McCain Gets Financial Help from Bush
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/382098.aspx
CBNNews.com - Republican presidential candidate John McCain is getting some financial help this week from President Bush.
The President is scheduled to speak at three McCain fundraisers that will be closed to the public.
It will be the first time Bush has made a public appearance with McCain since endorsing him at the White House three months ago.
Offers Trip to Iraq
McCain continues to blast Democrat Barack Obama for wanting to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. The Arizona senator is offering to take Obama there to see the recent security and political gains.
But Obama says he would be the better commander-in-chief, because he cares more for servicemen and women. The would-be Democratic nominee is also signaling that he intends to campaign heavily this fall for the Western states that narrowly voted Republican four years ago.
New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado aren't definitely Democratic blue or Republican red.
Instead, they're known as "purple states" by political junkies. Together, they account for only 19 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. But those votes could be vital in a close race.
The Spread of Nuclear Weapons
McCain is also criticizing Democrats and members of his own party for their efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons. McCain spoke Tuesday to a crowd of supporters at the University of Denver.
"If you look back over the past two decades, I don't think any of us, Republican or Democrat, can take much satisfaction in what we've accomplished to control nuclear proliferation," he said.
As McCain spoke he was interrupted by anti-war protestors four times before they were asked to leave.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton continues to campaign for the last three Democratic primaries. She spent the last three days in Puerto Rico where she has the edge.
Obama is expected to win Montana and South Dakota.
McCain: 'I Will Never Surrender in Iraq'
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/mccain_surrender_iraq/2008/05/27/99318.html
DENVER - Republican candidate John McCain edged further away from U.S. President George W. Bush on foreign policy on Tuesday even as he accepted Bush's help in raising much-needed campaign dollars for his White House bid.
The Arizona senator said in a speech that he would pursue nuclear arms reduction talks with Russia and China as part of a foreign policy vision that brings back "broad-minded internationalism and determined diplomacy."
"It is a vision not of the United States acting alone, but building and participating in a community of nations all drawn together in this vital common purpose. It is a vision of a responsible America, dedicated to an enduring peace based on freedom," McCain said.
Bush has often been accused of going to war against Iraq without broad international support and participation, a policy that his critics charge has damaged the U.S. image abroad.
It was the latest attempt by McCain to separate himself from Bush and chart an approach with appeal to independent voters who could play an important role in the November election.
Republican strategists believe McCain as the party's presumptive presidential nominee needs to put as much distance as possible between himself and Bush when the president's low approval rating threatens to drag down the Republican brand.
NEEDS BUSH'S FUND-RAISING
At the same time, McCain needs to employ the president's significant fund-raising prowess to try to keep pace with Democratic front-runner Barack Obama's money machine, which has raised millions of dollars from small donors.
Bush will kick off raising money for McCain on Tuesday and Wednesday at three events in Arizona and Utah, but they will only be together at one and it will be out of the public eye.
Obama, campaigning in Nevada, made sure to point out the McCain-Bush event. He is trying to portray McCain as little different from Bush.
"He's holding a fund-raiser with George Bush behind closed doors in Arizona. No cameras. No reporters. And we all know why. Senator McCain doesn't want to be seen, hat-in-hand, with the president whose failed policies he promises to continue for another four years," Obama said.
At the University of Denver, McCain, 71, faced down a handful of anti-Iraq war protesters who interrupted his speech several times with chants of "End this war," and "What about Iraq?"
McCain took the opportunity to stress his support for the current U.S. strategy in Iraq and castigate those who would withdraw U.S. troops.
"By the way, I will never surrender in Iraq. Our American troops will come home with victory and honor," he said.
McCain's non-proliferation objectives would go beyond the Bush administration.
He proposed more nuclear arms reductions, said he would consider Russia's proposal to expand an intermediate range nuclear weapons treaty, expressed a willingness to talk to China about arms reductions, and backed an overseas nuclear waste repository to avoid building a controversial storage facility in Nevada.
"These are all different from the Bush administration," said McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann.
The Obama camp said his ideas sound a lot like Obama's.
"No speech by John McCain can change the fact that he has not led on non-proliferation issues when he had the chance in the Senate," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
McCain Says Obama Should Visit Iraq
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/381692.aspx
CBNNews.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Republican John McCain on Monday sharply criticized Democratic rival Barack Obama for not having been to Iraq since 2006, and said they should visit the war zone together.
"Look at what happened in the last two years since Senator Obama visited and declared the war lost," the GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting told The Associated Press in an interview, noting that the Illinois senator's last trip to Iraq came before the military buildup that is credited with curbing violence.
"He really has no experience or knowledge or judgment about the issue of Iraq and he has wanted to surrender for a long time," the Arizona senator added. "If there was any other issue before the American people, and you hadn't had anything to do with it in a couple of years, I think the American people would judge that very harshly."
McCain, a Navy veteran and Vietnam prisoner of war, frequently argues that he's the most qualified candidate to be a wartime commander in chief. In recent weeks, he has sought portray Obama, a first-term senator, as naive on foreign policy and not experienced enough to lead the military.
The Iraq war, which polls have shown that most of the country opposes, is shaping up to be a defining issue in the November presidential election.
McCain, who wrapped up the GOP nomination in March, supports continued military presence in Iraq though he recently said he envisions victory with most U.S. troops coming home by January 2013 if he's elected. Obama, who has all but clinched the Democratic nomination, says he will remove U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office, though sometimes he shortens it to 11 months.
"For him to talk about dates for withdrawal, which basically is surrender in Iraq after we're succeeding so well is, I think, really inexcusable," said McCain, who has been to Iraq eight times, most recently in March.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton declined to respond directly to McCain, saying only: "Senator Obama thinks Memorial Day is a day to honor our nation's veterans, not a day for political posturing."
Over the weekend, Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of McCain's top surrogates, laid the groundwork for McCain's criticism in a television interview in which he noted Obama's absence from Iraq and floated the idea that Obama and McCain should go together to be briefed by Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Asked whether he'd be willing to take such a trip, McCain told the AP: "Sure. It would be fine."
"I go back every few months because things are changing in Iraq," he said. McCain questioned whether Obama has ever been briefed by Petraeus. "I would also seize that opportunity to educate Senator Obama along the way."
Both McCain and Obama spent part of Memorial Day in New Mexico, a general election battleground that was decided by razor-thin margins in 2000, for Democrat Al Gore, and in 2004, for Republican President Bush.
Obama addressed veterans Monday in Las Cruces while McCain used a speech at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque to press his case against withdrawing troops from Iraq, saying they must continue their mission even though he's "sick at heart" by mistakes at the outset of the war.
McCain also defended his opposition to Senate-passed legislation that would provide additional college financial aid to veterans, a measure Obama supports.
The Republican made no direct mention of the Democrat but seemed to poke at him nonetheless.
McCain said his opposition to the bill was the right rather than the politically expedient position, suggesting Obama was on the wrong side of the measure sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Lawmakers blocked a more limited version that McCain supported.
"I am running for the office of commander in chief. That is the highest privilege in this country, and it imposes the greatest responsibilities. And this is why I am committed to our bill, despite the support Senator Webb's bill has received," McCain said. "It would be easier, much easier politically for me to have joined Senator Webb in offering his legislation."
However, McCain said he opposed Webb's measure because it would give everyone the same benefit regardless of how many times they enlist. He said he feared that would depress reenlistments by those wanting to attend college after only a few years in uniform. Rather, McCain said the bill he favored would have increased scholarships based on length of service.
McCain spent the early part of the holiday weekend at his retreat in Sedona, Ariz., where he entertained some two dozen guests, including three fellow Republicans who have been mentioned as possible vice presidential running mates: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"It really was just a social occasion," McCain told the AP. Asked whether he did any vetting of the three, McCain said: "None. Zero. There is plenty of time for that kind of thing."
