LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
February 24/09

Bible Reading of the day.
Matthew 6/16-18: “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 6:18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Pay Attention Lebanon is in Danger!.By Tariq Alhomayed.Asharq Al-Awsat, 23/02/2009
It's time for Siniora to retake the reins of his political career- The Daily Star 23/02/09
The forgotten Damascus Spring.By: Nadim Houry/guardian.co.uk, 23/02/09
War of the spies as Israel and Hezbollah prepare for confrontation-Times Online 23/02/09
The explosion/The Future News 23/02/09
State logic…Prohibited/The Future News 23/02/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for February 23/09
Militants attack ISF officer in Southern Dahyeh/Future News
The Tribunal will Ask Transfer of 4 Generals to The Hague, All Trials to Be Broadcast -Naharnet
Bellemare Pays Farewell Visits to Berri, Saniora -Naharnet
Qaouq: Hizbullah Will Defeat Financial Invasion in June Elections -Naharnet
Hand Grenade Found Near Beirut Hospital -Naharnet
Vehicle of Lebanese Belonging Movement Official Set Ablaze-Naharnet
Gunmen who Assaulted Officer in Southern Suburbs Might be Handed Over-Naharnet
Suleiman Initiative Soon to End Saniora-Berri Bickering-Naharnet
Election Fever in Sidon…Saad: Welcome to the Mother of All Battles-Naharnet
40-Member Delegation to Inform Suleiman about Ways to Deal with Deteriorating Situation-Naharnet
Palestinian, UAE Citizen Arrested Near Ain el-Hilweh-Naharnet
Geagea Urges Authorities to Pin Down Rocket Attackers-Naharnet
Jumblat Renews Faith in State, Says May 7 Over-Naharnet
Berri Says 2009 Polls Will Bring National Unity Government-Naharnet
Franjieh: Refusal to Participate in Future Government Is a Crime-Naharnet
Murr Attends Top Arms Show in UAE-Naharnet
Sfeir urges security forces to find Sader -Daily Star
Najjar: Hizbullah not responsible for rocket attacks-Daily Star
Siniora vows not to succumb to threats or blackmail-Daily Star
Jumblatt says last May's events 'behind our backs -Daily Star
Security incidents compound downturn in Beirut markets-Daily Star
Beirut signs deal with Cairo to receive Egyptian electricity -Daily Star
Four UNIFIL troops injured in road accident -Daily Star
Gunmen assault member of security forces -Daily Star
New Arabic children's channel tailored specifically for 3-6 year olds-Daily Star
NGO looks to promote inclusion of disabled individuals in society -Daily Star
Authorities to boost security ahead of elections-Daily Star
Assad: US should move away from policy of dictating-AFP

Pay Attention…Lebanon is in Danger!
By Tariq Alhomayed
23/02/2009
Asharq Al-Awsat,
What is currently taking place in Lebanon from the firing of rockets, to kidnapping and murder, can only be described as an indication of impending danger. The greatest indication [of looming danger] can be seen with the rockets that were fired from southern Lebanon into Israel.
To understand the bigger picture one must remember that there are forthcoming elections in Lebanon, the forecasted results of which are not comforting to the Syrians or the Iranians, and are similarly not comforting to Hezbollah and Michel Aoun. In addition to this, the International Tribunal [that will try suspects] in the Rafik Hariri assassination is scheduled to take place in the same month.
Iran has also begun to feel that the Israeli extremist ring-wing represent a real threat, especially following Netanyahu's speech in which he said that Iran is a priority. In addition to this, the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] released a report which was critical of Tehran, as well as critical of the manner in which the Obama administration is dealing with this.
Iran is also, according to information, beginning to feel that the Arab reconciliation proposed by the Saudi monarch in Kuwait is more than a media maneuver, but represents real opposition to Iranian expansion in the region. It is for this reason that Tehran does not want Damascus to return to the Arab ranks.
This is the picture at large, while the particulars seem to indicate that Lebanon will be the battlefront of this impending conflict. For the Iranians believe that opening the Lebanese front against Israel will greatly benefit them, the most important benefit of which will be to overexert the Israel army before it decides to take action against Iran.
Tehran is counting on the indecision of Netanyahu, and they also want to embarrass Damascus in the Arab world, internally, and especially in front of Obama. And so any regional conflict will result in Syria being placed under the microscope once again, and this clarifies something important for us.
High ranking foreign visitors were surprised when they heard that the Syrian leadership had asked the Lebanese President to not back any candidate in the forthcoming Lebanese elections, as this would weaken [Michel] Aoun, who Damascus would prefer was stronger than Hezbollah!
It is ironic that Hezbollah also need Aoun who represents a fig leaf [of legitimacy] to both Iran and Syria. Aoun allying with Hezbollah would grant the movement the image of non-sectarianism, while Aoun allying himself with Damascus would grant Syria official cover in Lebanon.
Interestingly, Iran and Syria have not noticed that this fig leaf i.e. Aoun, is not sufficient enough to cover them, for the fig leaf is smaller than they think, and this clarifies the rivalry between Tehran and Damascus, as well as the lack of trust [between them].
And so the situation in Lebanon is volatile, and the Iranians are certain the post-Gaza Egypt is not the same as pre-Gaza Egypt, which is what an insider informed me of with regards to what is happening in recent Arab meetings, therefore the Lebanese battlefront is the [strongest] candidate for inflammation.
Similarly the Syrians do not trust their Iranian allies, and the Arab are not convinced of the Syrians intentions towards them. I will now tell a story that will sum this all up. A high-ranking Syrian official during a non-official visit to Saudi Arabia, accepted an invitation to a dinner that was not hosted by Saudis, during which he made comments about Saudi Arabia that even the Iranians would not say, and so the question; Who can trust anyone in Damascus?
What I mean to say is that all indications are pointing that there is an impending danger to Lebanon and the region as a whole that will trouble us again!

