CHPP On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XIX, Number 26

Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for the Nation"
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On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XIX, Number 26a

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

October 15 - 19, 2012

"But you are holy, O you that inhabit the praises of Israel." (Psalm 22:3)

	News from Israel

News from Israel

1. DOZENS OF ROCKETS, MORTARS HIT SOUTH
2. GRAD MISSILE HITS NETIVOT HOME
3. HEZBOLLAH CLAIMS DRONE THAT FLEW OVER ISRAEL
4. IDF ON GUARD FOR IRANIAN-HIZBALLAH DRONES FROM PALESTINIAN GAZA
5. SPREADING IRANIAN CYBER ATTACKS HIT ISRAELI MILITARY,
6. TWO ARMED PALESTINIANS ARRESTED AT ENTRANCE TO IDF BASE
7. PALESTINIANS FORESEE NO CHANGE AFTER ISRAELI ELECTIONS
8. HOLY JIHAD' IS THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH ISRAEL,
9. FIRST-TIME DRILL TO SIMULATE RESPONDING TO MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE
10. ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE KILLS LEADER OF AL QAIDA-AFFILIATED GROUP

1. DOZENS OF ROCKETS, MORTARS HIT SOUTH

Terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip fired some 55 rockets and mortar shells at southern Israel early Monday [October 8] morning. The shells landed in communities in the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries, although two buildings were lightly damaged and several goats were killed due to an explosion in an animal corner. Hamas' military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and the Ansar al-Quds group [Sinai network affiliated with Al Qaeda] have claimed responsibility for Monday morning's attack on the South. They claimed the attack was a response to the Israel Air Force's [IAF's] airstrike on Gaza on Sunday. "This blessed operation came in response to continuous and repeated enemy crimes against our defenseless people," a joint statement said.

In response to Monday's mortar attack on southern Israel, the IDF carried out three aerial strikes and one ground assault on Hamas terror hubs and rocket launching pads. The first rockets were launched shortly after 6:00 a.m. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired at least three mortar shells which then exploded in Israel. One of the shells exploded near a residential building in the Eshkol Region, slightly damaging it. The two other shells exploded in open areas. Around 9:00 a.m. additional shelling was reported. Authorities have asked residents of the Eshkol region to remain in close proximity to shelters. Yehuda Kedem, a resident of one the communities in Eshkol said that "at 5:50 a.m. we heard a large explosion. Apparently the mortar exploded nearby to the kibbutz synagogue. About 6-7 mortar shells hit our area."

One mortar landed in an animal corner in one of the communities in Eshkol. Ilan, who is in charge of the livestock in the kibbutz where the mortar hit said that this was the first mortar to ever hit the community. "I never imagined that our kibbutz would be hit. This is the first time a mortar has exploded inside the kibbutz. Some of the goats are severely injured and some are dead. Usually the animal corner is packed with children but we don't work on the holiday. We avoided a great tragedy," he said.

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad claimed that the attack on southern Israel came as a response to the "Zionist crimes." Abu Ovadia, the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas said that "the resistance will not allow (Israel) to continue perpetrating this aggression under the guise of groundless excuses." He warned that further Israeli aggression in Gaza will be met with a strong response led by the Palestinian resistance groups. The mortar attack on southern Israel came less than 24 hours after an IAF airstrike in southern Gaza, which left ten injured, two of them severely. IDF officials said the attack, carried out in cooperation with the Shin Bet [Israeli] security service, targeted two global jihadists who were planning to carry out a major terror attack over the Simchat Torah [rejoicing in the Torah] holiday against Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The IDF's Spokesperson's Unit identified the men as Tla'ath Halil Muhammad Jerbi (23), a global jihad operative from Rafah; and Abdullah Mohamed Hassan Maqawi (24), a member of the The Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC) in the environs of Jerusalem, a global jihad group that is based in Gaza. The army said Jerbi has been involved in extensive terrorist activity against Israel for years, and over the past few days was involved in the preparation of a terror attack in Sinai.

(By Ilana Curiel, Ynetnews, October 8, 2012)
[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

- Pray for the safety and protection of those that live in southern Israel, and that God would place a special covering over those that live in the Land. Pray that no matter what is happening, peace will prevail in the hearts of Israelis.

- "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

2. GRAD MISSILE HITS NETIVOT HOME

Two Grad missiles fired by Gaza terrorists disrupt the calm of the Sabbath in Netivot. One woman treated for shock. The calm of the Sabbath was disrupted on Friday evening as two Grad missiles fired by Gaza-based terrorists exploded in the city of Netivot, Channel 2 News reported. At around 7:30 p.m., residents of the city, some of whom were in the midst of their Shabbat dinner, heard the "red alert" siren. Shortly afterwards the two missiles exploded, one of them exploding in the yard of a home. There were no physical injuries or damages, but one woman suffered shock and was treated by paramedics.

Gaza-based terrorists have fired more than 60 rockets at southern Israel this past week, most of which have fallen in open areas. The escalation in rocket attacks began after an Israeli air strike on Sunday in Gaza hit two Global Jihad terrorists. The terrorists responded by firing over 50 rockets at Israel during the holiday of Simchat Torah alone, with more being fired in the days that followed. On Wednesday night, IAF aircraft struck a center of terrorist activity in northern Gaza. On Tuesday night, IAF aircraft hit a terror tunnel in northern Gaza, after terrorists fired three Kassam rockets at southern Israel.

Read article:

- O Abba Father, we are asking You to raise Your right hand and extend Your arm to protect Your special land and people against the escalating assaults. We pray that the Israeli leaders and IDF leaders turn to You for guidance. May all be done in Your perfect will, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me. Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.(Psalm 50:15 & 23)

3. HEZBOLLAH CLAIMS DRONE THAT FLEW OVER ISRAEL

The head of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, on Thursday [October 11] removed any remaining uncertainty over the origins of a surveillance drone aircraft that entered Israeli airspace last Saturday. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah told Al-Manar TV that his group was responsible for the drone, although he said it was manufactured by Iran. The Israeli military shot down the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), according to the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] website.

Nasrallah, according to Al-Manar's website, claimed the flyover "is not the first, and it will not be the last, and with these aircrafts we could reach many locations." Both Hezbollah and Israel said the drone entered Israeli airspace from the west, with Nasrallah saying it flew in from the Mediterranean Sea after flying south from Lebanon over that body of water.

Nasrallah said the downing of the UAV was "expected" and praised the distance traveled by the drone, although the IDF said it was being monitored by both air and ground forces. The IDF website said the drone was shot down intentionally over a southern forest so as not to harm a civilian region. The website said that IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai called the Israeli operation a success.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke highly of the IDF's efforts on Thursday. In comments posted on the Prime Minister's Office website, Netanyahu said, "We are taking determined action to defend our borders both on land - and in the air, as we did over the weekend when we foiled an attempt by Hezbollah. We will continue to take vigorous action against all threats."

(By Joshua Spurlock, The Mideast Update, October 11, 2012)
[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

- Pray that the drone will provide Israel's military with needed information. Pray that those stationed to protect Israel's borders will be alert and responsive to any threat that may cross into Israel.

