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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Super Bowl XLVII - Dark Night of Fire

Joseph Herrin (02-04-2013)



I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
[From American Pie, Written by Don McLean]

As mentioned in a previous post, Super Bowl XLVII was held on the anniversary ofThe Day the Music Died, an expression that denotes the date in 1959 when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P Richardson (The Big Bopper) died in a plane crash. Singer/Songwriter Don McLean memorialized the occasion when he wrote the songAmerican Pie which became immensely popular, and has been much in focus in recent years. This song was sung by a crowd of 500,000 Americans in front of the Lincoln Memorial during Barack Obama’s first inauguration in Washington, D.C..

Numerous lyrics from this song have relevance to last night’s Super Bowl held in New Orleans, one of the most wicked cities in America. I will make reference to some of the song’s lyrics throughout this post.

In reviewing the parabolic meaning of the Super Bowl, keep in mind what has previously been shared. This Super Bowl was unique in that the opposing head coaches were brothers. Prior to Jim and John Harbaugh becoming head coaches of their respective teams, brothers have never coached NFL teams simultaneously, and have never faced off against one another in the Super Bowl. The theme of “brother against brother” evokes a correspondence to a looming civil war among Americans. (See the post titled Brother Against Brother.)

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/brother-against-brother.html




Brother Against Brother
(Notice the Nike - God of War - symbol on the left arm of the SF jersey)

It was anticipated that a theme of civil war would be observed during this contest. Not only was a great conflict of brother against brother carried out on the field, but the commercials also contained a recurring theme of civil strife arising.

One of the most pronounced examples of this was the Oreo cookie commercial that was set in a library. Libraries are known to be peaceful places. They are places where people are generally quiet, soft-spoken, and respectful toward others who come to read or study. It was striking that in the Oreo commercial the library patrons erupted into a greatly exaggerated conflict over something as trivial as whether the cookie or the creme filling was the better part of an Oreo. Note in the commercial that fire is also a part of the drama. Fire was a central theme of the Super Bowl.

Oreo Cookie Commercial
http://youtu.be/ufu5sqJh24Q


In the Oreo cookie commercial, civil strife erupts suddenly and with great violence in an unexpected place. A place that was formerly peaceful and tranquil became a place of chaos and bitter fighting. This is a foreshadowing of that which is coming to America.

Another commercial was titled Gaspocalypse. It was an advertisement for Hyundai’s fuel efficient Sonata Hybrid.

http://youtu.be/Mldum9YGNEs


Again, a peaceful drive in the country turns suddenly menacing and violent. Note that the commercial ends with the driver of the Hyundai saying, “Aren’t you guys taking this week-end warrior thing a little too far?” The phrase “week-end warrior” is a term used to describe part time soldiers who are members of the National Guard. It is the National Guard that is typically called out in times of national emergency and times of civil unrest. The implication is that these “week-end warriors” will soon be viewed as acting in extreme ways by the average American.

I do not own a television, but the entire Super Bowl was broadcast over the Internet at the CBS Sports website. It was the first time such a major sporting event was broadcast in this manner. There were some differences between the Internet broadcast and the televised broadcast. One of the major differences was in the commercials. There were a limited number of commercials on the Internet. I began viewing about twenty minutes after the game began, and the first commercial I saw was for a video game called God of War Ascension. The commercial shown is titled “From Ashes.”
















The game focuses on a man who became a deity. Having rebelled against the gods, he is chained, but later breaks free of his shackles and leads a revolt against the gods. This, of course, is a parable of Satan who rebelled against Yahweh, was judged, but has risen again “from the ashes.” This “ascension” of Satan is commonly depicted among Freemasons and other Illuminati groups as the Phoenix that is destroyed in fire but is reborn to ascend into the heavens again. The Phoenix was a symbol employed in last year’s Super Bowl half-time show, as well as during the closing ceremonies of the London Olympics. For those who have eyes to see, this theme was also present in yesterday’s Super Bowl broadcast.

