TRUMPETWEEKLY

Has President Obama inadvertently given Iran the green light to develop an atom bomb? Britain is at the mercy of foreign powers. This is what a marriage of convenience between a state and the Roman Catholic Church looks like. It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption. You cant pour $13 trillion into an economy and not have some kind of an effect.
BARACK PAGE 2 TIGHTROPE PAGE 6 ABUSE PAGE 8 BREAKDOWN PAGE 8 SHOOTS PAGE 10

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A DIGEST OF SIGNIFICANT WORLD NEWS FROM THE PHILADELpHIA TRUMpEt STAFF FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 17-23, 2009

BARACK Obama sacrificing Americas alliance with Israel for the sake of a shot at a relationship with Iran? Lets begin at the endor, at least, close to the end. The historic opportunity to solve the Arab-Jew conflict spoken of by the White House is nothing of the sort, and efforts to pursue it JOEL HILLIKER will crash and burn. Then, what hapCOLUMNISt pens next will be an awesome and awful fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. Events this week advanced the situation toward that end. In the Oval Office on Monday, Israel and America butted heads. Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama agreed on what the top two agenda items should be: the peace process and Irans nuclear program. But which to put first? The worst danger we face is that Iran would develop nuclear military capabilities, stressed Israels prime minister. For Israel, preventing an Iranian nuclear bomb is a question of survival. Iranian leaders have vowed to eliminate Israel. This threat must be removed before meaningful headway can be made seeking peace. After all, the Palestinian populace is divided in two. Half is ruled by Hamas, a terrorist group whose patron is Iran. If Iran is defanged, its proxies within Israel shrivel, and peace becomes more likely. President Obama countered that the nuclear issue needs to take a backseat to the peace process. If there is a linkage between Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, I personally believe it actually runs the other way, he said. Gaining ground in the peace arena strengthens our hand in the international community in dealing with a potential Iranian threat. In other words, the United States wants Israel to make more concessions in hopes of appeasing Arab states; then they might be likelier to turn around and pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear aims. The flaws in the presidents reasoning are deep. In truth, if the Palestinians get a state before Iran is neutralized, the threat to Israels existence grows significantly. Palestine would likely become another, larger Gaza Strip: a terrorist camp bristling with Iranian weapons. Nevertheless, President Obama is taking this position for at least one major reason: He wants a partnership with Iran.
S

With Friends Like These

The Afghanistan-Pakistan situation is well out of hand. The border region between the two countries has been overrun by the Taliban, endangering supply lines to U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. The Obama administration proposes to solve the problem by bypassing it sending supplies through an alternate route. That means soliciting help from Afghanistans western neighbor, Iran. But AfPak is only one of several foreign-policy challenges hammering Washington. It appears the president has stepped back and reassessed the lot of themIraq, Hamas, the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Syria, Lebanon, nuclear proliferation. He figures that all these problems become more manageable if Iran is onside. If that is true, the only reason is that Tehran is largely behind all these problems! They wouldnt exist if not for Iran. Treating it as an ally is like hiring the arsonist into the fire department. Yes, through back-channel dealings, Washington is looking to forge a military and intelligence partnership with Iran. Of course, Irans mullahs arent excited about the idea of helping the U.S.the great Satanto subdue the Taliban. Should they oblige, their price will be steep. But consider all the incentives the U.S. has to offer. It can allow Iran a free hand in Iraq. It can remove economic sanctions. It can drop its opposition to Irans nuclear program. It can pull back its support for Israel. How much is America already doing these things? Recently, the U.S. broke a long-standing agreement with Israel by explicitly naming the Jewish state among the worlds presumed nuclear powers. The comment sparked outrage in Israel; many analysts saw it as a sign of the administrations antagonism. And after President Obamas meeting with Netanyahu this week, many observers were dismayed at the treatment Israels prime minister received. There wasnt a single blister that Obama didnt step on, wrote Israels second-largest daily, Maariv. A new era has begun in relations between Israel and the United States, Eytan Gilboa, a political science professor at Bar-Ilan University, told Agence France-Presse. The new American president does not have a particular sentiment towards Israel. He is defending his interests and his global approach to the Middle East, which includes a rapprochement with the Arab world at the expense of privileged relations with Israel (emphasis mine throughout). Thats why, when Netanyahu says that keeping nuclear

see FRIENDS page 10

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tELEgRApH, CON COUgHLIN | MAY 21

MIDDLE EAST
RAN CLAIMS

it successfully tested a new medium-range solid-fuel ballistic missile on Wednesday that could hit Israel and possibly Europe. Associated Press reports that The launch raised concerns about the sophistication of Tehrans missile program. Irans terror proxy Hezbollah is also growing in power ahead of Lebanese elections June 7, in which it is widely expected to make strong gains. Associated Press reported Thursday that Arab states are growing alarmed over Hezbollahs reach and Irans power. Egypt has accused Armed Pakistani Taliban gather at a hideout in Hezbollah of planning the semi-autonomous tribal district of Orakzai. attacks within the country; Yemen has accused Hezbollah of training Shiite rebels there; Saudi Arabia has voiced concern over Irans growing influence in the region; and Morocco accuses Iran of spreading Shiite influence in that country. The double whammy by Hezbollahof growing political influence at home, coupled with more outreach abroadhas put the squeeze on traditional but waning Arab powers like Egypt, already rattled by President Barack Obamas outreach to their foe Iran, AP said. In Afghanistan, weapons and ammunition given to the Afghan security forces by the U.S. are falling into the hand of the Taliban, the New York Times reported May 19. Of 30 rifle magazines recently taken from insurgents corpses, at least 17 contained cartridges, or rounds, identical to ammunition the United States had provided to Afghan government forces, the Times said. Military officials, arms analysts and dealers say that poor Afghan oversight of arms inventories together with corruption in the Afghan forces may have helped keep the Taliban supplied with weapons and ammunition during the eight-year conflict. This is what comes of America relying on the support of dubious allies to help fight its battles.

