Will Christians Sit Out This Election?
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399061.aspx
CBNNews.com - If John McCain cannot get the help of Christian conservatives in the Republican Party during the fall campaign, he and his wife will probably not be relocating to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next January.
The Importance of the Christian Vote
No one doubts the political savvy that Christian conservatives have and can muster. They helped President Bush get re-elected in 2004 by literally knocking on just about every door in Ohio and the swing states to garner votes.
However, McCain has yet to fully embrace these men and women of faith. And Evangelicals have been slow to fully give their support to their presumptive presidential nominee.
"I don't know that McCain's campaign realizes they cannot win without evangelicals," said David Domke, a professor of communication at the University of Washington who studies religion and politics. "What you see with McCain is just a real struggle to find his footing with evangelicals."
Though McCain calls himself an Episcopalian, he attended Baptist services last weekend.
In a meeting with McCain's advisors last weekend, some Ohio groups voiced their concerns about the Arizona senator's record on abortion rights and other laws he supported that they think limit their way to express their pro-life views.
"There's certainly a little reservation about Mr. McCain. I think the VP choice is going to be important," said Chris Long, president of the Ohio Christian Alliance. "If they choose a conservative for the VP, that will help his campaign. It would go a long way of sending a positive message to evangelicals."
However, the top advisors of the McCain campaign team say their internal polling data suggests the senator has the support of three-quarters of white evangelicals in swing states. They also maintain that McCain is against abortion rights.
Campaign Mishaps
The candidate has made some mistakes trying to court high-profile conservative figures. McCain had to reject Rod Parsley and John Hagee's support after he was criticized for accepting their support after both ministers preached sermons on controversial topics.
"That was one of the most ill-advised faith and values adventures this campaign," said Jacques Berlinerblau, a religious scholar at Georgetown University who studies faith and the U.S. presidential campaign.
McCain has tried to mend fences with leaders of the religious conservatives from the start of his campaign.
"It's hard to believe he's really changed, from his absolute disregard and disdain for the traditional guard of the religious right," Domke said.
Republican Ken Blackwell, Ohio's former secretary of state, said he appreciates McCain's candor but doesn't think it's helping him with the base.
"He has never identified with the Evangelical and Christian movement and therefore he can, at times, misread or misinterpret certain activities in the political field of play or certain comments that are offered," said Blackwell, now at the Family Research Council, a conservative think tank. "I personally would like for John to get to the point of comfort with some of our issues and policy positions, through understanding and genuine acceptance."
It's clear that McCain's campaign lacks the faith-based outreach that helped sweep the last three Republican presidents into the White House.
For example, the senator failed to attend the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. President Bush spoke on video to the meeting in 2004. McCain decided not to send any representatives to the this year's meeting.
Obama's Plan
Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama has launched an aggressive campaign to reach out to evangelicals.
Obama sent former 9/11 Commission member Tim Roemer to meet with fellow Roman Catholics. He also sent one of America's most influential pastors, Brian McLaren, to meet with fellow evangelicals.
The campaign has also held more than 200 "American Values Forums." These forums will soon be followed by small group meetings as well as town hall meetings targeting young Catholics and young evangelicals.
Obama's strategy is to split the vote among evangelical voters.
"Obama knows he can't win ," said Berlinerblau, who wrote "Thumpin' It: The Use and Abuse of the Bible in Today's Presidential Politics."
"If he can get up for 21 to 30 percent, he's gold," Berlinerblau said. "And that's exactly what he's doing. He's going to fissure off this progressive evangelical voter."
Obama's Wife Says He'll Fight for Gay Equality
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/michelle_obama/2008/06/26/107790.html
Michelle Obama says her husband will fight for equality for gays just as he fought to help working-class families overcome poverty.
The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke Thursday night in New York City at a fundraising dinner for the Democratic National Committee's Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council.
She spoke about her husband's record pushing for workplace discrimination legislation in Illinois when he served in the Legislature there.
Barack Obama has said it should be up to individual states to decide whether to allow gay marriage. Michelle Obama says he wants equal treatment for any relationship recognized under state law.