Obama Flip-Flops on Iran Meeting
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Obama_flips_Iran_meet/2008/05/27/99215.html
The Republican National Committee issued the following statement today:
Yesterday, Obama said that he would not necessarily meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:
"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama underscored his willingness to talk to leaders of countries like Iran that are considered U.S. adversaries but said that does not necessarily mean an audience with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad." (Caren Bohan, "Obama Says Won't Guarantee Ahmadinejad A Meeting," Reuters, 5/26/08)
"'There's no reason why we would necessarily meet with Ahmadinejad before we know he's actually in power. He's not the most powerful person in Iran,' Obama told reporters while campaigning in New Mexico." (Caren Bohan, "Obama Says Won't Guarantee Ahmadinejad A Meeting," Reuters, 5/26/08)
But in July 2007, Obama said he would meet with the leaders of hostile foreign nations, including Iran:
At a July 2007 debate, Obama announced he would personally meet with leaders Of Iran, North Korea, Syria and other hostile nations "without precondition."
Question: "[W]ould you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"
Obama: "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them - which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration - is ridiculous." (CNN/YouTube Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Charleston, SC, 7/23/07)
Obama repeatedly has stood by his position that he would meet with rogue leaders, including Ahmadinejad:
In A September 2007 Press Conference, Obama Confirmed That He Would Meet Specifically With Ahmadinejad.
Question: "Senator, you've said before that you'd meet with President Ahmadinejad ..."
Obama: "Uh huh."
Question: "Would you still meet with him today?"
Obama: "Yeah, nothing's changed with respect to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and talk to their adversaries. I find many of President Ahmadinejad's statements odious and I've said that repeatedly. And I think that we have to recognize that there are a lot of rogue nations in the world that don't have American interests at heart. But what I also believe is that, as John F. Kennedy said, we should never negotiate out of fear but we should never fear to negotiate. And by us listening to the views even of those who we violently disagree with - that sends a signal to the world that we are going to turn the page on the failed diplomacy that the Bush Administration has practiced for so long." (Sen. Barack Obama, Press Conference, New York, NY, 9/24/07)
In December 2007, Obama said he was not afraid of "Losing a propaganda war" by reaching out to hostile leaders like Ahmadinejad.
Obama: "[I]'ve got to say I'm not afraid of losing a propaganda war to somebody like Ahmadinejad. You know, strong countries and strong presidents speak with their adversaries. I always think back to J.F.K.'s saying that we should never negotiate out of fear, but we shouldn't fear to negotiate. We remain the most powerful nation, by far, on earth. Our military capacity is unequaled. We should not hesitate to go ahead and initiate the kinds of discussions that are required." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 11/11/07)
At a December 2007 debate, Obama said he would talk directly to Iran, even though it would "Not necessarily ... change Ahmadinejad's mind."
Obama: "We need to send a strong signal that we are going to talk directly to not just our friends but also to our enemies. And I have to say that when I brought this up early on in this campaign, I was called naive and irresponsible. And yet the point, the reason for that was not necessarily because we're going to change Ahmadinejad's mind. It's because we're going to change the minds of people inside Iran, moderate forces inside Iran, as well as our Muslim allies around the region, that we are willing to listen to them and try to engage in finding ways to resolve conflicts cooperatively." (Sen. Barack Obama, National Public Radio Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Des Moines, IA, 12/4/07)
On "Meet The Press" this month, Obama reiterated his position that "We've got to talk directly to Iran."
Obama: "I have consistently said that we've got to talk directly to Iran, send them a clear message that they have to stop, not only with their potential funding of militias inside of Iraq, but they also have to stop funding Hamas, they have to stop funding Hezbollah, they've got to stand down on their nuclear weapons. There will be continued consequences for those kinds of actions, but that here are also some carrots and possible benefits if they change behavior. Those kinds of direct talks have not taken place. That's the kind of change in foreign policy that I plan to put in place when I'm President of the United States." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/4/08)
White House 'Compassion in Action' Roundtable Highlights Critical Role of Nonprofits in Disaster Preparation and Response
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07226.shtml
WASHINGTON, (christiansunite.com) -- The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI), joined by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, today convened a Compassion in Action policy roundtable entitled, "Partnerships in Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery: The Role of Faith-Based and Community Organizations in Building Resilient Communities." Hosted by OFBCI Director Jay Hein, the Roundtable underscored the critical and increasing role of faith-based and community organizations in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
"The President's commitment to working in close partnership with nonprofit organizations has been unparalleled, and our department is more effective because of it," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Faith based and community organizations can play a vital role in planning, preparedness and response efforts, and we'll continue to work closely with them."
Today's event highlighted ways public-private partnerships are boosting the quality of aid delivered to individuals and communities in the wake of disaster. Effective disaster preparation, response and recovery are increasingly defined by cross-sector collaboration that draws upon the complementary strengths of public, private and nonprofit sector players. Faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs), in particular, add much to these partnerships through their established role in the community, existing infrastructure, unique ability to mobilize resources and human capital, and other capabilities complementary to those of government. As disaster recovery models transition from government-centered delivery of services to innovative community-based partnerships, the role of FBCOs remains vital to ensuring that communities are equipped to respond effectively to both the short- and long-term impact of disasters.
"In the aftermath of disaster, America's armies of compassion are among the first responders extending a hand to their neighbors and helping rebuild distressed communities. Today, we applaud these compassionate Americans and explore innovative partnerships to strengthen their service," said OFBCI Director Jay Hein.
Recognizing the critical role of America's nonprofits in disaster recovery and rebuilding, the Federal government works to engage these vital allies and extend their efforts to meet critical community needs. For example, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with USA Freedom Corps, FEMA and other public- and private-sector players, strengthened the National Response Framework, the nation's guide for domestic disaster response, to ensure coordinated efforts and effective utilization of skilled volunteers. Additionally, a host of Federal efforts ranging from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, which supplies food to disaster relief organizations for mass distribution, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Investment Partnerships to help rebuild disaster-torn areas, are engaging FBCOs to help rebuild neighborhoods and restore lives. To aid with international disasters, the Federal government partners with non-government organizations through the U.S. Agency for International Development to help impact disaster-torn areas.
Moreover, since President Bush launched Citizen Corps in 2002, to engage volunteer activities to help communities prepare for disasters through multi- sector engagement, nearly $150 million has been distributed to States and territories to build community preparedness. Extending the President's vision for a culture of volunteer service, Citizen Corps currently operates 2,343 local Councils, which serve nearly 224 million people, or 78% of the total U.S. population.
Today's dialogue on the critical role of America's nonprofit sector will be further explored at a White House Conference on Disaster Relief and Preparedness on May 29 and 30, in New Orleans. The Conference will also offer tools and training for social service organizations as they work to rebuild and sustain their communities.
President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI) is built from the conviction that the most effective way to address our communities' great needs is to draw upon the unique strengths of every willing community and faith-based partner. He launched the FBCI upon taking office in January 2001, to strengthen America's nonprofit sector and extend its work in partnership with government. Since April 2006, the OFBCI has convened monthly Compassion in Action policy roundtables to discuss issues of interest faith- and community-based organizations and highlight honor the successes of dedicated Americans helping their neighbors in need.
For more information on the OFBCI and the President's compassion agenda, visit: www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/.
Mike Baker: Carter Spills the Beans About Israel
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358802,00.html
“Secrets are edged tools,
That must be kept from children
And from fools.”
- English poet John Dryden.
So now we know. Maybe it matters to you, maybe it doesn’t. If you’re Iranian President Ahmadinejad, my guess is that it does matter. Thanks to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter we’ve been advised that Israel has “150 or more” nukes in their arsenal.
Seriously, is this something that needed to be broadcast by a former U.S. President? Hot on the heels of his recent trip to the Middle East to sit down with Hamas officials for some bizarre reason, Carter was in the United Kingdom this past weekend for a conference when he decided to hold forth on Israel’s nuclear holdings.
