Germany’s von der Leyen New European Commission President
Deutsche Welle reported on July 16:
“German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has won the vote to become the next president of the European Commission, and will be the first woman to hold the post. She received 383 out of 747 possible votes, just nine more than the minimum for her election. 327 lawmakers voted against her and 22 abstained.
“In brief remarks after the final tally was announced, she said her aim was for a strong and united Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated von der Leyen, calling her a ‘committed European’ who would ‘tackle with great vigour the challenges facing us as the European Union.’ ‘Though I am losing a long-standing minister, I am winning a new partner in Brussels,’ Merkel said, via her spokesman Steffen Seibert on Twitter…
“Von der Leyen will step down as defense minister on Wednesday and will succeed Jean-Claude Juncker at the helm of the commission on November 1. She will be the first German to lead the EU executive branch since the creation of the modern European Union…”
The Guardian wrote on July 16:
“German commission secretary-general Martin Selmayr… has said he will leave his post by the end of the next week. By convention, the two top posts in the commission should not be held by nationals of the same country…
“French and German MEPs representing the far left and the far right [had] railed against Von der Leyen’s previously stated aspiration to forge a ‘United States of Europe’ and establish an EU army…
“On Brexit, she was booed by Brexit party MEPs as she reiterated her openness to a further extension of the UK’s membership of the EU after 31 October… The leader of the Brexit party, Nigel Farage, accused Von der Leyen of wanting to build ‘a centralised, undemocratic, updated form of communism where nation state parliaments will cease to have any relevance at all.’ ‘Be in no doubt: five years of these people [and] the European Defence Union will be complete,’ Farage said. ‘And what is there for defence can also be used for attack.’”
In a related article, the Guardian wrote on July 16:
“If Von der Leyen’s approval ratings have recently plummeted, making her the least popular minister in Merkel’s cabinet, it is because her handling of Germany’s notoriously under-funded military at times displayed… deficiencies.
“When she diagnosed the troops with an ‘attitude problem’ after the emergence of stories about rightwing extremist activities and hazing of new recruits, she was accused – and not only by members of the Bundeswehr – of choosing a good write-up over loyalty to her staff… More recently, Von der Leyen grabbed negative headlines over the accusation that her defence ministry had allocated over-inflated contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros to external consultants. A parliamentary committee is investigating the ministry for accusations of nepotism, and Von der Leyen is expected to be invited as a witness in December. In Brussels and Berlin, she will have two stages to manage.”
Prophecy marches on. With Von der Leyen at the European helm, a European army is only a matter of time.
Von der Leyen Another Reason for Brexit?
The Sun wrote on July 17:
“The new woman running the EU is the perfect advert for Brexit. Ursula von der Leyen narrowly squeaked into power in a secret ballot against no rival candidates in another triumph for European democracy. This unpopular, failed German defence minister is a fanatical federalist who longs for the Brussels club to become a single country made up of client states.
“‘The world needs more Europe,’ declared the new EU president, falsely. Ursula is dead set too on a European army, with Eurocrats ordering national troops to war. Remember when Remainers sneered that was just a paranoid scare story told by Leavers?
“Good luck to Ursula and her EU. She’s welcome to it… We can’t wait to be out.”
Boris Johnson UK’s last PM?
The Guardian wrote on July 18:
“Boris Johnson could be the UK’s last prime minister, Gordon Brown has warned… Brown, the former Labour prime minister, warned of an approaching ‘head-on conflict’ between Johnson’s hardline views and the Scottish National party’s ‘extreme nationalism’, with its intention to abandon the pound and leave the UK single market and customs union…
“Brown said Johnson’s brand of anti-Europe conservatism was regarded in Scotland as anti-Scottish…”
AKK new Germany’s Defense Minister
Deutsche Welle wrote on July 17:
“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s surprise decision on Tuesday to hand AKK (Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer) the Defense Ministry immediately came under fire from the opposition, largely due to her lack of experience in the field. The leader of Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) joins the Defense Ministry in the middle of extensive reforms and on the tail-end of countless scandals left behind by her predecessor Ursula von der Leyen…
“On the international stage, how AKK addresses the German defense budget will be of huge interest to Germany’s fellow NATO allies — not least of all for the Trump administration. US President Donald Trump has been particularly vocal in his criticism of Berlin for failing to spend 2% of its GDP on defense — a target which NATO adopted at its 2014 Wales Summit in response to the Ukraine crisis. AKK, too, has previously advocated the 2% target. But… reaching such a target in the current legislative period is seemingly impossible. Merkel’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), staunchly positioned themselves against the 2% goal in Germany’s 2017 federal elections and have remained resolute…
“Underfunded and overflowing with scandals, the German Defense Ministry can quickly become a political minefield and is prone to making headlines with ongoing scandals. AKK will be hoping that she won’t be part of the next one.”
