Firstly I have to clarify something for those in the dark: During the Cold War, at the height of the Soviet Union, it was Ukraine that fell under the hammer of the Kremlin the hardest. Why? Because they were the biggest country outside of Russia, with the biggest population (well over 45 million) and the Verhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) the greatest center of power outside of the Kremlin. In addition to that there was their military might – including army, air-force and navy. Of course these elements were absorbed by the Soviets, but to keep the people under the Soviet domination they became the subject of mass propaganda, intimidation and of course the attempted identity assassination. That is, the Kremlin sought to erase the Ukrainian identity, from art to literature, school curriculum's were changed, Libraries were burned and sanctions imposed as Russia attempted to erase the rich history of a country dating back 1000’s of years (much like the central subject matter in the new film Monument’s Men referring there to the Nazis in WWII). In short, Ukraine posed the greatest threat to Russia within the Union, and thus suffered the harshest treatment. The other countries (Bulgaria, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Belarus etc.) would thus toe the line as Ukraine would form the example of how they would be treated if they did not bend to the Kremlin’s will. So, Ukrainian sentiment toward Russia is not pretty. However, even though the Soviet Union fell, Ukraine,gaining independence in 1991, has never quite shaken off the shackles, and is still dependent on Russia for trade and gas. So why the protests? 1. Ukraine wants to join the EU, but to do that it would need to break the ties to Russia and agree to the EU’s terms. Among them would be higher gas prices, meaning every household would pay more for simple heating. President Yanukovych apposed EU integration, effectively rejecting the EU in favour of Moscow. This simple move has hit a strong nerve with the people. 2. Ukraine’s Prime Minister wants to maintain Russian links, but his recent behaviour, even his treatment and regard for the protesters, has left Vladimir Putin looking at alternatives. Although Putin has been rather forceful in his discouragement of any EU deal, threatening Russian sanctions if they “go” or a 15+ Billion stimulus package should they “stay”. “Russia without Ukraine is a country; Russia with Ukraine is an empire." - Foreign Policy Community College saying 3. The Ukrainian people want a different PM, but there’s no viable alternative in the opposition party ranks, so a lot of it has to do with frustration over bad governance. Adding to the tension is that Ukraine is divided, practically in two – the Russian sympathizing East half, and the EU inclined West half (which is also where Kiev is situated and forms the platform for the protests) 4. Ukrainian politics are greatly dependent on Oligarchs and mafia styled ‘family’ dynamics. The current President Viktor Yanukovych, has even mistreated the Oligarchs, mismanaged the economy and his government is said to be rife with corruption. 5. It boils down to Ukraine’s national identity and their ailing economy. The issues may seem simple, but they are deep rooted. Those roots are too deep and too sensitive for Western powers like the US to influence, and even if they tried, they’d only be poking around in a wound - and the ripple effects of that are a little scary, hence the stand-offish approach from the West… A different perspective - taken from a press briefing regarding the security concerns and particularly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Rights and issues pertaining to the Winter Olympics in Sochi: Alexey Komov - responsible for international relations for the Russian Orthodox Church’s Commission on the Family and Motherhood and the World Congress of Families’ representative in Russia, at the National Press Club in Washington; he said, Russia is changing, perhaps too slowly for some. But its the Kremlin that remains an issue, and it is important to distinguish between the Government and its people, despite the fact that its the people who elected them to power. Their ideals and agendas remain selfish whilst the citizens (customarily) bear the brunt. It’s up to the Ukrainian people to decide their fate, to hopefully grow from this, and in some way better define who they are. My own opinion, is to work out something neutral such that Ukraine can stand on their own – however fantastical an idea that may be…if only… in an ideal world. What is clear though is that the initial riots and subsequent (seemingly reactionary) vehement protests came as a shock to even the president. When he made the anti EU announcement, protesters reacted by toppling a statue of Lenin in Kiev. The people of Ukraine are speaking. [Image credits: washingtonpost.com, "Walter Robotics" on tumblr.com, businessinsider.com, cyprus-mail.com, cnn.com, bbc.co.uk, aljazeera.com] *More of Ukraine on this blog: a look at Chernobyl in pictures, 25 years after the nuclear fallout. Follow up: "Children of Syria" (post from 2 weeks ago) With many children witnessing deaths of loved ones, the shocking UN report released recently claims that some have even been interrogated, tortured and beaten, in addition to basic struggles like finding refuge, aid, warmth (its winter in Syria)... suffering what many battle trained soldiers suffer through, having stressed the plight of PTSD and lack of schooling; these children have inherited the ignominious label of "The War generation". [Image credits: telegraph.co.uk, presstv.ir, nbcnews.com, albawaba.com, embraceme.org]
