Russia says ground military intervention in Libya may trigger war

MOSCOW : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that any military intervention in Libya may trigger a war, RIA Novosti reported

We realize what a ground military operation is. Ground intervention is likely to mark the start of war. Not a civil war, but a war with the international troops," Medvedev said, adding that such a serious issue should be thoroughly considered by the UN Security Council.

His statement comes after the G8 agreed to implement further measures against the Libyan leadership, including possible military actions, RIA Novosti reported.

The UN Security Council held a closed-door debate on Wednesday on a draft resolution seeking to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, after the Arab League voted on Saturday in favor of it.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has repeatedly said that the alliance was considering various options against Libya, including possible military action, but said any intervention in Libya would be strictly in line with UN Security Council decisions.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged all parties in this conflict to accept an immediate cease fire and to abide by Security Council Resolution 1970, which was adopted on February 26 by the UN Security Council. The resolution imposed an arms embargo and other arms restrictions on Libya, as well as a travel ban on sixteen loyalists to Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi and Gaddafi himself, who are also subject to a freeze of their assets.

The Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Abdul Ilah Khatib, departed Libya on Wednesday with his delegation after two days of discussions in which he conveyed to senior Libyan officials the strong calls by the international community to cease the fighting and the violence, to ensure humanitarian access and to work toward a peaceful solution of the crisis.

On Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees requested a safe passage for people needing to flee combat areas in conflict-ridden Libya, as the number of refugees nears 300,000.

Sub-Saharan nationals living in Libya's eastern and western parts have been trapped by the fighting and have appealed for help to leave the country. To date 280,614 people have fled the violence, including over 150,000 to Tunisia and another 118,000 people have fled to Egypt.

--BNO News

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Higher prices for food are about to get worse

WASHINGTON — Americans are noticing higher prices at the grocery store, and it's about to get worse.

Food prices at the wholesale level rose last month by the most in 36 years. Cold weather accounted for most of it, forcing stores and restaurants to pay more for green peppers, lettuce and other vegetables, but meat and dairy prices surged, too.

The big questions are how long food prices will keep rising and how high they'll go.

The impact is already visible. Wendy's, paying higher prices for tomatoes, now puts them on hamburgers only by request. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have raised prices because they pay more for coffee beans. Supermarkets warn customers that produce may be of lower quality, or limited.

"It has thrown the whole industry into a tizzy," says Dan Bates, director of merchandising for the produce division of grocery chain Supervalu Inc.

Food prices rose 3.9 percent last month, the most since November 1974. Most of the increase was because harsh winter freezes in Florida, Texas and other Southern states, which damaged crops.

At the same time, global prices for corn, wheat, soybeans, coffee and other commodities have risen sharply in the past year. That's raised the price of animal feed, which has pushed up the cost of eggs, ground beef and milk.

Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, says his firm has warned since last summer that spikes in commodity prices would eventually work their way down to wholesalers and consumers, "and here it is. There is plenty more to come over the next few months."

Crop prices began to increase last summer, after droughts slammed harvests in Russia and several other countries. Sharp growth in new world economic powers like India and China has also increased demand.

Overall, the producer price index, which tracks price changes before they reach the consumer, rose 1.6 percent in February, the Labor Department said Wednesday. That's double the rise from the previous month and the biggest increase since June 2009. The index is adjusted to account for seasonal variations.

MSNBC

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Five air forces set to attack Libya. Qaddafi threatens reprisals in Europe and ME

Shortly before the UN Security Council met Thursday, March 17, to discuss a no-fly zone resolution for Libya, Moscow promised Washington and other Western capitals not to apply a veto, DEBKAfile's sources report exclusively. The US, British, French, UAE and Qatar air forces were on standby to attack Libyan army targets as soon as the resolution is passed. If attacked, Libya threatens retaliation against civilian and military targets in Europe and the Middle East, according to a statement from the Defense Ministry in Tripoli..
In Tunis, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton explained that a UN no-fly zone over Libya "would require the bombing of targets to take out the threat posed by Muammar Qaddafi's regime."

She spoke after Cairo rejected Washington's request for the use of Egyptian air bases to enforce the no fly zone against Libya and from which to launch US air attacks on Qaddafi's army. This too is disclosed by DEBKAfile's exclusive sources.

Earlier Thursday, March 17, DEBKAfile reported: Shortly before she left Egypt for Tunis Wednesday, March 16, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urgently asked the head of Egypt's military junta Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawi for permission to use Egyptian air bases for American military jets to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. This is reported exclusively by DEBKAfile's military and Washington sources.
Clinton told Tantawi she hoped for UN Security Council approval of the no-fly zone at its special session Thursday March 17. But this might not be enough to stop Muammar Qaddafi's advance and the US might have to resort to military action against his army. She did not elaborate on this. In Tunis, she said later that a UN no-fly zone over Libya would require the bombing of targets to take out the threat posed by Muammar Qaddafi's regime.

DEBKAfile's sources say the White House is weighing the option of US aerial strikes for halting Qaddafi's march on Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and the primary rebel stronghold. The point of this action would be less to preserve rebel control of the city and more to keep Qaddafi from proclaiming his victory over the opposition to his rule and its foreign champions.

DEBKAfile

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http://www.debka.com/article/20772/

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Are you having a good time Mr. President?

Japan had a mega-earthquake, a tsunami, and multiple nuclear reactors in meltdown....Nuclear radiation will reach California this weekend....Uprisings are spreading across the Middle East....Gaddafi is brutally killing Libyans....Bahrain was invaded...Americans are paying MORE than $4 per gallon for gasoline....Millions of Americans are unemployed and homeless....44 millions live on stamps AND OBAMA IS TALKING ABOUT BASKETBALL!

