Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Economic Realities of the Past 20 years (I)

Analytical & Intelligence Comments] RE: The Political Nature of the Economic Crisis

This is a response to Mr. Friedman's article at Stratfor.com

Very good, Mr. Friedman,

I like your article. It is certainly a discussion starter.

There are several issues as to what it is Mr. Paulson is trying to do verses what the RTC. Senator Schumer wants an FRC. Then it became an RFC. R means reconstruction. F is for financial. C equates corporation. The problem with Senator Schumer's idea is the same as the old RTC. Who is going to be making fortunes from this situation that both parties created over 20 years?

First one needs to address Mr. Paulson's objectives. His idea is to create a floor be that a sub floor for financial instruments to be able to sell them in a reasonable market place. A concept lending itself to the FASB 157 statement that "mark to market" has to be in regards to an "exchange price is the price in an orderly transaction between market participants" and "trades in an active market". Meaning the instruments cannot be sold for "firesale" prices.

My initial viewpoint that this "plan" is a sub floor in these instruments stands correct. Nobody can say for sure that these instruments if held for any amount of time will make a profit. The risk is surely on the default side. It appears that the risk aversion comes from trying to sell them in an orderly fashion hoping to slowly deleverage these instruments. It is hard to analysis "hold to whatever time frame to turn a profit" if one doesn't know the risk. Some of these instruments may recover turning a profit that then is used against the ones that don't and take a loss.

Which brings up the question of why Senator Schumer wants so much to make a corporation to deal with this paper? The problem with this FRC or RFC is it will take too long to create. From what I understand they are buying bad assets not good assets.

Paulson wants to put a floor in to make an orderly market. This could mean that some people are pushing down the prices of these assets to buy at firesale prices. They may be the ones who have been selling these instruments and now know they aren't worth holding. Some of these instruments will probably default. I think there is a provision in the bill to use newly authorized financial institutions into federal entities to take control of these properties. They will be held to no golden parachutes and the other regulations.

At this time, news that Warren Buffet is going to buy in interest in GE is being released. Same deal as he had with Goldman Sachs. I will reserve comment at this time.

Back to the subject at hand, how did the RTC make money? Well, Mr.Greenspan became Federal Reserve Chairman in 1987. His plan to lower interest rates in order to spur an economic recovery had a few branches involved. One part was to create a market in which to sell the RTC properties into a good economy or as they say a growth economy.

The first is that one had to create a consumer to buy and a cheaper way to produce products. Basically by having a currency that would be cheaper to exchange with and tax incentives to make the imports profitable to companies involved with the production. American workers were not as cheap and had labor laws. The experiment of lifting developing economies began. Greed was in and ethics was out.

Free trade agreements ruled the world. Becoming part of the WTO was the carrot. The new "Service Industry" was born. Logic being that a person could lose their higher wages to lower wages and not have a decrease in purchasing power due to low imports. They created a backstop in the bleeding of the losses in personal incomes merely as a facade.

In addition, in order to account for higher property values in the purchasing power the imports had to be real low. Thus, leading to an economy where a person used more of their income for their mortgage and rent. Thus, low wage earners were forced to have many people living in a single housing unit in order to pay the rent or mortgage. This situation created more divorces and relationship problems. Of course that led to many social jobs for the court system in order to recommend as to who was at fault by a sociologist.

Another aspect in the inflation numbers is called the basket of goods. My favorite example to use is bleach. My whole "doing laundry" life dealt with good old regular bleach. I knew how much to use for what kind of load. It was cheap and used for cleaning. Then, along came the sale of ultra bleach. A slimy condensed product that when adjusted as to usage didn't save any money.

Not clearly in the amounts they say it made up for. This new bleach was a more expensive product. Yet, since generic bleach and one name brand company still produced the product the new product is not introduced into the basket of goods. Even though in the grocery stores many times regular bleach would be sold out forcing one to buy the new bleach.

Nevertheless, the longer the regular bleach is sold in a limited quantity the new bleach at a higher price is not included in the basket. Thus, I find myself for the past 5 years looking for my regular bleach as the first indication to when inflation will be accounted for.