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War and crisis, Syria in pictures Some pictures say a thousand words, but then there are others that need no words and say none, because there are none, Because honestly, right now, words are seemingly of little value. They are those things for bickering politicians to throw about aimlessly... What does it say about society or the world when we cannot take care of our children? - it says simply that we cannot be entrusted as custodians of the future... The one one thing that raises my spirits even whilst looking through these depressing photos, is the honest and pure beauty of these children, just being who they are, in all their innocence, no matter their circumstance. Give them a space, protect and provide for them and allow them to just be, and they'll show us the meaning of joy. Without children, the world would be a desperately and hopelessly dark place. Facts:
[Image credits: GettyImages, Aljazeera.com, oxfam.org, huffingtonpost.co.uk] Links:
For a moment, let’s put the Israeli-Palestinian condition aside. (This is not to say we’re absolving anyone for human rights violations/atrocities and simple injustice and lack of human decency though, just taking a step back.) The lay of the land: So, here is this little sliver of a country, the only Jewish state in the Arab world – it truly is remarkable that they are still around when you think of the Arab and Islamic sentiment towards them. To put it in perspective; land mass wise, Israel makes up roughly 21 000 km2 – compare that to my home province in South Africa, the Western Cape, which is 129 000 km2. Let’s be honest, the vast majority of the Arab world wants Israel gone. Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad went so far as to call Israel’s existence “an insult to humanity” and quoted Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic revolution, saying “wipe Israel off the map” – or rather, alternatively translated, “that Israel would collapse”. This sentiment is nothing new… “Israel, a small country of less than eight million people, looks out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map.” In 1935, when Hitler introduced the Nuremberg Racial laws, he reportedly received congratulatory telegrams from all corners of the Arab world. An Arabic translation of Mein Kampf found its way to Palestinians in East Jerusalem where it was reportedly a bestseller. So, in many ways its admirable that Israel has remained so steadfast in their beliefs, so unshakeable, because to them (and if you look at things from a Jewish perspective) Arabs are plainly the self-proclaimed enemy, and to withstand assaults and not buckle under international pressures is an indication of their unwavering resolve. Yes, atrocities to Palestinians have been committed, ill treatment of innocent civilians are still occurring today, but when considering the alternative – a one country solution – means to absorb the Palestinian-Arab population, along with their considerable extremist factions (within Hezbollah and Hamas to name two). Biblically this is the route to go – to overcome hate and evil with good, but I can’t help but imagine that if this route were taken, it would only hasten a civil war, which would then open the door for countries that share Iranian sentiment – Egypt, Syria… to come knocking. The global situation is made more interesting when you consider the US’s strained relations with Israel, the fact the Obama (US) and Putin (Russia) cannot come to terms regarding nuclear arms, that Russia is on good terms with the Arab world, as well as several Latin American countries, not to mention China. If all these countries are indeed aligned, in whatever capacity, it only further highlights the precarious position of that sliver of land called Israel. Arab Spring What of democracy? The dawn of the Arab spring has appeared to bring about a bright new age of democracy to many Arab nations, but will that necessarily change anything – will international sentiment and policy making be in any way altered? Since these are Arab states, I salute the idea that it opens the door to many changes to laws which promote discrimination and bringing about a greater