- "But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me. Because your rage against Me and your tumult have come up to My ears," (2 Kings 19:27-28a)

4. IDF ON GUARD FOR IRANIAN-HIZBALLAH DRONES FROM PALESTINIAN GAZA

The Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah's threat Thursday night of more UAV's over Israel aroused concern in the Israeli high command that Iranian drones had been smuggled into the hands of the Palestinian Hamas extremists ruling the Gaza Strip. He implied that Tehran or Hizballah might ask Hamas to release them over Israel, possibly in coordination with UAV intrusions from Lebanon. After rolling out Hizballah statistics claiming Israel had violated Lebanese airspace 20, 864 times (!), Nasrallah said in his televised speech: "This is our natural right and we will send them whenever we want and this will not be the last time."

The successful penetration of two Iranian stealth drones - one from the Gaza Strip and one from Lebanon - would be celebrated in Tehran and Beirut as a major feat against the Zionist enemy, say debkafile's military sources - especially after last Saturday, Oct. 6, when an Iranian UAV, which Nasrallah named "Ayyoub," managed to fly over strategic Israeli sites including the nuclear reactor in Dimona before it was brought down.

Israeli surveillance has noted unusual Hamas activity of late to camouflage certain sites in the Gaza Strip, raising the suspicion that Hamas or the Iranian-backed Jihad Islami had taken delivery of a drone, drones or the disassembled components thereof. If so, IDF sources would expect the Palestinian extremists to refrain from assembling those components for fear that a large flying object would be quickly spotted by Israeli surveillance and destroyed forthwith. Those sources believe, however, that Hizballah officers have arrived in the Gaza Strip to show Hamas technical crews how to assemble the drones at speed and launch them before Israeli intelligence watchers catch on.

As to the method of smuggling, military sources assume the parts were brought into Gaza piecemeal in small sections carried in the luggage of Palestinian officials flying to and from Beirut through Cairo international airport. The Hamas delegation which visited Beirut and Tehran last month and signed military cooperation pacts with Hizballah will not have missed the chance of importing large UAV segments into the Gaza Strip on their return home. In their talks with Nasrallah, Hamas leaders agreed to take active part in the Shiite terrorists' covert operations inside Israel, as well as open hostilities by Iran, Hizballah or Syria against the Jewish State. That consent would have covered the launching of unmanned aerial vehicles from the Gaza Strip.

Read article:

- Dear Lord Jesus, Iranian drones are now being supplied to terrorists next to Israel and assembled quickly with technical assistance from Iran who clearly has made known their hatred towards Israel and its people. Lord, what should be done by Israel in response? We come before You, standing in the gap, asking for direction as to how to pray for Israel. We pray in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:8)

5. SPREADING IRANIAN CYBER ATTACKS HIT ISRAELI MILITARY, US FINANCIAL AND GULF OIL TARGETS

A week ago, on Oct. 6, an unmanned Iranian aerial vehicle with stealth attributes breached Israeli air space. By eluding Israel's radar, the UAV exposed serious gaps in its air defenses. Thursday, Oct. 11, Hizballah's Hassan Nasrallah admitting the drone had come from Lebanon, promised it would not be the last. He seemed to be mocking Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his reliance on strong border fences to keep Israel safe.

A week went by and Saturday, Oct. 13, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) website quoted its chief, Lt. Gen. Ali Jabari as stating that his naval and missile forces are on "strategic deterrent readiness" - a novel term just invented by the Islamic Republic. He spoke Friday at an army base in Khorrasan, during a tour with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian general hinted that the Iranian-Hizballah drone had been able to come close to Israel's nuclear reactor in Dimona. Both admissions that Iran and Hizballah were conducting military cyber warfare on Israel were tinged with contempt, arising from the certainty that Israel would not retaliate for the UAV's invasion any more than it had responded to the posting of thousands of Iranian elite Al Qods troops just across its Syrian and Lebanese borders.

Shortly after Nasrallah spoke, the US Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan managed to break through VP Joe Biden's interruptions to reveal the stark fact that Iran already possesses enough fissile material to make five nuclear bombs. The cat was finally out of the bag after years in which American and Israeli leaders contrived to keep this secret dark by verbal acrobatics and blinding showers of impenetrable "facts and figures." It was no slip of the tongue: Mitt Romney's running mate was briefed by the team which is preparing the candidate himself for his second debate against President Barack Obama next Tuesday, Oct. 16.

debkafile's Washington sources disclose that the team is headed by the former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, who is slated for the job of National Security Adviser if Romney wins the Nov. 6 election. Ryan's revelation implied that a Romney administration's Iran policy would take off from the point of its possession of sufficient fissile material for a nuclear arsenal. Not that this guarantees US military action against Iran's nuclear program under a new president - or even backing for an Israeli strike - only that now we all know that it is not necessary to destroy the 20 or more Iranian nuclear sites to demolish its program, only to home in on the stockpile of fissile material which took Tehran 20 years to enrich and accumulate.

Also on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta unveiled his "pre-9/11 moment" speech which revealed that for two weeks, hackers had been hammering the websites of big American banks, the Saudi national oil company Aramco and Qatar's Rasgas. In a strong comment, he said the US would strike back and consider a preemptive strike against cyber terrorism, without saying how or actually naming Iran.

The Wall Street Journal pointed to a team of 100 Iranian experts as the perpetrators of the cyber attacks on America and the Gulf oil states. Tehran appears to be sending a message that if US-led sanctions continue to cut down its oil exports and restrict its banking business, Gulf oil producers and American banks would pay the price. Panetta's words may therefore be read as Washington's final warning to Iran to desist from cyber warfare. In the days leading up to his speech on cyber-terror, the defense secretary was tireless in cautioning against the menace of the Syrian civil war spreading to neighboring countries and evoking Bashar Assad's threat to bring out and use his chemical weapons.

It can no longer be denied that Tehran is already on a cyber offensive against them all. In the absence of any response, Iran may decide to push further against its targets.

Read article:

- O Heavenly Father, both Your land of Israel and the United States are increasingly facing a rapidly growing threat from the nation of Iran. We know that none of this should be taken lightly by the leaders of these 2 nations. We fall before You Lord, asking for direction as to Your will on this matter, and for you to awaken the leaders to the true danger in all these actions. Have mercy Lord, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the people. You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. (Psalm 77:14-15)

6. TWO ARMED PALESTINIANS ARRESTED AT ENTRANCE TO IDF BASE

Two Palestinians armed with an improvised explosive device were arrested today (Monday, October 8) at the entrance to the Samaria Regional Brigade headquarters. The suspects were arrested by a force of the Nahal Brigade that was in the region.

The suspects told the soldiers that they possessed an explosive device. The soldiers then searched and found the suspects' improvised explosive device, which Israel Defense Forces [IDF] sappers detonated in a controlled manner. The suspects were subsequently interrogated by security forces.

So far, it is unclear whether the suspects belong to a terror organization, but they said that they had been sent to the Samaria Regional Brigade. The initial investigation indicated that they came from the city of Nablus, which is near the site of the incident.

