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FEBRUARY 20, 2015

1

Seduced by Fifty Shades of GreyA

 

relaionship wih a myserious,

alluring, sexy billionaire wih a dark

side. Agains her beter judgmen, she

allows him o seduce her deeper and

deeper ino his chamber of horrors and

o coerce her ino degrading acs.

The basic plo of Fify Shades o Grey 

also serves as a meaphor for wha is

happening o millions of people who are opening hemselves up

o is world of dark, abusive, demeaning, perverse sexual prac-

ices.

I sared in 2012 wih a self-published e-book ha evenually

became a rilogy. Overnigh i became he Unied Kingdom’s fas-

es-selling paperback in hisory and made millions for is auhor,

a suburban Briish mom. I has been ranslaed ino 52 languages,

and has sold over 100 million copies.

Moviemakers rushed o cash in. This pas weekend, he Fify

Shades o Grey movie smashed box office expecaions—in spie

of awful reviews. Released in ime for Valenine’s Day—as if i was

he perfec dae movie—i raked in more han $94 million in he

Unied Saes alone over he four-day weekend. The media joined

in: Esablishmen news programs, respeced publicaions, and

popular websies ripped over hemselves in he rush for an audi

ence share by reporing on he movie as if i were jus anoher

Star Wars insallmen.

If you wan a snapsho of he moral climae in America and

Briain, look a he frenzy over Fify Shades o Grey.  Jus don’

look oo close. This enerainmen jugernau has quie suddenly

brough sadomasochism ino he morning shows, he newsmaga

zine on your coffee able, and your local school hallways.

Women are collecively paying millions o absorb is mes

sage—a message ha on is face is explicily damaging o women

Bu in he same sense ha he “heroine” of he series finds he

JOEL HILLIKER 

  M  E  L  I  S  S  A

  B  A  R  R  E  I  R  O /  T  H  E  T  R  U  M  P  E  T

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2/12Trumpet Weekly | February , 2

desrucive irresisible, so do Fify Shades o Grey fans.

The sory sends deeply confusing and oxic signals, glossing

errible evil wih an alluring, myserious veneer. I duss vio-

lence agains women wih glamour. I enices women o subjec

hemselves o unhealhy relaionships and/or o paricipae in

harmful sexual pracices. A sudy published in  Journal o Wom-

en’s Health las summer found ha readers of he series are much

likelier han nonreaders o be in abusive relaionships.

Somehow, hough, he purveyors of his enerainmenhave convinced themselves that this is empowering   and liberat-

ing  women. Tha is ironic, when is over heme is subjugaion

and bondage. Ask a woman who has been abused or raped how

empowered she feels by i.

In a ruly galling segmen on is daily news show This Morning 

(click here o see i) ,  News audaciously conflaed he wised

sexual “submission” depiced in Fify Shades  wih he “submis-

sion” wedded wives give o heir husbands under God’s laws for

marriage in he Bible. As if his saanic sex phenomenon weren’

bad enough, used i o deceifully slander he Book ha

sands agains i.

The Bible is absoluely conrary o everyhing Fify Shades 

represens. This film exemplifies sociey’s unrelening sampedeaway from biblical moraliy and ruh.

In a lieral sense, Fify Shades o Grey exposes he rue naure

of he sexual revoluion: I is alluring—and i leads o bondage. I

enslaves people o sin. Romans 6:16 says, “Know ye no, ha o

whom ye yield yourselves servans o obey, his servans ye are o

whom ye obey; wheher of sin uno deah, or of obedience uno

righeousness?” Evil is a drug. People become hooked and con-

sanly crave sronger doses. Fify Shades  is drawing millions

deeper ino ha dark world. Wha hey don’ see in he movie

hey can read in he book. And wha hey can’ read in he book is

a click away on he Inerne.

The Bible commands men o curb our luss. I direcs us o

commi o family. I commands us o  protect  women and chil-dren, o saeguard  hem from predaors. Fify Shades o Grey  

wallows in lus. I ignores family. I idealizes sexual predaion. I

sends he message ha women wan o be dominaed sexually. I

glamorizes abusive, repugnan selfishness gone wild. The suc-

cess of his series demonsraes and acceleraes sociey’s effors

o exemp men from our biblically mandaed responsibiliies

oward women and children, and o encourage us o graify our

appeies, however wicked, wihou hough o consequences.

The Bible conains he viewpoin of he Creaor of sex. He

commands ha i express nohing bu love, outgoing concern

and affection  beween a commited husband and wife. (Herber

W. Armsrong wroe beauifully abou his in The Missing Dimen

sion in Sex—we srongly recommend his book and will send you

a free copy.) Fify Shades o Grey  is he exac opposie . This is he

war on women.The husband-wife relaionship is a human-level embod

imen of he beauiful relaionship beween Jesus Chris and

he Church (Ephesians 5:32). The “submission” enjoined in

scripures like Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18 and 1 Peer 3:1

has absoluely nohing in common wih he perversions of

sadomasochism—and if he people a were hones, hey

would admi ha.

The Bible never permis husbands o abuse heir wives or rea

hem unlovingly. Over and over God commands a husband o love

and honor his wife, o give himself in sacrifice for her (Ephesians

5:25; Colossians 3:19 and 1Peer 3:7). He is o be her self-sacrific

ing leader, puting her needs before his own. And his auhoriy

is not absolue. His wife submis “as is fi in he Lord,” wihin hebounds of God’s law of love. God is he ulimae auhoriy, and any

person’s demands ha undermine ha auhoriy should be dis

obeyed (Acs 5:29).

Nohing upholds he honor and digniy of women like he

ruh of God. Righ now, nohing is bruising and saining i quie

like Fify Shades o Grey.

Sociey has discarded God’s absolue morals and embraced a

world where everyhing is a shade of gray. There is darkness in

everyhing, and i holds he world in is hrall. Bu here is no

darkness a all in God (1 John 1:5). He ells us o flee fornicaion,

o come ou of evil, and o walk in he ligh. He wans o break

he chains of sin on your mind. He truly liberaes he capive, and

frees hose who are bound (Isaiah 61:1).This ruh should be self-eviden: There is such a hing as evil—

and Fify Shades o Grey  is wreched, dark evil. Don’ be seduced

by i. Say away from bondage. As Jesus said in John 8:32, 36, “And

ye shall know he ruh, and he ruh shall make you free. … If

he Son herefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

  Follow   Joel Hilliker

MIDDLE EAST

 Why You Mus Wach JerusalemGerald Flurry,

The Key of David | February 20

N . T

an ciy on Earh is Jerusalem.

http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/TnE1BaAnf4kg3DuhZQx3Qm03Zl0Z48HZ/-submissive-women-who-use-softer-approach-to-keep-relationships-strong/https://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/36/the-missing-dimension-in-sexhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/36/the-missing-dimension-in-sexhttps://twitter.com/joel_Hillikerhttps://twitter.com/joel_Hillikerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/key_of_david/1619https://twitter.com/joel_Hillikerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/36/the-missing-dimension-in-sexhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/36/the-missing-dimension-in-sexhttp://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_morning/video/TnE1BaAnf4kg3DuhZQx3Qm03Zl0Z48HZ/-submissive-women-who-use-softer-approach-to-keep-relationships-strong/

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Islamic Sae in Libya: An Opporuniy for Egyp?Callum Wood | February 18

I F , E C C

ians were paraded by Islamic Sae miliias along he Medier-

ranean coas in Libya and soon beheaded wih sharp knives.

