"Here am I, here am I."' (Isaiah 65:1)
1. U.S. Intelligence Officials Will Probe Leak of Bin Laden Video - Washington Post
U.S. intelligence officials will investigate allegations that the government improperly leaked a secretly obtained Osama bin Laden video, alerting al-Qaeda to a security gap in the terrorist group's internal communications network that it was able to shut, an intelligence spokesman said yesterday. Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for the director of national intelligence, said officials are looking into the leak allegation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which passed the video on to the White House and the director of national intelligence's office before its leak. "At this point, we don't think there was a leak from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence or the National Counterterrorism Center," Feinstein said.
· Offer praise for Mr. Feinstein's statement, and hold this matter in prayer until all the facts are established and made known to the proper authorities.
· "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts." (I Corinthians 4:5)
2. White House: Al-Qaida Expected To Intensify - MSNBC
Al-Qaida remains the "most serious and dangerous" terrorism threat and is expected to intensify attempts to place agents inside the United States, a White House "National Strategy for Homeland Security" report said on Tuesday. Al-Qaida has protected its top leadership, replenished its lieutenants and "regenerated a safe haven" in Pakistan's tribal areas. It also continues to pursue weapons of mass destruction and is trying to acquire and use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material, the report said.
· How can we move without Your heavenly help, dear Father? How can we live without Your protection? Please help us as we are a nation adrift in a storm of trouble!
· "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid my Face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,' says the Lord, your Redeemer." (Isaiah 54: 7-8 NKJV)
3. Conyers, Reyes Introduce FISA Update - CBS News
Two prominent House Democrats released their update of the foreign surveillance law Tuesday that lapses at the end of this year, marking the next phase in a congressional debate over warrantless wiretapping, both domestically and abroad. Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) and Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) introduced legislation Tuesday, updating changes Congress made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act over the summer despite broad opposition from Democrats in the House, who were concerned the update could trample of the civil liberties of U.S. citizens.
· The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act has been the subject of much prayer for several years now, and once again, we are forced to face the delicate balance between matters of national security and the preservation of our civil liberties as American citizens. Added to that balance is the "mix" of political agendas, and we have a "stew" that only the LORD can fix. Pray much for the leaders of both parties as well as the key players inside the Bush administration, as this delicate balance is worked out. Father God WILL make a way, if we but ask . . .
· "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6)
4. Dems Accused Of Putting Politics Ahead Of Poor Children - CNSNews.com
Democrats admit they don't have enough votes to override President Bush's veto of the SCHIP bill. "Given this reality, it seems reasonable that the majority would sit down with Republicans to craft an appropriate compromise," said House Republican Whip Roy Blunt. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a national program founded by Senator Ted Kennedy and First Lady (now a senator from New York) Hillary Rodham Clinton. It is designed to provide health insurance for families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, yet cannot afford to buy private insurance.
· Dear God, You are our Great Physician. We ask that You will create ways to help the poor without political correctness or gain! May those who need Your help receive it in ways that only You could provide so that only You will receive the glory! May many be saved as they turn to You!
· "But to you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves." (Malachi 4:2 NKJV)
5. Clinton Unveils Retiree Plan, Drops Proposal On Baby Fund - AP
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed tax cuts of up to $1,000 a year on Tuesday to encourage millions of working-age families to open personal 401(k) retirement accounts. At the same time, Clinton said she has given up another idea for a savings incentive - giving every baby born in the U.S. a $5,000 account to pay for college or a first home. Instead, she said, her plan for what she called "American Retirement Accounts" will provide "universal access to a generous 401(k) for all Americans." At a cost of $20 billion to $25 billion a year, the plan is Clinton's largest domestic proposal other than her plan for universal health insurance.
· May any and all deceptions laced with financial gain be revealed by Your Holy Spirit in this presidential election!