Hand Grenade Found Near Beirut Hospital
Naharnet/A cleaning worker on Monday found a rusty hand grenade inside a waste bin near al-Hayat Hospital in Beirut's Ain al-Rummaneh district.
Security forces arrived at the scene and worked on carrying the corroded grenade to a military location. It was later revealed that the hand grenade was in good working condition as its trigger pin remained in its normal position. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 13:41

Gunmen who Assaulted Officer in Southern Suburbs Might be Handed Over
Naharnet/An Nahar daily said Monday that the suspects involved in the assault on a police officer in Beirut's southern suburbs might be handed over to Lebanese authorities. A group of armed men assaulted First Lieutenant Tarek al-Zein on Sunday, confiscating his weapons and showering his vehicle with bullets.
The state-run National News Agency said five armed men surrounded al-Zein as he left the home of some relatives near the Rassoul al-Azam Mosque at 4:30 p.m.
It said the group forced Zein, head of Tyre's traffic operational command unit, and his driver to surrender their arms and four-wheeler. Their cell phones were also confiscated, NNA said. Two hours later, the vehicle and stolen items were returned to their owners. An Nahar said the incident occurred after police attempted to put an end to a building violation of a car showroom in the neighborhood of Sfeir in the southern suburbs. The showroom belongs to Mohammed Kassab, the brother of Hizbullah's security committee head in Burj al-Barajneh, An Nahar said. It quoted ministerial sources as saying the incident "proves that some areas are outside the control of the state" and such behavior is aimed at "tarnishing the image of the state." "People know what's going on and they will not keep their mouths shut for long," the sources told the newspaper.An Nahar said the culprits might be handed over to the authorities after contacts were launched between official sides and the parties involved in the attack. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 10:26

Vehicle of Lebanese Belonging Movement Official Set Ablaze
Naharnet/Unknown Assailants torched the vehicle of Lebanese Belonging Movement official in the southern town of Khiam, the National News Agency reported Monday. It said the Nissan, which is registered in the name of LBM chief Ahmed al-Asaad, was completely burned. The car was put in the disposition of LBM member Issam Asaad al-Abdullah, according to NNA. Voice of Lebanon radio said this is the second time in 45 days that al-Abdullah's car has been targeted.
The vehicles of several LBM officials were also set ablaze recently. In another development, three gunmen driving a Red Cherokee stole LL5 million from a gas station in Nahr el-Mot at Beirut's eastern entrance. NNA said the vehicle's registration plate belonged to another black Jeep Cherokee stolen around two moths ago from Zouk Mikael, north of Beirut. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 10:47

The explosion
Date: February 23rd, 2009 Source: Future News
One question concerns the Lebanese: who protects them? The reason for that question are the latest flare ups, be they explosions, clashes and the premeditated assaults that followed the February 14 memorial as well as the abduction of a civil aviation engineer, a typical scene reminiscent of the civil war era.
Security worries overwhelm all citizens in light of tense political atmosphere, making it harder for Security services to control the situation. The Lebanese security is currently exposed because some politicians decided to abandon the language of politics and resort to that of the “street”.
We cannot talk of any political settlements or internal agreements under the current security anarchy schemed by Lebanese politicians to fulfill external desires.
The current gaps in the security situation require a meticulous examination and an effective remedy. The status quo must change and the Lebanese blood must be spared being shed on the altar of foreign interests.
The Lebanese state cannot coexist with the outlawed Palestinian armament and the internal stability cannot be established with motorcycles transporting trouble makers from one Lebanese area to another “upon request”, which is one of the most serious dangers carried out by “Thank you Syria” people to destabilize the nation’s security. If the security situation remains exposed, the country will be open to several negative possibilities and no one can expect positive consequences by resorting to arms and violence.
Under such circumstances, the Lebanese citizens have the right to ask: who will protect our lives and sources of living? If such a situation continues the only consequence is explosion.

State logic…Prohibited
Date: February 23rd, 2009 Source: Future News
As political rhetoric heat up and cool down every now and then, the security situation remains a great worry amidst recent repeated violence.
The regular citizen has been subject to several assaults, be they explosions, kidnappings or even killings.
Missiles launching from south Lebanon onto northern Israel is not stopping, but what is more alarming is Sunday’s assault against an officer of the Internal Security Forces, in what is named as the security square in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
“March 8” forces have previously waged media attacks against the Directory of Security forces and its Information department, but this threat has turned from a verbal abuse into actual physical one in broad daylight.
Tarek Al-Zein, an officer in the armed forces, was prevented from doing his job in Al-Rasoul Al-A’azam area, where he headed to implement the law concerning an illegitimate construction site. Several armed elements forced Al-Zein to hand over his personal gun and sprayed his vehicle with bullets. Al-Zein returned to his headquarters on foot and the jeep was returned to the police station half an hour later without the weapon.
Deeds not words
Meanwhile, the majority forces continue to assert their backing to the state as the sole authority that maintains stability in the country.
Head of the executive Commission of the “Lebanese Forces” Samir Geagea, found the three leaders’ denouncement to the missiles that were launched from southern Lebanon as “strange”, adding that the state is required to have deeds not words. Geagea urged the security apparatus to find those behind the rockets.
On the issue of abducting the citizen Youssef Sader, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir said, “Armed forces must do their utmost to find Sader otherwise they would be accused of collaboration, something that would harm the country’s security.”
On the other hand, Leader of the Democratic Gathering Walid Jumblatt visited yesterday the families of the martyrs who were killed during May 7 incidents, asserting the necessity for pacification.
The man of state
Being a man of state, PM Fouad Siniora didn’t resort to the approach of “insults” of House Speaker Nabih Berry- the “Amal”- leader who could not restrain his anger because PM Siniora didn’t give in to his blackmail concerning the Council of the South.
PM Siniora’s response was calm and serene. At a reception given to him by the schools of Sidon and its Vicinity in his honor PM Siniora asserted that “we had never yielded to intimidation, threats and blackmail and we shall never…we had never backed off our targets and we will never do. We shall remain refined and above accusations” stressing “all issues can be resolved through dialogue. Violence only complicates things and leads to endless divisions”.
Berry fiercely reacted to PM Siniora’s visit to Saida by asking mayors of southern municipalities to issue aggressive statements against the visit.
Ministerial sources close to PM Siniora said those mayors “were victims of political misleading because Siniora doesn’t call for closing down the Council of the South.
According to the ministerial statement by Siniora’s cabinet upon winning the vote of confidence, Amal and Hezbollah are supposed to close down the council right after receiving the due allowances that are still being paid in differed payments.”
Sources close to PM Siniora confirmed to As-safir daily, there is no electoral objective behind Siniora’s visit to Sidon.
Prominent Ministerial sources told An-nahar daily that the scene of honoring PM Siniora in Sidon was “special; the people of Sidon welcomed Siniora so warmly, a clear response to the campaign that is targeting him.”

