Showing posts with label President Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Obama. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

YEAR IN REVIEW: 5 Things President Obama Has Done to Destroy America - LARRY TOMCZAK CHARISMA NEWS

Whether our next president can help dismantle some of what Barack Obama has done remains to be seen. (Reuters)

YEAR IN REVIEW: 5 Things President Obama Has Done to Destroy America


Editor's Note: 2016 was a big year in the church—and in the world. This week we're looking at some of the biggest stories of the year, selected based on feedback from our readers. Thanks for reading Charisma News this year and stay tuned as we continue expanding our coverage in 2017 to include more spiritual insights on the stories that matter most to you.

This article was published November 10th.
Here's the Deal, by Matt Barber
"I'm the author of all your pain."
In Spectre, the 25th James Bond film currently in theaters, Oscar-winning actor and villain Christoph Waltz snidely tells Agent 007 these words. While a bit of an overstatement, the point is well taken.
As the years unfold, I am persuaded that countless millions will identify words like these with the Obama presidency. Whether our next president can help dismantle some of what Barack Obama has done remains to be seen.
Barring a spiritual awakening in America and the resulting returning to our conservative values led by a uniquely gifted commander-in-chief, the repercussions of Barack Obama's "transformation of America" will be catastrophic.
It's why seven years ago Rush Limbaugh said his desire for the Obama presidency was simple: "I hope he fails."
Scripture tells us, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh" (Prov. 29:2, ASV). Plainly stated, people have cause to either rejoice or mourn dependent on whether their governing authorities are God-fearing or unrighteous.
When competent and godly leaders rule, they set a tone for the society as they conduct affairs according to God's standards. The result will not be utopia but rather a general happiness, prosperity and stability in the land. President Obama does not fit this category and that is a primary reason why there is so much mourning throughout our land.
I step back knowing I prayed for this man every single day of his terms in office yet must respectfully but forthrightly assess his "fruit" as disastrous. What he has done has been unbelievably detrimental to the Judeo-Christian principles upon which our nation was founded. Are you aware of how far we've fallen under his leadership and lack thereof?
Five Major Areas of Decline
1. The Military
Besides what has been called the "gayification" of our Armed Forces, we've seen the undermining of religious expression among our military chaplains and officers. Lieutenant General (retired) William Boykin put it best, "If chaplains and other personnel are censored from offering the full solace of the gospel, there is no religious freedom in the military."
There have also been massive reductions in military personnel, leaving us dangerously vulnerable in the event of a crisis, plus military frustration at the highest level in decades. "There's a level of dissatisfaction among the uniformed military that I've never seen in my time here" said John McCain, Senate Armed Services Chairman.
For this I mourn.
2. Marriage and Family
President Obama's aggressive advocacy of the LGBTQ agenda has brought devastation to the traditional family. He endorsed gay marriage; violated young girls by forcing school districts to allow boys who identify as girls to have full access to the girl's locker room and showers; undermined the Defense of Marriage Act; celebrated the LGBTQ lifestyle by affirming people "coming out" and appointing unprecedented numbers of LGBTQ proponents to government positions; and, now endorses efforts to ban "conversion therapy" counseling for youth struggling with gay and transgender confusion.
President Obama has worked aggressively to transform marriage, sexuality and our children into considering participation in the LGBTQ lifestyle as a normal, healthy sign of liberation!
His official White House website touts efforts to stop counseling young people struggling with same-sex attraction and transgenderism as "protecting America's youth."
For this I mourn.
3. Radical Islam and Terrorism
President Obama's timid approach to dealing with the menace of ISIS and other radical, Islamic jihadists is unbelievably reckless. Believing that we can somehow diminish their strength and effectively defeat these barbarians by ignoring them or downplaying their threat, strains credulity. Their growing threat coupled with the Iranian "nuclear deal" is bringing us to an apocalypse.
The latest terror warning in Sinai with 224 passengers killed in the "downing" of a Russian plane caused the Wall Street Journal to bluntly state in a lead editorial, "The greatest folly of the administration's Mideast policy has been to imagine that an arms–length approach to the region's troubles would keep its problems away from us. But as with the refugee crisis in Europe, or ISIS inspired jihadist attacks in the US, the tragedy in Sinai is another reminder that trying to downplay the threat of terrorism only brings its risks closer to home."
For this I also mourn.

