Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 5a February 11 - 15, 2013
INTERNATIONAL ISSUE
"Lord, teach us to pray . . ." (Luke 11:1)
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News from Israel
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News from Israel
- UN REPORT ON ISRAEL EXEMPLIFIES BIASED APPROACH THAT HINDERS PEACE
- IDF FOILS CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PALESTINIAN OUTPOST
- RD IRON DOME BATTERY DEPLOYED IN NORTH
- ISRAEL AIR FORCE NOW HOLDS KEY TO FATE OF DAMASCUS, ASSAD REGIME
- BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT: HEZBOLLAH INVOLVED IN BURGAS ATTACK
- PM NETANYAHU'S STATEMENT ON BURGAS TERRORIST INVESTIGATION
- IDF ASSISTS IN SAVING LIFE OF PALESTINIAN CHILD
- ISRAEL'S WATER CRISIS IS OVER
- NETANYAHU: OBAMA VISIT EMPHASIZES US-ISRAEL ALLIANCE
1. UN REPORT ON ISRAEL EXEMPLIFIES BIASED APPROACH THAT HINDERS PEACE
[The] UN Watch issued the following comment on the UN Human Rights Council's [HRC] latest report on alleged Israeli violations: "UN Watch is astonished by the commission's failure to make even a single reference to our lengthy submission, a 54-page document with 257 footnotes. The UN Watch submission provided essential context that the commissioners inexplicably chose to ignore."
The Council report is categorically one-sided, casting Palestinians as the sole victims of the Arab-Israeli conflict, while denying the slightest consideration to any basic human rights for Israelis. The report disregards the thousands of suicide bombings, knifings, and other terrorist attacks committed by Palestinian Arab groups, failing to acknowledge how this violence brought about Israeli security measures in the territories that did not previously exist.
The reality is that the HRC's fact-finding enterprise is dedicated chiefly to attacking but one country: Israel. In the entire history of the HRC, there have been seven one-sided inquiry missions on Israel, and only five on the rest of the world combined. Mass atrocities committed by Iran, China, or Sri Lanka, for example, have never been subjected to a single HRC inquiry.
Today's report exemplifies and only further entrenches the Council's biased and disproportionate focus on Israel. Whatever one's position on settlements, the report does nothing to promote a just and lasting peace.
Source (By the UN Watch, February 1, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that the United Nations will no longer tolerate or produce biased reports against any nation, and in particular, Israel. Pray that God will not allow United Nation's actions to harm the State of Israel.
- I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. (Psalm 57:2)
2. IDF FOILS CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PALESTINIAN OUTPOST
Some 20-30 Palestinian and foreign activists tried to construct a new Palestinian outpost overnight, south of Mount Hebron in the West Bank. However, IDF troops arrived at the scene and confiscated their equipment, the activists reported. The troops took down the only tent the activists had managed to set up and stopped them from any further activities in the area.
The IDF confirmed that some 20 Palestinians tried to build an illegal outpost Friday night in south Mount Hebron, and that "Soldiers who arrived at the scene evicted the people in the outpost. The hill on which the outpost was set up was declared a closed military zone."
Activist Younis Araar said: "We came here to build a Palestinian village upon Palestinian land, and to freely use our land in the way we want as Palestinians have rights and own this land." Last week, clashes erupted near the village of Burin, south of Nablus, after a group of Palestinians activists erected a new outpost named Al-Manatir in the area. Palestinian outposts that were formed last month, Bab al-Shams in E1 and Bab al-Karama near Beit Iksa north of Jerusalem, were evacuated within a few days by the IDF.
According to activists, the Palestinian outposts are constructed as part of their battle against Jewish settlements.
- Abba Father, the aggressive attempts of the Palestinians, which are fueled by the declarations of the UN, incite them to repeatedly try to build and live in places in the West Bank where they should not be. This attempt to establish an outpost was done in an Israeli military zone. Lord, we ask You to extend Your arm and block this aggression, filling them with a mighty fear of You. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all. (Proverbs 28:5) As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His People from this time forth and forever. (Psalm 125:2)
3. 3RD IRON DOME BATTERY DEPLOYED IN NORTH
Against the backdrop of foreign media reports on an Israeli Air Force strike in Syria, a third Iron Dome battery has been deployed in northern Israel. This raises the number of missile-interception systems installed in the north to three. Over the last 10 days, Iron Dome batteries have been deployed in the Upper Galilee area and in greater Haifa as well.
The Iron Dome launchers belonging to the third battery were installed in several points and can defend a number of towns from missiles. The Israel Defense Forces [IDF] Spokesperson's Unit said the deployment is part of the general operational implementation of the Iron Dome system. Nevertheless, the deployment of three fully-operational batteries in northern Israel cannot be considered part of the IDF's routine activity.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd is set to supply the IDF with three additional batteries in the near future. Iron Dome, which has already been lauded as the proverbial hit in the international defense industry, is a mobile all-weather air defense system, meant to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was successfully used during the Pillar of Defense operation [November 2012], showing an 84% interception rate of rockets fired from Gaza.
Source By Yoav Zitun, Ynetnews, February 5, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Thank the Lord for the defense technology that Israel is able to deploy. Pray that God's hand will be apparent and active in the defense of Israel.
- Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4)
4. ISRAEL AIR FORCE NOW HOLDS KEY TO FATE OF DAMASCUS, ASSAD REGIME
debkafile's military sources report that, notwithstanding the bitter fighting, the flow of refugees fleeing Syria has slowed down substantially, as many choose life in war zones over the wretched conditions prevailing in Turkish, Lebanese and Jordanian refugee camps, where rudimentary essentials such as food, clean water, heating and basic medical services are lacking for the hundreds of thousands of dispossessed Syrians. Adding to these horrors, some Syrian families are said to be selling their daughters for food.
Since the Israeli air strike on the Syrian military complex of Jamraya on Jan. 30, Syria's warring sides have been looking over their shoulders to assess Israel's moves before embarking on the next stage of their contest because of two considerations:
1. debkafile's military sources report that when the rebels first looked like breaking through to the heart of Damascus in the early part of their offensive - and so forcing Syrian President Bashar Assad to flee the capital - he ordered his army's 4th Division tanks and short-range surface missiles to be armed with chemical weapons. They were to be used if the city's defenses were breached. This would have made the battle for Damascus the first Syrian war engagement to deploy chemical weapons in combat.
The only military force close enough to prevent this happening and destroying the forces wielding chemical arms was the Israel Air Force. Its intervention would have been critical in giving the rebels victory.
2. Ever since the Jamraya episode, Lebanon military sources report Israel Air Force fighters and surveillance planes are conducting over flights almost every day.
