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A Quarterly Journal for Free Historical InquiryThird Reich “scholarship” is measured against a de factoaxiom that it must be centered around the Holocaust, with concomitant discussions on medical experiments, and other aspects of a supposedly uniquely “Nazi” brutality. Anything less is branded by watchdog “scholars” such as Deborah Lipstadt as “relativizing the Holocaust,” which is apparently even worse than “Holocaust revisionism.”[1]Reductio ad Hitlerum is the technique of undermining a debate by accusing the opponent of being a Nazi. Leo Strauss, Jewish philosopher, coined the term in 1951, explaining in 1953:“Unfortunately, it does not go without saying that in our examination we must avoid the fallacy that in the last decades has frequently been used as a substitute for the reductio ad absurdum: the reductio ad Hitlerum. A view is not refuted by the fact that it happens to have been shared by Hitler.”[2]The informative resource “The Fallacy Files”[3] gives an example of reductio ad Hitlerum:“[T]he ideas of ecologists about invasive species—alien species as they are often called—sound…similar to anti-immigration rhetoric. Green themes like scarcity and purity and invasion and protection all have right-wing echoes. Hitler’s ideas about environmentalism came out of purity, after all.”[4]The above quote by a “radical feminist,” Betsy Hartmann, is part of a lament on the supposed “right-wing takeover” of the ecology movement, some of whose proponents have apparently been advocating immigration restrictions, which is akin to Nazism for those who reflexively employ reductio ad Hitlerum in their intellectual discourse. As evidence of this, Hartmann cites the editorship of the academic journal Population and Environment by Professor Kevin MacDonald, along with the late J. Philip Rushton who sat on the editorial board, both regarded as “racists.”[5]“The Fallacy Files” explains reductio ad Hitlerum:FormsAdolf Hitler accepted idea x.Therefore, x must be wrong.The Nazis accepted idea x.Therefore, x must be wrong.ExamplesHitler was in favor of euthanasia.Therefore, euthanasia is wrong.The Nazis favored eugenics.Therefore, eugenics is wrong.Counter-ExamplesHitler was a vegetarian.Therefore, vegetarianism is wrong.The Nazis were conservationists.Therefore, conservationism is wrong.Although the term reductio ad Hitlerum was coined by Strauss as far back as 1951 in the Spring issue of the journal Measure,[6] it is invaluable. Dr. Thomas Fleming, the American Catholic Conservative, president of the Rockford Institute, and editor of Chronicles, cogently stated of reductio ad Hitlerum:“Leo Strauss called it the reductio ad Hitlerum. If Hitler liked neoclassical art, that means that classicism in every form is Nazi; if Hitler wanted to strengthen the German family, that makes the traditional family (and its defenders) Nazi; if Hitler spoke of the “nation” or the “folk,” then any invocation of nationality, ethnicity, or even folkishness is Nazi ...”[7]For example among the “pro-gun” lobby which assumes that Hitler – as a dictator – inaugurated the mass confiscation of private firearms in the Third Reich and therefore proponents of “gun control” are adopting a Hitler-like stance.[8] This, like much else that passes for fact even in academia, is tenuous at best. However, indicating to what extent reductio ad Hitlerum can be contorted every which way, another argument being that it is the pro-gun lobby that is more Hitleresque, one liberal commentator, Chris Miles, pointing out that when Hitler assumed power the provisions on gun ownership were those imposed in 1919 under the Versailles Diktat. Quoting Professor Bernard Harcourt of the University of Chicago on the 1938 German Weapons Act, which pro-gun anti-Nazis also quote to prove that Hitler sought to disarm his people, “The 1938 revisions completely deregulated the acquisition and transfer of rifles and shotguns, as well as ammunition.” Strictures that were maintained only involved handguns, which reliable persons could own if they could show they had good reason.[9] Miles continues:“The groups of people who were exempt from the acquisition permit requirement expanded. Holders of annual hunting permits, government workers, and NSDAP party members were no longer subject to gun ownership restrictions. Prior to the 1938 law, only officials of the central government, the states, and employees of the German Reichsbahn were exempted. The age at which persons could own guns was lowered from 20 to 18. The firearms carry permit was valid for three years instead of one year. Under both the 1928 and 1938 acts, gun manufacturers and dealers were required to maintain records with information about who purchased guns and the guns' serial numbers. These records were to be delivered to a police authority for inspection at the end of each year.”[10]It was under the Allied Occupation regime that Germans were completely disarmed from 1945-1956.Adolf Hitler begins work on the first motorway of Austria at the Walser mountain with Salzburg. 7 April 1938Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H04560 / CC-BY-SA [CC-BY-SA-3.0-de (Creative Commons - Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Germany - CC BY-SA 3.0 DE)], via Wikimedia CommonsSocial Achievements in Third Reich SuppressedIt is against this background that the “horrors of Nazism” have been used to obscure and suppress the achievements of that regime on a range of issues that gravely afflict the world today. Because of the one-eyed dogma on all things Hitlerian, some vital discoveries and achievements have been buried under a pile of figurative corpses which prevents the world from a sober, scholarly assessment of achievements in such areas a health, ecology and banking, or alternatively, as mentioned, puts serious alternatives on the defensive by comparing them with “Nazism.”It is notable that some achievements of the Third Reich were embraced and developed – where it has served powerful interests. The most apparent example is in the realm of rocketry and other advanced weaponry pioneered by the Third Reich, when there was a scramble between the USSR and USA to grab “Nazi scientists” directly after the war. Details of this are incontestable, although still obscure:“Operation Paperclip was the codename under which the US intelligence and military services extricated scientists from Germany during and after the final stages of World War II. The project was originally called Operation Overcast, and is sometimes also known as Project Paperclip.“Of particular interest were scientists specialising in aerodynamics and rocketry (such as those involved in the V-1 and V-2 projects), chemical weapons, chemical reaction technology and medicine. These scientists and their families were secretly brought to the United States, without State Department review and approval; their service for Hitler’s Third Reich, NSDAP and SS memberships as well as the classification of many as war criminals or security threats also disqualified them from officially obtaining visas. An aim of the operation was capturing equipment before the Soviets came in. The US Army destroyed some of the German equipment to prevent it from being captured by the advancing Soviet Army.“The majority of the scientists, numbering almost 500, were deployed at White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico, Fort Bliss, Texas and Huntsville, Alabama to work on guided missile and ballistic missile technology. This in turn led to the foundation of NASA and the US ICBM program.“Much of the information surrounding Operation Paperclip is still classified.“Separate from Paperclip was an even-more-secret effort to capture German nuclear secrets, equipment and personnel (Operation Alsos). Another American project (TICOM) gathered German experts in cryptography.“The United States Bureau of Mines employed seven German synthetic fuel scientists in a Fischer-Tropsch chemical plant in Louisiana, Missouri in 1946.”[11]Suppression of Cancer ResearchHitlerian Germany pioneered many programs in social health and welfare and the study of disease prevention, the relationship between tobacco and cancer, etc. Hence, the regime was decades ahead of today’s democratic states that pride themselves on being “progressive.”The suppression of German health research is one of the major tragedies of the way by which reductio ad Hitlerumhas impacted many lives. With such a mentality, Peter Dunne, the sole Member of Parliament in New Zealand for his United Future Party, described the lobbyists for tobacco restrictions in 2003 as “health nazis.” A news item stated of this:The head of the Smokefree Coalition is questioning just how family-friendly United Future is. Party leader Peter Dunne has attacked supporters of the smoke-free bill as “health Nazis” and beady-eyed zealots. Leigh Sturgiss says such language is inappropriate and appalling. She says proponents of tobacco control want to SAVE lives, not destroy them. She says Peter Dunne has a history of voting against tobacco control, which flies in the face of his party’s values.[12]At the time I wrote to Dunne:“Dear Mr Dunne“I was interested in your use of the term ‘health Nazis’ to describe those who seek to legislate for the control of smoking in public places.“You are probably unaware as to how apt this description is. National Socialist Germany did indeed legislate to control smoking in public places as a social health issue.“The same regime was also responsible for other “tyrannical” health measures such as compulsory breast testing, testing for TB among workers, the promotion of naturopathic medicine, occupational safety laws, the banning of certain types of pesticide, the promotion of nutritional food and the discouraging of additives, campaigns against alcohol and against butter dyes, restrictions on tobacco advertising. …“As for ‘health Nazis’ and public smoking, it is because of the type of banal propaganda that has made the Hitler regime synonymous with evil that the link between tobacco and cancer discovered by the 'health Nazi' medical authorities has been suppressed. I wonder how many lives could have been saved if a balanced assessment of the regime had been permitted?“Also of relevance on this point is that the leader of the “lowest form of humanity”,[13] Hitler, donated the royalties from the sale of Mein Kampf to cancer research. Have you ever undertaken anything as worthy, Mr Dunne?”[14]Returning to matters of more direct relevance, however, it is notable that among those who were secured by the USA under Operation Paperclip was cancer researcher Dr. Kurt Blome, deputy Reich Health Leader (Reichsgesundheitsführer) and Plenipotentiary for Cancer Research in the Reich Research Council. Dr. Blome was captured and renditioned to the U.S.A., a document stating of his relevance,“In 1943 Blome was studying bacteriological warfare, although officially he was involved in cancer research, which was however only a camouflage. Blome additionally served as deputy health minister of the Reich. Would you like to send investigators?”[15]Note that the interest in Dr. Blome was not as a cancer researcher but as a researcher in biological warfare, and the American report refers to the cancer research only incidentally as a cover for Nazi research into bacteriological warfare. The implication is that cancer research in the Reich did not really exist; it was a façade to hide nefarious medical experiments in the pursuit of biological weapons.National Socialists led the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history. The link between lung cancer and smoking was first proven in Hitler's Germany. "Mothers avoid alchohol and nicotine."Dr. Blome, it is stated, was saved from the gallows, having been charged with experimenting on Dachau inmates with vaccinations by the Americans, and “In 1951, he was hired by the US Army Chemical Corps to work on chemical warfare.”[16]What this indicates is that it was the USA that had the particular interest in German findings on chemical warfare, and had no interest in German research on cancer, giving the impression that there was no real German research on cancer. It should by now be sufficiently known that the USA has itself engaged in medical experiments, and outright psychological torture,[17] on its own citizens, that cannot even be mitigated by the USA having at the time been under direct assault from enemy forces (as Germany was). Pointing out such matters is described as “relativizing the Holocaust,” which is allegedly “worse than Holocaust denial.” One might ask whether such “relativity;’ is so abhorred because it implies that Gentile suffering is as serious as Jewish suffering, violating the Talmudic axiom that Gentiles are inferior?