News for August 15, 2006

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Magog Revisited Chuck Missler - Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 describe the occasion in which God Himself intervenes to quell the ill-fated invasion of Israel by Magog and its allies (Persia, Cush, Phut, Libya, Gomer, Togarmah, Meshech, and Tubal). This passage also appears to anticipate the use of nuclear weapons. Why does the Bible use such strange names? It has to - we keep changing the names of things: Petrograd = St. Petersburg = Leningrad = St. Petersburg again. (My friends in Russia remind me that “in Russia, even the past is uncertain!”) Byzantium = Constantinople = Istanbul. Cape Canaveral = Cape Kennedy, etc. But we don’t change the names of our ancestors! more...
| Gog/Magog |

Study Finds Abortion Poses More Risks to Women than Giving Birth (August 14, 2006) - "The scientific evidence is now strong and compelling." A new study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence refutes a long-standing contention that teenagers are better able to handle an abortion than dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. According to a report in LifeNews, the study finds that adolescent girls who have an abortion are five times more likely to seek help for psychological and emotional problems than those who keep their baby. Dr. Priscilla Coleman, research psychologist at Bowling Green State University, is quoted as saying that teenagers who have abortions instead of carrying the pregnancy to term were also over three times more likely to report subsequent trouble sleeping, and nine times more likely to report subsequent marijuana use. "The scientific evidence is now strong and compelling," Coleman said. "Abortion poses more risks to women than giving birth." Dr. David Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute, said "Over the last six years, numerous studies have conclusively linked higher rates of mental illness and behavioral problems associated with abortion compared to childbirth. But abortion advocates have generally dismissed these findings, insisting that while women who abort may fare worse than women who give birth to planned children, they may fare better than the important subgroup of women who carry unintended pregnancies to term. [This] study addresses this argument and shows that the facts don't support abortion advocates' speculations." more...

Cease-fire Plan Does Not Eliminate Hizbullah Threat (August 11, 2006) - The draft cease-fire plan agreed to by the United States and France may result in an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, but it will not disarm Hizbullah. It appears that United Nations efforts are concentrating on halting Israeli military operations throughout Lebanon, but no effort is being made to eliminate the Hizbullah threat. The draft agreement only calls for pushing Hizbullah north of the Litani, not far enough from Israel’s northern border to place Hizbullah rockets out of range from northern Israeli civilian population centers. While the draft agreement supports UN Resolution 1559, demanding Hizbullah be disarmed by the Lebanese government, it does not make this a precondition to the implementation of the cease-fire. The plan calls on the deployment of the current UNIFIL force in southern Lebanon to be supported by some 10,000 French forces and 15,000 Lebanese army troops. Other countries may also send troops to take part in the force, which will be responsible to prevent Hizbullah attacks into Israel. Lebanese authorities and Hizbullah are already signaling the plan is unacceptable, since it does not demand an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, but permits a gradual withdrawal of forces over a month. In addition, Lebanese officials are calling the plan discriminatory, since it mentions the need to work towards the release of captive Israel Defense Forces [IDF] soldiers, while not making mention of the release of Lebanese soldiers. more...
| Israel | Islam |

No big surprise here. It seems that Iran and Syria, who have been supplying all the rockets landing in Israel, haven't even received a slap on the hand. The world must fear them to steer so clear around them. That's how Islam will take over the world, only they'll be worshipping the beast.

Typhoon Slams China, Over 1.5 Million Evacuated (August 10, 2006) - Typhoon Saomai, the most powerful storm to hit China in five decades, raged ashore Thursday and churned across the crowded southeast, killing at least two people, wrecking houses and capsizing ships after 1.5 million residents were evacuated. Damage was expected to be widespread in areas that were still recovering from Tropical Storm Bilis, which claimed more than 600 lives last month. Saomai, with winds of up to 135 mph, hit land in China in the coastal town of Mazhan in Zhejiang province, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The area is about 950 miles south of the Chinese capital, Beijing, which wasn't affected. The Zhejiang provincial weather bureau said it was the most powerful storm to strike China since the founding of the communist government in 1949, Xinhua said. more...
| Earth Changes |

EU's Solana to visit Lebanon, Israel (August 10, 2006) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is to visit Lebanon and Israel from Friday to Sunday to discuss a diplomatic solution to the current war, his office has said. In Beirut, Solana will in particular meet on Friday with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, a spokeswoman said Thursday. In Israel he will speak on Saturday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Amir Peretz and will then round off his trip with discussions with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. "He is working for an end to hostilities and the launching of a process to create the political framework for a lasting solution," a statement from his office said. "This process will begin with the adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution to end the hostilities," it added. More than four weeks into the conflict, major powers have reported slow progress in efforts to agree on the wording of a truce call at the United Nations, despite mounting international impatience. more...
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN | Solana |