Now, when it comes to the subject of home furnishings the new economy brought even more hardship on the average worker. Once Wal-Mart became a big enough company its pricing structure was used to offset the increase in quality home furnishings. The price of their best furniture products verses the lowest of a middle quality furniture maker is where they get their median number for inflation in furniture. As there is no right for a person to be able to purchase nice things when cheap products is all they deserve as a lower class of citizens.

Now, we are in the mid 90's and credit cards are easily acquired. People had equity in their homes and savings accounts. These people were the target of the sales of new cheap imports on credit cards. As low interest rates were pushing up their property values and the new 401k retirement plans were first being started and looked good. President Bush touched on this in his speech on September 28, 2008. He stated foreign investors were taking their money out of the market. In 1998, this became the encouragement of expanding 401ks due to foreign investment in the US market place.

Then for the past 8 years the republicans who claimed they were going to clean up the problem did nothing. President Bush kept Greenspan. Even though in 2000 Greenspan was forced to take his money out of the stock market and put it in the bond market due to his conflict of interest as being the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. He did that just in time for the fall of the stock market. Not to mention that the bond market has performed well over the years for as I have not heard he could not be invested in Bonds.

The republicans had deregulated and given tax incentives to their special interests for moving more jobs overseas to build more imports and create a service sector and outsourcing. The republicans say that the democrats deregulated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Yet, in 2005-6 President Bush went out in front of the cameras to state that the United States had the highest Homeownership ever.

Then, Bernanke became Chairman. At lot was said about increasing interest rates in order to encourage more savings. Well, that didn't last long.

American people are now faulted for not having regular bank savings. Yet, encouraged to have asset savings since interest rates for a bank account is so low. Therein lays the rattrap. As the no inflation economy (which was correct from a business standpoint of being unable to get a set a price for one's product) squeezed equity in homes and emptied bank accounts people wanted to borrow on their 401ks.

Bernanke attempted to raise rates, which started deleveraging of the economy. Every time he did a quick flip back to cutting interest rates. The weak dollar helped exports. In fact, there had been sightings of new life in the steel industry. Unfortunately that came with a price of loss of purchasing power. This eventually leads to an increase in wages and rising interest rates.

The more employees that non-farm payrolls show the more reserves have to be to make the payroll leading the economy into a downward spiral. As interest rates go up everything else goes down.

Take all of the past 20 years and add to it accounting fraud. The likes that make the Savings and Loan look nice. Here we are. Incompetence and ignorance being pleaded by the very people who claimed they should make multimillion of dollars because they were smarter than normal everyday people were.

Even though that multimillion was the savings account of the companies they claimed to have grown. Well, they grew the stock price using steroids. Any other growth is surely speculative. A giant is a giant. Normal size can become a giant on steroids. After the steroids, normal becomes injured.

At last the patient is in cardiac arrest and taken to the hospital. Where the 'doctors' will not cure the patient but treat the patient and send them home. Follow care is truly needed. Yet, until there is a valid discussion as to how this economy arrived where it did there is more on the horizon.

In regards to the premise that the RTC worked, I guess there is some disagreement. Clearly a lot needs to change.



"A people without reliable news is, sooner or later, a people without the basis of freedom." Harold J. Laski: A Grammar of Politics

Friday, May 1, 2009

For the Cause of Truth

There they stand and there they will stand for ever - unshaken by the tests of the human scrutiny, of talents and of time.

Many men dote on the metals silver and gold with their whole souls, and know no other standard whereby to estimate their own worth, or the worth of their fellow-beings, but by the quanity of these metals they possess, thereby debasing and degrading those qualities of the mind or spirit which alone mankind ought to be estimated.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with their teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Amen

Thursday, April 23, 2009

King of Peace Torture


For all the talk of Peace Ambassadors, the Satanic America and claims of being the New Perfected Adam an article in "The Washington Times" on redefining torture clarifies the meaning of disinformation. In a June 25, 2004 piece entitled "Severe and Prolonged Harm" Eugene Kontorovich of George Mason University already set the tone for the fake republican debate on violating the Geneva Convention. Eugene clearly states the Bush Administration’s need to redefine that physical abuse is not always torture.

Blaming the UN and congressional definitions in already stating that torture must be severe pain and suffering. Suggesting that slapping someone, which is a misdemeanor and domestic abuse violation of common law is justified as not torture. Shaping the argument as military life can be considered torture. Citing the UN "Convention Against Torture" and U.S. Congress’s "Torture Victim Protection Act" as the ones who are setting the new standards of torture. After decades of the Geneva Convention in affect where the idea of lawsuits against CIA Officers or Military arose from is now answered.

