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Europeans want the EU to take more global responsibility
07.09.2007 - 09:29 CET | By Helena Spongenberg

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The vast majority of Europeans want the European Union to take greater responsibility on the world stage - according to a new poll by the US German Marshall Fund - especially in aid development, trade and peacekeeping missions.

Almost 90% of Europeans want the EU to play a bigger role globally while slightly more than half (53%) feel that the EU should cooperate with the US in dealing with global threats, compared with 43% who feel the EU should address threats independently from Washington.

France was the only country where a majority (58%) feels the EU would do better to address global threats alone.

Of those Europeans who feel the EU should take greater responsibility, top support was for more money on aid for development (84%), the use of trade to influence other countries (74%), and committing troops for peacekeeping missions (68%).

There was little support (20%) for committing troops for combat missions. Few Europeans support combat operations in Afghanistan now or against Iran in the future, the annual Transatlantic Trend survey published on Thursday (6 September) showed.

The survey polled about 13,000 people in 12 European countries - Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK – as well as in the US.

Europeans Blame Bush and Turkey feels isolated
US president George Bush's foreign policy attracted disapproval ratings of 77 percent of Europeans and 60 percent of Americans. Some 34 percent of Europeans blamed Mr Bush himself and 38 percent blamed the US management of the Iraq war for a deterioration in transatlantic relations.

Only 4 percent named the treatment of terrorism suspects at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba a reason.

Turkish respondents expressed a decline in positive feelings toward both the EU and the US since similar polls in previous years. Forty percent of Turks said they viewed EU membership as a good thing, a drop of 14 percentage points since last year's survey.

When asked how likely it is that Turkey will join the EU, 56% of EU citizens asked felt it is likely that Turkey will join, compared with only 26% of Turkish respondents who agreed.

The margin of error for the survey, which conducted interviews by telephone and in person during June, was plus or minus three percentage points.

Europeans want the EU to take more global responsibility (http://euobserver.com/24/24717)

Mugabe to be invited to Lisbon summit, says the African Union
13.09.2007 - 09:16 CET | By Helena Spongenberg
The African Union has said that Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe will be invited to attend the EU-Africa summit in December raising the spectre that the UK's prime minister, Gordon Brown, will not attend.

Ghana's foreign affairs minister Akwasi Osei Adjei – whose country currently holds the one-year chair of the 53-member African Union – said on Wednesday (12 September) that it would not be fair to exclude one member of the AU.

"I believe we are coming with all the members of the African Union, the heads of state of the African Union," he said, according to Reuters. "So, definitely the invitation will be issued (to Mr Mugabe)."

Portugal – which currently holds the rotating six-month EU presidency – plans to host the first EU–Africa summit in seven years on 8-9 December 2007. It would be the second EU-AU summit ever held.

But the issue of how to deal with the Zimbabwean leader is casting a shadow over the event, which some see as being vital to launching a partnership between the two continents.

The EU is, among other things, struggling to deal with illegal immigrants arriving from Africa and has been concerned by China's increasing economic influence on the continent.

However, UK foreign minister David Miliband made London's position clear on Friday (7 September) during an informal meeting of the 27 EU foreign ministers in Portugal.

Mr Miliband said the prime minister would not be there if Mr Mugabe attended the summit, sources told AFP and Sapa news agencies, after the meeting.

"I think we all want a successful summit, but we are also very concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe," Mr Miliband added. He also pointed out that the Zimbabwean currency had devalued by 1200% the day before.

Portugal has continuously stressed the importance of the long delayed summit, but has yet to send out the invitations.

"Now is the time to speak with Africa instead of speaking merely of Africa and its problems," the country's president Anibal Cavaco Silva stated last week.

Mugabe to be invited to Lisbon summit, says the African Union (http://euobserver.com/24/24752)

Why have I included Africa in the E.U.??

Quite simply, part of Africa was in the Roman Empire. 

I will post more on this later today.

