- HOUSE PASSES BILL LIMITING WAR; PRESIDENT WILL VETO
- DOCUMENTS SHOW GONZALEZ OK'S FIRING OF ATTORNEYS
- U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL OK'S TOUGHER SANCTIONS ON IRAN
- IRANIANS DETAIN 15 BRITISH SAILORS AT GUNPOINT
- HOUSE BILL PROTECTS FLYING PUBLIC
- GATES ARGUES FOR CLOSING GUANTANAMO
- GENERAL PACE SPEAKS; CANDIDATES SCRAMBLE
- GLOBAL WARMING CIRCUS
- BROWNBACK BILL HONORING WILBERFORCE PASSES SENATE
- TWO ULTRASOUND VICTORIES
- S.J. RES. 14: THE JERUSALEM RESOLUTION
- SECRETARY OF STATE RICE ATTEMPTS TO HOLD MULTILATERAL MEETING
1. HOUSE PASSES BILL LIMITING WAR; PRESIDENT WILL VETO
House Democrats yesterday won a hard-fought battle on the first binding resolution on the war in Iraq by passing a bill that would force President Bush to withdraw combat troops by September 2008. "Proudly, this new Congress voted to bring an end to the war in Iraq and took a giant step in that direction," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after the bill passed by a 218-212 vote. Within two hours of the House bill's passage, Mr. Bush condemned the legislation and said he will veto it. Similar legislation is to be taken up Monday by the Senate, where its passage presents a formidable task for Democrats.
At a White House press conference, Mr. Bush, who was accompanied by veterans and family members of U.S. troops, called the House vote an act of "political theater" that he said threatened to delay funds reaching the troops before money starts to run out April 15. "This bill has too much pork, too many conditions and an artificial timetable for withdrawal," said Mr. Bush, who has repeatedly called on Congress to give his nearly 30,000-troop surge a chance for success. "Congress needs to send me a clean bill that I can sign without delay. I expect Congress to do its duty and to fund our troops, and so do the American people -- and so do the good men and women standing with me here today."
The Senate is set to debate a similar $121 billion emergency war-spending bill Monday that would require troops to almost immediately start to leave Iraq with the goal of a complete pull out by March 2008. Democratic leaders will need 60 votes to pass the legislation, requiring them to persuade about 12 Republicans to abandon their party's stance. Republican leaders say even if their opponents pull off an unlikely Senate victory, they have enough votes to block efforts to override a veto. (Washington Times)
• It really now seems sad that the war in Iraq, where men and women -- both Americans, British, Iraqis and others -- are giving their lives daily, has become a political football. Continue to lift up all of this to the Lord, who knows it all. Ask Him to make a way where there is seemingly no way to resolve the differences between the president and the Congress over this issue, and pray for a noble end to the war in Iraq. Pray! • "They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them . . . But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god." (Hab. 1:10a, llb)
2. DOCUMENTS SHOW GONZALEZ OK'S FIRING OF ATTORNEYS
President Bush is standing firmly behind his embattled attorney general despite Justice Department documents that show Alberto Gonzales was more involved in the decisions to fire U.S. attorneys than he previously indicated. Gonzales said last week he was not involved in any discussions about the impending dismissals of federal prosecutors. On Friday night, however, the department disclosed Gonzales' participation in a Nov. 27 meeting where such plans were discussed. That e-mail only added to the calls for Gonzales' ouster.
At the Nov. 27 meeting, the attorney general and at least five top department officials discussed a five- step plan for carrying out the firings, Gonzales' aides said late Friday. At that session, Gonzales signed off on the plan, drafted by his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson. Sampson resigned last week. A Justice aide closely involved in the dismissals, White House liaison Monica Goodling, also has taken a leave of absence, two officials said.