According to our military sources, the Israeli aircraft are densely deployed over Syria's borders with Israel, Jordan and Lebanon, to guard against two eventualities, which the Netanyahu government is bound to preempt:
a) Information has reached US and Israeli intelligence that Bashar Assad has vowed to his close circle that he will make Israel pay for Jumraya.
b) Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has directed the Syrian ruler to make every possible effort to transfer to Hizballah in Lebanon the batch of Iran-supplied sophisticated weapons stored in Syria. This directive was handed to Assad by Iran's National Security Director Saeed Jalilee when they met in Damascus last Sunday, Feb.
In view of these challenges and their potential for an armed clash, Israel is keeping an eagle eye on every twist and turn of Assad's forces in Damascus for any indications of the onset of chemical warfare or traffic on the move toward the Lebanese border with Hizballah's weapons.
- Lord Jesus, Israel's IAF is aware that they are what stands between the plots of Syria, Lebanon and Hizbollah, and safety for Israel as to chemical weapons being used. Lord, we ask You to rise up and confront these plans of Assad and bring all of these plans to naught. We take the stake of the Cross and drive it into the spirits behind this warfare and hatred, in the Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
- Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. (Psalm 9:19-20)
5. BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT: HEZBOLLAH INVOLVED IN BURGAS ATTACK
Bulgaria's interior minister on Tuesday [February 5] blamed the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah for the deadly bomb attack at the Burgas airport last July, in which six people died. Tsvetan Tsvetanov told reporters in Sofia that the findings of an investigation had established that two suspects in the attack were members of the Lebanese terror group. Tsvetanov declared: "There is data showing the financing and connection between Hezbollah and the two suspects."
On 18 July 2012, a bomb ripped through a bus in the coastal resort city of Burgas that was carrying Israeli tourists from the airport to their hotel. The attack was carried out by a bomber who died at the scene, but police and Bulgarian officials said he was backed by a Hezbollah cell that included two suspects traveling on Australian and Canadian passports. The group is believed to have arrived in Black Sea coast town a month before the bombing.
Israel had immediately blamed the attack on Iran and Hezbollah, but both denied any involvement. Hezbollah, which is supported and financed by Tehran and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
On Monday, US officials reiterated Washington's desire for the European Union to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The United States and Israel have accused Iran's elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, of ordering a string of overseas terrorist attacks aimed at American and Israeli targets over the past two years, including in India, Thailand and Georgia.
Source (By World Jewish Congress, February 5, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Thank the Lord that Hezbollah was implicated and exposed in the bus attack. Pray for continued healing for those in Bulgaria and in Israel who were directly affected by the attack.
- He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
6. PM NETANYAHU'S STATEMENT ON BURGAS TERRORIST INVESTIGATION
PM Netanyahu: "The attack in Burgas was an attack on European soil against a member country of the EU. We hope that the Europeans draw the necessary conclusions as to the true character of Hezbollah". Prime Minister Netanyahu, issued the following statement in wake of the Bulgarian government's announcement regarding the 18 July 2012 terrorist bombing in Burgas: "I would like to thank the Bulgarian Government for its thorough and professional investigation of the 2012 terrorist attack in Burgas in which six innocent civilians- five Israelis and one Bulgarian - were murdered.
The Bulgarian findings announced today are clear: Hezbollah was directly responsible for the atrocity. There is only one Hezbollah. It is one organization with one leadership. This is yet a further corroboration of what we have already known,that Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons are orchestrating a worldwide campaign of terror that is spanning countries and continents.
The attack in Burgas was an attack on European soil against a member country of the EU. We hope that the Europeans draw the necessary conclusions as to the true character of Hezbollah."
- Heavenly Father, may people within the EU awaken to the truth about the character of Hezbollah as shown by this report on the Burgas' Israeli tourist attack. May they realize the historic patterns being shown here and how sometime in the not too distant future they could easily become the targets. Awaken them, Lord, from their denial and slumber. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:2) It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. (Proverbs 18:5)
7. IDF ASSISTS IN SAVING LIFE OF PALESTINIAN CHILD
An Israel Defense Forces [IDF] medical team was called to assist on Sunday (January 27) in the case of a 13-year-old Palestinian dialysis patient whose condition had escalated to the point where his life was in danger. "We received a call around nine in the morning from the Chief Medical Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division informing us that there was a boy hospitalized in the Jenin hospital in need of further intensive care," said Lt. Abed Rabah, Medical Officer of the Menashe Regional Brigade in the Judea and Samaria Division.
The Division Medical Officer was contacted when the child's condition escalated after he had been anesthetized and attached to a breathing tube, which resulted in pulmonary edema-fluid accumulation in the air spaces of the lungs. The IDF decided to transfer him to the Rambam Healthcare Campus in Haifa, whose Meyer Children's Hospital specializes in Pediatric Nephrology Dialysis.
The boy arrived safely at the Haifa healthcare facility, where doctors helped him regain his breathing. He is now being treated in the hospital's Pediatric ICU, where he is in stable condition.
Lt. Rabah pointed out that the IDF frequently responds to medical requests from the Judea and Samaria region and underscored the importance of the IDF's ongoing role in carrying out this duty. "The Muslim boy was taken care of by a Jewish paramedic [and] a Druze medical officer and was transported in an ambulance driven by a Christian soldier," Lt. Rabah noted.
Source (By Yair Barzilai, Israel Defense Forces, February 3, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Thank God for the willingness of Israel's defense force to save lives no matter who they are. Pray for peace and healing between Israel and the Arabs of the land.
- O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God! ( Psalm 68:35)
8. ISRAEL'S WATER CRISIS IS OVER
After seven dry years that sent Israel into somewhat of a water austerity regimen, the Water Authority announced last week that it was lifting the "severe drought" advisory issued for the water market several years ago. "The water crisis is over," said Water Authority Head Alexander Kushner, adding that while the water market is stable, Israelis should not become complacent.
According to the Water Authority, while the heavy rains of late were a blessed addition to Lake Kinneret [Sea of Galilee]-Israel's main source of freshwater-it is the fast-growing desalination and water reclamation industry that is responsible for bringing Israel back from the brink.
According to Kushner, that is also the reason why water prices have not been decreased. Desalination and water reclamation, he told Yedioth Aharonoth, "Is an expensive endeavor." Other than the high costs of the process itself, the State's contracts vis-Ã -vis the desalination facilities stipulate that they will be paid on a regular basis, even when there is a rainwater surplus that the water market can hypothetically rely on.
The head of the Water Authority stressed that despite the water market's good state, the public still has to avoid wasting water. "The basic water conservation rules, like not watering gardens indiscriminately, washing cars with hoses etcetera, still apply - and over the past few years, we've seen the public adopt them. The average household water consumption has decreased by 10% compared to the previous decade. "
Source (By Amir Ben David, Ynetnews, February 4, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Praise God and thank Him for the tremendous blessing of rain and water. Pray that the rains of the winter will continue to fill up the State's water supply.
- He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. ( Psalm 147:18)
9. NETANYAHU: OBAMA VISIT EMPHASIZES US-ISRAEL ALLIANCE
The upcoming visit to Israel by U.S. President Barack Obama was first on the list of items mentioned by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the opening of the weekly Sunday morning Cabinet meeting, "I welcome President Obama's intention to visit Israel," he said, and stated that the visit is very important and will "emphasize the strong alliance between Israel and the U.S."
