To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Daniel 8:23
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Khazneh")
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 08:35:04 -0500

Daniel 8:23 (NIV)
In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely
wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

>>>A stern-faced King Abdullah II of Jordan, his right hand on the Koran,
pledges to "uphold the constitution and be faithful to the nation" during
his swearing-in ceremony at Jordan's parliament on February 7, 1999, in
Amman, the capital of Jordan. Abdullah became Jordan's fourth king since the
country was created in 1928.<<<

http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?z=2&br=0&pg=3&ti=229F0000&med=1&idx
=305133&MSID=a2f917d4a96c4533b6760ce13c5d55aa

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 08:38:33 -0500

*** Russia, S. Korea hold naval exercise

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Former Cold-War enemies Russia and South
Korea will hold their first joint naval exercise in April, Seoul's
Defense Ministry said Monday. The exercise is the latest sign of
closer ties between the two former adversaries. Russia's predecessor,
the former Soviet Union, established diplomatic relations with Seoul
in 1990. The one-week drill will involve naval ships and helicopters
from the two countries in a mock search and rescue operation of a
wrecked civilian ship in international waters, the ministry said.
Russia is expected to send a destroyer and an antisubmarine ship for
the drill to be held off South Korea's southeast coast, it said.
South Korea held a similar naval drill with Japan last summer. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564765809-b75

*** Pope beatifies 44 martyrs

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope John Paul II beatified 44 martyrs Sunday,
honoring them as courageous models for today's Catholics, often
struggling with sagging faith. Beatification is the last formal step
before the process of sainthood can begin. Among those declared
blessed during the ceremony in St. Peter's Square was Vietnam's first
martyr, Andre de Phu Yen. He baptized at 15 and was beheaded three
years later in 1644 when he refused to renounce Christianity. "May
all the disciples of Christ find in him the strength and support in
trial," John Paul said, trying to encourage the present-day flock in
Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation which has the largest
Catholic community in Southeast Asia outside of the Philippines. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564758032-90c

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Vegetarian Antichrist is 'walking among us'
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 08:42:52 -0500

March 6 2000
 
     Vegetarian Antichrist is 'walking
                  among us'

           FROM RICHARD OWEN IN ROME
  THE leading conservative contender to succeed the Pope
  yesterday said that the "Antichrist" was already on Earth in
  the guise of a prominent philanthropist whose concern for
  human rights and the environment and advocacy of
  ecumenicism masks his real aim: the destruction of
  Christianity and "the death of God".

  Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, 71, the Archbishop of Bologna,
  said the Antichrist was not the beast with seven heads
  described in the Book of Revelation but a "fascinating
  personality" whose outward charm and plausibility had
  deceived his enemies. Cardinal Biffi said the Antichrist
  espoused vegetarianism, pacifism, environmentalism and
  animal rights.

  He also identified the Antichrist as an expert on the Bible
  who nonetheless promotes "vague and fashionable
  spiritual values" rather than the Scriptures. He advocates
  ecumenical dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church
  and other Christian denominations, including Anglicanism
  and the Orthodox Church. This appeared to be a worthy
  aim, but was in fact being used by the Antichrist in an
  attempt to water down and undermine Catholicism to the
  point where it collapsed.

  The cardinal did not say whether he had any particular
  world figure in mind, and his real target seemed to be the
  substitution of "feel-good" causes, such as ecology and
  humanitarian aid, for "true religion". His remarks appeared
  to mark out part of the conservative agenda ahead of the
  next conclave to elect a Pope. The physical decline of
  Pope John Paul II, 79, has sparked off jostling for
  position among the cardinals who stand to replace him.

  Cardinal Biffi was speaking at a conference in Bologna on
  the work of Vladimir Solovyov (1853-1900), the Russian
  philosopher and mystic, whom he praised as a "forgotten
  prophet" who had "lucidly foreseen" the horrors of the
  20th century. In his last writings, the cardinal said,
  Solovyov had predicted the rise of the Antichrist after a
  century of bloodshed, wars, revolutions and the
  breakdown of the nation state.

http://www.the-
times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/03/06/timfgneur01004.html?99

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Scythian's Victory and Defeats - 2000 Update
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 09:44:38 -0500

Rapture Watch

The Scythian's Victory and Defeats - 2000 Update

In this message, we will consider three ancient names from the
Bible and their relevance to Bible prophecy.

