Tag: America

Elections

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Israel Analysis

Elections

By Jim Fletcher copied from Koenig World Watch Daily

You can almost smell the desperation of Netanyahu’s political enemies to upend his political career. Rarely in my lifetime have I seen a more hated politician. I believe this is essentially due to the Netanyahu threat to globalism and Leftist pro-terrorism policies. I won’t fall into the left-wing trap of first listing his bad qualities. No quantifying things here.

I will focus on the things he’s accomplished for his people in the last 40 years. Fifty years ago, his older brother Jonathan fell at Entebbe, as hostages were rescued from terrorists and the Ugandan army. Bibi has said this is what drove him to politics. All three Netanyahu brothers served in the elite counter-terrorism unit, Sayeret Matkal.

Beginning in the early 80s, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu began what would become a robust political career. His perfect English, practiced in American schools, was the perfect match for his intellect and quick-study traits. Starting in the Israeli embassy, he networked heavily among Western diplomats and politicians. Combining humor and charm with sober-minded vigilance, he set out to make sure Israel stayed safe.

That was no small order back then, or now. Israel’s situation from a human perspective was always precarious. Bibi also at least understands the biblical issues. He and Menachem Begin are the only Israeli prime ministers to hold Bible studies at the residence in Jerusalem.

His father, Benzion, was a renowned history professor and fierce Zionist. Good for him. Unapologetic, he stood for Israel’s right to self-determination his whole life, and he knew early Zionists like Ze’ev Jabotinsky. The three Netanyahu brothers, growing up in a Jerusalem suburb, learned Zionism around the family dinner table.

Bibi won his first premiership in 1996, fending off Shimon Peres, who had lost his way by embracing disingenuous “peace” partners. He fell into the trap of thinking a robust economy would turn the “Palestinians” away from their thirst for Jewish blood. Nothing will, and some understood this. Charles Krauthammer once famously wrote about Peres’ vision for a “Maginot Line of five-star hotels” in Arab lands. Meaning, the “Palestinians” don’t care about no stinking robust economy. They remain committed to wiping Israel off the earth.

All this to say, we are now hearing from the usual suspects in Western media that Israel is ready to move on from Netanyahu in the upcoming October elections. He has served as prime minister for 19 of Israel’s modern 78 years. Remarkable.

His successes have infuriated his enemies, of whom there are many. I suspect the media reports of his political demise—which have been trotted out for years—are largely bogus. They are even now using Trump’s alleged movement away from Netanyahu in much the same way Clinton and Obama sent their goons to Israel to interfere in Israeli elections.

But the Israeli people, even those who dislike him, know that Netanyahu has held off the genocidal terrorists. Notwithstanding October 7—which was inevitable—Netanyahu has held the killers at bay for 30 years. Never pleasing everyone, he has retained his Zionism against political realities. I predict he will win again.

Until he does, he has some interesting foes. Recent polling (I rarely trust this form of propaganda, which is intended to persuade the masses, many of whom can’t think for themselves) suggests that Netanyahu’s chief rival is Gadi Eisenkot, a former general and chief of general staff. Allegedly, as of this week, his party, Yasher, holds a lead over Likud. Remember, Israeli elections depend on the party, even over the candidate.

Eisenkot, born in Eilat, has a glittering resume. He has a post-graduate degree from Haifa University and was a member of the elite Golani Brigade. 

He also advocates for a two-state solution and draft exemptions for a percentage of the haredim.

In other words, he’s a typical heroic IDF man that becomes dumb when he enters politics.

A two-state solution? 

Are you daft, man?

Israel, especially after 10/7, can never agree to give those devils a state. To do so is to commit suicide. This is the non-starter issue.

Also, a Wikipedia entry for Eisenkot says this:

“Eisenkot advocates for a state rooted in national-Jewish values but with equal rights for all citizens. He supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, prioritizing the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs, and advocates a long-term ceasefire and demilitarization in the Gaza Strip.

“He views Syria, Lebanon, and Iran not as existential threats, but rather emphasizes the internal challenge of domestic polarization in Israel. Eisenkot advocates for a two-state solution with the Palestinians to maintain a Jewish-democratic state and avoid a bi-national state, but insists on retaining portions of the occupied West Bank, including the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs.”

Is he serious? Syria, Lebanon and Iran are not existential threats? 

This can’t be a serious candidacy. Do you really think Israelis would entrust their security to such a person?

I don’t. 

Buried in the defense bill: The US-Israel provision dividing Washington

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by David Brody

They’re fighting about Israel again in Washington. What else is new?

Tucked deep inside Congress’ annual defense authorization bill this week is a provision that has generated fierce debate.