4. The Economy and National Debt
Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics at Boston University tried to wake up our leaders in testimony before the U.S. Senate. He stated emphatically that "Americas fiscal insolvency and it's generational consequences means our country is broke. It's not broke in 75 years or 50 years or 25 years or 10 years. It's broke today. Indeed, it may well be in worse shape (currently almost $19 trillion in debt) than any developed country, including Greece."
Yet our president keeps spending, raising the debt limit, promising entitlements, all the while adding almost as much debt as all previous American presidents combined. And don't forget he conveys how our economy is booming while conveniently ignoring over 90 million people not in the workforce; 50 million on food stamps; Obamacare premiums skyrocketing; and, the inevitable day of economic reckoning drawing near.
"Time is running out. Get ready for a roller coaster ride through hell!" warns economic forecaster Larry Edelson.
Forbes magazine helps us comprehend this staggering amount, which is leading us to the inevitable economic crash: "In 2015, Taylor Swift did 55 concerts and earned $80 million. She would have to perform 365 concerts a year for three years to simply pay for ONE DAY OF INTEREST accrued on our debt." Get the message?
For this I likewise mourn.
5. Illegal Immigration and Prisoner Release
President Obama refuses to enforce laws concerning the massive influx of illegal immigrants into our country, knowing these are grateful, potential Democratic voters! The majority is Hispanic but there are Muslims as well. Europe is being overrun by the immigrant crisis and what is happening there will be our lot in 10 years unless new leadership acts swiftly, legally and compassionately.
Have you noticed some signs of the times? Hamtramck Michigan City Council now has a Muslim majority. Washington, D.C. joins other locales in giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Our president also believes in leniency and amnesty for drug felons. Almost 50 percent of the inmates in federal penitentiaries serving time for drug offenses are now having their sentences automatically reduced.
"These are young people who made mistakes that aren't that different than the mistakes I made and the mistakes that a lot of you guys made," the president told journalists recently at a federal prison in Oklahoma.
The reality is 75 percent of these individuals are violent criminals. Their "mistakes" consist not merely of smoking a casual joint but distribution of hard drugs, often involving gangs and weaponry. Their felony convictions resulted in many of the 44,000 who die from drug overdoses each year. Consider also the scores of young people getting addicted, families being destroyed and children now executed in drug gang wars like the nine-year-old boy a week ago.  
Are these harmless, victimless crimes and simply minor "mistakes?" Or is this an example of misguided "mercy" that likewise brings in new Democratic voters? Read "Obama's Tragic Let 'em Out Fantasy" in the Wall Street Journal on 10/25/15 to learn more.
Yes, for this I also mourn.
Here's the Deal: In 2009, President Obama declared these words regarding his Obamacare victory, "Elections have consequences. And at the end of the day, I won!"
It would do us well to remember that in the 2012 presidential election, Obama beat Romney by 5 million votes. Over 17 million evangelical Christians stayed home and did not vote. Is voting important?
For the past seven years we learned the hard way that President Obama was serious about his pledge to "fundamentally transform America." I believe without question that his lack of character and questionable commitment to his professed Christian faith have wreaked havoc on the moral landscape of the United States of America. May we redouble our efforts in prayer, fasting and civic engagement to see competent, godly leaders raised up so mourning may be silenced and some rejoicing begins afresh in our land! 
Larry Tomczak is a cultural commentator of 43 yrs, Intercessors for America board member and best-selling author. His new, innovative video/book, BULLSEYE, develops informed influencers in 30 days (see www.bullseyechallenge.com). Click (here) for his "Here's the Deal" weekly podcast.
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Thursday, December 1, 2016

