2677-ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? | View Thread

The drama over Greece’s financial crisis continues to dominate the headlines. As this column is being written, a deal may have been reached providing Greece with yet another bailout if the Greek government adopts new “austerity” measures. The deal will allow all sides to brag about how they came together to save the Greek economy and the European Monetary Union. However, this deal is merely a Band-Aid, not a permanent fix to Greece’s problems. So another crisis is inevitable.

The Greek crisis provides a look into what awaits us unless we stop overspending on warfare and welfare and restore a sound monetary system. While most commentators have focused on Greece’s welfare state, much of Greece’s deficit was caused by excessive military spending. Even as its economy collapses and the government makes (minor) cuts in welfare spending, Greece’s military budget remains among the largest in the European Union.

Despite all the handwringing over how the phony sequestration cuts have weakened America’s defenses, the United States military budget remains larger than the combined budgets of the world’s next 15 highest spending militaries. Little, if any, of the military budget is spent defending the American people from foreign threats. Instead, the American government wastes billions of dollars on an imperial foreign policy that makes Americans less safe. America will never get its fiscal house in order until we change our foreign policy and stop wasting trillions on unnecessary and unconstitutional wars.

Excessive military spending is not the sole cause of America’s problems. Like Greece, America suffers from excessive welfare and entitlement spending. Reducing military spending and corporate welfare will allow the government to transition away from the welfare state without hurting those dependent on government programs. Supporting an orderly transition away from the welfare state should not be confused with denying the need to reduce welfare and entitlement spending.

One reason Greece has been forced to seek bailouts from its EU partners is that Greece ceded control over its currency when it joined the European Union. In contrast, the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency is the main reason the US has been able to run up huge deficits without suffering a major economic crisis. The need for the Federal Reserve to monetize ever-increasing levels of government spending will eventually create hyperinflation, which will lead to increasing threats to the dollar’s status. China and Russia are already moving away from using the dollar in international transactions. It is only a matter of time before more countries challenge the dollar’s reserve currency status, and, when this happens, a Greece-style catastrophe may be unavoidable.

Despite the clear dangers of staying on our recent course, Congress continues to increase spending. The only real debate between the two parties is over whether we should spend more on welfare or warfare. It is easy to blame the politicians for our current dilemma but the politicians are responding to demands from the people for greater spending. Too many Americans believe they have a moral right to government support. This entitlement mentality is just as common, if not more so, among the corporate welfare queens of the militarily-industrial complex, the big banks and the crony capitalists as it is among lower-income Americans.

Congress will only reverse course when a critical mass of people reject the entitlement mentality and understand that the government is incapable of running the world, running our lives and running the economy. Therefore, those of us who know the truth must spread the ideas of, and grow the movement for, limited government, free markets, sound money and peace.

