LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 07/09

Bible Reading of the day.
Psalm 1/1-6/Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Obama should be honest in dealing with Taliban. By: Dr. Walid Phares 06/04/09
Iran calls on US to scrap nuclear arms. Isreali News 06/04/09
A Conversation With Toni Nissi. By Joseph Puder, For The Bulletin 06/04/09
Commemorating Lebanon's Khalil Gibran-About - News & Issues 06/04/09
Obama's leadership toward a nuclear-free world is welcome- The Daily Star 06/04/09
Obama dangles between hope and failure-By George Giacaman 06/04/09
AP INVESTIGATION: Notorious terrorist indicted in US eludes ...Los Angeles Times 06/04/09
The West should hear the message of the Pakistani people- By Mustafa Qadri 06/04/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 06/09
Hizbullah Launches Electoral Platform, Vows to Work for Elimination of Political Sectarianism-Naharnet
Aoun Names Four Candidates in Chouf and One in Koura-Naharnet
Britain Says U.S. Does Not Object to Negotiations with Hizbullah-Naharnet
Hariri: Electoral Nominations Have Largely Been Finalized-Naharnet
Majority Lists in Aley and Baabda Nearly Completed, Minority Removing Remaining Obstacles-Naharnet
Saniora's Decision to Run or Not to Run Would Settle Sidon Problem-Naharnet
Israel-Hizbullah War Stokes Pentagon Debate-Naharnet
No Breakthrough Yet on Baabda Deal between Berri, Aoun-Naharnet
Electoral Picture in North Remains Fuzzy-Naharnet
Police Prevented From Responding to Building-Code Violation in Bourj al-Barajneh-Naharnet
Picture Remains Blurred in Kesrouan-Jbeil-Naharnet
Mustaqbal Movement Announces Electoral Platform: No Weapons above State Weapons-Naharnet
Jumblat Abandons 3 Seats in Baabda, Aley for March 14-Naharnet
Lebanese EGuinea Coup Prisoner Freed on Health Grounds-Naharnet
Assad Discusses Lebanon-Syria Relations with U.S. Congressmen-Naharnet
Skaff Launches Election Campaign: There is a Group Seeking to Collect Money-Naharnet
Dozens dead, thousands homeless as quake rocks Italy. AP
'US learns from Lebanon war failures'-Jerusalem Post
Failed test yields breathing room-Washington Times
Short '06 Lebanon War Stokes Pentagon Debate-Washington Post
Hariri targets resistance's arms in elections platform-Daily Star
France cites need to 'neutralize' Lebanon-Daily Star
UNIFIL turned back MP 'as per agreement with LAF'-Daily Star
Baroud sees political will for smooth elections-Daily Star
Hizbullah's image changing in West - Hajj Hassan-Daily Star
Berri urges Higher Relief Council to release funds-Daily Star
Canada now processing work, residence visas in Beirut office-Daily Star
 Solidere value 'secure' despite falling shares-Daily Star
Landmine victims defeat diplomats in soccer match-Daily Star
Iran's Mousavi vows to push ahead with nuclear program-(AFP)
Khamenei hails Venezuela's move to cut Israel ties-(AFP)

Iran calls on US to scrap nuclear arms
Tehran criticizes President Obama for saying it poses threat with its nuclear program. 'It seems that the repetition of the past US administration's accusations would be in contrast with the slogan of change,' Foreign Ministry spokesman says
Reuters Published: 04.06.09, 13:16 / Israel News Iran criticized on Monday US President Barack Obama for saying Tehran posed a threat with its nuclear program and urged Washington and other countries possessing atom weapons to dismantle their arsenals. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi made the comments a day after Obama, who is seeking to engage Iran diplomatically in a sharp policy shift from George
Obama: We can't have nuclear arms race in Mideast / News agencies
United States president says world has interest in preventing Iran from acquiring nukes, adds there's 'great potential' to improve US-Russia ties
Delivering a speech in Prague given new urgency by North Korea's rocket launch, Obama also said the United States would go ahead with plans to build a missile defense shield in Europe as long as Iran posed a threat with its nuclear activities.
Qashqavi noted that the Bush administration, which spearheaded a drive to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear plans, had also described the Islamic state as a threat.
"It seems that the repetition of the past US administration's accusations (against Iran) would be in contrast with the slogan of change (by Obama)," Qashqavi said.
"And such a thing - nuclear armament - does not exist in Iran to be inferred as a threat," he said. The West suspects Iran's nuclear program is a cover for developing bombs. Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, says it is a peaceful drive to generate electricity. Asked about North Korea's rocket launch, which analysts said was effectively a test of a ballistic missile designed to carry a warhead as far as the US state of Alaska, Qashqavi said Iran's and North Korea's missile activities were not related. 'Awaiting a world free of nuclear arms'
Obama last month offered Iran a "new beginning" of diplomatic engagement, following three decades of hostility. Iran has responded cautiously to the overture, saying Washington must show real policy change toward Iran rather than in words. Qashqavi said nuclear weapons had no place in Iran's defense doctrine and that the existence of such arms was a serious threat to the global community. "We, like the rest of the world community, are awaiting a world free of nuclear arms," Qashqavi said. "Our expectation from the US and others is to take serious and practical measures toward nuclear disarmament and dismantling of weapons of mass destruction," he said. Obama pledged on Sunday to cut the US nuclear arsenal, to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force and to seek tough penalties for those that broke rules on non-proliferation. He presented Iran with a "clear choice" of halting its nuclear and missile activity or facing increased isolation.
Tehran has repeatedly rejected international demands to stop its most sensitive atom work and officials say Iran will unveil "good news" when it marks its national nuclear day on Thursday.

Hizbullah Launches Electoral Platform, Vows to Work for Elimination of Political Sectarianism
Naharnet/MP Mohammed Raad on Monday launched Hizbullah's electoral platform which commits the party to pursuing economic, judicial and political reforms, notably the abolition of political sectarianism. Under the banner of "Resist with Your Vote," the platform reaffirms Hizbullah's adherence to a policy of "partnership, consensus and state-building based on the rule of law, institutions and combating corruption," Raad told a press conference held in the southern suburbs and attended by the party's candidates. "On the eve of elections, we are called upon to refocus political choices after several crises (were resolved) and placed the country on the path of stability," he said. "The 2009 polls represent a gateway to revive political life and to reaffirm the standards of belief that Lebanon is a country and not an arena," added Raad who heads Hizbullah's Royalty to the Resistance bloc in Parliament.
Raad called for the formation of "a higher committee that would work for the abolition of political sectarianism, draft a modern electoral law based on relativism of representation, complete a constitutional amendment that would lower the voting age in addition to separating parliament from cabinet."
On the issue of arms, "the resistance places its resources and capabilities in the service of Lebanon," he said.
A national strategy of defense must "take advantage of the expertise and capabilities of the resistance and the army and must draft a plan to develop and boost these skills … in order to help the army confront the Israeli threat against our land and water resources," he added.
Raad stressed on the need for dialogue and national unity to safeguard Lebanon, pointing out to the successful alliance between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement. He criticized U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 for "paving the way for internal strife." "We are preachers of national unity. The historic agreement with the FPM formed a pioneer step toward boosting internal peace," Raad said, accrediting the alliance for influencing Lebanon's "steadfastness" during the 2006 war. Other points of focus in the platform included calls for reviving the Ministry of Planning to ensure sustained development in addition to reforms in the fields of education, media and the environment. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 18:52

Aoun Names Four Candidates in Chouf and One in Koura
Naharnet/MP Michel Aoun on Monday announced the names of four candidates in the Chouf district in addition to one in Koura.
In a press conference, Aoun said the Free Pateriotic Movement has nominated Abdou Monzer, Antoine al-Bustani, Nassif Azzi and Mario Aoun to run in the Chouf district and George Atallah in Koura. On reconciling with the Phalange, Aoun dismissed the idea, pointing to "great differences" dividing the two sides.
"The Phalange accused us of being behind the murder of Pierre Gemayel and we were repeatedly denied permission to convey our condolences," Aoun recalled.
He said the Phalange's disrespect to social norms can only be fixed through "a public and individual apology.""Politically, they criticized my ties with some parties, but did not hesitate to meet some of them," including a delegation from Hizbullah. "They have always wanted our relations to be as such. And I do not find a way for reconciliation at all."Turning his attention to another opponent, Aoun slammed as "barbaric" the economic system advocated by MP Saad Hariri blaming it for "ruining everything."He said the Mustaqbal Movement and "all those who contributed to the budget deficit are worried the people might discover the reality of their political and economic performance. They are worried the Lebanese public might know them for who they really are."Aoun said he was "not bothered" by a rapprochement between Minister Talal Arslan and MP Walid Jumblat and added that MP Michel Murr "can never be part of the FPM's ticket in the Metn district."He concluded by saying he will be visiting Bkirki for Easter holiday. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 19:35

