Syria threat over Golan puts Israel on war alert
Telegraph.co.uk 2006/9/30
Israel has gone on heightened alert over a possible war with Syria amid reports that President Bashar Assad may be considering military strikes to regain the Golan Heights.   For years Israeli military intelligence has down-played Syria's capacity to launch a meaningful attack against Israel, and the threat level has been kept "low".   But Israeli reports have revealed that the threat level had been raised after intelligence assessments that Damascus is "seriously examining" military action. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
An attack by Syria would be the last straw, and impetus to complete this last uprooting.

Ben-Eliezer: Assassinate Nasrallah
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/30
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) called on Saturday for the assassination of Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.   "He is dangerous to everyone," Ben-Eliezer declared in an interview to Army Radio - an interview that Army Radio reported was picked up and reported by a number of foreign news outlets, including the British Sky News - and said that Israel should target Nasrallah at an "appropriate opportunity."   Ben-Eliezer also said that he was "unimpressed" by Syrian President Bashar Assad's announcement that he was willing to negotiate with Israel. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Egypt, Jordan want Hamas gov’t toppled
Judeoscope 2006/9/30
...Delegates from Arab states also demanded that Hamas bows to demands by the Quartet of peace brokers - the United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States - that it recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a precondition to forming a unity government with Fatah.   Jordan said it will advice Abbas on legal means to topple the Hamas government if it continues to refuse to recognize Israel. ...

Hashemite Islamic Councils Kick off in the First Friday of Ramadan
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/29
The First Hashemite Islamic Council entitled "Muslims and Future Challenges" kicked off on Friday. ...The councils are organized by Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and take place at the Islamic Cultural Center of King Abdullah I Mosque.   The councils gain the patronage of His Majesty the King in this holy month, where a number of Muslim scholars come together from Jordan, Arab and Islamic countries. ...Salem talked about the future of Islamic culture and challenges the Muslim nation faces, underlining that the greatest challenge is breaking away from its past and thought. ...

DoD OKs sale of helicopters, control system to Jordan
Market Watch 2006/9/29
The Pentagon has signed off on Jordan's request to buy two Black Hawk helicopters and a $450 million command and control system. ...It said Jordan needs the equipment so its military can respond quickly to national security threats.    "The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a key regional partner who has proven to be a vital force for political stability and peace in the Middle East," the U.S. defense agency said.   United Technologies Corp.'s (UTX) Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. unit makes the Black Hawk helicopters, which will be used for transporting King Abdullah II and other government officials. General Electric Co. (GE) makes the engines. That deal is valued at $60 million.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
? Daniel 11:38 ...But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

UN, Do More than Assuage Guilt
The Washington Post 2006/9/29
...Jordan offers the world a person who is familiar with the conflict in the Middle East and is a representative of Arab moderation and reform. The UN record on the Middle East has been bad and looks likely to remain so. The list of unfulfilled UN resolutions on Palestine is long.   If the international community is serious about solving the Palestinian conflict then it should vote for the Jordanian candidate. Judging from the UN's record, it seems unlikely that a Jordanian official -- even a Hashemite prince - can do much, but it might be worth giving this seemingly intractable problem a chance to find a permanent solution. ...

Syria defies US threat and backs Hamas, Hezbollah
Gulf Times 2006/9/29
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice threatened this week to toughen sanctions Washington imposed on Syria in 2004, mainly because of its support for the two movements, which Washington regards as "terrorist organisations". ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Syria vows to back Hamas, Hizbullah at all costs
The Daily Star 2006/9/29
Syria will keep supporting Hamas and Hizbullah despite US threats to impose more sanctions on it, a Syrian government newspaper said on Thursday. Relations between the United States, Israel's chief ally, and Syria have been bad for years, and hit a new low after last year's assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was friendly with Washington.   A UN investigation said the assassination could not have been carried out without the knowledge of Syrian security officials. Damascus denies involvement in the killing.   "Syria is more determined to stand by the resistance until the land is liberated and Israel is defeated," an editorial in the newspaper Baath said. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

The Case for Waterboarding
FrontPageMag 2006/9/29
...Although waterboarding is normally employed as the last resort and the frequency of its use kept secret, it has been made known that so far it has worked every time it has been tried. Thanks to its extraordinary efficacy, we have been able to obtain a great amount of critical intelligence that would have otherwise remained inaccessible. With the help of this information we have captured al-Qaeda operatives, stopped deadly plots, and saved many innocent lives. One of the fruits of Mohammed’s confession, to give one example, was the thwarting of a conspiracy to fly an airliner into the Library Tower, the tallest building in Los Angeles.   Given these facts, it is almost incomprehensible that there are some people in this country who insist that we relinquish this life-saving tool. Resting their objections on ethical grounds, they try to convince us that the procedure is morally unacceptable. But theirs is a misguided stance ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.    ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding

American-Arab Summit Will Focus on Israel, Iran
The New York Sun 2006/9/29
America and its Arab allies are rushing to finish last-minute planning for a diplomatic summit next week on possible Arab-Israeli negotiations and Iran's nuclear program.   The summit of foreign ministers is likely to coincide with Secretary of State Rice's visit to the Middle East, where she is scheduled to visit Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Arab territories, and Saudi Arabia. The conference, to be sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council, a grouping of oil-rich states in the Persian Gulf, appears to be a direct outgrowth of President Bush's speech at the U.N. General Assembly earlier this month, in which he announced that he is sending Ms. Rice to the region. ...

King visits Army Headquarters
The Jordan Times 2006/9/28
...King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces, is greeted by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff General Khaled Sarayreh, during a visit to Army Headquarters ...
? Daniel 11:38 ...But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

Jordan draft law sets up anti-corruption commission
Middle East Times 2006/9/28
The Jordanian parliament has approved a draft law to fight corruption through the creation of a new independent commission capping debates lasting more than a year, officials said. ...In June 2005 King Abdullah II instructed the government of former prime minister Adnan Badran to set up "an independent commission ... to fight corruption and institutionalize its eradication."   "We aspire to a responsible commission that will pursue any corrupt person," the king had said in a letter to Badran, adding that he considers "nepotism" a form of corruption that should be wiped out from Jordan.

King Checks on Situations of Salhyeh and Nayfeh District, Orders to Build Houses for Them
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/28
...King Abdullah II issued orders to build other 26 residential units for poor in Salhyeh and Nayfeh village who live in tents and to improve educational and medical services in the area.   King Abdullah also issued orders to distribute food stuff sufficient for six months for the families in the village, promising villagers to pay them other visit in the coming few months to check on them. ...
A benevolent king.  Winning the hearts and minds of people one good deed at a time.

Shofar, not so good: Blower barred from Temple Mount
Israelis concerned sound of Jewish instrument offensive to Muslims congregating at holy site
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/28
...Shmulik Ben Ruby, a spokesman for the Jerusalem Police Authority, told WND the Jewish man, 19-year-old Jerusalem resident Eliyahi Kleiman, was taken forcibly from the Western Wall last weekend for fear the sound of the shofar would offend nearby Muslims congregating on the Temple Mount, which is opposite the wall.   "Hundreds of Muslims went up to the Temple Mount. In order to prevent any tensions between the two sides, we asked Kleiman to stop blowing the shofar," Ben Ruby said. "He continued and so he was removed and detained." ...

Crossfire War - Hezbollah on Re-Supply Schedule for Next War - mid-October
News Blaze 2006/9/28
...it seems that Israel's government the Knesset, its foreign affairs and security committee, is ignoring warnings that emerged right after the ceasfire in mid-August, that with the rampant arms trade going on Palestinian units in the south and Hezbollah up north are now able to start wars simultaneously around Israel. One month ago crossfirewar.com reported Israel's intelligence services estimate, their projection for when Tehran-Damascus, using Palestinians and Hezbollah, will be ready to start the next phase of fighting at their current rate of re-supply, mid-October.

US Affairs: Damascus be damned
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/28
Israel's quick rejection of Syria's latest overture did not come as a surprise to policy-makers in the Bush administration. After years of trying as hard as possible to push a Syrian-Israeli peace process forward, the US has given up, at least temporarily, on such a prospect. ...Indeed, in the eyes of US policy-makers, Damascus has evolved from being a key to regional peace to constituting an obstacle to American interests. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Israel Rejects Syrian Peace Overture
All Headline News 2006/9/28
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Thursday publicly rejected a recent peace overture by Syrian President Bashar Assad, citing the latter's continued support for Palestinian terrorist organizations.   Olmert told Israel Radio that Syria "was and remains the main supporter of the Palestinian terror groups who daily try to carry out terrorism against the state of Israel.   "In my opinion, this is not a foundation on which it is possible to hold peace negotiations." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Jordan's King expresses concern about stability in Sudan
People's Daily Online 2006/9/27
Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed on Monday Jordan's keenness on supporting efforts that aim at enhancing stability in Sudan and preserving its territorial integrity.   During a meeting with visiting Sudanese Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Hussein, Abdullah said that Jordan will support all efforts serving interests of the Sudanese people and preserving stability and security in the country. ...

A battle lost
The Washington Times 2006/9/27
...the United States has suffered a substantial defeat in the war against radical Islam.   Three weeks ago, Pakistan signed the terms of the Waziristan Accord with the northern region of its country called North Waziristan. It was, effectively, the terms of surrender by Pakistan to the Taliban and al Qaeda, which dominate North Waziristan. Pakistan has negotiated a separate peace -- the eternal danger to any wartime alliance. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Israel names new general for Lebanon, Syria fronts
Reuters 2006/9/27
Israel appointed a new military commander for its Lebanese and Syrian fronts on Wednesday, replacing a general who resigned amid charges of incompetence in waging the war against Hizbollah. ...

Admit We’re Peaceful…or Else
FrontPageMag 2006/9/27
...At his meeting this week with the Muslim representatives, Pope Benedict refused to kowtow once more, as his critics had expected him to do. He told the diplomatic envoys: “The circumstances which have given rise to our gathering are well known. I have already had occasion to dwell upon them in the course of the past week.” Rather, he told them: “I am profoundly convinced that in the current world situation it is imperative that Christians and Muslims engage with one another in order to address the numerous challenges that present themselves to humanity.” But, the pontiff told them, this can only occur if there is “a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge.” And therein lies the greatest irony of this whole dramatic episode: by their own words and actions these past two weeks, Benedict’s most vociferous critics—both in the Western world and in the Muslim umma—have given us far more knowledge of the ideologies driving them in the here and now than any quote from a king of yesteryear.

U.S. And Israel Get Tough On Syria
All Headline News 2006/9/27
...U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the international community is "going to have to start looking at further sanctions on Syria if it is to continue on the path it's currently on."   "I think that the Syrians look as if they've made their choice and their choice is to associate with extremist forces in Iran," said Rice, who believes that garnering support for increased sanctions will be made increasingly easy "as Syria continues to show its stripes and isolate itself." ...

Jordanian court convicts 5 of plotting attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq
Chron.com 2006/9/27
Jordan's military court today convicted five men of plotting attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq, including a cousin of slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.   The five were sentenced to prison terms ranging between six months to five years. ...

Despite U.N. calls, no side moving to disarm Hezbollah
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/27
Six weeks after the end of the Lebanon war, the militant Hezbollah group is facing little on-the-ground pressure to give up its weapons — despite a U.N. cease-fire resolution calling for the eventual disarming of the guerrillas.   The leaders of a U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon say the job is not theirs. And Lebanon's ill-equipped army, some of whose soldiers wear tin-pot helmets and carry outdated M-16 rifles, shows no signs of diving into a confrontation with battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters ...

Cyprus releases Syria-bound weapons ship
yNetNews 2006/9/27
Cypriot authorities release suspected air defense radars seized three weeks ago on a Syria-bound vessel; there is no arms embargo on Syria but Cyprus refused to release cargo after vessel's manifest said shipment consisted of irrigation pipes, meteorological equipment ...

Allah imposes on Jerusalem's Jews
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/9/27
Fearing violence by Muslim mobs fired-up by the Ramadan sermons now being delivered daily atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount, Israeli authorities have instructed Jewish residents of parts of the capital's Old City to remain indoors during the evening hours.   Local Jews complained that police should be enforcing the law equally among all citizens, rather than cowering in fear at the mere hint of Muslim hostility. ...

Syria offers rewards to Golan settlers
United Press International 2006/9/27
Syrian President Bashar Assad said cash rewards will be offered for citizens residing permanently on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.   The president's decree said the rewards, available to all workers, officials and service providers, would be provided to those returning to the region with the objective of "supporting the resilience of our people on the Golan and encouraging others to return," ...

King Congratulates Yemeni President on Sept. 26 Revolution
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...King Abdullah II sent a cable to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Jordan to supply power to Jericho
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/26
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer on Monday gave his approval for Hemi, the Jerusalem District Electric Company, to link Jericho to Jordan's electric grid through 33,000 volt high-tension lines. ...Hemi had negotiated with the Jordanian electric company, King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit and the country's energy minister towards their approval of the project to supply Jericho Jordanian power through Hemi lines. ...

Aid Convoy due in the Palestinian Lands on Wednesday
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...a new aid convoy will arrive in the Palestinian lands on Wednesday to help Palestinians face shortage in basic consumer goods.   The aid, which comes in implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, is sent by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity organization in cooperation with the Jordan Armed Forces' Crisis Management Center. ...
A benevolent king.  Winning his kingdom truckloads at a time.

King opens Ah El-Kahf religious site
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...King Abdullah II on Tuesday opened the project of Ahl El-Kahf site development.... ...In the same place, which is full of religious and historical gestures, a mosque with minarets and domes has been built. And it has been surrounded by walls and trees, within a plan to carry out the Hashemite construction of religious sites in Jordan, which has included twenty sites along the Kingdom. ...His Majesty started his opening ceremony by visiting the tombs of Ahl El-kahf, and was acquainted with the elements of development, where he gave instructions to adopt the halls related to the mosque to be the headquarters of King Abdullah II's Institute for qualification and training of preachers. ...
There's no separation of religion and state in Jordan, AND no ACLU making a fuss either!

King Receives Sudanese Defense MinisterKing Receives Sudanese Defense Minister
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
During a meeting on Tuesday with Sudanese Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Hussein and his accompanying delegation, the King affirmed Jordan's support to all efforts that aim at serving interests of the Sudanese people and preserving stability and security in the country. ...Hussein underlined King Abdullah's supportive stands towards Arab issues, noting to Jordan's keenness on achieving peace and stability in Sudan.

Rice Evokes Possible New Sanctions Against Syria for Destabilizing Lebanon
Naharnet 2006/9/26
..."We're going to have to look at tougher measures if Syria continues to be on the path that it's on," Rice told The Wall Street Journal in an interview, the transcript of which was released Monday by the State Department.   The United States has accused Syria of backing anti-U.S. insurgents in Iraq and of involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri.   It also says Syrian support for Hizbullah was a factor in sparking the recent conflict with Lebanon, while Rice accused Damascus of undermining attempts to form a moderate Palestinian government by backing rejectionists inside Hamas. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Yes, it's called 'the path to its uprooting'.

America, Israel, and Iran: Some Troubling Questions
ChronWatch 2006/9/26
As Iran ’s nuclear program moves ahead there is something especially puzzling, and even disturbing, about American actions. Three years ago President Bush stated that Iran must not be allowed to go nuclear. As time passes Iran becomes more dangerous and belligerent, yet Bush’s stance becomes less certain instead of stronger. He now works with the U.N. Security Council where China and Russia play their own double game against America . ...

Researcher: Temple treasure is in West Bank
yNetNews 2006-9-26
...After decades of searching and probing the holy scriptures, the archeologist reached the conclusion that the treasure was taken out of Rome in the fifth century CE. He discovered that it was transported to Carthage, a city-state near Tunisia which became an empire that controlled North Africa and the Mediterranean, and to Constantinople (Turkey) and Algeria. The treasures were then returned to Jerusalem and hidden under a monastery.   Kingsley explained that during the 1990s Israeli and Vatican officials confronted each other on the issue of location of these treasures. Israel even claimed that the Pope was hiding them in Rome. "The Temple treasure remains a deadly political tool in the volatile Arab-Israeli conflict centered on the Temple Mount," said Kingsley. “The treasure’s final hiding place – in the modern West Bank . . . deep in Hamas territory – will rock world religions,” he added. ...

Olmert: Assad is no peace partner now
United Press International 2006/9/26
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has snubbed Syria's call for political negotiations, saying Syrian President Bashar Assad is no peace partner. ..."I have no intention at all to be lured by public relations maneuvers undertaken by Bashar Assad," Olmert was quoted as saying. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Olmert talks tough on Golan
JTA 2006/9/26
Ehud Olmert ruled out a return of the Golan Heights to Syria under his administration.   “So long as I am prime minister, the Golan Heights will remain in our hands, as it is an inseparable part of the State of Israel,” ...Asked about recent peace overtures by Bashar Assad, in which the Syrian president also threatened to resort to war should he not win back the Golan through diplomacy, Olmert was dismissive.   “What Assad is saying is actually this: ´I’m going to continue with terrorism, I’m going to continue supporting Palestinian terrorism, I’m going to continue supporting anti-American terrorism in Iraq, I’m going to continue ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Abdullah offers US-style prep school
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/25
The Arab world's best and brightest young people will soon have a new option for top-notch Western schooling, and they won't have to trek all the way to London or New England to get it.   At the behest of Jordan's King Abdullah II, the King's Academy private boarding school was founded in recent weeks just outside Amman and expects to open its doors to students for the first time in the fall of 2007. ...

Under the Patronage of Jordan's Consul in Dubai, Saraya Aqaba hosts a gala dinner, and sponsors 'Back to Business' event in Dubai
AMEInfo 2006/9/24
..."Saraya Aqaba benefits from the investment facilitations and the huge economic growth in Jordan. Such factors continue to contribute to attracting regional and international investors."
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan works on mosque law
SeattlePI 2006/9/24
Jordan's parliament moved Sunday to tighten state control over mosque preachers, amending legislation that aims to prevent the kingdom's mosques from being used to propagate extremist ideas. ...The parliament added a provision to a bill to require prior written approval from the government before someone enters the pulpit. The changes came just three weeks after members of the lower house of parliament approved the law. ...King Abdullah II, the ultimate authority in Jordan, is expected to sign the bill into law soon, replacing legislation enacted in 1986. ...

Delusion in Damascus
The Washington Post 2006/9/24
...Syria is more likely to trigger a new round of armed conflict in the near future.   The threat stems from Mr. Assad's overt resistance to the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the war. Among other provisions, the resolution mandated the expansion of a U.N. peacekeeping force along the Lebanese-Israeli border and prohibited any state from helping Hezbollah to rearm. Mr. Assad has denounced the deployment of European troops as part of the U.N. force; last week he described it as a Western plot to divide the Arab world. More significantly, he has threatened that any deployment of the force along the Lebanese-Syrian border would be treated by Damascus as hostile. ...

"America Must Listen"
Spiegel Online 2006/9/24
...Assad: America must listen. It must listen to the interests of others. But the US government has no interest in similarities, no matter how obvious. Think of the war against terrorism. In my view, Washington's approach can be compared to a doctor constantly banging away at a tumor instead of removing it surgically. Terrorism is growing instead of declining. We both suffer from it, but the United States doesn't want to cooperate with us.
Seems to me like Assad just recommended the method of his own demise.  Remove him surgically instead of banging away at him.

