Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22

​4-22-19, * -- The communist dictator "president" of Venezuela Hugo Chavez died of cancer in 2013. In 2007 he began his third term by raising his right hand and proclaiming, "Fatherland, socialism or death... I swear it," invoking the Cuban leader's famous call to arms. He also alluded to Jesus, saying: "I swear by Christ - the greatest socialist in history." In a speech that followed, he said the central aim of his term - that runs until 2013 - will be "to build Venezuelan socialism. I don't have the slightest doubt that is the only path to the redemption of our peoples, the salvation of our fatherland." [1]

Columnist Robert Knight, WashTimes reports: "Coopting Jesus Christ for Unholy Purposes," "Today's Progressives [US politicians] brazenly misquote the Sermon on the Mount as if it were the first draft of "The Communist Manifesto." They claim that Jesus would back open borders, forced redistribution of wealth, seizure of private property and, most of all, sexual anarchy."
 
All around the world governments are trying to say their way of governing combined with Christianity equals social justice. In Nicaragua, for example, the communists placed billboards all around the country with their "President" Daniel Ortega's picture on it and the caption: "cristiano, socialista, solidario." [2] 

Socialists often claim Christianity as socialism based on scripture from the Holy Bible's New Testament: Acts 4:32, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
 
The difference here is that the early disciples of Christ voluntarily out of the love of their hearts gave one to another. However, in Socialism and Communism, government becomes "god" and forcibly distributes personal wealth & property by the state - it's compulsory. [3] The idea of invoking Jesus Christ or God in support of the socialist cause given the truth of its manifesto, is no less than mocking God. [..snip]

Knight writes further: "Democrats have been working hard to spin their version of Jesus...they and their media allies have been working overtime to create a Christ who would bless their leftist politics." Democrats proclaim that Christ is the center of their lives, yet disparage the faith and character of those who disagree with their brand of theology - which often includes killing of unborn human children [aka abortion], promotion of sexual immorality, same sex marriage and denying the right to express Christ in the public square. Beware of these people.

[1] Quote here
[2] Ortega billboard here
[3] Proletarians and Communists of the Communist Manifesto says, Sec 2: "But Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience." 
​
* Excerpted and adapted full original message from Bill Wilson here

Psalm 142:4

4-16-19, Dr. Henry Morris, PhD -- This is one of the saddest verses in the Bible (Ps 142:4). To be all alone, not knowing where to find refuge from problems that bear heavily at times — this is the lot of many lonely people. If we ask Him, the Lord is always there to comfort and guide the faithful Following the sad complaint of our text, David made a statement of hope and faith. “The righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me” (Psalm 142:7). His loneliness was because of unconfessed sin as he lamented after his crime of adultery and murder: “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me” (Psalm 32:3-4).

Outwardly silent, but inwardly roaring — that’s the way it is when a believer tries to rationalize and hide his sin from God and man. The remedy in such a case is obvious: “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psalm 32:5).

There was a time, in fact, when the Lord Himself was all alone. When He was arrested, “then all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56); but that was not the worst of it. “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus died all alone on the cross—the loneliest and most forsaken person in all human history—as even His heavenly Father had to abandon Him when He took on the sins of the world past, present and future and died for us. Thus, He understands our own need and is always there.

“For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted [or ‘tested’], He is able to succor them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18) and He gives us encouragement. (John 15:15) Source

***
Hymns:
'TELL IT TO JESUS'
here

'TRUST AND OBEY'
here

No children or ducks harmed by novichok, say health officials | UK 
[did Gina Haspel trick the president or just more fake news?]
4-18-19, Guardian.Uk -- Health officials say no children or ducks harmed by novichok poisoning. The report about ducks & kids is bogus. President Trump is said to have been reluctant at first to expel Russian diplomats following last years reported attack in Salisbury, viewing the poisoning of the former Moscow agent Sergei Skripal as “part of legitimate spy games”. However, according to the NYTimes, he changed his mind after then deputy CIA director, Gina Haspel, showed him pictures of young children and ducks that apparently injured as a result of the Salisbury attack. The ducks - it was claimed were killed because of carelessness in handling the nerve agent on the part of the two Russian intelligence operatives alleged to have carried out the attack. “Mr Trump fixated on the pictures of the sickened children and the dead ducks,” the report said. At the end of the briefing, Trump embraced what Haspel had presented as the “strong option” and expelled 60 Russian diplomats. However, the report does not pass the smell test; somebody is again dishing out fake news. More here and here