equality, specifically regarding women. However, this then brings Sharia Law into light; Here is a short list of some of those laws: • Criticizing or denying any part of the Quran is punishable by death. • Criticizing or denying Muhammad is a prophet is punishable by death. • Criticizing or denying Allah, the moon god of Islam is punishable by death. • A Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim is punishable by death. • A non-Muslim who leads a Muslim away from Islam is punishable by death. • A non-Muslim man who marries a Muslim woman is punishable by death. • A man can marry an infant girl and consummate the marriage when she is 9 years old. • Girls' clitoris should be cut (per Muhammad's words in Book 41, Kitab Al-Adab, Hadith 5251). • A woman can have 1 husband, but a man can have up to 4 wives; Muhammad can have more. • A man can unilaterally divorce his wife but a woman needs her husband's consent to divorce. • A man can beat his wife for insubordination. • Testimonies of four male witnesses are required to prove rape against a woman. • A woman who has been raped cannot testify in court against her rapist(s). • A woman's testimony in court, allowed only in property cases, carries half the weight of a man's. • A female heir inherits half of what a male heir inherits. • A woman cannot drive a car, as it leads to fitnah (upheaval). • A woman cannot speak alone to a man who is not her husband or relative. >>> of course the list goes on It comes together in a fascinating and somewhat disturbing melting pot, depending on whose side you’re on. And for the West, this is central to "the FEAR" experienced there - in addition to the stereotypical terrorism rhetoric. Biblical prophecy Let’s get even deeper here for a second, real deep. Since this is Israel we’re talking about, God’s beloved nation, let’s look at some of what the Bible tells us – because as mentioned on this blog earlier, see Bible Book Review, this book has proven its accuracy in 80% of predicted events (the other 20 is yet to occur, into the future). The Bible clearly states in 1 John 2:22 – that whoever denies Christ as the son of the living God, is the Antichrist. Logically, it is anyone who denounces Jesus as the son of God. Islam, and the Shariah Law advocates and are directly opposed to Jesus as being part of the holy trinity - despite many claiming that he shall return; how is he supposed to return if he was only a man, after so many years after his death, if his existence is NOT in some way divinely conceived? People following this train of thought plainly contradict themselves. “the cancerous tumor called Israel must be uprooted from the region.” “the goal is not the military destruction of the Jewish state but “the defeat of Zionist ideology and the dissolution of Israel through a ‘popular referendum.’” – Imam Khamenei (2000) [of course that is one man’s sentiments, albeit a very powerful man in Iran] Another issue which is often neglected in the media is the persecution and treatment of Jews and Christians in Arab states – I bring this up alongside the treatment of Palestinians by Israel, yet the latter state seems to get the most flack, why? And with that ‘why’ comes this ‘why’; why is all this relevant to me? Well, we do like to pretend that the world is a largely safe place and that the world leaders know what they’re doing – I mean we elected them, sort of. However, the world as we know it is very easy to put to an end. Only buttons need pressing, certain triggers need to be pulled to spark off World War III. Yes, I mention that, because it is unfortunately a stark reality, one we normal folk living our everyday lives, refuse to face, because it seems so far-fetched, money-making fodder for Hollywood movies. The truth is that things, countries, are a lot more closely related, the world is a much smaller place. A man can have a profound impact on the world from the relative comfort of his living room. You can see 360 degree streetview shots of places/houses/people’s backyard’s with simply a few taps on your laptop. It doesn’t take much to topple that first domino, so in some respects its admirable that we haven’t seen countries go war on the scale and cost of the two World Wars, for whatever reason. The truth we must face is that there is so much Hate out there, between cultures, people’s, countries. Some Arabs still target Jews because of their betrayal of Isa (Jesus). It speaks volumes that the very empire that killed Jesus Christ, then adopted Christianity as their official standard religion. Russia hasn’t dismantled any of its nuclear bombs (and has even developed some more) because its unhappy about the US building more bases (weapons) in Europe. These nuclear weapons number in the thousands… and in all this we haven’t even considered the might of China’s military power (who are also consistently on the side of Russia – furthermore, there’s the unpredictable North Korea to consider