The despicable ac drew immediae condemnaion and real-

iaion from Egyp. Presiden Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said ha Egyphad every righ o respond o he atack. His air force responded

wih airsrikes on erroris arges wihin Libya, reporedly kill-

ing 64 Islamic Sae members. I was Egyp’s firs foreign srike in

24 years—he las being in he Gulf War of 1991.

This marks an enormous urning poin in regional geopoli-

ics. So far, Egyp has received no condemnaion from he iner-

naional communiy for is airsrikes. Wih he Wes so hesian

o reengage, Egyp’s involvemen will likely ge a free pass. Aer

all, he new governmen in Egyp is viewed as far more moder-

ae han he previous one led by radical Muslim Broherhood

(MB). I has already proved iself effecive a rooing ou he MB

wihin he naion. Egyp boass a large and experienced miliary.

To mos people, Egyp could appear o be he perfec power oackle he Islamic Sae’s rise in Libya and bring peace o a desa-

bilized naion.

However, as hose who are aware of Egyp’s role in Bible

prophecy know, ha is no he case. In his bookle The King o

the South , Trumpet edior in chief Gerald Flurry explains Egyp’s

soon-coming role in he Middle Eas: “Daniel 11:42 implies ha

Egyp [and Libya] will be allied wih he king of he souh, or Iran

This prophecy indicaed here would be a far-reaching changein Egypian poliics! We had been saying since 1994 his would

occur, and look a Egyp oday.”

This saemen was made in he conex of he Muslim Broh

erhood gaining conrol of Egyp. Today he Egypian govern

men is very criical of Iran, bu poliical change can happen very

quickly in his volaile region. Jus as wih Iran, a year ago no one

would have dreamed ha Egyp would be conducing airsrikes

in neighboring naions.

Wih boh Egyp and Libya prophesied o come under Iranian

conrol, we ough o pay close atenion when Egyp sars ge

ing involved in Libya. Even if Egyp goes no furher han he air

srikes, i has shown ha i is willing o conduc miliary aciviy

ouside is borders where necessary.The Islamic Sae has given Iran he opporuniy o involve

iself in Iraq. Wach now as he erroriss presen Egyp wih he

same opporuniy in Libya.

 

 The Islamic Sae Takes on Egyp, Threaens RomeDavid Vejil | February 17

O

T, L I

Sae ook over 20 Egypians hosage. The erroriss claimedhis was revenge for Egypian airsrikes in Libya.

The previous day, Egyp’s air force had bombed Islamic Sae

arges in Libya. This was realiaion for he erroris group’s

beheading of 21 Egypian Chrisians in he Libyan ciy of Sire.

The Islamic Sae had released a video of he beheadings on Sun-

day.

Egyp also called on he Unied Saes-led coaliion o broaden

is effors o Norh Africa. The coaliion is currenly focusing on

Islamic Sae arges in Syria and Iraq.

Sunday’s video included a boas by he erroriss o “conquer

Rome.” Libya is less han 500 miles away from Ialy’s souhern

ip. And i is now home o he Islamic Sae’s sronges presence

ouside of is core erriory in Syria and Iraq.

Poliical suppor for Ialian miliary involvemen is growing. Presiden of he Senae Defense Commission Nicola Laorre

warned Monday ha Ialy mus be ready o engage in miliary

inervenion o sop he advance of he Islamic Sae in Libya

should diplomaic effors fail.

The increased erroris aciviy is acing as a caalys for pow

ers in Europe and he Middle Eas. Iran is using he Islamic Sae’s

advances o increase is conrol of Iraq and reduce resisance o

is nuclear program. Europe is bolsering is miliary capabili

ies and aking a more acive role in he Middle Eas. The Trum

 pet  expecs hese rends o coninue. To learn more abou he

effecs of he Islamic Sae’s rampage, read our Trumpet  aricle

“The World’s Newes Mos Radical ‘Sae.’”

Obama’s Iran Policy and Israel’s Elections

Jerusalem Post | February 19

U,

beween U.S. Presiden Barack Obama’s adminisraion and

Prime Miniser Benjamin Neanyahu’s governmen. The main

issue of discord is, of course, Iran.

Obama seeks an agreemen wih he Islamic Republic over

is nuclear program, which will allow he presiden o claim he

prevened Tehran from building he bomb. The fac ha Iran

will mainain he capabiliy o enrich uranium, and will no

https://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/30/the-king-of-the-southhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/30/the-king-of-the-southhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11971.32493.167.0/world/terrorism/the-worlds-newest-most-radical-statehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11971.32493.167.0/world/terrorism/the-worlds-newest-most-radical-statehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/30/the-king-of-the-southhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/literature/30/the-king-of-the-south

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4/12Trumpet Weekly | February , 4

dismanle any of is nuclear insallaions, is simply swep under

he rug as insignifican.

Srange as i sounds, i seems Obama is prepared o brand

Iran as a U.S. sraegic parner in he atemp o bring sabiliy o

a region beleaguered by chaos. Par of his realignmen involves

American capiulaion on he nuclear issue, and an apparen

care blanche for sepped-up Iranian aciviy and influence in

he region.

Iran is aking over Yemen (and hrowing American diplomasou of he counry); carving a sphere of influence in Iraq; con-

inuing o suppor Presiden Bashar Assad’s brual regime in

Damascus; srenghening Hezbollah’s grip over Lebanon; engag

ing in subversion in Cenral Asia; and developing is erroris

apparaus. Ye in he conex of Obama’s “grand bargain,” all his

seems o be OK. Tehran ges everyhing i wans, while Washing

on ges an Iranian promise no o go nuclear as long as Obama is

in he Whie House.

Having made no foreign policy achievemens hroughou his

presidency, Obama—perhaps obsessively—now wans he rela

ionship wih Iran o serve as his foreign policy legacy. …

RELATED: “IS PRESIDENT OBAMA BREAKING THE BROTHERHOOD?”

If a Renowned Jihadi Cleric Can’t Get Through to Islamic State, Who Can?