Barack Obama Giving Iran Time to Build Nuclear Bomb

HAS PRESIDENT Obama inadvertently given Iran the green light to develop an atom bomb? I only ask because it appears to be the logical conclusion to be drawn from his announcement this week that he is giving Iran until the end of the year to decide whether or not to cooperate with the West over its controversial nuclear program. It is hardly surprising that the implications of Mr. Obamas highly revealing comment have gone unnoticed in this country. But taken at face value, it could have a major impact on how the international crisis over Irans nuclear program plays out. Under pressure from a visiting Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to explain the latest White House position on Iran, a relaxed Mr. Obama remarked: We should have a fairly good sense by the end of the year as to whether [the Iranians] are moving in the right direction. The only problem with this somewhat lackadaisical approach to the most pressing security issue of the modern age is that, come the end of the year, Irans development of a nuclear weapon will be a fait accompli. At the heart of the international campaign to persuade Tehran to halt its program is the awareness that, according to intelligence estimates, Iran will by the end of this year have sufficient quantities of low-enriched uranium to build a nuclear warhead. Even the most dovish intelligence analysts agree that 2,000 kilos would be sufficient for an atom bomb, and in March, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UNs nuclear watchdog, confirmed that Iran had so far successfully produced half of that amount in its uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. At a stroke, however, Mr. Obamas comments have taken the pressure off Iran, just as the nuclear crisis approaches a critical juncture. Next month, Iran goes to the polls to choose a new president. The outcome of this election will determine the fate of Irans 30-year stand-off with the West. Whatever happens at the polls, Mr. Obama does not have to wait until the end of the year to find out whether Tehran is prepared to make the concessions necessary to resolve this crisis. Whether it is Mr. Ahmadinejad or one of the other candidates who triumphs on June 12, the message will be the same: no deal.

EU OBSERVER | May 21

Iran Claims Missile Test With Europe in Range

RANIAN PRESIDENT Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed to have successfully tested another ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe. Speaking in the northern Iranian city of Semnan, where the Sajil-2 missile was allegedly test-fired, Mr. Ahmadinejad said the blast was a success and met the predetermined target. If its alleged range of almost 2,000 kilometers is true, the missile could reach Athens, southern Italy and the Black Sea coast of new EU members Romania and Bulgaria. A similar test was carried out in No vember, while in February Iran launched a domestically made satellite that prompted France and Great Britain to express their concerns over the missile capabilities of the Islamic state. Israel, also a nuclear power, said Wednesdays test should be more
REHMAN ALI/AFP/GEttY IMAgES

THE tRUMpEt WEEKLY May 23, 2009 3

of a concern to Europe, since previous missiles tested by Iran could already reach the Jewish state. With presidential elections scheduled for June 12, the test could also be read as part of Mr. Ahmadinejads reelection campaign, as three other contenders have been approved by Irans electoral council.

Irans Nuclear Shopping List

WALL StREEt JOURNAL | MAY 21

EARtH TIMES | May 20

Israel Pledges to Uproot West Bank Settler Outposts

SRAELI DEFENSE Minister Ehud Barak promised Wednesday to remove unauthorized settlers outposts in the occupied West Bank, through agreement or by force if necessary. If not through dialogue, we will do it with quick and aggressive law enforcement, Barak, of the left-to-center coalition Labor Party, told settler leaders meeting in Tel Aviv. He said the new Israeli government of hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he had joined would take action against the outposts, not because it was told to do so by the United States, but because Israel is a state of law. Some 100 outposts, set up independently by Jewish settlers without formal government approval, are scattered throughout the West Bank. They exist next to the 121 formal Israeli settlements in the occupied territory. The Netanyahu government has said it will abide by the road map, but not move on to serious negotiations on a final peace deal until all of its preliminary clauses are met. Under it, the Palestinians are called on to fight militants. Two Israeli newspapers also reported Wednesday that Obamas Middle East team is currently drafting a new peace plan, the essence of which Obama is expected to present in a key-note address in Cairo on June 4and which supports a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu has thus far refused to openly accept a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, let alone speak of concessions on Jerusalem, of which he has said repeatedly in the past he will never divide.

MIDDLE EASt NEWSLINE | May 20

Hamas Would Win Elections in West Bank

SRAELS INTELLIGENCE community has determined that Hamas, de spite a crackdown by the Palestinian Authority, would still win any election held in the West Bank. The intelligence community has asserted that Hamas would beat Fatah in elections in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2009. They said Hamas retains the support of a solid majority of the Muslim community, including leading Palestinian clans. If the Palestinian Authority were to hold general elections now, it is highly likely that Hamas would win, Israel Security Agency director Yuval Diskin said.

