LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
December 24/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1,57-66.  When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-208), Bishop, theologian and martyr
Against the Heresies III, 10, 1/"His tongue was freed, and he spoke blessing God"
Speaking of John, we read in Luke: «He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Lk 1, 15-17). For whom, then, did he prepare a people, and in the sight of what Lord was he made great? Truly of Him who said that John was something «even more than a prophet» and that «among those born of women none is greater than John the Baptist» (Mt 11,9.11). For he made ready a people for the Lord's advent, warning his fellow-servants, and preaching repentance to them, so that they might receive forgiveness from the Lord when He should arrive, after being converted to Him from whom they had been alienated because of their sins and transgressions... Yes, «in his mercy», God, «the Day-spring from on high, has looked upon us and appeared to those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, and has guided our feet into the way of peace» (Lk 1,78-79) just as Zacharias, recovering from the state of dumbness he had suffered because of his unbelief, blessed God in a new way when he had been filled with a new spirit. For all things have entered upon a new phase by the fact that the Word, after a new manner, has accomplished the purpose of his coming in the flesh, that He might return to friendship with God the human flesh that had departed from God. And this is why men were taught to worship God after a new fashion.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Leave military matters to the military men who understand them-The Daily Star 23/12/08
Obama and Bush: not as different as you might think-By David H. Young 23/12/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December 23/08
Sfeir: The State is not Holding Together, Government Resembles a Carriage Pulled by Opposing Horses-Naharnet
Murr Hits Back at Aoun: If Only he Can Achieve 10% of Hariri's Accomplishments-Naharnet
Graziano Hints Ghajar Issue Linked to Israeli Elections-Naharnet
Verbal Confrontation between Berri, Gemayel over Hizbullah's Liberation Call-Naharnet
Syrian Embassy in Beirut Operational-Naharnet
Decision to Form Military Committee to Study Defense Strategy Proposals Postponed-Naharnet
Phalange Party Hopes Lebanese Would Invest in Supporting Armed Forces-Naharnet
Assailants Shoot, Wound Policeman in Beirut-Naharnet
Jumblat for Army Weapons From Any Source-Naharnet
Syrian Agents Arrest Lebanese Citizen-Naharnet
Aoun: Resistance Activity Starts After State Fall-Naharnet
Olmert in Ankara, seeks direct talks with Syria-Ynetnews
Syria will eventually move to direct talks with Israel - Assad-(AFP)
Syrian diplomats report to work at embassy -(AFP)
Rival Lebanese parties agree to more defense talks in January-(AFP)
Facebook Boots Hezbollah-Jawa Report
Foreign Gifts to White House Staff-Washington Post
One World: Repeating failure in Gaza-Jerusalem Post
Aoun, Franjieh may go to Bkirki on Christmas-Daily Star
Jumblatt presses Constitutional Council openings-Daily Star
Beirutis wonder how 10 MiG-29s - and upkeep - can benefit Lebanon-Daily Star
Byblos Bank adds Unicredit Banca Di Roma to portfolio-Daily Star
Single cell number goes for $90,000 at Alfa auction-Daily Star
Beirut lands $85 million loan from Arab Monetary Fund-Daily Star
Exclusive agencies blamed for Lebanese inflation-Daily Star
Mitri stands by charter on unbiased journalism-Daily Star
A course in how best to wash down Christmas-Daily Star
Landmark Beirut bookstore giving way to high-rise-Daily Star
Holidays mean harvest moon for single Lebanese women-(AFP)
Iraqi shoe-thrower goes on trial New Year's Eve-(AFP)
 

Sfeir: The State is not Holding Together, Government Resembles a Carriage Pulled by Opposing Horses
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir criticized in his Christmas message the Lebanese system of governance and violent political rhetoric. "The state is not holding together and government resembles a carriage pulled by two horses, one to the front and the other backwards," Sfeir said Monday. "Normally around the world (parliamentary) majority governs, and when defeated a minority takes over…every act that government intends to do is opposed, resisted and thwarted from within cabinet," he said. Sfeir pointed to increasing unemployment and the effects of the international financial crisis, saying some Lebanese that used to work overseas have returned to Lebanon. The Patriarch also urged the Lebanese to put their national interest first. "If the country wins, all Lebanese would win, and vice versa. National interest must supersede everything. This won't be achieved as long as we continue to hear a previously unknown political derogatory language," he said.
The Patriarch concluded in wishing all Lebanese and Christians in particular a Merry Christmas. Beirut, 23 Dec 08, 11:50

