Can the U.S. Defend Itself against North Korean and Iranian Nuclear ICBMs?

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This weekend, Israel National News-Arutz Sheva published a thought provoking article reflecting a sea change in U.S. Anti-Missile Defense against North Korean and Iranian ICBM developments, “U.S. Admits N. Korea, Maybe Iran, Can Now Target it with EMP-Nukes.”

The center piece of the INN article was an April 7, 2015 briefing by U.S. Admiral Bill Gortney, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) the anti-missile command charged with the responsibility of protecting the nation against the ICBM threat. Admiral Gortney confirmed what my colleague Ilana Freedman and this writer, the Heritage Foundation and the U.S.-Korea Institute of the John Hopkins University, School for Advanced International Studies, maintained that North Korea and Iran have mastered the miniaturization of nuclear warheads and may be on the verge of operational ICBMs capable of hitting U.S. military targets in the Western Pacific and within a few years targets across the U.S., perhaps in a devastating EMP attack.

As long ago as August 2011, we discussed this in an NER article, “The Iranian Missile Threat.” In 2012, we participated in an awareness webinar sponsored by the Congressionally chartered EMP Commission that featured nuclear and intelligence experts. In 2013, we broached the question of whether Iranian missiles positioned in missile sites being prepared in the Paraguana Peninsula of ally Venezuela could reach Florida by 2015. In both March 2014 and in April 2015, this writer and Ilana Freedman raised the matter of North Korean and Iranian cooperative development and test of nuclear weapons including the development of MIRV warheads for ICBVMs.

At issue is whether Admiral Gortney’s briefing was the long awaiting admission by the Pentagon that this ICBM threat from rogue regimes North Korea and Iran is both real and compelling. However, the questions still remains, that with the effects of sequestration and the hollowing out of the anti-missile program whether this country is truly prepared to counter it.

Admiral Gortney’s Disturbing Revelations

The INN disclosed these warnings from Admiral Gortney:

That the Pentagon now believes North Korea has mastered the ability to miniaturize its nuclear bombs so they can be fitted onto their latest mobile KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which are capable of reaching the continental United States.

At the news conference, Adm. Gortney flatly stated, Pyongyang has “the ability to put a nuclear weapon on a KN-08 and shoot it at the homeland [the continental United States].” He expressed confidence that the U.S. could knock down such a missile if launched by North Korea or its ally, Iran.

He also admitted, however, that it is “very difficult” for the U.S. to counter the threat, because its intelligence is unable to follow the mobile ICBMs and give an efficient warning before they are launched.

The INN report drew attention to the KN-08 ICBM development and whether we can intercept it:

The KN-08 is a road-capable, highly mobile ICBM, which can be hidden anywhere throughout the North Korea and could be fired on a short-countdown virtually undetectable by American intelligence. As Adm. Gortney further explained about the North’s KN-08 ICBM, “It’s the relocatable [highly-mobile, can go anywhere – ML] target set that really impedes our ability to find, fix, and finish the [KN-08] threat. And as the [KN-08] targets move around and if we don’t have a persistent stare [i.e., the ability to monitor its location at all times – ML] and persistent [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] that we do not have over North Korea at this time, that relocatable nature makes it very difficult for us to be able to counter it.”

Despite Adm. Gortney’s concerns, he still believes that if a KN-08 was fired at the U.S. homeland, in the Admiral’s words – “Should one get airborne and come at us [the U.S. homeland], I’m confident we would be able to knock it down.”

Even if this is true, it is not clear if the U.S. ballistic defense could knock down an incoming North Korean ICBM in time, if the nuke is intended as an EMP weapon, which explodes soon after re-entering the atmosphere.

Watch Admiral Gortney’s Pentagon briefing:

The Heritage Foundation Raised Concern about U.S. South Korean Intelligence Assessments

In June 2014, the Washington, D.C. conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation issued a report raising concern about whether U.S. and South Korean intelligence assessments about North Korean nuclear tipped ICBM developments, “Allies Should Confront Imminent North Korean Nuclear Threat.” The author of the Heritage report, Bruce Klingner is “Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia in The Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center. Klingner’s analysis and writing about North Korea, South Korea, Japan and related issues are informed by his 20 years working at the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency.” Klingner’s analysis found:

  • Experts predominantly assess that North Korea has developed several nuclear devices, but not yet mastered the ability to miniaturize a warhead or deliver it via missile. U.S. and South Korean policymakers presume they still have several years to constrain North Korea’s nuclear threat.
  • Yet available unclassified evidence indicates North Korea has likely already achieved warhead miniaturization, the ability to place nuclear weapons on its medium-range missiles, and a preliminary ability to reach the continental United States with a missile.
  • The United States and its allies face a greater threat today than is widely construed.
  • North Korea now claims that it can strike the United States and its allies with nuclear weapons. Pyongyang has declared it will never negotiate away its nuclear arsenal.
  • Washington and Seoul need to augment missile defenses to better protect against Pyongyang’s more credible and deadly nuclear arsenal.

Against these findings, Klingner offered the following recommendations to protect the U.S. against this threat:

  • Fund its defense commitment to Asia. While the Obama Administration has been stalwart in its rhetoric pledging an “Asia Pivot,” it has not provided the military budget necessary to honor fully American commitments to security in the Pacific. Massive defense budget cuts are already affecting U.S. capabilities in the region, increasing risk to allies, U.S. security and economic interests, and the safety of U.S. service personnel and American citizens living and working in the region.
  • Improve U.S. homeland ballistic missile defense. The U.S. should accelerate deployment of additional ground-based midcourse defense interceptors in Alaska and California to prevent an emerging gap between North Korean ballistic missile capabilities and U.S. defenses.
  • Accelerate development of advanced versions of the SM-3 interceptor for Aegis-capable ships, including restarting the SM-3 Block IIB program, which would give the Aegis system the ability to intercept long-range ballistic missiles.
  • Restart the boost-phase ballistic missile defense programs. During the boost phase, a missile is at its slowest, has not yet deployed decoys, and is therefore most vulnerable and easily intercepted. The Obama Administration cancelled all such programs in its first term, including the Airborne Laser and the Kinetic Energy Interceptor.
  • Restart the multiple kill vehicle program for ground-based interceptors to increase the probability of interception by only one interceptor, rather than requiring the launch of multiple interceptors.
  • Improve and modernize U.S. space-based sensors, including the Space Tracking and Surveillance System. This is a critical capability for detecting missile launches and tracking their trajectory.

icbm ner

The U.S.-Korea Institute of the John Hopkins SAIS Projections of North Korea ICBM Threat

At approximately the same time as Admiral Gortney’s briefing in early April 2015, the JHU SAIS Korea – U.S. Institute released a definitive study on the Nuclear tipped North Korean Missile Threat, the latest assessment of the North Korea’s Nuclear Futures. Among its findings were:

North Korea’s current delivery systems consist of about 1,000 ballistic missiles and a small number of light bombers able to reach most targets in South Korea and Japan. This force is comparatively more advanced than most countries at a similar early stage in the development of their nuclear arsenals since ballistic missiles have played an important role in Pyongyang’s conventional military strategy for many years. As a result, the current force is more than able to accommodate any future growth in the North’s nuclear weapons arsenal, including a worst-case projection of 100 nuclear weapons by 2020.

The North’s regionally-focused delivery systems include: 1) the Nodong medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), a mobile liquid-fueled missile with a range of 1,200-1,500 km and accurate enough to attack cities, ports and military bases; 2) a large stockpile of Scud ballistic missiles—also mobile and liquid-fueled—that could carry a nuclear payload 300-600 km; 3) the mobile, solid-fuel KN-02 Toksa short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), based on the old Soviet SS-21 SRBM that was able to carry nuclear, chemical and conventional warheads; and 4) up to 60 Il-28 light bombers built on a 1950s Soviet design.

The SAIS Korea Institute report identified current North Korean developments:

  • The development of new road-mobile missiles with greater ranges—the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) and KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)—that signal an intention to withstand preemption, provide more significant retaliatory options and to target American bases in Guam and the continental United States;
  • An effort to develop short-range, sea-based, land-attack missiles that increase survivability, expand the threat to theater targets and complicate defense planning since mobile platforms can launch their weapons from any direction;
  • The development of a larger space launch vehicle than the existing Unha SLV—along with the upgrading of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station to launch a new system—as part of what may be an effort to deploy longer-range ballistic missiles; and
  • The development of solid-fuel rocket technology through enhancing the range of the KN-02 SRBM, which could yield greater mobility and survivability for future longer range solid-fuel missiles.

The JHU SAIS Korea-U.S. Institute report concluded:

The dangers posed by North Korea’s continuing effort to develop new nuclear delivery systems are clearly real, although more uncertain than nuclear weapons estimates, given the various technological hurdles Pyongyang will have to overcome in the future. Nevertheless, even if North Korea was severely limited in its ability to further develop a direct threat to the United States beyond probably a handful of ICBMs based on old Soviet technology, its existing inventory of approximately 1,000 missiles has sufficient reliability and range to cover most important targets in Northeast Asia. Moreover, the number of systems likely exceeds even the worst-case estimate for North Korea’s nuclear inventory in this study—that the North could field 100 nuclear weapons by 2020. In short, North Korea has already achieved a level of delivery system development that will allow it to establish itself as a small nuclear power.

