"War With North Korea Suddenly No Laughing Matter"

While American media has been engaged in a sex-scandal feeding-frenzy, North Korea "Decoders" have been frantically sounding alarms of a nuclear North Korea.

According to The Wall Street Journal:

"North Korea boasts about its nuclear weapons program by releasing photos and videos of its missiles. But in them are tiny clues to their true capability. A team of U.S. analysts, working outside the government, shows how they decode these images to determine when North Korea is bluffing--and when it is showing true power."

The consensus? North Korea isn't bluffing.

Long dismissed as a joke, North Korea "...is far more sophisticated than most people realize," claims Jeffrey Lewis of Middleberry Institute of International Studies.

Lewis' team analyzes video footage frame-by-frame and are able to determine an accurate estimate of North Korea's true capabilities, including:

• type of fuel used
• engine power
• potential distance capabilities
• size and weight of missiles
• whether they have nuclear warheads

According to Lewis and other open source independent researchers, they provide a 'check' when government public statements don't match up with private analysis.

For instance, while testifying at the U.N. Security Council, Ambassador Nikki Haley said, "North Korea has not yet passed the point of no return," in regards to nuclear weapons.

"Not true," says Lewis. "They're wrong. North Korea already has nuclear weapons. The door for a military option is basically closed."

Lewis' position is based on two assumptions:

1. some missiles are already armed with nuclear warheads
2. destroying all of North Korea's missiles wouldn't be possible

Lewis believes video footage suggests North Korea is capable of horizontal fueling, meaning the missiles can be prepared for launch hidden in tunnels without being detected.

So even a 'decapitation strike' that takes out leader Kim Jong-Un would not stop a nuclear armed North Korea. Apparently, things have gone too far for that.

A wise man once said: "I expect North Korea and Iran to simultaneously create 'war' in the near future intending to destroy, distract and/or disable Israel and the USA and this, possibly before years' end..." --Pastor Jack Hibbs, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" --John 14:27.

News:

• WashingtonTimes.com: Fresh concern over possible Iran-North Korea nuclear links; U.S. national security circles worry about depth of military cooperation.
• CNN.com: For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Hawaii will test nuclear sirens; Nikki Haley: "If war comes, we will destroy North Korea."
• HAARETZ,com: North Korea fires ballistic missile it says can reach mainland United States. Trump says: "I can only tell you that we will take care of it." 

"CERN: Universe Should Not Exist"

So what's new with the CERN Research Center? You remember CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research and home to the world's largest (and most expensive) Hadron Collider. No?

Well, just outside Geneva on the Swiss/French border, deep in a round, 17 mile subterranean tunnel is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

Inside the LHC are subatomic particles or protons that careen around the  17 mile electromagnetic track and bang into each other at the speed of light in hopes of re-creating the Big Bang--the explosion that supposedly jump-started the universe.

The problem? Despite major breakthroughs in quantum weirdness, scientists can't seem to figure out how matter is able to exist in our universe. Apparently, matter is made up of particles and antiparticles that should have completely destroyed one another--but haven't--leaving the scientific community dumbfounded.

"All of our observations find a complete symmetry between matter and antimatter, which is why the universe should not actually exist," said physicist Christian Smorra.

Around the globe, a multinational collaboration of scientists come together at CERN and burn the midnight oil attempting to solve the riddle of how the universe came into existence.

Yes indeedy, friends and neighbors, this is THE hot topic in modern physics.

Why doesn't someone tell them to simply open the book of Genesis and read:

"In the beginning God..."

A wise man once said: "Science offers only a 'veiled' view of an underlying reality which science cannot access." -- Bernard d'Espagnat, French physicist

"So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day, having finished His task, God rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from the work of creation" (Genesis 2:1-3).

News:

• Behold Israel: U.S. Defense Dept. holds unpublished EMP Drill Simulation this weekend to prepare for N.Korea attack.
• NBC News: N.Korea Defector Warns Military Will React To Any Sign Of U.S. Attack; N.Korean officers trained to 'press button'-ask questions later..
• DEBKAfile: Iran's Khomeini says "U.S. number one enemy". 

