WorldWatch

Vol. 1, No. 9  Published by the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

GERMANY PUSHES TOWARD
SINGLE EUROPEAN STATE

London's Daily Telegraph reports German foreign minister's remarks.

by Garner Ted Armstrong
 

"It is the DECISIVE TASK OF OUR TIME," said Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, as he urged the European Union to become an "entity under international law," and a "SINGLE POLITICAL STATE!"

For literally decades I have been predicting that the world will see the rise of a gigantic SUPERPOWER in central Europe; a kind of a "United States of Europe," embodying perhaps 300 million people, stretching from far eastern Europe to the Atlantic wall. It was in Rome, March, 1957, that the "Treaty of Rome" was initially signed, bringing into being the "European Economic Community," called for decades, "the common market." The far-reaching treaty represented the fundamental building blocks for greater and greater European cooperation in monetary matters, customs and taxes, free travel, and paved the way for "security" arrangements—meaning military forces—within the European community.

At the same time, a commission for the obtaining of nuclear power was established.

That treaty, which I wrote and spoke about many times, was signed more than forty-one years ago! Though the process has taken much more time than I believed it would in the late 1950's, the reality is that a UNITED EUROPE, as ONE SUPER-STATE is now looming large on the near horizon.

January 1, 1999 — A Fateful Date In World History

On January 1^st, the new left-of center German government, under newly-elected Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, will assume the presidency of the European Union. The presidency of the union is a rotating one. Coincident with German presidency of the European Union will be the official launching of the new single currency for Europe, the "Euro."

A common currency; a central bank; "one citizenship" with the right of appeal to the central authority, just as in ancient Rome—all that will be lacking is a common European Army. Today, the European powers all participate in NATO. German troops are currently in Bosnia, as part of a UN "peace keeping" force.

Is such an army to be formed from the already substantial armies in Germany, France, and many other countries? Asked whether he envisioned a single European Army, German Foreign Minister Fischer said, "If it is going to turn into a full union, then one day foreign and defense policy will also have to become community tasks." Translation: "Yes."

When Fischer was interviewed by one of the leading newspapers in Germany, the Frankfurter Rundschau, he said the creation of a SINGLE ENTITY in Europe, with a COMMON CONSTITUTION "...is the decisive task of our time!"  o

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For decades, I have voiced doubts that Britain will become a part of a "United States of Europe." Principally, I have done so because Britain can be identified as the "Ephraim" of the "Lost Ten Tribes," and will be one of the major victims of the onslaught of the "beast power" armies during the prophesied Great Tribulation. It is interesting how current events seem heading in precisely this direction. For many years, Britain was dubbed "the sick man of Europe" because of its stagnating economy and high unemployment. Now, Britain is clashing with Germany, France and the EU over the huge multi-billion pound subsidies worked out by Margaret Thatcher, and agreed to by the EU many years ago, whereby Britain is protected against EU farm subsidies. So far, this has meant a 22 billion pound windfall for the British government.

France, Germany, and other EU governments want the subsidy canceled. Read the article about "Red Oscar" Lafontaine in this issue.

Of course, full political union means loss of sovereignty, and, to a large extent, a gradual homogenization of cultures.

No nation is any more steeped in its traditions, culture, language, and history than England. The Daily Telegraph said, "Mr. Fischer's comments will be seen by Conservative politicians in Britain as confirming their fears that the single currency to be launched on January 1 will eventually lead to a federal Europe... Downing Street has sought to play down concerns that the New European Way represented a socialist blueprint which would lead to Britain having to adopt the higher business taxes in Germany and France."

Only days later, a furor erupted in British newspapers between Britain and Europe—predominantly Germany. It was all about taxes. The Financial Times of London charged, "Germany has set a collision course with the UK on tax." Philip Johnston, writing for the "Electronic Telegraph" on "Euronet" said, "As it was with John Major, so it is with Tony Blair [The Prime Minister]; the political momentum towards integration in Europe has confounded the best attempts to appear cooperative," and revealed that for several weeks, quite a number of British newspapers had been warning about the "Franco-German drive for greater economic integration."