Murr Hits Back at Aoun: If Only he Can Achieve 10% of Hariri's Accomplishments
Naharnet/Defense Minister Elias Murr hit back at Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun for criticizing Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri's efforts to facilitate Russian arms supplies for Lebanon. "What is being said against MP Saad Hariri is not acceptable," Murr said in an interview with Future TV late Monday.
"Are we supposed to hold Saad Hariri accountable because he helped us and because he used his good offices to arm the Lebanese military?" asked Murr.
"Let them achieve 10 percent of Hariri's accomplishments instead of going on trips and hullabaloo receptions," Murr said in reference to Aoun's visit to Syria.
He said he believes the army is not capable of absorbing Hizbullah's resistance and criticized those who oppose upgrading the military's arsenal because it was done through their political opponents. "Why don't those who armed Hizbullah and claim to be keen on Lebanon provide the army with needed weapons?" he said.
"I am keen on my country's safety and do not want to give Israel a pretext to destroy it again on our heads as it did in 2006," Murr declared.
He said Hariri had advised him to visit Russia, saying "they want to provide the army with weapons." He ridiculed charges to Mustaqbal Movement of backing Fatah al-Islam, saying the group provided the army with "cover" during the Nahr al-Bared clashes. "Had we had three MiGs during the Nahr al-Bared war, the army wouldn't have lost that many martyrs," Murr said. Murr believed that the May 7 attack by Hizbullah on West Beirut and the predominantly Druze sector of Mount Lebanon has led to "discussing Hizbullah weapons." "If the weapons remain controversial and lack trust, they would be used by Israel as a pretext to attack us again," Murr added.
Beirut, 22 Dec 08, 22:26

Verbal Confrontation between Berri, Gemayel over Hizbullah's Liberation Call
Naharnet/A verbal confrontation has flared between Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel over remarks made by Hizbullah's second in command Sheikh Naim Qassem in which he declared that the resistance shall continue operating even after the liberation of Palestine.
"Qassem's words are a violation of previous commitments concerning limiting Hizbullah arms (use) to (defend) the Lebanese cause," Gemayel said during Monday's dialogue session. "We are responsible, like all Arabs and Muslims, to completely liberate Palestine, from the river to the sea," Qassem told a Hizbullah rally against the Gaza siege in southern Beirut on Friday. "Palestine is the central cause and we are committed to liberating it," Qassem said, adding that "we would not give up the cause of Palestine. We are with you to liberate all the land." "We are not for a compromise; we support resistance to liberate the soil of Palestine. We are not for a fragile truce and we do not accept changing Gaza into a (refugee) camp in return for giving up the state," Qassem stressed. "What is this humiliating compromise that has been rejected by Sheikh Qassem and who did approve it?" asked Gemayel. "We all sympathize with Gaza, but we refuse to include Lebanon in this issue."
Strikingly, Berri quickly responded to Gemayel, saying the Palestinian cause existed way before the birth of Hizbullah or even Qassem.
"The Palestinian cause was AMAL Movement's central cause," Berri explained. "My main concern is the liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea."
Berri clarified to Gemayel that Qassem did not say that he would take upon himself the liberation of Palestine. "Sheikh Qassem called for supporting Gaza," Berri added, "but he did not say how."Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad hailed Berri for his remarks and stressed that Hizbullah will not accept any compromise that does involve return of Palestinian land to its people or consolidate Palestinian right of return. Beirut, 23 Dec 08, 10:06