too. - French Second Lieutenant Alfred Joubaire wrote in his diary about WWI just before he died that “Humanity is mad! It must be mad to do what it is doing. What a massacre. What scenes of horror and carnage! I cannot find words to translate my impressions. Hell cannot be so terrible! Men are mad!” (1917) [best we remember these sentiments, to remind ourselves what we don’t want to happen ever again] So, when one looks at the world from this view (because it will inevitably go that route once you tackle foreign policy and relations), one might begin to see Israel a little differently. They’re not innocent by any means, but then again, who is; I’ll tell you: Switzerland! Strange how we are - people - carrying grudges; even though your neighbor has never wronged you, you hold animosity because of disagreements generations old - sometimes the root source of that animosity may be forgotten, but somehow the hate remains. For a look back at Part 1 of this article follow the link - An Objective look at Apartheid Israel Let’s look at this book – for that is what it is, a book. What separates it from all others though, is that it unashamedly claims to be the Word of God. That is, a message, or messages from the one who created everything in the Universe has found its way to its pages… this ‘claim’ alone, whether you believe it or not, is one of the central reasons why it is the world’s bestselling book, and has been for generations. Plot Synopsis The Story starts with all creation and the creation of Man, and then after that, God created Woman. It then progresses to the fall of man (with the intervention of Satan and the realization of Good and Evil), who chooses himself over his creator, severing that bond and welcoming sin, and death, into the world. His descendants then strive to rule the world and each other. But the story continues, focusing on an array of people and their unique walk/lives and relationship with God. God though (the creator of it all), is angered by his creation’s choice of disobedience, and the subsequent slavery to sin and death. Despite that, God still loves the world, so much so he sends his only son. The plan is to reunite his people to himself and break the bondage that sin has over his people. Enter Jesus (A coming which was prophesized). The son of God would then be beaten, tortured and crucified, killed… a man, who was without sin, who was pure, would carry the weight of sin on himself. An ordinary man, who was born in Heaven, would form the crux of existence, as his death and subsequent resurrection would break the hold that sin has over this world, forming a spiritual gateway to reunite Man with his creator. Target You. It’s for every man, woman and child walking this earth. Another reason it’s a bestseller – because it has such wide appeal. Bottom Line “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son…” – you’ve heard that line countless times that it’s almost become a religious cliché. What’s really at the centre of it though, is the coming together of two different worlds – a material one, and a spiritual one. In the Beginning (another cliché) these two worlds were very close (God and Man had open conversations, the world was a beautiful Eden), but then came the fall, and the separation. Ever since, God has tried to find a way back for us, as we in turn have tried to find the answers to the existential questions we have about ourselves. As the bible says, Man was never intended to have to deal with death, sin was never part of creation, women were never meant to experience pain in childbirth… every pain we endure is thus simply echoes of the pain felt in that fateful moment when man disobeyed God (*** The First physical wound experienced in the Bible is by Adam, when God removes his rib to form Eve - yet there's no record of pain being felt, and the healing was instantaneous - because God did the healing himself***). Hence the two worlds have separated – the material world held ransom to sin and slavery (ruled by Satan), and God’s quest to free Man… and aid him in the realization that he is not of this world, to reawaken his spiritual existence. In a stunning move (call it the checkmate move) God sacrificed his only beloved son. (when Jesus is hanging on the cross he screams “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” – this marks the first time the son addresses his father as ‘God’, indicative of the separation. God turned his back on his son for that moment, so that we (mankind) may be reconciled with our spiritual father). But Satan has no hold over Jesus (heaven’s own), and a material death of his fleshly body does not (cannot) hold. As a book, this is a fantastic story, when you think of it in a finite sense, with authors and writers that compose stories, books, bestsellers etc.one has to wonder, who could conceive this story, who came up with such a work, with such daring portrayals and claims. Well, it wasn’t one