Maravot News of the World 7:30pm San Francisco Sunday 12.05.04 (last post)

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Metric Conversion kilometer: 0.6214 mile meter: 39.37 inches centimetre: 0.3937 inch millimetre: 0.03937 inch foot: 30.48 cm Br. stone: 14 pounds kilogram: 2.2046 pounds litre: 1.0567 US quarts hectare: 2.471 acres – 1 djerib (Turkey) – 1 jerib (Iran) – 1 gong qing (China) 0° Celcius: = 32° F

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10.29.04
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12.05.04 12.04 .04 12.03.04 12.02.04>>

12.05.04 US accused of eliminating witnesses to Iraqi attacks

Dec 6 – The US has been fighting two wars in Iraq: a war to eliminate insurgents and another war to eliminate witnesses, according to a November 26 article by Naomi Klien in London's Guardian newspaper. She wrote, "In Iraq, US forces and their Iraqi surrogates are no longer bothering to conceal attacks on civilian targets and are openly eliminating anyone - doctors, clerics, journalists - who dares to count the bodies...General Franks said, "We don't do body counts." Her initial concerns were of the pattern of US forces attacking hospitals first and confiscating communicatin devices, non-embedded reporters are shot, etc. Anyone in Iraq - doctors, clerics, journalists - who dared to count the bodies of civilians were killed. The U.S. Embassy in London complained, but the columnist hit back [More>>Big News Network] See also, story by Ashish Kumar Sen, "Confusion over Aids workers in Iraq makes workers sitting ducks."

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12.05.04 Bush arrested for War Crimes on November 29 trip to Canada

(AP) On the first of his two day trip to Canada, President Bush was arrested and charged with War Crimes. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin released the written statement indicating that "proceedings have commenced against President George W. Bush under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act 9(3)."

Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, performed the investigation into the Bush administration's alleged crimes and made a statement warning any former official of the Bush administration that they will be entering Canada at their own risk [of being arrested for War Crimes]. Earlier Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld was charged in Germany with War Crimes. [More>>CNN.com via commonground common sense.org]

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12.05.04 Saudi unified front breaking up

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are breaking away from their Saudi alignment and making separate economic and security agreements with foreign powers. "It is alarming to see some members of the GCC enter into separate bilateral agreements with international powers in both the security and economic spheres, taking precedence over the need to act collectively," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told a conference on security in the Gulf on Sunday. [More>>Al-Jezeera]

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12.05.04 Phillipine President Macapagal-Arroyo cracks down on loggers

Lumping illegal loggers together with terrorists and drug dealers, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered all logging activity in the country suspended after massive floods in Luzon blamed on rampant tree-felling left over 1,000 people were found dead or missing. Ms. Arroyo, in a statement released by Malacacang Saturday, also urged the Philippine Congress to amend the environmental laws and impose harsher penalties on illegal loggers and corrupt officials in cahoots with them. [More>>asiannewsnetwork.net via inq7.net]

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12.05.04 Blast in Kazakhstan coal mine kills 23, maybe more

A blast in a coal mine in the central Karanganda region of Kazakhstan killed 23 people Sunday. Three others were injured. More than 80 miners were said to be working underground in the Shakhtinskaya coal mine at the time. [More>>Big News Network]

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12.05.04 1st SARS vaccine primarily proved safe and effective

PYONGYANG, Dec. 4 – North Korea is not in hurry to resume the six-party talks on the country's nuclear activities, a spokesman for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Saturday. It wants to establish a "peace mechanism" with the five other parties involved while discussing nuclear issues on the Korean peninsula.

Criteria for the "peace mechanism" would involve US recognition of the DPRK's political system and make a switch its policy in the direction of coexisting with the DPRK in peace. "Then it would be impossible for the US to overthrow the DPRK's regime or lead to the dismantlement of its nuclear program," the commentary from the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) declared. It went on to say that a peace agreement between the DPRK and the US should include a comprehensive solution to the political and military issues between the DPRK and the US and between Korea's north and south. [More>>xinhuanet]

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12.05.04 Landslide in China kills 25

BEIJING, Dec. 4 – A landslide in a mountain village in Nayon County, China, Friday, killed 25 villagers. 19 others are missing. The cause of the landslide has not yet been identified. Nayon County is in southwest China's Guizhou Province. [More>>xinhuanet]

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12.05.04 German Chancellor on three-Day trip to China to deepen "strategic partnership"

BERLIN, Dec 5 – On the eve of his trip to China German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, "Germany and China share common views on many international issues and can make important contributions to securing peace and stability in the world." In a written interview with Xinhua he said the talks will cover a broad range of topics such as how to double bilateral trade volume by 2010, expand cultural and environmental protection, deepen people-to-people contact and contribute to solving international problems. Germany and China have common concerns on strengthening the United Nations and a multilateral system, fighting international terrorism and solving regional crises in the Near-and Middle East, as well as nuclear issues concerning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran. [More>>xinhuanet]

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12.05.04 Japanese scientist says DNA samples from Nicholas II not related to Romanovs

Japanese professor Tatsuo Nagai, currently the Director for the Department of Forensic Medicine and Science at Kitasato University, Kanagava Prefecture, says that DNA samples of Czar Nicholas II were not the same as the DNA samples taken from the hair and nails of his brother Georgy Romanov, who was buried in 1998. Nicholas II and his family were assassinated during the Russian revolution and Stalin had the bodies recovered and reburied at the Peter and Paul Fortress. Professor Nagai took sweat samples from Nicholas II that were on his frock coat and his blood-stained handkerchief. They didn't match his surviving brother's DNA. The evidence suggests that the murdered Russian royal family are still not accounted for. [More>>kommersant.com]

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12.05.04 Foreign oil companies in Kazakhstan accused of discriminating against Kazakhstanis