BACK WhEN the Bush Administration was warning about Irans nuclear progress, or its deadly meddling in Iraq, the typical Democratic and media response was to treat the Islamic Republic as innocent until proven guilty. This month, Democrat Robert Morgenthau supplied the proof. In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was largely ignored by the media, the legendary Manhattan District attorney opened a window on how Iran is secretly obtaining the ingredients for an arsenal of mass destruction. Mr. Morgenthau, whose recent cases have exposed illicit Iranian finance and procurement networks, has discovered what he calls Irans shopping list for materials related to weapons of mass destruction. They add up to literally thousands of records. Missile accuracy appears to be a key Iranian goal. In one of Mr. Morgenthaus casesthe prosecution of Chinese citizen Li Fang Wei and his LIMMT company for allegedly scamming Manhattan banks to slip past sanctions on Iranthe DA uncovered a list that included 400 sophisticated gyroscopes and 600 accelerometers. These are critical for developing accurate longrange missiles. Mr. Morgenthau also noted that the material shipped by LIMMT included 15,000 kilograms of a specialized aluminum alloy used almost exclusively in long-range missile production; 1,700 kilograms of graphite cylinders used for banned electrical discharge machines which are used in converting uranium; more than 30,000 kilograms of tungsten-copper plates; 200 pieces of tungsten-copper alloy hollow cylinders, all used for missiles; 19,000 kilograms of tungsten metal powder, and 24,500 kilograms of maraging steel rods especially hardened steel suitable for longrange missiles. Lest anyone think that these materials may have innocent uses, Mr. Morgenthau added that we have consulted with top experts in the field from MIT and from private industry and from the CIA. Frankly, some of the people weve consulted are shocked by the sophistication of the equipment theyre buying. Mr. Morgenthaus information is corroborated by a staff report for the Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Democrat John Kerry, which notes that Iran is making nuclear progress on all fronts, and that it could produce enough weapons-grade material for a bomb within six months.

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DAILY MAIL | MAY 22

NEW YORK TIMES | May 20

Arms Sent by U.S. May Be Falling Into Taliban Hands

NSURGENTS IN Afghanistan, fighting from some of the poorest and most remote regions on Earth, have managed for years to maintain an intensive guerrilla war against materially superior American and Afghan forces. Arms and ordnance collected from dead insurgents hint at one possible reason: Of 30 rifle magazines recently taken from insurgents corpses, at least 17 contained cartridges, or rounds, identical to ammunition the United States had provided to Afghan government forces, according to an examination of ammunition markings by the New York Times and interviews with American officers and arms dealers. The presence of this ammunition among the dead in the Korangal Valley, an area of often fierce fighting near Afghanistans border with Pakistan, strongly suggests that munitions procured by the Pentagon have leaked from Afghan forces for use against American troops. The scope of that diversion remains unknown, and the 30 magazines represented a single sampling of fewer than 1,000 cartridges. But military officials, arms analysts and dealers say it points to a worrisome possibility: With only spotty American and Afghan controls on the vast inventory of weapons and ammunition sent into Afghanistan during an eight-year conflict, poor discipline and outright corruption among Afghan forces may have helped insurgents stay supplied. The American military did not dispute the possibility that theft or corruption could have steered [the] ammunition to insurgents. Capt. James C. Howell, who commands the company that captured the ammunition, said illicit diversion would be consistent with an enduring reputation of corruption in Afghan units, especially the police. Its not surprising, he said.

Britain: Ripe for Revolt

FRUSTRATED BRITISh voters are ripe for a revolt against the European Union, a new poll has discovered. Seven out of ten people are so angered by Brussels rules that they want the government to start breaking them. And a huge majority60 percent to 30 percentbelieve Britain should refuse to pay any fines imposed for their disobedience. The findings of the survey, carried out by ICM and the TaxPayers Alliance, suggests the political parties are out of step with public opinion. The poll also reveals wider dissatisfaction with the European Union, the euro and the Lisbon Treaty. It also suggests most people support stripping powers from Brussels. People are so annoyed by EU rules that 69 percent want the Government to start breaking them and disobeying Brussels. Only 28 percent disagree. Gordon Brown sparked anger when he ditched a manifesto pledge to put the revamped EU constitution to a vote. A majority of supporters of all three main political partiesConservatives 78 percent, Labor 65 percent and Liberal Democrat 59 percentsupport disobedience. Most voters also believe Britain should take back powers from Brusselsby 57 percent to 37 percent. In another blow to the Lisbon Treaty, 75 percent said any decision to give more powers to the EU should be put to a referendum. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Our polling shows that people are more Eurosceptic than everthey are ready for an EU revolt. Voters are sick of the huge cost of the EUs wasteful policies and corrupt institutions, and want to see the British government stand up to Brussels for once. Our politicians should start fighting the taxpayers corner by breaking the EUs absurd rules and refusing to pay any fines they throw at us. Instead of trying to force through a Treaty that no-one wants, the government should be taking back powers and telling the EU to stop its costly meddling. The Germans are coming back from the destruction of World War II in breathtaking manner. Germany is the economic and military heart of Europe. Probably Germany will lead and dominate the coming United States of Europe. But Britain will be no part of it! Herbert Armstrong, 1975 in Prophecy

AgENCE FRANCE-PRESSE | May 21

One in Seven Guantanamo Inmates Returns to Fight

REpORT bY the Pentagon has found that one in seven of the 534 prisoners who have been transferred abroad from Guantanamo Bay have returned to militant activity, the New York Times said on Thursday. The findings of the report could further impede President Barack Obamas efforts to shutter the controversial detention facility by his self-imposed deadline of Jan. 22, 2010, which have faced challenges from both main political parties, including his fellow Democrats . According to the latest report, the Pentagon estimates that 74 prisoners released from the prison camp in southern Cuba have returned to terror or militant activitya nearly 14 percent recidivism rate. The latest report was being held up by Pentagon employees out of concern it would upset the White House, the Times said, citing two unnamed Obama administration officials.