The department released more than 280 documents, including e-mails, calendar pages and memos to try to satisfy Congress' demands for details on how the firings were handled — and whether they were politically motivated. There are no other meetings on the calendar pages released between that Nov. 27 and Dec. 7, when the prosecutors were fired, to indicate Gonzales participated in other discussions on the matter, department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said. (AP)
• Offer praise for the forthrightness of the Department of Justice and the Bush administration in making all of these documents public. Pray in the spirit over the fallout over this matter . . . those who need to be held accountable, will be held accountable. In the meantime, let the Congress take note that, under President Clinton, Attorney General Janet Reno fired 93 attorneys -- with no repercussions at all. Pray that the scales of justice in ALL administrations be "true." • "A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight." (Prov. 11:1)
3. U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL OK'S TOUGHER SANCTIONS ON IRAN
The U.N. Security Council unanimously voted Saturday to impose new sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium — a move intended to show Tehran that defiance will leave it increasingly isolated. The moderately tougher sanctions include banning Iranian arms exports, and freezing the assets of 28 people and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki rejected the sanctions and said Iran had no intention of suspending its enrichment program."The world must know — and it does — that even the harshest political and economic sanctions or other threats are far too weak to coerce the Iranian nation to retreat from their legal and legitimate demands," Mottaki told the Security Council after the vote. "Suspension is neither an option nor a solution." (AP)
• God has an answer for the Iranian threat. It is no big deal to Him. Praise God that we can trust His ability to deliver. • “He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.” (Job 5:19) [Prayer offered by: Bridges for Peace]
4. IRANIANS DETAIN 15 BRITISH SAILORS AT GUNPOINT
Naval forces of Iran's hard-line Revolutionary Guards captured 15 British sailors and marines at gunpoint yesterday in the Persian Gulf -- a provocative move coming during heightened tensions between the West and Iran. U.S. and British officials said a boarding party from the frigate HMS Cornwall was seized about 10:30 a.m. during a routine inspection of a merchant ship inside Iraqi territorial waters near the disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway. Today Iran escalated the drama over the 15 British sailors it seized in the Persian Gulf by announcing the captured seamen . . . have admitted to straying into Iranian territorial waters. Iran's military moved the eight Royal Navy sailors and seven Royal Marines — at least one of who was a woman — to Tehran for questioning and said they confessed to illegally entering Iranian waters. Tehran described the incident as a "blatant aggression."
Britain appeared on Saturday to be trying to keep the situation calm. In London, Foreign Office undersecretary Lord Triesman spent more than an hour with the Iranian ambassador to London, Rasoul Movahedian, demanding the safe return of the 15 and seeking assurances of their welfare and consular access. (AP)
• Father, what is the truth? This is the same country that says the Holocaust never happened, so why would we believe them in this (or any) instance? We pray for the British soldiers to be released BY YOU! We pray for You to cause a supernatural instance that will provide a way for them to escape - and for the Iranians holding them to be filled with HOLY FEAR! • "Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose." (Acts 16:26)
5. HOUSE BILL PROTECTS FLYING PUBLIC
House Republicans are pushing legislation to protect airline passengers from lawsuits for reporting suspicious behavior that might be linked to a terrorist attack. Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican, introduced the Protecting Americans Fighting Terrorism Act of 2007 on Thursday, a week after a lawsuit was filed by a group of Muslim imams who were taken off a US Airways flight in November. It is "unconscionable" that those who report suspicious activity could be "terrorized in our own court system in our own country," Mr. Pearce said on the House floor yesterday afternoon. (Washington Times)
Last week, the six Muslim imams who are suing U.S. Airways for being removed from a plane expanded their litigation to include other passengers who reported their suspicious activities to the crew. Using the culture of political correctness against us, the imams are pushing the suit in an effort to scare Americans away from reporting future security risks. Attorney Mark Behrens says the case, which has been aided by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), has serious implications for national security. "If such a suit could proceed, it would have a chilling effect on the willingness of people to provide information that authorities need to act when people are engaged in wrongdoing."