Canada now processing work, residence visas in Beirut office
Daily Star staff/Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: Lebanese citizens seeking to immigrate to Canada can now choose visa offices in Beirut or Damascus as their point of service, Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multicultural Minister Jason Kenney announced on Friday. "This change follows up on last year's announcement, which gave immigration applicants from Lebanon the option to have their interviews conducted in their own country rather than have to travel to Syria. That was a first step. We have now expanded the services offered in Beirut to provide citizens of Lebanon access to all visitor and immigration services," he said.
The Beirut visa office will process applications and fees, answer inquiries and issue visas, according to the website of Canada's Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) office. Two Lebanese staff members will be recruited to provide these new services. Applicants called for interviews can select to have them at either the Beirut or Damascus office. Before the change, which came into effect on March 31, Canada's visa office in Beirut only dealt with student and temporary residency and work visas. "People in Canada wanting to sponsor relatives in Lebanon can rest assured that their family members will now be able to receive immigration services from the visa office in their home country," Kenney said. But Canadian citizens and permanent residents wishing to sponsor their families will continue to send their applications to the Case Processing Center in Ontario. Federal Skilled Worker applicants are to send their applications to the Case Processing Center in Nova Scotia. Those seeking to immigrate to Quebec must adhere to the province's separate requirements. "If you plan to apply as a skilled worker or business person and wish to establish yourself in the province of Quebec, you must first obtain a Certificat de sŽlection du QuŽbec which can be obtained through the Quebec Immigration Office in Damascus, Syria," said the CIC website. - The Daily Star

In family security matters IRAN-SUDAN-ERITREA
Private and open sources in the U.S. and the Middle East are reporting to us details regarding Sudanese president and indicted war-crimes fugitive Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s recent visit to Eritrea where he met with a top-level Iranian military delegation. According to reports in the Kuwaiti newspaper Alsyassa, the development of an Iranian-Sudanese-Eritrean alliance is an effort aimed at putting up a front against Egypt and Saudi Arabia along the red sea. Alsyassa has reported (the newspaper’s information based on sources in the UK) that Al Bashir (indicted for killing ethnic black Darfurians in Sudan) visited Eritrea on Mar. 23 despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Iranians were supposed to visit Khartoum, but the itinerary – according to two separate sources – was switched to Eritrea because of the warrant against Bashir. The Iranian military delegation included generals from the Ministry of Defense as well as missile technology experts and Iranian security/intelligence forces. According to our sources, the meeting covered the resupply of Sudanese military equipment (including missiles and seacraft) as well as the establishment of a tri-party pact (Iran, Sudan, Eritrea) with the ultimate goal being Iran gaining a strategic presence on the Red Sea, threatening Saudi Arabia from the southwest and fronting Egypt and Ethiopia.
Iran already has been smuggling weapons into Africa. Some have been intercepted. According to Iranian press, Bashir has traveled to Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia since the ICC arrest warrant was issued against him on March 4. — Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.family security matters

Hariri targets resistance's arms in elections platform
By Mirella Hodeib/Daily Star staff
Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: Parliamentary elections' fever heightened over the weekend with various parties holding rallies to announce candidates and present platforms. Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri made a series of fiery statements on Sunday, and reiterated that the June 7 parliamentary elections were "crucial and decisive." Hariri, however, did not announce the names of any candidates. Also on Sunday, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt said he was "sad" to dump current MPs from his parliamentary bloc for the sake of others from the Nationalist Liberal Party (NLP) and the Phalange Party.
"It's sad how non-partisan, independent Christians are not given a chance to run in elections," he said. Speaking during a rally on Saturday, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea meanwhile said a victory for his alliance in the elections would "guarantee Lebanon's sovereignty." Also, in the next 48 hours, all eyes will be on Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who has yet to decide whether he will submit his candidacy in southern port city of Sidon. Well-informed sources told The Daily Star on Sunday that Siniora paid an "undercover visit to his hometown Sunday evening."
The Future Movement
Addressing a huge crowd during a rally to launch his party's political charter, Hariri reiterated previous calls for the disarmament of "Lebanese and non-Lebanese" groups."The arms of the Lebanese state should triumph over all other arms," he said. "The dialogue table should tackle the issue of the resistance's arms, while discussing means by which Israeli offensives against Lebanon can be countered." Hariri called on "relevant authorities" to ensure that the spring elections proceed "in a calm and clean environment." He added that elections would be decisive, "as they decide Lebanon's future identity." "We are committed to this nation, we want the Lebanese people's dreams to turn into a reality, we want to take Lebanon from being an open arena to becoming a true sate," he told thousands of Future Movement supporters who flocked to the Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure Center (BIEL).Contrary to expectations, Hariri did not reveal the names of Future Movement candidates for the elections. Over the weekend, media reports said Hariri was still deliberating with ally former Premier Najib Mikati on the electoral tickets for the north Lebanon districts. However, he called for massive participation in June 7 polls and urged supporters to "flood ballot boxes." "Only nine weeks separate us from the polls - let's all vote in favor of a strong and democratic state," he said. Hariri said his party was committed to the Palestinian cause, and added that the Future Movement "strongly endorses the right of return and rejects the naturalization of Palestinians [in their host countries]."Hariri stressed coexistence among Lebanese, adding that "it should be promoted on all levels." He also said that his party "will run for elections alongside Walid Jumblatt."
Progressive Socialist Party
Meanwhile on Sunday, Jumblatt complained during a tour in Choueifat, that he had "reluctantly" relinquished two parliamentary seats in Aley and Baabda, "in order to preserve the unity of the March 14 Forces."
He said he "sadly" shelved MPs Antoine Andraous in Aley and Abdallah Farhat in Baabda for candidates from the NLP and the Phalange Party. "The inability of a non-partisan Christian to run for Parliament in these two districts is a sad and disconcerting thing," he said. Jumblatt also saluted MP Faysal al-Sayegh, saying he did not offer his parliamentary seat to Sports and Youth Minister Talal Arslan as a personal favor, but rather because the latter "has the right to be represented in the Aley district." Jumblatt added that he was proud to cooperate with Arslan. Jumblatt also regretted his inability to nominate former MP Jean Obeid in the North.An-Nahar reported Saturday that the March 14 Forces list for the Chouf district has been finalized. The list includes Jumblatt and MP Marwan Hamadeh for the Druze seats, Dory Chamoun and MPs George Adwan and Elie Aoun for the Maronite seats, Minister Nehmeh Tohme for the Catholic seat, and MPs Alaeddine Terro and Mohammad al-Hajjar as the two Sunni candidates on the same list.
Lebanese Forces
In a large rally Saturday, the LF announced its platform and the names of candidates.
The event, held at BIEL, also marked the 15th anniversary of the LF's disbanding in 1994.
Geagea said Lebanon was "in dire need of a second Cedar Revolution because our independence is not complete." Geagea was referring to street protests following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to demand Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.
"Our sovereignty remains lacking and strategic decision-making is not made by constitutional institutions," he said.
Geagea announced the LF candidates as: Strida Geagea and Elie Keyrouz for the Maronite seats in the northern district of Bsharre, Farid Habib for the orthodox seat in Koura, Antoine Zahra for the Maronite seat in Batroun, George Adwan for the Maronite seat in the Chouf, Eddy Abillama for the Maronite seat in the Metn, Richard Kouyoumdjian for the Armenian Catholic seat in the Beirut I district, Robert Khoury for the Catholic seat in Zahrani, and Michel Salloun for the Catholic seat in Baalbek.
The Armenian Ramgavar party has objected to the LF nomination of Richard Kouyoumdjian for the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut's first district.
In a meeting on Saturday, the party's executive committee stressed its "support and solidarity with MP Serge Torsarkissian as March 14's candidate for the Armenian Catholic seat" in the district. In previous elections, Ramgavar candidates have run on the lists of the Future Movement.
Elections in Sidon
The shape of the electoral battle in the southern port city of Sidon will become clearer as soon as Siniora issues a final decision about his candidacy.
The deadline for submitting candidacies for the 2009 parliamentary elections is at midnight on April 7.
If Siniora decides not to run in the elections, Hariri and MP Ousama Saad will win uncontested. The port city will witness an unprecedented showdown if the premier decides to run. On Saturday, Siniora said he was still undecided. But he added that he was facing "a high demand" to submit his candidacy."
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri admitted that the battle in Sidon was indeed "competitive, but the capital of the south will only have equal representation."
"Since 1992, former Premier Rafik Hariri had long tried to convince me that Sidon should be represented by a single [party]," Berri said in an interview with Orange television on Saturday. "I always opposed such an approach because of my belief that the gateway to south Lebanon should not be restricted to one party," he added.
"Today, the same is being done with talk of Siniora's nomination. My opinion remains unchanged," he added.
Commenting on Berri's stances on Siniora, MP Bahia Hariri told reporters Saturday: "We are in the same bunker with Speaker Berri."
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
SSNP leader Asaad Hardan announced on Sunday the names of his party's candidates throughout various districts in Lebanon.
The SSNP leader named: Mahmoud al-Hassan in the Akkar district; Salim Saadeh in Koura; Ghassan al-Achkar in the Metn; Marwan Fares in Baalbek; and Hardan in Marjayoun-Hasbaya districts. He added that his party would announce its candidates in the Aley district within the coming 24 hours, after concluding discussions with their allies. During the ceremony at the Coral Beach Hotel, Hardan said it was crucial to carry out the vote in an atmosphere of security and hoped they would lead "to a new period in Lebanon's history."
Elections in the Metn
MP Michel Murr will announce his candidacy on Monday for one of the two Orthodox seats in the northern Metn district. In a press conference to be held next Monday, Murr will announce his parliamentary candidacy and discuss his campaign platform. Lebanese press reports said over the weekend that Murr met with Maronite Bishop of Jbeil, Bishara Rai, to discuss election matters in the Metn.