The debate centers on what’s known as the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative. It’s included in both the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The House and Senate approach the issue somewhat differently, and the proposal has produced one of Washington’s most unusual political coalitions. The legislation would direct the Pentagon to expand cooperation with Israel in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, missile defense, cybersecurity, biotechnology, defense manufacturing, research and development, and defense supply chains.

Supporters argue that Israel has become one of America’s most innovative military technology partners and that closer collaboration benefits U.S. national security as much as Israel’s.

They stress that this isn’t about giving Israel more military aid and that the provision inside the bill doesn’t create a joint military command or transfer operational control over U.S. forces. They say instead that by partnering with Israel, American troops will have access to cutting-edge battlefield technologies. In short, they say this is simply a commonsense effort.

Critics say hold on a minute. They complain this is a step toward permanently institutionalizing U.S.-Israel defense cooperation in ways Congress has never done before. Essentially, they argue that Congress is creating a permanent Pentagon bureaucracy whose mission would be to continually deepen military cooperation with Israel regardless of which administration occupies the White House. The critics say closely intertwining with Israel is a bridge too far.

It should be noted that the House version – at least at this point – is more restrained. It directs the Secretary of Defense to designate a Pentagon executive agent responsible for coordinating U.S.-Israel defense technology cooperation.

It also softens some of the original language by referring to the “potential integration” of Israeli technologies into American defense programs. It wouldn’t be automatic integration. In addition, the language is softer, stating that a list of coordinated activities with Israel “may” be pursued rather than “shall” be pursued.

The Senate version appears broader at this point and seems to be a more formal bilateral framework for long-term defense technology cooperation.  Normally, Israel divides Republicans and Democrats. This time, the fault line is different.

On one side are many traditional national security Republicans, pro-Israel Democrats (a dwindling group to be sure) and organizations like AIPAC. 
On the other side is a growing coalition of far-left, anti-Israel Democrats and the non-interventionist anti-Israel wing of the “America First” movement that is represented in Congress.

This side argues that Congress should not require deeper ties with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government at a time when there is a growing chorus of criticism directed at Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza. 

So far, there’s been an attempt to strip the provision out of the underlying bill on the House side. Anti-Israel Republican Rep. Thomas Massie joined anti-Israel Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna in introducing an amendment to remove the provision, but the amendment was blocked before reaching the House floor, so the language currently remains in the bill.

Massie’s objections, however, come from a very different place than those of progressive Democrats. His concerns reflect the growing America First, non-interventionist wing of the Republican Party, which argues the United States should avoid permanently embedding itself in the military affairs of any foreign nation – even close allies. This contingent believes this is not traditional defense cooperation but rather an expansion of military integration. 

The progressive left echoes some of the sentiment of the America First Right, but they also worry about tying America more closely to Netanyahu’s government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has not publicly commented in detail on the specific NDAA provisions now under debate in Congress, but his broader view of the U.S.-Israel security relationship has been consistent. While he has strongly advocated for expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries, Netanyahu has also argued in recent years that Israel should gradually reduce its dependence on American military aid.

Following the October 7 attacks, he reiterated that Israel ultimately must be able to defend itself by itself, and has suggested that as Israel’s economy and defense industry continue to grow, the country should work toward greater self-sufficiency rather than relying indefinitely on U.S. assistance.

What this current debate over the measure shows is that Israel is not going to escape close scrutiny by those in Congress. While the majority still supports Israel, the growing faction of far-left Democrats and woke right America-first conservatives create a substantial problem for Israel. It comes at the worst possible time.

I am a total supporter of this bill. The alliance between Israel and the U.S. government is one that benefits us even more than Israel. They buy our weaponry, enhance many of our military systems and give us valuable intel that we could not attain without their help. Rh

A New Political Party

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For many years now, I have wished that we could have a third political party in the United States of America. A true conservative party that is espouses moral and traditional Christian values, as well as putting the people first. The tea party attempted to do that back a few years ago, but the establishment ruling class would have none of it.  TheRepublicans hated losing power and fought against it and it eventually failed. I understand the way our government is set up that a third-party really is almost impossible, however this new effort by Mr. Islamic sympathizer Tucker and MTG, as well as other haters of Israel , their party is doomed for failure. It will be nothing more than Israel and Christian bashing. NO thank you. 

