LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
August 02/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13,54-58. He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
NEW Opinion: One country, one army-NowLebanon.com 01/08/08
The majority's Achilles heel in Tripoli-By Michael Young 01/08/08
Turkey has set an example for the entire region to follow-The Daily Star 01/08/08
Separation anxiety?Al-Ahram Weekly 01/08/08
Enshrining resistance-Al-Ahram Weekly 01/08/08
NEW OPINION: Strong words are a good sign-NowLebanon.com01/08/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August 01/08
Syria's grand mufti invites pope to Syria-The Associated Press
Mofaz: Talks with Syria should continue after PM steps down-Jerusalem Post
Bush Renews Sanctions Against Lebanese, Syrians -Naharnet
Resistance Clause Resolves Policy Statement Deadlock -Naharnet
Nasrallah Backs Bashir in Confronting International Meddling -Naharnet
Report: International Tribunal to Start Work at Beginning of 2009-Naharnet
Ahmadinejad: Lebanese People Should Expect Major Victories-Naharnet
Livni Says she Discussed with Ban Iranian and Hizbullah 'Threats-Naharnet
Relief Groups Sound Alarm over Homeless after Tripoli Clashes-Naharnet
Sfeir: No Strong Nation if Religious Communities Want Separate States-Naharnet
Gen. Masri: Army to Be Bolstered to Confront Threats-Naharnet
MP Franjieh Warns Against Hizbullah Fait Accompli Maneuvers-Naharnet
Hizbullah: Weapons Are Untouchable-Naharnet
Cluster Bomb Wounds MAG Deminer-Naharnet
Suleiman Urges Army to Avoid Confessionalism, Confront those who Shoot at Compatriots-Naharnet
Syria willing to cut ties with Iran-Jerusalem Post
Hezbollah: 'Practical measures' against IAF overflights-Ha'aretz
Israel and Hizballah Ready to Rumble?TIME
Israeli advice to the next president of the United States-Daily Star
Syria hosts Iraqi Shiite leader-Middle East Times
A united army assures Lebanese unity, says acting LAF commander emerges from says acting-Daily Star
Superstition spurs 13th delay of policy statement-Daily Star
Barak tells Ban Resolution 1701 'not working well'-Daily Star
Olmert's downfall unlikely to have major impact on Lebanon-Daily Star
Judiciary asks Dubai Interpol for report on Tamim's death-Daily Star
Belgian troops carry out key development projects in South-Daily Star
Relief groups sound alarm over fate of homeless in wake of Tripoli clashes-AFP
Summer camp repairs rifts after Nahr al-Bared crisis-Daily Star

Sfeir: No Strong Nation if Religious Communities Want Separate States
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir warned Thursday that there would be no strong nation if "every sect wished to create its own state.""We have 18 (religious) communities that should maintain their coexistence through dialogue and understanding and placing the national interest on top of all other interests," Sfeir added. "Dialogue should top violence … that threatens unity of the Lebanese people," he told reporters at his summer seat in the northern mountain resort of Diman. Unity among the various Lebanese communities should be "deeply rooted to consolidate stability of the nation," Sfeir concluded. Beirut, 31 Jul 08, 15:01

Suleiman Urges Army to Avoid Confessionalism, Confront those who Shoot at Compatriots
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman, during Army Day celebrations on Friday, urged the army to confront "violators" to avoid civil strife and stressed the need to safeguard the military's unity. "Do not hesitate to curb violators no matter what their affiliations are," Suleiman told graduating cadets at the Military Academy in Fayadieh. "Isn't it a duty to confront anyone who shoots" at his compatriot? Suleiman asked.
Premier Fouad Saniora, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and other officials attended the celebration of the 63rd anniversary of the military institution's establishment.
"Lebanon suffered a great deal to fight terror and it needs its army's sacrifices," the president said, stressing that Lebanon's strength comes from the army's unity.
Your duty "goes beyond politics and confessionalism. Maintaining security is your duty, which requires sacrifices," Suleiman told the graduating class, which he named after Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, who was killed in a bombing. Suleiman also named the 2007 graduation class the "Class of United National Will."
In his speech, the president called for unifying the army's ranks, ending internal discord and avoiding corruption to build a capable state.
Regarding Shebaa, Suleiman said Lebanon had now to deal with the issue of the farms and Kfarshouba hills after the return of Lebanese prisoners from Israel in a swap deal between the Jewish state and Hizbullah last month. Suleiman also called for the full implementation of the Taef Accord to bolster political and state institutions. Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 12:33

March 14 Leaders Discuss Status of their Coalition
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea made an unscheduled visit on Thursday to al-Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri at his residence in Qoraitem. Al-Liwaa newspaper reported that Geagea discussed with Hariri clauses in the cabinet policy statement being drafted by a ministerial committee which has drawn some reservations from the Lebanese Forces. Geagea also raised the issue of an imminent March 14 meeting to revive the coalition and prepare for the upcoming elections and national dialogue, the daily added. Geagea's talks with Hariri come following a similar visit by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat to Qoraitem on Tuesday after reports that the Druze leader was quitting the March 14 coalition. President Michel Suleiman is preparing to hold the national dialogue at Baabda Palace after Premier Fouad Saniora's national unity cabinet wins a parliamentary vote of confidence in its policy statement.
Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 13:50