US Lawmakers Plan to Challenge President Obama on Israel Limits - RAFAEL MEDOFF/JNS.ORG CHARISMA NEWS


A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is working to revoke President Obama's $38 billion cap on defense aid to Israel. (Reuters photo)

US Lawmakers Plan to Challenge President Obama on Israel Limits

RAFAEL MEDOFF/JNS.ORG  CHARISMA NEWS
Democratic and Republican lawmakers are vowing to challenge a limit on U.S. defense aid for Israel that President Barack Obama included in the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations.
The agreement—reached in September—guarantees Israel $38 billion in aid over 10 years, but it also states that if Congress increases the aid, Israel is obliged to return the extra funds. U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Ariz.), and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday at Agudath Israel of America's annual legislative luncheon in New York City that the restriction is "unconstitutional" because it would interfere with the ability of Congress to fulfill its mandate as a co-equal branch of the federal government. Engel vowed to "fight every step of the way" to bring about the revocation of the aid limit.
U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), speaking at the same event, said that the aid restriction "conflicts with the Constitution in spirit if not in letter" because Congress "has a right to respond to emergency situations, and we will not give up that right." As an example, Jeffries said that if Israel is attacked, it might require extra aid to defend itself. Congress, he said, should be able to take action in such circumstances.
More Jewish Democrats oppose Ellison
Another topic addressed by several of the speakers at the luncheon was the bid by Minnesota's U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). A number of Jewish leaders have expressed concern that Ellison would turn the Democratic Party away from Israel. Speaking with jns.org at the Agudath Israel event, two more Jewish Democratic officeholders stated their opposition to Ellison's candidacy.
The Minnesota lawmaker has come under fire for his past association with Nation of Islam movement leader Louis Farrakhan, publicly claiming in 1995 that Farrakhan "is not an anti-Semite." Additionally, Ellison has urged increased U.S. pressure on Israel and has voted against funding Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.
New York's Rep. Engel, the ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told jns.org that he opposes Ellison's candidacy because "we need a full-time chairman for the DNC, not a member of Congress who would only be able to devote part of his time to the job." Asked whether his opposition to Ellison is also based on Ellison's record concerning Israel, Engel replied, "My positions on Israel are well-known; my focus is on having a full-time chair for the party."
New York State Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens) said that he too opposes Ellison's bid "because of the importance of having someone who can devote himself full-time to rebuilding the Democratic Party." Weprin said he is "aware of the statements about Israel that have been attributed to Ellison, and if they are accurate, that would be a cause for concern." 
Weprin added that he is "troubled by the positions that [2016 presidential candidate] Sen. Bernie Sanders took on Israel, and I know that Sanders nominated Congressman Ellison to the Democratic convention resolutions committee in order to try to get those positions in the platform."
The statements by Engel and Weprin against Ellison's possible party chairmanship echo the sentiments of New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), who toldjns.org earlier this month that "if Israel has to depend on support from the Ellisons of the world, it would be in serious trouble."
FBI Official: Palestinian Terror Tactics Adopted in U.S. Attacks
William Sweeney Jr., assistant director of the FBI's New York Division, said at the luncheon that the Palestinian terrorist tactic of "grabbing whatever you can to carry out an attack, whether a bulldozer or a kitchen knife" is being adopted by terrorists within the U.S.
Citing the attack at the Ohio State University campus this week by a Somali Muslim, Sweeney said that attacks by "homegrown violent extremists" are "simpler, aimed at more diverse targets, and carried out by younger attackers."
Sweeney said that the threat of terrorism on American soil "has become more serious in the past year, with some of the attacks being carried out by teenagers, who often are not in contact with terrorists overseas, unlike during previous periods." 
This article was originally published at jns.org. Used with permission.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Friday, October 28, 2016

President Obama Threatens to Veto Defense Bill That Protects Religious Liberty - ROGER SEVERINO/HERITAGE FOUNDATION CHARISMA NEWS


(Reuters photo)