The first name is "Magog", and for this study, we will look at
the prophecies found in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39, along with
Revelation 20:8, which speak of this land. The second area is
referred to as "Ashkenaz", and for this particular study, we
will be looking at Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51. Then lastly is
the name of a people mentioned in Colossians 3:11 known as the
"Scythians". Bible scholars have discovered that all three of
these names are connected to the same people. According to
Unger's Bible Dictionary, historical records such as those left
by Josephus and Jerome reveal that the region where these
"Scythians" could be found was located in the nation now known
as Russia.

We begin our look at Russia's future by first witnessing a
victory by these ancient Scythians in the not to distant future
over Iraq. Our advice is that no one should be deceived by
Russia's ongoing verbal defense of Iraq. Russia is in severe
financial straits and has very practical economic reasons for
wanting Iraq back on its feet contributing to the Russian
economy. When Russia sees the opportunity to acquire Iraqi
wealth by force there will be no hesitation.

The strategic importance of the Middle-East to Russia continues
to be highlighted by reports such as Reuters of February 1, 2000
which headlined, "Russia to send warships for Mediterranean
exercises". We quote:

"The Russian Navy said on Wednesday that warships, including an
aircraft carrier and atomic submarines, would be sent to the
Mediterranean Sea in November for exercises...Admiral Viktor
Kravchenko, head of the navel general staff, told Interfax the
exercises would last three months. The Navy's presence in the
Mediterranean would be periodic but the sea would be constantly
patrolled by intelligence ships from Russia's Black Sea
Fleet...Russia sent an intelligence ship, the Kildin, to the
Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf on February 16 to monitor the
situation there. The Kildin and another reconnaissance vessel,
the Liman, were sent to the Mediterranean region last year
during NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia."

When reading verse 27 of Jeremiah Chapter 51, we find the names
Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz mentioned in the upcoming Middle-East
war, which will complete the overthrow of Iraq and desolate much
of the country. These three areas can be traced by ancient maps
to include the modern regions of Russia, Germany, Turkey and
Iran. It is our belief, that this war with Iraq will be a major
development in an even greater Middle-East conflict, which will
also include the countries of Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, along with the Palestinians.
Russia will benefit significantly from the victory over Iraq by
its participation, as a United Nations ally, and will share in
the time of dividing up the spoils as is described in Jeremiah
50:10 (Chaldea in this verse is modern-day Iraq). This verse is
essential for understanding; it reads, "...All who plunder her
shall be satisfied, says the Lord." This means Russia enjoys
victory in this war and it is this prophecy which distinguishes
this war from the two future battles where these Scythians will
be defeated.

It is also our belief, after this short but devastating war,
which will include the use of weapons of mass destruction,
according to such prophetic passages as Jeremiah 51:26 and
Jeremiah 51:62, that disarmament will take place throughout that
region. With the prospect of tangible peace and safety then
coming to the land of Israel, Jews will return from all
countries, where they had remained entrenched. Since many of
their ancient enemies will have been crushed, they will have
reason to believe that remaining antagonists who have witnessed
the consequences of pursuing war will then acquiesce to a new
world order of peace. As one of the seven heads of the United
Nations Security Council, Russia will possibly be viewed as a
new globalist ally by Israel.

We believe it will be after this war, that the Anti-Christ will
confirm the seven year covenant with Israel prophesied of in
Daniel 9:27. A brief period of peace and safety will then
ensue It is during this time gap of temporary peace and safety,
brought about by the man known as "Anti-Christ" and "the prince
who is to come" (I John 4:3, Daniel 9:26), that we believe the
sudden destruction prophesied of in I Thessalonians 5:3 comes.

During the first three-and-one-half years of this covenant the
Russian-Scythians will lead the invasion against Israel which is
prophesied to come to pass in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39.
According to Ezekiel 38:10-11, Russia will strike at Israel
during this time of peace and safety. It is our opinion, that
Russia will betray the trust of all who looked up to her might
as a new force for peace. One only needs to read Chapters 38
and 39 of Ezekiel in their entirety to realize that Russia's
defeat will be catastrophic (Ezekiel 39:10).