[18] Therefore it was enough for veteran French politician Jean-Marie LePen to have said, “The Holocaust was a detail of Second World War history,” to have him pilloried for “hate crimes,” despite his not having “denied” the reality of the “Holocaust,” nor even apparently the sacrosanct 6,000,000 figure. LePen’s thoughtcrime was that he had “relativized the Holocaust,” or what in Germany is called “minimising the Holocaust,”[19] rather than accepting that it must remain the central tragedy of the entirety of human history.Such controversies serve to obscure achievements under National Socialism in Germany. Scholarship necessitates objectivity, and this is not possible when studies on the Third Reich must a priori be based on moral absolutism as a form of Zoroastrian duality that necessarily equates anything and everything to do with the Third Reich as inherently evil, including cancer research, ecology, Autobahns and banking reform.Hence what Professor Robert N. Proctor reports in his book, The Nazi War on Cancer,[20] can only be examined through the war-fever-distorted lens of such pioneering social medicine being undertaken with evil intentions. The same may be said for the Autobahn public works program, its purpose routinely being ascribed to Hitler’s goal of building a road network that would enable Germany’s rapid military mobilization. Occasionally the truth emerges in an incidental manner from out of orthodox academia: In this instance, Dr. Frederic Spotts, in his Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics, writes casually of the Autobahn that at the time it was admired throughout the world as an “innovative, successful and enlightened achievement.”“Their divided roadways, generous width, superb engineering, environmental sensitivity, harmony with the countryside, tasteful landscaping, cloverleaf entries and exits, sleek bridges and overpasses, Modernist service stations, restaurants and rest facilities were in advance of road systems anywhere else and presented a model for the world.”[21]While the Autobahn is conventionally represented as an example of Germany’s military preparations, Dr. Spotts has the fortitude to see it another way: “What is not widely appreciated is that Hitler regarded these highways above all else as aesthetic monuments.” For the first time roads were not primarily utilitarian, but enduring art-works comparable to the pyramids.”[22] Dr. Spotts continues:“The autobahns were therefore intended not so much to facilitate cars going from one place to another as to show off the natural and architectural beauty of the country. Routes were chosen to go through attractive areas without disturbing the harmony of the hills, valleys and forests. Lay-bys were created for travellers to stop and admire the panorama. In some causes the roadway itself made a detour, despite additional costs, to offer a particularly impressive view. Great effort went into construction so as to minimize damage to the environment. …”[23]The way Dr. Spotts gets away with what at first seems a glowing account of the Reich’s ecological and technical achievements is to describe Hitler’s aesthetic as just “another example of megalomaniac self-indulgence.”[24]Hence, even with this remarkable achievement, as with other major advances in the Third Reich, we must be reminded that ultimately it all rests on the pervasive evil of one man. Be that as it may, regardless of Hitler’s motives, such reductionism prevents a rational and objective consideration of such achievements. Had Dr. Spotts been describing the achievements of highway construction in the USA or England during the 1930s, for example, the reader would be left with an enduring impression of a state that had achieved much that needs reconsidering today. However, since such a remarkable achievement was undertaken under Hitler, it is reduced even by Dr. Spotts to just another example of the megalomania of a uniquely evil person. But Dr. Spotts dispels one of the great myths about the era, that the Autobahn was primarily for the purposes of militarization. Commenting on Todt, head of the project, Spotts states that while Todt’s arguments for the Autobahn included its potential for military purposes,“Hitler was never taken by this notion. In fact the routes did not run to likely front lines, the surfaces were too thin to support tanks and so on. Far from being helpful to the Wehrmacht, the roads, with their shiny white surfaces, proved so useful to enemy aircraft by providing points of orientation that they had to be camouflaged with paint.”[25]Hence, while the Autobahn, as much a triumph of ecology as of engineering, can be relegated to the realm of megalomania, the lesson drawn from Professor Proctor’s book on Third Reich cancer and other medical research is, according to the reviewer for The Washington Post, “a concept nearly as unsettling [as Hannah Arendt’s ‘banality of evil’] – the ‘banality of good.’”[26]Third Reich research into the links between tobacco and cancer therefore becomes trite, dull, trivial, and other such words associated with “banality.” Had the USA been as interested in such research as they were on what the Germans had developed in terms of weapons, then there would be many millions of people who would have been thankful for that research, regardless of the regime under whose auspices it was conducted. That the USA was only interested in German technical and military achievements says more about the character of the US regime than about the Third Reich. However, where the general public hears anything about German medical experiments, it is in regard to alleged abuses on prisoners and “racial inferiors” (sic), by such individuals as Dr. Joseph Mengele, who is described as performing some very unscientific medical experiments despite his eminence as a geneticist. Hence lurid stories like this:“… Mengele had an added project: that of actually changing eye color in an Aryan direction. Dr. Abraham C. wondered why Mengele was devoting so much attention to a few seven-year-old boys who seemed unremarkable and then realized that “those children had one odd characteristic: they were blond and had brown eyes, so Mengele was trying to find a way to color their eyes blue.” Mengele actually injected methylene blue into their eyes, causing severe pain and inflammation, but ‘their eyes of course did not change.’”[27]As the last sentence states, “but their eyes of course did not change.” Yet it is expected, or rather demanded, of everyone that a highly qualified geneticist, Dr. Mengele, who apparently believed also in National Socialist racial doctrine, tried to turn non-Aryans into Aryans by artificial means. Could anything be less “racist”? But these tales obscure whatever real achievements, of which there were many, were made under the Third Reich in medicine and public welfare. While the lurid tales continued decades after the war that Mengele created a crop of blue-eyed Brazilians in a remote town, National Geographic finally exposed it in 2009 as a “myth.”[28]What this “banality of good” – in the words of the Washington Post reviewer of Proctor’s book - included was a pervasive effort to establish a healthy population. Naturally, the motives for this would be said to create a “Master Race” to conquer the world, but regardless of the motives, the results could have benefited mankind had it not been for the suppression of anything of a positive character connected with the Third Reich.Proctor states that more than a thousand medical doctoral dissertations examined cancer in the twelve years of National Socialist rule. For the first time cancer registries were established, preventive pubic health measures were strengthened, there were laws against the adulteration of food and drugs, bans on smoking, and campaigns warning against the use of cancer-forming cosmetics. Proctor asks the question whether these and other public health measures resulted in the lower incidence of cancer among Germans since the 1950s? This poses a moral dilemma because it means that “one of the most murderous regimes in history” might have succeeded in lowering cancer rates.[29] Other campaigns that have only in recent years become a factor of Western states were the urging of women to have annual or biennial cancer examinations, and women were instructed on breast self-examinations, Germany apparently being the first to undertake such steps.[30] The effects of dust and asbestos on health were studied with a strong emphasis.[31] Proctor states that Germany became the leader in documenting the “asbestos-lung cancer link.” In 1943 the regime became the first to recognize asbestos-induced mesothelioma and lung cancer as “compensable occupational diseases.” American attorneys later drew on this Nazi-era research in litigation. [32]With the defeat of Germany, Karl Astel, head of the Institute of Tobacco Hazards Research, who had enacted bans on public smoking – something undertaken in New Zealand a few years ago – committed suicide. Reich Health Leader Leonardo Conti hanged himself with his shirt while in Allied detention. Reich Health Office president Hans Reiter served several years in jail, after which he worked at a health clinic, but never returned to public life. Fritz Sauckel, in charge of foreign labor, and the drafter of Astel’s anti-tobacco legislation, was executed in 1946. Proctor comments: “It is hardly surprising that much of the wind was taken out of the sails of Germany’s anti-tobacco movement.”[33] Yet, other scientists were dragooned by the USA into the Cold War weapons projects. Proctor gets to the very point I am making:Even today, the German anti-tobacco movement has not surpassed the activism and seriousness of the climax years 1939-1941. Tobacco health research is muted, and it is not hard to imagine that memories of the earlier generation’s activism must have helped to perpetuate the silence. Popular memory of Nazi tobacco temperance may well have handicapped the postwar German anti-tobacco movement… It does seem to have shaped how we regard the history of the science involved: the myth that English and American scientists were first to show that smoking causes lung cancer, was a convenient one – both for scholars in the victorious nations and for Germans trying to forget the immediate past. The hoary spectre of fascism is perhaps healthier than we are willing to admit.[34]Proctor also refers to the method of reductio ad Hitlerum in suppressing anti-tobacco initiatives, an example of this already having been seen in New Zealand with Hon. Peter Dunne’s 2003 comments. Proctor states, “Pro-tobacco advocates have begun to play the Nazi card,”[35] with talk of “Nico-Nazis” and “tobacco fascism.” Proctor refers to Philip Morris of Europe running an advertising offensive in magazines, which identified smokers with ghettoized Jews and anti-smokers with Nazis.[36]Oddly, Proctor rejects the idea that if Nazi medical research had not been suppressed lives might have been saved. He states that the Allies did indeed take much interest in Nazi scientific research, but proceeds to focus briefly on the military technology.[37] Where were Nazi health researchers sequestered after the war to assist the victor states in researching the causes of cancer, the effects of asbestos, the benefits of healthy diet, etc.? As described previously, they were dead, in jail or relegated to obscurity, while the “rocket scientists” were working diligently on Cold War missiles, before being denounced in their old age. [38]That public health initiatives being undertaken decades after the Germans undertook the same programs are now being heralded as “new” is a piece of opportunistic flim-flammery. The same can be said also for German ecological measures,[39] with Communists in recent years jumping aboard the Green movement to proclaim themselves in the vanguard of what they now call “Eco-Socialism,” and the Anarchist-Punk enthusiasm for “animal liberation” which was pre-empted decades ago by the Reich provisions on animal welfare.[40]Opposition to Usury Intrinsically “Nazi”?Reductio ad Hitlerum is being used to suppress and smear another important issue: that of alternatives to the debt-banking system. Little is understood about the system of Nazi and Fascist finances, and it is generally assumed that Germany in particular achieved economic recovery by armaments spending. Even if we accept that assumption, it explains little. Indeed one of the original aims of the embryonic National Socialist Party when it was still known as the German Workers’ Party, and prior to Hitler’s membership, was the “breaking of the bondage of interest.” A key ideologue of the nascent Party was also the foremost advocate of banking reform in Germany, Gottfried Feder.