According to Der Spiegel, two-thirds of Germans disapprove of AKK’s appointment as Defense Minister.
Spahn Was Considered Favorite as Defense Minister
Fox News reported on July 17:
“An ambitious younger conservative who also ran in last year’s CDU leadership election [but was defeated by AKK], Health Minister Jens Spahn, had been considered favorite to become defense minister. Kramp-Karrenbauer’s move to take the job avoids giving a potential rival more exposure.”
Spahn, who is openly gay, was again defeated by AKK. In his present role as Health Minister, he has made quite a few controversial and problematic decisions, if compared with biblical concepts (see also the article on vaccinations below).
Mandatory Measles Vaccinations in Germany
Deutsche Welle wrote on July 17:
“Germany’s Cabinet on Wednesday backed a draft law that would make it compulsory for all children at kindergartens, schools and daycare centers to be vaccinated against measles. The measure, which would go into force on March 1 2020, still needs to be passed by Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag.
“Under the proposed bill, children at daycare and education institutions, as well as employees there, have until July 31, 2021 to provide proof of vaccination. Kids who aren’t immunized won’t be able to attend daycare, while parents who refuse to vaccinate their school-aged children could face a fine of up to €2,500 ($2,800). Fines may also apply to facilities that allow unvaccinated children to attend. ‘We want to protect all children from measles infection,’ Health Minister Jens Spahn said… He added that he also hoped to boost voluntary vaccinations in schools for other infectious diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.
“The law also covers medical staff, and residents and workers at asylum seekers and refugee accommodations… the law would obligate around 600,000 children and adults in Germany to get a measles vaccination. Exemptions apply to people born before 1970, those who cannot tolerate the vaccination on medical grounds, as well as those who can prove they have already had the disease.”
US and Turkey… Edging Closer to Crisis?
The Associated Press wrote on July 12:
“The U.S. edged closer to crisis Friday with NATO ally Turkey, which began receiving components of a Russian-made air defense system in defiance of Trump administration warnings that the deal would mean economic sanctions and no access to America’s most advanced fighter jet… For months, Washington urged Turkey to buy the American-made Patriot air defense system instead and has insisted that buying from Russia would result in economic and military penalties. Turkey has said it was not offered favorable terms on the Patriot…
“Turkey has long been a key to the defense of NATO’s southeastern flank, and some believe its willingness to buy key weaponry from Russia — long identified as NATO’s main adversary — suggests the possibility that its alliance status is in jeopardy… ‘By accepting delivery of the S-400 from Russia, President Erdogan has chosen a perilous partnership with Putin at the expense of Turkey’s security, economic prosperity and the integrity of the NATO alliance,’ the top members of the Senate committees on Foreign Relations and Armed Services said in a joint statement…
“Some see the Russian sale as an attempt to drive a wedge between NATO allies. In their joint statement, the Senate committee leaders also called the Turkish action ‘a troubling signal of strategic alignment with Putin’s Russia’…
“The prospect of a further rupture in Turkey’s relations with Washington also raises a delicate issue rarely mentioned in public: the status of American nuclear weapons stored at Turkey’s Incirlik air base. Turkey has had a nuclear role in NATO for decades, but this new split is likely to cause some in Washington to question the wisdom of keeping those nuclear bombs at Incirlik…”
American Nukes in Europe
The Sun wrote on July 17:
“The United States and its allies in the Nato military alliance never disclose the locations of the nuclear arsenal but it appears… six sites have inadvertently been disclosed… A draft version of the document entitled ‘A new era for nuclear deterrence? Modernisation, arms control and allied nuclear forces’ was published earlier this year. But Belgian newspaper De Morgen spotted that it contained details about the nuke sites. A section on the nuclear arsenal read: ‘These bombs are stored at six US and European bases — Kleine Brogel in Belgium, Büchel in Germany, Aviano and Ghedi-Torre in Italy, Volkel in The Netherlands, and Incirlik in Turkey.’