God of War Ascension Commercial
http://youtu.be/1aDhfTGkLTg


It is apparent from these witnesses that a time of civil war, of brother against brother, is approaching for the nation. In the recent posts on the Christian’s attitude toward gun ownership, I set forth the mind of Christ on this subject, urging believers to not become embroiled in physical conflict. You can view these writings at the following links:

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-great-gun-grab.html

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/gun-ownership-and-mind-of-christ.html

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/waco-texas-and-weapons-of-our-warfare.html

In this Super Bowl contest there was a parable given that reveals the error of Christians entering into a carnal struggle with flesh and blood. Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, is a professing Christian. He has interpreted a number of Scriptures about fighting with enemies in a literal sense. His body is heavily tattooed, and on each arm he has a Scripture written from the Psalms.

Psalm 27:3, on one arm, reads: “Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (NLT)

Psalm 18:39, on the other arm, says:, “You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet.” (NIV)



















Colin Kaepernick

The apostle Paul wrote:

II Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful...

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

A part of the parable of this game was to show what happens when a Christian engages in a conflict with flesh and blood. Yahweh has NOT promised His sons and daughters that they will prevail in a physical conflict. Christ told Peter to put away his sword, for those who take up the sword must perish by the sword.

Colin Kaepernick is a fleshly Christian. This is revealed by his attention to adorning his flesh with tattoos. It is also seen in that action which has become a type of trademark. He kisses his bicep whenever he makes a touchdown pass, or has some significant success on the field.


















This is boasting in the arm of the flesh. Despite the Scriptures on his arms, the 49ers did not triumph over their adversaries, and the Ravens did not bow at their feet. The Christian is not promised physical victory over their adversaries. Quite the contrary.

Romans 8:36-38
"For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Revelation 12:11
"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.”

There is a great warfare coming to the nations. Civil strife will be rampant. It is NOT the will of Yahweh that the disciples of Christ wage a carnal war against flesh and blood. Our victory is a spiritual one. Christ triumphed on the cross though it appeared outwardly that He was being overcome by evil men. When we can return blessings for curses, love for hate, and forgiveness for offenses, then we have demonstrated that we are sons of God walking in His divine power.

I would return to the beginning of the Super Bowl broadcast and share some signs in the order in which they occurred. The Super Bowl, as many sporting events in America, begins with the singing of the National Anthem. For this occasion, Alicia Keys was chosen. Just a few weeks prior to this, Alicia Keys was invited to perform at Barack Obama’s inauguration. She sang a very bizarre song whose lyrics have raised many an eyebrow.

“He’s president and he’s on fire, hotter than a fantasy, lonely like a highway. He’s living in a world and it’s on fire, filled with catastrophe, but he knows he can fly away. He's got both feet on the ground and he’s burning it down, got his head in the clouds and he’s not backing down... Everybody knows that Michelle is his girl. Together they run the world. So we’re gonna let it burn baby... ”

http://youtu.be/ivLLtyFvd8E


The relevance of Alicia Keys being invited to both of these events and being offered a starring role is profound. A time of catastrophe when the world will erupt in flames of destruction and in the fire of civil strife is fast approaching.

The next musical performance during this broadcast was during the halftime show. Significantly, Beyonce’s program lasted for 13 minutes. This number is associated with Satan and the Illuminati. In the Scriptures the number 13 signifies “rebellion, apostasy, defection, corruption, disintegration, revolution, or some kindred idea.” (See E.W. Bullinger’s book Number in Scripture.)

The halftime show began in darkness, punctuated with flames of fire rising into the night.



Destiny’s Child

The amount of fire throughout this 13 minute performance was extraordinary. There were even flames shooting forth from a guitar played by one of the musicians. This emphasis upon fire is found in the lyrics of the song American Pie.

So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick!
Jack flash sat on a candlestick
Cause fire is the devil’s only friend.

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage.
No angel born in hell
Could break that Satan’s spell.
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite,
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died.

Remember, this is all occurring on the anniversary of The Day the Music Died. Beyonce’s performance ends with a sacrificial rite as she lies as if slain on the stage floor. The music has ended, which is a symbolism employed in the Scriptures to indicate judgment and destruction upon a land.

Isaiah 24:6-8
Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. The new wine mourns, the vine decays, all the merry-hearted sigh. The gaiety of tambourines ceases, the noise of revelers stops, the gaiety of the harp ceases.

Revelation 18:21-22
And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer...”

