The Watchmen on the Tower

2012-03-03T02:12:00.000-08:00

A Messianic Ministry Based on Mt Carmel
Out of Zion Ministries is under the spiritual covering of Carmel Assembly, Pastor Mike Fryer & Motte Sircus
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The CARMEL ALERT March 2nd 2012
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People...

Guest Comment: 'We Have the Prophetic Word Confirmed’ by Colin Mitchell
2 Peter 1: 19- 21: ‘And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.’

2 Peter 2: 1: But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.’

There is a real and enduring thirst within the body of Messiah for the prophetic word of God to be both proclaimed and understood. This understandable desire also carries with it some very real dangers.   This hunger for the prophetic has often presented challenges in terms of the person who is giving out the prophecy, the content of the message, and the methods used to convey the message. It is a generally accepted principle among all who accept the Bible as God’s word, that any prophecy given cannot in any way differ from, or contradict the revealed word of God as found in the Holy Scriptures.

If that is the case, then it must also be true to state that the body of Messiah has never been as bombarded with false teachings and prophecies as it is in this present age. We know that dangerous false teachers were busy undermining the work of God, and infiltrating the believing community in the early church with beliefs that were contrary to the apostolic teachings of James, Peter, Paul, and those who led the first church in Jerusalem. In Acts 20:29-30 Paul warned the Ephesians that false teachers would come to them to steal away believers and ‘also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.’

There seems no end to false teachings and wrong interpretations plaguing the body of Messiah today. There are the so called prosperity Gospel preachers, whose emphasis on material gain is a far cry from the centrality of the Cross, and all that it means. There are the Supersessionalists who declare that God has replaced Israel with the Christian Church, flying in the face of God’s eternal covenant with the Jewish people, and denying the truth of Romans chapters 9-11. These people can happily rejoice at the first coming of Yeshua as the fulfillment of the prophetic word of scripture, and then deny the same prophetic books that speak of God’s continual love and purpose for Israel and the Jewish people.

I also want to also express deep concern at a new book doing the rounds in some prophetic circles that chooses to deny that the formation of the state of Israel in 1948 was a major fulfillment of God’s prophetic word concerning the return of the Jewish people to their covenant land. The book ‘The controversy of Zion in the time of Jacob’s trouble’ written by Dalton Lifesy, does have some value in trying to keep the centrality of Israel within the forefront of eschatological thinking, but then deviates into teaching reminiscent of the late Art Katz. In basic terms, it argues against the teaching of great bible teachers such as Derek Prince and Lance Lambert by declaring that the modern birth of Israel in May 1948 was not a fulfillment of such scriptures as Ezekiel 36:22-28, and Isaiah 66:8, and that Israel faces another exile from the land in the time of Jacob’s trouble before a final later return of the Jews. The book fails to understand that God often unravels his purpose through a process of time, while also failing to do justice to the appalling Jewish suffering through the ages. These arguments deny accepted biblical teaching on Israel and ignore the critical role of the remnant in standing in the gap for Israel in the last days. When such books are written with such dogmatic certainty that denies alternative thought and contradicts great biblical teachers without any apology, they add unnecessary confusion to the body of Messiah.

Amos 9:15 ‘I will plant them (Israel) in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.’

God’s word is clear; There are no more exiles from the land now that Israel has been planted there. There are dark prophetic days ahead but the Messianic body in Israel is standing in the gap for the nation until it repents and prepares to welcome the Lord back to Jerusalem.

As Peter correctly proclaimed, we have the prophetic word confirmed.     Beware of those who try to undermine it.

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this with your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to.   Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF - they are defending and fighting for   e Kingdom of God.

Shabbat Shalom .... David & Josie

THIS WEEKS NEWS REPORTS

1. International Conference Attacks Israeli Control of Jerusalem    Israel Today News Feb 26th
    The Emir of Qatar on Sunday opened the International Conference for the Defense of Jerusalem, where for the next three days Arabs and Westerners, Muslims and Christians will attack Israel's position that Jerusalem is its eternal, undivided capital.   The official program calls for discussing "the legal status of Jerusalem before and after the Israeli occupation [sic], the reality and the future of Jerusalem under occupation [sic], and the status of the holy places under international law."    Arab media reported that the conference is being held amid ongoing assaults on the Muslim-controlled Temple Mount by Israelis determined to "Judaize" the city. There has been violence at the Temple Mount in recent days, but it has all originated on the Muslim side. Twice last week, Christian tour groups were stoned by Muslims while visiting the Temple Mount. The violence escalated on Friday, with Muslim worshippers attacking police throughout eastern Jerusalem, resulting in the death of at least one Muslim and the injuring of 11 Israelis.
     But the Arab media rarely lets facts get the way of a good Israel-bashing story, and neither do the speakers at the conference in Qatar.   Opening the event was Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who declared, "The Israeli occupation authorities are using the ugliest and most dangerous means to implement plans to erase and remove the Arab-Islamic and the Christian character of east Jerusalem."   It should come as little surprise that such a gathering would not be missed by the anti-Zionist Rev. Stephen Sizer, an Anglican vicar from Surrey, England.   Sizer was scheduled to present his paper "Jerusalem: The City of God in Christian Tradition," in which he attempts to use scripture to refute the idea that Jerusalem was given as part of an eternal heritage to the children of Israel. Sizer, who will be a headline speaker at the upcoming Christ at the Checkpoint conference in Bethlehem ( see here), is a vehement opponent of Christians who would use the Bible as a basis for supporting the Jewish restoration to their homeland.
    Also scheduled to address this international gathering to defend Jerusalem against the Jews were representatives of the UN, the Arab League, and popular Egyptian cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who advocates the subjugation of the world to Islam and the annihilation of the Jews. That political and religious leaders from around the world would gather to wring their hands over Israel's control of Jerusalem should come as little surprise. "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves." - Zechariah 12:2-3
Let's pray confusion and disagreement over this and all similar anti-Israel events

2. Has Israel Already Knocked Out Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program ?    Israel Today News Feb 27th
     One of the five million intelligence emails published by whistleblower website WikiLeaks on Monday suggested that Israel has already eliminated, at least temporarily, Iran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon.    The emails were sent and received by analysts and agents working for the Texas-based private intelligence organization Statfor. Stratfor is widely regarded as a reliable intelligence source, and is believed to have an extensive intelligence network spanning the globe.
   In one email, an analyst cites a "confirmed Israeli intelligence agent" as saying:   "The Israelis already destroyed all the Iranian nuclear infrastructure on the ground weeks ago."    Addressing the fact that tensions between Iran and Israel are mounting amid reports that the Jewish state is preparing to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, the agent is quoted as saying: "I think this is a diversion. The current 'let's bomb Iran' campaign was ordered by the [European] leaders to divert the public attention from their at home financial problems."    Let's pray that this report turns out to be accurate

3. Pentagon Poised to increase Presence Near Iran   ICEJ News Feb 27th
    In the latest development of a situation which has the entire world's attention, the Pentagon notified the US Congress over the weekend that it will be sending additional military forces to the Persian Gulf in order to deter Iranian aggression and be ready to respond in case Teheran is not deterred. Elsewhere, a Saudi Arabian government statement refuted Teheran's version of events surrounding the visit of two Iranian warships to the Red Sea port of Jedda last month, raising tensions between the two regional powers even further. In related news, Lebanese Defence Minister Fayez Ghosn visited Teheran on Sunday, issuing statement warning Israel against "any foolishness in attacking Lebanon." The developments came even as the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency issued its latest report saying that the Islamic Republic has tripled its uranium-enrichment capacity, among other "serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program." Many of the nuclear facilities Iran has recently activated are in underground bunkers designed to protect them from air strikes. Please pray that more military nations will take what ever measures necessary to stop Iran's aggressive behaviour

4. PM Netanyahu to Seek Broad Agreement With Obama on Iranian Threat    Jerusalem Post   March 2nd
     WASHINGTON – Israel does not want to limit its options in dealing with Iran and will seek broad understandings with the United States about possible courses of action rather than specific assurances in upcoming White House talks, Israeli and American sources said on Thursday. “ The more explicit commitments you seek from one side, the more you’re going to be asked to make commitments of your own,” said Dennis Ross, until recently the top White House adviser on Iran, warning of demands the US would make of Israel should it go down that path. “The notion of great specificity on either end is something that is overstated,” he said.    Ross also said all the Israeli prime ministers he had known during his 30-year career “want Israel in the end to take the steps it needs to take to deal with its national security as it defines it.”
      Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who left on Thursday for a North American trip that will include an Oval Office visit on Monday, is no exception. He has made it clear to interlocutors that Israel maintaining maximum freedom of action will be a key message in his talks with US President Barack Obama. H   e is also understood to be looking for concrete signs that when the Obama administration says all options are on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, there are actions from the US to give that statement credibility.   The Americans’ swift response to Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, including the repositioning of US Navy vessels, was one such sign, and actions that are disruptive of the Iranian nuclear program, including sabotage efforts, would also be welcome.
     Ross cautioned, however, that the US would want to be told ahead of time of any military action Israel took and that taking that decision too soon would be a mistake.   “We do have lots of assets in the area, and I think every administration that I’ve been a part of would want to know what they can know as soon as they can know it,” said Ross, who has worked under Republicans and Democrats, though he now serves in a private capacity as counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.   Please pray for an amiable meeting between PM Netanyahu & President Obama

5. Israeli Technology Blesses the World ICEJ News    Mar 2nd
The National Council for Research and Development issued a report this week giving details of Israel's world class contributions in the fields of scientific R&D and technology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, electronics, communication and much more. In 2010, Israeli companies exported $9.5 billion worth of technological services, licensing agreements on technological information, patents and related items. Another $300 million was added to that on Wednesday when Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren signed a deal in Beijing designed to boost export of Israeli water technology for agriculture. Israeli hi-tech also goes West, as British Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould said yesterday, pointing out that the bilateral trade between Israel and the UK has increased 34% to £3.75 billion ($6b) last year, negating talk of boycotts and divestment. "There is a fantastic synergy there," he said. "Our content and your technology go incredibly well together."
Lets give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings that come from the Jewish people

6. Car-Jacking Epidemic    Israel Today News Feb 27th
     Over the past two weeks at least 13 Jewish motorists traversing the highways of Judea and Samaria (the "West Bank") have had their vehicles car-jacked and their lives threatened by Palestinian assailants. Most of the victims have been female Jewish drivers, who have reported being forced off the road or otherwise stopped and approached by young Palestinian Arab men wielding knives.   One women said that one evening last week she stopped on the side of the road to fasten her seat belt when another car quickly pulled over in front of her. Within second, the occupants of the other car, young Palestinian men, had opened both of her front doors and were forcing the woman out of her vehicle. "They pushed me forcibly, but I held to the steering wheel and engaged the car horn as many times as possible," said the victim. "Someone sat in the driver set and forced me out, but the seat belt was still partially around me. They tried to start driving and were dragging me on the road for several meters before I freed myself."
     Another female victim recounted that after being forced off the road a week and a half ago she quickly tried to call her husband. But a young Arab man smashed the driver side window, snatched her cell-phone and yelled, "Do you want to die?" A similar thing happened to an off-duty female police officer late Sunday night, leading to the arrest of one of the car-jackers.    Police believe the 23-year-old assailant is part of a gang that is actively targeting female Jewish drivers. With little to fear from Palestinian Authority police, the thieves are able to make good money scrapping and selling stolen Israeli vehicles.
Please pray angelic protection over Israeli motorists and that the perpetrators are quickly apprehended

7. Heavy Snow Fall in Jerusalem   Ha Aretz News   March 2nd
    Heavy snow fell in the Jerusalem area on Friday, and for the first time in four years, parts of Jerusalem were white with snow. Snow fell in Ramot, Givat Ze’ev and Har Gilo, and three centimeters of snow fall were reported.    The Jerusalem municipality, which had prepared for the weather conditions in recent days, was due to clear snow from the streets of Jerusalem on Friday. Snow also fell in the Golan Heights in the early hours of Friday morning, and classes were canceled in the Golan and in the area around Safad because of the weather. Safad area residents were also asked not to drive by the municipality, and there was no public transport in the area.
    Cold and stormy weather swept through Israel since Tuesday, and Friday was expected to be the coldest day of the year. Snow fell on Mount Hermon and at high elevations in the Golan Heights and the Galilee on Wednesday, as well as in the central mountains. In some locations, the winds exceeded 100 kilometers per hour.   A 70-year-old man in Netanya was lightly injured on Wednesday when he was struck in the head by a glass door that was blown off its hinges. Elsewhere in the city, on Yehuda Halevi Street, a tree fell on a car, but no injuries were caused. On Tel Aviv's King George Street, traffic was disrupted when a large tree was uprooted by strong winds, tearing down power lines, ripping a bench out of the ground and blocking the street. Traffic lights and signs were blown down around the city. In south Tel Aviv's Levinsky Park, the city erected a new tent to provide shelter for the homeless.
    Aviation traffic was also disrupted yesterday. A Dutch KLM jet scheduled to land at Ben-Gurion International Airport was forced to land in Cyprus instead. The Israel Airports Authority went on a state of alert for other possible disruptions in airplane traffic. Both Safed and Jerusalem received some 40 millimeters of rain, according to the Meteo-Tech meteorology firm, while Netanya had 30 millimeters of rain. The Mediterranean was particularly rough, with waves reaching up to nine meters.   The level of Lake Kinneret rose three centimeters over the past two days. Air pollution levels in the south were higher than average.
Lets thank the Lord for the rain & snow, but please pray that there will be no more damage done over the weekend

*****************

* Recommended U-Tube Video Clips *

         An excellent 60 min expose on the Israel / Arab Conflict over the land   http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/glenn/rumorsofwar/

         For a concise look at Israel's right to the land www.GivePeaceAChance.info

         For a clear exposition of the issue of the borders, FYI.    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJerusalemCenter .

        Jan Willem van der Hoeven speaking at IRI 2011    http://youtu.be/Jt601Euxz8A

         Israels Great Financial Future http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Hal%20Lindsay.wmv

       Glen Beck Encourages Christians to stand with Israel    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6jPq1z97s&feature=player_embedded

       The Middle East Problem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4&feature=player_embedded#at=103

         The Identity of the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures   http://www.youtube.com/user/israelmedia1#p/a/u/1/mQFWi6cCUtY

          Interesting info from an Arab perspective    http://www.shoebat.com/videos/speak2arab.php

          For those who want to boycott Israel     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl

        85 other YouTube videos about Israel at:     http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm

SA on 'high alert' for cyclone

2012-03-03T01:27:00.000-08:00

Iafrica.com News - http://news.iafrica.com/sa/782131.html

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 7:16

KwaZulu-Natal disaster management teams have been placed on standby for the severe weather expected to hit the northern part of the province this weekend.

Even disaster management teams in Durban, some 400km south of Maputo, Mozambique, where Cyclone Irina was expected to make landfall, had been placed on standby.

"Disaster teams are on high alert and ready to respond to any situation," eThekwini spokesperson Thabo Mofokeng said.

KwaZulu-Natal co-operative governance MEC Nomusa Dube said in a statement on Friday that her department — responsible for disaster management in the province — had placed disaster management teams across the province on standby. These teams would be liaising with municipalities across the province.

The SA Weather Service earlier warned the storm system would dump an "extreme" amount of rain on the region over the next two to three days. According to their press release they were predicting the cyclone would make landfall close to Inhambane and Xai-Xai, north of Maputo.

"Areas around Kosi Bay, St Lucia, and Richard's Bay can expect up to 400mm of rain over this period," weather spokesperson Hannelee Doubell said.

However, the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) was predicting Irina would make landfall further south on Sunday.

Their prediction on Friday afternoon at 3pm was that the cyclone would strike land slightly south of the Mozambican capital city of Maputo on Sunday afternoon. It would make its way into Swaziland before dissipating, but northern KwaZulu-Natal would be affected.

The JTWC was predicting windspeed of up to a maximum 60 knots (111km/h).

Mofokeng advised people staying next to rivers to keep important documents in a safe place. Durban's fire department and metro police could be contacted on 031 361 0000.

The amount of rain expected was of an "extreme nature", and was last experienced when tropical cyclone Domoina hit KwaZulu-Natal in 1984.

"Domoina brought between 400 and 600mm of rain over a period of two to three days," Doubell said.

She said the system should start weakening by Tuesday.

UN to take over internet?

