March 22, 2003 -- The war to "liberate" Iraq is progressing with great success as these words are being written. It is most interesting that the rhetoric from the president, cabinet members, military leaders, and the swarms of journalists "working" the unfolding drama refer to this as a war of "liberation." The people of Iraq will be liberated and with our able assistance will eventually have a stable and just government put in place. How long we have our political "fingers" in this pie remains yet to be seen.
The big question now, although it seems it is not being mentioned within the Washington DC beltway, is what country will be next on the "liberation" agenda -- there are some that more than meet the conditions for our intervention as was the case with Iraq.
Of course, it means we as a sovereign nation must now zealously pursue a course of consistency if we are going to maintain credibility on issues of weapons of mass destruction and ruthless government leadership. Were those not matters of grave concern that were brought before the United Nations, and were we not spoon fed daily via media outlets about the need to disarm Saddam H. & Co. because of possession of weapons of mass destruction and unspeakable cruelty to the citizens of Iraq?
In spite of silence at the present time coming from Washington DC and the United Nations, let's consider some other nations that adequately qualify for a position on the "liberation" list even more than Iraq.
Let's start with a really big bad guy -- the nation of China! That country with well over 1 billion people sits on top of a big pile of mass destruction weapons. The leadership has chalked up a record of cruelty, injustice, and murder over many years that makes Saddam's record pale into insignificance by way of comparison. Best estimates of victims from the Chinese Communist "take over" decades ago are at the 30 million range -- that was just in the matter of getting established and eliminating potential "enemies" of the state -- who knows how many since that time and now? They just have a way of mysteriously disappearing!
Decades ago China forcibly took over the sovereign nation of Tibet and controls it yet. As a result of an uprising in 1959 there were 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country's population, who died as a result of China's policies! When was the last time you heard anyone make an issue before the United Nations concerning China's encroachment into a nation and brutally controlling it -- even our Secretary of State hasn't breathed a word about it -- why?
Among China's ongoing policy is the practice of executing numbers of citizens for petty crimes not deserving of a death penalty. But Chinese leadership has found a lucrative black market in the selling of body organs for transplants and the revenue helps to finance a very large military apparatus. This has been documented by more than one source -- one of the sources being a secret video tape made of procedures -- the execution with ambulance standing by to whisk the body of the victim off to a hospital for removal of organs, etc. The tape was secretly smuggled out of the country. Is this massive wave of injustice and the ultimate cruelty something that demands that there is a need to "liberate" this country whose citizens are enslaved to this system?
China also employs a forced abortion policy for population control purposes. But then we (the USA) can't say a whole lot about that since we have a few "butcher shops" of our own which dispatch over a million unborn children in a year's time in the "land of the free and the home of the brave!" But honestly now, is this not a form of intense cruelty upon citizens -- a couple wants to have a child and one is conceived and then the government forces you to abort that child -- admittedly we have elected government officials and other influential people in the U.S.A whose consciences are as tender and sensitive as the Nazi SS commanders of German death camps in WW II who probably would sanction the China policy but there are still a few persons who would say those people need to be "liberated" from such tyrants!
China has made no secret of the fact that it is going to bring Taiwan under its control one way or another -- just another case of moving over the border and taking over as in the case of Tibet!
And as you well know -- it's practically impossible to buy household goods in the U.S.A. -- even so called "brand" names that are not made in China. In other places here on CR's Range I have noted that we are paying for the rope with which they ultimately hope to hang us!
There is North Korea which has been stirring a bit lately and capturing some attention in a few news releases. They're cranking up things for production of stuff that goes under the category of "nuclear" and they've sent up a couple of missiles or so in conducted tests. Interesting question is -- what kind of war heads might they place on the top end of those missiles? You know, making this a "weapon of mass destruction" -- we heard about how Saddam had stuff that could really tear things up! And will we (president of the USA and its citizens) make an issue of Korea before the world as we did in the case of Saddam and his ruthless rule of the people of Iraq? In which direction does your answer to this one lean -- mine says "No!" -- we may use some tough sounding rhetoric, but will we assemble our troops and go in and disarm N. Korea if it's leaders refuse to leave the country within 48 hours? We all know the answer to that one don't we?
Present leadership is of the kind that is more than qualified to teach Saddam and his sons a few things about ruthlessness and cruelty when it comes to running a country. In fact the Orientals have demonstrated a capacity to develop torture and cruelty into practically an art form! Ask anyone who was a prisoner of the Japanese in WW II, the N. Koreans in the early 50's, or the Vietnamese during the war in Viet Nam.
And it is no secret that N. Korea looks with envy and longing toward the more prosperous S. Korea, and it has been bosom buddies with China for quite some time. A kind of peas in the same pod sort of thing. You remember that they had a cozy thing going back in the 50's during what was referred to as "police action" in Korea -- actually the first conflict in which the United States became involved with the result of no final victory and no terms being unconditional surrender! It was a negotiated thing!
Our list of nations which need "liberated" would not be complete unless some of the African nations would be included. A prominent one is Sudan where for some time Christians have been targeted for violent persecution and slaughter, but at the U.N. there is never a word spoken in protest. The estimate is that at least 2 million have been put to death at the hands of the Muslim government since 1985! The "policy" of the government is that non-Muslims "have no future!" And strangely our own government leaders seem to be tongue tied on this one. And you certainly can't expect the news media folks to say anything since the majority of them have no sympathy for Christianity nor for the value system it represents -- their own value systems are diametrically opposed to that which is represented in true Christianity!
Looks like there's a big job ahead of us beyond Iraq doesn't it? But don't hold your breath on this one. All governments seem to have at least one thing in common -- they are ONLY consistent in their inconsistency!
But take heart folks -- there is a rock solid hope we can possess and a time coming in which all this chaos will be totally ended. The Lord Jesus Christ is scheduled to return to this planet at some point in the future -- all government leaders and members of their administrations will be removed (what a relief) and He will take total charge. There are a lot of exciting things revealed about this in God's special revelation to us. You don't want to miss out on it!
Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us."
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'" Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
Psalm 2:1-12; Revelation 11:15 NKJV
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It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
Psalm 119:126-128 NKJV
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March 22, 2003
Clayton D. Harriger
Elder in Full Connection
Western PA Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
and presently pastor of
Gipsy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Gipsy, PA
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