LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِAugust 02/2010

Bible Of the Day
2 Corinthians 5:17/Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Today's Inspiring Thought: A New Creation in Christ
If you're like me, when you first read this Bible verse it was one of the most thrilling revelations of your new life in Christ. But it probably didn't take long for you to begin to doubt the truth of these words. Even though we do, in fact, undergo a miraculous transformation the moment we surrender our lives to Jesus, we don't always see it or feel it. This new existence happens because of our spiritual relationship to Christ—in Christ—and it is only in Christ that we are new. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and not anything we can achieve of our own efforts. So, rest in the knowledge of God's amazing creative work and have faith that it is, and forever will be, completely fulfilled in

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Syria Marches Into Lebanon; Saudis Surrender to Inevitable, State Department Proclaims Victory/By Barry Rubin/August 01/10
Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich: Time for a New Strategy to Defeat Radical Islamists/Newsmax./August 01/10
Calling out corruption/By: Sarah Lynch/August 01/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August 01/10
Sfeir Hopes Army Would Stay Victorious and Unify Lebanese/Naharnet
Geagea Discussed with Qatari Emir Peace Efforts and Situation in Lebanon/Naharnet
Hariri, Qatari Emir Hold Talks at Center House/Naharnet
Iran official: We'll burn down Tel Aviv in case of attack/Israeli News
Suleiman: Preservation of Civil Peace Responsibility of All Politicians Who Should Abide by Calm/Naharnet
Saudi Arabia and Syria Try to Douse Lebanon's Next Fire/Time
Qatar's emir visits south Lebanon/AFP
US Rep. King: Obama Must Confront Islamic Terror/Newsmax.
Berri hosts luncheon banquet/Gulf Times
Syria: Peace drawing away, chances of war increasing/Ynetnews
Cluster bomb ban comes into force/BBC News
Turkey, Syria engage in bird diplomacy/AP
Hajj Hasan: Hizbullah Rejects any Charge of Any Kind/Naharnet
Adwan: LF on the Lookout for International Tribunal/Naharnet
Aoun Says Army is Symbol of Sovereignty, No Indictment before Knowing Truth about False Witnesses/Naharnet
Nasrallah Has New Things to Say About Indictment on Tuesday/Naharnet
Roknabadi: We Support Iranian-Saudi Rapprochement that Consolidates Hizbullah/Naharnet
Hariri Vows to Thwart Possibility of Sectarian Strife/Naharnet
Berri: STL is Israel's Main Concern because it Aims to Cause Strife in Lebanon/Naharnet
NY Times: Assad-Abdullah Visit Underlines Syria's Re-emergence in Lebanon's Political Life/Naharnet
Tehran Says it Will Set Tel Aviv Ablaze if Attacked/Naharnet

Sfeir Hopes Army Would Stay Victorious and Unify Lebanese
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Sunday congratulated the army on its 65th anniversary, saying the military's mission consolidates civil peace and national unity.
"We hope our army would remain victorious in all its missions in the interior and the border in confronting any danger threatening the nation," Sfeir said on Army Day.
The patriarch also hoped the military would be the symbol of unity among Lebanese. On Saturday, Sfeir went on foot to the seat of the patriarchate in the monastery of Sayyidat Qannoubine and then headed to Saint Marina's shrine. At the shrine, Sfeir prayed for the soul of patriarchs buried there and then headed to Sayyidat Hawqa before returning back on foot to the Qannoubine monastery.  Sfeir was accompanied by several priests in his walk. The patriarch later held a mass at the monastery. Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 12:25

Washington Hopes that Tripartite Summit would Stress Commitment towards Lebanon's Sovereignty
Naharnet/U.S. State Department Spokesman Philip Crowley hoped that Friday's tripartite summit in Beirut would reaffirm the commitment towards Lebanon's sovereignty, "especially at a time when concerns surround the situation in the country." He also voiced a hope, in an implicit reference to Hizbullah, that the summit would help "curb those elements within Lebanon that caused passed conflicts." Beirut, 31 Jul 10, 09:05

Suleiman: Preservation of Civil Peace Responsibility of All Politicians Who Should Abide by Calm
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman said during Army Day celebration on Sunday that preservation of civil peace was the responsibility of all political parties and urged all politicians to abide by calm and avoid threats. "Political forces should be aware of the importance of this stage and the dangers that are threatening us," he said in his speech at the Shukri Ghanem barracks in Fayadiyeh on the 65th anniversary of the Lebanese army. "As president, I urge all political leaders to abide by media and political clam and avoid the language of threats," Suleiman said. The ceremony was attended by Speaker Nabih Berri, Premier Saad Hariri, cabinet members and political and diplomatic figures. Qatar's emir, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon, also attended the event as a guest of honor. Before the ceremony, Suleiman laid a wreath at an army martyrs memorial in the barracks. During his speech, he said history has thought the Lebanese that internal violence leads to more violence. "The only solution is consensus," Suleiman said. The president also stressed that cooperation between the army and UNIFIL based on its rules of engagement is a guarantee for the peacekeepers' good implementation of their mission. The army deserves to be the first national institution which in addition to other institutions consolidates the trust of Lebanese in their nation, he said. While citing the achievements of the government since the Doha accord such as holding elections on time, launching national dialogue and approving the state budget, Suleiman admitted that there are more objectives to be achieved. He said the government would launch reform at all levels despite skirmishes between politicians. In reference to Lebanese arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel, the president vowed that all spies will receive maxim punishment if accused.