Christian Science Monitor | February 18

T O

convince possible [Islamic Sae] recruis ha he group

is un-Islamic, emerging evidence makes i clear ha Baghda-

di’s followers aren’ lisening. Tha poin is driven home by he

failed effors of Abu Mohammed al-Maqdisi, a Jordanian cleric

long renowned in al Qaeda and similar circles as a heoris andsupporer of wha is someimes called global jihad. Abu Musab

al-Zarqawi, who led al Qaeda in Iraq unil his deah in 2006, was

his former suden.

Deails have been coming ou since lae las year of how

Maqdisi, who was jailed by Jordan in 2009, has worked wih he

auhoriies here o ry o negoiae he release of a sring of civil-

ian capives held by [Islamic Sae], conacing [Islamic Sae]

members in Syria over he WhasApp messaging sysem. In each

case he failed. Maqdisi likewise sough o dissuade [Islamic Sae]

from kidnapping and murdering aid workers and civilians in gen-

eral, an effor he group’s supporers have scorned.

Aer Maqdisi was released from prison las summer, his firs

inervenion was o ry o save he [lives] of Alan Henning [and]Peer Kassig. … Those effors also came o nohing in November,

and Maqdisi was re-arresed ….

Maqdisi was hen quiely released again in December, aer

Jordanian pilo L. Muah Kassasbeh crashed over Syria and was

capured by he Islamic Sae. In an inerview on Jordanian

earlier his monh, Maqdisi said he reached ou o Baghdadi and

Turki al-Binali (an [Islamic Sae] ideologue who was also a former

suden of Maqdisi’s), urging ha he pilo be freed in exchange

for Sajida al-Rishawi, an al Qaeda in Iraq member who parici

paed in he massacre of 57 civilians a hree hoels in Amman in

2005.

One unnamed [Islamic Sae] member did respond, and a dialogue ensued abou an exchange of Kassasbeh for Rishawi. Bu

while hey negoiaed, and [he Islamic Sae] coninued o issue

public demands, Kassasbeh was already dead, burned alive in a

cage in Syria, a fac ha would become clear weeks laer when

[he Islamic Sae] released is video ape of he groesque mur

der. In his inerview, Maqdisi called he group liars and praci-

ioners of “evil radiions.” …

The Jordanian cleric is no exacly a warm figure. Though he

emerged as a criic of al Qaeda in Iraq, he forerunner o [he

Islamic Sae], in he pas decade, his criicism was over praci

cal maters. In his opinion, he indiscriminae slaugher of Shi

ies and Chrisians was counerproducive o he shared goal of

enforcing an exreme version of Islamic law on as much of heworld as possible.

Bu ha’s why his episode is ineresing. If he holds no influ

ence over [he Islamic Sae], hen who could?

RELATED: “THE WORLD’S NEWEST MOST RADICAL ‘STATE’” AND

“THE WHIRLWIND PROPHECY”

EUROPE

 A Figh o he DeahStephen Flurry,

Trumpet Daily | February 18

R C

ohers were calling on Briain o surrender.

Follow Sephen Flurry

https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/8291.6987.0.0/united-states/is-president-obama-breaking-the-brotherhoodhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11971.32493.167.0/world/terrorism/the-worlds-newest-most-radical-statehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/10678.32788.155.0/middle-east/iran/the-whirlwind-prophecyhttps://twitter.com/stephenflurryhttp:///https://www.thetrumpet.com/trumpet_daily/1621/a-fight-to-the-deathhttps://twitter.com/stephenflurryhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/10678.32788.155.0/middle-east/iran/the-whirlwind-prophecyhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/11971.32493.167.0/world/terrorism/the-worlds-newest-most-radical-statehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/8291.6987.0.0/united-states/is-president-obama-breaking-the-brotherhood

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German Head of Armed Forces Associaion: If You Wan Peace, Prepare for War Justin Hugler, Telegraph | February 8

G

spending amid fears severe equipmen shorages have le is

armed forces unable o respond o he crisis in easern Ukraine.

“If you wan peace you mus prepare for war,” André Wüsner,

he head of he counry’s influenial Armed Forces Associaion,

said on Sunday, calling for defense spending o be increased by €1billion ($1.13 billion).

The call comes jus weeks aer he German parliamen’s mil-

iary commissioner, Hellmu Königshaus, warned ha unless

miliary spending is increased, Germany’s armed forces will be

unable o fulfill heir mission.

I emerged las year ha equipmen shorages are much more

serious han was previously hough, and he defense miniser,

Ursula von der Leyen, was forced o admi ha Germany could

no mee all is commimens…

The debae in Germany comes agains he backdrop of con-

cern ha Europe is oo relian on he U.S. for defense.

The U.S. and Germany’s oher allies have long called

for i o increase is defense budge. Under an agreemen,

members are supposed o spend 2 percen of [heir] on

defense, bu Germany only spends 1.3 percen ….

As he Unied Saes rereas from he world, Germany is

forced o play a more acive miliary role—agains he will of mos

of is ciizens. This debae over miliary spending is a naural con

sequence of ha shi. To ake up America’s miliary slack, European naion’s miliaries will have o work ogeher more closely—

an area where Germany is leading he way—or increase spending

“America is disengaging from Europe o akecare of is own regional problems, forcing

Europe o miliarize. This ransformaionmay require Germany, as well as oher Euro-pean naions, o increase heir spending. Formore on who will ake over as America seps

off he world sage, read ‘The World’s NexSuperpower .’” theTrumpet.com, Oct. 1, 2014

Zu Gutenberg Panel Discusses ‘New Cold War’B92.net | February 19

T C I C S

able Developmen () was founded and is led by former

Serbian Foreign Miniser and former UN General Assembly Pres-

iden Vuk Jeremic. Aer Belgrade, he organizaion’s magazine,

Horizons,  was also presened in New York on he occasion.Among he paricipans in he panel were Russian Ambas-

sador o he UN Vialy Churkin and former German Defense

Miniser Karl Theodor zu Gutenberg. They pu forward differ-

en views abou who is responsible for he one-year civil war in

Ukraine. …

Karl Theodor zu Gutenberg said ha Ukraine has he righ o

choose for iself wheher o join , bu recalled ha his coun

ry did no in he pas suppor he idea, and was no in favor of

sending weapons o Kiev. He, however, saed ha Russia was

“responsible for wha is happening now in Ukraine.”“Many say ha he Minsk agreemen is already dead, bu I hink

i is no. I’s now imporan ha arms are no longer sen o he

rebels from Russia. A number of EU saes now wan he siuaion

o calm down and for alks o ake place,” said he former German

miniser. … 

Islamic State ‘Planning to Use Libya as Gateway to Europe’

Ruth Sherlock and Colin Freeman, Telegraph | February 17

I S L

a “gaeway” o wage war across he whole of souhern Europe,

leters writen by he group’s supporers have revealed.