Companies avoid employing Kazakhstani citizens by setting knowingly unattainable standards, such as age limitations, experience of work abroad in large companies for at least 10-15 years, and obligatory knowledge of foreign languages. Such requirements are set even for welders. All this represents direct abuses of the constitutional rights of citizens, according to Kazakhstan's prosecutors. "It is impossible to get a job under such conditions," they said [More>>khabar.kz]

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12.05.04 1st SARS vaccine primarily proved safe and effective

BEIJING, Dec. 5 – The Chinese government announced Sunday that a vaccine for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been developed and has completed phase-one clinical tests. Wang Xiaofang, a senior official with China's Ministry of Science and Technology, said the first test involved 36 volunteers who were injected with the vaccine 56 days ago and did not report any abnormal physical reactions. Antibodies were found in w4 volunteers. [More>>xinhuanet]

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12.04.04 Confusion makes aid workers in Iraq sitting ducks

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 – Ashish Kumar Sen reports that an unprecedented number of aid workers are being targeted by terrorists in Iraq. US forces in Iraq have held a prominent position in providing aid, from medical support to feeding the displaced population. Since CARE International's director of operations Margaret Hassan was killed, insurgents have stepped up their attacks on people giving aid. Oliver Burch, Iraq program manager at London-based Christian Aid, said it's "very important for there to be a clear line between what the military is doing - particularly if large parts of the population regard it as belligerent - and humanitarian groups. The latter should be seen as neutral...We have a situation where the Iraqi population is totally confused. They cannot distinguish between foreign forces and foreign aid workers." [More>>atimes.com]

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12.04.04 Japanese government studying proposal for offensive "first strike" weapons

A new proposal changing the mission of Japan's Self-Defense Forces to an offensive mission was submitted by Japan's Defense Agency Friday. The proposal to the Liberal Democratic Party provides for the development of long-range precision-guided missile technology capable of attacking enemy ballistic missile bases. [More>>Daily Yomiuri]

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12.04.04 India's Prime Minister Singh: "South Asia no longer nuclear flash point"

Addressing the Prime Minister's Trade and Industry Council in New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today that South Asia was no longer being regarded as a "nuclear flash point." "No one now talks of South Asia as a nuclear flash point and no travel advisories are being issued apprehending war," he said. [More>>ptinews]

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12.04.04 Tokyo Finance Minister loses sleep over dollars but still buying

TOKYO, Dec. 3 – James Brooke and Keith Bradsher report that the top official at Japan's Finance Ministry, Masatsugu Asakawa, is standing pat on his $720 billion portfolio of US government securities. The dollar has been sliding and other Asian portfolio managers have been shifting their positions in dollar holdings, and though Asakawa is losing sleep at night, he's not changing his buying habits just yet. Asian bankers, including Japan's, own 40% of the US debt. [More>>New York Times]

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12.04.04 Thieves take advantage of poor record keeping in National Archives

The National Archives is the country's official repository of documents from the Bill of Rights to photos of Nancy Reagan. Yesterday the National Archives reported that documents written by Ulysses S. Grant, photos of Nancy Reagan and the king and queen of Jordan, letters from General Grant and Civil War Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and a "stately portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt" were among items that came up missing. The procedures for viewing and checking out items in the archives are apparently loose...or lost. [More>>Washington Post]

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12.04.04 Russia and India sign strategic partnership

Singh and Putin in New Delhi on Dec. 3, 2004

NEW DELHI, Dec. 3 – India and Russia signed Friday a Joint Declaration emphasizing a strategic partnership between the two countries and taking note of the transformation in the global environment in recent years.

The two countries also signed accords on outer-space, long-term cooperation in the field of joint development and use of Russian Global Navigational Satellite System (GALLONS) for peaceful purposes, visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and official passports and cooperation between the cities of Mamba and St. Petersburg, the Press Trust of India reported. [More>>xinhuanet]

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12.04.04 Musharraf says talks with India on Kashmir "moving well"

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 – After meeting with President Bush, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said that talks with India to resolve the dispute over Kashmir "were moving well" and that he was "very optimistic of the future" on bilateral ties. [More>>jang.com]

(AP) Dec. 4 – The meeting between President Musharraf and President Bush Saturday went very well, said Bush, and he complimented Musharraf for the fine job he was doing in Paksitan. Bush left Musharaf with some "unanswered wishes" – some of which involved Musharraf's advocacy that the Kashmir and Palestine disputes can be solved. [More >>CNN.com]

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12.04.04 Mixed signals on India's role in the UN Security Council

India apparently misunderstood the mixed signals it was receiving from Putin on the matter of allowing India to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, with voting priviledges along with the other permanent members. In his meeting today in India he categorically rejected the interpretation given by newspaper reports on India's voting powers on the Security Council. In his meeting with Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Leader of the Opposition LK Advani Putin emphasised the need of retaining the instrument of veto as a means of ensuring the effectiveness of the UN Security Council.

In extending full support to India's candidature, Putin felt that India, as a new member, should have the full rights of permanent membership, including the right of veto, the spokesman said. [More>>hindustanitimes.com]

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12.04.04 Russian & American bases in Kyrgyzstan growing

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Dec. 4 – Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writer reports that Moscow is angling for influence in its former republics in the face of growing US and NATO presence. The US established a base in Kyrgyzstan for its troops fighting in Afghanistan and the Russians have just opened their new base nearby and has quadrupled the number of their troops. Murphy says that the commanders of the rival bases are not speaking to each other and the installations are symbols of "a new rivalry between East and West for influence over the lands of Russia's old empire." [More>>latimes.com]

Two hundred years ago or so forts were established as trading centers – to protect traders like the East India Company, or, in the New World, the Hudson Bay Company. We reported that this is an area to watch from an economic standpoint, since the region is also where an oil pipeline to China may pass. India and Pakistan have just agreed on the resurrection of an old railway, which anticipates the need for the landlocked central Asian republics to find an more efficient means of transport and communication. Kyrgyzstan has great significance to archeologists and anthropologists as well. A great find from a Scythian tumulus was found there. To view the gold go to: http://www.fotuva.org/history/archaeology.html.

