on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was wrong to label the meeting ‘useless’… it was neither insignificant nor useless from Israel’s point of view. The summit saw Great Britain break ranks with the countries that did attend in a move that pleased Israel and perhaps the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

“Instead of demonstrating international consensus as intended by France under President Francois Hollande, the summit turned into a showdown between France and the United Kingdom over Israel. In an unprecedented manner, the rift exposed disagreements within a brittle European Union that is bracing for potentially turbulent relations with the United States under Trump.

“The first sign of dissent happened before the summit even began, when the United Kingdom dispatched only junior diplomats. By contrast, Hollande attended, as did 36 foreign ministers, including the U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry. Then, the United Kingdom, along with Australia, declined to join 70 other nations in co-signing a relatively mild statement about preserving the two-state solution, even though it matched positions long supported by the British government – including in its rejection of ‘continued acts of violence and ongoing settlement activity’ and the call for ‘meaningful direct negotiations.’

“It was a stunning about-face that even caught longtime observers of Anglo-Israeli relations by surprise… The British ‘snub’ — as The Guardian termed it — of the Paris peace summit pleased Israeli diplomats…

“The British position was highly unexpected — especially in light of Britain’s leading role, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described it, in drafting and passing on Dec. 23 a U.N. Security Council resolution critical of Israeli settlements. Using far harsher language than that of the summit declaration, the U.N. resolution condemned Israeli settlements as a ‘flagrant violation of international law.’

“Trump has called for the United Kingdom to veto any further action on Israel at the United Nations… Whereas Kerry avidly supported the summit, members of Trump’s transition team signaled their disapproval to French officials, according to The Guardian. The newspaper suggested that May ordered the Paris snub to align her policy with that of Trump…”

Neither Obama nor Trump Honorary Jewish Presidents

The Times of Israel wrote on January 17:

“Beginning with Barack Obama, and now Donald Trump, American presidents seem to so totally identify with aspects of Jewishness that their Jewish supporters regard them, only half ironically, as honorary Jews. That is precisely how Obama described himself in a 2015 speech to the Washington DC congregation, Adas Israel – ‘an honorary member of the tribe, not to mention somebody who’s hosted seven White House seders and been advised by two Jewish chiefs of staff.’ Obama reminded his appreciative audience that a member of their congregation, Jeffrey Goldberg, had once called him ‘the first Jewish president’ – an epithet, he said, that ‘flattered’ him.

“And now we have a new contender for the title. A recent op-ed on the Fox News website predicted that Donald Trump would so vigorously defend Jewish interests that he may well become ‘the first Jewish president.’ And while Obama can boast of two Jewish chiefs of staff, two of Trump’s closest political advisors are observant Jews who also happen to be his daughter and son-in-law.

“Trump’s Jewish opponents would of course be appalled by the notion that a man who for them embodies the antithesis of Jewish values could be regarded as an honorary member of the tribe. No less, Obama’s Jewish opponents have been galled by the honorary Jewishness bestowed on a man they regard as the greatest threat to Israel’s well-being to ever sit in the White House…

“Both Obama and Trump deeply identify with only one part of the Jewish community. And it is precisely that profound identification with ‘his’ Jews that leads each man to resent those Jews in the opposing camp for betraying authentic Jewish values and interests…

“Obama was in effect claiming the right to define Jewish values. Being pro-Palestinian, along with being pro-Israel, he insisted, was the most authentic expression of Judaism. For right-wing Jews, of course, other Jewish values – the historic Jewish claim to the land of Israel, the security needs of the Jewish state – supersede Palestinian claims…

“The intense identification of Obama and Trump with opposing Jewish camps is a dangerous blessing. Affection for the ‘good Jews’ can readily turn into contempt for the ‘bad Jews,’ who betray the particular aspect of Jewishness each man has embraced.

“That dynamic helps explain the depth of Obama’s antipathy toward Prime Minister Netanyahu… Obama, honorary member of the tribe, detests Netanyahu with the resentment of a liberal Jew…

“For many Jews, the primary threat comes from the far left, which seeks to isolate and demonize Israel. For other Jews, though, the threat comes from the far right, revitalized and legitimized by Trump’s rise. There is ample hypocrisy on both left and right… Like Obama, Trump will pursue his own agenda – sometimes overlapping with a Jewish agenda, and sometimes fatefully clashing.

“Obama’s legacy is a decimated Middle East, along with the unleashing of an imperial Iran that remains on the nuclear threshold. As for Trump, he has already created a legacy – a vulgarized politics, a society poisoned against itself. Candidate Trump declared war against precisely those pluralistic values that have allowed American Jewry to become the most successful Diaspora in Jewish history.

“Neither man is worthy of Jewish adulation…”

Even under the Trump presidency, the relationship between the USA and Israel WILL deteriorate.

Did the American CIA and the British MI6 Plan to Destroy Donald Trump?

The Daily Mail wrote on January 14:

“Over the years, many American presidents have found themselves at odds with their spy chiefs. John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are three notorious examples. But there’s never been anything like the current open warfare between President-elect Donald Trump and the Central Intelligence Agency. Weeks of simmering hostility exploded into the open on Wednesday when he accused intelligence chiefs of licensing the publication of false claims about his allegedly depraved sexual practices. Trump is now engaged in a fight to the death with the CIA, the independent agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to the White House and senior U.S. policy-makers…

“Crucially, this isn’t just an issue that affects the United States — it is one of global importance whose outcome will affect all of us. Also, it is a high-stakes drama which directly involves Britain, and in particular our foreign intelligence service, MI6. We have learnt that Christopher Steele, a former MI6 officer who reportedly once headed the agency’s Russian desk at MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall Cross, South London, was the mastermind behind the dossier of lurid accusations about Trump’s activities in a Moscow hotel suite.

“Whether true or not, the material suggests that the Kremlin has other documentation which it could use to blackmail Trump. Meanwhile, the American tycoon-turned-politician is accused of being too friendly with Russian businessmen and Kremlin power-brokers. Either way, this is an unprecedented position for an American president to be in…

“British spy chiefs gave the green light to a scheme intended to destroy the man who would be President of the United States of America…

“MI6 is licensed by the British government to break the law and carry out illicit acts on the assumption that it always acts in the British national interest. This is allowed under the Intelligence Services Act 1994.  But why meddle mischievously with Washington? As always, it is overwhelmingly in Britain’s interest to develop and maintain excellent relations with the American government…

“MI6 has an exceptionally close and strong relationship with the CIA (an organisation which British intelligence officers helped to create in the immediate aftermath of World War II)… there is little question that the CIA has two massive concerns about Trump as president. First, it fears he is mentally unbalanced and therefore could pose a threat to American national security. Second, the CIA is appalled at his determination to seek a rapprochement with Vladimir Putin. For these two reasons, there are people inside the CIA who would love to see the unpredictable tycoon replaced by vice-president-elect Mike Pence, a man who they feel they can work with.

“Of course, it is well-known that the CIA has an infamous record of plotting coups d’etats against democratically elected governments in other countries — for example, in the early-Fifties when it helped the Iranian military overthrow premier Mohammad Mosaddeq and reinstate the Shah, and the ousting of Chile’s president Salvador Allende in 1973. The atmosphere is currently so feverish in Washington that there are well-informed people who now believe that the CIA is contemplating a version of the same thing in America itself. This would be a truly appalling — and stupid — course of action. It would be incredibly foolish for MI6 even to be seen to be part of it.

“… what if Donald Trump faces down the CIA? Then, he will never forgive or forget the fact that Britain played such a squalid role in trying to stop him getting to the White House. The damage to Britain’s standing in the world would be permanent, and Christopher Steele’s dossier of sexual depravity will go down as an MI6 catastrophe on the same scale as the agency’s fabricated dossier on Iraq’s supposed weapons of mass destruction…

“2016 was certainly a remarkable year. But the first days of 2017 have been yet more extraordinary… There is good reason today to feel more afraid than at any time since the Thirties.”

More Earthquakes in Italy

The Telegraph reported on January 18:

“Italy was hit by four earthquakes in four hours on Wednesday, bringing fear and foreboding to the same mountainous region that was struck by deadly tremors last year. The four quakes, which came in quick succession, caused buildings to collapse… They affected already badly-damaged towns and villages in the regions of Abruzzo, Lazio and Marche, where around 300 people lost their lives last August. The area is blanketed in heavy snow after unusually severe winter weather over the last week. Snowstorms made the job of emergency services even harder than usual, with vehicles struggling to reach remote areas to check on mountain villages and outlying farms.

“The quakes were so strong that they caused buildings in distant Rome to shake, with office workers rushing out onto the streets, schools ordered to close and the metro temporarily suspended. The first tremor happened at 10.25am local time, with the last felt shortly after 2.30pm. The magnitudes of the quakes varied between 5.3 and 5.7… The earthquakes compounded an already difficult situation.  The bad weather has left around 100,000 people without power, and there were warnings of possible avalanches.”

Deadly Avalanche Follows Four Earthquakes, Heavy Snowfall and Flooding in Italy

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 19:

“Italian rescue services fear many people have died after an avalanche plowed into a ski hotel in central Italy on Wednesday evening… The affected hotel Rigopiano is located in the mountain town of Farindola on the lower sections of the Gran Sasso mountain in Abruzzo, a region hit by several powerful earthquakes on Wednesday… on top of the avalanche, heavy snow and power outages across the region stretched human resources, making it difficult to respond to requests for assistance and isolating numerous towns and villages…

“This week, Abruzzo, which straddles the Apennine mountain range, witnessed snowfall of up to 4 meters (13.1 feet), four strong earthquakes and rains that have led to flooding in some areas. Local residents of impacted areas reported fuel and food shortages… The heavy snowfall in Abruzzo has blocked road access to the Rigopiano hotel, forcing ambulances to remain parked some 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) away… mountain rescue crews only reached the hotel around 4:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning after a 10-kilometer (6-mile) cross-country ski trek.

“The force of the avalanche moved the hotel some 10 meters (33 feet). Images from the Central Emergency and Rescue Department’s Twitter account showed the three-story hotel nearly entirely covered by snow. In police helicopter video footage, the hotel is also nearly impossible to distinguish from the snow-covered mountainside it sits on…

“It is not yet clear whether Wednesday’s earthquakes triggered the avalanche…”

Deutsche Welle wrote in a follow-up article:

“Hopes are dwindling over 24 hours after an avalanche struck a luxury mountain hotel in Italy, burying at least 30 people under tons of snow and debris. So far, rescue authorities say they have recovered just two bodies. Rescuers report no signs of life at [the hotel].”

Outrage in Germany About Speech by a Leading AfD Representative

AFP wrote on January 18:

“A leading member of German right-wing populist party AfD sparked an outcry Wednesday by criticising the Holocaust memorial in Berlin and calling for the country to stop atoning for its Nazi past. Bjoern Hoecke’s comments also exposed a damaging split in the anti-immigration party, just months before Germany heads to the polls.  ‘Up to now, our state of mind is still one of a totally defeated people… We Germans, our people, are the only people in the world who have planted a monument of shame in the heart of the capital,’ Hoecke told party faithful including youth members… ‘We need nothing less than a 180-degree shift in the politics of remembrance,’ he said in the remarks on Tuesday to chants of ‘Germany, Germany’.

“‘Instead of introducing younger generations to home-grown ‘internationally-acclaimed philosophers, musicians and ingenious inventors… German history has been made lousy and ridiculous,’ he complained, winning a standing ovation from the crowd. ‘There is no moral responsibility to make yourself disappear,’ said Hoecke, who was a high school sports and history teacher, adding that Germany should instead ‘build up a positive relationship with our history’.

“The comments were met with an instant uproar, with Social Democrat vice chief Ralf Stegner accusing Hoecke of making a ‘hate incitement speech’ — which is illegal in Germany — that called for history to be rewritten. Chairwoman of the Greens party Simone Peter said the comments were ‘unspeakable’ and demanded an apology from the AfD to Jews. Germany’s Central Council of Jews also lashed out, accusing the politician of trampling on six million Jewish Holocaust victims murdered by the Nazis. ‘The AfD has shown its real face with these anti-Semitic and extremely hostile words,’ said the council’s chairman Josef Schuster, adding that he ‘never thought that 70 years after the Holocaust, a politician in Germany could say such things’.

“… The case also exposed a rift within the party. AfD co-leader Frauke Petry told Young Freedom weekly that the episode showed that ‘Hoecke has become a burden on the party with his go-it-alone attitude and constant sniping’. But deputy chief Alexander Gauland defended the politician, telling national news agency DPA that Hoecke had ‘in no manner criticised the remembrance of the Holocaust’.

“In a post on Facebook on Wednesday, Hoecke also insisted that he had been misinterpreted and that he ‘described the Holocaust… as a shame for our people’.

“The AfD had started out as an anti-euro party, but has since morphed into an anti-immigration outfit railing against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s liberal refugee policy that brought some 890,000 refugees to Germany in 2015 alone. The party, which disputes the place of Islam in Germany, is polling nationwide at around 12 to 15 percent ahead of general elections. Hoecke, who is a regional deputy in the eastern state of Thuringia, is viewed as one of the most right-leaning leaders of the populist party. In December 2015, he sparked outrage when he said that the ‘reproductive behaviour of Africans’ could be a threat for Germany…”

Outrageous Anti-Semitic Decisions by German Courts in Wuppertal

The Washington Times wrote on January 13:

“A German regional court has ruled that three men who used Molotov cocktails in July 2014 to torch a synagogue were not influenced by anti-Semitism.

“A Wuppertal judge last Friday upheld a lower court’s 2015 ruling that German-Palestinians convicted of arson against the city’s synagogue did so merely to ‘criticize Israel’ and ‘bring attention to the Gaza conflict’… ‘What do Jews in Germany have to do with the Middle East conflict? Every bit as much as Christians, non-religious people or Muslims in Germany, namely, absolutely nothing,’ said Volker Beck, a leading Green Party MP, after the lower court’s initial ruling, JP reported. ‘The ignorance of the judiciary toward anti-Semitism is for many Jews in Germany especially alarming.’

“This [is] not the first time Wuppertal’s court system has made national news in a story linked to Islam. Its district court judges ruled last November that gangs of men who harangued citizens in 2014 while wearing ‘shariah police’ vests did not break any laws. A judge ruled that there was no ‘intimidating effect’ from the group’s behavior, which was headed by extremist preacher Sven Lau, Deutsche Welle reported Nov. 21, 2016.”

“Why Germany Just Legalized Medical Marijuana”

The Local wrote on January 19:

“The German parliament (Bundestag) passed a law on Thursday that officially makes marijuana legal for medicinal purposes. Patients suffering from serious illness, such as multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, serious appetite loss or nausea from chemotherapy, will now be able to receive prescriptions from their doctors for medical marijuana. ‘Seriously ill people must be treated in the best ways possible,’ said Health Minister Hermann Gröhe, who proposed the law.

“Up until now, only certain people with serious medical conditions could be granted permission to use the drug for self therapy, and the bar was set fairly high. Only around 1,000 people in the whole country currently have been given permission to use the drug. The new law will expand this and eventually allow cannabis products to be grown under state supervision. Private producers could also apply, but the requirements for approval would be very strict.

“When the law will be implemented in March, health insurance providers will have to cover the costs of cannabis used to treat, for example, pain or lack of appetite.

“But proponents of the law don’t all see it as opening up the way for recreational use. Federal Drug Commissioner Marlene Mortler of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) said on Monday that in her view, increasing access by allowing for recreational use would also increase consumption of the drug – which she would not want. ‘Cannabis as a medicine is certainly not a miracle drug,’ Mortler said. ‘But everyone should have the right to have it paid for when it helps.’”