Trump Expels 60 Russians, Closes Russian Consulate In Seattle After UK Chemical Attack
In 2018 President Donald Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russians from the United States and closed the Russian consulate in Seattle over a reported nerve agent attack perpetrated by Russia in the UK .... it is highly disputed as fact that the Russians poisoned anybody ... The NYTimes report has now opened yet more room for speculation surrounding events in Salisbury. There is either evidence which has not been publicly released by Britain - for unknown reasons - or the CIA was manipulating the material. 

NYT claims Haspel's CIA showed Trump (fake) pictures of dead ...
4-16-19, Clearly the writers in the likes of the Washington Post or New York Times might not know too many details regarding the Salisbury poisoning case in the UK, the Independent knows full well that there were no dead ducks and no sick children. And so since they're writing about it, they must know that either the CIA ...

4-18-19, * -- White privilege, the hottest racist idea since cross-burnings at midnight and photos with Farrakhan, is a subject of academic study and media discourse. It’s hard to escape its pernicious message that an entire race is tainted by virtue of its skin color and that the accomplishments of any individual white person are due, not to his or her efforts, but to race, skin color, and a national infrastructure of white supremacism. Who actually believes in "white privilege?"

A recent Pew race relations survey notes that white people are the least likely to believe that being white helps one get ahead in life. Racial activists see such results as proof of white privilege. Only white people, they insist, could be so oblivious to their racial privileges in the face of the oppression of non-whites. Your skin has to be whiter than vanilla not to realize how badly all the oppressed races have it. According to the survey, the race most likely to believe that white skin gets you ahead in life are Asians. [Note: Asians cover alot of racial territory. The 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census Bureau definition of the Asian race is: people having origins in any Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam)".]

Of Asians surveyed, 72% believe that being white provides advantages. It’s curious that the single most successful non-white race is so convinced of the benefits of whiteness. Asian Americans outperform white Americans on everything from education to income to family status. Census Bureau statistics showed that Asian-American median income was at $78,000 while white median household income was only $62,000. At 3%, Asian unemployment is lower than those of whites. A majority of Asian-Americans are immigrants, and a majority don’t feel culturally integrated. Most Asian-American immigrants report not feeling like a typical American. And this is the result.  ​[..snip]
​
Despite the racist conspiracy theories foisted on African-Americans by a radical racist leadership, they are more likely to have spent generations living and working side by side with white Americans. Excerpted full original report from Daniel Greenfield here

Hollywood Celebrity 'Cher' Supports Border Security?
4-15-19, Singer Cher found support from conservative Trump supporter actor James Woods, after she questioned whether Los Angeles could handle an increase in migrants coming to the city. She said: “I Understand Helping struggling Immigrants, but MY CITY (Los Angeles) ISNT TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN. WHAT ABOUT THE 50,000+? Citizens WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS. PPL WHO LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE & HUNGRY? If My State Can’t Take Care of Its Own (Many Are VETS) How Can it Take Care Of More?”

Julian Assange Founder of Wikileaks Arrested in London at Ecuador Embassy
4-11-19, Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, took refuge in 2012 in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. He was recently arrested there after Ecuador revoked his asylum status... More here

Investigations: Barr, Huber, Horowitz, Graham and Nunes | More here
4-22-19, Lindsey Graham & Devin Nunes, on behalf of the Senate and House respectively, are beginning investigations into Hillary, Obama & the Democrats' any illegal shenanigans they were up to leading up to the election. AG Barr has said the Dept of Justice will be looking into their actions leading up to the Mueller probe.  He said, “spying did occur” against Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. [..] Rep. Devin Nunes is expected to submit his long-awaited criminal referrals to the Justice Dept today; he reports that he has eight criminal referrals, including a couple related to charges of conspiracy to lie to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court [FISA]. The investigations expected to be concluded very soon, by U.S. Attorney John Huber and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Huber was appointed over a year ago by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to review not only surveillance abuses by the FBI and DOJ, but also authorities’ handling of the probe into the Clinton Foundation.