Speaking at something called the Hay-on-Wye festival in Wales on Sunday, not to be confused with the Ham-on-Rye spectacular held at my place the same day, Carter was asked about the Iranian nuclear threat. In response he offered the following:
“The U.S. has more than 12,000 nuclear weapons, the Soviet Union has about the same, Great Britain and France have several hundred and Israel has 150 or more.” To the surprise of those in attendance the former president added that “… I believe Switzerland has a dozen or so, those Belgian[s] have 7, I’m pretty sure they’ve got one in Togo and dollars to donuts they’re hiding a couple in Canada.”
Now, this is not exactly a major breech of security. It’s more like a breech of standard, accepted diplomatic behavior. For many moons now it has been the practice that Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its nuclear capabilities. Successive U.S. administrations have basically maintained the same policy, neither confirming nor denying Israel’s arsenal.
While the generally held view has been that Israel is indeed a nuclear power, neither the Israeli nor U.S. governments felt the need to provide any specifics. There of course has been speculation, with some estimates ranging from a few dozen to several hundred weapons in their arsenal. Personally, I was always partial to the number 271, although I have no evidence to back that up.
Carter, apparently concerned that publicity from his Hamas trip was drying up, decided that it was high time to change years of standard procedure and shed a little light on the subject. How surprised were all those Welshmen in attendance at the conference when they heard a former U.S. President not only acknowledge Israel’s nuclear weapons capability but also attach a number to it?
As an aside, how many famous Welshmen can you name without turning to the information superhighway? I’m stumped after Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and John Cale. I left a note for the PWB interns to turn off Guitar Hero for a few minutes and research the issue, but they responded with a list of famous whales. I’d auction the entire staff off on eBay if there weren’t legal issues involved.
Now I understand perfectly why many folks would look at Carter’s statement and say “…uh, so what.” Possibly, those same folks would mutter “… who cares.” Maybe even a “… big deal, everyone knows they have nukes.”
Right. But that’s not really the point. The issue here isn’t whether the former president wandered off the reservation and lent credibility and specificity to a previously generally accepted notion. He did. The point is that, in the eyes of the Iranians, Carter provided a specific number informed by his years in the White House, and in doing so possibly provided leverage in their own efforts to develop a nuclear capability.
It doesn’t matter if he was perhaps making his own best guesstimate or perhaps reciting a number he’d seen in a news article in the past… the assumption in Ahmadinejad’s office will be that Carter, based on his time as U.S. President with access to highly classified intelligence, knows that Israel possesses “150 or more” weapons. And in seeing this information out in the public, attributed to what the world perceives as a highly credible source, Iran will use that information to its advantage.
Let’s try a multiple choice question: In our ongoing efforts to influence, pressure, cajole or encourage Iran to cease and desist their efforts to create a nuclear capability, we could describe the former president’s comments as…
a) Unhelpful
b) Distracting
c) Potentially damaging
d) Confusing to the Welsh
e) All of the above
If you chose “e” then you are an insightful student of foreign policy and likely far more clever than the PWB’s interns number one and two.
In trying to figure out a logical reason for why the former president thought it necessary to illuminate us with his inside knowledge of Israel’s holdings, I’ve come to the conclusion that he has such a disdain for the current administration that he honestly could care less what impact his actions or words have on current proceedings.
Some have speculated that perhaps he simply slipped. Personally I don’t believe this was a “Grandpa” moment. He’s too smart and well informed on the Middle East to miss the relative significance of his comments. Unfortunately, his willingness to out Israel’s capabilities may impact on the next administration’s efforts to deal with Iran.
Carter, and many others to be fair, believe that what we need to do is be more engaging with Iran… talk more and perhaps pressure less. More carrot, less stick. I don’t know about you, but if I’m looking to spend more time at the conference table, I may not want to show my cards in advance. Giving the Iranians a number that they can throw back at us, such as “150 or more”, is probably not the best way to start the game. It’s like calling “all in” before the hand has been dealt.
Before we wrap it up, and not to be churlish, but did anyone see the headline earlier today about the IAEA’s latest report on Iran? It actually made news the same day as Carter’s comments, which some might call sublime. Of course others would attribute it to the vast international conspiracy to discredit Iran. Apparently the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report indicating that Iran might be withholding information needed to determine whether they’ve been trying to develop nuclear weapons. Really?
Maybe now that they know about Israel’s 150 nukes, Ahmadinejad will see the light and respond with an honest and transparent discussion of Iran’s program. Does anyone know the Welsh translation for What a Load of Crap?
Till next week, stay safe.
Gaps Found in Port Security Program
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/381963.aspx
CBNNews.com - Congressional investigators have discovered security gaps at ports across the country.
A report by the Government Accountability Office released today points to a security program that terrorists could exploit to smuggle weapons of mass destruction in cargo containers.
That program allows reduced scrutiny for roughly 8,000 trusted importers, port authorities, and air, sea and land carriers.
In return, the companies are required to submit a security plan that Meets U.S. Customs and Border Protection's base standards.
But investigators found many of the companies are not following the strict guidelines designed by the Department Of Homeland Security.
Congress has been working to improve port security since the 9-11 Commission cited the potential dangers in its 2004 report.
The Commission stated that when measured against commercial aviation, "opportunities to do harm are as great, or greater, in maritime or surface transportation."
Sen. Susan Collins, top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, vowed, "I will continue to work with DHS and the private sector to ensure the effectiveness of the crucial port security program."
FBI Warns: New al-Qaida WMD Threat
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/new_al_qaida_threat/2008/05/27/99319.html
The FBI issued a bulletin to 18,000 law enforcement agencies this week warning that al-Qaida has made new threats to use weapons of mass destruction against U.S. targets.
ABC News reported late Tuesday that intelligence sources have confirmed that al-Qaida plans to release a new video on the web sometime tomorrow. U.S. intelligence believes the terror group will advise its "jihadists to use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons to attack the West."
An FBI spokesman confirmed the threat "calling for the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against civilians." The U.S. has no "intelligence of any specific plot or indication of a threat to the U.S.," the Bureau spokesman said. Still, the FBI has taken the precautionary step of alerting other agencies of the potential threat.
Such threats are not unusual for the Bureau. Earlier this year, Dr. Vahid Majidi, the bureau’s assistant director in charge of the WMD Directorate, told Newsmax that the FBI gets at least several dozen cases a year involving weapons of mass destruction.
The Bureau takes such threats seriously.
In a separate interview with Newsmax's Ronald Kessler last year, FBI Director Robert Mueller said Osama bin Laden and his terrorist group were actively seeking to obtain nuclear devices with the intent to explode them in American cities.
Mueller conjectured how al Qaida might acquire one or more nuclear devices. "One is to obtain a nuclear device that's already been constructed from one of the former Iron Curtain countries, and the other way is to put together the fissile material and the expertise and do an improvised nuclear device," Mueller said.
"And there's no doubt that al Qaida, if it had the capability, would go down either route to get a nuclear device."
Mueller also had little doubt as to al Qaida's likely targets.
"It would be someplace in the United States, in most likely Washington and or New York, depending on how many devices they have. Or both cities," Mueller said.
Supreme Court Upholds Law Against Child Porn
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07227.shtml
WASHINGTON, (christiansunite.com) -- "We have long held that obscene speech-sexually explicit material that violates fundamental notions of decency-is not protected by the First Amendment," begins the opinion handed down today by the Supreme Court in US v. Williams, a clear statement of law too often overlooked by our judiciary and law enforcement. In a 7-2 decision, the Court reversed the Eleventh Circuit opinion declaring the 2003 law unconstitutional and restored the much needed protections against the distribution of child pornography.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauds the decision by the Supreme Court to uphold a law that will protect families and punish those who traffic in child pornography.
Justice Scalia, who wrote the opinion of the Court, said, "Child pornography harms and debases the most defenseless of our citizens. Both the State and Federal Government have sought to suppress it for many years, only to find it proliferating though the new medium of the Internet."
"The Supreme Court got it exactly right," said Mario Diaz, CWA's Policy Director for Legal Issues. "Child pornography is a growing problem in our society and we must use every weapon at our disposal to fight against it. There is no violation of the First Amendment right to free speech here. After all, the material at issue is illegal child pornography. The mere possession of it is in violation of the law.