Geagea Discussed with Qatari Emir Peace Efforts and Situation in Lebanon
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea discussed with visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani the situation in Lebanon and peace efforts in the region, Geagea's press office said in a statement on Sunday. The statement said the one-hour discussions were held at Sheikh Hamad's residence at the Phoenicia intercontinental hotel and were attended by MP Strida Geagea, LF official Joseph Nehmeh and Qatari Deputy Premier Abdullah al-Attiyah. The conferees discussed the Palestinian cause and peace efforts, said the statement. "They also talked about the situation in Lebanon following the tripartite summit that was held at Baabda palace." Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 11:51

Hariri, Qatari Emir Hold Talks at Center House
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks with visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani following a dinner at the Grand Serail on Saturday night. Hariri met with Qatar's emir at Center House after heading from the Grand Serail dinner to the prime minister's downtown Beirut residence in the same car. The meeting came following similar talks between Hariri and Saudi King Abdullah at Center House on Friday, in what analysts described as an unprecedented move. During the Grand Serail dinner, Hariri said he was committed to thwart the possibility of sectarian strife and stressed commitment to civil peace. The dinner was attended by President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri as well as many Lebanese political, social and religious figures. Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 08:35

Adwan: LF on the Lookout for International Tribunal
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan on Saturday said any statement by the international tribunal must be accompanied by evidence. "The Lebanese Forces will be on the lookout for the tribunal," Adwan cautioned in an interview with MTV. "The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is an international court. It puts facts, evidence and witnesses before the whole world.
The STL cannot draw up case scenarios, Adwan stressed. "Any announcement made by the tribunal should be accompanied by evidence, and we (Lebanese Forces) will be on the lookout for it," Adwan added. "No one is accusing the other. If a (political) camp wants to resort to arms, then its problem is not with us. "We are a political camp that is committed to freedom, calm and democracy. Thus, the problem of the other camp will be with the Lebanese state and not with any other party." Beirut, 31 Jul 10, 20:58

Berri: STL is Israel's Main Concern because it Aims to Cause Strife in Lebanon
Naharnet/House Speaker Nabih Berri stressed Saturday that Israel is aiming to exploit the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in order to create internal strife in Lebanon. He said during the reopening of the Bint Jbeil hospital in southern Lebanon: "Israel has nothing better to do than create division between the Lebanese." The House Speaker stressed the commitment towards the Doha agreement and Taif Accord in order to maintain the peace in Lebanon, as well as the importance of strengthening ties with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and implementing resolution 1701.Berri commended Qatar for its instrumental role in rebuilding Lebanon after the July 2006 war, adding that Lebanon possesses a deterrent power embodied in its Resistance, army, and people. Beirut, 31 Jul 10, 14:44

Aoun Says Army is Symbol of Sovereignty, No Indictment before Knowing Truth about False Witnesses
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said Sunday there was "no alternative to the Lebanese army which is the symbol of Lebanon's sovereignty and independence."
Aoun made his remark at Ghazir municipality after he laid a wreath at former President Fouad Shehab's grave during a tour of Kesrouan-Ftouh. After attending mass at Saint Semaan church in the town of Yahshouh, Aoun addressed crowds amassed outside. "We are on the verge of facing a new plot which I have warned about weeks ago," the MP said. "Israel is plotting problems and planning to hit stability in Lebanon." "A crime cannot go without punishment and an innocent can't be accused of a crime," he said about the recent tension over the possible indictment of Hizbullah members by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon next fall. "No indictment could be issued before knowing the truth about false witnesses" in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination case, Aoun told flag-waving supporters. Turning to Israeli threats to Lebanon and accusations that it was stirring tension in the country, the FPM leader said neither the Jewish state nor the U.S. can "impose their will on us." Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 13:29

Nasrallah Has New Things to Say About Indictment on Tuesday
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will unveil new details about the alleged indictment of the Shiite party members by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon during a rally marking the group's 2006 victory against Israel on Tuesday. Hizbullah's al-Manar TV said Saturday that the secretary-general will "make new statements about the indictment."
Despite denial by Saad Hariri's camp, Nasrallah said last week that the premier told him members of his group would be indicted by the tribunal investigating the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "There is no doubt that both of us would be in a difficult position," Nasrallah said, speaking by video link to a news conference in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Nasrallah unveiled Hariri had said that if Hizbullah members were indicted he was prepared to state publicly that the Shiite group had no links to the killing. Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 08:06