The imams' strategy is a familiar one. Muslim extremists have paved the road to acceptance in Europe by playing the "discrimination" card to their advantage. Now they've turned their attention to America where they hope to topple our objections to radical Islam by using tolerance as a means to induce passivity. Author Mark Steyn points to the European cartoon controversy as an example of how Muslims have used what he calls "politically correct victimology" as cover for their true agenda. In his book America Alone, he suggests that legitimate fears of terrorism have become almost secondary to concerns of appearing intolerant or discriminatory. (FRC)
• Father God, we first thank You for Your faithfulness. We take comfort in knowing that You watch over us, and keep us safe. We pray Lord, for our judicial system to have their eyes open to the very real danger that is attempting to find legitimacy, and ask that this and any other lawsuits like it to be thrown out and extinguished - like water on a fire! • "O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever." (Psalm 12:7)
6. GATES ARGUES FOR CLOSING GUANTANAMO
In his first weeks as defense secretary, Robert Gates repeatedly argued that the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, had become so tainted abroad that legal proceedings at Guantánamo would be viewed as illegitimate, according to senior administration officials. He told President George W. Bush and others that it should be shut down as quickly as possible. (Internationall Herald Tribune)
• Pray for wisdom and the right timing to proceed in these actions. Pray that future consequences would be understood as policies are established for the handling of detainees. • "For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowlege, and joy: . . " (Eccl.2:26)
7. GENERAL PACE SPEAKS; CANDIDATES SCRAMBLE
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace, touched off a firestorm of media criticism last week with his comments that homosexual conduct was “immoral.” Despite the fact that his statements were perfectly in line with the teachings of virtually every major religion, the reactions of leading politicians ran the gamut and gave us an indication of just how conflicted they are in today’s confused, politically correct culture.
The presidential candidates were caught off guard by the media’s intense interest in the general’s comments, and every candidate was scrambling to craft a position on this theological issue. Torn between offending powerful primary constituencies and more important general election voters, it took several days for Senators Obama (D-IL) and Clinton (D-NY) to articulate a clear position. Ultimately, both condemned General Pace’s remarks.
The response from Republican candidates was mixed. For example, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said last week that General Pace’s comments were “inappropriate” and that “the right way to go is to show more of an outpouring of tolerance.” Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senator John McCain both avoided commenting on General Pace’s remarks, while suggesting they support the current “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
However, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) strongly defended General Pace. In a letter of support sent to President Bush, Senator Brownback wrote, “we should not expect someone as qualified, accomplished and articulate as General Pace to lack personal views on important moral issues. In fact, we should expect that anyone entrusted with such great responsibility will have strong moral views. We should be concerned if they do not have strong convictions on key issues.”
To show your support for General Pace, visit http://www.cwfpac.com and click on the link under “Action Items” on our homepage. There, you can quickly and easily send an e-mail of support to your elected officials. (Gary Bauer)
• The Word of God has been given to us for our protection and well-being. In obeying its rules, we obtain the abundant life that Christ has promised us. Offer praise for the one candidate who has chosen obedience to biblical principles over the modern-day, "enlightened" dictates of tolerance. Pray that other candidates would be moved to re-examine their own positions on this vital issue, in light of biblical counsel, and act accordingly. • “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." (Deut. 5:32,33)
8. GLOBAL WARMING CIRCUS
Movie star and former Vice President Al Gore presented his "planet has a temperature' case to the House and Senate on Wednesday. He refused to present his testimony to either body in advance which is customary. In the House hearings he just kept talking, not allowing congressmen to really question him. Then he ran into Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) at the Senate Hearings. (NOTE: Chairperson Barbara Boxer (D-CA) lied to the media that Gore had given his testimony in writing in advance and Inhofe pointed this out at the hearings.) While Gore spoke, the true green believers loved every minute of his testimony until Senator Inhofe asked him to pledge not to use more energy at his home than the average American. Gore refused. He uses more energy per day at his houses than the average American uses a year. [Observers on-site stated that the former Vice President was speechless when asked this question, and was not prepared to answer.]
• Offer praise for Senator Inhofe's boldness in confronting two lies in this hearing: Senator Boxer's and Al Gore's. The truth WILL set you free! • "The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble." (Proverbs 12:13)
9. BROWNBACK BILL HONORING WILBERFORCE PASSES SENATE
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback commented today on Senate passage of a bill he authored, Senate Resolution 84, which commemorates the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave trade and honoring the life of William Wilberforce, a humanitarian who was instrumental in abolishing the British slave trade. Brownback and Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) introduced the resolution in February. As a member of the British House of Commons, William Wilberforce fought for twenty years to pass legislation banning the slave trade. On February 23, 1807, the British Parliament passed a bill banning the slave trade in the British Empire. In 1833, the House of Commons voted to abolish slavery altogether.