Conclusions

These reports by the Heritage Foundation and the JHU SAIS Korea when coupled by U.S. Northern Command chief Admiral Gortney’s Pentagon briefing should raise questions by Congress in their quest this week to review and mark up the Senate Corker-Menendez legislation before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is about the absence of and ability to obtain verification of Iran’s previous military developments whether in illicit clandestine locations in the Islamic Republic or the DPRK. Developments that we suggested in this writer’s and Ms. Freedman’s latest report lie beyond the capabilities of the UN IAEA, US CIA and DIA. Israel’s Operation Orchard in September 2007 demonstrated their invasive technical and HUMINT prowess in both identifying and taking out a North Korea plutonium reactor on the banks of the Euphrates River. Doing that in either or both North Korea and Iran would be a daunting task for Admiral Gortney’s Northern Command. Perhaps this is a matter for immediate attention for the Senate Armed Services Committee and its Chairman  Sen. John McCain.

Watch this YouTube video of a March 26, 2015 presentation by Senator McCain at the Washington, D.C. – based Center for Strategic and International Studies on Military Priorities to determine if Defense against the North Korean-Iranian nuclear missile threat was addressed:

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the New English Review.

VIDEO: CAIR Leader states, ‘No Muslim Brotherhood in America’

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Sometimes catching these slippery Muslim Brotherhood leaders in their silly lies is so easy that we wonder why more Americans don’t confront them at every public venue they appear! On Monday April 13 on Capitol Hill, during Muslim Brotherhood Advocacy Day, I asked Hussam Ayloush, capo-de-capo of CAIR in Los Angeles, if there is a MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD in America.

In his patented oily manner, Hussam, a perceptively nice guy, plays words games with me.

Watch this short video to see how we manage to squeeze an answer out of this heavy-hitter Muslim Brotherhood operative.

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The One and Only Way To Defeat Islamic Based Terrorism

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SAKR ShariaThink of the following words for one second only and then give a one word description of the first thought that enters your mind:

1. Nazi
Now for the second word:
2. Hitler
Now for the third word:
3. Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City Bomber)
Now for the fourth word:
4. Child Rapist
The fifth and final word:
5. Islam

I have given this little test to several people over the last few years. The vast majority of them respond with a very negative description for the words Nazi, Hitler, Timothy McVeigh, and Child Rapist.

The response is quiet different when they describe with one word Islam. Ten years ago, when I first began giving this test, people were told to describe Islam in one word. The typical responses were: Misunderstood, Religion, Mohammed, Middle East, and Shariah. The responses of people who have taken the test in the last year has grown to a more harsh description of the word Islam, but not to the point of being as harsh as the words Nazi, Hitler, McVeigh, or Child Rapist.

In order to defeat Islamic based terrorism the mindset of people must change their thoughts and descriptions of of the word Islam to be similar to their descriptions of Nazi, Hitler, McVeigh and Child Rapist’s. This can only be accomplished if the American and world media, politicians, senior law enforcement, teachers, corporations, Christian and Jewish leaders, and the American president begin branding ‘Islam’ as what it truly is: violent, dangerous, filthy, evil, Mohammed the Child Rapist, and the major threat to the free world.

During my four decades of studying the Middle East, the Arabic language and Islam, I went through various phases of my descriptions of Islam and it’s founder Prophet Mohammed. The primary difference between the vast majority of people and myself is that I rolled through the phases at a much faster rate. I went from thinking Islam was a religion of peace, to describing Islam with the most vulgar terms humanely imaginable. My description of Islam came to a head about two years before the tragic events of 9/11. I began calling Islam for what it is (vulgar and disgusting) and did not hold back.

My change about Islam and Mohammed was not made lightly and without vast amounts of thought, first-hand research, and absorbing thousands upon thousands of manuals, books,
audio recordings, and videos produced by Muslims and Islamic leaders across the world. In essence I did not rely on self described experts of Islam and terrorism. Instead I became self educated basing my thoughts on what Islamic leaders were advocating to their followers worldwide. I visited several countries throughout the Middle East, visited mosques in the Middle East, and went to the front lines in 2003 when Operation Iraqi freedom started. I interviewed hundreds of Muslims while in the Middle East (to include members of Islamic based terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda).

Since my return to America I have conducted research inside the Muslim Brotherhood National Headquarters in Washington D.C. (CAIR National). I have conducted first-hand research in over 275 mosques in America.

Contrary to what Islamic leaders and organizations such as CAIR say that Islam is a very complex and complicated ideology to understand, the understanding of Islam is rather easy. Billions of Muslims across the world claim to have worshiped, studied and understand their religion. Millions of Muslims to this day can’t read or write, and have very little schooling of any type. The conclusion is it does not take a genius to understand ‘true’ Islam. The only qualification you must have is to begin with an open mind and study everything Islamic you can get your hands on.

The violent actions of ISIS and other Islamic terrorist groups is based solely on what their Prophet Mohammed taught over 1400 years ago. The teachings of Prophet Mohammed are taught in every mosque, Islamic school, and even in our public schools. Islamic leaders are very firm on their stance that Prophet Mohammed is the example for all of mankind to follow.

Prophet Mohammed in actuality had the same qualities of Adolph Hitler, Timothy McVeigh, and the same immoralities as evil child rapists across the world have. Mohammed taught the hatred of Jews and Christians, the use of violent force to convince people to follow Islam, and he was a rapists of small children during his 50 plus years of life.

Based on my current descriptions of Islam and Mohammed, I have been labeled an Islamaphobe, hater, racist, and war monger. The truth is I respect and love anyone who is a good person and has no thoughts about killing innocent people, destroying Israel or any country that supports Israel, and more importantly I love and respect any person regardless of race, religion, or culture who advocate and promote the love and caring for the children throughout the world. Contrary if you put plans in place to destroy the free world by using force to meet an objective of forming an Islamic caliphate worldwide and under Shariah law, then you have incurred my hatred for you and your ideology. I will use what little power I have to attempt to destroy your ideology.

I close by stating the media, politicians, Jewish and Christian leaders, and the American president must start a campaign to BRAND Islam as violent, dangerous, immoral, and an ideology that abuses innocent girls and women. The world is on the brink of disaster due to the ideology of Islam and the lack of world leaders to describe Islam just as they would Nazi, Hitler, McVeigh, and Child Rapists. Islam has all of the horrible qualities and is 100 times more dangerous than the disgusting Hitler.

Islamic based terrorism cannot be defeated by air-power, boots on the ground, diplomacy, or even by using nuclear bombs on Islamic terrorist camps around the world. As long as our American president,the media, so called counter-terrorism experts and others describe Islam with nice words such as Islam has been hijacked, only radical Muslims commit terrorist acts, and that the Prophet Mohammed is a man to follow, then we will in our lifetime be condemned to a life of misery, fear, and violence in the name of Islam.

Keep in mind that if you express your views as I have, you will be labeled as a hater and racist. You will be attacked from the left and right, Islamic terrorists, and even your American president will label you as the primary threat to world peace.

If you love America, Israel, the free world, and innocent children, then you will put them ahead of your own safety and comforts of life.

Denouement on P5+1 Iran Nuclear Deal?

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Yesterday, President Putin was up to his usual antics lifting the 2010 moratorium on sale of the Russian S-300 advanced air defense system.  This was exquisitely timed to  consternate  the  efforts  of President Obama and  Secretary of State Kerry in the midst of trying to sell Congress  today on the merits of  the inchoate  P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran. In diplo-speak the most the White House and State Department could say in response was that Putin’s action was “unhelpful”.   State Department spokesperson Marie Harf in response to questions raised in yesterday‘s Daily Press Briefing said:

“We think given Iran’s destabilizing actions in the region, in places like Yemen or Syria or Lebanon that this isn’t the time to be selling these kind of systems to them.” But she added: “We don’t think this will have an impact on unity in terms of inside the negotiating room.”

For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu it was evidence that Russia, as we wrote in January may have signed on to the Axis of Resistance . At the time on January 20th, smiling Russian and Iranian Defense Ministers met in Tehran, shook hands and publicly announced that the moratorium was passé. The $800 million paid by Iran for the S-300 air defense system   would finally be honored and the new toys delivered to protect Iran‘s nuclear and military development centers from an air assault by Israel.  We wrote:

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu signed an “cooperation” agreement with Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan in Tehran.  Both countries are the targets of Western and US Sanctions. Both countries are afflicted with erosion of oil and energy revenues.  Both countries are seeking to blunt opposing US interests in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.  That is reflected in a comment of Iranian State television by Dehghan reported by AFP, that Iran and Russia had a “shared analysis of US global strategy, its interference in regional and international affairs and the need to cooperate in the struggle against the interference of foreign forces in the region.”  There is also the matter of weapon systems deals with proceeds which might bolster Russia’s depleting foreign currency reserves, while combating America’s ally in the Middle East, Israel.

Iranian Defense Minister   Dehghan in light of Putin lifting the moratorium on the S-300 sale said: “Extra-regional threats and the spread of terrorism by (insurgent) groups have increased the need to further expand cooperation.”  Note this Wall Street Journal comment about who directly benefits in Russia from the sale of the Antey S-300 System to Iran:

Rostec Corporation Chief Executive Officer Sergei Chemezov said in February that Iran was still considering Russia’s offer to supply Antey-2500 missile systems, with a range of about 200 kilometers (125 miles), according to Russian state news agency TASS. Rostec didn’t immediately respond to questions about the status of the offer on Monday.

Mr. Chemezov, who became friends with Mr. Putin when the two worked for the KGB in the 1980s, is among those sanctioned by the U.S. over the crisis in Ukraine.

That was a prelude to yesterday’s announcement from the Kremlin. Putin purposefully chose yesterday to rattle the West Wing, Foggy Bottom and Jerusalem by proving that  sanctions, whether UN, EU or Congressional are next to useless when it comes to dealing with rogue regimes. The only thing these masters of disinformation and mischief understand is the willingness to back up words with commitment to us military power.  Something lacking in the backbone of the P5+1 cabal lusting after exchanges with the Mahdist Mullahs in Tehran with visions of billion dollar and Euro development deals dancing in their minds.   Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), unlike the Metternichean Munchkins in the West Wing said it best in today’s Wall Street Journal:

“Before a final nuclear deal is even reached, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has started to demolish international sanctions and ignore the U.N. arms embargo,” said Sen. Mark Kirk (R., Ill.), who sponsored legislation that seeks to impose new sanctions on Iran if a final deal isn’t reached by June 30.