Hajj Hasan: Hizbullah Rejects any Charge of Any Kind
Naharnet/Agriculture Minister Hajj Hassan on Saturday said Hizbullah rejects any charge against Hizbullah members "of any kind and any form.""Yet," he said in an interview with Future News television channel, "we warn against continued U.S. and Israeli efforts aimed at sowing strife among the Lebanese." He said Hizbullah urges Arab and Lebanese leaders to prevent the U.S.-Israeli-driven sectarian strife from reaching Lebanon. While Hasan was very keen of Lebanon's stability, he said "Hizbullah rejects any charge of any kind and any form at any time."
He was referring to reports of an impending indictment by the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon against Hizbullah members for the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah this month revealed the U.N. tribunal probing Hariri's killing was poised to indict members of his party. But he made it clear he would not accept such a scenario and his deputy, Sheikh Naim Qassem, on Friday said the party had the right to defend itself through all available means. Beirut, 31 Jul 10, 21:06

Roknabadi: We Support Iranian-Saudi
Rapprochement that Consolidates Hizbullah
Naharnet/Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, said Tehran "supports Iranian-Saudi rapprochement" which "consolidates the resistance in Lebanon."
"The tripartite summit in Beirut on Friday showed Arab-Islamic harmony that Iran welcomes" in order to confront Israel, Roknabadi told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Sunday.Asked about reports that Saudi-Syrian rapprochement would have a negative impact on ties between Damascus and Tehran, the ambassador said: "There are strategic ties between Iran and Syria and not only an alliance." Relations between the two countries will not change, he stressed. Roknabadi described as "Israeli instigation" reports about Iran seeking to create chaos in Lebanon and the region through its support for Hizbullah. Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 10:09

Qatari Emir Makes Impressive Trip to South: Lebanon Capable of Taking Decision on its Own
Naharnet/Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani on Saturday made a high-profile visit to south Lebanon, a Hizbullah stronghold destroyed by Israel in the July 2006 war.
"Lebanon is capable of taking decisions of its own," Sheikh Hamad said after he was greeted by Hizbullah officials in southern Lebanon. He thanked the "Mujahideen who have sacrificed their wealth and lives to defend the homeland.""You have lifted Lebanon's head high as well as the heads of all Arabs," said Sheikh Hamad at the town of Bint Jbeil which took the brunt of Israel's destruction. Qatar is helping finance the rebuilding of south Lebanon, devastated by heavy fighting during Israel's 34-day war on Hizbullah.
"Lebanon is still facing many challenges, primarily the choice of its citizens to maintain the nationalism and Arabism of Lebanon," Sheikh Hamad said, stressing that Lebanon is "a nation that is home to people of all confessions, both Muslim and Christian." He was accompanied by President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad, representing Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. From Bint Jbeil, Hamad and Lebanese leaders headed to the nearby town of Khiam where the Qatari Emir and Suleiman inaugurated the municipal building. Fatima border crossing near the village of Kfar Kila was also part of Hamad's southern tour.
Around 4:00pm, Berri hosted a lunch in honor of Hamad at his mansion in the southern village of Mssaileh. Suleiman was also invited.
Hariri also hosted a dinner banquet at the Grand Serail in honor of Sheikh Hamad. The banquet was attended by Suleiman, Berri as well as many other political, social and religious figures.
Sheikh Hamad arrived in Lebanon for a three-day visit on Friday, the same day that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi King Abdullah made an unprecedented joint visit aimed at defusing political tensions. Fears of renewed conflict in Lebanon rose in July after Nasrallah revealed he knew that an international tribunal probing ex-premier Rafik Hariri's assassination was poised to indict Hizbullah members. In May 2008, a government bid to curb Hizbullah's power brought Lebanon close to a new civil war when a week of sectarian clashes killed more than 100 people as Hizbullah and opposition militants seized large swathes of Sunni areas in Beirut. Qatar also has played a key role in ending the 2008 crisis, brokering an agreement for the formation of a national unity government. Beirut, 31 Jul 10, 19:27

Suleiman Highlights Doha's Influential Role as Qatari Emir Expresses Pride in Lebanon's National Unity
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman on Friday highlighted Qatar's influential role in reaching the Doha Accord, which helped restore calm in Lebanon following the infamous May 7 clashes, in addition to its role in "the reconstruction process, especially after the July aggression and the issuance of Resolution 1701." During a dinner banquet thrown in honor of visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who arrived in Lebanon on a 3-day official visit, Suleiman announced: "The talks tackled the concerns of the Arab nation and the international community -- which is calling for combating terrorism and working on achieving permanent development despite its blatant laxity in the face of Israel's acts."
"We stressed the importance of keeping the Arab Peace Initiative as a basis as well as the need to implement it without any delay and according to fixed timeframes," Suleiman added.
The president thanked the emir of Qatar "for supporting Lebanon's causes in international forums." "We are working on sparing the Lebanese the threats through the means of unity and wisdom," Suleiman announced. For his part, Sheikh Hamad addressed the invitees at the dinner banquet by saying: "We want Lebanon to preserve its unity and to remain free and sovereign under all circumstances and in the face of all pressures."