“The study was written by a Canadian senator Joseph Day for the Defense and Security Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The final version of the report has now been published online with specific reference to where bombs are stored deleted.”
Sanctions against Turkey
Bloomberg wrote on July 14:
“Relations between the European Union and Turkey are set to hit a new low… the bloc’s foreign ministers [were to] announce a suspension of most high-level contacts with Ankara, confirm another cut in financial aid, freeze negotiations on an aviation accord and reaffirm the threat of sanctions targeting companies involved in energy exploration off the coast of Cyprus.
“The spat over Mediterranean natural-gas reserves adds to a series of disagreements straining ties between European nations and their NATO ally — from democratic standards to the purchase of Russian missiles. While an escalation is in no-one’s interest, so much is piling up that it looks increasingly difficult to avoid.”
Richard Grenell—America’s Controversial Ambassador to Germany
The Wall Street Journal wrote on July 13:
“Berlin’s political class… has been struggling to come to terms with Mr. Grenell’s unorthodox diplomacy since he arrived last year, delivering to Berlin a shock similar to President Trump’s own disruption of establishment Washington.
“Mr. Grenell, a confidant of the president and former adviser to his campaign, embodies both the diplomatic doctrine of the Trump administration and its new posture toward U.S. allies in Europe: engagement, public criticism that rankles host nations, some achievements and some unbridgeable divides… ‘Trumpian foreign policy is obviously more confrontational,’ said Cliff Sims, Mr. Trump’s former White House director of strategic messaging…
“On his first day in his new post, Mr. Grenell, 52 years old, sparked outrage in Germany with a tweet demanding German companies wind down their operations in Iran. The acrimony was compounded by his call in a Breitbart News interview for empowering conservatives across Europe—a statement German officials viewed as political meddling exceeding the mandate of a diplomat. A senior member of a governing party compared Mr. Grenell to a far-right colonial officer, while opposition politicians, including a vice chairman of the German Parliament, called for the U.S. ambassador to be expelled…
“Mr. Grenell also has campaigned relentlessly against Nord Stream 2, a controversial Russian-German pipeline opposed by Washington, as well as on Germany’s failure to meet its North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense-spending targets. Those initiatives have ruffled feathers in Berlin but haven’t led to changes… Ms. Merkel… has ignored U.S. objections to the pipeline, which is due to double Russia’s gas shipments to Germany…
“Mr. Grenell’s undiplomatic manner has made him the president’s favorite ambassador, according to current and former officials… Mr. Grenell’s approach has rankled others in the White House, where some advisers complain that the ambassador doesn’t accept direction on policy or communications and is too quick to exceed his mandate, according to a senior administration official. This official said Mr. Grenell has ‘made more enemies than friends, both inside and outside of Germany.’
“Mr. Grenell in some ways is following the president’s lead. Mr. Trump has taken a confrontational stance toward Germany since the earliest days of his administration. In an early 2017 meeting with Ms. Merkel at the White House, Mr. Trump went on a lengthy riff about German car imports, describing American streets as being flooded with Mercedes… He has since repeatedly chided Germany over its military spending and has threatened tariffs against Germany’s flagship car industry… The president views Mr. Grenell ‘not just as his man in Germany, but his man in Europe,’ said Mr. Sims, the former White House director of strategic messaging.
“That close relationship has at times created tensions between Mr. Grenell and his boss, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Grenell, who is openly gay, appealed to Mr. Trump this spring when he felt the State Department was slow to issue guidelines on how to mark Pride Month… The president issued two tweets in support of Mr. Grenell’s campaign…
“Rufus Gifford, the former ambassador to Denmark, called “Mr. Grenell’s tactics… embarrassing to the United States… It’s irresponsible. It’s not the role of an ambassador. It’s disrespectful to the host government…’”
The rift between the USA and Germany is bound to continue.