[41] Interestingly about the same time (1917) the Scotsman C. H. Douglas, an engineer like Feder, was formulating a broadly similar doctrine, Social Credit, and prior to him the inventor Arthur Kitson[42] was advocating the bypassing of the private banking system with the state issuance of debt-free currency according to the production and consumption requirements of society.During the early part of the Nineteenth Century Guernsey Island issued its own currency when on the verge of destitution, and continues to do so. Lincoln issued Greenbacks, and the Confederacy issued Graybacks based on a cotton standard. President John F Kennedy issued US Treasury Notes. Communities in Germany, Austria and the USA during the Great Depression issued local currencies, which brought them prosperity in the midst of destitution. Australia issued its own credit through the state’s Commonwealth Bank for decades, and New Zealand issued state credit at 1% interest in 1936 through its Reserve Bank to fund the iconic state housing programs, which found work for 75% of the unemployed. Despite the obstructive efforts of the judicial system, a Social Credit Government, in Alberta, Canada, issued “Prosperity Certificates.”[43]Nationalist Socialist Germany, Imperial Japan and Fascist Italy undertook similar measures in issuing state credit and redeemable work certificates. The remarkable economic achievements of those states in the midst of the Great Depression have been consigned to the Memory Hole.[44] Yet the need to understand the banking system and alternatives to it is as dire now, in the midst of the “global debt crisis” as it was during the Great Depression. A significant difference between then and now is that in the aftermath of World War I many people understood the need to change the banking system and great reform movements such as Social Credit in Alberta and the Labour Party in New Zealand swept to power on the platform of banking reform. Because the three major Axis states also issued state credit, undertook control of banking and brought their nations to prosperity, this important issue has now also been subjected to reductio ad Hitlerum.A significant victim of this tactic is Stephen M. Goodson, a South African economist who served for several years (2003-2012) as an elected director on the Board of the South African Reserve Bank. Goodson is also an ardent advocate of banking reform and founder of the Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party. Worse still, he does not shrink from describing the banking systems of Axis Japan and Germany as significant examples of major states that achieved revival by breaking free of usury.[45] For this a campaign of vilification was heaped upon Goodson a few months prior to the end of his twelve-year tenure as a Reserve Bank director. Goodson resigned presumably to pre-empt his removal at the behest of the smear-mongers. While Goodson was labelled a “Holocaust denier” it was his mentioning of the Axis banking systems that was the cause of his predicament.Goodson came to the Reserve Bank board under provisions that allowed investors to elect a member to represent them. Although Goodson’s nine-year term was due to expire in July 2012, just several months before then a campaign was launched against him , presumably to assure that he could not end his position with good grace. A columnist wrote of him:“Goodson, who earned R360,000 last year for his services to the bank, more than R70,000 for each of the five meetings he attended, holds contentious views that include admiring the economic policies pursued by Hitler in Nazi Germany, a belief that international bankers financed and manipulated the war against Hitler because they saw his model of state capitalism as a threat to their usurious ways, and that the Holocaust was a fiction invented to extract vast amounts of compensation from the defeated Germans.“He has argued that similar reasons underpinned the support of the United Nations for the uprising in Libya. Muammar Gaddafi’s usury-free banking system was a threat to global capitalism and had to be destroyed, according to Goodson.”[46]That the opposition to Goodson came about because he stated some facts on National Socialist Germany’s banking policies is indicated by Steyn:“But Goodson appears to be pushing pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic views on the internet. In a radio interview last year with American talk show host Deanna Spingola, author of The Ruling Elite: A Study in Imperialism, Genocide and Emancipation, Goodson expressed his admiration for the social achievements during the Third Reich.”[47]It appears that a sympathetic treatment of Third Reich social and economic policies, a consideration of the era that does not focus on the Holocaust, is synonymous with being “pro-Nazi” and “anti-Semitic.” It therefore becomes impossible to express views on one or two admirable and workable aspects of a regime without being associated with all the other policies and actions of that regime, both real and imagined. To be consistent, defenders of the status quo in the USA should ipso facto be regarded as avid supporters of any and every action undertaken by the USA, including segregation, the injecting of syphilis into Negro prisoners, the My Lai Massacre, ad infinitum.According to Steyn, the incriminating statements by Goodson on the Spingola radio interview in 2010 were that“ ‘Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and in six short years he transformed Germany and reduced unemployment from 30% to zero.“ ‘He provided everyone with debt-free and decent housing, excellent labour relations and restored respect and honour to all Germans.“ ‘In these six years, a worker’s paradise was created. There was zero inflation and Germany became the most prosperous and powerful country in the history of Europe.’“Goodson also said the real reason for World War II was Germany’s progressive economic system.“ ‘That was the whole basis of World War II. It had nothing to do with human rights or protecting Poland or any of the other reasons that they advance in the history books.“ ‘Germany — could only be admitted to the family of nations if they abided by the rules of the international bankers.’ ”[48]After Spingola made a reference to the “Holocaust” and its use by Jewish interests, Steyn remarks that “Goodson appeared to agree.”“Yes, well, they’ve [Jews] been expelled from over 70 countries, some of them several times. But unfortunately they have such a tight control of the media. Well, there is a small window of hope in that the internet can provide alternative views, but even there they are trying to exercise supervision.”[49]A secondary and passing reference to the historical phenomenon of Jewish expulsions became a focus for what in fact was Goodson’s long-standing opposition to usury and his comments on Germany and Japan’s banking systems as examples of successful use of state credit.That Goodson has been cited by “a number of extreme right-wing websites,” is also sufficient to have Goodson associated with anything else posted on those sites. The one example given by Steyn is something called “Incog Man,” presumably because this is probably the most strident of such sites she could find that also quotes Goodson, Incog Man providing Steyn with some very quotable quotes in reference to “nation-wrecking Khazar Jews and Israel-Firster HasbaRATs, braindead White Multicults and Marxists, sicko Sodomites and Lezbos, perverted Paedophile Molesters, freaky Gender-benders, greasy Illegal Mestizos, cocaine-crazed and criminal Negroes”.[50] The implication is that these are also the views of Goodson.Steyn proceeds with a lengthy discussion on Goodson being related to the (in)famous Mitford family, which has included Marxists and of course Fascists Diana (Mosley) and Unity Mitford.But the articles that Steyn cites that Goodson has actually written are those concerned with usury and with banking reform:“Goodson has written many articles that are readily found on the internet. They are often critical of debt finance and ‘the exploitative fractional reserve banking system of the West’, in which private banks are licensed to create money out of nothing.“In one article, Goodson proposes a Cape Town municipal bank that could fund all infrastructure programmes at zero interest and ratepayers could enjoy a permanent reduction of at least 15% on annual property rates, a drop in the home-loan rate and nominal rates for student loans.“In two other articles, ‘The truth about Syria” and ‘The truth about Libya”, he praises the economies of both countries, which employed state banks.”[51]When the Mail and Guardian interviewed a Reserve Bank shareholder on amendments to the Reserve Bank which appear to block the future election of shareholder representatives, “ ‘It was an extraordinary blip on the horizon,’ said shareholder Mario Pretorius. ‘In 2010 the South African Reserve Bank Act was amended to slam every possible door. [Now] there will never be another [Stephen] Goodson or anyone else it doesn’t like.’” Another shareholder said, “Goodson is an odd character. But he did good because he put a lot of pressure on the bank.”[52]Despite the impending end of Goodson’s tenure within two months, the pressure was applied to get him fired. The South African Israel Public Affairs Committee (SAIPAC) called for Goodson’s immediate sacking or forced “resignation.”[53] SAIPAC Chairman David Hersch stated:“It is simply not good enough for the Reserve Bank to state that his directorship ends in July and he will not be reappointed. They should be ashamed to have someone like this on their board of directors and now that he has been exposed, they should act immediately.”[54]South Africa’s Sunday Times then reported that Goodson had resigned in May. Again we see that the main point of objection concerned his praise of the German banking system: “Last month, the Mail & Guardian (M&G) reported that Goodson held contentious views that included admiring the economic policies pursued by Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.”[55]David Hersch boasted that it was “international pressure” that resulted in Goodson resigning less than two months before the end of his tenure.[56] Had anyone other than Hersch suggested that Jewish pressure was the cause of the outcome, they would have been labelled “anti-Semitic.” However, it was seen by Hersch et al., as a Jewish victory of which to be proud.The Chinese economist, chairman of the New York-based Liu Investment Group, Henry C. K. Liu,[57] who has written extensively on Third Reich economic policies, has so far been spared the association with white supremacists, and is still able to write columns for The Huffington Post and Asia Times, etc. Liu wrote in Asia Times a detailed article on Third Reich banking policy, stating“… In fact, German economic recovery preceded and later enabled German rearmament, in contrast to the US economy, where constitutional roadblocks placed by the US Supreme Court on the New Deal delayed economic recovery until US entry to World War II put the US market economy on a war footing. While this observation is not an endorsement for Nazi philosophy, the effectiveness of German economic policy in this period, some of which had been started during the last phase of the Weimar Republic, is undeniable.”[58]Note that Liu repudiates any notion that the “undeniable” success of Reich economic policy is an “endorsement for Nazi philosophy,” and that he disposes of the cliché of Germany’s economic recovery being based around rearmament. Liu describes “Work Creation Bills” issued by the Reich, commenting: “But the principle of WCBs can be applied to the US or China or any other country today to combat unacceptably high levels of unemployment. Alas, this common-sense approach is faced with firm opposition rationalized by obscure theories of inflation in most countries.”[59]Dr. Ellen Brown, head of the Public Banking Institute in the USA, cites Liu’s articles.