Such incidents, in which suspected terrorists armed with improvised explosive devices are caught, occur occasionally throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria, and the Jerusalem area. Just last month, it was announced that suspected terrorists had been arrested in east Jerusalem, armed with weapons including two explosive devices and improvised rifles. In another event last month, a bag filled with pipe bombs was found and safely detonated near the Hashmonaim barrier [halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv].

Earlier this year, the IDF website reported that terrorists had begun returning to the old tactic of planting explosive devices and remotely detonating them with cell phones. It was subsequently decided that certain tactics used to deal with these threats would be reinstated within Judea and Samaria to help deal with the phenomenon. However, it should be noted that in recent years there has been a sharp downward trend in the frequency of explosive devices discovered by the IDF on or near the security fence within Judea and Samaria.

(By Florit Shoihet, Israel Defense Forces, October 8, 2012)
[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

- Thank the Lord that no one was hurt. Pray for the peace and protection of those soldiers who are risking their lives to keep Israel safe.

- "I will mention the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel"( Isaiah 63:7)

7. PALESTINIANS FORESEE NO CHANGE AFTER ISRAELI ELECTIONS

The decision to move up the Knesset [Parliament] elections will affect not only Israel's citizens but the Palestinian Authority [PA] as well. Since Benjamin Netanyahu's early elections announcement Tuesday [October 9], Palestinian analysts have been trying to explain the move and its consequences. All reached the same conclusion-nothing will change.

The issue may not have gotten the main headlines in the PA's most popular dailies, but [it has] appeared in all the front pages. Meanwhile, Palestinian officials stressed the matter was an internal Israeli affair, saying they have no interest in getting involved in the campaign.

Nevertheless, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat expressed concern that the Palestinians will end up paying the cost when Israel's policy will become more aggressive. "I hope that the Israeli parties' campaign will not become a contest for who expands more settlements," he said. Erekat said that the Palestinians are used to Israeli governments avoiding the peace process. While he refused to comment on the elections, he did not miss the opportunity to criticize the outgoing cabinet. "Given the choice between settlement and peace, this government chose settlement. The Netanyahu administration worked not only to destroy the peace process but to write out what has already been agreed on in past negotiations."

Palestinian journalists also touched on the subject with some degree of optimism. Nasser al-Laham, chief editor of the Maan news agency, said in an editorial that no real change is expected. He advised his readers not to get their hopes up seeing as the Israeli public has been "hypnotized" and estimated that Netanyahu will return to the prime minister's seat. He also predicted that Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu [Hebrew for "Israel is our home"] will emerge as the second largest party and that the leftist, Arab, and haredi [ultra-Orthodox] parties will each maintain their electoral power. "The Israeli public is becoming even more set in its mind which prevents it from enjoying the choice and versatility."

Former Fatah man and ex-minister Dr. Sufian Abu Zaida analyzed the motives for the decision to move up the elections and claimed the move was entirely predictable. "Unlike previous election campaigns, he explained, the Palestinian issue will not be in the forefront and will take a backseat to Iran and the economy. He estimated, much like Israeli analysts, that Netanyahu chose to hold early elections knowing he had no real rival.

(Excerpts of article by Elior Levy, Ynetnews, October 11, 2012)
[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

- Thank God that He is in control of the elections in Israel. Pray for godly wisdom and direction for those who would lead Israel during these stressful times.

- "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." (Psalm 145:18)

8. HOLY JIHAD' IS THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH ISRAEL, SAYS EGYPT'S MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CHIEF

Egypt's foremost Muslim Brotherhood official called on the Arab world Thursday to replace negotiations with Israel with "holy Jihad," claiming that if Jews are allowed to pray on the Temple Mount they will destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and supplant it with the third temple. Mohammed Badie, Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, declared in a public message published by Egyptian daily Al-Ahram that "the Zionists only understand force," and that Arabs cannot hope to achieve justice from the Jews "through the corridors of the United Nations or through negotiations." 'Zionists only understand the language of force and will not relent without duress,' Badie continued. 'This will only happen through holy Jihad, high sacrifices and all forms of resistance.'

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was the Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate, but he resigned all official positions in the movement upon taking office. He has said that his government would uphold the Camp David peace accords with Israel, and recently named a new ambassador to Israel. "The time has come for the Islamic nation to unite around one man for the sake of Jerusalem and Palestine," Badie said. "The Jews have dominated the land, spread corruption on earth, spilled the blood of believers and in their actions profaned holy places, including their own." "Zionists only understand the language of force and will not relent without duress," Badie continued. "This will only happen through holy Jihad, high sacrifices and all forms of resistance. The day they realize we will march this path and raise the banner of Jihad for the sake of God, is the day they will relent and stop their tyranny."

Badie, 69, has headed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt since 2010, and before that served on its governing council for more than a decade. Trained in veterinary medicine and an academic by profession, he served time in jail for political activity as a young man but was pardoned by president Anwar Sadat.

Read article:

- O Abba Father, here is the land of Egypt- another neighboring nation of Israel, inciting violence and destruction against Your special land and people. President Morsi's speech reflects a blind, lying hatred with truth totally being a missing element. Lord, we plead for You to arise and strike down these vicious lies and thoughts, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- You, Yourself, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry. (Psalm 76:7)

9. FIRST-TIME DRILL TO SIMULATE RESPONDING TO MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE

The Home Front Command is completing the final preparations for the nation-wide Home Front exercise entitled Turning Point 6, which will begin in 11 days. For the first time, the exercise will have a scenario simulating a major earthquake occurring in Israel. The details of the exercise were presented Wednesday [October 10] during a briefing held by the Home Front Defense Minister Mr. Avi Dichter and the commander of the Home Front Command Maj. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg. At the briefing, Maj. Gen. Eisenberg stated that the Home Front's next exercise "will be a powerful experience, unlike any we have experienced in recent years. We want to create a more complete sense of emergency among citizens, various organizations, and ministries. This is all to better prepare the population so that we can minimize our losses."

The scenario will involve a powerful earthquake that strikes the Israeli Arava [between the Dead Sea and Red Sea] and the Upper Galilee and sows destruction in Gush Dan [Tel Aviv metropolitan area] as well. As a result, tsunami waves will also hit the beaches of Tel Aviv. The Home Front Command's forces will be required to deal with a situation involving over 7,000 "dead," 70,000 casualties, and the evacuation of over 170,000 people. Home Front Defense Minister Dichter concluded, "If I were to choose between the scenario of an earthquake or a missile attack on Israel, I would choose the latter, in terms of the damage it would cause and our ability to avert it."

2012 has been defined by the Home Front Command as a year of preparation for a possible earthquake. The central exercises undertaken by the command this year will focus on preparing for this scenario, with the climax of these preparations being the national Home Front Command exercise. Likewise, September was deemed a preparation month for the home front, during which various workshops were held throughout the country. Unique tutorial booklets explaining how best to prepare for an earthquake will be distributed to every household in the country.