Syrian Embassy in Beirut Operational
Naharnet/Three Syrian diplomats headed by a deputy head of mission on Monday reported to duty at the Syrian Embassy in Beirut's Hamra Street, a government source said. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, identified the deputy head of the Syrian mission in Beirut as career diplomat Shawqi Shammat.
In a related development, a diplomatic source said Lebanon's foreign ministry would inform Damascus in the "coming hours" of the Lebanese ambassador's name.
Lebanon would only make public the name of its ambassador after Syria approves the accreditation, a move expected in 40 days in line with the Vienna Convention that governs diplomatic relations in the world. The source, however, said Syria has not informed Lebanon of its ambassador to Beirut. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said earlier the Syrian Embassy in Beirut would be inaugurated after Christmas. Beirut, 22 Dec 08, 19:14

Phalange Party Hopes Lebanese Would Invest in Supporting Armed Forces
Naharnet/The Phalange Party said military aid to Lebanon by various international sides shields the country from conditional political assistance and trends that do not serve its neutrality. It hoped that the Lebanese would invest in this support based on their common general interest, to safeguard the land from any conflicts that are beyond its capacity. In a statement on Monday, the Phalange political bureau said the Russian offer to provide Lebanon with MiG-29 fighter jets represents a major international decision in support of Lebanon on all levels. The statement linked the Russian grant to an American offer for providing the Lebanese Armed Forces with more advanced military hardware.The party pointed to recent statements made by Hizbullah's Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem who said that his party will continue to hold on to its arms pending the liberation of Palestine."This is a blatant retreat from previously made commitments that linked these arms with the liberation of occupied Lebanese territories following the return of prisoners and the bodies of resistance fighters," the Phalange statement said. Beirut, 23 Dec 08, 08:59

Assailants Shoot, Wound Policeman in Beirut
Naharnet/Unidentified assailants on Monday opened fire from a speeding car, wounding a security force conscript officer who was waving traffic at the entrance to the Sabra Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. The wounded officer was admitted to hospital for treatment as police patrols launched a hunt for the culprits.
Further details were not immediately available. Beirut, 22 Dec 08, 21:10

Jumblat for Army Weapons From Any Source
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat welcomed the flow of weapons to the Lebanese Army irrespective of its source, saying some Arab states have over-needed arsenals that could be useful for Lebanon. Jumblat, in an article published by the PSP's weekly al-Anbaa on Tuesday, said the new Syrian Embassy in Beirut's Hamra Street would enjoy "official and non-official protection." That was an apparent reference to charges that the neighborhood has become a stronghold for the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP). Jumblat called for reforming and modernizing the social security system that provides cover for vast sectors of the Lebanese people. Beirut, 22 Dec 08, 20:56

Aoun: Resistance Activity Starts After State Fall
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Monday said resistance activity starts only when the state falls as a result of military action, and there is "no need for resistance when the state exists." Aoun, talking to reporters after the weekly meeting by members of his Change and Reform Parliamentary bloc, criticized a defense strategy blueprint proposed by Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. "He (Geagea) wants to fight Israel with a regular army while our proposal is based on the resisting people because the regular army would never be able to establish a balance with Israel," Aoun said. The Swiss defense strategy, which is the base for Geagea's blueprint, "is based on a regular force, which requires a major budget. Aoun said the Internal Security Forces intelligence branch, better known as the data agency, should be called off. "If they do not halt it this year, it would be halted the next year," Aoun said. He accused the branch of seeking to "cover up for crimes, not exposing them." Aoun also hammed the Higher Relief Council, saying its funds have been spent on "paving roads in Kesrouan." Aoun said none of the majority MPs should be reelected in 2009, insisting that holding the elections nationwide in one day is "not possible." Beirut, 22 Dec 08, 20:10