Aoun: Keserwan families are corrupt
Date: February 23rd, 2009 Source: New TV
Minister of Social affairs Mario Aoun accused the families of Keserwan region of being corrupt. Aoun said, “The centrist bloc is a corrupt gathering that was established to prevent Michel Aoun from winning the elections”. During a TV interview, Aoun said, “The centrist families are feudalistic”, and described “centrism” as a heresay.

Bellemare Pays Farewell Visits to Berri, Saniora
Naharnet/Chief U.N. investigator Daniel Bellemare on Monday paid farewell visits to Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Fouad Saniora as the international tribunal gears up for the start of its operations. Bellemare had earlier discussed with President Michel Suleiman preparations for the launch of the tribunal. Bellemare will become the general prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon which will start functioning in The Hague on March 1. The court's registrar, Robin Vincent, said Sunday that a request would be submitted to the Lebanese authorities for the transfer to The Hague of investigation files and those in Lebanese custody within a period of two months from the day the court starts operations. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 14:32

The Tribunal will Ask Transfer of 4 Generals to The Hague, All Trials to Be Broadcast
Naharnet/The international tribunal's registrar, Robin Vincent, announced that Lebanese authorities would be asked to transfer to The Hague the four generals held in connection with ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's murder as soon as the court starts functioning. Vincent, in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV network Sunday night, said he didn't think there would be any difficulty in handing over those arrested in Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination case to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
He said the four former security generals, who are in custody since 2005, were arrested based on information of early investigations under Detlev Mehlis, the former head of the U.N. commission probing Hariri's assassination. The generals are former presidential guard chief Mustafa Hamdan, the former head of the general security department Jamil Sayyed, Ali Hajj, who was internal security forces chief, and the former head of army intelligence Raymond Azar.
Vincent told the TV station that a request would be submitted to the Lebanese authorities for the transfer to The Hague of investigation files and those in Lebanese custody within a period of two months from the day the court starts functioning on March 1. He said the witnesses in Hariri's case will be given new identifications and will be transferred to other locations. Vincent unveiled that discussions are underway with U.N. Security Council member states to host the witnesses.
Meanwhile, administrative officials told al-Mustaqbal daily that the tribunal's website will be improved to carry the latest developments in the trial in three languages – Arabic, French and English. The sources said TV and radio stations and the website will broadcast the trials delayed by 30 minutes for security and legal purposes.
The court will also provide journalists with photos they need to cover the trials. The officials told al-Mustaqbal that the Lebanese bureau at the tribunal will be in the service of Lebanese media. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 08:57

Qaouq: Hizbullah Will Defeat Financial Invasion in June Elections
Naharnet/Hizbullah official in south Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qaouq said Monday that the resistance will defeat the financial invasion in the upcoming parliamentary elections. "The same way the resistance defeated the military invasion in July 2006 and the political invasion in 2008, the resistance will defeat the financial invasion in the elections of 2009," Qaouq said. The June 7 elections, particularly in the south, would become a public referendum on the resistance, according to the Hizbullah official. He said Lebanon should boost national unity in the aftermath of the Israeli elections. "The challenges that resulted from the Israeli polls compel Lebanon to reinforce national understanding and the government of national unity," Qaouq said. He accused "the other side of creating crises starting with delaying compensation for the July aggression victims all the way to attempts to cancel the Council of the South and postpone and decrease its budget." Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 13:38

Suleiman Initiative Soon to End Saniora-Berri Bickering
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman might soon step in to bring together Premier Fouad Saniora and Speaker Nabih Berri whose dispute has taken on a personal tone.
An Nahar daily on Monday quoted sources as saying Suleiman's efforts to solve the Saniora-Berri bickering over the Council of the South issue might come up with positive results before Thursday's cabinet session. The Council of the South budget crisis has taken on a personal tone, particularly since Berri has held on to his demand for allocating LL 60 billion to the Council, a request rejected by Saniora. The sources said a ministerial committee which hasn't seen light yet has 24-48 hours to achieve results before Suleiman interferes and makes attempts to bring together Berri and Saniora.
The idea of the ministerial committee aimed at closing the gap between minority and majority ministers was discussed during previous cabinet sessions.
The sources told An Nahar that next Wednesday is an opportunity to hold the tripartite meeting. Berri usually visits Baabda Palace each Wednesday although he didn't meet the president last week to inform him about the last legislative session. A member of the ministerial committee stressed to the newspaper the need to maintain calm in order for the committee to achieve the desired results. The daily An Nahar on Sunday quoted ministerial sources as saying that the latest war of words between Berri and Saniora budget was a clear indication that the crisis has "entered a new, uncomfortable phase for mediations." Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday quoted ministerial and legislative sources as saying the problem between Berri and Saniora had no solution unless there was a "political miracle that would push both sides to the minimum level of forced coexistence." Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 09:54