As an illustration of the attitude of many Britons toward Germany, it was in 1996, just before the European soccer championship, that The Mirror of London printed the headline: "Achtung Fritz—For You ze tournament is over!" Hardly calculated to promote good Anglo- German sentiment.

At the root of the arguments are the higher VAT (value added) taxes in Germany and Europe, and the higher business taxes. Francis Maude, "the shadow chancellor," accused the British government of paving the way for Britain's taxes to be set in Brussels (the current site of the various institutions of the EU), and charged that any tax harmonization between England and Europe would put Britain's zero VAT rating on food and children's clothes at risk.

Gordon Brown, who is "Chancellor of the Exchequer," or the equivalent of "Finance Minister" for Britain, went to a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels, determined to head off demands for common European tax policies. However, according to the British press, he was "ambushed" by Oskar Lafontaine, the German Finance Minister (known as "Red Oskar" because of his leftist, socialist views), who promptly served notice that Germany had no intention of letting up pressure for harmonization of taxes. The "Red Oskar" was then called "Europe's Most Dangerous Man" by the British Sun.

Regardless of the causes, it seems increasingly clear that Britain may well remain outside of the eventual "U.S. of Europe," looking in.

Ten Nations Will Unite Only For "A Short Time"

If you possessed only three verses of the Bible, yet understood that God exists; that the Bible is His word; that Bible prophecy WILL come to pass; you would be equipped to understand much of what is taking place before your eyes in Europe.

John, in vision, was propelled forward in time, into the time of the Great Tribulation, Heavenly Signs, and the Day of the Lord. As a part of his vision of the great whore who "sits on many waters," and who mounts the metaphorical "beast," he wrote the following three verses found in Revelation 17:12-14: "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

"These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

Even if you knew NOTHING else about the Bible, look what can be gleaned (given the foregoing) from only these three verses.

1) You know that someone saw a vision of "ten horns."

2) You know they represented ten kings, or absolute rulers.

3) You know that, at the time of the vision, they had not YET coalesced into a united government.

4) You know they receive "power as kings." The power of a king is absolute power; the power of an autocrat; a dictator. It is the power of the raw materials, natural resources, manpower, industrial base, economy, and armed forces of a nation over which the king or dictator rules.

5) You know they receive this absolute power only for a very short time; "one hour."

6) You know they receive this power WITH THE BEAST; that the coalescing TOGETHER helps propel them into the position of power they enjoy for a short time.

7) You know they have ONE MIND, meaning one united policy; one purpose; one plan.

8) You know they give their [absolute] power TO THE BEAST.

9) You know, then, that the mysterious "beast" in the vision is metaphor for a TEN-NATION COMBINE of great power.

10) You know they will "make war with the LAMB."

11) Therefore, you know the TIME SETTING of this prophesied series of events—at the time of the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to RULE it with a rod of iron.

12) You know that the "Lamb" is "King of kings and Lord of lords," and that He will CONQUER the ten nations which form the "Beast" power; that He has many people WITH Him in His victory over the Beast who are "called" and "chosen" and "faithful."

They are "called" because God opened their minds and called them. They are "chosen" because they have been selected to DO A JOB; to perform a COMMISSION. They are "faithful" because they STICK TO IT, no matter what obstacles, no matter what setbacks, no matter what trials!

Yes, you could know ALL THIS from only three verses of your Bible if you merely BELIEVE it is the divinely-revealed word of God!

Yet, millions remain IGNORANT of Bible prophecy; know NOTHING of the impending rise of a great final resurrection of the old "Holy Roman Empire" in Europe!

Notice carefully that the ten nations are described as forming together only for a very short time!

Betrayal And Retribution

Study carefully all of Revelation 17 and 18. The great city which rules over kings of the earth is unmistakable. The role of the great fallen woman, with "daughters" (churches which came out of a great church) is also unmistakable. Notice how the last part of the 17^th chapter and the entirety of the 18^th chapter portrays ultimate judgement poured out on the great false church by the very governments over which she dominated—the "woman" pictured riding on the "beast."

