It is quite clear to us here that the only solution to the challenges posed by this moment is to press forward with the most important change of all- a change to ourselves. Whilst personal transformation has been a theme for centuries, the potential for humanity to evolve as one has only recently been seen as a possibility. At this point, we hold, it is in fact a necessity for the continued survival of the human race. Our technology has reached a point of no return.
It has reached the point where we either use it to transform our way of interacting with our planet, to make it both post-industrial and harmonious with the ecosystems surrounding us, that we have realised with increasing clarity we are dependent upon- or use it to wipe our sorry asses off the face of the planet before we become a danger to the planets surrounding ours. In this there is a failsafe to nuclear technology; only a peaceful, harmonious society can hope to survive the advent of a nuclear age. One overcome by self-centeredness and blinkered enslavement to special interests will quite simply self-destruct, before it spreads.
Looking at the challenges that face us, we would be well-advised to remember this central and well-designed truism of universe existence. The path to having god-like power is also the path to god-like responsibility and the consideration of others this brings, and in this context I include not only humans, but the rich variety of life with whom we share our planetary existence.
Everything that has happened thus far can only be seen as a warning shot, a shot above the bows, fired by no external enemy, but by us, towards us, warning ourselves of the responsibilities to ourselves and the planet we hold. There was once a time to record history, there was once a time to speak of history's own unfoldment, yet now has come a sudden rush of something that can only be called consciousness, not only the consciousness of a few individuals, but one on a planetary level.
Let us look at the year, look at the calendar and we will see how little time is left, mere moments of this illusion we call time. In these moments, we have to learn new ways, ways in keeping with our enlarged sense of selfhood, fired by our ascendant technology. A world on the verge of discoveries of deep space travel, time travel and on the cusp of computing power that could peer into the very structure of this mathematically-designed universe itself, must awake to itself, must awake to it's own internal unity, it's various members being parts of one body, a body that is waking into consciousness of itself and it's place in the universe.
In many ways, this is the last year before the great beginning. This is a time of great and dramatic change, a sudden unfoldment of evolution, by the end of which former things will be no more. A natural, sustainable world in terms of energy, politics, human inter-relations is the only way forward and it is becoming clearer and clearer all the time. As our dreams, both personal and collective, come closer to fruition, we will all the more strongly reject that which is not in accord with them. For we are not so much being remade by some hypothetical outside force, as remaking ourselves, being ultimately the arbiters of our own destinies, the co-creators of ourselves. A process we are all the more conscious of, as the moment dawns when we can stand upright in mind and heart, as well as merely in bipedal form. A moment in which we will be in touch as never before with who we are, aware as never before of that divine spark burning brightly within us and ready as never before to resume communication with our divine ancestors, who have cared so lovingly for us for all these years.
Showing posts with label Apocalypse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apocalypse. Show all posts
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Saturday, September 20, 2008
J. R. Nyquist "The Danger is Not Fully Appreciated" 09/12/2008
Global Analysis - J. R. Nyquist "The Danger is Not Fully Appreciated" 09/12/2008
Firstly, I should say that featuring the above article is not intended as an acceptance of it. Rather, it is being held up here as a talking point, a juncture at which we may discusss possibilities more extreme than are usually entertained. In this case, it is the possibility that Russia is in fact preparing for a conflict with the USA, be it 'cold' or 'hot' and that the USA knows it- has known it for some time. What might Russia's motives be? Perhaps to re-establish their lost emminence as a power, perhaps revenge for their defeat in the former Cold War. Perhaps just to reassert the power they have. Either way, here we examine the possibility- in the intuitive and some might say rambling Starfire style- that Russia is indeed ready to go to conflict and is 'awaking' in a danger way.
Recently, some very strange and extreme events have emerged. Thinking along Apocalyptic lines, it would seem that there could well be forces aligned, using secretive short-selling tactics, designed to bring the US to their knees, financially speaking. Of course, it could all be an unlucky co-incidence and the appearance of 'untrammelled greed' on the part of groups of investors. But a more sinister possibility exists- that, along with the invasion of Georgia, a hard-line KGB is viewing the US government as a mortal enemy, despite all the processes that have happened since the end of the 'cold war'.
Venezuela has hosted Russian strategic bombers in recent days and has brazenly threatened war in response to the missile shield being erected in Poland. I followed the media and believed it was designed for 'Rouge States'. But in the thought of the Cold War, there were no 'rogue states', just ones aligned with the Soviet Union or the USA. Certainly, if mishandled, Russia may well seek to return to that strategy- in fact, as I speak, they have threatened to do so.
A cornered animal is all the more dangerous. With the expansion of NATO to their doorstep, Russia may well be feeling just that way. A media that harps on about neo-colonial conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq as if they were vital battles on the scale of WW2 may have a lot of people fooled. Yet the wiser can see that this is, like so many other incidences, a symptom of the world power-play between the great powers for vital resources and to establish 'friendly governments' in areas where there are none.
Rival powers remain the real threat- a rogue state alone is no more than a psychotic trouble-maker. Direct battles between the titans of global politics still pose risks of much greater destruction. An increasingly authoritarian Russia is a threat from the past that haunts the present like never before.
Firstly, I should say that featuring the above article is not intended as an acceptance of it. Rather, it is being held up here as a talking point, a juncture at which we may discusss possibilities more extreme than are usually entertained. In this case, it is the possibility that Russia is in fact preparing for a conflict with the USA, be it 'cold' or 'hot' and that the USA knows it- has known it for some time. What might Russia's motives be? Perhaps to re-establish their lost emminence as a power, perhaps revenge for their defeat in the former Cold War. Perhaps just to reassert the power they have. Either way, here we examine the possibility- in the intuitive and some might say rambling Starfire style- that Russia is indeed ready to go to conflict and is 'awaking' in a danger way.
Recently, some very strange and extreme events have emerged. Thinking along Apocalyptic lines, it would seem that there could well be forces aligned, using secretive short-selling tactics, designed to bring the US to their knees, financially speaking. Of course, it could all be an unlucky co-incidence and the appearance of 'untrammelled greed' on the part of groups of investors. But a more sinister possibility exists- that, along with the invasion of Georgia, a hard-line KGB is viewing the US government as a mortal enemy, despite all the processes that have happened since the end of the 'cold war'.
Venezuela has hosted Russian strategic bombers in recent days and has brazenly threatened war in response to the missile shield being erected in Poland. I followed the media and believed it was designed for 'Rouge States'. But in the thought of the Cold War, there were no 'rogue states', just ones aligned with the Soviet Union or the USA. Certainly, if mishandled, Russia may well seek to return to that strategy- in fact, as I speak, they have threatened to do so.
A cornered animal is all the more dangerous. With the expansion of NATO to their doorstep, Russia may well be feeling just that way. A media that harps on about neo-colonial conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq as if they were vital battles on the scale of WW2 may have a lot of people fooled. Yet the wiser can see that this is, like so many other incidences, a symptom of the world power-play between the great powers for vital resources and to establish 'friendly governments' in areas where there are none.
Rival powers remain the real threat- a rogue state alone is no more than a psychotic trouble-maker. Direct battles between the titans of global politics still pose risks of much greater destruction. An increasingly authoritarian Russia is a threat from the past that haunts the present like never before.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Nature or HARRP?
Recently, there have been several attacks on the Chinese- aligned powers of China and Burma. One wonders where these have come from and what set them off. The persecution of monks and a lack of respect for divine values has driven a lot of people against their Communistic and Godless system. Yet, I do not believe in a punishing God. No good God would cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands, with all the suffering of their relatives, intentionally. No real God would do anything without a full intention.
Having said this, by denying God and closing their ears to the great spiritual leaders of the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi, it is hard to sympathise with the wretchedly evil Chinese political system- with the government, if not the innocent people. If something was to weaken those governments and bring democracy closer, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Yet the suffering of the innocent is something no good God would cause.
For some, it seems that evidence points towards this being a use of the HARRP project, which they say involves beaming intense electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere to affect weather systems. In short, cyclones and earthquakes being used as weapons in an attempt to extend control over weakened opponents. As the new world order extends itself, it takes out other, smaller, despotic governments along the way. Yet there is always a bigger fish, and the Illuminati shall sooner or later meet their match.
I for one am not sure what is really going on, I have yet to be fully convinced even that the Illuminati exist. Yet it does seem that in such a scheme, evil forces would ultimately cancel one another out, the way the Nazis and Soviets fought so viciously in the past- with millions of innocents being caught in the crossfire. The main reason not to believe this is happening is the scarcity of evidence- just because it 'explains' everything, that doesn't mean it's true- though the lack of evidence avaliable also doesn't 'prove' it's not taking place this way.
Cling to God, the Eternal family and find your safety there. This unstable world offers no true sanctuary as does His Kingdom, which offers, "A peace this world cannot give". Whether this will save you from natural disasters or wars, or just assure a peaceful afterlife if you fall victim to them, we have to trust in the Eternal and not be fools, placing faith in the untrustworthy things of this world. Righteousness streams forth from the Godly, they are not led astray by the glimmer of false gold or the allure of unjust power. Their testament shall endure forever, in the Askasic records of our universe, being written in the Book of Life itself.
Pray for the innocent victims of these terrible disasters and let their communities find peace, comfort, freedom and true faith. Whatever brought them on- be it national sin, global warming, overpopulation, HARRP, or just the movement of tectonic plates, those individuals suffering were just living a normal life with those they love. We need to remember tham and keep our humanity intact.