man or woman, it was many (over 40 authors – there were incomplete gospels that weren’t included, as well as number of anonymous authors), and it was written and compiled over a period of over 1500 years. It truly is a special book – I almost said ‘one of a kind’ but then my thoughts turned to the Torah (focussing on the narrative of the Jewish people) and Quran (the central religious text of Islam and greatest piece of literature in the Arabic language) … the fact that these three books/manuscripts/compilations are so similar is a staggering thought. Are they plagiarized – copies of one another just taken with different meanings and interpretations, and emphasis on different events? What’s certain is that they have far more similarities than differences. (The one glaring difference is the regard or emphasis placed on the life of Jesus – he is central to the Bible, but a bit-part player, almost cameo in the other two by comparison). But back to the Bible (which doesn’t have one spelling error in any copy I’ve seen) – since I don’t speak Hebrew/Aramaic or Arabic unfortunately – it must be said that it warrants a read simply because of the questions it poses of oneself (whether you’re willing to accept the answers it offers, is up to you.) The fact that it can be used as a daily devotional guide and life study book is also indicative of its influence and power – and it’s hard to argue against the fact that this book has power – even if its just in a material sense. (My grandmother, a woman well into her 80’s still faithfully attends weekly Bible study – this just exemplifies the fact that it has a lasting impression and that it does offer practically an unending fount of deep information. One could study this book your entire life, read it multiple times, and still find new meaning in it, daily – in fact, some say that performing this act will lead you to a better life, by applying something simple like the 10 Commandments to your life, and meditating on scripture. These practices have proven to have a profound effect on the individual and those around them. Truth be told it’s hard to write a book review on the bible because it is so vast and even prophesizes/predicts events yet to come (and lets not forget to mention that this book has proven quite reliable in that approximately 80% of the prophesies foretold in the Bible, have been fulfilled - to the letter - whilst the remaining prophesies reach further into our future!), but for an individual, if you’ve read this book, whether from beginning to end, or just jumping in in the middle somewhere (another unique feature), it might benefit you to review what you’ve read, as you would any other book. There are of course boring bits – this book does of course cover life, and the lives of many people, even some mundane bits, but that’s also part of the beauty, because it translates to everyone, to everyday life. In the Bible you’ll find beggars, Kings, prostitutes, fishermen, taxmen, farmers, murderers, doctors, philosophers, Angels, talking animals, carpenters, scholars, prophets, Demons, soldiers… people from every walk of life… many people, many generations, the creation of the world, and even a message of unconditional and undeserving Love. So, whether you believe that all these people were indeed onto something or that it’s just a collection of wild, outrageous and sometimes brutal stories collected and compiled over centuries (who or what drove so many people to write about this with such conviction, to be translated into so many languages and in varying versions et al.), you cannot deny it truly is fully worth its status as the world’s bestselling book, and why it's often referred to as the “Holy Bible” – the only book in the world claiming to be the actual ‘Word of God’. This is not a book about religion, its a book about reclaiming and restoring a lost Love; sacrificing everything and going to war for your true love. It may not look it, but war and love are on two sides of the same coin in this book, as they are in most books. Its a fight, a war for your heart... the message is, God wants you back, in his embrace. Humanity is often referred to as the 'bride of Christ', destined to join him in heaven; so the story effectively is about a man who sacrifices himself (appears as payment/exchange/ransom) to set free his captive, yet unfaithful love from the shackles of death. (There is no conceivable rating for such a book – it kind sets the standard) Question: if it indeed be true, if this is in fact the Word of God... what then, at the very least it should not be ignored. And, if this book is a work of fiction, then it is a fantastic piece, but since all art (since fiction is art) imitates life, what does this book say about reality? Mark Twain (notable fiction writer/author) said Truth is stranger than fiction, well for those who believe this to be a work of fiction... then I shudder to think of what truth lay as seed of inspiration for this work. Either way, plenty of food for many a deep thought! This is an official announcement that my book (formerly known as 'The Quiet Days') has since been renamed "Peacekeeper". It took me a while to make the decision, but slowly the new one won me over. I've also decided to name the sequel The Quiet Days, it feels only right that I do, whilst a possible prequel will be named 'The Dark Days'. There is a deeper relevance to these names of course and not just a morbid fascination with "Days", or the days of our lives Lol. For a brief Synopsis, keep reading... (its still the same book, albeit on the cusp of the 4th draft with some back end rewrites.) 