Here is a partial excerpt: "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues [she is "universal" in that her members represent many, many different races and nations],

"And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

"For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

"And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 17:15-18).

But WHY? Think it through. Since the 10-nation coalition will be horribly defeated — possibly so much so that only ten percent of its populations survive — the beast power will BLAME THE SOURCE OF THEIR AGONY—they will turn upon the architect of their ruin.

Who Will Unite Europe?

For decades, I have repeatedly stated that I do not believe the final end-time resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire; the ultimate "Beast power" of Revelation 17, will form as a peaceful, gradual coalescence of nations. Rather, that it would most likely form following a great global economic collapse!

In the wake of such a disaster, nation after nation would resort to MARTIAL LAW. Chaos would strike country after country. Maddened gangs would ravage their own neighborhoods, towns and cities, taking the dwindling means of survival from their own neighbors at gunpoint. Frenzied race wars would ensue, as long-held racial hatreds boiled to the surface in the chaotic absence of order in society, and adequate law enforcement. Rape, looting, burning, pillaging and murder would be rampant. Military dictatorships would emerge — whichever generals possessing the most power and the greatest loyalty among their troops would seize power. Industries would be nationalized. Forced labor would ensue. Civil order would be at the point of a gun. Hundreds of thousands will perish in vast civil riots and civil wars.

Out of the chaos following a global economic collapse would, almost like a bizarre repetition of events prior to World War II, come the imposition of martial law, the marshaling of forced labor to repair shattered infrastructure, the building of huge military forces, the arbitrary cancellation of debt, the seizure and nationalization of financial institutions and industry, and eventual wars. One of the major causes of the regional wars of the future will be the simple means of survival; "food wars," wherein starving peoples seek to take from their neighbors. If you have not yet read my book, Europe and America In Prophecy, by all means call immediately, or write to me at Box 747, Flint, TX, 75762, for your free copy.

Since the ten nations will be allied together but a "short time," and since there are such wide and seemingly insurmountable social, cultural, financial and linguistic gaps to be bridged, what will be the "glue" which will temporarily hold the ten together?

Miry Clay Mixed With Iron

A clue is given in Daniel's interpretation of Nebudchadnezzar's dream: "And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

"And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken [weak: margin].

"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

"And in the days of these kings [The TEN, represented by the toes; the same ten as the ten horns of Revelation 17] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever" (Daniel 2:41-44).

No ironmonger would ever pour "miry clay" into a mold with molten iron, and expect it to be a finished product. It would be shot through with weakness; flaws, which would be fatal to its purpose. Herein is the "short time" of Revelation 17. Here is the inherent "weakness" to be found in the short-lived coalition of ten governments.

What will it require for these widely disparate countries to meld together for a short time?

First, notice we have already seen they have ONE POLICY. That helps them set aside other differences; helps otherwise bickering, disagreeing parties to unite in order to achieve a common goal. Obviously, since they "give their power and strength unto the beast," there is some definite military exigency at stake. But the primary "miry clay" or the brittle, short-lived "glue" which will hold them together for a "short time" is RELIGION!

France is 90% Roman Catholic. Belgium is 75% Roman Catholic, with Protestants and "others" (such as Islamic or Hindu) making up the remaining 25%. Germany is 37% Roman Catholic (Bavaria is almost 100%) and 45% Protestant, mostly Lutheran. Austria is 85% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant. Poland is 95% Roman Catholic, and the current pope is a Pole. Hungary is 68% Roman Catholic, 20% Calvinist Protestant, and 5% Lutheran. Bulgaria is 85% Bulgarian Orthodox (national form of Greek Orthodox—very close to Catholicism except the worship of icons is held, rather than statues), and 13% Muslim. Romania, likewise, has a national form of Greek Orthodoxy, called Romanian Orthodoxy (89%), with 6% Roman Catholic and 6% Protestant. Croatia is 77% Roman Catholic, and 11% Orthodox. The Czech Republic (much of former Czechoslovakia) is divided about evenly between Atheism (39%) and Roman Catholic (39%), with only 4.6% Protestant. Italy is 98% Roman Catholic. Greece is 98% Greek Orthodox.