"It is clear the federal government has a compelling interest in protecting children, and this statute goes after individuals with a specific intent to pander the material. A law that protects children in such a significant way should not be struck down simply because there might be one person somewhere in Fantasyland that, given the right circumstances, might say it violates their free speech. That is nonsense and I'm glad the Justices saw through their mythical arguments."
Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America, said "Children who have been violated twice, by molestation and the recording of this crime, should not face the life-long fear of the pictures of their rape circulating for perverted men to gawk at. Child pornography is illegal and today the Supreme Court rightly upheld the law against distributing this illegal material."
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
Teachers Ignore Courts on Evolution Debate
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/382241.aspx
CBNNews.com - Creationism and intelligent design still have a place in schools despite losing battles in court, a recent study says.
More than 12 percent of high school biology teachers provide some instruction on creationism or intelligent design as a "valid, scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species," researchers at Pennsylvania State University found.
The intelligent design views have been continuously shot down in court. Judges have ruled that creationism and intelligent design are religion, not science.
Still, some high school teachers believe otherwise.
"Ultimately, they are the ones who carry it out," Michael Berkman, a political scientist at Penn State, said.
Berkman and his colleagues conducted the national survey of high school biology teachers in 2007 - the first-ever of its kind. Of the 939 teachers who responded to the survey, one-fourth of them said they spent time teaching creationism and intelligent design.
When asked about their religious beliefs, 16 percent said they personally believed God created human beings in the last 10,000 years.
Some experts say that biology teachers may be spending less and less time on Darwin's theory because of community pressure.
"(The number of supporters) seems a bit high, but I am not shocked by it," said Linda Froschauer, past president of the National Science Teachers Association in Arlington, Va.
Berkman noted that those who favored evolution had a deeper background in evolutionary biology than those who did not. He believes if teachers are required to take evolutionary biology courses, it would dramatically impact evolution being taught in schools.
In 2004, a Pennsylvania school board began requiring teachers to read a statement that questioned the validity of Darwinism.
"Because Darwin's Theory is a theory, it continues to be tested as new evidence is discovered," the statement read. "The Theory is not a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no evidence."
California Supreme Court Foolishness Justifies Same Sex Marriages
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07228.shtml
UNION CITY, California, (christiansunite.com) -- Today the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriages and in so doing turned its back on both the will of the people and clearly biblical teaching," said Walter Hoye, President and Founder of the Issues4Life Foundation.
Hoye says, "The only way Californians can reverse this outrageous decision is by passing the 'ProtectMarriage.com' initiative in November and put the definition of marriage in the California state constitution. This will ensure that no judge, politician or special interest group interferes with the will of the people."
Hoye goes on to say, "Currently 40% (percent) of children are born out of wedlock so it is clearly in the public interest to encourage people who engage in reproductive acts to marry since only those acts create new life without the staggering and tragic social consequences outside of marriage. By redefining and diluting the definition of marriage, the California Supreme Court has undermined the foundation of our society."
Hoye continues by saying, "Strong biblical marriages are part of the answer to the horrifying numbers surrounding abortion in the African-American community. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) fact sheet entitled "Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States" dated January 2008, Black abortions totaled 683,294 or accounted for 56% of all legal abortions in the United States in 2005."
This percentage equates to the following:
56,941-Black babies were aborted every month
13,140-Black babies were aborted every week
..1,871-Black babies were aborted every day
......78-Black babies were aborted every hour
.....1.3-Black babies were aborted every minute
Mr. Hoye concludes by challenging all Christian Leaders, (i.e., Pastors, Priest, Bishops, Rabbis, etc.), to install voter registration drives immediately, using these drives to inform the people of the clearly biblical definition of marriage between a single man and a single woman and the relationship between the impact of abortion in America and strong biblical marriages.
Gay Rights Group Begins Church Talks
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/382214.aspx
CBNNews.com - A gay rights group is targeting six mega-churches across the country to spark discussion about Christian views on homosexuality.
Over the weekend, the group met with Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Center in Maryland.
Members of "Soulforce" claim the talks are designed to lift up the conversation about faith, family and homosexuality to a national level.
Other churches being targeted include Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church and T.D. Jake's The Potter's House."
Boy Scouts Sue City Over Pro-Gay Policy
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/382220.aspx
CBNNews.com - A Philadelphia Boy Scouts chapter is suing the city after officials ordered them to open their membership to gays, or pay 200,000 percent more in rent.
Philadelphia gave the Cradle of Liberty Council Boy Scouts Chapter until Saturday to adhere to a local "non-discrimination" rule. If they fail to comply, the building they lease would increase from $1 a year to $200,000 a year.
Scouts across the country do not accept leaders who are openly gay, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the group has the right to do so.
The Scouts responded on this past Friday with a federal lawsuit.
They accused the city of censorship, saying it provides free or discounted leases to Baptist and Catholic church groups that also limit membership.
Still, Philadelphia officials say they cannot provide subsidized rent to a group that discriminates.
"They're free to exercise their First Amendment rights," City Solicitor Shelley Smith said Tuesday. "What they're not free to do is get a benefit from the city while violating our policy."
Cradle of Liberty Council developed the nondiscrimination policy in 2003. But Boy Scouts said the changes went against their national rules barring homosexuals from membership.
In an effort to compromise, the Philadelphia chapter adopted a new policy.
"If (it's) working and there haven't been any problems, why can't (it) continue?" Cradle of Liberty Council spokesman Jeff Jubelirer wondered.
Philadelphia owns Beaux Arts headquarters, the current building in question, and the land beneath it. he Scouts claim they have put about $1.5 million in renovating the building and spend about $60,000 a year to maintain it.
They added that an increase in rent would force program cuts, and affect the nearly 70,000 children the chapter serves.
Home Prices Take Record Tumble
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/382080.aspx
CBNNews.com - NEW YORK - U.S. home prices dropped at the sharpest rate in two decades during the first quarter, a closely watched index showed Tuesday, a somber indication that the housing slump continues to deepen.
Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller said its national home price index fell 14.1 percent in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, the lowest since its inception in 1988. The quarterly index covers all nine U.S. Census divisions.
Prices nationwide are at levels not seen since the third quarter of 2004, according to Maureen Maitland, a S&P vice president. However, the index is still up 60 percent versus 2000.
Two narrower indices set record declines in March versus the previous year. The 20-city index tumbled 14.4 percent, the lowest since that index was started in 2001. The 10-city index plunged 15.3 percent, a record in its 20-year history.
"There are very few silver linings that one can see in the data. Most of the nation appears to remain on a downward path," said David Blitzer, chairman of S&P's index committee.
Nineteen of the 20 metro areas reported annual declines, with 15 of them posting record lows. Six metro areas lost more than 20 percent.
Las Vegas had the worst performance in March, falling 25.9 percent from a year earlier, followed by Miami and Phoenix. Only Charlotte, N.C., stayed above water, gaining less than 1 percent over the previous year.
Last week, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight said home prices fell 3.1 percent in the first quarter, the largest drop in its 17-year history and only the second quarter of price declines recorded.
The OFHEO index is narrower in scope and is calculated using mortgages of $417,000 or less that are bought or backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. That excludes properties bought with some of the riskier types of home loans.
New Audio CD--Words of William Wilberforce. Dramatic Excerpts from Wilberforce's Best-Selling Book
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07225.shtml
NEW YORK, (christiansunite.com) -- Well known actor and narrator Max McLean has newly released an audio recording, entitled "A Practical View of Real Christianity," containing excerpts from William Wilberforce's best selling book of the same title. The original book in 1797 was a best seller in the U.K. and the U.S. for more than 50 years for the duration of the "Second Great Awakening." The recording is now available on Amazon.com.
William Wilberforce is the British parliamentarian best known for his leadership to end the transatlantic slave trade in 1807, and later full emancipation, as well as the more than 60 philanthropies he helped establish for the pursuit of justice and service to the poor. His tireless perseverance and reliance on the gospel of Jesus Christ made Wilberforce one of the most effective political leaders in history. His character, vision and integrity for these arduous accomplishments came from a deep, personal knowledge of God and the Holy Scriptures.