Torture voids the "Torture Victims Act" developing a Kangaroo Congress. The strategy aim explicitly expressed by Reverend Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church who and which owns The Washington Times is to bring down the Great Satan America truly transcends in this debacle of a debate.

Back in 1988 there was a flurry of news articles about a young Zimbabwean or South Koreanian proclaiming to be Rev. Moon’s dead son. With this newfound title this young man was reportedly slapping members of the Church. The Times President mysteriously fell down stairs at this same time.

Arnaud deBorchgrave of United Press International now and of Early Warning a private intelligence newsletter in the late 1980’s was quoted saying this young man was a plant by the North Korean government. 20 years later putting in context President Bush’s answer to David Gregory’s, of NBC, question in the Rose Garden Press Conference Friday September 15, 2006. David asked how Bush felt about North Korea setting their own definitions of torture to our CIA/Military personnel when Bush violates the Geneva Convention. What if N. Korea tortured and used secret evidence in a show trial against our people?

President Bush’s answer was he hoped N. Korea would use Rev. Moon and his definition under the guise of U.S. Congress, as torture definitions. Knowing Rev. Moon and Arnaud deBorchgrave’s claims of contacts in the North Koreanian military and with Kim Jung Ill II’s father leaves pause to digest. Are they abusing the American population thru a proxy such as a their sworn enemy of the United States? As a way for Rev. Moon to bring the American/Zionist/Corrupt Christian population into his cult be that by force, coercion or physiological warfare as a means?

By Ravin Black September 16, 2006

photo from September 10, 2006 Victory Celebration for Korean members of the Unification Church

Monday, April 20, 2009

Geopolitical Diary: CIA Directors Speak About Memo Releases

STRATFOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE http://WWW.STRATFOR.COM

April 20, 2009

The Obama administration’s decision to release four previously classified memos from former President George W. Bush’s administration on now-banned interrogation techniques late last week sparked a flurry of articles and debate over the weekend. Critics denounce the “enhanced interrogation techniques” as morally reprehensible torture and want the details brought to light. But on Sunday, former CIA Director Michael Hayden publicly criticized the White House over the release, arguing that it made CIA interrogators’ jobs more difficult.

Hayden, a Bush appointee to the top post in Langley, reportedly was one of four former directors — a mixture of Bush and Clinton appointees — to contact the White House last month in order to warn that the Obama administration’s decision to release the memos would compromise intelligence efforts. These four directors — Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet and John Deutch — are approaching the issue from the perspective of intelligence practitioners. Their argument is that the memos, which specifically detail now-banned interrogation methods, reveal more information on the threshold at which interrogators are legally obligated to stop. Subjects who are aware of these limits, the line of reasoning goes, are better positioned to endure the methods that are used.

These methods were hardly the most draconian used — indeed, captives handed over to foreign governments experienced far worse in many cases. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that even these limited methods could be psychologically devastating if applied over time by a skilled interrogator. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has claimed that their use helped prevent a terrorist attack, though details and evidence of that are scarce.

Cheney’s assertion brings to mind — perhaps not unintentionally — the idea of a captured terrorist refusing to reveal information about an impending and devastating attack on the verge of being carried out. This is great fodder for dramatic television series and movies, but getting to that point is an intelligence-intensive process. A great deal of tactical information on the individual — what he knows, the organization he works for and that organization’s activities — is all necessary to get to that point. This is rarely the case in either police work or the intelligence community — and if authorities did have that much highly specific intelligence, the time-consuming process of torture is rarely either necessary or an efficient means of gathering further details.

Interrogation is rightly termed a dark art. It is difficult to do well, and takes well-trained and experienced interrogators to apply techniques that compel subjects to accurately reveal information they intend to keep secret. Done poorly, these harsh techniques only compel the individual to tell the interrogators what they think they want to hear — some true, but much made up. Indeed, this was reportedly the case with the interrogation of al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah. False or made-up information is often a problem — even when skilled practitioners (who are very rare) are used. The issue is commonly mentioned in criticism of torture in general.