Last July, the Home Front Command launched their yearly education campaign, covering the preparedness of the home front for a large-scale emergency, with an emphasis on earthquakes and under the motto "the home front takes command." This is the fourth such campaign that the Home Front Command has launched aimed at educating the civilian population. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and mobilize the public, encouraging them to prepare their households, family, and surroundings for potential emergencies.

(By Israel Defense Forces, October 10, 2012)
[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

- Pray that these earthquake drills will help Israel to prepare for such a disaster. Pray that Israel will gain the knowledge and expertise needed not only to help its own citizens but other countries as well.

- "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them." (Ezekiel 38:7)

10. ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE KILLS LEADER OF AL QAIDA-AFFILIATED GROUP IN THE GAZA

The IDF said attack was preemptive strike against impending rocket launches by Global Jihad militants; Palestinian sources say two killed in strike. An Israeli air strike killed the Palestinian leader of an al Qaida-affiliated group in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Hamas and medical sources said. Gaza Medics said a second militant was also killed in the strike. The after-dark attack targeted the two men who were riding a motorcycle in the northern town of Jabaliya. The interior ministry of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, said one of the men killed was Hisham Saedni, also known as Abu Al-Waleed Al-Maqdissi, believed to head the Jihadist Salafi group Tawhid and Jihad (One God and Holy War). Sources from Tawhid and Jihad could not be reached to confirm that Saedni was killed.

The same group had claimed responsibility for a rocket that was fired into Israel on Friday and landed near a house in the Israeli town of Netivot, causing damage but no casualties. In response, a few hours later, the Israeli military launched three air strikes against what it said were "terror activity sites". There were no casualties reported in those attacks. Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for any attacks launched from Gaza, which has been under the group's control since 2007. An Israeli military spokesman said that about 40 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel in October.

Hamas rejects permanent peace with Israel and the two sides fought a three-week war in December-January 2008-2009. The border is tense, with frequent clashes. A number of Jihadist Salafi groups have surfaced in Gaza in recent years. Unlike Hamas, they endorse an ideology of global Jihad and some accuse Hamas of failing to implement Islamic laws in the coastal enclave.

A statement issued by the IDF Spokesperson unit said: "The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm the citizens of the state of Israel or IDF soldiers and will continue to act forcefully and decisively against anyone who commits terror acts against the State of Israel." The statement added that the IDF holds Hamas responsible for attacks which are carried out from Gaza, which is governed by the movement.

On Monday, the IDF struck a number of sites in Gaza in response to a barrage of rocket and mortar fire, for which the armed wing of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. The rocket fire, which continued throughout the morning hours on Monday, was in response to the IDF targeting two Gaza militants - killing one of them and injuring 11 civilians - the previous night.

Read more:

By Reuters and Haaretz | Oct.13, 2012 | 11:59 PM Tweet

- O Abba Father, how can there be peace without You? One side most obviously does not want peace at all, but instead wants to obliterate Your special land and people. The vitriolic hatred and violence just keeps escalating. Lord, we plead for You to rise up and put the fear of You into the souls of these haters. Have mercy on their souls if they will repent Lord, but strike fear into their innermost beings if not, and put them aside. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- The nations have sunk down to the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9: 15-17)

	More International News

More International News

1. TURKEY'S ARMY ON HIGH STATE OF READINESS, FIRST STEP FOR SYRIA NO-FLY ZONE
2. TURKEY THREATENS TO SUPPORT IRAN STREET PROTESTS
3. NATO READY TO DEFEND TURKEY
4. PANETTA ORDERS US TROOPS INTO JORDAN
5. SABER-RATTLING IN IRAN
6. UN PEACE ENVOY DRAWS UP PLAN FOR 3,000 STRONG PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN SYRIA
7. RUSSIA WILL NOT RENEW ARMS DEAL WITH US

1. TURKEY'S ARMY ON HIGH STATE OF READINESS, FIRST STEP FOR SYRIA NO-FLY ZONE

War tensions over Syria continued to spiral early Thursday, Oct. 11, when Turkey's armed forces were placed on a state of readiness and its chief of staff pledged stronger response to any hostile act by Syria, A high-placed US source confirmed to debkafile that Turkey had, by forcing a Syrian civilian Airbus A320 plane en route from Moscow to Damascus to land in Ankara and declaring Syrian airspace "unsafe," taken the first step toward creating a no-fly zone over Syria. Early Thursday, Moscow responded with a demand from Ankara for clarifications claiming that 17 Russians were aboard the intercepted flight. Turkey had reported 37 passengers on the plane without specifying their nationalities. The intercepted Airbus was released overnight after a part of its cargo, described as military in nature, was impounded.

In another sign that Syrian crisis was reaching a new and dangerous level, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta referred in Brussels, for the third time in 24 hours, to the threat of chemical warfare. He said US troops had set up a headquarters in Jordan to help monitor chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria. debkafile had previously reported that similar headquarters were already present in Turkey and Israel. Our sources note that, just as Turkish cross-border artillery exchanges with Syria since last week have been carving out, day by day, a 10-kilometer buffer strip on Syrian land, so too Ankara has begun the process of creating a no-fly zone in Syrian air space.

Because of this initiative, American military officials have begun citing Bashar Assad's standing threat to resort to chemical warfare in the face of outside military intervention in the Syrian conflict. They suggest that the Syrian ruler may judge the peril to his regime on a par with the 2011 Western-Arab intervention in Libya which caused Muammar Qaddafi's downfall. Assad and Iran, perhaps, too, are unlikely to sit still and let this happen (DEBKAFILE).

Read more.

- Fortunately, Israel is not involved in this conflict between Turkey and Syria. Nevertheless, the conflict does place Israel in a dangerous position because the conflict could explode across the border that Syria shares with Israel. Pray that any chemical weapons Assad controls are rendered neutralized, and their power diminished. Pray protection from any assault for Christians living in Syria. Pray against Russia's finger in this conflict. No doubt that the Moslem Brotherhood is angling for Syria. Pray wisdom upon the rulers of Turkey, as Turkey tries to prepare for a possible attack by Russia.

- "The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalm 34:16)

2. TURKEY THREATENS TO SUPPORT IRAN STREET PROTESTS

Turkey has warned Iran that it could stir trouble for the Iranian regime by supporting the street protests in the country according to a Syrian government official speaking to WND.

Turkey delivered a message to Iran through Russia, about Iran and Syria's alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which seeks autonomy for Turkey's Kurdish citizens. Turkey is accusing Syria and Iran of arming and aiding the PKK in attacks against Turkish installations.

Turkey, on the other hand, has been widely accused of arming the opposition targeting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to reports, the Syrian opposition includes jihadists, many allied with al-Qaida.

Tehran last week was the site of street protests that resulted in thousands clashing with riot police as they chanted anti-government slogans. Shopkeepers closed their stores in protest after the Iranian currency, the rial, lost a quarter of its value in two days" (WND.COM)

- More entangled complexity in the Middle East. Turkey will support street protests in Iran, which is a supporter of Syria, because Syria supports the PKK, or a political party of the Kurds, a people whom the Turks hate and who flooded into Turkey when the Iraqis were committing genocide on the Kurds. As the Nazis hated the Jews, so the Turks hate the Kurds! Pray that the Kurds do not come into the focus of racial hatred. God loves all His children, whether they know Him or not. Ask the Lord to prevent all kinds of riots, for some will be killed and some injured.