The emir of Qatar voiced pride in Lebanon's national unity "which Qatar helped establish."
"We realize how much sensitive the current period is, and we pray to God that it passes peacefully," Sheikh Hamad added.
"Our visit to Lebanon coincides with the joint visit of the Saudi king and the Syrian president, and we laud these efforts that aim to back Lebanon and safeguard it against sliding toward a situation only its enemies would benefit from." The emir stressed that Qatar's "stance of solidarity with Lebanon is an essential cornerstone in our policies and we wouldn't hesitate for a second to do anything that aids Lebanon."The Qatari emir arrived in Beirut Friday on a 3-day official visit, just around one hour after Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad concluded an unprecedented joint visit to the country aimed at defusing tensions over reports of an impending indictment against several Hizbullah members for the murder of ex-premier Rafik Hariri. The emir, who is staying until Sunday, is to meet separately with top Lebanese leaders and due to visit the south of the country to inspect the Qatari-sponsored reconstruction projects that were launched following the devastative July 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon.
President Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Saad Hariri welcomed the Qatari emir at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport.
The emir's convoy then left his residency place at the Habtour Hotel for the presidential palace in Baabda for an expanded meeting with President Suleiman and other officials.
The expanded meeting was followed by a closed-door one between the emir and the Lebanese president.
President Suleiman then threw a dinner banquet honor of the emir of Qatar. The banquet was attended by Speaker Berri, PM Hariri, Lebanese ministers and MPs, former presidents, heads of political parties and the members of the national dialogue committee who had previously took part in the reconciliatory Doha Conference.
The Emir will be accompanied during the visit by his wife Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned. Accompanying the emir also are his Personal Representative Sheikh Jassem bin Hamad al-Thani, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah as well as a high level official delegation.
Following Sheikh Hamad's tour in the South Saturday, he will head to Speaker Berri's southern hometown of al-Msaileh where he will attend a lunch banquet thrown in his honor.
Saturday evening the emir will arrive at the Center House in Beirut to attend a dinner banquet thrown in his honor by PM Hariri. On August 1, Lebanon's Army Day, Sheikh Hamad will attend, alongside Lebanese leaders, the military parade celebrating the occasion. Beirut, 30 Jul 10, 23:53

'Overwhelming Emotion' as Chelsea Clinton Weds Longtime Boyfriend
Naharnet/Chelsea Clinton wed her longtime boyfriend under extraordinary security at an elegant Hudson River estate late Saturday. Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced in a statement that their daughter wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky after weeks of secrecy and buildup that had celebrity watchers flocking to the small village of Rhinebeck for the evening nuptials. The site of the wedding, a Beaux Arts riverside estate called Astor Courts, was sealed off from the general public.
"Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends," the Clintons said. "We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family. On behalf of the newlyweds, we want to give special thanks to the people of Rhinebeck for welcoming us and to everyone for their well-wishes on this special day."
Chelsea Clinton, wearing a strapless white gown with a full skirt and silver beading around the waist and carrying a bouquet of white flowers, was escorted down the aisle by her father. The former president and the groom wore dark suits, while the mother of the bride wore a fuchsia dress.
It is estimated that hundreds of guests gathered at the historic estate near the end of a near-perfect summer day of warm temperatures, blue skies and cottony clouds. The ceremony was conducted by a rabbi and a reverend as Chelsea Clinton is Methodist and Mezvinsky is Jewish, and included a poem by Leo Marks titled, "The Life That I Have," according to the family.
The wedding was a mix of high society and high security. The road to Astor Courts was blocked off Saturday — neighbors received bottles of wine for their troubles — and the sky above was declared a no-fly zone by federal aviation officials. Police and security guards fanned out around this usually sleepy town.
Consistent with Chelsea Clinton's desire for privacy, the family had released no details of the wedding beyond the date. But the scope of the event became apparent when more than a half-dozen busloads of wedding guests — men in black tie, women in dresses — were transported from a hotel in the village to the riverside ceremony as gawkers looked on.
Celebrities spotted in Rhinebeck for the event included actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, fashion designer Vera Wang, Madeleine Albright, who was secretary of state during Bill Clinton's second term as president and Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chairman. The former president's half brother, Roger Clinton, was spotted early Saturday afternoon with his son Tyler, picking up food at a restaurant. Chelsea Clinton and Mezvinsky were friends as teenagers in Washington, and both attended Stanford University. They now live in New York, where Mezvinsky works at G3 Capital, a Manhattan hedge fund. Mezvinsky worked previously at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker.
Clinton completed her master's degree in public health earlier this year at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Mezvinsky is a son of former U.S. Reps. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania and Ed Mezvinsky of Iowa, longtime friends of the Clintons. His parents are divorced.(AP) Beirut, 01 Aug 10, 08:15