2012-02-22T00:34:00.002-08:00

Article By: Staff Reporter

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 8:36

Iafrica.com News - http://technology.iafrica.com/news/technology/779992.html

The United Nations is set to vote on a new treaty which could give control of the internet over to the body.
Scores of nations, including Russia and China, are in favour of the move, according to the Wall Street Journal.
If successful, the new proposal would be a major departure from the current system, established in 1988. That year, representatives from 114 countries met to deregulate the burgeoning industry.
The incomplete list of proposals is far-reaching and, among other effects, could see private data and security being subjected to international control. Additionally, phone companies could possibly charge for international traffic.

The diplomatic process is set to begin on 27 February.

Corruption puts strain on South Africa budget

2012-02-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

This makes my righteous anger bubbles burst :(

http://za.news.yahoo.com/corruption-puts-strain-south-africa-budget-113200550.html

21st February 2012

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Lucas Netshiavha feels resentful whenever he sees the slice of his salary taken by South Africa's taxman, since - so he believes - a large chunk will end up in the pockets of corrupt politicians or be washed down the drain of state mismanagement.

"I wouldn't mind so much if my 'donation' was properly spent on education, medicine in hospitals or to help my grandmother back in my home village, but I have serious doubts that's happening," the IT specialist said.
Netshiavha is well paid, but his pay packet is split between his widowed mother and two siblings, and his fears of wasted taxes and creeping corruption under President Jacob Zuma are not unfounded.

Since he came to office in 2009, Zuma has come under fire for what many see as a failure to crack down on officials implicated in misappropriating billions of dollars in state funds.
"Corruption is the bane of our country," IFP opposition leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi told Zuma during a debate in parliament last week. "Yet, sir, you shy away from this issue."
Despite raking in over 600 billion rand in taxes each year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is likely to announce a budget deficit of more than 5 percent on Wednesday to fund social services and infrastructure spending.
However, the many schools without books and hospitals short of medicines, not to mention a lack of houses and sanitation for millions of South Africans 18 years after the end of apartheid, suggest much of the money is not getting through.
Newspapers are awash with reports of scandals about luxury cars and stays at swish hotels for government bigwigs, while in Limpopo, Netshiavha's home province, the central government has taken over the finances after mismanagement plunged it into bankruptcy.
A report by the Auditor General's office shows the rot is widespread, with state departments spending an unauthorized 20 billion rand in the 2010-11 fiscal year. Three of 39 departments and less than half of 272 state firms had clean audits for 2011.
The former head of the police's Special Investigating Unit estimates the government loses up to 30 billion rand to corruption every year, although most analysts believe this, at less than 4 percent of the budget, is the tip of the iceberg.

Amid reports of hospital patients going hungry and children being taught in the open air, labour federation COSATU has turned on the ANC, its long-time ally.
"Billions of rand which could and should have been spent on improving our healthcare and education systems ... and providing basic services to our poorest communities are being squandered," secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi said at the recent launch of an anti-corruption watchdog.

Critics say Zuma, who has himself faced corruption charges which were then dropped amid opposition allegations of a political fix, has only paid lip service to fighting the rot within his government.
He fired two ministers implicated in graft last year, and suspended his police chief pending a probe into a dodgy property lease deal, but no criminal charges have been laid.
He has also pledged to stamp out corruption and said his government has launched scores of investigations into graft and sent treasury officials to take over local government branches teetering on bankruptcy due to their questionable spending.
Transparency International now ranks Africa's largest economy 64th globally on its perceived corruption index, down from 38th in 2001.

"There is a lot of talk about rectifying the waste, the inefficiencies and the corruption but I don't see the kind of action that we'd like," said economist George Glynos, managing director at ETM.
"There is not a lot of sense in talking about whether we should be increasing budget deficits and government spending when you know it's not being utilized efficiently," Glynos said.

Pope appoints 22 new cardinals

2012-02-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

18th February 2012 - CNN News

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/18/world/europe/vatican-new-cardinals/

Rome (CNN) -- Pope Benedict appointed 22 new cardinals at the Vatican on Saturday, with his choices for the lofty role likely to influence who will be appointed as the next pontiff.

The Vatican named the new cardinals last month, but they were officially inducted by the pontiff in a special ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica.

Among those to be elevated to the College of Cardinals are New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, cementing his standing as the top Catholic in the United States, and Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of Baltimore.

Others include Archbishop Thomas Collins, from Toronto, as well as the Bishop of Hong Kong, John Tong Hon, and Major Archbishop George Alencherry from India

Senior clerics from Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Romania and Brazil are also represented, as well as several from Italy.

The College of Cardinals was established in 1150. Its main role is to advise the current Pope and pick his successor.

"This is the most exclusive club in the Catholic Church," said John Allen, CNN's Vatican analyst. "In many cases, you also become, at least informally, a candidate to be the next pope, because the next pope will almost certainly come from the roughly 120 cardinals under the age of 80."

Once a cardinal reaches 80, he is no longer able to participate in the election of the pope or enter the secret conclave where cardinals gather when the time comes to select the next pope, typically upon the prior pope's death.

The new cardinals each professed their faith and swore an oath of obedience to Pope Benedict and his successors during Saturday's ceremony, called the Consistory, at the Vatican.

They then walked one by one to the pontiff and knelt in front of him to receive the traditional red hat, or "biretta," and gold ring, and a document with the name of the cardinal's titular church in Rome.

In his address, Benedict said that in joining the College of Cardinals, the clerics would "be united with new and stronger bonds not only to the Roman Pontiff but also to the entire community of the faithful spread throughout the world."

Emphasizing the importance of service over self-interest, the pontiff said the red of the cardinals' hats was symbolic of the ultimate sacrifice they would make if required.

"The new cardinals are entrusted with the service of love: love for God, love for his Church, an absolute and unconditional love for his brothers and sisters, even unto shedding their blood, if necessary, as expressed in the words of placing the biretta and as indicated by the color of their robes," he said.

Pope Benedict also announced seven new saints, including the first Native American saint, a 17th-Century Mohawk woman called Kateri, or Catherine, Tekakwitha, who was a Catholic convert.

Existing members of the College of Cardinals and the new cardinals-elect came together for a day of prayer and reflection Friday, in preparation for the ceremony, according to the Holy See Press Office.

Dolan addressed the gathering on the subject of evangelization, saying there was a need to challenge a growing secularization of society.

Madonna’s Superbowl Halftime Show: A Celebration of the Grand Priestess of the Music Industry

2012-02-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

By VC | February 6th, 2012

http://vigilantcitizen.com/musicbusiness/madonnas-superbowl-halftime-show-a-celebration-of-the-grand-priestess-of-the-music-industry/

When I learned that Madonna – aka the Grand Priestess of the music industry – would be performing at the Superbowl halftime show, I thought: “This should be interesting”. And it was. While most were amazed by a woman in her fifties dancing around with LMFAO and others were annoyed at her lip-syncing, I was interested with something else: the flurry of symbolism flashed to billions of viewers worldwide. While most considered Madonna’s performance as an entertaining interlude to the most important football game of the year, those blessed with symbol-literacy will probably agree with the following statement: Madonna’s halftime show was a big celebration of the Illuminati industry and of its Grand Priestess, Madonna.
A week before the Superbowl, Madonna described on Anderson Cooper the spiritual importance she attributed to her halftime show:

“The Superbowl is kind of like the Holy of Holies in America. I’ll come at halfway of the “church experience” and I’m gonna have to deliver a sermon. It’ll have to be very impactful.”

It is rather appropriate that this Kaballah-intiate referred to the Superbowl as the “Holy of Holies” as it was the name of the most sacred place in Solomon’s Temple. No one was ever permitted to enter the Holy of Holies but the High Priest. This privilege was only granted on the Day of Atonement, to offer the blood of sacrifice and incense before the mercy seat. Madonna’s analogy was therefore telling of the mindset behind her performance. Let’s look at the main parts of her show.

Vogue or Entrance of the Priestess

Madonna entrance is an elaborate procession fit for a High Priestess or even a goddess.

Pushed by hundreds of Roman soldiers and welcomed by hundreds of women, Madonna's glorious entrance is a reflection of her status in the entertainment world.

Her first performance was highly influenced by ancient Egypt-Sumeria-Babylon and Madonna’s costume recalls an ancient Babylonian goddess.

The decor of Madonna's first performance combines elements from ancient Egypt, Sumeria and Babylon. Madonna herself is dressed in a way that highly resembles an Ancient Sumerian/Babylonian goddess, Inanna-Ishtar.

Ishtar with her foot on a roaring lion and wearing a distinctive headdress resembling Madonna's horned crown. Ishtar is often depicted with wings, a feature that is recalled on Madonna's "carriage".

Ishtar was a powerful and assertive goddess whose areas of control and influence included warfare, love, sexuality, prosperity, fertility and prostitution. She sought the same existence as men, enjoying the glory of battle and seeking sexual experiences. Madonna’s portrayal as Ishtar is therefore quite interesting as one can argue that the pop singer has embodied, throughout her career, the same assertive yet highly sexual qualities of Ishtar, even achieving a state of power in the music industry that is usually reserved to men. On an esoteric level, Ishtar is associated with the planet Venus, known as the Morning Star or the Evening Star.

The presence of two Sphinxes in front of Madonna greatly resembles the tarot card The Chariot. According to Manly P. Hall: "This card signifies the Exalted One who rides in the chariot of creation. The sphinxes drawing the chariot resent the secret and unknown power by which the victorious ruler is moved continuously through the various parts of his universe."

So, in this mythologically-charged setting, Madonna performed Vogue. During the performance, covers of Vogue Magazine were displayed, a publication that is at the forefront of Illuminati symbolism in fashion (as seen in the series of articles Symbolic Pics of the Month).
Vogue ends with a symbol that is consistent with the Egyptian-Babylonian theme of the performance, one that is also of highest importance in occult Secret Societies such as Freemasons, the Rosicrucians and the Illuminati: the Winged Sun-Disk.

The song ends with the displaying of a Winged Sun-Disk.

Egyptian mystics used the winged sun for ritualistic magic and invocations:

“‘Emblematic of the element of air, this consists of a circle or solar-type disk enclosed by a pair of wings. In ritual magic it is suspended over the alter in an easterly direction and used when invoking the protection and co-operation of the sylphs.”
-Hope, Murry, “Practical Egyptian Magic”

The winged sun is still being used today by groups like the Freemasons, the Theosophists and the Rosicrucians.

“The Winged Globe is pre-eminently a Rosicrucian symbol, although the Illuminati may lay claim to it, and it may be admitted that it is of Egyptian origin. The Winged Globe is the symbol of the perfected soul making its flight back to the source of its creation in the Elysian fields beyond.”
-Swinburne, Clymer, “The Rosicrucians, Their Teachings”

The symbol of the winged-sun inside a Masonic lodge.

The display of this symbol, although apparently trivial and aesthetic, emphasizes on the occult spiritual dimension underlying Madonna’s entire performance.

Give Me All Your Luvin’ or Madonna’s Sex Kittens

Later in the show, Madonna performed her new single Give Me All Your Luvin’. The song features two new industry favorites: Nikki Minaj and M.I.A. In the song’s music video and during the Superbowl performance, these two female rappers are portrayed in a specific way: Instead of being presented as full-fledged artists contributing to Madonna’s song, they are portrayed as her “minions” who are cheering for the industry’s High Priestess. This “relationship” where Madonna is in power – and therefore the handler – is drenched in Mind Control symbolism, specifically Beta Programming, also know Sex Kitten Programming.

In the video for Give me Your Luvin', Madonna, Nikki Minaj and M.I.A. are dressed as Marilyn Monroe, the ultimate prototype of Sex Kitten Programming.

Another symbol associated with Sex Kitten programming is feline prints clothing and textiles. The entire half-time show was an animal-print extravaganza.

Like a Prayer or the Final Sermon

Madonna closed the halftime show with one of her biggest hits: Like a Prayer. The video of this song was always controversial due to its mixing of religious themes with sexuality. As the song starts, the show takes on a very solemn and spiritual vibe as Madonna and Cee-Lo Green enter the stage to give the final sermon. Religious figures are usually dressed in white to represent purity and godliness. The two singers where dressed in black robes and black robes are usually used in…black masses.

As the song begins, a huge eye pupil is displayed before the stage, hinting to the Illuminati-influence of this spiritual performance.

Madonna’s halftime show ends in a dramatic yet very significant matter:

At the end of her performance, the floor opens underneath Madonna's feet and she falls into oblivion.

As Madonna is swept in what appears to be the “Underworld”, Madonna sings “I hear you call my name, And it feels like home”. This is another inversion of conventional religious symbolism as “home” should be in the heavens. In Madonna’s case, she obviously didn’t go in that direction.
The show ends with a message no one can disagree with.

The words "World Peace" appear on the stage, a PR-friendly slogan used by those pushing for a New World Order lead by a one world government.

In Conclusion

When taken individually, the symbols described above can be simply considered as “cool-looking” and most Superbowl viewers did not give them much attention. The packing all of these signs and symbols in one comprehensive 13 minute performance cannot however be dismissed as “random images”. Quite to the contrary, the combination of all of these symbols form a whole and define with great depth the underlying philosophy and Agenda of those in power – the Illuminati. Madonna’s embrace of the Illuminati symbolism discussed on this site coincides with her signing with Interscope Records, one of the main purveyors of Illuminati symbolism in the music industry. Her halftime show performance can therefore be considered as the “launching” of her three-album (and 40 million dollars) relationship with the prominent label. Madonna’s Superbowl performance has shown that, despite the fact that she is an industry icon and that she pioneered most of the themes modern pop stars still exploit, she still needs to fit the mold and to embrace the same symbolism rookie pop stars.
Laced with profound imagery, Madonna’s halftime performance was a massive Illuminati ritual, one that was witnessed by billions of viewers. On this Superbowl “Day of Atonement”, Madonna, the High Priestess of the Illuminati industry, entered the Holy of Holies of America and delivered a 13 minutes sermon that was heard by all…but understood by few.

2012-02-04T23:48:00.000-08:00

A Messianic Ministry Based on Mt Carmel Out of Zion Ministries is under the spiritual covering of Carmel Assembly, Pastor Mike Fryer & Motte Sircus                Email: kiwi@netvision.net.il                            Website: www.out-of-zion.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Out.of.Zion.Ministries               Twitter:   www.twitter.com outofzionmnstry    CLICK HERE to read this report on the Internet
The CARMEL ALERT Feb 4th 2012A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People...

Stefan's Comment: 'Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace…" (Jer 6:14)The history of the people of Israel goes all the way back to the patriarchs, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Long have we as a nation, wandered the through deserts and continents, lived in foreign lands under the constant threat of death and even annihilation as a people. This happened in the ancient days of the Bible as we came out of Egypt, settled in the land of Israel and then were scattered by the Lord for our disobedience. It has also been happening for the past 2000 years, up until 1948, when the Jewish state was resurrected, but also since then the hated of the Jews continues.

For all these thousands of years, and perhaps most of all for the past 65 years, the Jewish people have longed for peace. Peace is sung about in schools, dreamed about by leaders and even carefully planned out by politicians. But peace is like Israel's unicorn, the single-horned mythological creature that cannot be captured. Modern day Israel has sought to live peacefully and dwell in safety in her land since the declaration of the state, but no matter what she does it has never been achieved and always seems to be out of reach.

For Israel, peace with God has always been tightly connected with living in peace in the land. When the children of Israel disobeyed the Lord and His commandments they would be attacked by their enemies, killed by the sword and even uprooted from the land. However when the children of Israel did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord they had peace, safety and prosperity.

Isaiah 9:6-7 says: "Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this".

Similarly, in Hebrews 7:1-3, Yeshua is named the 'king of Salem', along with the 'king of righteousness', as 'Salem' is the same word as 'shalom', if you recognize it (for those who know some Hebrew). 'Peace' in Hebrew is 'Shalom', which many of you will recognize as the greeting that people use here in Israel, much like 'hello' or 'greetings' in English. 'Shalom' comes from the root word SH.L.M (Shin, Lamed, Mem) and in its primitive form means wholeness. These two words are closely related, hence Messiah Yeshua is the Prince of Peace / Wholeness and where He is not present or welcome there can be no real true peace, and there is a void.

When Israel rejected her Messiah, she rejected her real peace and the only One who can make her whole. Up until this very day we are suffering the consequences of that rejection, the lack of peace, both the peace of the nation and the internal peace of each individual. Every person longs for peace. Not only a peace with our surroundings but an internal peace that connects with our souls and our spirits, a wholeness through which we feel complete, worthy, loved and accepted.

In Jeremiah 14:13-14 we read: " Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’" And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart”. Peace, Peace and there is no peace, as is written a few chapters before. The Lord showed me how this is the same today, not only in Israel but all over the world with every man and woman on the planet, and it is connected with what Yeshua says in Matthew 24:3-5: "And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many".