Female Shark Reproduces Without Males After Years Alone

New Scientist wrote on January 16:

“Leonie the zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) met her male partner at an aquarium in Townsville, Australia, in 1999. They had more than two dozen offspring together before he was moved to another tank in 2012. From then on, Leonie did not have any male contact. But in early 2016, she had three baby sharks.

“Intrigued, Christine Dudgeon at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and her colleagues began fishing for answers. One possibility was that Leonie had been storing sperm from her ex and using it to fertilise her eggs. But genetic testing showed that the babies only carried DNA from their mum, indicating they had been conceived via asexual reproduction.

“Some vertebrate species have the ability to reproduce asexually even though they normally reproduce sexually. These include certain sharks, turkeys, Komodo dragons, snakes and rays… There are very few reports of asexual reproduction occurring in females with previous sexual histories… An eagle ray and a boa constrictor, both in captivity, are the only other female animals that have been documented switching from sexual to asexual reproduction…

“In sharks, asexual reproduction can occur when a female’s egg is fertilised by an adjacent cell known as a polar body… This also contains the female’s genetic material, leading to ‘extreme inbreeding’…”

We won’t even dare trying to explain this.

Florida’s Mass Murderer Heard Voices Telling Him to Watch ISIS Material

The New York Times wrote on January 6:

“Federal law enforcement officials said they were investigating whether the gunman who opened fire on Friday at the airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., killing five people and wounding eight, was mentally disturbed and heard voices in his head telling him to commit acts of violence [and to watch ISIS material]. According to a senior law enforcement official, the gunman, identified as Esteban Santiago, 26, walked into the F.B.I. office in Anchorage in November and made disturbing remarks that prompted officials to urge him to seek mental health care.

“Mr. Santiago, appearing ‘agitated and incoherent,’ said ‘that his mind was being controlled by a U.S. intelligence agency,’ the official said. Other officials said it was too early to tell whether Mr. Santiago, who was captured in the airport, had been inspired by terrorist groups, including the Islamic State. The officials said he had viewed extremist materials on the internet…

“Mr. Santiago was discharged in August from the Alaska Army National Guard for ‘unsatisfactory performance’…

“The shooting comes at a tense time for a nation that has been watching nervously as terrorist attacks have occurred elsewhere in the world…”

ISIS is an organization thoroughly controlled by Satan and his demons. If Florida’s murdering gunman indeed heard voices ordering him to view ISIS material, the conclusion would be compelling that demons were telling him to do this.

Building a Wall

The Guardian stated on January 6:

“Donald Trump was forced to say that Mexico would pay for his planned border wall ‘later’ after Republican officials indicated Congress and US taxpayers would first foot the bill…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 6:

“On Twitter, Trump took to blaming the media: ‘The dishonest media does not report that any money spent on building the Great Wall (for sake of speed) will be paid back by Mexico later.’”

Breitbart added on January 6:

“‘When you understand that Mexico’s economy is dependent upon U.S. consumers, Donald Trump has all the cards he needs to play. On the trade negotiation side, I don’t think it’s that difficult for Donald Trump to convince Mexico that it’s in their best interest to reimburse us for building the wall,’ Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) explained to CNN… As the Associated Press observes, congressional Republicans believe no new legislation will be necessary to secure financing, because existing law [from previous US President George W. Bush]  ‘already authorizes fencing and other technology along the southern border.’”

Repealing Obamacare Without Replacing It Simultaneously?

Newsmax wrote on January 7:

“Republicans are increasingly jittery over rushing to demolish much of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law without having a GOP alternative that’s ready to go.

“While nothing about revamping the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system will be easy, Republican leaders want congressional committees to have legislation dismantling much of Obama’s overhaul ready by late January. They’re hoping Congress can quickly send a measure to incoming President Donald Trump phasing out the law, perhaps a couple of months later.

“Crafting a GOP replacement is likely to take longer, thanks to Republican divisions and solid Democratic opposition. With 20 million Americans now covered under Obama’s law, one political nightmare for Republicans would be repealing the statute and then proving unable to pass a new version.

“Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told reporters Friday that Republicans might find themselves in a ‘box canyon’ if they erase the healthcare law without a substitute in hand. One part of Obama’s law Republicans are eager to repeal is its tax increases on higher-earning people and segments of the health care industry that help finance expanded coverage. Corker said that if those taxes are voided but Republicans temporarily continue subsidies to help people buy coverage, ‘that means Republicans would have to vote for a tax increase’ to pay for them — usually a non-starter for the GOP…

“While Republicans will likely just need a simple Senate majority to approve their repeal bill, for procedural reasons later replacement legislation will probably need 60 votes in a chamber the GOP controls by just 52-48. That means a need for at least eight Democratic votes, though there will be pressure on 10 Democrats facing re-election next year from states Trump won in November… After repeatedly trying to repeal Obama’s law since its 2010 enactment, Republicans are under tremendous pressure from their voters to annul it swiftly.

“But GOP leaders have talked about their repeal not taking effect for perhaps two or three years. They’re discussing providing some type of revenue during that period to maintain coverage for people and perhaps for insurers so they won’t immediately abandon markets…”

Repeal and Replace Obamacare at the Same Time

Reuters wrote on January 10:

“U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday pressured fellow Republicans working to repeal Obamacare in Congress to pass a replacement for the healthcare law at the same time or soon after they vote to dismantle it… With Trump set to succeed Obama on Jan. 20, Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, face a dilemma. They have a chance to make good on their promise to gut the law, but forging an agreement on a replacement plan has eluded them.

“If Congress does not put in place a substitute, millions of Americans with the insurance may be at risk of losing coverage… House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Tuesday that some elements of an insurance substitute likely would be ready when lawmakers vote to repeal Obamacare, but others would take longer. Some Republicans have said it could take up to two years to craft a replacement. Trump said a delay of that length was unacceptable…”

Russia Responsible for Hacking… While Mr. Trump Blames Democrats for Gross Negligence

Newsmax reported on January 6:

“President-elect Donald Trump slammed the Democratic National Committee late Friday for its ‘gross negligence’ that allowed Russia to hack into its systems during the presidential campaign. Trump ripped the Democrats on Twitter: ‘Gross negligence by the Democratic National Committee allowed hacking to take place. The Republican National Committee had strong defense!’

“The post came after Trump earlier Friday was briefed by U.S. intelligence officials on a report blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for directing the hacking of the DNC and other party operatives to try to sway the election to the Republican candidate…

“The findings concluded that Putin and the Russian government ‘aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary [Hillary] Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him… All three agencies agree with this judgment,’ the document said. ‘CIA and FBI have a high confidence in this judgment; NSA has moderate confidence.’

“Trump had publicly questioned the veracity of the intelligence community’s conclusions on Moscow — even characterized them as a ‘political witch hunt’ seeking to undermine his administration.”

The Huffington Post added on January 6:

“On Friday, Trump listed Russia as one of several entities that could have been behind the theft and release of thousands of DNC emails… ‘While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat [sic] National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines,’ Trump said.”

The Guardian wrote on January 7:

“On Saturday, true to unrepentant form, Trump used Twitter to issue [his] comment. ‘Intelligence stated very strongly there was absolutely no evidence that hacking affected the election results,’ he wrote. ‘Voting machines not touched! Only reason the hacking of the poorly defended DNC is discussed is that the loss by the Dems was so big that they are totally embarrassed!’…

“Trump has also consistently spoken favourably of Putin and urged a closer relationship with Russia. On Saturday, he added: ‘Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only ‘stupid’ people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am president, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!’”

Discriminating and Compromising Information about Donald Trump?

CNN reported on January 10:

“Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump, multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings tell CNN.

“The allegations were presented in a two-page synopsis that was appended to a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The allegations came, in part, from memos compiled by a former British intelligence operative, whose past work US intelligence officials consider credible. The FBI is investigating the credibility and accuracy of these allegations, which are based primarily on information from Russian sources, but has not confirmed many essential details in the memos about Mr. Trump…

“One reason the nation’s intelligence chiefs took the extraordinary step of including the synopsis in the briefing documents was to make the President-elect aware that such allegations involving him are circulating among intelligence agencies, senior members of Congress and other government officials in Washington, multiple sources tell CNN.”

Even though CNN admitted that the allegations were not “confirmed,” CNN engaged in shameful conduct of reporting about them, opening the door for a left-liberal news agency to even publish these most outrageous allegations (many of them were subsequently disproven), while other liberal media, including the New York Times, refused to do so. Mr. Trump’s outrage about such irresponsible conduct by CNN and those of the intelligence agencies who leaked this “write-up” appears justified. Note next article.

Trump and Russia React

Deutsche Welle and Newsmax wrote on January 11:

“Trump took to his favorite medium, Twitter, to fire off an angry response about the allegations… ‘Russia just said the unverified report paid for by political opponents is “A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE.” Very unfair!’ ‘Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA – NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING.’

“‘I win an election easily, a great “movement” is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state!’ ‘Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to “leak” into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in Nazi Germany?’

“Responding to the rumors on Wednesday, the Kremlin also described the reports as a ‘complete fabrication’ and denied having compromising material on either Trump or his ex-rival Hillary Clinton. ‘This is an obvious attempt to harm our bilateral relations,’ spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, concurring with Trump’s comment of a ‘witch hunt.’”

The Telegraph added on January 11:

“[Donald Trump] said [during a press conference] the publishing of the report had been done by ‘sick people’ and suggested intelligence agencies had leaked it. ‘I think it was disgraceful, disgraceful that the intelligence agencies allowed any information that turned out to be so false and fake out there,’ he said.”

He also reiterated during the conference that the conduct of these intelligence agencies, leaking the “report,” mirrors something that Nazi Germany would have done and did.

Britain in the Crossfire

The Telegraph wrote on January 12:

“Britain has been dragged into the frantic row over the ‘dirty dossier’ on Donald Trump after it was claimed that the Government gave the FBI permission to speak to the former MI6 officer who compiled it. Sources in the US have told The Telegraph that Christopher Steele, a former spy, spoke to officials in London before he handed the document to the FBI and met one of its agents.

“The document… was leaked earlier this week, and Britain now finds itself caught in the crossfire of accusations between Russia and the US.

“On Thursday Russia publicly accused MI6 of ‘briefing both ways’ against Russia and Mr Trump and suggested Mr Steele was still working for the Secret Intelligence Service.

“Mr Trump has angrily rejected the information in the dossier as ‘fake’ and the involvement of a former MI6 officer is unlikely to help Britain’s intelligence-sharing relationship with the US when he becomes president later this month.

“Mr Steele, who friends say fears for his safety, has gone into hiding while the veracity of the claims made in his dossier, and his own reputation, continue to be fiercely debated… Mr Steele was hired to find information on Mr Trump by a Washington-based consultancy that was being paid by Republican opponents of the president-elect – the BBC claimed they were acting on behalf of fellow nominee Jeb Bush – and, later, by Democrats…

“The Daily Telegraph was told during a meeting with a highly-placed source in Washington DC last October that the FBI had contacted Mr Steele asking if they could discuss his findings with him. The source said that Mr Steele spoke to officials in London to ask for permission to speak to the FBI, which was duly granted, and that Downing Street was informed…”

Rex Tillerson’s Confirmation Hearing for US Secretary of State Position

Deutsche Welle reported on January 11:

“Rex Tillerson, who’s slated to be the next US Secretary of State, told his confirmation hearing that Washington needs to redefine its relationship with Moscow. The former-Exxon Mobil boss was given a nine-hour grilling. Tillerson said on Wednesday that Russia was one of several ‘adversaries’ posing ‘considerable threats’ to the world. But he refused to label Russian Preisdent Vladimir Putin a war criminal for [the] country’s role in the Syrian conflict.

“The former oil executive said that Russia’s ‘recent activities have disregarded American interests,’ in reference to the country’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its military intervention in Syria a little over a year ago…

“Tillerson did make a clear break from Trump in his thoughts on Ukraine. ‘Russia, today, poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests,’ he said, criticizing US President Barack Obama’s ‘very weak response’ to Crimea…

“In comments likely to threaten US-China relations, he said Beijing should be denied access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea…”

Newsmax added on January 11:

“Rubio extensively grilled Tillerson during the hearing, attacking the retired Exxon Mobil CEO for refusing to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal for his army’s role in the Syrian civil war and arguing over new bipartisan legislation calling for mandatory sanctions against Moscow for its meddling in the U.S. election and other aggressive behavior worldwide… Rubio, who was re-elected to a second term in November,  is one of 11 Republicans on the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee. With 10 Democrats on the committee, Rubio would almost certainly be the swing vote if he votes against Tillerson. That would kill the nomination and prevent it from going to the full Senate for a vote…”

“Mad Dog” James Mattis’ Confirmation Hearing for Defense Secretary Position

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“Retired General James Mattis’ confirmation hearing was far from contentious on Thursday, receiving praise from Democrats and Republicans alike. Mattis appears ready to be confirmed to become US President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary…

“During confirmation hearings, Mattis disagreed with Trump’s policies on Russia. While Trump wishes for stronger ties with Russia, Mattis warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ‘trying to break the North Atlantic alliance,’ going so far as to say Russia ‘poses a danger to US and European interests’…”

The Times of Israel added on January 12:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Pentagon said Thursday that the United States should continue treating Tel Aviv as Israel’s capital, breaking with Republican members of Congress and intimations the incoming president could fulfill his campaign pledge to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

“Asked during his confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee if he supported the embassy’s relocation, retired Marine Corps general James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis said, ‘Right now I stick with the current US policy.’

“Facing an hours-long session of questions from senators, he emphasized that ‘The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv, sir, because that’s where all their government people are.’ He also noted, however, the determination was not part of his remit as defense secretary nominee. ‘I would defer to the nominee of Secretary of State on that, sir,’ he said.”

US House of Representatives Condemns Anti-Israel UN Resolution and Obama Administration

JTA wrote on January 5:

‘The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly agreed to condemn a U.N. Security Council anti-settlements resolution and the Obama administration for allowing it through. The resolution, which passed Thursday evening  by a vote of 342-80, said the Security Council vote last month ‘undermined the long-standing position of the United States to oppose and veto United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to final status issues.’

“The U.S. abstained, refraining from exercising its veto and allowing the Security Council resolution to pass 14-0. U.S. officials said then that they could not endorse the resolution because of the inherent anti-Israel bias of the United Nations, but did not want to veto it because they agreed with its premise that Israeli settlement construction was illegal and an obstruction to advancing peace…

“109 Democrats backed the resolution and 76 opposed it. Just four Republicans opposed the resolution…”

Move of US Embassy to Jerusalem Would Be “Catastrophic”

JTA wrote on January 6:

“Jordan’s government spokesman warned of ‘catastrophic’ repercussions if President-elect Donald Trump moves the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem as he indicated he would. Such a move could affect relations between the United States and regional allies, including Jordan… An embassy move would be a ‘red line’ for Jordan, would ‘inflame the Islamic and Arab streets’ and serve as a ‘gift to extremists,’ [the spokesman] said, adding that Jordan would use all possible political and diplomatic means in a bid to prevent such a decision.

“Jordan, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, is the custodian of Islam’s third holiest shrine, the Al-Aqsa mosque, in eastern Jerusalem. Israel captured eastern Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 and annexed it to its capital. The Palestinians want to establish the capital of a future state in Jerusalem…

“Last month, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway was quoted as saying that moving the embassy to Jerusalem is a ‘very big priority’ for the president-elect. Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador in Israel, David Friedman, has said he looks forward to working from Jerusalem.”

Newsmax reported on January 10:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s team is moving ahead with plans to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel out of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although diplomats and officials are ramping up warnings against the move. CNN reports that speculation in Israel is that the U.S. will announce the move on May 24, a national holiday in that country. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama renewed a waiver that blocks the move for six months…

“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wrote to Trump saying that he opposed the move, and has also written letters to the leaders of Russia, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Arab League… Secretary of State John Kerry also opposed the move, saying, ‘You’d have an explosion — an absolute explosion in the region, not just in the West Bank and perhaps even in Israel itself, but throughout the region.’”