Tumuli containing red-haired people, called the Tocharians, who spoke an Indo-European language and wore clothes that would have passed easily in a Scottish pipe group, were found in the region. The ancient Silk Road passed right through the area on the way to China. To view Marco Polo's route go to: http://silkroadfoundation.org/maps/images/polomap.jpg. A modern map of the area is in the side bar.
Mel Copeland

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12.04.04 Indian Prime Minister Singh's response to Musharraf

MOSCOW, Dec. 3 (UNI) Reiterating India's stance on willingness to hold dialogue with all parties on the issue of Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that India will not compromise with terrorists. "Our position has always been firm and consistent. We will not compromise with terrorists. It is unacceptable and cannot be justified on any pretexts," Dr. Singh said in an exclusive interview to leading Russian business daily "Kommersant" published today.

"At the same time, we are ready to sort out any political issue and any conflicts by peaceful means," he said. "We are discussing problem of Jammu and Kashmir with the members of the legislature of the state," he added. "We made it clear that we are ready to talk to anybody who gives up violence. And our withdrawal of troops is connected with general improvement of the situation in the state that became possible due to effective measures taken to stop cross-border terrorism, and due to the fact that fight against terrorism gained public support," Dr. Singh noted. [More>>Kashmir Times]

For those who have been following Musharraf's statement that the Kashmir and Palestinian disputes "are ripe for solution," the comment by Dr. Singh seems obtuse from our perspective. More on the troubles in Kashmir can be seen at Kashmir Times. Friday-Saturday separatists, fighting for Indian rule in Kashmir, carried out another attack, killing 6 people. [Al-Jezeera]

President Putin of Russia began a three day visit with Dr. Singh Friday, and there is talk of a Russia-China-India pact of some kind. Putin's visit to India will focus mainly on negotiations of military equipment. [Kommersant.com]
Mel Copeland

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12.03.04 US National Debt reduction a priority for Senator Feinstein

by Mel Copeland

Maravot News Dec. 3 – Wondering whether there might be another movement brewing in Congress to stop borrowing to fund the US government, we contacted California Senator Diane Fienstein (D). Her answer is posted below.

History buffs may recall that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) led the last revolt (September 1994 - April 1995) to stop irresponsible government borrowing, converting President Clinton into a "pay as you go" plan of government funding. The historic announcement was called, "Republican Contract with America." It worked quite successfully, producing a budget surplus (reducing the National Debt as well).

Senator Feinstein (1992-present)

	December 3, 2004 Dear Mr. Copeland: Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns about Federal spending priorities and tax legislation. I welcome the opportunity to respond. Like you, I appreciate the value of taxpayer dollars and believe they should be spent on appropriate programs. I am committed to an efficient Federal government and I have made it a priority to reduce the size of the national debt. In order to achieve this goal, the President and Congress must maintain strict fiscal discipline so that deficits do not continue to rise. At times, this may mean voting against tax cuts we cannot afford, and at other times it may mean keeping spending in check. But regardless, be assured that I am firmly committed to supporting legislative initiatives that will substantially reduce the Federal budget deficit. Once again, thank you for writing. Please know that I believe that Congress should closely and continuously examine areas where federal dollars are not being spent effectively. I value and respect your opinion and hope that you will continue to share your thoughts and ideas with me. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office... Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein United States Senator http://feinstein.senate.gov Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov.

At first frowning over the Republican contract, Clinton soon jumped with glee at the positive response by Americans to the "pay as you go plan" and was surely warmed by the smiles coming from the international banking community. Most importantly, the stalled American economy began to steam ahead; and then the average American taxpayer took a deep breath, thinking, "for the first time, after years of deficits, we could see the light at the end of the tunnel." At that time even the patron saint of the Conservatives, Wm. F. Buckley Jr., was happy to that end. For my part, I thought we were on a sinking ship before Gingrich and 300 Republican House members made their great announcement on the steps of the Capitol.

In my correspondence with Mr. Buckley I used a metaphor of being on a sinking ship (I asked whether we were on the Pequod or the Titanic and feared it was the Titanic) suggesting that our economy was sinking as a result of the enormous Reagan-Bush deficits (see table below). Though Mr. Buckley was a friend of President Reagan, with regard to the National Debt Mr. Buckley expressed the need to stop the borrowing. Actually, to keep his response to my inquiry in the context in which it was expressed, he made two initial comments on the excessive deficits.

The conversation began as a result of my letter to him in December 1992 asking him to correct a misstatement on his Firing Line Debate, where all the panelists were quoting the deficit at $200 billion. The actual deficit that year was running ~$300 billion per year, and I noted in my letter to Mr. Buckley – a sailor as I – that had his navigator been off in his bearings to Europe in their trans-Atlantic crossing, as much as the Firing Line panelists were with regard to the deficit, he would have ended up in the island of St. Helena rather than Paris.

I was concerned about the deficit then, because it was sinking our economy, in my opinion. Most people – then and now – don't know the difference between the "deficit" and the "National Debt." They thought then and still think that way, if you follow media reports, that we are passing the debt on to our children. But the argument I posed to Mr. Buckley went far beyond that somewhat small, self-indulgent guilt-trip, for I was concerned that the National Debt involved an interest payment (just as in a home mortgage); and at the time in 1992-1993 the interest being paid each year was more than our Defense Department expenditures – which were then considered way out of line, over the top, excessive, a complete waste, etc. But I pointed out that the deficit and interest on the debt were about the same amount each year (which is true once again under the Bush administration), and the annual expenditure was far more than any other item in our government outlays. For instance, in December 1992 and early 1993 interest on the National Debt was about $320 billion per year. The Defense outlays projected for 1993 were $220 billion. Welfare – a major boil at that time, as Congress complained that we were spending too much money on the beggars – was $152 billion (half that which we were spending on interest!). Congress was apparently then in favor of throwing those who could not provide for themselves out on the street, following Reagan's prior example in California, where he emptied mental and other institutions by cutting off their funding. That was around 1985, before which there were no homeless people in San Francisco. (Since Reagan's stint as governor of California San Francisco has not failed to be credited as one of the homeless capitals of the United States, if not the world)

So you can understand that my inquiry with Mr. Buckley concerning the amount of money we were spending on interest on the National Debt was not unconnected to the reality of the poverty we see creeping through the streets of America.