"Kim Jong-Un: Crazy Fat Kid or Credible Threat?"

On December 30, 2011, North Korea, already a rogue state, became much more dangerous when 27-year old Kim Jong-Un assumed power.

Almost from the get-go, Kim was mocked for his bizarre behavior and "that chubby face", as described by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday.

"He's a fool," Duterte said, "and a son-of-a-..." (you -know-what) who is "playing with dangerous toys."

Last March the North Korean dictator went ballistic after Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called him a "crazy fat kid".

"China is the only one that can control Kim Jong-Un, this crazy fat kid that's running North Korea," McCain said.

Enraged, Kim responded by calling McCain's remarks, "tantamount to a declaration of war."

Fast forward 5 months, 11 missile tests, and escalating war provocations pouring out of North Korea, and we have this: U.S. officials believe Kim Jong-Un has built a miniaturized warhead and has an arsenal of 60 nuclear bombs capable of hitting Hawaii, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

Suddenly, this roly-poly-little-fat-faced twerp seems like a credible threat that has the world holding its breath as war rhetoric reaches crisis level.

Kim Jong-Un and Trump Locked In Extraordinary Standoff

A wise man once said: "North Korea risks the end of its regime and the destruction of its people if it does not back down. It is grossly outmatched by the allied armies now pitted against it..." -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you" (Isaiah 43:1-2).

News:

• DEBKAfile: U.S. Defense Secretary warns N. Korea to stop before it is destroyed; strongest terms yet.
• NBC News: Reports that N. Korea has fitted nuclear warheads onto missiles were confirmed on Thursday.
• The Washington Times: Military solution in place to address N. Korea threat says Defense Secretary on Thursday 

"World Instability"

Inch by inch, step by step, national security experts see the risk of nuclear conflict slowly creeping up on the world.

Late last year the Project for Study of the 21st Century (PS21) released a poll of 50 experts from around the globe including:

• leading international relations academics
• former senior military officials
• private sector political risk specialists

"This is the first survey we know of like this," said Peter Apps, executive director at PS21. "There has been plenty of talk of rising tensions with Russia and China in particular, but it's very rare to try and put numbers on that."

So what were the numbers? 52% of the experts believe the risk of a nuclear conflict between great powers would grow over the next 10 years, with 80% expecting proxy confrontations and other forms of "ambiguous warfare" to also increase.

Peter Apps went on to explain: "the aggregate figures show that most major potential for nuclear or conventional wars seem broadly unlikely--but the numbers are still high enough to be worrying. Clearly this is a risk that cannot be entirely discounted."

And now we've got tensions between China and the Philippines escalating dangerously over competing claims in the South China Sea after an international court ruled against Beijing's territorial claims.

China has vowed to ignore the ruling and Beijing's ambassador to the United States warned the decision will "intensify conflict and even confrontation."

Meanwhile, North Korea, under Kim Jong Un, is busy becoming more and more unpredictable. Aggressively arming his nuclear weapons and missile systems, the young Kim is beginning to pose a major threat.

With the added distraction of trying to rein in Russia, Iran, and Syria, the 65 million refugees and protecting our borders (and not to mention the growing threat from terrorism), the next U.S. President will definitely have his/her hands full. 

A wise man once said: " Nobody wants or should even contemplate the use of force. Hopefully the Chinese will come to realize that they have more to lose than to gain from creating a chaotic, lawless situation." -- Paul Reichler, Washington attorney

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains..." Matthew 24:6-8

News:

• Reuters: China Blames United States For Stirring Up Trouble In South China Sea; vows to protect rights
• NBC News: Germany's Open-Arms Refugee Policy Is Taking A Toll; 2.1 million immigrants since last year.
• AP: U.S. Offers Russia New Military Partnership In Syria; dramatic result expected 

"Top 5 Threats for 2015"

What does National Security analyst Ryan Mauro of The Clarion Project believe jihadists will try to achieve in the upcoming year?

You guessed it--nothing good.

