In This IssueToday's Daily Brief Today's Daily Brief
The Middle East in Focus
ACORN's Attorney, Obama's Judge
Honoring The Victims At Fort Hood
"Jihad Denial Syndrome" Exposed
Iran Smuggling Arms
US accuses Iran of violating UN arms embargo
State Dept.: Policy to "Expel Jews . . ."
Media Blackout: Obama/Netanyahu Meeting
The Good News Corner
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The Daily Brief - Thursday, November 12, 2009
"And they will fight, for the LORD will be with them." (Zechariah 10: 5)
Today's Daily Brief
1. Obama Calls for Revised Afghan War Options - AP
After months of deliberating, President Obama opted not to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
- Lord, it seems unconscionable to us that a sitting President would leave our troops without additional support in a war situation. We ask that You send Your Heavenly Host to our military in Afghanistan, and protect them from harm. We bind the spirit of indecision in this matter and loose Your power and wisdom into the situation.
- "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; be we will remember the Name of the Lord our God. They have bowed and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright." (Psalm 27:7,8)
2. Hasan to be Charged with 13 Counts of Murder for Ft Hood Massacre - Fox News
Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan will be charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in last week's Fort Hood mass shootings, a military source told Fox News Thursday.
- Father, as this situation comes before the military court, let all hidden secrets be revealed. We ask for Your justice for the victims, and a revelation of Who You are to the perpetrator.
- "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;" (Psalm 89:14a)
3. Planned Parenthood Seeks Silences, Fails - One News Now
Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Bryan, Texas, resigned after seeing a sonogram of a baby as it was being aborted. Johnson converted from "pro-choice" to pro-life on the basis of her faith, and she began offering her testimony nationwide.
After quitting her job at Planned Parenthood, the organization filed suit against Johnson to block her from revealing any confidential information through copies of documents she allegedly made. Steven H. Aden of Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) took the case to court, where the ruling fell in Johnson's favor.
- Lord, we rejoice in this court ruling! We ask that You completely destroy the power and ability of Planned Parenthood to murder the children!
- "lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you." (Deut 19:10)
4. Mormons Throw Support Behind Gay Rights Laws - NewsMax
It looked like a stunning reversal: the same church that helped defeat gay marriage in California standing with gay-rights activists on an anti-discrimination law in its own backyard.
On Tuesday night, after a series of clandestine meetings between local gay-rights backers and Mormons in Salt Lake City, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would support proposed city laws that would prohibit discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
The ordinances passed and history was made: It marked the first time the Salt Lake City-based church had supported gay-rights legislation.
- While we have no idea what the LDS church was thinking in this decision, it appears to be a radical departure from their normal stance. Pray that God will awaken their leadership to truth, and that they will seek after the Face of the Lord to know Him in Spirit and in truth.
- "The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful." (Prov 12:5)
5. Frank: Ban on gays to face repeal in 2010 - UPI
Repealing a ban on homosexuals serving openly in the U.S. military is to be included in the next Defense Department authorization bill, a lawmaker said.
- Lord, we stand firmly against any plan to add gay rights legislation to the Defense Bill. Lord, we pray that next year's Defense Bill would be free of extraneous political agendas. We pray for a move of Your Holy Spirit in conviction across our Congress, to put them all on their knees in repentance.
- "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." - John 16: 8-9
6. Poland resisting 'coronation' of EU Council president - Irish Times
EU leaders remain deadlocked over the nomination of the first full-time president of the European Council as former Soviet bloc states resist a "coronation" of Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy.
- "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Daniel 11:32)
7. A) Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out - London Telegraph
Global gold production is in terminal decline despite record prices and Herculean efforts by mining companies to discover fresh sources of ore in remote spots, according to the world's top producer Barrick Gold.
B) Gold Hits Record High as Dollar Slides - Fox News
Gold rose to record highs above $1,115 an ounce on Monday as the dollar slid to 15-month lows, with hopes for a global economic recovery and gains in equity markets boosting the appeal of higher-yielding currencies.
C) World Tries to Buck Up Dollar - Wall Street Journal
Governments around the world stepped up efforts to stem the U.S. dollar's slide, as officials grow increasingly concerned about the impact of the weak greenback on their nascent economic recoveries.