France cites need to 'neutralize' Lebanon
Daily Star staff/Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: Two scenarios - one domestic and the other regional - will determine the course of stability in Lebanon following the June 7 polls, a French source told pan-Arab Al-Hayat daily in comments published Sunday. "Domestically, Paris regards the role played by President Michel Sleiman as significant and essential," said the source, an expert on Lebanese and regional affairs."On the regional level, there is a need to neutralize Lebanon against turning into a proxy war arena for settling regional conflicts between Syria and Israel or Iran and Israel or Saudi Arabia and Syria," he added. Overall, he said, "the victory of either the majority or the minority will have its repercussions on the [main] players in the region and on the international level."
"Israel will use a March 8 victory as a pretext to consider Lebanon as a 'Hizbullah state' while Iran and Syria will consider the success as their own, and place Lebanon once more in the strategic Syrian-Iranian axis."On the international level, "Europe and the US will join hands with influential Arab countries, especially Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to play a major role in protecting Lebanon against becoming a zone for settling scores in the region."
However, in case of a March 14 victory, "the international efforts must be twinned with domestic Lebanese efforts through national dialogue."
"Also," the source added, "in case the March 14 Forces win, the issue of Hizbullah's weapons should be carefully tackled especially that the party's disarmament cannot be done by force." The source said the results of the elections must not "impede" the state of political stability that has prevailed in Lebanon for the past year.
Lebanon can maintain its stability after the elections "without necessarily continuing to abide by the Doha agreement as is," he said.
"It is up to the Lebanese to decide on the appropriate course of action," the source concluded. - The Daily Star

UNIFIL turned back MP 'as per agreement with LAF'
By Dalila Mahdawi /Daily Star staff
Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sought Sunday to explain why troops from the international body prevented a Lebanese politician from traveling in the direction of the Israeli-occupied village of Ghajar. UNIFIL troops on Friday turned back a convoy of five cars carrying Development and Liberation bloc MP Qassem Hashem at a checkpoint on a road leading to Ghajar, UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane told The Daily Star.
The move came in accordance with an agreement between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which out of "security considerations," forbids civilian use of the road, she said. The UNIFIL troops "were not informed of the visit or aware of the identity" of those traveling in the convoy, Bouziane added.
UNIFIL had been in contact with the LAF with a view to "avoiding any further incidents in the future," she said.
Israel occupied Ghajar in 1967 upon its capture of the Syrian Golan Heights. It withdrew from the village in 2000 when it pulled out of south Lebanon, but re-occupied it in July 2006 during a 34-day offensive against Lebanon. The Jewish state continues to occupy the Lebanese side of Ghajar north of the UN designated border demarcated in 2000, despite a December 2006 Israeli cabinet decision to hand it over to UNIFIL.
Israel has previously said that withdrawing from the territory would pose a security threat to the Jewish state and has accused Hizbullah of using the village as a base for espionage activities. UNIFIL issued a proposal last year to facilitate Israel's withdrawal from the Lebanese side of Ghajar and has engaged in separate bilateral negotiations in this regard.In his ninth report on Resolution 1701, which established a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in 2006, UN chief Ban Ki-moon addressed efforts to negotiate a pullout from the village. "As noted in my last report, the government of Lebanon had informed the [UNIFIL] force commander of its readiness to accept the UNIFIL proposal to facilitate the withdrawal of the Israeli [Army] from the area, on the condition that the government of Israel agreed to the proposal within three months and that a fate for the eventual Israeli withdrawal be established," he said. UNIFIL was still talking to the Israeli authorities on the "modalities of the proposal," Bouziane said, noting that a date had still not been set for an eventual withdrawal. Ban had spoken to senior leaders from both Israel and Lebanon and "reiterated the urgent need to finding a solution to the matter," Bouziane added. Also on Sunday, the National News Agency reported a spokesperson for the Lebanese Army Command as saying an Israeli reconnaissance plane had violated Lebanese air space. According to the source, the plane entered Lebanese air space early Saturday morning, flying over Southern Lebanon

Hizbullah's image changing in West - Hajj Hassan
Daily Star staff/Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Hussein al-Hajj Hassan said on Sunday in an interview with New TV that Hizbullah's image in the West has changed, adding that the summer 2006 war and more recently the Israeli offensive on Gaza "contributed in changing this image." Hajj Hassan added that after his discussions with British MPs during his recent trip to the UK, he felt there was an acknowledgement of the failure of the policies of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Some MPs harshly criticized [former US President George W.] Bush and Blair's policy," he said. - The Daily Star