'Mass Murder Terror Plot' (August 10, 2006) - There is chaos at British airports after police disrupted a plot to cause "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" by blowing up transatlantic airliners. The explosives would have been smuggled aboard at least six airliners as hand luggage - and could have been missed during x-ray screening. Speaking at Scotland Yard, Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said he was confident the police had disrupted a plot "to cause mass murder on an unimaginable scale". He said 21 people arrested in London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley were still being held - the culmination of a covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months. Security raised to 'critical' The Home Secretary John Reid said the "main players" were in custody but cautioned against complacency. "We are involved in a long, wide and deep struggle against very evil people," he said. Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said those arrested were mainly young, British-born Asian men. Another senior Met officer, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, said the arrests followed "an unprecedented level of surveillance". A number of business premises and houses have been sealed off by the police, including one in High Wycombe. Queues at Heathrow Sources in the United States have reported that three airlines targeted were United, American and Continental. Security sources believe that liquid explosives would have been used which could have been mixed during the flight into a lethal concoction. more...
| Islam |

Ahmadinejad: "Death To Israel" (August 2, 2006) - The following are excerpts from an interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which aired on the Iranian News Channel (IRINN) on August 2, 2006. It is followed by excerpts from an interview with Iranian Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezai, which aired on the Iranian News Channel (IRINN) on August 1, 2006.

• Clip # 1222–Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "Death to Israel" - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "I hereby declare that this sinister regime [Israel] is the banner of Satan. It is the banner of the Great Satan. All it does is to implement the orders of the criminal America and England. They think that the peoples are the same as they were 100 years ago. They are not aware that things have changed in the world. Today, all the peoples have awoken. The Iranian people is the standard-bearer of this awakening for all the peoples. As we can see, from the southernmost point in South America to the easternmost point in Asia, all the people are shouting a single cry. With placards in their hands and clenched fists, they shout: Death to Israel."
• Clip # 1221–Secretary of Iranian Expediency Council Mohsen Rezai: Israel hould Expect Very Difficult Days in Tel Aviv and Beyond - Mohsen Rezai: "I predict that Hizbullah will deal much more decisive blows upon Israel. If Israel does not declare a cease-fire soon and does not end the war, it should expect very difficult days in cities like Tel Aviv, and even deeper inside Israel. I believe that if America and Israel use their brains and end this war as soon as possible, they may save themselves from many of the ramifications."

Assad: We’ll Liberate Golan Heights (August 15, 2006) - Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country is prepared for any war that may break out with Israel , adding that he is convinced that the chances for peace have decreased and that “the Golan Heights will be liberated by Syria.” In a special interview with Egyptian newspaper Al-Osboa, Assad said “if Israel launches a war against Syria, it will pay a heavy price.” He said Syria has been following Israel closely, particularly after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon came to power. “The fact that he was elected by such a large majority attests to the fact that the Israeli nation does not want peace,” Assad said. “Syria and the resistance (referring to Hizbullah ) read the situation correctly in that we predicted the confrontation. There have been extensive preparations for the current battle. Our disagreement focused on the nature of the resistance. There were those who thought the resistance didn’t stand a chance in a time when satellites reveal everything, track everything down and can direct severe blows at the resistance, but the reality proved otherwise. more...
| Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

Once again, they say their plans aloud. Once again, it will probably fall on deaf ears. They clearly don't have lasting peace in mind. Their kind of "peace" is piece after piece of Israel's land until there is no Jew left on it. Technically, that will be the only time a Muslim can have peace because their Koran tells them that once land is Muslim, it can never go back to anything else. They must fight until it is theirs.

Quake Shakes Sea Floor in South Pacific (August 15, 2006) - A magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook the sea floor in the South Pacific on Tuesday, but there was no tsunami warning, officials said. The quake struck about 110 miles southwest of Macauley Island, which is located in New Zealand's uninhabited Kermadec Islands, said the New Zealand geological agency, GNS Science. The islands are about 500 miles northeast of Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city. GNS Science said the quake may have been felt in New Zealand's North Island, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
| Earth Changes |

Magnitude 6.1 Quake Strikes Indonesia (August 15, 2006) - A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck in eastern Indonesian on Tuesday, but there was no threat of a tsunami, officials said. The quake was centered beneath the Banda Sea about 120 miles southwest of Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site. The tremor was not felt by residents in the region and there were no reports of damage or casualties, said Aprilianto, an official at a Jakarta-based Meteorological and Geophysics Agency. The quake did not have the potential to cause a destructive tsunami, he said. Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," a string of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
| Earth Changes |