Heightened Tensions with Iran
The Wall Street Journal wrote on July 18:
“President Trump said the U.S. Navy downed an Iranian drone that was flying too close to a U.S. warship in the Strait of Hormuz, hours after Iranian forces said they had seized a foreign tanker, the latest in a series of incidents that have ratcheted up tensions in a vital oil shipping route.
“Mr. Trump said the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, took defensive action against the drone, which he said was ‘threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew’ in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel leading into the Persian Gulf through which a third of the world’s seaborne oil is transported.
“The drone was ‘immediately destroyed,’ Mr. Trump said. The president called the approach by the drone the latest “of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters.’…
“Tensions are rising in the region. Earlier in the day, a Wall Street Journal reporter aboard the USS Boxer witnessed close encounters between a group of U.S. ships and the Iranian military.”
“Bastille Day Parade Showcases European Military Cooperation”
Deutsche Welle reported on July 14:
“German Chancellor Merkel and other European leaders have highlighted their shared defense potential on Bastille Day amid rifts with the US. Troops from 10 countries participated in the annual Paris parade.
“Key European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte joined French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday to commemorate France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, which marks the July 14, 1789 storming of the Bastille fortress in Paris during the French Revolution… Heads of state and government from Belgium, Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal also joined Merkel and Macron in the reviewing stand… European leaders are under pressure to boost their military ties amid growing rifts with Washington and Britain’s looming exit from the European Union.
“On Saturday, Macron had issued a statement heralding a new national military space force command from September. The president said space has become a ‘true national security issue’ due to increased spending and interest in the area from the United States, India, China and Russia. ‘Never since the end of World War II has Europe been so important,’ Macron said in a statement to mark July 14…
“In November 2018, defense ministers from 10 European countries gathered in Paris to set the agenda for the EI2, which is spearheaded by President Macron. ‘To face new threats, Europe needs a strong defense,’ the French Defense Ministry said in a tweet after the meeting. ‘With the European Intervention Initiative, 10 European countries are committed to its protection.’
“[Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko] Maas [agreed, saying:] ‘We need a true European security and defense union’…”
Fox News added on July 14:
“The annual Bastille Day celebration in Paris this year was not just about showcasing France, but also military cooperation among European [countries]. The flags of 10 countries of the European Intervention Initiative, a joint military pact created last year, led Sunday’s military parade down the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris… Some 4,300 soldiers, around 200 vehicles and over 100 aircraft, some from other European countries, were taking part in the parade that was opened by Spanish troops…
“Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, one of the key events of the French Revolution. The day has become a national holiday in France.
“The European Intervention Initiative is a 10-country coalition of European militaries ready to react to crises. The French-led initiative, which includes Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal [as well as Finland], was launched last year, according to Reuters.”
Bloomberg wrote on July 14 under the headline, “European Army”:
“France’s long-term ‘ambition’ is to work with several other states to create a European Army to share in procurement, command and operations, Defense Minister Florence Parly said, reaffirming the plan announced by President Macron. While details and the time-frame are still unclear, the plan has led to tensions with Donald Trump, who has interpreted the initiative as an effort to shut out the U.S.”
Ultimately, 10 European nations or groups of nations will combine their efforts to create a powerful army under the command of a charismatic political and military leader. However, it won’t be the ten nations currently forming the EI2. For instance, Britain will most certainly not be part of the final configuration, while countries such as Italy will most certainly be part of it.
Russia Prepares for Regional Wars in Europe
Express wrote on July 15:
“Heinrich Brauss, who is also a retired German lieutenant general, claimed while Europe, the US and UK’s attention is more focussed on issues world leaders have deemed more pressing, Russian President Vladimir Putin is plotting a regional war with member states right under their noses. He told Berlin publication Welt am Sonntag: ‘At a time when our political attention is shrouded in climate change, the migration crisis, the EU crisis and many other issues that call for cooperative solutions, Russia is preparing under Putin – totally unprovoked – for regional wars in Europe, which they want to end with the help of nuclear weapons threats.’
