McCain Denies Reports of Snubbing Bush in 2000
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/09/mccain-denies-reports-of-snubbing-bush-in-2000/
Reports keep surfacing that John McCain admitted shortly after the 2000 election that he did not vote for President Bush, even as the Arizona senator and his campaign reject the claims outright.
“It’s nonsense,” McCain told reporters Friday in Jersey City, N.J.
“Of course (I voted for him),” he told FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly Thursday. “And I voted … for Bush in 2000 and 2004.
“And not only that, far more important than a vote — I campaigned everywhere in America for him,” he said. “And I enjoyed it. I campaigned with him. I did everything I could to get him elected and re elected president.”
The presumptive GOP nominee defended himself after Arianna Huffington wrote in The Huffington Post Monday that McCain and his wife Cindy told her at a Los Angeles dinner party shortly after the 2000 election that neither of them voted for Bush. She wrote that Cindy McCain even said she voted for her husband as a write-in candidate.
The Los Angeles Times then claimed Wednesday that an anonymous source who attended the dinner confirmed the Cindy McCain account.
And Friday, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported two “West Wing” actors heard the same thing from the Arizona senator — only their version of the story was a little different.
According to the Post, actor Bradley Whitford said McCain told a group of people at the Hollywood dinner that Bush was “horribly unqualified and untested.”
Asked if he supported Bush, McCain then “put his finger up to his lips, shook his head and mouthed, ‘No way,’ ” according to Whitford.
Actor Richard Schiff gave a similar account. Neither remembered Cindy McCain describing how she voted.
Obama Adviser Leaves Campaign After Speaking With Hamas
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/09/report-obama-adviser-ousted-after-speaking-with-hamas/
A Middle East policy adviser for Barack Obama has left the campaign after acknowledging having held talks with Hamas, FOX News confirms.
The Times newspaper in London first reported Friday that the campaign was severing ties with the adviser, Robert Malley.
Malley said he had been in contact with the Palestinian group, but only through his work for a “conflict resolution think tank,” and not on behalf of the Obama campaign, the newspaper reported.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton told FOX News Malley was “an ancillary adviser who never met with Obama, literally one of hundreds of informal advisers who from time to time offered advice on Middle East policy.”
Another Obama spokesman told The Times Malley “has no formal role in the campaign and he will not play any role in the future.”
Hamas, which is labeled a terrorist organization by the State Department, is a touchy issue for the Obama campaign.
Hamas adviser Ahmed Yousef said in a recent interview, “We like Mr. Obama, we hope that he will win the election,” and presumptive Republican nominee John McCain has poked fun at Obama for the apparent endorsement.
McCain has said he would be Hamas’ “worst nightmare”; he told “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart Wednesday that he could “guarantee” Hamas would not endorse him for president.
Obama accused McCain of “losing his bearings” and engaging in a smear campaign for the remarks.
Catholic League Slams Obama on Abortion
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Catholic_League_Obama/2008/05/09/94733.html
Catholic League President Bill Donahue has slammed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on the abortion issue and termed his stance as a state senator “Hitlerian.”
On May 2, Donahue issued a news release urging Obama to dissolve his Catholic National Advisory Council because none of the public officials on the Council agree with the Catholic Church’s position on abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and school vouchers.
On May 8, Council members responded with a letter addressed to Donahue that read in part:
“Senator Obama recognizes that abortion presents a profound moral challenge, tied in part to a loss of the sense of the sacredness of sex and lack of parental involvement…
“Senator Obama has also reached out to Americans on both sides of this issue and embraces practical proposals designed to reduce the number of abortions in this country, including comprehensive health and sex education, better health care, economic support for women, and promoting alternatives like adoption.
“Like other Americans, we have watched as many candidates brought to office on a so-called pro-life platform insisted on policies that have left the lives of millions more of our brothers and sisters at risk from war, uncontrolled pollution, deeper poverty, and growing economic inequality.
“Not this year.
“This year, there are many Catholics - Democrats, Republicans, and Independents - who won't let that happen again…
“Mr. Donahue, your work to fight legitimate cases of anti-Catholic bigotry in this country should be applauded. But when you smear other Catholics with whom you disagree, you betray your own cause.”
The letter is signed by Sens. Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Christopher Dodd, and Patrick Leahy, along with House members, theologians, professors and others.
Donahue responded quickly with a statement on Thursday that included these remarks:
“It is more than embarrassing — it is shocking — to read how these Catholics view abortion. The Catholic Church regards abortion, as well as embryonic stem cell research, as ‘intrinsically evil.’ But not these folks. For them, abortion is merely ‘a profound moral issue.’
“Sadly, it has been apparent for years that many who fancy themselves ‘progressive’ Catholics do not treat abortion the way they do racial discrimination. No one in his right mind says that the best way to combat racial discrimination is by changing people’s hearts and minds, not the law. Which is why we do both. But when it comes to abortion — including partial-birth abortion — the progressives settle for dialogue.
“It is so nice to know that Obama thinks abortion ‘presents a profound moral challenge.’ Is infanticide another ‘profound moral challenge’? To wit: When he was in the Illinois state senate he led the fight to deny health care to babies born alive who survived an abortion. That, my friends, is not a moral challenge — it’s a Hitlerian decision.”
Our Worst President
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07167.shtml
(christiansunite.com) - When judging the performance of a president the grid one uses is the most influential factor. For many Americans that grid is national security. With this in mind, which presidents have led our nation to a more secure status? And which presidents have left us more at risk?
When viewed through this grid I propose that President Jimmy Carter put America at physical risk more so than any other president. Today on a Sunday talk show, Mr. Carter continued putting Americans at risk as the self described authorized spokesman for HAMAS.
Let's not forget Carter paved the path for Khomeini to revive militant Islam. Carter's policies left him impotent, unable to free the Americans held hostage in Iran.
President Bush faces dismal public popularity ratings.
One tactic for a nation's leader whose popularity is low is to pick a fight in order to bring national unity in opposing a common threat. This is the ultimate abuse of "the tail wagging the dog" tactic. But it works.
What happens when a nation's leader employs the exact opposite tactic? What happens when a president whose popularity is low ignores the polls and continues on a course that makes the nation more secure?