[60] While Liu has been spared the tactic of reductio ad Hitlerum, perhaps because he has secured as respected position for himself as an Asianeconomist, Dr. Brown is subjected to smears for stating the same. Hence a free-market website, The Daily Bell, triumphantly proclaims that it has proven the evil intent behind banking reform, in a “bombshell” report. The article warns that “the fiat money hoax” is “one of the biggest conspiracies of the modern age.” This conspiracy involves the shock victory of Beppe Grillo and his Five Star movement in the recent Italian elections. Dr. Brown has stated that Grillo has attacked usury and proposed a Social Credit-type national dividend, and state credit. The Daily Bell contends that a conspiratorial apparatus has sought to undermine precious metals and free trade, and that advocacy of “fiat money” is part of this conspiracy. This “conspiracy” is of a “fascist” or “National Socialist” character:“This contradicts most everything monetary history tells us – as do arguments that the REAL solution to the current financial difficulties of the West involve National Socialist nostrums such as turning over central banking functions to the "people" via governments. This is a fascist solution, and that it has been so widely promoted obviously gives rise to the idea that it is a dominant social theme of the sort we regularly analyze.”[61]Hence accusations of National Socialism and Fascism become tools of an elitist conspiracy, free-market advocates objecting to these as basically the same forms of collectivism as other types of “socialism.”“While we never found a ‘smoking gun’ regarding this promotion, it seemed obvious to us that if one turned fiat-money central banking functions over to governments alone (instead of the current joint functionality) things would get even worse, not better. More importantly, Money Power would simply seek to control government banking, as it now controls the current private/public paradigm. Nothing would change. And, of course, that is the point of the exercise.”[62]Money Power already controls central banking, because the central banks, regardless of whether they are nationalized or have private bondholders, are still merely mechanisms through which the private international debt system operates. It is not central banking per se that banking reformers are promoting, but the use of state or social credit through banks, and this need not be based upon a central bank. Social Credit insists upon a Credit Authority separate from the state, for example, while local currencies have been used many times through history to overcome destitution, without causing inflation or dictatorship, and eliminating the power of these “conspirators” which The Daily Bellers claim to be opposing. They write:“We tracked this meme back many years and observed numerous individuals promoting it. As we tracked it, we received tremendous pushback from those who did not want this scheme exposed. But we have persevered because it is our brief. We analyze dominant social themes and attempt to unravel their contexts from a cultural and, more importantly, investment point of view.”[63]Dr. Brown is a front-woman for this “conspiracy,” The Daily Bellers stating:“Now it appears that Ellen Brown, one of the foremost proponents of the ‘transparency in government meme’ … and the national socialist idea of government controlled central banking has made a definitive connection between Italy’s Beppe Grillo and her own movement. She explains Grillo’s program thusly:“• unilateral default on the public debt;“• nationalization of the banks; and“• a guaranteed "citizenship" income of 1000 euros a month.[64]“This is beyond shocking. Conservative economist Gary North had it right. Those who back controlling the money via government fiat/central banking are seriously intent on implementing the entire schematic of national socialist economics – as was contemplated before World War II.”[65]This is seen as a manoeuvre by globalists such as George Soros to raise the spectre of Fascism and frighten people back into supporting the European Union. While I can sympathize with The Daily Bell for suspecting the Five Star movement that suddenly appears from nowhere and commands such immediate support as suspiciously being like Soros jack-ups[66] such as the “color revolutions ” and the “Arab Spring,” which I have exposed many times in detail, something more persuasive is required than The Daily Bell’s tenuous analysis, especially when it smears real opponents of the globalist elite, such as Dr. Brown.Hence, The Daily Bell proceeds with its own conspiracy theory of how the globalists could really be backing the only people who are effectively seeking to root out the foundation of globalist power: usury:“This is indeed the proverbial smoking gun. Brown and all the others are part of a chain of events leading to this dénouement. This is how such campaigns work – gradually building to climax, incorporating more and more paid actors to set up blogs, write articles – and even books – to create plausible deniability. The goal has always been to create an upsurge for the kind of economics that Money Power can easily control.”[67]Again I am very familiar with the type of dialectics The Daily Bellers are suggesting is operating here.[68] However, one could just as easily claim that the free-marketeers of The Daily Bell type are serving globalist interests by attacking those who are offering real alternatives to globalism. It is precisely the doctrines of the free market and usury that maintain the globalist system. If we were to use a semantic device which we shall call reductio ad Marxum it can be argued that free-market capitalism serves the Marxist dialectic. We do not need conjecture, but can cite Marx himself:“Generally speaking, the protectionist system today is conservative, whereas the Free Trade system has a destructive effect. It destroys the former nationalities and renders the contrast between proletariat and bourgeois more acute. In a word, the Free Trade system is precipitating the social revolution. And only in this revolutionary sense do I vote for Free Trade.”[69]As I have written elsewhere in detail, the free market is seen as part of the Marxist dialectic.[70] Conversely, there are globalists who see Marxism as part of a capitalist dialectic, described most cogently in Zbigniew Brzezinski’s Between Two Ages.[71] Both regard each as useful in undermining the common enemy: tradition, which Marx condemned most vigorously as “reactionism.” Conservatives of the traditional type, such as Oswald Spengler, as distinct from Whig Liberals who are today misidentified as “Conservatives,” saw the kinship between Capitalism and Free Trade and repudiated both as deriving from the same Nineteenth Century economic zeitgeist. Repudiation of usury remains the means by which the rule of Mammon has been overcome and can be again.ConclusionReductio ad Hitlerum is a piece of semantic jugglery which has been used by the conventionally named Left, Right and Center. The methodology has been used to label proponents of public health as “health Nazis” and “Nico-Nazis.” Ecologists have been called “eco-Nazis.”[72] One blogsite called “The Climate Scum,” “proves” that ecology is “Nazi” by showing an aerial view of a forest planted during the Third Reich, in which certain trees were planted out in the shape of a swastika.[73] The cases of those who are skeptical about anything relating to the Holocaust, or who raise objections to Zionism and Israel being called “Neo-Nazis” are too common to merit specific citations here. Enoch Powell’s prescient “Rivers of blood” speech in 1968 about New Commonwealth immigration into Britain was condemned with allusions to Auschwitz, and the spectre of Neo-Nazism and is still invoked should anyone question Third World immigration. Labour Party luminary Tony Benn at the time said of Powell’s speech: “‘The flag of racialism which has been hoisted in Wolverhampton is beginning to look like the one that fluttered 25 years ago over Dachau and Belsen,”[74] and so it remains…Now, in the midst of a global debt crisis, where there is a glimmer – albeit even this still far too dim – of resurgence of interest in alternatives to usury and debt, reductio ad Hitlerum is unleashed upon banking-reform advocates. The method is a social evil that obfuscates solutions for the challenges of today, by denying the legitimacy of policies that have been tried and proven.

Did the Bible predict the rise and fall of the USA and Britain?How the Blessings of Abraham Came to the United States - by Tim GrovesHow did the United States become such a prominent nation? What made America great? How can we trace her roots? Did the blessings of Abraham help?The only single nation that rose to a super power status began with one man’s faithfulness to God. Some 4,000 years ago God called a man named Abram (whose name God later changed to Abraham). God told Abram to leave his present country and go where He would lead him. God promised Abram that if he obeyed, He would cause many nations and kings to come from his lineage (Genesis 17:1-6).Abraham continued to be faithful to God, and when Abraham passed the supreme test of being willing to sacrifice his son, God made an unconditional promise that his descendants would be innumerable and have world dominance (Genesis 22:16-18). The blessings of Abraham were then passed down to his descendants.Blessings of Abraham included promises of national greatnessThis birthright promise was passed down to Abraham’s son Isaac, then to Isaac’s son Jacob, and then to Jacob’s son Joseph.Joseph had two sons while he was in Egypt, Ephraim and Manasseh. Just before Jacob died, he adopted these two grandchildren and, being guided by God, made them inheritors of his birthright promise (Genesis 48:13-16).Jacob was also inspired by God to give a prophecy about his two grandchildren. He said that Ephraim would become a multitude of nations and Manasseh would be a great single nation (Genesis 48:19). Jacob foretold that in the last days the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh would spread (Genesis 49:1, 22). They would prevail in wars because God would be with them (verses 23-24). And they would also inherit great natural resources (verses 25-26)—all part of the blessings of Abraham.Jacob’s blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48:13-20; 49:1, 22-26).Prior to Jacob’s death, his son Joseph brought his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim to Jacob so he could bless them (Genesis 48:1-6). In an unusual but perceptive move, Jacob placed his right hand on the younger boy, Ephraim, and his left hand on the older boy, Manasseh (verse 14). Normally, his right hand, representing a greater blessing, would have gone on the older child.In blessing them and in explaining to Joseph that he knew what he was doing, Jacob said, “‘I know, my son, I know. He [Manasseh] also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.’ So he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you Israel will bless, saying, “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!”’ And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh” (verses 19-20).Looking at modern history, we note that Britain became a great commonwealth of nations with an empire that stretched around the globe, while the United States became a great individual nation.Joseph is a “fruitful bough”An additional explanation by Jacob of what would happen “in the last days” to the various peoples and nations each of his sons represented is also revealing (Genesis 49:1). Speaking of Joseph, Jacob said, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him.