“Jack flash” is a term for the devil. In the lyrics of American Pie it states, “Jack flash sat on a candlestick.” A brother in Christ pointed out that the San Francisco 49ers play their home games in Candlestick Park. In a sense, the 49ers were “sat upon” as they were defeated by the Ravens.

The last song that Beyonce performed was from her album I Am... Sasha Fierce. In 2008 Beyonce announced that she had an alter ego named Sasha Fierce that took over when she was onstage. This persona enabled her to do things that she would not normally do. She became much bolder, much more sexually demonstrative, when under the influence of this “spirit.” Watching her face during the performance, it was apparent that a great transformation came over her at times. She was truly fierce looking. At times she looked as if she was in rage as she was no doubt under the influence of the evil spirit she has opened herself up to.

The song she sang from the Sasha Fierce album was Halo. Halo alludes to a fallen angel taking possession of her body. The lyrics include the following.

Remember those walls I built?
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound
I found a way to let you in
But, I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm taking
I ain't never gonna shut you out!

Recently, Beyonce announced that she was dropping the Sasha Fierce persona for she had now merged the two sides of her being. This seems to be what was depicted on the stage of the Super Bowl as there were outlines of two faces pointed toward one another.




In a sense, this stage also symbolizes brother against brother, facing off. America is deeply divided, yet in truth the majority are identical to one another. They have fallen under the influence of Satan. The strong wage war against the weak, yet all are seeking selfish gain. As a result the entire nation will go up in flames. America is about to be plunged into darkness.

Not coincidentally, shortly after the halftime show concluded, the Super Dome was plunged into darkness as the power went out. The game was delayed for 35 minutes as engineers worked to get power restored and the lights back on.

Let us follow the sequence of events. The halftime show which begins and ends in darkness, but which is punctuated by fire, has just concluded. On the first play of the second half Jacoby Jones of the Ravens receives the kick-off deep in the Raven’s end zone. He runs it out and is untouched as he travels the entire field to score a touchdown. It is announced that his run was 109 yards, setting a new NFL and Super Bowl record. This claim is made repeatedly for about the next half hour until it is announced that the NFL ruled that it was actually only an 108 yard kick-off return.

I believe it is part of the parable that it was announced confidently and repeatedly that his return was 109 yards, and a new NFL record. When I heard this it occurred to me that there is only one chapter of all 66 books of the Bible that bears the number 109. I looked it up to see what was written there. Following is a portion of the 109th Psalm.

O God of my praise, do not be silent! For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause. In return for my love they act as my accusers; But I am in prayer. Thus they have repaid me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Appoint a wicked man over him; And let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him come forth guilty; And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; Let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children wander about and beg; And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. Let the creditor seize all that he has; And let strangers plunder the product of his labor. Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off; In a following generation let their name be blotted out.

This Psalm of David is a cry for vengeance upon the ungodly. This is also a prophecy, for it foretells of Judas being cut-off for betraying Yahshua. Judas’office of an apostle was given to another.

The Secret Service codename for Barack Obama is “renegade.” One of the definitions of “renegade” is someone who betrays another, a traitor. There has been some consideration of whether the President will meet a similar fate. Since he took his oath of office with his hand upon the Bibles of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, both of whom were assassinated, and his first inaugural event was held in front of the Lincoln Memorial where He sang the lyrics of American Pie that include “This’ll be the day that I die,” there is some basis for pondering these things. Many have also noted Vice President Joe Biden’s recent gaffe where he introduced himself by saying “I am proud to be President.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/quoted-joe-biden-proud-to-be-president/2013/01/20/0e6d47ba-633b-11e2-85f5-a8a9228e55e7_blog.html

Could there be a fulfillment of another taking Obama’s office? As mentioned in previous posts, the Democratic National Convention that saw Obama nominated for a second term featured a large sand sculpture of the President. The sculpture was damaged by rain and had to be repaired, possibly symbolizing injury and recovery. For more on this topic see the post titled Brother Against Brother.

http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/brother-against-brother.html

I had only enough time after the announcement of the 109 yard return to switch out to my Bible program, open to Psalm 109 and do a quick reading. When I returned to the CBS site I found that the stadium had been plunged into darkness. These things occurring on the heels of one another seemed strongly prophetic. Just a moment later a commercial for the new Blackberry Z10 phone came on. The tag line for the commercial was “Who knows what tomorrow will bring?”