What we need is a Christian conservative party in this country. As I said, one that has morally conservative values. The only problem with that is that Christians won’t support it. Many of them don’t want to be associated with anything “political”.  Many aren’t registered to begin with and with Pastors turning deaf and dumb on speaking from pulpits on moral issues. We have a problem. We are supposed to be  salt and light in a dark and wicked world. I believe that Jesus wants to be Lord over all  areas of life. That includes politics. The attitude of many pastors and churches is that we don’t do politics. What if the issues of the day are moral issues that are trying to invade the church with demonic doctrine. It’s time for the church to stand up and fight the good fight of faith outside the four walls of the church. In politics, absolutely.  Government touches every area of our life from jobs, education, taxes, and the week being of our citizens. Government was ordained and established by God.(Romans 13)  The idiocy of what the church does by ducking its head and hiding inside the four walls of a church, amounts to a moral failure.  All these moral issues are being discussed and voted on in the halls of Congress or in governors’ mansions across the country. So let’s just drop our heads and allow ungodliness to rule and reign.  I don’t think Jesus is happy that the church gives up the rulership of this country to evil people. We are never going to wipe out evil, nor do we wish a theocratic government, but a moral one is well within our reach.  

It’s too bad a third-party won’t work, and it is too bad that it can’t be a true conservative party. Whatever  in the world that Tucker Carlson is going to try to do is not going  conservative and it’s not going to be moral either.  It will be a far right anti-Israel.  After all that is all he condemns.  It will not have  moral values.  What it is, it’s a bunch of people that are really Libertarian Democrat lite.  That have decided to take their ball and find another court so they can play on, and tear this nation apart.

My oh my, God must be shaking his head and wondering, will they ever learn?  Rh

America: One of A Kind

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Passionate in life; passionate in death.

When the Declaration of Independence was signed, Adams said it “will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”

And so it is. As we celebrate this monumental day, the 250th birthday of America, I leave you with the words of Founding Father Joseph Warren, quoted by Ronald Reagan in his First Inaugural Address. Reagan shared:

“On the eve of our struggle for independence, a man who might have been one of the greatest among the Founding Fathers, Dr. Joseph Warren, President of the Massachusetts Congress, said to his fellow Americans, ‘Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of…. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important questions upon which rest the happiness and the liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.’”

Reagan continued, “Well, I believe we, the Americans of today, are ready to act worthy of ourselves, ready to do what must be done to ensure happiness and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children.”

Happy Independence Day!

Taken from Dutch Sheets Give Him 15

In God’s providence may we keep her free. God Bless the United States of America. Rh

Who Do You Believe??

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The future use of Iranian funds has long been one of the most politically sensitive issues surrounding any agreement with Tehran.

Who do you believe, that is the question. I am not calling Vance and Trump liars, but there is no way the Iranian regime is going to do what Vance said they would do.

Even if they did distribute some of the money to be used for food, that would only allow them to divert other monies to re-claim their missile program or their nuclear ambitions.

If we give him the benefit of the doubt and say Vance truly believes the Iranians, it tells me he is a novice at best, and a fool at worst. Harsh words maybe, but accurate. So do we have a deal or is this just propaganda on both sides? Or are the Iranians lying, and if they are we need to continue the war.

One final note, in the Muslim faith they have a word to describe the act of deceiving or lying to a mon Muslim. It is called “Taqiyya.” You see the Islamist use their faith as military action, not as a true religion. So there we have it, whatever is finally agreed upon will never be what Iran will do. Guarantee that for a fact.

Forty-seven years of failure and now we are so close to total victory. Mr. President, finish the job. Demand complete and total surrender. On our terms. Rh

Epilogue: I will have more at another time on Vance, he has proven himself not ready for the big stage!

Update:

The regime doesn’t change its spots, and as Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out this past weekend, the regime in Tehran has, and will continue to be, the driving force behind Middle East terror and turmoil.

“Every problem in the Middle East tracks back to Iran,” Rubio stressed. “Hezbollah—Iran. Shia militias that are destroying and threatening Iraq—Iran. Hamas—Iran. The Houthis—Iran. Assad when he was in Syria—Iran. Everywhere you turn, they’re behind all of it.”

“They are a destabilizing, dangerous, evil force that had to be dealt with,” he emphasized. “They have to be weakened.” Quote from Secretary Marco Rubio

If We Forget Our Story, We Lose Our Identity

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More than two decades ago, in 2004, Harvard professor Samuel Huntington warned in his book “Who Are We?” that America was facing a crisis of identity. He argued that a nation cannot remain united without a common culture, a common history, and a common understanding of itself. Remove those foundations, and a society inevitably fragments into competing tribes, interests, and identities.

Huntington pointed to the Anglo-Protestant Creed as the core of America’s unifying identity. He argued that America’s political institutions and civic ideals did not arise in a vacuum but were rooted in a culture shaped by Protestant Christianity. 

If Huntington identified the foundation of America’s shared identity, educator E.D. Hirsch explained how that identity was transmitted: through a common biblical literacy that provided Americans with a shared vocabulary, history, and moral framework. Without that shared knowledge, the cultural foundations of national identity inevitably begin to erode.