Notice the assist that Foreign Minister Lavrov provided as rational for his boss’ latest chess move:

“At this stage, we believe the need for this kind of embargo, and a separate voluntary Russian embargo, has completely disappeared,” Mr. Lavrov said Monday, citing the recent progress in nuclear talks. He called the missile system “exclusively of a defensive nature” and said it “doesn’t threaten the security of any governments in the region, including, of course, Israel.”

Not trusting these fine words from Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said:

“It’s proof that the economic momentum that will come for Iran after lifting sanctions will be exploited for an arms buildup and not for the welfare of the people of Iran,” Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said.

That must have garnered more respect from Secretary Kerry poised to brief House and Senate members this week on the nuclear deal with no content announced in Lausanne 12 days ago.  Kerry had the cupidity to praise Russia for its constructive stand, a reference to a Foreign Ministry announcement allegedly saying that the State Department Fact Sheet on the parameters for a final agreement to be reached by June 30th was “accurate”.  Note what Josh Earnest , White House Press Spokesperson said; “That underscores the kind of unity around the specific agreement that we believe has been critical to our success.” President Obama hedged his bets this weekend reiterating “the possibility of backsliding” before the June 30 deadline.

 Something that both Supreme Ruler Ayatollah Khamenei and Foreign Minister Zarif suggested was simply “spin.”  Then, last Thursday, Khamenei demanded that all sanctions be lifted upon signing of an agreement with the P5+1 and hands off our national security and military developments.  Not to worry, said President Obama, Khamenei was simply grandstanding before his hard liners on their version of National Nuclear Development Day celebrations following their perceived victory on April 2nd in Switzerland.  The deal with no content was still on despite the tough slog to create definitive terms by the deadline of June 30th.  That the Congress shouldn’t interfere with what he deemed the “best bet” to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear device to complement its rising hegemony in the troubled Levant.  He was like the Looney Tunes cartoons character Yosemite Sam suggesting to both Congress and Israel to “back off”. You will get your chance to learn about the final deal if and when it occurs.   Not exactly confidence building steps.

President Obama stoked the disquiet over the P5+1 deal with remarks in both his New York Times and NPR interviews suggesting that Iran would be prevented from achieving nuclear breakout in the remaining months of his second and final term in office and that 10 to 15 years out, all bets were off about Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons.  President Obama always point to IAEA’s track record to conduct “robust intrusive” inspections.  Weapons and the means of delivering them that some believe may have been covertly developed in cooperation with the DPRK.  North Korea  was beyond the ability of the IAEA to verify military  nuclear development s  as evidenced by  the  failure of  a more worthy framework developed by the Clinton Administration that  North Korea breached and was sanctioned by the Un repeatedly while relentlessly  developing and testing nuclear weapons and the ICBMs  to deliver them. Thereby putting the lie to President Obama’s assertion that “if Iran cheats, the world will know”.  Rogue regimes, whether in Moscow, Pyongyang, or Tehran are your basic sociopaths. They believe that agreements are simply black dots on white paper, meaningless. Or as Humpty Dumpty said to Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass:

When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”

The Administration is rolling its big guns in briefings to both the House and Senate. Besides Kerry, Energy and Treasury Secretaries, Ernest Moniz and Jack Lew will be sent to the Hill to make the case for the P5+1 deal to proceed. Notwithstanding  that Congress is poised for legislative action this week in a possible denouement with the White House.   Embattled  Democrat  New Jersey U.S. Senator  Bob Menendez , targeted with corruption charges by  the Obama Justice Department, suggested he wasn’t “backing  off” from  his  co-sponsorship with  Republican colleague, Tennessee  Senator Bob Corker , chair of  the Senate Foreign  Relations committee,  of  Iran nuclear deal review legislation. A vote is scheduled this week that may determine whether the bill is veto-proof, given a threat from President Obama. It appears from a Politico report today that Corker and the Democrats may have reached a compromise enabling passage by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday of the pending legislation.  Given the emerging Iranian and now Russian defiance of sanctions and previous military developments inspections, the vote may be within striking distance of becoming veto proof on the Senate version of the pending legislation. Evidenced by comments from both House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) that the GOP majority could deliver a veto proof vote on the Senate version.

Now, if you have gotten this far in reading this, you might ask whether the sophisticated S-300 system that the Wall Street Journal said was capable of knocking down swarms of cruise and ballistic missiles, attacking aircraft. Aircraft like the aging B-2 Stealth bomber capable of carrying that new and more powerful Massive Ordnance Penetrator that Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said the USAF tested in January 2015. Think of what Israel did in 2008, a year following its destruction of a North Korean supplied nuclear reactor and bomb factory on the Euphrates River at al-Kibar in Syria in Operation Orchard.  As we wrote in our January 2015 Axis of Resistance Iconoclast post:

In June 2008, Israel’s air force undertook massive air training exercises involving more than 100 aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean against Greek S-300 Russian air defense systems. That effort demonstrated the canny effectiveness of swarming attacks against the S-300 and later versions that upset the Iranian military and Revolutionary Guards.

That was seven years ago. Perhaps, Israel has followed with keen interest the development of advanced versions of the S-300, the S-400 and might have something in mind to keep Iran’s Defense establishment worried.  Unlike their peers in the Pentagon, Israel doesn’t talk about such matters.

Meanwhile, will Congress act on Iran nuclear deal review legislation setting up a denouement with President Obama over his threat to veto it?  Stay tuned for developments.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the New English Review.

Islamic State demands $30 million for Christian hostages

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They are acting in complete accord with Islamic law. Here is a salient passage on this issue from a Shafi’i manual of Islamic law:

When an adult male is taken captive, the caliph considers the interests … (of Islam and the Muslims) and decides between the prisoner’s death, slavery, release without paying anything, or ransoming himself in exchange for money or for a Muslim captive held by the enemy. (Umdat al-Salik o9.14)

A revered Islamic jurist, Al-Mawardi, agrees with ‘Umdat al-Salik:

As for the captives, the amir has the choice of taking the most beneficial action of four possibilities: the first, to put them to death by cutting their necks; the second, to enslave them and apply the laws of slavery regarding their sale or manumission; the third, to ransom them in exchange for goods or prisoners; and fourth, to show favor to them and pardon them. (Al-Ahkam As-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance), 4.5)

“ISIS demands $30 million in exchange for Assyrian hostages,” by Ariel Cohen, Jerusalem Post, April 12, 2015 (thanks to Blazing Car Fur):

The Islamic State group has set a demand of a $30 million ransom for the release of hundreds of Christian hostages in their captivity in Syria.

The terrorist organization is demanding up to $100,000 per individual, according to a report over the weekend from Fox News. The group captured between 250-300 Christians on February 23 in the Northern Hasaka province of Syria, an area native to the country’s Christian population.

The demands came during ongoing talks between the Assyrian leadership and ISIS fighters. Third-party Syrian Sunni Muslims are reportedly brokering the talks between the two sides. A total of 23 hostages have been released to date. Reports further indicate that ISIS is using these Christians as human shields in military confrontations.

“They know we cannot come up with this kind of money, so they are hoping other groups and countries will come up with the money,” FOX quoted an Assyrian official as saying….

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Islamic State saboteur arrested in planned bomb attack on Fort Riley, Kansas

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Fort Riley is home of the legendary Big Red One, the famed U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division. You may recall the 1980 Sam Fuller autobiographical film by the same name, starring the late Lee Marvin and Star Wars actor Mark Hamill. The film depicted Marvin as Sgt. Leading a special infantry unit through combat in North Africa, Italy and Germany.  There are 25,000 uniformed members the Army 1st Infantry Division and civilian personnel on this storied military post located 70 miles west of the Kansas State Capitol at Topeka on I-70.  Today, a 20 year old Topeka native John T. Booker, also known as Muhammed Abdullah Hassan, was arrested and charged with plotting to drive a van loaded with what he thought was 1,000 pounds of explosives in an attempted suicide mission in support of ISIS at Fort Riley. If convicted Booker could face life in prison.     

Fort Riley location

Location of Fort Riley, Kansas.

The Capital Journal of Topeka reported:

According to the indictment, Booker, who is also known as Muhammed Abdullah Hassan, was recruited by the U.S. Army in Kansas City and was scheduled to report for basic training on April 7, 2014.

Before he could report, Booker was interviewed by FBI agents regarding Facebook posts he had made.

“I will soon be leaving you forever so goodbye! I’m going to wage jihad and hopes that I die,” he wrote on March 15, 2014, according to federal prosecutors.

“Getting ready to be killed in jihad is a HUGE adrenaline rush!! I am so nervous. NOT because I’m scared to die but I am eager to meet my lord,” he wrote four days later, on March 19.

On March 20, FBI agents questioned Booker about the Facebook posts. After waiving his Miranda rights, Booker allegedly told agents that he enlisted in the Army to commit an insider attack against American soldiers similar to one carried out by Nidal Hassan at Ford Hood, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009.

“Booker stated that if he went overseas and was told to kill a fellow Muslim, he would rather turn around and shoot the person giving orders,” the indictment alleges. “Booker clarified that he did not intend to kill ‘privates,’ but that he wanted to target someone with power. Booker also said that he did not intend to use large guns, but instead a small gun or a sword.”

After questioning by the FBI, Booker was denied access into the military.

john-thomas-bomb-plotABC noted the charges for Booker’s arrest and an accomplice who failed to report the plot:

A man charged Friday with plotting a suicide bomb attack on a Kansas military base to help the Islamic State group was mentally ill and was acting strangely only days before his arrest, according to a Muslim cleric who said he was counseling him at the request of the FBI.