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 7/15/2015 1:30:40 AM
	The Daily Bell – EDITORIAL: Greece Today, America Tomorrow? By Ron Paul – July 13, 2015 Posted on July 13, 2015 [by Jean Haines]by Jean SOURCE The drama over Greece’s financial crisis continues to dominate the headlines. As this column is being written, a deal may have been reached providing Greece with yet another bailout if the Greek government adopts new “austerity” measures. The deal will allow all sides to brag about how they came together to save the Greek economy and the European Monetary Union. However, this deal is merely a Band-Aid, not a permanent fix to Greece’s problems. So another crisis is inevitable. The Greek crisis provides a look into what awaits us unless we stop overspending on warfare and welfare and restore a sound monetary system. While most commentators have focused on Greece’s welfare state, much of Greece’s deficit was caused by excessive military spending. Even as its economy collapses and the government makes (minor) cuts in welfare spending, Greece’s military budget remains among the largest in the European Union. Despite all the handwringing over how the phony sequestration cuts have weakened America’s defenses, the United States military budget remains larger than the combined budgets of the world’s next 15 highest spending militaries. Little, if any, of the military budget is spent defending the American people from foreign threats. Instead, the American government wastes billions of dollars on an imperial foreign policy that makes Americans less safe. America will never get its fiscal house in order until we change our foreign policy and stop wasting trillions on unnecessary and unconstitutional wars. Excessive military spending is not the sole cause of America’s problems. Like Greece, America suffers from excessive welfare and entitlement spending. Reducing military spending and corporate welfare will allow the government to transition away from the welfare state without hurting those dependent on government programs. Supporting an orderly transition away from the welfare state should not be confused with denying the need to reduce welfare and entitlement spending. One reason Greece has been forced to seek bailouts from its EU partners is that Greece ceded control over its currency when it joined the European Union. In contrast, the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency is the main reason the US has been able to run up huge deficits without suffering a major economic crisis. The need for the Federal Reserve to monetize ever-increasing levels of government spending will eventually create hyperinflation, which will lead to increasing threats to the dollar’s status. China and Russia are already moving away from using the dollar in international transactions. It is only a matter of time before more countries challenge the dollar’s reserve currency status, and, when this happens, a Greece-style catastrophe may be unavoidable. Despite the clear dangers of staying on our recent course, Congress continues to increase spending. The only real debate between the two parties is over whether we should spend more on welfare or warfare. It is easy to blame the politicians for our current dilemma but the politicians are responding to demands from the people for greater spending. Too many Americans believe they have a moral right to government support. This entitlement mentality is just as common, if not more so, among the corporate welfare queens of the militarily-industrial complex, the big banks and the crony capitalists as it is among lower-income Americans. Congress will only reverse course when a critical mass of people reject the entitlement mentality and understand that the government is incapable of running the world, running our lives and running the economy. Therefore, those of us who know the truth must spread the ideas of, and grow the movement for, limited government, free markets, sound money and peace. This article provided courtesy of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 7/15/2015 11:14:37 AM
	With Iran deal reached, what should Israel do now? Dan Ephron for Yahoo NewsJuly 14, 2015 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fought to prevent a deal with Iran. (Photo: Ahikam Seri/Pool Photo via AP) Tel Aviv — The nuclear accord the U.S. and other world powers reached with Iran on Tuesday presents Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an agonizing dilemma. Throughout his political career, Netanyahu has fought any accommodation with terrorists and the states that sponsor them — chiefly Iran, in the view of most Israelis — even risking his relationship with the White House earlier this year in an effort to block a deal. Now that an agreement has been reached, some analysts here are saying the Israeli leader should accept it as a fait accompli and try to repair his relationship with President Obama, which is more tense and troubled than any between an Israeli and American leader in more than 30 years. But the analysts believe — and Netanyahu’s remarks about the deal so far seem to bear them out — that the Israeli leader will opt instead for more confrontation, pressing his allies in the U.S. Congress to derail the accord. “I think it’s too late to fight it and I believe another confrontation with the administration now would be counterproductive,” said Giora Eiland, a retired major general who headed Israel’s National Security Council a decade ago. “Israel needs the help of the U.S. in other areas.” “But I’m not sure Netanyahu would listen to my recommendation on this matter,” he told Yahoo News. The deal, negotiated in Vienna over the past 18 days, imposes significant curbs on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. If Iran honors the agreement, it could go down as Obama’s most significant diplomatic achievement. But Israeli officials said it leaves much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure intact, potentially allowing the regime to reconstitute a secret military program when the accord expires in stages beginning a decade from now. In remarks to reporters hours after negotiators in Vienna announced the deal, Netanyahu called it a “historic mistake.” He said the Obama administration had caved to Iranian demands