Major steps have been made in recent years by the Vatican to harmonize relations with the Greek Orthodox Church.

Since Bible Prophecy plainly states it is the "woman who rode the beast," and the great fallen woman is metaphor for a great multi-national church, it is obvious that, for some short period of time, the woman GUIDES the beast; rides it, steers it, determines its course.

It is no great challenge to credulity to envision the POPE IN ROME intervening to lend his good offices to European Unity when disastrous fragmentation seems in store.

The great Babylonish RELIGION of tens of millions will be the "miry clay" which will attempt to hold together the "iron" of the Beast. It will endure but a very short time.

Today, we see events in Europe leading toward the complete political union of those nations which always formed a part of the "Holy Roman Empire" of the past! Millions of Americans and Canadians are oblivious. There was NO MENTION of these and other major events in the mainstream U.S. news media, which was fixated on the debate over impeachment of the president! o

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Y2K UPDATE

by Garner Ted Armstrong

On January 1, 2000, millions of computer chips, pre-programmed for decades to recognize the years only in double digits, such as 03/24/98 (March 24, 1998), will click over to the digits "00." Millions upon millions of them are in use today in practically every segment of civilization: In high tech, education, transportation, industry, business, commerce, the military; EVERY facet of life in developed countries.

Consider: Your home enjoys its many "energy slaves," such as electric lights, telephone, electric ranges, refrigerators and freezers, heating and air-conditioning, as a result of computer chips stored deeply within the main frames of the businesses which serve your home. The utilities company where you address your water bill; the telephone company, where you pay your phone bill (and your "on line" bill if you are equipped with a PC and are on the web); the gas company; the electric company— all such companies and their sub-contractors run on computers.

Vast power grids which supply power to major sections of the country are run by computer. From the air traffic control system to the heating and air conditioning systems and navigational systems aboard the aircraft they control, computers are at work.

Officials who have been attempting to track down those millions upon millions of tiny chips, buried in such unlikely places as deep beneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the North Sea, in the drilling mechanisms of oil rigs, or found in the guidance systems of ICBMS in missile silos, have had to acknowledge that they are not certain all those tens of millions of computers will be made "Y2K (Year 2000) Compliant" in time.

On Sunday, December 6, 1998, came word that a "millennium crisis" was looming for the British Ministry of Defense.

Shockingly, it was revealed that almost 90 percent of the UK Navy's most critical computer systems—including those controlling the sea-going "Trident" missile systems—are not protected against the Y2K bug!

One American defense official was quoted as saying, "If Saddam Hussein wanted to launch an attack, January 1, 2000 would be the day to do it."

Like chilling waves of utter incredulity, the staggering facts were revealed: Military aircraft may be unable to fly; early warning systems and data banks containing vast amounts of intelligence information could crash; key weapons systems (such as the Tridents, aboard nuclear submarines) could collapse. Even the British equivalent of the Pentagon, Whitehall, was said to be eighty-two percent "millennium-unsafe"! A full two thirds of the RAF's computers, and half of the Army's computer systems are not ready!

It is not as though they are not working on the problem. Whitehall employs a staff of seven hundred, costing 200 million pounds, to solve the problem, but the ministry reported they do not have enough skilled staff to complete the Y2K project in time, and that they are having trouble recruiting more.

Said the chairman of the House of Commons Defense Select Committee, Bruce George, "This is very worrying...I had no idea that it was this bad."

One would think it would be advisable to insure all those nuclear submarines are safely in port, with all their guidance systems on all those nuclear-tipped Trident missiles shut down on the night millions gleefully, if completely ridiculously, drunkenly celebrate the arrival of the "new millennium" on a false date on a false calendar. Oh, and then there is, of course, all those "death cult" people who will be committing mass suicide on that date, and all those one-way tickets to Israel, where countless fanatics will be "waiting for the coming of the Lord."