Election Fever in Sidon…Saad: Welcome to the Mother of All Battles
Naharnet/The electoral campaign in the southern city of Sidon took a new turn on Sunday after a celebration in Premier Fouad Saniora's honor despite denial by Grand Serail sources that the prime minister's visit had electoral purposes. The sources told As Safir daily that Saniora "didn't make up his mind yet" whether to run in the elections and stressed his visit to Sidon was not related to the June 7 elections. They said Speaker Nabih Berri has electoral ambitions and is accusing Saniora of wanting to close down the Council of the South. Sources close to Berri also told As Safir daily that Saniora should have visited southern towns and villages destroyed by Israel during the 2006 war rather than going to Sidon. Saniora vowed on Sunday not to succumb to intimidation or extortion and said "turning the country into a militia is not acceptable." "Turning the country into a farmhouse or a militia is not acceptable," Saniora stressed, adding that this will be tantamount to "squandering the blood of our martyrs." Nasserite Osama Saad said Saniora's speech strains relations between Sidon and the south and this is not in the interest of the city's residents.
About Saniora's possible candidacy, Saad said: "Welcome to the mother of all battles." Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 12:12

40-Member Delegation to Inform Suleiman about Ways to Deal with Deteriorating Situation
Naharnet/A delegation from the Civil Center for National Initiative will submit to President Michel Suleiman on Monday a letter detailing ways to confront the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported. It said the delegation would be made up of 40 intellectuals, politicians, media and cultural figures, including former Speaker Hussein Husseini and MP Ghassan Tueni. Husseini and Tueni are members of the Civil Center for National Initiative, which was launched two years ago by more than 100 intellectuals, political figures and academics to launch an initiative aimed at spearheading political change and abolishing sectarianism.
An Nahar said the 40-member delegation will submit a letter to Suleiman detailing "the current situation in the country and ways to deal with the deteriorating situation, including the elections system." Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 09:05

Palestinian, UAE Citizen Arrested Near Ain el-Hilweh
Naharnet/Security authorities are questioning a Palestinian and a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, who were arrested near the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp while allegedly heading to the area for an investigative reporting. Both men are being questioned to ensure that neither belongs to an extremist group, the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted security sources as saying. The newspaper said on Monday that a third individual from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was also arrested to verify reasons for his presence in Lebanon and ensure that he is not a member of al-Qaida. Lebanese authorities have informed the embassies of both arrested GCC individuals, the daily said. Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 10:19

Murr Attends Top Arms Show in UAE
Naharnet/Defense Minister Elias attended the opening Sunday of the region's biggest arms show in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of UAE vice president and defense minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum. Nearly 900 exhibitors from 50 countries are taking part in the Ninth edition of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2009). The biennial event, which lasts for a few days, has expanded since the last time it was held, in 2007, with extra features including a newly-dredged area of quay for warships and naval craft. Murr's visit comes on the heels of a trip last week to Cairo where he discussed Egypt's military assistance to the Lebanese army. President Hosni Mubarak promised Murr "unlimited" aid for the Lebanese military, including manufacturing its arms.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 22 Feb 09, 17:41

Franjieh: Refusal to Participate in Future Government Is a Crime
Naharnet/Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh has warned that anyone who refuses to participate in the post-elections government is "an accomplice in a crime" against Lebanon. Franjieh, during Marada's annual dinner party on Saturday, insisted that Lebanon can only function with an all-inclusive administration. He described any decision not to take part in a government after the June elections will only reflect "bad intentions" and indicate attempts to "obstruct" the country's advancement. He said Hizbullah had "no intention" to control Lebanon "first because the group is incapable of doing so and second because it knows very well that this country can only be ruled by all of its sects and all of its sons."Addressing Koura residents, Franjieh assured them that they will have the chance to "choose their real representatives" in the elections. While Marada extends "moral strength to its allies," he said, "but we cannot force deputies on Koura because Koura has to make its own choices." Franjieh stressed the need for a "unified" vote in favor of the parliamentary minority's electoral list insisting that "victory is surely our ally because the opposition includes 60 percent Koura's sons." "The opposition will win Koura's three seats. This is why the unity of the position is what matters most. We must all be part of one team… No matter who wins means we all win." Franjieh said that March 8 forces share "the same political language," casting doubt on whether March 14 forces can really be harmonious. "I am personally not convinced that a partisan of Mustaqbal Movement can be in accord with a member of the Lebanese Forces because the former believes in Arab nationalism and the latter believes in a Christian state and in partition." Beirut, 22 Feb 09, 18:37

Jumblat Renews Faith in State, Says May 7 Over
Naharnet/MP Walid Jumblat insisted Sunday that the "page has been turned" on the May 7 confrontations and stressed that Lebanon's "sole guarantee is the state, justice, army and security forces." Addressing families of May 7 victims, Jumblat recalled that the Doha conference had resulted in an agreement "to maintain calm." He apologized for the war of words that Lebanon has been witnessing between prominent political leaders who "we respect." "I wish the issue of (state) budget had been resolved and the south and Lebanon had each taken its share," the Druze leader said. Extending support to the army, Jumblat said the "state proved itself as usual" in its reaction to the murder of Lutfi Zeineddine on February 14. "Justice will take its course. The perpetrators have been arrested and have confessed."
He renewed his faith in the state's ability to apprehend the killers of MEA pilot Ghassan Miqdad. Beirut, 22 Feb 09, 19:34