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EUROPE

CONOMIC DATA released May 15 shows that Europes economy is actually doing far worse than many economists originally thought. Germany is now in the deepest recession of any major economy. Italy, Austria, Spain and the Netherlands are suffering the worst slump since World War II. During the first three months of this year, Germanys economy shrank by 3.8 percent, the largest drop since Germany began keeping GDp data in 1970. Austria and the Netherlands shrank by 2.8 percent, Italy by 2.4 percent, Spain by 1.8 percent and France by 1.2 percent. These decreases in GDp are putting pressure on governments to cut spending. A total of 350,000 people marched in the streets of Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Prague and other cities last weekend as part of a series of demonstrations calling for greater job protection. If the governments of Europe cut spending, far more people will come out and protest. Italian automaker Fiat SpA is on a global shopping spree. On April 30, Fiat took over management of bankrupt U.S. auto giant Chrysler LLC. Now Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is meeting senior German and American officials with a plan to take control of General Motors operations in Europe, South Africa and Latin America. If this plan goes through, it would put power over several traditionally American-dominated markets in the hands of the European Union. Fiat, however, needs public funding to make this colossal merger happen. That is why Marchionne is seeking up to $9 billion in loan guarantees from European governments. Most of this money would come from Germany. Whether this particular deal goes through or not, it is extremely significant that American automotive officials are now looking to transfer key assets to European countries. Ruling parties in some of the EUs biggest member states are coming under heavy fire in EU election campaigns, giving Euroskeptic groups a chance to grab attention, reported the EU Observer this week. European parliamentary elections take place in June, and Euroskeptic groups like Britains United Kingdom Independence Party are likely to do well. Across the EU, mainstream parties are experiencing scandals, meaning that smaller Euroskeptic groups may grab a greater share of the vote. Watch this trendbiblical prophecy informs us that Europe will soon be whittled down to 10 core nations or blocs.

GermanyBad Year for an Election

GERMANY SET to Suffer Record Deficit, headlined the Financial Times on May 14. The next day, a rash of negative headlines on Germanys economy splashed across many media outlets. With the publishing of the latest data on the German economy, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel faces its greatest crisis since her election almost eight years ago. This is not going to be a good year for either the upcoming European parliamentary elections slated for June, or for the September German federal elections. All candidates for both elections must now have the solution to the economic crisis as the chief plank in their campaigns. The economic crisis in Europe coinciding with a right-wing swing in the electorate harkens back to similar times 80 years ago. Adding to this sense of history repeating itself in Europe, in particular within Germany, are reports of the prospect of the eurozonewith Germany at its centertreading on the brink of a deflationary spiral. The next four months will be crucial in determining the future course of both the EU and Germany. Much now hinges on how Chancellor Merkels shaky coalition government handles Europes key economy. Her political opponents, which in this years election race include her own coalition partnersespecially Germanys vice chancellor and foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeierwill be ready to stab Merkel in the back the moment she puts a foot wrong. Waiting in the wings for his moment, one strong man remains, biding his time. He once declined the job of minister for the economy in Chancellor Merkels government. Did Edmund Stoiber have the foresight to see that portfolio as a poisoned chalice, given the fact of Merkels failure to come to grips with Germanys deep-seated systemic economic problems now threatening to end her political career? Germany now faces its worst post-war economic crisis. How will Germany react? Bible prophecy forecasts that the future of Europe, and of the world, is closely linked to Germany. As Gerald Flurry has previously indicated, the prophesied leader of the beast power of Revelation 13 may well arise following Germanys upcoming federal election during this time of crisis. Continue to watch Germany.

RON FRASER | COLUMNISt

MIDDLE EASt TIMES | May 19

Analysis: Terror Threat Growing in Germany

terrorism is becoming a more multifaceted and concrete threat to Germany. Islamist terrorism continues to be a real threat to Germans, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schuble said Tuesday in Berlin at the release of the 2008 report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, an agency that monitors all forms of extremism in the country. Germany, Schuble said, is home to a considerable Islamist personnel potential that also includes German Muslim converts. An increasing number have been traveling to the border region shared by Afghanistan and Pakistan to receive training in al-Qaeda-run terrorist camps, spy agencies have learned. Heinz Fromm, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the government agency that compiled the 303-page report, spoke of a new quality of radical Islamic threats directed at Germany. We are seeing more video threats that are addressing Germany and its military engagement in Afghanistan directly, and they
ADICAL ISLAMIC

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TELEgRApH, AMBROSE EVANS-PRItCHARD | MAY 22

are increasingly in German, he said. Many videos are also aimed at recruiting Muslims in Germany for jihad, Fromm added.