Aoun: STL cannot issue an indictment before resolving false witnesses issue
August 1, 2010 /During his tour in the Kesrouan district on Sunday, Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) cannot issue an indictment before resolving the issue of false testimony on the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Earlier in July, the STL held a public hearing over former General Security head Brigadier General Jamil as-Sayyed’s request for documents related to his imprisonment. Sayyed, who was jailed for four years for his alleged involvement in the Rafik Hariri murder, claims he is the victim of false witnesses.  “Everyone admitted that there were false witnesses who testified about the murder of Rafik Hariri,” Aoun said, questioning who manipulated them. “Why is the Lebanese judiciary prevented from limiting the investigation [in the Rafik Hariri murder] to Lebanon and [questioning] Syrian witnesses?” he also asked.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah earlier in July said that he doubts the STL’s credibility and last Sunday called for forming a Lebanese commission to investigate alleged false witnesses used in the tribunal’s investigation. “We thank every Arab and international effort seeking to uncover the truth [behind Rafik Hariri’s assassination], but [we do not welcome efforts] to frame the crime on anyone with the intentions of destabilizing Lebanon,” Aoun said. “Israel is planning for trouble in Lebanon [so that] international resolutions are imposed on us at the expense of our sovereignty,” the Change and Reform bloc leader also said. He also slammed the US, saying “it can crush [Lebanon] with its weapons, but it cannot impose on us its policies.”-NOW Lebanon

Calling out corruption
Sarah Lynch, August 1, 2010
Schools in Lebanon are among the institutions susceptible to widespread corruption. But Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh is taking steps to end that. (AFP photo)
Daily acts of corruption often go unquestioned in Lebanon. Parties involved find ways to hide or justify their actions, while others turn a blind eye.
But when it comes to education, someone is finally taking action to edge corruption out.
Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh announced in a conference on Tuesday that his ministry is “isolating” eight private school directors, meaning their signatures will no longer be considered valid by the Ministry of Education. He also gave warnings to 50 schools across Lebanon for violating the law, and threatened to shut down the schools if violations continue to occur.
According to Mneimneh, the schools were involved in acts of corruption. Directors of eight unnamed institutions accepted into grade nine Brevet classes students who had failed grade eight in exchange for money from the students’ parents.
Meanwhile, the 50 unnamed private schools submitted inaccurate student lists to the Ministry of Education. These lists omitted names of students who were likely to fail the grade nine Brevet exams. By doing this, these students would not be counted into the total percentage of students who fail the exams, allowing the schools to appear higher in national test-score rankings.
“There were files of violations that were accumulating, and they needed to be addressed,” Albert Chamoun, media advisor to Mneimneh, told NOW Lebanon. “It is a bold move toward private schools.”
The move to call out corruption is the first action of its kind to be announced publicly. It also comes alongside the education minister’s five-year plan to reform Lebanon’s school system.
“Reform will always be there and coming up with policy is at the basic level,” Chamoun said. “But the new factor is that these [corrupt] policies are put to an end.”
Putting them to an end, however, still needs work. Corruption is prevalent in institutions beyond just the 58 schools reprimanded by Mneimneh. Rawan Yaghi, a teacher at a public high school in Baalbek, said she knew a student who failed eleventh grade. Instead of dropping out, however, the student paid the director of a small private school in Beirut to forge grade reports, which falsely stated that he passed grade 11. The student then took the report to a private school in Baalbek and enrolled in twelfth grade. Because the student was finagling with schools in different regions, the ministry never noticed.
Dr. Ahmad Oueini, head of the Department of Education at the Lebanese American University, is also aware of such issues. “I know of certain administrators who figure out ways to promote students from grade to grade, even if they failed, for sums of money,” he said.
He also said there is a lot of corruption during official exams. “Someone close to me paid serious money to the person in charge of an exam center,” Oueini said. “They paid him $100 a day for four days of testing, and the student didn’t even pass.”
Many educators NOW Lebanon spoke with believe these acts of corruption are most prevalent in private schools, where official oversight is lacking. But corruption permeates the entire school system, and extends even further. Lebanon ranked 130 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2009 report on corruption, on a par with Nigeria and Libya.
Even Prime Minister Saad Hariri released a statement this week urging parliamentary commissions to quickly approve laws that address corruption.
Because the problem is so widespread, some experts believe that corruption in the education system cannot be eradicated if other sectors still allow it. “The minister might feel obliged at some point to give in [to corruption] if he is pressured by people outside the ministry,” Iman Osta, professor of Mathematical Education at the Lebanese American University, said. “It’s a matter of addressing corruption in the whole country.” Even still, educators say Mneimneh’s move is a step in the right direction. “It sends a message that you have to be careful, that your actions have certain repercussions and that there’s accountability,” said Oueini.Osta agrees. “I think this will make other administrators think long and hard before doing such things.”