and even hinted that Israeli military options against Tehran remained on the table. “When you’re willing to pay any price in order to reach a deal, this is what you get,” he said. “Israel is not bound by this deal with Iran because Iran continues to seek our destruction.” Eiland, who spent several years at one of Israel’s leading academic institutes after leaving his posts in the military and in government — he’s now in private business — said Israel and the U.S. held dramatically divergent views on the benefits of any engagement with Iran. While Obama believes the agreement could moderate Iran and bring it closer to the international community, Netanyahu feels the opposite is true. Iran would use the wealth it gains from oil once sanctions are lifted to prop up its radical allies, Syria and Hezbollah, and further destabilize the region. Eiland also said the U.S. was ready to believe Iran would approach the deal in good faith, while most Israelis were sure the regime will try to cheat at every turn. “These are very different assessments based on very different outlooks,” he said. President Obama believes the agreement will help keep peace in the Middle East. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Pool/AP) In Washington, Obama dismissed the idea that the U.S. had been outmaneuvered in the negotiations. He said the agreement would be “built on verification.” Obama said he would fight any attempt by Congress to interfere with the agreement, by veto if necessary. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the negotiations with Iran, said Netanyahu was plain wrong about the deal. “The fact is that he’s frankly been making comments that are way over the top. He doesn’t even know what the concessions are that we have not engaged in, because we haven’t made concessions,” he told NBC News. Another Israeli analyst, Efraim Halevy, a former head of the Mossad intelligence agency, said Israel could pay a heavy price if Netanyahu appears to insert himself too aggressively in the internal American debate over the accord. “I think in that case, Netanyahu can’t expect Washington to do anything for Israel in the next 19 months [until Obama leaves office],” said Halevy. “And if he’s banking on a Republican being in the hot seat [the White House] after the next election, it’s a very risky bet. It can very easily go the other way.” Netanyahu has much better relationships with Republicans in Washington than with Democrats. Earlier this year, Netanyahu denounced the pending deal with Iran to a joint session of Congress after receiving an invitation from Republican House Speaker John Boehner. The administration described Boehner’s failure to coordinate the invitation with the White House as a breach of protocol. Halevy said Israel could still deploy military measures against Iran if it seemed to be flouting the agreement and edging closer to nuclear capability. Many analysts believe Israel was behind a string of assassinations against Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years and also had a hand in planting viruses in computers running Iran’s nuclear facilities. He also said he believed — contrary to Netanyahu’s view but consistent with that of some other former intelligence officials — that a nuclear-armed Iran would not put Israel’s very existence at risk. “I think Israel has a variety of means at its disposal which it can try and use. … But I don’t think there’s an existential threat to Israel emanating from Iran, even if it gets nuclear weapons,” he said.
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 7/15/2015 4:03:30 PM
	In Arab world, worries that deal will boost Iran's power By ADAM SCHRECK and LEE KEATH5 hours ago Iranians celebrate following a landmark nuclear deal in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, July 14, 2015. Overcoming decades of hostility, Iran, the United States, and five other world powers struck a historic accord Tuesday to check Tehran's nuclear efforts short of building a bomb. The agreement could give Iran access to billions in frozen assets and oil revenue, stave off more U.S. military action in the Middle East and reshape the tumultuous region. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) View Gallery DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The nuclear deal with Iran was met with a profound wariness in the Arab world, where concerns are widespread that the easing of its international isolation could tip the already bloody contest for power in the region toward Shiite-led Tehran. Related Stories Iran deal heartens Syria's Assad, worries rebels Reuters Saudi seeks nuclear deals, alliances to counter Iran AFP UAE congratulates Iran on atomic deal, first official Gulf comment Reuters Iran says nuclear deal ends 'manufactured crisis' AFP Iran trade with GCC set to grow but oil spat looms AFP Arab countries have deep fears of Iran gaining a nuclear weapon, and some have been skeptical that a deal will prevent that from happening. But equally high for key Sunni-dominated Gulf allies of the United States is the worry that a deal gives Iran the means — through an economic windfall — and an implicit green light to push influence in the region. The Arab world has been polarized for years in a worsening proxy conflict between Iran and Gulf powers, particularly Saudi Arabia, fueling Sunni-Shiite tensions and stoking wars. In Syria, Iran's support has ensured the survival of President Bashar Assad against Sunni rebels backed by Gulf nations in a devastating civil war, now in its fifth year. Yemen has been torn apart this year as Saudi Arabia, leading a coalition air campaign, has tried to help fend off Shiite rebels supported by Tehran. In Iraq, Saudi Arabia has opposed the growing power of Iran even since the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein and the rise of a government led by Shiite politicians close to Iran. "Deal or no deal, tension in the region is not going to go away," said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a professor of political science at United Arab Emirates University. "If Iran is bent on acting as a hegemon, as a regional power, I think we are in for some difficult times." Saudi Arabia issued a pointed warning, saying Iran must use any economic gains from the lifting of sanctions