The DNC says the dinner raised more than $1 million.
Faith-Based Initiatives May Continue
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399476.aspx
CBNNews.com - Faith-based initiatives from the government are very likely to continue after President Bush's term ends.
According to Jay Hein, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, both Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain have said positive things about the initiatives.
The purpose of the program is to give government funding to a variety of secular and religious charities that work to solve social ills.
Approximately 35 governors across the country have begun similar initiatives. Nineteen are Democratic governors and 16 are Republican.
National Conference
Today, 1,000 leaders are attending a two-day Faith-Based and Community Initiatives National Conference in Washington.
"The purpose of this national conference is to survey the landscape of the changes that have been made and the progress that's been achieved since the President launched the Faith-Based and Community Initiative during the second week of his first administration," Hein said.
Attendees will participate in workshops. They will also be greeted by the President and Sen. Joe Lieberman.
One of their major goals at the event is to address issues such as addiction, homelessness, malaria and AIDS.
Petraeus Becomes Top Commander
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399615.aspx
CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON - The Senate Armed Services Committee voted Thursday to promote Gen. David Petraeus to become the top commander in the Middle East.
Senators on the panel also agreed by voice vote that Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno should receive a fourth star and replace Petraeus as chief commander in Iraq.
The committee action paves the way for a favorable vote on the nominations by the Senate.
Last year, Petraeus helped to tame growing opposition to the Iraq war in Congress by providing measured assessments of progress and warning that an exodus of U.S. troops would result in chaos. In the meantime, he advocated a buildup of some 30,000 troops in Baghdad and other hotspots, which eventually proved vital in tamping down violence.
Odierno had served as Petraeus' deputy commander in Iraq. He is credited by many in Congress with successfully managing the new strategy.
The Pentagon is on track to withdraw the last of the additional combat brigades by next month, leaving behind roughly 142,000 troops. In question is whether the decline in violence can be maintained and how many more U.S. troops can come home this election year.
Petraeus has told Congress that he is likely to recommend further troop reductions this fall.
Petraeus would replace Navy Adm. William J. Fallon as chief of U.S. Central Command. Fallon resigned last month following news reports that he was at odds with the White House over Iran policy.
Navy Pressured to End Lunch Prayers
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399475.aspx
CBNNews.com - The U.S. Naval Academy is facing opposition for a second time over its daily lunchtime prayers.
In a letter sent May 2 to academy superintendent Jeffrey Fowler, the American Civil Liberties Union called for an end to the traditional practice. The group says nine midshipmen contacted them to complain about noontime prayers.
"The government should not be in the business of compelling religious observance, particularly in military academies, where students can feel coerced by senior students and officials and risk the loss of leadership opportunities for following their conscience," Deborah A. Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland, wrote.
Naval officials say "prayer and devotional thought" has been present at the academy since it was established in 1845, and that such a long-standing practice would not be ended.
"The Naval Academy offers the brigade of midshipmen a prayer or devotional thought during announcements before most weekday noontime meals at the academy consistent with other practices throughout the Navy," academy officials said in statement released Wednesday. "The academy does not intend to change its practice of offering midshipmen an opportunity for prayer or devotional thought during noon meal announcements."
Lunch is the only meal where attendance is required, but the academy says participating in the prayers are optional. Usually, a chaplain will lead prayer, in which everyone must stand. Those who do not wish to pray can stand in parade rest until the moment of reflection is over.
The Anti-Defamation League tried to get the academy to end lunchtime prayers in 2005 but was unsuccessful. They described the practice as mandatory prayer that crossed the boundaries of mixing church and state.
The ACLU has not formally filed a lawsuit.
High Court Strikes Down D.C. Gun Ban
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399124.aspx
CBNNews.com - The nation's high court upheld the Second Ammendment, Thursday, in a 5-4 ruling allowing Americans to own guns for protection and for hunting.
The move strikes down Washington, DC's three-decade ban on handguns. It also affects Washington's requirement that guns be equipped with trigger locks.