Ahmadinejad: Lebanese People Should Expect Major Victories
Naharnet/Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has pledged that major victories await the Lebanese people, semi-official Fars news agency reported.
It quoted Ahmadinejad as telling Lebanon's newly-appointed ambassador Zein al-Moussawi that "the Lebanese people should expect major victories."
Fars also said that the Iranian president stressed Tehran's backing to Lebanon. The ambassador, meanwhile, told Ahmadinejad that he will work hard to improve Lebanese-Iranian ties. Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 10:08

Resistance Clause Resolves Policy Statement Deadlock
Naharnet/A ministerial committee tasked with drafting the cabinet's policy statement almost reached agreement on a final draft in which the clause on Hizbullah stresses the right of Lebanon, its people, army and resistance to continue the liberation of land with all legitimate and available means.
"The meeting tomorrow will be the last and we will submit the declaration of the policy statement to the government so it can be ratified as soon as possible," Information Minister Tareq Mitri told journalists after the committee's 13th meeting at the Grand Serail Thursday. He added that ministers had expressed "reservations about some of the wording" in the proposed statement, but that the committee would resolve any differences by Friday.
The government of national unity would only rule after winning a parliamentary vote of confidence in its charter.
Mitri did not elaborate on how the statement addresses the issue of Hizbullah weapons. The Hizbullah-led opposition insists on the "right to resist" Israel, while the majority insists that only the state can make decisions of war and peace. But An Nahar daily on Friday said that the committee agreed on a formula come up by President Michel Suleiman and Premier Fouad Saniora during their meeting in Baabda Tuesday night.
The newspaper said that the political introduction will include a clause which stresses that any issue mentioned in the statement "is under the supervision of the state and its administration." This was interpreted as a reference to Lebanon's right as a state to regain its authority over all Lebanese territories, an issue not subject to any discussion. The statement, according to An Nahar, will stress "the right of Lebanon, its people, army and resistance to continue the liberation or regaining of land with all legitimate and available means." The daily said, however, that the Lebanese Forces during the committee meeting expressed reservations with regard to the clause on Hizbullah and called for adding "under the auspices of the state" to the previous paragraph. The Free Patriotic Movement also reportedly had reservations on naturalization and Lebanese in Israel, saying the two issues should be tackled by the national dialogue that will be sponsored by Suleiman at Baabda. But the majority ministers in the committee responded by saying that the rejection to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon is confirmed by the constitution and Suleiman has mentioned the issue of Lebanese in Israel in his oath address. Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 07:42

Resistance Clause Resolves Policy Statement Deadlock
Naharnet/A ministerial committee tasked with drafting the cabinet's policy statement almost reached agreement on a final draft in which the clause on Hizbullah stresses the right of Lebanon, its people, army and resistance to continue the liberation of land with all legitimate and available means. "The meeting tomorrow will be the last and we will submit the declaration of the policy statement to the government so it can be ratified as soon as possible," Information Minister Tareq Mitri told journalists after the committee's 13th meeting at the Grand Serail Thursday.
He added that ministers had expressed "reservations about some of the wording" in the proposed statement, but that the committee would resolve any differences by Friday. The government of national unity would only rule after winning a parliamentary vote of confidence in its charter.
Mitri did not elaborate on how the statement addresses the issue of Hizbullah weapons. The Hizbullah-led opposition insists on the "right to resist" Israel, while the majority insists that only the state can make decisions of war and peace. But An Nahar daily on Friday said that the committee agreed on a formula come up by President Michel Suleiman and Premier Fouad Saniora during their meeting in Baabda Tuesday night. The newspaper said that the political introduction will include a clause which stresses that any issue mentioned in the statement "is under the supervision of the state and its administration."
This was interpreted as a reference to Lebanon's right as a state to regain its authority over all Lebanese territories, an issue not subject to any discussion.
The statement, according to An Nahar, will stress "the right of Lebanon, its people, army and resistance to continue the liberation or regaining of land with all legitimate and available means." The daily said, however, that the Lebanese Forces during the committee meeting expressed reservations with regard to the clause on Hizbullah and called for adding "under the auspices of the state" to the previous paragraph. The Free Patriotic Movement also reportedly had reservations on naturalization and Lebanese in Israel, saying the two issues should be tackled by the national dialogue that will be sponsored by Suleiman at Baabda. But the majority ministers in the committee responded by saying that the rejection to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon is confirmed by the constitution and Suleiman has mentioned the issue of Lebanese in Israel in his oath address. Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 07:42