All are God's beloved children.
Amen.
Having said this, by denying God and closing their ears to the great spiritual leaders of the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi, it is hard to sympathise with the wretchedly evil Chinese political system- with the government, if not the innocent people. If something was to weaken those governments and bring democracy closer, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Yet the suffering of the innocent is something no good God would cause.
For some, it seems that evidence points towards this being a use of the HARRP project, which they say involves beaming intense electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere to affect weather systems. In short, cyclones and earthquakes being used as weapons in an attempt to extend control over weakened opponents. As the new world order extends itself, it takes out other, smaller, despotic governments along the way. Yet there is always a bigger fish, and the Illuminati shall sooner or later meet their match.
I for one am not sure what is really going on, I have yet to be fully convinced even that the Illuminati exist. Yet it does seem that in such a scheme, evil forces would ultimately cancel one another out, the way the Nazis and Soviets fought so viciously in the past- with millions of innocents being caught in the crossfire. The main reason not to believe this is happening is the scarcity of evidence- just because it 'explains' everything, that doesn't mean it's true- though the lack of evidence avaliable also doesn't 'prove' it's not taking place this way.
Cling to God, the Eternal family and find your safety there. This unstable world offers no true sanctuary as does His Kingdom, which offers, "A peace this world cannot give". Whether this will save you from natural disasters or wars, or just assure a peaceful afterlife if you fall victim to them, we have to trust in the Eternal and not be fools, placing faith in the untrustworthy things of this world. Righteousness streams forth from the Godly, they are not led astray by the glimmer of false gold or the allure of unjust power. Their testament shall endure forever, in the Askasic records of our universe, being written in the Book of Life itself.
Pray for the innocent victims of these terrible disasters and let their communities find peace, comfort, freedom and true faith. Whatever brought them on- be it national sin, global warming, overpopulation, HARRP, or just the movement of tectonic plates, those individuals suffering were just living a normal life with those they love. We need to remember tham and keep our humanity intact.
All are God's beloved children.
Amen.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Great Earthquake Nears
As anyone who follows this story will know, the fall of nova has left many stranded in japan, victims of circumstance that no-one seems to want to help. Now they are being offered cheaper flights home (which some simply can't afford) and in the longer term (3 months) their salaries finally. I can see that some may not really see it as an option to go back, even if they can just about afford a ticket and will stay- finding what work they can, maybe even going homeless. Japan has some sympathy for them, but is avoiding the responsibility they have for having invited all these guests to come and experience their culture and provide so much entertainment and sympathetic help (whatever cold-minded nonsense you hear, language school teachers often double-up as therapist/councilors and none that I met is as selfish as the average 'full time worker'- self-important buffoons that they are, denying god's reality with their every breath (okay, there are exceptions, but todays professional pharasies are not as pure-hearted as they claim).
I do smell a certain racial attitude towards these foreign guests in not doing enough to ensure their pay is refunded (pay that was stolen by a company with deep connections to the government here, much like Enron had in America), nor to ensure that basic HUMAN RIGHTS like food and shelter and security are granted. The Japanese workers can stay with their families- foreigners can't- sometimes even in their own countries, where families are much less close (living with mine would mean a lot of verbal abuse alongside all the kindness and I'm not sure I could take it in the middle-to-long term). I know I partly came to Japan to be more independant and save for the future- trusting the government approval of Nova and their legitimacy as a large company. Back then it was easy to leave for something else- now the market is not only depressed, but also flooded with thousands of other inexperienced 'teachers' in the same boat.
So, we see the media blaming the teachers for Nova collapsing, suggesting they should have been firm and loyal, even with no pay or no food. You see no offers from the government or even private citizens to help people they invited to help them with their poor English and narrow perspective on the world. Can God accept this treatment of the young and generous (with their time, if that is all they have)- can God sit back and allow his children to be treated this way- a way that is so shocking it has made the front pages of the international news?
If Katrina was America's punishment for the invasion of Iraq, the brutal conquest of a Sovereign land and the rape of her resources, all to satisfy greedy consumerist habits, one wonders what may be on the cards for Japan if they insist on proceeding with this bigoted nonsense and hard-hearted refusal to see what they are doing? Whatever Shinto might seem to teach them, humans all have equal rights (though perhaps individual aptitudes- rights to a happy life being a different subject). Could it be that Earthquake that has been on the cards for so long?
I should stress here that God doesn't punish- yet our actions, thoughts and deeds of our heart can bring forth consequences out of the great law of karma. God indeed counsels us to be kind and loving, slow to anger and hate, so that we are on track for the way he created us to be. But if we ignore such signs, wonders and teachings, who knows what might happen- only our faith and kindness can appeal to God's grace. Of course, I hope all this doesn't happen and Japan comes to it's senses and helps these poor buggars, and also that a lot of them go home, where it will be a lot safer- then they can come out again with other jobs. But all this makes Japan look bad for a reason- no-one tolerates intolerance- it can no longer be a 'dirty little secret' that can be hidden safely. America and the UN have yet to say anything- hopefully it will all be resolved before this is neccessary (remember, this is about people being marooned, not the economics of bankruptcy itself, which happens all the time, but rarely to foreigners on this scale).
In my country, people would certainly help and the government would already have many schemes to make sure everyone is safe and to an extent looked after. Maybe that's why when we had a flood, only a few people actually died. 'Natural disasters' bring their own message. Let's be good and fear the wrath of our own misdeeds- being loving, instead.
God, let there be compassion, peace ,justice and safety. May your kingdom come ton Earth, may we be saved from the harsh things of this world by your grace.
Amen
I do smell a certain racial attitude towards these foreign guests in not doing enough to ensure their pay is refunded (pay that was stolen by a company with deep connections to the government here, much like Enron had in America), nor to ensure that basic HUMAN RIGHTS like food and shelter and security are granted. The Japanese workers can stay with their families- foreigners can't- sometimes even in their own countries, where families are much less close (living with mine would mean a lot of verbal abuse alongside all the kindness and I'm not sure I could take it in the middle-to-long term). I know I partly came to Japan to be more independant and save for the future- trusting the government approval of Nova and their legitimacy as a large company. Back then it was easy to leave for something else- now the market is not only depressed, but also flooded with thousands of other inexperienced 'teachers' in the same boat.
So, we see the media blaming the teachers for Nova collapsing, suggesting they should have been firm and loyal, even with no pay or no food. You see no offers from the government or even private citizens to help people they invited to help them with their poor English and narrow perspective on the world. Can God accept this treatment of the young and generous (with their time, if that is all they have)- can God sit back and allow his children to be treated this way- a way that is so shocking it has made the front pages of the international news?
If Katrina was America's punishment for the invasion of Iraq, the brutal conquest of a Sovereign land and the rape of her resources, all to satisfy greedy consumerist habits, one wonders what may be on the cards for Japan if they insist on proceeding with this bigoted nonsense and hard-hearted refusal to see what they are doing? Whatever Shinto might seem to teach them, humans all have equal rights (though perhaps individual aptitudes- rights to a happy life being a different subject). Could it be that Earthquake that has been on the cards for so long?
I should stress here that God doesn't punish- yet our actions, thoughts and deeds of our heart can bring forth consequences out of the great law of karma. God indeed counsels us to be kind and loving, slow to anger and hate, so that we are on track for the way he created us to be. But if we ignore such signs, wonders and teachings, who knows what might happen- only our faith and kindness can appeal to God's grace. Of course, I hope all this doesn't happen and Japan comes to it's senses and helps these poor buggars, and also that a lot of them go home, where it will be a lot safer- then they can come out again with other jobs. But all this makes Japan look bad for a reason- no-one tolerates intolerance- it can no longer be a 'dirty little secret' that can be hidden safely. America and the UN have yet to say anything- hopefully it will all be resolved before this is neccessary (remember, this is about people being marooned, not the economics of bankruptcy itself, which happens all the time, but rarely to foreigners on this scale).
In my country, people would certainly help and the government would already have many schemes to make sure everyone is safe and to an extent looked after. Maybe that's why when we had a flood, only a few people actually died. 'Natural disasters' bring their own message. Let's be good and fear the wrath of our own misdeeds- being loving, instead.
God, let there be compassion, peace ,justice and safety. May your kingdom come ton Earth, may we be saved from the harsh things of this world by your grace.
Amen
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Rumours Concerning July 19th, 2006
Looks like those theorists who thought something would happen on this date were very much wrong- look at the date now and nothing's happened, we're all still here!
It just goes to show the utter uselessness of rumours surrounding particular dates and the skepticism we should have towards anyone who makes a big deal out of them. Quite appropriate that this good news should be delivered on the 77th post of Starfire Talks.
It just goes to show the utter uselessness of rumours surrounding particular dates and the skepticism we should have towards anyone who makes a big deal out of them. Quite appropriate that this good news should be delivered on the 77th post of Starfire Talks.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
June 19th, 2006
The main reason to monitor what is going on isn't just idle speculation, or just because it is fashionable to be interested in conspiracy theories. Really, it's to try and find out what really is going on and what to expect for the future- the latter being something that it is very hard to see clearly. So, as well as reading the regular news sites, which I suppose I rely on for the facts, I also look around on the net for various interpretations of the facts, including so-called 'conspiracy theory sites', which often quote from the main-stream media but have a very different take on what is going on. For example, I came across this thread speculating about
Apparently, according to The Washington Post, a rather large Federal emergency exercise will take place in the USA on this day, involving as many as 4,000 government employees from various branches of the government. They'll be moving to a classified network of underground bunkers and shelters, in simulation of a large-scale attack, far larger than on September 11th. In fact, it's the largest such exercise ever conducted in history, made a lot easier with portable technologies such as PDAs and Blackberries to facilitate communication. See here for more on this.