Justice Antonin Scalia said of the decision that an individual right to bear arms is supported by "the historical narrative" both before and after the Second Amendment was adopted.
The Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home," Scalia said.
In dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote "In my view, there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas."
Joining Scalia were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. The other dissenters were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter.
Gun rights supporters were happy with the decision.
"I consider this the opening salvo in a step-by-step process of providing relief for law-abiding Americans everywhere that have been deprived of this freedom," said Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.
Others expressed disappointment.
"Unfortunately and disappointingly, the Supreme Court opted not to uphold the three-decade-old handgun ban in the District of Columbia," D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said during a news conference Thursday morning.
"It is important to both respect the court's authority and then to act quickly," Fenty said.
Fenty said the Metropolitan Police Department has 21 days to develop a system for citizens to register lawful handguns in their homes.
Interim Attorney General Peter Nickles said that rules on who can apply for gun licenses will not change. Applicants must be mentally competent adults and their fingerprints will remain on file with the police department.
Until then, D.C.'s gun ban will remain in effect. Automatic and semi-automatic guns remain illegal, Fenty said. Citizens still can't carry guns outside the home in D.C.
McCain Backs Gun Decision, Obama Straddles Issue
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/candidates_guns/2008/06/26/107698.html
WASHINGTON -- John McCain welcomed a Supreme Court decision invalidating a District of Columbia handgun ban. Barack Obama sought to straddle the subject by saying he favors an individual's right to bear firearms as well as a government's right to regulate them.
The hotly contentious issue surfaced in the presidential campaign Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled that Americans have a constitutional right to own guns and struck down the 32-year-old D.C. ban.
McCain, the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting, heralded the justices' action as "a landmark victory for Second Amendment freedom."
Voicing a stance that could help him woo conservatives and libertarians, McCain said, "This ruling does not mark the end of our struggle against those who seek to limit the rights of law-abiding citizens. We must always remain vigilant in defense of our freedoms."
His Democratic rival, Obama, issued a more carefully worded statement apparently aimed at both moderate voters and his liberal base. The statement from Obama, who has long said local governments should be able to regulate guns, did not specifically say whether Obama agreed with overturning the specific D.C. ban. But he said Thursday's ruling "will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country."
"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through commonsense, effective safety measures," Obama said.
Obama said his view was supported by the court's ruling that the Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of handguns." That language "reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe," Obama said.
Both presidential candidates endorse an individual's right to bear arms. But they strongly differ beyond that. McCain has had a mostly conservative record on the issue; Obama, a mostly liberal record.
Other than a few departures, McCain is largely in line with the National Rifle Association's hardline support for gun rights. He voted against a ban on assault-style weapons and for shielding gun-makers and dealers from civil damage suits. But he broke with the NRA to favor requiring background checks at gun shows and has taken heat for pushing through campaign finance legislation that gun-rights advocates say muzzled their free speech.
Obama has voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits. He also took largely liberal positions on gun laws while in the Illinois legislature, including backing a ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.
Campaigning in Cincinnati, McCain claimed Obama has reversed course on the issue. Obama told FOX Business Network that he's been consistent.
The Democrat's campaign said a spokesman made an "inartful" statement when he said in November that Obama believed the D.C. law was constitutional. But Obama himself did not correct a debate moderator who repeated the position in February.
"You said in Idaho recently, I'm quoting here, 'I have no intention of taking away folks' guns.' But you support the D.C. handgun ban and you've said that it's constitutional," said the moderator, Leon Harris of Washington television station WJLA. Obama nodded as Harris spoke, nodding and saying, "Right, right."
"How can you reconcile those two different positions?" Harris asked.
Obama answered that the United States has conflicting traditions of gun ownership and street violence that results from illegal handgun use. "So, there is nothing wrong, I think, with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets," Obama said.
The Obama campaign argued that Obama was simply acknowledging the question by saying "right."
In other instances, Obama refused to articulate a position when asked whether he thought the D.C. ban was constitutional.
The campaign would not answer directly Thursday when asked whether the candidate agreed with the court that the D.C. ban was unconstitutional, simply pointing back to his statement.
