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MARCH 7, 20141

THE TRUMPET WEEKLYTHE TRUMPET WEEKLYM A R C H 7, 2 0 1 4

Egypt turns on former ally Hamas 2

Guttenberg explains how to neutralize Putin 5

Russias rise galvanizes Europe 8

Chinese military spending soars 9

The fantasy fueling U.S. foreign policy 11

BY BRAD MACDONALD

T an act o aggression . Its really th-cen-tury behavior in the st century. You just dontinvade another country U.S. Secretary o State

John Kerry said (Meet the Press,March ).Although it drips with arrogance and ignorance, which

makes it easy to discard in rustration, there is enormousvalue in Mr. Kerrys remark. Its valuable or the proound in-sight it urnishes into the worldview o Americas leaders andthe atal mentality at the heart o Americas oreign policy.

Te arrogance stems rom the supplanting o act withpersonal opinion. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in thehours and days prior to John Kerrys statement,showed that

indeed in the st century behave in th-centuryashion. But that didnt matter. Instead o being rootedin evidence, historical or scientific, the truthulness oKerrys remark derives rom the eloquence and confidence

with which it is delivered, and most importantly, the au-thority o the source. It was quintessential Obama adminis-tration: Tis is the truth because I say its the truth.

Ten theres the obvious ignorance, both o the nature othis crisis and the character and strategy o Vladimir Putin.But, most undamentally, o . Te Obamaadministration apparently believes that because we live inthe st century, because our leaders have Ph.D.s and wereeducated at Oxord and Yale, because the world is highlyglobalized and our leaders engage in erudite diplomacy,because human civilization is more sophisticated andadvanced, that we have evolved beyond the era o invasions

and wars. Tis is the st century,they seem to reason, weretoo smart, too progressive, to invade nations and start wars.Its a pleasant thought, and one we all wish was true. But

it ignores a basic reality: Te st-century human heart isexactlythe sameas the th-century humanheart, and theth-century hu-man heart, andthe st-centuryhuman heart. Itstrue that st-

century man issmarter (at leastin the sense thatwe have moreknowledge), ismore sophisti-cated (or at leastit seems), and hasbetter technolo-gy. But our addedintelligence and

Putin, Obama and the DesperatelyWicked Human Heart

see HEART page 12

U.S. President Barack Obama

speaks about the Ukraine crisis.

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MARCH 7, 20142THE TRUMPET WEEKLY

MIDDLE EAST

SAID KHATIB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

A Putin winmaintaining signifi-cant Russian influence in Ukraine thatclearly undermines Ukraines sover-eigntywill leave Russia stronger andmore dependable as a partner and allyin the eyes o Assad and, probably,Iran.

A Putin deeat in Ukraine wonthelp matters in the Middle East mucheither, unless the crisis somehow de-livers a knockout blow to Putin.

A chastened Putin would probablybe even more ornery and recalcitrantabout cooperating with the interna-tional community on Middle Easternissues.

But either way, the Russians are de-termined to rustrate U.S. solutions toMiddle Eastern problems that seem likea Pax Americana and exclude Moscow.Te reaction to the Wests effortstomeddle in what Putin believes is Rus-sias sphere o influence and to oppose

Putins Move Costly tothe U.S., Middle EastCNN | March 2

U wontbe the only casualty o RussianPresident Vladimir Putins efforts toassert Russian influence and interestin Crimea.

Its still ar too early to calibrate

how this crisis will play out and whatits consequences will bebut its a airbet that whether it ends in a Putin vic-tory, deeat or draw, its going to makea difficult situation in the Middle Easteven more complicated.

Whether Putin wins or loses inUkraine, the odds that Russia couldbe a reliable partner or the U.S. havedecreased dramatically. And thisonly reinorces the painully obvi-ous: When it comes to the core issues

acing the U.S. in the Middle East, theU.S. must ocus on outcomes, not solu-tions, and be very sober about what itmight do to contribute to them.

As go Putins ortunes, so go thoseo Syrian President Bashar Assad.However the crisis turns out theSyrian regime is likely to benefit.

Te possibility that events inUkraine will leave Putin victoriouswill only buck up Assad urther and

demonstrate that Russian street credis rising.

Putin appears to be standing upto the international community andready to use orce to protect Russiasinterests in Ukraine. Hes clearly notprepared to do that or Syria. But

victories or Russia, particularly in theace o the Wests empty rhetoric andred lines, can only reinorce Assadsconviction that hes betting on theright ally.

A E court ruled on March to orbid all activi-

ties in Egypt by Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas. Tecourt ruling cuts off all official Hamas-Egyptian ties andcloses all Hamas offices and inrastructure within Egypt.Hamas operatives currently in Egypt have now lost all le-gal cover, and should be arrested, according to the filinglawyer Samir Sabry, reported the imes o Israel.

Te Cairo courts potent ruling against Hamas comestwo months afer Egypts military-backed interim govern-ment branded the Muslim Brotherhood (Hamass Egyptianmother) a terrorist organization. Incarcerated Brotherhoodmembers ace charges that could lead to the death penalty.Now that Hamas is outlawed rom Egyptian territory, itsmembers ace the same threat.

Since Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi wasorced rom power by the Egyptian military in July ,Egypt has worked hard to stifle Hamas influence in thecountry by undermining all trade rom Egypt into Gaza.

Not only is the main legal, abovegroundcrossingbetween Egypt and Gaza now closed, but also over1,200 undergroundsmuggling tunnels into Gaza have beendestroyed. his eectively cuts Gaza o rom any trade,except the little it can do with Israel.

Tis ruling will likely push Hamas urther into the armso urkey and its moderate Arab riends in Qatar.

Psalm discusses a mysterious alliance whereby the

Gazan regionormer territory o the ancient Philistines

and now occupied by Hamasallies itsel not with Iranand Egypt, but rather with urkey and the Arabs located inthe Gul states.

It is no surprise that at the same time we witness thesevering o Hamass relationship with Egypt, we noticewarming relations with Qatar and urkey.

In act, the only reason the Gaza Strip has not collapsedis because o the new source o help Hamas has receivedrom urkey and Qatar.

Continue to watch ties warm between Hamas, the urksand Hamass Arab riends at the expense o its traditionalallies, Iran and Egypt.

