Tag Archives: President Obama

Saeed Abedini Thanks President For Visiting With His Wife

Pastor Saeed Abedini, wrongfully imprisoned in Iran for over 2 years and in one of Iran’s most brutal prisons, has released a letter through his lawyers thanking President Obama for meeting with his wife.

“I was personally encouraged that you were in my hometown of Boise, Idaho and made time to visit my wife and children,” Abedini wrote.

“They have had a heavy burden to carry in my absence, and your presence helped to relieve some of that burden. . . Thank you again for standing up for my family and I and for thousands of Christians across the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. President Obama, you have my prayers from inside of these walls. I pray for God’s guidance, wisdom and blessing for you as you lead this great nation.”

President Obama met with Naghmeh Abedini and the couple’s two children in an office at Boise State University before a speech promoting State of the Union address ideas.  The President promised the children he would do all he could to bring their father home.

Pastor Abedini said that Christians are encouraged because of the meeting.

“Nothing is more valuable to the body of Christ than to see how the Lord is in control and moves ahead of countries and leadership through united prayer,” the pastor continued.

“Thank you again for standing up for my family and I and for thousands of Christians across the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. President Obama, you have my prayers from inside of these walls. I pray for God’s guidance, wisdom and blessing for you as you lead this great nation.”

President Obama Says Non-Christian President Is OK

President Obama spoke to a group in New Delhi and said that it would be perfectly fine for the United States to not have a Christian President.

“In our lives, Michelle and I have been strengthened by our Christian faith. Still, as you may know, my faith has at times been questioned — by people who don’t know me — or they’ve said that I adhere to a different religion, as if that were somehow a bad thing,” Obama said, according to ABC News.  “Every person has the right to practice their faith how they choose, or to practice no faith at all, and to do so free from persecution and fear.”

The President was speaking to the group about the religious divisions in India that have been causing an increase in violence.  Christians in India have been demanding the government take action against Hindu extremists that torched or vandalized churches and committed personal attacks on Christians.

Obama also addressed the country’s current struggles with gender equality.

“I’m surrounded by smart women,” Obama said. “Every woman should be able to go about her day — to walk the street, or ride the bus — and be safe and be treated with the respect and dignity.”

International persecution watchdog Open Doors ranks India 21st in countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith.

ISIS Releases New Beheading Video

Islamic terrorist group ISIS has released another video showing a beheading and issuing threats to President Obama.

The video was found by the Middle East Media Research Institute on Tuesday and shows three ISIS terrorists behind a kneeling Kurdish fighter.

“Know, oh Obama, that will reach America,” says one of the fighters, clad in black and wearing a balaclava, in a translation from Arabic provided by MEMRI. “Know also that we will cut off your head in the White House, and transform America into a Muslim Province.”

The terrorists then threaten European governments with more violence.

“And this is my message to France and to its sister, Belgium,” he said. “We advise you that we will come to you with car bombs and explosive charges, and will cut off your heads.”

The video fades to black as the beheading begins.

The group also released a second video that bears the voice of a Japanese hostage saying he has less than 24 hours to live.  The terrorists are calling for the release of a jailed woman in Jordan in exchange for the man’s life.

President Confirms “Deep Commitment To Abortion”

On a day that hundreds of thousands of American women were marching on the nation’s capitol over the slaughter of over 55 million babies in the 42 years of Roe v. Wade, President Obama marked the moment by speaking about his strong support for abortion.

“Forty-two years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Roe v. Wade, a decision that protects a woman’s freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters,” Obama wrote in an official statement.

“I am deeply committed to protecting this core constitutional right,” he continued. “The federal government should not be injecting itself into decisions best made between women, their families, and their doctors.”

The president also said he is committed to reducing unintended pregnancies, supporting maternal and child health, promoting adoptions and minimizing the need for abortions.

Republican leaders in Congress shelved a vote Thursday morning on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks because of some female representatives that said they would not be able to get votes in their districts because of it.

Those in attendance at the March were furious.

“[It was] one of the most disappointing moments of my life,” said Sen. Trent Franks (R-AZ), the main sponsor of the bill.

President Obama Not Meeting with Netanyahu

President Obama will not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he comes to Washington to address a joint session of Congress.

The White House stated that it is due to the close proximity of the Israeli elections.

“As a matter of long-standing practice and principle, we do not see heads of state or candidates in close proximity to their elections, so as to avoid the appearance of influencing a democratic election in a foreign country,” National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan stated.

House Speaker John Boehner exercised his right at Speaker of the House to invite a foreign leader to address Congress.  In this case, Boehner wants Netanyahu to speak to the Congress about problems with Iran and the need for stronger sanctions against that nation.

President Obama is working to ease sanctions against Iran.

Netanyahu will speak to Congress on March 3rd and being asked to appear in January.  The Israeli leader had previously planned to be in the U.S. for a conference in Washington on the March date so the speech was rescheduled to fit that trip.

Boehner said that he wants to move forward quickly on sanctions against Iran and that the speech from Netanyahu will allow members of Congress to understand what’s at stake in the region.

“Let’s send a clear message to the White House — and the world — about our commitment to Israel and our allies,” he said.

President Obama Meets With Naghmeh Abedini

President Obama surprised many observers during a visit to Boise State University Wednesday by holding a private meeting with Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of an Iranian-American pastor jailed in Iran for being a Christian.