"I think that the importance of this alliance stands out even more given what is happening, in light of the great revolutions, the earthquakes that are taking place around us throughout the Middle East, from the Atlantic Ocean and North Africa and eastwards to Iran," Netanyahu said. "The President and I have discussed this visit."
"We agreed that we will discuss three main subjects: Iran's arming itself, Iran's attempt to arm itself with nuclear weapons, the unstable situation in Syria and its consequences for the security of the region and, of course, for Israel and the U.S., and efforts to advance the peace process between us and the Palestinians. These issues and others that will come up are weighty concerns and require the most serious consideration on Israel's part," the prime minister continued. He reiterated, as he had a week earlier, that the nature of the challenge facing the nation was such that it requires as broad a coaltion government as possible, in order to ensure a unified stance when dealing with the struggles ahead.
"I also believe that they require as broad a national unity as possible; the harnessing of all forces in the State of Israel, and this is the nature of our efforts at this time to form a government," Netanyahu said. (Ynet News)
- May God wrap His arms around Israel and send an angel to stand beside P.M. Netanyahu, that he may continually to discern the heart and motives of Mr. Obama. May Israel's Prime Minister never agree with any enemy for peace, especially when the cost of peace is giving up Israeli land for peace. In Jesus' Name.
- "For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." (Luke 21:15)
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More International News
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More International News
- EGYPT'S GOVERNMENT NEARING END OF THE ROAD
- IRAN'S ALI KHAMENEI SHUTS DOOR ON NUCLEAR TALKS WITH U.S.
- U.S. TREASURY ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN
- FIGHTING IN DAMASCUS AREA: "FIERCEST SHELLING IN MONTHS"
- RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS "BREACH JAPAN AIRSPACE"
- JAPAN PREPARING "WORST CASE SCENARIO" FOR N.K. NUKE TEST
- MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU
- GLOBAL MONETARY SYSTEM HEADED FOR COLLAPSE
- AHMADINEJAD AND MORSI COME FACE-TO-FACE IN CAIRO
1. EGYPT'S GOVERNMENT NEARING END OF THE ROAD
Former Egyptian prime minister and air force pilot Ahmed Shafik, who ended his career amid corruption allegations and fled to the Gulf, is confident that with Egypt in turmoil seven months into its experiment with Islamist rule, its often-reviled political old guard will eventually be seen by Egyptians, and by Washington, in a more kindly light.
"Egyptians reject the current regime," said the last prime minister of Hosni Mubarak, the president who was ousted in 2011 after three decades in power. "They do not reject the regime from nothing, they reject it as a result of the actions that have taken place over the last seven months . . . It has not been a success." (YnetNews)
- Offer praise for the insights revealed by Egypt's former prime minister. Ask that this movement of unrest against the current Islamic government grow until an overthrow can be seen. Thank the Lord that He promises to restore what the locust has eaten and agree in prayer with the saints in Egypt that this Word will come true for them. Praise God!
- "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you." (Joel 2:25)
2. IRAN'S ALI KHAMENEI SHUTS DOOR ON NUCLEAR TALKS WITH U.S.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned down the US offer of one-on-one talks on its nuclear program Thursday, Feb. 7, just 24 hours after US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that due to budgetary constraints, the US could only keep one, not two, US aircraft carrier strike groups in the Persian Gulf, and had cancelled the departure of a second carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman.
The ayatollah in a speech posted on his web site accused the US of proposing talks while "pointing a gun at Iran."
On Saturday, US Vice-President Joe Biden suggested direct talks - separate from the wider international discussions scheduled for Feb. 26 in Kazakhstan between th e five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. No previous negotiations in this format over the years have ever produced a breakthrough.
Biden said Washington was prepared for direct talks with Iran "when the Iranian leadership, supreme leader, is serious". "That offer stands," he said later, "but it must be real and tangible and there has to be an agenda that they are prepared to speak to. We are not just prepared to do it for the exercise," he said. (DEBKAfile, February 07, 2013)
- Once again, Iran's leadership is showing itself to be resistant to the wooing of the Spirit of the Most High God -- the wooing that would draw them into peace and away from insanity. Stand in the gap for the people of Iran as they continue to live under this hand of tyranny, and pray for supernatural protection for believers on the land. Pray!
- "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
3. U.S. TREASURY ANNOUNCES SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN
The United States is taking a number of actions today that tighten sanctions on Iran's access to its oil revenues and further expose the Iranian government's continued abuse of human rights. Key provisions of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (TRA) that go into effect today, expand the scope of sanctionable transactions with the Central Bank of Iran and designated Iranian financial institutions by restricting Iran's ability to use oil revenue held in foreign financial institutions as well as preventing repatriation of those funds to Iran. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the U.S. Department of State, also designated one individual and four entities for their involvement in the Iranian government's censorship activities. These censorship activities restrict the free flow of information in Iran and punish Iranian citizens who are attempting to exercise freedom of assembly and expression.
"Our policy is clear - so long as Iran continues to fail to address the concerns of the international community about its nuclear program, the U.S. will impose tighter sanctions and intensify the economic pressure against the Iranian regime," said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "We will also target those in Iran who are responsible for human right abuses, especially those who deny the Iranian people their basic freedoms of expression, assembly and speech." (U.S. Department of the Treasury, February 06, 2013)
- While we honor our nation for imposing tougher sanctions against Iran in light of its continued development of nuclear weapons, we grieve for the citizens of that vast nation who might be harmed in doing so. Once again, take up the two-edged Sword of the Lord, asking justice for the wicked, and mercy for the righteous, in His Name, amen.
- "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
4. FIGHTING IN DAMASCUS AREA: "FIERCEST SHELLING IN MONTHS"
Syrian government jets bombarded the Damascus ring road on Thursday in a bid to halt a rebel advance which threatens President Bashar Assad's hold on the capital, insurgent commanders and opposition activists said.
Warplanes fired rockets at southern parts of the route where rebels have spent the past 36 hours overrunning army positions and road blocks encircling the heart of the city, the site of key state security and intelligence installations.
Opposition sources said the fighting has spilled over into central Damascus, and the Al-Arabiya network reported of fierce battles in the area. At least 109 people, including 12 women and eight children, were killed throughout Syria on Thursday, many of them in the Damascus area.
The Free Syrian Army announced in the evening that it had seized control of Thalatheen Street, a main Damascus thoroughfare straddling the southern rebel-held district of Hajar al-Aswad. The street is located near the Palestinian refugee camp Al-Yarmouk. (Ynet News)
- Once again, we pray tonight for Syria. This situation is so complex; and there are no clear winners or losers here. Given that fact, however, Scripture is clear that, in God's timing, Damascus itself is headed for disaster, as it is prophesied to become a "ruinous heap." (Isaiah 17:1) Pray in the Spirit over all matters related to the nation of Syria and ask our Lord to provide His supernatural protection for all believers on the land. Pray!