President Bush ignored such popularity polls and took the fight to the enemy and the result is that we have a more secure and safe nation.
One soldier I spoke with while on his way back to the Middle East put it like this; we have drawn our enemies into a shooting gallery, as long as they keep coming out to fight us over there, they are not fighting us over here.
Given our present political climate the President cannot announce this "shooting gallery" as a policy. But the truth of the situation is self-evident. Our enemies are much easier to find and kill over there. Over there our enemies face our trained soldiers. Over there our enemies face weapons and tactics that could not be used within the borders of the United States.
Let's be honest for a moment. Without question, as a nation our security has dramatically improved because of President Bush's unstated "shooting gallery" policy.
Irrespective of our financial situation as a nation, the primary responsibility of a president is to keep us safe. Contrary to what one popular president who said, "It's the economy stupid," in reality, it is security that truly matters most. It is time we Americans stop acting like spoiled children who expect a parental president to increase our allowance.
It is time for us to thank President Bush for his policy of fighting militant Islam in the suburbs of Bagdad, and not in the boroughs of New York.
Using the grid of national security, during my lifetime, Jimmy Carter was our nation's worst president. But the category is not closed.
Who will face the threats to come? Which presidential candidate will best protect us from China's expanding military or a nuclear-armed Iran? Will it be one who is willing to ignore popularity polls to increase our national security? Or will it be someone who sees Jimmy Carter as a national defense advisor, someone who might take from Carter the title of "our worst president"?
Pastors Urged to Preach About Politics, in Hopes of Toppling IRS Ban
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/09/pastors-urged-to-preach-about-politics-in-hopes-of-toppling-irs-ban/
NEW YORK — Conservative legal advocates are recruiting pastors nationwide to defy an IRS ban on preaching about politicians, in a challenge they hope will abolish the restriction.
The Alliance Defense Fund, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., will ask the clergy to deliver a sermon about specific candidates Sept. 28. If the action triggers an IRS investigation, the legal group will sue to overturn the federal rules, which were enacted in 1954.
Under the IRS code, churches can distribute voter guides, run voter registration drives, hold forums on public policy and invite politicians to speak at their congregations.
However, they cannot endorse a candidate, and their political activity cannot be biased for or against a candidate, directly or indirectly.
The Alliance Defense Fund said Friday that the regulations amount to an unconstitutional limit on free speech and government intrusion into religion.
“It certainly does have a chilling effect,” said Mike Johnson, senior counsel for the fund. “I think that there is a lot of fear and intimidation and disinformation about the parameters that do exist.”
Johnson said about 100 pastors have expressed interest in participating so far.
The IRS has stepped up monitoring of nonprofit political activity during the 2008 election. Punishments can range from a financial penalty to loss of tax-exempt status.
IRS investigations are confidential and the agency does not discuss the cases.
However, the United Church of Christ, which counts Sen. Barack Obama as a member, has said that it is under IRS review because of a speech given by the Democratic presidential candidate at the denomination’s national meeting last year.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, an advocacy group in Washington, monitors church political activity and consistently files complaints with the IRS. They said Friday that they will notify the agency of any pastor who participates in the ADF campaign.
Some religious groups support keeping politics out of the pulpit.
J. Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, which advocates for religious freedom, said churches should be involved in public issues, but partisan activity can “compromise the essential calling to spread the Gospel.”
“The church can’t raise prophetic fist at a candidate or at a party,” Walker said, “when it’s locked up in a tight bear hug with that candidate or party.”
Spells Cast at Anti-Marine Rally in California
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354689,00.html
Members of the anti-war group Code Pink gathered Friday with a cauldron of flowers outside a controversial Marine Corps Recruiting Center in Berkeley, Calif., to use witchcraft to rally against the Iraq war.
Code Pink members unfurled a pink banner reading "Troops Home Now" and waved signs as they began the protest, which they promised would include incantations and pointy hats for a "witches, crones and sirens" day.
"Women are coming to cast spells and do rituals and to impart wisdom to figure out how we're going to end war," Zanne Sam Joi of Bay Area Code Pink told FOXNews.com.
A few women stood outside the recruiting center Friday with signs that read "Peace" and "Warmongers — Eating Our Children for Profit." Many wore pink T-shirts.
Others pulled out a cauldron filled with flowers from a car draped with a pink sheet.
Members of the pro-troops group Move Forward America came armed with packages of salt, which they spread around the recruiting station to keep the Marines safe from spells. The group's Web site implored members to bring brooms to "mock the anti-American witches of Code Pink."
Police kept guard outside the recruiting station to keep the peace.
Code Pink's protest capped a Mother's Day week's worth of themed protests, which included days to galvanize grannies and bring-your-daughter-to-protest. The planned events appear to have done little to boost the protesters' flagging numbers.
A FOX News camera, which has a 24/7 live shot of the recruiting center's front door, recorded little action, and the gatherings have, until this point, been ill-attended.
In February, the Marine Corps Recruiting Center was the site of fierce pro- and anti-war protests. It made national headlines when Berkeley City Council voted to send a letter to the recruiting station advising the Marines they were not welcome. Council members later moderated their position, saying they oppose the war in Iraq but support the troops.
Code Pink — which was given parking and noise permits by the City Council and is allowed to protest during the recruiting center's business hours — has been protesting daily since September.
The group frequently announces bizarre theme weeks in front of the office, but its members' numbers have been dwindling and the events get little media attention.
Now, after three months of continual protest, their actions barely capture the attention of even the Marines at the recruiting center.
Capt. John Paul Wheatcroft said he's unfazed by Code Pink's antics.
"They're always in pink and wear funny things, half-shaved heads, one side with hair and the other one bald," he told FOXNews.com. "Yeah, I'm pretty much used to anything."
Code Pink said that grandmothers did show up for Monday's protest — some more than 90 years old, some in wheelchairs — and began knocking on the door of the recruiting center.
"The grandmothers were here and tried to get recruited," Joi said. "They tried to have conversations with the Marines, but the Marines were too scared to talk."
Wheatcroft, who was the Marine on the other side of the door, said he was not afraid of the grannies. He just didn't open the door.