The jihadiss hope o flood he Norh African sae wih mili-

iamen from Syria and Iraq, who will hen sail across he Medier-

ranean posing as migrans on people-rafficking vessels, accord-

ing o plans seen by Quilliam, he Briish ani-exremis group.

The fighers would hen run amok in souhern European ci-

ies and also ry o atack mariime shipping.

The documen is writen by an Islamic Sae … propagandis

who is believed o be an imporan online recruier for he error

in Libya, where securiy has collapsed in he wake of he revolu-

ion ha unseaed Colonel Qadhafi in 2011.

The group has already esablished Libyan-based cells, who on

Sunday released a video showing a mass beheading of 21 Egypian

Chrisian gues workers.

The video, which promped Egyp o launch realiaory bomb

ing raids on [Islamic Sae] posiions in Libya, included fooage of

a khaki-clad milian poining a bloodsained finger norhwards

declaring: “We will conquer Rome, by Allah’s permission.”

The [Islamic Sae] propagandis, who uses he alias Abu

Arhim al-Libim, describes Libya as having “immense poenial

for [he Islamic Sae]. He poins ou wih relish ha i is awash

wih weapons from he Libyan civil war, when large quaniies of

Colonel Qadhafi’s arsenals were appropriaed by rebels. Some of

hose weapons came from Briain, which supplied he Qadhafi

https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6649.5117.0.0/united-states/the-worlds-next-superpowerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6649.5117.0.0/united-states/the-worlds-next-superpowerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/12137.32817.0.0/world/military/germanys-embarrassing-failures-prompt-military-spending-debatehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/12137.32817.0.0/world/military/germanys-embarrassing-failures-prompt-military-spending-debatehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6649.5117.0.0/united-states/the-worlds-next-superpowerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/12137.32817.0.0/world/military/germanys-embarrassing-failures-prompt-military-spending-debatehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/12137.32817.0.0/world/military/germanys-embarrassing-failures-prompt-military-spending-debatehttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6649.5117.0.0/united-states/the-worlds-next-superpowerhttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/6649.5117.0.0/united-states/the-worlds-next-superpower

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6/12Trumpet Weekly | February , 6

regime wih machine guns, sniper rifles and ammuniion during

his final years in power, when he was seen as an ally agains Isla-

mis errorism.

Mr. Libim also poins ou ha Libya is less han around 300

miles from pars of he neares European mainland.

He wries: “I has a long coas and looks upon he souhern

Crusader saes, which can be reached wih ease by even a rudi-

menary boa.” …

Nasser Kamel, Egyp’s ambassador o London, warned Bri-ain [o] brace iself for “boas full of erroriss” unless acion was

aken in Libya. He spoke aer 2,164 migrans were rescued a sea

in a 24-hour period over he weekend in wha has been described

as an “exodus wihou preceden.” …

Securiy in Libya has been on he slide due o he inabil-

iy of he various miliias ha helped ous Colonel Qadhafi o

agree [on] a shared agenda. … Whils he Telegraph canno inde-

pendenly verify he ideniy of Mr. Libim, he propagandis, ana-

lyss believe ha his wriing on Libya is widely read and influen-

ial online. …

“The Bible forecass a final clash beweena Vaican-led Europe and radical Islam led

by Iran. Now we see a radical Islamic groupdeclaring is will o figh Europe—‘he Ro-

mans’ and ‘crusaders.’ Radical Muslims seehis clash as a major par of heir versionof he end of he world and he riumph of

Islam, so hey are raining fighers o atack

hese crusading saes. Such an atack couldrevoluionize Europe’s view of Islam and heMiddle Eas, he same way he 9/11 atack

ransformed America. This could bring hebatle radical Islamiss hope for. For more in-formaion on he coming clash beween radi-cal Islam and a unied European superpower

read ‘The Crusades Are Critical History.’”Trumpet, September 2014

Pope Francis: Beheaded Egyptian Copts ‘Belong to All Christians’Independent | February 16

P F E

Cops by [Islamic Sae] milians, saying hey were “assassi-

naed because hey were Chrisian.”

The Argenine pope depared from his scrip during an

address o members of he Church of Scoland o address he kill-

ings which ook place on a beach in Libya and were filmed and

broadcas on Sunday by a websie ha suppors Islamic Sae.

“Their only words were: ‘Jesus, help me!’ They were killed sim-

ply for he fac ha hey were Chrisians,” Francis said in his

naive Spanish, deparing from he Ialian he uses a mos formal

evens.The leader of he world’s 1.2 billion Caholics, who has said i

is “lawful” o sop an unjus agressor, wen on: “The blood of our

Chrisian brohers and sisers is a esimony which cries ou be

heard. I makes no difference wheher hey be Caholics, Orho

dox, Cops or Proesans. They are Chrisians!”

Francis added: “The maryrs belong o all Chrisians.” …

“The moher church may have los is pro-esing daughers cenuries ago, bu i has amaser plan o ulimaely force hose daugh-

ers back ino he fold! This prophecy [Isaiah47:8] is speaking of a ime when he Caholic

Church would wield supreme power, boas-ing ha she will no know ‘he loss of children,or daugher churches.”

Trumpet, June 2005

Greece Caves In, Germany Plays Hardball

EU Observer | February 19

T G T

o exend he curren bailou program by six monhs, bu Ger-

many rejeced he demand on he eve of a meeing of eurozone

finance minisers (Eurogroup).

EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker was on he phone

over he las few days boh wih Greek Prime Miniser Alexis

Tsipras and he head of he Eurogroup, Duch Finance Miniser

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, as well as oher “acors” in order o ge he

Greeks o submi he reques, Juncker’s spokesman said Thurs-

day.

“Juncker sees his leter as a posiive sign ha could pave he

way for a reasonable compromise,” EU commission spokesman

Margariis Schinas said, adding ha i was now up o he Euro-

group o decide on he exension.

Bu a spokesman for he German Finance Minisry poured

cold waer on expecaions for a swi deal on Friday.

“The leter from Ahens does no offer a subsanial proposal

for a soluion. In realiy, i aims for a bridging loan wihou mee

ing he erms of he program,” he spokesman said in a saemen

In Brussels, his is seen as acical posuring before he Euro

group.

“Of course his is pure acics. And one migh look a he dif-

ference beween he German Finance Minisry and he German

chancellery,” one EU source said. …

Several dras circulaed ahead of he las Eurogroup, which

ended in disagreemen on Monday. Greek Finance Miniser Yanis

Varoufakis said he would have been willing o sign up o he dra

prepared by he EU commission, which spoke of an exension of

he “loan agreemen,” as opposed o he exension of he curren

bailou program, as demanded by he Eurogroup.