Why the Hatred of Israel?

The Washington Times wrote on January 4:

“Secretary of State John Kerry, echoing other policymakers in the Obama administration, blasted Israel last week in a 70-minute rant about its supposedly self-destructive policies. Why does the world — including now the United States — single out liberal and lawful Israel but refrain from chastising truly illiberal countries?

“Mr. Kerry has never sermonized for so long about his plan to solve the Syrian crisis that has led to some 500,000 deaths or the vast migrant crisis that has nearly wrecked the European Union. No one in this administration has shown as much anger about the many thousands who have been killed and jailed in the Castro brothers’ Cuba, much less about the current Stone Age conditions in Venezuela or the nightmarish government of President Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, an ally nation.

“President Obama did not champion the cause of the oppressed during the Green Revolution of 2009 in Iran. Did Mr. Kerry and Mr. Obama become so outraged after Russia occupied South Ossetia, Crimea and eastern Ukraine? Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power was never so impassioned over the borders of Chinese-occupied Tibet, or over Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus.

“In terms of harkening back to the Palestinian ‘refugee’ crisis that started in the late 1940s, no one talks today in similar fashion about the Jews who survived the Holocaust and walked home, only to find that their houses in Eastern Europe were gone or occupied by others. Much less do we recall the 11 million German civilians who were ethnically cleansed from Eastern Europe in 1945 by the Soviets and their imposed Communist governments…

“When Mr. Obama entered office, among his first acts were to give an interview with the Saudi-owned news outlet Al Arabiya championing his outreach to the mostly non-democratic Islamic world and to blast democratic Israel on ‘settlements.’ Partly, the reason for such inordinate criticism of Israel is sheer cowardice… Partly, the cause of global hostility toward Israel is jealousy… the astounding success of Israel bothers so many failed states that the entire world takes notice. But partly, the source of anti-Israelism is ancient anti-Semitism… The world’s problem is that Israelis are Jews…”

Another reason—actually, the REAL reason—is that such end-time hatred towards Israel was prophesied in the Bible.

American Tanks Back in Germany

The Local wrote on January 6:

“Three years ago the US withdrew their last tank from European soil… The arrival of three US military cargo ships at the north German port signals a step up in a military stand-off between NATO and Russia, after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. On Wednesday the cargo ship Resolve docked at Bremerhaven. By Saturday, Freedom and Endurance will have followed in its wake. After unloading, the tanks will make their way towards Poland, mainly by train, before being deployed across eastern and central Europe in military training exercises…

“A Bundeswehr (German army) spokesperson told the Märkische Oderzeitung that trains with a total length of 14 kilometres will be needed to transport all the tanks… most of the tanks will be transported by train. But military convoys will pass through Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg…”

Germany and France Must Lead Europe

On January 5, Euronews published the following editorial by Joschka Fischer, German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998 to 2005:

“After the shock of the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States in 2016, this will be a decisive year for Europe… Trump’s inauguration on January 20 may someday be remembered as a watershed moment for Europe. Judging by Trump’s past statements about Europe and its relationship with the US, the EU should be preparing for some profound shocks. The incoming US president, an exponent of the new nationalism, does not believe in European integration.

“Here he has an ally in Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long tried to destabilize the EU by supporting nationalist forces and movements in its member states. If the Trump administration supports or turns a blind eye to those efforts, the EU… will have to brace itself for challenging times indeed.

“The consequences for the EU will be even more serious if, in addition to setting the US relationship with Russia on a new foundation, Trump continues to call into question America’s security guarantee for Europe… Europeans would suddenly find themselves standing alone against a Russia that has increasingly employed military means to challenge borders, such as in Ukraine, and to reassert its influence – or even hegemony – over Eastern Europe.

“… it will fall to its two largest and economically strongest countries, France and Germany, to bolster Europe’s defense. Other countries such as Italy… will also have a role to play, but France and Germany are indispensable.

“… Europeans cannot harbor any illusions about Russia’s intent. The Kremlin … will always prioritize military strength and geopolitical power over cooperative security arrangements.

“Russia does not view weakness or the lack of a threat from its neighbors as a basis for peace, but rather as an invitation to extend its own sphere of influence… If Europe wants a stable, enduring peace, it first must ensure that it is taken seriously, which is clearly not the case today. Europe can credibly strengthen its security only if France and Germany work together toward the same goal, which they will have an opportunity to do after their elections this year…

“The old EU developed into an economic power because it was protected beneath the US security umbrella. But without this guarantee, it can address its current geopolitical realities only by developing its own capacity to project political and military power. Six decades after the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community, history and current developments are pushing France and Germany to shape Europe’s future once again.”

These are remarkable words… almost prophetic.

“Merkel: No ‘Eternal Guarantee’ for United States Cooperation with EU”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 12:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said it would be ‘naïve’ of the European Union to rely on US support. Instead she called for more solidarity within the EU in the wake of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s election.

“As concern grows in Europe about US President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to transatlantic cooperation, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed for the European Union to ‘take more responsibility’ on the world stage during a speech on Thursday in Brussels.

“‘From the point of view of some of our traditional partners – and I am thinking here as well about the transatlantic relations – there is no eternal guarantee for a close cooperation with us Europeans,’ Merkel told an audience in Brussels after receiving honorary doctorate degrees from Belgium’s prestigious Leuven and Ghent universities.

“Although the chancellor did not mention Trump by name, she appeared to be referencing the incoming US leader’s remark that he would consider a country’s financial contributions to the NATO alliance before coming to their aid. ‘Europe is facing the biggest challenges for decades,’ Merkel said mentioning conflicts on its borders like that in Ukraine. She added that it would be ‘naive always to rely on others who would solve the problems in our neighborhood.’

“Merkel said that Great Britain’s shock vote to leave the EU increased the importance of solidarity within the rest of the bloc, which has been discussing measures to boost defense cooperation and other issues. ‘We should see this decision as an incentive to work together (for the goal), to hold Europe together now more than ever, to improve it further and to bring the citizens closer together again,’ she said.”

“The EU agreed to take first steps toward expanding security and defense cooperation at a summit in December.”

German Drug Companies Impacted by Mr. Trump’s Statements

The Local wrote on January 12:

“German pharmaceutical firms saw their stock prices drop on Thursday morning after US President-Elect Donald Trump used part of his chaotic press conference the day before to say that the US should negotiate better prices from drug companies.

“German pharmaceutical and biotech stocks were particularly impacted by Trump’s statements on Wednesday, and Germany’s DAX dropped by 0.59 percent within the first hour of trade on Thursday morning.

“Chemical giant Bayer had fallen by about 0.68 percent from the previous day as of 11am on Thursday, while Merck had dropped by about 1.96 percent…

“Medical supplies company Fresenius Medical Care had dropped by about 1 percent as of Thursday at 11am. The European pharmaceutical sector was the weakest on the Stoxx 600 with a drop of 2 percent…

“Trump said at his press conference in New York that he would make the pharmaceutical industry bid for government contracts… US law currently does not allow federal insurance programme Medicare to negotiate drug prices, essentially allowing the pharmaceutical industry to set their own drug prices. ‘They’re getting away with murder,’ Trump said about the industry. ‘Pharma has a lot of lobbyists and a lot of power and there is very little bidding.’

“It wasn’t just German pharmaceutical companies that felt the immediate effects of Trump’s pledge… the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Index both had their biggest single-day drops in three months, falling 3 and 1.7 percent respectively.

“The trend was also replicated on stock markets across Europe on Thursday morning, with pharma firms also underperforming in Denmark, Spain, France, Switzerland and Italy.”

Prince Charles—Britain’s Next Controversial Monarch and Uncomfortable “Defender of the Faith”

International Business Times wrote on January 5:

“The succession of the throne in Britain may be meticulously planned, but when Queen Elizabeth II does eventually pass on the crown to Prince Charles, it will be a process that is far from devoid of complications. The prince, who has been first in line to the throne for longer than any person in British history, will not only be the head of the United Kingdom, and likely the Commonwealth, but also of the Church of England. It is that title that is sure to bring up much painful and controversial history for the 68-year-old…

“While there has been speculation that Charles could abdicate and immediately pass on the responsibility to his eldest child, Prince William, that is considered highly unlikely… Still, his ascension to the throne is sure to bring up some ghosts he would rather leave in the closet. As king, Charles would be ‘Defender of the Faith,’ according to parliament decree. And in some ways, he could be seen as the perfect person to fill such a role given the history he shares with the Church of England.

“It was, after all, King Henry VIII’s failure to be granted an annulment of his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, by the Pope in the 1530s that led to the Church of England becoming the established church in England and splitting with the Roman Catholic Church. Charles, too, has gone through a divorce, having split from the much-loved Princess Diana 20 years ago. Despite its history, the Church of England does not encourage divorce and teaches that marriage is for life.

“But Charles’ complications extend far beyond simple divorce. He has also not only gone on to marry, but to marry a divorcee. While remarrying, as Henry VIII did, is permissible in the church if the couple’s former spouses are deceased, it is far less clear when a former spouse is still living. That was the case with Camilla Parker Bowles, who divorced from her first husband in 1995. It was a situation that forced King Edward VIII to abdicate, the only British sovereign to do so voluntarily, less than a year into his reign in 1936 so that he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

“Fortunately for Charles, the Church of England altered its stance in 2002, decreeing that in ‘certain circumstances’ a divorced person may marry again during the lifetime of a former spouse. Still, when Prince Charles came to marry Camilla in 2005, he did so in a civil ceremony rather than a church. That’s because not only was he marrying a divorcee, but he was marrying a divorcee with whom he had committed adultery. In a 1994 interview, Charles admitted to infidelity during his marriage with Diana…

“A year later, Diana gave her own hugely publicized interview in which, when asked if Camilla was a factor in the breakdown of the marriage she said ‘there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.’ The public agreed. Even 10 years after the interview, shortly before Charles and Camilla were due to wed, one poll indicated that 65 percent of Britons blamed Camilla for the break-up of Charles and Diana’s marriage.

“… it was stated before the ceremony that Camilla would not take the title of queen when Charles took the throne. Yet, while many now support him becoming king, for some, he will be an uncomfortable ‘Defender of the Faith.’”

Great Britain would be much better off with Prince William as the next monarch. Prince Charles would indeed be a controversial figure, but on the other hand, he would reflect and mirror quite accurately the immoral and ungodly conditions in Great Britain.

The Fear of World War III and Terrorist Attacks

The Independent wrote on January 7:

“With superpowers backing different sides in the bloody conflict in Syria, Isis continuing to fight in the Middle East, a spate of terrorist attacks across the globe and Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump both talking a tough game, the YouGov survey of 9,000 people across nine countries found popular opinion thinks world peace has rarely been further away.

“People in the US were most likely to predict a world war, while French, German and British people were also pessimistic. Some 64 per cent of Americans think the world is close to a major war, compared to just 15 who think world peace is likely. Britons are only slightly more hopeful: 19 per cent believe peace is possible but 61 per cent say war is a distinct possibility.

“The same survey revealed people in Europe and America tended to see Russia as a major military threat, with British people the most fearful of Moscow… Some 71 per cent of Britons feel threatened by Russia…

“In every nation except Finland, those surveyed thought a terrorist attack in their country was more likely than unlikely in the next year. French people were most concerned about terrorism, with 81 per cent believing an attack would happen compared to just 11 per cent predicting there would be none. An attack was also predicted by a large majority of people in Britain, Germany and the US.”

The Danger of Nuclear Missiles

The Independent wrote on January 6:

“A group of arms control experts has urged President Barack Obama to take America’s nuclear weapons off a state of high alert before Donald Trump takes office to stop him ‘impulsively blowing up the planet.’… It said the ever-present risk of a nuclear exchange being triggered erroneously, combined with Mr Trump’s incendiary comments and temperament, could risk the ‘worst disaster imaginable’. The demand has received the support of politicians, retired military officers and government officials…

“The President-elect has startled policy observers by his calls to expand America’s nuclear arsenal, to encourage countries such as South Korea to develop its own weapons and even his apparent willingness to engage in an arms race…

“The group, which is made up of scientists and policy experts, has for many years urged Mr Obama to take US weapons off high alert. They argue having almost 1,000 land-based missiles ready to launch in minutes is a dangerous holdover from the Cold War…

“Indeed, keeping them in such a state increases the danger of a missile being launched by mistake. There have been numerous reported incidents over the past 30 years of the US believing it was under attack from the Russians, only to discover – with just minutes before a potential counter-strike – the ‘Russian launch’ was in truth a computer glitch or else a Scandinavian weather satellite… ‘President Trump will be able to launch, within minutes, one or one thousand nuclear warheads without any vote, any check, or even any serious deliberation. Just one missile could kill millions. Once launched, the missiles could not be recalled.’’

Dangerous European Decision Against Religious “Freedom”

The Daily Mail wrote on January:

“Muslim students will now have to take part in mixed-gender swimming lessons, even after the European Court of Human Rights said that religious freedoms were being interfered with. Switzerland won a case at the ECHR on Tuesday after a ruling said that authorities were justified in saying that mixed-gender swimming lessons were part of a ‘full school curriculum’ and the children’s ‘successful integration’ into society.

“While the ECHR did say that religious freedoms were being interfered with in the lessons, judges said unanimously that the interference did not amount to a violation… The law involved with the right for freedom of religion… was made ‘to protect foreign pupils from any form of social exclusion,’ the ECHR said in a statement.

“The court said that schools are important for social integration… Exemptions, the ECHR said, are ‘justified only in very exceptional circumstances’.  ‘Accordingly, the children’s interest in a full education, thus facilitating their successful social integration according to local customs and mores, prevailed over the parents’ wish to have their children exempted from mixed swimming lessons,’ the court said.

“In 2010, the parents had to pay a fine of almost €1,300 (£1,100) ‘for acting in breach of their parental duty’… In 2012, Switzerland’s highest court in Lausanne ruled that the obligation to attend mixed-gender swimming lessons was not a violation on religious freedom.”

This decision sets an extremely dangerous precedence. It is clearly driven by political “correctness” and contains objectionable language to justify the desired results. When Muslims can be told today to violate their religious convictions, then tomorrow true Christians might be told the same thing, compelling their children to participate in abominable sex education classes or pagan religious activities at the times of Christmas and Easter. It is already very difficult to obtain an excuse from school attendance for the children of true Christians during the biblically-commanded annual Holy Days.

Mammograms Leading to Over-Diagnosis and Overtreatment for “Breast Cancer”

Thomson/Reuters reported on January 10:

“Widespread breast cancer screening may catch more small, slow-growing tumors that are unlikely to be fata…, a Danish study suggests… The current study offers fresh evidence linking routine screening to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive tumors… ‘Overdiagnosis means that healthy women get unnecessary breast cancer diagnoses,’ said lead study author Dr. Karsten Juhl Jorgensen, of the Nordic Cochrane Center and Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. ‘A breast cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event for the woman and her family, with substantial implications for their quality of life,’ Jorgensen added by email. ‘It also leads to overtreatment with surgery, radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy – we know these treatments have serious, sometimes lethal, consequences.’

“… researchers examined data on more than 1.4 million Danish women aged 35 to 84 from 1980 to 2010… [The results raise] doubts about whether mammography reduces breast cancer deaths, the researchers conclude. In addition, researchers estimate that as many as one in three breast tumors diagnosed in women who got mammograms would never have caused a noticeable health problem or led to death – and are therefore examples of overdiagnosis… the study adds compelling evidence that routine mammograms carry a risk of overdiagnosis…

“Beyond screening, there are other preventive measures women shouldn’t overlook like eating well, getting plenty of exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight… So for now, that means accepting that overdiagnosis and screening go hand in hand, along with the potential for some women to get unnecessary treatment.”