Egypt Bans HamasBrent Nagtegaal | March 4

Youth participate in a military

march organized by Hamas

in the southern Gaza Strip.
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Moscowwill create a mini-Cold Warthat could, or the remainder o theObama administration and probablybeyond, reeze productive U.S.-Russiancooperation across the board.

Te U.S. will remain shackled with

a Putin who is no riend and stuck in aregion it can neither repair nor leave.

703 Killed in Iraq inFebruary Attacks

ASSOCIATED PRESS | March 1

T U Nations said Saturdaythat violence across Iraq in Februarykilled people, a death toll higher

than the year beore as the countryaces a rising wave o militant attacksrivaling the sectarian bloodshed thatollowed the U.S.-led invasion.

Te figures issued by the UNs mis-sion to Iraq is close to Januarys death

toll o , showing that a surge o vio-lence that began months ago witha government crackdown on a Sunniprotest camp is not receding.

Attacks in February killed civil-ians and security orce membersin February, the UN said. Te vio-lence wounded ,, the vast majoritycivilians, it said. Tat compares toFebruary , when attacks killed civilians and wounded .

Te capital, Baghdad, was the

worst affected with people killed,according to the UN. wo predomi-nantly Sunni provincescentral Sala-heddin with killed and northernNinevah with killedollowed.

Februarys numbers could be even

worse that the UN reported, however,as it again excluded deaths rom ongo-ing fighting in Anbar province, dueto problems in veriying the status othose killed. It did the same in Janu-ary.

Widespread chaos nearly tore thecountry apart ollowing the U.S.-led invasion that ousted SaddamHussein. Te violence ebbed in afer a series o U.S.-Iraqi military o-ensives, a Shiite militia cease-fire and

T relations between America and itsArabic allies have been highlighted by a recent arms dealor Egypt. Te Egyptians, who have looked to America orweapons since the Camp David Peace Accords o the s,now look or arms rom the new dominant power in the

regionRussia.Te military dealworth an estimated billionwas

signed on February , according to Russian newspaperVedomosti.Te deal includes MiG- fighters and attackhelicopters. Te price tag attached to the military hardwareis more than the ailing Egyptian economy can handle, butthankully or Egypt, its Saudi neighbors have offered tooot the bill.

Saudi Arabias interest in unding the deal might seemconusing at first. Afer all, Egypt is buying the weaponsrom Russia, a long-time supporter o Iran and the SyriangovernmentSaudis opponents. Tere is a reason behindthe move though. Te Saudisand Egyptiansare ed up

with America.Russia and America have a history o vying or control

in the Middle East. Te Russians supplied Egypt withweapons in the lead-up to the Six Day War, and still sup-ply arms to a number o countries in the region. However,in recent years the U.S. has taken on a devastating neworeign policy in the regiona policy o distancing itselrom its allies and embracing its enemies. Te whirlwindromance between Iran and the U.S. or the past yearepitomizes this trend. As America is busy establishing thisrelationship, it is abandoning others.

Consider the U.S. campaign to beriend Iranian Presi-

dent Hassan Rouhani, the Geneva deal, and Americasoverarching policy o withdrawal. All o these policiesempower Iran, allowing terrorism throughout the region togrow relatively unchecked.

Powers like Egypt and Saudi Arabia respond to these

policies by giving America a vote o no confidence.Te billion deal between Russia and Egypt, unded

by Saudi Arabia, is one o the clearest signs that Americasallies do not trust Washington anymore, and that they are

looking elsewhere or security assistance.But neither the Saudis, Egyptians or any nation on Earth

trust God to ulfill His Word. Te Saudis can und Egyptall they want, but God says Egypt will eventually ally withthe very nation that the Saudis are trying to counter!

Daniel : states: He shall stretch orth his handalso upon the countries: and the land o Egypt shall notescape. As rumpeteditor in chie Gerald Flurry wrote inhis booklet Te King o the South,Daniel : implies thatEgypt will be allied with the king o the south, or Iran. Tisprophecy indicated there would be a ar-reaching change inEgyptian politics!

While the specifics o how this alliance will orm remainunknown, Egypt turning to Russia or help, rather thanAmerica, is a clear sign o the racturing ties America holdsto the Mideast. It is also a sign o more radical alliancesspreading across the land.

Middle East Replaces America With RussiaCallum Wood | March 5

Egyptian Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets with

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 13.

MIKHAIL METZEL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
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L moved into a five-star ripoli hotelMonday, a day afer rioters armed with knives and gunsstormed the legislature building, torching urniture, killinga guard and wounding six lawmakers in the latest episodeo turmoil in the country.

ensions have been mountingbetween the countrysbiggest political blocs, each backed by militias, adding tothe potential explosiveness o political disputes. Protestersdemanded that the parliament be disbanded immediatelyafer its mandate ran out in early February.

In Sundays violence, dozens o protesters swept into theparliament chamber during a session, firing guns, throw-ing bottles at lawmakers and setting fire to urniture.

One guard was killed while trying to protect workerstrapped inside .

Lawmaker Hussein al-Ansari said the parliament willnow hold its sessions in the Al Waddan Hotel in the capi-tals downtown.

Nearly three years afer the spark o the Libyan revolu-tionthat ended the -year rule o dictator Muammar

Qadhafi, militias wield the real power in Libya. Tey havelined up behind the main political actions locked in apower strugglewith supporters o Western-backed PrimeMinister Ali Zeidan on one side and, on the other, Islamistactions in parliament trying to remove him.

Te parliaments president, the Islamist-leaning NouriAbu Sahmein, denounced Sundays attack in a televisedstatement .

He also demanded that ripoli militias protect vitalinstitutions and oreign embassies.

Libyan Parliament Moves to a Hotel After Attack by ProtestersWASHINGTON POST | March 3

a Sunni revolt against al Qaeda in Iraq.

But last year, the country saw thehighest death toll since the worsto the countrys sectarian bloodlet-ting, according to the UN, with ,people killed.

Hezbollah BehindAttack in BahrainTIMES OF ISRAEL | March 4

D claimed Lebanese ter-ror group Hezbollah was behind

a Monday bombing in the outskirtso Bahrains capital Manama thatresulted in the deaths o three police-men, one o them an officer rom theUnited Arab Emirates deployed tohelp bolster security in the tiny islandkingdom.