And in the months and years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, this was how harsh interrogation techniques were being applied: with little concrete intelligence on individual subjects specifically or al Qaeda in general out of a nonspecific and highly generic concern about another impending al Qaeda attack. Dr. George Friedman will explore this issue in depth in this week’s Geopolitical Intelligence Report.

Tell STRATFOR What You Think

http://www.stratfor.com/contact

Friday, April 10, 2009

Not Even New Wine in Old Bottles

Now we know Al Queda can not put new wine in old bottles as the saying goes. After getting a translation of the tape and careful examination it was the same reused garbage of recordings.
Before dissecting the tape the issue of whether it was an As Shab production needs addressed.

One report yesterday stated that it didn’t have the As Shab markings. Leading to the conclusion that Osama bin Laden (ObL) was running out of money. Yet, the translation I seen had a picture of ObL and As Shab markings. Whether those are the images with this tape or if there was any images is still a mystery.

The 1st paragraph of this tape is clearly classic ObL from 1998. The mention of Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Kashmir, and Chechnya in that order goes back to 1998. It is the rhetoric used to start the upswing of ObL network over the occupation of Palestine, sanctions on Iraq and international recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The overthrow of the Somalia government along with the ongoing disputes over Kashmir was being used to get recruits in Chechnya.

A stolen Gaza certainly is before the September 2005 withdrawal of settlers who would have "stole" the land. Liberation of Jerusalem and a stolen Gaza is surely from 1998.

Into the 2nd paragraph one can see it is two recordings. The first part goes back to 1998 propaganda. References to Bremer, Allawi, Sistani, and this Tantawi surely were relevant in 2004 not in 2008. Even the remote village prayer thing came up in news reports in 2004 in Iraq. In fact as the reports of problems with Friday prayers were coming questions of what the real reason was for causing these incidents. Then one of the recordings had that exact reference in order to prove that ObL was alive.

The first part of the 3rd paragraph is a continuation of the second part of the 2nd paragraph. Which is a reused promotion of Saddam’s cause for Palestine against the UN and Security Council. Mostly used to generate dislike for the Iraq War more than for the Palestinian cause. When this recording came out the first time in a different tape most pundits were asking why ObL was talking about Palestine instead of Iraq.

Why would ObL want youths to carry weapons in the street protests? Well, that particular middle section was a recording in reference to an attempt to bring down the violence by having peaceful protests. Unlike ObL who says their duty is to proactively kill people. Addressing his followers as "my Islamic Nation" and to rise up against their rulers is to appear a strong leader of more people than he has.

From close to the end of the 3rd paragraph to the end of the 4th is one recording going back 1998 speech ObL gave in Afghanistan to the people his thugs were occupying. ObL tries to make it sound that the United States had nothing to do with the defeating of the Soviet Union. Directing the listener to believe wealthy donors from Arab Muslim nations funded the war against the Soviet Union. This is flowery speech to create an atmosphere of chaos as to who supported the fighters in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union.

One might want to give credence to the mention of Hitler and mujahdeen wanted dead or alive as belonging to what President Bush said after 9/11. Yet, a more observant thought would show this a 1998 recording that produced the Hitler tactics used against President Bush. Not to mention ObL’s wanting of sympathy for being a target of the CIA in 1998.

With all the discord about whether terrorist attacks have been thwarted or not points to this recording being old. As the reference is very vague since there hasn’t been any attacks in the United States. Regardless of whether or not they were trying to attack or just probe after 9/11.
As far as the popularity of the United States at anytime in the past is never all that great. The Clinton administration tried to portray good relations with the rest of the world. The reality is no one liked us any better than they had before the Clintons. ObL indoctrination always states that America’s status is declining. This section which runs from the beginning of the 5th paragraph to the middle of the 7th paragraph, without fail, was recorded in 2004.

The citations of an Israel attack after "last days of two Bush terms" and "during that era" assuredly refers to President Bush 41’s one term and President Bush 43’s one term. Which was the saying going around in the chatter during 2004. In October of 2004 there was an attack by 4 Palestinians who were then shot by Israeli Defense Forces on the border. It was a big deal at the time.

Whereas the era of strong America had to be a reference to the Clinton administration’s claims of peace and prosperity that lead to no one challenging the hegemony of the United States even during Bush 43rd’s first term. Newspeak of "drowning in the swamps of Iraq" along with the issue of vetoes in the Security Council was prevalent in 2004 not at the present time.

