Signs of the Times – Part unknown

Pakistan Joins the Nuclear Club

Although the Pakistani government is officially denying it, the evidence appears conclusive that Pakistan has de eloped an atomic weapon In an inter view with an Indian journalist, Pakistan s leading atomic scientist, Abdel Q Khan, confirmed the existence of the bomb Pakistan, he said, had purchased from Western companies the technology and components to produce the bomb

This development presents a dilemma for the United States because Congress s Symington amendment requires the cut oft of aid to Pakistan if it acquires the bomb or tries to do so On the line is a $4 billion aid package to help Pakistan support the Afghan guerrillas in their fight against Soviet invasion U S officials feel a cut off of aid would be disastrous and are expected to urge congress to waive the amendment as it did six years ago In any case Pakistan is not considered likely to be influenced by the United States to give up the nuclear weapons program

The main object of Pakistan s nuclear effort is neighboring India which developed and tested its own bomb in 1974 With tension between the armed forces of these two nations running high along their mutual border a new and frightening arms race seems to be developing on the Asian subcontinent

An Arms Control Breakthrough

Agreement between the Soviet Union ind the United States over medium range nuclear missiles in Europe appears about to take place The basis for the treaty is what is known as the zero zero option first proposed by the
United States in 1981 At that time the United States offered to cancel is planned deployment of Pershing II and cruise missiles if the Soviets would dismantle the SS-20, SS-4 and SS-5 missiles that threatened European cities. As expected the government of Leonid Brezhnev turned down the offer and the Pershing II and cruise missiles were deployed. Last year at the Reykjavik summit Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan came close to agreeing to eliminate all Soviet and American medium-range missiles in Europe and retain only 100 warheads each elsewhere in the world. The deal fell through when Gorbachev attempted to link it to the Star Wars defense program of the United States. That linkage has since been dropped and the negotiators have been making significant progress toward agreement which could be reached as early as this summer.

Verification is one of the most difficult issues remaining even though Moscow has accepted the principle of on-site inspection. The U.S. side wants to be sure the missiles are actually removed and also to inspect the sites and support facilities to make certain that they can not easily be redeployed. The Soviet representatives have suggested that inspection of Soviet missile factories might be possible if U.S. factories are also opened to Soviet monitors.

Critics of the plan, however, pointed out that moving intermediate range weapons would expose NATO to the Superior conventional forces of the Soviet Union. Most European observers doubt that the NATO countries would be willing to spend the money to build up their conventional forces to a par with the Soviet Union. They also fear that in the event of a Soviet invasion the U.S. would not use nuclear weapons to save Europe for fear of provoking a Soviet attack on the United States itself.

In spite of these fears, however, the treaty seems to have a very good chance of being accepted mainly because it meets the political needs of both Reagan and Gorbachev with their respective constituencies. If an agreement is reached it will be a landmark in the history of arms control by being the first agreement to dismantle existing installations rather than merely putting limits on future deployments.

Israeli Government Split on International Peace Conference

The Labour and Likud parties that have jointly governed Israel since 1984 when neither party was able to form a government are in disagreement over the proposal to convene an international Middle East peace conference. Prime minister Yitzhak Shamir leader of the Likud block has characterized the conference an “insane” and “monstrous” idea, but Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, leader of the Labour Party, called the conference “a very great opportunity that should not be missed.”

Peres has been lobbying the United States and other nations in favor of an international conference that could lead later to direct talks between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Although opposed to the conference Shamir’s office says the prime minister is “prepared to begin direct talks immediately with Jordan, Egypt and Palestinian representatives according to the Camp David agreement.” Neither Shamir nor Peres appear willing to compromise and the matter could lead to a crisis when and if it is brought to a vote in the cabinet.

Israel’s Economy Improving

Israel’s economy two years ago was on the brink of disaster. Inflation was raging at an annual rate of 450 percent. Budget deficits reached 17 percent of GNP, more than three times the U.S. level and the trade deficit was staggering. The economic plan that the unity government adopted in July 1985 along with falling oil prices, devaluation of the dollar and emergency U.S. aid have all worked to bring the inflation rate down under 20 percent and increase foreign reserves without causing a major recession. Israelis, however, remain the most heavily taxed people in the free world with rates of 50 percent for business, 60 percent for individuals and up to 100 percent for some forms of capital gains.