We are not taking any position for or against cancer screening, but we are cautioning against blindly accepting and undergoing unnecessary and potentially very dangerous overtreatment.

German Attack on Israel

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 30:

“German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a staunch proponent of the Iran nuclear deal, has slammed Israel in a series of tweets and statements since last Friday’s Security Council resolution condemning Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. In a statement issued to Germany’s largest circulation daily,  Bild, after the UN resolution, the Foreign Ministry claimed that ‘a democratic Israel is only achievable through a two-state-solution.’

“The statement prompted the editor-in-chief of Bild’s digital outlet, veteran journalist Julian Reichelt, to express astonishment at the harsh wording. In response to Reichelt’s criticism, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffan Seibert wrote on his Twitter feed: ‘Israel is a Jewish democratic state.’ Steinmeier, a Social Democratic politician who is jockeying to be the next president of Germany, later said on Twitter: ‘Israeli settlements in occupied territories jeopardize possibility of peace process.’

“The same English-language tweet was issued again. The flurry of messages attacking Israel appeared on the German- and English-language Twitter feeds of the Berlin-based Foreign Ministry. Steinmeier also endorsed US Secretary of State John Kerry’s Wednesday speech, writing that the ‘speech is a warning and a reminder that the 2 State Solution must not become an empty phrase.’…

“Prof. Gerald Steinberg, who teaches political studies at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, ‘In many ways, the Obama-Kerry perception of the conflict has been shaped by European conventional wisdom. So it is not surprising to see European leaders embracing Kerry’s speech. In Germany, Foreign Minister Steinmeier has been particularly critical of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu (taking Germany farther away from its post-Holocaust role).’

“Steinberg, who is president of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, added, ‘Steinmeier, like powerful German NGOs such as Brot fur die Welt, [‘Bread for the World’] echoes the Palestinian victimization narrative. In addition, Steinmeier’s personal attacks on Netanyahu reflect German eagerness to do business with Iran, which was facilitated by Kerry.’

“Writing in the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel on Thursday, Volker Beck, a leading Green Party lawmaker and head of the German-Israel Parliament Group in the Bundestag, said, ‘No, settlement construction is not the most difficult problem on the way to a two-state solution. It is one of many.’ Beck voiced understanding for the outrage in Israel to the UN resolution. Beck termed the measure ‘counterproductive,’ adding that the decisive factor is the ‘security question,’ because after Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, the US- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave, fired many missiles at Israel.”

The UK’s Hypocritical Position

The Guardian wrote on December 29:

“Theresa May distanced the UK from Washington over John Kerry’s condemnation of Israel…  Kerry, the outgoing secretary of state, delivered a robust speech this week, criticising Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as the ‘most right-wing coalition in Israeli history’, and warned that the rapid expansion of settlements in the occupied territories meant that ‘the status quo is leading toward one state and perpetual occupation’.

“The prime minister’s spokesman said May thought it was not appropriate to make such strongly worded attacks on the makeup of a government – or to focus solely on the issue of Israeli settlements… The UK backed the UN resolution passed last week condemning the continued expansion of settlements. But May’s spokesman said she was concerned about the language Kerry had used. ‘We continue to believe that the construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal, which is why we supported UN security council resolution 2334 last week.'”

Theresa May’s position is more than strange and appears to be quite hypocritical, as the UK backed the resolution which did “focus solely on the issue of Israeli settlements.” 

George Orwell’s Big Brother Coming to Legal Reality in the UK

The Daily Mail wrote on December 30:

“Police are now officially able to hack into your phones and check your browsing history after the Snoopers’ Charter came into force yesterday. The law – officially called the Investigatory Powers Bill – forces electronic data to be stored by app companies for 12 months, which can be subsequently collected by law enforcement. While critics have cited it as an attack on privacy, the Government believes the charter is essential for combating terrorism and organised crime…

“Aside from the controversy surrounding its morality, the charter’s effectiveness has also been questioned, with Virtual Private Network software already being highlighted as a potential way for internet users of getting around it. Using a VPN means data will be scrambled and protected from the company that provides the connection.

“In China VPNs are routinely used by expats to avoid Beijing’s rigid control of the internet, which involves blocking news websites like the BBC [and] anything which might be remotely critical of the Chinese Communist Party…”

Internet Shutdowns and Hackings

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“There have been more than 50 government shutdowns of the Internet in 2016, costing the respective countries hundreds of millions of dollars and choking citizen freedoms during crucial moments…

“Global Advocacy Manager Deji Olukotun of the Access Now digital rights organization believes that an even greater cost can be counted in human lives. Olukotun says that the shutdowns ‘go hand in hand with atrocities,’ citing the deaths of Ethiopian protesters ‘during the kind of blackout where it’s difficult to report on what’s happening.’ Other shutdowns include communication blackouts during the Ugandan elections, and governments that chose to go so far as shutting down all Internet access just to keep students from cheating on exams.

“… estimates suggest that India lost nearly a billion dollars due to its shutdowns, while Saudi Arabia managed nearly half a billion on its own. Morocco gave up $320 million. Even governments that didn’t wall off the entirety of the Internet still blocked access to social media in some cases, and their methods have steadily become more sophisticated. As time goes on, it grows more and more difficult for citizens to find any way around restrictions on digital information…”

The Associated Press reported on January 1:

“President-elect Donald Trump says that ‘no computer is safe’ when it comes to keeping information private, expressing new skepticism about the security of online communications his administration is likely to use for everything from day-to-day planning to international relations. Trump rarely uses email or computers, despite his frequent tweeting.

“‘You know, if you have something really important, write it out and have it delivered by courier, the old-fashioned way,’ Trump told reporters during his annual New Year’s Eve bash. ‘Because I’ll tell you what: No computer is safe.’ Trump has repeatedly cast aside allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia tried to influence the presidential election through hacking…”

Putin Will Not (Yet) Retaliate Against Obama’s USA

The Washington Post wrote on December 29:

“In a rare break from the diplomatic tradition of reciprocal punishment, Russian President Vladi­mir Putin said Friday he would not deport U.S. diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to U.S. hacking sanctions, as Russia looks to cultivate relations with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. ‘We won’t create problems for American diplomats,’ Putin said in a statement… adding that Russia retained the right to punish U.S. diplomats in the future. He said he would ‘plan further steps for restoring the Russian-American relationship based on the policies enacted by the administration of President Donald Trump.’”

In response, Donald Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin for his decision to delay any measures, saying it was a “great move” and that he always knew that Putin was “very smart.”

Kremlin Unveils Unmanned Killing Machines With Which Russia Will Fight World War III 

Express wrote on December 31:

“Vladimir Putin has been showing off his latest high-tech robotic killing machines which are so advanced sabre-rattling Russia could fight a ground war without committing a single soldier. The terrifying combat robots were put through their paces in harsh winter conditions during military exercises on the outskirts of the capital Moscow… Lieutenant General Andrey Grigoriev, head of Moscow’s Advanced Research Foundation, said the longer-term plan was to fight wars without men. He added: ‘It would be powerful robot units fighting on land, in the air, at sea as well as underwater and in outer space. The soldier would gradually turn into an operator and be removed from the battlefield.’

“… Russian armed forces have significantly progressed over the years in the development and use of various robotic systems. State-of-the-art weapons systems, such as the T-50 fifth-generation fighter jet or brand new Armata main battle tank, are said to involve robotic technologies or artificial intelligence. Military industry officials predict robotic combat platforms will define future battlefields and eventually replace soldiers.”

We have been speaking for a long time about the possibility that armies of robotic soldiers will be created by powers in the Far East. In the book of Revelation, John sees in a vison a huge army consisting of “two hundred million” “horsemen” (Revelation 9:16). This “army” is described as originating in the Far East, being at war with continental Europe. The “horses” are described, symbolically, as weapons spewing “fire, smoke and brimstone” and doing harm with their tails which are like serpents, killing a third of mankind. This can easily be understood as a description of modern tanks and other destructive war machines. It is interesting that the “horsemen” are not necessarily human beings. The Greek word is, “hippikon.” It has the meaning of “cavalry” or “cavalry force.” The number of 200 million “horsemen” could be understood as describing, at least in part, the mass production of war machines and combat robots. Others have speculated that the number could include a “supernatural cavalry” of “demons or demonic-possessed humans” (compare Ryrie Study Bible). 

Trump or Strache—What’s Going On?

The Local wrote on December 22:

“A spokesman from the transition team working for newly-elected US president Donald Trump denied that their new national security advisor had met with Austrian far-right politicians in New York earlier in the month. The meeting was first mentioned by Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who claimed in a Facebook post that he had met with Lt. General Michael Flynn, the designated national security maven who will be appointed after the inauguration of Donald Trump.

“In a press call on Thursday morning, Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller denied that such a meeting took place. ‘The fact of the matter is that General Flynn has never spoken with or met the Austrian politician in question and strongly disavows groups with such viewpoints,’ Miller said, according to media reports.”

Trump’s Election by Divine Providence?

Breitbart wrote on December 31:

“Celebrated evangelical… Franklin Graham says that it was the ‘hand of God,’ rather than Russian hackers, that determined the outcome of November’s presidential election… Graham said that beyond mere human factors, the mysterious hand of divine providence was at work in the elections.

“‘All I know is Donald Trump was supposed to lose the election’ according to all the polls, Graham said. ‘For these states to go the way they did, in my opinion, I think it was the hand of God,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t hacking. It wasn’t Wiki-leaky or whatever. It was God, in my opinion, and I believe his hand was at work…’”

US Embassy to Be Moved to Israel’s Eternal Capital, Jerusalem?

Israel National News wrote on January 3:

“Three Republican senators on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The new legislation, entitled the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act, was introduced by Senators Ted Cruz of Texas, Dean Heller of Nevada and Marco Rubio of Florida. ‘Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish state of Israel, and that’s where America’s embassy belongs,’ Rubio said… ‘It’s time for Congress and the President-elect to eliminate the loophole that has allowed presidents in both parties to ignore U.S. law and delay our embassy’s rightful relocation to Jerusalem for over two decades,’ he added.

“A statement from Heller said that some State Department funds would be withheld until the embassy was relocated. The measure is in line with President-elect Donald Trump’s support for moving the embassy to Jerusalem, something he repeatedly pledged to do during his election campaign… ‘Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of Israel,’ Cruz said… ‘Unfortunately, the Obama administration’s vendetta against the Jewish state has been so vicious that to even utter this simple truth — let alone the reality that Jerusalem is the appropriate venue for the American embassy in Israel — is shocking in some circles…’”

The Return of Civil Disobedience

In the January 9, 2017 issue of The New Yorker, the following was stated:

“Last summer, the A.C.L.U. issued a report highlighting the ways in which Trump’s proposals on a number of issues would violate the Bill of Rights… But, with a Republican majority that has mostly shown compliance with Trump, despite his contempt for the norms of democracy, the fear is that he will achieve much of what he wants. Even if he accomplishes only half, the landscape of American politics and policy will be radically altered. This prospect has recalled another phenomenon of the nineteen-sixties: the conviction that ‘democracy is in the streets.’

“Two hundred thousand women are expected to assemble in front of the Capitol, on January 21st, the day after the Inauguration, for the Women’s March on Washington. Born of one woman’s invitation to forty friends, the event is meant as a rejoinder to the fact that a candidate with a troubling history regarding women’s rights—one who actually bragged about committing sexual assault—has made it to the White House.

“The first Inauguration of George W. Bush, in 2001, saw mass protests driven by the sentiment that the election had been stolen. The protests that greet Trump will, in all probability, exceed them: some twenty other groups have also applied for march permits. Given his history with African-Americans, Muslims, Latinos, immigrants, unionized labor, environmentalists, and people with disabilities, it is not hard to imagine that there will be many more to come. The Congress is unlikely to check the new President, but democracy may thrive in the states, the courts, the next elections, and, lest the lessons of the sixties be forgotten, the streets…”

Obama Trying to “Cement” His Legacy

The New York Times wrote on December 31:

“Only two days after the election, President Obama sat by President-elect Donald J. Trump’s side in the Oval Office and declared that the No. 1 priority in his last days in the White House would be ensuring a smooth transition of power. What Mr. Obama did not say was that he also intended to set up as many policy and ideological roadblocks as possible before Mr. Trump takes his oath of office on Jan. 20. With less than three weeks before the Obama White House is history, making way for a new administration with radically different priorities, the president is using every power at his disposal to cement his legacy and establish his priorities as the law of the land.

“He has banned oil drilling off the Atlantic coast, established new environmental monuments, protected funding for Planned Parenthood clinics, ordered the transfer of detainees from Guantánamo Bay, criticized Israeli settlements and punished Russia for interfering in the recent elections through cyberattacks.

“The next president may be able to roll back some, or even most, of those actions, a point that Mr. Obama’s top aides concede. But every step the current president takes requires Mr. Trump to overcome one more legislative or procedural hurdle as he seeks to change direction in Washington.

“Mr. Obama is continuing to fill the ranks of the government with his own appointees; since Election Day, he has named 103 people to senior Civil Service jobs, boards, key commissions and oversight panels, including the National Council on Disability, the Amtrak board of directors, the Holocaust Memorial Council and the boards of visitors at military academies. He is also pushing ahead with his goal of freeing nonviolent drug offenders from federal prisons. In the last few weeks, he has commuted the sentences of 232 federal inmates and pardoned 78 others. And on Wednesday, he will meet with Democratic lawmakers to discuss ways to protect the Affordable Care Act from efforts by Mr. Trump and Republicans to dismantle it.

“To many conservatives, Mr. Obama is acting out of spite as much as conviction… Mr. Obama’s most permanent action may be his order banning oil drilling off the Atlantic coast, a decision rooted in a 1953 law that experts say will be legally difficult for Mr. Trump to reverse…”

The Battle For and Against Obamacare

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 5:

“The US Senate has voted to open the debate on beginning the repeal of Obamacare. The move prompted President Barack Obama to make a rare visit to Capitol Hill to urge Democrats to fight to preserve his signature policy… On Wednesday, the Senate voted 51-48 in a procedural tally that opened debate on beginning the Obamacare repeal process… Trump tweeted Wednesday that Republicans ‘must be careful…’

“[Vice President-elect] Pence, along with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, failed to provide more details on what a Republican health plan might look like… Democrats have accused the GOP lawmakers of tearing apart Obamacare without a firm plan to replace it… Trump… has pledged to keep popular aspects of the act, such as the provisions that bar companies from refusing coverage due to preexisting conditions…

“However, a minority in the Senate coupled with a crushing presidential election loss means Democrats have few options to prevent the repeal of Obamacare…”

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange: Russia Not the Source for Hacking

Newsmax wrote on January 3:

“WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange reiterated Russia was not the source of Democratic documents released over the summer and accused the Obama administration of trying to delegitimize Donald Trump’s White House victory. Assange’s comments came during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity… ‘We can say, and we have said repeatedly over the last few months, that our source is not the Russian government and it is not a state party,’ he told Hannity.

“Assange went on to say President Obama was focused on blaming the Russians for releasing the documents in an attempt to discredit the incoming Trump administration. ‘They are trying to say that President-elect Trump is not a legitimate president. Our publications had wide uptake by the American people, they’re all true. But that’s not the allegation that’s being presented by the Obama White House.’”

Trump at Odds with CIA and Leading Republicans

Newsmax wrote on January 4:

“President-elect Donald Trump plans to restructure and scale back the nation’s intelligence agencies — amid concerns that they have become politicized and bloated — and that includes cutting CIA staff and moving more agents into field offices worldwide… Trump has slammed the nation’s intelligence agencies since the November election, particularly challenging findings that Russia has hacked into the Democratic National Committee and other party operatives and leaked its findings to WikiLeaks for publishing on its website.”