By examining the Scriptures we have been led to conclude that
there is no other possible time that this invasion can take
place. Israel has no peace and safety at present and as of the
midway point of the seven year covenant, the Anti-Christ will
relentlessly persecute Israel (Daniel 9:27 and Revelation 12:13-
17). At the end of the seven years, the nations of the earth
are gathered against Israel according to Zechariah Chapter 12.
The time of temporary peace and safety prophesied to be in
effect when Russia invades appropriately fits during the first
three-and-one-half years of the Anti-Christ's seven year
covenant with Israel.

It is of special interest to note that we are told in Ezekiel
38:12, that Russia has invaded Israel "to take plunder and to
take booty." The mineral wealth of the Dead Sea alone is
staggering but the wealth being revealed in Israel does not end
there.

According to a Jerusalem Post article reprinted in the January
1999, Colorado Christian News, which headlined, "Oil found in
Israel" "...Givot Olam Oil Exploration has struck oil at a site
near Rosh Ha'ayin....Givot Olam confirmed that the fluid gushing
through the pipe at the Meged-2 bore is high quality oil from
the Paleozoic basin...In a year's time the company hopes to be
drilling there. That location, known as Meged-3 is thought to
contain 1 billion barrels and four trillion cubic feet of
natural gas. "If this proves to be the case, there will be
enough oil for Israel to last your lifetime and mine," said
Tovia Luskin, the company's senior scientist and director. Work
started on Meged-2 Tuesday afternoon, and the well began
producing hydrocarbon gas at a rate of 400 barrels a day...The
Paleozoic basin, which is the source of oil throughout Saudi
Arabia and other Arab countries is one of the largest oil-
producing basins in the world."

Then from a February 29, 2000 Middle East Newsline report which
headlined, "Israel excited by prospect of natural gas" we read,
"Israel is excited over the prospect of a huge reserve of
natural gas of the Mediterranean coast...Druckman said the
reservoir found at the Mary-1 drilling site is four times larger
than the last report of a large offshore deposit in June. He
said the deposit could be worth up to $4 billion and that within
18 months Israelis could receive the natural gas...Industry and
Trade Minister Ran Cohen said the discovery of large offshore
gas deposits near Ashkelon, Gaza and Sinai will have a positive
effect on industry..."

For those who may think that Russia is no longer inclined
towards warfare and global conquest, the Colorado Springs
Gazette article of February 12, 1999, which headlined, "Drive to
rebuild nuclear arsenal unites Russia's political factions"
should cause them to reconsider. The article revealed that
Russia's present nuclear arsenal is comprised of 6,000 warheads
and that "At the height of Russia's financial meltdown, the
minister named to save the economy outlined an overriding
priority: build a new generation of nuclear missiles."

A closer look at the Scriptures, for what happens after Russia
is defeated in the war of Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39, is
paramount for clarification that this is not the same war with
Magog described at the close of the millennial reign of Christ
in Revelation 20:7-9. Our comparison begins with Ezekiel 39:29.
This is just after the end of the Magog war against Israel. God
declares at that time..."I will not hide my face from them (that
is Israel) any more; for I shall have poured out my Spirit on
the house of Israel..." This could not be the same war, as the
one that concludes the millennium reign of Christ, because
according to Zechariah 12:10, the Israelites will have looked
upon the face of God for an entire 1,000 years!

Also Revelation Chapter 20 verse 11, reveals to us that
immediately after the regathering of Magog at the close of the
millennial reign the great white throne judgement of God takes
place in heaven. In contrast, the end of the Magog war in
Ezekiel 39:12 reveals the Israelis burying the dead on earth for
seven months. In addition, by the account of 39:9, earthly
activity will continue for a total of seven years with the
destruction of weapons from this war. This would mean that
Israel's labor would have to continue on into the 1,000 year
reign of Christ if the Ezekiel war takes place during the first
three-and-one-half years of the tribulation period, as we
believe. Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 fully supports this position
and illustrates that the destruction of weapons will indeed be
taking place at the start of the millennial reign.