Earthquake Prediction to be Tested

Of all hostile natural phenomena the earthquake is perhaps the most frightening and mysterious The scriptures refer to earthquakes in both a literal and symbolic sense and their increased frequency is predicted as a sign preceding the return of Christ to the earth. The ability to predict the time and place of an earthquake is something that scientists have long been trying to achieve with little success. The difficulty is that earthquakes take place so infrequently that having the proper measuring equipment in place to measure the subtle changes in the earth that precede a quake is seldom possible. This may be changer if a section of the San Andrea’s fault in California does what it’s supposed to do in the next few years.

A study of this fault showed scientists of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that earthquakes in the range of 5.5 tc 6.0 magnitude have been occurring at intervals of about 20 years over the past 100 years near the small town of Park-field about 25 miles from Paso Robles. A prediction was made that a similar quake might occur again between 1988 and 1993 and elaborate preparations have been made to gather data before and after the event if and when it takes place. Sensitive measuring devices worth millions of dollars have been installed. Seismometers that measure upward as well as sideways motion, bore holes with instruments to measure ground strain, magnetic. field fluctuations and water table changes are but a few.

Not much damage is expected from the quake since the population of Park-field is only 34 and all buildings in it and the sparsely populated surrounding area are single story structures. Scientists involved in the project consider the place ideal for conducting the research. They point out, however, that even with the wealth of data the project may provide it will be far from the final word on earthquakes since fault structures are so different from place to place even on the same fault.

Soviets Propose Arms Cut

With the Reagan administration on the defensive over the Iranian arms scandal and therefore supposedly more amen able to an arms reduction agreement with the Soviet Union, a new proposal has been made by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to eliminate medium range nuclear missiles in Europe For the first time the Soviets appear to e showing flexibility over the question of the Strategic Defense Initiative or Star Wars Previously they refused to consider any agreement unless the U S agreed to give up the testing of such a system entirely

Verification procedures now seem to be the main focus for discussion and U S Secretary of State George Shultz has expressed optimism over the results Shultz is reported to feel optimistic that the Soviets may agree to some form of on site inspection that can be extended to the control of long range missiles as well Some analysts see possible fears among the nations of Western Europe that their defense may e bargained away The fear is that if U S missiles are removed from Europe the West may be left vulnerable to the vastly superior conventional forces of the Soviet Union and its allies in the Warsaw Pact While most European leaders are still wary about the new flexibility being shown by Gorbachev many analysts see the reforms he b proposing in the Soviet system as a sincere attempt to improve conditions but that his success will depend on his skill in handling almost certain opposition from the middle ranks of the bureaucracy

Israeli Prime Minister Asks Jews to Return

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir ended a three day visit to Los Angeles in February with an impassioned plea to Israeli Jews living in the United States to return home. Addressing a public rally at the Beth Shalom synagogue in the San Fernando Valley, Shamir stressed the need for Jewish unity and Israeli nationalism, invoking the memory of the Holocaust and Russian Jewry’s struggle to survive.

Israeli Jews living in the United States are estimated to number upward of a hundred thousand, the exact number unknown because many are here illegally. An estimated 18,000 of undocumented status are expected to be eligible for amnesty when the new immigration law takes effect in May.

The increased number of Jews leaving Israel for the United States has become a major concern for the Israeli government, particularly since it is the best educated and most ambitious who leave. High taxes, runaway inflation and the constant threat of war are the most often cited causes. At the same time, the number of Jews moving to Israel from the U.S. and elsewhere has fallen off sharply and many of those permitted to leave the Soviet Union on Israeli travel documents are making their way to the United States where they are given refugee status. This has led Shamir to raise the question of political refugees on his visit to the U.S. The Israeli argument is that by changing their travel plans midway they are cheating on their commitment to the Soviet authorities, thereby causing the Soviets to restrict the issuance of exit permits.

Emigration from Israel, long looked upon as a cardinal sin in Israel, appears to be gaining acceptance according to a research study of the GoIda Meir Institute for Social and Labour Research. According to the study emigrants still attract strong criticism from the political leadership but not necessarily from society at large. The emigrants are becoming less ashamed of their behavior and those remaining in Israel less critical of them. Whether Prime Minister Shamir’s appeal to their religious and patriotic feelings will have an affect remains to be seen. Some observers feel that the trend will continue in the absence of serious persecution throughout the world.