'Peacekeeper' blurb: There are always so many questions; some remaining forever unanswered, and those with answers few are willing to face. For Michael, that’s hardly the beginning. In Israel investigating a terrorist threat, during a ceasefire after Operation Cast Lead on Gaza and the West Bank, he faces the questions that most are afraid of. An experienced former soldier, now trained in the art of conflict resolution, he discovers his true place, once again learning the art of survival, even when there’s no escaping a bullet. On borrowed time, in the shadow of Interpol and the UN, through blood and dirt, his greatest enemy in the fight to maintain peace, remains the man in the mirror, taunting him with that one fateful question: how much difference can one good man really make? "For whose cause, if not your own, are you willing to die?" Peacekeeper poem: (this appears at the very beginning of the book, it's also the one and only poem I've written in some years, and I continue to tinker with it...) … a faint whisper stirs, within, growing, piercing the inner walls; Another I, revealing …the fear, of the quiet days, the dark days when I’m dead but still living. My spent blood runs slow, my trembling hands, my frozen eyes in these cold, peaceful times. That fear of the slight of me . . . the far away man in the mirror, dark of the deep of the still waters in those eyes . . . my quiet days, creeping, nearer… [I may write a part 2 of this poem that may/will appear at the end of my book...] "You don’t expect to be shot during a ceasefire, or to see a peacekeeper break protocol, but anything goes in the pursuit to maintain the status quo, even if that means sacrificing a good man." - “The reward of sin is death.” That’s hard. If we say that we have no sin, We deceive ourselves, and there’s no truth in us.”... – Doctor Faustus, Goethe’s Faust. - If you like what you see, please feel free to rate it below, but if you have some constructive criticism or words of support then leave your comments - I always appreciate the feedback. Writing is of course a largely solitary profession and even just feeding some breadcrumbs for readers can elicit some angst on my part. I just hope you're as excited as I am, it's going to be big. Many Blessings Ciao To the day – the 12th of September 1963 – John Le Carré’s "The Spy who came in from the cold" hit bookstore shelves. To celebrate, I decided to finally get round to reading it. It’s been labelled many things, including ‘the definitive spy story’ or ‘the best spy story ever written’, and in many ways forms as the signature John Le Carré novel. It took me a few years and two attempts to get around to reading it, but then again my first attempt was hampered by my own impatience. Older and wiser, I've finally taken the vaunted steps into this dark world. Plot Synopsis In the height of the Cold War,and the shadows of the iron curtain, the British Intelligence hatch a plan to entrap a high level German officer. The plan though, involves a Trojan-horse like operation that may result in them knowingly sending one of their own agents to his death. Target When I first attempted to read this I was still a teenager, and couldn’t get to grips with the initial pacing. So the target is a more mature reader. But you grow accustomed to the pace as well as the style of the narrative – as certain things occur in an atypical timeline, learning of conversations and events that have already happened, to punctuate and better explain events in the present. Once you’re in the groove though, the pages will turn quite swiftly. “... I chose le Carré. God alone knows why, or where I had it from.” Bottom Line Painted by the dull colours of his time in the service, David John Moore Cornwell – pen name John Le Carré – had to forcibly retire from British Intelligence (MI5/MI6) in the 60’s because of the success of “Spy”. British tabloids somehow got hold of his true identity and the rest is history. Most of the great authors of the era tend to have some inside knowledge of the game (Robert Ludlum had his sources and friends within the CIA, Frederick Forsyth used his journalistic research skills for ‘The Day of the Jackal’), so the gritty and cold realism of his third novel seemed too good to be true in many