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Ye in his leter o Dijsselbloem on Thursday, Varoufakis

seems o have backed down from ha posiion and requesed

an exension of he “Maser Financial Assisance Faciliy Agree-

men” signed in 2012 and exended for wo monhs in December

las year. …

“No long ago, whenever Germany waned omake a srong move, i did so under he cloak

of he European Union. Tha is beginning ochange. As Germany becomes bolder, i will

become he single DRIVING FORCE behind Europe-an uniy. Tha is already happening.”

Gerald Flurry, Trumpet, April 2006

 ASIA

China and Russia o Show World a Unied FronSouth China Morning Post | February 17

C R

wih a series of high-level exchanges in coming monhs, wih

a paricular emphasis on join commemoraions of he 70h anni-

versary of he end of he Second World War.

Diplomas from boh naions oulined heir plans for he

commemoraions yeserday, bu sressed hey were no arge-

ing Japan in an apparen atemp o avoid provoking he volaileSino-Japanese relaionship.

The highlighs of he commemoraions will be a miliary

parade in Moscow in May, which will be atended by Presiden Xi

Jinping , and a miliary parade in Beijing in Sepember, o which

Russian Presiden Vladimir Puin has been invied.

“Boh Russia and China hold responsible posiions and are effi-

cien a coordinaion in he mos complicaed world issues, and

ha has made our cooperaion an imporan par of inerna-

ional relaions,” he Russian ambassador o China, Andrey Iva-

novich Denisov, said. …

China would coninue o promoe visis by mainland ouriss

o Moscow and Ulyanovsk, he homeown of lae Russian com

munis revoluionary Vladimir Lenin, Depuy Foreign Miniser

Cheng Guoping said.

Li Lifan, a Russian affairs exper a he Shanghai Academy of

Social Sciences, said he war commemoraions provided a pla

form for he wo naions o display heir muual rus and offse

he influence of he U.S.“Washingon has been excluding China and Russia [from he

new world order],” Li said. “Joinly commemoraing he end of

he Second World War could demonsrae he muli-polar order

advocaed by Beijing … and serve o counerbalance he Wes.” …

Russian Prime Miniser Dmiry Medvedev will visi China a

he end of his year, while Chinese Foreign Miniser Wang Yi will

visi Moscow in April.

The wo naions also vowed o sep up energy cooperaion

on op of he “Eas Roue” deal in which Russia will expor 38

billion cubic meers of gas o China annually over 30 years from

2018.

Pro-Russia Rebels ‘Coninued o Fire a Rereaing Ukrainian Forces’Independent | February 19

PR

nades a Ukrainian soldiers as hey rereaed from he key

sraegic own of Debalseve, according o repors from he fron-

line.

News agency AFP released fooage reporing o show rebels

loyal o he Russian Federaion firing muliple rocke launchers

as Ukrainian forces rereaed on foo and by ruck from he ba-

leground near he besieged own.

Tha repor was backed up by an inerview given by a rerea-

ing Ukrainian soldier who said he and his men had o run a gaun-

le of fire as hey le Debalseve and raveled o he safey of Are-

mivsk, some 50 kilomeers [31 miles] away.

The soldier old Al Jazeera, “There are no words o describe i.

Along he enire way we were blankeed wih shos. They fired a

us wih machine guns and grenade launchers. They used every-

hing.

“We le Debalseve around 5 a.m. (on Wednesday) and unil

his morning we were consanly under argeed fire.”

Col. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesperson for he Ukrainian Army

said on Thursday ha a leas 2,745 soldiers had le Debalseve

wih 14 deahs in he las 24 hours. One hundred seveny-wo

more were wounded and 82 soldiers were sill missing.

He added ha Ukrainian Armed Forces had repelled insur

gens near Pisky and ha Ukrainian posiions near Shyrokine

had been atacked.

He said ha insurgens had violaed he ceasefire 253 imes

from he momen of is inroducion and he every Ukrainian

soldier has been shelled on average wih around 580 kilograms

[1,300 pounds] of “deadly meal” during he batle for Debal

seve. …

Debalseve, a key sraegic own, has winessed heavy figh

ing since a ceasefire in he region began a he weekend, wih he

Russian separaiss claiming ha he ruce did no apply o he

railway hub.

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The presiden of Ukraine, Pero Poroshenko, argued ha he

fall of he own was carried ou “in a planned and organized man-

ner” as he atemped o cling o any benefis from he rerea. …

“Is i jus coincidence ha Puin yankedUkraine away from he EU righ afer our pro-gram was filmed and jus around he ime ha

i aired? Is i a coincidence ha Baron Guten-berg responded o Puin’s bullying wih such

eloquence and force so soon afer ha pro-gram was broadcas? Maybe i was. Bu if you

are proclaiming God’s prophecies, hen Godis going o work wih ha message and bring

evens ino sync o suppor His messenger.”Gerald Flurry, Trumpet,March 2014

Putin Looks to Make Friends Across Asia

Bloomberg | February 16

B U.S. ,

relaionship wih China and needing new friends and income,

Russia is popping up everywhere in Asia.

A new sraegic agreemen wih Pakisan. A visi by Vladimir

Puin o India. Helping search for a plane ha crashed off Indo-

nesia. Coaxing Kim Jong Un o venure ou of Norh Korea. In a

region where some governmens may be less squeamish abouevens in Ukraine, Puin is surprisingly welcome.

Russia’s forays reflec a dual sraegy: To find new markes as

is economy is crushed by sancions and las year’s umble in oil

prices, and o diversify from is one big ally in Asia—China. Puin

is concerned ha his relaionship wih Xi Jinping is becoming

increasingly iled in China’s favor. …

While Russia can’ ignore China—i was Russia’s biges rad-

ing parner in 2013, he wo hold regular miliary drills, and

China is buying Russian gas—he governmen in Moscow is

renewing effors o find oher naions in Asia o ac as a hedge.

In recen monhs i has reached ou o middle powers like India,

Japan, Souh Korea, Indonesia and Pakisan. …

Puin’s acceleraed Asian focus is a mix of miliary engage-men and effors o promoe rade, he later saring from a low

base. While Russia faces pariah saus in Europe, Prime Miniser

Narendra Modi old Puin in December ha India opposed sanc

ions. …

In November, Defense Miniser Sergei Shoigu visied Beijing

and me his counerpar Chang Wanquan. Russia and China

arranged o hold join naval drills in he Pacific and Medierra

nean. …

Russia supplies Vienam wih aircra and submarines—hehird of six kilo-class submarines was delivered las monh—and

is helping build a nuclear-power saion.