"Most of the time they are just practicing their right to protest and their freedom of speech or whatever, so it's not usually a problem for us," Wheatcroft told FOXNews.com. "But sometimes it crosses the line, and that happened [Monday] when the grannies were here blocking the entrance and banging on the door."
On Tuesday, Code Pink's theme was "fierce mothers raging against war," Joi said, to talk about all the mothers killed and raped in war. Wednesday's theme was "bring your daughter to the protest," where daughters explained why they don't want their parents fighting the war. Thursday was "sisters don't allow sisters to live in war zones" day, and the week was to wrap up Friday with "witches, crones and sirens" day.
Code Pink isn't the only group that has seen numbers drop amid rallying around the Marine recruiting center.
Kimberly Wagner, Berkeley College Republicans activism chair, who is dating a Marine, said her group has been trying to keep up a presence outside the center since Feb. 13, when Code Pink's parking permit went into effect.
The college Republicans are fighting to acquire the same parking permits that Code Pink has. A resolution to grant the group an equal permit will be entered and voted upon in the May 20 council meeting.
Wagner said showing up to rally is especially hard due to final exams, which begin on Monday, but she said she will be there — this week and every week — "as a reminder to Code Pink that not everybody agrees with them."
When asked if she was planning any special events to counter Code Pink's theme week, Wagner said: "We try not to do anything embarrassing." She added, "We're just going to stick with our regular thing because we have lives and they don't."
But if events this week are an attempt by anti-war protesters to remarket their cause, the Marine recruiters in Berkeley tell FOXNews.com that Code Pink's presence outside their office has helped — not hindered — their mission.
"Ironically, it's actually helped us by putting our name out. We're now well-known. And people know who we are, and where we are, and they come in to talk to us about enlisting. They've gotten us the publicity that we could've never afforded to pay for ourselves," Wheatcroft told FOXNews.com.
"Just in the last three weeks, 10 people came in looking to apply, looking to become Marine officers, and that's much higher than normal," he said.
Wheatcroft could not give exact figures on recruiting numbers, and officials at the Marine Corps' national headquarters did not respond to repeated requests for information.
As for what's brewing outside his recruiting center this week, Wheatcroft responded, "I think witches won't shock me, but it'll be a change of pace, so that's nice.
"Do you think they'll bring their cauldron?"
Planned Parenthood's Use of Mother's Day for Fundraising Called 'the Ultimate in Insensitivity' by 'Silent No More' Leaders
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07169.shtml
STATEN ISLAND, Ny., (christiansunite.com) -- A Mother's Day fundraising appeal by abortion provider Planned Parenthood was decried today by leaders of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, the world's largest network of women and men harmed by abortion.
"For Planned Parenthood to ask for 'Mother's Day Gifts' is beyond appalling," said Janet Morana, Co-Founder of SNMAC. "This is an organization that has turned Mother's Day into a painful reminder of terminated children for millions and millions of women. To ask for money on this day so that it can traumatize even more women is the ultimate in insensitivity."
"The irony of Planned Parenthood asking for Mother's Day donations in honor of mothers and daughters hardly needs pointing out," added Georgette Forney, another SNMAC Co-Founder. "Planned Parenthood already took our money when they aborted our children; I guess now they want money for the ones they missed."
"Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood's president, writes with pride that one of her daughters is carrying on her family's legacy of fighting for abortion," added Ms. Forney. "Ms. Richards has admitted, but refused to discuss, that she aborted one of her other children. I wonder what legacy she thinks she left that baby?"
Since the launching of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign in 2003, 2,326 women and men have shared their testimonies publicly at over 200 gatherings in 44 states and six countries where more than 15,000 spectators have heard the truth about abortion's negative aftereffects. More than 4,100 people are registered to be Silent No More. Raising awareness about the hurtful aftermath of abortion and the help that is available to cope with the pain are two of the Campaign's goals.
The Silent No More Awareness Campaign is a joint project of Anglicans for Life and Priests for Life. For more information, please visit: www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org
John Michael Talbot's Monastery Destroyed by Fire
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07166.shtml
BERRYVILLE, Arkansas, (christiansunite.com) -- The home of The Brothers and Sisters of Charity founded by Dove Award-winning musician John Michael Talbot suffered a swift and vicious fire close to midnight on April 29. There was no loss of life, although members of the community, including Talbot, are suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.
The fire began in the chapel and spread to the community's Common Center which housed the kitchen, offices, library, classrooms and dining space. All are a total loss. It is unknown how the fire started, but has been declared "no fault" by the fire inspector, says Talbot. Various awards melted in the heat or were burned along with the community archives, inventory and tour equipment. Living areas, studio and instruments were unharmed.
Talbot said that he was up late recording and heard some odd popping noises before noticing a glow in the windows of his hermitage home facing the chapel. He and his wife, Viola, ran to the chapel and found the hoses insufficient to fight the fire, already reaching high into the sky. Talbot said he pounded and screamed at the doors of the other hermitages. Some in the community went into the fire in an attempt to save valuables. Talbot said the smoke was thick and blinding and that all he could see was "black." When it became clear that the battle was lost, the brothers, sisters and families of the community watched the buildings burn while waiting for the fire department. Talbot says that the fire department put all of their resources into aggressively fighting the fire, but could not save the building. The wood construction contributed to the speed of the fire which burned the chapel to the ground in an hour.
At the wish of the community, Talbot's Canadian Tour will continue as planned beginning in Great Falls, Montana with a number of stops in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Tour dates and information may be found at his website, www.johnmichaeltalbot.com. Founder, Spiritual Father and General Minister of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity since 1980, Talbot credits monastic life in the community as key for the Christian worship songs he writes and records.
While the damage is covered by insurance, donations are helping bridge the financial gap as the community awaits, reorganizes and prepares to rebuild, "this time in stone," says Talbot. Little Portion Hermitage is located in Berryville, in the Ozark Mountains in Northwest Arkansas. For more information about the community, see www.littleportion.org.
Revive Our Hearts True Woman '08 to Meet in Chicago
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07165.shtml
CHICAGO, (christiansunite.com) -- Challenging women to embrace God's design for their lives, Revive Our Hearts is hosting their first-ever national women's conference-True Woman '08. Taking place in Chicago, Illinois, from October 9-11, this conference sets itself apart from others by culminating a year long campaign with this conference, emphasizing the gift of biblical womanhood.