Britain Is Walking a Tightrope

LOSS OF AAA status is not in itself a death sentence. A string of rich countries have been ejected from the club over the past decade without calamitous results, and most have clawed their way back in after a few years of penance. It is less clear whether Britain can hope to muddle through so easily if Standard & Poors pulls the trigger, given its reliance on foreigners to fund its debt and deficits. Norway lost its AAA in 1987, Finland in 1990, Sweden in 1991, Canada in 1994 and this year Spain and Ireland, both acutely vulnerable since, as eurozone states, they cannot devalue their way out of trouble or print money. Perhaps most surprising is that Japan fell in 1998, though it was by then the worlds top creditor with more than $1.5 trillion of net foreign assets (now $3 trillion). The Japanese didnt take the downgrade seriously, said Russell Jones, of RbC Capital, a Japan veteran from the 1990s. They didnt think they would have any trouble funding their debt. They were right. Yields on 10-year bonds fell to 1 percent by the end of the decade, and to 0.5 percent in the deflation scare of 2003confounding those who expected Japans emergency stimulus to stoke inflation and push up yields. Were far more vulnerable than Japan ever was, said Albert Edwards, global strategist at Socit Gnrale. Japan had a huge current account surplus and a strong currency. The UK is a deficit country, at risk of a sterling collapse. Years of UK macro-mismanagement have dragged the UK economy to the edge of a precipice. S&P said yesterday that UK debt is likely to reach 100 percent of GDp in the medium term even if the government tightens its belt. Prof. Charles Goodhart from the London School of Economics said the danger is a debt compound trap when interest rates rise. If that hap pens were in real trouble. We could be close by next year, he said. Britain is at the mercy of foreign powers. Marc Ostwald, of Monument Securities, said Russias central bank held 9.7 percent of its reserves in sterling at the end of last year. They are going to lighten the load if Britain is downgraded. It will be slow attrition, he said.

DER SpIEgEL | May 20

Germany Not Doing Enough to Fight RightWing Extremism

released Tuesday showed a 16 percent increase in far-right crimes in Germany in 2008 and a rise in the number of neoNazis. German commentators argue that the government is not doing enough to fight right-wing extremism. According to the report, which was presented Tuesday in Berlin, there were 19,894 far-right crimes reported in Germany in 2008an increase of almost 16 percent over the previous year. The report also concluded that the number of neo-Nazis rose by 400 compared to the previous year to 4,800. Heinz Fromm, the agencys head, warned that a scene of 400-500 right-wing anarchists has emerged over the last two years, whose members deliberately seek out violence at demonstrations. On Wednesday, German commentators were unanimous in their calls on the federal government to do more to fight right-wing extremism. The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes: Things are very, very bad, the government says. Its the same thing its been saying for years. With its usual flair for originality, the center-left Social Democratic Party calls for a ban on the NpD. And thatsupposedlywould be enough. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schuble gets all excited when it comes to things like amending the Constitution to let Germany combat pirates. And, for him, deploying military forces within Germany is an urgent matter, just like rolling back data privacy protections to aid in the fight against terrorism. You would hope that he would bring the same zeal to the issue of far-right extremismand not just when it comes to gathering information and conducting surveillance.
REpORT

CNA | May 20

Pope Calls for Internet Evangelists

OpE BENEDICT XVI is calling upon young people to evangelize using the Internet as the church prepares to celebrate the World Day for Social Communications. At the end of his Wednesday general audience, the [pope] launched an appeal asking that cyberspace be a place that promotes a culture of respect, dialogue and authentic friendship where the values of truth, harmony and understanding can flourish. Speaking English, [Benedit XVI] recalled how in his message for this years celebrations, I am inviting all those who make use of the new technologies of communication, especially the young, to utilize them in a positive way and to realize the great potential of these means to build up bonds of friendship and solidarity that can contribute to a better world. Young people in particular, I appeal to you: Bear witness to your faith through the digital world! the pope urged. Employ these new technologies to make the gospel known, so that the good news of Gods

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StRAtFOR | MAY 21

infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world!