- "Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:27)
5. RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS "BREACH JAPAN AIRSPACE"
Two Russian fighter jets have violated Japanese airspace, prompting Tokyo to scramble its own aircraft, reports say. Japan lodged a protest after the planes were detected off the northern island of Hokkaido for just over a minute. The incident happened after Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said he was seeking a solution to a territorial dispute with Russia over a Pacific island chain. Russia's military denied the incursion, saying the jets were making routine flights near the disputed islands. Mr Abe was speaking on the anniversary of an 1855 treaty which Japan says supports its claims to the islands. The four islands - which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories - are the subject of a 60-year-old dispute. Because of the dispute, the two nations have not yet signed a peace treaty to end World War II. (BBC)
- Clearly, it is time to end World War II! Ask our Lord to intervene in this dispute by the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, who can resolve any disputes. Pray for a lessening of the tension between these two nations (see below) and for peace to prevail in this region of the world. Amen.
- "There is . . . there is a time for war and a time for peace . . ." (Eccl. 3:8)
6. JAPAN PREPARING "WORST CASE SCENARIO" FOR N.K. NUKE TEST
Japan's government is indicating it is preparing for all contingencies that would result from North Korea conducting a third nuclear test. Japan's top government spokesman has told VOA the international community is making full preparations for another threatened North Korean nuclear test.
South Korea has warned the North it faces 'grave consequences' if it goes ahead with another nuclear test. Seoul has not explained what measures it might take, but some observers say South Korea may punish the North with some kind of military action.
In a VOA interview, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, was asked how Japan views the possibility of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula flaring into open conflict. Suga said the government's job is to always protect its people's lives and assets, and Japan is doing its best in that regard. He said Tokyo 'will deal with the worst case scenario the Japanese people might face.' He did not elaborate . . . (Voice of America)
- Japan has been through a natural disaster (earthquake and tsunami) that has greatly weakened her, and now she faces this new threat. Is our Lord trying to get her attention? The Japanese have traditionally been quite stoic, and determined to handle life by themselves, not needing any higher power, or God, to help them. Perhaps this time has now come to an end.
Lift up the leadership of our ally, Japan, in the face of the nuclear threats being made by her neighbor, North Korea. May they turn their hearts towards heaven, and ask the help of the One who is the source of all wisdom and protection . . . if we but ask. Pray for a yielding of the hearts of Japan's leadership and her people to the truth that will set them free. Pray!
- "The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me."
(Psalm 116:6)
7. MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU
Mexican drug cartels have, through savvy business and brute force, built an empire south of the U.S. border that Mexican police and the country's military are seemingly incapable of bringing down. Despite dedicating vast law and military resources to stopping cartel violence and having billions of dollars of American aid money at their disposal, Mexican officials continue to be bested by cartels in the country. And unless something changes, the United States could be battling the cartels on a similar scale domestically, as the drug-pushing criminal entities continue to gain power throughout the United States. (Personal Liberty)
- Pray for our law enforcement agencies, as well as those in Mexico, that they be granted "wisdom from above" in fighting these cartels. The power of Almighty God is much, much greater than that of these vile criminals. May we repent of our own wicked ways, and turn to the One who has All Power, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- crying out for help. If we ask, He WILL answer! Amen!
- "Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets." (Psalm 55:9-11)
8. GLOBAL MONETARY SYSTEM HEADED FOR COLLAPSE
The world already has entered a currency war that began in 2010 on the heels of the Federal Reserve's massive easing program, he tells Wall Street Journal Digital Network. Since then, plenty of nations have joined in, including Brazil, Switzerland and Japan, says Rickards, author of "Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crises." "All major central banks are easing," he says. "Eventually so much money will be printed that this will lead to inflation. The endgame is collapse of the international monetary system - sometime sooner than later." (World Net Money News)
- When we read about a scenario that is this far-reaching, all-encompassing, and all-demolishing, we rest, knowing that our God is much greater than any wicked plan of man. Repent for our own greed as a nation, and for our own selfishness too; then trust the LORD to carry you through whatever lies ahead. In His Name, amen.
- "Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7)
9. AHMADINEJAD AND MORSI COME FACE-TO-FACE IN CAIRO
For first time since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Egyptian president receives Iranian counterpart
Ahmadinejad in Cairo for first visit by Iranian leader since ties cut after Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel; seeks to discuss regional developments, advance diplomatic ties. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad landed in Egypt on Tuesday marking the first visit by an Iranian leader since ties between Cairo and Tehran were cut over three decades ago. Relations between Iran and Egypt were severed following the Islamic Revolution and the rise of the Iranian ayatollahs in 1979, which was also the year Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel.
Morsi greeted Ahmadinejad on the tarmac at the airport in an official ceremony. The Egyptian president received his Iranian counterpart with hugs and kisses, walking beside him on a red carpet while the national guard stood at attention. Both countries' anthems played in the background. Ahmadinejad was expected to discuss several regional developments with Morsi, as well as advancing diplomatic ties between the two nations. (Israel Hayom)
- It is HIGHLY signifcant that Ahmadinejad, from a SHIITE nation of Muslims, is going to visit and build relationship with Morsi, from a SUNNI nation of Muslims. They are like the IRON and CLAY of Daniel 2, the Sunnis and the Shiites usually do NOT mix. Keep a watchful eye on this developing news in the days ahead. The end times are now unfolding, right before our eyes!
- "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them." (Luke 12:37)
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Recommended Reading
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Recommended Reading:
Hebrew Nation News
This week's edition of Hebrew Nation News provides valuable insights on the "news behind the news" that we highly recommend you study. Please note, in particular, their article about Obama's visit to Israel, just before Passover . . .
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ALERT: WASHINGTON, D.C.
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ALERT: WASHINGTON, D.C.
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS IS ON TUESDAY NIGHT, FEB. 12
Obama girds for State of the Union address. His Republican opponents are too.
It's unlikely that anybody will shout "You lie!" at President Obama as he delivers his State of the Union speech this week (unless it's at home in front of the TV). Rep. Joe Wilson (R) of South Carolina had to apologize and he was formally reprimanded by the House of Representatives when he did that during a joint session of Congress the President was addressing in 2009.
But Mr. Obama will face a tough crowd Tuesday night - at least among Republicans, who still control the House and have filibuster power in the Senate - as he lays out his plans for job creation and economic growth at a time when unemployment remains high.
Based on his comments to fellow Democrats this past week and insider comment, a variety of news sources have begun outlining what Obama will address - noting that it'll be his second major speech since being reelected, the first being an inaugural address in which he challenged lawmakers (and the country) along clearly liberal lines.