Most of you are familiar with the Titanic. My reference to it, as being an allegory of a sinking ship of state upon which we were sailing, involved a lot of passengers. I argued that other boats were tied to it, and pointed out how the European and Asian economies would probably begin sinking before the water flowing into our titanic ship of state could be plugged. As for the Pequod, for those of you who are not familiar with Herman Melville's great work, "Moby Dick" (1851), the introduction of that work explained the origin of the name of the whaling ship. The Pequod was stove in by a great white whale, Moby Dick. Melville explains, something to the effect, "The Pequods, you see, were a tribe of Indians that are now extinct." They weren't quite extinct in Melville's time, and certainly they are not now extinct, from the size of their casinos on the east coast of the United States. However, the hint is well taken as to what his story is about: that the whaler, Pequod, in her hunt for Leviathan would become extinct.

I also argued in my complaint to Mr. Buckley that the people who were collecting most of the money we taxpayers were shelling out were like a handlebar-moustached rent collector appearing in the dead of night, wrapped with his huge, dark cape over his shoulders, broad brimmed hat shading his evil eyes, demanding the rent payment or else. These are the two letters that began the 2 1/2 year conversation with reference to our National Debt (keep in mind that the spectre has come back to haunt us again, but the debt is much higher today, and thus the conversation is once again relevant):

February 2, 1993

Dear Mr. Copeland,

Perhaps we ought to divide the arguement. Whether the government is properly engaged in the business it funds with debt, and whether the costs of those businesses are lower than their benefits, is one question. Whether the people whose money the government borrows to fund those businesses are sociopaths because they make money by lending it, is quite another. Not even people who make more thant $200,000 per year can compel the feds to borrow. If debt service is growing too high too fast, then the tax-and-spend-and-elect crowd in the congress are the sociopaths.

Yours Cordially,

Wm. F. Buckley Jr.

Agreeing with Mr. Buckley as to the Leviathan that stove us in, being Congress and our Presidents, I offered data which showed that Presidents Reagan and Bush essentially got every appropriation they asked for out of congress and it was they who were the leaders of the sociopaths. Captain Buckley replied:

February 19, 1993

You may quote my letter of February 2 in its entirety, if you wish; but I have to decline to give you latitude to excerpt. As to the Presidents' budget requests, I said at the time they were too high. I still say so. President Reagan might possibly have succeeded with a lower one, the first time out. After that, we were probably sunk.

Yours cordially,

Wm. F. Buckley Jr.

In keeping with Mr. Buckley's terms, I must refer you to the work, Against Leviathan, that records the beginning of our conversation. My objective with regard to stopping the borrowing on the debt – which Mr. Buckley shared – also involved issues on ethics, having to do with the responsibilities of leaders "telling the people what they had a right to know." [Cicero, The Offices]; thus explaining why we drifted from an "Economics 101" issue" to "faith." Mr. Buckley is a highly respected Catholic.

Bad economic policies by a leader can lead to extraordinary suffering; certain suffering in the 80's and early 90's might not have been seen had a more fiscally responsible leader been at the helm. As pertaining to the Reagan-Bush era of irresponsible, unnecessary borrowing we must leave it behind us, as part of our history. Mr. Reagan cannot answer from the tomb, as far as anyone can tell, and thus can no longer defend himself. So our argument is not with the dead, but rather to promote the common welfare for those who are alive.

Deficit Spending was first experimented upon by Hoover, and his policies left us in the Great Depression. When Reagan entered office with his new ideas on borrowing – strapping the next generation with his debts – pundits gave the term a more respectable nomenclature, "Reaganomics." Ultimately that term involves an ethical question.

While the issue may appear scary – for prudential reasons – we have seen that dealing with Leviathan is not that difficult. In the end there is less head scratching, trying to find money that does not exist, and people hoping in our economy can get more sleep at night. The Clinton era proved this point.

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12.03.04 Ukrain's parliament votes to pull 1,600 peacekeepers out of Iraq

The Ukrainian parliament has called on outgoing President Leonid Kuchma to withdraw the nation's 1,600 peacekeepers from Iraq, where they make up the fourth-largest contingent in the US-led force.

"Due to the sharp deterioration of the situation in Iraq, the parliament addressed the president with the proposal on withdrawal of (Ukrainian) troops from Iraq," the resolution on Friday said. The chamber voted 257-0 in support of the proposal. Forty deputies who were present did not take part in the vote. [Al-Jezeera]

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12.03.04 US continues to rattle sabres at Iran

LONDON, Dec. 3 – The United States on Thursday denounced Iran for not allowing inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit military sites suspected of housing work on nuclear weapons. The State Department said the denial of access to the two sites, despite Tehran's repeated insistence that it is not developing nuclear arms and vows to cooperate with the IAEA, was "an anomaly in Iran's behavior."

"The issue is Iran's commitments to transparency, Iran's commitments to openness, Iran's repeated statements that they're not seeking to develop nuclear weapons and how Iran can build confidence in the world that they're indeed sincere and true," spokesman Richard Boucher said. [IranMania.com]

Parallel article: WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 – US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday Iran was "making a lot of mistakes" but said any action to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons was a call for President George W Bush and other leaders to make.