Psalm 16:1-11; Psalm 49:1-20; Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12

Mark 16:9-11; Luke 24:10; John 20:4-9

Luke 24:13-25; John 20:27

Risen Christ in glorified body ate food: Luke 24:41-43; John 21:12

​Ahmed Mohamed Arrested because his 'clock' in a briefcase looked like a bom | More here
Sept 2015 -- After the clock incident and their lawsuit that was dismissed costing them all fees, in October 2015, the family moved to the Middle East settling in Qatar. Reportedly the family left the US over fears caused by all the attacks they received because of rumors & unwarranted accusations of terrorist links.

Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1; Luke 19:28; John 12:12

2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15, Romans 8:3; 1 Peter 1:19

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and was arrested ... John 13:1-5

While the Lord Jesus was at the mock 'trial,' His apostle Peter denied Him three times, Luke 22:7-10

The Lord Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb that was sealed and guarded by soldiers, Mark 15:1-5

The tomb or the soldiers couldn't hold the Lord God Jesus Christ Who Arose from Death as He promised, Matthew 28:1-13

Militia detains illegals at gunpoint
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47980143
4-19-19, A video has emerged of armed right-wing militia members stopping over 300 migrants as they cross the Mexico border into the US state of New Mexico. The group calls itself the United Constitutional Patriots ... Border agents tell them not to point their weapons at the illegals ...

Videos appear showing armed militia [private US citizens] detaining illegal migrants at US southern border ...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/18/new...
4-19-19, A large group of migrants at the US-Mexico border have been captured by American militia 'UNITED CONSTITUTIONAL PATRIOTS [UCP] and coordinated with US border patrol agents to have them arrested.

4-19-19, Washington Examiner -- The US House of Rep lawmakers were shocked learning that the migrants have among them smugglers who are recycling children across the border. 

On Tuesday, 4-16-19 the Washington Examiner was riding along with Republican Reps. John Joyce of Pennsylvania, Pete Stauber of Minnesota, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, Andy Biggs of Arizona. Officials leading the tour pointed to a group of more than 40 people who had just crossed through the Colorado River south of the Morelos Dam and surrendered to Border Patrol agents less than a quarter-mile into the U.S. They reported:

“Right now, they’re getting their biographical information: name, first name, last name, date of birth, nationality. They may ask them where they’re going — how many people, if it was a family unit, were they by themselves, were they minors? ... Every one has a kid, at least one; children are being “rented out.” 

They just walk up and surrender themselves' ... no fear, no running trying to get away. They know that if they come in as a family unit, they'll be released probably less than two days as the USA is not lawfully allowed to hold them. So essentially they are presenting themselves at the border and saying they are a family unit.
Because agents do not take fingerprints or other biometric information from children 14 years old or younger, they cannot verify if a child being taken into custody is arriving for the first time or is related to the adult bringing them, the agent said.
Justin Kallinger, spokesman for the Yuma sector, said 99% of all migrants they take into custody paid thousands to be smuggled to the U.S. and did not travel as part of a caravan.
The blame and cause for the abuse of the children fundamentally is the United States fault! If not for the ridiculous laws this would not happen! ​More here

​The Tragedy of an Agnostic & UNESCO Heading Notre Dame Restoration
4-19-19, Christians worldwide are prayerfully remembering that it was just about this time almost 2000 years ago that the Crown of Thorns was placed on their Savior Jesus Christ’s Head during the history event of His sacrificial death and resurrection. France Pres Macron, who - according to his biography, converted to Catholicism at age 12 and now self-identifies as an agnostic. New Age UNESCO is more interested in the preservation of culture rather than religion and now has its own ‘Green’ Religion with focus on not offending Muslims who hate the Lord Jesus Christ... what could possibly go wrong?