respects. True enough, the world had never seen a book like it. It was, and still is the antitheses of the Spy novel we’re used to; namely the glossy, quirky, action packed and romanticized 007 archetypes. There are no gadgets or posh locations here, its all stark and in shadows, or alternatively, cold blinding and all exposing light. What struck me was the way Cornwell describes characters and makes the ‘grey area’ of the spy world so apparent. Seldom do you find a villain so grating and sinister simply by the nature of the description of the character’s physical appearance. The antihero is a man you wouldn’t ordinarily like… and that is essential to the tormented beauty of this story – it’s simply about people, who happen to find themselves on opposing sides of a wall. They may of course have different values, opinions and beliefs, but when you disregard the dividing lines, it’s hard, or impossible to tell them apart and decipher the good from the bad. Of course the pace does quicken, but it's more of a tightening, and the tension in the climatic scenes is unparalleled. If you enjoy this genre, then of course it goes without saying that this is a must read, a ‘must own’ even. It is a cold hard hammer of a spy story. Sometimes we do a thing in order to find out the reason for it. Sometimes our actions are questions not answers. Plainly put, there are two sides to every story, or genre… in the spy world, there’s the two polar opposites as mentioned above, and then there’s everything in between. It speaks volumes that in modern culture producers, filmmakers and storytellers have seemingly sought to find the balance or blend between the two worlds of espionage. Even Timothy Dalton aimed to dirty things up with a darker and grittier James Bond in his 1980’s incarnation, a dynamic that has been taken to heart in the latest Daniel Craig version, all to keep up with the times, with a wiser audience to cater for. David Cornwell set a trend, and continued it with his subsequent George Smiley novels, and that is a hallmark. It may not have been Cornwell’s first release, but this was the one that got him noticed in a big way, it was the one that made him… Film: The Spy who came in from the Cold was adapted for film starring Richard Burton as the fatigued and burnt out Alec Leamus and Rupert Davies as George Smiley. In 2011 we saw the release of “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” with Gary Oldman playing Smiley. David Cornwell’s sons have been spearheading the new wave of film adaptations with "A Most Wanted Man" to be released later this year (based on the Le Carré novel of the same name) starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The timing of the latter release earmarks it for award season attention. The trailer – Coming Soon! There's also a sequel to Tinker Tailor in the pipeline. The films have also rekindled the interest as book sales have spiked, with new and younger audiences drawn in to rediscover a literary legend and his collection of genre defining works. The 23rd and latest John Le Carre novel: 'A Delicate Truth'; view the Book trailer below. This of course all this, stories, novels and films, tell of a very amoral world, where men and women hold themselves to higher or simply a standard removed from everyone else, a world constantly aware of the puppet strings, the walking wounded – it is cold and dark and unromantic, yet for the larger population it intrigues us to no end… suffice is to say, we’d rather read about, and watch it on the silver screen than actually live it. But, for those who do, us novelists (me in my infancy as it is - I do aim to emulate the greats - and this is timely inspiration) try to tell their stories, amplify their voice in whichever way we can, and to take a line form the book, (because sometimes that voice is hard to hear, the message either plainly simple or incoherently convoluted in the grey stage of world politics and economics, and war) “Once she had cried out, and there had been no echo, nothing. Just the memory of her own voice.” Visit Author John Le Carré's official site at www.johnlecarre.com For an in depth interview to get a deeper sense of Cornwell the man, his personal life and what he’s up now in all his 81 year old glory, follow the link to an interview conducted by Dwight Garner for the New York Times earlier this year. We get to hear his thoughts on the modern Spy world as well as his sentiments about modern media and politics, even his views on the film Zero Dark Thirty. Article: John le Carré Has Not Mellowed With Age "A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world" The Knesset is wrong about the way they’re going about ‘preserving’ the Jewish state, demonizing all and sundry, etc etc. You, we, everyone already knows this. They’ve lost their humanity, disregarded many of the values preached about in the Bible – chief among them: “Love thy neighbour”. We needn't say anything more. So, I