“Mr Brauss and Joachim Krause, director of the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University, said the aim of Russia’s strategy is to seek confrontation with the West and undermine the unity of the Western alliance. Both men say that while President Putin is aware he would have little chance of success in a NATO-wide conflict, Mr Brauss added the Russian leader wanted ‘the ability to escalate dominance in a regional conflict in Europe’.
“Mr Brauss and Mr Krause said that in the event of an armed conflict, Russia could try to launch a ‘limited-scale surprise attack backed by a nuclear threat before NATO can respond effectively’. They have predicted this would most likely take place on the Black Sea region and the Baltic states. The warnings come weeks after Moscow officially suspended the INF treaty, sparking fears of a conflict that could escalate to World War 3.
“Military experts are even more alarmed by the fact Russia continues to arm itself with super and hypersonic missiles. The US has also been urged to disarm itself along with Russia, as tensions between the two power nations hit boiling point… Russia, the US and China are all battling to dominate previously unclaimed territory adding even more fuel to fears of conflict. Beijing has claimed waters in the South China Sea, Moscow has claimed ice in the Arctic regions and the US is battling for space in the solar system.”
The Bible prophesies that in the end time, a nuclear war will break out between Russia and Europe.
Missiles and other Sophisticated Weapons by Far-Right Italian Extremists
The Local wrote on July 15:
“Anti-terrorism police in northern Italy have seized an air-to-air missile and other sophisticated weapons during raids on far-right extremist groups, police revealed on Monday. Three people were arrested – two of them near Forli airport.
“Police also seized Neo-Nazi propaganda in raids in several cities. Italian media say the raids were part of an investigation into Italian far-right help for Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.”
ABC News added:
“… police found a French-made missile at an airport hangar that they apparently were seeking to sell.”
This is frightening indeed.
How Trump Conquered the Republican Party
The Week wrote on July 14:
“Republican members of Congress said nothing when President Trump told minority congresswomen to ‘go back’ to where they came from.
“Trump tweeted this morning that ‘Progressive Democrat Congresswomen’ should ‘go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.’ Trump was almost certainly talking about the group popularly known as ‘the squad’ — Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
“WaPo’s Phil Rucker points out that ‘three of the four members of “the squad” were born in the United States, so they would ‘go back’ to Cincinnati, Detroit and New York.’ (Omar was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. as a refugee.)…
“Trump knows he can say whatever he likes and face no consequences from the party he has conquered… No modern president, besides George W. Bush immediately after the 9/11 attacks, has enjoyed such popularity with Republican voters.”
The Guardian wrote on July 16:
“The president seems to regard divisive… rhetoric as his best chance of staying in the White House. Analysts say he may be right…
“John Zogby, an opinion pollster and author, said: ‘… Trump is a guy obsessed with winning and a guy who has demons… Going for the base has worked for him…’
“Trump is breaking from every previous incumbent president in modern times by not even attempting to reach across the divide and broaden his coalition… Immigration and border security is set to be the defining issue… Ron Brownstein, a senior editor at the Atlantic, told CNN: ‘Under Trump, the Republican coalition has become overwhelmingly centered on the voters and the parts of the country that are most uneasy with demographic change… And what’s striking is how few Republicans, however much they may grumble privately, have been willing to stand up against this redefinition of the party.’
“Indeed, the Republican response was muted with only a small number of current and former office holders stepping forward to condemn Trump’s behaviour. Many seem willing to ride this tiger into the 2020 contest…
“Michael Steele, the former chairperson of the Republican National Committee, said: ‘There are people out there who believe what Trump says… this speaks to our history, how we look at each other, how we view people who are not from here and people who are from here. It’s a sad statement about the state of America that some of our political leaders are silent because they are afraid of Donald Trump.’”
Reuters reported on July 17:
“Support for U.S. President Donald Trump increased slightly among Republicans after he lashed out on Twitter over the weekend in a racially charged attack on four minority Democratic congresswomen… The national survey, conducted on Monday and Tuesday… showed his net approval among members of his Republican Party rose by 5 percentage points to 72%, compared with a similar poll that ran last week.”