"From manufacturing an oil crisis to Iran's nuclear aspirations and lone wolf attacks, jihadists will be looking to exploit our weaknesses."

According to Mauro, often touted as one of the brightest analysts of our time, "The West will have to contend with two lessons it taught adversaries in 2014"

1. The US negotiates with terrorists
2. The US government/private sector will cave to threats

Mauro calls this: "The Bergdahl-Sony Effect"

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was the US soldier swapped in exchanged for five high-level Taliban terrorists--a lousy deal any way you slice it. Bergdahl was a deserter and the US broke (for the very 1st time) a cardinal rule: Never negotiate with terrorists.

Mauro says, "Hollywood reinforced the dangerous appeasement when movie theaters caved to threats from hackers linked to North Korea..." Though Sony Pictures later released the film, "The Interview", the damage was already done.

"In 2015, the West's enemies will be implementing these lessons," Mauro contends.

In addition to appeasement, what has Mauro determined to be our top threats in 2015?

• Iran nukes--"The Iranian regime is using negotiations as part of a long-term strategy to develop nuclear weapons capabilities. In 2015, the West may miss the opportunity to stop them."
• War--"In 2015, the low price of oil will maximize the incentives for Iran and other hostile governments to instigate conflict." Why? In order to save their oil-dependent economies.
• Terrorists will regain safe havens--"The Islamic State terror group has expanded from Iraq and Syria into Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia." Once US forces depart Afghanistan, we can expect them to expand there as well.
• Homegrown Terror--"The unfortunate reality is that a homegrown terror attack on US soil is all but certain in 2015. The Islamic State has inspired a new generation of homegrown terrorists and a study found that the number of jihadists has doubled since 2010. The number of attacks has tripled."

"Based on these trends," Mauro concludes, "it is safe to say that Islamic terrorism will dominate the headlines throughout 2015 as it did for most of 2014."

A wise man once said: "Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. Is is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." -- William Jennings Bryan, US Secretary of State (1913-1915)

"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."--(Proverbs 19:21)

News:

• Y Net News.com: 2014 Record-breaking Year for Jewish Immigration to Israel With 32% Increase
• Watchdog.org: US state, local governments face massive, growing budget gaps in 2015; could mean higher taxes
• Sputnik International News: Islamic State to Systematically Target Europe in 2015--Predicts Mid-East Expert Jean-Michael Vernochet.

"How Many Minutes Before Midnight?"

According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and their famous Doomsday Clock--it is 5 minutes before midnight.

Headlines from 2014 seem to prove their point. Consider:

• US and Russian relations have cooled to the point of a new Cold War over Moscow's perceived role in Ukraine's separatist conflict. 
• The Islamic State (ISIL) terror group is still rampaging across the Mideast, kidnapping and torturing children. ISIL has now spilled into Lebanon, close to the Israeli border.
• The Ebola outbreak has spread to multiple West African countries, affecting tens of thousands. The possibility of it spreading further cannot be ruled out.
• Cyberwars are keeping the DHS up nights. Russia is the most likely suspect behind a destructive "Trojan Horse" malware program discovered in critical US software that makes what North Korea did to Sony look like child's play.

Not to mention: international unrest in various countries, the recent racial unrest right here at home, the massive security breach that is the US border, and the ever present threat of a nuclear Iran.

In 1948, the nation of Israel was born (again) and with it many Biblical prophecies were fulfilled, each graphic, literal, and exact.

In fact, the entire Scripture is woven through and through with provable, precise prophecy in regards to God's chosen people--the Jews. (For a detailed account of those prophecies, see archived posts from July 2011: Israel: The Key to Prophecy-Part 1 Part 2

The Scriptures seem to indicate the Jews will only be back in their Land for one generation (See Matthew 24) before the return of the Messiah.

Is it possible the Atomic Scientists are correct in setting The Clock @ 5 minutes before midnight - or are they  just alarmists? You do the math.