The year 2000 has absolutely no significance biblically or prophetically. However, because of the short-sightedness of fallible human technicians, it WILL BE a major event in the world because of any number of computer "glitches" which will no doubt occur.

Some Mayors And City Managers Planning For Pandemonium

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, some city officials are planning worst-case scenarios in anticipation of the Y2K bug. In Lubbock, Texas, it was pointed out that even various kinds of heavy equipment have electronic timers which are date sensitive, and which keep track of maintenance schedules. Cited were such potential difficulties as elevators shutting down in buildings, the breakdown of city sewage and water-treatment plants, possible riots and looting, the shutdown of the 911 emergency system, and the shutdown of police communications, among others. Richard E. Wilkin, who is director of technology for the city of San Diego, has reportedly earmarked about 10 million dollars for tackling the problem, and has hired specialists from as far away as Poona, India. Lubbock, however, has no such funds, and so has planned to have old diesel generators in place for emergency power supply—generators which do not have computer chips. One of the problems revolves around companies who manufactured the various computers being afraid of liability suits, and therefore reluctant to finger any specific chips as potential problems. In a test, Lubbock officials ran through a very realistic Y2K disaster, feeding emergencies to various departments in rapid-fire manner. Experts say they know at least 5% of the chips in computers will fail, but they do not know which five per cent.

According to the Bloomburg News, published by L. P. Bloom-berg, if U.S. government agencies were issued a "report card" on their Y2K compliance progress, they would receive a "D." It was reported that six of the largest Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, the Justice Department, and the Department of State, would receive an `F" for failure.

The cost of trying to fix government computers is expected to climb to about $6.3 billion. However, only about two-thirds of the agencies are expected to have fixed and tested their systems by March of 1999, the target date for compliance.

By the way, have you made all those important calls to your utilities, telephone, gas, and electric companies yet? o

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CHINESE DEVELOP
SATELLITE-KILLING LASER

by Garner Ted Armstrong

The country that invented gunpowder and the gun is about to leap ahead of the other nuclear-armed, space-age technologies in a dramatic way. According to a recent Pentagon report, compiled as a result of a mandate from the House National Security Committee's last-year's bill, the "Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is building lasers to destroy satellites, and already has beam weapons capable of damaging sensors on space-based reconnaissance and intelligence systems."

Congress had asked the Pentagon to report back on whether China plans "to place weapons in space or to develop Earth-based weapons capable of attacking space-based systems."

Officials admitted the most vulnerable systems are the space-based reconnaissance satellites, run by the "National Reconnaissance Office" which take thousands of photographs daily as they pass over such places as Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia, etc., and which are critically important to U.S. intelligence.

Obviously, if the Chinese are developing the ability to damage or destroy U.S. surveillance satellites in space, they would have a powerful strategic weapon which would threaten U.S. security. The U.S. would no longer be able to monitor troop or ship movements, or detect missile tests or launches.

China is also said to be developing "electronic jammers" which will target the various "Global Positioning Satellites" which are vital to transportation both at sea and in the air. GPS works by simple triangulation. A computer aboard a ship or aircraft receives signals from several GPS satellites, which give the exact latitude/longitude of the vessel or plane. As the craft travels through the sea or in the air, the GPS system constantly corrects the signal, thus giving virtually instantaneous information such as speed, yaw, drift, etc. When the computer is pre-programmed to intercept a "way point" (it can store many, many way points), of the latitude/longitude of its destination (or any point in between), the precise distance to that destination is seen on the computer screen, as is the speed in the sea or over the ground.

GPS computers are available to boaters, hunters, hikers or those who wish one in their automobiles today. No hunter with a small GPS in his pocket could ever become lost, if he had a simple compass, since the GPS could be programmed to tell him the precise location of his automobile, truck, or cabin.

The military application is also critical in such weapons as missiles. The cruise missiles of such deadly accuracy fly using such systems.