"Today there is a wide gap between cultural Christianity and real Christianity," says CD narrator Max Mclean. "It is important to look at Wilberforce as a guide to help us move beyond being Christian in name only and towards being a dynamic, world- changing follower of Christ."
In 1793, Wilberforce began to write a pamphlet which over the next four years grew into a 491-page book entitled "A Practical View of the Religion of the Professed Christians of the Higher and Upper Middle Classes as compared with Real Christianity." His best-selling book was released in 13 editions in England and 26 in America. Today, we know this book by its shorter title, "A Practical View of Real Christianity."
McLean noted that the new audio CD will inspire listeners with "the passion that fueled Wilberforce's life and the story of how his group of friends in Clapham helped transform a self-indulgent and decadent British society into the more civilized nation that led to Victorian England."
The new audio CD was spearheaded by New York City businessman Chuck Stetson, who also helped initiate the new one-hour TV documentary film, "THE BETTER HOUR: The Legacy of William Wilberforce," which was broadcast nationally in February 2008 and will be rebroadcast nationally on public television on June 28 and 29, 2008. The DVD is available at www.thebetterhour.com. Both efforts focus on how to build a better culture-what the poet William Cowper termed "the better hour."
Max McLean is President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the "Listener's Bible" audio line, and featured daily on 670 radio affiliates worldwide on "Listen to the Bible." McLean is well known for his theatrical presentations of "Mark's Gospel," "Genesis," and "The Screwtape Letters," each having received critical acclaim in "The Chicago Tribune," "The New York Times," "The Wall Street Journal," plus others.
McLean is currently appearing in "The Screwtape Letters" in an off-Broadway theater in Washington, D.C. He has appeared in New York off-Broadway; at the Edinburgh Fringe Theater Festival in Scotland; Pegasus Theater in Chicago; the Dallas Theater Center; the Stratford Festival Theater, as well as at dozens of colleges nationwide, including Duke, Brown and Smith. His recordings of the Bible have been twice nominated for Best Inspirational Audio by the Audio Publisher's Association.
"THE BETTER HOUR: The Legacy of William Wilberforce" TV documentary film and DVD is sponsored by the Wilberforce Project, a division of Essentials in Education and will be rebroadcast on June 28th and 29th, 2008. All information is at www.thebetterhour.com.
Christian group angry over media’s portrayal of Christians
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.group.angry.over.medias.portrayal.of.christians/19082.htm
The Christian Broadcasting Council (CBC) has voiced concern over the media’s portrayal of Christians and pro-life campaigners following recent coverage of their views on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Parliament voted last week in favour of the creation of animal-human embryos for stem cell research and “saviour siblings”, but threw out measures to lower the upper legal limit for abortion and to retain a reference to the need for a father for IVF children.
CBC’s Chairman, Olave Snelling, said the group was “disappointed and saddened” by the votes because “the public and MPs were not adequately informed about the issues and the consequences of certain parts of the Bill, despite the best efforts of many Christian and pro-life groups who worked tirelessly with MPs”.
Ms Snelling also said that the size of the vote indicated MPs were heavily whipped to vote along party lines, despite the Government promising a free vote on the issues of animal-human hybrids, saviour siblings, the need for fathers and a reduction in the time limit for legal abortion at this stage of the Bill.
The week before the votes, Lady O’Cathain hosted a meeting for the Christian Broadcasting Council joined by a number of speakers, including David Burrowes MP, the Christian Medical Fellowship’s Dr Peter Saunders and Rebecca Bensted, a barrister with the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship. In the meeting, the speakers agreed that issues of concern over the preciousness of life and the protection of the unborn “had not been substantially raised in the public arena”.
Ms Snelling criticised the way the media had portrayed the views of Christians and pro-life campaigners during debate on aspects of the Bill.
“The CBC is concerned that Christians and pro-life campaigners are portrayed in the media as people who do not care about the cure of diseases, research and the plight of unwanted pregnancy,” she said.
“Yet Christians and non-Christians alike argue the measures being put forward offer no guarantee of cures to illnesses and there are proven alternatives which will not result in the drastic consequences to human life and the family which will result if this Bill becomes law.
“The majority of people, whether they follow any faith or not, place the highest value on human life and the family.”
Ms Snelling went on to criticise a recent episode of “Dispatches” broadcast on Channel 4 on 20 May, “In God’s Name”, which followed the work of Christian lawyer Andrea Minichiello Williams and appeared to imply that Christians are ‘fundamentalist’.
The programme “was wrong to pour ridicule and scorn on those who hold to Christian values”, she said. “It was a wrong use of investigative journalism, presented as facts to the general public.”
Ms Snelling said that CBC would continue alongside the church, “to uphold and fight for the values that are dear and implicit to the Christian faith”.
“We will support the unborn and speak out for the intrinsic value of life itself. We ask our members to continue to pray.”
British Truckers Protest Cost of Fuel
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/382215.aspx
CBNNews.com - LONDON - Hundreds of trucks rolled into central London on Tuesday to jam a major route into the capital to protest the rising price of fuel.
Around 300 truck drivers honked their horns and parked on a highway on the edge of the city, forcing police to close off a section of road and divert hundreds of motorists during the busy morning rush hour.
Truckers protesting the soaring cost of fuel in Britain - where diesel now costs more than $9 a gallon - called for Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government to lower fuel taxes for trucking companies.
"It's getting to a point of being ridiculous. We simply can't keep pace with the rising costs," Peter Carroll, who owns a 51-truck hauling firm in Maidstone in southern England, told The Associated Press by telephone as he joined the protest in London.
Truckers say thousands of jobs in their industry are in jeopardy.
"Everybody is feeling the impact of the increased cost of living; it is not restricted to one sector," said legislator Louise Ellman, head of the House of Commons Transport committee.
Carroll said hauling companies will press Brown to offer them a rebate of around 25 pence a liter - about $1.85 per gallon - on the cost of fuel. A delegation of truckers was heading to the leader's Downing Street residence on Tuesday to hand in a letter calling for action.
Heavy goods vehicle operators hope to strike a similar deal to the terms offered to bus companies, which are reimbursed some of their fuel taxes, Carroll said.
Protests in London follow demonstrations in France, where fishermen blocked ports last week and disrupted deliveries to two refineries of oil company Total SA.
In 2000, gas station pumps in Britain ran dry when fuel protesters blockaded refineries in a series of major protest that lasted a week.
"People are feeling the pinch, and it's up to the government to step in and help out where it can," said protester John Davis, 49, a trucker and army reservist from Grays, in southern England. "Every time the fuel goes up, tax revenue goes up with it."
Following protests at income tax changes that affected low income workers - and led in part to a stinging special election defeat for Brown's Labour Party last week - the leader has been warned by lawmakers to heed concerns over rising fuel costs.
Some legislators have questioned Treasury chief Alistair Darling's plan to introduce higher taxes for so-called "gas-guzzling" cars, including sport utility vehicles, in an attempt to force motorists to use vehicles that emit less carbon dioxide.
Thirty Labour lawmakers have signed a motion calling for a review of the plan before the changes go into force next year.
Afghan Girl's 'Honor Killing' Sparks Debate in Germany
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358661,00.html
The brutal "honor killing" of a 16-year-old Afghan immigrant by her brother has sparked a renewed debate in Germany over whether Islamic families can adapt to the social ways of the Western world.
The girl, Morsal Obeidi, was ambushed in the parking lot of a Hamburg McDonald's restaurant by her 23-year-old brother Ahmad, who stabbed the girl 20 times, Spiegel Online reported. Hamburg is home to more than 20,000 Afghan immigrants, the most of any European city, the Web site reported.
Morsal Obeidi had long struggled with a tug-of-war between her desire to live like her friends in Germany, and her family’s desire to preserve their Afghan lifestyle, the site reported.