Syria Trys Hand at Cleaning Up Beirut

In recent years France, Israel, the United Nations, and the United States have all tried to impose a semblance of order on strife torn Beirut, Lebanon. Until recently Syria under President Ha-fez Assad has tried indirectly to influence the warring factions with little success. Although there are said to be some 40 factions viewing for power in Lebanon the recent chaos has been attributed to five fanatical groups. The Amal, a Shiite Moslem group backed by Syria; the Hiz­bullah, pro-Iranian Shiites seeking to make Lebanon into an Islamic state; the PLO, the arch enemy of Assad and the Amal led by Yasir Arafat; Christians, led by Amin Gemayel and opposed to Syrian influence in Lebanon; and the Druse, formerly backed by Syria but now allied with the PLO in fighting the Amal.

The present Syrian intervention began when Druse-communist forces fighting the Amal appeared to be getting the upper hand and other Muslim leaders called on Syria to intervene. The Syrians committed 7,000 troops supported by tanks and made some progress in quelling the violence but some observers see another 10,000 troops needed to completely subdue the factions.

Israeli observers feel the Syrian involvement is likely to benefit Israel in that competition between Iran and Syria will probably intensify, diverting Assad from his crusade against Israel. Assad seems intent on locating and freeing the 26 foreign hostages being held by Hizbul­lah as a means of gaining favor with the Western powers. Since Lebanon and Syria became independent of France 40 years ago Syrian leaders have looked on Lebanon as part of a “Greater Syria.” Considering the deep seated conflicts in the region, knowledgeable observers question the ability of President Assad to bring this dream to reality.

When I Consider the Heavens

The wonders of the heavens continue to fascinate the minds of men as they did that of the Psalmist who poetically expressed his feeling of awe at the greatness and majesty of their creator. Most of the processes that are observed in the heavens seem to continue in a highly predictable manner that changes little in the course of the relatively brief time span of human experience. An exception to this is the phenomenon known as the supernova or exploding star. When this occurs a star of ordinary brightness will suddenly increase to several thousand times its normal brightness in a period of several days, becoming for a time one of the brightest objects in the sky and then over a period of a few months it will subside to normal brightness.

One of these was observed in the southern hemisphere in the later part of February and posed new questions for astronomers to try to answer. This exploding star is said to be the brightest and closest to earth of any such cataclysmic event known to have occurred since the year 1604. Visible only in the Southern hemisphere it appears to the naked eye as a medium bright star. Its location appears to be in the Clouds of Magellan, twin galaxies on the outer fringe of the Milky Way.

Scientists from all over the world rushed to observatories high in the Andes Mountains of Chile to make observations. Considered by many astronomers the scientific bonanza of a lifetime, the new supernova does not seem to fall into any of the usual typing categories and is considered to possibly be a previously unknown type. It may take years for the experts to come to definite conclusions from the huge amounts of data that are being collected not only from land observatories but also from the orbiting International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite which has also been tracking the event.

Supernovas have been observed many times over the centuries, but their true nature remained a mystery until the modern day knowledge of nuclear physics provided a plausible explanation for their strange behavior. Present day theory explains them as massive stars that collapse under the force of their own gravity and undergo nuclear fusion reactions as lighter elements are transformed to heavier ones.

World Food Problems to Defy Solution

One of the great paradoxes of the present age is the apparent contradiction between agricultural surplusses on the one hand and hordes of hungry people on the other. This was demonstrated rather clearly recently when President Ronald Reagan offered to sell government subsidized grain to the Soviet Union at less than the production costs of U.S. farmers in an attempt to aid the politically important farm population who have been in great financial difficulty of late. Just a few weeks previously the “Hands Across America” project had collected millions of dollars to aid hungry people around the world, some of whom are to be found even in the United States and other food producing countries.

Even at the subsidized price the Soviets were not buying and some countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are reported to be turning down gifts of food because it would be in competition with local production. The government of Ethiopia is said to be preventing relief supplies from reaching the people hostile to the government to starve them into submission much like Joseph Stalin is said to have done in the Ukraine in 1932 and 1933. The perpetration of atrocities such as this serves to emphasize how unrealistic is the hopes of peace and plenty for all nations until they are ruled by leaders whose training reflects the principles taught by Christ.

Scientists Warn of Environmental Crisis

In the twelve years since two scientists at the University of California at Irvine put forth the theory that the family of industrial gasses called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) have the potential to destroy ozone in the atmosphere a great deal of investigation has been going on to measure the damage and the rate at which it may be progressing. Data collected by satellite and other means show that this is indeed happening and perhaps at a more rapid rate than had been anticipated. The ozone layer, 9 to 30 miles above the earth’s surface, screens out 99 percent of the ultra violet rays that would otherwise reach the surface of the earth in sunlight.