Dividing Iraq Would Just Mean More Threats
Assyrian International News Agency 2006/9/24
...Dividing Iraq would invite Tehran to make even more mischief within the Iraqi Shiite community, especially to further exploit the rivalry between the two major clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani and Muqtada Sadr. If the Shiite areas in southern and eastern Iraq fell under Iranian influence, would Tehran not be tempted to turn its attention to the Sunnis in the west and the Kurds in the north? How would the global energy situation be affected if Iran were to gain influence over a rump Shiite state as its protector? How would neighboring Sunni states -- Jordan and Saudi Arabia -- react? Would Hezbollah, Iran's proxy against Israel, not feel strengthened in Lebanon? ...

Iran and Turkey Prepare for War in Iraqi Kurdistan
DEBKAfile 2006/9/24
A new Middle East war is in the offing. DEBKAfile’s exclusive military sources in Iraq and sources in Iran reveal that Turkish and Iranian air units as well as armored, paratroop, special operations and artillery forces are poised for an imminent coordinated invasion of the northern Iraqi autonomous province of Kurdistan. ...Turkey to the northwest and Iran to the east both have Kurdish minorities which have been radicalized by the emergence of Iraqi Kurdistan in the last three years. The three contiguous Kurdish regions form a strategic world hub.   A jittery Washington foresees a Kurdish-Iranian military thrust quickly flaring into a comprehensive conflict and igniting flames that would envelop the whole of Iraqi Kurdistan as well as southern Turkey and Armenia. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Israeli Occupation Must End in Order to Achieve Mideast Peace
News Blaze 2006/9/23
The King of Jordan today issued an urgent appeal to leaders gathered at the United Nations for attention to Israel's occupation of Palestine, which he said is fundamental to achieving peace across the Middle East.   "Never has it been more important for the world community to act decisively for peace in my region," King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein told the General Assembly's general debate. ...

The Jordan Tourism Board launches the new Jordan Tourism brand
AMEInfo 2006/9/23
...This launch is considered a very significant step for JTB in promoting its new brand identity that was derived from the vision and objectives of the National Tourism Strategy, which aims at putting Jordan on the global tourism map.   The new brand identity reflects the cultural heritage of Jordan through the fine old tradition of calligraphy and its unique character is expressed in the shapes of the letters which are styled to represent a small mosaic piece, a part of the larger mosaic that makes up Jordan. The Crown was drawn to communicate that Jordan is a 21st century monarchy. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Bush: Fighting Terror Will Bring Peace
Voice Of America 2006/9/23
..."In the broader Middle East, the world faces a straightforward choice:  We can allow that region to continue on the course it was headed before September 11, and, a generation from now, our children will face a region dominated by terrorist states and radical dictators, armed with nuclear weapons; or we can stop that from happening by confronting the ideology of hate, and helping the people of the Middle East build a future of hope," he said. ...

Kirkuk must be recognized as part of South Kurdistan
Kurdish Aspect 2006/9/23
Kirkuk has been and must be recognized as a part of South Kurdistan to assure the safety and national security of the 5 million Kurds living there and other areas of its inseparable body of S.. Kurdistan homeland territory from time immemorial for how long the nation of Kurds must bleed by the few usurper vultures until the Civilized World decides to recognize them as an Independent state? Or are the Kurds to remain in the same bloody quagmire for another 84 years, even now that all freedom loving nations agree; that South Kurdistan should have been declared Independent once the manufactured Iraq of the1920s was finally Liberated on April 2003. ...

President Says World Must Support Muslim Moderates
News Blaze 2006/9/23
...Bush said all civilized nations, "especially those in the Muslim world," are "bound together in this struggle between moderation and extremism," and that through international cooperation it will be possible to "roll back this grave threat to our way of life," help the inhabitants of the Middle East "claim their freedom," and create a "safer and more hopeful world." ...

King Calls on Developed Countries to Commit to their Role in Achieving Development
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/22
...In his speech at the annual dinner banquette for Clinton Global Initiative, King Abdullah said that development, international understanding and solving conflicts are the main issues the world must attach concern to.   "Sustainable development creates economic stability and development and benefit from them" said the King, addressing the gathering which brought together hundreds of international prominent persons. ...Former US President Bill Clinton welcomed their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, saying "When I met His Majesty King Abdullah and Queen Rania Al Abdullah I felt great hope because they represented what I hoped the new Middle East". UN Secretary General Kofi Annan determined the global challenges which are danger over the world as they threaten stability and life on earth saying that wars in all its kinds, environmental deterioration, infectious diseases, international organized crime, terrorism and mass destruction weapons.
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
? Matthew 24:7-9 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.  9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
? Revelation 13:3 ...and all the world wondered after the beast.
We are in the precursor days of what's to come shortly.

What About Hamas?  "No To Abbas."
Threats Watch 2006/9/22
After Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared at the UN Thursday that the potential ‘unity government’ in the process of being formed would recognize both Israel as a state and existing PLO agreements with Israel, we asked “But What of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Mr. Abbas?” For it appeared that no affirming words had been spoken by Hamas on their own behalf suggesting any recognition of Israel. Abbas’ statement unfortunately appeared more idealistic than realistic.   Well today Hamas has spoken. Clearly.   But Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, in a mosque sermon in Gaza City on Friday, said: “I personally will not head any government that recognises Israel.”   Earlier, Ahmed Youssef, a senior adviser to Mr Haniya, said there would be no explicit recognition of Israel, but Hamas was prepared to agree to a 10-year truce with the Jewish state.   “The government and the Hamas movement will be against recognising Israel. Our position to solve the crisis is a 10-year truce which will be good for stability and prosperity,” he said. ...

Analysis: Middle East takes U.N. stage
United Press International 2006/9/22
The session, originally opposed by the United States, was requested Aug. 30 by the League of Arab States. It failed to reach any accord, just general agreement that the Middle East was facing a bad situation. ...In the end, the meeting merely agreed a peace settlement and a solution to the Palestinian issue were necessary. ...

Abbas makes Israel recognition pledge
ABC.Net.au 2006/9/22
The Palestinian President has set himself on a collision course with the elected Hamas-led majority in his government.   President Mahmoud Abbas has told the UN General Assembly that any new Palestinian government would recognise Israel.   The parties are currently trying to negotiate an agreement for a government of national unity, but the recognition of Israel issue is a big sticking point. ...

Arab League urges immediate action to settle Middle East conflict
The Raw Story 2006/9/22
Arab League foreign ministers on Friday said "time is running out" in the effort to resolve the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and urged immediate action. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the peace process in the Middle East needs to be revived without further delay.   "Time is running out and actions are needed to end the procrastination," Moussa said, following the ministerial meeting at UN headquarters. ...
They are all parroting the recent statements of Jordan's King Abdullah II, so you know who's behind the forcing of this so called 'peace'.

Anbar Sunnis Turn on al-Qaeda
Threats Watch 2006/9/22
Twenty-five Sunni tribes in Iraq’s western Anbar Province say that they have sealed an agreement to unite against al-Qaeda because of the foreign terrorist group’s indiscriminate killing of innocent Iraqis. This is actually the formalization of a process which has been ongoing for more than a year, as native Sunni Iraqis who opposed the presence of U.S. troops came to view foreign jihadists not as the allies they claimed to be, but as enemies of the Iraqi people. ...This marks the end of a broad anti-American coalition which came together in the two years following the fall of the Baathist regime in April 2003, but began to show increasing signs of strain in the latter part of 2005.

Ahmadinejad-Al Qaeda-Bush Partition Iraq
The Conservative Voice 2006/9/22
A surprising new alliance is shaping up in the Middle East  ...The three unlikely partners agree on the central issue of what to do about Iraq. They all want Iraq partitioned, as follows.   Iran would take eastern Iraq including Basra, which has Iraq's only major port and holds 60% of Iraq's proven oil reserves. ...As for al-Qaeda, it already has effective control of Anbar province in western Iraq, which comprises 30% of Iraq territory. ...What does the US take as a consolation prize? The US takes Kurdistan. The upside is that Kurdistan has oil. However, the downside is substantially larger. Kurdistan is landlocked, surrounded by hostile neighbors, and is likely to disappear as a state in the first major regional conflict. ...Who can stop this madness? Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the Iraqi resistance, especially Muqtada al-Sadr, need to talk, and soon. The Ahmadinejad-Al-Qaeda-Bush alliance is forging ahead with a plan to partition Iraq.. Time is fast running out.
Temper this story with the story above.

no explicit recognition of Israel
The Raw Story 2006/9/22
The radical Islamic Hamas movement said Friday that it will not participate in a Palestinian unity government whose programme expresses explicit recognition of Israel. But the ruling Palestinian group said it would participate in a unity government that endorsed the Arab peace initiative of 2000 - which would mean an implicit recognition of Israel. ...

Spielberg brokers partnership between USC, Jordan
SpielbergFilms.com 2006/9/21
Steven Spielberg recently advised King Abdullah II of Jordan in the creation of a new film program that will open in Aqaba, Jordan in 2008. Through his position as a chair with the University of Southern California, Spielberg suggested the university's School of Cinematic Arts and the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts (RSICA) partner to bring King Abdullah's vision to reality.   “When His Majesty approached me on the subject of a Jordan-based, world-class film school serving every country in the Middle East, including Israel, I immediately saw the importance and significance of such a venture for the people and the future of the region," said Steven Spielberg. "I knew as a trustee of USC and a member of the school’s Board of Councilors that the university had the exact expertise he needed for this incredible initiative." ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Group of Eleven / Lower-Middle Income Countries Initiative Draft Communiqué
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/21
The Heads of State of nine Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) plus Croatia and Pakistan (G11) have endorsed a new initiative to make concerted efforts to advance their interests in the global economic, investment, and trade arena and to this end pursue a clear, targeted, and results-oriented package of additional assistance.   Discussions were initiated by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly 60th Session in New York in September 2005. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Participants in Amman Message Conference condemn Pope statement
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/21
Western participants in “Amman Message in the Eyes of Others: Dialogue, Moderation, Humanity” Conference condemned on Thursday the statement of Pope Benedict XVI on Islam. ...A number of participants delivered speeches in which they pointed to values of Islam, based on moderation, tolerance, and centrism, noting to the importance of Amman Message's content to clarify the true image of Islam. ...

King congratulates Saudi monarch
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/21
...King Abdullah II sent a cable to King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

ZOA Criticizes President Bush For Praising PA's Abbas As A Courageous Moderate
Zionist Organization of America 2006/9/21
...President Bush’s praise for the Palestinian leader stands in stark contrast to Mahmoud Abbas’ refusal to honor signed agreements and the 2003 Roadmap peace plan by fighting arresting, extraditing and jailing terrorists and confiscating their weaponry and ending the incitement to hatred and murder in the PA-controlled media, mosques, schools and youth camps that feeds it; his long-standing support for the so-called ‘right of return’ of Palestinian refugees and their millions of descendants to Israel, a measure that would see Israel overwhelmed by hostile aliens and is therefore inimical to its existence; Abbas’ repeated praise for Palestinian and other terrorists; his failure to condemn as a moral obscenity and crime Palestinian terrorism committed against innocent Israeli civilians; his approval of legislation mandating financial benefits to families of shahids [i.e., dead terrorists]; and his recent endorsement of the so-called ‘Prisoners’ Plan’, a document produced by jailed Palestinian terrorists that endorses continued terrorism against Israel, legitimizes the murder of Jews, does not accept Israel’s existence as a Jewish state and abrogates Palestinian obligations under the signed Oslo agreements and the 2003 Roadmap peace plan, and insists on the so-called ‘right of return.’ ...“To praise Mahmoud Abbas is a disservice to truth and bad for both Israel and the US. ...

Report: No Olmert-Abbas Summit Until Soldier Released
All Headline News 2006/9/21
Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Thursday that there would be no peace summit between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas until the Palestinians release an Israeli soldier they are holding. ...

IDF impounds 10 million dollars from West Bank moneychangers routing funds for Palestinian terrorists from Damascus and Iran
DEBKAfile 2006/9/21
The Israeli military-Shin Bet-Police-Civil Authority swoop Tuesday night reached 14 moneychangers in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm and Ramallah. They are suspected of acting as regular conduits funelling illegal funds from the Jihad Islami and Hamas HQ in Damascus and Hizballah in Lebanon Fatah, Jihad and Hamas terrorist organizations in the West Bank and Gaza. Most of the money originates in Tehran. ...

7 Bombers Sentenced to Death in Jordan
Forbes 2006/9/21
Seven people were sentenced to death Thursday for triple hotel bombings that killed 60 people in Jordan's capital last November.   The only one in custody was a 35-year-old Iraqi woman, Sajida al-Rishawi, who confessed on Jordanian television shortly after the blasts that she intended to carry out a suicide attack on one of the hotels.   Six others, including another Iraqi woman, were sentenced in abstentia, and remain at large. ...

Key Parties Reaffirm Mideast Commitment
Forbes.com 2006/9/21
The architects of the Middle East "road map" reaffirmed their commitment to the stalled peace plan ahead of a Security Council ministerial meeting Thursday where Arab nations hope to revive efforts to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.   Leaders of the so-called Quartet - the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia - issued a statement Wednesday stressing the need for "a credible political process" toward the goal of two peaceful, democratic, neighboring states - Israel and Palestine. ...

Assad: Israel may attack, Syria will stand strong
yNetNews 2006/9/21
..."This option is possible, because Israel is looking for a way out from the crisis it is in through a new adventure, by which it will restore its security," the Syrian president said, according to the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir.   Assad estimated that Israel may attack Syria under the pretext that it is aiding Iran, "but Syria will resist, will stand strong and will never give in." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Assad's veiled incitement against UNIFIL
United Press International 2006/9/21
In a veiled provocation of the U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, Syrian President Bashar Assad warned the international troops might turn against Hezbollah.   Beirut's pro-Syrian dailies al-Akhbar and As-Safir reported Thursday that Assad told a Lebanese Islamic delegation who visited him earlier this week that the enlargement of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, to which several European countries contributed troops, and the amendment of its mandate "might transform these forces into NATO troops" with powers similar to those they had in Bosnia. ...

‘New level of practicality’ is needed between the UN and regional organizations: Annan
UN News Centre 2006/9/21
...Mr. Annan made his remarks at an open ministerial-level debate on regional-global security cooperation in the Security Council, which also involved representatives from the European Union (EU), the League of Arab States, NATO and seven other regional and sub-regional organizations.   “The reality of the next decade is that the demand for peacekeeping and these other services will continue to grow. And we must be ready. That means the time has come for us to take the regional-global partnership to a new level of clarity, practicality and seriousness.” ...
Just what we need, another level of bureaucracy for the UN to bury things in.

Jordan's king launches the group of Lower-Middle Income Countries
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/20
..."We have all taken steps to build accountability and transparency, reinforce the rule of law, and give people, especially young people, a stake in a prospering, peaceful future," Abdullah said.   However, he said serious challenges remain, including poverty and unemployment, energy price rises and regional instability, as well as debt burdens that drain national budgets of funds need for infrastructure and development. ...
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan Signs Agreement With University of Southern California to Create Middle East Cinema Institute
PR Newswire 2006/9/20
King Abdullah II of Jordan presided over a ceremony in New York City on September 20th marking the creation of the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts (RSICA) in Jordan's Red Sea resort town of Aqaba. The institute is a joint effort of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and the School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California.   The institute will enroll men and women from the Middle East region in a specialized learning environment dedicated to teaching all disciplines of the cinematic arts. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

King Abdullah II meets economic activists in New York
Jordan New Agency 2006/9/20
...King Abdullah II on Wednesday met with executive directors and directors of fifteen companies of the biggest American financial firms, where he reviewed the investment opportunities Jordan’s economy affords, and the vital role the private sector plays in supporting the Jordanian economy. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

A better future depends on global partnerships — King
The Jordan Times 2006/9/20
King Abdullah on Tuesday said prosperity and peace could not be achieved in isolation, or gained by force.   “In the Middle East, that means getting the message out that regional and global peace is the only way to achieve the better life that people want and deserve. Outside the region, the message needs to be heard that a better future depends on global partnerships —  and the Arab nation is your partner, in both peace and progress,” the King told participants at the Arab and American Action Forum in New York yesterday. ...“Despite the burden of regional conflicts, the Arab world has been moving forward with a vision for the future. The private sector has put its talents and energy to work expanding opportunity and accelerating economic growth. ...
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Ok I ask, which Arab nation?  When the king speaks of 'the Arab nation' he speaks of all Arab nations, ...a united Arabia.

Recent crisis in Middle East crisis for all nations — King
The Jordan Times 2006/9/20
Following is the full text of King Abdullah’s remarks at the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday:
Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim; In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. ...
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…

Occupation, denial of Palestinian rights central grievance — King
The Jordan Times 2006/9/20
...“Our youths are asking, ‘where is the justice, where is the will of the global community?’ We must answer them by establishing a lasting peace based on the international legality we have pledged to uphold,” he said.   “This means a new focus on the core problem. The region’s contemporary crises are outgrowths of a central grievance, felt throughout the Middle East and indeed the world. The grievance, plain and simply, is Israeli occupation and the denial, over decades, of Palestinian rights. Until we end that wrong, conflict will breed more conflict, year after year.” ...
What the king is saying is that the laws of the international community must be upheld and enforced.  It just so happens that his cousin is an expert in the field of international justice, whom he also is endorsing to become the next Secretary General of the United Nations.

Bakhit Patronizes Conference on Amman Message
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/20
...The conference, entitled ''Amman Message in the Eyes of the Others'', is organized by the Hashemite University to clarify the true image of Islam, based on moderation, centrism and tolerance.   Bakhit delivered a speech in which he pointed to the Hashemite role in carrying the message of Islam. ...''The conference aims at spreading Amman Message to become an international reference, achieving its goals on the ground as well as clarifying the Hashemite role in carrying the message of Islam,'' Shdeifat added. ...
What is being said, therefore, is that the Hashemite version of Islam is the only true message of Islam.

King Congratulates President of Armenia
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/20
...King Abdullah II on Wednesday sent a cable to President Robert S. Kocharian of the Republic of Armenia congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

King Meets Rice and Croatian President
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/20
King Abdullah II met on Tuesday afternoon with US foreign minister Condolesa Rice to discuss practical steps to revive the Middle East peace process and achieve just, comprehensive and sustainable solution for the Palestinian problem which is the essence of all conflicts in the region. ...

Islam: 'Smoke arising out of the pit'
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/20
...The enemy has lots of names: radical Islam, jihadism, Islamo-fascism, Islamic terrorism. But there is no doubt that at the bottom of all of this is the religion of Islam itself. In his book "Signs of the Times," published in 1832, the Rev. Alexander Keith quoted Revelation 9:1-2, which states:
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.   And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. ...

DEBKAfile discloses: Pro-Syrian Lebanese president Lahoud harbored Nasrallah during part of the Lebanon War – on orders from Damascus
DEBKAfile 2006/9/20
...DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources now disclose that when Olmert depicted the Hizballah leader as hiding underground and scared to come out, he and his personal command were in fact the guests of President Lahoud, who was ordered to open the palace to them by Damascus. It was from there that he orchestrated a part of the war under the personal protection of Lahoud and Syrian military intelligence. ...

Iran, Syria show stronger ties
The Washington Times 2006/9/20
Iran and Syria are forging a closer alliance that includes military and intelligence cooperation to face the gathering regional and international isolation they find themselves in, say Syrian officials and analysts.   "It's strategic relations, free of charge," said Ibrahim Hamidi, the Damascus bureau chief of the pan-Arab Al Hayat newspaper. "The Iranians are giving full support, full protection, full financial and technical assistance to Syria without seeking anything in return." ...

Hamas retracts support for Arab League peace initiative
Haaretz 2006/9/20
Efforts to establish a Palestinian national unity government have come to a standstill, and Fatah officials yesterday accused Hamas of causing the suspension by rescinding its agreement to include the 2002 Arab peace initiative in the unity government's guidelines. ...