Hariri targets resistance's arms in elections platform
By Mirella Hodeib /Daily Star staff
Monday, April 06, 2009
BEIRUT: Parliamentary elections' fever heightened over the weekend with various parties holding rallies to announce candidates and present platforms. Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri made a series of fiery statements on Sunday, and reiterated that the June 7 parliamentary elections were "crucial and decisive." Hariri, however, did not announce the names of any candidates. Also on Sunday, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt said he was "sad" to dump current MPs from his parliamentary bloc for the sake of others from the Nationalist Liberal Party (NLP) and the Phalange Party.
"It's sad how non-partisan, independent Christians are not given a chance to run in elections," he said.
Speaking during a rally on Saturday, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea meanwhile said a victory for his alliance in the elections would "guarantee Lebanon's sovereignty." Also, in the next 48 hours, all eyes will be on Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who has yet to decide whether he will submit his candidacy in southern port city of Sidon. Well-informed sources told The Daily Star on Sunday that Siniora paid an "undercover visit to his hometown Sunday evening."
The Future Movement
Addressing a huge crowd during a rally to launch his party's political charter, Hariri reiterated previous calls for the disarmament of "Lebanese and non-Lebanese" groups."The arms of the Lebanese state should triumph over all other arms," he said. "The dialogue table should tackle the issue of the resistance's arms, while discussing means by which Israeli offensives against Lebanon can be countered." Hariri called on "relevant authorities" to ensure that the spring elections proceed "in a calm and clean environment." He added that elections would be decisive, "as they decide Lebanon's future identity."
"We are committed to this nation, we want the Lebanese people's dreams to turn into a reality, we want to take Lebanon from being an open arena to becoming a true sate," he told thousands of Future Movement supporters who flocked to the Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure Center (BIEL).
Contrary to expectations, Hariri did not reveal the names of Future Movement candidates for the elections. Over the weekend, media reports said Hariri was still deliberating with ally former Premier Najib Mikati on the electoral tickets for the north Lebanon districts. However, he called for massive participation in June 7 polls and urged supporters to "flood ballot boxes." "Only nine weeks separate us from the polls - let's all vote in favor of a strong and democratic state," he said.
Hariri said his party was committed to the Palestinian cause, and added that the Future Movement "strongly endorses the right of return and rejects the naturalization of Palestinians [in their host countries]."Hariri stressed coexistence among Lebanese, adding that "it should be promoted on all levels." He also said that his party "will run for elections alongside Walid Jumblatt."
Progressive Socialist Party
Meanwhile on Sunday, Jumblatt complained during a tour in Choueifat, that he had "reluctantly" relinquished two parliamentary seats in Aley and Baabda, "in order to preserve the unity of the March 14 Forces."
He said he "sadly" shelved MPs Antoine Andraous in Aley and Abdallah Farhat in Baabda for candidates from the NLP and the Phalange Party. "The inability of a non-partisan Christian to run for Parliament in these two districts is a sad and disconcerting thing," he said. Jumblatt also saluted MP Faysal al-Sayegh, saying he did not offer his parliamentary seat to Sports and Youth Minister Talal Arslan as a personal favor, but rather because the latter "has the right to be represented in the Aley district." Jumblatt added that he was proud to cooperate with Arslan. Jumblatt also regretted his inability to nominate former MP Jean Obeid in the North.
An-Nahar reported Saturday that the March 14 Forces list for the Chouf district has been finalized. The list includes Jumblatt and MP Marwan Hamadeh for the Druze seats, Dory Chamoun and MPs George Adwan and Elie Aoun for the Maronite seats, Minister Nehmeh Tohme for the Catholic seat, and MPs Alaeddine Terro and Mohammad al-Hajjar as the two Sunni candidates on the same list.
Lebanese Forces
In a large rally Saturday, the LF announced its platform and the names of candidates.
The event, held at BIEL, also marked the 15th anniversary of the LF's disbanding in 1994.
Geagea said Lebanon was "in dire need of a second Cedar Revolution because our independence is not complete." Geagea was referring to street protests following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to demand Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.
"Our sovereignty remains lacking and strategic decision-making is not made by constitutional institutions," he said.
Geagea announced the LF candidates as: Strida Geagea and Elie Keyrouz for the Maronite seats in the northern district of Bsharre, Farid Habib for the orthodox seat in Koura, Antoine Zahra for the Maronite seat in Batroun, George Adwan for the Maronite seat in the Chouf, Eddy Abillama for the Maronite seat in the Metn, Richard Kouyoumdjian for the Armenian Catholic seat in the Beirut I district, Robert Khoury for the Catholic seat in Zahrani, and Michel Salloun for the Catholic seat in Baalbek.
The Armenian Ramgavar party has objected to the LF nomination of Richard Kouyoumdjian for the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut's first district.
In a meeting on Saturday, the party's executive committee stressed its "support and solidarity with MP Serge Torsarkissian as March 14's candidate for the Armenian Catholic seat" in the district. In previous elections, Ramgavar candidates have run on the lists of the Future Movement.
Elections in Sidon
The shape of the electoral battle in the southern port city of Sidon will become clearer as soon as Siniora issues a final decision about his candidacy.
The deadline for submitting candidacies for the 2009 parliamentary elections is at midnight on April 7.
If Siniora decides not to run in the elections, Hariri and MP Ousama Saad will win uncontested. The port city will witness an unprecedented showdown if the premier decides to run. On Saturday, Siniora said he was still undecided. But he added that he was facing "a high demand" to submit his candidacy."
For his part, Speaker Nabih Berri admitted that the battle in Sidon was indeed "competitive, but the capital of the south will only have equal representation."
"Since 1992, former Premier Rafik Hariri had long tried to convince me that Sidon should be represented by a single [party]," Berri said in an interview with Orange television on Saturday. "I always opposed such an approach because of my belief that the gateway to south Lebanon should not be restricted to one party," he added.
"Today, the same is being done with talk of Siniora's nomination. My opinion remains unchanged," he added.
Commenting on Berri's stances on Siniora, MP Bahia Hariri told reporters Saturday: "We are in the same bunker with Speaker Berri."
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
SSNP leader Asaad Hardan announced on Sunday the names of his party's candidates throughout various districts in Lebanon.
The SSNP leader named: Mahmoud al-Hassan in the Akkar district; Salim Saadeh in Koura; Ghassan al-Achkar in the Metn; Marwan Fares in Baalbek; and Hardan in Marjayoun-Hasbaya districts. He added that his party would announce its candidates in the Aley district within the coming 24 hours, after concluding discussions with their allies. During the ceremony at the Coral Beach Hotel, Hardan said it was crucial to carry out the vote in an atmosphere of security and hoped they would lead "to a new period in Lebanon's history."
Elections in the Metn
MP Michel Murr will announce his candidacy on Monday for one of the two Orthodox seats in the northern Metn district. In a press conference to be held next Monday, Murr will announce his parliamentary candidacy and discuss his campaign platform. Lebanese press reports said over the weekend that Murr met with Maronite Bishop of Jbeil, Bishara Rai, to discuss election matters in the Metn.

Assad Discusses Lebanon-Syria Relations with U.S. Congressmen
A visiting U.S. congressional team met Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday and voiced optimism that the two countries could work together to advance their common interests in the region. "We had a candid and constructive meeting," the delegation made up of Stephen Lynch, a Democrat, and Republican Bob Inglis said in a statement issued by the American embassy after the talks. They said the talks covered Lebanon, the security situation on the Syrian-Iraqi border, the Middle East peace process and humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. "We are optimistic that, although we have substantial differences, we nonetheless have shared interests in the region," they said. "With genuine effort on all sides, we are hopeful that we can work constructively towards our mutual goals." Syria's state news agency SANA said Assad and the congressmen discussed ways "to advance Syrian-US relations through a serious and constructive dialogue ... to achieve just and peaceful solutions to the region's problems." The delegation arrived in the Syrian capital on Saturday, the embassy said. Damascus-Washington ties, long strained over Syria's alliance with Iran and support for anti-Israel groups such as Lebanon's Hizbullah and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, have improved under U.S. President Barack Obama. Relations sank to their lowest ebb under former president George Bush's administration. It accused Syria of being a gateway for "foreign terrorists" into Iraq to fight alongside al-Qaida, of meddling in Lebanon, and also imposed sanctions on Damascus in 2004. But several high-profile U.S. envoys have visited Damascus this year as the Obama administration pursues a policy of engaging with all countries in the region, even long-time foes. Last month, Assad said he was ready to act as a mediator with Iran over its controversial nuclear drive, provided Western countries came up with a clear plan to submit to Tehran. The Syrian president also praised Obama as a man of his word for having honored promises over a pullout from Iraq and ordering the shutdown of the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.(AFP)
Beirut, 05 Apr 09, 21:26