Puin capped he year wih a visi o New Delhi, where India

and Russia pledged o develop heir relaionship o a “qualia

ively new level.” Puin promised o supply oil, weapons and

nuclear-power reacors o India. Modi asked Puin o build faco

ries in he counry and o supply spare pars and componens for

Russian miliary equipmen. …

[Japanese Prime Miniser Shinzo] Abe old parliamen Febru

ary 12 ha he waned Puin o visi Japan his year o deepen eco

nomic ies and resolve a erriorial dispue over islands norh of

Japan ha’s kep hem from signing a peace reay since he end

of World War . Depuy foreign minisers from each counry mein Moscow he same day and discussed deails of he visi, accord

ing o Russia’s Foreign Minisry. …

Under Xi, China’s Defense Budget Defies Economic Slowdown

Reuters | February 16

P X J

defense spending for his year despie China’s slowing econ-

omy, deermined o srenghen he counry’s armed capabiliies

amid growing unease in Beijing a Washingon’s renewed focus

on Asia.

While China keeps he deails of is miliary spending secre,

expers said addiional funding would likely go oward beefing

up he navy wih ani-submarine ships and developing more air-

cra carriers beyond he sole vessel in operaion.

The miliary budge will be announced a he sar of he

annual meeing of China’s parliamen on March 5. Las year,

defense spending rose 12.2 percen o $130 billion, second only

o he Unied Saes.

Tha coninued a nearly unbroken wo-decade run of dou

ble-digi budge increases, alhough many expers hink China’s

real defense oulays are much larger. …

Oher facors would now keep defense spending high, from

he U.S. miliary and diplomaic “rebalancing” o Asia o Xi’s

crackdown on corrupion in he People’s Liberaion Army, which

has caused some disquie in he ranks, miliary expers said.

“Xi has pu a premium on he ‘dream of a srong miliary’ as

par of his grand sraegy for China’s rise, perhaps more han

any oher modern (Chinese) leader,” said Zhang Baohui, a secu

riy specialis a Hong Kong’s Lingnan Universiy. “This greaer

emphasis on he miliary is very significan.” …

Many Asian counries are also geting ou heir checkbooks …

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9/12Trumpet Weekly | February , 9

India Clears $8 Billion Warships Project to Counter China

Reuters | February 18

T

India’s mos advanced warships, defense sources said, jus

monhs aer ordering new submarines o close he gap wih he

Chinese Navy in he Indian Ocean.

Since aking over las year, Prime Miniser Narendra Modi

has signaled his resolve o build a srong miliary aer years of

neglec ha miliary planners say has le India unable o figh awo-fron war agains China and Pakisan. …

Modi summoned a meeing of he cabine commitee on

securiy on Monday o approve consrucion of seven frigaes

equipped wih sealh feaures o avoid easy deecion, a Defense

Minisry source said.

The Times o India  said he governmen had also approved

six nuclear-powered submarines for a furher $8 billion. The

defense source said he had no knowledge of he nuclear submarine program, which radiionally has been kep under wraps. …

 AFRICA/LATIN AMERICA

‘I’m No Racis, Whies Are Welcome,’ Says Souh Africa’s ZumaAgence France-Presse | February 19

S A P J Z T

ha he was a racis and assured whie people ha hey should

no fear being “chased” ou of Nelson Mandela’s “Rainbow Naion.”The presiden also said ha a new law prevening foreign own-

ership of land in Souh Africa applied only o agriculural proper-

ies and no o privae residences.

Zuma was reacing o concerns by some whie Souh Africans

aer he old a rally of his ruling African Naional Congress ha

all Souh Africa’s roubles began when he firs whies landed

more han 300 years ago.

“Souh Africa belongs o all who live in i, black and whie,” he

old parliamen, quoing he ’s Freedom Charer, which was

adoped during he figh o end he whie racis sysem of aparheid. …

[Zuma] said he would never sop alking abou hisory because

Souh Africa’s children should know he counry’s pas o ensure

ha misakes were no repeaed. …

RELATED: “THE TRUTH ABOUT NELSON MANDELA AND SOUTH AFRICA”

 ANGLOAMERICA

Social Breakdown: Massive Mob of Teens Rushes Orlando Movie Theaer Robert Morley | February 19

T

radiional families. Mom, dad, children. Mom and dad mar-

ried. Children in submission o heir parens’ auhoriy. Tha

migh no be poliically correc, bu i is increasingly difficul no

o see ha America’s broken families are desroying he counry

from wihin.

Consider wha happened in Ocoee, Florida, on February 17.

Police said around 900 black eens sormed ino he mall he-

aer and food cour aer being refused enry o he R-raed Fify

Shades o Grey.  Around 100 eens made i pas securiy before

doors were locked down.

Mayhem followed. Inside he heaer, gunshos rang ou.

Fighs eruped. Panic ensued. Franic 911 calls li up swich-

boards. Moviegoers rying o leave found he exis were locked

shu. They were he lucky ones. The “gunshos” laer urned ou

o be firecrackers ossed o errorize people.

“Everybody jus sared scatering, ducking underneah he

seas,” moviegoer Kenny Johnson said. “I was a scary momen.”

Ouside he gaes, police were overwhelmed. More fighing.

One gun found. A solen vehicle rerieved. Drugs.

Then he mob began o move. Before police reinforcemens

could arrive from surrounding communiies, he mob of eens

swarmed across he sree and ino a nearby gas saion.

“A whole bunch of kids came in he sore and jus sared seal

ing suff,” winess Taylor Davis said. “They [were] jus aking

everyhing ou of he sore, and hen he kids [were] jus rying o

figh he owner, and everybody was jus rying o figh.”

A nearby Taco Bell was also ransacked. More he, fighing

and propery desrucion.

These kind of flash mobs/random acs of violence are increas

ingly common.  Wha makes his inciden so worrying is ha so

many of he eens in his mob were middle schoolers.

Where are he parens?!

I hink you know he answer. Police said eens were released

ino heir parens’ cusody. A more accurae descripion would

probably be: released ino heir cusodians’ cusody.

More han 70 percen of all black birhs in America are o

unmarried women.

Sudies have consisenly shown ha by virually every

quanifiable measure of success, children from inac families

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10/12Trumpet Weekly | February , 10

ouperform hose from broken homes.

So while he evidence ying povery, academic underper-

formance, incarceraion raes, depression, drug usage, alcohol

abuse, aborions and a whole hos of oher maladies o broken

families is preponderous, America’s leaders coninue o be more

concerned abou poliical correcness han he welfare of people

and he naion.

Those who value he lessons of hisory can look o he Roman

Empire for preceden. Gerald Flurry wries in “The Modern

Romans”: “Hisory shows ha he srengh of any naion dependson he srengh of is families. Family is he rock-solid foundaion

on which a counry’s supersrucure is ereced. Tha was he case

for boh America and Briain.