Rumsfeld was asked in an interview with Fox News television whether the United States could allow Iran to become another North Korea, which is believed to have nuclear weapons. "The Iranians are making a lot of mistakes, let me just put it that way," Rumsfeld said. [IranMania.com]

Rumsfeld's comment recalls similar Washington threats to Iraq before invading Iraq. The Bush administration needs to back off and give peace a chance for a change, in my opinion. There are other ways of diplomacy besides invading countries, according to old American and UN covenants.
Mel Copeland

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12.03.04 French Prime Minister acts to stop Hizbullah TV; anti-Semitism increasing in Europe

PARIS, Dec. 2 – French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin on Thursday called for a television channel run by the Lebanese Shi'ite terrorist group Hizbullah to be taken off the air after it accused Israel of exporting AIDS to the Middle East. [More>>Jerusalem Post]

See Maravot News editorial on the consequences of hate propaganda by clicking on the caption in the side bar: "Do you know this man?" See also former chief rabbi Meir Lau's comment Thursday regarding rising anti-Semitism in Europe. [haaretzdaily.com]

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12.03.04 Explosions rock Madrid

Five explosions were heard at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Madrid, several hours after the Basque newspaper Gara said it received a call from a person speaking on behalf of the armed Basque separatist group ETA who said five explosive devices had been placed at gas stations along major highways leading out of Madrid. No injuries were reported and there was little damage. [More>>Jerusalem Post]

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12.03.04 Committee calculates dollars needed to restore Iraq's largest industrial complex

Basra contained the largest industrial complex, employing tens of thousands of workers, in southern Iraq. After the 2003 US-led war most of the companies closed. They survived under nearly 13 years of UN trade sanctions, but since the war the factories disappeared. Now a committee is studying the requirements to rebuild Basra's industrial complex. Millions of US dollars have already been identified: for the restoration of a paper factory (3,000 workers), $2 million; the Ibn-Majid state-run Strategic Oil Industries which supplied spare parts to oil industry installations, ports and terminals, $ unknown; fertilizer and petrochemical industries, $5 million; a pharmaceutical firm, $1 million; iron and steel factory (5,300 workers), $ unknown. [More>>Azzaman.com]

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12.03.04 Syria: Peace talks can go on without precondition

(Reuters and Haaretz Service), Dec. 3, 19:27 – Syrian ambassador to London, Sami Khiyami told Reuters in a telephone interview that peace talks with Israel can go on without preconditions. Earlier Syria had insisted that talks should resume where they left off in 2000. [More>>harraetzdaily.com and Jerusalem Post.com]

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12.03.04 Senior Hamas leader accepts two state solution

(AP and Haaretz Service), Dec. 3, 19:32 – Sheikh Hassan Yousef, the top Hamas leader in the West Bank, told The Associated Press the militant Islamic group would accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as a long-term truce with Israel. [More>>haaretzdaily.com]

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12.03.04 Germany stops plot on Prime Minister Allawi

(AP, 10:41am) German authorities arrested three Iraqis with alleged Al-Qaeda links on suspicion they were planning an attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during his visit in Germany on Friday. An increase in phone-calls and suspicious movements by the suspects who were under watch tipped the investigators off. [More>>msnbc.msn.com via topix.net]

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12.03.04 Empty promises – Social Security benefits not sustainable

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 A top economic advisor to President Bush said Thursday that the current system of Social Security benefits is not sustainable. N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, at a conference on tax policy here. "The benefits now scheduled for future generations under current law are not sustainable given the projected path of payroll tax revenue," he said. "They are empty promises." [More>>New York Times>> topix.net via Presstelegram.com]

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12.03.04 Eye rinse recalled – may cause infections

(AP) American health & Herbs Remedies issued a nationwide recall Thursday on four eye rinse products. The recall followed a Food and Drug Administration inspection that found the Albany, Oregon-based company's manufacturing conditions and controls were insufficient to guarantee a sterile product. The products pose an unacceptable risk of causing eye infections. Subject to recall are all lots of American Health & Herbs Ministry's Eye Rinse Concentrate formula 1036 live concentrated herbal tincture, White Willow Bark 3193 live concentrated herbal tincture, Fennel Seed 3126 live concentrated herbal tincture and Elderberry Flower 3247 live concentrated herbal tincture. [More>>www.fortwayne.com]

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12.03.04 Family Health International says Asian prisons are "HIV factories"

JAKARTA, Dec. 1 (AP) Prisons ``are HIV factories,'' said Elizabeth Pisani of Family Health International, an AIDS prevention group in Jakarta. Uprotected sex and rampant drug use in Asian prisons is fueling the AIDS epidemic in the region. The AIDS threat in the overcrowded and run-down prisons is not being dealt with by governments. [More>>article by Michael Casey, guardian.co.uk. via /tajikistannews.net]

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12.02.04 New meeting for progress in the Middle East and North Africa

The first meeting of G8 nations, Middle East and North African nations will take place in Morocco December 11. The meeting is called, "Forum for the Future," and will explore economic and cooperative ventures among the nations. The Morocco meeting will bring together foreign affairs and finance ministers from more than 20 countries of the Broader Middle East and North Africa region, along with G8 counterparts and representatives from regional and international organizations. [More>>dailystar.com]

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11.22.04 (11.26.04; 11.30.04 Updates) US twin deficits are causing Japanese jitters: the story behind the collapse of the dollar

While this story has been breaching for several weeks, it will continue to be a big item in the news until the world press loses interest in the money others are losing. So we're keeping it at the top of the page.

The Bush administration's deficits in both trade and fiscal budget – the Twin Deficits –are dragging down world economies. Both deficits are largely responsible for the plunge in the value of the dollar. In Japan the plunge has lasted 55 months. The Bush administration's policies have caused the yen to appreciate for the past 55 months. While the Bush administration publicly supports a strong dollar, it is reportedly accepting the weakening dollar, since a weakened dollar makes US goods and services better buys on the foreign market.

Says Yomiuri Shimbun, [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/index-e.htm] "The yen's sharp appreciation is fueling concerns over the nation's economic recovery. But the market direction is unlikely to change soon as the recent yen appreciation is closely related to U.S. trade and fiscal deficits...According to estimates of the Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute Inc., Japan's gross domestic product will drop by 0.4 percent annually if the 100 yen-to-the-dollar level continues for a year."