Brussels and Kiev to discuss ties ahead of crucial elections
14.09.2007 - 09:28 CET | By Elitsa Vucheva
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS – EU and Ukrainian leaders will today (14 September) meet to discuss advancements on a new bilateral agreement with Kiev hoping it will make a clearer allusion to eventual EU integration, but Brussels is still keeping Ukraine at arm's length.

During the meeting, both Ukrainian president Viktor Yuschenko and prime minister Viktor Yanukovich will "put forward" Ukraine's hopes for a signal on possible future EU membership for the country, Ukrainian foreign minister Arseny Yatsenyuk told Ukrainian daily newspaper Den.

Ukraine will again insist on mentioning membership in the enhanced agreement, one Ukrainian diplomat confirmed to EUobserver, specifying that Kiev is not demanding any reference to dates, but only to the perspective of EU membership.

The enhanced agreement between the EU and Ukraine will be the next framework for their bilateral relations, after the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) expires in 2008.

The country has been knocking on the EU's doors since the so-called "orange revolution" took place there in 2004 bringing the then opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko coalition to power.

Last week, once again, Ukraine's ambassador to the EU Roman Shpek affirmed that the European neighbourhood policy – which defines the bloc's relations with its closest neighbours, but without offering a membership perspective, "cannot be accepted as an adequate basis for EU-Ukrainian relations".

Despite praising Kiev's progress and reforms, the EU, which will once again encourage Ukraine to hold its forthcoming elections in a democratic and transparent manner, has refused to give any clear signs that it could one day accept Ukraine as a full member.

Visas and elections
The implementation of a visa facilitation agreement signed last June and fixing visa fees at €35 for Ukrainian citizens wishing to enter Schengen zone countries will also be on the table.

The agreement has still to be ratified by both Ukraine and the EU member states before entering into force – something that the EU hopes will be achieved by the end of this year. The document would harmonise rules among Schengen countries and make the obtaining of a visa easier for some categories of people – students for instance.

However, Ukraine is unhappy that its citizens will soon need to pay the €35-fee to enter countries such as Poland - once it joins the EU's borderless zone, while most Ukrainians live on less than €200 a month. Until now, visas for Ukrainians going to neighbouring Poland were free of charge.

Other issues on the agenda of tomorrow's high-level meeting will include economic cooperation, energy security and trade. Ukraine is hoping for continued EU backing for its application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This would bring Kiev closer to the establishment of a free trade zone with the EU, which is currently one of its main trade partners.

The annual summit comes barely two weeks before early parliamentarian elections take place in Ukraine – on 30 September, following the dissolution of parliament by president Viktor Yushchenko last April.

"We expect the elections to take place following the same democratic standards as in the previous elections. The country will face important challenges in moving towards the political and constitutional stability that Ukraine vitally needs to progress further with its political and economic reforms", European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement prior to the meeting.

The outcome of those elections will "naturally be at the heart of the discussions", a Ukrainian diplomat told AFP, and the topic may partly overshadow the summit, according to some observers.

Other than Mr Barroso, External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, High Representative Javier Solana and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, will represent the 27-member bloc at the summit.

The next talks on the new enhanced agreement are due 17-18 October.

Brussels and Kiev to discuss ties ahead of crucial elections (http://euobserver.com/24/24759)

Okay, here we go.........................

Daniel chapters 2 and 7 reveal a strong connection between the formation of the European Union and end-times scripture.  The possible fulfillment of this scripture began in 1950 when the Roman Empire began to show signs of being revived.  In 1950 the European Coal and Steel Community was proposed as a means of achieving economic unification in Europe following the war.  The hope was that this would strengthen economic trade in Europe.  This unified effort led to the signing of the treaties of Rome in 1957, which established the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Council.  That treaty was taken a step further with the signing of the Brussels Treaty in 1965.  The Brussels Treaty began the process of rebuilding the old Roman Empire through reunification of European states under one political system, one economic system, and eventually under the protection of one military force.  The treaty established a commission, council, parliament, and court for the union. The revived Roman Empire prophesied in the Bible was well on its way to becoming a reality.

More states were added to this growing union in 1973, 1981, and 1986, making up the 10 permanent member states of today’s European Union.

