World News Through the Third Lens

US BACKS OFF SPEEDY IRAN SANCTIONS PROMISED ISRAEL (DEBKAfile, 3/2/10) Commentary by Les Young: Washington eased the threat of harsh sanctions hanging over Iran's head because of its nuclear program at the very moment it was beginning to take effect and Tehran was showing signs of stress. Tuesday, March 2, US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton told reporters on her plane to Buenos Aires: "We are moving expiditiously and thoroughly in the Security Council, I can't give you an exact date, but I would assume sometime in the next several months." This abrupt reversal of US tactics on Iran's nuclear activities took place when Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, was hardly out the door from Washington after receiving assurances from administration officials that a new round of tough sanctions would be in place by the end of March, with or without the Security Council.

The news release goes on to say that Clinton had assured the same thing to a Senate panel last week and that she and US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, were so sure of that timetable that a return visit to Washington by DM Barak had already been scheduled for a date that would be after the sanctions were in place.

A BIBLICAL (THIRD LENS) PERSPECTIVE: "Again you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, 'Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by earth, for it is God's footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.'" (Matthew 5:33-37) Jesus speaking here, tackles what had become a tradition of the Jewish people. They felt that if a person swore an oath, and swore by something divine, then it was really binding. If one swore an oath by something common, it was somewhat binding. Jesus said in essence, "Never mind all that dead traditional stuff. I'm telling you that everytime you say a simple "Yes" it should mean "Yes!" Similarly, a simple "No," should mean "No!" And how about this from the Old Testament? "It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin..." (Ecclesiastes 5:5-6a)

LIEBERMAN: HEALTH CARE WILL PASS (Norwich Bulletin, 3/2/10) Commentary by Les Young: U.S> Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., believes a version of health care reform will get through Congress this year..... Speaking with the Norwich Bulletin's editorial board on Monday, Lieberman said he believes a health care bill based on one that passed the Senate will be worked through the House of Representatives with enough compromises to pass. He also believes it will pass again in the Senate by the politically risky move of reconciliation, by which the Democratic majority can pass it with 51 votes while warding off a Republican filibuster. He went on to say that it wouldn't be easy and that nobody has seen the bill language.

Most observers of this donkey and elephant show concerning government health care reform are convinced that the bill that may be "forced" through by a process called "reconciliation" (Can you see Huxley's "double-speak" at work here?) will contain provisions for abortion on demand being funded by tax-payer dollars. Concerning a government takeover of health care in general, I could cite several Scriptures as warning shots. Today I'll use two. "He (God) said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." (Exodus 15:26) "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7) Regarding the taking of innocent life in the womb for any reason, consider that among the things that God hates, yea even detests, are "hands that shed innocent blood." (Proverbs 6:17).

And here's a scary thought for you. Since 1988, Washington Correspondent Bill Koenig of watch.org and some of his colleagues have been keeping track of something that has gone way beyond coincidence. It seems that over the last 22 years every time the U.S. government has acted so as to: 1) advance the pro-death agenda (abortion, euthanasia, etc.), or 2) advance the GLBT agenda, or 3) advance the exchange of land for peace agenda in Israel, or otherwise squeeze Israel or reduce support for Israel, some sort of calamity visits the U.S. Sometimes its of the natural variety (flood, fire, hurricane, etc.) and other times it's financial (stock market fall, ENRON, S&L, Madoff, etc.). They've kept the records and it always happens: sometimes within minutes, other times within a week or two. Based on the above two news items, we are probably in for one hit and perhaps a "double whammy." There is no time like the present to begin trusting the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.