Those words 'Here is the Messiah, there is the Messiah' is in a way the same as saying 'Here is true peace and wholeness, there is true peace and wholeness'. All around us people are being told to look to religion, money, success, titles, love, music and many other things for true inner peace and wholeness, but it is false. 'Peace, Peace, but there is no peace', and so people go from one addiction to another, from one religion to another but are never satisfied.

In James 4:1-4 we are told that friendship (peace) with the world is enmity with God. There is no middle ground. We cannot serve two masters or have good relations with both the world and that of it, and with the living God, there is no sitting on the fence. We must choose this day who we shall serve and with who we shall be at peace. Moreover, we are called to be peace-makers, which means that we are to be those who seek to bring peace between the people who are around us and God, through Yeshua, by whom they shall find the genuine inner peace and wholeness that they, like every other human being, longs for. As peace-makers we are also called to pray that true peace will come to the house of Israel, that they may dwell in safety once again through the intimate knowledge of Yeshua the Messiah.

Those who pursue this calling shall be called sons of God (Matt 5:9), just as Yeshua is the Son of God and the top peace-maker Himself (Prince of Peace).
The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this wth your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to.   Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF - they are defending and fighting for the Kingdom of God.
Shabbat Shalom .... David & Josie
THIS WEEKS NEWS REPORTS
Israel Today   Jan 24th1. More Arabs Declare They Prefer to Live Under Israeli Control       Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is making good on a promise to improve the standard of living and infrastructure in the city’s Arab neighborhoods. One example is the East Jerusalem village of Umm Tuba near the large Jewish neighborhood of Har Homa. The municipality has resurfaced roads and built stylish brick sidewalks, and new classrooms have been added on to the elementary school. “In recent years the municipality has really been making an effort with regard to the Arab population,” Umm Tuba resident Hassan Abu Tir told Israel Today. “We can go on yelling that Jews have no right to be in Jerusalem, unlike us Muslims, but life under Jewish rule is better for us than under Muslim rule.”Please pray for an increase in the number of Arabs willing to tell the truth about life under the PA
2. Record Number of Israeli Jews Believe in God Israel Today News   Jan 18thFully 80% of Israeli Jews believe that God exists - the highest figure found by the Guttman-Avi Chai survey since this review of Israeli-Jewish beliefs began two decades ago. The study also found that 70% of respondents believe the Jews are the Chosen People, 65% believe the Torah and mitzvot (religious commandments) are God-given, and 56% believe in life after death. But that doesn't mean Jews in general are becoming more religious, at least not in an Orthodox Jewish way. Only 37% of Israeli Jews had a problem with fellow Jews not following the biblical commandments, and nearly 70% said they want more entertainment venues to be open on the Shabbat. The numbers, however, coincide with other recent findings that Israelis are increasingly hungry for a deeper spiritual life.Please pray that large numbers of Israelis will now move on to discover Yeshua as the Messiah
3. Palestinians Praise Killer of Jewish Family      Israel Today News   Jan 30th    The mother and aunt of a young Palestinian man who brutally slaughtered nearly an entire Jewish family last year went on Palestinian Authority television recently to praise his murderous actions and to denounce Israel for having the audacity to put him in jail.   Hakim Awad was given five life sentences by an Israeli court last August for his role in the March 2011 massacre of the Fogel family in the northern Samaria Jewish community of Itamar. During the home invasion attack, Hakim and his cousin, Amjad Awad (who also received five life sentences), mercilessly stabbed to death Udi and Ruth Fogel and three of their young children, including a four-month-old baby.   The Fogel massacre sent shockwaves through Israeli society both because of the brutality and the purposeful targeting of young children, at least two of whom were sleeping when they were set upon by the Awad cousins.
     Palestinian society views the murders and the murderers much differently.   Last week, Palestinian Authority TV aired a program called "For You" decrying Israel's imprisonment of convicted Palestinian terrorists. Hakim Awad was one of the stars of the show.   Phoning in to the show, Awad's aunt read a poem she had written for Hakim and referred to the blood-soaked killer as a "hero" and a "legend" among his family, friends and peers. Awad's mother also got on the line to lament that she was being prevented from visiting her son due to the severity of the "Itamar operation" - Palestinians regularly refer to the murder of Israeli Jews, even children, as    military "operations."
    Remarks such as those expressed by the Awad matriarchs suggests that Palestinian society has actually been educated to hate Jews even more. And it is a certainty that at least some young Palestinians watching "For You" took away the lesson that they, too, can become "legends" by murdering Jews. Please pray that the world will recognise that Israel is not the bad guy in the conflict
4. PM Netanyahu Doubtful About Peace Process    Israel Today News   Jan 29th    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday sounded a pessimistic tone when discussing with his cabinet ministers the future potential of direct peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. "The signs are not particularly good," said Netanyahu in reference to exploratory talks currently taking place in Amman, Jordan. "But I hope they will rebound and we can make progress." Netanyahu criticized the Palestinian leadership for the seeming failure thus far of the Amman meetings, noting that the Palestinians "have refused to discuss with us our security needs." A day earlier, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas tried to lay the blame on Netanyahu and his government, insisting that "Israeli intransigence" was behind the failure of the Amman talks, which the Palestinians have threatened to pull out of if Israel does not meet their demands within a matter of days.
    Abbas charged that Israel had failed to provide a "clear vision" regarding future borders and the removal of Jews from Judea and Samaria. Israel maintains that making such commitments at this point would prejudice the outcome of negotiations, and leave Israel with no bargaining chips. Netanyahu has for years been urging Abbas to return to direct bilateral negotiations without preconditions. Abbas has during that same time being doing his utmost to paint Netanyahu has the primary obstacle to peace over his refusal to accept preconditions.Please pray that all those involved in the peace process will realise its futility
5. Gaza Missile Attack on Southern Israel    Israel Today News   Feb 2nd      Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip launched an unprovoked missile attack on communities in southern Israel on Wednesday night.
Eight missiles landed near an in Israeli towns and villages bordering the Gaza Strip. There were no injuries or damage reported.   The "Red Alert" missile warning system sent local residents scrambling for their bomb shelters, but local officials again warned that the area is largely unprotected. It was noted that Israel's highly publicized "Iron Dome" anti-missile system cannot stop short range rockets fired at communities within 7 kilometers (4 miles) of Gaza, and that most houses and buildings do not have reinforced roofs and walls.   Another often ignored effect of the rocket attacks is the psychological damage it is doing to children living in the area. A very high percentage of Israeli children living in the northern Negev region have exhibited signs of emotional stress disorders due to the missile attacks.Please pray that all incoming missiles will be intercepted before causing any harm or damage6. Israel: Iran's Missile System is Complete - Can Also Reach the USA   Israel Today News Feb 4th     Iran has completed the development of a nuclear weapon and awaits nothing more than a sign from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to start assembling its first nuclear device, said Israeli Military Intelligence Chief Major General Aviv Kochavi on Thursday. Assembling a bomb would take up to a year, Kochavi estimated. With 100 kilograms of uranium enriched to 20 percent grade and another 4 tons of uranium enriched to 3.5 percent already in stock, Iran would need another two years to make four nuclear weapons.   Therefore, by the end of 2012
or early 2013 Iran may have a single nuclear weapon, but by 2015 the figure would jump to four or five.
    The officer was essentially amplifying the words of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, who said on Jan. 26 that as long ago as 2007 or 2008, Iran had already passed the point of no return in developing nuclear weapons.   Kochavi agreed with him that none of the sanctions imposed thus far had persuaded Iran to slow down, least of all shut down, its drive for a nuclear weapon.   His comments coincided with the findings published Thursday by the Enterprise Institute, an American think tank, that Iran would be able to manufacture a 15-kiloton nuclear weapon as soon as August of this year, just seven months from now.Please pray that Iran's nuclear weapons program will be dealt a severe blow
7. Heavy rains raise level of Sea of Galilee   ICEJ News   Feb 1st    A wet January which saw several days of heavy rain and snow have raised the level of the Sea of Galilee by 55 centimeters, although it remained 10 centimeters below the "bottom red line" and is not yet out of danger. Rains continued in many parts of the country on Wednesday giving Israelis hope that the Sea and other main sources of fresh water in the country will make a further recovery from years of severe drought.   Please pray that the rain will continue to fall until the Spring
* Recommended U-Tube Video Clips *
         An excellent 60 min expose on the Israel / Arab Conflict over the land   http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/glenn/rumorsofwar/         For a concise look at Israel's right to the land www.GivePeaceAChance.info
         For a clear exposition of the issue of the borders, FYI.    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJerusalemCenter .

        Jan Willem van der Hoeven speaking at IRI 2011    http://youtu.be/Jt601Euxz8A
         Israels Great Financial Future http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Hal%20Lindsay.wmv
       Glen Beck Encourages Christians to stand with Israel    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6jPq1z97s&feature=player_embedded
         Glen Beck interview FOX NEWS interview   http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Glenn%20Beck.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4&feature=player_embedded#at=103
          Melanie Phillips Interview on Israel TV news   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4dksiRW-Yg
         The Identity of the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures   http://www.youtube.com/user/israelmedia1#p/a/u/1/mQFWi6cCUtY
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl
        85 other YouTube videos about Israel at:     http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm

FINANCES: The Carmel Alert prayer points bulletin is sent out weekly via e-mail. We also produce a bi-monthly family ministry newsletter which we prefer to send out by postal mail. Much of our literature is on our website at: http://www.out-of-zion.com/ Out of Zion Ministries is answering the call to be a blessing and a light to the nations.   David regularly travels to churches around the world to share the Word of the Lord in respect to the Jewish roots of Christianity, and to bring awareness of the Church's relation-ship to Israel and the Jewish people and her responsibility to partner with the Lord in the restoration of Israel. We are open to visiting your congregation if we are invited. We are have a vision to take the Gospel to the Jew first and then to the people of other nations.
      The work of Out of Zion is made possible through the prayerful and financial support of the Body of Messiah. We encourage you to seek the Lord as to how He would have you be His & our fellow-workers.   If you wish to become a partner in the restoration & salvation of Israel, & the restoration of the Church to her Jewish roots,   please contact us at     kiwi@netvision.net.il. Your prayer and financial support will go toward our expenses here in Israel and our ministry to the nations.
Click Here to MAKE A SUPPORT DONATION by Paypal or via our international representatives

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F or a full list of resource & products available please see the RESOURCE page on the Out of Zion Website
Check out our latest Video teachings on God Tube http://www.godtube.com/uvideos.php?UID=12684&type=public                                                          and You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWROEUy0mwI
Out of Zion & Come to Zion ministries present    INSPIRED FAITH BROADCASTING TV     CLICK the link http://inspiredfaith .org/live.htm           Interesting info from an Arab perspective    http://www.shoebat.com/videos/speak2arab.php
          For those who want to boycott Israel
         The Middle East Problem

Street life: diary of an SA drug trafficker

2012-02-04T02:12:00.000-08:00

Yahoo News : http://za.news.yahoo.com/street-life-diary-sa-drug-trafficker-211212323.html

02nd Feb 2012

NOTE: I PRAY that the following article will be a wake up call to fellow brothers and sisters to pray like never before concerning the drug industry and for those who are about to take drugs or are in it to walk away. Drugs is one of the worst substances on the face of the earth! Whilst it breaks up families and destroys lives it makes drug dealers rich. There are no happy stories or happy endings when it comes to drugs!

PLEASE WALK AWAY FROM DRUGS AND WARN YOUR CHILDREN, FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

My own mistakes have led me to where I am today. My grandmother gave me the best education she could afford, the best of everything. I have a five-year-old daughter and smoked throughout my pregnancy. I met my baby daddy in the brothel. He was white and a foreigner and now works in Thailand, of all places. It didn’t work out, unfortunately, because I’m a druggy. But I have a beautiful five-year-old girl who needs me and I need her. My daughter’s at home with my grandparents and by the grace of God I’ve never brought her here.

I’m from south of Jo’burg. My family life was normal, nothing out of the ordinary, but in my first semester at varsity, I was given my school fees in a lump sum and I blew part of it. I didn’t blow the money on drugs or anything. It was alcohol, partying. In my first semester I had less than R10,000 in my account and that wasn’t going to cover me pretending to be going to school. I thought I could make the money. I was kind of desperate and while browsing the newspaper, I found an ad which happened to be for a brothel but it was disguised as a massage parlour.

I went for an interview and that’s when I found out it was a brothel. The money seemed very enticing. They said you can make R15,000 a month working part-time. I started working there and convinced my grandparents that I was going to be staying at res.

That was a hell of an experience because that’s where I got into drugs. Smoking clients want a smoking girl. There’s a lot of money in the brothels. We’d be 18 girls in one house, a beautiful mansion in the suburbs. The guy would come in, wait at the bar area and get to meet each of the girls, in lingerie, personally. Then he’d pick one.

For me it was fun because it was a different experience all together. In the brothel, it’s not about looks or weight or your body or how good you are, it’s about personal preference, what a guy prefers and if you’re willing to play out his fantasies. You’re not forced to do everything. You choose what you will do and how far you’re willing to go. I did everything aside from anal and chocolate showers (it has nothing to do with chocolate, or a shower – GN). I did golden showers. It was fun because I learnt a whole lot of new things. I got to find myself sexually. I got to find out what I like and dislike.

There was a lot of money and you’re supposed to use that job as a stepping-stone to something better. Now I got into the drugging so that was going to be impossible. It’s not easy to discipline yourself when you’re in a brothel in terms of not drugging because the majority of the clients are on drugs. They come and will be drugging while they book you. A guy will come and book you for five hours because he’s busy smoking. Some of them don’t even touch you. They just want the company.

There’s a lot of drugging in the brothels. A lot. It’s difficult to say that you won’t drug because you’ll lose out on a lot of money. A client will never take a non-smoker because it’s going to be awkward when your client is busy smoking if you’re sober-minded.

The crap part is that when you working in a brothel and get money all the time, huge amounts – days aren’t the same; sometimes you’re busy; sometimes you’re not – then you deceive yourself into thinking, “Ah man, I’ll work tomorrow and cover the R2,000 I just blew.”

I met this friend of mine, her name was Lebo, and she was smoking. She was on heroin and crack. That’s when I started with the heroin. She used to lace it in a joint with weed and it would fuck me up like nobody’s business. Then I started with the crack and it escalated. We had a dealer who used to come for us. I learnt of the Sands in Hillbrow and learnt that I could score the drugs cheaper around here.

There’s this hotel here on Tudhope Ave. There was a white guy staying there. He was kind of a supervisor. He was into trafficking. He wasn’t a smoker but he was into trafficking. He only used to smoke himself up when he came back from trafficking. He’s the one that got me into it. I started locally, travelling to Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KZN. I started with the ganja. That was simple because (the dealers) find a way to hide it in your luggage. I could take a taxi to KZN no problems. I would arrive and drop it off. I didn’t collect the money. They have their own way of knowing that the drop-off has been made and then I would come back.

He started using me to do his jobs. He thought he was clever. I was doing his work without his bosses knowing. Then he’d give me a small cut of what he was getting and I didn’t know. For me it was fun. At the time it was exhilarating. I loved the risk, the risk involved with doing this shit.

Then I started with smaller things. I was carrying moons – crack cocaine, it comes in moons and half moon blocks. I was carrying them from this flat up to the Sands. The Nigerian would be walking in front; I would follow him innocently, just casually walking with 10 moons on me. Half a moon costs R1,800. One Nigerian guy would be selling to another one. He would cut them up into smaller portions and make a killing out of it. I take them from here to way up there, maybe 10 blocks away, because the risk involved with the cops. Any Nigerian who walks around gets searched like mad, but for an innocent passer-by like me, the risk is minimal.

Then it would be the grams of cocaine or heroin. Then the (white guy) introduced me to the (traffickers) and I was baffled as to how I was going to move this stuff. They said, “Don’t worry, we’ll hide it.” But I’m a smoker as well and that used to be a problem because the Nigerians, they don’t want a smoker because it’s risky giving an addict drugs to take somewhere. But I never made any shit. Anyway, the first place I went to was Polokwane, Limpopo.

I carried the biggest consignment I had. It was 10kg of coke and some heroin. I had it in my luggage and in the seams of my clothes. They made small incisions in my jeans and put some stuff in there. It was all over me and my luggage. But that was easy because I would just jump in the taxi and go to Limpopo. There were no roadblocks and no one was going to search me. I got off at the taxi rank and went to the hotel where I was supposed to go.

There were roadblocks a few times. But they’d just check the driver out, randomly search the car. Our police system this side isn’t that up-to-date because the roadblocks are just a waste of time. They don’t do thorough searches. Most of the time I feel they don’t know what they’re searching for. There I am sitting in a car and this cop will be flirting with me rather than searching. There’ll be female cops more into bribery than doing their job. The fear would be there, but you just have to pray to God that everything goes smoothly. I would be scared shitless when I’d see cops but I’d have to be focused and not give it away.