The Founding Fathers were immersed in biblical imagery. Benjamin Franklin famously proposed a national seal depicting Moses at the Red Sea. The Israelites’ exodus taught lessons about liberty, tyranny, divine providence, and national purpose.

The Bible shaped how Americans understood freedom, law, covenant, human dignity, and self-government. Even those who were not orthodox Christians were influenced by the biblical worldview that permeated colonial America.

But what happens when that biblical literacy disappears?

A nation that forgets its story loses its identity. And when a people lose their identity, they become fragmented. That is precisely what Huntington warned about. Americans increasingly identify themselves by race, class, political ideology, or special interest rather than by a common national story.

The consequences of this loss of historical memory extend beyond America’s understanding of itself. They also affect America’s understanding of one of the most important sources of its cultural inheritance: the Jewish people and the biblical story of Israel.

America’s affinity for the Jewish people did not begin with the modern State of Israel. For generations, Americans viewed Jewish history through the lens of Scripture and found in Israel’s story lessons about liberty, covenant, and national purpose.

As biblical literacy declines, Israel is increasingly viewed only through a contemporary political lens, ignoring its biblical and historical foundations. Meanwhile, anti-Semitism has risen across America and the West. Certainly, anti-Semitism has many causes. Yet it is difficult to ignore the connection between a society that no longer understands the Bible and one that increasingly misunderstands the Jewish people whose history fills its pages.

The rise of anti-Semitism and the weakening of support for Israel did not occur overnight. The ground was prepared over decades as biblical literacy declined, historical memory faded, and Americans became disconnected from the sources that once helped them understand both their own identity and the identity of the Jewish people.

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity not merely to commemorate our history but to recover it. We can rediscover the biblical foundations that shaped our nation and strengthen the shared identity Huntington warned was slipping away.

The Bible is not merely a religious text but one of the foundational documents of American civilization. To understand America, one must understand the Bible. And when that understanding is lost, we lose not only part of our history but part of our identity.

Originally published at The Washington Stand

Powerful and very timely, we have lost our bearings in America. Too many liberal politicians have wanted to be like Europe. Open borders and a lack of spiritual discernment will eventually make the U.S. a weakened version of itself. We must repent and return to the Almighty. Our Christian values must be reclaimed. Morality must be returned to the public square, as well as the pulpit. We are living on borrowed time, just one bad election and we will be doomed to mediocrity. Rh

Pray – Engage – Impact

Trump on Israel

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Seems that Trump is feeling his oats tonight, a deal is a deal but victory is still a victory. Why he hasn’t let israel finish the job in Gaza and Iran. I just don’t understand. How many red lines does he have in the sand anyway, kind of reminds me of Obama. Just a little disgusted with my President tonight. Rh

Trump:

Asked what would happen if any such deal failed “on its merits,” Trump said he would consider a commando raid on Iran.

“It means [one of] two things,” he said.

“Number one, it would mean that possibly we would go in and take care of the rest of the place that we didn’t take care of militarily. Or it would just mean that we would keep the blockade on Iran because the blockade has been probably more powerful than any attack that was ever made on that country.”

Trump says a failed Iran deal could leave the U.S. with two options: military action against Iran’s remaining nuclear infrastructure or continued economic pressure.

America 250 vs. Freedom 250: What’s Going on with the Fourth of July?

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On one point, at least, both those who mourn the loss of a society alive with love of their nation and those who encourage a return to the laws and principles w
— Read on washingtonstand.com/article/america-250-vs-freedom-250-whats-going-on-with-the-fourth-of-july

It’s time to celebrate America! What started as an upstart experiment in self governing, has lasted 250 years with no sign of ending. We are the best and greatest example of freedom, whether religious or personal the world has ever known. We are fundamental to the freedoms of the world. If America ever falls the world will degrade into chaos. We are what is holding the world together, and it is because of the Christian influence not only of our founders, but of the remnant of Christians praying and interceding for our nation. God bless the United States of America. Let your Spirit renew us and change us into your image is my prayer. Rh

Five Easy Ways Christians Can Get Involved in Politics – Harbinger’s Daily

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According to one survey, an estimated 41 million born-again Christians chose not to vote in the 2024 election, including 32 million self-identified Christians who regularly attend church, and 14 million church-going evangelicals.
— Read on harbingersdaily.com/five-easy-ways-christians-can-get-involved-in-politics/

It seems the only time Christians are too heavenly minded is when it comes to voting and governmental issues. That is when we take a hands off approach to things that pertain to our freedoms and our quality of life. Voting is fundamental. We have the type of government we vote for. We have a choice, stand up and vote your Biblical values or follow isolationist Christians into bondage and slavery. “Big Government” is not our friend. Take the Save Act, overwhelming support by all Americans. Still not even a vote by a so-called Republican majority.

Pray, Engage, and Impact! Rh