John T. Booker Jr., 20, of Topeka, is accused of planning a suicide attack at Fort Riley. Prosecutors allege he told a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant he wanted to kill Americans and engage in violent jihad on behalf of the terrorist group, and said he believed such an attack was justified because the Quran “says to kill your enemies wherever they are,” according to a criminal complaint.

Authorities arrested Booker on Friday as he was trying to arm what he thought was a 1,000 pound bomb outside the Army post. The criminal complaint filed in federal court in Topeka charges him with three crimes, including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.

The top federal prosecutor for Kansas also charged another Topeka man, Alexander E. Blair, 28, with failing to report Booker’s plans to authorities. The complaint alleges that Blair and Booker shared some “extremist views” and that Blair loaned Booker money to rent space to build and store a bomb.

Note the sting operation by the FBI and alleged cooperation of the local Imam at the Islamic Center in Topeka:

Imam Omar Hazim of the Islamic Center of Topeka told The Associated Press that two FBI agents brought Booker to him early in 2014 for counseling, hoping to turn the young man away from radical beliefs. Hazim said the agents told him that Booker suffered from bipolar disorder, characterized by unusual mood swings that can affect functioning.

Hazim said he expressed concerns to the FBI about allowing him to move freely in the community at their first encounter.

Hazim said he later heard that two others were involved in a bombing plot with Booker. He said the FBI told him they were undercover FBI agents and that the sting was arranged to get Booker, “off the streets.”

“I think the two FBI agents set him up, because they felt at that point someone else might have done the same thing and put a real bomb in his hands,” Hazim said.

He said he has come to the conclusion that the sting was the right thing to do. He said Booker admitted to him on Tuesday that he had stopped taking his medication because he didn’t like the way it made him feel and it was expensive.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas declined to comment on Hazim’s comments.

The soft-spoken Booker made his first court appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in Topeka, answering basic questions and correcting the spelling of his alias, Muhammad Abdullah Hassan. Booker was ordered to remain jailed. A grand jury is expected to consider the case next week.

The past two weeks have witnessed the arrest of U.S. ISIS wannabes in New York, Philadelphia and Illinois in other bomb plots including U.S. military bases.

Neither Booker’s family nor friends could understand the transformation by their son and school friend into an ISUA wannabe jihadist coming from a Christian family, notwithstanding his bi-polar condition. As to why youths like John T. Booker aka Muhammad Abdullah Hassan are inspired by ISIS  note  this assessment  from Dr. Michael Welner, renowned  forensic psychiatrist in an April 2015 NER article:

What ISIS has tapped into is the notion of the Islamic Caliphate. For those who are devout Muslims, they are very vulnerable, very sensitive to the idea that a Caliphate is required in order for a Muslim to adequately observe one’s faith. It is the equivalent of what we have seen in other faiths of false messiahs. The notion of a messiah — if you can carry it off — is so powerful that it gives the movement, for those who subscribe to it, the entitlement to say come and join and be part of what gives the Caliphate the opportunity to declare itself: that it has land fight for it.” Thus, people are fighting for a cause and that’s why they are joining. They are not joining because of You Tube; they are not joining because of social media. Social media only enable them to be reached, to be energized, to go beyond themselves and to get caught up in something messianic.

The arrest of Booker aka Muhammad Abdullah Hassan occurred on the same day that 47 Purple Hearts were awarded those killed and injured by Maj. Hassan, an Army Psychiatrist. He was convicted in 2013 and given a death sentence on 13 charges or premeditated murder and 32 charges of attempted murder for his jihadist mass shooting of   soldiers at a Fort Hood, Texas deployment center on November 9, 2009.  Hassan is imprisoned; awaiting an appeal, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas located 135 miles northeast from Fort Riley above Kansas City.  USA Today, in an article on today’s ceremony at Fort Hood, wrote:

The Purple Heart ceremony was years in the making because the Pentagon previously considered the Fort Hood attack workplace violence. Only after a years-long battle by victims and their families did Congress mandate a change in the medals’ eligibility criteria. “No one was more affected than those we honor today with the Purple Heart and Defense of Freedom medal. Simply stated, this is what our Army is all about,” said retired Gen. Robert W. Cone, who was commander of III Corps and Fort Hood at the time of the attack. “Thank you for your persistence in making sure the government does the right thing by these great patriots.”

Problem is that no health and disability benefits came along with those Purple Hearts awarded today.  Curious that John T. Booker  was  inspired to adopt  the same name as convicted jihadist Maj. Hassan.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the New English Review. The featured image is from the Facebook page of John T. Booker, Jr., aka Muhammed Abdullah Hassan.

Iran military endorses a nuclear EMP attack on the U.S.

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Iranian Military Documents endorsed an HEMP attack scenario on the U.S. What you are about to read sounds like science fiction; it is not. It is a 21st century weapon we must deal with. This article has not been written to frighten anyone; but we should all be frightened because it would be worse than a million ‘Pearl Harbor’ attacks.

AFP reports:

The U.S. military command that scans North America’s skies for enemy missiles and aircraft plans to move its communications gear to a Cold War-era mountain bunker, officers said. The shift to the Cheyenne Mountain base in Colorado is designed to safeguard the command’s sensitive sensors and servers from a potential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, military officers said.

The Pentagon last week announced a $700 million contract with Raytheon Corporation to oversee the work for North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command.

Admiral William Gortney, head of NORAD and Northern Command, said that “because of the very nature of the way that Cheyenne Mountain’s built, it’s EMP-hardened.”

Read more.

33 Minutes: Protecting America in the New Missile Age is a one-hour documentary produced by The Heritage Foundation that tells the story of the very real threat foreign enemies pose to every one of us. The truth is brutal – no matter where on Earth a missile is launched from it would take 33 Minutes or less to hit the U.S. target it was programmed to destroy. Watch the trailer to “33 Minutes” produced by the Heritage Foundation:

33 minutes logoIf the U.S. doesn’t destroy Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons civilization as we know it may be destroyed for hundreds of years. This is a frightening scenario but it can and may very well happen. Here’s why.

If Iran were to explode a high altitude nuclear bomb above the U.S., an HEMP (high altitude electro magnetic pulse) would be set off and it is estimated up to 90 percent of the U.S. population would end up dying. This is not science fiction; it is a fact. Iran’s military documents describe such a scenario.

What is nuclear HEMP? A nuclear device set off at high altitude would set off an electromagnetic pulse that would substantially damage or destroy the entire or most of America’s electric grid. The U.S. would be without electric for a year or more. This means we would have no electric, water service, sewer service, refrigeration, heat, communication, hospital service or anything else that requires electricity to operate. What would follow is starvation, chaos and anarchy on a level never before experienced by mankind.

The issue of a nuclear EMP attack was raised in the final hours of this week’s elections in Israel when U.S. authority Peter Vincent Pry penned a column for Arutz Sheva warning of Iran’s threat to free nations wrote:

“Iranian military documents describe such a scenario — including a recently translated Iranian military textbook that endorses nuclear EMP attack against the United States.”

A knowledgeable source said that the textbook discusses an EMP attack on America in 20 different places.

Arizona Republican Rep. Trent Franks, who is leading an effort to protect the U.S. electric grid from an EMP attack, has recently made similar claims based on the document translated by military authorities.

Once sneered at by critics, recent moves by Iran and North Korea have given credibility to the potential EMP threat from an atmospheric nuclear explosion over the U.S.

Pry has suggested ways for Iran to deliver a nuclear attack: by ship launched off the East Coast, a missile or via satellite.

Either way the result could be destruction of all or part of the U.S. electric grid, robbing the public of power, computers, water and communications for potentially a year.

Iran armed with nuclear missiles poses an unprecedented threat to global civilization.

One nuclear warhead detonated at high-altitude over the United States would blackout the national electric grid and other life sustaining critical infrastructures for months or years by means of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). A nationwide blackout lasting one year, according to the Congressional EMP Commission, could cause chaos and starvation that leaves 90 percent of Americans dead.

Iranian military documents describe such a scenario–including a recently translated Iranian military textbook that endorses nuclear EMP attack against the United States.

Thus, Iran with a small number of nuclear missiles can by EMP attack threaten the existence of modernity and be the death knell for Western principles of international law, humanism and freedom. For the first time in history, a failed state like Iran could destroy the most successful societies on Earth and convert an evolving benign world order into world chaos”. (end quote)

It is reported that Israel has protected much of its electric grid and if attacked by an HEMP it could restore electric within a few days. It has also set up a variety of defenses as well. If Israel can do it, why can’t we.

To protect America there are two things that should be a top security issue that Congress must address without delay.

First Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons or become a threshold nuclear State. Second Congress must quickly pass legislation and funding to ‘harden’ America’s electric grid against an HEMP attack. A nuclear attack can kill thousands; but and HEMP attack could kill millions. Bob Heller

Read more.

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The Growing Iranian Threat to the Gulf 

Iran sends navy vessels near Yemen amid airstrikes: report

North Korea fires missiles into sea as U.S. defense chief visits region

French television network hacked by group claiming ties to ISIS

Iran Framework Silent on Key Nuclear Site

Will Congress become complicit in expanding Iran’s global terrorist activities?

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Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism around the world. It is no secret that the sanctions have squeezed Iran’s economy and forced it to reduce funding to its terrorist proxies including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Once the sanctions are reduced or eliminated billions of dollars will flow into Iran. Undoubtedly a substantial portion will be used to fund its aggression in the Middle East and elsewhere. Even if Iran was not developing nuclear weapons, until Iran ceases and desists  from spreading terrorism around the world the sanction must remain in place.