Israeli ambassador criticizes U.S. for granting Iran`s leader a visa
Haaretz 2006/9/20
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations criticized the U.S. administration on Wednesday for granting an entrance visa to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and allowing him to address the UN General Assembly.   The Israeli delegation to the General Assembly, including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, boycotted Ahmadinejad, who has said he wants to wipe Israel off the map and dismissed the Holocaust as a myth.   "We didn't think it was correct to honor this man with our presence. I am very sorry that he was even allowed to speak at the UN," Danny Gillerman, Israel's ambassador to the UN, said. ...

Following visit to Syria, two Arab legislators banned from Knesset
IMEMC 2006/9/20
Israeli Knesset “Ethics Committee“ decided to ban Arab members of Knesset Jamal Zahalka and Ibrahim Sarsour  from the Knesset for three days over a trip they made to Syria about two weeks ago, Israeli sources reported. ...

Bush Backs Palestinian Leader Abbas
Guardian Unlimited 2006/9/20
President Bush tried to boost Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday as "a man of peace" who can help advance Mideast talks that have been stalled with militant Hamas leaders controlling the Palestinian parliament.   Abbas told Bush, ``We are in dire need of your help and support.''   He assured Bush that Palestinians want peace, despite the election of Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction ...
What's wrong with this picture?  (Read in light of article below.)

Palestinian video: 'Martyrs' get paradise with maidens
yNetNews 2006/9/20
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' state-run television the past few weeks has broadcast a music video in which viewers are encouraged to "martyr" themselves in exchange for eternal paradise and beautiful "maidens." ...
What's wrong with this picture?  (Read in light of article above.)

Syria's Grand Mufti Says Pope's Explanation 'More Than Enough'
Assyrian International News Agency 2006/9/20
"The clarifications supplied by the Pope are more than sufficient, although I would ask for, if possible, more explanation." With these words, the Sunni Grand Mufti of the Arab republic of Syria, Ahmad Badr El Din El Hassoun summed up a meeting yesterday -- Tuesday -- with the Apostolic Nuncio of Syria, Mgr Giovanni Morandini. In a statement to AsiaNews, he added: "The disapproval of Pope Benedict XVI and his bitterness after the recent reactions are more than an 'apology' for us and a great sign of respect towards the Islamic world." El Hassoun called on "all to respect this great personality, Pope Benedict XVI." ...

Jordan's king says only end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands can end cycle of violence
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/19
UNITED NATIONS Jordan's King Abdullah II said Tuesday that until Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian lands and gives Palestinian their rights, the cycle of violence will continue in the region and its effects will be felt throughout the world.   "I come before you today with a deep sense of urgency," Abdullah told the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly. "Never has it been more important for the world community to act decisively for peace in my region." ...

Who Will Succeed Kofi Annan?
Chron Watch 2006/9/19 (Pete Fisher)
...looking at a few things here, I would have to make my guess for Al-Hussein for a few reasons.  First and foremost, his cousin has been all over the globe on his great mission to moderate Islam, unite the Muslim world, and create and establish a peace agreement with Israel.  He recently stated that he wanted this agreement, which has already been drawn up and agreed upon by the Muslim nations in the Middle East as well as the E. U., G8, and G11 nations.  The agreement would be in place no later than June of 2007.  He claims that if the agreement is not reached by then, the hope for peace will be gone.   Intending to restore peace to the area has great appeal to the entire world, and he seems to have been the only one who has garnered the praise of westerners, Muslims, and Israel and to have a fully drawn up peace pact between Israel and Muslim states.   I believe he desires to have this plan in before Bush and Blair move on, as the War on Terror seems to be a springboard to assist Abdullah II in his quest for global peace, and he most likely thinks that a liberal party may end up in place of both, and take away the advantage of the War on Terror.  And rightly so, as liberal administrations in the past have knelt to terrorists and the last thing Abdullah II needs right now is an aid to Bin Laden and Hamas, who he has done his best to tame and decry. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Rights group accuses Jordan
BBC 2006/9/19
A prominent human rights group has accused Jordan's intelligence agency of making arbitrary arrests and abusing political dissidents. ...It called on Washington to raise the issue with Jordan's King Abdullah II during his visit to the US this week.   The Jordanian authorities have denied the allegations.   Jordan's main intelligence service, the General Intelligence Department (GID), has carried out "waves" of arrests of political dissidents, most of them Islamists, since 2000, according to the report. ...
? Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
? Daniel 8:25 ...and by peace shall destroy many

U.S. sending team to Syria to examine embassy attack
The Washington Post 2006/9/19
The United States is sending a team of federal agents to Syria to investigate a failed attack on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus ..."The regional security officer at the American embassy in Damascus is working closely with the Syrian officials that will facilitate the investigation," State Department spokeswoman Nancy Beck said.   "A joint FBI and Bureau of Diplomatic Security team will travel to (the) post to assist further with the investigation," ...

Bush Sends Message of Hope to Middle East
USINFO.State.gov 2006/9/19
..."My country desires peace," the president said.  "Extremists in your midst spread propaganda claiming that the West is engaged in a war against Islam.  This propaganda is false and its purpose is to confuse you and justify acts of terror.   "We respect Islam, but we will protect our people from those who pervert Islam to sow death and destruction," he said. ...

U.N. Council to meet on Arab peace plan
Pierceland Herald 2006/9/19
Despite U.S. reluctance, the U.N. Security Council U.N. Security Council plans to hold a meeting of foreign ministers Thursday to discuss an Arab League proposal to revive the Mideast peace process with a goal of ending all Arab-Israeli conflicts. ...Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the Arab proposal is not an attempt to sideline the Quartet, rather would go beyond it by also seeking an end to Israel‘s conflicts with the Lebanese and Syrians.   The Quartet aimed to establish a Palestinian state by 2005, but Israel and the Palestinians have failed to carry out the parallel steps in the peace plan and it has languished. ...

King to address UN session
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/18
...King Abdullah II on Tuesday is due to deliver a key address to the 61st opening session of the UN General Assembly. His Majesty is expected to reiterate the necessity of achieving a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian cause, that would guarantee the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights of establishing their independent state on their national soil. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Trade sector hails the establishment of four industrial estates
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/18
President of Jordan Chamber of Commerce Haider Murad highly appreciated the government’s step to establish four industrial estates in the Kingdom.   "This trend is a very important step to implement directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, enhance social and economic development and achieve the economic growth, which leads for improving the living standard of people, creating further job opportunities, and increasing productivity" ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Palestinian government orders protection for Christians as churches attacked over Pope's comments
IMEMC 2006/9/18
Comments made last Tuesday by Pope Benedict in which he appeared to endorse a Christian view that early Islam was spread through violence, and was 'evil and inhuman', but that Christianity was not spread through violence, sparked outrage among Muslims throughout the Arab World. Two Christian churches, in Tulkarem and Nablus, in the West Bank, were targets of arson attacks over the weekend.   The Palestinian Authority immediately condemned the attacks, and ordered protection for Christian churches throughout Palestine, while Christian leaders in Palestine made statements distancing themselves from the Pope's remarks. ...

Abbas halts coalition talks with Hamas
NDTV 2006/9/18
...Palestinian officials said on Sunday that the talks hit a roadblock over United States demands that a national unity government recognize Israel.   The suspension of negotiations underscores the difficulty Abbas is having in trying to get Hamas to soften its anti-Israel ideology. ...

King congratulates President of Chile
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/17
...King Abdullah II on Sunday sent a cable to President Michelle Bachellet of the Republic of Chile congratulating her in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Jordan-US joint committee to discuss ways of enhancing economic relations
MENAFN 2006/9/17
...Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah left for New York today on an official visit to the United States during which the King will participate in the 61st session of the UN General Assembly, which started on September 12.   According to Petra King Abdullah II will "deliver a speech in which he is expected to highlight the importance of the international community's role in creating a genuine world partnership to achieve peace and security in the Middle East." The King will also meet a number of world leaders to exchange views on regional and international developments and on ways to enhance Jordan's relations with their countries, Petra added. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Jordan's Abdullah warns U.S. mistakes since 2001 fueling terrorism
Haaretz 2006/9/17
Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday terrorists were exploiting U.S. mistakes since the September 11, 2001 attacks to promote instability in the Middle East, according to a published report. ...In the wake of those attacks, extremists were "trying to drive a wedge between East and West and exploit American errors in the region in the interest of fostering hatred and division," Abdullah said. ...

Joint Jordanian-US Committee meets in Amman
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/17
Minister of Trade and Industry Sharif Zu’bi said Jordan looks forward to signing technology and knowledge transfer agreement with the US so that to contribute to improving products’ quality, especially in the industrial and agricultural fields. ...‘’ Relations between the two friendly countries are distinguished,’’ the US official said, hailing accomplishments achieved in Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II. ...He also valued efforts being exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah II to develop Jordan’s relations with the world and overcome regional challenges. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Arab and American Action Forum (New York)
Young Arab Leaders 2006/9/17
...The Action Forum will engage 100 Arab Leaders with 100 American leaders, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Clinton.   The task force of Arab and American decision makers will come together to develop and sign on to commitments which will be launched at the Clinton Global Initiative on September 20th, 2006. ...
Contributed by Jody Deasy.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan’s relations with Syria can’t be described excellent — King
The Jordan Times 2006/9/17
...King: Frankly I cannot say the relations are excellent. I have been keen since President Bashar Assad became president to open a new page with Syria, of trust and work in the interest of both countries because we believe in the necessity and importance of building positive relations between Arab states. We also believe that the success of any Arab state is a success for Jordan. But unfortunately, the expressions of goodwill we’ve been hearing from the Syrian leadership have not been translated on the ground. We continue to wish that Syria’s important role in fostering Arab security and stability will be preserved.
...Hayat: You seek to build a united Arab strategy to face the challenges in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon. What are the bases of this strategy?
King: Our strategy depends on uniting the Arab position and emerging with a united Arab vision towards the challenges we face in the region. Because we strongly believe that without a united Arab position, that makes our voices heard, this region will become booty for the greedy. I’ve said clearly lately that I fear the Arab role would be marginalised. For the world powers, if they don’t find a clear and united Arab position, they will look for an alternative to negotiate with on our behalf. And then we will all be sorry. That is why I have been exerting efforts over the past months to meet with Arab leaders to formulate an Arab position that would foster our strategy to protect the future of all Arabs. ...
Contributed by Jody Deasy.
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

US to Abbas: We're not fooled by new PA arrangement
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/9/17
Bush administration officials have let Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas know that the United States has not been fooled by efforts to dilute the Hamas component of the PA. ...With America's expressed determination to not work with the PA even if a "unity government" is formed (unless Hamas complies with the Quartet's demands), Haniyeh is having second thoughts about his previously expressed readiness to go with Abbas' plan.

Earthquake Rocks North of the Dead Sea
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/17
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale rocked north of the Dead Sea area at 11:22 a.m on Sunday, the Natural Resources Authority said. ...

The Region: Wage war, pretend peace
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/17
...No wonder Shara concluded: "So, in either case, we will not lose."   With Arab regimes insisting they did want peace - but avoiding any irreversible step in that direction - the world's diplomats beat a path to their door. Even after Arafat and Assad rejected peace in 2000, an Arab leader merely had to say he wanted peace - even if only in English words that were contradicted by what was said in Arabic - and the onus was put on Israel for the failure to make a breakthrough. ...

Islamists’ Rise Imperils Mideast’s Order
The New York Times 2006/9/17
President Bashar al-Assad has allowed Hamas safe haven in Syria. He has provided support to Hezbollah and castigated Arab leaders as “half men” for failing to press for a quick end to the war in Lebanon.   But even Syria has been unable to avoid being pulled into the struggle taking place in the Middle East between the traditional centers of power, like Damascus and Cairo, and opposition forces, particularly radical Islamists, that increasingly challenge them and try to force them to adopt more anti-Western, pro-Islamist policies. ...

King, 10 heads of state to launch G-11 initiative
The Jordan Times 2006/9/17 (also see story below)
King Abdullah to address Arab American Action Forum in New York on the importance of partnership between Arab business leaders and their counterparts worldwide ...
Contributed by Jody Deasy.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan
10 Heads of State to Launch the Group of 11/Lower-Middle Income Countries Initiative
U.S. Newswire 2006/9/16 (also see story above)
A one-day summit, hosted by His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan, will bring together 11 countries to officially launch a new initiative that seeks to create a forum for cooperation and knowledge-sharing among nine Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMICs), in addition to Croatia and Pakistan. ...The G11 (Croatia, Ecuador, Georgia, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Sri Lanka and Tunisia) will meet in New York City, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly 61st Session. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Prime Minister Patronizes READR Global Conference
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/16
Deputizing His Majesty King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Monday patronized the deliberations of the Global Conference on Renewable Energy Approaches for Desert Regions, organized by UJ Energy Center in cooperation with Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau, the International Center for Renewable Energy Researches, and the EU.  ...President of the University of Jordan Abdul Rahim Al Huneiti said the development of the Jordanian economy led to a bigger growth in energy demands.   He added that building the society of knowledge can be achieved through scientific researches and education and through out a strong partnership that achieves the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Abdullah sees "no future" for Israel without just peace
The Raw Story 2006/9/16
King Abdullah II of Jordan on Saturday painted a grim picture for the Middle East if the status quo persists in the region, and cautioned that Israel "will have no future" without a just and comprehensive settlement that guarantees rights of the Palestinians. "Regrettably the space of optimism has shrunk, and I hereby warn that the region is heading to a dark future, barring any moves by all parties in the coming weeks to arrive at solution which is convincing for the peoples," ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Relief Aid Sent to the Palestinian People
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/16
The Jordanian Hashemite Charity organization (JHCO) sent a 15- truck convoy carrying 221 tones of relief aid to the Palestinians .... ...The aid, which was sent in cooperation with the Armed Forces Crisis Management center and the Jordanian Embassy in Palestine, comes in implementation of His Majesty king Abdullah’s directives. ...
A benevolent king.  Winning the hearts and minds of the Islamic world truckloads at a time.

Palestinian Ambassador Values Jordan’s Support to the Palestinian People
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/16
Palestinian ambassador to Jordan Atallah Kheiri expressed thanks and appreciation for His Majesty King Abdullah’s initiative to sent humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian people. ...Kheiri also hailed efforts being exerted by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization to send the relief aid. ...
A benevolent king.

King Congratulates Mexican President
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/16
...King Abdullah II on Saturday sent a cable to President Vincent Fox of the United Mexican States congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Islamic Movement head: J'lem destined capital of caliphate
Haaretz 2006/9/16
Islamic Movement leader Sheik Ra'ad Salah said that Jerusalem will soon become the capital of an Islamic nation and that Israel's occupation of the Temple Mount is nearing its end, Israel Radio reported on Friday. ...

Indonesia: Muslims want control of Temple Mount
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/16
Hundreds of Indonesians took part in an all-night march to demand that Muslims be given full control of the Al Aqsa Mosque (the Temple Mount) in Jerusalem, some carrying banners saying "Give it back, it's ours." ...

Palestinian economy collapsing. Where is Allahs' money?
RenewAmerica.org 2006/9/15 (Pete Fisher)
...with King Abdullah II of Jordan trying to push the Arab-Israeli peace agreement by 2007 sometime, and Europe buying into it, the Palestinians and disputed Syrian borders are discussed, but not the Palestinian economy? ...Because by the Muslim world keeping the Palestinians ignorant and armed, they can be manipulated at any minute to attack Israel or any other Western targets. If the Muslim world fed them, educated them, and had any true concern for them, they would be propping up this economy instead of allowing Hamas to destroy it. Besides, having Hamas run the Palestinians, it actually makes some of the other terror states look less violent and backward. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Minister of Awqaf Issues Statement
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/15
...Salah on Friday issued a statement regarding the statements of Pope Benedict XVI on Islam.   Salah said that these statements are defaming Islam and refused, stressing that Jordan finds statements strange especially that they come after a stage of many achievements in the march of enhancing interfaith dialogue. ...Salah noted that Jordan was from the pioneer countries in boosting the concept of interfaith dialogue and that Jordan is still stressing the importance of coexistence amongst followers of the different heavenly religions, stressing that these are the main basis of the Amman Message.
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Top official, four others killed in Gaza
Reuters 2006/9/15
Gunmen killed a top intelligence official loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and four of his bodyguards in a shooting on Friday near the Gaza home of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, residents said. ...The shooting took place in the Beach refugee camp near Haniyeh's heavily guarded compound. ...

A Mini Cold War is starting in the Middle East
Asharq Alawsat 2006/9/15
...Blair is convinced that Assad is no longer a partner for the West in reshaping the Middle East. That view is shared by France's President Jacques Chirac who has campaigned to bring Hariri's assassins to justice. In July, Chirac broke diplomatic habits by publicly branding Assad as "an obstacle to peace and stability" in the region.   Why is President Assad taking such a gamble?   He appears to have bought into Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's strategy of "waiting Bush out" as discussed when the two met in Damascus last January. The current Iranian policy is based on the assumption that once Bush is out of office, the US will revert to its traditional policy of accommodating the status quo rather than seeking to change it. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Islamic History Expert: Moslem Peace with Israel? Never!
Arutz Sheva A7 2006/9/15
...Sharon has in the past insisted that the Western world was engaging in great folly by differentiating between radical and peaceful Islam. “All of a sudden we see that the greatest interpreters of Islam are politicians in the Western world,” he wrote sarcastically. “They know better than all the speakers in the mosques, all those who deliver terrible sermons against anything that is either Christian or Jewish. These Western politicians know that there is good Islam and bad Islam. They know even how to differentiate between the two - except that none of them know how to read a word of Arabic.” ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

King Congratulates Presidents of El Salvador and Costa Rica
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/14
...King Abdullah II on Thursday sent cables to President of El Salvador Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez and President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias Sanchez congratulating them in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Al-Ali: Jordan’s strong political will has enabled reform programs
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/14
..."Jordan's social and economic reform efforts, aimed at securing a stable and prosperous future for its citizens and enhancing grassroots participation in decision making and launching initiatives to contribute in improving life standards of citizens" the minister added. ...Al-Ali also highlighted the importance of the Amman Message launched by His Majesty King Abdullah II in 2004, in conveying the true and sound teachings of Islam and advocating moderation and tolerance among cultures, peoples and religions, pointing to the recommendations of the International Islamic conference held in Amman. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan's King assures Seniora of continued support
Relief Web 2006/9/14
King Abdullah II on Thursday assured visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora of Jordan's continued backing, considering the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1701 key to stability on the Lebanese-Israeli border, according to an official statement. ..."A comprehensive peaceful solution in the region has become imperative with the settlement of the Palestinian question forming its cornerstone," the monarch said.    From his part, Seniora thanked King Abdullah and the Jordanian people for their "political and humanitarian support" to Lebanon during the military operations. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries
A benevolent king.

Palestinian issue should top Arab priorities — King
The Jordan Times 2006/9/14
King Abdullah on Wednesday said finding a just, permanent and viable solution to the Palestinian cause should top the priorities of Arabs and the entire world. ...“If we don’t seize the current opportunity, which could be the last, and find a radical solution to the problem in six months, all of us, unfortunately, will pay the price.” ...
Contributed by Jody Deasy.
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Jordan Lawmakers Limit Religious Edicts
The Washington Post 2006/9/14
Lawmakers have approved a measure that would only allow a state-appointed council to issue religious edicts, a move aimed at denying Islamic hard-liners a forum for disseminating extremist ideology.   The proposal on "fatwas," Arabic for religious edicts, follows a pledge by Jordanian ruler King Abdullah II in the wake of terror recent attacks to tighten legislation to prevent radical viewpoints from taking root. ...The proposed legislation would restrict fatwas only to a state-appointed council. ...

