Mark Armstrong on NATO Summit, Brexit, Peter Strzok and Separated Children

Mark Armstrong, leader of the Intercontinental Church of God, son of Garner Ted Armstrong, grandson of Herbert Armstrong, has released another weekly update to his followers (July 13, 2018). Let's see what he has to say this time.

One common theme of his weekly updates is defending his preferred president and blaming just about any problems his preferred president faces on negative reporting by the media. It is often assumed that the media is doing this maliciously as part of a massive conspiracy to remove his preferred president from power.

Greetings from Tyler, 

You know of the NATO summit that took place this week. Our media reported it as President Trump bullying the leaders and “polite diplomats” like a bull in the china closet, throwing everything into disarray, and the emerging to declare victory. The first issue to be brought up in a “photo op” with live cameras was a big one. The President declared Germany a “captive” of Russia saying they've closed their coal and nuclear plants and are now relying on Russia for close to 70% of their energy needs. It's a deal worth untold billions of dollars and was made possible largely because the chairman of the Nord Stream pipeline corporation is Gerhard Schroeder, the former Chancellor of Germany.

Mark Armstrong also often dismisses environmental concerns as being alarmist and as an opening to being ruled over by foreigners.

Against the hopes of European leaders attending the summit, President Trump raised the issue even before official meetings got underway. Nord Stream 1 is already in operation, transporting natural gas to Germany. The second pipeline, Nord Stream 2 is intended to dramatically increase the amount of natural gas Russia can sell to Germany. It is being blocked, for now, by east European members of the EU who see their countries being bypassed by the pipeline, while Germany, Norway, Sweden and others have already signed on. Trump had the unmitigated gaul to ask what sense it makes for the United States to be providing military protection for Europe, from Russia, while energy security is being outsourced to Russia. “Explain that,” the president said. But there is no good explanation, other than Germany decided to go “green,” shutting down traditional energy production, and has inexplicably made itself hostage to Russian supplies.

Mark Armstrong complains that the United States had paid the majority of defense expenses in the NATO alliance casually ignoring that such expenditure makes it easier for the United States to exert influence upon the world.

Though the mainstream media will dispute this, NATO members appeared to have agreed to pay their share, two to four percent of GDP for NATO military defense, which mostly has been shouldered for decades by the United States of America. 

Mark Armstrong discusses the fallout after his preferred president made comments criticizing Prime Minister May for not advocating for a hard Brexit.

The President then went to London, where massive protests were organized against him while he met with Prime Minister Theresa May and visited Windsor Castle to meet the Queen. Though those visits appear to have been cordially diplomatic, statements were attributed to the President saying that May had botched Brexit, and that the U. S. may be unable to conclude a bilateral trade deal with the UK if the EU continues to exert control. We have no reason to doubt those sentiments were indeed expressed. Theresa May has put her government in jeopardy by negotiating a “soft exit” from the EU, leaving many European controls in place. Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, has resigned, citing her proposed deal with the EU. Now her position as Prime Minister is in serious jeopardy.

He then discusses the testimony of Peter Strzok. His testimony was rather well received outside of Republican audiences. Even Mark Armstrong obliquely admits this by describing the hearing as "not particularly productive." Mark Armstrong responds by insisting that Strzok is being "protected by the FBI and those running interference in the hearing."

While those events were playing out across the Atlantic, we've been treated to the three-ring circus that took place on LIVE television from the intelligence committee hearing in the House of Representatives. Peter Stzrok [sic] has become a household name. He gave a performance, punctuated by facial contortions we haven't seen since James Comey was mildly nauseated. Strzok was defiant, proudly lambasting President Trump despite being nailed to the wall by his own digital communications. But he was insufferably smug nevertheless, apparently confident that he'll be protected by the FBI and those running interference in the hearing. Most of us weren't able to watch the whole charade play out, but we've all seen clips that betray his denials. It was another necessary, if not particularly productive, step in proving what we've known for the better part of a year. He had no choice but to deny, deny and continue denying that his own words meant what they said. To do otherwise would amount to an admission to the dictionary definition of sedition, a high crime. 

No mention is made of Strzok's statement that he was disgusted at comments then candidate Trump made concerning a Gold Star family, namely Khizr and Ghazala Khan.

He claims that the investigation by Special Council Mueller is merely based on accusations from "Hillary's campaign ... against the Trump campaign". He also blames the Steele dossier even though rival Republican presidential candidates were among the initial sponsors of the dossier. Little did Mark Armstrong know that Mueller would issue indictments against twelve Russian military officers charging them with hacking the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee and other offense related to the matter. Mark Armstrong makes no mention of that indictment indicating that it was only released after the weekly update was posted. 

What they did is clear and has been since at least last December.  Hillary's campaign generated accusations against the Trump campaign, laundered them through the State Department, through “reliable sources” such as Christopher Steele and Glenn Simpson, and made sure numerous versions of the “dossier” were handed off to the FBI for investigation.  That's given us the diatribe that dominated every news report, generated the appointment of the Special Council.  That a “hostile foreign entity tried to control the outcome of an American election, subverting our democracy.”  Peter Strzok offered that same rendition, pretty much verbatim, and they're still feigning suspicion that Trump was in on it.  In Proverbial terms, they dug a pit for President Trump and covered it with branches and leaves.  While chasing him down, he skipped over their pit and they fell in it.  What can they do but claim amnesia?  

He then mentions the issue of children of undocumented immigrants being ripped away from their parents. He responds to this by insisting that children are being taken by persons unrelated to them. He makes no mention that the Trump Administration has now admitted that it is unable to return about twenty percent of the younger children that have been separated from their parents. But Mark Armstrong expresses no sympathy regarding this terrible problem.

(Please note: the following passage is presented as it was written.)

During the hearings, some of the hacks in Congress objected to the subject matter and started referencing children separated from parents at the border. You know, the real crisis that should have the full attention of every American. You can be sure they don't want anybody to see this, from Fox News. Migrant Children being used as a “commodity to circumvent loophole,” border agent says. Heightened concern over fraudulent family claims
Border patrol agents say they are alarmed by the growing number of migrants illegally crossing the border with children, who are not their own.
MCALLEN, Texas – Border patrol agents say they are alarmed by the growing number of migrants illegally crossing the border with children – who are not their own – to avoid long-term federal custody.
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Raul Ortiz said he’s seeing a growing number of migrant children crossing the border with adults pretending to be their parents. 

Even though it seems all too likely that some of the separated children will never be reunited with their families Mark Armstrong insists that people concerned about this issue are just showing off their virtue.

Do you still get points for compassion, if you're whipped into a frenzy but have no idea what you're talking about? The abolish ICE protesters better hope so. It's really just “virtue signaling,” another phrase necessitated by the practice of political correctness. They REALLY CARE, and you rotten patriots (racists) don't. It's false, no matter how big their signs or how loudly they shout, but they've got allies in Congress sponsoring a bill to abolish ICE. It won't go anywhere. But the record will show they care and those that want a nation with a border, don't. 

Mark Armstrong ends his weekly diatribe by ranting that those people will not judge him in the afterlife.

Those that CARE so much and want open borders and political correctness enforced around the world won't be our ultimate judge. They can call us names, claim they're smarter than we are and that we smell (what did Podesta say Hillary smelled like? Might have been worse than Strzok's Walmart shoppers. Yes, I believe it was.) But they won't judge us in the end, and with God's help we'll escape their socialist paradise permanently.  

Mark

And so Mark Armstrong ends his weekly diatribe defending his preferred president. Somehow managing the affairs of his organization is not worthy of being mentioned in these weekly updates of his.