It is ironic that sanctions have been placed against Russia because of its aggressive activities in the Ukraine and at the same time Obama seeks to eliminate sanctions against Iran a far more aggressive country.

Let us not forget President Obama now acknowledges at the end of thirteen years, or sooner if Iran chooses to develop nuclear weapons before, it can do so. This is a far different story from what President Obama has been saying to the American people.

If sanctions are reduced President Obama the Democrat Senators who go along with him will be complicit in Iran’s aggression and ultimately in a worldwide conflagration.

It should be noted that according to James Jeffrey, Barack Obama’s former ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Iraq, said this about the administration’s current record in the Middle East, “We’re in a goddamn free fall.” Count this administrations Middle East mistakes:

  1. Helping overthrow Muammar Qaddafi in Libya, leading to anarchy and civil war.
  2. Pressuring Husni Mubarak of Egypt to resign, then backing the Muslim Brotherhood, leading now-president Sisi to turn toward Moscow.
  3. Alienating Washington’s most stalwart ally in the region, the Government of Israel.
  4. Dismissing ISIS as “junior varsity” just before it seized major cities.
  5. Hailing Yemen as a counterterrorism success just before its government was overthrown.
  6. Alarming the Saudi authorities to the point that they put together a military alliance against Iran.
  7. Coddling Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, encouraging his dictatorial tendencies.
  8. Leaving Iraq and Afghanistan prematurely, dooming the vast American investment in those two countries.
  9. And, most of all: Making dangerously flawed deals with the nuclear-ambitious mullahs of Iran.

How Hizbullah and Hamas Benefit from Iran Deal – Eyal Zisser

It is not only the Iranians who will enjoy the economic benefits Iran stands to garner from the deal, but also Hizbullah and Hamas operatives, whose paychecks and equipment come directly from the Iranian pocket. The Iran-U.S. deal has cemented Iran’s position as a legitimate regional power.

Tehran has always coveted this position, which entails the expansion of Iran’s influence to include what it considers its “security belt,” that spans from Iran to Lebanon, Gaza and even Israel. Prof. Eyal Zisser is former director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. (Israel Hayom)

RELATED ARTICLES:

Obama now admits Iran will be able to develop nuclear weapons

The Diplomatic Track to War | RealClearPolitics

Here’s How the Fall of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez Could Shape Debate on Iran, Cuba

Iran blasts mock U.S. carrier in war games

Mideast powers trade blame as Yemen teeters

Some Details on the Senate-proposed ESEA Reauthorization

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On April 7, 2015, the Senate education committee announced the following as part of a press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 7 – Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced a bipartisan agreement on fixing “No Child Left Behind.” They scheduled committee action on their agreement and any amendments to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 14.

The result of the Lamar-Murray collaboration on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization (the latest version of which is renamed No Child Left Behind) is this 600-page document entitled, The Every Child Achieves Act of 2015.

I read the first 136 pages of the act, which I refer to below as the Alexander-Murray reauthorization.

I am aware that when the document goes before the Senate education committee, it could well be amended. But for now, in this post, I offer my observations on key points in those first 136 pages as they appear in the draft version of Alexander’s and Murray’s draft as linked above.

The first construction I noticed was that the Alexander-Murray reauthorization document does not include the controversial name, No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) (pg. 4). Yes, the table of contents to be revised is the NCLB table of contents. (To view the complete NCLB document, click here.) However, the original name of the legislation, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, is the name that Alexander and Murray use.

I will still use NCLB for the sake of clarity.

Section 1001 of NCLB (“statement of purpose”) is lengthy and included details such as, “holding schools, local educational agencies, and States accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students, and identifying and turning around low-performing schools that have failed to provide a high-quality education to their students…” and “providing greater decision making authority and flexibility to schools and teachers in exchange for greater responsibility for student performance.”

The Alexander-Murray reauthorization “statement of purpose” is not nearly so detailed:

The purpose of this title is to ensure that all children have a fair, equitable, and significant opportunity to receive a high-quality education that prepares them for postsecondary education or the workforce, without the need for postsecondary remediation, and to close educational achievement gaps.

The Alexander-Murray reauthorization deletes NCLB Section 1003– the one about “school improvement” and which includes language such as, “the State educational agency shall allocate not less than 95 percent of that amount directly to local educational agencies for schools identified for school improvement, corrective action, and restructuring.”

The Alexander-Murray reauthorization also removes NCLB Sections 1111 through 1117, which is the federal micromanagement over states being “sure” that districts are meeting state designations of “proficiency.”

The Alexander-Murray reauthorization includes general language about states submitting “evidence-based strategies for improving student achievement” to the US secretary of education. I was initiallu concerned about the secretary’s power to possibly require states to implement certain standards and assessments, and use those assessments to grade teacher and schools, until I read the following (pgs. 23-27):

‘‘(6) LIMITATIONS.— 4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall not have the authority to require a State, as a condition of approval of the State plan or revisions or amendments to the State plan, to—

‘‘(i) include in, or delete from, such plan 1 or more specific elements of the challenging State academic standards;

‘‘(ii) use specific academic assessment instruments or items;

‘‘(iii) set specific State-designed annual goals or specific timelines for such goals for all students or each of the categories of students, as defined in subsection (b)(3)(A) ;

‘‘(iv) assign any specific weight or specific significance to any measures or indicators of student academic achievement or growth within State-designed accountability systems; 

‘‘(v) include in, or delete from, such a plan any criterion that specifies, defines, or prescribes— 

            ‘‘(I) the standards or measures 2 that States or local educational agencies use to establish, implement, or improve challenging State academic standards, including the content of, or achievement levels within, such standards;

            ‘‘(II) the specific types of academic assessments or assessment items that States and local educational agencies use to meet the requirements of this part; 

            ‘‘(III) any requirement that States shall measure student growth, the specific metrics used to measure student academic growth if a State chooses to measure student growth, or the specific indicators or methods to measure student readiness to enter postsecondary education or the workforce;

          ‘‘(IV) any specific benchmarks, targets, goals, or metrics to measure non-academic measures or indicators; 

           ‘‘(V) the specific weight or specific significance of any measure or indicator of student academic achievement within State-designed accountability systems;

           ‘‘(VI) the specific annual goals States establish for student academic achievement or secondary school graduation rates, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection (b)(3)(B);

            ‘‘(VII) any aspect or parameter of a teacher, principal, or other school leader evaluation system within a State or local educational agency; or

             ‘‘(VIII) indicators or specific measures of teacher, principal, or other school leader effectiveness or quality; or

‘‘(vi) require data collection beyond data derived from existing Federal, State, and local reporting requirements and data sources. 

‘‘(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as authorizing, requiring, or allowing any additional reporting requirements, data elements, or information to be reported to the Secretary not otherwise explicitly authorized under Federal law.  [Emphasis added.]

What I envision in reading the above limits is the tying of US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s NCLB-waiver, power-wielding hands.

According to the Alexander-Murray reauthorization, once approved, a state’s plan is good for the entire 7 years of the ESEA reauthorization, unless the state changes its standards, assessments, or teacher evaluation. In such a case, the state plan would need to be revised and resubmitted to the US secretary of education for approval of the revised sections.

Also, the Alexander-Murray reauthorization steers clear of dictating or otherwise monitoring state standards:

EXISTING STANDARDS.—Nothing in this part shall prohibit a State from revising, consistent with this section, any standard adopted under this part before or after the date of enactment of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015.

As for assessments: Yes, they are required in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school for math and English language arts/reading and also science (though not as often). The states choose their assessments, which have the following requirement (pg.36):

…involve multiple up-to-date measures of student academic achievement, including measures that assess higher-order thinking skills and understanding, which may include measures of student academic growth and may be partially delivered in the form of portfolios, projects, or extended performance tasks;

The states can administer assessments “as one single summative assessment” or “be administered through multiple statewide assessments during the course of the year if the State can demonstrate that the results of these multiple assessments, taken in their totality, provide a summative score that provides valid and reliable information on individual student achievement or growth.”

As to “closing the achievement gaps,” the Alexander-Murray reauthorization notes that states are required to submit as part of their accountability plan information “to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for postsecondary education or the workforce without the need for postsecondary remediation and at a minimum.” Such info needs to include details on four subgroups: “economically disadvantaged students; students from major racial and ethnic groups; 14 ‘children with disabilities; and English learner students” (pg. 47). States must frame such goals in terms of state assessment outcomes and graduation rates.

For each of the four subcategories of students above, “not less than 95 percent” of such students must be included in the state’s measuring its annual progress.

And once again, the Alexander-Murray reauthorization affirms its limits to the secretary’s power (pg. 54-56):

‘‘(5) PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL INTERFERENCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL DECISIONS.—Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit the Secretary to establish any criterion that specifies, defines, or prescribes—

‘‘(A) the standards or measures that States or local educational agencies use to establish, implement, or improve challenging State academic standards, including the content of, or achievement levels within, such standards;

‘‘(B) the specific types of academic assessments or assessment items that States or local educational agencies use to meet the requirements of paragraph (2)(B) or otherwise use to measure student academic achievement or student growth;

‘‘(C) the specific goals that States establish within State-designed accountability systems for all students and for each of the categories of students, as defined in paragraph (3)(A), for student academic achievement or high school graduation rates, as described in subclauses (I) and (II) of paragraph (3)(B)(i);

‘‘(D) any requirement that States shall measure student growth, the specific metrics used to measure student academic growth if a State chooses to measure student growth, or the specific indicators or methods to measure student readiness to enter postsecondary education or the workforce without the need for postsecondary remediation;

‘‘(E) setting specific benchmarks, targets, or goals, for any other measures or indicators established by a State under subclauses (III) and (IV) of paragraph (3)(B)(ii) including progress or growth on such measures or indicators;

‘‘(F) the specific weight or specific significance of any measures or indicators used to measure, identify, or differentiate schools in the State-determined accountability system, as described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (3)(B);

‘‘(G) the terms ‘meaningfully’ or ‘substantially’ as used in this part; 

‘‘(H) the specific methods used by States and local educational agencies to identify and meaningfully differentiate among public schools;

‘‘(I) any aspect or parameter of a teacher, principal, or other school leader evaluation system within a State or local educational agency; or

‘‘(J) indicators or measures of teacher, principal, or other school leader effectiveness or quality. [Emphasis added.]