It was 3rd and 13 for the 49ers when the power went out. There was 13:22 remaining on the clock in the third quarter. The preponderance of 13s was striking as this followed hard after the 13 minute Halftime show. CBS was running a live Twitter feed. One commentator tweeted the following:

I just walked out of the Superdome to assess the scene. The outside lights are completely out. Very, very eery.

In a recent post I mentioned a teaser commercial for Mercedes Benz. The only words spoken in the ad were:

Something powerful is coming.

See it February 3rd.

We did see something relating to “power” on this date. What could be more “powerful” than to cut the power to the stadium when the Super Bowl is being broadcast to an audience of more than 100 million worldwide? What could be more powerful than to plunge the world into darkness? The dark night is rising. Civil war and fiery destruction are being foretold. The black clad Ravens, those unclean carrion birds signifying spiritual forces of wickedness, defeated the Patriots on the date of Obama’s inauguration, and they have conquered the golden 49ers on The Day the Music Died.

Final Score Ravens 34, 49ers 31


Joseph Herrin

UN calls on Israel to remove over 500,000 settlers



The United Nations’ first report on Israel’s settlements policy concluded Thursday that the government’s practice of “creeping annexation” clearly violates the human rights of Palestinians and called for the withdrawal of 500,000 settlers.

U.N. human rights investigators called on Israel on Thursday to halt settlement expansion and withdraw all half a million Jewish settlers from the occupied West Bank, saying that its practices could be subject to prosecution as possible war crimes.

A three-member U.N. panel said private companies should stop working in the settlements if their work adversely affected the human rights of Palestinians, and urged member states to ensure companies respected human rights.

“Israel must cease settlement activities and provide adequate, prompt and effective remedy to the victims of violations of human rights,” Christine Chanet, a French judge who led the U.N. inquiry, told a news conference.

The settlements contravened the Fourth Geneva Convention forbidding the transfer of civilian populations into occupied territory and could amount to war crimes that fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United Nations report said.

“To transfer its own population into an occupied territory is prohibited because it is an obstacle to the exercise of the right to self-determination,” Chanet said.

In December, the Palestinians accused Israel in a letter to the United Nations of planning to commit what it said were further war crimes by expanding Jewish settlements after the Palestinians won de facto U.N. recognition of statehood, and said Israel must be held accountable.

Israel has not cooperated with the probe set up by the Human Rights Council last March to examine the impact of settlements in the territory, including East Jerusalem. Israel says the forum has an inherent bias against it and defends its settlement policy by citing historical and Biblical links to the West Bank.

Israel’s foreign ministry swiftly rejected the report as “counterproductive and unfortunate”. The Palestine Liberation Organisation welcomed its “principled and candid” findings.

“The only way to resolve all pending issues between Israel and the Palestinians, including the settlements issue, is through direct negotiations without pre-conditions. Counterproductive measures – such as the report before us, will only hamper efforts to find a sustainable solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict,” Israel’s Yigal Palmor said.

“The Human Rights Council has sadly distinguished itself by its systematically one-sided and biased approach towards Israel. This latest report is yet another unfortunate reminder of that.”

But Hanan Ashrawi, a top PLO official told Reuters: “This is incredible. We are extremely heartened by this principled and candid assessment of Israeli violations...This report clearly states the Israel is not just violating the 4th Geneva Convention, but places Israel in liability to the Rome Statute under the jurisdiction of the ICC.”

The independent U.N. investigators interviewed more than 50 people who came to Jordan in November to testify about confiscated land, damage to their livelihoods including olive trees, and violence by Jewish settlers, according to the report.

“The mission believes that the motivation behind this violence and the intimidation against the Palestinians as well as their properties is to drive the local populations away from their lands and allow the settlements to expand,” it said.

‘Creeping annexation’

About 250 settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been established since 1967 and they hold an estimated 520,000 settlers, according to the U.N. report. The settlements impede Palestinian access to water and farm lands.

The settlements were “leading to a creeping annexation that prevents the establishment of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state and undermines the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” it said.