· "By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber." (2 Peter 2: 3)
6. U.S. Supreme Court Refuses To Hear German's Torture Appeal - International Herald Tribune
US Supreme Court Library
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear an appeal filed on behalf of Khaled el-Masri, a German citizen of Lebanese descent who claims he was abducted by United States agents and then tortured by them while imprisoned in Afghanistan. Without comment, the justices let stand an appeals court ruling that the state secrets privilege, a judicially created doctrine that the Bush administration has invoked to win dismissal of lawsuits that touch on issues of national security, protected the government's actions from court review.
· Thank You, Lord for the wisdom You gave to the Supreme Court to let stand the state secrets privilege to protect our national security from potential terrorism by this man and his associates. May this man come to know You as His Savior!
· "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies." (Psalm 18: 3 NKJV)
7. Threats To Bumblebees Fly Under Radar - AP
Looking high and low, Robbin Thorp, an emeritus professor of entomology from the University of California at Davis, can no longer find a species of bumblebee that just five years ago was plentiful in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. To make matters worse, two other bumblebee species - one on the East coast, one on the West - have gone from common to rare.
Bumblebees, which are native to America, are responsible for pollinating an estimated 15 percent of all the crops grown in the U.S., worth $3 billion, particularly those raised in greenhouses. Those include tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.
· Father, You created the heavens and the earth! You can raise up bumblebees and You can reduce them. Please grant our nation's farmers the help they need to pollinate their crops in the way You created when You formed the earth. For Your glory, we pray, Amen.
· "And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. They will come, and all of them will rest in the desolate valleys and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all thorns and in all pastures." (Isaiah 7: 18-19 NKJV)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"'I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed - I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'that I am God.'" (Isaiah 43:11-12)
1. Petition calls for two-state solution - Jerusalem Post
More than half a million Israelis and Palestinians have signed a petition calling on the Israeli and Palestinian governments to reach a peace agreement within the next year based on a two-state solution and an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines.
2. Olmert and Abbas begin negotiations on critical issues - Israel Insider
For the first time, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on Monday to hash out the details of a declaration of interests regarding divisive issues like borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security ahead of the November summit.
3. Israeli strike on Syria kindles debate in U.S. - Int'l Herald Tribune
A sharp debate is under way in the Bush administration about the significance of the Israeli intelligence that led to last month's Israeli strike inside Syria, according to current and former American government officials.
4. Shin Bet: 7 suicide attacks foiled over the holidays - ICEJ News
Although the High Holy Day season is typically a tense time for Israeli security forces, Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin told the Cabinet that seven Palestinian suicide bombings were thwarted in the past month and a half. Of those security forces managed at the last minute to foil a large-scale terror attack in Tel Aviv, but only after the explosives had successfully passed through several IDF checkpoints without being detected.
5. EU Envoy: Summit failure could trigger new intifada - ICEJ News
Leaders seek joint declaration ahead of US talks
A failure to advance the peace process at next month's Middle East summit in Annapolis, Maryland could trigger worse violence than the second intifada that followed the collapse of the Camp David talks in 2000, a senior EU diplomat conceded on Monday.
6. Turkish FM focuses on Armenian 'genocide' - Jerusalem Post
Claims issue could be wrench in Turkish-Israel relations
The common view in Turkey is that US and Jewish organizations are partnering with Armenian organizations to "defame" and "condemn" Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told The Jerusalem Post on Monday during his visit to Jerusalem.
Links to Other Resources
In order to keep our Briefs "brief," we ask you to explore other key sites on your own, as you continue to pray for our nation, for Israel, and for His Kingdom on earth.
Recommended sites include the following:
DOMESTIC NEWS:
a. Intercessors for America
b. Family Research Council
c. End-of-Day by Gary Bauer
d. Citizen Link (Focus on the Family)
e. The Daily Jot
f. Traditional Values Coalition
g. Christian Coalition of America
INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
a Worthy News
Bridges for Peace
c. Intercessors for Israel
d. The JerUSAlem Connection
" . . . every joint supplies . . ." (Eph. 4:16)