I’m liking these limits on the US secretary of education.

In the Alexander-Murray reauthorization, assessments continue to eat up a notable portion of state education budgets. However, the language allows for states to seriously reduce testing time from that which is required of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) consortium tests.

And as was true of NCLB, in the Alexander-Murray reauthorization, states must agree to allow students in grades 4 and 8 to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) every two years, with the federal government paying NAEP costs.

Regarding “consortium developed” standards and assessments, the Alexander-Murray reauthorization notes the following:

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a State from entering into a voluntary partnership with another State to develop and implement the academic assessments, challenging State academic standards, and accountability systems required under this section.

So, states can decide to “go consortium,” but the federal government will not require it– in any form. And just to be sure(pg. 86)

‘‘(2) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary shall be prohibited from requiring or coercing a State to enter into a voluntary partnership described in paragraph (1), including—

‘‘(A) as a condition of approval of a State 12 plan under this section;

‘‘(B) as a condition of an award of Federal funds under any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement;

‘‘(C) as a condition of approval of a waiver under section 9401 (“waiuvers of statutory or regulatory requirements”) or

‘‘(D) by providing any priority, preference, or special consideration during the application process under any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. [Emphasis added.]

Again with a resounding NO to Duncan’s waiver-wielding.

Very nice.

For further reading on the Alexander-Murray reauthroization released on April 7, 2015, see education historian Diane Ravitch’s post, Senate Committee Reaches Agreement on New ESEA and Pennsylvania teacher/blogger Peter Greene’s, Senate Proposal Cuts Duncan Off At Knees.

Mass Immigration and the Results

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Yesterday President Obama took time out from golfing to address by video a group of 50 people being sworn in as citizens in Texas where they recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem………How Patriotic!

Touching isn’t it the president would take time to join in celebrating 50 legal immigrants being Naturalized. As a side note I wonder why he never got his aunt or uncle to apply for citizenship since they have been here illegally for decades?

There were immigrants from Mexico, Viet Nam and several other countries in the world at the ceremony. The Mexican being Naturalized when asked what the first thing he was going to do as a new citizen he replied “I’m going to get a passport and go to Mexico.”

Whenever you hear windbag politicians talk about the country they invariably go into the “this country was founded on immigrants and they are the bedrock of the country.”

That statement was true until the mass immigration movement began back in 1965. The number one legal immigrant (as well as illegal) since 1965 are from Mexico. With such a desire to come one would think they must really be loyal to the country and eager to become citizens and help make the country even more successful.

Well folks, you would be dead wrong. Since 1965 the number of Mexicans that have become Naturalized stands at a dismal 36%. 50% of Mexicans are still on welfare 20 years after arriving and a large percentage of third generation Mexican students are enrolled in special classes to learn English.

It appears from statistics Mexican assimilation into American Culture is bleak at best but what about all the rest of the tens of millions allowed in the country since 1965? Coming from really desperate countries like Somalia, Viet Nam China and other countries we have to know these people came here enthusiastic and ready to assimilate. Well, not exactly. Although better than the Mexican Naturalization numbers the rest of the world’s immigrants allowed in through mass immigration over the past 50 years have Naturalized at a rate of 56%. It really makes you wonder why they are coming but my guess would be “Welfare State”.

Why do we have mass immigration? Anybody look at the water crisis California is in? Governor Brown wants to fine people $500.00 for taking too long of a shower. Really? We have finite resources and does allowing millions of legal immigrants in every year make sense? If someone out there has a reasonable answer I would like to hear it otherwise I chalk mass immigration up as another wrong move since one political party wants new voters and the other party wants cheap labor and screw the citizens as a result.

Obama rejects Netanyahu’s call for Iran to recognize Israel

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President Obama will not even raise the issue let alone make it a condition of the nuclear talks that Iran must stop threatening the destruction of Israel. Obama chooses to ignore the fact that through its proxies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and by sinking a mock-up of a U.S. carrier Iran continues its aggression without pause during the nuclear talks. Obama is entitled to his own opinion but not the facts which he chooses to disregard.

At the same time Obama claims giving Iran a path to nuclear weapons is the best way to protect Israel and the U.S. Obama’s reasoning is so flawed that it is impossible to make sense of what he says.

Obama knows it is only a question of time before Iran has nuclear weapons. In effect he inadvertently acknowledged that his main interest was to negotiate a deal that would keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons while he was still president, when he told Thomas Friedman in an interview “I have been very clear that Iran will not get a nuclear weapon on my watch”. Obama knows that once Obama removes U.S. and UN sanctions there is nothing to stop Iran from developing their nuclear weapons whenever they wish.

He also said he doesn’t trust Iran but that the U.S. is powerful enough to protect itself (meaning) if Iran obtains nuclear weapons. Obama has never addressed the issue how will the U.S. deal with Iran when it has nuclear weapons.

So the ultimate question is—Should the U.S. and Israel take military action against Iran’s nuclear sites now or wait until Iran has used or can reciprocate with nuclear weapons?

RELATED ARTICLES:

Obama Rejects Netanyahu’s Call for Iran to Recognize Israel – Kendall Breitman

“The notion that we would condition Iran not getting nuclear weapons in a verifiable deal on Iran recognizing Israel is really akin to saying that we won’t sign a deal unless the nature of the Iranian regime completely transforms. And that is, I think, a fundamental misjudgment,” President Obama said in an interview with NPR on Monday.

“We want Iran not to have nuclear weapons precisely because we can’t bank on the nature of the regime changing….If suddenly Iran transformed itself to Germany or Sweden or France, then there would be a different set of conversations about their nuclear infrastructure.”  (Politico)

Israel Suggests Ways to Make Iran Nuclear Deal “More Reasonable” – Isabel Kershner

Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s minister of intelligence and strategic affairs, on Monday presented a list of desired modifications for the final agreement with Iran over its nuclear program, due to be concluded by June 30, that he said would make it “more reasonable” and close dangerous loopholes.

The Israeli list includes: An end to all research and development activity on advanced centrifuges in Iran. A significant reduction in the number of centrifuges that can quickly become operational if Iran breaks the agreement and decides to build a bomb. The closing of the underground Fordo facility as an enrichment site, even if enrichment activities are suspended there. Iranian compliance in revealing its past activities with possible military dimensions. A commitment to ship its stockpile of enriched uranium out of Iran. And the ability for inspectors charged with verifying the agreement to go “anywhere, anytime” in Iran.

Steinitz said that the suggestion that there was no alternative to the framework agreed in Lausanne, or that Israel had not put forward an alternative, “is wrong.” “The alternative is not necessarily to declare war on Iran. It is to increase pressure on Iran and stand firm and make Iran make serious concessions and have a much better deal.”
Regarding Obama’s statement that America would back Israel in the face of any Iranian aggression, Steinitz said, “We do appreciate it.” But he added that an Iran armed with nuclear weapons would be an existential threat to Israel. “Nobody can tell us that backing and assistance are enough to neutralize such a threat,” he said. (New York Times)

See also Ten Questions on the Nuclear Deal with Iran – Israel Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz (Times of Israel)

Verifying Iran Nuclear Deal Not Possible, Experts Say – Bill Gertz

Despite promises by President Obama that Iranian cheating on a new treaty will be detected, “the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will not be effectively verifiable,” said Paula DeSutter, assistant secretary of state for verification, compliance, and implementation from 2002 to 2009. Arms control experts challenged the administration’s assertions that a final deal can be verified, based on Iran’s past cheating and the failure of similar arms verification procedures.

U.S. intelligence agencies, which will be called on to verify the agreement, have a spotty record for estimating foreign arms programs. A 2007 National Intelligence Estimate falsely concluded that Iran halted work on nuclear weapons in 2003. The IAEA, in a 2011 report, contradicted the estimate by stating that Iran continued nuclear arms work past 2003, including work on computer modeling used in building nuclear warheads.

DeSutter said the transparency measures announced at best could detect quantitative excesses at known locations, but not secret illegal activities, like those that Iran carried out on a large scale in violation of its obligations under the NPT.

David S. Sullivan, a former CIA arms verification specialist, said past cheating by Iran was confirmed as recently as July 2014. “Why are we negotiating for a new agreement, when existing Iranian NPT violations remain in effect, ongoing, and unresolved, suggesting that Iran is unlikely to comply with any new agreement?” Sullivan said. “The negotiations started as an attempt to stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but now they have legitimized it.”  (Washington Free Beacon)

Obama’s Foreign Policy Financing Iran’s Terrorist Activities

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Aside from the fact that the deal with Iran will leave it in a position to have nuclear weapons within a period of 3 to 12 months at their choice, how can anyone consider lifting sanctions on a country that is engaging in numerous wars and terrorist activities through their proxies in Israel, Syria Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen?

Iran is at war with Israel via proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran says the destruction of Israel is non-negotiable. Israel is a U.S. ally and Obama aside from giving Iran a path for nuclear weapons is about to lift sanctions on Iran which will allow it to increase its income and upgrade its terrorist activities against Israel and other U.S. allies and throughout the Middle East.