Although the U.S. banned the use of CFS’s in areosol sprays in 1978, more than 70,000 tons a year continue to be put into the atmosphere from their use as refrigerants, industrial solvents and components of plastic foams, as well as spray propellants made in other countries. From information gained from the Nimbus 7 satellite it is estimated that a 2.5 percent decrease in the ozone layer has taken place in only 5 years. This 2.5 percent depletion may mean 15,000 additional cases of the deadly melanoma form of skin cancer each year according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Changes in the Ultra Violet (UV) light falling on the world’s oceans can have far reaching effects or the balance of ocean plant life on which the food chain depends.

Of even more serious consequence is the effect of these gasses on work climate due to the greenhouse effect that prevents heat from leaving the earth’s atmosphere. Although carbon dioxide from the burning of fuel is the biggest contributor to the warming phenomo. non, CFS on a volume basis is capable of trapping 10,000 times more radiator than carbon dioxide, so their presence can add substantially to the effect. All together, the greenhouse gasses are predicted to increase the earth’s temperature 3 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2030 with dire consequences for the di­matic conditions of the globe.

Scientists are concerned that if a wait and see approach to these problems taken the consequences of environmental changes already on the way will be inevitable. On the other hand the lifestyle changes necessary to adapt to regulator of these environmentally dangerous substances will not be accepted easily. Less air conditioning and more nuclear power plants are not likely to be popular to say nothing of the loss of jobs in the affected industries. Since the sources of environmental danger are world wide, international cooperation is necessary for their control, an unlikely prospect in today’s world.

Apart from a faith in divine intervention the picture for the future of the earth looks bleak. At recent hearing before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Environmental Pollution the chairman, Sen. John Chafee, put it this way, “There is a very real possibility that man, through ignorance or indifference or both, is irreversibly altering the ability of our atmosphere to support life.”

U.S. Attitude Toward Arabs Turning More Hostile

Since the drop in oil prices and the apparently plentiful supply for the time being, the attitude of many U.S. officials toward the Arabs has turned cool. This state of affairs is blamed on the seeming tolerance of Arabs for terrorism, their refusal to deal with Israel, and the apparent disunity among the moderate states. The attempt at maintaining a balanced approach that was practiced in the late 1970’s appears to have given way to an openly pro-Israel bias. In the public mind little distinction is made between the radicals and the moderates but all Muslims and Arabs are thought of as terrorists and assassins. Part of the problem is thought to stem from the fact that often pro-Western Arabs are afraid to appear friendly to the United States for fear of bringing down the wrath of the radicals upon them. Recently King Hassan II of Morocco risked the wrath of the radical states by meeting with Israel’s Shimon Perez but would not see George Bush because he did not want to look like a U.S. pawn.

Despite American reluctance to get involved in any more Middle East peace initiatives after the ill-fated involvement in Lebanon, Israel on its own has been making some progress in negotiations with Egypt over the disputed Taba region on the Gulf of Aqaba, a remnant of disagreement from the return of the Sinai to Egypt. The moderate Arab na­tions have recently been the subject of overtures by the Soviets in their campaign to regain prestige in the Middle East but they continue to mistrust the Soviets even as they fear radical Islamic fundamentalism.

Persian Gulf War Heats Up

During the summer Iran and Iraq have been escalating the war against tankers and other ships in the Persian Gulf. In the month of August more than a dozen vessels were attacked with about 30 crew members killed. So far this year 68 ships have been shot up compared with 44 last year. Observers see the intensifying attacks as a sign that the war which is now in its seventh year will continue with frightful losses on both sides and no end in sight.

Oil is what keeps both sides going and it seems unlikely that either side will be able to cut off the other’s exports entirely. The Iraqis are said to have the edge in military hardware but Iran has more troops whose morale seems surprisingly high despite the heavy losses suffered in previous human wave attacks. Iraq on the other hand has to contend with questionable loyalty among its troops because the majority are Shiites ruled by the minority Sunnis.

Both the U.S. and the Soviets profess neutrality with the Soviets helping Iraq with weapons and Iran economically by buying their natural gas. The U.S. has provided financing for oil pipelines for Iraq and China has recently revitalized the Iranian air force with 50 Mig 21 aircraft.

