LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِAugust
24/2010
Bible Of
the Day
Ecclesiastes 4/1-6: " Then I
returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold,
the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the
side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 4:2
Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who
are yet alive. 4:3 Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who
has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4:4 Then I saw all the
labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity
and a striving after wind. 4:5 The fool folds his hands together and ruins
himself. 4:6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor
and chasing after wind.
Free Opinions, Releases,
letters, Interviews & Special Reports
We should
be happy/Now Lebanon/August 23/10
Bachir
the dream that will never die
Click Here or down on the link to watch the
celebration held today in Lebanon in the 28th remembrance day for electing
Bachir Gymael president for the republic of Lebanon on August 23/1983
http://mtv.com.lb/Bachir_Gemayel_Election_Memorial/08_23_2010?type=1&filter=0
Latest News
Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August 23/10
Ahmadinejad: Israel lacks
courage to attack Iran/AP/AFP/Israel News
Iran begins mass production of 2
assault boats/AFP/Israel News
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Not
Ruled Out in Hariri Murder Probe/Naharnet
Aoun: STL is an
'international plot' that does not seek justice/Daily
Star
Hariri tells parties to keep STL detached from local debates/Daily Star
Sayyed: Hariri's Assassination
Designed to Implicate Syria, Explode Lebanon/Naharnet
Issawi Confirms Fransen's
Decision on Sayyed's Request for Access to Documents in Sept/Naharnet
Hizbullah Sources: STL Not
Satisfied with Just indicting Nasrallah/Naharnet
Israeli Expert Expects Settlement
of STL Issue: It Won't Ignite War among Lebanese/Naharnet
A Lot of Question Marks after
Najjar Assigned to False Witnesses Case, Hizbullah Official/Naharnet
Hariri Meets Hizbullah Official,
Discusses with Jumblat Dimensions of Syrian-Saudi Summit/Naharnet
Lebanese ship delays
departure to Gaza/Jerusalem Post
Israel 'Makes All Preparations'
to Deal with Mariam as Netanyahu Discusses Issue with Ministers/Naharnet
Suleiman: Things Require Long
Period of Calm/Naharnet
Issawi Confirms Fransen's
Decision on Sayyed's Request for Access to Documents in Sept/Naharnet
Hariri Urges Arming Military,
Security Forces/Naharnet
Jumblatt: Hariri keen on
fostering a calm atmosphere/Now Lebanon
Franjieh to Safadi: Calm Down …
Government Will Stay!/Naharnet
Israel Spy Who Sought to Run for
2009 Elections Arrested, Report/Naharnet
Abdullah: Opposition Cabinet
Ministers Not Quitting/Naharnet
European Embassies Suspected of
Facilitating Spies Escape, Report/Naharnet
Sahili Demands Speedy Trial and
Death Penalty to Israeli Spies/Naharnet
Report: Syria Seizes 2 Million
Narcotic Pills Smuggled from Lebanon/Naharnet
Hizbullah Sources: STL Not
Satisfied with Just indicting Nasrallah
Naharnet/The Kuwaiti Al-Rai said Monday that a report published by the newspaper
from Washington under the headline "The story is bigger than Badreddine"
received great attention from Hizbullah which thoroughly examined the details
given that it shed light on developments related to the international tribunal
and the indictment.
Al-Rai quoted sources close to Hizbullah as saying that the Shiite group is
"certain that the steps to be taken by the international community will not only
be restricted to fabricating an indictment accusing Imad Mughniyeh and Mustafa
Badreddine, but it will even go beyond accusing Nasrallah to charge Iranian
officials linked to supporting Resistance activity in the region."
The sources believed that such indictments were aimed at "tarnishing the
Resistance image and isolating it." They are also designed to keep up sanctions
against Iran "through showing its involvement in the killing of a Sunni leader,
and, consequently, incite Gulf States to join the decision to punish Iran and
wage war against it," the sources added. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 10:48
Israeli Expert Expects Settlement of STL Issue: It Won't Ignite War among
Lebanese
Naharnet/An Israeli expert on Lebanese and Syrian affairs on Monday expected a
settlement of the international tribunal issue, ruling out that war among
Lebanese could ignite as a result.