The purpose of the EU’s creation was and is, ultimately, to create a European super-state or “United States of Europe”, as some have suggested naming it, that would eventually rival the United States in influence and military might.  In 1999, Javier Solana became the High Representative for the EU’s foreign and security policy, and through recommendation 666, he was given emergency powers over the military wing of the EU in 2000.  All that currently remains to create a truly revived Roman Empire is the creation of a permanent executive branch of government and the full integration of the new Euro currency.

So how does this all relate to Bible prophecy?  Let’s start with the book of Daniel.

Daniel 2:19-23 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever! For wisdom and might are His! 21 He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding! 22 He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him!

Daniel 2:25-30 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: I have found a man of the captives of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation [of his dream]. 26The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and the interpretation of it? 27 Daniel answered the king, The [mysterious] secret which the king has demanded neither the wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor astrologers can show the king,  28 But there is a God in heaven Who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what it is that shall be in the latter days (at the end of days). Your dream and the visions in your head upon your bed are these:  29 As for you, O king, as you were lying upon your bed thoughts came into your mind about what should come to pass hereafter, and He Who reveals secrets was making known to you what shall come to pass. 30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than anyone else living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king and that you may know the thoughts of your heart and mind.

Daniel recounted the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted the king’s dream of a huge statue by explaining the 4 major components of the statue.

1.  A head of Gold

2.  Breast and arms of silver

3.  Belly and thighs of bronze

4.  Feet of iron and clay

I myself view these 4 components to represent the 4 major empires that have existed in the world’s history.  Daniel confirms that the first of these empires is Babylon, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 2:37-38 You, O king, are king of the [earthly] kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory. 38 And wherever the children of men dwell, and the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens--He has given them into your hand and has made you to rule over them all. You [king of Babylon] are the head of gold.

Daniel also gives the identify the second and third empires that will emerge following the Babylonian empire.

Daniel 2:39 And after you shall arise another kingdom [the Medo-Persian], inferior to you, and still a third kingdom of bronze [Greece under Alexander the Great] which shall bear rule over all the earth.

History records the empires that followed Babylon were Medo-Persia and Greece.  Daniel 5 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, Belshazzar, was conquered by Persia.  The second empire of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was established from modern-day Iran to Asia Minor (Turkey).

The third empire to arise (also in Daniel 2:39) and rule the earth was Greece, whose reign began at the time of Alexander the Great.  The fourth empire will be  a revived model of this Roman Empire.  Daniel did, after all, tell Nebuchadnezzar that his vision was about “what will be at the End of Days” (Daniel 2:28).  The fourth empire is described as follows:

Daniel 2:40 And the fourth kingdom [Rome] shall be strong as iron, since iron breaks to pieces and subdues all things; and like iron which crushes, it shall break and crush all these.

Prophecies elsewhere in the Bible also describe this fourth empire of the final days, and by studying these we can examine further any indications that would point to the European Union as the final world empire that will be ruled by the antichrist before Messiah returns.

Cont'd next post

Following Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Daniel also had a vision of these 4 kingdoms, but this time they were represented by 4 beasts.

Daniel 7:1-24 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. 2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle' wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man' heart was given to it. 5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

The first beast in Daniel 7:4 is described as being “like a lion, and it has eagles wings”.  Interestingly, the emblem of the ancient Babylon was a lion with eagles wings.

The second beast is described in Daniel 7:5 “Then behold! Another beast, a second one, similar to a bear; it was placed on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and this is what they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’”  The second beast in Daniel 7 is generally accepted as being Medo-Persia because Persia devoured much of the Middle East and Asia, and the Persian Empire had three capitals, Susa, Persepolis, and the conquered Babylon.

Of the third beast Daniel 7:6 says “After this I was watching and behold! Another beast, like a leopard, with four bird’s wings on its back; the beast had four heads, and it was given dominion”.  This beast is symbolic of the empire of Greece left behind by Alexander the Great.  When Alexander the Great died in 323 C.E., his empire was divided between and ruled by 4 of his generals.

The following verses describe the 4th beast, or kingdom of Daniel’s dream.