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Decline in dollar to the Japanese yen and euro
* January 1, 2002 the euro was first put into circulation.
© 2004 Mel Copeland

President	Jan. year	yen to dollar / ($)	euro to dollar / ($)
George H. W. Bush	1990	146.25 ($.0068)	x
George H. W. Bush	1991	124.5 ($.0075)	x
George H. W. Bush	1992	125.4 ($.0080)	x
William J. Clinton	1993	112.5 ($.0079)	x
William J. Clinton	1994	112.5 ($.0088)	x
William J. Clinton	1995	100.52 ($.0099)	.816 ($1.22)
William J. Clinton	1996	103.92 ($.0095)	.780 ($1.28)
William J. Clinton	1997	115.49 ($.0086)	.807 ($1.25)
William J. Clinton	1998	132.4 ($.0075)	.913 ($1.10)
William J. Clinton	1999	112.15 ($.0089)	.846 ($1.18)
William J. Clinton	2000	101.7 ($.0098)	.984 ($1.01)
George W. Bush	2001	114.26 ($.0087)	1.05 ($.95)
George W. Bush	2002	132.02 ($.0076)	1.11 ($.90) *
George W. Bush	2003	119.86 ($.0083)	.96 ($1.04)
George W. Bush	2004	106.95 ($.0093)	.79 ($1.26)
George W. Bush	Nov. 18, 2004	104.23 ($.0097)	.77 ($1.29)

In general, based upon the complaints coming in from overseas concerning the decline in the value of the US dollar and comparing rates since 1990 we can see a trend, where the Bush economics (Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush) have not been healthy for the United States, Europe and Japan. The former Bush, in fact, caused a major world-wide recession, beginning in Europe and surfacing in Indonesia. While we experienced years of economic stability under Clinton, the irresponsible deficit spending policies now continued from father to son (George H. W. to George W.) give no promise of prosperity in the coming years.

The US deficit, being the source of the declining dollar, perpetuates further debt and increases interest rates and inflation. About half of the US $6 Trillion debt is owned by foreign investors (primarily banks). When investors redeem their bonds in a period when the dollar is declining, as is the case in the two Bush administrations, they lose money on their investment in US bonds. This causes potential buyers of US bonds to back out of the US bond market. When buyers back away from the US bond market, the US has to raise interest rates to draw them back into the market. Following the increase in the prime rate, mortgages and other loan rates increase.

The greatest fear in international exchange is inflation. Foreign interests who own the US public debt – who cash in five year bonds today– will lose about 35% on their investment. Historic yen and euro rates compiled in the "Decline in dollar to yen" table are from http://www.x-rates.com.

The National Debt is an exponential debt. The adding of interest, plus continued borrowing / sales of US Bonds, compounds the debt. The debt takes on the form of a "J" curve. President Bush claims that he will "halve the debt," presumably in the next four years. The Clinton years, 1993-2000, represented the most fiscally responsible administration since Nixon (see "Running a government with a credit card" below). During Clinton's term Congress had adapted and applied a "pay as you go" process, preventing further borrowing to fund the government and actually paid down the National debt through their diligence. The dedication of Congress and the President during the Clinton years is not present in the current administration of Bush II, and reducing the deficit, let alone the National Debt, would seem improbable. It appears that the National Debt has reached a point of no return, where interest on the debt alone will consume any efforts to retire the debt. The debt from 1974 through 2009 (the data are current as of 11.22.04, from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB); the years 2004 - 2009 are OMB estimates) look like this:

"J" Curve of the National Debt through 2009. Years 2004 through 2009 are estimated by the US Government: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/, and listed below. Inserted in this table is an "Annual Deficit and Surplus" chart (the image curiously resembles a dragon). For charts on expenditures and deficits from President Wilson to the present click here, "Review of the presidencies." The National Debt above can be compared to my 1993 J Curve projection from Duty & Profit, a conversation with Wm. F. Buckley Jr. Total receipts in 2004 were forecasted at just less that $2 trillion – the US income is about 27% of expenditures, using Federal data. Note that a large part of the deficits during the Reagan-Bush I and Bush II years comes from interest on the debt! This compounding debt can only be resolved by paying down the principal of the debt – which Clinton recently attempted and Bush II cannot do. A government that borrows without the intention to pay off the principal of the loan can only be headed one way: the interest on the debt will consume budgeted outlays and represent an ever larger part of expenditures, eventually causing the government to default on the loan. This results in a decline in public and private investment, as happened in the years of Bush I. An example of interest consuming outlays was during the Bush I administration in 1992: the Department of Defense was budgeted ~$270 billion. Interest paid out that year exceeded $292 billion. A comparable situation exists today. Another issue involves "Debt vs % of GDP." The issue is distracting, in my opinion, since all debts reduce to one principle: if one does not pay off the principal of a loan one will be bankrupted. A comprehensive review of the Debt vs percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is at: http://www.marktaw.com/print/culture_and_media/TheNationalDebt.html. A good chart on the Federal deficit vs percent of GDP is at: http://www.harvardmagazine.com/lib/04jf/images/budg.jpg. Links on the Public Debt are at the Federal Bureau of Public Debt site: http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opd.htm#history.

The National Debt data are as follows: US Office of Budget & Management – National Debt

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A forty-year amortization table on a loan of $5 trillion (double everything for a loan of $10 trillion) at 7% interest:

Amortization Table for a loan of $5 trillion over 40 years @ 7% interest. Double the amount for the Bureau of Budget forecast of a $10 trillion debt by year 2009. On $5 trillion the annual payment would be about $1 billion per day; $2 billion per day on $10 trillion. Compare to the actual interest paid on the US debt, i.e., year #1 @ $375,045 billion principal & interest versus the actual interest only payments in 2004 of $321,566 billion. Perhaps the principal that was not paid over the years should be collected from the Bush family and Regean estates who ripped us off so to put a stop to this kind of irresponsible financial leadership.