According to Dubai police chieDahi Khalan amim, the culpritbehind the attack had traveled toLebanon several times over the past

years and had been trained by Hezbol-lah operatives.

amim went on to accuse theBahraini oppositiono siding withIran and Hezbollah in an attempt todestabilize the Arab Gul states.

Mondays attack took place duringa protest organized by groups associ-ated with Bahrains largely Shiite-dominated opposition movement.

In Bahrains three-year upris-ing, the opposition movement is

demanding increased political rights

rom the Sunni monarchy. Te coun-try is a small, Western-allied islandkingdom off the coast o Saudi Arabiathat is home to the U.S. Navys thFleet.

Some radical anti-governmentactions have been increasingly usingbombs targeting government orces.Te weapons typically do not have theorce o explosives used by insurgents inplaces such as Iraq or Syria, though theyhave resulted in a number o deaths.

Palestinians Must Jointhe Right Side of theMoral Divide: Israel

JERUSALEM POST | March 4

P M Benjamin Netan-yahu addressed the policyconerence in Washington on uesday,saying that peace with the Palestin-ians has the potential to better the

lives o hundreds o millions o peoplein the Middle East.

Netanyahu stated that a historicpeace agreement with the Palestinianswould open up the possibility o estab-lishing ties with leading countries inthe Arab world.

Netanyahu said that attaining sucha peace depends on the Palestinianleadership. He called on Palestin-ian Authority President MahmoudAbbas to stop denying history and

recognize Israel as the nation state o

the Jewish people.President Abbas, recognize the

Jewish state, and in doing so youwould be telling your people that,while we might have a territorial dis-pute, the right o the Jewish people toa state o their own is beyond dispute,[Netanyahu said]. He added: I hopethe Palestinian leadership will standwith Israel and the United States onthe right side o the moral divide, theside o peace, reconciliation and hope.

Netanyahu attacked the movementto boycott Israel as being on the wrongside o the moral divide.

Netanyahu also addressed the Irani-an nuclear threat, calling on the worldnot just to prevent Iran rom havingnuclear weapons, but to prevent themrom having the capacity to makethe weapons. Tat means we mustdismantle their heavy water reactor,underground enrichment acilities, getrid o stockpiles o enriched uraniumand their centriuges.

Ive come here to draw a clear line,Netanyahu stated. Te line betweenlie and death, right and wrong,between the blessings o a brilliantuture and the curses o a dark past,he stated.

He trumpeted the relationshipbetween Israel and the United States,saying that American support orIsrael is at an all-time high and statingthat there is no country on Earth thatis more pro-American than Israel.
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EUROPE

Crimean Crisis: AllEyes on MerkelSPIEGEL ONLINE | March 4

G only recently an-nounced the end o its era orestraint. German President JoachimGauck, Deense Minister Ursula vonder Leyen o the Christian Demo-crats and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier o the Social

Democrats have all argued that itstime or Germany to play a greaterrole in the world.

It is a tremendous challenge. Andit isnt just the Europeans who will bewatching Berlin closely. Te U.S. toois hoping Germany will live up to itsnew desire to wield influence. Accord-ing to Fiona Hill o the BrookingsInstitution, Washingtons currentlytroubled relationship with Russiameans that it cannot do muchand

that Germany must thereore play amore important role.

Te New York imesreported onMonday what Merkel really thinks othe Russian president: Te paper wrotethat she told Barack Obama via tele-phone that she is not sure i Putin is

in touch with reality. Berlin did notofficially confirm the quote, expressingit in more diplomatic termsthat Pu-tin and the West have a very differentperception o the events in Crimea.

N did the Sochi Winter Games end than Russia

bade arewell to the Olympic spirit by invading andoccupying a oreign country. Crimea has been turnedinto a military zone, and Russian President VladimirPutins reckless gamble risks dragging the world into awider conflict.

In light o Putins dangerous behavior, the West mustrethink its stance toward him. Here is a paranoiac whosees an implausible coalition o liberal Russians, Ukrainianascists, the , and Islamist terrorists trying to thwart hispreerences, i not topple him, at every turn.

Indeed, what we are seeing is not an unortunate over-reaction to recent events, but a result o meticulous prepa-ration. Armies do not mobilize , troops within days,

or have vehicles and thousands o uniorms without insig-nias ready, or hold military exercises in peaceul regions othe world without warning.

Some EU members, like Germany, must live up to theexpectations they have recently raised. I German leadersare serious about instituting a culture o responsibility,they are obliged to act accordingly, even i doing so entailseconomic costs. Te West should also listen careully toUkraines neighbor, Poland, which probably has the deep-est insight into the complexities o the crisis.

Most important, it is essential to adhere to certain keyprinciples:

Use diplomacy. Stronger signals, such as cancelationor suspension o agreements concerning the South Streamgas pipeline and a trade embargo on arms and dual-useitems, merit serious consideration.

Impose targeted sanctionsagainst those responsible orRussias Crimean incursion. []hus delivering a crediblethreat to reeze the oreign assets o Russias government,state-owned companies, individual officials, and relevantoligarchs.

Engage Russians. Te West needs to communicate toordinary Russians the spuriousness o Putins zero-sum,

us-versus-them narrative. Closer relations between

Ukraine and the EU pose no threat to Russia; on thecontrary, a Ukraine closely integrated with its Westernneighbors could boost Russias economy as well. Tat maybe irrelevant to a leader who is guided by visions o re-stored imperial glory, but not to the people under his rule.Knocking holes in the Kremlins wall o propaganda willnot be easy, but it should not be impossible in our hyper-connected world.

Support Ukrainewith financial aidas the EU has nowdoneand by securing its upcoming elections. Militaryassistance should include, at a minimum, Western intelli-gence sharing and cooperation through the -UkraineCommission. Should the situation deteriorate urther, the

West should also provide medical aid and surveillance as-sets. I the Russo-Georgian war is any guide, sCyber Deense Center should help Ukraine prepare or alarge-scale digital offensive.

Deend allies. should discuss concrete stepsto protect its members. Ukraine borders our mem-bers (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania), whilea fifh (urkey), along with Romania, borders the BlackSea. Moreover, Estonia and Latvia are alarmed at Rus-sias geopolitical ambitions, especially given the pretext oprotecting ethnic kin. Both have populations that are about percent Russiana legacy o their Soviet past. Finally,

Poland and Lithuania border Kaliningrad, Russias exclavein the middle o Europe (and the scene o its most recentcombat-readiness exercise).