“But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers” (verses 22-26).Fulfilled promises to the United States and Britain in prophecyJoseph, representing his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, was destined to receive the greatest blessing among all the brothers. As for sheer size of territory controlled, the British Commonwealth has clearly been the group of nations best matching the prophecies related to Ephraim.As for Manasseh, the United States best fits the biblical description of being a “great” nation (Genesis 48:19) due to its economy and military strength (“his bow remained in strength,” Genesis 49:24).Changing roles prophesied“And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh,” reads Genesis 48:20. In this passage of Scripture, the patriarch Jacob, whom God had renamed Israel, prophesied that the descendants of his two grandsons, the sons of Joseph, would “become a multitude of nations” and a great nation. This prophecy was fulfilled in the British Empire and Commonwealth (the multitude of nations) and in the United States (the great single nation), which broke away from the empire. Ephraim, the multitude of nations, was to be great before Manasseh. (Though recently British as a nation separated herself from the European Union).Ephraim, the younger brother, was foretold to be greater than Manasseh (verse 19). Without any knowledge of the biblical significance of the moment, Dean Acheson, then undersecretary at the U.S. Department of State, said that “Britain was so weakened financially that there were now only two great powers in the world. Not since Rome and Carthage, he said, had there been such a polarization of power, and it was between democracy and dictatorship” (Moss, p. 68).Rome and Carthage were major rivals before the time of Christ. Will Clayton, assistant secretary of State, in May 1947 summed up the situation with these words: “The reins of world leadership are slipping from Britain’s competent but now very weak hands. These reins will be picked up either by the United States or Russia.”Both men realized that the United States already had a major rival in the Russian-dominated Soviet Union, something the British had not had to contend with.Britain had enjoyed unrivalled global power during the time of the “Pax Britannica”— between the fall of Napoleon and World War I a century later. In relative terms, the United States was to be less dominant, as Bible prophecy had foretold.It wasn’t until the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist allies in Europe more than 40 years later that the United States would enjoy unrivalled power. But even then it was brief. Now facing mounting financial problems, Washington has to contend with the rising power of China and may soon have to deal with a resurgent Europe.Just as global power passed from Britain to America, could power now pass from America to Europe?God controls the rise and fall of nationsThe Bible tells us that God intervenes to bring about the rise and fall of nations. In Daniel 2:21 we read that “He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings.”In the same chapter, Daniel asked God to help him interpret the cryptic dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. In verse 19 God revealed its meaning to him. Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, the world’s greatest power at the time, came to understand that after Babylon would come another great power, then another and another. Eventually, the last of these powers would be replaced by the Kingdom of God, a world government directly ruled by God that will put an end to the present misrule of man.Daniel himself had a similar vision in chapter 7 giving more detail. Babylon, where Daniel lived for almost seven decades as a Jewish exile following the invasion of his own country, would lose its preeminence to Persia. In turn, Persia would lose its position to Greece, and then Greece would lose its to Rome. The prophecies revealed to Daniel in the sixth century before Christ were fulfilled in the centuries that followed.The supremacy of Britain with its empire and then the United States of America was prophesied for “the last days” (Genesis 49:1). However, at the time immediately before the end, preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ, there is to rise a revived and renewed Roman Empire—the new world superpower mentioned earlier.How could the United States lose its power?British historian Paul Kennedy, who now lectures at Yale, wrote his monumental book The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers in 1987. In it, looking back to the year 1500, he showed that the qualities that lead to nations’ rising to power and the reasons for their decline and fall have certain commonalities —debt and imperial overreach.Just as the British Empire collapsed due to debt and an overstretched military, so the United States faces the same problems today. It cannot field enough troops for all its military commitments, and debt is a crucial and growing problem. No nation in the history of the world has ever accumulated debts as great as those of the United States—and certainly not in so short a time!As The Economist recently observed: “For years America’s fiscal problems had a surreal quality. No one disputed that an aging population and health-care inflation could bust the budget, but that prospect was decades away and procrastination seemed painless.“No longer. A giant hole has opened in the budget because of stimulus, bailouts and a recession that has savaged economic growth and tax revenue. On current policies the publicly held federal debt, 41% of GDP last year, will double in the next decade. Total government debt will move well above the G20 average” (“Dealing With America’s Fiscal Hole,” Nov. 21, 2009).Only a generation ago the United States was in such sound financial condition that it was the world’s greatest lender. No longer. Due to its profligate spending, now it is the most indebted nation in history!Massive problems loom in financing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as tens of millions of baby boomers retire in the coming years. Some economic experts estimate that, when these unfunded liabilities are factored in, America’s true national debt is greater than $50 trillion—approximately half a million dollars for every U.S. household!Inevitably, defense spending will be impacted by America’s enormous debt load, just as it was with Great Britain six decades ago. As another Economist article titled “Stemming the Tide” reports, “Defence and discretionary items represent just a third of spending, and Mr Obama has already planned to shrink both in nominal dollars by 2014, as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (with luck) wind down and the stimulus expires” (Nov. 21, 2009).Ancient Israel failed to receive the full birthright promiseGod wanted to give ancient Israel national greatness. When He made the covenant with the 12 tribes of Israel in the wilderness, He told them they would become great if they obeyed Him.We know that Israel did not obey God; and eventually 10 of the tribes, including Ephraim and Manasseh, went into captivity to Assyria in 721-718 B.C. From this point forward, they were scattered and seemed to disappear from the historical records.What became of God’s promises to give the blessings of Abraham to his descendants? What became of God’s promises to give the blessings of Abraham to his descendants? Many Christians understand that the promise of salvation through Abraham’s Seed was fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). But what of the physical birthright promises? If we believe that God fulfills all His promises, we will look for a company of nations and a powerful single nation who have been blessed by God.Where did the Israelites go?Even though Israel was scattered, God said He would keep and preserve them (Amos 9:9). The Bible tells us in several passages, including Isaiah 49:12, that the Israelites migrated toward the northwest and to the “isles afar off” (Jeremiah 31:10). The British Isles are northwest of their previous homeland and the location of their captivity in Assyria.Is it just a coincidence that the word British resembles two Hebrew words “beriyth-iysh,” which mean “covenant man”? The Bible repeatedly refers to the covenant (agreement) God made with Israel (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 4:13).God’s people would also be known by Isaac’s name. Americans and Britons are known as Anglo-Saxons. “Saxons” is simply a derivation of “Isaac’s sons.”Sadly, disobedience became the norm. When they continued to disobey, their divided kingdoms fell to conquering nations sent by God to punish them for their sins. This eventually happened to both the northern tribes of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 17; Jeremiah 52).As the recipients of many of the blessings of Abraham, these people of all peoples should obey God’s laws. These instructions include worshipping Him on the seventh-day Sabbath, observing the biblical holy days, helping the poor, treating everyone with respect, living moral lives, upholding the traditional family, practicing truth and honesty, and keeping the 10 Commandments.Having ignored the warnings God gave them through His prophets, the ancient tribe of Manasseh, along with the rest of the tribes in the northern kingdom of Israel, fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722-721 B.C. Over the centuries, the descendants of Manasseh, along with those of their brother tribe of Ephraim, migrated west to the British Isles.The United States and Britain become world powersBefore 1800, both America and Britain were regional powers. But shortly after 1800, both suddenly received many blessings. First Britain then the United States became world-leading superpowers.In 1803 the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase, which nearly doubled the size of the country. Britain’s empire suddenly spread around the globe, and the sun never set on her company of nations, (including Australia, New Zealand and Canada). At their peak, the United States and Britain came into possession of more than two-thirds of the world’s resources and wealth. God fulfilled the biblical promises to provide the blessings of Abraham to his physical descendants. To understand what is going to happen to America, we have to study the biblical prophecies directed toward Manasseh.The Bible prophesied that the descendants of Manasseh would become a “great” nation and that the descendants of his brother, Ephraim, would “become a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:19). The United States and Britain (and some of its former colonies, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand) are the nation and group of nations that best fit this biblical descriptionSo what does it all mean?Doomsday is bearing down on America in the minds of many, as each new crisis comes and other dangers seem lined up on the horizon.Others see the future of America as providing more fantastic opportunities in every way. New inventions allow a level of communications and efficiency that most never dreamed of.While technological advances continue to impress us, there is also the ever-growing “dark” side of man’s nature being revealed in his misrule on the planet. Poverty, war and ethnic tensions continue to worsen.History repeats: the coming collapse of the United States?The history of nations is clear: When people lose their sense of values and reliance on God, bad things happen. The history of nations is clear: When people lose their sense of values and reliance on God, bad things happen. The history of ancient Israel shows that war and oppression followed whenever it forgot God. The United States is no exception to this timeless principle. God will not continue to bless a nation that no longer trusts Him or obeys His laws.The Bible teaches that individuals and nations need to learn to obey God and depend on Him for blessing, safety and understanding.Sadly, humans rarely remember the lessons of history and often repeat the same mistakes generation after generation. Biblical prophecies about Israel and the modern descendants of Israel exist for our benefit if we will only study them and act accordingly.We need to pay attention to what God says, or we will suffer the consequences of poor decisions.The time of Jacob’s troubleBecause the modern descendants of Abraham continue to follow their ancestors’ pattern of denying God, the Bible predicts a time of severe punishment that will come upon these peoples. Called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” in Jeremiah 30:7, this dire time will occur prior to Christ’s return.Even though the people of the United States are prophesied to suffer greatly for their sins during this time of trial, the good news is that “he [Jacob] shall be saved out of it.” This prophecy of unprecedented difficulty for Jacob’s descendants will be fulfilled just before the second coming of Jesus Christ. The reason for God’s punishment is found in His instructions to their ancestors millennia ago.The reason for God’s punishment on Jacob’s descendantsRecognizing the ancient Israelites’ hostility toward Him and His commands, God told Moses:“Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.“Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’“And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18).Repeating what God had revealed to him, Moses told the people: “For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands” (verse 29).Sin is the cause of Jacob’s troubleOur loving God hates sin because of its destructive effects. His laws are for our good, so when we break those laws, we bring bad consequences on ourselves and those around us. Sin causes pain and suffering and cuts us off from God.God’s desire is for the curses we bring on ourselves to turn us back to Him in repentance. Jacob’s trouble is intended to wake-up the end-time descendants of Jacob and motivate them to repent.Multiple punishments culminating in the time of Jacob’s troubleGod punished Israel in the eighth century B.C. when its citizens were taken captive by the Assyrians. Judah was punished in the sixth century B.C. at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the nation of Babylon.Disobedience to God’s commandments will once again bring about the downfall of the descendants of the ancient Israelites prior to Christ’s return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God.While all the nations of Israel will experience the tribulation of “Jacob’s trouble,” Genesis 48:16 reveals that Jacob explicitly placed his name on Ephraim and Manasseh. Hence their descendants (primarily the United States and Great Britain—along with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) will bear the brunt of this difficult time.“Time of trouble such as never was”Daniel spoke of this latter fulfillment, saying, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:1-2).How Jacob’s trouble relates to the end-time Great TribulationIn addition to the troubles coming to Jacob’s descendants, Jesus also spoke of an unprecedented time of difficulty that would threaten all nations just before His return.Describing this period of time, Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).Deliverance from the time of Jacob’s troubleEven though Jacob’s descendants will face severe punishment in “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” they will eventually repent and be restored. Even though the descendants of Jacob—including the English-speaking peoples of today—are going to face severe punishment for their disobedience to God, He promises: “‘I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it’” (Jeremiah 30:3).Describing this time of restoration, God continues: “‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds;What you need to doWhat will happen to America, and what is going to happen to you? While punishment is going to come to the United States and all nations for disobedience to God’s laws, you don’t have to suffer this fate. When Jesus came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).What is next for US and Britain? US economic collapse coming?A trillion dollars is beyond the grasp of ordinary people. What is a trillion dollars? A trillion dollars equals $1,000,000,000,000. That’s a 1 with 12 zeroes to the left of the decimal point. A trillion is a million millions.In April 2020, the U.S. debt was nearing $25 trillion. U.S. Debt http://Clock.org estimated that each U.S. citizen’s share of the debt was more than $70,000! How did one of the wealthiest nations in modern history become so indebted?Some of the largest areas of regular U.S. expenditures include Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, defense/wars, net interest on the debt and federal pensions. Add to that the extraordinary items, such as the federal government’s massive 2020 coronavirus response.Debt comes when we spend more than we earn. Many who go into debt do so with the hope that future earnings will make it possible to pay the deficit. There is a great deal of wealth in America; but increasingly, the wealthiest seem to get richer while many people slip below the poverty line each year.The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 11.8 percent of the U.S. population lived below the poverty level in 2018. And that was before the 2020 coronavirus crisis impacted the economy.U.S. public debtWhen you don’t have enough money to pay your bills, you must borrow it. This is also true for the United States when obligations have to be met. Government debt is often held by the public in the form of Treasury securities, which are owned by individuals, corporations, the Federal Reserve System, local governments and foreign nations.Local, state and federal governments largely raise money through taxes, borrowing and selling securities.So where does the U.S. stand in terms of its debt?HISTORY | Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite Shows gives this overview of the U.S. national debt from the time of the Great Depression:“The national debt again jumped dramatically as the economy tanked and the size, scope and role of government expanded during the Great Depression and the New Deal.“Then came World War II, when the debt-to-GDP ratio would rise above 77 percent for the first time in the nation’s history, reaching 113 percent (an all-time record) by the end of that conflict.“In the post-war years, the national debt shrank in comparison to the booming post-war economy, which saw high GDP growth. The debt-to-GDP ratio went as low as 24 percent in 1974.“Recession and rising interest rates soon caused it to swing upwards again, as did the huge permanent tax cuts during Ronald Reagan’s first term and increased spending on both defense and social programs, and by the early 1990s, the debt-to-GDP ratio had reached nearly 50 percent.America has on its currency “In God We Trust.” Has this become an empty phrase? “Economic growth in the late ’90s, combined with tax increases under both Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton helped bring the debt load back in line, and by 2001 the national debt was less than 33 percent of GDP.“But that would soon change, thanks to increased military spending after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, tax cuts under George W. Bush, and the arrival of the Great Recession, when GDP fell rapidly and business activity and tax revenues shrank. …“Despite the nation’s economic recovery, and the end of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio has remained above 100 percent since 2013. During fiscal year 2017, the total national debt passed $20 trillion for the first time in the nation’s history. Debt levels continue to rise. …“The COVID-19 epidemic is impacting national debts across the globe. The Congressional Budget Office projects a federal deficit of $1 trillion in 2020. An economic stimulus package from congress could prompt the U.S. national debt to surpass $25 trillion or higher.”America, once known as one of the richest nations in history, has become a debtor nation. Even though most of the debt is owned by Americans, U.S. debt has increased dramatically in recent years. It wasn’t too many years ago, during the presidency of Bill Clinton, that the United States had a surplus.Many factors in a free economy can challenge the effectiveness of its financial system. Greed and dishonesty by major companies have taken their toll. Financial scandals have undermined public trust.Financial curses prophesiedAmerica has on its currency “In God We Trust.” Has this become an empty phrase?The prophet Malachi in the Old Testament mentions an important principle: “‘If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart’” (Malachi 2:2).The United States of America has historically been a Christian-professing nation founded on Christian principles that include hard work, reverence for a Creator God and a desire to help others in need. While other nations possessed great national wealth, the spirit of enterprise and opportunity certainly propelled this young nation toward hope and prosperity.In the Bible the ancient nation of Israel began with blessings from God. Its citizens asked, “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7).Because of sin, the Bible predicts a time of great trial for the descendants of the ancient Israelites and the whole world (Jeremiah 30:7; Mark 13:19). The United States needs to honor God and pay its bills if it wants to be blessed.A New Economic SystemEurope is getting ready to take over the political and military reins that Washington is dropping. But the Continent is perhaps even better positioned to take over economic leadership.The Picture in ProphecyThe second major reason we should be concerned about the rise of Europe comes from Bible prophecy. It clearly warns about Europe’s military and economic power—exactly the two areas where we see Europe preparing to succeed the U.S.One of the most chilling warnings in Scripture, repeated in several passages, concerns the end-time nations descended from the ancient tribes of Israel. These prophecies depict not just the fall of these nations, but the captivity of a great number of their citizens following a military defeat. Hosea 8:9; 9:3; 10:6; 11:11; Micah 5:6; 7:12; Zechariah 10:11, and other passages all show Israel taken captive by Assyria. This is not speaking of what happened historically, when the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria in 721 b.c. All these books were written long after that captivity had occurred. They refer to a captivity to take place yet in the future.Which modern nation is descended from ancient Assyria? Germany. (To prove this, request our free reprint article “The Remarkable Identity of the German People.”)The Bible’s warnings about a European power don’t rest solely on proof that Germany is modern Assyria, however. Daniel 2 and 7 describe a succession of world-ruling empires. The final empire is plainly the Roman Empire. These prophecies state that this empire will remain on the scene, in one form or another, until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The fulfillment of this prophecy is corroborated by history: Sure enough, European powers have consistently resurrected that resilient Roman Empire.Another proof is in Daniel 11. Here is a prophecy of Middle Eastern history so accurate that skeptics insist it must have been written after the events it describes. It prophesied that Alexander the Great’s empire would split into four parts (verse 4). The chapter describes world events before the return of Christ in terms of this split. One of these powers is called the king of the north, the other the king of the south.Who is the modern king of the north? Anciently it was Syria, which was swallowed up by Rome, the ancient counterpart to modern Europe.With that background in place, this, then, is the real reason for concern over the rise of Europe after America: The Bible foretells that it is about to go on a rampage.Blitzkrieg ConquestsLook at this extraordinary sequence of events prophesied in Daniel 11: It all starts with a Middle Eastern power “pushing” at Europe (verse 40). Without America’s protection, by this time Europe has been forced to build its own military and responds quickly. In a broad sense, this power is already pushing at Europe through the spread of radical Islam, and Europe is already responding. But Daniel is describing the violent culmination of that offensive.But Europe doesn’t stop there. Now a military power with a major presence in the Middle East, it keeps going. Verse 41 states that it enters “the glorious land”—the same Promised Land that the Israelites inhabited anciently, currently inhabited by the Jews. This is a shocking, nation-destroying double cross of the modern Jewish state, which had naively trusted Europe to broker peace in America’s absence.Hosea 5:5-7 prophesy that Britain, America and Israel will all fall within a month—meaning that when Israel falls, Britain and America must fall at about the same time.Before these bold, blitzkrieg military conquests, Europe, as the new leader of the world’s financial system, enforces a blockade of America. What’s left of the broken American economy is completely destroyed. Deuteronomy 28:52 prophesies of this economic siege. Isaiah 23 implies that China cooperates in it. (For more information on this particular prophecy, request our free book Isaiah’s End-Time Vision.)Daniel 11:44 describes the German-led Europe seeing the nations of Asia amassing power. In a recent lecture, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry speculated that this prophecy could refer to Europe recognizing that Asian powers are about to conquer America. Rather than allow that—which would leave Europe flanked in both hemispheres by an Asian alliance—Europe makes the first move.However it happens, prophecy is clear about a European conquest of the Anglo-American world. “In this fearful, awesome atomic age, World War iii will start with nuclear devastation unleashed on London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, without warning!” wrote Herbert W. Armstrong in The United States and Britain in Prophecy. Numerous scriptures describe the total destruction of our cities in nuclear fire (Isaiah 1:7 and