It continued and continued and continued. They would tell me where I have to go. They’d give me money depending on how much I carried, but the most I would make would be R8,000. For me it was a lot because it’s like two days of my time and with that I would come back. They introduced the opportunity of going overseas but I was scared. Anything to do with an airport made me scared. I was not yet ready. Especially given that I would withdraw because I’m on heroin so I have withdrawal symptoms. There’s no smoking when you are going there.

The dealer screwed me over. There was a consignment that I took to the border of Mozambique. I was scared of crossing the border so just met the guy there. I was supposed to get R28,000 but all I got was R18,000. Once I got there, the officials thought it didn’t make sense for me to go all the way to the border and turn back. I had to sweet talk my way out of it, like, “I’m coming to meet my boyfriend. He’s supposed to give me something and I’ll go back home.” I was withdrawing like shit because I didn’t realise how many hours it would take to get me there. I found out afterwards that I was supposed to get R28,000. That’s when the whole problem started.

I stopped with the trafficking. With all of the hype, I was scared. I was terrified. The risk was just not that exhilarating for me. In any case, when I took the stuff, I had to get high so that I would overcome that fear I had and get an adrenaline rush. When I’m high, I feel I can do anything, like I’m on top of the world. But I didn’t trust them anymore and I didn’t know how long they’d been screwing me over. That’s when I realised that I was doing work that normal people sometimes get double what I’m getting. When he screwed me over, I stopped and continued with minor stuff, consignments around Hillbrow. Then I got into testing.

The Nigerians approached me. Before they purchase the stuff I have to test it to see if it is stuff and the quality of it. It’s dangerous but there are ways around it. I don’t just smoke it. The heroin for example, I put it on the foil and burn it first to check if it is heroin. If it is, then I’ll pull and tell the guys the quality and whether they should buy it or not.

This whole syndicate is run by Nigerians. The police will arrest a Zimbabwean guy on the street for fraud not knowing he has a Nigerian boss. The Nigerians have got us all like puppets working for them. They make the money. We do the dirty work for them but they’re the ones that are running this show. Myself, I’ll go and do credit card fraud. He’ll drive me there and stay in the parking lot. I’ll enter. I’ll swipe, come back, get in the car and give him the stuff. He’s going to give me a cut of what I’ve just gone to do. That’s how it works here.

I have a couple of bosses that I’m testing for but they rarely pay me. To them, what they give me is payment enough. But sometimes they bring me shit and what am I gaining? There are many times that they’ve brought shit that wasn’t even the drug itself and had I not been cautious and checked it first, who knows, I could have died.

When they are desperate they treat me well. But they do get big-headed when they see that I’m in a desperate situation. For example, if I’m sick in the morning, they don’t beg because they know that I need them more right now. They actually need me more because I could screw them over. If I tell them that the stuff’s good and they go and blow R30,000 on heroin and it’s shit, then I’m in trouble. But obviously I’m scared because they’ll kill me in a split second. Trust me, they’ll kill me.

I do want to stop but I have this fear of failure after everything my family has done for me. I’ve been on this shit for too damn long and have experienced too many things. For me, it’s just not worth it anymore. It’s not worth going to Limpopo or going to wherever for the eight grand and blowing it on a hotel, drugs and some nice clothes; a week later I’ll be penniless again. It’s getting really lame. DM

Time is running out!

2012-02-03T05:36:00.000-08:00

THE KING of kings IS RETURNING SOON! HE SAYS HE RELENTS IN SENDING JUDGEMENT BUT RATHER TO HAVE HUMANITY REPENT, TURN AWAY FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS, ACCEPT THE SACRIFICE YESHUA/JESUS GAVE OF HIMSELF AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KING AND BE PROTECTED FROM HIS WRATH TO COME!

New SA bill to allow bugging of citizens - South Africa's China moment: Spies bid for new powers

2012-02-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

NOTE: THIS IS NOT GOOD!

yahoo News : http://za.news.yahoo.com/south-africas-china-moment-spies-bid-powers-220000219.html

A storm is brewing over a draft Bill to be processed by Parliament this year that will legalise the bugging of citizens without a warrant in some circumstances and widen the scope of "counterintelligence" activities.

The Intelligence General Laws Amendment Bill has been attacked as "a major U-turn in government policy" and for largely ignoring the recommendations of the 2008 Matthews Commission, which highlighted unconstitutional provisions in South Africa's intelligence laws.

Against the backdrop of other planned legislation that bolsters spies and weakens civil society, including the Protection of State Information Bill (the secrecy Bill), fears were expressed that the legislation is part of a broader drift towards a "security state" under President Jacob Zuma.

It is seen as marking the transformation from an intelligence mindset where the intelligence services are neutral gatherers of information which is passed to the executive to adjust policy or take action, to a state security mindset in which the agency views its role as countering "enemies of the state".

Published in the Government Gazette late last year, the Bill seeks to create a single intelligence body, the State Security Agency (SSA), by amalgamating existing intelligence structures, including the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the South African Secret Service (SASS).

It also gives legal recognition to the little-known National Communications Centre, which has the capacity for bulk interception of communications and will be subject to minimal legal restraint. The NIA is responsible for domestic intelligence gathering and the SASS for intelligence gathering abroad.

'Excessively secretive'
This week intelligence expert Laurie Nathan, director of Pretoria University's Centre for Mediation, called for the Bill to be the subject of public hearings and added that the joint standing committee on intelligence, whose members would dominate the ad hoc committee that would process the Bill, was "excessively secretive".

"The parliamentarians on this committee are reluctant to play a rigorous oversight role, which is their constitutional obligation, and there's a failure to involve Parliament and the public in the oversight process," Nathan said. The standing committee had refused to discuss the Matthews Commission report on the grounds that "it had not been properly presented to Cabinet by former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils", he said.

Nathan served on the commission.

Standing committee chairperson Cecil Burgess, who also led Parliament's ad hoc committee on the secrecy Bill, could not be contacted for comment this week.

Brian Dube, spokesperson for State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, said on Thursday that the Matthews report had been taken into account in drafting the Bill, which was "a critical step in the quest to provide a sound legal footing for government's efforts to develop a new intelligence dispensation … geared for the dynamic and evolving challenges of the 21st century".

The Bill amends three existing intelligence laws and repeals another to accommodate the establishment of the SSA. Its purpose, it says, is "to address the proliferation of security structures" that had "the unintended consequence of duplicating several support functions" and "a negative effect on service delivery of the intelligence services".

However, the proposed concentration of power prompted complaints by the Democratic Alliance's spokesperson on intelligence, David Maynier, that the government was reversing the approach of the 1995 white paper on intelligence, which stated that the most significant departure from the apartheid dispensation was that, "instead of one centralised, national civilian intelligence organisation, there will
be two".

This arrangement, according to the white paper, "will not only ensure that the new intelligence dispensation in South Africa corresponds with general international trends but will promote greater focusing, effectiveness, professionalism and expertise in the specialised fields of domestic and foreign intelligence".

Maynier, one of the DA's representatives on the ad hoc committee, said his party was still studying the legislation.

Boss is back
"But," he said, "it takes us back to the bad old days of the Bureau for State Security -- Boss is back.

"What worries me is that there seems to be a process of 'Stasification' under way in the state security department. The spooks appear to be becoming more centralised, more politicised and more secret."

Likely to cause controversy is a provision in the Bill allowing the SSA to intercept "foreign signals intelligence". This will, for the first time, provide a legal basis for the work of the National Communications Centre, an obscure, high-tech facility set up in Gauteng in the 1990s. By 2008 it boasted a staff complement of about 300.

The centre's telecommunications and computer equipment can intercept and analyse large volumes of voice and internet traffic, both indiscriminately by listening for keywords and in a targeted way by focusing on individual phone numbers, email addresses and even voice prints.

To date, the centre has operated outside national legislation, including the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act (Rica), which allows interception only with a judge's warrant. It has relied on the loophole that it supposedly intercepts "foreign" communications only, which is not regulated by domestic law.

Et tu, Twitter?
However, in practice, the centre has defined "foreign signals" to include cross-border communications where one of the parties is in South Africa and the other abroad. And, because of the globalised nature of internet traffic, many emails, voice-over-internet conversations and communication via social media such as Facebook and Twitter -- even if both end parties are in South Africa -- would also be vulnerable.

The current Bill attempts to introduce a definition of "foreign signals intelligence" that will allow the warrant-free tapping of cross-border communications to continue. The definition includes "any communication that emanates from outside the borders of the Republic or passes through or ends in the Republic".

The centre's capabilities have been abused in the past to target South African citizens. The 2005/2006 investigation by Zola Ngcakani, inspector general of intelligence, of the "hoax emails" saga -- an example of the intelligence services being dragged into the ANC succession battle -- found that the centre had been used to target individuals domestically.

Nathan said this week that he was concerned that the Bill failed to address other constitutional defects identified by the commission, including the failure of intelligence statutes to regulate all intrusive operations.

Merely by its definition of key terms, the draft legislation conferred “substantive powers on the intelligence services”, he said.

Widening definitions
An analysis of successive intelligence laws underlines the gradual widening of the counterintelligence function in legislation.

The National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994 defines counterintelligence as "measures and activities conducted, instituted or taken to impede and to neutralise the effectiveness of foreign or hostile intelligence operations, to protect classified intelligence and to counter subversion, sabotage and terrorism aimed at, or against personnel, strategic installations or resources of the Republic".

This was amended in 2003 to extend the protection of intelligence from classified intelligence only to any intelligence, to add treason to the activities to be countered, and to add security screening to the counter-intelligence function.

The current Bill broadens the concept of counterintelligence by adding sedition to the activities to be countered, widens "terrorism" to "terrorist and related activities", and removes the requirement that the subversion, sedition, treason, terrorist and related activities must be directed at personnel, installations or resources of the state.

Nathan said that a further problem was that the terms "impede", "neutralise" and "counter" were not defined.

But in one respect, the Bill was an improvement on existing intelligence law, Nathan said: it borrowed almost verbatim the definition of national security proposed by the Matthews Commission. This excluded "lawful political activity, advocacy, protest or dissent" from the list of threats to national security.

* Got a tip-off for us about this story? Email amabhungane@mg.co.za

A letter of understanding was issued by Lungisa Fuzile, the treasury director general, on January 24, paving the way for the investigators to begin their work.

Fuzile confirmed the letter to the Mail & Guardian, but said the treasury was "not in a position to comment on the investigation". He referred the M&G to the SIU, which was not prepared to comment.

This is the first time treasury has commissioned the SIU to investigate irregularities in the province. It follows a decision by the Cabinet on December 8 last year to effectively take over the cash-strapped Limpopo government and bring five of its 11 departments under administration.

Within weeks of the books being opened, the province was declared bankrupt and a trail of maladministration and gross abuse of public funds uncovered.

Considerable overlap
It is expected that there will be considerable overlap between the SIU investigation instigated by treasury and the probes that are already under way into the financial affairs and business dealings of ANC Youth League president Julius Malema who, together with his friend and political ally Premier Cassel Mathale, is highly influential in the province.

The two have been linked to a string of companies that have been trading off the public purse for a number of years. Last year the M&G revealed how On-Point Engineering, part-owned by Malema, had secured a programme management contract at the provincial transport department through which tenders were doled out to friends and party cronies, as well as to business partners of Mathale.

The M&G later exposed attempts on Malema's part to pressurise staff at the local health department to pay out on multimillion-rand contracts that were being investigated for fraud. Both men have also built impressive property portfolios and lived lavish lifestyles that eventually demanded scrutiny.

The SIU has not been given a deadline to complete the latest probe and it is too early to predict what consequences, if any, its findings might have.

However, in a recent radio interview, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said "there certainly will be consequences if there is wrongdoing, including putting people through the necessary disciplinary processes or criminal processes".

It first had to be established "whether the evidence really strongly and decisively takes us in that particular direction".

Gordhan is due to brief the National Council of Provinces on the intervention and its progress in Parliament on Thursday.

2012-01-21T00:10:00.001-08:00

OUT of ZION Ministries
A Messianic Ministry Based on Mt Carmel
Out of Zion Ministries is under the spiritual covering of Carmel Assembly, Pastor Mike Fryer & Motte Sircus
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Out.of.Zion.Ministries Twitter: www.twitter.com outofzionmnstry

CLICK HERE to read this report on the Internet

The CARMEL ALERT Jan 20th 2012
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People...

David's Comment: Replacement Theology Is Insidious and Anti-Semitic
Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; (NKJ)

Ever since the 2nd century there has been a major section of the Church who believe that God has finished with the Jewish people and that the coming of the Messiah to initiate the New Covenant all of God's covenant promises to Abraham have been transferred to the Church. Even today there is a large number of people who consider themselves to be Bible believing Christians who adhere to this position. Some allow that God does have a plan for the Jews after the Rapture, but the extreme position is that God has forever finished with the Jewish people and the Church is the 'New Israel' or 'Spiritual Israel'. This is called Replacement Theology.

However there re hundreds of Bible verses that prove Replacement Theology is a gross heresy. It makes God out to be a covenant breaker. Here are just a few scriptures out of hundreds that show us God has not replaced Israel.

Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. (NKJ)

Jeremiah 31:35-36 Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): 36 "If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever." (NKJ)

Even in the Apostle Paul's day, Replacement Theology, driven by the Greek & Roman hatred of the Jewish people, was raising its ugly head. British Bible teacher, David Pawson, states that Paul wrote the book of Romans to address the problem. He starts to address it in chapters 9 & 10, and comes to his point in chapter 11

Romans 11:1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! (NKJ) Other versions say God Forbid or May it never be

Anyone who teaches any other position is a false teacher and a deceiver of the flock - A wolf in sheep's clothing

Paul goes on to show us the true position of the non Jewish believers - Romans 11:17-18 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

He then warns not to treat the Jewish people arrogantly Romans 11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. (NKJ)

There is an annual conference held at the Bethlehem Bible College each year that invites the worst of the Replacement Theologians as guest speakers. People like
Gary Burge, Tony Compolo, Stephen Sizer, Lynn Hybels rant and rave against Israel's (legitiimate) occupation of the Promised Land, yet never mention the cold blooded murder of innocent Israelis by the so called Palestinian terrorists. There is a similar conference being held in the USA very soon with the some of the same deceivers invited to speak.

As an evangelist, I have a serious concern for the eternal well being of these deceivers, and moreso for the unsuspecting people they deceive. Again Paul issues
a serious warning in Rom 11:21-22 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. (NKJ)

I believe that the root of Replacement Theology is demonically inspired hatred of the Jewish people. Yeshua tells us that " Salvation is of the Jews" and Paul tells us in Romans that all we have comes from the Jews, so why would someone who really has the Spirit of God dwelling within, despise the fact that God stilll loves the Jewish people and that He is keeping His covenant promises - particularly the promises for the land. Why would a true Bible believer deny the Jews the right to occupy the land and demand that it be given to a people who dont even worship the God of that land ?

Rather than despising the land of Israel we see in Psalm 102 that YHVH expects those who serve Him to love even the dust and the stones .........
Psalm 102:13-16 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust. So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the LORD shall build up Zion; he shall appear in His glory. (NKJ)

There is so much in these 4 verses - v 13 the Lord is merciful to Zion and He has a set timing for her
v 14 His servants must love the land
v 15 the restoration of Israel will cause the world leaders to fear the Lord
v 16 the restoration of Israel will bring the 2nd coming of Yeshua

Therefore Replacement Theology and those who teach or follow it are not serving the purposes of the God of Israel. They are serving the purposes of the enemy
of and as such are enemies of the Kingdom.

We need to pray that everyone who is deceived by Replacemnet Thology will see their folly and immediately repent .........

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this wth your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF -they are defending and fighting for the Kingdom of God.