Brownback wrote in a published op-ed, “William Wilberforce and his monumental achievement is indeed the story of Amazing Grace. It is the story of heroic leadership and courageous action on behalf of the weak and marginalized. It is the story of William Wilberforce, a hero for our times.” “We should celebrate Wilberforce’s victories and use his legacy as an inspiration to renew our culture by continuing to fight for human life and human dignity,” said Brownback. “We should also harness his passion and strength as we continue to fight modern day slavery and human trafficking around the world.”
In 2006, the United States Department of State estimated that between 600,000 and 800,000 persons were trafficked across international borders. In 2000, Brownback was instrumental in drafting and passing the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, which seeks to combat human trafficking.
• Offer praise for this bipartisan move in the Senate to recognize a man whose honor is long overdue. May the life and legacy of William Wilberforce serve to inspire this generation to uphold morality and biblical integrity in the public square, as well! • "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour." (Romans 13:7 KJV)
10. TWO ULTRASOUND VICTORIES
Mississippi
Today, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour signed a law offering women seeking an abortion the chance to view an ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of their unborn child. Mississippi becomes the eighth state (along with Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah and Wisconsin) to enact such a law, while three other states (Idaho, South Carolina and Georgia) are currently considering similar bills. The South Carolina bill is unique in that it requires abortion centers to show women pictures of their unborn child.
While abortion advocates still repeat the tired old line that "the fetus" is nothing but clumps of cells, ultrasound technology puts that lie to rest. Studies show 80 percent of women considering abortion choose life after receiving counseling that includes seeing an ultrasound image of their child. (Gary Bauer)
South Carolina
The South Carolina House of Representatives passed a bill March 21 that would require women seeking an abortion to view an ultrasound image of their unborn baby, and, pro-lifers say, could lead many of those same women to continue the pregnancy. (Baptist Press)
• Praise God for the passage of both of these bills that will require viewing life. Pray for this truth to be a giant step toward awakening this generation to life forevermore. Continue to pray for the reversal of Roe vs Wade. • "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." (Ps.31:24)
11. S.J. RES. 14: THE JERUSALEM RESOLUTION
Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) is urging other Senators to co-sponsor the Jerusalem Resolution which he will soon be reintroducing in the 110th Congress. This will be essentially the same as S.J.Res.14 in the 109th Congress it would provide for the recognition of Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel before the United States recognizes a Palestinian state. Source: Religious Freedom Coalition
• Pray for passage of this important bill. • "And to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, to put My name there." (I Kings 11:36)
12. SECRETARY OF STATE RICE ATTEMPTS TO HOLD MULTILATERAL MEETING
Condi attempts to hold multilateral meeting of international and Arab Quartets before Arab Summit
According to a recent report in United States daily, the Washington Post, Condoleezza Rice is attempting to unite Israel with Arab nations during her visit to the region. The Washington Post reported United States diplomats as claiming that Rice wants to bring Israel and Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia together. This would be the first meeting between Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2000, as the Saudis have refused to publicly meet with the Israelis until now. The diplomats claimed that Condi wants to hold a multilateral meeting, uniting the international Quartet (the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia) with the Arab Quartet (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates). This union, if it happens, comes just days before the Arab Summit in Riyadh. (Ma'an News; Washington Post)
Rice in Egypt to revive Arab-Israel peace plan
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Middle East allies Saturday to reinvigorate a long- dormant Arab plan for peace with Israel that she hopes may hold the key to keeping alive fractured Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. On the first leg of her fourth visit to the region in as many months, Rice met in a hotel on the Nile in this historic southern Egyptian city with foreign ministers and intelligence chiefs from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, AFP reported. The so-called Arab Quartet of states is a central element in US plans for stabilising Iraq and helping mediate in an Israeli-Palestinian landscape complicated by a power-struggle between the Western-backed Palestinian president, Mahmud Abbas, and the radical Islamic movement, Hamas. (FOCUS News Agency; AFP)
• Pray that the Secretary of State be given divine revelation before she meets with the Arab ministers next week in Riyadh. The land of Israel was given to the Jews by God; it is not theirs to give away. Moreover, in 1967, the Jews took back possession of Jerusalem -- the city that bears His Name. Pray that the U.S. does nothing that would offend the Lord in this matter, and pray for the collapse of the Saudi peace plan. • "And to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, to put My name there." (I Kings 11:36)