The Guardian wrote on January 4:

“Leading Republicans broke with Donald Trump on Wednesday after the president-elect appeared to put more faith in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange than in US intelligence agencies. The sharp differences on a highly charged national security issue are the latest sign that matters of intelligence and policy towards Russia reflect a deep fault line in Trump’s relationship with the Republican party establishment.

“The House speaker, Paul Ryan, called Assange ‘a sycophant for Russia’ on a conservative radio show and GOP Senator Tom Cotton told MSNBC that he had ‘a lot more faith in our intelligence officers serving around the world … than I do in people like Julian Assange’. The comments followed tweets from Trump on Wednesday morning in which he approvingly repeated Assange’s claim that the Russian state was not the source of the hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign chairman, John Podesta, published by WikiLeaks during the election. ‘Julian Assange said “a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta” – why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!’ one Trump tweet said. Another quoted Assange as describing US media coverage on the issue as ‘very dishonest’. Trump added: ‘More dishonest than anyone knows.’…

“McCain called the alleged Russian cyber-attacks ‘an act of war’ on Wednesday… Trump’s support for Assange has not led to [a] break with all his Republican allies. Sarah Palin said on Wednesday that she now regretted her attacks on Assange in 2010 after he published leaked documents from her time as governor of Alaska…”

Newsmax added on January 5:

“President-elect Donald Trump took aim at news coverage of his comments about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. He took to Twitter Thursday to blast the ‘dishonest media’ for reporting that he agrees with Assange, insisting the he just repeats what the exiled figure says and expects Americans to make up their own minds. ‘The dishonest media likes saying that I am in Agreement with Julian Assange – wrong. I simply state what he states, it is for the people…. to make up their own minds as to the truth. The media lies to make it look like I am against “Intelligence” when in fact I am a big fan!’

“Thursday’s Twitter blast comes in the wake of reaction to his Wednesday tweets citing Assange’s statements about how easy it was for hackers to infiltrate the Democratic National Committee last year. He also highlighted Assange’s statement labeling the U.S. media dishonest.”

“New Quarantine Rule Could Violate Civil Liberties”

The Atlantic wrote on December 30:

“On August 15th, with little fanfare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took steps to improve its ability to deal with infectious outbreaks. The agency proposed a new rule that would expand its powers to screen, test, and quarantine people traveling into or within the United States, in the event of a crisis like the historic Ebola outbreak of 2014.

“On the face of it, this sounds like a good thing… But some epidemiologists, lawyers, and health organizations say that the rule, in its current form poses a serious threat to civil liberties, allowing authorities to detain and examine people with little heed to due process and informed consent…

“For a start, the rule is sparse when it comes to due process. It allows the CDC to detain travelers indefinitely before deciding whether to quarantine them, saying only that the agency ‘doesn’t expect’ such apprehensions to last for more than 72 hours. It doesn’t make provisions for legal counsel if people can’t afford a lawyer themselves. And it puts any reviews of the agency’s decisions under the auspices of its own employees, rather than a neutral third party. Using the rule, ‘a future administration could hold travelers in government custody for days or weeks without providing an explanation or an opportunity for the individuals to challenge their detentions,’ write Emma Roth and Kyle Edwards from Yale Law School.

“The rule also gives the CDC ultimate authority to carry out medical tests and treatments, stating that ‘the individual’s consent shall not be considered as a prerequisite to the exercise of any authority.’ That’s medically unethical…

“The stickier problem is that there’s little evidence to support screening or quarantining travelers. Consider the Ebola outbreak. The CDC screened more than 38,000 travelers flying into the U.S., by interviewing them and checking their medical records. They then monitored over 10,000 people for 21 days. And they caught exactly zero cases of Ebola…”

These new rules are indeed of great concern.

Merkel: Germany Must Take a Leading Role 

Thomson/Reuters reported on December 30:

“Islamist terrorism is the biggest test facing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday in a New Year’s address to the nation, and she vowed to introduce laws that improve security after a deadly attack before Christmas in Berlin. Describing 2016 as a year that gave many the impression that the world had ‘turned upside down,’ Merkel urged Germans to forsake populism and said Germany had an interest in taking a leading role in addressing the many challenges facing the European Union…

“‘And, yes, Europe should focus on what can really be better than the national state,’ Merkel said. ‘But we Germans should never be led to believe that [we] could have a better [happy] future by going it alone.’”

“Angela Merkel Is Losing Popularity in Germany and Abroad”

Express wrote on January 4:

“The three term Chancellor was desperate to impose year-long sanctions against Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but her supposed European allies have shunned her in favour of the Russian strongman.

“The EU’s top brass instead decided to impose just six months’ worth of sanctions against Mr Putin, who openly land-grabbed Crimea from Ukraine – a country desperate to join the European Union (EU).  Merkel’s rating in the opinion polls is also at a low ebb, with the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party soaring in popularity to 15 per cent in the wake of the Berlin Christmas markets terror attack… According to the latest polls, support for the coalition between her Christian Democratic Union party and the Christian Social Union party has plummeted to just 32 per cent so far in 2017.

“To make matters worse, the result of the French elections is likely to weaken Merkel’s standing on the Continent even more. Marine le Pen openly wants France to leave the ailing Union, and the other candidate, Francois Fillon, will completely undermine the Chancellor when it comes to Russia as he opposes any form of strict sanctions…

“Embarrassingly, Merkel is now being ridiculed on the world stage too as she was forced to pull out of attending the World Economic Forum’s Davos summit for fear of receiving a hounding over her floundering leadership… It also coincides with Donald Trump’s inauguration as American President and the right-wing critic of Merkel is likely to be a frequent topic of conversation. Mr Trump’s supposed close relationship with Mr Putin, coupled with new found support for the Kremlin chief from Germany’s traditional European allies, could leave Merkel isolated.

“Jochen Bittner, the political editor for the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit, said: ‘Germany is holding general elections next autumn, and with politicians sympathetic to Moscow on the rise, she may well be running for her fourth term as the sole European leader willing to stand up to a newly assertive Russia.’”

Archbishop of Vienna Schönborn on Islamization

Beitbart wrote January 3:

“The Archbishop of Vienna who has been tipped to be the next Pope, has implied the election of Donald Trump is a good thing as Ronald Reagan turned out to be ‘certainly one of the best presidents the U.S. ever had’.  Looking back on a transformational year in politics, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn also cautioned about the effects of mass Muslim migration, urging Europeans to retain the continent’s Christian heritage…

“[He said:] ‘We [Europeans] have responded with a great deal of generosity to the refugee crisis… The figures last year were simply dramatically high… The key issue we are facing in Austria is the integration of refugees… Of course, as a Christian, I would like the Middle East to become Christian again, as it once was, or North Africa. North Africa was completely Christianised…’

“Whilst insisting he did not blame individual Muslims for wanting to change Europe, he spoke of the huge rise in the number of mosques in the West and the destruction of churches in Muslim countries, claiming ‘religions are in competition with each other… But we already have 200 Islamic places of prayer in Vienna. We have mosques in cathedrals in Spain, and we have, for example, in Damascus, the cathedral of John the Baptist is now a mosque… The Islamisation of Europe is nonsensical if one does not contribute something to the fact that Europe remains Christian’…  we must reproach ourselves for not doing enough to maintain a Christian Europe.’”

New Year’s Eve Terror Attack in Istanbul by Insane ISIS Murderer(s)

AFP wrote on December 31:

“At least [39] people were killed and 40 wounded in a ‘terror’ attack in Istanbul Sunday when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an elite nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year, the latest carnage to rock Turkey after a bloody 2016. Two gunmen entered the venue dressed as Santa and spraying bullets at random inside the Reina nightclub, one of the city’s most exclusive party spots, Dogan news agency said…

“Many party-goers threw themselves into the Bosphorus in panic after the attack and efforts were underway to rescue them from the waters, NTV television said. Dogan news agency reported that some witnesses claimed the attackers were ‘speaking Arabic’… The nightclub in the Ortakoy district of Istanbul is one of the most elite spots in the city, and getting inside past the bouncers who seek out only the best dressed is notoriously hard… Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks in recent months blamed on Kurdish militants and Islamic State jihadists.”

The New York Times added on December 31:

“… the attackers — initial reports said there had been as many as three — had fired on the police before heading inside the club. ‘One person first kills the police officer outside, and then a civilian,; the governor said. ‘Inside, he rained bullets brutally, mercilessly over innocent people…’ The club overlooks the Bosporus — which separates Europe and Asia… On the European side of Istanbul, the neighborhood is an international travel destination known for its food stalls and vibrant night life…”

Daily Mail wrote on January 1:

“The ‘ISIS killer’… is the prime suspect in Turkey nightclub attack after gunman screamed ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he used a Kalashnikov to kill 39 people, including a female security guard … The unnamed man is described as being from Afghanistan, Chechnya or East Turkestan – a region of western China that is predominantly Muslim. Turkish intelligence services reportedly believe that he could be a member of the East Turkestan branch of ISIS but his exact nationality is still unknown.”

German Superstition on New Year’s Eve

The Local wrote on December 30 about German superstitious practices Germans engage in on New Year’s Eve:

“Bibelstechen, literally ‘bible poking’ involves opening up a random page of the Bible and reading a passage in it. You then discuss what that could mean for [the next year]… Swinging a pendulum will also give you clues about what will happen in the new year. If you ask a question and the pendulum swings clockwise, it means yes. If it swings counterclockwise, the answer is no… Das Gummibärenchen-Orakel involves picking five gummy bear sweets at random from a packet. The colour of the sweets gives an indication of the future. A red one will mean love, a yellow one wealth, hence the name, the gummy bear oracle… Bleigießen in German involves heating some lead and pouring the melted contents into cold water. The shape the lead forms will tell you what might happen in the New Year. A cross, for example could signify death… In German ‘Das Drehen um die eigene Achse’ will help you out if all the omens so far from Bibles and gummy bears have been bad. Spinning turns a bad omen into a good one.”

There are even more superstitious activities, such as fire crackers and fireworks at the time of New Year’s Eve. It was believed that between Christmas and January 6, the ghosts became active. When winter storms howled around the houses of the Germanic tribes, Wotan’s wild hunt was present—a frightening train of gods, demons and ghosts of the dead. These ghosts were driven away with big fires and cracks of whips. The cracks of whips changed with the invention of black powder to fireworks.

France Prohibits Spanking of Children

Breitbart wrote on January 3:

“The French parliament has passed a formal ban on spanking children, bringing the global total to 52 different countries where such corporal punishment in homes is against the law. The new law that went into effect for 2017 bans ‘any cruel, degrading or humiliating punishment, including any use of physical violence,’ including spanking in the home… Unsurprisingly, the first country to make spanking illegal was Sweden, in 1979, followed by Finland in 1983. The last to join the list before France in 2016 were Mongolia, Paraguay and Slovenia.

“The decision of the French parliament follows a symbolic reprimand by the Council of Europe in 2015 decrying France’s lack of a specific law ‘prohibiting corporal punishment in a clear, binding and precise way, including slaps and spankings, in breach of Article 17 of the European Charter of Social Rights.’ ‘To comply with Article 17, states’ domestic law must prohibit and penalize all forms of violence against children,’ the Charter states, and the relevant provisions ‘must be sufficiently clear, binding and precise, so as to preclude the courts from refusing to apply them to violence against children’…

“In February 2015, Pope Francis expressed his approval of parents who spank their kids, as long as it is carried out with respect for their dignity. His words drew a wave of reactions, both negative and positive, to the idea that corporal punishment is okay…

“Despite the extensive debate regarding the value or detriment of corporal punishment, few have questioned the more problematic aspect of a creeping intromission of the state in the lives of families and their choice of how to educate their children. The Catholic Church teaches that the state should not interfere with parents’ education of children except in grave and extraordinary circumstances. ‘Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators,’ Catholic doctrine states.”

The Catholic Church is absolutely correct on this point, while 52 different countries and the Council of Europe have it completely wrong. Human laws prohibiting spanking of children in any way are in opposition to the clear teaching of the Bible. At the same time, parents need to exercise great caution in this world which is ruled by Satan the devil. We state the following in our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”:

“There is never a justification for physical abuse. On the other hand, to totally ban spanking and define it as physical abuse only shows how liberal and anti-biblical our Western society has become. This is of course the fruit of the anti-authoritarian education that has brought about a curse on our Western world. As parents, we must be aware, though, that in certain countries, spanking is illegal, and could result in the authorities coming in and taking away our children. And even in countries where spanking is not illegal, many governmental officials look at such practice with great disfavor. There have been cases where Social Workers in the United States tried to take away children from Christians, because the Christian parents believed and practiced—in moderation and with great love and care—biblically-endorsed spanking.

“Note what the Bible clearly teaches in regard to corporal punishment in Proverbs 13:24, ‘He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who LOVES him disciplines him promptly [or early].’ Since using the rod is compared with prompt or early discipline, it is clear that this passage includes the concept of spanking, where and when appropriate. Of course, we don’t spank a teenager or an adult, so the spanking needs to be done early in the life of the child. But note, again, we discipline our children, because we LOVE them. If we discipline our children for any other reason, or because of any other motive, we do NOT follow God’s instructions. Spanking should never cause physical injury to a child. The intent is to break a rebellious spirit, not to bruise skin…

“We have heard a lot about child neglect. But one kind of child neglect is seldom ever mentioned—the neglect to discipline the child, in LOVE, when the child deserves, and must have, discipline for his or her own good.”

Rwanda Bans Witchcraft From Soccer

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“The Rwandan soccer federation has banned witchcraft in soccer matches following a crazy incident in a match earlier this month between Mukura Victory Sports and Rayon Sport. Rayon Sport striker Moussa Camara, whose team was losing 1-0, is seen in the video running over to the goal and grabbing an object before running off. The goalkeeper and other opposing players chased after Camara in a frenzy, later resulting in yellow cards being handed out. Minutes later, Camara scored a goal to tie it up.

“The Rwanda Football Federation will now start fining players and teams 500,000 Rwandan Francs, or roughly $600, if found guilty of using witchcraft.”

Even though it may be difficult to believe that these kinds of witchcraft activities will lead to scoring goals, we must not forget that demons are indeed ruling this world. If players are indeed guilty of witchcraft (as the video seems to suggest), they should be totally banned from playing soccer anywhere, until they deeply repent of their evil deeds. For true Christians, it is extremely important not to have anything to do with occult activities, including consulting mediums. God killed King Saul for engaging in witchcraft (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).

Neanderthals Were Cannibals

The website of phys.org wrote on December 30:

“Deep in the caves of Goyet in Belgium researchers have found the grisly evidence that the Neanderthals did not just feast on horses or reindeer, but also on each other… The bones in Goyet date from when Neanderthals were nearing the end of their time on earth before being replaced by Homo sapiens, with whom they also interbred.

“Once regarded as primitive cavemen driven to extinction by smarter modern humans, studies have found that Neanderthals were actually sophisticated beings who took care of the bodies of the deceased and held burial rituals. But there is a growing body of proof that they also ate their dead.

“… an international team… has proved from the bones found at Goyet that the Neanderthals there were cannibals. The bones show traces of cutting… The Neanderthals ‘broke these bones in the same way that they broke those of the reindeer and horses found at the entrance of the cave, certainly to extract the marrow’…  ‘Some of these bones have also been used to make tools to touch up the edges of flints to re-sharpen them’…

“But the reasons for the cannibalism remain a mystery, as to the extent to which the Neanderthals ate their dead…”

We speak in great detail about the Neanderthals in our free booklet, “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man.”