In summation, we anticipate the following for the modern day
Scythians of Russia. They will first join in a soon to
transpire war against Iraq and will share in the plunder
(Jeremiah 51:27 and 50:10). A covenant, which will include
disarmament in the region surrounding Israel, will be put into
place (Daniel 9:27). Then, the Russians will decide to attack
the peaceful unfortified nation of Israel to further its
plundering of the Middle-East (Ezekiel 38:9-12). In contrast,
this time the Scythians will be defeated and themselves become
the plundered (Ezekiel 39:10). There is no specific mention of
the Scythians being involved in the war of Armageddon described
in Revelation 19:17-21 and Zechariah Chapter 12. This conflict
takes place at the conclusion of the seven year tribulation
period. After 1,000 years of replenishment and forgetfulness
the Scythians (Magogites) will make war one last time. The
barbarians will assail the gate of the Holy City Of God and
their fate will be sealed with fire (Revelation 20:1-10).

And how, we may ask, did any of the Scythians receive grace in
order to enter the millennium to repopulate? They will have
made it the same way that all must receive salvation -through
having faith in the name of Jesus Christ, whose atoning blood
sacrifice delivers all who believe from the eternal penalty of
sin..."Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ
is all and in all." (Colossians 3:11). Are you prepared to
be caught up to heaven before the tribulation period begins, or
will you be left behind? You need to be sure in this extremely
late hour. (I Corinthians 15:50-58).

Your brother and friend in Christ,
Jamma
March 4, 2000

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Rapture Watch messages you may contact us at: rls1@pcisys.net

Rapture Watch
website address: www.rapturewatch.com

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekly Global Intelligence Update - 6 March 2000
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Shophar_Sho_Good")
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 09:48:15 -0500

STRATFOR.COM's Weekly Global Intelligence Update - 6 March 2000

Today's Global Intelligence Update is a special report on an
important world issue. If you would like to see the full text,
please visit http://www.stratfor.com/SERVICES/giu2000/030600.ASP

STRATFOR.COM Weekly Global Intelligence Update 6 March 2000

Why It's Not A New Cold War: Secondary Powers and the New
Geopolitics

Summary

On the face of it, the fraying of relations between the United
States and governments in China and Russia - over the war in
Kosovo last year, the war in Chechnya and foreign policy at
large - has suggested a return to the Cold War. Certainly, as we
have argued, we are in a period of rising tension between the
United States, Russia and China. Yet while tensions are rising,
the period ahead is fundamentally different from the Cold War
era. The Cold War limited room for maneuver among secondary
powers. The new epoch will facilitate them. The case of France
is instructive in this regard.

Analysis The global geopolitical system appears to be dealing
out a three-player game between the United States, China and
Russia.

Moscow's continued overtures to Beijing, which now appear to be
gathering steam, are an excellent example. Superficially, this
appears to resemble the makings of a new Cold War. There are,
however, fundamental differences.

First, Russia in 2000 is enormously weaker than the Soviet
Union during the Cold War. It has contracted geographically.
During the Cold War, Soviet forces were stationed in Germany,
Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Today, Russia does not even occupy
Ukraine. Whatever the orientation of its foreign policy, Moscow
must first regain what it has lost - and that will take a
generation.

The Cold War was a game played at the extremes of power. There
was little space for maneuver among great powers and most others
were locked into one, or the other, of the alliance systems.
Those that weren't - but were of strategic value, like
Yugoslavia - were locked into constrained neutrality. Some, like
Egypt, could change sides but could not stand free of
entanglement. The Third World thought of itself as representing
a neutral alternative. But in reality, any nation of strategic
interest to the superpowers found itself locked in, formally or
informally.

But the current global geopolitical situation is fundamentally
different. The overwhelming power of the United States allows it
to impose its will where it wishes; conversely, the United
States is powerful enough to be relatively indifferent to most
issues. Washington has no interest in imposing its wishes lock-
step upon its allies. Russia, now beginning the search for
allies, cannot underwrite the sort of military assistance
programs that were key to building ties with countries like
Syria and Vietnam during the Cold War. China, frequently
mentioned as a peer competitor, is in fact, a country isolated
by geography - and a distinct lack of naval power. Beijing's
power projection does not measure up to its bombast.