Obeidi's arguments with her brother and father, over things like her appearance, smoking and drinking, often turned physical. She reportedly sought the protection of a child and youth welfare agency to escape the violence on more than one occasion.
Ahmed reportedly told police that he killed his sister because she had become too comfortable with Western life with her uncovered hair, makeup and short skirts.
Barroso says Irish rejection of EU treaty would be bad for bloc
http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/05/26/afx5047670.html
BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said a 'no' vote by Ireland on the European Union's reform treaty in its June referendum would be bad for the bloc.
The head of the European Union's executive body told a seminar organised by European Policy Centre thinktank that 'there is no plan B' in the event of a rejection of the treaty by Ireland on June 12.
'If there was a 'no' either in Ireland or another country, it will have a very negative effect for the European Union,' Barroso said.
Ireland is the only EU member state holding a referendum on the treaty, which replaces the doomed constitution whose rejection by French and Dutch voters in 2005 plunged the bloc into unprecedented limbo.
The treaty must be ratified by all EU countries to take effect.
Olmert's Benefactor Gives Deposition
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/381927.aspx
CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - American businessman Morris Talansky began his pre-trial deposition Tuesday morning at the Jerusalem District Court.
Talansky's testimony, which can be used as legal testimony should the State Prosecutor's Office indict Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on bribery charges, may take up to three days to finish.
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador began the questioning by asking Talansky to tell the three-judge panel about his relationship with Olmert.
After providing the court with some details of how they met during a family visit to Israel in 1991, Talansky said that Olmert asked him then for cash contributions to fund his campaign for mayor of Jerusalem. Olmert said contributions should be in cash rather than checks because of the way the money was routed.
"So I gave him cash," Talansky said. "I used to cash checks written to my account and give him the cash," he said.
Talansky then provided detailed accounts of cash he'd given Olmert over the years.
Often, he loaned large sums of money -- $5,000 for a three-day stay at a Washington hotel, $15,000 at a hotel in New York to attend his grandson's brit milah (circumcision ceremony), $30,000 for a family vacation in Italy -- among other occasions, but none of the funds were ever repaid.
Talansky testified that he'd given Olmert some $150,000 from his own pocket, in addition to funds he raised for him over the years.
"I kept funneling funds through [Omert's former bureau chief] Shula Zaken until 2005, including when he was trade, industry and labor minister," he said.
"I gave it to Shula Zaken, but I remember he was with her at least once. I gave the money in envelopes, but no more than $8,000 or $9,000 [at a time]. Back in the States, I also gave him money directly," he said.
Asked if he knew how Olmert spent the funds, Talansky said, "Shula always said he had expenses. Olmert said the funds were used for primary expenses. He explained that it was just like when you run for elections, that you need [to pay for] flyers, posters, campaign staff, etc.," he said.
"When he traveled, they would only give him business class seats and not first class seats. I know some of the money was spent on that," he said.
"I only know that he loved expensive cigars. I know he loved pens, watches. I found it strange," Talansky testified.
According to some analysts, attorneys consider a pre-trial deposition a rare legal maneuver. During the course of the deposition, the defense can object to the state prosecutor's questions, but the witness must still answer the question.
Objections by the defense are not taken into account until the verdict stage of a future trial.
Meanwhile, police firmly denied allegations that they leaked details of the investigation to the press.
"We firmly deny, and view with severity, any attempt to hold us responsible for the leaks from the investigation and pass them on, due to various interests," a police statement read.
Former senior police investigator Moshe Mizrachi said the prime minister's legal staff and spin doctors leaked statements to discredit Talansky's testimony.
"The prime minister's lawyers are feeding the media spin," Mizrachi said. "It is not the police who are releasing details from Talansky's interrogations. Olmert's lawyers are making Talansky out to be someone who is shooting in every direction. They are trying to question his credibility on the eve of Talanksy's testimony in court," he said Monday.
Iranian Aid to Militants on Israel's Flanks Growing
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/israel_irans_fingerprints/2008/05/27/99179.html
JERUSALEM -- Rockets and weapons bearing signs of Iranian paint, lettering and serial numbers are making their way into the Gaza Strip and Lebanon _ helping Tehran cement its powerful role within militant movements on Israel's northern and southern flanks, senior Israeli security officials say.
The weapons, including an 18-inch fragment of a Grad-type Katyusha rocket seen by The Associated Press, are believed to be reaching blockaded Gaza through a clandestine network: by sea from Sudan to Egypt's Red Sea ports and then by land through the Sinai desert to tunnels that cross into the coastal strip, according to the officials.
Trucks and airplanes also carry Iranian-made rockets across the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity under military restrictions.
Hezbollah guerrillas bombarded Israel with nearly 4,000 rockets in their 2006 war. After recent clashes across Lebanon killed at least 67 people, Hezbollah forced the weakened Lebanese government into concessions that could free the guerrilla group to bring in even more rockets.
The Israeli claims _ although expressed privately by security authorities _ have not been backed up by a public display of evidence, leading some analysts to question the extent of Iranian involvement on Israel's borders. Iran, Hezbollah and Palestinian militants all deny an Iranian arms connection, though some Hezbollah militants privately acknowledge getting arms from Tehran.
But it's clear Iran has sharply increased its regional profile after the fall of archrival Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the rise of a Shiite-led government in Baghdad with close ties to Tehran.
The Israel connection isn't new. Six years ago, Israeli naval commandos captured a ship in the Red Sea, the Karine A, that Israel said was carrying 50 tons of missiles, mortars, rifles and ammunition from Iran to the Palestinians.
Egypt has publicly denounced suspected Iranian involvement in the conflict. Its foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, accused Iran of being behind Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza nearly a year ago.
Experts think Iran's wider aim is to indirectly pressure Israel. Establishing proxies on Israel's borders raises the price of any possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and makes it tougher for Israelis and Palestinians to forge a peace pact, they say.
Israel has not explained why it hasn't publicly released serial numbers and other rocket markings to prove Iranian interference. Some analysts suggest Israel is making unsubstantiated claims to keep up world pressure on Iran to trim its nuclear ambitions.
Hamas and other militant factions in Gaza have been firing crude projectiles into southern Israel for years. Israel's high-tech military hasn't been able to stop the rockets, which are increasingly striking closer to Israel's heartland.
Israeli military ballistics experts have identified Iranian origins from paint, toolwork and Latin lettering on weapon fragments, senior Israeli security officials said. Similar rockets produced in eastern Europe look different, they said.
The Grad fragments seen by the AP had threading indicating it was made in Iran, a security officer said. Hezbollah fired similar rockets at Israel during the 2006 war, he added.
Longer-range missiles have hit the town of Ashkelon in recent months, strengthening the suspicion that they are being supplied by Iran.
"Iran is, unfortunately, very much involved in supporting the buildup of the Hamas military machine in Gaza, whether it's in training Hamas operatives in different areas of technical know-how, whether it's in just funding them, whether it's supplying them with munitions, whether it's giving them capabilities to upgrade indigenous defense capabilities," government spokesman Mark Regev said.
The arsenal of Iranian-made weapons improved after Hamas militants blew open the border fence between Gaza and Egypt in January, allowing more arms to enter. Some of the new rockets can travel 25 miles _ just 12 miles short of Tel Aviv, the Israelis say.
One rocket that recently slammed into Israel carried a 170mm warhead, officials said. Previous rockets carried 120mm warheads.
An April report by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, an Israeli think tank with close ties to the defense establishment, pointed to a number of recent findings it claimed were examples of Iranian technology used by Gaza militants.
Rockets fired into southern Israel during a recent flare-up in fighting had engines divided into four 20-inch parts "to make it easier for the terrorist organizations to smuggle the rockets into the Gaza Strip by dismantling the sections," the report said.
Iranian weaponry "would seriously increase the risk to Israel," said Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
"You then no longer require or are relying on a technician in Gaza to pull the rocket together from indigenous supplies, but actually are getting the entire rocket in, which would mean a more professionally prepared and put-together weapon," Riedel said.
Abu Obeida, a Hamas military leader in Gaza, says Israel is claiming the Iranian connection to mobilize international support for an attack on Gaza.