Eyal Zisser, Director for Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African
Studies, believed that Prime Minister Saad Hariri had no other choice. "Hariri
does not have a choice. He is very far from the possibility of going out for a
confrontation against Hizbullah after he lost the support of Washington which is
mired in domestic issues," Zisser said. He said the U.S. has not been showing
enthusiasm for efforts to defend its friends in Lebanon, adding that the Arab
world will, too, will not "physically" support Hariri should he decide to face
up to Hizbullah. Zisser believed that efforts, however, will be made to find a
way out of the STL crisis. "And, therefore, a new war in Lebanon is not likely,
"he concluded. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 09:09
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Not Ruled Out in Hariri Murder Probe
Naharnet/A U.S. source did not rule out Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps in the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Al-Liwaa newspaper on
Monday quoted the source as saying that "rising Iranian tension over the
International Tribunal and remarks made by Iranian officials in this regard was
due to fears that Iranian names could be implicated in Hariri's assassination."
It said the source did not rule out that indictments could touch Mohammad Reza
Zahedi, who is better known as Hasan Mahdavi, Force Commander of Quds Brigade in
Lebanon, and Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in charge of the Lebanon-based Quds Brigade
in Iran's Revolutionary Guards. This Brigade, which Hizbullah is affiliated
with, is in charge of the Revolutionary Guards' activity outside Iran, al-Liwaa
added. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 07:06
A Lot of Question Marks after Najjar Assigned to False Witnesses Case, Hizbullah
Official
Naharnet/A senior Hizbullah official said the Shiite group was not surprised by
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare's request to obtain
information in Hizbullah's possession allegedly implicating Israel in the 2005
assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. Regarding the issue of false witnesses,
As-Safir newspaper on Monday quoted the official as saying that "Hizbullah, just
like many others, have a lot of question marks after Lebanese Forces Minister
Ibrahim Najjar was assigned to the case." Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 11:13
Hariri Meets Hizbullah Official, Discusses with Jumblat Dimensions of
Syrian-Saudi Summit
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri separately discussed the situation in
Lebanon and regional developments with Druze leader Walid Jumblat and Hizbullah
official Hajj Hussein Khalil.
Jumblat described as "excellent" his talks with Hariri at Qoreitem Palace late
Sunday. Local media on Monday said the Hariri-Khalil talks addressed a number of
issues as well as internal and external developments. Hariri's meeting with
Jumblat, however, focused on the Syrian-Saudi summit. "Hariri is aware of the
significance of going along with the Syrian-Saudi principle" to calm the Lebanon
waters, Jumblat said in remarks published Monday. He said Hariri is also aware
of the importance of dialogue with all parties. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 08:03
Issawi Confirms Fransen's Decision on Sayyed's Request for Access to Documents
in Sept
Naharnet/Special Tribunal for Lebanon spokeswoman Fatima el-Issawi has confirmed
that Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen will abide by the date he had set to issue
his ruling over the request of Jamil Sayyed for access to certain documents
linked to false witnesses. In principal, Fransen will issue his decision in the
first half of September, Issaw told As Safir newspaper in remarks published
Monday. Asked about the decision of the Lebanese cabinet to task Justice
Minister Ibrahim Najjar with studying the issue of false witnesses in ex-Premier
Rafik Hariri's assassination, Issawi said the tribunal does not comment on such
decisions. She said the STL has been authorized to prosecute those involved in
Hariri's Feb. 2005 murder. If conditions were available, the authorization would
also include the suspects of other attacks that took place in Lebanon between
Oct. 1, 2004 and 12 December 2005 or later on.
Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 08:30
Hariri Urges Arming Military, Security Forces
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri has called for equipping the Lebanese army
with weapons and armor following the recent confrontation between Lebanese and
Israeli troops along the border town of Adeisseh. "We are on the verge of
several regional developments, and wisdom requires the use of reason and logic,"
Hariri told an Iftar in Qoreitem in honor of families and figures from northern
Bekaa. "Last month, important guests visited Lebanon," Hariri said in reference
to Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad. "The focus was on the
Arab framework for stability in Lebanon. Stability in the country is essential
and it generates prosperity and creates job opportunities," Hariri stressed.