As a result, there is more room for maneuver today for the
world's secondary powers: France, Japan, Germany, the United
Kingdom and others. New possibilities arise. Secondary powers
may in fact become great powers over time, as more opportunity
and incentive arises for converting economic power into
political power. The fundamental reality is that the vague
situation among the great powers creates incentive for secondary
powers to protect interests and seize opportunities. The net
result will be a three-player game, with a lot of other players
jostling elbows. This will make for a more interesting game, but
a less stable world.

Consider France. France is interesting for three reasons.
First, until its defeat by Germany in 1940, France was a great
power in its own right, with a global empire. Second, during the
Cold War, it was by far the most restive of American allies and
sought consistently and intensely to create the kind of room for
maneuver for itself that it now actually has. Third, having
achieved the room for maneuver it wanted, France, like the other
countries in its class, is not quite sure what to do with that
power. No two powers are alike, but there is much to learn from
the French example - and the dilemma.

Although it emerged on the winning side, France was a major
loser in World War II. Exhausted by occupation and liberation,
its self-confidence shattered, the global empire it had taken
centuries to build soon slipped out of its hands.

Britain and France occupied similar positions, yet responded in
very different ways. Britain accepted its position as a
subordinate of the United States in return for being treated as
a special subordinate with a special relationship.

France, after a little more than a decade of following the
British lead, broke the pattern. When Charles De Gaulle became
President in 1958, he not only took the decisive steps needed to
dissolve the empire but those needed to create a special place
for France within the Western alliance system. It was a role
that took France as close to neutrality between the United
States and Russia as was possible - without actually breaking
with the United States.

De Gaulle's reading of the international system differed
fundamentally from that of other Westerners. De Gaulle's view
was that the United States was gaining strength and the Soviet
Union, effectively contained, was in danger of collapse. This
was particularly De Gaulle's view after the Cuban missile crisis
in 1962, when the United States blockaded Cuba and forced the
Soviet Union to withdraw its missiles. De Gaulle knew as well
that the Soviets at the time did not have the ability to strike
the United States with a large number of missiles while the
United States could devastate the Soviets with Intermediate
Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs) in Europe, as well as manned
bombers. The reason that the Soviets wanted missiles in Cuba was
to brandish a credible threat against the United States. To De
Gaulle, the failure of this gambit confirmed the ascendancy of
the United States.

This posed a terrific dilemma. The French president did not
want the United States to overwhelm France militarily,
politically or culturally. At the same time, he did not want to
wreck the Western alliance. In other words, De Gaulle was
trapped in the narrow space provided for France by the
geopolitics of the Cold War. He was trapped by an overwhelming
and highly focused U.S. power - and by the simultaneous fear of
a failure of that power.

De Gaulle and his successors have followed two strategies for
increasing wiggle room. The first was the European ploy. What
France couldn't do alone, it could do in conjunction with the
rest of Europe - particularly Germany. As a result, combining
economic weight with Germany, the Benelux countries and Italy
gives France serious voice. Thus, the European strategy
provided France with some room during the Cold War. It could
stand apart from the alliance without leaving it, it could
influence the United States without alienating it. France used
Europe, to the extent possible, to create breathing room.
France's own independent nuclear strike force was created to
help provide some space for French maneuver in the event of
crisis.

The second strategy was the neo-imperialist strategy. France
formally gave up its empire after defeat in Indochina and
Algeria, leaving only the holdings in sub-Saharan Africa.
However, this masked continued, albeit informal, presence.
France continued to dominate its former colonies and does so
until this day. French troops are present in many and intervene
to impose order. More than that, France still retains economic
power.

This was a particular irritant to the United States during the
Cold War. The Soviet Union had adopted a strategy of undermining
Western domination of the Third World. The United States was
resisting. The French strategy was to maximize its own influence
at the expense of the United States, frequently working with pro-
Soviet governments in an effort to use Soviet political
influence as a foundation from French economic opportunities.

French Europeanism was rooted in a desire to limit American
power. French neo-colonialism was rooted in an unwillingness to
accept the collapse of French global power and its replacement
by the United States. In its operational form, it frequently
served to weaken U.S. influence, working in tandem with Soviet
interests. France was prepared to work with the Soviets in
informal and sometimes cover ways to limit but not shatter U.S.
power.

