Many have asked, “where are the ‘woes of 2012’ that John Paul was talking about.” The initial answer is that 2012 isn’t over yet, but if we were to take stock of what has happened thus far, from the U.S. point of view, there are some major events that have taken place. A few of them were obvious: the drought that affected a majority of the United States and other countries, our national debt reaching 16 trillion dollars and the start of the Arab Autumn. These ‘woes’ at first glance appear to have obvious shockwaves that will follow them. The drought will cause food prices to go up for years to come, which will lead to a catastrophic world food crisis and the possible uprooting of more governments in poverty stricken countries. The American currency is losing value and making room for other emerging economies to muscle in as the new global reserve currency. Iran hosts the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) where more than 100 states, a majority of which are Islamic, convened to discuss world issues, including Israel and the West.
But what would happen if these ‘woes’ were only the tropical depression of the storm to come? When a meteorologist is monitoring a tropical depression expected to make landfall, there are multiple scenarios and trajectories that are considered. A little warm water can turn a tropical depression into a full blown hurricane. In the same way, we should be monitoring some of the events that are taking place in and around the already stated woes of 2012. Some of the focuses should be on the China and Japan conflict, some serious Constitutional concerns in the U.S. and the Islamic Awakening or Arab Autumn.
The Conflict between China and Japan actually encompasses multiple countries, but America’s backing of Japan makes the China and Japan island dispute particularly interesting. America actually has multiple motives for being in the Pacific and they all point at China. America and Japan have recently participated in a military exercise on how to recapture the islands which are rich in oil that all three nations have a strong interest in. With the growing tensions in the Middle East, which consistently hold oil exports hostage, and the drought destroying the corn which we use to subsidize our gasoline with, it is no surprise that we are staking claim to the islands through the ties of our Japanese allies. The U.S. has used the island dispute as an excuse to reinforce military presence in the Pacific even though we have been strengthening our fleet on the western side of the Pacific since 2011, namely in Australia.
One of America’s other motives that causes posturing against China, is China’s emerging economy competing with America’s collapsing dollar. China has flexed it’s monetary muscles by loaning money to South America, Africa and undermining the dollar by purchasing oil from sanctioned countries with it’s own currency. The strength of the American dollar is further exasperated by other countries purchasing oil with world’s true global reserve currency, gold.
Some of the Constitutional concerns in America that could add warm water to the storm, or even develop into separate systems, are also worth mentioning.
- The prospect of President Obama appealing the NDAA is of major concern. It appears he isn’t pleased with the District Judge deeming it unconstitutional to indefinitely detain Americans.
- President Obama has “expanded civil-forfeiture rules making it permissible for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to seize weapons from citizens without the hassle of due process.”
- Our government’s desire to appear above mistakes in screening, and ever the politically correct when dealing with Islamist, may have an affiliate of terrorists working as Clinton’s aide, and the government is resisting all attempts to investigate. With all that has happened with terrorists infiltrating our military, and history of being infiltrated by foreign governments, you would hope they’d be a bit more vigilant.
- There appears to be an increasing presence of UN representatives speaking where American officials should. In other instances, it appears that we are now taking direction from the UN.
Much of what propels the vortex of this storm is the ever spiraling Middle East. Some are calling it an “Islamic Awakening”, which is their version of a “Revival.” It wont be long before the Arab Spring is now seen as the Arab Autumn, because the apparent anarchy of terror is actually very well thought out. It is being orchestrated by the extremists that are portrayed as democratic. Using terror as a means of warfare is not new to our world, but it is now being done throughout the world with unprecedented unity, spurred on by the hatred of their leaders.
The ‘woes of 2012’ may only be the door of what’s to come in 2013, 14, 15, etc., but it is a door that we will not walk through alone. Hebrews 13: 5-8 tells us:
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Written by Logan Smith, Streams Staff
Habakkuk 2:1
I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me