President Obama Threatens to Veto Defense Bill That Protects Religious Liberty 
ROGER SEVERINO/HERITAGE FOUNDATION   CHARISMA NEWS   Oct. 28, 2016
On D-Day, Franklin Roosevelt famously asked a country of many faiths to pray that God protect our troops as they "struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization" against tyranny.
Given our military's tradition of defending religious liberty from attack, it is disappointing to see President Barack Obama threaten to veto the military's main authorization bill if it contains protections for religious freedom.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is an annual bill that sets policies and budgets for our nation's fighting forces and is currently being negotiated by both houses of Congress in conference before a final vote.
Included in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act is an amendment offered by Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., that applies decades-old religious exemptions from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) to federal grants and contracts.
The Russell Amendment is sound policy that will prevent the administration from stripping contracts and grants from faith-based social service providers whose internal staffing policies reflect their faith.
Jewish day schools and Catholic adoption centers, for example, are not liable under Title VII for being authentically Jewish or Catholic, and their staffing policies shouldn't disqualify them from federal grants and contracts either.
But Obama's veto threat is actually the strongest proof of why the Russell Amendment is needed. It shows that the president wants absolute freedom to discriminate against religious social service providers that interact with the government—all because many religious organizations won't endorse the LGBT cause. Congress should say no to the president's blatant attack on religious diversity.
Undermining Religious Liberty
For decades, the left has attempted to raise sexual orientation and gender identity to special protected status through Congress. Seeing little success using the democratic process, the Obama administration has instead turned to issuing various edicts that misinterpret existing civil rights protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
On July 21, 2014, Obama issued an executive order that unilaterally elevated sexual orientation and gender identity to special status for purposes of federal contracts.
As our colleague Ryan T. Anderson pointed out at the time, the order "disregards the consciences and liberties of people of goodwill who happen not to share the government's opinions about issues of sexuality. All Americans should be free to contract with the government without penalty because of their reasonable beliefs about morally contentious issues."
The executive order left in place the Title VII religious staffing exemption, and the Russell Amendment merely reaffirms this protection while clarifying that religious organizations have a right to employ people committed to authentically living in accordance with their faith tenets. In short, religious organizations are free to be religious organizations.
But Obama would interpret existing religious protections narrowly in order to make religious groups bend to the LGBT agenda. As seen in the administration's education and health care mandates on gender identity, in practice, this means requiring employee bathrooms and showers meant for women be opened to biological men who self-identify as female regardless of people's religious beliefs on the matter. The administration's proven lack of respect for religious freedom when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity policies is more than enough reason to keep the Russell Amendment.
Reaffirming Long-Standing Policy Is Apparently Unacceptable
Despite the Russell Amendment's straightforwardness and precedent, 42 Senate Democrats have written to the Senate Armed Services Committee asking that the Russell Amendment be stripped from final National Defense Authorization Act language during conference negotiations.
The letter states that prospective employees should not be "disqualified from a taxpayer-funded job based on an individual's religions." Except that's not how federal contracts typically work. Existing organizations bid for contracts to produce services or products based on their ability to deliver them, not to provide somebody "a taxpayer-funded job."
The programs at issue are designed to help the needy in the most effective and efficient way possible, and faith-based organizations have proven that they are often the very best at providing these social services precisely because of their faith-based character.
But moreover, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act already specifically protects religious organizations' ability to hire based on religion, so the burden is on the objectors to the Russell Amendment to prove why a system that has been affirmed by the Supreme Court and has served religious pluralism well for decades should now be stripped away when it comes to federal contracts.
Will Congress Hold the Line?
The Russell Amendment was included in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act and passed by a comfortable margin (277 to 147) because it reflects the best of our traditions without taking away anything from anyone.
Congress should not let the president's veto threat get in the way of passing sound policy, and the Russell Amendment is just that—a commonsense continuation of policy that has served our diverse society well since 1964.
Roger Severino is the director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation.
This article was originally published at DailySignal.com. Used with permission.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Franklin Graham: This Shows How Morally Warped Our Politicians Are - JENNIFER LECLAIRE CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham called out the government for military spending on sex-reassignment surgeries.
Franklin Graham called out the government for military spending on sex-reassignment surgeries. (Facebook/Franklin Graham)