Tis is a time or diplomacy, and must try to avoiddirect conrontation, but not at all costs. It must reckon thatRussias actions might deliberately run counter to a peaceulsettlement. Te alliance cannot afford to launch a lengthyand heated debate about the deployment o its orces andcapabilities only at the moment diplomatic efforts ail.

Ukraine is the immediate victim, but it is by no meansPutins ultimate target.

Disrupting Putins Game PlanKarl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Bogdan Klich, PROJECTSYNDICATE.ORG | March 7

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Angie the Good CopFOREIGNPOLICY.COM | March 5

G long taken the easypath with oreign policycon-tent to write checks or internationalengagements while leaving the heavylifing to its allies in Washington,Paris and London. oday, theres nosuch luxury: Germany is now the piv-otal player in the Ukraine crisis. Andthe world is watching.

Not so long ago, o course, it would

have been the U.S. calling the shots,

with Germany ollowing along like thehumble, reliable ally it had been. Butthe tables are turned. Washington ispaying the price or having neglectedEurope or years, tapping the phoneso the Continents leaders rather thanengaging them in serious consultationand policymaking. Its high-handeddealings with Russia since the end othe Cold War have served to alienateand radicalize the country, which is

just part o the explanation or the

current disaster in Crimea.

As or the European Union, itsoreign-policymaking apparatus isstill not up to the task o diffusingsuch a high-level crisis involving thetransgression o state sovereignty inEurope itsel. So it alls to Germany,the de acto leader o the EuropeanUnion today .

[G]ermany maintains closer rela-tions to Russia than any other countryin the European Union. Germany isRussias third-largest trade partner;

T manning the barricades, the Ukrainian crisiswas about justice, democracy and an end to corruption.But to the rest o the world, it is about the border betweenEurope and Russia. Its still too early to say or certainwhere that border will be, but as this unolds we are seeing

another important development: Te eastern leg o Europeis taking shape.

Until recently, Europe has been very much a Westernersclub. Former Communist nations were allowed to join in, but their influence was small. Te European Parlia-ment and Commission are in Brussels. Te top jobs wentmainly to the ounding members o the Union, with someothers, like Britain also given a look-in.

It seemed likely that Poland and other newcomers wouldact more like Britainsticking to the outskirts o the EU,securing opt-outs and never getting ully involved in theendeavor.

But in the tussle over Ukraine, Poland in particular has

emerged as a serious European poweri not equal toGermany, then on the same level as France, Italy, Spain andother members o the old guard.

Te negotiations showed that Poland, or years dis-missed as a poor relation in the European Union, has aplace at the top table o European decision-makers, enjoy-ing the confidence o EU powerhouse Germany, especiallyover policy in the East, Reuters wrote.

Te events in Kiev offer clues about the uture shapeo the European Union, and the shifing balance o powerthat has seen old Europe, notably EU co-ounder France,lose ground to the aster-growing states that joined the bloc

afer , it continued.Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski is a seriouscontender to become the EUs next oreign minister or thehead o . Polish Prime Minister Donald usk is in therunning to replace Jose Manuel Barroso as president o theEuropean Commission. Hes not necessarily the rontrun-ner, but just a ew years ago no one rom Poland wouldhave even been considered or any o these posts.

Other Eastern nations have proven to be enthusiasticEuropeans. Slovakia and Slovenia quickly joined Europes

currency, the euro. Latvia and Estonia both signed upeven aferseeing the mess o the Greek bailouts, exposingthe common currencys undamental laws. he CzechRepublic also indicated that it would adopt the euro withinthe next ew years.

Tis enthusiasm or Europe was not inevitable. For years,central and Eastern Europe instead threw in their lot withthe U.S. and Britain. While France and Germany sat outthe Iraq War, many countries rom this region sent troops.Tey hoped that by being dependable partners or America,they could expect the same in return.

Tey soon became disillusioned. Central and EasternEurope decided that America was so undependable thatthey were better off throwing themselves into the Europeanprojecttrying to make the arrangement more than justan economic agreement.

Te rumpetand the Plain ruthbeore it, orecasted aEurope with two legsone in the east, one in the west. For

years, only the western leg has been prominent. But the east-ern one is now growing in power. Te Plain ruthorecastedthat these nations would orm an integral part o Europe evenwhile they were still welded to Russias Communist alliance.

It now looks entirely easible that Yugoslavia may beincluded in this revived , wrote the Plainruths editor in chie Herbert W. Armstrong in June .Also the popes native Poland and Romania, and possiblyHungary. Add Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal andFrance. Tere will be a union o nations in the generalarea o the medieval Roman Empire in the E.

How did he know? Mr. Armstrong made these predic-tions based on Bible prophecy. Te book o Daniel tells usto expect a European superpower made up o nations romboth East and West Europe.

Te Ukraine crisis has made Eastern Europe nervousand in the weeks and months ahead, they will work hard topersuade Europe to orm a comprehensive military alliance.For more on the Bible prophecies behind this predict ion,read our ree booklet Who or What Is the Prophetic Beast?

Follow Richard Palmer: Twitter

Ukraine Crisis Reveals Europes Eastern LegRichard Palmer | March 4
https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11424.2.0.0/economy/euro/ukraine-crisis-reveals-europes-eastern-leghttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11424.2.0.0/economy/euro/ukraine-crisis-reveals-europes-eastern-leghttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/387/who-or-what-is-the-prophetic-beasthttps://twitter.com/NewsBureauNerdhttps://twitter.com/NewsBureauNerdhttps://twitter.com/NewsBureauNerdhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/387/who-or-what-is-the-prophetic-beasthttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11424.2.0.0/economy/euro/ukraine-crisis-reveals-europes-eastern-leghttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11424.2.0.0/economy/euro/ukraine-crisis-reveals-europes-eastern-leg

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only countries sell more to Germanythan does Russia. Germany exportss, machinery, and chemicals toRussia, while Russia sells Germany overa third o its natural gas and oil. Tistranslates into influencethe kind theUnited States simply doesnt have.

Merkel and Putin have known each

other or years now, and they aresaid to talk ranklyMerkel in Ger-man, Putin in Russian (even thoughthey each are fluent in the othersnative language), both occasionallyinterrupting their interpreters todistinguish finer points. Berlin haskept up good relations with Russianevertheless. Tis is paying off now.