Politicians Outraged by Child Rape Ruling
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/399012.aspx
CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON - Angry politicians are sounding a defiant tone, after yesterday's supreme court ruling banning the death penalty for those who commit the crime of child rape.
The Fallout
Dissent from the high court's ruling reverberated around the country from Louisiana - the state where the case originated - to various levels of government.
"I think the rationale for this ruling was faulty - was absurd," Louisiana's Governor Bobby Jindal said.
There was even outrage on the campaign trail, where both contenders for the White House condemned the justices' decision.
And some states promised to keep looking for ways to hand down the death sentence for child rapists.
That's a shot taking direct aim on the court's split five to four ruling, in Which Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, saying the rape of a young child does not warrant the death penalty.
"We cannot dismiss the years of long anguish that must be endured by the victim of child rape. It does not follow, though, that capital punishment is a proportionate remedy for the crime," Kennedy wrote in his opinion.
But Justice Sam Alito wrote a stinging dissent.
"In the eyes of ordinary Americans, the very worst child rapists - predators who seek out and inflict serious physical and emotional injury on defenseless young children - are the epitome of moral depravity," Alito said.
Some praised the court's ruling for considering the victim.
"Usually it's a trusted adult, someone they care about, is now gonna be put to death because they told, that's adding an extra trauma to that child," said Jody Pauche, a victim of child rape.
It Ain't Over Yet
Those who say the punishment fits the crime vow to keep fighting.
"All child rapists no matter how violent, no matter how sadistic, no matter how cruel, all child rapists are categorically ineligible for the death penalty," Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz said.
The court's decision brings into question how some states, considering similar laws, will proceed.
Economic Downturn Takes Toll on Charitable Giving Among Christian Community: Poll Commissioned by Dunham+Company Shows Impact of Rising Prices
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07334.shtml
DALLAS, June 18 (christiansunite.com) -- Nearly half of the Christian adults in America have reduced their charitable giving because of the economic downturn, according to a recent Wilson Research Strategies survey commissioned by Dunham+Company.
"This study shows that the sharp rise in fuel costs has already begun to impact giving by Christians who are the backbone of philanthropy in America," said Rick Dunham, president and CEO of Dunham+Company, which specializes in fundraising for Christian ministries. "Christian nonprofits need to understand that now, more than ever, it's crucial to be proactive in communicating the importance of their mission and their organizational effectiveness to their donors in order to sustain the same share of donor dollars that are becoming more scarce."
Forty-six percent of the Christian adults surveyed - representing 62.5 million Americans - indicated that they have reduced their giving to charity. People older than 55, the segment of the population most supportive of nonprofit organizations, were most affected (53 percent) by the faltering economy.
However, the study found that those who attend church frequently are less likely to have the economy affect their giving, and those who rarely attend church are more likely to decrease their giving. Those attending non-denominational churches overwhelmingly say the economy has not impacted their giving (62 percent).
The skyrocketing price of gasoline is cited as the primary reason for the decrease in charitable giving by a large number of the respondents (49 percent), while nearly one in four (22 percent) cited the increase in food prices as being the driving force.
The greater the household income, the less impact the sagging economy has on charitable contributions. Fifty-five percent of households with incomes of $40,000-$60,000 say the economy has limited their contributions, but only 40 percent of households of $60,000-$100,000 income concur. And approximately one in three (31 percent) households with incomes more than $100,000 say the economy is affecting their support of charities.
"With nearly one-third of households with incomes over $100,000 indicating that the economy is impacting their charitable giving, organizations relying on major donor revenue need to carefully assess the status of those donors and then stay in close touch with them," Dunham said. "Organizational leadership must be careful to not presume that major pledges will be fulfilled."
According to the poll, just 6 percent of Christian donors referenced the volatility of the stock market as having an impact on their giving.
The study indicates that the areas of the country where charities should be least affected by this decline are the West North Central states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota) and Mountain states (Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico).
The areas of the country that can expect to be most affected include the East Coast states and the East North Central (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio).