"The president will offer proposals for spending on infrastructure, clean energy and education, according to a senior official briefed on the speech," Bloomberg News reported. "He will also stress the agenda laid out in his inauguration address, pushing Congress for action on immigration, gun control, and climate change." (CS Monitor)
- Again, please begin to pray now for the safety and the security of everyone who will be inside the Capitol Building on Tuesday night. These will include: the President; all members of the House and the Senate; all members of the President's cabinet, save one; the nine Justices of the Supreme Court; and the top brass at the Pentagon.
Pray, too, for peace throughout the nation, as we move towards this historic occasion. Thank you.
- "And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)
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Thought for the Week
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Thought for the Week
The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it. -- A.W. Tozer
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 5b
"Covering the News on Capitol Hill from a Biblical Perspective"
DOMESTIC ISSUES
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At the White House
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At the White House
- DHS PURCHASES 21.6 MILLION MORE ROUNDS OF AMMO
- OBAMA ESTABLISHES CIVILIAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCE
- OBAMA GIVES INTERPOL NEW POLICE POWERS INSIDE U.S.
- OBAMA "NOT INVOLVED" DURING BENGHAZI ATTACK
- REPORT:OBAMA'S PICK FOR CIA CHIEF IS A CONVERTED MUSLIM
- OBAMA AIMS TO SHRINK U.S. NUCLEAR ARSENAL
- OBAMA'S DEEP CONTEMPT FOR THE RULE OF LAW
- JUDGE NAPOLITANO: OBAMA DEMANDS UNQUESTIONING ACCEPTANCE OF HIS ABILITY TO KILL
- RETIRED GENERAL JERRY L. BOYKIN: "MARXISM IN AMERICA"
1. DHS PURCHASES 21.6 MILLION MORE ROUNDS OF AMMO
Federal agency has now acquired enough bullets to wage 30 year war
The Department of Homeland Security is set to purchase a further 21.6 million rounds of ammunition to add to the 1.6 billion bullets it has already obtained over the course of the last 10 months alone, figures which have stoked concerns that the federal agency is preparing for civil unrest. . .
An approximation of how many rounds of ammunition the DHS has now secured over the last 10 months stands at around 1.625 billion. To put that in perspective, during the height of active battle operations in Iraq, US soldiers used 5.5 million rounds of ammunition a month. Extrapolating the figures, the DHS has purchased enough bullets over the last 10 months to wage a full scale war for almost 30 years. (Infowars.com)
- God, we pray that You give Americans knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom regarding why our government (Department of Homeland Security) is securing such massive amounts of ammunition - 1.6 billion bullets in the last ten months. We plead the blood of Jesus over all believers nationwide and bring them under a holy covering of angels who will protect us and save us from governmental control. We pray in Jesus' Name, amen.
- "As for these, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and we have understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1:17)
2. OBAMA ESTABLISHES CIVILIAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCE
Four years ago this month-on July 2nd, 2008-Obama delivered a speech in Boulder, Colorado in which he promised the creation and establishment of a "Civilian National Security Force." He further promised it would be "just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded as the US Military."
It is well known amongst dictators, the world over, that a private army is necessary to control the great unwashed masses over which they force their rule.
We have seen Obama steadily assume dictatorial powers over apathetic Americans in just three and a half years. He has all but hushed the people's voice in government, the US Congress, by simply by-passing them and ruling by executive order-just like any other two-bit dictator. Some feel even the US Supreme Court has lost the steel from its collective spine under withering pressure from our budding domestic dictator, Obama.
If one did not know better, one would think there is a move afoot to institute a complete Marxist insurgency in America with Obama at the top-and -at the leading edge. (Canada Free Press)
- Holy Father, we call for the heavenly Lord of Hosts, Lord of the heavenly army, to fight against this "civilian national security force" that has been formed by this government to destroy their opposition. It was formed to destroy liberty, and it is here to destroy the Constitution. God, when You fight the enemies of the righteous, the righteous are protected and win the battle.
God, destroy the enemy of the American people who are believers, patriotic citizens and who desire to live in freedom and liberty under the Constitution, and who hold fast to the truth of the Bible, which is the Word of God. We pray You will block all immigrants who are purposely allowed to come into the United States to be used as this "civilian national security force." Thwart this plan, O God. Scatter and confuse all preparations made to assemble this evil group, and hold it bound by the power of Jesus that it will not succeed. In Jesus' holy Name we pray.
- "For the Lord your God is He that has fought for you. And the Lord your God, He shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of Your sight; and you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God has promised unto you. But stay obedient unto the Lord your God, as you have done unto this day." (Joshua 23:3,5,8)
3. OBAMA GIVES INTERPOL NEW POLICE POWERS INSIDE U.S
A little-discussed executive order from President Obama giving foreign cops new police powers in the United States by exempting them from such drudgery as compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is raising alarm among commentators who say INTERPOL already had most of the same privileges as diplomats.
At David Horowitz's Newsreal, Michael van der Galien said the issue is Obama's expansion of President Ronald Reagan's order from 1983 that originally granted those diplomatic privileges. Reagan's order carried certain exemptions requiring that INTERPOL operations be subject to several U.S. laws such as the Freedom of Information Act. Obama, however, removed those restrictions in his Dec. 16 amendment to Executive Order 12425.
That means, van der Galien wrote, "this foreign law enforcement organization can operate free of an important safeguard against government and abuse. Property and assets, including the organization's records, cannot be searched or seized. Their physical locations are now immune from U.S. legal or investigative authorities," he wrote.
Obama's order said he was removing the Reagan limitations on INTERPOL. (WorldNetDaily)
- Father, we thank You for the wisdom You gave President Reagan, when he wrote this directive placing INTERPOL under our own law whenever it operates within our borders. We ask that You would move to protect our rights now, under the 4th Amendment, to prevent unlawful search and seizure, by nullifying Obama's new order. We now ask You, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to deliver America from these new INTERPOL guidelines. In the Name of Jesus, amen.
- "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:40-42)
4. OBAMA "NOT INVOLVED" DURING BENGHAZI ATTACK
The White House told the public that President Obama was in touch and intently watching the situation in Benghazi, Libya as our Ambassador and three others died. But in sworn testimony this week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that Obama was absent on the evening of September 11, 2012. Panetta told Congress the Commander-in-Chief left everything, including knowledge of what resources were available to help the besieged Americans, "up to us."
Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing revealed disturbing facts about Obama's response to the Islamist attack on our Consulate in Benghazi and the death of four Americans - including our U.S. Ambassador.
At the hearing, both Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey admitted that Obama did nothing to help save the lives of the Americans who were under attack at the Consulate and the CIA annex - and that he was absent most of the time during the attack. . . In short, Obama did nothing; the State Department did nothing; and the military did nothing because they never received an order to send military assistance in to rescue our men. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
- Father God, the more we hear, the more we are disturbed by these testimonies. Lord, we ask that You do Your work of revealing what really happened on that night and the facts leading up to the deaths of these four men. Please bring correction to the areas that are lacking in this administration. Thank You, Lord, for doing what others cannot do.