Geagea Urges Authorities to Pin Down Rocket Attackers
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday urged Lebanese authorities to identify the side that fired Katyusha rockets on northern Israel.
"The government does not condemn; it takes action," Geagea said during a chat with reporters Sunday. "The problem lies in the lack of knowledge of the state and the Lebanese army in an incident of this magnitude and without being at the heart of a specific strategy adopted by the state," Geagea went on. He said Saturday's rocket attack on Israel did have an impact on the Jewish state, but had a negative impact on Lebanon. "Who is supposed to stop rocket firing from south Lebanon?" Geagea asked, pointing to a "gap that needs to be filled as soon as possible.""Otherwise, the Lebanese citizen would more and more feel that he doesn't live in a state that can protect him," he warned. "Lebanese authorities should pin down the side responsible for the rocket firing because, from one hand, we want to know who did this act, and from the other, so that Lebanese territory would not remain lawless," Geagea said. Beirut, 22 Feb 09, 20:46

Kuwait Receives $13 Billion Compensation From Iraq
Naharnet/Kuwait said on Monday it has received a total of 13.3 billion dollars in compensation from Iraq for the 1990 invasion and occupation of the oil-rich emirate by Saddam Hussein's forces. The Public Authority for Compensation said in a statement carried by the official KUNA news agency that the figure represented the total received up to the end of last year and that Kuwait was pursuing tens of billions more. Iraq is required to pay five percent of its oil revenues into a fund created by the UN Security Council to pay reparations for war damage during the seven-month occupation of its neighbor. The fund has received claims worth 368 billion dollars, but has so far approved the payment of just over 52 billion dollars, including around 39 billion dollars for Kuwait, based on figures from the fund and Kuwait. The fund has paid out almost 27 billion dollars to claimants, according to figures up to the end of January posted on the fund's website. Following the overthrow of Saddam in a US-led invasion in 2003, Iraq has repeatedly appealed to foreign countries, especially Kuwait, to waive tens of billions of dollars in compensation. During a conference of Iraq's neighbours and world powers held in Kuwait last year, Baghdad officially asked that the reparations be cancelled or at least reduced. Kuwait's compensation authority says on its website that since 1996, it has submitted claims of close to 190 billion dollars, mostly from the government. The figure includes 40 billion dollars for environmental damage, 29 billion dollars for destruction of oil facilities and 11 billion dollars for damage to sea and desert resources.(AFP) Beirut, 23 Feb 09, 14:40

The forgotten Damascus Spring
Syria may be coming in from the cold but we should not ignore the regime's human rights abuses
By: Nadim Houry
guardian.co.uk, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/20/syria-humanrights
Sunday 22 February 2009 15.00 GMT Article history President Bashar al-Assad of Syria may be feeling the effects of President Obama's promised "change". After years of US-imposed isolation, Assad has received two US Congressional delegations since Obama became president, plus a visit from John Kerry, the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The very fact of these visits is an important step in resuming diplomatic dialogue with Syria. But there are concerns that the US delegations may be focusing solely on Syria's regional policies and ignoring the country's abysmal human rights record. Such a decision would be shortsighted and would ultimately hamper the stated objective of making Syria a positive actor in the Middle East.
The experience of European officials who have engaged in talks with Damascus over the last year about Syria's support for Hamas and Hezbollah and its relations with Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel, is a good lesson in what not to do. The European officials rarely raised the issue of human rights with their Syrian hosts and, when they did, it was often as an afterthought and without much insistence. They effectively allowed Syrian authorities to continue to oppress their citizens while gaining in stature at every "photo-op" with a visiting dignitary. The US should be clearer than Europe in adopting a principled foreign policy that encourages dialogue but also stands up for human rights in Syria.
Currently, at least 30 known political and human rights activists, including Riad al-Seif, 61, a former member of parliament suffering from prostate cancer, and Dr Kamal Labwani, a physician and founder of the Syrian Democratic Liberal Gathering, are serving prison terms for publicly criticising the authorities. The treatment of these activists is only one aspect of Syria's repression. The government has multiple security agencies devoted to keeping itself in power and quashing voices of dissent.
Emergency rule, imposed in 1963, remains in effect, severely restricting freedom of speech and assembly. There are no opposition political parties; there are no free elections. Syria's security agencies continue to detain people without arrest warrants, and in many cases, torture them to extract confessions. The authorities treat Kurds, Syria's largest non-Arab minority, as second-class citizens. Independent press remains nonexistent; Syrian internet censorship extends to popular websites such as Google's blogging engine, www.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com.
Early signs indicate that the US is following the European trend in ignoring Syria's internal record and focusing only on its relationship with the US and Israel's adversaries. US Senator Benjamin Cardin, on a two-day visit to Damascus with other members of congress, called on Syria to end its alliance with Iran and its support for militant groups in the region. Senator John Kerry stated on the same day that the Obama administration would press Syria to help disarm Hezbollah. Neither man alluded to Syria's human rights record. This has not gone unnoticed by the Syrian activists. "Bush used us, and now Obama will ignore us," one of them told me.
For many foreign policymakers, it is natural for regional politics to take precedence over Syria's internal record. For others, it is preferable to avoid mentioning Syrian's human rights record because the mere act of establishing a dialogue with Syria is difficult enough. A Damascus-based European diplomat summed up the approach by saying, "once relations with Syria are good, we can then raise our human rights concerns."
This approach is shortsighted. US officials currently have a good opportunity to press for needed human rights reforms because Syria is eager to emerge from its isolation. And Syria's respect for human rights is not just a "good thing;" it also has a direct impact on its foreign policy. Without internal reforms, Syria's policies in the region will continue to be determined by the interests of the security services and the narrow ruling class that have governed the country for the last 45 years.
A Syria that permits a free flow of information and an internal debate about national interest and priorities is a Syria that is likely to act more responsibly in the region. It is also important for the new US administration to send a clear message that it will be committed to promoting genuine democracy and human rights in the Middle East, despite the disastrous impact of Bush policies in the region that were sometimes conducted under the guise of spreading democracy.
President Obama said in his inaugural speech: "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
President Assad has heard the second part of the sentence but not the first. In an interview printed in the Guardian on Wednesday, he referred to Obama's call by saying that "we never clenched our fist". His visitors in Damascus must remind him that as long as he continues to abuse the rights of his own people, his fist remains as tightly clenched as ever.

