LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 03/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 6:24-35. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his
disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum
looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
"Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say
to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the
loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that
endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the
Father, God, has set his seal."So they said to him, "What can we do to
accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work
of God, that you believe in the one he sent." So they said to him, "What sign
can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors
ate manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to
eat.'" So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who
gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For
the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world." So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to
them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and
whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Is the state becoming irrelevant?
By: Michael Karam, NOW Lebanon 02/08/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August
02/09
Two Canadian soldiers killed in
Afghan roadside blast/Canadian Press
Jumblat Reevaluates March 14
Alliance: It Was driven by Necessity and Must Not Continue-Naharnet
Raad: Overcoming obstacles
on portfolio distribution may hasten cabinet formation-Now Lebanon
Fadlallah: US doves have turned
into vultures overnight. NOW Lebanon
Suleiman Calls for
Constitutional Review without Amendment of Power Distribution under
Taef-Naharnet
Hezbollah: 'True partnership' in Beirut-United
Press International
Iran detains three American citizens for crossing
border-Examiner.com
Reports: Israeli Study
Suggests Placing Ghajar under UNIFIL Control-Naharnet
Aoun's Impossible Demands
Hamper Government Formation-Naharnet
Tabourian Brings Bad News: More
Power Cuts-Naharnet
Berri: New Government to Be Born
Anytime Soon-Naharnet
Suleiman: I am The Guarantor of
Partnership; Keen on Safeguarding UNIFIL and Implementing 1701-Naharnet
Patriarch Lahham Demands Key
Cabinet Portfolios-Naharnet
Hizbullah: Renewed U.S. Sanctions
'Blatant Interference in Lebanese Affairs'-Naharnet
Sfeir to Clergymen: If you Side
with One Party or Another, You're Widening the Wound-Naharnet
Wahhab Prepares to Sue For
Compensation Following Sanctions-Naharnet
Saudi Arrested for Boasting about
Sex on LBC-Naharnet
Raad: Lebanese Army Not Permissible
to Own Potent Arsenal-Naharnet
Health Ministry: Swine Flu
One of the Reasons for Hospital Patient's Death-Naharnet
Israel considers pullout from
Ghajar-Future News
Israel fears Hizbullah possession
of anti-aircraft missiles-Future News
Arslan: Opposition shall give me
back my rights-Future News
Canadian
death toll in Afghan mission: 127 soldiers, 1 diplomat
August, 2, 2009
CANADIAN PRESS Since 2002, 127 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died
during the mission to Afghanistan. Here is a list of the deaths:
2009
Aug. 1 - Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, and another unnamed soldier, both based in
Valcartier, Que., were killed in a roadside bomb blast in the Zhari district,
west of Kandahar city. The men had been in Kandahar since March, as part of the
2e Batallion of the Royal 22e Regiment, or the Van Doos.
July 16 - Pte. Sebastien Courcy, 26, killed during operation in Panjwaii
District southwest of Kandahar. Courcy was a member of the 2e Battalion of the
Royal 22e Regiment, also known as the Van Doos, based in Valcartier, Que.
July 6 - Master Cpl. Pat Audet, 38, of Montreal, and Cpl. Martin Joannette, 25,
of St-Calixte, Que., died in Zabul province when their helicopter crashed on
takeoff. Audet was with 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, while Joannette served
with the 3e Batalion, Royal 22e Regiment. Both were based at Valcartier, Que. A
British soldier was also killed in the crash.
July 4 - Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud, of Edmundston, N.B., died in a
Quebec City hospital nearly two weeks after he stepped on a landmine in the
Panjwaii District. Michaud never regained consciousness after the incident,
which took place on June 23. The 28-year-old served with the 2e Batallion, Royal
22e Regiment based at Valcartier, Que. He is survived by his wife, his parents
and a brother.
July 3 - Cpl. Nick Bulger, 30, of 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, killed when his light armoured vehicle struck
a roadside bomb seconds after it was narrowly missed by the senior commander of
coalition forces in Kandahar province. Canadian Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance was
not hurt.
June 14 - Cpl. Martin Dube, 35, a combat engineer of the 5e Regiment du genie de
combat based at CFB Valcartier, killed when a roadside bomb he was trying to
defuse exploded. Dube was the second Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan in a
week. The blast also killed an Afghan police officer and badly wounded an
interpreter.
June 8 - Pte. Alexandre (Pelo) Peloquin, 20, killed in a roadside bomb explosion
during a foot patrol in the Panjwaii district, about 15 kilometres southwest of
Kandahar city. It was an area where insurgents had stepped up attacks on
Canadian forces in the region.
April 23 - Maj. Michelle Mendes, 30, the third Canadian soldier to die in
Afghanistan, found dead in an accommodation room at Kandahar Airfield. Mendes,
from near Colborne, Ont., was an intelligence officer based in Ottawa and was
assigned to the headquarters of Joint Task Force Kandahar at the time of her
death.
April 13 - Trooper Karine Blais, 21, the second female Canadian soldier to die
in Afghanistan, killed in a roadside bombing in the Shah Wali Kot district,
north of Kandahar city. Four other soldiers in the armoured vehicle were
wounded. Blais was just two weeks into her first tour of duty in Afghanistan.
She was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22e Regiment (also known as
the Van Doos) but was a member of the 12e Regiment blinde du Canada. Both
regiments are based at CFB Valcartier, Que.