Report: International Tribunal to Start Work at Beginning of 2009
Naharnet/The international tribunal that will try the suspected assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is set to begin its work by the beginning of next year, a source at the U.N. told As-Safir on Thursday. The source, who is close to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the U.N. chief "has pledged clearly that progress will continue towards establishing the tribunal," regardless of the latest political developments in Lebanon with respect to the election of a new president and the formation of a new government. The same source indicated that although the Security Council had agreed last month to extend the mandate of chief U.N. investigator Daniel Bellemare until the end of this year, he did not believe that the Council would agree to extend Bellemare's mandate again.
This means that at the end of the year, the investigator will assume his new position as prosecutor for the international court, the U.N. source added, an indication that Bellemare has made progress in the probe into Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination. "I believe that he now has something that will enable him to proceed to assume the position of prosecutor," the source said. Bellemare is not planning to disclose the names of the accused, but rather he will deliver them to the investigating judge, who will in his turn decide whether to accept or reject the requests for detention.
The U.N. source said that Ban preferred not to announce the names of the Lebanese and international judges until the end of the year, in order to reduce expenses and also to protect their lives. He added that as soon as the judges' names are announced, they will be transported to The Hague and placed under guard.
The tribunal is based at a former Dutch intelligence headquarters in a suburb of The Hague. Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 10:00

Bush Renews Sanctions Against Lebanese, Syrians
Naharnet/U.S. President George Bush has said an executive order, which calls for blocking property of persons undermining Lebanon's sovereignty, will continue one year after its adoption. Executive Order 13441 calls for blocking the property of certain persons undermining the sovereignty of Lebanon or its democratic processes or institutions. In the order, Bush says he took this action to deal with the threat to the national security and foreign policy of the U.S. "constituted by the actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon's legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions, to contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon…to reassert Syrian control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon."Bush said in a statement that "because these actions continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on August 1, 2007, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond August 1, 2008."
Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 07:23

Livni Says she Discussed with Ban Iranian and Hizbullah 'Threats'
Naharnet/Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday discussed with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon what she said were threats from Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas.
Livni also pledged her nation will press ahead with efforts to reach a political settlement with the Palestinian Authority, undeterred by political uncertainty over Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation. "The internal situation in Israel doesn't affect the interests of Israel as a state," Livni told reporters at U.N. headquarters.
Livni, a contender to replace Olmert as prime minister and also as leader of their Kadima party, emphasized that Israel also will continue to negotiate with Palestinians in accord with last year's U.S.-brokered deal in Annapolis, Maryland. "This represents the only way to implement the vision of two states for two peoples into a peace treaty," she said. "We continue to do so." Livni, before speaking briefly to reporters, met with Ban and discussed with him what she termed the "global threat" that Iran poses as well as threats from Hizbullah and the Islamic Hamas movement, which won the 2006 legislative elections and took control of Gaza last year. "It's not anymore the conflict that used to be perceived as between Israel and the Palestinians, or the Jews and Arabs. It is more a conflict between extremists and moderates," she said. Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters that the meeting tackled the Middle East peace process, including Lebanon. Montas also later said that the topic of Israeli overflights in Lebanon did come up during the meeting between Ban and Livni.(AP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 01 Aug 08, 08:43

Syria's grand mufti invites pope to Syria
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Syria's grand mufti, the country's top Sunni Muslim religious authority, says he would like to meet Pope Benedict XVI and persuade him to visit Syria.
The mufti, Sheik Ahmad Badereddine Hassoun, made the comments in Damascus, according to the Italian news agency Apcom and other reports Friday.
"I would like to invite the Holy Father to visit our country, following in the footsteps of St. Paul," Hassoun was quoted by Apcom as saying. "I am available for a meeting at the Vatican. I would like to see him one on one to plan the visit together."Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, made a groundbreaking visit to the Ummayad Mosque in Damascus in May 2001.Benedict has been vacationing in the Italian Alps. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the invitation attests to the current "serene climate" in Syria and "good relations" with the country. Benedict has been trying to improve ties with Islam since giving a speech in Germany in 2006 that angered many in the Muslim world. In the Regensburg University speech, Benedict cited a medieval text that characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman," particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith."
The pope later said he was "deeply sorry" about the reactions his remarks sparked and stressed that they did not reflect his own opinion.
Hassoun, a moderate cleric, said the case was closed. "There is a dialogue, and between religions and intellectuals there are always discussions," he said, according to Apcom. "One can fight with one's wife, but then the love grows." Hassoun is among a group of 138 Muslim scholars that has called for greater dialogue between Christians and Muslims. Benedict XVI met with Syria's vice president in September to discuss the situation of Christians in Syria and the role Damascus should play in bringing peace to the Middle East. The pope has urged Syria to use its influence in the region to help resolve conflicts and counter terrorism.

Mofaz: Talks with Syria should continue after PM steps down
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Israel's recent overtures towards Syria should continue after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigns his position in September, Transportation Minister and candidate for the Kadima leadership Shaul Mofaz said Friday. "The way is 'peace for peace,'" Army Radio quoted Mofaz as declaring.
Mofaz spent Thursday focused on Israel's regional challenges as he led the US-Israel strategic dialogue. The US side was represented by Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns. After his meeting with Burns, Mofaz had meetings scheduled with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Vice President Richard Cheney and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. The hours-long meeting focused primarily on Iran, but touched on threats including Hizbullah and Hamas. It came at the tail end of a flurry of meetings between Israeli ministers, including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni - like Mofaz, a candidate for the Kadima leadership - and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and their US counterparts. **Hilary Leila Krieger contributed to this report.

NEW Opinion: One country, one army
A prosperous Lebanon depends on strong state institutions
Matt Nash, NOW Lebanon Staff , August 1, 2008
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora (C) heading a meeting with Lebanese ministers in Beirut on July 30 to form the ministerial statement. (AFP/HO)
The ministerial statement is a step in the right direction toward building a truly national defense strategy. From what we understood on Friday, the statement is not perfect – perfect would mean it limits all martial activity to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) – but it will likely commit the cabinet to pursuing a policy of assuring that “everything in the statement is under state supervision and administration,” and stressing the right of the state to reclaim its authority over all its territories; this being an undeniable constitutional principal, stating that it is the right of “Lebanon, its people, its army and the Resistance to liberate or reclaim land under occupation using all legitimate and available means.”
It was reported that Prime Minister Fouad Siniora had wanted to add a modifying clause that stipulates that “on the condition that this right is not monopolized by one group and that that group does not impose its own culture and decisions, while ignoring the authority of the state, which is committed to protecting its citizens, be they armed or otherwise.” But one can’t have it all.
In any case, the statement is a welcome shift from the 2005 version, which reflected the then inviolability of Hezbollah’s nationalist credentials, as it read: “The cabinet considers the Lebanese Resistance movement a genuine and natural expression of the people’s national rights to free their land and defend their dignity from Israeli aggressions, threats and designs, and to continue the effort to free the Lebanese territory.”
Strong institutions are crucial to the future of Lebanon as a genuine sovereign state, and so it is entirely fitting that the statement should be released around the time of Army Day celebrations, an occasion to recognize and thank the LAF for the sacrifices it has made, most recently at the battle for the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp near Tripoli that raged exactly one year ago. That summer, the army proved that it was a genuine national institution, dedicated to fighting all enemies on all fronts. The result of this national, rather than partisan, approach to defense, resistance, liberation – call it what you will – was the admiration, support and gratitude of an entire nation. It proved that the Lebanese can, and want to, unite under one national flag.
Only destructive regional agendas have so far prevented the LAF from fulfilling its legitimate mandate. It can and should inherit the legacy of the Resistance, and today, with the cabinet expressing the primacy of the state in any confrontation with Israel, it should work to build the LAF as the state institution for this purpose. If it requires the help – monetary or otherwise – of genuine allies who want to see Lebanon stand tall, democratic and self-determined, then so be it.
Meanwhile, according to the Thursday edition of Al-Akhbar, Hezbollah is making moves to deter Israeli over-flights of Lebanese air space. There is no argument over the fact that these are clear violations, both of international law and Lebanon’s sovereignty, and must be stopped. Instead, the debate should center around who should be tasked with the job of deterrence, and that must surely be the state.
Hezbollah is selling itself as the sole guarantor of national security from Israeli aggression, but this will ultimately only spark further division among a Lebanese population that, in early May, saw firsthand what Hezbollah meant by “national security.”
If the party is allowed to become the only force in the country protecting it from Israel, the sectarian tensions that have surfaced this year will continue to simmer, keeping Lebanon on the brink. One renegade militia with arms will beget others – it has already started in Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh districts – and the heartbreaking scenes of May will not only be repeated, but will come to represent modern Lebanon.
Bolstering the LAF and putting this force at the fore in the defense of Lebanese territory – even if that includes absorbing Hezbollah, its fighters and its weapons – is the only viable option so far. The right to defend the state and the pursuit of policies designed to improve lives for all citizens from all communities belongs in the hands of state institutions the entire country can identify with and respect. Without strong state institutions, the state cannot be strong.

The majority's Achilles heel in Tripoli
By Michael Young
Daily Star
Friday, August 01, 2008
What has caused the violence in Tripoli? The explanations are many, few of them entirely convincing. But they all fail to tell us anything about the dangerous consequences the fighting, if it resumes, as it is likely to, might have on the fortunes of the Future Movement, the cornerstone of the parliamentary majority.
Regardless of who was responsible for the recent skirmishing between the Sunni neighborhood of Bab al-Tebbaneh and the Alawite quarter of Jabal Mohsen, as most people observe what is going on, as they see the gunmen of Bab al-Tebbaneh firing guns in the midst of an urban area, they cannot help but wonder whether Saad Hariri approves of this. If he approves, he would be lending legitimacy to a militia phenomenon that he and his movement have always insisted they stand against; and if he disapproves, it would suggest that Hariri's control over his own community is tentative at best, especially in a region where Sunni strength could help him compensate for the humiliation his followers suffered in Beirut last May. Either way, Hariri and the Future Movement don't look the better for it.
That question appeared to be on the mind of the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt last Saturday, when he declared, "The wound suffered by Beirut cannot be treated through revenge elsewhere, because we would only be pouring oil onto the fire and, as a consequence, implementing the designs of states that are negotiating or that have their differences - states that in the end will arrive at settlements between themselves."
Jumblatt has been unusually nervous about the events in northern Lebanon of late. That's not surprising. If the situation were to go to pieces there, if Sunni-Shiite tension were again to break out into open conflict, the Druze leader would be a primary target of Hizbullah, which still seeks to control the high ground in Aley and the Chouf, as it tried to do last May. The party doesn't like the fact that Jumblatt sits above their several supply lines to and from the South, and at their back when facing Israel. But Jumblatt is said to also fear something else: If the Sunni Islamists become powerful in Tripoli and the Akkar, Syria would be handed an ideal justification to cross the border militarily to protect itself and its Alawite brethren from religious extremists in Lebanon.
Jumblatt's comments were sourly received by Saad Hariri's entourage, which interpreted them as criticism of the Future Movement. The Druze leader has changed his tone of late when it comes to his allies in the March 14 coalition, suggesting he is already maneuvering in anticipation of elections next year. However, when it comes to the fundamentals of Lebanese politics today, Jumblatt cannot and will not soon break with Saad Hariri. That's why Jumblatt's anxiety toward what is going on in Tripoli and the progress and arming of Islamist groups, particularly the Salafists, speaks to a broader problem that Hariri will soon have to address. Otherwise, it might create a much larger headache for him that could undermine his relationship with his political allies.
Following the debacle in Beirut last May, the Hariri camp failed to use its popular support in the North as leverage to regain the political initiative. Saad Hariri would have done well to immediately head to Tripoli and show Hizbullah that he still retained communal muscle - all the more so as his representatives in the city performed poorly during the crisis. It was important for Hariri to do several things: revive Sunni morale nationally, correct the problems in his own movement, and, most importantly, affirm that it was moderate Sunnis like him, not Islamists, who would shape upcoming developments in North Lebanon. Instead, it is the Islamists who are now taking advantage of the vacuum left there.
Islamist advances could hand Syria precisely what it failed to accomplish last year when it sponsored the Fatah al-Islam phenomenon at Nahr al-Bared. The more moderate Sunnis, with Hariri at their head, could be discredited, the Sunni community could be split, tensions could arise between the Future Movement and its Christian allies in March 14, there could be discord between Sunni and Christian inhabitants of the North, and Jumblatt's fears could be confirmed with Syria choosing to intervene - this time with outside approval since no one wants to see Salafists triumphing in Lebanon. The scenario may be an unlikely one, but for the moment nothing suggests the Hariri camp is offering an alternative.
There is still tremendous goodwill for Hariri in the North. His access to substantial sums of money, also the existence of a Sunni political class worried about the rise of extremism, means Hariri has the latitude to ensure it is not the Islamists who set the agenda. What this requires, however, is a more credible network of people on the ground and a bottom-up reorganization of the Future Movement and of its strategy in Tripoli, Dinniyeh, and the Akkar. The fighting between Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen is but a symptom of a larger problem: that of a Sunni community that has still not found its equilibrium after the assassination of Rafik Hariri. For better or worse the North should now be Hariri's momentary priority, not Beirut; it is his main source of men, vitality and political sway. He should spend more time there, learn its rhythms, and take in hand a political situation that, if it were to spin out of control, could spell the end for everything Saad Hariri has tried to build up.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR

Turkey has set an example for the entire region to follow
By The Daily Star
Friday, August 01, 2008
Editorial
Wednesday's decision by Turkey's Constitutional Court to fine - but not outlaw - the ruling Justice and Development Party is a sign that after decades of political turmoil, real democracy is finally taking root in the country. The battle in Turkey between secularism and Islamism is one that has been fiercely fought since the foundation of the republic in 1923. In the past, that ideological confrontation was played out in the streets with gun battles and coups, but this time around the dispute was resolved in a court of law. That both the ruling Islamist party and the secularist opposition turned this time to an independent judiciary to resolve their dispute speaks well of Turkey's maturation as a democratic society.
Prime Minister Recep Erdogan set an example for the leaders of this region when he allowed the rule of law to take its course and the judiciary to decide his party's fate. In many Middle Eastern countries, the mere act of lodging of a complaint in a courtroom against a ruling party would stand a good chance of prompting a draconian response. But Erdogan allowed the judicial process to move forward without interference, even though he knew that the Turkish judiciary has secularist leanings. Given the way that he responded to the court case, Erdogan's first comments after the verdict - that the ruling will "strengthen democracy and the rule of law" in Turkey - could not have been more accurate.
For the hard-line secular opposition, the court case has also served as a test of their commitment to democracy and respect for the independence of the judiciary - a test that they have passed with flying colors. Instead of seeking to forcefully expel the party as has been done in the past, the secularists this time opted to launch a legal coup against the ruling party through the courts. Although that attempt to oust the AKP has failed, secularist leaders have indicated that they are willing to accept and abide by the final ruling of the judiciary.
Turkey may have reached a point where the decades-old power struggle between the Islamists and the secularists can be played out peacefully in courtrooms and ballot boxes. Because both sides relied on the rule of law to resolve their latest power struggle, the real winner of the contest this time around is the Turkish nation. The Turkish people can take pride in the fact that their country has proven its democratic credentials to the world and has set an example for the entire region to follow.
Although the high court's members narrowly decided not to shut down the ruling party, they fired a warningshot across the bow of the AKP, and if Turkey is to maintain its democratic foothold, the ruling party will need to heed that warning. The court has shown that it can successfully and fairly mediate disputes that arise as a result of political divisions in the country, but only the political class can work to heal those rifts. A great number of Turks are understandably angered by what they perceive as an attempt to drive their country backward. If Turkey is to see continued stability and democratic development, the ruling party will need to be responsive to the sentiments of this segment of the population. As elected officials, the AKP has a responsibility to serve not only the constituents who voted for them, but all Turkish citizens.
Signs point to a reconfiguration of Syria's relation to Iran, though the signals are mixed, writes Bassel Oudat from Damascus
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Muallem, who is now in Iran to attend a Non-Aligned Movement meeting, is said to be also making preparations for a visit by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to Tehran. Analysts will be following closely the visit, looking for any signs of change in Syrian regional policy. Recently, Damascus seems to be doing a lot of things differently: talking to Europe, staying out of Lebanon, talking to the Israelis, and generally stressing the pragmatic aspect of its foreign policy.
When President Al-Assad was in Paris recently, he offered to help resolve inter- Palestinian differences. Then he gave a warm welcome to President Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus a few weeks ago. Damascus is said to be advising Palestinian groups, including Hamas, to cool things down for now.
Damascus distanced itself also from turbulence in Iraq, told its media to stop badmouthing the Saudis, and asked the French president to see if the Americans would co-sponsor their talks with Israel.
All of this is bound to affect Syrian-Iranian relations, as well as the way Tehran is doing business in the region. Without Syria's support, the Iranians will not be able to work hand-in-hand with Hizbullah, and the legitimacy of their involvement in Iraq will be called into question.
Inside and outside the region, there is much speculation that Syria is about to ditch its alliance with Iran. Should this happen, Syria's relations with Hizbullah are bound to change and Lebanon's domestic politics will never be the same again.
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Ray Al-Amm cites Samir Al-Taqi, director of Al-Sharq Studies Centre and a man known for his close ties with the Syrian Foreign Ministry, as saying that Syria "is willing to break free from the Iranians as soon as it gets what it wants. The alliance between Damascus and Tehran can change if peace is achieved with Israel." Al-Taqi added: "If the region heads towards peace, other side issues can be tackled as well."
Al-Taqi is now on a visit to the US as the head of an unofficial delegation for talks about relations and the possibility of renewed US mediation in peace talks. The US State Department, however, has refused to receive the delegation.
Syrian-Iranian relations have been strong since the Khomeini revolution, going up another notch during the Iraq-Iran war. At the time, president Hafez Al-Assad claimed that Syria wanted to act as a safety valve for Arab-Iranian ties; to keep Tehran from going to any extreme. It was a stance that brought advantages to both sides. Syria obtained Iranian oil at special rates. It also received loans and grants from Iran. Many Iranian pilgrims went to Syria on religious visits. Iran also bought increasing amounts of Syrian products and encouraged its businessmen to invest in Syria.
For its part, Damascus helped Iran with a number of arms deals, and fortunes were made in Damascus in the process. As Iran boosted its economic and political status, it remained loyal to Syria, backing it in time of need. Tehran was also able to pose as a friend of Arab countries.
By helping Iran get weapons through to Hizbullah, Syria helped raise Iran's profile. The Iranians felt as if they had a foothold on the Mediterranean. Such was the extent of cooperation between Tehran and Damascus. So what's next?
A senior French diplomat told Al-Ahram Weekly that Europe has been trying to find an alternative political course that would wean Damascus away from its Iranian connection. Their alternative was Turkey, which is not only smoothing up political problems for the Syrians, but may also prove to be of help in economic matters.
Europe has promised Damascus a role in the Union for the Mediterranean and is talking to the Americans about sponsoring direct Syrian-Israeli talks. But Europe has no illusions, said the French diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. All it wants is "to weaken the existing alliance between the two countries and replace it with normal relations." If successful, Europe may be able to bring Syria into the fold of pragmatic nations.
Syrian analyst Said Moqbi believes that Europe's tactics are paying off, noting the fact that President Bashar Al-Assad went to Paris, gave the Lebanese a political break, started talks with Israel, and is keeping Damascus-based Palestinian groups on a tight leash. If Damascus maintains its current course, Tehran's influence in the region, as well as Hizbullah's clout, will start to peter away.
But it is unlikely that Syria would sever its ties with either Iran or Hizbullah. Damascus needs a regional ally to replace Iran. And it will need to find a way to maintain some presence in Lebanon.
When President Al-Assad goes to Tehran, he will reassure the Iranians that Syria is still on their side, however moderate it has become in its foreign policy. Already Syrian officials are saying that Damascus will always be a friend to Iran and never turn against it. A few days ago Vice- President Farouk Al-Shara said, "Syria will not abandon its well-established ties with its regional friends and allies."
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved

Enshrining resistance
By: Lucy Fielder
Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly
Lebanon's leaders are haggling again, though the true balance of power has been laid bare, Lucy Fielder reports from Beirut
Lebanon's politicians squabbled this week over whether or not to enshrine Hizbullah's resistance to Israel in a ministerial statement to be adopted by the fledgling national unity government. But with the balance of power in favour of the Shia movement laid bare since the May strife, analysts said there was little doubt the alliance they dominate would again prevail.
A ministerial committee met 11 times at the time of writing to try to draw up the statement, with some from the "14 March" anti-Syrian movement opposing including the "right to resist" clause in the document. Hizbullah wants that right spelled out in the statement, as it was in the 2005 policy statement when the last government was sworn in, but the 14 March team wants a more vague wording.
This week, ministers have been expressing optimism that agreement was close. President Michel Suleiman, elected in late May under the Doha deal that halted Lebanon's descent into crisis, reportedly brought some pressure to bear. Analysts said capitulation was in any case all but inevitable. Hizbullah is in a strong position to push its demands, particularly following its lopsided prisoner swap with Israel in mid-July.
"I think we'll get a ministerial statement that will reflect the balance of power. I'd be surprised if it's very different to the 2005 wording," said Karim Makdisi, assistant professor of political studies at the American University of Beirut. "They'll defer serious discussion on [Hizbullah's] weapons to a national dialogue."
That dialogue, to be presided over by Suleiman, was one of the cures for Lebanon's crisis spelled out in the May Doha agreement that pulled the country back from the brink of civil war. The crisis was prompted by two government decisions to clamp down on Hizbullah -- one removing an airport security chief close to the group, the other banning its communications network.
Hizbullah, the Shia Amal Party and militia and smaller allies took over parts of western Beirut and other areas of the country, swiftly seizing Saad Al-Hariri's Sunni Future Movement's centres and arms caches and ceding them to the army. Although the decision to move against the Sunni movement in its Beirut strongholds stirred already languishing resentment against the group, the new reality has so far held, partly because vocal Western support for the Future Movement and its allies turned out to be only that.
A national unity government appointed earlier in July gives the former opposition its long- demanded third of cabinet seats, allowing Hizbullah to veto any further step towards seizing its weapons. "The weapons question was finished after the July 2006 war, but especially after the events of May and Doha," Makdisi said. "The main imperative of the March 14 people now is to save face. The opposition and Hizbullah are firmly in control of the agenda."
Hizbullah's critics say the group operates as a "state within a state", taking unilateral decisions on war and peace that embroil the whole country. Hizbullah's achievement of the release of the remaining five Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails, however, has further boosted the group in the eyes of its supporters in Lebanon and the region and added to Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's reputation for delivering on his promises, analysts say.
The release of Samir Al-Kantar, in particular, was hailed as a victory because he is reviled by Israelis as a murderer for his role in a 1979 commando operation in which three people were killed, including a young girl.
Many critics of Hizbullah argue that closing the Lebanese prisoner file removes one of the group's main pretexts to maintain its weapons, along with the continued Israeli occupation of a strategic sliver of the south, the Shebaa Farms. The UN ruled that territory part of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights in 2000, when certifying Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon. But Lebanon and Syria both say it is Lebanese, and the United Nations is expected to amend its ruling.
Ibrahim Moussawi, former head of Hizbullah's Al-Manar television channel, now lecturer in political science at the American University in Beirut, said Hizbullah was in a stronger position than ever after the prisoner exchange. "When Hizbullah has been able to bring tangible results for what it has been campaigning for the last few years, I believe it is in a position to persuade the Lebanese that armed resistance has been a success," he said.
Hizbullah's critics on the ministerial committee were trying to ensure the wording of the statement on the resistance was vague. "They want expressions and terms that could be interpreted different ways by different parties, in order to help them later," Moussawi said. He expected an imminent breakthrough on the statement.
Makdisi said Hizbullah had ensured it was "ahead of the curve" by moving on to a new agenda in recent rhetoric. "Hizbullah has moved on from the Shebaa Farms and prisoners to talking about a national defence strategy," he said. "And that will take years. It needs a proper army and a detailed, intricate plan to integrate Hizbullah fighters into the army."
Although a national dialogue is expected soon, Lebanon's divided sectarian leaders are unlikely to agree on anything substantial because all eyes are on next May's parliamentary election and the present government is seen as merely temporary. A statement stressing the need for a defence strategy while leaving the weapons status quo as it is would be the most likely outcome.
"They've understood the need to let others save face. That's why they came up with the national dialogue," Makdisi said.
Moussawi said discussions on the fate of weapons were likely to lay bare Lebanon's internal rift between the pro-US camp and its opponents. "I think differences will re-emerge soon. I believe these could be long, tough negotiations."
Lebanon's traditional political weathervane, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, appeared to many to seal the shift towards Syria's allies and away from an era of intense US interest in Lebanon by apparently shifting positions -- again -- in an interview with New TV at the weekend. Once Syria's ally, then its staunchest foe during the past three years of rift between US allies and their opponents, Jumblatt criticised US interference.
"I am staying within 14 March but I want to remind them of Arabism and Palestine, which is more sacred than sanctity itself," he told the channel. "We can balance between the resistance and the state, as long as the final decision remains in the hands of the state," he added.
Jumblatt, a wily survivor who has long been known to switch positions where expedient to preserve his political clout and that of his mountain sect, had been the most hawkish voice of 14 March. "He understands the US moment has weakened and the Syrians are coming back," Makdisi said.
Syria dominated Lebanon politically and militarily in the post-war era but was forced to leave after former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri's assassination in February 2005. Relations between the two countries hit an all-time low in the intervening years, with anti-Syrians dominating the government. But a sea change appears to be imminent, with diplomatic ties, which have never existed between the neighbours, now promised by both sides. Damascus has good ties with the new president, but unlike his pro-Syrian predecessor, Suleiman was brought in on a "consensus" ticket with the blessing of 14 March.
With the blow to US allies in Lebanon and the apparent easing of Syria's isolation, particularly after President Bashar Al-Assad's warm welcome in Paris two weeks ago, the Syrians seem able to breathe easy for now. "The one wild card is a US or Israeli attack on Iran. If not, things are set for the next couple of years," Makdisi said.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved

Strong words are a good sign
In a hearing, US officials offered good proposals for Lebanon
NOW Lebanon Staff , July 31, 2008
It is heartening to hear US officials saying the right things on Lebanon, and not just any old right things either. Always in US foreign policy, there is the usual hot air about supporting democracy, fighting terror and backing the legitimate government, but there are specific right things that a future US president should take note of.
On Tuesday, former US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman spoke in front of the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia in what was essentially an update on the situation in Lebanon. Feltman drew on his years of experience in Beirut to offer clear and concise descriptions of the problems the country is facing and suggestions about what the US can really do to help.
Feltman has never hidden his disappointment at what he saw as Hezbollah’s unwillingness to join the mainstream political process. His views this week were as firm as ever: “I believe strongly, having served there for three-and-a-half years, that the biggest enemy to Hezbollah is a fully-functioning, effective state accountable to the Lebanese people through democratic institutions,” he said.
His time in Lebanon was hardly uneventful. He was sworn in as ambassador just as President Emile Lahoud’s extension was being pushed through by a parliament with a gun to its head. He went on to see Lebanon endure the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a slew of political killings and the devastating 2006 summer war. Few, if any, American diplomats know Lebanon better, a point that should be lost neither on any future US president, nor the entire congress.
Feltman knows the neighborhood, and he knows its specifics. He understands the importance of fulfilling UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and he understands that Lebanon’s border issues with Syria are more than just about smuggling; they are about sovereignty. He understands that, despite the overtures from Damascus about diplomatic relations, unless key issues such as the Shebaa Farms are resolved, they are nothing more than words designed to fool gullible governments.
Feltman understands that Lebanon has many more prisoners rotting in foreign jails than the ones freed from Israel in July, and finally, he understands the importance of the free election of a Lebanese president. “[President Michel Sleiman] was elected by the Lebanese members of parliament,” he said. “It was not a situation like four years ago. Four years ago, the Lebanese president's term was extended by the Lebanese members of parliament, because the Syrians told them to, because the Syrians threatened them. They were under orders.”
At the hearing, Feltman urged Congress to see Lebanon as a key piece in the regional puzzle, and that neither the Lebanese nor the US would benefit from Hezbollah gaining even more power. To avoid this, like any strong state, Lebanon needs a well-equipped and well-trained army around which its people can rally and which would eventually undermine Hezbollah’s argument for maintaining its own militia. It is no surprise, therefore, that Feltman insisted that the US continue its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces. “One of the primary reasons why we are investing in the LAF is because the Lebanese people need to feel that they have a capable army that is able to defend Lebanon’s security and sovereignty,” he said. “This is the long-term proposition, but it reduces the need of the Lebanese to rely on private militias, on feudal leaders for their protection if they see that they have a national capable organization.”
The subcommittee’s chairman, Representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY), also expressed an understanding of Lebanon that is as refreshing as it is rare. Ackerman pushed all the right buttons, insisting that there should be no deal on the Special Tribunal “period, full stop. No one knows what it will do or say, and we – and more importantly the Lebanese – are entitled to find out.” He also warned against diplomacy by remote control, or what he called “by reading the newspapers,” and urged a more robust approach to on-the-ground diplomacy. He recognizes – because he understands Lebanon – that the state can only function if its institutions are strong. In Lebanon, the public sector is practically invisible, and consequently, public participation in national affairs has been hijacked by the political surrogates.
He also bemoaned the lack of material support and criticized what he saw as the curse of quick-fix aid. “While US assistance to Lebanon had surged after the 2006 war, it quickly reduced to the tens of millions of dollars, while Lebanon’s enemies, both foreign and domestic, took advantage of our and our allies’ relative frugality and poured huge investments into arms purchasing, social services, reconstruction efforts and propaganda,” he said, addressing the meeting in opening remarks.
The subject of this subcommittee’s discussion is something more US officials need to read up on, understand and use to formulate an intelligent policy for a region so crucial to US interests. A strong and democratic Lebanon is more than just a slogan for the campaign trail. It can be a reality, and, given what’s at stake, should be a priority. Most declarations of support to the US and its “friends in Lebanon” are often disappointing because of their lack of depth and understanding of the real issues. The transcript from this hearing should be required reading for all who seek a lasting and democratic solution in Lebanon.