"The Gaza Strip was always capable of manufacturing the tools it needs for its resistance," added Hamas' deputy leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, in a telephone interview from his base in Damascus, Syria.
Iranian officials did not respond to calls seeking comment. In the past, Iran has acknowledged giving millions of dollars to Hamas but denied supplying arms.
Experts are divided on whether Iran is directly providing weapons to Hamas.
John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, an Alexandria. Va.-based defense research firm, said he "would not need a great deal of convincing," given Iran's history of support for Palestinian militants.
But David Hartwell, Middle East and North Africa editor at Jane's Country Risk, a London publication, said that while Israel's claims "are not outside the realm of possibility ... without any evidence to back it up, it's very difficult to substantiate any of the Israeli allegations."
Meir Javedanfar, an Iran expert based in Israel, thinks Iran is more likely financing the purchase of the more sophisticated weapons Israel has seen.
"We haven't seen any kind of evidence by Israel, like serial numbers of weapons, or any traces, to prove they are Iranian-made," he said. "Money _ I think that's the highest probability."
Tehran is thought to have pledged at least $300 million to Hamas, but it is not clear how much money has been delivered. Israeli security officials cite different numbers, ranging to tens of millions of dollars.
Israel, like many of its Western allies, does not believe Iran's assertions that its nuclear program is meant only to produce energy. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has heightened Israel's alarm with repeated calls to destroy the Jewish state.
Iran needs a deterrent to an Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities, said Menashe Amir, director of Israel Radio's Farsi service. "So it built Hezbollah on (Israel's) northern border, and is now cultivating Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza."
One senior Israeli security official said Iran tightened its ties with Hamas and Islamic Jihad after the Lebanon war because the Iranians "understood that Hezbollah cannot be activated as frequently as they want."
One possible brake on any future Hezbollah action against Israel would be a successful conclusion of newly resumed Syrian-Israeli peace talks. Hezbollah also enjoys support from Damascus, and a peace deal between Israel and Syria could reduce Syrian backing for Hamas as well.
In the meantime, indirect cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas have been dragging on for months _ increasing the prospect that Israel would launch a threatened major military operation there.
A report in March by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cited Israeli claims that Hezbollah now commands 10,000 long-range rockets and 20,000 shorter-range ones. Other Israeli officials have said the number is much higher. Before the 2006 conflict, Israel estimates, Hezbollah had 14,000 rockets.
But it's not just a matter of numbers, says Israel's military intelligence chief, Amos Yadlin. He told the Haaretz newspaper in an interview published last week that Hezbollah now has weapons that "cover large areas of Israel."
Senior Israeli defense officials say Hezbollah's new Iranian rockets can fly 185 miles. In 2006, the farthest any flew was 45 miles inside Israel.
If another war were to break out, Israel "will face a stronger Hezbollah," Yadlin said.
Exclusive: Hizballah and Hamas in tandem on Israeli soldiers’ release
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5300
Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s emotive declaration Monday, May 26, that Lebanese prisoners held by Israel would soon be home was seized on excitedly in Israel but went practically unnoticed in the Lebanese media.
They highlighted another of his broken promises, the skirmishes which erupted that night between Hizballah gunmen and rival factions in Beirut and the Beqaa Valley which left 30 injured. Nasrallah had just repeated the pledge he gave at the Doha peace conference that the weapons Hizballah was allowed to retain would never be turned against Lebanese compatriots, only the “Zionist enemy.”
Yet Nasrallah’s prisoner reference was headlined by most Israeli media as portending progress on a deal for the release of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, the Israeli reservists seized by his gunmen two years ago – rather than the usual propaganda.
Tuesday morning, Hizballah knocked the story on the head by denying any deal.
According to DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources, the Lebanese Shiites and Palestinian Hamas, whose abduction of Gilead Shalit occurred within weeks of Hizballah’s kidnap raid, are coordinating their moves on a prisoner trade. One will not act without the other.
Furthermore, as the Israeli military intelligence research director, Brig. Gen.Yossi Baidatz, disclosed to a Knesset panel earlier Monday , missiles continue to stream across the Syrian border for Hizballah and are being deployed in southern Lebanon, below the Litani River. UNIFIL is letting this happen in breach of its Security Council mandate to prevent the recurrence of the 2006 Lebanon War threat to Israel.
DEBKA’s sources stress that srael’s proposal for a prisoner swap has been on the table for months: The two soldiers’ freedom in exchange for Samir Kuntar, the Lebanese terrorist who murdered members of the Nahariya Haran family and a policeman in 1979, four Hizballah captives, an Israeli Arab caught spying for the Shiite group and the bodies of 10 Lebanese buried in Israel. The sticking point is Hizballah’s insistence on the inclusion of Palestinian prisoners in the swap, which Israel refuses.
First documentary evidence Iran is into nuclear explosives, missile warhead design
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5299
The International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna based its new and damning findings partly on 18 intelligence documents submitted by the United States, and now accuse Tehran of willful lack of cooperation. Iran dismissed the documents as forged or fabricated.
DEBKAfile reports that the documents came from materials contained in a laptop stolen from one of the heads of Iran’s nuclear program in Tehran in late 2006 by Iranian dissidents. It was passed to the CIA. Despite this evidence of an ongoing nuclear weapons program, sixteen US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, combined last year to announce this program was suspended in 2003.
Even the nuclear watchdog’s director Mohammed ElBaradei, who often meets the Iranians halfway, has concluded that Iran’s nuclear activities are of “serious concern” and require “substantial explanations.” which Tehran has refused to offer.
His latest report describes Iran’s installation of new IR-2 and IR-3 centrifuges for enriching uranium at the Natanz site as “significant” yet not communicated to his agency. IAEA inspectors on a visit in April were denied access to the sites where the centrifuges are manufactured and the scientists involved. Some, the report states, were produced by Iran’s “military” (a reference to the Revolutionary Guards corps which is in charge of Iran’s nuclear weapons industry).
An official connected to the watchdog disclosed that since December, the Iranians have processed close to 150 kilograms, double the amount produced in the same period 18 months ago.
The watchdog director’s report was released Monday, May 26, to the IAEA’s 35-member board of directors and the UN Security Council, and will be discussed by the board next week.
Ahmadinejad Requests Meeting with Pope
http://www.newsmax.com/international/Ahmadinejad_Meet_pope/2008/05/27/99326.html
ROME -- Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has asked for an audience next week with Pope Benedict which would be the first meeting between the two leaders, a diplomatic source said on Tuesday.
Ahmadinejad is among the heads of state expected to visit Rome to attend a June 3-5 United Nations summit on global food security, hosted by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Vatican sources said earlier this week that it was not yet clear if the pope would meet individual heads of state attending the U.N. event or hold a collective audience for them in order to save time.
The Vatican has criticized Ahmadinejad for calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.
The Holy See has diplomatic ties with Iran and Pope Benedict has met Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. The pontiff has repeatedly encouraged dialogue to resolve differences over Iran's disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear bombs.
Italy's foreign ministry has already ruled out the possibility that conservative Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will hold bilateral talks with the Iranian leader, saying there will not be enough time.
Six Christians Charged in Algeria
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07229.shtml
(christiansunite.com) - Algerian authorities have charged six Christians with distributing "illegal religious material" after detaining them as they left a prayer meeting at a western city on May 9, according to a May 15 report from Compass Direct.
Prior to the Christians' release from detention in Tiaret, they were charged with "distributing documents to shake the faith of Muslims." During their overnight stay at a local police station, officers repeatedly threatened the believers with violence for converting from Islam to Christianity. The first court hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Pray for these Algerian Christians to find peace in Christ in the midst of pressure and opposition for their faith in Him (Philippians 4:7). Pray that God will embolden Christians in Algeria to spread the Gospel in their nation.
For more information on the persecution facing Algeria's Christians, go to www.persecution.net/country/algeria.htm.