This piece of recording as I stated runs through the middle of the 7th paragraph. In the 6th paragraph talk of the price of the Iraq War causing the economy to collapse was a big issue in the 2004 campaign. Yassir Arafat was dying in the middle to late 2004. Everyone was talking about Mahmoud Abbas replacing Arafat. The citation of Abbas clearly was in 2004 in order to start a discord if there is a difference between Hamas, Fatah, and Al Queda.

ObL states his objections to the UN. The question must be asked. Why does anyone believe that Arafat who voiced disdain for the UN was planning on adhering to Resolution 242 on the recognition Israel? Since 1988 my ex-husband was suppose to recognize my right to exist and that hasn’t happened yet nor will it.

Concerning the naming of VP Elect Senator Biden one can see that the translation is cleaned up. The Arabic word is more than likely a generic term for someone of power or importance. Biden surely said something to that effect in 2004 and 2008. French President Sarkozy as stated before was a shoe in for Chiraq. Even though the general public wasn’t aware of it. His name had surfaced back in 2003-4 as a replacement for Chiraq. Then it came to be fulfilled.

News of what the Spanish Foreign Minister said about the Iraq war was during 2004 not now. During the 2004 appointment hearings Greenspan touting his less regulation stating that unless entitlement programs and taxes are cut the economy will look worse than the great depression. The German FM said a lot of things that could be related to the Iraq war or something else all the way back to 2004.

Seven years is 1998-2004, which included the embassy bombings, the Cole incident, 9/11, the Afghanistan war, and the Iraq war. Another 7 years would be from 2005-2011. Continuing on to 2012-2018: No big revelation here.

May one point out that there is no "we" in martyrdom of ObL, Saddam or Arafat. They are all cowards. The next section of the recording is from the middle of the 7th paragraph to about a third of the way into the 8th paragraph. It picks up by stating some poll of 75% of people happy to see a change. Clearly a poll that ran in 2004 and in 2008. If it was a real poll than Senator Kerry would have won. President Elect Obama would have won by a bigger margin.

Two wars were going on in 2004 and if there was a war with Iran at this time. Another piece would have been added to the effect of an Iranian war. Since that wasn’t happening it wasn’t added. Any reference to an Iranian war would have been generic.

What in God’s name is a "guerrilla war" "financed by interest-based loans"? Obviously, that was to be used in the context that the Americans are fighting a guerrilla war by interest based loans. Everyone knows that ObL uses contributions and they do not charge each other interest. Guess they didn’t have anything to really fit other than that recorded piece.

In the Arab Muslim media the translation would refer to the Ummah nation not Islamic nation. This next list of countries was more relevant in 2004 not 2008. Reason being the Islamic Maghreb hasn’t been referred to since 2004. Though if it could get back in the news. It would be used as evidence this is a new recording not an old one.

Single wealthy Muslims giving contributions was a bigger issue in 2004 then it is now. The rest of the broke up recordings of the 8th paragraph ascribe more to a 1996-8 mentality then 2004 or 2008. Back in the days of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan Al Queda stated that good Muslims must leave Saudi Arabia donate their wealth to ObL and live on mats. ObL ranks with that fanatic Jones guy who took over Johannesburg.

On to the 9th paragraph, which is so hyphenated, it leads me to believe it was probably spliced together and then re-recorded. King Louis of France and the American Revolution was propaganda used by Al Queda back in early 1990’s leads to my theory of Sarkozy being a pawn of the masters of manipulation.

After stating democratic means are lies in Afghanistan and Iraq ObL goes on to suggest the Muslim can elect their own President. Clearly made in respects to the Iraq election of 2004. Since the election in Iraq for January 31, 2009 clearly came out of the blue. Plans to upset the elections do not need a tape released.

The last paragraph referring to the decline of Zionist-Crusader wave is from the discussion of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. If it didn’t happen then there probably is a recording to the opposite of the "will of Allah this year." Once again the mentioning of Palestine are relevant in any period from 1996-2004-2008.

All of this begs one question. Why? Answers include reasons such as upstaging President Bush’s farewell address. An attempt to effect the elections in Iraq. Leading to a perception that ObL is alive. Forcing President Obama to go into Pakistan looking for a man he will not find. Thus, making him look worse than President Bush. After the media has built up so much expectations for President Obama.