- "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord." (Proverbs 21: 30,31).

3. NATO READY TO DEFEND TURKEY

Voice of America News reports: "NATO's secretary general says the alliance is prepared to defend Turkey against attacks from Syria if necessary. Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance is prepared to act, but he hopes it will not have to do so. 'We have all plans in place to protect and defend Turkey, but we do hope that it will not be necessary. We do hope that all parties involved will do their utmost to avoid an escalation of the crisis and focus on finding a political solution to the conflict,' he said."

Rasmussen says NATO defense ministers did not discuss the situation in Syria or the tension on its border with Turkey Tuesday, during the first day of a two-day meeting. But he says it is up to the United Nations Security Council to take whatever action is necessary to try to force the Syrian government to work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict. "I strongly regret that so far the Security Council has failed in finding an agreement on a legally-binding resolution that could send such a strong message to the Syrian leadership," said Rasmussen.

Russia and China have blocked any Security Council call for the use of force. (Voice of America News)

- Russia And China have not agreed to any resolution involving Syria, so why would Secretary General Rasmussen even think that these two countries would agree to any binding resolution made by the UN? Only the Lord can untangle this complexity. Bashar Assad is sitting on his "throne," convinced that he is protected by Russia and China. Mr. Rasmussen is dreaming! However, to protect Turkey from a spill-over from Syria is a good idea. Pray that the Lord will bring Russia, China, and Syria to their knees.

- "through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1: 78,79)

4. PANETTA ORDERS US TROOPS INTO JORDAN

The United States has sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to bolster that country's military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday.

Speaking at the NATO conference of defense ministers, Panetta said the U.S. has been working with Jordan to monitor chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria and also to help Jordan deal with refugees pouring over the border from Syria. The troops are also building a headquarters for themselves.

But the revelation of U.S. military personnel so close to the 19-month-old Syrian conflict suggests an escalation in the U.S. military involvement in the conflict, even as Washington pushes back on any suggestion of a direct intervention in Syria. It also follows several days of shelling between Turkey and Syria, an indication that the civil war could spill across Syria's borders and become a regional conflict ."We have a group of our forces there working to help build a headquarters there and to insure that we make the relationship between the United States and Jordan a strong one so that we can deal with all the possible consequences of what's happening in Syria," Panetta said.

The development comes with the U.S. presidential election less than a month away, and at a time when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee, has been criticizing President Barack Obama's foreign policy, accusing the administration of embracing too passive a stance in the convulsive Mideast region.

The defense secretary and other administration officials have expressed concern about Syrian President Bashar Assad's arsenal of chemical weapons. Panetta said last week that the United States believes that while the weapons are still secure, intelligence suggests the regime might have moved the weapons to protect them. The Obama administration has said that Assad's use of chemical weapons would be a "red line" that would change the U.S. policy of providing only non-lethal aid to the rebels seeking to topple him.

He said the U.S. has provided medical kits, water tanks, and other forms of humanitarian aid to help Jordanians assist Syrian refugees fleeing into their country. Military personnel were there to help Jordan with the flood of Syrian refugees over its borders and the security of Syria's stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons.

- We give thanks to the Lord for the US military working to help Jordan, an action that also protects Israel from attacks. How odd that the media in the USA has not made a big to do over US troops stationed in Jordan! What will be the duration of our troops in Jordan after the election? Pray for our troops there, for wisdom, protection , and genuine guidance to the Jordanians.

- "Jesus to His Father - " I do not pray that You take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." (John 17: 15)

5. SABER-RATTLING IN IRAN

Leader Calls Iran's Military Preparedness "Deterrent against Enemy Aggression"

The Fars News Agency reports: "Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said that Iranian Armed Forces' full preparedness is a major factor in deterring enemies' attack, but at the same time stressed that the country will not step back in case of any foreign aggression.

'Because of their Islamic teachings, Iranian nation are not the men of aggression and invasion, but they will not fall short of confronting any aggression,' Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing Iranian military units in Northeastern province of North Khorassan on Friday.

The Leader lauded Iran's high military preparedness, and stated, 'The only reason the power mongers' motivation for waging war has downgraded or getting weakened is the general readiness of Iranian nation and the defense readiness of the armed forces.'

The Leader said general readiness of Iranian nation, especially the youth, is today in the highest possible level compared to the past, and the armed forces are more prepared and more powerful than the past" (Fars News Agency)

Read more

- The Ayatollah words sound like a "pep talk" of wishful thinking. Without nuclear capabilities, the Iranians do not have the power to takeover and rule the world. Is this speech more of the 12th iman appearance? Pray that the Lord exposes the boastful words of the Ayatollah. Pray also for the Iranian Christians and Jews, for they lead perilous lives in their home country.

- "Whatever they plot against the Lord, He will bring unto an end; trouble will not come a second time." (Nahum I: 9).

6. UN PEACE ENVOY DRAWS UP PLAN FOR 3,000 STRONG PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN SYRIA

Lakhdar Brahimi, the veteran Algerian diplomat who took over as joint United Nations and Arab League peace envoy last month, has spent recent weeks quietly sounding out which countries would be willing to contribute soldiers. Given the volatility of the conflict and the growing presence of Islamists on the rebel side, it is thought British and American forces would be unlikely to take part because of their past involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Instead, Mr Brahimi is thought to be looking at more nations that currently contribute to Unifil, the 15,000 strong mission set up to police Israel's borders with Lebanon. They alone are thought to have the infrastructure and on-the-ground knowledge that any peacekeeping operation would require. Countries contributing to Unifil include Ireland, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, one of which would be expected to play a leading role in the Syria peacekeeping force.

Yet the presence of any European on the ground in Syria - even from nations considered more "neutral" in the Arab world - would still represent a significant new Western military involvement in the Middle East. Experts fear they could be a magnet for attacks for both Islamists and regime loyalists. Details of Mr Brahimi's plans emerged as he arrived in Istanbul on Saturday for talks aimed at quelling rising tensions between Syria and Turkey.

Last week, following several days of cross-border shelling by the two countries' armies, Turkey intercepted a Syrian-bound passenger jet after claiming to have received reports it had Russian-made defence equipment on board. Meanwhile, in a sign of the challenges facing Mr Brahimi's mission, Syrian human rights groups reported some of the heaviest on-the-ground fighting to date.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that a rebel offensive that began in the north on Thursday had killed more than 130 soldiers in two days, and that another 250 were taken prisoner. The Syrian government, meanwhile, has been using ever more air power, hammering rebel units on the border with Lebanon.

Despite the escalating ferocity of the fighting, the British government has effectively ruled any direct military intervention in Syria for now, pointing out that unlike in Libya, there is no clear frontline, and that both sides are also backed by regional powers.