"So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with Him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return."  (1Thess. 5:6-10)

A wise man once said: "Paul warns us that God will hold all people accountable for their attitudes and actions. So don't procrastinate. God wants us to act immediately to receive His forgiveness and power to help us change."  -- David Stoop, author

News:

• Reuters: East-West aerial confrontations heat up with Russia and China pitted against US and allied pilots on a scale not seen since Cold War Era
• AgenceFrance-Presse (AFP): Islamic State downs warplane over Syria, claims capture of Jordanian pilot
• Reuters: Japan fears North Korea cyberattack, works to secure infrastructure

"What are the Signs of His Coming?"

Christian author and founder of  The Berean Call , Dave Hunt, died last week. He left behind a legacy of expert scholarship, impeccable research, and a wide variety of in-depth studies we can all benefit from. He also left us with a couple of warnings:

• "There are two solemn and related warnings which Christ gave concerning His coming again. First of all, He repeatedly and earnestly declared that He was coming very soon and should be expected at any moment. That He hasn't come in more than 1900 years, far from discrediting that promise, makes it all the more urgent that we heed it in our day. By heaven's reckoning, Christ has been gone a very short time; and His coming is nearer now than it ever was."

• "Secondly, He warned us about preoccupation with the things of this life. Christ knew the attraction which the pleasures and ambitions of this world, wicked though we realize it to be, can have for each of us. So He warned us that unless we kept the thoughts of His return fresh in our hearts at all times, we would be caught by surprise at His coming."

Dave Hunt was adamant about the fact that there are no signs for the rapture of the church. Not even one. There is absolutely nothing that must proceed it. Jesus said that He would come like a thief: "At such an hour as you think not" (Luke 12:40). Some translations say He's coming when you least expect Him. There are at least twenty warnings in the Bible telling us to watch, be ready, and stay awake.

Why? Because complacency is human nature. Remember the parable of the 10 bridesmaids in Matthew 25? "When the bridegroom was delayed, they all lay down and slept" (emphasis added).

The world is asleep right now and sadly, so is the church. And yet:

• Israel is back in the land (Ezekiel 37:21)
• surrounded by enemies (Psalm 83)
• Iran and Russia have a military alliance for the first time in history (Ezekiel 38:5)
• technology has advanced to the degree that everything predicted in the Scripture is possible for the first time in history (Revelation 13)
• the financial world is sagging under its debt load (Revelation 6:5-6; James 5:1-3)
• sin is rampant; deception everywhere (Matthew 24:9)
• everything has gone super sized (i.e. earthquakes, storms, tsunamis, etc.) (Luke 21:25-26)

People--these are signs for the Tribulation and the Second Coming, not the Rapture, two distinct events that take place 7 years apart.

No one knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, but once it comes (when we least expect it) the Second Coming can be calculated to the very day. Everything hinges upon the Rapture because it is the kickoff of the last 7 years as detailed in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 9:20-27).

Jesus said, "Watch out! Don't let me find you living in careless ease and drunkenness, and filled with the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware, as in a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep a constant watch. And pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36).

Why did Jesus warn us to keep a constant watch? Because the signs of the Tribulation will all be there in the distance for anyone who is aware and watching to see. For those who are not watching it will be "business as usual right up until the hour when the Son of Man returns" (Luke 17:30).

"So keep a sharp lookout! Don't let Him find you sleeping when He arrives without warning. What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for His return!" (Mark 13:35-37).

A wise man once said: "How close are we? Christ could come at any moment--before I finish writing this page, or before you finish reading it. Does that thought bring joy or regret--perhaps even fear? The honest answer to that vital question reveals one's spiritual condition and the measure of one's love for Him." -- Dave Hunt (1926-2013)

(want to be sure you're ready? click here )

News:

• World News Now: North Korea fuels ballistic Musudan missile with a range of 2,175 miles putting U.S. bases within reach. U.S. and Seoul on emergency threat level WatchCon2, one step away from war.
• Yahoo News: 'Devastating' quake strikes near Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, kills 37 and injures 870
• U.S. News: Massive storms and giant tornadoes rip through Midwest leveling homes and causing power outages, 1 death and many injuries
• Bloomberg: Distrust of Federal Reserve and concern that U.S. dollars may become worthless, fuel push in more than a dozen states to recognize gold and silver coins as legal tender
• Drudge Report: ACLU accusing IRS of reading taxpayers personal emails without warrant
• Fox News Channel: Maryland to enforce "rain tax" on homeowners, charging them for rainwater runoff each time it rains; states finding ways to raise revenues through new taxes and fees

"Worldwide Threat Assessment"

Last month, the Senate Intelligence Committee held hearings on “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States.” All the top dogs were there, including the directors of the CIA, FBI, and National Intelligence.