- Lord, we pray that in Your wrath, You will remember mercy over Your people. In the midst of grim economic outlook and the sound of war, we stand fast on Your Name -- Jehovah Jireh -- and place our trust in You alone.
-"They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse" (Ezekiel 7:19a)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
" The blessing of the LORD be upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD." (Psalm 129:8)
1. Army launches new probe for 'counter-Goldstone' report - Jerusalem Post
The Military Police has launched a new criminal investigation into allegations that soldiers committed war crimes during Operation Cast Lead, The Jerusalem Post learned Wednesday, amid efforts by the IDF to complete a report to counter the accusations leveled at it by the Goldstone Commission.
2. Nasrallah: Obama fully committed to Israel - Ynet News
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah slammed US President Barack Obama on Wednesday, saying, "When he was elected, many relied on him and believed it would mark a major turnaround in favor of the Arab world, but this notion quickly dissipated."
3. Netanyahu to Sarkozy: Immediate talks with Syria - Ynet News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have tried to find ways to revive Mideast peace efforts but announced no progress on their differences over Jewish settlements.
ACORN's Attorney, Obama's Judge
Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture yesterday on David F. Hamilton of Indiana to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. FRC Action will be scoring this vote in our 111th Congress First Session scorecard, our first score on a judge this year. Mr. Hamilton, as an Indiana trial judge, has ruled against abortion waiting periods, permitting chaplains to offer Christian prayer at the Indiana state house, and stiffer regulations for sex offenders. His resume includes a post with ACORN and a stint as the former head of the ACLU's Indiana chapter. Judge Hamilton was President Obama's first judicial appointment and has received bipartisan opposition due to his radical views and the general belief he is not qualified to sit on the 7th Circuit, a court that has overruled him numerous times.
We anticipate the cloture vote for Judge Hamilton to occur next Tuesday afternoon. (Family Research Council)
Note: Congress is out of session this week. Please take action and call your senators in your own state and voice your opinion on this nomination. Thank you.
Honoring The Victims At Fort Hood
Today, millions of Americans will pay their respects to the brave men and women who serve this country in uniform everyday. Following the tragedy at Fort Hood, I think it is essential that we honor the 13 Americans who lost their lives and the 29 wounded in the best possible manner.
Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) is calling on President Obama to award the heroes at Fort Hood with the Purple Heart. I agree with Congressman Wolf and think that this is a great idea. The 13 men and women who died and the dozens wounded were serving their country. There's just one problem: In order to award the Purple Heart, the Secretary of the Army must acknowledge that what occurred at Fort Hood was not a random attack, but an act of terrorism.
In 1973 the Army modified the requirements to present an individual with the Purple Heart. It may be awarded "as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United states or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of the Army."
I hope Barack Obama doesn't let political correctness get in the way of awarding these men and women the proper recognition for their service to the United States. What happened at Fort Hood WAS a terrorist attack. There is overwhelming evidence that Major Nidal Malik Hasan was a radical Islamist who carried out the attacks because of his ideological beliefs. The families of the victims at Fort Hood deserve better than political correctness. They deserve the truth.
By the way, I was very encouraged by a Rasmussen poll released today. Our media and political elites may be confused about what happened at Fort Hood, but the American people are not. According to the poll, 60% of likely voters want the shootings investigated by the military as a terrorist act. Just 27% think they should be investigated by civilian authorities as a criminal act. Moreover, 76% believe the Army should remove all officers who attempt to contact radical terrorist organizations, as Hasan did. (Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; November 11, 2009)
"Jihad Denial Syndrome" Exposed
The facts are emerging. The warning signs were there. Story after story is breaking new information. Even some in the "establishment media," such as ABC News, have produced news segments revealing the evidence that Nidal Hasan was a radical Islamist.
The FBI had seen warning signs. So had the CIA and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Numerous fellow officers had witnessed Hasan make statements, even during presentations he gave, that should have set off alarm bells.
Some of the latest news to come out is that Hasan had been in communication with an al Qaeda imam - and authorities knew it and dismissed Hasan's contacts with the conclusion that he was doing "research" for a thesis!
The tapestry of jihad being pieced together has prompted Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman to call for hearings to investigate who knew what, when, and why action was not taken.
How is it possible that so many warning signs and red flags were ignored, rationalized, or dismissed?
There are at least two reasons.