- While the situation looks desperate and a call for UN peacekeeping seems rational, nothing will succeed without the Lord's direction. The situation resembles a hurricane with fierce winds and blinding rain. Many of the parties involved in the peacekeeping lie very easily, and their word cannot be trusted. Pray that the Russians find other issues more interesting than Syria. Ask the Lord to remove Bashar Assad from power and to put in his place a true Syrian patriot. Meanwhile, give thanks to the Lord that Israel is not the focus of this situation.

- "He who would love life and see good days; let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; let him turn away from evil and do good." (I Peter 3: 10, 11a)

7. RUSSIA WILL NOT RENEW ARMS DEAL WITH US

Voice of America News reports: "Russia says it will not renew a two-decade-old agreement with the United States aimed at securing nuclear and chemical weapons in the former Soviet Union.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said it will not accept a U.S. proposal to extend the deal without a major overhaul. A ministry statement said U.S. officials know their proposal does not meet Russia's ideas of further cooperation on the program. It said Russia needs a different and more modern legal framework.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, U.S. Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar sponsored the legislation that launched the program.

A White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, said President Barack Obama believes the program is still valuable and beneficial to U.S. national security program. The spokesman said the United States is willing to work with the Russians to update the program" (Voice of America)

Read more.

- Ask the Lord what Russia is planning. The American people need to see the original agreement. Is the Russian refusal related to Iran's nuclear power? Pray that the American media exposes the agreement, and that foreign policy minds like that of former ambassador to the UN John Bolton have an opportunity to discuss and lay open the agreement This document is too important to the safety of the USA to let it languish unseen by the American public.

- "I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent."(Psalm 132: 18) 

 

	On Capitol Hill This Week: Vol. XIX, No. 26b

DOMESTIC ISSUES

1. LIBYA: "MULTIPLE PLEAS" WERE MADE BY U.S. SECURITY TEAM
2. LIBYA: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?
3. U.S. EMBASSY SECURITY OFFICIAL KILLED IN YEMEN
4. OBAMA NOT BEHIND OSAMA RAID
5. PANETTA: HACKERS ACCESSED CONTROLS FOR CRITICAL U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE
6. U.S. LAWMAKERS SEEK TO BLOCK CHINA'S HUAWEI TELECOM
7. KEEPING OUR U.S. MILITARY TRAINING STRONG
8. OBAMA ADVISOR: "WE NEED DEATH PANELS"
9. OBAMA DEFENDS DEATH PANELS DURING DEBATES
10. SPARKS FLY AS BIDEN, RYAN FACE OFF IN FEISTY V.P. DEBATE
11. FAITH GROUPS FACT-CHECK V.P. DEBATE
12. A COMMENTARY ON THIS DEBATE
13. NEW E.O. ALLOWS SEIZURE OF AMERICANS' BANK ACCOUNTS

1. LIBYA: "MULTIPLE PLEAS" WERE MADE BY U.S. SECURITY

The former head of a Special Forces "Site Security Team" in Libya tells CBS News that in spite of multiple pleas from himself and other U.S. security officials on the ground for "more, not less" security personnel, the State Department removed as many as 34 people from the country in the six months before a terrorist attack in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

Lt. Col. Andy Wood will appear this week at a House Oversight Committee hearing that will examine security decisions leading up to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi. Wood headed a site security team in Libya. He is among three witnesses who will speak at Wednesday's hearing. (CBS News) Read more.
- Pray that the full truth of the Benghazi security failure that led to the death of Ambassador Stevens is brought to light and that all necessary steps are taken to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again.

- "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:23-24 KJV)

2. LIBYA: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?

This past week's congressional hearing on the September 11, 2012 attacks across the Middle East, that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans in Benghazi, have destroyed the Obama administration's lies about the event. There was not enough security in Benghazi, despite repeated requests; there was no preparation for the attacks, despite intelligence and warning signs; and the assault in Libya had nothing to do with an anti-Islamic video, as President Barack Obama and his appointees had claimed for weeks.

The State Department claimed not to have linked the Libya attack to an anti-Islamic video made in the United States--although Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did so in television advertisements the State Department produced for Pakistani television, and UN Ambassador Susan Rice told the media over and over again that the attacks had been part of a spontaneous demonstration of outrage across the region. Numerous requests for additional security in Benghazi had been ignored by the diplomats at Foggy Bottom.

The White House, meanwhile, finally discarded the "video" narrative to which it had clung for weeks, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary--but not before the filmmaker had been arrested in the dead of night at his home on the pretext of a parole violation, and not before Obama devoted the bulk of his September address to the United Nations to condemning the video and defamation of Islam and the cult leader and founder of Islam, Mohammad. The entire cover-up is falling apart! (Breitbart) Read more.

- Thank You Lord for exposing the lies that have been advanced so irresponsibly to the American public by this current administration. Truth is so important for our democracy to survive the onslaught of tyranny in all its forms. Heavenly Father, we ask that You reveal the hidden agenda of the enemies of our republic so that they may be dealt with openly and with righteous judgment.

- "The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace." (Proverbs 13:5)

3. ANOTHER ATTACK: U.S. EMBASSY SECURITY OFFICIAL KILLED IN YEMEN

Masked gunmen have attacked and killed a security official at the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, Reuters reported early this morning. The official, Qassem Aqlan, was a Yemeni who led a security team at the U.S. diplomatic mission. He was attacked in his car by assassins on a motorcycle in the city center.

The attack came just hours after Americans began to learn the full extent of security failures at U.S. diplomatic missions in Libya prior to the deadly terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi last month.

Officials on the ground had asked the State Department for increased security, but their requests were denied or ignored by a bureaucracy that still insists it had the correct number of "assets" in place. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Ambassador Susan Rice all claimed the attacks had been the result of outrage at an anti-Islam video-not premeditated terror attacks against weak defenses. (Breitbart)
- Holy Father, only You can protect our embassies around the world from attacks by these bloodthirsty assassins. We pray that the State Department will reconsider this life and death situation and call for increased security so there will be no more bloodshed at these embassies. You are full of power by the Spirit of the Lord to protect these people, and to block any further planned attack by Your mighty hand. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

- "Come and see the works of God: He is terrible in His doing toward the children of men. He rules by His power forever; His eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves." (Psalm 66:5,7)

4. OBAMA NOT BEHIND OSAMA RAID

The decision to raid Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan and kill him was made without Obama - and actually was kept from him until after the helicopters already were in Pakistani airspace - according to a new report from a retired major general who cites a senior intelligence source. The raid was handled by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Director of Central Intelligence Leon Panetta and others in this way because Obama had vetoed multiple earlier opportunities to attack the man behind the 9/11 terror attacks, the report said.

The report comes from U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely, who retired in 1993 as deputy commanding general, Pacific Command, and has served as a senior military analyst for Fox News. He is now chairman of Stand Up America, which calls itself the standard bearer for the conservancy of the U.S. Constitution.

The source said Obama was notified "at the golf course . . . which is why he was sitting in the strange sitting position in the picture that documented the White House operations room event."
The source told Stand Up America that Panetta "was the key player who organized and supported this daring raid." The source explained the White House "was closed out of the decision because the president, through Valerie Jarrett, had turned down two or three other earlier proposals." (WorldNetDaily) Read more.