Canadian Ambassador finishes term in Lebanon
August 1, 2010 /Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon Martial Page left Beirut on Sunday after his term as Ottawa’s envoy to the country ended, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
-NOW Lebanon

Habib slams Aoun over recent criticism of Geagea
August 1, 2010 /During a Lebanese Forces dinner on Saturday evening, LF bloc MP Farid Habib slammed Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun for his recent accusations against LF leader Samir Geagea, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. This comes after Aoun on Tuesday criticized Geagea, after the latter said on Monday that “those who talk about inciting sedition in Lebanon are the ones who trigger it,” a possible reference to the March 8 coalition. “Aoun’s [statements] target the Christians who do not follow him and his collaboration with Iranian policies,” Habib said. He added that Aoun fears the growing influence of the LF and is terrified by Geagea’s credibility. -NOW Lebanon

Qabalan hopes Lebanese, Syrian armies will liberate Israeli-occupied territories
August 1, 2010 /Higher Islamic Shia Council Deputy Head Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan congratulated Lebanon and Syria on Sunday on the occasion of the countries’ Army Day, the National News Agency reported. He voiced hope that both countries’ armies would liberate the Shebaa Farms, Kfar Shouba Hills and the Golan Heights from Israeli occupation, the agency added. Qabalan also called on the Lebanese people and state to support the country’s army. “Lebanon’s strength is in its army, people and Resistance,” Qabalan added.
-NOW Lebanon

Qawouk says Assad’s Beirut visit proves March 8 is right
August 1, 2010 /Hezbollah official in South Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qawouk said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Friday visit to Lebanon proves that the positions of the March 8 coalition are right. Past campaigns against Syria have failed, he added. Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Beirut on Friday in a bid to calm the political situation. Qawouk also said that Hezbollah intends to protect Lebanon and the region from US and Israeli sabotage attempts.-NOW Lebanon

Iran official: We'll burn down Tel Aviv in case of attack
Islamic Republic's UN envoy says preoccupation with Israeli strike symbolizes 'enemies' fear'
Dudi Cohen Published: 08.01.10, 12:48 / Israel News
Iran's UN Ambassador Mohammed Khazaee said over the weekend that should Israel attack his country's nuclear facilities "Tehran will burn down Tel Aviv." The ambassador, currently visiting Iran, told local press that preoccupation with an Israeli attack signifies "the enemies' fear." Tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program grew in recent weeks mainly over sanctions imposed by the UN, United States, European Union and other countries following Tehran's refusal to meet the Security Council's demands.
According to the envoy, the West uses the nuclear issue as an excuse. "Should we announce we're withdrawing the nuclear program and uranium enrichment, actions against Iran will not stop and they will find a new excuse to confront Iran every day." He further noted that should the Islamic Republic back out on the program, "enemies would only find other excuses to terrorize the Iranian regime." Iranian officials have commented on the matter from time to time and warned Israel and the US of a military strike. They insist Tehran's nuclear program is meant for civilian purposes and not for the development of an atom bomb, as the West asserts.

Assad: Chances of ME war increasing
By JPOST.COM STAFF
08/01/2010 13:04 /Syrian president says real peace in the area is getting further away. Syrian President Bashar Assad says that "real peace in the Middle East is getting further away and the chances of war and violence are increasing."Assad put forward his opinion in a letter published Sunday to honor 65 years since the establishment of the Syrian army. "Those think that Syria will compromise her principals are mistaken. We understand the price of standing frim and resisting is high but it is still lower than the price of submission," Assad wrote in the letter.

Netanyahu: Talks to begin in August
By JPOST.COM STAFF
08/01/2010 11:27
PM says direct negotiations with Palestinians will start in two weeks. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced at a ministerial meeting Sunday that direct negotiations with the Palestinians will begin by the middle of August. Netanyahu added that at this point he had received any Palestinian peace program. Netanyahu's comments come after Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said that the Palestinians are proposing a detailed peace plan proposal that covers all the core issues. Erekat stated that this proposal is the best one to date and covers issues such as Jerusalem, borders and refugees. "We presented the proposal to [US Middle East envoy] George Mitchell over two months ago so that he would offer it to [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu, however we still haven't received any answers. Erekat refused to reveal the details of the plan but said that the Palestinians do not want to disqualify Netanyhau as a partner for peace. " I hope that [Netanyahu] will be a partner to peace so that we can reach a solution involving two states for two nations," the chief negotiator said.
Erekat also mentioned the letter that US President Barack Obama sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas saying that if the Palestinians don't enter direct talks then relations with Washington will be damaged. "The letter did not contain threats, he requested that we enter into direct talks and stand shoulder to shoulder so that we can reach a two state solution," Erekat added. Erekat expressed his opposition to rockets being targeted at Israel from Gaza. "We have always opposed the launching of rockets towards Israel, we want a cease fire with the eventual goal of an end to the conflict," Erekat said.