got to thinking, since this is the Israel we are saddled with, and for all intents and purposes, it’s not going anywhere (despite the wishes of Hezbollah, Hamas and many other Arabs). So, what are we to do about this…? Here then is an objective look at what is happening… and what the Bible tells us - and with that, we can also take stock of why the Bible is in fact relevant at all: Now, for a neutral reader, let's look at that – why use the Bible? Well, let’s approach this from a broader perspective and look at it as it stands… for instance, approximately 80% of the prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled, considering it was written by so many authors, and many predictions involve modern day occurrences (sometimes speaking of things which even they did not understand) and always in great detail, and since Israel herself has always been a central figure in the Bible, it seems logical. [there are of course those who do not believe in the Bible as a tool of historical fact, but that is a different debate altogether - objectively it has proven itself, thus far, as at least "80% accurate" in its predictions, with the other 20% still pending] It was predicted that the people of Israel would be scattered all over the world: “These are the people of the Lord, yet they have come out of HIS land” In modern times, this has already happened. Isaiah 66:8 “Who has heard such a thing? Who Prior to this Israel had never been a sovereign nation, since before Christ. Also, read Luke 21:24 Some history:
At the moment Israel is not the most loved state in the world – to put it lightly (they were never really) – and their influence on world events goes hand in hand with the controversies. I am not contesting that Israel are wrong for treating the Palestinians in the way that they have, but it is expected when looking at it in Bible context. If Israel were an organism, then this is the way it would go about neutralizing the threat to its existence. Even when nations pledge “peace” – which they have claimed to do (whether you see Israel as victim or perpetrator) – the Lord says there will be only destruction (1 Thess 5:2-3, Jer 8:11). When you look at the nation of Israel, their history and the nature of their existence; then their current actions are not surprising for they have been at war and under threat for so long. Additionally, when you consider that the Prime Minister is an ex Special Forces soldier and war veteran, on the same page with the head of Mossad (with similar qualifications), it all starts to make a little more sense. You see, there is wide sentiment that Mossad (the most effective killing machine in the world) is indeed out of control, much like the CIA, and exact their own agenda to manipulate the might of the US war machine, to their benefit. (*See the Trojan Operation which directly led to America invading Libya on false terrorism claims.) Knowing that they are the only (tiny) Jewish State in the Arab dominated Middle East, and that in 1967, in the Khartoum conference (5 surrounding Arab nations united) declared... “...no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel and no peace with Israel.” So with the opposing side very clear, the lines drawn in the sand with a constant threat of war (the Yom Kippur war was a surprise attack), a country like Israel would push to stay prepared and be pre-emptive in their actions. Those actions have made many enemies, but they seem not to care for anyone’s opinion – this too was prophesied in the Bible - as Israel have always been pinned in a corner, forced constantly overcome great odds. In Zechariah the Lord foretold, “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the people around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. [So, even as a plain book, the Bible continues to be relevant… just one of the many reasons it’s a bestseller.] To conclude: the actions of Israel and the situation we sit with today, in some way (human rights violations aside perhaps), is simply the way it was predestined to be… and in these times, if there is another not-so-deeper message to tack on (from those prophecies) is that it will be violent, and it will get ugly. I pray for strength and wisdom! Final thoughts, on Syria: Who stands to gain the most from a destabilized Syria? For Israel, any Arab nation not looking their way, is a good Arab nation. If there is any animosity toward Israel, be sure to target it at The Knesset – just like whenever I reference the US and their disagreeable actions, it’s imperative to focus on the Government. The people may have put them in power, but of course that power is abused. Sentiment will always be divided... God Bless! {Bible verses from The MacArthur Study Bible} Related Reading: An Objective look at Apartheid Israel, Part 2 Israel: An Objective look Part 3 - Tipping the 1st Domino |
[Banner illustration by Joel Kanar]
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