- "How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!" (Obadiah 1:6)
5. REPORT: OBAMA'S PICK FOR CIA CHIEF IS A CONVERTED MUSLIM
One of the FBI's former top experts on Islam has announced that President Obama's pick to head the Central Intelligence Agency, John Brennan, converted to Islam years ago in Saudi Arabia.
As WND has reported, former FBI Islam expert John Guandolo has long warned that the federal government is being infiltrated by members of the radical Muslim Brotherhood. But Guandolo now warns that by appointing Brennan to CIA director, Obama has not only chosen a man "naïve" to these infiltrations, but also picked a candidate who is himself a Muslim. "Mr. Brennan did convert to Islam when he served in an official capacity on the behalf of the United States in Saudi Arabia," Guandolo told interviewer and radio host Tom Trento.
"That fact alone is not what is most disturbing," Guandolo continued. "His conversion to Islam was the culmination of a counterintelligence operation against him to recruit him. The fact that foreign intelligence service operatives recruited Mr. Brennan when he was in a very sensitive and senior U.S. government position in a foreign country means that he either a traitor . . . [or] he has the inability to discern and understand how to walk in those kinds of environments, which makes him completely unfit to the be the director of Central Intelligence." (WorldNetDaily)
- We know John Guandolo to be a man of utmost integrity, whose research cannot be questioned. Now that these facts have come to light, pray much over the nomination of John Brennan to serve as the new head of the CIA. May his name be rejected by the Senate Intelligence Committee and/or the entire U.S. Senate, and subsequently withdrawn by the Obama Administration. Pray!
- ''This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?"
(Job 38:11)
6. OBAMA AIMS TO SHRINK U.S. NUCLEAR ARSENAL
President Barack Obama wants to sharply reduce the size of the nation's already-reduced nuclear deterrent force, according to information leaked to The New York Times. "White House officials are looking at a cut that would take the arsenal of deployed weapons to just above 1,000 . . . [down from] about 1,700," said the report, which is based on a briefing given by an "official who was involved in the [White House] deliberations." Obama, the official said, "believes that we can make pretty radical reductions . . . without compromising American security in the second term."
Technically, the proposed weapon reduction would need approval from Congress. But Obama is the military's Commander in Chief, and has the legal authority to deploy or store nuclear weapons already funded by Congress, unless Congress specifically limits his actions.(The Daily Caller)
- As believers, we can trust in the Name of the Lord our God to defend us, but as a nation, we must turn to other means. Ask our Lord to move upon the heart of the Commander-in-Chief to do the right thing for the American people, so that our own security interests are not harmed. Pray!
- "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Proverbs 21:1)
7. OBAMA'S DEEP CONTEMPT FOR THE RULE OF LAW
In January, a unanimous Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit held that the president violated the Constitution by making "recess appointments" when the Senate was not, in fact, in recess. Last year, President Obama became the first president to make "recess appointments" while the Senate was still in session when he appointed three members of the National Labor Relations Board.
In trying to defend Obama's power grab, the administration revealed its deep contempt for the rule of law. As the DC Circuit's opinion makes clear, the administration had argued that the president should have the sole, unfettered discretion to determine when the Senate is in "recess," constitutionally speaking. Under this theory, the president could literally wait until the Senate is on a lunch break, and then quickly appoint Chuck Hagel to the Pentagon -- and nobody could second guess him.
This assertion was so brazen that a shocked Court of Appeals flatly declared: "This will not do." The president's interpretation of the Recess Appointments Clause "would demolish the checks and balances inherent in the advice-and-consent requirement," said the Court. (Fox News)
- Continue to BIND the spirit of lawlessness that is running rampant throughout this administration, and LOOSE the spirit of order in its ranks. Enough is enough. Offer praise that this Court of Appeals rendered this verdict, and pray that this opinion will hold at the Supreme Court, as the White House appeals this decision. Amen.
- "Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate." (Amos 5:15)
8. JUDGE NAPOLITANO: OBAMA DEMANDS UNQUESTIONING ACCEPTANCE OF HIS ABILITY TO KILL
Earlier this week, the government sent a summary of its legal memos on presidential use of drones to kill persons overseas -- even Americans -- to an NBC newsroom. This was done after more than a year of stonewalling federal judges and ordinary citizens who sought the revelation of the government's secret legal research justifying the president's use of drones. The administration claimed the research was so sensitive and so secret that it could not be revealed without serious consequences.
The undated and unsigned 16-page document leaked to NBC refers to itself as a Department of Justice white paper. Its logic is flawed, its premises are bereft of any appreciation for the values of the Declaration of Independence and the supremacy of the Constitution, and its rationale could be used to justify any breaking of any law by any "informed, high-level official of the U.S. government. . . "
The president cannot lawfully order the killing of anyone, except according to the Constitution and federal law. Under the Constitution, he can only order killing using the military when the United States has been attacked, or when an attack is so imminent that delay would cost innocent lives. He can also order killing using the military in pursuit of a declaration of war enacted by Congress. . .
Did you consent to a government that can kill whom it wishes? How about one that plays tricks on federal judges? How long will it be before the presidential killing comes home? (Washington Times)
- Father God, You have said in Your Word, the Bible, that perilous times will come just before Jesus returns to the earth, and we are seeing a progression of gross evil each day. But God, You have control of all things on the earth and in heaven, and we put our trust in You that this evil set before us regarding the man in office demanding acceptance to kill Americans will be stopped by the power of the Lord of hosts. Dispatch Your army of angels, O God, to come and fight this battle and break in pieces the enemy in the spirit that wars against our country. You are the mighty God and none can stand against You. In Jesus' Name.
- "Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy God of Israel." (Isaiah 5:24)
9. RETIRED GENERAL JERRY L. BOYKIN: "MARXISM IN AMERICA"
"The things done in every Marxist insurgency are being done in America today." Retired Lt. General William G."Jerry" Boykin says in a new video he has just released . Boykin is a decorated former Delta Force Commander, US Deputy Under Secretary for Defense, and a recipient of the Purple Heart.
General Boykin is troubled by Obama's promise of a "Civilian National Security Force." Boykin says the formation of such a force is included in the thousands of pages of the Obamacare Law, AKA: "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." Boykin says such a police force would be at Obama's disposal and is similar to national police forces socialist tyrants used to complete their revolutions.
Then-there is the expected drive by Obama to regulate private gun ownership within the US, plus the nationalization of some leading industries, and even stricter regulation of key financial sectors of the US economy-and a pattern begins to emerge. Boykin says all these moves by Obama fit the model used by societies when they move to Marxism.