Viewed in this way, we can see now that the collapse of the
Soviet Union posed mortal threat to France. Without the
counterweight of the Soviet Union, France was in danger of being
completely overwhelmed by the Americans. The French response was
logical. First, it intensified its drive for European
integration, extending it from the purely economic, to the
political and military. Second, it intensified its drive to
maintain influence in its former colonies.

For this strategy to work, European integration must work. More
precisely, Germany must be willing to throw its economic weight
behind French political maneuvers. In addition, Great Britain
must be kept out of as many European institutions as possible,
or induced to decline membership, since London waters down
French influence while, at the same time representing U.S.
interests.

There is a second critical element here. The resurrection of an
aggressive Russia could be the salvation of French power.
First, an assertive Russia counterbalances the United States and
a balance of power strategy is at the heart of French thinking.
Second, an assertive Russia could trigger an overly aggressive
American response that unnerves the Germans and drives them into
into French arms.

French policy appears to Americans to be incoherent. On the
one hand France participates in alliance interventions, from the
Persian Gulf to Kosovo. At the same time, there is a great deal
of unease among policy makers concerning France's commitment to
the enterprise. Rumors of French intelligence making side deals
from Iraq to Serbia percolate among its allies. True or not,
there is a sense of persistent French duplicity, an apparent
duplicity that makes little sense when measured against the
resources that France has devoted to its strategic participation.

This is not a new feeling. Ever since DeGaulle, France has
followed a dual policy of alliance membership combined with
seeking to maximize France's room for maneuver. France has
depended on the alliance yet sought to decrease that dependency.
The principles of French policy yielded logical and coherent
particulars. France sought to weaken American power without
shattering the balance of power. If we recall official French
attitude toward the Vietnam war, we can see the implementation
of this policy.

France has followed a coherent and logical policy since De
Gaulle returned to power in 1958. It will continue to follow
such a policy. But now the interest in disrupting U.S. power is
more intense than before, precisely because U.S. power is
greater than before, and the Russian and Chinese threat is less
than before This logic has certain consequences. France still
needs to create room for maneuver between the great powers, but
now there is greater U.S. power than before. France must be
more cautious then ever, but the need to build dams against U.S.
power is greater than ever. Its ability to act on its own
continues to be limited. It needs Germany. It needs Russia.
Building an alliance with either, in the long run, is not easy.
France and Russia normally ally against Germany, not with
Germany. Nevertheless, there are possibilities opening up for
France that have not been there since 1933.

Thinking about France allows us to begin thinking about the
other secondary powers, including emerging powers like India and
Turkey. The end of the post-cold war era and its transformation
into a three-player game does not recreate the Cold War. It
creates a new era in which secondary powers have major threats
and real opportunities. It is an era in which secondary powers
can become great powers, alone or in coalitions.

There is a general tendency on the part of U.S. allies to
follow the French path. On the one hand, they badly want the
benefits of alliance. On the other hand, they feel increasingly
constrained by U.S. power. Japan, Germany and France occupy
identical positions. They are American allies and they want to
continue to be American allies. They also understand that their
value to the United States increases as Russian and Chinese
power increases. At the same time, they do not want to be
caught in another Cold War.

These contradictory desires produce a logic of their own.
Given that they have greater room for maneuver than during the
Cold War, the secondary powers will try to take advantage of
that to carve out systems of relations that are particularly
beneficial to them. Unlike the "one size fits all" mentality of
the Cold War alliance systems, each country will seek to
maximize the benefits derived from its relationship with the
United States while constructing a system of alternative
relationships. This will create a tremendously complex landscape.

This will be particularly true when we consider that the
secondary powers are themselves near great powers themselves.
Any one of them can make the decision to enter the first rank,
behind only the United States, if they choose. That means that
as the new epoch matures, the three-player game can rapidly
acquire new players. Some of them will not come from the
traditional quarters. India or Turkey, for example, might
evolve over time. The important point is that the structure of
the three-player game increases the incentive for secondary
powers to emulate France and in so doing, increases the
probability of an increase in the ranks of great powers.

That may make for a more unstable world. It will certainly
make for a more complex one.

What the French example teaches is the critical lesson for the
21st century: nations have neither permanent friends nor
permanent enemies - only permanent interests. When we look at
France we can see the logic of its position. The same will
likely be true of others. In a non-ideological world, power
politics will increases in importance, rather than decrease.