So far Obama has left out an essential element of any deal with Iran. Any final agreement must include Iran’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist. If this is not included in order to survive Israel of necessity must take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Iran “Is Intensifying Efforts to Support Hamas in Gaza” – Con Coughlin

Iran has sent Hamas tens of millions of dollars to help it rebuild the network of tunnels in Gaza destroyed by Israel’s invasion last summer, intelligence sources have told the Sunday Telegraph. It is also funding new missile supplies to replenish stocks used to bombard residential neighborhoods in Israel during the war. Iran has sponsored Hamas’ military operations for years. (Sunday Telegraph-UK)

Netanyahu: Any Final Agreement Must Include Iranian Recognition of Israel’s Right to Exist (Prime Minister’s Office)

Responding to the Iran nuclear framework agreement announced Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Friday after a meeting of the Israeli cabinet:

  • The cabinet is united in strongly opposing the proposed deal. This deal would pose a grave danger to the region and to the world and would threaten the very survival of the State of Israel.
  • The deal would not shut down a single nuclear facility in Iran, would not destroy a single centrifuge in Iran and will not stop R&D on Iran’s advanced centrifuges. On the contrary, the deal would legitimize Iran’s illegal nuclear program. It would leave Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure.
  • The deal would lift sanctions almost immediately and this at the very time that Iran is stepping up its aggression and terror in the region. The deal would greatly bolster Iran’s economy. It would thereby give Iran tremendous means to propel its aggression and terrorism throughout the Middle East.
  • Some say that the only alternative to this bad deal is war. That’s not true. There is a third alternative – standing firm, increasing the pressure on Iran until a good deal is achieved.
  • Iran is a regime that openly calls for Israel’s destruction and openly and actively works towards that end. Israel will not accept an agreement which allows a country that vows to annihilate us to develop nuclear weapons, period.
  • In addition, Israel demands that any final agreement with Iran will include a clear and unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel’s right to exist.

Defense Minister Ya’alon: Iran Deal Will Increase Iran’s Appetite

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Sunday called the framework agreement “a huge achievement for Iran and a historic mistake for the West.” “Iran is a terrorist monster that funds, trains and arms organizations and entities to wreak havoc among the pro-Western regimes in the Middle East and around the world, and it has no intention of stopping this.” He added that the agreement would set the stage for Iran to “increase its appetite to spread disarray.” (Jerusalem Post)

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Maine: Lacrosse coach loses job for criticizing Islam

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Freedom of speech, you say? Increasingly not, in the United States: those who dare notice jihad violence and Islamic supremacism are vilified, marginalized, and defamed. When Scott Lees was fired, was truth a criterion? Apparently not. “Facebook post on Muslims costs Fryeburg coach his job,” by Daymond Steer, Conway Daily Sun, March 24, 2015 (thanks to all who sent this in):

FRYEBURG – After four years at the helm of Fryeburg Academy’s boys lacrosse team, Scott Lees of Conway said he was forced by academy officials to resign as head coach after sharing on Facebook an open letter to President Barack Obama that was unflattering to Muslims.

The letter, written by “An American Citizen,” was about Obama’s speech given in Cairo in 2009. In that speech and in another made last month, the president said Islam has long been a part of American history.

In the first part of the letter, it wonders whether anyone has have ever seen a Muslim hospital or heard a Muslim orchestra. The writer goes on to charge that Muslims “are still the largest traffickers in human slavery,” that they were allied with Adolf Hitler in World War II and that they were either pleased with or silent on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The writer adds that the Barbary pirates were Muslims.

“I just thought it was an interesting article,” said Lees, who added he’s a politically minded independent conservative. “I thought it was an interesting letter to President Obama and his current administration who are not paying attention to Israel and focusing on Iran.”

Lees, 48, shared the letter on his personal Facebook page on March 17. Two days later, he was handing in his resignation as Fryeburg Academy’s lacrosse coach. He said that although he was supposed to meet with Head of Schools Erin Mayo and Dean Charlie Tryder on March 19, Athletic Director Sue Thurston told him a decision to fire him had already been made.

According to Lees, a property manager who is married and has two children, said he did not want a firing to go on his record. He asked Thurston if they would consider a letter of resignation.

“I’ve never been fired in my life,” said Lees, who also coaches hockey locally. “I’ve been coaching kids since 1992.”

Mayo said the season will start on time. She said Thurston is looking for coaches and Thurston will provide updates as they become available.

“We’ve got a great team,” said Mayo.

The decision on an interim coach could be made as soon as today, Thurston said.

Regarding the letter that led to his departure as coach, Lees said a friend had emailed it to him, and he posted it to see what people would say. Lees — who has since removed it from his Facebook page — said he did not comment on the letter online and that he meant no disrespect to anyone.

Lees said the post didn’t get much response. No students “liked” the post though it was liked by four adults, one of whom commented on it. “It’s not like it went viral,” said Lees. “It’s not like everyone and their brother saw it.”

But according to Mayo Fryeburg Academy has “a number” of Muslim students as well as students of numerous other faiths.

“We prize each young person we enroll as an individual, and we prize the diversity that they bring,” said Mayo, who pointed to the school’s mission statement, which says that “the Academy believes that a strong school community provides the best conditions for learning and growth. Therefore, we strive to create a supportive school environment that promotes respect, tolerance, and cooperation, and prepares students for responsible citizenship.”

Mayo said the school’s teachers, coaches and other staff need to live up to the mission statement.

Lees said he is not a bigot. In fact, he said that two years ago he invited a former Fryeburg student from New York City named Mohammed Islam to stay at his house for nine days. At the time, Islam had a court date in the area for a minor offense.

“If I had a problem with people who are Muslim, then why would I have allowed a Muslim to stay in my home?” asked Lees.

In a phone interview, Islam, who now attends Drexel University in Pennsylvania, confirmed that his former coach had opened his home to him.

“I never saw him as a bigot,” said Islam, who played under Lees for three years.

When asked of the posting, Islam said he spoke to Lees about it. He didn’t think it should have cost Lees his coaching job. Islam said Lees seems to take issue with Obama’s handling of the Middle East.

“I don’t agree with Scott’s opinion, but that doesn’t make him a bigot,” said Islam….

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Two thousand years of “Imminent” Second Coming

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Jesus answered him, “It is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” Luke 4:8

Some Christian spiritual leaders are fond of prophesying. They have been at it since the time of Christ. Pat Robertson prophesied that there would be a catastrophic terror attack on several American cities in 2007 and that possibly millions would be affected. That year there were no such catastrophic attacks on American soil. But Robertson had millions of followers who thought his words were inspired by God. They were worshippers of Robertson.

After that colossal flop, the same Robertson, undaunted, brashly stated publicly in 2013 “God told me” that Romney would win the nomination and then the general election. He knew that most of his followers – or rather worshippers – would continue to blindly believe in him no matter how many times he bungled his prophecies.

As shown in the article linked below, such failed prophecies as Robertson’s are not outliers. They are in fact commonplace among the men with the most faith – but not a faith in the scriptures or in God but faith in their own spiritual superiority. They clearly worship themselves, while claiming to worship God.

One of the earliest prophecies of the imminent second coming is ascribed to Montanus, the founder of the Christian sect of Montanism, who in the 2nd Century AD, said, in a frenzied trance, that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. Like Robertson, he averred that God had told him this.

Igor Shafarevich’s monumental work “The Socialist Phenomenon” describes the fanaticism of the early heretics who launched attacks on the Catholics in hopes of ushering in the Millennium, the 1000 year period of perfect peace described in Revelation. As a corollary, their actions would also have caused the Second Coming, which, according to the book of Revelation, is inextricably linked to the Millennium.
Thousands of people all over Europe were convinced by the masterful sermons of their leaders, that the Millennium, and hence the Second Coming, were just around the corner. And their conviction was so strong that they tackled armies greatly outnumbering them.
Eventually they were defeated, despite their insistence that God was on their side, and despite the scriptural “proof” of their righteousness and the inevitability of their triumph.

The great orators among them who had stirred their fervor, inducing them to wage holy war, swung from ropes or were burned at the stake.

Can you think of anyone today who has taken a scriptural reference and construed it to mean that the US must enter into righteous battle on the strength of such scripture? Battle with a nation that could soon be a nuclear power and comes accompanied by a country that is already a formidable nuclear power? They heavy-handedly substitute quasi-religious hocus-pocus for delicate calculations of military strategy, geopolitics and diplomacy.

Of course, if God is on our side, then we have nothing to fear.

Just like the Anabaptists of the past, who went “fearlessly” to the gallows when their prophecies failed. Has the Christian world learned anything from the past?

There are compilations of prophecies made by Christians who thought God had spoken to them directly. Examples are found here and here.

No doubt these examples were compiled by unbelievers. That is unfortunate. Christians should disseminate such information first, before it is abused as a means of discrediting Christianity. And they should show, particularly to believers, but also to non-believers, that none of this discredits Christianity as taught by Jesus himself, because the “Christians” who disseminated these false prophesies were blasphemers, as shown below, not true followers of Christ. Christians need this information more than unbelievers so that other Christians can avoid the foolishness of the past and follow sound guidance and sound doctrine, particularly as plainly expressed in Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah..

Did you catch that? Jesus is saying that even He did not know the time of His second coming! That only God knew!

For 2000 years, credulous unthinking Christians of all stripes have been saying that the Second Coming was imminent, and they meant that it would happen in their lifetimes. Some were so confident that God had spoken to them personally that they even set dates. And when those dates came and their prophecies failed to materialize, some of them would set another date and, failing again, yet another. None of these foolish men saw their prophecies fulfilled.

Why did they fail?

Well, by predicting the time and date, or even the time frame of the Second Coming, they were clearly claiming to know more than Jesus himself, as recorded in Matt. 24:26. Would that not be blasphemy? Would God bless blasphemers?

