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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 11, 1982
PAGE 13
ing a large garrison force of all three military services, a force which
would certainly be larger than the number of people (1,800) who 1ived
peacefully on the islands before hostilities broke out.
If "Fortress Falklands" does materialize, this could lead to a definite
drain in the morale of the proud members of the British military. Who will
want to spend a tour of duty in the windswept, drenching, boggy Falklands
8,000 miles from Britain (with certainly no shore-leave in Argentina), sub
ject to unexpected but continual attacks from Argentine planes and ships?
This Vietnam-style, no-win situation (with Britain not attacking Argentine
installations on the mainland) could very well break Ephraim's stubborn
pride.
Curiously, the state of Israel (Judah) has been of little help in brother
Ephraim's dilemma. In fact, rumors persist that Israel is indirectly help
ing the other side. British experts are deeply dismayed over a number of
rumored Argentine acquisitions of Israeli arms, through complex third party
arrangements, including "drop tanks" (disposable fuel tanks extending a
plane's range) and Gabriel air-to-surface missiles. Israeli denials have
not been satisfactory. Relations between London and Jerusalem have never
been too rosy with unpleasant memories going back before Israel's independ
ence. So Judah continues to "vex Ephraim" (Isaiah 11:13). Britain, in
turn, has denounced the Israeli raid into Lebanon stronger than any other
Western power.
What will
happen
in
the months ahead?
Will
stubborn
Britain
get bogged
down
in a hopeless situation? Has Israel (Judah) over-extended herself this
time? At some time in the future Ephraim will see "his sickness" and Judah
"his wound" (Hosea 5:13). But instead of turning to God, Ephraim will vain
ly turn to "the Assyrian"--and that certainly won't be Helmut Schmidt, who
can't hang in much longer--"yet could he not heal you."
By that time, too, Pope John Paul II (who returns to Poland in August) may
have advanced further along the road as a globally-respected peacemaker.
(Mr. Reagan, while in Rome, glowingly and with a tear in his eye referred to
him as "this holy man.")
That's all for now, in this the last of my on-the-spot reports.
--Gene H. Hogberg, News Bureau