As the war continues some observers are looking for a possible shift of Soviet policy in favor of Iran. In the past Iran has spurned any help that might threaten its autonomy as an Islamic nation, but conditions may now be different. The shifting fortunes of this war may yet provide the opportunity the Soviets need to extend their influence in the Persian Gulf.

Role in Iranian Arms Sales Causes Embarrassment to Israel

Since the beginning of the long war between Iran and Iraq there has been no question as to Israel’s position A clear cut victory by either side was not con­sidered to be in Israel’s best interest. Iraq, supplied with modern weapons by both the Soviet Union and the West, has taken part in every war against Israel and is considered by Israeli intelligence to be the most dangerous of the Arab states to Israel’s security

Iran on the other hand is considered to be faring badly in the war and on the point of economic collapse The huge toll of dead and wounded from the human wave assaults on the battle field has begun to crack the national morale Given this analysis the Israeli leaders are said to have recognized the opportunity to help the Iranians Just enough for them to survive but not enough to have them win

The allowed U S motivation for selling arms to Iran has been to develop re­lations with some of those Iranians who are expected to take over power when the aged Ayatollah passes from the scene. The release of hostages held in Lebanon was as also hoped for but the untimely dis­closure of the secret negotiations put an end to these expectations, an as yet unanswered question is whether Israel talked the U S into the ill-fated strategy or whether as Israeli officials claim they were involved merely to help out a friend

Another question that is sure to be looked into by the investigating committee is the role played by Israel in the transfer of money from the sale of weapons to the Contra forces in Central America Israeli leaders have denied knowledge of the Contra funding scheme contrary to statements of several U S officials Whatever the truth of the matter turns out to be it appears certain that the credibility of both Israel and the United States regarding policy on terrorism has been dealt a severe blow.

Syria Accused of Making Nerve–Gas

Reports from several British news sources that Syria is making nerve gas and converting warheads on Soviet-supplied missiles to carry it were confirmed by Israel’s Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Syria is said to have obtained the chemicals to make the gas from Germany after the U.S. banned exports of the products last summer.

In the Iran-Iraq war gas is claimed to have been used extensively by Iraq, and Israeli experts claim the lack of an international outcry has given Syria the incentive to develop their capabilities in this field. The Syrian warheads are said to contain a lethal non persistent nerve agent capable of killing everyone within a 25 square mile area and of rendering a city uninhabitable for 24 hours after an attack. The missile for delivery of the gas is known as the S-1 which is a vehicle-launch surface-to-surface missile with a range of more than 150 miles. Fired from the Golan Heights the chemical warhead could destroy any Israeli city

As Israeli leaders are well aware the possession by Syria of this weapon will give it a great advantage over Israel in any future conflict. Exercises are said to have been carried out in chemical protective clothing by Israeli defense forces and the possibility of a preemptive strike has not been ruled out.

Afghan Rebels Reject Peace Offer

For many months the Soviet Union has been trying to wind down the war it has been fighting in Afghanistan since December 1979. It began when Soviet troops moved in to protect the Marxist government that had been fighting a guerrilla war against Moslem rebels bent on establishing an Islamic state on the Soviet’s southern border.

Over the years that the fighting continued the Soviet troops gained control of the main population centers but were unable to subdue the guerrillas who were supported by arms from the outside world through Pakistan. For the Soviets the situation has turned into a stalemate much like Vietnam was for the United States. The Soviet war of attrition has been steadily depopulating rebel controlled areas but insurgents armed by the West and based in Pakistan keep the war going.

Last May a new pro-Soviet leader came to power and has since been talking about a new constitution and a more representative government with amnesty for any anti-government guerrillas who change sides. He also called for a ceasefire and discussions on forming a “government of national unity.” The call was immediately rejected by the Moslem fundamentalist guerrillas who vow to continue fighting to establish an Islamic government in Afganistan. The Soviets clearly want to withdraw but are unwilling to allow the establishment of an Islamic state in a position to spread revolt among the Moslem populations of the Soviet Union.

Compulsory Service Debate Faces Congress

The 100th United States Congress which convened in January has a Democratic majority in both houses for the first time in many years as the Senate went Democratic at the last election.

Some Democratic leaders in Congress have begun discussing re-imposition of the draft or the imposition of some type of national service requirement.