Siniora vows not to succumb to threats or blackmail
Berri wants unity cabinet after polls
By Hussein Abdallah and Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff/Monday, February 23, 2009
BEIRUT: Premier Fouad Siniora said on Sunday that allowing the state of Lebanon to turn into a militia would be tantamount to dishonoring the blood of those who died for the country. Siniora added that he would not succumb to threats or blackmail. "Dialogue is the only key to solving our internal disputes. The use of intimidation and violence will not come out with any solutions," he said during a celebration in his honor in his hometown of Sidon.
"We have not succumbed to intimidation in the past and we will not succumb now," he said. Siniora also stressed that the establishing of brotherly ties between Lebanon and Syria depended on addressing the issues of border demarcation, arms smuggling, and the fate of missing Lebanese in Syria.
Addressing the issue of the international tribunal to try suspects in the murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri, Siniora said that the court, which kicks off in March, will achieve justice and bring back freedom of speech to the Lebanese people. He also said that Lebanon had endured three wars in its struggle to "to build a state."
"The Lebanese state has endured three wars in the past few years: The first being the war of assassinations, the second being the summer 2006 Israeli war, and the third being the Nahr al-Bared war in 2007," he said. Hinting at the war of words between himself and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Siniora said that the political conflict in the country has "entered a new phase" ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7.
Siniora and Berri traded harsh words Saturday in a dispute over funding for the Council of the South. The row intensified after Berri reportedly described Finance Minister Mohammad Shattah as "a liar just like his master," referring to the premier. Berri has asked for LL 60 billion for the Council of the South, a demand that was turned down by Siniora, who insists on allocating no more than LL 40 billion. Media reports on Sunday said President Michel Sleiman has been trying to mediate an end to the standoff, which has delayed the release of the Cabinet's budget policy for 2009.
On a separate front, Berri said he was committed to the formation of a national unity government in the aftermath of the June 7 polls. "If we win the elections, we will not rule the country on our own ... We will always extend our hand to our rivals," he told delegations from the North. "Lebanon must be governed by all Lebanese. This is the only way to achieve the highest level of democracy," he added. Berri also criticized parties which are describing the upcoming elections as fateful.
"The elections are not the end of the world. In the end, the country will be ruled collectively," he said. Most March 14 leaders have said earlier that they would not participate in a future government if they lost the elections to the March 8 Forces. Also Sunday, Labor Minister Mohammad Fneish said that Hizbullah was committed to holding the elections on schedule and on a single day.
"We want the elections to be held on a single day and it is the responsibility of security forces to make this happen," he said.
Earlier this month, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, an ally of Hizbullah, doubted the ability of security forces to mange security in the country if the elections were held on a single day. Fneish added that no local, regional, or international party was interested in obstructing the forthcoming elections.
"Obstructing the elections will not be of any benefit. It will only yield instability." On a separate front, Defense Minister Elias attended on Sunday the opening of the region's biggest arms show in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of United Arab Emirates Vice President and Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum.
Nearly 900 exhibitors from 50 countries are taking part in the Ninth edition of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2009).
Also Sunday, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Jean Kahwaji left for the United States, where he will head a senior military delegation. The visit is aimed at discussing future US aid to the LAF. - The Daily Star

Beirut signs deal with Cairo to receive Egyptian electricity
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 23, 2009
BEIRUT: Beirut and Cairo inked on Saturday an agreement to supply Egyptian electricity to Lebanon ranging between 150 MW to 450 MW. The agreement was signed in Cairo between Lebanese Energy and Water Minister Alan Tabourian and his Egyptian counterpart Hassan Younis. After the signing ceremony, Younis told reporters that Egypt would supply Lebanon with electricity through a power grid passing through Jordan and Syria, adding that Beirut would receive power ranging from 150 MW to 450 MW during the off-peak period. "If Jordan and Syria have sufficient electricity from their own power stations then Lebanon can receive as much as 450 MW. But Lebanon will get at least 150 ME," Younis stressed.
Tabourian hoped that Lebanon will start receiving Egyptian electricity in one month at the most if everything went according to plan.
He believes that power rationing in most areas in Lebanon would fall once the country gets connected to the regional grid. "We will get one to two hours of additional electricity once we are connected to the power grid," the minister said. Most areas in Lebanon are currently experiencing a severe electricity rationing ranging between eight to 12 hours a day. The country's aging and poorly maintained power stations only supply consumers with 1,500 MW of electricity, while the actual need is 2,300 MW. There are three main regional power grids in the Middle East. The first links Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian territories and Turkey.
The second links Libya, Tunisia and Morocco while the third connects all the Gulf Cooperation Council members. Lebanon is also hoping to receive Egyptian gas in the coming few months to run one of the two turbines in Der Ammar gas fired station in Tripoli. The Lebanese government has been struggling to reduce waste in the electricity sector and increase output. Since 1992, all successive governments have heavily subsidized the purchasing of gasoil and fuel oil which runs most of the country's power stations. The current government has shelved plans to privatize the electricity sector due to the poor state of the stations and unfavorable market conditions. - The Daily Star

