Obama/Putin relationship going south...

"The reports on cancelling the Moscow meeting are "also a message to Vladimir Putin, that I, President Obama, am not going to waste my precious time and my administration's resources on a relationship that just doesn't seem to bear any fruit," 

Hints that President Barack Obama may skip a September bilateral summit in Moscow suggest that Washington is ready to accept a limited relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, experts said.

Relations between the two countries have been strained by a number of issues in recent months, including the conflict in Syria, the fate of US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, and Washington's criticism of the jailing in Russia of protest leader Alexei Navalny.

In mid-June, Russian and US authorities announced that the two leaders would hold a Moscow summit on September 3 and 4, before traveling to St. Petersburg for the two-day G-20 meeting.

It would be just the second time Obama visited Moscow since taking office in 2009, and his first visit since Russian leader Vladimir Putin regained power in May 2012.

The meeting however has been thrown into doubt as Washington and Moscow grapple over Snowden, who has been marooned at Moscow's international airport since June 23 after revealing a massive US-led global online surveillance program.

Full Story :  http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iHUJhfkK0NYpxoX4cz9r1tpqVGJw?docId=CNG.e4044871cddc64d7e9793c5807accbc7.171

Putin Declares Himself Dictator

Putin Declares Himself Dictator With The Navalny Verdict

Putin’s actions are those of a dictator, who substitutes repression for lost popular support. In his first two terms, he enjoyed high popularity ratings and could tolerate a moderately free press. His 2011 imperious declaration that he would return to the Presidency and the demonstrations that followed revealed that the Russian people simply want him gone.

 As a leader with failing public support, he can only remain in power by using force and repression that gets worse by the day. The amount of political repression in Russia today is about equal to that in Myanmar under military rule. The United States and other countries ostracized Myanmar and imposed sanctions. Although Ambassador McFaul expressed his regrets after the Navalny ruling, the Obama administration, in its ludicrous hope for Russian “reset” concessions, avoids any statements that might upset Vova, or “Little Vladimir” as the Russians derisively call Putin.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2013/07/18/putin-declares-himself-dictator-with-the-navalny-verdict/

Russia war games on China, Japan doorstep

Despite the proximity to two of Russia's most important neighbours, Moscow insists that the exercises carry no hostile intent and are within international law.

"I can report that no actions that would violate international obligations have been allowed," said Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

The manoeuvres are part of a series of last minute drills that the military was ordered to carry out in order to check out their battle-preparedness.

The forces involved had to mobilise swiftly after receiving orders this weekend to carry out the war games.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/16/putin-observes-russia-war-games-on-china-japan-doorstep/#ixzz2ZJFV4EWI

China and Russia conduct joint naval drill

China and Russia are beginning joint naval drills which Beijing has described as the country's largest with a foreign partner.

 The drills, which are taking place in the Sea of Japan, last from 5-12 July. People's Liberation Army chief Gen Fang Fenghui said on Tuesday the drills did not "target any third parties", but aimed to deepen ties with Russia. However they come amid tensions with regional neighbours including Japan and the Philippines over maritime disputes. China has overlapping claims with Tokyo and Manila in the East China and South China Sea respectively - something which has led to a marked deterioration in ties in recent years as China has pressed its claim more assertively. Last month the US and Japanese navies held joint exercises off San Diego. 'No aggression' Earlier this week, China's Defence Ministry said the drills marked the navy's "single biggest deployment of military force in a China-foreign joint exercise". "Assertions have been made that this drill has a symbolic significance in terms of safeguarding the sovereignty of islands in the area, and represents a response to the US-Japan alliance," Communist Party newspaper People's Daily wrote on Friday. But, the paper said, it was part of series of routine exercises, with the drill focusing on joint escort and the recovery of kidnapped vessels. "There will be no aggressive element to the joint drill," it said.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23159442

Putin inspects biggest post-Soviet war games

Russian President Vladimir Putin has inspected the country's biggest military drills since Soviet times, involving around 160,000 troops.

 The manoeuvres, in Russia's Far East, are part of efforts to boost military mobility and combat readiness. Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov said that the exercise was not directed against any particular nation. Mr Antonov said Russia warned its neighbours about the exercise and provided detailed information to China. The two countries have an agreement that envisages a mutual exchange of data about military activities along their border. Russia's army has been undergoing drills in its central and eastern military districts for several days. State-owned daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta described the drills as "the most intensive combat readiness check in the modern history of the Russian army".

 read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23327158

Armageddon 101-You need to know.

"And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts [of armour, even] a great company [with] bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee."
 Ezekiel 38: 1-6


God gives us the lists the major nations that will attack Israel, and they are: • Magog - this is modern day Russia • Persia - this is modern day Iran • Meshech and Tubal, Togarmah - this region is modern day Turkey • Ethiopia - this is modern Ethiopia • Libya - this is modern day Libya • Gomer - this is modern day Germany While there is slight debate among bible scholars, the above list represents the best consensus of the identity of the nations in Ezekiel 38. Suffice to say that the main players, of which there is no doubt, are Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia. Now if we were living in the End Times, there would have to be a growing union between the biggest players in this group.

A quick look at some recent headlines tells us this: • Russia, the biggest End Times player, has already helped Iran build a nuclear reactor • Iran has repeated over and over their desire to wipe Israel off the map • Iran now has nuclear weapons capable of reaching Israel.
A Brand New Set Of Allies What's very interesting to note here is that for the first time in 2,500 years, Russia and Iran are now working together, as partners. This event is unique in world history. Prior to this period, the nations have been at odds with each other, as follows - "Historical ties between Iran and Russia have often been contentious. For many centuries their competing drives for influence on a volatile frontier and the southward projection of Russian-based dynasties have troubled relations between the two countries. Iran lost significant swaths of territory to imperial Russia in the 19th century and suffered from Russian competition with other foreign powers to carve spheres of influence in Iran in the first half of the last century. During the Cold War, Russian-Iranian relations were influenced by the worldwide alignment of forces in a bipolar geopolitical setting. Iran, allied with the West, faced its Soviet neighbor across the East-West ideological standoff." source - Questia.com

 Full Story:http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pages/israel/world_war_3_ezekiel_38.htm

Court: No Law Against Jews Praying on Temple Mount

A Jerusalem court on Sunday ordered the release of a Jewish youth who had been arrested on charges of praying on the Temple Mount. The youth was also cleared of charges that he attacked an Arab during his visit to the Mount. The youth was ordered to stay away from the Temple Mount for 15 days. However, the court rejected a request by police that the youth be prohibited from entering the Old City altogether for 60 days. The court said that although Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount was a thorny political issue that required deep study, it was certainly not a crime – and preventing Jews from praying there was a restriction of their freedom to worship, guaranteed in Israel's Declaration of Independence and the Knesset's Basic Laws. A similar ruling regarding Jewish prayer on the Mount was made several months ago.

full story:  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169225#.UeQ6vjs3uE5