Interest on the Public Debt. Compare interest paid against the Amortization Table on the left. www.publicdebt.treas.gov/

It is no wonder that foreign governments are concerned about the decline in the dollar. Americans should have studied some basic fundamentals in home financing It is no wonder that foreign governments are concerned about the decline in the dollar. Americans should have studied some basic fundamentals in home financing and not allowed their spendthrift President to get out of hand. Then again, there is hope that Americans will start to pay attention to their accounts and those they elected to manage them. Total receipts estimated in the Federal Budget for 2004 are just short of $2 trillion." Growth in receipts. – Total receipts in 2004 are estimated to be $1922.0 billion, an increase of $85.8 billion or 4.7 percent relative to 2003. Receipts are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.0 percent between 2004 and 2008, rising to $2,520.9 billion. This growth in receipts is largely due to assumed increases in incomes resulting from both real economic growth and inflation." [2004 FEDERAL RECEIPTS AND COLLECTIONS, p. 57]

Actual interest on the US debt since 1996 averages just short of $1 billion per day. While in the administration of Bush I, the deficit each year was essentially the same amount as the interest on the debt (they were borrowing to pay the interest on the debt), under Bush II the $400 billion + yearly deficits exceed the interest on the debt.

Mel Copeland

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In the beginning....

Bush taking too long to read "My Pet Goat" reader on 9/11. Read full text.

Running a government using a credit card

This year's deficit caused by Bush will be a record deficit since Richard Nixon showed a surplus (in 1969). Bush calls Democrats "tax and spend liberals" when he and his father spent other people's money to run their governments! Who is it that has to pay for the deficit run up each year by a fiscally irresponsible President ? You do. You pay in several ways, since borrowed money is a worse tax on you and the economy than a legitimate tax. The National Debt is $7.4 Trillion as of 10.27.04. That debt is financed by the bond market. While the interest rates on bonds go up and down, generally the rates are affected through the Federal Reserve and supply and demand. Most of the debt during George Bush's administration (1989-1993) was carried by the G-7 Central Banks and a few others who could take large positions in the Bond Market like George Soros. Since supply and demand affect prices of bonds, the greater the supply of bonds, as in a period of excessive government borrowing, would ordinarily depress the price of bonds. To attract buyers, the Federal Reserve must raise interest rates. So when your mortgage loan goes up, owing to an increase in interest rates, its because of the Bush Borrowing: running a government on a credit card.

Since the government runs on borrowed money, the amount of the original loan (new in 2001) grows exponentially, in a curve called a "J" curve. During George Bush's years the deficit was essentially equal to the interest accumulated each year on the debt. That interest debt is added to the original loan amount causing the debt to grow [unpaid] until an effort is made to reduce the debt, paying down both principal and interest. Fearing a crash Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich announced in May 1995 that there would no longer be any borrowing on the debt. We would "pay as we go," a concept George W. Bush recently derided with reference to Kerry's attempt to restore the years of responsible government under President Clinton. Although Clinton was initially following the Bush Borrowing program – of running the government using a credit card – he converted to the Republican plan and paying down the debt became the great cause of his administration. The response from the economy was plain: it grew, became healthy, wealthy and wise. When you have savings you feel secure. When you have no savings and have trouble finding people to loan you money you feel insecure. Clinton stopped the insecurity of the Bush administration.

In 1993 I prepared a mortgage amortization table for the then $5 Trillion debt inherited from George Bush. At 7% interest a 40 year loan of that amount would result in the payment after 20 years of $6.4 Trillion in interest and $90 million in principal. After 40 years the debt would be paid off and total interest paid would be $10 Trillion.

Who makes money from Bush Borrowing are the wealthy. Most of the US Bond Market is owned by foreign governments and major institutional investors like Warren Buffet and Mutual Funds. While it is not likely that the US government will default on its now $7 Trillion debt, it is a debt that is now in an exponential phase where the amount accumulating in interest each year is the major component of outlays each year in the National Budget. Keep in mind the case of Brazil and other nations that defaulted on their debts and required an International Monetary Fund bail-out. If the US government were unable to sell enough bonds to pay off the 2005 interest, for instance, the amount the US would require to bail it out would exceed the financial reserve of the International Monetary Fund. As in the George Bush years, our economy has been staggering under the weight of the National Debt and its rapidly accumulating annual interest. Growth simply slows down under such uncertainties.

The stock market becomes softer when it anticipates a shift from stocks to bonds (when the government is selling a large lot of bonds). In simple terms, when the government has to sell bonds to pay off its creditors, the stock market can expect its investors to shift their positions from stocks to bonds. This causes the stock market to have a small panic attack. From time to time, if the movement from stocks is large enough, the stock market has a stroke.

Foreign markets react to American economic troubles; thus, the growing US National Debt creates insecurity among the international financial markets. This insecurity can be observed in the value of the dollar against other currencies. Not long ago the Euro was worth a little bit more than a dollar. Yesterday, 10.26.04, the Euro was worth $1.38.

When the US is in a recessionary trend the effects are soon seen in Europe. Jobs are lost (Germany now has a 10% unemployment rate; I remember when Germany took pride in having almost no unemployment – before the Reagan-Bush years); and there is a slow-down in the purchase of goods from the United States. The US is now experiencing record deficits in the export market, and part of the cause of the record deficits in exports is owing to the recessionary trend among our European trading partners. If our government were to be set on a firm financial plan – away from the Bush Borrowing credit card madness –the foreign markets would feel more secure in their investments in America and purchase more from us. You would think that if the Euro has increased in purchasing power over the dollar by 25% one would see an equivalent growth in American exports. But exports are down. Something is seriously wrong, n'est pas?