IslamophobiaMultiplies in GermanySPIEGEL | March 5

T been plenty o [anti-Islam] movements in Germanyin recent years. Tey generally begin

in response to the construction o amosque: Reluctance turns into resis-tance, then hate and violence. Over thelast two years, there have been arsonattacks against Muslim prayer housesin Berlin, Hanau and Hannover. Po-litically Incorrect, the most prominentGerman-speaking anti-Islam website,has up to , visitors per day.

In addition to Die Freiheit [TeFreedom], radical anti-Islamistshave ounded the political party ProDeutschland (Pro Germany) and

the citizens movement Pax Europa.Tey are currently attempting to gaininfluence over the euroskeptic Al-ternative or Germany Party (AD)the ormer ederal chairman o DieFreiheit has cal led or his ollowersto support the AD in this MaysEuropean elections.

According to a study by the Fried-rich Ebert Foundation, percento Germans consider Islam to be an

archaic religion, incapable o fittinginto modern lie and many believereligious reedom or Muslims shouldbe substantially restricted.

Tere are several potential explana-tions or the rising skepticism o Islamin Germany. For one, many third-generation Muslim immigrants are

living more strictly than their parentsdid, making them more conspicu-ous. Also, in some neighborhoodsin large German cities, Muslim girlsare araid o going outside withoutwearing a headscar. Tere have alsobeen several reports in the Germanmedia recently o ethnic-German menconverting to Islam, radicalizing andgoing to Pakistan or terror training.Just this past week, the minister othe interior warned that a total o German jihadists have lef Germany

to fight in Syria. Anti-Islamists generally dont di-

erentiate between Sunnis, Shiites andAlevi, or between militant Islamistsand peaceul believers. In their imagi-nation, Islam isnt a religion but apolitical ideology that must be ought.Muslims are accused o trying to takeover the world, undermining the sov-ereignty o democratic states, infiltrat-ing their legal systems.

ASIA

Russia Tests ICBMAmid Ukraine TensionsCBS/WIRE SERVICES | March 4

R it had successully test-fired an Intercontinental BallisticMissile () on uesday, with ten-

sions high over its seizure o control inthe Crimea and its threat to send moreorces to its neighbor Ukraine.

A Pentagon official told Newsthat the U.S. detected the launch othe Russian near the border oRussia and Kazakhstan. Notificationswere made ahead o time in accor-dance with normal procedures. Teofficial said the launch is viewed asnon-threatening and is not connectedto what is going on in Crimea.

Te -oot long RS-M is de-signed to carry a nuclear warhead. Itsrange is , miles.

Te launch comes on the sameday that U.S. Secretary o State JohnKerry walked the streets where morethan anti-government protesterswere killed last month, and promised

beseeching crowds that American aidis on the way.

Putin declared that Western actionswere driving Ukraine into anarchyand warned that any sanctions theWest might place on Russia or its ac-tions there will backfire.

ensions remained high in Crimea,with troops loyal to Moscow firingwarning shots to ward off protestingUkrainian soldiers. Heavily armedRussian orces have taken over the

strategic peninsula, surrounding itserry, military bases and border posts.wo Ukrainian warships remainedanchored in the Crimean port oSevastopol, blocked rom leaving byRussian ships.

Te new Ukrainian leadership inKiev, which Putin does not recognize,

has accused Moscow o a militaryinvasion in Crimea, which Putindenies.

China Issues Reporton U.S. Human Rights

VOA NEWS | February 28

C issued a report docu-menting alleged human rights

History is consistent on this point: Ger-

many and Russia are not close friends,

and any appearance that they are is aharbinger of conflict. The trend is obvi-

ous: Russia and Germany are forging a

relationship almost in defiance of the

United States! History tells us where

this will end. The formation of a peace

pact between Russia and Germany is a

sure sign that one or both are prepar-

ing to engage in an imperialistic, violent

mission.

theTrumpet.com, June 18, 2009
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Related: World Prepares to Dump the

Dollar

abuses in the United States afer anannual State Department global rightssurvey strongly criticized Beijing. TeU.S. report Tursday denounced abroad range o Chinas policies, in-cluding its crackdown on governmentcritics, treatment o ethnic minoritiesand censorship o the Internet.

Te report did note improvementsin Chinas long-reviled one-childpolicy, which was relaxed last year,and Beijings decision, in theory, toeliminate its inamous reeducationthrough labor camps.

But the bulk o the -page reporton China was negative, highlight-ing human rights issues that haveor years been an irritant to rela-tions between the worlds two largesteconomies.

In its own report Friday, China hit

back at the U.S., which it said care-ully concealed and avoided its ownhuman rights problems. Specifically,it mentioned civilian deaths in oreigndrone strikes, rampant domesticgun violence and a grave employmentsituation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes-man Qin Gang said at a press briefingthat the Chinese people are in thebest position to judge Chinas humanrights situation.

Russia and the Son of ManRussia is rising up as a great superpower, and is causing the

German-led EU to rise as well. We are living in the most dangerous

time in mans history!GERALD FLURRY

businesses and citizens, we can no lon-ger view America as a reliable partner,he said. We will encourage everybodyto dump U.S. reasury bonds, get rido dollars as an unreliable currencyand leave the U.S. market.

o be sure, a high-ranking Krem-lin source was quick to distance his

office rom Glazyevs remarks, how-ever, insisting to Novosti that theyrepresented only his personal position.Glazyev was just expressing his viewsas an academic, and not as a presiden-tial adviser, the Kremlin insider said.

Tat said, putting Russias threatin context, the Federation held .billion in U.S. treasuries as o Decem-ber according to the latest tic data,making it the th largest creditor othe U.S., which appears to conflictwith what the Russian said, making

one wonder where there is a discon-nect in data. Tis would mean theFed would need just two months o[Permanent Open Market Operations]to gobble up whatever bonds Russiahas to sell.

Te bigger question is i indeed, assome have suggested, China were toally with Russia, and proceed to ollowRussia in its reciprocal isolation o theU.S., by expanding trade with Rus-sia on non- based terms, and also

continue selling bonds as it did in De-cember, when it dumped the secondlargest amount o U.S. paper in history.