U.S.: The Very Real Grassroots Risk

tHETRUMpEt.COM, RICHARD PALMER | May 21

Ireland: Shocking Child Abuse by the Roman Catholic Church

hOUSANDS OF

children were worked like slaves without proper food or clothing. Their teachers and older children physically, emotionally and sexually abused them. The most vulnerable were subject to the most vile attacks. This does not describe some Dickenesque poorhouse or African labor camp. This describes religious schools in Ireland in the 20th century, run by the Roman Catholic Church. A nine-year investigation by Irelands Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse published its final results Wednesday. The damning fivevolume report took into account evidence from 2,500 individuals who suffered abuse in reformatories, industrial schools and orphanages run by Catholic religious orders. Hunger was a constant companion. We were child slaves, said Patrick Walsh, a man who went through the nightmarish system. In 1955, when he was 2 years old, he and his two older brothers and 6-month-old sister were charged with having a parent who does not exercise proper guardianship. His mother had left Walshs father, and so under Irish law, Walshs father could have the children sent away, unless his wife returned. It was a different age then, Walsh said, you would have to compare it to Iran. Ireland was a theocratic state. Irelands commission paints a horrible picture of these schools. Sexual abuse was endemic in boys institutions, states the Executive Summary of the report. Here are some more shocking statements from the report: A climate of fear, created by pervasive, excessive and arbitrary punishment, permeated most of the institutions and all those run for boys. Children lived with the daily terror of not knowing where the next beating was coming from. Older boys abused younger boys and the system did not offer protection from bullying of this kind. Children were frequently hungry and food was inadequate, inedible and badly prepared in many schools. Witnesses spoke of scavenging for food from waste bins and animal feed. Clothing was a particular problem in boys schools where children often worked for long hours outdoors on farms. In addition, boys were often left in their soiled and wet work clothes throughout the day and wore them for long periods. Accommodation was cold, spartan and bleak. Sanitary provision was primitive in most boys schools and general hygiene facilities were poor. Whats worse, this abuse took place with the full knowledge and backing of the Irish government and the Vatican. The whole time, the Catholic Church and the religious orders knew exactly what was going on, but they covered it up. Walsh described the system as a marriage of convenience between church and state. He explained: The church received grants, which were the lifeblood of the religious orders, and the children were used as the means to fill their pockets with cash. I learnt in later years that Artane [one of the schools] would get a check, say for 10,000, every

FOUR MEN will appear in court in White Plains, N.Y., on May 21 to face charges of plotting to bomb two Jewish targets in the Bronx and to shoot down a military aircraft at an Air National Guard base in Newburgh, N.Y. The suspectsJames Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen, all from Newburgh, N.Y.have been charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States and conspiracy to acquire and use antiaircraft missiles, according to the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of New York. They were arrested May 20 after a nearly year-long FbI investigation. Payen is from Haiti, but the other three men in the grassroots militant cell are U.S. citizens. Cromitie, the apparent ringleader, was reared as a Muslim to parents who had spent time in Afghanistan; the other three men converted to Islam in prison. The men apparently began their plot in Newburgh in 2008 and were discovered by authorities when they recruited an undercover informant operating out of a Newburgh mosque into their group. The details of this plot available so far appear to track very closely with much of what Stratfor has written over the past several years regarding both the potential danger fromand limitations ofgrassroots jihadists. The Newburgh group appears to have had the intent to cause damage, but not the capability. As Stratfor has previously noted, in spite of the large amount of terrorism-related material available on the Internet, it is more difficult to conduct a terrorist attack than it appears, and militants often experience a disconnect between intent and capability. The Newburgh group apparently did not possess the skills required to make improvised explosive mixtures. Because of this, they needed an outside source to provide them with the explosives for their attacka need that made the group vulnerable to penetration and reduced their operational security. Although this group lacked skill and made some seemingly amateur moves (such as compromising their OpSEC, and thus allowing a government informant into their cell) they still possess the intent to kill people, and occasionally, groups like this get it right. Had the group contacted an actual jihadist operativea tactical commander with practical bomb-making skillsinstead of a government informant, the results of this case could have been quite different. Because of this risk, the group posed a very real threat.

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gUARDIAN | MAY 19

month from the government. Artane would send 8,000 to Rome. As a consequence we were badly fed, and we worked 12-hour days in the fields and workshops. I was put to work in the shoe shop. This school, run by a group of monks who called themselves the Christian Brothers, used the children they were meant to look after to turn out a profit. The report confirms that the religious orders were running these schools for their own enrichment. Ultimately, the bishops, the government and the cardinals in the Vatican knew what was going on, said Walsh. Rather than deal with the problem of sexual abuse, the church and government simply covered it up. Instructions issued from the Vatican in 1962 stated that in cases of sexual abuse, those same matters be pursued in a most secretive way, and be restrained by a perpetual silence (Instruction on the Manner of Proceeding in Cases of Solicitation, Vatican Press). Then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, endorsed this view in a letter sent out to all bishops on May 18, 2001. The Vatican doesnt care about the children. It just cares about the reputation of the Roman Catholic Church. This is what a marriage of convenience between a state and the Roman Catholic Church looks like, and this, according to Bible prophecy, is the type of union coming soon to all of Europe.

GPS System Close to Breakdown

IT hAS become one of the staples of modern, high-tech life: using satellite navigation tools built into your car or mobile phone to find your way from A to B. But experts have warned that the system may be close to breakdown. U.S. government officials are concerned that the quality of the Global Positioning System (GpS) could begin to deteriorate as early as next year, resulting in regular blackouts and failuresor even dishing out inaccurate directions to millions of people worldwide. The satellites are overseen by the U.S. Air Force, which has maintained the GpS network since the early 1990s. According to a study by the U.S. government mismanagement and a lack of investment means that some of the crucial gps satellites could begin to fail as early as next year. It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current gps service without interruption, said the report, presented to Congress. If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected. The report says that Air Force officials have failed to execute the necessary steps to keep the system running smoothly. Although it is currently spending nearly $2 billion (1.3 billion) to bring the 20-year-old system up to date, the GAOwhich is the equivalent of Britains National Audit Officesays that delays and overspending are putting the entire system in jeopardy. In recent years, the Air Force has struggled to successfully build GpS satellites within cost and schedule goals, said the report. It encountered significant technical problems [and] struggled with a different contractor. The impact on ordinary users could be significant, with millions of SATNAV users potential victims of bad directions or failed services. There would also be similar side effects on the military, which uses GpS for mapping, reconnaissance and for tracking hostile targets. The failings of GpS could also play into the hands of other countriesincluding opening the door to Galileo, the Europeanfunded attempt to rival Americas satellite navigation system, which is scheduled to start rolling out later next year. War is endemic to the past and continuing history of mankind. Consider and realize that major wars will never be controlled from this Earths surface again! From now on, all major wars will be controlled from space. Trumpet, December 2003

ASIA
hE

K REMLIN has created a special commission designed to counter perceived anti-Russian propaganda within the former Soviet Union. In a decree made public on Tuesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the commission to investigate and counter falsified versions of history that could damage Russias international prestige. Critics are calling this commission a return to Soviet-era controls. The ruling United Russia party has also proposed new legislation that would mandate a jail term of three to five years for anyone in the former Soviet Union accused of rehabilitating Nazism. There are those in Latvia and Estonia who have already been accused by the Kremlin for rehabilitating Nazism because they said that the Soviet army was an occupying force. Russia is returning to authoritarianism and Soviet-era propaganda techniques. Biblical prophecy clearly describes the inevitable return of Russia as a great power. Under Vladimir Putin, we are witnessing this transformation take place before our eyes.

PRAVADA | May 19

Russia Dumps the U.S. Dollar for Euro

U.S. dollar is not Russias basic reserve currency anymore. The euro-based share of reserve assets of Russias Central Bank increased to the level of 47.5 percent as of Jan. 1 2009, and exceeded the investments in dollar assets, which made up 41.5 percent, The Vedomosti newspaper wrote. The dollar has thus lost the status of the basic reserve currency for the Russian Central Bank, the annual report, which the bank provided to the State Duma, said. In accordance with the report, about 47.5 percent of the currency assets of the Russian Central Bank were based on the euro, whereas the dollar-based assets made up 41.5 percent as of the beginning of the current year. The situation was totally different at the beginning of
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the previous year: 47 percent of investments were made in U.S. dollars, while the euro investments were evaluated at 42 percent.

Uncle Sams F-Rated Bonds

WERE ThE United States any other country, its bonds would lose their AAA rating. President Barack Obama plans dramatic increases in spending over the next four years on health care, the environment, education, and federal employment. Yet the private economy, which must be taxed, is likely to grow slowly, resulting in too much borrowing. Despite the presidents best efforts, banks still face hundreds of thousands of home mortgage foreclosures. And they must work through new commercial real-estate loan defaults created by the recent wave of retail and manufacturing bankruptcies. Simply, banks will be lending less, and Americans will be buying and making fewer homes, cars and just about everything else. Yet, Obamas federal revenues and borrowing projections assume robust growth and falling unemployment. For years to come, federal finances will likely look a lot like Obamas 2010 projectionthe deficit at 50 percent of revenues and the Treasury borrowing $100 billion every month. Borrowing costs could be cut in half by raising federal taxes paid by everyone 25 percent, but Congress is not likely to go along. Moodys would be hard pressed to give any government with budget projections like those an investment grade rating, but the United States is different. The dollar is the global currency, and Washington can print dollars if no one wants to buy new treasury securities to pay off maturing bonds and finance new spending. Nevertheless, U.S. treasuries are risky investments. Internationally, interest-bearing treasuries function much the same as currency. Whether as treasuries or currency, too many dollars in circulation will instigate inflation as the global economy recovers. Just the fear of inflation causes investors to demand higher interest rates on virtually all dollar-denominated bonds issued by government agencies, banks and corporations. As Obama spends and borrows, the Treasury will have to offer higher rates on new 10- and 20-year bonds, making comparable securities issued in 2009 and earlier worth less in the resale market. For rating agencies, Washingtons monopoly on printing dollars makes difficult assigning a conventional rating between AAA and D on its bonds. Those cant default but investors capital is still at risk. Perhaps a special grade: F for flee them now before you get stuck.

ASIA tIMES, pEtER MORICI | MAY 21

LATIN AmERICA/AFRICA

RAZILIAN AND Chinese officials signed 13 strategic accords during a Brazilian delegations visit to Beijing ending May 20. Beijing agreed to loan $10 billion to state oil company Petrobras, which will deliver 200,000 barrels of oil per day to China for the coming decade. The two governments are considering conducting trade in their own currencies instead of U.S. dollars. Latin American countries continue to look for alternatives to a dwindling U.S. economy. While both China and Brazil still rely on the U.S. as a main export market, the time is coming when they will not be able to sell to a country that has no money. In the last year, at least 700 people have died in Zimbabwes Chikurubi prisonover half of its population. United Press International wrote May 19: About 100 rat-mutilated bodies were stacked up in the prison mortuary waiting to be claimed or buried in paupers graves within the prison walls. Zimbabwes Standard reported that the collapse of the economy had resulted in food and medical care being cut off for Chikurubi inmates. Meanwhile, the power-sharing government is still not fully in place, with the posts of central bank governor and attorney general still deadlocked.

ANGLO-AmERICA

hE NUMbER of young people with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has increased dramatically over the past few years in Britain, according to government figures. The number of children under age 16 diagnosed with STIs rose 58 percent from 2003 to 2007from 2,474 to 3,913. Around half of all newly diagnosed STIs in the UK are found in people ages 18-24. In 2007, the chlamydia screening program found that nearly 1 in 10 sexually active young women had the infection. For men, the figure was 1 in 12. Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said, The number of youngsters contacting STIs is very disturbing. Children must be informed about the risks involved in sexual relationships and taught how to be safe. The government has slashed public health spending over recent years. This short-sightedness is putting a whole generation at risk of a sexual health crisis. In truth, throwing more money and licentiousness at the cancer of British immorality will only worsen the problem.

TELEgRApH | May 20

More Banks May Have to Be Nationalized, Says IMF

DARLING must stand ready to pump more capital into Britains beleaguered banks, perhaps nationalizing other high street names, the International Monetary Fund has warned. The Fund believes that more public money needs to be poured in if the economy is to get back to full strength. The warning formed part of a stark assessment of the UK economy. In a double-pronged assault on the budget,
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the Fund praised some of the rescue plans but dismissed the chancellors claim that the recession will be over by Christmas. It said he must start paying back debt significantly earlier than he projected last month. However, it is the IMFs assessment of the financial system which will cause more jitters, since many have assumed that enough public money has now been put into the banking sector. It added that the government must encourage banks to raise more capital, and to stand ready to provide further public support where needed.

Green Shoots Without Roots

ECONOMIC SpRING is in the air. Ben Bernanke sees green shoots sprouting. Optimism builds, the Financial Times says. [T]he situation has improved dramatically. Caution: Misplaced optimism is common during the early stages of great recessions. More than ever, consumers need to prepare for worse years ahead. But what has everybody so enthused? Are employers hiring again? Has Americas decimated banking sector magically returned to health? Have home prices stopped falling? No. Not yet, but there are glimmers of hope, we are told. Americas economic reservoirs are almost dry, mind you, but there is good news: The rate at which they are evaporating might be slowing. Media analysts see this as desert sands budding with green shoots and flowers. After spending so many trillions of dollars combating the economic meltdown, it is disappointing that the return has been so small. Oh the money will have an effect. You cant pour $13 trillion into an economy and not have some kind of an effect. Government stimulus dollars may saturate economic conditions for a while. Things may temporarily appear to get better, but like a field of pastel desert flowers after a thundershower, those economic blossoms wont last long. Yes, given enough water even a desert will blossom. But as soon as the water goes away, the plants wither and die. They dont have deep enough roots to last until the next spring. And if you dont have proper roots, you cant produce meaningful fruit. Sadly, America does not have the roots needed to survive. God gave America a lawa code of morals, ethics and commandments to live by. This biblical set of principles was the roots that were to allow America to prosper and produce fruit. But America has turned its back on God. And it has turned its back on the source of that lawthe one true Root that can bring peace and prosperity. Consequently, God says that as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust (Isaiah 5:24). The green shoots wont be here for long.

ROBERt MORLEY | COLUMNISt

FRIENDS from page 1 weapons away from Iran should be top priority, Obama balks. In fact, his administration has been downright testy with Israel, demanding that it stop threatening to attack Iran and that it get Americas permission before making any moves. Bottom line: Washington will not brook any unilateral Israeli military action that might upset U.S.-Iranian moves towards cooperation in the [Afghanistan-Pakistan] arena, DEbKA file reported May 2. What that means is, the U.S. wants Irans help more than it seeks Israels security. The president is clearly signaling that he will address Iran according to Americas interests rather than Israels survival. He labels Israels urgency over Irans nuclear program artificial. He rejects Netanyahus apocalyptic view, because it rudely intrudes on his dream of redefining the Middle East. President Obama believescorrectlythat Iran cannot be persuaded to give up its nuclear activities. What to do, then? According to the Jerusalem Post, senior U.S. officials say off the record that the U.S. has accepted the idea of a nuclear Iran. As far as the administration is concerned, the only reason Iran would threaten U.S. interests is if Israel provokes it. As far as the administration is concerned, if Israel could just leave Irans nuclear installations alone, Iran would behave itself, wrote Caroline Glick. But if Israel preemptively takes out Irans nuclear capabilities, and Iran in turn attacks Israeli and U.S. targets in the region, the Obama administration will hold Israelnot Iranresponsible for whatever losses the U.S. incurs. How rich. For America to suffocate its alliance with Israel is appalling, and it will end in tragedy. To pursue an alliance with Iran is folly, and it will end in ruin. A historic opportunity for peace this is not. By no means is Israel eager to let its crucial relationship with the U.S. fracturebut dont expect it to stand for such unfriendly treatment for long. It will pay lip service to Americas demands, but then resist conceding much to an ally clearly unconcerned about its interests. For some years, the Trumpet has drawn attention to a biblical prophecy suggesting a division between the U.S. and Israel. Events certainly seem to be vindicating that forecast. But that isnt actually the most remarkable storyline that will emerge from these events. A far more earthshaking prophecy revolves around where Israel will turn once it feels abandoned by the United States. As Stephen Flurry wrote back in January 1996thirteen years ago, Because of Americas declining support, Israel will seek help from the only other major world powerthe European Union, dominated by Germany, or biblical Assyria (Hosea 5:13). As the threat of war looms for Israel, look for them to turn to the European Union for help and support instead of America. This prophecy is explained in our August 2001 cover story, The Counterfeit Peacemakeras is its tragic outcome. For the Jews to seek help from the enemy that shattered them in World War II is a measure of their foolishness. But for shunning a staunch ally in order to pursue the false promise of a partnership with an enemy, America carries no small measure of guilt.