Israel-Hizbullah War Stokes Pentagon Debate
Naharnet/The 2006 Israel-Hizbullah war that involved not a single U.S. soldier has become the subject of an increasingly heated debate inside the Pentagon, The Washington Post reported on Monday. "The debate could alter how the U.S. military fights in the future," the newspaper said.
It said the result of the war was widely seen as a disaster for the Israeli military. Soon after the 34-day conflict, some military officers began to warn that the short, bloody and relatively conventional battle foreshadowed how future U.S. enemies might fight. Since then, the Defense Department has dispatched as many as a dozen teams to interview Israeli officers who fought against Hizbullah. The army and marine corps have also sponsored a series of multimillion-dollar war games to test how U.S. forces might fare against a similar foe. "A big reason that the 34-day war is drawing such fevered attention is that it highlights a rift among military leaders: Some want to change the U.S. military so that it is better prepared for wars like the ones it is fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, while others worry that such a shift would leave the United States vulnerable to a more conventional foe," the newspaper said. "The Lebanon war has become a bellwether," said Stephen Biddle, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who has advised Gen. David H. Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command. "If you are opposed to transforming the military to fight low-intensity wars, it is your bloody sheet. It's discussed in almost coded communication to indicate which side of the argument you are on."
U.S. military experts were stunned by the destruction that Hizbullah fighters, using sophisticated antitank guided missiles, were able to wreak on Israeli armor columns. Unlike the guerrilla forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, who employed mostly hit-and-run tactics, Hizbullah held its ground against Israeli forces in battles that stretched as long as 12 hours. The Shiite party was also able to eavesdrop on Israeli communications and even struck an Israeli ship with a cruise missile.
"From 2000 to 2006 Hizbullah embraced a new doctrine, transforming itself from a predominantly guerrilla force into a quasi-conventional fighting force," a study by the Army's Combat Studies Institute concluded last year. Another Pentagon report warned that Hizbullah forces were "extremely well trained, especially in the uses of antitank weapons and rockets" and added: "They well understood the vulnerabilities of Israeli armor."
"The real takeaway is that you have to find the time to train for major combat operations, even if you are fighting counterinsurgency wars," said one senior military analyst who studied the Lebanon war for the Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Currently, the deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan have prevented army units from conducting such training.
U.S. army generals have also latched on to the Lebanon war to build support for multibillion-dollar weapons programs that are largely irrelevant to low-intensity wars such as those fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to stake out a firm position in this debate, when he announces the 2010 defense budget. "This budget moves the needle closer to irregular warfare and counterinsurgency," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said. "It is not an abandonment of the need to prepare for conventional conflicts. But even moving that needle is a revolutionary thing in this building." The changes reflect the growing prominence of the military's counterinsurgency camp -- the most prominent member of which is Petraeus -- in the Pentagon. President Barack Obama, whose strategy in Afghanistan is focused on protecting the local population and denying the Islamist radicals a safe haven, has largely backed this group. The question facing defense leaders is whether they can afford to build a force that can prevail in a counterinsurgency fight, where the focus is on protecting the civilian population and building indigenous army and police forces, as well as a more conventional battle.
Another question is whether the U.S. military is taking the proper lessons from the Israel-Hizbullah war. Its studies have focused almost exclusively on the battle in southern Lebanon and ignored Hizbullah's ongoing role in Lebanese society as a political party and humanitarian aid group. After the battle, the party moved in quickly with aid and reconstruction assistance. "Even if the Israelis had done better operationally, I don't think they would have been victorious in the long run," said Andrew Exum, a former army officer who has studied the battle from southern Lebanon. "For the Israelis, the war lasted for 34 days. We tend to forget that for Hizbullah, it is infinite." Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 10:23

Picture Remains Blurred in Kesrouan-Jbeil
Naharnet/No final decision has yet been made with regards to the electoral list in the Kesrouan-Jbeil constituency. According to the daily An Nahar on Monday, the issue remains gloomy pending two developments: The first is related to the possibility of nominating National Bloc head Carlos Edde as part of an election coalition between March 14 forces and other independent candidates. It said Edde met with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki on Sunday. The second development, according to An Nahar, is linked to the fate of the potential coalition between the two former MPs Fares Soeid and Nazem Khoury in Jbeil. Ad Diyar, for its part, said the list of independent candidates is expected to surface in the coming few days. It said the "incomplete list" would include Mansour al-Bon, Farid al-Khazen, Sejaan Qazzi and Maroun Helou. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 11:48

No Breakthrough Yet on Baabda Deal between Berri, Aoun
Naharnet/Baabda seemed to be facing a major obstacle toward creating an electoral list in light of disagreements between Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun. The daily An Nahar on Monday quoted opposition sources as saying that while Aoun adhered to the nomination of FPM official Ramzi Kanj to the Shiite seat in Baabda, Berri insisted on to the candidacy of journalist Talal Hatoum.  The sources said the crisis would affect the Berri-Aoun agreement on Jezzine which had not been finalized yet. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 10:31

Electoral Picture in North Remains Fuzzy
Naharnet/The electoral picture in the north remains unclear, with some reports indicating that the March 14 forces have "overcome barriers" and formed understandings, while others indicated that stumbling blocks still remain. As-Safir newspaper reported on Monday that Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri has reached an understanding in the north with former PM Najib Miqati. Under the agreement Miqati would receive one seat for himself, one for former MP Ahmed Karami, and one for a third name from the Minyeh-Dinniyeh district to complete the list in Tripoli. The newspaper also reported that Hariri held talks with Economy and Trade Minister Mohammed Safadi on Sunday night, during which the two were able to "overcome obstacles" and reach an understanding.
In contrast, Al-Akkbar newspaper indicated that more dialogue is required between Hariri and Miqati. The newspaper also reported that Safadi vetoed the nomination of MP Mohammed Kabbara, who holds the key to 3 seats in Tripoli and one seat in Minyeh-Dinniyeh. A source from the Mustaqbal movement told Al-Akhbar that "the alliance with the two sides is 80% done" but preferred not to discuss the remaining fifth Sunni seat in the city. As-Safir also reported that the absence of Omar Karami and former minister Jean Obeid could lead to an electoral battle in the north. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 11:03

Majority Lists in Aley and Baabda Nearly Completed, Minority Removing Remaining Obstacles
Naharnet/Majority lists in Aley and Baabda are nearly completed after problems with Christian representation in the districts were resolved, well-informed sources from the March 14 coalition told An Nahar daily. The sources said that it was agreed to nominate Phalange party's Fadi Habr in Aley for the Orthodox seat currently occupied by Democratic Gathering MP Antoine Andraos. National Liberal Party Secretary-General Elias Abu Assi was also nominated to run in the elections for the Maronite seat in Baabda occupied by Abdullah Farhat, also a Democratic Gathering MP.Phalange official Salim Sayegh confirmed to Voice of Lebanon radio station on Monday that the party will be represented in Aley. Minority sources, meanwhile, told As Safir newspaper that there are ongoing efforts to remove the remaining obstacles that are hindering an agreement in Baabda and Aley. The sources, however, hoped the problems will be settled soon. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 09:14

Saniora's Decision to Run or Not to Run Would Settle Sidon Problem
Naharnet/Both March 14 and March 8 forces have reportedly maintained a wait-and-see attitude pending Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's decision to run or not to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections.  The Daily An Nahar on Monday said the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition was waiting for Saniora's decision before it makes any move toward finalizing its Sidon electoral list. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, for its part, said the majority March 14 alliance had gone a long way toward alleviating the obstacles still hindering the formation of its electoral tickets. It said very little obstacles remain, largely due to Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri's final decision in light of Saniora's choice which is likely to be announced in the coming hours, according to al-Hayat. Al Akhbar newspaper said that Jamaa Islamiya will announce its stance regarding its alliance with Hariri following Saniora's decision. Jamaa Islamiya sources described as "not good" a meeting held last Thursday in Qoreitem between Hariri and a delegation from the group. "The delegation left (the meeting) under the impression that the likelihood of forming any alliance (with Hariri) is impossible," one source told Al Hayat. Al Liwaa daily reported that a fresh meeting will be held between Hariri and Jamaa Islamiya to settle the names of the candidates in Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, Akkar , Zahle and western Bekaa. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 10:00