Britain Not Happy With Trump
BBC News wrote on July 15:
“UK Prime Minister Theresa May has criticised US President Donald Trump for calling on several Democratic congresswomen of colour to ‘go back’. The outgoing PM called Mr Trump’s words ‘completely unacceptable’…”
The Sun added on July 15:
“Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt (both contenders for the post of Prime Minister) [were] grilled [during their last TV debate] on today’s comments from President Trump… Hunt says it’s ‘totally offensive’ for him to say such things, and Boris adds it is ‘unacceptable’…
“Mr Johnson said: ‘If you are the leader of a multiracial multicultural country, you simply cannot use that kind of language about sending people to where they came from. That went out decades and decades ago and thanks heavens. So it’s totally unacceptable and I agree with the Prime Minister [Margaret Thatcher].’
“Hunt… said: ‘I have three half-Chinese children and if anyone ever said to them “go back to China” I would be utterly appalled. It is totally un-British to do that. So I hope that would never happen in this country.’”
The ongoing controversy between Britain and the USA does not seem to end; rather, further comments by Trump only seem to acerbate the situation.
In Defense of Israel?
JTA added on July 15:
“President Donald Trump said that his call for some Democrat congresswomen to ‘go back’ to their countries also was in defense of Israel… Amid the outcry [by Democrats] over Trump’s suggestion, he wrote on Twitter: ‘So sad to see the Democrats sticking up for people who speak so badly of our Country and who, in addition, hate Israel with a true and unbridled passion.’…
“He also wrote: ‘They talk about Israel like they’re a bunch of thugs, not victims of the entire region.’… Ilhan and Tlaib have been especially outspoken in their criticism of Israel, and have been widely criticized by Jewish groups on the right and in the center…”
While most Trump supporters did not choose to criticize Trump for his above-described comments, they were surely extremely unhappy with his condemnation of Bitcoin, as the next article points out. Insofar, Trump’s words might have been a bridge (almost) too far even for many of his base and the conservative media such as Breitbart.
Trump Attacks Bitcoin and Faces Strong Backlash from his Supporters
Breitbart wrote on July 15:
“President Donald Trump faced a backlash from his online supporters last week after he condemned the Bitcoin cryptocurrency as ‘highly volatile’ and a facilitator of illegal activity. Trump called for Facebook’s new ‘Libra’ cryptocurrency to be regulated like a bank.
“Many of the president’s biggest fans are users and supporters of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. As companies like PayPal, Patreon, and various major credit cards conduct financial blacklisting to impoverish the political right, and as the far left demonize, harass, and even assault those suspected of supporting conservative causes, Bitcoin provides an escape route financial blacklisting and a method to discreetly support conservatives.
“But President Trump is not on board. In a string of tweets during his social media summit last week, he derided Bitcoin as ‘not money,’ accused it of being ‘highly volatile and based on thin air.’ Filmmaker and author Mike Cernovich, who strongly supported the president’s campaign in 2016, said the president had received bad advice on cryptocurrencies. ‘Trump is usually a visionary,’ said Cernovich. ‘He has clearly been misled by advisers who don’t have his best interests in mind. Bitcoin offers a way for freedom-minded people to buy and trade without having to submit to Wall Street.’
“One potential source of pressure against cryptocurrencies at the federal level may be the FBI. Under James Comey, the Bureau launched its ‘Going Dark’ initiative, a multi-million dollar investigation of encrypted technologies like bitcoin, based on concerns that federal agencies are unable to snoop on encrypted communications, devices, and transactions. The program was continued by Comey’s successor, Andrew McCabe.
“Bill Ottman, CEO of the free-speech friendly social network Minds, was in attendance at the President’s social media summit last week, but expressed concern at Trump’s statements about cryptocurrencies…
“Gab, the internet free speech project that develops platforms and technologies aimed at bypassing Big Tech censorship… was even blunter in its assessment of Trump’s comments. ‘You are wrong about this’ said Gab’s official account on Twitter in a response to the President’s account. ‘Bitcoin is free speech money.’
“Preston Byrne, a technology lawyer, fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, and Trump voter said the President was correct to criticize Facebook’s Libra coin, but is wrong on Bitcoin… ‘Facebook already controls how we make social communications. Now it wants to control financial communications as well.’ Byrne suggested that Facebook might use control of a currency in the same way that they use their dominance in communications to censor conservatives…
“Byrne urged the President to differentiate corporate-controlled cryptocurrencies like Facebook’s Libra from decentralized tech like Bitcoin. ‘The President is clearly advised on Bitcoin by Steve Mnuchin and others in the Treasury Department and the Fed, at the direction of bank lobbyists,’ said Byrne. ‘This view doesn’t really accord with what’s going on with the main regulatory agencies…’ Far from being more susceptible to crime than other forms of monetary exchange, Byrne also pointed out that using Bitcoin to commit crime, with its public ledger of all transactions, is ‘actually a really good way to get arrested.’”
Fox News added on July 15:
“The price of bitcoin tumbled Monday after President Trump tweeted Thursday that he was ‘not a fan’ of cryptocurrencies… Bitcoin price briefly hit below $10,000 just after midnight Monday, a two-week low for the leading digital coin… The cryptocurrency appeared to rebound slightly to bring it past $10,000 as of Monday morning. It’s unclear what caused the sudden price drop, but it comes just days after Trump took to Twitter to slam cryptocurrencies.”
This won’t make many Trump supporters too happy. Regardless, we are convinced that he is going to be re-elected as he has to fulfill a prophetic role… for better or for worse.
Please view our new StandingWatch program, “Trump’s Reelection Is Assured!”
Earthquakes in Indonesia and Australia
Fox News wrote on July 14:
“A 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the Moluccas islands on Sunday… creating panic and causing damage to houses in eastern Indonesia… Indonesia is located on the so-called Ring of Fire, a major area in the Pacific Ocean where about 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur. It’s also home to nearly 452 volcanoes.
“Last week, a 6.9 magnitude quake rocked the northeast shore of Sulawesi, located west of the area impacted on Sunday… Sunday’s earthquake produced at least seven aftershocks, each stronger than 5 magnitudes…
“The most powerful earthquake to hit the area occurred in 2004 when a 9.5 magnitude quake triggered a huge tsunami that killed 226,000 people and 126,000 in Indonesia. Just last year a tsunami killed thousands in the area of Sulawesi…
“The quake struck just hours after a 6.6 magnitude impacted Western Australia (This was the strongest earthquake in Australia for more than 30 years). The agency asks residents to remain calm and be on alert for more aftershocks…”
On July 15, the Drudge Report linked to the following article by Infowars:
“… a magnitude 6.1 quake just hit Japan, a magnitude 6.6 quake just hit Australia and a magnitude 7.3 earthquake just hit Indonesia. And of course all of this comes just about a week after southern California was hit by the two largest earthquakes that it has experienced in more than two decades. So is all of this shaking unusual?…
“Within the last seven days, our planet has experienced an average of more than 677 earthquakes of magnitude 1.5 or greater per day. That means that the number of global earthquakes right now is more than 3 times above normal. And the number of very large earthquakes is at a frighteningly high level as well… there have been 121 earthquakes of at least magnitude 4.5 around the world within the last seven days, and that includes the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that just hit Japan.
“None of this is ‘normal’… In fact… a 4.0 earthquake has rattled Manhattan, Montana. This earthquake follows the string of quakes that have rattled the globe over the past few weeks producing powerful earthquakes in Southern California and rattling Seattle, Washington… we definitely need to keep a close eye on the Northwest, because they are definitely overdue for a ‘Big One’ of their own and there are several volcanoes in the region that could literally go off at any time.
“Meanwhile, the shaking in southern California simply will not stop… there have been 10,303 earthquakes of all magnitudes in California and Nevada within the last seven days… if a magnitude 9.0 earthquake were to hit southern California someday, it would be 707 times more powerful than the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that we just witnessed…
“Our entire planet is being greatly shaken, and many believe that what we have witnessed so far is just the beginning.”
Subsequently, further major earthquakes struck, including a 5.7 earthquake, hitting the island of Bali on July 15. Christ DOES talk about the “beginning of sorrows,” to be followed by the “Great Tribulation.”