TW I N B R I E F

n Putin gets the nod for NobelPeace PrizeNo, that is not a headline rom the

satirical Onionnews source. Amongthis years record Nobel Peace Prizenominees is Russian President Vladi-mir Putin, reports on March said.Te Nobel Peace Prize has become inrecent years a bit o a running gag. obe considered or the honor, a personis no longer expected to pursue whats the word? oh right, .Despite the nomination, it is unlikelythat Mr. Putin could bribe enough

judges to be given the award.

Russia Threatens toDump U.S. TreasuriesZEROHEDGE | March 4

W comments by Russianpresidential adviser Sergei Gla-zyev came beore Putins detente press

conerence early this morning, they didflash a red light o warning as to whatRussian response may be should theWest indeed proceed with cripplingsanctions as Kerry is demanding. As reports, his advice is that au-thorities should dump U.S. governmentbonds in the event o Russian com-panies and individuals being targetedby sanctions over events in Ukraine.Glazyev said the United States wouldbe the first to suffer in the event o anysanctions regime. Te Americans are

threatening Russia with sanctions andpulling the EU into a trade and eco-nomic war with Russia, Glazyev said.

Most o the sanctions against Russiawill bring harm to the United Statesitsel, because as ar as trade relationswith the United States go, we dontdepend on them in any way.

From : We hold a decentamount o treasury bondsmore than billionand i the United Statesdares to reeze accounts o Russian
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n China does support RussiasUkraine game after allTe Chinese and Russian oreign min-isters spoke on March , afer which

Russia announced that the two nationsare in harmonious agreement aboutMoscows decision to wage an incur-sion into Ukraine. Initially, however,questions arose over whether Chinadid in act support Russia, given Bei-

jings long held tenet o oreign policy:no intererence in the internal affairso others. Chinas leaders seemedtorn because they celebrate VladimirPutins willingness to dey the Westand they want Moscows support orBeijings own expansionist maritime

ambitions, yet China doesnt want toappear hypocritical about its non-intererence policy nor does it wantto jeopardize economic relations withits biggest trade partnerthe EU. Butreports have emerged showing that,despite these points, China backs Rus-sia. On March , Chinas government-influenced Global imes wrote, Back-ing Russia is in Chinas interests, andBeijing must not disappoint Russiawhen it finds itsel in a time o need.

It added: Some think Chinas policyo non-intererence will be tested inthis matter, and that i China supportsRussia, it will become ensnared in a

diplomatic trap. Tis is the mentalityo the weak. Ten on March , Chi-nas state-run Xinhua said, [W]henit comes to cleaning a mess the Westcreated in the countrys backyard, Rus-sian leaders once again proved theircredibility and shrewdness in planningand executing effective counter moves.China is walking a thin line, and itssupport o Russia will likely remainsomewhat muted. Nevertheless, Beijingis inspired by Vladimir Putins muscleand stands beside Russia.

n Russia deploys troops nearPolish and Lithuanian bordersMore than , Russian soldiersengaged in tactical maneuvers onthe Baltic coast o the Kaliningradregion near the borders o Poland andLithuania, Polish Radio reported onMarch . Te unexpected, large-scalemilitary drills began afer RussianPresident Vladimir Putin ordered asnap inspection o the orces stationed

there. Representatives o Lithuaniaand Poland say the drills pose a directthreat to the security o their na-tions. Te Lithuanian Army will be

set to a higher military readiness levelbecause o the drills, said LithuanianPresident Dalia Grybauskaite. So ar,the only things the Europeans havedeployed against Putins intensiyingaggression have been words. Becauseo the EUs lack o political and mili-tary unity, words are all it can present-ly dispatch. Putin knows that. He alsoknows that the U.S. is now in ull re-treat rom the international stage, andthat China has Russias back. Putinsunderstanding o these vital acts has

been a significant actor ueling hisintensiying aggression. Yet, based onBible prophecy, the rumpet persistsin orecasting that Vladimir Putinsramped up aggression will contributeto a dramatic sea change in Europe.o understand the details o howPutins belligerence toward Poland,Lithuania, Ukraine and beyond isgalvanizing Europe and hastening itsunification, read Is Vladimir Putinthe Prophesied Prince o Rosh?

I weeks issue we provided a detailed analysis oChinas increasing military capabilities. China has sinceannounced its deense budget or , which showsexpenditure increasing by . percent to billion. Inreporting the March announcement, the official Xinhua

news agency noted that the figure will most certainly drawire rom the West, beore launching into a deense o theincrease.

Tere were two interesting aspects o Xinhuas justifica-tion or the continued rapid increase in deense spending.Te first was the statement that Chinas deense spendingis still nothing like as high as it needs to be. Te agencysaid: Military experts have said that the countrys militaryspending is still ar rom the level it needs to be, as the coun-try aces increasingly severe security challenges. Te sec-ond interesting point was the way it used rising maritimesecurity tensions and territorial disputes as a justificationwhen most objective observers would argue that it is China

itsel that has been responsible or these increased tensions.Xinhua was on stronger ground when it pointed out that

the U.S. spends something like five times the amount thatChina spends on deense, with a budget o over billion.Less convincing was its argument that in per capita termsChinas deense spending is very modest, equal to less than

percent o that o the [United States]. Given Chinas popula-tion, it is always going to win that argument. And, besides,India has a comparable population, and arguably an evenmore complex strategic and security environment to dealwith, but spends only . billion on deense.

Xinhuas deense o Chinas military spending alsoincluded the obligatory attack on Japan. It said: I one is toseriously look or a cause or alarm in Asia, one should fixa gaze on okyo, where a nationalistic prime minister hasturned his administration into a regional troublemaker. Itadded: Although China boasts a territory some times aslarge as Japans and a population nine times larger than thelatter country, its per capita spending in national deenserepresents only about percent o Japans.

Tat is as may be, but Japans military spending is stillless than hal Chinas at billion .

China Defends Its Military SpendingCOURCYS INTELLIGENCE SERVICE | March 5

Asian nations military buildups are fueled by a desire to protectthemselves from other Asian states . The burgeoning military

spending throughout Asia is the result of bickering and disputes

among Asian states, but all of that military might will soon be

pooled together and channeled against a colossal European

enemy. theTrumpet.com, Nov. 26, 2010
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J E Chapo Guzmn, the Mexican drug baron

who headed the Sinaloa Federation, was arrested Febru-ary . Te arrest was cause or celebration within lawenorcement circles on either side o the border, and itcertainly earned Mexican President Enrique Pea Nietosbeleaguered government some credibility scores.

Guzmn was on the Drug Enorcement Administra-tions most wanted listthe worlds most wanted drugbaron with a million bounty on his head. He rankedth on Forbes list o the most powerul people in theworld, and st on its list o billionaires.

Tat such a powerul drug kingpin is now out o busi-ness should be a legitimate cause or celebration. But noteveryone is breaking out the tequila in victory celebrations.

Tere is a eeling o uncertainty, a worry o what couldcome next, wrote journalist Javier Valdez ollowingGuzmns arrest.

One o the main constants in Mexicos drug war is thateliminating cartel bosses ofen leads to more violence. Tat

violence may stem rom intra-cartel wars in which subor-dinate crime bosses battle or succession. It may also stemrom rival cartels seizing such opportunities to gain moreterritory in inter-cartel tur wars.

Its unlikely that Guzmns arrest will do much to im-prove Mexicos drug violence, and it could even exacerbateaspects o the situation. Many analysts realize this. ime

quipped the ollowing on February : Cheers, tears andears ollow the arrest o drug kingpin Joaquin Guzmn.Strators analysis on the subject shows how El Chaposarrest poses new risks o violence. As Guzmns likely

replacement, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, once said in aninterview in , When it comes to the capos, jailed, deador extraditedtheir replacements are ready.

Tis is why Mexico is a ailed state bordering on collapse.Drug violence is beheading Mexico.

El Chapo was a big part o the problem, but he was not themain problem. Te main problem is Americas insatiable de-mand or illegal drugs, as Hillary Clinton affirmed in .Its all about human nature and basic economics. Mexicosdrug warswhich ofen spill over into the U.S.will con-tinue as long as the market or narcotics remains strong. Un-ortunately, that market will keep growing stronger, ollow-ing recent marijuana legalization laws in the United States.

What we can learn rom Joaqun El Chapo Guzmnsarrest is the importance o dealing with the real problems

in the drug war: the drug market and human nature. Forthe solution to these woes, consider our articles, Mexico:Bordering on Collapse, Beheading Mexico and DontRead Tis Article!

Mexico Takes Down Most Wanted Drug LordAnthony Chibarirwe | March 6

Latin America BeingEyed for RussianMilitary ExpansionFOX NEWS | March 4

A same time that Russia was

denying having blockaded Ukrai-nian naval acilities in Crimea, little-noticed reports came out o Moscowsaying that Vladimir Putins govern-ment had ongoing conversationswith eight oreign countries with theobjective o building overseas militaryacilities, including in Cuba, Venezu-ela and Nicaragua.

We need bases or reueling nearthe equator and in other places, Rus-sian Deense Minister Sergei Shoigu

was quoted as saying by news agency-ass. According to another state-run news agency, Novosti, Shoigusaid: Te talks are underway, and weare close to signing the relevant docu-ments.

I the minister o deense said it,

I would absolutely take it seriously,John Reppert, a retired brigadiergeneral in the U.S. Army who servedas military attach in Moscow ormany years, said. It would indicatethat they are planning to expand theirnaval operations on this side o theAtlantic, which would be very much ointerest.

Adam Isacson, deense and securityspecialist at the human rights orga-nization Washington Office on Latin

America [said], It could be a goad tothe U.S., or an attempt to show theworld Russia is no longer a decliningmilitary power. Beyond the symboliclevel, it may be an attempt to promotearms salesRussia has been the top

vendor o armaments in Latin Amer-

ica or the last couple o years thanksto huge sales to Venezuela.

Russia has been paying moremilitary attention to Latin Americain recent years. Russian ships held

joint maneuvers with the Venezu-elan Navy in and have visitedCuban waters a ew times since, including last week, when theintelligence-gathering ship ViktorLeonov docked in Havanas harborwithout warning.

LATIN AMERICA/AFRICA

ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/GET TY IMAG ES

Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin

Guzmn is escorted by marines

after being arrested February 22.
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Wages of WeaknessCharles Krauthammer, THE

WASHINGTON POST | March 6

V P is a lucky man.And hes got three more years o

luck to come. He takes Crimea, andPresident Barack Obama says its notin Russias interest, not even strategi-cally clever. Indeed, its a sign o weak-ness. Really?

Crimea belonged to Moscow or years. Russia conquered it years beore the U.S. acquired Louisi-ana, then lost it in the humiliation othe s. Putin got it back in aboutthree days without firing a shot.

Now Russia looms over the rest oeastern and southern Ukraine. Putincan take that anytime he wantsihe wants. He has already destabilizedthe nationalist government in Kiev.Ukraine is truncated and on the liesupport o U.S. and European money(much o whichcash or gaswillend up in Putins treasury anyway).

Obama says Putin is on the wrongside o history and Secretary o StateJohn Kerry says Putins is really

th-century behavior in the stcentury. Tis must mean seekingnational power, territory, domin-ionthe driving impulse o nations

since Tucydidesis obsolete. As i acalendar change caused a revolutionin human nature that transormed theinternational arena rom a struggle orpower into a gentlemans club where

violations o territorial integrity justdont happen.

How to figure out Obamas oreignpolicy? In his first UN speech, he says:

No one nation can or should try todominate another nation. On whatplanet? Followed by the assertion that

alignments o nations rooted in the

cleavages o a long-gone Cold Warlike ?make no sense in aninterconnected world.

Upon coming into office, he initi-ated the amous reset to undo the

drif in relations that had occurredduring the George W. Bush years. Butthe drif was due to the reezing orelations Bush imposed afer Russiasinvasion o Georgia.

Obama canceled missile-deenseagreements with Poland and the

Czech Republic without even consult-ing them. A huge concession to Putinsthreatswhile again asking nothingin return.

Regarding the Syria debacle,

Obama painted himsel into a corneron chemical weaponsthreatening tobomb and then backing downandallowed Putin to rescue him with apromise to get rid o Syrias stock-piles. Obama hailed this as a win-win,when both knewor did Obama notknow?he had just conerred legiti-macy on Bashar Assad and made Rus-sia the major regional arbiter.