King Congratulates Number of World leaders
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/14
...King Abdullah II on Thursday sent cables to Presidents of Nicaragua Enrique Bolanos Geyer, President of Guatemala Oscar Berger Perdomo and President of Honduras Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales congratulating them in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

U.S. moves to reduce diplomatic presence in Syria
Reuters 2006/9/14
The United States moved to reduce its diplomatic presence in Syria on Thursday following an attack on its embassy in Damascus, by offering free flights home to dependents and nonessential diplomats who wish to leave. ..."The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer nonessential travel to Syria," the department said in a warning posted on its Web site. "American citizens currently in Syria should carefully evaluate their own security situations and consider departing." ...

U.S. urges Syria to close terrorist offices
People's Daily Online 2006/9/14
The United States reiterated on Wednesday its call for Syria to close down the offices of any " terrorist organizations" operating in Damascus.   "We urge the Syrian government to step up and start fighting the war on terror in a more significant way by shuttering the offices of terrorist organizations who are headquartered or have facilities in Damascus," White House spokesman Tony Snow said at a news briefing. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

WESTERN INTEL DOUBTS SYRIAN ATTACK CLAIMS
Middle East Newsline 2006/9/14
Western intelligence agencies continue to doubt reports of Al Qaida-aligned strikes on foreign targets in Syria. ..."The pattern is always the same," an intelligence source said. "A group of terrorists assault a Western installation. The Syrian forces come and kill all or most of them and the regime claims to be fighting terrorism." ...

ARABS URGED TO ACQUIRE NUKE TECH
Middle East Newsline 2006/9/14
Arab League states have been urged to develop nuclear technology in response to Iran's suspected weapons program. ..."We can't just sit and look from the outside as these developments take place," Mohammed Al Said Idris, a consultant at the Egyptian state-owned Al Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, said.   A concluding statement on Sept. 11 urged the Arab League to formulate a strategy on the acquisition of civilian nuclear technology. ...
That's the same 'strategy' the Iranians have been telling us that they are following, civilian nuclear technology.  Ok, so what good is an 'Arab civilian strategy' against the 'Iranian weapons program' that the Arabs say they want to counter?  Ok, so let's see, ...they are told to 1) get nuclear technology, but only the civilian kind to counter the weapons kind, 2) buy the media, and you are told to submit to Islam or die, and oh yes ...3) don't you believe what you've learned to be true about Islamist terrorism.  Hmmm.

'Muslims Need to Be Media Savvy'
MENAFN 2006/9/14
Muslim businessmen should buy into global media outlets to help change anti-Muslim attitudes around the world, said information ministers from Muslim countries at a conference that began at Jeddah Conference Palace yesterday. ..."We need to come up with a joint action to face up to the challenges of our time, especially with the rise of hate crimes and Islamophobia in the West and the confusion resulting from the unfortunate mixing up of Islam with terrorism," said OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.   "Muslim investors must invest in the large media institutions of the world, which generally make considerable profits, so that they have the ability to affect their policies via their administrative boards," he said. "This would benefit us in terms of correcting the image of Islam worldwide."   The idea met instant approval from Saudi journalists. ...
The next thing you know Muslims will be in control of YOUR media and you will be getting only the propaganda messages they want you to hear.  All they really need to do or should be doing is correcting the fanatic teachings in their own schools and universities that are taught from early childhood, IF they REALLY wanted to correct the west's views of Muslims.  Actions speak louder than words.

The men who want Kofi Annan's job
BBC 2006/9/13
...Prince Zeid al-Hussein, Jordan's UN ambassador, is a widely respected diplomat. If chosen to succeed Kofi Annan, the 42-year-old former UN peacekeeper and cousin of King Abdullah II would be the first Muslim to head the world body. ...Educated at Cambridge in the UK and in the US, Prince Zeid is an expert in the field of international justice.   He played a key role in setting up the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal.

Jordan king urges Arabs to focus on Israeli-Palestinian deal
Khaleej Times Online 2006/9/13
Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Wednesday appealed to Arab leaders to make the Palestinian question their top priority over the next six months.   Inviting Arab governments to work together to find a final settlement for the Palestinian question over the next six months, Abdullah warned that the current opportunity “could be the last”. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Abbas Trip to Jordan Linked to Shalit’s Release
Arutz Sheva 2006/9/13
An unnamed PA (Palestinian Authority) source quoted by ynet stated that in all likelihood, Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ (Abu Mazen) trip to Jordan is tied to efforts to obtain the release of IDF soldier Corporal Gilad Shalit. ...
Hmmm.

Prime Minister Meets Kuwaiti Awqaf and Justice Minister
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/13
...the premier stressed the importance of crystallizing an Arab and Islamic position to deal with challenges facing the Arab nation, and clarify the true image of Islam. ...

Jordanian Parliament Endorses Religious Edict Law
EasyBourse 2006/9/13
Parliament Wednesday approved Jordan's first religious edict law, which aims to prevent Islamist hard-liners from disseminating extremist ideology.   The law is a setback for the Islamist opposition, which vehemently opposes the country's close ties with the U.S. and peace treaty with Israel. ...The law on "fatwas," Arabic for religious edicts, is the third law passed by parliament in the last month that aims to crack down on extremism.   For the edicts law to come into effect, the upper house of parliament must approve it and Abdullah must sign it. ...

Jordan's king molds vision from Deerfield
MASSlive.com The Republican 2006/9/13
Today, retired Police Chief William L. Schenker revels in the achievements of the man who is, indeed, now the king of Jordan. ...He wants to ensure that Americans understand who the boy he knew simply as "Ab" has become, his vision and the work King Abdullah II has done to establish a $62.5 million boarding school, built in the image of his alma mater in Deerfield.   "I want people to know what a visionary he is. ... If all the world leaders were as open-minded and dedicated to his people as he is, the world would be a better place," Schenker said. "My job is to see that people know about his vision and not to stereotype all Muslims." ...
? Revelation 13:3 ...and all the world wondered after the beast.

Jordanian Court Sentences 10 Islamist Terrorists
Arutz Sheva 2006/9/13
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) today sentenced 10 Islamist terrorists to between 10 and 21 years in jail for crimes related to planning acts of terrorism in Jordan. The 10 belonged to two separate terrorist cells that planned to attack barracks for training Iraqi policemen, as well as hotels and franchises in Amman frequented by Americans and other Western tourists. ...

9/11: Conspiracy and Celebration in the Arab World
Arutz Sheva A7 2006/9/13
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has produced a video documentary of Arab and Iranian views of the devastating Al-Qaeda terror attacks in New York and Washington five years ago.   Narrated by well-known American actor Ron Silver and created by Interface Media Group, the video brings together for the first time televised and printed reactions from the Middle East immediately after the attacks, as well as over the course of the intervening years. All of the televised Arabic and Farsi material is subtitled in English, while quotations from the Arabic and Iranian press are cited and translated. ...
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has produced a video documentary of Arab and Iranian views of the devastating Al-Qaeda terror attacks in New York and Washington five years ago.  online video!
COMMENT: Please read this section and view the linked video. Transcripts are also linked in PDF format (www.memrifilms.org).
ALSO OF INTEREST: IDF Northern and Central Commanders Resign in this same newsletter.
Article and comments contributed by Bob Anderson.

The ISM-Terror Connection
FrontPageMag 2006/9/13
As a front group for Palestinian terrorists, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) sends young people from all over the world to the training fields of the West Bank and Gaza to learn from terrorists and to aid them logistically. Stop the ISM has now obtained photographs of ISM leaders and organizers holding AK-47 assault rifles. The images show some of the ISM women disguised as Jews living in the West Bank and in the company of an Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade terrorist. ...these groups should be investigated -- perhaps even by Congress -- and every college administrator in the country should read this article before allowing the ISM to stage another conference on a US campus. Spread the word.

US gratitude is: Thanks but No Thanks for Syria
EuroNews 2006/9/13
...Rent-a-crowds regularly fill the streets of Damascus, choreographed by the authorities Iran-style, to denounce US policies, and support Iraqi, Palestinian, and Hizbollah militants. Some have hinted darkly that Syria's secret services are so deeply-rooted no such attack could have escaped their early attention, and that all militant groups granted sanctuary in Syria are kept on a tight leash by the regime, despite the recent gunplay. ...

King Abdullah II receives Palestinian President
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/12
...King Abdullah II on Tuesday stressed that the coming months will be crucial for the future of the Palestinian cause, and that moves and intensive efforts should be there to resume the Palestinian Israeli peace process.   During an audience with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the King urged for the necessity to use the opportunity currently available to resume the peace process as soon as possible. ...King Abdullah and President Abbas discussed the nature of efforts and move which could be exerted during the coming stage. They stressed the importance of supporting these efforts by a unified Arab stand to affirm that the Palestinian Israeli conflict is a comprehensive one in order to achieve just and lasting peace in the region and establish viable Palestinian state on the Palestinian soil. ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries
This is the same drumbeat we have been hearing for the last few weeks.  The common element from whomever it is coming from is King Abdullah II of Jordan, 'the peacemaker' who has yet to obtain peace.

Palestinian ambassador hails Jordanian aid to the Palestinian people
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/12
Palestinian ambassador to Jordan Atallah Khairi on Tuesday expressed appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II on the new Hashemite endowment of sending a humanitarian and foodstuffs convoy to the besieged Palestinian people.   The convoy is a continuation to the Hashemite course which expresses the deep relations that bind the two brotherly peoples, he said. ...
A benevolent king.  Another fine example of the deeds of the crown that win the crown.

Iraq is at ‘crossroads’ warns Annan, as reports say 100 civilians are killed every day
United Nations 2006/9/12
...“A vital element in the quest for addressing the security and human rights situation is the improvement of living conditions for all Iraqis,” Mr. Annan points out, highlighting that one important Government initiative to deal with this is the International Compact with Iraq.   The Compact, which is co-chaired by the UN, is a new partnership with the global community that was launched in July and aims to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years in the strife-torn country. ...Representatives of 13 Governments, the League of Arab States, the World Bank and other regional and international organizations met in the United Arab Emirates to welcome the Iraqi Government’s commitment to “making urgent progress” on national reconciliation, political inclusion and other measures. ...
Hmmm!  In the context of the afore mentioned 'Compact with Iraq', it now makes a whole lot more sense why the king is pushing for his cousin, the Jordanian Prince, to be the Secretary General of the U.N., IF Jordan wants more control of Iraq.  With His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Bin Raad as Secretary General of the UN AND co-chair of the 'Compact with Iraq' he can somewhat more directly affect the direction of government in Iraq.

Awqaf Minister Opens Seminar, meetings of the WICDR
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/12
Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Fattah Salah opened in Amman on Tuesday the International Seminar on Jerusalem Affairs and Meetings of the World Islamic Council for Dawa and Relief.   The minister noted efforts exerted by Jordan, under the directives of the Hashemite leadership, to give attention and care to the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dom of the Rock.   "Over the years, Jerusalem has received the attention and care of Muslims, he said, noting efforts being exerted by the Hashemite to renovate and preserve the holy places in Jerusalem. ...Participants discussed during the one-day seminar a number of issues including the importance of Jerusalem for Muslims and Christians, dangers facing the city and means of defending the city.

JHCO to Send Aid to Palestine
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/12
In implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah II's directives to help the Palestinian people, the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) will send a 8- truck convoy to the West Bank and Gaza Strip ...within Jordan's continued efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and support their steadfastness.

Murad: Jordan was the first to help Lebanese people
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/12
President of Jordan Chamber of Commerce Haider Murad stressed that His Majesty King Abdullah II was the first to help the Lebanese people ...Murad also reviewed efforts exerted by the Jordanian private sector to assist the Lebanese people, noting that the Arab economic activities will work jointly to help rebuild Lebanon.

Call the Conflict by Its Proper Name: Geo-Civil War
Yale Global Online 2006/9/12
...The US, Europe, and the international community need to call a spade a spade and recognize that no one is beyond the reach of the Muslim world’s geo-civil war. As regards American policy, the most immediate need is a threefold change of course: First, the uncompromising task of hunting down al Qaeda’s leaders and breaking up its globally dispersed cells must be separated, strategically and rhetorically, from the problems posed by Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.   Second, some genuinely innovative diplomacy toward Iran must emerge to open a wedge against its continued radicalization. ...Finally, since neither “bringing-the-troops-home” nor “staying-the-course” will undo the mistake of invading Iraq, a new direction must emerge from the current predicament: As Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon struggle to repair their sovereignty under the protection of, respectively, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the US-British occupier, and the European-led United Nations peacekeeping force, US policy should devote maximum resources – money, boots, persuasion – to these variously organized interventions. It is the occasion, however arduous, to remake state-building and democracy-promotion in the Muslim world as an international responsibility, rather than a messianic American ideal. ...

Palestinian Arabs  'We wish every day was 9/11'
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/0/12
A senior leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the "military wing" of Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, said he has never felt more proud to be a Muslim as when Osama bin Laden's minions brought down the World Trade Center.   I wish "every day was another 9/11," said Abu Muhammad. ...

Cyprus holds 'Syria arms cargo'
BBC News 2006/9/12
Cypriot officials are considering what to do with a Syria-bound ship held in Limassol port with a cargo of what is thought to be air defence equipment.   Police said 18 of the 21 lorries on board the Gregorio I were fitted with radars which "appear to be part of an air defence system".   Police said the cargo did not match the ship's documentation.   Interpol had told Cyprus the vessel might be smuggling arms and that it had been loaded in China and North Korea. ...

Iraq is at ‘crossroads’ warns Annan, as reports say 100 civilians are killed every day
United Nations 2006/9/12
...“A vital element in the quest for addressing the security and human rights situation is the improvement of living conditions for all Iraqis,” Mr. Annan points out, highlighting that one important Government initiative to deal with this is the International Compact with Iraq.   The Compact, which is co-chaired by the UN, is a new partnership with the global community that was launched in July and aims to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years in the strife-torn country. ...Representatives of 13 Governments, the League of Arab States, the World Bank and other regional and international organizations met in the United Arab Emirates to welcome the Iraqi Government’s commitment to “making urgent progress” on national reconciliation, political inclusion and other measures. ...
Hmmm!  In the context of the afore mentioned 'Compact with Iraq', it now makes a whole lot more sense why the king is pushing for his cousin, the Jordanian Prince, to be the Secretary General of the U.N., IF Jordan wants more control of Iraq.  With His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Bin Raad as co-chair of the 'Compact' he can somewhat more directly affect the direction of government in Iraq.

Enforce the law
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/12
...Israel is at a crossroads. It must decide between inviting disloyalty, emboldening subversion and losing the last remnants of respect in its Arab community, or reaffirming the rule of law and thereby discouraging future internecine conflict.   The Knesset has equipped the judiciary with the tools to enforce the law - to go beyond declarative "investigations" which thus far have led nowhere.

Attack in Damascus
Reuters 2006/9/12
Four gunmen attacked the U.S. embassy in Damascus on Tuesday, but failed to harm any American diplomats before all four were killed, a Syrian official said. ...

Obsession Highlights Email 2006/9/11

Caliphatism - Establishing the "Islamic Kingdom of God on Earth"
Canada Free Press 2006/9/11
...Islam's ultimate goal is the creation of "one world without borders under Islamic rule," a totalitarian economic political theocracy based on Islamic law--Shariah law. The Islamic empire will not be limited to just the Spain-to-Indonesia region, for Islamists have a global vision that requires control over non-Muslim countries, also, and specifically the United States. Their universal ambitions certainly can be stopped, but first they must be understood and resisted. Only when the West, particularly the United States, realizes that the Islamists intend to replace the U.S. Constitution with the Qur'an--Shariah law--will it enter the final era of this war--the Final Jihad.   The issue being addressed: has there been or when will there be a penetration of the Western cultures and civilization that easily make takeover a fait accompli. The thesis is that the process is under way. What we need to fear is the dog that does not bark at night. ...

Mubarak and Jordanian king urge peace making revival
Egypt Election 2006/9/11
...President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah II of Jordan yesterday10/9/2006 agreed that it's high time for reviving the Middle East peace process through “serious moves for addressing the Palestinian question,” a Presidential spokesman said. ...“The two leaders highlighted the need to reactivate the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and urged the two sides to sit down at the negotiating table as early as possible,” a Jordanian royal court statement said. “This should be based on guaranteeing rights of the Palestinian people and respecting of international resolutions,” added the statement issued ...
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…
Again I say, it appears clear that it is King Abdullah II of Jordan who is the 'one' speaking 'in one voice' for and on behalf of the Arab World to the international community of nations.

American ambassador in Jordan marks September 11th
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/11
...There is no religion that supports targeting innocent civilians , and there is no cause or complaint, how ever legal it could be , that would justify such an action, he said.   During commemorating the victims of 9 \ 11 2001 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, which was held in the ambassador's official residence, Mr. Hale commended King Abdullah II's efforts in supporting Amman Message as a means that seeks increasing the level of tolerance and understanding. ...

Jordanian students participating in Intel International Fair receive recognition
AMEInfo 2006/9/11
...Intel EMEA Education Manager Dr. Martina Roth congratulated the students, their parents and teachers on their achievements and also thanked MobileCom for the generous sponsorship, and heartedly thanked the Ministry of Education for their collaboration. She further expressed her admiration of the great vision and leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, and continued, "Intel realizes the power and importance of education. Through major initiatives such as the Intel Digital Transformation Initiative for the Middle East and Intel's World Ahead Program, Intel is working to raise student achievement and enhance academic productivity to support thriving communities around the globe.' ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Abdullah, Mubarak uphold forming Palestinian coalition cabinet
People's Daily Online 2006/9/11
The Jordanian King Abdullah II and visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak voiced their support on Sunday to form a national unity Palestinian government, the official Petra news agency reported. The two leaders said that a Palestinian coalition would enable the Palestinian side to be an effective and strong partner in the Middle East peace process and also help ease the ongoing financial and political crisis in the territories, the report said. ...
How can a national unity Palestinian government now receive aid, since the Hamas Islamist group said it would never recognize Israel?

Royal Village Head Office and Sales Centre officially opens in Amman
AMEInfo 2006/9/11
...This key milestone follows the laying of the foundation stone for Royal Village under the patronage of and in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II in November 2005.   A key component of the US$ 1.25 billion Royal Metropolis project in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Royal Village, is one of the most technologically advanced and energy-friendly gated residential communities. In addition to Royal Village, other significant components of the Royal Metropolis project include Jordan Gate and the recently launched Royal Resort & Spa. ...'Royal Village is a unique development that will complement the efforts of the Kingdom of Jordan, under the capable leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and with the support of His Excellency Dr. Marouf Al Bakhit, the Prime Minister, to optimally leverage the country's strengths and positively contribute to accelerating its economic growth. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

King leads Jordanian efforts to reach united Arab stand to revive peace process
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/11
Jordan has been pursuing efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah to reach a united Arab stand aimed to revitalize the Middle East peace process and bring the concerned parties back to negotiations ...
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

King to Participate in Arab - US Forum
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/11
...King Abdullah II will deliver a keynote address in which he is expected to highlight the importance of partnership and contact between Arab business leaders and their counterparts in the world. ...The forum comes in line with the Organization's vision to face future challenges, create suitable climate that leads for progress and prosperity and activate economic partnership at the regional and international levels. ...The strategy includes organizing similar activities in Asia and Europe in the next stage. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Young Arab Leaders launches the inaugural 'Arab and American Action Forum'
AMEInfo 2006/9/11
Under the patronage of H.M. King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Young Arab Leaders (YAL), the region's foremost development platform for business, public sector and civil society leaders in the Middle East, is launching the first Arab and American Action Forum (AAAF) in New York from 18-19 September. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

LGE revitalizes Middle East market with plans to make Jordan centre of operations
AMEInfo 2006/9/11
LG Electronics (LGE), the world's leading provider of consumer electronics and technology, announced its plans for revitalizing Middle East markets during recent talks held at LGE's headquarters in Seoul ...Mr. S. S. Kim stated that the firm is in fact considering making Jordan the center of its operations in the region.  ...From his end, Mr. Ghazi Farouq, Assistant Managing Director at MEC, also spokeFrom his end, Mr. Ghazi Farouq, Assistant Managing Director at MEC, also spoke ...Through our collaboration with LGE, we at MEC work in line with His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision for promoting economic integration in ways that bring about global economic development.' ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Caliphatism - Establishing the "Islamic Kingdom of God on Earth"
Global Politician 2006/9/11
...This caliphate would be a totalitarian Islamic empire encompassing all current and former Muslim lands, stretching from Europe to North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. We know this because al Qaeda has told us. About two months ago, the terrorist Zawahiri - he's al Qaeda's second in command -- declared that al Qaeda intends to impose its rule in every land that was a home for Islam, from Spain (Andalusia) to Iraq. He went on to say, "The whole world is an open field for us."  ...