This study was part of Wilson Research Strategies May Christian Omnibus Study of 1,000 Christian adults nationwide. All respondents were contacted via Random Digit Dialing methodology and were screened to ensure that they were Christians. Interviews were conducted via live telephone interviewer May 27-29, 2008. A sample of 1,000 has a margin of error of +/-3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
For more information on charitable giving during recessionary times, you can visit dunhamandcompany.com/economy.
U.S. pulls nuclear weapons from UK
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/us.pulls.nuclear.weapons.from.uk/19864.htm
The United States has quietly withdrawn its last nuclear weapons from Britain after more than half a century, a watchdog said on Thursday.
Anti-nuclear campaigners welcomed the apparent end of an era, brought about by changes in warfare and world politics rather than their dogged protests over the decades.
The Federation of American Scientists, which studies the U.S. nuclear arsenal, said in a report that Washington had removed its last atomic bombs from the Royal Air Force base at Lakenheath, where they had been stationed since 1954.
The withdrawal has not been announced officially, but was confirmed by several sources, the report's author, nuclear weapons expert Hans Kristensen, wrote.
The Ministry of Defence declined to comment. A U.S. air force spokeswoman at the base said Washington's policy was not to comment on the location of nuclear weapons.
If true, the withdrawal means U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe are kept at just six bases - mainly at Turkey's Incirlik air base and Aviano in Italy, but also in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, Kristensen wrote.
Bombs dropped from planes stationed at air bases play a much smaller role in the U.S. nuclear arsenal than they once did, having mostly been replaced by warheads attached to missiles.
But U.S. nuclear weapons have long made Lakenheath in southeast England a magnet for protests, which peaked in the 1980s when many Europeans feared obliteration in a nuclear war between the West and the Soviet Union.
"The news that these bombs have been withdrawn from Lakenheath is extremely welcome," said Kate Hudson, head of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, or CND.
"We would like official confirmation from the government that this has happened and believe an open admission will be a confidence-boosting measure for future disarmament."
At the height of the Cold War, the United States had more than 7,000 nuclear weapons in Europe. Most were withdrawn in the early 1990s, and today, Kristensen estimates the number at fewer than 240.
But the CND's Hudson said their final removal would not effect the campaign against deploying U.S. missile defence systems in Britain - which still has its own nuclear arms.
Kristensen he said it was "a puzzle" that the withdrawal had not been announced at a time when the West is arguing with Russia over weapons cuts.
"By keeping the withdrawals secret, NATO and the United States have missed huge opportunities to engage Russia directly and positively about reductions to their non-strategic nuclear weapons, and to improve their own nuclear image in the world in general," he wrote.
The report can be found on the Internet at www.fas.org/blog/ssp/
Militants Fire Second Rocket Into Israel, Violating Gaza Truce
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,372023,00.html
JERUSALEM — Gaza militants fired two rockets into southern Israel Thursday, causing no injuries but further straining a shaky, week-old truce. Israel did not hit back, but it kept vital Gaza crossings closed, triggering Palestinian charges that Israel was violating terms of the cease-fire.
Despite the rocket attack, the second since the cease-fire took effect, Israel dispatched an envoy to Egypt in hopes of negotiating a prisoner swap with Gaza's ruling Islamic Hamas.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a violent offshoot of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah, claimed responsibility for firing the rockets. One exploded harmlessly in a field, the military said, refusing to disclose where the other landed. A statement from the militant group demanded that Israel halt its military operations in the West Bank.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israel should retaliate. "I am not interested who fired and who didn't fire at Israel," she told reporters. "It is a violation, and Israel needs to respond immediately, militarily, for every violation."
The truce, hammered out by Egypt over months of separate talks with Israel and Hamas, does not include the West Bank. On Tuesday, Islamic Jihad fired three rockets at Israel, wounding two people, linking the attack to an Israeli raid in the West Bank.
Previous truces have come apart quickly because Gaza militants claimed the right to retaliate for Israeli West Bank raids.
Instead of retaliating for the rocket attacks with air strikes at Palestinian rocket squads, as it did routinely during the year since Hamas overran Gaza a year ago, Israel closed crossings where vital supplies are shipped into Gaza, restoring a blockade that has caused severe shortages.