The President has been under fire from religious freedom groups for doing very little to obtain the release of Saeed Abedini.

Naghmeh had requested the meeting with the President in an attempt to seek help for her husband after discovering Obama was going to be conducting a rally at BSU for his State of the Union address ideas.

“I got to meet with President Obama today! The kids and I were in a small office room with him and he was gracious with his time (we met for over 10 minutes),” she wrote on Facebook. “I told him that I had refrained from food for three days and prayed and fasted, and God had ordained this meeting.”

“He said that getting Saeed out is a top priority and he is working very hard to get Saeed home back to our family,” Abedini added.

Naghmeh’s children were with her and her son challenged the President.

“Jacob then asked him, ‘Mr. President, can you please bring my daddy home for my birthday?’” Abedini recalled. “President Obama asked Jacob when his birthday was, and Jacob said March 17. President Obama said, ‘I am going to try very hard to make that happen, Jacob. I am going to try very hard…’ Praise God!”

Saeed Abedini is in his second year of incarceration at Iran’s brutal Rajai Shahr Prison.

Terrorists Attack French Newspaper; 12 Dead

Terrorists attacked a French newspaper on Wednesday, leaving 12 people dead and at least 4 others in critical condition in Paris hospitals.

Officials say that police officers were killed along with members of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper staff as the gunmen fled the scene of the attack.

The newspaper had been the subject of hatred from Muslims because of cartoons that mocked Islam and the prophet Mohammed.  The gunman who attacked the newspaper today were shouting “allahu akbar” and also “we have avenged the prophet.”

“We heard shouting in the street,” Benoît Bringer, who works at a press agency on the same floor as the magazine’s offices, told France Info radio. “We saw hooded men carrying Kalashnikovs entering the building. We called the police. After a few minutes we heard heavy firing – a lot of firing, a hell of a lot. We went upstairs to take shelter on the roof. Then after about 10 minutes we saw two armed men come out onto the street. There was more shouting, more firing.”

“Three policemen had arrived on bikes but had to leave because the men were armed, obviously … Then the attackers took off in a car.”

A woman told L’Humanite newspaper that she had been forced at gunpoint to let the terrorists in the building:

“I had gone to pick up my daughter from daycare. Arriving at the door of the newspaper building, two hooded and armed men brutally threatened us.  They wanted to enter, go up. I typed the code. They shot Wolinski, Cabu … it lasted five minutes … I had taken refuge under a desk … They spoke French perfectly … claiming to be Al-Qaeda.”

President Obama condemned the attack.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time,” the statement reads. “France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world. Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended. France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers. We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.”

Thousands of police and French troops are conducting a manhunt for the three terrorists who carried out the attack.

Gunmen Attack French Satirical Magazine

Twelve people are confirmed dead and several more are injured after three gunmen stormed the Paris office of a French satirical magazine known as Charlie Hebdo.

Witnesses reported seeing the masked gunmen enter the main entrance and open fire. Afterward, the gunmen took to the streets, killing police officers, and finally getting away in a black car.

French officials have labeled the attack as “an act of terrorism” and are raising the terror threat level. Security has been increased for media organizations, large stores, and places of worship.

“We will find the people who did this,” French President Francois Hollande stated. “France is today shocked by this terrorist attack.”

President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have shown their support for France by offering to provide assistance in catching the terrorists.

According to law enforcement, two police officers and four of the publication’s cartoonists are among the dead.

President Visits Troops on Christmas Day

President Obama and the first lady visited troops at Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Christmas, thanking them for their service to the nation.

The President acknowledged the birth of Christ in his message to the troops.

“So on a day when we celebrate the Prince of Peace and many of us count our blessings, one of the greatest blessings we have is the extraordinary dedication and sacrifices you all make,” Obama said according to ABC News.  “We could not be more thankful. I know I speak for everyone in the entire country when I say, we salute you.”

The President spent the majority of the time talking about the end of the U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of the year.

“Next week we will be ending our combat mission in Afghanistan. Because of the extraordinary service of the men and women in the Armed Forces, Afghanistan has a chance to rebuild its own country. We are safer. It’s not going to be a source of terrorist attacks again. And we still have some very difficult missions around the world, including in Iraq,” Obama continued.

“We still have folks in Afghanistan helping the Afghan security forces. We have people helping to deal with Ebola in Africa and obviously we have folks stationed all around the world. But the world is better, it’s safer, it’s more peaceful, it’s more prosperous and our homeland is protected because of you and the sacrifices each and every day.”

Over 2,000 U.S. troops died during the Afghan war.

Vice President Biden and his wife visited troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.

Thanksgiving Place Set For Pastor Abedini In Front Of White House

A group of supporters of Pastor Saeed Abedini set a place at the Thanksgiving table in front of the White House on Thanksgiving as a way to remind President Obama that he has done next to nothing to bring home the American wrongly imprisoned in Iran for being a Christian.

“While Americans enjoy the blessings of spending Thanksgiving Day with family and friends, it is important to remember that millions around the world are being brutalized, persecuted and attacked for their Christian faith. Thousands are in prison,” Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said in a statement to the Christian Post.

“Pastor Saeed will not be able to spend this special day with his wife and two young children but instead will be spending it in a cramped prison facing constant violence and persecution.”

Mahoney also said part of the display in front of the White House was to remind Christians that they cannot be complacent when it comes to the freedom of their brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

This is the second Thanksgiving behind bars for Abedini.