(c) 2000, Stratfor, Inc. http://www.stratfor.com/

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Daniel 11:21
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Khazneh")
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 10:37:21 -0500

Daniel 11:21 (KJV)
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give
the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the
kingdom by flatteries.

11:21 Shevat is the 11th month of the Jewish [religious] calendar. 21 Shevat
5759 =3D 7 February 1999

>>>His performance has far exceeded anyone=92s expectations," a Western
diplomat told Reuters. "He has achieved so much in a year internally and
externally that he has impressed a lot of people." Another diplomat said:
"He was an unknown quantity to us but his potential and thinking were
quickly realized and he left a very positive impression wherever he went, be
it Washington, London or Paris."<<<

http://www.akhbar.com/article/0,1690,News-12887,00.html

A useful Jewish/Gregorian calendar, 1996 - 2010 is here:

http://newwine.org/Studies/JewCal.htm

(great format for printing)

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News items
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 17:39:04 -0500

*** Court backs Ind. on Good Friday

WASHINGTON (AP) - Indiana's designation of Good Friday as a state
holiday survived a Supreme Court challenge Monday. The justices,
without comment, allowed the state to continue giving its employees
that day off, a practice begun in 1941. They rejected an appeal that
said the holiday designation violates the constitutionally required
separation of church and state. Monday's denial of review was not a
surprise. The court in January rejected a challenge to a Maryland law
that requires the annual closing of all public schools on Good
Friday. An Indiana taxpayer, Russell Bridenbaugh of Bloomington,
contended that his state's practice improperly advances or promotes
the Christian religion. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564776706-0de

*** Russia's Zhirinovsky allowed to run

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's Supreme Court ruled Monday that controversial
nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky must be allowed to run in
presidential elections March 26 despite alleged financial
irregularities. Zhirinovsky, a flamboyant politician whose popularity
has waned in recent years, was barred from the race by the Central
Election Committee for allegedly misreporting his assets during the
registration process. The Supreme Court had earlier rejected
Zhirinovsky's appeal that the alleged irregularity - omitting
property belonging to his son from a registration form - did not
matter because the property was an insignificant part of his total
worth. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564777161-afb

*** France won't take Vichy-era blame

PARIS (AP) - The current French government had nothing to do with the
pro-Nazi Vichy regime's crimes during World War II, France's interior
minister said in response to a lawsuit aimed at making the government
admit responsibility. In a January letter addressed to Paris lawyer
Alain Levy and released Monday, Interior Minister Jean-Pierre
Chevenement said the French state is not legally obliged to pay for
crimes against humanity committed by Maurice Papon. Papon, 89, was a
police supervisor during the war. He was convicted for his role in
the arrest and deportation of Jews from Bordeaux and is serving a
10-year-sentence. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564776816-403

*** Filipinos wary of volcano

MABINIT, Philippines (AP) - An 8,000-foot volcano that has buried
Philippine villagers' crops in layers of black, smoky debris could
wreak further havoc even without another eruption, disaster officials
warned Monday. The caution came as thousands of residents headed back
to their villages at the base of the Mayon volcano, only to find
trees leafless and fields covered by volcanic boulders as large as
cars. Since it began erupting last month, Mayon has released
thousands of tons of materials - mostly lava, but also sand, rocks
and mud. Although the volcano has been relatively calm for five days,
volcanic debris could still bury portions of villages if it is washed
down the volcano's slopes by rain, said one official. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564779903-3fa

*** Cos. launch world e-banking venture

MADRID, Spain (AP) - One of Spain's largest banks and two Internet
companies teamed up Monday in an ambitious venture to create a global
Internet banking group. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria said it will
invest $480 million this year along with Terra Networks, a rising
star of Spanish-language Internet users, and Irish Internet start-up
First-e. The new company, UnoFirst, expects three to four million
people - in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia - will be
clicking into its sites for day-to-day banking in less than three
years. The bank and Terra, which launched an Internet portal early
this year aimed at young Hispanics in the U.S., will own 67.5% of
UnoFirst Group through their on-line Spanish bank Uno-e. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564779057-f6e

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