With speakers such as Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Joni Eareckson Tada, Janet Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Parshall and Pastor John Piper, True Woman '08 is co-sponsored by FamilyLife, Moody Bible Institute and Moms in Touch International.
Knowing that women are constantly bombarded with messages of what a true woman is-from make-up commercials, to the corporate world, to the fashion industry-True Woman '08 will focus on the ultimate definition of a woman, the one given by God. "True fulfillment and joy are found through discovering why God made us and then embracing that created purpose and design," says Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
With an expected attendance of over 6,000, this conference encourages women of all ages and walks of life to come together as they celebrate their common bond-biblical womanhood.
Taking place at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, the conference will include worship, led by Keith and Kristyn Getty, and breakout seminars on a variety of topics to meet the needs of every attendee. "This conference is a Titus 2 opportunity, to teach women what is good and what is glorifying to our God," notes Joni Eareckson Tada.
For all the latest information and details on the True Woman '08 National Women's Conference, and for registration, visit True Woman '08's website -- www.truewoman.com or call 1-877-WOMAN-08.
"Revive Our Hearts" is represented by Ambassador Advertising Agency, located in Irvine (CA). AAA has been privileged to serve as a leader in Christian broadcasting since 1959. The AAA team supports more than 20 ministry partners, each dedicated to communicating Truth and its practical application for today's culture. With the platform of a nearly 50-year legacy, a core objective at Ambassador is to utilize its media expertise, combined with innovative technology, to maximize Kingdom impact.
Human Rights Tribunal Ruling Raises Tough Questions in Canada
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07168.shtml
(christiansunite.com) - In a ruling released last week, The Ontario Human Rights Commission declared that Christian Horizons, an evangelical Christian organization, was wrong to make its employees sign a morality pledge as a condition of employment.
The ruling stems from a complaint brought by Connie Heintz (39), who willingly signed Christian Horizons' "lifestyle and morality" employee code when she joined the organization. In 2008, however, she made it known to the organization that she was a lesbian, leading to her loss of employment with Christian Horizons.
Contrary to what many are claiming, the Human Rights Tribunal ruled against Christian Horizons not on the grounds that the agency receives virtually all of its funding from the Ontario government but because Christian Horizons' primary mission is to serve the public need for group homes for people with developmental difficulties. As such, the tribunal ruled that there was no need for the staff to sign a morality code that is explicitly Christian.
Pray for the leadership of Christian Horizons as they consider appealing this ruling. Pray for other Christian organizations who continue to set morality standards for their staff in light of their Christian faith.
State Sponsor of Terror?
http://onthescene.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/05/09/state-sponsor-of-terror/
He has not yet been listed as an official ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism,’ and according to my sources, it looks like the Bush Administration will not officially designate Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as such. This is a story we have followed now for nearly a year and we have taken three extended trips to the region in that time.
In response to the possibility, Chavez said recently that the United States “did not get the satisfaction” of including Venezuela in the list of countries sponsor of terrorism. Chávez disregarded the US State Department report on global terrorism and now according to reports, US Intelligence officials believe computer files tie Chávez to the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC). This has been the claim by Colombian leaders since our trip there 6 weeks ago. According to reports, the files depict meetings between guerrilla commanders and Venezuelan government authorities, including Chávez himself. The Colombians told us that the files were taken from the guerrillas following a raid to one of their camps.
The files indicate that Venezuela apparently made concrete offers to help arm the FARC, according to the Wall Street Journal and also the use of one of its ports to receive arms shipments. In another document, a high-ranking official asked FARC to train Venezuelan military in guerrilla warfare. Chavez recently said about the claims “The United States did not get the satisfaction of including Venezuela in the list of countries sponsor of terrorism. But they will keep working on that.” Along with Venezuela, Iran, Chávez’s allied country, remains the “most active” state sponsor of terrorism, as it tries to build up regional influence and expel the United States from the Middle East, according to the report, which labeled Iran as “the most outstanding” country sponsor of terrorism.
The Quiet March Toward a Common European Army
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3323736,00.html
Germany's foreign minister has called on the EU to step up efforts to create a common defense force, a European army. In today's world, many believe, an EU military force can tackle problems national armies cannot.
While it was no new call to arms when Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at a Monday, May 6, security conference of his Social Democratic Party (SPD), urged accelerating efforts to integrate Europe's armed forces, it does appear that if the new EU reform treaty is ratified by all 27 members, individual states will be freer to take concrete steps toward closer cooperation in security policy.
That, in turn, could prove to be first steps toward an eventual European army, even though uniforms with only the EU flag on the shoulder are likely still decades away.
The SPD laid out its arguments for a common armed force and its suggestions toward moving its military in the same direction that Europe did with its currency. Money is one principle reason for the move, proponents of a joint fighting force say, adding that running 27 different militaries with 27 different sets of equipment represents an enormous waste of resources.
According to the European Defense Agency (EDA), created in 2004 to promote European defense capabilities, the 27 members of the European Union spent 201 billion euros ($308 billion) on defense in 2007, second only to the 491 billion euros spent by the United States. However, the cumulative effect of these expenditures is lessened because of the duplication of capacities in individual national militaries.
At the same time, the modern security threats are often beyond the capabilities of national militaries.
"International terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and regional conflicts outside our borders are all dangers that we can only tackle together," said Peter Struck, the SPD parliamentary group leader and a former defense minister.
According to Hennign Riecke, head of the European foreign and security policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations, fighting terrorism requires cooperation since networks can exist with state sponsors, and tackling proliferation with an actor such as Iran requires political weight.
"There cannot be any effective national security policy any longer," he said. "Whatever you do, it must be done in cooperation."
Concrete steps
At the security meeting, Steinmeier said he had discussed concrete matters related to closer military cooperation with his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner. Germany sees France as a key partner in this process. The two countries have had a common German-French brigade since the early 1990s.
France will take over the EU's rotating presidency in the middle of this year, and has announced that it wants to make EU security policy a focus of its six months at the helm.
The SPD laid out its ideas for the path toward a combined military, calling for an EU air transport command, a "real" ministerial defense council and the creation of an EU military academy.