Rival parties agree to more defense talks in January
Aoun Has 'remarks' on geagea's strategy proposal
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BEIRUT: Lebanon's feuding political leaders on Monday postponed until the New Year talks on formulating a national defense strategy. The 14 signatories of last May's Doha Accord will meet again on January 22, a statement from President Michel Sleiman's office said. It added that the third round focused on "the issue of the national defense strategy ... and plans to form a committee of experts to find the conclusions and common denominators between the various proposals that were submitted."
Several participants - including former President Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces (LF) boss Samir Geagea, MP Butros Harb and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, a former Lebanese Armed Forces commander - have submitted strategy blueprints during the dialogue meetings.
Geagea and Harb presented their strategies on Monday.
The LF distributed a copy of Geagea's blueprint, which focused on replicating the "Swiss model." The proposal stressing that the principal of neutrality had kept Switzerland out of World Wars I and II.
"However, the principle of neutrality does not mean that we should not work on equipping our armed forces," read the proposal, adding that Lebanese Army Special Forces should be trained in guerrilla warfare.
A "national guard" would also be established to assist the Special Forces, according to the proposal: "This way we will make use of the positive aspects of Hizbullah's model and eliminate all the other aspects."
Hizbullah has its own plan, one participant who requested anonymity told AFP. MP "Mohammad Raad said during the meeting that Hizbullah also has a defense strategy it will submit on paper," the participant said.
Hizbullah's arsenal is at the heart of the talks, which kicked off in October under Sleiman's auspices. The group had verbally presented its defense views during national talks that were held in Parliament before the July-August 2006 with Israel.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought a cessation of hostilities in the 2006 conflict, also demanded that Hizbullah be disarmed. However, the resistance has rejected calls to disarm, arguing that its weapons are essential to defend the country against Israel.
Members of the parliamentary majority say Hizbullah's weapons undermine the authority of the state, which should be the sole decision-maker on matters of defense.
Monday's session follows two rounds of talks in September and November and is being attended by representatives of the main parliamentary blocs.
The presidential statement which was issued after the session added that the participants have agreed on reducing all forms of political incitement in the media against local parties as well as friendly states.
The leaders also agreed on "continuing reconciliation efforts and enhancing the dialogue's chances of success," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held talks with Sleiman on the sidelines of the dialogue session in Baabda.
Later on Monday, Berri received Defense Minister Elias Murr at his residence in Beirut.
Murr briefed the speaker on the outcome of his recent visit to Moscow, which saw Russia declare its willingness to provide the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) with 10 MiG-29 fighter jets free of charge.
Earlier the same day, MP Michel Murr, who was present at the talks in Baabda, said that the dialogue session did not discuss the issue of foreign military aid to Lebanon.
Also Monday, Aoun told reporters after a weekly meeting of his Reform and Change parliamentary bloc that he had "remarks" on the strategy blueprint that was proposed by Geagea, adding that he would not disclose most of them to the media.
"The difference between my strategy and the one proposed by Geagea's is that he wants the army to fight Israel whereas we prefer popular resistance since the army will never be on even terms with Israel," he said.
Geagea's proposal did not leave out popular resistance, but suggested organizing resistance units in the form of a "national guard" that would assist the LAF and be under its command.  Aoun added that in his view "some parties" were proposing ideas with the sole aim of disarming Hizbullah.
On a separate level, Sleiman received visiting Iraqi Vice President Tarek Hashimi at Baabda Palace. Hashimi told reporters after the meeting that his country was in need of a Lebanese economic role. "We need the Lebanese economic machine to operate in Iraq ... We do not want Lebanese businessmen to hesitate to work in Iraq," he said. - AFP, with The Daily Star

Policeman killed at checkpoint near Sabra and Chatila
BEIRUT: A Lebanese policeman was wounded on Monday when unidentified assailants opened fire at a checkpoint located at one of the entrances of the Palestinian refugee camp of Sabra and Chatila in Beirut, well-informed security sources told The Daily Star.  Police patrols were still pursuing the assailants when The Daily Star went to press.In another security development, the Lebanese Armed Forces announced Monday that Alwan Jaafar, who killed a soldier when he opened fire at an army checkpoint in Hermel earlier this month, was arrested in Syria on Sunday. The arrest was the product of cooperation between Lebanese Army intelligence and Syrian security authorities, an army statement said. - The Daily Star