Jeremiah 34:22, for example). Isaiah 6:11, as well as several scriptures in Jeremiah, warn of cities left “without inhabitant”—something that only became possible on a large scale with the advent of the nuclear bomb and the radiation it brings. Jeremiah 9:12 warns that “the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through.” That is what Britain and America will look like after this attack.The ruined city of London will be a tourist attraction, where visitors from across Europe will come to marvel at what “the Lord [has done] unto this great city” (Jeremiah 22:7-8).Now we enter the real post-American world—when the nation is literally no more. What does this world look like? Lessons from a fallen empireThere’s a lesson for the United States in the memory of some still living.Few people alive today can remember a time when the world was dominated by the British, but that’s the way things were before World War II.The European Power at Its PeakRevelation 18 foretells that Europe will become incredibly prosperous at the head of the new economic system. It says that “the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies” (Revelation 18:3). Verses 12 and 13 give a long list of its riches. At the end of the list is the most disturbing item: “slaves and souls of men.”This is talking primarily about the captives from America, Britain and Israel.Joel 3:3 describes the plight of these slaves. Their lives are so cheap that a male slave is traded for a trip to a prostitute, and a female slave is swapped for a bottle of wine.This is forced labor on a massive scale—millions of people. Ezekiel 5 tells us that a mind-stretching one third of Britain and America’s current population will go into captivity (request our free booklet on Ezekiel for more information). That’s around 125 million slaves!Great powers come and go. For more than six decades the United states has been the world’s dominant power. Seventy years ago, Great Britain – with its vast empire- was the world’s greatest power. Is the United States following Britain’s path to decline, to be replaced by another power? Are we seeing the first stages?Financial blessings for obedienceIf a nation worships God in spirit and truth, God promises many blessings. Notice what God told the ancient Israelites.“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.“The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways” (Deuteronomy 28:2-9).Continuing to explain the blessings for obedience, God said, “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (verse 12).As for the status of those who must borrow, the Bible is clear: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, emphasis added).U.S. debt crisis?The staggering amount of national and personal debt could have serious repercussions, including a depression. If America does not pay its debts, difficult economic times could come for millions of people, especially those who depend on entitlements from the government.Wealthy civilizations that were known for their military power and influence have collapsed in the past. Will America join the list of ancient civilizations that lie in ruin?Incurring debt and not repaying it is a mark against the character of an individual as well as a nation. No family or nation can afford to live beyond its means indefinitely. The laws of economics, as well as the laws of God, show that default brings pain on all. God wants mankind to prosper (3 John 1:2), but God will not bless a family or nation that refuses to honor Him and pay its bills.Is it possible that a great nation with fantastic resources could end in financial ruin? Will a financial crisis bring about a U.S. economic collapse? The future is unclear as to exactly what will happen in the years ahead. But it is sure that if Americans forsake their God and seek their own way, the blessings that have sustained us for decades will surely fade away.we deeply care about what happens to our nations, we do not take sides or get involved in politics. Instead, we focus on proclaiming what God reveals through His Word. That message will help all Americans and the peoples of all nations understand Bible prophecy, have a better relationship with God, and receive the benefits God wants to provide for everyone.In this article we will focus on the United States because the way in which God has blessed this nation and how He will deal with its shortcomings are examples for everyone. Peoples and nations who follow God’s instructions are destined to prosper.Assessing the United StatesAccording to a poll by the Barna Group, “72 percent of registered voters indicate they believe the United States is headed in the wrong direction.” The percentage among those claiming to be Christians was even higher (“Voters Want a Different America,” May 11, 2016).The report stated that voters “know something substantial must be done, but either they don’t know what that prescription is or they don’t have the courage to pursue it.” The prevailing perception is that “America has lost its mojo. And they realize restoring it at this point will be much harder than simply maintaining it might have been.”It isn’t hard to figure out what is causing Americans concern. Racial tension has exploded in many cities across the nation over shootings of young black men by police officers. Adding to the concern was a shooting of nine black church members in Charleston by a mentally unbalanced, young white man during a Bible study. There have also been revenge killings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge.Racial tension isn’t the only problem, of course. A Gallup report earlier this year noted that the “economy tops Americans’ concern as [the] most important issue” (“Economy, Government Top U.S. Problem List,” April 14, 2016). Many are underemployed or have given up on looking for work, as landing a good paying job has become more difficult.Added to these issues are concerns over immigration, terrorism, the federal budget deficit, national security and dissatisfaction with government.Even though the U.S. is currently grappling with these problems, it continues to be the most powerful nation in the world. But what will the future bring?A lesson from historyPhilosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So what does the history of the American people tell us? Let’s not just go back to 1776, when the United States declared its independence. That’s too short-sighted. Let’s go back to the much earlier history of the ancestors of the people who formed the United States of America.America and the blessings of AbrahamCareful biblical and historical research shows the pre-1776 history of today’s Americans goes back to the Israelite tribe of Manasseh. Manasseh and his brother, Ephraim, were granted the birthright blessings of Abraham that had been passed from generation to generation. The peoples from these two brothers were prophesied to rise as a “great” nation and a “multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:13-20). This blessing was never fulfilled during the time of the ancient Israelites. It has only come to pass in recent centuries. But we’re getting ahead of the story.As one of the tribes that comprised the ancient Israelites, the early history of Manasseh is tied in with the history of ancient Israel. And the narrative is really quite simple.Cause and effect and America’s ancestorsGod gave them many blessings because of His promises to Abraham and because He wanted them to be a model nation. But the law of cause and effect was still in force. When the ancient Israelites obeyed God’s laws, their nation prospered. When they disobeyed, their country declined.Sadly, disobedience became the norm. When they continued to disobey, their divided kingdoms fell to conquering nations sent by God to punish them for their sins. This eventually happened to both the northern tribes of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 17; Jeremiah 52).Having ignored the warnings God gave them through His prophets, the ancient tribe of Manasseh, along with the rest of the tribes in the northern kingdom of Israel, fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722-721 B.C. Over the centuries, the descendants of Manasseh, along with those of their brother tribe of Ephraim, migrated west to the British Isles.New nations, same instruction from GodIn fulfillment of the latter-day birthright promises given to them by their grandfather Jacob, the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh became Great Britain and the United States of America (Genesis 48:13-20; 49:1, 22-26).As the recipients of many of the blessings of Abraham, these people of all peoples should obey God’s laws. These instructions include worshipping Him on the seventh-day Sabbath, observing the biblical holy days, helping the poor, treating everyone with respect, living moral lives, upholding the traditional family, practicing truth and honesty, and keeping the 10 Commandments.Unfortunately, most Americans (and Britons) ignore these biblical teachings and no longer uphold traditional moral values. They mistakenly consider them to be outdated and irrelevant to life today. As a result, the God who does not change and who is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) will once again punish these peoples for breaking His timeless, beneficial laws.Punishment to come: American declineThis future punishment—called the time of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7)—will come upon Jacob’s descendants, which include the United States and Britain. God says to these peoples, “I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished … because your sins have increased” (verses 11, 14).And what will the punishment be? The answer is found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, where both the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience to God’s laws are laid out.Punishments for disobedience include economic disaster (Deuteronomy 28:16-18), mental illness (verse 28), “extraordinary plagues … and serious and prolonged sicknesses” (verse 59), drought and starvation (verses 24, 53-57), military defeat and captivity (verses 25-26, 41). Read all of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 for a more complete explanation of this terrible time to come—with conditions worse than any other time in history (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21).The good news is that the prophecy in Jeremiah also notes that the modern-day descendants of Jacob “shall be saved out of it [this punishment]” (Jeremiah 30:7).Restoration: a return to greatness prophesied for AmericaA return to greatness is prophesied for the American (and British) peoples, as a part of the restored 12-tribed nation of Israel, after they repent of their sins and turn to God. The Bible reveals that this will occur after Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth.Speaking of conditions the descendants of Jacob will enjoy when they turn from their transgressions during the millennial reign of Christ, Isaiah prophesied: “The abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. … Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders” (Isaiah 60:5, 18).The economic problems and violence within America’s cities today will give way to prosperity and peace because, as God explains, “your people shall all be righteous” (verse 21).The lessons for everyoneWhile there are many lessons that could be drawn from the biblical prophecies about the modern-day descendants of the tribe of Manasseh, here are two important ones.First, if Americans and the peoples of other nations will repent of their sins and turn to God, they will not have to suffer the punishment predicted for them. As God explains, “If that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it” (Jeremiah 18:8).We must remember that God loves the peoples of all nations and wants to bless everyone. The proverb states it succinctly: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).Second, while we cannot single-handedly change others or control what our nation will do, we can change our own lives for the better. As the apostle Peter explained, “In every nation whoever fears Him [God] and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35).The United States and Britain have held the most power during the past two centuries, and so many have wondered who these people are in Bible prophecy.Why Europe and not Asia?While many are warning that China will replace the United States as the world’s dominant power, Bible prophecy shows otherwise—though it should be emphasized that the Scriptures