We urge you to . . . view General Boykin's video. It is jaw-dropping. . . These private armies/secret police forces have had different names throughout history but their records drip with blood and power and tyranny. (Canada Free Press)
- "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17)
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On the Hill
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On the Hill
- SENATE COMMITTEE TO VOTE TOMORROW ON HAGEL CONFIRMATION
- BRENNAN PRESSED ON DRONES AT CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR CIA POST
- U.S. SENATORS PROPOSE ASSASSINATION COURT TO SCREEN DRONE TARGETS
- PANETTA SOUNDS DIRE WARNING ON DEFENSE CUTS
- OBAMA IMPEACHMENT BILL NOW IN CONGRESS
- OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION TO ADD DETAILS TO FAR-REACHING AGENDA
1. SENATE COMMITTEE TO VOTE TUESDAY ON HAGEL CONFIRMATION
Senate Democratic leaders have moved to clear former Sen. Chuck Hagel's (R-Neb.) nomination by Thursday even as Republicans are ramping up their threats to block it. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday he would move Hagel's nomination as Defense secretary quickly to the floor following a Tuesday vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The Obama administration would like to finish the confirmation this week so that the next Defense secretary can be in place for the NATO meetings in Brussels that are scheduled for next week, a Democratic source told The Hill.
Inhofe warned Monday he would force a 60-vote majority on a Hagel confirmation.
"All I want is a 60-vote margin. I'm entitled to it," Inhofe said. "By my count, the people who find Hagel objectionable are such a number, that he could be defeated, and I think his nomination should be defeated," he said, though he added that he didn't know that he had enough votes to do so. "I feel a responsibility because of all the things that we've been talking about to do what I can to see that Chuck Hagel is not confirmed secretary of Defense." (The Hill)
- Last week, it was announced that Hagel's nomination was to be postponed due to evidence that needed to be examined. Now, this nomination is on "fast forward," again. Cry out to God on behalf of our nation, and ask Him to intervene in this critical matter. Hagel's record on Israel is terrible, and we do not need this man to serve as our next Secretary of Defense. Ask God for mercy and pray in particular that Inhofe's proposed filibuster will go through tomorrow morning, and be successful in blocking this nomination. Pray!
- "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)
2. BRENNAN PRESSED ON DRONES AT CONFIRMATION HEARING
FOR CIA POST
CIA director nominee John Brennan weathered a barrage of probing questions Thursday, as lawmakers pressed for more information about the administration's rationale for drone strikes against Americans -- with his confirmation potentially hanging in the balance.
Lawmakers, after threatening a "confrontation" earlier this week over President Obama's nominees unless they get access to key drone documents, used Brennan's confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee to air long-simmering concerns about the issue.
Earlier in the day, senators were allowed to review some of the legal rationale -- released in a bid by the Obama administration to tamp down the controversy. But top Democratic lawmakers said Thursday afternoon they want more, as Brennan repeatedly defended the program itself.
"It's the idea of giving any president unfettered power to kill an American without checks and balances that's so troubling," Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said. "Every American has the right to know when their government believes it's allowed to kill them." Wyden said he's concerned the Justice Department is "not following through" on providing "any and all" opinions -- aside from what was provided Thursday morning.
On the drones, Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., complained that, after lawmakers were allowed by the administration to view the classified drone document earlier in the day, "our staff was banned from seeing it." "This is upsetting to a number of members," she said.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney defended the nominee. "The president believes that John Brennan is uniquely qualified as a 25-year veteran of intelligence work, a 25-year veteran of the CIA, to lead that agency," Carney said. "Mr. Brennan brings, I think, not only a vast amount of experience, but a significant perspective on the battles that we wage in this effort and the right way to conduct them." Carney said Obama wants the Senate to confirm him "expeditiously." (Fox News)
- Code Pink are not the only ones worried about this nominee. And now that it has been revealed that John Brennan converted to Islam while on assignment in Saudi Arabia, one wonders what form of law he will actually follow: ours or Shari'a? This is another cabinet nominee that must be rejected. Pray that this be so.
- "But the Lord has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord our God shall cut them off." (Psalm 94:22,23)
3. U.S. SENATORS PROPOSE ASSASSINATION COURT TO SCREEN DRONE TARGETS
It sounds like an Orwellian idea from a futuristic sci-fi movie. Government officials gather in a secret courtroom, poring over documents and weighing whether to approve the fly-by killing of a suspected terrorist. If the judges say yes, the target dies. If not, the target lives.
But U.S. senators are now floating the idea of an assassination court as a way to rein in the ever-expanding drone program -- a secretive operation that, as it is, sounds like thriller fiction, but isn't.
The idea was bandied about during Thursday's confirmation hearing for CIA director nominee John Brennan, who fueled the talk by saying he thinks the concept is "worthy of discussion." The nominee, as a vocal supporter of the targeted-killing program, has come under scrutiny for what some lawmakers see as the administration's unchecked power to kill, even if the target is an American citizen.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said as part of an effort to regulate the killing, she wants to review proposals to create something similar to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court -- which reviews requests for wiretaps against suspected foreign agents -- for drone strikes. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, is pushing the idea the hardest.
According to his vision, the drone court would be an avenue for U.S. officials to argue in secret before a judge why an American citizen should be targeted for death. He said it would be like "going to a court for a warrant" and proving probable cause.
Except in this case, the judge would be ruling not on a search warrant or a wiretap -- but a missile strike from thousands of feet in the air, and thousands of miles away. (Fox News)
- Whatever happened to the United States Constitution and the rule of law in our nation? Help us, Lord! This entire situation is so out of control. Cry out to God for only He can save us now.
- "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs- O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. Lord, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?" (Palm 94:1-3)
4. PANETTA SOUNDS DIRE WARNING ON DEFENSE CUTS DURING LIBYA HEARING
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta used a hearing Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Benghazi to sound a dire warning about looming military cuts, saying the cuts now three weeks away represent "one of the greatest security risks we are now facing."
The outgoing Defense secretary made his latest high-profile effort to plead with Congress to avert the cuts during what may be his final testimony on Capitol Hill. Panetta was testifying on the Libya terror attack before the Senate Armed Services Committee. At the end of his opening statement, he directly appealed to lawmakers to do "whatever you can" to avoid another threat to the nation's security -- the budget squeeze. "This budget uncertainty could prompt the most significant . . . military readiness crisis in more than a decade," Panetta said.
So far, Congress has not passed any plan to delay or replace the cuts set to kick in March 1. The Pentagon is looking at more than $42 billion in budget cuts between March and September alone. Panetta said Thursday that he wants lawmakers to get a "big deal" done soon. "Stop this constant uncertainty, this month-to-month situation where we don't know what the hell we're going to get," he said. (Fox News)
- Holy God, we pray that instantly dash in pieces these proposed cuts in our military that pose a threat to the United States of America and its people. Slay this wickedness and the delusion of men, by the breath of Your lips, and stop the budget cuts of $42 billion for our military who serve to protect our country. In the mighty Name of Jesus we pray.
- "Ah Lord God! behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You." (Jeremiah 32:17)
5. OBAMA IMPEACHMENT BILL NOW IN CONGRESS
Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr., R-N.C., has introduced a resolution declaring that should the president use offensive military force without authorization of an act of Congress, "it is the sense of Congress" that such an act would be "an impeachable high crime and misdemeanor."