Britain Says U.S. Does Not Object to Negotiations with Hizbullah
Naharnet/The new U.S. administration under President Barack Obama is reportedly "comfortable" with the British government's attempts to engage Hizbullah in negotiations. Bill Rammell, Britain's Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said in Damascus last week that despite protests to the contrary, the Obama administration does not object to the fledgling contacts with the political wing of Hizbullah, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday.
"We have a different approach on this issue at the moment with the United States," he said. "But it's not an issue of disagreement in intentions. The feedback we had on Lebanon is that the Americans are comfortable with us doing things differently than they are."While Britain favors attempts for outreach to Hizbullah, senior U.S. officials have privately ridiculed and publicly rejected the U.K.'s approach. "Our position on Hizbullah remains unchanged," Jeffrey Feltman, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of State for Near East affairs, told MPs last month. "We see no distinction between the leadership and funding of the group's terrorist, military, political and social wings." The Bush administration also has vehemently slammed the British decision, expressing concern "it would be seen as a policy coordinated with the U.S. government." Rammell said initial U.S. alarm has given way to curiosity and that there is "no antagonism" between the two allies over the issue.
France has long maintained relations with Hizbullah. Rammell said the British effort to engage Hizbullah would proceed incrementally, in an attempt at "testing the waters." He also said during a meeting last week with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem that Britain was ready to engage with Hamas, if it renounced violence.
"I would like to talk to Hamas, but we need change before engaging in that position," he said at the meeting. Rammell believed Hizbullah, too, must reject violence before any dialogue could broaden. He said the West must acknowledge what he described as "positive changes" that have taken place in Lebanon over the last few months, including the formation of a unity government and the appointment of a consensus president supported by U.S.-backed political groups and the Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition. Rammell pointed to Hizbullah's increased involvement in Lebanon's ordinary political life, with "Hizbullah (MPs) sitting side by side with their opponents" in parliament. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 08:14

Hariri: Electoral Nominations Have Largely Been Finalized
Naharnet/Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri announced on Monday that issues surrounding electoral nominations "have largely been finalized."
"We in the March 14 political forces have different opinions, but… all of us will run in these elections together," Hariri said after meeting with Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram Kashishian in Antelias, north of Beirut. "The visit should have happened before," Hariri added. "Hopefully we will continue our communication [together] as this is in the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese, and this is what we strive for."The Mustaqbal MP said that the sides discussed "general developments" in Lebanon. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 14:31

Police Prevented From Responding to Building-Code Violation in Bourj al-Barajneh
Security forces were prevented from entering the scene of a building-code violation in Beirut's Bourj al-Barajneh district on Sunday night when the road was cut off by individuals in the area. "In the early hours of the evening last night, when a [security] patrol tried to put an end to a building-code violation, several individuals intervened and demanded that the patrol leave the area," a security report released to the National News Agency said. Several other individuals then cut off the area by putting their cars in the road leading to the site of the violation. Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 12:51

Lebanese EGuinea Coup Prisoner Freed on Health Grounds
Naharnet/A Lebanese businessman jailed after a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea is to be pardoned on health grounds, an official decree said.
Mohammed Salaami was sentenced in June 2008 to a jail term of 18 years. The coup leader Briton Simon Mann is serving a 34-year sentence.
The presidential decree said Salaami was being given a "full pardon" because of his state of health and the need for him to receive rapidly specialist medical treatment.
The nature of the illness and the type of treatment needed were not specified. The decree also said that Salaami's attitude during the enquiry, behavior in prison and "deep and incredible" regrets had contributed to his being freed. He is supposed to quit the territory of the west African state immediately and never return.(AFP) Beirut, 06 Apr 09, 08:11 Skaff Launches Election Campaign: There is a Group Seeking to Collect Money Agriculture Minister Elie Skaff on Sunday launched his election campaign in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley town of Kefraya, accusing a "group" of seeking to collect money. "We are committed to our people and our choices," Skaff said. "There is a group which is seeking to collect money and another that cares for Lebanon," Skaff claimed. "Lebanon is not for sale," he warned. Beirut, 05 Apr 09, 18:07

Mustaqbal Movement Announces Electoral Platform: No Weapons above State Weapons
Naharnet/Mustaqbal Movement on Sunday announced its platform for the elections with its leader Saad Hariri stressing that the state should be the sole bearer of weapon. "There should be no weapons above state weapons," Hariri told a massive rally organized by Mustaqbal Movement at BIEL center in downtown Beirut.
With a powerful presence and charisma, Hariri said: "We don't believe in arms as means to express viewpoints. We believe in dialogue." "We want people's dreams to come true. We want Lebanon a state of coexistence," Hariri vowed in the second such impromptu speech during the period of his short political career. He said he believed that sectarian strife destroys national unity and "we have no other choice but to protect unity." He said the Mustaqbal Movement will not tolerate a situation of non-coexistence. Hariri also said that his movement supports the Palestinian cause, stressing that he will not accept the "right of return" to become a "commodity." Finally, he called upon his allies to run parliamentary elections hand-in-hand, under joint electoral lists. Addressing supporters, Hariri said: "We are only nine weeks before Election Day, nine weeks before you show your loyalty by voting to elect a capable state, a (state of) coexistence." His impressive speech came after the Mustaqbal Movement announced its electoral platform in which it declared itself a "national political party for Lebanon."The platform was detailed in several consecutive speeches, tackling the political, economic and social issues. It called for "renunciation of all sorts of extremism, violence and sectarian isolation." "The capable state is the state that can provide security for all Lebanese," it read, stressing that the government should have the sole authority over weapons. "The state alone has the right to make national decisions without any foreign interference through (political) parties or militias," it added. Mustaqbal called for setting up a rural bank to support rural areas and said citizens should have the right to educational services. Regarding the economic and social platform, Mustaqbal said it believed that the private sector is the backbone of the Lebanese economy. It called for stimulating development and creating new job opportunities through encouraging the agriculture and industry sectors in addition to upgrading the electricity sector. Mustaqbal also called for providing social protection via developing the social security system, putting an end to poverty and discrimination among regions and safeguarding the environment. Beirut, 05 Apr 09, 21:08

A Conversation With Toni Nissi
By Joseph Puder, For The Bulletin
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
From his cheerful demeanor you would never guess that Toni Nissi lives in Beirut, Lebanon — one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Toni is the secretary general of the National Council for the Cedar Revolution, and President of the Committee for United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1559. He frequently travels to the U.S. to inform U.S. government officials and Lebanese expatriates of the situation in Lebanon. This reporter met Toni in New York at the offices of a mutual friend — a Lebanese-American businessman.
For Toni Nissi, the implementation of UNSCR 1559 is crucial to the survival of Lebanon. The resolution was adopted by the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 2, 2004, and formalizes support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders.
UNSCR 1559 specifies the determination of Lebanon to ensure the withdrawal of all non-Lebanese forces from Lebanon (meaning Syria), and it is gravely concerned over the continued presence of armed militias (meaning Hezbollah) in Lebanon, which prevents the Lebanese government from exercising its full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory.
As far as Toni Nissi is concerned, none of the provisions of Resolution 1559 have been carried out. Hezbollah remains the only armed militia in Lebanon, and it is intimidating the Lebanese government. The Lebanese Army has not been able to assert its control of all of Lebanon’s borders because of the continued presence of Syrian uniformed forces and its many agents in Beirut and the rest of Lebanon.
Mr. Nissi explained that one has to consider the history of the Middle East in general and Lebanon in particular in the context of the Islamic Jihad. “You must view history in two-parts,” he said, “before 636 A.D. and after 636 A.D.” The Caliphs that followed the Prophet Muhammad conquered and Arabized and Islamized the entire region. The Christians in Lebanon were spared being both Arabized and Islamized because they lived in the mountains and the Arab-Muslim armies couldn’t reach the mountain-top communities. Similarly, the Armenians of Armenia and the Copts of Egypt were able to keep their identities.
“Lebanon” Mr. Nissi charged, “is a country with an Arab face — but it is not Arab.” After the Taif Agreement was signed in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 22, 1989, “Lebanon was Arabized for the first time in its history,” Mr. Nissi pointed out. “Three factors contributed to the change in Lebanon,” Mr. Nissi said, “The U.S. pressure to accept the Arab identity, Syrian bombs and Saudi money.”
How then does the Lebanese government function today?
Lebanon’s March 14 (2005) Alliance, named after the date of the Cedar Revolution, is a coalition of anti-Syrian political parties and independents, led by MP Saad Hariri (Sunni-Muslim) the younger son of the assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister, Samir Geagea, president of the Lebanese Forces (Christian), former President of Lebanon Amine Gemayel (Christian), and former minister MP Walid Jumblatt (Druze) leader of the Progressive Socialist Party. Mr. Nissi intimated that the March 14 coalition is funded by the Saudis, and it is pro-American.
The coalition currently has a majority in the Lebanese parliament, holding 71 seats in the 128 seat chamber. 57 seats are held by the pro-Syrian, pro–Iranian, and Palestinian groups. He further illuminated that under the Lebanese Constitution “the speaker of the parliament can open and close the parliament whenever he wishes.” The ppeaker is Shia Muslim leader of the Amal party Nabil Berry. According to Mr. Nissi, “Berry is 100 percent pro-Syrian, while Hassan Nassrallah, the smaller Shia organization Hezbollah is 100 percent pro-Iranian.”
“The parliament,” he added, “has been closed for 18 months and only opened briefly for the election of Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman on May 25, 2008.” It is a “useless parliament,” he pointed out. To make things more complicated, under the Doha Agreement of May 2008, if one third of the Cabinet ministers resign, the government is dissolved. After the Doha Agreement was signed, Hezbollah and its pro-Iranian and pro-Syrian allies reached a third of the Cabinet ministers, and thus the Lebanese government is paralyzed as is the rest of the country.
Hezbollah is strong enough militarily to challenge the Lebanese Army, and has established its own security zones in West Beirut which the Lebanese Army has no access to. Hezbollah has also established security zones in the Bekka Valley and in the North, next to the Syrian border and has a strong presence in the South in spite of the Lebanese Army’s alleged control in the area bordering with Israel. The Lebanese Army’s presence along the border with Israel is merely “an ineffective token,” Mr. Nissi said.
Mr. Nissi figures that 60 percent of Lebanon’s territory is currently controlled by Hezbollah. “If Hezbollah wins the June 7, 2009 elections,” Mr. Nissi cautioned, “they would legalize their organization and militia.” The only other military force in Lebanon that did not disarm is the Palestinian militia in the camps.
What role are the Syrians playing at this time in Lebanon?
“Syria is the main delivery system for Hezbollah; it is the link between Hezbollah and Iran,” Mr. Nissi answered quickly. On May 15, 2007, the Committee for UNSCR 1559, reported to the U.N. on the Syrian military camps inside Lebanon. Mr. Nissi adds, “We discovered that Syria continues to occupy 460 square kilometers, north of the Bekka Valley and Nahar el-Kabir. The Committee believes that there are over 70,000 Syrians in Lebanon who ‘received’ Lebanese citizenship.” The Syrian Social Nationalist party (SSNP), operating in Syria and Lebanon, which advocates the creation of Greater Syria, that includes Syria, Lebanon, parts of Turkey, Israel, and the Palestinian territories, is arming Hamas and the Fatah el-Islam, a Syrian-Palestinian jihadist group that engaged the Lebanese army in combat in 2007.
He had a lot more to say, but a flight back to Beirut that evening left our conversation open until his next visit to the U.S. in May.
**Joseph Puder can be reached at jpuder2001@yahoo.com.