The assessment?

Move over terrorists— you've been supplanted by something bigger and even more terrifying—cyber-attacks.

That’s right; al-Qaida is old school. Times have changed and the biggest threat now facing the U.S. is technology. Technology that is evolving so fast, even the top security experts are unable to keep up.

James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, told the committee, “In some cases, the world is applying digital technologies faster than our ability to understand the security implications and mitigate potential threats.”

Clapper played down the likelihood of catastrophic attacks on the United States in the near term—but should we believe him? He just admitted they don’t have the ability to understand the risks, let alone stop them.

Other potential threats?

• ·         North Korea
• ·         Syria
• ·         Iran

While North Korea has always been belligerent, lately they've really been ratcheting up the rhetoric. Saying things like nukes “are our country’s life” and declaring on Saturday that it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea. The general consensus? There doesn't seem to be one. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that North Korea's provocations are " a real and clear danger and threat" to U.S. interests and Washington is taking them seriously. Others believe it's just another game of saber rattling in exchange for aid. Even though this latest string of nasty outbursts is predictable, Kim Jong Un is not.

What about Syria?

The U.S. spy agencies assessed the Syrian situation as ‘eroding’. It seems the government of President Bashar al-Assad is hanging on by a thread. Assad’s forces have stopped insurgents from seizing cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, but the agencies say insurgents have been gaining strength in rural areas.

Imagine how well they’d do if they had a little help?

And last, but not least, there’s Iran.

In spite of what you might have heard, and what Ahmadinejad has said, the intelligence community does not believe Iran’s leadership has decided to build a nuclear weapon.

Oh…well. As long as they haven’t actually decided…

And there you have it. Cyber-attacks lead the pack followed by North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Our top dogs know what the problems are. All they need now are some solutions.

A wise man once: "There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know...I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14

News

• Drudge Report: North Korea dramatically escalated its warlike rhetoric on Thursday, warning of plans for nuclear strikes on U.S. targets
• BBC: U.S. to move missile defenses to Guam as North Korea steps up its warlike rhetoric
• Washington Free Beacon: Military build-up in China near allied, North Korean border appears linked to Korean peninsula crisis
• Breitbart.com: Russia on Wednesday said it was worried by the "explosive" North Korea situation, saying even a simple human error could cause crisis to spiral out of control.

"Where's America in Bible Prophecy?"

Is it just us, or is this administration's strategy of lead-from-behind leaving something lacking?

Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? But that is how one Obama adviser described the President's "style": lead from behind. Unfortunately, the description seems made to order when you consider some of Washington's shocking passivity on some major issues.

Face it people, things are starting to pile up. Let's see...we've got Israel and Iran simmering on the back burner, for what--four years now? Syria is in absolute shambles and getting worse everyday. (How is it that Libya qualified as a humanitarian crisis but Syria does not?)  And please, don't even get us started on the federal budget. After four years, it took threats of "no budget-no pay" to actually get Congress working on one.

Procrastination is one thing, but this is something else. It's abdication. Somebody needs to tell Washington this lead-from-behind business isn't working. In fact, it seems some countries are beginning to think we're weak. For instance:

• North Korea threatened the United States with a preemptive nuclear strike last week in response to new sanctions. (Of course, no one believes they have the capacity to hit our mainland, but still, the nerve!)
• Hamas is warning President Obama not to visit the Temple Mount in his upcoming trip to Israel. If he dares, they will consider it a "declaration of war" against the Islamic world. Really?
• And just last month we had to scramble fighter jets after catching Russian nuclear bombers circling American airspace over Guam.