'Syria will form own Hezbollah'  -  Israeli intel chief says Damascus seeking to copy Lebanese group
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/11
Syria is considering forming its own Hezbollah-like guerrilla organization to fight Israel in hopes of "liberating" the Golan Heights, the chief of intelligence for the Israeli Defense Forces announced yesterday.   Speaking at a government meeting, the IDF's Major General Amos Yadlin said Syria is in the initial stages of developing the concept for the copycat Hezbollah group, which he said would launch attacks aimed at pressuring Israel into vacating the Golan Heights, strategic mountainous territory captured by the Jewish state after Syria used the terrain to attack Israel in 1967 and again in 1973. The Heights borders Israel, Syria and Lebanon and is claimed by Damascus. ...

Roots of Islamic Terrorism: How Communists Helped Fundamentalists
Global Politician 2006/9/11
This article traces the roots of Islamic terrorism, with special focus on Afghanistan. Notes are added on practical and philosophical problems of world media in finding the right track. From systematic errors in revealing little details, to serious misconceptions about basic facts and principles, we can relatively easily learn how much of "common knowledge" rests actually on superficial research and popular myths. Instead of becoming critical and aware of the traps laid around the issue, both Islamists and Islamophobes fail to recognize how they are manipulated. ...

THE MASTER PLAN  -  For the new theorists of jihad, Al Qaeda is just the beginning.
The New Yorker 2006/9/11
...the strategy of the Administration has been to decapitate Al Qaeda’s leadership. Bruce Hoffman, who is the author of “Inside Terrorism” and a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, told me, “One of the problems with the kill-or-capture metric is that it has often been to the exclusion of having a deeper, richer understanding of the movement, its origins, and our adversaries’ mindset. The nuances are absolutely critical. Our adversaries are wedded to the ideology that informs and fuels their struggle, and, by not paying attention, we risk not knowing our enemy.”

Israeli MK Wants Treasonous Arab Lawmakers Expelled
All Headline News 2006/9/11
Right-wing Israeli parliamentarian Effi Eitam Sunday called for the removal of Arabs from the Israeli political scene, citing what he called their treasonous relationship with the Jewish state. ...Eitam said the trip proved why Israel has "got to remove Israeli Arabs from the political scene. We've allowed a fifth column to grow here - a group of traitors. We can't have a hostile group like this in our political system."   Equally incensed, but striking a softer tone, was Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, who urged Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to revoke the passports of the offending lawmakers.

Abbas says deal reached on unity govt
ABC News 2006/9/11
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reached a deal with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas on Monday to form a unity government that the Palestinians hope will end their international isolation and revive aid.   But the Hamas Islamist group said it would never recognize Israel, raising immediate questions over whether a unity coalition would satisfy Western demands for lifting sanctions. ...The United States and the European Union have said they would work with a unity government only if it met their three conditions for restoring aid — recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and accepting past interim peace deals. ...

Bar-On wants passports of Arab MKs who visited Syria revoked
Haaretz 2006/9/11
Interior Minister Roni Bar-On on Sunday called on Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to recall the passports of three Arabs lawmakers who visited Syria without seeking permission from the government. At Bar-On's request, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ordered a criminal investigation be opened against Balad MKs Azmi Bashara, Jamal Zahalka and Wassel Taha over their recent visit to Syria. Bar-On called the trip a criminal offense and said all steps should be taken to try the MKs and stop "this shamelful phenomenon." He also asked Mazuz to allow him to restrict the international travels of the three MKs. ...

King, Malaysian monarch open talks
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
...King Abdullah II and Malaysian monarch Syed Sirajuddin bin Syed Putra held talks on Sunday focusing on latest developments in the region, challenges facing the Muslim nation and means of further enhancing ties of cooperation in various fields. ...On bilateral relations, the two leaders asserted their keenness to strengthen ties of cooperation between the two countries particularly in economic, cultural and educational spheres.   Jordanian-Malaysian relations are progressively developing and King Abdullah's several visits to Malaysia has further cemented relations between the two countries which are tied with a number of cooperation agreements covering areas such trade, investment, air transport and the joint business council. Trade volume between Jordan and Malaysia amounts to US$140 million. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

The New Arab Peace Plan
Time 2006/9/10
Jordan's monarch makes a dramatic appeal for peace in a TIME interview--and reveals a new initiative reaching out to ordinary Israelis   ...Abdullah said that he believes it is one of the last chances to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and thus enable the region to more effectively address other looming threats, from the war in Iraq to the regional ambitions of Iran. ...
? Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things…
Again I say, it appears clear that it is King Abdullah II of Jordan who is the 'one' speaking 'in one voice' for and on behalf of the Arab World to the international community of nations.

King, Malaysian monarch open talks
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
...the Malaysian monarch affirmed the vital role made by King Abdullah to strengthen peace and stability in the region and to defend Muslim causes. He also highly appreciated Jordan's efforts to launch "Amman Message" and host the international Islamic Conference last year that comply with Malaysia's activities to promote coexistence and reconciliation between the Muslim world and other nations and cultures.   On bilateral relations, the two leaders asserted their keenness to strengthen ties of cooperation between the two countries particularly in economic, cultural and educational spheres. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Mubarak Arrives in Amman
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
Egyptian President Mohammad Husni Mubarak arrived in Amman on a brief visit during which he will hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah II.   The talks are expected to focus on the situation in the region, efforts exerted to push peace forward as well as cooperation between Jordan and Egypt in all fields. ...

King honors Jordanians for their help in capturing criminal after firing at foreign tourists
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
...King Abdullah II on Sunday decorated ten Jordanians with medals in appreciation of their bravery and sense of national belonging to preserve national security when the save no effort to help capture a criminal who attacked a group of foreign tourists at the Roman Amphitheater in downtown Amman last Monday. ...
? Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

King, Malaysian monarch open talks
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
...the Malaysian monarch affirmed the vital role made by King Abdullah to strengthen peace and stability in the region and to defend Muslim causes. He also highly appreciated Jordan's efforts to launch "Amman Message" and host the international Islamic Conference last year that comply with Malaysia's activities to promote coexistence and reconciliation between the Muslim world and other nations and cultures.   On bilateral relations, the two leaders asserted their keenness to strengthen ties of cooperation between the two countries particularly in economic, cultural and educational spheres. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Mubarak Arrives in Amman
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
Egyptian President Mohammad Husni Mubarak arrived in Amman on a brief visit during which he will hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah II.   The talks are expected to focus on the situation in the region, efforts exerted to push peace forward as well as cooperation between Jordan and Egypt in all fields. ...

King honors Jordanians for their help in capturing criminal after firing at foreign tourists
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/10
...King Abdullah II on Sunday decorated ten Jordanians with medals in appreciation of their bravery and sense of national belonging to preserve national security when the save no effort to help capture a criminal who attacked a group of foreign tourists at the Roman Amphitheater in downtown Amman last Monday. ...
? Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Democracy and Intelligence – the Two Big Losers in War on Terror
DEBKAfile 2006/9/10
...Of the 2,165 American soldiers who died in combat from the start of the Iraq war until Sept. 9, 2006, al Qaeda and its affiliates were responsible for about 1,000 deaths. ...Iraq’s volatility is irradiating other parts of the Middle East as well. Islamist terrorist movements have learned from the Iraqi model to use democracy and President Bush’s New Middle East vision as leverage to the seats of power in their countries. The ballot box gives their violent, coercive methods the stamp of legitimacy. The Palestinian Hamas is one such example; the Lebanese Hizballah another.   DEBKAfile’s counter-terror experts predict that in the post-Zarqawi era, his terrorist movement in Iraq will crumble into splinters which will be soaked up by the larger Sunni guerrilla organizations, at which point al Qaeda will fold its tents in Iraq and move on to new fronts. The United States of America will again rise to the top of bin Laden’s targets.   It cannot therefore be said that al Qaeda’s threat to America has faded; the menace rather may come back full circle at some time in the future.
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Tortured screams ring out as Iraqis take over Abu Ghraib
Telegraph.co,uk 2006/9/10
The notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad is at the centre of fresh abuse allegations just a week after it was handed over to Iraqi authorities, with claims that inmates are being tortured by their new captors. ...An independent witness who went into Abu Ghraib this week told The Sunday Telegraph that screams were coming from the cell blocks housing the terrorist suspects. ...Some of the small number of prisoners who remained in the jail after the Americans left said they had pleaded to go with their departing captors, rather than be left in the hands of Iraqi guards. "The Americans were better than the Iraqis. They treated us better," said Khalid Alaani, who was held on suspicion of involvement in Sunni terrorism. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Opec concerned over falling oil pricesOpec concerned over falling oil prices
Financial Times 2006/9/10
Ministers of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries arriving in Vienna on Sunday have indicated concern that oil prices may fall. Though the eleven-nation group is unlikely to officially reduce its production quota when it meets on Monday, the change in ministers’ tone could be a harbinger of things to come. ...No analyst is talking about a retreat to $10 per barrel, but even a slide to a more realistic $50 would displease many Opec ministers. To guard itself against a sudden oversupply in the market Opec is already producing 500,000 b/d below its quota of 28m b/d.   At the group’s meeting the ministers are likely to raise the possibility that they will have to take action at their next meeting in December. With oil prices still in the mid-$60 range, output cuts risk painting the group as a greedy cartel and enemy of the west. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Syria denies reports it's agreed to foreign troops
EuroNews 2006/9/10
...The official Syrian news agency says President Bashar al-Assad has not approved the move it describes as "hostile".   Italy's Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, earlier said that Syria had agreed in principle to allow unarmed European Union personnel to patrol its border. ...

Syrian Witness Says: Assad, Lahoud Ordered Hariri's Killing
Naharnet 2006/9/10
A Syrian national suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri said that Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Lebanese counterpart Emile Lahoud ordered the killing, the Lebanese Media reported Sunday.   Mohammed Zuhair Siddiq, the witness-turned-suspect in the massive bombing that killed Hariri and 21 others in central Beirut on Feb. 14, 2005, accused outright Assad and Lahoud of giving the orders to assassinate Hariri, An Nahar daily newspaper said. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Irbid's exports stood at $57 million last Aug.
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/9
...''August's exports rose by 17.3% compared to exports of last July,'' Samarah added, attributing the increase to the continued cooperation and coordination between the public and the private sectors as well as to the high quality of products.   '' Irbid's exports over the last 8 months totaled $ 306.2 million compared to 230.9 in 2005, with an increase of 33%'', he added.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

National Exports Rise by 13 Percent
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/9
The volume of national exports rose by 13 percent in the first seven months of this year to reach JD1626.5 million, compared to JD1439.9 million in the same period of 2005, according to a report by the Department of Statistics. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Italian Medal to Jordan Ambassador in Rome
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/9
Deputy Italian Foreign Minister Ugo Intini hailed the distinguished ties between Jordan and Italy, stressing Jordan's essential role in the region. ...the Italian official valued efforts exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah II to realize a just and comprehensive peace in the region, noting that the Italian government attaches great attention to Jordan's role, especially after the recent developments in the region. ...

The UN Five Years After 9/11
Eye On The UN 2006/9
This week marks the opening of the 61st annual session of the United Nations General Assembly and the 5th anniversary of September 11, 2001. While the talking goes on at Turtle Bay, however, the rest of the city remains painfully aware there is still a war going on. It is a war for the hearts and minds of our children, of our fellow citizens, and of all those who live beyond our borders in the other 191 member states of the UN. It is a war that threatens the lives of our service men and women, of ordinary people in this country from all walks of life, and of decent people the world over. And it is a war that we cannot afford to lose. ...
This is a must read article!

Schneller Calls for Arresting Bishara
Arutz Sheva 2006/9/9
Otniel Schneller is calling for the arrest of MK (National Democratic Assembly) Azmi Bishara, turning to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to take actions to have the Arab lawmaker placed under arrest. ...Schneller was referring to statements made by Bishara in Syria, warning that Israel may attack. ...
Bishara should be tried as a traitor, and once convicted, stripped of his Israeli citizenship, exiled, or perhaps even be shot for such an act of betrayal.

Muslims Can Stop Negative Reporting By Western Media
Bernama.com 2006/9/9
The world Muslim community has the ability and capacity to stop the onslaught of negative reporting by the Western media, which have tarnished the image of Islam and Muslims, the representative to the Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ezzat Kamel Mufti said. ..."We do have the necessary human resources and professional competence and in addition many Arab and Islamic mass media, including satellite channels, radio stations, newspapers and Internet websites which have demonstrated their ability and merit and imposed themselves on the world stage," he said. ...
What that means is, you can count on being bombarded with pro-Islamic propaganda, as well as attempts by them to shut down anyone else who has a different view than theirs about Islam.

Age of Inconclusive Wars
The Journal of Turkish Weekly 2006/9/9
“We have entered the age of inconclusive wars,” said Ambassador Hesham Youssef, a key official of the League of Arab States. He was speaking at a workshop Strategic Foresight Group had jointly organised with SMWIPM Institute of Peace Studies at Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt in August this year. The war in Lebanon had sparked massive rage all over the Middle East. The US might have declared victory in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but they are still very active killing fields. Most significantly, there is a war of terrorism and a war on terror. ...
Is it any wonder why God said to Moses as recorded in the book of Numbers?  God foretold of this time to come, due to their disobedience then. ...
Numbers 33:50 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: 53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. 55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. ...

Olmert Pledges to Work With Abbas to Advance Peace Talks
Fox News 2006/9/9
...At a joint news conference with Olmert, visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his support for a renewal of Israeli dialogue with Abbas despite Hamas' control of the Palestinian parliament and government.   "It's very important that we see what we can do to re-energize this process," said Blair. "We are in a very preliminary stage of debating and talking about these things, but I hope very much that in the time to come that we can make progress." ..."I ... told Prime Minister Blair that I intend to meet with Chairman Abbas in order to make real progress on the outstanding issues on our mutual agenda," Olmert said. "The issue that is our first priority with the Palestinians naturally is the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit."   Shalit was captured in June by Hamas-linked militants in Gaza who carried out a cross-border raid on a military outpost in southern Israel. His freedom is "a condition for any progress," Olmert said.   He did not say when he would meet Abbas. ...

MK Bishara warns Syria of Israeli attack
yNetNews 2006/9/9
National Democratic Assembly chairman, Knesset Member Azmi Bishara, arrived in Damascus on Friday and immediately began making public statements condemning the Israeli occupation of the territories. ... In the course of his meeting with senior members of the ruling Baath party, Bishara warned Syria of the possibility that "Israel launch a preliminary offensive in more than one place, in a bid to overcome the internal crisis in the country and in an attempt to restore its deterrence capability." ...

Arabs slam UN anti-terror plan
Aljazeera 2006/9/9
...Nine Arab nations took the floor after the plan's adoption to complain that it did not mention Israeli military actions in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.   Nor did it guarantee that armed Palestinian groups that target Israeli civilians would not be tagged as terrorists for pursuing "national liberation movements," the Arab envoys said. ...
Hmmm.  All depends on definition doesn't it?

UN adopts global anti-terror strategy
News.com.au 2006/9/9
THE UN General Assembly has overnight endorsed by consensus a resolution supporting a global strategy to combat terrorism in all its forms based on respect for human rights and the rule of law.   Some delegations, including Syria, Cuba and Venezuela, however bemoaned the text's failure to include a clear legal definition of terrorism and to specifically condemn state terrorism.   The text resolves to "consistently, unequivocally and strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, as it constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security." ...
Might this resolution, as ambiguous as it may be, be interpreted for instance by a Muslim Secretary General, to mean, perhaps, that any one speaking out against Islamic jihadis is a 'terrorist', due to the Islamic understanding of jihad?  Will this resolution turn out to be a 'death warrant' for all people who seek to preserve freedom as we know it?  What 'human rights and rule of law' apply here?  Perhaps it will be interpreted as Islamic 'rule of law' should the UN Secretary General be a Muslim, especially since many UN member countries are overwhelmingly Muslim?  It leads one to ask, 'How many such UN resolutions passed thus far might be interpreted one way by 'free' people and their understanding of the 'law', and yet another way by Muslims and their understanding of 'their law'?  The text, as reported, sound very much like King Abdullah II of Jordan's mantra after the bombing in Amman, and now it shows up at the UN at a time when that same king is pushing for his Muslim cousin from Jordan to be the next UN Secretary General.  It makes me question what is coming next.  For instance, examine this news article from the Deseret News from July 1, 2006:

Jordan's King Abdullah II is calling for increased efforts to root out terrorism and extremists threatening Islam and the world, according to the official Petra news agency.   "We must move quickly to uproot terrorism, stop accusations in the name of religion, and harness all efforts to find comprehensive solutions for the problems and challenges facing the Islamic world," Abdullah said ...

Ok You Win! We'll Negotiate with Terrorists!
Associated Content 2006/9/9
The constant drumbeat of negativity from the Vietnam, anti any war that they cannot use to make themselves more powerful, left has brought me to the point where I have to admit that it is time to negotiate with the terrorists. So with me today I have Mohammed Usama Achmed Al Zarqawi bin Laden who has agreed to sit down and negotiate an end to our war with Islamic Terrorism.
Let's begin shall we?
J.J. Jackson: Thank you Mohammed for joining me.
Mohammed: Thank you for finally succumbing to the great and glorious power of Allah. But I must correct your infidel misconceptions. We are not “terrorists”. We are soldiers of Allah purging the land of the infidels like you.
J.J. Jackson: Well, since we are here to negotiate an end to this war and in the spirit of moving these talks forward, we’ll just have to chalk that up to a difference of opinion.
Mohammed: Our terms are simple. You are an infidel and non-believer. You must convert or die.
J.J. Jackson: Mohammed, that is unacceptable. I was thinking we could discuss perhaps a solution where we could both live in peace.
Mohammed: You must convert or die. No other solution is acceptable. ...
This 'mock' interview eerily seems comical, yet is it true?  You simply must read the whole mock interview.  This situation just happened to two news correspondants last month.

Syria to cut arms shipments
The Australian 2006/9/9
SYRIA has promised to deploy a battalion to help patrol its border with Lebanon to stop illegal arms shipments to Hezbollah guerrillas , UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said overnight.   Annan, during a trip to Damascus, said on Sept. 1 that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged to respect an embargo on weapons going into Lebanon and to help secure the frontier.   Elaborating on that pledge, Mr Annan said he had received a telephone call from Mr Assad earlier this week promising "to deploy one battalion to the border to help control the border." ...
Ok, did you believe that?  Then here's another scenario, how about if Assad is deploying troops there to help thwart efforts already underway by other troops trying to deter arms smuggling or even to better enable arms smuggling into Lebanon?  Assad and his regime just cannot be believed.  A fellow I know who is from Missouri would say, "don't tell me , show me".