Although Defense department officials profess themselves to be well satisfied with the all-voluntary military services that have been operating since 1973, leaders such as Sen. Sam Nunn, the new chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argue that a draft would be more equitable than relying solely on volunteers. Also a projected decline in the number of draft-age men and women over the next decade is expected to affect recruiting and increase the cost of incentives and bonuses necessary to attract and retain qualified servicemen.

Registration of men with the Selective Service System was instituted in 1980, requiring all men as they turn 18 to reg­ister within 30 days of that birthday. Since that time about 15 million names have been put in the system’s data base. Under present regulations men 18 to 26 years of age are considered eligible for a draft if a call-up were ordered upon the outbreak of war.

The position of Christadelphians, first formalized during the Civil War, is that service in the armed forces is incompatible with the commandments of Christ and must be refused. Compulsory service under civilian direction and registration, however, are considered duties that must be compiled with. In all previous times when a draft has been in effect the laws have made provision for those who hold these views and show them to be the result of their individual training and belief and have followed them consistently in practice.

Libyan Aggression Confronted

Although Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world Libyan leader Muammar Khadafy has for many years cast a covetous eye on his neighbor to the south as part of his dream of establishing an Islamic empire in the Sahara region. For the past 20 years Chad has been in a state of civil war. Libya has always backed one of the sides and acted as a destabilizing influence. Last October for reasons not fully known the warring factions settled their differences and got together against their common enemy, Khadafy.

As a former French colony Chad relies on France for much of its defense, so Chadian leader Hissene Habre asked for French help to push the Libyans out of Chad altogether. France plans to increase the support it has been furnishing in the form of food, munitions and fuel and has not ruled out sending in military advisers. Although the United States would prefer to have France bear the main responsibility for defending Chad against Khadafy they responded to a request by Habre and sent an air transport plane load of trucks, munitions and medical supplies, the first of a $15 million emergency supply for the out-gunned and outnumbered Chadian defenders.

Oil Surplus Brings Downfall of Saudi Minister

Saudi Arabian oil Minister Sheik Ahmad Zaki Yamani, the principal architect of the oil price increases of the 1970’s that created so much havoc in the economies of the western nations was removed from his post recently by the Saudi Arabian monarch King Fahd The high oil prices and shortages created by the OPEC cartel brought on the strict conservation policies and the search for new non-OPEC supplies that broke the power of the cartel and triggered the all out price war that still goes on

For the last four years Yamani has fought a losing battle against falling oil prices caused by the inexorable laws of supply and demand He tried vainly to get the members of OPEC to act as a unit restricting production to hold the price up Although the members paid hp service to maintaining quotas for production, in practice it was always left up to the Saudis to take more than their share of the cuts Saudi production was cut from over 10 million barrels per day to under 1 5 million by the summer of 1985 The widespread cheating so enraged the Saudi rulers that they decided in 1985 to teach the others a lesson They flooded the market with oil to further drive down prices but the strategy backfired in that prices dropped further and faster than they intended, dropping the price to $10 a-barrel and bringing hard times to all the Arab world

Some observers credit the Saudi ruling family s fear of Iran’s brand of Islamic fundamentalism for the policy which they hoped would deny Iran the oil income desperately needed to finance the war with Iraq now in its seventh year If this was the strategy it appears to have failed and the Saudi s are now trying to raise the price of oil to $18 per barrel without cutting their share of production Most experts see this as contradictory and look for oil prices to remain low for the foreseeable future The significance of this to students of Bible prophecy is that the enemies of Israel are being denied the money they would use to pursue their goal of overthrowing the nation of Israel from its prophetically predicted reestablishment

Syrian Support of Terrorism Exposed

When Jordanian terrorist Nezar Hin­dawi was caught trying to use his pregnant Irish fiancee  as an unwitting accomplice to smuggle a sophisticated explosive device aboard an Israeli airliner in the false bottom of a flight bag last April the timely detection of the plot appeared to have been due to the efficiency of El Al security. But after Hindawi’s trial and sentencing to 45 years in prison it has been revealed that British Security Services (MIS) had been on his trail almost two months and knew he was plotting a terrorist act with the help of the Syrian Embassy in London.

A joint effort by British and American intelligence services had broken the code on messages going out of the Syrian Embassy. A particular message indicated that Hindawi was being sponsored for an act of terrorism by the Syrians. Under 24-hour surveillance, Hindawi was seen repeatedly visiting the Syrian embassy and meeting with three Syrian diplomats in particular. These diplomats were expelled from Britain when they declined to waive their immunity and answer questions from Scotland Yard.