One of the most frequently asked questions in the Western church concerning Bible prophecy is: Where is America? You'd imagine the world's only superpower would have a least a few verses devoted to it, but it doesn't. Not even one. Why not? Nobody knows for sure, but on its current trajectory, it doesn't take a prophet to see the vultures are circling.

General Douglas MacArthur warned: "History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster."

How is it possible to lead from behind?

Ask Jesus who said:" I am the Good Shepherd. My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:11, 27-28).

A wise man once said: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" --John the Baptist

News:

• NBC News: Israeli farmers on "locust alert" after an estimated swarm of 30 million devastated Egyptian crops.
• Reuters: Venezuela will set up a formal inquiry into claims that President Hugo Chavez's cancer was the result of poisoning by his enemies abroad.
• Mail Online: Golfer swallowed by sinkhole in St. Louis.
• Fox News Channel: New Jersey woman arrested for making a "terrorist threat" after reading the Constitution while protesting the doubling of her property tax.
• World Net Daily: White smoke rises over Vatican, announcing the election of what "many believe to be the last pope in human history."

"Wars and Rumors of Wars--Iran Crossing 'Red Line'?"

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came out of the closet two weeks ago in Cairo and declared Iran was a "nuclear state."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hastened to walk the statement back: "Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, but no power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build it."

Debkafile reports: "The components of a nuclear weapon have been procured, but Tehran has not yet assembled it. And if the Islamic Republic has acquired the components and knowledge for building one bomb, more would be no object."

Last week, The Sunday Times revealed that Iranian scientists attended the latest North Korean atomic test. The nuclear partnership between the two countries assigns Iran with the development of small nuclear warheads and North Korea with ballistic missiles. Through shared technology, they have achieved a nuclear warhead capacity, leaving Tehran the element of surprise.

On Thursday, February 21, a UN nuclear report stated: "Iran has begun installing advanced centrifuges at its main uranium enrichment plant." In response, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warns: "Centrifuge report shows Iran nearing "Red Line" and is closer today than ever before to obtaining the necessary enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb." The White House said "that the window remains open for diplomacy with Iran, but will not stay open indefinitely," according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Japan has warned it would launch a preemptive military strike against North Korea if it had firm evidence Pyongyang was planning a missile attack. According to Press TV News: Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said, "When an intention to attack Japan is evident, the threat is imminent, and there are no other options. Japan is allowed under law to carry out strikes against enemy targets."


The UN Security Council said in a statement on February 12: "There continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security." Members of the Council would "begin work immediately on appropriate measures in a Security Council resolution."

It seems Iran's nuclear ambitions are beginning to cause a ripple effect:

• Iran threatening Israel
• Japan threatening North Korea
• North Korea threatening South Korea
• Both Iran and North Korea threatening the U.S.
• How long before China and Russia jump into the act?

Netanyahu's office released a statement quoting the prime minister as saying the latest findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were "a very grave report which proves that Iran is continuing to make rapid progress toward the red line." President Obama plans his first trip to Israel next month. Let's hope preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is finally on his agenda.

A wise man once said: "No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism."  Winston Churchill

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" Matthew 24:6-8.


News:

• U.S. News: Economic review finds Detroit in 'Financial emergency'; unable to fix budget woes.
• NBC News.com: N.Korea threatens 'final destruction' of S.Korea in UN debate.
• Fox News Channel: H&R Block warns Obamacare tax penalty will negatively impact low and middle income tax returns starting next year.
• CNBC: President sounds dire warnings as automatic spending cuts (sequestration) nears.
• Bloomberg: In a leaked email, top Walmart executive blames tax hikes on middle income for "total disaster" in February sales.
• CNBC: U.S. Senate considers new bio-metric Federal ID card.
• CNBC: DoD prepares possible furlough of 800,000 employees due to sequestration.

