unbelievers. . . ." For al-Banna, "Islam was 'both a religion and a state,' such that the Qur'an and the sword were 'inseparable.'"

Al-Banna's vision did not change through the years. During the Second World War, the Muslim Brotherhood sided with the Nazis, and they supported terrorist activities in Palestine. They also assimilated the Nazi's views against the Jews and Western societies into their reform movement. The Muslim Brotherhood were also implicated in a failed plot to assassinate Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt's leader in 1965, and in the successful assassination of Nasser's successor, Anwar Sadat, in 1980.

Consequently, it appears that President Obama's support of the Muslim Brotherhood and his intervention in Egypt and in Libya reflect poor judgment. Peace in the region seems a distant memory. Hope for an Arab Spring looks more like a child's fantasy at each passing day. Israel, our best ally in the Middle East and the only real democracy in the region, has not been threatened to this extent since Egypt and Syria crossed the cease-fire lines in the Sinai and Golan Heights and attacked Israel during Yom Kippur in 1973. And America has been forced to close her embassies in some Muslim nations.

Congressional hearings are scheduled for Wednesday, October 10 to investigate the factors which led up to the attack on our embassies in Egypt and Libya and to determine if there is a cover up. If Gertz is correct, the President of the United States is lying, and he must be held accountable; for people have died as a result of all the turmoil over the video, and many of us could suffer a similar fate in the near future if al Qaeda is not stopped before they attack us again.

For Catholic Americans, this is about more than a cover up and the Middle East becoming unglued. The safety of Arab Christians has also been placed in jeopardy as a result of President Obama's actions. Thus, it is also a time for us to pray for the safety of our Christian brethren living in the Middle East (and throughout the Muslim world) and for peace in the entire region, for all things are possible with God. 

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Michael Terheyden was born into a Catholic family, but that is not why he is a Catholic. He is a Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. However, he knows that God's grace operating throughout his life is the main reason he is a Catholic. He is greatly blessed to share his faith and his life with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.
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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: President Obama, Darrell Issa, Jason Chaffetz, Cover up, Benghazi, Libya, Video, Congressional hearings, Michael Terheyden

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