President Trump Correct - Santuary City Democrats Are Hypocrites
4-19-19, Chicago Trib -- It is mystifying why Democrats are so up in arms about President Trump’s declaration that he's considering releasing illegal migrants into so-called sanctuary cities. After all they've consistently proclaimed their love and caring for the unfortunate innocent migrants; but they object to them coming to THEIR cities?? Where should they live? Well, the Democrats created “sanctuary cities” as sanctuaries for migrants living here illegally. SO, IF they want these migrants released, why would they oppose having them delivered into the very sanctuaries they created for that express purpose?If anything, the Democratic leaders of those sanctuary cities are working overtime to turn them into magnets for illegal migrants. 
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed in his 2019 inaugural address to make his entire state a “sanctuary to all who seek it,” and on his first day in office, he proposed making those migrants here illegally eligible for Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, until age 26. Some sanctuary cities are even allowing illegal immigrants to vote in local elections. In 2016, San Francisco passed Proposition N, which allow foreign non citizen migrants to vote in school board elections. And in 2017, College Park, Md., became the largest U.S. city to allow illegal immigrants to vote in municipal elections.
Sorry, Democrats, you don’t get to have it both ways...
​More here

Candace Owens Fumes as California Democrat Rep Ted Lieu Dishonestly Presents Clip of Interview

4-10-19, The US Congress' Judiciary Comm hearing on hate crimes and white nationalism had the Director of Communications for 'TURNING POINT USA" conservative black American, Candace Owens testify. A clip of a confrontation between Candace and California Dem Rep. Ted Lieu after he dishonestly shows a snippet of a video purporting her hate-crimes without the entire context and question that Ms Owens was answering. She begins her comments by introducing her 75 yr old grand father who was a share cropper; and that he holds no animus against white people. She exposed facts of history that the Dems were involved in the Ku Klux Klan, that currently black kids in states run by Democrats can't read and more black babies are aborted than others and it's supported by Democrats not Republicans.

Owens criticized Democrats for always bring out the mantra of white supremacy instilling fear in the black community ahead of important elections. She pointed out that the real problems in black communities in America rest in the education system, the singe motherhood rate and the rates of abortion.“The hearing today is not about white nationalism or hate crimes. It’s about fear mongering, power and control.”  In less than 24 hours, this video became the most watched C-SPAN Twitter video ... More here

20 minute video here

4-19-19, In the “Land of Happy Cows,” ie the western part of southern Bavaria; in spring, the meadows are a solid yellow with flowering dandelion plants. They are so abundant that the butter and cheese produced from the cows grazing in those fields develop a decidedly yellow color, caused by the chemical known as “beta-carotene.” It’s related to the orange color-producing substance in carrots, hence its name.

When the dandelions at last are blooming again, the cows are really happy. They take to the solidly dandelion-yellow meadows in force and produce plenty of milk that is the source of the then (once again) yellow butter. [..snip]

All the dandelions (Taraxanum sp.) in your or the neighbors’ front yards could soon become a source of a “rubbery” income, see a  German research report: “Highlights der Angewandten Pflanzenforschung.” This research project is heavily funded by the federal government, called: “A weed turns into a raw material source: Dandelions produce rubber.” In fact, the article describes the research and attempts to grow super-duper dandelions, hoped to be two-to-three feet tall, etc. [..]
​
I wonder if the alpine meadows or your own or other community’s lawns and veggie fields could be turned into novel “rubber plantations.” If you really think that’s the way to become a robber rubber baron,” go right ahead but, please, keep them dandy seeds from blowing over to our place. We really don’t need a dandelion windfall. More here