Shabbat Shalom .... David & Josie

THIS WEEKS NEWS REPORTS

1. Bethlehem Bible College to Host Another Anti-Israel Conference Israel News Report Jan 13th
In March the Bible College in Bethlehem will host dozens of US theologians, activists and ministries for the “Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference”, Arutz Sheva reports. It is to be a major religious and political event meant to demonize Israel and to support the Palestinian Arab Intifada against the Jewish State. US preacher and “spiritual adviser” to Bill Clinton, Tony Campolo, and President of the World Evangelical Alliance and Asia Evangelical Alliance, Sang-Bok David Kim are attending. Two of the conference organizers, Stephen Sizer and Sami Awad, adamantly defended the Gaza flotilla sent in May 2010 by the Turkish terror group IHH. Another speaker, Ben White, has shared a political platform with Azzam Tamimi, who has endorsed suicide bombings against Jewish civilians in the past. The “Bethlehem Call” manifesto, which serves as platform for the Bethlehem 2012 Conference defines Israel as an “illegal regime” and a “crime against humanity”, it promotes “international boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns” against Israel. Please pray that this conference will be cancelled

2. UK Minister: Israel is a Source of Stability in the M.E. Ja 12
Israel makes a vital contribution to world stability and the international economy, Britain’s Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said this week. Addressing at Bar Ilan University near Tel Aviv during his three-day visit to Israel and the West Bank, Burt praised Israel as a bastion of stability in the region. We need to be clear – Israel’s strength is not a regional threat, but an anchor of regional stability,” Burt said. “The world needs Israel’s values of tolerance and justice.” Referring to the continuing threat by Iran to develop nuclear weapons, Burt said the world requires Israel’s strength “as a regional bulwark for good – opposing the threats to itself and its neighbors. Iran does not just threaten Israel, it threatens those who would be Israel’s allies in the Gulf and in the Arab world, who need Israel as part of a common cause against a regime dangerously loose,” he added.
Burt went on to say that the United Kingdom believes that Israel has a vital role to play in the Middle East. ”We need Israel’s acumen in intelligence – its ability to work at the highest intellectual and technological level to help the world solve its problems, from the economy to climate and environmental change.” “Everyone knows that Israeli research and development is world leading. Israeli inventions are helping to drive the global economy. “Be in no doubt as we enter the turbulent waters of 2012 that your values are our values, your strength is our strength, your well being is our well being. Israel has lived with uncertainty and instability since the very beginning and suffered too much from terrorism.” “I have no doubt what insecurity and terrorism means to the people of Israel,”
Burt called on both Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace talks. “If you want stability, if you want security, if you want peace with your neighbors, and the best relations with the rest of the world, then making a peace deal with the Palestinians is urgent. Putting certainty into a region of uncertainty may be the best thing to do,” he said. “We care about Israel and Israel’s future too much not to take an interest in it,” Burt said. Please pray that the rest of the world's politicians and the media realise the same thing

3. Saudi Hackers Attack Israeli Website ICEJ News Jan 16th
An anonymous Saudi computer hacker identifying himself as 0xOmar who has been leading a large scale hacker campaign of harassment against Israeli websites sent an email to the Jerusalem Post on Sunday declaring that he'd been joined by a previously unknown group called "Nightmare" who planned on helping him take down the websites of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and El Al, the national airline of Israel. Both sites were indeed down for several hours on Monday. In response, a Jewish pro-Israel hacker named "Hannibal" has posted information which will allow other hackers to break into the Facebook accounts of thousands of citizens of Arab countries. Hannibal has threatened to release other information about bank accounts in Iran and Saudi Arabia if attacks on Israel continue. Meanwhile, the Islamist terror militia Hamas applauded the attacks and urged hackers to carry out more. "Penetrating Israeli websites means opening a new field of resistance and the beginning of an electronic war against Israeli occupation," a Hamas spokesman said in a statement e-mailed to reporters in the Gaza Strip.
Please pray

4. Terror Attack Foiled as Court Sentences Fogel Murderer
Alert IDF soldiers staved off a terror attack that was intended to take place inside the military court at Salem, in Samaria, on Monday. The soldiers neutralized and arrested two armed terrorists who tried to enter the court in an attack planned to coincide with the sentences, Â who butchered five members of the Fogel family in Itimar last year. The court deliberations were not disturbed and the court sentenced Awad to five life sentences Monday. The two terrorists are aged 20. They were carrying 11 pipe bombs, an improvised handgun and ammunition. The IDF Spokesman said that the two terrorists aroused the suspicion of Border Police and Military Police at the checkpoint outside the court. They were searched thoroughly and the bombs, gun and ammunition were found. This is the second such incident at the checkpoint in eight days. Last Sunday, Border Police captured four young terrorists who were carrying 12 explosive charges, an improvised handgun, a commando knife and ammunition

5. Israel Postpones Military manoeuvres with the USA ICEJ News Jan 18th
Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren issued a statement Wednesday morning on the recent postponement of the 'Austere Challenge 12' air defense drill, saying "such postponements are routine and do not reflect political or strategic concerns. The United States and Israel remain committed to holding the exercise - code-named Austere Challenge 12 - the largest and most robust in their historic alliance." The statement is slightly at odds with statements issued by other Israeli as well as US officials who cited a desire to cool tensions with Iran and speculation that the drill was a cover for preparations for a military strike on the Islamic Republic's renegade nuclear program.

6. Sinai Beduins Smuggling Thousands off Missiles into Gaza - Israel National News Jan 19th
Sinai Bedouin tribes have reportedly smuggled “thousands” of shoulder-launched missiles into Hamas-controlled Gaza. Smugglers transport advanced weapons, including anti-aircraft guns, into Gaza through underground tunnels, but the amount claimed by the Bedouin source indicates Hamas and allied terrorists possess far more weapons than the IDF has publicly announced. Military sources have warned since the end of the Operation Cast Lead counter-terrorist campaign three years ago that it is only a matter of time before Hamas escalates its war on Israel and uses medium-range missiles that can reach metropolitan Tel Aviv.

7. IDF Preparing For Major Operation in Gaza Jerusalem Post Jan 19th
The IDF General Staff has ordered the Southern Command to prepare for a possible large Gaza operation in the next few months. Senior officers said such a maneuver could be significantly larger than Operation Cast Lead, launched in late 2008. "Gaza has changed and the weaponry in Hamas' and Islamic Jihad's hands has significantly grown in quantity and quality," a senior officer explained. Hamas is believed to have a fighting force number of over 20,000 armed men, as well as anti-tank missiles, mortars and rockets, and anti-aircraft missiles. In 2011, 680 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel, including 80 longer-range Grad-model Katyusha rockets, compared to just 2 Grads in 2010.

* Recommended U-Tube Video Clips *

NEW The Holocaust and Abortion www.180movie.com

NEW The Miracle of Israel http://youtu.be/ydwxy9yqhzM

NEW Why Israel Cant Withdraw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2hZ6SlSqq0

An excellent 60 min expose on the Israel / Arab Conflict over the land http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/glenn/rumorsofwar/

For a concise look at Israel's right to the land www.GivePeaceAChance.info

For a clear exposition of the issue of the borders, FYI. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJerusalemCenter .

Jan Willem van der Hoeven speaking at IRI 2011 http://youtu.be/Jt601Euxz8A

Israels Great Financial Future http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Hal%20Lindsay.wmv

Glen Beck Encourages Christians to stand with Israel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6jPq1z97s&feature=player_embedded

Glen Beck interview FOX NEWS interview http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Glenn%20Beck.wmv

The Middle East Problem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4&feature=player_embedded#at=103

Melanie Phillips Interview on Israel TV news http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4dksiRW-Yg

The Identity of the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures http://www.youtube.com/user/israelmedia1#p/a/u/1/mQFWi6cCUtY

Interesting info from an Arab perspective http://www.shoebat.com/videos/speak2arab.php

For those who want to boycott Israel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl

85 other YouTube videos about Israel at: http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm

Beating the Drums of War: Provoking Iran into "Firing the First Shot"

2012-01-14T02:12:00.000-08:00

14th January 2012

by Michel Chossudovsky

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28652

[Author's Note: SAY NO TO WAR ON IRAN, Spread the word, forward this article, post it on Facebook. Our objective at Global Research is to curb the flow of media disinformation, reverse the tide of war and restore World peace.]

Introduction

While the possibility of a war with Iran is acknowledged in US news reports, its regional and global implications are barely analyzed.

Very few people in America are aware or informed regarding the devastation and massive loss of life which would occur in the case of a US-Israeli sponsored attack on Iran.

The media is involved in a deliberate process of camouflage and distortion.

War preparations under a "Global Strike" Concept, centralized and coordinated by US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) are not front page news in comparison to the most insignificant issues of public concern, including the local level crime scene or the tabloid gossip reports on Hollywood celebrities.

The "Globalization of War" involving the hegemonic deployment of a formidable US-NATO military force in all major regions of the World is inconsequential in the eyes of the Western media.

The broader implications of this war are either trivialized or not mentioned. People are led to believe that war is part of a "humanitarian mandate" and that both Iran as well as Iran's allies, namely China and Russia, constitute an unrelenting threat to global security and "Western democracy".

While the most advanced weapons system are used, America's wars are never presented as "killing operations" resulting in extensive civilian casualties.

While the incidence of "collateral damage" is acknowledged, US-led wars are heralded as an unquestionable instrument of "peace-making" and "democratization".

This twisted notion that waging war is "a worthy cause", becomes entrenched in the inner consciousness of millions of people. A framework of "good versus evil" overshadows an understanding of the causes and devastating consequences of war.

Within this mindset, realties as well as concepts are turned upside down. War becomes peace. The lie becomes the truth. The humanitarian mandate of the Pentagon and NATO cannot be challenged.

When "going after the bad guys", no options can be taken off the table. An inquisitorial doctrine similar to that of the Spanish Inquisition, prevails. People are no longer allowed to think.

Iran is a country of close to 80 million people. It constitutes a major and significant regional military and economic power. It has ten percent of global oil and gas reserves, more than five times those of the United States of America.

The conquest of Iran's oil riches is the driving force behind America's military agenda. Iran's oil and gas industry is the unspoken trophy of the US led war.

While the US is on a war footing, Iran has --for more than ten years-- been actively developing its military capabilities in the eventuality of a US sponsored attack.

If hostilities were to break out between Iran and the Western military alliance, this could trigger a regional war extending from the Mediterranean to the Chinese border, potentially leading humanity into the realm of a World War III scenario.

The Russian government, in a recent statement, has warned the US and NATO that "should Iran get drawn into any political or military hardships, this will be a direct threat to our national security.” What this signifies is that Russia is Iran's military ally and that Russia will act militarily if Iran is attacked.

Military Deployment

Iran is the target of US-Israel-NATO war plans.

Advanced weapons systems have been deployed.

US and allied Special Forces as well as intelligence operatives are already on the ground inside Iran. US military drones are involved in spying and reconnaissance activities.

Bunker buster B61 tactical nuclear weapons are slated to be used against Iran in retaliation for its alleged nuclear weapons program. Ironically, in the words of US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Iran does not possess a nuclear weapons program. “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No.”

The risk of armed hostilities between the US-Israel led coalition and Iran is, according to Israeli military analysts "dangerously close".

There has been a massive deployment of troops which have been dispatched to the Middle East, not to mention the redeployment of US and allied troops previously stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nine thousand US troops have been dispatched to Israel to participate in what is described by the Israeli press as the largest joint air defense war exercise in Israeli history, The drill, called “Austere Challenge 12,” is scheduled to take place within the next few weeks Its stated purpose "is to test multiple Israeli and US air defense systems, especially the “Arrow” system, which the country specifically developed with help from the US to intercept Iranian missiles."

Reports also suggest that substantial increase in the number of reservists who are being deployed to the Middle East. Reports confirm that reservist US Air Force personnel have been dispatched to military bases in South West Asia (Persian Gulf). From Minnesota, more than 120 Airmen including pilots, navigators, mechanics, etc. departed for the Middle East on January 8. Reservist US air force personnel from bases in North Carolina and Georgia "expect to deploy with their units in coming months". (See fayobserver.com December 18, 2011)

Reserve units from the US Coastguard have also been dispatched to the Middle East.(Coast Guard Reservists Head to Middle East military.com, January 5, 2012)

From these local reports, however, it is impossible to establish the overall (net) increase of US reservists from different divisions of the US military, who have been assigned to "operation Iran war".

Army reservists from the UK are also been sent to the Middle East.

US Troops to Israel

Israel has become a de facto US military outpost. US and Israeli command structures are being integrated, with close consultations between the Pentagon and Israel's Ministry of Defense.

A large number of US troops will be stationed in Israel once the war games are completed. The assumption of this military deployment is the staging of a joint US-Israeli air attack on Iran. Military escalation towards a regional war is part of the military scenario:

Thousands of US troops began descending on Israel this week. ... many would be staying up to the end of the year as part of the US-IDF deployment in readiness for a military engagement with Iran and its possible escalation into a regional conflict. They will be joined by a US aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions with Israeli Air Force jets. The 9,000 US servicemen gathering in Israel in the coming weeks are mostly airmen, missile interceptor teams, marines, seamen, technicians and intelligence officers.
...
Tehran too is walking a taut tightrope. It is staging military's maneuvers every few days to assuring the Iranian people that its leaders are fully prepared to defend the country against an American or Israeli strike on its national nuclear program. By this stratagem, Iran's ground, sea and air forces are maintained constantly at top war readiness to thwart any surprise attack.
The joint US-Israeli drill will test multiple Israeli and US air defense systems against incoming missiles and rockets, according to the official communiqué. (DEBKAfile, January 6, 2012)

War Games

Missile defense and naval war games are being conducted simultaneously. US-Israeli war games --involving an impressive display of naval power-- are slated to be held in the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, Iran has announced that it will be conducting its own war games in the Persian Gulf in February.

An impressive deployment of troops and advanced military hardware is unfolding. Britain's Royal Navy has dispatched her newest and most advanced warship, Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring, "which has a “stealth” design to help avoid detection by radar".

Britain's HMS Daring

Meanwhile, The Islamic Republic of Iran is also on a war footing. Iran's Armed Forces is in an advanced stage of preparedness to defend the country's borders as well as retaliate against a US-Israel led attack. Iran has completed a 10-day naval exercise near the Strait of Hormuz in December. It has now announced that it is planning new naval drills codenamed "The Great Prophet", which are slated to take place in February.

Iran's December war games involved the test firing of two long range missiles systems, including the Qadar (a powerful sea-to-shore missile) and the Nour surface-to-surface missile. "According to Iranian state news, the Nour is an ‘advanced radar-evading, target-seeking, guided and controlled missile’." (See The Pentagon to Send US Troops to Israel. Iran is the Unspoken Target, Global Research, January 4, 20122

"Additionally, the Iranian military reportedly test-fired numerous other short, medium and long-range missiles.... Iranian authorities reported that they test-fired the medium-range, surface-to-air, radar-evading Mehrab missile." (Ibid)

Iranian Missile Tests

War games by the US-Israel coalition are being held within a short distance of Iranian territorial waters. The timing of these games coincides with those of Iran.

The crucial question: Is the Pentagon seeking to deliberately trigger a military confrontation in the Persian Gulf with a view to providing a pretext and a justification to waging an all out war on the Islamic Republic of Iran?

US military strategists admit that the US Navy would be at disadvantage in relation to Iranian forces in the narrow corridor of the Strait of Hormuz:

"Despite its might and shear strength, geography literally works against U.S. naval power in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. The relative narrowness of the Persian Gulf makes it like a channel, at least in a strategic and military context. Figuratively speaking, the aircraft carriers and warships of the U.S. are confined to narrow waters or are closed in within the coastal waters of the Persian Gulf. ... Even the Pentagon’s own war simulations have shown that a war in the Persian Gulf with Iran would spell disaster for the United States and its military. (Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, The Geo-Politics of the Strait of Hormuz: Could the U.S. Navy be defeated by Iran in the Persian Gulf?, Global Research, January 8, 2012)

Triggering a War Pretext Incident: Provoking Iran to "Throw the First Punch"

Is the Obama administration prepared to sacrifice one or more vessels of the Fifth Fleet, resulting in extensive casualties among soldiers and sailors, with a view to mustering public support for a war on Iran on the grounds of self-defense?

As documented by Richard Sanders, the strategy of triggering a war pretext incident has been used throughout American military history.

"Throughout history, war planners have used various forms of deception to trick their enemies. Because public support is so crucial to the process of initiating and waging war, the home population is also subject to deceitful stratagems. The creation of false excuses to justify going to war is a major first step in constructing public support for such deadly ventures. Perhaps the most common pretext for war is an apparently unprovoked enemy attack. Such attacks, however, are often fabricated, incited or deliberately allowed to occur. They are then exploited to arouse widespread public sympathy for the victims, demonize the attackers and build mass support for military “retaliation.”
Like schoolyard bullies who shout ‘He hit me first!’, war planners know that it is irrelevant whether the opponent really did ‘throw the first punch.’ As long as it can be made to appear that the attack was unprovoked, the bully receives license to ‘respond’ with force. Bullies and war planners are experts at taunting, teasing and threatening their opponents. If the enemy cannot be goaded into ‘firing the first shot,’ it is easy enough to lie about what happened. Sometimes, that is sufficient to rationalize a schoolyard beating or a genocidal war.
Such trickery has probably been employed by every military power throughout history. During the Roman empire, "the cause for war" -- casus belli -- was often invented to conceal the real reasons for war. Over the millennia, although weapons and battle strategies have changed greatly, the deceitful strategem of using pretext incidents to ignite war has remained remarkably consistent. (See How to Start a War: The American Use of War Pretext Incidents. Global research, January 9, 2012)

Pearl Harbor stands out as the casus belli, the pretext and justification for America's entry into World War II.