Franklin Graham: This Shows How Morally Warped Our Politicians Are

JENNIFER LECLAIRE  CHARISMA NEWS
Watchman on the Wall, by Jennifer LeClaire
Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

The military should be investing in training soldiers and building a defense. But our government may divert up to $8.4 million a year of much-needed funds for the gender reassignments for troops.
Yes, really. Sort of makes you wonder if gender-confused people will flock to the military for a free ride on the gender reassignment front like they do on the college education front.
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Franklin Graham is up in arms about the news.
When he read about the new government spending program for gender reassignment and hormone therapy for military personnel, the evangelist had two words followed by a pointed question:
"I'm disgusted! Aren't you?"
'This is the kind of immoral garbage President Obama and his administration are allowing to be put in place in our country," Graham says. "$8.4 million a year—with all the things our military needs—can you believe that? Things like this need to be stopped. It just shows you how morally warped our politicians have become."
What would it take to stop the government from funding the perversion train?
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening;Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of GodThe Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer onFacebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

WATCH: A Few Words for President Obama regarding Israel - Ron Cantor MESSIAH'S MANDATE

WATCH: Obama: Israel cannot ‘permanently occupy, settle Palestinian land’



I am really grateful for social media. When President Obama uttered these ridiculous and historically inaccurate words, I was able to quickly go to Facebook and challenge them. By morning the video had been seen over 2,600 times and shared over 100 times. Still, that is nowhere near the reach that the President has, but we do what we can.

I have studied the Israeli Palestinian conflict intensely since 1989 and the fact is that there is no such thing as Palestinian lands. Secondly, the only reason Israel controls the West Bank is because of the aggressive and billegerant actions of the surrounding nations. Had Jordan not attacked Israel during the Six-Day-War, we would never have taken the Old City of Jerusalem or the West Bank. And now that we have it as a buffer zone against our enemies why in the world would we give it back? 


Ron Cantor
Messiah's Mandate
Watch the video.

Friday, September 16, 2016

A Palestinian State Cometh - MICHAEL SNYDER CHARISMA MAGAZINE


United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrives to attend ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrives to attend ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos. (REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun)