50 die as powerful earthquake rocks central Italy; thousands homeless
By Marta Falconi, The Associated Press
L'AQUILA, Italy - A powerful earthquake in mountainous central Italy knocked down whole blocks of buildings early Monday as residents slept, killing at least 50 people and trapping many more, officials said. Thousands were homeless.
The earthquake's epicentre was 110 kilometres northeast of Rome near the medieval city of L'Aquila. It struck at 3:32 a.m. local time in a quake-prone region that has had at least nine smaller jolts since the beginning of April. The U.S. Geological Survey said Monday's quake was magnitude 6.3, but Italy's National Institute of Geophysics put it at 5.8.
Interior Minister Roberto Moroni, arriving in L'Aquila hours after the quake, said 50 people had been killed.
Officials said the death toll was likely to rise as rescue crews clawed through the debris of fallen homes.
L'Aquila Mayor Massimo Cialente said some 100,000 people had left their homes and that many buildings in the city's historic centre were damaged. Slabs of walls, twisted steel supports, furniture and wire fences were strewn about the streets and a grey dust carpeted sidewalks, cars and residents.
As ambulances screamed through the city, firefighters aided by dogs worked feverishly to reach people trapped in fallen buildings, including a student dormitory where half a dozen university students were believed still inside.
Outside the half-collapsed dorm, tearful young people huddled together, wrapped in blankets, some still in their slippers after being roused from sleep by the quake.
"We managed to come down with other students but we had to sneak through a hole in the stairs as the whole floor came down," said student Luigi Alfonsi, 22. "I was in bed - it was like it would never end as I heard pieces of the building collapse around me."
The town of Castelnuovo also appeared hard hit, with five confirmed dead there.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi declared a state of emergency, freeing up federal funds to deal with the disaster. He cancelled a visit to Russia and planned to go to L'Aquila to deal with the crisis.
Residents and rescue workers hauled away debris from collapsed buildings by hand.
Firefighters pulled a woman covered in dust from the debris of her four-storey home. Rescue crews demanded quiet as they listened for signs of life from other people believed still trapped inside.
Parts of L'Aquila's main hospital were evacuated because they were at risk of collapse, forcing the wounded to be treated in the open air or taken elsewhere.
Bloodied victims waited to be tended to in hospital hallways or outside in the hospital courtyard. Only two operating rooms were working. Civil protection crews were erecting a field hospital to deal with the influx of wounded.
On the city's dusty streets, as aftershocks continued to rumble through, residents hugged one another, prayed quietly or frantically tried to call relatives. Residents covered in dust pushed carts full of clothes and blankets that they had hastily packed before fleeing their homes.
"We left as soon as we felt the first tremors," said Antonio D'Ostilio, 22, as he stood on a street in L'Aquila with a huge suitcase piled with clothes he had thrown together. "We woke up all of a sudden and we immediately ran downstairs in our pyjamas."
Agostino Miozzo, an official with the Civil Protection Department, said between 10,000 and 15,000 buildings were damaged. He said stadiums and sporting fields were being readied to house the homeless.
"This means that the we'll have several thousand people to assist over the next few weeks and months," Miozzo told Sky Italia. "Our goal is to give shelter to all by tonight." ANSA said the dome of a church in L'Aquila collapsed, while the city's cathedral also suffered damage.

Sakr: Hezbollah holds a deal with Britain
Date: April 6th, 2009 Source: LBC
Journalist Okab Sakr asserted that Hezbollah is trying to win the parliamentary majority with an Iranian financial support, enabling the party to be a legislative and political force in Lebanon. The Lebanese will take part into parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, opposing the March 14 coalition to the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance, backed by Iran and Syria, in addition to the independent candidates of the centrist bloc. Sakr said that Hezbollah held a deal with Britain, as the party helped the kingdom with its relations with Iran “to release the British detainees in Iraq,” and got in return a European openness and a visit MP Hussein Hajj Hassan held to Britain. The political analyst also revealed that Hezbollah, included on the terrorist organizations list, received promises from Britain and France of dealing with it in a “different way if the party won the parliamentary majority.” “If Hezbollah got a regional role and controls the Lebanese soil, in addition parliamentary majority,” explained Sakr, “the party would have controlled the Lebanon and will give an impression to the world that it is the most qualified to negotiate over the Lebanese issues.”
 