That hits at the main interest of Hamas — ending the blockade and easing the hardships facing the people under its control. Hamas officials charged that by restoring the blockade, Israel is violating the truce. Underlining the high level of distrust, Palestinians formed a committee to track Israeli violations.
Israel was expected to keep the crossings closed Friday because of the latest rocket attack.
At a meeting Wednesday, Israeli defense officials discussed how to proceed once the crossings are reopened. According to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed, Israel might reset the truce clock each time it closes the crossings in response to a Palestinian violation.
Israel had significantly increased the amount of supplies flowing into Gaza on Sunday, in accordance with the truce agreement, and was ready for another increase next Sunday. But the rocket attack stopped the process. Now Israel is considering counting three days from each reopening of the crossings before it reinstates the original increase.
During a visit to Prague, Czech Republic, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Israel should reopen the crossings to preserve the truce.
"(The reopening is) important because the closure ... of Gaza is actually producing a situation where you have 1.5 million of our people who live there with a sense of not much to lose," Fayyad said. "That is a situation that's got to end."
Hamas charged that the reimposed blockade is a violation. But Hamas official Taher Nunu that Hamas is committed to the truce. "The (Hamas) government will not allow anyone to violate this agreement," he said.
The rocket attack Thursday came as Israeli envoy Ofer Dekel headed to Egypt to meet with Egyptian officials on the final stage of the truce — a swap of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli soldier Hamas has held captive for two years. Israel has balked at Hamas' demands, saying its list of prisoners includes militants involved in deadly attacks on Israelis.
Hamas also has demanded that Israel allow reopening of Gaza's only border crossing with Egypt in the final phase of the six-month truce deal.
The Rafah crossing has been sealed since the Hamas takeover, confining Gaza's people to the tiny seaside territory. Israel has said it would not allow reopening of Rafah until the soldier is freed.
Officials Say Israeli Drill Was Message to Iran Over Nukes More Than Rehearsal for Attack
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,372363,00.html
JERUSALEM — An Israeli military exercise over the Mediterranean appears to have been less a dry run for an attack on Iran than a message that Tehran must curb its nuclear ambitions, according to officials and experts.
U.S. defense officials suggested last week that the drill was a dress rehearsal for an Israeli strike. But the Greek government, which took part in the exercise, rejected that assessment. And some observers think the disclosure of the maneuvers was aimed at getting the international community to step up diplomatic pressure on Tehran.
"The exercise has no connection with Israeli 'preparations' for an attack on Iran, as has been inaccurately reported," said Greek government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos. He said Israeli aircraft flew at high altitudes inconsistent with an attack, and the exercise did not simulate anti-aircraft fire.
News of the drill sent oil prices spiking. U.N. nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei warned an attack could turn the Mideast into a "ball of fire." And Iran's parliament speaker hinted a military strike could actually provoke the building of bombs.
The disclosure of the drill, conducted from May 28 to June 12, came amid growing Israeli impatience with international diplomatic efforts. Just before the drill, Europe presented Tehran an offer of economic incentives to halt its enrichment of uranium. Iran has not responded.
Retired Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said the disclosure might have been political theater meant to rattle Tehran. "It might be a good idea," he told The Associated Press. "I read the newspapers in the last week and I enjoyed it."
Israel considers Iran its most dangerous foe, an assessment bolstered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's frequent calls for Israel's destruction.
Although Israel has said it favors a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff, it has not ruled out a military strike. This month, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said Israel would have no choice but to attack Iran if it didn't stop enriching uranium.
An Israeli air attack that destroyed an unfinished nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981 and a strike on a suspected nuclear facility in Syria in September have added to the suspicions that Israel is planning action against Iran.
The Israeli military has refused to comment on the substance of the maneuvers, saying only that "the Israeli air force regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel."
Israeli military officials have denied that the drill simulated an attack on Iran's nuclear program, though they acknowledge Israel is preparing for a possible strike. They spoke on condition of anonymity under military rules.