Experts: London plot not Osama's encore (August 15, 2006) - Homeland security officials doubt the terror plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes over the Atlantic was Osama bin Laden's encore to 9-11. The White House has described the foiled plot as "a second September 11." But officials say bin Laden is preparing a larger strike on U.S. soil targeting major U.S. cities. They cite the terror kingpin's message in January in which he warned Americans that sleeper cells were preparing a major new attack "on your own ground." "Operations are under preparation, and you will see them on your own ground once they are finished, Allah willing," bin Laden said in Arabic. Some translations have him saying "in the heart of your land" or "in your houses." The London plot, which may have rivaled 9-11 casualties, still did not involve ground targets. "While impressive in scale, the damage on the ground would have been limited if anything," a U.S. official said. "It's not the spectacular attack he (bin Laden) is looking for to do maximum damage to our economy." Terror experts agree. more...
| America |

Philippine volcano shows signs of imminent eruption (August 14, 2006) - Mount Mayon, a volcano in the central Philippines, showed signs a major eruption was imminent as it belched smoke and spewed burning rocks and mud, scientists said on Sunday. Four explosions have been recorded since Saturday. One mild eruption shot gray ash columns into the air and sent heated volcanic debris cascading down Mayon's slopes, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). "This could be the beginning of a big bang events," Ed Laguerta, a vulcanologist, told reporters. more...
| Earth Changes |

Solana, EU's 'Good Cop' Takes Stage (August 13, 2006) - The European Union was so deeply divided before the Iraq war that its foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, locked himself in his nondescript office in Brussels, declined all requests for interviews and avoided diplomatic missions to the Middle East. Looking back on what he called the darkest moment of his seven years as the EU's top foreign policy official, Solana said in a recent interview that representing the divergent voices of 25 countries required knowing when to be invisible. "Iraq was the toughest moment for me because it showed the limits of multilateralism," said Solana, who privately opposed the war. "But at that moment, France and Britain disagreed and the possibility of finding consensus was very difficult." more...
| Israel | Islam | EU/UN | Solana |

If Solana does play out to be the future leader, expect some pretty amazing diplomatic feats from him. Primarily, he would be the one to broker "peace" in the Middle East. It's a false peace, but it allows the rebuilding of the Jewish temple on the Temple Mount.

Ahmadinejad, Putin Discuss ME Developments By Phone (August 12, 2006) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, discussed latest developments in the Middle East, particularly the continuing war in Lebanon, in a telephone conversation on Friday. Ahmadinejad expressed Tehran's deep concern over the effects of the Zionist regime's massive strikes on Lebanon's civilian population and infrastructure which have now entered their fifth week. "We are seriously concerned that the ongoing situation (in Lebanon) would create a backlash in regional nations, inciting extreme anger among Muslim youth, in particular, over the Zionists' brutal aggression against Lebanon," said the Iranian president. He said he feared continuation of the crisis in Lebanon would create an "implosion" which, in turn, would "cause the crisis to spread to the entire region." Criticizing certain Western countries for their opposition to the 72-hour truce proposed by Russia to take effect in southern Lebanon, Ahmadinejad warned that if international organizations, the United Nations in particular, failed to take measures to end the ongoing carnage in Lebanon "they would be completely discredited." Russia earlier this week proposed a 72-hour truce to allow humanitarian aid to reach areas most affected in the war as continued diplomatic wrangling delayed a UN Security Council resolution to end hostilities. The proposal was rejected by Israel, saying it would give Hezbollah a grace period to "re-group and recover." US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton also said he could not see how the Russian proposal would help create an environment for a lasting ceasefire. more...
| Iran | Israel | Islam |

I'm sure he's very "concerned" about angering Muslim youth to action. His clear annihilation desires for Israel are hardly silent. This is a veiled threat just like they always use, reminding of the impending danger if we don't comply to their wishes. Look for lots more of this.