Assad: US should move away from policy of dictating
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Monday, February 23, 2009
DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar Assad told visiting US members of Congress on Saturday that the US should "move away from a policy based on dictating decisions." Assad's guests on Saturday included US Senator John Kerry, who headed the third delegation this week to call on the Syrian president's door as Washington reviews its policies toward countries the previous administration labeled as hostile. Assad told his visitors that future relations should be based on a "proper understanding" by Washington of regional issues and on common interests, SANA news agency reported.
"Dialogue, based on the history of the region and the rights of its peoples, is the only way to understand and resolve problems," the Syrian leader said.
Kerry, who lost the 2004 presidential election to George W. Bush and now chairs the Senate's powerful foreign relations committee, met Assad on the same day as Howard Berman, the chairman of the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee, SANA said.
Both legislators underlined "Syria's active role" in the region and the importance of "developing dialogue between Syria and the US," SANA said.
Another US senator, Benjamin Cardin, headed a group that visited Assad on Wednesday.
Earlier in his Middle East tour, Kerry had highlighted Syria's support for Iran and regional resistance groups, including the Shiite Hizbullah movement in Lebanon.
"We want Syria to respect the political independence of Lebanon, we want Syria to help in the process of resolving issues with Hizbullah and with the Palestinians," he said in Lebanon on Wednesday."We want Syria to help ... with the disarmament of Hizbullah," added Kerry, the most senior US official to visit Damascus since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2007. Syria dominated neighboring Lebanon for three decades until April 2005 when it pulled out its troops in the face of domestic and international pressure following the killing of Lebanon's former Premier Rafik Hariri.
Damascus has denied accusations it was behind the murder. Hizbullah, which is also backed by US arch-foe Iran and labeled in Washington as a terrorist outfit, fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006. Kerry said in Lebanon that US President Barack Obama's administration plans to adopt a fresh approach in the Middle East "but without any illusion." "Unlike the Bush administration that believed you could simply tell people what to do and walk away and wait for them to do it, we believe you have to engage in a discussion," he said. "So we are going to renew diplomacy but without any illusion, without any naivety, without any misplaced belief that, just by talking, things will automatically happen."
The US withdrew its ambassador from Syria after the February 2005 assassination of Hariri in a car bombing widely blamed on Syria. Assad returned to the international fold last year with a visit to Paris, and since then relations with the world community have thawed. The US diplomatic flurry was overshadowed by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) announcement on Thursday that it has found unexplained uranium particles at a remote desert site in Syria.
Syria insists the uranium found at Al-Kibar came from Israeli missiles that blasted the site in September 2007. "It's nuclear material that hasn't been declared and Syria has to explain," a senior IAEA official said. Washington said Friday it would summon Syria's ambassador "to discuss our concerns," said State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid. - AFP

Najjar: Hizbullah not responsible for rocket attacks
By Nicholas Kimbrell and Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 23, 2009
BEIRUT/AL-MANSOURI: Lebanon's Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said Sunday that Hizbullah was not responsible for the two rockets fired at Israel from South Lebanon early Saturday morning, blaming instead poorly armed militants or a new armed group. Najjar, a Lebanese Forces politician in the majority government and a political rival of Hizbullah, said the Shiite movement, which heads the March 8 opposition, would not engage in such provocative measures in advance of parliamentary polls slated for June 7. The primitive nature of the attack, Najjar told the Voice of Lebanon radio, "indicates those who did this either belong to a militant group with no modern arms or are a new group that has emerged for a specific agenda ... Hizbullah and its allies have no interest in launching rockets, especially when we are approaching the elections."
Early Saturday morning, two Katyusha rockets were fired from the area south of Tyre toward northern Israel by an unknown party. One of the rockets crossed the border, hitting the Israeli settlement of Maalot, while the other failed to leave Lebanon landing between the border towns of Naqoura and Alma Al-Chaab.
Israeli medical officials said that three people were lightly wounded in the attack and two were being treated for shock.
Israel fired two artillery salvos, in response, less than an hour after the rocket attack. The eight shells landed between the towns of Al-Mansouri and Al-Qlayleh, causing no casualties. Lebanese President Michel Sleiman condemned the Israeli strike as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended that hostilities of the month long 2006 summer war between Israel and Hizbullah. Sleiman also denounced the firing of rockets from Lebanese soil, calling the attacks a "challenge to the Lebanese will."
"South Lebanon should not be base for launching rockets," the president said.
Similarly, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called the Israeli shelling "an unacceptable and unjustified violation of Lebanon's sovereignty." He also condemned the group that fired the rockets from Lebanon. The assault, he said, threatened national security and constituted a breach Resolution 1701.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also condemned the cross-border violence. Following the artillery shelling, fears in South Lebanon that the Israeli counterstrike would expand were high. Some residents in the area around Tyre fled their villages and others stayed indoors. The streets in the Al-Mansouri/Al-Qlayleh area were mostly empty following the strikes. A young girl told The Daily Star that school had been cancelled in the middle of mid-term examinations because of the shelling.
In a statement released Saturday, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) confirmed that two rockets had been fired from Lebanon, prompting the Israeli response. It said that two wooden launchers had been found in the fields of a banana plantation, and added that the LAF, in cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), had intensified patrols, searched the area and begun an investigation.
UNIFIL spokeswoman Yasmina Bouziane also said that searches and patrols had been intensified and that investigations were still ongoing. She added that the UNIFIL command was in touch with force commanders in the LAF and the Israeli army. "It is incumbent of these parties to maintain the cessation of hostilities," she told The Daily Star. Bouziane added that despite Saturday's reciprocal cross border attacks, collaboration between UNIFIL and the LAF was "actually quite positive," noting the success of joint patrols in finding weapons caches and rockets that were or could be used to target Israel. "The confrontation has not escalated and that's a positive development," she said. But even though violence has not expanded beyond tit-for-tat attacks, recent cross border strikes have fueled an intense war of rhetoric between Israel and Hizbullah. During a campaign trip to northern Israel in early February, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned of devastating reprisals if Hizbullah were to attack Israel. "I want to say here on the border, that I don't recommend that Hizbullah test us because the consequences would be more painful than one could imagine," he said. In January, during Israel's three week bombardment of the Gaza strip, rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel on two separate occasions, causing no casualties. In each case Israel responded, firing artillery shells across the border. Hizbullah denied responsibility for both rocket attacks in January, and the group's spokesman told The Daily Star Sunday that Hizbullah had played no part in Saturday's strike. "We have nothing to do with what happened yesterday," Ibrahim Moussawi said. In addition, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC), a Syrian backed group that operates in the Eastern Bekaa, denied an responsibility for Saturday's attack. The PFLP-GC had refused to confirm or deny responsibility for the attacks in January. For its part, Israel placed the blame for the attack squarely on the Lebanese government. "The Israeli army considers this a serious incident and believes it is the responsibility of the Lebanese government and the army to prevent this rocket fire," an Israeli army spokesman said Saturday. Israeli officials have regularly warned that they will hold the Lebanese government responsible for all attacks originating from Lebanon, in particular, any aggressive actions taken by Hizbullah, which belongs to Lebanon's unity government. Late last week, the hawkish leader of the Israel's rightwing Likud party, Benjamin Netanyahu, was charged with forming a government after his party saw big gains in Israeli parliamentary elections. On Friday, in a clear reference to Hizbullah, Netanyahu said that "the terrorist forces of Iran threaten us from the north."Hizbullah could take control of the Lebanese government if their opposition coalition wins the parliamentary elections this June, leading to a potential showdown with a far-right Israeli government. In his radio interview Sunday, Minister Najjar warned that if US overtures in the region, particularly toward Iran and Syria, backfire "Netanyahu can convince the Americans to resort to a military solution, and this is what we fear."