strongly suggest that the revived European-centered Roman Empire will not last long.Revelation 17:12 tells us that the leaders who will unite and surrender their national sovereignty to this new geopolitical force will “receive authority for one hour.” An hour is symbolic of a short period of time.The Bible also prophesies a great power rising in the Far East when it writes of massive military forces coming against the revived European power from beyond the Euphrates River (Revelation 9:14-16; 16:12). This could very well include China, perhaps in alliance with other regional powers.Referring to Old Testament prophecies, he explained, "[In] Ezekial 39 God says to Magog in Verse 2, 'I'll turn you and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north.' Well if you look to the north of Israel, you find the large nation known as Russia. Is this describing Russia? I think it very well may be. I don't think anyone can say with absolute certainty say its Russia but I think you can make a very good case for it being Russia. But what I find interesting is the allies that march with Magog. There's Ethiopia, what we call modern-day Sudan, Libya would be Libya and then there's Iran because Persia is mentioned and Persia is modern-day Iran."Although U.S. President Barack Obama reopened talks last year with Iran for the first time since 1979, Laurie believes Iran is a "formidable enemy" that still wants to destroy Israel despite its new leader. He also noted Iran and Russia are allies and have an agreement to sell and purchase arms from one anotherChina is a great power and is set to become even more powerful. However, its economy is closely tied to the United States and could be negatively affected by developments in America.At the same time, there are serious concerns about its own banking system. “The current expansion in lending…risks creating China’s own home grown banking crisis with a rise in non-performing bank loans…Chinese bank regulators are concerned that new lending is being used to finance real estate and stock market speculation rather than productive purposes” (Satyajit Das, “China: A Future That Was,” EuroIntelligence, Nov. 20, 2009). Putting it simply, China is repeating America’s mistakes!Which currency could replace the failing dollar as the new global reserve currency? The only answer: whichever currency is being used by Germany.China couldn’t do it—its entire economic policy is fundamentally incompatible with its currency being the world’s reserve. What else is the world going to use? Japan’s yen, backed by a debt nearly 2½ times the size of its economy and a radical money-printing program? The Russian ruble? The Saudi riyal?The euro is a mess right now, but there is no better candidate to replace the dollar.China is already looking for a dollar replacement. As Xinhua, China’s official news agency, recently headlined, “U.S. Fiscal Failure Warrants a De-Americanized World” (Oct. 13, 2013).Europe invented its single currency with exactly that goal in mind. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing deplored the “exorbitant privilege” that currency-reserve status gave America. The euro was Europe’s plan to grab that privilege for itself.At present, the euro is in disarray mainly because it gets one thing fundamentally—and deliberately—wrong: A common currency cannot work without a robust political union. Once the Europeans overcome that hurdle, the reserve currency privilege is theirs for the taking.The economies of northern Europe, especially Germany, are fundamentally strong. The Bundesbank has a long-standing reputation as a trustworthy and responsible central bank. It would be the last central bank anyone would expect to print money and devalue a currency. In banking, reliability is everything. Either by itself or through the European Central Bank (ecb), the Bundesbank could easily take the Federal Reserve’s spot as the world’s central bank.All this puts Europe at the center of the post-American financial system. It will become the dominant economic power. Already the EU has a larger gross domestic product than the U.S. With America out of the picture, Europe would account for one third of the world’s total economic output. The EU’s combined gdp is twice that of China—and bigger than China’s, Russia’s and Japan’s combined.Who’s Afraid of the EU?These political, military and economic possibilities all lead us to an important question: So what? After all, who’s afraid of the EU?That very question is actually another reason why Europe will rise to preeminence as America declines. The world trusts Europe. The Europeans are reputed to be the great consensus builders. Government by committee goes nowhere fast and threatens no one. As a continent full of democracies that have not had to use major military power for 70 years, Europe is home to the world’s good guys—or at least the world’s non-threatening guys. This perception works to the Europeans’ advantage.But this charitable view ignores two supremely important points that do give rise to legitimate concern about what a world dominated by Europe will look like.The first of these is history. True, Europe has been peaceful in the American-dominated world of the second half of the 20th century, but going back to World War ii and before, its past loudly trumpets that this is an extreme exception. With America out of the way, all the factors that have kept Europe at peace will be gone. And for the first time in 70 years, Europe will have unmitigated authorization to conduct itself as a major military power.There are many for whom the idea of Europe reverting to militaristic type is unthinkable. They believe the world today, particularly Europe, has become far too civilized—perhaps even complacent and lethargic—for such a thing to occur.This is a common delusion. Throughout history mankind has believed that we have solved war forever. Before Napoleon, professional armies were said to have made war so destructive that it had become obsolete. Before World War i, global commerce, international agreements and an increase in culture and sophistication supposedly meant war was history. Afterward, World War i was said to have been “the war to end all wars.”In his book on the First World War titled The World Crisis, Winston Churchill warned about those who proclaimed that “[c]ivilization has climbed above such perils.” They argued that “[t]he interdependence of nations in trade and traffic, the sense of public law, the Hague Convention, Liberal principles, the Labour Party, high finance, Christian charity, common sense have rendered such nightmares impossible.“Are you quite sure?” asked Churchill. “It would be a pity to be wrong. Such a mistake could only be made once—once for all” (emphasis added). Today, statesmen give almost an identical list of reasons why war between major powers is antiquated: globalization, nuclear weapons, etc. But after America is gone, Europe will be a military power in an altogether new world.Although few comprehended it at the time, this change was truly momentous. “For two centuries Britain had been the dominant power in the eastern Mediterranean. Now it seemed to be surrendering that role in two key countries.“It is often said that Americans lack a historical sense that Europeans have, but on this occasion it was the Americans who saw the historical significance of that moment. To British ministers, battling from day to day to keep the country’s head above water, this seemed to be just a temporary retrenchment in one area. None of them appeared to see any larger implications in the decision.“The American view was put in grandiloquent terms by Joseph M. Jones, who was in the State Department at the time: ‘Reading the messages, [it was] realized…that Great Britain had within the hour handed the job of world leadership, with all its burdens and all its glory, to the United States” (p. 64, emphasis added throughout).The date was Feb. 21, 1947—the day the United States effectively replaced Great Britain as the world’s global superpower. The state of the United StatesEven the United States of America—the nation long recognized as the most powerful and influential nation of the free world—is experiencing these difficulties.A Rasmussen poll taken the week of March 26, 2020, reported that only 40 percent of likely U.S. voters say the country “is headed in the right direction.”An August 2019 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that 70 percent of Americans say they feel angry “because our political system seems to only be working for the insiders with money and power, like those on Wall Street or in Washington.”Just 27 percent of those surveyed say they’re confident that their children’s generation will be better off than them, and 60 percent say that race relations in the United States are bad.Future of AmericaWhat does the future hold? Will technology be used to bring about recovery, or will it be used by evil-minded men to bring about our demise?American roots: the U.S. connection to AbrahamThe majority of the people who settled in the United States of America have a unique connection to the biblical patriarch Abraham and his descendants. Genesis 48:13-16 explains how Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson, was sold into slavery by his brothers yet became a powerful ruler in Egypt.Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received from their grandfather Jacob a special blessing that had previously been passed down from Abraham. Prophecies in the Bible reveal that these two brothers—Ephraim and Manasseh—would rise to prominence. Today the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh are largely the peoples of Britain (and related nations) and the United States respectively.Prophecy fulfilled by the United StatesAs far as military prowess and physical blessings go, the Bible says that in “the last days” the descendants of Joseph would be exceptionally blessed above other nations and even their own brethren—the other nations that would arise from Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 49:1, 22-26). These prophecies have come to pass just as God said.The United States is indeed a very powerful nation with abundant fertile land, a good climate and laws that allow for creativity, investment, hard work and the ability to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor.Challenges facing AmericaIn spite of the United States’ vast blessings, poor decisions by its leadership over the years threaten the way of life so many Americans have come to enjoy. Irresponsible increases in debt and entitlement programs that cannot be sustained at current levels of taxation are problems passed from one administration to the next. In April 2020, U.S. Debt http://Clock.org estimated that each U.S. citizen’s share of the debt was $71,903!Debt is not America’s only problem. “A recent study from Pew Research shows that in most regions of the world, the U.S. image now faces a new challenge: doubts about America’s superpower status” (“Pew: U.S. Becoming a Second-Rate Power”).The article goes on to explain that most people in 15 of 22 nations polled believe that China “will replace or already has replaced the United States as the world’s leading superpower.”Sexual immoralitySexual immorality is another problem. Deviant sexual behavior has become a way of life for many in the United States. God’s laws against living together prior to marriage, marital infidelity and same-sex marriage are now considered archaic and out of date by an increasing number of Americans.Abortion—taking the life of an innocent child prior to birth—has become the common method of birth control for millions of women. Some callously argue that this is their right.Claiming freedom and superior intellectual understanding, many in the United States think they know better than their Creator. Reflecting this way of thinking, the United States is one of the largest producers of pornography in the world.The ancient Israelites had similar attitudes toward God’s moral laws.As God said through the prophet Jeremiah, “How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, then they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses. They were like well-fed lusty stallions; every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife” (Jeremiah 5:7-8).God also lamented that they did not “know how to blush” (Jeremiah 6:15) and “therefore they shall fall among those who fall; in the time of their punishment they shall be cast down” (Jeremiah 8:12).(Edited as written by the following men of God.)Larry GreiderTim GrovesDavid TreybigMelvin rhodes