According to the Pentagon report to congress, the Chinese have vastly improved their missile guidance systems. China can launch its own GPS systems, and, remarkably, the first manned Chinese space flight is reportedly planned for late 1999. o

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Editorial:

Germany's New Chancellor Addresses Germany's Diplomatic Corps—

Papal Nuncio

by Garner Ted Armstrong

At the annual reception of the German Diplomatic Corps, held at the Palais Schaumburg in Bonn, newly-elected Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder set forth his agenda for the next century. In effect a "state of the union" address, Schroeder touched on the "integration" of Europe, the concept of a "globalized economy," strengthening of international organizations, harmonization of a united Europe's tax laws, and defense.

In his opening remarks, translated here into English, he said, "Nuncio, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to welcome the Diplomatic Corps to the traditional annual reception in the Palais Schaumburg...I would emphasize again: a Government under my leadership will make no change in the fundamentals of Germany's foreign and security policy, or its policy on Europe." He said "Integration and cooperation in Europe" would remain high on the list of his overall goals.

In a call for greater European unity, he said, "No nation on its own can meet the worldwide challenges ahead. Only by acting together can long-term success be assured."

Touching on the fact that January 1999 brings Germany to the "G7/G8" chair, he said "A number of our partners...have put forward proposals for reforming the international financial system. We want to build on these proposals and intend to make this a central focus of the world economic summit to be held in Cologne next year."

He promised that the Germans "...will use the German Presidency [of the EU] to push ahead on European integration," and said the strengthening of the European Union would be the "defining challenge for our generation."

For decades, I told vast radio, television, and live audiences that the time would come when both Germany and Japan would re-write (or reinterpret) their post-World War II constitutions, which forbad the injection of their armed forces into foreign areas. Such has taken place within the last five or six years in both nations. German soldiers are now a part of UN "peacekeeping" forces in Bosnia, for instance. Speaking of the "Treaty of Amsterdam," wherein clauses describe the EU's possible responses to foreign and regional disputes and wars, he said that the crises in the former Yugoslavia, "...most recently in the Kosovo, have dramatically highlighted the limits of the EU's ability to act where the common foreign and security policy is concerned." "Security," remember, is modern political double-speak for "military." All is considered under "security," meaning military forces adequate for defense, as well as for garrisons in foreign regions.

Long-time listeners to my tens of thousands of radio and television programs over the past 42 years know that I said repeatedly that the "Warsaw Pact nations will become a part of an eventual `United States of Europe.'" This, when all such nations, which I named time and time again, were under Soviet domination in the depths of the Cold War.

Long since, those predictions have come to pass.

Schroeder said, "The accession of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary to the Alliance next year is an historic step that will make Europe more secure and more stable." He also promised to continue to "strengthen the ongoing partnership between Germany, France and Poland."

He said, and I emphasize, "... ONLY WHEN THIS EUROPE THAT IS OUR COMMON HOME BECOMES A POLITICAL AS WELL AS A SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL UNION CAN IT WIN OVER ITS CITIZENS ONCE AND FOR ALL."

How long, now, before a Frankenstein looms up in hideous proportions before its creators? How long now, before a United Europe becomes the major competitor to Britain and the U.S.? o

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SERBIA CHARGES FASCISM
REBIRTH IN GERMANY

Serbian Radio, in strident tones, blames Germany for "Warmongering" stemming from German Interior Minister Klaus Kinkel's statement: "The Serbian leadership only understands the language of force. No less."

by Garner Ted Armstrong

Perhaps it seems a bit hysterical, viewed from afar, but Serbian radio in Belgrade recently sent out a scathing indictment against Germany, charging them with "warmongering," and warning all Europe that it was witnessing the "rebirth of German fascism."

The broadcast went so far as to refer back to Germany's record in both the first and second world wars, and said "Germany harbors open ambition to become the master of Europe." Naturally, such a broadcast was discounted by the moderates in Western Europe and the U.S., since it came from Slobodan Milosevich's capital city, and from his own state-controlled radio.