Chanet said: “To maintain such a system of segregation you need strict police and army control. It means a lot of checkpoints, violation of freedom of movement, no access to natural resources, demolition of houses and sometimes even destroying the trees.”

After the General Assembly upgraded the Palestinians status at the world body, Israel said it would build 3,000 more settler homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem – areas Palestinians wanted for a future state, along with the Gaza Strip.

The U.N. human rights inquiry said that the International Criminal Court had jurisdiction over the deportation or transfer by the occupying power of its own population into the territory.

Chanet, asked whether the violations constituted war crimes that could be tried at the Hague-based court, said: “These offences are falling into the provision of article 8 of the ICC statutes. Article 8 of the ICC statute is in the chapter of war crimes, that is the answer.”


France 24

Ahmadinejad: The Period of the Zionists is Over


“The period of the Zionists is over,” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday, in his latest attack on Israel.

Speaking to the Beirut-based Al Mayadeen television network, which is affiliated with the Hizbullah terror group, Ahmadinejad said, “They (the Zionists) should give their place to others.”

He added, “I hope to pray in Jerusalem after its full liberation. Gaza is my stop before Jerusalem. If they let me, I will visit Gaza.”

The Iranian president claimed that the alleged Israeli attack last week in Syria was proof of Israel's "weakness" and that Syria was unable to retaliate due to the ongoing conflict.

“We were hoping for different circumstances in Syria, that way it could have defended itself," Ahmadinejad told Al Mayadeen.

The Iranian president also said that "war is not a solution" in Syria and called on the government in Damascus and the opposition to engage in talks.

Asked if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should quit, Ahmadinejad replied, "I think it is up to the Syrian people to determine who should stay and who should go."

Ahmadinejad, who is due to visit Egypt this week and meet President Mohammed Morsi, was asked in the interview about talks with Egypt regarding the PalestinianAuthority Arabs, to which he replied, “If we agree on the liberation of Palestine, it will undoubtedly happen.”

"Egypt and Iran can change the equation in favor of the Palestinian people. We want the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people to be fulfilled,” he said. “We support the Palestinian people whatever it takes.”

"We do not differentiate between groups and interact with everyone," Ahmadinejad said, referring to the ongoing infighting between rival groups Fatah and Hamas. "Assistance to Palestine is one of the main strategies of the Islamic revolution. How can we help and assist? The Palestinian people will determine that.”

The latest anti-Israel remarks by the Iranian president come a week after he called on all Muslims to mobilize their resources to uproot Zionism.

He made the remarks in his speech to the 26th international conference on Islamic Unity, saying that the prime goal of the Muslims should be terminating the issue of Zionism.

“Under the circumstances that the corrupt, uncultured and murderous Zionists are occupying and killing oppressed people, we should not sit idly by,”
Ahmadinejad said.

Several months ago Ahmadinejad labeled Israel “the axis of unity of the world hegemonic powers.”

“It has now been some 400 years that a horrendous Zionist clan has been ruling themajor world affairs, and behind the scenes of the major power circles, in political, media, monetary and banking organizations in the world, they have been the decision makers...” the Iranian president claimed.

The Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also repeatedly expressed hope that Israel would be wiped off the map.

Last summer Khamenei expressed confidence that the “Palestinians” will eventually retake control of their motherland.

“The light of hope will shine on the Palestinian issue, and this Islamic land will certainly be returned to the Palestinian nation, and the superfluous and fake Zionist (regime) will disappear from the landscape of geography,” Khamenei said.


Arutz Sheva

Russia's New Stealth Corvette to Start Trials in March





MOSCOW, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - The crew of new Russian stealth corvette the Boyky, the third Project 20380 (Steregushchy class) vessel, will begin state trials in March, Baltic Fleet spokesman Capt. 2nd Class Vladimir Matveyev said Monday.

Matveyev said in November 2012 that the Boyky, built by St. Petersburg’s Severnaya Verf shipyard for the Russian Navy, has successfully completed main systems tests in its initial sea trials.

He added that the Boyky has moved to the port of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad Region for second-stage sea trials.

The 20380 class ships, designed by the Almaz naval design bureau, are optimized for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and to provide support for land operations. The class incorporates stealth technology, which has considerably reduced its radar and infrared signatures.

