By MariaMaria #469 CM/FM 3223 12/98

U.S. blasts Baghdad

Compiled from AP‚ Reuters and

other wire service reports, Dec.19

After President Clinton's Mideast tour ended on December 15, he returned to Washington, D.C.‚ where he faced the likelihood of imminent impeachment in the House and a trial in the Senate over his actions following the Monica Lewinsky affair. The next day, on the eve of the impeachment vote, he ordered wide-scale attacks on Iraq for allegedly not complying with UN weapons inspectors. The attack was a unilateral one, taken without Security Council authorization‚ although British warplanes also participated.

In the attacks, beginning on December 16 and continuing for 70 hours, more than 70 U.S. and British warplanes blasted nearly 100 targets inside Iraq. The planes dropped hundreds of bombs on targets there, ranging from 500- to 2,000-pound bombs. During this time, the U.S. also hurled more cruise missiles at Iraq than were launched in the 1991 Gulf War. A Red Cross spokesmen estimated from 30 to 40 dead in metropolitan Baghdad, with about 80 injured. Iraqis say the number of deaths is higher. Government officials escorted foreign journalists to several damaged buildings and to hospital wards filling up with burned and bloodied civilians.

The American Friends Service Committee‚ a Quaker peace group, said, "The U.S. has taken actions that could, by the Clinton ad­ministration's own admission, result in the death of 10,000 Iraqi civilians. This is an enormous price to pay in civilian deaths and will add to the hundreds of thousands of civilians who have already died as a result of sanctions." The group also said it found it "morally reprehensible" that the air strikes came on the eve of the Moslem holy month of Ramadan. The Christian minority in Iraq was also preparing to celebrate Christmas.

Russia and China angrily condemned the air strikes, and France said it deplored "the grave human consequences that they could have for the Iraqi population." Russia went so far as to recall its ambassadors to the U.S. and Britain in protest. With no chance to stop the carnage, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan despairingly said‚ "This is a sad day for the United Nations and for the world." Even the Vatican condemned the U.S.–led air strikes against Iraq as "aggression" and said it hoped that inter­national order would be re-established soon.

Iraq was defiant. Saddam Hussein urged Iraqis to "Fight the enemies of God, enemies of the nation, enemies of humanity." "By God, we will not compromise," thundered the 61-year-old leader, who has held on to power for years after earlier foes have faded from the scene. "A curse on the agents of Satan," he added.

Leaders, commentators and common people around the world questioned President Clinton's motives in bombing Iraq on the eve of the House vote on his impeachment. Even U.S. lawmakers expressed doubts. "The suspicions some people have about the president's motives in this attack is itself a powerful argument for impeachment‚" House Majority Leader Dick Armey‚ a Texas Republican, said. Anti-war activists also linked the two issues, with signs outside the White House reading "Too Bad They Don't Impeach for Mass Murder."

On December 19, the House voted to impeach President Clinton, who must now be tried in the Senate. The impeachment, the first in 130 years and only the second of a president in U.S. history, alleged Clinton committed perjury and obstructed justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

1. (Mama:) After we heard of the U.S. attacks on Iraq and the suffering of the people there, with bombing raids launched at what seemed to be a politically expedient moment for President Bill Clinton, we asked the Lord to speak to us about it. He sent Dad with the following blast at the warmongers and an impassioned plea for us to pray for the poor and needy of Iraq!

Pray for the Poor and Needy!

2. (Dad speaking: ) It grieves my spirit to have to watch such evil men! It really, really hurts to see the so-called Christian world ganging up on this poor‚ downtrodden country which has been so open and receptive to the Lord's Words, and has been so tolerant of His missionaries. As a matter of fact, not only am I sad and sickened by it, I'm hopping mad! I'm mad at the Devil, and I'm mad at Clinton‚ and I'm mad at the God-damned ACs behind this crime!

3. God hates war and the killing of the innocents. He hates to see His children harmed and destroyed. And you know what? So many of those dear ones in Iraq are His children. There are so many Christians there that this is a direct attack on the Lord's Own.

4. This time the U.S. has gone too far! They've stuck their finger in God's eye and He's going to recompense them for their evil. This time they've surely gone too far, and I think many of the American people know it. They know that this war is wrong and only about saving their sinful president. God damn them! I haven't gotten worked up like this in a long time, but it really bothers me to see such evil.

5. This attack was, and is, inspired by the Devil. We were all there in the counsel room when they were discussing the attack, and we were trying to get through to them. The Lord Himself came down and tried to counsel them for the better, but they wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear Godly counsel. They refused the truth and rejected the path of love and the Godly way of peace. Once they'd done that, there was nothing more we could do but allow the Devil and his minions to counsel them. Those are the rules, folks! So don't you reject the Lord's counsel or the same thing might happen to you.

6. Clinton has really done it this time! In an attempt to save himself from his own mess and his own lying deceit, he has chosen to pick on and bomb a poor, innocent, defenseless country like Iraq. What the hell is wrong with him? Doesn't he see that he's being duped by the Devil and his anti-Christ, Satanic minions there on Earth? How can he be so blind?—Blinded in his understanding‚ his conscience seared with a hot iron because he turned away from the truth and followed after the ways of war.

7. He has turned his back on the Lord and on His children. He has become the tormentor instead of the protector of the Lord's children, and because of that, his judgment is coming. This was a crucial decision in his presidency and he flunked it. He failed the test and he didn't pass the grade. He's now going to reap what he sowed, and the latter end will be worse with him than the beginning.

8. Although I'm mad at Clinton, I'm also kind of sorry for him because of the future he's going to have to live with because of this wrong decision. The Lord's sad too, because we were both hoping he might take a turn for the better here and maybe show some signs of godliness. But Lord help him, he failed, and great will be his fall. Great will be the noise that this war will make. Many‚ many more lives will be lost because of the decisions of this one. God help him! God help him to be tortured with the thoughts and sounds of that war. He doesn't know what it's like. He doesn't know what it's like to suffer like that. He must not‚ or how could he so easily decide to do it again, to bomb again? I just don't understand how he can be so blind. God help him! (Note: Clinton has ordered cruise missile attacks on Iraq twice in the past, first in June 1993, followed by a more extensive attack in September 1996, in which 44 cruise missiles were launched at targets in southern Iraq.)

9. Pray for the poor ones suffering the torment of spirit, the pain of knowing that their loved ones could be next to be obliterated by one of those missiles. Pray for them! Oh, why don't you pray for them? Don't you see that your prayers can be instrumental in releasing these sanctions and ending this horrible war? Don't you see that? Please pray for them, because as much as the Lord wants to stop all of this, He is waiting for your prayers.

10. You need to get stirred up and not take this lying down! What was your reaction when you heard that the U.S. was bombing Iraq again? Did you pray for them? Did you cry out to the Lord on your knees for those who are in danger? Pray for them, because they are your brothers and your sisters! They are your loved ones who are suffering. Pray for them! I want to see you guys down on your knees desperately crying out to the Lord for them!

11. You know how I prayed for them. You know how I poured out my heart before the Lord for them. So now please‚ my Family, pray for them. Don't be indifferent during this destruction. That's what most of the rest of the world is doing—being indifferent to the plight of the needy. It is an abomination to the Lord‚ abhorrent in His eyes. So don't you be guilty of it!

12. Pray for the needy! Pray for the suffering ones! Pray for those who are huddled in hiding, fearing for their own safety and for the safety of their loved ones. Pray that the Lord ends this war soon. Pray that just judgment may be meted out on the heads of those who per­petrated these acts. Pray for the Lord's will to be done! Won't you pray?

13. The dear people of Iraq have suffered so much. Their hearts have been broken and their lives torn apart by man's cruelty. Clinton and his evil cohorts don't care how many die. They don't mind killing innocent children and young ones. All they want is their way. They're cruel, warmongering idiots. I can't stand them! I can't even stand to look at them; they make me sick! How can Clinton or any of them sleep at night? How can they continue on as if nothing happened to them? God damn them!

14. Lord, fill their cup up speedily so that You might judge them! I want to see Your judgments falling on these evil ones. Sock it to them, Lord, and spare Your children! I don't like seeing Your children suffer. So please, if You love me, stop this war! Stop this vile act! Stop the world! Stop the ways of this world speedily. I'm crying out to You like those beneath the altar‚ crying out for You to avenge them! Punish the wicked! Destroy their plans! Turn back their plans upon their own heads!

15. May God damn every one of those who consented to this decision. May God bless those who fought it. God help the U.S. Senate to do something! Help them to wake up and see what's going on. Or are they also too blind? Raise up a defender for the weak! You know that if I could, I'd be down there fighting for them. You know that I would willingly give my life a thousand times over to defend Your children. Now please‚ Lord, please do something to stop this evil. Set them back on their heels and wipe them out! Let them feel the pain. May Clinton be struck down with their pain. Curse them that have done this thing. Foil their plans! Defeat the power of the Wicked One!

16. Raise Your sword of judgment and destroy the workings of iniquity! Do it, Lord! I know You will, for I have faith in You and in Your power. I know that You will mete out vengeance. If it pains me so to see this, I can just imagine how it pains You. I'll do whatever it takes, Lord. I'll fight for Your children till You have delivered them from the evil oppressors.

17. My children will fight! They will fight in prayer against so great a foe! They will not take up the arms of the flesh but will lift up their arms of the spirit. They will fight for these. I know them, Lord. They will fight by my side in prayer as You deliver them.

18. They are my fighting army which You have ordained for this mission! You have called them to sound the rally cry‚ to wake the world up to the shortness of time. And they will pray for the poor, needy and helpless, for these are Yours. They are touched with the feeling of their infirmities. They've felt the power of the Devil and they know that he can and will be beaten back by our prayers.

19. Stand strong now, O Lord! Stand strong and show Your mighty power! Deliver these who suffer so cruelly at the hand of their adversary. They are Your adversaries too, for they shed innocent blood. They are my adversaries too, for they prey upon the weak, upon the defenseless.

20. Rise now, O Lord, and fight for these! Rise and act! Rise and show Yourself strong and mighty! Show Your mighty hand and let the wicked tremble at Your handiwork! Let all them that trust in You see and shout for joy, for You have delivered Your Own. You have taken the wicked and broken them like a twig in the wind! You have broken the backs of the wicked. You have triumphed!

21. Surely the Lord our God is great! Surely He is mighty and strong to do battle. Who is like unto Him? Who is worthy of such praise? Who is strong and valiant like unto You, O Lord? Hallelujah! I have fought for them, and You have delivered! You will do it, O Lord! Thank You Jesus! Praise His Name, all ye who trust in Him, for the Lord is strong to do battle! Hallelujah! Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised! Thank You, Lord‚ for deliverance for Your children, in Jesus' name. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Thank You Jesus!

22. Keep fighting, because the Lord is going to do it! Amen? (End of message from Dad.)

23. (Mama: ) Please do pray for the innocent Iraqis who have been devastated by this bomb­ing! Pray that the attacks will cease and won't resume again. Pray that the sanctions on Iraq will be lifted so that the disease, hunger and misery that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands can come to an end. Pray for an end to the suffering! Your prayers can do mighty things‚ and the Lord, Dad, Peter and I are counting on your prayers.

Love,

Mama

The Bill and Saddam Show

Llewellyn Rockwell‚ Dec.17

Iraq has been subject to U.S.-U.N. sanctions since 1991. More than 90,000 Iraqi children die every year due to disease and mal­nutrition because of these sanctions, an instrument of war deemed unjust since the time of St. Augustine fifteen centuries ago.

Clinton could have ended these murderous sanctions long ago. Instead, he has presided over that country's further demolition and impoverishment. But that hasn't been enough. The U.S. has called for the overthrow of Saddam and made clear its intention to keep sanctions in place until the end of time, not a policy Big Oil [the major oil companies, many of which are American controlled] has seen fit to oppose. After all, Iraq could be selling vast quantities of the sweetest crude on earth, to the great benefit of American consumers.

Meanwhile, after seven years of searching, not one "weapon of mass destruction"—or any evidence of one—has been found. Most recently, the U.S.-U.N. inspection squad sought to search, and to make copies of documents from, the ruling party's political head­quarters.

Would the CIA and its front groups find internal political information from Iraq useful? Cer­tainly. And is the Iraqi government likely—even at the cost of bombings—to turn such information over to its sworn enemies? Doubtful. This fact remains: there are no chemical weapons in the file drawers of the downtown, two-story headquarters of the Ba'ath Party. The demand to inspect this ­building was a provocation, and Saddam responded predictably.

So, allegedly because the Iraqis refuse to allow an office building to be searched—and actually because it will derail the impeachment process and generally advance the warfare state—Clinton is sacrificing the lives of foreigners who have never done anything to us. It's important, after all, not to go down in history as William the Impeached.

They're only Iraqis, and so another
slaughter begins

By Peter Slezak, The Age Melbourne, Dec.18

The Iraqi population is suffering the long-uttered U.S. promise to bomb them back to the Stone Age. Unquestioned is the self-proclaimed right of the U.S. to make military strikes regardless of UN approval, even though such actions are in blatant violation of UN principles—an offence with which President Saddam Hussein is principally charged.

Uncritical acceptance of official U.S. rhet­oric has discouraged the asking of an obvious question posed in 1994 by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark: "What conceivable threat can a rational mind find from a crippled and bleeding Iraq that couldn't defend itself against U.S. technology even when fully armed?"

The direct Iraqi death toll in 1991 was in the vicinity of 300,000 people‚ mostly civilians. The U.S. victory celebrations [after the Gulf War] can therefore be understood as delight over what Clark called the "merciless slaughter of tens of thousands" by 100,000 bombing ­sorties that also devastated the civilian infra­structure.

The lesson to learn from more than 250,000 Iraqi civilian casualties, said White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater, was that Iraqis do not value the sanctity of life as Americans do. With the Iraqi military destroyed and after several Iraqi attempts to negotiate, the U.S. showed how it valued human life by the final carnage of fleeing Iraqi soldiers. [See WND 413, "The Horror of the U.S. Destruction of Iraq."]

Yet as thousands of Iraqis continue to die, Saddam is portrayed as still calling the shots, a theme that has set the tone for public acceptance of the current atrocities.

The following letter was sent to each member of the Security Council from

former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark

December 20, 1998

Dear Ambassador,

The first and immediate response of the United Nations to the criminal assault on Iraq by the United States, assisted by the United Kingdom‚ must be to end Security Council sanctions against Iraq. The Security Council has unleashed the scourge of war, taking "peace from the earth," by its failure to prevent the use of U.S. military power‚ the second horseman of the apocalypse, against the people of Iraq. (See The Revelation of St. John, Chapter 6.) The ­Security Council must act to repossess that power and effectively prevent its use again, or it will continue to violate the principal purpose of the United Nations Charter.

For all the terror of the U.S. missile attack, its assault on life is minor compared to that of sanctions which create devastating hunger and sickness‚ the third horseman of the apocalypse. In November, the U.S. estimated 10,000 would die in Iraq from its assault. Even that figure pales in comparison with the deaths, sickness and human wasting caused monthly by sanctions. Sanctions against a whole people are genocide and must be prevented in all cases. For the U.N. to impose, or permit, such sanctions make it the enemy of the people. Already, since his impeachment yesterday, President Clinton has called for tightening the sanctions against Iraq.

U.N. action now is absolutely essential to peace on earth. We see the fury rising among the poor, the Arab‚ the Muslim, all peoples of the planet who seek peace, by this U.S. flogging of Iraq. The assault is punishment, more than war, because only one people suffer death and injury.

U.S. military technology, its destructive arms capacity and its expenditures for arms exceed those of the rest of the Security Council combined. U.S. research continues to seek surer ways to kill masses of people from afar. The next President of the United States, whether elected, or by succession after impeachment, will be more bellicose than Bill Clinton, unless bellicosity is addressed now. Clinton has been a reluctant warrior. One need only compare his predecessors, the clamor during his impeachment proceedings and in public opinion polls supporting the assault on Iraq to know the lust for economic exploitation through military domination and coercion is virulent in the American body politic.

To a degree Martin Luther King, Jr., never dreamed possible, his prophetic words in 1967 have increased in truth: "The greatest purveyor of violence on earth is my own government." The American people are presently supportive of‚ indifferent to, or lacking in understanding and the will to stop U.S. militarism. Clinton has preferred economic exploitation by sanctions, "free trade," debt servitude and fiscal coercion to phy­sical violence. His successors will use the ­military power from U.S. weapons expenditures which exceed the gross national products of 25 Iraqs and contains omnicidal [all–killing] weapons.

During this religious period in which the lunar and solar calendars of the principal contending faiths, Islam and Christianity, bring together their high holy days, the Security Council members must resolve to end sanctions against Iraq immediately and prevent the imposition of such sanctions ever again. Hundreds are dying in Iraq every day. Thousands are suffering physical sickness and injury‚ and twenty million people feel the weight and sorrow of the mindless, heartless forced impoverishment that is killing their infants, children and elderly.

Each nation must refuse to abide by the sanctions, recognizing it is no defense to the crime of genocide to act under a criminal order‚ or resolution to commit it. Each nation should contribute urgently to alleviate hunger and sickness in Iraq and rebuild that nation so damaged by the criminal savagery of U.S. war and sanctions.

The people of the United Nations depend on you to do your duty.

Sincerely,

Ramsey Clark

Dear Family,

The following tract was given for the people of Iraq, showing the Lord's great love and care for them, and will be distributed to the Iraqi people‚ God willing. Please pray that it will receive wide distribution so that many there can be touched by these Words and receive His love.

You may also give it to any Iraqi or Arab friends you have if you feel they would be helped and comforted by it.

When we asked the Lord whether we should include this tract with the GN as we were finalizing it, the Lord encouraged us to do so‚ saying, "It will show My Family how My heart weeps for those who suffer and are punished without cause, for the fatherless‚ widows and afflicted, the innocent whose blood is shed by the powerful. Your Father David's message was inspired by Me, but I wish to add this confirmation. This will also serve as an example to My Family around the world how they can receive similar words from Me in time of crisis to help the needy, whether it be those afflicted by war or other disasters." (End of message from Jesus.)

So if you're faced with a needy situation in your area, we know the Lord has similar Words of love, comfort and encouragement that will bring not only relief but everlasting life to those who read them. You too can hear from Him to help the needy! [Please remember you must get CRO permission for any tracts or specialized outreach tools you produce‚ as required in the explanation in the Charter under point J in the Responsibilities of World Services' Leader­ship and Homes.] God bless you for all you do to help others in every way. I love you!

Much love, Mama

Message for

The People of Iraq

I see the weariness, the helplessness, and the despair in your souls, as you are again attacked by those who hate your people. Your suffering seems of no import to those who freely send bombs to be dropped upon your land. Your children are malnourished and dying, yet they are forgotten by those who have imposed sanctions upon your people. You are as a flogged man lying in the dust, who has been beaten and beaten again. You have been punished beyond the point of endurance, and still the flogging continues.

I, your Heavenly Father, weep for you. When you suffer‚ I suffer with you. When even one sparrow falls to the ground, I see and I know. Likewise, when even one of your people falls in wartime or sanction time‚ I see and I know.

I have created each one of you, and you are more precious to Me than diamonds and other priceless jewels. So when your heart hurts, My heart is pained. When you are unjustly flogged, as the picture of that dying man, I suffer with you.

Your children are growing up in a land fraught with famine and shortages of medicine. You don't have the equipment to educate your children, and they don't understand all the politics behind their suffering. They simply suffer, and you suffer to see them go hungry and to see them in pain. I weep to see the innocent ones suffer so. As I have said in My Word‚ he that hurts one of the innocent ones, it were better that a millstone were hung about his neck and he were cast into the sea‚ than to face My judgment.

I pity you, My people of Iraq. You are the pawns in an ugly international game of politics. There are so few in the world who are brave enough to stand up for your rights, for the simple rights of having enough to feed your children and give them the medicine they need, to drink pure water and to live your lives to the full; so few willing to stand up and demand that you be treated fairly.

The world is a cruel place to live when you are unpopular. But remember, they who are unpopular with the world are often popular with God. I watch over you, and I number each of your sorrows. In the day of judgment you shall be given great recompense for the sorrows you have endured. For I am close to those whose hearts are broken.

Remember, though they may take away every­thing you have in the flesh, they can never take away the riches that you hold in your heart. They can never take away your faith in Me, your Heavenly Father‚ unless you give it up. So hold on to this priceless treasure. This treasure will warm you when you are cold. It will feed you when you are hungry. It will help you to forgive when you are tempted to let bitterness eat away at you. It will give you the strength to carry on.

If you feel you are losing this treasure of faith‚ or if you have lost it already, you can pray to receive it again, for I give it freely to those who ask Me. You can say to Me, "My Heavenly Father, I need You! I want You to give me this treasure of faith! I need Your strength to carry on. I need Your hope, that I may pass it on to my children."

Remember, My dear children‚ that they who suffer with Me shall also reign with Me, in the days to come when war shall be no more. In the judgment day I shall destroy all weapons of war, and I will ensure that all the peoples of the earth live by My laws of love, My laws of forgiveness, and My laws of peace.

Hold on to this promise in your hearts. For if you have faith in Me, I will prepare a special home for you in Heaven, that land where you can live and raise your children freely‚ that land where you can worship God and teach your little ones of your customs and your culture, that land where you can enjoy life to the full, as I meant for you to enjoy it.

I long to give you a taste of Heaven in your hearts right now, for if you have a taste of My rewards of peace and beauty and love in the life to come‚ then the sparkle in your eyes will return even now. You will receive an inner strength that cannot be shaken by the conditions around you.

You can receive this taste of Heaven in your hearts right now by receiving Me, your Heavenly Father of Lights, into your hearts. Just tell Me that you want Me to be with you always, closer than a brother. I can be your brother and your mother and your father and your protector and your Lord. I can care for you like none other. I can give you the promise of eternal life, as no one else can.

I stand at the door of your heart‚ knocking, and asking for you to open the door and invite Me in to stay with you always. Let Me come into your heart and soothe away the hurts and the pain, the contempt of the world, the humiliation of being beaten down so many times and trampled underfoot. If you call out to Me, I will answer you. If you cry out to Me, I will hear you. You are My children, and I love you.