Gingrich should be arguing for fiscal responsibility – along with Kerry –as he did in 1997. The Newt Gingrich concept of paying off the debt reported in US News & World Report in 1997:

See also a detailed article on the Neuman-Gingrich plan by By James K. Glassman, Tuesday, July 15 1997, The Washington Post. The plan evolved out of a continuing crisis over the budget, when the government was threatened with being shut down over the debt (see full report, CNN US News November 13, 1995).

Mr. Gingrich, why aren't you strongly behind Kerry's position of reinstituting the Clinton era of Fiscal Responsibility? Your loyalty to Bush should have some limits. Isn't your position now – against Kerry's debt reduction –somewhat two-faced?

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President Bush launches illegal war

Why the Crusade & Jihad?

Without rehashing the history of Western Civilization in one paragraph, we can ascribe Christian and Jewish sentiments to defend Israel and to view America as the anointed of God (Allah, (2) in the Koran) to perceptions of pastors who spend more time feeding on the flock than feeding them. If the flock were fed properly it would not believe that it is just to kill on behalf of God. The Christian and Jewish scriptures all agree that vengeance belongs to God (i.e., as in Psalm 94.1), that the Warrior of God is a man of peace, just and charitable. I have always believed (and I know Jesus adhered to this old teaching) that if God wants to kill someone let him kill them himself. You don't need to be his agent, in my opinion. But you can assist in bringing peace to the world.

Sealed Golden Gate with the Dome of the Rock behind and a Muslim cemetery in the foreground may be the gateway to Peace in Jerusalem. It was where the priests and prophets of Israel gathered; called the Gate of Righteousness by the Prophets.

There is no doubt that during the Axis Age (600 B.C.) the great sages, Lao Tzu, Confucius, Buddha and Jeremiah – later followed by Socrates – agreed that doing good and avoiding evil towards your fellow man was the answer. They all believed in the Golden Rule: Don't do to others that which you would not want done to you. Upon this one teaching all the teachings of the Bible rest.

Good news! The Koran says that everything in the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament) and Gospel (New Testament) are true! As I pointed out many years ago in a conversation with Wm. F. Buckley Jr. in a series of books, including Philistia triumph thou because of me, there are points in the Koran upon which the Jews, Christians and Moslems can reconcile their disagreements, such as:

Koran, The Cow: And now that a Book confirming their own book has come to them from Allah, they deny it, although they know it to be the truth and have long prayed for help against the unbelievers...when it is said to them, 'Believe in what Allah has revealed,' they reply, 'We believe in what was revealed to us.' But they deny what has since been revealed, although it is the truth, corroborating their own scriptures.

Koran, The creator 36.24: Your only duty is to give warning...What we have revealed to you in the Book is the truth confirming previous scriptures.

Koran, Kneeling 45.16 We gave the Scriptures to the Israelites and bestowed on them wisdom and prophethood.

Koran, AL-AHQAF 46.12 Yet, before it the Book of Moses (Torah) was revealed, a guide and a blessing to all men. This Book confirms it.

Koran, Women 4.47 You, to whom the Scriptures were given! Believe in that which we have revealed, confirming your own scriptures...

Koran, The Cow 2:116 The Jews say the Christians are misguuided, and the Christians say it is the Jews who are misguided. Yet they both read the Scriptures. And the pagans say the same of both. Allah (5) will judge their disputes on the Day of Resurrection.

We can see, therefore, that Moslems are taught via the Koran to honor the scriptures and teachings Christians and Jews honor. Also, with respect to the Koran's teachings on Moslem behavior, it is clear that a Moslem cannot wage war against another Moslem, as is currently going on in Iraq and has been so throughout history:

To dispel any confusion on the Koran's view of people who do not believe in the Koran (notwithstanding the verses cited above) Mohammed went a bit too far, in my opinion, when he listed the following which confute the Bible (I know on the Day of Resurrection noted above my reading will be upheld).

There are several verses that endorse Jesus – some calling him a prophet of God (as they would have to once they accept the Gospels as truth). But this one is the gem of the lot, since it acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah. The Messiah means "anointed one" and the term was created and applied only in the Bible. Christians know the term as Christ, which is the Greek translation of the word. The fact is, based upon what we have seen in the Koran above, all Moslems must honor the teachings of Jesus the Messiah. If there is any confusion on those teachings it can be simply resolved by opening the Gospels and reading them. They all reduce down to the Golden Rule. And it is not important that you be a Christian, Jew or Moslem to practice the Golden Rule. If you practice the Golden Rule you satisfy the teachings. For if you know those teachings you know God and if you do them you are one with God. The scripture asks, can two walk together except they agree?

The gem in the Koran of Jesus the Messiah, beyond the other verses endorsing the teachings of Jesus, which is a good foundation for some kind of reconciliation:

The Imrans, 3.45, 47 The angels said to Mary: 'Allah bids you rejoice in a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. He shall be noble in this world and in the next, and shall be favoured by Allah. He shall preach to men in his cradle and in the prime of manhood, and shall lead a righteous life."

The term Messiah first appeared in the Bible. It means Anointed One and in Greek the term is Christ. Knowing this, then, we should endeavor to find a place of agreement and learn to walk together. A good part of the Old Testament has to do with the Messiah and what is expected of him.

One cannot walk blindly through scriptures and take them for granted however. Applying them for good becomes an art. It takes practice. One cannot apply scripture, for instance, through a rush to judgment. After all is said and done, when understanding has ruled over boiling sentiments, we can point to our results: charity, justice and mercy. Unfortunately, we are a long way from achieving those things in this current age. It may be, in order to achieve a higher level, to at least remove ourselves from a state of chaos, that we need to take account of our leaders. Then we must ask ourselves how it is that we let them lead us into this chaos. This is called, confronting your own failures. Until both sides come to grips with the goodness that is in them, and do some good in order to gain in goodness, the Jihad will probably continue.

Now President George W. Bush would lead us to believe that we can kill off the Jihadists. I don't subscribe to his program and know that an invitation to reasoning together should bear more fruit. Who in the world would ever refuse this offer:

Mel Copeland
10.28.04