Italy: Syria agrees to EU border troops
The Mercury News 2006/9/9
Syria has agreed "in principle" to a European Union presence on its border to help stem the flow of weapons into Lebanon, Italy's prime minister said Saturday.   Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a TV interview last month that he would consider the deployment of international troops along the Lebanon-Syria border a hostile move toward his country.   Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said he had spoken with Assad several times over the last few days.   "I reminded President Assad that the European Union has significant experience in training programs for frontier guards, and that the idea of an EU mission of assistance on the border between Syria and Lebanon would be an excellent signal of cooperation between Syria and Europe," Prodi said in a statement. "President Assad gave me his accord in principle." ...

UK Offers Libya Security Assurances
Arms Control Today 2006/9/9
The United Kingdom has agreed to offer Libya security assurances and strengthen their mutual security relationship in an effort to encourage other countries to follow Libya’s lead in abandoning its chemical and nuclear weapons programs.   On June 26 in Tripoli, British Junior Foreign Minister Kim Howells signed a “Joint Letter of Peace and Security” with his counterpart, Libyan Secretary for European Affairs Abdullati Obidi. The letter pledges that the United Kingdom will seek UN Security Council action if another state attacks Libya with chemical or biological weapons. ...

Islamogaming: Looking for Video Games in the Muslim World
FoxNews.com 2006/9/9
In summer 2006, an Iranian political group called the Union of Islamic Student Societies revealed that it was planning on entering the video-game business.   Via the fundamentalist state's semi-official Fars news agency, a spokesperson for the group announced that its members were developing an as-yet unnamed game revolving around one fictitious Commander Bahman.   In the game, American troops kidnap an Iranian nuclear engineer who is traveling through Iraq en route to a Shiite holy shrine in Karbala, and Bahman must then cross the border to battle U.S. Special Forces and rescue the scientist, thereby ensuring the success of Iran's undoubtedly peaceful nuclear energy program. ...
What game are your children playing today?  Do you even know?

Another Tack: The Europeanization of Israel
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/8
...Any normal country - and Israel most categorically isn't normal - would simply destroy towns and villages that serve as rocket bases against its civilians. Bint Jbail and Maroun el-Ras shouldn't have been left standing. That's what America would do, or Russia, Britain and most undoubtedly duplicitous France. One would shudder to think how China would react. But Israel is different.   The agent of our malady - that potent pathogen undermining our continued survival - is our excessive care about the world's opinion of us, while the world doesn't give a hoot about Israel's fate (and that's resorting to gross understatement). ...

Bush warns Iran on nuclear weapons
News.com.au 2006/9/8
INVOKING the spectre of the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes, US President George W. Bush said Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.   ”When we saw the damage the terrorists inflicted on 9/11, our thoughts quickly turned to the devastation that could have been caused with weapons of mass destruction,” he said in a speech in Atlanta. ...“And now the world is uniting to send a clear message to the regime in Tehran: Iran must end its support of terror, it must stop defying its international obligations and it must not obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said. ...

UN leader picks up task closed to U.S.
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/8
...Listening to Mr. Annan's repeated comments during the trip about how he had no weapons, no troops, only the power of dialogue, the impression dawned how dramatically this set him apart from all the leaders he was talking to, in an area where brazen show of muscle is the normal persuader.   From the outside, the trip was a whirl of motorcades twisting through streets with banners portraying the "divine victory" of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrullah, audiences in grandiose palaces with aides seated in stiff formations around the national leader and formal greetings at garden entrances with fountains sparkling in the sunlight.   Behind the pageantry, Mr. Annan was conducting dozens of phone calls with leaders in the region, Europe and the United States.   Explaining his tactical approach to those he met, Mr. Annan said, "Nobody wants to be seen as isolated. I sense that even the potential spoilers at least want to be seen as responsible players and full members of the international community." ...
Annan may have touted his 'bravado' of no guns and ammo, however, had Hizbollah through Lebanon not started the latest round of warfare, and subsequently taken the 'Israeli spanking' it got, Annan would have been laughed out of town by all the Arab 'spoilers'.

Israeli Lawmakers Travel Illegally To Syria
All Headline News 2006/9/8
Arab members of Israel's Knesset gathered Friday in Damascus, despite the fact Syria is still technically at war with their own nation. Visiting an enemy nation is a violation of Israeli law.   But that hasn't stopped a member of Knesset, Azmi Bishara and members of his Balad Party from making the trip several times over the past decade.   Friday's visit was seen as a protest against Israel's role in the recent Lebanon war, and statements this week by the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that conditions were not right for peace with Syria.   Balad MK Jamal Zahalka told Israel Radio from Damascus, "We don't see Syria as an enemy state." ...Farhan told Ynet, "The Arab MKs have to be investigated for going to an enemy country and providing assistance to the enemy. Not using means against them is making a mockery of the law."

Arab League: Let’s go nuclear
JTA 2006/9/8
..."The Arab states, as members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, have decided to use the right granted them, and for which they entered the agreement, to use nuclear energy peacefully," said Amr Moussa, the league’s secretary-general, after a meeting Sept. 6 of its nation’s representatives in Cairo. ...

Israel minister says time for Palestinian talks
The Washington Post 2006/9/8
Israel's foreign minister said on Friday it was time the Jewish state talked to the Palestinians, adding no conditions should be put on meeting President Mahmoud Abbas.   But Tzipi Livni said that unless militants in the Gaza Strip freed an Israeli soldier captured in a cross-border raid on June 25, the moderate Abbas should expect nothing from talks -- such as a release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. ...

Annan reiterates warning that Sudan will be held responsible if Darfur situation worsens
UN News Centre 2006/9/8
...Mr. Annan said the conditions inside Darfur have become so desperate that if there is no AU or UN presence and the numbers of people suffering or being killed continued to grow, then the Sudanese “are placing themselves in a situation where the leadership may be held collectively and individually responsible for what happens to the population in Darfur.”   Scores of thousands of people are thought to have been killed amid fighting between rebel groups, Government forces and allied militias in Darfur, and at least two million others are estimated to have had to flee their homes.

A Monarch's Dire Warning About the Middle East

...the world is "doomed,"

Jordan's King Abdullah II tells TIME, if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not solved by 2007
Time 2006/9/7
Striding past ceremonial Circassian guards into a sitting room at Basman Palace, King Abdullah II is looking fresh and energetic, as if he has just come from another spin around town on his treasured Harley-Davidson. But his natural ebullience masked an uncharacteristic inner gloom that deepened this summer when the Middle East was plunged into yet another conflict with the Israeli-Hizballah war in Lebanon. ...Without urgent diplomatic efforts that yield tangible results to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians, "I don't think there will ever be a Palestinian state," he said. "By 2007, if we don't see something that reassures all of us--the international community, the Israelis, the Arabs and the Palestinians--then I think we are doomed to another decade or decades of violence between Israelis and Arabs, which affects everybody." ...
Contributed by Mike Smario.

King Meets Economic Figures
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/7
...King Abdullah II described partnership with private sector in economic decision making as effective.   King reiterated, during a meeting with economic figures at the Royal Court, the importance of continuing partnership with the private sector and benefiting from its suggestions regarding the economy.   King Abdullah stressed that economic reform is still top priority and is a continuous process which needs time until citizens touch its positive impacts. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan and Anti-Terrorism — Western Recipe for Middle-Eastern Menu?
The Media Line 2006/9/7
Jordan has officially jumped on the bandwagon of countries such as the US and Britain, that have adopted anti-terrorism laws. The Jordanian parliament has endorsed the bill despite warnings from human rights groups and opposition parties against its negative impact on freedom and political reform. The law is expected to be in place within a month once it is signed by Jordanian King ‘Abdallah II. ..."The existing law penalizes [someone] for a crime after it takes place, but we’re talking, in this law, about preventing crimes at their planning stage. It’s a preventive law," says Interior Minister Eid al Fayez. ...

King calls on International Community to make effort to Find settlement for the Palestinian Issue.
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/7
...The King and D' Alema renewed support of Jordan and Italy to any effort aiming at forming a Palestinian national unity government and resuming peace talks, noting that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is a peace partner who enjoys credibility. ...On the Iraqi issue, the King and the Italian official stressed support of Jordan and Italy to the Iraqi government to achieve security and stability through involving all segments of the Iraqi people in the political process in the country.   King Abdullah hailed the role of Italy and the European Union in supporting efforts that aim at establishing peace in the region, pointing to the Italian big participation in the peacekeeping forces in south Lebanon.
? Daniel 11:21 ...but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries

Italy, Jordan support creation of UN monitoring force in Gaza
Monsters & Critics 2006/9/7
During his talks with the Italian minister, King Abdullah stressed the need for a move by the world community in the coming months for 'finding a just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue that puts an end to violence and instability in the region,' the royal court said in a statement.   The monarch warned that unilateral solutions were not a substitute for comprehensive solutions. 'What is going on in Gaza and Lebanon is a proof that unilateral solutions are doomed to failure,' he said.   'King Abdullah briefed the Italian minister on the efforts being exerted by Jordan, in cooperation with other influential Arab and Islamic states with the aim of re-establishing peace in the region, which is based on Israel's pullout from all Arab territories and the setting up of a Palestinian state that lives in peace with Israel,' the royal court statement said.

King Congratulates President of North Korea
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/7
...King Abdullah II sent a cable to President of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Kim Yong Nam congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
Contributed by Susan Altamirano.

Jordan Achieves Highest Rate in Combating Illiteracy in the Arab World
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/7
...Jordan was able to achieve the lowest illiteracy rate on the level of the Arab world.   According to figures of the General Statistics Department, the rate of illiteracy in Jordan stands at 9.4 percent.   Under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the Education Ministry adopted the policy of continuous self-education and achieved a qualitative leap in educational strategies designed to develop illiteracy eradication programs.
? Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
A benevolent king.

The First Word: America's missile crisis and ours
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/7
...NOT ONCE in the six years during which South Lebanon was turned into a fortified missile base did any of Israel's prime ministers declare - in a message akin to Jack Kennedy's warning - that "An act of provocation on the part of Hizbullah will be viewed as an act of provocation coming from Syria." While Damascus was directly supplying the missiles and openly preventing Lebanon from acting against Hizbullah, not a single word of warning to Syria was uttered.   MOREOVER, despite increasing Palestinian terrorism actively encouraged by Hizbullah - which was intoxicated by its own victory over Israel - Ariel Sharon adopted a "restraint is strength" approach arguing that withdrawal "is good for the Jews."   That may be the way peace activists view the world, but it is not the way Syria, Hizbullah and Hamas understood Jerusalem's acquiescence to Arab assertiveness.

Iraq: The Policy Dilemma
Outside The Box 2006/9/7
...Iran has set a clever trap, and the United States has walked into it. Rather than a functioning government in Iraq, it has chaos and a triumphant Shiite community. The Americans cannot contain the chaos, and they cannot simply withdraw. Therefore, we can understand why Bush insists on holding his position indefinitely. He has been maneuvered in such a manner that he -- or a successor -- has no real alternatives.   There is one counter to this: a massive American buildup, including a major buildup of ground forces that requires a large expansion of the Army, geared for the invasion of Iran and destruction of its military force. The idea that this could readily be done through air power has evaporated, we would think, with the Israeli air force's failure in Lebanon. An invasion of Iran would be enormously expensive, take a very long time and create a problem of occupation that would dwarf the problem faced in Iraq. But it is the other option. It would stabilize the geopolitics of the Arabian Peninsula and drain American military power for a generation. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Call to World Jewry: Have You Heard of the Iranian Threat?
Arutz Sheva - A7 2006/9/7
..."As of this moment, Iran is out-maneuvering the US, and does not appear very concerned about the sanctions threatened to be imposed upon her. And as far as Europe goes, let it be said as clearly as possible: Europe has largely remained the same Europe of the Holocaust period, and has no interest in clashing with Iran because of the Jews, and has so far done nothing more than pay lip service. And has anyone heard from the 'Holy See' on this matter? And does anyone think he can trust the wicked Kofi Annan (the one responsible for the mass murders in Rwanda)?   "Public opinion in the US has the ability to awaken public opinion in other continents; I wouldn't give up on the millions of Evangelicals in the US, and other friends of Israel wherever they are.   "Iran has coldly and clearly announced that it is working towards Israel's destruction – where are the masses of rabbis in the U.S. and Europe? Where are the children of Holocaust survivors? Are they trusting Amir Peretz, whose greatness we saw in the recent war? After all, under the influence of [his fellow Laborites], he wouldn't order any military action that might hurt innocent citizens in Tehran…
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Is It Time to Expand the 'Axis of Evil'?
Human Events 2006/9/7
Since his Sept. 20, 2001 speech denouncing Iraq, Iran and North Korea as members of an “Axis of Evil,” President Bush has been viciously ridiculed. We’ve all heard the nasty names, everything from “unsophisticated” and “foreign policy novice” to “warmonger,” “murderer,” and “fascist.”   Why it somehow works to call Bush a fascist but is terribly improper for him to refer to Muslim terrorists as “Islamic fascists” is discussion for another time. But as we now approach the five-year anniversary of his bold description we realize one stark fact: he didn’t go far enough in his listing of America’s enemies.   At the very least we need right now to add Syria and Venezuela to country list. Others such as Somalia, Sudan and Nigeria may need to be added if they continue down the present path. ...

Despite End of Embargo, Israel Reserves Right to Attack Hizbullah Arms Convoys
Naharnet 2006/9/7
Israel said Thursday it reserved the right to attack suspected Hizbullah arms convoys on the Lebanon-Syria border, despite the planned lifting of an air and sea blockade on Lebanon.   "Israel is keeping its right to self-defense and will implement the embargo along the Syrian-Lebanese border," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokeswoman Miri Eisin told Agence France Presse. ...Eisin branded Assad's position "ludicrous."   "Israel does not accept the Syrian declarations that they will implement the blockade. They are active suppliers and backers of Hizbullah," ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Syria disrupting Shalit negotiations
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/7
Negotiations over the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit have stalled because of the intervention of Syria, which is exerting pressure on the Hamas leadership not to accept proposals made by the Egyptian mediators for a prisoner swap with Israel, Palestinian Authority officials here told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.   "Syria is playing a very negative role," said one official. "[Hamas leader] Khaled Mashaal, who is based in Damascus, is refusing to approve an Egyptian-brokered deal because the Syrians are inciting him." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Islamic Courts Union Consolidates Hold in Somalia
Threats Watch 2006/9/7
Arab League-Backed 'Agreement' Likely Cover for Radical Islamist Takeover; UN Embargo Blocks Intervention ...The agreement, which was negotiated in Khartoum and was to be monitored by the Arab League and the Sudan, was conditioned upon the reaching of a “broader political solution,” and included a provision barring intervention by “any neighboring states,” although it has been disputed since then whether or not this barred outside peacekeepers.   This latter issue is of special significance because both the United States and neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa are highly concerned that Somalia may already be well on its way to being a new base for global terrorism. A regional group, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which is made up of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, Djibouti, the Sudan and Somalia, has been discussing sending in peacekeepers. Because of the special threat it could face, Ethiopia has threatened to send in troops on its own, and the ICU is alleging that it already has. ...

King Meets Prince Zeid Bin Raad
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/6
...King Abdullah II received Jordan's Permanent Representative to the UN, His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Bin Raad on the occasion of his official nomination for the post of the UN secretary general. ...

Militant group praises Jordanian gunman
The Age 2006/9/6
An Iraq-based Muslim militant group praised a Jordanian gunman for shooting foreign tourists visiting a popular Roman ruin in Amman, according to a message posted in its name on the internet.   Meanwhile, Jordan's King Abdullah II - a key US ally and a staunch supporter of Washington's global war on terror - said in his first public comment that the shooting attack strengthened his resolve to fight any "criminal act targeting guests of Jordan and the country's security and economy". ...
? Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Jordan's Zeid Upstages Iranian at U.N.
The New York Sun 2006/9/6
As a member of the Hashemite Royal family, which traces its roots to the prophet Mohammed, and which also has traditional strong ties with America and Europe, Zeid seems much better positioned to bridge conflicts between Islam and the West than Iranians like Mr. Khatemi.   While Tehran is planning to conduct a new seminar this fall on Holocaust denial, Zeid was the only Arab ambassador who attended the first ever Turtle Bay Holocaust memorial held earlier this year. Keeping strong ties in the Arab world, he maintains relations with many Israelis, and unlike some Arab colleagues is unafraid to do so openly.   Speaking of the West and Islam, Zeid told AP yesterday that "A United Nations that understands the sources of these schisms, where they occur, and can speak to all sides with experience and credibility, can play an important role in resolving these dangerous conflicts." ...

Senior Foreign Ministry Official Visited Jordan
Arutz Sheva 2006/9/6
Foreign Ministry General-Manager Aaron Abramowitz visited Jordan earlier in the week, accompanied by another senior ministry official.   They met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib and other officials in the first high-level Israeli visit to the Hashemite Kingdom since the war in Lebanon. ...

Jordan Exempts Lebanese Businesses from Taxes, Tariffs
Naharnet 2006/9/6
The Jordanian government has decided to exempt Lebanese businesses of taxes and tariffs in a bid to help the country get back on its feet after a month-long Israeli offensive, officials said. ...Petra quoted government spokesman Nasser Jawdeh as saying the decisions were in line with instructions by King Abdullah II to help the Lebanese people "to overcome the difficult conditions they are facing". ...
A benevolent king.

Arab FMs review plans to destroy Israel by diplomacy
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/9/6
Foreign ministers representing the 22 Arab states – all of which remain united in their determination to purge Israel from the Middle East – met in Cairo Wednesday for a strategy session aimed at reviving the “peace process” they believe will help to facilitate their goal.   Laying a smokescreen, the ministers said they had gathered out of concern that Iran and the terror groups it supports had substantially expanded their influence in the region as a result of Israel’s recent conflict with Hizb’allah. ...

The Episcopal Church's Anti-Israel Media Campaign
Virtue Online 2006/9/6
...the Episcopal Church is not a trustworthy observer of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The church's leaders and constitutive bodies routinely issue one-sided statements about the Arab-Israeli conflict, and its publications portray Israel as exclusively responsible for violence in the region. Moreover, the church has provided substantial support for anti-Israel activists in both the U.S. and disputed territories. Its so-called peace activism amounts to an ad hoc anti-Israel media campaign that serves to delegitimize Israel's rightful place amongst the nations of the world. ...

EU says Syria risks hurting relations if it does not support Mideast peace efforts
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/6
Syria risks harming relations with the EU if it does not commit itself to respecting Lebanon's sovereignty, helping to disarm Hezbollah and supporting wider Middle East peace efforts, the EU warned Wednesday. ...He added that it was Syria's choice whether to play the role of "a constructive partner or a spoiler; this will also determine the future EU relations with Syria."   Tuomioja last month described EU-Syria relations as "quite cool and distant" already, and stressed that the 25-nation bloc expected Syria to comply with U.N. resolutions.   Syria initially said it was not in favor of U.N. peacekeepers patrolling the Lebanese-Syrian border, which Israel claims is being used as a major route for weapons for the militant Hezbollah group based in Lebanon. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

US blasts Syria in counter-terror report
English.eastday.com 2006/9/6
..."The regime in Damascus supports and provides haven to Hezbollah, Hamas, and PIJ (Palestine Islamic Jihad). We will continue to stand with the people of Iran and Syria against the regimes that oppress them at home and sponsor terror abroad," the report said.   Syria has been on the US list of "state sponsors of terrorism " and the United States has accused Syria of supporting insurgents in Iraq and financing the Lebanese Hezbollah, a group branded by the United States as a terrorist organization.
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Israel: Arab League plan is attempt to skip road map responsibility
Haaretz 2006/9/6
...Informed government sources in Jerusalem said that this is a Palestinian attempt to evade applying the first stage of the road map which calls for the elimination of terrorist organizations in the Palestinian Authority.   "An international conference is part of the second stage of the road map, but before that, the first stage must be carried out," the sources said. "The Arab foreign ministers' proposal focuses on the procedure for convening the conference and not on its contents and is intended to win international sympathy for warming up the peace process rather than going into details that could cause dissention," they added. ...