Insane Tunisian Terrorist Murdering 12 People in Germany Shot Dead by Italian Police

The Sun wrote on December 23:

“Rewind five years, and just days after arriving from the Tunisian post of Sfax trouble-maker Amri was involved in burning down a migrant shelter. His four-year spell in an Italian jail saw him radicalised by extremists who admired ISIS… The extent of Amri’s radicalisation was revealed with his callous killing of 12 innocent people at the German Christmas market on Monday. In a pledge of allegiance to terror group ISIS, he said: ‘My message to crusaders bombing Muslims everyday… Their blood will not go in vain…’

“The Tunisian terrorist screamed ‘Allahu Akbar’ before being killed in a hail of bullets by a rookie cop during a dramatic Milan shoot-out. Amri was brought down by Italian police at 3am this morning after officers asked him to show his ID. He is believed to have slipped over the border from France by train…”

Italy was able to do what Germany was unable to accomplish.

Arrests in Terrorist Attack in Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on December 24:

“Three people – including a nephew of the suspect in the Berlin Christmas market attack – have been arrested in Tunisia… According to a statement, the three suspects are part of a ‘terrorist cell… connected to the terrorist Anis Amri who carried out the terrorist attack in Berlin.’ One of the Tunisian suspects is allegedly Amri’s nephew.”

Further Arrest in Germany

Deutsche Welle reported on December 28:

“Berlin police made [an] arrest early on Wednesday after searching the home and business premises of a 40-year-old Tunisian man in the southern Berlin district of Tempelhof. Investigators were reportedly led to the alleged accomplice after finding his contact details in the phone belonging to the main suspect, Anis Amri…

“According to research by German broadcaster WDR, Amri was much better connected to the western German Ruhr region than previously thought. Since the end of 2015, he regularly commuted between Berlin and the Ruhr region where he is believed to have visited a dozen mosques. The 24-year-old Tunisian is also thought to have had particularly good contacts in Dortmund and to have possessed a key to a mosque where he stayed overnight.”

Subsequently, Deutsche Welle wrote on December 29:

“German police have released a man who had been detained over alleged ties to Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri. Authorities have said they will continue the search for accomplices in the deadly attack. The 40-year-old was allowed to walk free on Thursday, after German authorities determined that he was not a ‘possible contact person for Anis Amri,’ spokesman Frauke Köhler told reporters on Thursday.”

Again, another blunder by the German authorities in this sad saga.

Mad Murderer “Fits the Profile” and “Should Not Have Been in Germany in the First Place”

Breitbart wrote on December 23:

“A member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has said illegal migrants such as Christmas market attack suspect Anis Amri play the German asylum system and should not have been in the country in the first place.  MP for Berlin and CDU member Dr. Philipp Lengsfeld told BBC Radio 4’s Today audience that men like Amri ‘fits a profile’ that sceptics of Merkel’s Willkommenskultur (‘welcome culture’) have been discussing for some time…

“He then stated that following revelations of the suspect’s background that it was right to review Germany’s asylum policies – a suggestion backed by Merkel’s coalition partner and Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Horst Seehofer… Dr. Lengsfeld is a member of the ‘Berlin Circle’ – a traditionalist group within Merkel’s CDU which wants to return the party to its conservative roots and roll back Merkel’s migrant policy.”

Angela Merkel’s migrant policy has failed miserably. It was a disaster in the making from the very outset.

Too Little and Far Too Late–Merkel Orders “Sweeping Review” of Germany’s Failed Security Apparatus

The Local wrote on December 23:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday ordered a sweeping review of Germany’s security apparatus, which has drawn withering criticism after a known jihadist killed 12 people in a Berlin Christmas market. Anger has mounted since it emerged chief suspect Tunisian Anis Amri, 24 – who was shot dead Friday by police in Milan – was a known radical Islamist and criminal who had long been under counter-terrorism surveillance on suspicion he was plotting an attack. Critics have also pointed to a two-day delay before authorities issued a public wanted notice for the fugitive, as well as the fact the rejected asylum seeker should have been deported long ago. Amid the fierce criticism, Merkel pledged a ‘comprehensive’ analysis of what went wrong…

“Politicians and newspapers have deplored the fact that Amri had slipped through the net of security services, who knew he had been in contact with Islamist ‘hate preachers’ and, according to news weekly Der Spiegel, that he had offered himself for a suicide mission. German police had monitored Amri since March but dropped the surveillance in September thinking he was primarily… a small-time drug dealer.

“Anger has also focused on the investigation since Monday’s truck attack. After following an initial false lead, police only found Amri’s identity papers in the lorry’s cabin a day after the attack, and authorities took another day before issuing a Europe-wide public wanted notice. Merkel – already under fire from right-wing populists over her liberal migrant policies – can now expect the security debate to heat up ahead of an election expected in September. Berlin’s B.Z. tabloid charged in a blistering headline this week: ‘They knew him. They did nothing.’

“Conservative lawmaker Stephan Mayer said the case ‘held up a magnifying glass’ to the failings of Merkel’s migration policy, and Christian Lindner, head of the Free Democrats opposition party, charged that ‘catastrophic mistakes’ had been made. Peter Neumann, professor of security studies at the King’s College, pointed to ‘a systemic failure’…

“Criticism has also focused on Germany’s over-burdened asylum and immigration services. Amri’s asylum request was denied in June but because Tunisia refused to take him back, denying he was a citizen, he was issued a stay of deportation paper — the document that police found in the mangled truck cabin. The new Tunisian travel document only arrived on Wednesday, two days after the attack.

“Germany has repeatedly accused Tunisia and other north African states of stalling on the repatriation of their nationals. A law to designate Tunisia, as well as Morocco and Algeria, as ‘safe countries of origin’, to raise the bar for asylum requests, has been held up for months in Germany’s upper house, over human rights concerns in the North African countries.”

Germany will soon institute sweeping changes… but in all probability, not under the weak leadership of Angela Merkel and her incompetent subordinate ministers. It is by no means certain that she will be re-elected in 2017. Germany is being prepared for a strong male personage to lead… and such a person WILL arrive soon.

Huge Support for German Anti-Migration Party AfD

Daily Mail wrote on December 23:

“Support for Germany’s anti-migration AfD party soared to a one-year high of more than 15 percent in the wake of the Berlin truck attack… Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats lost 1.5 points to hit 31.5 percent while the Social Democrats, junior partners in the ruling coalition, ceded one point to 20.5 percent…

“In the immediate aftermath of the Berlin attack, the AfD blamed Merkel’s liberal border policy, under which more than one million asylum seekers entered the country since 2015, for posing a serious security threat to the country. One party official, Marcus Pretzell, even called the victims ‘Merkel’s dead’, in a tweet later criticised by the AfD leadership…

“On Wednesday, a senior German politician has blamed the Christmas terror attacks on ‘institutional political correctness’, arguing that the suspect – a known ISIS fanatic who was on a deportation list – would not have been free to act if police had enforced the law…

“Hugh Theodore Bronson, the deputy leader of the Alternative For Deutschland party (AfD), said that German deportation law was ignored because the authorities were afraid of offending Muslims. Referring to the fact that the prime suspect, Anis Amri, had been arrested three times in Germany and was a known ISIS fanatic with weapons training who was due to be deported, Bronson added: ‘There is a refusal by the authorities to implement German law…”

Not everything which is being said by AfD is incorrect propaganda.

Was “Political Correctness” Reason for Germany’s Failed Pursuit of Terrorist?

Breitbart wrote on December 24:

“German police and judiciary have accused Hamburg Justice Minister [and Green party politician] Till Steffen of delaying the release of pictures of the Christmas market attacker Anis Amri because he was worried about provoking ‘racist’ comments on Facebook… Steffen cited ‘privacy concerns’ when he initially prevented law enforcers from releasing pictures of Anis Amri. However, it has been claimed by members of the judiciary and the police that Steffen… denied the release of images of Amri because he was concerned it would incite racial hatred. It is alleged that he only released images after a 12-hour delay following a call from German newspaper Bild.

“Joachim Lenders, Hamburg’s chief of police, told Bild: ‘It is incomprehensible to throw such a spanner in the works of investigators. Steffen is incompetent.’ Parliamentary leader André Trepoll, who is a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, called ‘Scandalsenator’ Steffen a ‘security risk’ for delaying the search for the world’s most wanted man…

“CDU judiciary spokesman Richard Seelmaeker called for a special meeting of the Justice Committee, stressing: ‘Anis Amri allegedly murdered twelve people, but instead of using all means necessary to search for him, Hamburg’s green justice senator was more concerned about the state of comments in a Facebook post – which hindered our police… If the allegations against Steffen are proven true, he can no longer hold the position of senator,’ the CDU judicial expert added.

“Calls for his resignation were also made by the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Dirk Nockemann, the party’s spokesman, said: ‘It is an incredible and scandalous process … [Steffen’s] concerns are unstable and far-fetched.’”

Austria’s Cardinal Christoph Schönborn Changes His View on the Migrant Crisis

Express wrote on December 25:

“Cardinal Christoph Schönborn [Archbishop of Vienna, Austria] said he had come to ‘rethink’ his stance on the migrant crisis… The Cardinal, who is tipped as a possible future leader of the Roman Catholic church, said he was no longer convinced that Europe should accept all arrivals… He said: ‘We have had to learn, this [crisis] goes well beyond our capacity and ability… Our country is worried”.

“… Cardinal Schönborn is something of a controversial figure within the church… In his homily at St Stephen’s Cathedral on September 11 he said: ‘Will there be a third Islamic attempt to conquer Europe? Many Muslims think this and wish this and say that Europe is at its end.’

“Cardinal Schönborn later clarified: ‘Europe’s Christian legacy is in danger, because we Europeans have squandered it. That has absolutely nothing to do with Islam nor with the refugees. It is clear that many Islamists would like to take advantage of our weakness, but they are not responsible for it. We are.’

“Cardinal Schönborn, who has a large amount of support from conservative elements within the church was originally a student of Joseph Ratzinger (aka Pope Benedict XVI) at the University of Regensberg and later became the co-editor with the future Pope Benedict XVI of the landmark Catechism of the Catholic Church commissioned by Pope St. John Paul II.”

Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn Meets with Austria’s Heinz-Christian Strache

The Independent wrote on December 21:

“Heinz-Christian Strache says he met General Michael Flynn ‘and other high-ranking US politicians’… at New York’s Trump Tower. Describing them as ‘friends’, he said they had discussed Mr Trump’s presidential victory.  Mr Strache, whose Freedom party was defeated in a rerun of the Austrian presidential election earlier this month, also announced he had signed a cooperation agreement Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party.  They agreed to ‘contribute to the expansion of the partnership between the two parties and countries, including in matters of international security, migration crisis, economic and human development, supporting traditional values and protecting the environment’, the party said in a statement on its website.

“Mr Strache said: ‘The Freedom party is continuing to win political influence. A collaboration between the US and Russia is particularly important for a diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Syria and in the Crimea’. He also called the economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the July 2104 downing of the MH17 flight over the Ukrainian region of Donetsk, ‘ultimately useless’. ‘Politics has to serve the people and not be used for geopolitical power games’, he continued…”

USA’s “Complicity in the Aleppo Tragedy”

Newsmax wrote on December 23:

“John McCain again ripped into President Barack Obama’s inaction on Syria, this time writing an opinion piece for The Washington Post saying that the president ‘has borne witness to all of this and done nothing to stop it.’ The Arizona senator’s op-ed echoes many of the same sentiments and phrasing from a statement he and Sen. Lindsey Graham released nearly two weeks ago when Aleppo was falling to the Syrian military. Now that Aleppo has fallen, McCain is driving home the message that the United States had a hand in it all. ‘As we eulogize the dead of Aleppo, we must acknowledge the United States’ complicity in this tragedy,’ McCain wrote.

“Worse, McCain says Obama’s strategy of inaction and watching from afar threatens our homeland. ‘We must acknowledge that we have a stake in what happens in Syria. It is not just about the suffering of others, as moving as that is. It is about the national security of the United States,’ McCain wrote. ‘We do not need to become the world’s policeman to defend our interests. But we cannot wall ourselves off from the chaos of our dangerous world. And if we try, the instability, terror and destruction at the heart of that chaos will eventually make their way to our shores,’ McCain concluded.”

Even though John McCain addressed the failed policy of President Obama, his criticism would likewise apply to the intentions of President-elect Donald Trump to withdraw from American involvement on the world scene.

New Nuclear Arms Race between USA, Russia and China?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 23:

“US President-elect Donald Trump said on Friday he would welcome an international nuclear arms race in an interview with broadcaster MSNBC. The network had asked Trump to elaborate on comments made a few days earlier on Twitter, wherein the president-elect promoted nuclear proliferation.

“Trump wrote that the US ‘must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.’… The comment on Twitter set shares in uranium production firms surging and caused a great deal of alarm amongst non-proliferation experts. When MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski asked Trump for details during a telephone call, he responded ‘let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all.’

“Trump did not say who ‘them’ could be, but his original comment came on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow should also boost its nuclear arsenal… The president-elect’s spokesman Sean Spicer… implied that [‘them’ or] ‘other countries’ meant Russia and China… The United States has a stockpile of some 6,970 nuclear warheads, and Russia 7,300. The two nations began to cut down on nuclear spending in the 1970s…”

The idea that peace can be established through a nuclear arms race is erroneous. The Bible predicts a nuclear war in the not-too-distant future, and the USA will NOT prevail in that coming war, which will threaten the very survival of mankind.

Russian Plane Crashes Into Black Sea, Killing 92 People—Terrorism Not Excluded

The Associated Press reported on December 25:

“Backed by ships, helicopters and drones, Russian rescue teams searched for victims in the Black Sea after a Russian plane carrying 92 people to Syria crashed Sunday shortly after takeoff from Sochi. Investigators said they are looking into every possible cause for the crash, including a terror attack. All 84 passengers and eight crew members on board the Tu-154 plane operated by the Russian military are believed to have died when it fell into the sea two minutes after taking off in good weather from the southern Russian city…

“Asked if a terror attack was a possibility, Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said in Sochi that investigators were looking into every possible reason.

“The plane belonged to the Defense Ministry and was taking its world famous army choir, the Alexandrov Ensemble, to a New Year’s concert at Hemeimeem air base in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia. Those on board also included nine Russian journalists and a Russian doctor famous for her work in war zones. Russian President Vladimir Putin went on television to declare Monday a nationwide day of mourning…

“The plane that crashed was built in 1983, and underwent factory check-ups and maintenance in 2014 and earlier this year, according to the Defense Ministry… Some experts noted that the crew’s failure to report a malfunction pointed at a possible terror attack…

“Russian planes have been brought down previously by terror attacks. In October 2015, a Russian passenger plane carrying mostly Russian tourists back from vacation in Egypt was brought down by a bomb over the Sinai, killing all 224 people aboard. Officials said the explosive device was planted in the plane’s luggage compartment. The local affiliate of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

“In August 2004, two Russian planes were blown up in the skies over Russia by suicide bombers, killing 89 people. A Chechen warlord claimed responsibility for the twin attacks, which happened on the same day…”

Deutsche Welle reported on December 29:

“Based on the available evidence, the authorities ruled out a midair blast as the cause of the crash. ‘There was no explosion on board, I can say that for certain,’ said General Sergey Bainetov, head of flight safety for the Russian air force. ‘But an act of terror does not necessarily mean an explosion, there might be other causes. That is why we are not discarding this version of events.’”

Putin to US Democrats: “You Lost. Get Over It.” Relationship between Russia and USA “Can’t Get Any Worse.”

The Washington Post wrote on December 23:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has a message for the White House and Democratic leaders who accuse him of stealing their candidate’s victory: Don’t be sore losers. That was how Putin answered a question Friday at his nationally televised annual news conference about whether Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald Trump. The Democrats ‘are losing on all fronts and looking elsewhere for things to blame,’ he told the nearly 1,400… ‘In my view this, how shall I say it, degrades their own dignity. You have to know how to lose with dignity.’

“The Kremlin leader — who also sent an upbeat letter to Trump last week that the president-elect revealed Friday — pointed out that Republicans had won the House and Senate, as well. ‘Did we do that, too?’ he said with a slight grin… ‘Outstanding figures in American history from the ranks of the Democratic Party would likely be turning in their graves. Roosevelt certainly would be,’ Putin told the journalists… ‘Trump understood the mood of the people and kept going until the end, when nobody believed in him,’ Putin said…

“The Russian leader has repeatedly denied involvement in the U.S. election despite the accusations from the White House, and the Kremlin has questioned the evidence for the U.S. claims… Putin also reiterated at the news conference his interest in better ties with the United States after the inauguration of Trump, who, during the campaign, espoused positions favorable to Russia, including joining forces to fight terrorism and considering whether to recognize Russia’s annexation of Ukraine.

“The Russian president played down the significance of Trump’s tweet Thursday calling for the United States to expand its nuclear arsenal, calling it ‘nothing unusual’ and saying that Moscow did not intend to pursue an arms race ‘that we can’t afford.’ Putin did say that Russia was modernizing its nuclear strike capability, which he said, would enable it to overpower any missile defenses that the United States is developing. Russia, he said, ‘will be stronger than any aggressor.’

“Putin moved back the news conference a day to attend the funeral of his slain ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, who was shot dead in public by a man shouting slogans about the war in Syria.  Since the assassination, Moscow and Ankara have made a show of their willingness to work together and, along with Iran, bring a settlement to Syria… The Russia-Turkey-Iran troika met in Moscow on Tuesday. The United States’ absence was a sign not only of the stalemate of U.S.-Russian talks over Syria, but also of the bad blood in the relationship as a whole. ‘Mr Trump did, after all, say during the election campaign that he thought it right to normalize U.S.-Russia links and said it would not get worse,’ Putin said. ‘Because they cannot get any worse, I agree with him on that. We’ll think together about how to make the situation better.’ Someone asked whether Putin would accept an invitation from Trump to the United States. ‘Of course, I will, if he invites me,’ Putin said.”

Much of what Vladimir Putin said— especially regarding the White House and the Democrats—is not without merit. However, the relationship between the USA and Russia CAN get worse, but the truth is, that no big wars will break out between Russia and the USA. Rather, we will see devastating wars between Europe and Russia; as well as between Europe and the USA.

USA “Retaliates” Against Russia

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 29:

“The United States announced on Thursday that two Russian compounds in Maryland and New York, used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related activities, will be closed. Access to the compounds will be denied to all Russian diplomats as of noon on Friday, ‘The New York Times’ reported.

“The State Department also declared 35 Russian intelligence operatives ‘persona non grata,’ meaning they must leave the country.

“Washington has accused the Russian military’s Main Intelligence Directorate

(GRU) of hacking information with the intent to interfere with the US election – along with help from the Federal Security Service (FSB)…

‘US President Barack Obama said he implemented the sanctions in response to the Russian government’s ‘aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations’ aimed at last month’s US election… The president added, however, that the actions were ‘not the sum total of our response to Russia’s aggressive activities.’…

‘Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaled that Moscow was now considering retaliatory measures against the US…

“With Trump due to take office on January 20, Obama’s move puts the president-elect in the position of having to decide whether to retract the measures once sworn in as president…”

Reuters added on December 29:

“Trump said in October he would ‘cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama’ on his first day in office, without saying who would determine their constitutionality.”

“Obama Backstabs Israel”

With this headline, the Drudge Report introduced the Obama Administration’s decision to abstain from, rather than veto, a Resolution by the Security Council, condemning Israeli settlements.

JTA wrote on December 23:

“The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Israeli settlements, with the United States abstaining. The resolution was adopted Friday afternoon with 14 votes in favor and only the U.S. abstention…

“Israel was defiant in its reaction to the resolution and the U.S. vote. ‘Israel rejects this shameful anti-Israel resolution at the UN and will not abide by its terms,’ a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. ‘At a time when the Security Council does nothing to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, it disgracefully gangs up on the one true democracy in the Middle East, Israel, and calls the Western Wall “occupied territory.” The Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it colluded with it behind the scenes’…

“Speaking to the Security Council, Israel’s U.N. envoy, Danny Danon, described the resolution as ‘evil’ and likened it to condemning Americans for building in Washington or the French for building in Paris. ‘This resolution today will be added to the long and shameful list of anti-Israel U.N. resolutions,’ Danon said. ‘Instead of charting a course forward,  you are sending a message to the Palestinians that they should continue on the path of terrorism…’

“The resolution was introduced by New Zealand, Venezuela, Malaysia and Senegal… On Facebook, Trump wrote that the resolution was ‘extremely unfair.’…

“Several U.S. lawmakers also criticized the American abstention. Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Nita Lowey, both New York Democrats, and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., all issued statements criticizing the Obama administration. ‘It is extremely frustrating, disappointing and confounding that the Administration has failed to veto this resolution,’ said Schumer, the incoming Senate minority leader. ‘Whatever one’s views are on settlements, the U.N. is the wrong forum to settle these issues.’…

“The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish community’s foreign policy umbrella group, issued a scathing denunciation of the resolution and the American vote. ‘There is no justification or explanation that validates the United States failure to veto the one-sided, offensive resolution adopted by the Security Council today,’ said a statement attributed from the Presidents Conference chairman, Stephen Greenberg, and its executive vice chairman, Malcolm Hoenlein. ‘The United States vote will be seen as a betrayal of the fundamentals of the special relationship that will nevertheless continue to mark the close ties between the peoples of the two countries’…”

Further Harsh Condemnation for President Obama

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 23:

“The Palestinian Presidency… commented that the UN vote amounted to a ‘big blow’ to Israel. Trump meanwhile only said that upon his inauguration, ‘things will be different’ in US-UN relations… the resolution is reportedly near-impossible for the Trump administration to reverse…

“The resolution, initially circulated by Egypt, was originally going to be discussed the previous day but then faced an indefinite postponement, after US President-elect Donald Trump reportedly intervened and spoke to Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Egypt represents all Arab states on the Security Council…

“US Senator John McCain commented that the US’ abstention from the vote made the US ‘complicit in this outrageous attack against Israel.’…

“An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Agence France Presse (AFP) news agency that outgoing US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry were ‘behind this shameful move against Israel at the UN… President Obama could declare his willingness to veto this resolution in an instant but instead is pushing it,’ the official said, calling it an ‘abandonment’ of the Jewish state, ‘which breaks decades of US policy of protecting Israel at the UN and undermines the prospects of working with the next administration of advancing peace… The US administration secretly cooked up with the Palestinians an extreme anti-Israeli resolution behind Israel’s back which would be a tail wind for terror and boycotts and effectively make the Western Wall occupied Palestinian territory,’ the same official told the Associated Press news agency.”

President Obama Under Increasing Attack for Betrayal of Israel

Newsmax wrote on December 23 and 24 in a series of related articles:

“… former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton… thinks President Barack Obama took the action to ‘box the incoming Trump administration in.’ ‘This was a stab in the back against the Israelis,’ Bolton [said]. ‘It was entirely predictable. I would say this for people in the pro-Israel community in the United States who defended Obama’s Middle East policy over these last eight years: You should have seen this coming and this is what you get for supporting Barack Obama’… Further, Bolton said, the consequences of the resolution will be felt for many years in negative ways for both Israel and the United States… ‘I do think, contrary to what Obama says, this is the death now of the two-state solution,” Bolton said… Bolton continued that he’d recommend that Trump call the resolution ‘illegitimate’ and say the United States will try to repeal it, and if that fails, cut the U.S. contribution to the UN.’…

“Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee… slammed President Barack Obama Friday…  ‘I’m so outraged I can’t even hardly contain myself,’ the former Republican candidate [said]… He added that when President-elect Donald Trump takes over the White House next month, ‘the first thing he does I hope is send some jackhammers over to the Turtle Bay neighborhood in Manhattan and jack-knife the United Nations off into the river… When people use the term ‘settlements,’ they may think of the Israelis building a bunch of tents and mobile homes… These settlements are communities and neighborhoods with schools and synagogues and shops and permanent structures, where people live and raise their families. And Judea and Samaria belong to Israel. Obama is saying that the Western Wall ought to be part of territory that’s given back,’ he continued. ‘This is insane — so beyond anything that we’ve seen in 40 years. It’s just stunning’. Huckabee, who has long attacked the United Nations for its anti-Israel policies, joined several congressional Republicans in calling for an end to federal financial support for the organization ‘if they’re going to do stupid and frankly idiotic things that are hurtful to any hope of peace…’”

“Conservatives Friday ripped the U.N. Security Council for condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — and the Obama administration’s abstention from the unanimous vote — with Sen. Lindsey Graham threatening to cut funding to the United Nations. ‘This provocative action by the United Nations is an outrage and must be dealt with sternly and forcefully,’ said the South Carolina Republican, who chairs a subcommittee that oversees funding to the organization. ‘The United States is currently responsible for approximately 22 percent of the United Nations total budget. The Obama-Kerry foreign policy has gone from naïve and foolish to flat-out reckless,’ he added…

“Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he supported Graham’s call to strip the U.N. of federal funding ‘and reconsider aid to countries if they fail to join our opposition.’

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the abstention was ‘a failure of leadership and judgment’ by President Barack Obama. ‘It is highly regrettable that one of President Obama’s last actions in office was again to abandon our ally Israel,’ the Kentucky Republican said.

“House Speaker Paul Ryan called the vote ‘absolutely shameful.’ ‘Today’s vote is a blow to peace that sets a dangerous precedent for further diplomatic efforts to isolate and demonize Israel,’ the Wisconsin congressman said…

“Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton declared that Obama was ‘personally responsible for this anti-Israel resolution. ‘His diplomats secretly coordinated the vote, yet he doesn’t even have the courage of his own convictions to vote for it,’ the first-term GOP member said. ‘This cowardly, disgraceful action cements President Obama’s richly deserved legacy as the most anti-Israel president in American history.’…

“Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, called the abstention ‘an act of utter cowardice. ‘This dramatic shift in U.S. policy leaves our strongest ally in the region vulnerable,’ he said. ‘To make matters worse, this cowardly act — under the cover of the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays — comes when the fallout will be left to the incoming administration.’

“Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said that ‘the actions of the Obama administration will forever be remembered as a dark, shameful moment for our country…’”

No Love Left Between Obama and Netanyahu

Times of Israel wrote on December 23:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at US President Barack Obama Friday, accusing him of actively working against Israel at the UN — seemingly abandoning all pretense of diplomatic cautiousness after a US abstention at the Security Council led to the passage of a resolution against settlements…

“Netanyahu said he would immediately call back Israel’s ambassadors in New Zealand and Senegal — two sponsors of Friday evening’s resolution — for consultations. He also said a planned official visit by Senegal’s foreign minister next month would be cancelled and all Israeli aid programs in Senegal would be halted. Israeli officials reacted with disappointment and anger to Washington’s failure to veto the resolution.

“… cabinet minister Tzachi Hanegbi said the US vote also ‘spits in the face’ of incoming president Donald Trump…”

Whether or not the Obama Administration actively collaborated with the instigators of the Security Council resolution, their decision not to veto the resolution is indeed a shameful and well-calculated attempt to not only backstab Israel during the remaining days of Barack Obama’s failed Presidency, but it is also clearly designed at preventing President-elect Donald Trump from establishing a more friendly and productive relationship with Israel.  

Israel to Re-Assess Its Ties to UN—Stops Funding to Five UN Institutions

Deutsche Welle reported on December 24:

“Israel will re-assess its ties with the United Nations following the adoption by the Security Council of a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday… ‘I instructed the Foreign Ministry to complete within a month a re-evaluation of all our contacts with the United Nations, including the Israeli funding of U.N. institutions and the presence of U.N. representatives in Israel,’ Netanyahu said in broadcast remarks. ‘I have already instructed to stop about 30 million shekels ($7.8 million) in funding to five U.N. institutions, five bodies, that are especially hostile to Israel … and there is more to come,’ he said.”

Israel Summons Ambassadors

Reuters reported on December 25:

“Israel summoned the ambassadors of 10 nations to Jerusalem to reprimand them on Sunday… Ambassadors from 10 of the 14 countries that voted in favor of the resolution and have embassies in Israel – Britain, China, Russia, France, Egypt, Japan, Uruguay, Spain, Ukraine and New Zealand – were summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, the ministry said. Sunday is a regular work day in Israel, but most embassies are closed, and calling in envoys on Christmas Day is highly unusual.”

The Jerusalem Post stressed that Netanyahu summoned the US ambassador as well.

Why an American Veto Would Have Been Critical

The Guardian wrote on December 23:

“The resolution says Israel’s settlements on Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have ‘no legal validity’ and demands a halt to ‘all Israeli settlement activities’… The resolution reiterated that Israeli settlement was a ‘flagrant violation’ of international law… A resolution requires nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the United States, France, Russia, Britain or China in order to be adopted…

“While the resolution is largely symbolic in some senses, it will be seen as empowering an increasingly tough EU over Israel and will give pause to international companies who have interests in the occupied territories…

“The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), one of the most influential lobby groups, said it was ‘deeply disturbed by the failure of the Obama administration to exercise its veto to prevent a destructive, one-sided, anti-Israel resolution from being enacted by the United Nations security council’. It also pointedly thanked Trump for his attempts to intervene: ‘AIPAC expresses its appreciation to president-elect Trump and the many Democratic and Republican members of Congress who urged a veto of this resolution.’ …

“About 430,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and a further 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the capital of their future state. The resolution demands that ‘Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem’.”

As can be seen, a veto by the USA would have prevented the resolution from being adopted. With the American abstention, the Obama Administration voted in effect FOR the resolution. This can only be viewed as a betrayal of Israel and of Israel’s position of Jerusalem as its eternal capital.

Impossible to Reverse?

The Independent wrote on December 23:

“The Israeli Prime Minister said his administration was looking forward to working with Donald Trump to negate Friday’s resolution…

“Given the world’s widespread opposition to settlements, the action will be almost impossible for anyone, including Mr Trump, to reverse. Nevertheless, the president-elect vowed via Twitter: ‘As to the UN, things will be different after Jan 20th.'”

Germany Supports Anti-Israel Resolution

Bild Online reported on December 25 that Frank-Walter Steinmeier, “currently Minister for Foreign Affairs and probably soon the next President,” supported the text of the “anti-Israel” resolution. In its article, Bild asked whether Israel was being forsaken by their friends. Bild continued that Steinmeier sided with autocratic countries which voted for the resolution, including Russia, China, Egypt and Venezuela.

Bild strongly disagreed with Steinmeier who “did not even say a word about the anti-Israel content.” The paper also pointed out that the resolution does not bring any solution; and ignores the historic relationship between the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the Jewish people. The tabloid referred to “the Western Wall of the Temple as the most holy site which was destroyed in 70 AD,” explaining that Israel will never allow that it will fall into the hands of Palestinians who want it to become a part of East Jerusalem as their capital.

Sadly, the German position is in line with most countries which are antagonistic against and hostile towards Israel. The Bible prophecies that Israel will indeed be forsaken by their “friends”—many of whom were never real friends to begin with.

Further Incredible Attacks by John Kerry: Israel Cannot Be Jewish and a Democracy at the Same Time

Grabien.com wrote on December 28:

“Secretary of State John Kerry declared Wednesday that Israel ‘can either be Jewish or democratic’ but ‘it cannot be both.’ “Here’s a transcript: ‘The truth is that trends on the ground, violence, terrorism, settlement expansion and the seemingly endless occupation, they are combining to destroy hopes for peace on both sides and increasingly cementing any reversible — an irreversible one state reality that most people do not actually want.