 Luke 4:18–19
  
4-19-19, * -- This year the Jewish Feast of 'Passover' begins evening of Friday, April 19, 2019 ending evening of Saturday, April 27, 2019. According to Jewish belief, the Messiah will come after a time of war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16–17). There are several things that the Messiah must accomplish: He will bring about spiritual and political redemption of the Jewish people and bring the Jews home to Israel restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:10–12; Jeremiah 23:8, 30:3; Hosea 3:4–5). In Jewish tradition it is believed that in the first two days of Passover the past redemption from Egypt is commemorated. And in the last two days of Passover, the complete and ultimate redemption through the coming of Messiah is proclaimed. [Note: Most of the Jewish people do not believe Jesus Christ was their long awaited Messiah - so they are still waiting. The Hebrew term Mashiach Jesus Christ [Yeshua] will be the one anointed as King of Kings in the end of days. Jesus is our 'Passover' Lamb 1 Corinthians 5:7-8]

In the New Testament it is reported that when Yeshua [Jesus] met the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her that He was the Messiah.  He declared, “I, the one speaking to you — I am He.” (John 4:25–26) Yeshua also publicly proclaimed His Messianic mission in the synagogue – to everyone’s amazement this young son of a simple carpenter - spoke of the Isaiah 61:1-2 Messianic prophecy then said: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  (Luke 4:21)

There are at least 333 Messianic prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures that describe the real Messiah. Jesus Christ’s entire ancestry, birth, character, teaching, ministry, life, death, burial, and resurrection were prophesied by 25 Jewish writers hundreds of years before His birth as follows: 

• He will be born in Bethlehem (Beit-Lechem) (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1)

• He will be born to a virgin and will be called God With Us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

• He will be despised and rejected by his own people (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11, 5:43)

• He will suffer terribly (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 26:38)

• He will be pierced and wounded for our sins (Isaiah 53:5; Psalm 22:16; Luke 23:33)

• He will take upon himself the punishment that we all deserve (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)

• He will not open his mouth in his own defense (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12–14)

• He will die a violent, premature death (Isaiah 53:8,12; Luke 23:46)

• He will die with the wicked but be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57–60)

• He will be raised from the dead to life (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:29–32; Matthew 28:5–6)

• He will sit on the throne of His father, David, and rule forever (Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:30–33)

* Excerpted and adapted original reports Menachem Mendel Schneerson here and here

Isaiah 3:12

4-18-19, Dennis Prager -- I have decided to finally read what is widely regarded as the beginning of the modern feminist movement, Betty Friedan's 1963 book: "The Feminine Mystique." I am halfway through and I find it, historically speaking, much lamenting the status of women. Though I have none of the contempt Friedan has for "housewifery," [homemaker, wife, mom, Proverbs 31:31] her description of women who felt they had no sense of "self" because they were only someone's wife and some children's mother is emotionally compelling. [..snip]

In January 2017, reportedly 3 million American women took part in the Women's March. [There Madonna, Ashley Judd and others proclaimed how 'nasty' they are and want more of it. -- Ed. ] [..]

If women are as likely — perhaps more likely — to complain [Isaiah 3:12] about being oppressed today when they aren't oppressed as they did when they were oppressed, and if women today are nearly twice as likely as men to be depressed, and if women at elite colleges — where they are pampered and more assured a financially successful future than most men living now or who lived in the past — are particularly angry and malcontented, simple logic suggests two choices:

​Either women remain as oppressed as in the past, or women tend to be malcontents. [..]

Though life in America is a blessing for the vast majority of its citizens, the left constantly complains about America. Indeed, the better America gets, the louder the left's complaints about America — about its racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, bigotry, xenophobia, inequality, systemic bias, etc. The right, on the other hand, regards life's difficulties as inherent to life, not inherent to America's flaws, and doesn't much complain. Like men, conservatives complain less than liberals. And just as male and female feminists demand that American men complain more — that their lack of complaining is a form of "toxic masculinity" [Proverbs 21:9] — the American left demands that Americans complain more.