Obama should be honest in dealing with Taliban
President Obama believes that U.S. troops in Afghanistan will know the difference between good Taliban and bad Taliban. If negotiating with terrorists is his choice, he should be forthright in explaining it to Americans.
Monday, April 06, 2009by
By: Dr. Walid Phares
http://www.energypublisher.com/article.asp?id=18738
In a recent interview with the New York Times, President Barack Obama said he hopes U.S. troops can identify moderate elements of the Taliban and move them toward reconciliation. The proposition came as a conclusion to a larger picture: the battlefield situation in Afghanistan. Obama said the United States was not winning the war in that country and thus the door must be opened to a reconciliation process in which the American military would reach out to moderate elements of the Taliban much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq.
Following these statements, a flurry of comments exploded throughout the international media. While most of the mainstream press and networks in the West praised the new daring turn in U.S. policy--the readiness to engage the Taliban, most of the pan Arabist and Jihadi sympathizer outlets in the region warned the move will not be successful. In a panel discussion on BBC TV Arabic, a noted expert in Islamist affairs from Amman said there is no such thing as Taliban independence from the higher ups like Mullah Umar.
A seasoned Afghani journalist from Kabul added that in Iraq, there is a larger US force as well as a totally different geopolitical context than what exists in Afghanistan. He wondered why Washington would want to engage a terror force which is not accepted by the population? This was a small sampling of the debate about the real strategic intentions of the Obama Administration.
The Imbroglio of Good and Bad Taliban
The US Administration is being advised that any change in strategy in Afghanistan is better than the previous situation. It is suggested that the surge model, as applied in Iraq, may work if modified to meet Afghanistan’s complexities. The President must also be attracted to the idea that an engagement with some quarters of the Taliban will fit perfectly with the global idea of engagement.
But many questions still need to be answered. Does the plan require a dialogue with the Taliban organization as a whole or with elements within the organization? Apparently, the US channel is to be established with elements not with the leadership of the network. The next question is if they aren’t part of the top leadership, are these elements able to sway the entire organization towards engagement? Apparently not, according to Taliban experts both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. So, the goal is to sway these factions called moderates away from the Taliban rather than steer the entire group in another direction.
Here we have the first complex conclusion. While President Hamid Karzai has extended an olive branch to Mullah Omar to join the Government, an invitation quickly rejected, President Obama is announcing a more modest goal of identifying “moderate elements” from the Taliban and strike a deal with them. But the modest narrative of the goal does not make it necessarily reachable.
If the “moderate Taliban” we are looking to identify are “inside” the network when they engage with the US, they will be lethally ejected by the hard core group, backed by al Qaeda. The next question is would those dissidents actually secede and form a moderate Taliban organization working with the US and the Karzai Government? From the names available on such a list, including former Taliban ambassadors to Pakistan and the international community including those who sought Saudi Arabia's help in launching a dialogue, we can’t see strong commanders willing to surge militarily against the mother ship.
Projections are that no leaders or radical clerics are willing to carry out the task of establishing a totally new, good Taliban, even with millions of dollars as incentive. A Taliban civil war is not going to happen, for now. But is there another more attainable goal? According to the Obama Administration and some experts, there may be other options.
Little Talibans?
In recent months, a new concept has been pushed via the defense and counter-terrorism circles arguing that instead of chipping off from the actual Taliban militia on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistani border, attention must be focused on harvesting the local Taliban (little ts). According to this theory, the little Ts are individuals and groups who have joined under the large umbrella of Mullah Umar or have proclaimed themselves as Taliban affiliates but not part of the membership of the organization,. In comparison with the Iraqi Sahwa movement backed by the U.S. coalition, these sub-militias of all walks of life would become the target of American political charm and dollars. If identified and reached out to - so believe the architects of the forthcoming Afghan surge - they will become the Afghani parallel to the Sahwa of Mesopotamia. Note that President Obama specified that it will be the American military who would reach out to these moderate elements. Meaning they will be dealt with from a lower level rather than from a full fledged diplomatic perspective.
Contrary to media speculation, this is not dialogue with the party the US is at war with, headed by Mullah Umar and his emirs. It is not even an attempt to break the mother ship in two and recuperate the more moderate branch. There are no takers for a massive retreat from the Taliban into the arms of Kabul's Government or Washington's "infidel" generosity.
What the US move is about is much more pragmatic and realistic. It’s about nibbling off the wide pool of angry people and shifting them from frustration with Karzai to enmity towards Umar. There are tens of thousands of armed males aggregating in villages, clans, tribes and neighborhoods, who wear turbans and sometimes claim they are Taliban for a thousand reasons. These sub-militias are not particularly ideological or perhaps do not even understand much of the doctrine they claim to be following. Some strategists and a number of experts believe that these men of the Afghan underworld can become the "new army" against the "bad Taliban." Can they?
Not only it is possible, but it should have been the case eight years ago. However, there are two fundamental mistakes not to make.
Do not announce them as "moderates"
First, the Obama Administration and the U.S. military strategists must not see these new war constituents nor announce them as who they are not. These sub-militias who sought to turn the tide against the real Taliban are not your "moderate" guys. In reality, they have no firm ideological affiliation. With few exceptions, the tribal and urban forces to be targeted for "integration" will simply shift alliances or allegiance for money and power.
The American, Western and international public must not be led to believe that a piece of architecture could be successful in transforming radicals into moderates or swaying away bands of armed men from extremism, let alone Jihadism. The mutation to moderation happens not via cash deals but through years of schooling, an efficient media and perseverant non-governmental organization (NGO) work. It happens from younger into older age. Forget about the identification of the moderate part of the Obama strategy. Inducing civil societies into liberalism or moderation needs the kind of government crafting that does not exist in Washington or Brussels for the time being.
In addition, these militias and militants to be swayed away from Waziristan's exiles are not going to produce a national reconciliation. They do not represent the radical ideological web which is behind the war against the new Afghan democracy. National reconciliation takes place between two or more large, historical and strategic forces. Instead we are talking about recuperation of elements extracted from the Taliban, not reconciliation with the latter. The U.S. stated goals should be even more modest in this regard.
Don't call them "Taliban"
The second fatal mistake to avoid is to call them Taliban, proto-Taliban or crypto-Taliban. If, even for publicity purposes, it suits the goal of soothing the U.S. and the Western public, constructing a fictive identity to a plethora of tribal-urban sub militias will backfire on the whole campaign. Here is why.
Since they are not a breakaway faction from the main organization, they cannot form another Taliban to challenge the Mullah Umar leadership. And since they have no ideology of their own, they will not be able to de-radicalize others. Hence if they are baptized as the other 'Taliban," instead of using the credibility of the name to push back against the bad guys, the name will ultimately transform them into what we do not want them to be: Taliban! The void will be filled by the forces with a greater doctrinal power, forceful clerics, and historical leadership. If we call them nice Taliban or little ts, we would be throwing them back into the arms of the forces we want to sway them from. Knowing what I know from the Jihadist strategies, it will not take long before the two Talibans would eventually sit down and strike a deal, and overwhelm the Kabul Government.
Learn from Iraq
If the Iraq Sahwa model is the inspiration for an Afghan engagement with local forces, we need to learn the correct lessons from it. In Iraq, the US did not create good al Qaeda versus bad al Qaeda; it did not identify moderate elements from al Qaeda to pit them against the mother force. The political dimension of the surge relied heavily on recruiting tribes, social cadres and Sunni elements, regardless of their affiliations, and empowering them via a "new" organization, called Sahwa Councils. We gave these new local allies an identity of their own, not the identity of the forces they fought.
More important, the greater dimension of the surge was not the mere rise of the Sahwas but the moving forward of the democratic political process with its political parties, NGOs, movements and media. Swaying Sunni militias against al Qaeda was only one component of the strategy. The larger strategy was to sustain pressures until Iraqi forces, legislators and ministries are up and running. In Afghanistan, we should make the case of a similar but not identical process of mobilizing popular militias, giving them an identity of their own, not calling them Taliban, and not expecting them to be the missing link to the future but a helpful force in pushing the political process forward until it can resist, contain and reverse the Taliban.
How to measure victory and defeat
President Obama, and before him President Bush, were always trying to measure the success of the war in Afghanistan. While the latter spoke of victories, our current president speaks of failures. The real issue is how to measure victory or defeat. Is destroying al Qaeda and Taliban bunkers a definitive indicator of victory? Are the relentless terror attacks by the Jihadists the other definitive measurement of failures? I do not think either parameter gives us an answer. Rather, it is the battle taking place over the conquest of the minds and hearts of the school children and teens of the country that will make or break that burgeoning democracy. Unfortunately, neither the past nor the present Administration seems to see the war of ideas with such urgency.
Let's be accurate and transparent.
My recommendation to the Obama Administration is to be relentlessly accurate in describing the choices it intends to make in Afghanistan and in the confrontation with Jihadists worldwide. If its final intention is to cut a deal with the Taliban, in this article I will not argue about the choice - it must faithfully inform the U.S. public of this choice instead of developing a phased narrative of disengagement.
But if it seriously intends to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda by isolating them further inside Afghanistan and mobilizing the international community, the Administration also needs to prepare the American and Western public for that choice. For in this age of hyper globalization, the Jihadi forces have an astonishing capacity to outmaneuver the smartest strategies devised by their enemies and, on the other hand, the public here at home has developed a surprising ability to understand the intentions of both the Terror forces and its own Government. Transparency is everything in this age.
**Walid Phares is the Terrorism Analyst at The Cutting Edge News and author of The Confrontation: Winning the War against Future Jihad. He is the Director of the Future Terrorism Project at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy.