LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِDecember 03/2010

Bible Of The Day
1 Corinthians 16/13&14: "Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong! Let all that you do be done in love".

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Democracy in the Middle East/By: Walid Phares/Washington Post/December 02/10
In Lebanon, politics is theater/Daily Star/December 02/10
Who is really the big boss in Lebanon?/By Michael Young/Daily Star/December 02/10
Dancing in the dark/By: Lucy Fielder/Al-Ahram/December 02/10
He can’t have it both ways/Now Lebanon/December 2/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for December 02/10
Sfeir Wishes Suleiman Success in Efforts to Relaunch Dialogue/Naharnet
Geagea Lauds Suleiman's Efforts: We Cannot Assassinate Our Martyrs a Second Time for the Sake of the Other Camp/Naharnet
Hariri after Meeting Fillon: Cabinet Will Convene as Soon as I Return to Lebanon/Naharnet
Sfeir tells Lebanese to be vigilant amid tensions/Daily Star
Information Branch investigations into Karam were lawful - Mirza/Daily Star
Phalange resumes 'Voice of Lebanon' broadcasts/Daily Star
Hizbullah: 'Lebanon must become immune to threats/Daily Star
Israeli Forces Kill Armed Palestinians, Thwarting Attack/Naharnet
STL Publishes Updated Explanatory Memorandum on Rules of Procedure and Evidence/Naharnet
London Urges Lebanese to Face Tribunal Challenges Wisely/Naharnet
Khalils Meet Muallem in Damascus as Part of Efforts to Solve Crisis/Naharnet
Judge Abu Nassif Steps Down from Looking into Sayyed's Request that Mirza be Removed from his Post/Naharnet
Suleiman Resumes his Consultation by Meeting Saniora, Safadi. Raad, Pakradounian, and Geagea/Naharnet
Bellemare Complained that Syria Treated Investigators As Schoolchildren: WikiLeaks/Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Chirac Sought Rapprochement with Iran to Prevent Syria from Gaining Foothold in Lebanon/Naharnet
WikiLeaks: Chirac Was Asked to Freeze Establishment of Tribunal but he refused/Naharnet
La Liberation: Indictment to be Based on Telecom as Evidence/Naharnet
High-ranking Hizbullah Official Rules Out Indictment Soon/Naharnet
Miqati Criticizes Boycott of Dialogue Sessions/Naharnet
Gemayel: Suleiman Concerned Over Deadlock/Naharnet
Maronite Bishops: Paralysis Sign of Weakness in National Will/Naharnet
Suleiman Meets Lebanese Political Leaders in Effort to Break Deadlock/Naharnet
Alliot-Marie Meets Hariri, Reiterates French Support for STL/Naharnet

Sfeir Wishes Suleiman Success in Efforts to Relaunch Dialogue
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir hoped on Thursday that President Michel Suleiman would succeed in his efforts to relaunch national dialogue sessions.
"Lebanon is a small country dogged by crises … This small country is influenced by its neighbors that's why its citizens are always worried," Sfeir told a delegatiion from the Antonine University in Baabda.
"Such worries generate a lot of problems," he said. Sfeir also hoped success for the university. Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 10:38

Marie Meets Hariri, Reiterates French Support for STL
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri and French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie on Wednesday discussed the latest Lebanese developments during a meeting in the French capital, Paris, LBC television reported. The channel quoted Alliot-Marie as saying that "there are tensions related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, but this tribunal was endorsed by the (U.N.) Security Council and no one can influence it."The Lebanese delegation sources told LBC that the French minister expressed to Hariri a stern stance regarding the STL and voiced her country's willingness to support the tribunal financially. "I reminded the Prime Minister how much France is attached to the unity of Lebanon and its development," Alliot-Marie said after the meeting, according to a statement released by Hariri's press office. Earlier, the prime minister held talks with French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, in the presence of Lebanese Ambassador to France Boutros Assaker and the premier's advisers Basil Yared, Mohammed Shatah and Hani Hammoud. After the meeting, Lagarde said: "We discussed the Paris 3 conference and the legal terms under which we will be able to … allow Lebanon to have the time to achieve the conditions related to the privatization of the telecommunications sector.""France remains fully committed towards Paris 3," Lagarde added. On Tuesday Hariri held talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace, kicking off a three-day official visit to Paris. Beirut, 01 Dec 10, 20:44

Hariri after Meeting Fillon: Cabinet Will Convene as Soon as I Return to Lebanon
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri stated on Thursday that Cabinet will convene as soon as he returns to Lebanon from his trip to France. He made his statements after holding talks with his French counterpart Francois Fillon in the presence of the Lebanese Ambassador to France, Butros Assaker, the French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton, Hariri's chief of staff, Nader Hariri, the French Prime Minister's diplomatic advisor Charles Fries, Hariri's advisor for European Affairs Basile Yared and advisor Arnold Galois. The discussions focused on the situation in Lebanon and the region, bilateral relations between the two countries, and ways of enhancing them in various fields, as well as the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. After the meeting, Hariri said: " We are committed to the Saudi-Syrian path, and this path should be given time to reach results." Asked of accusations that he is wasting time, the prime minister responded: "I am not wasting time, but I consider that the others, who accuse me of wasting time, are the ones who should do something. They know themselves, and they haven't done what they have to do.""We have every intention to reach an understanding through dialogue and calm, I said it and I repeat it, the high tone in Lebanon does not work and President Michel Suleiman's initiative is good," he added. Furthermore, Hariri stated: "We will overcome this difficult stage through the support of all our friends, such as France, Saudi Arabia, and Syria." Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 18:20

Geagea Lauds Suleiman's Efforts: We Cannot Assassinate Our Martyrs a Second Time for the Sake of the Other Camp
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea ruled out on Thursday that the March 8 forces would respond with President Michel Suleiman's call to the political forces to return to the National Dialogue and Cabinet. He told the Central News Agency that the March 14 forces would fully comply with his invitation, calling for waiting 24 hours to completely determine whether the other camp intends to respond to Suleiman's efforts. He noted however that so far, it seems unlikely that they will heed his call, criticizing the March 8 forces' policy of employing pressure through obstructing state functioning. Geagea added that the damage in Lebanon would be much greater if they get what they want. "We cannot assassinate our martyrs a second time and abandon our convictions for the sake of the other camp," he stressed. Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 17:26

Israeli Forces Kill Armed Palestinians, Thwarting Attack
Naharnet/Israeli forces killed several armed Palestinians planning a "terror attack" as they approached the northern border fence of the Gaza Strip, the military said on Thursday.
"IDF (Israel Defense Forces) thwarts terror attack in northern Gaza," a statement from the military said. "Overnight, an IDF force identified a number of armed Palestinians near the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip," said the statement. "An IAF (Israel Air Force) aircraft, accompanied by an IDF ground force using tank shells, fired towards the militants, identifying a hit."
Israel's military radio reported that the forces killed two men carrying weapons and explosive devices. A military spokesman told Agence France Presse the men were killed inside the Gaza Strip before they entered Israeli territory. The IDF said about 100 "terror-related incidents" have occurred near the border fence surrounding Gaza since the beginning of 2010, "an average of an incident every three days." "The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for maintaining the calm in the Gaza Strip and for any terrorist activity emanating from it," the statement said.(AFP) Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 11:38

STL Publishes Updated Explanatory Memorandum on Rules of Procedure and Evidence
Naharnet/The Explanatory Memorandum on the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon written by STL President Judge Antonio Cassese has been updated after the recent approved amendments, STL's press office announced Thursday. "According to Rule 5(I) of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, and in order to enhance the transparency of work of the Tribunal, President Cassese is also making public a summary of the adopted rules amendments and of the discussions leading to these modifications," the press office added.
The document can be found on the tribunal's website in the three official languages of the STL. Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 19:10

London Urges Lebanese to Face Tribunal Challenges Wisely
Naharnet/Britain's Foreign Office spokesperson Barry Marston said Lebanon's stability is guaranteed by justice achieved in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination case. In an interview published Thursday, Marston said Britain will continue to provide financial and moral support to the international tribunal. He stressed London does not see it necessary to warn Hizbullah that the release of the indictment would lead to instability in the country and a return to confrontations. Britain urges all parties, including Hizbullah, to act wisely and face such challenges with rationality, Marston said. He also rejected accusations that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is politicized. "It is independent and works with impartiality." About relations with Syria, the Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We welcome the normalization of diplomatic ties with Lebanon but we have some reservations over its relations with Hizbullah and Hamas."
Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 07:48

Khalils Meet Muallem in Damascus as Part of Efforts to Solve Crisis
Naharnet/The political advisors of Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Speaker Nabih Berri have held talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, the daily al-Akhbar reported Thursday. The newspaper said that Hussein Khalil and Ali Hassan Khalil met with Muallem in Damascus on Wednesday. The meeting came as part of Saudi and Syrian efforts to find a way out of the Lebanese crisis. According to As Safir daily, the solution to the crisis is not linked to Saudi King Abdullah's return to Riyadh following surgery in New York. Syrian-Saudi consultations are ongoing away from the spotlight, it said. Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 08:54

Judge Abu Nassif Steps Down from Looking into Sayyed's Request that Mirza be Removed from his Post
Naharnet/Higher Judicial Council Judge Elias Abu Nassif stepped down on Wednesday from looking into Major General Jamil Sayyed's request that General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza be removed from his position. The case has been transferred to Judge Joseph Samaha. Sayyed's press office issued a statement questioning Abu Nassif's decision, saying that he was probably pressured to do so. It called on Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to start an investigation in this matter to determine the sides that pressured Abu Nassif to step down.
Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 16:00

Miqati Criticizes Boycott of Dialogue Sessions
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Najib Miqati said he urged President Michel Suleiman to bring back Lebanese leaders together at national dialogue sessions. The sessions were in addition to discussing the defense strategy aimed at keeping contact between officials during crises, Miqati told As Safir newspaper. The ex-prime minister said the March 8 forces should differentiate between the cabinet and the all-party talks. The national dialogue should not be shoved into political issues that are the government's specialty. "Dialogue sessions should not be crippled no matter what," Miqati said. Beirut, 02 Dec 10, 09:59

He can’t have it both ways
December 2, 2010
Now Lebanon
That Michel Aoun is a man of contradictions is not news. Sadly, they are not the contradictions that create mystique, nor do they make the Change and Reform bloc leader the kind of man that keeps us guessing (like Walid Jumblatt, who is not without faults but makes up for it in spades with his charisma) as to his next move within the cloudy labyrinth that is Lebanese politics.
Instead, his contradictions simply exhaust those of us who want a solution to the current madness surrounding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) and Lebanon’s other malaises because they only serve to highlight the failure of every political step he has taken since his return from Parisian exile on May 7, 2005.
At his regular Tuesday press conference, the two sides of Aoun’s schizophrenia were on display. Once again, he backed his March 8 masters, namely Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and Amal boss Nabih Berri, by calling for the issue of the false witnesses to be referred to the Judicial Council rather than the criminal courts. Aoun also took a swipe at the STL by jumping on the WikiLeaks bandwagon and declaring it is part of an “international game.”
He then briefed those attending the conference on Telecom Minster and political ally Charbel Nahhas’s finding on the way in which the state is handling the sector. It is the second time that Aoun has called on the state to be transparent. Months ago, during the budget debate, he demanded that the Finance Ministry open its books for national audits going back to the early 1990s. It is the crusading anti-corruption hat coupled with Aoun’s current choice of political bedfellows that generates so much frustration with the former army commander, who for 15 years railed against Syrian occupation and who, even before the dust had settled in front of the St Georges Hotel, claimed that the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was the handiwork of Damascus.
But it must ultimately be with the tribunal that Aoun is having the most trouble squaring his allegiances. As rumors of indictments being handed down to his allies in the very near future gather pace, Aoun will have trouble both supporting those that international justice have charged with murder and demonstrating to his supporters that he is still a genuine champion of the rule of law and universal transparency.
The problem for Aoun is that a large part of his support base is drawn from the professional middle classes, a demographic that invested a lot – both financially and emotionally – in him when he returned from exile. Since then, Aoun has tested their devotion to the limit. Instead of positioning himself within the loose framework of what made up the March 14 coalition (let us not forget that his supporters were on the front line of the independence intifada), his reaction at being ganged up on in the 2005 elections was to forge ahead on his own steam, a course of action that took him into the arms of March 8, and more specifically, Hezbollah.
Since then, he supported the ruinous 18-month downtown sit-in between December 2006 and May 2008 and the non-state actions of his political allies, including the May 7 attempted coup, Hezbollah’s murder of an army pilot and their attempts to discredit the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Today finds him an unequal partner in an alliance that has taken him to the very abyss of political irrelevance. This might be in part due to the fact the he wants to distance himself from the more unsavory aspects of his allies, especially when he says he wants to focus on internal matters by challenging the March 14 majority on local issues.
But whichever way you spin it, the damage has been done. Aoun may think he can hound the government on irregularities, while ignoring the white elephant in the room that is Hezbollah. Surely now he must recognize that he has to make a choice: the state or the gun. All the evidence says he backed the wrong horse. He has to live with his decision.

Dancing in the dark
By: Lucy Fielder
Al-Ahram Weekly
December 02/10
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri paid a state visit to Iran for the first time this week, the latest in a series of diplomatic exchanges that highlighted shifting balances within Lebanon and the region. Al-Hariri's trip followed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's touchdown in Beirut a few days before. These visits demonstrate the new power of Turkey and Iran on the regional and Lebanese arenas. But most hopes remain pinned on the Syrian-Saudi efforts as the best chance of fortifying Lebanon against strife if and when the Special Tribunal for Lebanon issues its expected indictment of Hizbullah members. Several local media reports this week said suspects could be indicted as early as 3 December for involvement in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri.
Al-Hariri's trip follows Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's first visit to Lebanon in October, when he riled critics by visiting the southern border with Israel. In the end, though, Ahmadinejad avoided embarrassing his official hosts. Despite the rock-star reception he received at Hizbullah- organised rallies in the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, his rhetoric surprised many with its moderation and emphasis on Lebanese unity and stability. So although Al-Hariri and his allies have railed against Iran, their political opponent Hizbullah's main backer, as much as Syria in the past few years, there was little negative reaction to the continued rapprochement with Tehran. Al-Hariri several months ago publicly retracted his accusation that Syria killed his father.
"Al-Hariri's visit to Iran shows the new configuration in the region: Lebanon is the mirror that reflects that balance," said Michel Nawfal, Iran expert and foreign editor of the Al-Hariri-owned newspaper, Al-Mustaqbal (Future). "There can be no more putting our heads in the sand and saying we don't want to talk to Iran. The roles of Iran and Turkey in Lebanon have been consecrated; while there's no Arab project and the United States has retreated."
Nawfal said Iranian officials were attaching importance to the Al-Hariri visit. As well as Ahmadinejad and other officials, he met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Al-Hariri is supported by Western states and Saudi Arabia, which vies with Tehran for regional influence. But as Iran seeks to develop regional official allies, in parallel with its support for resistance groups such as Hizbullah and Hamas, Al-Hariri has his uses. "Al-Hariri takes with him his representation of the Sunni street and therefore the mainstream Arab environment, which Iran needs to boost its regional cover and legitimacy," Nawfal said.
Iran's main message for Al-Hariri appears to be that he must cooperate closely with Hizbullah in the challenging times ahead. Khamenei hinted at this after his meeting with Al-Hariri, in which he said Al-Hariri's relations with Hizbullah leaders were good. "These relationships should become stronger than before," Khamenei was quoted as telling Hariri. "As long as the Zionist regime exists, Lebanon will need resistance." The crisis has widened the rift between Hizbullah's alliance and that of the pro-Western camp, which backs the tribunal.
Internal divisions when the tribunal charges are issued would put Hizbullah in a tight corner. The Shia military and political group and its backers in Tehran and Damascus want Al-Hariri to drop Lebanon's official support for the Special Tribunal into his father's killing and to reject in advance any charges against Hizbullah members. Many fear that the implication of Hizbullah in the killing of Sunni leader Al-Hariri could cause simmering Sunni-Shia tensions in Lebanon to boil over. The diplomacy of the past few months between Syria and Saudi Arabia, also former foes, is believed to focus on the mechanics and timing of such a rejection. Hizbullah's campaign against the court, which it condemns as an Israeli plot, also centres on trying the "false witnesses"; those who approached the UN investigative commission with testimony they later retracted.
"Al-Hariri, for his part, wants Iranian assurances that Hizbullah's weapons won't be used internally if the indictments are as expected," Nawfal said. "And having better relations with Iran will have a positive effect on his dealings with Hizbullah, as well as reducing the pressure domestically."
The symbolism of Al-Hariri's visit as head of a national unity government that also includes Hizbullah is important, said Karim Makdisi, associate director of the American University of Beirut's Issam Fares Institute. "But this is more about him buying time and leverage for internal purposes -- he probably feels that this gives him extra credit and helps deflect any criticism that might come from Hizbullah. And that's okay, as long as all channels for discussion remain open."
In a speech last Sunday, Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned Al-Hariri and the national unity government he heads, which includes Hizbullah members, they might not be able to meet and resolve the crisis once the charge sheet is out.
"After the indictment is issued, it might be too late," he said. "The fact is that major powers are playing with the country and there can be no solution by wasting time." Nasrallah said the court was part of an Israeli-instigated project to destroy Hizbullah's military power.
Syrian-Saudi contacts, currently on pause while ageing Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz undergoes surgery in the United States, do not appear to have achieved anything major so far, Makdisi said. "But there's still this notion that neither side wants to rock the boat or allow things to escalate too dramatically, which is a positive thing for Lebanon." The burst of diplomatic activity was no substitute for political action, however. "There doesn't seem to be any shortage of players who want to be involved, but you need political decisions to be taken to go ahead with resolving matters. Instead, everyone's just waiting for something to happen," he said.
Nasrallah gave his support to the Syrian- Saudi drive on Sunday, saying it was the only effort that could break the Lebanese deadlock and that it had a good chance of success.
The ad hoc evolution of events in Lebanon is keeping everyone off guard, Makdisi said, which could make it easy for a spoiler to do something to create a reaction followed by a counter-reaction. "My sense is that no one's really in control," he said. "Everyone's just doing this dance without knowing which direction they're supposed to be dancing in."
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved

Democracy in the Middle East?
By Walid Phares /Washington Post
12/ 2/2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-bookworm/2010/12/democracy_in_the_middle_east.html
About this blog: A struggle over the future of the Middle East is under way: Will terrorist groups and other authoritarian regimes hold sway or will the people of the region seek freedom and democracy? Walid Phares, senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, argues in “The Coming Revolution: Struggle for Freedom in the Middle East” that the West doesn’t fully understand the conflicting forces at work in the region. The future of the Middle East lies in the outcome of a battle between anti-Jihadists who see virtue in democracy and the proponents of violence and terrorism. To win the war for freedom, Phares contends the West must first better understand the groups that reject it. Here, he discusses the roots of the tensions between political movements in the Middle East.
Since the end of the Ottoman Empire, through the many conflicts of the 20th century, the Middle East and North Africa have undergone two countervailing trends: the rise of authoritarian regimes and radical political groups, and the growth of resistance movements struggling against them for greater autonomy.
On the one hand are Syria’s Baath Party, Saudi Arabia’s Wahhabis and Iran’s Khomeinists, along with radical organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, and terrorist groups like Hezbollah and al-Qaeda. On the other hand are the Kurds, the Berbers, the Copts, the Africans of Sudan, and democracy forces from Syria and Lebanon to Algeria.
In the past hundred years, the greater Middle East has experienced coups, terrorism, genocides and oppression, but also massive demonstrations, elections, resistance and democratic revolts. It has given birth to dozens of reform movements, and unleashed waves of women, students and other dissidents calling for democracy.
A million and a half of men and women from multiple religious and ethnic backgrounds marched through the streets of Beirut in 2005 against occupation and terror and for freedom; a million Iranians, mostly youth, demonstrated in Tehran in 2009 calling for democracy; Darfur’s genocide has been exposed; the Africans of southern Sudan are polling for their self determination; the Kabyles of Algeria are rising; in Afghanistan the outcome of the conflict will be decided between young women teaching peace to their future children and a return of the Taliban and in Iraq the future will be played between Terror militias and humanist teachers in middle schools; across the region dissidents and reformers are competing for the hearts and minds of youth with the Jihadi fundamentalists.
The world has seen both sides of the coin: the violence of terrorist groups and militias, and the peaceful aspirations of millions who have taken to the streets of cities and towns to demand the rights their governments deny them.
In next few years, I believe, both movements will gain speed. So who will win, and what can the West do to help freedom and democracy prevail over oppression?
The race in Middle Earth is on with us or without us, and the revolution is eventually coming. But the choice is also ours. As previous generations have stood with the Solidarity Workers of Poland and intellectuals such as Vaclav Havel and as they’ve supported change in South Africa, they can and should repeat the great democratic exercise in the Middle East, at least with words. And in the battle of ideas, words are the beginning of freedom.
**By Walid Phares | December 2, 2010;

Sfeir tells Lebanese to be vigilant amid tensions
By The Daily Star /Thursday, December 02, 2010
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir voiced concerns Wednesday over the current political situation in Lebanon, urging the Lebanese to stand alert as the government faces difficulties. The patriarch said Lebanon should have good ties with regional countries, particularly Syria and Saudi Arabia. The Council of Maronite Bishops, headed by Sfeir, said, following its weekly meeting at the seat of the Maronite Church in Bkirki, that the paralysis of constitutional institutions awaiting foreign solutions demonstrated a weakness of national will. Powerbrokers Syria and Saudi Arabia are mediating a plan to break the political deadlock over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), the UN-backed court probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. A number of media reports and Hizbullah have said that the Netherlands-based court is moving toward indicting Hizbullah members in the murder. “We should meet, discuss and agree on decisions to protect the country against deterioration on the political, security and social levels,” a statement said. The government has failed to convene for more than three weeks as the March 8 coalition insists that any ministerial discussions should settle first the issue of “false witnesses” before any other topic is addressed. The March 8 coalition accuses “false witnesses” of misleading the probe into the 2005 Hariri assassination. While March 14 parties argue that the issue of “false witnesses” should be investigated by Lebanon’s ordinary judiciary, Hizbullah and its allies demand that the case be referred to the Judicial Council, a higher judicial authority that looks into issues threatening national security and civil peace such as terrorism. On another note, Maronite bishops called on the Lebanese to safeguard the environment and protect green spaces. – The Daily Star

Phalange resumes 'Voice of Lebanon' broadcasts
By The Daily Star /Thursday, December 02, 2010
BEIRUT: The Phalange Party said Wednesday it resumed its broadcast of the “Voice of Lebanon” radio at midnight Tuesday, despite attempts to jam the 100.5 and 100.3 frequencies during the initial minutes. A statement released by the party said it was in the process of formulating a judicial case against the Modern Media Company to preserve the rights of the Audiovisual Media Company that took over the operation of the radio. The Phalange Party regained control over both the radio’s name and the building that houses the radio in Achrafieh after a lease contract with the Modern Media Company owned by the late Simon al-Khazen expired Tuesday. – The Daily Star

Hizbullah: 'Lebanon must become immune to threats'
By The Daily Star /Thursday, December 02, 2010
BEIRUT: Hizbullah and Amal officials in the south urged the Lebanese to unite against conspiracies Wednesday. After discussing rituals to mark Ashura, one of the holiest occasions in Shiism, set to start next week, the participants issued a statement in which they stressed the determination of the resistance to defend Lebanon against any Israeli aggression or attempt to spark strife. “On this occasion [Ashura], we stress that the resistance will continue to reflect the will and the strength of the country in confronting any Zionist aggression … this occasion represents an additional motivation to achieve unity among Lebanese in general, and particularly among Muslims so that Lebanon becomes immune to conspiracies and external threats,” said the officials who gathered at Hizbullah’s office in Tyre. – The Daily Star

Information Branch investigations into Karam were lawful - Mirza
State prosecutor says arrest in line with penal code in response to inquiry by Free Patriotic Movement
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Thursday, December 02, 2010
BEIRUT: State Prosecutor Judge Saeed Mirza said investigations by the Internal Security Forces (ISF)’s Information Branch of former Lebanese Army General Fayez Karam on charges of spying for Israel, and his subsequent arrest, were in conformity with governing laws. Mirza’s memo was issued in response to a Parliamentary inquiry submitted by Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) MP Nabil Nicholas to the government, which in turn referred the inquisition to the judiciary via the Justice Ministry.
“The Information Branch of the ISF is considered, in accordance with article 38 of the penal code, a judicial police authority, subject to the authority of the state prosecutor,” the memo said.
Nicholas had argued that investigations by the Information Branch were in violation of laws since the establishment of the branch was illegitimate. A senior FPM official, Karam was arrested in August on suspicion of spying for Israel’s notorious intelligence agency, the Mossad. “Investigations and inquiries carried out by the Information Branch, which aimed at verifying that former General Fayez Karam dealt with the Israeli enemy, were in line with the same process carried out by the branch to uncover 28 agents and spies for Israel during the last six month,” Mirza said. Mirza’s memo added that investigations which followed Karam’s arrest were extended legally, in line with article 47 of the penal code upon the demand of the state prosecutor given the sensitivity of the case. “The minutes of investigations were later referred to the government commissioner at the military court, which issued an arrest warrant on August 11 after which investigations were attended by Karam’s lawyer awaiting the release of an indictment by the first investigative military judge,” the memo said. In response to Mirza’s statement, Nicholas said the state prosecutor lacked the prerogatives to respond to the inquiry submitted to the government.
“I submitted an inquiry to the Cabinet and an employee like Mirza has no authority to address an MP in the press and thus should be subject to disciplinary action,” Nicholas said.
According to governing laws, the judiciary should respond to the inquiry in a memo filed to the Justice Ministry and the government should in turn inform the lawmaker.
In his memo, Mirza noted that Karam’s lawyer attended the investigations after eight days of his client’s arrest rather than 22 days as claimed by Nicholas.
Contrary to Nicholas’ claims, Mirza’s memo said security forces searched Karam’s residence after he had confessed to ties with Israel to confiscate criminal evidence upon the approval of the state prosecutor in accordance with article 47. Mirza denied Karam was subjected to torture or any kind of pressure to confess.
“His lawyer requested to meet him and his request was immediately met and [Karam] met his family and lawyer on a nearly daily basis,” Mirza said.
On the issue of Karam’s health, the state prosecutor said the former general suffered cardiac problems prior to his arrest and said the Information Branch fully assumed its responsibilities by appointing doctors asked for by Karam. FPM officials say political motives were behind Karam’s arrest by the Information Branch, an apparatus close to Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a political foe of FPM leader MP Michel Aoun. Tensions have flared between FPM leader Michel Aoun and the Information Branch since Karam’s arrest. Aoun argues that Karam was innocent and was subject to torture during investigations. The Information Branch, meanwhile, says it owns footage of Karam confessing to ties with the Mossad as well as admitting plans to accompany Aoun on a meeting with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in order to discover his location.

Who is really the big boss in Lebanon?
By Michael Young /Daily Star
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Little attention was paid last week to an Al-Hayat interview with the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Ghadanfar Roknabadi, particularly what he had to say about Syria’s role in Lebanon.
The interviewer asked the ambassador whether, in the same way that Iran was “familiar” with Iraq, did not Iran consider that Syria was “familiar” with Lebanon “more than others were.” Therefore, just as Syria had accepted an Iranian solution in Iraq, would not Iran accept a Syrian solution in Lebanon? It was a subtle question, which left out the dreaded words “spheres of interest,” but the substance was clear. Would Iran concur that Syria was entitled to lead in Lebanon?
Roknabadi diplomatically, but firmly, brushed that thought away. Yes, neighboring countries were more familiar with Lebanese details, but then the ambassador added: “Don’t forget the deep civilizational and cultural ties between Iran and Lebanon. The matter of Syria as a neighbor is one thing, and the strategic relationship between Iran and Syria [is something else]; no one can deny Syria’s role, but the old civilizational and cultural ties between the Iranian and Lebanese peoples have established common ground between them.”
The response must have made officials in Damascus cringe. Not only did Roknabadi sidestep the question of a pre-eminent Syrian role in Lebanon, he placed it against the backdrop of the Iranian-Syrian relationship, as if to affirm that Tehran was the leading partner in any Lebanese arrangement. While the Iranians, along with Hizbullah, have continued to look toward a Syrian-Saudi solution to the deadlock in Beirut over how to deal with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, one gets the distinct sense lately, particularly after the speech last Sunday of Hizbullah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, that any such deal is Iran’s and Hizbullah’s to accept or refuse
Iran and Syria are not about to divorce over Lebanon, or over anything else, but Roknabadi put the relationship into perspective. Iran is the dominant actor in Beirut, and can lay claim to that role because ultimately it is Hizbullah that controls the ground and on which Damascus must rely to protect its own interests. It is indeed remarkable that Syria, despite its 29-year military Lebanese presence, was never able to create durable institutions of influence. Syrian-sponsored groups and politicians remain exceptionally feeble politically; Damascus has never had any “soft power” to deploy in Lebanon; and almost anyone who thinks back to the years of Syrian hegemony would mainly remember it as a time of organized pillage. Had Syria not had Hizbullah to bolster its authority, most of its Lebanese partisans would have long been swept away.
Still, Syria does have considerable political resources. Damascus retains a power of veto over most matters, and even if the coordination between Hizbullah and Syria may not be what it once was, it nevertheless remains relatively close, with Hizbullah keen to avoid any major confrontation with the Syrians. The same goes for Iran. At the same time, the Syrians, even though they hope to revive the authority they had in Lebanon before 2005, are very unlikely to risk their relationship with Iran or Hizbullah to achieve that.
In order to compensate for its shortcomings, the Syrian regime has played on Lebanese contradictions. By opening a new page with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, under Saudi auspices, Damascus to an extent managed to win over a majority of Sunnis, or at least lessen Sunni hostility. Hariri has seen advantages in this, mainly curbing Hizbullah’s ability to attack him and his government. What the prime minister realizes is that Syria cannot afford to allow Hizbullah to decisively weaken him, since that would mean weakening a prime Syrian card.
By the same token, however, Syria will not permit Hariri to neutralize Hizbullah, let alone demand its disarmament, through possible indictments issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, since that, too, would dent Syrian power. The ideal situation for the Syrian president, Bashar Assad, is one of confrontation between Hariri and Hizbullah until the tribunal issues indictments. At that stage, Assad could enter the fray as the broker of a domestic political resolution and take from both sides, to Syria’s advantage. That is why Syria has not brought down the government, though it could easily do so; and it is why Hariri, well aware of what Assad has in mind, has stood firm.
The stalemate may last. Even if the tribunal prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, were to send draft indictments today to the pre-trial judge, Daniel Fransen, these would probably not be confirmed until early next year. The process calls for Fransen to issue a written legal opinion on the indictments, which could take several weeks to prepare, not taking into consideration the slowdown for the end-of-year holidays. Fransen may also ask Bellemare to revise some counts. The notion that indictments will be finalized before Christmas seems fanciful.
Nasrallah’s latest speech was once again directed in part at the Syrians. The secretary general wants the Lebanese government to begin the process of wrecking the tribunal before indictments come out. That he has been unable to impose this is certainly, to an extent, a consequence of the Syrian refusal to sign off on such a course of action. Hariri’s visit to Iran was, among other things, an effort to earn Iranian goodwill and buy time on that front (as well as a gambit to make him more desirable to Syria), though Nasrallah pointedly mocked the prime minister’s trips. It is conceivable that Hariri’s Iranian sojourn limited his margin of maneuver, with Tehran now having more leverage over him. We will soon see where Nasrallah’s brinkmanship leads, but Syria, displeased with Hariri’s opening to the Islamic Republic, may be in even less of a mood to give Hizbullah a green light.
Meanwhile, the much-awaited Syrian-Saudi “solution” apparently awaits the return home of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, who is undergoing medical treatment in the United States. The clock is ticking away toward an indictment. What ultimately happens will be shaped by the complex interplay of the frequently divergent interests of Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Hizbullah and Saad Hariri.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR and author of “The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle” (Simon & Schuster).

In Lebanon, politics is theater
Daily Star/Thursday, December 02, 2010
A fire in December … might prompt one to think of a hearth decorated for the holidays, as family and friends gather around for food, drink and fellowship. A forest fire in December, however, is another proposition altogether. The blaze in the Nahr Ibrahim valley of Lebanon on December 1 is the kind of news item that should set alarm bells ringing. Not the kind of alarm bells that mean people should respond to an unforeseen emergency, but rather the kind that signal: the government is largely clueless when it comes to long-term planning and implementation.
Government officials, practically by definition, are supposed to prepare for the worst. In Lebanon, it seems they have gotten into the habit of preparing for the best.
They’re the kind of politicians who are perpetually surprised. A heavy downpour during the winter months often surprises them. Sunny skies and warm temperatures in December have surprised them, although one can hardly miss the words “climate change” and “global warming” if even a few minutes are spent perusing what the media has been offering on a daily basis for several years. Lebanon has seen unseasonably warm temperatures for week after week, as people await a winter that still seems distant. This alone should see officials scramble to act, and beef up the country’s firefighting capabilities. Instead, a fire in the lower Chouf region on November 30 saw local residents up in arms, complaining about the few fire trucks on the scene, and the primitive equipment being wielded by fire-fighting personnel. The warm weather has also highlighted a growing water crisis, and according to the minister in charge of the portfolio, the shortage could serve as a spark for civil war. This naturally begs the question, if the situation is that serious, why isn’t more being done about it?
For decades, the government has unveiled its plans and blueprints for building dams to alleviate the situation, since Lebanon’s wastage levels are atrocious. The plans haven’t materialized, however, and when they do, as with the Shabrouh Dam, the facility turns out to be ineffective. The problem isn’t a lack of awareness about issues such as the environment, water, or fire. It’s a structural problem, involving accountability. The public officials who are tasked with protecting society and preparing for the worst simply ignore their jobs. In a country like Lebanon, politics is theater, not public service. If a given minister is attacked for not doing enough to address the water problem, or the environment, politicians from his or her camp easily dismiss the criticism, as being politically motivated. The citizen’s interest is ignored, and problems are swept under the rug, as politicians drag people into endless discussions of their principles, and not their plans of action. Don’t be fooled by the lovely weather in December. Lebanon is facing a full-fledged emergency.