“Rome in is heyday was affluen and had he mighies army

on Earh, jus like America oday. Back hen, when people alked

abou Rome falling, hey were scoffed a and scorned. When Sen-

eca, he famous Roman, warned ha Rome would fall—even

elling people why i would fall—he people ignored him. In he

words of Seneca, one of he foundaional reasons Rome would fall

was he fac ha ‘hey divorce in order o remarry. They marry in

order o divorce’” (Trumpet,  March 2009).

Seneca warned ha family breakdown would desroy he

Roman Empire!

The Unied Saes, like Rome, was buil on a foundaion of

srong, sable families. A is founding, divorce was hardly heard

of. Single moherhood by choice was unheard of. As recenly as 50

years ago only 5 percen of whie households were headed by a sin-

gle moher. For black families i was only one quarer of families.

Now 70 percen of black children are born o unwed mohers

Addiional ohers born o inac families, unforunaely, evenu

ally experience he ravages of divorce. Families mus be fixed ifAmerica is o survive.

Far more han any oher facor—including whie racism—

broken families are he source of he problems facing black com

muniies.

And more han any oher facor, he breakdown in America’s

families, which is a sympom of America’s eroding morals, is he

cause of America’s economic, social and geopoliical problems

Hisory shows he foundaional reason for he fall of he Roman

Empire. We ignore his hisory a our peril.

For more lessons from he Fall of Rome, read “The Modern

Romans.” Follow  Rober Morley

Our Dangerous Hisorical MomenVictor Davis Hanson, National Review | February 19

W W .

Wha caused i?

The panic from he ongoing and worldwide Depression in he

1930s had empowered exremis movemens he world over. Like-

minded, violen dicaors of oherwise quie differen Nazi Ger-

many, Fascis Ialy, Imperial Japan, and he Communis Sovie

Union all waned o atack heir neighbors.Ye World War could have been prevened had Wesern

Europe unied o deer Germany. Insead, France, Briain and he

smaller European democracies appeased Hiler.

The Unied Saes urned isolaionis. The Sovie Union col-

laboraed wih he Third Reich. And Ialy and Japan evenually

 joined i.

The 1930s saw rampan ani-Semiism. Jews were blamed in

fascis counries for he economic downurn. … The only safe

havens for Jews from Europe were Jewish-setled Palesine and

he Unied Saes.

Does all his sound depressingly familiar?

The aershocks of he global financial meldown of 2008 sill

paralyze he European Union while promping all sors of popu-

lar exremis movemens and opporunisic erroriss.

Aer he Iraq and Afghanisan wars, America has urned

inward. The Depression and he lingering unhappiness over

World War did he same o Americans in he 1930s.

Premodern monsers are on he move. The Islamic Sae is

carving up Syria and Iraq o fashion a fascis caliphae.

Vladimir Puin gobbles up his neighbors … in crude imiaion

of he way Germany once swallowed Ausria, Czechoslovakia and

Poland.

Theocraic Iran is urning Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon ino a

new Iranian version of Japan’s old Greaer Eas Asia Co-Prosper

iy Sphere.

The Wesern response o all his? Likewise, similar o he

1930s.

The allies are errified ha Puin will nex atack he

-member Balic saes—and ha heir own paralysis will

mean he embarrassing end of he once-noble alliance.The Unied Saes has now fled from four Middle Easern

counries. …

America has convinced is European parners o drop ough

sancions agains Iran. In he manner of he Allies in 1938 a

Munich, hey prefer insead o charm Iran, in hopes i will sop

making a nuclear bomb.

The Islamic Sae has used almos a year of unchallenged

agression o remake he map of he Middle Eas. Presiden

Obama had variously dismissed i as a jayvee eam ….

Then we come o he reurn of he Jewish quesion. Seveny

years aer he end of he Holocaus, Jews are once again leaving

France. They have learned ha weak governmens eiher will no

or canno proec hem from Islamic erroriss.

In France, radical Islamiss recenly argeed a kosher mar

ke. In Denmark, hey wen aer a synagogue. … A Jewish pros

ecuor who was invesigaing he 1994 bombing of a Jewish

communiy cener in Argenina was found myseriously mur

dered.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Miniser Benjamin Neanyahu is

being blamed for soking Middle Easern ensions. Who cares

ha he resides over he region’s only rue democracy, one ha is

sable and proecs human righs? Obama-adminisraion aides

have called him a coward and worse. …

https://www.thetrumpet.com/article/5889.30191.112.0/society/the-modern-romanshttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/5889.30191.112.0/society/the-modern-romanshttps://twitter.com/morleyroberthttps://twitter.com/morleyroberthttps://twitter.com/morleyroberthttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/5889.30191.112.0/society/the-modern-romanshttps://www.thetrumpet.com/article/5889.30191.112.0/society/the-modern-romans

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Puin, he Islamic Sae and Iran a firs glance have as li-

le in common as did Germany, Ialy and Japan. Bu like he old

Axis, hey are all auhoriarians ha share a desire o atack heir

neighbors. And hey all hae he Wes.

The grandchildren of hose who appeased he dicaors of he

1930s once again prefer in he shor erm o urn a blind eye o

he curren fasciss. And he grandchildren of he survivors of

he Holocaus once again ge blamed.

The 1930s should have augh us ha agressive auocras do

no have o like each oher o share hared of he Wes.

The 1930s should have demonsraed o us ha old-ime

American isolaionism and he same old European appeasemen

will no preven bu only guaranee a war.

And he 1930s should have reminded us ha Jews are usually

among he firs—bu no he las—o be argeed by erroriss

hugs and auocras.

Briain Says I Sen Warplanes o Inercep Russian Bombers off CornwallNew York Times | February 19

T B R A F

inercep wo Russian bombers off he coas of Cornwall in

souhwes England, he Defense Minisry said on Thursday, as a

governmen miniser sounded alarms abou he Kremlin’s inen-

ions elsewhere in Europe.

The episode magnified concerns abou he possibiliy of fur-

her moves by Presiden Vladimir V. Puin of Russia ha coulddraw in he alliance aer advances by pro-Russia separa-

iss in easern Ukraine.

Typhoon warplanes ook off from an air base in easern

England and escored he wo Russian airplanes in inernaional

airspace “unil hey were ou of he UK area of ineres,” he

Defense Minisry said in a saemen. The encouner happened

on Wednesday.

“A no ime did he Russian miliary aircra cross ino UK sov-

ereign airspace,” he saemen said. During he Cold War, Rus-

sian bombers rouinely esed Wesern defenses by flying oward

he coas, and here have been repors ha he pracice has been

resumed as ensions have mouned over he conflic in Ukraine.

The number of inerceps of Russian miliary aircra

approaching Wesern airspace has ripled compared wih 2013

Briish researchers said in November, ciing officials.

