World News and Trends: The European Union's dangerous liaisons
The Wall Street Journal Europe reported that "just as the United States imposed sanctions on Damascus, the European Union is finalizing a deal to facilitate trade with Syria."
This is in spite of Damascus' long-standing contempt for basic human rights and its refusal to allow international watchdog organizations to enter the country. Even more serious is the fact that the Syrian government allows Hezbollah (a notorious terrorist organization) to indulge in such activities as illegal weapons sales, money laundering and drug dealing.
The European Union's position is manifestly inconsistent with its stated ideals "founded upon the principles of liberty, democracy and fundamental freedom, and the rule of law." Also this widens policy divides with the United States and brings the European Union (EU) into conflict with American goals and purposes in the Mideast.
China is another case in point. One correspondent, reporting from Beijing, writes: "While the EU prepares to lift the China arms embargo, Washington is urging caution, saying that Beijing has drawn up a blueprint for attacking Taiwan and could be America's main military adversary within ten years." China's primary source of new weapons has been Russia, but apparently the European Union is anxious to get in on the act.
The disturbing factor in EU trade with both Syria and China is that it exacerbates several already troubling foreign policy differences between the United States and the European Union. To see where events are headed, request our free booklet The Middle East in Bible Prophecy. (Sources: Wall Street Journal Europe, The Independent [London].)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: July - August 2004
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