Obama keeps cutting deensespending. His latest budget willreduce it to percent o by

and cut the army to pre-Pearl Harborsizejust as Russia is rebuilding, asIran is going nuclear and as China an-nounces yet another increase in mili-tary spending. Tere is no U.S. finan-cial emergency or budgetary collapse.Obama declares an end to austerity orevery government department exceptthe military.

Can Putin be aulted or believingi he takes Crimea and threatens Kiev,Obamas response will be minimal

and his ability to lead the Europeanseven less so? Next weekends Crimean reeren-

dum will ask i it should be returnedto Mother Russia. Can Putin reuse?He can already see the history text-books: Catherine the Great conqueredCrimea, Vlad (the Great?) won it back.Not bad or a th-century man.

Britain Unable to

Defend Itself?DAILY MAIL | March 6

T aces the danger o nothaving enough troops to protectBritain because o a controversial mili-tary shake-up, M.P.s wil l warn today.

In a damning report, the Com-mons Deense Select Committee sayscontentious plans to replace ull-timetroops with reservists risk leaving ashortall o personnel.

Americas Foreign PolicyIs Based on FantasyTHE TRUMPET DAILY | March 4

STEPHEN FLURRY

Russia and China are not behaving the way they aresupposed to in Americas world o make-believe.

ANGLO-AMERICA
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MARCH 7 201412THE TRUMPET WEEKLY

sophistication comes with a handicap.It has blinded us to the act that

!

Behind the flash suits, iPads andiPhones, behind the culture andsophistication, behind the private jets

and eloquent diplomacy, exists a heartthat is , a heart that is , a heart that and , aheart that is and . Embeddeddeep inside Vladimir Putin, as it is in all men,is an in-nate desire or sel-preservation, or sel-advancement andan innate proclivity to put sel-interest and the interestso ones own (amily, state, country) above the interest oother nations. Tis is the undamental flaw o Mr. Kerrysremark, and o Americas oreign policy: I - !

When it comes to human nature, mankind today is thesame as it was in the th century, or the Middle Agesor the

garden o Eden! Some o our actions are different, they mightseem less simple or barbaric. Scientific and technological ad-

vancements have resulted in superficial progress. Yet, on bothan individual and collective level, our motives and attitudesthe nature underpinning our behavioris exactly the same.

Tis is summed up in Jeremiah , especially verse , whichshould be carved in granite and hung over the entrance to theU.S. State Department: , : ?

Tis is worth thinking about. Yourheart, and mine, andBarack Obamas, and Vladimir Putins, and Xi Jinpings,even the popes, is deceitul and desperately wicked.

Te Hebrew word translated deceitulmeans sly, insidi-ous or slippery. Wickedmeans sick, rail, woeul or incur-able. Notice, our hearts are not just sick or woeul, theyare sick and woeul, to the point o being. Tats not easy to read, and its even harder tosincerely accept, but consider the impact this truth wouldhave i it inormed and shaped Americas oreign policy.

I Jeremiah : were valued, oreign-policy strategiesand decisions would take into account the tendency inother governments or lying, deceit and trickery. Americasleaders would be cautious about investing their trust andhopes in the promises and platitudes o others. Aware othe inherently selfish human nature within their counter-

parts in other statesand knowing that other states areadvancing their own creed and pursuing their own ambi-tionsWashington would develop a oreign policy repletewith cautious realism. Tis may sound cynical and pessi-mistic, but such an outlook would inorm a more resilient,stable and effective oreign policyone less likely to becaught off guard by lies and exploited by deception.

Inormed by Jeremiah :, the wise statesman would bewary o obuscation and lying, and he would invest his aithand hope in action,not pious promises or rhetoric. Policieso appeasement and compromise would be practiced slowly,

with caution. And while the oreign policy that takesJeremiah : into account would not actively or willinglyincite conflict, .

oday, as Mr. Kerrys statement shows, the guidingmoral standpoint o many in the West, particularly liber-alsand especially Americas presidentis diametricallyopposite to that taught by Jeremiah. oday, Mr. Obama and

his staff in the State Department have developed a oreignpolicy ounded on the belie that the human heart is unda-mentally good. Although humans experience conflict andconflagration, Mr. Obama firmly believes that the inter-ests we share as human beings are ar more powerul thanthe orces that drive us apart.

It all sounds so wonderul, and we all wish it could betrue. But its not. Driven by a atal misunderstanding o thehuman heart, Americas president is practicing a oreignpolicy in which America shuns its traditional moral, politi-cal and military role in the world, puts itsel on par with itsenemies, and hopes to walk hand in hand with them to thesunny uplands o comity and understanding.

Te consequences will be atal or America and the resto the world. As weve just witnessed, Vladimir Putin (aswell as Bashar Assad, Irans mullahs, Harmid Karzai andIslamist terrorists) is motivated by an entirely differentworldviewone marked in many instances by the desireor power and the desire to destroy America! Fai lure torecognize this results in a suicidaloreign policy.

Te only remedy or mankind is a change o hearts.Believe it or not, that moment is nearly here. Few people

have understood the depths o Jeremiah : like the lateHerbert W. Armstrong. Mr. Armstrong was an expert inthe human heart, and knew exactly why it is so deceitul

and wicked. Employing the authority o Scripture, Mr.Armstrong explained that God did not createthe evil,selfish state o the human heart and mind. He explainedthat the reason the human heart is desperately wicked isthat virtually rom birth it has allen under the influence oSatan the devil, also called the wicked one ( John :-)and the ather o lies (John :). []he selfishness, hostil-ity, deceitulness, wickedness, rebellion, etc. that we call is actually S , he wrote. Itis Satans . And broadcasting it, surcharging theair with it, Satan actually INthe unsuspectingall over the world today! Tat is HOWSatan deceives thewhole world today (Te Incredible Human Potential).

Although the human heart is terribly sickincurable inhuman handsthere isa cure. Te cure lies in the Spirito Godthe divine power by which mankind was created,and by which converted Christians produce the ruits opeace, joy, gentleness, longsuffering, etc. Tat Spirit willone dayin Gods timebe made available to all o man-kind. At that time, when the Spirit o God enters the mindso men, the human heart will be healed o its infirmity.

Until then, it would be wise or Barack Obama and thestewards o Americas oreign policy to study Jeremiah :. Follow Brad Macdonald: Twitter

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