Rep. King: Obama Must Confront Islamic Terror
Thursday, 29 Jul 2010
By: Ashley Martella
Rep. Peter King says the Obama administration coddles the country’s enemies with soft rhetoric that emboldens them to continue their terrorist ways.
“We have an unyielding enemy, an enemy that is vicious and bitter, an enemy which will resort to any tactics any time to achieve the goal of destroying us a society,” the New York Republican told a gathering at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The Obama administration won’t even use the term “Islamic terrorism” to address the source of the threat, he said. “The enemy is Islamic terrorism,” King said. The nine-term congressman credits CIA interrogations with helping prevent another terrorist attack after 9/11. But the Obama administration considered going after CIA attorneys who advised interrogators, he said. “When you have Eric Holder, as one of first acts to say that he intends to have a criminal investigation of the CIA interrogators, who kept us safe for over seven years, this was exactly the wrong message to send to the enemy. It also helps to demoralize our forces, the men and women who are on the front lines who have to get the job done,” King said. As a consequence, terrorists feel free to inflict attacks such as the Fort Hood, Texas, massacre, as well as the Christmas Day bombing attempt on a Detroit-bound airliner, and an attempted bombing in Times square, he said. Terrorists view even the failed attempts successes because they penetrated U.S. security, King said. A native New Yorker, King said he strongly opposes to building a mosque only two blocks from the World Trade Center site, the location of the deadliest ever attack on U.S. soil. © Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Gingrich: Time for a New Strategy to Defeat Radical Islamists
Saturday, 31 Jul 2010 06:52 PM Article Font Size
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the United States needs a new, bolder strategy to deal with the serious threats facing America from radical Islamists “who want to kill us.”
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, Gingrich said America is at risk because “Our secular elites find it very hard to understand the power if religion, and find it very hard to take seriously [any] threats to America. They're always excusing, apologizing and explaining people who are our mortal enemies.
'Radical Islamists are people who want to impose on the rest of us sharia, which is a form of Medieval law, which would fundamentally end America as we know it. And there are fairly disturbing signs that some places, such as a recent court case in New Jersey, you see some judges beginning to succumb to this kind of reasoning. So I think we need a new strategy, a much bolder strategy and a much clearer sense of what we're fighting for and what's at stake.”
According to Gingrich, this new strategy should involve “a combination of political, economic, diplomatic, social, cultural, intellectual and military means. But all of them have to go together. You have to have a complete strategy that enables you to isolate and defeat radicals while empowering and modernizing those who are prepared to live in the modern world.”
Gingrich also said America's failures in national security are nothing less than a national scandal, deserving of an in-depth investigation at the highest levels.
“On the scandal side it starts with the fact that despite all the billions we've spent, all the reorganization, [creating] the director of national intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, we had no warning of the Christmas Day bomber on the airplane over Detroit until his bomb failed to go off and his pants began to smoke,” he said. “We had no warning of the car bomb in Times Square until the bomb failed to go off and a T-shirt vendor reported to the police that the car was smoking. So we should have a serious national inquiry into why, after nine years since 9/11, we're still so unable to identify and isolate people who want to kill us.”
But radical Islamists are not the only threat to America's peace and prosperity, Gingrich said.
“The only other major threat we have is, frankly, is getting our economy back online so we can create jobs and be the most innovative, productive economy in the world, so we can successfully compete with China and India,” he said. “If we're able to isolate and defeat the radical Islamists, and we're able to compete successfully with China and India, we probably have no major national security problem in the next 50 years.”
One of America's national security failures centers on how the battle versus terrorists was framed soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, said Gingrich, who believes that it was a mistake for the Bush administration to call its response a “war on terrorism.”
“I think if we had said early on that we were faced with a long struggle with radical Islamists and that this is a war that involves breaking their capacity to impose sharia on the rest of us, we'd be much better off today, we'd have a much better understanding of the challenges, we would've used different strategy in some places. But we'd also be much more direct and aggressive in trying to defend America from the imposition of this kind of radical dictatorship.”
Other topics Gingrich discussed during the interview include:
The leaks of the Wikileaks documents on Afghanistan should be considered an "unconscionable" act of treason. It isn't only that the documents were leaked, he said. "I think we should also be very, very strong in our condemnation of the newspapers that published them."
Regarding the mosque controversy at ground zero, Gingrich urged the president and Congress to declare the area around the World Trade Center site a national military battlefield "because that was a battle and it's part of a real war." More Americans were killed at the World Trade Center than at any battle site in the United States since the Civil War. That justifies designating the area as a national battlefield, he said, where only "appropriate" buildings and uses would be allowed near the battlefield.
© Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Syria Marches Into Lebanon; Saudis Surrender to Inevitable, State Department Proclaims Victory
By Barry Rubin
P.J. Crowley, State Department spokesman and its answer to Pollyanna (Note 1), looks at the advance of America’s enemies and gives the advice that their strategy isn’t working. Ah, but it is. Crowley responds to the following question about the joint visit of the Saudi king and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, self-styled leader of the Resistance to American interests in the Arabic-speaking world, to Beirut.
“Do you see this as an effort, with your help, to distance Syria from Iran?”
For goodness sakes! People in the region see the visit as the exact opposite: the Saudi acceptance of Syrian (and hence of Iranian also) hegemony in Lebanon. It is the seal of Saudi approval for Lebanon’s surrender to the Iran-Syria bloc, but at the same time trying to preserve some remnant of Saudi influence.
It's just like Turkey. Iran and Syria pull Turkey into their orbit and the U.S. government and British prime minister congratulate Turkey for being a good influence on Iran and Syria!
Crowley responds to the question:
“Well, we have made clear that Syria’s relationship with Iran is of concern to us. And to the extent that Syria wants to advance its relations within the region and around the world, it would be much better for Syria to distance itself from Iran and move in a more constructive direction.”
Why better? The United States does maintain some sanctions on Syria but Washington is engaging Damascus. The Obama Administration puts no obstacle in Syria’s way regarding its reestablishment of Lebanon as a satellite; does nothing about Hizballah which now bullies the UN “peacekeeping” force at will; has actually helped the Syrian- (and Iranian) backed Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and pretty much ignores Syrian organization and helping terrorists in Iraq who kill Americans.
Meanwhile, Europe is moving toward giving Syria what it wants, while Syria’s protector Iran is advancing toward nuclear weapons. (Iran faces tougher sanctions but these have no negative effect on Syria.)
So why should Syria distance itself from Iran? In fact, the two countries are constantly tightening their relations and now (virtually unnoticed by the U.S. and UK governments) have brought the Turkish regime into the alliance.
Crowley makes a statement that can only provoke gales of laughter in the Middle East:
“The relationship between Syria and Iran gets Syria very, very little….”
Let’s see, how about this list: billions of dollars in Iranian aid, free weapons and political support for Syrian clients Hamas and Hizballah, backing for Syrian ambitions in Lebanon and among the Palestinians, religious cover to sanctify Syria’s non-Muslim rulers as Muslim, and soon a nuclear umbrella! This is not the entire list by any means.
Meanwhile, as Assad triumphantly enters into Lebanon—a country he had to flee due to U.S. pressure a few years ago—the U.S. government doesn’t even notice that it has suffered a defeat.
The clueless Crowley urges Assad to listen to Saudi King Abdallah, who presumably will have some moderating effect on him. P.J. doesn’t get it. The situation is the exact opposite: Abdallah looked at a weak and confused U.S. policy and then decided to listen to Assad.