- Heavenly Father we thank you that the truth about this raid is being brought forward and exposing those who were against this heroic act of justice. We thank you that the facts are coming forth so as to expose those who were not acting on behalf of the thousands that had lost their lives in the 911 attack. Thank you for exposing Valery Jarrett and Barrack Hussein Obama by way of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely.

- "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish." (Proverbs 19:9)

5. PANETTA: HACKERS ACCESSED CONTROLS FOR CRITICAL U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE

In a blunt admission designed to prod action, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Thursday night told business executives there has been a sudden escalation of cyber terrorism and that attackers have managed to gain access to control systems for critical infrastructure. In a speech in New York City, Panetta said the recent activities have raised concerns inside the U.S. intelligence community that cyber terrorism might be combined with other attacks to create massive panic and destruction on par with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"These attacks mark a significant escalation of the cyber threat. And they have renewed concerns about still more destructive scenarios that could unfold," he said. "For example, we know that foreign cyber actors are probing America's critical infrastructure networks.

"They are targeting the computer control systems that operate chemical, electricity and water plants, and those that guide transportation throughout the country," he added. "We know of specific instances where intruders have successfully gained access to these control systems. We also know they are seeking to create advanced tools to attack these systems and cause panic, destruction, and even the loss of life."
"The most destructive scenarios involve cyber actors launching several attacks on our critical infrastructure at once, in combination with a physical attack on our country," he added. "Attackers could also seek to disable or degrade critical military systems and communications networks." (Washington Guardian) Read more.

- Heavenly Father, please protect us from the hands of those who would attempt to destroy peace and harmony among the nations through cyber attacks that bring destruction upon the innocent. Expose every attempt at corruption through cyber warfare. Give wisdom to those entrusted with the job of protecting our cyber infrastructure from harm.

- "He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail." (1 Samuel 2:9)

6. U.S. LAWMAKERS SEEK TO BLOCK CHINA'S HUAWEI TELECOM

U.S. telecommunications operators should not do business with China's top telecom gear makers because potential Chinese state influence on the companies poses a security threat, the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said in a report on Monday.

The report follows an 11-month investigation by the committee into Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp. The companies have been fighting an uphill battle to overcome U.S. lawmakers' suspicions and expand in the United States after becoming key players in the worldwide market.

The House Intelligence Committee's concerns are bound to set back the companies' U.S. prospects and may also lead to strains in ties between the United States and China, the world's two biggest economies. Huawei has marketed its network equipment in the United States since last year. It has sold to a range of small- to medium-sized carriers nationwide, particularly in rural areas. It has marketed mobile phones through a broader range of U.S. carriers for the last four years. (Reporting By Jim Wolf; editing by John Wallace for Reuters, Intelligence Committee - U.S. House) Read more.

-Pray that any agreements with other nations be met the with integrity of both nations. Pray that full disclosures are made with each nation and corporation regarding issues of national security. Give thanks for the discoveries that have been made regarding communication insecurity thus far.

- "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37)

7. KEEPING OUR U.S. MILITARY TRAINING STRONG

Brigadier General John Adams (Ret.) recently argued that we don't go into war with the army we have, "we really go to war with the army we decided to have 30 years ago." This idea is especially relevant today, considering the effects that sequestration will have on the U.S. Armed Forces in the future.

At a recent House Armed Services Committee Hearing, Pentagon Comptroller Robert F. Hale and other military officials discussed the Office of Management and Budget Sequestration Report. They made clear that if sequestration is enacted on January 2, 2013, the military will be forced into a dangerously decreased state of readiness. Excluding military personnel, sequestration will cut defense across the board by 9.4 percent. These cuts will be made indiscriminately and without attention to strategy, affecting everything from weapons modernization to research and development, procurement, maintenance, and overseas contingency operations.

Each of the men testifying at the hearing echoed the same sentiment, that support of forward-deployed troops would remain their top priority. However, as Hale explained, to reduce the cuts to wartime operating budgets (which are subject to the 9.4 percent cut under sequestration), "that will mean greater cuts in the base budget portion, especially of the operation and maintenance accounts . . . and that will result in reductions in training." Admiral Mark Ferguson said that "nondeployed forces will see a disproportionate share of reductions under sequestration." Cutting the budget for training will have a direct effect on America's servicemen and women. (Bianca Falcone for Heritage.org) Read more.

- Pray for wisdom for those who make military supply decisions. Our Lord knows what we have need of in the future, so let us pray that He would instill His counsel as our military strategists consider future procurement needs.

- "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:8)

8. OBAMA ADVISOR: "WE NEED DEATH PANELS"

A top Democrat strategist and donor who served as President Obama's lead auto-industry adviser recently conceded that the rationing of heath services under Obamacare is "inevitable." Steven Rattner advocated that such rationing should target elderly patients, while stating, "We need death panels." Rattner serves on the board the New America Foundation, or NAF, a George Soros-funded think tank that was instrumental in supporting Obamacare in 2010. Soros' son, financier Jonathan Soros, is also a member of the foundation's board.

Rattner was the so-called "car czar," the lead auto adviser to the Treasury Department under Obama. Last month, Rattner penned an opinion piece in the New York Times titled "Beyond Obamacare" in which he proclaimed "We need death panels" and argued rationing must be instructed to sustain Obama's health-care plan. His comments have been virtually ignored by traditional media as the president campaign's for a second term. (World Net Daily) Read more.

- Holy Father, deliver this nation from those who would attempt to dishonor Your Word by seeking early deaths for our nation's senior citizens through promotion of death panels. This is so strange to our way of life. It flies in the face of our system of honoring life that You have created.

- "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 3:11)

9. OBAMA DEFENDS DEATH PANELS DURING DEBATES

During the first presidential debate, Mitt Romney said the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), also known as a "death panel," was one of the reasons he would repeal Obamacare. And Obama continued to defend his controversial death panels.

"It puts in place an unelected board that's going to tell people, ultimately, what kind of treatments they can have," Romney said. "I don't like that idea."

"It - when Governor Romney talks about this board, for example - unelected board that we've created - what this is, is a group of health care experts, doctors, et cetera, to figure out how can we reduce the cost of care in the system overall, " Obama said. (Breitbart) Read more.

- We pray that You will lift Your righteous hand against the devourers of life and remove them from any leadership in this land given by Your grace and mercy. The devourers are strangers in a blessed land and have no place in this society made by a loving creator - the One who is the giver of life.

- "So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." (Malachi 3:16)

10. SPARKS FLY AS BIDEN, RYAN FACE OFF IN FEISTY V.P. DEBATE

Biden made the patently false and outrageous claim that no one in the Obama administration knew that requests for extra security had been made by our Libyan ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and other members of our consulate in Benghazi. To emphasize his lie, Biden actually said it twice. The claim is absolutely false. So false in fact, that his pals at MSNBC called him out on it.

