Information Related to "World News Review August 2006"
| Audio/Video |
 |
In Brief... World News Reviewby Darris McNeely and Mike BennettHugo Chavez Goes Shopping A world tour by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took him to Belarus, Russia, Iran, Vietnam and Qatar. While in Russia in late July he used his petrodollars to purchase a shopping cart full of fighter jets, helicopters, Kalishnikov assault rifles and even a submarine. To top off the list he also purchased a license to build a Kalishnikov factory in Venezuela. Observers surmise the rifles will be exported to resistance groups in Peru and Colombia. The U.S. State Department has expressed concern that with this massive amount of arms going into the region, a serious imbalance will be created. President Chavez is an outspoken critic of the United States and is presently courting other nations with ideologies that differ from the Bush administration. Russia's relations with America have recently cooled, and President Vladimir Putin is willing to create links with Chavez as a gesture of independence and solidarity with another anti-American state. Venezuela is seeking a seat on the United Nation's Security Council, and some feel this is possible. A seat for President Chavez on the council would give him a stage from which he could oppose every U.S. initiative and serve as a voice for all other states that oppose American policy and wish it to fail. President Chavez is far from a direct threat to Washington. The United States is Venezuela's main customer for exports, so it is unlikely he wants to sever all relations. But such an accumulation of arms creates instability in Latin America. At some future point this could escalate into another major front, something America, and the world, does not need. Anytime we see a growing anti-American force, it spells potential trouble, not just for U.S. interests, but for the global stability that leads to productive commercial growth among the nations. It is also another marker on the road to the prophesied American decline. This will not be good for anyone. —Sources: AFP, Reuters Europe's Responsibility for the Middle East As the Middle East crisis continues, there are increasing calls for an international force to enter Lebanon to enforce a peace that has not been made. How such a force would conduct itself is far from clear. Would it root out Hezbollah forces? Would it protect Israel? What is most interesting, in light of certain Bible prophecies, is the call for European troops to be committed to such a force. Timothy Garton Ash had an interesting column in the Los Angeles Times July 27 that brought up Europe's historic role in creating the current crisis. "I don't think any European should speak or write about today's conflict in the Middle East without displaying some consciousness of our own historical responsibility. I'm afraid that some Europeans today do so speak and write; and I don't just mean the German right-wing extremists who marched through the town of Verden in Lower Saxony on Saturday, waving Iranian flags and chanting 'Israel--international genocide center.' I also mean thinking people on the left." He goes on to mention the possibility of sending European troops to the region, which Israel has signaled it could accept. "Does it follow that Europeans have a special obligation to get involved in trying to secure a peace settlement in which the state of Israel can live in secure frontiers next to a viable Palestinian state? I think it does. Even if you don't accept this argument from historical and moral responsibility, Europe's vital interests are plainly at stake: oil, nuclear proliferation and the potential reaction among our alienated Muslim minorities, to name but three. "It's less clear what that involvement should be. One proposal is for European forces to participate in a multinational peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, but that only makes sense if realistic parameters are established for a clear, feasible and finite mission. Those are not yet in sight. Even a cease-fire is not yet in sight." Professor Ash does not deny the critical role of America in the process. But we are likely to see more discussion like this. —Sources: LATimes.com, EUObserver.com Japan Considers Preemptive Strike on North Korea After North Korea's provocative missile tests in early July, Japan said it was considering whether a preemptive strike on North Korea's missile bases would violate its constitution. According to Mari Yamaguchi (AP, July 10), several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Japan to launch a preemptive strike. "If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack... there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said. "With all of Japan easily within range of North Korean missiles, an opinion poll conducted by Japan's NHK television showed that 82 percent of respondents in Japan said they felt 'fearful' or 'somewhat fearful' of the seven or more missiles that North Korea shot into the Sea of Japan on July 4," reported Anthony Faiola in the Washington Post July 11. Japan's constitution, written after World War II, prohibits the use of military force, though Japan does maintain a 240,000-strong self-defense force. However, AP quoted a Japanese Defense Agency spokeswoman as saying Japan has no attacking weapons such as ballistic missiles that could reach North Korea. Its forces only have ground-to-air missiles and ground-to-vessel missiles, she said on condition of anonymity. For their part, North Korea scoffed at the UN Security Council resolution asking it to quit launching missiles and return to six-party talks. "The vicious, hostile policy of the U.S. and the irresponsibility of the UN Security Council have created an extremely dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula," said a North Korean Foreign Ministry statement (The Week, July 28, 2006). —Sources: AP, The Week, WashingtonPost.com Teenagers Face Date Abuse Jenny Deam, Denver Post staff writer, reported: "According to a March survey of 13-to 18-year-olds, nearly one in three teenage girls in dating relationships say they have feared being physically hurt by a partner. Almost one in five admit being hit, slapped or shoved by a boyfriend. "Nevertheless, in the same online poll conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited marketing firm, many young people not only accept such behaviors but consider them normal and exciting: "Nearly half admitted doing something that conflicted with their personal values or beliefs to please a boyfriend or girlfriend. Some said they would 'do almost anything' to hold onto a relationship. "One in four teens in a relationship said their boyfriend or girlfriend tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family. But more than a quarter said it was OK and even flattering for someone to 'act really jealous' or 'be in charge.' "As many as 60 percent of teens in relationships acknowledged their partner made them feel bad or embarrassed about themselves. And 7 percent said their boyfriend or girlfriend had threatened to kill them or commit suicide if they broke up." —Sources: DenverPost.com, loveisnotabuse.com Christianity Growing in China On June 27, the Rocky Mountain News published an article by Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times that reported about spiritual hunger in China: "Christianity is booming as never before in China, and some giddy followers say China could eventually have hundreds of millions of Christians--perhaps more than any other country in the world... "This boom in religion, particularly Christianity but also including the Bahai faith and various cults like Falun Gong, reflects a spiritual yearning among many Chinese. While China has official Catholic and Protestant churches, the fastest-growing churches are the underground ones--usually evangelical without any specific denomination--that are independent of the government. The total number of Chinese Christians today probably exceeds 40 million, and some estimates go far higher." —Sources: Rocky Mountain News, www.pekingduck.org |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| © 1995-2022 United
Church of God, an International Association | Request
Free Literature Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@wnponline.org. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@churchofgodtwincities.org. |
|
Related Information:
Other Articles by Darris McNeely
Other Articles by Mike Bennett
Origin of article "World News Review August 2006"
Keywords: Chavez, Hugo Venezuela Lebanon EU and Lebanon Japan North Korea teen date abuse China and Christianity
Lebanon:
