LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 22/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1,26-38. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her

Pope Benedict XVI
Encyclical «Deus Caritas Est', §41 (©Libreria Editrice Vaticana)Mary, woman of faith, hope and love
The saints are the true bearers of light within history, for they are men and women of faith, hope and love. Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. In the we find her engaged in a service of charity to her cousin Elizabeth, with whom she remained for «about three months» (1:56) so as to assist her in the final phase of her pregnancy. «Magnificat anima mea Dominum», she says on the occasion of that visit, «My soul magnifies the Lord» (1:46).
In these words she expresses her whole programme of life: not setting herself at the centre, but leaving space for God, who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbour—only then does goodness enter the world. Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48). She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God's initiatives. Mary is a woman of hope: only because she believes in God's promises and awaits the salvation of Israel, can the angel visit her and call her to the decisive service of these promises. Mary is a woman of faith: «Blessed are you who believed», Elizabeth says to her (1:45).

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Lebanon's Choice: Side with the West or Iran. By: Amir Taheri/New York Post/21.12.08
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December 21/08
Geagea Sees End of Lebanese Resistance after Taef Accord-Naharnet
Lebanon's control of Syria border still tenuous-International Herald Tribune
Geagea: Aoun Became Syria's Defense Lawyer-Naharnet
Suleiman: Constitutional Council Members Democratically Chosen-Naharnet
Lebanon Strives to List Jeita Grotto as One of World's New7Wonders-Naharnet
Arslan: Breaking Gaza Siege an Anticipatory Act in Defending Lebanon-Naharnet

Geagea Sees End of Lebanese Resistance after Taef Accord
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has reportedly devoted himself to putting the final touches on his "image" for a defense strategy that he will present during Monday's dialogue meeting to be held under the auspices of President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace. The daily Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday said Geagea's plan consists of 12 pages. It said Geagea sees that the Resistance has come to an end following signing of the Taef agreement. He also believes that the defense strategy should support the role of the Lebanese army and commit to U.N. Security Council resolutions. Geagea described as "not so bad" a Swiss model which has a unique military institution somewhere between an army reserve and a regular army. Beirut, 21 Dec 08, 09:32

Geagea: Aoun Became Syria's Defense Lawyer
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Saturday said Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun has become Syria's defense lawyer, stressing that the LF had "paid dearly for the protection of Lebanon and the Christians." "Strange that Aoun wants to turn the page on the past with Syria, while not only does he insist on opening pages of the Lebanese Forces' past, but also write what suits him and bypassing all the facts," Geagea said in a radio interview. "How does Aoun allow himself to say that the Lebanese Forces was the one to bombard Baabda and Yarze October 13 1990?" Geagea asked in reference to Aoun's ousting from Lebanon by Syrian forces. Geagea said Aoun has resorted to accusations against the LF for election purposes, "particularly since the LF along with its allies in the Phalange party, the (National) Liberal Party and the National Bloc as well as other independent March 14 figures pose the real election threat to him."
Beirut, 20 Dec 08, 21:05

LEBANON'S CHOICE: SIDE WITH THE WEST, OR IRAN?
By: Amir Taheri/New York Post
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12202008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/lebanons_choice_145054.htm
December 20, 2008
RIVAL powers are pouring vast sums of money into Lebanon in the hope of influencing the outcome of the general election to be held sometime this spring.
There are no exact figures concerning these efforts to buy the election. But observers of the Lebanese scene claim that hundreds of millions of dollars have been pumped into the economy, producing an enviable growth rate of around 7 percent this year.
The Khomeinist regime in Tehran has emerged as the "big spender," showering its various agents, clients and allies with "more money than they could use," says a former Lebanese army officer. Indeed, "the Iranians have decided to buy enough votes to secure a majority in the next parliament and form the future government."
The biggest recipient of Iran's largesse is Hezbollah (the Party of Allah), a militant Shiite outfit that Tehran created in 1983 and controls through some 500 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and numerous theological and political "commissars."
In the last general election, in 2005, Hezbollah drew some 11 percent of the vote. This time, Tehran hopes the party will win at least 20 percent.
But the key to who will govern is held by the Maronite Christian community.
That's because the last re- drawing of the electoral map - in a deal made by Lebanese parties at last year's "compromise summit" in Doha, Qatar - will make it hard for other communities to change their respective weight in the next parliament.
In the country's south, the two Shiite parties - Hezbollah (led by Hassan Nasrallah) and the Amal (Hope) Movement - will have little difficulty winning almost all seats. Similarly, the Sunni Muslim bloc of parties (led by Saad al-Hariri and backed by Saudi Arabia) is sure to capture all seats in Tripoli and parts of Beirut. And the Druze, led by Walid Jumblatt, will win all the seats in their Shouf Mountain stronghold.
That leaves the areas in which Maronite Christians still form a majority - but the Maronites are deeply divided.
One faction, led by ex-Gen. Michel Aoun (who still hopes to someday capture the presidency), sides with Iran and is running on a militant anti-Western platform. Another, led by former President Amin Gemayel and former militia leader Samir Geagea, ferociously opposes Khomeinism and promises to keep Lebanon within "the family of moderate Arab states with close ties with the West."
The Aounites have worked within a Hezbollah-led coalition since 2005 and enter the election promising to make Lebanon an ally of Iran, Syria and other "revolutionary forces" that hope to drive the Western powers out of the Middle East, fight Israel and restore "traditional social values" (whatever that means).
If the Aounites win, that coalition will have the seats to form a government, putting the country firmly in the Iranian-led anti-Western camp - and ending plans to turn Lebanon into a tourist destination and global financial center with a high-tech economy.
Lebanon would become the frontline of the war that Iran wants to wage to "wipe Israel off the map."
If the Gemayel-Geagea faction wins, its support could provide the "March 14 bloc" of democratic parties with a strong majority in the next parliament - allowing Lebanon to draw closer to the West, develop a market economy and consolidate its democratic institutions.
A win by Iran would be a major setback for President Bush's strategy to help the Middle East take the democratic path - and a moral boost for those who claim that democracy is a Western concoction that has no place in a Muslim environment.
Many Lebanese regard the coming elections as a "make-or-break" (mafsaliyah) moment in their history.
"The choice is between Lebanon as a beach and Lebanon as a bunker," says a Beirut businessman. "Lebanon could either become an extension of Europe in the Middle East or a bridgehead for Iran on the Mediterranean."
**Amir Taheri's latest book is "The Persian Night: Iran Under the Khomeinist Revolution."

Suleiman: Constitutional Council Members Democratically Chosen
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said that the five members of the Constitutional Council had been democratically chosen. "The election process of Constitutional Council members was a sign of democracy," Suleiman told ministers at a Cabinet meeting held Saturday. The daily An Nahar on Sunday said Suleiman's stance was meant as a response to those who said Baabda was not content to the way the majority had bypassed a previous agreement on a number of candidates and imposed new names when they went to vote. Information Minister Tareq Mitri said following the meeting that a Cabinet session will be held soon to elect the remaining five members to the Constitutional Council. Cabinet on Saturday appointed Judge Shukri Sader as head of the State Consultative Council and Ghaleb Ghanem as head of the Higher Judiciary Council, Mitri said. Beirut, 21 Dec 08, 13:33

Williams: Israel Willing to Pay for Peace with Syria which Lebanon could also Benefit From
Naharnet/U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said Israel was willing to "pay for peace" with Syrian which Lebanon could also benefit from.
In an interview with the pan-Arab daily Al Hayat published Sunday, Williams said regional changes could facilitate an Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa Farms in 2009.
Williams hoped that indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, establishment of diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Syria and the new U.S. administration would "facilitate a debate between the U.N. and officials in Israel over the issue of (Israeli troops) pullout from Shebaa Farms during 2009."
He pointed that settling the issue of internal arms "usually takes a long time and requires patience," in reference to Hizbullah weapons.
Williams, however, said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has expressed willingness to pay for peace with Syria, stressing that Lebanon would benefit from this.
He believed that establishment of Lebanese-Syrian ties could also contribute to finding a settlement to Palestinian weapons outside refugee camps and to the issue of border crossings. Williams said the U.N. was willing to help Lebanon in the 2009 parliamentary elections. Beirut, 21 Dec 08, 10:08