A Palestinian State Cometh

MICHAEL SNYDER  CHARISMA MAGAZINE
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has harshly criticized Israeli settlements in the West Bank and is calling for urgent action to save "the two-state solution." He insists that Israeli settlements in the West Bank "are illegal under international law" and he told reporters that the "occupation" of Palestinian-controlled territories "must end." These comments represent perhaps the strongest statements that any U.N. Secretary-General has ever made against Israel, and they come at a very ominous time. As I detailed just a few days ago, there is a major push to try to get some sort of U.N. Security Council resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before Barack Obama leaves office. As you will see below, this is something that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon obviously endorses.
Those that are hoping for a "two-state solution" know that fresh negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians are not likely to happen any time in the near future. So if the "peace process" is going to move forward, it is going to have to happen at the United Nations.
Ban Ki-moon is among those that are desperate to try to save the "two-state solution," and as the U.N. begins a new annual session this week he is urging imminent action. The following comes from the official U.N. website.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for intensified efforts to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to take the difficult steps required to change the current destructive trajectory of the conflict, which is heading towards a "one-state reality" rather than a peaceful resolution.
"Twenty-three years ago, almost to the day, the first Oslo Accord was signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation," the Secretary-General told the Security Council in a briefing on the situation in the Middle East.
"Unfortunately, we are further than ever from its goals. The two-state solution is at risk of being replaced by a one-state reality of perpetual violence and occupation," he warned.
Using the term "occupation" clearly shows which side of the fence Ban Ki-moon is on, and he went on to declare that the "occupation" of the West Bank by Israel "must end."
Turning to Israel's settlement activities, Mr. Ban said that in the past two weeks alone, plans were advanced for yet another 463 housing units in four settlements in Area C of the West Bank. Official Israeli data shows that the second quarter of 2016 had the highest number of construction starts in three years.
"The decades-long policy that has settled more than 500,000 Israelis in Palestinian territory is diametrically opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state," he said.
"Let me be absolutely clear: settlements are illegal under international law. The occupation, stifling and oppressive, must end," he said.
Those that have followed Ban Ki-moon's career know that he is a relatively soft-spoken guy.
To make these kinds of incendiary comments is basically his version of shouting from the rooftops. He appears to be obsessed with getting something done to formally establish a Palestinian state, and he knows that he realistically only has until Jan. 20, 2017, to accomplish his goal.
As I mentioned above, a new U.N. annual session begins this week, and many are concerned that a U.N. Security Council resolution that sets the parameters for a Palestinian state will be on the agenda. The following is from Wall Street Journal article that was published just a couple of days ago:
The United Nations began its annual session this week, and Israel will be prominent on the agenda. Many fear the Security Council may consider a resolution setting definite territorial parameters, and a deadline, for the creation of a Palestinian state. President Obama has hinted that in the final months of his term, he may reverse the traditional U.S. policy of vetoing such resolutions. The General Assembly, meanwhile, is likely to act as the chorus in this drama, reciting its yearly litany of resolutions criticizing Israel.
If such a U.N. Security Council resolution gets passed, it will be far more important than the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in November. Recently I had the opportunity to explain why this is the case on one of the biggest Christian television shows in America.
Unfortunately, when I do articles like this, they tend to get a less attention than many of my other articles typically do.
The truth is that most Americans simply don't understand the importance of what is going on in the Middle East.
In fact, one recent survey discovered that less than a third of all U.S. millennials can find Israel on a map of the world.
Less than one-third of US-educated millennials are able to identify Israel on a map, a new survey has found.
According to the joint study — titled "What College-Aged Students Know About the World: A Survey on Global Literacy" — conducted by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and National Geographic, a mere 31 percent of respondents knew the location of Israel on a map of the Middle East.
Can you believe that?
How can our young people go to school year after year after year and not be able to point to Israel on a world map?
That is inexcusable, and it is yet another example of how our system of education has become a complete and utter disgrace.
And I was shocked to learn that UC Berkeley was actually going to have a college course about how to remove Jewish "colonialists" from "the land of Palestine." The following comes from the Jerusalem Post.
This week I learned that beginning this year, the prestigious UC Berkeley will be offering a course on "settler colonialism" in Israel, meaning Jews as colonialists.* "Drawing upon literature on decolonization, [the course] will explore the possibilities of a decolonized Palestine." In other words, let's talk about how to eradicate Israel altogether. But not only the course facilitator will explore these possibilities, students will be required to "research, formulate and present decolonial alternatives to the current situation."
After criticism from the Jewish community, that course was canceled by UC Berkeley, but it still shows how anti-Semitism is on the rise in America.
All over the country, the tiny nation of Israel provokes extremely strong emotional reactions. Most people either really love the Jewish people or they really hate them.
And as the drama in the Middle East continues to unfold, support for Israel is going to become a major, major political issue in this nation.
But the very next thing that we are watching for is a UN Security Council resolution formally establishing a Palestinian state and granting them East Jerusalem as their capital.
Now that a new U.N. annual session has started, we are officially in the danger zone, and we will remain in the danger zone until the next president is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017.
Let us hope that nothing happens between now and then, because such a resolution would be one of the worst things that Barack Obama could possibly do.
Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of End Of The American Dream. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled "The Rapture Verdict"is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: A big, new, 10-year military aid deal between the US & Israel was supposed to be done by now.

obama-netanyahu-flags


New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

A big, new, 10-year military aid deal between the US & Israel was supposed to be done by now. Where is it? Here are two possibilities.