Syrian diplomats report to work at embassy
By Agence France Presse (AFP) Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BEIRUT: Three diplomats have begun work at Syria's first ever embassy in Lebanon, which is set to open before the end of the year, a government official said on Monday. "The embassy's top diplomat, First Secretary Shawki Shamat, and his two-member staff reported to work on Monday in their offices on Makdissi Street" in the Hamra district, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
In August Lebanon and Syria announced their intention to establish diplomatic ties, following a joint pledge in July by President Michel Sleiman and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad. Officials in both countries have said that the respective embassies would open by the end of 2008.
The local daily As-Safir quoted Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem as saying Syria's embassy would open "immediately after Christmas." Beirut would soon inform Damascus of its nomination for ambassador to Syria, a diplomatic official told AFP on Monday.
Lebanon has not officially named the diplomat pending Syrian approval, but a diplomatic official told AFP that it would be Michel Khoury, who is currently Lebanon's ambassador to Cyprus. Damascus has not nominated an ambassador for Beirut, indicating that the top Syrian diplomat in Lebanon will be a first secretary at least for now, the government official said. Relations between the two countries have often been fractious since Syria was forced to withdraw its troops in April 2005 after maintaining a near 30-year military presence in its tiny neighbor. The anti-Syrian parliamentary majority in Beirut accuses Syria of meddling in Lebanese affairs and of being behind a string of deadly assassinations of public figures since 2005. Damascus denies any wrongdoing. - AFP

Aoun, Franjieh may go to Bkirki on Christmas
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BEIRUT: A Christmas Day meeting could be held at Bkirki between Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun, Al-Liwaa daily reported Monday. The paper quoted sources as saying President Michel Sleiman could sponsor the talks.

Jumblatt presses Constitutional Council openings
Tuesday, December 23, 2008/Daily Star
BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader and MP Walid Jumblatt said Monday that the appointments of the Constitutional Council members should be concluded soon, adding that "such a step is important because it sets our national, constitutional and political life on the right path." In his weekly editorial for PSP mouthpiece Al-Anbaa, Jumblatt wrote: "Regarding the Saudi funds allocated for the reconstruction efforts in the South, I believe it should have been spent directly on those who deserve them, instead of resorting to twisted means." During a Parliament session last week, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the government used funds, supposedly distributed to Southerners following the summer 2006 war with Israel, to acquire more loans. Jumblatt also welcomed the Russian donation of MiG-29 jets, "and we look forward to the US fulfilling its promises to support the army." "Some Arab countries have a surplus of arms, and it would be good if they could help us out," he added. He sarcastically "congratulated residents of Ras Beirut for housing the Syrian Embassy." The comment referred to the Syrian Social Nationalist Party's strong presence in the Hamra area, where the embassy will be located.

