July 2002 Vol.5, No. 6 Contents by John Ross Schroeder Restoration: Greed Is the News of the Day by Darris McNeely by Melvin Rhodes Ever Increasing Crime--Will It Ever End? by Graemme Marshall by Cecil E. Maranville by Bill Eddington, Cecil E. Maranville, Darris McNeely, John Ross Schroeder and Jim Tuck This Is the Way... When the Walls Come Tumbling Down by Robin Webber In Brief...World News Review Crime's Relentless Rise in British Cities Said a recent editorial in The Sunday Times, "Rising crime figures, disclosed in this newspaper last week, merely confirmed what many people know: That the streets of Britain are unsafe and that muggers attack anybody, regardless of age or infirmity" (June 23, 2002). The Financial Times added its voice with the statement, "Armed crime is soaring in Britain--a sign that government policies depriving people of the right to protect themselves have gone badly wrong" (June 22, 2002). Especially in urban areas, people are having to cope with an increasingly lawless environment. This Financial Times feature article continued: "From 1991 to 1995, crimes against people in inner cities increased 91 percent. And from 1997 to 2001 the rate of violent crime more than doubled. Your chances of being mugged in London are now six times greater than in New York." Hard to believe! As one lady exclaimed: "I have lived in the rape capital of the world, Johannesburg, but I feel more terror in the West End (of London) than I ever did in South Africa" (Daily Mail, June 23, 2002). The comparisons are truly astonishing. "England's rates of assault, robbery and burglary are far higher than America's and 53 percent of English burglaries occur while occupants are at home, compared with 13 percent in America where burglars admit to fearing armed home owners more than the police" (Financial Times). The media blames the British government, and some responsibility for this state of affairs surely lies with those governing the nation; but the real underlying causes are spiritual in nature. The establishment churches no longer emphasize the Ten Commandments, and parents in today's secular England have sorely neglected both religious teaching and wise discipline. Europe's Next Hurdle--an Inclusive Identity The remarkable progress made in the past 50 years of relative peace to unify many of the nations of Europe into what now constitutes the European Union has not been achieved without difficulty. Differentiated by language, ethnicity, conflict and varying economic systems, the unification of these unique entities has been described by some as the "European Miracle." Gerard Mestrallet, CEO of the French/Belgian energy and water giant, Suez, says, "When I look back, every step of building Europe has been a miracle." It seems, however, that more miracles will be needed to forge one critical element of unity that has yet to emerge--a truly European identity, untainted by nationalism, ethnic rivalry and antagonism. In fact, Europe is in the middle of an identity crisis. Not only are the people of its constituent parts being asked to subjugate centuries of individuality to the greater calling of a united Europe, the flood of immigrant workers into some countries and the rising tide of refugees and asylum seekers from outside the Union is adding a volatile catalyst to the mix. Not many would agree with European President Romano Prodi that "we in Europe have found a way to express our regional, national and European identities without undermining any of them." The swing to the political right in France, Holland and Germany in recent times is symptomatic of an unrest simmering, and occasionally boiling over, in some parts of the Union. The euro has replaced most national currencies, and rules and regulations flowing out of European Commission headquarters in Brussels now seem to affect the lives of 380 million Europeans more than their still-existing national parliaments. Some companies that were sources of patriotic pride, such as Telecom Italia, Ericsson and Kirch, are faltering or falling under the new economic realities of the EU. But such economic and structural challenges will be met. It is the identity crisis, compounded by the immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, that will be a higher hurdle to clear. Europe is not yet ready to accept a significant influx of largely non-white, non-Christian residents as full citizens. Adverse economic conditions in Europe at the present time mean that many of these people are unemployed and disadvantaged within cultures that are as foreign to them as their presence is to the European-born citizen. These conditions have resulted in rising crime, violence and racism in many European cities and towns. The move to the right mentioned earlier has been heavily influenced by this unrest. Recent times have seen attacks on immigrant hostels in Germany, race riots in northern Britain and an anti-France demonstration at a government-sponsored football match in Paris. About 80,000 fans of mostly Arab descent jeered as the French national anthem was played, pelted Cabinet ministers with water bottles and finally charged the playing field. It was a clear indication of the disconnection of immigrants from mainstream French society. Further polarization is being caused by the Israel/Palestine conflict in the Middle East. This is reflected in outbreaks of anti-Semitism in a largely pro-Palestine European Union, with a significant number of Muslims among the immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The memories of anti-Semitism before and during World War II have not faded for many. The creation of the European Union in the past 50 years, from a diverse base of ethnic, national and cultural identities, has not yet coalesced into a truly European identity. Perhaps, as Mestrallet believes, what has happened to date has been miraculous. More miracles may be needed before Europe becomes the united economic, political and military superpower to rival the British Empire of the 19th and 20th centuries and the United States of the last 60 years or so. Time will tell. Keep developments in Europe on your radar screen. Source: Business Week, May 20, 2002. Japan Rethinking Joining the Nuclear Club? Just when things cool down between nuclear neophytes India and Pakistan, another alarm is sounded by Japan as it contemplates arming itself with nuclear weapons. That's all Asia needs, another house with the ultimate weapon in global warfare. As the International Herald Tribune reports, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda recently became the most senior Tokyo official to open the door to nuclear weapons. Fukuda said Japan's "peace constitution" does not rule out nuclear weapons. The times have "changed to the point that even revising the constitution is being talked about," he noted. "Depending upon the world situation, circumstances and public opinion could require Japan to possess nuclear weapons" ("So Much for Japan's Nuclear Taboo," Robyn Lim, June 13, 2002). In 1998 North Korea tested a long-range missile over Japan. It is believed North Korea possesses nuclear capability. China has nuclear weapons targeted on Japan. All this has Japan rethinking prior commitments to abstain from the nuclear club. Japan's policy here is based on three principles, "that it cannot make or possess nuclear weapons, or allow them to be introduced into the country" (ibid.). One of the rules of international politics is that things change. A nation must always put its own interests ahead of others if it is to survive. As long as Japan chooses to be protected under the American nuclear umbrella, it will likely not choose to arm itself with weapons of mass destruction. If Japan chooses another option, then to survive in its hostile neighborhood it may see no other alternative than to go nuclear. Adding to potential instability is another recent report that China is negotiating to buy eight submarines from Russia. This would increase their tactical ability to blockade Taiwan and challenge U.S. naval supremacy in the seas near China (International Herald Tribune, June 25, 2002. Such a deal would "very significantly enhance" the Chinese navy's "ability to influence events in the East China Sea," said Bernard Cole, an expert on the Chinese navy at the National War College in Washington, D.C. How? "First, by enforcing a blockade against Taiwan, if Beijing adopts that course of action, and also by posing a serious problem for opposing naval forces attempting to operate in the area. No part of naval warfare is more difficult than detecting, localizing or neutralizing submarines" (ibid.). Since Taiwan broke with Communist China in 1949, the mainland has sought to reconnect their "lost brothers." One of the main pillars of American foreign policy has been its pledge to protect Taiwan's sovereignty. Conversely, China has sought to remove American influence from the region and will stop at nothing to accomplish this geopolitical imperative. Despite its military deficiencies, compared to America's technological superiority, China continues to move ahead with plans to become the dominant Asian power. China's impact in this region will continue to grow in the coming years. How this will affect American interests and other international relations will be an important area to watch. Consequences of an Indian-Pakistani Nuclear Exchange Covering the ominous threat of nuclear war between India and Pakistan, Fox News reporter Shepard Smith interviewed Steven Garner on May 29, 2002. Dr. Garner is the chief medical officer at St. Vincent's hospital in New York City. Fox News called him "perhaps New York City's foremost expert on disaster preparedness." What would happen if a nuclear weapon such as those in the arsenals of India and Pakistan were detonated? Perhaps 122,000 people would die per detonation. So if the two nations exchanged only one weapon each, nearly a quarter of a million casualties would result immediately. Additionally, anyone within 100 miles who looks at the detonation would be instantly blinded. Of course, radiation continues to kill beyond those destroyed in the initial blast. The "kill zone" of the type of nuclear weapons these nations have is 2,500 square miles. That's why Britain and the United States warned their citizens to leave both countries at the height of the tension. Clearly, some military personnel who are fighting the War on Terror would be in the kill zone of radiation fallout. How far would the radiation fallout extend? According to Dr. Garner, it would definitely reach the U.S. mainland. How damaging it would be at that point is anyone's guess and might be difficult to measure. Consequences would present themselves in increased cancer rates--something that might be difficult to attribute to a single cause. Back to India and Pakistan, there is an additional and frightening result of radiation poisoning beyond the kill zone. Radiation is known to lower the immune system of those exposed to it. People outside of the kill zone would suffer enough radiation poisoning to seriously lower their immune system, resulting in the eruption of diseases that haven't been serious problems for decades. And new diseases will arise. Regardless of what radiation fallout does in other parts of the world, the diseases that spring from radiation poisoning in the war theater will spread around the world, warned Dr. Garner. He cited how difficult it is to contain disease in this world of regular international travel. Thankfully, it appears that India and Pakistan have moved back from the brink of a nuclear exchange. But the rhetoric between these long-time antagonists leaves one with little confidence that the threat has disappeared. Jesus warned that as mankind approaches the end of this age, we would hear of "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6). Modern technology has raised the ante in this no-win game, so that "rumors of wars" are exceedingly disturbing. Christ went on to encourage His followers to remain calm, assuring them that this bad news is necessary just before the close of the darkest time of human history. And, with the close of this evil age will come the dawning of the wonderful world of peace under the management of God's Kingdom. Egypt Is Trying to Obtain Nuclear Weapons Western intelligence agencies have reached the conclusion that Egypt is taking steps to obtain nuclear weapons. According to a report by the German daily Die Welt, Egypt intends to mine natural uranium in the Sinai Peninsula and enrich it to weapons' grade material with the help of Chinese technology. The material would then be used on long-range missiles. Egypt has denied the existence of any military nuclear project. The International Atomic Energy Agency, located in Vienna, confirmed that it has no information on nuclear developments in Egypt. The paper claimed that despite the denial, there have been increased hints that Cairo was stepping up its attempts to attain and enrich uranium, so as to be able to produce nuclear weapons in the future. In January of this year, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak set out for an official trip to China. During the visit the two countries signed an agreement on cooperation. Most of the details of the agreement have remained confidential, although security sources believe that the agreement between the two countries regards cooperation on matters of research, development, use of uranium sources and especially "Chinese aid for mining natural uranium in the Sinai Peninsula." Sources: Ha'aretz Service, Die Welt. Scientists Mix Spiders With Goats As comic book hero Spider-Man fills cinemas with his webby adventures, prepare to meet an equally shocking and astonishing creation--Spidergoat. Scientists have combined the DNA from a goat and spider to create an animal which produces silk that is five times stronger than steel. The fiber, derived from the goats' milk, harnesses the huge strength of silk spun by spiders. The breakthrough could be worth millions because the silkmilk fiber can be used to make body armor that is far tougher than normal bulletproof vests, while weighing little more than a cotton shirt. The hybrid goats were created by the insertion of a single gene from an orb-weaving spider into a fertilized goat egg. The amazing genetically-engineered goats are outwardly normal, but carry the gene responsible for production of a spider silk protein. Each goat is only 1/70,000th spider, but when fully grown the females produce a milk which can be treated to produce a fiber with spider-silk strength. The animals are believed to be the first commercially-viable creatures made from the DNA of two species. Nexia, the Canadian biotech company that produced the goats, hopes the fiber--dubbed Biosteel--could take a large chunk of the billion-dollar market in industrial fibers. Source: Sunday Telegraph. Contributors: Bill Eddington, Cecil E. 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