After his arrest Hindawi provided police with information that enabled British, West German and Italian authorities to uncover a terror network linking such seemingly independent groups as the Red Brigades, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Libya, Syria and even the IRA. A puzzling aspect of the case to some observers is why Syria chose to be directly involved rather than to operate through an intermediary such as Abu Nidal as they have on other occasions. Some think it may have been a plot by Syrian hard-liners to spark a war with Israel.

Israel Changes Prime Ministers

After 25 months in office Prime Min­ister Shimon Peres has turned over the office of prime minister to Yitzhak Sha­mir under the rotation plan of the National Unity Government’s coalition agreement. Shamir is expected to hold the office for the next 25 months or until new elections are held. Ex-prime Minister Peres will remain in the cabinet with the title of vice premier and foreign minister.

The new government is expected to be more committed to expanding the network of settlements on the West Bank and other occupied territories and has aroused the concern of several Arab states. Shamir’s Herut party, the major partner in the Likud block, has been planning a new settlement drive to be undertaken in its turn in power. The settlement policy that had been going on before the 1984 elections has been largely frozen under the administration of the Labor party of the unity coalition. The settlement issue is considered likely to spark bitter controversy between members of the Labor and Likud parties in the months ahead.

U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz has cautioned against any change in policy on this sensitive issue. The purpose of the settlements has been to disperse enough Jews throughout the occupied territories so that their return to Palestinian rule would be impractical.

Government Change Not Favored by Israeli Arabs

In the new Israeli government the ministerial post coordinating Arab affairs will be occupied by Likud hard-liner Moshe Arens replacing Ezer Weizmann who has had that job for the last two years. Arab leaders are reported to have expressed regret over this change because of the widespread feeling the last two years have been the best yet for the Arabs of Israel, who now form 17 percent of the population of Israel proper (not including the West Bank and Gaza.)

Weizmann and his staff are credited with shaping what one leader called a “new era” of Arab government relations. Another leader said that even the extremists among them recognized now that this is the only government that has dealt respectfully with the Arab Israelis and their problems. One of the biggest changes, they say, is the level of access they now have to government officials. Weizman who grew up among Arabs in Haifa’s mixed community speaks some Arabic and often goes personally into the field to help local officials deal with the more serious problems. Although there are Arab representatives in the Knesset there are none at cabinet level and many moderate Arabs feel that such representation is long overdue if the nation is to dispel the charge of discrimination against the Arab population.

Billion Dollar Solar Power Deal Concluded With Israel

A contract to build 12 sun-powered electricity generating stations over the next six years has been signed by Luz International, a Jerusalem based solar energy company and Southern California Edison Company, one of the largest power companies in the United States. Luz already has several contracts with Edison including two projects currently powering 25,000 homes in Southern California. The new contract worth nearly $1 billion dollars makes Luz a world leader in the field of solar-power development.

Climatic conditions and the lack of local fuel reserves have given Israel the incentive for research in this field. Renewed concern for the safety of nuclear power after Three Mile Island and Chernobyl is creating worldwide interest in this clean, inexhaustible energy source even though at today’s depressed oil prices it may not be entirely feasible economically.

Religion Still Attractive to the World’s Peoples

In recent decades there has been a general assumption that religion was on a gradual decline throughout the world and that agnosticism or atheism was the wave of the future But it appears that this erosion of religion that was looked for 20 years ago has not taken place, according to the world’s leading compiler of religious statistics, David B Barrett, in his latest updating of the 1100-page “World Christian Encyclopedia ” His latest figures show 79 percent of the world’s people saying they are religious compared with 72 percent in 1970.

Those claiming to be disbelievers or atheists have declined from 13 percent to 4 4 percent in the same period, according to the report. Although Christians are the most numerous of the major world religions the trend is toward their becoming a lesser percentage in the future due to massive population growth in Third World countries which are mainly non-Christian.