WASHINGTON — Call it the audacity of chalk. President Barack Obama's NCAA bracket is conspicuously devoid of upsets, with all of the top seeds in the college basketball championship advancing to the Final Four. Three of those four No. 1 seeds — Duke, Pittsburgh and Ohio State — also just so happen to hail from swing states Obama hopes to carry again in 2012.

But the president ultimately picks the team from a deeply red state, Kansas, to win it all, defeating Ohio State in the championship game.

"I think that Kansas has more firepower," Obama said of the pick.

This is the third year Obama has filled out his tournament brackets before ESPN's cameras. In 2009, he correctly made North Carolina his championship pick but erred with his choice of Kansas to win it all in 2010. Duke, where Obama personal aide Reggie Love once played, won it all at last year's Big Dance.

This year, Obama is giving Kansas another shot, saying, "They always feel bad about losing when the president picks them."

ESPN analyst Andy Katz told ABC News that Obama played it "very conservative" as he made his selections, choosing very few upsets.

Asked by Katz about going with all "chalk," the president said it was the first time he'd ever done so.

As Obama filmed this year's segment, he acknowledged that "we are going through incredible changes all around the world." He also encouraged viewers to visit USAID.gov to find out how they can help the Japanese people.

The president also was set to make picks in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

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Devastation on JAPAN video

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Isaiah 26:9

Here is John MC Ternan´s comentary on the world and Isaiah 26:9, it´s worth to read.

Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Commentary

The LORD'S judgments are now throughout the earth. It appears that Japan as we knew it is coming to an end. The earthquake and related events could send the Japanese economy into a meltdown. This in turn will affect the world's economy. The LORD is going to bring down the world's economy. There appears no way out of this for Japan. Japan is drowning in debt and this is going to swamp the nation. The debt is going to radically increase along with a severe drop in tax revenue. Japan is in deep trouble. 

As I watch events in Japan, it is difficult to figure out what is really happening. The Japanese government is playing down the fires at the nuclear reactors while events  on the ground are showing a different story. Radioactivity was detected 200 miles at sea and also near Tokyo! It is possible that large areas of Japan may become radioactive! Each day this goes on, the possibility of a tremendous disaster grows.

Earthquake causes Japan's coastline to move as much as 13 feet, tilts Earth's axis 10 inches: 03/14/11 This shows the power of the earthquake.

Radiation fears lead to nuke pill demand in Seattle 03/14/11 These pills have disappeared as the public has bought them up. This is coming for all goods including food. Please do not delay but move now to store some food and supplies as the Lord leads you. In a matter of two days, the stores could be cleaned out and then it is too late. Now is the time to act and protect yourself and others.

At the same time, the volatility in the Arab countries continues. Bahrain is becoming a flash point between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil is this country is coming from the Shiites who support Iran. Saudi Arabia is supporting the Sunni government! Any turmoil in the Persian Gulf could spike the price of oil and send the word economy into a meltdown.

Either Japan or the Middle East going critical could radically affect the world economy and start of world depression. The LORD is being more and more pressure in the world as it is heading toward the breaking point. God wants His people physically and spiritually ready. To be spiritually ready, it takes growing closer to the Lord Jesus everyday. It means to live with the Blessed Hope in your heart. It means to stand on His word no matter what price has to be paid.

May the Holy God of Israel bless and protect you.hostgator coupon 2011

Republicans split, but House approves stopgap budget bill

The measure would cut $6 billion and stave off a government shutdown for three more weeks. Many Republicans vote against it, however, saying key policy objectives were ignored.

Reporting from Washington — 

The GOP-led House approved a short-term spending bill Tuesday but only after dozens of Republicans rejected the measure, forcing party leaders to rely on Democrats to achieve passage and help skirt a threatened government shutdown.

The vote showed the mounting difficulty of resolving a budget stalemate that has consumed Washington for weeks. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill before Friday, when government funding to keep agencies operating runs out. But similar resistance from conservatives is expected in that chamber.

With House conservatives opposing their party's stopgap proposal as inadequate, the vote also signals trouble ahead for House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) as he negotiates a long-term deal with Democrats on behalf of a deeply split Republican caucus.

The White House, meanwhile, said it was time to resolve the budget impasse "in a sensible way."

Talks continue behind the scenes on a compromise that would keep the government running through the 2011 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

As the two sides struggle, public opinion surveys have not given a decided advantage to either camp. Voters oppose a possible disruption of government services and would tend to blame Republicans more than Democrats. Yet surveys also show that many Americans credit congressional Republicans with taking a greater leadership role on the issue thanPresident Obama.

At the same time, Americans continue to trust the president more than Republicans in Congress to handle economic matters, according to one of the surveys, by the Washington Post and ABC News.

Boehner acknowledged the push-back from within his ranks, but said the GOP would have an additional opportunity to rein in deficits during the upcoming debate over raising the nation's debt ceiling.

The House voted 271 to 158 on the stopgap measure that would cut $6 billion over the next three weeks, largely by eliminating programs Obama had already identified for termination or reduction, as well as specially earmarked congressional projects.

Coupled with a temporary budget extension that the president signed March 2, Congress would have cut $10 billion in less than a month.

Still, 54 Republicans broke ranks to vote no Tuesday, saying the latest bill represented a timid version of the House-passed measure to cut more than $60 billion for the rest of the fiscal year. Only six House Republicans opposed the previous temporary budget extension.

The GOP defectors this time were mostly veteran conservatives who aligned with more than 20 conservative freshmen.

They were particularly upset that top policy priorities had been dropped from the bill. Shelved for now are attempts to defund the healthcare overhaul law enacted last year, gut Planned Parenthoodand eliminate the power of the Environmental Protection Agency.

"The time has come to take a stand," said Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).

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