Daniel 7:7-8 “After this I was watching in night visions, and behold! A fourth beast, exceedingly terrifying, awesome and strong.  It has immense iron teeth, and it was devouring and crumbling, and trampling its feet what remained.  It was different from all the beasts that had preceded it, and it had ten horns.  As I was contemplating the horns, behold!  Another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the previous horns were uprooted before it.  There were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and a mouth speaking haughty words”.

Daniel 7:23 “Thus he said, the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it to peaces.

In the first verse we see a fourth beast with 10 horns.  The small horn, speaking haughty words, rises up and conquers three of them.  This represents the antichrist that will come to power through the 4th kingdom.  The 10 horns, 3 of which are subdued, are the 10 kings that make up the rulers of the 4th kingdom.  From this kingdom and the reign of antichrist will come a global system of government that will rule over the earth prior to the coming of Christ to establish his Kingdom.

Daniel 7:24 “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.”

The three kings that are subdued will probably not approve of his rise to power or will object to his far-reaching powers.  It’s interesting that, prior to the war in Iraq, France, Germany, and Belgium threatened the EU nations that sided with the U.S. with serious consequences if any EU partner joined the coalition to remove Sadam Hussein.

Recent events may point to the position that the future antichrist will fill in his rise to power.  In addition to creating an EU constitution, plans are being discussed for an EU presidency that will replace the current 6 month rotating presidency, creating a powerful international leader with great influence at the United Nations and on the global stage.  The new president would be elected by government heads of EU members and would hold office for five years.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has gone so far as to say that the Euro was the “first step to a federation”, and he went on to say that he wanted a powerful president of the EU as head of a European government with full legal and executive power.  He welcomed the progress made in removing the “sovereign rights” of nations.

cont'd next post

We know that the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple were the Romans.  From this people shall come the “prince that is to come” or the Antichrist.  We can expect then for the antichrist to rise up from a fourth kingdom that will be the revived Roman Empire.

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

The Antichrist will speak blasphemous words against God as he rules over the world

The EU is definitely becoming a world power of clay (diversity) and iron (power) with striking similarities to the fourth kingdom or fourth beast of Daniel’s prophecies.  A world power of so many ethnic groups and representing so many states could easily become a very influential leader at the United Nations and the world.  It’s possible that the U.N. is a beginning for this world government that will eventually be ruled by a revived Roman Empire and the Antichrist.

If the EU is the revived Roman Empire that will bring about the rise of Antichrist, then it is important to look at the religious symbolism of the EU.  After all, riding on the beast’s back will be the harlot that represents a global pagan religious system that will unite the world and play a part in the persecution of the tribulation saints (Rev. 17).

The EU flag has a circle of 12 stars on a blue background.  These stars were inspired by the halo of 12 stars appearing around the Madonna as depicted in Catholic pictures of her.  Leon Marchal, former secretary general of the Council of Europe, confirmed that the stars are representative of “the woman of the Apocalypse”.  He expounded, “it’s wonderful that we have gotten back to the introit of the new Mass of the Assumption.  It’s the corona stellarum duodecim of the woman of the Apocalypse”. He is referencing the woman in Revelation 12 who appears with a crown of 12 stars.  The Bible uses this symbolism to represent Israel, however the Catholic Church has always claimed that she represents the Virgin Mary, “the mother of God”.  A leaflet titled “Building Europe Together” states that “The European flag is a shared flag, blue with 12 gold stars symbolizing completeness.  The number will remain 12 no matter how many countries there are in the European Union.”

Further evidence of a religious side to the European Union is a poster that was issued by the EU, showing the tower of Babel.  The poster carried the slogan “Many tongues, one voice.”  As if the celebration of the pagan tower that led God to confuse the languages of a defiant people (Genesis 11) isn’t enough, a crane in the background was shown rebuilding the tower.  Now, once again, a rebellious people are rebuilding mystery Babylon.  In a parliament building in Strasbourg, France, you will find an enormous replica of the unfinished tower of Babel that the secular press has named “Eurobabel”.

I really wish we had a word count, for the forum.