According to The New York Times, which first reported on the exercise, more than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighters took part, along with helicopters and refueling tanks. The helicopters and refuelers flew more than 900 miles, about the distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Nantanz.
But Roussopoulos, the Greek government spokesman, said the range of the exercise did not indicate a link with Iran because Israeli warplanes previously have carried out exercises over Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.
The drill had no provision for dealing with anti-aircraft fire, did not include electronic warfare or surveillance aircraft and did not involve live ammunition, he said. Although ground attacks were simulated, the Iranian and Greek terrains are different, and aircraft flew at a high altitude, "which would not have been the case had the nature of the exercise been aggressive," he said.
A Greek air force statement said the maneuvers included air combat missions and simulated attacks on land targets, air refueling and search and rescue operations. The exercise was carried out east and south of Crete and in central Greece, the statement said.
A Greek air force official said each side carried out 120 flights. Israel used F16 and F15 combat planes and Black Hawk and Super Stallion helicopters, he confirmed, but would not say how many Israeli combat aircraft participated. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the drill.
"From what I've understood, this should primarily be seen as an exercise in psychological warfare, although the possibility that it is also related to genuine preparations for an attack on Iran should not be excluded," said Mouin Rabbani, an independent Mideast analyst.
And while the report originated at the Pentagon, "one doesn't expect the U.S. to leak these kind of things without close coordination with the Israelis," he said.
Israel-based Iran analyst Meir Javedanfar interpreted the disclosure as an Israeli attempt to influence the international diplomatic pressure on Iran.
The exercise "by no means says that Israel is going to attack," he said. "The very fact that the Israelis leaked it showed how much they want negotiations to work."
Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.N., suggested the U.S. was behind the disclosure.
"It could be that some U.S. observers assume that Iran would only respond to diplomatic efforts if it was concerned that a real military option was being considered," Gold said.
Experts agree an attack on Iran's program would be much more complicated than the attacks on Iraq and Syria because the Iranian installations are scattered and some are in underground bunkers.
A powerful deterrent to an Israeli attack is the expectation Iran would retaliate, directly or through militant proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Yossi Melman, an Israeli military analyst, said the exercise "is not an omen" of a potential military strike. "It doesn't show anything," he said. "All it means is that Israel is preparing."
Lebanon's 'Buns and Guns' Fast-Food Restaurant Celebrates Hezbollah's Shiite Militants
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,372401,00.html
BEIRUT, Lebanon — At the "Buns and Guns," the chefs wear military helmets, the food is wrapped in camouflage paper and the advertising slogan is "a sandwich can kill you."
The fast food eatery with a tongue-in-cheek military theme opened three weeks ago in Beirut's Hezbollah-dominated southern suburbs and is drawing in residents proud of the Shiite militant group's battlefield successes.
Done up like a military outpost, the restaurant is located in the heart of a neighborhood heavily pounded by Israel during its 2006 war with Hezbollah, which fought the Israeli military to a standstill.
Neatly stacked sandbags cover the exterior, while the inside is festooned with camouflage nets, defused mortar shells and live ammunition. Employees in military uniforms serve meals to the taped sounds of gunfire as "background music."
"We thought at the beginning that it was a weapons store but later we discovered that it was actually a fast food restaurant," said customer Amr Nahas as he ordered a "magnum," a grilled chicken sandwich, with a side order of "grenades" or potato wedges.
"The sandwiches are really delicious," he added.
The restaurant's founding comes during a particularly tense period in Lebanese politics. Fighting between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition in May killed 81 people and raising fears of a renewed civil war. It ended only after a political deal that gives Hezbollah and its allies a strong portion of a unity government.
But the restaurant's owners say the military motif has nothing to do with the security situation in Lebanon, but is meant to attract customers.
"The idea came before all the clashes that happened in Lebanon," co-owner Ali Hamoud told Associated Press Television News on Tuesday. "But in the end, (the fighting) helped in advertising the restaurant."