Now of course, this could just be an exercise, but it needs to be remembered that at 8:30 in the morning of September 11th there was a NORAD exercise to prepare for... guess what... hijacked planes crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This exercise really did happen, just on that time and was likewise reported of in The Washington Post. Similarly, with the London Bombings a simulation of bombs simultaneously going off, in exactly the same times and places as in the real world, was being held on the same day- in fact a morning TV interview with Peter Powers, the man from the consultancy agency in charge of it, was interrupted by the real-life events. Whilst some may see this as a coincidence, others see it as part of a 'smoke-screen' to hide official involvement in the real events.
As for myself, well I have to say that there may well be exercises used as a way of covering up real events, to scare the population into agreeing to things that otherwise there is no way they'd even think of accepting. But bearing in mind how many drills there are and in this case the very obviousness of this one, I don't think we can use them as a reliable predictor. If there really is a secretive movement to make a 'world government' or at least apply more dictatorial powers in certain regions, powers that sadistic minds would desire simply because they are sick and enjoy such things (and perhaps can make more profits in the situation, too), then they are more likely to use these events to cover their tracks towards this. To coincide with Bilderberg meetings, G8 forums, legislation granting illegitimate powers, and discredit the opposition to them by keeping terrorism on the agenda and confusing democratic skepticism with it. So that 'if you're not with us, you're with the terrorists' could be twisted into saying 'if you object to the police state and the monopolies it protects you're in sympathy with terrorists'. I really could see something like this as being their objective.
But even if it is, they are wasting their time. If we know one thing, it's that sooner or later the truth comes out and that those in variance with it will be exposed and ridiculed. Even more so, sinful and deceptive behaviour produces nothing good for anyone- any profits gained thereby are illusory and joyless. God simply doesn't reward such behaviour and only His rewards count. So give it up, conspirators. I have the high ground- you simply can't win!
Apparently, according to The Washington Post, a rather large Federal emergency exercise will take place in the USA on this day, involving as many as 4,000 government employees from various branches of the government. They'll be moving to a classified network of underground bunkers and shelters, in simulation of a large-scale attack, far larger than on September 11th. In fact, it's the largest such exercise ever conducted in history, made a lot easier with portable technologies such as PDAs and Blackberries to facilitate communication. See here for more on this.
Now of course, this could just be an exercise, but it needs to be remembered that at 8:30 in the morning of September 11th there was a NORAD exercise to prepare for... guess what... hijacked planes crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This exercise really did happen, just on that time and was likewise reported of in The Washington Post. Similarly, with the London Bombings a simulation of bombs simultaneously going off, in exactly the same times and places as in the real world, was being held on the same day- in fact a morning TV interview with Peter Powers, the man from the consultancy agency in charge of it, was interrupted by the real-life events. Whilst some may see this as a coincidence, others see it as part of a 'smoke-screen' to hide official involvement in the real events.
As for myself, well I have to say that there may well be exercises used as a way of covering up real events, to scare the population into agreeing to things that otherwise there is no way they'd even think of accepting. But bearing in mind how many drills there are and in this case the very obviousness of this one, I don't think we can use them as a reliable predictor. If there really is a secretive movement to make a 'world government' or at least apply more dictatorial powers in certain regions, powers that sadistic minds would desire simply because they are sick and enjoy such things (and perhaps can make more profits in the situation, too), then they are more likely to use these events to cover their tracks towards this. To coincide with Bilderberg meetings, G8 forums, legislation granting illegitimate powers, and discredit the opposition to them by keeping terrorism on the agenda and confusing democratic skepticism with it. So that 'if you're not with us, you're with the terrorists' could be twisted into saying 'if you object to the police state and the monopolies it protects you're in sympathy with terrorists'. I really could see something like this as being their objective.
But even if it is, they are wasting their time. If we know one thing, it's that sooner or later the truth comes out and that those in variance with it will be exposed and ridiculed. Even more so, sinful and deceptive behaviour produces nothing good for anyone- any profits gained thereby are illusory and joyless. God simply doesn't reward such behaviour and only His rewards count. So give it up, conspirators. I have the high ground- you simply can't win!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Revisiting The Bible Code
Maybe you are aware of it, but many believe that by putting all of the words of the Hebrew Bible end to end (otherwise known as the Torah), and then searching for patterns in these words, mysterious things will come to light. This is generally done with the aid of a computer program, which is able to mathematically search for these patterns once the subject is entered. This apparently works for historical figures but most of all is being used by people to anticipate events in the coming 'end times'. Quite a lot of these are seen as related to our current year (2006) and the current president of the USA (George W. Bush, in case you still don't know!)
Personally, I am not quite sure of what to make of it all- patterns tend to naturally form and we can see in them what we wish. A cloud can be a horse or an airplane or even a dragon... it all depends on what we wish to see. Yet this does not mean that such patterns are necessarily without meaning, and the suggestion of The Bible Code is that these are divinely bestowed patterns with divinely given meanings. I think all this is indeed possible, but stop short of affirming that we are actually capable of seeing them, much less seeing clearly any that may refer to our possible futures.
For some examples of what people are finding there, or at least what they think they are finding there, see The Bible Codes. At the most, they present apocalyptic possibilities, not certainties and reveal the hypocricy in the hearts of the corrupt... just as the prophets in the Bible always managed to. Whether they are real at all or not is another matter. People will always want to know the future. They need to remember, though, that it is something they help to bring about. I certainly hope that the events seen in The Bible Code never need to happen at all.
For more on this, please take a peek at my earlier article, Armageddon and The Bible Codes.
Personally, I am not quite sure of what to make of it all- patterns tend to naturally form and we can see in them what we wish. A cloud can be a horse or an airplane or even a dragon... it all depends on what we wish to see. Yet this does not mean that such patterns are necessarily without meaning, and the suggestion of The Bible Code is that these are divinely bestowed patterns with divinely given meanings. I think all this is indeed possible, but stop short of affirming that we are actually capable of seeing them, much less seeing clearly any that may refer to our possible futures.
For some examples of what people are finding there, or at least what they think they are finding there, see The Bible Codes. At the most, they present apocalyptic possibilities, not certainties and reveal the hypocricy in the hearts of the corrupt... just as the prophets in the Bible always managed to. Whether they are real at all or not is another matter. People will always want to know the future. They need to remember, though, that it is something they help to bring about. I certainly hope that the events seen in The Bible Code never need to happen at all.
For more on this, please take a peek at my earlier article, Armageddon and The Bible Codes.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Lest We Forget
September 11th and July 7th
In these times, we should all remember just how important ‘Truth’ is. Lies can kill, whereas truth can save life. We should remember this in the context of governments as well as individuals. Governments in the past have been known to lie- in the case of Totalitarian dictatorships this has been the norm. In the case of democracies, perhaps this is the exception that proves the rule- but it has been known to happen- for instance in the case of Richard Nixon.
In our present situation in the ‘War on Terror’ there can be little doubt that the stated enemy is indeed quite capable of evil. It is indeed an ideology that leads to the grossest abuse of human rights and also lacks the respect for the sanctity of life which we hold so dear. Much like ‘Bolshevism’ before it, it is an ultimately irrational and dishonest doctrine which leads to evils too numerous to elucidate here. Yet, just as Fascism rose, ostensibly to combat Bolshevism, in its day, we should beware of something similar arising in the midst of our societies- perhaps a more refined one, relying less on Nationalist aspirations- but a threat to that which we hold dear none the less.
We should, therefore, cling to Truth, that which can keep us in a state of inner peace. Guns don’t kill and imprison innocent people- it is lies that do that. We should look at the available evidence before reaching conclusions. I mention this more specifically in the context of large-scale atrocities carried out against our own people, which are creating a climate of ever-greater fear and in some instances of outright panic. We should look closely and critically at the evidence of how they happened and who was responsible. This is not so much to point fingers- this is not about accusing people, much less social groups. This is so as to have the necessary skepticism towards any false claims that may be forwarded. ‘Justice at any price’ should not be our motto- protecting the innocent should. After all this may, one day, include us, or someone we know.
Take for instance the case of the atrocities committed on September 11th. On this day we have been lead to understand that high jacked airliners being crashed into buildings actually destroyed the World Trade Center Towers and part of the Pentagon. Yet other evidence has come to light which brings an element of doubt to this proposal- a proposal widely accepted as fact. For instance, the air-defense squadron responsible for security in the area was strangely inactive at the time. This is because they were involved in a training exercise at a nearby base. This exercise was nothing other than a mock-up of exactly what happened that day. Any off-course planes that they may have seen on their radar would have probably havebeen ignored, and treated as part of the exercise. Also, eye-witness reports from firemen at the time, available on the internet, describe seeing explosives going off within the lower levels of the towers themselves, something which close-ups of the external views also show, with shoots of flame bursting out from the doomed buildings. Experts surveying the damage afterwards also reported what they could only describe as the effects of high-explosives from within the building. Such evidence, much like the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, will not easily go away. They cast doubt on the official explanation for the days’ events, however preferable it may be to accept official explanations as a matter of course and thereby avoid difficult and uncomfortable questions. Yet if the official explanation is a premeditated forgery, where does that leave us? These are issues that we cannot easily ignore, lest we be lead to accept further lies, as well.
A much more recent event is that of the tragedy in London on 7/7, which due to it’s recency is probably fresh in our minds. Much like in the case of September 11, the images we saw of this through the portal of the media are truly shocking and horrible. The response to the events by those in the area was equally brave, inspiring and, showed an incredible amount of self- control. Yet, nevertheless, it is important that we keep our minds clear and find out what really happened on that day- and the sooner the better. Facts inconsistent with the official position have already come to light. I hope it does not seem disrespectful to the suffering participants in this atrocity and also to the truly heroic emergency workers, to be asking such questions at such a time. On the contrary, I believe it honours their memory to do so. Let us remember that we are first and foremost called upon to protect innocent lives and also, may I add, the reputations of the innocent. The importance of this outweighs the importance of finding quick, emotionally-satiating ‘answers’. Also, it is essential to our long-term security that we can be safe from whoever really did carry out such attacks.
Here are some of the unsettling contradictions and inconsistencies so far found-
Peter Power, working for the consultancy group Visor Consultants, was doing a drill of the exact same sequence of events- bombs exploding simultaneously on three underground trains at those specific stations- at the time when it happened. This reminds us of the ‘out of action’ air defense squadron in New York, so caught up in a simulation of the events unfolding nearby that they would have been unable to interfere had they noticed it.
In the Evening Standard, passengers report being turned away from ‘tube’ trains in the early hours of the morning. If the authorities knew nothing about what was to happen, why would this have been the case?
There were false bomb alerts in other major cities in Britain before the attacks. This indicates perhaps that something was known, though maybe the information was not exact enough to pinpoint it taking place in London. So far we have been told of no such advance knowledge of the events.
The Israeli ambassador was warned of the first bomb going off near the hotel in which he was to attend an economic conference. Yet while he was being warned, the explosions were being officially blamed on a ‘power surge’. Which version of events did the authorities really believe? Why have Israeli officials been asked to stay quiet about the entire set of incidents- was there a warning given from them to the British government that was too vague to be effectively acted upon? Was it unclear which city the attacks would take place, which the bomb scares in other major cities would point to? Or, more chillingly, was it seen as somehow better for the government to let them take place anyway, for monstrous geo-political reasons?
The later has often been suggested in the case of the September 11th Attacks- that the government did nothing at the time, but then used the incidents as ‘political capital’ to carry through with prearranged plans. In the case of London, the alert level had been lowered a month earlier- this in spite of the G8 conference being held at the time and any possible advance warnings- however unclear- from intelligence agencies, that something was about to happen.
The story about who was responsible changed very quickly. This could be in response to new evidence gradually coming to light, discounting earlier theories. At first they were said to be backpacks filled with explosives, detonated remotely. The detonations were said to be ‘seconds apart’, an indication of military-level precision. Then, only a day or two later it was said that all were suicide bombers from suburbia. This would mean that there are no direct culprits who could be interviewed. Perhaps, on the other hand, the negative publicity making it’s way to the government for it’s participation in the Iraq War and also for letting foreign extremists settle in ‘Londonstan’ made blaming foreign Al-Qaeda terrorists too politically damaging to contemplate for very long. In other words, the official story may have been changed to avoid government embarrassment.
Is it not possible that in reality the accused were not really responsible? One was an apolitical chap who liked cricket, another had a Hindu wife- not the usual model of ‘extremists’. Unless, as we are asked to believe, they had an immensely different double-life, is it not more possible that they were either victims of the bombings or in some other fashion ‘set up’? Such has happened before and been admitted to later- for example the case of the Guilford Four. The authorities must have been under immense pressure to end the period of uncertainty and be seen to be ‘doing their job’. Yet no such retrial is possible in the case of ‘suicide bombers’. That there are dangerous Islamic radicals who have been born in Britain there is little question. That would mean that it would be possible for such a thing to happen as ‘bombers to come from suburbia’. The fact that something is possible does not, however, make it likely, and as in any criminal case, proper evidence is needed before guilt can be established. So far, none has been released and we are left with ‘reports’ of CCTV records in the train stations. On the bus itself, all the CCTV cameras were mysteriously not working.
So here we reach the end of this study- for now. With all said above in mind, let one thing be clear-
Our duty is to protect the innocent- innocent lives as well as innocent reputations. Only by taking the trouble to examine the truth, clearly and free from bias, will this be possible. This is no time for intellectual laziness. It is a time for intellectual rigueur and for honesty. Only then can we do our best, in an uncertain world, to make it as safe as we possibly can. For the present, this is as much as we can do.
And also let us remember that by bitter coincidence, just as the suspects were being accused, 120 people died when three trains collided in a station in Pakistan. The event received a mere note in the press and little commentary. Yet the passengers suffering was every bit as real as that experienced in London.
In these times, we should all remember just how important ‘Truth’ is. Lies can kill, whereas truth can save life. We should remember this in the context of governments as well as individuals. Governments in the past have been known to lie- in the case of Totalitarian dictatorships this has been the norm. In the case of democracies, perhaps this is the exception that proves the rule- but it has been known to happen- for instance in the case of Richard Nixon.
In our present situation in the ‘War on Terror’ there can be little doubt that the stated enemy is indeed quite capable of evil. It is indeed an ideology that leads to the grossest abuse of human rights and also lacks the respect for the sanctity of life which we hold so dear. Much like ‘Bolshevism’ before it, it is an ultimately irrational and dishonest doctrine which leads to evils too numerous to elucidate here. Yet, just as Fascism rose, ostensibly to combat Bolshevism, in its day, we should beware of something similar arising in the midst of our societies- perhaps a more refined one, relying less on Nationalist aspirations- but a threat to that which we hold dear none the less.
We should, therefore, cling to Truth, that which can keep us in a state of inner peace. Guns don’t kill and imprison innocent people- it is lies that do that. We should look at the available evidence before reaching conclusions. I mention this more specifically in the context of large-scale atrocities carried out against our own people, which are creating a climate of ever-greater fear and in some instances of outright panic. We should look closely and critically at the evidence of how they happened and who was responsible. This is not so much to point fingers- this is not about accusing people, much less social groups. This is so as to have the necessary skepticism towards any false claims that may be forwarded. ‘Justice at any price’ should not be our motto- protecting the innocent should. After all this may, one day, include us, or someone we know.
Take for instance the case of the atrocities committed on September 11th. On this day we have been lead to understand that high jacked airliners being crashed into buildings actually destroyed the World Trade Center Towers and part of the Pentagon. Yet other evidence has come to light which brings an element of doubt to this proposal- a proposal widely accepted as fact. For instance, the air-defense squadron responsible for security in the area was strangely inactive at the time. This is because they were involved in a training exercise at a nearby base. This exercise was nothing other than a mock-up of exactly what happened that day. Any off-course planes that they may have seen on their radar would have probably havebeen ignored, and treated as part of the exercise. Also, eye-witness reports from firemen at the time, available on the internet, describe seeing explosives going off within the lower levels of the towers themselves, something which close-ups of the external views also show, with shoots of flame bursting out from the doomed buildings. Experts surveying the damage afterwards also reported what they could only describe as the effects of high-explosives from within the building. Such evidence, much like the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, will not easily go away. They cast doubt on the official explanation for the days’ events, however preferable it may be to accept official explanations as a matter of course and thereby avoid difficult and uncomfortable questions. Yet if the official explanation is a premeditated forgery, where does that leave us? These are issues that we cannot easily ignore, lest we be lead to accept further lies, as well.
A much more recent event is that of the tragedy in London on 7/7, which due to it’s recency is probably fresh in our minds. Much like in the case of September 11, the images we saw of this through the portal of the media are truly shocking and horrible. The response to the events by those in the area was equally brave, inspiring and, showed an incredible amount of self- control. Yet, nevertheless, it is important that we keep our minds clear and find out what really happened on that day- and the sooner the better. Facts inconsistent with the official position have already come to light. I hope it does not seem disrespectful to the suffering participants in this atrocity and also to the truly heroic emergency workers, to be asking such questions at such a time. On the contrary, I believe it honours their memory to do so. Let us remember that we are first and foremost called upon to protect innocent lives and also, may I add, the reputations of the innocent. The importance of this outweighs the importance of finding quick, emotionally-satiating ‘answers’. Also, it is essential to our long-term security that we can be safe from whoever really did carry out such attacks.
Here are some of the unsettling contradictions and inconsistencies so far found-
Peter Power, working for the consultancy group Visor Consultants, was doing a drill of the exact same sequence of events- bombs exploding simultaneously on three underground trains at those specific stations- at the time when it happened. This reminds us of the ‘out of action’ air defense squadron in New York, so caught up in a simulation of the events unfolding nearby that they would have been unable to interfere had they noticed it.
In the Evening Standard, passengers report being turned away from ‘tube’ trains in the early hours of the morning. If the authorities knew nothing about what was to happen, why would this have been the case?
There were false bomb alerts in other major cities in Britain before the attacks. This indicates perhaps that something was known, though maybe the information was not exact enough to pinpoint it taking place in London. So far we have been told of no such advance knowledge of the events.
The Israeli ambassador was warned of the first bomb going off near the hotel in which he was to attend an economic conference. Yet while he was being warned, the explosions were being officially blamed on a ‘power surge’. Which version of events did the authorities really believe? Why have Israeli officials been asked to stay quiet about the entire set of incidents- was there a warning given from them to the British government that was too vague to be effectively acted upon? Was it unclear which city the attacks would take place, which the bomb scares in other major cities would point to? Or, more chillingly, was it seen as somehow better for the government to let them take place anyway, for monstrous geo-political reasons?
The later has often been suggested in the case of the September 11th Attacks- that the government did nothing at the time, but then used the incidents as ‘political capital’ to carry through with prearranged plans. In the case of London, the alert level had been lowered a month earlier- this in spite of the G8 conference being held at the time and any possible advance warnings- however unclear- from intelligence agencies, that something was about to happen.
The story about who was responsible changed very quickly. This could be in response to new evidence gradually coming to light, discounting earlier theories. At first they were said to be backpacks filled with explosives, detonated remotely. The detonations were said to be ‘seconds apart’, an indication of military-level precision. Then, only a day or two later it was said that all were suicide bombers from suburbia. This would mean that there are no direct culprits who could be interviewed. Perhaps, on the other hand, the negative publicity making it’s way to the government for it’s participation in the Iraq War and also for letting foreign extremists settle in ‘Londonstan’ made blaming foreign Al-Qaeda terrorists too politically damaging to contemplate for very long. In other words, the official story may have been changed to avoid government embarrassment.
Is it not possible that in reality the accused were not really responsible? One was an apolitical chap who liked cricket, another had a Hindu wife- not the usual model of ‘extremists’. Unless, as we are asked to believe, they had an immensely different double-life, is it not more possible that they were either victims of the bombings or in some other fashion ‘set up’? Such has happened before and been admitted to later- for example the case of the Guilford Four. The authorities must have been under immense pressure to end the period of uncertainty and be seen to be ‘doing their job’. Yet no such retrial is possible in the case of ‘suicide bombers’. That there are dangerous Islamic radicals who have been born in Britain there is little question. That would mean that it would be possible for such a thing to happen as ‘bombers to come from suburbia’. The fact that something is possible does not, however, make it likely, and as in any criminal case, proper evidence is needed before guilt can be established. So far, none has been released and we are left with ‘reports’ of CCTV records in the train stations. On the bus itself, all the CCTV cameras were mysteriously not working.
So here we reach the end of this study- for now. With all said above in mind, let one thing be clear-
Our duty is to protect the innocent- innocent lives as well as innocent reputations. Only by taking the trouble to examine the truth, clearly and free from bias, will this be possible. This is no time for intellectual laziness. It is a time for intellectual rigueur and for honesty. Only then can we do our best, in an uncertain world, to make it as safe as we possibly can. For the present, this is as much as we can do.
And also let us remember that by bitter coincidence, just as the suspects were being accused, 120 people died when three trains collided in a station in Pakistan. The event received a mere note in the press and little commentary. Yet the passengers suffering was every bit as real as that experienced in London.
Friday, October 22, 2004
International Law and International Lawlessness (Emailed on November 14th 2004)
I really appreciate your reply. I don't get the BBC television here though I do visit their web-page daily and see a lot critical of the war and the Bush administration and the humanitarian crisis there. I'm pretty sure the Japanese media is also critical (thought they outsource for journalists often). CNN on the whole wasn't and also isn't and I see this as a problem, as they can probably get tax-breaks or something from the Bush administration, as do Murdock's enterprises. I am aware that there is a lot of freedom of expression. From what you say, there is a lot more attention paid to individuals’ views than I realised. But I wonder if articulate intellectuals (Iraqi or Western) are given sufficient airtime. The reason I say this is that articulate criticisms resonate far more deeply and may contain more analysis. This analysis is the key, as it unveils underlying causes and perhaps intentions, in a way that an individual's views, however poignant, may not. It can present an alternative source of authority and understanding.
As for the BBC, it is their partisan emotionality that bothers me. From what I have seen of them, I get the sense that they are towing a 'pro-Arab' line rather than being impartial, and they do not seem to favour progressive elements in those regions. So, in a sense, they seem to prop up a dichotomy of the status-quo and those resisting it by force, which the BBC seems to have great affection for. This leaves progressive, rational elements without much support (trusting that they exist, though are drowned out by the radical elements). In my time of watching the BBC in the past I saw very little of interviews with Arabs and Jews who wanted to live in peace, which I expect isn't as 'sexy' or 'shocking' for viewers as outrages are. They actually give the impression of seeing terrorists who attack civilians as legitimate and seem to have little time for peacemakers.
I blame historical politics and policies for the situation, not religions or fiery temperaments, and believe that the failure to correct them has resulted in the present 'post-colonial' or even 'late-colonial' chaos. Many well-meaning Israelis I met blame the post-colonial borders for the trouble in the Middle-East. By pointing out humanitarian problems without delving into the source of them, the liberal media may win praise and viewers, but it won't help to help solve problems, in fact it may just numb viewers with horror. Such images certainly emanate a sense of hopelessness and despair. There are indeed no easy answers, though I believe stable and reasonable national borders are the real answer. Without this, civil wars may be unavoidable. Why are thousands willing to die in civil wars? Because they believe that their families or tribes will benefit in the long run. Why do they feel the need? Because it is preferable to being oppressed by another ethnic group, with a seemingly infinite antagonism towards them. The only answer to this, as far as I can see, is a federal system that grants the right of territory, yet also balances this with a co-operative system with other tribes or 'nations'. A rational solution that calms emotions by providing what they truly seek.
It seems quite clear to me that the media has failed us thus far to effectively challenge the 'right' of whoever is strongest to impose a 'winner-takes-all' answer to problems. By implicitly supporting groups like Hamas and calling them merely 'militants' they fail to recognise Israel's right to exist. By focusing on the 'Right' in Israel, they weaken those there who want to find a negotiated solution. By quoting Bush and Blair without presenting experts in international law in the same presentation they confer legitimacy on what would be considered the actions of 'Rogue States' were they 'foreigners'. They fail in that they don’t present viable alternatives.
International law, rather than seeming expediency, is the only benchmark for international relations. It is to everyone's detriment that this has been ignored by Britain and America, who pride themselves on being its chief enforcers. How could this have happened in such a spectacular and terrible way? Well, my analysis is as follows-
Realising they were incapable of otherwise gaining office, and unable to get enough of the mainstream media to support their more 'progressive' policies, the Labour and Democratic parties came to support the interests of big-business elites, at the expense of their traditional liberal values. These values were perhaps never real vote-winners as their immediate benefits are hard to see. Having done this, they watered down the available channel of opposition to big-business interests, which allowed the latter to consolidate, until we have the 'fat cats' and conglomerates of today. The gap between rich and poor widened and so did the sense of accountability held by the rich. So when a decision was made to blatantly breach international law, in the case of the Iraq invasion, there was no longer the traditional opposition to stop them. I don't count the general public or public opinion as opposition- I count a counterbalance in government, i.e. with power to effectively vote. Back-benchers could vote, but only as 'rebels' and thus even less effectively than when they could create a larger block vote with the rest of the opposition- much of it now pressed into a pragmatic silence to support their leader. It is a kind of Faustian Pact, in which the natural opposition supports what would be unthinkable for them otherwise, so as to have a taste of power. This breakdown actually didn't start with the Iraq war- it started with the war in Kosovo. This proceeded without security-council authorisation, yet with massive co-operation from the media, who seemed to believe that it was being done for 'liberal' reasons rather than to expand the reach of NATO. From my understanding, it's main result has been a kind of 'ethnic-cleansing' of Serb Christians from the region, for whom it is now unsafe.
It may seem legalistic, but for me the legal angle is the key- all governments by their nature seek national interest and their own survival. They can say whatever they like, but as leaders are great actors, we cannot know whether their intentions are hypocritical or not. We may not even be able to analyse their chosen courses of action easily on their own merits. Thus, we need an authentic and trustworthy benchmark- international law, agreed upon by the nations. With little internal opposition (in a position of power, which for me includes the 'opposition party' that parliament depends upon) and a lack of respect for international checks and balances, this was an accident waiting to happen.
If the BBC et all quoted lawyers and intellectuals more, then they would be more convincing and able to propose intelligent alternatives to senseless belligerence. Their seeming legal ignorance and accepting of operations so long as they 'seem to be going okay' makes their protestations when things go wrong rather futile. Supposing things were going wrong and everything was legal and necessary, however unlikely this may be, seeing as the law is our protection as well as our deterrent. What would they say then? I see sensationalism in the media, not reasonable, calm analysis. I see an obsession with results to the exclusion of causes, with the belittling of those intelligent voices who actually could guide us rightly.
Opposition is a check and a balance. We are now seeing, I believe, what happens when it is sufficiently emasculated and driven underground. Hopefully people will learn more respect for it now- it may not have the power to make decisions, nut it is a necessary element to challenge and deter wrong ones. In terms of Britain, I would hope that the Conservatives fail to recover and the Liberal-Democrats become an effective and respected opposition, as what they have to say may seem a little less naive and foolish now. In terms of the US, there are great swaths of 'Blue states' who voted against Bush, and perhaps at least in those regions opposing views will find a home and a voice- again, this time a respected voice rather than a mocked one.
As for the issue of troops suddenly leaving, well I can see that this could produce chaos, yet the present time seems to be one of chaos too- some would say it verges on genocide. You do have a good point about the French and Portuguese colonies, (though of course people there had less to lose there in the sense that they don't have oil supplies to sell), and this almost makes me support the 'Coalition's' presence. Yet, the early refusal to hand control over to a responsible body such as the UN is really to blame here, not the ethnic divisions themselves, which need to be governed and their energy channeled in every existing state. Images of tanks defending oil-installations whilst looting and pillaging went on around them spoke volumes.
People cannot simply organise themselves, they need government to do so, whatever region of the world we are dealing with. Even now, my prescription would be to somehow hand control over to the UN and let them organise a new government on a Federal basis, working with educated Iraqis to do so, as is happening in Afghanistan and happened in South Africa and many other places. People have similar needs everywhere and they can be understood and accommodated by trained professionals. The present plan, though, seems to be to maintain a puppet police-state. We will have to see if there really are elections in the future. Whilst I am sure a lot of Iraqis would like to see a real democracy, this would need a lot of nurturing, and I can't see anyone other than the 'good' UN having the time, patience, neutrality, or resources for that. I am aware of course that corrupt elements exist in the UN, but then again so also does a unique source of 'nation-building' resources and professionals. If the foreign troops are seen as a necessary evil, then surely more so the UN, who are actually competent at nation-building processes and respected by most people in the world today?
The only answer I can see to preventing this from happening again is a body powerful enough to be a fair and reasonable, yet powerful, 'world policeman' that can arbitrate and deter. An evolution of the role the US has taken upon itself, though with her recent swing to the right is less able to perform in a humanitarian manner. If the UN is now especially corrupt (i.e. the scandal of the oil-for food stamps) and controlled by dictators then we'll need a new institution, but letting superpowers run rampant is a terrible atavism. One that, I would think, the world will not accept.
As for the BBC, it is their partisan emotionality that bothers me. From what I have seen of them, I get the sense that they are towing a 'pro-Arab' line rather than being impartial, and they do not seem to favour progressive elements in those regions. So, in a sense, they seem to prop up a dichotomy of the status-quo and those resisting it by force, which the BBC seems to have great affection for. This leaves progressive, rational elements without much support (trusting that they exist, though are drowned out by the radical elements). In my time of watching the BBC in the past I saw very little of interviews with Arabs and Jews who wanted to live in peace, which I expect isn't as 'sexy' or 'shocking' for viewers as outrages are. They actually give the impression of seeing terrorists who attack civilians as legitimate and seem to have little time for peacemakers.
I blame historical politics and policies for the situation, not religions or fiery temperaments, and believe that the failure to correct them has resulted in the present 'post-colonial' or even 'late-colonial' chaos. Many well-meaning Israelis I met blame the post-colonial borders for the trouble in the Middle-East. By pointing out humanitarian problems without delving into the source of them, the liberal media may win praise and viewers, but it won't help to help solve problems, in fact it may just numb viewers with horror. Such images certainly emanate a sense of hopelessness and despair. There are indeed no easy answers, though I believe stable and reasonable national borders are the real answer. Without this, civil wars may be unavoidable. Why are thousands willing to die in civil wars? Because they believe that their families or tribes will benefit in the long run. Why do they feel the need? Because it is preferable to being oppressed by another ethnic group, with a seemingly infinite antagonism towards them. The only answer to this, as far as I can see, is a federal system that grants the right of territory, yet also balances this with a co-operative system with other tribes or 'nations'. A rational solution that calms emotions by providing what they truly seek.
It seems quite clear to me that the media has failed us thus far to effectively challenge the 'right' of whoever is strongest to impose a 'winner-takes-all' answer to problems. By implicitly supporting groups like Hamas and calling them merely 'militants' they fail to recognise Israel's right to exist. By focusing on the 'Right' in Israel, they weaken those there who want to find a negotiated solution. By quoting Bush and Blair without presenting experts in international law in the same presentation they confer legitimacy on what would be considered the actions of 'Rogue States' were they 'foreigners'. They fail in that they don’t present viable alternatives.
International law, rather than seeming expediency, is the only benchmark for international relations. It is to everyone's detriment that this has been ignored by Britain and America, who pride themselves on being its chief enforcers. How could this have happened in such a spectacular and terrible way? Well, my analysis is as follows-
Realising they were incapable of otherwise gaining office, and unable to get enough of the mainstream media to support their more 'progressive' policies, the Labour and Democratic parties came to support the interests of big-business elites, at the expense of their traditional liberal values. These values were perhaps never real vote-winners as their immediate benefits are hard to see. Having done this, they watered down the available channel of opposition to big-business interests, which allowed the latter to consolidate, until we have the 'fat cats' and conglomerates of today. The gap between rich and poor widened and so did the sense of accountability held by the rich. So when a decision was made to blatantly breach international law, in the case of the Iraq invasion, there was no longer the traditional opposition to stop them. I don't count the general public or public opinion as opposition- I count a counterbalance in government, i.e. with power to effectively vote. Back-benchers could vote, but only as 'rebels' and thus even less effectively than when they could create a larger block vote with the rest of the opposition- much of it now pressed into a pragmatic silence to support their leader. It is a kind of Faustian Pact, in which the natural opposition supports what would be unthinkable for them otherwise, so as to have a taste of power. This breakdown actually didn't start with the Iraq war- it started with the war in Kosovo. This proceeded without security-council authorisation, yet with massive co-operation from the media, who seemed to believe that it was being done for 'liberal' reasons rather than to expand the reach of NATO. From my understanding, it's main result has been a kind of 'ethnic-cleansing' of Serb Christians from the region, for whom it is now unsafe.
It may seem legalistic, but for me the legal angle is the key- all governments by their nature seek national interest and their own survival. They can say whatever they like, but as leaders are great actors, we cannot know whether their intentions are hypocritical or not. We may not even be able to analyse their chosen courses of action easily on their own merits. Thus, we need an authentic and trustworthy benchmark- international law, agreed upon by the nations. With little internal opposition (in a position of power, which for me includes the 'opposition party' that parliament depends upon) and a lack of respect for international checks and balances, this was an accident waiting to happen.
If the BBC et all quoted lawyers and intellectuals more, then they would be more convincing and able to propose intelligent alternatives to senseless belligerence. Their seeming legal ignorance and accepting of operations so long as they 'seem to be going okay' makes their protestations when things go wrong rather futile. Supposing things were going wrong and everything was legal and necessary, however unlikely this may be, seeing as the law is our protection as well as our deterrent. What would they say then? I see sensationalism in the media, not reasonable, calm analysis. I see an obsession with results to the exclusion of causes, with the belittling of those intelligent voices who actually could guide us rightly.
Opposition is a check and a balance. We are now seeing, I believe, what happens when it is sufficiently emasculated and driven underground. Hopefully people will learn more respect for it now- it may not have the power to make decisions, nut it is a necessary element to challenge and deter wrong ones. In terms of Britain, I would hope that the Conservatives fail to recover and the Liberal-Democrats become an effective and respected opposition, as what they have to say may seem a little less naive and foolish now. In terms of the US, there are great swaths of 'Blue states' who voted against Bush, and perhaps at least in those regions opposing views will find a home and a voice- again, this time a respected voice rather than a mocked one.
As for the issue of troops suddenly leaving, well I can see that this could produce chaos, yet the present time seems to be one of chaos too- some would say it verges on genocide. You do have a good point about the French and Portuguese colonies, (though of course people there had less to lose there in the sense that they don't have oil supplies to sell), and this almost makes me support the 'Coalition's' presence. Yet, the early refusal to hand control over to a responsible body such as the UN is really to blame here, not the ethnic divisions themselves, which need to be governed and their energy channeled in every existing state. Images of tanks defending oil-installations whilst looting and pillaging went on around them spoke volumes.
People cannot simply organise themselves, they need government to do so, whatever region of the world we are dealing with. Even now, my prescription would be to somehow hand control over to the UN and let them organise a new government on a Federal basis, working with educated Iraqis to do so, as is happening in Afghanistan and happened in South Africa and many other places. People have similar needs everywhere and they can be understood and accommodated by trained professionals. The present plan, though, seems to be to maintain a puppet police-state. We will have to see if there really are elections in the future. Whilst I am sure a lot of Iraqis would like to see a real democracy, this would need a lot of nurturing, and I can't see anyone other than the 'good' UN having the time, patience, neutrality, or resources for that. I am aware of course that corrupt elements exist in the UN, but then again so also does a unique source of 'nation-building' resources and professionals. If the foreign troops are seen as a necessary evil, then surely more so the UN, who are actually competent at nation-building processes and respected by most people in the world today?
The only answer I can see to preventing this from happening again is a body powerful enough to be a fair and reasonable, yet powerful, 'world policeman' that can arbitrate and deter. An evolution of the role the US has taken upon itself, though with her recent swing to the right is less able to perform in a humanitarian manner. If the UN is now especially corrupt (i.e. the scandal of the oil-for food stamps) and controlled by dictators then we'll need a new institution, but letting superpowers run rampant is a terrible atavism. One that, I would think, the world will not accept.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Nuclear War? (Emailed in Autumn 2004)
I like the way you put that. It also seems to be true.
I think it is very significant that the lands where humanity is said to have originated are engulfed by both conflict and promise. Things can truly go either way.
It is a beautiful story, in the sense that things may end where they begun... or of course blossom anew with emerging technologies.
I am suspecting that Iran may play a decisive role, and how that country is handled. After the Iraq debacle nations are loath to join a coalition against any particular state. Yet Iran seems to be developing nuclear weapons, which they could well discretely pass onto terrorists for them to use. Iran is a most isolated country- a Shiite nation of Persian stock surrounded by Sunni Arabs. Their natural friend may well be the West in such a case, yet they are overflowing with anti-Western vitriol, and viewed with deep suspicion. To complicate matters, there are also the beginnings of democracy there, along with an articulate president, though probably not an honest or straightforward one.
It is a very delicate situation.
I am assuming they are involved with elements of the resistance and kidnappers in Iraq. This would mean that they have moved from seeking sympathy, to making threats and blackmails. Could this grow into a nuclear blackmail? 'Do what we want or we set off the bomb'- another movie plot in our real world? Factor in also the continued development of missiles, and unprecedentedly large underground complexes, and we can see just what is possible.
I am left wondering at the inherent cruelty, in the kindness of granting us nuclear technology. On the one hand, it may be the only thing that could give us energy whilst staving off the effects of burning fossil fuels. Also, it can make conventional war redundant, and provides the ultimate deterrent. Yet should common sense and a sense of decency fail, it will surely be our undoing and time to start again.
One 'positive' note regarding this- the areas around Chernobyl are apparently as abundant with life as any nature reserve, with no more mutation than normal. Animals and plants seem to live with levels of radiation far higher than humans can bear- which came as a surprise to many scientists. There will probably be no 'nuclear wasteland'- just impassable zones, in which nature is in fact recuperating from humanity's previous expansion. The one species with no natural enemy- other than themselves. Should they require an enemy!
We cannot speak of nuclear war. We can only speak of nuclear destruction.
On a lighter note, I managed to take part in an interview with a very intelligent and ancient space-being, telepathically, a couple of nights ago. I mostly remember a scene in which sunlight was streaming through an open window onto me, and the message was that the real meaning of life is to be found in the beauty of the everyday. Everyday life is full of much more than we might see if we don't bother to look- and photography is a way of finding this. It came at a good time- the night before I took photos at AJ's wedding party, which I went to with him and T. I may follow this wisdom and see more in each day at a time- and I think being in a High School is a good place for this.
I think it is very significant that the lands where humanity is said to have originated are engulfed by both conflict and promise. Things can truly go either way.
It is a beautiful story, in the sense that things may end where they begun... or of course blossom anew with emerging technologies.
I am suspecting that Iran may play a decisive role, and how that country is handled. After the Iraq debacle nations are loath to join a coalition against any particular state. Yet Iran seems to be developing nuclear weapons, which they could well discretely pass onto terrorists for them to use. Iran is a most isolated country- a Shiite nation of Persian stock surrounded by Sunni Arabs. Their natural friend may well be the West in such a case, yet they are overflowing with anti-Western vitriol, and viewed with deep suspicion. To complicate matters, there are also the beginnings of democracy there, along with an articulate president, though probably not an honest or straightforward one.
It is a very delicate situation.
I am assuming they are involved with elements of the resistance and kidnappers in Iraq. This would mean that they have moved from seeking sympathy, to making threats and blackmails. Could this grow into a nuclear blackmail? 'Do what we want or we set off the bomb'- another movie plot in our real world? Factor in also the continued development of missiles, and unprecedentedly large underground complexes, and we can see just what is possible.
I am left wondering at the inherent cruelty, in the kindness of granting us nuclear technology. On the one hand, it may be the only thing that could give us energy whilst staving off the effects of burning fossil fuels. Also, it can make conventional war redundant, and provides the ultimate deterrent. Yet should common sense and a sense of decency fail, it will surely be our undoing and time to start again.
One 'positive' note regarding this- the areas around Chernobyl are apparently as abundant with life as any nature reserve, with no more mutation than normal. Animals and plants seem to live with levels of radiation far higher than humans can bear- which came as a surprise to many scientists. There will probably be no 'nuclear wasteland'- just impassable zones, in which nature is in fact recuperating from humanity's previous expansion. The one species with no natural enemy- other than themselves. Should they require an enemy!
We cannot speak of nuclear war. We can only speak of nuclear destruction.
On a lighter note, I managed to take part in an interview with a very intelligent and ancient space-being, telepathically, a couple of nights ago. I mostly remember a scene in which sunlight was streaming through an open window onto me, and the message was that the real meaning of life is to be found in the beauty of the everyday. Everyday life is full of much more than we might see if we don't bother to look- and photography is a way of finding this. It came at a good time- the night before I took photos at AJ's wedding party, which I went to with him and T. I may follow this wisdom and see more in each day at a time- and I think being in a High School is a good place for this.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
More on John Titor and the Possible Future (Emailed in Autumn 2004)
I was thinking something similar about J. Titor, especially when he speaks of the statues of 'countryside generals' who preach self-reliance, but you can see this more clearly than me. I thought of him as perhaps a Southerner, or perhaps a computer Geek who didn't like city life for some reason and was hence drawn to this Southern 'romantic moral victory against the odds' fantasy. I've seen this theme in many science-fiction video games too, though the southern-style general is usually the bad guy there.
Actually Titor only posted on the internet for a couple of years and then claimed to have 'returned' to the future, leaving a trail of predictions, so people could see whether or not he was telling the truth, and prepare accordingly. I treat it as a kind of very interesting fiction, a practical joke to get people to see things more his way. His photos and manual of the time machine were shown to be digital edits of other documents, without much benefit of the doubt remaining. What makes it interesting is that no-one has yet admitted to posing as Titor.
I've always had the impression that the South is more emotionally inclined and romanticises the past, whereas the North is more 'modern' and forward looking. I see Bush as playing to his supporters in the South and their sense of pride, also making the north less rationally inclined as he does so.
I see what you mean about the morality catch 22. I see it as a kind of social medicine- too much and there is mental paralysis and superstition- not enough and life simply starts to lose its sense of value, criminality and false values start to run rampant. The only real morality has to come from within, but of course it also has to be taught to people (rather than by controlling them). I think art and movies are good examples of this teaching method, especially when they encourage people to think for themselves.
As for Dark Ages I think they do have a purgative affect- I think they are part of the cycle. I agree that they serve to protect the planet- perhaps legendary societies like 'Atlantis' got so decadent they simply had to end. Yet, they are also very wasteful in the sense that after them not only the wheel is reinvented.
I read the story of our present time as the beginnings of nations merging into a World State, reaching an organic maturity. It may start out ruled by illegitimate governments (the 'antichrist' stuff religious fundamentalists talk so much about) but I expect those will be transcended. We are kind of in the middle of that stage, so even if there are more massive shocks to the world, I expect this trend to continue until complete. It seems to me to be the human will of the moment, and treaties which limited nuclear arms and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, etc. confirm this decision. Also, our technology and culture is very internationalised now, such as the internet, or even the presence of various brands and companies. None of this guarantees survival of our civilization, but this rapid evolution says to me that it is largely in a state of growth and has yet to peak.
I think the advent of a dark age is heralded by massive decadence, and probably this comes when the spark of inspiration is dimmest. There can only be growth or entropy, it seems, and stasis can't exist in a universe predicated on constant change. Perhaps such an age will exist on this planet in around 3,000 more years, and the product of too much labour being offloaded onto cloned workers, bred simply to service the countless machines, enfeebling the human mind. Or perhaps we will have evolved to the point at which we are unrecognisable, and are exploring other planets regularly. Or perhaps I'm wrong, and it'll take place next year?
Whatever the future brings, it is sure to be interesting. It is sure to be at least slightly different than what we expect. And if I am right there are in fact many possible futures, all existing concurrently at this moment.
Which one will we chose (assuming we do in fact choose)?
Which one will choose us?
Actually Titor only posted on the internet for a couple of years and then claimed to have 'returned' to the future, leaving a trail of predictions, so people could see whether or not he was telling the truth, and prepare accordingly. I treat it as a kind of very interesting fiction, a practical joke to get people to see things more his way. His photos and manual of the time machine were shown to be digital edits of other documents, without much benefit of the doubt remaining. What makes it interesting is that no-one has yet admitted to posing as Titor.
I've always had the impression that the South is more emotionally inclined and romanticises the past, whereas the North is more 'modern' and forward looking. I see Bush as playing to his supporters in the South and their sense of pride, also making the north less rationally inclined as he does so.
I see what you mean about the morality catch 22. I see it as a kind of social medicine- too much and there is mental paralysis and superstition- not enough and life simply starts to lose its sense of value, criminality and false values start to run rampant. The only real morality has to come from within, but of course it also has to be taught to people (rather than by controlling them). I think art and movies are good examples of this teaching method, especially when they encourage people to think for themselves.
As for Dark Ages I think they do have a purgative affect- I think they are part of the cycle. I agree that they serve to protect the planet- perhaps legendary societies like 'Atlantis' got so decadent they simply had to end. Yet, they are also very wasteful in the sense that after them not only the wheel is reinvented.
I read the story of our present time as the beginnings of nations merging into a World State, reaching an organic maturity. It may start out ruled by illegitimate governments (the 'antichrist' stuff religious fundamentalists talk so much about) but I expect those will be transcended. We are kind of in the middle of that stage, so even if there are more massive shocks to the world, I expect this trend to continue until complete. It seems to me to be the human will of the moment, and treaties which limited nuclear arms and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, etc. confirm this decision. Also, our technology and culture is very internationalised now, such as the internet, or even the presence of various brands and companies. None of this guarantees survival of our civilization, but this rapid evolution says to me that it is largely in a state of growth and has yet to peak.
I think the advent of a dark age is heralded by massive decadence, and probably this comes when the spark of inspiration is dimmest. There can only be growth or entropy, it seems, and stasis can't exist in a universe predicated on constant change. Perhaps such an age will exist on this planet in around 3,000 more years, and the product of too much labour being offloaded onto cloned workers, bred simply to service the countless machines, enfeebling the human mind. Or perhaps we will have evolved to the point at which we are unrecognisable, and are exploring other planets regularly. Or perhaps I'm wrong, and it'll take place next year?
Whatever the future brings, it is sure to be interesting. It is sure to be at least slightly different than what we expect. And if I am right there are in fact many possible futures, all existing concurrently at this moment.
Which one will we chose (assuming we do in fact choose)?
Which one will choose us?
Saturday, September 18, 2004
The Story of John Titor (Emailed in Autumn 2004)
C, you should also look at the stories of 'John Titor', as it is similar to what you are saying. It was probably all an invention, but a guy claimed to come from the future in America, traveling back in time to find a computer, to help with legacy computers they still need in the future, as Unix systems were no longer working in this time. Only this computer, built in 1975, could help due to its undocumented emulation features (which IBM engineers confirm exist). He answered people's questions on internet boards between 200/2001, searching for someone who could provide the computer, and lived with his mother. His world had been ravaged by civil war and a nuclear exchange, principally between America and Russia, the cause of which being partly NATO’s interference in affairs close to Russia, and the unavailability of leadership figures in American politics.
What starts off as a civil war in America turns into a global one, not least because the security guarantees offered by a stable America appear less reliable. He claimed to be from the 'countryside forces' which were fighting the Federal forces based in the big cities. So when Russia attacked, his side benefited most and came to predominate, along with their system based around communal values and personal responsibility. He said the first inkling of this would become apparent in 2004/5 around the time of presidential elections, in which something would go wrong. Apparently he copied all the ideas from a book by Pat Frank called 'Alas, Babylon'- though some of his predictions have come true.
I made the mistake of showing AJ all about this a while back and he said- 'It's all coming true, I'm going to spend all my money and do everything I want now' or something and it took a while to calm him down, not so much by saying it was all a hoax, as by saying that many futures are possible and this is one possible one. But, he does have an entertaining story, and also he shows a way for his future society recovering after war to be a place where people are happier and have more self-respect. Much of the danger has past, while we are, as you yourself put it, 'on the brink'.
Yet for me this is another possible future, based on the self-organising nature of society. If we cannot return to decent values (which I concede are lacking in our world, especially due to money-obsessed corporations disrupting social cohesion), then perhaps in a kind of 'mass suicide' the world will afflict itself with a massive war or wars, to have the chance to begin again, and this time do it 'right'. I disagree strongly with the corporate, profit-base ethic as I think it shortsighted- life is about values, not just being 'top dog'. The best man is the most decent one, not necessarily the one in the best position (though ideally they would be one and the same, with the best people at the top). Socialism is deeply flawed as it tries to force people to be good, which is unnatural, as people can only be good from the warmth of their hearts.
So we have a definite choice as a world- either increase our practice of decent values and thereby use our technology wisely, or give in to hubris and self-centered egotism, and it will be the means of our destruction. I really think we need to make a society where people's creativity is valued more, where people are much happier. To me, that's the point we are at now, and the great thing about our world is that if a society gets really corrupt it simply destroys itself, so life can continue without being stuck in a rut.
You should check these out for more on John Titor -
http://www.fact-index.com/j/jo/john_titor.html
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/John%20Titor
http://www.anomalies.net/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=9
Of course, I don't necessarily agree with anything said here, but it is very interesting. Also, people who investigate the story of John Titor tend to have interesting coincidences in their life. In my case it seems connected with my present job- just when I was reading about Titor the phone rang with the offer- and the guy ringing used to work for the IBM supercomputer division in Japan, and has an MA in physics and knows about particle accelerators, etc- all intimately connected with the Titor story.
On another, personal point, I'm fortunate in the fact that I have had glimpses of possible futures- which I consider to be part of the 'living future' existing concurrently with our time, in which wonderful advances have taken place, and society is both far more advanced technologically (cars run on helium, etc) and also has a lot more time for religious speculation and the spiritual side of life. I have met many people living there, and for me they are every bit as real as people living now. For my part, I will do whatever I can to make it 'come true' in our dimension, for which purpose I was probably allowed such prophetic glimpses of vision. So next time Christian fundamentalists talk to you about Biblical prophecy remember that they may well be preserving the records of great time-travelers who lived long ago-m and that there may be more validity to those records than their non-technical form of expression might indicate. It's the ultimate literature!
What starts off as a civil war in America turns into a global one, not least because the security guarantees offered by a stable America appear less reliable. He claimed to be from the 'countryside forces' which were fighting the Federal forces based in the big cities. So when Russia attacked, his side benefited most and came to predominate, along with their system based around communal values and personal responsibility. He said the first inkling of this would become apparent in 2004/5 around the time of presidential elections, in which something would go wrong. Apparently he copied all the ideas from a book by Pat Frank called 'Alas, Babylon'- though some of his predictions have come true.
I made the mistake of showing AJ all about this a while back and he said- 'It's all coming true, I'm going to spend all my money and do everything I want now' or something and it took a while to calm him down, not so much by saying it was all a hoax, as by saying that many futures are possible and this is one possible one. But, he does have an entertaining story, and also he shows a way for his future society recovering after war to be a place where people are happier and have more self-respect. Much of the danger has past, while we are, as you yourself put it, 'on the brink'.
Yet for me this is another possible future, based on the self-organising nature of society. If we cannot return to decent values (which I concede are lacking in our world, especially due to money-obsessed corporations disrupting social cohesion), then perhaps in a kind of 'mass suicide' the world will afflict itself with a massive war or wars, to have the chance to begin again, and this time do it 'right'. I disagree strongly with the corporate, profit-base ethic as I think it shortsighted- life is about values, not just being 'top dog'. The best man is the most decent one, not necessarily the one in the best position (though ideally they would be one and the same, with the best people at the top). Socialism is deeply flawed as it tries to force people to be good, which is unnatural, as people can only be good from the warmth of their hearts.
So we have a definite choice as a world- either increase our practice of decent values and thereby use our technology wisely, or give in to hubris and self-centered egotism, and it will be the means of our destruction. I really think we need to make a society where people's creativity is valued more, where people are much happier. To me, that's the point we are at now, and the great thing about our world is that if a society gets really corrupt it simply destroys itself, so life can continue without being stuck in a rut.
You should check these out for more on John Titor -
http://www.fact-index.com/j/jo/john_titor.html
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/John%20Titor
http://www.anomalies.net/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=9
Of course, I don't necessarily agree with anything said here, but it is very interesting. Also, people who investigate the story of John Titor tend to have interesting coincidences in their life. In my case it seems connected with my present job- just when I was reading about Titor the phone rang with the offer- and the guy ringing used to work for the IBM supercomputer division in Japan, and has an MA in physics and knows about particle accelerators, etc- all intimately connected with the Titor story.
On another, personal point, I'm fortunate in the fact that I have had glimpses of possible futures- which I consider to be part of the 'living future' existing concurrently with our time, in which wonderful advances have taken place, and society is both far more advanced technologically (cars run on helium, etc) and also has a lot more time for religious speculation and the spiritual side of life. I have met many people living there, and for me they are every bit as real as people living now. For my part, I will do whatever I can to make it 'come true' in our dimension, for which purpose I was probably allowed such prophetic glimpses of vision. So next time Christian fundamentalists talk to you about Biblical prophecy remember that they may well be preserving the records of great time-travelers who lived long ago-m and that there may be more validity to those records than their non-technical form of expression might indicate. It's the ultimate literature!
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Patterns of Armageddon? (Emailed in Autumn 2004)
As for the Iran stuff, if you are not too skeptical you could read The Bible Code Book 2, which talks about something like this from passages encoded in the Bible's text. It certainly sounds like the threat of our times. Also the EU seems to be growing quickly and whilst their army is now very small, all they need to do is go out shopping for the latest equipment and 'bingo' they have a conquering force with the ability to give orders to people. All they need then is a President and there you have it- they'll want an empire to rule.
I see what you mean about a 'breaking point'. Everything we've seen so far is relatively moderate compared to what could be. A catalyst could ironically be a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Considering this a betrayal, Hamas assassinates Yasser Arafat, just as Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli radical. The situation breaks down and under the doctrine of 'extreme force to make peace', Israel opts for the costly option of retaking the entire West Bank. The carnage rises and finally a little-known terrorist group threatens the ultimate blackmail if Israel won't withdraw- with a nuclear weapon made in Iran. What they may have forgotten is a decision that Israel made long ago- that if they're going down they'll be taking the Arab nations and Iran along with them. Goodbye world.
I would see Iran as the place with the most extreme, end-of-world-hoping radicals. It really is something like a medieval society from what I have seen- and this seems to be forced on many of the inhabitants. Europe seems to be very comfortable with their current self-righteous and largely uninvolved position. This will be fine if everything turns out okay, but if it doesn’t then I imagine they will switch and decide to get involved- like you said, probably pressuring Israel. This pressure could lead to an illusionary 'peace agreement' that really ends up making the conflict worse. Israel trades a lot with the EU so if sanctions were threatened, that is all a believable path.
But as I always like to say- there is probably a sincere, diplomatic solution, too. Yet the 'Armageddon' option makes a lot of sense as a possibility. I wonder what could possibly intervene to stop it? Also, I like your garden of Eden analogy. It is kind of knowledge of Good and Evil- which we seem to have evolved to the state of needing, but in other ways we may be too young and unstable a species to handle it safely ourselves.
Whatever else we can say, interesting times are ahead. I agree with Christian fundamentalists that these are the 'end times'- but I probably see them a bit differently.
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