Beirutis wonder how 10 MiG-29s - and upkeep - can benefit Lebanon
By Fidelius Schmid /Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BEIRUT: Defense Minister Elias Murr was in the mood for superlatives after he extracted a promise of 10 MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia's government during a trip to Moscow last week. It was, Murr said, the "most important thing" that happened since he took office. Now, virtually everyone who had heard of Murr's catch (and there were quite a few who hadn't) greeted it as "a good thing," when The Daily Star went out on a random poll about the subject on Monday.
But many Beirutis asked the glaring question: What exactly are they good for? Will they be of more use than just showflying them over Beirut - which to the more cynical observers is essentially all the air force's Hawker Hunter planes built in the 1950s and 1960s are good for.
"Generally, I think it is a fantastic idea, if they really live up to their promise," said Nicolas Tabet, 17. "Of course these planes could not repel an Israeli assault - even if they gave us a hundred planes. But it has symbolic value, it is a good start."
"This is purely symbolic. We cannot fight Israel with that," said Khaled, 45, who works in agriculture in South. "But it is still a good thing."
Roland, 25, a management student, believed Russia's donation was "a great help for the Lebanese Army," but also questioned the need for the jets. "I mean it also seems like we're afraid of something here. We have seen so many wars - let's just be peaceful" he added. "I don't think we would be able to fend off Israel with these jets."Abdel-Rahman Bandakji, who owns a restaurant in Downtown Beirut, sounded even more skeptical. "Thank you Russia, thank you Qatar," he said. "But let's be serious: What do we need those MiGs for? To fight who? Israel? Syria? ... In case of an Israeli attack, these planes would never even leave the ground."
"If you want to fight, you need everything. Giving us helicopters instead of these planes would have been more useful. There is no need for 10 jets," he added. "The pilots need training for two years and we need to maintain them and the economy is going down," he added.
Prompted on why they thought Hizbullah had not reacted to the Russian promise of jets yet, a considerable number of people declined to answer. But most said they thought the party would not want to see a strong Lebanese Army. "I cannot think Hizbullah likes to see this" Khaled said. "I cannot see that they would want to see the Lebanese Army to be strong," he added. Roland, the management student, said strengthening the army with defense procurements such as the Russian warplanes "would not be to Hizbullah's benefit." "A powerful army would mean taking away the reason for their existence," he added.
A couple of people, however, were very optimistic about the government's defense procurement activities. "The jets will help defend Lebanon better," Serge Trad said.
Babih Srour said he believed the jets would be useful. "You will see, if Israel tries, they will fight," he said. "The Lebanese are fighters, we were kind of born to war and for some, there is nothing to lose."But while most men were quite vocal about their views, Beirut's women were less enthusiastic at all. "Haven't heard about it," some said, while others named "Christmas shopping" as their top priority.A Lebanese woman visiting from France summed it up by saying: "We have heard so much about war, buying arms, selling weapons and we have heard so many promises that we're just fed up with it."


Foreign Gifts to White House Staff
POSTED: 06:15 PM ET, 12/22/2008 by Derek Kravitz
TAGS: State Department, White House, conflicts, foreign policy
Outgoing Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was showered with gifts from Middle Eastern leaders in recent years. In sum, her diplomatic trips resulted in more than $300,000 worth of jewelry.
Too bad she can't keep any of it.
Rice scored a $165,000 ruby and diamond necklace, earrings, bracelet and ring, along with a $170,000 flower petal motif necklace, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during visits in 2005 and 2007. She also nabbed an emerald and diamond ring, bracelet, necklace and earrings, made of 19-carat white gold, from Jordan's King Abdullah. Its price tag: $147,000.
Both items were turned over to the General Services Administration, as was nearly everything else on the 54-page list released today in a Federal Register notice. Gifts are usually stored in government archives or with the GSA in accordance with federal law, which bars officials from accepting personal presents in almost all circumstances. They are then shipped off to the National Archives or given to charitable organizations.
There are some exceptions. A century-old olive tree from Walid Joumblatt, chairman of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, was transplanted to the Israeli embassy compound in Washington. Other items, such as rugs, pictures, clocks and artwork, are put on display in government offices. And some items can be purchased by the recipients; For example, Lt. Col. Scott H. Remington of the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations liked his $437 Longines watch from Iraq, so he bought it.
President Bush got two books and a jazz CD from the Sultan of Brunei, "Stayed Tuned" by Joe Garner and "1,001 Reasons to Love America," by Hubert Pedroli and Mary Tiegreen, along with "Jazz for Quiet Moments" by Greg Howard. Value: $70. He also got a Husqvarna 335Rx brush cutter with "comfort grip handles" from Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. Its estimated value was $570.
Bush also received a $4,500 electric harp with a speakerphone (Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet); a three-volume set of "Mount Lebanon" by Col. Charles Henry Churchill, valued at $5,760 (Saad Hariri, member of the National Assembly of Lebanon); a $5,000 bronze statue of a horse, held in a blue leather box (French President Nicolas Sarkozy); a dozen Moser crystal champagne flutes valued at $3,060 (Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus); a $3,000 gold replica of the Temple of Heaven, accented with multicolored Swarovski crystals with five figurines of the 2008 Olympic mascots (Yang Jiechi, China's minister of foregin affairs); and two abstract paintings by the wife of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, valued at $3,000.
Vice President Dick Cheney even got in on the action, nabbing a $7,500 clock trimmed in malachite, sterling silver and gold vermeil from the crown prince of Abu Dhabi. Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was given a M900 machine gun used by anti-narcotics troops by Colombia's chief of defense and a 9mm machine gun, with a removable magazine, by Russia's chief of staff.
Top White House officials weren't the only ones getting in on the gift giving.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah gave deputy national security adviser Elliot Abrams a $1,435 Concord Mariner watch and Emily Harding, the director for Iran at the National Security Council, and Anita B. McBride, chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush, each got a $2,800 sterling silver Tiffany quartz watch from the Saudi Arabian kingdom. Frances F. Townsend, the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counteterrorism, got a $1,500 gilded silver dhow from the interior minister of Bahrain. Defense Secretary Robert Gates got a baseball cap signed by New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Matsui from Japan's defense minister.
All of the gifts weren't top-shelf items, however. Joseph Wood, the deputy assistant to Cheney for national security affairs, was given a $30 Adidas gym bag from the foreign affairs minister of Azerbaijan. Kenneth J. Krieg, the under secretary of defense, acquisition, technology and logistics, received a $165 Fila ski jacket and pants from Italy's defense chief.
And some gifts caused confusion for the State Department, which catalogues the items. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey B. Kohler, executive officer of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, got a $2,800 men's Concord Impressario watch from Maj. Gen. Duaij Salman Al Khalifa. Problem is the Office of Protocol couldn't figure out what country Al Khalifa came from. (A simple Google search shows he's from Bahrain.)

Facebook Finally Boots Hezbollah
December 22, 2008
JIDF /They had to complain quite a bit. JIDF worked and worked to remove Hezbollah with little progress made. But it seems Facebook has finally started to really clean house on terrorist use of their platform. Which is a lot different than Youtube. Youtube is infested with Hezbollah supporters, some of which are connected to official Hezbollah propganda websites. Despite continued complaints from Smackdown Corps, the Hezbollah propaganda is highly available on Jihadtube.
Without the work of groups of concerned citizens like Smackdown and JIDF its likely that no one will take action against the Online Jihad. Its up to all of us to stand up against terrorist propaganda on American servers and services.

Iraqi shoe-thrower goes on trial New Year's Eve
By Agence France Presse (AFP) Tuesday, December 23, 2008
BAGHDAD: The Iraqi journalist thrust to instant fame when he threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush will go on trial this month on charges that carry up to 15 years in jail, a judge said on Monday. Investigating Judge Dhiya al-Kenani rejected new allegations by the journalist's family that he had been tortured in custody, charges that were leveled after a brother was allowed a first prison visit.
"The investigation phase is over and the case has been transferred to the Central Criminal Court," Kenani said. "The trial will start on Wednesday, December 31."
Muntazer al-Zaidi stands accused of "aggression against a foreign head of state during an official visit," an offense that carries a prison term of between five and 15 years under Iraqi law. But the court could convict him of the lesser charge of "attempted aggression," which carries a prison term of one to five years.
Zaidi, 29, became a hero to many when he threw his shoes at Bush during the US president's surprise visit to Iraq on December 14.
Kenani confirmed that Zaidi's lawyer had lodged a complaint over his treatment and that a letter would be sent to the office of Premier Nuri al-Maliki to request that security guards be brought to justice.
One of Zaidi's brothers, Udai, told AFP he had been able to visit him in custody for the first time on Sunday and said the journalist had been tortured by his captors to force him to sign a statement. "I met my brother for around an hour. He has been tortured while in detention for 36 hours continuously. He has been hit with iron rods and cables," the brother said. "There is very severe bleeding in his eye, and he has bruises on his feet and nose, and he was also tortured with electricity.
"He was forced to sign a statement confessing to receiving money from different groups and saying he did not throw his shoes for the honor of Iraq," the brother said.
"But Muntazer said 'I will not apologize for what I did - not now, not ever,'" Udai added. Maliki's office confirmed that the prime minister had received a letter signed by Zaidi alleging third-party involvement in his protest. "Muntazer al-Zaidi has expressed regret in a letter I received from him in which he revealed that an individual persuaded him to commit this action and that this person is well-known for beheading people," it quoted Maliki as saying.
The allusion was clearly to insurgent groups opposed to his government that have executed captives in the past, but it was unclear precisely which individual Maliki was referring to.The judge dismissed the family's torture allegations.
"Muntazer's brother is lying, because there are only bruises on Muntazer's face that he received during the arrest and they are small ones," Kenani told AFP.
"Even if it were true that he had been tortured with electric shocks, it would leave burns on his body, and you will see Muntazer during the trial, so you can judge for yourself. But Udai insisted that any public appearance would prove the truth of his allegations.
"If I am lying, let the judge show Muntazer on television for everyone to see," he said. His lawyer had asked that Zaidi's case be transferred from the Central Criminal Court, which handles terrorism cases, to an ordinary tribunal but the judge refused. Meanwhile another brother, Durgham, slammed people reportedly trying to exploit the incident for commercial gain. "It's all nonsense. These people want to exploit what my brother did," he said after being told that a Turkish firm claimed it had manufactured the offending footwear. Serkan Turk, head of sales at Baydan Shoes in Istanbul, said his firm made the shoes and had to take on 100 extra staff to cope with demand for Model 271, the black polyurethane-soled footwear now renamed Bush Shoes.
"Between the day of the incident and 1:00 p.m. today we've received orders for 370,000 pairs," Turk told AFP. Normally the company sold only 15,000 pairs a year of that particular model, he added. - AFP