Serbia, faced with stern warnings of immediate NATO air strikes resulting from genocidal policies in Kosovo, where Serb army units and Serbian Kosovo police were locked in deadly combat with the KLA, or Kosovo Liberation Army, understandably wanted to lash out at the threat. The interesting thing is that it was not NATO or the U.S. they blamed, not Germany.

German Defense Minister Volker Ruehe had threatened Serbia by saying no UN Security Council approval would be needed for military intervention in Kosovo. Ruehe had warned that such action would be forthcoming "within the next three to five weeks." This assertion was challenged by the German Foreign Ministry, however. German concerns are far deeper than the mere desire for military action. With a newly-aggressive Russia, Germany fears that an unchecked Serbia provides a possible foothold for Russia in southern Europe. Not only this, but Germany sees Milosevich as a petty tyrant, who, if left unchecked, sends dangerous signals to Russia and Serbia as well.

Most importantly, Germany is reported to be "extremely concerned" about U.S. vacillation in its military commitment to European stability—particularly in its use of NATO as a policing tool. Such vacillation has caused the Serbs to hold NATO in utter disdain. According to the German Foreign Ministry, "Germany is looking ahead to the day when it must take a leading role in the defense of Western Europe, and it does not want to take on that role with a dull knife." o

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ATTEMPTS TO HIT BROWN WITH HANDBAG IN HOTEL BAR

by Garner Ted Armstrong

It is said the two men, Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer of the UK, and Oskar Lafontaine, German Finance Minister, are "full of fun when they get together, even when they are discussing major issues in the political arena." This observation came, however, following an altercation in Brussels recently, when the two men encountered each other in a hotel bar. Lafontaine has been roundly condemned by the British press in recent weeks because of his "ambush" of Brown during the meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels. Brown had gone to the meetings with the specific purpose in mind of heading off European demands to implement common European tax policies. Britain enjoys significantly lower taxes than most Europeans, and, during the Thatcher years, negotiated an annual rebate from Europe as a result of European subsidies to farmers, which drastically cut in to UK farm profits. Britain possesses veto power over EU tax policy, and has used it.

During the Brussels meeting, "Red Oscar" as he is derisively called by the British press, served notice that Germany would be maintaining the pressure for harmonization of taxes.

Brown was reported to be furious, feeling that Oskar had sabotaged the meetings.

UK Treasury officials who were present, said the two men were talking informally about the issue when Lafontaine picked up a handbag belonging to Figrid Zelz, the head of the German Finance Ministry's European Department, and tried to hit Chancellor Brown over the head with it, saying, "I'm like Margaret Thatcher, I want my money back!"

Spokesmen for Lafontaine insisted the two are "full of fun" when they get together. Apparently, Brown's aides didn't wish to make an issue of the event either, for they said, "This shows that Oskar has a great sense of humor...there was no contact. He didn't manage to handbag Gordon." Probably, Gordon ducked!

At about the same time, newly-elected Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroeder, warned the British press to "leave Lafontaine alone." He called the attacks in Britain against Lafontaine "tasteless," and then said Germany would not allow its EU partners to tell it which taxes were to be raised or lowered, for Germany would simply assemble a large enough coalition to form a blocking minority for any proposals it disliked.

Because of agricultural subsidies to other members of the EU, such as Britain, Spain and France, the German government is insisting on gaining a substantial reduction in its annual payments to Brussels. It wants to do this by deeply cutting those subsidies (currently costing Germany about 16 billion dollars per year). But this move is strongly resisted by Britain.

One of Schroeder's Social Democratic Party members said, "We already pay for French agriculture. I know we lost the Second World War, but we can't afford to pay for Polish agriculture too."

Germany has been hugely beleaguered as a result of German reunification, trying to bring its Eastern relatives up to the same levels as the more prosperous West. With raging unemployment (above 20%) and rising skinhead and neo-Nazi incidents, there is concern over the ability of the Bundesbank and the German government to digest the monstrous economic disparity between the former West Germany and its poor East cousin.