This analysis is not to say that there isn’t a problem in Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Asia, or the Middle East. Just trying to keep from having those press myths used against this country or our President again for whatever reason. Finally, yes, nothing in this transcript leads me to believe anything in this tape was recorded after 2004.

By Ravin Black
January 15, 2009

"A people without reliable news is, sooner or later, a people without the basis of freedom." Harold J. Laski: A Grammar of Politics

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Who Said to do Wickedness?

*O ye messengers, eat of the good things and do good. Surely I am Knower of what you do. *

With much to do about Palestine and the Holy City of Peace named Jerusalem. What is all the fuss over it?

According to the Maulana Muhammad Ali's Holy Qur'an the meanings and interrputions of words in the Holy Qur'an can affect the whole dynamics of the issue. In the Arabic English Lexicon by Edward William Lane the words Rabwah and qarar in the Holy Qur'an have been used to describe the wrong places. While Rabwah denotes as 'loftyground'. Qarar symoblizes 'cultivated land' and 'a place where water rests in a meadow'. Both of which are metaphors for a place, time and story.

While many persons attribute these places as being one of the following Palestine, Damascus, Egypt, and Jerusalem. Maulana MuhammadAli clearly disputes this in his commentary of the Holy Qur'an. He specifically states it is Kashmir. With alot of detailed work to confirm his anaylsis.

He points out the fact that many villages in Kashmir have the names of places from Palestine. The presence of a tomb of Nabi. Translated as 'the prophet' many believe to belong to Isa (arabic for Jesus) and the man known as Yuz Asaf. This tomb is located on the Khan Yar(Strinagar) street in Kashmir. He indicates as the capital. His thesis is that this is the only tomb known of Isa with no belief there is a tomb in Palestine.

In order to prove this thesis, Muhammad Ali, sets forth very compelling arguments. Starting with an unwritten handed down belief of a foreigner named Yuz Asaf from 2,000 years ago in Kashmir. In theTarikh A'zami it is referred to as the tomb of a prince from a foreign land. This reference was written about the year 1751. There is an older written documention from a thousand years ago called the Ikmalal-Din. It indicates this same man as a journeyer who stopped in various places. The last reference is the story of Barlaam and Josaphat in a very old version by Joseph Jacobs. In which Josaphat is believed to be Yuz Asaf who died in Kashmir.

Yuz Asaf is very close to Yasu the hebrew word for Jesus. Both of these persons are related to the "Barlaam and Josaphat" account inthe Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an. The arabic name for gospel 'bushra' is believed to be used by Yuz Asaf himself. MuhammadAli notes the Islamic story of Jesus not dying on the cross. With Jesus fleeing after the crucification is believed and taught by the Prophet Muhammed himself.

Truly implicating one aspect of so much undue violence by numerous peoples over many milleniums. Yet, this begs the questions. Were Jesus, Isa or Yuz Asaf's remains being protected from the time of his death? Was the Prophet Muhammed trying to correct history? At the same time trying to protect Isa's tomb?

All roads lead to, where else, Palestine. So, what could the Muslimsbe safeguarding in the Holy Land if they believe Isa's tomb is in Kashmir?

My best estimate can only be the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron. Dr. Henry H. Halley is the source I have for my perception in regards to an answer. My thesis relates to his reference under the topic "Sarah's Death"** in his book.

Long ago in a Mosque where the cave is located. With the direction ofthe Sultan, the Prince of Wales in 1862 embarked and ascertianed the only outside knowledge of this cave. The Prince, according to Dr. Halley, saw the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah in what is considered the Cave of Machpelah. In addition, to what many consider the real cave located at the bottom of the upper passage there is a subterranean chamber that had not been accessed since the12th century. Though there is no mention of what the Prince may or may not of seen.

An answer that just leads to more questions. As, Marston Bates said research is "The process of going up alleys to see it they are blind". For this to be summed up in written work can not fully suffice the matter.

References to *, ** as cited below:

* The Holy Qur'an Arabic text, English translation and Commentary byMaulana Muhammad Ali.
** Halley's Bible Handbook by Dr. Henry H. Halley.

by Ravin Black August 2006 redone July 2007