by joelcrosenberg
With the Middle East on fire, both the American people and the people of Israel face real and growing threats.
Syria continues to implode. Iraq is a disaster. The Islamic State keeps launching barbaric attacks throughout the region, as well as in Europe and is trying to pull off a major attack inside the U.S. Meanwhile, Iran is on the path towards building nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles.
Now more than ever it's vital to strengthen and expand the security alliance between the U.S. and Israel. Yet there's a glitch.
All summer long, observers of this special alliance have been expecting a formal announcement that the Netanyahu government has accepted a new 10-year military aid package offered by President Obama.
Yet the summer has come and gone, and no announcement has been forthcoming.
Why?
The broad contours of the new "Memorandum of Understanding" between the two countries were already publicly known last February, and it was believed a deal would be completed rather quickly.
In April, 83 of 100 U.S. Senators -- led by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) -- sent a letter to the White House urging the President to boost security assistance to Israel, especially in the wake of the highly controversial nuclear deal the administration cut with Iran and the security disasters unfolding in the epicenter.
"In light of Israel's dramatically rising defense challenges, we stand ready to support a substantially enhanced new long-term agreement to help provide Israel the resources it requires to defend itself and preserve its qualitative military edge," the Senators wrote.
Since then, there have been repeated reports of an imminent deal.
Yet more than a month has passed since Mr. Nagel's visit to D.C., and still no deal.
While there could be any number of reasons for the delay, consider two.
Scenario #1 -- The deal is done but leaders in Washington and Jerusalem are delaying until later this Fall to make a big, splashy announcement.
The operating theory here would be that Obama and his political handlers didn't want news of such an important agreement to be made public during August when so many Americans were on vacation and the two political conventions dominated the headlines. A Fall announcement would maximize the White House's ability to assure voters that Democrats are, in fact, "pro-Israel," despite a rocky relationship between Obama and Netanyahu over the last eight years.
Scenario #2 -- The deal has been derailed and the Israeli government has not, in fact, accepted Mr. Obama's offer.
Under this theory, perhaps Mr. Netanyahu and his team think either: A) they can strike a better deal as we get closer to the American elections; or B) they can strike a better deal with the next President in 2017, whoever that may be.
The current M.O.U. was negotiated by the Bush administration in 2007. It doesn't expire until 2018. In theory, that does give Israel more time to get better terms. It doesn't have to make a decision in 2016.
The last M.O.U. was a very favorable deal for Israel and was clear evidence of a strong alliance and shared security interests between the two country.
It provided Israel at least $3.1 billion a year over ten years. It has also allowed Israel to spend up to 40% of that in Israel, on weapons systems developed by Israeli defense contractors, and on fuel for fighter jets. The rest must be spent on military hardware  from American defense contractors.
What's more, the current deal does not prevent Congress from passing additional military aid for Israel above and beyond the M.O.U. in any given year.
Thus, when you include additional missile defense funds for Iron Dome and so forth, Congress is set to provide Israel $3.4 billion in 2016, a full $300 million above the current M.O.U. figure.
Mr. Netanyahu entered the negotiations for the new M.O.U. reportedly asked for $5 billion a year for ten years.
But Congressional sources tell me the administration is only offering $3.3 billion a year, a full $100 million less than Israel will receive in 2016.
And the White House is apparently insisting on a provision that Congress cannot provide additional funding in future years, even if the security situation vastly worsens in the years ahead. The new offer would also severely limit the amount Israel could spend inside Israel.
Should the Israeli government accept such a deal if it would prevent a future American president and Congress from increasing funds if the situation warranted?
Should Israel accept a deal that locks in less annual American military assistance than it currently receives?
Should it do so especially at a time when Iran -- Israel's sworn enemy -- is being provided upwards of $100 billion or more, the end of economic sanctions and a clear pathway to nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles?
Sen. Graham doesn't like how the White House is handling the situation. He won't presume to tell the Israeli government what to accept or not to accept, but from an American perspective he believes it's critical that the deal with Israel not only be generous but also create flexibility given the security meltdown underway in the Middle East.
Israel is not voluntarily “giving up” its initial request, but it is being strong-armed by the administration to back away, Graham told Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin.
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joelcrosenberg | September 8, 2016 at 12:48 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5vC