It's time for Siniora to retake the reins of his political career
By The Daily Star
Monday, February 23, 2009
Editorial
The time has come for Lebanon's long-reluctant prime minister to finally make or break with his accidental political career. Although he had enthusiastically served as finance minister under former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Fouad Siniora never really aspired to the premiership, nor relished the idea of being thrust into the national spotlight at such a tumultuous time in this country's history. But at the urging of his long-time friends and allies, he warily agreed to assume the helm of leadership, not long after massive demonstrations drove former Premier Omar Karami out of office and Syrian troops out of Lebanon.
After trying unsuccesfully in 2005 to form a government of technocrats that would be "free of the infighting that characterized the era of the late Rafik Hariri," Siniora eventually settled on a mixed Cabinet of politicians and professionals that at the time he said he hoped would "function as a united working team to confront the great challenges facing us." Needless to say that did not happen. The following year saw the breakup of that government and the complete deterioration of the political process. During the course of a year-and-a-half of state paralysis, Siniora again had to reluctantly take over another national duty and assume the responsibilities of a vacant presidency, while at the same time having to defend the legitimacy of his own premiership.
It is not that Siniora has failed as a premier: on the contrary, he has exhibited unrivaled competence in his post and he has proven his mettle with great patience and persistence amid the most extraordinary conditions. But circumstances have frequently forced him to curtail his own political role in order to act as an arbiter among competing factions. In the end, having been caught in the middle of this tug of war, Siniora's own political agenda for the country was strangled.
Siniora's close friend and ally, parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri, recently suggested during an interview with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that the premier should compete for a Parliament seat in the upcoming elections. This is good advice that Siniora ought to consider following. And he ought to think seriously about running in Beirut, not Sidon, as that city already has a comfortable power sharing arrangement. Running for a Beirut Parliament seat would give Siniora an opportunity to achieve what he has been unable to until now: to assert his own political vision for the country.

War of the spies as Israel and Hezbollah prepare for confrontation
Nicholas Blanford in Beirut
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5786611.ece
February 23, 2009/From The Times
War of the spies as Israel and Hezbollah prepare for confrontation
A Lebanese rocket that hit a mainly Christian Arab village on Saturday
A barrage of rockets at the weekend and the recent arrests of alleged spies have exposed a deadly covert war waged between the Jewish state and Hezbollah, Lebanon's militant Shia organisation.
Two rockets launched from southern Lebanon on Saturday ruptured an uneasy calm that had reigned along the border since the month-long conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. Only one missile reached Israel, wounding a woman. Israel responded by firing artillery shells.
Even before the flare-up, Hezbollah and Israel had been busy making plans for what many believe will be an inevitable fresh confrontation. Israel's efforts focus on penetrating Hezbollah's notoriously tight security to learn of the group's battle plans and assassinate its senior leadership. Imad Mughniyah, Hezbollah's veteran military commander, was killed in February last year when his car exploded in Damascus, a murder widely believed to have been the work of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
Lebanese newspapers reported last week that an employee of Middle East Airlines, Lebanon's flag carrier, who went missing nine days ago, allegedly had links to Israel. Yussef Sader was thought to have been kidnapped on his way to work at Beirut airport.
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Two Lebanese newspapers have claimed that Mr Sader is in the custody of Lebanese military intelligence, although the army denies that it is holding him.
It also emerged last week that another suspected Mossad agent was arrested when military intelligence officers raided a petrol station near Nabatiyah in south Lebanon. Marwan Faqih, the owner of the garage, was reportedly detained by Hezbollah last month before being handed over to the Lebanese authorities. He was said to have told interrogators that he was recruited by Mossad in France in the mid-1990s.
He had won the trust of Hezbollah officials in Nabatiyah by donating money to the organisation's charities and providing cars for Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's highly effective counter-intelligence unit is responsible for most discoveries of Mossad cells in Lebanon. Last November Beirut newspapers reported the arrest of a Lebanese man who had been spying for Israel since the early 1980s.
The covert war works both ways, with Hezbollah building up a network of espionage cells in Israel and even recruiting Israeli soldiers.