The EU reform treaty appears to be heading in this direction when it specifies that member states will cooperate to "take concrete measures to enhance the availability, interoperability, flexibility and deployability of their forces."
Broad support
The European army has a good deal of support among German and European leaders.
"Within the EU itself, we will have to move closer to establishing a common European army," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Germany's mass-market Bild newspaper last year.
Those thoughts have been echoed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other high-ranking EU leaders and officials.
But, while an EU army might be the ultimate goal, to many Europeans, the thought of giving up one's national army is unsettling.
Keep it low-key
According to Riecke, if the issue of a joint military is framed as a clear-cut project with a European command that is outside state sovereignty at some date, there is good amount of resistance to the idea.
However, if it is labeled as a process of slow military integration, with new institutions created that lead to an organic growth toward a common army, there are fewer furrowed brows.
Brussels and big EU states understand this and have not made a great deal of noise about the issue, although they've been working quietly to make it happen. For one, they want to wait until the EU reform treaty is fully ratified by all member states, since putting out a message of a super-army run by faceless Brussels bureaucrats could put the treaty itself in danger.
Struck, in arguing for more movement toward a common military, pointed out that for years, many thought the common currency, the euro, was a pipe dream. There were also years of discussions and a high degree of skepticism surrounding around the project. He said today, the euro has proved a success and a common army could share a similar story.
But it won't be quick in coming. Asked about the time frame for such a Euro Army, security analyst Riecke said: "Oh, come back and ask me in about 10 years."
Slovenian Presidency welcomes the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by the parliaments of Latvia and Lithuania
http://www.eu2008.si/en/News_and_Documents/Press_Releases/May/0508Lizbonska_Latvija_Litva.html
The two countries have thus joined the other Member States that had already endorsed the Treaty in their parliaments.
The Treaty of Lisbon certainly represents a solid and relevant basis for further shaping of our common European future. It will enable the European Union to face the challenges of the 21st century, not only internally, but also in its external relations, which will bring additional benefits to all EU citizens and Member States. Upon the entry into force of the new Treaty, the EU will become more efficient and its functioning more transparent. Moreover, through instruments, such as civil initiative, participation of national parliaments in the supervision of respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the extension of co-decision procedure to practically all areas of EU activity, the Union will come closer to its citizens and become more democratic.
Each ratification is an important step forward on the path to the ultimate goal. The Presidency is closely following the ratification procedures in the Member States; it takes note that they are well underway and that the Treaty enjoys the necessary support. Altogether, the Treaty has been endorsed by parliaments of thirteen Member States so far. Apart from Latvia and Lithuania, it has already been ratified by Hungary, Slovenia, Malta, Romania, France, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovak Republic, Portugal, Denmark, and Austria. The backing the Treaty enjoys is a positive incentive for reaching the common goal of all EU Member States – that the Treaty would take effect on 1 January 2009.
'Olmert must resign!'
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2444
Israeli lawmakers and others across the political spectrum are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after police revealed Thursday he is under investigation for allegedly receiving large amounts of cash in bribes.
Responses have ranged from outrage at the fact that Olmert is undergoing yet another criminal probe - his fifth since taking office - to the conviction that he is paying the price for pushing ahead with plans to divide the Land of Israel and give half to the Palestinian Arabs.
The Labor Party, the largest coalition partner after Olmert's Kadima Party, has said it will remain in the government for now and "see what happens."
While a number of Kadima officials have indicated that it will be difficult for them to remain supportive of Olmert, they were not jumping ship just yet.
A Knesset Member in the opposition Likud Party, MK Gideon Sa'ar, described Olmert as "unworthy" and not fit to continue as prime minister. "The Kadima government is up to their necks in investigations of corruptions and is failing to run the state properly," he charged. Israel is demanding that elections be held, so that the people can "choose a different leadership."
Right wing MK Arieh Eldad said Israel "cannot afford to be led by officials who accept bribes."
"Israel cannot afford to have these leaders take the country on questionable diplomatic adventures in order to escape punishment," he added
Political reporters and analysts - a number of whom describe this investigation as the most serious potential scandal yet to beset the prime minister - were Friday airing various scenarios that could unfold should Olmert be forced to "go home."
While many Israelis, especially those who oppose Olmert's land-for-peace policies, would like to see early elections, these would require the vote of a majority of Knesset Members, most of whom are believed to be unwilling to risk losing their seats.
More likely, according to Ynetnews, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni would become prime minister, possibly for the duration of the current administration's four year term.
Livni has fully cooperated with the US administration in its pursuit of a "two state solution" that will see the creation of a terrorist entity called Palestine on the biblical heartland of the Jewish state.
Bribery allegations may end Olmert's reign
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2443
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said late Thursday he would resign if indicted on charges he illegally accepted substantial quantities of cash amounting to bribery from a number of people, including a wealthy American Jew.
While he admitted receiving money from Morris Talansky, Olmert insisted they were legitimate funds for elections purposes, and that "not one cent" had been spent personally.
Nonetheless, he stated unequivocally that "if the Attorney General decides to file charges against me, I will resign."
The Israeli leader's statement, made to the media in his official Jerusalem residence, comes after days of rumbling and speculation generated by a court-imposed gag-order on the details of the case.
Attorney-General Menem Mazuz decided the allegations against Olmert could be publicized in Israel after a US newspaper printed the details, effectively rendering the court order futile.
The prime minister is being investigated about receiving bribes from one or more people during his terms as Jerusalem mayor and as a minister in the government of Ariel Sharon.
Those suspected of giving him large amounts of money include Talansky, who earlier this week was reportedly questioned by Israeli police while visiting Jerusalem.
US prepares for Mid East peace without Olmert
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/1941350/Israel's-Ehud-Olmert-US-prepares-for-his-departure.html
The United States appears to be quietly preparing for a post-Ehud Olmert Israel, amid a political crisis that could unseat the prime minister.
Mr Olmert has denied allegations that he accepted illegal campaign contributions from a US businessman, Morris Talansky, while he was Jerusalem mayor and a later period as industry minister.
Newspaper have demanded his resignation and sources within his party suggested he was weakening its political future by remaining at the helm.
The US national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, suggested Mr Olmert’s input was not crucial to the success of restarted peace talks with the Palestinians, – a signal that US diplomats are steeling themselves for the departure of the Israeli leader.