Currently, the Germans are on a drive to end the British veto over moves to introduce EU-wide tax rates. British newspapers have accused the "Red Oscar" of wanting to tax British children's clothing. One must wonder whether, in such a climate, Britain is pondering whether or not to tell Germany and Europe to butt out; that Britain will go it alone. o

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RECENT HEADLINES!

U.S. REBUFFS GERMAN CALL ON NATO NUCLEAR STRATEGY

Perhaps 22,000 Dead; Entire villages buried; cholera epidemic rages in Honduras, Nicaragua.

DEADLY VOLCANO ERUPTS ON JAPAN'S HOKKAIDO

5.7 QUAKE JOLTS NORTHEASTERN COLUMBIA

KILLER WEEKEND STORMS LEAVE DESTRUCTION IN BRITAIN

"PEACE PROCESS" BACK ON HOLD AFTER BOMB EXPLODES IN JERUSALEM

POPE AGAIN CALLS FOR JERUSALEM SPECIAL STATUS

IRAN COMMENCES WAR GAMES NEAR AFGHAN BORDER

DANISH SCIENTISTS DEVELOP ATOM-SIZE COMPUTER CHIP

TURKEY, TURKISH CYPRIOTS PLAN MILITARY EXERCISES

SODOMITES IN LOUISIANA ATTACK ANTI-SODOMY LAW

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER WARNS OF Y2K ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

GERMANY BEGINS PRESIDENCY OF EU.

GERMAN GOVERNMENT COMPLETING MOVE TO REUNITED BERLIN

BRITAIN, GERMANY, AT ODDS OVER TAXES

EUROPE LAUNCHES SINGLE CURRENCY,

IN ISRAEL

Bees dying; "few feral bees" left.

LOWEST PRESSURE RECORDED AS

VIOLENT WINDS, SNOW, LASHES

MINNESOTA AND GREAT LAKES.

GERMAN DEUTSCHE BANK

BANK MERGER LIFTS STOCKS ACROSS EUROPE

WATER SHORTAGES POSE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO FOOD

PRODUCTION AND HUMAN HEALTH

TEMPLE MOUNT SECURITY TO BE

EXTREMIST ATTACKS

CHINESE BUILDING LASER WEAPONS IN PREPARATION FOR 21^ST CENTURY HIGH-TECH WARS

DEFECTOR SAYS SADDAM HAS

SECRET WEAPONS CACHE

GERMANS DETERMINED TO DEMAND REBATE BEFORE AGREEING TO EU ENLARGEMENT

"LEAVE LAFONTAINE ALONE."

ISLAMIC JIHAD CALLS FOR

REVENGE ATTACK

ISRAEL CALLS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION TO FORCE PALESTINIAN COMPLIANCE

SHROEDER, CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY, SAYS GERMANY SHOULD HELP ENFORCE PEACE IN BOSNIA, KOSOVO. o

ABOUT GERHARD SCHROEDER,
NEW GERMAN CHANCELLOR

"Curriculum vitae"

Born on 7 April 1944 in Mossenburg/Lippe Protestant - married

1951-1958 Primary and secondary schooling

1959-1961 Apprenticeship as retail sales assistant

1962-1964 Evening school, obtaining secondary school leaving certificate

1964-1966 Adult education college, obtaining Abitur (University entrance Qualification)

(1963 —Joins the Social Democratic Party — SPD)

1966-1971 Law studies at Gottingen University; first state examination

1972-1976 Practical training in legal work; second state examination; admitted to practice as lawyer

1978-1990 Independent lawyer in Hanover; Federal Chairman of the Young Socialists in SPD from 1978 to 1980.

(Since 1986, member of SPD party Executive)

1980-1986 Member of the German Bundestag (Parliament)

(Since 1989: Member of SPD Presidium)

1986-1990 Chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in the Lantag of lower Saxony

1990-1998 Minister-President of Lower Saxony (equivalent to Governor)

1994-1998 Chairman of Lower Saxony SPD association

Oct. 1998 Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

1999-2004? Whither?