to improve the lives of Iranians, "rather than using them to cause turmoil in the region, a matter that will meet a decisive reaction from the nations of the region," in a statement carried on the state news agency late Tuesday. Other Gulf monarchies sought to show some cautious optimism. The president of the United Arab Emirates, which has longstanding trade ties to Iran, and the emir of Kuwait, who visited Tehran last year in an effort to improve relations, each sent congratulations to Iran and expressed hope the agreement will contribute to regional security and stability. View gallery British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (2nd R), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) and Europea … On the nuclear issue itself, Arab countries have shown skepticism that a deal would stop Iran from building a weapon. In its statement Tuesday, Saudi Arabia withheld judgment on the final accord, but underlined it always wanted an agreement that guarantees Iran cannot develop a bomb, includes a strict inspection mechanism for all sites — including military ones — and ensures a swift re-imposition of sanctions if Tehran violates the deal. Saudi Arabia's former intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal, warned earlier this year that a deal might fuel a regional arms race. Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Badr Abdelattie, said his country hopes the deal would be "a step toward a region free of nuclear weapons"— a project Egypt has been lobbying for in the United Nations for long, with its eyes on Israel's all but confirmed arsenal. But foremost on the minds of Iran's opponents in the region was the worry that the deal strengthens its hand in the region's conflicts. "This agreement, from our point of view, represents an indirect threat to Gulf and Arab interests and peace," said Tariq Al-Shammari, a Saudi analyst and president of the Council of Gulf International Relations. View gallery Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is also Iran's top nuclear negotiator, cen … Behind the scenes, he said, Gulf Arab countries will work to try and keep Iran isolated politically and economically, he added, pointing out that Saudi Arabia in particular has already moved to improve ties with Russia, which is a strong ally of Iran. Syrian rebels were alarmed, warning that now Iran will feel free to infuse even more cash and weapons to prop up Assad's overstretched army. "This agreement translates into more barrel bombs, more massacres and more blood across Syria," said a rebel with the Islamic al-Jabha al-Shamiya faction in northern Syria who spoke on condition he be identified by his nom de guerre of Abu Yasser, for his own safety. Barrel bombs are the crude but destructive bombs dropped from Syrian military aircraft that have caused considerable civilian casualties. He said an Iran at peace with the international community will feel "even more at ease" to implement its agenda across the region, including in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. On the pro-government side in Syria, some had the same expectation. Bassam Mahfouz, a 54-year-old resident of the capital, Damascus, said he hoped Iran will now increase its support for Syria in the fight against "terrorism. View gallery In this June 1, 2014, file photo, Kuwait's emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, right, shakes hands … Assad was quick to congratulate Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. In his cable addressed to Khamenei, Assad described the deal as "a great victory" achieved by Iran and a "historic turning point" in the history of Iran, the region and the world. "We are quite assured that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue, with greater momentum, supporting the just issues of nations," he said. President Barack Obama acknowledged Tuesday that the U.S. and Iran remain at odds over many issues, including Tehran's support for terrorism in the Middle East and its detention of several American citizens. Still, he suggested a breakthrough on the nuclear issue could pave the way for a broader shift in relations between the U.S. and Iran. "This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction," Obama said. "We should seize it." Supporters of the deal see that opening as an opportunity to try to moderate Iran's role in the region. View gallery Smoke rises after an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, July 14, 2015. T … In Iraq, the complex sectarian fault lines make the deal's impact hard to read. The Iran-U.S. and Iran-Saudi rivalries have fueled tensions in the country for years. At the same time, Iran and the U.S. have recently found themselves on the same side fighting against the Islamic State group, though they have avoided working with each other. Saad al-Hadithi, the spokesman for Iraq's Shiite prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, called the deal "a catalyst for regional stability" that will lead to better unity in the fight against terrorism. Hamid al-Mutlaq, an Iraqi Sunni lawmaker, was more cautious. "We hope now to see a positive Iranian interference, not a negative one in the region, and to change the way it sees and deals with people of the regional countries," he said. But Sunni hard-liners in the Arab world were convinced the deal signals U.S. acquiescence to the spread of Iranian power. One prominent Saudi Muslim cleric, Salman al-Ouda, who is often critical of the Saudi government, warned in a tweet that "Iran is moving according to a well-studied clear vision, absorbing its adversaries. Where are the Arab governments? Where is their alternative project to face the challenge?" View gallery Jubilant Iranians sing and wave Iran flags during street celebrations following a landmark nuclear d … A hard-line Qatari cleric, Mohammed al-Shinqiti, tweeted that in return for limiting Iran's nuclear program, "America has something to offer Iran: An Arab world open for its wars." ___ Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Vivian Salama, Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad, Zeina Karam in Beirut, Albert Aji in Damascus, Sarah El Deeb in Cairo and Aya Batrawy in Dubai contributed to this report. __ Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adamschreck Iran celebrates as ending sanctions opens "new chapter" (video)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 7/15/2015 4:42:29 PM