Lebanon: The Cover and the Commitment
Sun, 01 August 2010
Abdullah Iskandar/Al Hayat
The selective implementation of the Taif Agreement in Lebanon led to the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, and the ensuing major political crisis, tensions, and conflicts that included the assassination of other personalities and the recourse to the use of arms. Then the Doha agreement came to put an end to this crisis, and helped elect a new consensual president, and a government of national unity, in the hope that the new situation would pave the way for finalizing the implementation of the Taif Agreement, and strengthening the formula of political and sectarian coexistence.
Both agreements received an Arab and international cover, and special sponsorship by Saudi Arabia and Syria. The cover and sponsorship were then renewed through the tripartite summit in Beirut and the visit by the Emir of Qatar to Lebanon, and before that, during the talks of King Abdullah in Sharm el-Sheikh and Damascus. It seems that renewing this cover has become crucial, when it loomed over the horizon that there is a possibility of returning to tension and internal strife.
Herein lies the crux of the matter in the current Lebanese equation. One of the key provisions in the Doha agreement is to refrain from resorting to force to resolve internal differences. Today, with the tripartite summit’s renewed commitment to civil peace and the protection of stability, the question arises again regarding the selective implementation of the Doha agreement. Despite the fact that the latter was signed for a provisional period, it has become a part of the equation for internal settlement.
The threat that necessitated the visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and President Assad together to Beirut is a result of the selective implementation of the Doha agreement. Prior to the agreement, one of the parties to the conflict failed to abide by its provisions relating to political appeasement, and those that call for refraining from the threat or the use of arms.
Superficially, it seems that the escalation is linked to the indictment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), and the preemptive attack launched by Hezbollah against the STL, on the basis of the suspicion that it will accuse members of the party. However, a more profound examination shows that this escalation means that the state’s management of the country’s affairs, including the issue of the STL, must be based on the party’s stances. Any contradiction with this will turn into a conspiracy against the resistance, and whoever fails to support the party in its disputes against the others becomes an adverse party, if not a collaborator with Israel. This is not to mention assuming a series of powers and jurisdictions that are exclusive to the state and forcing recognition of this. As a result, the scope of the state’s responsibilities and official instruments have shrunk, while the party’s seized ones have expanded.
This ongoing process, which is violating the Taif and Doha agreements in that they are both solutions for an internal crisis and a way to manage stability, entails the threat of ‘demonizing’ components within the country. This strikes is going deep into the roots of Lebanese political and sectarian pluralism, leading to only one political color ultimately prevailing.
In the tripartite summit, all sides achieved what each saw as its goal, even if the final declaration focused on stability and civil peace as common concerns. However, the problem does not lie in the general Arab and international convictions regarding the need to rescue Lebanon from slipping back into violence. Instead, the problem is the insistence of the strongest faction on the ground, i.e. Hezbollah, on using all means possible when it feels it is under threat, and on the belief that revealing the perpetrators of political crimes in Lebanon, through the STL, is necessarily a conspiracy against the party.
Based on what has been leaked to the Lebanese press regarding the Syrian-Saudi talks in Damascus, and the bilateral and trilateral talks in Beirut, Hezbollah did not provide any guarantees or answers regarding the extent of its commitment to all the provisions of the Doha agreement, and subsequently, the selective implementation of the latter remains a possibility.
Yesterday, a tour of the southern Lebanese towns was arranged for the Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who was accompanied by senior officials in the Lebanese state, in such a manner that everyone appeared to be the guests of Hezbollah in that region.