“‘Today, there are a similar number of Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. They have a choice. They can choose to live together in one state or they can separate into two states. But here is a fundamental reality. If the choice is one state, Israel can either be Jewish or democratic. It cannot be both. And it won’t ever really be at peace. Moreover, the Palestinians will never fully realize their vast potential in a homeland of their own with a one state solution.”

One wonders what the international reaction and outrage would have been, if a German politician would have dared to make comments like these.

Breitbart added the following:

“Kerry complained about Netanyahu’s democratically-elected government — which the Obama administration did its best to defeat in 2015 by using American taxpayers’ money to fund left-wing political efforts during the Israeli election — ‘His current coalition is the most right-wing in Israeli history, with an agenda driven by the most extreme elements.’”

The Kerry Backlash

The Washington Post wrote on December 29:

‘Secretary of State John Kerry set off a firestorm in the United States and Israel… It will be hard to argue that [UN] resolution and Kerry speech did anything but make matters worse and diminish the United States in the region… Indeed, the resolution and Kerry’s speech seemed more designed to blame Israel for the Obama administration’s disastrous Middle East policy than to prompt a return to the ‘peace process’…

“All of this will cement President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to move the embassy and increase chances he will cut off funds to the Palestinian Authority and maybe even the U.N. Like the rest of the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is much more volatile and further from a peaceful resolution than it was at the start of the Obama presidency.”

Trust in God

Breitbart wrote on December 29:

“The Times of Israel reports: The US has forsaken Israel, and the Jewish state can now place its trust only in God, Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said Wednesday, as Jerusalem and Washington continued to face off over Friday’s United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

“‘Sometimes, we need to be reminded from above that we can count on no one but our Father who art in heaven,’ Yosef told followers at the Western Wall. ‘Even America forsook us last week at the UN.’

“He added: ‘We mustn’t forget that the hearts of kings and captains are in the hands of the Lord, and we can count on no one but (the Lord).’”

Trump Attacks Obama

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 28:

“[US Secretary of State John Kerry’s public] remarks come just weeks before the Obama administration hands over power to President-elect Donald Trump, who on Wednesday reiterated his support for Israel over the settlement issue… Kerry warned that expanding settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem was leading to an ‘irreversible one-state reality’… On Wednesday, despite attempts to delay a local housing committee from approving plans to build 492 new homes in annexed East Jerusalem, the construction was later given the go-ahead, a local non-profit organization said.

“For his part in a worsening row, Trump took to Twitter ahead of Kerry’s speech on Wednesday to say: ‘Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!’ referring to his upcoming inauguration. The billionaire businessman said Obama had treated Israel with ‘total disdain and disrespect,’ adding that ‘They used to have a great friend in the US, but not anymore.’

“… Trump’s incoming ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, opposes a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian situation and has publicly stated that Israel’s settlement activity is not illegal, in his opinion.”

Trump also twittered this: “Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks. Thought it was going to be a smooth transition – NOT!”

This was so predictable, and it will become even more contentious.

The Temple Will Be Built on the Temple Mount

Israel National News reported on December 25:

“Ne’emanei Har Habayit activists lit a Hanukkah menorah outside the Old City of Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate on Sunday morning, in response to the United Nations Security Council’s latest anti-Israel resolution. Ne’emanei Har Habayit is a group of activists dedicated to preserving the Temple Mount’s Jewish identity. The name literally means ‘the Temple Mount’s faithful.’

“During the ceremony, Ne’emanei Har Habayit CEO Gershon Salomon said, ‘Today, we send a message to the Jewish nation and to the entire world – especially to the ‘Oom Shmoom’ (UN – ed.). The Temple Mount belongs to us for eternity. Jerusalem belongs to us, and only to us. We will not move from this spot, ever… I am optimistic regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration, but the final decision will be made by Israel, not by the US, Rome, or Paris. Israel’s fate will be decided in Jerusalem, and on the Temple Mount we will build the Third Temple, right under the noses of world leaders,’ Salomon emphasized.”

Jerusalem Eternal Capital City of Israel

The Jewish Press wrote on December 27:

“President Reuven Rivlin [stated on Tuesday:] ‘United Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and it will remain so. There is no international body with the power to revoke this. And as sovereigns of the city, I stand here today to repeat in the clearest way: the State of Israel is deeply committed to ensure the religious rights of all faith communities in Jerusalem and throughout Israel.’”

Christmas Tree Controversy in Israel

JTA wrote on December 21:

“Rabbinic officials in Jerusalem and northern Israel recently issued separate statements saying that displays of Christmas trees are against Jewish law… ‘As the secular year ends, we want to remind you that erecting a Christmas tree in a hotel contravenes halacha and that therefore it is clear that no one should erect [a tree] in a hotel,’ Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar wrote to hotel managers. The letter also said it was ‘appropriate to avoid hosting’ New Year’s parties, reminding hotel managers that the New Year is properly observed at the beginning of the Jewish calendar.

“A day earlier, the rabbi of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, a prestigious public science and engineering university in Haifa, forbade students from entering the student union on campus because of the presence of a Christmas tree in the building. ‘The Christmas tree is a religious symbol — not Christian, but even more problematic — pagan,’ Rabbi Elad Dokow wrote in a Q&A on the religious Srugim website. ‘Halacha clearly states that whenever it is possible to circumvent and not pass through a place where there is any kind of idolatry, this must be done. So one should not enter the student union if it’s not necessary to do so… This is the world’s only Jewish state. And it has a role to be a “light unto the nations” and not to uncritically embrace every idea.’ Dokow compared the Christmas tree’s display to… allowing a Spanish food festival that ‘prominently featured pork.’…

“The Chief Rabbinate — the highest Jewish authority in Israel and overseer of the Jerusalem Rabbinate — last year offered some protection to displayers of Christmas trees. Under threat of a petition to the Supreme Court, the Chief Rabbinate issued guidelines stating that its kashrut inspectors could not revoke the kosher certifications of hotels over the trees or Shabbat violations. The Technion responded to its Christmas tree controversy with a statement saying that Rabbi Dokow’s words ‘expressed his personal opinion and not that of the Technion’….

“Knesset member Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List of Arab political parties accused Dokow of incitement… ‘These statements contain clear incitement to racism, in violation of the law, and therefore also constitute a serious criminal offense,’ the Israeli daily Haaretz reported. According to Haaretz, Technion student Peter Hana said ‘an absolute majority of students, as well as management and the dean,’ supported the Christmas tree, and ‘only a handful of students and the rabbi himself chose to come out against it.’”

It is of course pharisaical to forbid entering a building because of the presence of a Christmas tree. At the same time, the Christmas tree IS of pagan origin and neither Christians nor Jews should display it.

 “5,000-Year-Old Nativity Scene Found in Egypt”

As linked by the Drudge Report, Seeker.com wrote on December 22:

“Italian researchers have discovered what might be the oldest nativity scene ever found — 5,000-year-old rock art that depicts a star in the east, a newborn between parents and two animals… ‘It’s a very evocative scene which indeed resembles the Christmas nativity. But it predates it by some 3,000 years,’ geologist Marco Morelli, director of the Museum of Planetary Sciences in Prato, near Florence, Italy, told Seeker.

“Morelli found the cave drawing in 2005, but only now his team has decided to reveal the amazing find… He noted the newborn is drawn slightly above, as if raising to the sky. Such position, with the baby not yet between the parents, would have meant a birth or a pregnancy… The scene becomes more symbolically complex if the other figures, two animals and a small circular feature, are taken into consideration. On the upper part is a headless lion, a mythical beast which appears in several rock art drawings from the same area, while below in the scene a baboon or an anthropomorphic monkey can be seen. In the east, the Neolithic artist [has] drawn what appears to be star.

“The researchers called the site the ‘Cave of the Parents.’ ‘No doubt it’s an intriguing drawing,’ Morelli said. ‘We didn’t find similar scenes until the early Christian age.’”

This find sheds some light on the pagan concepts associated with the birth of Christ. For more information, please listen to our sermon, “The REAL Christmas Story.”

Public Hanukkah Events in Europe to ‘Drive Out Darkness’

JTA wrote on December 22:

“Before Monday’s attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal had planned to invite hundreds of people to the traditional lighting of the first Hanukkah candle at a large menorah erected at the city’s Brandenburg Gate monument. But he decided to change his original plan following the attack… And so, ‘Instead of one public lighting this Hanukkah, we’re going to have one on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah,’ Teichtal, a Chabad rabbi who is part of the Jewish community in Berlin, told JTA on Thursday. ‘It’s our way of driving out the darkness that is terrorism.’

“Teichtal’s determination is shared by rabbis across Europe, including France and the Netherlands, who speak of upholding and celebrating the relatively new tradition of public lightings of menorahs. Some Jewish leaders say that celebrating Hanukkah at central locales in European capitals and cities is considered an appropriate, uplifting Jewish response to the wave of Islamist terrorism hitting the continent…

“Separately, the Jewish community of the Netherlands is preparing to co-host, together with Christian Zionists from the Christians for Israel organization, a public lighting in The Hague of what organizers say is the largest Hanukkah menorah in Europe. Christian Zionists built the menorah in 2013 as a gift for the country’s Jewish community… Hanukkah, a holiday celebrating the defiance of Jews during the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian Greek army, is especially appropriate for such demonstrations…”

Sadly, these displays will do little, if anything, to drive out the darkness of terrorism or other ungodly conduct.

How Nuclear Wars Could Start

The Guardian wrote on December 25:

“A fake news story has touched off a Twitter confrontation between nuclear powers Pakistan and Israel. The exchange took place following the publication of a fake story headlined ‘Israeli Defense Minister: If Pakistan send ground troops to Syria on any pretext, we will destroy this country with a nuclear attack’. The story appeared on 20 December on the site AWD News.

“In an apparent response to the story, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif sent a warning to Israel on Twitter that ‘Pakistan is a nuclear state too.’ Israel’s defense ministry tweeted back on Saturday, saying the original story was ‘totally fictitious.’ AWD has been identified by fact-checking organisations as a fake news site.

“Israel maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying the existence of an arsenal but is widely believed to have its own nuclear weapons. Pakistan became a nuclear power in 1998. The countries have no diplomatic ties. There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan to Israel’s response…”

Americans Admire Obama and Hillary Clinton the Most

Newsmax wrote on December 28:

“President Obama beat Donald Trump as the most admired man in 2016, a new Gallup poll shows. Twenty-two percent of those polled listed Obama as the most admired man, while Trump came in second with 15 percent… Here’s how the poll breaks down: Pope Francis (4 percent); Bernie Sanders (2 percent) and the Rev. Billy Graham (1) percent round out the top five admired men…

“Hillary Clinton is the most admired woman for the 21st time with 12 percent; Michelle Obama was second with 8 percent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (3 percent); Oprah Winfrey (3 percent) and Ellen DeGeneres (2 percent) complete the top five.”

One may have to wonder whether Americans have lost it completely, if these results are true.

Uncertainty and Fear Continue for 2017

The Guardian wrote on December 24:

“Britain’s Christian leaders are focusing their Christmas messages on uncertainty, anxiety and fear at the end of a tumultuous year on the global stage… Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster and leader of the Catholic church in England and Wales… quoted WB Yeats’s 1919 poem, The Second Coming: ‘Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.’…

“In the last week Prince Charles has also spoken about disturbing trends in 2016. ‘We are now seeing the rise of many populist groups across the world that are increasingly aggressive to those who adhere to a minority faith. All of this has deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s,’ the prince said…  ‘We owe it to those who suffered and died so horribly not to repeat the horrors of the past.’”

The Guardian added on December 25:

“The phrase ‘turning point’ is overused, but future historians are likely to view the year 2016 as exactly that. The standout event was Donald Trump’s surprise victory. The maverick Republican’s defeat of Hillary Clinton produced a shock that reverberated around the world. The billionaire’s White House tenancy begins on 20 January. Many will dub that date Black Friday, fearful that Trumpism may irreparably damage international security, environmental protection and human rights. Others will see it as a sign of welcome change. It will be a year of living dangerously…

“Trump’s protectionist, isolationist stance brought into question the inevitability of globalisation, suggesting a return to a pre-1939 age of economic nationalism, punitive tariffs, trade barriers, controls on movement of labour and capital, closed markets and minds… he questioned the usefulness of international institutions such as the United Nations, the World Bank and Nato. He cast doubt on key security alliances in Asia. Trump also ignited concern for April’s Paris climate change deal.

“Trump’s stated support for the unilateral waging of war, for authoritarian governance, torture, indefinite detention without trial, and religious and racial profiling of immigrants and refugees could, if copied, destroy the universal legal and human rights protections erected via the UN system since 1945…

“Britain’s narrow 52%-48% referendum vote in June in favour of leaving the EU was unexpected. Many drew parallels with the US, saying similar nationalist, populist forces were at work… If the British government’s timetable holds, Brexit will begin in March, when the UK will formally file for divorce…

“France will hold a presidential election in spring. Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Front, is expected to do very well. Le Pen wants France to quit the EU and euro. Her main challenger is likely to be François Fillon, a Catholic Thatcherite, for the centre right. The Socialist president, François Hollande, will not stand for re-election. In the Netherlands’ March general election, the Islamophobe Geert Wilders could prove an influential warm-up act for Le Pen. Wilders advocates a Dutch ‘Nexit’…

“Germany holds federal elections in September. Angela Merkel is seeking re-election for a fourth term as chancellor, but faces strong opposition from the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany… The fashionable idea that Merkel will pick up the torch from Obama and become defender-in-chief of western liberal democracy looks like wishful thinking…

“Despite repeated UN attempts at peace, Syria’s civil war passed the five-year mark in 2016 and approached a bloody denouement… The siege of eastern Aleppo became a symbol of the suffering and brutality of the Syrian war. Children were killed or maimed in large numbers. Hospitals and schools were repeatedly hit…

“In Iraq, an offensive to retake Mosul from Isis got bogged down. The war in Yemen showed no sign of abating, notwithstanding a furore in Britain and the US about arms sales to Saudi Arabia, whose airstrikes are blamed for numerous civilian deaths. In Libya, a new threat from Isis emerged, centred on the late Muammar Gaddafi’s stronghold in Sirte, prompting fierce fighting.

“Isis was also active in Afghanistan, challenging the Taliban for control of rural areas. Afghanistan is now America’s longest war. More than 8,000 US troops are still based there…

“The Isis threat will persist… the global spread of Islamist extremism is likely to continue…

“Syria aside, Russia’s military build-up along its border with the Baltic republics, its meddling in Ukraine, and its covert political influence-peddling, disinformation campaigns and cyber warfare in eastern Europe are expected to accelerate…

“Putin has been building bridges to Xi Jinping, China’s president. This alliance of convenience will create more headaches for the west in 2017. Xi has enlisted Russia’s support in conducting military ‘exercises’ around disputed South China Sea islands, where Beijing is rapidly expanding its presence. China defied a 2016 UN court ruling deeming its activities illegal…

“The nuclear brinkmanship of North Korea’s paranoid regime increased regional tensions. This problem will possibly come to a head in 2017. Kim Jong-un, the country’s dictator, conducted an underground nuclear test in September, the fifth and biggest, involving nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.

“In Tokyo, there were calls for Japanese rearmament. Trump suggested Japan and South Korea acquire nuclear weapons… Trump demanded Japan and South Korea pay more for US bases…

“The biggest regional upset was in the Philippines, where the foul-mouthed Rodrigo Duterte was elected president… Protests from the US and UN prompted him to turn to China for support, repudiating the long-standing US alliance…”