President Roosevelt knew that Pearl Harbor was going to be attacked by Japan and did nothing to prevent it. At a November 25 1941 meeting of FDR’s war council, "Secretary of War Henry Stimson’s notes speak of the prevailing consensus: 'The question was how we should maneuver them [the Japanese] into … firing the first shot without allowing too much danger to ourselves.'” (See Patrick Buchanan, Did FDR Provoke Pearl Harbor? Global Research, December 7, 2011).

In the wake of the attack, America was beating the drums of war, while also concealing the fact that "the FDR administration knew, but failed to act".

"A massive cover-up followed Pearl Harbor a few days later, ... when the Chief of Staff ordered a lid put on the affair. ‘Gentlemen,' he told half a dozen officers, ‘this goes to the grave with us.'" (John Toland, Infamy: Pearl Harbor and its Aftermath, Doubleday, 1982, p. 321).

According to Professor Francis Boyle with reference to the ongoing showdown between the US Navy and Iran in the Persian Gulf:: "Once again, it looks to me like what FDR did in 1941 when he sacrificed the Pacific Fleet and its men at Pearl Harbor—except for the carriers—in order to get the USA into World War II despite the fervent desire of the American People and Congress to stay out. Déjà vu all over again. Back to the Future " (Francis Boyle, January 13, 2011, email communication to author)

In contrast to the events of 1941, the US Congress in 2012 is broadly supportive of waging a war on Iran and the American people are, as a result of media disinformation, largely unaware of the devastating implications of a US-Israeli attack. .

Thematic Justifications: Demonizing the Enemy

Apart from the "incident" whereby the enemy is incited to "throw the first punch", "thematic justifications" are used to demonize the enemy and justify a casus belli. WMD and regime change in the case of Iraq (2003), Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks in the case of Afghanistan (2001), "regime change" and "democratization" in the case of Libya (2011).

The thematic justifications to wage war on Iran include the following:

1. Iran is accused of developing a nuclear weapons program, 2. Iran is a "Rogue State" which defies the "international community" and constitutes a threat the Western World, 3. Iran wants "to wipe Israel off the map", 4. Iran is responsible for supporting and abetting the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 5. Iran is an authoritarian and undemocratic country thereby justifying a "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) intervention with a view to instating democracy.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States

In case of a war with Iran, NATO member states as well as NATO partners of the "Mediterranean Dialogue" including the Five GCC Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan would be involved.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States have a formidable weapons arsenal (Made in America), which would be used against Iran on behalf of the US led coalition. (see The Gulf Military Balance in 2010: An Overview | Center for Strategic and International Studies)

The US has more than 30 military bases and facilities including its naval base in Bahrain, US Central command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Qatar, not to mention its military installations in Pakistan, Turkey and Afghanistan (see map)

* US military base or facility surrounding Iran

From Washington's standpoint, Saudi Arabia's Royal Air Force is meant to act as a proxy for the USAF, operating on the principle of "interoperability". Saudi Arabia's Air Force is equipped with the most advanced combat planes including (among others) the Eurofighter Typhoons, Tornado IDS, F-15 and F-15E Eagle fighters. In October 2010, Washington announced its largest arms sale in US history, a $60.5 billion purchase by Saudi Arabia. These weapons although acquired by Saudi Arabia are de facto part of a US sponsored weapons arsenal, which is to be used in close coordination and consultation with the Pentagon.

It should, nonetheless, be emphasised that there is reluctance within the ruling Saudi and Gulf States elites, to actively participating in a regional war, which would inevitably lead to Iranian retaliatory aerial attacks.

Escalation: Towards a Broader Regional War

If aerial attacks were to be launched, Iran would retaliate with missile attacks directed against Israel as well as against US military facilities in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iran has an advanced Russian S 300 air defense system. It is equipped with medium and long range missile capabilities: The Shahab 3 and Sejjil missiles have a range of approximately 2,000 km, enabling them to strike targets in Israel. The Ghadr 1 has a range of 1,800 km. (See Haaretz, September 28, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/news/background-how-big-is-iran-s-military-1.7084

The war with Iran would not be limited to aerial bombardments. A land war could follow with Turkey playing a strategic military role on behalf of the US-Israel led coalition.

Turkey's ground forces are of the order of 500,000. Iran's are of a similar order of magnitude: 465,000 regular forces, which would immediately be deployed in border areas with Iran and Syria as well as within Syria.

Iran's Air Force and Navy personnel are respectively of the order of 52,000 and 28,000. The Revolutionary Guards, which constitute Iran's elite forces, are of the order of 120,000. Moreover, Iran has a significant paramilitary force called the Basij. (see Table below)

The war would also overflow into Syria (which is an ally of Iran, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan involving the participation of Syrian ground forces as well as Hezbollah, which effectively repealed Israel's 2006 invasion of Lebanon. In recent developments, Iran has increased its military aid to Syria and Lebanon.

In turn, Russia has a naval base in Southern Syria and military cooperation agreements with both Syria and Iran, involving the presence of Russian military advisers.

Russia is deploying warships out of its naval base in Tartus including aircraft carrying missile cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov. "The deployment ... follows the US move to station the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group" off the Syrian coastline. (See M. K. Badrakumar, Russia deploying warships in Syria - Indian Punchline, November 21, 2011)

Russia's Naval base in Tartus, Syria

Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

Su 33 take-off from aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the Eastern Mediterranean

UN Security Council Resolution 1929 (June 2010) had imposed a sanctions regime on Iran which was conducive to a temporary freeze in military cooperation between Iran and Russia, as well as with China. In recent developments, it would appear that military cooperation has de facto resumed following the rebuff by both China and Russia of the December 31, 2011 economic sanctions regime imposed by Washington.

In a scenario of military escalation, Iranian troops and/or Special Forces would cross the border into Afghanistan and Iraq.

From the three existing war theaters: Afghanistan -Pakistan (Af-Pak), Iraq, Palestine, the onslaught of a war on Iran would lead to an integrated regional war.

The entire Middle East-Central Asian region extending from the Eastern Mediterranean to China's Western frontier with Afghanistan and Pakistan would flare up, from the tip of the Arabian Peninsula to the Caspian Sea basin.

The Caucasus and Central Asia: Competing Military Alliances

What would be the involvement of America's "partners" in the Caucasus, namely Georgia and Azerbaijan? (See Michel Chossudovsky, The Iran War Theater's "Northern Front": Azerbaijan and the US Sponsored War on Iran, Global Research, April 9, 2007).

In Azerbaijan, the government has recently distanced itself from Washington, and has turned down its participation in joint military exercises with the US.

The bilateral US-Azerbaijan strategic agreement is said to be stagnating:

"Baku’s desire to not to anger Moscow would seem to preclude any possibility of Azerbaijan hosting a US military facility...." (Azerbaijan: US Military Ties with Baku Are Stagnating - Experts | EurasiaNet.org, April 25, 2011).

In contrast, the Georgian government is directly supporting America's war effort against Iran. In recent developments, the Pentagon is sponsoring the construction of makeshift US military hospitals in Georgia to be used in the eventuality of a war with Iran. ( Readies for War On Iran: US Builds Military Hospitals in Georgia, Global Research, January 10, 2012)

“These are 20-bed hospitals...It’s an American project. A big war between the US and Iran is beginning in the Persian Gulf. $5 billion was allocated for the construction of these 20-bed military hospitals,” Javelidze said in an interview with Georgian paper Kviris Kronika (News of the Week) ... The construction is mainly paid from the American pocket. In addition, airports are being briskly built in Georgia... (Ibid)

What the military hospitals project conveys is that the Pentagon has already established detailed logistics pertaining to the transfer of wounded US servicemen from the Iran battlefield to nearby military hospitals in Georgia. These advanced preparations suggest that war plans are at a very advanced stage and that scenarios pertaining to military casualties have been established.

Military Alliances: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CSTO

The countervailing military alliance to the US-NATO-Israel axis is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as the overlapping Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The SCO includes Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The SCO includes seven former Soviet republics including Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Iran has observer status in the SCO.

Uzbekistan withdrew from the NATO sponsored GUUAM military cooperation agreement. In 2005, it formally evicted the US from the Karshi-Khanabad air base, known as K2 (U.S. Evicted From Air Base In Uzbekistan, Washington Post, July 30, 2005).

Of significance, in the Kyrgyz Republic, the new elected President Almazbek Atambayev (November 2011) stated that he intends to close down the US military base at Manas when the lease expires. (Kyrgyzstan Says United States’ Manas Air Base Will Close - NYTimes.com, November, 1, 2011)

What these developments suggest is that the former Soviet republics of Central Asia have reaffirmed their relationship to Moscow, which in turn has led the consolidation of the SCO-CSTO military bloc.

Global US Military Hegemony. Russia and China

The participation of Russia and China on the side of Iran is already de facto in view of prevailing military cooperation agreements. the transfer of weapons systems and technology to Iran, as well as the presence of Russian military advisers, training personnel, in both Iran and Syria. Moreover, Iran has Observer status in the SCO

Russia and China are fully aware that a war on Iran is a stepping stone towards a broader war. Both countries are targeted by the US and NATO. Russia is threatened on its border with the European Union, with US-NATO AMD targetted at major Russian cities. With the exception of its Northern frontier, China is surrounded by US military bases, from the Korean peninsula to the South China Sea.

Both China and Russia are perceived by Washington as a "Global Threat". China has been the target of veiled threats by President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The recent National Defense Review announced by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, envisages an expanded defense budget, with a view to containing Russia and China.

In recent development, Russia newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin has warned Washington and Brussels that "Should anything happen to Iran, should Iran get drawn into any political or military hardships, this will be a direct threat to our national security,”

Spiralling US Defense Spending: The Pentagon's "Big Dog" Ideology

Washington's objective is to establish global military dominance. While the "war on terrorism" and the containment of "rogue states" still constitute the official justification and driving force, China and Russia have been tagged in US military and National Security documents as potential enemies:

"... the U.S. military ... is seeking to dissuade rising powers, such as China, from challenging U.S. military dominance." (See Greg Jaffe, Rumsfeld details big military shift in new document, The Wall Street Journal, 11 March 2005)

How does Washington intend to reach its goal of global military hegemony?

Through spiralling defense spending and the continued growth of the US weapons industry, requiring a massive compression of all categories of government expenditure.

Implemented at the crossroads of the most serious economic crisis in American history, the ongoing increase in defense spending feeds this new undeclared arms race with China and Russia, with vast amounts of tax dollars channelled to America's defense contractors.

"The stated objective is to make the process of developing advanced weapons systems "so expensive", that no other power on earth including China and Russia will able to compete or challenge "the Big Dog", without jeopardizing its civilian economy" Michel Chossudovsky, New Undeclared Arms Race:, Global Research, March 17, 2005)

This "Big Dog" ideology, a term coined by the Pentagon, is a precondition for the "Globalization of War". It is a diabolical agenda of enhancing America's killing machine by dismantling social programs and impoverishing people across the US.

"[A]t the core of this strategy is the belief that the US must maintain such a large lead in crucial [military] technologies that growing powers [ Russia, China, Iran] will conclude that it is too expensive for these countries to even think about trying to run with the big dog. They will realize that it is not worth sacrificing their economic growth, said one defense consultant who was hired to draft sections of the document." (Greg Jaffe, Rumsfeld details big military shift in new document, The Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2005)

TABLE 1 THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN: MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Total Population: 77,891,220 [2011]

Available Manpower: 46,247,556 [2011]

Fit for Military Service: 39,556,497 [2011]

Of Military Age: 1,392,483 [2011]

Active Military: 545,000 [2011]

Active Reserve: 650,000 [2011]

LAND ARMY

Total Land Weapons: 12,393

Tanks: 1,793 [2011]

Armoured Personnel Carrier/Infantry Fighting Vehicles (APC/IFV): 1,560 [2011]

Towed Artillery: 1,575 [2011]

SPGs: 865 [2011]

MLRSs: 200 [2011]

Mortars: 5,000 [2011]

Anti Tank (AT) Weapons: 1,400 [2011]

Anti-Aerial (AA) Weapons: 1,701 [2011]

Logistical Vehicles: 12,000

AIR POWER

Total Aircraft: 1,030 [2011]

Helicopters: 357 [2011]

Serviceable Airports: 319 [2011]

NAVAL POWER

Total Navy Ships: 261

Merchant Marine Strength: 74 [2011]

Major Ports & Terminals: 3 Aircraft Carriers: 0 [2011]

Destroyers: 3 [2011]

Submarines: 19 [2011]

Frigates: 5 [2011]

Patrol Craft: 198 [2011]

Mine Warfare Craft: 7 [2011]

Amphibious Assault Craft: 26 [2011]

SOURCES:

http://www.iraniandefence.com/iran-army/

and http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=Iran

Michel Chossudovsky is an award-winning author, Professor of Economics (Emeritus) at the University of Ottawa. He is the Founder and Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG), Montreal and Editor of the globalresearch.ca website. He is the author of The Globalization of Poverty and The New World Order (2003) and America's "War on Terrorism"(2005). His most recent book is entitled Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War (2011). He has taught as Visiting Professor at universities in Western Europe, South East Asia and Latin America, acted as an adviser to governments of developing countries and as a consultant for the several international organizations. Prof. Chossudovsky is a signatory of the Kuala Lumpur declaration to criminalize war and recipient of the Human Rights Prize of the Society for the Protection of Civil Rights and Human Dignity (GBM), Berlin, Germany. He is also a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His writings have been published in more than twenty languages.

NEW RELEASE: GLOBAL RESEARCH E-BOOKTowards a World War III Scenario

by Michel Chossudovsky

Cashless Society: India Implements First Biometric ID Program for all of its 1.2 Billion Residents

2012-01-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

Brandon Turbeville
Infowars.com
January 12, 2012
http://www.infowars.com/cashless-society-india-implements-first-biometric-id-program-for-all-of-its-1-2-billion-residents/

Over the past few months, I have written several articles dealing with the coming cashless society and the developing technological control grid. I also have written about the surge of government attempts to gain access to and force the use of biometric data for the purposes of identification, tracking, tracing, and surveillance.<
Unfortunately, the reactions I receive from the general public are almost always the same. While some recognize the danger, most simply deny that governments have the capability or even the desire to create a system in which the population is constantly monitored by virtue of their most private and even biological information. Others, either gripped by apathy or ignorance, cannot believe that the gadgets given to them from the massive tech corporations are designed for anything other than their entertainment and enjoyment.
However, current events in India should serve not just as a warning, but also as a foreshadowing of the events to come in the Western world, specifically the United States.
Recently, India has launched a nationwide program involving the allocation of a Unique Identification Number (UID) to every single one of its 1.2 billion residents. Each of the numbers will be tied to the biometric data of the recipient using three different forms of information – fingerprints, iris scans, and pictures of the face. All ten digits of the hand will be recorded, and both eyes will be scanned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Num5h7itk&feature=player_embedded - WATCH THIS VIDEO CLIP

The project will be directed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) under the premise of preventing identity theft and social welfare fraud. India has rather extensive social welfare and safety net programs, ranging from medical support and heating assistance to others aimed at helping the poor. Fraud is a rampant problem in India, especially in relation to these programs due to a preponderance of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who often stuff welfare rolls with fake names and take the money for themselves.
Yet, although the justification for the billion person database is the increased ability to accurately disperse social welfare benefits, it will not be just the Indian government’s social welfare programs that have access to and utilize the UIDAI. Indeed, even before the program has been completed, major banks, state/local governments, and other institutions are planning to use the UIDAI for identification verification purposes and, of course, payment and accessibility.

As Aaron Saenz of the Singularity Hub writes:
Yet the UID is going to be used for much more than social welfare programs. The UIDAI is in discussion with many institutions (banks, local/state governments, etc.) to allow them to use the UID as a means of identity verification. These institutions will pay the UIDAI some fee to cover costs and generate revenue. There seems to be little doubt that once it is established, the UID will become a preferred method (if not the preferred method) of identification in India.
Saenz also sees the eventuality of the UIDAI program becoming a means of payment and accessibility. He continues:
Ultimately, I wouldn’t be surprised if the UID, with its biometric data, could be used as a means of payment (when linked to a bank account), or as an access key to homes and cars. Purchase a meal with your fingerprint and unlock your door with the twinkle in your eye. Similar results could be expected in other nations that adopted biometric identification systems.<
Saenz, and other proponents of the UID (UIDAI), have been diligent in pointing out that the program “is just a number, not an ID card.” However, this claim is debatable. Saenz himself admits that State issued driver’s licenses and identification cards will reference the UID information.
The question then becomes how much of that information will be referenced, and how that will be accomplished? Will the information be included on the card? Will only part of the information be included on the card? Or will the card reference back to the digital UID information to be then reconciled with the information that is present on the card? Although the UID is obviously going to be utilized by other institutions outside of the social welfare programs, no answers to these questions have been provided.
But, in the end, does it really matter if the information is collated into an ID card format if the government already has access to that information digitally? More than likely, a national ID card will appear as a supplement to the database already created by UID. Regardless, the private biometric information has still been taken from the individual. The database is still there.
Indeed, government “officials” have already stated that the database will be used by intelligence agencies for the purpose of monitoring “bank transactions, cellphone purchases and the movements of individuals and groups suspected of fomenting terrorism.” This will be very easy to do since the UID number will be entered anytime an individual “accesses services from government departments, driver’s license offices and hospitals, as well as insurance, telecom, and banking companies.”
Nevertheless, proponents have also touted the fact that, at this point, the UID program is optional. But the program will obviously not be optional for very long. As I have discussed in previous articles, the introduction of a program such as a national ID card, biometric data, or cashless payment technologies is always followed by the program becoming mandatory. The ultimate goal of an all-encompassing cashless surveillance program with no opt-out provisions is always introduced by stealth and the Gradualist Technique.
At first, the program is introduced as a way to speed up transactions, increase efficiency, and provide convenience. Soon, however, governments and businesses begin to transition out of the older methods of payment and identification and focus more on the new technology. Identification using the traditional methods remain as an option, but become viewed as cumbersome. Eventually, the alternative methods are phased out completely and mandates replace what was once a personal choice.
As soon as Indian banks, businesses, and government social service offices begin to require identification using the UID, the ability to remain off the system and lead what passes for a normal life will disappear.
This is exactly the intention with India’s new biometric ID program. In fact, the cashless society is a stated goal of the UID program. CEO of MindTree’s IT Services, the company that was awarded the government contract for development and maintenance of the UID, explained in an interview with ComputerWeekly that the “ID scheme will support a cashless society. He said all vendors will have a biometric reader and citizens can pay for things with a fingerprint scan. Even a bag of rice.”
No doubt, even after such an admission by a man who was instrumental in the development of the program, many who read this article will still dismiss it as a “conspiracy theory.”
Nonetheless, this new monumental data mining effort by the Indian government dovetails with recent efforts in the Western world to develop an electronic surveillance grid capable of tracking, tracing, and recording every single movement and communication of every single citizen within a nation’s borders.
New technologies which are being introduced inside the United States, the UK, and Australia such as vein scanners, biometric employee time and attendance systems, voice recognition devices, and behavior analysis systems are all geared toward Total Information Awareness of every human being on the planet.
Only a totalitarian form of government would desire this information; and only a very determined totalitarian government would actively work toward establishing it. India is only the first nation to openly sweep up its entire national population into such a massive biometric database net. We cannot let our nation be the next.
This post first appeared on Activist Post.
Brandon Turbeville is an author out of Mullins, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Francis Marion University where he earned the Pee Dee Electric Scholar’s Award as an undergraduate. He has had numerous articles published dealing with a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, and civil liberties. He also the author of Codex Alimentarius – The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies and Five Sense Solutions. Brandon Turbeville is available for podcast, radio, and TV interviews. Please contact us at activistpost@gmail.com

Blast kills Iran nuclear expert amid 'covert war'

2012-01-11T23:15:00.001-08:00

Yahoo News - 12th January 2012
http://za.news.yahoo.com/blast-kills-iran-nuclear-expert-amid-covert-war-191131426.html

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — It seemed a clockwork killing: Motorcycle riders flashed by and attached a magnetic bomb onto a car carrying a nuclear scientist working at Iran's main uranium enrichment facility. By the time the blast tore apart the silver Peugeot, the bike was blocks away, weaving through Tehran traffic after what Iran calls the latest strike in an escalating covert war.

The Wednesday attack — which instantly killed the scientist and fatally wounded his driver — was at least the fourth targeted hit against a member of Iran's nuclear brain trust in two years. Tehran quickly blamed Israeli-linked agents backed by the U.S. and Britain.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton denied any U.S. role in the slaying, and the Obama administration condemned the attack. However, provocative hints from Jerusalem reinforced the perception of an organized and clandestine campaign to set back Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The day before the attack, Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz was quoted as telling a parliamentary panel that 2012 would be a "critical year" for Iran — in part because of "things that happen to it unnaturally."

The blast killed Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a chemistry expert and a director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the centerpiece of Iran's expanding program to make nuclear fuel. Roshan, 32, had planned to attend a memorial later Wednesday for another nuclear researcher who was killed in a similar pinpoint blast two years ago, Iranian media said.
"A heinous act," said Iran's Atomic Energy Organization of Wednesday's bombing.
It added a tone of defiance. "We will continue our (nuclear) path without any doubt ... Our path is irreversible," said the statement carried on state television.
The state news agency IRNA said Roshan had "organizational links" to Iran's nuclear agency, which suggests a direct role in key aspects of the program. Another news agency, the semiofficial Mehr, said Roshan had been interviewed by inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency — which Iran has accused of placing its scientists in peril by including their names in public reports.
Natanz, in central Iran, is the country's main enrichment site. Officials said this week they were expanding some operations to an underground site south of Tehran with more advanced equipment.

The U.S. and its allies are pressuring Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a key element of the nuclear program that the West suspects is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Uranium enriched to low levels can be used as nuclear fuel, but at higher levels it can be used as material for a nuclear warhead.
Iran denies it is trying to make nuclear weapons, saying its program is for peaceful purposes only and is geared toward generating electricity and producing medical radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.
The years of virtual stalemate between Iran and the West appear to be shifting into a new period of heightened pressures and tensions.
Russia strongly warned the West on Wednesday against any attack on Iran, saying it would upset global security.

Military action would be a "grave mistake, a flagrant error" with far-reaching consequences for regional and global stability, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the ITAR-Tass news agency. "It could shake the foundations of the international system."
Tehran has accused Israel's Mossad, the CIA and Britain's spy agency of engaging in an underground "terrorism" campaign against nuclear-related targets, including at least three other slayings since early 2010 and the release of a malicious computer virus known at Stuxnet in 2010 that disrupted controls of some centrifuges — a component in nuclear fuel production. All three countries have denied the Iranian accusations.
Speaking in Washington, Clinton strongly denied any U.S. role in the latest attack.
"I want to categorically deny any United States involvement in any kind of act of violence inside Iran," she said. "We believe there has to be an understanding between Iran, its neighbors and the international community that finds a way forward for it to end its provocative behavior, end its search for nuclear weapons and rejoin the international community and be a productive member of it."
Israeli officials, however, hinted at covert campaigns against Iran without directly admitting involvement.

"Many bad things have been happening to Iran in the recent period," said Mickey Segal, a former director of the Israeli military's Iranian intelligence department. "Iran is in a situation where pressure on it is mounting, and the latest assassination joins the pressure that the Iranian regime is facing."
Iranian authorities pointed the finger at arch-foe Israel.
First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said Israeli agents were behind the assassination, but cannot "prevent progress" in what Iran claims are peaceful nuclear efforts.
Roshan was inside the Peugeot 405 together with two others when the bomb exploded near Gol Nabi Street in north Tehran, Fars reported. It said Roshan's driver later died at a hospital from wounds sustained in the attack. An 85-year old passer-by was reportedly wounded in the blast.

Fars described the explosion as a "terrorist attack" targeting Roshan, a graduate of the prestigious Sharif University of Technology in Tehran. Police draped the bomb-ravaged car with a blue tarp and hosed blood from the pavement. Some bits of the vehicle were hurled into the bare branches of trees.
Roshan was a chemistry expert who was involved in building polymeric layers for gas separation, which is the use of various membranes to isolate gases. He was also deputy director of commercial affairs for the Natanz uranium enrichment plant in central Iran. According to conservative news website mashreghnews.ir, Roshan was in charge of purchasing and supplying equipment for the facility.
Natanz remains the mainstay of Iran's uranium labs. But Iran said this week it was expanding some operations to a bunker-like site south of Tehran protected under 300 feet (90 meters) of rock. The existence of the Fordo facility has been known for more than two years, but some Western officials fear the move could be another step toward developing nuclear arms.
The conservative news website, alef.ir, posted several papers to which Roshan contributed. It said his specialty, polymeric layers, has uses in uranium enrichment by having uranium gas pass through filtering membranes.

Since December, Iran has held or announced a series of war games that included threats to close the Gulf's vital Strait of Hormuz — the passageway for about one-sixth of the world's oil — in retaliation for stronger U.S.-led sanctions.
"Assassinations, military threats and political pressures ... The enemy insists on the tactic of creating fear to stop Iran's peaceful nuclear activities," Fars quoted lawmaker Javad Jahangirzadeh as saying in reaction to the blast.
A similar bomb explosion on Jan. 12, 2010 killed Tehran University professor Masoud Ali Mohammadi, a senior physics professor. He died when a bomb-rigged motorcycle exploded near his car as he was about to leave for work.

In November 2010, a pair of back-to-back bomb attacks in different parts of the capital killed another nuclear scientist and wounded one more.
The slain scientist, Majid Shahriari, was a member of the nuclear engineering faculty at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran and cooperated with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The wounded scientist, Fereidoun Abbasi, was almost immediately appointed head of Iran's atomic agency.
Shahriari's expertise — neutron transport — lies at the heart of nuclear chain reactions in reactors and bombs. And Abbasi, now Iran's nuclear chief, has been described as a laser expert and one of the few top Iranian specialists in nuclear isotope separation.
In July 2011, motorcycle-riding gunmen killed Darioush Rezaeinejad, an electronics student. Other reports identified him as a scientist involved in suspected Iranian attempts to make nuclear weapons.

Rezaeinejad allegedly participated in developing high-voltage switches, a key component in setting off the explosions needed to trigger a nuclear warhead.
"Instead of actually fighting a conventional war, Western powers and their allies appear to be relying on covert war tactics to try to delay and degrade Iran's nuclear advancement," said Theodore Karasik, a security expert at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.
Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born analyst based in Israel, said Iran's leadership is being pushed toward a decision on whether to "retaliate or compromise" as sanctions squeeze the economy and undercut the value of the Iranian rial.
"From the international consensus that we can see against Iran, even if (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) does retaliate, it's not very likely that the pressure — sanctions and isolation — would ease," he said. "He's in a tight spot."
___
Murphy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Amy Teibel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Maize prices hit record highs

2012-01-11T03:58:00.000-08:00

IOL News - 11th January 2012

http://www.iol.co.za/business/business-news/maize-prices-hit-record-highs-1.1210944

The recent increases in grain prices and the maize shortfall forecast for 2012 are set to apply enormous pressure on industries that use the commodity.

Food industry insiders say escalating prices and commodity shortages will hit hard on storage companies, the animal feed industry, consumers, and the poor.

The only winners will be grain producers, who will reap the rewards of record high prices. Since the rapid price increases, farmers’ buying power has increased significantly.

According to Christo Booyens, the assistant general manager for Grainlink grain marketing at Senwes, silo grain stocks may be depleted by April 30.

However, this will depend on the availability of a pipeline of supply that can be carried over from the old to the new season. If there is no pipeline, and taking into consideration that 500 000 tons of white maize is consumed every month, then stocks may be depleted by the end of this month.

“Milling companies withdrew maize from silos so the stock is lower than normal. The stock is running out quicker and we expect a lower storage income,” Booyens said.

The grain price increases have been felt by consumers since early last year, as chicken prices increased by up to 10 percent in 2011 and were expected to increase by a further 20 percent this year.

Since March last year, maize prices have risen by 60 percent.

Grain SA has forecast a shortfall of between 200 000 and 500 000 tons this year. Last year there was a surplus of more than 2 million tons.

The increases have been attributed to traders who sold much of the surplus from the bumper crop to foreign buyers.

Analysts are unsure how much the resultant shortage will cost local consumers.

White maize for March delivery touched a record high of R2 722 a ton on the SA Futures Exchange on Monday before closing R2 up at R2 685. The contract gained a further R1 to close at R2 686 a ton yesterday.

Chris Venter, the chief executive of Afgri, said volumes were down, and performance of the silos would depend on grain stock levels to come in during the July harvesting period.

The industry was expected to see increased margin pressure on the processing of grain products. However, the higher prices were positive from an industry viewpoint in spending by farmers.

“We expect prices to remain high. The question is the size of the new crop. We had good rain, so we need to wait for about six to eight weeks for a good indication of what the crop will look like,” Venter noted.

“For the time being, there is no additional stock available, I can’t give specifics, but we will see a reduction across the industry.”

Chris Schutte, the chief executive of Astral Foods, the listed chicken producer that owns brands such as County Fair and EarlyBird Farm, said maize was at an all-time high because of record exports.

“We believe that exporters were irresponsible and didn’t check the situation… In hindsight we exported too much maize, now we have to import,” he said.

In addition, it did not make sense that maize had been exported at around R1 600 a ton, and now the grain was being brought into the country at almost R2 800 a ton.

Schutte attributed this to the “net effect of a free market system”, which had benefited maize producers.

“Maize farmers will benefit, they will buy more land, tractors and fertiliser.” - Ayanda Mdluli

Kodak prepares for Chapter 11 filing - report - Bankruptcy

2012-01-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

Yahoo News - Reuters - 05th January 2012

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/kodak-prepares-chapter-11-filing-193552809.html

REUTERS - Eastman Kodak (EK.N) is preparing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in case it is unable to sell its digital patents to raise capital, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The once-iconic photographic film pioneer is in talks with potential lenders to secure about $1 billion in debtor-in possession financing to sustain Kodak through bankruptcy proceedings, the Journal reported, citing unidentified sources.

The Chapter 11 filing could come as soon as this month or early February, the newspaper said.

Kodak shares fell about 28 percent to 47 cents on the New York Stock Exchange following the online report, which dampened investors' hopes that the company could arrange a quick sale of its patents or a financing lifeline to keep it afloat.

A spokesman for Kodak declined to comment, saying its policy is not to comment on market rumors or speculation.

Kodak warned in November that it might not survive 2012 if it was unable to secure $500 million in new debt or sell its patents. The company's cash had been shrinking as sales of its consumer products have failed to keep up with its heavy cost base, which includes employees and offices around the globe.

In a two-day meeting in mid-December of the company's board, management and advisers, executives were briefed on how to fund Kodak during bankruptcy proceedings if efforts to sell its patents fall short, a person familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. Kodak needed to sell the patents or borrow more money to stave off bankruptcy, the company told directors.

As part of its efforts to raise cash, Kodak has been looking since last July for a buyer for its 1,100 digital patents, with the help of investment bank Lazard Ltd (LAZ.N).

The Journal said Kodak is still trying to sell the patents, which could help it stave off a bankruptcy filing. If Kodak does seek Chapter 11 protection, it could try to sell its patents through a bankruptcy auction supervised by a court

Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975 when one of its engineers developed a prototype that was as big as a toaster and captured black and white images. But it failed to capitalize on that innovation, and it was only when Kodak's film business began to decline a decade ago that it tried to catch up with rivals by launching a mass-market line of digital cameras.

The company has been beset by bankruptcy speculation since it drew down a credit line last September. It also hired restructuring firm FTI and confirmed that a law firm known for dealing with bankruptcy was doing work for it.

Last week, Kodak announced the resignation of three directors, including two representatives of private equity firm KKR & Co (KKR.N) and a professor from the University of California, leading some industry experts to speculate that a Chapter 11 filing was imminent.

On Tuesday, Kodak said its stock may be removed from the New York Stock Exchange if the company cannot boost its share price over the next six months.

Kodak, whose cash fell to $862 million at the end of September from $1.4 billion a year earlier, is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on January 26.

The company would need to seek debtor-in-possession financing in any bankruptcy filing to continue operating while it ran an auction for the patents. Kodak is in discussions with large banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Citigroup Inc (C.N), and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) for those funds, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

Kodak has also held discussions with bondholders about a bankruptcy financing package, the people said. Cerberus Capital Management LP, a hedge fund that doesn't hold Kodak debt, has also held talks with Kodak on behalf of a group willing to provide the financing, the people said.