The 20380 class can be equipped with Kh-35 anti-ship missiles and 3M54 Klub cruise missiles, Kashtan anti-aircraft gun/missile systems, a main 100-mm gun, two 30-mm close-range air defense guns, and torpedo tubes, according to naval-technology.com.

The Steregushchy class corvette also has a hangar and deck for operation of a Kamov Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopter and is fitted with a Vinyetka-EM towed sonar array.

RIA Novosti

North Korea warns of ‘dark cloud of war’ as South begins naval drills ahead of ‘imminent’ nuclear test

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean and U.S. troops began naval drills Monday in a show of force partly directed at North Korea amid signs that Pyongyang will soon follow through on a threat to conduct its third atomic test.

The region has also seen a boost in diplomatic activity since last month, when North Korea announced it would conduct a nuclear test to protest U.N. Security Council sanctions toughened after a satellite launch in December that the U.S. and others say was a disguised test of banned missile technology.

Pyongyang’s two previous nuclear tests, in 2006 and 2009, both occurred after it was slapped with increased sanctions for similar rocket launches. As it issued its most recent punishment, the Security Council ordered North Korea to refrain from a nuclear test or face “significant action.”

North Korea’s state media said Sunday that at a high-level Workers’ Party meeting, leader Kim Jong Un issued “important” guidelines meant to bolster the army and protect national sovereignty. North Korea didn’t elaborate, but Kim’s guidelines likely refer to a nuclear test and suggest that Pyongyang appears to have completed formal procedural steps and is preparing to conduct a nuclear test soon, according to South Korean analyst Hong Hyun-ik.

Yonhap / The Associated PressIn this photo released by South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff via Yonhap, South Korean and U.S. warships participate in their joint military drills in South Korea's East Sea on Monday.

“We assess that North Korea has almost finished preparations for conducting a nuclear test anytime and all that’s left is North Korea making a political decision” to do so, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters Monday.

The spokesman said he couldn’t disclose further details because they would involve confidential intelligence affairs. Recent satellite photos showed North Korea may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device could be exploded.

We assess that North Korea has almost finished preparations for conducting a nuclear test anytime

A North Korean nuclear test “seems to be imminent,” South Korea’s U.N. Ambassador Kim Sook said Monday at a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York.

He said there are “very busy activities” taking place at North Korea’s nuclear test site “and everybody’s watching.” The ambassador said he expects the Security Council to respond with “firm and strong measures” in the event of a nuclear test.

On Monday, the South Korean and U.S. militaries kicked off three days of exercises off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast that involve live-fire exercises, naval maneuvers and submarine detection drills.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the maneuvers are part of regular joint military training that the allies had scheduled before the latest nuclear tensions began. But the training, which involves a nuclear-powered American submarine, could still send a warning against possible North Korean provocation, a South Korean military official said, requesting anonymity because of department rules.


The dark cloud of war is approaching to the Korean Peninsula
Later Monday, Pyongyang’s state media said the drills showed that the U.S. and South Korea have been plotting to attack North Korea and increased the danger of a war on the divided peninsula.

“The dark cloud of war is approaching to the Korean Peninsula,” North Korea’s official Uriminzokkiri website said in a commentary. “Our patience has the limit.”

National Post

A U.S. Debt Downgrade Could Happen At Any Moment.

Iran unveils indigenously-optimized Zolfaqar, Samsam tanks

This file photo shows an older version of the Samsam tank.


The tanks, which have been upgraded by military experts in the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces, were unveiled on Monday as part of the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations commemorating the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan as well as several other high-ranking military officials attended the unveiling ceremony of the tanks.

Earlier on January 15, Pourdastan said that the fire control system and the stabilizer of the new version of the Zolfaqar tank have been upgraded, adding that the tank will be mass-produced after receiving the approval of the office of the chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces.
Iran’s Zolfaqar tank has a distinctive steel-welded turret and is operated by a crew of three.

The tank is armed with a 125mm smoothbore 2A46 gun, which is fitted with a fume extractor. Its secondary armament consists of a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7mm machine gun.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

On February 2, Iran unveiled the indigenous Qaher-313 advanced fighter jet, which is ultra-advanced and capable of evading radars.

Tehran has repeatedly assured other nations that its military might poses no threat to other countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.




Press TV