Leave military matters to the military men who understand them
By The Daily Star /Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Editorial
Monday's announcement that a specialized committee will study competing proposals for Lebanon's long-awaited "national defense strategy" is welcome news, especially if rival political parties allow the body to be staffed with competent professionals and grant it the independence required for such a daunting task. Most of the subjects involved are technical ones beyond the competence of the great majority of Lebanese politicians. Some of them have militia backgrounds that will allow them to understand when it is explained to them that any viable strategy will have to feature unconventional strengths like Hizbullah's at or near its core, but virtually all of them are unqualified to, for instance, analyze the threat environment, select the most appropriate means to deal with it, devise the necessary methods and structures, and plan for the provision of the necessary equipment and training. Leave this, then, to current and former military officers, joined by a suitable analyst or two, who fully comprehend the theory and practice of what is being discussed.
More importantly, handing off the military file to the appropriate experts will allow the politicians to start focusing on their own bailiwick, whose long neglect is the reason why the defense issues are so divisive in the first place. Radically different perceptions of the utility and proper disposition of Hizbullah's arsenal are the result of a profound lack of trust among various religious communities and tribal factions. Narrowing these political gaps would go a long way to simplifying the military debate.
It would also help to increase the odds that whatever strategy is adopted might actually work. Command and control - especially their civilian elements - are crucial to both peacetime deterrence and wartime combat, particularly when a country's perennial enemy has worked so long and hard to exploit internal political divisions. If Lebanon's political class remains too fractured to provide coherent implementation, its members will be the strategy's - and therefore the country's - weakest link. That can only serve to make future conflict more likely by encouraging would-be aggressors to believe they can win by provoking sedition, and to reduce the nation's overall ability to defend itself if and when the shooting starts. Lebanese politicians might not agree on very much, but surely they share an aversion to being responsible for their country's defeat.

Canadian Minister Cannon Expresses Concern over Iran’s Closing of Defenders of Human Rights Center
December 22, 2008 (8:20 p.m. EST)
No. 250
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement regarding the closing of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) in Tehran, Iran: “Canada is seriously concerned about the raid and closing of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran yesterday. The DHRC, headed by 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, is an important non-governmental organization that courageously defends prisoners of conscience and documents human rights violations in Iran. It is particularly disturbing that the raid took place when the DHRC was planning to hold a celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “Canada continues to urge Iran to fully respect all of its human rights obligations, both in law and in practice, and to allow for the immediate reopening of the DHRC offices. We continue to support freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Iran.”