“Remember, these are negotiations going on between the government of Israel and the Palestinian administration and they are negotiating teams that involve representatives from other members of the Israeli government on one side and other representatives in the [Palestinian Authority] on the other end,” Mr Hadley said.
Mr Olmert pledged to resign only if he is charged. But this is the fifth such investigation since he became prime minister two years ago.
A spokesman for President George W Bush, who is due to fly to Israel in three weeks, called the allegations “a matter for the Israeli judicial system”.
But Mr Olmert’s political troubles place his fragile government coalition in jeopardy; if he steps aside, his foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, is thought most likely to replace him. In that case, peace negotiations would likely continue largely without interruption.
But if the government falls because of the departure of one of his coalition partners, Palestinian negotiators say the already troubled peace process would be delayed by at least a year.
Condi flares at Israel: 'Get it done already!'
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2445
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, appearing increasingly desperate to see an Israeli-Palestinian Arab agreement signed before her president leaves office at the end of the year, reportedly used less than diplomatic language speaking to a reporter last Monday.
Both sides "need to draw a map [showing their agreed-upon borders of Israel and "Palestine"] and get it done," she said tersely, according to a report in The Jerusalem Post Friday.
Rice was on her way back to Washington from a two-day visit to Israel when she let her irritation show.
She appears to have failed in her quest on that visit, where her brief was supposedly to try and get something substantial for President George W. Bush to work with when he arrives in Jerusalem next week.
Instead, after meeting with a newly-scandal-plagued Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and ineffectual PLO terror chief Mahmoud Abbas, Rice was forced to leave empty-handed.
Bush is due to arrive Wednesday on a 60-hour visit.
His schedule has him addressing the Knesset, meeting with Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres, taking a tour of Masada, hosting a reception in honor of Israel's 60th Anniversary, which on the Gregorian Calendar falls on May 14, and meeting with young Israelis at a roundtable event.
Most importantly from his point of view the president will, according to US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley "reaffirm his personal commitment to peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and encourage continuing efforts for a two-state solution, a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security."
Bush will also hold a meeting with the so-called Quartet's special Middle East envoy Tony Blair, to discuss how to push for the achievement of this goal.
On Friday, the president plans to fly to Saudi Arabia next Friday to mark the 75th anniversary of formal US-Saudi relations, and to hold meetings with Saudi King Abdullah at his private farm, according to Ha'aretz.
The rest of his tour has Bush traveling to Sharm e-Sheikh for meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Sunday he meets Jordan's King Abdullah II, then holds separate bilateral meetings with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.
He will participate in the World Economic Forum in the Sinai before returning to the US on May 18.
Israeli killed in mortar attack from Gaza
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2446
One Israeli was killed and two were wounded Friday evening in a mortar attack launched from the Gaza Strip.
Two mortars struck Kibbutz Kfar Aza shortly after the Sabbath began.
A 40-year old Kibbutz resident was killed while standing in his garden, according to reports published immediately after the attack.
Two people were lightly wounded when a mortar detonated near a community hall.
Knesset Member Shai Hermseh, who is also a member of the kibbutz, described the situation as "unbearable."
"Not fortifying our houses or taking any action, we live in a firing range," he said.
A barrage of nine Kassam rockets and a number of mortars were fired into the Negev during the day Friday.
Senior IDF officers have this past week criticised the Olmert government for not allowing the military to respond effectively to the daily terrorist rocket firings from Gaza.
Economic Opportunity Replaces Conflict in Iraq
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/economic-opportunity-replaces-conflict-iraq/
BALAD, Iraq -- The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Agribusiness Program, 'Inma,' is leading the way to economic recovery in the city of Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad. A $5 million grant to restart operations at the Balad Canning Factory (BCF: 18.30, -0.03, -0.16%) is part of a larger regional project that will help restore agricultural and agribusiness operations throughout this formerly strife-torn area.
BCF, one of Iraq's largest food processors, was built in 1974 as a government-owned tomato paste factory. After privatization, the owners added ten product lines to their operations that employed over 1000 Sunni and Shia workers, including up to 200 women. The factory's demand for agricultural supplies not only kept local farmers producing and profiting, it also bought produce from some 50 wholesale suppliers in the provinces of Diyala, Salah ad Din, Baghdad, Anbar, Babil, Mosul, and Erbil. BCF's outputs created still further employment for transportation companies and for more than thirty wholesale buyers throughout Iraq.
USAID has long recognized the importance of Iraq's food and agriculture sector. A 2006 USAID report, The Potential for Food Processing in Iraq, stated "...the food and agriculture sector may contribute as much as $10 billion to Iraq's GDP, assuming that Iraq can achieve levels of agricultural production per capita that are in keeping with regional levels, and can establish a food processing industry..." Inma's mandate is to strengthen entire "value chains" in the agriculture and agribusiness sector, including production, handling, processing and marketing.
BCF's potential for food processing was shattered in October 2006 when the entire surrounding area erupted in sectarian violence; farmers were unable to work their fields and the factory no longer had access to the agricultural supplies required to operate. Not only were factory workers suddenly unemployed, tens of thousands of farmers found themselves similarly destitute.
It wasn't until mid-2007 that efforts by Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces ended the violence in the area. Engagement with the community began by bringing the various sectarian factions to the table where they all recognized a common goal -- economic development could ensure continued peace. Engineers from USAID's Inma program undertook an extensive assessment of BCF's 10-hectare facility and drew up plans to bring at least some of the plant's operations back on line.
Inma's grant funding will ensure that power, water, waste treatment and steam are restored to the plant. The latter is key to processing tomato paste, sesame butter, and date syrup, items that demand huge quantities of locally grown products. Lines requiring the least amount of renovation and steam -- chips, bottled water and fruit-flavored drinks -- are expected to go on line by mid-2008. These product lines will employ up to 200 workers.
When rehabilitation is complete and all production lines are on-line, BCF will have a permanent workforce of approximately 1,200 workers. The plant will process close to 20,000 tons -- $30 million -- worth of dates, tomatoes, sesame, wheat and corn produced from over 1,000 small farms.