Most likely He would allow them to make fools of themselves as He has in the past.

As for gullible Christians who allow themselves to be seduced by these blasphemous charlatans, history shows that they too get their just desserts.

Nevertheless, it is not necessarily a sin to believe in one’s heart that Christ is coming soon. However, those who bruit this to the world risk joining the ranks of prior prophets, none of whom has been right so far and all of whom have detracted from the Great Commission by making Christians look foolish and hence driving unbelievers further from Christ.

Their salvation is in your hands. Why risk it?

Religious Freedom & Gay Marriage: More than 60 briefs urge court to keep Gay Marriage bans

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Happy Easter Monday to everybody! WOW What a phenomenal Holy Week! From the powerful Chrism Mass on Tuesday at the Cathedral (where we had a record number of clergy on hand: 150 priests/ 45 deacons); to the beautiful “Lord’s Supper Mass” on Holy Thursday with our beloved Bishop Barbarito; to the awesome Passion Meditation on Good Friday by “Battle Ready” Doug Barry at the “House that Molgano Made Holy & Bold”; to our Grand Finale of “40 Days for Life” on Sleepy Saturday (where we had over “100” Pro-Lifers in attendance; and finally, a beautiful Easter Sunday Mass at the Cathedral with our beloved pastor, Father Tom Barrett (where I did not recognize 85% of the “Chreaster Families” who showed up for this yearly event). Those are families who show up twice a year – Christmas & Easter. I even had a couple, who arrived late, ask me if we were handing out palm fronds before or after the service??? Lord, have mercy on us…Here’s your sign…

But, it was that Good Friday event that had me up for the rest of the week. Unlike Jesus, who rested in the tomb on the second day of the Triduum (Sleepy Saturday) – I stayed up all the way through Easter Sunday. That is how powerful EWTN’s Doug Barry’s performance was on Good Friday.

Friends: It was not the stunning performance that he put on during his intense Passion Meditation (which ran for 77 minutes & was even more powerful than last year’s performance) – but, it was the 45 minute “Battle Ready” sermon that he delivered before his performance that had everybody’s undivided attention. I mean everybody. I only wish we could have video-taped every minute of it because the Nebraska native covered it all. I almost felt like he was reading from my e-mails & articles as Doug covered it all – from the atrocities of Abortion; to the Curse of Common Core; to the disgusting topic of Gay Marriage; to the under-handed H.H.S. Mandate; to some powerful statements about the liberal political arena we face in our country every day; to the persecution of Christians all over the world (where he spoke about the horrors of the brutal murders by al-Shabab at the university in Kenya last week and the disappearance & kidnapping of the 200 plus girls in Kenya by Boko Haram…And, his theme was: WE BETTER PUT ON OUR ARMOR AND GET READY FOR THE BATTLE…

What I would give to have that 45 minute “beyond bold” sermon spoken in every Catholic church in this country today. I wish we had a DVD of it so that we could show it at all of our churches as part of the Sunday Homily. That is the type of Homily that needs to be delivered in every Catholic church in every diocese and every church in America. Delivered in that bold fashion, with no holding back. Covering every controversial issue that 95% of Catholics are afraid to hear about and that so many of our church leaders and clergy are petrified to even mention. I honestly felt like I was dreaming…This taking place in one of our Catholic parishes in our Palm Beach Diocese…It takes a gutsy, Pro-Life pastor like Father James Molgano – who walks the walk with those big, size 13 black shoes – to host a gutsy, Pro-Life evangelist like Doug Barry in his parish, and I will be forever indebted to these two Real Catholic Church Militants for doing what they did for us on a most appropriate day – Good Friday…

Yes, it took a gutsy, Pro-Life devout father-of-5 to deliver this critical message to the 170 who were in attendance. And, it only took 22 minutes of this powerful sermon to have three ladies get up and leave the church in an abrupt manner. Only 3…I was waiting for more. If that’s what it takes to clean the Lord’s House of hypocrites who do not want to hear the TRUTH – then, we need more house-cleaning in our churches. I, myself, got up 3 times – but, that’s because I could not keep my excitement in. I had to get up…Mr. Barry was speaking to me…and, at times, about me…beyond humbling…

My dear friends: It was more than humbling to have a world renown evangelist like Doug Barry unexpectedly mention my name quite a few times during his talk when he spoke about being “Bold for our Faith” and standing up for our religious freedom by putting my life on the line for our beloved faith day in and day out. Totally unexpected, folks. Publicly claiming that he reads all of my bold e-mails and saying what he said on Friday night is more than enough to give me the fuel, motivation and fire to take my fight against these intrinsic evils even up a notch or two. How does one put a price tag on a spiritual pep rally like that? We all need to hear that powerful message and we all need to act on it. Thank you, brother Doug. I am truly humbled by your encouraging words…

Which leads me to why I am sending this powerful e-mail out to you. It covers a lot of what Doug Barry spoke about on Good Friday and these two articles gives us a different perspective of what is taking place in our beloved country right now as we speak. With this Gay Marriage debacle going in front of the Supreme Court this June – we Pro-Life / Pro-Traditional Christians in this country better be “battle ready” to step it up. It’s time we become more Pro-active as opposed to being Re-active. That is the precise problem with the Holy Catholic Church today. Everything the Church has done since Vatican II has been “Re-active”. January 22nd, 1973 is a perfect example where the Catholic Church needed to flex her holy muscles and say NO to abortion – and Roe v. Wade would have become a footnote – not a death sentence…56 million dead with no birth or death certificate to show for…

The Curse of Common Core is following in the same footsteps as the abortion atrocity. And, the Catholic Church is right smack in the middle of it again – watching it all unfold right before our very own eyes – while jumping on the Bill Gates band wagon and reaching out for those “30 pieces of silver”…Almost makes one want to hang himself from a tree…the kiss of death…the future of our kids.

With 1.2 billion Catholics in the world and over 70 million right here in America – we can no longer afford to be re-active and quiet. WE NEED TO BE PRO-ACTIVE!!! WE NEED TO BE PRO-LIFE!!! We are the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church – the ONLY one that Jesus instituted, Himself! We cannot settle for mediocrity. We can no longer do business with the devil. We need to do business with Saint Michael the Archangel – the one who defends us in battle and serves as our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil, himself. We need to pray that prayer over and over again – and we need to prepare ourselves for an all-out battle. And, we need to be spiritually ready for what’s coming this Sunday – Divine Mercy Sunday – the best kept secret in the entire Catholic Church. (More on Divine Mercy Sunday in up-coming e-mails this week)…Stay tuned…

We should all be praying the 9 day Divine Mercy Novena that kicked off on Good Friday and runs through Divine Mercy Sunday (April 12th). Like Doug Barry & Father James say time and again – “We need to pray; go before the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration; pray before our Blessed Mother to intervene; go to confession; fast; and pray even more for conversion of our beloved country”…

Friends: With what is going on all around the world today and with the upper hierarchy of the Catholic Church not heeding the cry of Our Lady of Fatima to consecrate the country of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Jesus (that originally took place over 98 years ago) – we will continue to see more and more self destruction in our world. More suffering, more pain, more sinning. If we do not do these things that Father James & Doug Barry continue to ask us to do on a daily basis, we can all kiss our Holy Rosaries good-bye and continue to repeat over, and over, and over again.

 

More than 60 briefs urge court to keep gay marriage bans

by Richard Wolf, USA Today

WASHINGTON — Republican officials and religious organizations dominate a growing list of more than 60 groups urging the Supreme Court to uphold state bans against same-sex marriage.

The flood of “friend of the court” briefs arriving at the court by Friday’s deadline easily made the upcoming case the most heavily lobbied in the court’s recent history. Earlier this month, more than 70 briefs were filed by proponents of gay marriage, including one signed by more than 200,000 people.

Sixteen states led by Republican governors were among those calling for the bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee to be upheld. Among them were nine states where same-sex marriage bans have been struck down by federal courts — an indication that the battle there and elsewhere will be renewed if the justices uphold the bans.

“How much better for this issue to play out, state-by-state, with citizens locked in urgent conversation,” one of the briefs says. “That is precisely what was happening before the courts began to intervene two years ago. The court should let that process of self-governance continue.”

States opposing gay marriage include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia, where federal appeals court rulings have struck down state bans. The Supreme Court refused to reconsider most of those decisions in October.

Read more.

 

Now Is the Time to Talk About Religious Liberty

by Charles J. Chaput, Robert P. George, William E. Lori, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., and Russell Moore
within Religion and the Public Square

For many religious believers, Passover and the Easter season are cornerstones of the year. Thus our hearts have been especially troubled in recent days by the acrimony and lies surrounding legal efforts, in Indiana and elsewhere, at ensuring religious liberty for people of all faiths.

As Americans commemorate their respective holy days, we urge all our fellow citizens to remember the moral roots of their constitutional system, and to engage in a sensible national conversation about religious liberty. Even those who are not religious have a stake in seeing that our “first freedom”—religious freedom; freedom of conscience—is protected in law.

In recent days we have heard claims that a belief central to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—that we are created male and female, and that marriage unites these two basic expressions of humanity in a unique covenant—amounts to a form of bigotry. Such arguments only increase public confusion on a vitally important issue. When basic moral convictions and historic religious wisdom rooted in experience are deemed “discrimination,” our ability to achieve civic harmony, or even to reason clearly, is impossible.

America was founded on the idea that religious liberty matters because religious belief matters in a uniquely life-giving and powerful way. We need to take that birthright seriously, or we become a people alien to our own founding principles. Religious liberty is precisely what allows a pluralistic society to live together in peace.

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia

Robert P. George
McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence
Princeton University

William E. Lori
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore

Albert Mohler, Jr., President
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Russell Moore, President
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
Southern Baptist Convention