Specifically, Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution reserves for Congress alone the power to declare war, a restriction that has been sorely tested in recent years, including Obama's authorization of military force in Libya.
Former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo claims that Jones introduced his House Concurrent Resolution 107 in response to startling recent comments from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
"This week it was Secretary of Defense Panetta's declaration before the Senate Armed Services Committee that he and President Obama look not to the Congress for authorization to bomb Syria but to NATO and the United Nations," Tancredo writes. "This led to Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., introducing an official resolution calling for impeachment should Obama take offensive action based on Panetta's policy statement, because it would violate the Constitution."
In response to questions from Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., over who determines the proper and legal use of the U.S. military, Panetta said, "Our goal would be to seek international permission and we would . . . come to the Congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this, whether or not we would want to get permission from the Congress - I think those are issues we would have to discuss as we decide what to do here."
"Well, I'm almost breathless about that," Sessions responded, "because what I heard you say is, 'We're going to seek international approval, and then we'll come and tell the Congress what we might do, and we might seek congressional approval.' And I just want to say to you that's a big [deal]."
Asked again what was the legal basis for U.S. military force, Panetta suggested a NATO coalition or U.N. resolution.
Sessions was dumbfounded by the answer.
"Well, I'm all for having international support, but I'm really baffled by the idea that somehow an international assembly provides a legal basis for the United States military to be deployed in combat," Sessions said. "They can provide no legal authority. The only legal authority that's required to deploy the United States military is of the Congress and the president and the law and the Constitution." (WorldNetDaily)
- Offer praise that Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is doing his job, as are other members in the House and the Senate. Any president that violates or goes outside of the dictates of our Constitution needs to be called on the carpet and be held accountable for his actions. Pray for God's perfect will to be done with Rep. Jones' bill. Pray!
- "The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full." (Psalm 31:23)
6. OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION TO ADD DETAILS TO FAR-REACHING AGENDA
President Obama will map out the contours of his second-term agenda when he speaks to the nation in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. In a speech meant to build on his second inaugural address - which was directed at the Democratic base and served as a bookend of sorts to his reelection campaign- Obama will put details on the far-reaching government agenda he hopes will become part of his legacy.
The economy will remain Topic A, and Obama's speech is expected to warn of the danger automatic spending cuts known as the sequester pose to a slowly improving economy. At the same time, Obama will give due weight to other priorities such as immigration and gun control.
Obama has newfound freedom to be more combative, not to mention left-leaning, because he doesn't face reelection, but he simultaneously needs to define goals that are capable of attracting majority support. "The inaugural, as I heard it, was really a fighting speech," said William Galston, a senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution and a former adviser to Bill Clinton. "He has to decide now if he wants to continue in that vein or adopt a stance that makes it a little easier for the Republicans to consider cooperating with him." (The Hill)
- Continue to pray for the safety and the security of everyone who will attend this State of the Union Address tomorrow night on Capitol Hill. America is not without enemies, and they would like nothing more than to take out all of our top leadership in one fell swoop. Ask our Lord to dispatch His heavenly security detail, along with the many others on the ground, and claim Psalm 91 over all.
- "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways . . ." (Psalm 91:11)
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Updates: Obamacare
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Updates: Obamacare
- SEVEN MILLION WILL LOSE INSURANCE UNDER OBAMACARE
- CATHOLIC CHURCH REJECTS OBAMA'S MODIFIED MANDATES
- HHS VIOLATIONS MANDATE STILL UNRESOLVED
1. SEVEN MILLION WILL LOSE INSURANCE UNDER OBAMACARE
President Obama's health care law will push 7 million people out of their job-based insurance coverage - nearly twice the previous estimate, according to the latest estimates from the Congressional Budget Office released Tuesday.
CBO said that this year's tax cuts have changed the incentives for businesses and made it less attractive to pay for insurance, meaning fewer will decide to do so. Instead, they'll choose to pay a penalty to the government, totaling $13 billion in higher fees over the next decade. But the non-partisan agency also expects fewer people to have to pay individual penalties to the IRS than it earlier projects, because of a better method for calculating incomes that found more people will be exempt.
Overall, the new health provisions are expected to cost the government $1.165 trillion over the next decade - the same as last year's projection. With other spending cuts and tax increases called for in the health law, though, CBO still says Mr. Obama's signature achievement will reduce budget deficits in the short term. During the health care debate Mr. Obama had said individuals would be able to keep their plans. (The Washington Times)
- Holy God, we pray that You will shut down all lies that are spoken with the intent of striking fear in the hearts of the American people regarding their insurance coverage. We thank You that You promise to make a way where there seems to be no way for our needs to be met regarding our health insurance.
We ask that You cast down the spirit of tyranny that lies behind the Affordable Care Act, and bring forth instead Your plan for our people. We thank You for the words spoken by Dr. Ben Carson at the National Prayer Breakfast last week. May his suggestions for a new strategy of health insurance be heeded in the highest places of authority in our nation. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." (Psalm 34:15,17)
2. CATHOLIC CHURCH REJECTS OBAMA'S MODIFIED MANDATES
Catholic bishops have rejected the Obama administration's latest proposal on mandatory contraceptive coverage, vowing to continue to fight for changes before the policy becomes final. After reviewing the administration's proposal unveiled last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said it stands by its earlier concerns. "Because the stakes are so high, we will not cease from our effort to assure that healthcare for all does not mean freedom for few," New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the bishops' conference, said in a statement. (Fox News)
- Lord, we are glad clergymen can see through what is promoted as an answer to the conscience issue but in reality is not. We thank You that as denominations band together to resist this tyranny, that You will make a way for our country to reclaim its freedom of religion.
- "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good works and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Romans 16:18)
3. HHS VIOLATIONS MANDATE STILL UNRESOLVED
In response to the proposed rule changes to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate announced by the Department of Health and Human Services, Eric Scheidler and Monica Miller, co-directors of the nationwide Stand Up for Religious Freedom rallies held last year, issued the following statement:
"Nearly a year after promising to provide an 'accommodation' for religious employers who object to the HHS Mandate, the Obama administration has finally issued proposed new rules. While we await a full analysis of these proposed rule changes from legal experts, a first look at what the Obama administration is offering makes it clear that the objections of religious employers have not been taken seriously.
Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) President Marjorie Dannenfelser slammed the policy "updates" announced to President Obama's HHS abortion-drug mandate. (Intercessors for America)
- Give thanks to the Lord that there are active measures being set forth to make the public aware of the specific items in the Affordable Care Act that are contrary to God's Word and will.
- "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)
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This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
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This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
"Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth."
(Psalm 80:1)
To think that the One whose Presence dwelt between the cherubim comes to dwell with me, astounds me. Lord, how blessed I am to be led by the Shepherd of Israel. Praises always be to Your Name.
( Source: THE NAME- HaShem: Daily Devotional Worship by Dr. Barri Cae Mallin)
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