Military: Arrest of Al Qaeda Member a 'Significant Blow'
FoxNews.com 2006/9/6
BAGHDAD, Iraq — The U.S. military said Wednesday the arrest of Al Qaeda in Iraq's second in command took place in June and was the most significant blow to the terror network since the death of Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. ...

Syria blamed for attack on Lebanon's Shehade
ABC News Online 2006/9/6
Lebanese politicians are blaming Syria for an apparent assassination attempt on a senior Lebanese security official.   A senior intelligence official in Lebanon's internal security unit, Lieutenant Colonel Samir Shehade, was wounded when an explosion ripped through a convoy in which he was traveling south of Beirut. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

King visits the wounded in the Roman amphitheatre attack
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/5
King Abdullah II on Tuesday condemned the vicious criminal attack which targeted a number of foreign tourists in the Roman amphitheatre in Amman Monday, killing one and wounding the other five of the group.   In a statement to Petra, during a visit to King Hussein Medical Center , where the wounded are receiving medical care, His Majesty said that such a crime is completely odd to the Jordanian people's norms and traditions, as well as to the values of Islam which are based on respecting the guests. ...

King Congratulates Brazilian President
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/5
...King Abdullah II sent a cable to President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva of Brazil congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Jordan officially asks Arab foreign ministers support for nomination
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/5
Jordan officially asked the Arab League Council's 126th session, due to convene Wednesday, to support its nomination of His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Bin Raad for the UN General Secretary post to succeed Kofi Annan, and to consider His Royal Highness as a pan-Arab nomination. ...
This could end up being VERY BIG if he gets the position.

Jordanian seeks to succeed Annan
Chron.com 2006/9/5
Jordan's U.N. Ambassador Prince Zeid al Hussein announced his candidacy on Tuesday to be the next U.N. secretary-general, becoming the fifth hopeful and the first Muslim to enter the race to succeed Kofi Annan.   Jordan sent a letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council formally submitting the candidacy of Zeid, a widely respected diplomat and former U.N. peacekeeper who is a cousin of King Abdullah II.   "We believe there is considerable scope to be given by the Security Council and the General Assembly to a Muslim candidate who is familiar with the U.N. but not of the U.N.," Zeid told The Associated Press. ...

Massive oil field found under Gulf
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/5
...the abiotic theory argued "oil should be seen as a primordial material that the earth forms and exudes on a continual basis." ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Khatami wants US-Iran-Kurdish Alliance - a New Munich
Persian Journal 2006/9/5
Khatami wants the US to take over leadership of the Iranian-Kurdish coalition in Baghdad! ...This offer from Khatami, which is issued no doubt with White House approval, raises troubling questions about the fitness for office on many appointees in the State Department, DoD, and the White House. The entire Khatami offer is ludicrous and unworthy of serious consideration for several reasons. ...US and Iranian interests are opposed in Iraq. Iran wants a theocratic state in which all anti-Iran elements would be suppressed, Sunni, Shia, or Kurdish. This is for military reasons. Iran intends to use Iraq as a staging area for aggression against Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the Persian Gulf states. ...

Israel eyeing new Arab initiative
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/5
Israel will be watching a meeting of the foreign ministers of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia scheduled for Tuesday in Cairo with "interest, but little expectation," ...

Clash erupts between pro-Israel and pro-'Palestinian' Christian groups
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/9/5
Verbal warfare has erupted between Jerusalem-based anti-Israel Arab clerics and pro-Israel Christian organizations after the former released a public statement August 22 in which they accused Christian Zionists of heresy.   It was not the first clash between the two groups. Like most of their fellow clergy in the Arab world, "Palestinian" church leaders subscribe to an anti-Semitic theology which holds that the Jews are no longer God's chosen people.   Their fury at the insistence of Bible-believing Christians that the Land of Israel remains the rightful inheritance of the People of Israel has been expressed in a number of rather un-Christian statements released to the press in recent years. ...

US cites Iran, Syria as 'worrisome' threats
DNA World 2006/9/5
The White House on Tuesday branded Iran and Syria "especially worrisome" threats as it unveiled a reworked anti-terrorism plan that downplayed the impact of the Iraq war and the Arab-Israeli conflict. ..."Our greatest and gravest concern," the White House said, "is WMD in the hands of terrorists. Preventing their acquisition and the dire consequences of their use is a key priority of this strategy."   "Most troubling is the potential WMD-terrorism nexus that emanates from Tehran. Syria also is a significant state sponsor of terrorism and thus a priority for concern," the report said. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Report: Israel 'preparing for possible war' with Syria, Iran
The Christian Science Monitor 2006/9/5
..."The challenge from Iran and Syria is now top of the Israeli defence agenda, higher than the Palestinian one," said an Israeli defence source. Shortly before the war in Lebanon Major-General Eliezer Shkedi, the commander of the air force, was placed in charge of the "Iranian front", a new position in the Israeli Defence Forces. His job will be to command any future strikes on Iran and Syria.   Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear program means that war "is likely to become unavoidable," according to the Israeli military sources. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Abbas guard commander 'arrested'
BBC 2006/9/5
General Mahmoud Damra was arrested at an Israeli army roadblock outside the city of Nablus, Force 17 members said. ... Force 17 was established by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and is accused by Israel of involvement in militant attacks.   General Damra has been wanted by Israel for six years for his role as a leader of a terror cell responsible for carrying out fatal attacks in Israel...

Israel would use more force against Syria: PM
People's Daily Online 2006/9/5
Israel will not limit its military force against Syria like it did in Lebanon, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday in a briefing to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset (parliament).   "If we have go to war with Syria, we will do away the limitations on the use of force we placed upon ourselves in Lebanon," Olmert was quoted by local media as saying. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Industry Minister inaugurates the Jordanian Pavilion in Damascus Fair
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/4
Minister of Industry and Trade Sharif Zu'bi on Monday said that Syria is a strategic economic and trade partner for Jordan. In a statement on the sidelines of Damascus International Fair insugurstion, he described the Jordanian Syrian economic relations as very strong and excellent. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Lower House of Parliament Organizes Sit-in in Solidarity with the Lebanese People
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/4
Majali also praised Jordan's positions, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, in supporting Arab issues, praising the steadfastness of the Palestinian and the Lebanese people. ...

Judeh Holds Weekly Press Meeting
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/4
Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said Jordan does not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, but supports the country politically in its quest to achieve unity and preserve security and sovereignty.   During his weekly press briefing, held on Monday at the Prime Ministry, Judeh stressed Jordan's support, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II to the Iraqi government, pointing that the recent visit of Prime Minister Marouf al Bakhit to Baghdad and King Abdullah's initiative to host the Iraqi Islamic Reconciliation Conference came within this supportive position. ...The Spokesperson also underlined King Abdullah's intensive contacts, efforts and directives to provide every possible support to Lebanon ...

King Congratulates King of Swaziland
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/4
...King Abdullah II sent a cable on Monday to King of Swaziland Mswati III congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

PM aides to update US on realignment
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/4
Senior Israel officials are scheduled to leave for the United States late Monday evening to notify the US government that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's realignment plan for unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank is off the table. ...

UN to discuss Arab-Israeli peace on Sept 23 -Saudi
Reuters 2006/9/4
..."I believe the date set is September 23 to discuss it (the Arab request) at the Security Council," Prince Saud al-Faisal told a joint news conference with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.   The 22-nation Arab League has formally asked the U.N. Security Council to acknowledge that efforts to end the Arab-Israeli conflict have failed and to revive and reshape the peace process.   "We hope that all would look at the issue from a new perspective, the perspective of the importance of resolving this issue for the stability of the region ... it is a pivotal issue," he said. ...

Iran ‘Taking Over P.A.’
The Media Line 2006/9/4
Iran is taking over radical elements in the Palestinian territories in order to export the ideology of the Islamic regime, Israeli Minister of Internal Security Avi Dichter said on Sunday.   So far, the first and only country where Tehran has succeeded in exporting the Islamic regime is Lebanon, but it has also partly succeeded in the Palestinian Authority, Dichter told a group of journalists in Jerusalem.   “Through Palestinian Islamic Jihad in one direction and Hamas in the other direction, Iran is trying to conquer the P.A. democratically,” he said. ...

Syria's Assad Pledges to Rebuild 3 Southern Villages
Naharnet 2006/9/4
Syrian President Bashar Assad has pledged to rebuild three southern Lebanese villages destroyed by Israeli bombardment during 34 days of Israel-Hizbullah fighting, state-run news agencies in Syria and Lebanon reported.   Syria's official news agency SANA said Sunday Assad "directed concerned parties" to rebuild Qana, Siddiqine and Qlaileh, three overwhelmingly Shiite Muslim villages in the western sector of south Lebanon. ...There was no immediate comment from the government in Lebanon, which is dominated by anti-Syrians. ...

Tehran and Damascus on same front: Syrian official
MehrNews.com 2006/9/4
TEHRAN –- Deputy Foreign Minister Farouq Taha called for expansion of ties between Iran and Syria and stated “Tehran and Damascus are on the same front” here on Monday. ...The Syrian foreign ministry official added gaining access to peaceful nuclear technology by Iran will benefit all Islamic countries. “Iran is seeking no aim other than promoting world peace and friendship.”   The Iranian chief diplomat said it is impossible for the U.S. to start another war in the region.   “Today the U.S. is in a very weak position and is not in a condition to impose another war on the American taxpayers,” Mottaki said. ...

Leading from the top
ITP Technology 2006/9/3
Eight years ago, no one would have thought of Jordan as a centre of ICT excellence. It is an indication of how far and how quickly the Kingdom has developed that it has earned a growing reputation for innovation in technology today. ..."Back in 1999, at the height of the internet boom when His Majesty King Abdullah II ascended to the throne he decided to give a lot of focus to the ICT sector," says Sabri Tabbaa, CEO of Intaj.   "At the time the sector was almost non-existent, so he came up with the idea of commissioning the sector stakeholders at the time to come up with a five year strategy for the sector. That’s what REACH is." ...He believes that initiatives from the Government and His Highness King Abdullah II have been the main reason for the transformation of Jordan's IT sector. "These are things that wouldn't have happened if there wasn't any drive from above," says Zeine. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan's parliament endorses new mosque preaching law that blocks militants from pulpits
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/3
Jordan's parliament approved Sunday a law that gives the state the authority to approve mosque preachers, a setback for Muslim militants seeking to enter the country's pulpits. ...which must be signed by the country's ruler, King Abdullah II, to enter force. ...Jordan, a moderate Arab nation with longtime ties to the United States and a peace treaty with Israel, has been spearheading Arab efforts for religious reforms. Abdullah embarked on a national campaign nearly two years ago, which calls for religious tolerance and coexistence among the followers of the three monotheistic religions. ...
A fledgling "democracy" with strict religion control, and definitely no separation of 'religion (church) & state'.

Peace Cycle Campaign Arrive in Southern Syria En Route for Jordan
Syrian Arab News Agency 2006/9/3
The 40-memebr European Peace Cycle Campaign on Sunday arrived in the southern Syrian city of Dera'a en route for Jordan as part of their ride for peace 'from London to Jerusalem,' to call for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions, particularly 242. ...

Jordan's top judicial body disqualifies two Islamist MPs
Monster's & Critics 2006/9/3
Jordan's Supreme Council for Interpretation of the Constitution ruled that two Islamist lawmakers were no longer fit to sit in parliament after the two MPs were convicted of incitement over their remarks on the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, judicial sources said Sunday. ...According to article 75 of the constitution, an MP loses his seat if he is sentenced to a prison term exceeding one year for 'non- political reasons.'   'The ruling makes it clear that there is no need for the House of Representatives to vote on disqualifying the two MPs,' judicial sources said.   The Muslim Brotherhood movement contends that the arrest and trial of the two MPs has been part of a scheme aimed at 'distorting the image' of Islamists in the country after the hardline Hamas group scored a landslide victory in the January Palestinian elections.

Fighting for new hegemonic power in the Middle East: Turkey and Iran
KurdishMedia 2006/9/3    ( a lengthy but interesting article on the region's history)
The only superpower in the region that could compete militarily with Iran is Turkey. However, because of their common enemy ˜the Kurds˜ Turkey and Iran have intermittently united to eliminate the Kurdish population there. ...Is Iranian and Turkish cooperation long-term, or is it just that Iran wants to gain some support from the international arena? Does Turkey really want Shia’s hegemonic power in the Middle East? Now Turkey and Iran are flirting with each other, but how long will this flirt last?   Could it be that the recent visit of the King and Prime Minister Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz of Saudi Arabia to Turkey is one of those concerns as well? The internal and external politics of the region’s Islamic countries remain intertwined and complex. For a long time Turkey had a problem with its Iranian supported Hezbollah; clearly Turkey does not want Iranian influence to complicate its internal affairs again. Today the Turkish government has sided with the Hezbollah in Lebanon because Turkey wants to balance its interests carefully and does not want Iran and other states to support the Kurds to use them against Turkey. By siding with Lebanon, Turkey reneges on its former pro-Israeli stance and gains favor with those nations involved in Kurdish politics under the table. ...

Syria: Golan Will be Freed to Last Grain
The Media Line 2006/9/3
Syria's Minister of Information Muhsin Bilal met a delegation of residents from the Golan Heights and promised them that the region Israel conquered in 1967 would be freed in its entirety ..."Our nation is one unit, which cannot be divided… We will free the Golan and bring it back in its entirety, without giving up one grain of earth," Bilal said during the meeting which took place last Friday. ...

Arab States to Push Peace Initiative in Security Council
Arutz Sheva 2006/9/3
...Arab League officials report that the Arab initiative includes a number of parties, as well as a defined timetable to resuscitate peace efforts and the renewal of Israeli-Arab negotiations.

Israel Plans For War With Iran And Syria - Paper
MediaFax 2006/9/3
...The conflict with Hezbollah has led to a strategic rethink in Israel. A key conclusion is that too much attention has been paid to Palestinian militants in Gaza and the West Bank instead of the two biggest state sponsors of terrorism in the region, who pose a far greater danger to Israel’s existence, defense insiders say.

Syria, Jordan Sign the Executive Program of Investment Agreement
Syrian Arab News Agency 2006/9/2
Syria and Jordan signed in Amman on Saturday an agreement on the Executive Program of their joint cooperation in the field of investment. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand

Jordan participates in conferences on Lebanon recovery and the humanitarian situation in Palestine
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/2
...Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suheir Al Ali headed the Jordanian delegation at the two events, which were held recently in Stockholm, Sweden.   The conferences gathered representatives from some 50 countries, UN Agencies, international financial institutions, the European Commission, the European Union and international non-governmental organizations. ...The Minister also outlined efforts exerted by Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II to help the Lebanese people, noting to the Jordanian field hospital in Lebanon as well as the Jordanian relief airlift, which was established to facilitate the flow of assistance to Lebanon. ...
A benevolent king.

Syria Develops Plan to Dethrone Lebanese Government
Assyrian National News Agency 2006/9/2
Syria has developed a three-stage plan to dethrone the Lebanese government, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Ray al Am reports in its online edition citing high-standing diplomats.   According to the information the plan would be carried out by Hezbollah activists and ...

Something Worth Repeating
U.K. P.C. III: During her lunch hour, Jane Edwards, a doctor in Sheffield, England, stopped at the Post Office to renew her daughter's passport since the family was planning a trip to France. Nothing doing, she was told: 5-year-old Heather was wearing a sleeveless dress, and her resulting exposed skin "might prove unacceptable" if the girl went to a Muslim country. "I followed the instructions on the passport form to the letter and it was still rejected," Edwards fumed. "It is just officialdom pandering to political correctness." A spokesman for the U.K. Passport Service said he was not aware of any rules against girls showing skin in passport photos. (London Daily Mail) ...Political Correctness: a system of thinking where it's OK to offend someone right in front of you by enforcing a made-up rule to stop a theoretical offense to an unknown person later when you aren't even going to be there.
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Saudi bid for influence shattered
Asia Times Online 2006/9/2
...The Saudi stance against Hezbollah has less to do with fears of Iran's growing geopolitical weight than a demoralized reaction to the failure of its foreign policy in Lebanon. However, by choosing to side with the United States and Israel, the House of Saud risks deepening the dynamics that generate divisions and dissent in the kingdom. ...There were wider historical and geopolitical factors exacerbating the tensions. Iran and Saudi Arabia had been rivals for regional influence prior to the revolution. But the coming to power of the Islamic Republic lent the rivalry an ideological dimension and transformed it into outright hostility. ...

Arab states ask UN to begin afresh on Mideast
The Peninsula 2006/9/2
Arab countries have formally asked the UN Security Council to acknowledge that efforts to end the Arab-Israeli conflict have failed and to resuscitate and reshape the peace process.   The 22-nation Arab League called on the council to formally recognise "the need to reactivate the Middle Eastern peace process and establish a mechanism for us to proceed on all tracks"-in the Palestinian territories, Syria and Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in Damascus yesterday. ...John Bolton, the US ambassador to the United Nations, denied the peace process had failed. He said not every country in the region supported the Arab League idea, and he wanted to know whether Israel would be invited to the proposed ministerial meeting. ...

Syria 'will not supply arms to Hezbollah'
The Scotsman 2006/9/2
THE Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hezbollah.   It would operate under the UN resolution that halted Israel's war with the Lebanese group, Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said yesterday after talks between the two men. ...
The problem is that Syria's Assad is not believable.

The final place of refuge for Christians in the Middle East is under threat
Guardian Unlimited 2006/9/2
As Iraq and Lebanon are torn apart by sectarian mayhem and war, only Syria's religious tolerance offers refugees shelter  ...Wander through the streets of Damascus this week, and you will see signs everywhere of the conflict in Lebanon. The bearded, black-turbaned Hassan Nasrallah stares out from every shop window, even in the Christian quarter. ...

Bush, Jordan's king discuss Mideast issues
Turkish Press 2006/9/1
US President George W. Bush and Jordan's King Abdullah II discussed Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian issue by telephone on Friday, the White House said. ..."They discussed Lebanon, Israeli-Palestinian affairs, the situation in Iraq and Iran's activities. The president asked the king to remain in close touch with him in the coming weeks," said Starr.

King Stresses Importance of Supporting Ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/1
...King Abdullah II on Friday stressed the importance of intensifying efforts of the International community to stabilize and support the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.   King Abdullah's remarks came during a phone call with US President George W. Bush, during which King Abdullah stressed the importance of preventing any violation of the UN Security Council resolution no. 1701. ...
A benevolent king.

King Abdullah Stresses UN Role In Securing Mideast Peace
All Headline News 2006/9/1
Jordan's King Abdullah II stressed the importance of the United Nations in securing Middle East peace during a visit by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. ...Abdullah tells Annan on Thursday, the "peoples of the region are in utmost need at this moment for an effective and pragmatic role by the United Nations to preserve regional stability through dealing with the core of the Middle East conflict, notably finding a just settlement for the Palestinian cause." ...
A benevolent king.