March 20 - Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli and Cpl. Tyler Crooks of November Company,
3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, killed in a blast in Zhari district;
Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes, both of the Royal
Canadian Dragoons, killed two hours later in an explosion in the Shah Wali Kot
district.
March 8 - Trooper Marc Diab, 22, died in a roadside bomb attack north of
Kandahar. Diab was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons based in Petawawa,
Ont. Four other Canadian soldiers in the armoured vehicle were injured when the
bomb exploded in the southern portion of Shah Wali Kot district.
March 3 - Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, Cpl. Dany Fortin and Cpl.
Kenneth O'Quinn died when a massive explosive detonated near their armoured
vehicle in Arghandab district northwest of Kandahar.
Jan. 31 - Sapper Sean Greenfield, 25, was killed when his armoured vehicle
struck a roadside bomb in the volatile Zhari district west of Kandahar city.
Greenfield was a member of 24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer
Regiment based in Petawawa, Ont., serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal
Canadian Regiment Battle Group.
Jan. 6 - Trooper Brian Richard Good, 42, killed in IED blast near his armoured
vehicle in district of Shah Wali Kowt, 35 kilometres north of Kandahar city.
Good was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, serving with the 3rd Battalion
of the Royal Canadian Regiment, stationed at the Canadian Forces base in
Petawawa, Ont.
2008
Dec. 27 - Warrant Officer Gaetan Roberge and Sgt. Gregory John Kruse were killed
by a roadside bomb during a security patrol in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar
province. The explosion wounded four other Canadian soldiers and an Afghan
interpreter. Roberge was a member of the Royal 22nd Regiment who was serving
with the Irish Regiment of Canada in Sudbury, Ont. He was part of the Canadian
team mentoring Afghanistan's fledgling national police force. Kruse was from 24
Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment based in Petawawa, Ont. He was
serving as a member of 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment battle
group.
Dec. 26 - Private Michael Freeman killed, three wounded when their vehicle hit
an improvised explosive device in Zhari district, 24 kilometres west of Kandahar
city. Freeman, 28, was with 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based at
CFB Petawawa.
Dec. 13 - Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte.
Justin Peter Jones, all members of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
based at CFB Gagetown, N.B., killed in explosion that hit their vehicle about 14
kilometres west of Kandahar city, near the village of Senjaray. They were
members of the force-protection unit for Camp Nathan Smith, home to Canada's
provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar.
Dec. 5 - Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren, 23, of Peterborough, Ont.; Pte. Demetrios
Diplaros, 25, of Toronto; and Warrant Officer Robert Wilson, 37, of Keswick.
Ont., were killed in Arghandab district west of Kandahar city when their
armoured vehicle rolled over an improvised explosive device. All three were
members of 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ont.
Sept. 7 - Sgt. Prescott (Scott) Shipway, 36, of Esterhazy, Sask., 2nd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man., killed by a
roadside bomb explosion in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar.
Sept. 3 - Cpl. Andrew Grenon, 23, of Windsor, Ont.; Cpl. Mike Seggie, 21, of
Winnipeg; and Pte. Chad Horn, 21, of Calgary, all members of 2nd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man., are killed in
an attack on their armoured vehicle in Zhari district.
Aug. 20 - Sapper Stephan John Stock, Cpl. Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden and
Sgt. Shawn Eades are killed when an improvised explosive device hit their
vehicle in Zhari district. All three were with 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat
Engineer Regiment based in Edmonton.
Aug. 11 - Master Cpl. Erin Doyle was killed when insurgents attacked a remote
combat outpost in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar. A member of the 3rd
battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based out of
Edmonton, Doyle was on his third tour in Afghanistan.
Aug. 9 - Master Cpl. Josh Roberts, an infantryman in Charlie Company, 2nd
Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group based in
Shilo, Manitoba, died of his injuries following a battle involving coalition
forces, insurgents and security personnel from a civilian convoy in Zhari
district west of Kandahar city.
July 18 - Cpl. James Hayward Arnal, 25, 2nd Battalion, Prince Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry, based at CFB Shilo, Man. He was struck by a roadside
explosion during a foot patrol in Panjwaii district near Kandahar city.
July 6 - Pte. Colin William Wilmot, a military medic based in Edmonton. He died
in an explosion while on foot patrol in Panjwaii district near Kandahar city.
July 4 - Cpl. Brendan Anthony Downey, a military policeman based in Dundurn,
Sask. Found dead in sleeping quarters in a secret base in the Arabian desert. A
non-combat casualty.
June 7 - Capt. Jonathan Sutherland Snyder, of Penticton, B.C., from 1st
Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, dies
after falling into a well during a night-time patrol in a field in Zhari
district, west of Kandahar.
June 3 - Capt. Richard Steve Leary, 32, of Brantford, Ont., from 2nd Battalion,
Princess Patric's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man., is killed in a
gun battle while battling insurgents who ambushed the patrol he was leading in
the Panjwaii district outside Kandahar city.
May 6 - Cpl. Michael Starker, 36 of Calgary, of the 15 Field Ambulance Regiment
based in Edmonton, is killed in a gun battle with Taliban militants. The
reservist and paramedic was on a goodwill patrol that was attacked within sight
of a major Canadian forward operating base in Zhari district outside Kandahar
city.
April 4 - Pte. Terry John Street, 24, of Hull, Que., from 2nd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., killed when
his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. Street and his colleagues were
redeploying after a long day of activity in the volatile Panjwaii district west
of Kandahar city when the explosion occurred.
March 16 - Sergeant Jason Boyes, 32, of Napanee, Ontario from 2nd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Shilo, Man., killed by an explosive
device while on foot patrol in Panjwaii district of Kandahar province.
March 11 - Bombardier Jeremie Ouellet, 22, of Matane, Que., from 1st Regiment
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Shilo, Man., found dead in accommodation room at
Kandahar Airfield. Military says death not related to combat.
March 2 - Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze, 25, from Lord Strathcona's Horse,
Edmonton, killed by roadside bomb in Mushan, 45 kilometres west of Kandahar
City.
Jan. 23 - Sapper Etienne Gonthier, 21, of St-Georges, Que., near Quebec City, a
combat engineer serving with 5ieme Regiement du Genie de Combat, killed in a
mine-clearing operation when his light armoured vehicle was hit by roadside bomb
in the Panjwaii district.
Jan. 15 - Trooper Richard Renaud, 26, of Alma Que., a member of the 12e Regiment
blinde du Canada, killed when the Coyote light armoured vehicle he was
travelling in hit a roadside bomb while on patrol in the Arghandab district,
north of Kandahar city.
Jan. 6 - Warrant Officer Hani Massouh, 41, and Cpl. Eric Labbe, 31, of 2nd
Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, killed when their armoured vehicle rolled over
in wet, rugged terrain southwest of Kandahar City.
2007
Dec. 30 - Jonathan Dion, 27, gunner with 5th Regiment d'Artillerie legere du
Canada from Val-d'Or, Que., killed when his light armoured vehicle struck a
roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.
Nov. 17 - Cpl. Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp of the 5th Field Ambulance in
Valcartier and Pte. Michel Levesque of the Royal 22nd Regiment, killed when
their light armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb near Bazar-e Panjwaii.
Sept. 24 - Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, 24, with the King's Own Calgary regiment,
killed by a mortar shell while trying to repair a Leopard tank in southern
Afghanistan.
Aug. 29 - Maj. Raymond Ruckpaul, 42, died from a gunshot wound in his room at
the headquarters of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Kabul. He
was an armoured officer based at the NATO Allied Land Component Command
Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany.
Aug. 22 - Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier, Royal 22nd Regiment; Master Cpl.
Christian Duchesne, 5th Field Ambulance unit, both based in Valcartier, Que.,
killed when light armoured vehicle struck by roadside bomb after battle for
strategic hill west of Kandahar city.
Aug. 19
-Pte. Simon Longtin, 23, of Longueuil, Que., on Montreal's south shore, a member
of the Royal 22nd Regiment, killed when his light armoured vehicle was hit by a
roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
July 4 - Cpl. Cole Bartsch, Capt. Matthew Johnathan Dawe, Pte. Lane Watkins and
Cpl. Jordan Anderson, all of 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry based in Edmonton; Master Cpl. Colin Bason, a reservist from The Royal
Westminster Regiment based in New Westminster, B.C., and Capt. Jefferson Francis
of the 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo, Man., killed by a
roadside bomb west of Kandahar city.
June 20 - Sgt. Christos Karigiannis, Cpl. Stephen Frederick Bouzane and Pte.
Joel Vincent Wiebe, all of 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb near a forward-operating
base at Sperwan Ghar, west of Kandahar.
June 11 - Trooper Darryl Caswell, 25, of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, killed
when an improvised explosive device detonated underneath his vehicle north of
Kandahar City.
May 30 - Master Cpl. Darrell Jason Priede, a combat photographer based at CFB
Gagetown, N.B., killed when a U.S. helicopter was reportedly shot down by the
Taliban in Helmand province.
May 25 - Cpl. Matthew McCully, 25, a signals operator from 2 Canadian Mechanized
Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron based at Petawawa, Ont., killed
by an improvised explosive device in Zhari district.
April 18 - Master Cpl. Anthony Klumpenhouwer, 25, of Listowel, Ont., died after
falling from a communications tower while on duty with the elite Special
Operations Forces Command, conducting surveillance in Kandahar City.
April 11 - Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, 30, and Trooper Patrick James Pentland,
23, both of the Royal Canadian Dragoons based in Petawawa, Ont., killed when
their Coyote vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
April 8 - Pte. Kevin V. Kennedy, 20, of St. Lawrence, Nfld., Sgt. Donald Lucas,
31, of Burton, N.B., Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln, N.B., Pte. David R.
Greenslade, 20, of Saint John, N.B., Cpl. Brent Poland, 37, of Sarnia, Ont., all
of Gagetown, N.B.-based 2nd Battalion, RCR; and Cpl. Christopher Stannix, 24, of
Dartmouth, N.S., from the Halifax-based Princess Louise Fusiliers, killed when
their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb in the Maywand district.
March 6 - Cpl. Kevin Megeney, 25, of Stellarton, N.S., a member of 1st Battalion
of Nova Scotia Highlanders, killed by accidental shooting at NATO base in
Kandahar.
2006
Nov. 27 - Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Girouard, his battalion's regimental
sergeant major, and Cpl. Albert Storm, both of Royal Canadian Regiment based in
CFB Petawawa, killed when suicide car bomber attacked their Bison armoured
personnel carrier on outskirts of Kandahar City.
Oct. 14 - Sgt. Darcy Tedford, based at CFB Petawawa, and Pte. Blake Williamson
from Ottawa killed in ambush west of Kandahar.
Oct. 7 - Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson of Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in
Petawawa, Ont., killed when his armoured vehicle hit by roadside bomb in
Panjwaii district.
Oct. 3 - Sgt. Craig Gillam and Cpl. Robert Mitchell of Royal Canadian Dragoons,
based in Petawawa, Ont., killed in series of mortar, rocket attacks just west of
Kandahar City.
Sept. 29 - Pte. Josh Klukie of First Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based
in Petawawa, Ont., killed by explosion in Panjwaii while on foot patrol.
Sept. 18 - Pte. David Byers, Cpl. Shane Keating and Cpl. Keith Morley, all of
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man.,
and Cpl. Glen Arnold, 2 Field Ambulance, based in Petawawa, Ont., killed in
suicide bicycle bomb attack while on foot patrol in Panjwaii.
Sept. 4 - Pte. Mark Graham, based at CFB Petawawa, killed when two NATO planes
accidentally strafed Canadian troops in Panjwaii district.
Sept. 3 - Sgt. Shane Stachnik, Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, Pte.
William Cushley and Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan, all based at CFB
Petawawa, Ont., killed in fighting in Panjwaii district.
Aug. 22 - Cpl. David Braun, based at Shilo, Man., killed in suicide bomb attack
in Kandahar City.
Aug. 11 - Cpl. Andrew Eykelenboom, 23, of Comox, B.C., stationed with 1st Field
Ambulance, based in Edmonton, killed in suicide attack.
Aug. 9 - Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, 33, of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., killed by apparent accidental discharge of
rifle.
Aug. 5 - Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, 31, of Loyal Edmonton Regiment, killed when
large truck collided head-on with his G-Wagon patrol vehicle.
Aug. 3 - Cpl. Christopher Reid, 34, of 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton, killed by roadside bomb. Three other
members of same battalion killed in rocket-propelled grenade attack by Taliban
forces west of Kandahar: Sgt. Vaughan Ingram, 35, Cpl. Bryce Keller, 27, and Pte.
Kevin Dallaire, 22.
July 22 - Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, based in Edmonton, and Cpl. Jason Warren, 29, of Black Watch, Royal
Highland Regiment of Canada, based in Montreal, killed when car packed with
explosives rammed their armoured vehicle.
July 9 - Cpl. Anthony Boneca, 21, reservist from Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
based in Thunder Bay, Ont., killed in firefight.
May 17 - Capt. Nichola Goddard, artillery officer based in Shilo, Man., with 1st
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, killed in Taliban ambush during battle in
Panjwaii region. She was first Canadian woman to be killed in action while
serving in combat role.
April 22 - Cpl. Matthew Dinning of Richmond Hill, Ont., stationed with 2nd
Canadian Mechanized Brigade in Petawawa, Ont., Bombardier Myles Mansell of
Victoria, Lt. William Turner of Toronto, stationed in Edmonton, and Cpl. Randy
Payne, born in Lahr, Germany, stationed at CFB Wainright, Alta., all killed when
their G-Wagon destroyed by roadside bomb near Gumbad.
March 29 - Pte. Robert Costall of Edmonton, machine-gunner, killed in firefight
with Taliban insurgents in Sangin district of Helmand province.
March 2 - Cpl. Paul Davis of Bridgewater, N.S., and Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson
of Grande Prairie, Alta., killed when their armoured vehicle ran off road in
Kandahar area.
Jan. 15 - Glyn Berry, British-born Canadian diplomat who had served with Foreign
Affairs Department since 1977, killed in suicide bombing near Kandahar.
2005
Nov. 24 - Pte. Braun Woodfield, born in Victoria and raised in Eastern Passage,
N.S., killed when his armoured vehicle rolled over near Kandahar.
2004
Jan. 27 - Cpl. Jamie Murphy, 26, of Conception Harbour, Nfld., killed in suicide
bombing while on patrol near Kabul.
2003
Oct. 2 - Sgt. Robert Short, 42, of Fredericton, and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger,
29, of Ottawa, killed in roadside bombing southwest of Kabul.
2002
April 18 - Sgt. Marc Leger, 29, of Lancaster, Ont., Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, 24, of
Montreal, Pte. Richard Green, 21, of Mill Cove, N.S., and Pte. Nathan Smith, 27,
of Tatamagouche, N.S., all killed when U.S. F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed
Canadians on pre-dawn training exercise. Eight other Canadians wounded in
friendly-fire incident.
(Note: It was still April 17 in Canada because of the time difference.)
Sfeir to Clergymen: If you Side with One Party or
Another, You're Widening the Wound
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Saturday called on clergymen to
serve as good examples for the people and urged them not to contribute to
fragmentation or be reason to further divide. "If you … side with one party or
another, you will be contributing to widening the wound and divide," Sfeir said.
"We have to work and strive for unity and cohesion," Sfeir added.
"Responsibility in this regard falls on each and everyone." Beirut, 01 Aug 09,
15:53
Suleiman: I am The Guarantor of Partnership; Keen on Safeguarding UNIFIL and
Implementing 1701
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said he is the guarantor of political
partnership in Lebanon and the protector of the Lebanese constitution. The
president said that Lebanon is keen on safeguarding the United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the full implementation of United Nations Security
Council resolution 1701 without any amendments.
On the occasion of Army day on Saturday the President in an unprecedented move
was accompanied by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Care-Taker prime Minister
Fouad Saniora and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri celebrated the 64th
anniversary of the Lebanese armed forces at the Military school of Shukri Ghanem
in Fayadeyeh.