	Video released shows police killing unarmed man in LA suburb By BRIAN MELLEY6 hours ago Associated Press Videos Video Released of Police Killing Unarmed Man Watch video LOS ANGELES (AP) — The police dashboard cameras that captured officers shooting Ricardo Diaz-Zeferino only depict part of the tragedy of his death in a Los Angeles suburb two years ago. Video released by a federal judge Tuesday after news media organizations argued the public had a right to see the footage showed Diaz-Zeferino disobeying orders to keep his hands up, but with his palms open by his waist. Judge Stephen V. Wilson unsealed the video so the public could see what led the city of Gardena to pay $4.7 million to settle a lawsuit with Diaz-Zeferino's family and another man wounded in the shooting that followed a botched report of a bicycle theft early the morning of June 2, 2013. "The fact that they spent the city's money, presumably derived from taxes, only strengthens the public's interest in seeing the videos," Wilson wrote in a 13-page decision. "Moreover, defendants cannot assert a valid compelling interest in sealing the videos to cover up any wrongdoing on their part or to shield themselves from embarrassment." Against a backdrop of intense public scrutiny of police shootings nationwide, a lawyer for The Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg argued the videos should be unsealed under a First Amendment right to access court documents. "The Associated Press, joining with other news organizations, believes it's important that the public has access to videos like this to better understand the actions of their police officers," spokesman Paul Colford said. The ruling comes amid public debates over what footage should be made public as police officers and cruisers are increasingly equipped with cameras to capture evidence that can be used against criminals or to hold officers accountable for their own behavior. Michael Overing, a lawyer and journalism professor at the University of Southern California, said that in addition to being cited in future court arguments the ruling could help provide guidance as lawmakers grapple with those issues. View gallery In this June 2, 2013, frame from Gardena Police Department dash-cam video, an officer, right, aims a … "Right now video is being suppressed," Overing said. "This is going to help open the floodgates so the public can see it ... and see if actions are justified." Gardena was joined by police chiefs and officer groups around the state in arguing that making such videos public would dissuade cities from employing the technology. Wilson said that was a political consideration and not for him to judge. The city of Gardena argued that releasing the footage would create a "rush to judgment" about the officers' behavior, but Wilson dismissed that idea during arguments Monday. The judge said the public may see the videos and conclude the shooting was justified, which is what prosecutors decided. Footage shows the final moments of the encounter as an officers yells, "Get your hands up." Diaz-Zeferino and two other men stand with their backs to a sidewalk and arms in the air. Diaz-Zeferino, who was drunk, then lowered his hands and slowly took about five small steps toward police. He spread his arms out with palms open as if to plead with them. Told to put them back up, he complied, then removed his ball cap and lowered his hands as shots were fired. View gallery In this June 2, 2013, frame from Gardena Police Department dash-cam video, officers aim their guns a … From one angle, his palms are open and facing upward. Footage from a second camera behind two of the officers showed Diaz-Zeferino's right hand briefly swung out of view at his waist when they fired. The officers said they feared he was reaching for a weapon. What the videos don't show is that he wasn't armed and witnesses said Zeferino was trying to tell police they had the wrong men. The stolen bike belonged to his brother. He and the two other men were friends looking for it. The unlocked bike was swiped outside a CVS pharmacy. Police dispatchers erroneously reported it as a robbery and made it a high-priority call, raising the specter of armed suspects. Lawyers for Diaz-Zeferino said the investigation into the shooting was tainted because officers were able to review the videos before giving statements, a courtesy not offered to a member of the public involved in a shooting. Attorney Samuel Paz said he may ask federal prosecutors to investigate whether the shooting was a civil rights violation. "When the public sees the video and other law enforcement agencies see the video, this is very much a criminal act," Paz said. Although the order was stayed by a federal appeals court late in the day, it came hours after the court had released what Wilson said were videos "potentially upsetting and disturbing because of the events they depict," but "not overly gory or graphic." Diaz-Zeferino crumpled to the ground after the gunfire. Eutiquio Acevedo Mendez, who was shot once and injured, toppled to the street and lay still. Two minutes later, police handcuffed a bloody and limp Diaz-Zeferino. Nine minutes after he was shot, paramedics arrived. ___ Amanda Lee Myers contributed to this story. View Gallery New video shows police killing unarmed man Police dashboard cameras captured officers shooting Ricardo Diaz-Zeferino, who had his palms open by his waist. $4.7M settlement
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
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The Daily Bell – EDITORIAL: Greece Today, America Tomorrow? By Ron Paul – July 13, 2015

#ThisIsACoup: Greece bailout demands spark social media backlash against Germany

Tough demands that kept Greece and its creditors from reaching a deal until near 9am in Brussels have sparked a social media display of anger and solidarity

Here's what people are saying on Twitter.

With Iran deal reached, what should Israel do now?

In Arab world, worries that deal will boost Iran's power

Video released shows police killing unarmed man in LA suburb

Associated Press Videos
Video Released of Police Killing Unarmed Man