The Truth Hurts
Gamla 2006/9/1
World War III: Donald Rumsfeld's comparison of today's events to the days before World War II is on the mark. The "loyal opposition" sounds like Neville Chamberlain and the media like Al-Jazeera.   Speaking before the American Legion convention this week, the secretary of defense aptly dared to compare the voices of today's critics of the war on terror and our policies toward Iran and North Korea with the sentiment that took root in the 1930s. To wit: "If only the growing threats that had begun to emerge in Europe and Asia could be appeased," a repeat of World War I could be avoided. ...

Annan Says Syria Ready for Lebanon Ties
Los Angeles Times 2006/9/1
Syrian President Bashar Assad told the U.N. secretary-general Friday that his government is prepared to establish formal diplomatic relations with Lebanon and delineate the border, steps Syria has resisted for six decades.   Many in Lebanon expressed skepticism, saying Assad's promises to U.N. chief Kofi Annan would likely remain just talk unless international pressure mounted on Damascus.   For Syria, the step would be seen as recognition that its decades-long domination of its smaller neighbor is truly over after crumbling the last year. ...

Qadhafi rules out political change
Aljajeera 2006/9/1
..."When we led the revolution we did not want power for ourselves, but we assumed it for the people," al-Qadhafi said in a two-hour speech to top leaders at Al-Baida, 1,200km east of Tripoli.   "In consequence, we will not allow anyone to steal it from the people."   Al-Qadhafi's increasingly influential son, Saif al-Islam, recently told Libyans their country was in a political impasse and needed reforms to free it from what he called the grip of a "Libyan mafia" which monopolises power and wealth. ...Al-Qadhafi said those who hope for political change in Libya inherently see its people as "ignorant and immature".   He said: "Our enemies have been crushed inside Libya and you have to be ready to kill them if they emerge anew." ...

Baath officials instructed to buy property in Golan
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/1
Top members of Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath Party were advised in a private briefing to purchase real estate in the Golan Heights because, they were told, the strategic territory will "very soon" be returned to Syria, a Baath official told WorldNetDaily.   "This is not a political recommendation. It was made in private to top officials because it is absolutely estimated that Syria will very soon get the Golan Heights back," the official said. "We've been instructed to purchase what will become prime real estate for us." ...

Israel skeptical about Syrian pledge on Hizbullah
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/1
Government officials reacted with skepticism Friday to Syria's commitment to stop the flow of weapons to Hizbullah.   "Israel does not think that Syria during the last conflict - both in helping Hizbullah by financing and arming them directly and the declarations during the conflict - and in its aftermath, has shown any reason to be a reliable force," government spokeswoman Miri Eisen said. "Syria continues to be a safe haven for terrorism." ...

Why Extremists Target Turkey, Egypt and Jordan
World Politics Watch 2006/9/1
Though it is not Turkey's first experience with terrorism, three bombings in two days earlier this week have the country reeling. ...Turkey is not the only Muslim country being targeted by Islamic extremists.   As the United States and its allies push on with the controversial "War on Terrorism," a number of predominantly Muslim countries find themselves waging their own battle against extremists, who are looking to send a message to some of the more moderate Arab and Islamic regimes -- often by striking at the backbone of their economies. ...Islamists tend to target Western tourist destinations. Attacks on resort towns often target foreigners but are meant to speak to the local governments. ...

Syrian Fox to Guard Hizballah Henhouse
Threats Watch 2006/9/1
There are few analogies that more accurately describe the news that, while in Damascus, Kofi Annan accepted and conveyed Bashar Assad’s promise to enforce the UN ban on arms shipments to Hizballah. ...No really. Assad promised.   It is murmured the Israelis laughed off an Annan request during his recent visit for a written note that he could deliver to Iran promising that Israel will not attack them.   Annan’s Next stop: Tehran.

Holy land Christians blast Zionists
JTA 2006/9/1
Four top Christian clerics in Jerusalem slammed Christian Zionists as advancing “racial exclusivity and perpetual war.” ...Christian Zionist groups issued a statement saying the declaration’s language was “inflammatory” and misrepresented their positions. "We pray for peace. But we note with sadness that the present Palestinian government is totally dedicated to the destruction of Israel," three groups said in a statement, referring to the Hamas government.

Iran Upgrades Uranium Enrichment to 20% - Tehran Is Really Not Afraid of Sanctions
DEBKA-Net-Weekly 2006/9/1   (story begins on page 5)
...DEBKA-Net-Weekly’s Iranian sources: Iran has managed to produce enriched uranium graded to 20% in the laboratory. This opens the way for still higher levels, although much more time will be required to produce more than small quantities with the resources to hand.   More immediately, Iran will be getting down to producing a second series of P-2 centrifuges and has made a start on the third.  On the orders of Khamenei’s office, the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program’s heads aim to manufacture and install from 40 to 50 thousand centrifuges within a year, enough to produce several kilograms of uranium enriched to 80-90% - i.e. weapons grade - within 10 months.  The P-2 breakthrough was achieved, according to our sources, with the help of a Pakistani expert secretly hired and brought over last May. He is a member of the Pakistani nuclear black marketeer Abdul-Qader Khan’s team. ...

Syria threat over Golan puts Israel on war alert
Telegraph.co.uk 2006/9/30
Israel has gone on heightened alert over a possible war with Syria amid reports that President Bashar Assad may be considering military strikes to regain the Golan Heights.   For years Israeli military intelligence has down-played Syria's capacity to launch a meaningful attack against Israel, and the threat level has been kept "low".   But Israeli reports have revealed that the threat level had been raised after intelligence assessments that Damascus is "seriously examining" military action. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
An attack by Syria would be the last straw, and impetus to complete this last uprooting.

Ben-Eliezer: Assassinate Nasrallah
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/30
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) called on Saturday for the assassination of Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.   "He is dangerous to everyone," Ben-Eliezer declared in an interview to Army Radio - an interview that Army Radio reported was picked up and reported by a number of foreign news outlets, including the British Sky News - and said that Israel should target Nasrallah at an "appropriate opportunity."   Ben-Eliezer also said that he was "unimpressed" by Syrian President Bashar Assad's announcement that he was willing to negotiate with Israel. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Egypt, Jordan want Hamas gov’t toppled
Judeoscope 2006/9/30
...Delegates from Arab states also demanded that Hamas bows to demands by the Quartet of peace brokers - the United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States - that it recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a precondition to forming a unity government with Fatah.   Jordan said it will advice Abbas on legal means to topple the Hamas government if it continues to refuse to recognize Israel. ...

Hashemite Islamic Councils Kick off in the First Friday of Ramadan
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/29
The First Hashemite Islamic Council entitled "Muslims and Future Challenges" kicked off on Friday. ...The councils are organized by Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and take place at the Islamic Cultural Center of King Abdullah I Mosque.   The councils gain the patronage of His Majesty the King in this holy month, where a number of Muslim scholars come together from Jordan, Arab and Islamic countries. ...Salem talked about the future of Islamic culture and challenges the Muslim nation faces, underlining that the greatest challenge is breaking away from its past and thought. ...

DoD OKs sale of helicopters, control system to Jordan
Market Watch 2006/9/29
The Pentagon has signed off on Jordan's request to buy two Black Hawk helicopters and a $450 million command and control system. ...It said Jordan needs the equipment so its military can respond quickly to national security threats.    "The proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a key regional partner who has proven to be a vital force for political stability and peace in the Middle East," the U.S. defense agency said.   United Technologies Corp.'s (UTX) Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. unit makes the Black Hawk helicopters, which will be used for transporting King Abdullah II and other government officials. General Electric Co. (GE) makes the engines. That deal is valued at $60 million.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
? Daniel 11:38 ...But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

UN, Do More than Assuage Guilt
The Washington Post 2006/9/29
...Jordan offers the world a person who is familiar with the conflict in the Middle East and is a representative of Arab moderation and reform. The UN record on the Middle East has been bad and looks likely to remain so. The list of unfulfilled UN resolutions on Palestine is long.   If the international community is serious about solving the Palestinian conflict then it should vote for the Jordanian candidate. Judging from the UN's record, it seems unlikely that a Jordanian official -- even a Hashemite prince - can do much, but it might be worth giving this seemingly intractable problem a chance to find a permanent solution. ...

Syria defies US threat and backs Hamas, Hezbollah
Gulf Times 2006/9/29
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice threatened this week to toughen sanctions Washington imposed on Syria in 2004, mainly because of its support for the two movements, which Washington regards as "terrorist organisations". ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Syria vows to back Hamas, Hizbullah at all costs
The Daily Star 2006/9/29
Syria will keep supporting Hamas and Hizbullah despite US threats to impose more sanctions on it, a Syrian government newspaper said on Thursday. Relations between the United States, Israel's chief ally, and Syria have been bad for years, and hit a new low after last year's assassination in Beirut of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was friendly with Washington.   A UN investigation said the assassination could not have been carried out without the knowledge of Syrian security officials. Damascus denies involvement in the killing.   "Syria is more determined to stand by the resistance until the land is liberated and Israel is defeated," an editorial in the newspaper Baath said. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

The Case for Waterboarding
FrontPageMag 2006/9/29
...Although waterboarding is normally employed as the last resort and the frequency of its use kept secret, it has been made known that so far it has worked every time it has been tried. Thanks to its extraordinary efficacy, we have been able to obtain a great amount of critical intelligence that would have otherwise remained inaccessible. With the help of this information we have captured al-Qaeda operatives, stopped deadly plots, and saved many innocent lives. One of the fruits of Mohammed’s confession, to give one example, was the thwarting of a conspiracy to fly an airliner into the Library Tower, the tallest building in Los Angeles.   Given these facts, it is almost incomprehensible that there are some people in this country who insist that we relinquish this life-saving tool. Resting their objections on ethical grounds, they try to convince us that the procedure is morally unacceptable. But theirs is a misguided stance ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.    ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding

American-Arab Summit Will Focus on Israel, Iran
The New York Sun 2006/9/29
America and its Arab allies are rushing to finish last-minute planning for a diplomatic summit next week on possible Arab-Israeli negotiations and Iran's nuclear program.   The summit of foreign ministers is likely to coincide with Secretary of State Rice's visit to the Middle East, where she is scheduled to visit Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Arab territories, and Saudi Arabia. The conference, to be sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council, a grouping of oil-rich states in the Persian Gulf, appears to be a direct outgrowth of President Bush's speech at the U.N. General Assembly earlier this month, in which he announced that he is sending Ms. Rice to the region. ...

King visits Army Headquarters
The Jordan Times 2006/9/28
...King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces, is greeted by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff General Khaled Sarayreh, during a visit to Army Headquarters ...
? Daniel 11:38 ...But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

Jordan draft law sets up anti-corruption commission
Middle East Times 2006/9/28
The Jordanian parliament has approved a draft law to fight corruption through the creation of a new independent commission capping debates lasting more than a year, officials said. ...In June 2005 King Abdullah II instructed the government of former prime minister Adnan Badran to set up "an independent commission ... to fight corruption and institutionalize its eradication."   "We aspire to a responsible commission that will pursue any corrupt person," the king had said in a letter to Badran, adding that he considers "nepotism" a form of corruption that should be wiped out from Jordan.

King Checks on Situations of Salhyeh and Nayfeh District, Orders to Build Houses for Them
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/28
...King Abdullah II issued orders to build other 26 residential units for poor in Salhyeh and Nayfeh village who live in tents and to improve educational and medical services in the area.   King Abdullah also issued orders to distribute food stuff sufficient for six months for the families in the village, promising villagers to pay them other visit in the coming few months to check on them. ...
A benevolent king.  Winning the hearts and minds of people one good deed at a time.

Shofar, not so good: Blower barred from Temple Mount
Israelis concerned sound of Jewish instrument offensive to Muslims congregating at holy site
WorldNetDaily 2006/9/28
...Shmulik Ben Ruby, a spokesman for the Jerusalem Police Authority, told WND the Jewish man, 19-year-old Jerusalem resident Eliyahi Kleiman, was taken forcibly from the Western Wall last weekend for fear the sound of the shofar would offend nearby Muslims congregating on the Temple Mount, which is opposite the wall.   "Hundreds of Muslims went up to the Temple Mount. In order to prevent any tensions between the two sides, we asked Kleiman to stop blowing the shofar," Ben Ruby said. "He continued and so he was removed and detained." ...

Crossfire War - Hezbollah on Re-Supply Schedule for Next War - mid-October
News Blaze 2006/9/28
...it seems that Israel's government the Knesset, its foreign affairs and security committee, is ignoring warnings that emerged right after the ceasfire in mid-August, that with the rampant arms trade going on Palestinian units in the south and Hezbollah up north are now able to start wars simultaneously around Israel. One month ago crossfirewar.com reported Israel's intelligence services estimate, their projection for when Tehran-Damascus, using Palestinians and Hezbollah, will be ready to start the next phase of fighting at their current rate of re-supply, mid-October.

US Affairs: Damascus be damned
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/28
Israel's quick rejection of Syria's latest overture did not come as a surprise to policy-makers in the Bush administration. After years of trying as hard as possible to push a Syrian-Israeli peace process forward, the US has given up, at least temporarily, on such a prospect. ...Indeed, in the eyes of US policy-makers, Damascus has evolved from being a key to regional peace to constituting an obstacle to American interests. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Israel Rejects Syrian Peace Overture
All Headline News 2006/9/28
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Thursday publicly rejected a recent peace overture by Syrian President Bashar Assad, citing the latter's continued support for Palestinian terrorist organizations.   Olmert told Israel Radio that Syria "was and remains the main supporter of the Palestinian terror groups who daily try to carry out terrorism against the state of Israel.   "In my opinion, this is not a foundation on which it is possible to hold peace negotiations." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots

Jordan's King expresses concern about stability in Sudan
People's Daily Online 2006/9/27
Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed on Monday Jordan's keenness on supporting efforts that aim at enhancing stability in Sudan and preserving its territorial integrity.   During a meeting with visiting Sudanese Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Hussein, Abdullah said that Jordan will support all efforts serving interests of the Sudanese people and preserving stability and security in the country. ...

A battle lost
The Washington Times 2006/9/27
...the United States has suffered a substantial defeat in the war against radical Islam.   Three weeks ago, Pakistan signed the terms of the Waziristan Accord with the northern region of its country called North Waziristan. It was, effectively, the terms of surrender by Pakistan to the Taliban and al Qaeda, which dominate North Waziristan. Pakistan has negotiated a separate peace -- the eternal danger to any wartime alliance. ...
Contributed by Bob Anderson.

Israel names new general for Lebanon, Syria fronts
Reuters 2006/9/27
Israel appointed a new military commander for its Lebanese and Syrian fronts on Wednesday, replacing a general who resigned amid charges of incompetence in waging the war against Hizbollah. ...

Admit We’re Peaceful…or Else
FrontPageMag 2006/9/27
...At his meeting this week with the Muslim representatives, Pope Benedict refused to kowtow once more, as his critics had expected him to do. He told the diplomatic envoys: “The circumstances which have given rise to our gathering are well known. I have already had occasion to dwell upon them in the course of the past week.” Rather, he told them: “I am profoundly convinced that in the current world situation it is imperative that Christians and Muslims engage with one another in order to address the numerous challenges that present themselves to humanity.” But, the pontiff told them, this can only occur if there is “a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge.” And therein lies the greatest irony of this whole dramatic episode: by their own words and actions these past two weeks, Benedict’s most vociferous critics—both in the Western world and in the Muslim umma—have given us far more knowledge of the ideologies driving them in the here and now than any quote from a king of yesteryear.

U.S. And Israel Get Tough On Syria
All Headline News 2006/9/27
...U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the international community is "going to have to start looking at further sanctions on Syria if it is to continue on the path it's currently on."   "I think that the Syrians look as if they've made their choice and their choice is to associate with extremist forces in Iran," said Rice, who believes that garnering support for increased sanctions will be made increasingly easy "as Syria continues to show its stripes and isolate itself." ...

Jordanian court convicts 5 of plotting attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq
Chron.com 2006/9/27
Jordan's military court today convicted five men of plotting attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq, including a cousin of slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.   The five were sentenced to prison terms ranging between six months to five years. ...

Despite U.N. calls, no side moving to disarm Hezbollah
International Herald Tribune 2006/9/27
Six weeks after the end of the Lebanon war, the militant Hezbollah group is facing little on-the-ground pressure to give up its weapons — despite a U.N. cease-fire resolution calling for the eventual disarming of the guerrillas.   The leaders of a U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon say the job is not theirs. And Lebanon's ill-equipped army, some of whose soldiers wear tin-pot helmets and carry outdated M-16 rifles, shows no signs of diving into a confrontation with battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters ...

Cyprus releases Syria-bound weapons ship
yNetNews 2006/9/27
Cypriot authorities release suspected air defense radars seized three weeks ago on a Syria-bound vessel; there is no arms embargo on Syria but Cyprus refused to release cargo after vessel's manifest said shipment consisted of irrigation pipes, meteorological equipment ...

Allah imposes on Jerusalem's Jews
Jerusalem Newswire 2006/9/27
Fearing violence by Muslim mobs fired-up by the Ramadan sermons now being delivered daily atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount, Israeli authorities have instructed Jewish residents of parts of the capital's Old City to remain indoors during the evening hours.   Local Jews complained that police should be enforcing the law equally among all citizens, rather than cowering in fear at the mere hint of Muslim hostility. ...

Syria offers rewards to Golan settlers
United Press International 2006/9/27
Syrian President Bashar Assad said cash rewards will be offered for citizens residing permanently on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.   The president's decree said the rewards, available to all workers, officials and service providers, would be provided to those returning to the region with the objective of "supporting the resilience of our people on the Golan and encouraging others to return," ...

King Congratulates Yemeni President on Sept. 26 Revolution
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...King Abdullah II sent a cable to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall come "in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.

Jordan to supply power to Jericho
The Jerusalem Post 2006/9/26
National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer on Monday gave his approval for Hemi, the Jerusalem District Electric Company, to link Jericho to Jordan's electric grid through 33,000 volt high-tension lines. ...Hemi had negotiated with the Jordanian electric company, King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit and the country's energy minister towards their approval of the project to supply Jericho Jordanian power through Hemi lines. ...

Aid Convoy due in the Palestinian Lands on Wednesday
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...a new aid convoy will arrive in the Palestinian lands on Wednesday to help Palestinians face shortage in basic consumer goods.   The aid, which comes in implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, is sent by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity organization in cooperation with the Jordan Armed Forces' Crisis Management Center. ...
A benevolent king.  Winning his kingdom truckloads at a time.

King opens Ah El-Kahf religious site
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
...King Abdullah II on Tuesday opened the project of Ahl El-Kahf site development.... ...In the same place, which is full of religious and historical gestures, a mosque with minarets and domes has been built. And it has been surrounded by walls and trees, within a plan to carry out the Hashemite construction of religious sites in Jordan, which has included twenty sites along the Kingdom. ...His Majesty started his opening ceremony by visiting the tombs of Ahl El-kahf, and was acquainted with the elements of development, where he gave instructions to adopt the halls related to the mosque to be the headquarters of King Abdullah II's Institute for qualification and training of preachers. ...
There's no separation of religion and state in Jordan, AND no ACLU making a fuss either!

King Receives Sudanese Defense MinisterKing Receives Sudanese Defense Minister
Jordan News Agency 2006/9/26
During a meeting on Tuesday with Sudanese Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Hussein and his accompanying delegation, the King affirmed Jordan's support to all efforts that aim at serving interests of the Sudanese people and preserving stability and security in the country. ...Hussein underlined King Abdullah's supportive stands towards Arab issues, noting to Jordan's keenness on achieving peace and stability in Sudan.

Rice Evokes Possible New Sanctions Against Syria for Destabilizing Lebanon