Ethiopia Flood Death Toll Reaches 250 (August 11, 2006) - The death toll from Ethiopia's worst ever flash floods climbed to 250 Thursday and was expected to rise as crews searched for more bodies, authorities said. Six days after a river burst its banks following torrential rains more than 10,000 people were still homeless and 300 remained missing. The search from the flooding that hit Dire Dawa, about 310 miles east of the capital, Addis Ababa, has stretched for nearly 20 miles along the river. Police spokesman Binyam Fikru told The Associated Press that the floods were blamed for 250 deaths. "This is the worst flood that we have ever recorded,'' Fikru said. "We are no longer looking for survivors. We are now concentrating on finding dead bodies.'' More than 600 rescuers have been using earth movers and their bare hands to dig through mud and debris after the deluge, which washed away people, cars, trees and entire buildings. more...
| Earth Changes |

Buildings Evacuated As Earthquake Rattles Mexico (August 11, 2006) - A moderate earthquake rocked Mexico City on Friday, causing skyscrapers to sway and frightening residents. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Service estimated the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 and was centered in Michoacan, 125 miles southwest of the capital. There were no initial reports of major damage in the city, and electric and telephone service were not interrupted. Hundreds of Mexico City residents ran into the streets when the quake hit. Radio reports said the city seemed fine. The quake didn't appear to knock out electricity or phone service.
| Earth Changes |

Hizbullah Declares Victory (August 11, 2006) - Hizbullah did not wait for the official UN Security Council announcement on a ceasefire and launched its own media campaign declaring it had 'won the war against Israel.' In the latest video aired on Al-Manar TV the terror group says it “defeated the invincible army” and “July-August 2006: Legend shattered.” The new video clips show thousands of supporters waving Hizbullah and Lebanon flags. These clips, which are aired between regularly-scheduled programs, include excerpts from Hassan Nasrallah speeches in which he had promised victory; similar videos were aired during the IDF’s withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000. Meanwhile, the Lebanese government is preparing for war’s conclusion; Prime Minister Fouad Siniora met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabi Berri to discuss the deployment of the army in the south. Some reports said a Hizbullah member also took part in the meeting, but Berri’s associates denied the reports. more...
| Israel | Islam |

The Pentagon Is Worried By Syria's 'Rising Self-Confidence' (August 11, 2006) - The U.S. administration is troubled by what a senior Defense Department official termed "a rise in Syria's self-confidence." The official, who spoke with Haaretz Thursday, expressed frustration over the fact that the United States, Israel and the international community have been unable until now to persuade Syrian President Bashar Assad to change his behavior. He attributed this failure to the fact that "thus far, no real pressure has been applied to Syria by any of the parties." The official, who termed Syria's rising self-confidence "a problem for everyone," said that there had been chances to influence Syria, "but they were missed." Regarding Israel's decision to leave Syria out of the current fighting in Lebanon, he said: "I don't want to say what my opinion of this decision is." The Pentagon believes that Syria's influence over events in Lebanon has increased in recent weeks, and the Bush administration is very worried by this, since it viewed Syria's ouster from Lebanon last year as a significant achievement. more...
| Islam |

“Many experts believe that a large-scale confrontation between Syria and Israel could be on the near horizon, which makes Syria’s growing relationship with nations such as Iran and Russia even more concerning.” | Chuck Missler

Reutersgate strikes other news outlets (August 11, 2006) - At first everyone thought they were just blowing smoke, but the debunking of a Reuters photograph by a group of Web sites has launched a fiery online war in which bloggers have taken on the mainstream media. Bloggers, or writers on web logs, were the first to reveal that a Reuters photograph depicting plumes of black smoke rising over Beirut was doctored to enhance smoke above the city. The Web site www.LittleGreenFootballs.com is credited with first revealing the scandal, which has been dubbed Reutersgate, but the affair has spread far wider than the Reuters News Agency and into several of the most esteemed media outlets. More than a dozen accusations of staged or doctored photographs have made their way through various Web sites in the past several weeks. None has been treated by the news outlets as seriously as the original Reuters incident, which saw the photographer Adnin Hajj fired and over 900 of his photos removed from the Reuters wire list. But numerous other outlets - including the BBC, The New York Times and AP - have been forced to recall photos or change captions following inaccuracies pointed out in online forums. more...
| Islam |

I've brought up the unreliability of news from this area before. To them the world really is a stage, where they can make Israel out to be whatever they desire and manipulate the weak west into agreeing with them. It's no wonder they're going to win. It's all in the Bible. The only salvation is through Christ. John 3:16-21

Syria, Turkey Revive Strategic Partnership (August 10, 2006) - Syria and Turkey discussed ways to revive the strategic partnership between the two friendly countries, according to Syria’s official news agency SANA. Both countries stressed that the Syrian-Turkish relations must encompass economic, trade and political dimensions. Visiting Chairman of Turkey’s Unity Party Mohsen Yazaji Uglo also expressed support for Damascus, who is facing intense U.S. pressure. Israel and its major ally the U.S. accuse Syria, along with Iran, of funding the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah. But Damascus insists that it only supports Hezbollah morally and not militarily. Uglo also voiced support for Lebanon and strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli massacres in the Lebanese territories. "We come here to demonstrate full solidarity with Syria under the foreign threats to which she has been exposed and to express support to the Lebanese national resistance which is facing the savage Israeli aggression against its country," Uglo said after meeting with the Chairman of Syria's Chambers of Commerce's Rateb al-Shallah. more...
| Islam | Gog/Magog |

If you read Chuck Missler's analysis on Magog (first article in today's issue), he says that Turkey's awakening is a big sign.