"And in order to preserve this, we must work to maintain this stability. Thus, I
call for strengthening and equipping all military and security forces," Hariri
urged. He said the security forces include the Lebanese army, Internal Security
Forces, General Security and State Security. On the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, Hariri reiterated his commitment to the "cause of justice." "Truth is a
national responsibility that should not be abandoned or waived whatever the
reasons are. "The path of justice will not be disrupted," he vowed. "Some people
want the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to remain an issue of
argument. And we see that talking too much about this issue will not change
anything. Hariri believed that recent tense stances "from one side" could
deteriorate the political atmosphere. Turning to the electricity crisis that has
sparked street protests, Hariri said blocking roads with burning tires "does not
solve the problem." "The solution would be by approving the budget in Parliament
and starting to work, while taking into consideration the priorities of the
people, which are also the priorities of the government." "The problem has been
there for years and it is mainly due to the lack of investments in the
electricity sector since the year 1997," he acknowledged. "Today, we have a plan
that was approved by Cabinet and we have to execute it," Hariri noted. Beirut,
23 Aug 10, 08:18
'Riyadh plans to sabotage Hezbollah'
Sun Aug 22, 2010
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/139713.html
Lebanese Hezbollah chief Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah (R) and former Lebanese premier
Rafiq HaririSaudi Arabia's King Abdullah is spending $500 million to implicate
Hezbollah in the murder of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, a report says.
Hezbollah has new evidence about the murder of Hariri that, if revealed, would
be damaging to Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's royal family, the official website of
Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement party said on Sunday. Nasrallah's commitment
to maintain Lebanon's peace and unity has forced him to not to disclose the
evidence, the report said. “King Abdullah has allocated $500 million... to
finance propaganda against Hezbollah, but Saudi Arabia's objective is not only
to ruin the reputation of Hezbollah... but to tarnish the image of Seyyed Hassan
Nasrallah,” the Lebanese website quoted a Saudi Arabian opposition official as
saying. Rafiq Hariri, the father of incumbent Lebanese Prime Minister Saad
Hariri, was killed in a massive car bomb explosion in Beirut in February 2005.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was set up by the UN and the Lebanese
government in May 2007, is investigating the assassination. Last week, Nasrallah
presented evidence of Israeli involvement in the assassination of Hariri in a
massive car bomb explosion in 2005. The evidence included footage from Israeli
spy drones of routes used by Hariri and recorded confessions by Israeli spies
substantiating that the assassination of Hariri was carried out on orders from
Tel Aviv.
Suleiman: Things Require Long Period of Calm
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman on Monday said the situation requires
restraint to be able to settle key issues.