All these women's marches and angry women at colleges probably tell us more about women's nature than about American sexism. -- Excerpted and adapted full report here

***
More and more modern women have realized the error in following the Betty Friedan hysteria of leaving home and hearth to struggle to be like a man. God has designed the two sexes for their specific tasks. Women are the weaker and the nurturer, man is the strong 'bread winner' - science, biology and God says so: 1 Peter 3:7

​More Millennial Women Are Becoming Stay-At-Home Moms
2-9-18, Forbes -- Millennial women are more traditional than you'd think. As they raise children, reclaiming what it means to be a stay-at-home mom [aka SAHM]. ​Despite noteworthy progress achieved in gender equality, especially in education, employment and politics, women continue to stay at home more than men. More from Yale.edu here

Jer. 7:16, 11:14; 14:11-12, 44:22-23
​
12-20-17, * -- In scripture [1] we see two occasions when God told someone not to pray, for He would not hear their prayer.

1. Moses, for though he’d been faithful to God most of his life, he was told by the Lord he’d not enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience. (Num. 20:8-12). Moses pleaded with the Lord, (Deut. 3:25-26) but God’s decision was final. He explained to Moses why He would not hear his prayer, saying, “because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel” (Deut. 32:51).
2. God told Jeremiah not to pray for his fellow Israelites. Three times God told Jeremiah, “do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you” (Jer. 7:16, 11:14; 14:11). God decided to judge and punish His people (Jer. 7:20) because they’d repeatedly broken their covenant with Him by disobeying His commands and pursuing other gods (Ex. 20:2-4; cf. Ezek. 20:4-24). Repeatedly the people disobeyed God’s commands and would not change their behavior (Jer. 7:21-26; 11:1-13, 19:4-5; Ezek. 16:20-21, 25:3).

There are no examples in the New Testament of God telling anyone not to pray. It does report, however that God disciplines His disobedient people (Heb. 12:6; Rev. 3:19; 1 Cor. 11:32), even to the point of death (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor. 11:27-30, 1 John 5:16-17).

​We are commanded to be “devoted to prayer” (Rom. 12:12; cf. Col. 4:2). The born again believer in Christ Jesus is to look to God always for wisdom and strength to do His will, lifting others before His throne of grace, requesting He will intervene as we ask, for His glory and their benefit.

[1] Verses not pray here 
 
*Excerpted and adapted full original message from Steven R. Cook here

4-15-19, * -- The liberal Russian military expert Aleksandr Golts commented that the rising tensions between Russia and NATO could transform the Black Sea into a battlefield. He said: [1]
 "Russia as a source of military threat was the main subject of the NATO Foreign Ministers [70th] 'anniversary' meeting in Washington April 3-4, 2019. Despite numerous internal conflicts that were also discussed at the summit (one of them is US Pres Trump's insistent demand to reduce U.S. expenditures on European security), there is one immutable factor that ensures NATO unity. It is the opposition to what NATO members consider 'the threat from the East.' […]

"Alexander Grushko said that Russia is currently conducting the planned upgrade of its Black Sea Fleet and is therefore prepared for 'any possible turns in the sphere of military security'. 'Our position is clear: any reinforced NATO presence in the Black Sea region is pointless from a military perspective,' the diplomat stated. 'It will not strengthen security in the region nor that of NATO itself, it will only involve additional military risks.'
​
"General Vladimir Shamanov, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, quite frankly promised NATO a shellacking. […]

Vice President Mike Pence stated at the Washington meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Turkey was subjected to extremely harsh criticism due to its intention to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system. 'Turkey's purchase of a $2.5 billion Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile system poses great danger to NATO and the strength of this alliance.' Ankara does not intend to yield to pressure. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu called the purchase of the S-400 a 'done deal'. [...]

Since 2014, NATO warships have been regularly displaying the flag near Crimea. And now they will be most likely based there almost permanently. The capture of Ukrainian ships in November 2018 was not a pre-planned operation. The Russian coast guard and their commanders obviously lost their nerve. And no one can guarantee that this will not happen again."

 'The whole subject of the new NATO 'deterrence' measures package in the Black Sea, as well as Moscow's readiness to immediately interpret the vague threats from Brussels as a scenario for direct military confrontation, once again confirm that the parties have entered a new cold war.'

[1] Echo.msk.ru, April 4, 2019. Golts' article [1]
*Excerpted full report from Memri here