Catholics hope Turkey opens church for St Paul Year
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/catholics.hope.turkey.opens.church.for.st.paul.year/19073.htm
The Roman Catholic Church hopes a year dedicated to Saint Paul, born two millennia ago in Tarsus in today's southern Turkey, will bring signs of more religious tolerance in the mostly Muslim but secularist country.
Pope Benedict proclaimed the "Pauline Year", 12 months of events starting on June 29, to honour the great evangeliser of the early Church martyred in the year 64 under the Emperor Nero.
The event has taken on a contemporary twist in Turkey, where the state keeps tight control on religion, and figured in a German debate between Muslims aiming to build mosques there and bishops calling for more churches in Muslim countries.
The main issue in Turkey is a Catholic request for a former church, which was confiscated by the state in 1943 and is now a museum, to be turned back into a house of worship for pilgrims coming to Tarsus during the Pauline Year and afterwards.
"We think this could be a good sign of religious freedom in Turkey," Bishop Luigi Padovese, apostolic administrator for the Anatolia, told Reuters. "We have big hopes and our hopes have a firm foundation."
Local officials have cooperated in planning for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected during the year and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan might attend an inaugural ceremony in Tarsus on June 21, he said.
A decision to turn the museum over to the Catholics, who say they would allow all Christian denominations to use it, would be a positive step in a country where cautious efforts at expanding religious rights in recent years seem to have been put on hold.
Erdogan, whose AK Party has its roots in political Islam, raised hopes in recent years among Turkey's 100,000-strong Christian community by stressing greater rights for religion as part of a liberalisation needed to join the European Union.
But a bid to scrap one constraint - a ban on Islamic headscarves at universities - has landed him in a legal clash with the secularist elite. By late June, the Supreme Court may have banned him from belonging to a political party.
CROSS AND ICONS
The only church in Tarsus is a simple medieval building with bare walls and no cross. Confiscated in 1943, it was used by the army and later as a museum. "There's only the building, with nothing special in it. Not much of a museum," Padovese said.
Local officials have long allowed priests to say Mass in the Tarsus church if they remove the cross and all other religious items immediately afterwards. They recently stopped charging the museum entrance fee, something the worshippers resented.
But turning it back into a church would mean it could have a cross and icons whenever pilgrims visit it, Padovese said. "This empty building is not a church," he added. "Imagine how it feels to pray in a museum with no cross."
Tarsus Mayor Burhanettin Kocamaz said he had also received a request to build a church there. "We do not support one project over another, as we don't have the authority to decide," he said. "We will apply whichever decision the government makes."
Erdogan's office did not answer requests for a comment on how the government in Ankara saw the issue in Tarsus.
Catholic bishops in Germany have taken up the Tarsus church issue as part of a larger effort by the Vatican to have Muslim countries allow more rights for Christians in parallel to the freedom Muslims have to build mosques in western states.
A delegation of bishops will visit the city in September and many dioceses there are organising pilgrimages, Padovese said. Cologne Cardinal Joachim Meisner, who has criticised plans by Turks in Germany to build a large mosque there, has written to Erdogan to ask his help with the Tarsus project. He has also mentioned the possibility of building a church in the city.
Meisner, a friend of Pope Benedict, has said a functioning church in Tarsus would be "a strong sign of understanding and would help balance things out here in Cologne". He has denied this was meant as an ultimatum to Ankara.
Christians bring safe water and hope for China earthquake survivors
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.bring.safe.water.and.hope.for.china.earthquake.survivors/19057.htm
Christians are bringing safe water to survivors of the 12 May earthquake in China’s Sichuan province, as the country’s ruling Communist party and NGOs alike turn their attention to long-term reconstruction.
The Project Director of the US-based Christian charity Water Missions International, Andre Merganthaler, is leading a water resource team of engineers and technicians in the badly affected city of Chengdu where they are installing and operating 12 water purification systems.
Six water purification systems were requested by Samaritan's Purse and flown from Charlotte in North Carolina last week along with $1 million in relief supplies to Chengdu in the ministry’s chartered Boeing 747. Six additional systems were sent out early this week by FedEx to Chengdu from Water Missions’ headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina.
Each water system can be rapidly assembled by volunteers in just a few hours and provides a continuous supply of approximately 10,000 gallons of water per day.
The systems work by purifying available surface and contaminated well water sources in disaster areas.
Up to 80,000 people are believed to have died in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its numerous aftershocks, and 5 million have been left homeless and in desperate need of food, shelter and clean water.
Temporary accommodation is being built across the quake-affected areas, whilst food and clothing continues to be distributed among towns and remote villages. The rebuilding of homes and infrastructure is expected to take up to three years.
According to the Communist Party’s vice minister of the organisation department, Ouyang Song, party members have given 1.7 billion yuan (around £122 million) towards the reconstruction effort through voluntary additional membership fees.
Burma prelate says cyclone set Church back decade
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/burma.prelate.says.cyclone.set.church.back.decade/19074.htm
The tiny Roman Catholic Church in predominantly Buddhist Burma is struggling to do its bit to help cyclone survivors, with parishes so damaged that it could take a decade to rebuild, its leader said on Monday.
Archbishop Paul Grawng of Mandalay, head of Burma's Bishops' Conference, was cautious as he spoke in an interview with Reuters about the Church's challenges in the army-ruled nation hours after he held talks with Pope Benedict.
But he said basic problems in the wake of the cyclone included addressing the need for funerals, with so many of the dead still missing and Church infrastructure in tatters.
"We have no way of burying the dead much of the time because the bodies are out to the sea, so we hold funeral masses for them (in their absence)," Grawng said of the storm that left about 134,000 people dead or missing and another 2.4 million destitute.
"A lot of families maybe have one survivor and maybe 15 or 20 of their relatives are all gone. A lot of our sisters and priests have relatives like that now."
He said Burma's 650,000 Catholics - in a nation of 53 million people - were attempting their biggest relief effort ever, sending volunteers from across the country to affected dioceses to distribute relief to the hungry and sick.
"Apart from the food and water...people are very strengthened just by having someone to tell their stories to. That, I think, is a big part of our help", said Grawng.
After appeals from the international community, the military government said last week that all aid officials and disaster assessment teams would be allowed into the country regardless of nationality.
Grawng said he only knew about Catholics from inside the country being allowed to distribute aid, at least so far.
Church officials in Burma signed a joint appeal earlier this month with other Christians explaining to authorities why foreign aid workers should be allowed to assist relief efforts.
"We said if the international aid is accepted fully - which means supplies as well as the trained personnel - then this relief work would be more effective," Grawng said.
But the soft-spoken archbishop added he was not hopeful for a written reply, saying, "Normally, we don't get a response."
"The international community has been very generous in offering help," he added.
"There are very many, many who need it. Further lives could be saved. The relief work would be more effective. That's what everybody wishes."
Pilots Run Out of Fuel, Pray, Land Safely Near Jesus Sign
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358332,00.html
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — It seemed like an almost literal answer to their prayers. When two New Zealand pilots ran out of fuel in a microlight airplane they offered prayers and were able to make an emergency landing in a field — coming to rest right next to a sign reading, "Jesus is Lord."
Grant Stubbs and Owen Wilson, both from the town of Blenheim on the country's South Island, were flying up the sloping valley of Pelorus Sound when the engine spluttered, coughed and died.
"My friend and I are both Christians so our immediate reaction in a life-threatening situation was to ask for God's help," Stubbs told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
He said he prayed during the ill-fated flight Sunday that the tiny craft would get over the top of a ridge and that they would find a landing site that was not too steep — or in the nearby sea.
Wilson said that the pair would have been in deep trouble if the fuel had run out five minutes earlier.
"If it had to run out, that was the place to be," he said. "There was an instantaneous answer to prayer as we crossed the ridge and there was an airfield — I didn't know it existed till then."
After Wilson glided the powerless craft to a landing on the grassy strip, the pair noticed they were beside a 20-foot-tall sign that read, "Jesus is Lord — The Bible."
"When we saw that, we started laughing," Stubbs said.
Nearby residents provided them with gas to fly the home-built plane back to base.
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