"Things require a long period of calm so that the State can follow up on several
issues through Constitutional institutions, particularly administrative
appointments and State budget," Suleiman said during a meeting with a delegation
from Editors Association chaired by Vice President Saeed Nassereddine. Beirut,
23 Aug 10, 14:41
European Embassies Suspected of Facilitating Spies Escape, Report
Naharnet/Some European embassies in Lebanon have reportedly facilitated the
escape of a number of Israel-linked spies. Al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday quoted
security and judicial sources concerned with the anti-spy issue as saying that
there is "strong suspicion" of involvement of some European embassies,
particularly Czech and Hungary, in facilitating the escape of a number of
Israeli spies from Lebanon to Europe. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 10:12
Abdullah: Opposition Cabinet Ministers Not Quitting
Naharnet/Youth and Sports Minister Ali Abdullah said Monday that Opposition and
Shiite Cabinet ministers will not quit following a possible indictment of
Hizbullah members in the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri. "The issue of
withdrawal of Opposition ministers has not been raised and there is no such
thing," Abdullah said in an interview with Akhbar al-Yom news agency when asked
whether pro-Hizbullah ministers would quit Cabinet in the event Hizbullah
members were implicated in the Hariri killing. He stressed that Opposition
ministers were committed to the government of national unity. On the ongoing
electricity crisis, Abdullah said: "We should reach a settlement to the problem
of power rationing."However, he pointed out that such solutions take time and
effort. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 13:22
Sahili Demands Speedy Trial and Death Penalty to Israeli Spies
Naharnet/Development and Liberation bloc MP Nawwar al-Sahili on Monday demanded
a speedy trial and the death penalty to Israeli spies. "Israel, which failed
with its mighty army to win in 2006, is trying to enter every house and town and
city in Lebanon via its spies," Sahili said. "We demand a speedy trial and the
maximum penalty against Israeli spies – the death penalty," teh AMAL Movement MP
urged. "The war with Israel continues through its agents. And it's normal that
Israel attempts to infiltrate Lebanese civilian ranks to get as much information
as possible," Sahili said, calling on individuals to be self-constituted
policemen. "Be careful because the spy issue subject is not easy. A spy not only
betrays the nation, but religion, family and everything," he added. Beirut, 23
Aug 10, 13:09
Alain Aoun: We Are Not Responsible for Electricity Crisis
Naharnet/Change and Reform MP Alain Aoun said Monday that his parliamentary bloc
was not responsible for the electricity crisis which has worsened over the past
month. Beirut has been witnessing random power outages of up to 8 hours a day,
whereas before three hours of daily power cuts were enforced. In some rural
areas, however, residents barely get two hours of power supply a day. "There is
an electricity problem and no one denies that," Aoun told al-Jadid TV channel.
He said an electricity plan proposed by Energy Minister Gebran Bassil "has
nothing to do with the state budget." Last month, Cabinet approved Bassil's
electricity reform plan which aims at lowering the energy sector's losses, the
environmental impact and the national deficit. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 12:07
Israel 'Makes All Preparations' to Deal with Mariam as Netanyahu Discusses Issue
with Ministers
Naharnet/Israel is "making all the preparations" to deal with an all-women
Lebanese aid ship for Gaza if it sets sail, Israeli government sources said
following a meeting of a seven-member cabinet.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu convened the meeting on Sunday to discuss the trip of Mariam, a
Bolivian-flagged cargo ship. "There is a felling that there is now only a low
likelihood that the vessel would sail from Lebanon," the sources told the
Jerusalem Post. Meanwhile, the trip was postponed on Sunday to await a green
light from a third country as a transit point for the mission to the
Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory. Mariam was to have set off from Tripoli
port in the north later the same day headed for Cyprus on the first leg of a
crossing to Gaza. "The trip has not been cancelled but delayed," one of the
organizers, Samar al-Hajj, told a news conference in Tripoli, as efforts
continued to secure authorization from another state in the region to dock
before heading for Gaza. Cyprus has denied Mariam permission to dock or use its
waters and the ship has been trying to negotiate with Greece, Yasser Qashlaq,
another of the organizers, told reporters. Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 07:59
Sayyed: Hariri's Assassination Designed to Implicate Syria, Explode Lebanon
Naharnet/Sayyed: Hariri's Assassination Designed to Implicate Syria, Explode
Lebanon Former detainee in the Hariri assassination case Jamil Sayyed on Monday
said the 2005 murder of the ex-Lebanese prime minister was designed to implicate
Syria and explode Lebanon. He said leaks about the possible indictment of
Hizbullah members in the Hariri murder case began to surface immediately after a
report published by the German "Der Spiegel" magazine in May 2009. Sayyed said
Der Spiegel's report "reminded us of what happened at the beginning of the
international investigation headed at the time by German Prosecutor Detlev
Mehlis in 2005 when the probe was based on a report published by the Kuwaiti
newspaper Assiyassah in which it accused Syria and the four generals." Sayyed,
former head of Lebanon's General Security Department, was freed in April 2009
after spending nearly four years in jail along with three other generals after
the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon ordered their release on the
grounds there was insufficient evidence to indict them for Hariri's
assassination.
Beirut, 23 Aug 10, 14:19
Jumblatt: Hariri keen on fostering a calm atmosphere
August 23, 2010 /In an interview with As-Safir newspaper published on Monday,
Democratic Gathering bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt said that his Sunday meeting
with Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Beirut was excellent, adding that he sensed
the PM’s keenness to foster dialogue and a calm atmosphere in Lebanon. Jumblatt
said that they addressed the current domestic developments during the sit-down.
The MP also told An-Nahar newspaper in an interview published on Monday that his
meeting with Hariri was themed by the “Saudi-Syrian rapprochement,” adding that
they both highlighted the importance of promoting dialogue in Lebanon. Saudi
King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Beirut
earlier this month in a bid to calm the political situation. Tension is high in
Lebanon after reports said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will soon
issue its indictment in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah recently claimed his
party members would be named in the tribunal’s pending indictment.-NOW Lebanon
We should be happy
August 23, 2010 /Now Lebanon/
The MV Mariam, which was planning to take female activists to Gaza to try and
break the Israeli blockade. (AFP photo)
We should be happy the MV Mariam did not sail. The all-women aid ship’s
much-heralded sanction-busting journey to Gaza was postponed on Sunday after the
peace activists did not receive the necessary green light from a third country
as a transit point to the Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory (a state of
war means that vessels cannot sail directly from Lebanese into Israeli
territorial waters)
Now the Lebanese authorities, who until this point were quite happy to allow the
mission to take place if “all legal criteria were met,” must take all steps to
ensure that this reckless and politically-motivated project is called off once
and for all.
It is reckless because the world has seen what steps Israel is prepared to take
to ensure all its so-called security concerns are satisfied. While one hopes
that it will not make the same blunder it made on May 31, when Israeli commandos
stormed a Turkish vessel on a similar undertaking and killed nine activists, a
boat from Lebanon is an altogether different proposition. Turkey is a regional
superpower that had close ties to the Jewish State, while Lebanon has been a
thorn in Israel’s side for the past half decade and is home to its most deadly
enemy, Hezbollah – a party that is sponsored by Iran, a country that wants to
wipe Israel off the map, and supported by Syria, an significant Arab nation with
whom Tel Aviv has fought three wars.
Lebanon is an insignificant mini-state with a history of what Israel likes to
call terrorist activities. Israel is well aware of the close ties that exists
between Hamas and Hezbollah, and any lessons that the country may have learned
from the May 31 debacle may be clouded by the mist of paranoia and the fear that
the boat is nothing more than a cover for an arms or explosives shipment, or,
even worse, a cargo of fighters.
Israel has said it will not think twice about intercepting the ship and using
force to do so. In such an eventuality the only winner will be Hezbollah and its
allies with their narrow corridor of parochial interests. Lebanon will once
again be the loser. Blood may be split and lives lost; this will be the human
cost, but once again Lebanon’s international reputation will have been
tarnished. Which brings us to the politically motivated part. When the Turkish
boat was attacked, Ankara grasped the banner of the Palestinian cause with both
hands. Turkey is a Sunni nation, and the regional tectonic plates began to
shift. Until that moment Hezbollah was the undisputed champion of the
downtrodden Palestinians, with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah the
darling of the Arab street. In the aftermath of the flotilla incident, one in
which it played no part and shed no blood, all the party could do was condemn
the brutality and hold symbolic funerals for the dead.
It is clear, therefore, that Hezbollah needs to be relevant and lend its name to
the flotilla bandwagon. Enter Lebanese flotilla organizer Samar al-Hajj, whose
husband, Ali al-Hajj, was one of the four generals detained in the aftermath of
the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. She is an
ardent Hezbollah supporter and was even granted a rare audience with Nasrallah
in May of this year. While the vast majority of the women peace activists are no
doubt sincere and stout hearted in their determination to brave the Israeli
authorities, they must not allow themselves to be used as tools by those who
would stir up the regional hornets’ nest by any means possible.
The plight of the people of Gaza is a tragedy of which the whole world should
sit up and take notice. If Arab solidarity is needed to make this happen, then
let all the Arab nations provide boats to create a multinational flotilla. This
will have more of an impact on public opinion than any military operation or
mass mobilization of armies. Israel will genuinely think twice in the face of
such a show of Arab unity. More importantly, it will put Lebanon where it
belongs: in the midst of the fold of Arab nations, not carrying the banner of
the Palestinian people alone. This it has done too long and spilt enough blood.
Hariri tells parties to keep STL detached from local debates
By Nafez Kawas /Daily Star staff
Monday, August 23, 2010
BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri reiterated Sunday his commitment to the
course of justice to uncover the truth behind his father’s assassination, as he
called on Lebanese parties to distance the UN-backed tribunal from domestic
debate.
“Lebanon is witnessing a lot of political comments as some want the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) to remain subject to internal debate. But we believe
that a flurry of statements will not progress or delay matters as calm continues
to be the best way to approach matters,” Hariri said.
The prime minister made his comments during an iftar at his residence in
Qoreitem in honor of northern Bekaa families. Hariri stressed that the truth
behind former Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder was no longer a personal or family
affair but a Lebanese and Arab cause.
“Like any one of you, I consider commitment to justice and truth a national
responsibility that should not be relinquished or lost regardless of motives and
reasons,” Hariri said.
“I assure those who need assurances that the course of justice will not stop and
we will welcome anything that could help this course progress.”
Hariri called on Lebanese leaders to commit to calm rhetoric and “to commit to
reason, away from provocative stances as regional challenges loom in the near
future.”
“Stability is the responsibility of all and a calm atmosphere provides the
elements of stability and prevents tensions … any tense position by any party
will reflect on the country’s political situation,” Hariri said.
On Saturday, Hariri stressed that attempts to create a schism among the ranks of
the Future Movement would fail. “Some believe that they can distance Saad Hariri
from [former Premier] Fouad Siniora, or vice versa, or distance Saad Hariri from
the Future Movement, and they are confused about what they want, but they failed
in the past to achieve their goal and they will continue to fail,” Hariri said.
Pro-opposition Al-Akhbar newspaper accused Siniora in remarks published Saturday
of spreading corruption in state institutions and infiltrating the country’s
economic, telecommunication and security infrastructure to serve foreign goals
aimed against the resistance.
“How can people praise and insult the same person just like they did when they
praised former Premier Rafik Hariri after he was assassinated after having
criticized him all through his life?” Hariri asked.
“Now, after five years, they are trying to do the same thing with Fouad Siniora
and I tell them honestly that Premier Siniora is a red line and this is not
flattery,” Hariri said.
Addressing families from Sidon, Hariri also stressed that south Lebanon
constituted the first line of defense against Israeli threats and praised the
Lebanese Army for safeguarding Lebanese sovereignty, particularly during the
Adaysseh incident earlier this month. The Adaysseh cross-border clashes between
the Lebanese and Israeli armies killed three Lebanese – two army soldiers, and a
journalist – as well as an Israeli Army officer. “Lebanon does not seek tensions
but rejects Israeli violations,” Hariri said while expressing the country’s
commitment to Resolution 1701 and the army’s cooperation with the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon. On another note, Hariri stressed that protests against
electricity rationing would not help resolve the long-running crisis which was
the outcome of a lack of investments in the electricity sector since 1997. “What
would solve the problem is Parliament approving the budget so we can start
tackling the people’s basic priorities which are the same as the Cabinet’s,”
Hariri said.
Aoun: STL is an 'international plot' that does not seek justice
FPM leader urges plan to resist naturalization of refugees
By The Daily Star
Monday, August 23, 2010
BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun said on Sunday that
the UN-backed tribunal was an international plot aimed against Lebanon rather
than a court seeking justice in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri.“Lebanon is being subject to conspiracy and the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon [STL] is turning into an international game rather than seeking
justice,” Aoun said during a tour in the Kesrouan District.
“Those who killed former Prime Minister Hariri are not Lebanese even if they are
agents of Lebanese nationality,” he added.
Aoun went further to stress that the side behind Hariri’s murder sought to serve
international interests particularly the naturalization of Palestinian refugees
in Lebanon.
The FPM leader called on the Cabinet to put in place a plan to resist the
naturalization of refugees while stressing that “verbal resistance” would not
prevent such a plot. Last week, Parliament approved a bill lifting former
restrictions on employment for Palestinian refugees, who were granted the right
to work in any field open to foreigners with benefits including social security
from a special established fund.
“Why does Lebanon lack the right to negotiate the issue of the right of return
of Palestinian refugees?” Aoun asked.
“We rejected the division of Palestine but it was divided, we rejected the
displacement of Palestinians but they were displaced, we rejected the abolition
of the Palestinian refugees’ right of return but they did not return,” Aoun
added.
Commenting on the issue of spies for Israel, Aoun said “falling as a prey to
wrongdoing was normal while those pretending that they are above all wrongdoing
are sinners.” Aoun stressed that the Lebanese Army would remain united despite
the uncovering of spies within its ranks.
“Some point to the arrest of a former major general and they forgot that among
11 other major generals who were under my command, two were elected president,”
the former army general said in reference to former Major General and FPM
official Fayez Karam who was recently arrested on suspicion of spying for
Israel. Tackling the issue of reforming the country’s infrastructure, Aoun vowed
to push for the implementation of developmental projects in the Kesrouan
District, beginning with the water, electricity and transportation sectors.
Aoun added that the lack of interest in reforming infrastructure was part of a
conspiracy since 1990 aimed at driving Lebanese people to poverty and
encouraging them to emigrate.
“We are resisting [such schemes] through planning projects,” Aoun said while
calling on Kesrouan residents to resist through “protests to force the
implementation of these [developmental] plans.” Meanwhile FPM official and
Energy and Water Resources Minister Jibran Bassil, who accompanied Aoun during
his Kesrouan tour, stressed that building dams would become a necessity if the
country faced a water-shortage crisis. Bassil made his statement from the
Shabrouh dam site in the Kesrouan town of Faraya.
“The Shabrouh dam is the last one to be built 30 years ago after 10 years of
debate and five years of implementation … I believe this dam provided water
supply to Kesrouan residents contrary to the past and we are working on solving
minor problems in supplying water to some nearby towns,” Bassil said.
Bassil highlighted that project studies for 43 dams had been conducted but their
implementation awaited Cabinet’s allocation of required funds.
“We are discussing the establishment of only 10 dams out of 43 but we should
begin work as soon as possible,” Bassil said, adding that he would raise the
issue during the Cabinet’s next meeting. – The Daily Star
Ahmadinejad: Israel lacks courage to attack Iran
AP/AFP/Israel News /23 August/2010
Iranian leader tells Al Jazeera he doesn’t think threat of attack by US or
Israel is 'serious'; says Persian Gulf states 'too smart' to allow use of US
bases in their territory for strike on Tehran. Adds: We'll work to produce
nuclear fuel independently
A day after Iran began fueling its first nuclear power plant, President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said Israel was "too weak" to attack the Islamic Republic.
In an interview with Arabic satellite television channel Al Jazeera, aired
Sunday, Ahmadinejad rejected the possibility of an Israeli or American strike on
Iran's nuclear facilities, saying, "Israel does not have the courage to do it… I
do not think the threat is serious." According to him, the Persian Gulf states
would not permit the use of US bases in their territory to launch an attack
against Iran. "They are smarter than that," said Ahmadinejad. In the interview,
Iran's president offered friendship to the United States but also taunted
Washington by saying he does not fear an attack by the US because it could not
even defeat a small army in Iraq. President Barack Obama has repeatedly offered
to start a dialogue with Iran, but his administration says Iran chose
international isolation instead. The two countries are at odds over Iran's
nuclear program, which the US fears is aimed at producing weapons though Tehran
denies it.
US military chief Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said
earlier this month that the US military has a plan to attack Iran, although he
thinks a military strike is probably a bad idea. Still, he said the risk of Iran
developing a nuclear weapon is unacceptable and he reiterated that "the military
option" remains on the table.
"There are no logical reasons for the United States to carry out such an act,"
President Ahmadinejad told Al Jazeera, according to an Arabic translation of the
interview in Farsi.
"Do you believe an army that has been defeated by a small army in Iraq can enter
into a war with a large and well trained army like the Iranian army?" he asked,
referring to the insurgents in Iraq. He said Washington lacks real motives for
attacking Iran and will not benefit from hostility. "The friendship of Iran is
much better than its hostility," he said.
Ahmadinejad continued to say that Iran was working to produce nuclear fuel
independently, "because receiving it from an outside source is conditioned on
diplomatic criteria."
To prevent Iran from using the Bushehr reactor to produce plutonium, inspectors
from the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as Russia, which built the
power plant, are making sure Iran returns the fuel rods it had received. "There
is a difference between those who produce and those who buy. We must make sure
our nuclear power plant continues to operate. We do not trust the West, despite
our good relations with Russia," Ahmadinejad said. "We need 20 power plants like
the one on Bushehr," he added.
AP, AFP contributed to the report
Iran begins mass production of 2 assault boats
AFP/23.10, 11:37 / Israel News
Inauguration of production lines for missile-launching speedboats comes day
after Iranian President Ahmadinejad unveiled country's home-built bomber drone,
which he said would deliver 'death' to Islamic Republic's enemies
AFP Published: 08.23.10, 11:37 / Israel News
Iran said on Monday it has launched mass production of two high-speed
missile-launching assault boats to be deployed along its coastline and around
the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route. The inauguration of the production
lines for the Seraj and Zolfaqar speedboats comes a day after President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad unveiled Iran's home-built bomber drone, which he said would deliver
"death" to Iran's enemies.
State news agency IRNA reported that Seraj (Lamp) and Zolfaqar (named after
Shiite Imam Ali's sword) would be manufactured at the marine industries complex
of the ministry of defense.
Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi opened the assembly lines, saying the vessels
would help strengthen Iran's defense forces.
"Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is relying on a great defense industry and
the powerful forces of Sepah (Revolutionary Guards) and the army, with their
utmost strength, can provide security to the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and
Strait of Hormuz," Vahidi said.
IRNA said Zolfaqar was a new generation missile-launching vessel which can be
used for patrol as well as for attack operations.
"It is designed for quick assaults on ships and is equipped with two missile
launchers, two machine guns and a computer system to control the missiles," the
report said.
IRNA said Seraj, designed for a tropical climate, was also a fast moving assault
vessel for use in the Caspian Sea, the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, adding that it
can fire rockets and also be used in stormy seas. "Seraj is a fast moving
assault rocket launcher using sophisticated and modern technology," Vahidi was
cited as saying by IRNA.
The launch of the production lines comes as Iran marks its annual "government
week", a period when it traditionally shows off its latest technological
achievements.
Week of military claims
Ahmadinejad on Sunday unveiled a bomber drone with a range of up to 1,000
kilometers (620 miles), which he dubbed the "ambassador of death."
State media said the drone, Karar (Assailant), can carry four stealth cruise
missiles, two bombs of 250 pounds (115 kilos) each or a precision missile of 500
pounds (230 kilos).
Tehran kicked off its week of military claims on Friday when it fired a
surface-to-surface missile, named Qiam ("Rising"), with some more announcements
expected over the next few days.
The Islamic Republic is also expected to test fire a third generation Fateh
("Conqueror") 110 missile, after having already paraded a version with a range
of 150 to 200 kilometers (90 to 125 miles).
Iran recently took delivery of four domestically built Ghadir mini-submarines, a
"stealth" vessel designed to operate in shallow waters such as the Gulf.
The latest military moves coincide with Iranian warnings against any attack on
its territory.
Its arch-foes, the United States and Israel, have not ruled out taking military
action over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.
Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, choking off some 40% of
tanker-shipped oil worldwide, in the event of a military attack.