Suleiman called on the Lebanese not to sink into the various political
polarizations that hinder the state's progress, he assured his audience that
nation building calls for compromises by all.
The president said that the delay in forming a national unity government calls
on all of us to re-think the constitutional gaps that continue to hinder the
democratic game in Lebanon.
Suleiman said the next government must work on a wide range of reforms covering
the entire republic and move the nation towards further progress and
modernization, to place a clear and valid economic plan and to end electric
power and water shortages in the country. "If the problem lies in us officials,
then let us all go; and if the problem is constitutional, then lets go and amend
it to guarantee a balance of powers," Suleiman said. He also called for a
self-made criticism by all politicians in simply asking themselves what have we
offered the Lebanese people so far. The president pointed that Israel continues
to breach United Nations Security Council resolution 1701. he went further to
affirm that the international resolution should be fully implemented without any
added amendments. "We are keen on also safeguarding the UNIFIL as we do our
soldiers," Suleiman said. He touched on Lebanese-Syrian relations saying
diplomatic relations with Damascus have established the depth of the
relationship between both people. Suleiman also called for implementing the 1989
Taef accord and for placing a new election law. He affirmed that political
sectarianism works on hindering political life in Lebanon. Army Commander Gen.
Jean Qahwaji issued the order of the day to the military on their 64th
anniversary calling on them to remain vigilant against any possible Israeli
aggression and to foil the enemy's plans as it continues to occupy the Shaebaa
Farms, the Kfar Shouba Hills and the northern portion of the Ghajjar village.
Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 11:07
Jumblat Reevaluates March 14 Alliance: It Was driven by Necessity and Must Not
Continue
Naharnet/MP Walid Jumblat announced Sunday that his alliance with March 14
forces was driven by "necessity" and must not continue in the same form. He was
addressing the opening of the Progressive Socialist Party's extraordinary
general assembly. "Our alliance with March 14 forces was driven by necessity and
must not continue," Jumblat said, stressing the need "to rethink a new formation
that would provide a way out of bias and prevent being pulled toward the
(political) right." He said he believed that March 14's battle "did not enjoy
political context." "Our battle was built on the rejection of the other from a
sectarian, tribal and political perspective," he said, calling for a return to
"our principles and to the left."
Beirut, 02 Aug 09, 12:53
Suleiman Calls for Constitutional Review without Amendment of Power Distribution
under Taef
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman's speech during Saturday's National Army Day
is expected to invite mixed reactions after he called for a review of
constitutional loopholes that impede the democratic process, the press said
Sunday. The Lebanese daily An Nahar said that Suleiman has been preparing to
launch a campaign for the reassessment of the Constitution since before the June
7 parliamentary polls. According to sources, the president's calls "were not set
off by the present situation, including the stumbling process to form a
government. Rather, they derive from the need to launch a workshop that could
take years and exceed the current (presidential) term." Informed sources told
the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily that Suleiman did not intend, by proposing to a
review of some ambiguities in the Constitution, "to carry out any form of
amendment to the distribution of power as prescribed by the Taef Accord."
Suleiman "is seeking to ensure a balance of powers," the sources said. They
highlighted the fact that the president called for the implementation of the
rest of Taef provisions and considered the accord a guarantee for everybody. He
also demanded the execution of what had been agreed on at the 2006 national
dialogue conference, including: the disarmament of Palestinians outside the
camps while controlling arms inside of them, the demarcation of the border with
Syria in the Shebaa Farms and resolving the issue of detainees in Syrian
prisons. Other sources told al-Hayat that Suleiman's speech represented a "group
of ideas that made the address more of a presidential pledge, since he will
propose they be included in Hariri's ministerial statement." "As such, Suleiman
took the presidency to a new level of initiative in light of increasing calls
for such a role, driven either by the need for him to play a balancing role
during times of political crises or to bolster the Christian role in power,"
observers told al-Hayat. Beirut, 02 Aug 09, 10:31
Reports: Israeli Study Suggests Placing Ghajar under UNIFIL Control
Naharnet/An Israeli security report has recommended a military withdrawal from
the northern part of the village of Ghajar on the condition it becomes subject
to UNIFIL's control in terms of security, Israeli and Lebanese media reported
Sunday. The report, prepared by Israeli security services and advisors from
different ministries, said security control of the area will be transferred to
UNIFIL to prevent "any infiltration by Hizbullah and weapons or drugs
smuggling." The study was requested by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
with the intention of resolving the Ghajar and Shebaa Farms file "in an attempt
to limit Hizbullah's armament under the pretext of liberating Lebanese land from
Israeli occupation according to Israeli officials."
Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Yossi Gal is expected to discuss with
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman the reports that have been issued in
July and included in the study. They will then submit it to Netanyahu and the
inner security cabinet for a final decision. Beirut, 02 Aug 09, 12:19
Aoun's Impossible Demands Hamper Government Formation
Naharnet/MP Michel Aoun's demands are proving to be the sticky point that will
impede a speedy distribution of ministerial portfolios after the parliamentary
majority and the opposition agreed on a new government formula. Informed sources
told the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily that a meeting Friday between premier-designate
Saad Hariri and Minister Jebran Bassil "did not offer a practical outcome except
that both leaders agreed to maintain positive communication." They said that
Bassil had "gradually" proposed Aoun's demands, including a distribution of his
share among one Armenian minister from the Tashnag and four Maronite ministers
and one of the four main portfolios, either the interior or financial ministry.
Al-Hayat quoted the sources as saying that Aoun decided to specify the two
ministries following "reports that Hariri will give the telecoms portfolio to a
member of al-Mustaqbal Movement or to one of his allies." They said that Hariri
was "astonished" by Aoun's demands replying "why don't you take my place and
form the government? You act as if you won the elections while I sit aside and
watch." Aoun, however, "was more inclined toward the interior ministry in an
indication he wanted to take one of president Suleiman's main portfolios, which
also include the defense ministry."They also said Aoun was not insisting on the
finance ministry because he knew "Hariri would never give it up especially that
the financial deals, loans and financial aid that Lebanon could receive are
largely linked to the fact that the portfolio would belong to a minister of the
premier-designate's choice." The sources expected "Hizbullah to play a role in
convincing Aoun to soften his position." Meanwhile, the Lebanese daily An Nahar
quoted sources as saying that contacts among majority forces "lead to a
coordinated position regarding portfolios."
Beirut, 02 Aug 09, 11:34
Tabourian Brings Bad News: More Power Cuts
Naharnet/Energy and Water Minister Alan Tabourian said Saturday that power cuts
will increase. Tabourian, in an interview with Future News TV late Saturday, did
not say how much the increase would be. He said the problem was due to
"maintaining a constant level of productivity simultaneous with the growing
demand and increasing consumption with the booming tourism season."Tabourian
ruled out a settlement to the electricity crisis before the summer of 2010. He
suggested declaring a "state of emergency" where medium-size generators would be
used to produce extra electricity. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 21:24
Berri: New Government to Be Born Anytime Soon
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said a new Cabinet lineup will soon be announced.
"A new government will be born anytime soon," Berri said in remarks to be
published Sunday by the Kuwaiti daily Awan. He reiterated that the process of
government formation has ended, adding that discussions now focus on
distribution of ministerial portfolios. Berri also restated that the progress
made in Cabinet formation was the result of Syrian-Saudi harmony. He denied that
a Lebanese-Syrian-Saudi summit will take place in Damascus following the
announcement of a new Lebanon government. Berri said, however, that PM-designate
Saad Hariri "has no problem" visiting Damascus before or after government
formation. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 19:34
Patriarch Lahham Demands Key Cabinet Portfolios
Naharnet/Roman Catholic Patriarch Gregarious III Laham on Saturday demanded key
Cabinet portfolios in the new Cabinet. "The Roman Catholic sect has the right to
have sovereign and services portfolios because the historic role of the Roman
Catholics and their active presence obliges them to share national
responsibility which they refuse to abandon," Lahham said in a statement. He
expressed hope that the Lebanese would have a new government "measuring up to
their standards." "The sectarian balance in Cabinet formation should be based on
the strength of giving in order to achieve a better future for all the
Lebanese," he said. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 16:06
Hizbullah: Renewed U.S. Sanctions 'Blatant Interference in Lebanese Affairs'
Naharnet/Hizbullah on Saturday denounced as "blatant interference in Lebanese
affairs" a U.S. decision to extent sanctions against Syrian and Lebanese
personalities."Hizbullah condemns the U.S. decision to renew sanctions against
some Lebanese and Syrian figures under false excuses," said a Hizbullah
statement. The statement said the U.S. decision was also seen as an "attempt to
obscure the real causes of the Lebanese crisis –Israeli occupation and threat."
"Hizbullah also sees the renewal of sanctions as a highly aggressive act and a
continuation of the logic of imperial arrogance," the statement added. It said
Obama was carrying on the foreign policy of his predecessor, George Bush, which
provided a "cover for the crimes of the Israeli enemy." Despite the easing of
some trade sanctions against Damascus, Obama on Thursday decided to renew for
one year sanctions against Syrian or pro-Syrian Lebanese personalities for
purportedly provoking instability in Lebanon. The sanctions were first imposed
on August 1, 2007 by Bush, who froze the assets of individuals accused of
undermining Lebanon's sovereignty on Syria's behalf. Hizbullah's statement also
condemned the explosions that targeted Iraqi citizens "during the performance of
religious duties." Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 15:35
Wahhab Prepares to Sue For Compensation Following Sanctions
Naharnet/The leader of the Unification Movement (Tawheed) Wiam Wahhab said he is
negotiating an attorney's office for months to sue the former U.S.
administration for placing his name on a list of American imposed sanctions.
Wahhab said he is astonished to hear that U.S. sanctions were renewed by the new
Obama administration against his person and others in both Lebanon and Syria. He
described president Obama's move as "irrational and continuing in the same
mistakes as his predecessor former U.S. President George W. Bush." "These
sanctions are silly lead to nothing and does not influence our stances in
standing next to the resistance in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon," Wahhab said. He
called on Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh to call U.S. ambassador Michele Sison
to his office and present "his objection to continued American intervention in
Lebanese affairs." Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 13:16
Saudi Arrested for Boasting about Sex on LBC
Naharnet/Saudi citizen Mazen Abdul-Jawad has been arrested for boasting about
sex life on television, Saudi newspapers reported Saturday. The Saudi Gazette
said police detained Abdul-Jawad at an apartment in the Red Sea port city of
Jeddah early on Friday, fingerprinted and turned him over to criminal
investigators. It said two other men who purportedly participated in Abdul-Jawad's
segment on LBC TV's "Red Line" program have also been detained. Red Line is
presented by Malek Maktabi. Jeddah police spokesman Suleiman al-Mutawae told the
Arab News daily that Abdul-Jawad faces charges under Saudi Arabia's strict
Islamic sharia law code. Arab News had initially reported his arrest on July 23.
Mutawae said that the detailing of Abdul-Jawad's sexual life on TV in mid-July
was "a violation of the shariah regulations on the one hand and against Saudi
customs on the other." Abdul-Jawad said on the program, which is also popular in
Saudi Arabia, that he first had sex with a neighbor when he was 14 and described
in detail some of his later adventures. He also explained how he uses the
Bluetooth function on his cellphone to try to pick up Saudi women, who are
forbidden to mix with or reveal their faces to men who are not relatives. He has
publicly apologized for the show, saying that the producers had tricked him into
some of his account and promised not to reveal his name or show his face.(Photo
shows Maktabi presenting his program) Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 19:22
Raad: Lebanese Army Not Permissible to Own Potent Arsenal
Naharnet/Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad said Saturday on the occasion of Army Day
that the Lebanese military was not allowed to possess potent arsenal. "We want
Lebanon to remain strong economically and politically as well as in its
touristic, security and military capabilities through the Lebanese army and the
Resistance," Raad told Hizbullah supporters in south Lebanon. "For that reason,
we were the first to call for strengthening the military capabilities of the
Lebanese army," Raad said. "Regretfully, however, we see that those who call for
arming the military only provide it with vehicles, wheels and military boots,"
Raad stressed. "But arms that can balance Israel's weapons' capabilities to
confront and defend (Lebanon) is something forbidden on the Lebanese army," he
added. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 15:43
Health Ministry: Swine Flu One of the Reasons for Hospital Patient's Death
Naharnet/Lebanon's Ministry of Health announced the analytic results concerning
the recent death of 20 years old Elias Antoine Nehmetallah of Batroun showing a
positive infection with H1 N1 (swine flu). "The patient was suffering from an
advanced stage of lymphatic cancer, he did not respond to treatment as he lack
immunity. Contracting H1N1 was one of the many complications that the patient
suffered from," ministry statement said. In a Friday afternoon press conference
Health Minister Mohammed Jawwad Khalifeh criticized the first announced H1N1
death in Lebanon, saying the matter occurred outside the scope of his ministry
and without carrying out these tests at the ministry. Beirut, 01 Aug 09, 13:01
Jumblatt: PSP alliance with March 14 was out of necessity, should be terminated
August 2, 2009 /NOW Staff/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt
announced on Sunday at the opening of the PSP General Assembly at the Beaurivage
Hotel that his alliance with the March 14 coalition had been out of necessity
and should be terminated. Jumblatt emphasized the need to reconsider forming a
new alliance on a national level “to get rid of biases.”“The 2009 parliamentary
elections resulted in sectarian alliances that should be eliminated,” he said,
adding that he is surprised by the majority’s claim that it won the elections.
The PSP leader also said that the majority’s campaign in the elections “rejected
the opposition on sectarian, tribal and political levels.” He also commented on
Lebanese-Syrian relations, emphasizing the necessity of having good relations
with Syria now that Syria’s mandate over Lebanon has ended.
Fadlallah: US doves have turned into vultures overnight
NOW Staff/August 2, 2009
Prominent Shia cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah commented in a statement
issued on Sunday on the subject of US threats against Iran, saying that the
“doves in the US administration have turned into vultures overnight, to such an
extent that we can no longer differentiate between the threats issued by Israeli
Defense Minister Ehud Barak and those made by US Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates.”“Iran is more united than at any other time against foreign threats,” he
added, stressing that the Islamic republic does not intend to possess nuclear
weapons. Fadlallah warned that the US would be committing a “fatal strategic
error” if it believed that it could easily break Iran and the Resistance.”
Is the state becoming irrelevant?
Michael Karam, Special to NOW Lebanon , August 2, 2009
Women sunbathe at a beach resort in the ancient city of Byblos, north of Beirut,
on July 12, 2009. (AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH BARRAK)
“Don’t quote me on this,” a former tourism minster once leant over and told me,
rather conspiratorially, “but I wouldn’t come here on holiday.” I had to agree
with him, and nearly a decade on, I still can’t fathom why a record 2 million
visitors from Melbourne to Dearborn via the Gulf statelets – most of whom have
the wherewithal to spend their vacations in more orthodox holiday destinations –
will visit Lebanon this year.
Beirut is tumbling into the August cauldron, heaving under electricity and water
shortages with the temperature nudging 40 degrees. And yet in many ways Lebanon
is supremely prepared when it comes to welcoming its brother Arabs as well as
the huge swathe of nostalgia-ridden Lebanese from the Diaspora. (You must have
seen them at the airport: middle-aged men looking like extras from the Sopranos
who burst into tears at the sight of their grandmother, leaving bemused foreign
wives wondering who the hell they married.)
For this preparedness we have the private sector to thank. It is the hoteliers,
restaurateurs, retailers, the taxi-company owners and the car rental people that
have summoned up the energy to function with professionalism and flair in what
is essentially a dysfunctional society. The state is a bit player in the summer
drama.
In fact, the state is a bit player, period. It is a widely accepted rule of
thumb that 60% of Lebanon’s revenues come from two main sources: banking and
foreign remittances. The remaining tranche comes from tourism, retail, real
estate and the like. Forget industry and agriculture, they are dead men walking.
Even the wine industry, Lebanon’s best bet for international recognition, is
left to its own devices with no effective government funding in any shape or
form. So, as a back on the envelope assessment, it would appear that the state
doesn’t actually do anything meaningful. It has become, you could argue, an
irrelevance.
What’s to be done? In his no holds barred editorial in The Daily Star on
Thursday, Michael Young nailed it when he commented on the success of Ziad
Baroud. Here was a dynamic young Lebanese – there are millions of them by the
way both at home and abroad, but especially abroad – who grabbed the public
attention by dipping his toes into issue-based politics. He allowed us to take
our religions off the central register; he championed citizenship for children
of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese and he defied the doubters by holding
a parliamentary election in one day.
Then we had the telecom minister, Gebran Bassil. I am not a fan of Michel Aoun’s
son-in-law, but he did achieve mini-celebrity status by quarter-backing the
reduction in the cost of a mobile phone call. It certainly helped bolster the
FPM’s vote at the polls, even if Bassil himself was a casualty in Batroun.
Whether Baroud or Bassil really did merit the praise heaped upon them is beside
the point; they both appeared to be moving forward on issues that the Lebanese
people could relate to.
The approval ratings they achieved showed how low people’s expectations of the
government had sunk. Forget a health service, public transport and a decent
government education system, Saad Hariri would go down in history if he
delivered electricity 24/7, harnessed Lebanon’s water supplies, further reduced
the cost of mobile phone calls and gave us high-speed internet (That last goal,
incidentally, is crucial to Lebanon selling itself as a destination for direct
foreign investment, yet we still can’t recognize it as a priority). People care
about these much more than peace with Israel, the nationality of the Shebaa
Farms, the fate of Hezbollah’s weapons, and, dare I say it, even the Special
Tribunal on Lebanon.
Gone are the days when we can get away with appointing Wiam Wahhab as minister
for the environment or any of the other grey men who, over the years, won their
ministerial status because of patronage rather than talent. (Incidentally, I
don’t know Mr. Wahhab. By all accounts, those who have met him say he is very
charming and entertaining, but I think it is safe to say that he would not be
the obvious choice had the prime minister at the time, Omar Karami, been serious
about bolstering Lebanon’s green credentials.)
By the time you read this we might have a new cabinet. Let us hope that, amid
the balloon juice spouted by all Lebanon’s political leaders about cooperation
and national unity, they choose the next generation of ministers wisely.
Israel fears Hizbullah possession of anti-aircraft missiles
Date: August 2nd, 2009/Future News /Israel voiced concern over the possibility
of Hizbullah owning anti-aircraft missiles, which Tel Aviv says can
“de-stabilize forces in the region,” Haaretz reported Sunday. An Israeli
official said that Hizbullah’s missiles can intercept Israel’s air force
activity, which aims to monitor South Lebanon. Israeli Intelligence reports said
that Hizbullah is plotting to execute an operation against Israeli targets in
other countries, adding that the party might execute another operation in the
Shebaa Farms or the Ghajar Village during which Hizbullah members would
infiltrate Israeli territory or attack Israeli navy ships off the shores of
Lebanon. The reports added that the Israeli Army sent reinforcement to the
Lebanese-Israeli border, especially in the Shebaa Farms, and installed advanced
radars onboard its navy ships.
Israel considers pullout from Ghajar
Date: August 2nd, 2009/Future News/Israel is inclined to withdraw its troops
from the disputed northern part of Ghajar village on the Lebanese-Israeli border
on condition of keeping the village under UNIFIL’s authority, Israel’s official
radio announced Sunday. Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Yossi Gal is
expected to discuss with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman the reports
that have been issued in July by the security corps and the various ministries
in terms of Ghajar, adding that they would then submit them to Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the inner security cabinet to make the final
decision on the matter. The report emphasized the necessity of increasing the
number of UNIFIL members in the village to ensure that Hizbullah members do not
infiltrate it, and to prevent weapons and drugs smuggling into Israel. The
UNIFIL has proposed on Israeli to withdraw from Ghajar in return of its
responsibility for ensuring security in the area. UN inspectors who delineated
the southern border of Lebanon after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon
in 2000 assigned the northern part of Ghajar to Lebanon and the southern part to
the Golan Heights. Israel annexed the heights in 1981 in a move not recognized
internationally. Israeli forces reoccupied the northern part of Ghajar during
their 2006 war against Hizbullah in Lebanon. Lebanon and the international
communities have been waiting for Israeli forces to leave northern Ghajar, a
border village divided into Israeli and Lebanese sectors by the United Nations
in 2000. Ghajar, which has a population of about 2,000, straddles Lebanon and
the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights, but Israel currently occupies both
parts.
Arslan: “Opposition shall give me back my rights”
Date: August 2nd, 2009/Future News
Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan criticized the opposition on
Sunday for its rejection to grant its leader a ministerial portfolio in the new
cabinet, “especially since he is an essential element within its ranks not an
intruder," the source argued. Al-Quds quoted Arslan’s sources as saying “what is
occurring in the cabinet formation process is considered a "stab against the
opposition,” and a blow to all the stances taken by Arslan over the past few
years." Arslan thanked Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt in a
phone call on Saturday for his recent positive stances. “I shall not claim my
rights from MP Jumblatt or any part of the majority; I shall claim my rights
back from the opposition,” Arslan argued emphasizing the importance of enhancing
cooperation and reconciliation with Jumblatt to ensure national unity and civil
peace, and commitments to the pact brokered between both on May 11, 2008.