By bringing workers together, BCF spells hope for sectarian reconciliation in the Balad community and creates a model for other Iraqi communities to follow.
For more information about USAID and its programs in Iraq, please visit www.usaid.gov .
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.
Public Information: 202-712-4810
Iran, via Hizb'allah, moves in on Lebanon
http://www.jnewswire.com/article/2442
Lebanon appeared to be sliding into chaos Friday as the Iranian-backed, Syrian-supplied Hizb'allah moved to dramatically upgrade its role in the running of Israel's sorely-troubled northern neighbor.
At least 11 people were reportedly killed and dozens wounded in three days of clashes which saw armed Hizb'allah fighters - who are Shia Muslims - clash with Sunni Muslim and other government-supporting Lebanese and take over most the Muslim western part of Beirut.
Government-run media outlets were seized and the Lebanese army - reportedly wanting to remain "neutral" - handed control of its offices over to Hizb'allah forces.
Some analysts said the terrorist organization would not try to directly install itself as the new government - a step that could easily ignite a new civil war - but instead was likely to ask the military to assume control.
From his new position of strength Hizb'allah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah dismissed calls by other Lebanese political leaders to quell his belligerence, and demanded the US-backed government of Prime Minister Fuoad Siniora agree to sit down to "talks" with his organization.
But while the immediate ramifications of what seemed undeniably to be a violent putsch attempt were not clear, the quickly-forming new reality signaled a sudden spurt in Iran's steadily encroaching regional influence.
Israel and the United States are monitoring the situation anxiously. Tehran's de facto swallowing of Lebanon might well push one or both countries into more directly confronting the Iranian regime.
According to Ha'aretz, Israeli President Shimon Peres played down his nation's concerns, saying he hoped the Lebanese people would step back from the brink.
"It has nothing to do with Israel. It's an internal split," Peres said. "It's a tragedy for them. It's a tragedy for all of us. And I hope that at the last moment they will save themselves from a bloody civil war."
Saudi Arabia, which has supported Siniora and is itself fearfully eyeing the increasingly-bellicose Iran, Friday called for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers, the White House chastised Hizb'allah for being "disruptive" (!) and the United Nations typically, and ineffectually, called on "all sides" to calm down.
Big Powers Say Nuke Treaty at Risk, Cite Iran
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Nuke_Treaty_iran/2008/05/09/94790.html
GENEVA -- The five major nuclear-armed powers said on Friday the Non-Proliferation Treaty was under threat and cited Iran's uranium enrichment campaign in a rare joint call for action to shore up the NPT.
North Korea's nuclear test blast in 2006, Iran's pursuit of potentially bomb-capable enrichment and new allegations Syria covertly tried to build an atomic reactor with North Korean help spotlight growing challenges to the treaty, many analysts say.
"The proliferation of nuclear weapons constitutes a threat to international peace and security," the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France said in a joint address on the final day of a two-week meeting of 106 NPT member nations.
"This ... imperils prospects for progress on other NPT goals such as nuclear disarmament and hurts prospects for expanding international (civil) nuclear cooperation," said British chief delegate John Duncan, speaking on behalf of the five.
"The proliferation risks presented by the Iranian nuclear program continue to be a matter of ongoing serious concern to us." Tehran is under U.N. sanctions for refusing to suspend the work and curbing U.N. inspections meant to verify its nature.
Iran says it wants only electricity from enrichment, which can also produce atom bomb fuel if the process is adjusted.
The five said they stood squarely behind a revised packet of economic incentives which they, along with Germany, plan to present to Iran soon to shelve its uranium enrichment program.
The four Western powers and Russia and China have often struggled to agree on a mix of carrots and sticks for dealing with Iran. But they told NPT members they aimed to resolve the standoff with Iran "innovatively through negotiations".
Iran denounced their surprise statement as "destructive and counterproductive" and said it "seriously questions their political will for the negotiated solution they call for".
"We will never bow to threats and definitely not give up our inalienable right" to peaceful nuclear energy under the NPT, Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said, his voice rising.
The powers urged North Korea, which bolted from the NPT in 2003, to carry out a now-stalled six-party accord to disarm.
SYRIA ADDED TO NPT CONTROVERSY
Syria, like Iran repeatedly fingered by Washington and some allies at the meeting, was omitted from the powers' statement due to Russian and Chinese reservations about U.S. intelligence purporting to show Damascus was close to completing a secret reactor before Israeli warplanes destroyed it last September.
Syria has rejected the findings as "forged" but is now under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation.
The five-power appeal tried to address grievances of developing nations ahead of another meeting in 2009 to finalize proposals for a decision-making NPT Review Conference in 2010, five years after the last one collapsed amid squabbling.
Nuclear states have said that what the NPT needs most is tougher safeguards on transfer of nuclear technology.
Developing states balk, saying this would wipe out their NPT right to peaceful uses of atomic energy. They also say the original nuclear powers have undermined respect for the treaty by lagging on commitments to disarm, a charge they deny.
The five powers championed IAEA-driven proposals for a multilateral nuclear fuel bank under depoliticized agency control to supply refined uranium to developing states as an alternative to indigenous development of enrichment.
This was a high priority for the 2010 conference, in addition to stronger non-proliferation safeguards, they said.
Russia Shows Off Military Toys in Victory Day Parade
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354685,00.html
MOSCOW — Missiles, tanks and other heavy weaponry rolled through Moscow's Red Square in the Victory Day parade Friday, the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union that they have appeared in the annual event.
Victory Day, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, is Russia's most important secular holiday, both honoring the enormous sacrifices of World War II, in which nearly 9 million Red Army soldiers are estimated to have died, and asserting the country's military strength.
Russia has nearly quadrupled its defense spending in recent years, aiming to resuscitate the military forces that deteriorated in the post-Soviet period.
Topol missiles, which have the capacity to carry nuclear warheads, were part of the display of more than 100 tanks, mobile missile units and armored vehicles that was aimed at underlining the military revival. But many of the heavy weapons shown were only slightly modernized versions of equipment developed decades ago.
Although the display was significantly smaller than in Soviet-era parades, the return of the tradition has raised concerns that Russia harbors aggressive ambitions.
But President Dmitry Medvedev, in a speech opening the parade, said "the true purpose of weapons and military equipment is to give reliable defense of the homeland."