(Reporting By Liana B. Baker; editing by Mark Porter, Carol Bishopric; Editing by Richard Chang)

@YahooFinanceUK on Twitter

Stransberry's Investment Advisory - Very Important - Watch

2012-01-04T05:34:00.000-08:00

Click on the link below to view a slide show showing facts and statistics of prices increasing concerning food, commodoties etc. This is information from Stransberry's Investment Advisory;

http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1103PSIEOAVD/PPSIMC79/PR

China tightens hold on internet

2012-01-04T04:40:00.000-08:00

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 8:13 - Iafrica.com News
http://technology.iafrica.com/news/770033.html

Shanghai will require microblog users to register under their real names from Monday, state media said, the latest local government in China to implement the rule after a spate of violent protests.

Beijing and the southern province of Guangdong have also ordered users of weibos - microblogs similar to Twitter - to register using their real names, as authorities tighten their grip on the Internet.

The move comes amid a surge in social unrest that has been concentrated in the wealthy manufacturing heartland of Guangdong.

Residents protesting against land seizures and a power plant in the province recently posted photos and reports of their demonstrations on weibos, defying official efforts to block news of the incidents.

With more than half a billion Chinese now online, authorities are concerned about the power of the Internet to influence public opinion in a country that maintains tight controls on its traditional media outlets.

Shanghai said the new rules aim to "foster a healthy Internet culture" and improve management over social networking, the official Xinhua news agency reported late Sunday.

The guidelines will apply to both private and corporate users in Shanghai.

Previously, users have been able to set up weibo accounts under assumed names, making it more difficult for authorities to track them, and allowing them to set up new accounts if existing ones are shut down by censors.

Despite official censorship of the web, ordinary Chinese are increasingly using weibos to vent their anger and frustration over official corruption, scandals and disasters.

A weibo user is believed to have broken the news of a deadly high-speed rail crash in China in July that provoked widespread condemnation of the government - much of it online.

2011-12-23T06:04:00.000-08:00

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CLICK HERE to read this report on the Internet

The CARMEL ALERT Dec 23rd 2011
A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People

David's Comment: Celebrating the Miracle of the Light
John 10:22-23   2         Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.   And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. (NKJ)

This week the Jewish people in Israel and those still in the Nations, are celebration Chanukah or the Feast of Dedication. Chanukah is also called the Festival of Light. Chanukah is a celebration of a miracle. About 180 years before Yeshua was born Israel was under Greek rule. The Greco-Syrian King, Antiochus Epiphanes, ruled over Israel and did all in his power to destroy the people of God by forcing Greek culture and practices on the Jews, while making it illegal for them to follow their own religion. In an attempt to break the Abrahamic covenant Antiochus banned circumcision. His ultimate act of sacrilige was to sacrifice a pig on the altar in the Temple. To save their lives, most of the Jews bowed down to the dictates of Antiochus. Finally a small band of Jewish zealots led by the Maccabe family stood up to the regime of Antiochus and with the supernatural assistance of YHVH, the vastly outnumbered Jewish rebels routed the forces of Antiochus. That was the first miracle of Chanukah.

The second miracle occurred as the Temple was being cleansed in preparation to be rededicated to the Lord. (Chanukah means dedication). In the Temple an oil lamp was supposed to burn day and night above the altar to represent the Eternal Light of GOD.   The oil for the lamp was very special and took 8 days to prepare. When the Jews rededicated the Temple they only had enough oil to keep the Eternal Flame burning for 1 day, but miraculously the Lamp burnt for the full 8 days, until the new oil was ready. Once again, as always, the God of Israel came through for His people. And the Jewish people have celebrated Chanukah ever since.

In the year 2011, Israel still has its "Antiochus" out there. Whether it be the Pharaoh, Haman, Antiochus, Herod, Napoleon, Hitler, Arafat or Armedinejhad, there is always some power-crazed person empowered by the spirit of the Anti-Christ, whose life mission is to destroy the nation and the people of God. In our time it is not just one person, but most of the world is opposing Israel's very existence. To be politically correct, they claim to be interested in the well-being of the so called but mythical "Palestinian people" and a Two State Solution. However if such a state was to ever become a reality, it would mean the end of the Jewish national homeland of Israel.

We dont celebrate Christmas in Israel as we believe Yeshua was born during the Biblical Fall Feast season, which is September or October. I dont know about you, but I like to celebrate my birthday on the right day, not 3 months later. Yet in a way there is a connection in that if the Lord was born during the Fall Feasts, He must have been conceived at Chanukah in late December. It makes sense to me that the Messiah who is the Light of the World would be conceived during the Feast of Lights. Both events are connected to a miracle.

Whether you are celebrating Chanukah or Christmas this week, perhaps both, please set aside some time to pray for Israel and the Jewish people. Please pray that the LORD will continue to protect Israel from the sticky hands of the enemy, and that the Holy Spirit will continue to remove the veil over the eyes of His Jewish people. He placed it there and only He can remove it.   As we say here in Israel at festival times .... "Hag Sameach" - "Happy Feast" - May the LORD bless you and your loved ones over the Festive season and through the year ahead.

The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist on the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Lets pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent, but share this wth your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to.   Lets also pray for that breakthrough to the Muslims, and please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF -they are defending and fighting for the Kingdom of God.

Shabbat Shalom & Seasons Blessings .... David & Josie

THIS WEEKS NEWS REPORTS

1. Fatah Latest to Claim that Yeshua was a Palestinian     Israel Today News   Dec 19th
     More than a billion Christians around the world are about to celebrate Christmas, commemorating the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah. There is one thing the Palestinian Arabs hope you all remember during those celebrations - that Jesus was, in fact, a Palestinian (Arab). It is nothing new for the Palestinians to claim that Jesus was a Palestinian. The Palestinian leadership gets in on the action all the time. Yasser Arafat used to openly declare as much as he kicked off Christmas from Bethlehem every year.   Arafat is gone, and current Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is a bit more subtle, but the media organs under his control are still being used to perpetuate this lie. Oh, and so is Abbas' Western-backed, so-called "moderate" prime minister, Salam Fayyad.   "Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the Palestinian identity of Jesus Christ," declared Fayyad as he flipped the switch lighting a 50-foot Christmas tree in Manger Square last week.
    The lie has fully permeated Arab society in the region. In a December 3, 2010 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Samih Ghanadreh from Nazareth was asked about his new book "Christianity and its Connection to Islam."   Ghanadreh told the host that he remembers fondly how Arafat would label Jesus as "the first Palestinian Shahid (martyr)," to which the host matter-of-factly responded, "Jesus was a Palestinian; no one denies that."
    Palestinian Media Watch, which provided translation of the above interview, reported that earlier in 2010, the Communications and Education Authority of the ruling Palestinian faction Fatah issued this statement on its official website: "If we are proud of the holiness of our land, then we are proud and pride ourselves that the first and most important holy woman among the nations and peoples is from the holy land: The Virgin Mary - the woman of love and peace - is of the nation of Palestine…"   Among average Palestinians it is an ingrained belief that Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, was a Palestinian and even a pre-Islam Muslim. All historic or religious ties between Jesus and the Jews have been severed, just as they have severed all historic and religious ties between the Jews and this land.
Please pray that people will not believe this nonsensical claim

2. Egypt - Israel Gas Pipeline Attacked for the 10th Time   ICEJ News Dec 20th
      The attack was carried out using remote-controlled explosives by unidentified assailants who arrived at the scene using four-wheel-drive vehicles," the source said.   No group has claimed responsibility for the series of pipeline attacks since a popular uprising toppled Mubarak in February. One attack took place just before he was ousted. The latest blast broke the pipe, but no flames were seen as gas pumping has been halted since the last attack.   The government said in November it would tighten security measures along thepipeline by installing alarm devices and recruiting security patrols from Bedouin tribesmen in the area. Security in Sinai loosened after Mubarak's fall as the police presence thinned out across Egypt.   Sinai has long been a restive area, where Beduins complain of government neglect. It hosts several Red Sea resorts with five-star hotels, but Beduins say they do not see the benefits. Previous explosions have sometimes led to weeks-long shutdowns along the pipeline, run by Egypt's gas transport company Gasco, a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS.
Please pray for Israel's own gas to come on stream so that Israel is not dependant on the gas pipeline any longer

3. Incoming EU President: Europe to Block Deals with Israel Until Peace Process Moves Forward Ha Aretz News   Dec 19th
The 56-year-old Schulz will soon settle into the seat of the president of the European Parliament. He regards the appointment with awe, and has already adopted an official demeanour.   Germany's dominant position in Europe and the manner in which Chancellor Merkel is managing the crisis are provoking a sharp wave of Germanophobia on the Continent.   Some people are speaking about the founding of a "Fourth Reich."   The European Parliament, which represents the half-billion citizens of the EU, has in recent years amassed authorities and power. For instance, it is now blocking ratification of agreements to upgrade relations between the EU and Israel.    Haaretz asked Schulz; "Will the policy of exerting pressure on Israel continue during the period of your presidency?" "Yes. The Parliament's decision to block the agreements with Israel stems from the lack of progress in the peace process and from our ambition to pressure the Israeli government to alter this situation".
    "As long as the Netanyahu-Lieberman government is in power, even those who theoretically favour Israel's membership have no chance of persuading others to back the move". "Israel cannot become a member of the EU, but may certainly be granted maximal access to the European markets. The Europeans are aware of the fact that they must act in favour of its maximal integration in the framework of the Association Agreement, to which Israel is a signatory."   “We need a sort of Marshall Plan that will create a powerful momentum in the [Middle East] region. To my dismay, we are not doing so and since we are not doing so there is fear of the Islamisation of these states that are breaking free".   "If the only ones offering solutions to the people in the field are the Muslim Brotherhood and the like, then it should be no wonder that they are getting votes." Please pray for God's hand to be upon Schulz and the EU

4. IDF Completes gilad Shalit Prisoner Transfer Deal   ICEJ News Dec 20th
     Israel honored the second part of the Gilad Schalit prisoner exchange deal on Sunday, releasing 550 prisoners, mostly on buses headed for the West Bank city of Ramallah, although 41 also entered the Gaza Strip, as well as two who were sent to Jordan and two who were transported to an Arab neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. The IDF was assisted by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN. Around 400 Palestinian residents of Ramallah celebrated the event by setting tires on fire and throwing Moletov cocktails and rocks at IDF troops. Please pray that none of the released prisoners will ever succeed in carrying out terror attacks

5. Exclusive Report; Iran Starts Building a Nuclear Weapon: US and Israel Tighten Co-operation    DebkaFile   Dec 23rd
   Iran has embarked on "activities related to possible weaponisation," said American sources Wednesday, Dec. 22, thereby accounting for the dramatic reversal of the Obama administration's wait-and-see attitude on attacking Iran.   The change was articulated this week by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint US Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. Washington sources report that the Islamic Republic crossed the red line President Barack Obama had set for the United States, i.e., when Tehran begins using the technologies and fissile materials (enriched uranium) it has amassed for assembling a bomb or missile warheads. This marks the moment that Iran goes nuclear and only a short time remains before it has an operational nuclear weapon. The US defence secretary put it into words when he said Tuesday, Dec.: “Despite the efforts to disrupt the Iranian nuclear program, the Iranians have reached a point where they can assemble a weapon in a year or potentially less.”    The next day, Gen. Dempsey said, “My biggest worry is they will miscalculate our resolve. Any miscalculation could mean that we are drawn into conflict, and that would be a tragedy for the region and the world.”
    Dennis Ross, until last month President Obama’s senior Middle East adviser, and key architect of White House policies on the Iranian nuclear program and understandings with Israel on this issue, said Israel has four causes for concern about uranium enrichment in the underground nuclear facility at Fordo near Qom and other developments:
1. Iran’s accumulation of low-enriched uranium, its decision to enrich to nearly 20 percent “when there is no justification for it.”
2. The "hardening" of Iranian nuclear sites, largely by moving facilities underground.
3. Other activities related to possible weaponisation.
4. Israel suspects that Fordo is not Iran's only buried facility and that nuclear "weaponisation" is ongoing surreptitiously at additional underground locations. “I would not isolate Qom and say this alone is the Israeli red line to spur a military response.”
      The White House has since accepted the Israeli assessment of Iran's nuclear weapon timetable and endorses the conviction that unless Iran retreats from its decision to build a nuclear weapon and steps back from the process it set in train this month, the only option remaining will be a military strike to disable its nuclear program.   Following the Maryland encounter, our sources report a procession of prominent US officials visiting Israel to tighten co-ordination between the US and Israel on their next moves. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the US’s Third air Force, was one of those visitors.
Please pray that one way or another Iran's nuclear ambitions will not be realised

6. New Fortified ER Centre Dedicated in Haifa     ICEJ News Dec 22nd
A new NIS 59 million emergency department – fortified to protect patients, staffers and visitors from rockets and missiles and even biological weapons from beyond the northern border, was dedicated on Wednesday at Carmel Medical Center in Haifa. During the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah missiles struck a few meters from the hospital. This gave the final push to build a protected emergency room.   The Haifa facility was built with 40-centimeter-thick walls made of cement that can stand up to missiles and close hermetically to prevent chemical weapons affecting those inside. Patient care will be able to continue during any such attack, the hospital said.   Carmel administrators and physicians spent many months observing emergency departments in the rest of the country and leading departments abroad before they decided what to do. The Carmel emergency department covers almost three times the space the old one had – to 2,000 square meters from 700 square meters, said hospital engineer Moshe Berger. The number of beds, however, has not increased because the new triage technique separates walking patients from those who are brought in lying down. Thus, those occupying beds have more space. Up to 80 patients can be handled simultaneously.
      A triage nurse is on duty at the entrance to decide where to send each patient, and specialists treat the sick and injured inside. There is also an isolation room with negative air pressure where patients with infectious diseases can be treated without harming others.   Patients and their families will no longer have to wander from one place to another to undergo scans of various types, as all is in one department and available 24 hours a day. A computerized system using plasma screens keeps tabs on all who enter and their progress through treatment. Intercoms are suited to the deaf, and there is a special telephone suited to the blind. Some counters have been lowered to accommodate those in wheelchairs.   Please pray that this new ER lcentre will be fully prepared for every eventuality

7. Dead Sea Scrolls’ 10 Commandments’ Reaches New York   Arutz 7   Dec 18th
    The Ten Commandments parchment of the Dead Sea Scrolls is on display in New York City's Times Square for 10 days for the first time ever. It is only the third time that Israel has allowed the scrolls to leave the country.   The leather parchment will return to Israel after the "Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Biblical Times" display at Discovery Times Square, which began last Thursday. Most of the exhibition continues until March, but the parchment of the Ten Commandments will make its way back to Israel January 2.
    The now-famous parchments were discovered in caves near the Dead Sea in 1952 and are part of a collection of 900 manuscripts found more than 50 years ago by Bedouin shepherds.   They date back 2,000 years and are kept in special climatic conditions to prevent any deterioration.   "The Ten Commandments scroll is actually in very good condition considering it is 2,000 years old," exhibit curator Risa Levitt Kohn told the Associated Press. Anyone who can read modern Hebrew could understand the text, which is fragile and brittle, the curator added.It contains the Ten Commandments, as written in the fifth book of the Torah, known as Deuteronomy, a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Devarim, which literally means “words.”   The scroll, measuring 18 inches by three inches, consists of four complete columns and two others that are damaged. The parchment previously has been on display outside of Israel in Australia and Toronto.
Please pray for anointing over the scrolls that people who view them will be touched by the Holy Spirit

************

                                         * Recommended U-Tube Video Clips *

         An excellent 60 min expose on the Israel / Arab Conflict over the land   http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/glenn/rumorsofwar/

         For a concise look at Israel's right to the land www.GivePeaceAChance.info

         For a clear exposition of the issue of the borders, FYI.    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJerusalemCenter .

        Jan Willem van der Hoeven speaking at IRI 2011    http://youtu.be/Jt601Euxz8A

         Israels Great Financial Future http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Hal%20Lindsay.wmv

       Glen Beck Encourages Christians to stand with Israel    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6jPq1z97s&feature=player_embedded

         Glen Beck interview FOX NEWS interview   http://www.out-of-zion.com/audio/Glenn%20Beck.wmv

         Avi Lipkin on Obama & Islam http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13603556&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline

         The Middle East Problem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4&feature=player_embedded#at=103

          Melanie Phillips Interview on Israel TV news   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4dksiRW-Yg

         The Identity of the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures   http://www.youtube.com/user/israelmedia1#p/a/u/1/mQFWi6cCUtY

          Interesting info from an Arab perspective    http://www.shoebat.com/videos/speak2arab.php

          For those who want to boycott Israel     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIQto3KPUM&eurl

         85 other YouTube videos about Israel at:     http://www.jr.co.il/videos/israel-videos.htm