“I suspec wha’s happening here is ha he Russians are ry

ing o make some sor of a poin,” Prime Miniser David Cameron said during a visi o easern England, “and I don’ hink we

should dignify i wih oo much of a response.”

The Russian flighs came as Briain’s defense miniser

Michael Fallon, said Mr. Puin could replicae he acics used in

Ukraine on he Balic Saes—Esonia, Lavia and Lihuania, for

mer Sovie bloc counries ha are now members of .

“ has o be ready for any kind of agression from Russia

whaever form i akes,” Mr. Fallon said, adding ha he was wor

ried abou Mr. Puin’s exering “pressure on he Balics, he way

he is esing .” …

 America: In he CybercrosshairsDaryle Hochstetler | February 19

O , T G

ald Flurry warned ha he Unied Saes’ Achilles’ heel is is

dependence on compuer echnology.

And America’s dependence on such echnology hen was no

nearly as grea as i is oday.

America’s uiliies, refineries, miliary sysems, waer rea-

men plans and oher faciliies’ manual swiches, gauges and

knobs have been heavily replaced by digial swiches, compuer

programs and moniors—all accessible via nework. This makes

i possible for foreign agressors o ener U.S. infrasrucure and

wreak havoc. America’s grea leap forward in innovaion has also

become one of is greaes weaknesses.

The Trumpet and ohers have repeaedly warned of he danger

of such dependence. Bu many people push he warnings aside

due o he inangible naure of he hrea. People normally can’

acually see enemies hacking ino American faciliies or business,

so i remains ou of mind.

Now, however, you can see he invisible batlefield of

cyberatacks. Invened by Norse, IP Viking is he world’s firs

cyberrisk inelligence sysem able o monior cyberatacks—in

real ime, anywhere on he plane—and hen sop hem wihin

minues. IP Viking uses “honeypos” o lure in atackers who

hen reveal informaion abou hemselves.

In merely five minues, he websie allied 1,104 atacks on

America. This averages o more han 85 percen of all cybera

acks being direced oward he U.S. The map shows a consan

sream of atacks on America coming from all around he globe

A presen, he U.S. is prevening mos of hese atacks, bu how

long will is defenses be able o couner he barrage?

As Gerald Flurry highlighed in his 2005 aricle “Ameri

ca’s Achilles’ Heel—and Germany”:  “ RiskCener, a news service

devoed o economic, poliical and financial sories, wroe his in

an aricle iled ‘Energy Risk—Grid Sysems Vulnerable o Cyber

Atacks’: ‘When federal energy regulaors me wih cyberexpers

recenly, hey learned jus how vulnerable he naion’s grid sys

ems could be o such atacks. Regulaors viewed simulaions in

8/9/2019 Tw 20150221

12/1212

which hackers were able o penerae Inerne securiy guards

and subsequenly cu off he fuels needed o spin urbines.’”

The danger associaed wih cyberatacks and cyberwarfare

has increased subsanially over he pas 10 o 15 years. I is only

a mater of ime before America suffers debiliaing cyberatacks

rendering incalculable damage.

Obama: ‘Islam Has Been Woven Into the Fabric of Our Country Since Its Founding’

News | February 19

W U S JC

heriage, bu according o Presiden Obama, “Islam has

been woven ino he fabric of our counry since is founding.”

Tha’s wha he presiden old a Whie House conference on

“counering violen exremism” on Wednesday.

Obama has said similar hings in he pas:

“I also know ha Islam has always been a par of America’s

sory,” Obama said in a June 2009 speech in Cairo, Egyp. “Islam

has always been par of America,” he said in a 2010 saemen

marking he sar of Ramadan. And in a 2014 saemen mark-

ing Eid, Obama said he holiday “also reminds us of he many

achievemens and conribuions of Muslim Americans o build-

ing he very fabric of our naion and srenghening he core of ourdemocracy.”

In his speech on Wednesday, Obama was making he poin

ha Wesern naions mus show ha hey “welcome people of

all faihs,” a a ime when “exremiss” are saying ha Wesern

naions are “hosile o Muslims.”

“Here in America, Islam has been woven ino he fabric of our coun-

ry since is founding. Generaions—(applause)—Generaions of

Muslim immigrans came here and wen o work as farmers and

merchans and facory workers, helped o lay railroads and o

build up America.

“The firs Islamic cener in New York Ciy was founded in he

1890s. America’s firs mosque, his was an ineresing fac, was in

Norh Dakoa.” (I was esablished in 1929.)

Boh of hose milesones happened well aer America’s

founding, however. In fac, he new naion’s firs dealings wih

Islam were ense and unpleasan.

According o a Heriage Foundaion paper, shorly aer Amer

ica’s founding, he Unied Saes “was draged ino he affairs of

he Islamic world by an escalaing series of unprovoked atacks

on Americans by Muslim piraes, he erroriss of he era,” wholooed American ships and capured American sailors, holding

hem for ransom or selling hem as slaves.

The paper noes ha America’s srugle wih Muslim piraes

from he Barbary Saes (modern-day Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia

and Libya) began soon aer he 13 colonies declared heir inde

pendence from Briain in 1776 and coninued for roughly four

decades. …

Same-sex Couple Marries in Austin Despite Texas’s Ban on Homosexual ‘Marriage’

MySanAntonio | February 19

A  A cour order Thursday despie a saewide ban on [homosex-

ual] “marriage.” Suzanne Bryan and Sarah Goodfriend … wed

Thursday morning a he Travis Couny Clerk’s Office aer Sae

Disric Judge David Wahlberg ordered Travis Couny Clerk Dana

DeBeauvoir o issue a license o he couple.

The cour order issued by Wahlberg only applies o Bryan

and Goodfriend and any oher marriage licenses for same-sex

couples in Travis Couny mus be cour ordered, he clerk’s officeweeed on Thursday. …

The newlyweds “wan o open he door for all families o

have he righ o marry in Texas,” Bryan said in he release.

“We were boh born in Texas, came back o Texas aer we me

o build a family and esablish our lives here,” Bryan said. “We

plan o die here, and we have waied o ge married because, as

proud Texans, we wan a Texas marriage license.” …

U.S. Falls to 49th Position for Press Freedoms

Reporters Without Borders | February 12

T U S N.

2015 World Press Freedom Index wih a score of 24.41. In he U.S.,

2014 was marked by judicial harassmen of New York Times inves-

igaive reporer James Risen in connecion wih he rial of Jef-

frey Serling, a former officer charged under he Espionage Ac

wih giving him classified informaion. U.S. journaliss are sill no

proeced by a federal shield law ha would guaranee heir righ

no o name heir sources or reveal oher confidenial informaion

abou heir work. Meanwhile, a leas 15 journaliss were arbirarily

arresed during clashes beween police and demonsraors ….