Syria Checks Bomb Shelters (August 10, 2006) - The winds of war blowing through the region are also being felt in Syria, as the country begins checks of its public bomb shelters for the first time since 1973. Syrian media outlets reported Wednesday that while residents of towns on the border with Israel are independently looking after themselves and shelters, the 'civil guard' began checking the state of bomb shelters in Damascus. A senior member or the civil guard in Damascus said the body was "working to make sure the shelters were in good shape as a step to prepare for any future development. This is especially true for shelters who have over the years turned into stores, clubs, and even homes." "Imagine if God forbid a war broke out and they tried to enter here, they would probably prevent it," said Abu Majdi, a senior civil guard member, while pointing at a home in Damascus built in a former shelter. more...
| Islam | Gog/Magog |

Could this be a sign of recognition within Syria's government that they will soon be needing these shelters?

St. Helens Brewing Again? (August 15, 2006) - Picture of thermal readings of St. Helens dome
| Earth Changes |

Plot Shows Rise of Extremism in Europe (August 13, 2006) - Britain's struggle to contain Muslim extremism points up a chilling trend across Europe: the rise of radical Islam, and with it, a willingness among a small but dangerous minority of young people to answer the call to jihad. From the squalid suburbs north of Paris to the gritty streets of Sarajevo, young, disaffected Muslims are increasingly receptive to hard-liners looking to recruit foot soldiers for holy war, European counterterrorism officials and religious leaders warn. The continent, they caution, remains vulnerable to attacks by homegrown militants despite the heightened security and attempts at inter-religious dialogue that followed the deadly 2004 train bombings in Madrid and last year's suicide attacks in London. "Their numbers are still relatively small, but I fear they could become larger as more young Muslims embrace militancy," said Fawaz Gerges, a professor of Islamic studies at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Gerges calls it "the jihad generation": converts to extremism in Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and elsewhere who are becoming radicalized — partly in response to the conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East — and are spawning "self-generating" networks and cells. "They're not part of al-Qaida, but in their own eyes, they are foot soldiers" who share Osama bin Laden's ideology, he said. Little is known of what may have motivated the 23 suspects in British police custody to allegedly plot to blow up U.S.-bound jetliners with liquid explosives. But many in their middle and working class neighborhoods said the communities have become alienated by U.S. and British policy in the Middle East. more...
| Islam |

Iranian Cataclysm Forecast Aug. 22 (August 9, 2006) - A top expert on the Mideast says it is possible Iran could pick Aug. 22, the anniversary of one of Islam's holiest events, for a cataclysm Shiite Muslims believe will forever resolve the battle between "good" and "evil." Princeton's Bernard Lewis has written an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal advising that the rest of the world would be wise to bear in mind that for those who believe the end of the world is imminent and good, there is no deterrent even to nuclear warfare. As WorldNetDaily has reported, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged his people to prepare for the coming of an Islamic "messiah," raising concerns a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world. He's also said, in a WND report, that Islam and its followers must prepare to rule the world, because it is a "universal ideology that leads the world to justice." Now comes Lewis, who notes that the world must be concerned about a leader for whom the possibility of death is not a deterrent. "In this context, mutual assured destruction, the deterrent that worked so well during the Cold War, would have no meaning," Lewis wrote. "At the end of time, there will be general destruction anyway. What will matter will be the final destination of the dead – hell for the infidels, and heaven for the believers. "For people with this mindset, MAD is not a constraint, it is an inducement," he said. Lewis noted that Ahmadinejad has referred to Aug. 22 several times, including when he rejected – until that date – United Nations requests for nuclear program information. Lewis, joining several other Mideast experts who have expressed similar concerns, said Aug. 22 corresponds to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427. "This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to 'the farthest mosque,' usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back," Lewis wrote. In Islam, as in other religious, certain beliefs describe the "cosmic struggle" at the end of time. For Shiite Muslims, Lewis wrote, this will be "the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of good over evil." more...
| Iran | Gog/Magog | Israel | Islam |

I don't know if there is truly anything to this. If this is a reality, then we could possibly see the Gog/Magog invasion on the 22nd. With the Lebanon-Israel conflict dying down, perhaps that will be an excuse to build up troops on the border or something? Time will tell.