The world’s population of nearly 5 billion people are presently designated in this study as 1 6 billion Christians, 850 Million Moslems, 670 million Hindus, 300 million Buddhists, 460 million people of other religions, 825 million nonreligious people, and 215 million atheists. Even in the nominally atheistic countries like the Soviet Union and Red China where there are official government departments to promote atheism the traditional religions appear to remain strong

History has shown that strong religious zeal in the nations of the world can be for evil as well as good and in the present age we see much evil practiced in the name of false gods The scriptures, however, promises a time when all people of the earth shall be enlightened and as Jeremiah prophecies “the Gentiles shall come unto the Lord from the ends of the earth and shall say, ‘Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit ‘ ” (Jer 16 19)

Drug; a Modern Plague

The sudden cocaine deaths of two young athletes has focused national attention on what many consider the most difficult and perplexing problem facing America today The use of illegal and dangerous drugs has become a national epidemic despite increased efforts by law enforcement agencies to deal with the problem.

The latest and most addictive of the many mind altering substances on the illegal market is the deadly cocaine distillate known as crack. Although relatively cheap initially the highly addictive nature of this smokable form of cocaine usually costs its users hundreds of dollars a day. To come up with the money needed t sustain the habit the user turns to either dealing himself or to other forms of crime such as robbery or burglary. Easily manufactured with simple kitchen equipment the highly dispersed nature of the traffic makes control by the police very difficult. Wherever the drug appears it spawns violence among the dealers, pushers an couriers that compete for the lucrative trade.

When smoked the cocaine molecules reach the brain in about ten seconds and produce an euphoric high that lasts from 5 to 20 minutes and is followed by a crushing depression that creates a craving for more of the drug. According to some experts, this cycle of ups and downs results in a chemical dependency within two weeks. Experiments with animals have shown they prefer the drug to food and if given an unlimited supply will die of convulsions in a few days. Although publicity has been focused on athletes and entertainers, users of this and other drugs are found in all walks of life and the tragic effects of addiction are shattered careers and ruined lives at all levels of society.

The blame for the situation is placed by many law enforcement people on the apathy of an indulgent society. With the prisons already full and the judges overworked most of those arrested are returned to the streets with little or no punishment. Contrast this with a recent report from Malaysia where in 1983 a law was passed making dealing in more than 15 grams of illegal drugs a capital offense. To date 38 people have been executed including two young Australians on whose behalf a clemency appeal by the Australian government and Margaret Thatcher of Britain was of no avail.

Jordanian Rejection of the PLO Continues

The government of Jordan recently ordered closed 25 offices of the Fatah organization, the power base of PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat. Last February Jordan’s King Hussein accused Arafat of blocking a yearlong effort to begin talks with Israel on establishing a Palestinian homeland on the Israeli-occupied West Bank of the Jordan River.

The Jordanian cabinet issued a statement saying the closings were in retaliation for recent Fatah attacks accusing Jordan of joining the U.S. administration in an effort to deny Palestinians the right to an independent nation.

Syria Gets the Upper Hand In Lebanon

For the first time in four years Syrian troops have returned to Beirut to put down fighting there between Palestinian guerrillas and combatants of the Shiite Amal movement backed by Iran. At least 200 Syrian soldiers armed with machine guns and rocket propelled-grenades patrolled the streets of the capital to back up Lebanese army and police units. The troops were called in to enforce a truce called a week earlier after fighting between the factions had killed over 100 people and left 700 wounded.

In June Syrian troops had put down clashes in the town of Meshghara in southern Lebanon near the border with Is­rael. Syria maintains about 25,000 soldiers in Lebanon but this was the first time they had advanced this far south since the withdrawal of Israeli troops a year ago. The fighting was considered by analysts to be a confrontation between Iranian backed and Syrian backed factions and the deployment of Syrian troop meant the Syrians had gained the upper hand in the struggle.

Palestinians in Israel Try a New Approach

For the first time a Palestinian movement has been organized which calls for peaceful protest against Israel rather than the armed resistance advocated by the PLO. From headquarters in East Jerusalem, The Palestinian Center for the Study of Non-violence is trying to gain acceptance among the 1.4 million Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza Strip most of whom look on anything but armed confrontation as a surrender to Israel.

Mubarak Awad, founder of the group says he wants to try to change the image that many people in the United States have of the Palestinians as all being ter­rorists. The movement involves about 700 Palestinians and operates on an annual budget of about $35,000 donated by Arabs in the United States. The activists have patterned their movement after the methods of Mohandas Gandhi whose nonviolent protests helped India gain freedom from British rule.

An example of the group’s activities is a recent tree planting demonstration on the West Bank that stopped the Israelis from clearing disputed land in a case now pending in court. The movement supports Palestinian nationalism but feels that at this time and place peaceful methods have more chance of success than the violent tactics that have generated the negative image of Palestinians in the past.