Benjamin Netanyahu Israel’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister
The Associated Press wrote on July 17:
“As Benjamin Netanyahu becomes Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, he is solidifying his place as the country’s greatest political survivor and the most dominant force in Israeli politics in his generation. He has persevered through scandals, crises and conflicts, winning election after election even as the country grows more bitterly polarized. His supporters credit him with keeping Israel safe and prosperous, maintaining its Jewish character and boosting its standing internationally. His opponents… claim he has dashed hopes for peace with the Palestinians…
“But as the longevity of his 13-year rule is set to surpass that of Israel’s founding father David Ben-Gurion on July 20, all agree Netanyahu has left a permanent imprint on Israel… Just as he is about to cross a milestone, Netanyahu faces perhaps his greatest political challenge yet. After failing to form a parliamentary majority following April elections, the country is holding a repeat vote on Sept. 17. The following month, he faces a hearing with Israel’s attorney general, who has recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges. If formal charges are filed, Netanyahu could be forced to step aside.
“In contrast to his predecessors, the 69-year-old hasn’t left his mark by winning a war or signing a peace accord… In confronting President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran in a brazen 2015 speech to Congress, Netanyahu also debunked the conventional wisdom that an Israeli leader could not survive an open clash with an American president. Since Trump’s election in 2016, Netanyahu has enjoyed unprecedented backing, drawing frequent accusations of partisanship.”
Al-Aqsa Mosque Targeted for Destruction in Lieu of Third Temple?
Mint Press News wrote on June 24:
“The iconic golden dome of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque, located on the Temple Mount or Haram el-Sharif, is the third holiest site in Islam and is recognized throughout the world as a symbol of the city of Jerusalem. Yet, this ancient site that dates back to the year 705 C.E. is being targeted for destruction by increasingly influential… groups…
“Some observers may have noticed the growing effort by some Israeli government and religious officials to remove the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque from the Jerusalem skyline, not only erasing the holy site in official posters, banners and educational material but also physically removing the building itself. For instance, current Knesset member of the ruling Likud Party, American-born Yehuda Glick, was also the director of the government-funded Temple Institute, which has created relics and detailed architectural plans for a temple that they hope will soon replace Al-Aqsa… ‘In the end we’ll build the temple and it will be a house of prayer for all nations,’ Glick told Israeli newspaper Maariv in 2012. A year later, Israel’s Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel stated that “we need to build a real Temple on the Temple Mount.’ Ariel stated that the new Jewish Temple must be built on the site where Al-Aqsa currently sits…
“In recent years, a centuries-old effort by what was once a small group of extremists has gone increasingly mainstream in Israel, with prominent politicians, religious figures and political parties advocating for the destruction of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque in order to fulfill a specific interpretation of an end-times prophecy… this movement has gained powerful allies, not just in Israel’s government, but among many evangelical Christians in the United States, including top figures in the Trump administration who also feel that the destruction of Al-Aqsa and the reconstruction of a Jewish Temple are prerequisites for the fulfillment of prophecy… Furthermore, given the influence of such movements on the Israeli and U.S. governments, these beliefs of active Messianism… are pushing the world towards a dangerous war.”
We are not aware of any evangelical Christians in the USA who are openly advocating the destruction of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque, but there are many who in some way participate in the preparation of the building of the prophesied Third Temple.
“All Dogs Are Bad and Their Owners Accursed, Israeli City’s Rabbis Rule”
JTA wrote on July 12:
“More than a dozen rabbis from the city of Elad near Tel Aviv issued an edict declaring all dogs bad and warning residents that keeping them will make them accursed. The edict, dated June 14, contains the signatures of all the Sephardic rabbis in Elad, a city of about 46,000 residents where most of the population is haredi Orthodox. The city’s chief rabbi, Mordechai Malka, also signed the edict…
“‘We have heard and have seen that lately, a serious phenomenon has spread in our city Elad, in which young boys and children walk around publicly with dogs. This is strictly forbidden. As explained in the Talmud and by the Rambam, anyone raising a dog is accursed and especially in our city where many women and children are afraid of dogs,’ the anti-canine edict states.”
“The rabbi of neighboring Holon, Avraham Yosef, is quoted as writing: ‘I do not find any grounds for permitting any dog whatsoever in any manner.’ The term ‘bad dog’ means ‘any dog, for it barks on whomever it does not know and because of its bark it is a bad dog even if does not bite,’ the edict also states…”
This is stupid and ridiculous. How crazy can this world get?
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