Biden's demeanor was the story of the evening: smirking, laughing, snorting, shaking his head. The strategy seems to have been to laugh off America's problems, since the Obama administration has done nothing to solve them. Obama's campaign manager, Jim Messina, claimed that Biden was "a happy warrior." Biden may have been trying to compensate for Obama's perceived passivity in last week's debate. He may also have been trying to cover gaps in his own argument--he referred to Obama by name only once, and told several untruths when pressed on the Obama administration's record. But Biden's interjections and body language left a lasting impression with voters. (Breitbart)

- Father, we thank You for this Vice-presidential debate last night, and the two very obvious demeanor of both men. One of them is serious and respectful and attempting to "stay on point" concerning the issues; and the other mocking and demeaning and disrespectful, and obviously trying to avoid the issues. Their body language speaks volumes. We pray for wisdom for the electorate, as we all vote November 6th. Amen.

- Father, we thank You for this Vice-presidential debate last night, and the two very obvious demeanor of both men. One of them is serious and respectful and attempting to "stay on point" concerning the issues; and the other mocking and demeaning and disrespectful, and obviously trying to avoid the issues. Their body language speaks volumes. We pray for wisdom for the electorate, as we all vote November 6th. Amen.

- "If a wise man contends with a foolish man, the fool only rages or laughs, and there is no peace." (Proverbs 29:9)

11. FAITH GROUPS FACT-CHECK V.P. DEBATE

Several faith-based organizations today took Vice President Joe Biden to task for erroneously claiming during Thursday night's debate with Congressman Paul Ryan that a new rule forcing almost all religious groups to provide insurance that covers contraceptives and possible abortifacient drugs does not affect Catholic hospitals.

"With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear: No religious institution - Catholic or otherwise . . . has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide," said Biden, who is Catholic. "That is a fact. That is a fact."

As a matter of fact, said the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, it's not a fact. Under the rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), churches are the only religious groups completely exempt from the mandate. Most others have until August 2013 to find a way to comply.

There are now 35 lawsuits under way from non-exempt religious institutions - including hospitals, colleges and universities, and religious owners of secular businesses - who say the mandate violates their First Amendment rights to freedom of religion. (CitizenLink) Read more.

- O God, there is the good and the bad in this world and we pray the hand of the Lord be upon the churches and religious organizations to be completely severed out of this horrible law to provide insurance that covers contraceptive and abortive drugs. We call for the power of God to bring deliverance and protection to all our churches who stand for godliness in our nation. In the Name of Jesus we pray, amen.

- "God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the heathen: God sits upon the throne of His holiness." (Psalm 47:5-8)

12. A COMMENTARY ON THIS DEBATE

CHRIS WALLACE: I'VE NEVER SEEN A CANDIDATE MORE DISRESPECTFUL AS BIDEN IN A DEBATE

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace hammered Vice President Joe Biden's excessive smiling and laughing during the debate, saying that he's never seen anyone be so disrespectful in a presidential or vice presidential debate.

And Wallace said that he'd seen most of them - all but the first four in 1960. He called his demeanor "unprecedented . . . I don't believe I've ever seen a debate in which one participant was as openly disrespectful of the other as Biden was to Paul Ryan tonight," Wallace said. "It was openly contemptuous and disrespectful." (Fox News, Business Insider) Read more.

- Father, give our national leaders a respect for one another's person even if that person has opposite understandings of an issue. We ask You to help these candidates show reverence for Your Word and insight into how You would direct their thinking on matters of national and more importantly, spiritual importance.

- "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself." (Philippians 2:3)

13. NEW E.O. ALLOWS SEIZURE OF AMERICANS' BANK ACCOUNTS

The latest executive order (EO) emanating from the White House October 9 now claims the power to freeze all bank accounts and stop any related financial transactions that a "sanctioned person" may own or try to perform - all in the name of "Iran Sanctions."

Titled an "Executive Order from the President regarding Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions" the order says that if an individual is declared by the president, the secretary of state, or the secretary of the treasury to be a "sanctioned person," he (or she) will be unable to obtain access to his accounts, will be unable to process any loans (or make them), or move them to any other financial institution inside or outside the United States. In other words, his financial resources will have successfully been completely frozen. The EO expands its authority by making him unable to use any third party such as "a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, subgroup or other organization" that might wish to help him or allow him to obtain access to his funds.

And if the individual so "sanctioned" decides that the ruling is unfair, he isn't allowed to sue. In two words, the individual has successfully been robbed blind. (The New American) Read more.

- My God in heaven, we call for the mighty angels from heaven to be dispatched to hold back the activation of this Executive Order and continue to bind it under the power of God's hand that it never be loosed to impose such a devastating sanction on American's bank accounts. Break the backs of those in control of such dastardly orders. Lord God, prevent the evil powers over our nation from destroying America. Save us, Lord, save us from this extreme evil. By the power and blood of Jesus and in His Name we pray.

- "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. But God shall wound the head of His enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goes on still in his trespasses." (Psalm 68:17,20-21)

	In Memoriam: Senator Arlen Spectre

Former Senator Arlen Specter Dies at Age 82

Arlen Specter, the former senator from Pennsylvania who stunned both parties on Capitol Hill in 2009 when he announced he would switch his party allegiance to Democrat after 42 years as a Republican, has died. He was 82.

Specter died at his Philadelphia home from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
In his three decades -- five terms -- in the Senate, Specter was a formidable presence on Capitol Hill, chairing three committees during his Senate career: the Intelligence, Judiciary, and Veterans Affairs committees. (ABC News) Read more.
- We ask prayer that the God of all Comfort would comfort the family of Arlen Specter. May each one find peace in the knowledge of the Holy One of Israel. In His Name we pray, amen.
- "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

	ELECTION DAY PRAYER CALL

ANNOUNCING:

24 HOURS OF PRAYER ON ELECTION DAY!

Capitol Hill Prayer Partners to Host 24 Hours of Prayer on Election Day!
On Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, CHPP will host an ongoing Conference Call for 24 hours. . . Our conference line will open at 6:00 a.m. Eastern (When the polls open on the East Coast) and will be maintained through the end of the voting, the recounts and all events following until 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 7th.
Our call will be divided into 24 "watch" periods, with a different leader each hour, and specific topics over which we may intercede. We will invite leaders from many other ministries to join us in anchoring these hour-by- hour calls.
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW, AND PLAN TO JOIN US FOR ANY OR ALL OF OUR 24 HOURS OF NONPARTISAN, "KINGDOM PRAYERS" FOR OUR NATION ON ELECTION DAY!

More details about this call-a-thon will follow in coming weeks. Thank you!  

	This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .

This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .

GOD OF MY PRAISE
(Eh-lo-hay T'hee-lah-tee)

"Do not keep silent, O God of my praise." (Psalm 109:1)

O God, how I praise You for the answers that You give to my prayers. Sometimes, yes, there is silence and I want to ask why. At these times, help me to hang onto Your every promise, and help me believe in my heart that You will never leave me. You will never forsake me, and You will answer my prayers. I will wait on You, O God of my praise. Amen.

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High." (Psalm 7:17)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)