Medvedev, who took office Wednesday, stayed away from controversial statements such as predecessor Vladimir Putin's parade speech last year, which implied parallels between the U.S. and the Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.
But he said "we must not allow contempt for the norms of international law."
Russia has consistently criticized both the U.S.-led war in Iraq and wide Western recognition of Kosovo's independence as arrogant violations of international principles.
Putin, who was named Russian prime minister on Thursday, stood just behind Medvedev's shoulder and his face was prominently shown in TV broadcasts as the president spoke — underlining the wide belief that Putin will be the power behind the presidency.
Although Russian officials deny any intentions of returning to Soviet ways, the style and symbolism of Victory Day is heavily redolent of the Communist era.
Posters proclaiming the holiday throughout the city include the hammer-and-sickle insignia, which is also seen on the banners and period uniforms used by some of the regiments, which goose-stepped across the 6-acre (2.5-hectare) square under clear skies.
Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reviewed troops before the parade by standing in the back seat of an open 1980s-era ZIL limousine.
Russian news reports said about 3 million World War II veterans are still alive. Although veterans receive extensive public praise, their pensions are small and many live in poor conditions even as Russia's economy soars.
In a tacit recognition of their straits, Medvedev's first decree after taking office was to order that all World War II veterans receive housing by 2010.
Russia, US sign 123 pact while Left holds the gun here
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Russia_US_sign_123_pact_while_Left_holds_the_gun_here/rssarticleshow/3026553.cms
NEW DELHI: The US and its 123 agreement may be untouchable to the UPA-Left combine but it's perfectly acceptable to the former communists in Russia.
On the day when the Left once again stalled proceedings on the India-US nuclear deal, and Pranab Mukherjee pronounced the 123 agreement dead, in Moscow, Russia and the US were signing on to their own 123 agreement.
For deal supporters in the government, the US-Russia deal could be an argument worth using with the Left, but the government has let the "Reds" call the shots on a vital foreign policy initiative.
The Russia-US nuclear agreement, signed by Sergei Kiriyenko, director of Rosatom, and William Burns, US ambassador to Russia, came after a short negotiation between the two sides starting in May 2006 after Kiriyenko's US visit, and finalized in 2007. This, incidentally, was around the time the Left in India put a gun to the government's head here.
In fact, the Left's opposition to the deal is less and less credible, a fact that government sources openly acknowledge, but because of the UPA's fear of elections this deal has been declared dead on arrival by India.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on his part, on Wednesday however said he was still optimistic about the Left parties clearing the path for the safeguards agreement with IAEA during their next meeting with UPA on May 28. "We hope good sense will prevail (before the June 2 meeting of the IAEA board of governors)," he said.
The Left has made India's ties with Iran a litmus test for its foreign policy - Russia's deal with the US comes even as Russia continues its nuclear cooperation with Iran.
Of course, the Russia deal will be different from the Indian deal in that Russia is a registered nuclear weapons state (NWS), member of NPT and NSG. That gives it a greater leverage than India which is outside both NPT and NSG.
In November 2007, when India and Russia failed to sign a nuclear deal, the Left went ballistic, demanding that the government conclude such an agreement. The truth was Russia refused to enter into any nuclear agreement with India until after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) gives a clear exemption to India.
The same is true with France, and the result is, there are two nuclear agreements that have been finalized but will not be signed until the US deal is cleared and the NSG waves India through. The UPA's fear and the Left's aggression has held up movement on other fronts too.
Last week, the government finally came out of the closet, admitting in Parliament that a "mismatch" between demand and supply of uranium was forcing nuclear power plants in India to operate well below capacity, not to speak of declining profits for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).
Neither Russia nor China, both ideological inspiration for the Indian Left, consider it despicable to work with the US on nuclear issues, while the Left continues to hold the government hostage.
US and Russian companies will now be able to work together in joint ventures. US is also looking at importing reactors from Russia, as well as sales of nuclear materials and reactor components to Russia - GE, a US giant is one of the global leaders in reactor components.
It will allow US and Russia to work on the big nuclear energy partnership, the GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership), a US initiative for proliferation-free nuclear energy system.
Christian Freedom International Supports a Persecuted Mother and Her Infant Son in Bangladesh
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07164.shtml
SAULT STE. MARIE, Michigan, (christiansunite.com) -- A mother's testimony is serving as one more stark reminder of the severity of Christian persecution in Bangladesh.
When Mary Mondol, a Christian woman living in Dhaka, was approached by a Muslim man in 2001, an ultimatum was quickly made clear: if she didn't marry him and convert to Islam, she would be killed. Mary reluctantly agreed to the marriage, and with one hand on the Qu'ran, was forced to profess her "new" Muslim beliefs during the wedding ceremony.
In the years that followed, Mary was repeatedly beaten and tortured by her husband and his family members, even throughout her pregnancy in 2007. After being kicked out of her home in January 2008, she finally sought help from William Gomes, a local Christian pastor who assisted her in building a legal case against her abusive husband. Although Mary's testimony was enough to warrant his arrest and imprisonment, both she and William Gomes now fear for their lives as they continue to face ominous threats from her husband's relatives. "I have become the target of that Muslim family," says Pastor Gomes. "They are threatening me to stop working for her. Now I cannot give her shelter any longer...I may be killed any time, as they are very strong and are from the majority community. Being a Christian, I am a minority, and the government doesn't give support for us. But we are praying to save her from the Muslim family."
Mary now lives life on the run, unable to stay in one place for too long out of fear of being discovered by her husband's family. Her story mirrors the plight of many other Christian women in Bangladesh, where forced marriage and conversion to Islam, the country's dominant religion, has been a widespread source of fear and abuse for years. Despite the government's claims of religious freedom for all citizens, minority Christians in Bangladesh routinely suffer beatings, arrest, and attacks on their homes and churches because of their faith.
Christian Freedom International, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting persecuted Christians worldwide, is currently providing food and medical treatment for Mary Mondol's 4-month-old son, Sumon. The organization, which also distributes Braille Bibles for the blind in Dhaka, urges Christians around the world to pray for suffering believers in Bangladesh.
To learn more about the persecuted church, visit www.christianfreedom.org.
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