The first is that too many in leadership in our country, whether in government, the military, or counterterrorism, do not want to connect the dots between the jihadist ideology, so clearly permeating the holy books of Islam, and the act of jihad. . .
Another enforcer of this political correctness is organizations like CAIR, the Council on American- Islamic Relations. For years CAIR has bullied, browbeat, intimidated and smeared anyone who dares to speak the truth about radical Islam. (See our petition calling for a government investigation of CAIR.)
Last Thursday night, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad denounced the violence - and then emphasized that this had nothing to do with Islam.
So did other representatives of other Islamist organizations. . . (Source: ACT for America)
Note: ACT for America is sponsoring a petition Calling our Elected Offcials to Launch a Formal Investigation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). To learn more about this petition, and to sign on, go here.
Iran Smuggling Arms
Documented proof of Iranian complicity in arms smuggling to terrorists
On Tuesday (November 3, 2009) a special Israeli naval force detained and boarded the MV Francop, a merchant ship flying the flag of Antigua and destined for the Syrian port of Latakia. Hidden among the dozens of other containers on board, and disguised as civilian goods, the ship contained a consignment of 36 shipping containers with 500 tons of arms en route via Syria to the Hizbullah terrorist organization in Lebanon. A total of about 9,000 mortar bombs of different types were seized, along with about 3,000 Katyusha artillery rockets, 3,000 recoilless gun shells, 20,000 grenades and over a half million rounds of small arms ammunition. Iran routinely smuggles weapons to terrorist groups it supports. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards transfer their shipments over air, sea, and land routes, and do not hesitate to make use of civilian carriers, often without their knowledge. An examination of the munitions seized proves conclusively that the source of the arms was Iran. This is clear both from the shipping documents and the markings on the munitions themselves. (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Read more .
US accuses Iran of violating UN arms embargo
The United States accused Iran Tuesday of violating a U.N. arms embargo by secretly sending weapons to Syria in a cargo ship seized by Israel, a U.S. official said. Britain took a softer line in the U.N. Security Council, expressing "very serious concern" at suggestions that Iran was caught illegally exporting weapons but saying it was waiting for more information about the ship's origin, destination, cargo and seizure. U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff and British deputy ambassador Philip Parham raised Israel's seizure of the cargo vessel Francop on Nov. 4 off Cyprus during a closed-door council debate on implementation of the 2006 cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon that ended their 34- day war, council diplomats said. Israel has not provided documentary evidence to back its claims that 36 containers of weapons hidden among hundreds of containers of civilian cargo on the Francop came from Iran and were headed for Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters via Syria. But its contention about the Iranian origin was bolstered by Iranian markings on the side of containers filled with rockets, missiles, mortars, anti-tank weapons and munitions shown to reporters in Israel. (AP)
State Dept: US Goal to Expel Jews in 'Occupied' Post- 67 Lands
A top State Department official spelled out on Tuesday that the goal of the United States in its negotiations in the Middle East is to pressure Israel into expelling Jews from Judea and Samaria in order to "end the occupation that began in 1967." William J. Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, said in his address to the Middle East Institute Tuesday that he sees the U.S.mandate as one of "determined leadership" and that American must be straightforward about its intentions. "Our goal in the region is clear," he said, "two states living side by side in peace and security; a Jewish state of Israel, with which America retains unbreakable bonds, and with true security for all Israelis; and a viable, independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967, that ends the daily humiliations of Palestinians under occupation, and that realizes the full and remarkable potential of the Palestinian people." (Israel National News) Read more.
- This has now gone too far; there is no more ground whereby we can petition our most Holy God for mercy for our nation, given this statement. Judgment must fall; pray for mercy for the remnant in America to remain strong and true in the turbulent days that must surely lie ahead now for our nation.
Thank our Lord that He promises that, when no nation stands with Israel, He, Himself, will fight for her.
- "On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem." (Zech 12:9)
Obama / Netanyahu Meeting under Media Blackout
"The importance of the visit will become clear in the future." (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu)
Details of the Monday night White House talk between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama continue under a media blackout and shrouded in secrecy. Speaking to reporters before boarding the plane to Paris from Washington on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Netanyahu dismissed suggestions of a tense meeting and simply said, "the importance of the visit will become clear in the future." (Intercessors for America)
The Good News Corner
"Change My Heart Oh God"
by Eddie Espinosa
May we know His heart today . . .