While many Lebanese have been sickened by the renewed fighting — including clashes Monday in the north that claimed another eight lives — many in the Hezbollah strongholds of south Beirut express pride in the movement's strength and gains.
"Establishing a military restaurant is a new fancy idea — there are people who like anything that deals with weapons," said one employee, who declined to give his name because his boss hadn't given him permission to speak to the media.
He said the restaurant had no direct connection with Hezbollah. But it could not operate in the heart of Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold, where the guerrilla group's word is law, without its blessing — and Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV ran a story about the restaurant, a sign of the movement's support.
Customers enter the restaurant under a sign bearing the restaurant's name — in English — and the slogan, "a sandwich can kill you," a reference to the large portions.
The glossy camouflage menus feature burgers with names like "the mortar" and "the 155 mm howitzer," while grilled chicken sandwiches can be a "magnum" or a "rocket-propelled grenade." Lebanon's most common and popular weapon, the AK-47 Klashnikov assault rifle, is a beefsteak sandwich served in long baguette-style bread.
A pizza topped with peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, corn and tomatoes is rather disturbingly named Claymore, referring to the devastating anti-personnel mines.
Christian Girl Raped by Muslims in Pakistan
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07337.shtml
(christiansunite.com) - On May 25, a 12-year-old girl from a Christian family, Elishba, was raped by three Muslims in Lahore, according to a June 13 report from AsiaNews. Elishba's father, Niamat Masih, returned from work to find her not at home and grew worried for her safety because she suffers from mental problems.
When he went outside to look for her he heard noises coming from a nearby home and went inside. He was met by the young Muslim men who fled at the sight of him. He then found Elishba lying unconscious on the floor with her clothing torn. Elishba's family initially refrained from reporting the crime or filing charges because they were threatened by local Muslims and unable to afford the costs of a trial.
After receiving support from Christian organizations, however, her father has opened a case against the rapists and they have been arrested.
Pray for healing and comfort for Elishba, who is set to receive care at a local Christian centre specializing in treating patients with mental problems. Pray that authorities will prosecute the offenders to the full extent of the law. Pray for God's love and grace to abound in the Masih family.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to www.persecution.net/country/pakistan.htm.
Senior House Church Leader Zhang Mingxuan Detained for Attempting to Meet with EU Official in Beijing
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion07335.shtml
BEIJING, (christiansunite.com) -- China Aid has learned that pastor Zhang Mingxuan was detained at 12:08pm on June 18(Beijing Time) along with his interpreter when he was on his way to meet with a seninor EU official.
According to a brief conversation over the phone at about 7:25pm Wednesday ( Beijing time) with pastor Zhang who is being held at a PSB office in Beijing, (Zhang was forced to shut down his cellphone by a PSB officer) , CAA president Bob Fu was told that pastor Zhang was detained on a bus while he and his interpreter were on their way to meet with Dr. Bastiaan Belder(MEP), Rapporteur of the EP Committee of Foreign Affairs for the relationship between the EU and China, at Yanshan Hotel in Haidian District.
They are both are being detained at the Shuangyushu PSB office of Haidian District, Beijing city. Pastor Zhang Mingxuan is the president of Chinese House Church Alliance. CAA urges the Chinese government to release pastor Zhang immediately and unconditionally.
Zhang Mingxuan, president of the Chinese house church alliance, issued three open letters to the international community last year, informing the world of the sufferings and persecutions he has endured at the hands of the CPC. Detailed in his 3rd open letter are the many hardships and injustices pastor Zhang has had to endure throughout the years since becoming an outspoken evangelist and leader of the house church alliance.
Since his conversion to Christianity in 1986, Pastor Zhang has been arrested, beaten and incarcerated 12 times. Most recently, PSB and State officials forced Zhang to close the orphanage he had been running with his two sons. Zhang and the orphans have continued to look for places of residence, but have been refused several times by landlords who have been threatened by officials not to lease to Zhang.
To voice your concern over the injustices Pastor Zhang has been forced to endure please contact:
The Office of PSB of Shuangyushu, Haidian District:
Tel: +86-10-62561316
Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202)5889760
Fax: (202) 588-9760
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