"North Korea, Vatican Bombshells"

North Korea, the most unpredictable country in Asia, triggered a scrambling panic among its neighbors on Tuesday by conducting its third nuclear test. And guess who they're blaming?

Us! The United States.

Pyongyang said the test was an act of self-defense against, "U.S. hostility." Um-m-m, what hostility?

Anyone remember the online video they posted last week? The one featuring a North Korean man dreaming about blowing  New York City to smithereens? Look who's calling the kettle black!

The test was met with condemnation from around the globe. The White House called it a "highly provocative act that undermines regional stability" and constitutes "a threat to U.S. national security." The explosion registered a magnitude 5.1 with a yield of "several kilotons" according to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Arms experts believe the country is making advances that will allow it to lob a nuclear-tipped missile as far as the U.S. mainland, though no analysts take them seriously. So what are they going to do about it?

Well, emergency meetings were held all over the place. South Korea and Japan got together with their top national security officials while the U.N. Security Council convened in yet another emergency session.

The end result? More sanctions, of course.

North Korea is already one of the most heavily sanctioned states in the world. "The more North Korea shoots missiles, launches satellites, or conducts nuclear tests, the more the U.N. Security Council will impose new sanctions," says Professor Shen Dingli. "It's an endless, vicious cycle," and not likely to succeed. And it gets worse, people.

According to one U.S. senior official, "(it's) very possible" that the North Koreans are being paid to test nuclear bombs for Iran. The two countries have long cooperated on missile technology, and many intelligence officials believe they share nuclear knowledge as well, though so far there is no hard evidence. President Obama said, "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community. The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies." Let's hope he means more than just another round of useless sanctions.

Meanwhile, the news out of Rome this week have many counting down the days to the End. Apparently, the ancient Catholic prophecies attributed to St. Malachy, a 12th-century Irish bishop, predicted the exact number of popes before the end of the world. (Move over Mayans!)

As Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation on Monday, a collective gasp was emitted. Wasn't Benedict the 111th pope?

Uh, oh. According to Malachy, there will only be 112 popes. Period. The End. Literally.

And that ain't all, folks. The centuries-old "prophecy of the Pope's", describes each of the last 112 popes with a few cryptic words that adherents insist fit like a glove.

For instance: John Paul II--Pope # 110 was associated with the phrase, "From the labor of the sun." It so happened that he was born on the day of a solar eclipse and was entombed on the day of a solar eclipse.

Next came Benedict XVI, # 111--"glory of the olive." The fulfillment? A monastic order founded by St. Benedict are known as--get this--Olivetans!

And last but not least--drum roll please--#112, with the spookiest prophecy of all: "In the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman church, there will sit Peter the Roman, (or Petrus Romanus) who will nourish the sheep in many tribulations; when they are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The end."

And the best part? One of the prime candidates to fill spot 112 is named Peter! (and he's black, to boot! Didn't Nostradamus mention a "young red black one"?) But even if they don't pick that guy, we betcha #112 will still manage to cram that glove on. Why?

Because every pope is a successor to Peter and every pope is based in Rome, thus the name Petrus Romanus is a generic term that will fit any and all popes. We don't want to be party-poopers, but even the Catholic church doesn't vouch for the authenticity of the prophecies. According to Sister Madeleine Grace, a  historical theologian at the University of St. Thomas, "There are a number of red flags. The material that implies they're talking about future popes is rather scanty indeed, and there are factual errors. The likelihood is that they're some kind of forgery."

Rule of thumb? Go with the most reliable info available. St. Malachy, Nostradamus, and the infamous Mayans all pale when compared to the amazing accuracy and detail provided by the eternal, inerrant, God-in-print, Bible.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" John 1:1.

A wise man once said: "In an effort to satisfy man's age-old curiosity about the future, modern-day prophets and astrologers are enjoying the greatest revival since the ancient days of Babylon...yet they over look the ancient seers of Israel, the Hebrew prophets. Three millenniums of history testify to their prophetic marksmanship. To ignore their incredible predictions of man's destiny and the events which are soon to effect this planet will be perhaps the greatest folly of this generation." --author Hal Lindsey

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